Review: Dodi Palese - Switch, Spacewalk (What Ever Not)

In just a bit short to a year What Ever Not releases its catalogue 002, this time coming from other label partner Dodi Palese who presents this two track vinyl with Switch on side A, and Spacewalk on B.  Both the tracks are of a track atmosphere with a dark deep feeling to them.  Switch is the most dance of the tunes and has an industrial feel groove with old school style high hats, nineties style pads coming in and out, and vocal starting at the middle which adds an agreesive feel also thanks to some sound bits added.  Spacewalk is the darker side of this release featuring a very well made tribal groove with a sound style between dub, techno, and deep creating one loopy trip just short of seven minutes.  A note here is that Dodi Palese will also be releasing an album coming March with a sampler featuring three tracks from the long player following this release by a couple of days.  If you like his style here I suggest you check it out!     

www.whatevernot.net

DJ Set - Liam January 2013 Choices-Picks Mix

Siggatunez - Plan R 'Original Mix' (Housework) T

Punch and Flip Entairtainment - Nothing Matters 'DJ Punch and Flip Remix' (Cyberjamz) V
Monocles and Slezz with Andy Compton feat. Tantra Zawadi and Dana Byrd - Only Love 'IndySoul SoulBreeze Mix' (Foliage Records) V
Allen Hoist - With Love (Soulab) V
Delano Smith - Dream Come True (Mixmode Recordings) T
Ari Frank - The Further You Look 'Original Mix' (Legotek Records) V
Anthony Nicholson - NAO 'The Answer' (Circular Motion) V
Scherbe - Endlezz Cinema (Uncanny Valley) T
Theo Parrish - Dance Sing (Robsoul) V
K Hand - Outta Area (Third Ear Recordings) T
Glenn Underground - For The Love of Money (Strictly Jaz Unit Muzik) T
V = Vocal, T = Trax
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Choices - January 2013

Soul's Back and Back Again !!! (Soulab)
The third in the Soul's Back series which was started in 2008. Thirteen all good tunes coming from Soulab highly respected artist rotation, which includes such names as Uptown Funk Empire, Allen Hoist, Dan Electro, Slow Motion Replay etc.

Soul-Cat - Bar Talk, DJ Punch and Flip Entairtainment feat. RescuePeotixTM and B.O.P. - The Baby Powder Traxx E.P Vol.2 (Cyberjamz)
Cyberjamz started out as a radio show, then it became a website, a party, and a label in 2007.  Today Cyberjamz released one hundred plus releases.  These are two I like from the first month of 2013.

Submantra and DJ Umbi - Give It To Me (Soul Deeparture)
Fourth release for this 2012 founded label.  Give it to Me is presented in four versions On the Rhodes mix for me.

Washmerman - Be What You Wanna Be EP (Nite Grooves)
Old school Chandler inspired deep six different tracks plus an extra dub version of the title track extended player.

DJ Greg and Hozay feat. Lisa Moore - Give Me (Quantize Recordings)
Like the Spen, Thommy and Hozay Piano mix.  Basements Boys old school sound!

Michael Whitehead - Under My Spell The Remixes (Danse Club Records)
The Meat Mixx reminds of the Murk early days in 1992/3.

K Hand - Funky Tonight EP (Third Ear Recordings)
Four different tracks extended player, all deep with a dance floor orientation.

Monocles and Slezz with Andy Compton feat. Tantra Zawadi and Dana Byrd - Only Love (Foliage Records)
I have a soft spot for Dana Byrd!  Five versions to choose one of which by Gene King.

Eric Kupper - Acid Placid (The Acid Tapes Part.1) (Hysteria)
Acid Placid is a trip in sounds which I like.  Think of this as future orientated acid by one of the most respected key players in the world.

Theo Parrish - The Twin Cities EP (Robsoul)
What a big release for Robsoul.  Two amazing and long tunes by master Theo Parrish.

Antonio Ocasio - Charm (Tribal Winds)
Always a fan of Antonio and the spiritual deep sounds his label brings.  Keep it up please!

Delano Smith - Precipice EP (Mixmode Recordings)
Three deep Detroit house tracks.  I choose two of three.

Scherbe - Jardin Du Midi EP (Uncanny Valley)
Another nice release from Uncanny Valley.  Scherbe brings up a varied underground deep four different track player.  My preferred is Endlezz Cinema.

Native Funk - When You Heard House (Divuldge)
To turn the title to a question? When I did back in the eighties it changed my ear sense life.

Ari Frank - Refurbished Love (Legotek Records)
Good House songs are rare so when one is out, I surely grab it.  That is the case for the soulful inspired The Further You Look.

Siggatunez - Plan R (Houseworx)
Three different tracks plus a remix of the title track.  Original mix of Plan R and Clockwork are both hot stuff.

Alex Danilov - Can Speak Slow EP (Rawax)
Alex is very Parrish inspired in this excellent different four track extended player.

Glenn Underground - July 12 1979 (Strictky Jaz Unit Muzik)
The title of this album is the date of the destruction that was the Chicago Disco Demolition. It was an end and a start which brought to the reincarnation of the genre as we know it today.  Eleven jazz inspired tracks some of which a tribute to disco.

Anthony Nicholson - Year of the Rebel (Circular Motion)
Released on vinyl in 2011 this is Nicholson second Circular Motion album which finally gets a digital issue.  Twelve tracks with six of them having different artists vocal collaborations. African rhythms with Nicholson taking more sides with his soul inspired sounds.

various artists - Sketches (Sound Signature)
This unofficial album project by Theo Parrish and collaborations started as a gift in the DEMF of 2010 with a limited repress and only available at the Festival.  Drama by fans makes a repress later on, and we finally got a digital release.

Review: various artists - Soul's Back Again And Again!!! (Soulab)

After making a very hot December month with two releases, Soulab starts 2013 presenting this new compilation which looks to its past, from not so long ago as the Uraz Kurt tune which was released in December 2012, or more back in time as the tracks from Uptown Funk Empire.  Soul's Back Again And Again is a thirteen tune compilation from various artists from around the globe, and part of the Soulab artist rotation.  Soul's Back is a series of compilation with two predecessors released first in 2008, and Soul's Back Again issued in 2011. The artists featured in Back Again and Again are; Uptown Funk Empire three tunes, Allen Hoist and Slow Motion Replay both with two tracks, Uraz Kurt, Weeland and The Urban Soul Collective, Isaac Aesili, Various Artists, Dan Electro, and Giuseppe Storniolo these having one track each.  The tunes are all of a soul influence, with a different variation of theme which goes from broken beat, down tempo, funk, hip-hop, house, jazz, and latin influences.  This makes Soul's Back Again and Again not only a DJ use compilation but also for the good listeners being it lounging or driving.

www.soulab.com     

DJ Set - Liam December 2012 Choices-Picks Mix

Vtothed - NYE Space Sessions Pt.1 (White Music) T

Ron Trent - Sundance 'Original Mix' (Electic Blue) V
Rainer Trueby - Jeck 'Sello Remix' (Compost Records) V
Cottam - I Remember (Aus Music) T
Soul Phiction - Soul Brother No.2 (Philpot) T
DJ Fale and Lei' Metola - Kudala Ndikuvela feat. Pule and Andile 'Deep Assasin Remix' (Peng Africa) T
Robert Owens - Sacrifice 'Kai Alce Distinctive Remix Version 2 Instrumental' (NDATL Muzik) T
Gabriel Poso - A night With You 'Yoruba House Mix' (INFRACom!) V
Una - In My House 'DJ Pope's Original Instrumental' (POJI) T
Walker Barnard - Sweatshop Spaceship 'Extended Edit' (Serialism Records / WAS) V
Sek - Vice Lords (Apparel Music) V
Black Jazz Consortium - Groove Meditation (Gotta Keep Faith) T
Support the music purchase it from the dedicated sites!
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Choices - December 2012

Uptown Funk Empire - The Remix Strikes Back! (Soulab)
Four tunes 'N.O.W', 'Boogie', 'Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now', and 'You've Got To Have Freedom' featured in various remixes which total this to eighteen tracks.  Make your picks!

Uraz Kurt - Five Smoking Turkish Grooves (Soulab)
After doing some remix works Turkish Uraz debuts with his own production featuring five different tunes all of Nu-soul and jazz inspiration.  A quality laid back extended player with my preferred being the broken house 'She Doesn't Wanna See' and the modern soul 'Missed Connect'.

Gordheaven and Juliano feat. Caysoul Muziq - Move Your Body, DJ Fale and Lei' Metola - Kudala Ndikuvela feat. Pule and Andile (Peng Africa)
Peng Africa has to be my label of the year.  Anyways two great release with both featuring a great deal of versions to choose from.

Gianluca Calabrese - Rosarno Buisness (Lupara Records)
A two track extended player.  I like M.r.Gabibu Bloody Sound and its nice tribal rhythms.

VTOTHED - NYE Space Sessions Pt. 1 (White Music)
Fourteen minutes of trip into space from the original.  Harder sounds in the Edward remix.

Una - In My House (POJI)
After a break of over one year DJ Pope is back with his POJI label and a release by Una.  Three remixers; Pope himself plus the legendary Hippie Torrales, and H and H Soul Survivors offer a total of nine versions. Take your pick.

Elements of Life feat. Josh Milan - Children of the World Louie Vega Remix (Vega Records)
Not much to say when you have Louie Vega and Josh Milan involved in something. Absolute perfection! 

Ron Trent - Raw Footage (Electric Blue)
Chicago legend Ron Trent debuts his new Electric Blue label with his fifth album. Twelve tracks of atmospheric tribal African deep rhythms.

Gabriel Poso - Roots of Soul Remix EP (INFRACom!)
Five tunes retouched by different remixes for Gabriel Poso. Good signature names too, in this remix package from Osunlade Yoruba, to AtJazz, Ezel, and Italian Dodi Palese.

Cottam - Relapse (Aus Music)
I Remember something Instant, for the bass line and rhythm.

Sek - Vice Lords EP (Apparel Music)
A four different old school infected extended player from the Italian Apparel label.  I like the bit gospel infected title track 'Vice Lords'.  But do not disregard the others.

Walker Barnard - Sweatshop Spaceship (Serialism Records / WAS)
Three versions for the title track plus 'The Long Count' and 'Mothershipwreck'. The bass line plus the voice of Jaime Graham of the title track is amazing in its original or the Extended Edit.

SoulPhiction - Drama Queen (Philpot records)
Two different tunes the title track, and 'Soul Brother No.2'.  Both featuring the Detroit influence in them.

Rainer Trueby - Compost Black Label #92 Remixes by Session Victim, Dima Studitsky, Sello, Chocolate Garage Productions (Compost Records)
The original two tracks here; 'Welcome to Our World' and 'Jeck' where released about a year ago.  Now they get the remix treatment.  I like Sello remix of Jeck.

Christopher Rau - In The Water (Aim)
A four track extended player which follows its earlier vinyl release.  I like most the jazz piano old school groove infected title track.

Robert Owens - Sacrifice Kai Alce Distinctive Remixes (NDATL Muzik)
A licence from Compost to a release from 2010 in the album Art and produced by Larry Heard.  Kai Alce gives his touch for his high quality label in five versions, two of which are instrumentals.

GKF Presents 100th Official Release - Deep Album (Gotta Keep Faith)
Gotta Keep Faith celebrates its first century with two albums a Deep. and a Soulful featuring some of its greatest tunes.  Each album features 21 tunes all different at a very cheap price.  But the quality is prominent in both.

Review: various artists - Four Seasons Volume One (Got2Go)

Got2Go is a new label from France founded in 2012, and producing its first release What is Love EP by label boss Fat Bastian in the middle of the same year.  Couple months later and Got2Go presents its second catalogue number titled Four Seasons Volume One.  Got2Go second release features two tracks by different artists, both added with a remix.  As release one this new Got2Go Vinyl is a tribute to early Chicago Jackin house sounds. Side A of Got2Go 002 features rising deep house star Brazilian born French resident Whim-ee with a track called 'Where's Your Pants' here showing her harder darker side reminding me of Cajmere mid nineties productions.  This tune is remixed by Martin de Brig in a more techno house flavour.  Side B features Anaxander with the track 'You've Got' which is in turn remixed by Jared.  As release number one Got2Go Records 002 is available in vinyl only, in a cool marble grey colored platter and limited to only 250 pressings.

Review: Uraz Kurt - Five Smoking Turkish Grooves (Soulab)

Uraz Kurt is a Turkish producer who after debuting on French label Soulab in Uptown Funk Empire on remix duties on the just released 'The Remix Strikes Back' this time sets up record straight with his extended player titled 'Five Smoking Turkish Grooves'.  As it is easy to note the title says it all on the number of tunes you find in this release, that is five, and the nature of them all being of a laid back groove with a Nu-soul inspiration.  Opening the dances in this release is the very soul 'Voice of your Heart'  featuring the excellent voice of Cagri Ultay.  A down tempo soul which musically speaking makes you think of years gone by.  This one is followed by the excellent 'Missed Connect' more on a Nu-Soul and featuring a very modern electronic inspired groove.  Third track in the 'Istanbul Funk Interlude' Jazz funk mixed with Asian atmospheres for just over two minutes.  The next track is my preferred of this extended player 'She Doesn't Wanna See' a broken rhythm Jazz house stormer with very well laid floating chords and vocals.  'One More Idea' is the more big room dance with a funky house rhythm and bass line merging into jazz funk influences later on. 

www.soulab.com 

Review: Uptown Funk Empire - The Remix Strikes Back (Soulab)

Uptown Funk Empire presents this interesting remix package from the acclaimed 2009 released funk and soul infected album The Empire Strikes Back.  The Remix Strikes Back is the title of this new pack which features a total of eighteen remixes of the tracks; 'N.O.W', 'Boogie', 'Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now', and 'You've Got to Have Freedom'.  Some remixes in this new collection have already appeared previously in seperate releases as those from The SOS, The Gemini Bros, and some of the remixes featured in the single issue the past Spring of 'N.O.W'.  The remixes from Uraz Kurt are new, he gives his touch to three of the tracks, all minus Boogie.  The remixes made to 'N.O.W.' are actually my favorite here, with two interesting reworks from Patchwork already released last Spring and I do not know how I missed it, to the spacey African rhythms of Staro45.  Other interesting remixes are the Teemid Re-edit of 'Boogie', and Uraz Kurt remix of 'Nothing Gonna Us Now'.

www.soulab.com