DjOriented

Soul-Fi Records debuts with a beautiful release, “Keep the fires burning” by Kenny Thomas
is a cover of the 1980’s Gwen McCrae smash hit and it is absolutely one of my favourite soulful
tracks of the moment. The package includes some solid Original
versions as well as a couple of very strong remixes from Richard Earnshaw and Tony Economides. The original Playground mixes are pure funky-house bombs, Kenny’s silky smooth vocals are beautiful, while the funky guitars and the sweeping strings gives the track a fresh disco flavour. Richard Earnshaw provides a
very hot mix, adding his trademark house elements and his warm soulful touch, while Tony Economides delivers a pumpin’ soulful-funky mix.
(Franco Martinelli)

Liquid People are back on MN2S with another strong release. “Truth is” is a pumpin’ house track featuring Xavier on vocals, the “Electro soul mix” has solid bouncy beats, deep groovy bassline and sweet chords, while the “Dub mix” goes darker and deeper. In addiction to the two Danism mixes, LA based production duo Groove Junkies provides a stunning re-work, they adds their trademark funky elements to the original vocals and delivers an uplifting funky-house
bomb. (Franco Martinelli)

“Song & rhyme” by Sterling Ensamble is another great soulful release from Deep Haven, The “Original mix” is a beautiful and soulful track built on a warm laidback groove and enriched with sweet and sexy male vocals and soft keys. The “Instrumental mix” is a more pumpin’ and groovy affair, with extra percussions and extra synth keys. An “Alt mix” and a useful “Beats mix” are also included in the package. (Franco Martinelli)

King Street
releases the new remixes package of “Shining your way” by Jephte Gullaume ft. AK.
This package includes new versions from Blaze, who provides an hypnotic and atmospheric mix that perfectly fits AK’s light and dreamy vocals,
and the Danny Krivit’s “edit” re-work, a beautiful funk and rhythm explosion, where the warm percussive groove, the soulful elements and the intense AK’s breathy vocals
meets perfectly together. (Franco Martinelli)

This is the second EP of DJ Rico released on Gotta Keep Faith, and what an excellent one it is. The rising French producer delivers 4 strong tracks starting with the deep, dark and pumpin’ “My paradise garage”, the second track is a slamming funky affair titled “Soul power” , while “Afro phunkya” explores the afro side of house music, this track is rich of afro percussions and infectious ethnic vocals. Finally “That people underground” closes the EP, this is another deep and pumpin’ track with a strong funky
flavour. (Franco Martinelli)

Toolroom Knights returns with the next instalment of their DJ-led mix album. Reflecting the underground sound of the label,
the double CD is mixed by american’s producer/dj duo Gabriel & Dresden. Reconstructing and editing most of the tracks of this album, the San Francisco based djs delivers a very strong mixed compilation. Their 2 mixed sets are exciting music journey into today’s best electronic and underground music, the tracklist includes a lot of great tracks from new rising artists as well as well known electronic music monsters. There are tracks from Junior Boys, D. Ramirez & Mark Knight, Trentemoller, Shlomi Aber, Dubfire, James Holden, Dave Spoon and many
others. (Franco Martinelli)

Defected presents a very interesting double CD compilation selected and mixed by
superstar dj and producer Bob Sinclar. In “Live at the Playboy Mansion”, Sinclar provides a fantastic set in his very personal 70’s glamour influenced style, mixing perfectly today’s house hits with unforgettable classic tracks. This is an exciting
music journey into space and time, and the tracklist is so rich of great songs from the past, like T Connection’s “At midnight”, First Choice’s “Newsy neighbour”, Gino Soccio’s “Dancer”, Van McCoy’s “Do the hustler”, MFSB’s “Hay jee”, John Davis Orchestra’s “Bougie bougie” just to name a few, as well as some hot house-music
hits from Barbara Tucker, Dennis Ferrer, Junior Jack, Roger S and of course from Bob Sinclar
himself. (Franco Martinelli)

The new double Cd of the “Soul Heaven” series is another beautiful
compilation, selected and mixed by 2 of America’s heavyweight DJ’s, Kenny Dope and Karizma.
This double album features 36 stunning tracks, including modern soulful classics and hot underground anthems. The first disk is a fresh, uplifting and soulful affair, with Kenny Dope
providing an exciting mixed set with tracks from artists like Kim English, Peven Everett, DJ Spen, Blaze, Terisa Griffin, Brand New Heavies, Roland Clark, Telepopmusik, Ruffneck and Kenny Dope himself, just to name a few. The second CD, selected and mixed by
DJ Karizma is an eclectic, intense and deepr, underground journey, combining powerful underground beats with minimal and electronic influenced sounds, broken beats and trippy grooves with warm and jazzy arrangements, soulful vocals and chill-out
atmospheres. This set is just “unique” with tracks of Karizma himself and
artists like Martino, Kevin Reynolds, Dennis Ferrer, Faith Evans, Osunlade and
others. (Franco Martinelli)

Panevino Music
returns with the beautiful “Face it
now”, a great soulful
release from Marquito featuring Duane Harden on vocals and Darryl D’Bonneau on backing vocals. The “Original mix” is an intense and solid soulful track with warm Rhodes keys, sweet strings, infectious funky bass, and inspired vocals. Panevino take the track to a deeper level, providing 2 pumpin’ and wicked remixes, while the “Marquito & Pane’s Late night dub” is a bumpin’ affair for tha
dancefloor. (Franco Martinelli)

“Bom demais” is the title of the new release of Mustafa ft. Elisangela on Tempogroove Records, it is a peak-time beat track with a latin edge provided in two powerful mixes. The legendary MJ Cole offers a solid, fresh and filtered funky mix, enriched with great Rhodes keys and
solo, while Audiowhores provides a tougher and pumpin’ remix for the main room. (Franco Martinelli)

Physics returns on Bargroove with the next single from their forthcoming Seamless album, with the beautiful “It’s all good to me” remixed by Matthias Heilbronn. Matthias reworks are very hot, he combines some warm electronic synth sounds with classic soulful elements and the result is awesome. The “Sunflower mix” is the concrete example of this, a solid track with pumpin’ synth bass, delicate keys, great piano and beautiful soulful vocals. The package also includes the “Sunflower Instrumental mix” as well as a couple of bumpin’
dubs. (Franco Martinelli)

We alredy spent some words to review this beautiful track a few weeks ago, now it’s time for the remix package and we must spend some more words, beacause this
release is also a very good one. The new remixes are provided by King Of Soul, who delivers 2 solid and pumpin’ re-works for the dancefloor (Vocal and Dub), Haldo, who provides a smoother funky remix and eDeep, who takes the track to a deeper level. The beautiful and sweet Original mix is also
included. (Franco Martinelli)

The new release from Groove Invaderz on Barcoda is a powerful tribal track titled “Jungle fever”, the “Original mix” combines the hot tribal groove with some afro inspired chants, an irresistible funky guitar and wicked synths, Danny J Lewis provides a solid deeper remix, while Central Avenue delivers an infectious soulful influenced
mix, adding some hot Rhodes keys and a funky bassline. Instrumental mixes are also included in the package, as well as 2 useful DJ
Tools. (Franco Martinelli)

Here’s another hot remixes package from Matthias Heilbronn, this time he re-works “Alright” of r&b artist Ledesi. The “Sunflower remix” is a brilliant, deep and groovy affair, perfect for the sexy and inspired vocals of Ledesi. The “PDP remix” is a pumpin’ and less vocals version, with
a solid groove, hot keys and great organ parts. (Franco Martinelli)

This new Kult Records release is pure energy, Cumana & Bridges provides a powerful funky tune with an
irresistible groove and sexy spoken words vocals. The package also includes some wicked and electronic remixes for the big room, the “Electric Arena mix” is an
energetic electro affair, Enzo Ginosa provides a powerful and
trippy dancefloor bomb, while Fama and Nikos Toscanioni remixes are deeper, darker and underground electronic
versions. (Franco Martinelli)

AX Music continue to celebrate the summery season of the year with the second EP in their “Beach Music” series, offering three more tracks courtesy of Soulfood who present Waterfall. All three tracks are pure deep house bliss, featuring beautiful keys over nicely crafted backing grooves that altogether create a groovy yet laidback feeling perfect for chilling.
(review by Michael
Fossati from spiritofhouse.com)

This is the second instalment in the Beach Music series, the first of which I lavished praise upon a few weeks back. This time around there are three further tracks to choose from kicking off with “Ocean Waves” complete with its endearing keys and smooth strings. “Sandy Beaches” has a strong bass groove and a mellow vibe that makes you dream of blue skies and golden sands. “Rounding things off “Playa Del Sol” has another cracking bassline, crisp beats and more keys and synths. The EP is more about atmosphere and subtlety than sending you scurrying to the dancefloor and that suits me just fine.
(review by Dean
Serafini from Jjazzproject.com)

Vicent Kwok teams up with Leedia for his new release on Gossip Records. “Share with me” is a brilliant vocal house track with solid funky beats and a very uplifting
vibe. Beyond the original version, the package includes a pumpin’ Benji Candelario mix, as well as the beautiful deeper and smoother
“Deep space nine dub” and the powerful and techy influenced
“VK’s dark tech dub”. (Franco Martinelli)

Alfred Azzetto returns on Purple Music with a new cool record titled
“Colors”. The “Walterino main mix” is a super-cool version with an infectious old-school
vibe, great 70’s influenced strings, powerful funky bassline and fresh piano. The
“Alfred’s paino mix” is more focused on the piano line, while DJ Flop provides a
powerful, filtered dub for the dancefloor. The package closes with the remix from Christian
Hornbostel who delivers an irresistible version, adding solid
beats, driven percussions, warm Rhodes keys and powerful bassline to the original
elements. (Franco Martinelli)

This is another bomb from Strictly Rhythm, the
“Mixdown” ep by Grand High Priest is a powerful deep release destinated to do damage on the
dancefloor, the “Mixdown” track” is so simple and
effective, an irresitible groovy track with great enegy.
“My guitar” is another pumpin’ and groovy affair, featuring an infectious spoken words vocal line as well as a cool balearic influenced
guitar, the “Instrumental mix” is also included in the package. (Franco Martinelli)

Athens based producer DSF debutes on Prog City Deep with an hot, melodic house track titled “Cover
letters”. The “Original mix” has a solid percussive
groove, infectious keys and beautiful organ solo. The “Reprise mix” is
a powerful stripped down and deeper
version, while Anto Vitale provides a very cool deep-tech trippy remix and an intense
“Key-a-pella” tool.
(Franco Martinelli)

“Safari” is the title of the amazing Tiger Sripes debut album on Nite
Grooves. Mikael Nordgren puts together 12 quality tracks, providing a very strong and eclectic music
selection, a mixture of dark electronic sounds, latin and afro fused jazzy
riffs, warm soulful tunes and much more. All the tracks are very good but some deserves a special
mention, I’m speaking of the beautiful and sweet “Song for
Edit” feat. Kerri Chandler, the fresh and infectious
“Consecration” feat. Hanna Hais, the deep & trippy
“Khula”, “Amphytrion” and “What was”. This
album is a brilliant example of taday’s hottest dance music. (Franco Martinelli)

“I’ve got to know” is the new release of Singapore’s Zouk Club resident DjB. This is a powerful mainroom driving track provided in several mix, including
the deeper “We love House @ Zouk mix”, the techy influenced “After midnight dub” and a useful “DJ Drum
tool”. (Franco Martinelli)

After the big success of “Old school hip hop vol.1″, Seamless releases the second compilation of the critically acclaimed series “Vintage Grooves”. “Funk volume 1″ is a fantastic selection of 28 classic funky cuts from the 70′ in their full original 12″ version. Ian Dewhirst compiled a super-classic tracklist including some of the 70’s funky hits and gems, like Earth Wind & Fire’s “Shining star”, Beginning Of The
End’s “Funky Nassau”, Wild Cherry’s “Play that funky music”, Average White Band’s “Pick up the pieces”, Labelle’s “Lady marmelade”, as well as tracks from others 70’s funky heros like The Fatback Band, War, Curtis Myfield, Sly & The Family Stone, The Bar Keys, Emotions, The Isley Brothers, Bill Withers, George Duke, The O’Jays, Raydio and many others. This beautiful
compilation is a deep dive into the best of 70’s funk. Not to be missed ! (Franco Martinelli)

Justin Michael returns on Swank with the second single from his debut album. Teaming up again with vocalist Jason Lent, Justin delivers a superb pumping soulful gem,
included in a strong package enriched with some hot remixes. The “Extended mix” is a sweet soulful track with solid beats and infectious vocals, Raul Rincon turns the track into a massive peak time affair, adding wicked synth keys and pumpin’ basslimne, while newcomer M-Sol provides two beautiful soulful
remixes. (Franco Martinelli)

The new release on Deep Haven is “Mototronic” by Blvd. East, an intense, deep and trippy track with an irresistible percussive groove, spacey pads and infectious synths that reminds the classic Moroder and Cowley style. The package also includes a deeper and stripped down “Sub mix” as well as a very useful “Beat mix”
tool. (Franco Martinelli)

“Got me twisted”
is the new release from Rhythm Kings on Soultonic. The “Original mix” is a solid funky-house track with pumpin’ beats and soulful vocals, the “Richie Robinson mix” is a darker and dubby, electronic influenced affair, while Soularis provides a fantastic remix, adding their trademark elements, including warm keys, powerful funky bassline and great
strings. (Franco Martinelli)

French producer Melchyor A debuts on Swank with a very hot funky release titled “Hot buttered”. The
“Original mix” is a powerful funky track enriched with warm Rhodes keys, sax drops and sexy female vocals, the “Groovin drum mix” is a laidback and groovy
version, while DJ Rico adds a deeper vibe in his mellow mix. (Franco Martinelli)

Renaissance celebrates the release of their 50th single with this powerful single from Pete Tong and Superbass (Paul Harris & Jay P). “Wonderful” is an irresistible, electronic, deep and dark track, with a strong driving bass, pumpin’ beats, chopped melody and cool effects, provided in two versions “Original” and “Superbass
dub”. (Franco Martinelli)