We Welcome smooth criminals ADMNTi and T. Jacques back to the Dansu Discs family with their split ‘Platform Alteration’ EP.
Both sides providing heavy basslines with added groove. If you’re not already ready to return to the dance-floor, then this one will give you that much needed assist.
Man like Jubley returns to the Gather fold with his own EP; Lost Dubs, so called due to the tragedy of his hard drive wiping everything shortly after sending us the pre masters. These are some of Jubley's sole surviving tracks from that era and we're too gassed to be able to share them with you in the form of a cracking /300 run EP guaranteed to shatter the dance floors when they reopen!
After appearing on the label's Time Is Now Allstars compilation, Bristol's own Wilfy D makes his second appearance with Shall Not Fade, adding to their new Time Is Now White label series. The young garage star serves up the smooth and soulful two-step he is known for, plus two killer remixes from Time Is Now family DJ Crisps and Soul Mass Transit System.
"Garage Tools" opens out the EP with staccato sampling and a rumbling sub bass wobble dominating the track, the most headsy on the record while "All About U (3am Mix)" takes on a gentler vibe. Using luscious vocal chops and glimmering synths, Wilfy D creates a kind of garage love song, delicate and soothing. He kicks things up a notch on "Know U Like It", a slice of speed garage that grooves along to an earworm melody.
On the B-side Wilfy D's original "Midnight Shift", a clean classic noughties garage sound palette, is reimagined twice by DJ Crisps and then Soul Mass Transit System. DJ Crisps gives the track a drum and bass edge replete with teeth-gritting sub bass power; Soul Mass close out the record with a dirty up-tempo remix perfect for a soundsystem.
a1. Wilfy D - Garage Tools
a2. Wilfy D - All About U (3am Mix)
a3. Wilfy D - Know U Like It
b1. Wilfy D - Midnight Shift
b2. Wilfy D - Midnight Shift (DJ Crisps Remix)
b3. Wilfy D - Midnight Shift (Soul Mass Transit System Remix)
Well. Where do we start with 'Deep Inside'? Originally released in the golden NYC House era of 1993, this 5 tracker literally smashed everything in sight. And still does now! The epitome of an evergreen, all-time classic release. Masters At Work Louie Vega and Kenny Dope were on a major roll in this era, producing, remixing, dj-ing and everything in-between, these guys put in ridiculous work. They are joined on this EP by a roll-call of names and collaborators, Erick Morillo engineering the title track? Check. Maurice Joshua on co-production duties? You got it. Vocals by Ms. Barbara tucker? They're there. Killer, rock hard drums? Stacks of Soul? Masterfully chopped up Disco samples? All present. Serious stuff. Sometimes a record just manages to capture and distill the true essence of what this is all about and 'Deep Inside' is one such record, it bears all the hallmarks of golden era MAW, all the signposts of what was happening in NYC's clubs in the early to mid 90's were there within it's grooves. You know a record is good when it's still being, quite literally, hammered nearly 25 years later! Now, remastered, and reissued with the full involvement of Strictly Rhythm this seminal piece of NYC House history is made available again with all original, full sleeve artwork intact as per the 1993 original. This one's a straight up essential for any self-respecting dance aficionado. You know what to do!
2-stepping out of the shadowy streets of the UK is an Unknown Artist with an itchy trigger finger, serving up three of the juiciest garage edits you’ll hear all year on Cheeky Music Group sub-label Fruity Edits.
‘Africa’ kicks things off with a flurry of syncopated beats and peachy bass; the breakdown sheds an uplifting tear of joy before the dance-floor fizzes into a kinetic swarm of out n out energy.
‘Forgot About Dre’ is a certified classic, the interplay between Dre’s timeless vocals and the slinky UK garage backdrop hit the sweet-spot between old and new; energy reloaded.
The artist's rendition of JT’s ‘Cry Me A River’ is a clever blend of skippy drums and instantly recognisable nostalgia, using only astutely selected sounds and a double-dose of personality to create something simultaneously true to its origin but undeniably its own.
Shall Not Fade's garage and breaks sublabel, Time is Now, has been a great success in its first year, and now starts 2021 with the first in a series of hand-stamped white label releases. London via Madrid up-and-comer Tower Block Dreams makes his debut for the label with five killer cuts, backed with a weighty remix from Manchester-based garage maestro and Time Is Now regular Interplanetary Criminal.
The A-side is all reliable garage bangers; the opener, "Wicked Ya No" is a rude wobbler for the early hours, with rave piano stabs and a dirty drop. Track two "Keep Coming" loses none of the pace, chopping up playful R'n'B diva vocals to a hard bassline; and the A-side ends with a sidewinding beast of a track in "Soundboy". Think retro synths paired with timestretched ragga vocals - it's unashamedly filthy.
Onto the B-side with gun fingers out for "Truss We", which plays again with ravey stabs and staccato female vocals for an instant dancefloor banger. Tower Block Dreams' last offering on the record is much darker; a forward stepper that cruises along at half-time, creating an ominous atmosphere on which to lead into Interplanetary Criminal's remix of "Wicked Ya Know". This one reimagines the record opener in the producer's trademark high-octane style, smattering hyper breakbeats across the track and turning up the wobble to end the record with a stinker.
Mancunian genre-bender Interplanetary Criminal comes back for more on Shall Not Fade sublabel Time Is Now; In My Arms EP makes his third full release on the imprint. This time round, he shares four carefree rave-influenced garage pieces topped off with a rolling drum and bass remix from breakbeat master Coco Bryce.
Much like his previous releases - spanning Time Is Now, Sneaker Social Club, Banoffee Pies and more - these tracks feel mildly tongue-in-cheek. The upbeat title track is skippy, summery garage that adds a twist of organ to add some playful flavour. "Momofuku" utilises cartoon-villain vocal samples for a similar effect, multilayered and crackling with ear candy but with a deep bass that builds through the rest of the record.
Into the B-side, "Opulence" focuses on this darker edge, echoing and growling with a sub bass that begs to be blasted through a towering sound system. "Let Loose" caps off the record in style, a rattling snare giving way to large house stabs that glimmer over swells of bass - a hands-in-the-air rave track.
Coco Bryce's reimagining of the title track sees it transformed into a deep and gritty drum and bass roller with a drop as powerful as a gunshot.
a1. Interplanetary Criminal - In My Arms
a2. Interplanetary Criminal - Momofuku
b1. Interplanetary Criminal - Opulence
b2. Interplanetary Criminal - Let Loose
b3. Interplanetary Criminal - In My Arms (Coco Bryce remix)
A defining moment in dance music history was the day that Roy Davis Jr. teamed with vocalist and writer Peven Everett in 1997 to create this deep, ethereal, soul-music gem that helped launch an entire musical movement known affectionately as Speed Garage. The "Live Garage" mix is the most popular but the other mixes have grown in popularity over time. It is hard to believe that this record is almost 20 years old yet it still sounds as fresh today as it did so long ago. Truly a classic that deserves to be celebrated by a new generation of dance music lovers. Gabriel Play!
Interstate brings a 2 step. Keita Sano dives deep. Dubbyman has the dubs.
3 distinct remixes of the incredible “Mile High” from German / French producers Mystigrix and Reo Seis and Chicago legend Paris Brightledge on vocals plus an original. Take care of yourselves and stay safe!
a1. Mystigrix & Reo Seis ft Paris Brightledge - Mile High (Interstate Remix)
a2. Mystigrix & Reo Seis ft Paris Brightledge - Mile High (Keita Sano Remix)
b1. Mystigrix & Reo Seis ft Paris Brightledge - Mile High (Dubbyman Downtempo Mix)
b2. Mystigrix & Reo Seis ft Paris Brightledge - You Don’t Know
Over the past year or so I have watched as the releases on Holding Hands got more and more intense. Don’t get me wrong, I love it. Intense and straight to the face was always the plan for the label. At the same time I do have slightly more varied taste and I had been getting sent a decent amount of incredible music that didn’t quite fit on the original outlet. My first love when it comes to electronic music is dark, eyes down, bass heavy and so it seemed like now was the perfect time to create a label with a slightly deeper angle to accommodate this sort of thing.
Yosh was one of those people who had sent me some serious fire. I had been chatting to him here and there on Instagram over the last year but I hadn’t heard any of his music. Finally, on a whim I asked him to send me some and boy am I glad he did! I completely fell in love with his vibe and it seemed to perfectly encapsulate the sound that I wanted to push on Holding Hands Submerged. Don’t for a second think that this is some lounge listening ambient business. These are club weapons firing on all cylinders. It’s just that the cylinders make you keep your eyes down and your stank face on at all times.
On top of being a sick producer, it turns out Yosh is also a total legend. I’m so happy that I get to release some of his music and that I’ve got to know such a lovely guy.
OK enough of my blather. Go and listen to the damn things yourself and decide if you like them, rather than trying to work it out from reading a bloody press release you weirdos.
All four tracks are produced and sculpted for the club. They want big sound systems and dark rooms.
Close your eyes, hold hands and experience transcendental space flight...
Banoffee Pies Records Black Label Series continues with the next Various Artist compilation - 4 low slung mood tracks for early AM riding the lines between Tech-House and 2 Step.
Monika Ross opens the selection with "Cut Strategy" on the A1, a dark winter spookyness set around 2 step glitches and delay. Tom Frankel takes over on the A2 with an ode to Green via "Terp Flavours". UKG inspired micro house - lockdown business. On the flip Mariiin drops her debut release entitled "Elif" on the B1 - a head down mover setting the tone for her future sound. The release then comes to a classy finish with deep mesmerizing rhythmic melodies on N-GYNN's "Yazdah" which fades away through another swinging vocal hook. Black Label Minimal. Much love. BP x
Next up for Time Is Now's white label series is Prozak - a Dublin-based producer who has garnered a growing following over the past year. Prozak, aka Zac Curtis, follows up an EP of remixes for Kiwi Rekords with Make Me Feel. The EP is 100% club gear dabbling in classic rave sounds and jungle before masterfully returning to his garage roots.
The title track "Make Me Feel" is equal parts euphoric rave vocalisations and growling bassy ruffage, with stuttering stop-and-start breaks thrown in for good measure that tear through the track - an instant classic that knocks you breathless.
"Missing You" builds from a gentle ebb into wobbling bass-heavy garage, Curtis chopping and changing the vocal samples into unrecognisable snatches with expert production. He then dishes up a glitching speed garage tool with "Negative", still seasoned with a ravey edge that makes the record as a whole feel festival ready.
On the B-side, "Sunshine" is sweet buoyant UKG constructed from neatly cut up vocals that clamour against each other and a skipping irresistible rhythm.
Equally upbeat, "Falling" stands out as the most playful track, with mass appeal and large drops that shakes off some of the dark bassiness of the A-side.
The record closes with "Leave You", contrasting frenetic junglist breaks with blissed out vocals.
It's a dynamic offering from the up-and-comer that shows signs of great things to come.
Soundboy Cookie and On1 come together to present a very unique and extremely limited physical only EP. To show the world exactly what they’re about, the EP presents a solid four tracks of start to finish sound-system pressure.
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