From: Jon Freer (jon-freer_at_excite.com)
Date: 2004-11-23 00:09:03
Jon Freer’s Reviews 22nd November 2004.
Single action:
Povo – East on West / Uam Uam (Moonstarr Remix) (Raw Fusion)
Elmore Judd – You Said You Were Different (Above The Clouds)
Jerome Sydenham & Dennis Ferrer – Sandcastles (Pete Heller Remix) (Defected)
Blaze Feat Barbara Tucker – Most Precious Love (Dennis Ferrer RMXS) (Defected)
Soul Central – Strings of Life (Stronger On My Own) (Defected)
Sean Dimitrie – Hopscotch (Reverberations)
Tom Gillieron – Piano Band / Out Of My Head (Wrong)
Incognito – Everything Your Heart Desires (Dome)
Brandy – Who Is He 2 U (Atlantic)
Neon Heights – That’s Entertainment (Shiva)
Thanks to Nik Weston, Ben at Best Kept Secret, Toni T at Defected, Asad Rizvi, Johnny De Mairo and Steve at Timewarp for these…
Povo – East on West / Uam Uam (Moonstarr Remix) (Raw Fusion)
Cat No: RAF 014. Release Date: 10th January 2005.
One of the stars of 2004, Canada’s Moonstarr sets the benchmark for 2005 with an awe-inspiring revision of Povo’s “Uam, Uam”. Squirming percussion, life-enriching chords and parping brass that has been manipulated in an expert fashion are the main elements to Moonstarr’s dancefloor-igniting interpretation. “East on West” is over-shadowed slightly, but its heady mix of hollow percussion, flared flutes and crest of wave riding brass makes it still alluring enough to demand repeated plays.
Elmore Judd – You Said You Were Different (Above The Clouds)
Cat No: ATC004. Available Now.
Elmore Judd’s name may make him sound like a kids cartoon character (perhaps the cross of Elmore Fudd & Judge Dread???), but his music is not childish or comical. “You Said You Were Different” reeks of a frustration born from the dashing of a dream, where Ias Balaskas’s dejected vocals sit over entertaining synths and meaty organified keys. The fizz of the synths and bass bubbles on “Lemonade” are a little too noisy and have the combined effect of drowning out Fae’s desireful Badu-like vocals. Can’t wait for the album…
Jerome Sydenham & Dennis Ferrer – Sandcastles (Pete Heller Remix) (Defected). Release Date: 3rd January 2005.
In a slightly surprising licensing move, Defected pick up Pete Heller’s hypnotic re-rub of “Sandcastles”, and negate to bother with the original. With the Heller connection and the word-of-mouth buzz that the original generated, this fatcat of UK house labels is poised to do rather better in terms of sales with this record than Ibadan, who originally put it out in the US. The momentum giving beats, mesmeric tripped-out keys and jagged chords make this a record that deserved to be made more readily available.
Blaze Feat Barbara Tucker – Most Precious Love (Dennis Ferrer RMXS) (Defected). Cat No: DFTD097. Release Date: February 2005.
Heavyweight vocalist Barbara Tucker supplies the vocals on “Most Precious Love”, a monster Lord-praising cut that has moved straight out of the church and on to the dancefloor. Dennis Ferrer has given it a kick that will enable it to get maximum peak time exposure, courtesy of clubfloor beats, an attention-grabbing key hook and suit following strings. Hardly innovative, this record is still infectious and pretty good fun all the same.
Soul Central – Strings of Life (Stronger On My Own) (Defected)
Cat No: DFTD094. Release Date: 10th January 2005.
By adding a completely unnecessary vocal to this anthemic track, Defected are showing their lack of respect for the commercial dance buying public and their zeal for milking the most out of an excellent yet distinctly over-played record. Soul Central gave narrow-minded house jocks a version to fit seamlessly into their sets, whilst Krivit provided a rather jolly re-edit, that was similarly not called for, but was pretty endearing. However, getting Kathy Brown to add a pallid vocal about getting over a former lover has muddied the Strings way too much.
Sean Dimitrie – Hopscotch (Reverberations)
Cat No: RVNS 016. Release Date: Late November 2004.
Now plying his trade making bumpy jacked off house cuts, Sean Dimitrie was once found making jazzy-assed grooves in a band called Shazzam. “Hopscotch” is a track from those days, with slapped sideways beats, an untamed bass and unsure echoey keys. Johnny Fiasco does it for lovers of uptempo jazzed-out House, courtesy of some fuzzy synthetics, desirable guitars and an unlikely yet satisfying trumpet and vibraphone duet. Rob Pearson’s mix sees the track get a techier update, with elements of the original ghosted in and out, in a sequential fashion.
Tom Gillieron – Piano Band / Out Of My Head (Wrong)
Cat No: WRONG 013. Release Date: Late November 2004.
Reverberations co-founder Tom Gillieron brings his own brand of London dub-techn business to the imprint’s sister label for the first time. “Piano Band” is the one to go for here, courtesy of its banged out beats, out of sorts brass and a vigorous bass. “Out Of My Head” is a psychosis-inducing minimal confuser, with complaining keys and unfriendly synths.
Incognito – Everything Your Heart Desires (Dome)
Cat No: 12DOME195. Release Date: 6th December 2004.
Still up to their old tricks, the quarter century old Incognito still make heart-fluttering positive music. “Everything Your Heart Desires” in original form is a laidback depiction of what can happen if you follow where your emotions take you and banish those nagging ‘sensible’ thoughts. ‘Bluey’s Black Sunshine Mix’ is a version for more exuberant times in the night, with thoughtful guitars, eager to please vocals and pretty keys, backed by a similar ‘Dub’. The bonus cut, “The World Is Mine”, is a riotous groove-out, with a soaring sax, super-cool synth action and understanding guitars.
Brandy – Who Is He 2 U (Atlantic)
Available Now.
Another doublepack of commercial dance mixes, and alongside the usual tonne of crap, there’s a golden interpretation. The one on this record is from the criminally under-rated Jerry Santiago, who turns Brandy into a slow house chanteuse, in the same way 95 North managed with “What About Us” a couple of years back. Jerry’s FTL Club Mix sees holding back beats, calming strings and ever so lovely keys back Brandy’s fidelity questioning vocals ever so wonderfully.
Neon Heights – That’s Entertainment (Shiva)
Cat No: SHIVA 002. Release Date: 29th November 2004.
It looks like the Notts-based Neon Heights collective are finally about to make it into the big league, with their forthcoming album lauded by a range of personality jocks and big guns. “That’s Entertainment” is a departure from the deeper house gems they made their name with, as its slow-paced percussion, heavily accented downtrodden vocals and falling guitars combine on a supremely chilled effort. Magik J rejigs it for Housier floors courtesy on an acid-minded bass and sad-faced chords, whilst the Crazy Penis version goes in a guitar-driven direction.
Jon Freer(jon.freer_at_wrongsteps.com)
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