From: Jon Freer (jon-freer_at_excite.com)
Date: 2004-11-14 17:25:29
Jon Freer’s Reviews 14th November 2004.
Singles round up:
V/A – Rewind! 4 12” (Ubiquity Records)
Trüby Trio – Alegre 2004 (Compost Records)
Henrik Schwarz – Leave My Head Alone Brain (Sunday Music)
Parov Stelar – Wanna Get (Etage Noir)
Belgradeyard Sound System – Munchies (Cosmic Sounds)
Breakestra – Don’t Need A Dance (Ubiquity Records)
Keith Rivera aka DJ Messiah – Chase My Blues/This Fire (Haus’ Flor’)
Marco De Souza – Step Over EP (Freerange Records)
Butti 49 Feat. Mayia James – Incurable (Exceptional)
Dennis Ferrer – Hit It Off (Defected)
Community Housin’ – Camel’s Hump EP (3AM Recordings)
Unreleased Volume 6 (Mood Music Limited)
Stalker – The 88th Sense (Remixes) (RF Records)
V/A – Taster 2 (Cookshop)
Mehdispoz – Vision Of The Night (S-Sens Records)
Silicone Soul – Les Nocturnes (Soma)
Boogie Drama – Stalkers Groove (Was Not Was)
Thanks to Aaron at Ubiquity, Carina and all at Compost, Sasse at Mood Music, Fernando at Ride, Zeljko at Cosmic Sounds, Mel and Joel at Four Four, Jamie and Tom at Freerange, Tash at Exceptional, Toni at Defected, Al at 3AM, Sam from Stalker, Ben at Best Kept Secret, Mehdispoz, Caroline and Jim at Soma, Graeme at Cause & Effect and Steve at Timewarp for these…
Disco diary below…
V/A – Rewind! 4 12” (Ubiquity Records)
Cat No: UR12161. Available Now.
Ubiquity turn back the clock in order to look forward, here giving a trio of nu-guns the chance to breathe new life into three classic tracks. Rebirth’s version of “Evil Vibrations” is a smiling guitar-touched cover, with measured percussion, organ extensions and happy keys. Men of the moment, The Platinum Pied Pipers give “The Look Of Love” a gentle feel, courtesy of some compressed synthetics, merged vocals and a steady bass. Those Yam Who boys make a break for the straight and narrow, with a golden guitar laced cover of “The Star of a Story”.
Trüby Trio – Alegre 2004 (Compost Records)
Available Now.
Louie ‘Elements Of Life’ Vega was a sensible choice to get to grips with the speedy “Alegre”, a track from Rainer Trüby’s famed trio. Louie’s main revision is a wonderfully positive version, with familiar sounding keys, understanding guitars and pretty flutes. He has also supplied a liquefied ‘Amigos Dubb’ and a romantically key laced ‘Roots Revamp’. It’s a shame that the Unabomber’s powerful revision hasn’t seen the light of day on a 12”, but Justin and Luke’s mix can be found on the full Trüby Trio remix LP.
Henrik Schwarz – Leave My Head Alone Brain (Sunday Music)
Cat No: SMR-004. Promo.
It is more than likely that the title for this track was stolen from an utterance by a portly gentleman, known for being the lynchpin of a humorous animated TV show. “Leave My Head Alone Brain” is a wacky jazzed-out cut, with messy kit percussion, wurbling key and lost vocals.
Parov Stelar – Wanna Get (Etage Noir)
Cat No: EN 03. Available Now.
This is another top quality slice of dancefloor inclined grooves from the under-rated Jazz fanatic Stelar. The original takes its power from a crazy ass bass, which gets down under sharp key stabs, wobbling brass and polite strings. Dublex Inc add some water and so brass takes on a flowery appearance on their version, whilst the Inverse Cinematics trip out completely, courtesy of a spongy bass and unfixable percussion. The bonus track, “For All We Know”, is a silky number, with a sultry sax and alluring trumpets.
Belgradeyard Sound System – Munchies (Cosmic Sounds)
Cat No: CS1207. Available Now.
The eastern European broken mafia continues its invasion, with this tribute to hunger on Zeljko’s uncategorisable London label. The original sees a barrage of ‘mouth music’ coat blazing horns, intense brass and hitting beats. The ‘Live Version’ is a rattlingly percussed version, where a flying flute/pipe type thing soars over confrontational horns, alone keys and a controlled bass. I-Wolf brings in DJ Collage for his mix, and the artistic spinner adds curious vocals on top of I-Wolf’s mechanical bass and industrial horns.
Breakestra – Don’t Need A Dance (Ubiquity Records)
Cat No: UR12159. Available Now.
Funky hip-operatives Breakestra get their kicks from tracks with energetic beats and powerful basslines. The music and even vocals of “Don’t Need A Dance” are completely at odds with its title, as the sprawling guitars, neat brass and problem-escaping vocals tell you to swing your hips and forget about any predicament that you happen to find yourself in. “See Sawing” lets a twisting sax take centre stage, whilst the ‘Instrumental’ is all about the mesmerising drum patterns.
Keith Rivera aka DJ Messiah – Chase My Blues/This Fire (Haus’ Flor’)
Cat No: hf001. Available Now.
John Crockett and Charles Gatling showcase the vocal talents of the self-importantly-named DJ Messiah on the excellent premier outing from their strangely titled Haus’ Flor’ record label. “Chase My Blues” is a reflective number, with a reassuring bass, melancholic keys and sad strings. The ‘Underneath Mix’ lets clumpy beats, mellow keys and kind synths back the pensive vocals. “This Fire” uses Todd Edwards style keys to ignite the flames, before the passion is further stoked by blissed synths and craving vocals. The ‘Underneath Mix’ of this track lets happy keys and committed drums take hold.
Marco De Souza – Step Over EP (Freerange Records)
Cat No: FR048. Available Now.
New signing Marco De Souza tries to remind those of us in cooler climes what the summer was all about, with this release for the wonderful Freerange imprint. The original sees tough drums, vitality giving synths and Brasilian whistles team up on a sunshine-inspired track. Solid Groove jack it up for the tougher floors and change the atmosphere completely, courtesy of some relentless percussion, nightmarish strings and a strangely affecting bass.
Butti 49 Feat. Mayia James – Incurable (Exceptional)
Cat No: exec 43. Available Now.
Not to be confused with the West London based vocalist with a very similar name, Mayia hails from Norway like Butti 49 whom she links up with on this beautiful record. The ‘Album’ and ‘New Levels’ mixes follow the same basic plots, as a kind bass and sweet keys join up behind Mayia’s smitten vocals. The ‘Alternative Mix’ is a slightly more rough and ready version, with sticky percussion, bass pressure and organ touches.
Dennis Ferrer – Hit It Off (Defected)
Cat No: DFTD098. Release Date: 15th November 2004.
US House don Dennis Ferrer makes music that pays its historical dues to past masters, yet is also forward-thinking and relevant to the dancefloors of today. “Hit It Off” is a gorgeously soulful outing, with a carried away sax, gazing in wonderment chords and full of love strings. “Jero” follows in the footsteps of many of Dennis’s previous afro-inspired releases, courtesy of some flashy guitars, smiling synths and cheery vocals.
Community Housin’ – Camel’s Hump EP (3AM Recordings)
Cat No: 3AM 10. Available Now.
After a bit of a wait, these tracks from South Manchester based Community Housin’ have finally found an abode courtesy of the Manchester/Leeds based 3AM imprint. “Soundpool” is a minimal cut with forward moving beats and a stylish bass, whilst “Premachine” is a mad analogue mission, where a crazy bassline and wide-eyed synths do battle. “Seco” sees various drumming patterns meet under carefully moving keys and appealing guitars.
Unreleased Volume 6 (Mood Music Limited)
Cat No: MOODLIM-006. Promo.
Germany’s Mood Music has been garnering support in a great deal of places, and it’s not a huge surprise, considering the quality of the material they’re releasing. “Gimmie House” by the soiled Dirt Crew is a standard floor moving affair, with violent key stabs, a dubbed bass and ominous vocals. Klaus Wunderbaum wins strangest remix title of the year courtesy of his ‘Acid House Is Not Dead You Son Of A Bit Revivial’, where difficult to control acid synths dominate.
Stalker – The 88th Sense (Remixes) (RF Records)
Promo.
Jazz dudes Stalker have had “The 88th Sense” given the once over by Garage head Zed Bias and Hac legend Jon Da Silva. Zed gives us a fine revision, where splayed beats, dreamy trumpets and a filthy squelching bassline link up. Jon’s ‘Virgo Mechanically Replayed’ mix is a decidedly odd synthed up version, with cultured guitars, standard beats and FX messiness.
V/A – Taster 2 (Cookshop)
Cat No: CKS 04. Available Now.
Switching tempos and styles without a care in the world, this morsel from Cookshop is succulent, but will still leave you feeling ravenous. Lost Idol’s “Green Dolphins” is a playful scratchadelic feast, whilst “That People” by Digital Midgets is a Herbert style madcap key ride. La Femme’s “Never Complain” is an exposed bass led D&B roller, and Pimpernel Jones & JB complete proceedings with the brasstastic “Pompey Up”, a track that starts at head nodding tempo, but finishes at a break-neck pace.
Mehdispoz – Vision Of The Night (S-Sens Records)
Cat No: S SENS PROJECT 07. Promo.
Following in the footsteps of Brique Rouge and Robsoul, S-Sens has developed into a Parisian label to watch for those into clubfloor house tracks. “Vision Of The Night” is a spacey teched-out key addled mover, with encouraging vocals and a rough and ready bass. Mazi’s ‘Gourmet Retouch’ sees electroid keys and crazed synths link up well on a bouncing revision.
Silicone Soul – Les Nocturnes (Soma)
Cat No: SOMA 162. Release Date: 29th November 2004.
Despite what you may have thought, Silicone Soul have not severed all links with this Glaswegian imprint, and they now return with a couple of cuts from an album to be released on Soma in the future. “Les Nocturnes” is simple yet effective, courtesy of its hitting beats, perfect keys and staring synths. “Devil Drives” has a Slam type feel to it, as blunt beats and brass to die for get lost in a churning bass. Not quite a release of “Right On” proportions, but this is nevertheless a good return from Craig Morrison and Graeme Reedie.
Boogie Drama – Stalkers Groove (Was Not Was)
Cat No: WNW006. Available Now.
This German imprint has been generating quite a buzz recently, and this well-produced release from the Milan based Boogie Drama is unlikely to quell the positive press. The original is a hypnotic synthy number, whilst John Tejada’s revision is a sickly slice of moody acid techness. The ‘Stalkers Dub’ is great fun, thanks to its gushing synthetics and detached keys.
Also recommended (Full reviews for Blues & Soul Magazine):
*Alex Attias Presents Mustang Feat Colonel Red - Help Me (Compost)
= Ace faraway looking mix from DJ Mitsu The Beats, wonderful vicious ‘Freedom Soundz Remix’ and lovely soul-invigorating original.
* Soul Vigilantes Feat Jocelyn Medina - Shy (Love Monk Records)
= Head straight for Alistair Colling’s masterful broken revision.
Jon Freer(jon.freer_at_wrongsteps.com)
*Website: www.mosoul.co.uk.
*Mo'soul Publicity: Variety of services offered:
contact for further details.
*Freelance journalist.
Publications include -
Keep On Magazine
Blues & Soul Magazine
XLR8R Magazine
City Life Magazine
Inner Loop Magazine
littleplanet.net
pitchadjust.com
beyondjazz.net
deephousenetwork.com
skansen.no
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