2019 marks a landmark 25 years at the coalface of rave for Paper Recordings, one of the world's most treasured independent record labels. In that time, it has released over 2000 tracks ranging from deep house and disco to Balearic and leftfield pop on four imprints, produced by over 600 artists, producers and remixers. Their sounds have been spun and streamed into over 80 countries around the world, making them one of the most respected names in contemporary dance music. They make Deep Beats that sooth the Soul, Since 1994 we have been the finest purveyors of deep house and disco.
Review: Aniso Tropics' latest outing on Paper Recordings is another suitably intergalactic affair, with the producer opting for a suitably cosmic take on nu-disco rich in stargazing chords, bubbly TB-303 style 'acid' lines and twinkling melodies. Title track 'Lubek', which is propelled forwards by a rubbery, delay-laden bassline of the sort popularised by Chicken Lips, is our pick of a strong bunch, in part because of its psychedelic electronic motifs, supernova synths and drifting, deep space chords. Elsewhere, 'Utopya' is a warming, analogue-rich slab of mid-tempo nu-disco smothered in gorgeous piano solos, while 'Apricot Memorex' sits somewhere between ultra-deep ambient techno and experimental drum and bass.
Review: If proof was needed that the term 'deep house' now encompasses a much wider range of sounds and styles than it once did, just compare this latest 'Paper Cuts' installment to any volume in Paper's seminal late 90s 'Splinter' series... we have, indeed, come a long way baby, and the more traditionally minded might argue that much of what's here would sit better under the umbrellas marked Balearica or leftfield electronica. But 'Paper Cuts #5' certainly makes for a varied and engaging listen, with standouts including Mordisco's strutty, punk-funkish 'Musica De Baile', the warped funk of Minus The Majors' 'Peanut Dust' and Neon Transmission's rave-basslined, pop-vocalled 'Driving Me Crazy'.
Review: Wow is the word, as Paper bring us a 'best of' collection honouring Tongan producer Soane Filitonga, who died in 2014. It opens with a serviceable but unexceptional cover of Cherelle & O'Neal's 'Saturday Love', setting the tone for a set that is packed with contemporary funk/disco grooves, with nods to Latin and bruk beat on cuts like 'Tropical Snowstorm' and 'Boavida'. But there is a lot more going on here than simple pastiche/homage - there's the energetic, rolling jazz-house of the excellent 'Guana Bara', there's Raw Silk covered inna slo-mo, lo-fi hi-hop style ('Secret Weapon'), there's Hassanah Iroegbu-sung ballad 'Runaway' (think 'Des'ree does folk-tinged Balearica'), and so it goes on...
Review: Manchester's Paper Recordings do some envelope-pushing with a three-track EP from Minus The Majors that certainly couldn't be accused of being 'generic deep house fodder'. Instead, 'Peanut Dust' is a wonky, jazz-tinged workout that wouldn't have sounded out of place on Classic in their heyday, 'Baker Lights' opens with a hip-hop drum loops then breaks out into a glitch-tastic concoction of bleeps, squeaks, beats and what sound like trombone parps, while the Afro-tinged 'Ivasha Flew' rocks carnival percussion, vocal whoops, saxophone tristesse and muted, mutating brass sounds. Definitely one for the broader-minded deep house floors.
Review: One for the dancers here! Paper Recordings are bringing us a fantastic debut EP from Italian duo Soundersons, who have come up through the underground house scene in Bologna. "Can't Get Enough" is a deep slice of nu disco on the electro-funk tip, with the wonderful Diana G on vocals. It's got '80s style synths and vocal hooks a-plenty plus clonking percussion, Rhodes and that Metro Area / Tom Tom Club vibe. Parts I and II are split into vocal and instrumental over one side on continuous play. The legendary DJ Spinna brings his deep NYC take on things that is underground house at it's best. He uses the synths, arps and the vocal to slowly build this remix that hits its peak at the end. Finally, Education finishes things off with a raw disco cut up that will surely burn up the dancefloor.
Review: West Yorkshire's self-labelled deep house super hero Flash Atkins is back on Paper Recordings with more sultry late night grooves that he's steadily built his reputation on in the last few years. The original mix of "Acid House Creator" is a brilliant nu disco jam that fans of Futureboogie and Retrofit will definitely dig. While the driving funky house of Ralph Myerz mix will definitely come in handy during the peak time slot. Tal M Klein's remix however is the real highlight here; African drumming soon gives way to epic 303 acid and dramatic strings on this low slung groove. Finally the "2 Million Beats Remix" gets back on the nu disco tip that fans of Full Pupp will dig.
Review: Almost a year after his last release, Manchester-based caped crusader Flash Atkins (AKA Paper boss Ben Davis) returns to action. "Levenshulme Orphanage For Boys" is a synth-laden chugger - a 1110 BPM chunk of deep house/nu-disco fusion stuffed with undulating electronic motifs and chopped-up vocal yelps. The Deaf Boys Dub offers a rougher, rave-influenced interpretation, with dirtier synth motifs adding a druggy frisson of excitement to proceedings. While there's a faster, more frantic Richard Seaborne mix for those who want a little more energy, Doc L Junior provides the stand out rework - a decidedly trippy, psychedelic dancefloor concoction that sounds like it was tailor made for Andrew Weatherall and Sean Johnston's A Love From Outer Space parties.
Review: Amazingly, it's been some 12 years since the release of Give It Up, arguably Crazy P's first major dancefloor hit (certainly their most accessible and radio-friendly single of the period). Here, the original 2002 remixes single - featuring versions from LAID, Faze Action and Reset - gets re-mastered and reissued. Interestingly, the throbbing deep house-disco take from LAID is featured here in its vocal form (the original 12" boasted just the instrumental). The standout is arguably Faze Action's revivalist disco interpretation, which boasts a seriously heavy synth bassline and dubbed-out drum machine handclaps in addition to Crazy P's original instrumentation. The Reset version, meanwhile, has a surprisingly warm and organic feel that makes it particularly attractive.
Review: Freaks man Justin Harris has been pretty quiet of late, having not released any solo material for some time. "1,2,3 Breathe", then, is something of a rare treat for those who grew up with his particular brand of wonky, eccentric deep house. The track itself isn't as quirky as some of his offerings - think of it as a stylish, off beat vocal deep house cut with leftfield leanings - but it is a cut above the norm. The standout mix is the oddball House Dub - all shuffling percussion, booming low end and breathy vocalizing - but the two slower alternate takes - the house-boogie stylings of the Midtempo Mix and the dreamy Downtempo Mix - are also very good.
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