With a blink of the eye we find ourselves already deep into February and the day of love already escaping us, yet we couldn’t let the moment pass without our own special devotion to the day, deciding to do so with our “Love To Love The Music” special post, With a handful of hot off the press new compilations released with Valentine’s Day in mind, as well as other mixes & tracks that have love underpinning them, we thought it an ideal opportunity to engross in a bit of musical love on behalf of this romantically charged day of the year. So, weeding out some of those releases that may have otherwise made it to our next music newsletter or linked to up-coming reviews, then including some tracks that are really doing it for us right now & that have love in mind, here is our take on Valentine’s Day, through what is without doubt our biggest passion, music.
First in this love inspired music special is Ben Jamin, a D.J. who actually makes his debut in our music posts, although is a terrific talent that has been cutting a stride for a number of years now, our first experience of his superb sounds coming in the days of Crash back at the turn of the century, yet the memories of his majestic music as fresh today as they were back then. His insatiable appetite for taking his audience on a journey with a difference, underpins his passion for his art as well as his skill for finding that new sound or style, very much putting Mr Jamin at the cutting edge of the alternative London clubbing scene that he now finds himself within, Shoreditch & The East End very much leading the way with genre’s like Nu Disco, Future House & the resurgence of NYC style Underground. So, in this special “…Valentine’s make out mix of dark disco & sleazy house…” Ben comes up trumps in that direction with a difference, his aptly named “Romantic And Filthy Minded” mix worthy of our inclusion in this Valentine’s special post and an equally worthy addition to your collection, which you can grab now at http://ben-jamin.podomatic.com/.
Now to another first, our first track related to love, very much in the lyrics rather than the title, a record we re-discovered only a few days ago, yet is a classic corker in our books and comes from our Hed Kandi days of disco heaven, probably a faze that inspired our name. Taken from the dance label & worldwide clubbing brand’s “The Mix : Summer 2004” treble album, Marley’s terrific track “You Never Know” is not one of those soppy love songs, but has love in mind, or should we say “…knocking at your door…” and is a glorious sun drenched scorcher that we simply couldn’t resist including, as like Ben’s offering, is something a little unexpected for Valentine’s Day. Given the LMC dub treatment on Hed Kandi, (http://youtube.com/watch?v=48idQ9CVR1w), the sundrenched element becomes obvious when you click on http://youtube.com/watch?v=XpGJjGG4Nrc and points you in the direction of summer and us, towards our trip home to South Africa.
Back to the love inspired compilations and next up is Chris Brogan, a D.J. that has been making musical waves a-plenty over the last few months, we enjoying a superb set of his when we took to the waves of The Thames back in October for a riverboat party that we will remember for a long time, appearances at Ministry of Sound, T-dance club T.T.D., and hip hop & happening Soho hangout Rupert Street, just three of a whole pile of gigs Mr Brogan has made his presence felt over the last few weeks. But, gigs aside, it is his studio works that continue to grab our attention and this latest creation of his is no exception, Chris stating of Valentine’s, “…it’s that time of year again, some of you dread it, some of us loathe it, but this year I am celebrating it…” he explaining of his mix “…14 track disco-ish tracks that, if you’re alone this Valentine’s, will hopefully make you dance the commercialness of the day away…” and very much has disco credentials, making it another love dedication with a difference. Kicking off with “Stars On 45”, you know that disco is in mind and with artists like Bini & Martini, Hott 22 & Crazibiza, you know that dance is the direction, Dr Kucho’s “Chase” & LRM’s “Lifered” two of our faves, although with plenty more to enjoy, go grab some amour Chris stylee by visiting http://soundcloud.com/djchrisbrogan/amour-disco.
Now to a track that is no stranger to our recent posts, in fact has been dominating airwaves of ours for quite a few months, yet over the last two/three weeks has also hit the dancefloors both here in London and during our trips to Paris, Brussels & Antwerp, alternative offerings a-plenty proving the track still has considerable legs, despite having been released quite a while ago. And with a title of “Stereo Love”, plus having played such an important part in our recent tour into Europe, we couldn’t resist including it here, Edward Maya & Vika Jigulina’s tremendous track having been given a number of remix treatments in it time, but the Molella re-work, available to listen to at http://youtube.com/watch?v=fBef1eVkacs, without doubt our favourite and one that ascended to the top of our 2010 chart. Mind you, the beefed up dance version is also worth a listen, while not having quite have the loving feeling of the former, is equally appealing to the ears and holds nearly as many memories of the Beyond dancefloor, especially as it is the opening track on Mr Beyond, Steve Pitron’s compilation “Ibiza Oening Fiestas 2010 Early Check-In” which you can still grab by going to http://stevepitronsessions.podomatic.com.
Talking of compilations, our next choice has love running right through its entirety and is full to the brim with love songs that give it probably the best credentials for a Valentine’s dedication here. Compiled just in advance of his own weekend of love in Venice (how romantic), in just four days, D.J. Leomeo’s “Love Story” has amassed well over a ton of downloads and five times the amount of plays, pretty impressive given the usual lack of promotion and plugging from our Parisian pal. Full of some of the finest tunes to really inject that loving feeling into your minds, bodies & souls, this is Leomeo at his romantic best and is much more of a lounge music mix, rather than his usual tech & tribal offerings, the perfect backdrop to any love-in onValentine’s Day or any occasion where romance is in the air. To pick out one or two tracks from this 105 minutes of pure & unbridled love delectation would do the rest an injustice, rather we simply say that you should soak up the splendour of each of these sensual sounds by going to http://soundcloud.com/djleomeo/love-story right now.
The next love track in our short stable of Valentine’s devotions makes a sure-fire statement with its title and featured on the dancefloor just this last weekend, reminding us why, like “Stereo Love”, it made our top choices in rounding up 2010’s year of music. A production by one of Spain’s finest, David Penn, who has a discography that stretches back well over 15 years and includes giants such as “The Nighttrain”, “Sun Rising Up” & “From the Stars”, this latest offering is without doubt another fabulous favourite of ours. With vocals crafted & delightfully delivered by Sheylah Cuffy, Mr Penn’s terrific track, “Miracle Of Love” compiled with studio partner Peter Gelerblom, is not an a-typical love song, but with lyrics explaining love & falling in love so well, especially when you hear them clearly in the dub version of this amazing creation at http://youtube.com/watch?v=uCxLwS1gxMU, we had to include it here. Mind you, it was the more familar & danceworthy version that got us “Doing The Disco Matt” on Saturday, one which can be caught at http://youtube.com/watch?v=WDfEK1wo6fs and contains more of those love inspired & falling in love lyrics.
Now, departing slightly from Valentine’s Day for a minute, but with love still in mind, in this instance, “Lovechild”, there are a couple of compilations and one track which we wanted to give a quick mention, first the two compilations by the German duo that took guest slots at Lovechild’s “The Birthday” event on Saturday, Chris Bekker & Eduardo De la Torre, both producing mixes that are worthy additions to your collection, available at the following links, http://chrisbekker.com & http://soundcloud.com/dj-edu-de-la-torre/lovechild-the-second-birthday. As for the track, well it is not quite about love, but more about “Lovechild”, that being the title, yet having seen vocalist Kaysee perform it live for the very first time on Saturday and the full version release imminent, we had to include the only currently available link, at http://soundcloud.com/djtonyenglish/tony-english-feat-kaysee from its producer Tony English here, this 2 minute version give you a flavour of just how great the track is.
Right, to our final Valentine’s Day devoted compilation, one from a D.J. talent that we have been pushing for a while now and who has made a few notable appearances, not least at audacious afterhours outings A:M & Gravity at Fire in Vauxhall, as well as Monday nighter Popcorn at Heaven, in addition to a couple of appearances behind the decks at Soho splendour Rupert Street. With a catalogue of compilations that has stretched into double figures in as many months, Norbert M’s latest addition has love very much in mind, the man explaining of it as “…a Valentine’s medley filled with vocal, funky and progressive house with a touch of love…” and interestingly includes David Penn in the list of artists, along with other hard hitting names in the dance music scene, including K-Klass & Sam Obernik. Aptly titled “The House Of Love”, this is as much a house music devotion as that to love, strands of the latter coming through of you search for them, yet is a composition worth collection, which you can do by going to http://norbertmik.podomatic.com/.
So to our last track and one that takes us pretty much full circle, as it comes from that Hed Kandi album we mentioned earlier and one that we can’t put down, well disc one at least, the Disco Heaven Mix. However, simply from the title of the track, you would never deduce that it has anything to do with Valentine’s Day, or with love, yet when you listen to the lyrics, it becomes clear that it has both very much within it, well we think so anyway. Funkstar De Luxe’s “When I Think Of You” definitely has a distinct house music feel on Hed Kandi’s album, although in full version form at http://youtube.com/watch?v=nPJVFqxZT0c, it seems to have a more dreamy & love feel to it and, as we did on Valentine’s Day this year, we dedicate it here to those of you who, like us, may have just memories of loves lost, but also to those of you that are truly, madly & deeply in love.
Right, so we finish with a compilation and one not dedicated to Valentine’s Day or to love at all really, rather more to lust we suspect, although in dissecting his description of the mix, Brent Nicholls gives a nod to the sensual, so maybe there’s a link there, as tenuous as it may be. No, in actual fact there is no denying that rather than love, the message is more of lust and of sex, as “Music For Pimps, Hookers & Gogo’s”, in its very title invokes those thoughts of lust & sex and as Brent explains “…is kind of Hard On! meets Nu-Funk…” yet again indicating that finding & falling into love is not the deal here, rather he adding that “…the idea was to create a set of sexy tracks with ass pounding beats wrapped in an unusual & risqué title…”. So, at the risk of being risqué ourselves for including it on this Valentine’s special post, why not go check it out at http://djbrentnicholls.com/web/2011/02/03/podcast-music-for-pimps-hookers-gogos/ and see what is shaking Brent’s musical world right now, a fair few of his sex fuelled selections also rocking ours.
So, that’s our somewhat alternative musical look at love & Valentine’s Day, some of our selections stretching the imagination a little, yet, with the possible exception of our final pick, have a connection with love, either in the lyrics, the title or the intent. And with music being our undeniable passion and Valentine ’s Day & love having passion central to their theme, we hope, like us, you “Love To Love The Music” and dig our choices here, as even of this day of love, “Music Is The Answer” . (DISCO MATT)