Review: In 2003, amid a shifting landscape of closing record stores and evolving electronic music genres, Phonica Records emerged as a haven for dance and electronic music enthusiasts. Founded by Simon Rigg, Tom Relleen, and Heidi Van Den Amstel with backing from The Vinyl Factory - Phonica aimed to be a welcoming hub for all genres. Starting quietly, the shop gradually gained a strong reputation, fueled by the founders' ties to Koobla Records. Phonica thrived in its early years by championing emerging genres like electro house and minimal-micro house from labels like Kompakt and Perlon. In 2007, the Phonica record label was born, evolving into a platform for both staff and emerging talents, featuring early releases by now-established artists such as Peggy Gou and Four Tet. In 2023, celebrating its 20th anniversary, Phonica showcases its journey with 20 Years Of Phonica - a compilation boasting 18 exclusive tracks from established and rising artists across the label's diverse musical spectrum. Hot tips include tracks by Willow, Dorisburg, Ron Basejam, Roman Flugel and more!
Review: Lumberjacks In Hell draft in a sublime cast of sympathetic operators for a second volume of From Hell With Love, providing you with eight perfectly formed tracks that straddle the divide between cosy, home-friendly house and dancefloor delectation. Laville's moody vocal turn kicks the record off in style on Austin Ato's 'Control', while Waajeed works his broken beat magic on 'What You Know'. Elsewhere Detroit Swindle bring a tougher slant on soul-rooted house music to the table, while PBR Streetgang aim straight for your pleasure centre with the soaring 'Madame Z'. And that's just the half of it...
Review: For as long as we can remember, Defected's annual Miami Music Week compilation has done a brilliant job showcasing tracks that we'll be dancing to a lot in the following weeks and months. Predictably, this year's volume is no different. There's the usual mixture of alternative remixes of familiar favourites from the previous 12 months (see David Penn's remix of Sophie Lloyd's gospel disco anthem "Calling Out" and I:Cube's brilliant revision of Peggy Gou's "It Makes You Forget"), previously released anthems (Horse Meat Disco and Amy Douglas's "Let's Go Dancing" and Ray Mang's delicious disco mix of Phenomenal Handclap Band's "Judge Not") and suitably big tunes that will soon become peak-time staples the world over (see the tracks by Bawrut, Low Steppa, Bsicits and Mighty Mouse).
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