Maceo Plex At Juno Download

Review: Having enjoyed the sort of 2011 that most producers dream of, hip Spaniard Maceo Plex returns to Crosstown Rebels with another two-track dose of touchy-feely nu school deep house. "Frisky" is typical of Plex's previous work, melding tactile synth bass, stirring strings and half sung, half-spoken vocals to a shuffling, nu-school house groove. It perhaps lacks the sheer power of previous releases, but there's a subtlety and sweetness that's addictive. "Sex Appeal" ditches the strings for bubbling acid lines, but otherwise the formula remains the same - shuffling, soft focus house music tailor-made for dewy-eyed moments of late night revelry.

Review: Few house producers have enjoyed quite as rapid a rise in 2011 than Maceo Plex. Here he jumps ship from Crosstown Rebels to launch his own label, offering two typically emotional chunks of Visionquest-ish synth-house. While the epic "Aint No Love" opts for a sci-fi tinged approach, it's A-side builder "Stay High Baby" that really impresses. Working with many of his usual elements - those touchy-feely vocals, a snatch of disco guitar, emotion-rich chords, snappy beats, big breakdowns, echo-laden pianos and a dash of acid tweakery - he carefully builds a naggingly hooky concoction that bueatifully ebbs and flows throughout.

Review: Having made his name with a decidedly fluorescent blend of retro-futurist house revivalism, the logical next step for Maceo Plex was always going to be working with his heroes. Here, he joins forces with former Hacienda resident and '90s remixer of choice Jon DaSilva for a cut based on the latter's unreleased remix of a Jones Girls cover. It's pretty much what you'd expect from both parties rolled into one; the booming synth-bass and cyber-synths of Plex, versus the '90s vocal stylings and bumpin' disco-house beats of DaSilva. Plex himself delivers a thunderous, techno-flavoured Dub, while solo bonus cut "Futre Musik", a tribute to German tech-housers Closer Musik, rises and falls for 10 gorgeous minutes.

Review: Maceo's label Ellum Audio is really beginning to find its place in the tech scene; lavishing listeners with a salubrious, rolling funk, it's been just as much of a breath of fresh air as Maceo's productions themselves. Put the two together and you're onto a purebred winner... "Filthy Mama" twists and turns with the sonic toxicity of 2020 Soundsystem record performed live while "Stimulation" is more prog-inclined with heaps of beautiful emotion laced throughout.

Review: Well-traveled Spaniard Maceo Plex is a snug fit with Crosstown Rebels. The trio of tracks on this quietly impressive EP sound unequivocally current, yet none neatly fit into prescribed genre pigeonholes. "Can't Leave You", for example, sounds like some lost Seth Troxler/Benoit & Sergio hoedown (especially the Tale Of Us remix), but with the addition of extra disco drums, gut-busting sub-bass and classic analogue house touches. It has "Ibiza" written all over it. "Stop Your Hate" treads similar ground, but also includes a heavy dose of mutant electrofunk. It's kinda deep, but also kinda funky. Either way, it's a lot of fun.