Latest CD releases reviewed

BLAZE
The Instrumentals Project Papa Records
**

For the last 18 years, Kevin Hedges and Josh Milan have been turning out immaculately soulful, shiny and sleek house productions to a grateful world. It's safe to say that deep house would not be deep house without Blaze's ears for a groove, their tracks seamlessly turning jazz, soul and garage ideas into funky gold since Whatcha Gonna Do? attained legendary status at the Paradise Garage back in the late 1980s. If their 2002 Spiritually Speaking album was an ambitious showcase of their songwriting prowess, these instrumentals are created with heavyweight DJ action in mind. There's certainly plenty of swing in these grooves, Sapporo and Cexx in particular heading off on voyages that refuse to adhere to the usual arc where tracks become anthems and rhythms fall in on themselves. Blazin' down the house. Jim Carroll