Lauro Martins - Open Doors EP (Not So Fast Records)

Northern California label Not So Fast Records bounces back with a slammin' new release from the Brazilian-born / Golden State-raised Lauro Martins. His Open Doors EP transmits his dark, pounding house music sound out of unsuspecting speakers and confidently onto underground dance floors. Using an array of music hardware – from vintage to new-school synthesizers and drum machines – Lauro has created a trio of gritty, rough-at-the-edges tracks that bristle with tech house energy and deep house grooviness. "Creep & Crawl", "1991", and the EP's title track all convey peak after-hours moments, serving as effective set-builders for tough and tight DJ sessions. NSF label boss Naz and Voluptuous Records' own EZO contribute compelling remixes, offering psychedelic effects and meaty bass lines to augment the originals. It's time to get down.

DJ Heather - "Nice EP!"
Gene Farris - "Good stuff."
Jason Hodges - "'Open Doors' is dope!"
Lupe Fuentes (Inhouse Records) - "Nice!"
Onionz - "The EZO remix of 'Open Doors' is nuclear!"
J-Dub (Farris Wheel) - "Solid transitional little bangers to keep the floor bouncing."
Golf Clap (Country Club Disco / Simma Blac) - "'Creep & Crawl' is a dope track."
Spettro (Get Physical) - "Nice groove on 'Open Doors'."
Martin Villeneuve (Hotfingers / Jungle Funk) - "Nice one!"
Jon Manley (hOUSEwORX Radio Show) - "Banging EP from Lauro Martins … '1991' is the bizzness!"
Greg Eversoul (Elektek / Evasive) - "Nice, bouncing tracks."
Louis Hughes (6th Sense Music) - "A nice solid release here … proper underground house music!"
Harry Avers (Noice!) - "'1991' is great … tools galore on this EP."
Simon Kirk (Stag Beetle Radio Show) - "Superb EP. The Ezo remix is a bit special with a seriously dark break. Overall, I love the way the EP is aimed at those darker rooms but I can see these working for loads of DJs everywhere."

Available now from Beatport, Juno Download, and iTunes.

DJ Rusty - Brick Dance (Not So Fast Records)

Not So Fast Records is a San Francisco house music label founded in 2006 by DK Watts (Short Bus Kids) and DJ Naz Vartianian, meant as a sub-label of Bounce House Recordings. Releases from the likes of Giano, Short Bus Kids, p-rez, and Bon Johnson established the label in the bay area house community. Today DJ Naz is still at the helm of NSF Records, but somewhere along the way he was joined by Fresno-based DJ/producer P-REZ in managing the label.

Now presenting its eighth release, the label acts as a springboard for the solo debut of Oakland's DJ Rusty. He's previously collaborated with P-REZ as Dos Banditos, making NSF Records a fitting home. Diving right in, the "Brick Dance" single has an unequivocal California feel with a shaker, tom, and rim-filled rhythm, a rockin' bass line, and accented vocals that all combine into house music with lowrider appeal. Three included remixes take the track into different territories. Ezra Osborn is the owner of Voluptuous Recordings and one half of Da Basspushers with Giano. Producing as EZO, he turns in a spacier interpretation with minimal tech flair and sparse synth chords. P-REZ (real name Steve Perez) is a label mate of EZO's and production partner of Rusty's making his remix the glue to this release. He ups the original's sleaze with additional Cali flavor by way of Fresno, adding bong hits and buzzed synths. Completing the release, Arturo Garces is a San Jose label manager for Jump Recordings, Beat Bum Music, and Resource Records with plenty of productions released on other widely recognized labels like Robsoul Recordings. His Zone Mix is full of shuffling elements from the percussion to the bass line and all the additional effects, giving life to a deep, but energetic, groove.

DJ Mes (Guesthouse) - “Rusty and P-Rez on da mix! Nice release.”
Giom - “The P-Rez mix is cool.”
Hippie Torrales - “Rocking.”
Tommy Largo (Lost My Dog / Kolour) - “Cool stuff! The Arturo Garces remix is my pick.”
Robbie Hardkiss - “I like that P-Rez mix!”
Carlo Gambino (Midnight Social Recordings) - “Nice release all round … the ‘Brick Dance’ original is lovely.”
Vanilla Ace (OFF Recordings) - “The EZO mix is good!”
Tyler Stadius - “I’m loving Arturo Garces’s mix. This one bumps!”
Al Bradley (3am Recordings) - “Wicked stuff! All four are strong, but the original and EZO versions get the main vote from me. EZO in particular lays down a superb groove.”
Andrew Macari (Greenhouse / Tastie) - “Solid jackin’ house vibe … proper club jams!”
Daniel Poli (Suspect Package Records) - “Cool release. At first listen, I really like the P-Rez remix. Nice one.”
J. Caprice (High Maintenance) - “Nice set of tracks here! I’m all about the Arturo Garces remix for me.”
Chris Harris (Tronicsole / Nordic Trax) - “I’m digging the techno feel of EZO remix!”
Joey Silvero (Distant People) - “Quirky feel but works nicely … catchy little hooky rhythm.”
Pete Williams (Natural Rhythm Music) - “The Arturo Garces mix is a serious deep banger! My pick for sure.”
Still Rob G (Smoke n Mirrors / Om Records) - “The P-Rez mix is really cool. Nice and funky and lighthearted. Arturo Garces’s mix is nice as well. Very west coast.”
Marcia Carr (Mi-Soul Radio / Ladyz) - “Deep went into deeper; Arturo Garces’s Zone Mix captures hard and soulful elements … just the right balance. Bellissimo!”

Available now from Beatport and Amazon.