Various Artists – Talking House Vol. 1

Label: Local Talk

With all the hype surrounding the 90s New York and Jersey house revival scene over the last year, it’s sometimes easy to forget that the upbeat, timeless sound never really died. Prefiguring the trend by a couple of years, Swedish imprint Local Talk have steadily been putting out top quality house tunes since their inception in 2011, building up an enviable catalogue of bangers as well as deeper cuts that are all sure to put a smile on your face as well as a shuffle in your step. Having clocked up 26 releases to date, labelheads Mad Mats and Tooli have brought out the highlights in this superb compilation which is sure to please all but the most sombre techno-heads.

Referencing house’s golden age from Masters At Work to Rhythim is Rhythim, the cuts on offer come in a variety of flavours, unified by an all-smiling, all-dancing house sound. Fulbert’s First Time House is a great mission statement; warm pads leap energetically over an onslaught of detuned vocals and echoing handclaps. Later HNNY’s For The Very First Time is an equally powerful mover, an iridescent three-note synth motif reigning supreme over a great vocal that’s sure to get the ‘floor jacking.

Full LP Stream

For those looking for something a bit tougher there’s enough to keep busy; Dirtytwo’s majestic Moody is a deep, powerful cut, that takes 10 minutes to build over a simple bassline to a blissful acid crescendo (though some may say that it’s shorter, tougher Butt Jackin’ Mix would have been a more worthy inclusion). Later one of the rawest takes comes (unsurprisingly) courtesy of Gerd, whose NY Stomp remix of Mateo & Matos’ MAW Basics is a textbook example of the Jersey sound, a swung-out 4/4 anchoring powerful synthwork and deep rolling bassline. The basic elements are so strong that it’d be easy to overlook the details on these tunes but they are there; for example the crystal-clear handclap rhythm that lies distant in MAW Basics’ first breakdown only to emerge in its full glory for the second. Local Talk fans will know that the roster have a talent for for breakdowns, and these tunes show some of the finest build-and-release mechanics currently on offer in the house scene.

Although all the tracks stick to the warm house formula, there’s enough variation on offer to keep the listener interested across the twelve tunes. Wil Maddams’ superb Stand In For Love makes for a surprising highlight, with a warm, syrupy breakdown that takes it’s time to build up to a dusty, clattering pay-off. It’s only one of the tunes to make great use of live instrumentation, the other notable choice being Kyodai’s powerhouse Breaking, where live drums lend a soulful vitality to the whirring synths and singsong vocals.

There’s something genuine to Local Talk’s output that overshadows recent me-too efforts at the 90s sound. These tunes sound real and vital, and it’s gratifying to hear that these artists aren’t afraid to toy with the retro sound and bring it up to date (something the UK’s retro-fetishists could learn from). Obviously not every tune can stand out; tunes from Willie Graff and DJ Steaw can feel a little light compared to the high quality of the rest of the compilation. But even these more low-key cuts work well when the compilation is played as a whole, allowing the listener a breather from all the high-energy numbers. One could say that it’s a shame to not have any exclusives for the fans, but then again few compilations that include exclusives are as good as Talking House Vol 1. In general Mad Mats and Tooli have done a great job picking the best from their formidable back-catalogue, and the compilation is deftly sequenced to ensure it never gets too samey.

Talking House ends where Local Talk began, with Bassfort’s anthemic Moon Shadow, which builds a deep groove of burbling synths and a descending bassline for a good three minutes before coming out with a magnificent piano line that dominates the latter half of the track. Even listening to this track for the fiftieth time, that special, nostalgic euphoria that the piano conjures reminds you of the unique, vital power of real house music. It’s a feeling that Local Talk keep up with style for the entire length of this compilation, and with great recent releases from C.R.S.T., Anaxander and Kyodai this year, it’s hard not to start getting excited for Volume 2.

8.5/10

Kyodai – Moving

Label: Local Talk

A lot of people seem to agree: there’s something a bit special about Sweden’s Local Talk imprint. Drawn together by the blissful, unifying vision of great house music, pure and simple, Mad Mats and Tooli have been working away since 2011 releasing an unstoppable series of warm, powerful house cuts, each release bonded by its distinctive high quality and unabashed love of feelgood house music. Two months into 2013 and two releases strong, not to mention the imminent arrival of their stellar compilation, Talking House Vol. 1; it looks like Local Talk are set to pursue their unstoppable winning streak well into the new year.

The Scene

So we get to Kyodai. The German duo’s first release on Local Talk, Breaking, was the imprint’s biggest seller to date; an infectious fusion of jazz-inflected live drums,  gliding piano chords, whirring synths and perfect vocal chops. It was a bit of a masterpiece, actually. So the news that not only were the duo returning to the imprint, but that it was with an actual sequel, was very exciting indeed. The package doesn’t disappoint: B-side Moving (Breaking Part 2) is a classy update of the original hit; the original elements returning with an intensified vitality: those synth whirrs now slamming into the speakers, the live drum samples a little more frantic. It’s still good fun, but there’s a new urgency to the track taking the place of the original’s more relaxed atmosphere. It all bodes well considering the announcement of their debut album this year for Local Talk

Sounds good so far, but we wouldn’t blame you for not wanting to shell out for a slab of wax that only contains an update of an old track. Luckily Kyodai have taken this into account, offering the stellar The Scene on the A to make this 12” a ferocious package. Building over languid piano chords and some snappy syncopation, the intro takes it’s time to get to the first big drop, which is more than worth the wait. After two minutes of relaxed groove, the beat and piano fade to absolute silence. A new chord sequence emerges before the emergence of a searing diva vocal line, ramping the anticipation to the max before finally dropping into a jackin’ groove. It’s one of those moments that make you sit back and realise how re-energised the house scene has truly become in the last few years. Like all the best upbeat house releases, here Kyodai are able to fluidly meld the vintage with the modern, to twin a propulsive dance drive with relaxed vibes, and they do it all without ever taking their eyes off that most crucial of elements: the groove.

7/10

C.R.S.T. Vs Chesus – Monster Munch EP

Label: Local Talk

C.R.S.T. established a name for themselves a few years back with their bumpin’ form of 90s-style garage and house, so the eternally on-point Local Talk seems like a natural fit for the Welsh group. Here the quartet share a split EP with the ‘C’ of their name, Chesus, who you might remember from last year’s jackin’ Goodlove EP.

The group’s syncopated garage rhythms and Chesus’ straighter house approach gel together perfectly, and the distinct artists offer up one highlight apiece, bookending the EP. On the front-end there’s title track Monster Munch, featuring the on-trend house magician The Organ Grinder, where a soaring diva cry reigns supreme over clipped strings and an impossibly punchy garage bounce. Bumpin’ chord stabs and sharp snares supplement the package, but it’s the core elements here that are so well done: it’s hard to imagine anyone hearing this come on in a club without breaking out in a smile and a shuffle. The other highlight here comes in the form of Chesus’ gorgeous closer Special, where a sweeping string sample and some catchy vocals courtesy of The O’Jays lend the track a feelgood disco groove.

The second cut, Chesus’ Newark, is a deeper affair, with big Jersey chords and clipped vocals setting up a solid groove that ultimately feels a little static. You can't help but feel that a stronger progression is required for the tune to really stand out. On the B there’s C.R.S.T’s Life, another impeccable slice of jackin’ house with a garage twist thanks to those swung beats, with lush shifting chords and a strong bassline keeping up the pace. It all comes together as a quick, effective package; irresistibly feelgood and unstoppably dancey. Even if the middle tracks aren’t quite as remarkable as the opener and closer, the end result is another essential purchase from Local Talk for the fine purveyors of that feelgood house sound. Nothing here will disappoint, and we can imagine dancing to Special’s timeless groove well into the new year.

7/10