Review: Just weeks after he marked ten years of Quantize Recordings via a tight compilation of label classics, DJ Spen has followed it up with an even more expansive collection of his own collaborations, remixed by some stellar names from the world of house and US garage. Typically soulful and piled high with both organic instrumentation and scene-stealing lead vocals, it's a fine compilation of club-ready, ear-pleasing reworks. Our picks of a very strong bunch include Kerri Chandler's fine, harmonica-sporting rework of 'Goin'Home', Terry Hunter's suitably spiritual, Osunlade-esque re-wire of 'Perfect Timing', Spen and Reelsoul's fantastic late-night dub of 'The End of It All' and John Morales' epic disco mix of 'Wish I Didn't Miss You'.
Review: Over the last decade, DJ Spen's Quantize Recordings imprint has been one of the most reliable sources of soulful house, US garage and vocal deep house around. Here the man behind the label celebrates its' 10th birthday via a compilation that boasts some of his favourite catalogue cuts to date. His continuous mix is hugel;y enjoyable, but it's the selection of unmixed, full-length tracks that will delight DJs. The plentiful highlights include Danny Krivit's fine, extended re-edit of Marco Valery's house style cover of Jean Carne's Philly Soul classic 'Free Love', Spen's jazz piano-sporting 'Decadence' re-edit ofMichele Chiavarini's luscious 'Let Me See You', the soaring soulful house/disco fusion of Kenny Carpenter's remix of Tracy Hamlin's 'Home' and the bumpin' dancefloor chunkiness of Todd Terry, Spen and Thommy's rework of Spen's 'Stranger'.
Review: Here's something to raise a smile or two on cold January mornings: an all-star hook-up between DJ Spen, John Khan and Gary Hudgins, featuring fine lead vocals from Leighton Jones. In its original form (track one), 'Yah Mo B There' is a gorgeously and summery house roller rich in squelchy synth bass, sparkling pads, jazzy chords and twinkling electronic melodies, all topped off with a strong, gospel-influenced lead vocal. Spen and Hudgins join forces to provide two fine reworks: a 'remix' that's lighter, sunnier and boasts a shuffling, Latin-tinged groove, and the simply gorgeous, carnival-ready 'Atmospheric Mix'.
Review: Here's something to cheer you up on miserable winter lockdown nights: a fresh suite of remixes of DJ Spen's lusciously luxurious soulful house collaboration with Cornell CC Carter, 'Keep Your Head to the Sky', courtesy of Emmanuel Kossi AKA Manoo. The long-serving French producer returns to the 'Old Skool' for three of his rubs, offering up a mixture of warm, jazzy bass guitar, snappy machine drums, sustained synth-strings, and some seriously summery piano stabs. We'd recommend checking both the stripped-back, synth solo-laden 'Old Skool Dub' and the killer 'Extended Old Skool Remix'. Elsewhere, his 'Afro Remix' is a deliciously positive blend of Afro-house grooves and soulful house flavours, while Spen and Carter's original extended mix is as musically rich and life-affirming as ever.
Review: Hallelujah it's DJ Spen with a new testament of vocal heavy, diva-praising gospel house. Justify yourself with tracks by The BlackKnight and soulful piano numbers by Assurance. With the compilation pumping in around the 130bpm mark there's "Heaven" to be found in the sweet high notes of a Stacy Kidd, Tasha LaRae & DJ Spen' collaboration, and according to Byron Stingily "It's all Jesus". In remix form Spen's best work here is best found in DJ Booman's "God's Got It" and a whole host of others For those introduced to gospel house by Robert Hood's Floorplan project, this is your next stop to righteousness.
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