February 6, 2001
January has been a rather quiet month when it comes to music. In the meantime I have discovered a number of hidden gems from last year, records I did not really got to listen to at the time.
I re-discovered the Cinnematic Orchestra´s awesome album Motion from 1999 thanks to their remix album Remixes released mid 2000.
After I finally got my hands on Timo Maas´ remix of Dooms Night late fall 2000, I also bought his mix-album Music For Maases which is nothing short of stunning.
And yes, the Original Soundtrack for Ang Lee´s film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is painfully beautiful. As is the movie. Essential listening and viewing.
YURAI:
Love Light (Limye Lanmou)
(Tet Kale Records 12")
"Jepthe´s music opened up the gates of love for me" says Yurai in the liner notes to her debut single Love Light (Limye Lanmou). Yurai is refering to Jepthe Guillaume, most noted for the summer anthem The Prayer a couple of years ago. The Prayer is one of my all time favorites and it is always a sure shot on the decks.
Yurai´s Love Light comes in five slightly different flavors, all have lots of percussion, keys, huge b-line and acoustic guitars like rain - and you know immediately that you´re in for a treat.
The Original Vokal with storming percussion and groovy b-line is a peak hour slammer. The Ayitian Mambo Dub is deep and funky for late night groovers.
Pure class and grace from Yurai and Jepthe Guillaume.
WILD MAGNOLIAS:
Battlefield
(Spiritual Life Music 12")
It has been awfully quiet from Spiritual Life Music for a while, but now they are coming on strong with a string of excellent releases. This months most spiritual track is Battlefield from The Wild Magnolias.
Joe Claussell has expanded Battlefield to a congas dream - the Claussell way - in Park Side Lounge Mix.
MILLENNIUM TO MILLENNIUM:
Timeline | Amazon (4 hero version)
(Underground Resistance Production 12")
First record of the year with 2001 printed on the label. Timeline comes with abstract tech-house beats in the style of Aztec Mystic. Amazon explodes in breakbeats. Good stuff and basic foot fodder.
SUNDIATA O.M:
Paradise |
(Prescription Records 12")
Deep house with a huge b-line and sub-sonic groove. "What are you doing with your life?"
Cool music.
LURINE CATO:
Friends
(BabyAngel Recordings 12")
Urban contemporary soul music with a twist. The massive Sovereign Mix has a wicked bass-line and a nice touch of 2-step. The slow The Village Mix on flip side is very cool indeed. Soothing.
DEEP SENSATION:
Can´t Give You Up | Get Up | Don´t Stop
(Guidance Recordings 12")
Paul Hunter´s Deep Sensation is aiming at the dance floor with three new soulful house groovers. Can´t Give Up hesitates, rewinds and restarts before the bass-line hits and the groove starts to build a dance floor stormer. Utterly effective.
The two songs on flip side is straight soul music with a irresistible dance floor appeal. Very good music from the man who gave us Somehow, Somewhere (There Is A Soul Heaven) a couple of years ago. Don´t sleep on this one!
ARNOLD JARVIS:
Special Kind Of Love
(King Street Sounds 12")
We get the funky Special Kind Of Love in four flavors. Jazz-N-Groove´s two contributions are peak hour slammers. The intro has a more than a passing resemblance to Spiller´s Groovejet. But that does not matter, since it is such a great tune.
Benji Candelario´s original mixes are deep and dubby with a sub-sonic bass that cuts through concrete. Awesome garage, and with Arnold Jarvis vocals added, it is also contemporary dance soul music. Nothing short of stunning.
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