Spain’s José Manuel Alvarez (Soul People Music, Psychostasia, Ornate and his own Deep Explorer label), otherwise known as Dubbyman, specializes in dusty, deep house, influenced by soul, disco and the Detroit aesthetic.

What you get with this triple header on Amaré’s new vinyl-only label are two luscious deep house tracks that both perform a similar trick. They both establish a pair of warm chords and then just lay down some restrained, classy house beats and bass while dropping some disjointed and effected vocals in the mix.

It’s a simple, unassuming approach and it’s a style of house that can, in the wrong hands, veer into beige-ness. Not here though. With its dreamy Juno pad and Moog bassline, A1 ‘You Keep Me Waiting’ featuring Dan Piu could easily be a long lost Italian house track from 1990.

B1 ‘Never Know’ featuring Ras Vadah is slightly less sunny, slightly deeper with a more melancholy feel to it. Again it’s based around a lush warm pad with some lovely 707 percussion and again the vocals snippets are effected and low in the mix. It’s more of a sketch than a finished song, but there’s something emotive in the unfinished nature of the vocals as they drop in and out.

B2 ‘It’s Downtempo’ is an unsurprisingly downtempo jam made up of congas and light-touch drums with live bass, Rhodes and some synth wriggles. It’s nice but it’s the two lead deep house tracks that are going to get the plays here. A1 delivers a fluffy retro-flavour contemporary jam and B1 serves up a slice of potent 3am deep house.

Dubbyman: Assemblage EP (Sole Aspect / 12″ Vinyl)
A1. Dubbyman Feat Dan Piu – “You Keep Me Waiting”
B1. Dubbyman Feat Ras Vadah – “Never Know”
B2. Dubbyman Feat Arturo Sanchidrian – “It’s Downtempo”

⚪️ Disclosure Statement: This record was not submitted as a promo.


 

#ReDiscovery: This was originally published in 5 Mag Issue #197 featuring Billie Ray Martin, Eternal Student, Lady Blackbird and more. Support 5 Mag by becoming a member for as little as $1 per issue and get every issue in your inbox right away!

 

 

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