Local Talk At Juno Download

Review: This great value five-tracker sees former Swedish Brandy producer Opolopo launch a new moniker, Actual Proof. Musically, it offers a slightly more varied diet than his previous work, variously touching on deep house futurism (the rather quite spellbinding "Huff & Puff"), bubbling, sub-aquatic deepness (two excellent mixes of future late night staple "Hubble") and gritty, stripped-back disco/deep house fusion (two dubby versions of lead cut "The Grit"). As usual, it's all immaculately produced, offering the sort of far-sighted but groove-centred deepness that always impresses dancefloors. This boy will go places.

Review: 1Bringing the sassy end of modern house production to the table for Local Talk, "Antoinette" is a keys-rich, uptempo deep house cut that keeps the vibe soulful and still primed for the peak of the party. Shaking the styles up, on the flip "Cat Feeding" takes a sharp turn for acid country, replete with jack-hammer drums and oodles of squelch, while the ravey madness continues apace with more savvy 303 tweaking on "I Want You Now". With crisp and punchy production, there's no way these tracks can fail to destroy the dance and cut it with tracks twenty years their senior.

Review: Madness is the work of a young Swedish producer, even though it sounds like it was crafted by a seasoned artist. As its title suggests, "Electric Piano On The Run" is a freeform, jazzy house jam, with slinky piano tinkling and lush strings supported by an offbeat groove. "Drumming Man" does what it says on the tin, with dense, live drums underpinning dramatic, plucked riffs. Best of all though is "Forest Dance"; achieving the near impossible balancing act of fusing 70s sleaze soundtracks with early techno synths, its loose organic rhythm and subtle jazz keys provide the backdrop against which these seemingly incompatible worlds meet and get it on.

Review: An all-star cast (by Local Talk standards, at least) has been assembled for this latest trip into '90s house territory. C.R.S.T's opener "Monster Munch", was produced in collaboration with Welsh house wizard The Organ Grinder, and bumps along impressively on a bed of skipping garage beats and vocal cut-ups. Chesus's "Newark", meanwhile, doesn't hide its US garage roots, being dominated by the twin attractions of rolling organs and female yelps. The vocal cut-ups on C.R.S.T's "Life" recall Basement Jaxx's "Fly Life", while the music sounds like a mid-'90s New Jersey garage dub. Chesus closes proceedings with "Life", a delicious disco/house fusion brimming with sinewy strings and Teddy Pendergrass-ish vocalizing.

Review: You have to wonder what Local Talk will do when everyone gets fed up of new deep house cuts that sound like old US garage gems. This two-track salvo from Cazum & Andreas could give a clue to their future intentions. "Nostalgia" sounds more like a classic, Prescription-era deep house cut from Chez & Trent than a booming slice of MK revivalism. It's a good look, and certainly one of the more interesting Local Talk releases of recent times. There's also great depth and soulful intensity to "Can't Hide It", a warming exercise in synth bass-driven late '90s deep house. The jazzy keys and slight Latin flavour evoke memories of co-producer Andreas Saag's nu-jazz past (under the Swell Session moniker).

Review: The Local Talk bandwagon keeps on rolling. While others have begun inching away from the classic garage/deep house revival, Mad Mats and Tooli are sticking to their guns. Given that they do it better than anyone else - there's a heartfelt authenticity to the label's releases - you can't blame them. Cle's "The Jam" is another beauty. Building constantly with bold pianos and 'Nights of The Jaguar'-ish synth-strings, its simultaneously pleasingly uncluttered (check the loose, bongo-laden groove) and surprisingly big. Dirtytwo's remix gives it a little more of a Mood II Swing-ish twist, whilst retaining some of the original's attractive looseness.

Review: This Local Talk three-tracker from Dale Howard is seemingly inspired by too many late nights spent listening to old Mood II Swing jams; "Throwback (Dub)" is tough, bassy, authentically produced and unsurprisingly effective. That it sounds fresh, despite its vintage sounds and inspiration, is testament to the quality of Howard's production. The bouncier "In Out" throws more classic UKG influence in the pot alongside the basement-bothering NJ garage sounds, resulting in a formidable peaktime banger.

Review: Since setting up shop last year, Mad Mats and Tooli's Local Talk label has provided discerning dancefloors with some delicious, old skool flavoured house. This EP from Finnish producer Deymare continues that pattern, offering up four tracks that pit the piano flourishes and vintage drum machine grooves of Mr Fingers with the bumpin' basslines and heady soundscapes of Nu Groove-era NYC house. "1990" itself is near perfect, but it has more than able support from the subterranean New Jersey vibes of "Time To Move", mid '90s grooviness of "Keep On Movin" and early Masters At Work bump of "The Beat Is Back". Highly recommended.

Review: Brilliantly, this has one of the oddest concepts we've ever come across - a deep house cover of ESG's "Moody" with added Neneh Cherry vocal samples - yet it works magnificently. Musically, it's structured around a groove that recalls classic MK-era US garage - all shuffling beats and rolling organ riffage - on to which all manner of subtle samples and acid tweaks are added. It's simple but devilishly effective - think deep, driving and emotion-rich. The Butt Jackin' Remix adds some more late night riffage and boompty-influenced beats, while the Short Edit (not so short at nearly 9 minutes) shaves off all of 90 seconds. Still, stellar stuff all told.

Review: Bringing on carefully polished and honed modern old-skool house vibes aplenty, Dirtytwo deliver their second single for Swedish Local Talk. "Trapped" is full of surefire dancefloor success, not least as it revolves around some powerful deployment of vocals from Colonel Abrams' seminal proto-house banger "Trapped", except here the soulful croon is stitched to a Chi-town deep house jam with easygoing organ chords and measured drum machine patterns. "I'm Feelin'" keeps the same mellow vibe over bumping beats, albeit in a more cheeky early garage style that wouldn't have sounded out of place on Strictly Rhythm, not least when Frosche's bold vocal hook comes in.

Review: It seems near impossible for us to begin a review of a Local Talk release without mentioning the label's raison d'etre, namely reinventing classic New Jersey garage and dubwise New York house. They're at it again here, with SJ Steaw offering up three tracks of typically bumpin', organ-heavy deepness. Opener "I Want" leads the way, working cut-up vocal stabs around robust drums and nagging organs. "Sky Hunt" goes for more of a classic house approach (think Morales in his underground pomp, pre radio friendly drivel), while the breezier "Think It Over" is pure instrumental UK garage pressure.

Review: Amazingly, it's been 16 years since Canadian deep house producer Fred Everything dropped his first EP. It seems fitting, then, that his latest release is big chunk of '90s nostalgia for unashamed revivalists Local Talk. Everything is an old hand at this kind of thing, of course, and it shows. Both versions of "Brothers & Sisters" bolt classic garage riffs and woozy vocal samples (and, in the case of the AM Pacific version, snaking synth-horns) onto the kind of snappy, swinging groove he probably knocks out in his sleep. The best of the lot, though, is "Legacy", a flowery, near Balearic garage-house odyssey that sounds like it was inspired by 808 State's "Pacific State".

Review: The title of this second release on the Local Talk label gives a hint as to what's to come. Lead cut "First Time House", in particular, evokes thoughts of riotous parties in sweaty New York basements circa 1992, when shirtless dancers would go crazy for the latest MK remixes. It uses organs, bumpin' basslines, beats, strings and vocal samples in a similar manner, making it a retro-futurist gem. "I Like It" treads a similar path, adding classic Detroit drum programming into a delicious New Jersey-New York mix. Sure, both tracks cover old ground, but they both sound great - to our ageing ears, at least!

Review: Having come to the fore via some rather divisive edits of Dorian Concept, Steve Reich and Mariah Carey, the Stockholm based producer HNNY serves notice of his capacity for original productions with this rather fine release on the Local Talk label. This fifteenth release for Mad Mats' resolutely deep house operation maintains the standards set by previous emissions, and it's easy to see why opening track "For The Very First Time" has already been embraced by HNNY's former overseers Studio Barnhus. That all too authentic take on the early 90s NYC house sound is a good primer for what to expect from hereon in, with the similar equation of pitched vocal snatches craftily twisted around infectious yet simplistic melodic motifs and thick bass lines also characterising "Apricots". Do check the percussive 10 minute long behemoth that is "Trummor" for an example of what else HNNY can do - an expert DJ tool in the mould of how they used to be done, back in those days.

Review: Rising Swedish house producer HNNY scored one of last year's most ubiquitous cuts in the shape of "For The Very First Time" which appeared on his debut EP of the same name for Mad Mats' unstoppable Local Talk label. Yearning marks HNNY's long overdue Local Talk return and features yet another immediately infectious production from the Stockholm based producer's armoury along with a superlative remix of his aforementioned hit. As soon as those warm keys wrap around the loose rhythms of "Yearning" you get an sense that HNNY knows how to craft a house production and the subtle vocal hook that comes swooping in will undoubtedly cause requisite chaos. On the remix tip, Local Talk's secret weapon Dirtytwo gets his 80s electro funk on for a blinding rendition of "For The Very First Time". Tiger & Woods would be proud of this one.

Review: While recent Local Talk releases may have lacked a little of the sparkle of the label's earliest releases, this three-tracker from John Mood is a bit of a cracker. Lead track "A Basement Romance" sets the tone, delivering a classic, organ-laced, sweatbox-bumper that recalls the glory days of MK and Mood II Swing. There's even a hustling female spoken word vocal in the early '90s US garage style. "Dial 903" is pretty tasty, too, progressing from Mr Fingers-ish deepness to acid-flecked madness via some particularly big builds and bold pianos. The package is completed by a notably bass-heavy garage rework of the title track by Dr Suwe Vos. Impeccable.

Review: Amazingly, this is the 17th Local Talk release, not bad going since they only first started operating in mid 2011. It's a slight departure from many of the label's outings, in that it doesn't sound like a shameless homage to classic instrumental US garage. Instead, the three tracks sound like fusions of contemporary house and classic basement-bothering garage dubs, with some modern bass music influences thrown in. The deep and chiming "Rthoms" [sic] is our pick, though the loose but tribal rhythms of "Shadow & Construction" do come close. The organ-heavy "Deep Stripped Down & Dirty", however clumsily named, is also pretty hot.

Review: Not content with releasing records that pay homage to the sounds of the '90s, Local Talk bosses Mad Mats and Tooli have now signed a tune made by a production act that were last heard of in the '90s (well, 1999). "Breaking", then, is the first Kyodai record for nearly 13 years. It sounds like it was made back then, offering a smooth, piano-laden fusion of alien synths, shuffling beats and cut-up vocal stabs. It's tasty, but the real fun is to be had on the "90s Mix" and "90s Dub", both of which up the organ count in a tribute to mid-'90s New Jersey garage.

Review: Sliding straight back to Local Talk after the runaway success of the Breaking release, Kyodai brings his broad vision of modern house music to the fore once again. "The Scene" is the breezier of the two tracks on this latest release, working around a dominant piano hook and an ever rising swell of synths and strings. It's a track custom built for the summer months, whereas "Moving (Breaking Part 2)" could slot in nicely just about anywhere. On a broken beat roll and jazzy chords, a simmering floor burner is born, capped off with a choice vocal hook and an unrelenting groove.

Review: While the "garage revival"/"90s house" backlash has already begun in earnest, it doesn't seem to have adversely affected the boys at Local Talk. In fact, there's an argument to say that their releases are actually getting stronger. This EP from potty-mouthed maker of "vagina music" (his words) Lee Webster is another doozy. Fluid, deep and comfy, recalling classic US deep house and garage of times gone by, it should appeal to anyone whose DJ sets veer towards the sensual. There's little to choose between the four tracks (in truth, they all use similar vocal hooks, melodies, chords and synth settings), though the chunkier, slightly rougher "Wax Your Body" would be our pick.

Review: Local Talk launch their new Once Again offshoot in bumping 90s NYC house style, reissuing a Mateo & Matos classic from the golden age! "Maw Basics" originally featured on the 1994 EP Raw Elements that the NYC duo released on Black Label Records, with the standout track obviously in homage to Kenny Dope and Louie Vega. Remastered here, "Maw Basics" sounds every bit as effervescent now and it gets a near perfect contemporary dust down from 4Lux boss Gerd under his recently founded NY Stomp alias. Opting for a punchier groove, Gerd teases out the original's melodic core for a production dipped in dewy eyed house satisfaction.

Review: Another week, another release from Local Talk that sounds like a long lost US garage 12". This time, it's Soulmate member Mike Sharon at the controls, laying down a trio of floor-friendly revivalist jams. "I Feel You" opens proceedings, delivering a fluid mix of retro-futurist bass, languid riffs, cut-up vocal stabs and hissing percussion. "Can You Feel It" laces some delightful keys over a similarly deep and liquid groove, adding a little more shuffle to the beats for a more authentic old skool experience. "Chain Reaction", meanwhile, is the most obviously positive of the trio, sounding not unlike a long-lost gospel garage B-side.

Review: Newcomer Shane Linehan is the latest producer to hop on to the runaway train that is Sweden's old skool-inclined Local Talk label. "Do You Know Who You Are" is in many ways typical of the Local Talk approach, offering up a decidedly retro-futurist blend of 90s New York percussion and chiming, late night melodies. Flip for the Fulbert remix, which opts for a classic deep house sound and extra-punchy claps. It's arguably the better of the two tracks and sounds not unlike a long lost collaboration between Frankie Knuckles, the Burrell Brothers and Red Zone-era David Morales - high praise indeed.

Review: Given the runaway success of Mad Mats and Tooli's Local Talk imprint - one of the first labels to go all-out on the '90s garage revival tip - it was probably inevitable that a compilation would appear at some point. Talking House Volume One presents a pleasing selection of label favourites (HNNY's "For The Very First Time", Will Maddams' "Stand In For Love", Gerd's remix of Mateo & Matos' "Maw Basics") and lesser-known gems (Fulbert's brilliantly uplifting "First Time House", Dirtytwo's Mood II Swing tribute "Moody", Andreas Saag's jazzy, string-laden "Back To Life"), with the odd unheard cut thrown in. Taken in context, it's excellent, and touches on many more vintage house and garage strands, whilst remaining current, than many similar releases.

Review: Since launching at the tail end of 2010, Swedish house imprint Local Talk has provided sophisticated househeads with a wealth of quality releases, many of which take classic US house for inspiration. This two-tracker from Wil Maddams offers a slight detour, mixing sumptuous old skool flavours with notably deeper sounds. "Tell Me" sounds like classic Kerri Chandler (think mid to late 90s, pre "Bar a Thym") - all fire-hot organs, snappy snares and comforting bounce. "Cut & Cap", though, is distinctly deep - as if Omar S and Rick Wilhite got together and made a track whilst submerged in a capsule on the bottom of the Pacific Ocean. That, my friends, is very deep indeed.

Review: Stockholm's ever-reliable Local Talk imprint returns, this time with a second two-track outing from rising star Wil Maddams. As with previous releases on the imprint, there's a decidedly old skool vibe to proceedings, with lead cut "Handle The Change" - a suitably deep and chugging combination of tingly irffs, twinkling synths and chunky bottom-end pressure - recalling the halcyon days of early '90s New York deep house. There's a drifting, hissing feel to the more jazz-influenced "Stand In For Love" - all high-end cymbals, snappy snares, lazy grooves and eyes-wide-shut breakdowns. It's the aural equivalent of a warm hug from a saucer-eyed stranger, with the promise of more good times to come.

Review: Sticking rigidly to their unashamed retro-futurist brief, Sweden's Local Talk stable delivers two smile-inducing, early hours teasers from producers Wilie Graff and Tuccillo. "Sunday Morning" is a particular delight. Its fluttering synth flutes, vintage drums and warm organs recall memories of dancing to early Pal Joey productions in New York, sometime around 1991. "Misdirection" sonically name checks the same period, sounding like a slick, deep house take on early Morales productions, with a sprinkling of Nu Groove magic. Both tracks are noticeably deeper and sweeter than many Local Talk releases, but that's no bad thing. In truth, it's a refreshing development.