Monday 8 November 2010

This week's releases pt2

Er, except they're LAST week's releases now cos my big plans for a catch-up at the weekend didn't quite work out! Never mind, as old Magnus was so fond of saying 'I've started so I'll finish'...

I Am The Woodstar
Red or Alive EP (Star-Fi Recordings)
In fact, this isn't even one of last week's releases, it came out on 25 Oct, so in dance music terms it's only got about two more weeks to go before we have to start calling it a 'classic'! But they did seem quite keen for a review, so here it is. The EP sees Mr Wood and chums ploughing a typically leftfield furrow across four tracks. The spazzed-out electro/house/disco/techno pot pourri that is Raw When In Rome is a highlight, but check for the La Roux-biting I'm Going In, too.

Out Now
About Visit Star-Fi online here.

Claude Monnet
I'm Freak (Analog)
Another one that I couldn't overlook cos the PR peeps were very keen... but then again I wouldn't want to, cos here Mr Monnet serves up a very likeable slab of bouncy house with (quite slight) disco-y overtones. It's more about the grins on the dancefloor than any great depth, TBH, but with six mixes to choose from – including rubs from techno-house man of the moment Uner and Seamless chappy Graham Sahara – it's well worth investigating if
you're looking for a sure-fire energy raiser.

Out Now (but only for a week this time)
About Analog Records is Claude's own label (or rather one of his labels, he also has one called SSOH Records). Find out more by visiting his website.

Various
35 Graus EP (Sol Recordings0
This one comes on a brand new label, Sol Recordings, so had to get a mention for that reason alone; but it's not GETTING a mention for that reason alone, if you see what I mean, it's getting a mention cos it's really rather good. Four tracks, all essentially in a deep house vein, with a nice mix of well-known names (Moodymanc and Rick Wade) and the less well-known (Lulu Gaultier and Sol founder A Marques). Marques' own New Orleans is jazz-tinged, Wade's Deepnights is more funkified and Gaultier's Rue Du Paradis is in a more straight-up late-night house mode, so there's a nice range of flavas across the EP.

Out Now
About Marques says of Sol's music policy: "Sol will release underground club music with many influences: jazz, soul, funk, house, etc. It's hard to define the exact sound of the music as there are too many good vibes around to be confined to just one style". So now, you know… sort of. Anyway you can find out more at their website or HEAR some of their shizzle (including tracks from this EP) at their Soundcloud page.

Rulers Of The Deep
Fettle (Manchester Underground Music)
Not quite sure what the connection is between Manchester label MUM and Estonian deep house dons ROTD, but they've certainly been 'seen together' on several occasions. On this particular occasion, Fettle is a tough-ish slab of deep/tech house that comes in a whopping six mixes, mostly – as is MUM's wont and, indeed, stated aim – showcasing new talent – ie there's no big names here (beyond ROTD themselves, obviously), just plenty of cool tunes! I think for me the Nique Remix (doesn't that mean something rather rude in French?) is working the best, but they're all pretty good, to be fair.

Out Now
About Manchester Underground Music is a label that aims to give aspiring young producers a chance to work with/alongside more established names, thus getting a foot on the ladder. MUM's recent output has been largely of a techno bent, hence they've not featured on here as much as when they were doing more house-y stuff, but it's a laudable mission so show some love by visiting their MySpace.

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