Review: Andrew Emil, Glass Slipper, Claude Young - Incidental Introspection EP (Colour & Pitch)

When it comes to having a party, it'd be rude not to invite a supergroup along and bring with 'em their 'Incidental Introspection EP'.

And that's what Colour & Pitch have done for their 10 Anniversary celebrationa as this Fab 4, being Andrew Emil and Claude Young (respectively Chicago and Detroit) with Lisa Cork-Twiss and Brad Eller (aka Glass Slipper) have got together with 4 killer tracks and a remix.

'Fade Out' the 80s inspired Shalamar-eaque opener, the funkin' instrumental ' 'Unclaimed Restraint' and 'Dancefloor Paramour' (Original Mix), 'Dancefloor Paramour' (Glass Slipper Remix) [As featured on the March Colour & Pitch Sessions mix - see below] and a slo-mo-emotional 'God Only Knows'.

Indeed, God only knows how this is so good as this is bold, cheeky music that oozes passion - 'Dancefloor Paramour' indeed!

Think I prefer the Glass Slipper Remix as theres less reverb on Lisa's vocals and more boogie on the percussion; plus it's a reminder of the excellent Glass Slipper release 'Am I Alone' (see review HERE) - perhaps that was an unsutble hint that Lisa was moving away from their Texas base but it 'Dancefloor Paramour'(s) are the opposite of being alone.

It's taken a while to get these tracks released which is probably going to turn out to be a blessing as their time is now.

PS. In addition to it being Bandcamp Friday, don't miss the Andrew Emil remix of 'Tears' by Elbert Phillips (he of the A.MA remixes - see review HERE) and Andre Espeut on Yore Records.

Colour and Pitch · Colour and Pitch Sessions with Sumsuch - March 2024

Colour and Pitch · Colour and Pitch Sessions with Sumsuch - April 2024

Artist: Andrew Emil, Glass Slipper, Claude Young

Title: Incidental Introspection EP

Release date: 5th April, 2024

Label: Colour & Pitch

Cat. No: CAP093

Format: Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Sumsuch & Will Brock - Free Born Man (with Vincenzo Remix) (Colour & Pitch)

Seems like we've been waiting a long time for the next installment of the Sumsuch & Will Brock musical adventure but fear not, 'Free Born Man' (on Colour and Pitch) will be with us soon.

And if Sumsuch's love of "fascinating blends of deep floating house music" isn't enough, he's gone and got one of the current experts in the field, Vencenzo on the remix.

The original track is very much in their own classic style of 'There Comes A Time' as that one also has a dramatic floaty free that is the perfect vehicle for Mr. Brock's vocals and great use of uplifting bouncey synths. 

Equally essential is the reduced beach bar - piano lounge chillout house of Vincenzo's remix that fits in and at the same time, is a bit of a contrast to other recent releases like the influencial single last year on Be Adult Music, 'Extrasolar'/''The Witching Hour' - which came out at about the time of Sumsuch & Will Brock's last release, 'Don't Know Where I'm Going' (with Gavin Boyce Remix - see review HERE) that featured Kameelah Waheed who continues to keep cropping up and most surpristingly of Joseph Malik's new album on Ramrock Records (see review HERE).

Will Brock's fantastic vocals lift the soul of the track in both forms but just as mesmerising is the there's the two instrumental versions as a bonus.

This is a fantastic start to 2024 that also happens to be the 10th anniversary year of Colour & Pitch and long term readers of YATM will recall the Sumsuch/Brock opened the Colour & Pitch label's account back in 2015 with the now classic, Simpathico (see review HERE) and they've followed this up the equally essential 'All Along', 'Shine' and 'Humanity' plus remixes; perhaps there's a compilation album due?

Don't forget this months' Colour & Pitch Sessions mix that starts with the Vincenzo remix (see below) and the Sumsuch/Matty Eeles release 'Find Home' on Be Adult Music with remixes by Vincenzo  - see review HERE)

Colour and Pitch · Colour and Pitch Sessions with Sumsuch - February 2024

Artist: Sumsuch & Will Brock 
Title: Free Born Man (inc. Vincenzo Remix) 
Release date: 1st March 2024
Label: Colour & Pitch
Cat. No: CAP092
Format: Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Will Brock & Sumsuch - LoA (Land of America) (with Dave Leck Remix) (Colour & Pitch)

I've got to say, the chorus of "LoA, LoA, LoA" does sound a bit 'Elvis in Hiwaii' but wait! This 'Land Of America' fights back with some edge that's right for these testing times.

Taking some Philly love from their 'Humanity' release from the passed couple of years, (see CAP071 & Remixed CAP077) with some angst from fellow Philly resident, Kameelah Waheed (who joined the duo on 'Don't Know Where I'm Going', see review HERE) it comes in original, clean, dub and Dave Leck Remix.

In fact, the remix doubles the bouncey synths with Will Brock's fantastic vocals and lyrics the shines a light on the land of the free's "subtle gaslighting America seems to inflict on its most vulnerable citizens" (track was written mid-2022), that's now happening in various elections all over the planet. 

Next year expect a track 'Free Born Man' (could that be an "answer" track?) with a Vincenzo Remix; he of Be Adult Music (check their latest compilation for Xmas, ' Winter Tale', HERE) and the dub version sounds less 50th State and more Balearic with a strong beach percussion vibe and soft-rock twang (Dave is Australian).

I hope to have an "exclusive" with the lyrics to update you with as I feel this is going to be an important release for these two and deserves to be fully appreciated.

Colour and Pitch · Colour and Pitch Sessions with Sumsuch - November 2023

Artist: Will Brock & Sumsuch 

Title: LoA (Land of America) (with Dave Leck Remix)

Release date: 15th December, 2023

Label: Colour & Pitch

Cat. No: CAP089

Format: Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Sara De Sanctis - Astray (inc. David Marston Remix) (Colour & Pitch)

Sara De Sanctis finds her fourth single on the Colour & Pitch label; does it raise the question, has she been led astray?

Well, the actual track is not your typical release on the label as it's well outside the "house" sound as it's a mournful song about feelings of "obession, loss and disorientation" which does sound a bit gloomy.  That said, it's so well produced (by Jacob Bright, mastered by Shawn Joseph) I can see a cross-over onto daytime radio; especially as it's got a touch of gospel choir/organ going on.

And with that intensity, David Marston's vocal and instrumental remixes have taken that original track to the dancefloor of the 2-step/UKG era with a bit of a modern update.  Very different to David's last release, 'Feeling You' on his own label, Kindness of Bearer recordings or his collaboration with Lady Alma and DJ Rob Paine on 'All The Way Far Away' that came out on BBE Music or his remix with Will Sumsuch of Tibor Dragan's 'Follow The Path' (also on Colour & Pitch).

The prolific Richard Earnshaw (last seen with a remix of Gavin Holligan's When Boys Become Men (stay tuned for more news on this one) got his hands on Sara's previous single, 'Fading' (also Colour & Pitch - see below) so this might not be the last remix you hear of an 'Astray' remix?

Colour and Pitch · Fading (Inner Spirit Remix) [Colour and Pitch]

Artist: Sara De Santis

Title: Astray (inc. David Marston Remix) 

Release date: 21st July, 2023

Label: Colour & Pitch

Cat. No: CAP091

Format: Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Sen-Sei & Jason Merle - Traduire (Colour & Pitch)

House dub-jazz funk with French vocal vibes; yes, Colour & Pitch's new release is a crowd pleaser of the highest order.

Sen-Sei (originally outta Brooklyn) has joined forces with Jason 'Let Me Do It' Merle (San Francisco) to translate 'Traduire' in two versions, 'Original' (that's pretty dubby with French vocals) and a 'French Filter Mix' (that's even hyperdubby with French airport lounge vocals).

As you look out over the horizons (as per the cover photo), this will take you onto another level.

Expected to be on the Colour & Pitch Sessions monthly mix with Sumsuch - always an essential listen.

Colour and Pitch · Colour and Pitch Sessions with Sumsuch - June 2023

Artist: Sen-Sei & Jason Merle 

Title: Traduire EP

Release date: 23rd June, 2023

Label: Colour and Pitch

Catalog Number: CAP085

Review: Sumsuch, Will Brock, Kameelah Waheed - Don't Know Where I'm Going (Gavin Boyce Remix) (Colour & Pitch)

If you've recently danced to Terry Farley and Wade Teo's hit, 'Why We Dance' you'll recognise the name and the voice of Kameelah Waheed as the girl from New Jersey who is now on the new release from Colour & Pitch, Sumsuch and Will Brock's 'Don't Know Where I'm Going' that comes with Gavin Boyce remixes.

 

It's been a while since the Sumsuch / Will Brock release 'All Along' and even longer since their collab album project, Mega Jawns' 'Ten Letters From Home' (BBE) so it's great to have them back as they connect over the pond with this tale of being lost.  Original sessions started in May of last year so it's about time we can hear Brock's soulful vocals that are so perfect for this track.

Waheed is now based in Philly (as is Brock) and also recently appeared on Honey Dijon's Defected album ‘Black Girl Magic', so she's really in demand at the moment and taken to heart the spoken word part similar to born and raised Philadelphian poet. activist, artist, Ursula Rucker.  

Ireland's Gavin Boyce (Nordic Trax) is on the buttons with a vocal mix and a dub. If you know his 'Anywhere Here' album, you'll expect some deep synth spacewalk from this guy; and that's what you get and putting the two tracks together, it's a magnificent 15 minutes!

Really think that BBE should have a look again at Mega Jawns (it's more than just a one way ticket to 'Joy') but in the meantime, I know where I'm going with Brock, Sumsuch, Waheed and Boyce, straight to the 'play again' button.

Artist: Will Brock & Sumsuch

Title: Don't Know Where I'm Going (inc. Gavin Boyce Remixes)
Don't Know Where I'm Going (feat. Kameelah Waheed)
Don't Know Where I'm Going (Gavin Boyce Mix)
Don't Know Where I'm Going (Gavin Boyce Dub Mix)
Don't Know Where I'm Going (Instrumental)
Release date: 14^th April, 2023
Label Colour and Pitch
Catalog Number CAP087
Cover artwork and photography by Zoe Childerly, as part of her project ‘Beneath The Waves'. More information at: www.zoechilderley.co.uk

Review: Kerrier Collective - Life Wants To Live (Colour & Pitch)

Colour & Pitch have had some stunning releases recently and if you think you know what you're going to expect, be in for a surprise as 'Life Wants To Live' by Kerrier Collective that you can be on the edge without falling over.

Kerrier Collective are a duo (Ben Tidy and Alfie Gidley) based in Cornwall and this instrumental featuring live horns from Polly Meyrick (it must be 'a thing' - also see George T's 'Automatic Self On Hold' featuring Joseph Malik) and it's got that post-"Kruder & Dorfmeister and Cinematic Orchestra's lovechild" trip-hop of Conic Rose that works so well.

And for the club, there's a remix from CoFlo (from the San Francisco Bay area, not Porthtowan) who mixes in a deep house tribal synth dubness to this in a flutey forest that's reminiscent of Osunlade/Yoruba.

How did they get together with Coflo? It was through their love of CoFlo's track 'Lux' (with a Kaidi Tatham remix) on Local Talk so hoping we're going to hear must more of these guys. 

Artist: Kerrier Collective

Title: Life Wants To Live EP

Release date: 31st March, 2023

Label:  Colour and Pitch

Catalog Number: CAP088

Format: Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Finest Wear - Night Tales EP (Colour and Pitch)

Is it Detroit?  Is It Berlin? No, it's Oxford! Well, it was a couple of Saturdays ago when Finest Wear and Colour & Sound had their launch party at Frevd for the new EP called. 'NIght Tales'.

This is Finest Wear's follow up to his EP of earlier this year, 'The Concrete Shuffle'.  You'll find 'Night Tales' is still urban deep house but not all of it is about the shadowy recessess of a railway arch club.

The 3 tracks are very different to Finest Wear's remix of 'Sky Be Blue' (also on Colour & Pitch - see reveiw HERE) but there's definitely a connection with a weaving synth glow.

At first, you might think 'Push Me' is main room with heavy beats and misty vocals but it's really bouncy and addictive. This is going to be the way to finish off 2022 in a big way.

Similarly, 'The Buzz Dub' has the deep house keys that you love but with this 'hornet trapped in a jam jar' buzz - is it annoying? Yes, do you forgive him? Yes you do as this turns heads on the dance floor and gets everyone going. 

 

And sitting somewhere between these two tracks is 'Ket Corner' that's got that buzz (not the same buzz as 'The Buzz Dub') and gets more atmospheric with classic tech-house post Kraftwerk infulences.

This is the London based producers sixth EP on Colour & Pitch since early 2020 so you'd be expecting more soon, time for a retrospective/remix album? You'd have to 'Push Me' for that!

Buy / stream link: Finest Wear - Night Tales EP

And here's Will Sumsuch's session for November with details of gigs in Newcastle and Manchester this weekend. 

Colour and Pitch · Colour and Pitch Sessions with Sumsuch - November 2022

Artist: Finest Wear 

Title: Night Tales EP

Release date: 25th November, 2022

Label : Colour and Pitch

Catalog Number : CAP082

Launch Party Frevd in Oxford Saturday (5th November 2022)

Review: Chad Will - Sky Be Blue EP (Colour and Pitch)

You might be forgiven for thinking the label Head Honcho at Colour & Pitch has been sent to Coventry for their latest release 'Sky Be Blue' but remarkably, Austin, Texas is nearer the mark!

Chad Will first came to light by winning a remix competition for Danny Howells' 'Breath' and  since another life changing event, he's now putting his heart and soul (you could say, "literally") in his music production work. 

Strongly recommend checking out the links below to hear 3 great versions - or this months' Colour & Pitch Radio show with Will Sumsuch that went live this week. 

Each mix is great and can easily fit the main room or the backroom,  Does the orignal mix have a bit of 80s ESG vibe?  Either way, it just has the right level of good time blue sky dreaming moody cloud-synths.

Finest Wear (Nite Grooves, Nordic Trax) goes even deeper into the synth dream whilst New York's Sleepy & Boo get really bouncy synth for a loft / appartment / underground party in any direction heading out of Williamsburg (that's the Brooklyn one of course). 

Expect much more from Chad in the new year as this Austinite has a desire to get it out there.

li.sten.to/skybeblue

colourandpitch.bandcamp.com

www.colourandpitch.com

Colour and Pitch · Colour and Pitch Sessions with Sumsuch - October 2022

Colour and Pitch Sessions with Sumsuch October 2022

Artist: Chad Will 

Title: Sky Be Blue inc remixes by Finest Wear and Sleepy & Boo.

Single Release Date: 28/10/2022

Label:  Colur and Pitch

Format: DIGITAL

Review: Aiby & The Noise - Dangerous Liaisons (Colour and Pitch)

Colour & Pitch has quickly established itself as a go-to label for deep, melodic and, let’s be honest here, intelligent music,  of which  their latest release – Aiby & The Noise “Dangerous Liaisons / Dream Suite” - is a perfect example. 

Barcelona based producers Garcy Noise and Vanessa Aiby’s first appearance on the label came with their storming remix of Teysel’s “”Continuous”,  to be quickly followed by this excellent two tracker  under their  own name.  

Lead track “Dangerous Liasons” is a warm and welcoming deep dancer that captivates from the first note – and of not from then, from the first “Yeah” which follows 20 odd seconds later. With a vocal top line of “Who needs enemies with a friend like you?” dancing across it’s wonderfully analogue depths and a perfectly old school skipping hi-hat pattern providing an irresistible drive, it’s destined to become a major favourite in next to no time.

Companion piece “Dream Suite” is an equally deep affair, but one that’s more of a grower  - musically and emotionally.  Starting from a drum pattern, other elements – including a distinctly enigmatic spoken vocal and a nicely growling bass - are added gradually until roughly the 3 minute mark,  when it breaks into sparser reverb drenched territory;  by then you’re on so much of a journey  you might get lost, where it not for the percussion coming back to show you the way home. Lovely stuff.

Aiby & The Noise “Dangerous Liasons” / “Dream Suite” , Colour & Pitch (CAP006) is available as a Beatport exclusive until December 9^th, when it hits iTunes and all other online stores. Buy it.

Preview: Teysel - Continuous (Colour and Pitch)

Barcelona based DJ and producer Teysel takes centre stage for C&P’s 5th release. Inspired by underground Chicago and West Coast US house music, Teysel’s traditional, precise approach to DJing is reflected in his compositions. With an EP and several remixes released on German label EUN, he is now also finding his feet as a producer. Title track ‘Continuous’ represents a slice of simple, Berlin influenced, stripped down tech house, full of dark and brooding atmospheres.

Ahead of their forthcoming debut single on Colour and Pitch, Spanish production duo Aiby & The Noise make their entrance (and live up to the second half of their name) with a truly raucous remix of ‘Continuous’. Replaying the bass-line and adding some classic breaks, they transform the track into a growling behemoth; to be handled with caution!

Hailing from Czech Republic, residing in Brighton UK, A-Bee & Tom Vagabondo have released on countless labels both separately and together as The Lazyboys. Their remix of Continuous completes our package with a deep and mournful deep house journey, adding haunting spoken word and bleak, atmospheric synths.

Continuous is out now, exclusively via Beatport

Review: Finest Wear - Distant Memories (Colour and Pitch)

The second release on Brighton-based label Colour & Pitch, "Distant Memories" makes it clear that the name of the label is more than just two words that look good alongside each other; this collection is full of vivid sonic colors and knows its musical pitches but doesn't take that as a point of pride.  The arrangements are well thought-out and interesting in a genre where that's not necessarily required anymore. In much house music these days a decent groove and a fat kick drum will usually suffice.

The term "intelligent dance music" was always silly-sounding, but the idea behind it was one worth aspiring to: tracks that still hold up as music when you're no longer in a dance environment. Finest Wear's work hits this target easily and without sacrificing any club "thump."

The opener, "The Storm" has the aforementioned elements and features spoken word describing the female vocalist's lover as the titular storm. This is followed by "For The Love" with dubbed-out vocal snippets reminiscent of a memory just beyond the point of clarity--yet definitely not forgotten.  "The Tribute" is up next and is probably the moodiest of all of the tracks with a full minute of strings and pads before any drum appears.  When the bass shows up in the arrangement almost 2 minutes into the track, the vibe is already pretty thick with pads and drums. Also at this point one may find involuntary bodily movement has commenced (also known as "grooving.") About halfway thru this number it begins to feel like a house party that has made that mysterious shift from beginning to "happening."

The closer is Sumsuch's refashion of the opening track, "The Storm."  Sumsuch moves the track in a jazzier direction--not any less rhythmic, just more complex harmonies and a bit more electric piano. There are also some subtle tech touches--just enough to sound slightly futuristic without going balls-out electro and balance out the jazz elements.

Folks looking to enjoy some butt-shaking and others looking for beautiful, yet bouncy electronic music have much to enjoy here.

'Distant Memories' is available now on Beatport , Traxsource , iTunes & Juno