One of the driving forces behind Faith fanzine has always been supporting new music the team loves. Given the ever-dwindling number of places in which new releases can get exposure and critique, Faith is delighted to introduce this regular monthly feature celebrating great house music, hopefully helping it reach a much deserved wider audience in the process.

** Single of The Month **

Robert Hood / Floorplan - Struggle / Save The Children [M-Plant Records]

Kicking off this impressive 12" is Robert Hood's 'Struggle’, which features Tamika Mallory's iconic speech after the killing of George Floyd,  which was to  “articulate the pain that too many people, specifically Black people, are feeling.” Robert's sparse Detroit Acid techno underpins the message perfectly. The second track sees Robert and Lyric in full on Floorplan mode with Techno - Disco flavours over a more housey groove, with more socially conscious vocal samples. A record of the times we are living in, and quite essential for your collection.

12" vinyl release only, 14th August. Set a Juno alert HERE. 

Fred P - Present Tense [Bandcamp]

You know those dream-like tracks that you listen to, close your eyes, get lost for a bit and then feel yourself suddenly snapping back to reality when it ends? Well, Fred Peterkin certainly does as most of his catalogue proves. And what a catalogue. Since lockdown, Fred P has dropped a bunch of singles (as I write this, another four or five projects have appeared) as well as three LPs. I’d love to write about them all but focusing on ‘Present Tense’ may stop you from checking whatever cat video or internet beef is around the corner. The first tick in the plus box for this release is the old school formatting of original+beats+beatless versions, a joy for DJs and, in the wrong hands, occasional bane of restless clubbers. Rhythmically mechanical but never machine-like, ‘Present Tense’ sees Peterkin balance the gentle ebb and flow of hazy chords and almost-there jazz tones masterfully, while not shying away from musical yet sound engineer-bothering bottom end grunt. Proper, modern deep house business. 

Various Artists - Dial 2020 (II) [Dial]

Hamburg’s Dial has, somewhat under the radar for the label, dropped a couple of extended EPs over the past few months under the Dial 2020 umbrella. This, the second, features label co-founder Carsten Jost, Christopher Ledger, Jacques Bon & Drux, Whodat and Yone-ko all in very Dial-like form. For a label whose aesthetic of rounded percussion, sinewave bass tones and cosseting melodies rarely shifts, it still tends to hit the mark and Dial 2020 (II) is no different. Standing firmly out on this drop is ‘A Downpour of Blessings’ by Japan’s Yone-Ko. Dial tropes down to a tea with added, albeit understated, cinematic melodies, it’s a sepia-tinted slice of immersive house worthy of your attention.

60 Miles - Swamp 2 Sea [Jheri Tracks]

The latest from Cian Frawley and John Daly’s 60 Miles project is four tracks of timeless, unquantized house jams. Occasionally moody, often gritty and always surprising due to wonderfully haphazard arrangements, ‘Swamp 2 Sea’ sees the duo take ‘raw’ beyond off the shelf lo-fi production and get to the essence of the word. If you’re looking for a standout here, the heavy fug of ‘Happenin Doin’ just about wins through on an excellent EP. 

Dennis Ferrer with Dawn Tallman - Sunny Days [Defected]

Now Dennis is a long-term hero over at Faith, having played at our party and graced the cover of a previous fanzine, so let’s start with we are fans. A week ago, someone well respected in the industry told me we are currently in a 'real House revival’, I truly hope so and if that’s so, then this sits in it perfectly. 'Sunny Days' could have been made any time in the last 30 years and that’s not meant in a bad way but its voice, message and vibe is timeless. US soulful House has sadly been shelved by many DJs in the last decade in favour of this month’s Tech House or EDM / Techno bangers but the message of 'Sunny Days ' is something we need now and the combination of Dawn’s soulful voice and DF's children singing is quite beautiful. I can imagine this would have been a Croatia boat party / Ibiza terrace anthem this summer but timeless (I know I keep using that term) is timeless and music like this never dates, so hopefully 2021 will be waiting and hoping for sunny days.

Pre-order: https://defect.click/609D

Steffi featuring Virginia - Reasons [Dolly]

This isn’t a new release. In fact, it’s Steffi’s very first release which initially appeared on Jus Ed’s Underground Quality ten years ago but is now available via Steffi’s Dolly imprint as a digital release. A decade on it still sounds amazing because Steffi, when in house mode, has a knack of making rich, timeless work that stems from superb use of vintage Roland gear and the ability to build a proper, song-based house track. Virginia, an artist who has also gone on to make more brilliant music herself, is at her best in this soul-drenched, mournful piece of work that still sounds glorious. 

Spencer Parker - New Works Vol Two [Work Them Records]

The output of Croydon’s Spencer Parker in the past few years, with the exception of his Dance Music LP, has veered towards tougher techno sounds and he does them very well indeed, but this year we’ve been treated to a few Parker releases that sit firmly in the house end of the racks. This, the second part of his ‘New Works’ series, is all about classic New Jersey-influenced sounds and whether chopping up vocals on the driving ‘Vogue You’ or hitting the deep, chord driven dub styles of ‘Beat U’, he’s in fine, fine form. 

Coming soon - follow Work Them Records on Bandcamp HERE. 

Gianluca Pegoiani - Numero 5 [Rebirth Records]

All the truly innovative and breath-taking House tracks cross genres with ease and this percussive, string laden beauty is no exception. Shades of the Techno Soul of 'Nights of the Jaguar' (which in itself is a wonderful thing) mixed with modern day drama and mad intensity, leading to drops ‘n’ builds to die for. Italian producer Gianluca Pegoiani cites the likes of Robert Hood, Villalobos and Derrick May as influences, and yes they can all be heard, but it’s no pastiche - Gianluca has a style of his own and this already sounds like a future classic. Oh, and there's a beatless version that is just perfect for post-party activity.

Vince Watson - Via (The Mixes) [Everysoul]

This remix package would have been 'THAT' double pack in the racks of your local import shop, the one that had all the heads screaming for it come Friday afternoon. Four heavyweight remixers providing four really top quality remixes. Joe Claussell takes ' Progress ' into a long, percussive jazz masterclass, real musicians and singers taking the track into places and spaces only the best dancers and DJs dare go to. Osunlade strips it back to a soulful simplicity; French producer Manoo keeps it cool with the beats and bassline doing the work. It’s the Steve Bug and Langenberg mix that perhaps will be the techier DJ's choice, if you dug 'Sandcastles' then you’ll love the deep organ and strings here. A wonderful package of music that needs your attention.

Coming soon - follow Everysoul on Bandcamp HERE. 

Man Power featuring Amy Douglas - Flashing Lights / Acid God [DFA]

Geordie lad Man Power meets NYC force of nature Amy Douglas with a pair of absolute killers. The idea of getting Ms Douglas to perform her stuff over two powerful Acidic House cuts comes up trumps (the card game not the senile fool that is). When she sings “I can feel it burning” on 'Flashing Lights’, you know this lady ain’t fucking about, and the intensity of the track suits that chutzpah. The second track 'Acid God ' is, if anything, even more bolshy and in your face both vocally and musically. Timeless House music.

Faith fanzine Volume 3, Issue 1, coming Autumn 2020. All back issues are available on www.faith.london.