June: 14 house releases you need to hear this month

Mixed by Roger Sanchez and Todd Terry 'Best Of Times' (Hard Times)

In 1995, Hard Times released mix albums by Roger Sanchez and Todd Terry, so it seems fitting that it’s enlisted their considerable talent for this comp, released some 22 years later. There are great tracks from the DJs involved in addition to classics such as Sandy B’s ‘Make The World Go Round’ and Jon Cutler’s ‘It’s Yours’, which sit next to modern cuts from Dario D’Attis, Weiss and Harry Romero. Sanchez includes MK’s ‘Burning’ and a few S-Man productions, while Todd chooses plenty of his own releases. The label has made it through hard times; with releases as strong as this, it’ll be here for a long time to come.

9/10

Deetron 'Double Six Takes Volume 1' EP (Character)

Swiss supremo Sam Geiser, aka Deetron, brings us a five-track EP. The dubbed-out house of ‘I’ve Got To Have You’ sounds like Metro Area working with Maya Jane Coles, Take Me Higher’ is a driving main-room cut and ‘The Grand Cruiser’ is a sleazy, low-end groover. ‘Supper In Casa Blanca’ reminds us of the Poker Flat label with its twilight warehouse feel, while ‘Blues’ glides between smooth deepness and bleeping tech.

9/10

T&P 'Hail Falls' (Feel My Bicep)

Since the Bicep boys opened their label to other producers, it’s given birth to some amazing tracks. Here, Tim Sweeney teams up with Lauer for a disco-tinged acid gurgler with an epic melody that will appeal to DJs like Optimo. Monkeytown and Black Acre affiliates Dark Sky are on remix duties, and give us a teaser on what to expect from their forthcoming album by turning it into a space disco jam. Finally, Hammer proves that his growing reputation is justified with a dramatic, pulsing remix that’s on par with the original.

8/10

Jasper James 'Dirty Wrong' (Play It Say It)

Jasper James has been busy totting up the air miles and playing the world’s coolest parties, so we’re delighted he’s found the time to follow his brilliant release on Optimo with this EP for Seth Troxler’s Play It Say It label. We can tell Jasper has been spending more time in sunnier climes with this upbeat slice of disco house, and it’s clear he knows his way around a studio, too, cleverly using filters and drops in all the right places before releasing the friendly vocal. Rob Mello is on the remix with his super-cool No Ears rework and dub, which will be perfect for anyone looking to take things to a more intimate dancefloor.

8/10

Franky Rizardo 'Flow Edits' (Defected Records)

Franzy Rizardo gets us in the mood for his forthcoming ‘... In The House’ compilation with this teaser release consisting of two of his edits. He’s been carving his solid house sound for some time with releases on labels such as Spinnin’, Off Recordings, Fame and Defected; he’s probably overdue a crossover smash with his cool take on the big-room sound, but selfishly, we’d like to keep him for ourselves. First up is his edit of Coyu and Paolo Rocco’s ‘Forward Pleasure’, which trundles along with its combination of solid drums, vocal snips and a staccato key line. Next, he takes on Whitesquare and Nick Curly’s ‘Underground Abduction’ with large elastic bassline grooves; the track then breaks into a funk loop that sounds like Bruno Mars cutting into an Eats Everything set, before eventually returning to the womp-womp bassline.

8/10

D’Julz 'Foxxy' EP (Robsoul)

D’Julz debut single for the Robsoul label, ‘Ze Box’, was released back in 2014 but is still one of its strongest releases to date. Now, the Parisian producer has turned in another strong release for the label with his new ‘Foxxy’ EP. ‘Ze Fox’ is a late-night banger with a syncopated bassline, waka waka guitars, 80s claps, busy filters and cheeky vocal snips; it’s easy to see why it’s found favour with Eats Everything, Catz ‘N Dogz, The Revenge and more. ‘Big Kid’ is squarely aimed at making you feel just like one, with its tight disco loop, warm pads and sunny vibe, while ‘Next’ has juddering beats and jaggy snares that give way to soaring strings.

7/10

MAP vs DJ Haus 'X Mod' EP (Dixon Avenue Basement Jams)

Dixon Avenue Basement Jams continues its sonic slew of raw underground club weapons. Here, it welcomes DJ Haus and Mak and Paceman to the party with this three-tracker. ‘X-Mod’ is a jaggy tech banger, while ‘Bang It’ takes you by surprise as its driving groove gives way to a poised syncopated knock before banging back in with the good stuff. ‘Drive MF’ sounds, according to DABJ, like “Paul Johnson and Daniel Bell stuck in a lift or some other bullshit analogy like that”. Well put.

7/10

Christophe '50' EP (Futureboogie)

With Cristophe being both art director and a key contributor for Futureboogie since its inception in 2011, it seems fitting that he’s been chosen to helm this special 50th release. ‘Dance Pants’ has a light-hearted skipper acid line that grows with energetic drums. Elsewhere on the package, ‘Caravanarambar’ has relentless snares and shimmering synths that evoke 80s nostalgia, while ‘Savanna’ is a low-slung groover that’ll be perfect for that moment when the level drops, the sun starts penetrating the curtains and you realise you should really start heading home. ‘Key Largo’ finishes off the EP in good style with an anthemic synth line destined to have you wigging out.

7/10

Groove Armada 'House With Me -Richy Ahmed/Andrea Oliva remixes' (Snatch! Records)

House With Me’ was the standout cut from Groove Armada’s recent EP, so it’s no surprise that it’s been revisited here. First, Groove Armada ‘re-house’ the track with a new version (it’s good, although their original version was still getting regular airings). Hot Creations regular Richy Ahmed takes it to a dark afterparty with his 303-infused tech mix, while Andrea Oliva throws the rule book out the window on her jacking rework by laying on a vocal from ghetto-house supremo Parris Mitchell. The remixes are great, but mostly, they just reiterate how good the original still is.

7/10

Clive Henry 'My Fifteen Minutes Of Fame' (Vitalik)

This is Clive Henry’s first solo outing since he wowed us with Justin Drake as Peace Division. For a while the pair were unstoppable, so it’s great to hear Henry’s studio expertise being put to good use once again. ‘My Fifteen Minutes Of Fame’ is a raw, 15-minute live jam which effectively shows how his sound has matured from solid club tracks to Aus-friendly house music with its mix of tight drums, glacial synths, muted pads, analogue bass and tinkering melodies.

8/10

James Curd 'Freak Of Nature' (Mad Tech)

We’ve always been fans of James Curd and his various projects, and the man is definitely on fire right now. With an impressive back catalogue and releases on labels such as Classic, Madhouse and Sense Trax, you can’t help but feel the time has come for him to go into hyperspace. On the title track of his latest release, he’s joined by fellow producer Turbotito for a stab-led groove that also features mechanical vocals from singer Likasto, while ‘4 Foot Tall’ is a sassy collaboration with JDub. ‘I’m So Glad’, meanwhile, is peak-time Curd and is one of the best tracks on the EP, as the producer combines a soulful vocal refrain with some joyous melodies to make for a classy late-night cut.

8/10

Paul Woolford 'Chaos' EP (Edible Records)

Paul Woolford has been very busy as of late with his Special Request project and releases on Aus. Here, we find him on Eats Everything’s Edible Records with the ‘Chaos’ EP. The title track has similar elements to ‘Erotic Discourse’, but without ever just sounding like a lazy rehash; instead, it’s a strong cut that evokes memories of the magnitude of the older track, with a watery synth that goes crazy before returning to the mother groove. ‘Meditation’ is on the flip. and has a repeated diva vocal snip, bass squelches and an arp-filled breakdown that give it all the drama of a festival house cut.

8/10

Karuva 'Can’t Stop Won’t Stop' (Strangelove)

Strangelove is a new project that will concentrate on a UK mix of house, bass and techno, encompassing everything from hard-edged club sounds to more quirky cuts. Karuva is a Scottish producer now relocated to London who has released on various labels (one of his tracks, ‘The Walrus’, appeared on a Ministry Of Sound compilation). He’s been honing his sound for a while now, and has hit the jackpot with this release on the fledgling label. ‘Can’t Stop Won’t Stop’ sounds like Tiga, Vonstroke and Mr Oizo all jamming together, thanks to its liquid bass, jacking groove, infectious vocal and off-kilter feel. ‘The Underground’, meanwhile, has the kind of retro hip hop vocal snips that are ideal for breaking up a 4/4 set. It’s a useful cut, but the A-side is still the one.

7/10

DJ Licious 'I Hear You Calling' (Positiva/Virgin EMI)

Belgian producer DJ Licious originally released his track ‘I Hear You Calling’ on his Shomi Recordings label as an instrumental. It garnered loads of attention from lots of DJs, to the extent that it seemed as though it might be able to become a crossover house hit due to the appeal of its big bass, anthemic chorus and brass fanfares. Yolanda Quartery, who previously lent her diva tones to Duke Dumont’s ‘Won’t Look Back’, has now been enlisted to provide the track with a vocal in order to take it all the way into the big leagues. This isn’t just a club track with a vocal stapled on. though; it works really well as a vocal banger in its own right, giving the original version a real shot in the arm.

7/10

Mash is Mixmag's House Editor, follow him on Twitter