Agent Blak - 5 Tracks By Agent Blak (70x7 Records)

The common bond of hip hop and soulful house is further strengthened with the new 70x7 Records release from Agent Blak. Matter-of-factly titled 5 Tracks By Agent Blak, this collection shows the prolific hip hop / beat producer branching out into some bonafide deep and soulful grooves, ready-made for sweaty late night house music affairs. Working with a variety of hip hop artists as a producer, DJ, and MC, the Santa Monica-based Agent Blak was never shy of branching outside of his known genre and into danceable avenues. The thread to tie it all together: it’s gotta be funky and soulful. 5 Songs delivers on this promise as the tunes transmit soulful vibrations and potent four-on-the-floor beats that’ll thrill the most die-hard house head. Opening with “Beautiful People”, the EP shows its cards from the start with a classic funk loop, buoyant vocals, and an irresistibly skippy rhythm. “For The Good Time” follows with a deeper, down-home feel and more classic sample cut-ups and loops. Agent Blak smoothly channels Moodymann with the evocative “Legasy House”, and then heaps on the old school flavor on “Porgy House”. The EP closes with “The Void” which presents its most distinctive moment … a bouncing melody, echoed spoken vocals, and cool filter effects dance over the crisp house beat. Agent Blak has accomplished a delicious dance floor release, and these five songs for 70x7 Records are just the beginning.

Hard Ton (Toy Tronics) – “I like the old school touch of Legasy House and Porgy.”
DJ Craig C (The Other One Productions) – “Porgy House is the cut for me!”
Kosta (Vibe FM) – “It’s been a while since I’ve heard good production with this particular sound. Hella good!”
Xyddhartha (Digital Gathering Radio Show) – “Bringing the A-game!”
Andrew Duke (Cognition Audioworks) – “Lovin’ these musical goodies.”
Michael Fossati (Spriit of House) – “A truly sexy ep.”
Snooba (Radio Panik) – “Good soulful times!”
Country Gents (Buslife) – “Loving The Void and also into Porgy House and Beautiful People. Great EP, will last for a while.”
Jon Manley - (hOUSEwORX) – “Really good EP from Agent Blak. Good selection of styles too.”
Richie Roberts (The Dance Factory) – “This is brilliant. Love all of the tracks. Sure to be featured on my shows in coming weeks.”

Available now from: Beatport, Traxsource, iTunes, And Spotify.

Christy Love - Euphoria EP (Get Up Recordings)

Next up from Get Up Recordings is the Euphoria EP from label owner Christy Love. The package includes two original tracks and a remix of the title track by fellow NYC DJ / producer Michael Magnan.

Christy Love has been immersed in the house music scene for more than two decades and is one of the most sought-after DJs in NYC because she consistently destroys dance floors all over the city and beyond. Her distinct sets are comprised of a clever mixture of classic and modern house bursting with driving tech beats and funky bass lines … she plays a pivotal role in defining the current underground sound of New York. This DJ prowess, combined with her individual production work – in addition to her work as House of Stank with long-time collaborator W. Jeremy and the success of their label Get Up Recordings – has transformed Christy into a house music triple threat. “Euphoria” is a funky tech-house groove, filled with Christy’s signature driving drums, a deep and dark bass line, dubbed-out vocal cuts, and reflective key stabs that build into a classic hypnotic rhythm.

Remix duties come courtesy of fellow NYC DJ and producer Michael Magnan. If you live in New York City and dwell amongst the downtown music / fashion scene, chances are you’ve heard of Michael. This artist has been turning out parties for what seems like ages and infusing hit songs with his signature brand of musical swag. He is also one-half of the DJ / production duo Fatherhood along with Physical Therapy. His take on “Euphoria” features runway-inspired sub bass driven beats, oozing with layered percussion.

The second original track is the melodic and trippy “Raki”, a bass and percussion-heavy house jam with minimal musical elements that packs a powerful dance floor punch. Let it take you on a journey.

Dean Facer (Resident Advisor / OurHouse Magazine) – “Thoroughly classy! Really liking the vibe throughout.”
DJ P-Rez (Not So Fast Records) – “A lot of really cool elements on this release. I'm really diggin' Christy's work here!”
Severino (HorseMeatDisco) – “Yes! Love this.”
Kid Enigma (Great Lakes Audio) – “Great stuff.”
DJ Craig C (Peace Bisquit) – “Diggin’ that underground vibe.”
Snooba (Radio Panik) – “Great Basslines & Melodies.”
Randy Schlager – (KNHC 89.5 FM) – “Love the creativity and unique elements sprinkled throughout her productions.”
Kadabra (The House Hookup Radio Show) – “Bangin’! Raki is dope.”
HighTower (JELEWA.de music blog) – “Nice EP. For today, Raki is the winner. Full support.”
DJ Nova (Rodon FM 95) – “Love the deep and metallic funk of Raki. Loving it’s hypnotic bass and keys.”

Available Now From: Beatport, Traxsource, iTunes, And Spotify.

Rick Wade - Heads Only (Viva Recordings)

Rick Wade‘s name has transmitted far and wide from his Detroit home base, garnering heaps of global acclaim for his prolific, high quality output and mercilessly deep and underground DJ sets. In 1998 Rick graced the Viva Recordings catalog with The Harmonie Project EP, a still sought-after classic for the label. Now Rick makes a welcome return to the Viva family with his Heads Only two-tracker, featuring the warm, layered house music that this legendary producer is known for.

“Heads Only” starts things off with a bouncy four-on-the-floor and a strong vocal exclamation that is the track’s cornerstone. Moody strings and pads flow over the rhythm as an ascending bass line pleasingly rattles the speakers. There’s also a perfect ‘lose yourself in the music’-style breakdown to experience. The release’s b-side, “Anger Component”, lowers the tempo just a tad as it raises the funk level. Chiming chords ring over skippy beats, and ambiguous melody transforms into string sample stabs and a gentle horn riff. This cut is reminiscent of some of the finest moments on Rick’s own Harmonie Park label, and intersects nicely with Viva Recordings’ own trademark sound. This single delivers the goods.

Diz (Iz & Diz / Classic Music Company) – “Lovely Detroit dancefloor soul!”
Andrew Duke (Cognition Audioworks) – “Superb. Definitely will be playing these two out.”
Danny Ward (Moodymanc / Dubble D) – “Loving Anger Component here.”
Sumsuch (Colour and Pitch) – “Another brace of stunners from the master – Rick Wade!”
Jorge Font (AUDIO nights radio show) – “A masterpiece, marvelous. Love Rick Wade!”
DJ Jazzy L (Jazzy Lounge Radio Show) – “5/5 on the strength of “Heads Only”, which is a killer track!”
Taigo Onez (Bang Le’ Dex radio show) – “Anger Component is so nice! That proper classic Detroit / Chicago vibe. It’s wonderful!”
Koma (Jacbri Radio Show) – “Anger Component is top notch!”
Bruce Tantum (XLR8R) – “One rarely can go wrong with Rick Wade, and this release is no exception. The usual Wade hotness - gorgeous vibes layered over pumping rhythms. Love it, of course!”
Jon Wesley (Insomniac) – “Heads Only rocks! I can't wait to play it. I love the bassline. I like the deep vibes of Anger Component too. It's nice to hear more stuff from Rick Wade!”

Available Now From: Beatport, Traxsource, iTunes, And Spotify.

Ands Mega - Hypermanic EP (Roam Recordings)

Ands Mega (AKA Andrés Gómez) is a young music producer from Puebla City, Mexico, who specializes in chuggy techno and creative electronic music ‘without limitation’. After releases on Logical Records, as well as cuts for Nein, Play Pal, and others as part of the duo FLXXX, Ands Mega makes a bold statement on Roam Recordings with “Hypermanic”. The track is awash in dark synths and throbbing bass, building steadily over seven minutes with its delightfully foreboding groove. The cut is dynamic and special, evoking John Carpenter film themes and the European underground in sound and melodic flavor. Two remixes accompany “Hypermanic”, led by a version from Madrid-based producer Telesketch (Logical, Nein) who adds a more insistent rhythm and a gloriously huge mid-song breakdown. El Fulminador (Fulmen Records), hailing from Berlin-via-Argentina, follows with a version of “Hypermanic” that gets into a spacier and sexier zone. The original’s ‘chug’ is there, enveloped in obscure pads, gentle keys, and mysterious vocal snatches. It’s another captivating release from Roam Recordings, signaling an ambitious 2017 release schedule.

Nick Warren (The Soundgarden / Hope Recordings) – “3 cracking chuggers!”
Rusty / All Good Funk Alliance (Super Hi-Fi) – “Love the Renegade Soundwave vibes of the original, very cool stuff.”
Tronik Youth (Nein Records) – “Cool package. Live the Telesketch Remix.”
Stereo 77 (Plimsoll Records) – “The remixes are very good.”
Ulysses (Neurotic Drum Band) – “Solid EP of downtempo groovers.”
DJ Red Eye (Beauty Bar Dallas) – “Wow! Giving me those EBM, Front 242 and Cabaret Voltaire feels! I dig it. It’s a toss up between the Original Version and the Telesketch Remix, depending on the situation. Gold!”
Ilya Santana (Eskimo Recordings) – “The El Fulminador Remix is a nice track. Heavy!”
Kosta (Vibe FM) – “Bombs Away! Super nice, will support.”
Javier Busto (Logical Records) – “Awesome release. It’s not possible to choose just one track.”
Dr. Best (Radio Z – Germany) – “Three nice versions of "Hypermanic" on this release. The El Fulminador Remix is my favorite.”
Jon Fugler (XLNT Radio Show) – “Loving all three of the mixes. This is very much what I am playing at the moment. Fine work Mr. Mega, many thanks!”

Available Now From: Beatport, Traxsource, iTunes, And Spotify.