Brand new, collaboration themed imprint from Canadian producer extraordinaire, Noah Pred. For this inaugural release, Noah teams up with Montreal’s Mateo Murphy, for 4 exceptional tracks. Side A begins with Noah’s remix of Murphy’s track “Induction.” Starting off as a groovy tech house jam with slow building drums and killer funky bassline, Pred breaks it all down, adds a kick ass break beat and finishes up with a ton of flavor and style. Unreal way to break up a 4/4 set or smoothly transition from tech house to breaks. Next up is the original version of “Induction”, a smooth, slow rising tech house smoker, complete with silky, old school keys, moving beats and an evil, growing bassline. Superb track for taking up a tech house set or slowly starting a build towards techno.
The flip side features Mateo Muphy on the remix duties, taking on Pred’s “Entry” with remarkable results. Starting from a simple drum pattern and deep bassline, Murphy builds and builds hypnotic keys on top of rising percussion, as the track climbs and bubbles towards a killer climax. The EP wraps up with Noah Pred’s original version of “Entry”, a deep, sexy, late night techno gem. Unreal debut from two of the most gifted producers on the techno scene. *****(5 of 5)
Family Units – Rennie Foster/ Kan Shinomura – Futago Traxx (US)
After a string of superior releases as Futago Technologies for Teknotika and Ingoma, Rennie Foster and Kan Shinomura are back, each doing their own thing on this 4 track EP. Rennie is up first with “City of Gold”, a smooth, lush, laid back Detroit style techno groover. Uncomplicated drums, deep bass, tribal undertones and utterly dazzling keys combine on this exquisite track. “Little Dandelion” is next, with warm synths, compelling percussion drums and vocal chants that slowly move the track forward. The flip features Kan Shinomura at the controls. “Aftermath” is up first, and brings a very unorthodox, but equally effective delivery to the table, with pulsing, shuffling tribal beats, vocal stabs and ton of funky, groovy flavor. “Tribent” wraps things up with a straight-ahead, funky tribal techno affair. Moving beats here, vocal stabs there and plush undertones that hold it all together. Quality release from front to back. ****(4 of 5)
Not Without My Daughter EP – Le B.F.K. – District Of Corruption (DE)
Class electro/ tech house EP from Aaron Hedges’ District of Corruption label and the production talents of Le B.F.K. The disc, which has gotten a great deal of worldwide attention already, is here with two new remixes, 3 original tracks and a cool scratchapella for your twisted turntable antics. The set begins with the “Jambi Remix” of the title track, a growing, tech house mover with vocal stabs, old school synths and a dark, driving electro bassline from hell. The “Aaron Hedges” remix of “Email Tokyo” is after that, with a hot to death 303 style bassline, forward moving beats and infectious, running vocal commentary. The flip features the original versions of “Email Tokyo”, “Unprotected” and the stand out track, original version of “Not Without My Daughter”, a funky acid house mover with funny, uncensored vocal stabs and a gripping, forward moving bassline the grows and rumbles as the track moves onward. ****(4 of 5)