Category: House

Journey – Bondax

Post #365, would you believe it?! And we have a whole new visual identity to celebrate the milestone. You could now read a new post every day for a year* – what a year it would be.

Journey is Bondax’s second full length album, and it’s a real treat just in time for the summer. Feel good electronic music to soundtrack escapades in the sun. The album sits somewhere in between Flight Facilities’ blissed out electronica, and Disclosure’s high energy dance music – and for me, that’s a very nice place to be.

They have a great set of vocalists on the release, including one of my all-time favourites in Andreya Triana, also Tara McDonald and SHELLS; you can read my post on Fade (feat. SHELLS) here.

* Yes I know we are in a leap year

Romantic Gestures Vol. 1 – Fort Romeau

There aren’t many more consistent house producers over the past few years than Fort Romeau. Now he has released a sumptuous 8 track number called Romantic Gestures Vol. 1 on his own Romantic Gestures imprint. RA describe it as vibey and romantic, which gets at half of it. What makes it special for me, is that these tracks are as at home in your headphones as they would in a big room club. Punchy house music made intimate. Lovely stuff.

Make sure you stick around for the second half of the release, when it really gets going. Here are my thoughts from the last time I raved about him, and specifically the last track on the album Be With U.

How it Feels – Riva Starr

Now this is a party track. It has all the elements; you couldn’t ask for a funkier bassline; jammy organ synths; some soulful vocals; and a nice bit of crowd noise to give it a subtle pick-up. If it doesn’t get you stepping then I’m sorry, but not much will.

Bonus track: I can’t give How it Feels much more of a compliment than to say it reminds me of Maceo Plex’s Love Somebody Else. One of my all-time favourites. You can listen to that here. You can and you should.

Push – Gabe Gurnsey

“This is a prime example of a pure temptation. Oh boy, your touch is heaven. This is the kind of feeling I could ride forever. Let’s push, together.”

It’s Gabe Gurnsey’s Push, released Erol Alkan’s Phantasy Sound label. The vocals are from Gabe’s collaborator and girlfriend Tilly Morris.

Uncomplicated electro house with an infectious energy. Rip in.

Let’s Gruv – Jon Gravy

I learnt something new today. Turns out there is a “thriving electronic underground scene” in Vienna. Who knew? Jon Gravy (real name Felix B. Nowak) is a product of that very scene, and we are lucky to have him.

Let’s Gruv was released back in 2020. The stand out track from the release is Golden Hour. A nice deep, pulsating groove picks you up, but what really makes it pop is a complete killer of a piano hook. This is all supplemented by drifting, swirling disco vocals that give the track colour and depth, without ever feeling too busy. It’s a beauty.

I was just going to post about Golden Hour, but then Maintain came on and I was digging that as well. He’s good this fella. Enjoy.

Be With U – Fort Romeau

Fort Romeau has been releasing original, powerful house tracks for a while now. His new release Be With U is a lush, deep kind of track that can cope with a lot of listens. It will get less attention than his other work since it is more reflective than it is danceable, but I think it is a real gem.

The track itself has three phases. The synth pads and piano kick in around half-way, and then three quarters through you enter a beautiful brass section to see out the track as the drums fade out. The sparseness of it all and the lengthy, spacious builds make the pay-offs extra sweet.

Bonus tracks: here is my post on my all-time favourite Fort Romeau track, Secrets & Lies (featuring a sample from Dirty Dancing no less!)

And finally, here is another cracker, Dweller on the Threshold. Enjoy.

Feelings – KH

In the comments section for this track someone has written “I’m a Kieran-sexual (musically speaking)” which is a bit gross but at the same time I know what they mean.

You get the sense that KH is having some fun with Feelings. The monstrous track name is almost unsearchable. And in the track itself, an iconic Star Guitar sample gets kicked back to the beat by Britney. Fun.

Kieran Hebden is the man behind KH (aka Four Tet). You can see him play live, accompanied by the incredible Squidsoup lighting, at Alexandra Palace in the new year.