TRACKS…MIXES…COMPILATIONS Guest Reviewer: Crispin J. Glover “All This Love” u Soul Central u Tropical Disco A glorious slab of feel-good disco and a brilliant rework of “Give It to You,” a forgotten disco gem by RCR, has shades of Spiller’s “Groovejet.” My wife loves it, my 8-yearold son loves it, and I’d love to hear it in a nightclub very soon... here’s hoping! Wankelmut
Mike Dunn
Soul Central
Demarkus Lewis
Tom Junior
“FREE AT LAST”
u Wankelmut & Anna Leyne u Toolroom A big-room whopper, this Leyne-fronted house track delivers a great combo of rhythmic grit and vocal soul. The Martin Ikin remixes takes the track in a trippier, more tech-house direction, while Mousse T’s piano-driven remix pushes a deeper flavor.
Duwayne Motley
“WHAT YOU FEEL”
u Demarkus Lewis u Large Music Lewis is back – and he never, ever disappoints. Loaded with soulful vocals and a sassy, swinging rhythm, this track should light up garage-favoring jocks. And don’t sleep on the dub mix, which punches plenty deep.
– Tommy D Funk
Shapeshifters & Billy Porter
Mo’Funk bringing it to a new clubbing audience, this should be a smash yet again.
– Curtis Zack
– Jim Tremayne “IT’S GONNA BE ALRIGHT”
“FINALLY READY” (REMIXES)
The Shapeshifters feat. Billy Porter u Glitterbox One of the standout tracks of 2020, this soulful slammer gets an overhaul for 2021. Remixes come courtesy of Dimitri from Paris, Catz n Dogz and David Penn that all carry a slightly different vibe, but all deliver big time.
u Skydoll feat. Jearlyn Steele u Skydoll Out of Minneapolis, Skydoll delivers a message of positivity, not to mention a first-rate discohouse song. The original is perfect, but remixes from Chuck Love (sweeping and piano-driven) and Richard Earnshaw (ultra-funky) deliver the goods as well.
– Curtis Zack “LEAVE ME”
u Tom Junior u Groove Soul Records Flexing a filtered sample of “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg,” the London-based Tom Junior scores with a dancefloor winner here. Proper loose drums and funky bass create a swinging groove that’ll get things going. Add in the old-school vocal tidbit and you get an essential slice of house music.
– Curtis Zack
With gospel piano loops and searing vocals leading the way, this soulful deep-house track really gets pumping with the rolling rhythm kicks in. Big bass and hefty thump lift this one to classy house status. Hair-raising stuff right here.
– Tommy D Funk
u Leroy Burgess u Z Records Lost in the Salsoul vaults for 35 years, this bright and sweeping disco groover was discovered by Dave Lee (aka Joey Negro) who has dutifully taken the masters, given it a sprinkle of boogie magic and given it the release a track of this caliber deserves. – Curtis Zack
“LOW N DIRTY”
u Bobby Breezy & Col Lawton u Viva Recordings Sporting deep, jazzy house vibes, this is another ultra-silky production from Lawton. With the spoken-word vocal drops, organ riffs, funky bassline and thumping rhythm, this one really comes alive for the dancefloor.
– Tommy D Funk “RHYTHM” u Duwayne Motley u Simma Black
“ONE PLUS ONE”
– Tommy D Funk “BACK AND FORTH” 2021
u Supakings u Peppermint Jam This sassy Peppermint Jam classic gets refreshed 22 years after its original release with a whole host of new remixes. The Main Ingredient sample still (rightly) dominates this disco-house release and with updates from Michael Gray and
DEFECTED PRESENTS HOUSE MASTERS: MIKE DUNN
u Mike Dunn u Defected
Forty cuts of classic-house goodness – jacking acid, deep-house, vocal-driven garage, prototechno, it’s all here. Chicago legend Dunn drops some old-school favorites and newer tracks. Picks include: “It’s Anotha Groove” by MD XSpress; “Who Turned You Out” by Byron Stingily; “Jass Yo Azz Off” (Tribal X Mixx) by Dunn presents The Jass Mann; “Natural High” (Mike Dunn Black Glitter Extended MixX); and “Huggin’ & A Luvin’” (Mike Dunn Luvz Huggin’ U ReMixX) by Gershon Jackson.
– Tommy D Funk WINTER ISSUE
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