Review: San Francisco's Nick Monaco brings his experiences within his hometown's nightlife culture into his own 'carefree, cosmic experimental pop sound', recently heard on his album Half Naked for Soul Clap's Crew Love label. Here he collaborates his fellow Crew Love alumnus David Marston from Kingston, Jamaica for the rather explicit "Pussy". Its risque lyrics are contrasted by an addictive modern synth-pop accompaniment with smooth arpeggios, soaring synth leads and rusty machine rhythms.
Review: Given Wolf & Lamb's well-earned party-starting reputation, you'd expect "Me Me Fall" to deliver their usual blend of vividly coloured, tech-tinged deep house. In fact, "Make Me Fall" is surprisingly jazzy, with synth trumpet solos dancing over a hazy female vocal and swinging, US-garage influenced beats. It's kind of like a modern take on Boulevard-era St Germain, but with less bluesy atmospherics. Those wanting a tougher club take should check Navid Izadi's Club Dub on the flip, which twists the original into a sweet, basement-friendly US garage chugger - all thumping beats, cut-up vocals and jaunty keys.
Festival Erotica (Soul Clap remix) - (7:06) 123 BPM
Review: Here's something rather special for fans of Wolf + Lamb - a collaborative single featuring new pal Nick Monaco (whose debut album, Mating Call, was released to much acclaimed back in September) and legendary Chicago vocalist Russoul. The later's honeyed delivery and vocal inflections help make "Festival Erotica" sound like a tech-house tribute to Prince's "Erotic City", a feeling emphasized by the undulating warmth of Monaco and Wolf + Lamb's production. Long time pals Soul Clap provide the obligatory remix, adding extra layers of touchy-feely atmosphere via twinkling pianos, sparser percussion, tactile chords and a superb bassline.
Make Me Fall (Lowheads Sunset remix feat John Camp/Patricia Edwards) - (5:31) 119 BPM
Make Me Fall (Lowheads Night remix feat John Camp/Patricia Edwards) - (5:47) 119 BPM
Review: The always reliable New York City duo Wolf + Lamb return with some more emotive deep house courtesy of Lowheads: an Italian / Ghanaian duo. Their sound is a blend of New York's funky-disco-afrobeat mixed with the 80s and 90s electronics and the Chicago's rhythms. Indeed the first remix of "Make Me Fall" ft. John Camp, Patricia Edwards (Lowheads Sunset Remix) is absolutely emotive with a infectious polyrhythmic touch. The Lowheads Night Remix however has more dancefloor dynamics and that irresistible chord progression has got to be heard.
Review: Some two years on from his last release alongside regular collaborators Raw District, Berlin-based Brian Brewster once again dons the Aquarius Heaven alias for a two-track showdown with old pals Wolf + Lamb. Opener "Phil Callings" is a rolling and chunky affair, with Brewster's distinctive spoken word vocal and spacey, melancholic pads rising above a crunchy, intricately programmed rhythm track. Although it packs more than enough energy to move a dancefloor, the real gem is title track "Work That Body". Deep and positive with plenty of vintage Chicago house touches (check the killer bassline, in particular), the cut's collection of glassy-eyed musical elements (old school piano solos, heartwarming chords, some suitably loved-up vocal snippets from Brewster) should guarantee good times when dropped at peak-time.
Review: Last year Matt FX delivered his self-released debut single, 'Vaquero', an acid-sporting chunk of alien deep house funk that he used to raise money for the Crisis Text Line charity. Here the New York-based producer makes his bow on Wolf +Lamb via a two-track single featuring sassy vocalist Melika. The pair first offer-up 'A Love Beginning', where sweet woodwind sounds and Melika's striking lead vocals rise above crunchy drum machine beats, warming keys and a seriously squelchy acid bassline. 'Pero No Te Quiro', meanwhile, is deeper and more intoxicating, with Melika's half-sung, half-spoken vocals sparring with trippy synth sounds over bouncier beats and a rubbery, warehouse-ready bassline. The New Yorker is clearly a producer on the rise and this single will only enhance his reputation; it really is rather good.
Review: Hailing from Brooklyn, New York, Taylor Bense dropped his debut joint Caught Up, about a year ago on revered nu-disco label, Wolf + Lamb. He's been intriguingly quiet ever since, but now he's resurfaced with two new ace tunes for us, the hungry and devoted, to devour. "Feels Good To Be Loved" is a pacey but deep, fusion of early Jamie Principle-style Chicago house pop and James Blake-esque warbling. The digital flip, meanwhile reveals a different beast altogether with distorted, clattering Burundi beats forming the foundation of a cool alternative stomper called "Let Me Know".
Review: Earlier in the year, Wolf + Lamb member Gadi Mizrahi surprised us all by offering up his first solo single as Baby Prince for almost seven years. Clearly buoyed by its critical and commercial success, the long-serving DJ/producer has prepared this surprisingly speedy follow-up. "Disco Earthquake" is another absolute belter, too: a low-slung dub disco number driven forwards by ESG style punk-funk bass, loose-limbed drums, echoing female vocal snippets and the kind of spacey synthesizer chords and melodic refrains that seem to seductively saunter from the speakers. Wolf + Lamb label regulars Lowheads provide the accompanying remix, cannily re-imagining the track as a bustling chunk of early house/NYC freestyle fusion complete with a slick new synthesizer bassline.
Review: Earlier in the year, NYC singer-songwriter Sylvan Paul surprisingly pitched up on Wolf + Lamb with a three-track EP whose sharp, thoughtful lyrics took aim at the 21st Century American experience. Here all three tracks are given a new lick of paint - and in most cases a defiant dancefloor slant - from a trio of talented producers. Our pick of a very strong bunch is Jack Priest's fine revision of 'America', where Paul's Bryan Ferry-esque vocals, lilting pedal steel and plucked guitar notes ride a chunky, low-slung tech-house groove. Elsewhere, Owen Ross's EP-opening revision of 'War' is a drowsy, chord-heavy downtempo delight, while Lubelski's rework of 'Violence' is a faintly foreboding, off-kilter tech-house treat.
Review: Baltimore duo Life On Planets are a dynamic live act who have released exclusively on Wolf + Lamb and its offshoot Double Standard over the last couple of years. Bringing more of their captivating live jams to tape on another fine release for the label in the form of "Denali" whch is a deep and funky exercise in lo-slung soul. It gets a great remix too courtesy of London duo Lowheads who give it a neon-lit retro house makeover injected with dusty analogue drums, evocative vintage strings and a seriously chunky Juno 106 bassline. A handy instrumental version follows too, for those of you less keen on the vocals.
Review: There's much to admire on this latest missive from The Fitness, whose last outing on Soul Clap was something of a peach. He begins in confident fashion, peppering an Adonis style bassline and hissing analogue percussion with Pony's woozy, delay-laden spoken word vocal on "Freak Out". He goes deeper, woozier and sunnier on "Techno & Me", where a bold analogue bassline is wrapped in alien bleeps, Balearic chords and woozy vocal harmonies. Arguably best of all, though, is Kagano collaboration "&I", which sounds like the missing like between Benoit & Sergio, Mr Oizo and tactile German tech-house.
Do It All For You (feat Aquiles Navarro) - (6:44) 120 BPM
Feel Your Soul (feat Frano) - (5:40) 127 BPM
Trust Me (feat Aquiles Navarro) - (4:15) 75 BPM
Review: The Under The Covers EP is a collaborative project started by David Marston and Brigitte Zozula. During an impromptu rehearsal session, Marston and Zozula decided to record reinterpretations of songs they had previously written and performed together - fusing elements of disco, jazz, reggae, dub and Latin music. They then brought in frequent collaborators Adam Francis (bass), Aquiles Navarro (trumpet) and Morgan Wiley of Midnight Magic (keys) to help them bring the covers to life. The musicians have varied backgrounds, but their friendship and musical synergy helped them to create beautiful and sonically diverse versions of the songs. The material on the EP consists of a rework of their last hit "Pussy", originally written by Marston with Wolf + Lamb regular Nick Monaco, "Trust Me", written/composed by Marston and Zozula, and some songs inspired by African soul ballads.
Review: Another ambitious remix of the Depeche Mode classic "Behind The Wheel" on offer by Montreal duo Vosper here on Wolf & Lamb, who have previously released on James "Fucking" Friedman's Throne Of Blood and Paris imprint Meant Records. It's quite impressive; you can put it up there with Trevor 'Playgroup' Jackson's effort about 13 years ago. The dub version obviously forgoes the vocals, which don't follow the original lyrics verbatim. However, if you were keen on the minimalistic vocals (hey, they were pretty good!), well, there is a handy accapella for your convenience.
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