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Picks of the Week
Byron Stingily & Kimara Lovelace "About our love" (Home Records CD Promo)
The new year is only a couple of weeks old, but we already have a contender for anthem of the year. "About our love" is a blazing duet featuring two legendary vocalists in the house scene: Byron Stingily and Kimara Lovelace who deliver an emotional performance. The release features mixes by Ron Carroll who comes up with an uplifting and smoothly stompin' peak time vocal, while 83 West give it a deep underground-ish feeling on their thumpin' dub that features wicked stellar keys. Will Rodriguez (Reel Soul) goes for a deeply stormin', truly soulful take that features some 80's flavors coupled with cosmic keys and a jazzy piano, creating an absolutely irresistible vibe. "About our love" will keep you singing and dancing all night long.
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Picks of the Week
Fuzion presents Arnold Jarvis "Justified love" (Fuzion Records CD Promo)
What a way for George Mena and Franke Estevez to open up the new year!! "Justified love" features the incredible voice of Arnold Jarvis and is the follow up to their successful collaboration on "Beautiful love" released on Diaspora Records in 2004. With "Justified love", George Mena & Franke Estevez deliver an oustanding production that features an emotional and soulful vocal performance by Arnold Jarvis over a smoothly stormin' groove that is augmented with orchestral elements and harmonic keys, creating an irresistible vibe that won't get out of your head. Instrumental and a heavily groovin' dub version are also included in this release that should be placed on top of your shopping list.
Moses McClean featuring Rob Burns "Share love" (SoulStar Records CD Promo)
Mitch Moses and Vince McClean return with "Share love" that features singer Rob Burns who turns out an uplifting vocal performance. The original version is based around a fierce and deeply stompin' groove that is enriched with wicked keys. Kicking off the remixes is Brent Laurence who takes it deep on his take, using a bass-heavy groove and laminar keys to create a moody late nite vibe, while Italy's Harley & Muscle go for a subtle interpretation that is full of soulful vibes. Lastly there is the remix by Suges that is a powered up affair perfect for peaktime play with its phat groove.
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Picks of the Week
Exclusive Preview: Soul Basics "City lite" (Unsigned CD-R)
Soul Basics is a production team from the UK, their music is based around jazz and soulful orientated sounds, with some tech and latin flavors. Out of the available tracks, we've choosen "City lite" for a review, a fantastic jazz house track featuring a great instrumentation and arrangement that comes in two flavors. The 'Calypsoul Mix' is driven by sweet percussion and a smooth groove that make this version the choice for late nite and early morning play, while the 'NY Groove' is based on a stompin' groove and features additional keys, creating a more powerful vibe suitable for any other occasion. At this time, their productions are unsiged, but it is only a matter of time until they get picked up by a label.
Feet & Leo Cuenca "Something going on" (Feet Records CD Promo)
The french duo of Feet & Leo Cuenca present a beauty with "Something going on" that features a marvellous vocal performance by Sophie Delila. "Something going on" is based on a powerful funked-up groove, having a latinesque jazzy feeling to it, with a touch of disco flavors shining trough. The 'Bossa Mix' beats the expectations its name creates, spreading a fantastic laidback vibe on a true bossa nova tip, featuring additional vocals. The dub uses a tougher groove underneath the latin instrumentation, letting the guitar take the center spot and do the talk.
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Picks of the Week
Studio Apartment featuring Terrance Downs "We are lonely" (KingStreet Records 12")
Japan's Studio Apartment team up with Terrance Downs, the vocalist from Ananda Project, for the beautiful "We are lonely". In its original form, it features deep & silky lyrics over smoothly stormin' latin beats and beautiful piano riffs that together with sweet percussion create an irresistible soulful vibe, with spoken words adding an extra kick to the song. Quentin Harris is responsible for the remixes that that use organic tribal beats and his trademark synth and organ chords on the vocal version while the dub is on a darker vibe, giving the song a tougher dimension.
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Picks of the Week
Boulevard featuring Kristin Berardi "Free your mind" (Phuture Sole Records CD Promo)
It has been quiet around Phuture Sole Records for some time, but with "Free your mind" they return with a big bang (to be released in early 2006). Produced by Andrew Whitehouse and David Prescott, this wonderful song features an outstanding vocal performance by Kristin Berardi, and it comes in a pleasant variety of offerings. The original version is on a mellow, almost chill-out tip, spreading a laidback feeling through the smooth groove, sweet percussion, warm laminar keys and jazzy brass. Todd Gardner provides the 'Certified Organik Mix' which is a wonderful interpretation giving the song a soulful garage outfit that is creating an uplifting vibe, while DJ Freestyle (aka Colin Russell) reworks the song into a deeply rumblin' and groovy affair that keeps the laidback vibe of the original alive. A song to stay in your mind for a long time coming.
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Picks of the Week
JoVonn "Do Your Dance Projcect" (UK Basic Records CD Promo)
Four their fourth release, UK Basic have commissioned legendary producer JoVonn who turns out two outstanding productions that keep it real and come on a true soulful underground vibe. "Anybody" is based on a fiercely rumblin' groove and is enriched with laminar keys and a wicked male vocal, with a jazzy xylophone coming in later in the track. "Djoon" makes uses of a stompin' groove that is topped with a rolling acidic bassline and wicked keys that gives the song a retro vibe reminiscent of older JoVonn productions. Both tracks are spreading an irresistible feeling and should not be missed
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Stacey Mallory has been featured regularly here on Spirit of House with his production, of which many have gained a Pick of the Week spot . |
Now he started his own 4 Real label where he will release his productions, with the first two releases made available this week. Watch out for the release of hidden gems on this label in the near future.
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Picks of the Week
Exclusiv Preview: Martino "Mars" (Iwanai Music Promo CD)
From time to time, you are getting pleased with jewels as it is the case with the next release upcoming on Iwanai Music (the label by John Kumahara & Ryan McAdam) courtesy of Martino. The track is based on an extremly groovy tribal beat that keeps coming in a smooth way, featuring a deeply rumblin' bassline together with several layers of spaced out keys and femal vocal chants, and even sounds of steel drums are included. In some parts, it sounds as it comes straight from outer space, making this something truly special. Refreshing and redefining house music as you find it extremly rarely.
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Wax Wars is a new compilation concept by Defected, coming as a 3xCD package with accompanying DJ friendly vinyls. It seeks to make globally respected house labels battle against each other through the strength of their catalogues and their mixing abilities. Each imprint is only allowed to use their own exclusive catalogue to create an individual mix which is a true representation of the sound of their label, containing classics as well as future hits. The first release sees the battle of house "superheros" Simon Dunmore (Defected) with Brian Tappert (SoulFuric) and Jamie Lewis (Purple Music). |
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Picks of the Week
King DK "Can't read your mind" (Black Vinyl Records CD Promo)
Michael Schreiber (aka King DK) present the smooth and soulful production "Can't read your mind" featuring a sweet and sexy vocal performance by Claudia Fink alongside a great jazzy saxophone, lovely guitar and funky bassline. His original version is a ride into the deep house territory, coming on a mellow laidback tip. The 'Club Dub' comes with a fierced up groove while the 'Broken Step Mix' is all about a soulful broken beat. Tinderbox (Alan Russell & Al Robertson) provide the remixes, delivering a funkily grooving version on their vocal take, while on the dub they add extra spice, giving it an irresistible feel. The 'Tinderbox-A-Pella' reduces it to the basics, letting the vocal shine all the way through. A delicious release not to be missed.
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Back in the days, there was no access to the master tapes, so people creating (re-)edits had to use reel-to-reel tapes, a razorblade, the original vinyl record and a lot of time and patience. Greg Wilson is a pioneer - a legendary edit-master - of this technology that still serves as base for todays remixes. |
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Picks of the Week
Ron Trent & Quentin Harris featuring Cordell McClary "Happiness" (Need 2 Soul Records 12")
"Happinss" is the first collaboration of Ron Trent & Quentin Harris for the new Need 2 Soul label that will be all about quality house music (like it's parent club night). It is a fantastic slice of deep house music featuring an outstanding latin guitar and uplifting vocal performance by Cordell McClary alongside Ron Trent's melodic and deeply stormin' bass movements and Quentin Harris' sweeping synth lines, the result being absolutely outstanding and irresistible combining the unique sound of the two. With both vocal and instrumental versions to choose from, this will become an instant classic not to be missed.