DEREK HENDERSON REVIEWS 2020
July 5, 2020Ocean Lam – Auditory Touch EP
Label – Moteur Ville Musique
Released – July 24th, 2020
Cat No – SPARK06
AT’s original mix is deep, minimal tech with Detroit influences. This track has a tribal techno feel, along with the swirling percussion and hi-hats. Groovy synths and stabs. 3/5
Jay Tripwire’s Battle of Neo Tokyo remix is my go-to track. With a breakbeat loop, the trippy effects, loops, and atmospherics grace the deep sleazy bassline. Uplifting and enchanting, with added acid for good effect, this mix delivers. 5/5
Eduardo De La Calle’s remix is more techno, with a heavier kick and less depth. Looping synths and stabs add the Detroit vibe. Minimal techno, but does contain a deep, uplifting vibe. 3/5
Joal Acid’s mix is deeper and more harmonious than the other mixes. The bleeps and atmospherics combine positively, along with dirty deep sub-bass. A deep uplifting vibe with a layer of raw acid goodness emerges, and the feel-good factor is strong with this one. 5/5
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Darius Syrossian – Flashlight
Label – Hot Creations
Released – July 24th, 2020
Cat No – HOTC156
Flashlight offers an original 90s New York warehouse vibe feat. vocals from NY legend Junior Vasquez. With a classic thumping old school techno kick, percussion and hi-hats, the hook line and vocals will have you jumping! Very refreshing in today’s market. 4/5
Boujee B is upbeat and features a classic piano hook line and male vocal edits. Tribal percussion and drums keep this tune grooving on. Not so deep, but the classic NY house sound takes you back. 3/5
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Rogue D – Burning EP
Label – Rebellion
Released – July 31st, 2020
Cat No – RBL073
Burning is deep, disco sleaze – and I love it. Great vocal, drums and percussion, this track evolves into uplifting house and the deep slamming bassline will get you moving. 5/5
Coming Home doesn’t disappoint. It’s a deep groovy disco/house affair with a nice uplifting vocal. With old-school Chicago house influences, CH takes you back in time. Great tune. 4/5
Nights continues with the deep groovy tones but does have a more commercial feel to it. Quite minimal in its progression, but the old school vocal house vibe is nice. 3/5
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Cousn – Are You With Us?
Label – FAMLY Records
Released – July 31st, 2020
Cat No – JWLS005
AYWU is a raw, dirty breakbeat belter. With a sumptuous bassline, the acid riffs and uplifting tones are complimented by semi-aggressive vocals to great effect. More please! 5/5
A shorter radio edit features, too, along with an instrumental mix. Stick with the original!
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Tibi Dado – Disbelieve
Label – Crosstown Rebels
Released – April 10th, 2020
Cat No – CRM233
Disbelieve starts with a nice deep kick, has an uplifting techno vibe but quite minimal sounding with tight hi-hats and percussion. Not too much progression, but does offer a constantly nice upbeat groove with enchanting and melodic synths, topped with a hint of acid. Nice track. 4/5
Hire The Birds is a groovier, deep house track featuring a lovely female vocal-edit. Soft, enchanting synths, melodic vibes and a deep, grooving sub-bass – this track has it all. 5/5
DJ Balduin’s Powerdive mix of Hire The Birds is too commercial and upbeat. Too repetitive for me and is severely lacking in creativity. 1/5
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Cousn – Ritual
Label – FAMLY Records
Released – May 1st, 2020
Cat No – JWLS004
Nice start, immediately sets the tone. Great percussion, original sounds, and a grooving synth line. In come the hi-hats, the spacey atmospherics, cowbell, and are all complimented with a tough kick. Nice uplifting break, and then back to business. but with a twist of acid. Keeps grooving to the end. Good effort. 3/5
The edit version is almost the same, just shorter. 3/5
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Mason Maynard – McLovin’
Label – Hot Creations
Released – April 10th, 2020
Catalog No – HOTC150
Deep sub-bass with squelching synths, McLovin’ is a tough tech affair that will keep the party moving. An unexpected vocal emerges in the break, creating a different sound altogether before the toughness is restored. There is a second vocal break, but one too many in my opinion. 2.5/5
Remedy is slower and deeper, with a very heavy synth hook. A dark, deep tech affair with an uplifting female vocal, which also features in the break. Lots of swirling and tweaking acid in this one. I love it. 4/5
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Marc Romboy – Elka EP
Label – These Eyes
Released – April 24th, 2020
Catalogue No – EYE011
Elka is a chilled techno track and is pitched right down for maximum effect. Very deep, subtle percussion, with uplifting synths. Quite minimal from start-to-finish, but remains interesting throughout, with a tweak of acid to finish with. Nice track 3.5/5
Unreal Sun is of a similar tempo to Elka, but more of a house vibe with this one, with a slight sneak into the progressive sound. Uplifting, with a deep groovy synth-line and percussion. Nice deep sub-bass underlay and atmospherics complimented with space-like vocals. Great track, it will grow on you. 4/5
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Better Lost Than Stupid – Overboard [Dennis Ferrer Remix]
Label – Skint
Released – April 24th, 2020
Cat No – SKINT405DF
Overboard has an old-school Chicago house vibe about it, but it’s still quite a tough, upbeat house track. With tight percussion and a consistent groove featuring uplifting female vocals, the rolling baseline keeps the track flowing to the end. 3.5/5
The Dub remix is almost identical, just fewer vocals. Obviously. 3/5
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James Solace – Ghost Town
Label – Last Night on Earth
Released – March 6th, 2020
Catalog No – LNOE118
A 4-track offering from James Solace. Being a deep house head, ‘Thoughts’ is the one for me. Nice, deep arrangements, a bassline that keeps you shuffling, with a soothing vocal. Some nice subtle guitar sounding riffs too after the break. No big drop and no big build-up in the break – perfect deep house. As it should be. 4/5
The other tracks are a decent effort, but they do have a slight trance type feel to them, which is apparent in several of today’s house and techno productions. ‘Ghost Town’ is my second choice, with a deep, spacey, hypnotic, progressive groove, and tight percussion. I like the rattling cowbell in this one, alongside a nice attentive break that kicks back in nicely. 3.5/5
‘Universal’ has a nice tight progressive groove with an atmospheric climb but does have a mid 90s progressive trance feel to it. Nice percussion and hi-hats, though, but, ultimately, too trance-like for me. 2/5
Spectral is, in my opinion, a modern-day remix of Hale Bopp by Der Dritte Raum, which was originally released back in 1998. It’s okay, but I feel like I’ve heard it before. 2/5
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Mr_Barcode – Fat Albert’s Wedding / No Haz Brain
Label – Witching Hour [Vinyl only]
Released – TBC
Catalog No – TBC
Fat Albert’s Wedding starts with a deep, tech bassline, with the emerging sub-bass eventually complementing the tight tech percussion. A wobbly affair, this track squelches and squeezes little acid riffs, whilst maintaining a deep minimal tech vibe. 3.5/5
No Haz Brain is the flip side and starts with the usual deep groove and sub-bass you come to expect from Mr_Barcode. This track features an interesting alien-like vocal, which keeps the raw underground vibes in place, as well as the atmospheric sounds, rhythm, and rolling sub-bass. Should make more use of the interesting vocal, though. 3/5
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Ekkah – Giving Up On
Label – Future Disco
Released – February 28th, 2020
Cat No – FUDIS020
A summer hit in waiting. This deep, vocal house track features harmonic vocals with a positive message. Some jazzy trumpets put to good use, too. On the beach, the terrace, or a sweaty club, this track delivers an uplifting feel-good vibe. 4/5
The Alan Dixon remix is a more progressive dance floor orientated mix, with a tougher kick and nice synth sounds. The harmonic vocal doesn’t feature as much as the original but does still provide that deep positive soundscape. 3.5/5
Alan also provides a dub version remix too, but the track works better with the vocal, in my opinion. 3/5
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Rodriguez Jr – Bliss [Album]
Label – Mobilee
Released – April 24th, 2020
Cat No – mobileeCD033
Track 1 – With a nod to the 90s rave and breaks scene, ‘Haussmann’ begins with old-school inspired breakbeat drums. Wobbling basslines from side-to-side soon emerge to keep you grooving. A bleepy affair and an underlying deep spacey soundscape complement each other nicely. I love it. 5/5
Track 2 – A slower deep house production, ‘What is Real?’ features warm vocals from Liset Alea. A harmonious track, with beautiful use of the piano creating an upbeat happy summer vibe. 4/5
Track 3 – ‘Polaroid’ begins with a more consistent kick, mild sub-bass, and is quite a minimal sounding. No major changes in this one, but maintains a solid groove and spacey synths. 3/5
Track 4 – ‘Bliss’ starts with 303 acid, a solid kick with a spacey overlay. The acid tweaks progress as the track gets deeper creating a tight solid groove. With a nice break and lavishly textured strings, this track delivers to the end. 5/5
Track 5 – ‘Santa Cruz’ is a deep, melancholic affair. With a deep progressive start and subtle sub-bass, this track progresses nicely with an uplifting spacey vibe but does maintain a minimal vibe throughout. 3/5
Track 6 -A chilled track with an uplifting vibe, ‘Here to Forget You’ features Liset Alea again on vocal duty and is a softer, slowed down track. Decent percussion, plus an unexpected, but positive, twist in the sound after the short break keeps it interesting. Good effort. 3/5
Track 7 – ‘Monolith Garden’ is a deeper, more techno orientated track, featuring old school sounding trance synths. Big ambient breakdown in this one, before the kick and sub-bass jump back in. A trance inspired effort, but not my favourite. 2/5
Track 8 – ‘Nairobi’ is the closing track, and begins with trancey synth sounds, before an old school breakbeat emerges. Not too fast, or too slow, this track is very deep with a nice chugging groove and rhythm. Again, the love for trance is evident, but it doesn’t overpower the track, thankfully, and ends with a long ambient outro. 3/5
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Seb Zito – Catch my Drift?
Label – Hot Creations
Released – March 13th, 2020
Cat No – HOTC148
‘Nut in Your Mouth’ is a tight upbeat tech-house track with deep rolling basslines and an infectious kick. With tight percussion, snares, and subtle rumblings of acid, along with the addition of uplifting soulful vocals, this track will keep the dance floor busy. 3/5
‘Flow’ is another number that fuses the bridge between house and techno. An upbeat tech stomper, with a tough kick and an uplifting vocal sample. No breaks in this one, just a full-on dance floor banger. 3/5
‘Put Your Phones Down’ feat. Woodzy begins with an upbeat tight kick and tech percussion before the wobbling sub-bass grabs you. Nice consistent groove, leading to Woodzy’s distinguishable vocals. Certainly, a funkier vibe going on here, with a vocal-filled break before the kick and wobbling sub-bass take over once more. 4/5
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Basti Grub – Destiny Feat. Patrick Kitchens
Label – Crosstown Rebels
Released – March 27th, 2020
Cat No – CRM232
Destiny starts with a nice light breakbeat intro, nice percussion, adding bongo layers, and atmospheric synths before a softly spoken vocal takes over. Not too many changes going on here, but a nice steady uplifting groove until the end. 3.5/5
Track two – Drugs feat. Julian Smith – will grab your attention from the start. Funny but severe to-the-point vocals with an old school electro/breakbeat kick and groove. Again, not too many changes but certainly an original track. Not for children! 3/5
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Dennis Cruz – Uhuru
Label – Crosstown Rebels
Release date – March 13th, 2020
Cat No – CRM231
Opening track Uhuru – featuring Los Suruba – begins with shuffling percussion and a tight kick before the emerging African vocals, which lead to a tougher bassline and an extra layer of percussion. Nice vocal break and sub-bass with spacey atmospherics flying in and out. 3/5
Notche begins with a deep kick and bassline and immediately grabs your attention. Lovely percussion, and mesmerizing deep synths under a nice hook-line. Will awaken any dance floor. Guaranteed. 4/5
Los Libros opens with a soft kick and tight percussion, before an emerging rolling synth which is followed by Spanish sounding vocals. Quite a minimal deep-tech affair, but does maintain a tight grove which will keep the party moving. 2.5/5
Loco opens with a tough kick and hi-hats, and a groovy synth line. Nice use of vocal edits, rolling snares, and claps. An uplifting tune, very deep, and a consistently groovy baseline and sub-bass. My favourite. 5/5
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Jamie Jones & Alan Fitzpatrick – Fairytale Frequency
Label – Hot Creations
Release date March 27th, 2020
Cat No – HOTC149
Fairytale Frequency opens with a techno kick and shuffling percussion. Captivating synths, rolling basslines with distorting sounds lead into an acid hook and vocal. An uplifting acid techno banger. 3.5/5
Sundancing begins with deep, spacey synths and a deep kick and sub-bass. Very uplifting, warm vocals, and sun-soaked, this is a summer anthem in waiting. Beautiful. 5/5
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Rick Wade – Techcreep
Label – Moteur Ville Musique
Release Date April 3rd, 2020
Cat No – SPARK04
Techcreep [original]is a minimal deep tech house affair, with haunting synths and distorted sub-bass. Dark and groovy house. 2.5/5
Christian Burkhardt’s remix grabs you straight away by opening with a tougher kick, and tight percussion. Deep groovy synths in action too, before the uplifting hi-hat and dark, spacey atmospherics take over. More of a deep techno feel to this one, with the added kick, distorted sub-bass, and spacey synths grooving to the end. 3.5/5
Jay Tripwire’s remix is a mix of swirling synths, distorted sub-bass, and tight percussion. The dark atmospherics are here, too, with a tight deep tech bassline you come to expect from Jay. A deeper track, whilst still maintaining the groove. hits the spot. 4/5
