Austria's Jakobin & Domino return on Chicago's Large Music imprint with the thumping 'Come On Back EP'.
This new 3-tracker is rich in deep Detroit vibes, with silky vocal snippets weaving around melodic keys, driving basslines and super-tight drums. A must for the summer floors mos' def.
As yet, this track is so fresh (Jeff only sent it to me this morning!) there seems to be no footprint of the tracks anywhere on the web. This needs correcting ASAP, so I'll be sure to include it on a wee deep house mix I'm putting together this evening - watch this space. (I've been sent so much amazing deep house of late, I need to get it out there...)
That said, I did jump onto Jakobin & Domino's Soundcloud page, where I found one of their previous remixes of Mr Fingers for free download, as well as a Luv Shack remake of The Doors from their labelmates. Check them out below.
The 'Come On Back EP' is out on 10th June via Large Music. | largemusicglobal.com
Out on Monday, 'The Third Adam' is the latest outing from Nu Era, aka Marc '4Hero' Mac.
For this long-player, Mac has harked back to the good ol' days of analog, employing numerous vintage instruments to create a wholly electronic yet warm, soulful sound.
Marc's Detroit techno influences are ever present on this release, with more than a hint of that unmistakable 4Hero vibe. That said, there is something that makes 'The Third Adam' undefinable - is it house, is it hip-hop, is it beats, funk or electro?? Who knows - but that's what makes it so remarkable - it's in a genre all its own. There are few artists out there that can draw heart-warming soul from cold, dusty electronics like Marc Mac can.
What a great week for music! My Inbox has been veritably bursting at the seams with amazing new tracks, so I'm really excited to share them with you. I know I've been a bit quiet this week - rest assure there's lots more coming over the weekend in terms of reviews and freebies. Watch this space...
The usual eclectic blend, this week's selection features more great stuff from the Melodica stable, a re-hit of tracks from Colm K's latest EP and the new album from Australia's very own Kerbside Collective, plus a fresh-off-the-press Hint remix on London Possee's 'London Style' and new Chromatics material. And last but not least, an incredible release from Pedestrian - one of my favourite tracks of the year already. You can download all the available tracks from Juno Download [here].
As ever, pull up a chair, open the paper and take a listen.
It's no secret that I'm an enormous fan of the Soulab label over in France. Consistently dishing out incredible quality nu-funk and soul, it was with enormous anticipation that I saw 'The Soul Revolution 3' drop into my Inbox this week.
Featuring all the usual suspects, including Weeland and The Urban Soul Collective, Soul Motion Replay, Isaac Aesili and Uptown Funk Empire, this album delivers. The selection sees the label reaching out into slightly new territory, with a bit more of an electronic, housey edge. Regardless, this compilation is another flawless example of a soul label at the very top of its game. Think the kind of output Naked Music was putting out back in the late-90s, and you're there.
Check Isaac Aesili's 'Freedom Cry' below - one of my favourite cuts from the album from one of my favourite labels - Project: Mooncircle.
What's interesting is the inclusion of tracks from JetTricks and Mr. Confuse; only this week I had a rather enormous package through the post from Légère Records in Hamburg - the home of these two artists, so I was already chugging through their back cat before receiving this. I guess that's what finding a great label is all about - you find yourself on a practically identical wavelength in both music and time.
Anyhow, expect super-soulful cuts aplenty on this album in a multitude of styles and forms. If you're into uplifting, dance-orientated nu-soul, you won't go wrong.
'Soul Revolution 3' is out now via Soulab and you can purchase via Juno Download here. | soulab.com
It's a gorgeous yet somewhat chilly Autumnal Saturday here is Sydney. I'm feeling pretty mellow today (I blame all that Carlton Draught last night), and so is the podcast this week.
Featuring a heap of brand new tracks from Chris Coco's Melodica label, a new Plexus joint (one of my new favourite labels), more from SLL faves Soulab,Record Kicks, Bastard Jazz (check the new Colm K track - it's INSANE!), as well as my pick of the brand new Daft Punk album.
Anyhow, sit back, relax, grab your choice of beverage, and press play.
With strong echoes of that 90s club vibe, yet laced with classic deep house grooves, Steve Mill presents Anna Cavazos on 'Upside Down'.
Punchy drums, crisp hats and ravey filtered keys are perfectly fused with a speed garage-esque bounce and warm deep house harmonies; it almost plays like an Innervision reinterpretation of Todd Edwards' earlier work.
Within seconds of hitting play, this was already a favourite. With summer just around the corner in the UK, this would definitely be one of my picks for this coming Ibiza season. Just wishing I could be jamming on the terraces to hear it this year. Never mind ay, I can always pop down to Bondi on the 380 bus. Just hope the DJ's spinning this.
Anthem.
'Upside Down' is out via Muak exclusively through Traxsource in late-May. | traxsource.com
I'm rarely more excited than when I get a Bastard Jazz promo through on the email. This morning was no exception, particularly as it came in the form of Colm K's new 'The Love EP'.
Hailing from Cork, Ireland, Colm has been making ways on the Bastard Jazz label since graduating from the Red Bull Music Academy back in 2004. Touching on a wealth of influences from right across the music spectrum, Colm's tracks are sprinkled with vibes equivalent to a life time's listening - everything from J Dilla to Floating Points - it's in there.
This latest release tickles the pleasure senses once again, as you're immediately struck by the sheer clarity of the production work on this EP. Deep house influences are aplenty here, subterranean basslines and stratospheric builds sit alongside typically crisp percussion and warm, enveloping key progressions.
Whether it's the more laid back pace on 'The Attic', the big room twist on 'Good Fridays' or the electro-funk inspired 'Spaced', there's something for any soulful head here. You need to own this, and anything else Colm K has put out.
Trust me.
'The Love EP' is out on 3rd June via Bastard Jazz. | bastardjazz.com
I've had a couple of days to digest the new Daft Punk album 'Random Access Memories' which was unleashed on the world via an iTunes stream earlier this week (as well as the inevitable leak via a well known file sharing site). Rather than get into the debate, I've just been trying to absorb what's set to be one of the music events of the year, regardless of what side of the fence you might be on currently.
This exercise has bought me to one conclusion: it's impossible to judge the merits of this new album on a few day's play, as compared to Daft Punk's previous longplayers which have now had years to settle into the psyche of their fanbase.
For me, this album is more of a grower than Human After All, Discovery or Homework, which were all peppered with instant club hits. This plays more like a true artist album the duo have no doubt been waiting to write for years. A coming of age story, this new 13-tracker showcases a new, more mature Daft Punk sound which places their biggest influences right at the forefront of every track (Giorgio Moroder, Nile Rodgers, Todd Edwards). It's almost a modern reinterpretation of the very sound they were sampling heavily in the earlier days, the whole album driven by live session work rather than filtered disco cuts that have dominated much of their sound for years.
Anyhow, I'm loving it. It's all there - that same fresh, innovative vibe, with all the trademark Daft Punk compression and vocoder work. A triumph - there, I said it.
Check one of my favourite cuts from the album - 'Lose Yourself To Dance'. Be sure to catch the killer Chic-esque lead guitar - lovely.
'Random Access Memories' is out via Columbia on 17th May. | daftpunk.com
Another label I'm super chuffed to be working with is Audio Doughnuts, an independent label founded in a West London houseboat back in 2010.
Through a string of successful club nights across the City featuring top name guests such as Jamie XX, Julio Bashmore and Zed Bias, the label continues to go from strength to strength. Its latest release comes from relative newcomer Debian Blak with his 'Six Months From Mars' EP.
Since emerging in 2011, Debian has become a go-to producer and remixer for music royalty such as Laura Mvula - praise indeed. This latest outing features 4 tracks of heavenly electronica - some call it indie, or bass, others dubstep, and some would liken it more to the choppy MPC stylings of Ta Ku or Flume. Whatever you call it, this is a super soulful, progressive soundscape that draws you further in on every listen. Soaring pads, sharp, harmonised leads and atmospheric percussion are the order of the day; it sounds familiar, but you're not too sure. This is an EP which builds a musical curiosity that'll have you hooked.
Check out my favourite cut from the EP - 'Dive' featuring Kate Wolf from Mt. Wolf. Sick.
'Six Months From Mars' is out now via Audio Doughnuts. Grab it from Juno [here]. | audiodoughnuts.com
Wow - Ty smashes yet another blinder out the park on 'Let's Start', the A-side from 'Kick Snare and An Idea Part 2'.
A massively catchy and energetic party anthem, Ty breathes his trademark character into a devastating peak-time hip-hop smash. Heavy live bass is driven by an incessant horn section sure to call any floor to order. Alongside a mega-catchy melody, Ty leads the dance amidst an aural frenzy of vocal ad-libs and vinyl splices.
Check the equally wicked music vid below, featuring b-girl dancer, Teneisha Bonner.
Never a more appropriate track title - let's do this thing...
'Kick Snare and An Idea Part 2' is out via Tru Thoughts on 10th June. | tru-thoughts.co.uk
The journey to Oz has already been a voyage of discovery, the time away from the clubs leading me to music pastures new and previously familiar territory.
Having been listening to more electronic bits over the last few weeks, I came across an old friend in Lost My Dog, a deep house label grown from the roots of a humble record shop in Loughborough. Run by a team of true house heroes, in just 8 years the label has developed a devout and reputable following - everyone from Laurent Garnier to Maya Jane Coles have LMD records entrenched in their playlists.
So I contacted the label to say Hi, and was lucky enough to receive a wicked new deep house roller by Sek, a relatively new kid on the block and one of LMD's latest signings. What wasn't surprising was the quality of the release - safe to say LMD is a label that never fails, a rare brand of quality that screams 'buy me' before you've even hit play.
Anyway, ever the inquisitive listener, I thought I'd hit up Sek and find out more. Here's what the new boy had to say.
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BC: What’s your name and where d’you come from?
SEK:My name is Dimitris Kesses. Im originally from Spetses, a small island of 4500 residents located at the southwest of Athens, but the last 8 years I've spent my time mostly in Greece's capital, Athens.
BC: What three records would sum-up your musical influences and why?
SEK:Cypress Hill's self-titled debut album, Jimpster's Amour, and litterally all the Strictly Rhythms back catalogue from 1990 to 2000. Each and every one of these - among many others to be honest - have contributed on what SEK is all about at the minute. Sample-based production, bottomless deepness and groove.
BC: What was the last live act / DJ you saw that left a lasting impression on you?
SEK:A couple of months ago, I had the chance to hear Agoria's live set in Athens. It was simply great! I'm the type of dj that likes to cross-genres while I'm playing and Agoria was certainly all about it. He started with some mellow deep house then jumped into some classic techno, he then added some tech-house flavours and then right back where he began. Straight from the heart and quite unique to me. The connection with the crowd was immense. It was more like building a story from scratch rather than simply telling it. I was really happy being among the crowd that night but on the other hand I was kind of jealous that I wasnt the one spinning that glorious set. I still didn't get the chance to hear Move D, The Revenge and Jordan Peak playing live but I'm sure they will be great too - I always check their live sets on SoundCloud and they have never failed me.
BC: Grab your choice of music device, press Shuffle and list the first three tracks that come up. Tell us in a few words why has each earned a place in your playlist.
Burial – Archangel
Quiet an oldie but still a goodie. It hasn’t left my music device since it was released. It can simply make my day. In fact was my "weapon of choice" last year while I was in a really bad mood while serving Greek army.
Little Dragon - Ritual Union (Maya Jane Coles Remix)
In love with the vocals and the re-work that Maya did.
Flying Lotus - Tea Leaf Dancers
Sub basses, killer stabs, and dark voice. The ingredients of a hip hop success.
BC: What’s the secret to your sound?
SEK:No big secrets at all actually. I guess the only thing that we can call a "secret", is that I always like things to be abstract and raw. I’m not a fan of crystal clear digital sound. I like it glitchy, grainy and old-fashioned. That from time to time leads me to use quite unorthodox ways of producing. Of course that doesn't always lead to the right place but it's working for me at the minute.
BC: What or whom most inspires you and helps focus your musical creativity?
SEK:I guess my family and some really good friends. They have been supporting me forever. I’m not the easiest guy to handle. I have done some extremely crazy things in my life so far, but they were always there no matter what supporting and counseling me. That helps me stay focused on my music and explodes my musical creativity.
BC: Which music producer do you think is going to be making waves in 2013?
SEK:Well, Kindimmer is already making huge waves into deep techno/house scene. He is one of my favourites at the minute alongside Jordan Peak, James Dexter and Pete Dafeet. Those guys simply can't do any wrong right now.
BC: What’s next for Sek?
SEK:We just released the Fergasm EP on Lost My Dog. Right up next is the Swagitude EP on Large Music. I'm very excited about that release - being a part of Large family and seeing my name among house legends like Roy Davis Jr and Kerri Chandler it certainly means a lot to me. And then I go back where i feel like my musical home, Lost My Dog Records, to compile Prime Cuts Vol.2 later in the year.
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Sek's 'Fergasm EP' is out now on Lost My Dog - grab it from Juno here.
Another track I've got on repeat this week (and thus included on this week's Podcast) is the Ambassadeurs Reconstruct of Marvin Gaye's 'Ain't That Peculiar'.
Sporting that nu skool hip-hop vibe, this rework is driven by a huge, soulful electronic lead, as well as sharp, robotic organ stabs and crisp percussion. What I love most is that the track is not overly produced, as is the temptation with many producers looking to better a timeless soul classic. This is more a contemporary optimisation, a sensitive revision for the modern listener. It showcases Marvin's vocals perfectly and retains the depth of the original without trying to be too overbearing. A mean feat indeed.
Funnily enough, I've since found out that Mark Dobson, the name behind Ambassadeurs, is actually a guy I DJed for at a tech house night at Club EQ in Southsea many, many moons ago. A top bloke - it's great to see he's flourished into such an amazing producer.
Check the embedded download link in the SoundCloud widget above. | @AmbassadeursDJ
In that very Spanish/South American Señor Coconut style, Chicha Libre do wicked Latin covers of well-known tunes, in this case The Simpsons theme tune in 'La danza de los Simpsons'.
Discovered while listening to Robert Luis' Tru Thoughts radio show with my mates over a few barbecued 'snags' yesterday, this is a real fun, head-turning record that made everyone go quiet and toe-tap-head-nod.
The best bit: it's available as a free download via SoundCloud. Check the embedded download link below. Also available on this week's Podcast. | chichalibre.com
To this week's podcast. I've been on a proper digital crate-digging spree this week, with more than a little help from some excellent labels in First Word and Légère, as well as Robert Luis' superb Tru Thoughts radio show. A real nice blend this week - lots of quality hip-hop, including a fantastic Amerie remix from up-and-coming producer Kaytranada, plus all the usual soul, jazz, latin and dub vibes. Enjoy!
May marks my 5th month away from London and another incredible Wirey night I'm unfortunately missing. [Sad face]
What's great is gaining a new perspective on what incredible things Kate Bond and Michael Duke are doing with Wired. Even from the other side of the world, their incredible A&R skills stand firm and remind an increasingly loyal audience why Wired is one of the definitive nights in London's music calendar. To say I was gutted not to be DJing alongside Ayanna, George Ezra and Disclosure's very own Sinead Harnett last month would be an understatement! This month is no different, with Wired returning to Concrete in Shoreditch on Monday 13th May with another stellar line-up.
Gracing the Rhythm Rug will be new boy Tom Prior, old favourites in Cynthia Erivo and The Dark Tides, as well as a special DJ set from DJ MckNasty.
Tom Prior
Kicking-off the show will be lyrical waxing of Tom Prior, a wicked songwriter and vocalist who is set for big things. Keeping that authentic, characteristic London vibe alive, Tom's melancholic rhymes will have you melting in your seat.
Check his cover of Swedish House Mafia's 'Don't You Worry Child', Tom's unique stamp all over it.
Cynthia Erivo
Cynthia Erivo first stepped foot on the Wired stage back in 2011 and was an instant hit amongst the crowd. From previous performances supporting major acts at the IndigoO2, as well as lending her voice to the stage production of Sister Act in the West End, Cynthia's incredibly powerful yet delicate vocal talents are both energising and touching.
When Cynthia graced the Wired stage at Shoreditch House in 2011, our friends at LiteSwitch were on hand to capture this great video interview. Already setting the UK's soul scene on fire, Cynthia is sure to deliver another blinding performance on Monday, you lucky Londoners you!
The Dark Tides
The Dark Tides are Michael Jablonka on guitar and vocals, Chris Webb on bass and Scott Parrish on drums. In contrast to to Cynthia's sound, The Dark Tides are an upbeat, soulful rock outfit that always guarantee an energetic, crowd-pleasing set.
Michael has been part of the Wired furniture for years, featuring as part of other music projects. The Dark Tides give his vocal talents the perfect showcase to demonstrate why he's much more than a pure session musician.
Again, LiteSwitch were on hand last year to capture their first set at Wired. Safe to say the bar is set pretty high for Monday - break a leg chaps! :-)
DJ MckNasty
Last, but no means least, we have Labrinth's brother DJ MckNasty who will be delivering a killer DJ set to end the night.
I was lucky enough to hear him drumming for his brother at an intimate Labrinth showcase gig on the roof of Shoreditch House a few years ago. But drumming and DJing together?! Wow. Word's just can't do this guy justice, so I'll let this video performance do the talking. So, so gutted I'll be missing this!
Here we have the final in Jesse Futurman's trio of free EPs from SLL faves Jus Like Music.
The 'Exquisite Basement EP' is exactly that - a gloriously delicate collection of lo-fi samples and melody, forging a perfect harmony between smooth, soulful jazz and electronic broken beat.
Be it the downtempo, piano-led groove on 'One For Dan Zacks', to the moody and melancholic strings on 'Disappear', to the 4/4 dance vibe on 'Trouble Man', this 7-track mini EP takes you on an all-enveloping journey through Jesse's deepest imagination. It's a curiously dark yet peaceful, enlightening place that will keep you wanting more.
The 'Exquisite Basement EP' is out now as a free download via Jus Like Music. Download it via Bandcamp below.
I've been a massive fan of Opolopo for some time, an artist who seems to have nailed the art of bringing the 80s vibe to boogie and house floors alike.
That said, the Stockholm-based beard-fancier's repertoire far from ends there; remixes on the likes of Mario Biondi and St. Germain showcase the incredible breadth of Opolopo's sound and talents.
Best known for numerous releases on nu soul labels such as Tokyo Dawn as well as ground-breaking house labels such as Local Talk, Opolopo is lesser-known as a true philanthropist - to say his Soundcloud is brimming with incredible freebies would be an understatement.
So here are a couple of cuts I've ripped from his feed, all incredible, all free. GO!
My first deep house mix for quite some time, showcasing the best tracks I've dug out over the last week or so. Very Innervisions-esque, featuring a few wicked promos I've been sent from the likes of Sonar Kollektiv, Lost My Dog and Gomma - let me know what you think.
Purchase links through Juno can be found via the Mixcloud embed.
Continuing on the house vibe, I've been sent some cracking tracks of late with one of the real standouts being the 'Joyride EP' from Germany's Rhode & Brown.
The latest release on Toy Tonics (the sublabel of the legendary Gomma stable), the EP features 4 cuts of quality house, my personal fave being Kyodai's mix on 'Under Your Spell'. I wasn't surprised to find out that Kyodai, a name I keep hearing at the minute, is in fact the alter ego of Wagon Cookin', another long-time SLL favourite. Kyodai is currently releasing on Sweden's Local Talk, a label that can do no wrong right now.
The EP is brimming with classic minor-key chord progressions, old skool piano riffs, rolling basslines and crisp percussion. It's the attention to detail in the production that's the real sell here, with the tracks showcasing the 90s nu garage sound that is so in vogue. A wicked blend of the old and new, an EP with a fresh take on deep house.
Current support from all the big hitters including Kerri Chandler, Osunlade and Nick Holder.
The 'Joyride EP' is out on 6th May via Toy Tonics - grab it from Juno Download here. | toytonics.de
Bristol duo Outboxx recently released their first full-length, self-titled EP on Idle Hands, and I've had it on repeat ever since.
A journey moving through soulful lo-fi, snappy nu garage and big room belters, the album is a real accomplishment in its re-imagination of traditional house and techno. Whilst it plays like an EP you think you've heard time and again, it has a moreish quality that gets in your head unlike any act I've heard since Disclosure.
The standout track for me is 'Home', as featured on this week's Stop.Look.Listen. Podcast, a silky slice of slow 4/4 with a gorgeous, melancholic vocal.
Another act forging the new sound of the dancefloor, I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for Outboxx's future releases - safe to say this new album is already, in my book, a modern classic. Check out the track 'All The Right Moves' below.
Here's the latest podcast fo' yo' lugs. A real nice diverse mix this week, featuring everything from future beats to dubby electronica, through tropical funk via disco, hip-hop and reggae. I was massively chuffed to receive a re-mastered version of Rose Royce's 'Still In Love' this week too - it just had to go on there! Anyway, take a listen and let me know what you think.
I mentioned getting more and more into my deep house having moved to Australia. Maybe it's the weather, or something in the water - who knows. So I've turned my attention back to an old friend - the Resident Advisor Podcast - and found another former music companion in Solomun, who recently recorded a mix for them.
As if reliving a past life, I reverted to a habit I used to exercise weekly, sometimes daily, and jumped into the podcast comments to dig out the tracklisting from the ever-present trainspotters. It was great to hear that distinctive Solomun sound again with some new twists (Kate Bush on an RA Podcast anyone?!). The mix was more commercial than the style I'd remembered him for, but it figures as I've since learned that Solomun is pretty much dance music royalty now, having secured two major residencies in Ibiza this year. He recently featured on the front page of Mixmag - safe to say he's come leaps and bounds since the early days as an undercover minimal house producer.
What I was surprised at, however, was the amount of negativity and abuse towards him in the forum. I'm all for healthy debate, but the level of criticism seemed extremely harsh for someone who's produced countless quality tracks championed by such world-beating DJs as Dixon and Âme. It's just a shame that the house scene clearly continues to be 'dominated' by haters, which is a great shame, and part of the reason I got out. It's sad that people get more caught up in the scene's politics than the the music. Is it just me? Am I completely out-of-touch? Maybe it's my age talking - after all, I've gone from playing in dark, dank basements until 6am to spending my weekends listening to neo-soul and funk records...
Anyhow, I digress; personally I enjoyed the mix and it got me thinking back to five years ago when I was heavily into minimal. So here are a couple of highlights from Solomun's RA mix, a personal favourite via his Diynamic label from 2007, plus a wicked 4-hour Boiler Room mix by Dixon and Âme from October last year. Loving the return to house - like an old friend, it never fails.
I've been on a retrospective deep house tip of late. Over the years one artist that has never failed for me is Fred Everything.
From his time pushing the boundaries for a whole host of underground house labels in the US (think Amenti, Large and Lowdown), Fred's tireless attention to detail has made him one of the the go-to producers for top labels across the land (Defected, Freerange, OM, Local Talk).
To mark several milestones across his social networks, Fred has posted an unreleased mix of CJ Hilton's 'Losing You' as a limited download on SoundCloud. Typically timeless. Go grab it before it's taken down!
This week marked iTunes' 10th birthday - how mad is that?!
Whilst there have been a lot of posts chipping around the web about this milestone, this simply got me thinking - what on earth was I buying in my early days of iTunes?
The answer: lots of Demarkus Lewis apparently, which I'm far from ashamed of. After all, this exercise could have revealed a past fancy with cheesy party remixes or something. Thankfully, for now, all that remains a closely guarded secret. :-)
