Daniel Dexter At Juno Download

Review: It's no surprise that Daniel Dexter's deep, jacking sound has found a home on Poker Flat; after all, this is the style that label owner Steve Bug has championed for years. What does come as a surprise however is the range of Dexter's work. "Birds" is a drummy affair, peppered with disco samples and leading into a trance build, there's the grainy, detuned bass of "No House For Old Men" and his version of Zombie Disco Squad's "Righteous Sound" sees a heavy sub-bass pitted against a reggae vocal. But Dexter's main strength is fusing deep sounds with club-primed rhythms, as he so adeptly demonstrates on the chord-heavy "Storm" and the jazzy keys of "Papillon".

Review: Despite its title, Daniel Dexter's new EP on Steve Bug's label mines a path that straddles both classic and current styles. The title track is a typical modern deep house affair, thanks to its filtered chords laced with insistent bleeps, but Dexter draws on the back catalogue of Reese for its purring, menacing bassline. Likewise, "Who knows Motor City" is based on a typical DJ tool tribal groove, but the use of incessant acid lines provides a glimpse of the past. Finally, "The Other Day" is a deep, reflective groove with a resonating vocal sample that recalls the work of classic house producers like Gemini.

Review: Daniel Dexter combines jazz and classic house and techno influences for a special release on Steve Bug's Poker Flat. The title track unfolds gradually, its Chicago drums and menacing bassy undercurrent giving way to a squalling, deranged sax solo. "There Will Be Jazz" is somewhat more nuanced, with loose tribal beats leading the track into a breakdown that spills out warm, liquid jazz riffs. However, it's on the final track, "Murder", that Dexter really hits pay dirt. There, a soaring, Reese-style bassline provides the backing for the most sensuous saxophone solo this side of vintage Dave Angel releases from the 90s.