Various Artists - Impossible EP #3 (Rebus Records)

The Impossible series of EPs is a place for artists and producers in the Proceed Records family to stretch out a bit and try some new sounds. If a track doesn’t quite sonically fit on an artist’s EP on Proceed but still has the quality and dance floor appeal that demands to be heard then this is the place for it. Thus the third in a series, the Impossible EP #3, gathers five tracks from some of Proceed’s shining Italian producers, this time showcasing them on the Rebus Records sub-label.

Proceed’s proprietor, DJ / producer Haldo, who has also released cuts through Transport Recordings, Conya, and Adaptation Music, is represented by his pure and joyous house Deepfunkmix of “Rebus’funk.” A sure-shot bass line is guided by wonderfully atmospheric pads, key stabs, and synth accents with reverberating disco strings cutting through the layers. Haldo’s touch can also be heard in his additional keyboards on the EP’s contribution from Fabio Mazzei, a talented new deep house producer from Catanzaro. ”Just Me Again Down Here" is a hypnotic trip with growling bass and vocals that playfully question the listener. Having participated on the second edition of the Impossible EP projects, Fuscobeat & Magrini are welcomed back with “Green Afrika.” The track is a tribal floor-filler with flavorful, deep chords by Haldo once again. Tuscany-based Tony Barbato first started DJ’ing throughout Italy in the late ’90s enjoying production success and gigs at venues like the Parisian Djoon club. His work on “Love Is Endless" gives retro inspirations from past decades new life in a modern, big room context. Finally, Odo Makes A Smile compliments the package with his vision, commanding deep house vibes out of otherwise minimal techno elements in “Not Too Bad.”

Claudio Coccoluto - “Nice package!”
Richard Earnshaw (Spiritchaser / Duffnote) - “Tony Barbato’ s ‘Love Is Endless’ … very nice!”
Henri Kohn (Conya / Clubstar) - “Cool EP … all tracks have quality!”
Hippie Torrales - “Great EP package.”
Master Kev (Underground Collective) - “Nice! I will definitely play these.”
Nick Holder - “Dope!”
Tyree Cooper - “Nice stuff.”
Deli G (The Touch / Future Sound Of House) - “Every cut on this EP is rocking.”
Michael Fossati (Spirit of House) - “A truly eclectic EP, with Fabio Mazzei’s wicked deep house gem ‘Just Me Again Down Here’’ bringing memories from back in the day.”
Mauricio Aviles (Movido / Loveslap!) - “Dope EP! A little something for everyone.”
Joey Silvero (Distant People) - “There’s something very cool about this one … I’m into it. Haldo’s ‘Rebus’funk’ particularly doing it for me.”
DJ Nova (Rodon FM, Greece) - “Fuscobeat & Magrini’s ‘Green Afrika’ is probably one of the most uplifting house tracks I’ve heard in 2014 so far.”
Dean Serafini (JJazproJect) - “Haldo’s ‘Rebus’funk’ and Fabio Mazzei’s ‘Just Me Again’ work best for me but I can see myself making use of all five tracks. A nice varied package of well produced deep and funky vibes.”
Michael Stukes (Mystic Vybes Radio Show) - “Some serious grooves on this baby, here!”

Available now from Traxsource.

Haldo - Back to the Past #1 (Proceed Records)

Founded by renowned DJ / producer Haldo, Italian house music label Proceed Records is proud to present the Back to the Past #1 EP, the first in a series of familiar songs covered in a deep house style. No stranger to producing deep and soulful house music, Haldo has released with labels such as Transport Recordings, Conya, Adaptation Music, and labels of his own with remix work for house heavyweights like Tony Humphries and Victor Simonelli. For this first installment he adds his finesse to ’70s disco, ’80s new wave pop, and ’90s house and soul with the help of vocalists Sergi’o and Silvio Gigante (also known as London producer Stereo-Junkie).

Silvio Gigante contributes vocals to two of the EP’s cuts; with his help, Haldo turns gospel-singer-turned-disco-songstress Roberta Kelly’s “Zodiac” into a driving cosmic trip. Next, Silvio and Haldo transform the ever-lovely Sade’s “Paradise” into a speedier wave of synth pleasure with a sense of an easy-going groove, much like the source. Enter Sergi’o from stage left, singing on “If You Love Somebody Set Them Free,” Sting’s aphorism-inspired original. In Haldo’s Deep Mix a jazz tinge is kept, but to spacious effect. After stumbling across a DJ tool acapella for “Finally,” Haldo decided a more sophisticated and smooth song was waiting to be built around CeCe Peniston’s classic. His Different Mix does just this, all while maintaining the fun of the original. Combined, this release is a chance to take a trip down memory lane, entertaining new ones along the way.

CJ Mackintosh - “This version of ‘Paradise’ is nice.”
Glenn Underground - “The new music on ‘Finally’ is superb.”
Nick Holder - “I’m digging this.”
Mr.V (Sole Channel Music) - “‘Zodiac’ is the one!”
Hippie Torrales - “Real smooth work … great covers.”
Abicah Soul - “‘Paradise’ is sweet.”
Claudio Coccoluto - “Nice tracks!”
Lorenzo al Dino (7th District) - “Killer package of songs … well done!”
Vincent Kwok - “Some nice, deep tracks here … great job!”
Mark Mac (The Sounds Collective) - “What a top EP. It’s great to revisit some classics and bring them into the present.”
Jamie Topham (CDPool) - “A very fine effort from that man Haldo, extremely brave to take on such club classics on this four tracker. This has been given some pure love from all involved.”
Alan Powell (The Midnight Mix on Solar Radio) - “Every track from this EP is of the highest quality … fantastic remakes of great soulful tunes.”
Phonatics (Housesession Records) - “This is brilliant … I will be giving these remakes a spin!”
Marco Fullone (Radio Monte Carlo) - “Very nice package … classic songs with new super elegant deep house attitude. Bravo!”
DJ Soulmate (Summer Fondue Sessions, Russia) - “Wow, a very cool selection of old goodies in a soulful flavor! I really love every track.”
DJ Phil T (DJ Times Magazine) - “Simply amazing … I love these remakes. Deep, soulful, and hot!”
Mason Rothert (Below Zero Radio Show) - “Yes! I dig this soulful sound.”
Michael Fossati (Spirit of House) - “A gorgeous EP bringing back memories from yesteryear.”

Available now from Beatport and Juno Download.

Legonaut feat. Melanie Estella - Rainbow (Proceed Records)

Italy’s Proceed Records presents a soulful house music single from Legonaut, a new project from the Rome-based duo of Eugene and DJ Giovannino, two talented artists known for a refined musical taste combined with international experience. For the uplifting “Rainbow,” the pair have teamed up with vocalist Melanie Estella, previously heard on the Proceed single “Shout It Out,” a collaboration with Proceed’s proprietor DJ Haldo. Her lovely voice anchors “Rainbow” working the solid rhythms and rousing bass line to help create a feel-good summer anthem-in-the-making. Remixes include Haldo’s appropriately titled Dream Mix - with its gorgeous keys and warm low end - and prolific Proceed remixer Odo Makes A Smile creating a more electronic, but still deep, version that introduces a spacey vocoder to Melanie’s vocals. It’s another stunning house music single from Proceed Records just in time for those moonlit pool parties … dive in.

Master Kev - “Very nice and smooth.”
Sarah Favouritizm - “This is very pretty.”
Nick Holder - “I’m digging this!”
Marques Wyatt - “This is tight.”
DJ Craig C (Pound Boys) - “All the mixes are fantastic and Melanie has a great voice.”
Joey Silvero (Distant People) - “A fresh feeling and great production … I’ll be playing this at the weekend.”
Christos Kedras (Kapa Music) - “The Haldo mix for me … dreamy, indeed!”
Indy Lopez (Music Zone) - “The Odo Makes A Smile mix is awesome … great job.”
DJ Rivero (1200 Warriors) - “I’m digging the vibes on this!”
Eddy Spirit (Spirit Crew / Janga Radio) - “The original version of ‘Rainbow’ is spreading an infectious organic vibe through the funky bass line, sweet percussion, and melodic keys, serving as playground for the soulful vocals. Not to be missed.”
Igor Marijuan (Ibiza Sonica FM) - “Great release!”
Joe Castillo (Deep Twisted Roots) - “Nice, deep, and soulful just the way I like it.”
Dean Serafini (JJazproJect) - “Just the kind of soulful vibes I usually fall head over heels with. Haldo’s Dream Mix is beautiful.”
Michael Fossati (Spirit of House) - “Beautiful melodies, sultry vocals and smooth rhythms … a delightful sun drenched summer anthem.”

Available now from Beatport, Juno Download, and Traxsource.

Various Artists - Impossible EP #2 (Proceed Records Digital)

Proceed Digital is the offshoot imprint of Italian house music label Proceed Records, established as a place for the label’s artists and producers to stretch out a bit and try some new sounds. If a track doesn’t quite sonically fit on an artist’s EP on Proceed but still has the quality and dance floor appeal that demands to be heard then this is the place for it. Thus Proceed Digital presents the second in a series, the Impossible EP #2, gathering four tracks from some of Proceed’s shining Italian producers and giving them a proper home on one fantastic house music release.

Proceed’s proprietor, DJ / producer Haldo, who has also released cuts through Transport Recordings, Conya, and Adaptation Music, is represented by his dreamy “A Short Trip.” A gentle piano melody and warm keys lead into an evocative synth solo, all buoyed by a solid four-on-the-floor rhythm. This one’s primed for the summer poolside. Fuscobeat & Magrini, the duo of Marco Magrini and Simone Fusco, follow with the deep and pulsing “Deep Lover,” incorporating sharp strings, hefty chords, and a swirling breakdown into one effective track. Odo Makes A Smile, who should be no stranger to fans of Proceed through his many remixes, contributes “Morena,” showing the more electronic side of the label’s roster. Italo-style bass, big stabs, and a whimsical vocal sample that appears midway all make appearances in his slinky, musical track. Rounding out the EP is Fabrizio Marra (Musoul, Liberate) whose “Shake It” offers a dose of floor appeal with solid percussion, dubbed out effects, a sparingly used soulful vocal, and a driving bass line. These four tracks are here just in time to do funky damage on summertime dance floors.

Glenn Underground - “Haldo’s ‘A Short Trip’ is dope song … very true to the sound and era.”
Graeme Park - “Lovely!”
CJ Mackintosh - “Nice EP … I like Haldo’s track.”
Q-Burns Abstract Message - “‘Shake It’ is a superb slice of dubby, retro-styled house music.”
Vincent Kwok - “Another great release from Proceed.”
Dave Mayer (Strictly Rhythm / Hardsoul) - “Very cool tunes!”
Nick Holder - “I’m digging this!”
Grant Nelson - “Very tasty!”
Hippie Torrales - “Great package … I can use everything here.”
Christos Kedras - “Nice package. Haldo and Fabrizio Marra take the trophy … will support!”
SumSuch (Colour and Pitch / Deepwit) - “Some nice chilled stuff. ‘Morena’ is the stand out track for me … perfect for a sunny afternoon session.”
Al Bradley (3am Recordings) - “Cracking EP. All four cuts have a real charm, but in particular I’m feeling ‘Shake It’ and ‘Morena,’ the latter which is a superb deep house boogie jam.”
Norbert Borchers (House Sound of Hamburg) - “Just wonderful … all of them!”
Gareth Morgan (Blues & Soul Magazine) - “I really like ‘A Short Trip’ … very balearic feeling and summery. My favourite track by far though is ‘Morena’ … that filtered piano breakdown at 3:28 made the hairs on my arms stand up.”
Michael Fossati (Spirit of House) - “Four beautiful, uplifting tracks that should send shockwaves across the floor.”

Available now from Juno Download and Traxsource.