Artless
The Chaser (Rocca reworked) (Schema)

This is gratefully received from a mainly jazz-inspired label based in Italy. DJ Rocca from the Maffia soundsystem has turned out a classy remix that swings heavily towards two.step, but never loses its jazziness. Beautifully sinister Rhodes keys work their way into a tight beat pattern and, after a nice breackdown, comes a rugged bassline. Wll worth a listen if you’re into the next shit. ZB

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Beat Soup
Rockerilla, Febbraio 2002

(Only in italian)

Senza ombra di dubbio la scena italiana dedita ai suoni elettronici sta diventando sempre più interessante con il passare del tempo; ecco a voi due ottimi esempi. Il primo è il 12″ firmato Artless, progetto parallelo del noto Maffia Soundsystem che pubblica la sua prima uscita per l’ottima label milanese Schema Records. “2nd Room” è uno strano ibrido tra sonorità breackbeat dal sapore nu jazz e fascinazioni deep house ed etno che si fregia del flauto magico di Dj Rocca sul finale. Sul lato b troviamo “The Chaser” rilavorato da Rocca, ottimo esempio di breackstep raffinato e potente allo stesso tempo, assolutamente in linea con le migliori produzioni inglesi (8).

“That’s True” (MTR010)” Reviews 2004

“Ajello – That’s True (Moving Target)
Italy’s DJ Rocca mangles warped disco, sniffs of electro and tech-house for this screamer. Having already received props from Meat Katie, Lee Coombs and Pressure Drop, it’ll sneak through speakers across Britain over the winter months. Loes Lee and Elite Force complete the package with two brutal rinses.”
Emily Bromfield, Mix Mag Dec. 2003
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“Ajello – That’s True (Moving Target)
Another record that has been doing the rounds for some time, it’s the Elite Force mix here that is working for me on the floors. It has a warm tribal feel, loads of atmosphere, effects and a relentless dirty bassline that can’t fail in a nightclub. More outstanding stuff from Elite Force.”
4/5 Meat Katie, DJ Magazine, Dec. 2003
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“Ajello - That’s True
Don & Dirty – Enemy Of Communication
Moving Target/NETH
Amsterdam’s Moving Target keeps its chug going with these tow newies. Working as Ajello producer/ DJ Rocca of Italy’s Maffia Soundsystem throws down an ingenious blend of electro, house, dub and – wildly enough – a slight NewYork No Wave touch. It gets both a four-to- the-floor mix from the mighty Elite Force and a nu- breaks rub by label boss Loes Lee.
Meanwhile German knobtwiddlers Don & Dirty follow up their tight debut single “Riding” with “Enemy Of Communication”, a buzzy electro-breaks monster that shares the slab with the flipside’s “Normaliza”, an ultra- sharp, chopped-up bit of broken nu-breaks hysteria. Jump on these.”
Ron Nachmann – XLR8R Magazine, January 2004
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Ajello – That’s True – Moving Target NL
“Loes Lee has been busy abroad representing the growing Ned-breaks scene and this is another credible release from her growing label. Ajello, aka Italian DJ Rocca, delivers some funky loopy breaks with a disco feel and plenty of influence from the Italian sunshine. The real winners, as with many 12inches, are the remixes. Loes Lee puts together a more Tech-beat feeling, two to three note bassline number with some Housey hat sounds for good measure. One for those who like the TCR/ Meat Katie style productions. Elite Force takes the a-side of the 12inch with a definitive Tech-House remix with, of course, funky breaks in the background and the 4/4 beat up front. This makes his mix very usefull for crossing over between styles, something that many DJs would find essential to their collection.” 9/10
Simon Realeyes @ Basic Groove Magazine (NL), December 2003
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“Elite Force mix rocks!”
Timo Maas
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“Loes Lee mix is the one for me, nice, charted at no. 9.”
General Midi
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“Love Elite Force and this another that Hybrid will be hammering. Brilliant production and arrangement.”
Chris Hybrid
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“Loes Lee mix sticks out to me.”
Plump DJs
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“Elite Force’s mix has some crazy rhythms going on! Really into it.”
Angus @ Release Records
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“Elite Force’s mix is a quality filler in the set.”
Soul Of Man
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“Ajello is doing it – Elite Force is the one for me, reminds me of an old movie with a lot of animated sonicery!” 10 Sui
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“Ajello “That’s True” — all dope mixes for different effect. Elite Force turns out the druggy acid-tinged techfunker for dark rooms and sweaty bodies. Loes Lee provides a good midset breather that keeps things moving, and the orginal is a skippy, tripped-up work. 9/10” Mike Traylor @ FNX Radio (USA)
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“All version’s are good.”
Radio 1’s Nico de Ceglia
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“Absolutely blinding, proper pumping druggy tribal/house/breaks. This is of the finest quality.” 10/10
Vigi @ Streetwise
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Vinyl Addiction Cool Cuts Chart
12. Ajello – That’s True (Elite Force and Loes Lee mixes)
“Elite Force and Loes Lee rock the Nu Skool. Loving the Optimo lick.”
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“The Original mix is nice & quirky.”
Felix @ 10 Kilo
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“CLASS!!! Absolutely class!!! Love all the mixes… dilemma over which to play…wicked!!!! Will review in M8”
Barry Gilbey @ Choo Choo
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“Elite Force can do no wrong, love this vibe.”
Jay Cunning
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“Really like the Loes Lee mix, charted at no.5”
Geoff Ticehurst
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“Another class piece of vinyl from Moving Target. The Elite Force remix is rippin up the floors.”
Ann D (Headcharge/Sheffieldlive)
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“Yeah baby, this is the kinda house I like… techy, intense and throbbing, slightly garagey and very percussive.”
Timmy Schumacher (New Zealand)
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“Love the Loes Lee mix.”
Bengston @ Ritmic
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“It’s quite rare to get a 12” where all mixes are equally strong.“
Malinna @ SRD

Mixmag 15/2/05 M8 Magazine 4/3/05 M8 Magazine 4/2/05 DJ Magazine 21/1/05 IDJ 27/1/05

Reviews also printed in Blowback (still to get copy)
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194: Extra Skrufff: 25 February 2005 Single Of The Week == Italian EP (Relish Records) Coming out of the same stable as Tiefschwarz (specifically on Manhead’s label Relish) the Italian EP is three tracks of electrodisco from three different Italian production teams. Ajello, Nemesi and Franz & Shape and all three tracks stand up on their own right.

Ajello (aka DJ Rocca) already has an impressive pedigree than includes breaks and drum & bass cuts as Maffia Sound System and collaborations with Zed Bias, though here he turns his hand to electro-disco with suitably impressive effect. High energy, melodic and packed with handclaps, the instrumental track is clearly designed for the dance floor as is Nemesi’s Cosmica, the musical fruit of journalist/ promoter Alessandro Lestino. However, starting out with a beatless acoustic guitar intro, the track is a decidedly darker affair, that’s more late night than its peak time predecessor. Franz & Shape’s Countach, an electro-disco layered instrumental which builds and builds via thumping basslines, analogue synth sounds and filtered effects.

The Italian EP is out now.

Genre: Electro-disco Rating: 9/10 (for Countach), 8/10 the other two tracks) http://www.relishrecords.com

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DJ REACTIONS: Laurent Garnier: Ajello “Oh Yes, will Play” (Favourite)

Matt Williams (Ignition Crew): “Awesome! Caning this, thankyou so much!”

Luke Solomon: “This is very cool”

Tiga: Ajello 7.5/10 “Great”

Mark Moore: Featured in latest Chart at 9. “Italo mania 3 tracker on Headman’s label- great stuff!”
Rev Milo Speedwagon, Kiss 100: “I dig the Italian EP…..Relish strike again!! Ajello - Assault on Precinct 13 and a half 9/10 for EP…played Ajello on show - look forward to playing the rest of them”

Lars, Funk D’Void: “Thanks for this wonderful record, it will never leave my box. What a great Christmas present, all the trax are unbelievable…”

David Duriez: Ajello 7/10 (Favourite). “Ajello’s track is good, will play it”

Giles Smith (Secret Sundaze/All Over My Face/MOS Radio): Ajello 7/10 “My favourite track here, like the more old school drums on this. Bit more housey than the others, still keeping the electro element intact”

Wandy (Chibuku/Bugged Out!/MOS Radio): “I can’t stop listening to the Italian E.P! Franz & Shape was my favourite at first but now it’s Harlem U.S.A, I’m going to open the show with it this week.”

Erol Alkan: “Yes i like em!! sounds ace in a club”

Nic Fanciulli: “I Love It! Harlem U.S.A is my favourite”

Paul Woolford (Basics/Various): “I’m playing the Ajello track on this E.P, excellent.4/5)

Bones & Ramsey: “We Love all three tracks and think they are all great tracks they are on our chart in the top ten and also they went down a treat all of he new Year also we will deffinately be playing them at Fabric Friday and also in Coppenhagen.”

Commie (MOS Radio/Sky TV): Ajello 8/10 (Favourite) “Excellent collection of tracks. Fine Stuff. Also in sky music library”

Tom Mangan: Ajello “My fave I think, weird but good!! I like very much” 9/10