Vinyl & Digital Reviews: Pete Heller and Rodriguez Jr vs Marc Romboy

Title: Overtime

Artist: Pete Heller
Label: Buzzin' Fly Records
Release date: 10 May 2010

Sounds like: Finely tuned deep house vibin' on Latin

High notes: 'Overtime' works the bongos (can practically feel the drum skins) and Latin vibes, sliding in looped vocals around the two minute mark and peppered with deep stabs for a surprisingly summery dance tune. There's a bizarre sub-bass interlude of a breakdown close to the finale, but adds an extra 'oomph' to the deep sounds.

Bum notes: Pretty unimpressive remix - simply entitled 'Overtime (Dub)', it's a straight-up dub version of the original.

Title: Lac De Nivelles

Artist: Rodriguez Jr vs Marc Romboy
Label: Systematic Recordings
Release date: 12 May 2010

Sounds like: That unmistakable European sashay of tech-house

High notes: Ah, two hot properties getting it on - Marc Romboy and Rodriguez Jr (The Youngsters) join forces for 'Lac De Nivelles'; techno looking towards influences from hotter, Eastern climes, even taking a shot at brief Asian arpeggios. The Youngsters influence is clear, injecting a shot of energy and inducing sideways flashes of F-Communications. The remix by Glimpse sports a tin pan quality, like playing railings with iron spoons, oddly producing a chill-out groove. Slightly dashed by the cheesier quality roused by deep synths, however.

Bum notes: There is a certain je ne sais quoi missing, but Lo-Quality is still scratching the noggin trying to put a finger on it! Maybe's its the want of more tracks.

Vinyl and digital reviews: Laurent Garnier & Moodymanc

Title: It's Just Muzik
Artist: Laurent Garnier presents Alaska
Label: Crosstown Rebels
Release date: 8th March 2010

Sounds like: Right on target Garnier

High notes: This is certainly not '... Just Muzik', a name which conjures images of symphonies for lifts; the thundering bassline is spine tinglin' stuff, with thick, syrupy chords, an energetic techno beat and vibrations of melody bouncing off panning rattles. It's a dancefloor killer with plenty movement in the drum kicks and a crescendoing wave of simple, yet eloquent sounds. 'Stargazing' is equally good; the tracks are like varying elements of Crispy Bacon updated for 2010, without retreading tired ground. The trance-like quality to the tracks trace the kind of cosmic noises that get Daniele Baldelli hard.

Bum notes: Laurent is not here playing these tracks in my living room, to me, right now.

Exclusive: Laurent Garnier plays a full live set at the Picture House in Edinburgh at Musika on 2nd April. More info to follow.

Title: Mode EP

Artist: Moodymanc
Label: 2020Vision
Release date: 22nd March 2010

Sounds like: Tonal bleep deep house with several tricks up the sleeve

High notes: 'Mode dub' and its delightful bouncy bass line punch away to a syncopation of jazz loopage, and piano chords. Moodymanc's jazz drummer background comes to the fore two and half minutes in, and would kick the shit out your local chair-lounging jazz venue. 'Passout' presents a bass that I could literally feel vibrating my knee caps, just through the application of headphones; this needs to be played through the Sub Club's sonic floor. The latin feel almost points towards a deep house Manu Chao, before 'Crushed' wades in like an industrial machine, grinding you between heavy gears and cogs. Not so much house as something to wake Nitzer Ebb from the grave. It only eases off just in time for another pounding bass kick to pin you back against the wall.

Bum notes: Not heard of any Moodymanc bookings in Scotland - what's up promoters?