Some things that have been doing it for me recently...
Mustang - Transitions/Twilight (Visions: Vision001) Alex Attias kicks off his new label with this breathtaking two-track 12". 'Transitions' is a moody 5/4 number with excellent breaks and synths, while 'Twilight' is a beautiful electronic cut verging on drum & bass but with the emphasis firmly on the strings and melodies. Fans of 2000 Black, Archive etc. (are there any out there apart from Marsel and Davide?) should definitely check. Seiji - Into The Now (2000 Black: 2007 Black) Astonishing two tracker on one of my favourite labels of the last few months. 'Into The Now' is a funk-bass-powered monster that sounds like a slightly more chilled Squarepusher, and 'Silver Blossoms' is a masterpiece of heart-tugging strings, Detroit synths and hard jazz beats. Hard to do justice to in words, this is quite simply deep future music that stands out from the crowd. Nubian Mindz - Forgotten Parts (Archive: Document 6) Another label that's rapidly become a favourite after showcasing the likes of Dego, Mustang, Domu and Phil Asher over its previous releases. This recent release from Colin Lindo is fairly typical of the style - deep Rhodes chords, drum & bass-inspired break action (but a lot slower), Detroit-flavoued synths and tons of soul. Class. Kirk DeGiorgio & Jamie O'Dell - Sky EP Series 1 (Exceptional: Exec03) DeGiorgio returns with Jimpster for an excellent three-tracker of forward-thinking electronic jazz. 'Bounce To Disk' kicks things off with a Herbie-esque funk hook, filtered Rhodes licks and warm strings, building to a huge climax. 'Ring The Changes' is much closer in style to the 'Planetary Folklore' LP with edgy synth patterns and dark breaks, while 'Inner Sanctum' rounds things off on a mellower, melancholy vibe. Mustang - Give A Little Love (Main Squeeze: MSQ006) Alex Attias again with vocals from Vanessa Freeman. In stark contrast to the Visions release, this is a slightly more conventional vocal track with jazz breaks, classy Rhodes and a stunning vocal delivery. OK, so it's more Gilles Peterson than Jeff Mills, but these days for me that's where the most exciting music is. Sierra Romeo - Nevel (FWD: FWD2001) Stefan Robbers follows up the excellent Arovane release on this new Eevolute subsidiary with four tracks of haunting electronic beauty. Not a million miles away from the Arovane sound, he employs deep strings, clicky percussion and heart-wrenching chords to full effect. Pub - Summer Pt. 1 (Vertical Form: VFORM003) After the excellent release on Ampoule last year, Pub returns on Vertical Form with another epic, deep, spaced-out masterpiece. Warm, sensuous and hypnotic, with a remix on the flip from Vladislav Delay, who takes a slightly more rhythmical and dubbed-out approach. Excellent stuff all round. Villalobos - Ibiza99 (Playhouse: Playhouse 35) Two long rhythm tracks for those deeper moments. 'Fruh' is my favourite of the two, a minimal twisted epic that is a joy to mix with just about anything. Kind of like a Maurizio groove but with more going on and lots of little edits. Deep electronic funk from one of Europe's best labels. Losoul - Lies (Classic: CMC74) This quirky Prince-style vocal track also came out on Playhouse (with an acapella) but the Classic package features remixes from Freaks and Rob Mello, plus an excellent bonus track, 'Raw Beauty'. Excellent fresh-sounding electronic house from a very talented artist. Shawn Rudiman - Blue Empire EP (Hypervinyl: HV003) Four tracks of quality deep techno from Mr Rudiman who recently released an excellent EP on Seventh City. All the cuts are pacy and club-orientated but pack serious funk into the grooves - I'm playing 'Impromptu' pitched down. Definitely a talent to watch. :::::::::::: tom churchill ::::::::::::: ::::::::: headspace recordings ::::::::: : http://www.headspacerecordings.co.uk : ::: e: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ::: ::::::::::: t: 07976 898514 ::::::::::::
