It's Meano is dedicated to my love for electronic music in all it's forms.
I spend a large amount of my days searching for, listening and generally appreciating great music. I will post full reviews of great tracks that I discover that will hopefully help you to expand your musical horizons
01. Beam Me Up (George Fitzgerald Remix) - Close ft. Charlene Soraia & Scuba [ K7 ]
Will Saul - as his more avantgarde, electronic moniker Close - is soon to release his debut album. The first single featuring vocals from the lovely Charlene Soraia and co-produced by Hotflush boss Scuba is joined perfectly by a remix from George Fitzgerald. I rave over George Fitzgerald’s production and the catchy vocals and bassline tune are painfully catchy.
02. Babe - Evenings [ Friends Of Friends ]
I featured Evenings’ track ‘Softly We Go’ in my last chart and it came with a warning of it’s leftfield rhythm and epic-grade track length. Babe - a sister track to Softly We Go on the Yore EP - is almost a polar opposite. Whilst returning Softly We Go’s blissful atmosphere, an easy-listen beat and with short, sharp, relatively uncomplicated production make babe an easy favourite.
03. Dance To My Beat (Ardalan Remix) - Zee & Ali [ Zii Zii ]
Ardalan really knows how to produce really masterful deep / tech house. He’s been producing for years and releasing originals and remixes on labels such as Dirtybird, Anabatic, Chillin, Dub Noir, Gruuv and No Brainer. Ardalan’s remix of Zee & Ali is a bass driven house track whose produced manages to sound complicated, but never cluttered.
1. Lavender Lady (ft. Paul Rudolph) - Different Marks [Pets]
A true tribute to the late Martin Dawson spectacular production skills comes the truly inspirational album titled ‘Untitled’ from his Catz n Dogz collaboration project ‘Different Marks’. With obvious deep house influences coupled with soul and pop vibes makes for a really different, unexpected track.
2. Aether (ft. Shura) - Sorrow [Bokeh]
I’ve always loved Sorrow’s deep blend of garage, beats and soul. Aether is a deep driver that’s so mellow that you get lured in a bashed to death by the drop that mangles drum and bass, dubstep, two-step, garage and house rhythms into something quite spectacular!
3. T.R. Wilson - Medlar & Pedestrian [Moda Black]
If you’d read my complete review of the Moda Black Vol. II compilation you’d already know my love for this song. The jumpy garage rhythm, masterful sampling and basslines all make for a perfect track for me to put straight into my favourites.
4. Pizza Guy - Touch Sensitive [Future Classic]
Something a little bit lighter, Touch Sensitive’s track Pizza Guy is a slow-rhythm italo-disco influenced track with a really chunky bassline that I just love. Really subtly mixed vocals and a glittery repeating arp drive you through.
5. Static - Justin Jay [Dirtybird]
Ugh. 19 Years old and he’s producing stuff like this. Sometimes it frustrates me how naturally talented and creative some people are. Justin Jay’s first solo release (but incidently his 5th just on Dirtybird) is driven by the 118bpm rhythm and hardest, chunkiest bassline I’ve ever heard in a house track. Really, really perfect.
6. Hold On (ft. Sampha) - SBTRKT [Young Turks]
Yes, yes. I know I’m late on the band wagon but I don’t like to go with the flow so at least I got onto the anonymous British producer eventually. I’m loving most of his debut album, but at the moment I really enjoying one of his many collaborative tracks with vocalist and producer Sampha entilted ‘Hold On’. Hold On is a soulful number featuring sparkling marimba tones, soothing synths and - most notably - Sampha’s stunning smokey vocals. Every song I’ve heard him bless with his vocals, I’ve instantly loved.
7. Reverse Skydiving (Deetron Remix) - Hot Natured [Warner UK]
Deetron always manages to immaculately channel the classic house sounds. Notably in this remix for Hot Natured is the ominous bassline that sounds like it was ripped straight out of one of Goldie’s classic drum and bass sets. Although the vocals sound a little out of place, I forgive Deetron as he’s done the best he could mixing pop vocals into a really dark deep house track.
8. Softly We Go - Evenings [Friends of Friends]
Soothing ocean waves samples and a glistening synth / pad duo bring you into the 8 minute 28 second journey that is Evenings’ Softly We Go. A warning though, although very soothing in concept, this track will not be for all as the hiccupy rhythm will grate on those who haven’t experienced it before. I however am a sucker for weird and wonderful rhythms so this chill-out tune is a winner for me.
9. Time For Change (Medlar Remix) - Tomson [we_ctrl]
Perfectly produced live hats a really great light deep house chord as well as a really deep bassline make for yet another perfect Medlar track released on Manchester-based ‘we_ctrl’
10. New York (Synkro Edit) - Snow Patrol [Polydor / ?]
I absolutely love Synkro’s edit series and his recent edit for Irish band Snow Patrol is absolutely no exception. Really, really soothing with washing pads and a sampled plucky guitar, the edit of New York is also coupled with a great bassline and a reverbed tambourine in place of a snare/clap which is a really great touch.
Zombie Disco Squad has steadily moved from producing tribalesque techno into deep house and bass jams, and there is no better example than the B-side on his latest venture on Suara. Werkk is a heavily bass driven track with a cheeky vocal sample that is likely the darkest track ZDS has released, a far cry from the bright techno and deep house that his avid listeners are used to.
Personally I love a great deep bass line, so this new direction might be a really interesting one for Nat.
Just a few months after the release of Moda Black’s sensational 13-track compilation Moda Black Vol. 1 featuring house heavyweights Eats Everything, Hot Since 82, Disclosure and Nick Monaco & Kill Frenzy, label bosses Jaymo & Andy George present Vol. 2: A killer mix of throwback inpsired groovers (T.R. Wilson), soulful piano anthems (Alone), bass-driven late-night bangers (Jazz Hands) and crisp vocal UK tracks (Bending Albert’s Law).
01. Pale Ale - Ben Pearce
The deep pads and marimba-like percussions in the breakdown section of this beautiful track by Manchester’s Ben Pearce are a stand-out of the track but the filtered bassline, vocals and hat sequencing after the drop are just as perfect. 7/10
02. Remember - Jaymo & Andy George
Subtle white-wash hats, pads and soulful male vocals on the head honchos’ breakdown are so well made, that when they seemingly disappear at the drop it’s actually disappointing. Hopefully, they return with gusto considering the sample is only 39 seconds long 7/10
03. Jazz Hands - Eats Everything
I’ve always been a fan of Eats’ signature bassy house rhythms and creative sampling, and this absolute monster of a track is no exception! A drop bass-drop with minimal percussion was a pleasant surprise and work perfectly. 9/10
04. Caught Up - Lrusse & Bleecker
To be honest, I’d never heard of Lrusse & Bleecker before in my life, but boy did they make a good impression! Some of the best vocal cuts that I’ve heard in a deep house track, a slow rhythm and an awesome off-chord make for a really interesting track! 8/10
05. Sold My Soul - Manik
A really weird and wonderful effect on the vocals in this track are something that works really, really well, but I’m an absolute sucker for attacked deep house ‘wups’. 8/10
06. Diesel - Huxley
The name Huxley is synonymous with garage-inspired house so when I saw that the master was featured on Moda Black, I flipped! That being said though, I must have had high expectations, because Diesel certainly isn’t one of his best tracks, but light vocals and quick, snappy drums make for a great track overall. 6/10
07. Alone - Ejeca
What can I say? Ejeca is just a master of channelling the soulful elements of all house sub-genres and laying them perfectly over a classically-infused rhythm and perfectly sampled vocals. 9/10
08. T.R. Wilson - Medlar & Pedestrian
There’s not much that I can say about this track that can really do it justice. The classic hip-hop record break and samples caught my attention well and truly for the first time I heard it, but then it really got going. And lord, let me tell you, Medlar & Pedestrian (both of the UK) are masters of chords and sampling. Close to my favourite track right now, T.R. Wilson is the stand out for me on the compliation.10/10
09. Holdin’ On - Celsius
Epic string sampling and chords-to-die-for, Holdin’ On is a deep house anthem that will be in my record bag for quite some time. This French duo show us once again how hot in Celsius they really are. 8/10
10. Leave Me - Hot Since 82 & Habischman
Hot Since 82 has been dominating the deep house scene lately - and, god forbid - introducing it to the masses. He teams up with Habischman for a really great addition to the compilation that somehow still leaves me wanting more. Great use of atmospheric synths add a much needed depth to the track 6/10
11. Drums & Bass - Hauswerks
Hauswerks has absolutely blown onto the scene thanks to being championed by Moda Black. This great house track is a good example of what great stuff the young Spaniard is bringing out. I love the cricket samples that add a great atmosphere. 7/10
12. Bending Albert’s Law - Shadow Child vs. Karin Park
I love a great distinctive vocalist, so when Shadow Child - one of my favourite artists - came out with this great vocal track with clear UK influences I was pumped. The Fever Ray-esque vocals make an otherwise great house track even better. 9/10
13. A Perfect Sound - Walker & Royce
An interesting and well-produced track, I just get a real feeling on ‘been-there-done-that’. I’m very torn as to whether I like this track or not, so I’m going to sit on the fence. 5/10
14. Karoline - Danny Daze & Maxxi Soundsystem
Subtle samples and deep bass rhythms make for a really interesting listen. Yet another great track from Danny Daze (and Maxxi Soundsystem) and although it’s not something I’d personally play out, I really like the sound from this one. 8/10
04 May 2013 @ 05:15PM /
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