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

India's Wind Horse Records has unveiled its latest artist compilation focusing on the emerging talent that orbits around the label's sphere. Internationally recognized as a tastemaker of sophisticated deep house styles, often with an exotic worldly twist, Wind Horse and its samplers are often looked to for the discovery of exciting new producers by DJs and punters alike. This latest collection will be no exception as eleven high quality tracks are presented, showcasing the dynamic, well-produced electronic sound that this ambitious label excels at.

Contributions from familiar names from previous Wind Horse releases – such as Soulspace, Vinayak^A, Stalvart John, JFunc, Hamza, and 5volts – confidently sit alongside tracks by newer additions to the roster. Jay Pei, Leon Russell, Doktor Daniel, EJAZ, Subandrio, and Tatsama all give shimmering contributions that provide their introductions to followers of the label.

The swirling deep house of Jay Pei's "Michigan" and Tatsama's "June Bug" accompany techier entries like 5Volts' expansive "Cemani" and EJAZ & Subandrio's "Before the Storm", showing the breadth of the sampler. New tracks by recurring Wind Horse artists – such as Hamza's spacey and thumping "Indigo Activation" and Stalwart John's hypnotic "It's Just A Matter Of Time" – join gems from the catalog that may have been overlooked. Vinayak^A's "Pleading To Be Forgiven" and the ROH remix of Soulspace's "C'est La Vie" are two past Wind Horse highlights that certainly deserve a second listen. Glasgow's JFunc appears as one of the only non-Indian producers on the compilation with the lush and flowing "Ek Sien n' Ses". Doktor Daniel's funky "Prime" and Leon Russell's tough "Reform" round out the sampler … two more cool cuts from seasoned Indian DJs, now ready to infiltrate the world.

With five samplers now under its belt and a wealth of promising music-makers within its family, Wind Horse Records continues the path of being a consistent source of deep house discoveries. Stay tuned to this refreshing New Delhi-based imprint to hear the sonic treasures it has yet to uncover.

Nick Holder - "Dope!"
Sumsuch (Colour and Pitch / Mega Jawns) - "A smooth-as-silk selection from a brilliant label. Lovely!"
Aki Bergen & Richter (Neurotraxx Recordings) - "Nice one."
Denite (Diynamic / Get Physical) - "5volts' 'Cemani' is the one for me."
Marques Wyatt - "Solid!"
Sean Danke (Affin / Dialtone) - "The JFunc track sounds phat. Nice compilation."
Ivan Garci (Vlosfer Records / Deepwit) - "Great tracks here … I love it."
DJ Harri (Sub Club) - "Lots to like here … full support."
Tom Lown (Lucky Sun Recordings) - "A brilliant compilation with some cool tracks … my favorite is 'Ek Sien n'Ses' by JFunc. I love the way it builds … solid, deep, and driving stuff."
Tyler Stadius (Deepsite / Dialtone Records) - "Excellent release, as expected. There are a couple here I'll play out soon."
Simon Kirk (Stag Beetle Radio Show) - "Rarely if ever does something this good come in such quantity … truly extraordinary sonic talent. An amazing release once again from this unique label."
Ornette (Radial Blur Radio Show) - "All sorts of awesome all over this sampler. Wind Horse Records is very consistently good!"
Sean-Michael Yoder (Ibiza Voice) - "These Wind Horse samplers are always pure quality."
Matthias Kirsch (JazzRadio 106.8 FM, Berlin) - "Exhilarating, uplifting deep house with twists and turns. Pure delight."
Mark Mac (The Sounds Collective) - "Wow … Wind Horse hits a home run. Spot on vibes … brilliantly deep."

Available now from Beatport, Traxsource, and iTunes.

Soulspace - Remixes (Wind Horse Records)

Two tracks from Soulspace's brilliant and highly acclaimed self-titled album have received the remix treatment, resulting in a package of compelling collaborations from across India's electronic music sphere. This 2014 album on Wind Horse Records from Soulspace – AKA New Delhi's Vishnu PS – captivated listeners from the worlds of deep house, 'chill out', and abstract electronica and the remixed single also appeals across this spectrum. Soulspace has taken album cuts "C'est La Vie" and "You" and placed them into the hands of a variety of Indian producers, including those working outside of deep house for a more eclectic, 'alternative' direction.

The emotive track "You" receives a trio of versions, led by a gentle downtempo interpretation from Mumbai's Sandunes. The project of Sanaya Ardeshir, Sandunes wraps "You" in complex breakbeat rhythms and clever manipulations of the original's trademark vocal phrase. The Sine Painter (comprised of the Bangalore-based Jayanth Ramachandra) arrives next, giving the track a forlorn four-on-the-four treatment, including echoey plucked melodies for an exotic effect. When Pandas Attack then provide the third remix of "You", enveloping the track in thick pads and chiming tones, as breezy downbeat drums and stereo-swirling vocal snippets combine in a mesmerizing manner.

Soulspace's "C'est La Vie" also receives the remix treatment, earning a pair of pleasantly diverse versions. Bangalore DJ duo Audio Units – familiar to followers of Wind Horse Records – have revealed a lush deep house revision of Soulspace's track. It features a bouncing, buzzy bass line and melodic arpeggiations alongside a flurry of atmospheric treatments. Late night bliss. Rohan Ramanna, known here as ROH, next reinterprets "C'est La Vie" as a cinematic downtempo soundscape, masterfully capturing a dreamy feeling with layers of sparkling sound and an insistent, slow motion rhythm. This one demands to be listened to on headphones.

These remixes of "C'est La Vie" and "You" show Wind Horse Records moving into new and exciting directions while embracing more diverse players in India's burgeoning electronic music scene. Stay tuned for what most certainly will be fascinating developments in the near future.

Laurent Garnier - "The Sandunes remix is great."
Nick Warren - "Great release guys … some very cool mixes here."
Denite (Diynamic / Get Physical) - "The Audio Units remix is the one for me."
Gene Farris - "Great music!"
André Gardeja (Freizeitglauben / Blaq) - "Nice release … deep tunes for chilled moments."
Claes Rosén (Local Talk / Spring Tube) - "Perfect!"
Al Bradley (3am Recordings) - "Excellent and varied grooves here. It's actually the slower When Pandas Attack remix that's the one for me."
Pumpkin (Jumpsuit Records / Vermin Street) - "Quality!"
Jose Marquez (Tribe Records / Djoon Experience) - "I'm really feeling the Audio Units remix … nice!"
Noel Sanger (Dissident Music / Spinnin) - "Cool remixes."
Tyler Stadius (Deepsite / Dialtone Records) - "Great work! Always stand out music from Wind Horse."
Distant People (Foliage / Seamless) - "The Sine Painter mix is doing it for me … a dreamy and atmospheric feel."
Pathaan (Globetronica) - "Dig!"
Tariq Ziyad (New Urban ERA) - "Amazing stuff all round … music with soul and originality."
Simon Kirk (Stag Beetle Radio Show) - "I love everything that Wind Horse Records put out … its always so musically rich and here again its jaw dropping stuff. In particular, the When Pandas Attack remix is brilliant."

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.

Soulspace - Soulspace (Wind Horse Records)

It’s been said before, but 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. Consider the stunning debut launch of Soulspace’s self-titled new album … without sounding out of place for the imprint, the release is certainly a departure from the world-influenced deep house and tech sensibilities it has defined itself by. The Soulspace work distances itself with more exploratory tempos and an experimental beat-maker approach, of which cities like Los Angeles or London are particularly well known for.

Yet Vishnu PS, the electronica producer behind Soulspace, is worlds apart – actually hailing from New Delhi, India, the same as his new label home. Exuded by the name itself, something deeply emotional is to be expected of Vishnu’s work. The interpretation of it could go one of two ways: either dark and devoid or heavily introspective, but in reality there is an uninhibited, playful thread throughout, even in its most touching moments. Capable of shifting aural ambiance between downtempo summertime grooves, jittery club music, and back to ethereal expeditions in a blink of an eye, Soulspace produces tracks that are steadfast in their melodic ambitions. The slickly engineered compositions are not only deeply appealing but offer moments of musical clarity.

Opening with an eye-rubbing ambient piece in “Morning At Roots”, the album gets off to an intriguing start. Using singing birds and the gurgling of a soft stream underneath a dreamy melody, it’s a peaceful exercise in meditative sound. “Jayeta” follows suit with relaxing elements, only this time a strong kick and big bass punch through with an undeniable groove, creating the type of bright but moody dichotomy DJs dream of in a warm up cut. Picking up the pace once again, “C’est La Vie” is the most straight forward arrangement on the release. It uses very familiar vocals, but in a totally unfamiliar way, focusing on only the embellished moments alongside xylophone hits and crescendoing flurries of metallic video game-like synths, but only the ‘advanced levels’ kind … at it’s peak it becomes quite a dizzying affair. Opening with the sounds of kids at play in the streets, the exact type of short, but sweet chopped-and-pitched vocals that would be found in UK bass music develop on “You”. The track also features stylistically consistent shuffling patterns, but the scattered bells, triangles, faded keys, and scratchy upper atmosphere are uniquely its own and particularly sublime. “To The Top” incorporates a treasure chest of found sounds snapping into place like clockwork, each as if it was pulled from some sort of fantastical workshop. A child rambles at intermittent points and the footwork rhythms give it the edge it needs from falling into a hypnotizing lullaby. This is in contrast to “The Stars So Bright” which is a glitchy number that evokes laying in bed looking up with ears ringing and no sleep insight, but in a beautifully satisfying way. Soulspace’s own VIP Edit of “Morning At Roots” delivers more attitude than its previous incarnation, breaking the spell of an early intro with a stuttering kick and more declared refrains later on. Finally, putting the album to rest, “Night, Night” is a bedtime elixir with melodic chimes and crickets reverberating through the dark of the late hours. The lone collaborator with Soulspace on this album, Frame/Frame, provides the perfect, slightly muffled voice of someone fighting those last minutes of consciousness.

Overall, this eponymous debut album from Soulspace can certainly be taken in whole as a listening experience, but more discerning DJs will be able to hone in on specific cuts and find purpose in them as serious distinguishers in their personal sets.

Tom Lown (Savoir Faire / Lost My Dog) - "Some very nice, sublime, quirky numbers here. Just my cuppa tea at the moment."
Denney (Hot Creations / 20:20 Vision) - "This album sounds amazing! I like it so much … I'm going to listen from start to finish right now."
Hollis P Monroe (Renaissance Infinity / The Black 80s) - "Beautiful progressions and intriguing soundscapes … can't ask for much more than that."
Alvaro Hylander (DeepWit) - "An album full of emotion. All the tracks are well crafted to a fantastic and timeless state."
Alkalino (Estimativa / Audaz Recordings) - "Sweet vibes. A lot of different moods and genres to choose from."
André Gardeja (Freizeitglauben / Blaq) - "It feels like a warm summer rain. Good work … I like the whole release."
Sumsuch (Colour and Pitch / Mega Jawns) - "A very special record from a very special label! Beautiful work."
Tyler Stadius (Deepsite / Dialtone Records) - "Lovely music. Under the stars, on the beach."
Eric Davenport (Guesthouse) - "A great release for creative DJs who think outside the box."
Kenny Substance (Pure Substance / Redflux) - "A very good and well-crafted album. I'm a fan … keep it up!"
DJ F (Breakshop / Focus@Will) - "This record is absolutely gorgeous! Lovely textures, sparkling production, mellow grooves."
Augusto Siles (Aferhours Radio Show, Peru) - "This is a very nice album … I'm loving the vibe and melodies."
Marc Lacasse (sHIFT Radio, Canada) - "A lot of spacial and atmospheric moments to enjoy amongst the chilled and broken beats."
Marcia Carr (Mi-Soul Radio / Ladyz) - "An outstanding set of sheer elegance with deep house and broken beat elements all entwined."
Clara Da Costa (Ibiza Sonica Radio) - "What a beautiful album. Shame it is the end of the summer season here in Ibiza as there are some killer tracks that are perfect for sunset."
Brewster Brigham (Kiss FM, Australia) - "Stunning .. there is magic in the stars!"

Available now from Beatport and Juno Download.