Review: Secondcity is back following up a bunch of wicked releases on Nic Fanciulli's Saved as well as DFTD with this fresh EP for current tech house masters Gruuv. Here he teams up with Sonny Rooney aka Solarris for the adrenalised and emotive dancefloor drama of "Bridgewater" featuring some razor-sharp arpeggios, emotive strings and a tightly programmed groove: everything you need right here! Label head honchos Audiojack step in to deliver a remix which streamlines the groove in more rolling fashion (as always!) without deviating too much from the original. Finally, Cologne's Jonathan Kaspar (Pets Recordings/KX/Objektivity) steps up to deliver a much deeper rendition which we really enjoyed and will appeal to fans of stuff on Crosstown Rebels or Moodmusic.
Review: It's that time again for Mark Brown and the gang's summer season on The White Isle. While the likelihood of said festivities eventuating this year may be a bit up in the air, you can rest assured that they'll have no qualms bringing the party direct to you - wherever you are! Ibiza 2020 features s whopping 40 tracks which will no doubt keep the party going well beyond the summer season, with highlights not limited to: label staple Matt Sassari with the ethereal stomper "Put A Record On", a certain David Morales golden oldie given a modern twist by the boss man on The Face Vs Mark Brown's "Needin' U" (Dimitri From Paris remix), a meeting of two great minds on Nile Rodgers vs Eats Everything's "Do What You Wanna Do" (Eats Everything Haus rework) and one of several appearances on here by the legend from down under Sneaky Sound System in the form of "Can't Help The Way That I Feel" (David Penn remix - extended mix). Elsewhere, industry titans such as Carl Cox, Paul Woolford, Green Velvet & Junior Sanchez receive some worthy remixes.
Review: It has been quite a year for the Toolroom institution. Celebrating their 15th birthday last year, they weren't ones to rest on their laurels, instead going full steam ahead with a bunch of genre defining compilations this year. But most importantly they have been instrumental in the comeback of funky house after a 20 year dormancy, with killer releases by the likes of Weiss, Cashio and boss man Mark Knight himself. Add to that one banging party at Chicago Social Club for Amsterdam Dance Event and it's evident that these guys are proper 24 hour party people. With a glorious year sadly coming to an end, celebrate a wonderful one that was on Best Of Toolroom 2019 with highlights not limited to: the rework of the Cevin Fisher classic "Freaks Come Out" by Jack Back, Hannah Wants & Kevin Knapp's deep down and dirty "Call Me" (extended mix), UK heroes Alan Fitzpatrick & Wheats delivering the certified banger "M27" and New York legend Todd Terry teaming up with Tuff London on "Psychodrama" featuring Jasmien Nanhekhan. If that was not enough, ascendant producer Maxinne delivers two mixes compiling all the tracks: one smooth House mix followed by a thumping Tech House mix.
Sui Generis & Kane Law - "We R Kool" - (5:49) 122 BPM
Ovidi Adlert - "Wicked" - (6:29) 124 BPM
Tom Black - "Untouchable" - (5:26) 125 BPM
Review: Mark Brown presents the Cr2 Live & Direct Radio Show, with one hour of the hottest new dance music every week featuring exclusive tracks doing the rounds right now - and some forthcoming house and tech house gems. Here is the playlist from the July 2019 edition with highlights not limited to: Jacky (UK) with the tough acid inflected roller "Toggles", the classic rave aesthetic of Julie McDermott's "Don't Go" (Roger That remix - extended mix), the legendary Todd Terry proving just why he is still the rhythm master to this day on "Samba 2017" (InHouse mix) and Sui Generis & Kane Law going for some moody afterhours minimal on "We R Kool".
Review: With Ibiza's extended summer season almost upon us, Toolroom has served up a suitably epic collection of cuts that it expects to be big on the White Isle this summer. Label boss Mark Knight has provided a trio of DJ mixes ("Poolside", "Club" and "Afterclub") and the unmixed tracks included all fit into these loose categories. There's not enough room to list all of the highlights, but we've been enjoying the funk-fuelled disco-house rush of Illyus and Barrientos' "The One", the sleazy, bass-heavy bounce of Max Chapman's "Steppa", the acid-powered tech-house-jack of Del-30's "Gravity" and the weighty, mind-altering thump of "Low End Theory" by Eli Brown.
Review: It's that time of year again: London's CR2 are heading over to Miami for the Winter Music Conference - where deals are made and stars are born. It's electronic music's biggest party of the year and these guys have a swag of surefire dancefloor bombs to set the club alight. Miami Underground 2019 features almost three dozen grooves that will all take your fancy we're pretty sure, with highlights not limited to: Aussie outfit Sneaky Sound System doing their thing on "Can't Help The Way That I Feel" (David Penn remix - extended mix), Chicago legend James Curd on the lo-slung disco funk of "Free Me" (extended mix), Reelow delivering some tough rolling tech on "Bad Swinger", CASSIMM bangin' one out for the main room on the druggy "Work Out" (extended mix) and Leeds favourite Jey Kurmis (Hot Creations) getting deep down and dirty for the afterhours on "About Knapp".
Review: 2019 was a massive year for Mark Knight and the gang, celebrating 15 years in the business and commemorating such a milestone with extensive world tours in the globe's greatest clubs and festival stages. We are fairly certain that this collection of tracks were tested extensively on the road during the latter part of last year - and are certain to make a big impact on dancefloors in 2019 and beyond! Highlights on This Is Toolroom 2019 not limited to: the epic dancefloor drama of "Poison" by the young ascendant Brit producer Wheats, likewise boss man Mark Knight takes on the NYC house sound - complete with preacher man style vocals - on the ultra-emotive "The Mystery Of Old Ma Clifton" (original mix), while Lost Recordings head honchos Leftwing & Kody deliver the tough rolling UK tech house sound of now on "Wile Out" and label staple and all round legend D. Ramirez is on form as always on the deep down and dirty "Overload".
