Saturday, April 30, 2011

Love On Love


We are having stunning weather this weekend so here is a great happy house song from the late '80s called "Love On Love" by E-Zee Posse featuring Dr. Mouthquake.  It was featured on Boy George's label More Protein and their first LP was called Closet Classics Volume 1 which includes some great tracks that by now sound more like a time capsule for that era of music.  E-Zee Posse had another club hit called "Everything Starts With an E" which was an ode to the drug Ecstasy,  the foundation of rave culture.  "Love On Love" was sort of a club anthem from 1989-1990 epitomizing this new "rave" generation in England.  It is a happy saccharine  tune with some cute piano/house samples that were popular at the time. Dr. Mouthquake is a guy called Derek Green who has worked on some of Pet Shop Boys records.  The original is more melodic and straight forward house and the Classic Piano mix features some rapping over house songs which was also very common to dance to at the clubs. Enjoy!

Love On Love - E-Zee Posse feat. Dr. Mouthquake



Love On Love (Classic Piano) - E-Zee Posse feat. Dr. Mouthquake

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

You're Gonna Miss Me


"Hola Papi, soy yo....estaba pensando en esa noche de pasion y amor...."  This is what you'll hear during the fantastic mood change break as a phone conversation in Spanglish between Torrales and his girlfriend from this classic New Jersey House tune by Turntable Orchestra.   Hippie Torrales  also knows as "Wax Thief" was one of the pioneer DJs from New Jersey.  Inspired by early forays into New York to see DJs  like Richie Kaczor, Torrales began his career in Newark and was the founding resident at the now legencary Zanzibar club.   The crisp, stomping piano chords and riffs and rubber-band basslines making this a total classic dance floor slam.  There are several remixes around but my favorite is the original along with the newly revamped Bush II Bush's remix also featured here and a sweet edit by Deep Sound Design that I just discovered on Soundcloud.  Enjoy!







Your gonna miss me when i'm gone-turntable orchestra(DEEP SOUND DESIGN EDIT) by sparky DEEP SOUND DESIGN

Friday, April 22, 2011

Melba 2.0


Happy Easter my dear readers and listeners.  Wishing you a joyful holiday weekend and in order to get you ready here are two amazing tracks by the talented and legendary Melba Moore.  Ms. Moore has already been featured on this blog before so I'm calling it Melba 2.0.   "Standing Right Here" is a rare track released in 1977 on Buddah Records as a 12" promo.  The song is pure bliss and the instrumental break has a perfect string arrangement perfect for dancing.  I'm also featuring the 12" dance classic "You Stepped Into My Life" released in 1978.  It was produced by legendary producers, McFadden & Whitehead and written by the Bee Gees. This song gives me chills.  Hear for your self and enjoy.

Standing Right Here (12" Version) - Melba Moore - Buddah



You Stepped Into My Life (12" Disco Version) - Melba Moore -  Epic

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Plastic Bamboo

Here is a song called "Plastic Bamboo" from legendary Japanese musician, composer, record producer and actor Ryuichi Sakamoto.  Born in 1952 in Tokyo and studied at the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music, where he graduated with a BA in composition, and a Master's degree with special emphasis in electronic and ethnic music.  Sakamoto began his career in the late 1970's, working as a composer, arranger and producer with some of Japan's most popular rock, jazz and classical artists.  He released his first solo album in 1978 titled Thousands Knives Of  and made a name for himself pioneering a well crafted blend of classical, world and electronic instruments.  Previously, he came to fame as a member of Japanese synth-rock outfit Yellow Magic Orcherstra.  He collaborated with David Sylvian on a number of singles and most of Sylvian's albums.  He appeared in the 1983 Nagisa Oshima film Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence alongside David Bowie; he also wrote the film's musical score. He won the Academy Award for his score to the 1987 Bernardo Bertolucci film The Last Emperor.  He has also written soundtracks for Pedro Almodovar's film High Heels and Oliver Stone's Wild Palms.   "Plastic Bamboo" is one of his most left field dance song.  Enjoy!

Plastic Bamboo - Ryichi Sakamoto

Thursday, April 14, 2011

Our Love Is So True






Here is a delicious track that I have recently discovered by a band called Round Robin and Brimstone.  At almost ten minutes of pure bliss,  this soulful disco gem is from the 1980 private press album titled Round Robin and Brimstone.  Round Robin previously recorded as Round Robin Monopoly for Stax subsidiary label Truth.  On this recording, Round Robin is on vocals and percurssion with Raymond Cedars on drums, Tim Williams on guitar and background vocals.  This is a rare treasure of a record for crate diggers and 70's enthusiasts and I just learned that prices go extremely high for this LP.  Tracks include "You Can't Do It", "Our Love is So True", "Plenty God Lovin", "Love", "I wanna Live With You" and "One Night Affair".  I have only been able to get my hands on "Our Love Is So True" featured here and can't wait to hear the hole enchilada.  The soulful and modern soul feel of this song just keeps going and going and makes you move leaving you wanting for more.  Enjoy this rare treat!

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

House Nation Under A Groove

Here is a rare House treat that just recently heard.  It has been probably at least 20 years, since I've heard this great underground tune by DA Rebels.  DA Rebels were Chicago based house masters Curtis Alan Jones and Liddel Townsell. Very little is known about them except  that they provided some amazing tracks on White Label that created quite a stir at the clubs around that precious era of underground house music with racks such as "Change", "D.I.U (Deep In Underground)", "Back To Basics", "It's Time To Jack" and "Manamada".  I am also featuring a fresh and more subdued take on "House Nation..." by Dj Harvey called the Modern Dance Mix that was just released last Summer.   Enjoy!

House Nation Under A Groove - DA Rebels



House Nation Under A Groove (DJ Harvey Modern Dance Mix) - DA Rebels

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Sell My Soul




It has been a long day today so I will be brief.  Here is a song that I have been wanting to post for it's sheer lyrical intensity and  fabulous hard pounding breaks with gorgeously dramatic piano.   Sell My Soul  was released in 1980 and it was quite a departure for Sylvester.  This one was not as disco and upbeat as Star or Step II.  The melodies are less happy and more intimate. This LP has been a quite overlooked production by Harvey Fuqua and it became known for the dance classic "I Need You". It also has a great cover of "Fever" but the most haunting song here is "Sell My Soul" taking the disco formula to new levels with a dark and moody gospel sound.    I'm also featuring Larry Levan's remix of  "Someone Like You" for good measure which was pretty much Sylvester's swan song before he passed away.  "Someone Like You" was released in 1986 from his last full lenght LP titled Mutual Attraction and it became his second #1 Hit on the U.S.  dance chart featuring amazing cover art by Keith Haring.  Enjoy!