Better | Deep Soulful House | A Journey Through Sound and Soul

Better | Deep Soulful House | The Gospel According to Tito | 26th Feb 2025

Deep Soulful House: A Journey Through Sound and Soul

House music has never been static. It evolves, reinvents itself, and threads together influences spanning decades. This session of The Gospel According to Tito is a deep excavation into the soundscapes that define modern deep house—where rhythm and melody communicate in ways beyond the obvious. Through layers of intricate percussion, jazz-infused keys, and Afrocentric cadences, this set connects the architects of the genre to those who continue its evolution today.

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The Jazz Connection: Bridging Tradition and Innovation

1. Magic Number – Better (Kaidi Tatham Remix Instrumental) [2024, Local Talk Records]
   Kaidi Tatham is not just a remixer; he’s a composer whose legacy runs through the veins of the broken beat movement. His take on Magic Number’s Better is an instrumental dialogue between past and future, weaving dexterous Rhodes chords with basslines that echo the improvisational spirit of jazz. Released under Local Talk, a Stockholm-based label known for its curation of deeply textured house, this track is an essential bridge between the genre’s soulful roots and its forward-thinking progression.
2. Ottis Blake – Crazy Love Tune [2023, Midnight Riot Records]
   The warmth of Crazy Love Tune stems from its organic instrumentation—a hallmark of Midnight Riot’s catalog. This London-based imprint has a history of unearthing soulful productions that favor live elements over rigid programming. Blake’s composition resonates with the craftsmanship of past luminaries such as Peven Everett and Karizma, whose productions often blur the lines between structured house grooves and raw, unfiltered emotion.

Afro-Infused Cadence and Global Expansion

3. Lj Pepe – It’s You (Original Mix) [2022, Yoruba Records]
   Osunlade’s Yoruba Records has long been a sanctuary for music with spiritual depth. Lj Pepe’s It’s You leans into this ethos with a track that is as much a meditation as it is a dancefloor groove. The syncopation borrows from Afro-Caribbean polyrhythms, while its harmonic structure aligns closely with the deep jazz movements that have shaped Yoruba’s distinctive catalog.
4. Alatra – Keep It Nice (Original Mix) [2023, Freerange Records]
   Freerange has consistently championed forward-thinking deep house, and Keep It Nice fits perfectly within that lineage. Alatra’s production exhibits the patience of a seasoned musician, letting the groove simmer rather than explode. The use of space and subtle percussive interplay recalls the early work of artists like Jimpster, who has played a crucial role in shaping the label’s sonic identity.
5. Kyong Sono – Tomao (Original Mix) [2024, Atjazz Record Company]
   If there’s one label synonymous with the meticulous craft of deep house, it’s Atjazz Record Company. Tomao captures Kyong Sono’s refined approach to sound design, layering resonant synth textures over pulsating bass grooves. The track’s subtle evolution is reminiscent of Atjazz himself, whose productions often feel like living, breathing organisms rather than static compositions.

Ibiza’s Legacy and the Balearic Connection

6. Ridney, Inner Spirit & Michael Sebastian – White Isle Memories (Extended) [2023, Soul Love]
   Ibiza’s Balearic movement is often misunderstood as merely ‘chill’ or ‘sunset music,’ but its real legacy lies in its embrace of sonic diversity. Soul Love, the label behind White Isle Memories, has built a reputation on curating productions that embody this ethos. Ridney’s melodic sensibility merges with Inner Spirit’s lush arrangements, crafting a track that could soundtrack both late-night dancefloors and reflective morning hours.
7. Disco Feelings – Birds [2024, Large Music]
   Chicago’s Large Music has long been a sanctuary for house music that straddles the line between deep introspection and club-focused energy. Birds channels the ethos of the label’s iconic past releases, echoing the hypnotic energy of artists like Roy Davis Jr. and Glenn Underground. The arrangement builds patiently, allowing its groove to become an almost subconscious force within the mix.

Emotional Weight and Sonic Complexity

8. NytXpress Musiq, Logo Alloy & Zam T – Break Up [2024, Deepstitched]
   A track that carries the emotional weight of its title, Break Up is steeped in melancholic textures and vocal fragments that feel like distant echoes of a conversation long past. South Africa’s Deepstitched label has been home to some of the most emotive deep house productions in recent years, and this composition fits seamlessly within that lineage.
9. Exte C & Soultouch Deeps – The Play Ground [2023, Stay True Sounds]
   Stay True Sounds is another South African powerhouse, championing deep house that retains its raw, unfiltered origins. The Play Ground is built on driving percussive layers and groove-heavy bass, a production approach that draws inspiration from both kwaito and traditional deep house rhythms.

A Grand Finale of Texture and Movement

10. Jago Alejandro Pascua & Alex Raider – Anabelle (Alex Raider Extended) [2024, Plastik People Digital]
    Plastik People has been at the forefront of curating deep house with rich, analog textures. Anabelle unfolds with cinematic elegance, slowly revealing layers of sonic detail. The synergy between Pascua and Raider is evident, with the track’s arrangement feeling both intentional and spontaneous.
11. Soledrifter – My Every Desire [2024, Large Music]
    Soledrifter is known for his ability to inject movement into even the most restrained grooves. My Every Desire maintains this signature style—its bassline is elastic, its chords warm yet driving. Large Music’s presence in this set cements its ongoing influence on deep house as a genre built on evolution rather than stagnation.
12. BlackJean – Our Cornerstone [2024, Peng Records]
    Peng Records has been a key player in the UK’s deep house scene, with releases that emphasize musicality and organic instrumentation. Our Cornerstone stands as a testament to the label’s commitment to crafting tracks that resonate beyond the dancefloor.
13. DISCO TOWN, Moon Rocket & Angelo Ferreri – Twisted [2024, Groove Culture]
    Closing out the session is Twisted, a production that embodies the playful yet sophisticated spirit of Groove Culture. Moon Rocket and Angelo Ferreri are both known for their ability to balance funk-infused rhythms with deep house sensibilities, making this track the perfect conclusion to a set that spans influences from across the genre’s storied history.

A Living Legacy

House music has never been confined to a single moment or movement. It is an ongoing conversation between past, present, and future—a dialogue expressed through rhythm, melody, and sound design. This session of The Gospel According to Tito stands as both a reflection on where deep house has been and a celebration of where it continues to go.

What track stood out most to you? Let’s keep the conversation alive. Join me at titopulpo.com for more deep house explorations.