Cottam's Ruff Draft label reaches release number 9 with a stunning double drop from Milo Johnson AKA DJ Nature. Always one of our favourite artists, we've loved Milo's music for years at Ruff Draft and his tracks on Golf Channel, Sound of Speed and Jazzy Sport never leave the box, so we are blown away to present to you two future classics. 'Alfred' is a masterclass in raw rhythmic production, kicking off with popping old school drums and builds into an uptempo jack track with a melancholy and depth missing from a lot of modern club tracks. 'Blood On Your Hands' is sonic bliss, a stunning polemic using a speech from a 60s episode of The Twilight Zone that still resonates today, about the futile loss of life in wars run by people who don't fight them and monetary interests placed over lives. Brooding sub bass and dub techno sensibilities combine with a lolloping shuffling groove for a darker head nodder with a serious and sadly still pertinent message.
More

Ruff Daft returns, and after a various artist EP for number 7, number 8 on the label goes back to the founder, with three new tracks from Cottam 'Washed Out' kicks things off, at the cross roads between Mood Hut & Basic Channel where dub techno sensibilities meet dreamy chords for a delectable deep house track. 'Horns' harks back to Cottam's earliest releases, with an afro-ish horn loop teased out over four minutes until the full loop and bass kick in to devastating effect. 'A Ruff Draft' sees Cottam look back towards his techno roots, with a killer kick drum and raw acid lending an abrasive edge to a well rounded EP of varied styles.
....
More

Romansoff is the man behind Raw Tools, a guy who loves to DJ and arrange parties in and around Bucharest, he is starting to stretch his wings further afield... With a release on Machine Records Inc being his first for another label, Romansoff delivered 3 tracks of dancefloor goodness to the Ruff Draft inbox that made me jiggle in my chair. It was when I got up and started to dance like my dad, and my son started to laugh and point, that I knew it was a winner. I contacted Romansoff who suggested we should have a game of stone, paper, scissors to decide the track order.... and thus Ruff Draft 05 came to be........
More

Number 3 on Ruff Draft comes from Louis Guilliaume. Having met Louis back in 2009 and followed his music since way before then, it was an exciting day when we received these tracks from him. Known more for his harder edge techno productions on labels such as Soundtravels, Bio Rhythm Holland, Teng, SD Holland and a remix on Skudge, here he edges slightly away from that harder sound. The tracks vary from deep, groovy and meandering house to a beatless soundscape reminiscent of early Larkin and Pullen to a powerful kick drum driven sermon.
More

Cottam is proud to present the first release on his new label, Ruff Draft. Paul Cottam came to wider attention with a series of limited edition blank-label 12s released from 2009 onwards, showcasing his production talents by re-working afro-beat, neo-soul, funk & hip-hop into deep house burners, but Ruff Draft is all about original tracks, and the first release sees three tracks from the man himself. 'Lost In My Brain Fog' comes in two versions, the super deep original is an ethereal trip of shimmering strings and delayed percussion, but with a kicking distorted thump at the bottom end to still work the floor - a real trip. The Medicated Mix has a mystery vocalist mixing with dub techno chords and jacking percussion for a late night trip to the back room of a dark warehouse. The EP is completed with 'A Variation on a Theme', a gem of a deep house groover with beautiful chords and acid that creeps up and sidles its way behind and around you before pinching your wallet and necking your drink. The first release on Ruff Draft sets a high standard, pressed on 180 gram vinyl and cut loud. Keep a look out for further transmissions in the near future, from Cottam and other artists as they keep it deep and keep it Ruff.
More