Joeblack - The Groove and The Universe EP (SynthFunk Music)

Joeblack brings the boogie from Brazil, courtesy of the sleek new disco-vibed label SynthFunk Music. Based in the southern city of Porto Alegre, the young producer broke out in 2014 with funky jams under his Mundo Paralelo project and then, adopting the Joeblack moniker, with releases on Casio Social Club's Mullet Records. Joeblack more recently gained attention for his contribution to Dragon Suplex's "First Kiss" and his rework of Robin S's "Show Me Love," earning kudos from the likes of François K and Greg Wilson.

Now Joeblack is back, delivering four party-ready cuts on his latest EP, The Groove and the Universe. These tracks all feature boogie grooves, prominent synth bass, punchy disco drums, and rousing vocal hooks from Joeblack himself. The sounds are steamier than a tropical jungle, bringing hip-shaking epiphanies to the dancefloor while welcoming SynthFunk Music to the scene. Groove is in the heart!

DJ Friction (Bodymovin) – “Nice modern boogie vibes.”
Afrika Islam AKA Charlie Funk (Zulu Nation) – “Pure NYC Radio. 5/5”. DJ Samuel Lawrence (R Side Recordings) – “100% Dope. One of the best all around EP’s I’ve heard in a minute.”
Black Mighty Wax (Irma Records) – “Very very nice boogie-disco.”
Michael Stukes (Mystic Vybes Radio Show) – “Love the vibes!”
Jon Fugler (XLNT Radio Show) – “All kinds of funk in a marvelously 80’s inspired selection. Could not say summer here more if it came with a warm breeze and a fabulous view. Reach for the parasols.”

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

Cantos - Underground People EP (Uniting Souls Music)

Seattle's house music institution Uniting Souls continues pushing the strong vibes in 2022, marking the collective's impressive 25th year. The top-notch releases see no sign of stopping as Cantos' Underground People EP is the latest from the seasoned crew to drop on global dancefloors. Cantos is known for his memorable HMNI warehouse parties and the community that it created, as well as bumpin' releases for Selekta, LTHM, CPR Digital, and his own HMNI imprint. The Underground People EP features four new cuts primed and ready for funked-up nightclub action.

The EP opens with the crisp percussion and vibrant chords of "I-5 South." The rhythm is steady and pulsing, feeling like a night drive down a secluded highway. The evocative mid-section breakdown adds an air of mystery to the affair. "My Dog Barks" starts with a flurry of electronic hand percussion, giving this one a pronounced tribal flair. Strange sounds and effect-laden swishes provide an almost ominous flavor over the house beats. A treat for the after-hours, "Love Like Mine" is dark and deep, complete with growling bass hits, persistent tom-drums, and echoed vocal phrases. "Underground People" closes the EP with a potent four-on-the-floor builder as spoken vocal samples, synth hits, and blasts of high-frequency melody combine to give the floor its peak-time moment.

DJ Samuel Lawrence (R Side Recordings) – “Solid! Nice to hear tracks that are intricate and not predictable.”
Wibour Craddock (Groovewest) – “Underground People is the jam! A track for the heat of the night, building with spacey synths and vocals over an infectious beat.”
Jason Merle (4E&A) – “Strong warehouse vibes. I’m feeling it.”
Tony H (Late Night Munchies) – “Love Like Mine is a vibe.”
Steve ‘Griffo’ Griffiths (Deep Frozen) – “A quirky and killer ep. Love the spaced out vibes of I-5 South and My Dog Barks which adds a tribal edge to the sound.”
Simon Kirk (Proton Radio) – “Brilliant drum work on ‘Love Like Mine’. Forward thinking house music.”

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

Jon Gl3z - Timeless (Harmonious Discord)

Jon Gl3z has returned to Harmonious Discord, following his Discordian Dreaming submission with a strong, deep minded release featuring remixes from Ivan Dbri and Josiah Fontenot. Timeless is a color wheel of shades — from deep house to minimal to breaks. A diverse collection representing the numerous hues of the season.

"Soul Healing" starts things off with staple house percussions layered in a blanket of lush pad thickness. The ride slips into neutral during a dizzying breakdown where pads and keys collide in a symphony of melody and orca songs. On remix duties for this lovely dive is Mexico’s don of the deep, Ivan Dbri. Following a boundary-defying album for HD, Ivan returns to lay in support for his friend and frequent decks-mate. Ivan applies his signature lush landscape, interplayed with precise percussive moments. His layers of atmosphere only cease during a collision of elements that repeat and then lift off. "Timeless" swerves a different direction with a glowing minimal construction that elevates into some nice ambient soundscapes. Driven by a swirling arpeggio, the selection adds complimenting keys and percussive layers. The result is a thick tapestry of sounds all dancing in perfect synchronization. Josiah Fontenot ups the tempo and applies his signature techno/electro edge. Reminiscent of early Casey Hogan recordings, Josiah skates the boundaries of techno and house, utilizing the growing melodics of the original but with an edge that makes his mix a heavy force on the dance floor. "Valeria" ties up the EP with a fun and bouncy breaks construction that could permeate house music sets, largely due to its deep and jazzy accents. Leveraging tried and true elements like mellotron 'oooohhs' and classic Rhodes keys, "Valeria" brings an element of nostalgia to this well-rounded release.

Anders Lyngen (Utzekatze) – “Wow! A floor filler and so warm and nice at the same time. The whole EP is really, really, nice. Has a good warmth to it and pops!”
Taigo Onez (Bang Le’ Dex) – “This is lovely! Timeless is a gorgeous tune. Full support.”
Adam Warped (Whiskey Pickle) – “Solid stuff here. Digging ‘Valeria’, and the remixes are tight too.”
Lcaise (Tanztone Records) – “Solid release. Will play for sure!”
Hober Mallow (Mighty Reel, Sydney) – “Great EP all around. The Ivan Dbri remix of Soul Healing really knocks it out of the park.”
Jon Wesley (Music Goes On radio show) – “Excellent tracks. I love Soul Healing and the Josiah remix of Timeless.”

Available Now From: Beatport, Juno Download, Apple Music, And Spotify.

Sleight of Hands - Lipstick Shades (Green Gorilla Lounge)

The Green Gorilla Lounge crew have been big movers and shakers on the San Francisco underground scene since the mid-'90s and Sleight Of Hands is the label's flagship combo. This collaboration between collaboration between DJ M3 and Phil Collis is responsible for singles on Smoke N' Mirrors, remixes for Om Records, and consistently working crowds on the club and festival circuit. Now Sleight Of Hands come at dancefloors with a potent collection of tracks from their Lipstick series. Behold: Lipstick Shades!

This beauty batch of beats is 10 cuts strong and explores a range of influences, from jungles of Tulum to old school electro to synthwave for late night drives, The vintage-meets-the-new vibe of "Yucatech" is pure nightclub bliss, as are the sleazy midtempo handclap strut of "Arpwave" and the ecstatic Chicago House homage "Are You With Me." Sleight Of Hands are also ready to deliver more pensive sounds, such as the dreamy techno of "Lone Driver" and the dubbed-out Balearic House Remix of "Thankful." Championed around the scene, heard round the block, now's the time to grab some shade.

Tyler Stadius (Deepen) – “So good! Every track stands out. Can’t wait to get playing these.”
Magnus Asberg (On The House Records) – “Yes yes! Full support on this.”
Spaceotter (SCOHM) – “Hey Hey has extraordinary levels of vibe.”
Brian Busto (Serious Soul) – “For me, it’s one of the best releases of the year. Excellent work!”
Simon Kirk (Stag Beetle Show) – “Awesome selection here – I can see featuring all of these in my sets.”
Leri Ahel (Mutant Disco Radio Show) – “Some brilliant tracks here. Already played on my show!”

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