Deep House Review : Tomson - Waiting EP (forthcoming on Illusion Recordings)

The vibe

This latest four-tracker from the Northern boys at Illusion Recordings is serious, driving, old skool deep house business. 'Waiting' features a killer, uplifting synth hook which'll have you rocking the floor into the early hours, with 'Washerman's Deep Chord Remix' tightening the beats even more with some classic Detroit-esque rhythms.

There's more of the same on 'The Drug Dealer & The Bookmaker', with one massive exception - an acid bassline that would make Josh Wink blush. Finally the EP rounds-out with John Dimas on remix duty who offers-up a funky techno take on the original.

Check out 'The Drug Dealer...' on the first edition of the SLL Nouse Mix series here.

Sounds like

...Stimming in the earlier days, or anything from any of the MoTown house heavyweights.

Serving suggestion

Best taken in the wee small hours, preferably as you hit your second or third wind.

Did you know?

Tomson and label co-boss Tom Craven lived down the road from each other in Manchester, only realising when Tomson sent his demo over to Illusion. Check out the interview with the label's head honchos on Australia's Pulse Radio here.

The 'Waiting EP' is out soon on Illusion Recordings | illusionrecordings.com

Deep House Review : Lay-Far - The Green EP (forthcoming on Fifty Fathoms Deep)

I've recently been turned on to the sounds of new independent label Fifty Fathoms Deep, a project conceived by the revered Craig Smith (6th Borough Project) and upcoming DJ and producer Peter Oakden, who is already being hailed by the likes of Phil Asher as a "rising star".

Based in Edinburgh, the aim of the label is simple: to explore their musical tastes and release quality music from unknown and recognised artists alike. You'll likely be familiar with Craig's work already, with numerous releases on Freerange sister label Delusions of Grandeur, but most notably his output with Grahame Clark as The Revenge.

With both his production and label affiliations, Craig became a household name in 2008/9 with his famed disco re-edits helping give rise to the midtempo deep house style that continues to tear up dancefloors around the globe. For Peter, this tie-up with such a solid name is sure to cement his already glowing reputation following successful releases alongside legends such as Moodymanc, Zed Bias and Atjazz, amongst many others.

Launching on 22nd July, Fifty Fathoms Deep come at ya with The Green EP by Lay-Far, a throbbing, rolling house affair featuring all the sample-rich soulful grooves you've come to expect from the pair.

With a sound reminiscent of production-perfect US output, it's hard to 'Fathom' (oh dear) that this is music born in deepest Scotland. Regardless, be it at the bar in Glasgow, or the club in Ibiza, you're sure to be rocking your socks off to Fifty Fathom's output in the months to come.

Lay-Far's 'The Green EP' is out via Fifty Fathoms Deep on 22nd July and is available to pre-order on 12 via [Juno] | facebook.com/fiftyfathomsdeep