Yakuza Records pay homage to the classic Chicago house music from the clubbing hotspot that is Waterford in Ireland, livening up 2008 with corkers from names including Groove Federation, Late Night Society, Unus Emre and label co-owner Soydan Tuc. Now they welcome South Africa’s Ernst Shoemaker, for years one of the foremost figures in boosting Cape Town’s house scene. He started his own Downsouth Music label in 2003 and this is his first showing elsewhere. He’s made sure it’s a good one, cooking up a classy jazz-flavoured excursion with distinctive chorus topped by Mr Shout’s spoken words of wisdom. Mixes come from Soydan [injecting flavours from his native Turkey into the bounced-up groove], Spiritchaser going for some deep and groovy hypno-house and the Craftsmen, who include Yakuza’s other owner Murad L and pump the jazz angle with bongos and a subtle melodic flair. Musical passion shoots this EP, from start to finish.
5 Out Of 5
Reviewed By: Kris Needs
