UNDER THE BRIDGE, UPTOWN!

In 1989, I was a freshmen at George Washington H.S. aka DUBS. That year Manny Ramirez was a senior and in my weight training class. Rumors of the Notorious Decepticons making there way to Dubs to start some trouble would circulate, members of the Wild Cowboys would come after school in there stolen motorcycles to show off some bike tricks and pick up girls and I went to my 1st Light House party. The word of a party underneath the GWB would spread like a virus. Flyers would be posted on the hallways to help spread the word. To get to the party you would have to walk west on 181st, cross the highway and walk through the dark woods and make your way towards the light house. The closer you got to the light house, the louder the music got and there it was, a group of Uptown locals dancing and partying to the hypnotic House Music rhythms of the time. … Continue Reading

REVIEW: Electric Zoo Festival 2010

The two-day dance party held September 4 and 5 at Randall’s Island Park in New York City, bought to you by Made Event, electrified the East Coast’s over Labor Day weekend with top global DJs and producers pumping the hardest mixes of house, techno, trance, electronica, synth, progressive and mainstream spins. The second annual, open-air dance music festival welcomed over 25,000 people each day — enthralled with 12-hours of the chance to keep dancing and nothing less of skipping a beat. … Continue Reading

REVIEW: Mix The Vibe: Mr.V – King Street To The Future

“House music as it was meant to be experienced: Deep!”

“Mix the Vibe: Mr. V is a hit!”

One DJ, 19 tracks, lets go! Sole Channel’s Mr. V is back with a banging compilation mix from King Street Sounds.   The track listing is a who’s who of house music heavyweights: Johnny Dangerous, Mr. V, David Harness, Alix Alvarez, Reelsoul, Roland Clark, Kenny Bobien, Stephanie Cooke,  Ananda Project, the Pasta Boys and more.

King Street to the Future presents house music as it was meant to be experienced: Deep.   Jams we love include: WAR WITH THE DEVIL, BREAKERS, CALLIN YOU LORD, COSMIC SUN, and our personal favorites UNDERGROUND 4 EVA which can simply be described as percussion madness,  WAR WITH THE DEVIL and  ONE MORE TIME.  The mix will be in heavy rotation, in the car, at the gym, in the roller skating rink. Mix the Vibe: Mr. V is a hit!

Buy Mix The Vibe: Mr.V – King Street To The Future

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Ayobaness! The Sound Of South African House

A version of that same DJ Mujava song appears on “Ayobaness! The Sound of South African House” (Out Here), a collection of dance music that you might hear in South Africa during the World Cup, though probably not at any officially sanctioned event. House music has been popular in the country for some time, especially the airy, hybridized variant called kwaito. Much of this album, though, reflects a more contemporary cosmopolitan style: songs like Aero Manyelo’s vibrant “Mexican Girl” and the creepy “Int’engekhoyo,” by DJ Fresca & Kudoskelem featuring Lelethu, could hold their own against competition from any other country. But for all of the authority of these songs, the most energetic and compelling tracks here are the ones that are closest to traditional kwaito, particularly L’Vovo Derrango’s “Resista” and Mgo’s “Yes (Bongo Disco Mix),” appealing for their specificity, not their universality. … Continue Reading

CD REVIEW: Funk Aid for Africa

A certified banger!

Dubspot premiere’s its charitable mix CD series with FUNK AID FOR AFRICA. In the spirit and tradition of Fela, this 20 track mixed CD is an absolute delight.  FIST OF FLOWERS with its West African percussion and magical horn section will motivate the dancers. Hold up your cigarette lighters with me.   Another hot track to check for is SABROSO by Kokolo Afrobeat Orchestra.  FUNK AID FOR AFRICA celebrates FUNK in all its forms. 

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DVD REVIEW: The ItaloHouse Story

The Definitive Guide to the Rise and Evolution of House Music in Italy.

This CD/DVD collection is a must for true house music lovers!

Rimini and Riccione are to Italy what Ibiza is to Spain, lands of sun, surf and slammin’ house music.  Over the course of nearly 2 hours, Writer/Director Maurizio Clemente presents a documentary film about the history of the Italian house music scene, its main characters and the importance of these 2 cities in shaping house music for Italy at large.

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REVIEW: Cielo Playtime 2xCD

Cielo: Playtime
Mixed by Nicolas Matar and Willie Graff
Latest Release in the Critically Acclaimed Compilation Series
Out June 9th on Tommy Boy

Cielo raises the bar with one of the year’s best compilation albums!

Album is Banging! Cielo goes deep!  TUESDAY (Dub Mix) by Lovebirds – deep music at its finest.  But wait, it gets better, CD1, track 4, SOMEDAY by Rocco (NJ Mix), feels like Zanzibar up in here!  Is Jerzee in this mutha****? Hell yeah!  Then we roll into THIS SOUND IS YOURS (Kerri Chandler Remix) – what! What?! Aww suki, suki, no they didn’t . . .yes they did.  Move your body to the sounds.  Daaaaammmmmmmmmmmmmmmn. Then they bring in our number one anthem du jour, the dub mix of INTO MY LIFE, its all about that bassline. Lisa Fischer and Cindy Mizelle bless the track with emotion.  Sing along with me, Whoa, Whoa, Whoa! 

Shout out to Nicolas and Benny, I see you. Shout out to Pauly.

This album is a must have, ’nuff said!

Buy Cielo Playtime here! … Continue Reading

‘Home To You’ – Feat. Quentin Harris, Tom Moulton and Domu Mixes

Tortured Soul
‘Home To You’ – Feat. Quentin Harris, Tom Moulton & Domu Mixes
Dome Records

Brooklyn’s premier live dance band Tortured Soul unveil the first single from their stunning forthcoming travel and tribulations themed album, ‘Did You Miss Me’, with a heartfelt dancefloor gem title ‘Home To You’. Packed with all the essential credentials of a soulful house bomb, ‘Home To You’ comes with a variety of brilliant mixes including an extended dancefloor nugget from the sharply dressed trio themselves. Individual mixes come from band members Ethan White (Keyboardist), who delivers a dreamy chilled mix laced with pretty keys and percussive beats, and JKriv (Bassist) turns out a deeper floor filler. Adding fuel to the fire, one of NYC’s most celebrated deep pioneers, Quentin Harris adds his signature ‘Q’ bouncing bassline and punchy beats, and the original Remix originator, Tom Moulton, sprinkles his Moulton magic dust delivering a lush soulful groove. Injecting some UK remix heat is broken beat champion Domu, who toys with vocals, injects some cheeky brass stabs and gets busy with the booty shaking beats with an explosive effect!

Buy Home To You here … Continue Reading

‘Turn Around 2009’

Mystery & Matt Early
‘Turn Around 2009’
Coffee N Crčme (UK)

Coffee N’ Crčme label head honchos Matthew Early and David Doyle continue to deliver a rich soulful blend in 2009. Following their Infectious WMC cheeky hoot ‘Salsa Y Miami’ under their Mystery & Matt Early guise, the boys join forces with singer/songwriter and close friend Paul Hunt and rework their dramatic soulful love song of 2008, ‘Turn Around’. Packed with impeccable musicianship including broken flavoured beats and a beautiful string section that tugs hard on the heartstrings,  Paul delivers a wonderful emotional vocal oozing with soul and feeling. Showcasing Mystery & Matt Early’s versatility and ability to genre hop ‘Turn Around’ comes as a hefty package of 8 quality mixes from the boys, including original album mixes, a jazz fused house mix injected with a large dose of discoism to rock the floors, a house reprise, a selection of sun drenched Afro Latin mixes and a beautifully chilled cuddle inducing ‘Sunset Mix’.. Once again the boys serve up a large portion of Crčme de la Crčme from the Coffee shop!

Buy Mystery & Matt Early Remixes here … Continue Reading

‘Stronger (Can’t Look Back)’ Ft. Quentin Harris and Stonebridge Mixes

Sybil
‘Stronger (Can’t Look Back)’  Ft. Quentin Harris & Stonebridge Mixes
Deep Sugar (USA)

Renowned vocal diva Sybil made her Deep Sugar debut last year with her hugely popular single “Shining Star”, introducing Ultra Nate’s new label to DJs worldwide and setting the tone for the return of true songwriting and production. Her brand new exciting follow up “Stronger (Can’t Look Back)” is proving to be no different as it looks set to take pride of place on dancefloors worldwide. Produced by one of NYC’s most celebrated house pioneers, Quentin Harris, “Stronger” is a sexy deep and soulful groove that provokes both emotion and fireworks on the floor – a dream ticket marriage between 2 musical geniuses. On the remix, Stonebridge turns out some explosive peaktime heat, adding a dark and brooding bass line with driving beats spliced with Sybil’s empowered vocal, deemed to get the floor well and truly rocking!.

Buy Stronger (Can’t Look Back) (StoneBridge Mix) … Continue Reading