Category Archives: Previews

INTRICATE011 | Alexey Sonar – Guest List / Black List (Preview)

Russia’s Intricate Records may be a relatively new kid on the block when it comes to progressive house labels, but in just 10 releases the stellar supersonic team of Alexey Sonar, PROFF, Sergey Tkachev and Vadim Soloviev have carefully crafted their own new niche for Intricate and demonstrated their outstanding flair for signing magnificent melodic mastery.

For their 11th release, it’s time for renowned Russian DJ/producer and Intricate main man Alexey Sonar to step into the spotlight with a new 2-track EP. Starting the show is ‘Guest List‘, a luminously uplifting gem of melodic prog house with a deliciously deep bassline, luscious warm pads, stylishly sunkissed summer synths, and tantalising topline melodies that blend harmoniously to infuse you with an utterly irresistible, irrepressible inner joy.

Black List‘ on the other hand represents the dark side of the force. It starts off on the same innocently uplifting vibe as its castmate, but soon takes you on a rollercoaster ride down a much darker path, a subterranean subversion. With its enthralling electronic edge, this is very Tron and rumbunctiously reminiscent of Daft Punk at their best, but with the added twist of a pulsating progressive heart and an infectiously melodic, moving breakdown. The musical equivalent of the bad boy you just can’t resist, ‘Black List’ is a dynamic, driving, dancefloor bomb of thrills and spills with a heart of gold and a penchant for pure sin.

A superbly stylish, beautifully crafted EP that deserves a place in the music box of any progressive house fan, ‘Guest List/Black List‘ is out on 15th October on Intricate Records.

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LBR100 | Lowbit 100 (Preview)

Since its inception in 2008, Lowbit Records has grown from a small underground label set up by Swedish duo Bastards of Funk & Sonic Union to become one of the best known and most well-respected progressive and tech house labels on the scene. Renowned for its consistent top quality and incredible diversity of music, Lowbit has become the go-to label for some of the biggest DJ/producers and the hottest up and coming talent in the world. Regularly supported by the likes of Hernan Cattaneo, Above & Beyond, John Digweed and Dave Seaman, and with a label roster featuring the likes of Deepfunk, Cid Inc, Kobana & Yane3Dots, Nikko Z, Lank, Roland Klinkenberg, Soundprank and many more, its rapid rise to the top is no surprise.

Always and forever at the cutting edge of underground dance music and unearthing the freshest talent, it gives me great pleasure to congratulate one of my favourite labels in the world on reaching a hugely momentous milestone – their centennial release. To mark the occasion, label owner & manager Sonic Union has pulled together an incredible selection of brand new bombs from some of Lowbit’s biggest & most popular artists – and trust me when I say that Lowbit 100 is their biggest and best release to date! Showcasing Lowbit’s trademark diversity, there truly is something for everyone here – with the one common denominator being the sheer quality of each and every track. They’re so good that I couldn’t do them all justice without delving deep into each and every one, so my track by track review of Lowbit 100 follows.

Here’s to another 100 Lowbit releases and many more!

1. Deepfunk – ‘Living In A Forest’
Unmistakably Deepfunk, this track evokes dark, twisted techy grooves inextricably interwined with haunting percussive beats, dramatic drums and creepingly melancholic chords to create an intensely atmospheric track with a powerful pull.

2. Pete McCarthey – ‘Aphrodite’
Irresistibly uplifting right from the very first chords, this track is a glittering ray of pure sunshine with its shimmering sunkissed waves of beautifully blissed out synths and magic-infused melodies.

3. Rich Curtis – ‘P-Mots’
Tightly coiled techno grooves slink their way into your soul, commanding your attention with their insanely addictive bounce before crescendoing into a peak-time explosion of twisted euphoria that will infect your brain with an irresistible urge to dance.

4. Anthony Yarranton – ‘A Better Place Awaits’
Hooking you right from the start with its irresistible drive and magnificently magnetic energy, its uplifting bounce breaks down into swirling synths and mellifluous moving melodies that make you yearn for more. A polished piece of progno perfection.

5. Exoplanet – ‘Seamless Continuum’
A stripped back beat, quirky breaks and bleeps, slowly winding melodies weave you into a web of introspection and a dreamy state of blissed out, chilled out delirium. Typically atmospheric and endlessly ethereal.

6. Tash & Stage Van H – ‘Reunited’
Soaring synth arpeggios spearhead twisted techy beats and bass, while the warmth and irresistible infectious smile infused by the underlying melody will seep into you like the sun parting the clouds. Deliciously distinctive with a feel-good flavour all of its own.

7. Kobana & Yane3Dots – ‘Venus’
After a stripped-back start, this beauty builds from an infathomably deep bass and hypnotic percussive grooves to delve deep into your emotions with its driving bass, heartbreakingly bittersweet beats and hauntingly melancholic melodies that stir the depths of your soul to a sense of almost unbearable longing.

8. Verve – ‘Bliss’
Positively pulsating with an effortlessly euphoric energy, rippling with rhythmic prowess and sinously stalking you with its lithe and light synth work, this track’s intricately interwoven layers of masterful melodies and sheer soaring uplift combine to shine a light on your heart while stealing it away so smoothly you won’t notice until it’s too late.

9. Yan Lhert – ‘Mechanical Cloud’
Floaty light twinkling melodies cushioned in an atmospheric aura, underpinned by driving and dramatic drums and a blisteringly beautiful breakdown; ‘Mechanical Cloud’ will have you flying so high that you’ll be soaring among the stars and never want to come back down.

10. Danny Lloyd – ‘In The Monkeys Desert’
With its deliciously deep vibes, distinctive male vocals and luscious layers of warm sparkling melodies, this is a driving, grooving, dancefloor tour de force with a perfect peak-time pull.

11. Matt Fax – ‘Coda’
This track’s sunkissed and soaring synths and immense build-up make it instantly uplifting, while the beautifully summery vibes and old skool feel give it an evocative emotional pull, invoking an intense nostalgia for summer sunshine days.

12. Weepee – ‘Move2Groove’
Aptly named with its deep driving bassline, bouncy, uplifting groove and satisfyingly squelchy techy stabs. Soaring strings add atmosphere and emotion, while the underlying gritty grooves tug at your dancing feet.

13. Bastards of Funk & Sonic Union – ‘Proturbd’
Kicking off with a trademark Bof & SU deep bassline, the pulsating energetic rhythms, growling vocal hook, tight and edgy techy stabs have ‘Proturbd’ ready to pounce like a tiger. An atmospheric breakdown paints a picture of dark and twisted beauty, before exploding into a rush of relentlessly rhythmic euphoria.

14. Nikko Z – ‘La Moogica’
With its relentlessly intense synths, crisp drums, atmospheric percussive stabs and melancholic melody, this track is deeply, darkly hypnotic and will render you powerless to resist the dark spell it casts.

Lowbit 100 is released on 15th October on Lowbit Records.

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LBR068 | Samee – Winter Landscapes (Out 13.02.12)

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MRIZE046 | Labtracks – Driver (Out 20.02.12)

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PDR014 | Fresh Produce – Believers (Out 07.02.12)

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NEURO081 | Flashtech – Convergence (Out 14.02.12)

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NRGDNCREC022 | Sedi – In Time (Out 31.01.12)

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INTRICATE001 | Sergey Tkachev & Alexey Sonar – Flying Spirals (Out 06.02.12)

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LBR061 | Bastards of Funk & Sonic Union – Glitter 2011 Part 2 (Preview)

LBR061 Glitter Remixes Part 2 artwork

After last week’s sneak peek at Bastards of Funk & Sonic UnionGlitter 2011 Part 1, it’s time for a full reveal of the second set in this outstanding remix package, coming soon on Lowbit Records.

Ben Coda is fast becoming one of the biggest hitters in the progressive and tech-house scenes and is a big favourite with Lowbit fans…and no wonder! Giving ‘Glitter’ a thrilling techy makeover, his remix strikes a beautiful balance between dramatically driving drums and growling bassline and light, airy layers of synth melodies that echo the uplifting nature of the original.

Steve Haines brings out the best elements of the original in his remix while simultaneously creating a really fresh take on the track. Banging out a seriously deep and dark bassline accompanied by squelchy stabs, Steve contrasts these with airy pads and sweepingly uplifting strings to make his remix a driving dancefloor bomb.

Outlook is a young UK progressive house producer who is fast putting himself on the map and was a well-deserved runner up in the ‘Glitter’ remix competition. His take on ‘Glitter’ is trademark uplifting Outlook, with absolutely lush chord progressions and spine-tinglingly warm pad work making this an outstanding part of the package.

Aussie producer inSilico meanwhile came third in the remix competition and is another talent well worth watching out for. Taking ‘Glitter’ down a more techy road, he injects it with a throbbing bassline and rippling, rhythmic layers of squelchy synths to give it a whole new hypnotic twist that again will work fantastically well on the dancefloor.

‘Glitter 2011 Part 2′ is coming out on Lowbit Records on 19th December, and basically the truth is this simple: that if you’re a fan of progressive house, this is an absolute must-have. Get on it…

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LBR060 | Bastards of Funk & Sonic Union – Glitter 2011 Part 1 (Preview)

Glitter 2011 Part 1

Bastards of Funk & Sonic Union‘s ‘Glitter‘ has become an iconic track in the pantheon of progressive house since its release in 2009. It was featured on the Global Underground 2009 compilation, has had over 10,000 views on YouTube and the mighty PROFF has declared it one of his favourite tracks of all time and one that he still plays out – as evidenced by his inclusion of ‘Glitter’ in his Kazantip set earlier this year.

And with its instantly recognisable drums, deep driving bassline, soaringly sweeping strings and THAT twinkling topline melody which combine to thrill your blood and send a shiver of anticipation down your spine, it’s no wonder. Now, two and half years after its original release, ‘Glitter’ is given new life with not one but TWO new remix packages on Lowbit Records, following the label’s remix competition for the track earlier this year.

Bastards of Funk & Sonic Union’s own 2011 take on their all-time classic is kicks off with the instantly driving drums and that standout lead chord of the original – but don’t be fooled into thinking that this is just another clone of its predecessor, because this version of ‘Glitter’ has morphed into an edgier, fiercer echo of its original self. With a new electro edge, a subtly interwoven, more melancholic take on the original melody and a bittersweet bite, this beast is an enticingly bad-boy relative of its more wholesome, innocent cousin, who invites you to the dark side because they have more fun there.

Next up is the mighty Soundprank, aka Canadian prodigy Colin Fisher, who is at last making his eagerly anticipated debut on Lowbit with a remix that can only be described as a masterclass in melody, atmosphere and emotion. The original elements of ‘Glitter’ take a back seat here as Soundprank makes the track totally his own, though intimately inspired by the original’s energy. Starting off in very deep, melodic territory, you’re lured in by hypnotic chords and intense layers of suspense and atmosphere, before a truly madly deeply INTENSE breakdown full of power synths coupled with the skilfully woven in drums of the original ensures that once heard, this remix will never be forgotten.

Polish powerhouse Kobana meanwhile has created a stunningly powerful remix that hooks you in with majestic, shimmering, summery waves of melody underlaid with the deep, deep bassline of the original and contrasted with the twist of a vocal stab. Thus does Kobana create an epically dramatic build-up that segues smoothly into a beatifully warm, uplifting, emotive rework that instils a nostalgia for summer sunshine and leaves you longing to hear more.

Last but not least it’s the turn of the winner of the remix competition, D Eye. He gets straight down to business with his remix, which grabs your attention right away with its energetic drums and bassline, punctuated by percussive flourishes and squelchy rhythmic chords. Gradually he filters in the original bassline and topline melody just before the breakdown, but successfully manages to make them his own by building the track back up to a peak-time dancefloor demon with enough energy to power the National Grid while at the same time retaining subtle flashes of the original’s summery disposition.

‘Glitter 2011 Part 1′ is coming on Lowbit Records on 12th December, followed by Part 2 a week later with remixes from Ben Coda, Steve Haines, Outlook and InSilico. So basically, two of the biggest packages of the entire year – Lowbit have most definitely saved the best for last!!! :)

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CS006 | Lifelike presents Roman D’Amour – Make Love Tonight (Preview)

Lifelike = the best thing to come out of France since Daft Punk. It’s that simple. And not content with bestowing his own unique brand of aural awesomeness on us, he’s now opening the door for fellow French funkateer Roman D’Amour on his Computer Science label.

‘Make Love Tonight’ is an adrenaline-fuelled injection of pure disco hedonism, picking up the threads of Daft Punk’s legacy, interweaving them with extra smooth, enchanting levels of feel-good and lacing them with sheer, shameless JOY!

The Peo de Pitte remix is about as banging as it gets, ramping up the energy by a fair few fahrenheit and twisting the original into a down and dirty disco foot-stomper.

Then of course it’s the turn of Lifelike himself, who makes it look oh so easy by turning in a masterful edit that will have you hooked from the first thrilling kick of the disco drums.

‘Make Love Tonight’ is out on 5th December on Computer Science. Just trust me when I say that you need this level of happiness in your life! OOH LA LA…

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MRIZE035 | Fuzzy Cuzzin – Canis (Original, Funkhameleon and Labtracks Mixes) (Preview)

Remember how a few weeks ago I told you that Fuzzy Cuzzin was gonna be big? Well, I wasn’t messing around – get ready to be ROCKED by his debut release on Macarize, which Kris has finally revealed. This is probably my most eagerly-awaited track of the whole year!

I love how uplifting ‘Canis’ is right from the first bars, with its addictive looping chords, disco synths, staccato stabs and utterly distinctive vocals. In fact I can’t actually adequately express in words just how happy this track makes me! But what I CAN say is that it makes my heart jump, my soul soar and my feet dance like there’s no work tomorrow!

Fellow up and comer Funkhameleon turns in a blissed-out, funked-up rework with a serious groove. Lowering the tempo slightly, he adds a Balearic vibe, lush warm progressive pads, piano hooks and rocking riffs but keeps the disco synths – and lives up to his name perfectly!

Labtracks – yet more fast-rising Finns from the Macarize family – stick to the nu-disco of the original, but their deep 90s-style bassline, driving drums and powerfully moving synths tinged with melancholy add a wistful, longing feel to the track that is beautifully bittersweet…and reminds me a bit of Michael Cassette.

It’s impossible to say which of these 3 I love best – everyone’s a winner!!!

‘Canis’ will be released on Macarize on 5th December. Not a moment too soon!

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