VARIOUS ARTISTS – RAIN CITY BLUES MIXED BY LUKE MCKEEHAN (NORDIC TRAX)

If you’ve been in Vancouver over winter you’ll know what the score is. It’s one of the world’s most beautiful cities, but when the clouds drop the light all but disappears! Mercifully Luke McKeehan and his excellent Nordic Trax imprint are on hand to cushion this winter’s dark days with a compilation that finds the label in really good health. There is some excellent nocturnal house music here, whether it’s the uplifting bounce of Joshua Iz’s ‘Cookies’, the classy groove of Gavin Froome’s ‘Don’t Come Home’ – the Revenge remix is used here – or the top Johnny Fiasco cut ‘I Want It’. The bluesy undertone of the music reflects the slightly melancholic side to deeper house, but still presents it in an overwhelmingly positive light – and the package is made more desirable by having these past, present and future treasures available either separately or as part of a fluid mix by McKeehan himself. Quality and lasting house music awaits!
Ben Hogwood
5 out of 5