Wax Crate 002

There’s half a chance of a DJ gig on the horizon so this week we’ve gone vinyl mad and ordered several pieces of wax. Genre-wise they fall in a wide variety of styles from Jazzy Downtempo sounds to Deep House in its many forms.

Just click on the picture to be redirected to the relevant Juno page where you’ll be able to check out samples and purchase, if it’s still in stock!

4004 & SEBASTIEN VORHAUS – LOOKING AT YOU [Quintessentials]
Quintessentials are a reliable label churning out quality House music with Deep, Jazzy and Disco vibes at the forefront of curatorial decisions. This 4 track EP is from a Mexican duo who tend to record together and this record is all you’ll need to be sure to keep an eye out for future material. All are very playable – ‘The Edge’ and ‘You Turn Away’ take things really deep, ‘Everybody Is Talking’ is a nice dubby cut with spoken vocal samples, field recordings of people talking and a disco twist at the end. Pick of the bunch has to be ‘Speak’ which has beautiful chords and slap bass.
EL PRES BEATS –  FLY DUTCHMAN [Robsoul]
A jazzy departure for huge House label from France Robsoul, ‘Fly Dutchman’ is a selection of downtempo instrumentals from Newcastle UK based Dutch artist El Pres Beats. This is the artist’s debut album and is a generous set of 15 cuts with jazz, funk and soul samples aplenty. Difficult to pick a favourite as this one’s easy to sit through in one sitting, with plenty to get your ears around.

MR TOPHAT & ART ALFIE/WUN TWO/FLOFILZ/HUBERT DAVIZ – VACATION BYE BYE [Closer]
I’ve been after some downtempo records to boost my collection so have been surfing for some instrumental Hip Hop, jazzy sounds and electronic funk. Here’s an EP I picked up which kicks off with House weirdness from Mr Tophat and Art Alfie. On the flip is a selection of deep, smoky Hip Hop instrumentals. Some jazzy with piano and low slung bass, others with a moody, fractured aesthetic. Most importantly, this record is responsible for introducing me to FloFilz whose Metronom album is a real highlight from this year.
CHRIS J/RICK WADE/NORM TALLEY/SATORE – DEEP SHIFTERS EP [Future Reactions]
There are plenty of new labels emerging across all genres and hats off to those that take the plunge into selling 12″ vinyl. It’s no easy thing, particularly with underground genres. Thankfully in every scene there are heavyweights willing to get involved to support new label ventures and in this Deep Shifters EP from Future Reactions who have included the now legendary Rick Wade in this all-star EP. All four cuts are worthy inclusions and even with the presence of Wade, it’s difficult to pick out a favourite.

DEYMARE – THE SEARCH FOR A LOST DREAM EP [Soul Notes]
It’s taken me far too long to grab this one; mainly because I keep missing it when it goes out of stock. The Search For A Lost Dream EP is by excellent Finnish producer Deymare on Kastil’s Soul Notes label and is a set of 3 lazy slow House cuts, brimming with jazz and soul. The Housiest cut would be After The Morning Comes, perhaps pick of the bunch.

DJ NATURE – LET THE CHILDREN PLAY EP 1 [Jazzy Sport]
Huge Hip Hop/Downtempo label Jazzy Sport takes some beating if those are the sorts of sounds you’re after, and their recent release by DJ Nature doesn’t disappoint. The title track is seriously laidback jazzy stuff with a hint late nineties Deep House a la Theo Parrish and Glenn Underground. On the flip, there’s a more African feel with the percussion in ‘Why Not’, which keeps the smoothness of the saxophone at the fore.
JAMES DUNCAN/TOMSKA/JEREMIAH/NEW JACK CITY – LE VIBES & PEPPER EP [Vibes & Pepper]
I was introduced to French label Vibes & Pepper a couple of years back when I bought Tomska’s EP so I was pleased when I saw this EP from last December was still in stock. It opens with a floor-friendly dubby Disco cut from James Duncan and followed by Tomska’s ‘Stolen Moments’. The Deep chord-driven vibes of Jeremiah’s ‘Keep On’ will recall the work of Detroit based artists like Rick Wade and co. before the EP closes on a more garage-based note, with the excellent ‘Slow It Down’ by New Jack City.

THE GROOVE VICTIM – BRINGIN IT EP [Traxx Underground]
Had to grab this one with less than a few seconds of samples played. Nineties sounds aplenty here – raw Deep rhodes based chords, jackin’ garage beats all set to a cranked up square kick drum. It’s difficult to pick a favourite but each track gives off a slightly different mood.

JAY L – TOGETHER [Unknown Label]
This one’s from a relatively unknown artist on an unknown label – this single-sided record will get plenty of plays and has already received plays from DJs such as Jason Hodges, Lance DeSardi and Jonna. The fuzzy jazzy chords with vocal hooks build and build their way into to a wonderful crescendo.

JOSS MOOG – LILI’S THEME [Robsoul]
Joss Moog has followed the Robsoul journey since the beginning and this latest record is some of his best work yet in my book. Lili’s Theme the title track is a lovely deep and moody House track with swirling warm vibes, killer bass and vocals. If you want to take it a little more towards the peak dancefloor, Joss has reworked it into a version with live sounding bass and less of that warm, sleepy vibe. The flip provides the character-filled ‘Pass The Brass’ which with a few plays at a night should soon become the calling card for any DJ. This one reminds me a little of DJ Gregory’s ‘Damelo’ from many years back which I’ve practically worn out, although it’s that little bit more uncomplicated.

REAL DUBZ – REAL DUBZ PROJECT [Love Fever]
I wasn’t sure this one involved Max Graef until I’d received the order in the mail and it all makes sense now as to why I like it so much. Graef’s album this year has had some heavy rotation and pretty much everything he has touched has been spot on. This is no exception as he teams up with the similarly talented Mic Newman on Love Fever. Both of these cuts are nice jazzy cuts for the early set with ‘Soothe Me’ teaming jazzy rhodes and synth oddities together and then the beautifully named ‘Relaxin’ At The Flip’ really doing the business with piano, a distorted Techno rhythm and some truly mesmerising sounds.
HOLLIS PARKER – THE TUNNEL EP [So Sure]
This record will likely go down as a real highlight this year in terms of the House music vinyl I’ve purchased. Three flawless tracks on So Sure, with the title track going Deep and cinematic with haunting piano keys and drones. Beautiful ‘Vibes’ is a stunning groove, particularly when that bass hits in. ‘Travelling’ closes, with a seriously deep garage based groove with some nifty sample work on Pharoah Sanders’ track of the sample title.
JAMIE TRENCH/MANOOZ/LOCKWOOD/YUSUKE YAMAMOTO – BEAUTIFUL CHAOS NO. 2 [Canary]
This bumper edition of Wax Crates closes, with another of those cracking four track EPs from a new label. Beautiful Chaos is the second excursion for the Canary label and this time it features Jamie Trench’s signature Deep 90s sound, deepness from ManooZ, a floor-friendly vocal cut from Lockwood and then the seriously old-skool sounding ‘Fruit’ by Yusuke Yamamoto