Random Circuits

Bernard Badie - “Time Reveals” [Mojuba] (buy)

Mojuba Records is easily the best label for innovative deep house music every release is of the highest quality i can’t think of a bad release, run by Thomas Wendel AKA Don Williams, this man has a superb ear for picking up and signing great artists. Mojuba have recently celebrated with their 10th release & i must say fans of the label & the sub label a.r.t.less, you guys are going to pleased and further more fans of Mojuba will be pleased to know that as from this week the label & sub labels back catalogue is now available digitally through word & sound. This makes a lot of sense to me think of all the money they had been missing out on selling vinyl only especially in a scene that’s almost dominated by mp3 and new technology. Anyway their latest release is a special re issue of a EP from Bernard Badie the Chicago house disc jockey turned producer, originally released in 1994 on Night Club Records this is one sort after EP & it makes a great deal of sense for Don to dust it off and put it in for a repress.

Time Reveals is a nod to Chicago and takes influences from the likes of Larry Heard and the other house music pioneers. It comes with an updated Club use only version, the original, then there’s two other, solid house cuts on the EP “Smiley” & “Overjoyed”.

The updated club use only version is a pulsating ride back to when house was as one, throbbing synth lines and tight percussion is met by some classy house vocals halfway between acid house, a slice of Detroit techno and a bit of the original Chicago house. It’s good but its not the best on the EP.

The original is where its at, coming in with a silky piano riff and and a much deeper house vibe, the vocals are more warm and have a lot more feeling in them. This is the main feel through out only changing when the vocal drops out to be met by a pumping house groove. Really good track and one that should favour you deeper house heads.

“Smiley” is an infectious happy house cut as the title suggests. This is a really cool record and a good tool to boot. Last up & completing the package is “Overjoyed” This takes Smiley and beefs it up giving it a little makeover and making it more playable as a track in itself and less of a tool. Warm synths and some cheeky vocal snippets lead the way this is accompanied by a sweet house groove that will have you dancing long into the night.

Once again Mojuba step up and don’t disappoint, is their anything this label isn’t capable of.

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