Various Artitsts - Deep Sensations 2, mixed by Nick Harris

I remember as a young lass of 21 spending a night at the (sadly now defunct) Globe Nightclub entranced by a sound I’d not encountered in what was then a predominately funky house town.

“What is this music?” I asked my companion. “Deep house,” he replied. “Why haven’t you told me about it before?” I demanded of the person then most responsible for introducing me to new artists and sounds. “It’s known as ‘Dad house’,” he replied. “The slow BPMs make it a sort of retirement home for ageing clubbers.”

Maybe it means I’m getting old, but these days deep house really does it for me. Slowing the beat down allows skilful producers to draw a sublime richness from the music that’s simply not possible with a frenetic, peak-time rhythm. The latest Deep Sensations mix, ably skippered by Bristolian (and NRK A&R man) Nick Harris, is testament to both the possibilities, and drawbacks, of the genre.

Let’s start with the detractions. Too often deep house is little more than bar music, the kind of audio wallpaper played in every cocktail lounge and beer garden the world over. Case in point is the forgettable refrains of Miguel Migs’ For Real (Deeper tech mix) and Osborne’s Ruling.

Slightly more memorable but no less irritating is the lazy slathering of outdated diva vocals over an otherwise enjoyable groove. Nick Holder’s Time (Wahoo vocal mix) gets away with it, just, with its edgy on-beat delivery. But Nufrequency’s Go That Deep (Charles Webster Acid Mix) is spoiled by the boring choice of vocalist.

That said, there is plenty to like both about deep house, and Nick Harris’ selections. Like brassy sunset slithering into sultry night, the second half of this mix has the brains and the balls to appeal both to the chin stroke, and chic stiletto, sets.

The opening strains of Chymera’s Wish sets the scene beautifully, a luscious, tummy-tingling piece of anticipation. Nick Holder’s 2012 has a strange Casio appeal. And Joey Negro and Abaku’s Don’t Hold Back (Future Beat mix) is delightful in it’s kitschy space funk.

The party really starts with the searching classiness (and kooky vocal sample) of Foremost Poets’ Moonraker (Magik J’s back to my house remix). From here, Harris steadily begins driving things downward, his hand firmly on the bass.

Osmoplata has a distinctly Hybrid feel, with stirring orchestrals laid over bass beats from deepest Peru. Matthias Helibronn’s Brooklyn Sub (Soulflower sax mix) introduces a saucy little saxophone solo reminiscent of The Man With The Red Face, suggesting the sax may be well on its way back into relevance after many years in the muzak wilderness. The sample very nearly takes away from the vibe Harris is laying down, but the chugging underbelly keeps it from floating fruitily away. And Hot Lizard rounds out the CD with a warm, soulful groove, neatly tying up what has been, for the most part, a deeply enjoyable, relaxing ride.

So what if it means I’m heading toward the big 3-0. That I no longer party til well after the sun’s come up. That I demand quality, rather than quantity, from my music outings. If this is Dad House, then call me Pops. Coz I’m loving it.

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