Archive for April, 2012
The Ukraine’s Vakula (Mikhaylo Vityk) is certainly making his name producing otherworldly house and techno and this 2nd release on his Leleka label does not stray from that formula. First off beyond the sound it contains, the package certainly fits the dynamic beauty of the music. With a White/Black vinyl showing a hand stamped label on [&hellip[ READ MORE ]
For his new vinyl only label Episodes, Ike Release has put together a solid EP of gritty, machine driven house. From the square bass wanderings of “Subsequent” to the driving groove and chorded melody of “Puntigam” he is showcasing a sound more derivative of his home town than some of his previous garage/bass work for [&hellip[ READ MORE ]
Chicago-based producer & prolific live PA artist Lokua helps launch the new (also local) CPKay imprint with his debut EP. The 12″ is 3-part theme & variation on stonking, heavy, proper-techno sound. Very much in line with the recent works of Time To Express, Prologue and their ilk, this is a precisely produced salvo of [&hellip[ READ MORE ]
After reading bio material on this release, I think it may be complete bullshit. The story goes, Jason Grove is a reclusive Detroit producer from the late 80’s who worked with Jeff Mills and Anthony Srock on the Final Cut stuff. For those who don’t know Final Cut was a House Group turned Industrial band [&hellip[ READ MORE ]
So after some time we got to hear some new music from Inner City in 2011. This incarnation really reads more like a super group with Kevin Saunderson being joined by not just Paris Grey but also his daughter Ann, Kenny Larkin and Orlando Voorn. The track they made was hugely emotional, big room fare [&hellip[ READ MORE ]
So, yeah… Omar S just keeps punishing us with creative, raw house music. This time with help from a new friend Patrik Sjeren. This one kicks off with “Income Tax Refund Dance” a slightly bizarre sounding, yet playful tune that keeps you moving while expanding your mind. This is followed by the more groovy “The [&hellip[ READ MORE ]
For this edition of the Disco Deviance edit series (number 24 if you’re counting) Chicago’s own Rahaan gets the nod and he certainly delivers. With a solid, boogie-down assembly of The Escorts’ “Make Me Over” Rahaan takes the track to peak hour party levels. Full of rounded lows and a steady stomp, this one is [&hellip[ READ MORE ]
Larry Heard is a legend so I need not say much about him. He has a knack for making even the most punishing house pretty and musical, a fact which is very evident on this re-release of his 1988 Play It Loud EP. The A-side jacks around a twisting and turning synth bass line that [&hellip[ READ MORE ]
With this one Japanese producer No Milk of Third Ear, Yore and Capricious bends many rules and lines about what house music should sound like, especially for ears more accustomed to the rehashing of the same house sound over and over. Here No Milk delivers some serious no holding back house music but with some [&hellip[ READ MORE ]
With a definite lean towards the 90’s house sounds of New York/New Jersey this takes Gerd back to his humble beginnings. Since his first tracks back in the early to mid 90’s the dutch producer named Gert-Jan Bijl has dabbled in many musical genres and sounds, however here he goes back to his roots under [&hellip[ READ MORE ]
Emphasis proprietor and Obsolete Music Technology alter-ego Steven Tang has always taken a hardware-driven approach to dreamy techno, with melancholy chords and dry punchy drums that align him with the Model 500 and Rhythim Is Rhythim side of the Motor City’s lineage. Overall, this well-formed EP is no exception. That said, the incorporation of the [&hellip[ READ MORE ]
While admittedly a pricey collection, this is a real gem of a package. It was originally put out as a free / donation-based digital only album, but happily (perhaps due to strong listener response) Legowelt has self-released the beautiful, rough, personal recordings in vinyl package. Danny Wolfers describes the original project thusly: “Ok people here [&hellip[ READ MORE ]
This week’s iteration of the Gramaphone Smartbar residency features Ross Kelly and Ike Release alongside regulars Michael Serafini and Scotty Brandon. These disk jockeys are sure to bring a healthy dose of the house music that Smartbar is revered for, and there’s a good chance of some deeper twists and turns as the night drifts [&hellip[ READ MORE ]
Not quite old enough to be classic, I suppose, but DJ Jus-Ed and Anton Zap each have such a patient simplicity and unassuming groove to their productions, that this repressing might as well be categorized as the assured classic it will be a couple years down the road. Jus-Ed provides some of his stronger, more [&hellip[ READ MORE ]
The Analogue Cops tend to bang it out and get a bit rough around the edges, in an almost antique-sounding way. Blawan tends to give rough, floor-ready superficially rough-hewn beats as well. The intersection of the two acts is all in-your-face handclaps, dry snares, scuffed shoes, half-samples, and droning changeless chords. All about atmosphere and [&hellip[ READ MORE ]
Burial has released a new EP, much has already been written about it, I don’t think I have much to add that hasn’t already been said. It’s pretty cool. Here are what some other folks think. Pretty Much Amazing, The Quietus, Fact Magazine It’s at Gramaphone too. Visit or call Gramaphone Records today to hear this release! 2843 [&hellip[ READ MORE ]
The dark horse series “Vanguard Sound” has been establishing an aesthetic of gritty, almost militant house music. The sound here straddles the range of haunted acid, industrial electro, jack, and techno. Amir Alexander‘s imprint continues the trend with its third 12″. As usual for the series, the tracks are varied and strong. DJ Spider’s Tribal [&hellip[ READ MORE ]
New artist SVENGALISGHOST debuts with a 12″ of acid house powered by intense naked synth workouts. Deep Into Memory takes up the long side of the record with pad cushioned slow house groove (well under 120 BPM) haunted by spaced out squelches and punctuated by handclaps. On the other side, dueling arpeggiators take up the [&hellip[ READ MORE ]
Robert Henke’s Monolake project continues to expand, develop, and explore the dark, clinically precise sounds and structures that he has been known for throughout his long career as musician. While he’s been highly regarded for his work outside of the realm of a studio artist, notably for his roles as an educator and his impressive [&hellip[ READ MORE ]
Housefactors (aka Larry Heard, aka Mr Fingers, aka Fingers Inc) keeps it raw and uptempo on this full re-issue of his 1988 Blackmarket 12″. Originally titled “Play It Loud,” this EP has been repackaged with updated labeling but contains all of the original material from the seminal release. In the intervening years, house music has [&hellip[ READ MORE ]