Various

Laid was established in 2009 by Hamburg-based label Dial due to their love of house music and the inspiring exchanges that occurred during their Dial all-nighters. With only ten twelve-inch releases under their belt, Laid delivers their first CD, featuring tracks previously only attainable on wax. Lowtec (aka Jens Kuhn) opens the compilation with "Use Me," an effortless, transforming, soulful groove, with vocal snippets and fluid rhythmic changes. Ohio-born producer John Roberts (the first American to make it onto the Dial imprint) offers "Blame," a deeply hypnotic house journey with driving percussion sounds, warm pads and sparse bells that magically entangle for a clean yet organically intricate track. German-based artist Kassem Mosse (aka Gunner Wendel) steals the show with his Detroit-inspired, texturally mesmerising percussion layers. Fred P's Black Jazz Consortium alias closes the album with "Applied Vibes," a shuffling, jazzy dance melody with subtle hints of whispering winds. The Laid Compilation solidifies that house is here to stay, with its beautifully produced, deep releases. This is the perfect soundtrack for the summer.