Heist Recordings was founded by Dam Swindle to gain full control over their own releases and to create a stage for likeminded musicians. From the first release on, Dam Swindle’s “Break up to make up” EP in summer 2013, Heist has been a go to label for proper underground house and electronic music. Now, going into its 10th year, Heist has brought forward artists like Crackazat, Byron the Aquarius, Marina Trench, Kassian, Fouk, Makez, Kassian & Scan7.
Heist has been a home to many remixers and collaborators such as Blue Note artist Tom Misch, Nightmares on Wax, Ash Lauryn, Emma-Jean Thackray, DJ Bone, Matthew Herbert, Seven Davis Jr, Pépé Bradock, Ge-ology, Kai Alcé, Session Victim, and Jitwam. An annual label highlight is the ‘Round up’; a remix ep where all artists from that year remix each other; A unique concept that is another clear sign of the family approach the duo have with the label.
Now coming into its 10-year anniversary, there is no sign of slowing down and with the music they’ve got ready for future releases, Heist will continue its path to build bridges, support talent and showcase legends.
Review: The Dutch production duo Makez returns to their soulful house roots with a new four-track EP on Heist Recordings called "Midnight Time." This release showcases the versatility of Makez, seamlessly blending introspective grooves, infectious club anthems, and atmospheric soundscapes. The EP opens with "Closer," a laidback, jazzy collaboration with vocalist AVA LAVÁ featuring lush textures and rich instrumentation that sets a mellow, moody vibe. Next is "Running From The Noise," reuniting Makez with vocalist Life On Planets after their previous hit "Downstream." Life On Planets' emotive vocals mesh perfectly with Makez's trademark deep house rhythms, creating another potential dancefloor gem. It then gets into higher gear with the acid-tinged, 90s-inspired techno groove of "The Answer." Powered by a male vocal hook, acid basslines and classic 909 drum programming, it's a high-energy cut primed for peak-time club plays. Closing out the EP is "Gratitude," which ventures into deeper, more introspective territory with haunting strings, glitchy vocal samples and distorted synth textures layered into an immersive sonic landscape.
Review: Heist Recordings' 'The Round Up' - an annual mini-album in which label artists remix each other - reaches its tenth volume. As usual, there's plenty to set the pulse racing throughout. Dam Swindle channel the spirit of Victor Simonelli's early '90s NYC house productions on a fine version of Cinthie's 'Won't You Take Me', Krewcial opts for a bouncy, piano-rich 'classic house' revision of Orlando Voorn's 'High', and DJ Sneak re-imagines Dam Swindle's 'Soul's Lament' as a rolling, string-stab laden slice of rolling Chicago chunkiness. Further highlights include Crackazat's loose-limbed, sun-soaked and synth solo-heavy revision of Krewcial's 'Owo', Cinthie turns DJ Sneak's 'Full Cycle' into an acid-and-filter heavy peak-time loop jam, and Orlando Voorn and Marina Trench join forces on a deep, drowsy and woozy rework of UC Beatz's 'Make Me Feel'.
Review: The DJ Sneak revival continues, with the U.S house legend pitching up on Dam Swindle's Heist Recordings imprint following fine recent outings on Hard Times, Frappe and Digital Tape Recordings. It may be 30 years since the Chicago house stalwart released his first EP, but his talent for delivering impeccable club cuts has not dimmed - as is proved by the punchy drums, wide-eyed vocal snippets and sumptuous string loops of 'Love Can Make It Happen', and the breathlessly brilliant 'bompty beats' and sleazy acid bass of EP highlight 'Going Back To It'. His ability to work short loops into a frenzy of heads-down and hands-aloft dancing comes to the fore on 'Full Cycle', while 'Pockets' is a veritable breeze of brilliantly programmed, loose-limbed house beats, vocal stabs and wonderfully deep chords.
Review: Dam Swindle's Heist Recordings celebrate their 10th anniversary this year, and here we have the fourth in a series of EPs marking that milestone. The EP opens with the surging, pulsing 'Alfa' from Crackazat with its insistent, rolling piano line, before Andy Hart injects a little old school funk/soul flava on 'Epsilon Girls'. Makez's 'Different Planets' adds an Afro-style chant to the classic deep house blueprint, Kassian take us into more stripped-back territory with the fluid '8th Movement' and its familiar "music!" vocal sample, before Nachtbraker play us out with 'Hamdi', a slightly more leftfield, bottom-heavy shuffler. The quality standard is high throughout, so here's to another decade!
Review: Having spent much of 2023 marking the 10th birthday of their popular Heist Recordings imprint, Dam Swindle have not had much time to showcase new music. This three track EP of all-new material is therefore a very welcome development. Predictably, they're on the spot from the word go, wrapping filtered string sounds, hazy horn samples and sustained organ chords around a warming disco bassline and layered disco-house beats on 'That's Right'. Title track 'Minor Fools' follows, offering a blend of sweat-soaked deep house beats, rubbery synth-bass and sun-soaked chords, before the popular Dutch duo round off another strong EP via the tactile and huggable, disco-sampling sweeps of 'Soul's Lament'. It's arguably the EP's most impactful moment - and that's saying something.
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