Picks of the Week
Frankie Knuckles "The whistle song revisited" / "Gimme gimme (disco shimmy)" (NOICE!music Records CD Promo)
Frankie 'The Godfather of House' Knuckles launches his new label NOICE!music with a bing bang. First up is a revisited version of his timeless "The whistle song" that he co-produced with Eric Kupper that comes with a new bassline and add rhythms, making it suitable for todays dancefloors while keeping the magic of the original alive. Second is "Gimme gimme (disco shimmy) featuring Nicki Richards on vocals over a fierce groove that is driven by an irresistible, absolutely infectious piano that will drive people crazy. Watch out for a new Frankie Knuckles album to be released soon.
More Reviews
Exclusive Review: D.em Delight "You are" (Bocsecrets Remix)(CD-R)
Here we have another hot Bocsecretes remix for you, a hot reworking of "You are" by D.em Delight that takes the track straight to the dancefloor turning it into a smooth tribalish stomper that features sweet percussion, funky flavors and wicked keys, with the passionate female vocals sitting perfectly on top.
Unknown "Falling" (Vocal Remix)(Raw Tune Cuts Records 12")
I haven't figured out yet what artist has been remixed and bootlegged here, but these mixes are truly great and will keep you moving from beginning to the end, featuring wicked keys and sweet and sensual female vocals over a deeply rumblin' groove.
Campsoul featuring Tanya Stephenson "Fallen" (Home Soul Records CD Promo)
Home Records launch their sister label Home Soul with a wonderful production by Campsoul, a soul production team out of Toronto. The track perfectly showcases the direction for this new label: the fusion of soulful house and neo soul. Featuring a sensual vocal performance by Tanya Stephenson, "Fallen" comes in mixes by Reel Soul who deliver a sweet and laidback interpretation, letting the r&b vocal shine through the deeply stormin' groove and melodic keys. Karizma turns it into a deep old-school groover by using irresistible beats and drums beneath the vocals.
Fuzion featuring Wallace Gary "U (U got me)" (Fuzion Records CD Promo)
George Mena and Franke Estevez present the first release from their upcoming longplayer "Lose control" (to be released this summer). "U (U got me)" features a great vocal performance by Wallace Gary, with background vocals provided by none other than SuSu Bobien. It is a powerful and uplifting production featuring passionate vocals alongside marvellous keys and an irresistibly driving groove, coming in vocal and instrumental versions. Also included is a dub that takes the track deeper, featuring incredibly hot keys and breakdowns.
Matty & Monique "Now what" (Z Records CD Promo)
"Now what" is the result of the team of DJ and producer Matthias 'Matty' Heilbronn, keyborder Albert 'Sterling' Menendez and vocalist Monique Bingham. The track features a wonderful instrumentation including lovely strings, wicked keys, sweet percussion and slamming beats drums, witht the sultry vocals perfectly arranged on top. While the 'Soulflower' Mixes are on a smoothly stompin' tip, the 'II Deep' Mixes keep it on a more laidback and mellow side.
Yass "I believe" (Purple Music Records CD Promo)
French producer Yass presents the massive "I believe" on the unstoppable swiss Purple Music label. The track features an emotional female vocal performance over a funkily stormin' groove that is enriched with wonderful keys and a lovely guitar, creating an irresistible and uplifting feeling on the dancefloor that erupting to the maximum during the breakdowns. The package includes two dub versions by Yass as well as a revised dub by Jamie Lewis that comes complete with additional percussion and reworked beats.
Alex & Reverend P. featuring Dionysis "Blazin' up" (Stalwart Records CD Promo)
After two releases on Funk La Planet Records, Alex and Reverend P present their latest production on the french Stalwart label. "Keep blazin' up" is a hip house track that features a wicked organ, catchy hook and acidic tones over a deeply thumpin' groove in its original form. DJ Rork adds an old school groove and twists the beats around nicely, while Fudge uses a funky 4/4 house groove and replaces the acidic tones with spacey keys and a lovely guitar riff. The digital promo release includes extra mixes by DJ Rork (instrumental, beats, hot drums).
Miami Aftermath: George Kranz "Din daa daa" (Franky Boissy Remix)(Chez Music Records CD Promo)
George Kranz' timeless classic from 1983 has been a favorite with the breakdancers and disco lovers since its release, and this year in Miami the remix by Franky Boissy draw lots of attention. Its a great combination of the original elements (just think of the incomparable vocals) with a funkily driving groove. Sure to be huge this summer.
Afro-Mystik "Miracles"(OM Records 12")
OM Records present a lovely remix package of Afro-Mystik's "Miracles" here. Kiko Navarro opens up with his 'Afroterrano Mix', a laidback interpretation featuring a deep afro groove with sweet percussion, moody keys and a lovely guitar. On the'Koki Dapp-Ah' version, Kiko Navarro gives the track a tech-house feeling by using techy keys. Completing the package is DJ Fluid's percussion driven tribal interpretation that is on a sligthly tougher edge.
Gala "Like the way you..." (Davidson Ospina Remixes)(EMI Records CD Promo)
Beside managing his own label and producing, Davidson Ospina also finds time to do remixes for other artists. One of his latest efforts are the reworkings of Gala's "Like the way you..." that turn the song into an uplifting affair perfect for peaktime play on the dancefloor. The 'Club Mix' is on a fiercely storming tip, featuring warm melodic keys alongside the soulful vocals. On the 'Open Bar' mixes, he teams up with Oscar P to deliver a deeper interpretation.
Fanatix & Kele Le Roc "That thing (called love)" (Hustle Music Records 12")
Aaron Ross and Neil Pierce continue to release wonderful vocal productions under the name of Fanatix. For their latest offering" That thing (called love)" they team up with Kele Le Roc for a smooth and uplifting groover that features a soulful vocal alongside warm melodic keys and a funked-up beat. On the 'Underground Dub', they got a little assistance from Karizma who adds his magnificent touch to it.
Juke Joint "Dance 2 house" (Remixes)(Look-At-You Records CD Promo)
DJ Dealer & DJ Sense' "Dance 2 house" was originally released last summer as part of the "Sawdust EP" and gets now reworked into a more funked-up affair. First up, the boys deliver there own 'Jukey Remix' that is based around a thumpin' groove and features jazzy keys, laminar strings and acidic tones, creating an irresistible vibe. C&M are responsible for the second remix, an infectious affair featuring a stormin' groove and wicked keys. As a bonus, an acapella is included.
Various "Choice - Kenny Dope (Unmixed)" (Azuli Records 2xCD)
 | "Choice" is a series in which the worlds DJ's choose their all time classic tracks and put them into a continous mix. Most ofen, these are the tracks that influenced the DJ's the most. For the eleventh release in the series, Kenny 'Dope' Gonzales has been asked to selected his favorites and put them into an exclusive mix. He does not disappoint and steps up to offer us a heady, disco ensemble fuelled with rare Chicago classics and hard to find grooves. In addition to the mixed double-CD, there is now also a umixed double-CD featuring a total of 22 tracks including "Groove on down" by Dunn Pearson, "Together forever" by Exodus, "You dazzle me" by Dazzle, "The sound table" by Cameo, "It only takes a minute" by Tavares, "Love supreme" by Milton Hamilton and many more. |