Ba Dum Tish レコード& CD

Review: Two toolroom essentials from Rob Amboule, former London stalwart come Frankfurt familiar. Where years of collecting and playing gradually evolved into Rob making music of his own, it wasn't long before he made the move permanent, settling in around the Main. A late stopover in Paris has now domino effected this new one: 'Wovv Tools' brings 'Melortra' and 'Kopuie', equal parts dance-incenting and vagus nerve-soothing. The B is especially brilliant, cycling through generative hypnotic whirls and sweller padwork.

Review: Phill Prince's Pleasure Playground EP on Ba Dum Tish delivers two tracks of classic house music that hit all the right notes. The title track, 'Pleasure Playground,' is feel-good house with a perfect tempo for the dancefloor and an excellent bassline that keeps the energy high. On Side-2, 'Elegancia Retro,' balances melodic and deep elements, creating an uplifting and smooth sound that captures the essence the best of what house music can offer. Both tracks showcase Prince's ability to blend classic styles with a modern touch, making this record hard to not put in your crate each time if you are a house DJ.

Review: Bassex Records emerged as a niche haven for electronica enthusiasts in the mid-90s, championing and, more importantly, blending genres like trance, breaks, acid and techno, the label's initial influence remained confined to the West Coast. However, as trancey breakbeats gained traction in Europe over the past 15 years, Bassex has ascended to cult status. Rebirth was label owner Mike Knapp and DJ Jason Blakemore (DJ Trance) and this compilation specifically gathers a few very desirable gems from three different releases by them and places them here. Bassex Selections is an important window into the label's enduring legacy and snapshot of the west coast scene circa 1994.