Joy (Dubble D's Nostalgia Piano dub) - (6:32) 124 BPM
Review: 18 months on from his last outing on Exploited, 'Take Me Back', long-serving Mancunian drummer, DJ and producer Danny Ward returns to the popular German imprint with a double dose of dancefloor dubs. Opener 'Joy (Piano Dub)' more than lives up to the promise of its title, with Ward wrapping arms-aloft piano stabs and high-end electronic melodies around a chunky, mid-90s US house bassline and pleasingly weighty drums. He dons the alternative Dubble D alias on the accompanying 'Nostalgia Piano Dub', a hip-house breakbeat-driven re-interpretation that's every bit as rushing and excitable as the regular 'Piano Dub'.
Review: D.Ko Records co-owner Flabaire (real name Ralph Marauni) makes his bow on Rawax offshoot Housewax, bringing with him a quintet of quality cuts. He sets his stall out on opener 'Inwards', joining the dots between classic deep house, melody-rich lusciousness and early 2000s micro-house, before opting for a deeper, warmer and more bumping vibe on 'Osez'. 'Suspended' is ultra-deep, dubbed-out and hypnotic in the best possible why, while 'Revelation' is a soundscape deep house treat and 'Ugotme' is an Andres-esque riff on Detroit deep house underpinned by deep sub-bass. In other words, it's a fine EP of well made, grown-up house treats.
Review: Since ditching his Marquis Hawkes alias some years back, long-serving house and techno producer Mark Hawkins has gone back to his roots, delivering no-nonsense, hype-free workouts for the likes of Aus Music, Repetitive Rhythm Research and Unknown To The Unknown. Here he makes his bow on X-Masters with a predictably solid four-tracker. Title track 'Time & Space' is particularly potent, with Hawkins layering hazy female vocal snippets and warming electric piano chords atop sweaty deep house drums and a genuinely superb bassline. This classic deep house vibe continues on the even deeper, dreamier and more alluring 'Together', before Hawkins opts for enveloping chords, fluctuating wobble bass and locked-in beats on 'Illusion'. Closer 'Lopez', meanwhile, is a fine fusion of deep house and cultured acid house sounds.
Review: The Deepshakerz and Turntables Night Fever join forces on "Oh Phunk!," a potent injection of funk-fueled house music courtesy of Fool's Paradise. The track wastes no time establishing its groove. A powerful, pulsating bassline takes center stage, laying the foundation for the funky mayhem to unfold. Disco influences are sprinkled throughout "Oh Phunk!," with filtered disco strings adding a touch of nostalgic flair. However, the production feels fresh and modern, avoiding a cheesy throwback vibe. A classic house with a modern edge!
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