Shake Your Ass At Juno Download

Review: It's not unusual for record labels to dig into the archives and reissue previously forgotten 12" singles as digital downloads, but few seem to be digging quite as deep as Germany's Peppermint Jam. This first 12" from the long-forgotten Shake Your Ass first appeared in 1994. A-Side "Just Can't Be Friends" was co-produced by Kerri Chandler, and it shows. Typical of his early work, it blends early 90s deep house with warm grooves and production techniques typical of New Jersey garage. Flipside "B-House" isn't quite as impressive, but still offers lovers of classic NYC house a formidable blast from the past.

Review: There's a reason this digi release from German house stalwarts Peppermint Jam sounds so '90s: it was recorded in 1995. Originally released on 12" in the same year, it's in many ways typical of deep house of the era - particularly that made in the US. Opener "Brazil (Krypt Keepers Mix)" layers sprightly US garage organs atop loose, snare-heavy, borderline tribal percussion. It's crunchy, deep and rolling in equal measure. Original flipside "Jazz Machine" wanders more towards trad US garage territory, building into a delightful percussion jam via crazy organs, jazz cymbals and freaky organ solos. Both tracks offer an authentic blast from the past for those inspired by 1990s US house sounds.