ALBUM Matt Tolfrey – Word Of Mouth

Having just made some slightly sniffy remarks about 'east London hipsters' (see Deep Cycle Vol 2 review below) I should point out that it's braying, snotty-nosed 24-year-olds in those stupid elasticated-ankle jeans and sailor tops I object to, not necessarily the music they listen to. I mention this cos Leftroom is, I believe, quite popular with those very same irritating NO2-snorting club brats… yet it's also without a doubt, one of the UK's finest deep house labels.

So when label boss Matt Tolfrey serves up his debut artist full-length, you'd expect pretty good results, and Word Of Mouth doesn't disappoint. Managing to sound contemporary, look to the future and evidence an awareness and appreciation of house music history all at the same time, it actually delivers pretty freaking awesome results, truth be told.

Regular readers may remember how taken yours truly was with the first single, Turn You Out, back in August; well, it sounds just as fresh and essential now, only now it's accompanied by nine more cuts of equal quality. Simply speaking, this is a superb debut that's been well worth the wait… whatever cut of jeans you happen to be wearing.

Out: This week

About: You can find Leftroom at their website or on Facebook.

PS I should probably try and make this blog a bit less 'bitter, grumpy old man'-ish, I know. But what's a bitter, grumpy old man to do?

Matt Tolfrey feat Ya Kid K – Turn You Out

Yes, you read that right. This latest from the Leftroom boss features, on vocals, none other than Ya Kid K, better known in a previous life for getting up and pumping up the jam with Technotronic… aah, memories.

As impeccable as Ms Kamosi's old-skool credentials may be, though, rest assured this is as contemporary and on-the-money a slab of house music as we've come to expect from Leftroom. In its Original form, Turn You Out is a mid-paced locked-on dancefloor groove, Ya Kid K's "gonna turn you inside out" vocal sitting atop a pulsing, throbbing bassline and piercing, wibbly keys. Remix-wise you get an Instrumental (surely missing the point somewhat, though?) and a Dub, which to be honest does sound rather like the Instrumental.

But no matter, cos the Original is the one here. Just watch it turn those dancers' heads outside in… this is one to take 'em DEEP into the zone!

Out: This week

About: This is the first warning shot from Tolfrey's debut artist album and as such, bodes very well indeed! So keep an eye on Leftroom's website and Facebook group (rather than page, so you'll need to be logged in) cos the full-length's due to drop next month.

Huxley & Sam Russo – Jamma's Basement

Okay, last one for tonight… last one for a few days, probably, cos TIWWD is going away for a long weekend's R&R and Mrs TIWWD thinks that should involve a bit less time hunched over a laptop and a bit more time actually talking to her and stuff! She's right, of course, but I couldn't go away without telling you about this one.

Leftroom seem to have a knack of always being just that little bit ahead of the curve, and this team-up between two currently v. hot producers is no exception. Jamma's Basement WOULD be a fairly standard deep/tech workout, were it not for the use of a big, boomin' bass that harks all the way back to the hardcore days; I'd suggest there's a dubstep/bass music influence there too. Top that off with vocal stabs both female (ethereral, garage-y) and male (tribal, chanty), and you've got an anthem in the making.

Over on the B, meanwhile, William's Trainers starts out, again sounding like your standard techy chugger (albeit your standard techy chugger done very well)… but then in come the organs – big, Jersey-ish organs – and it's game over.

It took these two tracks a day or two to sink in with me, but now they have, I'm thinking this is very possibly the best release of the week, and that's something I very rarely say.

Out: This week

About: This actually comes on sub-label Leftroom Ltd, not Leftroom itself, though quite what the difference is I'm not sure. Anyway they can be found on Facebook… their website seems to be doing something strange at the mo'.

Kate Simko & Matt Tolfrey - The Same Page EP

Strong stuff as ever from Leftroom here, from the transatlantic team of London boy Matt Tolfrey and Chicago-based Kate Simko.

It's a three-track affair, so taking them one by one… Take It Easy opens proceedings, a shuffle-y number boasting an interesting combination of warm keyboard sounds that will appeal to the older househeads and colder synth sounds that will please the East London hipsters. No Shame features a cool b-line that throbs away unassumingly throughout, again topped off with very 'now'-sounding synths. And then finally Lazy B is where the Chicagoan influences really come to the fore, with a squelchy, rough-edged b-line, handclaps and space-disco stabs providing the backdrop for, yep, more of those 'future retro' synths.

I can't help thinking that perhaps one just one vocal cut wouldn't have gone amiss – there's only so many too-cool-for-school synth instrumentals these ears can take before a little human warmth and a little sex appeal are required. But this is bang in line with current tastes, and a good example of its particular micro-genre – with just enough funk flowing through its veins to have appeal beyond just the skinny-jeaned youngsters who are its most immediately obvious target market.

Out: This week

About: Leftroom can be found at their website, on Facebook and on Soundcloud

Various - The Extended Family Pt 2

According to the classic Bacharah & David song, what the world needs now is love, sweet love. Well, I disagree. What the world needs now is actually a MASSIVE FUCK-OFF ORGAN TUNE. And on this second installment in Leftroom's 'new talent' EP series, Laura Jones delivers just that in Love In Me. Freakin' ace.

The rest of the EP's pretty gosh-darned good as well, what with the deep garage vibes of Waifs & Strays' Yeah Yeah, Lazaro Casanova's driving, bouncy retro-house on I Got This Feeling and the jazzy Detroitian vibes of Julian Perez's Butterfly Conflict. In fact, I'd say it's a superb EP all round, all told.

But you can't beat a big throbbing organ, can you?

Out: This week. Buy it.

About: As I said, this is the second in a series of EPs from Matt Tolfrey's Leftroom imprint showcasing new production talent. And if there's this much of it around, then the future of house music is looking decidedly rosy. Here's the Leftroom website: it's getting a revamp at time of writing but you'll find some social media links to keep you going.

Lee Burridge - Here's Johnny

A strange little number from Mr Burridge, here. Here's Johnny in its Original form is an almost tribal, 'lost in the jungle' kind of affair built around insistent, African-esque rhythms in what sounds to my musically untrained ear to some weird time signature, though it may just be the drum pattern itself that's a bit unusual. Either way it's certainly interesting, if potentially a little confusing for the dancefloor.

On the remix front, Lazaro Casanova's Haunted Vocal Mix makes more of both the tribal whoops and the house piano line, while also toning down the freaky riddim a tad in favour of some fast and furious hand percussion. And then finally the Rainy Night Mix, also from Casanova, is more of a deep house take, albeit with those tribal elements not dispensed with entirely.

All told, like I said, it's an interesting and somewhat unusual release… and let's hope it does will cos he's a good lad is our Lee.

Out: This week

About: This is on Matt Tolfrey's Leftroom Records… a label that's never afraid to push the house envelope a little so this is right at home! For more on the label, see their website.