- Canadian based deep house label Nordic Trax presents the Many Shades Of House, the label's anticipated follow up to 2003's Dancefloor Principles mixed by DJ Heather. Label boss Luke McKeehan takes hold of the reigns on this release mixing up sexy numbers from major labels in the deep house scene. Luke himself had previously compiled and mixed Nordic Trax's 2002 CD, Lazy Transmissions, a CD which DJ Magazine had named as one of 2002's best compilations.
Trouble Men featuring the vocals of Sidney get the CD underway with a slab of deep, percussive vocal led house on Deep In My Soul featured on the CD as a remix done by Harley & Muscle. No surprises here really as the title explains it all - deep, soulful house with jazzy keys, deep bass and mellow percussive elements laced throughout. Rithma takes a spaced out approach on The Gypsie Dance courtesy of Moisture Control providing a Space Dub remix of the tune - dropping spacey keys and deep funky bass to the mix.
Demarkus Lewis provides a light hearted ditty on Come On (Bop) featuring a female vocal sample repeating the title of the tune throughout the track. Jazzy keys, kitschy effect stabs (which give the tune a little cheek) and slightly melodic bass. Jetseb & Aos One's sex led Blue Morning provides a sweet jazz riff for the mix and turns up the vibe for a steady (if not monotonic and somewhat repetitive)percussive house groove.
A deep house CD wouldn't be complete without a tune from San Franciscan based OM records and Marques Wyatt is the perfect choice as his Rude Groove (appearing here as the Rude Journey Mix) provides classic deep house flavours - deep, hollow pads, dreamy keys and dubby effects provide a perfect platform for getting your deep house groove on - the tribal break in the middle amplifies the funk nicely. Andrew Macari's Seven Of Nine incorporates a strong electro flavour into the mix providing a catchy synth hook and a hard hitting bass line while I:Shead brings out a funky bass lick on Sincerement shying away from the monotonic basslines heard on the mix thus far.
DJ Harri & The Revenge offer up disco grooves to the mix on Slackjaw utilising funky guitar licks, syncopated rimshots and breaky house beats - some decent work from the Nordic Trax label which then sets a nice precursor to Demarkus Lewis' jazzy piano laden Precursor before the mix rounds out with another Nordic Trax tune by Kelvin K - 13th Parallel bringing the mix to a deep loungey close.
CD 2 features an unmixed selection of highly sought after Nordic Trax classics with a well rounded artist roster of Nordic artists. Unfortunately the promo version does not contain this CD so I won't be able to review it for you, but if it's anything as stated on the information sheet, it's a must have CD for deep house fans.
For those who dig the sexy sounds of deep house will really dig this - a CD perfect for playing in the background while lazing about and chilling out around the house.