Southern Fried Records keep the house music rolling with an EP from a hotly tipped US producer.
 
Justin Jay’s name has been catching attention for some time now, which is quite something as this Los Angeles producer is just 19 years old. Flagged by DJ Magazine when he was only 17, he has gone on to spend his days learning his craft at Atlantic Records in LA and has been releasing select cuts through labels such as Claude Von Stroke’s Dirtybird, garnering support from the likes of Pete Tong, Eats Everything and Tom Findlay [Groove Armada]. Now this talented young artist is joining forces with Southern Fried Records for a full EP backed with some superb remixes from label peers Frogs In Socks and Jack Fell Down.
 
The ‘Everything EP’ opens with the title track, a wonderfully deep and musical slice of bumpin’ house music that somehow manages to capture a very current UK House sound with a definite Californian flavor. Soulful vocal refrains and rich pads soar over skipping drum programming and warm bass to provide a perfect urban sunkissed soundtrack before the understated yet uplifting piano lines lifts things towards the stratosphere. The second of the two original cuts, ‘Into the Night’ sees Justin Jay journey into broken, bass driven territory with a piece of House music that wears its West coast Hip Hop influences in its sleeve, quality stuff. 
 
The remix package sees Southern Fried act Frogs in Socks provide a remix and dub version of ‘Everything’ both of which twist up the original bringing an off kilter and underground feel to this superb track. Following hot on their heels, the excellent Jack Fell Down also provide a pair of mixes, this time reworking ‘Into the Night’. The duo’s ‘Jack Fell Down remix’ offers up a solid UK house sound with tight edits of the vocal and a simple killer B-line whilst the ‘Jack Fell Down Garage remix’ does what it says on the tin, delivering a ruff, old school rework that is outstanding. 
 
Justin Jay is a worthy addition to the Southern Fried roster and with music of this calibre is likely to featuring heavily in the months and years to come. 

Out now!

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Bohemian Yacht Club launches in January with a three track EP from Jamie Kidd featuring a remix from Derek Marin.

Bohemian Yacht Club was birthed as a boat cruise event, taking to the seas surrounding Toronto and Miami and welcoming guests such as Art Department, Maceo Plex and Maya Jane Coles. Here the brand launches an accompanying record label for releasing music from the inspiring artists and remixers that have grown with the events. Toronto’s Jamie Kidd kicks things off, a staple in his hometowns underground techno scene and a prominent name on labels like Perc Trax, Thoughtless Music and Roots & Wings, Kidd delivers refreshing underground records, fusing live instrumentation and electronics into vibrant arrangements.

’13th Verse’ opens the release, a deep, dark cut full of hidden depths and intricacies. Kidd skillfully blends smooth, ethereal background pads, raw, shuffling drums and earth-shattering sub-bass tones with sporadic Rhodes licks and a profound amount of subtle automation such as expansive reverb tails and dub-delays to create an ever-evolving dynamic.

Next up is ‘Getaway’, embracing a similarly dark aesthetic with a gated guitar melody, an amalgamation of gritty bass hooks and resonant synth shots acting as the driving force. Kidd again creates a blossoming dynamic here by manipulating each elements envelope to brilliantly play off one another throughout its seven minute duration. The result is a trippy, heads-down peak-time workout.

To close the release ‘Derek Marin’ turns in a remix of ‘Getaway’, brilliantly contrasting the original cut the Siesta and Trapez Ltd artist delivers a dubbed-out, groove-led rework driven by rolling percussion and eerie vocal murmurs. A penetrating arpeggiated bass-line sweeps in around the two minute mark adding a profound dark energy to the track, this develops alongside a dark synth stab with drawn-out delays on both building the bigger picture and fuelling its progressive feel.

This is an outstanding launch for Bohemian Yacht Club and leaves an interesting prospect of whats to come. Jamie Kidd’s ‘Inner Nature’ EP is out on Bohemian Yacht Club late January 2013.

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Nice and quirky acid stuff here. Check out the preview after the jump.

A Sagitarriun returns to Elastic Dreams in February with the ‘Transparent Mind’ EP, backed with remixes from the always impeccable Marco Bernadi (Clone) and legendary British house producer, Aubrey.

Much like previous material and recent podcast for RA, ‘Transparent Mind’ sees the Britsol-based A Sagitarriun turn in an EP that takes influences from hardcore/rave, house, techno, dub, ambient and beyond while Bernadi and Aubrey turn in remixes worthy of their respective reputations.

A Sagitarriun’s ‘Transparent Mind’ EP is released on vinyl on the 11th February 2012 on Elastic Dreams with a digital release to follow.

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Having previously broken talent like UK house duo Dusky, German deep house producer Martin Roth and rising US talent Beckwith, Anjunadeep presents another hotly tipped new artist in the form of 20 year-old Joe Cowie aka Kahwe.

Taking his inspiration from late-90s house and garage, Kahwe’s productions display a depth and maturity that producers twice his age.

Full of soulful vocal cut-ups and Balearic textures, “Driving Me Wild” is the more melodic of the three. A euphoric but understated end-of-night anthem, “Driving Me Wild” has already been picking up plays from names as diverse as Bondax and Chymera.

A more club focused groove, “Anything” is an infectious old school influenced house banger that has been getting a unanimous thumbs up from all that have it; including US house legend Kerri Chandler, Gerd, Vince Watson and Ashley Beedle.

Balancing a melodic depth with a deft melancholy, the hazy, blissful “Yew” brings things down perfectly with warm and fuzzy textures somewhere between Four Tet and Bondax.

Kahwe’s ‘Driving Me Wild’ is released on Anjunadeep on 11th February 2012.

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Never thought I’d be writing the word ‘trance’ on the blog.

‘Trance in Mexico’, one of the leading lights from David Shaw’s recent album gets the remix treatment from Justin Robertson and Marc Pinol.

Anglo-Parisian producer David Shaw saw the release of his outstanding ‘So It Goes’ LP last October, picking up broad critical acclaim and fevered support for his unique fusion of electronica music with indie pop influences. For many the track ‘Trance in Mexico’ was a real highlight from the LP, receiving support from the likes of Pete Herbert, Clive Henry & Emerson Todd, so it seems only natural that the good folks at Her Majesty’s Ship have decided to put a remix package together of this very cut.

The first of the two mixes comes from UK Acid house veteran and all round musical entertainer, Mr Justin Robertson. Robertson has been part of dance music’s landscape for over two decades now and is once again enjoying acclaim, this time for his latest project The Deadstock 33s. His remix of ‘Trance in Mexico’ sees the heavyweight producer journey into twisted slo-mo acid disco territory with a version that is a true eclectic electronic workout in the best possible sense.

To complete the package ‘Trance in Mexico’ is handed over to Spain’s Marc Pinol who’s recent remix of Remain & Popullette proved such as success. Here he jacks the original into a superb old school Chicago inspired house affair, marrying 808 drums with argeppiated synths and warm bass to provide the perfect backing for Shaw’s unique vocals, quality stuff.

This remix package of ‘Trance in Mexico’ provides two outstanding re-interpretations of a great original record, hats off to Justin Robertson, Marc Pinol and the crew of Her Majesty’s Ship!

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Out in a few weeks!

The My Favorite Robot label hand over the parts from Fairmont’s superb recent album ‘Automaton’ to the likes of Ewan Pearson, Ryan Crosson, Undo and Arthur Oskan resulting in a very special remix package.
 
Jake Fairley AKA Fairmont has been pioneering forward thinking electronic music for well over a decade now, working alongside heavyweight labels such as Border Community, Traum Schallpletten and most recently My Favorite Robot Records who released his third artist album November 2012. The LP, ‘Automaton’ received broad critical acclaim with praise heaped on it by publications such as Mixmag, DJ Mag, Groove, Tsugi and Faze magazine and select cuts from the album began to show up in the charts of a number of leading DJs. Now Fairmont & My Favorite Robot Records have decided to collect together a series of remixes of some of the leading lights from the LP, reworked by some of their favourite producers, the results are here on ‘Automaton Remixes 1′ with a 2nd remix package scheduled to follow later this year.
 
The EP kicks off with ‘Last Dance’, a key cut from the album which now gets overhauled by remix heavyweight Ewan Pearson. Pearson’s remix credentials needed little introduction having been a go-to man for the likes of Depeche Mode, Metronomy, Hot Chip etc as well as numerous dance acts. Here he takes ‘Last Dance’ and works it into an epic ten minute electronic anthem as only Mr Pearson knows how, simply stunning! 
 
Following hot on his heels, Ryan Crosson picks up the remix baton and sets about transforming ‘Alkaline’ into a brilliantly understated slice of leftfield techno with a light and airy feel to it. The third mix sees Factor City’s Undo remix ‘Fate’, turning in a slo-mo electro influenced piece of electronica that marries Fairmont’s song structure with some intense and moving production. The penultimate mix sees recent MFRR convert Arthur Oskan gets to grips with ‘Tiny Diamonds’ delivering a remix that pulses and purrs with it’s arpeggiated synth lines bringing a truly uplifting quality. Finally we close the package as we started it with remix overlord Ewan Pearson delivering an instrumental version to sit against his remix.
 
With the recent Jori Hulkkonen remix package fresh in the memory and now this stunning selection of Fairmont mixes it’s clear that My Favorite Robot Records are becoming very adept at picking the right remixer for the right job. ‘Automaton remixes 1′ is a must have collection for all lovers of quality electronic music.

Southern Fried records stalwart Sona Vabos returns with a superb new EP featuring a functional title and four tracks that delves into the depths of house music’s many facets.

Sona Vabos has been a core part of the Southern Fried Records artist stable for the last few years, releasing original EPs and lending his considerable remix talents to records from the likes of 2Bears, Chicken Lips & Crookers. Now the London based producer is set to drop his latest release in the shape of the wonderful ‘Four Trax EP’.

The simplistic title is both a tip of the hat to house music’s past and a functional description of the EPs remit, that being, to deliver a collection of solid club cuts. Vabos suggests that this may be the beginning of a series, with the Four, leading to three, two and finally a monster ‘One Trax’ release. For now there is no doubt that this talented producer has achieved achieved what he set out to do, for the ‘Four Trax EP’ truly is a quality collection that is certain to find favour on dancefloors for months and years to come.

The EP kicks off with ‘So Good’, a looped disco outing that rolls up warm funk fuelled bass, keys, classic disco strings and pitched vocals to create a surefire winner. Next up we have ‘Two Turn Jax’ a track that melds elements of Chicago house with organic Detroit techno sounds to superb effect. ‘Cane Rhythm’ steps out into deep and percussive house territory with a record that weaves subtle melodic elements into a solid house groove. Finally we have ‘Dirty Swing’ where the beats get broken, the vocals and keys become garage inspired and the jazz inspired brass tops it off for a perfect finale.

The ‘Four Trax EP’ is another superb release from Sona Vabos and Southern Fried Records to help kick start the new year, enjoy!

Acid house legend Justin Robertson follows up his hugely successful collaborative single with Daniel Avery returning to the Gomma label under his ‘The Deadstock 33s’ moniker with a superb new single featuring remixes from Ewan Pearson & Disco Bloodbath.

Justin Robertson has been part of dance music’s landscape for over twenty years now, bringing his own eclectic approach to bear through his DJ’ing and production work. From his early days at Manchester nights such as Spice and Most Excellent, through his recordings as Lionrock for Deconstruction and on to his long-standing relationship with Bugged Out, Robertson has always been a passionate advocate for quality music in all it’s many guises. Referred to by the Chemical Brothers as “their mentor” it is hard to overstate the influence Robertson has had on electronic music. His most recent venture has seen the veteran artist adopt a new moniker, The Deadstock 33s, under which he has released a string of outstanding solo singles for the likes of Paper Recordings & Tigersushi. Together with Daniel Avery, Robertson has produced much hyped recent EPs for Gomma & Optimo , and as a consequence as picked up remixes for artist such as 2 Bears, Justice & Paul Weller.

It is to the Gomma label that Justin has turned for the release of his debut from The Deadstock 33s, an album that will be seeing a release early in 2013. Ahead of that album we have the superb new single ‘Underneath the Pines’ taken from the LP and featuring some sterling remixes.

The single kicks off with the ‘House mix’ of ‘Underneath the Pines’, a bubbling, moog bass driven electronic workout that layers ethereal synth parts and skittering percussion beneath Robertson’s emotive vocals. The ‘House mix’ is followed by the ‘Club mix’ which sees things taken in a techy, electronic direction with an intense warehouse feel to it. The remixes come courtesy of Ewan Pearson and Disco Bloodbath with both producers offering up two versions. Ewan Pearson’s remix sees the highly respected producer deliver a richly produced, breakbeat fuelled mix that provides a perfect soundbed for the vocals, whilst his instrumental version sees additional synth lines filling out the mix. Disco Bloodbath also offer up a dub and vocal mix, both of which reflect a superb, shuffling electro disco sound, with the former featuring some old school vocal snippet samples, quality stuff.

This is an outstanding package and a wonderful taster of the forthcoming album ‘The Pilgrim’s Ghost’, enjoy!

British imprint Teng drops the ‘Import Export’ EP by Italian duo Wefeelnomath this January backed with a remix from Owain K.

Teng Records is run by Nick Woolfson, one half of production outfit Mock & Toof and since its launch has seen in two releases from Woolfson under his AKRA alias. Here Nick steps aside to introduce two new artists to the roster, Wefeelnomath, the collaborative effort of Italian’s Matthias Cordsen and Filippo Rocco.

The release opens with ‘Order Another 1 Cup’, a deep ethereal number infused with captivating sounds. The duo sit atmospheric field recordings in the background building an intense hidden depth while the foreground contains warm pad lines, gritty shuffling drums, elongated proggy bass-lines and warbling synth melodies, creating something unique and intriguing.

Next up is ‘Look’ picking up the pace slightly with a rolling, insistent percussion movement. The Milan based producers blend abstract, enchanting pads, a raw Juno style electronic bass and vocal snippets in an ever- evolving fashion. Applying cavernous reverbs and subtle delays on the various elements to create a blossoming progressive vibe.

Dessous and Poker Flat artist ‘Owain K’ steps up to remix ‘Look’ next, stamping his low-slung, gritty signature on the original cut. K strips back the vibe, picking away at a selection of elements and remolding them with his exclusive style. A bulbous sub-bass runs for the duration of the cut alongside the originals vocal and a dusty, stabbing synth melody, resulting in a smooth afterhours reinterpretation.

To close the release Wefeelnomath deliver ’80′s Century’, a heady, percussive led track embracing the soul- laden sound of Detroit house music. A groovy, natural bass lick runs with swung percussion, an amalgamation of blues style vocal chops and sensual Rhodes. Beautifully capturing the essence of retro house music yet instilling the cut with a forward thinking approach through intricate variations and clever automation touches.
Darius Aleksandar’s ‘Let It Roll’ follows, picking up the pace slightly with a grittier, raw feel. A heady sub bass edges the groove along while a warbling electronic synth hook meanders around it, Aleksandar displays his proficient production abilities here, smoothly manipulating vocal cuts, filter, and delay automation to create a chaotic movement throughout the records restrained, evolving structure. ‘Testpress Therapy’ by Tele vs. Dan Diamond comes next, a dark, dub-house track with low-pitched vocal murmurs, moody, tape-delayed Rhodes stabs and punchy drums, simplicity is key here with the duo creeping in additional elements subtly, the result is a smooth, slow-blooming house track.

Joe Buckle’s ‘Here’s Your Cold Weather Dance Music’ closes the compilation, a late night, synth-heavy workout, seemingly taking inspiration from 80′s electro and disco with its shuffling 707 drums, intense low- end bass tones, retro arpeggiated synths and soulful vocal chops.

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Las Vegas, Nevada based imprint Riff Raff bring you the ‘Animal Behavior Comp Vol.2 this January comprising five original cuts of bass-heavy deep house.

The Riff Raff imprint was launched by production duo, Spacebyrdz, who are based out of Vegas and Android Cartel, based out of L.A. The combination of these three producers has brought around a unique musical stamp for the label, with tripped-out, dub-house tracks from the likes of Jay Tripwire and Cari Golden found in the back catalogue.
Dance Spirit’s ‘Endless Calm’ opens the release here, The U.S based production outfit bring the heat with weighty shuffling drums, a blossoming arp-line and moody ethereal pads bringing a profound depth to the track, with an ever-evolving progressive feel to the structure. Next up is Justin Baulé & Spacebyrdz’ ‘For My People’, a low-slung house cut with a bumping tom-driven bass-line leading the track. The trio brilliantly play on the percussive elements with subtle percussive rolls hidden in background depths and a variety of vocal chops keeping things bubbling away, the result is stylish house music on a San-Fran, Dirty Bird tip.

Darius Aleksandar’s ‘Let It Roll’ follows, picking up the pace slightly with a grittier, raw feel. A heady sub bass edges the groove along while a warbling electronic synth hook meanders around it, Aleksandar displays his proficient production abilities here, smoothly manipulating vocal cuts, filter, and delay automation to create a chaotic movement throughout the records restrained, evolving structure. ‘Testpress Therapy’ by Tele vs. Dan Diamond comes next, a dark, dub-house track with low-pitched vocal murmurs, moody, tape-delayed Rhodes stabs and punchy drums, simplicity is key here with the duo creeping in additional elements subtly, the result is a smooth, slow-blooming house track.

Joe Buckle’s ‘Here’s Your Cold Weather Dance Music’ closes the compilation, a late night, synth-heavy workout, seemingly taking inspiration from 80′s electro and disco with its shuffling 707 drums, intense low- end bass tones, retro arpeggiated synths and soulful vocal chops.

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Brand new label Contemporary Scarecrow launches this January with a double pack vinyl EP from Chicago house veteran Boo Williams, entitled ‘Back To The Future / Looney Chunes Vol.1′.

Contemporary Scarecrow is an Australian based fashion and record company bringing you intriguing clothing and music. Here the label’s inaugural release kicks things off in style with four fresh cuts from Boo Williams and three tracks from the past repressed for the package and accompanied by full colour sleeves. Boo Williams was propelled into the underground house and techno scene through long time ally Glenn Underground who introduced Williams to music production back in the late 90′s, Boo has since gone on to record for reputable imprint such as Josh Wink’s Ovum, Rush Hour and Cajmere’s Releif.

The release opens with ‘Further Teck’ a rugged analogue workout employing a weighty kick, shuffling hats and airy ethereal pads, a walking bass lick hook smoothly bubbles away in the background as Williams brings the melodic elements to the forefront with intricate progressive advancements in the groove, displaying his ability to craft deep, melodic house brilliantly. Following on is ‘Total Wreck’, embracing crunchy 909 drums and a heady arpeggiated bass groove, the track takes on the form of peak time raw house. Boo delicately introduces swirling synth lines, synthesized horns and smooth Rhodes to create a pulsating house track with an ever-evolving dynamic. On the flip side we have ‘Joy Ride’, a trippy electronica style track built around off kilter broken drums, warbling synth blips and warm bell chime tones. Williams once again displays his musical abilities radiantly here, blending a fusion of elements and a busy structure to meander around each other yet maintain unity throughout. ‘Joy Ride Beats’ follows and as the name suggests provides you with the raw shuffling rhythm from the preceding cut.

To close the release Boo offers up thee previously released tracks, starting wih ‘Real Tekno’, a dubbed out house cut featuring a hooky synth line and strident, crunchy percussion. The track slowly evolves for around three and a half minutes before stripping back the elements and introducing resonant, tweaky 303 synth flourishes to tail out the track. ‘Tickle Me’ follows, previously release by Boo under his Mandrake guise, the record is a smooth slice of deep melodic house driven by lush strings, jangling ride cymbals and a gritty electronic bass. Simplicity is key here with subtle additions being eased in and retracted every thirty-two bars in true house fashion.

To close the release Williams offers up the near thirteen minute epic ‘Big Fat Woman 2000′ a punchy filter house track that displays an intelligent use of samples, guitar licks, brass hooks and smooth piano chords make up the track alongside weight drums. Baroque key and structure changes are introduced throughout the cut keeping things captivating throughout.

This is an outstanding debut from Contemporary Scarecrow and a clear-cut sign of what’s to come from this promising Australian company.

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Manchester’s Hudd Traxx imprint kicks off 2013 with a bang bringing you the ‘Omatsuri’ EP this January, a collaborative effort from Spaniards Javi Bora and Le Vinyl.

Javi Bora and Le Vinyl have released music for reputable labels such as 2020 Vision, Off, Robsoul, Catwash and Loco Records. Both producers maintain a heavy DJ schedule on their home turf of Spain and further afield, building their reputations as two of Spain’s most prominent deep house artists. This record marks a milestone for Hudd Traxx as they reach their 40th release, its no surprise looking back that the label has such a highly praised reputation within the underground, having put out cuts from DJ Sneak, Agnès, Sascha Dive, Rick Wade & Rolando to name a few.

‘Omatsuri’ opens here, a deep, trippy number led by a whirling synth line that gives the track a hypnotic, psychedelic feel. Shuffling drums, a low-end lumpy bass, sporadic synth sweeps and spoken word vocals carry the weight of the track, with subtle variations and refined modulation touches on each element creating an ever-evolving dynamic for its near ten minute duration.

Next up is ‘Boreal’, a raw, dubbed-out cut that embraces a less-is-more approach. Hooky synth stabs lead the way with cavernous reverb builds and warbling delays creating an intense depth and atmosphere. Punchy low-slung drums flutter away in the background easing the movement along while the synthesized elements and soulful vocal lines take control, creating an emotive house track infused with warmth. The duo offer up a ‘Dub’ version of ‘Boreal’ to close the release, doing exactly what it says on the tin, the pair strip back the vocal lines and allow the cut to slowly bloom and evolve throughout its duration, resulting in a loopy more underground disposed cut. Drops at the end of the month.

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Southern Fried Records has had an impressive year in 2012, moving towards a deeper sound with stunning records from the likes of Chicken Lips, The 2 Bears, Maribou State and Luca C & Brigante. Amongst the label’s heavyweight roster there have been a number of up and coming artists making their mark, including the highly rated Wave & Odyssey and the hotly tipped Jack Fell Down. Now the label looks to a brand new production duo to deliver its latest single the excellent ‘F**k Art, let’s Dance EP’ from Wish & Consyn.

Wish & Consyn are two Spanish producers who have come together with a shared love of electronic music to create something unique. This is their debut EP.

The record kicks off with title track ‘F*8k Art, Let’s Dance’, a deep and brooding slice of electronic excellence that marries moog bass parts, heavily effected spoken word vocals and rolling rhythms to create a wonderfully hypnotic piece. Next up we journey into techier territory with the darker tinted ‘Flash’, a record that sees Wish & Consyn weave mesmerising FX with subtle melodic elements to superb effect, quality stuff.

Penultimate cut ‘Frizion & Desgasting’ ventures into ethereal, electronica realms with a vocal cut that fuses broken beats, mature synth parts and an intense atmosphere to provide one of the highlights of the package. The collection is closed with ‘Erosion & Rocking’, an edgy techno/electro fusion with a laidback feel and another sterling vocal performance, a perfect final piece in the musical puzzle.

This may be the first release from Wish & Consyn but with music of this quality and the Southern Fried label behind them, I’m sure we will be hearing much more from them, enjoy!

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Tracklist

1. F**K Art, Let’s Dance
2. Flash
3. Frizion & Desgasting
4. Erosion & Rocking

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2020 Vision drop a killer remix package of Crazy P this January, taken from the forthcoming Crazy P Remixes album out early January 2013, the wax features exclusive remixes from reputable talents Burnski, Bonar Bradberry and Wolf + Lamb.

2020 Vision released the Crazy P ‘Heartbreaker [Remixes]‘ in late 2012 which featured remixes from two rising stars of the underground, Huxley and Mark E. Now the label displays its undeniable A&R skills once again, pulling in the services of four incredibly hyped artists to deliver tasteful, intelligent reworks of this British band.

The package opens with the ‘Burnski Remix’ of ‘Beatbox’, the Leeds born producer ventures in a slightly more funk-laden direction from his usual raw, deep house vibes, instead opting for a slo-mo, soulful disco feel, embracing the aesthetic of the original cut and stamping his mark on it with a fusion of warm synths and shuffling drums.

Next up is PBR Streetgang member Bonar Bradberry, with his remix of ‘Eruption’, Bradberry kicked up a storm in 2012 with releases for heavily hyped imprint Needwant, alongside Ejeca, Kim Ann Foxman and Maxxi Soundsystem. Here he shows just why he’s been in such high demand as of late, providing a heady, hypnotic rework infused with warmth and energy. Bradberry skillfully layers snippets of the original cuts vocals on top of his signature, dropped-tempo insistent groove reshaping the cut as a peak-time heavy hitter.

Closing the release 2020 employ the services of New York’s Wolf + Lamb feat. Slow Hands. The Wolf + Lamb crew stepped on to the radar of underground house music several years ago and its safe to say, firmly positioned themselves as purveyors of a niche and exciting contemporary sound. The duo’s mix of ‘We Can Only Be’ shows exactly that, with off-kilter broken beat drums, emotive guitar chords and staccato licks running alongside a walking style bass-line and gospel style vocal lines, resulting in a smooth and classy interpretation.

This is yet another outstanding release from the 2020 Vision label and a clear cut sign that 2013 is going to be another stellar year for the band.

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Tracklist

1. Beatbox [Burnski Remix]
2. Changes [Mario Basanov Remix]
3. Wecanonlybewhoweare [Wolf + Lamb feat. Slow Hands Mix] 4. Open For Service [Ron Basejam Mix]
4. Never Gonna Reach Me [Hot Toddy Remix]
5. Changes [Appleblim's Bristol Soul Mix]
6. Lie Lost [Maurice Fulton Remix]
7. Heartbreaker [Huxley Remix]
8. Caught Up [Still Going Remix]
9. Eruption [Bonar Bradberry Remix]

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Chicago’s Large Music returns with another stellar single from highly talented producer Nathan G featuring two tracks of quality garage tinged house …

It takes a certain authentic know-how, sincerity and some seasoned tenacity to help incite something special from a moment of music. These are qualities that are abundant in the seemingly winning combo of artist Nathan G and the legendary Large Music; kicking open the New Year with an explicitly fun and modern garage-house 2 tracker entitled the Duplicity EP.

Currently under the influence of his valiant transformation to Berlin and recent #2 position on Beatport’s ‘ADE Best Deep House Tunes of 2012 with ‘Tears from Ghetto’, Nathan G is a name and sound gaining an exciting upward surge of quality attention. The Melbourne originator and Luvbug label front man has deservedly been attracting this growing stream of chart action and support of late – a sure post-effect of his critically acclaimed artist album ‘The Glow’ and expanding Future Proof EP series, both via Large Music. Of course, a little history repeated has often played a part in the proceedings; with cuts now on offer ‘Up Again’ & ‘Fall For Me’ both oozing with more of his cool, vintage sentiment made fresh for 2013.

Large music’s esteemed history with releases from the likes of Kerri Chandler, Roy Davis Jr & Dennis Ferrer make it a heavyweight player in dance music’s landscape and with new music like this single from Nathan G and the current demand for quality old school house there is no doubt that they deserve your attention.

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Tracklist

1. Fall for Me
2. Up Again

Muchiq Records has snared a remix by Circus main man, Yousef for it’s latest release – Dansco’s ‘Business Trip’

An additional remix comes from fresh talent James Glover, who’s mix has already been picking up support from Polyrhythmic and Leftroom artist Kate Simko, while Yousef’s interpretation has been seeing love from Monika Kruse.
In original form, ‘Business Trip’ is a gutsy slice of seriously peak time tech house that’s shot through with strange yet captivating vocal effects. Yousef, no stranger to rocking a big room, strips some of the track back and focuses on the vocal and in doing so maximizes impact throughout.

James Glover aka The Glove closes with his interpretation, a key-heavy roller that tips a nod to early UK acid house. Dansco’s ‘Business Trip’ is released on the 18th February on Muchiq Records.

James’ remix hits the mark and they’re all out in February.

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No.19 Music’s Social Experiment continues with a stunning new chapter delivered courtesy of musical heavyweights Art Department and featuring an array of exclusive material …
 
Art Department are an act, that in the space of a few short years have become one of the biggest names on dance music’s landscape. Musical partners Jonny White & Kenny Glasgow have a long history together, but it was with the launch of their Art Department moniker and their seminal releases through Crosstown Rebels that the pair came into the spotlight on the world stage. Debut album ‘The Drawing Board’ received rapturous support and their single ‘Without You’ was proclaimed a record of the year 2010 by the likes of Resident Advisor and Mixmag. Two years on and Art Department are riding high, touring the world and delivering their own unique party experience wherever they go, now they come together to compile and mix their first official compilation album capturing something of that experience in a stunning 72 minute mix.
 
No.19 Music’s ‘Social Experiment’ compilation series was the obvious choice for this inaugural compilation from the pair, the imprint being owned & lovingly curated by Jonny White and the label’s ‘Social Experiment’ parties having been a key part in the Art Department schedule, with sell out shows at Sonar, WMC (Miami), Fabric & Panorama bar. The previous chapter, ‘Social Experiment 002′ was mixed by Soul Clap and was a huge success for the label in 2011, now No.19 Music prepares for the release of what is set to be its biggest release to date, ‘Art Department Social Experiment 003′.
 
The album features 14 tracks with some of the biggest and brightest names in electronic music making an appearance, 8 exclusives bring unheard cuts from the likes Jamie Jones, My Favorite Robot & Art Department themselves and the whole thing is tied together seamlessly with the duo’s creative vision. Bookended with Art Department exclusives in the shape of ‘Into the Dust Intro’ and ‘Insomniac’, the mix takes an emotive and intense journey through the realms of twisted house music, deep techno and afterhour grooves, fusing uplifting vocal compositions with rolling instrumental workouts as only Jonny & Kenny know how. ‘Robot Heart’ the new single from Art Department, BLUD & Shaun Reeves makes a welcome appearance with the sultry London vocals of one Damian Lazarus adding to the mix and with the likes of Carl Craig, Robert Owens, Fuckpony, DJ Hell, Brian Ferry, Tale of Us & Ali Love featuring on the album, there is truly no shortage to the musical talent on offer here on a selection that shines from beginning to end.
 
‘Social Experiment 003′ is a beautiful snapshot of the sound Art Department at work and is set to become one of the defining compilation albums of 2013, enjoy.

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Tracklist

1. Art Department – Into The Dust Intro [Exclusive]
2. Jonny White & Nitin – La Cueva
3. Ali Love – The Jungle [Brigante's Mix]
4. Luca C. & Brigante feat Robert Owens – Tomorrow Can Wait [Art Department Remix]
5. Jonathan Lee – Senses [Exclusive]
6. Foremost Poets – Moonraker [Accapella]
7. Jackin Rabbit feat Robert Owens- Full Of Dreams [Exclusive]
8. Fuckpony – Bongo Born [Tale Of Us Remix] [Exclusive]
9. Jamie Jones – Doctor Blue [Exclusive]
10. DJ Hell feat. Brian Ferry – U Can Dance [Carl Craig Remix]
11. Art Department, BLUD, Shaun Reeves feat Damian Lazarus – Robot Heart
12. My Favorite Robot – Not Progress [Exclusive]
13. Gregorythme – Artificial Tears[Exclusive]
14. Art Department – Insomniac [Exclusive]

Nic Humphries & Matthew Woodward aka N&W have shared some of their new productions on their Soundcloud page. In the mid 2000s they had releases on labels such as Yellow Productions and Glanzbild. The clips are pretty short though should give you a flavour of their musical calibre. ‘Raised On Warehouse’ being the most recent output is available to listen to here along with ‘Will You Wait For Me’. If you’re a Chicken Lips fan, then take a listen to ‘Mashed’ if you head to their Soundcloud page.

It’s great to see them back.

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N & W – Raised On Warehouse

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N & W – Will You Wait For Me

To ease us into January, Dynamicron, aka Roberto Marrero had put together a guest mix exclusively for Cosmic Disco.

Originally hailing from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, a Cosmic Disco family holiday destination, Roberto has been making music since the 1990s inspired by late night music TV shows and a cassette collection that early HMV would have been proud of.

Moving to Madrid at the start of 2000 after a break from music and playing in bands, Roberto headed back in the direction of the music making controls and the output has been non-stop ever since.

You can find his work released on labels such as BeatzforFreakzRecordings, Coquette Maison, Groove Democracy, Midnight Riot, Opilec Music, Play Pal, Silhouette Music, Tickle Sound and Los Grandes which is Roberto’s own label.

Don’t forget to tune into the Los Grandes Show, every last wednesday of the month from 7:00pm to 9:00pm GMT on Box Frequency. They archive all their previous shows on their Mixcloud page.

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After releasing some fine House music in 2012 and pretty much dominating most DJs charts at some point over the last 12 months, the Bicep chaps provided a mix for Heidi’s residency show on BBC Radio 1. They say :

Heidi kindly asked us onto her radio one residency as her “ones to watch in 2013″. 30 mins of what to expect from us at 4am in a club… pump

Enjoy.

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No introduction required for these tapes. Cosmic Disco and many other blogs, magazines and articles have recorded and written about the Cosmic & Afro movement that was popular throughout the 70s and 80s in Italy. This tape is the first in a series of hand picked selections from the Cosmic Club. Featuring records from Cerrone, Bohannon, Gordon’s War and Moroder, it’s definitely a keeper. Enjoy.

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Since the Drop Out Orchestra began in 2008, the project has grown from one man and a sampler to a studio team consisting of a music teacher, a studio engineer and a music tech writer. What has remained constant is the mystery regarding their true identity with no names or pictures, ensuring the focus remains on their music.

In October 2010 I asked the the mysterious chaps whether they’d be up for doing a mix for the website. They put together a mix tape complete with commentary and a downloadable edit of their Rick Astley track.

Nearly two years on their monthly mix sessions are now a permanent fixture in Soundcloud music feed. Here’s this months for November 2012.

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Tracklist

1. Rayko – Take It To The Top
2. Drop Out Orchestra – The Blue Train [Dicky Trisco Mix]
3. Kenneth Bager Experience – Fragment Sixteen [A Copycat and Martin Brodin Dub Mix]
4. Patterns – Sunny Days [Drop Out Orchestra Remix]
5. Andre VII – Discoteca Clandestina [Zombie In Miami Remix]
6. Drop Out Orchestra feat Kinema – Your Girl
7. Romanthony – Bring U Up [PBR Streetgang Remix]
8. Giorgio Moroder vs MB Disco – From Here To Eternity [Aeroplane Remix]
9. Xinobi – Bronze [Mr Mitsuhirato Rework]
10. Imany – You Will Never Know [Miguel Campbell & Matt Hughes Remix]
11. Nathan Swiss – Two Worlds [Final Djs Remix]
12. TJH87 – Break Away Kicks!

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Bootholic is a strictly vinyl only label bringing past classics up to date with restricted vinyl numbers for DJs only. I really like the sound of that!

This first record features two nineties house gems reworked for 2012, both of which have been picking up heavy support at DC10 this summer. The inlay reminds me of one of those records you’d find where the b-side second track would be an absolute killer jam.

This is due out now. Set those reminders.
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Leftroom Limited follows up a hearty contribution from Waifs & Strays with one of its biggest line ups yet this October with Maceo Plex teaming up with Odd Parents and the ever-quality Mark E turning in two remixes.

Much like Ellum Audio’s Maceo Plex, Odd Parents are US expats now residing in Spain and, having released on Ellum earlier in 2012, have become part of the label’s family unit. This is the second Odd Parent’s collaboration this year with the duo’s remix of D.Ablo & Eric Volta alongside Danny Daze creating enough of a buzz to tempt Maceo Plex into the studio with the Philadelphia pair for ‘Get Enough’

‘Get Enough’ comes on strong from the off, with an arpeggio bassline giving off a massive portion of elastic funk while an arsenal of ‘floor focussed drops and audio trickery are employed to undeniable effect throughout. Looped, chopped and stretched vocals all play their parts in adding to the hooky nature of what is yet another dancefloor bomb for all parties involved.
No stranger to the concept of discoid electronics, Mark E cooks up two remixes of ‘Get Enough’ for Leftroom Limited. The Ghostly artist and Merc honcho channels a hip-housed Chicago delight in his remix – all resonant keys and glorious, emotive strings making for one of his most epic sounding works to date.

The Mark E Future Doom remix is an insistent, tightly looped affair that bursts out of the gates with high hats blazing and fever-pitch builds which offset playful, deep melodies and blissed out vocal snippets. Old school structuring with a distinctly modern palette of sounds, it’s another arresting interpretation from a producer who knows how to balance and control aggression perfectly.

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Milanese duo The Barking Dogs return to the Gomma label for a superb new single featuring Rush Hour’s Tom Trago and a remix from the ever-excellent Analogue Cops. ‘You High’ show’s why the pair have been picking up dedicated support from the likes of James Murphy (DFA), Soul Clap and Toally Enrmous Extinct Dinosaurs.

Italian DJ/producers Cristian Croce and Nicola Mazzetti AKA The Barking Dogs have been building an enviable reputation over the past 5 years. Releasing music through their own Barking Dogs label, running their own Discosafari nights and touring as DJ’s, they have established themselves as a force to be reckoned with. The pair are also the owner of one of Milan’s leading record stores Serendeepity.

2012 saw the Dogs join forces with one of German’s pre-eminent electronic music labels, the Munich based Gomma. Gomma need little introduction having been the driving force behind music from the likes of Munk, Headman, Whomadewho & Dimitri From Paris, pushing the boundaries of nu-disco, house, techno and electronica for well over a decade with a perpetual eye towards the future. The Barking Dogs ‘Mamarracho / Linked In’ single has been one of the highlights of the year so far, generating heavyweight DJ support and being used to open the Radio 1 Essential mix from Total Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs.

The follow up EP kicks off with title track ‘Your High’ and sees The Barking Dogs team up with Rush Hour artist Tom Trago for a wonderfully off kilter slice of electronic music. Warm bass, heavily delayed claps and skittering percussion work around subtle vocal edits, abstract piano chords and sonic sweeps to wonderful effect and create a record that has a truly unique feel. The original is backed up with a remix from Italy’s The Analogue Cops who create a mix that is a wonderful fusion of live elements and techno sensibilities, sublime stuff.

The EP is completed with two further original recordings, the bubbling acid techno/disco of ‘Margherita’ which sees the boys melding acidic analogue lines with jazz inflected techno percussion and ‘Ebony’ which takes things on an interplanetary tangent with its bass driven, sci-fi brilliance.

The Barking Dogs are genuinely talented and truly unique, pair them with the Gomma label, Tom Trago and The Analogue Cops and you’ve got a pretty special single indeed!

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My Favorite Robot Records team up with Canadian electronic music heavyweight Fairmont for a stunning new album of vocal driven techno that blurs the lines between indie & electronica.

Roving Canadian troubadour Jake Fairley aka Fairmont has built up a loyal worldwide following throughout the course of his ten year long musical career. Albums and singles for leading global labels such as Border Community and Traum Schallplatten have established Fairley as a key player in the world of electronic music, whilst his perpetual travels across land and sea, bringing his live sets to the masses, have bonded him with music lovers on the four corners of the planet. The past few years have seen Fairmont spreading his musical wings, with the his techno killer ‘All Dreams Are Nightmares’ on Areal and the disco tinged ‘Emax/Bercy’ on Beachcoma, but it is perhaps with his recent gothic/indie inspired releases on Border Community and Traum that he has given the clearest insight to where his future sound lies.

That future has seen Jake Fairley join forces with one of Canada’s hottest exports of recent times, the ever- excellent My Favorite Robot Records. The Robot crew have been a long time followers of Fairmont’s career and when the opportunity came up to sign him for MFRR, they jumped at the chance: one listen to Fairmont’s latest LP and it’s abundantly clear that this was a very wise move. ‘Automaton’ is a perfect fit for the Toronto imprint with his dark & melancholic yet heart warming mix of richly produced electronica and vocal led songs.

From the up tempo and stirring opener ‘Creatures of Night’ it’s clear that Fairley will be pulling no punches; robustly mixed and taut with atmosphere, his vocals carve a channel through the deeply hypnotic electro influenced backing, whilst the live guitar parts give the record a distinctly ‘indie’ edge. This indie sound in fact runs throughout the album, from the soaring melodics of ‘Waiting’ to the quirky shuffle of ‘Last Dance’ and on to the gothic eighties inflected ‘Tiny Diamonds’. ‘Automaton’ is an album that deftly marries influences from across the decades, fusing 70s and 80s synth sounds with electro elements and themes from modern techno, electronica and indie pop. It is a darkly melodic record that highlights the broad musical talents of Fairmont and his ability to bend genres at will and is a wonderful insight into the world of this ever-evolving artist.

In line with the release there will be a full album tour showcasing, a new incarnation of the Fairmont live show, highlighting Fairley’s unique ability to perform what is simultaneously a rocking stage show and a killer dance-floor set.

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Tracklist

1. Creatures of Night
2. Alkaline
3. Waiting
4. Old Ways
5. Sara
6. Last Dance
7. Fate
8. Broken Glass
9. Libertine
10. Tiny Diamonds
11. 1Slowing Down
12. Weird Friends [ digital bonus ]

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This autumn sees the Classic Music Company deliver the second of their ‘Through The Eyes of:…’ compilations, this time crafted by long time Classic fan, Horse Meat Disco don, masterful DJ and most importantly – label friend; Severino Panzetta.

‘Classic Through The Eyes of Severino’ follows on from Matt Tolfrey’s 2011 series debut. The brief is simple: “use anything from the catalogue, go deep, the obvious is off limits, remix what you want, have fun”.

Severino is an instinctive choice for such a compilation having long been a friend of the imprint, an importer of the label back to Italy’s record stores back in the 90′s and one with a staggering appetite for music old and new. The Italian ex-pat’s contribution to London’s club scene is impossible to ignore – from the Happy Families parties with ex Jockey Slut editor Rob Wood, which went from a Shoreditch bar to monthly at Fabric to his involvement with the Horse Meat Disco crew capping of a career that has seen him become a true DJs DJ and who can embrace eclecticism or provide sets of pure focus with ease. More recently, his production project Hyena Stomp has begun to show the same sort of quality control as his DJ sets and both of these facets are on show here.

Classic Through The Eyes of Severino is a techni-colour affair, kicking off with the heart-breaking melodies of Nail’s ‘Time For Change’ before sliding into the trippy energy of the first of three brand new exclusive Hyena Stomp remixes on the package before punching into the hyperactive throw-down of The Magi’s ‘Luke’s Surprise’. The rough, raw nature of the mix only servers to compliment Severino’s selection – one which highlights the off-kilter, jagged funk in the Classic discography perfectly. Tracks like Herbert’s remix of Rednail Kidz+1 and Joshua’s ‘Echo Chamber’ give just the right amount of traditional house melodies and grooves while cuts like KiNK’s certifiable version of 3rd Face’s ‘Canto Della Liberta’ smash things apart brilliantly.

A seatbelt-shunning mix and selection, ‘Classic Through the Eyes of Severino’ is exactly what you’d want from such a compilation & character and a great chance to get an insight into both label and DJ, with an additional bonus track [Brett Johnson 'Slow Down Baby' - Severino Remix 2012] thrown on top to sweeten the deal.

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Tracklist

• Nail ‘Time For Change’
• LIT ‘Brown Dwarf’ [Hyena Stomp Red Giant Remix] [exclusive compilation track]
• The Magi ‘Luke’s Surprise’
• Style of Eye featuring Freeda ‘You Got That’ [What!? Luv Dub]
• LoSoul ‘Lies’ [No Ears Instrumental]
• Rednail Kidz +1 ‘I Think Of You’ [Herbert's Trouser Dub]
• Trademarq ‘Dirty Girlz’ [DC's One Man / One Army Dub]
• Joshua ‘Echo Chamber’ [Joshua's Dubwise Mix]
• Robbie Hardkiss ‘Everything is Changing’ [Hyena Stomp Mama Remix] [exclusive compilation track]
• 3rd Face ‘Canto Della Liberta’ [KiNK Remix]
• Louis Botella ‘Clause 1′
• Scoper & Bubba ‘I’m Satisfied’ [Brett's World of Nonsense Mix]
• Rob Mello ‘Happiness’ [Happy Club Mix]

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Classic Through The Eyes of Severino – Compilation Mix Sampler

Welcome to the Phantasmagoria of Electronic airs and primitive, visceral pleasures that is the world of Solitary Cyclist.
 
The brainchild of legendary musical adventurer and sonic explorer Justin Robertson, Solitary Cyclist is a platform for the experimental, the fascinating, the other worldly. Music that shakes the bones, invigorates the mind and is touched by the exhilarating forces of the electrical fire. 
 
To this end the first release from the label will be from Justin’s own The Deadstock 33S, a project that has been gathering many acolytes to the cause over the last few months, with landmark remixes for artists such as Justice, Erol Alkan, 2 Bears, Paul Weller, and Steve Mason and several critically acclaimed singles for the likes of Gomma [ in collaboration with rising star Daniel Avery ], Tigersushi  & Southern Fried. Justin is producing some of his most compelling work in a long and illustrious career and this latest EP is set to further cement the reputation of The Deadstock 33s.
 
The Ritual EP is a magical field trip into the frontiers of echo. Channeling the primitive stripped down sound of early electronic pioneers, married to a cosmic disco beat, it manages to be both very now and somehow timeless. Its key is a beguiling simplicity that uses a few well chosen elements interwoven into a tight psychedelic tapestry. Hope you dig it

Out at the end of the month! You can hear two of the tracks in the following mix! It’s cracker, go download now!

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The consistently on point DJ W!ld joins forces with London imprint Act Natural to deliver the fantastic ‘After You Lay Down’ EP this September.

Act Natural have moved from strength to strength over the past year, releasing original cuts and remixes from the likes of Chris Carrier, Matt Tolfrey, Huxley, Alex Arnout, Adam Shelton and Claire Ripley, capturing the essence of contemporary house with style. Paris based DJ W!ld is yet another addition to the outstanding roster, providing his deep, dark, acid sound that is often represented through his own outputs and music he put out via his own Catwash Records.

Opening track ‘After You Lay Down’ draws on organic percussion as its driving force, an amalgamation of crisp hats, shakers and worldly percussion creates an infectious swing. Short sharp stabbing synths, a hypnotic flute like hook and bright chords concoct a solid groove that slowly blossoms to a breaking point. W!ld then strips back the prominent drum and percussive elements, playing on the melodic structure of the piano for the duration.

For ‘Ouinon 2′ the French producer gets in touch with his deeper side, field recordings of conversations and city streets fill the background with atmospherics, while a warbling Rhodes sequence emanates pure elegance. The beautiful melodies persevere for several minutes before a looped guitar lick is worked in to further fuel the enchanting energy.

‘The One For Me’ closes the release in style, featuring low-slung drum programming, a deep spoken word vocal uttering ‘Love, Is…’ and a wonderfully sampled piano melody that lays on the 4/4 beat creating a kinetic feel. The track comes in to fruition with a warm electronic bass hook giving off a sturdy peak time cut. ‘Filter House’ tactics are employed as sweeps and cuts are subtly incorporated for its seven-minute duration resulting in flourishing dynamism.

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