Saturday, December 29, 2007

Komiko - Feel Alright  


Komiko's Feel Alright has become a minor bone of contention in the Beat Electric camp, of which much like any family we have many. It is another instance of one B.E. DJ lifting a long term favorite jam from another (namely myself) and then flagrently playing it out during one of our joint sets before I have even had the chance to open my bag and get a drink from the bar. Is it just me or isn't that considered bad DJ etiquette?

Well, its not as if the track is rare by any means, its almost a standard of the boogie cannon, but thats as it should be as it is in my opinion the SAM label's best release..and without further adeu..

Komiko - Feel Alright

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Thursday, December 27, 2007

Lazer Soul  

Lakeside originally hailed from Dayton, Ohio and were considered one of the best live disco/funk acts of the era. The 9 piece band formed as The Young Underground in 1969 and while living in Chicago were for a time signed to Curtom Records. The band changed their name to Lakeside, relocated to LA in the late 70's and signed to The Sound of Los Angeles Records. They scored their biggest hit in 1981 with the ubiquitous "Fantastic Voyage". Sometimes they even went to the trouble of playing their live shows in a pirate ship:



Enough about "Fantastic Voyage" My favorite Jam was "We Want You on The Floor". The track didn't go very far as a single, but was a wonderful addition to a sound our man LeBaron coined as "Lazer Soul" For another reference to this genre see the Beat Electric entry for BT Express "Taking Off". The land of funk:


mp3: Lakeside- "We Want You On The Floor"

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Thursday, December 20, 2007

Larry Levan  





The very recent passing of West End Records founder and Paradise Garage backer Mel Cheren causes me slightly less to reflect upon Mel's legacy and
more so upon genius DJ/Producer Larry Levan's. Larry was the resident DJ at Mel's infamous nightclub and handled a good amount of the 12" mixes for the West End label. In the 80's Larry went on to work the mixing boards for a plethora of artists on a wide range of Disco labels including Salsoul and his own Garage Records imprint. Larry had an incredible knack for making a good track brilliant or taking an already stellar track and sending it completely over the top. His sensibilities ran heavily on the more black end of the disco spectrum as he would always eliminate any cheesy elements in a given arrangement and make sure the track was a sure fire dance floor banger. Much has been documented about Larry Levan's life and legacy, so I will pretty much let the music speak for itself. Larry passed away in 1992, but undoubtedly his legacy and contribution to dance music will live on throughout the ages.


mp3: David Joseph- "You Can't Hide Your Love" (Larry L
evan Mix)

mp3: Tracy Weber- "Sure Shot" (Larry Levan Mix)

mp3: Plunky & Oneness of Juju- "Every Way But Loose" (Larry Levan Mix)

mp3: Syreeta - "Can't Shake Your Love" (Larry levan Mix)


mp3: Loose Joints- "Is It All Over My Face" (Larry Levan Mix)


mp3: Strikers- "Body Music" (Larry Levan Mix)

mp3: Grace Jones- "Pull Up To The Bumper" (Larry Levan Mix)


mp3: Gwen Guthrie: Ain't Nothin' Goin' On But The Rent (Larry Levan Club Mix)

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Sunday, December 16, 2007

Every Sunday  



This is a live mix that is packed with gold. I hope you enjoy it.

mp3: Every Sunday Mix


Track list:
1) Crazy Gang - Every Sunday (Extended Edit)
2) Scotch - Penguin's Invasion
3) Nancy Martin - Can't Believe
4) Sharon Redd - Beat The Street
5) Chromatics - Dark Day
6) Styloo - Pretty Face
7) Mr. Fagio - Take A Chance (Extended 12" Version)
8) Kano - Ikeya-Seki
9) Billy Ocean - Night (Feel Like Getting Down) Ayres Edit
10) Sex Band - What A Difference A Day Makes (Vocal)
11) BWH - Stop (Original Mix)
12) Magic Fire - Body Dancer
13) Rockets - Radio Station
14) My Mine - Hypnotic Tango (instrumental)

Posted by Joel Brüt | 5 comments

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Saturday, December 15, 2007

The Last Disco Record..  


..well Peek's Rhumba My Sensations probably isn't the last published recording from the first wave of 'disco' in the classical sense but none the less it is the youngest record I own that carries all the defining hallmarks of the disco genre as it is interpreted in the mainstream, as apposed to the rebranded spinoffs of italo, house etc.

In fact I would be interested if anyone could prove me wrong, show me a record produced and published later than 1984 that I can only define as 'disco' rather than italo, electro, boogie, house etc etc and I will be humbled and impressed.

Rhumba My Sensations definitely sounds more modern than a 1978 vocal disco cannon standard, but only in it's execution rather than content. Its all there, live latin percussion, a real drum kit playing a hard standard 4/4, soul tinged yet trippy vocal and some cosmic synth work. Its perhaps the synth that gives it away as being of a younger vintage, the production values on the synth lines are too good, beautifully subtle, its been 10 years and the producer has it dialed in now, with the low ascending square wave bass throb that accentuates the bass guitar line.

I have long waited for this track to end up on some famous selector's mix or a bootleg label and for it to suddenly be everywhere, but as yet no takers. It is achingly underground sounding, psyched out out whilst retaining its pop and dancefloor appeal. Maybe its my job to bring this one back or maybe its just that its more to my taste than anyone else's.

This is the disconet extended edit, with arrangement carried out by John Robey of Africa Bambaata fame and New Order fame, the funny thing is that this track is contemporary with the work he did with New Order and Cabaret Voltaire..

Peek - Rhumba My Sensation

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Thursday, December 13, 2007

Thrifty Thursday #1  



Today is a first in a series where we highlight some of the weird stuff we have some across for $1 or less. Today I will highlight the self titled LP by The Jimmy Castor Bunch. This is a record I grabbed recently from the local thrift store for $1. I actually had a lot of great finds that day, probably from the same person. This band has a really interesting sound. Jimmy Castor's vocal style is not too unlike that of William Shatner. But in all, these are some groovy tunes.

mp3: The Jimmy Castor Bunch - Don't Do That
mp3: The Jimmy Castor Bunch - Psyche Out

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Tuesday, December 11, 2007

Beat The Street  



Sharon Redd, a formal Shaffer Beer girl, was an amazing singer. Thanks to some incredible production work and a mixe by the seminal Francois Kevorkian, her tunes are still moving dance floors all over the world. Beat The Street has a perfect blend of percussive guitar with a simple, yet iconic synth line. The vocals are a preview of what would later become Hi NRG and vocal house music. This track was featured on fantastic mixed releases by Chicken Lips and Chromeo.

mp3: Sharon Redd - Beat The Street

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Wednesday, December 05, 2007

Sexy Dancer  



Voyage were a french disco band that formed circa 1976 and scored only one US hit single in 1979 with the track "Souvenirs". The band released its third LP in 1980 featuring the single "I Don't Want to Fall in Love Again". The B side?? was a little song entitled "I Love you Dancer". The track is a sexy fusion of disco and new wavey pop with jazzy guitar chords thrown in for good measure. There isn't really much more I can say about this one except that it is a serious heavy hitter. Let the pricey as hell ebay listings of the 12 inch speak for themselves.

mp3: Voyage "I Love you Dancer"

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Monday, December 03, 2007

Supernature  



Jean-Marc Cerrone is the true embodiment of disco. With his sleazy steaze he brought immense talent to the genre and sold millions of records. He is a French music producer that got his start playing drums in rock bands, and then as an orchestra leader for Club Med. He started putting out records under his own name in 1976 and hasn't stopped since. His first album, Love In C Minor helped craft the sound of disco. The title track at 14:57 long paints Cerrone as the French Barry White. Supernature is an amazing effort that features incredible production and the most solid drumming in disco. The first side of the album is three tracks mixed continuously that are based on a concept of genetic engineering creating monsters that take over the Earth. This concept was revisited recently by Goldfrap in an album of the the same name. Supernature is a Moroderish track with a dark and creepy vibe. It seems to have a happy ending after battles between the monsters and humans (Sweet Drums) and the world learns to get along in harmony (In The Smoke). After the smoke settles, the second side features the track Give Me Love which is a dance floor banger, and possibly his best upbeat track.

mp3: Cerrone - Supernature Side A
mp3: Cerrone - Give Me Love

Posted by Joel Brüt | 1 comments

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