Review: Food Music continues to explore the archives of rave-era superstars N'Joi. They've already released a must-have 'best of', Collected, and here deliver the first of a series of EPs featuring previously unreleased recordings. Those around at the time may recognise some of the tracks because the popular duo frequently performed them in their live shows in the very early '90s. Their original live vocalist Luvian features on two tracks: the foreboding, bleep and early Orbital-influenced brilliance of opener 'Century Masters' and the sparkling, rushing, life-affirming piano house brilliance of 'Feel The Love (extended mix)'. Elsewhere, 'Acid Machine' is a breathlessly sleazy and psychedelic slab of post-bleep heaviness and 'Astoria' is a clanking bleep-and-breaks monster.
Review: For those born after 1990, N'Joi were one of the most commercially successful acts of the rave era, though their music remained steadfastly underground in tone. Collected, a retrospective of the duo's best work, is undoubtedly long overdue. Fittingly, it begins with the Unique 3 inspired bleep & bass of 'Techno Gangsters' and ends with the gnarled, breathless proto-jungle darkness of 'Strength'. In between you'll find such gems as the bouncy piano-house rush of 'Jah Heaven', the breathless, warehouse-ready acid techno stomp of 'Mindflux' and the stab-heavy breakbeat hardcire heaviness of 'Manic'. In a word: essential.
Review: Ten months after dropping their first EP on Food Music, rising stars Mac & Ward return with a quietly impressive and undeniably energy-packed sequel. The Leeds-based duo's love of robust, peak-time ready fare is explored on opener 'Bliss Nights', where smile-inducing piano motifs, melodic refrains and waves of sharp, rising and falling synthesizer sounds leap above a pumping, sub-heavy house groove. You'll find more attractively twisted, mind-mangling synth sounds on second track 'Turn Off The Lights', a bombastic, warehouse-ready stomper that doffs a cap to neo-trance while remaining a genuine big-room house treat.
Review: A quarter of a century has passed since the surge in disco-fired funky house from France led to the dancefloor dominance of "French touch" records. This EP from the previously little-known Jac Solaire was clearly inspired by that sound, though there's enough 21st century musical tricks to think of it as an update to the style rather than a tribute. We get three different takes on lead cut 'Volaris': an original mix that blends fresh, saucer-eyed vocals and bright-and-breezy disco instrumentation with a typically thickset French touch groove; a classic, Cassisus style rework from Alex Virgo, and a more heavily cut-up, stab-happy take from No-e that reminded us of DJ Sneak. Bonus cut 'Into The Night', meanwhile, could well end up being this year's 'Music Sounds Better With You'.
Review: Food Music is back again to follow up last week's terrific Day & Night various artists EP, which featured the likes of No-e, M.A.S.C & Fast Eddie, with another batch of young guns on Night & Day (see what they did there?). Bournemouth's Harry Judda (Dirtybird/Simma Black/Of Unsound Mind) teams up with James Davison on the swingy and bass-driven UK garage influence of "Skittle", Nesky gives you a taste of the acid life on the jacking "Bass Trip", Italian duo M.F.S. Observatory tread a similar 303 driven path on the old school Midwest techno vibe of "Ainno" and another banger comes from Mac & Ward on the peak time warehouse stomp of "Jups".
Review: Following up some great releases by the likes of Posthuman, Queer On Acid & Robert Owens, Food Music now present this terrific various artists EP that brings you the creme de la creme of current house talent. M.A.S.C & Fast Eddie appear with the late '80s commercial dance music energy of "Rise Up", No-e delivers the upbeat tech house thump of "I Don't Care", while label boss Shadow Child serves up an extended refix of Kitchen Disco's "House Of Colin" which goes down an old school techno route complete with jacked vocals. Speaking of which, it's a classic acid house vibe all the way on AnD_oR's 303 driven "Prehab" which closes out a fine package.
Review: Acid house evangelists Posthuman rarely put a foot wrong, so it's no surprise to find that their latest EP is full to bursting with high quality. Interestingly, there's no sign of their trademark TB-303 acid lines on lead cut 'You're Mine'; instead, they've opted to pepper a sturdy drum pattern with retro-futurist organ stabs, glassy-eyed vocal samples and, as the track progresses, gargantuan sub-bass and sweaty breakbeats. The accompanying remix is package is strong too, with Luke Vibert predictably stealing the show with a tooled-up, rave-igniting take smothered in a variety of familiar old school vocal samples. We'd also suggest checking dense and chunky bonus cut '(Find Me) On The Edge of Town', a sweaty slab of future acid jack with oodles of energy.
Review: Ascendant Leeds-based duo Mac & Ward join Food Music, with two fresh tracks which have been championed by heavyweights such as Danny Howard, Alan Fitzpatrick, Huxley and Low Steppa. "Ebony" is a track we're sure you'll be hearing a lot of this year, with its tough, dubby bounce and soulful overtones that reach near tribal moments. Second offering "The Feeling" is equally as bass-driven and will appeal to Dirtybird fans, with its Motor City style chord progression which is utterly euphoric. Also includes a remix from label boss Shadow Child, which takes the track down a mental breakbeat rave route.
Review: Bonafide 909 drums in full effect if your name is Woutan S whose lines up alongside Skint's Theo Kottis and REKIDS/Ultramajic artist Chambray in remixing "I'm Rushing". Saturated in summer of love vibes, Chambray in particular goes large in his remix, throwing down some massive drum machine percussion and epic vocal expansion to deliver a remix that's as festival centric as Disclosure while heavy as Shed's Head High alias. Something more minimal, techy and electro comes from Theo Kottis, with Wouter S channelling Chicago's underground as much as the UK's free rave and hardcore scene in his remix.
Review: Next up on Shadow Child's Food Music label are These Machines, with a fine heads-down release. On the title track, a thumping rhythm and shredded percussion provide the back drop for cut-up vocals and malfunctioning computer tones. It makes for a wild, frazzled track that sits somewhere between tech-house and electro house. Shadow Child has teamed up with Mark Archer, one half of rave legends Altern8 to review "Go Ahead". Favouring a cleaner, more rolling rhythm, the pair use it as a basis to fuse the original version's vocal sample with a siren riff of Robert Armani-style strength.
Review: Dutch duo Black Girl / White Girl (Karin and Ty) are among the highest rated upcoming acts in the global house and techno scene, known for their jacking tracks on top imprints such as Relief, Kitball and Observatory Music. Their next bunch of dancefloor bombs come courtesy of London label Food Music, with the deep down and dirty bounce of "ETi" leading the way. It is supported by a wicked old school house remix by good Italian pals MFS Observatory, as well as the acid-inflected percolator jack of "Exoplanet" and saving the best for last on the swing-fuelled, late night tech house groove of "Bigfoot" (extended mix).
Review: London by way of Mt. Vesuvius duo M.F.S. Observatory return to Food Music for more quality house music on the De Bob EP, which follows up some great ones on Relief Records, Distortion and Daylight Robbery Records. From the intoxicating, afterhours minimal tech-house of "Neutra", to the boompty and funked-up banger that is the title track and "Acid Sprint" taking things down a much darker and sinister route in an early 2000s manner (similar to the first track) - it's clear that this hot Italian duo are on a roll at the moment and we're looking forward to what they have in store for 2020!
Review: Zero B's "Lock Up" is the next installment in Shadow Child's 'Curated by' series on Food Music. This one is considered a classic all these years later, and these new mixes are set to take it further than before - so here is a huge remix package featuring the likes of Red Rack'em, Kiwi and more. The groovy breakbeat action of the original is remastered, in addition to a wicked junglist roller perspective by legends 2 Bad Mice, the ever reliable Lady Blaktronika provides some spiritual deep house vibes on her rework and Super Rhythm Trax's Jerome Hill is on form as always with his epic rave reconstruction.
Review: Frenchman Christopher Kah is up next on London's Food Music, following up great ones by Xpansions, Dom Rimini and Mak & Pasteman lately. An alumnus of labels such as International Deejay Gigolo, Planet Rouge and Cr2, Kah certainly has the credentials and he's definitely in fine form on the Call Of Jack EP. From the dub techno infused funky house cut that is the title track, fuelled by that legendary "Can You Feel It" sample, plus the uplifting and euphoric funky house thriller "Sun State" soon follows, and, in addition to this you're treated to a remix of it by label co-chief Shadow Child's Cream Terrace extended remix taking into slinky and hypnotic tech house territory.
Review: For the next installment on Food Music, Kry Wolf and Shadow Child look to Bunkball Records boss Don Rimini, who serves up some truly boompty and bass driven jams on the Curiosa EP. First up, the Frenchman gets truly obtuse and bouncy on the druggy main room groove of "Sexy Garl", then gets aboard the acid express on the spacey and infectious "That House Music". This is followed by the jitty percolator jack of "Camouflage" reminiscent of early Green Velvet, while the stripped down rhythm trax of "This Is Not A Skeet" call to mind even earlier sounds of Chicago's first wave.
Review: Mak & Pasteman have been solid staples on London's Food Music, but it is with a heavy heart that we bid farewell to the talented duo. They will be calling it a day to focus on personal projects and what a way to sign off with this jam titled "Tell Ya Something". It's a fierce expression in percolator jack in the vein of classic Green Velvet/Relief Records style. If that was not enough, the legend from NYC Junior Sanchez delivers an extended remix which gets into some infectious disco loop shenanigans that's sure to burn up the dancefloor - much like anything else by the undisputed veteran.
Review: Shadow Child and Kry Wolf's Food Music are on a roll at the moment and their next thriller comes from Sander van den Oever aka Sander Dellariva: a DJ/producer from the Netherlands that is certainly on the rise. Snatch!, Underground Audio and Flashmob LTD are just some of the labels he has released on of late. He delivers a sublime serving of Afro-influenced uplifting house on the fittingly titled "Piano Track". Also featured is the tough rolling main-room bounce of "Can't Take It" and the hard hitting peak time techno of "Acid Pump" with its sick TB-303 flourishes. Dellariva is definitely one to watch moving forward into 2018!
Review: New York veteran Junior Sanchez is back! Over the last few decades, he has built himself a solid reputation as a DJ and producer with releases on the likes of Nervous, Robsoul and his own Brobot Recordings. His latest release comes courtesy of Shadow Child and Kry Wolf's London based Food Music . Featuring the dirty late night swing of "Brain Game" (extended mix) , the tough rolling jack of "Nasty Gruve" (extended mix) (which also receives an energetic rework by Mak & Pasteman) and the main room peak time bounce of "Shine Through The Dark" (extended mix) which will appeal to all the Gruuv and Saved fans out there.
Review: Food Music revisit the 1991 rave anthem "DJs Take Control" by SL2 - aka legend DJ Slipmatt and John 'Lime' Fernandez with rap vocalist Jay-J.They also provide some killer remixes by some contemporary heavyweights in support. The Slipmatt & Sooney 2018 extended remix still sounds as evocative and potent as it did 27 years ago: with its Kevin Saunderson style chord progressions, tough breaks and cut 'n' paste sampling - a true zeitgeist of UK dance music's emergent hardcore rave sound. Label boss Shadow Child had his work cut out for him when attempting to rework such a classic, but delivered a dynamic and respectful version. Not to mention man of the moment DJ Boring, whose extended remix goes all the way back to the same era for a fierce junglist steppa.
Review: Next up on British deep house imprint Food Music is Berlin scene stalwart David Keno with more quality grooves that you have come to expect from the man. Following on in the same style of grooves displayed for the likes of Mother, Katermukke and This Ain't Bristol, Keno throws down some bass heavy dancefloor weapons on his latest offering. From the swing-fuelled boompty house shenanigans of "Revolve" right through to the funked-up and tough rolling dancefloor assault of "Pick It Up" - these ones will rock any club from London to Berlin and beyond. On remix duties are rising Amsterdam duo ANOTR with an extended remix that ventures down deeper and more hypnotic territory.
Review: For the 51st Food Music outing, the prodigious BOT teams up with Dateless for a two-pronged tech attack that swings and bangs hard, much like the rest of this tidy little catalogue! The pair strike up an awesome collaboration in the studio, with both "The Bowdown" and "Solve It" providing some heavy-ass dance flows that make the Germans and Italians seem like debutants; the subtle layer of heavy UK bass on these two swelters adds more guts to a framework that if often plagued by indifference and compromising - but these killers will undoubtedly get your ass moving and onto the dancehall - wicked!
Review: "My MPC" is an ode to the one of the key pieces of equipment used to make techno: on the title track's nightmare chord stabs, the MPC is called out by an unknown vocalist, alongside "two turntables and a bunch of records|". As the track reaches a rolling drum climax, there can be no doubt that the MPC has been hugely beneficial to the process. "Tijuana" sees Mak & Pasteman change their focus to concentrate on a shaking, percussive affair that has echoes of Mexican funk. "Velvit" is different again, with the pair combining a house diva vocal with a rolling, stepping techno rhythm
Review: The latest release on Shadow Child's label features the progeny of techno royalty: Dantiez is Kevin 'Reese' Saunderson's son and based on this release, it is clear that a talent for electronic music runs in the family. Teaming up with fellow US producer Mad Villains, he delivers a forward-thinking release. "Philosophy" resounds to tough house beats and repetitive vocal snippets - a continuation of his father's Tronikhouse project perhaps? - as well as searing electronic riffs. On "Insomnia" the pair's focus shifts to tough, bleepy techno, with tonal shifts inspired by LFO, while "More" sounds influenced as much by UK garage as US techno, as skipping beats underpin hypnotic chord builds.
Review: London's Shadow Child presented his top track "Ooh Tune" for his esteemed Food Music imprint earlier in the year and here are the remixes. Rising star Danny Howard has been championed by the label and rest assured he does indeed appear. The Blackpool native gives the track a much needed tough rolling extended mix.
Mak & Pasteman deliver another extended mix, and this one was actually our pick of the bunch: their rendition delivering a totally bangin' acid techno perspective in early '90s fashion. Likewise, Dutch junglist Coco Bryce delivers another nostalgic homage - one for the rollers that had massive respect for the likes of Goldie or Alex Reece back in the day. Finally DJ Octopus from Venice hands in the Heavy Breathing extended mix. This guy has appeared previously on the likes of Hot Haus, Shall Not Fade, Muscle Records and Chiwax - so you know you are in good hands.
Feel Real (Shadow Child extended remix) - (5:26) 124 BPM
Review: London based DJ Danny Howard has previously appeared on Toolroom Records and Spinnin' Deep, in addition to some killer remixes for the likes of legends like Erick Morillo - which received massive support from Pete Tong! His new hit "Feel Real" is real Brittania of the tech-house kind: tough and rolling with summer on The White Isle in mind. Fans of grooves on Knee Deep In Sound, Saved or Material will be all over this one! There is also an awesome remix up next by fellow Londoner Shadow Child - his extended rendition strips things back on this minimal and moody DJ tool for the early evening. The funky bump and shuffle of next offering "kid" features dusty swing fuelled rhythms, beneath diva vocals and police sirens and not forgetting that booming bassline and massive drop - this one's going to be destroying dancefloors well into 2018. Howard's one to watch!
Review: Shadowchild's label welcomes Joedan to the fold with this dance floor-friendly release. "Just A Feelin" revolves around detuned riffs, a driving rhythm and some tripped out vocals. It sounds like an update of releases on 90s deep house labels like Cross Section. The title track is more stripped back and takes influences from UK garage, with its crashing snares and relentless off-beat rhythm sounding like a tough, modern take on 2-step. Rounding off the release is "Barca". Once again, it sees Joedan shift approach, with ominous chords building and building over firing hi hats and lone bleeps. It all adds up to one of 2017's most impressive Eps that resides in the house /techno grey area.
Do It Right (Catchment extended remix) - (6:11) 124 BPM
Do It Right (Code 23 Rework) - (4:31) 140 BPM
Review: Deep talks from Horx; a man who's name flashes across the bass spectrum from time to time but vanishes just as quickly. With collaborations with Adam F and label boss Shadow Child over the years, he returns for his first solo outing on Food: "Do It Right" is pure funk hypnosis with a slink-sprung bassline, bouncing cloud-leaping melodies and hypnotising vocal sample. Remix-wise Catchment adds more of a tech-primed push while Code 23 (Shadow Child and S.P.Y of course) get busy on the jungle breaks. Do the right thing.
Review: With releases on Toolroom, Moon Harbour and Glasgow Underground in his catalogue, Kostoxenakis is no stranger in underground house circles. As his latest release for Food Music attests, this is due to his ability to deliver new, compelling interpretations on classic sounds. "Ubar" revolves around a tough, swinging rhythm and a repetitive vocal sample that has echoes of Chicago ghetto. However, the Greek producer's raw, gritty sound means that it boasts a contemporary flavour. On the title track, he drops a firing, percussive rhythm, once again featuring a looped vocal sample, but the arrangement is more stripped back and not as busy as "Ubar". Completing the release is "Breath", where Kostoxenakis drops filtered rave riffs over a jacking rhythm.
Review: After releases on Nurvous, Club Sweat and Green Velvet's esteemed Relief imprint, Aussie Craig Williams is back, but now for UK imprint Food Music and with a little help from new pal Andrea Fratangelo aka Bot. He heads up the Main Course label in addition to hot tracks on the likes of Night Bass and This 'Ain't Bristol. The bouncy and bass driven electro house of "Don't Fake It" is a sure party starter.. and just wait for that drop! Second offering "Hot For You" is the real winner on here though. This brooding and tunnelling acid house journey is geared for some properly strobed out moments on late night dancefloors, we'd count on it!
Review: Danny Howard has only put out a handful of EPs, but on Work That, he distills his energetic DJ sets into two killer cuts. The title track is an upbeat mixture of genres, with a driving techno rhythm supporting insistent vocal samples and rave stabs. Add in some cheeky electro house swagger and you've got an essential big room groove. "Holla" is cut from a similar cloth - while Howard slows down the tempo and makes the groove more swinging, the use of a lurching bass and dubbed out vocals reveals his garage/dubstep influences. This combination, aided along by rolling snares, proves to the irresistible.
Review: James Jacob is a London based producer, DJ and label owner who has been in the business since late 2009. Releasing music under several well known aliases, both his original work and remixes are notable for transcending genres. On this new one here for local imprint Food Music, James gets straight into it on "Over" a tough basement jam with rough drums, grunting bass and hypnotic chords all doing groove business the right way. "One Second" is the kind of druggy and rolling main room tech house that will appeal to fans of White Isle party sounds brought to you by Gruuv, Saved or Material Series. Finally "Shifty" gets all classic house on you: this funky, stateside styled house jam was a surprise highlight and has heap of soul in it too!
Review: UK house veteran Shadow Child (aka Dave Spoon) heads up the Food Music label with Kry Wolf. Next up for their label is the debut from newcomers Kitchen Disco. Comprised of Andy Moore and Johnny Valentine, they formed Kitchen Disco after the initial success of DJing together. They then joined forces with Groovefinder in the studio and that's apparently when the project was born. Spoon then picked up the track (together with "On Off") for the label and after playing it on Rinse FM, he remixed it too!
Review: The title of the latest release on Shadow Child's label may cause some confusion. Penned by Food Music regular Will Clarke and Italian producer Bot, "Techno (Not Techno)" is undoubtedly a techno release. It may also take some of its inspiration from electro house - check out that murky bass - but it revolves around crashing snare rolls, a pitch-bent vocal sample derived from Dan Bell and Josh Wink and the kind of bleep and shuffle combination that developed nearly 30 years ago in Detroit and then Sheffield. If this isn't a techno release, then it's hard to know what is.
Review: Bristol's favourite son Will Clarke; master of all things bouncy and bassy teams up with Bot for what could be one of 2017's favourite tunes "Techno (Not Techno)" is top pick that sits somewhere between Marc Houle's mid noughties minimal house (particularly with the druggy vocals), Curtis Jones' percolator jack and the notorious Dirtybird sound: expect to be hearing this one out a lot! Second offering "Lil' Mami" is more straight up, deep and dirty tech house that will appeal to fans of the Hot Creations sound and featuring some catchy rap vocals which will get some real hands in the air moments alongside all its other boompty elements.
Review: London's Harry Judda is sure on a roll right now! From his humble Bournemouth beginnings he's gone on to release on a who's who of labels in recent times such as Dirtybird, Food Music, Simma Black, This Aint Bristol and Of Unsound Mind. For London's Food Music he unleashes the Dying Of The Light EP where "Stone Cold" provides a dirty late night dancefloor remedy filled with wonky bass, dusty drums and druggy pitchshifted vocals. On "New Beginnings" he provides a sinister and thumping exercise in bass therapy that shows of his dubstep roots while "Drunky" hammers the message, home all guns blazing, with this bouncy, sexy lo-fi affair for the early hours.?
Review: Hot Bristol duo Bill Francis & Lewis Darvill are Kry Wolf. who've released previously on Sounds Of Sumo and Palms Out Sounds. My Nu Leng are another up and cming local duo who have appeared on Black Butter Records and MTA Records. If that wasn't enough, the duos also enlist the vocal talents of one Kiko Bun; an original rudeboy from London. Now you may be hinking there's too many cooks in the kitchen but you'd be sadly mistaken! This pitched down and deconstructed take on modern jungliest sounds is pure fire. Rumbling sub bass, choppy amen breaks combined with Bun's convining dub stylin' vocals are the bomb right here.
Review: All we really know about mysterious UK producer Ten Ven is that they have released previously on the likes of MTA Records or Noir and can really throw down some seriously wicked tech house grooves. He reappears this time for the always reliable Food Music with the Belo EP. Here they show off some wares aimed squarely at the dancefloor, such as on the druggy electro-house adrenaliser "Belo Horizonte" (which is drenched in reverb), the uplifting and soulful deep house of "Celebrate" (which has the most unbelievable breakdown you must hear) and finally "One Chance" which is probably the most DJ friendly and functional cut with subtle Afro house influences but clear comparisons to the futuristic sounds of Innervisions; and that's a great compliment!
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