House News

Small Pyramids is LA's Zach Hunsaker. Heavily influenced by nu-disco, early house music and edit culture, Zach began cutting up old disco, funk and r&b tracks for his DJ gigs in Los Angeles as Small Pyramids. Making the move from producing edits to sampling for original tracks was a natural progression and crucial step to developing a unique style. As a result of remixing acts like NightWaves and Arohan, Small Pyramids gained blog exposure on sites like Disco Workout, Tracasseur, In the Deep End and Disco Delicious. The first Small Pyramids EP, 'Another Way to Feel' was released late in 2010 to great critical acclaim and shortly thereafter Zach signed to Glasgow Underground.

His first single, the foot-stomping disco of 'I Want Blood' came out on a limited 12' in November 2011 and made it straight into DJ Magazine's Tunes of the Year. Zach followed that up with a contribution to GU's 'Spring/Summer Collection 2012. 'The Music' is a slice of prime time hands-in-the-air goodness complete with elated vocals and butt-wiggling bass. Diverse DJs began picking up on Zach's sound with Rub'n'Tug, Laurent Garnier, Grum, PBR Streetgang and Harri from the Sub Club all play-listing his tracks.

As well as his original material Zach remixed Mary Epworth, Sam Sparro and local hero Goldroom and found blogs like Golden Scissors and La.Ga.Sta full of love for his sun-kissed sounds.

2013 saw Zach featuring on GU's 'Summer of Love' compilation. 'Don't Do It To Me' is his city's take on the garage revival. Out went the M1 organ sound of Ejeca et al and in came touches of Todd Edwards and MJ Cole all wrapped up in a blissed-out Small Pyramids groove. Meggy loved it, Gilles Peterson described it as 'killer' and Agoria said it was simply 'a bomb'.

The album 'Slow It Down' takes in these three and adds 7 more slow burning, unforgettable jams. There's the title track with its looping, lazy vocals and glittering synths, the joyous heavy thump of 'Look No Further', the raw cut-up funk of 'Lil' Bit' and the hypnotic piano love song 'I'm Gonna Beg You'. And that's before Zach takes you to the heart of his dance-floor with the three singles.

Add to that the mid-tempo R'n'B pilfering of 'Make It Smoother' and two near-perfect chill-out tracks 'Stranded' & 'Warmer' and you have the kind of album that sounds as good in the sunrise café's of Ibiza as it does in the basement clubs of London's East End and the pool-side parties of Zach's own LA.

For its seventh release Shaddock unearths a genre-defining piece of music overlooked by even the most thorough of crate diggers, backed by a storming Hercules & Love Affair remix.
'New York, New York' by DeeKay Jones, is an electrifying piece of hypnotic electric-disco-wave, produced in the eponymous city's concrete jungle back in 1981. It's a track that had all the potential to propel dance music forward: Relentless drum computer beats that predate techno - and even Chicago house - by years. A minimalistic synth hook that sounds more futuristic than any cutting edge dance record available at the time. And brilliantly overdubbed chants (taken from a 1970 The Last Poets album), which anticipated sample culture and should have made this an anthem.
Yet, it never happened. 'New York, New York' only appeared on an obscure compilation titled 'The Pulse Of New York' in 1983 that went largely unnoticed. It has brought its two producers, Dennis Kelley and Bruce Grant neither fame nor fortune. Kelley went on to produce recordings by artists such as Mike Ladd, while Grant, who passed away in 2009, remained a brilliant bed-room tinkerer, whose experimental tape manipulations drew praise from hip-hop artists like El-P and even prompted a New York Times portrait (titled “The Hip Hop Man”) in 1997.
'New York, New York' is accompanied by two more unreleased DeeKay Jones tracks from the same era: 'Hirasaki' showcases Bruce Grant's work with tape recorders playing at varying speeds over a slow, Man Parrish-style electro beat, and the equally daring 'Feel It In Your Gut', which has Grant simulate free jazz saxophones by spinning bird-call recordings on a turntable by hand.
Who would be better suited to pay homage to the pairs under-appreciated genius than NYC's favourite adopted son, Andy Butler a.k.a. Hercules & Love Affair who is teaming up with his Viennese buddies Ha-Ze Factory. Staying true to the original track's feel and rhythm, his remix transports 'New York, New York's rarely exploited floor-filler qualities into the year 2013, opening a time-distorting worm hole between Shaddock's alternate universe and the one we strut our stuff in.

A1: Ponta Do Sol (45rpm)
Ponta Do Sol is a homage to one of the greatest places known to man. Madeira island. It also expresses perfectly the actual indian summer we enjoy in berlin.
Past summer euphoria meets the arising melancholy of fall-winter.
Lets dance!
B1: New York Hustle (33rpm)
Is inspired by a break from a unknown english indie band from the 80´s. The origins of the mix reach out to the style of VSQ releases back in the days on combination records. Uplifting bouncing house beats and chord progressions meet funky basslines.
Lets hustle!
B2: 20th Century Rocks (33rpm)
Contains squeaky harmonics and chords that will drive you mad just until you will be relieved by a driving acid 303 underlined by a monster sub bass pattern.
Lets rock!

After his Hivern debut in March 2013, and his recent remix of the xx's 'Swept Away', Dublin's New Jackson knocks back some uppers and knocks out the piano-and-string-led 10-minute house jam, 'Of A Thousand Leaves'. Mastered by Helmut Erler at D&M. A one-sided, 250-run, 12'-only release on Major Problems, 40 copies come with a numbered 12' x 12' screen-print of a photograph by Sarah Doyle.

After recently launching the D3 recordings label to a great reception, the man behind Vibes And Pepper is ready to launch his second new label, D3 Elements.
The artist behind the three track EP is Raymond Funnye aka Strong Souls, who back in the mid-nineties released on still much mythologised Chicago label Dance Mania as well as the UK's Black Market, which also saw him work with the legendary Larry Heard. The music he offers here is of a high pedigree from start to finish.
Taking up the A1 is 'The Beast', which has a stripped out percussive hook running right up its core as widescreen pads extended out around it in all directions. When the humming bassline and pronounced kick drums drop into the mix result is pure and propulsive house heaven.
'Remember When' is the A2, this one is a little deeper and less direct, with well swung drums stretched beneath golden chords and delightfully rough percussion. Simple yet effective, it's both classic and relevant at the same time.
Finally, 'Don't You Know' is the most intimate and romantic, with delicate and subtle keys, far off percussion jacking ever so slightly and spiralling pads adding a sense that you are constantly in free fall. It's gimmick free deep house of the highest order and closes out a classy EP.

Belgian techno icon Fabrice Lig makes his Subject Detroit debut here with a real driving yet emotional peak time techno banger complete with remixes from Aaron-Carl and DJ Bone himself. A. Hmong Dignity Original Club Mix Already a longstanding component in Bone's dancefloor armoury, Fabrice Lig's Hmong Dignity finally lands on SD. The scoring is opened with a tight groove - familiar percussion paving the way to a popping, head-bobbing kick, creating a rhythm that bridges the gap between classic and contemporary. Fabrice wastes no time in getting to the punch line however and swiftly dispatches the track's payload of unforgiving weaponised melody. Raw ingredients laid out, the plot is thickened with jazzy chords that finally falls away to an extravaganza of a break, complete with a funky-as-you-like riff and bassline to boot. An epic example of Detroit's unbridled influence on European techno. B1. Hmong Dignity Aaron-Carl Remix The late, great Aaron Carl provides a meaty rework to Fabrice's original. With a more "housey" aesthetic, AC switches to bigger, flatter kicks and chops up the immense central melody of the original in to more of a part than a centrepiece. Layered, stomach churning bass is deployed on the front line as the synths swirl and mingle around the main groove. Sitting comfortably on the house/techno border, AC's version is chunky, funky, raw and real. B2. Hmong Dignity DJ Bone Remix SD head honcho DJ Bone delivers an elite remix to round off Fabrice's debut Subject Detroit release. The groove that flies off the start line gradually thickens and expands, with Bone slicing up and morphing Fabrice's melody into a completely different beast as it tweaks and spasms in and around a pacey and complex groove. The beat gives way to a cavalcade of funky, arpeggiated synth stabs that remain a constant for the rest of the track, and even they continue to evolve as brooding bass and lush reverberating strings add a genuine next level to the track. As deep as it is tough, straight up yet funky, Bone's remix plucks certain elements of Fabrice's original, redrafts and revises and turns it into a dancefloor bomb in its own right.

"Boogybytes - it's about score, about clubs and pubs, about personality and the things that define us..." Mit diesen Intro-Vocals geht die Boogybytes Mix CD in eine neue Runde. Volume 5 featured erstmalig keinen hauseigenen Star, sondern überrascht mit dem äußerst charismatischen und mittlerweile gar nicht mehr so geheimen Geheimtipp Seth Troxler.


Ryan Crosson - Amb 1


Mike Shannon - Sweet A Pella

Our favourite Swedish house duo is back...more dirty than ever!

The follow-up to the previous EPs Moody & Trapped is nothing short of brilliant.

Waisted with it's plucked strings is classic deep house held together by a bumpy groove, soulful vocals & slick keyboard but still maintaining the formula that defines Dirtytwo and their finest work to date.

Talking 2 U is where Dirtytwo gets deep down and gritty. Chunky house chords, a meaty bassline, cut-up voice samples in full basement effect.
Flip over for the Hard On Edit of Talking 2 U which goes one step further adding some acid lines and a raw basement feeling.
A dub for those who seek a more raw and heavier tool.

The first music to be lifted from her forthcoming sophomore album, Zara McFarlane drops 'Angie La La' on 02nd December 2013. In many ways an underground cult classic, Zara's reworking of this Jamaican psych gem by Nora Dean features former Brownswood Bubblers alumnus and New Yorker Leron Thomas on trumpet and vocals. Recorded at Matthew Halsall's 80 Hertz studio in Manchester, it's firmly rooted in swing territory, driven by the killer rhythm section of Luke Flowers (drums) and Gavin Barras (double bass). Zara herself reclines into the groove with consummate grace, her vocals blessed at once with crystalline clarity and warmth.

Consistently one of our favourite producers from the house realm, the truly legendary Osunlade aka Yoruba Soul applies his golden touch to 'Angie La La', crafting an exquisitely sensitive and soulful groove founded on booming kicks and handclaps.

Zara McFarlane inhabits a less trodden musical landscape. Her performance brings to mind a vocal world more akin to early Nina Simone and Roberta Flack's 'First Take', than to Ella and the great American songbook. Many of her tunes possess power and an underlying spirituality reminiscent of the 'spiritual jazz' movement of 70's black America. Indeed, the fact that McFarlane was selected to perform alongside jazz star Gregory Porter at last year's breathtaking Nina Simone tribute concerts (in the Netherlands) makes total sense. Like Porter, Zara is a thoughtful, uniquely engaging artist who combines the intricacies of jazz with a deep soulfulness that seamlessly blends multiple black influences.

Puss is a new label from HNNY and Kornél Kovács, pushing club ready dance tracks to tenderhearted discjockeys around the world. The first release came this spring, with HNNY's simple yet devastatingly effective r'n'b refix 'Boy' and Kornél Kovács eerie dub version 'Yob' sharing one side each - for the follow up, HNNY transforms a late '90s jam by Wexford, Pennsylvania's finest into an acid-tinged house jam in two different arrangements. As always with Puss, each record comes with a unique real human kiss mark. Expect more to come.

Kaspar resurfaces following issues on Clone Club Series and 4Lux with the Bastard Boogie Joints EP for the Hands Off label. A limited vinyl pressing, this four track EP demonstrates once again Kaspar's production versatility whilst collectively showing his talent for analogue produced house music deep with grit and funk. "Beach Dusk" is a laid back beat down exercise, as upright bass, emotive strings, deep rhodes chords and off kilter synth metrics combine for a track that's both perfect for the start of a long set or the closure of a bangin' night. 909 patterns duel with a psychedelic funk riff on "Memory Lane" with trippy results whilst "Azazel" is Kaspar in delay laden boogie mode. "Bottom Rock" ends proceedings on a real rumbling deep house number which slowly but surely builds around core elements of super tight bassline, jerking gated arpeggios and a rolling live 909 beat into a real voyage.

In the midst of the increasingly popular house music hurricane comes a fresh two track EP from one of the movement's most promising talents, Richy Ahmed. Taking cues from hip-hop, techno, funk and disco, 'The Drums' EP arrives on the 2nd of December via Hot Creations.

Just stretching his limbs in terms of his discography, in less than two years the London-based producer has gathered some series attention. From 2011's slinky, deep house mover 'Suck It' (Hot Creations) to his 80's chicago manipulation remix of Infinity Ink's 'Infinity', there's always an enviable glisten about his work. His wizardry behind the decks lead to him being named resident DJ at DC10's Paradise this summer with the season coming to an end in late September.

'The Drums' got its maiden plays during Richy's Boiler Room Set and the takeovers of Paradise Ibiza. The EP steps out of the blocks with definite verve. Title track, 'The Drums', a hip-house barnstormer of a track it massages a buttery-smooth rolling bassline into a four-to-the-floor backdrop with contagious results. Legend, Kevin Knapp, jumps on vocal duty dropping in and out with praise to 'the drums'. On the flip side, '101 Jam' is a rolling analogue slice of deep house brilliance. Here, Richy pitches skittering hi-hats and hyperactive synth movements atop a robust bassline foundation. It proves homage to the brand of house celebrated right from the genre's genesis.

The unknown DJ Harlow debuts on Delroy Edward's L.A. Club Resource. Raw & fast-paced club compositions....kind of brutal! TIP!

Chicagos Dance Mania-Label hatte mit seinem charakteristischen Jackin' House von Acts wie DJ Funk, DJ Deeon, Paul Johnson oder Ron Hardy Mitte der 90er Jahre einen großen Einfluss auf die meisten Boysnoize Records-Künstler. Viele der Tunes sind bis heute Bestandteil guter DJ-Sets. Boysnoize Produzenten und Freunde huldigen nun dem Kultlabel mit einem Sampler voller exklusiver Tracks. Für den Kickstart sorgt der 'shakin' that ass' Style von Feadz, während sich das Spektrum im Verlauf von Booty-House bis zum deeperen House-Soul eines Ron Hardy erstreckt (Steve Strip "Go On Girl"). Als ganz besonderer Leckerbissen gilt dabei der eigene Tune des Dance Mania-Betreibers DJ Funk himself, der diesen Sampler adelt (CD-only).

This year sees Dj Uchikawa celebrate 30 years in music. In that time he has been a driving force in Japan for quality soulful music from jazz through to techno, tirelessly working to push, promote and support the scene.
His Loftsoul imprint has fast established itself as a label of musical excellence in the dance music realm with releases thus far featuring Glenn Underground, DJ Spinna, Lisa Millet and the Latin Soul Brothers.
Release #4 continues in this rich vein with another fine example of emotive music for the dance floor. Wait For You features the vocals of Carla Pratha over a typically driving groove from Uchi and production partner Hide Koyama, merging the electronic and organic to devastating effect.
The remix comes courtesy of Chicagos very own Cordell Johnson and Tim McAllister under their Excursions moniker. Cordell is
possibly Chicagos best-kept secret having been one of the citys smoothest and most knowledgeable DJs since 1981. The Excursions Mix takes the track deep into Chicago House territory, giving us an alternative yet equally compelling take on the song.
Finally, Earth Song sees Uchis original groove laced with a killer guitar workout from Hideki Ikeuchi, completing the package.

300 vinyl only
Debut 12" from Idle Hands employee Shanti Celeste, her next 12" is on Idle Hands later in the year.

After a pure, bass line driven DJ tool from Andy Blake, JackOff is back to deeper more emotive house with this new EP from Boston's Brenden Wesley and John Barera. John Barera , co-founder of Supply Records and one half of B-Tracks, teamed up with local Boston hero Brenden Wesley to create ‚Kickdrum Industrie'. Four tracks that have been tested on the dance floors of Europe for the past year and keep on giving.

Absent from the shelves of record shops for some four years, the Detroit Wax label operated by Eddie Fowlkes resurfaced in style with last year's Unsung Hero EP. That's What Makes A Track represents the seventh Detroit Wax transmission from Fowlkes and sees the producer offer up a double does of his own distinct Technosoul sound. Lead track "That's What I Think About" starts with a deep beat and then expands neatly, adding further rhythmic detail and a killer vocal hook: "this is what makes a song cool, special". Complementing this, "Computer" has Fowlkes on hypnotic form, mixing deep beats with cosmic sounds which are again elelvated by his usage of vocals

Awesome 5 track 12" on the neo-Chicago tip, comes with contributions by the likes of Jack Curtu, Elec Pt. 1, Punknown, Perseus Traxx and Lost in the Sound. Limited to 300 only. Tip!

Raw banging surfer house from the No-Cal beaches. The real tracks from the tube!

J.A.M. Traxx is a vinyl only label i nspired by synth and analog machines , spacey- hypnotic atmospheres and everything is showing a genuine passion for complex rhythm and going against !

Runde vier der Flagschiff-Compilation "Selected Label Works" von Permanent Vacation. Teil 4 bei Hollywoodfilmen ist meistens die Fortsetzung, wenn Story-mäßig endgültig der falsche Weg eingeschlagen wird - vom Licht hin zu ewiger Dunkelheit. Zum Glück haben Tom Bioly und Benjamin Fröhlich, die "Big Bosse" von Permanent Vacation, funktionierende Frontscheinwerfer, um auf der hellen Seite des Weges zu bleiben, und sie haben es sogar geschafft ein paar Feuerwerke im Kofferraum dabei zu haben. Selected Label Works Teil 4 spiegelt zwei arbeitsreiche Jahre wider und kompiliert verschiedene Artist-Alben und zahlreiche tanzbare 12" Releases auf zwei heißen Compact Discs. Darunter ist zum Beispiel die irische Queen Roisin Murphy mit dem Sternen-bestäubten, langsam pumpenden "Simulation", das hier auch als Remix, der den Dancefloor zum Brennen bringt, von ihrem irischen Landsmann Mano Le Tough gefeatured wird. Außerdem mit dabei: John Talabot, Roisin Murphy, Tensnake, Parallel Dance Ensemble, Wolfram, Mano Le Tough, Pollyester, Chateau Flight, Bostro Pesopeo, Woolfy vs Projections u.v.a.

Eine Auswahl, die den facettenreichen aber niemals willkürlichen Geschmack von Permanent Vacation zeigt und beweist, dass Permanent Vacation eines der konsequentesten Indie Labels derzeit ist - mit dem Ziel fortwährend die Grenzen in verschiedene Richtungen weiter zu verschieben, von Kraut House bis verschrobenem Disco.

[aB] CD 1-2 | Tensnake - Need Your Lovin (Tiger & Woods Remix)









CD2





[bE] CD 2-5 | Mano Le Tough Primative People (Tale Of Us Remix) [bF] CD 2-6 | Roisin Murphy Simulation (Mano Le Tough Remix)

A1, AA1 & AA2 Written, produced and mixed by Jesus Gonsev.
Mastered by Frank Herbrechter.

WELL ROUNDED are back with the second of our 'Edits' series
300 STRICTLY LTD STAMPED WHITE LABELS. VINYL ONLY. NO REPRESS.
This time up we have

1. Klic - Wanna Be Your - finely cuts up some US funkateers into a tight bright house jam with booming bass line.

2. 2nd Sun - 'Falling' - one of soul's greatest voices harmonises with himself at varying pitches over immediate sounding yet imaginative deep house.

3. East Court feat Donga - 'As She Stands There' - a sub and breakbeat powered refix of a garage-house classic. It totally works.

4. Groucho Marx - 'He Loves Me' - a modern-day soul queen rides a lush and symphonic broken beat groove. Swoonsome.

This is the third Hobbes Music release and the second in a series of remix EPs featuring up-and-­coming Scottish artists remixed by well­-established and emerging local and international talents.


A1, Tokyo Knife Attack is the alias of Craig Bell, who was just beginning to make a name for himself on his native music scene in Glasgow when he emigrated to Portland, Oregon. Craig's music as Tokyo Knife Attack is electro­-pop, although he also makes more abstract techno as Ditone. Invisible Sister has been remixed by Ali Renault, ex-Heartbreak (Lex). The results of this collaboration are strong. You can hear the hiss and feel the warmth emitted from the analogue equipment Ali's used and he's taken Craig's vocal to a completely new place. Suffice to say, it's a bit of a belter.

A2, Leonidas & Hobbes return, following the success of their debut collaboration (the 'Machines, Tapes & Electronic Setups' EP) with a house cut that's perhaps deeper and more soulful than anything on their debut EP, thanks in part to a tremendous re­work by fellow Edinburgh native Fudge Fingas (fellow to Hobbes, that is, as Leonidas lives in London), who adds his own vocal as well as some lush keys and other effects. Fudge Fingas hardly needs a full introduction, with his very solid international reputation a result of his ten-­year-­long relationship with Edinburgh's excellent Firecracker label, among others. While Invisible Sister (A1) is perhaps more suited to being played around ­2-4am, Soul Food is definitely one of the tracks that inspired this EP's title: Dawn Chorus. It sounds great when the sun is coming up. Try it.

B1, Glasgow's Conquering Animal Sound return alongside London-based remix artist iO Sounds, this time with an instrumental mix of the Treehouses track he re-worked for label debut Midnight Thunder (HM001) - one of the veritable hits off that release. To recap: the band are already a live favourite locally (not least at Hobbes's Limbo live nights) and Treehouses is one of the highlights of their critically acclaimed second album (which came out via Glasgow indie behemoths Chemikal Underground in March). They have lately been touring Europe, to promote the album. While Rob Da Bank gave the vocal remix of Treehouses a play on Radio 1 on release, iO Sounds has previously garnered props from Mary Anne Hobbs and Mad Decent (and has been adding a slew of releases to a rapidly burgeoning repertoire for labels such as Fortified Audio, Mad Tech, Future Shock, Infinite Machine, Diamond & Raw, Symbols, Senseless, Black Butter and Audio Culture). iO fuses a well-honed bass aesthetic with twenty-­first century beat programming and a deep house sensibility, maintaining the integrity and melancholic feel of the original without forfeiting the demands of the 'floor.

B2, Snide Rhythms is another favourite at Hobbes's Limbo live night. The brainchild of Edinburgh College of Art legend Colvin Cruickshank in the studio and a trio on stage, Snide Rhythms takes its cue from a broad spectrum of influences, including legendary labels such as Manchester's Factory, Edinburgh's Fast and Kingston's Firehouse. Ginger Baker From Africa features out-takes from the sessions for the band's critically acclaimed debut album, Snide Rhythms, with the bands' vocal chants augmented by a beat more commonly found on the records of Nigerian firebrand Fela Kuti and/or legendary British drummer Ginger Baker. Auntie Flo takes the already-abstract original material to an even deeper, more spiritual place, via additional percussion, a sublime arpeggio, moody pads and delay. Ginger Baker In Africa also sounds very sweet when the sun is rising and partly inspires the title of this EP.

Pete Tong, Heidi, Ian Pooley, Jimpster, Lee Burridge, Justin Martin, Kate Simko, Pezzner, Catz'n Dogz, Hector Romero, Huxley, Nicholas, Manik, Danny Howells, Kiki, Larse, Karizma, Matthias Tanzmann, Pirupa, Joel Alter, Trickski, Doc Martin, Brett Johnson,

Returning to the fray for the second instalment in its deep house venture, the People Are Looking At You imprint sees a confident expansion on the sultry tones laid out on the first slab of wax, featuring a sturdy pair of cuts from London production duo Jonno & Tommo. Taking charge with the A side, "A Month Of Rain" is a multi-faceted mover loaded with suspense and surprise. In its opening strains the sharp beat ticks out across a sparse, dub-informed soundscape that slowly fills out via a captivating chord refrain, haunting and seductive in equal measure. Without giving too much away ahead of experiencing the track for yourself, be prepared for a dazzling break in the clouds that lifts the summit of the track into an entirely different headspace. On a different kind of house agenda, "Made Visible" creeps into action on a slow and slamming bed of rough drums and immersive bass notes, subtle flashes of percussion creating kinks in the groove and the choice vocal samples injecting warmth and soul into the otherworldly atmosphere. When the climactic chords come in to signal the second half of the track, it brings the ranging elements to the surface for a truly soul-cleansing experience.
Proving that house tracks need not stagnate in the same mood from start to finish, PALAY02 is a strong next step for a label committed to bringing something new to the table.

If there's one thing in this world that's certain, it's that things change.
And in the life of one dance producer with a new release on Sheffield's Shabby Doll, there have been transitions aplenty.
With a switch from garage to house, a move from Doncaster to London, and a change of identity from Ryan Aitchison to Mella Dee, his spacious four- to-the-floor sound has emerged from a state of constant flux. And yet... the more things change, the more they stay the same. 'Things Don't Change' is the name of Mella Dee's new Shabby Doll EP, and when you tune into the title track's compulsive twitch, you can hear the echo of his South Yorkshire antecedents coming through.

Could that be something like an early Warp drum rattle A Sweet Exorcist groove Maybe, maybe not.
But the influence seems even stronger on the EP's second tune, 'Ripe Traxx', with its hollow bass and four-note steel drum-like refrain.

Mella Dee has deejayed on some of the biggest stages, including Fabric, Sub Club and Tramlines, and has released on the likes of Forefront, Coyote and Sccucci Manucci, so although his other life as one half of UK garage duo Mistamen is never far away - in the crisp scattering of the high-hats, and the bass's heavy growl - the 'Things Don't Change' tracks form a house quartet that's both fresh and familiar all at the same time.

With remixes from James Welsh (who has recorded for Wall of Sound and Wolf Music) and Sheffield's Oushe (who previously remixed fellow Shabby Doll artists Gosoul), 'Things Don't Change' is a dose of c'est la vie for the soul - a reminder that while Mella Dee may be moving onwards and upwards, great house music is just great house music.
No change there.

New label SHADELEAF launches with a seriously strong release from rising talent THAT MAN MONKZ

'Burnin' Up' sees him team up with superb vocal talent D'Nae for a proper slice of raw, electronic soul
Submerged Basic Channel sonics meet uplifting keys, Disco guitar licks and a groove that won't stop with D'nae laying down one of her effortless and unique vocals

Fellow Sheffiield resident Chris Duckenfield did a scissors and tape job on Burnin' Up for personal use - bringing the tracks Techno underbelly to the fore and
riding those distinctive vocals over a more straight up arrangement. That Man Monkz loved the version so much, he insisted on including it here !

On the flip we get the wonderful 'Luv Goes Round N Round'
Heavyweight 21st century sample house that doffs its cap to the Detroit masters of the genre, but brings a little extra rough and rugged vibe to proceedings
A 12 chock full of serious jams, with more to follow
A label to keep a close eye on !