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- Written by: Mike Fossati
Picks of the Week
Jozana featuring CeiBei "I told you so" (Unified Records CD Promo)
Unified Records finally give the wonderful "I told you so" by Jozana a full release - including 12" vinyl for all the collectors out there. Featuring a stellar vocal by CeiBei, "I told you so" is a beautifully orchestrated production that will keep your feet movin' with its soulful rhythmic vibes. Glenn Underground delivers a marvelous rendition with his unique, unmistakable touch added that gives the song a timeless feeling - a sure shot classic.
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- Written by: Mike Fossati
Picks of the Week
Underground Ministries featuring Kenny Bobien "I shall not be moved" (Remixes)(SoulFuric Records CD Promo)
The wait is over!! One of the definite gospel house classics finally returns with fantastic remixes (available to a very few selected people only for quite some time). Originally released on Flatline Records back in 1999, the Holland Tunnel Project & James Perry produced "I shall not be moved" features an inspiring vocal by the one and only Kenny Bobien alongside incredible background vocals that give this song an incomparable uplifting feeling. The original is pure timeless New Jersey garage that is taken to new grounds by DJ Meme who gives it an irresistibly stompin' reworking that is beautifully orchestrated, with a reprise that will bring tears to your eyes. Brian Tappert provides a pumpin' edit of the original version alongside a relentless peak time dub with killer chords, while Soul Creation come up with a deeply thumpin' interpretation with resistless keys leading the ways for the unmistakable vocals. Their dub takes things even deeper, with hypnotic keys adding an underground touch.
Domenico Navarra featuring Monique Henry "So lonely" (Part Two)(GrooveLand Music Records CD Promo)
Part one of this release is a former "Pick of the Week" here at Spirit of House, and part two gets the same honors as these news mixes take "So lonely" to the next level. Whether it is Kings of Soul, Haldo or eDeep, what this package offers is blissful deep house reworkings, with Monique's heartfelt vocals shining on each and every interpretation. Whether it is the deeply thumpin' take by Kings of Soul, the deeply groovin' Haldo reworking or eDeep's funk spiced deeply rumblin' affair, there is no bad choice here. As a bonus, the full length version of the 'Original Mix' is included in the package.
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- Written by: Mike Fossati
Picks of the Week
Groove Assasin featuring Pete Simpson "Like what U do (girl)" (Camio Records CD Promo)
With "Like what U do (girl)", Camio present an outstanding release that has timeless classic stamped all over it. Produced by Groove Assasin and featuring the incomparable Pete Simpson on vocals, this is a beautifull orchestrated, absolutely resistless and soulful gem that will be rocking the dancefloors for years to come. Dom Navarra contributes a laidback, percussion driven latin house interpretation, while M-Sol delivers a deeply rumblin' reworking that is spreading an uplifting feeling through the beautiful keys and chords. H&H provide a laidback reworking featuring a great jazzy sax and lovely guitar riff. Closing the package is a wonderful, live instrumentated mid-tempo reprise by label head Jonny Montana.
Exclusive Preview: Chaka Khan featuring Mary J. Blige "Disrespectful" (Matthias Heilbronn Mixes)(Burgundy/Sony Records CD Promo)
Chaka Khan returns with the Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis produced "Funk this" album this month, with "Disrespectful" being one of the first singles to be released. The song is a duet with Mary J. Blige, and its pure funk bliss with the two divas providing strong inspirational vocals. Matthias 'Matty' Heilbronn reworks the song in a wonderful way, with his 'SoulFlower Mix' being a smooth and soulful funky jam on a midtempo tip, while his 'PDP Mix' is an uptempo house take that nicely blends the funky vibes with wicked keys and a relentless groove. The 'Disrespected Dub' is a great addition to the 'PDP Mix' that puts the keys centerstage.
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- Written by: Mike Fossati
So much great music this week... It would have been unfair to choose just one or two picks, so its your turn to pick your favorites. Enjoy !!
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- Written by: Mike Fossati
Picks of the Week
Exclusive Preview: Mario Biondi "This is what you are" (Alex Dimitri South Soul Re-Touch)(CD-R)
Alex Dimitri takes on the wonderful jazz-soul-funky "This is what you are" from Mario Biondi & the High Five Quintet's longplayer "Handful of soul" (an album which we highly recommend, with the High Five Quintet consisting of some of Italy's best jazz musicians). This 'South Soul Re-Touch' keeps the vibe of the original alive, with a soulful yet fierce backing groove being nicely layed under the original orchestration, turning the track into a timeless jazz house anthem.
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- Written by: Mike Fossati
Picks of the Week
Jihad Muhammad featuring Lorraine Reid "Open your eyes" (Camio Records CD Promo)
With "Open your eyes", Camio present a smooth production by Jihad Muhammad featuring a wonderful vocal performance by Lorraine Reid (who also wrote the lyrics) alongside a lovely guitar by Kelton Cooper and jazzy piano by Vincent Jeffries that is spreading a laidback feeling. Eddy G takes it to deeper grounds while keeping it soulful, with melodic chords leading the way for the vocals and jazzy piano. M-Sol power things up on their take, using a stormin' groove alongside spheric synths and wicked keys to give it an irresistible vibe. Lastly UPZ deliver a deep and groovy interpretation that keeps it laidback with warm keys and a lovely guitar.
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- Written by: Mike Fossati
Picks of the Week
Roland Clark and Steal Vybe "See the light" (Steal Vybe Records CD Promo)
"See the light" is the kind of song that catches you with the very first listen thanks to the the incomparable voice of the legendary Roland Clark on this deeply groovin' Steal Vybe production that is beautifully orchestrated with wonderful keys and a great vibraphone. The alternative mix takes it as deep as it gets, letting the beats rumble while the spherical keys create a frenzy. Lastly the 'Morning Dub' puts the instrumentation center stage, just using the chorus from the vocals. Simply gorgeous!!
Matthias Heilbronn featuring Keith Thompson "Rock the castle" (Pata De Perro Records CD Promo)
For the first time ever, Matthias 'Matty' Heilbronn and Keith Thompson team up on the wonderful "Rock the castle", an infectious production featuring a wonderful vocal performance by Keith Thompson. The 'Soulflower Mix' is on the soulful side combining socca with a smooth house groove, while the 'PDP Mix' gets more techy with its electronic elements. The dubs and beats take the track to another level, inviting you to play around with them.
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- Written by: Mike Fossati
Picks of the Week
Exclusive Review: The Brooklyn Knightz featuring The Temple Dynasty "He'll give you shelter" (Full Vocal Mix)(Rapture Trax Records CD Promo)
This timeless gospel house production by Phil Hooton and Rob 'Da Noize' Temple is considered by the Spirit of House office as one of the tunes of 2007 so far (it was a former "Pick of the Week" on May 27), and with a brand new vocal version featuring masterly performed vocals by Felicia, Rob 'Da Noize' and Diamond Temple that will drop around September/October on vinyl, this wonderfully orchestrated song gets even more inspiring, taking you on an uplifting and spiritual journey into house music.
Exclusive Review: Raashan Houston "I need to get away" (Monte Carlo Mehtod Remix)(Ruff'N'Tuff Records CD Promo)
Here we have an exclusive preview of the upcoming release by Raashan Houston on George Jackson's Ruff'N'Tuff label titled "I need to get away", available to us in the 'Monte Carlo Mehtod Remix'. It is a beautifully instrumentated song with a passionate and inspiring vocal performance by Raashan Houston alongside wicked keys, with a smooth yet fierce groove assisting in creating a timeless soulful vibe.
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- Written by: Mike Fossati
Picks of the Week
Flashback: Dee Dee Brave "My my lover" (Unreleased Dubs)(CD-R)
Flashback: Kerri Chandler "Can't let go" / Get out my life"(Unreleased Tracks)(CD-R)
If you followed some of the discussions on the Southport Weekender forums, you know that Kerri Chandler from time to time is sharing some of his unreleased treasures with the public. Here we have a few of these pearls that include unreleased dubs of Dee Dee Brave's "My my lover" underground classic which was originally released back in 1990 on the legendary Movin' Records. "Can't let go" was planned to be released on the "A Basement, A Red Light & A Feelin' Volume 2", but never made it onto that album. Finally, "Get out my life" was Kerri's first idea of "Rain" before he scraped it. All of these tracks bring back the feeling of classy, timeless underground house music we used to dance to back in the days.
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- Written by: Mike Fossati
Picks of the Week
Mena Keys featuring Franke Estevez ""Fuzion EP" (Fuzion Records CD Promo)
Behind Mena Keys is George Mena, a producer and songwriter who ist best known for his keyboard skills (if you who have seen him live, you know what we talk about). With the "Fuzion EP", he presents three beautiful tracks that are all about a wonderful instrumentation that includes marvellous keys. From the irresistible and uplifting "G plays it cool" over the a bit more electronic "Ride in space" to the deeply groovin' "The blast", its all about delightful grooves for the dancefloor.
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Picks of the Week
White Caviare featuring Sandra Lima "Divine Love" (Barcoda Records CD Promo)
Barcoda present an uplifting tune perfect for those warm summer nights with "Divine love" by White Caviare, with a passionate vocal supplied by Sandra Lima. The main version is a classy affair featuring a lovely flute alongside melodic keys over an old-school flavored groove. The 'Live Dub' is an organic affair built around stompin' beats that serve as base for the keys and vocals, while the 'November Remix' is a funked-up affair spiced with disco flavors. The 'Deep Headz' mixes take things to deeper grounds with stormin' beats and a wicked organ leading the way for the vocals and flute. Remixes come courtey of MoD who fire things up on their funktified reworking that features great keys and spreads an uplifting feeling, while Central Avenue's interpretation relaxes things with melodic keys and classic strings over a laidback backing groove.
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- Written by: Mike Fossati
Picks of the Week
Funk La Planet All Stars featuring Toni Smith "Summertime" (Funk La Planet Records CD Promo)
Summer is finally here, and with their cover of the Gershwin' jazz standard "Summertime" Funk La Planet present the appropriate anthem for it. Andy Funk & Benjamin Deffe provide an old-school flavored twelve minute journey into uplifting soulful house grooves featuring lovely guitars, classic strings, melodic keys and an inspirational vocal by Toni Smith over a percussion enriched, smoothly stormin' groove. DJ Fudge provides a funktified, steadily groovin' interpretation featuring great keys and a wicked organ solo. His dub is absolutely irresistible, with a relentless groove leading the way for the keys that create a hypnotic feeling.