House News

2x12"

Dutch Techno master Orlando Voorn has opened up his archive for the first of what will be an ongoing artist focused series brought to you by new imprint Above Board Projects.The compilation will be spread across 2 double 12" volumes and will feature tracks from many of Voorn's pseudonyms including; Fix, Baruka, The Ghetto Brothers, Mute & many more. We are proud to introduce the first of a 2-part archival collection entitled 'Diligence'. Each track featured on the compilation has been carefully selected and programmed in conjunction with Orlando Voorn and the Above Board Projects team. Voorn has an extremely long and storied career in making music and is severely underrated as a producer in our humble opinion. His DJ skills are, of course, legendary, with him winning the prestigious DMC mixing championships in 1986 in his native Holland and making a career as one of the country's leading Hip-Hop DJ's. As a producer he has long been linked to numerous legendary producers and releases, counting labels such as Fragile, Metroplex and more as homes for his output. His association and collaborations with Detroit have been the stuff of legend since day one and some of the music contained within these compilations celebrate that while showcasing some of the more overlooked tracks from the man's more than extensive catalogue. Part 1 includes some serious rarities and some straight up, futurist Techno heat, take the majestic technoid melodies of comp opener 'Diligent' from one of Voorn's most well loved alias' FIX for example, completely worlds apart from the jacking and sparse Funk of Baruka's killer 'Technision'. Flawless selections from the early 90's sitting alongside later productions only go to show how diverse and talented an artist Voorn is and how fresh and vital his music still is today. An essential collection for any serious techno lover.

One Of Classy Early 90's Techno Records Sees A Vinyl Re-release On In The Future. Plutobeat Is A 14 Minute Trip Which Has Not Aged One Second Throughout The Years. Back Then Live Recorded In 1 Take It Soon Became A Favourite Under The Radar Record For Djs With A Taste In More Sophisticated Techno. With The Help From Original Label Plink Plonk And Pluto Himself The Record Will Find Again Its Way To Vinyl Lovers.

Repress

Just Jack specialises in showcasing serious House and Techno in a not-so-serious manner. 8 years of fervent promotion has plotted a remarkable string of parties across a variety of venues in their hometown of Bristol as well as international clubbing meccas, London, Ibiza and Croatia.

Progress has snowballed in recent years through their proclamation as 'Best Club Event' in DJ Mag's 2012 'Best Of British' awards and an ineffable 8th birthday celebration including Moodymann, Omar S, Bicep, Midland, Paul Woolford, Roman Flugel and Gerd Janson.

Present form considered - the next logical step has been to assimilate the experience of 8 years of record collecting, pushing boundaries and obliterating dance floors to create an erudite label, aiming to outlet
tangible chunks of the spirit and passion that's fuelled Just Jack's success.

In keeping with the ethos behind the bookings, the idea is to showcase forward thinking, dance floor orientated House and Techno slayers and without a doubt, the inceptive record is exactly that!

Stepping in for the inaugural release is Amsterdam based Beesmunt Soundsystem. With previous releases on Soweso Music and a stack of worldwide performances (both live and as DJs), the auspicious pair deliver 'The Baby Maker' EP- an opulent blend of course and forceful drums, sultry vocals and resistlessly effective bass grooves all backed up with a moody and spectral revision from Chicago's Amir Alexander.

'Close To Me' opens up with a full-bodied kick and a bubbling bass line punching against a textured surface. Brash and granular stabs wade in and create a tight swing under an arresting vocal chop.

Amir Alexander's 'Body To Body Deep Dark Excursion' (as the name would suggest) stretches 'Close To Me' out over 8 minutes of brooding synths, swirling bass patterns and lazily blossoming percussion.

'How I Wish' feels slightly more playful than its predecessors. An uplifting vocal interacts with a jutting piano line while gritty drums work to maintain a degree of intensity and bolster the package as a solid first release - no doubt the first of many.

2018 repress !

Debut release of Casa Voyager, first Moroccan label exploring hidden cultural spheres in Casablanca.5 liquid electro Detroit tracks produced, mixed and arranged by Driss Bennis aka OCB (A1, A2) Youssef Benjelloun aka Kosh (B1, B2)and Jonas Bengio aka Viewtiful Joe (B3). Mastered by Jose Rico at Downbeat studios.

For over five years, Canadian artist Patrick Holland has developed an inimitable perspective on melodic, freewheeling house music. And the myriad tracks he writes as Project Pablo have come to embody both the sensibilities of the producer and the environs of his Montreal home. Inside Unsolved, Project Pablo's dynamic four-tracker for Spectral, specifically looks to Holland's local clubs and Canada's dance music past for inspiration. The old records of labels such as Steel City and Map Music course through the lush synths of emotional roller "Pressure No Impact" and the light-footed swing of "Big Room Delusion." While standing on the dancefloor at MUTEK two years ago, Holland dreamt up "Pill" in all of its billowy, percussive charms. Lead track "The Solution" cooly and confidently kicks things off with the kinds of earworm synthlines, rich atmospheres, and effortless grooves now synonymous with Project Pablo. Inside Unsolved is yet another classy and classic record from an unstoppable force of quality dance music.

4 track EP by Huey Mnemonic from Flint MI
Vanity Press

Recorded at John's last night at The Vagabond Nightclub in Downtown Miami during this year's Miami Music Week, 'LIVE IN MIAMI' features 37 tracks and nearly 4 hours of the very best underground electronic music, spanning across more than two decades.
Showcasing a wide selection of new and classic records ranging from as far back as 1992 (Secret Knowledge - Sugar Daddy) and 1993 (Nicole - A Small Entrance To A Large Spectrum and Laurent Garnier - Acid Eiffel) Digweed's latest opus effortlessly takes us through a vast array of sounds, eras and genres from what was an incredibly special night back in March of this year.
From some major reminiscent acid moments of the early 90s right through the years to the upfront house and techno soundscapes of present day, John Digweed blends tracks from some of the most notable producers into one seamless mix that truly captures the spontaneity and vibe of the crowd in one of the world's coolest, most intimate and unorthodox clubbing destinations.

Speaking about the forthcoming Bedrock release John Digweed said:
'I can honestly say that some of my best clubbing nights have taken place in this intimate, magical room. Tucked away off the beaten path in Downtown Miami, The Vagabond truly is one of Miami's best-kept secrets. I really believe this Live album captures the electric and eclectic vibe of the Bedrock / Creations annual event, with tracks reaching back to the early 90`s right up to the latest forward-thinking releases"

Indigenous:
music; homegrown, unadulterated, absolute
Drivetrain (Detroit, USA) – Alice
Derrick Thompson delivers a dark and moody banger of minimal groundwork and amplified momentum, culminating in acidic intensity.
Detune (Ghent, BELGIUM) – Maple Fever
Autographed by an unshakably solid bass line, with an ornamented shower of sumptuous pads raining down over a panoramic 4/4 beat terrain.
G-Prod (Bordeaux, FRANCE) – Motif
The toxic rhythm is indisputable and the alluring chord progression is seductive in this energized elastic groove.
Jace Syntax (Glasgow, SCOTLAND) – Hologram World
Submersed in a sea of luxurious strings, a tribal explosion regulates a merciless bass riff, peppered with sweet melodic inflection.

The 'DAT 91-99' EP pieces together long forgotten tracks from the Bristolian production duo 'The Boys From Chariss'. A collection of previously released but obscure and sought after b-side fodder and unreleased gems make up the tracklisting of what could be defined as a retrospective of sorts. All produced within the years of 1991 and 1999, WRECKS027 serves to shine some light on music that still sounds great twenty years later.

Hot on the heels of the Jaxx Madicine remix of Kyoto Jazz Sextet on Local Talk, Tommy 'Tubojazz' Garofalo - goes on a solo adventure once again.

His previous EP "Unbreakable" had equal parts of soul, jazz and funk blended together with a house twist.
The follow-up "Night Colors EP" shows both that and a deeper electronic side.
Opening track 'Two' is a clever number with its changes & sonic wizardry throughout.
Turbojazz makes the perfect blend between house and techno dipped into one big pot of deep Detroit vibes.

Next up is 'The Joint', a track that wears the distinct Turbojazz trademark throughout with its playful keys and sequenced drum programming at full tilt.

Buffered Multiple is the techno A/V project of Vienna electro poster boys Microthol. Buffered Multiple return to Pomelo after their debut on our 20 yrs compilation and subsequent EPs on other imprints. “Buffer 05” starts off with “Prime Time” in super-saturated dub techno mode, its sublimely textured chords ambling hypnotically over a tense and pounding beat. “Shitty Track” changes gears into jack mode, with a bleepy morphing swing hook that drives up the intensity over a percussive beat and takes all the right cues from Chicago’s second wave productions. “Junolized” delves deep into the abyss again, its expansive echoes weaving intricate layers of dub over a foundation of bottomless bass.

Tone Dropout's finest Dawl delivers on the A-side, two gems with electro influences, like only he can do. On the B-side is Moxx from the Viennese House and Techno label called Yoshi, with his first solo works after the infamous 'Waves' EP in 2014.

DJ HAUS'S FIRST MIXTAPE OF 2013 HAD EVERYONE FROM SKREAM, DISCLOSURE, HUD MO, BREACH & KODE 9, BICEP, CANING THE SHIT OUT OF IT... MUCH TO EVERYONES SURPRISE.. PLUS RAVE REVIEWS ACROSS THE BOARD DJ HAUS RETURNS WITH A MINI 4 TRACK EP INTRODUCING THE SPACE JAMS SERIES - WOW!!!!

The Barcelona based record store and label run by DJ Bruce Lee is very proud to release the first work from TR, a well known DJ in the Madrid underground scene.
TR was responsible for one of the remixes from the first release on the label. That remix was techno, but his tastes embrace many different styles as we can see now.
"Multi EP" is the second release on Rhythm Control Barcelona where TR, colaborates with Causmin Lizou on the keyboard for the B side tracks.
The A side contains 2 90's infuenced breaks and electro tracks titled "Bassaur" and "EAH (Part 1,2 & 3)".
The B side contains 2 Detroit influenced house tracks, "Fingers De Pollo" and "Gitroit Highlights".

A producer worth following without a doubt!

Ferox brings you four of the UK and Ireland's finest on this 4 tracker.

Staying true to those bottom heavy US house vibes, the Freak is back with a release even chunkier than the first on this imprint.

The mysterious and self proclaimed creator of 'concrete funk' ensures that all four tracks of this release deserve serious floor space.

Side A is a perfect merger off a Chicago v Detroit sound, with jacking drums overlapping deep but never dull chords and stabs. With stabs of vocals reminding the room that you are seriously 'Mackin tha Heat'.

The B-side shows a completely different sound to the freak with chunky acid house sounds accompanied by a track that has a hypnotic techno style groove from start to end.

Netherlands-based LA producer, Diego Herrera returns to the Melbourne party
imprint, Animals Dancing for its seventh release; this time under his Suzanne Kraft
alias. Across three tracks, Herrera showcases his method in the madness, expertly
fusing glistening pads, warm synthesis, razor-sharp percussion & frenetic bass lines

Detroit Acid master Jared Wilson with 4 fresh grooves that makes your ears melt...

Radio Slave enlists two heavyweights remixes from Dixon and Underground Resistance, who reimagine 'Trans' - the twisted, bass-driven cut on Radio Slave's excellent inaugural album.

First up, Innervisions co-founder Dixon offers an inspired retouch containing an amalgamation of cosmic synth arpeggios, each one unfolding in a unique way as the track develops, supported by a prominent vacillating bassline.

On the flip, Detroit techno pioneers Underground Resistance provide a 'Hamtramck' remix features crunchy modulated synths and heavily delayed vocal slices that duck in and out before funk influenced guitar licks resonate alongside a plethora of dark effects.

perfectly merging Detroit & UK Techno heritage

Repress with alternate label-art.

Never Ending Similarities sees MB return to his home base Frustrated Funk to do what he does best. Pushing the envelope while still keeping the emotive part of the music on the foreground. Interfusion Biamp and Never Ending Similarities are two relatively new tracks, both crossing boarders of various different sub-genres, telling beautiful little stories with their gorgeous strings and harmonized synth chords. But for most people the main focus will go directly to Demonia. A slowly building and uplifting techno track, already released on the digital version of his 2009 album Switches, Drawers and Washing Machines that we kept aside especially for this 12''. MB proves once again that he still has his own signature touch that makes his music such a treat and a recommendation to any connaisseurs of fine techno music. Hotness..!

ES-Q already successfully emerged on the scene with the massive club banger 'friend zone' on PXU. With his new EP called enter the system he strikes hard, again 4 straight up dance floor fillers for all the ravers dedicated to bleep!!!

Illusions is the new work by DOTHEDU made of 5 sexy bumping tracks EP which explore over the fields of house music and detroit techno vibes with gentle acid splashes and charming ladies voices.

As per ritual all covers have been individually treated, crafted, handprinted and assembled by DOTHEDU.

Please note: “comes in different individually treated covers, we cannot guarantee which one you will receive”

The 12th Downbeat release comes from the south east of Ireland.
Alan Smith is a producer from Waterford with tracks released on D1 Recordings and Elusive Recordings who loves the analogue sound of 90´s and the sound of Detroit.
"Bump together ep" is one super complete release halfway between House music and Techno, Detroit and Sheffield, and between dancefloors and futuristic chillout which owns all the aesthetic parameters that a Downbeat release should be.
Alan delivers a 4 track Ep with hidden, delicate and subtle melodies, minimalist structures and an excellent job with percussion and mixdown.
But if there is one word to describe this release it is "Deep". Layers of synthetic pads, creative basslines and hi-hats in motion provide deepness to this solid release.

High-Tech-Soul bliss and Ambient Techno magic by one of Scotlands finest! Vital Sales Points: - Transmat, Djax Up Beats, Subject Detroit legend Stephen Brown returns to a.r.t.less - Extensive Global Play by Derrick May

Charles Trees. Myth, tall tale, legend of a human being, one of those people who one minute you'll be scouring reddit for obscure content and the next, stepping on stage to casually DJ to thousands of people like “no big whoop” at a French music festival. Charles is unassuming, the kind of person who effortlessly mixes ghettotech into soul for lulz, who samples a speech (/rant) by Funkmaster Flex in an acid track, or rides BMG & Derek Plaslaiko’s “True Story of a Detroit Groove” with Velvet Underground’s “Sister Ray” for 8 minutes straight.

Charles' relationship with electronic music started early. In high school, Dave Shayman (Disco D) introduced Charles to DJing and he was a regular at Dubplate Pressure*– Todd Osborn's now-legendary record store in Ann Arbor. By 1998, he was already playing on raves in Detroit. A year later, he was the first person to show Zach Saginaw (Shigeto) to Ghostly International, arguably altering the course of our lives forever. In the late 2000s, they became label mates on Moodgadget, the record label of Jakub Alexander (Heathered Pearls).

Through out the years, Charles has been a musical mentor (whether DJing, producing or throwing shows) to many, danced at every weekly at every venue in Ann Arbor & Detroit, produced Hip Hop, and fronted a psych rock band. He has released music on Moodgadget (US), Musique Large (FR), Lovemonk (ES), Vanity Press (US) and JFX Lab (FR). Today, between DJing, hosting radio shows and producing new music, Charles regularly throws shows/parties/raves, and hosts a monthly at Deluxx Fluxx.

We love Charles Trees and we're proud to present "2019," the eighth record on Portage Garage Sounds.

*Additional reading: Dubplate Pressure: was the precursor to Technical Equipment Supply; how Todd Osborn was discovered by Richard D. James and signed to Rephlex Records; where Sam Valenti IV, the founder of Ghostly International, met Tadd Mullinix (Dabrye, JTC, Charles Manier, X-Altera); one of the reasons why we're all here

"Got No"
Hit the ground running.
Chopped up vocal stabs and a playful syncopated melody accompany this percussion heavy two-step shuffle as it speeds down the Lodge on a Friday night in Detroit.

"Think First"
Undeniable rhythm section pocket.
Acoustic bass and dirty ride symbols swing alongside lush keyboards and sprinkles of light melodicism in this psych house banger.
Think St. Germain with CAN playing a warped version of "Rose Rouge."

"In Arms"
Crave the rave. Whips crack and sizzle in this dubbed out techno slapper. A modern take on a classic sound. Trees conjures an era close to his heart: when the warehouse was church and service didn't stop until the sun came up.


"Acja feat. Marcus Elliot ("12 club mix)
Beautifully understated and triumphant.
This closer marks the return of Detroit Saxophonist Marcus Elliot (Detroit pt II - PGS 001). His notes dance and soar over a creeping acid line, while driving drums and warm pads effortlessly take you home in this powerful house anthem.

Fresh off their latest VA, The Press Group hand the reins over to up-and-coming Ukrainian producer Sasha Zlykh, here delivering his debut 12" effort. Clocking in with a quartet of club-oriented weapons and off-road house-y pumpers that shall bring dancefloors to a slow but steady simmer, the Kyiv-based producer blends in an avalanche of breaks-strewn rhythms, bleepy melodies and reshuffled UK bass patterns to create his own distinctive hybrids, halfway straight dance functionality and non-formulaic experimentality.

As playful in essence as it is serious in its execution, 'Lie To Your Mom' EP starts off with the title-cut, which works a wonky swagger that proves all the more infectious as bars fly by. Engineering a finely-woven mix of off-kilter drum programming, raucous analogue belches and volatile harp stabs distorted to the max, the track's shadowy intro is eventually offset by overlapping tides of luminous pads, released as one lets the light break through a vampire den. 'RnB Ritual' follows up close in the vein, meshing a brooding late-night-ish atmosphere with playful percussive mechs and sustained rhythmic accidents.

Flip sides and you'll be treated to a choice pair of remixes from in-house groove traders Rupert Marnie and Youthman. First in line, Marnie turns 'Lie To Your Mum' into a straight jacking and shuffling Chicagoan chugger. Going deeper into soulful terrains and lavishly-textured expanses, TPG's main operator exploits the whole melodic potential of Zlykh's original, bringing its anthemic power to further completion beautifully. More on the dubby end of things, Youthman adds his uniquely vibey touch to the main cut, deftly navigating betwixt a classic deep house kinda vibe, post-rave'y electronics and a Basic Channel-esque sound spectrum, which all in all should have people instinctively clapping their hands as their mind begins to sink into a weirdly introspective sense of euphoria.

After a triplet of solo 12"s, all courtesy of label main man Rupert Marnie, Hamburg-based imprint The Press Group are set to break 2018 in with the multi-flavoured TPG004 - a versatile debut VA that offers a fine close up on the label's whole cast of operating forces with some choice contributions from TPG's core tetrad including Youthman(29), Ten Letu, DJ Dodo and Marnie himself. Mind your backs!

Shape-shifting yet coherent as a whole, this collective effort puts together a swinging confluence of sounds and aesthetics - clearly aimed at the dancefloor but equally poised for laid-back chill sessions. First release on the label to reunite the entire crew, TPG004 mashes up a wide-spanning array of grooves and tempi in exploded view, giving full vent to each artist's idiosyncratic universe whilst establishing a hyper-modern sound ID, both infectiously funky and undeniably potent.

Casting its net far and wide: from the pared-down astronautical breakbeat of Youthman's 'Aemilia' to DJ Dodo's breezy jacking jazz-footwork hybrid 'The Machine' via Rupert Marnie's lithe ganjah-smelling shuffler 'Health' and Ten Letu's muscle-flexing acid roller 'Ah, You Shot Me!', it's a feast of feelgood beats that you're invited to, neatly connecting the dots between the guys' shared love for video game soundtracks, liquid dubstep, heavy jungle breaks, minimal house and further daydreaming, hazy harmonics to drape yourself into.

After a couple of essential releases under the pseudonym Epiphany' in labels such as AHD or Semantica, Damian Schwartz is back with his second full length Album. An incredible piece of work highly influenced by Detroit and NY's House and Techno sound.

PADS boss & Klang Club affiliate compiles a few choice tunes that give a insight into his love of lush tones & emotive vibes after connecting with FP for a tribute to the Klang club w/Move D, Christopher Rau + collaboration project w/Easy To Remember

Detroit Chicago crossover housetracks originally released on Terry "Housemaster" Baldwin's Future Sound Records in 1988. Now remastered on Clone Classic Cuts with a fierce Gerd edit!

Omar-S introduces Detroit's newest diva on the scene, Simon Black with an X-Rated 12" for the real freaky types. In line with some of the definitive vogue house tracks of the past, "I'll Do It Again" will become future ballroom staple. On the flipside, "Freaky Type" Black slows it down and steams it up with some nasty vox over a beat produced by FIT Siegel. High kicks and hand snaps all around!

Superb, diverse, driving DJ tool Techno set

Repress of the highly sought after Transmat Classic by K. Alexi Shelby*

As spring dawns, Rhythm Section International go from Local Artist to a pair of very 'local' artists - Peckham's very own Chris Watson + Chris Coupe; otherwise known as FYI CHRIS , who present the 'Back In The Millennium' EP as the labels 5th offering.The EP was born after a rather hazy late night listening session at Rhythm Section HQ, where bossman Bradley Zero was instantly beguiled by the Duo's hypnotic and rhythmically complex arrangements.The record begins abrasively with the trance-inducing mechanical stutter of 'back in the millennium', before shuffling into downbeat number 'Jeru' and then picks things up with the peak time groove of 'need i say more' before bringing us back down to earth with the melancholic acid bump of 'dedication'. Early support from Osunlade, MR.G, Ryan Elliott & Damiano Von Eckhert
Ready for Club Use..

This November sees the launch of Manchester based imprint Music Is Love Records, kicking things off with a four-track release of sublime house cuts in the form of 'Back In The Dayz' by Dutch duo New Jack City.
In true Manchester fashion the labels philosophy is to create a platform for releasing 90's tipped underground house music and embodying a hands on attention to detail with heavyweight vinyl, hand curated artwork and
high grade remix artists set for each release. Local acts, artist friends and up and coming producers will be providing releases from the off with label owners Oli Furness and Angus Jefford delivering remix works on each
under their Music Is Love guise. Arnhem based New Jack City launch things here, they're relatively fresh faces on the scene having formed their collaboation in early 2011, their ethos is heavily focused on Chicago house
music with an old school grit and rawness incorporated.
Title track 'Back In The Dayz' opens the release, utilizing timeless 909 drum programming with a big open hat, off-kilter claps and weighty kick. A subtle sub bass softly meanders around the drums in the background adding a bouncy shuffle while warm Rhodes chords build the track alongside a filtered vocal chop. Classic house stabs are introduced to the latter stages alongside a soulful spoken word vocal about the feeling of house rounding off the old school vibe. Next up is label owners Music is Love's rework of 'Back In The Dayz', adding a sharp intensity to the drums with an insistent snare pattern running throughout and the signature sounds of 90's house, a deep bubbling organ hook brought in, this is a brilliantly contrasting remix from the duo with a clear distinction yet capturing the vibe of the original cut beautifully.
Next up is 'Gimme That Chance', a pacier affair picking up the tempo slightly and embracing a US Garage vibe. Dreamlike synth chords, warbling pad lines and a sonorous walking sub-bass build the tracks body while an
amalgamation of vocal chops are layered, looped and processed throughout, creating an ever evolving dynamism.
'The Golden Age' closes the release with crunchy distorted drums and heavily reverberated synth shots running from the start, the track takes on a darker form than the preceding tracks with a peak-time dance floor approach. The introduction of a warm melodic synth melody in the centre stages adds a unifying house touch, breaking things down before the pumping heavily swung rhythm re-enters and tails out the track.
This is an outstanding inaugural release from Music Is Love Records and a clear indication of the sheer quality to come from this brand new Northern England based label.