Classic: DJ Tonka 'Old Skool' (Fletch Remix)

DJ Tonka was one of the most reliable party house producers in the mid-late 90s. This is one of the highlights of that era, feel-good house done well.


D.J. Tonka vs. Deskee ‎- Old Skool (Fletch Remix)

www.djtonka.com

Classic: First Choice 'The Player' (Underground Sound Of Lisbon Remix)

The Underground Sound of Lisbon, aka DJ Vibe and Rui Da Silva tackled this First Choice classic some time ago and came up with something pretty cool indeed.

It was a vinyl only release on Kaos Portugal.

Classic: Jibaros 'Colora' (Dub)

One of the opening tracks from Stacey Pullen's now legendary DJ Kicks compilation back in 1997. It's a sort of futuristic techno groove on a pretty different tip to most other stuff around at the time.

Jibaros - Colora (Dub) - 1995

Tenaglia classic remixed - Celeda 'Be Yourself'

It was a long time coming but the Danny Tenaglia-produced New York house classic Celeda 'Be Yourself' has been re-released for 2013 with a stack of mixes including by Supernova, Stephane K & Koutarou, Adam Freemer, Lateral Cut Groove and, lastly myself alongside fellow Kiwi Shaveer.

Our mix was a tribute to the classic Redzone era - remixes based around songs.

Soundcloud has samples of both of our mixes:
> Be Yourself (Rob Warner & Shaveer Redzone vocal)

> Be Yourself (Rob Warner & Shaveer Dub)

...and you can find the whole remix pack on Beatport > Be Yourself Remixes

Classic: Larry Mison Jnr - The Flame

French house maestro... well, at least someone pretending to be one, dropped this bomb of a record in 1997 on the short-lived Gemini Records.

Larry Mison Jnr ‎– The Flame

Techno on fire

Techno has been on fire as of late. I cast the term a little broadly but the quality of recent techy releases has been outstanding in the later part of 2012.

Here's a couple I've reviewed for Ibiza Voice which might rock your boat.

Tim Wolff - Quotum EP (Bulletdodge)
- a loopy groove in the classic Jeff Mills style. Some wicked remixes by Ben Sims, Roel Salmeink, and Al Bradley will have you dancing! Read the review

Ku.Bo - Let's Go (Bastardo Electrico)
- more on the dub techno tip and full of crackly, wonky sounds and quirky diversions. "Detox" is an outstanding set-starting track. Review of Ku.Bo here

Carl Taylor - Debbie's Groove (EPM Music)
- a truly genius record which is based on a disco sampled loop from the 80s. The original is brilliant and the ever-awesome Robert Hood still managed to improve on it. Review of Carl Taylor here

Tech house classics mix

I delved deep into my collection from the 90s and compiled a new mix of tracks from 1998 that rocked a certain club I played at back then, The Box. It's a tech-house/techno classics mix called "Sweat" - the follow up to part 1 of the mix posted here.

This sort of music suited the space perfectly - it was a low-roofed dark basement which, when busy, sweat dripped from the roof. By today's air-conditioned standards that might sound a little low-brow but when The Box was in full flight there were few better clubbing experiences to be had anywhere. The sound system was beyond compare locally and records took on a new life when played there.

The mix contains music by Green Velvet, Stacey Pullen, DJ HMC, Danny Tenaglia, Christopher Just, Quakerman, G Flame and more.

If you dig this I regularly post more along these lines on my facebook.com/robwarnerdj feed.

Classic Track: Streetlife - Love Breakdown

Chicago producer Mark Picchiotti ruled vocal house music for a while in the 90s with the various monikers he recorded under including The Absolute and Future Force. He remixed everyone from Madonna to Paula Abdul but it was his more underground releases on TRIBAL America which really showed his skills.

It may sound somewhat skippy and odd in the current scene but, make no mistake, this record schredded many a dance floor around the world.

Streetlife featuring Dana Stovall - Love Breakdown (Original Club Mix)


TRIBAL Records on Facebook

Classic track: Sound Patrol Orchestra - Tripping Among The Stars

Derrick Carter was boompty long before anyone else even realised it. Way back in 1997 he was already in fine form at the Sound Patrol Orchestra alongside Chris Nazuka.

This is one of his finest..

Sound Patrol Orchestra - Tripping Among The Stars (Dub at Idful)

At Discogs

Classic Track: Arnold Jarvis - Inspiration

In 1994 Kerri 'Kaoz' Chandler teamed up with singer/songwriter Arnold Jarvis ‎to produce one of house music's true masterpieces. 'Inspiration' is the perfect song and sung with so much soul and angst it makes the vast majority of modern vocal house sound like childs-play. The music production alongside it was fittingly low key - a simple, raw groove and piano sequence.

The original version will be known to most but the first release of 'Inspiration' also had this version, the Basapella, which stripped the kick drum out of the arrangement.

Kerri 'Kaoz' Chandler presents Arnold Jarvis ‎- Inspiration (Bassapella)


http://www.arnoldjarvis.com
http://www.kerrichandler.com

Classic Track: Subspecies - From Da East

The mid 90s were a magic era for sinister, dark drum grooves. Armand Van Helden had a knack for it and this 1996 gem produced with Junior Sanchez on Strictly Rhythm Records was a great example.

Subspecies - From Da East (East Coast Mix)

Classic Track: Fantom - Faithful

The French always had a knack for making disco inspired house. In 1997 Julien Jabre produced this gem which was remixed by DJ Gregory (aka Prassay).

Fantom - Faithful (Prassay mix)

At discogs

Classic Track: Underground Sound Of Lisbon - African Dream

House didn't get much darker in the 90s than what Underground Sound of Lisbon produced. Portugal's Rui Da Silva and DJ Vibe had a major hit with "So Get Up" on Tribal America in 1994 which made them superstars in the tribal scene.

Later they produced this for the 'We Are Twisted' compilation promo pack. It was their last record together so far as I know.

Underground Sound Of Lisbon - African Dream


Underground Sound Of Lisbon - African Dream > Discogs

Classic Track: The Swingster - Blunted Boobie

For a while in the 90s Danny 'Buddah' Morales was on fire. Under his his BPT alias he released the beyond massive 'Moody', an iconic New York vocal house track..  A couple of years earlier he also dropped this rocking track, also on the Kult Record label.

It was available only on the limited edition "All Star Deluxe DJ Sampler" alongside some early Cevin Fisher, Jovonn and 95 North works.

The Swingster - Blunted Boobie

The Swingster - Blunted Boobie > discogs

Classic track: Pato Banton - Beams of Light

Pato Banton is better known for his late 80s/early 90 pop hits including 'Baby Come Back' which hit #1 on the UK charts. He also made a short foray into underground music with the Orb produced 'Beams of Light' in 1992.

I would have a clue if it was a big track in the Tribal Records/Sound Factory era but it was the first track on the now legendary Junior Vasquez 'The Sound Of Tribal UK' mix CD. Remixed here brilliantly by Roger Sanchez in his pre-mainstream days.

Pato Banton - Beams Of Light (Voice In The Jungle)

Pato Banton - Beams Of Light > discogs

Classic track: Watergate - Lonely Winter

Another omission from youtube which I had recorded off vinyl a while back.

In their earliest days Deep Dish were definitely deeper than they became later on.

Sharam's Blue Dub of Deep Dish produced Watergate 'Lonely Winter' was one of the standout tracks on their legendary Penetrate Deeper compilation on TRIBAL America Records. It has a fantastic, jammy groove unlike almost anything they did since.

Deep Dish presents Watergate 'Lonely Winter' (Sharam's Blue Dub)


Produced by Dubfire & Sharam, vocals by Tonya Phillips
Deep Dish Records, DDR004, 1994
Discogs.com listing