Spencer Parker At Juno Download

Review: Here we have a meeting of house minds courtesy of John Wink's Ovum records. Like a musical Blind Date if you will, with the former dreaded one playing Cilla. "Lerchen Und Eulen" has a jazzy, live feel like that of a 1950s Brazilian hip cat trio, only it's married to house hats and 80s-style claps. "In My Head" is more conventional, throbbing and deep house nouveau. Finally Radio Slave steps in to deliver a whopping 11 minute version of the lead track which is extremely sparse and is fuelled by an incessantly swinging rhythm.

Review: After a hot string of releases this year on labels such as Ovum, CR2 and Azuli, one of Britain's best talents Spencer Parker is back with fresh material for Rekids. "I Think I Love You" reeks of Spencer's years of experience as it delves immediately into first class territory. Tightly produced, the off beat claps, closed hats and bass current are subtle, charismatic and addictive. Up next, Reboot takes the deep chugging record up a notch or two and into the tech house realm. Tinny cow bells and percussive rhythms are added with breezy aplomb by the German.

Review: Tsuba regular Spencer Parker recently impressed with "Show Him You're The One", a deep, sinewy and surprisingly melodic chugger. Here, he offers up two new 'Beatdown' versions of the tune. While not 'beatdown' in the traditional sense - at least, the original Detroit meaning of the term - they're certainly sparse, atmospheric, hypnotic and considerably deeper than the original version. The two versions play around with similar elements - looped vocal samples, pianos, the original riffs, bubbling grooves - but have wildly differing aesthetics. The Beatdown 01 Version is slightly more percussive, while the Beatdown 02 Version is pleasingly stripped-back, putting greater emphasis on a nagging piano riff.

Review: Spencer Parker is one of the unsung heroes of UK house music, but on this occasion, he hands over the controls to French talent. Rex resident Molly is behind the edit of "The Improvised Minotaur" and she does a fine job, teasing out the flowing piano line to the backdrop of a loose, rolling groove and eerie synth sounds. Fellow countryman DJulz's take on "Romantic" is more direct and less ethereal; the dense drums shuffle in a similar style to Martyn's recent output and are propelled forward with hissing percussion, while the organ riff at its heart lends it a somewhat menacing edge.