One of the positives of 2021 is that I DJed more than I have in a few years. Between our outdoor parties over the summer, a new webradio show with Jwan Allen, a handful of post-vaccine indoor gigs, the 18 months late debut of my monthly with Eric Justin, and my first recorded mix in almost three years, it’s been nice to be back in the saddle again. Hoping this wave of virus is the final one and I can get back to playing outside of the city in 2022.
Despite the pressing plant woes along with the continuing pandemic, this year felt like a solid year for releases. I did a very good job of covering basically everything noteworthy for me this year as it dropped, so I’m thinking I want to change it up a bit. I’ll link to all my year’s review posts at the end for those who didn’t see them the first time around if you want to go deeper. But here are the highlights that will make me think of 2021…
ButterBandz – King Heroin EP – 7 Days Entertainment 12”
ButterBandz – “Ultra Instinct” from Trinity EP – 7 Days Entertainment 12”
ButterBandz is Big Strick’s second son to jump into the family business of creating dope dance music. His first record dropped in 2020, and it showed great promise. This year, that promise has begun to be fulfilled. The Trinity EP also contained dope tracks by Papa Strick and Generation Next, but it was the B side cut “Ultra Instinct” that was the highlight. Its deep kicks and urban sci fi synths set the table for King Heroin, one of the most solid records of the year. All four cuts bang the dancefloor hard, and keeping it in the family it reminds me of the best of Omar-S’ Oasis project.
Salaam Remi feat. Teedra Moses – “Black Love (DJ Spinna Galactic Soul Remix)” – Louder Than Life Records 12”
DJ Spinna – “Click” – Refreaked 12”
Spinna has been on quite a roll recently, dropping vocal gem after vocal gem. This year he blessed us with two absolute bombs, both of which always get requests for track IDs when I play them. First and foremost is “Black Love” which sounded like a future classic from first listen. But then the fat synth bassline on Spinna’s refreak of Solange makes you wish this was how the original sounded in the first place. Top notch work from a veteran of soulful music.
LeRon Carson – Under The Conditions – Sound Signature 2xLP
Music this raw and funky is increasingly difficult to find in 2021. This album was made around 30 years ago, but it has not lost its effectiveness over those decades. In fact it feels even more relevant now, by showing us exactly how disregard for mainstream ideas about sound quality and structure can remain timeless and powerful. LeRon made music to make music, and that passion cuts through any tape hiss or dropout quite clearly. He is a true underground hero and this is his most complete artistic statement so far.
EDB – True Stories – Mother Tongue 12”
EDB Feat Marsha & Alberto Lincetto – “You Bring Me Joy” from Inside Pt 2 EP – Neroli 12”
EDB & Gary Superfly – “Pressure” from Madre Lingua compilation – Mother Tongue LP
EDB is without question my favorite new artist of 2021. His True Stories EP was the first to come out, and it established him immediately as a talent to keep an eye on. Drawing from soulful house, boogie funk, and more, the whole record is great but “This Can’t Be Life” featuring the vocals of Swaylo was one of my most played tracks of the year. EDB’s ability to craft an excellent vocal jam was confirmed with “You Bring Me Joy”, part of the excellent compilation 12” selected by Neroli bossman Volcov. And his cut with Gary Superfly on the outstanding Madre Lingua comp stood out in very serious company with its sick bassline.
Andrés – Back In The Open – Moods & Grooves 12”
Andrés – “Praises” – Mahogani 12”
Dez/Andrés – “Sweetest Pain” / “Sweetest Moaning” – Papaya Records 12”
Dez/Andrés – “Tonights Function” / “People Of The World” – Papaya Records 12”
Despite his overall profile blowing up over the last few years, I found myself not playing his recent music all that much. His music was always good, but it seemed to be missing some memorable aspects that would make it stand out. This year though, he came out guns blazing and hasn’t let up. “Praises” is a gospel sampling smasher, while “Sweetest Pain” and “Tonight’s Function” represent the lesser seen warm electro funk side of his production. “Sweetest Moaning” even explores a more booty style tempo, but still with his distinctive soulful vibe. Perhaps most impressively, he followed up his first outing on Moods & Grooves, a total classic from almost 20 years ago, with an EP that matches its feel almost perfectly.
NWAQ – Above EP – Last Age 12”
The man formerly known as Newworldaquarium has been one of my favorite producers for a long time. Here he treats us to the most updated version of his sound, submerging us in the thick, heavy kick drums and dense moving pads he is known for. Both versions of “Above” are more straight forward while “Dume” goes off kilter. The design, packaging, and colored vinyl all work together with the music to create what is for me the most complete statement from NWAQ so far.
Kyle Hall – MPC Dreams – Forget The Clock 12”
Kyle Hall – The Polychronic EP – Forget The Clock 12”
Kyle Hall – Phi EP – Forget The Clock 12”
Kyle Hall’s 2021 was his busiest year in quite a while, with three EPs cementing the sound and look of his Forget The Clock label. Blending broken rhythms with Detroit style keys and synths, Kyle’s continuing maturity really shines while still allowing room for some of the playfulness of his Wild Oats era. His jazzy, deep chords capture that distinctive high tech soul of Detroit techno but with a modern feel. If these three records were released together as an album, it would probably have found an even wider audience. As it is, they are weapons for the best discerning DJs.
Carlos Sanchez Movement – Grace EP – Sacred Rhythm Music 12”
Carlos Sanchez, a longtime NYC househead, passed away earlier this year, thankfully not without leaving us with this stunningly beautiful EP to remember him by. Vocals by Gregory Porter, Bobby McFerrin, and Kenny Lattimore are each flipped into house form, giving each that underground edge that make for the best remixes. Whether your need is deep or banging peak time, there is something here to get the dancefloor bumping.
Los Hermanos – Another Day – Mother Tongue 12”
Gerald Mitchell – The Metamorphosis Of Twookie Wonder Brown – Mother Tongue 12”
The Mother Tongue crew has been killing it, and these two releases by Gerald Mitchell are near the top of the list of examples why. The title track “Another Day” came out at the very end of last year but didn’t make it around the world until early 2021 and it STILL is probably the best single jam of the year. The keys and vocal sample are both immediately earworms, and the structure brings to mind the best old Moodymann tracks. Meanwhile “Twinkie Brown” is a spoken word P-Funk style track about a toucan. Insane, but also insanely good.
Fred P. – Unofficial Covers Interpretations – White Label 12”
Fred P’s house sound is pretty well established and well loved at this point, but here he brings some different flavors to the table. Doing versions of classic jazz fusion tracks, the live rhythms and synth solos create instant energy. I really hope we hear more of these from Fred, as this one is sure to be an underground classic.
Jason Hogans – Malletts Creek – Sound Signature 12”
Theo Parrish – “In Motion” / “Don’t Play” – Sound Signature 12”
In addition to the aforementioned LeRon Carson, Sound Signature also brought some great EPs in 2021. Jason Hogans makes his label debut with six tracks of freaked samples and heavy basslines. Not really “house” as most people would define it, but just great funky music. Theo himself throw some of his idiosyncratic rhythms into the mix, working especially nicely on the vocal track “Don’t Play” with vocals by Ava.
Dave Maze – Trance Dance EP – D&e Records 12”
Dave Maze brings us one of the most distinctive records of the year in the Trance Dance EP. Taking influence from Chicago’s long time obsession with Italo and New Wave tracks, he mashed them together with more soulful house beats and solos. On paper this may sound awkward, but when you hear it… any doubts are immediately erased. Spike Rebel’s playing is the cherry on top of one of the year’s best.
Jon Dixon – The New Tomorrow EP – Visions Inc. 12”
Jon Dixon – Detroit Get Down EP – 4evr 4wrd 12”
Jon Dixon seems to be fully breaking out, and it’s really about time. For his own 4evr 4wrd label, he enlists help from a number of Detroit luminaries to get that jazz club feeling. Over on Visions Inc. he goes it mostly alone, with standout “90 On The Lodge” featuring horns by KNMDK Horns. When my expectations are this high for an artist, sometimes I wonder if they will be able to live up to them. With Jon I am not worried, he seems to know his strengths and already understands what’s dope about his music and just continues to weave that into incredible music.
The Paradox – Counter Active – Axis 2xLP
Jeff Mills has been a busy man during the pandemic. I can’t even count how many releases he had this year, with many of them falling into some kind of jazz fusion. This LP with Jean-Philippe Dary on keys is by far the best, and just a fantastic album. Mills’ organic 909 programming lays out the perfect bed for Dary’s electric piano and synthesizers, with tracks covering energy levels from deep house to trippy techno.
Danae – Good Fruit – Bubbletease Digital
Danae’s album is I believe the first digital only release I have included on a year end list. Maurice Fulton is on production, and his mixture of dance and R&B beats complement’s Danae’s voice and vocal style flawlessly. Minimal but funky, this is the kind of future soul music I am always looking for. The track “Life Under The Sun” is amongst the year’s best, but the whole album smacks.
Julion De’Angelo – Freedom School D.J. Series Vol. 4 – Freedom School 12”
The newest edition of Freedom School’s DJ series comes to us courtesy of Detroit’s Julion De’Angelo. Ever since his first split release on Sound Signature, he has been pushing his sound ever more abstract and the results are impressive. This mixture of broken beats, hiphop, and house music feels fresh and essential in an era where so many people strive to copy the past. Definitely one of the top records for me this year.
Dezaray Dawn – “The Real Deal” – Makin’ Moves 12”
Kai Alcé – Luv Fantasy – NDATL 12”
Claude Young – The Knife EP – NDATL 12”
Kai knocking it out is not even mildly surprising anymore. His production for Dezaray Dawn on “The Real Deal” is amongst his best, and this was one of the most played tracks for me and my JET Party Services crew in 2021. He dropped some of his own instrumentals on Luv Fantasy, and A&Red a super slick house EP by Claude Young for his own NDATL, showcasing just how versatile he can be.
Joaquin Joe Claussell – Raw Tones – Rekids 2xLP
During the lockdown, Joe Claussell pulled out an old cassette multitrack and created some rugged and raw house tracks, which he then self released on tape. Thankfully Rekids stepped in to give the best of them a vinyl release. These tracks maintain that spiritual vibe that Joe is known for, but also throws back to his old Instant House days.
Various Artists – Parabellum Detroit – Upstairs Asylum 3xLP
Various Artists – Unity Vol. 1 – Upstairs Asylum 2xLP
Various Artists – Unity Vol. 2 – Upstairs Asylum 2xLP
Norm Talley’s Upstairs Asylum blew up this year, with releases by Norm himself as well as some rereleased jams by Tyree Cooper and more. But most impressive was these three Detroit compilations. Parabellum Detroit was compiled by Rick Wilhite and Delano Smith, and they packed in tons of heat by cats like Marcellus Pittman, Gerald Mitchell, and Omar S. Norm takes the reins on the two volumes of Unity, with the first leaning house with tracks by Kai Alcé, Kyle Hall, and more, and the second banging more techno thanks to Gari Romalis, Delano Smith, and others.
East Coast Love Affair – “Without You” – Athens of the North 12”
East Coast Love Affair feat Peter Hunningale – “Date With The Rain” – Athens of the North 12”
The man Linkwood came correct this year with these two vocal jams. “Without You” is a super deep garage cut, while the cover of “Date With The Rain” enlists Lovers Rock icon Peter Hunningale and a 707 to craft maybe my favorite version of the classic. It’s refreshing to see such creative use of so many older styles together in a fusion that could never be called trite.
Malik Alston – “Halftime” / “In The Dance” – Globally Limited lathe cut 7”
Malik Alston – In A Better Way – Mother Tongue 12”
Malik Alston – Presents Painted Pictures: Air – The Jazz Diaries 12”
Malik Alston’s music has been a secret weapon of mine for years, but now it seems like he is starting to break out. His 7” for Globally Limited features some of his tougher instrumental house grooves, while the Jazz Diaries release contains full on live band business. The Mother Tongue records falls somewhere between, with organic elements and programmed elements mixed together along with solid vocals.
Afrikan Sciences – Journey Into Mr. Re – The Student Body Presents 2xLP
Afrikan Sciences – “The New Dun Language” – ESP Institute 12”
Afrikan Sciences had a solid year in 2021, with an album and a single whose meeting of deep techno, dub, and hip-hop together has a natural swagger. “The New Dun Language” is the standout track, but all of Mr. Re is excellent and makes for an album that creates a thick atmosphere and also has some jams for the adventurous dancefloor. I’m always looking for music that approaches classic sounds with an experimental approach, and Afrikan Sciences has done that very well.
Alex Attias and Peven Everett – “Love Dimension” – Visions Inc. 12”
It’s always an event when a new Peven Everett drops, and this one is predictably excellent. Alex Attias brings a little more minimal backing track, and Peven does his thing all over it. Another jam that was beaten to death by me in so many sets this year and always seems to please the dancers.
DJ Kemit & Luke Austin Presents The Lounge Lizards – Detroit Boogie E.P. – R2 Records 12”
Last but certainly not least is this record by The Lounge Lizards. Every track here is a banger, with samples taken from J Dilla and Slum Village but twisted into a soulful house style. “Intro To Dance” stands out with its SV sample that actually works better here than in the original.
Here are the links to my reviews from the rest of the year, pretty much everything in them is excellent so check them out if you want to hear more: