On Rotation is a Leeds-based record label headed by Chris I"Anson, Adam Pits & Lisene. This is the first in their Genetic Memories Vol. 1 various artists series. The label has expressed how fortunate they are to work with such amazing producers, and this series serves to show off the talent within their network. Anderson kicks things off with the rolling and hypnotic tech house of "Polymorphic Magic", followed by Jamie Leather who leads things into the peak time on the Rominimal sounds of "Discovery", while Ed Hodge serves up a throwback to the garage days on "Atreides" followed by Phazma who keeps things on a retro tip as well - with the progressive breaks of "Arrakeen".
Miami-based Argentinian Sebastien Silva follows up great releases on Vertex, Serendipity and Deep State with a return to the Pillar label for another serving of high calibre progressive house. On the 3620 EP, lose yourself in the mesmerising dancefloor drama of the title track, which is awash in a breathtaking array of melodies, sublime atmospherics and a captivating female vocal throughout. Second offering "Paix" is more straighywahead but definitely on a moodier vibe with its hypnotic groove.
Any new album from deep house pioneer and all-round legend Larry Heard is good news, but especially so when it's credited to his best-known and best-loved alias, Mr Fingers. Around The Sun Pt 1 is Heard's first album under the alias for four years and, unsurprisingly, it's as musically expansive, evocative, and atmospheric as they come. Naturally, it's rooted in the warming, dreamy, subtly jazz-flecked deep house style he's been tweaking and improving over decades, with occasional forays into sun-kissed downtempo grooves ('Touch The Sky'), angular acid tracks, Heard's take on dub house (the deliciously deep, micro-house influenced 'Marrakesh') and summery Balearic house ('Shimmer'). All in all, it's another masterpiece from deep house's most significant pioneer.
Big room house specialists Toolroom have been responsible for countless White Isle anthems over the years, something that makes their annual Toolroom Ibiza compilations a must-check for those seeking future floor-fillers. Their latest edition is something of a beast, featuring no less than 50 full-length, unmixed tracks and a couple of themed, non-stop DJ mixes (one gathers the set's deep, funky and electro house cuts, the other the tech-house tracks). Naturally there are far too many highlights to list here, but our current favourites includeMason Maynard's subtly DJ Mujava-inspired 'Light My Fire', the piano-powered rush of GotSome and Georgia Meek's 'Dead End', the twisted tech-house weight of Iglesias and Classmatic's 'Freak', and the warped, mind-mangling late-night shuffle of De La Swing and Rendher's 'Voodoo Step'.
Mask-sporting techno titan Redshape (real name Sebastian Kramer) can usually be relied upon to deliver the goods, particularly when it comes to the warmly nostalgic, timeless-sounding outings he delivers on Running Back. There's a definite "back-to-the-future" feel to 'Release Me (Base Mix)', a jacking slab of acid house/techno fusion piled high with psychedelic TB-303 lines, booming bass and creepy, held-note chords. He explores the track's vintage Chicago House influences further on the more stomping, acid-fired 'Windy Mix', before opting for a warmer and bouncier techno sound on 'Bonuz Me' (check the melodious, looped riffs and synth-strings). Closing cut 'Second Ten', meanwhile, sounds like vintage Mr Fingers updated for the Berlin techno generation.
Five years after his Tribute To Eddie 12" of remodelled disco heaters, Live Ones boss Lorca (AKA London-based producer Sam Crossman) is back with a couple of edits-not-edits inspired by all-round disco, boogie and early US garage legend Larry Levan. 'Larry's Bomb', a swirling, filter-sporting, MPC-driven cut-up of a vintage peak-time disco banger, opens the EP in fine style, with Lorca adding a few spoken word samples from documentaries exploring Levan's legacy in celebration of the Paradise Garage resident's immeasurable impact on underground dance music culture. He takes a similar approach on the slowly building - and undeniably far more bass-heavy - 'Look What You Do', throwing cowbells and hissing cymbals into the mix for extra percussive pressure.