Something Good – Before Dawn

July 21, 2012 | Dan Carter

When the history books of House music are given a long overdue update, Scandinavia is sure to have a lot of valiant assets to answer for. Encompassing the more creative ranks of this inspiring club autonomy, Helsinki’s Something Good return to Nocturnal Groove to feed the Finnish flame with another melodic exploit.

With a track record for balancing nostalgic club grooves and divine melodic charges, the powerful modern House getup of ‘Before Dawn’ is no less appetizing despite of the notable forward motion. As the haunting topline of Sansa seeps through the elegant display of stern synth progressions and unforgiving lead work that caries their original mix, Something Good fuse peak time energy with emotive merit for the most mature outing of their studio careers. Allowing label heads and renowned Defected favourites Simon Marlin and Max Reich to give their own straight-faced House remodel to the transient club outing, Nocturnal Groove remains a firm investor in the future of global House music and this inspired Finnish duo alike.

‘Before Dawn’ is out July 30 on Nocturnal Groove.

Danism

May 22, 2012 | Dan Carter

 

With one member proving a tremendous asset to the thriving UK Drum & Bass scene and the other boasting an extensive commitment to the realms of soulful House music, Cambridge collective Danism appear something of an odd couple at first glance. But under the guise of one of Britain’s most beloved House outfits, the Defected approved duo have not let simplistic genre boundaries flatten the global appeal of their music. Welcoming their debut album ‘Sine of the Times’ to the world on  Nocturnal Groove earlier this month, productivity and balance evidently haven’t been an issue amid their inherently chaotic careers. Dan Carter grilled the melodic maestros to find out how the pieces fitted together for the eccentric duo behind some of the summers most pertinent vocal anthems to date. Read More

The Shapeshifters – Only You

May 22, 2012 | Dan Carter

On the grounds of their undisputed reign over British House music, The Shapeshifters are seldom ignored on global clubbing circuit. Founding their universal adoration on early club/chart crossover anthem ‘Lola’s Theme’ and an ongoing plight under their Nocturnal Groove imprint, Simon Marlin and Max Reich committed some serious heart and soul into their every musical movement and for mid-regions of 2012, their triumphant return to Simon Dunmore’s Defected Records is no exception.

As potently poised towards the genres more melodic regions as ever, Marlin and Reich don their key-heavy heads to a fine vocal outing . As the heartrending top line of ‘Only You’ weaves seamlessly amid the tracks andante lead work, it is easy to see how the duos double-dexterity for radio friendly House cuts and solid floor fillers has kept them solidly afloat throughout an industry that knows nothing of the words ‘slow down’! 

Opting for steady grooves and perky kicks over the tropical sound clash sometimes accumulated by the label, their balance of inherently uplifting energy and emotively tuned melodies hits the nail on the head where the longstanding imprint of Sir Dunmore was to be concerned. Timed perfectly for the season that will see them frequent Pacha Ibiza alongside their familiar peers at Defected, ‘Only You’ truly refines The Shapeshifters as one of the more reassuringly familiar beacons of quality House music still to be doing the round on both home and foreign soil.

‘Only You’ is out now on Defected Records via Beatport.

Frankie Knuckles

February 22, 2012 | Dan Carter

The music industry has been liberally fuelled by wave upon wave of unsuspecting storytellers. As the alleged godfather of House music and a legend whose every action has defined the genre’s golden age appeal, a few tedious clichés and four decades of adoration have been the least of the powers bestowed upon the New York born enthusiast turned Chicago House innovator Frankie Knuckles. But amid one of American Dance music’s timeless tales, there is a sense that this story of seamless innovation, spiritual revolution and untimely decay of Disco is still being written in the positive musical movements of this esteemed producer. Like a phoenix, Frankie has risen from the ashes of House music’s golden age with a full flame of ambition and a clear message at hand: real House music is here to stay. Read More

Gramophonedzie

February 6, 2012 | Dan Carter

 

From the theme-tune to the Balkan Big Brother to his UK Top 20 chart hit ‘Why Don’t You’, Gramophonedzie has turned heads across the globe with a diverse infatuation with the less-than-ordinary club outing. But having already donned his superior floor-filling intellect to The Shapeshifter’s Nocturnal Groove imprint for ‘Brazilian’ and ‘Yeah Yeah’, the distinguished imprint called upon their award winning Serbian peer to lead the way for ‘Nocturnal Groove Volume 4’, launched this week on virtual clubbing community ResLive. Dan Carter touched base with Marko Milcevic to trace his floor-filling legacy, both physical and digital, while considering whether chart raking remained on the agenda for this House orientated maestro. Read More

Jamie Principle

September 26, 2011 | Dan Carter

The love song, for all its sins, has always been an infectious force within music. Be it the crushing realities of the Delta Blues, intoxicated emotions of early Soul or positively orchestrated misfortunes of Rock n Roll, the realms of the heart have evidently stood the test of time as one of the essential stimuli of genre defining music. Amongst the rich heritage of modern House music, one timid artist managed to light an ever-growing beacon to the unforgettable lair of authentic romance whilst also unexpectedly fuelling the unforgettable Chicago House explosion. As the mechanical genre dream team of Director’s Cut unveil a 21^st century revival of the 1984 classic ‘Your Love’, Dan Carter caught up with the soulful midwestern songsmith known as Jamie Principle to delve deep into the heart of the track that inspired countless generations to show their love for an genre that would truly shape the development of House music forever. Read More