Reviews

Jugaar Records might be the first Pakistan label that reaches our ears, but if the quality is so high from the beginning, please give us more! Taking care of the label’s second release is Thai DJ and producer DOTT. You might have seen him recently dropping filthy retro-house vibes on labels from the likes of BodyParts, More Rice, Keepitgoing, and Habits RAW, fusing spacey sounds, steady drum patterns and bulbous bassline with a pinch of old school flavour. His “Puppy Luv” EP is no exception and comes packed with a remix by US legend himself Titonton Duvante.

A1 “What Am I Gonna Do” opens proceedings with a tight 909 game along with housy string and deep, emotional pads. As soon as the track progresses, the scene gets populated by gently saturated synths, releasing notes of nostalgia. The acid line on the breakbeat is just icy on the cake, making this one an A-grade dancefloor vibrator. Following, “Spacey Mango” sticks to its name, with DOTT providing hefty outerspace synths that open and close throughout the track. The muddy acid bassline will try to lock you down on the dancefloor, while you will be surrounded by curious arcade creatures from other galaxies.

On the flip, “Puppy Luv” truly leaves a sign. Dusty lofi poignant synths give way to slippery sounds and modular bleeps to rise from underneath, later appearing again into a waving crescendo. Rounding out the package, Ohio-based veteran Titonton Duvante‘s take of “Puppy Love” brings some Phil Weeks‘ MPC shuffling experience, enriching the original with a deep, and raw old school house feeling. That’s true luv!

Words by Francesco Quieti

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Inspired by the most known secret agent of our time, the newborn label License To Kill is preparing to make you dance with all the class and finesse that made James Bond famous. Guy’s in charge of the mission is label-head j03l, who’s not afraid to dive into rumbling and menacing rhythms, enriched by a majestic remix by Doubtinthomas.

The iconic swirl pressed on the A-side of the EP perfectly reflects the visceral dried out grooves of the first track, “Inglasias”. The opener slowly heats the dancefloor with tiny seductive hi-hats that add to the longstanding ones. The punchy kick drum and the gloomy clap do the rest, setting the tempo for a quality warm-up tool. Next, “Sweet As” squeezes granular groove elements and noisy bleeps into a marching, minimal bopper. 

French groove maestro Doubtinthomas opens the B-side with a liquid-ish, shuffling version of “Sweet As”. His remix brings the original vocal to the next level, adding a “Spektre” touch of mystery to the entire piece, all surrounded by delightful synths and modular atmospheres. Titled “Holy Motors” rounds things off with its pressing bassline and wide breakbeat drums that make the track float from the dancefloor before descending fast aboard a black, shiny Aston Martin.

Words by Francesco Quieti

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Touchdown in Melbourne, the Irish born JJ Fortune drops a 6-track EP on his own Rizound imprint. The label boss is taking a flight away, and it seems that he wants to land somewhere in outer space with this release. Fasten your seatbelts, for the galaxy, is full of unknown creatures and surprises!

“L.Y.M” kicks off the EP, phase one of the journeys, so to say. A throbbing beat on unearthly melodies, speedy hats topped with clashing space-gunshots. Careful now, the trip is announced to be bumpy! “Spacefall” is next, with its hypnotic tones that start mellow and sweet, only to get rumbling mid-way. With a skipping rhythm, and gnarly electric-ish sounds throughout, the expedition keeps moving forward, delving into the unknown. Up next, “Luv”, resonating even through space, is the next stop. Don’t let the slowly built-up acid bassline fool you because slow is not what this is, as it’s just a manoeuvre through the interfering spaceships!

The navigation systems seem to have us landing “In The GhettoOo” for a stroll. Bell hits, dreamy melodies, and moving drum patterns are on the front of this number. We should get going fast though! Are we all ready? Thus, “The Snake“, keeps the odyssey going. This one is from outer space though, with its crunchy hats and squishy percussions. The piece insists on twisting on and around its variating melodies until the ship barely escapes its spacey fangs. Are we landing? “Mars Attacks!” Yet another hostile encounter, throwing pulsating beams and futuristic robotic voices, the spaceship steers between groovy drum hits and a roaring bassline to finally finds itself in a safe harbour. For now…

Words by Ramy Ounis

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