10 years of Akbal Music

Label boss Robbie Akbal and his now ten year old imprint are both widely respected for their cultured house sounds from artists like Afrilounge, Sascha Dive, Hyenah and many others, but here it welcomes six new artists to the ranks for a varied but essential package that touches on many different sounds with equal style.

First up, Spaniard Pablo Bolivar (of Pulshar and Deoslat fame) teams up with Canadian pair In2Deep for ‘Eve’, a spine-tingling chilly house cut that is moody and autumnal and tied to a deep, enveloping groove. Minimal master and Catch Recordings and Eastenderz associate Doubtingthomas is next with his vinyl only offering, going for a much more intricate, synthetic, richly designed deep house tune that is soft, succulent and truly sublime.

The boss himself then teams up with Leo Leal for ‘Ajpu’, a deep and spacious offering with sombre bass notes swelling beneath popping perc and darkened synths. Next, Romanian Mano Andrei appears on the vinyl version with a sleek and stripped back tune that is full of electronic soul and infectiously bumpy drums, and another vinyl only treat comes from long time German talent Sascha Dive. The Deep Vibes boss’s ‘Lab#4’ is a quick and prickly number that sucks you into a shady groove underpinned with real bass menace. Last of all, AMA Recordings boss Ray Okpara cooks up a brilliantly off kilter house groove with weird sounds, lurching bass and smooth hits that groove along with a curious sense of charm.

This is a fulsome package that packs plenty of punch and showcases exactly the sort of quality dance music that Akbal has been, and will always be, about.

Various Artists - 10 years of Akbal Music
Release Date December 2016
Label Akbal Music

Tracklist
1. Pablo Bolivar & In2deep - Eve
2. Doubtingthomas - Encodeurs (vinyl only)
3. Leo Leal, Robbie Akbal - Ajpu
4. Mano Andrei - Never End (vinyl only)
5. Sascha Dive - Lab#4 (vinyl only)
6. Ray Okpara - More Drive