Good progressive house is sometimes like a smooth road- when the quality is good, the journey is so smooth that you don’t even think about it. And that’s the approach taken on the “Collage” EP, a collection of three original tracks and two remixes, all of them steady seven-minute-ish instrumental progressive tracks full of the usual ingredients- steady soft kicks, even softer single-note synthbass, gentle melody loops, slow risers and so on. It’s a familiar set-up, but in this genre that’s not a bad thing.

“The Blacksmith” uses a spoken single-word sample in lieu of a cymbal sound to good success. The title track “Collage” has just a hint more purposefulness to it, and ominousness in the bass, but is still ultimately rather sweet. The track already has such a classic Bedrock feel to it that it seems something of a no-brainer to draft in the legendary Nick Muir for a remix of it, but it’s the Nick Muir mix that deviates from the tone the most, which isn’t saying much, thanks to rockier drums, a more driving, almost Moroder-ish synth line and a remarkably glam, almost over-the-top breakdown.

The unique detail in the fairly bubbly “Tahiche” is a slight off-step in the kick drum on the last bar of each phrase, which may sound tiny but in an EP defined by straight 4-4, it could qualify as the EP’s only surprise element. The Morttagua remix dwells more on the string pads and feels a little more cinematic.

The promo blurb for this release suggests that this is a genre mash-up mixing techno, trance, and deep house, and that’s not untrue, but it does it by sitting cross-legged and steady right in the middle of them, rather than crashing any of their more disparate sounds together. But if rock bands are allowed to stick to the boring guitars, bass and drums formula for so long, why shouldn’t progressive house get the same liberty? If high quality releases like this keep coming, then there’s absolutely no reason why not.

The sixth six-pack compilation from the Univack label is half made up of the winners from a competition called “Progressive En España”, where a jury selected their favourite progressive house tracks from submissions. So in a genre where to be steadily unnoticeable is not always a criticism, there must have been something the jury heard in these tracks to impress, and if I had to guess I’d say it was production quality rather than originality.

Not Demure’s “Hang In There” ticks along until a nice toothy, decidedly synthwave drop, while Daniel Camarillo & Noil’s “Caresess” features a range of vocal snippets and effects that make it feel like a dub version that ought to have a full vocal version floating around somewhere. Orgymu5ik’s “Space” has large doses of ‘90’s progressive, adding a little urgency and then plenty of sci-fi atmospherics and reverb in the drop.

The three competition tracks fit in well with the other three tracks in the release. High On Mars’ “The Dark Bedlam” isn’t bedlam but it’s dark, with an entertainingly ravey stab lead melody arriving just before the three minute mark. Despite its name, “Symphonic” from Nasser Tawfik and Messier is quite unambitious and feels a bit routine.

Whosane! & Essio’s “Flying Spaced Tipsy Stoned” is the anachronism of the pack, thanks mainly to spoken-sung vocals from Eva layered thickly across the whole track. It’s got much more of a party vibe but it’s interesting to hear that get melded with moodier prog house elements.

It’s a very strong pack of tracks- unsurprisingly, since half of it was chosen by a jury- with an undeniable production quality. Only one of the six tracks seems to want to stand out, but as a DJ friendly reliable bundle it packs a lot of quality.

Julia's new single, mixed and mastered by Glenn Morrison, is an melodic tune between progressive trance and deep techno, a gem for moody late night drifting which more and more becomes her trademark.
An amazing uplifting, etheral and driving track likewise, it keeps in line with the promises of it's title. A great hint that shows Julia is developing her way further and a pleasure to listen to.. sadly a digital only single and in todays fashion there is no 'b-side' nor an remix along with the main track. At least a long live version is featured on the recent full length Video 'Modular Techno Live'.
To be released January, 14th for streaming & download.

Avar Garden runs his own club in Malaga, and this four-pack of melodic techno (two originals, two remixes) is undoubtedly designed as a DJ-friendly pack with that space in mind. Here’s hoping DJ’s will be able to use them.

A somewhat freeform vocal from a singer who’s prominent on the track, yet feels like they’re ad libbing in the absence of a written melody, gives “Oopart” an unusual vibe as that freeformness on top contrasts with a tight, slightly acid 120-bpm-ish techno base. The Animal Logic remix lightens it up a little but sticks remarkably close to the original in form.

“Spirits” foregoes the lazier side of the title track and offers up a more steady driving instrumental dominated by a clarion call synth sound. It’s encouraging and full of purpose. Again the remix barely diverts from the original, with Carsten Halm’s version lightening the melody gently but keeping the same identity overall.

It’s a smart, reliable pack of mid-set melodic techno but it doesn’t sparkle or surprise.

Pitched firmly as techno from the normally heavy Korpus 9 label, the title track of the “Virtual Being” EP is almost as much progressive house as it is techno. Soft arpeggiating melodic patterns and a gently thrumming bassline are softer than I was expecting, though there’s certainly a richness to the low kick EQ that can’t be denied or ignored. There’s a sense of travelling that borders on urgency, but it doesn’t carry much attitude. The DJ Dextro mix injects more urgency and a more acid tinge, plus an unusual birdsong-like call sound that replaces some of the softer melodic parts.

The B-sides are more overtly and undeniably techno, with more of a thump to them, particularly the more kick-centric “Full Circle”, while “Madness” revolves around a dizzying but catchy central loop that’s simple but effective, and probably the best track of the pack.

Laden neither with lots of surprises nor lots of attitude, it’s a very polished EP that does wash over you if you don’t keep it in focus.