Recently a series of very limited and mysterious 12”s by Jorge Velez popped up in stores around the globe – Rush Hour chased the artist and now offers a selection (which includes exclusive tracks) on this double LP. J Velez aka Jorge Velez recorded these tracks on various analog machines in the mid to late nineties in his home studio in Jersey City. The tracks never really left his studio until recently.
Stellar OM Source with some fine Detroit inspired electro cuts, with that neo-noir electro feel.
Rush Hour present a new EP including two remixes by Andres and The Oliverwho Factory and a new original track by Recloose. Andres remixes ‘Electric Sunshine’, which originally appeared on the Saturday Night Manifesto EP in 2011, into a laid back and smooth house track for which Dez is so well known. The Oliverwho Factory touches up Magic, which came out earlier this year. Recloose swings back into party mode with his new track, ‘Chamois’.
This tasty sampler featuring two Music Box inspired edit tracks is a prequel to some very nice things ahead. First up is Derrick May’s edit of Let No Man Put Us Under. An edit that he did in the late 80s, which was directly inspired by his trips to the Muzic Box, where he would hear Ron Hardy play the song. One which marks the direct influence that Chicago had on Detroit dance music. On the flip we find a track from another child of the Box, Gene Hunt. ‘Sound Drome’ is an amazing building drum track that totals over 13 minutes. This version takes direct influence from the Muzic Box and Ron Hardy with the acapella intro that Ron used to play as well. The real insanity starts 8 minutes into the track when the tempo is pitched down (and then back up). The kind of madness that only Ron would create on the dance floor.
Gerd Janson compiles an exciting ambient-not-ambient compilation that includes exclusive tracks by Âme, Move D, Quiet Village Marco Passarani, Roman Flügel and Tom Trago. “Music for Autobahns” is the result of asking Gerd Janson for a collection that starts where previous efforts left off. While Computer Incarnations for World Peace (his compilations for Sonar Kollektiv) concentrated on tipsy new wave music done by jazz-funkers or neo disco-ists, Autobahns has an
unintentionally strong leaning towards ambient not-ambient, kraut pleasers and codeine house, i.e. Industrial Ambient and Electrifying New Age. It’s all new and exclusive material by people who once or twice crossed paths with the compiler. You will hear Âme with their modular slambient concept sitting next to Amsterdam’s Tom Trago off peak time duties, Roman Flügel with an old DAT tape wunderkind that shares a side with Heidelberg’s very own Move D in love, outsider dance from CF & Daywalker alias Entro Senestre and Willie Burns as well as a greasy sounding Marco Passarani and finally Tensnake’s romantic pop appeal that is a counterpoint to Maxxi & Zeus (better known as Quiet Village) and their “Passion” for all beauties that lie beyond.
Four exclusive tracks from Elbee Bad that conclude the True Story of House music compilation on Rush Hour. This EP showcases tracks that he produced for and/or with other artists. More classic stuff that was released on some of the leading NYC house labels at the time. This release again shows the early house mastery of Elbee Bad as well as his diversity. The Keith, Kat & Blondie shows his deep, eerie side, his freestyle vibe on The Wizard & The Prince track (which became an early UK warehouse/breakbeat hit) and his hip hop roots on the Lord KCB track.
The exotic Xosar and Legowelt have teamed up to created some serious Ghosthaus slam dance, under the Xamiga moniker for Rush Hour. With their never-ending collection of machines, the pair produces a hot three-track dreamland techno-house EP in a future-classic fashion. Music to jack to loudly while closing your eyes softly.
Tom Trago’s presents his follow up single on Rush Hour, ‘Rise Up’ / ‘Sky High’. Tom Trago and Cinnaman got together in the studio and out came ‘Rise Up’. They somehow managed to mix freestyle, minimal, low-fi and bass together to create a cross-over house explosion. Based around a quirky bass line and vocal, the track keeps building until a catchy synth stab drops in which elevates the track to the next level. ‘Sky High’ is a late night basement session with San Proper and friends joining in on vocals. A bittersweet love song in which San yearns for a simultaneous high, which is backed up by a deep, silky house groove.
Following the Dream 2 Science release on the Rush Hour Reissue series earlier this year, another NYC garage classic by Ben Cenac, also known for his Newcleus outfit, gets a much deserved reissue. Unlike Dream 2 Science, which remained an obscure record at the time, Sha-Lor became an international club hit and a Summer Of Love staple song. The timeless feel of this innocent, heartfelt vocal song sounds as fresh as it did back then and is sure to fill people’s hearts with joy again. This reissue features the Caught Up Version, which was the most popular mix from the origin
The mysterious Xosar recorded a brand new zonked out mix to celebrate her “Nite Jam” release!
Xosar with the second release on Rush Hour. With ‘Nite Jam’ and ‘Elixir Of Dreams’ she continues to explore the boundaries of the self-dubbed ghost house genre. Late night occult tinged music for the after midnight freaks and sunshine shy infidels. A descendant from a Bengali aerospace engineer and Cherokee psychic, she was born in San Jose California, raised in San Francisco and is now residing in a quiet seaside village on the North Sea. Here she spends most of her time wandering through dark forests, channeling the energy of nature and primal forces contained within symbols, and using these energies to produce a sensual and exotic blend of deep Detroit-style techno and leftfield ghost house.
The enigmatic Heatsick’s CasioTones evolve over this EP with the inclusion of accompanying drum machine (something we haven’t heard in his productions before) – four focused tracks that express the overload from stimuli and expansion from time space compression.
Fudge Fingas aka Gavin Sutherland debuts on Rush Hour with his S.V.T. EP, which includes the modern soul classic ‘Snow Day’, a dream-perfect, lullaby-like, reminiscing-heavy song about a… snow day. ‘Vin 2 Win’ lifts us up and reminisces us back to back to the good old days somewhere in the mid nineties when Underground Resistance was giving is their take on 21st century funk. ‘Trans Pennine Express’ closes off this EP in a delightfully deep manner. A great tune to close off the night, or start up your day.
Elbee Bad aka Lamont Booker is another great underground house pioneer from the formative days of NYC house in the late eighties. ‘The True Story Of House Music’ is the first time Bad’s catalog gets compiled for re-release. Although the best and most prolific part of his catalog is his late 80’s and early 90’s output, Booker never stopped producing (and dj’ing). Elbee Bad aka LB Bad aka The Prince Of Dance Music aka Lamont Booker aka The Voodoo Man, aka Lord KCB aka BAD currently lives and works in Berlin where he continues to work on music as well as producing and running his Bad’s Label.
Simon Weiss with his first solo EP for Rush Hour. With his ‘Wave EP’ Simon delivers a tasteful and fun package, four house tracks that ride the thin line between retro and current, without trying to sound like either one.
‘Galactic Alignment’ is the new single by the elusive Jump “Chico” Slamm. While working on a reissue of aforementioned ‘Feel Free’ from Slamm Project, an unreleased recording came to light which immediately lit our fire. ‘Galactic Alignment’ was just too good to remain in the vaults, so it got dusted off and readied for release. Although this jewel has been lying dormant for some years, it sounds very current. Better yet, it has a timeless feel and has the unique appeal to take dance floors both intimate and extravagant.
New single by KiNK and it’s his first solo release since early 2011 and his debut for Rush Hour. The title track is a typical KiNK work out, which is based around an infectious disco loop and is blown to summer anthem proportions by the anthemic break-down which features Rachel Row on vocals. On the flip we find ‘Express’. A sleek groove that rides around all sounds that train: horns, whistles, train tracks, you name it..
A year after the release of Tom Trago’s ‘Iris’ album we now have versions from no less than KiNK, Linkwood AND Larry Heard.
Two eighties recordings which were taken from reel and have been remastered and made available for your pleasure. ‘Boxbeater’ especially is a track that was inspired by the slam dancers who used to go wild on the rhythm tracks Ron Hardy used to play at the Music Box. ‘Warm’ is a deeper, yet fierce, house cut, which was inspired on early ‘Rhythim Is Rhythim material.
The Hipodrome Of Music 