Review: Session Victim - Side Quests - Chapter Two (Delusions Of Grandeur)

In typical Delusions Of Grandeur style, Jimpster et al have elegantly succumed to Session Victims' 'Side Quests' with a new Chapter 2! 

It's been a while since Espen Horne's 'Bergen Sunrays' got the heavy synth treatment of a Session Victim remix (see review HERE) but not that long since 'Side Quests - Chapter One' took over the summer along with the label's own Medlar Remixes (see review HERE).

What can you expect of Chaper 2?  Well, it's pretty much more of the same but with collaborations (would that be a double up for chapter 2).  The 'Frits Wentink Remix' is replaced with a Jimpster Remix ('Behind The Glass'); Frits having his own 'Together' EP (see review HERE) and there's two tracks with NEBRASKA ('Hubcap Candy' and the wonderful rollin' like a train, 'Make It Happen').

I think I'll always prefer the original of 'Behind The Glass' that's also on this EP with the dubby jazz elements but Jimpster ups the pace for a latter in the night dancefloor way

And what's 'Too Soft To Be Loud' with Viken Arman all about.  It was said of Arman's debut album, 'building a bridge between the masterful beats of J Dilla, the hypnotic grooves of Ricardo Villalobos, the Free Jazz spirit of Sun Ra and the aura of French House'.  That was released in 2023 and what with the collab on Chapter One track, 'Pulse Of Memory' and Session Victim's remix of Viken's 'You With Me' early this year, this really does seem to be a stand out combo.

Being a "Berlin-Hamburg duo", Session Victim are experts in 2s and as I'm greedy, lets hope we get more or the NEBRASKA tracks too; come on DOG, lets make it happen!

BUY LINK: https://sessionvictim.bandcamp.com/album/sidequests-chapter-two-2

Artists: Session Victim

Release: Sidequests - Chapter Two

Release Date: 26th September, 2025

Label: Delusions Of Grandeur

Cat. No. DOC108

Format: Vinyl 12" / Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Medlar - Islands Remixes (Delusions Of Grandeur)

I think Medlar and Delusions Of Grandeur are out to get me - perhaps they're out to get us?  Why else would they release a remix EP so soon after the brilliant album?

As we know, the 'Islands' album came out last month (see review HERE) with a great lava lamp inspired artwork.  The 4-track Remixes EP either enforces the 'no man is an island' theory or separates it - not sure about the Norwich canaries colour scheme.

What you can say is that it's brilliant as each remix is it's own island.  The previous single 'Dot The T's' (featuring Deevoenay on the spoken/rap poem) gets a typical off-disco electro NYC Peech Boys drama with heavy synths by Ron Basejam. 

A kinda of warm up for the big room acid of Paranoid London that's busy and buzzin' on 'Luv Interlude' (featuring Kim Anh) just to proove yesterday's gone (but not really as those acid 

trax still sound as exciting as they ever did.

And you recall the Sun Shone's 'Patience' album (see review HERE) that was edge-worldy, Medlar's gone an done a Mad Professor dub of world dance that's harks back to Transglobal Underground: dubby with the violin of Rebekah Reid's getting fully space-out. 

And don't miss out on the heavily percussive poolside remix of 'Atlantean' (featuring Wah Wah 45s Alfa Sacke of Raz & Afla (see review HERE) by MAD Josh Ludlow (as in Make-A-Dance) who's deep into the Tribal dub as we loved on Tigerbalms' 'Profunda Alma' (see review HERE).

Like I say, each track is a stand-alone companion to each other making it an essential EP for the summer and possibly a template for more 'Islands' get-a-way remixes .

Also featuring original 'Dot The Ts' on the Colour & Pitch March Mix by Will Sumsuch.

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Colour and Pitch · Colour and Pitch Sessions with Sumsuch - March 2025

Artist: Medlar

Title: Islands Remixes
Release date: 16th May, 2025
Label: Delusions Of Grandeur
Catalog Number: TBC
Format: Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Medlar - Islands (Delusions Of Grandeur)

I remember Dom Servini (Wah Wah 45s, Jazz FM etc) telling me years ago that, "Medlar is brilliant" so a follow-up to the debut album is well overdue, but is it the difficult second album?

Well 'Sleep' came out in 2013 on Wolf Recordings so in terms of time you might say it was difficult, even the Medlar collaboration Dele Sosimi on Mr Servini's label Wah Wah 45s was 5 years ago and inbetween times he's released his South London influenced tracks on labels including Full Pupp, West End and Peckham Cuts along with Delusions Of Grandeur.

And with that back ground he's been album to call up some mates to help in out on the 11 track album including Dele, Rebekah Reid, Deevoenay, Finn Peters (one of our all time favs from back in the day & checking my notes, see review HERE) Sam Virdie, Afla Sackey (as in Raz & Afla, see review HERE) and Arnau Obiols.

The opener with Dele is 'Take A Trip' Tropical Afro-post-psych-dub that'll you'll hear everywhere at some stage of the set this summer.   Dele also appears on 'Jungle Ridge' with Arnau Obiols that takes Lonnie Liston Smith (on organ) to the rave (in similar style to some of Charles Petersohn's 'Children Of Zu Zu' EP (see review HERE).

Still in the jungle or Rio Carnival, 'Yeah' is a Finn Peter's special jazz flute gang Peech Boy jazz-disco: NYC!  Talking of NYC, if you're a lovetempo kinda person, 'Luv Interlude' (featuring Kim Anh) takes the 303 Acid up a notch and then in a flash, your in Ibiza (with Andy 'In Plain Sight' Blake).

More trippy jazz is the horn of Sam Virdie on 'Sun Spots' and you can't rule out the appearance of Alfa Sacke of Raz & Afla (see review HERE) on 'Atlantean' as track of the album (and we're not talking about the Leyland double-decker bus chassis - 1958-86 of the same name).

In fact, the album is full of great tracks including the single, 'Dot The T's' is a little bit different for the clever rap by Deevoenay and in terms of 'out there', 'Cicada Dance' is exactly what it says on the tin but a violin solo!  Is that taking the Jean-Luc Ponty?  Rebekah Reid's solo is perfect Transglobal Underground: violin and loop pedal is the new jazz harp.

One of the reasons Dom is so excited about Medlar is that he know how good the Dele Sosimi Meets Medlar featuring Tamar Osborn 'State Of Play' (and the remix EP) is from a couple of years ago.  'Islands' sounds more like a love letter to various places he's visited on holiday with some of his best mates and he was clearly saving it for the BIG album release.

There's a Remix EP on it's way so stay tuned - wonder if he's got Charles Petersohn's number? 

BUY LINK: https://medlar.bandcamp.com/album/islands

Also featured in the Colour & Pitch March Mix by Will Sumsuch.

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Colour and Pitch · Colour and Pitch Sessions with Sumsuch - March 2025

Artist: Medlar

Title: Islands
Release date: 18th April, 2025
Label :Delusions Of Grandeur
Catalog Number: TBC
Format: Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Alma Negra ft. Pat Kalla - La Plage EP (Delusions Of Grandeur)

This is the first of many times this year you'll be hearing Alma Negra 'La Plage' featuring Pat Kalla at beach party or anywhere else ready to have a party.

Pat Kalla (aka Patrice Kalla N'Galle) is French poet, muscian, singer who is so 'Heavenly Sweetness, Pura Vida Sounds' he could even surpass Mssr. Guts, Anthony Joseph, David Walters and K.O.G!  

Delusions Of Grandeur are not known for a nu-Afrobeat house (as in Soul Of Hex's 'Constellation EP' last year - see review HERE) but this is soulful and percussively busy and you are as likely to here it on European radio stations as you are at many a beach party.

And whilst you're thinking of what swimwear to pack, get down with the synths on 'Sexta Feira' (with Bodo Maier) and sunshine disco boogie for seven minutes. 

And you're wondering so what would Delusins Of Greandeur's head honcho (Jamie Odell aka Jimpster) play out?  I'm thinking he'll go for the synths rolling up and down the beach with 'The Vibe' before going totally dancefloor mental with 'The Freak' with Afro-chant and down low dirty synths.

So whilst there's some echoes of Jamies' Dads' past (with Shakatak) this is very now and it's another 4 track all-win non-deluded release.

BUY LINK: La Plage EP | Alma Negra

Artist: Alma Negra ft. Pat Kalla
Title: La Plage EP
Release date: 14th February, 2025
Label :Delusions Of Grandeur
Catalog Number  TBC
Format: Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Soul Of Hex - Constellation EP (Delusions Of Grandeur)

Who doesn't have the occasional delusion of grandeur these days?  Well, Jamie Odell (aka Jimpster) has more than reasons than most as his label, Delusions Of Grandeur repeatedly find the best in house music for the dancefloor big heads - this time with Mexican duo, Soul Of Hex.

Formed in 2014 in Tijuana, Soul Of Hex are now on their fourth release on Delusions Of Grandeur (although you would have found them on loads of trendy charts over the past 10 years including Tim 'Beats In Space' Swteeney) and have managed their contacts lists to get top guest for this 4-track EP.

Fans of Javonntte (aka Brian Garrett) will have lost count of how many house tracks he's graced and with Mariana Phelts they've gone old skool heavy piano on the lead track, 'Constellation' with the bonus of a bit of space dub too!

Soul Of Hex contributed to a 12" a couple of years ago sharing with Motion Parallax who returns the favour and features on a track called 'Face Down' that again borrows a heavy bassline and repeated vocal, similar to the big keys on 'All Night' and spoken rant that always works well in the clubs.

As you're no doubt aware, Odell's Dad was in the drummer in original 70s jazz-funkers Shakatak and that heritage no doubt helped him fall for More Lotion's guitar action with the funky keyboards on 'Dimension' - currently my favourite as it's another that reminds me of a juiced-up Sun Palace's classic 'Rude Movements' that had been obscure 70s Brit-funk before David Mancuso 'found it' for his New York Loft Parties.

Can't think anything other than all four tracks will be big (in the constellations) this year as we dance 'All Night' our way into 2025.

PS. If you're on Apple, try "Freerange Records In The Mix 026, Soul Of Hex" DJ Mix HERE!

BUY LINK: https://soulofhex.bandcamp.com/album/constellation-ep

Artist: Soul Of Hex
Title: Constellation EP
Release date: 15th November, 2024
Label :Delusions Of Grandeur
Catalog Number: TBC
Format: Digital / Bandcamp