Leonidas & Hobbes, ‘Aranath’ EP

Posted on by

Leonidas & Hobbes make a timely return with ‘Aranath‘ EP, 3 years after ‘Web Of Intrigue’ (from 3rd EP Rags Of Time) was voted No1 in Bill Brewster’s 2017 DJ History poll.  Delivering a follow-up to many people’s 2017 summer anthem has been something of a protracted process, not least due to Covid and the 400 miles between us.  

A cracking package that is being launched as a Kickstarter project with loads of lovely merch and extras to enjoy, get behind it here.

Aranath features the hugely talented multi-instrumentalist Riad Abji and his virtuoso cello & tanpura raga, which inspired us to create 4 mixes, combining Riad’s eastern lament with classic house and ambient techno. The release is complemented by the tropical flavours of ‘Into It’ and ‘Out Of It’. The previously unreleased ambient mix of ‘Web of Intrigue’ (digital-only bonus track) from ‘Rags of Time’ rounds off what can certainly be described as a ‘deep’ release.

The sleeve art was inspired by an Indian painting from the 19th Century and created over the course of many obsessive evenings at the height of lockdown (as was some of the audio). Needless to say, the whole project has helped to keep us both sane through these crazy months.

A limited edition vinyl record will be pressed up, featuring our signature in the run-out groove/dead wax, in a full colour sleeve with 3mm spine, shrink-wrapped (PLUS download code, including 3 bonus tracks – NB This includes an 8 min ‘Edit’ of ‘Aranath’ (Original Mix).

Sandpaper EP ft. Jamie Lidell – Lorenz Rhode

Posted on by

Here’s the headline on this release: Dirt Crew x Jamie Liddel x Lorenz Rhode, with some Detroit Swindle* in the form of Lars Dale on remix duties. So you already know that this going to be a top quality package. Get on the pre-order asap, available on all platforms here, it’s a beauty!

‘For the ‘Sandpaper EP’ Lorenz Rhode and Jamie Lidell get together again. Their first collab ‘Any Kind of Pressure’ was followed by Lorenz joining Jamie’s world tour and a remix of ‘Big Love’ for Warp Records. Jamie performs with an amazing energy, and his soulful voice is carried by a warm and playful house backing: Minimoog bass, Rhodes piano and just some sparkles of a very old Roland synth that Lorenz had just bought, and which is now broken.

The second new jam ‘On the Nightshift’ is a fun stabby tune based on a spiraling chord progression. It loops every three-and-a-half bars, just to make life harder for DJs. A real nice warm groover.

The remix for ‘Sandpaper’ is a true family affair! Sound Support is the all new project by Lars Dales better known as 1/2 of Detroit Swindle and Lorenz himself. They’ve just released their debut EP on Prins Thomas’ Internasjonal label in October this year, here they take Jamie’s vocal into a more dramatic and electronic territory touching electro grounds. To close things out we also added an instrumental on the vinyl and radio mix on the digital version of this new EP.’ *Now known as Dam Swindle

Whole New Internet Game (Feat. Donnell Knox) by Mark Hawkins

Posted on by

Two years after his last incursion on the label, Mark Hawkins is back on Houndstooth with his latest release, ‘Whole New Internet Game (Feat. Donnell Knox)’. A tough, but warm jazzy house four tracker, well worth adding to your collection.

Partially produced with Kalamazoo techno legend Donnell Knox aka D-Knox who is also featured on vocals on the title track, the release is a fitting tribute to the early 90s Detroit house sound, updated with a thicker, more contemporary sounding production aesthetic.

‘Whole New Internet Game’, and ‘Reprise’ are the result of a recording session late in December 2019, when Knox was visiting Hawkins in his studio in Berlin, the former with Knox waxing lyrical about the state of the modern age we live in, which in recent times strikes an even more relevant chord, and the latter, with Knox on co-production duties, being an exercise in making a whole track out of an intro, lush synth pads taking the focus away from the drums, at least for the first few minutes.

Emerald and Sixth reach back even further into Hawkins’ production history, both featuring swung house drums, and jazzed out chord structures produced using a borrowed Roland D-50 synthesizer, one of the classic digital synths of the late 90s, which has been featured on many a Swing or R&B cut of that period.

Cosmic Sailing – My Friend Dario

Posted on by

Another top quality release from Phil Cooper’s NuNorthern Soul label drops 27/11/20, ‘Cosmic Sailing’ from My Friend Dario is a beauty. Channelling vintage 90’s Italo dreamhouse for a contemporary Balearic audience, it’s a shimmering, Summery slice of rythmn and melody. Available on vinyl and digital pre-order now. Turning my rainy corner of southern England into a mediteranean dream with echoes of Sueno Latino and Mr Marvin, it’s a yes from me 🙂