This week's first update is online now at Primalrecords.com, with a little bit of something for everyone. Progressive house is back in full swing this week, our Techno section adds a few important bits as well, and to top it off, another exclusive white label from our friends at Household Recordings. Here's a peek:

NILS HESS & NATHAN COLES "The Get Fucked EP" Household (Promo) [House, Tech-house] In London circles, Nils Hess and Nathan Coles are tech-house royalty. Having spearheaded the movement with a bevy of strong releases, including two full-length albums for Eukahouse, the duo best known as Get Fucked move their directives to domestic soil with this EP for the Bay Area-based Household Recordings label. Four tracks in all, "The Get Fucked EP" is a return to form for Hess & Coles: Raw and funky loop and sample based house music with a flavor distinctly informed by classic UK acid and Chicago house. As always, it's first come, first serve for this one.

www.householdrecordings.com

LEE COOMBS & MEAT KATIE "Two Men On A Trip / The Hum (Meat Katie Rmx)" Finger Lickin' [Progressive house, Tribal, Breaks] Separately, Lee Coombs and Meat Katie literally revitalized a progressive house scene that was drowning in nondescript beats and whimsical effects. Combining the funkier elements of UK house with a classy breakbeat sound, they broke into the boxes of Lee Burridge, Danny Howells, and John Digweed, among many others, and basically set the tone for the current progressive breaks revival along the way. Here, the two producers team up for "Two Men On A Trip," a tough and tribal breakbeat cut with massive crossover appeal and a slight nod to the classic UK piano sound. On the flip, Mark Pember's Meat Katie alias hands in a solo remix of "The Hum," a deep, acidic breaks cut that operates in a 4/4 way. Excellent stuff here, all around.

www.fingerlickin.co.uk

ANALOGIC "Devotion / Square The Circle" Haiku [House, Tech-house, Progressive] Kevin Freeman is one of those producers whose work spans across the board. He's worked for Low Pressings, Oblong, and has forthcoming work on 20/20, here he records as Analogic for the upcoming Haiku label. "Devotion" is a fantastic deep house cut with ethereal female vocals and warm keys over a techy dancefloor groove (think of classic Pagan records as a reference), while "Square The Circle" takes the flip into a percussive tech-house terrain that keeps it deep without losing sight of the
dancefloor. A strong new entry for an artist you will be hearing more about.

POP OUT AND PLAY "While You Were Sleeping" (Original & Justin Drake Mxs) Purpose [House, Tribal House, Tech-house] Pop Out And Play ended last year with a strong showing on Special Needs; this year, they start things off with an equally impressive new record for the UK's Purpose imprint. "While You Were Sleeping" is a rough and dubby barrage of drums that recalls DJ Pierre and Tribal America--tough and techy tribal house for the mid-90s New York set. On the flip, genre mainstay Justin Drake of Peace Division takes the original into the present with a dark and progressive-tinged re-rub that will bring even the most jaded rooms alive.

www.purposerecords.co.uk

CHONGA "The Chonga EP" Acute Recordings [Progressive, Tribal house] Phil Jason made quite the name for himself in 2002 with well-received records for Plastic Fantastic, SAW Recordings, and Mechanism, to name a few. Here, he uses his Chonga alias on this nasty 2-tracker for Jason Jollins' Acute Recordings label--and the quality level has not taken a dip. "Electric Kung Fu Midnight" is a deep and tribal offering that will set the mood nicely, but my pick goes to "Mudwater Blues," a dubby and bass-driven progressive tech-houser. It's still got the darker vibe that Satoshi Tomiie and Anthony Pappa are apparently finding favor with, but its funk factor is what separates its appeal into broader territory.

www.acuterecordings.com

Also in this week is new remix and production work from DJ Rasoul, Willy Sanjuan (better known as Tijuana), Steve Porter, DJ Vibe (unmixed vinyl for his latest mix CD, and really really good, to boot!), Shafunkers, Future Acoustics, and more.

New label output from Plastic Fantastic, Bpitchcontrol, Narcotix, Super Charged, Kompakt, Fade, Kaos, and Tummy Touch is also in.

This may be the last you hear from me for a spell as I'm off on a much-needed vacation. Justin and the rest of the crew will be on point, as always, so things are business as usual.

Lots of new House on the way, including new music from Lance Desardi, Derrick Carter, Jay Tripwire, and Lawnchair Generals!

Thanks much for all, and be good.

(Norman Arenas)