Picks of the Week
Fuzion featuring Chris Herbert "I'm so glad" (Remixes)(Camio Records CD Promo)
One of last years standout vocal tunes, produced and written by George Mena and Franke Estevez and performed by Chris Herbert, returns in brand new interpretations that are simply outstanding. Jihad Muhammad delivers a soulful rendition comprising jazzy flavors that features fantastic keys and wonderful strings over a smooth groove, creating a mellow and relaxing vibe - this is a soulful as it gets. William 'Reelsoul' Rodriguez presents a deeply grooving reworking that features subtle keys and warm chords that together with the vocals create an uplifting vibe. Lastly there is the Big Moses remix, a laidback interpreation that has a classic garage feeling and is full of soulful keys over a mellow bumpin' groove.
More Reviews
Exclusive Review: Rasmir "I can't mess around" (CD-R)
Exclusive Review: Rasmir featuring A Girl Called Max "I need a man" (Open House Mix)(CD-R)
New Jersey based producer Rasmir returns for 2006 with brand new slammin' productions. "I can't mess around" features an absolutely irresistible groove that is enriched with jazz-funky elements and a simple but very effective male vocal, altogether creating an incomparable vibe. "I need a man" is a tribal-ish, percussion driven track that features sensual vocals courtesy of A Girl Called Max and warm keys, spreading a resistless feeling.
DJ Pope featuring Ed Ramsey "In time" (POJI Records CD Promo)
"In time" was inspired by DJ Pope's wife to be Sabrina and features some of the conversations they had while talking on the phone in the early stages of dateing. The lyrics are performed in a passionate and emotional way by Ed Ramsey, being accompanied by a wicked organ ride and layered over a smooth tribal-ish four-to-the-floor groove that creates an irresistible vibe on the dancefloor.
Various "Spring Collection 06" (GoGo Music Records CD Promo)
GoGo Music have this hot EP that will give you an impression what their artists are up to next, and it also features two exclusive productions by Sugar Beat not to be released elsewhere. The EP kicks off with "Magic star" by Roberto DeCarlo featuring Joshua, the next 12" release for the label. This is a soulful production featuring sweet vocals and classic strings, coming with a funky touch thanks to the lovely guitar featured. Raw Artistic Soul drop "Miami Theme", an instrumental jazz-funk track that is a taster for the forthcoming Raw Artistic Soul longplayer "You got rhythm too". Sugar Beat debut with their first productions: "Undone" features spoken words from poetry vocalist Jen over an infectious broken-beat groove, while "I'm a man" combines jazz-funk vibes with broken beat grooves.
Dennis Ferrer featuring K.T. Brooks Sr. "Change the world "(KingStreet Records 12")
Dennis Ferrer presents a wonderful gospel garage track featuring singer K.T. Brooks who provides an uplifting and passionate vocal performance over a driving backing music thate makes use of a funky live groove, latin percussion, classic horns and soaring keys to create an irresistible, funktified feeling on the dancefloors.
PM Project featuring Elsa "Whispers" (Trumpet Solo Mix)(Step Ahead Records CD Promo)
Step Ahead Records return to the scene of soulful dance music with this great production by PM Project aka Pedro Madeira (who hails from Portugal). "Whispers" features sultry vocals by Elsa and a glamarous tumpet solo over a fierce groove that is enhanced with sweet percussion and a deeply bubbling funky bassline. The result is a soulful house track with a jazzy edge that is spreading an uplifting feeling through the feel good vibes.
Jon Milsom feat Vicky Fee "The right way" (Loven Records CD Promo)
Loven Records go from strength to strength with their releases, with their latest offering being "The right way" by Jon Milsom. Featured singer on this production is Vicky Fee who provides a sweet and soulful performance over a soulfully thumpin' groove that is enriched with jazzy keys and a funky bassline. Anto Vitale provides the remix, giving the song a laidback outfit featuring sweet percussion and wicked keys that give the track an afterhours feeling.
Exclusive Review: Martino "Can you see mars" (ToT Edit)(CD-R)
ToT aka 'The Other Timmy' follows up his lovely remix of Quentin Harris' "Let's be young" with a incredible mash-up of Martino's massive and exceptional "Mars" with the acapella of "Can you see the light". The result is an irresistible vocalised version of "Mars" destined to bring devastation to the dancefloors.
Exclusive Review: Todd Gardner "Do you know house" (Bocsecrets Edit)(CD-R)
One of the unforgotten tunes from 2000 returns with this great 'Bocsecrets Edit' that stays true to the original by keeping the original jazzy keyboard and spoken male vocals - a tribute to the legends of house music and its roots - alive and combining them with a driving, percussion loaded groove that creates an irresistible feeling. Listen closely and you'll figure where this groove is borrowed from.
Richard Salter featuring Noel McKoy "Time" (deVICE Records CD Promo)
"Time" is Richard Satler's debut single that features vocalist Noel McKoy. The track is a fierce production based on a deeply stormin groove that is topped with lush keys, swirling strings, jazzy saxophone and the soulful vocal performance by Noel McKoy that is full of power and positive energy, giving the track an uplifting feelng. The dub strips back to a laidback, percussion driven groove that lets the music do the talk and create an irresistible vibe.
Panevino "Nobody's Dreams EP" (Look-At-You Records CD Promo)
Panevino, the Swiss duo that is quickly making a name for themselves with hot productions and remixes, returns to Look-At-You with a slamming two track EP. "Dreams" is built around a drivin' groove that is enriched with wicked keys and lovely breakdowns, creating an infectious feeling on the dancefloors. "Nobody" is on a more soulful side, feauturing the sweet vocals of Marvin Tyrell and lush chords over a smoothly stompin' groove that is augmented with funky flavors. Variations to both tracks are available in the respective dub mixes.
Various "DJ Spen & Karizma EP" (Code Red Records 12")
DJ Spen and Karizma both deliver one track each on this phat 12". "Outta my head" by DJ Spen is a percolating track on a tribal-ish tip with plenty of old school flavors, featuring wicked percussion and keys together with slammin' beats. Karizma presents a cover of the Mike Dunn classic "God made me phunky" that stays true to the original, featuring a catchy piano line over a stormin' groove.
Yazoo "Don't go" (Enrico Mantini and Gianluca DeTiberiis 2006 ReEdit)(CD-R)
Enrico Mantini and Gianluca DeTiberiis take on the 1982 classic by Yazoo that features Alison Moyet on vocals. They keep the incomparable keys and drums of the original alive on their take while cleverly enriching them with additional keys and stompin' beats. The result is an old school electro flavored house track that sounds as fresh as the original did over twenty years ago.