*Compilation
of the Month*
Body
& Soul, Vol. 3
Various Artists
Wave
One of New
York’s longest running club parties, Body & Soul offers a
Sunday afternoon garage-fest that runs into the evening hours
with music that is not hard, yet offers a certain suave mystique.
DJs Francois K, Joe Clausell and Danny Krivitt man the decks
(and this CD by the way) and drop some of the sweetest garage
sounds around. Volume 3 of the Body & Soul series features
stirring cuts like “The Closer I Get” by Yoruba feat. Marie
St. James, “Soul Talkin’” by Dubtribe, and “Groove La Chord”
by Aril Brkaha – the list goes on. Twelve tracks round out
this collection and will put you right there at the party.
– Phil Turnipseed
Party
Crasher
Benji Candelario
Rumba
Jams
New
York City’s own Benji Candelario drops a wicked set that offers
some of his best production and remix work and shows why he
is one of dance music’s finest DJs. The 11-track set features
some of club culture’s most acclaimed voices, including Loleatta
Holloway on “Share My Joy,” Arnold Jarvis on “Learn To Give,”
and Jocelyn Brown on “I Believe.” The standout cuts are many
and, if you’re into the soulful house groove with quality
vocals to boot, this collection is an absolute must. And check
out BC’s wicked remix of Serious Intention’s classic “You
Don’t Know” – the bomb. – Phil Turnipseed
"Troubled Girl"
Karen Ramirez
Giant
Step
This
new double 12-inch piece oozes with sexy soul as newcomer
Ramirez shows off some real talent on this jazzy club number.
Remixers Masters At Work, Boris Dlugosch, Michael Lange, Full
Intention and Way Out West put up some very eclectic mixes,
which should power this cut right up the charts. Of course,
if we’re forced to choose a potential hit mix, we’ll go with
Dlugosch & Lange’s “Elusive Club Mix,” which hits on a minimal
house vibe with a phat percussion program and a nice piano-driven
groove. MAW’s “Alternative Vocal Mix” and Full Intention’s
“Club Mix” also shine brightly with a very commercial appeal
to each.
– Phil Turnipseed
United DJ's of America Vol. 15
David
Alvarado
DMC
Alvarado
steps up and dishes out a juicy, soulful garage set that shows
off his unique talents. The house L.A. scene vet puts together
a continuous 13-track experience that features hypnotic grooves
and delicious deep vibes. Using tracks by Kerri Chandler,
DJ Duke, To-Ka Project and Jersey Street, Alvarado drops some
real science in the art of programming and mixing a deep garage
set. Definitely one of the finest entries in the United DJs
series.
– Phil Turnipseed
“Trance Revolution”
Richie Santana
Reddlite
If
you want a record to completely launch your dancefloor, this
is it. Drawing the dancers in with a catchy assortment of
bells, Santana then drops the track and builds it back up
with some tasty trance riffs. Then the fun starts. After the
track drops again, a friendly female voice encourages you
not to “be afraid of what the future holds – this is only
the start of the trance revolution.” Then Santana nails it
with an amazing crowd-moving riff. Don’t sleep on this. Your
crowd will thank you.
– Joe Bermudez
Live
& Kickin'
Dr. Onionskin
Base
9
Mixed,
arranged and recorded live in Australia, this new collection
is definitely for the headstrong and features a unique blend
of tech-house and hard house. If you’re feeling that vibe,
this collection is for you. With deep hypnotic beats that
percolate throughout with elements of acid, this 12-track
collection should wear you out by the ninth cut. Some standout
tracks include “Good,” “31 Sec.,” “Make It Funky,” “U Gonna
Get Pumped” and a host of other beat-drenched electro grooves.
Not bad at all and it is beat-mixed effortlessly by Onionskin.
– Phil Turnipseed
Beware of the Dog
Lil'
Bow Wow
So
So Def
Hip hop’s newest hitmaker is a pint-sized torpedo-mouthed
stud that is destined to wreak havoc on the dancefloor. Lil’
Bow Wow has already made some real noise with his hit “Bounce
With Me” and looks to make himself a real force in hip hop
with this funky new full-length effort. With 10 cuts included
and featuring cameos from artists like Xscape, Jermaine Dupree,
Jagged Edge and the original dog, Snoop Dogg on the cool “Bow
Wow That’s My Name,” you can count on this new artist workin’
it well into 2001. – Phil Turnipseed
“Touch
Me ”
Mike Takeover
Full
Blast
Mike
Takeover may be on a new label, but his production philosophy
remains the same – create peak-hour tracks guaranteed to rock
the house. “Touch Me” starts out very basically, but with
every measure another drum loop is added and, before you know
it, the track is driving through you with sheer intensity.
It builds and builds, then drops in sweet samples from Loleatta
Holloway’s “Love Sensation.” The pounding drum loops kick
with some serious authority and a great riff from a Roland
JP 8080 is utilized to drive your dancefloor over the edge.
– Joe Bermudez
Party
Time 2001
Various Artists
Groovilicious
Mixed
by DJ Escape, this is an excellent double-CD collection of
2000’s biggest club hits from one of dance music’s better
labels. Tracks like Ultra Naté’s “Desire,” The Love Bite’s
excellent “Take Your Time,” Gambafreaks’ wicked “Down, Down,
Down,” Razor & Guido’s all new “Miss The Way” featuring Reina,
Shannon’s huge remake of “Give Me The Night” and...well, you
get the idea. A vast 24-track collection of current and future
hits all beat-mixed to perfection, Party Time 2001 is definitely
worth the price of admission and should be a favorite among
club heads.
– Phil Turnipseed
"The
Dance"
Rockwell
Robbins
Entertainment
After
hits like “Can’t We Try,” “I Fell In Love” and “When I’m Gone,”
Rockell returns with another certain club smash (taken from
her new full-length Instant Pleasure). Rockell’s latest 12-inch
sports only two mixes – a radio version and a club cut remixed
by Hex Hector and Dezrock – but that is all that’s needed
to catch the attention of most pop/dance-leaning DJs. “The
Hex/Dex Club Mix” is a 9:20 emotion-filled ride that you will
not soon forget. Pounding and driving every beat with absolute
perfection and using the power of her vocals and the energy
of the bassline, this remix team delivers dancefloor perfection.
A must-add to playlists.
– Michael J. Taylor
Circuit
Sessions 00.3
Barry Harris
4
Play Records
As
a DJ, remixer, songwriter, and remixer, Barry Harris of Thunderpuss
is quite the Renaissance man. Now fans everywhere can experience
first-hand the sonic boom currently thundering across the
circuit scene as Harris sets out on an all-new journey of
hard-house and epic anthems such as “When I Get Close To You”
from Jocelyn Enriquez and “Movin’ Up” from Mike Cruz presents
Inaya Day & Chino Ro. This CD proves why there is such a growing
demand for Harris to spin at such notable venues as Twilo
in New York and The Factory in Los Angeles. A must-have for
any CD collection.
– Joe Bermudez
Global
Underground: Ibiza
Sasha
Studio
K7
Superstar
DJ Sasha gives us a taste of one his world-renowned sets on
this new double-CD package. With inspiration gathered from
a night on the sexy isle of Ibiza, Sasha puts together a wicked
collection that shows why he is one of the most respected
DJs the world over. CD 1 is an atmospheric deep-house set
that adds a touch of sweet ambience throughout with cuts like
“The Bassline Track” by Medway and “Nothing Left” by Orbital.
CD 2 is more on the progressive trance trip with cuts like
“Dreamstate” by Acquilla and “Fibonacci Sequence” by BT.
– Phil Turnipseed
“The
Feeling ”
The Greek Project Featuring Kiki
Xtreme
Records
This
track works well in many nightclub styles – from house to
underground to progressive to mainstream rhythmic – and, with
two long and two short mixes, the 12-inch allows a DJ to mix
it into any club situation. Combining the basslines of the
New York house sound with some very energetic synth work,
“The Feeling” will grab you. Mixes from Chris “The Greek”
Panaghi and Guiseppe D offer the cut solid crossover potential.
– Michael J. Taylor
“In The Air Tonight”
Juliana
Smack
Dab
New
Latin-American artist Juliana makes her debut with this radio
friendly, dance remake of Phil Collins 1980’s chart topper.
Filled with strumming guitars, uptempo drums and a lively
lead, this new millennium version is a refreshing, soothing
contrast to the original. The single could use a deeper, late-night-type
mix show version, but aspiring DJ/remixers can use the a cappella
found on the CD5 to create their own custom version. For more
information, contact 323-651-2230.
– Peter A. Colón
From Dub
til Dawn
Tee Lee Brown
Plastic
City
Talk
about throwing it down, TLB drops an absolutely gorgeous full-length
house set of original tunes that resonate with dark grooves.
And he’s in vintage form here with “Lost and Found,” “Level
Vibes,” “Downtown Life” and “Take Your Time” (vs. Timewriter).
The deep, dubby, sinister beats give an insight into one house
music’s most innovative heads. Available in triple-pack vinyl.
– Phil Turnipseed
“Deep”
Base Twelve
Nervous
Deep
Dish protégées and up-and-coming remixers Saeed and Palash
tear this one up. On this incredible deep, dark, dubby track,
they drop constant throbbing basslines and add some mighty
heavy keys and a haunting vocal. Add this late-night floorstomper
to your collection fast.
– Shawn Christopher
“Fantasy”
Plasmic Honey
Diesel
Groove
Also
available on the Saturday Night Dance Party mixed CD, this
12-inch should not be overlooked – both sides of the vinyl
deserve your immediate attention. “Voyage 1” takes us on a
journey very different from what we are accustomed with Plasmic
Honey. A little bit of progressive mixed with elements of
trance adds up for an out-of-this-world result. The best moment
comes midway through the track when it drops, then for over
two minutes builds back up – then the payoff hits in a big
way. The dancefloor will love it. Let me warn you now – hands
will be in the air and people will be screaming. On the flip
side “Voyage 2,” the Plasmic duo takes us down a more familiar
path. A female vocal soars over some hard-hitting synth stabs
and even harder beats – a combo that’s made the Plasmic Honey
boys the hot commodity they are today.
– Joe Bermudez
