Crosstown Rebels At Juno Download

Review: More than any other dance label, Damian Lazarus's Crosstown Rebels has a knack of signing timeless house music. It's evident on this, the second Rebel Rave instalment, with Guti & Dubshape's "Every Cow Has a Bird" offering a classic sound, as a disco groove unfolds to reveal rolling bongos and jazzy piano keys, or on Subb-an's "Misleading", a glorious deep house arrangement with a garage groove. However, there are also some excellent reinventions of the house style; Jamie Jones's "Summertime" reveals a darker side to deep house as a menacing bass surges to the fore; Quenum's "Woman Talk About Woman" features a crazy vocal freestyle over a jazzy groove and best of all, Art Department's "Without You" sounds like a dislocated, paranoid update on Nu Groove's bassy tracks.

Review: It sounds like Damian Lazarus' label has got another anthem in waiting on its hands with "Tango". Based on organic drums, it's looser and less rigid compared to the typical tool house track, yet its combination of double bass and dubby shanty riffs ensures it has a subtle yet effective dance floor clout. However, it's Bachetti's use of mournful, plaintive keys that ensure "Tango" is destined to become a classic for those who like dreamy, expansive house. Eduardo Castilo provides a suitably atmospheric version for those DJs who like it even deeper. Apart from its universal appeal "Tango" shows that it's still possible to tease new shapes out of the nouveau tribal house approach. Recommended!

Review: Given their recent move towards Visionquest-ish pastures, it's little surprise to find that this latest audio missive from Crosstown Rebels incorporates both live-sounding drums and atmospheric vocals. That said, the delightfully atmospheric "Space Ballad" is still based around a stupendously dubby, sub-shaking bassline. It also boasts enough straight-up house thrills to impress all but the most miserable deep house purists. Even better are the two remixes from Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs, who throw everything but the kitchen sink at it -including some thrilling analogue bass, gorgeous synth-pop chords and, on the 'Sings' version, their own vocals.

Review: Well-traveled Spaniard Maceo Plex is a snug fit with Crosstown Rebels. The trio of tracks on this quietly impressive EP sound unequivocally current, yet none neatly fit into prescribed genre pigeonholes. "Can't Leave You", for example, sounds like some lost Seth Troxler/Benoit & Sergio hoedown (especially the Tale Of Us remix), but with the addition of extra disco drums, gut-busting sub-bass and classic analogue house touches. It has "Ibiza" written all over it. "Stop Your Hate" treads similar ground, but also includes a heavy dose of mutant electrofunk. It's kinda deep, but also kinda funky. Either way, it's a lot of fun.

Review: One of Damian Lazarus's main strengths as a DJ is that he understands the art of being a curator. It probably has a lot to do with his role as A&R for City Rockers and now his own label, but Lazarus is an expert at sourcing music that others may have overlooked and blending it with other gems. It explains why the fourth Get Lost is not full of big tunes on hyped labels, but instead contains the spacey house of Nitin's "Blink Twice", the 808 electro drums of Nico Purman's "Fade Away" and the seductive orchestral woodwind of Mario & Vidis Lazarus's "Kashyyyk" - an anthem in the parallel world where Lazarus reigns .

Review: Canadian duo Art Department have all the ingredients of success at their disposal: experience, reputation and, most importantly, hype. With the latter in full effect right now, it's safe to say that The Drawing Board, their debut full length, is one of the most anticipated house sets of 2011. So is it any good? Certainly, those who've already fallen in love with their touchy-feely, melancholy take on house will enjoy it immensely. Like the work of guest Seth Troxler's Visionquest (and, to some extent, Benoit & Sergio), there's a distinct melodic warmth to Art Department's shuffling beats, woozy electronics and half-whispered vocals. It's this, more than anything, which makes The Drawing Board worthwhile listening.

Review: Christopher Spero, AKA Glimpse has developed his career with integrity and a focused patience. Despite a deeply-rooted underground sensibility and an uncompromising experimental approach, Glimpse has still managed to win the attention of the wider mainstream. With releases for labels such as Carl Craig?s Planet E, Buzzin Fly, Cadenza, Kindisch, Get Physical and Cross Town Rebels, the London born producer has been bubbling away on the underground scene for years now. But it is on his debut artist album, Runner where Glimpse drops his true masterpiece, taking his innovative and fresh production techniques to new heights.

Runner is clearly the work of an open-minded artist who is informed by a rich variety of influences. Shifting through an array of different moods and genres, the record fuses house and techno with elements of jazz, soul and classical into one innovative body of work. From the African influenced opener, "Walk Tall" the album spans the classic deep house vibes of tracks like "Things to Do in Denver" and "I Know I Show It," the up-tempo tech-house of "New Beginnings" and onto the more contemporary and trippy sound of "If I Was Your Girl." "Feel Ok" morphs itself from moody jazz to afro-latin house; we see exotic flavours in "Alone Again" and get atmospheric dubby pleasures on the electronica cut, "Enjoyable Employable." Although the various styles add intrigue, what truly sets the album apart from the rest is Glimpse?s fresh and experimental production techniques. Most of the tracks were recorded live on analogue equipment, edited only afterward. This gives his music a more improvised quality akin to his jazz interest, not to mention enhances its warmth and organic feel. The lo-fi aesthetic of the album draws on the rudimentary influences of original house music whilst Glimpse modernises it with field recordings of his everyday life, included to stamp his personality onto the record in addition to a sample of a live crowd, used to accentuate certain beats. A highly accomplished and created debut from Glimpse, Runner will definitely be a contender come the end of year polls.