As more and more dancefloors re-open for business, DJs will be wrestling with how to strike the best balance. Fresh out the box gems that would normally be shoo-ins for maximum rotation will be competing with tunes released during the shutdown that now scream to be played in their natural environment; not to mention oldies that capture the vibe of this unique moment in time. Our July selections are new releases we think will prove irresistible to selectors and dancers worldwide, whatever the competition.
** Single of the Month **
Joseph Capriati & Eric Kupper feat. Byron Stingily - Love Changed Me (Redimensions)
Oh lord! Bassline pressure and a trip to NYC's Sound Factory Bar in the early ‘90s, think Nu Groove, think those uber cool Strictly Rythm 12”s . Dave Clarke goes back to the House sounds of his youth and delivers a stunning, gorgeous masterpeice of a remix of a track off Joseph Capriati's LP that Dave had heard and asked to remix. Long time Def Mix associate Eric Kupper supplies the chords, Byron the soulful vocal and Dave creates a timeless anthem that's just House music at its most pure. Oh and to make it even more special ... all proceeds from the remix will go towards the Cannavaro Ferrara Foundation charity, which works to help combat various forms of childhood and youth problems in Naples.
Bruise – Joy (Foundation Music)
Hot prod squad Bruise wowed us last year with their debut ‘Grand Hi’ on Nick Williams’ Meda Fury. It hit so hard Grand Theft Auto sync’d it to their Edition 5. Well prepare to be propelled into orbit again with another shockingly good ode to UR and the sounds of Detroit with ‘Joy’, this time presented on Ross Allen’s Foundation Music. Farley described Bruise as “Mad Mike meets Rotary Connection” and he’s not wrong. Studio wizard Christian Campbell heads up the underground collective, and from the off the epic ‘Joy’ transports the listener straight to the rush with its euphoric, serotonin- enhancing sonics. Chanting vocal chops escalate alongside deep cut grooves and orchestral piano. It’s epic, it’s uplifting, it’s the vitamin D injection that everyone needs right now. Total banger alert.
Brawther - The Driver (Cabinet)
Cabinet’s rep for bumping, stripped-back house that recalls the best of the mid-2000s minimal (shhhh!) iterations of the genre is second to none, and this release from Brawther is a superb example. Chunky but as sleek as it is bumping, it owes a huge debt to Mood II Swing and Prescription, sure, but there’s enough substance here to make it a worthwhile addition to your record box.
Jacques Renault – Sky Islands (Let’s Play House)
Jacques Renault has been running his New York-based warehouse party for well over a decade, the Let’s Play House label, which he runs with his long-time partner Nik Mercer, came a little later. This month the maverick DJ and producer brings something so fresh it will smack you in the face and force you to do a double take. On the highly original ‘Sky Islands’, Renault explores his craft through a tribute to the ‘90s classic late-night radio megamix. This is one track, one take, brilliantly bonkers madness from the maestro, skilfully blending house, disco, and breakbeat that defies all genre conventions to form a future retro sound. It’s totally leftfield, at the same time imminently accessible for the peak time DJ and his/her dancers.
Sentimental Animals feat Nicki B – Love Vibration (Razor-n-Tape Reserve)
Secret Squirrel and UK treasure Dicky Trisco teams up with Razor-N-Tape’s disco aficionado Jkriv, to form Sentimental Animals. Born out of a love for disco dancing, cuddling and any sort of late-night naughtiness, this transatlantic pairing have crushed it with the killer ‘Love Vibration’. Joined on the mic by Escorts’ Nicki B who brings the sass and the sexy via her striking vocal chant, while Faze Action’s Robin Lee brings funked-up keys and lashings of guitar licks. The legendary Llorca aka Art of Tones delivers a dirty dubby basement mix, but it’s Parisian disco love god Yuksek whose effort is likely to see the most rotation. Razor-N-Tape Reserve coming correct with more original disco vibes on a 12, plus a sexy 7 inch. Can you feel the love vibration?
Willow - Workshop 30 (Workshop)
Willow’s first release for Workshop about five years back was enough to catapult the Manchester DJ/Producer into the collective house music consciousness. Still, a busy touring diary has (presumably) gotten in the way of a follow-up single - until now, that is. Much like on her debut, what Willow has created here is the sort of otherworldly deep house that, despite its rounded edges and layered, cosseting melodies, has enough heft to cut through on a dancefloor. Even when operating at lower tempos, there’s an intensity bleeding through that makes this release stand out, and when skipping, Garage nods come into the mixing pot, you’re left with a cracker of a release.
Nez & Felix Da Housecat – Lift Off (Radio Slave Remix)
Hip Hop head NEZ hooks up with Felix Da Housecat for a real electro house collision that for us works best in the Radio Slave remix that evokes imagery of death drops and duck walking at Berghain around 6am on a Monday morning. Its banji Techno meets old school rave, yet is the most modern slice of House you’ll hear this month. It’s a proper call to arms and we love it .
Get your hands on exclusive Faith clothing on the D-Store and pre-order the Faith summer issue HERE
Reviewed by Terry Farley, Sharon Andrews, Dean Mushin
