dj jnett - wILDLIFE EP [RUNNING BACK]

Melbourne's very own DJ Jnett makes her debut solo release on Gerd Janson's Running Back imprint. Janette Pitruzello has been somewhat of a veteran on the Melbourne club scene for quite some time now and this EP seems to summarise her eclectic musical taste. 

Maurice Fulton, another veteran, opens the A side with a groovy, early night house tune - I expect this will be heard all over the circuit in the coming months (if it hasn't been already). 

She switches it up on the next track, bringing through a more experimental and slower track. Echoed sounds of the jungle make up the majority of this song, particularly relatable to the organic Electro scene of South East Australia. 

Back to another nod towards the dancefloor with 'Sangzipani' on the flip side. Jnett pulls in some serious disco cuts - this one's a roller. 

Finally, it wouldn't be from Australia if the EP didn't have some sort of influence from probably the most popular genre of music Down Under: Hip Hop. This track seems out of place on the record, but it also completes it very nicely. Loose, trappy beats supply the foundation for the brilliant arrangement of the horn section - a very unique take on Hip Hop. 

This is a very important release that shows that just because a DJ has been a DJ for all of the their career, they can still produce good electronic music. 

Listen / Buy

Flash Atkins - The Life & Remixes [Paper Recording]

Flash Atkins came to us last year with a stunning collection of acid house tunes in his second album in 12 years. ‘The Life & Times’ was rousing, raucous and heaps of fun. This set of remixes, a full twelve of them, delivers much of the same. The names they have got taking control of the originals spans from The Revenge and Emperor Machine to Norway’s Ralph Myerz. Each track is in itself a peak time tune, it almost becomes too much listening to it all in one go. Taking the originals much deeper, the opening two tracks chug along maintaining Flash Atkins’s feel but redesigning it into something more suited for a hypnotic set. Leon Sweet’s claw mix is dark and metallic knocking about sounds of warehouse and something that reminds me of building works – you can sense the urban nature in this song. Another Norwegian, B.G. Baarregaard is responsible for the only track that feels out of place, but then isn’t that a good thing? The highlight though goes to Jamie L’s Slug Chug mix does that exactly what it says on the tin, double choo choo, until suddenly it breaks into harmonious melody and uplifting strings – a real corker, and at eleven minutes its one that rides the crest of that wave. Value for money this is an absolute steal. Real quality from Paper Recordings, as usual.

Buy: Vinyl / Digital

MOi - 04 [MOI Holland]

Tasteful, funky, chugging, dubby tech-house...

My pick this week comes from Ukrainian producer MOi - otherwise known as iO (Mulen). This was Actually released at the end of April, so apologies but it’s too good to go unnoticed. This is iO’s 4th two track EP and it very potent indeed - (it stinks of summer)!
Under the Moi moniker, iO’s music takes on quite a uniquely captivating sound, suitable for a sunny day or a dark, long night.

The A side more suitable for the sunshine hours, with dreamy, warm pads and a playful dubby baseline. Clocking in at 10 minutes 11 seconds it has a subtle progression, however it manages to stay vibrant, introducing delicate textural changes over the thumping bass whilst maintaining a signature tech-house high-hat line.

The B side is far more suited for the later climbs of the night. Without departing too much from the core elements of the A side, the baseline is far more ominous, and the dub echoes sound even a bit more distant and melancholic. Having said this, it’s still got a warm and inviting feel to it, and I’m jealous of anyone who has been able to listen to it on a system that does this characteristic eastern european sound justice.

Overall, and to no surprise, MOi has produced another marvelously smooth release. Useful for Dj’s who like long chugging interchanges and revelers who like loooonngg days.

Expect this one to be creating moments this summer….

Buy: Vinyl

RoyGreen & Protone - Journeys [Fokuz Recordings]

Best known for their Drum & Bass bootleg of The Doors’ classic ‘Riders on the Storm’, RoyGreen & Protone are 2 producers who are absolutely brimming with talent. The mellow style that characterises most of their tracks is on display here in the aptly named ‘Journeys’. Reminiscent and similar in sound to Adam F’s 90s anthem ‘Circles’, the production on this number is seemless. It achieves a delectable balance by combining many subtle, unobtrusive elements, and the recurring vocal sample adds to the songs dreamy, almost ethereal quality, whilst simultaneously taking the listener on a journey with it. I think many would agree, you could gladly listen to this on repeat all day (as I have been doing for the last half an hour while writing this!!)

Buy: Vinyl

Ibrahim Alfa - bLack Mask [Workshop]

Ibrahim Alfa comes out of his musical silence with an incredible LP on Lowtec's Workshop. The record, which was originally made in the 90s, was never actually released due to issues with money. Fortunately for us, David Moufang aka Move D has dusted off the old DATs and given it the release that it deserves. My pick of the bunch is 'Black Mask', a heavily-layered, glitchy electro number. My only criticism is that I wish it was slightly longer!

Buy: Vinyl / Digital