Electric Minds At Juno Download

Review: There are very few modern house producers who can match Jay Shepheard's production flair and this is audible on "Border". The title track features slamming beats and an insistent organ riff, but the lost-sounding vocal and garage swing mean that it stands head and shoulders above bog standard tool house tracks. "Off the Bridge" is straighter and less unpredictable, but here too, the way that Shepheard lets a synth line hang in the air above a swirling, atmospheric filter shows that he is one of the most talented producers in his chosen sphere, and in many ways, a successor to Todd Edwards's crown.

Review: Wily party promoters Electric Minds have secured the services of another talented new producer. There's no information about who Endian is, but this release is up there with the finest deep techno and house productions. The title track centres on a throbbing, raw bassline that reflects a series of shimmering synth lines - and sounds like Efdemin jamming with Omar S. "Doze" opts for a different tact, but is just as good. Built on a techno-cenric rhythm and hissing, nagging percussion, billowing chords unfold over tumbling dubby drums, and in the process makes the majority of so-called deep techno producers sound redundant.

Review: Matt Edwards is often associated with tracky big room techno, but this remix sees him focus on a more mellow, musical sound. Radioslave's 'vinyl only' remix of disco classic "Go Bang" sees him lay down a drum-heavy, bongo-led groove, the tripped out jazzy licks highlighting the sprawling nature of this interpretation. Edwards also delivers an alternate instrumental version, while his Love Break Down take is built on a buzzing, rolling bassline that underscores a wired vocal sample. The package is also worth acquiring for the low slung groove of "Make 12" and Pocketknife's version of "Lucky Cloud", a fey but endearing folksy workout.

Review: Like so many organisations before them - Soma, Kompakt and Optimo are but a few notable examples - Electric Minds have developed organically. Starting off as a club night in London's east end in the middle of the last decade, the collective decided to set up a label that showcased the work of the artists that perform there. They have managed the rare feat of keeping the quality high with releases so far from established names like Steve Kotey, Ilija Rudman and Yam Who? as well newer artists. The mysterious GHL may fall into the latter category, but on the evidence of "Good", it sounds like this producer has been honing their skills for years. The title track is a driving, drummy workout, featuring hissing hats, thundering claps and an irresistible swinging groove - and such is the quality of the arranging that these elements sit seamlessly alongside a warm, liquid melody line. "Show Me Love" sounds like it was inspired more by the UK's house past than developments in the US. Featuring shuffling drums and a warm, snaking bassline underpinning sweet chords, GHL wears his/her influences clearly, with the rhythmic elements influenced by UK 'garridge', and the sweet chords capturing classic UK deep house.

Review: Duffstep continues to impress us with his genre-crossing works on both his own label Join The Dots and now Electric Minds. He first came to our attention last year with his superb 12" - "Know You/More Lies" - on Saigon Recordings and the young producer shows no signs of slowing up as we enter 2011. His debut album is due out this month and is a fantastic collection of tracks that clearly exhibit Jeremy Duffy's versatility and creative flair, joining the dots as he does, between different genres seamlessly. Here, in "Close" he blends house rhythms with a dubstep soundscape and a deep, soulful groove. Remixes come courtesy of Hreno & The Mole and Yam Who respectively, who both slow down the tempo and inject their own unique flavour to the track, making for an irresistible release.

Review: Croatian uber producer Ilija Rudman returns to the ace London imprint Electric Minds with some heavyweight disco action evocative of 80s rollerboogie. The Croat has been on prolific form of late, releasing a constant stream of edits, remixes and original compositions under a number of guises. "Time And Time" comes in vocal and dub mixes - both versions retain the pounding 80s electro boogie bassline and typify Rudman's obsessive approach to analogue recording perfectly. The inclusion of some sultry diva vocals on the main mix just win it for us in the Juno office. Flip over for an impeccable dubbed out house re/rub from Michael J Collins of Wolf & Lamb fame which contains the mother of all ethereal breakdowns. A neat psychedelic take on proceedings from Collins makes for an accomplished release that will appeal to both house and disco jocks.

Review: A truly nourishing and warm EP from a pair who have already had support from Josh Wink, M.A.N.D.Y and Jazzanova. The title track is a brooding midtempo number with some long and lingering synths that tug at the heart strings, while "Imagine" uses some deep driving bass and springy percussion to keep you hooked. But the stand out is "Emoticon", which uses a simple vocal sample "I want you" and frames it around some strong, Board of Canada-esque synth lines to make it a break-of-dawn classic. Well worth checking out.