Rick Wade – Disko Dust EP [UAR022]

Rick Wade on Norm Talley’s Upstairs Asylum are words that will excite any true school house heads. Wade is a production machine who turns out always no-frills, trusty and tracky grooves of the sort that are always essential for building a vibe in a set, and Talley’s a fellow Detroit head who has long been helping to shape the house sound. ‘So Juicy’ begins with a flourish, lavish strings and chunky drums that slide along nicely. ‘Midnight Hustler’ sinks into a slightly more steamy and deep sound with hints of 60s US soul and funky licks, ‘Turn Out’ is a more traditional deep house roller with a comic vibe and ‘Lonely Symphony’ brings some cinematic string drama to a breezy blend of house beats.

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Rick Wade – Disko Dust EP [UAR022]

Norm Talley – Cosmic Waves [UAR021]

Detroit don Norm Talley is as consistent as they come in house music circles. Despite a fine catalogue of cool cuts, ‘Cosmic Wave’ is his standout and a clear fan favourite. It dropped back in 2010 but has been reissued many times on different labels, this time on his own Upstairs Asylum. It’s the very essence of stripped-back and functional house/techno but with an impossibly impactful machine soul, the drums, synth waves and percussion all looping infinitely. But within that endless repetition there is beauty, hypnosis, and catharsis to be found. Sheer class, before you even get into the shimmering, sublimely gliding remix from Luke Hess & Brian Kage and the sparser ‘Cosmic Reality’, all stop/start funkiness rooted down by massive electronic handclaps.

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Norm Talley – Cosmic Waves [UAR021]

Delano Smith / Norm Talley – Straight Up No Chaser [UAR015]

Norm Talley returns to his Upstairs Asylum label alongside fellow US house pioneer Delano Smith for Straight Up No Chaser, an eight-track opus featuring four solo cuts each. Talley’s gritty, dubbed-out, low-rolling house style is present and correct throughout with the loopy chords of ‘Blak Bottom’ getting things going, ‘The Flip’ getting more cavernous and aqueous and ‘ISO Vision’ leaning into dub techno. ‘Believe It’ is a soulful deep house looper, while Smith gets bubbly with ‘The Bassline’, lays down thumping kicks on ‘Travels 23’ and his trademark synth smears on ‘The Drive’ while ‘Remembrance’ is a heady dub house cut that locks you into a state of perfect hypnosis.

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Delano Smith / Norm Talley – Straight Up No Chaser [UAR015]

VA – Music In Motion [UAR013]

Norm Talley’s Upstairs Asylum label only arrived in 2021 but is already up there with the great Motor City imprints. The boss has been busy putting together a trio of new EPs for the first half of 2023 that showcases a wealth of Mid-West talent. House hero Boo Williams kicks off this one with his typically tight drum programming and party-starting synth work on ‘Tickin Clock.’ Eric Johnson keeps it raw, deep and loopy on ‘Melodic Gruv’ then Reggie Dokes brings his signature Atlanta house sound to ‘Mother’s Child’ with its melancholic lead sax and ‘End of Time’ is a broken beat bliss out.

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VA – Music In Motion [UAR013]

VA – Raw Viz-Shun EP [UAR012]

Upstairs Asylum Recordings is one of the many seminal Detroit labels run by local legend Norm Talley. It’s right in the middle of a busy run right now with no fewer superb run with three new EPs all dropping in quick succession. This one is a split EP with US duo Solid Gold Playaz taking care of the a-side. As always with this pair, their sounds are deep and dusty house with exquisite melodies tugging at the heart. On the flip, Gari Romalis steps up with the slick percussive skip of ‘Detroit After Dark’ then ‘Panties’ from Brian Neal brings jacked up analogue groves that lean into techno with a big fat bassline.

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VA – Raw Viz-Shun EP [UAR012]

VA – DET-313-EP [UAR001]

TALLEY, Norm/OMAR S/MOODYMANN - Det 313 EP

The first release on Upstairs Asylum with two warm detroit house tracks. On the a-side a collab between Omar S, Kenny Dixon aka Moodyman and Norm Talley, on the flip side its Norm Talley and D’Julz.

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VA – DET-313-EP [UAR001]