Fred Peterkin’s chosen moniker for this and many other releases seems to take for granted a point that, for some critics and listeners in the world of dance music, remains controversial. Even more so than your average deep house record, the “New Horizon EP” has a lot more to do with jazz, particularly jazz fusion, than it does with European electronic music.
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Even Tuell, Workshop 07
March 25, 2009 – 8:51 PM
“Workshop 07” marks Even Tuell’s first solo EP for Workshop (profiled last year on this site) and known for its left-of-center output. From what we’ve heard in his mix for LWE and his own Airbag Craftworks compilations, Paul-David Rollmann seems to have just as much of a penchant for balm as he does for the sparse beats released on Musik Krause and Broque. In comparison to standout tracks like “Pretty Bonita” and his contribution to “Workshop 04”, “Workshop07” comes as a disappointment.
The Future/The Foster Kidz, They Call Me
March 24, 2009 – 7:56 PM
It was pretty easy to spot the kids at school whose parents helped them with their homework. You’d be standing in front of the class proudly displaying your latest portrait of a family member, your sister’s limbs appearing miraculously from her amorphous blob of a body, her hair five shocked strands of pencil colored wire. Then one of the so-called wunderkinds steps up with a perfectly executed scene of their entire family at the dinner table, lounging with some air of ethereal pre-Raphaelite grace, their togas delicately draped to preserve their modesty. And so it is with the latest from Sect Records, whose third release is supposedly the result of the pre-pubescent offspring of two of techno’s finest producers.
Luke Hess, Dub For Love EP
March 23, 2009 – 9:12 PM
[Modelisme Records] Luke Hess has shown signs of huge promise as a producer for a while now. As a Detroit native, he’s charged with the difficult task of balancing that city’s rich musical history with his own artistic voice, which is influenced by a rare (for a techno producer) focus on the spiritual. Hess’ latest […]
Shed, Remixes
March 22, 2009 – 7:30 PM
With an album as critically lauded and widely admired as Shed’s debut, Shedding the Past, it’s expected that DJs and fans alike would clamor for an EP of remixes. The only question remaining is, what took so long? Of course, simply enjoying Ostgut Ton’s consistently top notch releases has always been more rewarding than second guessing; this well considered “Remixes” platter is certainly worth the wait.
The Mountain People, Mountain007
March 19, 2009 – 6:12 AM
Standing on the brink of vapid minimalism seems to have been enough to bring Mountain People back into the arms of tone and depth. Rozzo starved “Mountain006” of nearly all nourishing elements, leaving little for even some ardent supporters (myself included) to admire. Although the characteristic abundance of the first few Mountain People releases is returning only gradually, “Mountain007” is a fine return to form.
Sven Tasnadi, Our Destiny
March 17, 2009 – 9:38 PM
[Ornaments] While some might have expected the mysterious Ornaments label to follow its breakthrough smash (Moodymann’s stunning remix of Sascha Dive’s “Deepest America,” one of 2008’s defining deep-house moments) with further big names and big-room floor fillers, the imprint has instead followed it up with a couple of low-profile releases, first from Mod.Civil and now […]
Download this new DJ Koze track
March 16, 2009 – 6:02 AM
Download: DJ Koze, “The Spitzer Group” DJ Koze treats his fans right. First he has Get Physical corral many of his best remixes onto one CD, and then he entices the eager and skeptical alike with a free, brand new track called “The Spitzer Group.” Setting the scene with a grainy funk break, Koze’s whimsical […]
Kyle Hall, Worx of Art EP 1
March 15, 2009 – 8:02 PM
The Martinez Brothers may get all the press, but house music’s real boy wonder is 17-year-old Detroiter Kyle Hall. Last year’s “The Water is Fine EP” on Moods & Grooves already showcased a producer capable of crafting distinctive, affecting deep house in the tradition of Theo Parrish, Omar S, Rick Wilhite, and Hall’s mentor Mike Huckaby. “Worx of Art EP 1,” the inaugural release on Hall’s own Wild Oats label, makes it clear the previous record was no fluke and that his is a career worth following.
House Of House, Rushing to Paradise
March 11, 2009 – 7:43 PM
When you describe a track as “deep house,” what are you referring to? Presently the most common answer is a specific sound, one characterized by Rhodes (minor) chord stabs, mellow, hand-drummed grooves, and flecks of diva vocals or preacher a cappellas. The description has some merit, especially when applied to contemporary “deep house,” but I’ve always felt it leaves out a crucial aspect: depth. When music has depth — a wealth of elements and multiple layers of complexity — there’s so much more to hold dear, to relate to, to appreciate. It takes time to fully appreciate deep music’s density and the interplay between its range of sounds, as well as its impact from a big picture perspective. Depth alone is not enough to make music enjoyable or of high quality, but a deftly executed, bountiful song stands out widely from the pack. Listening to “Rushing to Paradise,” the debut single from Brooklyn’s House Of House, I get the sense its creators (Olivier Spencer of Still Going/Manthraxx and Saheer Umar) share my passion for depth in deep house.
Andre Kraml & Heiko Voss, Unreachable Girl
March 10, 2009 – 8:45 PM
[Firm] There’s something to be said for a sultry, disaffected German vocal electronic tune. The first time they won me over was back in 1983 when Nena’s “99 Luftballoons” filled my ears with its soft yearning incoherence. One year earlier Falco did the same thing when he cooed cool warnings about cocaine excess with “Der […]
Caspa & Rusko/Unitz, License to Thrill: Part Four
March 9, 2009 – 9:47 PM
[Dub Police] Individually known for wrecking decks and blowing subs with some of the largest bass lines mankind has yet encountered, Gary McCann and Chris Mercer (Caspa and Rusko, respectively) team up to create something surprisingly soulful. Absent are the usual big drops, vulgar movie samples, and even the wobble. Instead, a slightly acidic synth […]
Loco Dice, 7 Dunham Place Remixed Part 2
March 8, 2009 – 8:23 PM
[Desolat] Apparently the star power on call to remix tracks from Loco Dice’s 7 Dunham Place couldn’t be contained across just one double pack; a second double has just surfaced with a lineup just as strong as the first. While Part 1 found Luciano, Cassy, DJ Sneak, and Mike Huckaby taking cracks the material, part […]
The Mole, For the Lost
March 3, 2009 – 9:19 PM
[Internasjonal] For his first release of 2009, Colin de la Plante heads from his native Canada further north to Norway and Prins Thomas’ Internasjonal imprint, home of many slices of cosmic space disco goodness. While the sound and construction are consistent with The Mole’s recent work, there is a nod to Thomas’ style, as well […]
Joker/2000F & J Kamata, Digidesign
March 3, 2009 – 12:07 AM
[Hyperdub] Joker, as his name perhaps suggests, is not one to take his productions to seriously. His tracks tend to be brash and rude, and they shun emotion like it’s a man in a collar at a dubstep rave. It’s hard to ignore the attitude of adolescent rebellion hat infects Joker tracks. When he and […]
Argy & The Martinez Brothers, Debbie Downer/Where’s Mr. Brown?
March 1, 2009 – 11:00 PM
[Objektivity] The Martinez Brothers are best known because they’re not yet old enough to hear their own music in a club. The gimmick is an easy sell — most recently as a New York Times profile in which the Grey Lady traded a little objectivity for a lot of Objektivity. Heralded as “the future of […]
Kontext, Plumes/Blinkende Stjerne
February 25, 2009 – 9:20 PM
[Immerse Records] There is a temptation to lump in Stanislav Sevostyanikhin, better known as Kontext, with experimental Bristol dubstep producers because of the spacious, grimy soundscapes his records on Immerse contain. Something very different, however, is going on in the music of this St. Petersburg native. You would need to reference everyone from Aphex Twin, […]
Mr. White, Aeroplane
February 24, 2009 – 8:17 PM
2006’s “Sun Can’t Compare” was a tough act to follow for Mr. White and Larry Heard. Their previous collaboration was irresistible enough to be played constantly by DJs of all stripes, and has already acquired something of a classic status. On that track, and its flip, “You Rock Me,” Mr. White’s vocals were almost another synth line for Mr. Fingers’s typically astonishing production, with minimal lyrics serving as a reference to classic R&B. On “Aeroplane,” however, Mr. White has begun to take the foreground — the EP’s title track sees him sharing production/composition duties with Heard. A heavy bass riff backs White’s post-punk-ish vocals, yieldin
Toastyboy, On Something/You’re Special
February 23, 2009 – 8:01 PM
[Halo Beats] Having been on dub for ages, “On Something” has finally been released on Slaughter Mob’s Halo Beats label. For Damien Russell, aka Toastyboy or Toasty, it’s a departure from his signature style of breaks-influenced dubstep. Unlike earlier productions for Hotflush, Destructive, and Storming, this one doesn’t rely on sampled snares and cold synths, […]
Klockworks, Klockworks 04
February 22, 2009 – 10:58 PM
[Klockworks] (buy vinyl) (buy mp3s) Since its launch in 2006, Ben Klock’s Klockworks label/series has been a reliable venue for the Berghain resident’s most Spartan, DJ-geared tracks. Each subsequent release contained fewer elements, a shrinking tonal palette and a singular focus on bone-crunching grooves. “Klockworks 04,” in kind, is perhaps the most utilitarian yet, almost […]