House Reviews
by Brent Crampton
photo by Tony Bonacci

Whether it be funky and deep, bompty and quirky, or just click-click beepy – this is your monthly house music source for what’s hot and churning on the dance floors at the moment. And with the Winter Music Conference just behind us, so many great choons are now on the market.

Slater Hogan & Chuck Daniels feat. Groove Philosophies – CDR
Internationally known for sumptuous blend of jazz, hip-hip and quirky elements, these two unreleased tracks passed along to me by Slater Hogan demonstrate his acclaimed skills to the fullest. With a round-about base line, the saxophone sample gives a jackin’ flair while the Rhodes key displays a deep and subtle groove. But let’s not forget the most unique feature of the track – it’s hip-house lyrics. No! they are not bootlegged. With style and original flair, Hogan is remixing an underground hip-hop group out of Denver. Throwing down old school house party rhymes, this is a floor filler for sure.

Slater Hogan, John Larner & Glenn – Disco Inferno – CDR
Since we are the topic of bootlegs, how often do you hear a producer take a “everybody knows the lyrics” pop song or hip-hop track, throw a house beat over it, and call it a day? This is not the style of Hogan, Larner and Glenn. They take 50 Cent’s “Shake that ass girl” track and turn it out. With their own base line, melody, jazzy key licks – this track should falls in the category of the proper way to bootleg a track – be original! And from testing this one out of the dancefloor – the masses react to it, the heads appreciate it.

Slum Science – Creeps Who Sleep – Hudd Traxx
The baseline is what sold me on “Creeps who sleep” track. So big, so dynamic that it just calls your booty to the floor. Cover the rest with sloppy hi-hats and percussion, some unearthed hip-house samples flutter in the background of the melody. Rather than focus on musicality, this track is carried by the base and it’s forefrontin’ groovin’ drum hits. The Scott Pace remix throws down a screechy tricycle sample that carries along the broken groove of the track. Pacing a more deep-tech feel, the songs melody throws down a wicked Twilight-zone feel. The “Promise” cut is a stripped down number with a Joey Youngman-esque influence. Strong drum kicks, analog base line and a floating melody.

Smitty vs. John Kelley feat. Raya – Universal Love Vibration – Dust Traxx
A insightful spoken word by Raya sends a positive message while Smitty and Kelley throw down some means house beats. All tracks display an excellent contrast in melding different elements. All displaying a tribal-centered theme with big drums, big hits and wicked keys, these EP destroys the dancefloor.