Review: Toolate Groove - Librame EP (MATE)

It's not Toolate [to] Groove as MATE release another stunning EP, 'Librame' coming to a hot dancefloor/record store near you soon! 

I wouldn't say we're best mates with MATE, but it's easy to understand why everyone would want to hang out with them after Shaka's EP 'About Love & Pain' and the previous release, Bress Underground's 'Take Me Higher' EP (see review HERE) and as excellent as these releases are, they've found another great track with 'Librame'.

It doesn't need a remix but Urbanity Recs (aka Shannon Harris) gives us his 'Love Yourself Dub' rework in the big house main room with the Cuíca going into overdrive with the percussion and some deep down jazz-funk keys.

This is rediculously cool and supported by '97 Ride' as a club mix (with the Rhodes taking the lead) and a Destiny Dream dub (tell me that bass is the dogs) only to be topped off with 'Fresh From Abidjan' that's got break/hip-hop elements.

That said, you're not going to beat the party of the orginal version - all 8 minutes of it with it's vibraphone solo - did I hear someone say, "vibraphonic"?

BUY LINK / Pre Order: www.juno.co.uk/products/toolate-groove-librame-ep-vinyl/1125148-01/

Artist: Toolate Groove

Title: Librame EP

Release date: 23rd February, 2026

Label : MATE 

Catalog Number : MATE 023

Format: Vinyl 12" / Bandcamp 

Review: Shaka - About Love & Pain EP (MATE)

How you doin' MATE? 

Our last feature on MATE was Bress Underground's 'Take Me Higher' EP (see review HERE) and as excellent as that is, you're not going find any bigger flute gang monster than 'Love & Pain' gives us for some Latin inspired house shuffle.

Brilliant stuff and it's backed up with some 'Sonic Of Joy' with vocals from Eve that's "jazzy synth work and swaying, vibey grooves that show off some serious piano chops" and a big saxy solo.

Anything else is a bonus, 'Inner Balance' is more than that too as there's echoes of jazz-funk dance with big organ and a heavy Jonnny Hammond touch (with acid!)

Spain is full of deep house experts but as this is only the 22nd release on the label, definitely ones to get up to date with and follow.

BUY LINK / Pre Order: bit.ly/3IXVt0s

Artist: Shaka

Title: About Love & Pain EP

Release date: 3rd February, 2026

Label : MATE 

Catalog Number : MATE 022

Format: 12" / Bandcamp 

Review: Bress Underground - Take Me Higher EP (MATE)

If you know of Bress Underground (aka Andrea Calabrese) you'll now that not only is he a dedicated collector of many a genre of music but also his own productions of house variants are littered over a range labels; so can he take this EP higher on MATE? 

So just a quick recap that his credits include Suena Hermosa, SlothBoogie and his own Bres Records so his debut with Spanish label MATE is going to gain attention anyway but when you hear the opener, 'This House' you'll want its old skool for the vocal edits alone.

But this is not a one track EP as the title track grooves along before you realise that it's fallen into a jazz-funk Kerri Chandler/Theo Parrish winner.

In between these two, 'Ready Or Not' has some "liquid metal lines" and 'Connected' swings and links the set together.

Super fast follow-up to his 'Thriller' EP but 'Take Me Higher' is on the next level.... and on vinyl too!

BUY LINK / Pre Order: BRESS UNDERGROUND - Take Me Higher EP Vinyl at Juno Records.

Artist: Bress Underground 

Title: Take Me Higher EP

Release date: 5th November, 2025

Label : MATE 

Catalog Number : MATE 021

Format: Vinyl 12" / Bandcamp 

Review: DFRA Experience Jazz Band - The Human Discard EP (Inc. DUBBYMAN Remix) (MATE)

What! DEFRA! Some Parlimentary jazz band from Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs?  No, it's DFRA Experience Jazz Band aka Diego Ruiz from Argentina on the MATE lable from Spain and you can't discard 'The Human Discard'.

Well - this is a surprise as it' full-on jazz band of trumpet, sax, acoustic bass, jazz piano and vibes from the sixties in a Deep House groove. But wait, that gets a DUBBYMAN Latin remix as 'breakin' jazz' which make it even more perfect 8 minutes. 

'Inside The Club' and 'Spinning In My Head' (sounding quite Herbie) complete the 4-track EP but get your orders in now as this is going to sell out quick.

BUY LINK: DFRA EXPERIENCE JAZZ BAND - The Human Discard EP (feat Dubbyman remix) Vinyl at Juno Records.

Artist: DFRA Experience Jazz Band

Title: The Human Discard (Inc. DUBBYMAN Remix) 

Release date: 30th June, 2025

Label : MATE

Catalog Number : MATE019

Format: Vinyl / Digital / Bandcamp