Review: This release reads like a re-edit producer's convention, with four different artists all delivering their own unique takes on selections from disco's past. "Hitney Wouston" is Deep & Disco's funky tech-house take on "I Wanna Dance With Somebody" by you know who. It's an enthralling version that competes with Girls On Top's all-time reworking from back in the day. Alkalino's "Ruff N' Stuff" is a killer blend of throbbing bass, cowbells and a retro rap. Debonair's "Mellow Mellow" features a mesmerising, heavily filtered string loop and lots of disco lasers. Retro-house don Jonewaynes wraps things up with the looped slice of shimmering Balearica that is "Number 1".
Review: With a bulging back catalogue that includes releases on Let's Play House, Compost, Let's Get Lost, Mule Musiq and Dissident, you'd expect this latest missive from Portugal's Johnwaynes to hit the spot. "Algarve" certainly strikes the right balance between murky low-end pressure and trippy, synth-laden pleasure, focusing the attention on a relatively sparse collection of elements. Tigerskin's "Cosmic Remix" is an altogether brighter affair, replacing the Ket-addled original sounds with some impish electric piano and shuffling grooves. Wonky bonus cut "Silver Shell" is probably the best of the lot, fusing as it does oddball electronics and swinging Latin grooves.
Review: Portuguese house heads John Waynes hook up with singer Stee Downes for this anthemic slice of piano Balearica, out now on Serenades. Keeping things nice and vital with some relentless synths and a tight, mainroom bass "n' drums combo, they take things up and down beautifully on the original mix, while the JW raw mix gets more tribal and dubby, with the vocals stripped back for a Todd Terry-ish extension.
Review: In the space of less than a year, Roberto Rodriguez' Serenades label has seen its releases receive admiration from the like of Tensnake and Maya Jane Coles, and this compilation release offers the label a chance to reflect on a successful year, and win themselves some new fans in the process. Label head Rodriguez contributes the Balearic boogie-funk of "Has Been", whilst the Nacho Marco remix of "Ishama" takes a more cosmic path, dancing round a handbag made entirely out of the plastic casing from vintage early 80s BBC Micro computers. Johnwaynes contribute "Never Enough", featuring relentless synths and a tight bass "n' drums combo, taking things up and down beautifully, whilst Volta Cab finish with the slo-mo soul of "I Don't Want Love", its bumping rhythm brought to life with a staccato piano sample that takes things into a housier realm.
