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Deenara ‘Soy Yo EP’

Artist: Deenara
Title: Soy Yo EP
Label: connected
Cat. #: connected125
Release Date: 09.06.2023
Tracklist:
01 Soy Yo feat. Eribertho Cruz
02 Quiet Wilderness

Deenara lands on connected with two moving new singles, one featuring vocalist Eribertho Cruz.

Deenara has spent years as a show director and resident of the legendary Kyiv club CHI by Decadence House and has taken her sounds to clubs all across Europe. She “builds bridges between her beauty and the outside world” and inspires people to be who they want to be with her music, which has come on labels like Sol Selectas and Monaberry.

Sublime opener ‘Soy Yo’ is a deep and spiritual house cut with authentic Afro-soul and vocals. The rich horns and humid synths bring the heat over rolling drums, perfect for outdoor dancing under a bright sun. For the first tune here, she works with Eribertho Cruz, an Ibiza-based vocalist and musician who has collaborated with Megablast and Sparrow & Barbossa, releasing on LuvLite Recordings, Madorasindahouse, Sony Music and more.

‘Quiet Wilderness’ then pairs things back to a more late-night Afro-house feel with jumbled drums and vocal chants in the background while deep piano chords and jazzy keys vie for attention. It’s richly layered and moving both physically and emotionally.

Deenara casts a magical spell here with a fine debut on connected.

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DJ Pasta ‘Cadacara EP’

Artist: DJ Pasta
Title: Cadacara EP
Remixer: Sam Ruffilo
Label: toucan sounds
Cat. #: YTCW100A
Format: Digital
Release Date: 2nd June 2023
Tracklist:
01 DJ Pasta & Foresta – Cadacara
02 DJ Pasta – Barecocul
03 DJ Pasta – Pasticciotto
04 DJ Pasta – Puddy
05 DJ Pasta & Foresta – Cadacara (Sam Ruffilo Remix)

DJ Pasta serves up four red-hot house originals on toucan sounds, alongside a Sam Ruffillo remix.

For the superb first track ‘Cadacara’ DJ Pasta collaborates with vocalist Foresta, cooking up lithe deep house with jazzy chords and golden pads over shuffling broken beats. It’s a vibrant cut, with a soulful vocal adding the vital finishing touches. ‘Barecocul’ is another live-sounding groove with elastic bass and loose rhythm layered up with rich percussion and playful hooks that are perfect for open-air dancing.

The excellent ‘Pasticciotto’ keeps the feel-good vibes alive with tropical xylophone-like sounds, sun-kissed synth leads and bristling beats. It’s organic, hip-swinging house before ‘Puddy’ is a little more stripped back and direct. The warm beats and smooth grooves are overlaid with more cosmic chords and star-gazing keys. Last of all, Toy Tonics team member Sam Ruffillo brings classy party-starting disco-house vibes to his remix of ‘Caracara’ with its big string stabs and pumping drums.

Italian beatmaker, producer and occasional singer DJ Pasta aka Davide Piva made his mark as indie pop royalty as part of the Amari and Fare Soldi projects but is now making moves on his own. He has a broad array of influences and always serves up charismatic sounds on the likes of Record Record, the Basement Disco and most often innovative New York imprint, toucan sounds.

This is a heartwarming EP of richly designed and expertly arranged sounds all primed and ready for the hotter months.

 

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India Ivory ‘Open Transit’

Artist: India Ivory
Title: Open Transit
Label: Detroit Underground
Cat. #: DU-PLY303
Tracklist:
Fade Into
Once More
Spectrum
Our Limit

India Ivory’s first album release and debut with Detroit Underground: Open Transit

This 4 track album mixes soothing chords inspired by deep house with electric percussion grooves to create a sonically warm atmosphere.

Made all tracks were composed while in transit and waiting for her next stop: Airport lobbies, between 8 hour road trips, and open spaces at U.S national parks.

–

India Ivory is an electronic artist based in Miami, Florida USA. Starting off as an avid vinyl collector, India has taken in her influences and began composing her own electronic dance sounds in 2020.

India Ivory has DJ’d in Miami, FL at Dante’s HiFI, the Vinyl Social Club and Technique Records. In 2021, she performed synthesizer showcases with Palacio Palace and Synth Battle Miami. Her releases have been featured on KSPC Radio’s ‘Synthdactyl Program, Kane FM Radio, Last Day Deaf blog and La Belle Musique.

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Vinicius Honorio ‘Sem Rumo’

Artist: Vinicius Honorio
Title: Sem Rumo
Label: Blueprint
Cat. No: BP071
Format: Vinyl / Digital
Release Date: 23 June 2023
Tracklist:
A1. Sem Rumo
A2. Reiki
B1. Uruk
B2. Visions

London-based Brazilian, Vinicius Honorio makes his Blueprint Records debut with the ‘Sem Rumo’ EP this summer.

With a storied history in DJing and producing, starting in Rio de Janeiro as a D&B selector before settling into London’s techno sphere, the Brazilian producer pens dark and dubby textures. Delivering releases on his own label, Liberta Records as well as the likes of Modularz, Mord and Token he has displayed his penchant for trippy and foreboding techno whilst encapsulating the energy and passion that have come to be synonymous with his style. A style that also permeates his DJ sets which he’s taken around the globe.

Bringing this sound to Blueprint, his ‘Sem Rumo’ EP features four driving techno cuts which drop on 23 June.

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Various ‘LOCUS Trax Volume 3’

Artist: Various
Tracks by: Mehlor, Jamahr, Project89, Manuel De Lorenzi & Giacomo Silvestri
Title: LOCUS Trax Volume 3
Label: LOCUS
Cat. #.: LCSTRAX003
Format: Vinyl / Digital
Release Date: 26th May 2023
Tracklist:
1. Mehlor – BSOD
2. Jamahr – Night Tales
3. Project89 – What’s Going On
4. Manuel De Lorenzi & Giacomo Silvestri – Sit Down

LOCUS returns with its latest VA ‘LOCUS Trax Vol. 3’, welcoming label debuts from Mehlor, Jamahr, Project89, Manuel De Lorenzi and Giacomo Silvestri.

Now established as a standalone label in its own right, FUSE’s sister imprint LOCUScontinues to prove itself as a go-to stop for forward-thinking and fresh house music with minimal-leaning influences from both seasoned and emerging talent. Returning with the third instalment of its VA series ‘LOCUS Trax’, May brings five new names to the label as Leeds-based DJ/producer Mehlor, Captea boss Jamahr, and Dutch talent Project89 serve up fresh singles alongside a slick collaboration from Italian pairing Manuel De Lorenzi and Giacomo Silvestri.

Mehlor’s ‘BSOD’ opens the package with an impactful combination of off-kilter electronics, skippy percussion and woozy low-ends, while Jamahr offers up slick drums, resonant vocals and warped basslines across ‘Night Tales’. On the flip, Project 89’s ‘What’s Going On’ delivers a peppy groove accented by atmospheric pads and spaced-out aesthetics, before closing via the tight, rolling grooves of Manuel De Lorenzi and Giacomo Silvestri’s ‘Sit Down’ as the two unveil a heads-down, hands-up terrance anthem.

 

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Kawtar Sadik ‘Ribabohali EP’

Artist: Kawtar Sadik
Title: Ribabohali EP
Label: connected
Cat. #: connected124
Format: Digital
Release Date: 26th May 2023
Tracklist:
01 Ribabohali feat Aziz Ozouss
02 Hamouda
03 Hamouda (Ary Sya Remix)

Kawtar Sadik arrives on connected with a melting pot of authentic Afro sounds on a new EP that includes a remix from French artist Ary Sya.

Agadir-born Sadik both raps and sings and draws on her youth growing up in Casablanca for inspiration. The singer-songwriter has a rich vocal palette and has collaborated on releases with the likes of Da Mike, Filippos and Mr. ID amongst others while playing plenty live across Africa. This latest work is a meeting of traditional Moroccan, Berber and Arabic flavours with fresh Afro beats.

The deep and spiritual opener ‘Ribabohali’ is made using a ribbab, a native instrument from the south of Morocco. It’s an enchanting trip with mesmerising melodies and has Sadik singing in her own distinctive style about someone she met who doesn’t care for material things. Her friend Aziz Ozouss then provides ad-libs to complete this most storytelling of tracks which is alive with percussion and flutes.

The atmospheric ‘Hamouda’ is an homage to Sadik’s Gnawa ancestors with bass that emulates the guembri – a Gnawa instrument – and it brings richness to the Afro house drums. They roll beneath another expressive and emotive delivery from Sadik as cosmic synths slowly rise out of the mix to spellbinding effect.

Remixer Ary Sya is a DJ and producer based in Paris and a rising name in the indie and progressive electronic music scene. His version of ‘Hamouda’ is six deep and steamy minutes of late-night Afro house with a fat bassline and star-gazing chords that get you lost in a reverie.

These are richly layered Afro house sounds direct from the source.

 

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Hurdslenk ‘Half Full EP’

Artist: Hurdslenk
Title: Half Full EP
Label: Hardgroove
Cat. #: HardgrooveDigi021
Format: Digital
Release Date: 26th May 2023
Tracklist:
01 Sup
02 Flow 5
03 Fumble
04 Pitz

Hurdslenk joins Ben Sims’ Hardgroove imprint with an uncompromising four-tracker.

Durham (UK) based Hurdslenk follows up music on Reclaim Your City and Out of Place with an uncompromising four-tracker, the ‘Half Full’ EP on Ben Sims’ Hardgroove imprint this May.

Opening with ‘Sup’, a seething slice of stab-driven, crisp techno, the ‘Half Full EP’ is a peak-time gift from the off. The second track of the EP, ‘Flow 5’ is a snaking, percussive groover punctuated with a ‘dog-bark’ distorted tom that is as hooky as any three-note riff around, whilst the tunnelling, just-wonky-enough ‘Fumble’ nudges the dance floor towards trippier territories without losing momentum. Closing out the EP, the complex rhythms of ‘Pitz’ emphasises the swinging funk that underpins each track here.

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Lyric ‘Woman-Hood Chapter 2’

Artist: Lyric
Title: Woman-Hood Chapter 2
Label: M-Plant
Cat. #: MPMD2301
Format: Digital
Release Date: 9 June 2023
Tracklist:
1. Soul on Fire
2. Gotta Good Thing
3. 11:44 (PM Version)
4. Woman

Lyric Hood follows-up last year’s highly favoured ‘Woman-Hood Chapter 1’ with Chapter 2 in June, marking her 6th solo release.

This talented DJ and producer has been making a name for herself in her own right. Born in Detroit, but raised in Alabama, Lyric grew up surrounded by the sounds of techno and house music, so it’s no surprise that she’s found herself drawn to the world of DJing and production. Since 2016 she has been half of Floorplan (with her father Robert Hood) and released her first solo EP in 2019.

Lyric’s music is deeply rooted in the Detroit techno tradition, but she also incorporates elements of house, soul, funk and gospel into her tracks. Her sound is characterized by pulsing rhythms, hypnotic melodies, and a driving energy that’s impossible to ignore.

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Krewcial ‘Motherland EP’

Artist: Krewcial
Title: Motherland EP
Label: Heist Recordings
Cat. #: HEIST071
Format: Digital
Release Date: 19th May 2023
Tracklist:
A1 Owo
A2 Wahala Dey feat. Nimiwari
B1 Kitoko
B2 Ghana Groove

Krewcial delivers the four-track ‘Motherland EP’ for Dam Swindle’s Heist Recordings.

Over the course of his career, Krewcial has built up an impressive resume with a solo album on BBE and floor-stomping tracks on We Play House and G.A.M.M. His mixture of organic sounds and jazz-funk movements now informs his debut on Dam Swindle’s imprint, exploring different variations of African funk and electronic edge in ‘Motherland EP’. The release sees Krewcial collaborate with a full live band of musicians and singers from Kenya, Nigeria, and Argentina, to pay tribute to the rhythms and grooves of Africa.

The contemplative vocals on the ‘Motherland EP “Owo” discuss the meaning of true wealth, accompanied by afrobeat funk, and playful brass in one body of work. “Wahala Dey” with Nimiwari sees all kinds of West African influences come together for a loose-limbed groove while, “Kitoko” and “Ghanagroove” are equally inspiring, full of rich percussive improvisation, funk-laden guitar licks, and dusty horns, showcasing not just the songwriting talent of Krewcial, but also his talent to bring the right people together and simply have a great time recording music from the soul.

 

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Various ‘Consortium Vol. 4’

Artist: Various Artists
Title: Consortium Vol. 4
Label: Motech Records
Cat. #: MT158
Format: Digital
Release Date: 16 June 2023

Motech Records deliver the next instalment in their annual compilation series. ‘Consortium Vol.4′ features 19 exclusive tracks from a combination of label regulars, alongside debuts from both stablished artists and future stars, all hand-picked by Motech’s founder Franki Juncaj a.k.a. DJ 3000, an individual who’s very much part of the fabric of Detroit Techno’s story.

DJ 3000 himself drops a track, along with Motech’s original co-founder, Shawn Snell who returns after a long hiatus. They’re joined by other artists from the label’s camp – Spaniard and Chaval Records main man, Victor Santana, the UK’s George Cross, Jeran Portis and Yeti Mind Tricks (who recently announced his residency at DJ Bone’s “Further” events), US producers Mazepa (from Detroit) and Closer Orbit, France’s P-Ben, Germany’s Rob StrobE, Canadian Veronique Page, Italy’s Davide Nigro, Austrian Petit Beurre, and Colombia’s Lega who’s joined by fellow countryman, Cvbes.

Making their Motech debut are Los Angeles–based DJ and producer Realize, Pokepossum who is a new Detroit artist, Arbilla (Phil Robertson) from Dublin who runs the Distance label, Van Sorgen from Palermo and Emstett, a new artist who hails from Germany.

With a wide selection of artists comes a compilation featuring a variety of sounds from Detroit Techno to hard-hitting Techno tracks and phat Electro jams.

Tracklist:
01. George Cross – Hectic
02. Yeti Mind Tricks – Flash Cannon
03. Mazepa – Rozum
04. Shawn Snell – Recalculate
05. Jeran Portis – Hi-Tech Primitive
06. P-Ben – Hard To Fall
07. Closer Orbit – Manifesto
08. DJ 3000 – Dawn of Reflection
09. Victor Santana – She is Always
10. Rob StrobE – Home Story
11. Veronique Page – From Days Past
12. Van Sorgen – Deeper
13. Davide Nigro – Supreme Vibe
14. Emstett – Perspective
15. Petit Beurre – 9th
16. Lega & Cvbes – Rhythmic Trip
17. Arbilla – Dekholism
18. Realize – Great Attractor
19. Pokerpossum – Factory Work