(January 2010) THERE can be no denying that deep house, and it’s various incarnations, is having a revival. It is arguable that it was never really alive enough to be dead. The likes of Moodymann and Theo Parrish were the men creating this sound with little others opting for dense slow beats. Yet, as the years have passed new champions of deep house have emerged. Claro Intelecto has become a surprising advocate of the sound, leaving behind his days of electronica to focus more on deep house and dub techno. Other artists who are pushing the downtempo chords are Echospace and Trus Me. There is no set formula for deep house. Artists producing the “genre” add their own twist to the sound, injecting elements of techno, electro, disco or whatever they fancy throwing into the pot. Since 2007 one label that has been bringing its own set of ingredients to the deep house pot is Bu-Mako Recordings, with its own deep house gourmet Jenifa Mayanja.
Bu-Mako approaches deep house with a different view than most. The label, established by Jenifa Mayanja and Mookie Kayam, is not creating sounds of stripped down space excursions or a lulling reaction to social issues, Bu-Mako comes from a new age aspect. It is a label that promulgates life, wholeness and musical exploration. Some may say it’s a naturalistic take on deep house, but the branding it not important; it’s the aural message that counts.
Bu-Mako has a club sound, but one that sticks to its life based mantra. To date Jenifa Mayanja is the label’s sole artist. Instantly this looks like a flaw, but it is worth reserving judgment until her take on deep house is heard. The tracks have a laid back downbeat quality throughout, with Mayanja taking the listener on a journey through warm bass, relaxed snares and good vibes. From the debut release, Stream of Consciousness, to more recent material such as Release and Breath and Close Encounters Mayanja has added new elements to her sound. Aspects of afro disco, dub techno and classic house pour into the Bu-Mako sound whilst managing not to dilute it’s unique take on deep house. Close Encounters, from the same titled EP, sees hypnotic vocals coming into play, weaving their way around stiff roots of analogue sound. Older material, like “Release and Breath,” takes vocal aspects but twists it into a new shape to create something completely different. Instrumental compositions are at the crux of the Bu-Mako sound, dripping with a primal low level energy. Tracks, such as “Nakasuga” introduce electro chords to the equation to bring a whole different perspective to a Bu Mako.
One thing that becomes immediately clear when listening to Jenifa Mayanja’s music is its unmistakable organic quality. The Ugandan producer dips her toe into a variety of styles, but keeps the tone just right. With deep house taking up more space on record store shelves it can sometimes be difficult to figure out where to start. For those unsure, or after something new, Bu-Mako Recordings is a label worth checking out.
