SECURE SHOPPING
The organisers of the excellent Corsica Studios-based night Beyond The Clouds have offered us a pair of tickets to their next party, featuring the formidable talents of DJ Deep, Maurice Fulton, Actress and Hunee.
Win: Tickets to Beyond The Clouds with DJ Deep, Maurice Fulton, Actress and Hunee
by Juno Plus on 01.02.2012 at 14:37pmVarious – If This Is House, I Want My Money Back Zwei review
by Juno Plus on 05.09.2011 at 13:35pm
|   |
Some two years on since the inaugural edition, a second serving of Permanent Vacation’s brashly titled compilation If This Is House I Want My Money Back arrives with twelve tracks that, for this scribe, act as the perfect antidote to the overly polished and far too ubiquitous shallow house endeavours of Hot Creations et al. Buoyed by a distinct lack of refund requests, the Munich label retain some of the artists from the 2009 ten track compilation whose stock has risen in the subsequent period, whilst also welcoming some new names into the fold.
When Permanent Vacation slipped out a four track vinyl teaser early last month, this reviewer was struck by the sheer class demonstrated by all on show that a desire to hear the full compilation became quite overpowering. Anyone who peruses this site on the reg will know how much we’re fans of Hivern Discs artist John Talabot, and “Leave Me” (Friendly Pattern Version) remains one of those tracks which you can quite happily return the needle/put on loop/press repeat some weeks after you first hear it. Within the context of this full compilation, it still shines through and acts as a bit of a tease for the forthcoming album on Permanent Vacation from Talabot, showcasing his talent for recycling naggingly familiar samples into an intoxicating rhythmic ride. Crucially however, there is plenty more on Zwei that impresses. Talabot’s Hivern cohort Pional opens proceedings with “Just Passing Through”, a sexed up improvement on the feel and sounds of the title track from Nico Jaar’s opinion dividing debut album.
From here a gradual rise in tempo unfolds across the compilation, with notable contributions along the way from Mano Le Tough – who continues to grace his productions with as much warmth and love as he does the titles – and Beautiful Swimmers. Their track “Excited” sees the Future Times duo step out of the DC comfort zone for the first time, delivering exactly the kind of roots of house music jam Benji and Tom P.V. asked for. A bastard concoction of Faltemeyer synth stabs and proto house pressure, the track matches the contribution from Talabot in the impressing stakes. It’s followed by energising contributions from Hunee and the Uncanny Valley duo of Jacob Korn and Cuthead collaborating under the smart Kornhead moniker. Their respective productions come from entirely different sonic angles – driving, subaqueous jack and heavily percussive Afro ripples respectively – which perfectly captures the label’s ethos behind releasing this compilation.
There are further treats in store from the likes of Soul Clap, Session Victim and the Permanent Vacation overseers themselves with an original track and an edit of Mathematics artist Contra Communem Opinionem, which in total make for a more consistent statement on the best in contemporary house music than the inaugural edition.
Tony Poland
Washington DC based label Future Times will release a second Vibes compilation showcasing its wares, with Hunee, Steve Moore and Juju & Jordash among the artists set to feature.
| |
While the humble remix has long been a trusty staple of dance music culture, it’s rare to hear a genuinely innovative or aurally stunning rework. Too often, labels see the choice of remixers as part of the marketing process, making decisions on sales targets rather than artistic merit. Luckily, some labels do “get it”, though. Rush Hour is one of those labels. When they asked Space Dimension Controller and Falty DL to remix Anthony ‘Shake’ Shakir’s loopy Detriot techno classics, they knew they’d plumped for two new school electronic producers who would take Shakir’s grooves in thrilling new directions. So it proved, with both remixes now considered near classic re-interpretations.
This new 12” and digital release clearly shows evidence of similar thinking from Rush Hour. This time round, it’s Virgo Four’s dusty Chicago jack getting the remix treatment, with Caribou and Hunee providing the remixes. Like the choice of Shakir remixers, these are both inspired picks. Caribou, in particular, is an interesting choice. Dan Snaith has taken on a flurry of remix comissions in recent times, with this effort dropping alongside tweaks of Art Department and Radiohead. Prior to that, the thrillingly out-there rework of Kelley Polar from 2008 was the high watermark for his ability in this area.
In its original form, Virgo Four’s “It’s A Crime” – first released on the brilliant Resurrection box set – is a cheery, piano-laden Chicago jacker from the tail end of the 1980s. Snaith’s version, however, is an altogether more atmospheric beast. Where the drums were previously simple and unfussy, the Canadian opts for dubbed-out live drums and hissing jazz cymbals. There’s a weary new vocal from Snaith, which spars with samples of Virgo Four’s original chorus vocal. There are also superb jazz keys, a touch of 303 wizardry and a seedy atmosphere that recasts the song as a late night lament sung by a busker in a dimly lit back alley. It’s mesmerizing.
Hunee’s version is almost as inspired. The Korean-in-Berlin takes the original’s piano-laden cheeriness and runs with it, turning in a version that recalls classic Inner City or Ten City. Think soaring synth strings and horns, deliciously thick synth bass-driven grooves and clattering 808 handclaps.
Matt Anniss
Caribou and Hunee have remixed legendary Chicago house duo Virgo Four, with an EP due out on Rush Hour next month.
| |
This sampler from Prosumer’s third edition of the Panorama Bar mix series should do a lot to dispel any doubts that the Ostgut stable focuses too heavily on harder techno or caters exclusively to jaw-grinding intensity. Berlin residing Korean producer Hunee joins the Ostgut stable with “Leaf For Hand In Hand”, which sounds like a return to UK house music of the mid to late-90s, its undulating groove unfolding every bit as joyously as Jamie Reid”s LHAS project from that period. The crucial difference however is that Hunee’s track is clubbier and features the kind of celebratory hook that would be more common to Pagan releases. Fused with a bleeding acid line, it nonetheless serves as a reminder of what a fruitful time that scene enjoyed.
“Take U” by Soundstore a is more stripped back affair, focusing mainly on a buzzing bass, edgy beats and heavy claps – although there is some concession towards musicality thanks to some eerie synths – but “Sadness” by Steffi ensures that soul remains on the Ostgut menu. Over understated drums, Steffi lays down a sun-kissed yet somnambulant melody line and the kind of breathy vocals that Tracey Thorn would kill to emulate. These tracks make for one of the most uplifting house releases of 2011 – and reinforce Ostgut’s reputation as a purveyor of the best contemporary electronic music.
Richard Brophy
| |
With a number of acclaimed releases under his belt already – including one of the most-checked deep house 12″s of 2009 in the shape of the Tour De Force EP – Berlin-based Korean Hun Choi is well on his way to become a genuine underground hero. He should take another step towards the light with this four-tracker for the always-excellent Rush Hour.
So far, Choi’s output has been focused but varied, treading a fine line between sumptuous, soft focus, floor-friendly deep house (see the much-played “Rare Silk’ and bumpin’ “Cut Down Trees”) and quirky, disco-flecked electronica (the slo-mo “Babel 1” and “2”) – with the odd retro-futurist banger thrown in (the rumbling “Took My Love”).
Here, he steps out in a different direction, breaking up the beats in a four-tracker that delights just as much by taking risks as for the quality of its execution. Take lead track “Bobo”. An altogether sweatier proposition than previous excursions, it revolves around a cheeky fusion of pulsating analogue bass, swinging, broken-not-broken snares (think 4/4 with a bruk twist) and stabby vocal hooks that recall Recloose’s epoch-defining “Aint Changin”. Building into a frenzy of progressive synth bass, subtle strings and off-key riffs, it’s the most anthemic track he’s released yet. There’s a dub, too, for those who find the original just that bit too hectic.
The broken feel continues on “Sand Days”, a far-sighted exercise in drum programming that’s as layered and intense as deep house records come. An excellent package is completed by “Like That”, a bubbling concoction that attractively bobs and weaves between far-out marimba samples, star-gazing chords, stuttering bass, stoned vocal samples and a cheeky lift from an old Surface record on Salsoul. There’s a lot going on, but Choi navigates choppy waters wonderfully.
There’s no doubt Hunee has the skills – expect great things in years to come.
Matt Anniss
Another year is over – perfect time, then, to not only reflect on the year that was but look ahead to what the future holds. We’ve compiled a short list of the acts we think are primed to break through in 2010 – there’s the usual assortment of sickeningly talented twenty somethings, plus an old hat or two to keep it interesting.
This year has been something of a watershed for The Revenge, aka disco and house producer Graeme Clark. There were a host of releases on esteemed labels like Wolf Music, Mule and Delusions of Grandeur, some notable remixes and additional production under his 6th Borough Project alias (with Craig Smith). Time to kick back and relax then? Hardly – this Scotsman looks set to be flying higher than ever come 2010. He spoke to Juno Plus about the year that was, and talked us through the top five tunes from his “Best of 2009″ chart.
At Juno Download, our exclusive digital release of house prodigy Hunee finally arrived, as did the re-edit compilation of legendary New York label Ze Records, which features iconic acts like Kid Creole & The Coconuts and Was (Not Was).
Artist: Hunee
Title: Tour De Force
Label: WT US
Genre: Deep House
Format: Digital
Buy From: Juno Download
Never has an EP title been so apt; Hunee’s Tour De Force is just that – having swept all before it, charted by just about every house/disco DJ with a finger on the pulse.
Hunee (aka Korean born, Berlin-based Hun Choi) is in many ways the symbol of the modern deep house renaissance; young, raw and patently not from Detroit or Chicago. But this music has soul. Choi clearly – defiantly -favours warm house sounds, in contrast to the stark minimal techno that dominated the past decade in his adopted city.
He’s not alone of course – there’s Motor City Drum Ensemble aka Danilo Plessow (Motor City being a dual reference to Detroit and his home town of Stuttgart, the automotive manufacturing hub of Germany), whose Raw Cuts series has been ubiquitous in 2009.
The title track on Tour De Force has an underlying drive that works harmoniously with high end key stabs, while the percussion on “Cut Down Trees” is reminiscent of the best Wolf & Lamb material. Meanwhile “Rare Silk”, surely the EPs highlight, utilises a warm bass and piano line along with cut-up vocals that makes it simultaneously deep and funky.
Hunee is a newcomer to the production game – this is only his third release, all of which have come this year – but his ability to combine luscious pads, clever samples and catchy piano lines means he will be one to watch in 2010.
Review: Aaron Coultate
   |
