Some veteran DJs are content to grow old and live off past glories, taking no interest in investing in the future of the scene that they helped to create. Roger Sanchez is not one of those DJs. Many years on from his take-off in the dance music world his Stealth Records label stands strong as a bastion of fresh house music that moves with the times, and discovers and pushes talented young hopefuls to safeguard the future of the genre. Not only that, but for a second season at Ibiza’s Amnesia he holds down a residency in The Terrace (alongside Armin Van Buuren’s Armada in the main room), keeping the island’s house music heritage strong and creating thousands of memories for the droves of faithful clubbers and newcomers alike who come to witness one of the genre’s most talented and enduring DJs.

Nor is he one to stick single-mindendly in the past and refuse to progress. As always, the new volume of his Release Yourself compilation series showcases his distinctive sound alongside the cutting-edge of new house producers, making for an experience that both warms with its familiarity and excites with its freshness. As is now tradition, the first disc eases us in and teases us with a taste of things to come, while the second disc is nothing but peak-time, pure energy anthems – with 4 stunning tracks exclusive to this compilation.

Disc 1 charms with its graceful beginnings, soon bringing through classy vocals and moving into the hypnotic deepness and warmth of Manoo & Francois A’s Souvenir. Slowly but surely, that more recognizable tribal bump and chunky rhythm begins to creep in. The sound of European underground tech house cuts through the mix on Landmark Biokosmos’ Mix of No Me Puedo Controlar from Release Yourself mainstays The Cube Guys, and you soon realize that you’re listening to someone who loves the full spectrum of house music – not someone who just looks to play the biggest crowd-pleasing anthems and no-brainers. It’s an education for those who know him from more mainstream activities. Ralph Laurentius & Kal El’s Her Name Is teases us with the big builds we can expect from Disc 2, but chugs in a cool and understated way, while euphoric vibes slip into the final section, with Anjunadeep star Jamie Matrix adding some unexpected grit on exclusive track Splinter, and a huge S-Man mash-up giving a euphoric climax.

Disc 2 goes straight in for the kill, big room jugular style. Swedish star Avicii’s remix of Tim Berg’s Bromance kicks off with epic euphoric atmospherics, but the style soon switches to pumping Dutch house with Bobby Burns & Afrojack’s Ghettoblaster and Mixin Marc’s & Lex Da Funk. A new production from Roger himself makes for a centerpiece, 2Gether, with a powerful vocal sample from The B52s’ classic Loveshack a perfect accompany for its uplifting house sound, before the tribal flavours and darker mood begin to work their way in, with George F, Eran Hersh & Darmon Blow doing a bruising job on Afrojack’s Esther. A huge remix of the classic Big Love pushes us into firm anthem territory, with the final section a rousing, uplifting quartet with chunky beats and big riffs – culminating in Johan Wedel’s epic, fizzing, bubbling rework of Dim Chris ft. Amanda Wilson’s Sometimes
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After one listen, it’s hard to stop yourself from draining your bank account to fund a trip to the White Isle to see this master doing his thing in his natural habitat. Everything that’s good about house music is in Release Yourself vol. 9, and its yet another testament to the fact that while you need to keep the young blood coming, there’s a reason why some DJs are still where they are after so many years. No-one does it quite like The S-Man, and no-one ever will.

Tracklisting:

CD 1

1. Todd Terry pres. Kimyon & Naja Rosa – Running Faster (Let The Train (Kimyon’s Original Mix)
2. Desy, Katerina & Heikki L. – Dreamland (Original Mix)
3. Manoo & Francois A – Souvenir (Original Mix)
4. Oscar P ft. Marcus Pearson – Violet (Gianlucca Motta & Max Castrezzati
5. Sabb – 22 Years (Original Mix)
6. The Cube Guys & Landmark – No Me Puedo Controlar (Landmark Biokosmos Mix)
7. Ralph Laurentius ft. Kal El – Her Name Is (Original Mix)
8. Compuphonic – Analog Sparkles (Solee Remix)
9. DJ Joe K – Free The Night (Yvan & Dan Daniel Remix)
10. DJ Tarkan & V-Sag – Sea Through (Original Mix)
11. Jamie Matrix – Splinter
12. Fehrplay – Meow
Roger Sanchez – Lost (A Capella)

CD 2

1. Tim Berg – Bromance (Avicii’s Arena Mix)
2. Dion Mavath – Wait So Long (Chris Moody Remix)
3. Bobby Burns & Afrojack – Ghettoblaster (Original Mix)
4. Mixin Marc & Lex Da Funk – Rule The Generation (Original Mix)
5. DJ Disciple ft. Dawn Tallman – World Wide Party (Dom Capello Remix)
6. Roger Sanchez – 2Gether (Original Club Mix)
7. Jean Claude Ades vs. Lenny Fontana ft. Tyra Juliette – Night Time (Main
8. Afrojack – Esther (George F vs. Eran Hersh & Darmon Blow Remix)
9. Suzanne Palmer – Big Love (Etienne Ozborne & Peter Brown Remix)
10. Motta’s Track – Hands Up (Gianluca Motta WMC Cuban Mix)
11. Danny Dove ft. Lewis Cutler – One Life (Original Mix)
12. Dim Chris ft. Amanda Wilson – Sometimes (Johan Wedel Remix)