Glass Slipper - Money Can't (Viva Recordings)

The formidable pair known as Glass Slipper — Brad Eller and Lisa Cork-Twiss — continues to delve into their varied sonic roots for a unique perspective on dance music, ably transmitted on their fantastic new single for Viva Recordings, "Money Can't."

A product of Houston’s music scene, Lisa's early forays into music brought her to the Eurodance group Real McCoy from 1996 to 1998. Brad forged his own path, cutting his teeth as a DJ during San Francisco’s famed house music explosion in the early 2000s. After graduating from mixing records to live performance, Brad began making studio-based productions before moving to Austin. Then Brad read a 2013 interview with Lisa and reached out to her for a remote collaboration. The two realized they resided in the same area. It wasn’t long before this combination of voice and production led to the formation of Glass Slipper. Acclaimed singles for Oh So Coy, Large Music, Quantize, Foliage Records, and others have followed.

"Money Can't" is an exhilarating gourmet of uplifting house music. The classic elements of punchy four-on-the-floor rhythm, staccato piano chords, and bouncing sub-bass are all here in force, accented by spacious synthesizer textures and a rousing, soulful vocal from Lisa Cork-Twiss. The track builds mightily, its message of "money can't buy love" primed to bring the dancefloor together in a shared celebration of beats and melody. Also on deck are a Dub, an Instrumental, and a Radio Mix for DJs looking for those fiery options. Slip into something electrifying!

Black Mighty Wax (Irma Records) – “That kind of Souful House...I love!!”
Mr. V (Sole Channel Music) – “Straight Heat! Thanks Guys.”
DJ Leandro P (Nylon Trax) – “Dope Pack. All of my support for this.”
Niall Redmond (The Digital Groove) – “Nice vibes on this one - support from me for sure.”
Dean Serafini (Frisky Rhythms) – “Those old school keys make an instant impact. Looking forward to giving this is a spin or three (nice and loud).”
Simon Kirk (Stag Beetle Radio Show) – “Oh this is classy stuff - Proper house in the New Jersey style with a joyous piano drop.”

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

Collin Suttles & moe.BPM - The Aries Project (Little Genius Records)

The New York house music duo of Collin Suttles & moe.BPM has unleashed The Aries Project, a two-track single that blends their influences and love of house and R&B with hip-hop, soul, and gospel overtones. The project originated in 2017, sparked by a remix, and has continued to evolve ever since. moe.bpm conceptualizes it as a musical embodiment of Voltron, where they act as the head but actively seek to incorporate other artists, writers, musicians, and producers to enhance their vision. The project also draws inspiration from black people and individuals of color around the world who have faced oppression throughout history. The two believe that their struggles and experiences are encapsulated within the songs they create.

The digital a-side bumps "U Need A Rock," which grooves to a classic, swinging NY-style house rhythm as chiming chords and a bouncy bass line provide the foundation for sublime, soulful vocal hooks. "Keep Me" is next, going a bit deeper with a subdued but bass-heavy beat, cool jazzy flute riffs, and gospel-inflected warehouse-ready vocal lines. The sound on both is lovingly old school, ready to pay tribute to house music's history on dance floors worldwide. Feel the heat!

Sean Smith (Smooth Agent Records) – “Nice deep project. Feeling both tracks.”
DJ Harri (Sub Club) – “I’m liking it. Will play and support.”
Ricky Inch (Ossom Records) – “Nice one, thanks for sending!”
Miguel Garji (DeepClass Records) – “Super tracks here. Full support.”
Norbert Borchers (House Sound of Hamburg) – “U Need A Rock is cool!”
Michael Fossati (Spirit of House web zine) – “Truly enticing.”

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

Echo Conscious - Emotional Patterns (Harmonious Discord)

What do many past releases on Harmonious Discord have in common? They are all blessed by the multi-alias shape shifter Echo Conscious (Molecule, Dorian). Brad Dale is a full-time sound engineer and head of the label's mastering strategy. In addition, he is an early shaper of the Harmonious Discord sound. However, this time, Brad is the one changing shape. Emotional Patterns is an 11-track exploration of the deep understanding that Brad has for sonic invention predicated by his work as a mastering engineer, audio instrument designer, and film soundtrack composer. In this album, Brad steps away from the console and into an expansive palette, infusing his love of dub electronics, UK bass beat construction, and catchy melody hooks.

"Now Then" bursts the project into existence with fluttering circus melodies and rough and rumble kick construction. "1997" follows with blissful synth intros before cascading to an expertly crafted liquid jungle beat. Melodic dancing abounds as chimes collide with synthesis amid a backdrop of mellotron tension. "Blue Berry" follows trend flexing stuttered vocal programming with a dial into dubbier constructs. "Mycelium" dives deep into theory, as the main rhythm pattern is an electronic impulse measured from a mycelium network. Looped, applied to a kick drum and side-chained. "Daughter" delivers rich piano interplays on top of lush soundscapes and is layered periodically with cut-up home sampling. The album's namesake, "Emotional Patterns", derives strong feelings of anger, excitement, and bliss. Starting with thundering kicks and bass accompanied by dark synth melodies, suddenly shift into light rhode-laden reprises. "Orbital Sunrise" plays deeper on the melodic tension, cycling through lush beds, mellotron patterns, and dub percussion, giving it the lofi downtempo feel with a hint of edge. "Acrosonic" resets with a tine-tinged piano melody that dances with processed and reversed synth calls. This aerial display bubbles into floating arpeggios as the underlying patterns rotate and combine. "Season No More" enters a somber realm, expertly captured piano artifacts in contrast with the mounting arpeggios and washes of cinematic drums. "Space Squirrel" enters with a playful coloring, driving the drum programming into the IDM atmosphere only anchored by the signature drum construction. "Arrive" lands in an expansive atmosphere with pulsating radio waves and synergisticly melodic swells. This album is deserving of a listen from beginning to end, a true testament to a life of sonic creation.

Nick Warren (Hope Recordings) – “This is a cracking album.”
Rory Hoy (Super Hi-Fi) – “An extremely creative and original album.”
Adrian Lugo (WEFT 90.1 FM) – “Solid album. Quirky production gives it’s sense of airiness while still hitting kind of hard. On Air support.”
DJ Firefly (WRCT 88.3 FM) – “Love all the creative details on here.”
DJ Doubles (Freestyle Fusion / Urgent FM) – “Love this! Joyful, emotive and greacefully diverse.”
Hober Mallow (Mighty Reel Show) – “Love this. Incredible sequencing. Just really fresh vibes all the way, will support here.”

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

Ursula 1000 feat. Yuuko Sings - Life Is So Beautiful (Insect Queen Music)

Ursula 1000’s fascination with Japan didn’t just stop with his love of Shibuya-kei and its massive influence on his sound's DNA. City Pop, that sub-genre of Japanese music from the late '70s and into the '80s that blended synth pop, soft rock, boogie, and jazz funk is something Ursula truly digs but never explored in his productions … until now. Japan’s Yuuko Sings, who Ursula discovered doing vocals for English art rock group Django Django, is an ideal fit for this collaboration. She’s sung on tracks for anime soundtracks and J-pop, plus she has a killer rap style to boot! "Life Is So Beautiful" is what emerged from this meeting of minds. Wrapped up in a bundle of bossa nova chords, tropical daytime nu disco beats, and that timeless City Pop sheen, Ursula and Yuuko have concocted the perfect summer cocktail. All this song needs is a pineapple wedge and a parasol.

Bill Speakman (Rhythm & Culture) – “I have been dying to hear this! The influences listed here blend so seamlessly and it still has that distinct Ursula 1000 vibe. Inspiring and perfectly timed with the recent explosion of interest in City Pop. A favorite for sure.”
Rory Hoy (Super Hi-Fi) – “This is amazing!”
Stevie Kotey (Chicken Lips) – “This is superb. Fantastic production.”
Steve / Fort Knox Five (Fort Knox Recordings) – “A delicious combo of sugary vocals and bubbly beats!”
Jon Wesley (Music Goes On Radio Show) – “Love it! Ursula always sounds so fresh. Great production, vibes and the tempo is perfect. I'll be playing this a lot.”
Gina Calicura (KALX 90.7) – “Immediately fell into a state of utter bliss less than halfway through this incredibly inviting track. It got me! The elements all coalesce into a perfect whole… it’s like good medicine! Ursula 1000 has crafted something very powerful here. This track gently - and gorgeously - beckons listeners to drop whatever it is they’re doing and just dance. Cannot wait to spin this on a show. So perfect!”

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