Random Circuits

With the summer season slowly drawing to a close its time for all at RC to look back on what has been a good year for house & techno (singles) thus far. Over the coming week or so each of our writers will be sharing their personal top ten singles from 2008.

For me its been a funny one February and March saw the rise of tribal influenced tracks with the likes of Mathias kaden & Reboot leading the way. Then we had a spur of raw techno from the likes of Samuli Kemppi, Dettmann & Fengler. This was then overtaken by more “tribal” (some of which was below average) we then got a lesson in house from the likes of Baaz, Slowhouse, Agnes & Anton Zap with their take on early Kerri Chandler esque house music. In between we have seen a steady amount of very good albums come through from Move D & Benjamin Brunn, Prosumer & Murat Tepeli, Loco Dice & Shed. We have seen the birth of some good quality labels, as well as the rise of the pure stripped back house track from the likes of Cassy & Slowhouse. And of course we can’t forget the faithful who churn out the goods year in year out; Ricardo Villalobos, Ame, Henrik Schwarz, Dixon, Radio Slave, Move D, Thomas Melchior & more. Shouts go to the labels who make it all possible; Perlon, Cadenza, Mojuba, Ostgut, Wagon Repair, Rekids, Innervisions & Mule Electroniq all of whom are still leading the way.
So without further a do I’ll crack on with my personal top ten (in chronological order) of 2008 so far.

1# STL - “Birdart” [Something] (buy)

Stephan Laubner’s (Invisibility EP) sits high at being EP of the year for me be it for Birdart alone;

Laubner works around a fantastic rhythm and an old skool Roland 707 drum machine, which is on loop constantly, it’s the melody that will take your breath away it’s hard to describe the sound but for some reason it reminds of the fairground it has quite a dreary drawn back approach but at the same time there is a lot of warmth. It’s titled “Birdart” for a reason as he uses what maybe a live recording of what sound like seagulls at the beach crowing to each other whilst their on the prowl looking for food. The melody though! i mean WOW it’s happy & sad at the same time and not necessarily in that order, it’s just so mesmerizing & hypnotic & will take you where ever you want to go. (Words Taken from original post)



2# Henrik Schwarz & Amampondo - “I Exist Because Of You” (Dixons Stripped Down Version) [Innervisions] (buy) 

What more could you ask for Henrik Schwarz teaming up with the colorful African Amapondo tribe throw in a fantastic Dixon remix & release it on one of the most solid imprints on the market;

The flip is a stripped back (more club friendly) version from Dixon. Exciting! As the Title “Dixon’s Stripped Down Version” suggests this is more for the club. I cant wait to hear this getting played out. Dixon uses his strengths here by not altering much of the record he just makes it more accessible from a DJs perspective. Still with the vocals, drums & percussion only a little slower and a tad deeper. He has created one of the remixes of the year. In the same league as Yeke Yeke! This is one remix that will be finding its way into many Djs boxes in the coming months.The essential EP of the month. (Words taken from original post)



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

Don Williams Mojuba label stand high above the rest when it comes to releasing quality deep house music & what better way to celebrate this fact by reissuing one of the most in demand house EPs of all time Chicago disc jockey turned DJ, Bernard Badie’s classic Time reveals;

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 favor you deeper house heads. (Words taken from original post)



4# Slowhouse - “Three” [Slowhouse Recordings]

After falling head over heels in love with Slowhouse from one listen of volume one; (Agnes) then the second one dropped from (Quarion) which topped the first. I waited impatiently for the third to drop which was again from (Agnes) & when it did it was like all my Christmases and birthdays had come at once. Expertly crafted stripped back deep house music from the Swiss deep house master. I’m now waiting (impatiently), again for Slowhouse #4 but as we know good things come to those who wait & I’d bet my bottom dollar on number four being just as good, if not better than the three before it. (Original post)



5# Anton Zap ft Vadim K - “Cold” [Underground Quality] (buy)

Anton Zap is a name you will be hearing a lot more often over the coming months. His fabulous self titled EP which fell on Jus Ed’s Underground Quality label is a about as solid as they come and his new EP the “Pepper Exchange” EP on new label [Quintessentials] is just as good as the Anton Zap EP. The one track that i haven’t stopped playing since the AZ EP dropped on UQ is “Cold” Ft Vadim K. Simply wonderful;

The third track on this excellent EP is “Cold” this is where that deep house element comes into to play. With definite references to the Detroit sound this is one very solid house cut. A rolling house groove sets the tone this gets to play with some luscious deep, edgy keys and some raw sounding synths which stay prominent in the background. In comes the vocal from Vadim K who remains to keep the vibe strictly underground with his superbly timed & quite exquisite ”singing”.This is where the track opens up and really takes off. This is easily my favourite piece on the EP and one of my personal faves of the year. (Words taken from orginal post)



6# Cassy - “April” [Cassy 02] (buy)

Catherine Britton aka Cassy is one consistently excellent producer of fine house music, 2008 alone has seen her release two fantastic EP’s & numerous remixes. Imo her best was released on her own label back in late June. The track of this EP that’s been getting huge plays from me & many others is “April”;

This is a hypnotic and quite edgy looped techno piece. Tight rhythmic beats take hold of you these are met by Cassy’s unique & quite soft, hypnotic vocals.These are accompanied by her slick production style which is very tight and in key, everything working together like a well oiled machine. The beats are quite bare and minimal but they don’t feel cold as Cassy warms the track up with her perfectly timed vocals and seems to do it with ease. The track gets a little faster and more intense as she adds a vibrant continuous piano key this is backed up with a looped vocal snippet and those rhythmic beats which we started with. Very cool & edgy house music. (Words taken from original post)

One of the best bootlegs in recent years. Luciano’s unofficial white label remix of Nina Simones 1965 classic ”Sinnerman” has been getting cained for a good part of a year and a half and rightfully so too;

“Nin” has the chance to end up being a massive hit with DJS & clubbers alike this summer. I’ts been Luciano’s bread & butter for i don’t know how long now but now & very kindly he’s made it available to the masses. That unforgettable looping piano riff rolls out for a good 13 Min’s this is accompanied by Nina’s sublime vocals which Luciano has edited & moved around the track mainly using snippets but very dramatic vocal snippets at that. Those peppered vocals are sure to do strange things to revellers on the floor. Quite a remix & one that will be sure to get very popular indeed. The live percussion is vibrant and quite heavy at the best of times, the piano riff will stick in your head & refuse to leave & the remix as a whole is quite the complete package. Awesome stuff from Luciano. (Words taken from original post)

8# Move D - ”Between Us” [Shanti] (buy)

David Moufang has been ahead of the game for a number of years now, I could of quite easily picked a number of records from him this year alone to go into my top ten however its “Between Us” that got released on the new Russian label [Shanti] that finds its way into my top ten. Quality through & through;

Between Us” is like taking a trip back to when house was consistently great. Gorgeous deep & loving house vibes ooze from every part of this fine piece of wax, to me this reminds me more of summer than “Lush Summer Rain”. One for the heads down grooving - in the Ibizan sunshine brigade. It sits well next to tracks from RC favorites Agnes, Baaz & Slowhouse It’s just pure uncomplicated house music at its best. The vocal snippets are typical for this style of house - warm and peppered, the groove is inescapable and the over all feel is very pleasing indeed. The luscious keys from the piano take it that step further and when working next to the lovely warm synths and the seductive vocals you have something a bit special. Without doubt when listening to this you will feel the need to get out in the sunshine, don your hat and shades on & find a cool spot to chill. Expertly crafted deep house music you can not afford to miss. (Words taken from original post)

 9# Portable - “Release” [Perlon] (buy)

Alan Abrahams aka Portable aka Bodycode has produced one of the records of the year with “Release”;

Release” is a fantastic intricate deep house/ techno piece. It rolls out with off key riffs, skewed synths a bouncing bassline and some exquisite use of vocals. The production reminds me of STL deep and raw. Perlon do the business again & Portable has one of the best singles of the year safely tucked under his belt. (Words taken from original post)

10# Omar S - “The Further You Look - The Less You Will See” [FXHE] (buy)

The only “new entry” so to speak ”The Further You Look The Less You Will See” was released a few weeks ago and without a shadow of a doubt I knew after just one listen it was going in my top ten records of the year so far. I must have listened to it about 100 times in the past week alone, its just so damn good! Outstanding Detroit inspired techno from Omar S. Just listen.

I think you will all agree its been quite a year for house & techno & were not even finished yet, here’s to the next three months being as good as the last eight have been.

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