Over the last decade, DJ Deep has forged a very distinctive trademark sound as head of Deeply Rooted House. A consistent source of tough house and warmer techno, the label has hosted a wide range of artists over the years, yet has managed to maintain a bouncy, no-frills streak through most of its catalogue. It's no surprise, then, that Cyril Etienne des Rosaies's first commercial mix in close to a decade carries both of these hallmarks from start to finish, whether it's in the form of '90s-era house or contemporary techno.
After getting underway with "Music In My Head," a 20-year-old cut courtesy of Arthur Forest, Eddie Fowlkes and Santonio Echols, Kern Vol. 1 spends 25 minutes skirting various forms of old school house, from the garage-tinged "Submission Underground" edit of Visions' "Is This Real" through to Kerri Chandler's cosmic "Cobal" and the rolling acid of "Vaporizor" from UK producer Phil Asher under his Plash moniker. The pace quickens with Zadig's percussive "Manic Mansion," the first in a string of big room techno records. A series of long transitions accompany them, each helping build a sense of urgency and tension that peaks with Shed's "A100" (produced as The Traveller).
Free from the throwback swing and accessibility of the mix's first half, DJ Deep delves into nothing but no-nonsense techno for the final 30 minutes. Deeply Rooted House affiliates Jonas Kopp, Bleak and Marcelus all appear, each comfortably within the DJ tool realm but with enough flair to keep things interesting.
You could split Kern Vol 1 into three distinct parts, all of which are deftly woven together. Placed side by side, the mix's sunny opening would be at odds with its techno-charged finale, but des Rosaies's seemingly calculated approach bundles it all together splendidly. His style is unique but not unconventional, and allows the listener to slide from one section to the next without ever disrupting his overall narrative.
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Tracklist: DJ Deep - KERN Vol.1
 01. A.E.S aka Forest / Fowlkes / Santonio - Music In My Head
02. Santonio - Amnesia
03. Visions feat. Juan Atkins - Is This Real? (Submission UG)
04. Rootstrax - Harlequin (Kerri Chandler Edit)
05. Maan - Jackin'
06. Kerri Chandler - Cobalt
07. Phlash - Vaporizer
08. The Bayara Citizens aka Joe Claussell - Kweyo Electric Dub
09. Xperiment - Karn Evil #10
10. Zadig - Maniac Mansion
11. Will Azada - Easy Does It
12. Armando - 151
13. The Traveller - A100
14. DJ Gregory - Head Talking
15. Phase - Binary Opposition (Ben Klock Process)
16. Jonas Kopp - Reforce
17. Bleak - Noon Shape
18. DJ Hell - Allerseelen (Jeff Mills Remix)
19. Truncate - Diffraction (Jonas Kopp Remix)
20. Skudge - Haste
21. Marcelus - Y02
22. Deepside - III
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