As I stated before, Friday night is the dance night’s night and when my inbox got packed with some seriously awesome party mixes from everyone trying to hype their night up, I decided to run with the great ones. So, first up, we pass the floor to Jacob, who is busting Niteshift at RNR tonight:
For this mix I wanted to capture that summer vibe that’s equal parts hanging by the pool with a Michelada and tearing up the dance floor at the club. Hopefully this will find it’s way to a few of your rooftop parties and backyard BBQ’s before the summer’s up. Without any further ado, let’s get to the tracks…
Download here:
http://www.zshare.net/audio/166912791ab30175/
Read while dancing
1. Bstrd Boots - Juana Tijuana
Bstrd Boots have been putting out some killer white labels the past few years, and although the record this song comes from is kind of a snoozer, I’m really feeling the vibe on this track. It’s a straightforward latin rework with some head nodding drums. Time to get those coals started.
2. DJ Czech - Hard to Handle
Hailing from… you guessed it, Czech Republic, DJ Czech has put out a slew of midtempo funk remixes over the last decade or so. All too often these types of breakbeat-heavy remixes end up sounding a bit stiff compared to their sample sources, but Czech nails it on this one, changing up the drums enough to keep it interesting and really working with the natural flow of the song.
3. Kurtis Blow - The Breaks 04 (dublex rmx)
Although this whole track is pretty good, I just looped up the intro drums for a bit cause they are so damn tough. I really just wanted to use this one as a transition to…
4. Lono Brazil - Enfermo Del Amor (Versión Del Alma Del Disco)
Best remix of Mesmerized I’ve heard so far. House producer Lono Brazil didn’t do much besides speed up Mary J’s vocal, slow down Bugz In The Attic’s rework of Ruben Blades’ “Plastico,” and blend the two together. Sometimes it that simple stuff that works so well, I love this one.
5. Frank Hooker and Positive People - This Feelin’
Feel good disco in full effect. Both this 1980 original and the 1981 remix version on Panorama are great- a roller boogie classic for sure. I can’t not dance and clap along to this one whenever I play it.
6. Instant Funk - I Got My Mind Made Up
Instant Funk stepped out of their role as the TSOP studio group with this 1979 mega hit. Mixed by Larry Levan and produced by Philly legend Bunny Sigler, this one was a Loft classic, Garage classic, blah blah blah… you know it, you love it.
7. Beatconductor – Kumbara
Maybe my favorite current producer? Beatconductor, in all of his alias’, is one of the most consistent in the game, always picking solid tracks from a slew of different genres to modernize with that Swedish touch. As is often the case with his tracks, the percussion really shines in this remix of “Enyere Kumbara” by Con Julian Y Sucombo.
8. John Davis & Monster Orchestra - I Can’t Stop
Breaker’s classic, not much else to say about this one. The chorus is a bit ropey, but it’s all about the break anyway. Dimitri from Paris made a nice edit of this song for his Live At The Playboy Mansion mix.
9. Sugarloaf Gangsters - Sayin’ It and Doin’ It
Similar idea as the DJ Czech cut from earlier in the mix- take awesome funk track, add banging drums, watch dance floor erupt. This is from the excellent series of James Brown remixes on the always dope GAMM records from Sweden.
10. Chubby Checker - Move It
Chubby Checker will always be best known for “The Twist,” but this oft-overlooked b-side to “The Rub” from 1976 on Amherst Records cooks! It may have been an attempt to cash in on the growing popularity of disco, but in spite of a somewhat suspect sax solo Chubby wrote one hell of a disco-funk crossover jam.
11. Haggis Horns - The Traveler Part 1
White dudes from the UK playing afrobeat in 2008? Hell yeah and they rip it! Europe is killing the retro-styled funk game these days.
12. Javi Pez Orquesta - Ping Pong (Beatfanatic rmx)
Another Beatconductor/Beatfanatic track and another awesome latin remix. Not sure why he added the Diddy-esque “REEEEMIX” shout outs at the beginning, but this is such a dope track, totally flipping the original around into a straight ahead floor-filler.
13. Melchyor A - In Progress
I’m relatively new to the house music game, but Melchyor A has quickly become a favorite of mine. This track is totally understated until that catchy sax hook comes in. The mix kinda takes a turn into afro/latin house with this song.
14. Dennis Ferrer - Dem People Go (DF’s Kicked Out mix)
Not much to say about Ferrer- a true deep house master from New York. This is the Ferrer rework of his own 2002 afro house classic.
15. Eko - M’ongele m’am
Eko! I really wanted to work his afro-disco classic “Kilimandjaro My Home” into this mix, but it just wasn’t happening, so I’ll have to save that one for another time. But this track from his self-titled LP on the French label Dragon Phoenix is so good too. The moog and brass section of this cut kill it.
16. Cerrone vs. Louie Vega - Dance Ritual
One half of Masters at Work teams up with euro-disco pioneer, Cerrone, for this percussive call and response stomper.
17. Salome De Bahia - Cada Vez
Latin house bomb! Brazilian vocalist Salome De Bahia comes with it on this scorcher. I’ve only gotten to play this one out at Arlington’s Eleventh St. Lounge so far, but even though dancing is not really the focus of that spot it’s never failed to get people out of their seats and moving.
18. Malinga 5 – Kalimbo
More afro-disco, this time by the consistently great Malinga 5. Bob Sinclair has touched this one up before, but the original version is a monster in its own right. It gets a little out there about halfway through though, so I looped up the “ooowah kalimbo!” break to make it more mixable.
19. Bob Sinclair - Meu Carnival (Dub Mix)
Sinclair is without a doubt one of the most versatile dance music producers doing it today. He’s dipped into everything from guido anthems to hip hop to midtempo dancers, and tends to hit more often than not. If you’re not losing your shit when that trumpet/synth line in the breakdown hits then I can’t help you.
20. Danny Marquez & Ferry B. – Afrocatalans
Afro-house classic from Defected records. The hi-hat is so dope in this one and the vocal is instantly recognizable. It’s a pretty sparse composition led by a catchy guitar lick and the vocal hook, and that’s really all it needs.
21. Raw Artistic Soul feat. Wunmi - Oya O
Late night jam with Wunmi delivering some conscious lyrics over Raw Artistic Soul’s smooth backing track. If I’m ever closing out an all nighter I’ll definitely drop this one.
And to those who come out to any of my parties, I’ll have hard copies of this to give away free. The hard copies have a different second half w/ some exclusive joints that I can’t put online yet. Holla!
August 22, 2008 at 4:37 pm