Mark de Clive-Lowe - Magic

Somewhat surprisingly given the label's love of blending deep house, soul, jazz and hip-hop, 'Magic' marks the first appearance of long-serving fusionist Mark De Clive-Lowe on Casamena's Ocha Records imprint. Working with vocalist Amma Whatt, it sees the Tokyo-based New Zealand multi-instrumentalist offer up a genuinely sun-soaked, samba-flecked slab of mid-tempo soulful house joy that's as breezy as it is musically detailed and beautifully arranged. Onsulade, who initially inspired the label's launch in 2005, provides two fine revisions: a full vocal 'Yoruba Soul remix' (deep, dreamy and soulful spiritual house perfection that makes use of all of de Clive-Lowe's jazzy instrumentation) and a stripped-back, bass-heavy and tech-tinged 'Yoruba Soul Dub'. Also impressive is Casamena's sparkling, summery and piano-splashed 'Living Room mix'.