For this month’s “Big Enough for the Deep End” column, we are covering the new mix album, Cuff Vol. 1, mixed by Amine Edge & DANCE. The album is another win for the French deep house duo, who are on the forefront of their own style of deep lusciousness self described as “G-House.” Similar to ghettotech, a style that Detroit tech house legend Claude VonStroke helped to pioneer, this unique amalgam of a genre is a fusion between gangsta’ rap and deep/minimal house music. Obviously, Amine Edge & DANCE were not the first to combine these two fields of music, yet they are definitely one of the more notable acts in the genre. The sound of “G-House” is clearly catching on, as Amine Edge & DANCE recently sold out a 3,000 capacity warehouse venue in London.
This “G-House” style is ubiquitous throughout the mix, from the opening “Halfway Crooks” by DANCE, to the masterful hip-house grooves of Flex B’s “Baby I’m Boss,” which is a tune quite reminiscent of the classic “Pump Up The Jam” by Technotronic. The plucked bass that has become custom to today’s deep house sound is ever-present on the track “Bogus” by Anthony Toga. Other tracks like “Give Us an E” by Clouded Judgement keep the energy flowing swiftly and smoothly.
Although Cuff Vol. 1 is notable for its mixing, Amine Edge & DANCE also did a great job selecting tracks for the compilation. One negative regarding this mix compilation is that it feels somewhat short. A two-disc set would seem appropriate for this kind of collection of tracks. Also, the last track in the compilation, “Obey” by Dashdot is kind of an odd ending for a mix. Although overall Cuff Vol. 1 is a winner, it feels like the party is over before it really has even started.
Buy Cuff Vol. 1 on Beatport | iTunes | Amazon
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