Robsoul France At Juno Download

Review: There's a real 'no nonsense' feel about Robsoul's releases these days. With most deep house labels seemingly content to sheepishly follow fashion, Robsoul's dedication to the bumpin' side of the genre is refreshing. This three-tracker from Anhanguera is boompty through and through - all tough kicks, party-flavoured disco basslines, snappy snares and the sort of classic vocal-samples that will have punters reaching for the lasers ("How He Knew", for examples, bites Gladys Knight's version of "Heard It Through The Grapevine"). The slightly deeper, disco-fied "Made In Loveland" - all swirling strings and heart-tugging horn stabs - is probably the pick of a solid EP.

Review: Part 2 begins in a much more chipper mood. "Calais Douvres" seems to spill a joyous attitude out of every hole. A bristling beat and hollow percussion sets the tone from the off before Carrier's signature groove swings in and sweeps the listener off their feet and on a fun filled ride.
"Quadrilette" keeps a similar attitude, but this time adds a churning bassline that is so raw you can hear it rattling away at its deepest depth. Tribal-like percussion adds the funk and the tone is lightened further by the female vocal as made famous by Til West's "Same Man." Ending with the drum led "Le Divan Japonais," the release saunters into a rhythmic groove. Sub bass murmurs beneath the percussion at first but then makes itself more prominent as Carrier lets loose.

As a child, Carrier was exposed to all the classic sounds of the 60s and 70s through his parents. Yet as an adult, he discovered the techno raves of the early nineties. Both of these influences can be heard in Carrier's music, as he attempts to bring the best parts of both sounds together into one place. He manages this task with a seemingly natural ease here.

At a time where the boundaries between genres are continuing to blur, Gosse De Paris, both parts 1 and 2 make their own conclusions on the formula of modern electronic music.

Review: Robsoul veteran Chris Carrier can usually be relied upon to deliver the goods. This four tracker for the Paris-based imprint is chock full of his usual bumpin' beats, bowel-botherin' basslines and boompty-inspired cut-ups. "Bongo Thunder" (curiously named, as it doesn't feature bongos) leads the way, jumping between cut-up hip-hop breakdowns and booming boompty rhythms. The tech-tinged title-track delivers a little more swing and some Rob Mello-ish electro sounds, while "Acid Drop" thunders from the speakers like the four horsemen of the apocalypse going speed dating. Closer "Japan Air" has a deliciously jazzy swing, bringing a tough EP to an uplifting close.

Review: Some fun acid house from the Robsoul Recordings archives available for the first time digitally. Originally out back in 2004, School Of Acid sees veteran French producer Chris Carrier tee off against Robsoul boss Phil Weeks and Bay Area house music staple Hector Moralez under their Fries & Bridge nom' de plume The title track is an all bouncing, all jacking acid house house work out, with Hector's "This Is Acid" vocal refrains riding the 808 drum pattern and undulating acid lines as neat little scratch noises drop in the mix. 'Turn It Out' sees Fries & Bridge drop a loose kick drum pattern that gets overwhelmed by a pulsing sub bass before a scattergun of hats signal a further onslaught of bubbling acid synths. Finally, 'You Got Me Open' sees Carrier fly solo and a lot deeper, crafting a solid groove aided by neat vocal edits.

Review: DJ W!ld returns to Robsoul to get into the groove with four brand new tracks on his Pesto Di Disco EP. Grooving through soulful, funky and percussive house and techno, the Parisian touches on the sounds of funk and disco to deliver a thoroughly danceable quartet of tunes.