What Am I Gonna Do by Max Martinez

For its highly anticipated fifth release, Republic serves up a double helping of bona-fide East Coast deep-house goodness. Veteran Max Martinez, whose It's My Life EP was one of last year's strongest dark-horse releases, returns to Republic with a hellaciously soulful, organ-driven, vocal-inflected track that will remind househeads of the glory years of George Morel, Kerri Chandler and Cajmere and stands to convert a new legion of fans to the way of a basement, a red light and a feeling.

Max delivers scorching-hot vocals played off a melancholy jazzy keyboard riff that feels like a cool autumn breeze for full effect. It's this sense of restraint and mastery of dramatic tension that makes "What Am I Gonna Do?" feel classic, while kicking ass in a very contemporary way, thanks to Max's trademark tech-house dynamics. As the song's lyrics put it, "No sentiment, just whole-hearted soul".

On the flip side, Max's "Into the Deep Mix" rides a funky flute, trippy tech keyboards and a wicked tribal rhythm inlaid with crackling breakbeats to a deeper place. True House, at its best.