This is some beautiful music right here. Black Loops has been something of a cult figure (or figures – there used to be two of them) for me since their debut on Toy Tonics and the unbelievably good 7Hills last year on Freerange. Their sound is pretty consistent but their output shows up in all kinds of places and makes them hard to track if you’re not keen for waiting out erratic vinyl release schedules.
That likely won’t be a problem this time as JAH Love from Madhouse showed up in the stock list for Record Store Day. With a definite target date this is one you should definitely target. Because of Madhouse’s pedigree as Kerri Chandler‘s label, that’s a name that comes up a lot in write-ups of the label’s releases. This is one time it’s completely deserved: a couple of these could have been made by Kerri and all of them could be played by him.
“JAH Love” is perfect simplicity: a pulsating beat, a kinky groove delivered right down the center and Black Loops knock it out of the fucking park. “NYC Dirty Talks” is one of the could’be’Kerri Chandler tracks, partly for aesthetics but mainly because that insanely quirky bassline at the heart of the track is precisely the kind of left-of-center thing Kerri would do. Of the collaborations with Nikoss, “Your Mind” is bubbly and uptempo – the cool kind of deep house that sadly is never in abundant supply because so many people do really bad takes on it. Hearing the real thing is always a life-affirming experience. And “Silly Acid” closes in rousing fashion, with those low-end vibrations that shake your heart in your ribcage and remind you you’re still alive.
Black Loops ft. Nikoss: JAH Love / Madhouse
A1. Black Loops: “JAH Love”
A2. Black Loops: “Your Mind” (feat Nikoss)
B1. Black Loops: “NYC Dirty Talks”
B2. Black Loops: “Silly Acid” (feat Nikoss)
All praise to DJ Hyperactive: Chicago’s techno godfather is back and he’s on the cover of 5 Mag issue 171 with Red Rack’em, Manuel Tur & more. Help support 5 Mag by becoming a member for just $1 per issue.
