MEMENTO22

Fabrizio Maurizi's new EP "A Pray For You" is nothing short of spectacular: the clean and crisp production that's been a key trademark of the Bologna native, this time goes to yet a higher level, bringing up a whole new concept of sound. The Techno and Funk elements that were always to the fore in his music, this time fuse down to create a seemingly boundary-free flow of inspiration, managing to build a sparkling and flickering stream of beats and melodies. The title track delivers a super catchy synth line, making it impossible not to go crazy to; the soulful vocals and delicate percussions add a slick vibe to its kinky feeling.

"La Jolla" heats up the party: the bouncy bass line and drum-machine overdose kick through like a whirlwind of rhythm and energy, while delays and subtle atmospheres round off the total dancefloor mood.
"Darkness"' heavier 4/4 drive and old school feeling are a homage to the Detroit legacy and its electro disco flavor is a tribute to the European underground scene of the late 70s and 80s, shaking and rolling the swinging pulse that sways all over the club and the pa. Simply put, these are three tunes that will stand the test of time: play them 10 years from now on, and they'll still roar through the airwaves and cause a frenzy all over the place!!

Marlowe - Moonshine Heater (Cadenza90)

Guillaume & The Coutu Dumonts - Take Back All Of Those Things - Circus Company

With the cosmic rays of his Twice Around The Sun long player still reverberating around our souls, Guillaume (our favourite of all the Coutu Dumonts) is back with a fresh EP of rich and otherworldly house music perfectly pitched for the free-spirited feeling of the summer months. It all starts with the balmy tones of “Northbound”, which wastes no time getting into gear with a rubbery bassline and shimmering flashes of melody that flutter around a haunting vocal hook, invoking that witching hour before night falls when the heat of the sun is still radiating from the ground beneath you. “Inconscient Collectif” meanwhile simmers like the first light of the morning, a lilting euphoria rising from the gently filtered chord pattern before the effervescent trail of an arpeggiated synth line comes ringing through the mist. EP closer “Erotic Skies” makes for the perfect slow-poured tonic to round off this solar cycle of a record. Across eleven blissful minutes the gently cradling beat and dubby echoes drift out as a languid spread of melodic lines unfurl on top of one another. There’s a rich tapestry of sounds at work in this luxurious cushion of a track, from the tortured ghost of a saxophone to a subtle pattering of bongos, a wild bassline tamed, a cracked synth stuck on an eternal phrase, and yet all these elements bleed into one under the principle of a track unconcerned with its destination whilst ever striding forwards.

Shimmy Sham Sham

In a feverish blur of looping goodness, Shimmy Sham Sham delivers the fifth installment in its on-going celebration of classic funk and disco, paying tribute to the building blocks of dance music by fashioning them into more dynamic shapes to suit the needs of the modern dance. Beyond the reach of the average re-edit, the cuts you can enjoy on this record take all manner of deeply rooted sources and craft exciting new combinations from them. On one side you have a focused disco burner that works some flamboyant chops of vocal over sharp guitar licks while keeping the groove simmering at all times. On the flip a more loose, jazz-powered collage blossoms around a central double-bass hook, letting organic smatterings of percussion, laconic saxophone, emotive strings and all manner of other atmospherics unfurl into the mix at will. Keeping true to the sonority of the source material and wielding just a subtle touch of electronics in the mix, the latest Shimmy Sham Sham plots a course even further into the realms of crate-digging creativity.

'Al Loopo Al Loopo' New Release by Fabrizio Maurizi

Fabrizio Maurizi's "Al Loopo Al Loopo" shows up on DB Musique and it's set to cause quite a storm on dancefloors all over the place. Always evolving in his artistic vision yet true to his past as one of the most sought after djs in the militant illegal rave scene of his beloved Bologna, Fabrizio (a.k.a. Roger) delivers a track that takes in all the energy of his endless gigs and once again stands out as a journey between house and techno, between light and darkness, between analog rhythms and futuristic sci-fi atmospheres. Opening with a frenzy of streamlined snares and beats, it soon welcomes some sleazy synth stabs along the intro: sleek and glossy percussions play on throughout the whole 7 minutes, a hint of delay here and there to spice up the vibe. It feels as funk meets trans-European electronic experimentations and late 70s no wave underground. His trademark syncopated jumping bassline, which made his style uniquely recognizable worldwide, gives some extra special feeling to an already hot as fire piece of music.