Picks of the Week
Doobie J featuring Yvonne Yanney "Mellow heart" (Citrus Sound Records CD Promo)
With "Mellow heart", Citrus Sound present a wonderful production by Doobie J that features an outstanding vocal by Yvonne Yanney. The original is beautifully orchestrated, with a smooth yet fierce groove leading the way for a lovely guitar, melodic keys, jazzy horns and the passionate vocals. Domenico Navarra contributes a masterly crafted latinesque interpretation that gives the track a laidback feeling, with the orchestration being top-notch as used from this producer, while Jonny Montana gives the track a timeless reworking featuring jazzy keys, classy chords and a wicked organ ride over a deeply rumblin' groove.
Exclusive Preview: Glenn Underground & Daisy Villa "Rize" (Need 2 Soul Records CD Promo)
Up and rising UK label Need 2 Soul have a beauty in their hands with this production by Chicago legend Glenn Underground that features Los Angeles' lounge soulstress Daisy 'DAI' Villa on vocal duties. "Rize" is a signature Glenn Underground production that is built around a vintage, deep soulful groove that is topped with masterly performed keys and lush vocals courtesy of Daisy Villa. The 'CVO Re-Touch' is an almost ten minute long journey that gives the song more of a mysterious touch with its deepened grooved and eclectic chords and keys.
More Reviews
Mauritzio "Old bastard" (Cabana Records CD Promo)
Mauritzio Baiocchi presents a fierce track titled "Old bastard" that perfectly melts jazzy sounds with techy flavors, all nicely arranged over a driving, percussion enriched tribal groove. Justin Imperiale smoothes things down for a deep and lush take that oozes with soulful vibes on a laidback tip, while Dave Tobon under his Redirekted disguise reworks the track into a peak time favorite with delightful synths and chords over a smoothly thumpin' groove. Also included in the package is "Moon sun" which is built around a stormin' beat and features wicked keys which create a hypnotic feeling.
Classic: Nature Love "Speak softly" (Nite Life Collective Records Digital Download)
Lets take you back to 2000 when Nature Love released the beautiful "Speak softly" for which she teamed up with DJ Quad. The original is a classic vocal production on a laidback tip with Nature Love showcasing her talents alongside warm melodic keys nicely arranged over a smooth groove. DJ Quad's 'Waiting Oooh Mix' is a fired up affair that keeps things soulful, while the 'Speak So Dub Mix' is all about wicked keys over a relentlessly stormin' beat. Lastly Glenn Underground contributes a timeless soul drenched, jazz flavored rendition to the package. Digital Downloads available at Dancetracks Digital.
Classic: Gene Hunt "Brazilian nemesis" (Nite Life Collective Records Digital Download)
Here we've got another classic from the Nite Life Collective vaults now available in digital format. "Brazilian nemesis" is beautiful laidback track featuring marvelous keys over a deep, bassline driven backing groove that is enriched with wonderful chords and soulful male vocals. "Congo" is an instrumental take of the track, replacing the vocals with a killer guitar solo. Once again, the honors go to Glenn Underground for turning out a masterly orchestrated remix that has got timeless stamped all over it. Digital Downloads available at Dancetracks Digital.
Simbad "After the dance" / "Supersonic revelation" (Raw Fusion Records Digital Download)
Raw Fusion present an incredibly hot two track release by DJ, Producer and multi-instrumentalist Simbad (aka P.L. Stanislas Renouf). First up is a cover of the 1976classic "After the dance" that features the soulful voice of Melo and has been given the remix treatment by Bugz in the Attic who turn out a brilliant broken beat styled interpretation featuring wonderful strings and chords. Next is "Supersonic revelation" reworked by Phil Asher into a deep house masterpiece filled with delightful keys. Digital Downloads available at Dancetracks Digital.
Exclusive Preview: Yolanda Adams "Lift him up" (Alex Dimitri South Soul Retouch)(CD-R)
Yolanda Adams' uplifting "Lift him up" has been given a rehaul by the mighty Alex Dimitri who takes this beautiful song straight to the soulful dance floors by adding a fierce, smoothly thumpin' backing groove, with the incredible vocals creating a spiritual vibe every time this song is played.
Justin Michael & Secret Soul featuring Gina Rene "Celebration of music" (Hermosa Records CD Promo)
Hermosa Records present a truly massive package with non less than fourteen (!!) mixes by Justin Michael and Secret Soul who team up with singer Gina Rene for "Celebration of music", a summery production that is spreading a feel good vibe through the uplifting vocals and warm melodic orchestration, being full of energy while never letting down the soulful vibes and latinesque flavors. The various remixes included take the song to various different genres, with the likes of Balage, Random Soul, Blake Reary and Steven Stone delivering soulful interpretations, while Richard Earnshaw comes up with one of resistless groovy reworkings. Born To Funk, Conan (from Liquid People) and Yogi & Husky contribute the mixes for the bigger rooms and peak time, making this a choice package for different occasions.
Robert Nimmo featuring Robina "Fight the feeling" (EM Records Records CD Promo)
Italy's EM Records present Robert Nimmo's "Fight the feeling" featuring a sexy vocal by Robina and melodic keys over a deep, heavily stompin' deep house groove. Blue Deep relax things on their remix and give the track a more classic sounding with great chords, while Javier Variez goes deeper on his take that is built around a slightly broken beat flavored, percussion enriched groove. Javi Lopez toughens the groove and uses electrofied snyths, making the track suitable for the bigger rooms. Lastly, Mel Rosario's 'Basement Dub' turns the track into a somewhat dirty underground affair.
Elisabeth Troy "Higher ground" (Soul Purpose Records CD Promo)
Martin Ikin is behind Soul Purpose first offering for 2008, the uplifting "Higher ground" by Elisabeth Troy. The 'Classic Mix' is a soulful affair built around a funk spiced backing groove that features lovely keys alongside an amazing vocal performance by Elisabeth Troy. The 'Capricorn Club' is on a deep, tech flavored vibe with minimal vocals, with the accompanying dub going even deeper while completely stripping the vocals. Lastly the 'Aquarian Dub' keeps things deep and techy but is a bit more housey and features a cool hooky vocal chop.
Ralphski featuring Kristie "Keep me awake" (Mutated Music Records CD Promo)
Australia's Ralphski (aka Ralph Wirski) presents the deeply thumpin' "Keep me awake" which features great keys alongside sensual vocals courtesy of Kristie Glab. Various slammin' remixes are included in the package, with DJ Meme delivering a peak time favorite featuring a catchy piano and classic strings over a fiercely stormin' groove. The Stereo Mutants turn the track into a groovy, laidback deep house affair with wicked chords accompanying the vocals, with their dub firing things up and going even deeper. Lastly RYB contribute a mellow take that is full of beautiful warm melodies.
2 Brothers of Soul featuring Daren J. Bell "Thank you Jesus" (Remixes)(Mutated Blue Records CD Promo)
Mutated Blue is the sister label to Mutated Music, and to start things off the label releases unreleased mixes of "Thank you Jesus" courtesy of 2 Brothers of Soul which features an outstanding preacher vocal by Daren James Bell. MoD deliver a fiercely thumpin' reworking featuring wicked synths a great keys that give the track an irresistible feel, while Replay use a stompin', funk flavored groove as playground for a great jazzy piano and classy keys to create an intense vibe.
Avi Elman "Con Funk EP" (SoWhat Records CD Promo)
For once, Avi Elman steps out of his United People of Zion project and delivers a hot two tracker for the lovers of funky house grooves. Both "Motor booty" and "Slap'n ride" are resistless monster house gems built around stompin' grooves that are soaked with funk flavors, guaranteed to create a frenzy on the dance floors. The "Con Funk EP" is as funky as it gets...
DeepY'All aka DJ Rico "Gotta Keep Deeper Sound Factory Project 1" (Gotta Keep Faith Records CD Promo)
Massive project by DJ Rico here that will be released over two separate singles, with each single featuring two tracks coming in two versions. "Funk master in the house" is deep and a hypnotic with a dirty funky edge featuring sexy vocals, with the second mix adding a saxophone to it. "Funky days" has got some sexy female spoken words and vocals sitting on top of a funktified groove, with the Brazilian Soul Crew reworking the track into a funk drenched deep house gem. "House muzik will never die" is another example of sophisticated deep house, yet again featuring some hot'n'sexy female vocals. Fuzz takes the track deeper, giving it more of an underground feel. Lastly there is "Dance horizon" which combines both male and female vocals over a funkily bubbling groove, and this track is probably the sexiest from the pack. The remix on this one is courtesy of Pashaa (aka DJ Nemo) who gives it a summery feeling.
Exclusive Preview: Jacko presents Tony Loreto "The Spirit EP" (Tony Records CD Promo)
Finally "The Spirit EP" by Jacko (aka Giacomo Berarducci) and Tony Loreto found its way to the Spirit of House office!! Kicking things off is "Doo", a resistless track based around a fiercely stormin', funked-up backing groove that is enriched with wicked male chants alongside an out of this world piano solo courtesy of Antonio Di Mauro and classy strings that altogether create an energetic vibe that will take dance floors by storm. The 'Doo A Dub Edit' is a great alteration of the track. "Anthem" is deep house in its finest form, with deeply thumpin' beats leading the way for the string stabs and magnificent keys which create an absolutely irresistible, hypnotic feeling.
DeepY'All aka DJ Rico "Focus in my blues eyes" (MusicPlan Tracks Records CD Promo)
DJ Rico must be one of the most busiest men in the business at the moment with all the releases he is putting out. With "Focus in my blues eyes", he presents another lovely deep house production based around a deeply stormin' groove that is enriched with a wicked sexy male vocal and classy keys that altogether create a relentless vibe. The 'Voice Break Mix' has a different vocal arrangement and features extra chords, while the 'Focus Deep Mix' gets deeper and creates a hypnotic feeling. Lastly the 'Deep Y'all aka D Roots Rmx' gives the track an old-school funk sounding.
Logic Fusion Orkestra "Tales from the Music Room Part 1 EP" (Next Dimension Music Records CD Promo)
Next Dimension Music present the first EP in the brand new "Tales from the Music Room" series by Logic Fusion Orchestra. This first installment includes four tracks that take you on a journey into laidback deep house that is perfect for after hours or early morning play (and even for lounging) with their smooth deep grooves and the lovely melodies created by warm harmonic keys and chords that add a slight ambient/chill out vibe to the tracks. Close your eyes and let the dreams come true...