August Lazy Tune Reviews 2

Milton Jackson - Beautiful Liars E.P. (Dark Energy)

With a passing nod to the classic Maurizio vibe Milton Jackson returns with 'Beautiful Liars'. With a hypnotic groove from the get-go and a slowly twisting and morphing arrangement you get the impression this could be his best production ever. This track was a done deal even before the sublime keys started half way through and it still grabs me instantly after a pile of listens like a classic you've known for years. 'Beat Talk' takes a different tack, using an out of tune sample and a superbly recreated mid-90s style vibe in a sort of pokey part disco - part drum track. 5/5

Beautiful Liars E.P. at Beatport

John Digweed & Nick Muir - Satellite Remixes (Bedrock Records)

Recent release 'Satellite' gets two quality makeovers from Christian Smith and Maetrik. Smith does the sparse and hypnotic big-room tech vibe which he does so well - retaining the acid bass from the original but bumping up with synth line and big-room rises and reverbs. Maetrik goes in almost the opposite direction taking it more housey and funky. As he's shown many times recently he's got mad skills at creating infectious dubby grooves with heaps of appeal and zero cheese factor. He keeps it dark but adds heaps of swing and his usual quirky interludes and samples. 4/5
Satellite Remixes at Beatport 

Detlef - Sonim (Material Records)

One of my favourite drum programmers, straight out of Greece, drops yet another gem. 'Sonim' is little more than a hooky drum groove on first listen but has a saxophone sample cunningly morphed in and out of the arrangement which adds just enough extra x-factor to make the track stand out. 'Em Ti' is  more of the same although more ethnic is vibe - on similar ground to what M.in and Basti Grub have become famous for. It's a solid drum groove with stabbed samples and morphed background vocals used as rhythm fills. Nice stuff. 3/5
Detlef at Beatport

Future House Top 10 Chart - Rob Warner, Oct 2009

The year is hotting up with tons of labels and artists saving their best till the home stretch. Milton Jackson's latest, 'Falling', is a great return to a more hypnotic sound for him, and U&K's 'Elastic Exit' is a mad, futuristic Detroit-inspired gem worth checking out. If you're after a warm, summery prog vibe the Q-Burns remix of Kicksy & Alif Groove 'Out Of Nowhere' is your ticket!

Derrick May's Transmat Records also relaunches in style with Greg Gow's 'The Bridge' which ought to be this years Blackwater/Jaguar - take your pick.

1. Milton Jackson - Falling (Deep Mix) (Dark Energy)

2. Greg Gow - The Bridge (Late Night Grand River Mix) (Transmat)

3. Tim Sheridan - Bionic Language (House Mix) (Veryverywrongindeed Recordings)

4. U&K - Elastic Exit (Redflux Cinnabar)

5. Mark O'Sullivan - Within You (Secret Groovers Remix) (Nice & Nasty)

6. Elef.ant - Mudma (Weplayminimal)

7. Gary Caos - Madre Terra (John Lagora Dub) (Frequenza)

8. Kicksy & Alif Groove - Out Of Nowhere (Q-Burns Abstract Message Remix) (Plastic Fantastic)

9. Nima Nas & Nikko - Poser (Original) (Slanted Black)

10. F-Sonik - Experiencia (Aenaria Tribal)

Rob's Music Reviews - July 2009

Unusually for me there have been a number of progressive tracks which have caught my ear this week. The Quasar & The Pressure and Victor G both show that prog is not as dead as some claimed and, when done right, can be more futuristic than much German techno. At the other end of things is the superb new EP from Santé and some dope remixes of Milton Jackson.

Santé - Damabalaa E.P. (Souvenir Music)

In the summery South American groove that’s worked for them before Santé hits the mark with a smooth ethnic groove layered with haunting vocals, a wooden flute, Deep Forest-esque samples and a few subtle piano stabs. This is a nicely balanced meshing of elements which is made even better with the addition of a dub version which is more of a peak-time dance floor version. With ramped up percussion and a harder hitting groove it’ll cater perfectly to the more tribal house oriented fans. A must for followers of the Laurent Garnier, Luciano etc sound.
Santé - Damabalaa E.P. on Beatport

The Quasar & The Pressure - Take Me Over (Ready Mix Records)

Starting out as if it’s going to turn into a mid-90s MAW track ‘Take Over Me’ quickly shows it’s not the average filler prog and is one of those few releases which flawlessly meshes styles and hypnotizing you almost immediately. Sultry synths, vocals with spacey FX and a deep, rolling bassline give it a groove which would work on most dance floors and the Hungarian trio show their class in keeping it interesting without resorting to any gimmicks to keep your attention. The Gorge remix is a more subtle and low-key, perfect for late night sessions.

The Quasar & The Pressure - Take Me Over on Beatport

Victor G - Sleepy Days E.P. (Pure Substance Records)

Victor G steps into minimal prog with the original mix in an edgy, steppy groove that slowly builds into a layered dubby prog number which would sound epic in a big room and probably scary as hell at 6am with a super low sub-bass pulsing through it for most of the track. The Andy Slate remix of 'Sleepy Days' is fantastic with a heavy, distorted kick and deep bass which hails back to early Maurizio releases. Slate meshes old-school sounds into his productions making this an example of how to make nasty bottom-heavy grooves without ramping up the BPMs or cheese-factor. The bonus 'No Maybe' is a more funky number with a bouncy synth and nice use of delays and FX on the elements. Well worth checking out.

Victor G - Sleepy Days E.P. on Beatport

Milton Jackson - Never Be Wrong (Remixes) (Dark Energy Records)

The original of ‘Never Be Wrong’ was solid enough as it is so it is a nice surprise to hear new mixes which take it in very different directions. The Burnski Orange mix is a deep take with a nice synth line, a heavy drum kit and groovy bassline which gives it a warm-up sort of vibe. The Sei A remix is more peak-time and twisted. Like some of his other productions it’s got a real Detroit influence to it with small twists and turns coming and going, never sticking to a groove for long. It would fit in well with lots of classic techno and just as easily with the more Chicago house oriented music. Nicely done!
Dark Energy Records on Beatport
Enjoy!

Reviews with Rob Warner - March 09

Daniel Kyo - I Can (Dark Energy)

Following the theme set by Milton Jackson and Shur-i-kan's releases on Dark Energy, Daniel Kyo's 'I Can' is a deep techy track with a hint of Chicago, full of crisp percussion and looped vocals. The Milton Jackson remix is the sort of spacey house he's nailed as of late with a sparse arrangement and nice use of some stabby synths which quirkily make the melody and extra rhythm all in one. 'Shake It' is the gem here though, rolling along as a dubby drum track before adding a great melody which kicks the track into another gear. Wicked track. Dark Energy at Beatport

Isolée - A Nightingale (Diynamic Music)
OK, so it might not be Beau Mot Plage all over again but Isolée's latest is a pretty darn fine track - especially as a set-starter. Using his crazy bleeps, woofs and wooshes style 'A Nightingale' builds from a throbby bass noise to a maniacal number which would sound amazing at 4am. The stepped deep bass is sick sick sick and shows why Isolée is always worth checking out for sheer surprise value. Great to hear he still marches to a different drum to most and is still amongst the best in the game. 'A Nightingale' at Beatport

Chymera - Sumatra (Figure)

Ireland does 'Detroit' better than Detroit these days and Chymera leads the pack after a stream of top releases. 'Sumatra' is no exception and continues his theme of lush epic chords over subtle building tracks which have a hypnotic x-factor. The original mix climbs right through the layers to a big-room anthem peak which gets there without any overuse of bells or whistles - a rarity these days. Deetron does a more gritty, hectic mix in their usual solid, jacking fashion and with the addition of some well placed cut-up vocals. Chymera 'Sumatra' at Beatport

Developer - In Search EP (4 Track Records)

This EP spans heaps of ground. 'Walk On Air' is a straight up dubby techno which keeps the flashy bits away and lets the solid hypnotic groove do the work. Add a few spacey snippets and you're done. 'In Search' is a spacey synth excursion with a techy groove running below. It's not a massive track but definitely original enough that people would take notice for sure. 'Chosen' hits the nutty tech-house category to perfection with computer-ish sounds and detuned notes. Nice!

Music Reviews with Rob Warner, October 2008

Some gems to get through here for a change... starting with the sort of 'minimal' I like - not too minimal, not to clicky,.. just dope, bubbly grooves.

Hermannstadt Collective – Raw Fruit EP (Immigrant Records)
The title track ‘Raw Fruit’ sets the standard straight off the bat. In an almost late 90s UK tech-house (think Nathan Coles) vibe it is bouncy, tight and funky without being too clubby. Nice percussion, chords and drop-outs give it an urgency which always works on dance floors. ‘Flash Gordon’ is straight out of the Blade Runner music category for me – sick, gritty, futuristic tech-house the sort of which are so hard to find when you feel the need. With it’s classic Detroit style ride and hat it does the damage without fail. Two more tracks on this EP including a deep-tech Mr. Statik remix of Raw Fruit. Nice!

Milton Jackson – Never Be Wrong (Dark Energy)
Milton Jackson’s new release doesn't disappoint – he never does. "Never Be Wrong" is a deep, techy number which has a nice hook and a futuristic vibe to it. Definitely a tune to please fans of deeper styles without boring those who need a bit more energy to get going. The alternate track, "Never Be Right", rolls along similar lines but has a gritty, overdriven sound which reminds me of the old Convextion and Deep Chord sound. Its hypnotic and doesn't try to flash-bang too much, just enough to create the groove and get your head nodding. Cracker release.

M.in & Spedro - My Way (Höhenregler)
Straight out of the deepest crates comes this brilliant release, a dubby tribal influenced track with Ricardo Villalobos written all over it. It’s got chanting, ethnic drums and soulfulness mashed together into a really hypnotic groove. A Basti Grub remix turns the track into a ten minute ride which is a bit more glitchy and clubby but without overdoing it one bit.

Finley – Supernatural EP (Slanted Black)
Miami talent Finley drops a quirky, original release which caught me a bit by surprise. The first ten seconds sound like the beginnings of a shit-arse electro track - but no, this is well worth a closer listen. Mixing percussive house and freaky futuristic sounds ‘Movement’ jacks along nicely with tweaked vocal snippets and drop-outs. ‘M.I.A’ again takes the jacking groove and adds more freaked out snippets plus a surprising guitar stab with great effect. Two more solid tracks on the EP show Finley as one to watch in the future.

Submerge 101 - Sickness EP (Prosthetic Pressings)
Calling this sick understates it a bit. The Sickness EP is big-room blasting techno which rocks. The main mix is a hard-techno Carl Cox style ripper with the classic big-room drop-outs, distorted vocal snippets and groove change-ups to keep it pumping along the whole way. The Bas Mooy rework has a groove akin to an old-style Jeff Mills tracks, more of a DJ tool - dark, gritty and mean. A few cut-out here and there and subtle keys. Angel Alanis adds a really infectious, buzzing tech-house remix which makes more use of the “Bang the Box” vocals to nice effect.

Rob Warner Top Ten Chart - October 08

The never-ending pursuit of new music is thankfully catered to perfectly by geniuses all over the world. Here are ten picks for October - an overall more techy slant than usual from me but still great music nonetheless.

1. Hermannstadt Collective - Flash Gordon (Immigrant Records)

2. Mog - Insekt (Petersky Remix) (Redflux Music)

3. The Diogenes Club - CDPT (Urbantorque)

4. M.in & Spedro - My Way (Höhenregler)

5. Milton Jackson - It's A Garage Thing (Dark Energy)

6. Finley – Movement (Slanted Black)

7. Submerge 101 - Sickness (Bas Mooy remix) (Prosthetic Pressings)

8. ZoeXenia - I know I know (Riva Starr Scat Remix) (Kaufe Musik)

9. Ono - Give Peace A Chance (Tszpun Remix Ver2) (Twisted)

10. Friscia and Lamboy - Chunga (Donny Hotwheel & Kemist mix) (Redstick Recs)

Rob Warner - Top 10 Chart - March 2008

Rob's "Future Garage" Top 10 Chart March 2008

1. Christian Scott - Thank You Lord (Sweet Mix) (Slanted Black)

2. Stan Kolev - Flashback (Eelke Kleijn's Remix) (Ready Mix)
3. Loan Souls - Sun Is Shining (Dirty Souls Luca Ricci Rework) (Aenaria)

4. Manuael de Lorenzi - More n More (Immigrant)

5. P.J.C Project - Smalltime (Milton Jackson Mix) (Helvetica)

6. Tobias Hoppe - Qis (Extended Breaks Mix) (Pure Substance)

7. Tom Macoye - Number 5 (Vezotonik)

8. Terje Bakke - Rocketbird (Only Records)

9. Jeff Bennett - Instant Need (Paul Hazendonk Remix) (Kungfu Dub)

10. Greg Puppa - Sense Da Groove (BP Zulauf Mix) (Helvetica)

Music Spiel Reviews with Rob Warner - January 08

Rob's Music Spiel - New reviews for Jan 2008

It's bombs away for 2008 as house maestro Milton Jackson returns with his latest Urbantorque release alongside Sei A, as does Valentino Kanzyani and Marko Nastic with a more minimal number on he new WOW! Records label. Tribal and progressive make a renewed showing with Keith Blackstone, R.O.R. Collective and Sancho & E-Lation. Read on...

Milton Jackson & Sei A – Jinzou (Urbantorque)
After a cracker year in 2007 Milton Jackson returns with Sei A with a more low-key track in that hazy in-between style Jackson is known for. It's full of mellow chords, blips and subtle transitions between deep house and tech-house – you could call it future garage – classic but futuristic. Scope add a twisted bass-heavy re-edit with raw Detroit influences as well as a full remix which is a heavier version for the floor. Manuel Tur adds the final mix which has a soulful house touch with an old-school piano line and epic break. Cracker record! myspace.com/miltonjackson06

Keith Blackstone- Enhancer/Yube (Fatal Music)
Fatal Music kick the walls down with their usual subtlety of tribal rhythms and big-room fx. The original of Enhancer is a dark and jacking pure NYC house track full of sinister synth stabs and pitched down, drugged-up vocals. Jaimy's remix is tribal to the bone with a breakdown to tweak out even the most sober person in the. 'Yube' is a more minimalistic number with a low sub bass to rumble the speakers overtop of the snappy groove and spoken vocals. A few small change-ups throughout the track and a funky old-school stabbing synth give this tune an infectious hook. myspace.com/keithblackstone

R.O.R. Collective - Scarface (Slanted Black)
If percussive, syncopated rhythms are your thing then you can't go past the label which is fast becoming a tribal house institution. Scarface is a track with a tribal groove which gets more and more intense as the track goes on. In fitting with its namesake the track uses elements of the theme music from Scarface. You'd think this would make for another movie-sampling cheese-fest but you'd be wrong. R.O.R Collective weave it into the groove and arrangement subtly and without overdoing it one bit. Find yourself a dark room with a large sound system and this will shred. myspace.com/rorcollective

Sancho & E-Lation - I Want Your Soul (Pure Substance)
The original of 'I Want Your Soul' is straight up big-room synthy prog with a great energy and nice arrangement full of little drops and direction changes. Sancho does his own mix – a straight-up clubby version with a bouncing party groove and looped/cut up vocals. Aber's Soulhunter remix is more laid-back and melodic and has Nick Warren written all over it with subtle synths and deep rolling bass sitting underneath a stabbed melody. Starlab add an in-your-face mix in the form of a glitchy breakbeat remix full of distortion and endlessly edited segments to create a pretty intense mood. www.myspace.com/sanchoandelation

Valentino Kanzyani & Marko Nastic - Twisted Movement (WOW! Records)
Twisted Movement shows the more restrained side of Kanzyani and Umek with a simple, chipper groove using their usual flawless production skills. With little more than a percussion kit and some nicely tunes FX they produce a groove which most can only hope to achieve. Add some muted saxophone-esque sequences and the result is as twisted as the track's name implies. 'Unexpected Cure' is a more dance floor track with a house groove and solid, almost Kerri Chander style, keys and bass. Nicely delayed snippets and quirky steel drum rolls round this off as a useful tune to have in the crate. myspace.com/djmarkonastic