Picks of the Week
Domenico Navarra featuring Monique Henry "So lonely" (Grooveland Music Records CD Promo)
One of our favorites tunes of the year so far (we got it as part of the "Grooveland Music WMC 2007 Sampler") is getting a full release soon, coming complete with brand new mixes. "So lonely" is produced by by Domenio Navarro and features a heartfelt vocal performance by Monique Henry over a deep and mellow backing groove that is enriched with a lovely guitar and great keys, giving the track a laidback feeling. Jihad Muhammad (with the help of Vincent Jeffries on piano and Kelton Cooper on guitar) takes the track to the next level, reworking it into a soulfully groovin', jazz-flavored masterpiece. On a different direction comes eDeep's interpretation that turns the track into a deep tribal house track with a slight dark edge that features wicked synth lines.
Dajae & Bernard Badie "Tonight" (Tony Records CD Promo)
With "Tonight", Tony Records present one of the standout tunes from this years WMC. Dajae and Bernard Badie team up for a deeply rumblin' funktified track spreading a distinct Chicago house feeling through the moody keys and sexy female vocals that creates an irresistible vibe. The 'Git Down Tonight Dub' is a relentless affair that is all about the funky house groove and bassline hook, with the vocals only sparsely used. David 'Vibes' Tobon delivers the 'Redirekted Mix', a mind-blowing reworking that combines the vocals with a thumpin' beat, acoustic and electronic keys, jazzy organ and a wild rock guitar to create a resistless vibe on the dancefloor.
More Reviews
Exclusive Review: Alex Dimitri featuring Dieghito "Our fucking jazz" (CD-R)
After the inspirational and uplifting gospel house interpretation of "Work it out" performed by Kika, Alex Dimitri together with keyboarder Dieghito present something completely different. "Our fucking jazz" is all about a jazz piano and bass that are combined with a smooth house beat, resulting in an irresistible jazz-house track.
Exclusive Review: Robin Thicke "Complicated" (Eric Levan Extended mix)(CD-R)
Robin Thicke's "Complicated" (lifted from his longplayer "The Evolution of Robin Thicke") gets a wonderful interpretation by the hands of Eric Levan who reworks this mellow and soulful slow jam into a laidback house gem which features a beautiful piano alongside the sensual voice of Robin Thicke over a smooth tribal flavored beat.
Jamie Lewis "Unity" (Purple Music Records CD Promo)
Since this track premiered at the WMC earlier this year, it has been in heavy rotation all over the world. "Unity", a 1995 classic by Dangerous Minds, gets revived by Jamie Lewis who comes up with a brilliant cover version featuring Michelle Weeks, one of house music's legendary divas. She delivers a passionate vocal performance over the deeply stormin, absolutely resistless groove that is enriched with magnificent keys. The 'Vibe Mix' relaxes things a bit, giving it a more laidback and cooler sounding on a slight retro vibe, while the 'Darkroom Mix' uses a tribal beat and catchy keys to turn it into a peaktime favorite with a dusky edge.
Joe Flame "Possible dreams" (D#Sharp Records CD Promo)
The latest release on D#Sharp Records is "Possible dreams" by Joe Flame, a deeply groovin' funktified production featuring male spoken vocals alongside tasty jazzy flavors that altogether create a feel-good vibe that is guaranteed to create a frenzy on the dancefloor.
MoD feat G-Kee "Body language" (MoD Records CD Promo)
"Body language" by MoD featuirng Gee-K will instantly catch you with its irresistible groove, marvellous keys, lovely guitar and soulful vocals that create an uplifting feeling - hands in the air on the dancefloors guaranteed. Karol XVII & MB Valence provide a tougher interpretation that comes complete with electronic keys and a jazzy piano, while Deep Josh delivers a stomping reworking with wicked keys that accentuates the funky elements. Dario D'Attis presents a fierce dub on a funky edge that is built around a relentless kickin' beat. Lastly DJ Meme provides a tasty edit of the original that nicely changes twists and turns things a bit.
UPZ "Ti-moune" (Bubble Soul Records CD Promo)
"Ti-moune" premiered at the WMC on the "Bubble Soul WMC Sampler", now its full release is imminent. With "Ti-moune", UPZ present an uplifting production with jazzy keys and male african chants courtesy of Patrick G and Hillary Sargeant over a smoothly thumpin' beat that is spreading a summery feeling. The 'Deep Voodoo Mix' takes the track to deeper grounds while giving it a darker sounding with techy keys over a tribal beat.
Dave Storm featuring Simone Moreno "Sundance" (Ceremony Records CD Promo)
With "Sundance", Dave Storm and Simone Moreno present a production perfect for those hot summer nights that features a marvellous guitar by Jorma Puusaag beside sweet and sexy sing along vocals and wicked keys that together with the smooth tribal groove create an irresistible vibe. Spiritchaser (aka Richard Earnshaw and Mark Bamford) deliver a remix that intensifies the vibe to an incredible climax with a slightly tougher edge.
Inaya Day meets Native Son "The way it was" (GoGo Music Records CD Promo)
For once, GoGo Music license a track and release it with slammin' remixes courtesy of Ralf GUM & Cris P. "The way it was" was produced back in 2001 by DJ Native Son, but as the original music got lost we will never know what it sounded back in the day. Inaya Day delivers a passionate yet spiritual vocal peformance that is beautifully arranged over a deeply stormin', slightly techified backing groove that is absolutely relentless, with the wicked electrofied keys intensifying the vibe.
Sparkie & Williams "Hammond Ride" (Raw Artistic Records CD Promo)
Phil Kullmann presents the second release on Raw Artistic Records under his new pseudnym Sparkie & Williams. Like the first release "Cutting crystals", this one might surprise as it shows yet another side of him. But it is a welcome surprise as "Hammond ride" breathes fresh air into deep house with its combination of thumpin' beats, moody keys and a wicked organ ride that is adding warmth to it. The 'Minimal Dub' strips the organ ride to give it more of a techy feeling.
Mel Rosario "A Feeling EP" (Deep Connectors Records CD Promo)
Deep Connectors is a brand new label that kicks off with the "A Feeling EP" by Mel Rosario that features three deep house tracks. All three tracks "A feeling", "Reconstructiva" and "Relatively calm" take you on a journey into true deep house with their deeply rumblin' grooves and melodic chords that give the tracks a warm feeling. Serious deep house grooves for the deep house lovers.
Greenwood & Thompson "Kumala" (Waking Monster Records CD Promo)
"Kumala" has been previously only available on the mixed CD "Worlds Collide Vol. 1", but thankfully this track of producer Greenwood now gets a proper release. "Kumala" is an uplifting afro house track featuring sensitive vocal chants by Keith Thompson alongside great horns and a lovely guitar that give it a feel-good vibe perfect for summer. The 'Jazzypool' mixes are based around a smooth groove, putting the guitar and horns centerstage, letting them create a laidback vibe.
Clemens Rumpf featuring Will Taylor "House muzik" (Ospina Digital Records CD Promo)
The original version of "House muzik" by Clemens Rumpf featuring Will Taylor is on a laidback tip, featuring male spoken words over a deep funktified groove that is enriched with melodic keys. The 'Electrohouse Mix' gets all dirty with its electro keys over thumppin' beats, while Davidson Ospina reworks the track into a heavily stompin' peaktime affair with catchy keys. Closing the package are Stereo Mutants who come up with a smoothly stormin' percussion enriched interpretation that featues harmonic keys.
Davidson Ospina featuring D'Layna "Ladadi (dada)" (Ospina Digital Records CD Promo)
Since "Ladadi (dada)" first saw the light of the day at this years Winter Music Conference, it has been getting huge support. The track, produced by Davidson Ospina, is a deeply thumpin' affair that is enriched with warm melodic keys and a passionate vocal performance by D'Layna. Enrio Mantini takes it to deeper grounds on his dub version that is built around a heavily stompin' groove and features wicked keys, while Centrla Avenue turn the song into an uplifting thumpin' affair with catchy keys. Lastly Clemens Rumpf delivers a smooth, afro flavored tribalish dub version.