Review: It was a banner year for Stuttgart, Germany-based label Parquet, as showcased on Retrospective 2021 which is curated and compiled by label chief Solee. The boss man kicks things off with the acidified dancefloor drama of "Luft", D-Nox & Gai Barone get slinky and hypnotic on "Painkiller", the ascendant Several Definitions is in fine form as always on the tension and suspense of "Orion", while Nors Kode gets ultra deep on the emotive "Lu". Elsewhere, James Harcourt weaves together a sublime tapestry of melodies on "Acceptance" and Aussie Nicholas Booey hands in the mandatory 'heads-down' groove on "Euphoric" (feat Ziggy).
Review: Having helped launch the Future Romance label earlier in 2021, long-serving German producer Solee (real name Normen Flaskamp) returns to round off the year in style.Opener 'Sternstrunde' is simply superb: a melodious, atmospheric, slowly rising slab of tech-house hypnotism where Isolee-style melodic motifs, starry ambient chords and bubbly bass wrap around a locked-in groove. It's hard to accurately place but is produced and constructed in such a way as to sound awe-inspiring over a club soundsystem. 'Exhilaration' is a fuzzier, hazier and more lo-fi chunk of heady late-night tech-house, while Shall Ocin's accompanying remix is an inspired re-imagining rich in alien-sounding stabs, foreboding chords and Italo-disco style, arpeggio-driven bass.
Review: Parquet Recordings' 2020 | Retrospective compilation includes the label's most loved deep melodic house tracks of the year, all handpicked by label head Solee. From the evocative deep house of Shahin & Leiuna's "Paradigm" (Pete Oak Remix) which is perfect for the warm-up or sunset slot alike, to the brooding dancefloor drama of Rinzen & Evan Casey's "Expansion" which nails that Life & Death/Afterlife vibe. Elsewhere, the ever reliable Rauschhaus gets on with the slinky and hypnotic progressive house epic "What We Expected" and Ray T.J. (Sincopat) takes the energy levels into the peak time on the utterly euphoric "Calypso".
Review: The second instalment in the Parquetechno series gets off to a dramatic fashion, with the soaring strings of Cassidy's "Ancestry" and the melodic, atmospheric groove of HA|XO's "Alone In The Club". These are sandwiched between a different type of drama, namely the tough, Terrence Fixmer-style electro-techno groove of Several Definitions' "Enigma". Label owner Solee keeps the intensity levels up with the pulsating, tranced out "Verboten", but the compilation also reveals a flip side to these energetic tracks - audible on the deep minimal house of Djos's Davis' "Shimmer Mist" and the hypnotic, throbbing tech-house that Room Service delivers on "Antrazit".
Review: More deep and melodic house and techno direct out of Stuttgart from Normen Flaskamp aka Solee. He has released on top imprints such as Einmusika, Steyoyoke and Yoshitoshi in recent times but this one's on his beloved Parquet imprint. His latest offering is perhaps his finest yet; "Planet Earth '' is a blissed-out electro number which forgoes the genre's usually dystopian motifs, but a futuristic sense of otherworldliness remains. The second original offering is "March Of The Giants" which is a powerful, straight-ahead techno track which takes a bit of an ominous turn, but this sure is proper dancefloor artillery that's perfect to lead into the peak time.
Review: For many years, Normen Flaskamp aka Solee has stood for quality electronic dance music, very much rooted between melodic techno and deep progressive house. The Stuttgart-based producer, DJ and live act is back on his own renowned label Parquet Recordings, with the mesmerising dancefloor journey of "Bora", awash in layers of sublime synth textures and powerful rhythm arrangements. This is followed up by the moody dancefloor drama of "Sandburg" that's sure to cast its spell on you with its majestic aesthetic throughout. Following up equally impressive outings of late for Bedrock, Suara, Noir Music and Yoshitoshi - Solee remains one to watch!
Review: Stuttgart's Parquet recordings has built a solid reputation across the world with its intelligent yet accessible blend of lush deep house, groovy tech house, melodic techno and progressive elements. Its releases have received support from huge figures across the spectrum of house and techno and has a fantastic reputation - widely associated with some of the most respected and in-demand names in dance music. The label makes its way to the Dutch capital this year for the electronic music community's biggest event that is ADE, with a massive party at Chicago Social Club featuring label boss Solee, D-Nox & Beckers and veteran Gabriel Ananda. This compilation features some of the sonic arsenal that the label will be packing on the night. Highlights come from: Rinzen & Evan Casey's moody Innervisions style dancefloor drama on "Fractal", Marc DePulse's neon-lit and sensual "Pov", the glassy eyed and heartfelt narrative of Several Definitions "M24" and label affiliate Alex Preda's off-kilter and sombre "Vortex".
Manu Riga - "Oscuridad" (Facto remix) - (7:23) 123 BPM
Manuel Meyer - "Obsidian" - (6:49) 123 BPM
Audiostorm - "The Purpose" (Wolfson remix) - (7:56) 122 BPM
Review: As the title suggests, the second volume in Tenor's "Deep Impressions" series is dedicated to the kind of deep and melodic house cuts that are as vivid and colourful as they are dancefloor-friendly. It's a bumper selection, too, with the lads and lasses at Tenor squeezing in 23 tracks from the label's growing roster of artists. There's much to enjoy throughout, from the bubbling, Innervisions-esque bliss of FreakMe's seductive vocal number "Float Away" and the warming, gently unfurling sunrise roll of The Tolsdoi and Andsan's "Masenada", to the spacey chug of Diesen's "How I Feel", the funk-fuelled stomp of Rich Vom Dorf's "The Sweetest Sin" and the trance-inspired, saucer-eyed vibes of "Putinci" by Circle of Life.
