Another month, another bunch of quality tunes. Mark O'Sullivan drop yet another quality groover while Future Mode (aka Stan Kolev) takes things more ethnic and deep. Gotta love the drums!
1. Mark O'Sullivan - Relapse (Process Recordings)
2. Future Mode - New World Order (Aki Bergen Remix) (Ready Mix)
3. M.in - It's Just Because (Micro.fon)
4. Max Cooper - InhaleExhale (Tim Sheridan's Breathe In Mix) (Veryverywrongindeed Recordings)
5. David Phillips - Paranoid Boy (Global Ritmico)
6. Daniel Meteo - In The Mood (Abe Duque remix) (Shitkatapult)
7. Jaimy & Alan T - Look Mama, We Are Still Twisted (Rulers Of The Deep Remix) (Fatal Music)
8. Walter Jones - I Am Loved (Permanent Vacation)
9. Alexi Delano & Cari Lekebusch - Channel 0 (Hybrid Productions)
10. Taho - Amarylis (Lumina)
Or check out my latest chart at Junodownload
This year's Highlife NYE Experience party is happening again at Matakana Country Park. It's located in a region which is a haven of boutique vineyards and also close to some awesome beaches. It's also just a handy drive from Auckland city (only 45 mins). Last year's Highlife new years event was sold out with over 7000 people rocking out in style across a multi-stage outdoor/indoor event. For anyone in (or planning to be) Auckland this New Years this is a happening party worth checking out.The Highlife NYE event has 8 zones of varying styles and sizes - starting with the mainstage featuring Sneaky Sound System, DJ Scratch, Vandalism, The Opensouls and more; the indoor Canadian Club Pavilion with The Freemasons, Stonebridge, Mischa Daniels etc; and other arenas catering to tech-house, deep house, R'n'B, retro, drum n bass, breaks and more. VIP zones and an R24 area also cater to the oldies who need a quick rest.
Local DJs also playing on Highlife NYE include Bevan Keys, Sam Hill, Karn Hall, Philippa, Peter Urlich, Manuel Bundy, Cuffy, Mark Emerson, Rob Warner (yes, me!) and dozens of others - over 50 in total - covering a wide range of styles.Nuff said, this is the New Years Eve event to check out if you're anywhere within driving distance of Matakana. You can even catch a helicopter if you're that way inclined.Tickets at: Real Groovy, Route 66, Conch Records, Spy Bar and Flight Lounge. Limited VIP tickets, Bus tickets and special packages are available online via iticket.
More gems which are keeping the groove going for November.
Marcelo Tag - The Broken Harted (Prosthetic Pressings)
Italian Marcelo Tag’s latest release is his best to date for dance floor effectiveness. The original of ‘The Broken Harted’ is loopy drum-laden tech-house which rolls along solidly before ducking into a section of freaky guitar action which adds just enough to lighten the tone without being too big or obvious. Gabriel Boni’s remix is the winner of the package though, taking on a Chicago-esque groove initially but adding more and more off-kilter elements and effects which result in a totally wacky piece of tech-house which would work on any forward thinking dance floor. It’s a rare track with enough of a soulful groove to please house-lovers but also twisted enough for the tech-house crew.
DJ Leandre - Tripping Out (Parker Musicworks)
Parisian DJ Leandre steps into Terrence Parker’s label with a funk/disco sampling gem which would be at home in Chicago in 1996. It follows from the label’s last release by Matt Veloce which set a very high standard. The main event on the release is ‘Tripping Out’, a chunky house track affair with a big funk sample and massive chunky swing to alongside some supreme percussion which sounds like it’s straight out of Dimitri From Paris’ record box. ‘Love 4 Sale’ is a more disco vibe affair with a sleazy groove and fantastic piano riff straight out of the 80s. If Ray Mang, Moodymann or quality disco-inspired house is your thing then you’ll enjoy this a ton!
A few gems which have kept in the front pages of my CD wallet the past weeks. Dubby, loopy house and disco/funk sampling party music is back in style it seems.
Hannah Holland - What You Feel (Playtime Records)
Bottom heavy tech house is the way to describe the original of ‘What You Feel’ which is dominated by low-key rhythm percs and dubby elements. James Braun’s remix takes a very similar line but adding more dropouts and eerie pads into the arrangement. Rising Australian talent Nick Verwey steps it up a notch with his remix which, again, retains the dubby vibe but takes things far more twisted adding in plenty of edits and freaky effects. Playtime Records are on a roll and this release caps it off their year in style.
Edmund - Best Night Ever E.P. (DeepClass Recs)
Spanish artist Edmund’s new EP starts out as a quite low key affair with ‘Roots Of Evil’, a hypnotic deep groove which bubbles along nicely save for some nicely placed synth stabs and vocals. The main event of the release surely is ‘Don’t Know Why’, a sublime deep house number with a hint of techiness – and paced to perfection. It has nice, understated vocal samples and sultry keys placed throughout the trip. ‘Gimmie What You Got’ is the closer here, another deep trip using just enough vocal to hook you in but not overdoing it one bit. Like the other tracks it’s got a hint of tech in it - super deep and a 6am head-nodding ride. Rocking stuff.
'Emotional Content Remixed' is primarily a collection of the single release remixes from Stan Kolev’s 2007 album with a few new remixes added in for good measure. The opening remixes of the LP intro ‘Routts‘ are done by Faces who takes things synthy in the progressive style Ready Mix are known for. Beat Factory’s remix of the same track is a more big-room affair with a techy slant and cut up vocal snippets used to great effect. ‘Inner Sense’, a total gem in its original form, is remixed by Dutch duo Edwin & Ferdy who impress with their trademark, a laid back and low key vibe remix. Christos Fourkis remixes the same track taking a more groovy, hypnotic vibe while UK’s K-Bana takes on two remixes ‘Inner Sense’ and ‘Get There’ with a bouncy, crisp groove for both. Eelke Kleijn’s remix of ‘Flashback‘ is also included - a grinding gem which would rock any late night jam with ease. Daniel Kyo, Marrakech, The Quasar, Add2Basket, Human8 and more contribute solid mixes making, in all, 15 remixes with more than enough quality to set up any lover of progressive or tribal infused house with a hour of quality listening.
@Beatport: Emotional Content Remixes
It's not usual a single release warrants its own review here but DJ Hell 'U Can Dance' is one that does.
DJ Hell has teamed up with Roxy Music’s Bryan Ferry and Peter Kruder to produce a killer take on an unreleased Ferry song from yesteryear. It first featured on Hell’s album Teufelswerk but comes into its own now with remixes courtesy of Carl Craig, Simian Mobile Disco and DFA's Tim Goldsworthy.
The fanfare of the previous album single, ‘The DJ’ featuring P. Diddy, would normally be hard to trump but nothing is impossible when Carl Craig is on remix duties and over two blinding remixes he delivers gold. Both adopt Craig’s usual creative genius and madness with one mix taking on a more stabbed and bouncy groove, holding the vocal at the forefront while the other is more stripped back and pushes a darker groove with perfectly timed trippy synth tweaks and refrains. Craig’s first mix in particular is nothing short of genius - one of his best recent remixes - and is one of those records which has elements you didn't even notice at first come to life when played on a decent sound system.
Tim Goldsworthy's 11 minute mix is an interesting take - quite laid back initially but taking lots of twists and turns along the ride - adding in live percussion elements, detuned keys and drum solos to give an almost live band feel for large sections. It's one to give a couple of listens because it will grow on you. Simian Mobile Disco deliver a slow-burning and stripped back remix which chugs along in their usual understated style until kicking into top gear around 6 minutes in. It’s solid but not quite the main event in this case. Carl Craig’s two mixes show yet again why he’s almost untouchable amongst dance music's edgier remixers.
DJ Hell feat Bryan Ferry 'U Can Dance' is set for release in January 2010 on International Deejay Gigolo Records as MP3 download and 12" vinyl.
This month is a mixed bag of Detroit, deep, dubby, disco and tribal tracks. Carl Craig once again delivers with his remixes of DJ Hell's 'U Can Dance'. Angel Alanis shows he's still got the good with his tracky remix of rising Bulgarian artist Inert. Slam also return with a bottom heavy chugger on their own new label Paragraph.
1. DJ Hell feat Bryan Ferry - U Can Dance (Carl Craig Remix V.1) (International Deejay Gigolo Records)
2. Inert - It Depends (Angel Alanis Remix) (A-Squared Muzik)3. m0h feat. Graciella - Disrupted (M.in & Patrick Kunkel Remix) (Ground Factory Recs)
4. Edmund - Dont Know Why (DeepClass Records)5. Kris Wadsworth - Deep Inside (Dark Energy)6. YNK feat. De La Maso - Flatuare (Micro.fon Digital)
7. Slam - We Doin This Again? (Paragraph)8. 7. Samuel L Session - Tight Stack (Be As One Imprint)9. 2 Human - Burn The Witch (Mak.Tub Music)10. M.in, Ynk & Ben Anders - Do You Speak House (Emerson Remix) (Weplayminimal)
Classic pic/remake: Soho - Give It Up (Passion mix). From the same producer as Earth People 'Dance' and released around the same period 'Give It Up' is a sparse, groovy, deep house classic.
Although progressive house never really went away the limelight has definitely been off it the past couple of years. Maybe it was the rise of electro house or minimal, but maybe it was that prog had ventured so far up its own nether region it well.... too often just sucked. Much of it in any case. Thankfully the tide against McElectro-hou5 seems to be waning and prog is reviving itself somewhat.One label I enjoyed in the early 00s and then drifted away from was Plastic Fantastic. They've revived their Plastica sub-label in serious style in 2009 with what I'd rate as some of the coolest prog I've heard in ages.Dan Cat (aka half of Cheshire Catz) had a superb release with 'Outa Bongolia' - taking the cake for coolness and the absolutely brilliant Q-Burns remixes of Kicksy & Alif Groove "Out Of Nowhere" make for one of the best feel-good records I've heard in ages.Check out:Dan Cat - Outa Bongolia / That Was Hot (one of the most orignal prog tunes you'll hear in ages!)Corrugated Tunnel - Bulfin
Kicksy & Alif Groove - Out Of Nowhere (Q-Burns Abstract Message Remix)Bentley & Ben Gomori - Out Comes Fabianski (with a great dub by Fabregas - release 23 Nov)Plastica Recordings website
Terrence Parker has been around for literally decades - longer than I recall at least. I recently noticed his label, Parker Musicworks, generally an outlet for his own works, has started dropping some seriously dope stuff by other artists.A few worth a mention have been on the disco-sampling tip which, by usual standards, would be a sign they're probably rubbish. Too many artists fail badly when sampling old disco tunes - the results are usually just plain soul-less rubbish. Parker however has found a really good bunch of artists doing really solid stuff. It makes a nice change from the harder styles which seem to dominate most scenes.Matt Veloce 'Let's Get Some Love' and the lower-key Chic-sampling 'Come On' have wicked grooves reminiscent of mid-90s Cricco Castelli releases. Understated and funky as hell. Support coming from taste-makers Luke Solomon, Tedd Patterson, Anthony Shakir and more.Another, by Parisian DJ Leandre, is a more chunky affair with Funk/Jazz/Disco influences but made with a modern house approach. 'Tripping Out' in particular is a sleazy, infectious gem - the sort of record you'd expect Dimitri From Paris to bust out. Solid stuff.Matt Veloce - Let's Get Some Love at JunodownloadParker Musicworks label page on Traxsource
The year is hotting up with tons of labels and artists saving their best till the home stretch. Milton Jackson's latest, 'Falling', is a great return to a more hypnotic sound for him, and U&K's 'Elastic Exit' is a mad, futuristic Detroit-inspired gem worth checking out. If you're after a warm, summery prog vibe the Q-Burns remix of Kicksy & Alif Groove 'Out Of Nowhere' is your ticket!Derrick May's Transmat Records also relaunches in style with Greg Gow's 'The Bridge' which ought to be this years Blackwater/Jaguar - take your pick.1. Milton Jackson - Falling (Deep Mix) (Dark Energy)2. Greg Gow - The Bridge (Late Night Grand River Mix) (Transmat)3. Tim Sheridan - Bionic Language (House Mix) (Veryverywrongindeed Recordings)4. U&K - Elastic Exit (Redflux Cinnabar)5. Mark O'Sullivan - Within You (Secret Groovers Remix) (Nice & Nasty)6. Elef.ant - Mudma (Weplayminimal)7. Gary Caos - Madre Terra (John Lagora Dub) (Frequenza)8. Kicksy & Alif Groove - Out Of Nowhere (Q-Burns Abstract Message Remix) (Plastic Fantastic)9. Nima Nas & Nikko - Poser (Original) (Slanted Black)10. F-Sonik - Experiencia (Aenaria Tribal)
Another month, another bunch of quality tunes. Mark O'Sullivan drop yet another quality groover while Future Mode (aka Stan Kolev) takes things more ethnic and deep. Gotta love the drums!
