Steve Mill At Juno Download

Review: Talented Greek artist Steve Mill arrives with his debut album for Urban Torque, entitled Higher State Impressions. Mill has come a long way since his debut release on UT (2007's Bright Side EP), appearing on the likes of Global Underground and Plastic City in the following four years. As albums go, it's excellent: an effortless blend of deep house, techno and prog, with a continuous DJ mix of the album's tracks included to boot!

Review: For this latest instalment of the continuing Tokyo House Underground series, New World have turned to hometown heroes Steve Mill (an exile in Tokyo) and Satoshi Fumi. "Late Night Purring" itself bears many of the hallmarks of Japanese deep house; cute synths, soaring strings, tear-jerking jazz pianos and a production style that firmly emphasizes melody over groove. The pianos are particularly prevalent on the jaunty accompanying bub, but it's Sasse's smart and well thought-out remix that really hits the spot. Also worthy of note is bonus cut "Connectus", a strangely uplifting chunk of riff-heavy deepness that effortlessly rises and falls in all the right places.