Luke Mandala - Ignite / NewFangled Slang (Uniting Souls Music)

Uniting Souls Music returns in force with Luke Mandala’s “Ignite” and “NewFangled Slang,” the hundred and hundred and first tracks to be released on the label. The release showcases Mandala’s masterful ability to marry crisp, thoughtful production with explosive rhythms igniting the dancefloor in festive unity, much as the Uniting Souls movement itself. Mandala’s production speaks to the heart and flows through inspiring and intense emotive movements, as if flying through the cosmos or the deepest primal caves with a focus on play, inspiration, and unification. The prolific producer has released music on Traum, Selador, Tulipa, Desert Trax, Merkaba Music, Addictech, and Booka Shade Music imprints.

“Ignite” hosts a turbo-charged rollicking percussive intro giving way to creamy synth swells layered in polyrhythmic complexity. Cerebral sounds are rendered corporeal in their ability to incite both goosebumps and gyrating movement—a perfect track to host the first sun rays breaking the horizon following an all-night outdoor desert party. The explosive anthem is followed by b-side “NewFangled Slang,” whose slow percussive build gives way to brute force synth and spacey vocals. This two-track wonder marries the cerebral and corporeal in festivity, and is sure to set ablaze dancefloors from San Francisco to Saigon.

Nick Warren (The Soundgarden) – “Ignite is outstanding. Great track.”
Adam Collins (Euphoria Records / Omni A.M.) – “Nice sounds by Luke, creating a unique production style. Super strong release, and a nice statement.”
Tony H (Late Night Munchies / Viva Recordings) – “NewFangled Slang for me. Lovin’ it!”
Pointbender (Guidance / Harmonious Discord) – “I’ve really enjoyed Luke’s stuff lately. Great release.”
Jamie Kidd (Thoughtless Music / BYC Music) –“Heaters!”
Jon Lee (Tilted Records) – “Excellent release. Support!”
DJ Firefly (Couch Dancing) – “Very creative and driving. Love it.”
Harry Avers (NOICE! Show on proton radio) – “A solid project from this emerging artist.”
DJ Morpheus (Lysergic Factory Radio Show) – “Mad and hypno. Exctiting tracks in here, this is wonderful stuff. I dig it!”
Simon Kirk (Stag Beetle Radio Show) – “These are powerful! An absolute 10/10. Love that vocal on New Fangled Slang.”

Available Now From: Beatport, Traxsource, iTunes / Apple Music, And Spotify.

Luke Mandala - Forward (Uniting Souls Music)

Uniting Souls deliver the goods on their new fall offering "Forward", an original single release by Pacific Northwest wunderkind Luke Mandala, featuring a remix by deep house guru Pete Moss. Luke has made serious waves in the past with releases on the likes of Booka Shade Music, Innerflight, Desert Trax, and his own Activated Recordings imprint. His Infinite EP on Addictech Records is particularly renowned, having reached #1 on many charts and remaining one of the more popular releases on that label. His latest release on Uniting Souls adds more fuel to the fire.

Luke's original is cutting-edge, progressive tech house that gradually builds to a crescendo of acid-tinged synths and ethereal strings, peaking, releasing, and dropping back into a menacing bass riff. The vocals are emotively pitched, layered, and chopped before delivering a full release of "motioning you forward." It's a moment well worth the wait. Next, Pete Moss' rework takes a different route with hazy, deep pads that envelop the extended vocals, molding both into a whole body bass line with a smooth, late night vibe. It's a sound which the Philly-based veteran is known to be a master of.

Tensnake - “Nice EP”
Robert Owens - “The Pete Moss dub is a cool track.”
Giom - “This is ace! I love the original mix.”
Daniel Bortz - “Will play for sure.”
Luna City Express (Moon Harbour / Enliven Music) - “I love both mixes of forward!”
Nick Warren (Hope Recordings / Way Out West) - “Lovely mix from Pete Moss.”
Larry Fives (Inland Knights / Drop Music) - “‘Forward’ is a great track … nice and dirty.”
Jay West (Candy Music) - "Right in time for the weekend! Nice stuff."
Distant People (SSRadio / Foliage) - “Cool, subtle vibe on Pete Moss’ dub of ‘Forward.’ The bass is lush … very deep.”
Chris Fortier (Fade / Mindwarp) - “Can't miss with this Pete Moss remix, love it.”
Carlos Sanchez (La Vie En Rose / Supernature) - “Great release! Both are dope.”
Randall Jones (Audio Therapy / Baroque) - “Pete Moss’ remix sounds buttery.”
Sumsuch (Colour and Pitch / Mega Jawns) - "Beautiful, original sounds on both the original and remix. Full support to a great release on a brilliant label."
Slok (My Favorite Robot / One Records) - “Electro slap bass line … great original mix! Also the remix is very tasty.”
Alexander East (Planet East / SSRadio) - “Love it!”
Strakes (Kahua Music / Lost My Dog Records) - “Pete Moss' dub has a great, deep flow to it.”
Al Bradley (3am Recordings / Fabric) - “Both are really strong here. The original is deep and powerful, while Pete Moss’ more low-down, bassy groove is really excellent … top release all round.”

Available now from Beatport and Juno Download.

Adam Collins - In City Lights (Innerflight Music)

A lot of attention has come onto Seattle as of late, but Innerflight Music has been steadily holding the city down for some time now. The label’s latest release comes from a name synonymous with the underground tech house movement since its earliest days: Adam Collins. Dating back to ’96 he could be found in Chicago with partner Marky Star releasing records as Omni A.M. His recently relaunched label from that same era, Euphoria Records, finds him playing the role of executive producer for developing artists. It is with great pleasure then that Innerflight has picked up a production of his own, “In City Lights,” with remixes from Pezzner and Luke Mandala.

An undulating synth introduces “In City Lights” before catchy riffs and a pulsing bass line take over. The percussion is light on its toes, with excellently executed drum rolls throughout. Sci-fi at times with evolving atmospheres, the single feels like a saga of sorts. Pezzner (Systematic Recordings, Freerange Records) is a prolific producer known for taking listeners through figurative landscapes and he does exactly this with a remix that introduces itself like an indigenous ritual. He uses larking noises which lie somewhere between a bird, a flute, and a theremin, eventually giving way to unmistakably tribal drums and touched up synths form the original. Another well received producer, Luke Mandala has been making serious waves with releases on the likes of Booka Shade Music, Desert Trax, and his own Activated Recordings imprint. Luke’s remix turns out a menacing club sound with snarling bass, persuasive bell rhythms, and alluring chants.

It’s great to hear the urban story telling of Collins’ “In City Lights” expanded upon by remixers not afraid to take it into other worlds, surely to be appreciated by the more adventurous listeners and DJs.

Diesel (X-Press 2) - “Ridiculously good! All tracks are amazing.”
Matthias Vogt (Motorcitysoul) - “A killer remix from Pezzner!”
Danny Howells - “Superb!”
Brett Johnson (Bang The Box / Cynosure) - “Deep and techy … I like it.”
Peter Kruder (Kruder & Dorfmeister / G-Stone) - “I like this release …”
Stacey Pullen - “This is cool.”
Darin Epsilon (Perfecto / Baroque) - “Nice remix work by Pezzner and Luke Mandala.”
Gavin Hardkiss (Hawke) - “I like the spooky breaks on the Pezzner remix.”
Chris Fortier - “I’m loving everything Pezzner does.”
Malbetrieb (Klopfgeist / Paradigm) - “Nice dark groover from Luke Mandala!”
Justin Sloe (Droog / Culprit) - “Nice package. I’ve been longtime fan of both Adam Collins and Pezzner.”
Tyler Stadius - “The Luke Mandala remix is cool and trippy.”
Dave Mothersole - “I’m feeling the Luke Mandala remix.”
Timo Garcia (Berwick Street Records) - “Pezzner remix all the way!”
Sumsuch (Colour and Pitch) - “I like both the remixes … lovely!”
Satoshi Fumi - “I love the Pezzner remix!”
Murray Richardson (Rebel Waltz) - “Pezzner remix for me on this … large tune!”
DZeta N’ Basile (Tsuba / 1Trax) - “Can’t get enough of Pezzner … awesome remix!”
Damaged Man (Jambalay Records) - “The original version is perfect for the after hours, as the sun rises!”
Al Bradley (3am Recoridngs) - “Cool release here. The original has a really authentic groove. Pezzner adds a cool, fizzing house reworking, and then there’s Luke Mandala with his supremely solid deep and powerful punchy regroove. Top skills all around.”

Available now from Beatport and Amazon.

Luke Mandala - Cheeky Much? EP (Innerflight Music)

Seattle’s Innerflight Music presents the latest release from prolific Oregon-based DJ/producer Luke Mandala, the quizzically titled Cheeky Much? EP. Luke has been making serious waves with releases on the likes of Booka Shade Music, Desert Trax, and his own Activated Recordings imprint. His Infinite EP on Addictech Records is particularly renowned, having reached #1 on many charts and remaining one of the more popular releases on the label. On the Cheeky Much? EP Luke presents four diverse original tracks led by “Teradactyl Smack-Down,” a collaboration with Australian producer Kriece (20/20 Vision, Kindred Sounds). This cut certainly sets the tone with its solid low-end slink and crisp electronic percussion anchoring the sounds of swelling synthesizers on the edge of chaos. Luke follows, on his own, with “Cheeky Waggish” which expertly blends smooth tech-house rhythms with acidic synth lines and squelches. “Too Much Fun” takes things a tad deeper within the tech-zone, but Luke’s psychedelic production touches remain in pocket. And “Universal Innocents” reaches into a different sphere entirely, presenting a downtempo chill-out track with sparkling melodies and appropriately trippy moments. The EP also contains a pair of remixes, with Vancouver’s Phil Western delivering an uptempo yet darker treatment of “Cheeky Waggish,” and Evan Marc (also known as Bluetech) providing a bouncy and evocative tech-house version of “Too Much Fun.” Innerflight Music continues to bypass boundaries with this exciting package from Luke Mandala … top tunes abound.

Alexander Robotnick - “‘Cheeky Waggish’ rolls!”
[a]pendics.shuffle - “I’m digging quite a bit of this release … the originals and the remix of ‘Too Much Fun’ do it for me.”
Audiojack - “This sounds tasty … will try in the clubs.”
Malbetrieb (Klopfgeist) - “Nice remix from Evan Marc.”
Tyler Stadius - “I like the twisted sounds here.”
DJ Harri (Sub Club) - “The Evan Marc mix is great.”
Eric Davenport - “Super funky sh*t … one of the year’s best so far.”
Rootfellen (Kult Music / Spring Tube) - “Amazing release!”
Dick Diamonds (Extended Play / 530Techno) - “I love the originals on this … very impressed.”
Deepinradio - “Distorted variations … futuristic!”
Paul Sparkes (Decibel Radio) - “Clever production … tripped out!”
SimonG (Deep South Audio, New Zealand) - “I’m gigging this west coast nu skool flavored EP … been getting my ear around this sound at the festivals in New Zealand this summer.”
Jochen Saelens (Moustache Music) - “‘Too Much Fun (Evan Marc Remix)’ is an exciting tune … I like the synth melody in combination with its clean percussion. ‘Universal Innocents’ is a track I would certainly play in an downtempo DJ set; good bassline, simple but dreamy melody. The baby voice sample gives the track a sweet touch.”

Available now from Beatport and Amazon.