THE CUTTING-EDGE RELEASES YOU NEED IN YOUR LIFE
Darius Syrossian & Friends ‘Metal’ OFF Recordings
off-recordings.com
DARIUS SYROSSIAN turned a corner of late — and with it our heads — swapping functional tech house tracks for solid-as-f**k house with a whole lotta attitude. Off the back of sterling efforts for Mile End Records and Klangkultur Schallplatten, he’s teamed up with Hector Couto for a swinging, bass-heavy, industrial pipe-hitting hunk of a
tune. Chunky, groovy and downright massive, ‘Metal’ is as cheeky as it is uncompromising — an irresistibly twitchy, bottom-wiggling dancefloor treat. On the flip, support comes as a jackin’ tech-tinged house rework from Jordan Peak and another Syrossian collaboration with Josh Butler — a funky filler worthy of a spin.
Francis Inferno Orchestra ‘Astral Breeze’ FINA
finarecords.com
A relatively unknown name on the house and nu-disco scenes, Australia’s Francis Inferno Orchestra has already released a smattering of material, but nothing quite as rounded and accomplished as this for 2020 Vision spin-off, FINA. ‘Astral Breeze’ is a slice of lush NY-inspired lights-up deep house that takes four-minutes-and-a-half to fully unwind. Built around
Swindle ‘Forest Funk/Mischief’ Deep Medi
deepmedi.com
EVER wondered what a badger would look like doing the bus stop? Or a squirrel shaking its booty, down on the one? An owl doing the Spanish hustle? We digress. ‘Forest Funk’ is Swindle’s leafy take on dubstep — and it sure is fonky. At least, in the intro, with its squelching, grooving analogue funk bass and jazzy guitar licks. But then, he brings the aggro
SLG ‘Potop EP’ Studio Barnhus
soundcloud.com/studiobarnhus
SLG is another artist making Poland an increasingly hip house music hub, alongside the likes of Catz ‘N Dogz, Viadrina and Marcin Czubala. ‘Prostokaty’, featuring the aforementioned Catz ‘N Dogz, is a thing of gorgeousness, great sweeping orchestral soul strings meeting majestic piano and bass samples from a certain ‘Superfly’ 70s star, snapped to a tough
4/4 house beat: the effect is elegiac and nostalgic. ‘What Kind Of People’ is a trippy sampladelic swirl of deep house, all chopped vocals, backwards swirls and tinkling bells. But ‘Blurry’ is the highlight, a mellow electro caper like Newcleus jamming with Kraftwerk or Yellow Magic Orchestra. In other words, very cool indeed.
Breach & Midland ‘101/Somewhere’ Naked Naked
nakednakedmusic.tumblr.com
WHILE Breach, aka crooner Ben Westbeech in underground house production mode, hit the ground running with the bomb-like impact of his cut ‘You Won’t Find Love Again’, this second release on his new label is destined to have deeper repercussions. Hooking up with fellow sub-low, bottom-heavy house navigator Midland, the duo offer two takes on the same
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Grand Corporation ‘Wonder & Amazement’ The Classic Music Company
theclassicmusiccompany.com
WITH Luke Solomon and Derrick Carter behind the phoenix-like rise of Classic Music, and Stevie Kotey and Andy Meecham, two parts of Chicken Lips, now working under the new moniker of Grand Corporation, this was always bound to be a little tasty. The original’s lolloping, twinkly arpeggiated groove introduces its vocal on the awe-inspiring beauty of
www.djmag.ca
the natural world, but it’s Deetron’s electro disco remix that shoots it to the stars. Crooked Man, aka Sweet Exorcist’s DJ Parrot, turns in two minimalist, hypnotic grooves for deeper floors while Japanese producer Yosa goes back to raw with a bare instrumental acid and drum track reminiscent of Gerry Read’s live-sounding productions.
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floor-moving theme. ‘101’ pivots around its central moody, dark riff stabs and cabinet-rattling subs, while ‘Somewhere’ is its subtler, possibly superior cousin. The dramatic tension and release of classic d&b, from the atmospherics to the delectable touches of female vocal, builds the anticipation before the bass booms threaten to implode the whole joint.
ascending synths and… it’s screwface pandemonium. An odd mixture, but exhilarating and very fresh — from slow roll groove to mad flex out. ‘Mischief’ is jazzier still, a brassy, symphonic take on dubstep, replete with spy flick flute, double bass and Schifrin flourishes, its trumpets and sax solo working perfectly with the double-time beat.
four chilly-aired chords, a fractured vocal sample and a languid double-step bassline, it unravels emphatic metallic keys until dropping euphorically into sturdy 4/4s and hi-hats well worth the wait. The real joy, however, is ‘Here’s To Feeling Good All The Time’, a punchy, tightly wound house number with a jazzy piano hook to keep pupils dilated.
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