Eddie Shinn - The Sketches Of Scratches (Cold Busted)

A label many downtempo fans are familiar with, Cold Busted is back with a new album, using their standing to release music from a mysterious artist from a distant locale. The Sketches Of Scratches album is the second release on the label for Eddie Shinn, a 20 year old artist from Ulyanovsk, Russia. That’s about all the information available on the young producer and that’s okay because the music can speak for itself. The mantra for this release is dusty downtempo cuts with so much soul and melodic application of the ‘scratches’ hinted at in the title.

The album contains many highlights. Classy pianos, keys, and brass with plenty of drum rolls, make the breezy “Disco Stu” a great sign of what’s to come. A sort of funk fusion, “Far and Away” is much more cut up with bursts of beat repeats and some great use of samples and sound effects. “Dead Night" features a lazy, low-down disco vibe with stuttering vocal bits. Coming through with an infectious breakbeat and party ready cheers, “Look Like” could beckon even the most discerning dancers to get up and get down. “Work All Night And All Day” and “Next Point” both use horns to differing effect, while at the same time continuing to carry the tone of the album. Eddie Shinn’s The Sketches Of Scratches puts Ulyanovsk solidly on the Cold Busted map, seducing global headz with its infectious ‘Volga beats.’

Mark Farina - “I like ‘em.“
Kid Loco - ”Super cool. I love it.“
All Good Funk Alliance - ”Solid release!“
Dogu (Ancient Astronauts) - ”Some good vibes on this one.“
Inland Knights - ”Cool grooves … liking this a lot.“
Quincy Jointz (Timewarp Music) - ”Wow, what a dope downtempo release. Wanting more!“
Irregular Disco Workers - ”Elegant beats for cool club nights.“
DJ Dialect (Public Transit Recordings) - ”Nice beats … some dope head-nodders.“
The Orator (High On Beats / Mushpost Radio) - ”Cold Busted never fails to deliver.“
Double-D (Funky Fresh Radio Show, Germany) - ”Such a great variety of beats and samples.“
DJ Nova (Rodon FM, Greece) - ”Dusted downtempo funk under the umbrella of instrumental hip hop … totally soul-inspired with elements even from the sunshine era of reggae. This album is great.“
DJ BMF (Eighth Dimension / Phat N’ Jazzy) - ”I’m really diggin’ this! Very warm and jazzy!”
Deadbeat Disco Radio Show - “Ace grooves aplenty … a thoroughly awesome slab of funk.”
Niksa Dragolin (Eurostar Radio, Croatia) - “Cold Busted always delivers massive beats and insane heavy bangers.”
Danuta Kurkowski (Acid Ted music blog) - “Mellow, funky and sweet rhythms! Loved it!”

Available now from Beatport and The Cold Busted Shop.

Ivaylo & Lazy Karma - Like The Sound (Bogota Records)

Bogota Records returns with their second release, titled “Like The Sound”. Featured once again is Ivaylo, a Bulgarian native based in Oslo, but this time in the company of good friend, and part of the Bogota label family, Lazy Karma. The vocals on “Like The Sound” are cool and easygoing repetitions sampled from Renate, an old friend of Ivaylo also heard on his previous Themes EP. The track starts off with a jingly bounce before unearthing a deep acid bass line, at times featuring well-fitted snare breaks. Vancouver’s very own Jay Tripwire (Poker Flat) delivers a remix that starts off with a chugging bass groove run through the low-pass before allowing the original to peep out in a drum solo-like breakdown. Jevne, a mover from Minneapolis known for playing live bass guitar with his sets and running Onethirty Recordings, techs things up a bit with his remix, taking on a totally jacking feel. Fellow Norwegian capital dweller Omar V (Full Pupp) calls to the cosmos for a much more spacey and Italo-influenced disco remix.

As the name suggests, DJs and dance floors both should certainly like the sound from Ivaylo and Bogota Records.

Tensnake - “Some nice deep tunes here.”
Chris Fortier - “Jay Tripwire’s mix all the way.”
Diz (Iz & Diz / Vizual Recordings) - “Super sexy!”
Carlos Sanchez (La Vie En Rose / Supernature) - “The original and the Jay Tripwire remix sound dope!”
diskJokke (Full Pupp / Smalltown Supersound) - “A lovely original and a great remix by Jay Tripwire.”
Shane Johnson (Fish Go Deep) - “Good chugging groove on Jay Tripwire’s remix. Heavy!”
Nick Jagger (S.O.U.P / Coyote Cuts) - “Solid release.”
Craig Stewart (Montana & Stewart / DCSTrax) - “Absolutely stunning project. Jay Tripwire is a funking genius, and the original and Jevne mixes are also very, very hot!”
Tyler Stadius - “Great tracks and remixes!”
Tom Lown (Savoir Faire / Lost My Dog) - “Nice stuff. I really like the original and Jay Tripwire’s remix.”
Al Bradley (3am Recordings) - “Wicked EP all around. The original and Jevne versions both have solid deep vibes, while Jay Tripwire adds a cracking percussive alternate take. The pick for me is Omar V’s version … a superb bleepy groove for the floors.”
Vincent Kwok - “I love the Jevne remix.”
Strakes (Lost My Dog) - “Superbly deep and enticing.”
Murray Richardson (Rebel Waltz) - “I love Jay Tripwire’s mix here … nice vibes.”
Joey Silvero (Distant People) - “I like the laid back summer bump to the original mix. Jay Tripwire takes it to the next level.”
Marcia Carr (Mi-Soul Radio / Ladyz) - “I like how the original moves along and hits you with something unsuspected … the breaks and bass line work beautifully.”
Lo (Superfreq / Suruba) - “The original is really a beautiful track, and Jay Tripwire’s remix is awesome. I will play this one.”
Jamie Topham (CDPool) - “The dreamy original rub is my pick of the mixes with Jevne’s lush re-rub coming a close second.”
Deepshizzol (MyHouse-YourHouse) - “Jevne and Omar V have created some very good remixes of an already very good release … top work!”
Michael Fossati (Spirit of House) - “This is the perfect example how sexy deep house can be.”

Available now from Beatport, Juno Download, and Traxsource.

Dlay - Many A Moon (Sud Up Recordings)

Sud Up Recordings return with their nineteenth offering, putting the label’s very own Dlay in the hot seat once again. Entitled Many A Moon, the release is a deep, vibe filled house music affair with tracks that have plenty of bounce in their step.

Lead track “Better Not Bitter” features Dlay’s trademark deep, melodic take on the house sound, with an off-kilter melody and infectious vocal sample. “Vibes” is the second in line, a nod to the US West Coast sound with its percussive elements, spacey keys, and dubby bass line. The final of the originals is “That Confused Look” which ups the tempo slightly, its nagging stab providing the driving force to the track coupled with a cavernous bass line and some peculiar arpeggios. On remix duty this time are two producers who have influenced the Sud Up sound with their own productions over the years. First up is Asad Rizvi AKA Asadinho (RvS, Wrong), a man whose productions have been tearing up dance floors around the world for almost twenty years. He delivers a sleazier rework, taking the vocal and adding his own twist to proceedings. Last, but by no means least, 3am Recordings’ Al Bradley drops an explosive remix, using a vocal intro, dubby percussion, and a bass line / main hook combo that’ll make your head nod and your feet twitch. Al’s version twists and turns and evolves throughout in its own kind of funk, rounding this release off nicely.

Mark Farina - “Nice!”
Doc Martin - “Funky madness from the man known as Asdadinho!”
Robert Owens - “Cool tracks.”
Diz (Iz & Diz / Vizual) - “Cosmic boogie, indeed!”
Nick Holder - “I’m digging ‘Vibes!’”
Brett Johnson - “Cool release … the remixes are nice.”
Chris Fortier - “Low slung funk.”
Tom Lown (Savoir Faire / Lost My Dog) - “A really cool bunch of tracks here … it’s hard to pick a favorite. All quite unique.”
Phonatics (Housesession Records) - “This is hot!”
Shane Johnson (Fish Go Deep) - “The groove, chords, and vocal snippet all come together well on ‘Vibes.’”
Tee Cardaci (Low Down Grooves) - “I’m feeling this! Another solid release from Sud Up. ‘Vibes’ is hot!”
DJ Di Costa (MoodyLushious Influences) - “Asad Rizvi’s Asadinho moniker makes a point here by showing how it’s done just damn right!”
Michael Fossati (Spirit of House) - “All three original productions are sure-fire late night weapons.”
Sam Hopkins (AccuRadio, Chicago) - “Al Bradley’s 3am Deep Remix of ‘Better Not Bitter’ is a killer track … lowdown and groovy all day!”
Rob Warner (Ibiza Voice) - “The Asadinho remix is the bomb. Dark and dubby how I like it.”

Available now from Juno Download and Stompy.

Trulz & Robin - Dance Music Therapy Vol. 2 (Cymasonic Recordings)

Trulz & Robin’s Dance Music Therapy EP Vol. 2 is the second release in a series of EP’s including remixes for Cymasonic Recordings. These guys have been around the Oslo techno scene for over a decade with a healthy discography to show for it. Also hailing from Norway’s capital city and sharing affiliation through the Planet Noise catalog, Ost & Kjex (Diynamic, Crosstown Rebels) take up the remix duties this time. Labeled a rework - although it could have easily been the original - their version of “The Clearing” comes in the form of an emotional vocal postcard from a parallel universe of falsetto singing Norwegian house-heroes. Melodic chimes and acid grooves swallow the listener whole, not to be seen again until the end. Trulz & Robin follow with three originals. “Midnight Cowboy” makes for a minimal trip through the rodeo of space and time, at points bringing to mind fellow Scandinavians Minilogue. With a strong Detroit pulse to it, “Daylight” features lively analogue sounding synth work wavering and winding above a gritty bass line. Experimental percussion and effects join the foray on “Beneath the Surface” while heavily resonating melodies create an active ambience for the release’s final cut.

Dance Music Therapy proves to be an apt title as each track is strongly emotive, but also physically engaging - sure to spread from Oslo into dance floor sessions the world over.

Peter Kruder (G-Stone / Kruder & Dorfmeister) - “Looove the Ost & Kjex remix. Great vibe. I will play this!”
Tensnake - “Epic Ost & Kjex of ‘The Clearing!’”
Nick Warren - “Stunning release … very cool, indeed.”
Sunshine Jones (Dubtribe) - “Beautiful.”
Colin Dale (Abstrakt Dance) - “A really cool EP … lush sounds.”
Kruse & Nuernberg - “‘The Clearing’ is beautiful!”
Diz (Iz & Diz / Vizual) - “Nice all the way ’round!”
Q-Burns Abstract Message - “This whole single is fantastic. The Ost & Kjex rework is indeed a wonder, but the three originals are just as strong. ‘Beneath The Surface’ is especially juicy.”
Chris Fortier - “Very nice vibe on all the tracks.”
Ali Herron (OOFT!) - “The Ost & Kjex Rework is rather nice.”
Discodromo (CockTail d’Amore) - “Solid release. I love the Ost & Kjex rework and ‘Beneath The Surface.’”
Chloe (Kill The DJ / Karat) - “Nice release, and very nice remix by Ost & Kjex.”
Chris Todd (Crazy P / Hot Toddy) - “‘The Clearing’ is amazing … nice EP.”
diskJokke (Full Pupp / Smalltown Supersound) - “Great stuff!”
Sumsuch (Colour and Pitch) - “Beautifully produced - beguiling and compelling - simply a fantastic release.”
Jarle Bråthen (Full Pupp / Ytre Rymden Dan) - “This is fantastic … full support!”
Al Bradley (3am Recordings) - “Superb stuff right across this EP. The two standouts for me are ‘Midnight Cowboy’ and the wicked undulating bass flow of ‘Daylight.’”
Adam Warped (Whiskey Pickle) - “Enjoying these very much … it’s like a soundtrack from a far away future world.”
Leri Ahel (Mutant Disco Radio Show) - “I love all four tracks. Brilliant release.”
DJ Morpheus (Lysergic Factory) - “I love everything in here … it’s all cracking stuff. The most welcome return of Trulz & Robin!”

Available now from Beatport and Juno Download.