Ivaylo - Manga (Bogota Records)

Oslo’s Bogota Records finds Ivaylo mining deep house with the Manga EP. “Magnatronic” ascends a slow build from minimal drums to washes of warm synth, while the re-work by Arildo adds slow-burning percussive strains to the original. “Nectar” balances dark bass with hi-hat strains, while the Danny Kotz remix amplifies the original with driving locomotion. Throughout, the production swims in the deep end of the house pool without feeling dark, and manages a palatial dive into sonic atmospherics while maintaining an afterhours dancefloor vibe.

Ivaylo hails from Bulgaria, where he explored jazz before diving into electronic genres. As Bulgaria shook off the last of its communist sensibilities and became a republic, Ivaylo took to the beaches of his hometown in Varna and fell in love with the deep house sound floating over from the States. He went on to perform everywhere from London to Moscow before settling in Oslo, where he established Bogota Records in 2014.

Vanilla Ace (OFF Recordings) – “Nice chilled vibes.”
Atish (Desert Hearts) – “Deep and groovy.”
Sumsuch (Colour and Pitch) – “Lovely lovely work. High fives all around!”
Pete Williams (Natural Rhythm) – “Arildo's Remix is a deep slow burner. Will support.”
Alvaro Hylander (DeepWit Recordings) – “So many good tracks and versions in here! Lovely release all around.”
Olle Abstract (Fisk & Vilt) – “Great release. I really like Arildo’s bouncy remix of Magnatronic.”
Jarle Bråthen (Full Pupp) – “Great release! Nectar (Danny Kotz Remix) is the favorite. Will play out.”
Deron Delgado (Paradise / Dirtybird) – “Lovely. Both versions of Nectar are great.”
Jon Manley (hOUSEwORX) – “Love the original mix of Magnatronic. Sultry deep house vibes.”
Simon Kirk (Stag Beetle Radio Show) – “Yes! This is superb. Arildo’s remix of Magnatronic is my favorite with that killer hypnotic vibe. Classy.”

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

Zona - Move On feat. Angelina Sol (70x7 Records)

Zona’s Move On channels the empowerment of disco queens Gloria Gaynor, Donna Summer and Chaka Khan on the latest 70x7 Records release. The Los Angeles-based production duo of Dimitri Craven and Jerry Andrews collaborate with Angelina Sol, who sings of being fed up with a cheating man on the infectious disco house original, while Agent Blak’s re-work plunders deep house with the pirate’s booty sensibility of Jolly Roger and Juwan Rates returns to a classic house sound. Agent Blak’s version hosts slow build ascension to explosive beats and smart production with percussive strains, while Juwan Rates deepens the slow build anticipation in the introduction, sampling old school house samples culminating in a dancefloor banger. Taken together, the three tracks are a soulful romp through house music—whether of the disco, deep, or classic variety.

Ashley Beedle (Back to the World Records) – “Infectious house – loving the quirky riff on the Juwan Rates Remix.”
Booker T. (Kings of Soul) – “Cool vibes, will support.”
DEL (5 Magazine / Shelter NY) – “This makes me want to Move On … to the floor!”
Graeme Park (The Graeme Park Radio Show) – “I Love it!”
Jaymz Nylon (Nylon Recordings) – “The world needs more of this! All tracks will be supported.”
Hard Ton (Toy Tonics) – “Loving the 90’s vibe of the Juwan Rates Remix.”
Mucho Soul (Mucho Soul Show) – “The Original Mix is the strongest for me.”
Marco (Radio 105 – Italy) – “I like this. Good vibes for the summer.”
Curtiss Logan (Jersey Soul) – “I like this release, it has the makings of a future classic.”
Tariq Ziyad (Dark Horse) – “Can’t get enough of this. Real pure and proper house music.”
Jorge Font (Audio nights radio show) – “Excellent EP, and a really good Agent Blak Remix.”

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

Zak Damundo - 3am (Cold Busted)

Under the glow of moonlight, Zak Damundo has arrived on the Cold Busted label scene with his fantastic debut album 3am. The alias of San Francisco DJ / producer Zach DeVincent, Zak Damundo presents eighteen original and sampled beats that are mixed continuously in the physical realm (CD and vinyl), but also available digitally as individual cuts. An underground dance music veteran, DeVincent is the host of SWIM on Digitally Imported Radio, an affiliate of the Bay Area’s independent hip hop TV program Distortion 2 Static, and has released tunes for the likes of 5 and Dime Recordings, Acryl Music, Looq Records, and Open Bar Music.

3am is aptly titled as the tracks transmit a dead-of-night vibe, with loose rhythms, spacey samples, and lush melodic constructions. The continuously mixed version shows Zak and the album in their element, as a solitary evening journey motoring through city streets is sonically intimated. Individually, the album’s cuts are prime movers for the crafty selector, perfectly elevating the after-hours lounge DJ set. 3am opens with “Soul” which draws from ‘quiet storm’ ’80s funk in the low end and dreamy, ambient ’90s electronica through its swirling pads. The stylistic combination is infectious and continues throughout this evocative album. Other highlights include the echoed guitar chops and rising pads of “Comedown”, “Drift”’s pristine, laid-back jazz-funk textures, the dramatic strings and piano over a boom-bap beat in “Say Goodnight”, and the lovely, immersive hip hop soundscape of “Venice”. Zak Damundo is on point, and 3am is recommended for any nocturnal hour.

Rusty (All Good Funk Alliance) (Funk Weapons) – “Dope stuff. Digging the vibes on ‘Soul’, but all of the songs are good.”
Rory Hoy (Howlin’ Records) – “Incredible release. Definitely gets my support!”
Black Mighty Wax (Irma Records) – “Solid Sounds, epic grooves. Great work Zak!”
Jon Fugler (XLNT radio show / Fluke) – “Lovely in the extreme, and barely putting a foot wrong with every track.”
Belmar Soul (Cold Busted) – “Comedown is where it’s at. Nice work.”
Double-D (Funky Fresh Radio Show) – “Nice and easy … good vibrations.”
Aja Allsop (Ketch A Vibe Radio Show) – “Tunes for those deep dark moments, When you want to let your soulful side take a chill.”
Andreas Kinzi (Aromabar) – “Slomo Masterpiece.”
Black Alley (In Control Radioshow) – “Sweaty and sexy like a hot summers night.”
Dr. Best (Radio Z) – “Nice downtempo choons. ‘Say Goodnight’ and ‘Venice’ are my faves.”
DJ Nova (Rodon FM / Nova Planet Radio Show) – “Awesome, I love it! The most lounge moment of the label since Boris Blenn's early release on label. Night time jazzed and chilled vibes full of classic downtempo reminiscent of the past, which is sounding perfectly refreshed and well shaped.”

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

Next Of Kin - Everything (Uniting Souls Music)

Seattle label Uniting Souls Music reaches across the pond and grabs London’s Next Of Kin for “Everything”, a deep bass-house workout that’s sure to inspire some peak time floor action. A veteran producer under various aliases – previously holding down a radio show on Ministry of Sound – Next Of Kin has bounded forth under this latest nom-de-plume with top notch releases for Deep City Sound and Modern Revival alongside the likes of Doc Link, Demarkus Lewis, and Fred Everything. “Everything” masterfully meshes influences from deep and tech house as well as the late ’90s sound of UK garage to transmit a groovy late night roller. Vocal snippets deliver the catchy hook of the song’s title while a punchy, dominating bass line and cool spacey pads keep the rhythm deliriously flowing. Pete Moss, a welcome recurring remixer for Uniting Souls, accents the main track with a version that expands on the lush vibe, featuring swelling synths and the vocal hits given a subtle, slightly ominous treatment. Seattle’s Jon Lee (Viva Recordings, NAM Recordings) is also on hand, providing a deep and moody remix of “Everything” that ebbs and flows with dynamic breakdowns and ringing musical passages. Along with Pete Moss’s version, this mix gives a distinct view of the main track, completing a package that works for a variety of after-hours DJ situations. Uniting Souls in effect!

Hector Romero (SAW Recordings / Def Mix) – “Pete Moss does this remix right. Love the deep groove.”
Mr. V (Sole Channel Music) – “Original Mix for me.”
Nick Warren (The Soundgarden) – “Both remixes are very good.”
Sumsuch (Colour and Pitch) – “Superb EP!”
Eric Davenport (Guesthouse) – “Solid house that keeps it soulful while still adding a lot of tech elements.”
Murray Richardson (Electrica Salsa) – “Lovely deepness from Pete, and loving Jon’s mix too. Nice release!”
Lee Jones (Buslife) – “This EP is sublime. I love all three mixes.”
Tokita (Heavy / Viva Recordings) – “Jon Lee remix for the win! All around great EP.”
Simon Kirk (Stag Beetle Radio Show) – “3 stunning mixes … pure quality.”
DJ Di Costa (Bilanez Music) – “Really hard to say which one of the three versions is the best one since they are so addictive and hypnotizing in their own way. Full support on this outstanding release!”

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