Almost exactly a year since since ‘Felt Cute’ debuted on Kalahari and Blu:sh is back in the building. But this time around, it’s with a record evoking the muggy closeness of a dancefloor suspended somewhere between peak-time elation and wide-eyed vision quest.

Tweaking the blueprint to rapturous ends, the latest offering from this Blu:sh project propels itself forward with a muscle-bound groove. Six robust, deadly club trax replicate the breathy seduction of its predecessor, but this time, with added velocity.

Pinky Promise is full frontal and deadly while channelled through the same explorative prism characterising Benoit’s best work. Probably the toughest material the prolific shapeshifter has put out to date.

Nods to Eurocentric styles shine through with particular emphasis on the sexy and trance-inducing. It goes straight out the traps with a big dose of fractal fuel and stays murkily psychedelic to the very end. More

Benoit B aka Terra Utopia breaks out into another auspicious alias for Step Ball Chain, Blu:sh - metamorphosed; coming in hot and heavy, sexy and sophisticated. Bass down, *ss up! The ambitious 6 tracker “Lovebite” fuses forms of dance; reworking elements from niche corners of the Step stratosphere that can result in freaky combustion. Breathing life and lust into every phrase, we are fortunate to be offered an intimate glimpse into a complex world of sound, filled with bold and brash inspired statements, rhythmically rolling the dice with snap lock precision. The cherry on top is served via a vocal collusion from fellow associate noff, the web expanding as the label delves deeper into futuristic tech territory, the prolific producer pushing their own boundaries and desires for new meticulous audio spectrum and ethereal realms.

The trio of flirtatious tracks laid bare on the A side read as a love letter to 4/4 naughty nocturnal testimonies. Opening auspiciously; Tighten Up dips into nasty grit, a sub centered excursion into the technological domain, sleazy and stripped back with modest tenacity. Candy Land sugarcoats the status quo of pumped up prog, playfully in the driver's seat and revving 100 miles per hour toward Hush highway; narrated by Greek cyber enigma noff.. An atmospheric deep trance kissed club chant. Opposites attract and find points of connection on the flip of Lovebite, the B side boasting a mutually slick sharpness permeating the record; blending sparse bass focused broken beat expeditions with liquid dnb; genially abstract mood boards of sampling mayhem; cut and spliced in addictive fashion. Flushes of gorgeous esoteric harmonic soundscapes fill out the rhythmical chaos, grounding and expanding the mind through a lush & plush tint woven in Recess and Heaven Spot alike.

A perfect prophecy destined for Step Ball Chain, Blu:sh’s first, yet expertly curated EP sets the bar high as hell. Divine dance music that can’t help but push boundaries; confronting and challenging our archival references and perceptions of genres and classifications, arguably the best kind of auditory statement. More

A third Punctuality enters the chat; its latest member Maara proclaiming Drama On for Spray’s ever-evolving label. The Montreal maverick cues up a psy-eyed sesh for the ages, 5 wily thumpers shaded sapphic for those enthralled by the mischievous dance.

Since 2021, Maara has operated on an ‘all pills, no frills’ basis. Her prolific run of EPs for the likes of Kalahari Oyster Cult, Step Ball Chain and Radiant Records has cemented her rightful place within the club pantheon of the prog and divine. Spray and his Punctuality cohort reside there also, teasing clubland salvation for those who dare. Maara giddily joins for the ride, offering a gift in the name of Drama On; an EP of direct dancefloor transmissions that map out kinetic paths to sordid euphoria.

The curtains rise as What U Do 2 Me skips, gallops and jumps across theatrical plains, breaking for a titular reflection before reuniting with its ravey chaos. Drama On swings sharper, riding a sleazy donk through a dimly lit groove of pulsating vulgarity. An outright sassier affair celebrates Sigmund Freud’s Big Day Out; an unconscious slip of the hard house tongue that feeds an otherwise techno-driven delirium with wry glee. Give Me Ecstasy eases the tempo while raising the temperature, commanding your gaze with a noxious roller that seductively writhes in sexed-up delight. The house lights beckon, and Not My Web, Not My Problem she retorts with an unforgiving groove thrusting its charged-up rump through a cauldron of salacious murmurs and groans.

It’s Maara’s world, and we’re all just dancing in it. More

Repress!

Fast-rising Dutch DJ/producer BELLA becomes the first new artist signing to Sally C’s Big Saldo’s Chunkers imprint, with the inspiring ‘Note to Self’ EP – her debut production.

Relationships are key for Sally C. Since the inception of Big Saldo’s Chunkers in 2020, she’s released three carefully chosen EPs, all from her own studio. When she met BELLA while playing a festival in Amsterdam during summer 2022, the click was instantaneous, with the pair going on to play an impromptu b2b that day. Vibing both musically and energetically, they kept in touch, with BELLA sending Sally her maiden productions ‘Note To Self’ and ‘Orchestra Spring’. Sally connected so deeply with the tracks that they’d form the backbone of her debut artist EP on Big Saldo’s Chunkers.

One listen to the final EP and it’s not hard to see why Sally wanted to emboss them as Chunkers. Three fresh originals taking in influence from ‘90s house, acid, electro and prog, all with a unique hard-to-pin-down energy that makes them hit with a special swing.

The title track – also the first production made for the EP - sees BELLA lay down a sonic blueprint – both for her own sound and the full body of work. “This set the vibe and guided me through the creative process. I was really trying to make something that felt my own, that was also unique and not something I’ve heard before,” she shares. ‘Note to Self’ is heavy on attitude and bounce, driven by banging old skool drums, a rapid-fire grime-style vocal and a duo of synth lines – one uplifting, the other mining a slick ‘80s sheen, and the results are memorable. An absolute tune that Sally’s delighted to add to the Chunker catalogue.

‘Orchestra Spring’ is the perky sequel, a wicked one-two punch of kaleidoscopic groovy house with lashings of attitude that loves to scribble outside the lines with lots of retro samples and trippy energy. ‘Odd Symphony’ completes the trio, a blazing late-night cut driven by a gurgling acid underbelly, gritty drums and warm chords, giving the EP a brilliant afterglow.

Olsvangèr – one of Sally’s favourite producers – steps up for remix duties of ‘Odd Symphony’, and delivers a dynamic re-rub that begins in upbeat house territory, before taking an interlude in perkier rave realms.

“I'm over the moon to be releasing this EP on Sally’s label. It’s really special to have someone who I look up to release my music. She has given me tremendous support and guidance over the last two years, always ready to chat or give me some advice. It was a big surprise and honour when she suggested releasing the tracks on her label. It feels like a perfect fit. It’s super sweet to share this journey with her.” – BELLA

"I’m so excited to welcome BELLA to the label for her debut EP. It was time to take this next step and open the Chunkers door to new artists. I couldn’t think of a better one than BELLA to debut her fresh Chunkers on the label. Three banging originals by an extremely talented artist which I’ve been playing ever since she sent me the tracks. Polished with an Olsvangèr remix, it’s a really strong four track EP." – SALLY C More

From the vaults! 1992 KMS records pressure straight from Detroit, still capable of causing much damage on dance-floors in 2016! This 4 track monster pulls together a pretty heavy cast of Detroit Techno and deep House royalty in the shape of Chez Damier, MK and Derrick May all contributing various mixes and versions across the EP. If deep, driving, soul drenched House is your bag you will be in heaven with "Can you feel it", a truly classic slice of sophisticated dance music indeed. All of the mixes are killers, but it's the "MK Dub" mix, also known as the "New York Dub" that really steals the show, here MK and May combine to craft a classy, slamming, emotive string driven jam that pushes all the right buttons. As usual, essential retrospective action here from one of the most legendary dance labels out of Detroit. All tracks remastered and fully licensed with the sole permission of Mr. Kevin Saunderson. 100% legit and not ready to quit! More

Pleasure of Love reissue imprint, New Islands, launches with a quiet storm, soulful balearic stunner. Kim Yaffa’s Once Bitten was recorded in LA and released on a 1989 private press 7 Inch, only to be buried in american record bins for decades after. A re-emergence of Yaffa’s music on the internet in the last couple years has reached fever pitch, with collectors thirsting for copies of the record. Now, New Islands has worked directly with the artist to deliver an official reissue, professionally transferred from the mixdown reels, carefully restored, and remastered. The title track is an effortless class-act pop tune, with 80s blue eyed soul/Sade inspired sounds, and unknowingly balearic production that make it timeless (reminiscent of Linda Di Franco, Edie Brickell or 80s Fleetwood Mac). The 12 Inch is rounded out by new mixes from Nick the Record (Record Mission) and Michael David (Classixx) More

Nu Groove spotlights the artists that made the legendary NYC label a firm favourite of crate diggers of the time with a series of its vital tracks revisited by leading selectors of today. The label, born in 1988 by Frank and Karen Mendez as an outlet for the experimental works of the Burrell Brothers, quickly became a home for up-and-coming genre pioneers. ‘Nu Groove Edits, Vol. 6’ begins with the late Soulphiction, one of Germany’s most prolific house producers, and their Tweakin Edit of Emjay’s ‘Come ‘N Get It’, originally produced by Rheji Burrell. Next up is another Burrell production, the eponymous single by Tech Trax Inc. receives a Dub Edit from enigmatic genre-bending duo Acid Jerks. Italian house and disco experts Dirty Channels return, unveiling their edit of ‘Better Than Sex’ by Dee Gorgeous, before the Grammy award-winning production duo of Honey Dijon & Luke Solomon close the package out with their edit of ‘Ravenswood House’ by Rheji Burrell’s N.Y. House’n Authority. More

LA based label Higher Ground debuts at Prime with London based artist and 'Semi Delicious' label head Demi Riquísimo, who has earned global recognition for his unique acid and italo house inspired sound. His first proper release on Higher Ground 'Windows 95 Anthem' follows recent notable tracks on Ninja Tune, DJ Tennis' Life & Death and his own label Semi Delicious, as well as collaborations with Carlita, UNKLE, TSHA, and more. The tracks receive remix treatments from tastemakers Spray and Chloe Caillet, with Chloe's remix arriving shortly after the launch of her own label imprint and global party series. More

Detroit’s Pontchartrain takes the Razor-N-Tape reigns for his debut on the label - an all-cylinders-firing jazz laden, deep house EP with an exquisite Demuja remix.
The A side kicks off with ‘The Friends & Lovers Dub’ version of the title track ‘Love Is Madness’, filled with deep pulsing pads, resonating dashes of sax, crisp percussion and a bumping bassline that provides the perfect backdrop to the echoing mantra of ‘Friends... Lovers’.
Next ‘I-80’ is a wonder of shimmering arps, brooding bass tones and reverberating trumpet touches. Perfect for the early hours, entrancing dancers as it washes over the airwaves.
On the flip, Austria’s golden boy Demuja hits hard with a Kerri Chandler channeling deep house remix of ‘Love Is Madness’, centred around a pumping bass synth, sustained organs and a classic marriage of horn stabs and emotive spoken word.
Closing the EP the original mix is a sun kissed, eyes closed gem that blends delicate bongos, rousing sax lines and the sweet vocals of Simon Black & Leafar.
A must for any record collection out there, house head or not.
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