Artist - Track (Label)

01. GB - Telektonon (Gifted & Blessed) Buy
02. Amp Fiddler - Superficial (Strut) Info
03. Ron Trent - Tribal Affair (Clubhouse) Info
04. Disco Nihilist - December 5th (Running Back) Buy
05. Fingers Inc. - A Path (DJ International) Buy
06. Sharon Redd - Beat The Street (Prelude) Buy
07. Adeva - Respect (Cooltempo) Info
08. Tazz - Ambeant 11 (Underground Quality) Buy
09. Marvin Dash - Model Turned Programmer (STlR 15) Info
10. Phuture - Rise From Your Grave (Strictly Rhythm) Buy
11. Obsolete Music Technology - Relapse (Machining Dreams) Info
12. Soul 223 - Heartstrings (Delsin) Buy
13. Leviticus - Life Story (HogLand) Info
14. Funtopia - Do You Wanna Know (Prima Vera) Info
15. A Drummer From The Detroit - Part One (FIT) Info
16. Sole Fusion - Bass Tone (Strictly Rhythm) Buy

Artist - Track (Label)

01. Omar-S - Motion (FXHE) Info
02. Mood II Swing - Move Me (Music For Your Ears) Buy
03. Vincent Halliburton - Flipside (Ferris Park) Info
04. Instant House - Hat Hat (Sacred Rhythm) Info
05. Dancing Flutes - Do The Do (Underground) Info
06. Levon Vincent - Pivotal Moments In Life (Novel Sound) Info
07. Theo Parrish - Sawala Sayale (Sound Signature) Info
08. Hot Lizard - The Theme (Product Deluxe) Info
09. Kym Mazelle - Useless (Capitol) Info
10. Jack Frost - Clap Me (A&M) Info
11. Octo Octa - Coldwaves (100% Silk) Buy
12. Ike Release - Puntigam (Episodes) Info

Direct download: JGM_83_-_Motion.mp3

Artist - Track (Label)

01. Jump St. Man - Because (Garage Trax) Info
02. Midway - Set It Out (Personal) Info
03. Alexander Robotnick - Love Supreme (Fuzz Dance) Buy
04. James Mason - Nightgruv (Rush Hour) Buy
05. Zsa Zsa La Boum - Something Scary (Kaos Dance) Info
06. Steve Poindexter - The Rhythm (Housetime) Info
07. Steve Summers - Different Paths (L.I.E.S.) Info
08. Terrace - Too Close (Djax) Buy
09. Phuture - Spank Spank (Trax) Buy
10. Incogdo - Simple Just A Ventage (Spiritual) Info
11. K-S.H.E. - B2B (Skylax) Info
12. Moodymann - Dem Young Sconies (Planet E) Buy
13. Members Only - The Secret Scent Of Women (Members Only) Info

Artist - Track (Label)

01. Metro Area - Proton Candy (Environ) Info
02. Daniel Wang - Not Feeling It (Balihu) Info
03. Delano Smith - Back In The Day (Mixmode) Info
04. Marvin Dash - Untitled (Workshop) Buy
05. 4th Measure Men - 4You (Area 10) Buy
06. Earth People - Dance (Underworld) Buy
07. Brawther - Asteroids & Stardust (Balance) Info
08. Lawrence - Precious Hall (Laid) Buy
09. Move D - Aspiration 2010 (Soul People Music) Info
10. Alexander Robotnick - Problemz D’Amour (Ndatl) Info
11. Prince - The Future (Warner) Info
12. Armando - 151 (Hot Mix 5) Buy
13. Reese & Santonio - How To Play Our Music (KMS) Info
14. Jack Master - Bang The Box (Jack) Info
15. Kraftwerk - Tour De France (EMI) Info
16. Hieroglyphic Being - 2 (Net28) Info
17. Vince Watson - Signals (Bio) Buy

One from the archives, transferred from a cassette recording made long ago.

Artist - Track (Label)

01. Logic - The Warning (Strictly Rhythm) Buy
02. The Sound Vandals - Feel It (Nu Groove) Info
03. Logic - The Final Frontier (Strictly Rhythm) Buy
04. Alternations - Feel It For You (RCA) Info
05. Sueno Latino - Sueno Latino (BCM) Info
06. Dv8 - This Beat Is Over (Strictly Rhythm) Buy
07. Underground Solution - Deep In My Mind (Strictly Rhythm) Buy
08. Robert Armani - Circus Bells (Dance Mania) Buy
09. MD Connection - Laser Scan (Muzique Records) Info
10. Lil’ Louis - Blackout (FFRR) Info

End of year lists are always tricky. There’s so much great music, that it’s impossible to compile a definitive ‘best of’ list (and besides it’s all subjective). So, here are a few artists, tracks, releases and labels that I’ve been feeling in the past year (with a mix to go along with it).

1. Afrikan Sciences - Spirals (Deepblak) Buy
Kicking-off Deepblak’s 10 year anniversary was Afrikan Sciences’ debut album, ‘Means and Ways’. The album explored multiple genres, all with a heavy influence of (hi-tech) jazz running through-out. The dance-floor tracks (’Spirals’, ‘Ejercicios’ and ‘NanoRock Skank’) were subsequently released on vinyl. Afrikan Sciences also provided a killer remix of Aybee’s ‘Build Her’.

2. Ital - One Hit (100% Silk) Buy
There was a lot of hype around 100% Silk in 2011. I personally wasn’t feeling most of the releases but the Ital record really stood out for me - simple yet highly effective. All three tracks on this EP are great and have a similar raw energy found on early Chicago records.
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3. Levon Vincent - Revs/Cost (Novel Sound) Info
After a year hiatus, Levon Vincent released two records via his Novel Sound imprint. ‘Man Or Mistress’ was inevitably going to be a huge track for the dance floor, but I preferred the more subtle tracks found on the ‘Impressions Of A Rainstorm’ EP. Either way, both records are essential.
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4. Kevin Reynolds - Liaisons (Nsyde) Info
Kevin Reynold’s debut (released via his Todhchai imprint in 2006) was really impressive. This years follow-up (’Favis’) was a little underwhelming in my opinion. However, the ‘Liaisons’ track released via Nsyde more than made up for it. Hopefully we won’t have to wait another 5 years for his next release.
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5. Tin Man - Nonneo (Acid Test) Buy
A real treat of a record, Tin Man’s ‘Nonneo’ caught the ear of many. ‘Nonneo’ saw Tin Man focusing on crisp, driving drum programming while keeping the sparse and emotive 303 bassline fairly restrained, producing both a trippy yet upbeat feel. The flip gave us the excellent Donato Dozzy remix, who kept things sparse and let the bassline breathe, which only added to the trippiness.

6. Vakula - You Cannot Resist (Shevchenko) Info
I was quite surprised to not see Vakula featured on more year end lists. The Ukrainian producer gave us great remixes of Herman’s  ‘Rock Your Body’ and Steve Reich’s  ‘2×5: Movement 3 Fast’, as well offering up 10 releases of his own material. The ‘You Cannot Resist’, ‘Unthank’ and ‘Picture Of You’ ep’s are all top quality and highly recommended.

7. Ethyl & Huxley - Reflexions (Tsuba) Buy
2011 was a busy year for Aybee and his Deepblak imprint. As well as providing stellar remixes for Ethyl & Huxley, Damon Bell and Afrikan Sciences, Aybee also gave us his own ‘11:11′ EP, a split release with Miles Sagnia as well as the ‘Build Her’ remix ep. Deepblak also celebrated it’s tenth anniversary with the ‘Ten’ compilation, which rounded up highlights from the label.

8. Recloose - Electric Sunshine (Rush Hour) Buy
Following-up from last years excellent ‘Early Works’ retrospective, Recloose gave us the ‘Saturday Night Manifesto’ EP via Rush Hour. Recloose’s first new material in three years, the EP is real return to form in my opinion. Both ‘Tecumseh’ and ‘Electric Sunshine’ are killer tracks.
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9. Floating Points - Arp3 (Eglo) Buy
In two short years, Sam Shepherd (aka Floating Points) has released some of the finest music around. The early part of 2011 saw Floating Points release the excellent mid-tempo track, ‘Marilyn’ as well as the wonderful remix of Daedelus’ ‘Tailor Made’. The latter half of the year he gave us the acid tinged ‘Danger’, with the very nice (yet too short) ambient piece, ‘Miniature 27′ on the flip. The ‘Shadows’ EP released in early December finished off Floating Points’ year in very fine style. Hoping to hear a full album from Floating Points in the near future.

10. Kassem Mosse - Untitled (Workshop) Info
Wonderfully weird deep house from Kassem Mosse on the always excellent Workshop label.
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11. Cosmin TRG - Amor Y Ortos (Fifty Weapons) Buy
A lot of techno coming out of Europe leaves me cold, but 2011 saw a number of producers who piqued my interest, including Romanian producer Cosmin TRG who gave us his debut album, ‘Simulat’ via Fifty Weapons - ‘Fizic’, ‘Ritmat’ and ‘Amor Y Ortos’ being the stand-out cuts for myself.
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12. John Heckle - What Once Was (Mathematics) Info
Another producer that I was surprised at not seeing on more year end lists. John Heckle gave us a fine debut album, ‘The Second Son’ (the CD version was completely different from the vinyl, so essential two albums). The ‘Hard Sleeper’ release was also great but it was ‘The 4th Dimension’ EP that did it for me. Also, on Mathematics was the excellent ‘Traces’ EP by San Laurentino.

13. Mr. Fingers - Finger Fuck (Rush Hour) Buy
Obviously not from 2011, but (for most) these tracks only saw the light of day this year. Compiled by Gene Hunt, ‘Chicago Dance Tracks Vol. 1′ featured unreleased material taken from reel-to-reel’s given to Hunt during the 1980’s, with highlights from Virgo 4, Mike Dunn, Craig Loftis, Ron Hardy and Mr. Fingers.

14. Omar S - Here’s Your Trance Now Dance! (FXHE) Buy
Released at the beginning of the year, ‘Here’s Your Trance Now Dance!’ was no doubt going to ubiquitous. Omar S doing what he does so well.
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15. Kyle Hall - Down! (Wild Oats) Info
On his only release this year, Kyle Hall gave us two raw looped based tracks. Simple, yet highly effective. Hall’s imprint Wild Oats also gave us the debut release from Jay Simon, ‘Faith’, a great rework of Faith Evan’s ‘You Used To Love Me’.
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16. John Daly - Sea Level (Further) Buy
Seattle’s Further Records have released some great music all across the board over the past couple of years. Last year’s amazing Donato Dozzy album, ‘K’, got a much welcomed CD release this year. Other highlights from this year included o1o’s ‘Futurespective’ EP - a collection of Aybee’s headier material from the past few years, as well as the excellent John Daly record.

17. Space Dimension Controller - Max Tiraquon (R&S) Buy
Yet another one that should have turned up on more year end lists. This was billed as a prequel release to next years full length album, but this is really a great album in itself. You can clearly hear Detroit’s influence on SDC but he makes the sound his own. ‘The Pathway To Tiraqoun6′ provides great listen from start to finish.

Guest mix from m50.

Artist - Track (Label)

01. Exos - Frodi Ambience (AE) Info
02. D5 - Floatation Tank (Delsin) Info
03. Mark Broom - Stairway Skank (Ifach) Info
04. Torul V - La Mont (Thule) Info
05. Ford & Loveday - Dead Eye v.1 (Ifach) Info
06. Alex Cortex - Reticarga Part 1 (Klang Electronik) Info
07. Paul Mac - Back And Forth (Primate) Info
08. Monolake - Linear (Imbalance Computer Music) Info
09. Paul Mac - Not My Strong Suit (Fragmented) Info
10. ø - Twin Bleebs (Sahko) Info
11. Mr. G - U Askin’? (Marcel Dettmann Remix) (REKIDS) Info
12. Black Jazz Consortium - What’s Up With The Love (Soul People Music) Info