Saturday, December 31, 2011

Choices - December 2011

Caspian Rabone presents Deep Water (battibatti)
Malta's BattiBatti goes Techno with deepness.  Very nice extended player, Swallow Dive is the obvious choice but I also play a lot Deep Shores.  Nice remix also by Sonitus Eco to the title track Deep Water.

various artists - Sublabel EP (Housewax)
Released in vinyl on October.  Here is all about four tracks of super quality from Malta's Owen Jay, to Russia's Alex Danilov and Anton Mayer, and an unknown artist.  My preferred is Spank by Owen but I still say take them all!

Eman and Doc Link - The Meaning Of Living The Remixes (Liberate)
Liberate the label of New York's Eman and Chicago man Doc Link continues to bring quality African Rythms.  Twelve remixes to choose; DJ Sneak, Immani Brown, Caliber etc.  My preferred is again by Daniel James.

Nick Turner - InnerVisions (Turquoise Blue)
Two tracks InnerVisions and Truth, plus three remixes.  Both originals are good, as is the Basic Soul remix of Truth.  Strange, weird and cool.  One best for this month.

various artists - Fear of Flying Remixes Vol.2 (Fear of Flying)
Ten exclusive remixed tracks from Fear of Flying.  I always watch this label, rarely purchase but this is worth a go in some parts.  Featuring also some in demand of the moment producers.

Sarp Yilmaz - Dinosauria EP (Minimal Kidz)
I like the title track Dinosauria, which is very Detroit and is hard to think it's coming from Turkey.  Or would you.

various artists - Dekmantel Anniversary Series (Dekmantel)
Two tracks for this series which start with this release.  The deep African Flower by Juju and Jordash or the a bit nineties Carl Craig sound from Morphosis.

Rydm - Planetary Steps (Homemade Records)
Deyamare and his remix of Saxeten sets things right up for me.

Danniel Odell - Latin Maj (steam circuit)
Daniell does it again if you like it Latin and deep. 

Cuthead - Brother EP (Uncanny Valley)
A total of five tracks.  Brother is one of the grooviest tune in the last months, but high attention I suggest for Transgressions.

various artists - Sound Prescription (Instabil)
Three tracks by different artists.  For me is about Pykup and 'take a deep breath...

At One - African Healing Dance (Atjazz Record Company)
One of the labels and production teams of the year.  Two nice African deep house tunes.

DJ Fudge - Woman of Africa (Tejal Records)
Latin African tribal music and in this it does it job well.

Efdemin - Chicago Remixes 2 (Dial)
The nine minutes plus of  Nightrain remixed by Fred P are the must here, but have also a good look for Shoeshine remixed by Deadbeat, and the remixes of There Will Be Singing.  Of this last the Efdemin edit is for me.

DJ Feevos - My Options EP (Wet Recordings)
Four tracks plus two mixes of Options.  I like the Break mix of Options, and the tribe Native.

Opolopo - Mutants (Tokyo Dawn Records)
Thirteen tunes in various rhythms from house to Rnb, downbeat and jazz.  Take your picks but Opolopo are amazing producers.

various artists - House Vol. 1 Hot Top 10 (Sci-Fi Productions)
Catalogue fourteen and Sci-Fi looks back with ten tunes.  Some already picked before, others I missed.

Theo Parish - Sound Signature Sounds (Sound Signature)
An amazing album by the legend that is Theo Parish released in 2001 on CD and now available in digital download.  Still forward thinking and fresh today.

Monday, December 12, 2011

Review: Caspian Rabone presents Deep Waters (battibatti bb09)

For its release number nine Malta's battibatti label crosses the Atlantic Ocean and heads up North to Canada, with a release by Caspian Rabone.  Hailing from Toronto, Canada Caspian has also founded Polaris Records which from 2000 till 04 has featured six releases all in Techno sounds.  For his first BattiBatti appearance Rabone presents a three track extended player plus a remix of the title Deep Waters by Malta's Sonitus Eco.  The original Deep Water opens this release what is a minimal groove with evoking deep atmosphere.  Deep Shores follows suit, but this one follows a more mechanical sound groove to it.  Also on his Battibatti debut Sonitus Eco remix of Deep Water which I prefer to the original takes the sounds and atmosphere of the original, and put into it a more Detroit techno groove creating a dub darker vibe.  Swallow Dive is a deep tech house number with energy which will without doubt be the preferred track of the many in this extended player.  

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Review: various artists - Sublabel EP (Housewax)

A four track extended player with four different artists which debuts this new label from Germany.  The artists participating in this are Russia's Alex Danilov, Alton Mayer also from the red state, World famous but from Malta Owen Jay, and a track by an unknown artist.  First released on vinyl on 24th October this extended player opens the dances with Owen Jay 'Spank' an atmospheric track with a New York Latin percussion groove and jazzy chords which build up and would not feel out of place in a Body and Soul set.  This is followed by Hands Up the track of the Unknown Artist, which has a Chicago raw groove and sound with nice male urban vocals and organ coming in and out.  Alex Danilov follows this with his Filter D, a very Larry Heard sounding track with a jazzy feel, but still very good in my books.  Anton Mayer closes the dances and offers a very high quality underground track with jazzy atmosphere featuring an unusual groove which reminds me a bit of Fred P.