Rush Hour Holland At Juno Download

Review: The tireless peeps at Rush Hour launch the Vault Series, in which the Dutch imprint rummages for overlooked and unreleased tracks sitting in a big shed out the back of their Amsterdam-based record store. They kick things off in consummate style, with the hitherto unknown (to us, anyway) Duster Valentine dropping the ace "(My Back Is) Against Wall", which features a killer sample of "The Pressure" by Sound of Blackness. A thick set drum loop works for your attention below the vocals, occasional keys and dusty groove - highly recommended. The heads out there will be delighted to see Aardvarck's instantly recognisable party jam "(Just Washed) That Pig" from a few years back given a sorely needed extension!

Review: A masterful return to the Hour House Is Your Rush imprint for Messrs Watson and KiNK, their fourth to date and this time featuring the excellent vocal talents of Hercules Love & Affair's bundle of energy Kim Ann Foxman. Naturally with the addition of vocals, "A Saturday In November" is a less heavyweight assault on your senses than previous releases on the label from this duo, though all of their signature studio flourishes such as raw basslines, emotive chord washes and slick drum programming remain. The accompanying dub version burns hard and will find favour amongst the more discerning dancefloors!

Review: Just when you thought that it was possible to pin Cosmin TRG's ever-evolving sound to an identifiable trajectory, the Romanian producer throws his audience another few curve balls. Unlike the recent "Separat" release, "Crush" is not an exercise in exhilaratingly claustrophobic techno meets dubstep. In fact, Cosmin's approach is alluded to in the title, and it sees him succeeding in being all things to all people. The title track sets the tone for this magpie-like collection, with what sounds like samples of folk music looped to a juddering percussive backing and then combined with muffled, indistinct vocals. That Cosmin manages to make the end product rooted on the dancefloor says a lot about his skills. "Sirop" is another unusual proposition; caught between woozy chords and a stepping rhythm are Chicago kettle drums, appearing at regular intervals. "Negligee" also flirts with contrasting sounds, but has little bearing on the previous tracks. Instead, it pits an abstract rhythm against Warp's 'Intelligent Techno' era bleeps and eerie, ghostly riffs. The final piece in this most unusual jigsaw is "Magnetic Bodies". Like "Separat", the beats are relentlessly dense and raw, but the filtered chord sequence makes nods to Detroit techno and the liquid dreams of hardcore - a sonic effect akin to being hit over the head in slow motion with a feather-covered sledgehammer.

Review: The Dutch house and techno scene is arguably stronger than it's ever been, thanks in no small part to the efforts of Amsterdam institution Rush Hour. Here, the record store turned stable of labels salutes a new wave of (mostly) homegrown Dutch heroes with a superb compilation of previously unreleased material from both established producers (Dexter, Neworldaquarium, Tom Trago) and exciting newcomers (Melon, Awanto5, Maxi Mill). In truth, it's hard to do justice to Amsterdam All-Stars' many highlights, tempo shifts and stylistic variations (think slo-mo house to aggressive analogue acid via classic deep techno and touchy-feely retro-futurism). Suffice to say, it should be essential listening for anyone who loves quality house and techno.

Review: Juno favourite Recloose provides one original track here, while surrendering a further two for remixing. "Chamois" is a feel-good slice of vintage-sounding looped disco-house. Andres' remix of "Electric Sunshine" is a killer, percussion-heavy house-funker with a cool, if slightly spooky, warped synth melody. Finally Oliverwho Factory take "Magic" and give it a techy old school house makeover which is, frankly, a blinder.

Review: If you were to think of two maverick producers in the wider spectrum of minimal dancefloor music, San Proper and Ricardo Villalobos make for two very strong contenders for freakiest of the bunch. Put them together and what you have is two fantastically strung out workings full of the Chilean's penchant for subtlety and lengthy workouts. The pleasant surprise here is that Proper's flair and wide spectrum of samples adds some life to Villalobos' mixes where sometimes he can get a little lost in his own sound hole. It's dark, tripped out stuff full of skittering drums and disembodied vocals, and it's absolutely brilliant in the process.

Review: Braiden appearing on Rush Hour is possibly one of the least expected combinations to surface in recent times; more specifically Braiden appearing on any label is surprising, given how quiet the Londoner has been on the production front since gracing Joy Orbison's now defunct Doldrums imprint. A sideline in photography, a smattering of remixes and a prospering reputation as both a club and radio DJ (check his NTS show) means Braiden's been kept a busy boy, though this two track induction on Rush Hour demonstrates there's been loss in production verve. Lead track "Belfry Tower" seems built for submission pounding intent, rhythms gleefully bouncing off each other as a pressurised bassline puts the squeeze on the crunchy textures that attempt to implement some semblance of melody. "Paganini" introduces a whole different slant on Braiden's palette, commencing with a famous singer's ode to the Italian composer who lends his surname to the title which subtly drops into a killer house groove, all expertly layered drum patterns and wonderfully warm and bouncy bass lines complemented by some brilliant echoed usage of the vocal throughout.

Review: Tucked away on a lane in central Amsterdam, Rush Hour Records has truly been dictating the pace when it comes to house and techno moments this year, indulging in some glorious music, be it new material, reissues or combination of the two. The label has been in such fine form our sister site Juno Plus had no qualms awarding them their imprint of the year gong. To celebrate all these plaudits, Rush Hour round up the 20 of their best tracks this year on one handy digital compilation with a fine balance of established producers and rising talent all contributing. And what a fine selection it is, taking in the return of Urban Tribe, some popping disco from Daniel Wang, future bass sounds from Cosmin TRG (his Aardvarck remix is a particular highlight), the relentless pressure of Robert Hood's long forgotten Floorplan offshoot and the energising flux of vintage Detroit mechanics that is "Metropole" by KiNK and Neville Watson. A perfectly curated selection from our friends in the Dam!

Review: It's been another strong year for Rush Hour, and it's nice of them to remind us where they struck gold in the last twelve months. What comes across most when scanning through hits from the likes of Tom Trago, Recloose, San Proper, Nebraska and more is how the foundations of house music that the label is built on are both treasured and distorted in the same beat. There's always been something revivalist about Rush Hour, but really their assembled crew are doing a very adventurous job of celebrating the music of the past, whether it be Chicago house, disco or broken beat. Highly recommended.

Review: Having released his Plastic World album just earlier this year, BNJMN spoils us with another sizable package in the form of this 9-track treat. There's something pleasingly arcane about the way he uses the tried and tested 4/4 formula as a secondary backbone to the rich layers of textures. At times he can be gentle, at others quite manic, in the way that he triggers the elements in his tracks, but the harmonious tones always reach a sweet-natured conclusion. 'Wisdom of Uncertainty' is a prime exponent of the fairy tale sound he has cornered in which to express himself.

Review: Rush Hour continues its fine run of releases on a Detroit/Chicago tip with Gene Hunt's Cancemnini EP. A veteran from the Windy City, Mr Hunt (sadly not the same Gene Hunt who plies his trade as a fearsome detective in the Life On Mars TV series) certainly knows his way around a studio. All four tracks on this EP are produced with intricate poise, from the pitch perfect kick on "Gyro Jazz" to the deft use of keys on "Xylo Maze".