Review: Yam Who's ISM imprint has been in fine form of late, delivering excellent EPs from Alena, Bubblegum, The Drive and Ilija Rudman. Here that run continues, as the veteran producer unleashes an impressive debut album from I Gemin, AKA newcomer Mike Popov. There's much to admire from the off, with "Can't Nobody" offering a deliciously loose and jazzy fusion of pulsating garage bass, two-step influenced beats, lilting deep house chords and evocative vocal samples. Elsewhere, he delivers some Floating Points-esque deep house lusciousness (the superb, boogie-influenced "Private Life") and - best of all - a carnival-friendly chunk of woozy, horn-laden, 21st century dancefloor soul ("Next 2 Me"). Yam Who and Leebo Freeman deliver killer remixes, with the latter's dub-flecked deep house take on "Next 2 Me" standing out.
Review: Volume 7 in the series but for once we can't really say "you should know what to expect by now" because what this compilation really goes to show is just what an eclectic and diverse camp the long-running Manchester label has become, with tracks on 'Paper Cuts #7' ranging from the near-ambient Balearica of Aniso Tropics' opener 'Apricot Memorex' to the self-explanatory synth-y stylings of La Guardia de la Luz's 'Trance Aleman de los 90s' via the uptempo strut of Jahn Solo's 'Disco'. So all we can really do is point you in the direction of some standout cuts, which for this reviewer would include D.S.D's luscious 'Just Can't Stop' and Benny Pitcher's 'Transatlantic Motion', which is like a little musical nod to the days when Paper comps were called 'Splinter'.
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