Martin Dawson At Juno Download

Review: You'd expect any collaboration between seasoned studio veterans Andre Crom and Martin Dawson to be suitably solid, and "Need U Back" doesn't disappoint. In fitting with many current deep house records, it looks back for inspiration, infusing its tech-tinged deep house grooves with bumpin' New Jersey bass and hypnotic, bleep-heavy riffs reminiscent of the NYC's finest mid-90s cuts. Homework's laidback remix adds some much-needed shuffle to the previously rigid beats, throwing some spine-tingling breakdowns into a delightfully spacious and heartwarming mix. If anything, it's better than Crom and Dawson's driving original.

Review: The multi-faceted proprietor of all things deep, Martin Dawson goes back to his deep house roots and settles into the groove on his latest release on Also Ran. His debut album from last year explored a wide variety of styles and now he expands his sound even further by adding a new dubby feel to his current crop of productions.

Over the last few years we have seen Dawson developing his sound in a number of different projects. As King Roc, he established his name for having an astute ear for reinterpreting music from all ends of the spectrum. On his debut album under the same moniker, last year's Chapters, just like his preceding four EPs on Mutual Society, displayed that kind of diversity in one artist album. Dealing with trip-hop, ambient and chill out, Dawson made an album that strayed far from the ultra deep stylings of his Two Armadillos collaboration with Secretsundaze guru Giles Smith. Now, under his real name of Martin Dawson, we see him turning back to deep, infectious house for this EP.

Lead track "Dub Freedom" flies straight out of the blocks into driving, dubby, deep house designed squarely for the dancefloor. Organ keys lift up the tempo that is given added attention by the inclusion of some tight, high end percussion. The chunky beat and bodied bass pushes forward only lying down to temporarily allow atmospheric breakdowns infiltrate the mix. "Elephant" is more laid back, taking on more of a contented old school vibe. A simple bassline creates the backbone as warm synths and light guitars wash over the top to create the track's real hook. Finishing with "Jamaica," Dawson delves into ethnic territory whilst still keeping dub at the focus.

On his new "Dub Freedom" EP, Dawson has managed to create yet a new dimension to his sound whilst also putting his focus back on the dancefloor. Once again, the Londoner has proved that there is so much more to Martin Dawson than just deep house.

Review: Dawson steps away from his King Roc guise and takes time off from collaborating with Giles Smith to drop this no-nonsense release. The title track is a dense, tribal house groove, its repetitive, looped rhythm and insistent use of vocal snippets reminiscent of early 00s Terry Francis. The Namito remix veers more towards a contemporary feeling, as stripped back, hiccupping beats compete with nasty acid riffs and ominous chords. However, it's "Onital" that will win this low-key producer the greatest acclaim. Dawson again revisits the tribal tech-house sound of the early 00s, but with a difference. This time round, he has included a disco sample that sounds like the one used in The Bucketheads' "The Bomb". Only the utterly cynical will be able to dislodge it from their minds!

Review: Perhaps better known for his productions under the King Roc alias, Martin Dawson has enjoyed something of a second career in recent times as a purveyor of pleasingly melodic deep house. This full-length for Moodmusic shows Dawson at his upbeat best, laying down an entertaining selection of action-packed, dancefloor-friendly grooves. While comfy deep house remains his default setting, there are excursions into Detroitian territory ("Morning Glory"), skittering old skool bounce ("Sunday Smoking") and bleary-hours afterhours grooves ("The Return") - with a few tech-house and nu-disco flourishes thrown in. There's also a growling low-end groove in the shape of a free King Roc remix of "Blissful Ignorance".

Review: Amazingly, this is Moodmusic's 100th single release. And what better way to notch up a century of good grooves with the stand-out cut from Martin "King Roc" Dawson's recent album of the same name. It's arguably Dawson's most attractive single yet, a deep but driving fusion of classic house sassiness, bumpin' bass and the cleanest of rush-inducing piano riffs. Jay Shepheard continues on this old skool MDMA tip on his exemplary remix, which retains the retro bassline but drops the tempo and adds twittering electronics for maximum Balearic effect. Also worth checking is the cacophonous "Drum Chord", a dirty basement wobbler clearly designed to send late-night dancefloors into spasms of gut-wrenching delirium.