Brussels, Belgian capital and home of the talented producer/DJ Max Telaer who released his new single ‘Dance Around’ on Crooks &Villains Records.
Max Telaer
Max Telaer is no stranger to us. He’s already released 3 EP’s on our other label Gents & Dandy’s, not to mention his recent output on Hustler Trax, House Cookin or Solide. ‘Dance Around’ has that old skool underground ‘basement vibe’ that Max gets absolutely right each and every time. Ruff, tuff and with a touch of lo-fi beats underpin the repetitive rhodes key loop while the guiding vocal urges the listener to get ready. Short vocal stabs take care of that fist pump triggering motion while grooving along the track. Old skool made by the new skool.
Karl Sierra releases single ‘Own Your Groove’ on Crooks & Villains Records after recent success on labels like Puro Music, Salted & Bobbin Head.
Karl Sierra
Karl is an Australian deep & soulful house producer based in London, and he’s on somewhat of a heater on the release front. Having a scored a number 1 on Traxsource deephouse top 100 with the Soledrifter remix of ‘Vibe All Night’. Shortly followed by ‘Own Your Groove’ which cemented his name for weeks high up the top 100 ladder.
It’s a smooth grooving tune with a spoken word vocal layered on top of the arrangement, highlighting the feeling about music across multiple genres. And it works perfectly!
Looking back on the label launch in September 2018 and 5 releases strong by December we collected a track from all separate releases to form the ‘Organized Crime‘ compilation. Ideal if you haven’t yet discovered the label or just to catch up on things. Music from Diamond, Chris Fry, Blazers, Jon Billick & 22 Weeks.
22 Weeks are on a serious heater of releases: Dvine, Large Music and now on Crooks & Villains Records!
22 Weeks
Two track EP Streetlife Chords
Right from the start ‘Streetlife Chords’ gives you an energetic bounce while you sway side to side from the rumbling bassline and echoing pads. Rugged and tough, this one is primed for the heavy systems in the club.
The second installment, ‘Talk To Me’ sends the listener off on a journey through dreamscapes of percussions and synth chords while keeping your attention through otherworldly pads and an entrancing female chorus.
The EP has been released as Traxsource promo 14 December 2018 and hit worldwide stores two weeks later. Buy or stream here: https://fanlink.to/CROOKS005
We’re going across the pond for our fourth one, all the way to New York City baby!
Jon Billick represents a unique take on dusty & classic deep house as a DJ/Producer in the underground New York scene. As an artist, Jon has had career success in his 3 yr. span of releases; tailoring his sound while dropping tracks on labels like Cosmic Disco Records, Ostwind Records, and Tempura Records. With other hands in his newly founded label, Cahoots Records and producing and performing with partner Brian Morse as Wreal, Jon works to surround himself with music and continue to work towards the greater good.
New Politics
Sometimes all it takes is a really good starting sample to create a succesful stomper of a single. Even when this sample has been used and abused over the years. Jon molds the famous Martin Luther King speech into a slamming single entitled New Politics.
The single has been released as Traxsource promo 9th November 2018 and hit worldwide stores two weeks later. Buy or stream here: https://fanlink.to/CROOKS004
For release number 3 we head over to Paris, France where we’ve picked up 2 jackin house tracks from promising DJ & producer Blazers.
Previous releases
Timothée Suillaud has been releasing on Nymphony Records since 2015. The recordlabel is a French label founded and managed by students of the Grenoble School of Management. In 2018, well known British producer Ashley Beedle licensed some tracks by Blazers from Nymphony Records to be released on his F*CLR imprint, along with his own ‘North Street’ Remix. Fast forward a couple of months later and we signed both ‘Wichita’ and ‘B1’ for a release.
Wichita
The 2 track EP was released as a Traxsource promo on 19th October, and 2 weeks later worldwide. Buy or stream here: https://fanlink.to/CROOKS003
Hot on the heels of our first release by Diamond, we release ‘Exhale’ the brand new single from UK, Kent based dj & producer Chris Fry.
Chris Fry
Chris is no stranger to us, as he has released his ‘Blind Spot‘ EP on Gents & Dandy’s around mid March 2017. That EP was really well received and supported wordlwide.
The man hasn’t been sitting still during that time. He’s had releases signed on one of the biggest underground labels from across the pond namely Nervous, as well as on the UK vinyl-only label 124 Records, helmed by Owain Bellis.
Exhale
Mr Fry’s single opens with powerful, crisp and slightly (over)saturated drums that give it a bit of lo-fi feel, a thumping bassline and short looped chord sample that builds towards the break at the two minute marker. That’s the place where everything is dropped and Chris introduces his lovely chord progession. The track builds up again with all elements underpinning the chords and sampled vocal that hints towards LTJ Bukem – Atlantis. Really well done and fitting the vibe of the track.
Promo feedback
Richard Earnshaw / Spiritchaser: Nicely chilled, Spiritchaser in support
Demarkus Lewis: Proper deep…
Fernando Campo: Very nice, thanks
Rissa Garcia: Excellent piano groover thanks!
Jon Manley: Classy outing from Chris Fry, cool vibes and chunky beats. Feeling this.
Lavvy Levan: Big LTJ Bukem ‘Atlantis’ Vibe on this with the vocals… and the piano work is right up my alley. Very nice indeed.
Kornum & Karma: Delicious stuff right here!
Releasedates
Chris Fry – Exhale
‘Exhale’ was released as Traxsource promo on 28th September and followed with a worldwide release on 12th October. Buy / Stream it here: https://fanlink.to/CROOKS002
Friday 7th September 2018, marks release day for the 20 year-old Oxford based producer and dj, Michael Diamond. The very first release on the new label curated by Khillaudio from Gents & Dandy’s.
Diamond
Diamond’s producing style doesn’t only reflect the classical background he had as head chorister in his local cathedral. But also a passion for jazz, disco, and soul – owing to his upbringing as a classical guitarist.
Pressing play
From the moment you press play on ‘Hang Around’ you’re taken by the driving beats and lovely piano chords. Playfully they transition over with more melodic piano passing notes. Then comes that beefy bassline propelling the track further and further. On the virtual flipside we find ‘Feeling’. Soulful vocals with slight touches of verb, filtering and delay are overlayed on a nice bed of beats with percussion elements. Coupled with a sustained chord progression on repeat, another big, subby and beefy bassline and this is another cracker for the dance floors worldwide.
Promo Feedback
It’s safe to say that the promo was on fire, as positive feedback trickled into our inbox on a steady flow each day. Here are some excerpts:
– Todd Edwards: Feeling this!
– Homero Espinosa: All the feels on the EP, nice one gents!
– Vanilla Ace: Dope vibes
– Tommy D Funk: 2 very nice soulful house cuts on this brand new label
– Jason Hodges: Nice grooves
– Gene Farris: Thanks!
– Ollie Blackmore (Soulheaven): Nice crossover tracks, heading into lots of potential sets!
Diamond – Hang Around
Release dates
Diamond – Hang Around will be available starting 7 September, exclusive to Traxsource for the first two weeks. Grab your copy here. On 21 September all other online retailers will have it on sale.
