MUSIC REVIEWS – Real Gone Kid (Dance) – Zone Magazine Issue 052 –

Send promos to – simonhuxtable@gmail.com

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Hi, I’m Simon. I’ve been a DJ longer than I care to remember, and I’ve played all over the place and loved every minute. …well, maybe not the 4 am graveyard shifts where everyone leaves after the headliner has finished, but every ‘other’ minute! I’m fanatical about all genres, but my favourites are the deeper end of prog and funky breaks. I run two labels: ASTIR covers House and Prog, and ASTIRbreaks for melodic broken beats.

My reviews cover everything. Good music is good regardless of style and I want to share that passion with you and hopefully steer you towards some cool secret weapons that elevate your sets or make for some interesting home listening. Let’s DO THIS!

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10/10 – Top Release 

Steve Bug and Pornbugs – Behind The Glass / On The Swing [Bondage]

Unsung House hero, Steve Bug, has been there and done it all. Arguably Germany’s most important pioneer, his label Poker Flat has been an epoch-defining imprint. And celebrating 20 years of Bondage, Pornbugs are mixing in different circles with recent releases for Selador and Voltaire, showing some crossover appeal with a new generation of DJs.

‘On The Swing’, is a classic deep vibe with a modern twist. Groovy and warm, this will get the floor going anywhere in the world. On remix duties, Mihai Popoviciu drops his trademark style, smoothing out the bumps for a deeper ride.

‘Behind The Glass’ takes a similar path. Soulful warmth exudes from the speakers as the bumpy bass and echo-y keys mark time. Reaching a crescendo with muted acid in the second half keeps attention high and the dancefloor full and happy. For his remix, Markus Homm takes it deeper with shades of Detroit. Liquid cool for the later floors.

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9/10 – Recommended Release –

D-Shift – Far Out EP [Sudbeat]

The new side project of D. Singh of Drunken Kong fame, D-Shift, will dive deeper into the melodic side of house and explore the inner realms of the groove. Beginning his sonic journey earlier this year on Christian Smith’s Tronic, the D-Shift sound will feature strong influences from progressive house.

‘Far Out’ is a punchy, vibrant peak-time groover for the more discerning floors. Chunky drums and techy sonics set the scene, leading to more delicate arps in the main break and an energetic final section. On the flipside, ‘To Be Continued’ continues (sic) at pace. Musical and devastating, this is the sound of the early hours deep inside the Tokyo underground. Gated vocals, sweeping sonics and trancey melodies from the Gods, its not far from perfection! 

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9/10 – One Week (UK) – Happily Sad EP [Prognosis]

Pure self-indulgent promotion here! One Week (UK) is one of my aliases, and the guys at Prognosis are very kind to host these tracks, and the incredible breaks remix from a returning hero of ‘90s Trance, Marc Swan. 

Influenced by the heavier side of prog, the likes of Oliver Lieb et al, ‘Happily Sad’ is an exploration in sound design that explodes from the speakers. Its the kind of analogue experiment that instantly gives you bass face.

‘Sadly Happy’ on the flip side is a more considered track. Deeper and more groove based, it’s the perfect crossover from warm up to a more peak time sound. For the remix, Marc has completely reconstructed the track adding nuanced arps for a more emotional ride. Its a weird flex liking a remix of your own track, but he’s absolutely smashed it out the park. 

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8/10 – Zuccasam – Flip No/Jomi [Selador]

The London-based sensation makes his official debut with two face melting originals and some sublime remixes from a new name, Derderwandert. 

‘Flip No’ is intense. No surprise to Zuccasam fans, but this really is a huge, warehouse jam you’ll likely hear all the big names hammer the arse off all summer. Jomi on the flipside is a deeper ride full of personality. I love a dubby tune, and this packs a punch before mutating into a vibey sunrise extravaganza. On remix duties, Bedrock / Renaissance alumni Derderwandert absolutely smashes Jomi into space.

On the Story Mix, he drops a heavy tribal beat and spoken word for the ultimate stomp, while the Dub version focuses on the melodics of the original. Big tings agwanin! 

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8/10 – Aviv Sab – ‘Maui’ [So Chic]

The up and coming Tel Aviv native has been making waves in the underground as a DJ for a number of years now. A fan of editing older tracks to suit his no-holds-barred style, Aviv Sab has now made the leap to producer, adding a new string to his bow.

‘Maui’ springs to life from the first bar, Middle Eastern sounds intermixing with rubbery bass, rasta vocals and snappy percussion. Developing into a rousing house/indie dance crossover, ‘Maui’ is instantly hypnotic and bold. A great start for a new star of Tel Aviv clubland.  

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