Various Artists - Neon Grooves (Wind Horse Records)

Wind Horse Records is elated to announce a new EP - Neon Grooves. This is the 33rd EP by Wind Horse Records and the inspiration behind it has been taken from a label showcase that happened in Goa in December 2016. In an effort to spread quality house music across India, the label launched a party called the ‘The Wind Horse Experience’ and the ‘Neon Grooves’ edition in Goa was the first time they had organized an event such as this. The label’s party soon became the place for all house music lovers, especially those searching for a more groovy, funky, and ethnic vibe, complimented of course by Goan sunsets and starry nights. Wind Horse were were thrilled to see the reaction of people to their sound given that Goa is more known for a harder vibe. The line up consisted of DJs that have produced music for Wind Horse over the years and a couple of international guests. After the success of ‘Neon Grooves’ Wind Horse decided to make an EP around this party to remember the magical moment and keep the memory alive. The label invited the artists that performed at the party to borrow from the energy cultivated then and create a beautiful journey to embark on the now.


The EP opens with the dutch maestro Thee J Johanz and his remix of “Agama” by Umeme. A real intricate work of art here with its afro vocal vibe weaved into more raw analog elements that evolve and alternate in the midst of a drum-tastic, exotic, and tribal-influenced disco bomb. “Neon Afro” by Hamza goes deeper into the tropics with the thrilling combination of percussion and drums with a sprinkling of sweet melodic uplifting elements, teleporting the listener to a sunny beach. “Khawatta Ceremony” by Farhan Rehman (Mumbai) and Stalvart John (Bangalore) is a bit harder, a bit darker. This synth-track will have the dance floor grooving with its refreshing vocals and echoey chord progressions. “Antares” (also the name of the place Wind Horse hosted Neon Grooves in Goa) by Troja (Mumbai) is a change of tempo with a beautiful, ethereal sort of sound formed by warm Indian ethnic instruments and meditative melodies. Oma (Delhi) turns his track up with “One Shade Brighter”. A happy bouncy bass with solid vocals teleports the listener back to the beach party, but with a deeper edge. “Whisky Flask” by Nigel Perera (Sri Lanka) changes up the beat with a groovy number consisting of beautiful chords and twisted sounds, the perfect beach-side sunset tune. To end the journey, Priyesh Patil (Mumbai) brings “Vagabond” with smooth beats and beautiful sax samples and a deep bass to guide the floor right into the horizon.

Nick Warren (The Soundgarden) – “Cracking EP. Khawatta Ceremony is brilliant!”
Sebastian Voigt (Visionquest) – “Agama - Thee J Johanz Remix is dope!”
Eric Davenport (Guesthouse) – “Solid world house grooves. Neon Afro will sound great at pool and beach parties. Can't wait to drop it!”
Tyler Stadius (Dialtone Records) – “Too tough to choose a favorite. Wind Horse never fails to impress. These are real unique beauties!”
Simon Fknhndsm (Radio X 97.7 FM, Reykjavik) – “I really like Whisky Flask, it’s groovy.”
Joey Silvero / Distant People (Soul Elements Radio Show) – “I’m a sucker for a good track with strong percussion and this is wicked.”
DJ eMe (Tunnel FM – Stockholm) – “Outstanding compilation.”
DJ Firefly (Couch Dancing) – “Sweet blend of worldly sounds and irresistible beats.”
Steve 'Griffo' Griffiths aka F (Freak Da Funk radio show) – “Stand out track for me is the deep, grooving Vagabond.”
Bob Duskis (Six Degrees Records) – “As usual, the folks at Wind Horse have deftly mixed up quality grooves with global textures for a crowd-pleasing sound.”

Available Now From: Traxsource, Juno Download, iTunes, And Spotify.

Various Artists - Wind Horse Sampler 6 (Wind Horse Records)

Wind Horse Records bursts forth once again with another edition of the Indian deep house label’s yearly sampler series. These samplers have served as an exciting platform for showcasing Wind Horse’s more experimental side and to introduce some new producers that will be working with the label. Wind Horse Sampler 6 features eleven deep and exotic house music tracks from up-and-coming artists hailing from South Asia and around the world.

Most of the sampler’s producers are based across India, as Wind Horse works to discover and expose electronic music from within its home country. But, as the label has an eye on the global house movement, artists from Jamaica (David Marston), Russia (Igor Gonya), South Africa (Master Kenton) and Morocco (Kali G) are also included. Wind Horse aims to cover all points of the globe, to show that forward-thinking electronic music can spring from any city or country, whether from somewhere in India or any other as-yet-revealed locale.

Stalvart John opens the compilation on a thoughtful note with “A Dream I Can’t Remember”, setting the mood for this diverse sampler with an ethereal yet somewhat jazzy soundscape. Then on “Ragamuffin” David Marston blends his deep house proclivity with an Indian influence, introducing a siren-like ‘eastern’ female vocal to the swinging four-on-the-floor beats. Igor Gonya (Lisztomania Records) delivers an old school Chicago-sounding house cut named “Morning Cake And Tea”, featuring enough skippy rhythms and staccato chords to get the nightclub jumping. “Cyclic” is a contribution by Mumbai’s Farhan Rehman, and it’s a rolling house number with floaty keys, vocal hits, and creaking percussion. Master Kenton keeps things firmly in his pocket with the mesmerizing “Brain Waves”, a track that touches the sonic pleasure center using its sublime textures. Next up is Hans Séance with the deep and especially dreamy “Paragon of Virtue”. Warm pads, arpeggiations, and bell-like tones flow steadily above a subdued four-on-the-floor beat.

Folic State moves things into the techno realm with “Mashita” and its echoey synth lines, mysterious spoken samples, and sci-fi atmosphere. The growling tech-house of Bangalore’s Synister whose “Eastern Dream” brings a dark mood utilizing busy percussion, transformed vocal hits, and a prominent low end. Tatsama’s “Empathy” follows, with a taste of the deep, exquisitely layered, and punchy house music that Wind Horse is known for. The ‘dream’ theme is revisited by Tasnneem, who states “It Was All Just A Dream” in her bass-heavy but gentle house music exploration. Finally, Wind Horse Records’ own Kali G tackles Troja’s recent track “Shanti”, going for a dubby treatment that plays with splashes of percussion and echoed instrumentation to create a satisfying aural journey.

Wind Horse Sampler 6 continues the high production quality, ambitious musicality, and deep beats that is the label’s hallmark. The collection sets up the fantastic releases yet to come in the next year, and proves Wind Horse Records is one of the big labels to watch.

Tyler Stadius (Deepsite) – “Classy tracks. Wind Horse always delivers.”
Alexander Robotnick (Hot Elephant Music) – “Some good tracks here.”
Dean Serafini (Frisky Rhythms Radio Show) – “Lots of goodness in this little lot. Ragamuffin sounds particularly alluring. The deep vibe of Brain Waves has also made an instant impression.”
DJ Firefly (Couch Dancing on WRCT 88.3 FM) – “Deep and creative. I love all of these.”
Robert Lochmann (The Jazzmadass Radio Show – Frankfurt) – “Fantastic Tracks, Fantastic label.”
Deli G (Future Sound Of House radio shows) – “Music for headz with open minds.”
Farhan Rehman (Bombay, India) – “Diverse selections. Loving Ragamuffin & A Dream That I Can’t Remember.”
Deep South Audio (Volcano Radio) – “Such an inspiring collection. Love this labels work.”
Bob Duskis (Six Degrees Records) – “Always happy when there's a new release from Wind Horse. Their music strikes that hard to hit balance between ‘world’ traditions and dance-floor beats.”
Adam Warped (Whiskey Pickle / Strange Days) – “A Dream I Can’t Remember is a perfect fit for my Strange Days show, I love it!”

Available Now From: Beatport, Traxsource, iTunes, And Spotify.

The Ritual - Letting Go (Wind Horse Records)

Wind Horse Records' 'east meets west' aesthetic fuels its latest release, as the India-based deep house imprint presents the newly formed London duo The Ritual. Made up of seasoned producer Matt Prehn (of Large Music, i! Records, Different Attitudes, and his own label, Oh So Coy) and vocalist / producer Dee Griffin (Large Music, Different Attitudes), The Ritual aims to be a creative ensemble working to push the boundaries of deep house. Serving as the pair's debut release, "Letting Go" certainly sets this stage with its shimmering floor appeal. Crisp, groovy rhythms and flowing, filtered chords provide the base of the track, while warm pad swells, melodic plucks, and dreamy found sounds embellish its journey. The result is a mesmerizing after-hours moment, suited for the deepest of DJs and the most underground of nightclubs.

A quartet of distinctive remixes send "Letting Go" floating off in new directions. Glasgow's JFunc is first, producing a tough version that rolls with deep bass, spacious hits, and a masterfully constructed build. Kartech, coming of his recent "Larrisa" single for Wind Horse, follows with a beguiling remix, drawing the listener into its luscious breakdown soundscape filled with expressive sound design. Next, Priyesh Patil, also no stranger to fans of the Wind Horse label, delivers a dream-like revision that features rhythmically intertwining elements and splashes of echo effects throughout. Farhan Rehman then closes out this trio of Indian remixers, powering his version with warm sub-bass, hypnotic synth sequences, and smooth layers of pads. All these remixes show a melodic acumen, giving "Letting Go", as a whole, much more depth than the usual house music single. It's yet another tour de force for Wind Horse Records.

Gene Farris - "Deeeep!"
Nick Warren - "Priyesh Patil and JFunc remixes for me."
Marques Wyatt - "Tight flow!"
Pete Moss - "I'm loving the JFunc remix."
Sumsuch (Colour and Pitch / Mega Jawns) - "Lovely smooth vibes throughout."
Dave Mayer (Strictly Rhythm / Hardsoul) - "I love the little hook in the original!"
Phunktastike (Undertones Gang) - "Sweet!"
Al Bradley (3am Recordings) - "All are top class here and the original is a cracking warm groove. My pick is the synth-led Farhan Rehman remix … I'm really loving the flow there."
Distant People (Foliage / Seamless) - "Funky and infectious sounds … I love the feel to this. It has real charm and just rolls."
Vincent Kwok - "Great deep techy house!"
Eric Davenport (Guesthouse) - "Solid set of deep dubby house tracks. Easy to fit in and out of any set."
Jay Zimmermann (Block.FM / Red Melon) - "Beautiful effects, sonic elements, and pads. The JFunc and Priyesh Patil Remixes are the bomb … midnight / early AM vibes. I love the shimmery breakdowns."
Simon Kirk (Stag Beetle Radio Show) - "It's always exciting to see a new Wind Horse release. This is such a beautiful collection of interpretations … it just has that real classy house sensibility that makes for great tracks now and in many years to come."

Available now from Beatport, Juno Download, and iTunes. 

Various Artists - 5 Year Anniversary Sampler (Wind Horse Records)

Wind Horse Records’ evolution on the world stage never fails to captivate. The label has helped develop India’s many talented resources for export to the outside world while pioneering the deep house movement in its own country with releases, parties, and ground-breaking collaborations. Inspired by his own travels and life on three different continents (South Asia, Europe, and North America), Hamza is the guiding light behind Wind Horse. Hamza’s musical mission has been to seamlessly merge floor-driving house music styles with a reverent helping of more traditional south Asian influences.

Under his vision the label has reached its most important release to date and a comprehensive representation of their progress, the 5 Year Anniversary Sampler. Not just a showcase for the label, the compilation also celebrates the success of Indian producers in achieving a cocktail of world sounds without fully assimilating, keeping with the common thread of a culture that has so much history and such a rich musical heritage. The artists are honoring the same aesthetic and passion as their elders have in their classical, traditional forms of music – the same medium and feel, but with different paints and processes. These are exactly the sort of intangibles that raise labels above the foray of an over-run market place of commodities for sale and grants camps the staying power and weight of a true cultural force.

In five years the label has gone beyond even their highest expectations to reach the level they’re at today. To celebrate, Wind Horse Records has gathered from their full range of music. They go from worldly, in a collaboration of Hamza with celebrated international Danish jazz pianist Niels Ian Doky and renowned Tibetan vocalist Yunchen Lhamo, to other-worldly, with Yidam’s new analog techno alias 5volts; from soulful, in working with DeepWit artist Alvaro Hylander to include the fine track “Change”, to soul-escaping, in the hypnotically deep and atmospheric qualities of Priyesh Patel’s productions; from the ambient “Lonesome Train” by Vinayak A to the ambiance of far out beats by Aman Anand and Soulspace. Staple Wind Horse artists like Kartech and Audio Units are joined by the debut of Mumbai producer Farhan Rahman and the Bangalore-based southern India transplant Stalvart John to hammer in the foundations of the label: a distinctly Indian sound naturally swallowed in deep, tech-house stylings and a knack for harboring an established crew while always introducing new talent.

It’s easy to feel like Wind Horse Records has been blessed in their ability to release music from such a wide range of artists from all corners of the globe, with some folk tale-like stories to prove it. Decidedly capturing and presenting the label’s growth on the 5 Year Anniversary Sampler, supporters and new fans alike can feel confident that there’s even more on the horizon for the next five.

Laurent Garnier - "Some superb tracks in here … great release."
Nick Warren - "Wonderful album from a label to be proud of."
Nick Holder - "Dope!"
Pablo Bolivar (AvantRoots) - "This is very nice."
Jose Marquez (Tribe Records / Djoon Experience) - "Great release with a wide variety of sounds to fill the needs of the dance floor."
Massimiliano Pagliara (Live At Robert Johnson) - "Nice compilation."
Adam Collins (Euphoria Records / Omni A.M.) - "This is a really beautiful collection of music. 'Enlightenment' is unreal. So magical."
Ejaz Ahamed (Pacha Dubai / Disclosure UK) - "I love this release … it's the bomb!"
Al Bradley (3am Recordings) - "This compilation demonstrates the variety of the label and is a superb collection of high quality beats. Always a pleasure to listen to and play out."
Tyler Stadius (Deepsite / Dialtone Records) - "Beautiful music. I look forward to giving these many more listens."
Ivan Garci (Great Stuff / Deepwit) - "Fantastic tracks here … I love it."
DJ Di Costa (MoodyLushious Influences) - "Outstanding package. I'm loving the layers and the depth of this entire release. I'm truly enchanted."
Robert Lochmann (Jazzmadass Radio Show) - "This is the sound of the beach in summer 2015."
Jean Jérome (Radio FG) - "Just fantastic … well done."

Available now from Beatport and Juno Download.