Voodoo Ray cheekiness

As promised, if anyone wants to grab a copy of the Voodoo Ray bootie featured on the TIWWD Mixcloud show #2, you can do so....

... HERE!

That is all.

New Mixcloud show now online

After much faffing yesterday, the second TIWWD Mixcloud show is now online… click here to go to the page.

Spent bloody hours on this one, so all feedback gratefully received. And will be putting up a link to DL the very special exclusive track later on today, meantime a massive thanks to Tim 'Lo-Fi' Stoakes for letting me share it with you… sorry it took so long mate.

DJ Simi - Dream It EP

Not sure when this is out cos they helpfully haven't included a release date, but it's gonna have to get a review cos this is, to me, the best thing to come out of the Yoshitoshi stable for years. Generally, most of Yoshitoshi's output has been a bit too… either techy, or proggy, or just head's down boys-own drum tracks, for me. When they put out actual proper house music, though, they do it like few can – see, for instance, That's Why I'm Here by Li'Isha Project from back in 1999, an all-time personal fave. And here, they're most definitely back in that quality house saddle.

Three tracks, with the title track and its old skool-sounding "dre-eeam it" vocal hook my fave, but the slightly tuffer Dagobah and (particularly) Here We Go also well worth checking.

Out: Now? Christmas? Three weeks ago? Who can say. Baffles me when labels don't supply the relevant info…

**UPDATE: HAD AN EMAIL FROM YOSHITOSHI HQ TODAY, THE DREAM IT EP IS OUT ON SEPT 14. AM ALSO INFORMED A REMIX PACKAGE IS TO FOLLOW IN OCTOBER SO WATCH THIS SPACE...

About: DJ Simi hails from Naples, Italy and has had releases on the likes of Toolroom, Sci+Tec and CR2. It says here. Yoshitoshi's website (well, online shop) can be found here.

Jamie Anderson ft K-Alexi - Cyclone [Remixes]

Must have missed the original of this when it (apparently) first came out in January this year, but never mind cos here's a bumper package of remixes… and a heavy-hitting remix set it is too, with rubs from Stacey Pullen and Fish Go Deep, as well as rising star Coyu and Anderson himself.

You'd be expecting underground house/techno of a very high standard, then… and you wouldn't be wrong. Not gonna go into every mix, but Coyu's Wild Koncept Mix pays homage to Wild Pitch tracks of yore, Fish Go Deep, er, go deep, Stacey Pullen turns in a percussive dancefloor techno jam with an added warping retro-futurist synth hook, while Anderson's Predator Remix is far busier affair than the original (which is included), which could take it to bigger floors. I think I'm gonna rock with Coyu, with Pullen's rub a close second, but whichever mix you plump for, this is a very strong package.

Out: This has been around on Beatport since late July, but only came out properly (ie, everywhere else) on this Monday just gone.

About: This comes courtesy of Mija Recordings, the Birmingham-based label run by Louis Osbourne who is I believe son of the mighty Ozzy. As I'm in a generous mood (and to save me reading and re-typing loads of info!) here's three links where you can find out more…

MySpace

Soundcloud promo page

Label profile @ Resident Advisor

I'd start with the Soundcloud link, cos that's where you can actually HEAR THIS for yourself

More free dubstep mixes

… and an experiment, cos I'm going to try and embed some HTML code... never done that before!

Anyway, yes, some free-to-DL mixes courtesy of the excellent Studio Rockers stable, whose ReWired EP Vol 1 I shall be telling you about very soon. Cos it's good, n' that.

And, ooh, look, it worked!

Re-Wired EP Promo Mixes by Studio Rockers

As I said, I'll put up a review of the EP when the time's right (it's not out for another week and a bit) but in the meantime I've been asked to tell you it'll be available from Beatport or the Studio Rockers MySpace.

Various - Metrogroove pres Ibiza 2010

Up to my ears this Bank Holiday w/e in downloading this week's promos, reviewing stuff for iDJ and trying to find time to record a TIWWD Mixcloud show (recording difficulties having been resolved, at least temporarily), but if I don't review this now I never will, so here we are!

As with the Seamless Ibiza album below, the important thing is not to let the Ibiza tag put you off. Metrogroove has been flying the flag for classic-sounding vocal house for several years now and this ten-tracker makes an excellent calling card for the label, packed as it is with no-nonsense, club-friendly vocal cuts from the likes of Reza, Peyton (an unhip name I know but I don't give the proverbial flying one at a rolling doughnut, thanks – the boy can SING), World Of Colour and Distant People.

It's long on driving beats, disco basslines and tinkling ivories... it's refreshingly free of over-blown breakdowns, stoopid drum rolls and irritating Dutch-style high-end squeals n' squawks... and for the Unashamed Disco Dollies™ it's a proper uplifting treat. Check Don't Wanna by Nick Jay ft Toni Seawright, for starters: shut your eyes and you're at Holy City Zoo or Love To Be dancing to Allister Whitehead or Graeme Park all over again. Aah, those happy handbag days! Sigh.

Out: Ooh, now-ish, or thereabouts. They didn't say exactly.

About: See above! Metrogroove one of those labels (alongside Reelgroove and Purple Music, for instance) to look out for if you've yet to fall out of love with the classic 90s house club sound; find out more from their MySpace.

Pdub & The M-Vibrator - Take Time EP

Not got loads to say about this one. It's a four-tracker of what the hype sheet is calling 'dub-inflected tech-house', I think they're over-egging the dub/bass side of things a little TBH, but it is good, and it is pretty bassy.

It's also, in places, a little too glitchy for me to get hugely excited about… until we come to Can't. Can't is basically what acid house music should sound like in 2010 – not in terms of being covered in 303s, cos it isn't, just in the sense of being a big, squelchy, bouncy-ass house groove. Me like, a lot.

Don't get me wrong, the other three tracks – Take Lime, Sprouts and Tsirimintzoulu – are all fine in their way, playable chunks of Berlin-sounding house/techno for sure, but Can't is the one for me here. Boing!

Out: August 30 or possibly Sept 6, they don't seem sure…

About: The rather oddly-named Pdub & The M-Vibrator hail from Athens. Permanent Damage Records who've released this, on the other hand, hail from London. You can find out more about Permanent Damage here. I'm sure Pdub (etc) must have a MySpace somewhere but I'm getting tired so you'll have to look for yourself, sorry...

**UPDATE: Another one that made it onto the Mixcloud show above (Can't, naturally)

Doc Daneeka - Hold On

Was talking the other day to a good mate of mine who's well into his dubstep, but especially dubstep that pushes the boundaries a bit, the more experimental dubstep-not-dubstep rather than just silly kiddy 'ooh look what a big farty bass noise I can make'-type dubstep… he cited Ramp as his favourite label of the moment. Well, what do I spot in my inbox the next day but the latest single on Ramp, which the very sparse hype sheet simply touts as "a sneaky one-sided 10-inch of lazy summer vibes".

And, yeah, it's dubstep-ISH, a bit, but it's not really. In fact, it's about as housey as a track can get while still having dubstep DNA clearly visible, I'd say; there's definitely a bit of a UK funky influence in there as well. And possibly a bit of jazz, to boot.

As such, it's a record that's hard to classify, but it's good, and I could see it working for a range of jocks… but I guess you'll just have to CHECK IT FOR YOURSELF, won't you?

Out: This week

About: The Ramp Recordings MySpace is at the 'check it' link above or click here, Doc Daneeka's own MySpace can be found here.

Funkyloco - Locomotion EP

Regular readers of this blog or iDJ will know I'm a bit of a fan of Jazzy Eyewear and his So Sound Recordings label… well, this is the latest from So Sound's sister label Uma Recordings, and it gives me no reason to alter my opinion whatsoever!

It's a four-track affair. First you have Cool & Jazzy, which pretty much does what it says and which would make perfect warm-up/Sunday session/post-club/sundown material. Next there's Psycho Club, a more discofied and uptempo joint with a satisfyingly rumbling low-end, swiftly followed by Que Buena Cabrona, which is a notch tougher with its unrelenting kicks but also adds in a little Latin/Afro flava around the edges. And then with EP closer Something Groovie we're back in Sneak-y looped disco territory, with some great snippets of sampled dialogue and dancefloor energy to spare.

All told, then, it's a pleasingly varied EP that'll see deep house jocks right in a variety of situations; what more can we ask for, really? Apparently it's already had props from everyone from Tedd Patterson to Richie Hawtin, and deservedly so.

Out: Tomorrow (August 27)

About: As stated, this is on Uma Recordings, an offshoot of the excellent So Sound. Funkyloco himself hails from Argentina, his real name's Pablo Varela and he cites influences like Strictly Rhythm, Tribal America and Murk so you know his musical heart's in the right place!

**UPDATE: You can hear Cool & Jazzy on the This Is Why We Dance Mixcloud Show #2, if you've a mind to - link above

Cesium - On The Low

I'm putting this one on here because I was expecting it to be awful – it's described on the hype sheet as "an amalgamation of deep house and trance," which sounds like a really bad idea, I'm sure you'll agree. Actually if you hear it though, it's not at all bad.

I'd describe it more simply as coming from the deeper side of prog… yet it's still upbeat and energetic enough to move a dancefloor. Yes, the synth riffs are a little mathematical maybe, in the way that trance riffs are… but if I was, say, at a beachfront bar in Ibiza and this was on, I could probably be persuaded to have a shimmy to it. And that's, well, maybe not what it's ALL about entirely, but ONE of the things it's meant to be about, surely?

Out: Monday (August 30)

About: This is on Ooze Recordings, a Wolverhampton-based label whose output, as I've pointed out on here, before covers quite a lot of electronic dance music ground… and I think you've got to respect a label that doesn't just play it safe and put out 100s of tunes that all sound the same. If you want to know more about Ooze, click here for their website.

Robot Child - Dusty Hi/Link

This is the latest from Robot Child, AKA Tim Green or TG, who's also had stuff out on some pretty decent labels such as Dirtybird and fourtwenty.

Both tracks come from that place where house and techno collide, and on both Dusty Hi and Link they collide in a very satisfactory, bleepy, druggy, heads-down fashion. Though I think Dusty Hi would be my fave if I had to pick, erring as it does more towards deep, proggy house whereas Link is more techy.

Not much more to say about either track really but both will work on underground floors for sure. Less well at yer local Oceana*, perhaps…

Out: This week

About: This is on Sideways Recordings, which I was gonna say is a new label to me… until I looked at their website and realised that's exactly what I said when I reviewed one of their previous singles in iDJ. Doh!

Anyway, do have a look at their website cos it's got loads of their radio shows to download which is cool. The label's also co-owned by Keydin, by the way, who's definitely on my 'to watch' list at the mo', so that's all the more reason to get on the Sideways groovy train sooner rather than later…

Fausto Messina - Amor Lleno De Esperanza

Fausto Messina is, we're assured, a hot name on the Italian house scene, thanks to his Better Day and Kisses From Venice parties in Milan (good job that's not confusing eh?). He's had stuff out on various labels (Wir, Big City Beats, International Freakshow, Suara) before and here he comes to Solomun's Diynamic with this four-track EP.

So much for re-typing stuff from the hype sheet, then… is it any good? Well, yes it is or I wouldn't be writing about it on here! The title cut is a solid enough chugging houser, not a world-beater but playable, certainly. Boungaville is a bit tuffer/techier, but not too much so, and has an eastern/Arabic kinda flava. And then finally you get Tomelas Frias, which comes in original and Swing Version mixes. The former has energy in spades and a little vintage jazz flava that makes me think of Parisian street cafes; the latter isn't that dissimilar but ups the Classic-esque boompty-boomp factor even higher.

If all goes according to plan, I should be getting the Mixcloud thing off the ground again next weekend (there were some technical problems re: the recording equipment you see, which is why it fell at the first hurdle despite some great feedback), so you should hear Tomelas Frias then, hopefully… watch this space!

Out: Tomorrow (Aug 23)

About: Think I've told you as much as I know, but you can find Diynamic online here.

**UPDATE: This did indeed go on the second Mixcloud show, scroll up for the link

FREE dubstep mix - Compound One

Got sent a link to a podcast by Compound One, which I'm allowed to share apparently, so I am. Compound One are former UKG geezer Qualifide and D&B chappy Fracture. When they're together as Compound One, though, dubstep is the name of the game... though this is definitely from the garage-y end of the dubstep spectrum, not the silly in-your-face kiddie tearout shizzle. Which is a good thing, obviously.

Here's the tracklist:

1. Genotype - Different Vision - [Dub]

2. KidKut - iLove04 - [Applepips]

3. Fracture - Mystical - [Dub]

4. Compound One - Get Loose (Landslide Remix) - [Compound One]

5. Compound One - Pum Pum Beat - [Compound One Dub]

6. Africa Hi-Tec - Boingy - [Warp]

7. Alix Perez - Metric - [Tempa]

8. Genotype - Ghostly Dub - [Dub]

9. Joker D - You - [Dub]

10. Fracture - Stamford ILL - [Dub]

11. Fieberock - Deez Nuts - [Dub]

12. Icicle & Joker D - Forseen - [Dub]

13. Reactiv - Hard Candy - [Dub]

14. Unknown Dub

15. Africa Hi-Tec - Said Speed - [Warp]

16. Compound One - Back Off - [Compound One Dub]

17. Qualifide - Cracked - [Dub]

18. Moldy - All I Want [Dub]

And here's the LINK to download it… enjoy.

Ramon Zenker & Harada - Sonic Dust

Sticking with the techier vibes, here we have another fine slab of techno courtesy of the ex-Hardfloor bloke and, er, his mate.

For some reason, the start of Sonic Dust reminds me of Texas Cowboys by The Grid… minus the harmonicas, but it's got that rolling kinda feel (then again, so did Acperience I guess, only that was a bit slower: this rolls at a higher-octane pace). Sonic Dust can also boast a neat line in pingy pongy noises, which is always good!

The Nikolai and Toni Rios & Andre Walter remixes don't do much that's hugely different (though not being a techno connoisseur maybe the subtleties are lost on me), although TR&AW's is a tad busier. Starskie's Hedgehog Remix is a very different beast, though, losing that rolling low-end rumble in favour of an uncompromising slo-mo Teutonic thump.

I'm sticking with the original, though: it's like an E rush in musical form. Not that I really get up to that kind of thing these days (officer).

Out: Not sure exactly, it just says August.

About: This is on Blu-Fin, a German label based in Cologne who've previously had stuff out by the likes of Lutzenkirchen, Martin Eyerer and Rainer Weichhold (including the ace Reis, which I recently reviewed either on here or in iDJ, I can't remember which). To find out more and HEAR THIS TRACK for yourself, visit the Blu-Fin MySpace.

Codec Shift - Viper Room/Cyrus One

Okay so let's flip it a little bit here, with a release that could just about be classed as tech-house I guess, but to my ears is pretty much straight techno. But straight techno that I actually really, really like… and THAT doesn't happen very often.

Two tracks: Cyrus One is bleepy in parts, deep dark and rumbling in others and jacking throughout, while Viper Room is the kind of bass-heavy, slightly menacing groove that makes me think of driving through desolate cityscapes late at night.

And both have been getting numerous plays round these 'ere parts. This is sterling stuff you really need to acquaint yourself with immediately.

Out: Tomorrow (23 Aug)

About: This is on Very Very Wrong Indeed, Tim Sheridan's London-based label whose stuff is normally too dark/techy for me, but here's their website anyway.

Surprisingly, Codec Shift turn out to be none other than Alistair Albrecht (of Hagenaar & Albrecht fame), a man normally known for the more commercial side of house, plus a hip-hop DJ called Greg Lakin (who I can't say I've heard of, but then I don't know hip-hop from a hole in the ground).

So, ex-big beat chappy sets up label, releases record by commercial house producer and hip-hop bloke, and it's one of the best techno tracks I've heard this year… whoever said that 'pigeonholes are for pigeon shit' clearly had a point!

Beaten Soul ft Tyree Cooper - That's House Music

There are certain things that will always work for me. One, I'm a sucker for all those tracks with a spoken vocal extolling the joys of house music. I know there's, like, 23 million of them but I fall for it every time. Two, for me it's pretty much impossible not to like any record to feature Tyree Cooper.

So guess what this one's like?

Apart from Mr Cooper urging you to jack your body and feel the bass and such, in its Main Mix form this features solid house beats that are neither deep nor big room but somewhere in-between, and a neat line in old skool-sounding stabs. The Deep Trouble and Deep City Soul mixes do pretty much what you'd expect, while Groove Assassin turns in a couple of spacier rubs – his Ride Mix is probably my favourite of the lot – and a couple of acapellas round out the package.

Out: Now (but only since Monday)

About: This is another one on Seamless… this seems to be turning into the Seamless Records fan club page this weekend, doesn't it?! I can't help it if they've got a lot going on though… anyway here's the Seamless website.

Some albums, part two

Marco Corona

New York (Krone)

Marco Corona is probably most usually thought of as a techno producer. Which, indeed, he is – but with the boundaries between house and techno as blurred now as they've been at any time in the past 20 years, househeads will find plenty to love here. Previous singles The Queens Singers and Trumpet In Central Park gave us an idea what to expect; the good news is the complete album, which features 11 slabs of chunky, driving tech-house, each named after a different part of my favourite city in the world, doesn't disappoint one iota. This has been out for over a month now and why it hasn't been picking up more props baffles me, frankly.

Various

Purobeach 6 (Seamless)

Coming more up to date now cos this one only came out last week. More lounge-y, chill out-y, jazzy deepness is the order of the day, and as they're on volume 6, anyone who's in the market for this kind of thing surely knows what to expect by now! Still, it's several cuts above most of the million and one 'chilled Ibiza'-type compilations that clutter up the racks, and so deserves a mention. Oh, and it also features the ultra-jazzual That's Saxism by the mighty Physics, another act who don't get anything like the respect they deserve (if you don't own their album First Flight, well, you might want to do something about that).

Various

Seamless Sessions Ibiza 2010 (Seamless)

And speaking of Ibiza comps, albeit of the club rather than the chill-out variety, here's Seamless's contribution to this year's crop, which is OUT NEXT WEEK so yippee we've caught up! With tracks from the very respectable likes of Villa Gombao, Beaten Soul, Greg Stainer and Phonic Funk, it's a welcome reminder of two things: 1. Seamless is a much-maligned imprint that, despite the odd cheese slice, does put out some cracking house music and 2. All those tedious newspaper reports along the lines of 'Hey, go to Ibiza kids cos it's great now, there's electro and rock!' can fuck right off. House music all night long.

Some albums, part one

Been sent a few albums lately that I've kept meaning to blog about but not seemed to be able to find the time, so I'm gonna whizz through them today. They're all out already but not for too long, so, first up…

The Rurals

Special Edition (Digipeng)

Oh yes. Special Edition sees Andy Compton and friends making a very welcome return to the dancefloor, leaving the noodles and the oh-so-soulful vocals at the door and instead treating us to 11 tracks of deep, disco-infused house music designed to make you move your body.Particular faves for me are Meatless Paste with its "the deepest bass" vocal refrain (so I'm guessing it's been named inna 'excuse me while I kiss this guy' misheard lyric stylee), and the bumpin', disco-fuelled (and also sillily-titled) Kiss The Musical Bear. Don't sleep on this one as I nearly did, peeps – this is the best thing to come out of Peng HQ in ages!

Roxy 'Arms' Harris

Arms House

This is one more for the bruk beat/UK funky crew, but it's good. Roxy Harris is one-half of Ear Dis, whose Welcome To Floorboogie album a year or two back didn't get anything like the attention it deserved; let's hope this one fares a little better. I described that album at the time as "broken beat that hasn't got its head up its arse"; much of this one you could maybe call "UK funky that isn't just some nasal Sarf London girl whining over third-hand DJ Gregory drum loops". Marrying impressive musicality to lashings of rumbling low-end, and featuring a number of guest vocalists including the ubiquitous Vula, Arms House is well worth checking.

Puromusic presents Monodeluxe

Soul Glamour (Seamless)

This has actually been out for QUITE a while but I'm gonna include it today cos it's ace. We're back to deep house with this one, but where the Rurals album operates strictly in dancefloor territory, this one comes from that place where deep house, nu-jazz and lounge/chill-out collide, making it perfect for comedown sessions or those lazy Sunday afternoons. Monodeluxe is actually one Alessandro Oliviero, who's previously worked with everyone from Michelle Weeks and Michael Watford, to Jazzanova, LTJ Bukem and Norman Jay. Smooooth…

Free Mason mix to download

Okay well I don't often do this, but the promo of the forthcoming Mason single Runaway (not out till October) came with a link to download this mix, which turned out to be rather good, and as I'm allowed to share it with you, I figured I would… enjoy.

Download link

Tracklist:

1. Rah Band - Clouds Across The Moon (Neuroxyde Meets Aki Bergen Remix) - Great Stuff

2. The Glimmers - Esta Si Esta No (In Flagranti Remix) - Diskimo

3. Andre Crom - Gonna Be Alright - OFF

4. The Krays - We're ready When You Are feat. Ebony Bones - Abracada

5. Rocut - Life Is A Test - F*** House Music

6. Feist - Sea Lion Woman (Pitto bootleg) - CDR

7. Koen Groenenveld - 1981 - Abzolut

8. Diagram Of The Heart - If I Were You (Riva Starr Dub) - CDR

9. Idiotproof vs. Eats Everything - Can You Jump - Made To Play

10. Evil Nine - Stay Up (Mason Remix) - Marine Parade

11. Sharam Jey - Attention - King Kong

12. Tommy Trash & Tom Piper - The Bum Song - Hussle Recordings

13. Mason - Runaway - Animal Language

14. Sick Jargo - Go Hump (Hijack Reloop Mix) - Dubside

15. Tony Senghore - Burnin' - CDR

Livio & Roby – Tribute EP

Not 100% sure when this is out, but it says 'August' and it's the middle of the month so let's talk about it now, shall we?

The four-track EP kicks off with Sunday Offend, a chuggy, techy deep houser that then gets a little more organic (and ever-so-slightly jazzual) as it progresses. That's followed by Stapanu Intergalactic, which is a more percussive number and brings a little of that heavily-compressed throb that you used to associate with UK forms like nu-NRG to straight-up Chicago house: nice. Tribute itself is a slightly more quirky, experimental-sounding deep houser, while rounding things off is Garagahivirap, another more techy outing that doesn't do much, but rolls along nicely while it's doing it.

There's perhaps nothing here you'll be singing all week, but it's all solid set-building stuff and all very playable.

Out: Now-ish (see above)

About: Livio & Roby are a pair of Romanian producers who've been working together since 2004, it says here. And this is on Desolat, which is Loco Dice's label - here's the label's MySpace.

Andy Compton ft Rowan - Reach For You

The original here is a trad-style deep and soulful number with nice steady beats and some lush chords, albeit not the strongest of vocals IMHO. However, the real story here is regarding the remixes, which are all from South African producers and provide further evidence of SA's growing reach in house music.

The good news is, it's not all breathy, chanted vox and hand percussion, either! Instead, the five remixes span the spectrum from the lush, pad-y deepness of DJ Bullet, to the wonky mayhem of the Strictly Acid Jam mix, with only The Invaders SAMC 2010 Mix even really doing the township thing at all. Which is bad news for UK funky fans I guess, but good news for the deep house crew.

A package that's worth checking, then – and leave your assumptions about SA house at the door.

Out: Last week, but hey

About: This is on Andy's own Peng label, find 'em online here.

Jaffa Surfa - All Inn 006

Not to be confused with Jafar of Artizan Records fame, Jaffa Surfa is a young Hungarian producer and here he serves up three solid house cuts for All In Records.

Doin' Hauz sees him, indeed, doing house very well. House with a slightly Sneak-y kinda edge, to be precise. Drop It On is a deeper affair with a spoken vocal, while U Know rounds out the EP with a nice sedate organ groove.

All told, a three-tracker that should serve deeper househeads well.

Out: This week

About: Jaffa Surfa is resident DJ at Hungary's Roxy Club, and at Budapest monthly Debut. You can find All Inn Records online here. That is all.

Jozef K - The Elevation EP

This has actually been out for a week or so but I'm blogging it now because a) it's good, and I haven't yet, and b) anyone who comes from Manchester, makes house music and names themselves after a Kafka novel is all right by me.

This y'see is the debut release from Kaluki Muzik, a brand new label run by the peeps behind the Megacity 0161 house night of the same name. And Elevation is a nice chuggy, deep-ish house groover, managing to deliver a hefty dose of retro-inspired pianos without sounding all cheesy handbag. Me like. Remixes come from Mr K's fellow Kaluki residents Ellesse & Pete Zorba (tougher, techier), and from Leftroom boss Matt Tolfrey (slightly deeper). All three are eminently playable but I think the Original is my fave.

Out: Now

About: Erm, I've told you about all I know about Kaluki Muzik... I can't find a website but here's Jozef K's MySpace. He's only 21. Crikey.

Oh, and I lived in Manchester for nine years by the way, which is why this being from there suddenly counts for anything. Just in case anyone was confused.

Rah Band - Clouds Across The Moon (Rmxs)

Five new mixes of a much-loved classic here, courtesy of Neuroxyde, Aki Bergen, Jay Lumen and Umek.

The Neuroxyde Meets Aki Bergen Remix sticks closest to the 1985 original, putting that unforgettable vocal over oompah-loompah house beats. It's accompanied by a Dub-O-Matic Mix by the same pair, which features some extra-funky percussion, plus a Radio Edit. Jay Lumen then toughen up the beats without losing the disco flavour, their Hey Baby Remix sounding not unlike the tougher side of NYC house circa 1994-95, and then finally Lumen's own Lost The Connection Remix is a more tribal, drummy affair for darker rooms.

Out: Tomorrow (August 16)

About: This comes from Germany's Great Stuff stable, and is the first part in a two-part package. And you can HEAR IT FOR YOURSELF here

Mighty Mouse - Disco Battle Weapons Vol 1

Not much that should need explaining here, just two cuts on vinyl from nu-disco faves Mighty Mouse.

Junglefish is a summery, upbeat, loop-y affair that builds slowly into something quite Balearic-sounding. The Beast on the B is a more lo-slung, down n' dirty-type number with an Ital flavour. Either will move your disco-flavoured floor… though they're unlikely to go home humming either.

Out: This week

About: Apparently these two tracks were made for the Disco Circus 2 compilation which is due next month (and which should be well worth checking if Vol 1 is anything to go by), and Mighty Mouse are now working on their debut album. It says here. Oh yeah, and this is on their own Disco Circus Records, it's their first release and they don't seem to have, like, an interweb homepage or anything yet.

Lone - Angel Brain/Pineapple Crush

A slice of rave nostalgia here as one Matt Cutler, AKA Lone, delivers two cuts with more than a whiff of Vicks about them. We're talking rave in the sense that incorporated Detroit techno and Balearic house, you understand, not just your bog-standard 132bpm breakbeat hardcore... but the overall feel is definitely rave-y. Just listen to those stabs!

Of the two tracks, Pineapple Crush is the more overtly/obviously rave in intent; Angel Brain uses all kinds of rave tricks but is just a touch more sedate in pace.

Out: Monday (Aug 16)

About: This is on a new label (Cutler's own) called Magic Wire, which is all I know, really. Lone has apparently had two albums out but as they apparently consisted of 'dreamy, hazed-out hip hop' it's not surprising I've not heard them, really. Not being that much of a hip hop person.

Alex Arnout - Bay Of Bones EP

Very little information on this one, but it’s a very solid three-tracker for sure.

Paradise Garage features a sample of some dude reminiscing about the legendary club over a chugging, midtempo backing featuring some odd warping pads and subtle, subdued sax parpery. Somewhere Deep takes us, well, somewhere deep in a similar kind of fashion, and finally No Snow in Bow is another deep, looping number that’s got the same kind of incessantly building/fading synth loop as heard on Kerri Chandler’s Get Out or even – and here’s a track I bet you haven’t thought about in a while – Sagat’s Fuk Dat.

All three are very playable, making this well worth a listen.

Out: Now-ish, like I said, information is scarce!

About: This is on a label called Jus’House, about whom you can learn more by clicking here.

Carlos Francisco - Fortaleza Bacana

Seems like a while since we heard anything from Unrivaled Music, but now they’re back! back! BACK! (thank you, Smash Hits circa 1984) with this lush midtempo deep house groover.

Fortaleza Bacana comes in three mixes: the Original plus re-rubs from D’Zeta N Basile and Soulight. D’Zeta N Basile’s mix is less pad-tastic and adds lots of cut-up, heavily-treated vocal snips, while Soulight’s mix has a slighty techier feel, so between the three pretty much any deep jock should find something to play here.

Out: Now, give or take

About: Carlos Francisco has, it says here, been DJing since 1988 and held residencies at Ministry, The Cross, Turnmills and Privilege.

Unrivaled Music are based in sunny Essex. Here's their MySpace.

Mirza-Zadeh - Cloud Bustin' EP

Can't say Germany's Lucidflow has really registered on my consciousness much so far, but on this basis of this, their 11th release, perhaps I've not been paying close enough attention…

There are four tracks on here, all instrumentals, and while they don't individually do anything particularly paradigm-altering, they do add up to a very solid EP. Stripped-down, dubbed-out deep house/deep techno is the order of the day: this may not surprise you coming from Germany right now, of course, but it's all top quality stuff all the same. I shall start paying more attention…

Out: August 16

About: This is what the hype sheet has to say about Lucidflow so far:

"The label has been feeling its way and gathering fans as it has sought to deliver some of the finest in deep house and dubby techno."

Laudable aims indeed, I'm sure you'll agree! Here's their website.

TnT Inc vs Alex Dimitri - Jingo

Quite a brave move really, taking on the Santana/Candido/Jellybean (take your pick!) classic … but perhaps surprisingly, this actually works pretty well. Partly, I think, because all the mixes do their own thing for the first few minutes, snaring you with their own unique beats and rhythms before you realise what it is you're actually listening/dancing to. When you do, a smile is very likely to ensue....

There are six mixes to choose from: three from TnT Inc, two from Alex Dimitri and one from label boss Miguel Migs (but of course). TnT Inc's Classic Mix sticks most closely to the funkified Latin disco vibe of the original, while their Afro Concept Mix and Alternative Concept Dub go down a drummier, more tribalistic route. Alex Dimitri's South Soul Original again is fairly faithful to the original but with the addition of some lovely wigged-out Hammond sounds; his accompanying South Soul Dub Beats pass is self-explanatory, while Migs' Salted Remix rounds out the EP, its rumbling bassline bringing a little of that more traditional San Francisco bump.

It'll come as no surprise to learn that Migs's rub is my fave but yeah, as I said, a brave attempt that actually works, so definitely worth checking...

Out: August 17 (we're actually ahead of the game for once)

About: This is of course the latest from the ever-dependable Salted Music; no intro needed, website here!

Miguel Garji & Dj Viana - Lake of Dreams EP

More quality deep house from Deep Class Records here, courtesy of this Ibiza- and Madrid-based Spanish twosome. Overall I guess you could say it's fairly typical/representative Deep Class bizniss, but given that we're talking one of my favourite labels, that's no bad thing!

The three mixes of The Lake don't vary much in tempo, instrumentation or structure, but label boss Fer Ferrari's rub is just that tiny bit deeper, while the Soul Factory Remix makes a little more use of the vocal and has a touch more of that whooshy, heavily compressed sound that you associate most readily with the White Isle...

Bonus cut Scent Of Love, meanwhile, fuses those kind of proggy deep beats that are so popular right now, with a female vocal that's as light and summery as they come. Think Bedrock meets Om: another one that's got 'Ibiza' written all over it, then…

Out: Don't know exactly, but now-ish certainly

About: Miguel Garji is a resident at Pacha Ibiza and has his own show on Ibiza Global Radio. Deep Class is one of the those labels who've had so many props on here, I've kind of run out things to say, but yeah, Barcelona-based deep house imprint, run by Fer Ferrari, and pretty much everything they've released has been ace. Find out more here.

Zappo - Form/Four

This is the latest from Sebastian Davidson's Nightbird stable, with the two originals plus a Bas Amro remix of Form and a Solan remix of Four.

Form in its original, er, form is a reasonably pleasing deep houser, all percussion and pads… it's perfectly serviceable, but I think I'm preferring the slightly pacier, more energetic Bas Amro rub. Over on the B, meanwhile, Four is another deep dancefloor cut, this time with a vintage Chi-town bassline and barely-there female vocal snippets, while in Solan's hands it's transformed into a considerably deeper number, more for home listening than all but the most specialist clubs (to be fair, you or I could dance to this quite happily, it's just, y'know, not one to drop at the works Xmas party).

The original version of Four wins out for me, but it's a solid EP all round.

Out: This week

About: As stated this is on Nightbird, which is run by DUTCH* chappy Sebastian Davidson. This is only the label's 11th release and they've been turning out some crackers so far, so definitely a label to keep an eye on. Do so here.

*The caps are cos I said French before, because I am a buffoon. Sebastian has since pointed out my error so, sorry about that Sebastian!

Inside Man/So Flow - Deeper Love/Slip

Good Lord, has it been a whole week again already? Sorry, been stupidly busy with, y'know, actual work… anyway let's jump straight back on the horse, shall we?

Here, then, we have another split EP from the ever-excellent liquid D&B stable Vibration Records. This time out, label stalwart Inside Man provides the rolling Deeper Love on the A, while So:Flow steps up on the B with the more ethereal-sounding Slip, which features a full soulful male vocal.

More of the same, you could argue, but then if it ain't broke, etc! I'm feeling Deeper Love the most I think, but it's a close call.

Out: This week

About: Don't know what I can say about Vibration that I've not said before, really, but here's their website for your browsing pleasure...