UM - Deep House Sessions 2

You know me! I like to try some things out from time to time and see how it goes. So I got thinking about giving Beatport Mixes a go. The first of which I've just uploaded for people to enjoy - a round up of some of the best tunes from the last month or so in the mix. Give it a blast, share the crap out of it and let's see if we can get a little deep house into those Beatport charts! 

Jero Nougues - Castaway - Soul Departure Records

Jero Nougues - Castaway - Soul Departure Records
Released 28.05.14

Argentinian Nougues is popping up everywhere on my social feeds right now making him hot property around the traps. His EP here comes with two originals and two remixes - Portofino-Sunrise (another frequent flyer) and Mani Rivera. The title track is pretty up front and stomping stuff, reminiscent of some other tracks that I’ll never remember the name of but solid enough to be sure to get some spins. Portofino stretches things out in sunset style with Canary Islands’ Mani Rivera builds elegantly before turning into a terrible clatter of beats and snares. The hidden treat here is the other original - driving deepness, but not much variation in it sadly.

Jaceo & Vedic - Wrangler’s Music - OFFSPIN

Jaceo & Vedic - Wrangler’s Music - OFFSpin
Released: 19.05.14

Main room action on OFFSpin, with a pulsating hard hitting bassline and a quality female vocal to hook you in. Simple but effective! Muse has a more percussive groove with an R&B vocal - again it’s pretty basic stuff, but sure to pound a few dance floors.

UM’s High 5ives - 29.05.14

Pretty slow week all round for new releases if you go by what the big stores are promoting, but I’ve done the hard work for you, dug a little deeper and found plenty to enjoy!

Rishi K. - Holes (Greenfish Summer Dub) - Ready Mix Records



Larse, Sneaky Sound System - This Feeling (Main Mix) - Noir Music



Deep Spelle - My Heart (Alvaro Hylander Remix) - ADSR Records



Undergroundvibe - Healing (feat. Pete Morris) (Veda Vocal Mix) - Broadcite



Ariane Blank - Becarec (Deep Spelle Remix) - House of House

Rishi K. - Unity Gain EP - Ready Mix Records

Rishi K. - Unity Gain EP - Ready Mix Records
Released: 26.05.14

Rishi K. returns to Ready Mix with Unity Gain and Holes, both previously featuring on samplers from the BiG AL’s label. 8 tracks in all here with remixes coming from BIG AL, Analog Trip, Greenfish, Pete Bellis, Tamandua Twist and Evgeny, so a shit load to choose from. My favourites are the Greenfish remix of Holes, a bubbly deep house number that has a nice late night edge to it, not really going to ignite a set but a nice mood to it that had me absorbed in it and the two originals, especially Holes. Swaggering drifting house class.

Playin' 4 The City - Playin EP - Plastik People

Playin' 4 The City - Playin EP - Plastik People
Release date: 26.05.14

It’s with huge delight that Plastik People’s Marc Cotterel secures to sounds of Playin’ 4 The City given he’s a massive fan! Three original tracks to get down to. We open with two soulful edged tracks with a reprise at the start of A1 which keeps the roots of Playin' 4 The City from back in the day - both tracks include live bass by Slikk Tim. Good Groove closes things out with more retro groovin and as the release notes say has the feel of early Playin' 4 The City releases. Not really my ‘bag’ (as they say) nice to hear, nice to listen to, reminisce about and one for the old school fans for sure.

Rishi K. - Smoke & Mirrors EP - Deep Site Recordings

Rishi K. - Smoke & Mirrors EP - Deep Site Recordings
Released: 26.05.14

Deep Site Recordings, Rishi K., Harold Heath, Matt Prehn and Koala all on the one release! As always Rishi K. keeps the sound classy, effective and straight to the point on the originals, with Matt Prehn’s remix being the pick of the crop for me - but I’ll be honest I could see myself playing any of them! Matt’s has a tech, electro bite to it and changes the mood the most for me.

Elias Tzikas - Part Time Hugger - Alma Soul Music

Elias Tzikas - Part Time Hugger - Alma Soul Music
Released: 26.05.14

Part Time Hugger is the name of the latest EP from the London based artist Elias Tzikas. The EP drops two original deep house tracks and a pair of remixes from the well known Japanese producer Satoshi Fumi and the Spanish couple David Granha and Enzo Ghisu. The opener - That Bitch - has bags of bounce to it, a real dance floor orientated tune, with the Spanish duo adding to that mood. The second original and title track is more urgent, a little harder and throbs away with pulsating effect. Closing out is Satoshi Fumi (who I have a great deal of respect for) with a great remix, all crazed keys and atmosphere - a winner!

Arnold Tempo & Apple Jazz - The Dark Files EP - Deeper Shades Recordings

Arnold Tempo & Apple Jazz - The Dark Files EP - Deeper Shades Recordings

Released: 25.05.14

Deeper Shades continuing its love affair with South African deep house with Arnold Tempo & Apple Jazz. Three tracks on offer, all very Deeper Shades kind of sounds, long playing building slowly tracks that are for listening to. These three have a more electronica feel with Maditation being the more appealing to me with it’s more defined bassline arrangement, although with layers of electronica and what not it’s gonna be hard to see it featuring in anyone other than Lars’s sets. To be fair, it’s billed as the other side to South African deep house and it made me rethink hat I thought I knew for sure.

Jon Delerious - Tree Line EP - Nordic Trax

Jon Delerious - Tree Line EP - Nordic Trax
Released: 24.06.14

One of Canada's foremost producers of underground house Jon Delerious returns to Nordic Trax with the Tree Line EP. A near twenty year veteran of the Canadian scene, Jon has released three previous eps on NT and this one continues to goodness. Opening with One Twenty Two is rolls along with a chunky almost ‘phat’ bassline and plenty of darkness to saviour. The EP throws in some decent uplifting grooves too and the sleazy, swaggering funky Speckdrum has a cracking feel, if a bit tricky for your normal dj sets. 

Quite an atmospheric EP - a mellower mood than the Nordic Trax output of late, moody and mellow in places with the final track Bended with Matt Caine really capturing the vibe for me, dreamy, drifty, late night and cool.

UM's High 5ives - 22.05.14

KosmetiQ ft Maria Angeli - Fall 4 U (Matt Prehn Remix) - UM Records



Phasen - Digital Block (Original Mix) - 5 and Dime Recordings



Illyus & Barrientos - Someone Else (Original Mix) - Love & Other



Gareth Bilaney - Undone (Alvaro Hylander Remix) - City Life



Jimpster - Towards The Seer (Original Mix) - R2 Records

Fer Ferrari - Roll A Top EP - DeepClass Records

Fer Ferrari - Roll A Top EP - DeepClass Records
Released: 19.05.14

Label boss Fer Ferrari back on DeepClass with three tracks. Summer Is Back is the pick for me with a  summer brightness and plenty of dance floor attitude to it without going cheesy. One of those tracks you know will work in your set but perhaps not set it alight. Top marks to DeepClass for the promotional copy though, makes it sound ace… “eepClass Records' roll a top EP is finally here! With 3 original tracks by no less than the label owner,  Fer Ferrari, it will be a roll for every dance floor and listener. With tight melodies, dreamy pads and full basses, it will be of liking for every deep house lover! Be sure to get it soon!”

There you go!

Mac-k-cee - Crazy Monkey EP - Deep Site Space

Mac-k-cee - Crazy Monkey EP - Deep Site Space
Released: 19.05.14

New name to me and many of you no doubt - two original and two remixes here. The title track rolls out with slo mo chug, while the Acid Heads remix does nothing for me, but if you like acid ambience then this is for you (does anyone who doesn’t live in a field these days?). The second track is Kinda Slow (which I appreciate is confusing given the description of the title track). It build with retor rave chords and an annoying snare thing that had me spin on rapidly. Last up comes Marc Cotterell - the man of jazzy keys, meandering baselines and a spot of sax. But, wait, he’s gone all hard, up tempo, pounding house here! And saves the entire EP to be fair - not sure it’s a winner for me, and a rare blip on Deep Site Space’s record to date.

VA - The Nine Bows EP - Sccucci Manucci

VA - The Nine Bows EP - Sccucci Manucci

Released: 19.05.14

Aashton, Maverick, Jackson Ryland, Marsupials, Montel, Mr Kavalicious, Mikki Funk and B Moe making the line up on the always interesting Sccucci Manucci. Montel with it’s classic Romanthony kind of sound and Mr Kavalicious with it’s pure and simply deep house attitude are the one’s for me. The other tracks are all interesting, ranging from sme retro electronica laden house to some downright rough and ready thumping tech.

UM's High 5ives - 13.05.14

Another week and another bumper crop of quality new music to choose just 5 from this week - Traxsource are sure to be waiting for this post so they know what not to feature on their mn2s promotional drive that they call the Essential Deep! ;)

Moe Turk - What You Need (Moti Brothers Remix) - Ready Mix Records



D.M.P - Natural Mystic (Deep Active Sound Remix) - DeepWit Recordings



London Grammar - Hey Now (Sasha Remix) - Metal & Dust Recordings Ltd



Sebb Aston - Past (Original Mix) - Salted Music



Tirrenia Vibe - Night Falls (Jarquin & Cano Remix) - Eyepatch Recordings

Rishi K. - Rainbow Tears - Itom Records

Rishi K. - Rainbow Tears - Itom Records
Released: 12.05.14

Rishi K. again you say? Yeah, and who could ignore the robot that is the man? Well, Itom Records pays home for today’s Rishi release with three track (2 originals and a remix from Ev3rsun). The title track made me think of Frank Knuckles’ The Whistle Song and with Tears in the title I’m picking it’s some sort of tribute? And it’s the best of the bunch with it’s sauntering groove and prodding keys. Ev3rsun - a regular cohort of Rishi’s with work on Blue Orb’s remix is a notch chunkier while the other original Captive Audience has a jackin jitter edge to it.

D.M.P - Natural Mystic - DeepWit Recordings
Released: 12.05.14

Much loved DeepWit bring back DMP to their label with a four tracker oozing in deepness. Remixes comes from the mighty Deep Active Sound and the always excellent Alvaro Hylander who is surely due for a release of his own soon rather than this string of remixes? Anyway, DMP opens with the atmospheric and fittingly titled Natural Mystic - there’s something about this that swirls like the smoke around you. Stunning. Deep Active Sound takes it towards tech deepness with a typically strong arrangement that balances the mellow with the strutting vibe he’s well know for. The second original Just Believe is a more up-tempo, but not crazy, builds nicely, drifts and feels nice. Alvaro then toughens that sound up with his remix that had me head nodding at my desk.

Moe Turk - What You Feel - Ready Mix Records

Moe Turk - What You Feel - Ready Mix Records
Released: 12.05.14

Ready Mix debut for Moe Turk with a bumper EP of 6 tracks. Remixes from Bourne, Moti Brothers, Time4Tale and Baker Street Recordings very one Paul Hardy & McKai. The original is dreamy tune, with soft pads and a hazy groove - perfect summer music. The Moti Borthers remix add an extra layer to it, elevating it for me and especially making great use of the angelic, vocal, which is vocoder filtered in parts really making it feel very ethereal. Hardy and McKai strip things down adding long breakdowns, but not really getting far from the original. Time4Tale get all swaggering funky guitar on it, closing the EP with a real change of direction that was overdue. Original and Moti Brothers the stand out tracks, but not sure the others add much to the pack overall. 

Yuuji Hiromoto - Float, Ambient, Sun and Hypnotic EP - Dust On Boots

Yuuji Hiromoto - Float, Ambient, Sun and Hypnotic EP - Dust On Boots 
Released: 10.05.14

Timo Camillo’s Dust On Boots label continues it’s ambient journey with Japaneese percussionist Yuuji Hiromoto. The EP contains 4 original tracks with dated names: 20090424, 20130503, 20090422 and 20120622 and 3 remixes coming from deeB, Sun Goes Nova and Timo himself. My pick is Timo’s, just lifting the beat enough to grab me rather than wash across me. Perfect chill out house, lazy, steamy and sun kissed. 

UM's High 5ives - 07.05.14

Everyone knows I like to moan… especially about the quality tracks that are overlooked by the major retail stores in favour of more… let’s say ‘commercial’ brands. There’s no doubt the likes of Defected, Pets, Moodmusic et al are good sales generators, and therefore more useful to the retails front and centre - but are they really the best tracks of the week? Are they the ‘Deep Essentials’ for the week? I beg to differ…

QMUSSE - Black Lights - What Happens



Southmen - Abyssopelagic (ILL Cows Deepdown Remix) - Itom Records



Goga G - Slow Motion (Tidy Daps Speedy Remix) - UM Records



McNair & Clarke - Bread Ring (Deep Spelle Remix) - Deep Site Space



Rishi K. - Sleeping Star (Fer Ferrari Remix) - Seta Label

Sebb Aston - Feel Alright EP - Salted Music

Sebb Aston - Feel Alright EP - Salted Music
Released: 06.05.14

Former Hip Hop producer Sebb Aston pops up on Salted after featuring on Blue Ord and Savoir Faire with a four track EP. The opening Feel Alright (Stripped Down Edit) kicks off with a heady mix of swirling vocal haunting samples and a deep bassline layered with plenty of elements to create a deep dark mood. A Brand New Life has a typical glam Salted flavour but a splash of the chuggy deep house that just gets your chin thrusting. Feel Alright original has  a bit more of a late night mood - which personally I prefer.

Strong EP, title track Original saving the best till last on the package but well worth heading to A Brand New Life for a touch of warm jackin deepness in the classic Salted mould. 

Southmen - Abyssopelagic - Itom Records

Southmen - Abyssopelagic - Itom Records
Released: 05.05.14

Southmen making their debut on Itom and it’s a bumper pack of tow originals and remixes from Ill Cows, Portofino-Sunrise and Pozzi making for a mixed bag of sounds. From the hard hitting title track brimming with menace to the Ill’s remix with it’s darker edges but maintaining a nice deep flow. Portofino has a more summer dreamy cut to it while the original and Pozzi remix of Mesopelagic do nothing for me, all too sharp and standard tech house fodder sounding.

Marc Cotterell ft Karl The Voice - From The Heart - Plastik People

Marc Cotterell ft Karl The Voice - From The Heart - Plastik People
Released: 05.05.14

Marc’s label is getting some serious attention lately with it’s retro blend of classic deep house and once again he’s serving up the trademark blend of jazzy keys, simple baselines and a dab of sax. Vocals come from Karl The Voice but don’t quite gel for me on the Full Vocal Mix. There’s a sound reminiscent of Mood II Swing or other great tracks from that era to this Ep and sure to do well. I can’t actually tell the difference between the Full Vocal and the Dub either - but hey, keeping the sound firmly in it’s roots!

Yuriy From Russia - Time Traveler - Empty Whisky Flask

Yuriy From Russia - Time Traveler - Empty Whisky Flask
Released: 05.05.14

It’s funny how things go here at UM, had a few Empty Whisky Flask promo’s before but just binned them without a listen, until, that is, I learnt that the label is part of BiG AL’s empire! So, here we are with Yuriy From Russia, along with remixes from BiG AL himself, Rishi K. and DaSmokin’Frogz. BiG AL’s remix is really strong, with a lo-slung mood and looping keys playing to the sticky bassline and wrapping you up in its sound. Rishi K’s is solid too, but just not as captivating.

Rishi K. - Soniconfiguration EP - Oh So Coy Recordings

Rishi K. - Soniconfiguration EP - Oh So Coy Recordings
Released: 05.05.14

Rishi K. keeps the new music coming this time on Oh So Coy. This time Rishi gets to flex his more prig, tribal muscles with Alive In A New Life - very bouncy and sure to be a hit. Indica is tougher again with some crazed keys in a bit of a Yost style layered in and making a big impression on me. Finally comes Soniconfiguration, big and techy again a beautiful breakdown complete with emotive piano and so much dance floor punch it’s growing on me already.

Indica grabs it for me with the Yost-esque keys and body slammin funk.

Jepe - The Beginning - BEEF Records

Jepe - The Beginning - BEEF Records
Relased: 05.05.14

BEEF continue to be one of those labels that’s either a hit or a miss for me. Jepe’s EP is a four tracker of dub and techno with a splash of deep acid. Pulsating and hypnotic from the off with Gravity, which has an old school rave mood to it, raw, but refined, simple but addictive. Understand rolls in the acid touches to recapture the old school new era rave-esque edge.

An EP not really up my street, but easy to see how tracks will be perfect for those dark, trance induced dance floors. 

Qmusse - Black Lights EP - What Happens

Qmusse - Black Lights EP - What Happens
Released: 05.05.14

Can’t say I low much about Qmusse, or listened to much before, but this EP’s gonna change all that. Tim Andresen’s label is having a purple patch just now for sure and opening here with the title track. Crispy beats, solid vocals and a bouncy tempo perfect for the dance floor. Tori (Original Mix) is a bit more late night in it’s arrangement, dropping the tempo a notch, and feeling a bit stickier in sound - but still quality. Tim joins the fun to close things out on the remix of Tori with a slightly techier twist.

Tim’s remix has real drama to it, the kind that can launch a huge set, but it’s Black Lights that really grabs the limelight with the combination of beats, vocals and energy.

Den Hetrix & Rae - Every Emotion - Nightbird Music

Den Hetrix & Rae - Every Emotion - Nightbird Music
Released: 30.04.14

Nightbird really getting to me on this one with hands in the air vocals from Rae and an irresistible groove on the original, it really is a bit of a summer tune with a throwback feel to classic Ibiza days (oh the memories). Two remixes from Rae and KwalaKidz complete the EP, but in all honesty neither comes close to the fun and energy of the original.

Addex - Back To Square One EP - Moonrise Records

Addex - Back To Square One EP - Moonrise Records
Released: 30.04.14

Three tracks from Addex on Moonrise opening with Back To Square One, an edgy techy little number with a nice swagger. Plenty of energy in the track and that continues into tack two - Sliding Ice. This time there’s a nice drifty under tone that builds a great atmosphere with some squelshy bits too (technical music talk I know!). The final track goes all ambient mellow, in cinematic style - which I really enjoyed to listen to!

VA - Twisted Artists Vol.3 - Garenthaus

VA - Twisted Artists Vol.3 - Garenthaus
Released: 30.04.14

Nine tracks on the third instalment from Gartenhaus opening with Ante Perry and Feed The Bird - mesmerising and beautiful deepness to get you started. Right feat’ Tyra kills that mood with a industrial electronica tune that’s in complete contrast for me. Dennis Horvat is the next track of note, balancing the twisted ethos and electronica with emotion impressively - Boards of Canada meets early Warp records spring to mind. Dirty Culture sees a return to more expected deep house territory. Nadia Popoff too before Buddhahood closes things out in deep moody style.

A tough album, one for Warp fans and electronica heads alike - Ante Perry with its beauty and Buddhahood with it’s epic intense mood and dramatic atmosphere for me.