Quintessentials Germany At Juno Download

Review: Dutch deep house producer Alex Agore makes his debut on the Quintessentials imprint with four chunky cuts of NY-inspired house. "Move" and "Get Away" both bristle with sultry energy; the former's robust kick drum-sweaty vocal combo could easily be a lost Kerri Chandler production, while the latter locks into a deepish groove with a gently throbbing bassline, expertly chopped vocal moans and languid keys. Up next, "Cruel" and "Baby Please" tread a similar path; the jazzy piano and fully revealed vocal on "Cruel" has the kind of effortless groove that many a house producer spend careers trying to nail, while the closing cut is a mutant after hours sleaze jam of the highest order. Well worth checking.

Review: Gianni Siravo and Sven Lacoste have been making a bit of a name for themselves under the Azuni moniker, not least with last year's excellent "Here You Come" 12" on Drumpoet Community. Here they pop up on the usually reliable Quintessentials with more high calibre material. Lead cut "Do It To Me" is a beaut - a delicious, oven-ready mix of sugary NY house organs, buttery bass and crunchy beats. The spoken word jam "Feel It" (featuring Bolo) cranks out some classic strings and pianos, whilst "How Wonderful" offers another woozy but ultimately thrilling slice of organ deepness. Rob Mello remixes "Do It To Me", too, delivering a typically chunky interpretation.

Review: Berlin based deep house merchant Baaz returns to the Quintessential imprint after last year's well received Pass It On EP. All The Way sees Baaz in familiar territory, exploring the lower echelons of syncopated drums and hypnotic melody. "Paean For The Masters" is Baaz in peak time mood - with heavily percussive rhythms sitting atop soft pads and submerged chords. The tempo is slowed down on "Are You" with punchy drums infiltrated by burning vocal dubs and subtle synth melodies. Motor City retroism abounds on "Black Pattern" and "Drive Thru", where proper house patterns are melded with delicate basslines and understated synth flourishes.

Review: Si Murray and Chris Barker aka Deep Space Orchestra have been making some serious waves since they first began producing together in 2005. Releasing on a set of reputable labels such as Delusions of Grandeur and Drumpoet Community over the following few years, they now hold a stellar rep for their raw and groove ridden deep house. This time round, the pair have been snapped up by Quintessentials and frankly, we can't think of a more suitable artist-label partnership. The Bucktown Fever EP kick starts with the smooth and sophisticated "Bucktown"; rich, pumping and analogue, its driving rhythm and vintage charm make the EP a winner before we've even flipped over. Once we do however, "Arrakis" holds its own with delicate strings, simple chord sequences and sensual vocal snippets, bound together by tight hi-hats and a deep round bass. Lastly, "Don't Move" and its intriguing field recordings and expertly executed percussion tips an already outstanding EP into a timeless, classy piece of wax that we highly recommend.

Review: One of the best things about Mancunian duo Deep Space Orchestra is that you never really quite know what to expect. While their tracks are rooted in a combination of deep house and Detroit techno, they frequently spin off in different directions. Mongolian Nights is a great example of this. Opener "Khan" is simultaneously curiously odd and delightfully melodic - an 107 BPM chugger that somehow combines triple-beat drums, glistening synth melodies and dirty acid tweakery. The jazzier "Noire" is equally as impressive and seemingly looser than a wizard's sleeve. KRL remixes "Khan", turning it into an organ-heavy retro-futurist bumper.

Review: They may sound like the main characters of a forgotten kids TV show from the 80s, but British deep house types Ethyl & Flori are definitely letting their productions do the talking. Their EP for Freerange last year was a late night trip into low slung house territory which was stamped with their love of Detroit techno. Quintessentials Recordings, one of 2010's finest imprints for deep house business, have secured three more cuts of smooth warm house from the duo on this Paisley Riffs EP. "Malmoe" will get the plaudits here, deep jackin house for the early hours with what sounds like a cheeky K Dixon Jnr sample. "Those Eyes" is compelled along by an entrancing raw chord melody underpinned by simple drums. "Lenox Ave" gives Ethyl the chance to delve into his love for jazz, with a skittering percussion pattern playing off perfectly against warm pads and a deep piano melody.

Review: Back on Quintessentials, Knarf Skipson merges the disciplines of house and hip-hop into two fresh and innovative tracks. "Dirty South" sees a tribal sentiment fighting its way into the amalgamation, whereas "Upper East" is a dub-lined appropriation of hip-hop. Sascha Dive, one of kings of raw, stripped back house music, turns in a killer mix here, with one eye firmly trained on the dancefloor.

Review: Quintessentials return to their infrequent Deep Raw & Real series of global house with a typically stellar line up. Musical Freak Luke Solomon revisits his Lukatron pseudonym for some simple, no nonsense jacking business on "Aspect Ratio", little more than multiple layers of percussion and toasty bass patterns from which a spectral machine funk melody steadily emanates. Philpot type Radiq follows with the crisp future funk of "Lovin Pain" which finds its feet as soon as those hi-hats lock into groove with the heavy synth flourishes. Preston's finest Cottam gives us a taste of what to expect on his forthcoming Aus release with the liquid bump of "Work It" which finds the space to work in a cheeky R&B sample to great effect. Rising Finnish producer Deymare switches down the mood on "So Real", a saunter through slick bottom heavy beatdownisms which only serves to highlight the different shades of house music that characterise this impressive release.

Review: Fresh and vibrant deep house cuts from UK-based, Quintessentials! This time the label calls on Nicholas, the young Italian producer who's quickly making a name for himself within the European house circuit. The man makes a bold statement by reinterpreting the vocals from Ghost Town DJs' "My Boo", having been already famously sampled by Omar S a few years back. Although the notorious sample also runs the whole duration of the track, "On Your Mind" maintains a straighter, party vibe. "What Freedom" is a more soulful number, one which digs deeper into its various percussion elements, creating a smooth groove with a solid crunch. Up next we have a glorious dub version of "On Your Mind", which adds more contemplative melodies and edgier drums around the sample. What better way to close the EP than with "Brighter Day", a funk-fuelled journey into tribal drums and meditative synths which build and break down uncontrollably, with the help of some irresistibly pleasing vocals. Lovely DJ house tools!

Review: Italian duo Nicholas & Simoncino continue their ascent from limited white label edits to further recognition with this split release for the Quintessentials imprint. If you've kept an ear near their recent endeavours, you'll be smart to the decidedly old school 90s vocal house flex that runs deep through the four tracks here. Nicholas takes the lead with two tracks which commence with "Holdin On" - heavy on the resplendent piano vibes, with big ivory flourishes sweeping across the bumping rhythm before an almighty vocal comes swooping in with Queenish aplomb. "On The Streets" is just as accomplished, leaning on some annoyingly familiar source material and containing a killer gospel breakdown. In contrast to the NJ garage style of the A Side, Simoncino serves up a double helping of Muzic Box worthy warehouse jams, with proto drum machine rhythms, big melodic washes and heavy analogue bass movements pervading both "Unknown" and "All Night".

Review: Who said clearing samples was a nightmare? Skipson - being a the good chap he is - sent the final version of "K's Editspot pt.1", which used Rob Mello samples, to the man himself for his blessing. Rob - also being a good chap - liked the new version so much he offered up a remix! And so the Mel Skipson Project was born, and thanks to Quintessentials both versions are now available to the public. Mello's tweak is pure sweat-drenched peak time fodder with killer vocals pressed up against an acidic Chi-town bassline - big tip. Skipson's version is not as incendiary, opting instead for sampled crowd noises, deep Motor City chords and a straight up house bump. Killer release!

Review: 18 months after his first 12" release caused a bit of a commotion amongst deep house heads, mysterious producer Ibrahim dons The Zohar mask for another three-track exploration of late night pastures. The real killer here is "M.F.B.S (You Know)", a superbly crafted piano house jam that borrows heavily from the O'Jays "Backstabber". It's the production that impresses most. While others would have been tempted to gravitate towards filters, Ibrahim keeps it clean, building a sweet, swinging groove out of simple loop progressions and judicious use of samples. "Another Damn One" and "Second Chance" successfully explore deeper territory, coming on like Trus'me after a heavy night on prozac.

Review: If you like your deep house lovingly crafted and exquisitely musical, Quintessentials' Deep & Raw & Real rarely disappoints. This latest installment features four more fabulous cuts to contend with, each delivering a distinctly different take on deep house. Ricardo Miranda's "Rush Hour" is wonderfully sleepy, offering hissing cymbals and super-deep chords. Toby Tobias, meanwhile, works the filters and backwards effects on "Love Papers", a real string-drenched sweetie. NO MILK's "Bubble People" ups the atmosphere again thanks to some choice double bass loops and distant jazz piano, while Marcello Nepoltano's "All My Things" brilliantly recalls early St Germain and Aqua Bassino.