Mixed Live
Donald Gloude
Moonshine
Recorded live at D.C.’s Buzz party at Nation, this CD perfectly captures an evening with the always-entertaining Glaude, as he throws down an energetic and funky set. Top tunes include Paul Johnson’s “Get on My Camel,” Kelly Reverb’s “Fine Ladies Only” and Glaude’s own “Soul Cha Cha.” Hear why Glaude is one of America’s most sought-after club jocks.
– Joe Bermudez

Filtered: The Best Of Filtered Dance
Various Artists
Tommy Boy Silver
If you like your dance music to come in the filtered variety, this compilation is exactly what the doctor ordered. Veteran DJ Robbie Rivera manages to capture that essence with a seamless mix of 15 chart-topping tracks. Killer club cuts include Armand Van Helden’s “U Don’t Know Me,” Information Society’s “Running,” DJ Spiller’s “Groovejet” and, of course, Stardust’s “Music Sounds Better With You.” Full of recurrent favorites, this one is a sure-fire party starter.
– Peter A. Colon

Disconnect Your Head
Rhythm Masters
Tommy Boy Silver
Get ready for a beat assault on the senses, as the Rhythm Masters’ new full-length is chock-full of deep, sinister grooves, uplifting vocals and rhythms both soulful and progressive. Of the 13 tracks, the real gems include the sexy house vocal of “Angels,” the dark bounce of “Electronic Funk,” the smooth, jazzy house piece of “Bring It On.” The hard garage/disco groove of “Disco 2000” is cool, too. A pumping collection of beats and rhythms.
– Phil Turnipseed

Cyber Diva
Jorio
Decca
An eclectic blend of classical and operatic elements, Jorio’s full-length cleverly meshes trancey beats and progressive phrasings with the vocal stylings of Danielle de Niese, the highly regarded soprano from the New York Metropolitan Opera. Her mesmerizing displays of vocal perfection and Jorio’s engaging production prowess can be fully appreciated on songs like “Remember Me,” “Prayer” and “Art Of Love.” Passionate and unique.
– Peter A. Colon

Flip Your Mind
Karmadelic
Jellybean
From the dreamy intro, “And So It Begins,” to the first cut, “Things I See,” you know this is going to be something special. Definitely not your usual standard house collection, Karmadelic’s debut album offers a wide variety – sexy vocals, perky beats, pop accessibility and an occasionally adult-contemporary vibe. Of course, the house grooves aren’t too shabby either, namely the singles “Nothingness” and “Check It Out,” plus the hypnotic title track. Radio should dig vocal tracks like the R&B-flavored “Superman” and the jazzy pop sound of “Earth Star.” An excellent collection not to be missed and one of the better pop-leaning dance albums of the year.
– Phil Turnipseed

"I Wanna Be Bad"
Willa Ford
Lava/Atlantic
Sexy and intoxicating, this floor-filler delivers the goods and features production from Sal “Parm” Basile on the radio, club and dub mixes. His main club mix starts with an enormous intro, which combines with Ford’s vocals and some filtered effects that swirl in and out. It’s a build-up that clubbers will find tantalizing. Also, the dub has peak-hour madness written all over it.
– Mikey D. Merola

"Tuk Talk "
DJ Dero
G2 Records
With an onslaught of Brazilian-inflected beats, Argentina’s DJ Dero and Nicolas Guerrieri provide us with a tribal monster that makes The Goodmen’s “Give It Up” look like child’s play. This is a peak-hour monster that will send your crowd into a frenzy.
– Joe Bermudez

"The Pawn" b/w "Time Travelling E.T.'s"
Logic Bomb
Tip World
The remix of underground favorite “The Pawn” goes for percussive mayhem and plenty of high end. “Time Travelling E.T.’s” gets even better – freaky full-on bass and loads of energy. Another mental psy-trance effort from Logic Bomb.
– Damion Brown

"Someone To Call My Lover"
Janet
Virgin
Ms. Jackson brings that sunshine sound to her new single and brings along some cool remixes to boot. So So Def’s Jermaine Dupree drops a Timbaland-like groove that’s a bit stripped-down, but nonetheless it works a nice chord and a chunky down-home vibe. Of course, Dupree adds his rap vocal, which is a nice touch. Meanwhile, Grammy winner Hex Hector and partner Mac Qualye bring their own sweet house version to the table. Pumping a heavy bass and light chords with Janet’s vocals up front, this is exactly what this cut needed. Some filtered effects on the vocals and a nice bouncy rhythm spell another club hit for Janet.
– Phil Turnipseed

"Ghosts"
Tenth Planet
Tommy Boy Silver
This delightfully haunting progressive dance ditty comes highlighted by a lively vocal by C. Pearce and is capped with a host of remixes by the likes of Junior Vasquez, Vincent De Moor and Trouser Enthusiast. Out of this world.
– Peter A. Colon

Fresh Perspective EP
Various Artists
Flying Rhino
“Fresh Perspective” from Word of Mouth on Side A is super-dark, peak-time, menacing trance likely to scare the pants off even the hardest psy fans. Tristan teams up with Si Wild for “They’re After Us” on the flip and, by contrast, it’s a more laid-back affair. Still, it’s full of Tristan’s awesome trademark funk. A solid release, consistent with Rhino’s unending quality.
– Damion Brown

"U Turn Me"
Byron Stingily
Nervous
Check the wicked Bini & Martini remix. Deep and delicious, it offers a tribal-like intro that breaks into a deep tech-house vocal. There’s also a sexy synth hook and an engaging rhythm track to boot. Stingily’s falsetto vocals fly in and drop real emotion to the beat, while some filtered effects add a nice touch to the production. The dub version’s a hottie, too. Nicely done.
– Phil Turnipseed

"In My Pocket"
Mandy Moore
Epic
Destined to be a club smash, “In My Pocket” should launch the 16-year-old Moore to further stardom. Remixed by Thunderpuss, there is a nice vocal mix perfect for radio mixshows, but for the clubs it is all about the dub. Chris Cox and Barry Harris turn this sweet, innocent girl into a powerful and wicked club diva with energy like no other. Spin this and you will have the dancefloor in the palm of your hand.
– Joe Bermudez

"Put Your Hands Up"
Central Living
Naked Living
Part of three new singles dropping simultaneously from the new Violator full-length V2.0, this joint features Mr. Smith getting down with his signature microphone style. Produced by Swizz Beatz, it’s a heavy-handed, funk-induced vibe that also uses some crazy childlike background vocals. Bangin’ for sure.
– Phil Turnipseed