Various Artists - Deep Love 15 - Electronica - Vinyl

Dirt Crew Recordings follows 2014's Deep Love 10 compilation (DIRT 007CD) with another massive collection of exclusive tracks by label residents and new faces, varying from the deep grounds of house to the underground sides of techno and disco. As a five-track EP with bonus 11-track CD included, the compilation splits and stretches itself across all formats. The five vinyl tracks are all more toward the deep house side. Funk- and soul-laden grooves from main house heads Brame & Hamo and Nachtbraker start off the A-side, followed by label newbies Homework from Amsterdam, whom Dirt Crew know from their great outings on Exploited and Let's Play House. UK act Voyeur open the B-side with The Long Way Home, truly one of the highlights of this compilation with it's jazzy, classic house approach. Berlin-based Spanish brothers Kyodai close out the EP with a true journey deep into house and techno regions. The CD opens with Laurence Guy and Harry Wolfman, both from the UK and both on Dirt Crew HQ's watch list for quite a while; they deliver a great mix of funky and jazzy sounds with a hint of disco. The mysterious Soul of Hex from Mexico follow their 2014 debut 12 (one member here is Sebastien Vorhaus, who released a collaboration with Ponty Mython on Dirt Crew in 2015 (DIRT 090EP)). Loz Goddard is also among these first few tracks, with a track released in advance of his 2015 EP with Harry Wolfman. Kito Jempere, Downtown Party Network, and Waifs & Strays vs PBR Streetgang need no introduction. Kito, of course, is the jazz man here, with his crazy twists and unique sounds. The American side of the Dirt Crew family is also represented by LA-based Edit Murphy and Rhythm Operator. Both have an old-school approach to their music and both tracks could well have come from an obscure early-'90s Chicago 12. Having released an excellent album in 2014 on Steffi's Dolly imprint with Will Martin, Bostonian John Barera closes the CD with a blistering Detroit techno cut. Of course, DC had to feature a track by Belfast lads Schmutz who released their first EP on Dirt Crew in January 2015 (DIRT 085EP). Their unique, dark, twisting techno sound is just like no other, distorted but always with that warm underground house feeling to it.