Mike Salta At Juno Download

Review: Scandinavian nu-disco imprint Skycreaker debuted recently with a solid three-tracker from electrofunk/nu-disco fusionist Satin Jackets. Here, they attempt to give a flavour of the label's future direction with a split, four-track EP. There's plenty of promise amongst the grooves, which casually flit between boogie-flavoured house, compressed electrofunk and off-kilter deepness. Casual Encounters impress with their synth-heavy "Million Dollar Smile", while Flash Mode layer up the organs on the deep and dreamy "Solo Flight". There's also a deliciously deep and atmospheric chunk of late night house from Ejeca and a long, midtempo builder from Mike Salta. On this evidence, Skycreaker will be a label to watch in 2012.

Review: Having recently offered up reworks of classic Giorgio Moroder material, Martin Brodin's MB Disco imprint turns to Mike Salta for some original disco grooves. Ironically, Salta's original actually sounds like the result of an unlikely jam session between Mororder, Gino Soccio and nu-Balearic/nu-disco studio bod Peter Visti. It's perhaps fitting, then, that Visti himself provides a remix that balances Salta's pleasing melodies and sun-flecked touches (check the breakdown) with twisted, acid-flecked bottom end. The best reworks, though, come from Swedish production crew Drop Out Orchestra. Both the Dub and Rework (the latter nearly 14-minutes long) offer low-slung electric bass, heady melodies and, crucially, superb percussion.