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.

Hamza - Thar (Wind Horse Records)

Wind Horse Records returns to the roots of the label with Hamza's worldly new single "Thar". Since founding Wind Horse over six years ago Hamza has released a number of expressive singles for his growing imprint, as well as on the likes of Colour and Pitch, Freizeitglauben Berlin, Grouper, and Savoir Faire Musique. The foundation of Hamza's 'modus operandi' has been the combination of western and eastern sounds, resulting in a timeless melding of deep house with global instrumentation such as those found in his native India. The two originals on this single certainly display this aesthetic, creating dance floor moments with a distinctive amount of depth.

"Thar" is named after a desert in the Rajasthan state of India, known as a place inhabited by gypsies. These same gypsies travelled south to Spain and influenced the flamenco sound, as referenced in the track. Hamza has been playing with Rajasthani gypsy musicians for many years, and "Thar" stands as a shining example of the fusion of their traditional sounds with deep house. Touching on a different spot in the world, the b-side track "Afro Turk" is inspired by Turkey and Hamza's travels to Istanbul. The rhythm maintains an African influence which inspires the title. Exotic instrumentation and intriguing environmental sounds melt over the layers of percussion and low, growling bass line. The gorgeous extended breakdown could soundtrack a leisurely stroll through the famous Grand Bazaar.

The second half of the single presents a trio of fantastic remixes of "Thar" by members of the extended Wind Horse family. Miami's Juan Mejia (Dutchie Music) is first, delivering a cool and bouncy rendition that balances the dramatic strums with gentle piano notes, all underpinned by some serious house beats. The New Delhi-based Oma is next, adding a touch of darkness to the proceedings. A pulsing low end and a clicky rhythm track propel the track's vision as the dream-like sonic space is wrapped in the more exotic textures from the original. Stalvart John, a DJ / producer from Bangalore, closes out the single with a sparse, dubbier treatment of "Thar." Anchored by a crisp four-on-the-floor, this remix is a heady journey, taking the listener to quite a few different places within its hypnotic seven and a half minutes.

Nick Warren - "I love Hamza's original tracks."
Ben Mono (Undertones Gang / Plant Music) - "Huge release."
Marques Wyatt - "I'm digging this."
Benji Candelario - "'Thar' is a funky tune."
Al Bradley (3am Recordings) - "More excellent vibes from Hamza. I'm particularly digging 'Afro Turk' … I love the percussion and the flow. Remix-wise, Stalvart John turns in a cracker, but the whole EP is great overall."
Alvaro Hylander (DeepWit) - "Pretty cool original mixes here, and I also like Juan Mejia's more straight forward version."
Dutchican Soul (Strictly Rhythm / Salted Music) - "Cool tracks and remixes!"
Scheibosan (Shanti Roots / FM4) - "Great tracks … I will play them for sure."
Matt Prehn (Oh So Coy / Large Music) - "I love the percussion on 'Afro Turk' … this'll sizzle at sunset!"
Simon Kirk (Stag Beetle Radio Show) - "I'm a big fan of the exotic eastern sound and here it's done with such a cool, deep twist. The Oma mix just drives and drives with that bass line … fantastic."
Adam Warped (Whiskey Pickle / Strange Days) - "'Thar' is really something special and will definitely be getting a lot of play from me for quite some time."
DJ Di Costa (MoodyLushious Influences) - "Quality release once again on Wind Horse Records. Hamza offers two excellent and truly intriguing mysterious tales. My top pick though is Juan Mejia's remix on 'Thar' … he really managed to enrich the beauty of the track in a whole new level."
Jon Manley (hOUSEwORX) - "Wow, this is superb stuff from Hamza. That breakdown on 'Afro Turk' is stunning. Top marks."
Joshua Jacobs (Music You Need) - "With Middle-Eastern and Asian influences galore, this release makes you feel like you're in the middle of the desert. Groovy, eclectic, and soulful all at once."
DJ Naz (Buddha Bar) - "This release just reminded me why I love this label so much. A return to the melodic warm sound. All the tracks are totally playable and have enough beautiful elements, nice bass lines, strings, and they progress very nicely. Absolutely great!"

Available now from Beatport, Traxsource, and iTunes.

Various Artists - Wind Horse Sampler 02 (Wind Horse Records)

India’s very own Wind Horse Records gathers five tracks from both familiar label artists and new names for the imprint’s second sampler. Each selection furthers the Wind Horse mission of combining global influences with tech-driven deep house foundations. Listeners wouldn’t be wrong to pick up hints of a cohesive ‘house sound of India,’ with the majority of the producers hailing from the South Asian country.

Kartech’s early keyboard apprenticeship is put to good use on “Samurai Funk” where he shows precision in production technique while practicing restraint, pushing the melodic elements to their limits, but never overboard. “Revolve” trickles like blood, flowing from the deep reservoirs of Llewellyn Hilt’s veins with thick, liquid pads, pulsing techno stabs, and rhythmic staccato tones. Once a nomad who has since found a home within music, Oma bungee jumps into the abyss propelled back by rubbery synths with adrenaline driven bass on “Glass Cliff.” Sleazy lows, percussive ripples, and cosmic synths back the pitched vocals of Bangalore brothers Audio Units and their fine contribution, “Sleep Talkin’.” Having released with labels like Kompakt, King Street, and Nite Grooves, expectations are always high for Hamza who finishes off the release with a wailing piano-filled remix of “Lonesome Beat” by California DJ / producer Sparkinzi.

Together these Indian producers are helping to shape a vibrant deep tech scene that is spreading its sound throughout South Asia and the globe. The artists all started their craft independent of each other but quickly banded together under a common goal to further house music in India. These are the main producers of a scene that is growing swiftly, and Wind Horse Records has created an exceptional snapshot of where things are now with this solid set of ambitious tunes. Dig in.

Nick Warren - “A lovely release … all the tracks are great.”
Giom - “Some really cool tracks here.”
Tensnake - “‘Revolve’ is nice and deep.”
Randall Jones (Audio Therapy / Baroque) - “Excellent compilation. I will play Audio Units’ ‘Sleep Talkin’’ in my sets for sure.”
Inland Knights - “Cool grooves … I’ll play it for sure.”
Steve Mill (Madhouse Records / Large Music) - “Hamza’s remix has the soul and groove that I like for my summer nights.”
Al Bradley (3am Recordings) - “Another sterling release from Wind Horse … wicked.”
Pete Moss - “Killer release!”
Nick Holder - “Nice and deep!”
Hippie Torrales - “Real smooth grooves.”
Jaymz Nylon - “A nice ride.”
Tyler Stadius - “Super nice groovy tunes as expected from Wind Horse.”
Chris Udoh (Tigerhook) - “Hamza knocks it out of the park … home run!”
Bruno Lepretre (Ibiza Global Radio) - “Great deep house music.”
DJ Nova (Rodon FM, Greece) - “Full of dreamy sounds … fantastic, euphoric, and uplifting.”
DJ Di Costa (MoodyLushious Influences) - “I’m feeling this package so much … full of quality, classy, deep house sounds. Perfect for the summer season.”
Myxzlplix (Subdivisions Global Radio Show) - “Hot damm. Wind Horse continues to impress me. If this is just a sample, then I definitely want to taste more.”
DJ Naz (Buddha Bar) - “I absolutely love this new wave of Indian house. Clean and elegant, with enough melody and drive, it will sound great in many scenarios and I can definitely see it capturing many sunsets around the world.”

Available now from Juno Download and Traxsource.