Goin’ Old School isn’t a trip down music memory lane, it’s a mugging in the dark alleyway of nostalgia:
today we’re kicking off with Bomb The Bass’ raucous Hip-House monster Megablast from 1988 .
Here’s The Art Of Noise’s haunting, yet Industrial, Moments In Love from 1985.
Finally funkin’ out with Tina Cross’ Koo De Tah’s hit Body Talk, again from 1985.
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Ronika – Escalator To The Equator Mixtape = Here’s the ultimate collection of laid back summery tunes for your holiday weekend. Coming courtesy of Ronika who delivers over an hour of smooth grooves and infectious funk with tunes to make you smile, and tunes to make you move.
♫ Ronika – Escalator To The Equator Mixtape
The tracklist:
01. Kassav – Langue Moin
02. Tim Maia – E Necessario
03. Amadou And Mariam – Sabali
04. Sophia George – Mek You Feel Fine
05. Jensen Sportag – Jareaux
06. Alison Valentine – Peanut Butter
07. Ronika – Rough ‘N’ Soothe (The HICS reMix)
08. Pegasus – Cool Runnings
09. Miami Sound Machine – Rhythms Is Gonna’ Get Ya
10. Mzekezeke – Ngihambha Phantsi
11. Sunless ’97 – Aurora I
12. Robert Ffrench – Heart On Fire
13. Ronika – Rough ‘N’ Soothe
14. Rihanna – If It’s Loving That You Want
15. Aaliyah – Rock The Boat
16. Princess – Say I’m Your Number One
17. Swimming – Kid Global
18. Rita Lee – Maria Mole
19. Herbie Hancock – Watermelon Man
20. Free Life – There’s Something Better
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The Russians are back! Once again some of the best Dreamwave and Nu-Disco around is coming from Russia, this time in the form of the new single from St. Petersburg’s Serj V. The oddly titled Extreme Night is released next month and comes equipped with a host of reMixes from some of Russia’s up and coming talent.
Extreme Night, despite it’s rather aggressive title, is a smooth slice of laid back Boogie. Loaded with thick, warm bass and atmospheric chords, it’s a dreamy tune that flows like water. As silky synths rub shoulders with a slick House beat and echoing arpeggios the track delivers it’s vacation groove in the form of a rolling purcussion accompaniment. The reMix package hold a whopping seven reMixes containing some classic House and Disco cuts. The standouts, for us, are Homkore Chicago House take on the track, Mikael Fas’ laid back mix that up’s the Boogie factor, Olej’s heavy LA Funk meets Cosmic Disco rendition and Eclectic Sound’s mix, which rounds of the EP with some chilled G-Funk and bouncy synth Disco. It’s a really solid collection of tunes, with a style to fit into most summer nights DJ sets.
♫ Serj V – Extreme Night (Original Mix)
♫ Serj V – Extreme Night (Homkore reMix)
♫ Serj V – Extreme Night (Mikael Fas remix)
♫ Serj V – Extreme Night (Olej reMix)
♫ Serj V – Extreme Night (Eclectic Sound reMix)
Serj V’s Extreme Night is released 20th May.
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Out this week on Shiny Disco Club is this new collaboration between Russian Nu-Disco producer 5 Reasons and out good friend Patrick Baker. 5 Reasons is a ridiculous 16 years old with a grasp of smooth Disco and House that, really, no-one that age has any right having. Putting more than a few of his contemporaries to shame his new single, Nightdrive In Moscow, once again makes us wonder where Russia is getting all this talent from. Something in the water?
Nightdrive In Moscow is loaded with elements you’d normally associate with more seasoned Nu-Disco producers. Rich 70s strings, relaxed Disco licks, choppy synth work, this isn’t cookie cutter Disco, this a well thought out, highly musical, nostalgia that is generally the realm of the top tier of artists. Patrick’s vocals flow like water over this smooth groove making the whole experience slick as hell. reMixes for the single are supplied by two Nu-Disco staples. Germany’s kings of Boogie Satin Jackets deliver a sumptuous, string lead, Disco mix that’s laden with warm bass hooks and a breezy feel, and Mexico’s Bronx, who gets a little more Housey with the track, mixing a warehouse vibe with some sweet Tropical percussion. Did we mention 5 Reasons was 16. Insanity!
♫ 5 Reasons (Feat. Patrick Baker) – Night Drive In Moscow (Original Mix)
♫ 5 Reasons (Feat. Patrick Baker) – Night Drive In Moscow (Satin Jackets reMix)
♫ 5 Reasons (Feat. Patrick Baker) – Night Drive In Moscow (Bronx reMix)
5 Reasons’ Night Drive In Moscow is released this week.
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Casio Social Club, the brains behind awesome London Disco label Mullet Records, has just drops his new single this week, Little Luv. Using a sweet bit of Lisa Stansfield’s vocal from Coldcut’s People Hold On, Casio Social Club whips up an amazing slice of pure soulful Electro Boogie, and one of his best tunes to date.
Little Luv is a smouldering slice of deep synth Disco. Filled to the brim with retro stabs and popping electro toms. A laid back groove with the most blissful of chiming hooks, Little Luv works the last ounce of soul out of the vocal sample, the rich pads and haunting horns to temper out an infectious bass riff that compels you to move. We generally look forward to Casio Social Clubs releases, but we feel this one is extra special.
♫ Casio Social Club – Little Luv (Radio Edit)
Casio Social Club’s Little Luv is released 26th February.
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Back in January 2010 we wrote about Billie Ray Martin’s Cabaret Voltaire cover versions, which was pretty exciting for us as we’re big Billie Ray fans, and The Cabs are one of our favourite acts of all time, and have been for as long as we can remember. Now the whole collection of reMixes of Billie’s versions of Crackdown and Just Fascination, two of our very favourite Cabs songs, are being released under the title The Crackdown Project. Out next month on digital and deluxe double CD digipack, The Crackdown Project: Volumes 1 & 2 ropes in a whole heap of top electronic talent for an amazing tribute.
Crackdown itself sees Billie Ray teaming up with Berlin Tech-House duo Märtini Brös and none other than the voice of Cabaret Voltaire, Stephen Mallinder. Deep synth Disco with powerful vocals is the result. Billie’s smokey vocals pierce through deep, robotic, soundtrack as if curling out from the corner of a dimly lit Berlin nightclub. Pairing Ms. Martin’s soulful voice with Mallinder’s instantly recognisable hushed drawl is a genius move. The two styles are amazingly complimentary and seem to weave in and out of the pulsating electronic backing. Just Fascination turns up the groove a little. Nang recording artist Lusty Zanzibar contributes to their track resulting in a little 80s Boogie working it’s way into the tune. The more dancefloor oriented of the two, Just Fascination is a stomping synth march that allows Bille Ray to really let loose with her massive vocal. reMixes in the package are supplied by, amongst others, Oicho, Celebrity Murder Party, Copycat, Divide and Create, Dunproofin, Flying White Dots, Phil RetroSpector and Year Zero. That’s quite a line up, and an awesome release.
♫ Billie Ray Martin (Feat. Stephen Mallinder And Märtini Brös) – Crackdown (Cabaret Voltaire Cover) (Original Version)
♫ Billie Ray Martin (Feat. Lusty Zanzibar) – Just Fascination (Cabaret Voltaire Cover) (Original Version)
Billie Ray Martin’s The Crackdown Project: Volumes 1 & 2 is released 25th March in Europe and 26th March in the US.
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Ronika – Sweetheart, Dont Be A Nightmare Mixtape = Here’s a Valentines gift from Ms. Ronika featuring a whole heap of gloriously funky synth jams ranging from the stomping to the emotional. Just like a relationship, really.
♫ Ronika – Sweetheart, Dont Be A Nightmare Mixtape
The tracklist:
01. SebastiAn (Feat. Mayer Hawthorne) – Love In Motion
02. Boxcutter – TV Trouble
03. Class Actress – Keep You
04. Com Truise – Brokendate
05. Palmbomen – Galore
06. John Maus – Hey Moon
07. Onra – Don’t Stop
08. Kindness – Anyone Can Fall In Love
09. DâM-FunK – One Less Day
10. George Benson – Turn Your Love Around
11. Sébastien Tellier – La Ritournelle
12. Julie London – End of a Love Affair
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Amazing Swedish SynthWave producer Pelifics has dropped this new reMix of Greek duo Liebe’s Strangers. The track is part of Leibe’s Somewhere In Time album and has just got the single treatment with a release last week. Pelifics is the prefect guy to give it a lush retroPop sheen.
The reMix hits all the right notes for a huge chunk of Boogie with a bouncy 80s bassline and vintage drum machine beat. It swaps the original ElectroPop’s tune Piano House flavour for a deeper, nostalgic vibe. Vocoders and cowbells round out the mix, and there even some of our beloved orchestral hits in the mix if you listen carefully. Pelifics turns a big slice of ElectroPop into an even bigger slice of evocative period Pop.
♫ Liebe – Strangers (Pelifics reMix)
Liebe’s Strangers is out now.
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Germany’s king of laid back boogie Satin Jackets drops a brand new single next month. It’s another team up with his go-to guy for vocals, Eric Cozier, and this one injects a little classic SynthPop into their usual beach Disco world.
We say that because at times, amidst the bouncing Disco bass and shuffled beat, Boys & Girls occasionally feels a little bit Pet Shop Boys to our ears. Maybe it’s Cozier’s deadpan, nostalgic, vocal delivery or the Housieness to the rhythm, but there’s a definite air of mid-80s Pop to the track. Boys & Girls also doubles up on smooth grooves with the most relaxed of vintage Disco sounds, providing a little optimism to go with Cozier’s urban hymn. An awesome slice of dream Disco.
♫ Satin Jackets (Feat. Eric Cozier) – Boys & Girls (Original Mix)
Boys & Girls is released 11th February with remixes by Daniel Solar & Andi De Luxe and A. Fox..
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Goin’ Old School isn’t a trip down music memory lane, it’s a mugging in the dark alleyway of nostalgia:
Two of our favourite tracks this week, starting with the mighty Cabaret Voltaire and 1983’s Just Fascination.
And Renegades Of Funk!, also from 1983, one of Afrika Bambaataa & Soul Sonic Force best.
You can buy most of this music from:
