Review: London lad Alien Disco Sugar returns to his regular home of Greek label Digital Wax with this string-led, Barry White-sampling disco houser in the classic late 90s/early 00s style. Well, it worked for Black Legend, and it works well enough here, too - at least as long as you don't have any particular aversion to the Walrus Of Love's trademark bass-baritone musings on the subject of luuurv, which some do! Three mixes to choose from, but as the only noticeable difference between them is their duration (at 3:23, 4:49 and 7:45 for the Radio Edit, Club Edit and Extended rubs) there's not much more to say.
Review: Three slices of funked-up, authentically 70s-sounding disco here from London's Alien Disco Sugar. 'Get Up & Dance' itself is a reworking of Vernon Bunch's 'Get Up' from 1979 (complete with its distinctive whistle-augmented drum break, which most will probably know better from Deee-Lite's 'Groove Is In The Heart'), and is served up in full-length and radio edit versions. That would suggest 'Hot' and 'Time 4 Love' are also re-edits: what they're re-edits of we couldn't say, but the former has a Crown Heights Affair-ish feel while 'Time 4 Love' is an uptempo affair with a chorused vocal, soaring brass and strings a-gogo.
Review: Mysterious London producer Alien Disco Sugar serves up a laidback slice of nu-disco with a wistful, thoughtful feel that makes it perfect autumnal listening. 'Last Forever' rocks guitar chops reminiscent of Daft Punk's 'Get Lucky' and a plinky-plonk analogue synth line that isn't a million miles from Space's 'Magic Fly', then tops the lot with an R&B-style male vocal that puts it alongside the likes of Hot Chip, Little Dragon or even Bruno Mars - but if that sounds like a step too far in the pop direction for your sets don't worry, because there's an instrumental included just for you...
Review: A couple of very serviceable re-edits here, coming to you courtesy of London's Alien Disco Sugar on his regular home of Digital Wax Productions. First to get the treatment is The Invisible Man's Band's 'All Night Thing' from 1979, which gets a loopy, chugging makeover and becomes simply 'Night Thing'; then it's the turn of Kid Creole & The Coconuts, whose 1982 hit 'Stool Pigeon' gets reinvented as 'Cha Cha Pigeon'. The latter wins out in the instant recognisability stakes - and comes accompanied by a dub labelled 'Ah Cha Cha Cha' - but the first track is the standout for this reviewer.
Review: Since choosing to re-focus on original productions rather than re-edits, Alien Disco Sugar has delivered a string of ear-catching, life-affirming singles, many of which giddily join the dots between house and disco. Here the Greek producer continues his rich vein of form via a sparkling, summery vocal number featuring Tina Alexopoulou that brilliantly blurs the boundaries between Chic style disco, '80s electrofunk and poolside-ready nu-disco. The track is best experienced in its "Extended Mix" form, which boasts a couple of spinetingling breakdowns, bouncier keyboard riffs, and more chance to enjoy the otherwise slightly buried, arpeggiated bassline. That said, the vocal-free "Edit Instrumental" is also superb and undeniably sunshine-ready.
Review: It would be fair to say that Leonidas Deejay has breathed new life into his Alien Disco Sugar project this year. The alias was dormant for two years, but since he dusted it down in May, the London-based Greek producer has offered up a flurry of rather good EPs. There's naturally plenty to get the blood pumping on his latest four-tracker, from the beefed-up, string-laden disco-house release of lead cut "Love Affair" - a suitably celebratory, synth bass-fuelled vocal romp that's available in Radio Edit and Extended Mix forms - to the chunkier, subtly tooled-up disco-funkiness of "Pick It Up & Get Higher", and the Clavinet-sporting, horn-heavy chug of arpeggio-driven closing cut "Saturday Night Boogie".
Review: Party-starting disco/funk bizniss here courtesy of Alien Disco Sugar, AKA Greek producer Leonidas Deejay. 'Sunshine In', as you may have guessed, is based heavily on The Fifth Dimension's classic 'Let The Sun Shine In' (from the musical 'Hair') and is served in Original and Extended Mix flavas, with the latter the clear pick for club play because it's here that the string stabs and AWB-ish horns really shine through. The NSFW vocal on 'Crank This MF Up!', on the other hand, is of unknown origin, but once paired with the track's lolloping funk groove is guaranteed to get booties shaking out on the floor.
Review: A few years back Leonidas DeeJay launched the Alien Disco Sugar project with a flurry of releases, many of which were roundly praised on these very pages. He's been rather quiet of late though, with this EP marking the Greek DJ/producer's first release under the alias for over two years. We'd recommend first checking the extended version of "Deepa Luv", which laces the powerful, diva style vocals from C+C Music Factory's "Pride (A Deeper Love)" atop a fresh house groove rich in memorable chords, clipped disco guitars and a smooth groove. The Chic-ish guitar riffs and sustained organ chords come to the fore on the "Deepa Dub" mix, while the "Radio Edit" is perfect for those who simply want a quick fix of goodtime grooves and sing-along vocals.
Review: Alien Disco Sugar is the new alias of Leonidas DeeJay - a London based DJ who started spinning records back in '83 in his native Greece. Through the years he's developed a style that blends house, disco, funk ,R&B or anything that makes people have a great time. That being said, he serves up two seriously fat joints here that consolidate all the aforementioned knowledge. Prepare to get up (like a sex machine!) on the overly familiar groove of "Sugar Cake" or you could indeed "Go For It" on this sleazy and lo-slung funk attack with an absolutely explosive horns section - it brings the power proper! This follows up his 28 track whopper from late last year entitled Gravity Stars & More Sugar - The Best Of Vol 2.
Review: Sweetness! Following last year's epic best of collection, Alien Disco Sugar returns with more teeth-rotting party bizzle. "Oops Upside Your Head" minds the gap with some serious swagger and juicy bottom end, "Gimme Your Lovin'" reaches for the stars with a clinically obese sense of weight and momentum under the powerful vocals. Finally "Falling In Love" takes us deep below the surface for a little end-of-night sultriness. Three dope edits to kick off the year from one of London's most prolific editors. Spin spin sugar...
Review: London based Alien Disco Sugar produces quality remixes, edits and original tracks. He returns on Greece's Digital Wax Productions with Gravity Stars & More Sugar - The Best Of Vol 2. From the lo-slung boogie of "Forgetin", the pure disco inferno of "Feel Like I Feel", the massive horns arrangement of "Funkin' Around" or the classic soulful vibes of "Your Love" - this collection of classics is timeless and all have been respectfully edited by the man - just the way we like it. It's a whopper of a compilation, with 26 tracks all in all. And if that was not enough, they are all mixed to perfection on not one, but two continuous mixes - which had us boppin' about the office all day and will no doubt have you dancin' the nights way too - well into 2018! Other than a release by Frey Bentos, Digital Wax has served as an outlet solely for Alien Disco Sugar throughout the better part of 2017.
Review: London based Alien Disco Sugar are back with some clever disco edits on their own Digital Wax Productions. There's some seriously good vibrations with some familiar hooks to be heard on the uplifting "Feel Good Vibes", while "Spirit" gets well funky in a neon-lot '80s styled fashion. "Star Baby" gets the energy levels up on this disco sensation reminiscent of the legendary Chic while "Got The Funk" offers something more sensual and sunny for that Sunday afternoon set. Fans of master splicers Dr. Packer, Andy Buchan or The Noodleman should pay attention to this guy: serious heat right here!
Review: Alien Disco Sugar seems to be hunting the "most prolific re-editor" title previously held by Rayko and KS French. The Grecian-in-London is not messing around on this two-track salvo, kicking things off with "Roots", a rolling, slightly dubbed-out rework of a dancefloor classic that successfully removes the ropey middle eight and subtly extends the track in all the right places. Brilliantly, it also makes more of the original's occasional African style vocals, which were originally buried towards the end of the track. "Funky Chic" is something of a composite bumper, with ADS lacing a killer R&B vocal over a backing track created by chopping and looping elements from the disco classic that helped kick-start the hip-hop revolution.
Happiness According To J.B & F.W. - (5:29) 101 BPM
Soft Emotion - (6:24) 127 BPM
Review: Given the frequency and volume of his re-edit releases, it would be quite easy to do a six-hour set entirely made up of Alien Disco Sugar reworks. Certainly, the London-based Grecian is one of the edit scene's more reliable scalpel fiends, providing tasty rubs of both well-known and long-forgotten fare. This latest digital-only missive contains for more playable slabs of party-starting goodness. Choose between the toe-tapping beats, rubbery synth-bass, punchy horns and soulful male vocals of "Feel Like I Feel", the heavy disco-funk-meets-disco-house of "Got Myself Together", the languid funk of "Happiness According To J.B & F.W", and the shirts-off disco silliness of "Soft Emotion".
Review: Greek DJ Alien Disco Sugar supplied us with six calorific musical Mutant Candies just before Christmas. Now it's January and we're watching our disco waistlines, so the follow-up, Vol 2, only boasts three Candies - but boy, do they still taste good! "Super Jock" begins the EP with some soft, beach bar grooves - plenty of percussive breaks and a rolling bass line. Next "Keep 'Em Burning Hot" is a sultry and sparse boogie-down, with a live band propelling some on-fire female vocals. Lastly "Get On Up And Do It Again" is a Paradise Garage-style slice of chunky funk. Sweet!
Review: It would be fair to say that Grecian producer Alien Disco Sugar is one of the more consistent re-editors around. While he rarely strays from a tried-and-tested formula - think gently beefed up interpretations of disco, boogie and Balearic cuts with regular use of dub disco style effects - his choice of tunes and execution is always spot on. That's certainly the case on Mutant Candles Vol. 1, a six-track missive full of peak-time gems. We're particularly enjoying the sax-heavy "Disco Pigeon" (a tasty rework of a familiar Kid Creole anthem), rolling "Tubular Love" - where Champs Boys Orchestra's disco cover of Mike Oldfield's "Tubular Bells" gets the treatment - and the sweaty, drum-heavy percussion onslaught that is "BodyRock".
Review: Everyone knows that the best popcorn is sweet and salty. Alien Disco Sugar knows it for sure, hence his Salty Vibes series. Here on the third outing for the series, we get five re-edits where the quality makes up for the fairly obvious choice of source material. Highlights include "Nipple" where Grace Jones' Nipple To The Bottle gets pureed and poured into a warm house vessel, "Up Up 2 The Sky", where Silver Convention's Fly Robin Fly gets beefed up into tough electro-house and "Boogie No More" where A Taste Of Honey's classic gets a Bucketheads-ish type of makeover.
Review: Having set aside his Salty Vibes - for now, at least - Grecian rework king Alien Disco Sugar aims to prove that he has the Magic Touch. This time round, it's legendary Brit-boogie combo Loose Ends going under the scalpel. He begins with the "Dance Mix", which successfully beefs up and speeds up the original track via a bouncy new disco-house groove and deliciously elastic bassline. The slower "Club Mix" sticks a little closer to Loose Ends' peerless original version, allowing their attractive synth melodies, chord progressions and guitars a little more room to breathe. While Alien Disco Sugar has subtly tightened up the groove, it retains the drum machine swing associated with the British combo's records.
Review: While the Salty Vibes title makes us think of rum old seadogs, there's little nautical about Alien Disco Sugar's latest expansive collection of re-edits. As usual, though, there's plenty to enjoy across the seven tracks, beginning with the hard-worked filters, impassioned vocals, and grandiose disco bump of opener "Sexy Sugar". Other highlights include two versions of string-drenched mirrorball anthem "People All Over The World", the looped slap bass and razor-sharp guitars of "Do It Good" (a killer version of a Rahaan favourite), and closer "Don't Turn Your Back On Love", a house-friendly re-work of a shimmering, synth-laden '80s soul bumper.
Review: Prolific producer Alien Disco Sugar (AKA London-based Greek DJ Leonidas) drops his seventh digital-only EP of 2016, and the fourth in his ongoing Bootleg series. Predictably, he aims for peak-time dancefloors from the off, effortlessly turning a Logg style, synth-heavy early '80s disco classic into a bouncy, instrumental disco-house bomb. There are two versions of the stomping disco number "FunTime"; the "Sunny Mix" rolls out the full vocal from his original source material, while the superior "Stars Mix" focuses more on the rubbery slap bass, sparkling pianos and razor-sharp guitars. The epic, string-and-flute drenched "Who Is He To You" completes another typically tasty package.
Review: Veteran Greek producer Alien Disco Sugar (aka DJ Leonidas) has kept the heat on since he relocated to London a while back. Here he drops his sixth single in just five months, the I Like The Funk EP, and like the funk he does over four juicy deep cuts. Things begin on a high with sizzling opener, the tight new-wave disco of "I Like The Funk", then the twang-bass orgy "Wide Open Baby" saunters into view. We switch to dry-ice heavy, mid-80s synth soul on "In Luv" and things close with the tough funk stomper "Gimmie Some Action". Job done.
Review: Veteran Greek producer Alien Disco Sugar (aka DJ Leonidas) may live in London now but his muse is still somewhere deep in the Mediterranean. He rustles up more bootleg/edit action for dancing feet. First up is the raucous lady boogie of "Body To Body", next comes the elasticated and pumped up filtered funk of "Got 2 B Enough" and finally "Love The Way You Do It" leaves us with nearly seven minutes of wild hiNRG passion. Sensual and smooth these edits will cause mayhem on more discerning dancefloors.
Review: Somewhat predictably, the Hot Stuff EP features more fun time fare from Grecian-in-London Alien Disco Sugar. As usual, the re-edit specialist delivers reworks that subtly beef up his chosen source material, with additional percussion allowing the tracks to slip effortlessly into house sets. There's naturally much to admire, from the swinging party disco-funk of "Bourgie", and sax-laden disco thrills of "Party 2nite", to the anthem-like, Salsoul-goes-house flex of the decidedly massive "Summer Love". He also takes his scalpel to D-Train's largely overlooked cover of soul standard "Walk On By" - adding a bit more bottom-end grunt, of course - and goes P-funk crazy on opener "Hot Stuff".
Review: The Alien Disco Sugar manned are all about good times, good vibes, and good, finger-licking disco music that has no limits and which doesn't like to be tied to down to any one category. This time, you got three veritable party starters, a trio of 'get down' kinda licks that everyone from here to Katmandu can enjoy and swing out to. Pop, disco, house, who said it can't be mashed-up?
Review: There's something unashamedly positive and celebratory about "Fate", the lead cut from Grecian-in-London Alien Disco Sugar's latest collection of house-friendly disco and boogie re-edits. Sticking closely to the source material, whilst giving it a colossal boot up the backside via heavy new beats and stuttering edit chops, it sounds like a guaranteed party-starter. This smile-inducing disco-house approach continues on the similarly cheery, clav-happy "HoneyBoogie", before the intergalactic one reaches for the slap-bass and rolling piano riffs on closer "Super Lady". Again, the source material will be familiar to disco diggers, but never has it sounded this heavy.
Review: Given the sheer volume of material he releases, Alien Disco Sugar is undoubtedly worthy of a "best-of". Happily, Gravity, Stars & Sugar provides just that, gathering together 24 of his best re-edits, remixes, mash-ups and original productions. Unsurprisingly, it's a cheery, fun-time affair, with material veering from the disco-house swing of "Music Sounds Better With You" tribute "Better With You" to sensual, filter-heavy slow jams (see "I Can So Give You Love", in particular), via a swathe of red-hot, dub-flecked disco, boogie, Balearic and P-funk revisions. As if that wasn't enough to tempt you, he's also included a pair "best of" DJ mixes to help entertain you on long drives, train journeys, and during the two weeks you'll have to wait for his next EP.
Review: Alien Disco Sugar's last outing was a formidably disco-centric affair, so it's nice to see him switching attention to more Balearic matters - in part, at least - on this latest offering. He begins with the sumptuous sunset grooves of "I Want U (Aegean Sunset Mix)", where tactile nu-disco grooves are smothered in hazy trumpet solos, sensual strings and twinkling pianos. "Why Did You Do It" offers a tightened-up, dancefloor-friendly take of a well-known AOR disco classic, while closer "Set It Off" offers a tweaked, electro-disco revision of Midway's 1984 proto-house classic of the same name. It's something of a sweaty, floor-friendly smasher.
Review: While he's prone to occasional trips into skewed Balearic territory, London-based Grecian Alien Disco Sugar is often at his best when focusing on reworking classic disco and boogie gems. He begins this latest EP with his take on the Whispers' cheery disco standard "And The Beat Goes On", adding tougher beats and a whisper of Italo-style arpeggio chug. "The One I Need" is a deliciously loved-up, string-laden chunk of reworked close-dance disco (think Barry White, and you're close), while "Boogie Body" is the kind of celebratory P-funk jam that evokes images of nappy-clad Funkadelic members gyrating around on stage. Meanwhile, for those that fancy some eyes-closed, slo-mo disco/boogie sweetness, "I Love You More" is almost perfect.
Review: By his usual prolific standards, razor-wielding Grecian DJ Leonidas has been rather quiet of late. In fact, this is his first EP of tried-and-tested re-edits under the now familiar Alien Disco Sugar moniker for the best part of six months. Happily, the rest seems to have done him good, as Rainbow Drops is arguably his strongest collection for some time. It contains, amongst other delights, a killer chunk of high-speed, P-funk influenced hi-NRG disco ("Game"), a synth-laden slither of Spanish language Balearic disco ("Colegiala"), and some seriously boozy disco-rock ("The River"). Oh, and a brilliantly chopped and looped version of Greg Kihn Band's pop-rock-meets-Balearic-disco anthem "Jeopardy".
Review: Grecian scalpel specialist DJ Leonidas keeps busy, releasing a new EP of cheerful, floor-friendly reworks every month. This month's instalment, Pool Sonics, begins with "2 Be Dancin", a shirts-off disco onslaught full of overblown strings, slammin' beats and parping horns. There's a looser, groovier feel about the slick, trumpet solo-laden disco-soul-goes-house of "Can't Lose", before he delivers a dose of camp Broadway disco in the shape of "My Eyes Of You" (yep, a cover of "Can't Take My Eyes Off You"). Finally, "Funk In Your Mind" heads back towards the underground via rubbery disco-rap and some killer synths.
Review: Veteran Grecian disco peddler, DJ Leonidas (aka Alien Disco Sugar), is back with more reworks, this time with a tropical taste. The title track sees thumping four-to-the-floor disco combine melodramatic strings with island percussion and vibes galore. Elsewhere the accelerated rhythms of "Feelin' Good" is freeway cruisin' disco glamour, "Nice & Slow" is a raw slice of that kind of anthemic party dance that Legs and Co would shimmy down to on Top Of The Pops and "(Just Keep On) Dancing" is retro filtered funk fun of the highest order. Fun!
Review: Greek producer Leonidas DeeJay likes to keep himself busy; impressively, this is his sixth EP of tooled-up, floor-friendly re-edits this year alone. As usual, there's plenty for both disco enthusiasts and househeads to enjoy, from the filter-clad disco-house bump of "Really Sweet, Really Nice" (think compressed bottom end, looped electric bass and stuttering builds), to the whistling melodies, grandiose disco grooves and rubbery bass of the surprisingly jazzy "Atlantic Sunrise". Elsewhere, check the thrilling late '80s synth-pop meets-cheery house cheekiness of "Good Times" - a tongue-in-cheek delight - and the disco-house meets classic US house mash-up business of "Gypsy's Love" (yep, it features the vocal from "Gypsy Woman").
Review: Second comings are in the air these days what with the return of both Moroder and Chic. Well, veteran Greek DJ Leonidas was returning before they were(!) and he's been firing out killer re-edits for the last few years under the Alien Disco Sugar moniker. Here we get four new (old) cuts - "Get Over You" is housed up and filtered down electro-boogie, "Love Sign" is a subtle re-tweak of a '90s Prince/Nona Gaye jam, "Music Of Life" is hazy Balearic bliss, and "Keep It Up" wraps on a similar, but slower, and longer, note.
Review: Disco never dies, and as such it's a real pleasure to see veteran Greek DJ Leonidas (aka Alien Disco Sugar) enjoy a whole new lease of life in the re-edit age. His latest release, the Payback EP boasts four new jams - the bouncy mid-paced sizzler "Lets Get It On", the James-Brown-on-ludes slow-crunch of "JB Payback", the hyperactive hysteria of "Rok Da House" and the breezy, top down glide of "(Looking For) Somebody". Dancefloors everywhere, considered yourselves destroyed!
Review: Greek scalpel maestro Alien Disco Sugar doesn't mess around. Throughout 2014, he averaged a new EP of bumpin', dancefloor-friendly disco re-edits a month, and kicked off 2015 in January with another essential selection of contemporary re-cuts. Right On is typical of his no-frills, the floor-comes-first style, meaning there's plenty of playable material to choose from. The sweeping filters, righteous horns and bass-heavy bounce of the title track arguably hit home hardest, though P-Funk slammer "Get Your Body Up" and Salsoul rework "Love Thang" push it close. For those after something a little more sensual, "I Can Sho Give You Love" will get you in the mood via some sinewy, string-laden builds, filtered vocals and an undulating groove.
Review: Having fallen to earth some years ago, Alien Disco Sugar have now been well and truly assimilated into Earth's culture. Ok, at least Earth's disco culture (it's the moniker of veteran Greek DJ Leonidas), and here he presents us with four more of his world-renowned edits. "Don't Stop" is good wholesome pop-disco, "Love Connection" is an upbeat boogie-down and features a flute solo, "My Number & Dime" is killer '80s electro-funk and things wrap up nicely with the squelchy low-slung bass groove of "Nobody (You and I)".
Review: Despite residing in sunny Greece, veteran disco DJ Leonidas (aka Alien Disco Sugar) is fully embracing the whole, er cold thing - Christmas releases with wolves and snow and stuff. There are four winter warmers on here "Learn How To Dance" kicks things off with an infectious 70s guitar and clavinet groove that should make learning easy, "SuperFunKey" is like what the title suggests - a roaring retro funk stomper, "Master Of The Game" takes a very Chic sounding slice of slick old New York sizzle and beefs it up just ever so slightly. Finally the title track wraps things up nicely with an orchestrated slo-mo head nodder.
Review: Recently Alien Disco Sugar warned us that we were to 'book some sunshine...soon'. Well, here it is and it seems the sunshine has made him lose his grip on his mysterious persona - ADS is Leonidas DeeJay who has actually been spinning here on earth since 1983. This perfectly timed ray of musical light includes four vintage disco tracks, some he probably played out back in the day, now rejigged. Our faves include the accelerated early hang of the title track and the filtered punch funk love of "Full Tilt".
