Operating as an outlet for unconventional and forward-thinking electronic music, Of Paradise was established as a platform for limitless self-expression, that pushes against prevailing trends and transcends styles.
Founded in 2016, the label is ran by Lauren Chalmers (Fade) and Paul Patterson.
Review: We are here gifted one hell of a selection as we are welcomed in to view the second edition of 'Of Paradise', a VA compilation showcasing some of the best new breakbeat and techy sounds out there right about now. Overall, the compilation is a solid mix and blend of genre types, from the smooth melodic chord bounces of Will Lister's 'Sky Stepping' all the way around to the more moogish, 80's synth-inspired switches of Low Tape's 'Blue Noise'. Other heaters include the super percussive 'Ingenue' from Eluize, along with the well rounded kick pulses of Dwell's 'Warped'. Vibrant stuff!
Getting' Out (Unhappy Hardcore mix) - (3:42) 167 BPM
Review: Hardcore is most certainly alive and kicking, and thar much is clear here as we get stuck into the latest offering from Stratton, who touches down on Of Paradise with four original creations. We kick off with the pumping drum rolls and sketchy rhythmic swerves of 'Coming', which is followed nicely by the more acid inspired pulsations of 'Wide-eyed & Painless'. It gets a tad euphoric next as we land on 'Bad Advice', a shimmering roller, packed with uplifting pad arrangements and junglistic drum slices, followed by the uptempo 'Unhappy Hardcore Mix' of 'Getting' Out'. Very cool stuff!
Review: Some two years after founding their fast-rising Of Paradise Recordings label, founders Paul Patterson and Lauren Chalmers have decided it's time for a tidy compilation of fresh material from label artists old and new. The first portion of the collection focuses on wonderfully deep, woozy and occasionally Motor City influenced house haziness (see the sublime cuts from Soela, Polejam and Deejay Bloom), before Stratton drags us kicking and screaming towards peaktime floors via the Head High style piano anthem that is "The Keys". Dwell steals the show with the TB-303 acid-powered techno-jack of "Turn Up The Heat", Martin takes us to a sweaty turn-of-the-'90s rave via "Smart Casual" and DJ Moonbeam channels the spirits of early Goa trance on throbbing workout "Apogee".
Review: According to our vigorous research, Emotional is the first "proper EP" from Oall Hates, a producer who has previously self-released a swathe of quietly impressive tracks. Those who like their deep house bass-heavy, compressed and gently soulful should head straight for bumping-but-dreamy opener "Allez Vous", before turning their attention to the gritty but positive thump of acid-flecked peak-time slammer "Flux State". Elsewhere on the EP you'll find the snappy analogue deep house shuffle of "Constant Conditions", and the balls-out, techno-tempo breakbeat house insanity of "Beautifully Executed", where intergalactic chords periodically offer heady release from the acid-powered tribal rhythms that dominate the sound space.
Review: It's refreshing to hear a label taking a chance on a newcomer, so kudos to Of Paradise for releasing Virtual Life. Taking influence from classic house and techno styles as well as some other curveballs, it's a deeply soulful, inspirational listen. The release starts with "You And Me"; centred on skipping drums and a jacking Chicago rhythm, it also houses the kind of lonely male vocal that could have appeared on a Burial track. "Flying High" is deeper and sounds like Dwell has been busy soaking up mid-90s releases on Pagan and Prescription, thanks to its soulful tones and rasping percussion, while "Follow The Rabbit" pivots towards a darker, filter-led techy groove, interspersed with tripped out female vocals. Rounding off this exemplary release is the seductive, dub techno of "My Intentions Were Good".
Review: Nearly two years ago, Shedbug joined forces with fellow Melbourne producer Rudolf C to launch the Balearic-minded deep house imprint Salt Mines. Here, the Australian helps inaugurate another label, delivering a debut EP on Paul Patterson's Of Paradise imprint. While the four tracks here are, by and large, slightly bolder and rougher than his previous material, most still come blessed with that trademark dreaminess and humid detail. The claustrophobic, percussive, sample-heavy "187 District" - kind of like The Orb's "Assassin" fused with tribal house - is arguably the most ear-catching, though the spacey, acid-flecked "Swim", and Mood Hut-ish loveliness of "Dial A Moose" are not far behind.
Review: It hasn't taken DJ and producer Trudge very long to establish a name for himself around the house blocks, and this latest appearance on Paul P and Lauren C's London-based Of Paradise label feels like right move at the right time for both artist and imprint. Much like the rest of this young catalogue, "Memorial For A Buried Hope" staggers to a rough analogue house groove that's been built from the ground up, and with the likes of AFX very much in mind. "Sad But Necessary" takes a similar sort of aesthetic to build its experimental groove, except here the beat has been torn to shreds and replaced with something a lot more UK-centric; it is followed by an awesome power breaks slowed down to a reasonable house tempo through "Drop", while "And I'm Losing My Mind Again" really does feel like AFX's territory thanks to a wacky, off-the-wall blast of jungle breaks.
And I Think Of U (feat Margaux Lonnberg) - (5:11) 120 BPM
U ME EVERYTH1NG - (4:42) 131 BPM
Seaside Heights - (8:39) 120 BPM
Review: No Regrets was originally released 18 months ago on cassette, and now Of Paradise have made it available on vinyl and digital. It's a melodic but raw work that sees Baltra tread a path between deep house, the raw jack of Chicago and wistful electronic sounds. Despite its title, "Fuck All Y'all Haters" resounds to whispered vocals and warm melodies as Baltra deploys an insistent jack track. The title track also features the sound of the human voice, but this time it's a hushed tone deployed over a densely textured but still raw techno roller. Like Legowelt and Lone, Baltra has mastered the art of mixing the melodic with the uncontrolled fizz of hardware-produced rhythms - and nowhere is this more evident than on the vivid deep house of "Soul 4 Real (Vocal Mix)."
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