I’m feeling quite far removed from what is going on in House and Techno at the moment. All of my recent, admittedly limited, buying has been on the leftfield of Disco and there hasn’t been a huge amount of House or Techno that has really excited me for a good while.
One of the big things keeping me away from spending much time looking for new House and Techno is the amount of so-called ‘Detroit-influenced’ records around. You know the kind - bland, over-produced and nothing at all to do with Detroit. If I see anything described as such, I instantly know I’m going to hate it.
I’m still listening to a lot of the usual suspects - Theo, KDJ, Shake, etc, and most of those are still putting out great records, but I’d say the only three producers to have caught my attention in a big way over the past couple of years are Yoav B, Malik Pitmann and Omar S.
I’m not totally into everything Yoav B does, but “Steam Drill” from the “Language Of An Open Heart” 12 pretty much sums up everything that I do like about some of his tracks, whereas Malik Pitmann and especially Omar S have been constantly putting out, what is for me, near-perfect House music that has the rawness and soul that so much of the other music coming out at the moment doesn’t come close to.
A House record that is probably my favorite and definitely my most played over the past couple of years is “Same Changes” by Lee Douglas, which came out in pretty limited quantities on Rong a couple of years back. Not many people seemed to really pick up on it, although the b-side, more Disco, “Our Song” has had a recent repress. Again, I’m not totally into everything Lee Douglas has done, but I’d definitely recommend checking this one out.
What new Techno and House is doing it for ISM at the moment and is my negativity, as I suspect it will be, completely unfounded?
Off the top of me head, I’d try and listen to some of what Real Soon, Sistrum, Aesthetic Audio put out and people like Lerosa, Juju and Jordash, STL, Mike Huckaby, Trusme, Patrice Scott, Keith Worthy, Scott Fergusson (a little hit and miss), KSoul and RaH, NWAQ, Tom Trago etc etc have been doing.
For slightly different (more like Prescription-y deep praps) maybe Oracy, Motor City Drum Ensemble, John Daly (kinda disco-ey too)…
New Pepe Bradock, Kerri Chandler (Pong), Le Cercle Peul sounding nice to my ears too.
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Patrice scott put out some serious eps lately, Mike Huckaby’s been blowin shit up all over the place, of course Omar S, Malik, Kenny, Theo, Rick Wade have all been droppin some seious shit too. i do agree with what you’re sayin bout the watered down bullshit comin out, there has been a heap of shit come out the past while but Detroit aint and never will let up in quality you can be sure of that..
i dont give a shit what punks be puttin out as long as i know that when i need that real shit i need look no further than the D
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I can’t say that I blame you, I understand where you are coming from. Even the “new” producers such as Patrice and Omar-S aren’t new to me anymore as both have established themselves as more than one hit wonders. As I look at my invoices for my last orders, I see a striking pattern, more of the same, more records by artists that have retained their buy on sight status. (e.g. Maurice Fulton, Carl Craig’s remix of TRIBE, etc.)
With that being said two artists that have surprised in recently have been the aforementioned Motor City Drum Ensemble and Karizma’s “A mind of Your Own” (R2) . MCDE have added a nice take on the tried and true formula of house and techno, while Karizma just floored me with that album that seemed to come out of no where, as his prior output was mostly filled with nondescript house 12″s.
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Its funny you say this because I have felt the opposite. I guess its because I’ve always loved detroit (as well as chicago) sounds across both house and techno. The artists mentioned above are pretty much what I’m talking about (Trusme, Omar S, Theo, etc.). I recently bought almost the entire discography from Omar S’s site and its all sick as hell - and cheap. Los Hermanos, Rolando, and S2 are also putting out quality shit. I have always had the problem of dealing with watered-down music that just flat-out sucks but I think that’s always the case. I would recommend checking out the new Tony Allen “Kilode” with the slammin remix by Carl Craig. New shit on KIF, Mule, Nublu have also been rocking my shit as well as the new release on Prime Numbers (Trusme’s record label) with the track “RIP” by Linkwood. The new release on Mule by Kuniyuki “Flying Music, Deep Poetry Remix”. I feel you bro, but believe me, there is constant, sick shit coming out all the time.
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i just got that Prime Numbers in, and really it is all about the reggie dokes shit on the b-side. the Linkwood track is alright but nothing outstanding IMO. that’s about how i feel about Trus’Me as well. i’m awaiting that new Pepe Bradock and the Psychopark 12″s that should be coming in the mail shortly!
i agree with you guys that it seems to be all the same names and faces. i try to give other cats a chance, but for the most part it doesn’t work out. i am just happy to get good new music, really.
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Trus’me needs to watch his quality control I think. Some artists go overboard with releases (Redshape is another example). That new Vibrations track is really nice though, I prefer the tougher end of what he does. I’d guess, Tom, that you’d feel the same about people like Soulphiction? (their new one is nice - Ghana Wadada).
As for that Linkwood track, RIP. More housey than his last output, there’s also a tougher version available that I think is a little better.
Trus’me has a new night in Manchester (first off was a booking for Juan Atkins - of course he didn’t show). Last Friday was Andres (I couldn’t make it) and he soon has Rick Wade. I won’t be missing that. Rick’s one of my fave producers.
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As much as I like classic house & techno and the usual suspects (theo, moodymann, etc), sometimes I appreciate some stuff that shows some originality and don’t play it safe. A lot of new music that you and me consider good, is still often very very safe and does not push things forward. I’ll take the example of Rick Wade who I love, but he has about the same sound since forver and I wouldn’t mind seeing him experimenting a bit…
Anyway here’s 4 recent releases that do it for me, that I consider push things a little bit forward. Some would consider these as “minimal” without a second thought but that’s more like experimental house to me:
Kreon&Leimos: Lookosphere EP: http://www.wordandsound.de/article/50816
Kreon: Shake’N'Make EP
http://www.wordandsound.de/article/50933
Bredon Moeller: One Man’s junk EP
http://www.wordandsound.de/article/52084
A1 on Peter Grummich - Fresh Air for Fresh People:
http://www.wordandsound.de/article/48921
And on the classic house front there’s this beautiful Delano Smith EP, only available digitally
The Insomnia EP: http://www.whatpeopleplay.com/browse/album/?id=3769&tid=13075&found=tracks
Classic but so great there nothing to say but enjoy the music!
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I would KILL to hear Andres play…How could you miss him fivetones?
and i agree on rick wade man, when is he playin over there and where? im due a trip over that direction
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On a straight up detroit-techno influenced stylee I loved that last Don Williams 12″ on Artless, “Detroit Red”.
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Thanks for the recommendations. I’ve already checked a couple of the mentioned artists out, but will definitely have a look at some of the others.
It’s funny that NWAQ should be mentioned as his records were once a buy-on-sight thing for me, but I seem to have got progressively less interested in what he’s doing. ‘Trespassers’ is still an absolutely amazing record though.
I agree with the comments about Trus’me. I bought the first release, loved it, then bought the second and listened to the third and wasn’t impressed. Stopped short of bothering with the album. Any thoughts on it? Worth picking up?
As for Andres, I’ve had reliable reports that he was on top form over the past weekend.
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@dean: sometime other things are bigger than music. Shame though.
Seems Rick Wade’s not listed to appear on Trusme’s website anymore. Gutted if that’s not gonna happen.
As for the LP. If you don’t have the 12s the LP is a good thing to have. Shakebody and Working Nights are good tracks and War and Nards (on the 12s) are good too.
That Gilles Peterson comp 12 has Vibrations on it. Fave thing he’s done in my current mood that.
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Loving the lists here. I always find the sickest stuff on your site’s comments Tom…Thanks guys.
Anyways, I’m loving Lerosa, STL and I know some of you will hate…but…I liked the new Thomas Melchior as well. Yikes.
Quick question…Besides Forced Exposure, what online US vinyl stores do you guys use to get this stuff? I browse the usual spots in NYC but alot of stuff is still madd difficult to track down?
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spot on about STL!! This guy is doin straight damage right now, super elusive guy tho. http://hardwax.com/53499/.
some stuff im into….
http://www.discogs.com/release/1178643.
super obscure limited pressing hardwax release..mental.
Surgeons first album on downwards, no playin around this is seriously dark vibing material.
http://hardwax.com/55912/
This is pretty funky http://hardwax.com/55912/
Hood Music 3 - http://hardwax.com/55699/ - Robert Hood’s back in form!!
http://www.discogs.com/release/890884 - the third track on jitterbugs - walking on clouds mix. Totally blew me away (Thanks ISM!).
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Dubbyman- Dubtroit ep (Deep Explorer)
Nubian Mindz- Africa Man (Delsin)
Bought both of these at the weekend and I’m loving them.
I’m on the lookout for the Prime Numbers too but Rub a Dub didn’t have it in stock yet.
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@fivetones:
thats cool man, you gotta do what you gotta do!
is a pity bout rick wade, would have loved to hear him
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Hood Music 3 is a great record, best of that series, and showing the rest of those MnMl clowns how to do it properly!
Really really really love Metro Area 7, seems to have gotten mixed responses but it just gets better with every listen to me, and YES, I love the vocals on it too!!
this is a nice EP
http://www.discogs.com/release/1174382
some others already mentioned, Aesthetic Audio, Sistrum, etc
I’m feeling you guys with Trus’me, but I do like R.I.P. and W.A.R. is a really nice track too.
Got that Psychopark EP yesterday, not sure about it yet, it’s pretty abstract. But Reggie Dokes and J&Js tracks often take a few listens to get into.
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