Archive for the ‘Funky House’ Category

Doug’s Disco Brain

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One of my all time favourite house producers from the last twenty years is Dave Lee.

You may not know him by that name but I wouldn’t be surprised if you’ve heard one or more of his tunes. He’s been known to saunter around the dance charts in many different guises such as Joey Negro, Sessomatto, Z Factor, Jakatta, Raven Maize, Akabu - the list goes on!

Last month, he released a compilation of material he’s created under one of his cheekier pseudonyms, Doug Willis. (Don’t get him mixed up with that Ozzy soap character who fathered another wannabe popstar.)

Joey Negro presents Doug Willis - Doug's Disco Brain

Throughout the previous twenty years, Dave has been releasing some outstanding productions as Doug Willis. The sound is a lot more disco heavy compared to his other material but don’t let that put you off - in my opinion, Dave is one of the finest disco house producers on the circuit and this eclectic collection confirms just that.

It still holds some of his trademark samples that you tend to notice now and then and with backing from some stunning vocalists, you’re sure to find a few firm favourites among the 2 disc set.

My personal favourites include “Shake“, “Gotta Thing“, “Get Down Tonight” and “Doug’s Place” but that’s being picky. All 21 tracks on the album are worthy in their own right.

Disc 1

  1. Intro
  2. Power To The People
  3. Get Your Own
  4. Dougdastardly
  5. Begun 2 Luv U
  6. Dougswana
  7. Spread Love
  8. You & I (Timmy Vegas Remix)
  9. Two Tons Of Doug
  10. Shake
  11. Disco Owl

Disc 2

  1. Skate Dancer
  2. Discotizer
  3. Gotta Thing
  4. Think
  5. Get Down Tonight
  6. The Lovin’ Game
  7. Doug’s Place
  8. Dancin To The Beat
  9. Tonight’s The Night (Sensory Elements Remix)
  10. Dancin’

The EP is actually available from most big name online stores - iTunes are selling it for £9.48, grab it on CD from Amazon for £10.99, Play have got it for £10.99, Juno have it on download from £8.99 and CD for £9.99 and Traxsource have a high quality download for $17.99 (about £12.23 on today’s exchange rate).

Any house music fan should grab a copy right now. For about a tenner, it’s an absolute bargain and sure to get regular plays both out in the clubs and on your own.

Written by Si

November 17th, 2008 at 12:10 pm

Posted in DJ Talk, Funky House, Music, Releases

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The Origins of The Shapeshifters’ Lola’s Theme

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Back in 2003, one of my all time favourite tracks was released - The Shapeshifters‘ “Lola’s Theme“. The catchy vocals, the uplifting instrumentals - every aspect of the tune was what made a perfect house record for me. It quickly became a firm favourite in my record box and iPod, as well as among the crowds I went clubbing with.

So imagine my surprise this morning when I was informed by DJ Cruze that not only was the instrumental a sample but so were the vocals.

That trademark string sample is from What About My Love by Johnny Taylor - a disco track from 1984 - and the chorus is from Love Me Tonight by Anthony White - an acid house track from 1994.

For anyone who is a fan of Lola’s Theme, don’t forget the 2008 Re-Edit has just been released on Defected. It’s a little more of a twisted electro affair this time round but still got that original charm in my opinion.

The Shapeshifters - Lola's Theme (2008 Re-Edit)

Check it out on YouTube or grab a copy from iTunes.

Written by Si

November 6th, 2008 at 9:54 am

Posted in Funky House

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Artwork for The Finalé

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Last week, I announced the end of the One Phat DJ Podcast with the final mix “The Finalé” due for release next Friday 12th September 2008.

Since then, I’ve been overwhelmed with the sheer volume of thank you and good luck messages from regular listeners to the podcast, in the blog comments, on the Facebook group and event page, on email, Twitter and last.fm (to name but a few). It has touched me that so many people have not only listened to the podcast religiously but it has such emotional ties to the individuals. Some of the stories I’ve received in the last week have even put a tear in my eye.

Anyway, enough blubbing - I’ll save that for next week!

To celebrate the last ever One Phat DJ podcast mix, I’m putting out a request…

I want all budding artists and designers to send me your artwork so I can collate a huge series of submissions into a Finalé catalogue.

In fact, it doesn’t matter if you don’t see yourself as an artists or designer - send me your ideas anyway!

As an added incentive, I shall personally send my three favourite submissions a small gift as way of a thank you.

To aid your creativeness, have a look through the archive of podcast artwork on Flickr. Here are a select few…

You can also download high-res, 32-bit transparent PNG versions of the One Phat DJ logo and The Finalé text to include in your piece.

So what are you waiting for? Get listening to some of your favourite mixes from the last three years for inspiration, delve into your paintbox (be it digital or physical) and send your submissions by any of the following methods:

I can’t wait to see what you all come up with!

Written by Si

September 2nd, 2008 at 10:30 pm

Posted in DJ Talk, Funky House, One Phat DJ, Podcast

Colourful Crescendo

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You might not think it, at least in the UK, but Summer is officially here and we’re well in to it now.

If the credit crunch hasn’t nailed you, you’ll be flying off to some far away country for your holiday, finding a beach or pool with the water lapping at your feet and the sun bearing down turning you into a golden God(dess). Alternatively, you’re stuck in the office, working away like a little beaver in an attempt to find a few pennies to hit the town for a few beverages and a good ol’ boogie.

Either way, One Phat DJ is here to supply you with the freshest and finest in funky house, mixed up for your delight and all for the one off cost of absolutely nothing (don’t forget - donations via PayPal are obviously well received).

Here is episode 51 of the One Phat DJ Podcast - Colourful Crescendo.

Colourful Crescendo artwork by James John Malcolm

Description

The mix starts off with a few mellow tunes from Koyla and the awesome Richard Earnshaw with diva Angie Brown but we quickly get up to speed with plenty commercial remixes from the likes of Estelle, Chaka Kahn, Mary J Blige, Ne-Yo and Jennifer Hudson.

We then revisit Hed Kandi’s The Mix Summer 2008 with some massive funky numbers from Steve Haines, ATFC and Housejack, the kind of tunes that should get rumps shifting and tonsils warbling.

If that wasn’t enough to get you going, we then feature one of the finest remixes I’ve heard in a long time - the Soulshakers reworking of the classic nineties track “Show Me Love” from Robin S. I think you’ll agree - our boys from Norwich have excelled in this production.

While we’re reminiscing on older tracks, London’s talented duo Moto Blanco have revisited X-Press 2’s 2001 hit “Lazy, adding in their trademark uplifting synths and beats to create a real uplifting remix.

The last hour introduces then turns a little twisted. We start off with the likes of the Studiopunks, Made In London and Tognarelli & Botani who all turn the heat up a little with some deeper grooves.

We’re also treated to more vocal blessings from the ever-lovely Amanda Wilson from her collaboration with Soulcatcher before going into another dance cover of a Beverley Knight track, this time Wawa and The Outsiders putting their touch on “Keep This Fire Burning“.

The last 45 minutes then go deep and dark with some awesome tunes from the likes of Captcha, Denis The Menace, Eric Prydz, Yoav and Laurent Wolf before we wrap everything up with a fantastic bootleg of Spit’s “Falling” and Kings Of Tomorrow’s “Finally” discovered by fellow podcaster DJ Cruze - I defy anyone to not love this tune!

Downloads

Track Listing

  1. Koyla ft Jrod Indigo - Promised Land (Original Mix)

  2. Richard Earnshaw & Angie Brown - Unbelievable (Original Mix)

  3. Estelle - Wait A Minute (Just A Touch) (Aaron Ross Classic Mix)

  4. Ne-Yo - Closer (Cotto’s Can’t Stop Remix)

    • Label: The Island Def Jam Music Group
    • Released: April 22nd 2008
    • Buy from iTunes
    • Time: 00:17:56

  5. Chaka Khan ft Mary J Blige - Disrespectful (Soulshaker Remix)

    • Label: Megafan Records
    • Released: July 21st 2008
    • Time: 00:23:11

  6. Jennifer Hudson - Spotlight (Moto Blanco Club Mix)

  7. Steve Haines ft Carmen Anderson - Be With You (Original)

  8. ATFC & Ghostcopy - Don’t Look Back (Original)

  9. Housejack ft Ann Marie Smith - Free Love (Gamma Meets Karis Vocal Dub)

  10. Robin S - Show Me Love (Soulshaker Remix)

  11. X-Press 2 ft David Byrne - Lazy (Moto Blanco Club Mix)

  12. Studiopunks ft Nicole Tyler - Free Your Love (Soul Power Mix)

  13. Made In London ft Abigail Bailey - Read My Lips (Original Mix)

  14. Tognarelli & Bertani - I Get Power (T&B Club Mix)

  15. Soulcatcher ft Amanda Wilson - Falling For You (Extended Mix)

  16. The Outsiders - Keep This Fire Burning (Wawa Club Mix)

  17. Captcha - Close 2 Me (Extended Mix)

  18. Denis The Menace & Big World - Fired Up 2008 (Princess Ann vs AC Horn-y Recontruction Mix)

  19. Eric Prydz - Pjanoo (Original Mix)

  20. Yoav - Club Thing (Funkerman Remix)

    • Label: Yoav
    • Released: February 4th 2008
    • Exclusive!
    • Time: 01:43:46

  21. Laurent Wolf - No Stress (Extended Mix)

    • Label: Sony BMG
    • Released: March 23rd 2008
    • Time: 01:47:33

  22. Kings Of Spit - Finally Falling (Utopia) (Jay Funk Bootie)

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Written by Si

August 15th, 2008 at 11:05 am

Posted in Funky House, One Phat DJ, Podcast

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