Review: Bunte Bummler delivers a range of moods and styles on Come Together. At one of the spectrum, there's "Chance To Follow". Its rumbling, menacing synth underpins a muffled male vocal from the kind of sexually charged individual who frequented the Sound Factory. "Baby Get Lost" is much gentler and more mysterious-sounding with a focus on gypsy fiddles and breathy melodies. The title track is more upbeat still: over a sinewy funk bassline and shuffling garage drums, an unnamed female, despite her suspicions about her partner's activities, admits that 'you always find some little way to let me know you love me'. Apart from some quality underground house, isn't that the kind of assurance that we all want?
Review: Bringing the pristine production and punchy funk to 8 Bit, Andre Butano and Demian Muller make for a formidable pairing on this four track EP. The vibes move around quite fluidly, starting with the techy bounce of "Zhummir" which feels poised to decimate the peak time dancefloor. "Crystal" is a more rolling, sexy kind of house jam bolstered by the croon of Manu on vocals, while on the flip "Dr Beauty" returns to that functional groove space that cries out for the endless night of Berlin partying. Rounding things off, "Purple Light" heads into the bleary eyed end of such a session, letting layers of vocal and texture fall into the whirlpool of sound with pleasingly disorientating results.
Review: Budapest's Collective Machine (All I Want) and Austrian Philipp Straub (Bedrock/Intec/Deeperfect/Yoshitoshi) collaborate on this killer EP for Nick Curly's always reliable 8bit. On "Baychimo (original)" we see the dynamic duo throw down the sound so typical of Nico Dohringer's label: deep and atmospheric tribal house with an emphasis on percussion of the most hypnotic kind. "Revolution Of House" is a much more druggy and strobe lit affair geared for optimum dancefloor impact and those pitch shifted vocal monologues work a real treat over the dubby chords and tough drums. Finally, "Stalactite" rounds off this great EP with something a bit deeper and adrenalized than the previous efforts: this one nailing a progressive house vibe that will have cross genre appeal, possibly ending up in the Rekordboxes of Guy Matzur or Henry Saiz.
Review: Straddling the world of tribal house and European minimalism is Nick Curly. Although his catalogue shows that his sound usually inhabits the same techy terrain as Johnny D and Nick Okpara, the title track has more than its fair share of minimal signatures. Spluttering, hiccupping vocals and whooshing effects unfold over tough drums and the kind of relentless, jacking rhythms one would associate with Detroit producers like Dan Bell or even Claude Young. On "Headcount", Curly returns to what he knows best. Over dense, doubled up drums, he delivers insistent claps and filters that churn and surge without a single pause.
Review: Nick Curly and Gorge are certainly glad to have the legendary British player Danny Howells back on 8bit Records. Proper house music in all its styles and variations here, much in the vein of last year's celebrated appearance for the label - the amazing Whiterock EP. Features the low slung yet emotive percussive house thriller "Players", in addition to the sweltering disco inflected funk attack of "Retreat", right through to the slinky and hypnotic tech house journey of "Mayfeels" harking back to his glory days as a tastemaker on the progressive house scene at the turn of the millenium. That being said, this industry veteran is now displaying some of his most exhilarating output yet.
Review: Nick Curly and Gorge's 8 bit imprint is still running strong out of Germany's proud city of industry: Mannheim. Following up a terrific release by progressive house elegant Danny Howells, it is over to current hero of the British tech-house sound Darius Syrossian. The Leeds based DJ follows up releases on top labels like Hot Creations, VIVa Music and Sankey's Music with the Fixation EP - featuring four house slammers, right in time for the Ibiza season. From the thunderous "Kapan", the funky main room energy of the title track and the tough rolling functionality of "Curzon" that is just perfect to lead-in to the peak time.
