Review: With Italy hit hardest by the Coronavirus and lockdown right now, Milan crew, collective and glitterazzi Rollover keeps hope alive! Normally a trusted party for Milano's Apollo club (that's brought the likes of Tiga, Maurice Fulton, Ame and Bambounou to town), Rollover is the place and project for DJ duo and label owners Rocco Fusco & Tiberio Carcano to work their magic. In times of crisis Rollover presents a special initiative via their "ANYTHING GOES" edit service, welcoming voluntary contributions that pay homage to the spirit of Balearic music and beyond! Expect tracks from 2manydjs, Adam Port, Soul Clap, Boombass, Moscoman and Bill Brewster, among many others, with proceeds going to the official emergency fund set up by the Italian Civil Protection Department destined for the COVID-19 crisis in Italy.
Review: Confusingly, this is actually the second full-length round up of exclusive tracks from the DJ Kicks mix series (the first, with the same title, was released in 2006). It gathers together notable exclusive tracks from some of the many DJs and producers who've contributed to the series in recent years. It makes for fascinating and enjoyable listening, flitting between sounds and styles at a breakneck pace. Highlights include jazz-flecked deep house from Motor City Drum Ensemble and Henrik Schwarz, dextrous dancefloor jazz from Four Tet, a Hall & Oates impersonation from Chromeo, booming bass music from Scuba and a dash of bleary-eyed New York disco from The Juan MacLean. Oh, and a decidedly bleep-heavy two-step rinse out from Photek & Kru. Check it.
Louie Vega starring Vikter Duplaix - "Gimme Some Love" (Sean McCabe remix with piano) - (8:00) 125 BPM
Review: After a successful run of vinyl editions, the Grammy award nominated XXVIII digital release series is taking it to another level with The Unreleased & Lost Mixes. One half of the legendary Masters At Work, Lil Louie Vega has stated that when making albums, there are more songs created than allocated for a project. In this case, there were said to be over 50 tracks created for this particular project. He selected 22 unreleased and lost tracks from the recordings and remixes, along with DJ friendly versions by close associates. The legendary and unmistakeable voice of Kenny Bobien is joined by the deep and soulful tones of Cindy Mizelle on "Together We Can" (Louie Vega dub), the lush and evocative Latin vibes that Vega is such as expert at are on display with Louie Vega starring Luis Salinas' "Es Vedra" (Louie Vega & Salinas Guitar dub) and for some simply straight up house magic by one of the dons of the scene: you really can't go wrong with "Gimme Some Love" (Sean Pad Main mix) featuring the wonderful Vikter Duplaix.
DJ T - "Burning" (feat Nick Maurer - Art Department remix) - (8:58) 118 BPM
Dakar - "I've Got That Feeling" - (6:59) 126 BPM
Lopazz - "Share My Rhythm" - (5:06) 125 BPM
DJ T - "Philly" - (8:15) 126 BPM
Fuckpony - "Cell Phone Hit" - (6:09) 120 BPM
SIOPIS - "I'm On Miami" - (5:55) 126 BPM
Snax & Ianeq - "Fill Me Up" - (7:11) 121 BPM
Tying Tiffany - "You Know Me" - (6:23) 126 BPM
Chelonis R Jones - "I Don' Know?" (Starsky & Hutch remix) - (5:55) 131 BPM
Audiofly vs Big Bully - "I'll Tell Ya" - (8:10) 118 BPM
Jona - "Smart Cats Vs Dumb Dogs" - (8:22) 124 BPM
MANDY - "Word Don't Come Easy" - (6:47) 122 BPM
Voltique - "Whoop" - (8:36) 120 BPM
Sid Le Rok - "Naked" (DJ Koze remix) - (6:08) 120 BPM
Chelonis R Jones - "Mythologies" - (10:16) 125 BPM
Raz Ohara & The Odd Orchestra - "Kisses" - (3:20) 121 BPM
Various - "M.A.N.D.Y. & DJ T Present 10 Years Get Physical: Mix 1" (continuous DJ mix by M.A.N.D.Y.) - (1:10:36) 123 BPM
Various - "M.A.N.D.Y. & DJ T Present 10 Years Get Physical: Mix 2" (continuous DJ mix by DJ T) - (1:08:36) 121 BPM
Review: This compilation celebrating ten years of the venerable German label shows that its modus operandi doesn't focus exclusively on trance melodies and low slung electro house. It's certainly true that Get Physical excels at these two variants as the eerie synths and rumbling bass of MANDY's "Word Don't Come Easy" demonstrate, but this only tells part of the story. Soul Clap's "Incoming Bitch (Get Low!)" sees tripped out acid added to the low-slung grooves, while Fuckpony's "Cell Phone Hit" is all jazzed out minimal weirdness. DJ T surprises with the string-soaked "Philly", but he can't compete for sheer out there-ness with Raz Ohara's "El Zahir", a mad mixture of warbling ethnic vocals and dense, organic drums.
Review: Soul Clap seems to have developed a strong working relationship with soul chanteuse turned original disco diva Nona Hendryx. They first joined forces on single "Shine" back in 2016 and here deliver something far more ambitious: a five-track EP of Hendryx songs produced and mixed by the Botson-based twosome. Naturally, there?s plenty to admire throughout, from the slap bass-propelled, disco-not-disco bounce of "Scream" (very reminiscent of Hendryx's early '80s work with Bill Laswell), to the slick electrofunk-pop of "Ooo, Ooo, Ooo" and low-slung P-funk heaviness of "Peel Back". Best of all, though, is the gospel-powered deep house/nu-disco stomp of opener "I Feel Joy", which achieves just the right balance between thrusting righteousness and dreamy deepness.
Review: As the rather functional title suggests, this EP gathers together some fresh remixes of tracks from Soul Clap's superb 2016 full-length, the similarly imaginatively titled Soul Clap. Deep house veterans Doc Martin and Blakkat step up first, laying down a chunky but trippy re-make of "Funk Bomb" that sounds a little like a classic track by The Beloved. The Jolly Mare version of "Future 4 Love" is an attractive fusion of rubbery dub disco grooves and thrusting Italo-disco influences, while Obas Nenor does a terrific job in re-casting Wolf+Lamb collaboration "Dirty Leslie" as a quirky chunk of Mungolian Jet Set style nu-disco eccentricity. If you're after something a little more slick and soulful, David Marston and Myles Karp's gentle, trumpet-laden version of "Numb" more than fits the bill.
Review: With veteran vocalist Kathy Brown in tow, Soul Clap is primed and ready to make us freak. In its EP opening "Disco Mix" form, "Ready To Freak" is a near perfect fusion of disco style percussion, proto-house style bold synth bass, jaunty house pianos and a party-starting vocal from the effervescent Brown. For those that want vocal-free thrills, the duo's "Disco Instrumental" should hit the spot, while the alternative "Disco Dub" is a sparse, delay-laden affair that brilliantly doffs a cap to the work of NYC proto-house pioneers such as Paul Simpson, Winston Jones and Boyd Jarvis. Lonely C drags the track into the 21st century on his superb "Club Electronique" and "Dub Electronique" versions. Both boast skipping, garage-influenced drums and a bassline so bold and bass-heavy that it will rattle your rib cage.
Review: Starting out in the early rave scene in Boston, Soul Clap made their name through a series of house edits and became big names through notable releases such as a DJ Kicks mix alongside close NYC allies Wolf + Lamb. "Shine (This Is It)" is the first single from their self-titled second album. It features legendary vocalist Nona Hendryx, an original member of the trio Labelle who's smash single "Lady Marmalade" is a timeless classic. "Shine (This Is It)" features the strength in Hendryx's vocal, which empowers spirits, moving you on the dancefloor. Midnight Magic's Morgan Wiley delivers an outstanding keyboard solo and fellow bandmate Jason Disu teams up with Kali Rodriguez and No Regular Play's Greg Paulus to form the Soul Clap horn section.
Review: More than a few eyebrows were raised - and dancefloors slain, more importantly - when Soul Clap's collaboration with legendary house vocalist Robert Owens first appeared in stores back in 2015. This expansive new reissue gathers together the pick of first wave reworks (most notably the fuzzy, sub-heavy, analogue-rich stomp of Louie Vega's "Swirl Bass" version and chugging, punk-funk-meets-dub house inspired "Roots NYC Mix"), adding a string of tasty new reworks. Of these, we're particularly enjoying the subtly dreamy bliss of Rogue D's remix and the more organic feel of the standout "Hammer & Tongs Mix", though Rocco Rodamaal's "Deep Remix", which wraps delay-laden electric piano flourishes around a rubbery Afro-house rhythm, is also superb.
Review: Radio 1 DJ Heidi provides a taster for her latest compilation on the German label. Lauhaus & Kabale und Liebe and Mathias Kaden cover the stripped back sound, with the former's "Who Called Kenny?" revolving around a subtle disco filter and a breathy vocal and Kaden's "Jackathon" offering for a blacker timbre and fuller beats. Soul Clap meanwhile, represent the more tripped out side to Heidi's DJing: "Incoming Bitch (Get Low!)" features spacey synths and a warm, nagging bleepy riff. Best of all though is Swiss veteran Deetron's "The Juggler". Based on a jacking rhythm and littered with stuttering vocal snippets, its acid line purrs like a BMW cruising through an Alpine pass.
Review: Reptile Dysfunction's latest EP is packed to the rafters with peak-time fare. It's the first volume in what the label promises will be a continuing series and offers up a quartet of slamming, disco-fired "Club Edits". Predictably, Soul Clap steals the show with "Moov to Tha Beat", a swirling, string-laden workout laden with dreamy pads, well-placed delay effects and bubbly analogue drums. Doorly does a brilliant job combining aquatic P-funk bass and thrill-seeking disco samples on the superb "Lads Lads Lads", while Rick Trainor and Noah Schy's "Take It Down" is an impressively sweaty sample-house workout built around the principle of teasing out the action for maximum impact. As for Charlie Rope's "All For You", it's a shirts-off disco-house stomper that just gets bigger and bigger throughout.
Watergate 19 (continous DJ mix) - (1:14:32) 122 BPM
Review: Recorded live in Berlin last July, Soul Clap's contribution to the Watergate series is the soundtrack to what sounds like one the summer's best parties. Focusing predominantly on US house, the transitions are seamless but unfussy, and the mood throughout celebratory. From the deranged sax squall of Chocolate City's "Taxi Luv" to the sun-kissed jazzy keys and disco groove of Roy Davis Jnr's "The Beautiful One" to seductive soulful tones of Ron Trent's "Deep Art Sounds", this is a near flawless collection. It never veers into self-indulgence and features percussive, acid-led remixes from Francois K and Jori Hulkkonen as well as Mike Dunn's classic Chicago track, "Dance U Mutha". When Soul Clap get on the mic near the end to invite the crowd to an after party, this reviewer was half-hoping that it would be extended to anyone who heard this mix.
Review: A new mix from perennial party faves Soul Clap is always a cause for celebration, but there's something extra-special about this particular exercise in dancefloor nostalgia. Nice 'N' Ripe Allstars sees them revisit the bulging back catalogue of Grant Nelson's Nice 'N' Ripe label, an imprint that has tracked the rise, fall and subsequent rebirth of UK garage since its' birth in 1993. Soul Clap's mix - an action-packed 30-track affair featuring some of their own edits and remixes of classic cuts - does a great job in showcasing the best the label has to offer, flitting between early US garage style jams, loose soulful house, sturdy two-step, bass-heavy speed garage and the kind of long-lost jams which should be bitten by today's retro-minded house producers. In doing so, it offers an impeccable history lesson.
Jimmy Edgar - "Hush" (Kyle's Detroit Retro Metro remix) - (6:30) 124 BPM
Tom Demac - "Obstructing The Light" (feat Duncan Edward Jones - original mix) - (6:51) 110 BPM
Review: There's something quite insurmountable about the Hypercolour back catalogue, stretching as it does through vast swathes of quality house and techno material back to 2006. Thankfully the good folk at the label have consolidated some more of the finest gems off those releases and bundled them together for a one-hit fix of high quality gear that sits left of centre. Whether it's Space Dimension Controller remixing Luke Vibert or Rolando tackling A Sagittariun, the tones are rich and diverse on all fifteen tunes, without a single dip in the quality. Our pick would be the angular delights of JoeFarr's "Trapington" with its squashed soul in amongst rough and tumble drum science.
