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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Sterling Ensemble "Song and rhyme" (DeepHaven Music Records CD Promo)
DeepHaven Music are going from strength to strength at the moment, and their latest offering "Song and rhyme" by Sterling Ensemble is no exception. "Song and rhyme" is an extremely soulful production featuring sensitive male vocals over a laidback backing groove that creates a mellow feeling. The 'Instrumental' is absolutely sublime, powering things up to make it suitable for many occasions. The package also includes an alternate vocal and a bonus beats version.
Exclusive Preview: Joe Flame "Desperate Space" (D#Sharp Records CD Promo)
Joe Flame has constantly been putting out quality stuff over the past few months, and is forthcoming "Desperate Space" album is no exception. A variety of tracks to choose from, all of which are nicely orchestrated, exploring the soulful grounds of deep house. Whether it is the jazz flavored title track "Desperate space", the deeply groovin' "Feel my flow", the stormin' "Joey is watching you", the laidback "Just 4 you", the slightly techified stomper "Let's dance", the deeply thumpin' "Stress" or the latinesque "Wepa" (which features DJ Negro), its all about beautifully crafted music here.
Danny Marquez featuring Amma "Trust in yourself" (BubbleSoul Records CD Promo)
Danny Marquez is teaming up with Amma for the irresistibly stompin' "Trust in yourself" that features catchy synths alongside sweet percussion and a sexy vocal performance by Amma that altogether create an intense vibe. Kiko Navarro provides the remixes, with his 'Classic Mix' relaxing things with a smooth groove and warm melodic keys. As a contrast, his deeper 'Koki Spontah-Neo Dub' creates a dark vibe and comes spiced with wicked electrofied chords.
Domu presents PeteSimpson "Won't give up" (Papa Records CD Promo)
"Won't give up" is the first single taken from the forthcoming "Look a little further" long player by producer Domu and singer Pete Simpson. The original is a gorgeous down tempo affair that is oozing soulful vibes through the smooth bongo rhythm and wonderful instrumentation, with Pete Simpson providing a heartfelt vocal. The Realm take the track to the dance floor, creating a smooth vibe on their interpretation that is built around a relentless yet laidback backing groove.
Exclusive Preview: Marvin Gaye "Got to give it up" (Alex Dimitri South Soul Re-Touch)(CD-R)
Another week, another slammin' rework by Alex Dimitri. This time he takes on the Marvin Gaye classic "Got to give it up" and serves a respectful interpretation that keeps the incomparable vibes of the original alive while taking the track to the dance floor by adding a smooth yet deep funk flavored 4/ groove.
King DK featuring Robina "Noche de vida" (Black Vinyl Records CD-R)
It has been almost two years since King DK (aka Michael Schreiber) released the massive "Can't read your mind" on Black Vinyl Records. Now he returns with the beautiful "Noche de vida" which features a sweet'n'sexy vocal courtesy of Robina alongside wonderfully performed horns, guitars and live bass that altogether create a smooth and soulful funk flavored vibe on a laidback tip.
RyB featuring Angelita Jiminez "Brazilian breeze" (Mutated Music Records CD Promo)
RyB are Rafael Yapudjian and Marcos Bispo who team up with brazilian singer Angelita Jiminez for the beautiful afro-latin tune "Brazilian breeze", a sun drenched production that is creating an uplifting vibe through the wonderful orchestration and sweet vocals. Beside the sublime original vocal, dub and reprise versions, there are slammin' reworkings by the Stereo Mutants who fire things up on their mixes, providing a lovely vocal mix alongside two dubs, one being on a tougher edge perfect for peak time play, while the other one is smoothly funkin' up things.
Mario Basanov featuring Akmeja "Summer breeze" (Camio Records CD Promo)
Camio Records surprise us with something different to their latest offerings, but this is with no doubt another winner! The mid tempo "Summer breeze" by Lithuania's Mario Basanov features an emotional vocal performance by Akmeja over an organic backing featuring vibraphone, guitars, bass and wicked keys that create a laidback vibe perfect to chill. Deep INC take the song on a beautiful broken beat tip that keeps things soulful and mellow, while Groove Assassin reworks the song into a laidback houser featuring tight keys over a smooth yet fierce backing groove.
Andy Holder featuring Erik Dillard "Survive" (SoulFunk Digital Records CD Promo)
"Survive" features the one and only Erik Dillard who delivers a passionate vocal performance on this uplifting production by Andy Holder. The original vocal and dub are feel good affairs featuring warm melodic keys nicely arranged over a thumpin' groove, while the 'Diversify Mix' is on a beautiful jazzed-up broken beat tip. Various dub mixes to choose from, with the 'Dancehall Dub' giving the track a laidback dancehall/dub feeling, while the 'Fall Down Dub' is a more laidback affair and the 'Inner City Dub' is the pick for peak time. The remix is courtesy of Richard Earnshaw who comes up with a laidback yet deeply groovin', old school flavored interpretation. Finally, there is the unreleased reprise of the original version.
DJ Rico "Vibes on the Dancefloor EP" (Gotta Keep Faith Records CD Promo)
DJ Rico follows up the success of his "The Funkiees Deep EP" with another slammin' release titled "Vibes on the Dancefloor EP" which offers four new tracks. Kicking off is the deep and dark "My paradise garage" featuring a wicked male vocal, while "Soul power" is pure funkiness with lots of samples and wicked spoken words. "Afro phunkya" blends afro and funk vibes into a hypnotic groover, while on "That people underground" deep house meets funk.
Chris N & Mikkel Wendelboe "Into my life" (ReelGroove Records CD Promo)
With "Into my life", Chris N and Mikkel Wendelboe present a release that infuses the best disco and house have to offer into a funktified uplifting production that is spreading feel good vibes through the fierce grooves that are offered in two lovely variations. Central Avenue provides the first remix, taking the track to deeper grounds, giving it a bumpy feeling with great keys taking the lead. The second remix is courtesy of Pingo & Bobby who rework the track into a dark and dubby affair perfect for the bigger rooms. Completing the package is a very useful acapella.
Soul Providers featuring Michelle Shellers "Rise" (Born To Funk Remixes)(Look-At-You Records CD Promo)
The Soul Providers classic "Rise" gets revived by Born To Funk who deliver slammin' reworkings. Their 'Amsterdam Club Mix' is a fierce funktified affair driven by a deeply rumblin' bassline, with catchy chords together with Michelle Shellers soulful vocals creating a hypnotic feeling, while the 'Miami House Mix' creates a hands-in-the-air vibe with uplifting synths and lovely strings. The 'Miami House Instrumental' drops the vocals to let the keys and strings do the talking.
DNY featuring Mr. MAMA "Bubbles EP" (Look-At-You Records CD Promo)
Mr. Mama has been a regular guest here at Sprit of House with his deep hypnotic grooves. Now he presents his first release for Look-At-You titles "Bubbles EP" that features four irresistibly groovin' tracks (including the previously reviewed "Unfixed") with a raw edge that take you on a journey into hypnotic deep house grooves that are enriched with wicked keys and chords, with some of them spreading a definite old school feeling through a classy piano.
Back to Fundamentals presents DJ Gregory "You are my friend" (SSOH Records CD Promo)
The honors for the first release in the "Back to Fundamentals" project go to DJ Gregory who delivers another one of his inescapable tracks in form of "You are my friend", an energetic track that keeps stompin' away from the very first second, with the chords and synths bringing back memories of that unrivaled balearic sounds, enriched with catchy female vocal chants and a lovely flute that adds a soulful touch to the track. Next up in the series will be "So far away" by Martin Solveig & Rumi.
Exclusive Preview: Scott Grooves "Only 500" (Natural Midi Records CD Promo)
"Only 500" is the second release on Scott Grooves own Natural Midi label, and as the title suggests, this is going to be a highly limited vinyl release. On "Only 500", various layers of rhythms are fused together to create an atmospheric soundscape that is somewhere between house and techno, with a deeply bubbling bassline groove serving as playground for the synths. The result is a hypnotic, absolutely relentless track.
Jonny Young "Non violence" (Guess Records CD Promo)
"Non violence" by newcomer Jonny Young is a fiercely thumpin' production featuring lovely string hooks, catchy synth pattern and an effective vocal that altogether create a relentless feeling. K-Bana uses electrofied synths and a slightly techified groove to create a hypnotic interpretation, while Spiritchaser reworks the track into a peak time favorite built around a resistless bassline and effective synths.