Northsouth News

London-based NorthSouth Records has been quietly going about solid business for eight or so years now, and the 14th outing is a fresh one from CROFT. about whom we know little. But this EP suggests he's a slick hand in the studio with a love of melody twisting and psyched-out tech house. 'Beat Freek' is fast and punchy with nice neon colours swirling through the mix. 'Space Please' has a more broken and physical beat with some warped low end, and 'Licking Shells' then plays with synth texture across some shimmering arps that take centre stage in the mix before the closer is the sleaziest of the lot. 'West Ryder' has molten bass and rasping lines worming in and out of a crispy beat. Varied and brilliant throughout.

A plethora of different dancefloor flavours from Frankfurt's Chris Geschwidner, across four tracks, that take in the warmth and soul of house and the cold steel beauty of techno and bound them up into something fresh and altogether new. 'Corroded' has the colliding drum machines and handclaps of vintage techno or even electro, but welded to a skippy, playful beat that is a definite mood lifter, while dreamy synths seductively cut a swathe around the metronomic hypnotism. 'Pass Over' is smoother, sleeker and combines a bleep techno approach to the soundscape with a bed of comforting Detroit-style synths and strings. 'Viktrak' has more classic Motor City influences but a more classic garage-slanted beat regime - imagine Derrick May's 'Nude Photo' overhauled by Roy Davis Jr. 'The Free' ends the set off with simple but effective electro funk flourishes and a sense of sunny optimism, bringing this lively, accessible but deep affair to a close.