Leach & Lezizmo - Neon Nights (Karmaloft Music)

Karmaloft Music has enlisted the seasoned Belgian house music duo Leach & Lezizmo for its latest release, the Neon Nights EP. Consisting of Pat Lezizmo and Steven Sterk (AKA Leach), the pair specialize in a melodic, cleanly produced deep house sound with touches of nu-disco and balearic vibes. With previous releases for the likes of Conya and Emerald & Doreen, Leach & Lezizmo really strut their stuff on this latest four tracker. "I Can't Believe" opens the EP with a moody after-hours feel, propelled by big pads, haunting vocal snips, and a hypnotizing bell line. The following track, "Love", opens up the duo's palette with an uplifting, soulful vocal hook over a lovely piano melody and a groovy bass counterpoint. "Switching Lanes" does just that, as the cut has a tighter rhythmic feel than the others, but still showcases Leach & Lezizmo's ear for melody. A hip-house style vocal appears, offering a fun surprise for the dance floor. "Neon Nights" then gives the EP its most dramatic moment, as its growling bass line, frantic hand percussion, and huge melodic lines combine in a classic big room nightclub recipe. Leach & Lezizmo's Neon Nights EP is indeed a solid house music release with far-reaching appeal.

Nick Warren (Hope Recordings / Way Out West) - "Great music … well done!"
Danny Howard (BBC Radio 1 / Dance Anthems) - "'Neon Nights' is cool."
Fine Cut Bodies (Biscuit Real / Chi Recordings) - "Nice, deep, and groovy."
Distant People (Foliage / Seamless) - "'Love' goes from great tension in the intro to a cool electro house bass."
Ciappy DJ (Tony Records / Universe Media) - "'Switching Lanes' for me! Nicely done."
Myxzlplix (Subdivisions Global Radio) - "I'm really digging this release. Great sounds and arrangements here … quality tracks ready to be played."
DJ Naz (Buddha Bar) - "It's so refreshing to hear this lovely, warm, and deep set of tunes."
Mauricio Aviles (Movido / Loveslap!) - "Nicely produced deep house."
DOMINIK Berlin (Drumzone Records / Deepindub) - "'Neon Lights' is a perfect deep house track. Nice bass line."
Mark Mac (The Sounds Collective) - "Nice deep and melodic tunes."
DJ Di Costa (MoodyLushious Influences Radio Show) - "Dope pack of treats by Pat and Steven. Quite intriguing stuff in terms of variety. Diggin' it all but particularly into 'Neon Nights' … a remarkable gem."
xyddhartha (Digital Gathering Radio Show, India) - "It's a new kind of progressive sound."
Corbin Dooley (Electric Feel Radio Show) - "A great and well-rounded EP. The track 'Love' is my favorite."

Available now from Beatport and Juno Download.

Ivaylo - Future Past (Bogota Records)

After many collaborative projects for his Bogota Records label, Ivaylo turns in a solo performance in the form of six originals on Future Past. A Bulgarian native based in Oslo, Ivaylo has an equally distinguishable sound. It's lush and full of funk by way of deep house with modern disco subtleties. The EP's tracks capture Ivaylo's ability to interweave these different styles. Highlights include "Forgotten", featuring a disco percussion groove and deep orchestration with a slinky bass line; "Shine", which showcases heads-down house with an electrifying ebb and flow; and "Cellar", chugging along with determined funkiness, even wafting through airy harp sounds. Future Past is a release sure to satisfy those who like their music blended, not merely shaken or stirred.

Hollis P Monroe - “‘Shine’ and ‘Cellar’ are gems … sweet release.”
Pete Moss - “Great project here! Very reminiscent of the old Prescription records I love so much … excellent work!”
Colin Dale (Abstrakt Dance) - "All really cool tracks … I really dig this EP."
Chris Todd (Crazy P / Hot Toddy) - “This is a fine sounding EP. Nice balance of old and new production and the sampled disco drum loops work really nice.”
Alton Miller (Peacefrog / Swank Society) - “Good EP! ‘Shine’ is the one for me.”
Alvaro Hylander (DeepWit Recordings / Balance Alliance) - “Elegance, groove, strength, and classic are some of the words that run through my head when listening to this mini album. Hard to pick a favorite here … just count on me playing and supporting them all.”
Craig Whitfield (The HHA / Restless Soul) - "Great house music, made for a time and a place, and made for a purpose."
Craig Stewart (Montana & Stewart / DCSTrax) - “Stunning dance music … I love it.”
Distant People (SSRadio / Foliage) - “Seriously provoking music … it's so tough to choose, but I love the ‘Forgotten’ cut on this.”
Shane Johnson (Fish Go Deep / Red FM) - “Very tasty EP … solid grooves, strong melodies, and very well produced … ‘Forgotten’, ‘Weight’, and ‘Disquis’ for me.”
Matt Prehn (Oh So Coy / Large Music) - “‘Shine’ is doing it for me … love that hypnotic mood, great work!”
QJ (Sound Solutions / Omega 3) - “I love Ivaylo’s style … groovy, deeply, intelligent vibes as usual. ‘Forgotten’ and ‘Weight’ are amazing.”
Tom Conrad (Adaptation Music / SSRadio) - “Very tough to single out one of these tracks as they are all excellent. Ivaylo is without a doubt one of my favorite producers and incredibly consistent at creating quality, timeless music.”
Deron Delgado (Paradise / Stompy) - “The low-slung deep and disco vibes of ‘Forgotten’ and ‘Outlands’ are right up my alley!”
Leigh Morgan (Urban Torque) - “I’m very much enjoying this release … high quality throughout all the tracks … heavily groove-based and excellent stuff.”
SimonG (Deep South Audio) - “Impressive sound … I’ve been smashing the past five releases on this label … one of my underground favorites. ‘Outlands’ has a lovely rich electro bass.”
Mark Mac (Stafford FM / Shed FM) - “Ivaylo brings in a belter here. Deep beats meet ’70s funk, blended and produced perfectly … quality release.”

Available now from Beatport and Juno Download.

My Neighbour Is - Buddha Fly (Cold Busted)

The prolific Manchester-based artist known as Robot Needs Oil has been found covertly recording downtempo, reggae, and hip hop fueled beats under the curious name of My Neighbour Is. Buddha Fly is the latest album for the Cold Busted label under this moniker and it serves as an immersive downtempo / hip-hop hybrid. Half pitched-up and pungently stringy, half laid-back and enveloped by a smoky haze, the album could be the soundtrack to a fable … and a funky fable, at that. This split sees the release's ten tracks teeter on the edge of trip-hop at times while flirting with antique sounds from days gone by at others. Anyone looking for an out-of-body experience traveling partner will find their match in Buddha Fly.

Nightmares On Wax - “Nice selection of tracks.”
Kid Loco - "'No 1' is a really great old skool beats track."
DJ Moneyshot (Solid Steel Radio / NinjaTune) - “Boom bap bidness … gonna put ‘No 1’ at the head of the crates for sure.”
Ohmega Watts (Ubiquity Records / Lo-Fi) - “I really dig this record! It takes me back to the mid-late '90s … yet, with a twist of the modern beat era. It in no way sounds dated, but, as all good music, remains timeless. Pleasant surprise!”
Inland Knights - “More top jams from Cold Busted.”
Quincy Jointz (Timewarp Music) - “Perfect funky downtempo beats … as good as Nightmares on Wax and all the other big names from the ‘90s … full support.”
Minus 8 (Compost / Stereo Deluxe) - “Nice downtempo with a slight exotica touch.”
Mojo Rising (Journees Music / F.A.M.I.L.Y.) - “Excellent work all the way around … hard to pick a favorite, but those Asian strings in ‘Buddha Fly’…”
Dima Studitsky(Headz.FM / Compost) - “Great album … in the best tradition of classic downtempo.”
DJ Tomas (Friday Night Session / Google Play) - “Damn, the flute on ‘Wah Love’ is a fantastic accent to an already great arrangement. Each of these tracks shines in their own way and the drum programming absolutely snaps and cracks … a very thorough production.”
Robin Parris (Parris & Vanucci / Dancefloor Outlaws) - “Another solid selection of lazy Sunday beach beats.”
Sam Hopkins (AccuRadio) - “Love the album … this sort of jazzy, instrumental hip-hop is perfect.”
Mark Reynolds (Just Chillin Podcast) - “Hypnotic, sexy, and smooth … soundtrack to the summer (well, the southern hemisphere at least)!”
Amrisha Prashar (IAMRISHA / Radio 79 New Delhi) - “Laid-back smokey vibes … feeling this … especially ‘French Toasts'.”
riccicomoto (Ibiza Global Radio) - “Very nice tunes with soul and a movie ambience … begs a deeper listen!”
David Bassin (KUSF / Space Invader Radio) - “A bundle of boss beats!”
Clive Craske (RadioReverb, UK) - "A wonderfully laid back album, worthy of The Big Chill in its heyday. Becoming deeper from the outset, until we get to the title track of meditative excellence."
Lemar Soulflower (Soul Deep NYC) - "Top notch party rockers and cinematic soundscapes. Definitely a release not to be missed."
Clairvo (Tilos Radio FM90.3) - “Essential … nothing less than essential!"

Available now from Beatport, iTunes, and The Cold Busted Shop.

Space Coast & JP Soul feat. Audio Angel - The Way (Roam Recordings)

“The world gets smaller every day. We keep getting caught up trying to find our way.” These are the lyrics from the latest offering on Roam Recordings -- a slick multi-mood original vocal dance floor burner of a single featuring a lot of heavy hitters in the biz giving a take on it. "The Way" is an east (space?) coast meets west coast project. Florida's Sleazy McQueen and Jorge Collazo are Space Coast, composers of the soundtrack for the not-so-distant space travel in our futures. They pair up with the Roam bossman, JP Soul, a San Franciscan and role-player in the 40 Thieves gang. And Audio Angel, also from the Bay Area and a long time label familiar, lends her lovely vocals to the single.

The original collaboration between Space Coast, JP Soul, and Audio Angel is a smooth groover perfect for the more sultry of sets. Sleazy McQueen’s remix pushes the energy into main dance floor attraction territory with a galloping low end that rattles the bass bins. The Dub keeps it tight with chopped up and stuttering elements from the original making for a more hypnotic vibe.

Rounding off the EP are two new remixes with a few surprises by Wolf+Lamb and Nick Monaco. Zev and Gadi from Wolf+Lamb are two characters synonymous with a slyer and often slowed-to-a-passionate-pulse side of dance music. They're self staters and their music shows for it. Playful claps lend their remix all the cheekiness it needs while the hand percussion provides a primal dance groove that builds with off-kilter organs and bass that sputters. When joined by prodigious Northern California talent Nick Monaco for an additional remix, the boys come up with an old world-tinted jam led by a burlesque piano, keeping with the same joyous percussion.

Sunshine Jones (Dubtribe) - “So good it’s just stupid … love it.”
diskJokke (Full Pupp / Smalltown Supersound) - "Nice remix work from Sleazy McQueen and Wolf+Lamb. I'm looking forward to playing both."
Ant Plate (Rhythm Plate / YSE) - “Great vocal … it’s Sleazy McQueen’s mix for me this time.”
Chris Todd (Crazy P / Hot Toddy) - “Wolf+Lamb and Nick Monaco mixes are both really nice.”
Gavin Hardkiss  - “Two great talents making dope music.”
Jask (Thaisoul) - "This is very nice!"
Ben Mono (Undertones Gang / Plant Music) - “Lovely … will definitely play.”
OOFT! (Foto Rec.) - “Nice groove on the Wolf+Lamb mixes.”
Craig Stewart (Montana & Stewart / DCSTrax) - “The original is serious shizzle … great work.”
Distant People (SSRadio / Foliage) - “Oh yeah, nice cheeky groove to this … bumping mix by Sleazy McQueen.”
Ben Gomori (Data Transmission / Nurvous) - “I like the moody Wolf+Lamb mix!"
Sumsuch (Colour and Pitch / Mega Jawns) - “Incredible package this is … warm and smooth original, fantastic remixes, and good vibes throughout. Support is a no-brainer.”
Shane Johnson (Fish Go Deep / Red FM) - “Wolf+Lamb remix doing it for me here … good raw percussion with enough music and vocal going on to keep it interesting throughout.”
Bogdan Taran (Dance Box Radio Show) - “Wolf+Lamb remix is brilliant … that bass part in the middle of the track is perfect!”
SimonG (Deep South Audio) - “Quality in so many areas … the original is a sun soaked dream ready for an afternoon session … the dub will lock down the dance floor later at night.”
Tee Cardaci (Low Down Grooves / Sine Qua Non) - “So much to love about this … Roam continues to go from strength to strength with every release!”

Available now from Beatport and Juno Download.