STHLM Audio Switzerland At Juno Download

Review: Berlin duo Chubby Dubz come correct with some old school warehouse rattlers for STHLM AUDIO. Those liking their house music filled with plenty of 808s and drum rolls should indulge their senses in the 94 Mix of "Takin' It Back" which replaces the sultry rasp of the original mix with a spinal bump that can't help to satisfy. The heady keyboard stabs and reverberant Gil Scott-Heron doing 90s house MCing vibes only add to the authenticity. The mood continues on the flip with the bottom heavy crispness of "Strains Of Knowledge" all warm bass patterns, tightly wound drum programming, hushed melodic fractures and more vocal leanings. Columbian producer Agnes completes the set with a remix of "Takin It Back" that realigns the groove for those that prefer their house music to be serious.

Review: Having already impressed us this week with an excellent EP of smoky, jazz-flecked deep house by Sai (the brilliant Midnight Colours), Swizz label STHLM Audio drops another high quality single. The man at the controls this time round is Gideon Bouwens, who delivers a couple of bubbling belters that inject some electronic funk into the label's traditional deep house imprint. Opener "Life Stories (part 3.2)" sets the tone, building a heady late night deep house groove around sprightly synth bass and snappy analogue percussion. "Life Stories (part 2)" utilises similar synth bass sounds, adding chiming melodies and vocal groans for a more lazy deep house vibe.

Review: This four-tracker from Sai on Swiss imprint STHLM offers a decidedly soft focus take on deep house. Sitting somewhere between the jazz inspired soulful deepness of Detroit's finest and the drifting comfortableness of European veterans Phonique and Franc Roger, Midnight Colours should appeal to all these who enjoy their house cozy and well-produced. Each of the four cuts has a distinctive feel, from the evocative jazz-house grooves of "Black" and sun-flecked weariness of "Red", to the jazz-funk samples of "Navy" and unblemished positivity of "Purple". Throughout, Sai's deft production offers seductive soulfulness in spades.