Hot Biscuit Recordings Schallplatten & CDs

Review: Dutch DJ, digger and re-editor Pete Blaker returns to Hot Biscuit Recordings - possibly the most on-point re-edit imprint of the last few years - with a second batch of tried and tested revisions. Lead cut 'Harry's Little Vocoder' is, we think, a fine re-edit of a grandiose, horn-heavy, orchestrated European disco of the sort most associated with German artist Harry Thumann. On the B-side he returns to 'Neverending' - which in its original re-edited form appeared on his previous Hot Biscuit 12-inch - and delivers a fresh 'cosmic version' alongside Dionisis. Effectively a fresh cover, it's a deep, dreamy, drum machine-driven chunk of intergalactic cosmic disco that should suit nu-disco DJs and disco purists alike.

Review: Hot Biscuit Recordings' has spent the last couple of years delivering killer re-edit EPs, mostly from veteran talents including Rahaan and the Idjut Boys. For this 12", they've recruited another long-established re-editor, Brooklyn-based Japanese-American producer (and East Village Edits main man) DJ Monchan. There is of course a big fat slice of heavily orchestrated disco on show - B-side 'Finally', which seemingly extends and rearranges Steve Bendner's 1977 version of 'The Final Thing' - but it's A-side 'Silent Dub' that hits home hardest. It's sees the Dailysession Records founder turn his attention to a sparse, spaced-out synth-pop record of (we think) the 1980s, re-imagining it as deliciously deep and dubby house record full of trippy effects, echoing vocal snippets and delay-laden percussive elements.

Review: Chicago has had a strong re-edit culture since the days when Ron Hardy and Frankie Knuckles were defining house music culture in the mid 1980s. Rahaan, who has been one of the more storied members of the global re-edit scene for the last two decades, is undisputedly the Windy City's current scalpel-edit king - as his ongoing series of reworks on Hot Biscuit Recordings emphatically proves. Here he adds two more fine revisions to his bulging discography. A-side 'For Dancing & Singing' sees the veteran DJ/producer apply his Midas touch to a vintage 60s funk jam, making most of the sampler-ready breaks and groove, while flip side 'The Galaxy' - our pick of the pair - is a soaring and spacey 70s disco workout piled high with percussion, jaunty piano motifs and suitably intergalactic synth sounds.

Review: Newcastle label Hot Biscuit kicks off its 2024 with a new EP from TODDSONIC33. It is the first time we have come across this artist but colour us impressed. There is a fine grasp of delicate moody yet heavy drum work to the opener 'Groove Magician' that speaks of the signature Motor City sound, while 'That Track' is a mix of blistering synth modulation, hip swig claps and kick and plenty of bleeps and squeaks that will cause terror at any party. 'Enki' is another unhinged and leftfield house collision and 'Popcorn' layers sheet metal snares with a cacophony of drums.

Review: TODDSONIC33's Yes EP on Hot Biscuit Recordings is a fresh take on classic disco vocals, transformed into a modern Chicago house sound with a deep house twist. Side-1 starts off with 'Yes,' a track that features a jackin' beat blended with post-disco vibes. The result is an exciting track that captures the essence of both eras, creating a rhythmic pulse that drives the dancefloor. On Side-22, 'Make Me A Woman' and 'Deesko Music' continue the exploration of High NRG disco vocals within the Chicago house framework. 'Deesko Music' stands out for its innovative use of vocal samples, skillfully integrating them into the Chicago house sound in a way that feels both fresh and natural. TODDSONIC33's approach to blending these vocal elements with deep, groove-heavy beats is both classy and distinctive, offering a new perspective on how disco can be reimagined in the house genre. This EP is a standout example of how classic sounds can be innovatively updated for modern audiences. These will bring a different and original peak to dancefloor madness.