DJ Whisky - Boni Mores

This is the latest from Brett Jackson's WOT! Recordings label. The WOT! premise is simple: Jackson picks the finest production talent from his native South Africa, and helps them get a leg up onto the international stage by hooking them up with more established names.

So it is here, as Mandla Sibiya, AKA DJ Whisky, gets remixed by Martin 'Atjazz' Iveson. Included are no fewer than three Atjazz mixes of Boni Mores, plus the original. You also get original and Mphoza remixes of bonus cut Believe In It.

When we did a feature on South African house in iDJ last year we pointed out that, while South Africa has definitely 'emerged' onto the global house scene in a big way, there are two quite separate things going on. There are those artists whose take on house is hugely influenced, defined even, by their South African-ness; then there are those whose style is less region-specific. Boni Mores is more from the latter school of thought: there's a slightly tribal-istic feel to the drums maybe, particularly on the original, but on the whole you could hear this and it could come from anywhere.

But that's a good thing, if you're me. See, complicated hand percussion and breathless chants don't do a lot for me; quality deep house music does. And that's just what you'll find here.

Out: Yesterday (January 24)

About: You can find out more about WOT! Recordings at their MySpace page, or there's a little write-up on them at an excellent little website I just found this minute, DeepHouseLabels.com. Oh, and also check out label boss Brett Jackson's podcasts, why dontcha?