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. 

Betaphonics - Midnight Love (Downsouth-Music)

From the vibrant deep house scene of South Africa comes Betaphonics and the “Midnight Love" single, courtesy of Downsouth-Music. Betaphonics are beat-maker Ernst Schoemaker and vocalist Danielle Hyem who create stylish house tracks that connect Johannesburg with the sultry sounds of San Francisco and New York City.

"Midnight Love" is a track complete with classic, soul-toned melodies, gentle piano and horn lines, romantic lyrics, and a late night, chilled vibe transmitting class and charisma. A pair of top notch remixes come courtesy of fellow South African producer and rising global house music talent Matt Prehn. Known for his work with live house music band Bang Bang as well as his solo singles for Baker Street, Headtunes, and his own Oh So Coy imprint Matt is certainly an in-demand talent. His Light Pass remix builds patiently with a persistent rhythm track, teasing vocal drops, and dreamy chord pads over a bubbling bass line. Matt’s accompanying Dark Pass remix changes things up for the after-hour aficionados, adding a chiming pulse, a descending low-end, and some tauntingly dramatic moments for just the right amount of dance-floor tension. Three prime cuts from Downsouth-Music, ready for action in DJ sets in any hemisphere.

Marques Wyatt - “Dope!”
Justin Harris (Freaks) - “Love Matt Prehn’s Dark Pass mix.”
Daz-I-Kue (Bugz In The Attic) - “I really like the production on the original version.”
Groove Junkies - “Shades of Everything But The Girl and recent Spiritchaser material. Well done.”
Doc Link - “The original is the one for me, although Matt drives a hard bargain with his two mixes. I’ll be rockin’ ‘em!”
Vincent Kwok - “Great release, especially the Matt Prehn Dark Pass mix.”
Michael Fossati (Spirit Of House) - “Infectious deep house laced with lascivious melodies and sexy vocals.”
Christos Kedras (Kapa Music) - “I am feeling the chill soulful vibe of the original but also liking the deep groove of the Light Pass mix. Both in the bag!”
Camouflage (Chicago House FM) - “Loving both of Matt Prehn’s remixes … solid bass lines and the vocal is pretty sweet. A great combination!”
Al Bradley (3am Recordings) - “Top grooves all round on this release, but it’s the stunningly strong Dark Pass mix which gets the nod from me. If this is what’s going down in South Africa, get me on the next flight!”

Available now from Juno Download and Beatport