Review: VA - Maintain Altitude 2 (Soul Quest Records)

Still flying high is Soul Quest Records as they maintain altitiude with their second compilation that's such a showcase for the 'London Underground' and all it's connections!

Following Max Sinàls 'Healling' EP with KingCrowney (see review HERE) and 'Intentions' (see review HERE with vocalist Liv East)  here's some more "leftfield synth-jazz Bruk house dancefloor" focus on the reewarwst of the  Soul Quest label.

Whilst it's a compilation, Max & KingCrowney team up on the jazz-house-Bruk that they call 'A Bit Mad' and it's KingCrowney's trumpet that keeps the UK arm of Zachary Berns' NYC style jazz house (see review HERE).  And talking of New York, someone else has noticed as Misto Kay's 'Bruklynn' (Ed. did you see what they did there) is also on the money.

Whilst at the leftfield edge, Berkeley Hunt (he of 'A Ghostly Tryst' -- see review HERE) gets on the 'Speed Jazz' flight to the outta edges.

There's two tracks featuring vocals, the opens, Sixm Sol's 'Lead The Way featruing Legzdina and the closing track, Streeton's 'Ride' featuring Faro; on an Indo-jazz razor sharp space ship.  Both fit in with the Soul Quest indentity whilst the returning Reel Love Seeker's 'Mood Swings' is a return to 90s house that's links these tracks together. 

So wherever you're flying to this year, this is ready for your inflight club/radio luggage compartment.

BUY LINK / PRE-ORDR: https://www.juno.co.uk/products/slxm-sol-max-soul-quest-maintain-altitude-2-vinyl/1152516-01/

Artist: Various Artist

Title: Healing EP

Release date: 12th June, 2026

Label : Soul Quest Records

Catalog Number : SQR022

Format:  Vinyl / Digital/Streaming / Bandcamp 

Review: Max Sinàl - Healing EP (Soul Quest Records)

We said "more trumpet" and Soul Quest Records have agreed with thier latest EP by Max Sinàl, 'Healing' and it's delivered in more ways than one!

Following up on Sean Green's 'The Green Room' (see review HERE), Soul Quest's head honcho Max Sinal's returns with another collaboration with KingCrowney (remember 'Intentions' (see review HERE with vocalist Liv East) for a deeply personal look at leftfield synth-jazz Bruk house dancefloor.

By way of background, we're told, "Healing EP is a deeply personal body of work. The project is built around a narrative of Max’s mental health journey, with each track representing a different chapter in his life, moments where his mental wellbeing was tested, reshaped and ultimately strengthened. Sonically, each record inhabits its own distinct space, reflecting the emotional contrasts of those periods, before culminating in a closing statement of healing… a journey that, as Max emphasises, remains ongoing"

And just to prove it, the opener, "Reflecion" goes post-BRUK deep house with busy percussion with warm Lonnie Liston Smith keys and KingCrowney's trumpet mood on top.  If you're a fan of Zachary Berns' 'canvas'/'rendezvous' release (see review HERE) there's a distinct NY/London axis - any reflections on a two-way remix project?

'Maya', named after Sinàl's daughter, is a total change in place with spoken word "reflections" on being a parent (the anti-dote to (Salt Queen - see review HERE) with shufflin' pimng-pong and KingCrowney's trumpet going down the train track - it's great!

'Alone' is another track rooted in West London BRUK legacy with some cool vocals and serious wobble whilst the EP ends on another collaboration with Liv East (following the aformentioned 'Intentions') with the title track 'Healings' which has already been described as, "a genuinely stunning concluding cut".

This is a optimistic release and 'Healing' is you're big club/radio ready tune that's totally supported by the rest of the EP.

BUY LINK / PRE-ORDR: https://www.juno.co.uk/products/max-sinal-healing-ep-vinyl/1144824-01/

Artist: Max Sinàl

Title: Healing EP

Release date: 1st May, 2026

Label : Soul Quest Records

Catalog Number : SQR021

Format:  12" Vinyl / Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Max Sinàl & KingCrowney Feat. Liv East - Intentions (Frits Wentink, JT Donladson & Flying Moth Remixes)(Soul Quest Records)

More trumpet I hear you call!  We'll you certainly get a lot with the remixes of the last single release, ‘Intentions’, plus a "resonating" live version of the original cut! 

The original of ‘Intentions’ was a joint  adventure from label head Max Sinal, producer and long-time collaborator KingCrowney with vocalist Liv East. 

We know "producer extraordinaire" Frits Wintink from his work at Wolf Music (see review HERE) and he knows how much trumpet is needed to get the dancefloor moving; and in this case, with just the right about of wobble.

JT Donaldson seems like he must have been remixing since he come outta the dancefloor womb giving us a remix and dub version with some sparkling piano on the deep bassline; the remix itself goes straight for the trumpet/vocal jugular..

Flying Moth has had his own EP out earlier last month, Tide, with a remix by Toronto Hustle x Sean Roman (also seen on Wolf Music with their 'The Symington Avenue' EP - see review HERE) seems to have flown to the light and added it all in in a rapid synth-jazz Bruk; yes, you heard it here first!

And the best of the lot, even bettr than the original is the live version that has a vibe of the recent Jazzanova live re-work album (see review HERE).

Soul Quest have put together a great EP and worthy of a follow-up to the original and another release from earlier this year, 'Soul Notion EP' by Jean-Jez: did someone say, "more trumpet"?

Artist: Max Sinàl & KingCrowney Feat. Liv East

Title:  Intentions (Frits Wentink, JT Donladson & Flying Moth Remixes)

Release date: Digital - 20th June 2025 / Vinyl - 27th June 202

Label : Soul Quest Records
Catalog Number : SQR013
Format:  Vinyl / Digital / Bandcamp