Skatman's latest release titled "Rewarped" showcases his exceptional talent for reviving and revitalising past sounds. The Tunisian-born producer, DJ, and label owner skillfully blends old-school hip-hop samples with energetic house tracks, seamlessly bridging the gap between different musical epochs. With six new tracks of hedonistic club music, Skatman, also known as Aziz Haddad, takes familiar elements and infuses them with a fresh twist. The result is a masterclass in creating an exhilarating musical experience that resonates with both nostalgia and contemporary dance floor desires.
Berlin's Superlover's hit track 'Piano Pump, blending house and Italo disco, was originally released in 2019. This time, the esteemed Italian duo NiCe7 takes the helm. Renowned for their releases on respected labels like Crosstown Rebels, Snatch!, and DFTD, as well as their remarkable remixes for artists such as Claptone and Jon Cutler, NiCe7 brings their signature touch to 'Piano Pump.' The remix retains the original's irresistible charm while breathing new life into the composition for modern-day soul-seekers yearning for the dancefloor.
Earlier in the year, Good Vibrations music founder Sean McCabe offered up his interpretations of tracks from Blak Beatniks main man Harold Matthews Jr's excellent debut album, 'Peripheral Visions'. For this second selection of 'Re-visions', McCabe has assembled a crack team of remixers. Rising star Piers Kirwan steps up first to rework 'Into You', placing the spoken and sung vocals above a dreamy and sun-soaked fusion of deep house and broken beat. Wipe The Needle fuse bruk and jazz-funk sounds on their excitable take on 'Love And Hate', before Haze City delivers a genuinely atmospheric and ultra-deep interpretation of 'Deep Into My Sleep'. To round things off, we're treated to an instrumental version of Kirwan's superb, EP-opening 'Into You' remix.
Taking their name from a 1961 album by jazz trombonist Slide Hampton, Somethin' Sanctified are the duo of Bent's Simon Mills and International Feel's Joel Hood. Here, they return to Citizens Of Vice with a cut that lifts the vocal from Geraldine Hunt's 'It Doesn't Only Happen At Night', from way back in 1981. The original's a pleasant enough, Balearic-ish soul jam but it's the remixes from Ron Basejam and Bruise (AKA Christian Campbell) that the deep and soulful house floors will lap up, with the latter leading the charge for yours truly thanks to the truly sublime treatment he's given the vox.
Don't be misled by the title here... this EP from Curitiba-based Barbara Boeing proudly displays her Brazilian musical heritage for sure, but wishy-washy sambas and lounge-y bossa novas are conspicuous by their absence, with all of the EP's three tracks and five mixes rooted firmly in house music. Opener 'Brigada', for instance, pairs shakers and maracas to a hefty dark garage organ line, then gets sprinkled liberally with piano. 'Brasiliana' itself is a dreamier affair with something of an 'E2-E4'/'Sueno Latino' kinda feel, before 'Bailo De Silencio' marries exuberant sax to pounding drum machine beats that nod to favela funk.
Italy's Sound Exhibitions bring us an EP that finds DJ Moy joining forces once more with on-off collaborator and fellow label regular Funk Reverse. Openers 'Home Jazz' and 'Living In The Jungle' have a sparse, sketch-like feel reminiscent of library music, before 'Relax 4 You' turns both the tempo and the funk up several notches. Next comes 'Just This Funk', a lively little hip-shaker with chicken scratch geetars and energising horn blasts, before the EP closes back on a slightly mellower note with the sultry, sax-laden jazz-funker 'Get Your Funk' with its female oohs and aahs. Baby-makin' music for sure!