Alton Miller feat. Bantu Soul - Ngizo Ku Linda - Moods & Grooves

Much to my regret and indeed eternal shame as a music lover, it took me until the Clouds Are Gone EP on Deeper Soul from 1995 to finally ‘discover’ Alton Miller. That was more than a decade into the Detroit artist’s recording career and with releases already running into double digits on essential labels such as 20:20, Peacefrog, Plant E and Track Mode.

Better late than never I guess. Which has made it all the more satisfying that a likeminded soul should give me the heads up before it dip below my radar on the man’s latest release on Moods & Grooves, his third for Mike Grant’s long-established and ever-relevant imprint but more than ten years since his last outing for the Motor City outfit.

Not that Miller has been in the least bit idle during that time. Yet whatever the reasons for the hiatus from M&G, the Ngizo Ku Linda EP is nevertheless a welcome and worthy re-acquaintance. Recorded in South Africa and featuring the sublime vocal talents of Bantu Soul, Ngizo Ku Linda is a one track-three versions triumph. Classic soulful house in every sense of the phrase.

Given the talent on board for this project it is little wonder all three tracks exude confidence and class. Melding afro, house and a touch of jazz, the original version is achingly soulful and effortlessly smooth, the renowned South African artist/producer’s vocal delivery both heart-warming and yet somehow heart-breaking at the same time. Divine.

For those still afraid of vocals, the instrumental edit should take care of that being a beautiful, evocative and lingeringly gentle breeze of a track with little intent other than to ease and tease a dance-floor.

Erstwhile Miller cohort Abicah Soul (aka Miguel Davis) pitches in with a top-notch remix that adds a little more Detroit grit, though pleasingly not too much. Hanging onto some of the original vocal snippets and weighing in with a punchy Quentin Harris-style stab, Davis goes deeper and just a little dirtier too. Recommended.

Brad P - Inner Visions - Inner Shift Music

It says much about an artist’s ability, especially in the house and techno arena where the Ep whether it be vinyl or digital is king, when he or she can stretch their work across the length of an album without a dip in quality. No filler, no padding, no unnecessary noodling. 

Brad P [aka Brad Peterson] has managed just that with his debut album Inner Visions on the lovely Inner Shift label he runs jointly with partner Rai Scott. But then it probably comes as no surprise to those that know as the American artist now settled in Edinburgh is something of a producers’ producer and an underground favourite these days amongst those heads that keep a canny ear to the ground.

In a recording career stretching back to the turn of the Millennium both solo or in partnership with Scott as 2DeepSoul and encompassing labels such as Altered Moods, Minuendo, Moods & Grooves and Yore, Peterson has gradually built a loyal following devoted to his deep, lush grooves and ethereal vibes inspired by the early house and techno pioneers, notably the one and only Larry Heard.

Until now though Peterson’s work has been confined to a string of must-have Eps on vinyl. With Inner Visions, however, he has been able to cut loose and skilfully shape his ideas across an eight-track digital album supported by an essential four-track colour-marbled vinyl release of the same name.

Whichever option you plump for though it is nevertheless a case of satisfaction guaranteed. Quality is always key with Peterson. Album highlights are in no short supply, from the perky house/techno hybrid opener Don’t You Know to the über-chilled Slow Walker and from the truly-inspired future jazz of Light Years to the more abstract and intriguing Polyphony Trip, Peterson is a man on form right now.

No filler, no padding, no noodling? No way. That’s not Peterson’s style.


CHECK OUT: Inner Visions by Brad P on Inner Shift Music here.

Various Artists - Kiss The Sun - Batti Batti Records

Just like the most successful football squads, there is strength in depth at Batti Batti Records. Each release is cohesive, coherent and collectively classy no matter what the line-up due in no small dose to the formidable backbone of the outfit formed by irrepressible label boss Owen Jay and his gifted long-time collaborator Melchior Sultana.

So why change a winning formula? Thankfully they haven't and this the Maltese imprint's sixth outing is as on-point and essential as the previous five must-have releases. Deeper heads will also be delighted to discover that the Kiss The Sun ep not only features the return of Natan H and Brian James to the Batti Batti fold but also the welcome addition of Ernie from the truly wonderful Minuendo Recordings. The deep house force in the Mediterranean is clearly strong and the links forged lately between Malta and Madrid have resulted in the link-up with Mr Minuendo himself.

And it is indeed Ernie who opens up this four-track beauty in style. Hoth Stuff is hot stuff and pure Ernie; chunky, funky, soulful and with plenty of dancefloor nous. The man from Madrid knows how to push all the right buttons when it comes to grooves of a deeper inclination and this is no exception.

The eponymous title-track from Brian James, a compatriot of Jay and Sultana and a man who really seems to be hitting his stride as a producer, is every bit as infectious and even more fantastically heads-down and groovy, a real gem.

Label stalwarts, the midfield generals of Batti Batti, Owen and Sultana do what they do best with their offering Contrasts, which again features the vocal talents of Mykle Anthony; beauteous, sun-drenched vibes that shimmer and shine and that you hope will never come to an end. Sublime from first groove 'til last.

Back on the team is the consistently-excellent American producer Natan H, who made his label debut back on BBR02. Inspired by a trip to Israel, his cut Negev has quality oozing from every note, as deep and dark as house can get whilst remaining head-noddingly and foot-tappingly exciting and inspiring. An awesome foursome from Batti Batti yet again.

LAAK/Banfield Audio - Calisto - Monochromatic

Being based in Argentina, many miles from the physical deep house hot spots, has not stopped the Monochromatic label from having its finger well and truly on the pulse. With four releases in little more than a year featuring Specter, Amir Alexander and Brad Peterson, the Banfield Audio boys behind the label are back with another 10" special featuring not only themselves but also yet more highly-coveted underground talent.

Taking a breather from their own well-respected label Austere, LAAK come up trumps for Monochromatic with the superb Calisto (it's a genus of butterfly or old typeface. Take your pick). Delicately textured as you might expect from LAAK, the track is as flighty, jaunty and optimistic as anything produced thus far on their own imprint and contains a melody so ridiculously catchy that it will take root in your mind and soul for some considerable time. You have been warned. 

By all accounts it is not the last of LAAK's away day adventures with forthcoming excursions coming soon on Rough House Rosie and Malcolm Moore's long-running deep house label Altered Moods.

Meanwhile back on the flipside, Banfield Audio deliver with aplomb more of the Motor City-inspired sound that has become their trademark. Waves From Detroit does what it says on the tin, layers of synth and melody combining to produce the kind of ethereal yet mechanical vibe that is reminiscent of work straight outta the D and touches a nerve with many a vinyl buyers these days. 

BLM - Spwn Camping- Contrast-Wax

British wunderkind BLM and Contrast-Wax were always going to make a perfect match. The savvy vinyl-only label and the outstanding young producer, who is one half of the incomparable Fear Of Flying imprint, clearly share similar values on aesthetics, quality and style. It was always going to work. 

Yet neither party surely could have envisaged that the Spwn Camping EP would actually turn out to be such a thing of beauty. Ten-inch vinyl, 100 copies and two top-rate tracks add up to one formidable release.

From his debut release on FOF back in 2006, BLM was marked out as a talent and it has been a delight to see that early promise realised and blossom with stand-out work not only for his own labels (he is also behind Sudden Drop alongside FOF partner Jay Robinson aka Jay Massive) but also for Secretsundaze, Tsuba and Jus-Ed’s Underground Quality. That talent is present and correct here for Contrast too.

A tad less chunky and just a touch more restrained too, opening track Range Mod is nonetheless of a similar hue and standard as the young Ben Micklewright’s  Roll ‘Em EP for UQ a couple of years back. It really is that tasty. Packing an understated punch, Range Mod is perhaps BLM’s finest moment thus far for these ears and displays all the quality and maturity of an up-and-coming talent now come of age.

All of which may have rendered the b-side a disappointment by comparison. Fear not though as the bristling and curiously melodic eponymous track Spwn Camping has a shuffling, ethereal and hi-tek charm all of its own thanks to BLM’s undoubted ability.

File under ‘need/want’.

V/A - Los Dedos Cortados - Minuendo Recordings

My love affair with Minuendo Recordings goes on and on. With every release the wonderful Madrid-based label grows in reputation, stature and self-belief. Now celebrating its tenth year it has gone from a vehicle largely for the inspirational Ernie and friends to an imprint at the very beating heart of the deep house movement that has become home for the scene's best talent, old and new. It has been a delight to watch it blossom from a great label to a truly great label.

Los Dedos Cortados [the 'cut fingers' if my Spanish translation software and the EP's artwork are to be believed], the label's 27th release, is classic Minuendo and highlights all that is best about the imprint. Legendary producers and artists, rapidly rising stars, beautiful artwork and attention to detail, more deepness than you could possibly wish for plus a long-overdue re-appearance from the man himself, Ernie.

Side one is the epitome of a label brimming with confidence. Featuring Soul Element (aka Stacy Kidd, the vastly-experienced US producer who has recorded for amongst others Dance Mania, Cajual and Peacefrog) and the iconic vocal talent that is Peven Everett, their track How Bad I Want Ya is classic soulful house done simply, with subtlety and to perfection. No tricks, nothing fancy or too clever, just a great song executed superbly. Nothing more, nothing less.

As if that weren't enough, the cut gets the remix treatment from yet another legend, a man whose records have adorned my shelves and those of countless disciples since way back when, none other than Glenn Underground. The man from Chicago's Southside does what he does best, adding a touch of jazz and GU magic, beefing and bumpin' up the track just enough whilst paying respect to the original throughout.

If side one is an all-Stateside affair then the flip is thoroughly European, at least by manufacture anyhow, and all about the label stalwarts. Making a second appearance on the imprint are Owen Jay and Melchior Sultana, the creative forces behind the Batti Batti label and key players in Malta's electronic music scene. Their offering Memento is delightfully lush, deliciously downtempo and stylistically a laidback complement to the Soul Element tune. 

Wrapping up proceedings is Tormenta Tropical from the tattoo-obsessed Ernie, his first artist appearance on his own label in the best part of four years. As usual, the man does not disappoint. Once again the track fits entirely with the rest of the release albeit with a Mediterranean undercurrent and a classic electronica twist. Deep, kick-driven, dream-like and a hefty nod to Manuel Göttsching's E2-E4, the quintessential Balearic chill-out, it is not only a welcome return for Ernie but also a suitably fitting way to mark ten years in the game. 

Brad P - Inner Visions - Inner Shift Music

Brad Peterson is one of those producers who can do no wrong in my eyes. Or should that be ears? Either way, his solo and collaborative track record over more than a decade with Minuendo, Moods & Grooves, Yore et al speaks for itself and his output on his own label Inner Shift Music is just as tidy.

Indeed, the Inner Visions EP, his first solo venture for the imprint he runs with partner Rai Scott, is not only a fine record but also a snapshot of what Peterson is all about.

The opening track is perhaps everything you might expect from a cut called Light Years. It’s ethereal and spaced-out deep house, the kind of thing Peterson does exceptionally well at the best of times anyway but here he is at his most excellent. In the hands of lesser artists the ‘otherworldly’ vibe can sound hackneyed but not so with the quietly-spoken American, who works at a higher level than most in this field and who always imbues his music with a hefty dose of soul. It’s what separates the wheat from the chaff in this game.

Whereas Light Years is bright, brash and jazzy, Slow Walker is much more introspective. A brooding, slow-burning ‘heads down’ of a track fashioned beautifully by Peterson for those darker moments. Take U There is Brad P on something of a jazz-funk tip, albeit within the parameters still of his take on the cosmic deep house oeuvre. Whale Cry, meanwhile, brings the journey to a suitably calming conclusion and augurs well for the man’s forthcoming album.