Update #1 for this week is in the can and online at Primalrecords.com now. The goods include exclusive white label action from the Bay Area's latest addition to the record label fold, Big Popsicle, as well as the debut record for San Diego-based Warbled Music (headed by up-and-coming producer Panic). We've also got hot restock material from Doc Martin and Lawnchair Generals, amongst others. Here's a quick rundown of must-hear music:

V/A "The Gimme Some Sugar EP" (feat. DJ Mes, Chronic Illness, Moody Eva, and Russell Vargas) Big Popsicle (Promo) [House, Tech-house, Breaks] Oh, yes! If the San Francisco Bay Area was famous for anything in the last decade, it was for our unparalleled output of funky house and housey breaks records in the mid-90s. So where have all those records gone? Big Popsicle is here to set the record straight and usher in the new wave. The Gimme Some Sugar EP is an absolutely flawless four-tracker featuring only Bay Area DJs and artists and the results are stunning. Local DJ favorite Mes gets his hands dirty with "Shakin,'" a driving funky houser that recalls all of the best elements of the San Francisco sound (including a clever "Talk About The Power" sample). Moody Eva gets seriously techy on the bass-driven "Elefantidis." And Russell Vargas gets straight-up old school with "Peace Funk," a classic cut-up breakbeat house hybrid for the circle-dancers. Still, my pick goes to Chronic Illness and their sample-heavy housey breaks cut "The Steel Finger." They just don't make records like this one anymore. Essential.

www.goodbeats.com

JAY TRIPWIRE "By The Matrix" EP Warbled Music (Promo) [House, Tech-house, Tribal] What is there left to say about this guy? Well, aside from the fact that certain government agencies are attempting to ban him from the United States for working here without a permit, Jay Tripwire sure is keeping busy. "By The Matrix" is his latest, and once again, the man is on top form. "Robots In Disguise" is a dubby tech-house cut with teeth, while "More Than Meets The Eye" takes a deeper route, resting on a totally unique bass groove that is just as warbled as its label moniker implies. Jay Tripwire is both prolific and consistent, and this EP is another valued addition to his canon of work. As always, white labels are limited and first-come, first-serve.

www.jaytripwire.com

SWIRL PEEPZ "Reality Check" EP Brique Rouge [House, Tech-house] Still not sure exactly what the difference is between Swirl People and their occasional Swirl Peepz alter-ego, but I don't suppose it makes much of a difference. Both churn out quality deep and techy house, and both seem as flexible as the other. On their latest 4-track EP for Brique Rouge, the Belgian duo offer three new cuts--including the truly inspired title track (which will no doubt find space in the boxes of Mark Farina and DJ Heather), as well as "One," a slightly acidic deep Chicago house cut that gets my pick this week. Brique Rouge founder David Duriez hands in a techno-influenced remix for "One" as a bonus, but the original carries its own weight just nicely without it.

www.briquerouge.com

MURK (OSCAR G & RALPH FALCON) "Dark Beat" Twisted [Progressive, Tribal] My love for Murk is no secret around here. "Some Lovin,'" "Been A Long Time," "Every Now & Then"--the list of essential music that they've produced is endless. Some will argue that the salad days are over; others can't hang with their more progressive-edged tunes. But I will go to bat for Oscar G and Ralph Falcon every time. "Dark Beat" is all the more reason to do so: In their classic and much-imitated style, the Murk boys take a stripped-down techy groove and build an entire track--fully dynamic and unbelievably powerful in a club--around a vocal hook that will resonate well into the work-week. Love 'em or just plain like 'em, you can't deny that these guys know what works on the dancefloor. It's straight in my box.

www.twistedamerica.com

ORIGIN feat. LYNDSEY OLARD "Killing Me" Pt. 1 (Original & Ortus Mxs) / Pt. 2 (Evolution and Origins Of House Mxs) Renaissance [Progressive] As a club, Renaissance paved the way for the maturation of Progressive House, handing over their very first mixed CD honors to a then up-and-coming duo named Sasha & Digweed. Little has changed in their reputation, and their success as a label solidifies this. "Killing Me" is the latest track from Renaissance favorites (and Steelyard mainmen) Origin, and it appears here in two parts. The first plate holds the Original Mix, a vintage-sounding melodic vocal progressive tune, and a remix from Airgap roster artists Ortus that updates the sound and keeps its vocal and arrangement sacred--coming off like a high-quality GU Ibiza-era Sasha tune. On Plate 2, Evolution toughen things up and move the vocal into dub territory for a peak-time workout that is as haunting as it is uplifting, while the Origin guys give it another go with their Origins Of House remix--a deep and tribal house chugger with serious crossover potential.

Also new this week is remix and production work from Neon Heights, Louis Botella (the official release of his much-requested Jamayka promo is here!), Scanners, Fred Everything, Miguel Migs (his debut artist album!), Kaskade, Essa, Ian Pooley & Magik J (remixed by DJ Sneak and Jamie Anderson), Louie Vega and Masters At Work, Nathan Coles, Idjut Boys, Terry Francis, and much more.

New label releases from Low Pressings, Airgap, Red Ant, Bombay, Q, Naked Music, Rhythm Syndicate, Functional Breaks, Paper Recordings, Distance, Honchos Music, Pirate Radio, Groove Pleasure, and Mixture are also in stock.

And finally, as we mentioned before, the latest releases from Lawnchair Generals on Westbound (my God, this is good) and Doc Martin for Sublevel (on limited white label) are also back in. Always check our restock section for updates.

Bay Area folks: Primal Records' monthly Get Underground! party (put on by the ever-dedicated Rebecca Watkins) is up again, this Saturday, November 16, at Club Six. This month's guests include, from Paris, France, Brique Rouge and Adult Only artist Dan Ghenacia, Tony Hewitt from Tango Recordings, Galen of Pacific Sound and Sunset Recordings (whose recent EP with Tony Senghore has been flying out of here), and Miss Rebecca herself. The party goes from 10PM to 4AM at Club 6, located at 60 Sixth Street, in between Market and Mission Streets in San Francisco. Be there!

East Coast folks: Primal Records will be taking over the Arcade Room over at ARC in New York City this Saturday night, November 16. Our good friend Bill Patrick and myself, Norman Arenas, will be playing tech-house and more all night long, while Matt Licata and Steve Lawler dish out the big room tribal in the main room. This should be quite a memorable event, and I have to give up true respect to Nick at ARC who was so helpful and enthusiastic about giving us this opportunity. It's club events like the ones at Get Underground! and ARC that truly keep the spirit of house music alive.

This week's second update is incoming, featuring 2 new white label releases
from the Tango label family and fresh promos from Robin Porter's brand new
Shva Muzik label. Until then, be good!

(Norman Arenas)