House News

Acclaimed for many of his compositions on labels such as Aesthetic Audio, ART, Ornate, alongside his blistering DJ performances. AER boss Miles drops the label's first and his debut album. Deep is a word often used to describe a lot of music currently out there, but not many touch the depths of this superb LP on Atmospheric Existence. Miles touches on many shades of sound with his trademark emotive warmth. Melancholy but positive vibrations flow out alongside abstract grooves. Hypnotic elements grace the journey, creating an otherworldy sense of space and distant unknown entities. Feeling & mood leap out of this LP at every twist and unexpected turn, circumnavigating the deep spectrum. Since his early releases, his imprint AER has become a highly respected imprint globally with a dedicated following. This LP was constructed to stand the test of time and stand it does, firmly rooted in the Cosmos.

Fast rising star and favourite in the Hot Creations camp, Patrick Topping is back with another outstanding release after his highly successful debut EP was released on Hot Trax earlier this year, followed soon after by the even more successful 'Any Amounts' EP on Hot Creations. Knowing exactly how to work a crowd and making a name for himself with his extremely irresistible basslines he delivers another release filled with dancefloor bombs. Melodic keys, trippy FX, intricate percussions and high energy build ups that turn into powerful drops make these three essential DJ weapons that are certain to dominate the dancefloor at peak time.

Championed heavily by Jamie Jones, Richy Ahmed and Lee Foss, the title 'Get Beasty' is another monstrous dancefloor destroyer. Ridiculously infectious and undeniable effective this is another stone cold killer from Patrick. 'Stop' features one of Patrick's trademark hooky driving basslines, whilst 'Strights Up' gets even darker.. Heads down for a full house!

Things look set to be big for Patrick this year with a track signed to the Defected Miami CD coming early next year and remixes on the way for Circus Recordings and Resonance Records.

Original written by Amalia Townsend, Kaidi Tatham & Curtis Kirkland. Vocals written & performed by Amalia Townsend.
Original produced & arranged by Curtis Kirkland for Urban Sound Lab Productions. Drums by Curtis Kirkland. Keys by Kaidi Tatham. Congas by Carl Smith. AA1 Remix and additional production by Phil Asher. keyboards by Dwala.AA2 Remix and additional production by Zepherin Saint. All Instruments and programming by Zepherin Saint.All tracks mixed & mastered by Toni Economides.
Photography Martin Rinman.

Fantastic and very special Chicago House whitelabel from a capital City !

Denis Clifford's 'Miracles of Matter Rmxs' takes some of the best originals from the debut cd album of the same name and works them up into a warm classic sound.
The opener 'Blue Moves' remixed by Jus-Ed smooths out the runway with a hands up in the air piano riff and a searing string loop that stirs the emotions in all the right ways. Denis Clifford the artist here does his own rework of 'Time' which features the vocals of Jenifa Mayanja into a more sexy ready for the dancefloor vibe.
The Flip side begins with a remix by Andrew Duke which is a broken beat minimal sound with the superior vocals of Jesse Heffernan and Kyrie Devereaux resting on a hard bed of snared verbed out rhythms. Label boss Jenifa Mayanja rounds out the release with a glossy piece of bass driven fare done as only she does with full on emotional flair perfect for those nights that you never want to end

Jorge C. is not only a great producer (who was also signed by the legendary Detroit Matrix Label), but also label owner of the well known Chile based Ojo de Apolo. Jorge's music is strongly rooted in Detroit deep House, Chicago Jack Sounds and mid-nineties peak time Housemusic, but also known to just as easily fuse a wide variety of other styles including Dub, experimental Electronica, Future Jazz, Nu Wave, Disco, Afro Beats & particularly 80ies Rare Funk. Check 'Love Song' , an absolut party firecracker fused with funk elements which really freaked us away. Dan Piu aka George B. from Allstarr Motomusic re-worked Jorge's - Jam' song slightly by adding some cool cuts and jazz chords. Big shouts to our graphic Artist and multi talent popshop, who always delivers 100% quality. Tip!

This four track remix sampler follows up the debut release from Chicago's very own Shaun J. Wright & Alinka, sent directly to Derrick Carter with Classic specifically in mind and immediately snapped up. This is a defining release of the new phase of Classic's re-invention with a new family of artists and an ever growing family of like minded misfits. Three songs with vocals from Hercules & Love Affair vocalist Shaun that sound like they could have sat quite comfortably amongst the original Classic material, yet harnessing the contemporary production tools available. Here the hugely popular original 'Love Inspired' is joined by remixes from non other than Derrick Carter, Neville Watson and Chrissy Murderbot.

Early Sounds Collective is back with four stripped down house/techno tools. Tip!

Can the ugliness of the colour be more in contrast with the beauty of the tracks as is the case on WPH Brown Decide for yourself, but we're sorry the rainbow colours were all out...
Locked Groove has made quite a name for himself in recent years. Hotflush mainstay, Turbo...erm...shortstay and remixer of choice for a variety of killer imprints, including WPH (Orange). Being from Belgium and blessed with a healthy dose of Absurdistan humour it was only logical for him to join our ranks and so here he is with his WPH full E.P. debut. Musically we just told him 'to do whatever he wanted to do', and so his love for Detroit and Belgian trance vibes are shining firmly on both 'Aquarius' and 'Latency (Sunrise Mix)'.

It would be silly do describe beauty like this...so we just won't bother. Just get the E.P. and trance the f*ck out of it!

The Mojuba sublabel a.r.t.less is very proud to present the debut album by Detroit Techno veteran Martin Bonds aka Reel By Real. After 2010s retrospective of his most seminal work including some collaborations with Juan Atkins and Anthony Shake Shakir, these are the first new tracks under his Reel By Real moniker since almost two decades and it seems like it could have never been a better timing for it than now!

From working alongside some of the world's biggest pop stars (think Michael Jackson, Will Smith, Pet Shop Boys) to crafting seminal and timeless underground house, Marc Kinchen - better known by his stage name MK - is a peerless craftsmen of modern-day music. Arguably enjoying the most prolific artistic form of his life, Defected presents MK In The House is - somewhat unbelievably - his first ever mix compilation; a snapshot of where he currently sits; a 2-disc mix taking in Lana Del Ray, Dusky, Jamie Jones, FCL, Huxley and Kings of Tomorrow, as well as a handful of exclusive MK remixes.
Back in the early 90s, Marc Kinchen almost single-handedly pioneered a signature sound for the then relatively new genre of house music. His releases from that era such as 'Burning' and 'Always' and remixes like Nightcrawlers' 'Push the Feeling On' are still ubiquitous and have, in the last year or so, served more as house blueprints, copied ad nauseam by young producers of the day. As such, MK's influence on the current state of house music cannot be underestimated.

Defected presents MK In The House showcases a hand-picked selection of records both new and old. Rather than aiming for different vibes on each of the two discs, the Detroit DJ has recorded one long session that was simply split in two. 'A lot of my DJ friends, I thought they did their mixes and podcasts live, but a lot of them use Ableton' he admits. 'This was the first time I did it that way and it was pretty cool for me.'

CD1 sparks into life with MK's incredible remix of sultry songstress Lana Del Ray's 'Blue Jeans'. Over the last couple of years, many have tried to rework Del Ray's dusty vocals, but few have done it with such poignant success. Also included is his remix of FCL's omnipresent 'It's You'; an exclusive to this compilation it features MKs trademark chopped, rhythmic vocals and throbbing, organ-driven bass. Inclusions from men-of-the-moment Dusky, Chicagoan Kate Simko and crosstown rebel Amirali add further weight to an deeply involving mix.

2012 saw MK collaborate with Maceo Plex - without question one the biggest electronic stars of last year - and it is with his 'Stop Your Hate' that the second disc begins. Also included are recent cuts from Jamie Jones ('Road to the Studio') and Eats Everything ('The Withywood Walk'), as well as a brand new track from Kings of Tomorrow ('It's Only You feat. April), while MK nods to his past glories with the addition of his flawless remix of Jodeci 'Freek 'n' You'.
Over the past few years, MK has enjoyed a renaissance and subsequent rich vein of form in a career that was already exceptional, and Defected presents MK In The House may very well be the mix of his life.
















CD2

Strut presents Hardcore Traxx: Dance Mania Records 1986-1997, the first definitive retrospective of one of Chicago's most important and innovative house music labels. Emerging as a raw alternative to the powerhouses of Trax and DJ International during the mid-'80s, Dance Mania continued to represent street-level Chicago club music into the '90s, helping to pioneer the Ghetto House sound.

Hardcore Traxx traces the full story of the label from its heyday. Founded in 1985 and managed by Ray Barney, Dance Mania hit the ground running with its second release in '86, the incendiaryHardcore Jazz EP by Duane & Co. Barney quickly became a trustworthy outlet for early house and acid productions by upcoming Chicago artists such as Lil Louis, Marshall Jefferson and Farley Keithaka Farkey 'Jackmaster' Funk.

The label set out its stall with a series of landmark Chicago releases including 7 Ways by Hercules, Li'l Louis' The Original Video Clash, and international smash House Nation by Housemaster Boyz. During the '80s, it cemented its reputation for uncompromising club records and DJ Tools with sounds spanning raw garage (Victor Romeo's Love Will Find A Way), acid trax (Robert Armani) and quality house (Da Posse).

Into the '90s, Barney unleashed the groundbreaking "Hit It From The Back" by Traxmen and Eric Martin, ushering in a primitive new sound around faster, stripped down rhythms and X-rated party-starting lyric lines. Barney remembers, 'Guys used to call in and ask for music on Dance Mania - they were saying, 'gimme some of that ghetto stuff.' Dance Mania producer DJ Slugo adds, 'when we made Ghetto House... we made music for the bitches. Music for the grinding sh*t and all of that.' The sound spawned a whole new swathe of homegrown producers releasing a fast flow of no-compromise dancefloor bangers: Paul Johnson, DJ Deeon, DJ Funk, DJ Milton, Waxmaster and Slugo all became leaders of the scene. The influence of ghetto house became widespread, not least for Daft Punk, whose track "Teachers" from their Homework album in 1997 was effectively a tribute to Dance Mania. The new wave of productions also paved the way for the later Chicago juke and footwork scene.

Today, with the label back up and running courtesy of Ray Barney and Parris Mitchell, Dance Mania remains a revered Chicago institution across dance music. With Hardcore Traxx, Strut traces the history of the label on a definitive compilation for the first time, from the early classics to ghetto house anthems alongside big money rarities and oddities hidden within their substantial catalogue. Produced in association with Dance Mania, the release is compiled by Conor Keeling (DJ behind the popular "Teachers" Daft Punk influences online mix) with help from Miles Simpson of Ransom Note. Physical formats feature full label history and artist interviews by DJ Chrissy Murderbot alongside rare photos.
TRACKLIST CD 1














TRACKLIST CD 2

Extended album tracks... bound to rip a place up!

Beautiful deep house by label boss Tyson Ballard. Tyson has covered all grounds on his latest Ep - 'Feel Like I Feel'. "Charges" begins the experience as a slow jam with the essence of Uku Kuut or Moon B. The title track is an euphoric journey of lost love with long time friend Sheff providing hypnotic vocals and Linkwood giving his master stroke on the Rhodes, creating a highly charged emotionally intense atmosphere. "All Night" starts gearing towards the early morning hours vibe following into "All day" which rounds out the EP with a perfect powerhouse. Nice!!!

12' White Ivory marbeled 180 gr. strictly limited to 300 Vinyl, only.

With only 3 releases Save The Black Beauty has created such a buzz around the label that we
can talk about a meteoric rise. Filippo Naughty Moscatello delivered the goods and bow is is
another veteran of the scene hitting the buttons on the 909.
Klas Lindblad aka Sasse give us Treat, a Detroit tingled old school cut in a glorious Rob Mello
remix a Freestyle Man Acid Mix from Sasse himself.
Raw, uncompromising and danceoor friendly. The Party is on.

Summertime has passed and so has the time for relaxing. Autumnal vibes and serious atmospheres are back and Throne of Blood's latest fits right in. Marking the imprint's very first collaboration with another imprint, the THRONE OF BLACK CATALOGUE EP sees NYC mainstay PIXELIFE (Let's Play House, Horn Wax) dropping two new originals alongside brand new jams from Australia's CARTER BROTHERS (Black Catalogue, Defected) and BLACK CATALOGUE mainman MONTY LUKE (Mothership, Planet E, Black Catalogue).

The A side kicks off with a deep and dubby workout from Australia's CARTER BROTHERS. Heavy subbass and a lurching groove drive 'Jamaica Burning' forward as ever. MONTY LUKE's 'Behavior Detection' picks up the pace, pairing a propulsive rhythm with dark chords and bright pads to exhiliarating effect. Not quite house or techno, this is the sound of Detroit's BLACK CATALOGUE!

Keeping the classifications murky at best, TOB homeboy PIXELIFE turns in two originals to round out the package. Mixed with the help of MAXIME from POPULETTE and AKA JK, '5 Month Survey' and 'The Doctor Is Out' confound expectations moving from percussion heavy programming to heavily pressurized deepness and otherworldy acid.
This is music built for nightclubs and warehouses, not beach bars and boat parties. Enjoy

The past year for Laurence Blake aka Citizen has been an ever-evolving rise to fame, with material on Kerri Chandler's MadTech and MadHouse imprints, as well as highly praised singles for Love Fever and W&O Street Tracks. Here Laurence pushes on for what's set to be another amazing year for the artist, with a single for 2020Vision, joining the likes of Audiojack, FCL, Huxley, Crazy P and Motor City Drum Ensemble on the roster.

Opening the single is the punchy infectious sounds of 'U Don't Know', a stunning classic meets contemporary cut built around rock-sturdy rhythms, a classic Hammond organ hook-line and heavily reverberated vocal murmurs. While earth-shattering, rumbling subs build a profound depth, and delicate processing such as expansive reverb tails and dubby echoes allow the composition to subtly blossom as thing progress, kicking things off in style.

Following is 'As One' which stays on a similar house focused tip with swinging, bouncy beats, hypnotic female vocal snippets and a cosseting pad melody. The track steadily builds throughout its six-minute duration, with Citizen gradually working in additional elements such as percussive hits, sax licks and vocal snippets, again creating a very dynamic record which never seems to ease up, forever driving the energy and fuelling its dance floor appeal.

Then last up to close the single we have title track 'Climax', Citizen strips back the drum programming to a more refined feel this time, with a bumpy tom-driven bass-line, ethereal atmospherics and a raw, stabby chord

hook. While penetrating subs and Blake's signature vocal manipulation adds the unique charm to things that makes his singles stand out above the rest, rounding off what's set to be another stellar single for the 2020Vision imprint and this undeniable talent!

What a way to start off the year, Still Music teams up with legendary Laurent Garnier for AF 0490 a new 3 song 12' paying respect to the heroes of Trax & Dancemania

It started with Chicago. Then, Manchester. For nearly three decades, Laurent Garnier has urged himself to create on the cutting edge of dance music. Beyond the turntables and studio, Garnier moves between genres and performance techniques with the aim of continuously challenging himself. Pick any moment from his musical journey, and it's easy to see this creative momentum: there was the Hacienda in the late '80s, his time spent in America exploring house, the techno of his label F Communications and his entry into the realm of jazz. "I never want to be an old artist playing my old tracks just to please the older crowd," he says. "I don't think that's healthy." (RA) Laurent Garnier is now a and undeniable force that is making the planet dance. Last summer (2013) Laurent Garnier met with Jerome Derradji over dinner before his long awaited return at the decks in Chicago for SmartBar. Longtime friends, Laurent and Jerome talked about the possibility of releasing some of his new productions under the name Garnier. A new venture for the veteran Dj and producer, that will see him release a series of 12's for labels such as 50 Weapons and more.... 'AF 0490' is the first release in the series and showcases Garnier at his best. Three tracks that pay their respect to the heroes of Trax, Dancemania and to the Chicago sound they helped create without any misplaced nostalgia.
'Bang (The Underground Doesn't Stop)' is a dancefloor anthem, magnificent and pure Chicago circa 1998. 'Boom (Chakolak)' takes you way back to the Southside with its gritty 'footwork' 909 kicks, snares and vocal loops, massive! 'Beat (Da BoxX) is a pure Garnier, Dancemania inspired techno monster. The loop is finally complete, Garnier can now hop on flight AF 0490 direct from Paris to Chicago to Bang The Box once more.
Tell your friends, 2014 looks like it's going to be the year of the Garnier.

KEY SELLING POINTS
- Laurent Garnier's interview in Resident Advisor: http://www.residentadvisor.net/podcast-episode.aspxexchange=177
- Laurent Garnier has been on tour all of 2013 with a full year scheduled for 2014
- Laurent Garnier is currently promoting the publishing of his updated book 'Electrochock' through the publishing company Flammarion. (FR)

From The Rest Janis Guckes is a friendly musician from Frankfurt. His love of music has led him to many a band and project. Socialized in the Robert Johnson Club, where he found his way to club music in the late nineties, he now produces excellent House in his own kitchen. He also runs a label with two friends, 'House Is OK", where he released his first records. Stylewise, he feels at home just in just about any box - and on Mirau 018, he pulls out his heavy, vast coffer of house music.On the 'Forgiveness EP", substantial Detroit numbers shuffle into line on a timeless 12inch. Janis' seemingly impulsive way of putting together grooving, tilting tracks hits a nerve; everything falls into place. In honest, brave lines, he sketches out a feeling that we can't help but live. The first track, 'Forgiveness", starts out with a warm sample that pumps blood straight to your dancing feet - tangible Deep House. 'Greetings from the Netherworld' reaches out and grabs you with a bouncing bass, echoing vocals and hauntlingly beautiful string elements, building up a marching, glittering ensemble. 'Illusion of Choice' stoicly stamps and twists from the speakers. The next-door neighbor complains across the freshly trimmed hedge, then breaks down and gives us a tap dance lesson. In 'Different from the Rest", not only he can no longer resist; everyone joins in, because it shuffles so nicely. The swinging bass line carries the tapdancing companions all the way to the end of this enchanting EP. Convincing House Music for Friendly People!