T-Polar-Schnarf Nice & Nasty (Ireland)Key track: Julian Eustace Remix
T-Polar is a resident at Belfast’s Ecker club and tends to favor more of a breaks and bass sound than a straight four-on-the-floor and thus far not too much of his stuff has caught my attention. Here one of Ireland’s top techno producers Julian Eustace turns “Schnarf” into an all night tech house banger ala Dan Curtin. If you are feeling tracks like Sebo K’s “Diva” then you will want to check this remix out.
NastyBoy -Trash & Easy Dialtone (Mexico)Key track: Original mix
This single has a clutch of quality remixes on it but the original version is a monster. Imagine some blissed-out techy house funk with some well-utilized rolling toms. It does everything you could ask of a good dancefloor single. Another solid release from Dialtone!
J. Rogers & Rozanski-Morocco Blipswitch Digital (US)Key track: Original mix
The original version of “Morocco” is essential late night, contacting-deep-space techno. The rolling bass, whooshing sounds, and eerie North African guitar work just put this track at another level of intensity than others like it.
Tiefschwarz-Simple Pts 1 & 2 Souvenir (Germany)Key track: Best Inn
The brothers’ Schwarz are at their best when they are exploring good old
fashion NYC house music ala the Burrell brothers’ pioneering works on Nu Groove.The vocal snippet propels the track while some of most amazing deep house and techno sounds are stitched into the funk tapestry.
Rob Glennon-Bass Shifter Nice & Nasty (Ireland)Key track: Original mix
Rob Glennon is the co-owner of Static Recordings along with the aforementioned Julian Eustace. Here he steps out with his own track for Nice & Nasty. The results are crackling Detroit style techno with a molten house music core. The bass line is the star attraction here, hence the EP title.
Orlando Voorn-The Beholder Nice & Nasty (Ireland)Key track: Mark O’ Sullivan DK7 dub
It’s been nice to see Dutch techno legend Orlando Voorn working with the Nice & Nasty imprint. The fit is perfect and on his debut he delivers a tech house doozy. I’ve mostly enjoyed the Mark O’ Sullivan remixes and his DK7 dub brings the deepest and most abstract elements of the track to the surface.
Pezzner-Valdemossa Freerange (UK)Key track: Brooklyn New York (Justin Martin Remix)
Dave Pezzner’s solo production work away from Jacob London has been hit-or-miss and as such the title track original did little for me. However, the blossoming of Justin Martin continues with his deep, and lush remix of “Brooklyn New York”. It’s almost hard to believe that Martin did this remix; it’s so timeless and elegant.
Ramon Tapia-Second Chapter EP Craft/Great Stuff (Germany)Key track: Ibis
This one’s a no-brainer, and it seems like Tapia can drop these kinds of tracks in his sleep so keep 'em comin'. Once again he delivers Grade A South American style tech house with tons of great percussion work. “Ibis” is the best of the pair on this EP if you are looking for a recommendation.
Stefano Vozza-20 Rmxs Pt. 1 Dublin Xpress (Ireland)Key track: Brian Taaffe Remix
Here’s another EP with a ton o mixes and a couple of really solid ones to make it worthy of a spin. Brian Taaffe’s remix is on the progressive house tip with a lot of sleek and pretty sounds. But thankfully he dirties things up a bit making it lean toward the darker, more late night side of the spectrum.
Kikumoto Allstars-House Music Gigolo (Germany)Key track: House Music
I kinda dig the cheeky retro acid house flare on both of these cuts from this newish Australian producer. Using a slew of analog synths he recreates history and treads pretty heavily on Rub & Tug’s sleazy Quaalude disco vibe. Naturally, I love it.
Donor/Truss-Watson EP Dilek (Switzerland)Key track: Elon Remix
Donor and Truss are an international production duo with Donor based in Brooklyn while Truss calls London home. Here the two enlist the help of fellow New Yorker Elon, who once again comes through with some fresh, musical sounds. He shows more restraint than he did on his recent Auralism single and goes for more of a laidback late night tech house sound. Excellence abounds!
Milton Jackson-Crash Rmxs Pt. 1 Freerange (UK)Key track: Lovebirds Remix
The title track from Jackson’s new album gets remixed from some tasteful house heads. I am sure most will go for the deep house by-the-numbers approach of Wahoo while those who like things a little prettier and more textured will seek out the Lovebirds remix. I’m leaning toward the Lovebirds on this one.
AMB-Lil EQ [Grey](Australia)Key track: Stop Loving Me
Here’s a nice, straightforward deep house cut from the fine folks who put out the Balance series. I started off liking the noisy funk of the Tiger Stripes’ re-rub of “Lil” but ended up staying for the exquisiteness if the b-side “Stop Loving Me”. Nice change of pace here.
DJ Hell-The Angst Pts. 1 & 2 Gigolo (Germany)Key track: The Angst Pt. 2
The way Hell so effortlessly weaves organic instrumentation with synthetic electronics is a marvel by itself. So when you consider this track is musically inviting as well as being so innovative this decidedly non-dancefloor cut takes on a new level of sophistication.
F.L.G.-Amplifier/Pink Bird Toolroom (UK)Key track: Pink Bird
F.L.G. is an acronym for Holland’s Fedde le Grand and here he tones down his obnoxious electro tendencies for something a little housier. “Amplifier” is too anthemic while “Pink Bird” on the flip goes down just right. I was a little surprised at how underground this single ended up being.
Count Sinca-Space Cow Dub Tech (El Salvador)Key track: Dub Mix
While the label, an offshoot of the Istmo empire, somehow calls this single dub techno it is pure Eastern European mnml techno. Romania’s Count Sinca messes with your mind with this deep and dark cut that has plenty of weird whooshes and other creepy sounds.
Milton Jackson-Crash Rmxs Pt. 2 Freerange (UK)Key track: Rhythm Track (Jimpster Remix)
I wasn’t feeling the H.O.S.H. remixes that much and was actually caught off guard by the old school Peace Division vibe Jimpster captures on “Rhythm Track”. I just can’t get enough wall of percussion house tracks and this remix does more than satisfy.
Peter Kruder-Visions Ltd. Gigolo (Germany)Key track: Visions Ltd.
I’ve only been recently exposed to former Kruder & Dorfmeister dude Peter Kruder’s techno and it has been rather refreshing. Here on “Visions Ltd.” he brings some great flute (or is that a mellotron?) and other organic instrumentation into an otherwise stiff German techno brew. It’s an acquired taste but given a chance it does begin to grow on you.
DZ-Hella Blipswitch Digital (US)Key track: J. Rogers Stepped Tech Mix
DZ is an up & coming Canadian dubstep producer and here he gets his thang on and it’s good-just not my cup o tea. J. Rogers once again goes to the dub-tek terrain he is becoming recognized for and delivers a dark monster for dubstep or techno DJs depending on where you pitch it. I like the remix for the breakbeat appeal and expect to give it a few spins.
Twilo People feat Hanna Hais-Without You LONS/Toolroom (UK)Key track: Tim Weeks Remix
This 2004 track of dubious quality has been a favorite of Toolroom chief Mark Knight for years and here he brings it back with some questionable electro house and progressive house remixes. Tim Weeks squeezes onto the charts barely with some noise percussion work that took me by surprise.
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