Reviews
Marko Nastic – “Belgrade Connection EP” [preview]
by djelroy on Dec.29, 2011, under Releases, Reviews
Artist: Marko Nastic
Title: Belgrade Connection EP
Label: Clash Music
Marko Nastic – Belgrade Connection EP (Clash Music, CM005) (Preview Clips) by Kahua Music
Brazilian label Clash Music’s fifth release couples Marko Nastić with an impressive line up of Brazil’s finest on the ‘Belgrade Connection EP’. The label is the platform for the same-name club night – famous for welcoming DJs such as Vitalic, Dave Clarke, Laurent Garnier and Karl Bartos (Kraftwerk) – to make its very own musical footprint. The EP serves up three original tracks of deep, driving, tech house grooves: ‘Onesided’, ‘Bside’ and ‘Bugged’. Remixes from Mau Mau, Re Dupre and Elemental X offer listeners a real insight into the thriving Brazilian club scene. Dense groovy tech house from Re Dupre and Elemental X and deep house with an introspective atmosphere from Mau Mau.
Marko Nastić was at the forefront of the Serbian club scene during the countries most troubled times, gaining accolades from Mixmag, The Face, DJ and NME. He was behind techno label Recon Warriors and later Recon Light as well as being a member of DJ crew ‘Teenage Techno Punks’. Following the war Marko’s distinctive three-deck style allowed him to DJ across Europe and around the world. Since 2006 he has presented ‘Music For Body And Soul’ on the countries leading radio station, B92. His previous releases have graced labels such as Recycled Loops, Earresistible Musick, Night Light Records, Tronic, Sleep Is Commercial and many more.
Best of 2011: Deetron – “Balance 020″ [review]
by djelroy on Dec.23, 2011, under Reviews
I’ll be honest, until I got this Balance compilation in my hands I hadn’t heard anything more than a handful of singles from Deetron. As far as DJ mix compilations or online mixes, they just weren’t there. Not even a live show. In Denver? Forget about it. Maybe it’s because I wasn’t big in the techno scene at the time, and really not even until “house” was plugged onto the “tech” sound.
But I would be lying if I said I wasn’t pleasantly surprised as Disc 1 began to unfold. And while I’ve been posting up gold demo mixes from others here on House Heads Anonymous, I can’t remember the last time I was excited about a commercially released compilation.
Until now.
(continue reading…)
Nik Frattaroli – Synesthesia [preview]
by djelroy on Dec.22, 2011, under Releases, Reviews
Nik Frattaroli – Synesthesia (Sangoma Music, SM001) (Preview Clips) by Kahua Music
Artist: Nik Frattaroli
Title: Synesthesia
Label: Sangoma Music (UK)
Style: Deep/Tech House
The debut release from Sangoma Music sees label boss Nik Frattaroli deliver two tracks – ‘Livin’ In The Box’ and ‘Synesthesia’. The former is classic sounding deep house; heavy on the bass and complimented by a soulful vocal, while the latter is an atmospheric, deep and hypnotic groove. With releases for Soulman Music, Digital Disco NY, Killawatt Recordings and LOCO Records already on the digital shelves Nik has steadily been hitting the mark and thanks to Sangoma we’ll be hearing a lot more from him in future.
Originally from Manchester, Nik was right in the middle of the early 90s madness in the North West, cutting his teeth at some truly legendary clubbing institutions like The Hacienda, The Boardwalk, and Cream. It is no surprise that he was inspired to emulate some of the DJ heros of the day (Sasha, Laurent Garnier, Carl Cox etc.), and that his DJing style can move right across the deep and techy spectrum, informed by his original love for Acid House, Hip Hop and Indie. You can see the Manchester effect in Nik’s production as well – Acid and old-skool noises are never far away from his trademark deep and tribal groove.
Quality not quantity – we’ve heard it all before, but all too rarely in the music business, which is why that ethos is so important to Sangoma. For Sangoma stands for the highest quality underground house, when the time is right – not when the calendar dictates it and certainly not for the sake of making a few extra cents.
With label boss Frattaroli in tight control of quality and quantity matters, this is all about getting blown away by magnificent tracks… there’ll definitely be no fillers on his watch. No digital bonus mixes. No generic dub versions. No DJ tools. No compromise. But within Frattaroli’s law there is room for artistic license: the sound of Sangoma is a building process of experimental sounds on top of deep and tribal foundations, inspired by the likes of Moon Harbour, Freerange, Tsuba, Plastic City and Crosstown Rebels.
Elroy says: This is HOT! “In the Box” is my pick, but “Synesthesia” is a great complimenting cut on the flipside.
Digital Dirt – Boom Boom EP [preview]
by djelroy on Dec.19, 2011, under Releases, Reviews
Artist: Digital Dirt
Title: Boom Boom EP
Label: Click Therapy Recordings
Lee Guthrie’s ‘Digital Dirt’ guise gets it’s second outing on Click Therapy’s ninth release with four more club orientated tracks, unashamedly purpose made for the dance floor. Deep, dark and driving is the theme for the ‘Boom Boom EP’ line up.
Lee’s productions are currently drawing attention from all corners of the house and techno scene, including Richie Hawtin, Layo & Bushwacka, X-Press 2, Luciano, Paco Osuna, M.A.N.D.Y, Slam, Roger Sanchez, Inland Knights, Tyler Stadius, Stacey Pullen, Nathan Coles, Terry Francis, Eddie Richards and many more
As Click Therapy continues to gain pace, there are plans in the pipeline for a series of remixes from some well established artists when the label celebrates its next release this winter.
Remixed, Remastered & Released (preview)
by djelroy on Oct.16, 2011, under Reviews
Artist: Various
Title: Remixed, Remastered & Rereleased
Label: 22 Digit Records
Release date: 16-10-11
Various – Remixed, Remastered & Rereleased (22 Digit Records, 22DIGIT024) (Preview Clips) by Kahua Music
Newcastle’s 22 Digit Records reach their third birthday and with it comes their 24th release containing a bumper crop of the label’s biggest sellers and favourite artists from the previous three years. The EP title ‘Remixed, Remastered & Rereleased’ tells you all you need to know, with many of these tunes having been huge successes already, but now receiving a little remastering or remixing. Artists include Ping Pong, Shaun Warner, Alan Svartr, Melos & Kyber, Ludowick, Michael McLardy, Rodrigo Diaz and William Welt & Pete Weasel. The remix line up is equally impressive seeing the likes of Matt Tolfrey, Jerico, Tom Ellis, Decimal and YokoO joining the party.
The EP is packed with deep house and tech house grooves as we’ve to come to expect from 22 Digit, ranging from late night deep vibes like Alan Svartr’s ‘How Wells Get Deeper (Jerico Remix)’ to the more main room side of the label and the likes of Ping Pong ‘Substance D (Matt Tolfrey 2011 Remaster Remix)’.
Jazzy Eyewear – “No Limit To Love: Chicago” (review)
by djelroy on Oct.11, 2011, under Elroy's Editorials, Releases, Reviews
Artist: Jazzy Eyewear
Title: No Limit To Love – Chicago
Label: So Sound Recordings (USA)
Genre: Soulful / Funky / Deep House
Release Date: 14th October 2011
No Limit To Love: Chicago – mixed by Jazzy Eyewear (So Sound Recordings) (Preview Clips) by Kahua Music
The second instalment of ‘No Limit To Love’ focuses on the city so instrumental in bringing house music to the world: Chicago. So Sound boss Jazzy Eyewear is once again the DJ responsible for stitching the 13-track mix together. ‘No Limit To Love: Chicago’ represents a cross-section of what the Windy City has to offer: from a cold lazy afternoon chilling with friends, sipping coffee somewhere in Bucktown, late dinner and then ultimately in the club.
Jazzy Eyewear:
“This is a very special compilation for me, as I moved from Argentina to Chicago in 1990 and lived there for 11 years. Chicago is a vibrant city with strong music history from Jazz, Swing & Blues to Industrial & House; Indi Rock to Latin Vibes & Old School Hip Hop, and you get the full spectrum of colours which make it a fascinating place for music lovers.
“When I put this compilation together I was thinking of my early days, when I started producing house music in Chicago, in my Wicker Park apartment on Wolcott & Division. The cold weather and the city covered in snow was the perfect background for a dreamy creative journey, sampling my favourite jazz & funk records and getting into the late night sessions without even noticing. This compilation features the brilliant work of some of the hottest new producers from around the globe – from the UK, Russia, Argentina, Puerto Rico, and Germany, as well as Chicago & San Francisco – all bringing their own take on ‘Chicago House’.
“This is also a tribute to Mark Farina, whom I met at Shelter in Chicago in 1991. Mark is the man who invented the style of house represented on this compilation – he was the one who brought all these styles together and made them all work, shuffled on top of chunky house grooves. I want to specially thank Mark Farina for being of so much inspiration for so many artists I discovered though him and his love and passion for music, for his DJ sets, for bringing to the surface the brightest new talent from around the world. For giving new talent a chance! Thank you Mark for inspiring all of us!!”
Miguel Migs – “Outside The Skyline” (review)
by djelroy on Sep.25, 2011, under Elroy's Editorials, Releases, Reviews
Artist: Miguel Migs
Title: Outside The Skyline
Label: Om Records/Salted Music (USA)
Genre: House / Dub / Soul / Funk
Format: CD / Vinyl / Digital Download
Miguel Migs – Outside The Skyline (Om Records/Salted Music) (Preview Clips) by Kahua Music
Real House Music makes a triumphant return on Miguel Migs‘ newest project “Outside the Skyline” (Om Records/Salted Music), and to sum it up in one word: Fucking Amazing! While the album isn’t too diverse on the surface (it’s house music, pure and simple), each track has a unique personality and the range of emotions jumps from the sassy “why can’t we all just get along” plea of “Everybody” to the Capleton’s aggressive narrative on “The System“. “Skyline” is a pulp collection of vocal house stories backed by a sexy groovin’ house soundtrack. Rebuilding the House Nation on track at a time!
Ruthit – “Deep Blue EP” (Review)
by djelroy on Sep.06, 2011, under Releases, Reviews
Artist: Ruthit
Title: Deep Blue EP
Label: Turquoise Blue Recordings (UK)
Cat No: TQR002
Style: Deep House
Release Date: 30th September 2011
Ruthit – Deep Blue EP (Turquoise Blue Recordings, TQR002) (Preview Clips) by Kahua Music
Ruthit drops this huge EP on Turquoise Blue Recordings at the end of the month and if you’re serious about house music you’re already waiting for it. The title track ‘Deep Blue‘ is the strongest of the release, epitomizing what the deep house sound is all about. The Original is my personal favorite; the slow build and a subtle laying capture the vibe and hit me on a subconscious level. The MANIK remix still has the percussion, basslines, and melodic vocals samples, but the deep grove is replaced by a more dominant kick-in-the-gut bass drum and clap.
‘Disturb the Comfortable’ comes in two flavors. The Original is a Bible-thumping cut with heavy beats rolled up in haunting synths and trippy chimes. I didn’t really catch on to this one the first few times I listened to it, but it’s grown on me a bit since. The Boris Horel Broadway Mix offers a different idea, more of a Salvador Dali vision of things. Still heavy, but even more twisted trippy.
The fifth wheel on the EP is ‘So Special’, a house-driven track with subtle tech attitude and an all-around fun vibe. Sure, it’s the odd man out, but this one has found a way into rotation nonetheless.
“Wons Around EP” (Review)
by djelroy on Aug.25, 2011, under Releases, Reviews
Artist: Random Factor & Gareth Whitehead
Title: The Wons Around EP
Label: Lost My Dog (UK)
Cat No: LMD049
Style: Deep House/Tech House
Release Date: 19th September 2011
Random Factor & Gareth Whitehead – The Wons Around EP (LMD049) by Lost My Dog
New house music from Random Factor and Gareth Whitehead on the Lost My Dog label. The ‘Wons Around EP’ has been hailed as “a melting pot of underground house sounds — deep, techy, acidic, trippy and soulful”, so there’s something here no matter which direction you’re taking your set.
Up first is ‘Age Old’, a driving tech-house track. The vocal sample is a bit overdone, but as far as keeping the energy level on the dancefloor this will works. The breakdown is great, but other than that, some percussive changeups and a few quirky layers are what make this one worth playing.
The Jacked Out Mix offers a different vibe for ‘Age Old’, but those damn repetitive vocals are back. This time however, they’re run thru a variety of different effects, giving this one a bit more character than the Original.
On the flipside is ‘No Matter How Far’, a bit of a deeper tech track. Really love the groove this one brings to the mix, and the slow build and progression give it a distinct vibe. The melodic layers and stuttered female vocals add some sexy flavor. The song nearly hits the 10 minute mark, and while the basic idea doesn’t change much, the flow, filters, and subtle changes keep it relatively fresh, but…
The Jacked Out Mix takes ‘How Far’ and gives it enough energy to keep my attention the entire time (nearly 9 minutes!). Like the Original, the subtle changeups, filters, and melodic grooves give the track its personality, but it’s the jackin’ flavor that compliments the bones and makes this my pick of the release.
Rounding out the EP is ‘Face It’, a techy cut that takes two minutes to finally get started. And then? Not much. Another minute of the same… But the song does have a great twist and does manage to carry itself through the breakdown and beyond. It’s repetitive, but sometimes a hypnotic beat is something you can build a set around.
Phil Weeks – “By My Side” Remixes (Review)
by djelroy on Aug.24, 2011, under Releases, Reviews
Artist: Phil Weeks
Title: By My Side (Remixes)
Label: Robsoul Recordings (France)
Cat No: ROBSOUL100
Style: House
Release Date: 7th October 2011
Phil Weeks drops the third round of remixes from his “Love Affair” album with “By My Side”. The Original is deep and groovin’ house music, nothing more, nothing less. The straightforward song progression doesn’t offer much in the way of surprises, but its simplicity is what makes it work. The song rolls along nicely and has some big headspace as a filler-track; perfect to slow things down and get intimate with your listeners.
Hector Moralez’ Ghetto Mix pumps some adrenaline into the tempo and gets right to business with the vox, choppin’ and droppin’ them early and often. Again, pretty basic structure with a few breakdowns.
The Inland Knights’ Lost n Found Remix is probably the choice cut of the album. Not too fast, not too slow. Not too deep and not too much wasted energy. The glitchy synths, unique layers, subtle change-ups, and strong kick give the Lost’n’Found remix more flexibility than the two previous cuts. But why do the squeaky hearing-test bleeps almost reminded me of the opening bars of ‘Funky Town’?
Rounding out the LP is the Gramophonedzie Remix. The first thing I noticed was the the kick: the bottom’s so big it gets the Sir-Mix-A-Lot stamp of approval. (Again I hear the opening of ‘Funky Town’, this time it’s the bass notes. Anyone else hear it?). The smooth synths and rolling bassline really give this one some presence and the breakdown is a bit more intricate than the others. A close second for sure.
