Demarkus Lewis - Gotta Get Closer (Viva Recordings)

With a multi-page discography of releases dating back over 15 years, Demarkus Lewis is one of the hardest working men in house music, regularly adding to his diverse string of underground floor fillers. Mastering many house styles, Demarkus has released tech-house bombs on Nervous Records, soulful nuggets on Kingstreet Soundz, hypnotizing afro-rhythms on Slip n Slide, and everything in-between on his own Grin Music imprint. Demarkus returns once again to his home-away-from-home Viva Recordings for the uplifting single “Gotta Get Closer.” Bubbling basslines, smooth synths and tight vocal snippets move this one right along. Give it a spin.

Thomas Blondet (Rhythm & Culture) – “Digging the Soulful House vibes on this! Big ups!”
Tyler Stadius (Deepsite) – “A great, warm groove.”
Takamasa Owaki (Cactus Experience) – “Super dope! Love this.”
Floyd Vader (Deep Like..) – “The original is a great vibe!”
Tokita (Viva Recordings) – “Great tune! Original is the win for me.”
Nick Power (Soul Kandi) – “Nice & Smooth. Wouldn’t expect anything less from DL. Support coming.”

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

Casomado - I Feel So Lucky (Friskybeat Records)

Casomado’s new track, “I Feel So Lucky,” is the first release since the Canadian/Chilean producer revamped his home studio to feature analog gear. Inspired by the memories and musical influences of his father's disco and funk collections, Casomado explores his sound with various new production techniques.

The foundational loop is a sampled groove shaped by an array of percussive samples, 808 drums, and a funk-acid analog bass line. Extracting from another record, Casomado blends a vocal verse inspired by a newfound love in his personal life.

The Cosmic Dub explores Casomado’s affinity for psychedelic music. Reimagining the original mix, he creates a landscape of texture and layered synthesis. With a spacey drum foundation and filled with effects, this mix caters to a more spiritual listening journey rather than a dance floor banger.

Exciting additions to the single are Luis Machuca’s Edit and Afro Mix. The edit focuses on Machuca’s favorite moments of the original, adding emphasis to the rhythm with a more house-driven arrangement. Machuca’s artistry stands out on the Afro Mix in his reprogramming of the drums, including a nifty bongo pattern and crunchy snare. Sitting beneath the rhythmic saxophone cuts and sultry vocals is a lush new chord sequence that gives a whole new dimension and playfulness to the cut.

Wilbour Craddock (Groovewest) – “Everything that makes people love house music … A great groove, sexy sax and a trippy spacial vocal hook. This is pure dance floor love.”
Gene Hunt (Rush Hour) – “Groovy baby!”
Al Mackenzie (Field of Dreams) – “The Afro Latin mix stands out.”
Klaus Benedek (Fortunea Records) – “I’ll take the Cosmic Dub.”
Kosta (Vibe FM) – “Yes! Casomado @ it again … loving this, will support.”
Steve ‘Griffo’ Griffiths (The Flow Mechanik) – “It's freezing here but the Luis Machuca Afro Latin Mix is a full on summer groover that brings some warmth. Nice!”

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

Gatto & Eric Shans - Around The Sphere (3Bridge Records)

Long-time NYC producers and DJs Eric Shans (Colour & Pitch, Personal Belongings) and Gatto (Deep Sessions, Soleid Music) team up for 3Bridge Records' first release of 2023, the Around the Sphere EP. The title is fitting as the release touches upon multiple styles of electronic music. Big house grooves, techno influences, and chilled-out workouts; they're all here, replete with memorable melodies and atmospheres.

"Electric Surge" kicks things off with tribal drums, crystalline arpeggios, and smacking percussion, gluing the rhythms together over the course of the track. This one's meant for the late nights and those dark smoky rooms. "Around The Sphere" ups the techno energy a bit with an analog bass line that filters throughout, along with big acid squelches, pristine percussion, and soft ethereal pads serving as a juxtaposition to the tough-sounding beats. "Liquid Comedown" takes futuristic riffs, big synth lines, and dramatic strings, giving this one some moodiness and mystery. And then "Numbers" delivers lush grooves, meticulously programmed drums, and soothing sounds to round out this great EP.

Sumsuch (Colour and Pitch) – “Liquid Comedown and Numbers are the ones for me. Great work both.”
Anders Lyngen (Utzekatze) – “Cool and interesting sounds. Nice synths.”
Cuillere (Jack Junkies) – “Feeling Numbers for sure.”
Rob Zile (Brain Food) – “Great grooves.”
Simon Kirk (Proton Radio) – “Massive release! Liquid comedown is my fave, so deep and uplifting. Magic.”
DJ Firefly (Couch Dancing) – “Top notch melodic house / techno. A great collaboration between these 2 experienced producers!”

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

Ransel - Phoenix (Beatservice Records)

Beatservice Records presents the latest single from Øivind Sjøvoll's recently birthed Ransel moniker, the talented artist taking time out from his familiar Kohib project to craft the powerfully atmospheric brooder, "Phoenix."

Sjøvoll launched the Ransel project in 2022 as an outlet for his more club-focused productions, maintaining his immaculate production aesthetic while constructing subtly new sounds with a kinetic charge at their core. Having released a dazzling body of work on some of the underground's most revered labels as Kohib, he's long been a key feature in Beatervice Record's roundly compelling roster. His latest material is just as engaging as one comes to expect from this unique musical voice.

"Phoenix" launches with gorgeously evocative chords simmering over a percussive rhythm. Effortlessly building as the arrangement unfolds, haunting motifs and dubbed-out delays meander across the panorama, with sinister bass notes and grainy synth textures adding tension before the seductive groove resolves into a pulsating heads-down strut.

Deep, vivid, and gently poignant in tone, this is sublime work once again from Sjøvoll, his Ransel alter-ego demonstrating another string to his creative bow.

Jon Fugler (Fluke) – “Loving the effortlessly cool vibes here. A treat to drift away to.”
Chris Simmonds (Cross Section Music) – “Super chilled. Will support.”
Merlyn Martin (Baker Street Recordings) – “This is a very solid release.”
Jamie Topham (Summer Soulstice) – “Silky production and late night vibes.”
Sumsuch (Colour and Pitch) – “STUNNING! A must for the show this month. Love me some hangdrum.”
Simon Kirk (Proton Radio) – “A real treasure here. Beautiful chords and those delicate, thoughtful melodies fill me with joy.”

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