Atnarko - This Feeling (Viva Recordings)

Seattle's esteemed Viva Recordings imprint bounces back with an impressive two-tracker from Orlando's deep house ambassador, Atnarko. With releases on a wide spread of labels like Noir, Kolour, Robsoul, and Lazy Days Music, Atnarko has finally sealed his long friendship with the team at Viva through this first of possibly many collaborations. Both tracks on this double A-side release exhibit the dreamy, mid-tempo, bass-laden deep house that Atnarko is well known for. "Before Sleep" launches the single with an insistent bass line, enigmatic spoken vocal snippets, and groovy handclap fills. A mesmerizing bell-like motif draws the listener further inward, but it inspires quite the opposite of sleep; there will be continued late night action on the dance floor. Flip the digital dial for "This Feeling", which opens with a pensive synthesizer line as the steady four-on-the-floor kicks in. Gentle, gated vocal pads deliver a wistful hook, and the cut builds with a slightly ominous drive. This is sophisticated house music, primed for the after hours … or any waking moment.

Giom (Supremus Records) - "Yes! I love 'Before Sleep'."
Randall Jones (Audio Therapy / Baroque) - "Both of these tracks are super hot. Gonna play these out in my sets."
Anthony Pappa - "Cool single. 'Before Sleep' is the track for me here."
Phonogenic (Moodmusic / Turbo) - "'Before Sleep' is low slung and just the right kind of funky. I dig it."
Chris Fortier (Fade) - "Right on!"
Pete Moss - "Amazing release from Atnarko. 'Before Sleep' is just plain ridiculous."
Dave Storm (Cabrio Records) - "'This Feeling' has a nice and easy touch. Will support."
Luna City Express (Moon Harbour) - "'Before Sleep' is great … we'll definitely play it!"
Tini Tun (We Are Here Music) - "Cool release!"
Ivan Garci (Vlosfer Records / Deepwit) - "Nice sounds. 'Before Sleep' is a great track."
Inland Knights - "Liking both cuts … a solid release."
Scheibosan (Shanti Roots / Kraak Records) - "'Before Sleep' is a deep head-nodder … I'll play that one."
Eric Davenport (Guesthouse) - "'This Feeling' … funk, chunky, trippy stuff!"
Tyler Stadius (Deepsite / Dialtone Records) - "'Before Sleep' for me. Right skanky and addictive."
Hober Mallow (Mighty Reel Radio Show) - "Love the washy synth on 'This Feeling'. A very nice pair of tunes."
Jon Manley (hOUSEwORX Radio Show) - " Atnarko always hits the mark and this two tracker is no exception."

Available now from Beatport, Juno Download, iTunes, and Spotify.

Q-Burns Abstract Message - QBAM RMX1 (Colour and Pitch)

Colour and Pitch is honored to present this selection of previously unreleased remixes from leftfield production hero Q-Burns Abstract Message. Since remixing the label's debut release ("Simpatico" by Sumsuch), Colour and Pitch has built a close relationship with the mercurial Orlando-based artist, and constant pestering for more music has finally paid off. Rescued from obscurity and lovingly remastered, QBAM RMX1 is made up of vintage Q-BAM reworks that never saw the light of day for one reason or another. It’s been a true labour of love tracking down the original artists and getting deals agreed, but one listen to this EP makes all the hard work worthwhile.

Opening the EP is a breaks-y, atmospheric, and psychedelic version of Church Williams’ 2013 indie-pop gem "Touch The Sun". Next up Q-BAM tackles "Absence" by underground trip-hop / synth-pop collective The Antirealists, supplying a bass-driven, shoe-gazing indie-dance interpretation … as addictive as it is unique. The brilliantly named Japanese Insanity receive a percussion-led, driving workout, taking their track "The Lobster" into hypnotic dance floor territory. The remix of Robert McCoy’s "Damascus" builds steadily into a trippy deep house bubbler and is off-kilter in the best possible way. Last but by no means least, Mathew Scot’s "Trauma" is re-imagined in a style reminiscent of West Coast house music during its mind-expanding golden era.

Brimming with inventiveness and creativity, these five remixes see Q-Burns Abstract Message at his vintage, genre-defying best; somehow managing to sound cerebral and visceral all at once.

Three (Hallucienda) - "Wow … par excellence. The lot of 'em."
Nick Warren - "Wonderful release … every mix is ace!"
Chris Fortier (Fade) - "All of these sound great!"
Anthony Pappa - "Cool EP … best track for me is the 'Damascas' remix."
Randall Jones (Audio Therapy / Baroque) - "Super fat sounds all over this release. Q-BAM is the king!"
Sunshine Jones (Dubtribe) - "I love 'The Lobster' remix!"
Phonogenic (Moodmusic / Turbo) - "The 'Trauma' remix is a really nice morning affair."
Claudio Coccoluto - "Great music."
Terry Francis - "The 'Trauma' remix for me."
Leigh Morgan (Fancy Human / Urban Torque) - "Liking the 'Damascas' remix here … heavy groove."
Jarle Bråthen (Full Pupp) - "A great bundle of remixes … I'm a fan."
Golf Clap (Country Club Disco) - "'The Lobster' remix is a masterpiece."
Marcia Carr (Mi-Soul Radio / Ladyz) - "Always fresh and edgy, I like the Q-BAM house style. It works best for me on the 'Absence' remix with that funky slay of beats."
DJ Tomas (Google Play / ForwardEver) - "Reveals great new angles of Q-BAM's production prowess. This is super slinky dance funk that zig-zags in all the right places."
DJ Derek Jones (Soular Grooves Radio) - "Each of these tracks is rich and texture and substance, listening pearls. A reminder that Q-BAM was also doing something well off the beaten path, not bound by genre stereotypes."
Acid Ted (music blog) - " Funky, offbeat, delightful … Q-Burns Abstract Message does it again!"

Available now from Juno Download, Beatport, iTunes, and Spotify.

Jeff Scroggin - Deep Knows (Harmonious Discord)

In February of 2016 Harmonious Discord celebrated its fifteen year anniversary. Over that span, the collective has gone from a gang of scrappy young adults pressing vinyl with their collective tip money to a label known for pushing the boundaries of house and techno music with releases from some of the most highly acclaimed musicians in the electronic landscape. 2016 will bring a string of new projects for the label as they embark on even more journeys to bring the sound of the discordian underground to the masses.

This latest release features Austin, Texas, native Jeff Scroggin with three superb moving techno compositions. It's led by "Deep Knows", a warehouse jam with ample funk pressure. Complex beds of percussion and synth stabs dance together to create a highly musical techno selection. Vancouver-based industry powerhouse Jay Tripwire makes his debut on Harmonious Discord after his successful 2016 album 8 Channels. Jay applies his years of savage noises to the rework and takes the old school elements straight into the realm of the outer world. Next up is "One Note Acid", a seemingly simple construction with surprising variations that take the simple cadence into more complex territory. The progressive movement builds into a menagerie of carefully placed synthetic elements, driving towards darker moods as the piece evolves. Denied Music label boss Daniel Allen also premieres with Harmonious Discord on this release, delivering a Miami-style deep shade version of Jeff’s original. There is plenty of high resonance automation to ensure that the build drives the dance floor insane just until the music spirals into a disorienting pitch drop. Jeff rounds out the release with "New Dubs", a heady percussion-driven and deep, pulsating concoction complete with dub influences, as the title alludes.

Anthony Pappa - Cool EP. The Jay Tripwire remix is the one for me. l will support it."
L.A. Williams - "'Deep Knows' hits the heavy into the deep."
Louis Osbourne (All Night / Made To Play) - "Really nice EP. All tracks are very good. Jay Tripwire's mix stands out though."
Spettro (Get Physical Music) - "I love the bouncy vibe on Jay Tripwire's mix."
Lil' Mark (Leftroom) - "'New Dubs' for me … nice tracks."
Al Bradley (3am Recordings) - "A truly excellent EP here, with all involved doing damage. The originals are the ones for me, with the bassy building vibe on 'One Note Acid' really working well."
Terry Mullan (Coin Slot) - "The Daniel Allen remix of 'One Note Acid' … solid track."
Tyler Stadius (Deepsite / Dialtone Records) - "Right trippy. Should do some heads in for sure."
Craig Stewart (Montana & Stewart / DCSTrax) - "Feeling 'New Dubs' … very, very tasty. Phew!"
Tee Cardaci (Low Down Grooves / Sine Qua Non) - "Really impressed with every track on this one … massive!"
Simon Kirk (Stag Beetle Radio Show) - "Superb. I love the diversity in style across these … each one is simply fantastic. 'One Note Acid' … what a journey!"
DJ Firefly (Couch Dancing Radio Show) - "Seductive deep techno … definitely the good stuff."

Available from Beatport.

Lurob - The Fresh Start EP (Patsada Records)

Patsada Records bounds forth with a hot new three tracker from rising San Francisco DJ / producer Lurob. The Fresh Start EP is a potent release aimed squarely at the dance floor, showcasing the funky, beat-blitzing style that Lurob previously unleashed for the likes of Great Lakes Audio, Tango, Piston, and Mark Farina's Mushroom Jazz series. "RiverDay" sets the tone as a pounding four-on-the-floor introduces jazzy chords, swirling sonic effects, and some serious low end. Things get a bit slinkier on "35th Richmond Outer" when an exotic melodic sample and some mysterious vocal bits enter the mix for a seductively underground result. The after hours vibe continues with "Ripping Through Chunks" which ups the thump level and tosses delectable loops and vocal phrases in a club-ready fashion. House music at its purest and most floor-centric … another solid release from the Patsada crew.

Hippie Torrales - "Nice grooves here."
Jason Hodges (Sampled Recordings) - "'Ripping Though the Chunks' is tight!"
Andrew Macari (Greenhouse / Tastie) - "Solid EP … nice one."
Diz (Iz & Diz, Visual) - "My man Lurob never disappoints!"
Chris Udoh (Tigerhook) - "Nice, chubby tracks!"
Scheibosan (Shanti Roots / FM4) - "Funky and weird … I like it."
Distant People (Foliage / Seamless) - "'35th Richmond Outer' is a cool, stripped back track … slammin' drums."
The Littlemen (Mobile Trax / Maze) - "Sweet as hell … awesome EP."
DJ Di Costa (MoodyLushious Influences) - "Twisted and without any doubt freshly over the edge!"
Jon Manley (hOUSEwORX Radio Show) - "'River Day' is the choice for me … overall a nice selection of deep-tech grooves."
SimonG (Deep South Audio, New Zealand) - "Dope underground house beats!"

Available now from Beatport, Juno Download, iTunes, and Spotify.