Demarkus Lewis ft. J.A.M.O.N.: Off the Chain EP
I'd normally hop on the Soulful House bandwagon before something a tad harder, but this hip-hop-y House banger just totally deserves mad props - especially because it mixes that sound with a dash of...
Chubby Fingers: Into the Night EP
This gem created in the San Fran Bay and out now on Chicago's Funktion label relies on its funkiness and grooviness to wrangle your ears. Each of the three versions are different enough that...
Damian Lazarus: Fabric 54
It's entirely satisfying when you listen to something and think you've discovered a fraud, and with the imbecilic hype of modern dance music there are certainly enough of those to go around.
But it's humbling...
Spencer Kincy aka Gemini: Imagine-A-Nation (Relief)
Spencer Kincy was at the top of his game in 1997 when he reached a peak of astonishing creativity, the likes of which had never and probably will never be seen again. In that...
Dennis Ferrer: Hey Hey (The Remixes)
Before listening to this, I wasn't sure if a package of remixes was warranted. "Hey Hey" is probably the biggest track to blow through House Music since the mid-1990s, with a staying power that's...
Curtis McClain: The House Music Anthem (Remixes Part 1)
Take the most famous opening notes and the most seminal chorus in House Music history and add Frankie Knuckles, Eric Kupper, Todd Terry and Terry Hunter as remixers... For maybe the first time in...
Bleep District: Science and Soul EP
People have told me that A&R is a lost art in dance music, and when you finally see it done right, you can understand what they're saying. Olivier Desmet of Amenti consistently signs some...
Demarkus Lewis: Tribal Sun EP
Some years ago, Demarkus Lewis made a shift from a deeper sound to a more tech-oriented blend of electronic boogie. Here he is turning again - not a U turn and certainly not backwards,...
Cookie Monsterz and Michelle Weeks: Spread Love
This is your peak-hour stomper for the months flowing into summer and maybe beyond. Michelle Weeks is well-known as a vocalist by this point, but I hadn't a clue who the hell the "Cookie...
Camouflage: The Shakedown EP
This EP is my May choice for a crazy-party track (as opposed to some deeper selections reviewed this month). "All Day All Night" has a Hip-House feel, while the funk and bits of dirty...
Andy Compton ft. Diviniti: Where I Want to Be
Whatever your style of House, there's a version of deepness in here that you need to share with the masses. My top picks:
Bazil's Vox Dub is sweet and lounge-y, with a sporadic sax line...
DJ MFR: Rome Departure (The Remixes)
It needs to be said: Hearing Jay-J's mix of Marco from Rome's "Take Me Away" makes me jizz in my pants a little bit. D'layna's deliciously magical vocals - which also stand out in...
Phil Weeks and Joss Moog: Not Over EP
It's a very fine line between "tribute" and "rip-off". The second song on this four track EP, "Stuff Like That", is a case in point. It's almost note-for-note, 100% derivative of Spencer Kincy's "Don't...
Da Sunlounge: Skin Tight EP
Bambino's headmaster Da Sunlounge kills it with his most recent release Skin Tight. The title track hits the mark with that signature midlands sound a la Toka Project, Inland Knights, Kinky Movement, and The...
Brett Jackson and Orion ft. Jade: Change
This set of remixes of an '06 track now come with some deep South African remix influence. The vocals slowly draw you in with the concept (along the lines of "sorry, bud, it was...
Broadway & Wilson: Good Old Daze LP
Lydia's take: "Don't Fight Love" is this LP's hidden gem, complete with horns, a gaggle of what I can only imagine are lovely ladies backin' up with some "yeaaaahhhhh, yeaaaaah"s, and a bouncy, poppy...
Cubik and Origami: Bought and Sold
San Francisco-based Prismatic Tracks has been making a waves in House Music with the unconventional and broad range of styles that they purvey. Prismatic staples Cubik & Origami come with an intensely tech-infused House...
DJ Sneak: “Getting Crazy In The Ghetto”
Guesthouse Music stands tall with another solid vinyl release. GM is one of the few labels of its niche in House Music still pushing vinyl in the recently overwhelming digital age of music. This...
Various: Disco Whipped EP
Listening to the mesmerizing horn come in on Pete le Freq's "Rise" makes being up at 10:47 pm totally tolerable and even enjoyable, despite the looming 5:30 am alarm. Throw in the funky bassline,...
The Chosen Few DJs: “The Theme” (Terry Hunter Original Mix)
Fat fucking beats pounding, a serpentine groove and everything but the afros for the first release by Chicago crew The Chosen Few. To complicate matters for future discologists, the sample chorus on this one...
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LOVEFOXY / The 5 Mag Cover Mix
A new 5 Mag cover mix and it's a gorgeous set from emerging DJ, producer and artist LOVEFOXY
