Exploited Rec is known for uncovering new talent. A born-and-bred Berliner (now based in Bangkok), Shir Khan started Exploited in his home city in 2007. A decade into shaping careers of artists like Claptone, Adana Twins, Joyce Muniz and Budakid, Shir Khan continues to remain on the pulse of the global underground shaping dance music through his label, productions and unconventional, uncompromising and unpredictable sets.
Review: Shir Kahn's electro-house label proves that they're still kicking ass with another dancefloor-blistering (actually, is that even possible?) release, and this time it's courtesy of Chicago's James Curd. First up, we get a collaboration between Curd and Luke Million of The Swiss. "Yellow Magic" a slick, heavily compressed electro-disco-boogie monster, but let's mention the elephant in the room here, its more than a vague relation to Daft Punk's Voyager, "Don't Know How" is hypnotic looped and filtered house, while the poppy title track, featuring new wave vocals from Annabel Weston, has more in common with punk funk and reggae.
Review: Vienna-based Brazilian Joyce Muniz has long been regarded as "one to watch", thanks largely to some impressive early outings on Man Recordings and, latterly, 2020 Vision. Here she returns to occasional home Exploited with a typically swinging chunk of peaktime deep house. The original version of "Trust Your Enemies", featuring a bold vocal from Kinixx, offers the perfect balance between bumpin' '90s revivalism and the sort of slick cocaine house with which Maceo Plex made his name. The EP's real standout moment, though, is the Dub Enemy Mix, which sounds like Joyce dragged Local Talk kicking and screaming into the 21st century.
Review: Exploited's semi-regular "mini compilation" series continues, with Shir Khan collecting together a quintet of new cuts from the label's extended roster. Michelle Owen kicks things off with the Inner City-ish hustle of "What Say You", before Ray & Kjevic drop a wonky chunk of retro-futurist soulfulness in the shape of "No Choice". Elsewhere, Urulu's "It's Over" delivers deepness and bass-propelled bump in equal measure, while Sishi Rosch's "Movedatass" channels the spirit of Miami bass into a rave era chugger. Pavel Petrov's "Violet View", meanwhile, delivers a luscious fusion of intricate pianos, deep house atmospherics and nu-disco synths.
Review: Having most recently plied their trade on Local Talk, deep house duo Purple Velvet (AKA British producers Chris James and Lee Dearn) return to their original home, Exploited, for a four-track foray into deep, powdery, late night territory. While "Solstice" is nowhere near as pagan as you'd hope for, its combination of woozy chords, shuffling grooves and sweet electronic melodies sounds like it was designed for dancing to at dusk. Both "Artform" and the similarly bleep-heavy "Drift" are so effortlessly breezy, it's almost impossible to dislike. Bristol-based misfits Behling & Simpson predictably steal the show with their version of "Solstice", which impresses with its hissing combination of jazz-flecked, old skool house drums and bubbling low end.
Review: Mystery surrounds the identity of Berlin-based production combo Claptone. Perhaps it doesn't matter, but it would be nice to know who's behind this four-track selection of sharply floor-focused tech-house, deep house and disco blends. There's a driving intensity to the heavyweight disco-tech of "Make Me Feel", a relentless bumper that loops up vocal snippets from a familiar Sylvester tune. "Maximum" offers a deeper, Chicago-influenced cut along similar lines, whilst lead track "She Loves You" rises magnificently thanks to some cute vocals and hooky riffs. "Wicked", meanwhile, offers a rolling contemporary take on ragga-house - all loose breakbeats, thumping bottom end and quirky dancehall vocals. Check it.
Review: With DJ names like Take It Easy and Friso, it's probably to be presumed that German duo Adana Twins don't take themselves too seriously. That tongue in cheek attitude can be heard on "Everyday", a delightfully loose and languid cut that sounds like a funkier, groovier and, well, slightly less overbearing take on the work of Benoit & Sergio. Despite being propelled forward by a superb synth bassline, it lazily slips from the speakers rather than jumping towards you like a ninja on speed. "Strange" continues in a similar vein, offering a laidback, Soul Clap style cover of The Doors' "People Are Strange". With nice pianos. However odd that may seem on paper, it's actually superb.
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