May: 16 house releases you need to hear this month

Thatmanmonkz 'Shade Throw' EP (Dirt Crew)

Sheffield’s Thatmanmonkz has released on labels such as Classic, Kolour and Shadeleaf, and also put out a brilliant album on Delusions Of Grandeur last year. He’s now turned to Dirt Crew to release his latest EP. ‘Manna For Poppa’ comes complete with wailing sax lines, while ‘Intrinsic Divine’ features a pad line, soaring strings and piano tinkles before delving into a broken beat. ‘Space Jam 2017’, a collaboration with Clyde Phalanx, is a slice of Balearic space disco, and ‘Evolver’ is part-Idjut Boys, part-Theo Parrish with its dubbed-out disco sound and authentic r’n’b vocal loop. It’s a strong release from Dirt Crew, which can do no wrong when it comes to interesting deep grooves.

8/10