Sunday Slim - Take Me Back - The Selekta Remixes (Selekta Recordings)

Sunday Slim is a Northern California blues musician with a twist — he builds his songs live using a BOSS RC-505 Loop Station by beatboxing the drums, percussion, bass, and effects. Then Slim deftly transmits his harmonica and vocal skills on top, resulting in a super-stew that ’s one part blues, one part funk, another part electronic, and all GOOD.

Sunday Slim’s “Take Me Back” is a wicked track that, when heard by the Selekta Recordings team, was begging for the remix treatment. Thus The Selekta Remixes, featuring familiar label staples and a couple of new-to-the-fold producers.

Rusty Belicek from All Good Funk Alliance has combined forces with Isaac Freed (bass) and Paul LLoyd (banjo!) to become Rockmaster and the Boys. Their remix harks back to the classic big-beat sound, combining Slim’s vibe with some block rockin’ beats. Dirty Rotten Scoundrels aka DRS bring “Take Me Back” into the electronica-dub-influenced realm, delivering some powerful stuff even at a low tempo. Scottie Soul’s version is a blunted-out downtempo jam with shimmering percussion effects and loping jeep beats. StickHouse Recordings’ Brian Steckle engineered the original “Take Me Back,” and revisits it for his StickMix — the cut is transformed into a peak-time breakbeat banger. More breaks, on the almost glitchy side, invade the remix by DJ EFX which the label accurately refers to as ‘UltraFutureFunk.’ Last but hardly least, Selekta’s own DJ Dennis closes things out in a deep house style, blending Sunday Slim’s dexterous harmonica riffs with a delicious beats-and-bass bounce.

Morphosis (Hong Kong Ping Pong Club) – “Love this, especially the Rockmaster And the Boys & DJ Dennis Bounce remixes.”
Angelos Timewarp Stoumpos (Timewarp) – “Impressive blues song with some great remix treatments.”
Sandro Bianchi (Loca FM) – “Scottie Souls mix for me!”
Quincy Jointz (Ibiza Global Radio) – “Nice one. I like the original, Rockmaster and the Boys & DJ Dennis remixes.”
Mason Rothert (Below Zero Radio Show) – “This is the scheeet. Love it.”
Jon Fugler (XLNT Radio Show) – “Wow. A lot to take in here. Every mix has something to say, great selections.”
Hober Mallow (Mighty Real Show) – “Unique fusion sounds. Love the looper work on the original, and some very nice remixes too. Will play on the show.”

Available Now From: Bandcamp, Beatport, Apple Music, And Spotify.

Shinji - Shinji (Cold Busted)

Shinji presents a new album of downtempo beats from Australia, the self-titled long-player Shinji. Based in the city of Canberra, Shinji has been twisting beats and assembling samples in a method that draws from classic hip-hop and Plunderphonic sound-sourcing. Samples can come from anywhere: old VHS tapes, scratchy second-hand vinyl, covert internet streams, even the sounds of nature outside his window. Shinji is always experimenting but also making sure his cuts are steeped in bass and groove. This playful attitude is the driving force behind Shinji, his fantastic second album for Cold Busted.

After opening with the wistful piano, evocative soundscapes, and subdued rhythms of “Decay In The Natural World,” the album is revealed as a personal sonic journey. “Treelike” continues this dream-like feel, as jazzy guitar chords, watery beats, and chiming flourishes envelope the listener in warm fuzz. There are songs for the dance floor, too — the tribally funk of “Avalanche!” and the lounge-meets-drum n’ bass coolness of “Follow Through” are two that qualify. But Shinji consistently draws upon cinematic vibes, such as on the lovely “Dust Delay,” which builds from layers of manipulated vocal tones into a melancholic beat tapestry. Shinji’s self-titled album is a trip — it’s the work of an audio collagist at the top of his game.

Danny Ward (Moodymanc) – “All of the tracks are nice, but Avalanche! Stands out in particular for me.”
Anatoly Ice (Icebound) – “You can’t lose with properly chopped swinging beats. I love the style of this guy.”
Redstickman (The Ambient Mafia) – “As a chillout DJ, I gotta say, this whole album is a masterpiece. Will be on heavy rotation.”
FineCutBodies (Chi Recordings) – “I love the fun vibe.”
Floored Capri (Kane FM) – “So excited to see a long player arrive from this guy. A lovely rich tapestry of sound from the producer as we've come to expect, and the tribal funk of Avalanche! just blew my mind.”
Salah Sadeq (The Crate Radio Show) – “Love the whole release. I will play this on the radio show.”
Jon Fugler (XLNT radio show) – “Very impressive variety here. Cinematic, experimental and plain old funky. Marvelous!”

Available Now From: Bandcamp, Beatport, Apple Music, And Spotify.

Boblebad - Paraplydrink (Beatservice Records)

Punching in with the anticipated new episode of his singular jaunts into electronic music’s wild blue yonder is Beatservice habitué Ulf Moen Denneche, alias Boblebad. Following up to his previous release — the fun and bouncy Vill Falafel— the Norwegian producer dishes out the Kalde Vibber EP. Its four cuts continue in the same vein of Boblebad’s playful disco: cosmopolitan, unruly, and definitely nutty by nature. With other releases for Paper, Eskimo, and Full Papp, as well as a full album due early next year, Boblebad’s on the quick rise.

“Paraplydrink” — named after the sort of drink that comes with a mini-umbrella — is an early taste of the Kalde Vibber EP (fully released on December 10th). As expected from Boblebad, the U-turns are pretty radical. Though it draws from a similar palette as his other work, “Paraplydrink" veers off onto more ambient-friendly Balearic territories of pre-trance electronica a la KLF. It even features a sunny electronic steel pan sequence to send the listener drifting far and wide into a Caribbean Eden of sorts. A sonic delight.

Nick Warren (Global Underground) – “Bloody Lovely.”
Andreas Kinzl (Aromabar) – “Smooth & grooving summer flasher.”
Richard Hardcastle (Solid State) – “Real nice! Tropical AND Balearic … I like it.”
Piiit (So Watt) – “Deliciously trippy.”
Salah Sadeq (The Crate Radio Show) – “Nice! Will play on the radio show.”
Hober Mallow (Mighty Reel) – “Lovely, bouncy and fun. Reeks of summer! Will support.”
Jon Fugler (XLNT radio show) – “This is the kind of loveliness we need more of right now … lose yourself. 10/10.”

Available Now From: Bandcamp, Beatport, Apple Music, AND Spotify.

DJ Jack T & Adomni - Whistle ft. Leticia Lopez (House Royalty Records)

Three bonafide househeads, with an ear for tradition and the soulful side of dance music, have collaborated on “Whistle,” the latest single for House Royalty Records. New Jersey’s DJ Jack T and Florida’s Admoni (Soulful House Syndicate) lay down the foundation, providing a tapestry for the lovely voice of NY’s Leticia Lopez. A strong, tribal percussion intro leads into ambient pads, an African-influenced melodic pattern, and the rhythmic whistle hook. Leticia’s echoed words portray the thought process of good, soulful music: light as air and sharp as a whistle. It’s an uplifting and deep club track that’ll send shivers through an after-hours dancefloor. DJs take notice!

Lee Jones (Country Gents) – “This, as you say below, will send shivers through a spaced out late night crowd. Impressive.”
DJ Harri (Sub Club) – “I’m liking this! Will play and support.”
Tom Lown (Lucky Sun Recordings) – “Very nice. I’m digging this vibe.”
Michael Fossati (Spirit Of House Web Zine) – “Downright entrancing.”
Tony Fuel (ReFuel Your Soul) – “Excellent deep, hypnotic vibes with mesmerizing percussion.”
Jon Wesley (Music Goes On Radio Show) – “Love it. Will play this all the time, well done.”
Dean Serafini (Frisky Rhythms) – “That deep rumbling bass and those afro-tinged rhythms are a treat!”

Available Now From: Traxsource, Beatport, Apple Music, And Spotify.