house
VA – SPC 139 [SPC139]
For over 18 years, Spectral Sound, the dance music imprint of Ghostly International, has thrived at the forefront of techno and house. Now, Spectral brings the past alongside the present with its latest release, a compilation that offers a vibrant cross-section of the current moment in underground dance music. Despite the wide-ranging selections on Spectral 139, a throughline of classic style and infectious energy emerges from the up-and-coming and established artists alike. Rising talents such as Minimal Violence, Russell E.L. Butler, and Earth Trax x Newborn Jr. bring unique perspectives to their hardware-centric productions.
Thought Camera – Astral Pilot [OE007]
One Electronica brings us more rough sounds from Northern Ireland. The seventh release from the label sees the debut of Thought Camera, a young producer from Carrickfergus, on the northern shores of Belfast Lough.
The EP is as diverse as it gets, with four tracks ranging from acid and techno to synth wave. It feels like Thougth Camera recorded his thoughts and projected a mental image of a post apocalyptic rave.
Dietroiter – Digital Tsunami 155
Takeshi Kouzuki – FMBass / Eternal [ALV002]
The second release of the label Alley Version, features the return of Takeshi Kouzuki, with his combo of jackin’ house rythms with melancholic, deep and outer space melodies.
Photonz – Metanime EP [UTTU088]
Mystica Tribe – Love Is All Right [SOLAR10]
Solar Phenomena continues with a new one release from Mystica Tribe – the musical alias of Tokyo-based producer, Taka Noda. Here he draws on everything from dub, soul, bass music, rhythm and blues and will always freak you out with his unusual sounds. This excellently absorbing EP starts with Love Is All Right, a fusion of Asian percussion and reggae drums that is high tempo and funky. The bright steelpan sounds offset the razor sharp percussion and make for a sunny dub that will get any crowd going. The same fusion vibes continues but in more blissed out and slow motion fashion on ‘Lawn Track’, the beautiful cosmic psyche-out that is ‘Ash’ and supple space journey that is ‘Voyage’ with its intoxicating melodies and loose, tumbling percussion. This is unusual but essential music from an exclusive talent.
The Working Elite – Bumper Cars [BIS035]
The Working Elite are Berlin-based spark plugs Thomas “Saap” Sabrowsky, of Extra Producktion, Terre des Pommes, ex-marine soldier, seasoned cook and barkeeper; and Daniel ”D´Lonely Al” Nentwig, who moonlights as The Whitest Boy Alive, co-directs Extra Produktionen, plays keyboard and electric bass for various outfits, and engineers at Berlin’s Butterama Recording Center. Suffice it to say, the pair have named their collaborative project suitably. The Working Elite create recreational music for dancers to shimmer through the days and nights of balmy season.
Rhythm Of Paradise – Universe Of Love [CRM09]
Rhythm Of Paradise returns on mothership Cosmic Rhythm after two years with a brilliant and lushy italo house masterpiece.
Autre – Everybody In The Past [ESP086]
Autre fell asleep in a gondola and awoke in the Krankenhaus. This is his first offering for the ESP Institute. Side A’s Everybody In The Past is sharp techno aimed for the alleys of your mind — gritty, driving, and melodic combinations of blown-out drums and classic electro riffs that relentlessly sprint for a good 4 minutes before a squelching arpeggio and angelic solo kick in — tugging the heartstrings and lighting a beacon for those noble morning dancers lost at the front left speaker, channeling from the deep. On Side B, Frigo completely dismantles any expectations you might have after listening to its predecessor. An undoubtedly seductive Samba rhythm comprised of distant snares, rim shots and cowbells holds together an aggressively active bassline, a steel drum harmony and synth solo that crawl all over like a funky worm. This track is truly something special, a gift for the prodigious selector — when dropped in the deserved context, it has the potential to unlock unprecedented levels of euphoria. These two songs are as fluid as a paintbrush yet precise as a scalpel.
VA – Borft Dance Classics Vol. 2 [BORFT158]
A compilation of 4 tracks from 4 different artists, all originally released by Borft 1997 – 1999.
Mark The 909 King – After Dark EP [RTM005]
Matt Edwards’ reissue label R-Time Records presents ‘After Dark’ with three tracks from Mark The 909 King. ‘After Dark’ set the tone of the package with a piercing drum groove, airy arpeggios and a funky bassline, before cosmic synths and crunchy snares work alongside scintillating chords in ‘Into Space.’ Concluding the package, ‘The Loft’ begins with a hooky bass sequence and filtered effects before soothing melodies come into play.
Perseus Traxx – Simulacra [DWT004]
Distant Worlds present their fourth transmission from the multi-talented, Perseus Traxx. He delivers four deep, warm and fuzzy takes of analogue goodness that fit the Distant Worlds aesthetic perfectly.
Too Smooth Christ – With You In Mind [SGR006]
The French producer Too Smooth Christ returns to Supergenius Records and widens his singular approach to introspective dance music to new musical horizons. ‘Infinite Fall DMZ’ is a slow house jam built around a hypnotic and endless FM pattern and a strong chorus bass, emphasized by a myriad of shiny bittersweet 101 sparks. ‘PHEQS125’, originally made for TSC current live act, triggered such keen reactions in clubs that we decided to cut it down. It’s an acidish banger, elaborated around a 303 pattern, a rave detuned bassline and a b-more breakbeat, tickled by synthetic voices. With its rainforest chords and melodies and its muffled breakbeat, the eponymous track ‘With You In mind’ is a love declaration between balearic house and old-school Jungle / IDM. ‘Etoile’ closes the EP with its UK bass vibe, a combination of tribal drum patterns and a grime beat and narrative bassline which will attract you in some mysterious caverns where the magic monsters hide.
Glenn Underground – Escuchame [GR1236]
Italian reissue experts Groovin continue to explore the vast vaults of outspoken Chicago house veteran Glenn Underground. The two tracks here are, naturally, both sought-after and obscure. On the A-side you’ll find “Escuchame”, a cut that originally appeared on a DJ Deep mix back in 2010. It’s something of a driving, body-rocking beast, with the Windy City stalwart wrapping a jazzy electric piano riff (slightly reminiscent of Black Science Orchestra’s “Save Us” and Lil’ Louis’ “French Kiss”) and spacey synth flourishes around a thrusting drum machine rhythm and booming bass. Turn to the flip for the melodious and spacey deep house classic that is “Hi-Tech Soul”, a previously digital-only track first released way back in 2008.
Chaos In The CBD – Multiverse EP [IDWT005]
‘Multiverse’ is a word used to describe an infinite group of disparate universes including the ones currently inhabited by humans. A myriad of realms that sit side by side, undetected by our senses, surround us at any given moment. The multiverse theory was first confirmed by tracking leakage of electromagnetic waves filtering from one dimension into the next. When these waves were transposed to fit into frequencies audible by the human ear, the recordings were studied by a team of scientists, who found that they contained rhythmic elements that resembled a speech pattern of an alien language.
Stephen Lopkin – Clyde Built [MOSDEEP030]
Stephen Lopkin is back on M>O>S Deep with a great double pack of that gleaming sound. The Scottish artist has been making prickly house and techno for almost a decade. His style is serene and slick, and across the 10 tracks here he manages to conjure tracks that work in the club but that come with plenty of cerebral qualities. He never made a secret he takes a lot of influence from early Detroit Techno, even Several track titles pay direct homage to his musical heroes like Derrick May, Kevin Saunderson, Carl Craig and also the track New Euro Politique is made in memory of the late UK producer Matt Cogger aka Neuropolitique.
Legowelt – Omnibus Babylon EP [CWCS011]
Dusty grooves from the dunes of Scheveningen. Inspired by myth, legend and scifi; Legowelt conjures up four ancient mysticism and space odyssey themed tracks that will take you on another journey through psychedelic space and paranormal rituals.
VA – Mogul 4 [TFGC015]
Themes For Great Cities presents Mogul 4, a collection of 4 diverse tracks by Stabil Elite, PhaserBoys, Wolf Muller and Aiwo Posse.
Reedale Rise – Luminous Air [KONDI019]
Kondi welcomes Reedale Rise to the imprint with his debut album. The Liverpool wonder AKA Simon Keat has impressed almost everyone with his unique take on classic house and techno compositions in a wide range. Beautiful synth pads, punchy, crunchy and groovy electro beats arranged around a good old fashioned analogue synth bass with a characteristic bending synth lead sound on top is really hard not to love and pretty much sums up what Reedale Rises electrofunk journeys are all about. Luminous Air is one big lush, joyful and emotional ride throughout the late summer breeze and is a sure hit whether you go for a party on the beach, a nighttime drive on HWY1 or just need an easy night with a drink on the balcony.
The Hipodrome Of Music 