Review: Having previously impressed with a series of singles on their own Sound of Sumo label, Lewis Darvill and Bill Francis moved to Food Music earlier this year, releasing the Food EP to great acclaim. Here they follow it up with more shuffling, bottom-heavy house. With its pulsating sub-bass, classic US garage beats, choice samples and alien stabs, "Nightmode" is arguably the pick for peaktime plays. That said, the rush-inducing keys, cut-up vocals and cute melodies of "U Like" should also appeal to DJs who like their beats upfront and party-friendly. For those of a ravier persuasion, the Pedestrian remix of "Nightmode" should be an essential purchase.
Review: Toolroom sets out an ambitious programme for its annual Miami trip. Patrick Topping gets the party started with the diva vocals and crowd cheers of "Be Sharp, Say Nowt", a true good-time house tune, while a more considered but no less infectious take on vocal house is audible on The 2 Bears' "London Are You There?" and Bicep's wonderful electro-synth-led "Metro". However, this compilation isn't limited to house music: the OC & Verde remix of Eli & Fur's "Around You" is frosty Euro trance at its most memorable and Dubspeeka's "Lyssa" is a gorgeous piece of dubbed out, dreamy techno. Miami won't know what hit it.
Review: As per usual, the UK's Toolroom imprint has put together the definitive summer collection when it comes to tech-house and anything minimal. As you can see - and hear - there are 67 tracks on here, all from the very best and most coveted talent in the scene; Mark Knight features prominently, of course, alongside established house entities like Erick Morillo, Format: B, Sascha Funke, Nic Fanciulli, and many others. But, don't stop there, as there is plenty of new talent to discover in artists like SecondCity, GotSome, Marcellus Wallace, ANOTR, and many more. There are three continuous mixes available, also, one for each summer setting. This is BIG!
Illyus & Barrientos - "Best Of Toolroom 2018" (continuous House mix) - (1:19:12) 124 BPM
Illyus & Barrientos - "Best Of Toolroom 2018" (continuous Tech House mix) - (1:19:17) 126 BPM
Review: As you'd expect, given the label's runaway success over the past few years, there are plenty of very familiar cuts on this 52-track 'best of' from the all-conquering Toolroom, including GotSome's tribal smash 'Nomad Chat', label boss Mark Knight's infuriatingly catchy, flute-driven Shovell collab 'Selecao', Mendo's sample-heavy G-houser 'Mooving' and CamelPhat's remix of Fatboy Slim. But there are plenty of less heavily rinsed gems on offer too, and with tracks from the likes of D.Ramirez, Leftwing & Kody, Dosem, DJ S.K.T and Dale Howard plus reworks of Sterling Void and Todd Terry classics, it's a no-brainer for tech-house jocks on a budget.
