Groove You EP by Mustafa Ismaeel

Crosstown Rebels sub-label Rebellion welcomes back Toronto-based DJ/producer Mustafa Ismaeel for his Groove You EP, featuring collaborations with Dilby and Enamour.

Photo by Carinne Leduc

Iraqi-born Canadian artist Mustafa Ismaeel has been a vital part of the Toronto underground scene and is now sharing his music and energy across the globe. Releasing on contemporary labels such as The Soundgarden, Steyoyoke, Manual, and Damian Lazarus' Rebellion, his musical output aims to constantly redefine his musical boundaries, with groove and emotion as the key to his material. Returning to the label following his recent appearance at Get Lost during MMW, he serves up a trio of considered and cultured house records across his "Groove You EP," featuring a pair of classy first-time collaborations.

With this release I tried to focus on the groove while conveying emotions in a subtle manner. I followed a more intuitive and practical approach with tracks that simply work on the dancefloor. Collaborating with Enamour, Dilby and the vocalist Shar has been a real treat as we had an effortless understanding of each other's vision.
Mustafa Ismaeel

The EP opens with solo production and title cut "Groove You," a seven-minute roller with gritty claps and percussion over rich bass designs. Add warm, swirling pads and a hypnotic lead synth next to the steamy vocals, and you have an emotionally intense cut.

Next comes the first collaboration with Dilby, a tastemaker with releases on labels like 8Bit, Saved, and Bondage Music. Together they cook up "Twisted Mind" featuring Shar, a deep house sound with supple drums and bass underneath emotive vocals that bring the soul to this heads-down groove. Closing the EP is "Nothingness" alongside LA-based talent Enamour, whose dynamic and powerful sound has taken him to labels such as Last Night On Earth, Get Physical Music, and Factory 93. Their collaboration is a brilliantly chunky mid-tempo house groove with sensuous sax motifs, lush chords, and muttered vocals, bringing a sense of late-night intimacy.

Mustafa Ismaeel - Groove You EP
Release Date June 2023
Label Rebellion/Crosstown Rebels

Tracklist
1. Mustafa Ismaeel - Groove You
2. Mustafa Ismaeel & Dilby feat. Shar - Twisted Mind
3. Mustafa Ismaeel & Enamour - Nothingness