Tanner Ross

Reviews:121

Did Virgo ft. Joanna
Come to my Galaxy
La Dame Noir Records

Marseille’s La Dame Noir is not only a record label but also a club, blog and bar which most of all means that they have the nerve to release music like this. It’s not too often you get to hear something that actually says something different to you. It’s usually: let’s get high, love each other, isn’t the sunset lovely etc etc all of which is very good (of course) although tackling, as in this case,  the left field can be as equally rewarding. And so to my pick of the week (even though it doesn’t really exist) the very excellent Work Addict. Dangerous, sassy and words like that do this some justice – listen below, you may agree. The title track then eases the tempo down to reveal more deepness, while Where is She proceeds to get deliciously moody again with Javi Redondo’s first rate remix feeling much tougher via an Acid twist.

http://www.virgomusic.fr
http://virgomusicmars.wordpress.com
http://ladamenoir.fr

https://soundcloud.com/didmusic/sets/did-virgo-ft-johanna-come-to

Greg Paulus, John Camp, Brian Derdiarian
Scenes from our Classic Future
Wolf+Lamb

If you think that the title sounds picturesque just wait until you hear the music. Released just in time for summer playlists the downtempo gorgeousness of Remo captures the spirit of what’s hopefully over the horizon. From the classy vocal delivery by Greg Paulus to the laid back jazzy trumpet and occasional percussion this is simply lush. The tasty Tanner Ross Radio Edit slightly shortens the experience but adds bigger beats to the equation while retaining all the necessary ethereal qualities. Next track, Fire In The Sky goes Balearic in full swing with the aptly beautifull Surf Song returning to ambient climes to finish by augmenting twangy guitar and smooth 80’s kicks. Excellence.

release: June 14

http://www.wolflambmusic.com

https://soundcloud.com/thump/wolf-lamb-remo/s-AxlXQ

Helmut Ebritsch
Souls Transmitting
Lucidflow

If you haven’t yet encountered Helmut Ebritsch then please do so immediately. Souls Transmitting, is an album full of outstanding music for all scenario’s and occasions from the title tracks darkly, brooding landscape to the uplifting chord sequences of Revelations this crosses all the relevant T’s. There is the odd splash of heavy sounding Techno on route although even in this context it works well, but back to the beginning with Melodies of Power and its sinister yet spectacular atmospheres that are hard to beat…

release: June 2

http://lucidflow-records.com

https://soundcloud.com/helmut-ebritsch/sets/helmut-ebritsch-souls

JazzClub_1_383_383Paul Murphy Presents The Return Of Jazz Club
BGP

Been very much looking forward to spending time with this ace collection of Jazz via the legendary Paul Murphy. It’s been out for a couple of weeks now but as a lot of the music emanates from the 1950’s and there abouts’ that doesn’t feel like too much of an inconvenience. Anyway, the selection is per excellence with music from Sonny Rollins, the proto-rap of Eddie Jefferson (from 1968!), plus the heavy-swing of Flying Home by Arnett Cobb so believe me you are in for a treat. It’s amazing how just how vibrant the music still sounds and you still get that sense of heady excitement by listening, which is precisely why this Return is so significant. Tempted to buy the vinyl version too partly because as you can see the cover is so damn cool!

https://acerecords.co.uk/paul-murphy-presents-the-return-of-jazz-club

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reviews:105

Nick Monaco
The Stalker EP
Soul Clap Records

SCR1206NICKMONACOArtworkThis has to be one of Soul Claps finest releases with Nick Monaco’s sure-fire funky arrangement sounding every bit as compelling and edgy as the title suggests. But while there are a number of great remixes on offer its all down to the original version’s hypnotic charm to seduce you in total. Subject wise it’s about stalking, so no surprise there then, and the vocal is certainly suitably smoky cool, but it’s also very much about the guitar plucked groove that captures your imagination too. Soul Clap supply their own excellent and heavier Tribal version, with Tanner Ross getting deeper on his, leaving Navid Izadi to break up the beats with an atmospheric backdrop to the voice over. Remaining tracks, Boy Meets World explores jazzy moodiness and Boy Meets World references classic eighties Electro beats complimented by smouldering chords.

release: November 25

https://www.facebook.com/nick.monaco.music

http://soulclap.us

 

JMX
Jus Housin EP
Extended Play Recordings

No prizes for guessing what this is all about. Four fierce House cuts for your dancefloor pleasure once again sees the Belfast producer, and co-label head, get it spot on. Opening with the blistering Rock The Bells and its uplifting combination of excitable vocals, thumping bass, infectious stabs and, of course, some seriously funky cowbells. Can’t Slow Down, replays the formula minus the cowbell while again hitting you with an array of voices and captivating stabs. It Is What It Is, is the EP’s more thoughtful production feeling deeper with crisp drums offsetting tense string lines and rolling bass. JC Williams remix then finishes on a high with piano complimenting the bouncy, jazzy b-lines on what is another very fine release from the label.

release: November 18

https://www.facebook.com/pages/JMX/358489487500429

http://extendedplayrecordings.com

 

Daniel Steinberg
In My World EP
Arms & Legs Records

danDaniel Steinberg follows neatly on from where his excellent album, Treptow left off earlier in the year with this fresh set of diverse sounds and rhythms. But not one to rely on cliques his music always makes for rewarding listening. Gardezia begins with up-tempo beats and warm, jazzy electric piano inflections setting the tone perfectly. The excellent low-slung, In My World follows with soulful vocals and irresistible funky-horn punctuated grooves put through their paces via the producers’ willful imagination. Leiser Minelli completes with uneasy beats accompanied by a further sprinkling of keys and picturesque atmosphere’s again highlighting the Berlin producers’ musical prowess.

release: November 25

http://www.armsandlegs.de

https://soundcloud.com/arms-and-legs-records/sets/daniel-steinberg-in-my-world

The Emotions
Come Into Our World: Expanded Edition
Big Break Records

Having already recorded one of my favourite soulful records, Flowers in 1976 The Emotions went on to release this album three years later. Produced by Earth, Wind & Fire’s Maurice White and featuring all of those distinctive harmonies alongside feel-good grooves the opening ‘What’s The Name Of Your Love?’ very much typifies the sound. The mid-paced numbers do their own thing too such as the following, Cause I Love You which smooches along suitably. You can clearly hear all the E,W & F references occurring from their Boogie Wonderland period resulting in this sounding like sunshine on a rainy day. Another fine re-issue from bbr.

http://www.cherryred.co.uk/bigbreak-exd.asp?id=4396

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reviews:47

Jimmy Edgar
Majenta 
Hotflush Recordings

Following on from XXX Jimmy Edgar begins Majenta with a bang, and then keeps on banging. From the opening Kraftwerk referencing, Too Shy you’re immediately captured by the sheer funkiness of it all but with the arrival of Punk attitude declaring itself: This One’s For The Children, all hell breaks loose. Tempos continue to lift and drop as the machine-funk proceeds to probe different moods and agendas, feeling sometimes dangerously sleazy, sometimes joyus and uplifting. The one thing that is patently apparent is that this simply gets better with each consecutive listen. And so to highlight the diversity the warmth generated by R&B flavoured, Touch Yr Body and Hrt Real Good is equally offset by the cosmic discotheque of Heartkey. While the albums finale: In Deep draws together such a far reaching set of musical ideas that they are probably too long to list here, but which combine – like everything else – to feel very much like, Jimmy Edgar. 8

release: May 7

http://jimmyedgar.com

http://www.hotflushrecordings.com/

 

Geddes presents Mulletover: The Story So Far 2004-2012
Murmur

You could say: hotly anticipated, but then that would be somewhat of an understatement. And even if you haven’t made it to London’s premier installation, then the story so far plays like the best excuse to indulge yourself in Geddes first rate selection of deeply involving music. Featuring productions that expand the possibilities from Maya Jane Coles stunning, Dubchild through to Delusions Of Grandeur’s quietly immense, Don’t Sleep the party never seems to end. That realization of course also comes care off Okain’s very sublime, Scream and via the Murk classic, If You Really Love Someone. The journey through the timeline smoothly twists together the lows and highs of everything worthwhile, yet feels every bit about the here and now. 9

release: May 7

http://www.mulletover.co.uk/

http://www.murmurrecords.com/

 

 

Deniz Kurtel & The Marcy All-Stars
The Way We Live – The singles
Wolf + Lamb

Just ahead of the June release of, The Way We Live album alongside The Marcy All-Stars comes this stunning set of three singles. Worked in collaboration, with firstly, Tanner Ross on the very divine, I Knew This Would Happen featuring Pillow Talk, which sequences together gorgeously haunting pads and expertly played bass along with Jazzy attitudes and heavenly treated voices to produce what is simply sublime music. The Jazzy notation follows on, The Beat Drops with Tanner Ross again and Jules Born developing a Saxophone theme across pulsating electro-beats and moody vocals. Leaving, Thunder Clap complete with thunderous fx and Voices Of Black to deliver P-Funk inspired funkiness to entice you further into the cosmos. 9

release: May 7

http://www.wolflambmusic.com/

 

 

Mirko Loko
Featuring
Visionquest

Featuring features two tracks: Harder (with Jaw) and Timeline (with Francesco Tristano). The former works Jaw’s detuned vocal over bubbling synthesisers and consequently feels tastefully sinister yet bizarrely funky.  Reaching almost twelve minutes long the arrangement delivers aural surprises along the way, not least of all the way the bassline climaxes the into a fizzy contortion. Timeless, is almost conventional in comparison, although while acclaimed pianist Francesco Tristano challenges you with abrupt, improvised notes it never-the-less makes sense via the engaging technological rhythm section and its familiarizing repetition. 7

release: May 7

http://www.vquest.tv/

 

 

Anthea
Lonber Attract EP
Air London

You get the feeling that you don’t know where this is going to end up – which I like – as the opening title track unnerves you with its brooding beats and dark electronics, despite LK’s unsettling voice telling you to conversely relax in the process. Never less than interesting this creative production always holds your attention even right down to the very ending at almost eleven minutes. What Where, continues in a similar vein though rewards you funkier percussion and bass, with the tINI remix of Lonber Attract sounding excellent with imaginative drum programming and further carefully- crafted hypnotic atmospheres.  8

release: May 9

http://soundcloud.com/anthea-marie

http://soundcloud.com/tinidesolat 

http://www.airlondonmusic.com/

 

Nikola Gala
Only
Rekids

Nikola Gala’s relentless production doesn’t indulge much in the way of subtlties but does dive headlong into pulverizing beats coupled with classic House stabs and vocal edits for quality measure. Indeed, the kick drum is soo harsh it makes everything else seem like light relief - which I guess of course is the whole point – with the resulting experience being uplifting almost despite itself. Ryan Elliot plays with an altogether different beat and indulges in mood enhancing pads and funky hi-hat fuelled percussion to provide a sassy alternative. 7

release: May 7

http://soundcloud.com/rekids/nikola-gala-only-original-mix

http://www.rekids.com/

http://ghostly.com/artists/ryan-elliott

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