SAI is one of the most promising producers of the current japanese electronic scene. After a few acclaimed releases on respected labels, he becomes the first international act signed by Groovement in many years. The result is a very solid 4 track EP named “Flying with you”. Groovement has been developing its artistic connection with Japan in recent years, so Sai’s integration as a member of the label’s on-going group of producers feels nothing short than natural. This first record showcases his meticulous approach to electronic music creation, with 4 original tracks that constitute a strong demonstration of his potential. “Flying with you” is a collection of tracks with a House matrix feel, sometimes revealing a dramatic pulse other times hypnotic forward thinking moves, but always with a subtle melodic texture that makes it work for the mind, body and soul. In fact, Sai’s music is both luminous and dense, inviting us to embark on a trip but giving us the freedom to dream about our own destination. It’s a beautiful sense of interaction between the creator and his audience. The digital version offers a bombastic “Groovemental” rework of ‘Virtual region’ by Jorge Caiado, expanding the aesthetic axis to a Detroit-esque sphere. ‘Groovemental’ is the legendary monthly cult night that Groovement hosts in Lisbon, where this version has been played out many times, with devastating effects on the dance floor.
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The latest offering from Ornate Music sees the welcome return of HomePark to the label. The duo of Rob Glassett and Sam Fussell were last seen round these parts in 2012 with the Fill Emptiness EP, which followed on from sterling singles for bliq, Enterbt and 3rd Strike before that. In the meantime, the duo have been seen moonlighting on Courtesy Of Balance, but this new release marks the first outing for the pair in a good long while. Rob Glassett has been busy developing his own Fold project with a string of 12"s for labels such as Electric Minds and ManMakeMusic, but behind the scenes there has been plenty of activity in the HomePark studio leading up to these four tracks. The style Glassett and Fussell deal in remains ever consistent, fusing crisp machine rhythms with plush chords and strings, using the finest ingredients to whip up impeccable house music to burrow comfortably into any number of nocturnal situations. With melodic soul at its core, this EP carries the Ornate message on perfectly from previous flag-bearers Ka One & St-Sene and Jordan in a blissful blur of blue-hued synths and bumping drums.
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Following a string of hot releases from Leif, Jonno & Tommo, Rai Scott and Jordan, London-based label Ornate Music is reaching across the channel to Parisian producers and Flyance Records founders Ka One & St-Sene - who deliver four tracks of pitch-perfect, soul-searching 4/4 that align perfectly with the sonic philosophy of the label. The EP comes to life with the energised insistence of "Necessary Illusions", which capitalises on a sprightly rhythm section balanced out by sweeping pads that help the track straddle the warm-up / peak-time divide with grace. "404 Page Not Found" takes a more heads-down route into moody bass tones, snapping percussive hits and mysterious melodic swirls lingering in the far distance, making a haunting foil to the inviting tones of the opening track. On the flip, "F/ck The Hype" channels the spirit of dub techno into a subtly funky confection, letting the aqueous chords bounce in their feedback echoes, neatly sidestepping the soporific qualities normally associated with the style. "Facing You" meanwhile makes for the ideal EP closer with its submerged beats and elegant swathes of harmony, conjuring up a captivating melancholia in each lingering piano note and chiming bell. With each track telling its own unique story, Ka One and St-Sene have crafted a rich and engrossing release that shows how much diversity there is to be enjoyed in the contemporary house and techno scene.
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Operating from the heart of Brooklyn, NY, the latest artist to sign up to Ornate is Jordan, whose plush deep house sound has already surfaced via a collaboration with Fred P on the Deep Explorer compilation Far & Beyond. Living on the border of the Bushwick and Ridgewood neighbourhoods, the title of the EP is a nod to the difference Jordan sees between his own spiritual, detailed work and the trend for rougher analogue sounds that have been sweeping the city he calls home. With a focus on expressive, richly melodic synths and delicately balanced rhythms, his music stands apart from the wave of guttural lo-fi sonics, and yet this is still house music with that East coast punch where it counts. With an imminent release for the noted Finale Sounds imprint establishing Jordan well within the remit of high-end house and techno, it gives us great pleasure to present these exercises in soulful immersion, from the three 4/4 driven pieces to the ambient vignette "Visage". With the door open for more experimental interpretations, it made perfect sense to invite former Ornate guest Leif back to turn out a remix of the track, his own hushed tones having recently graced a critically-acclaimed debut album for Fear Of Flying. It's the ideal complement to an EP of highly developed musicianship that spells another exciting step forward for both Jordan and Ornate. More

Hot on the heels of Ornate Music's last release featuring the bumping house business of Digs, the imprint set their sights on Welsh producer Leif, who has been turning heads with his masterful deep house for labels like Fear Of Flying and Fina since 2003. Kicking off with "Circumstance 4", whose smooth organ refrain drifts over a lightly rolling groove, the vibe switches up with "Every Cloud", whose gentle jazz-inspired piano and abstract, dubbed out soundscape is strongly reminiscent of Floating Points more freeform productions. However, it's "Each Day Made New" that provides the EP's most surprising moment, an Andres style hip-hop track with a cut-up, sunshine drenched quality calling Recloose to mind.
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One of the founder members of the DiY crew - whose records have been picked up by Zip for his latest Fabric mix, and whose legendary outdoor parties in the early 90s were instrumental in the government bringing in the Criminal Justice Bill - Digs is a long-time comrade of the Ornate Music crew, and his debut for the label comes keenly anticipated. Across three tracks of warm yet party-starting deep house, he demonstrates his keen ear for playful rhythms and interesting melodies; the abstract chimes and diva vocals of "Jus' In Style" are underpinned by a subtle acid bassline simmering to the surface, while "Loopdaloop" combines an insistent organ with clattering percussion that's more WAX than Kerri Chandler. "Gimme The Trus'" closes things out with a number filled with rolling drums, hypnotic vocal, sweeping pads and improvised synth jam that inject a bit of classic Chi-town soul into proceedings. More

Bliq label bosses Homepark might only have a few releases in their arsenal, but the standard of labels the East London duo have graced demonstrates it's all about the quality and not quantity. Having already graced the likes of 3rd Strike, Enterbt and Simoncino's House Sound initiative, Homepark hop onto one of the UK's most respected proper house hubs in the shape of Ornate Music with the three tracker Fill Emptiness EP. Senses are flushed with warmth as soon as the title track arises from the warmth of the opening pads, slinking into twilight action on a slick Chicago groove driven by crisp, intricate percussion. Proceedings change up on the flip, with the buffed up toughness of "Fall Down On Me" with Homepark taking a more stripped back approach, lining a bumping drum track with mere hints at melody (which explode with intermittent excitement) and an expertly weaved vocal sample drenched in all too effective delay. Finally, Homepark flex their emotive chord abilities to the max on the sumptuous "Ninety" letting the textural emotions build for a good few minutes before dropping the kick! More

After teasing followers of the label with a couple remixes on previous Ornate Music releases, Jonno & Tommo drop their full debut EP of well honed deep house on Ornate Music. The EP opens with the pulsating, wigged out groove of "Lidl Moon", with its fierce kick and twinking synth flourishes, it recalls the simple, effortless, yet effective productions of the Ukraine's finest, Vakula, so it comes as no surprise that the duo have approached the man himself to remix the track. Adding a deep bass throb and fluctuating synth bells which float across channels, Vakula totally changes the mood of the original into something altogether more trippy. The B-Side meanwhile features two more stellar originals; "Pandy's Groove" combines subtle Balearic melodies and pitch-shifted chords with a raw and jacking Chicago rhythm and deep bassline, whilst "The Future Is All Sorts Of Colours Not Just Orange" is a more moody, rolling groover, with classic piano chords in notes of blue, making for a soulful end to an excellent debut. More

London-based deep house label Ornate Music come through with another gem in the shape of the latest EP from Dubbyman, filled with robust, beatdown grooves. The EP opens with "Time & Sensibility", creating an all-enveloping atmosphere with its oven-warm pads and rich analogue bass, punctuated with jazzy chords and vocal murmurings. "Kirigi Is Coming", meanwhile, showcases Dubbyman's excellent knack for crafting Moodymann style textures with the depth to boot, combining a solid rhythmic snap with drawn out vocal landscapes and Detroit-referencing melodies. Finally "Uuuuhhhh!!!!" closes the EP with its breathy intro and low slung filtered grooves combining with bubbling laser sound effects. More

The All City Harmony Show rolls into Ornate towers with the A MasDelux Session EP. Kicking proceedings off "I See" is endowed with the kind of boompty bass that immediately brings to mind Julio Bashmore, complemented by gently cooing vocals and synths that drop in and out of the mix sweetly. The mid section breakdown is divine! Moodymanc takes a good long hard look in the mirror with his Deep Reflection mix of "I See", stripping back the original to create a genuine late night burner - exactly the kind of quality we've come to expect from this producer. This shares the flips side with another original ACHS cut, namely "Extra Funk", which shapes a broken beat around some killer boogie bass and cleverly arranged funk samples. More