Why has DJ Harvey been hot property for the best part of two decades? Is it his effusive and laid back manner, his eclectic sets, his decision to leave the UK for pastures new? Having just released the much-hyped Locussolus EP on International Feel, and a remix of Dirty Jesus classic “Don’t Fuck With My Shit” on Juno Records, Harvey’s showing no signs of slowing down (or speeding up, for that matter). Oh, and he’s got a brand new Green Card. We spoke to him from his Los Angeles home about his return to Blighty, working with Rwandan refugees and remixing indie bands.
Artist: Dirty Jesus
Title: Don’t Fuck With My Shit (Black Cock Remixes)
Label: Juno
Genre: Disco/Nu-Disco, House
Format: 12″ Buy From:Juno Records
The RV Cock remix of Dirty Jesus’ classic house track “Don’t Fuck With My Shit” starts with the kind of percussion so indebted to Harvey’s life in Hawaiian/LA paradise that it all but dons a loud shirt and offers you a cocktail. However this is soon overshadowed by something altogether more menacing, as dark, slow, spacey synths come to the fore. By the time the ethereal vocals and horns come in, Harvey has lulled you into a druggy stupour – and of course this is exactly where he wants you – before dragging you out of it with one final bass drop that is sure to tear the roof off after-parties from London to Honolulu.
Not to be overshadowed, Harvey’s partner in crime Gerry Rooney chips in with his own sterling effort, with squelchy acid house bassline and busy drums. Perhaps the most impressive thing about this track is that, rather than bombarding the listener, Rooney creates a sonic landscape in which every sound matters. This is sleazy-as-you-like disco house – exactly what you’d hope for (and expect) from the inimitable Black Cock crew.
Artist: Dirty Jesus
Title: Don’t Fuck With My Shit (Pete Herbert Remixes and original)
Label: Juno
Genre: Disco/Nu-Disco, House
Format: 12″ Buy From:Juno Records
With impeccable musical quality control, Paperecordings was, and still is, one of the world’s most treasured record labels. The controversially named Dirty Jesus aka Erik Rug and Marc Collin were one of the acts to release on the label and their classic proto nu disco track “Don’t Fuck With My Shit” was recorded in one take in the studio played with real instruments and mixed down live.
The first of Pete Herbert’s two remixes of this gloriously and unimprovably titled track features a lazy bass guitar bouncing off twangy keys. By the time the tumbling piano lines come in – and Herbert does make you sweat on it – hands are well and truly up in the air.
Part Two, instead of making us wait on the piano, brings it in immediately. It playfully jostles for attention with that addictive guitar hook, and this time Herbert teases us with a bassline that takes nearly two full minutes to kick in. When it does, you have a track that is positively dripping with that sublime piano-driven house sound that is sure to get even the most ardent chin-strokers shaking ass.
We have teamed up with seminal imprint Strictly Rhythm to bring you an opportunity to win a copy of the 2xCD compilation marking 20 years since the label’s first release.
Check out the video for Danton Eeprom’s epic house jam “Give Me Pain”, from the London-based Frenchman’s debut album, out February 12 on InFine Records.
Artist: Tensnake Title: Coma Cat Label: Permanent Vacation Genre: House, Disco/Nu-Disco Format: 12″, Digital Buy From:Juno Records, Juno Download
German producer Marco Niemerski, known to the discothèque as Tensnake, came to the fore last year with “In The End (I Want You To Cry)”, his EP for Gerd Janson’s Running Back imprint which featured heavily in the end of year charts. He also lent his ubiquitous disco-meets-house inflected sound to remixes of The Faint for Boys Noize Records and Toby Tobias for Rekids.
New Yorker Tim Sweeney developed such a cowbell crush on Tensnake that he entrusted the German with the debut release on his eagerly anticipated Beats In Space record label, with a release on Ghostly Intl also slated this year.
This pales in comparison with the anticipation that has surrounded this, Tensnake’s EP for Permanent Vacation, and more specifically its lead track “Coma Cat”. Ever since its debut on Tim Sweeney’s weekly transmission from NYC, the discerning discopogoing corners of the internet have been clamoring for its release.
Nominally a reworking of 80s RnB hit “What I Like” from Anthony And The Camp (produced by legendary producer, and proud owner of best name in dance music, Jellybean Benitez), Tensnake transforms “Coma Cat” into seven minutes of joy which seem to encapsulate the last 15 years of house music yet also remains very fresh for now.
“Coma Cat” is in essence the first contender for the inevitable end of decade “best of” wankathons come 2020. With such a strong lead track you’d be forgiven for thinking the rest of the EP pales in comparison, yet this is not the case. “Get It Right” and “Need Your Loving (Dub)” are both superlative wanders down the disco boogie path that Niemerski was immersed in as a child. The original version of “Need Your Loving” is included as a wee bonus for those that prefer their music to smell like mp3s.
Jacques Renault has released on more disco and house labels than you care to mention –from New York’s DFA to French imprint I’m A Cliché; via Matt Edwards’s Rekids and Toshiya Kawasaki’sMule Musiq. Apart from being a talented musician (he’s mastered everything from the violin to the trumpet and drums), he’s also in demand as a DJ, producer and remixer. Add to that his Runaway project and new label On The Prowl, and you have a real, erm, Jacques of all trades (did we mention he was once a carpenter too?). Aaron Coultate caught up with the man himself to find out more.Read the rest of this entry »
Artist: Megadon Betamax/Hollywood Nites/Benjamin Sun Title: Voyeurhythm EP 2 Label: Voyeurhythm Genre: House, Disco/Nu Disco Format: 12″ Buy From: Juno Records
Little is known about this fledgling London-based house troupe, although the sheer quality of this EP suggests this won’t be the case for long. The second Voyeurhythm offering is loose and raw, evoking the spirit and sound of Chicago in a way that few can manage these days.
It opens with Megadon Betamax’s “He Can’t Love You”, a complete remake of the Chemise classic “She Cant Love You” on Emergency. This version flips the script on the original with a vocodored male vocal, but keeps true to the analogue 80’s boogie sound.
On the flip, Hollywood Nites chimes in with “Chi Intentions”, deep and raw proto-house which features sinister keys bouncing off a rumbling, Chicago-style bassline (as the name suggests).
Benjamin Sun rounds off the release with “Victoria Park”, a lovely slice of warm house in the mould of Motor City Drum Ensemble’s Raw Cuts series, and a worthy follow up to his effort on the first Voyuerhthym EP.
With Riva Starr’s much awaited debut album If Life Gives You Lemons, Make Lemonade set to hit the shelves next month, the Italian producer has announced he’ll also be starting his own label in 2010.
Victor Simonelli is New York house royalty. Born and musically-schooled in Brooklyn, Simonelli grew up in an era where disco was giving way to the new sound of house, and that dramatic intersection is where his heart and many of his great productions lie.
This year has been something of a watershed for The Revenge, aka disco and house producer Graeme Clark. There were a host of releases on esteemed labels like Wolf Music, Mule and Delusions of Grandeur, some notable remixes and additional production under his 6th Borough Project alias (with Craig Smith). Time to kick back and relax then? Hardly – this Scotsman looks set to be flying higher than ever come 2010. He spoke to Juno Plus about the year that was, and talked us through the top five tunes from his “Best of 2009″ chart.
Following on from the exciting news that Chicago House imprint Trax is set to make a comeback, we couldn’t help digging through some classic house memories.
In case you’ve been living under the rock for the past year, you’ll know that New York house/techno imprint Wolf & Lamb has been one of the most talked about labels of 2009. With their now legendary parties at the Marcy Hotel and releases from the likes of Lee Curtiss, Seth Troxler and Nicolas Jaar, plus Zev & Gadi’s own productions, Wolf & Lamb is now regarded as an important part of the electronic music landscape. But is it pure hyperbole or justified praise? Juno Plus scribe Aaron Coultate spoke to Zev Eisenberg (one half of the duo) to find out more.
Artist: Hunee Title: Tour De Force Label: WT US Genre: Deep House Format: Digital Buy From:Juno Download
Never has an EP title been so apt; Hunee’s Tour De Force is just that – having swept all before it, charted by just about every house/disco DJ with a finger on the pulse.
Hunee (aka Korean born, Berlin-based Hun Choi) is in many ways the symbol of the modern deep house renaissance; young, raw and patently not from Detroit or Chicago. But this music has soul. Choi clearly – defiantly -favours warm house sounds, in contrast to the stark minimal techno that dominated the past decade in his adopted city.
He’s not alone of course – there’s Motor City Drum Ensemble aka Danilo Plessow (Motor City being a dual reference to Detroit and his home town of Stuttgart, the automotive manufacturing hub of Germany), whose Raw Cuts series has been ubiquitous in 2009.
The title track on Tour De Force has an underlying drive that works harmoniously with high end key stabs, while the percussion on “Cut Down Trees” is reminiscent of the best Wolf & Lamb material. Meanwhile “Rare Silk”, surely the EPs highlight, utilises a warm bass and piano line along with cut-up vocals that makes it simultaneously deep and funky.
Hunee is a newcomer to the production game – this is only his third release, all of which have come this year – but his ability to combine luscious pads, clever samples and catchy piano lines means he will be one to watch in 2010.
People Get Real is Simon Lister and Peter Wilson, resident DJs at Wax:On (Voted No2 Night in the UK, behind fabric, Mixmag 07) and Reclaim The Dancefloor, the summer success story which rocked Eden Ibiza to the rafters during its first season this year. Juno Plus caught up with them on the week they launched their new track, “Robin Hood” on MagicBag to ask them a few questions regarding DJing, production and life in general…
Artist: Die Sterne Title: Der Riss Label: Gomma Genre: Disco/Nu-Disco Format: Digital Buy From: Juno Download
Hamburg indie pop outfit Die Sterne return with a new three-track offering on hybrid disco label Gomma.
This latest EP, Der Riss, contains enough vamping vintage house keys and disco-pop delivery to become reminiscent of a lot of DFA’s early output, with Die Sterne coming across as an embryonic -and very Teutonic -LCD (Flüssigkristallanzeige Soundsystem anyone?), particularly on opening track “Deine Pinne” and “Neblige Lichter”.
The remaining track, “Nach Fest Kommt Lose”, has the most Gomma-like sound, with label-mate Headman providing an obvious touchstone for the slappy bass and funky drumming.
Lyrically, it’s difficult to fault, (because I don’t speak German) however vocalist Frank Spilker has a pleasant, if not slightly MOR delivery, which only helps the unintelligible words (at least for this uncultured reviewer) become another integral part of the overall sonic tapestry.
Artist: Duck Sauce Title: aNYway Label: Ministry of Sound Genre: Funky/ Club House Format: Digital, 12”, CD single Buy From:Juno Records, Juno Download
At its worst, disco-house can be an excuse to take a run-of-the-mill dance track, throw in a few disco samples and just hope that the large marketing budget elbows it onto the local ‘dance’ radio station’s playlist. At its best, disco-house can reinvigorate a forgotten classic, exposing its glory to an all new generation of music aficionados.
Bringing together the talents of Canadian tastemaker and Fools Gold label boss DJ A-Trak with legendary New Yorker Armand Van Helden, “Duck Sauce” comfortably fits into the latter definition.
With its clever sampling of the main riff and vocal hook from Final Edition’s 1979 “I Can Do It (Anyway You Want)” and use of production techniques that firmly cemented French House Music in the nation’s conscience a decade ago, “Duck Sauce” provides a seriously funky nostalgia trip on two levels.
