Usmev - This Vibe EP (Cymasonic)

The half-Norwegian, half-Spanish label Cymasonic is back with some
 Catalan deepness straight out of Barcelona in This Vibe, a brand new five track EP by
 Usmev. A conservatory-trained pianist and guitarist, Usmev is no stranger to the label having previously released and remixed on multiple singles. 
 The first track, "That Time", is an exploration in rich, thickly layered chords accompanied by a chunky kick and a rhythm that scatters, close to completely breaking away … a definite party starter. "Sunday Morning Blues" features the vocal magic of fabulous Atlanta-based singer Bleu Renee. It's playful in its claps and other percussive elements while deeply hypnotic in its melody and lyrics, which come from a darker, cautionary, and extremely personal place. "Respect the Elders" follows with a pep to its step and a bass with plenty of bounce to match. Chord stabs rise in classic style while deeper, more sustained notes sneak their way into the listener's headspace. The EP's title track comes in two versions: the original "This Vibe" -- which starts out as a house track but evolves into a more electro-disco affair half way through -- and a slowed down Vocal Edit that is sure to make serious waves this upcoming summer.

Tim Paris (Marketing Music / My Favorite Robot) - "A very nice release indeed. I'm really into 'That Time' and 'Respect the Elders'."
Terry Francis - "The vocal version of the title track is the one for me."
Mark Farina - "Good stuff!"
Saulty (Downtown Party Network) - "'This Vibe' will be played a lot."
Alvaro Hylander (DeepWit) - "One of my favorite artists out there. As usual, pure groove and deepness with power and emotion."
Linas Fresh Tee (Dubinsky / Drumpoet Community) - "Nice and classy deep house here."
Nick Holder - "Fire!"
Mould (Con+ainer / Tiefblau Records) - "'That Time' and 'This Vibe (Vocal Edit)' are my faves."
Diz (Iz & Diz / Vizual) - "Sexy all around."
Alkalino - "This is proper deep house music. Instant love for these tracks."
Massimiliano Pagliara (Live At Robert Johnson) - "'This Vibe' is the one for me."
Tyler Stadius (Deepsite / Dialtone Records) - "Lovely, soothing summer sounds."
Hippie Torrales - "Nice, deep grooves."
Rafael Moraes (Nomumbah / Yoruba) - "Sounding good!"
Distant People (Foliage / Seamless) - "Quality … great sounds and pure deepness all over this EP."
Daz-I-Kue (Future Soul Records) - "Some nice grooves going on here."
DJ Nova (Rodon FM, Greece) - "'That Time' is a kind of silent thunder. Tech edges with soft percussion and a nice build."
Shane Johnson (Fish Go Deep) - "Good overall sound on this EP … simple and effective."
Kiyo To (Kanzen Records) - "I'm left speechless! This is by far the best deep house release I've had the pleasure to listen to this year."

Available now from Beatport, Juno Download, and iTunes.

James Benedict - The Fox (Deep House Aficionado)

Australian imprint Deep House Aficionado is back again, but for the first time reaching outside their country's borders for a release by Glasgow producer James Benedict. With plenty of releases under his belt, Benedict has seen success on labels like Spagat Music, Savoir Faire Musique, and Onethirty Recordings. The Fox is a wily EP featuring three original atmospheric and moody cuts. "What Can You Do" is an airy piece with driving hats, peppered by snares and chopped up vocal bits, all evolving like a day dream. The title track follows with a similar vibe, but far more spacey in its minor adjustments of the synth filters which really make things come to life. "See You Drive" expands on these hypnotic flairs of melody, nailing the landing on the groove with its low end and drums. Relax and drink in the sounds of James Benedict, but be careful because this is intoxicating work.

Tom Lown (Savoir Faire / Lost My Dog) - "Ooh, I like this a lot. Real deepness … three tracks of quality."
Shane Johnson (Fish Go Deep) - "Nice electronic vibe and a distinctive sound across the whole EP. 'The Fox' edging it for me."
Tini Tun (We Are Here Records / Fade) - "'See You Drive' is good!"
Lorenzo al Dino (7th District Inc. / Royal Plastic) - "A great package of mixes and house tools … well produced."
Leigh Morgan (Urban Torque Transmissions) - "Yeah, cool stuff. 'The Fox' is really on point."
Alvaro Hylander (DeepWit) - "Powerful tracks! Really enjoying the beats."
Carlo Gambino (Midnight Social Recordings) - "Nice EP from James. 'What Can You Do' is the clear winner for me."
Chris Udoh (Tigerhook) - "'See You Drive' = TUNE! Great stuff here."
Ourra (Pop Out And Play / Alola) - "Yeah! I love 'The Fox' … lovely triplet groove and great sound choice."
Distant People (Foliage / Seamless) - "Lush production, full of nice layers … has a spaced out feel, great for the dark clubs."
Ken Liu (Headset Recordings) - "Dreamy, cerebral cuts. Very nice."
Al Bradley (3am Recordings) - "Nice beats overall. I will give 'See You Drive' a whirl out in the clubs … a solid deep mid-set cut."
DJ Di Costa (MoodyLushious Influences) - "'See You Drive' is a stunner. I'm loving the spacey vibe in this track … truly beautiful."
Corbin Dooley (Electric Feel Radio Show ) - "Lovely and lush deepness."
Tariq Ziyad (New Urban ERA blog) - "Wonderful and enchanting sounds … I love these."
Myxzlplix (Kodawari Recordings / Sunclock) - "Putting forth new melodic arrangements, a new deep house maverick is emerging here. Nice."

Available now from Beatport, Juno Download, and iTunes.

Matteo feat. J. Burnside - Lust (Whiskey Pickle Records)

Whiskey Pickle Records welcomes the fresh air of 2015 with its first release of the year, courtesy of Austin, Texas, based producer and visual artist Matteo. A stalwart in the local DJ community, Matteo has been featured on releases from the acclaimed Bush Records and has shared the decks with the likes of Bit Funk, Palmbomen, and Walter Jones, in addition to operating his own events and parties.

Whiskey Pickle is proud to present Matteo’s first artist EP in the form of Lust, which features the masterful vocal talents of J. Burnside plus a sleazy remix from label founder Adam Warped under his kidney-failure-inducing pseudonym Johnny Blackouts. The title track is a slinky, deep number that creates a hypnotic tapestry of chords and arpeggios for J. Burnside’s delicate vocals to flitter upon, while the Johnny Blackouts remix strips the melancholy away to reveal a grimy, acid-fueled workout with a rock-steady beat and dubby low end.

On the B-side action, "Aluminum Blvd" comes crashing in with a rolling bass line, waves of pads, and a chirpy 8-bit synth line that brings the entire affair into prime steppers territory… one for the heads! Wrapping things up nicely is "Poppy", a low slung joint with loads of delayed synth work, dubby vocal snips, and some lovely movement making for a beautiful closer.

Vanilla Ace - "'Lust' will be good for those beach sets."
Sunshine Jones (Dubtribe) - "Lovely and right on time."
Ursula 1000 - "Hot!"
Chris Todd (Crazy P / Hot Toddy) - "The original of 'Lust' for me … nice dubby vibes."
Jaymz Nylon - "Great EP … should perform extremely well on the dance floor."
Hard Ton (Gigolo / Permanent Vacation) - "I love the original a lot … groovy stuff."
Severino (Horse Meat Disco) - "Very cool sounds here."
Walter Jones (DFA / Under the Shade) - "I like the whole release, but 'Poppy' is my favorite. Very moody."
Al Bradley (3am Recordings) - "Ace stuff. 'Aluminum Blvd' and 'Poppy' are mint."
Alvaro Hylander (DeepWit) - "'Aluminum Blvd' is pretty good together with 'Lust'. Lovely stuff!"
Matt Prehn (Oh So Coy / Large Music) - "'Lust' is a summer anthem in the making. Beautiful track … in the bag!"
Distant People (Foliage / Seamless) - "Nice funked-out mix from Johnny Blackouts … real deal jam."
Jean Jérome (Radio FG / Kut 'N' Paste) - "Le groove est de retour!"
SimonG (Deep South Audio, New Zealand) - "Smooth seductive chugging beats … eloquently composed."
DJ Schugar (The Infusion Project) - "Great release … the bleeps and bloops make me feel so good!"

Available now from Beatport, Juno Download, and iTunes.

Chad Mitchell - The Argyle Connect EP (Roam Recordings)

Roam Recordings is known for representing the multiple facets of house music and sharing it with the world. The label's latest offering -- The Argyle Connect EP -- comes from one of the label's proprietors, San Francisco-based producer Chad Mitchell, and includes a remix by Chicago’s own Andrew Emil (Four Play Music, Glenview, Classic). “I Surrender” starts the release off with a timeless, nostalgic sound slightly reminiscent of '80s new wave anthems, but fused with a fresh interpretation of the latest nu-disco sound. "Keeps Movin’" proceeds with a more straight-forward house-infused dance floor bounce and a catchy piano line that reminds of the playfulness of Paradise Garage classics like "Let's Go Dancin'". Flipping the original mix of "I Surrender", Andrew Emil’s San Frandisco Dub turns the cut into a disco-flavored dance floor banger through a bass line with plenty of strut and just the right rhythmic guitar accents. “Connect With Our Love” is a more laid back number, but still packs plenty of punch with its poppy bass, seemingly pulled from a couple decades back. This record captures the spirit of past times with a finesse fit for many present day situations. There's a lot to like about it and it's sure to deliver.

Andy Compton (The Rurals / Peng) - "Dope grooves!"
Mark Farina - "I'm liking Andrew Emil's mixes."
Andrew Macari (Greenhouse / Tastie) - "Great stuff … I love Andrew Emil's San Frandisco Dub."
Severino (Horse Meat Disco) - "Yes … groovy and funky!"
Alvaro Hylander (DeepWit Recordings) - "Both of Andrew Emil's versions work good for me. Classy and melancholic vibes with a sprinkle of good old sound."
Lance DeSardi (Legwork Records / Land Shark) - "Nice release."
Saulty (Downtown Party Network) - "Ohh, loving Andrew Emil's San Fransisco Dub!"
Vanilla Ace - "This is a cool EP."
Pete Williams (Natural Rhythm) - "Great release overall, but Andrew Emil's San Fransisco Dub is where it's at."
Chris Massey (Paper Recordings / Electriks) - "I'm liking 'Connect With Our Love' a lot! Nice vibes for this oncoming heatwave summer."
Sumsuch (Colour and Pitch / Mega Jawns) - "'I Surrender' is wonderful, as is Andrew' Emil's Vintage Chicago Mix. Solid."
Tee Cardaci (Low Down Grooves / Sine Qua Non) - "Always a good day when a new Roam release hits and this one does not disappoint. It's great to see Chad Mitchell back in the producer's chair … top shelf!"
Velanche (Club 91 Radio Show) - "Chill disco-like coolness."
Simon Lister (People Get Real / Join Our Club) - "'I Surrender' is nice and playful … a great track to get the girls dancing."
Deron Delgado (Paradise / Large Music) - "Andrew Emil's mix is a dope-ass chugger. I'm also diggin' the keys on 'Keeps Movin' and the deep vibes of 'Connect With Our Love'."
DJ Nova (Rodon FM, Greece) - "I love the vintage percussive touch of 'Keeps Movin'. Another great 12" by Roam Recordings, one of my favorite house music labels."

Available now from Beatport, Juno Download, and iTunes.