Will you?

I love the piano, I adore the female vocals, I worship Salsoul Records and I kneel before Logg. As a result, I' m with the 911 on speed dial when I turn on the volume to this.

In the same way, I have a thing for the John Morales version as well - actually, I think that this version came first to my ears and the original one was an inevitable tracing journey.

Having put this track in my all-time-favorites list, I search from time to time for an edit, another point of view on this beloved melody. And look -rather listen- what I found.



The piano, the vocals, the feeling, the atmosphere... it's all right there from the joining of powers of Fingerman and Funkyjaws - and it comes with a free download too.



More filters, more banging beat, more of a "get your ass up and start dancing" feeling from the Greek producer Christos "Da Afro".

Check them out. You 'll love them both.
I know you will.

tracks' info:
-Logg - I know you will
Logg
Salsoul Records 1981

-Logg - I know you will  (JM After-Session M&M Mix)
 The M&M Mixes: NYC Underground Disco Anthems + Previously Un-Released Exclusive Salsoul Mixes  
BBE 2009

-Logg i Know you will (Fingerman & Funkyjaws edit)
2012

-Logg - I know you will (The C.A. Tone edit)
2013

Nothing wrong with groovin'

Don’t you just love it when you have a favorite song and you feel like it’s only yours and the world doesn’t know and doesn’t care about it, because they ‘d rather listen to Lady Gaga or that other chick, Lana Del Ray or whatever? Yeah, you love it. But the greatest part is when you listen to that favorite song of yours, outside in public, out of the blue, in a bar or a club or a place where someone else selected and pressed play to it and not you. Something that doesn't happen often for me and when it does, I find myself thinking that this world as we know it, may be coming to an end.

A couple of months ago I attended a street culture bazaar with handmade creations, helping a friend (Rthens) set up his stand and showcase his inspired jewelry -actually I attended this Street Culture Bazaar, which I hope I ‘ll get a chance to attend again in the future, cause I really enjoyed it. Sunday night and as the bazaar was coming to an end, people were packing up their stuff, maybe having one last beer and trying to get a ride home, this song filled the whole place.

                                           
 
Absolutely nothing changed when that happened, people continued to pack their stuff, have one last sip and search for a ride mate, except for one person (guess who) who almost had a heart attack with the first notes. I adored that song from the very first time it caught my attention from the Gilles Peterson & Norman Jay - Desert Island Mix and I believe I’ve never had the pleasure to catch this tune out in a public place from the selections of a dj. Till that minute.

The world is still there, but I must admit I had a moment. My moment.

Thank you espeekay for that moment.

(Don't forget to push the play -or the free download- button to this, from espeekay's soundcloud page, to enjoy his... mating rhythms)



tracks' info:
-Letta Mbulu - What is wrong with groovin' 
Jazzman Records

also found in Gilles Peterson & Norman Jay - Desert Island Mix
Journeys by Dj 1997

Thrillin' memories

Maybe it's not considered cool to be in your thirties and still attempt to moonwalk with the first notes of "Billie Jean" or have a few Michael Jackson cds lying around your car's back seat, but I don't give a shit. Leavin' all the "You are not alone" crap aside (sorry, I could yawn forever with this one and some others I must admit), Michael Jackson was one of the artists that have kept me company with their music from the age of 3 until today and is also one of the few artists that can time travel me - I can honestly feel, smell and see the world through my 10-year-old self when I chill with the songs I used to love back then - and I loved them.

I ain't gonna talk about his achievements, cause I don't really care that "Thriller", for example, is the best-selling album of all time - I would have loved it anyway. What I want to say is that I carry a pretty heavy music luggage my whole life, which is getting bigger and bigger as I grow and still consider music as the greatest part of my essence. And this luggage has one hell of a lot of Michael Jackson in it.

                                             

Such music and feeling couldn't of course leave today's producers untouched.

So here's to Michael Jackson who's done his part on the world's music history, who has spent almost 45 of his 50 years of life singing or putting notes together, who's managed to get us off the chairs and start dancing like we never did before secretly in our rooms and who sadly left us 4 years ago, while we were still trying to capture the perfect moonwalk to his sounds.

tracks' info:
-Beat it
Thriller 
Epic 1982

-Baby be mine
Thriller
Epic 1982

-Ain't no sunshine
Got to be there
Motown 1972

-Pretty young thing
Thriller 
Epic 1982

-Rock with you
Off the wall
Epic 1979

-Off the wall
Off the wall 
Epic 1979

-Take me back (Regrooved)
Michael Jackson Regrooved
Goodgroove Records 2009

-Off the wall (house remix 2012)
2012

-Baby be mine (Boxed riot edit)
2012

Length matters

No way. No fucking way this is one minute long. That's what I thought the first time I heard the Easy Fraction track from Breakbot's "By your side", while I was about to wear off the repeat button. To be honest, I still think so. It ends before you even end the phrase "Wow this track is so awesome that I could just run naked in the town's center wrapped in Breakbot's album cover just to prove how awesome this track is". It's so short that it ends as you run towards the volume button to raise it. It's fucking short. Period.

And it's such an amazing track, sampling "Friendly persuasion" by Gladys Knight and the Pips, that I just can't quite get how this couldn't be at least five minutes long. The good thing is that apparently two other people (Yaaman and Diyqee)  thought so too and decided to give us their version. Their longer version. And the best part? They both offer a free download - check out their soundclouds, they both have sets and tracks that might get you off. 





Well, now we can run naked in the town's center after all.

tracks' info:
-Breakbot - Easy fraction
By your side
Ed Banger Records 2012

-Breakbot - Easy fraction (Diyqee extended edit)
2012 

-Breakbot - Easy fraction (Yaaman remix)
2013

-Gladys Knight and the Pips - Friendly Persuasion
About love
Columbia 1980

Son of a beach

I haven't seen or felt her in almost a year. I missed her feeling, her smell, her coolness and freshness, but most of all I missed her sense of freedom. She may have her ups and downs, but if you know how to handle her, there's no way you won't enjoy the experience she has to offer. Talking about the sea. Wicked-minded.

So, before I take off to meet her, I 'll leave you with two tracks that I 've always related to summer.


This one feels more like summer morning and I utterly love what's going on at about 3.30 onwards.
 


This one is more of an old-skooler (ok, serious goose bumps) and I believe it has more of a sunset feeling.

Thought of the day: Is the sea feminine or masculine? In greek it's a feminine (well she almost has a son, doesn't she?), but I'd say masculine since it can be both tender and brutal. Well, who cares? It's fun. I'm off to the beach people.

tracks' info:
-Evil Stereo - Sarva

-Last Rhythm - Last rhythm 
American Records 1990

Cheers!

I don't really like beer. But I hear belgian beer can give you pure delight. So I tried it. And it did.



Feel free to download for free the DjamSinclar remix and give it a try with the original Belgian Beer right here. Enjoy.

tracks' info: 
-Belgian Beer - Delight (DjamSinclar remix)
2012 

-Belgian Beer - Delight
I believe in me compilation II
Club-A-Club Recordings 2009

It's all Greek to me

In a time and a country where people are having great issues of getting through with decency and fight with the loss of democracy and dignity every fucking day, it's kind of a ray of light to see that some people can still be inspired and produce things that can make you proud that you live in this shitty era/country/world.

I've spent a great deal of time listening to the tracks below the past few days. For some reason, they really fill me up with hope. Maybe they 'll have some magic effect on you too.

Cayetano - Easy

                                            

You can't but just expect something like that from someone who released his first album when he was 19 years old. Lionel Richie would definitely shake his hand, while the rest of us are waiting patiently for his new stuff. Listen to his music here or find out more about him here. 

Larry Gus - Jaw Throb



He plays with words in his blog and he plays with music in his soundcloud page and all around the world, managing to put smiles on people's faces. This track is from the "Silent Congas" (2009) which you can download for free here. His new album is going to be released June 25th on DFA.

Dj Butcher - Turn it up



Although my heart belongs to "You 're so good to me" which I adored from the very first minute, I find "Turn it up" so refreshing that I actually feel like I'm cheating on my favorite one. One day that you 'll have plenty of free time, take a look at Dj Butcher's work here. Trust me.

Poka - '99 style



Poka speaks the best french I've ever heard from a greek person. He just does that with music, not words. And he does it well. You can download this track for free from the link above and you can search through his whole soundcloud page here.

Soul Seduction - Slip and do it (edit on Betty Wright's original track)



His sets are guaranteed to keep me good company, while this edit is always somewhere on my playlist, ready to set the speakers on fire the past few months. Check out his sounds here and download for free the "Slip and do it" edit in the cloud above.

High Heels - She didn't like disco



I don't know how the hell she didn't like disco, but this track may have convinced her. High Heels has given me many favorite tracks as Dizkoloco, since I accidentally discovered him on youtube. You can download the track for free from his soundcloud page, which you can scan right here.

tracks' info:
-Cayetano - Easy
 out soon

-Larry Gus - Jaw Throb
Silent Congas
DFA Records 2012

-Dj Butcher - Turn it up
Turn it up EP
out soon on Midnight Riot Records

-Poka - '99 style
French Express Vol. 2
French Express 2011

-Betty Wright - Slip and do it (Soul Seduction edit) 
2011

-High Heels - She didn't like disco
2013

Meet Moplen

Surfing through the sounds of soundcloud I tripped into an Italian guy with a black cat hitched on his shoulder and several music heroes like Larry Levan, Joe Claussell, Chaka Khan, Dan Hartman, Frankie Knuckles on his list. When a person states that he considers Randy Muller and Nile Rodgers as his heroes (instead of Jean-Claude Van Damme or something), you ought to give him a chance -he deserves it. It seems I was right in this case and I also proved myself right when I was writing about how Italians do it well. This dude, who believes in music superheroes, just gave me some new favorite edits in the name of rhythm, funk and the holy disco.

I absolutely love what he did with the classic First Choice - Let no man put asunder (I can't even begin to think how many people this track has inspired)



and I believe it's been about half an hour with the Chaka Khan - Clouds edit on the repeat



Ok, one last time. I promise.

tracks' info:
-First Choice - Let no man put asunder
Delusions
Salsoul Records 1977

-Moplen - Let no man put us under 
Let no man clash
Lumberjacks 10'' 2013

-Chaka Khan - Clouds
Naughty
Warner Bros. Records 1980

-Chaka Khan - Clouds (Moplen classic mix)
2013

What love sounds like

The "I forget to eat, I look like stupid and all my friends are this close to denouncing me" love.

The "I've seen you picking your nose, eating like a pig, getting fat and smelling like a wet cow, but I still love you" love.



The "what the fuck have you done to me and I can't get enough of you" love.

 The "I want to funk you right now" love.

The plain and simple "Coz I love you, you piece of shit" love.

All of the above



tracks' info:
-Nelue - All my love (Nelue rework)
Nelue Reworks Vol.3
Groove Democracy 2013

-Kon & the Gang - Strong love (everlasting)
Basic Fingers 2012

-George Butts - I love you so much
I love you so much
K-Star Productions 1986

-J.P. Rodgers Jr. - I enjoy your love
Good taste in love
Inculcation 1982

-Butch - I love you
Rawhide
Sei es drum 2011

-Danny Hybrid & the Nufunk Allstars - Green Groove(Part 1 & 2)
A wild mad beat
Nufunk records 2006

Citygroovin' back in the days

At the age of 5 or 6 I used to listen to classical music from the Hooked on Classics series my aunt had brought to my parents (don't stare, it had beat on the background). Later on I listened to a lot of pop, disco and soul -but at that age I could only recognize pop as a standard kind of music. Then I had a (psychedelic) rock period in my life, where the Doors would capture all my essence and afterwards I dived into the rave era, where "Far Out" and "Liquid is Liquid" were my morning hymns -or was it the other way around? oh well...

Having a quite messed up music background at the age of 20, I surprisingly was able to identify with a kind of music that would suit me at the time like my favorite pair of all stars: french house. I couldn’t point it out then, but it was a music that combined the disco feeling I liked as a child and the beat that would always follow me when I would shutdown everything and push the play button, so the attraction was kind of inevitable. The place to host and enhance my love for french house was a small club (nothing fancy or luxurious) in the centre of Athens: City Groove.

I remember I used to constantly smile from Wednesday, if I was going to attend a party on Friday or Saturday and I always-always-always had a great time celebrating the affair of disco with house music and enjoying people’s smiles all over the place. The place shut down somewhere in the beginning of the ‘00s (2002 I think) and we all took our own separate ways tryin' to keep our smile where it was.

A couple of years ago, Christo K, Anthony K. and George Siras (the triad holding along with the guest djs the responsibility for our happy weekends back then) had a reunion on New Year’s Eve. I decided to give it a shot. Most of the City Groove’s people were there along with the decade they carried on their back and some grey hair that would carefully hide the grooving child inside them. Despite the grey hair, the economic problems, the age and the personal situations that everyone may had, the feeling was there. It was not the same, but it was right there. So was the music.

 

This is what we were listening as we were saying our goodbyes to the ‘90s. Ok, wipe the tears from your eyes, you ‘re all grown up now!

tracks' info: 
-DJ Tonka - Feel 
Feel 
Reform 1995

-D-Monsta - Make some noize
Episode Records 2000

-Phunkie Souls - Tha music
Strictly Rhythm 1999

-Madji'k -Midnight trap
VOX 2000

-Paul Jacobs - Happy days
Aquarius Recordings 1996

1979 man!

I always thought 1979 was da year. Apart from the fact that me and most of my favorite people were born back then (waaaay back then), it was the year that gave me some of my favorite classics like McFadden & Whitehead - Ain't no stoppin' us now, Chic - Good times, Positive force - We got the funk, Isley brothers - It's a disco night, Ashford & Simpson - Found a cure, Donna Summer - Bad girls, Michael Jackson - Off the wall, Gene Chandler - When you 're #1, GQ - Disco nights, Delegation - Heartache No.9, Stargard - Wear it out and hundreds of others that I can't exactly organize in my mind and put down right now.

Recently, I heard a track that I've never heard before and proved me right once again.

Holy shit!

tracks' info:
-Mascara - It's cool 
See you in L.A.
Mercury 1979

-McFadden & Whitehead - Ain't no stoppin' us now
McFadden & Whitehead
Philadelphia International Records 1979

-Chic - Good times
Risqué
Atlantic 1979

-Positive Force - We got the funk 
Turbo Records 1979

-Isley Brothers - It's a disco night
Winner takes all
Epic 1979

-Ashford & Simpson - Found a cure
 Stay free
Warner Bros. Records 1979

-Donna Summer - Bad girls
Bad Girls
Casablanca Records 1979

-Michael Jackson - Off the wall
Off the wall
Epic 1979

-Gene Chandler - When you're #1
When you're #1
20th Century Fox Records 1979

-GQ - Disco nights
Disco nights
Arista 1979

-Delegation - Heartache No.9
Eau de vie
Ariola 1979

-Stargard - Wear it out
The changing of the gard
Warner Bros. Records 1979

Crusading into the '90s

During the late '90s, when the house music movement was loud, vivid and wide (crowdwise) I was in my very early twenties (ahhh... good times), which means I had about 100 times greater will to party and go clubbing than today. The good thing about that period in time is that I had a really good time enjoying music and socializing with people that seemed to be in the same (music) frame of mind - that of course was nothing but an illusion, as from what it seems most of them were partying back then for a number of reasons BUT the music. The bad thing is that due to my youth and the simple-mindedness of that age (and a pretty bad internet connection) I wouldn't search the music further from the track I was listening and enjoying. I wouldn't search for the original tune, the primary artist and the initial idea and inspiration. It wasn't until years after that I started diggin' into the disco tunes, bands and artists that put their signature in the music history of their time and left all these amazing samples that still inspire people to generate new music and ideas.

I realized that quite recently, while I was listening to a Todd Terje edit on the Crusaders track "My lady". Actually, I was listening to the edit below.

I then remembered the Cricco Castelli - Life is changing track which would set fire on the dancefloor and then I had another hit by a storming tune of the days: Topazz - New Millenium. And then BANG! Felt like a slap in the face in both cheeks when I became aware of the fact that I had no idea about the Crusaders' sample while I was dancing to the Cricco Castelli tune in the late '90s.

Then I played the original song over and over again as a tribute. I may be old, but I'm wise now. Cheers.

tracks' info:
-The Crusaders - My lady 
Street life
MCA Records 1979

-The Crusaders - My lady (tangoterje edit)
Todd Terje: An Anthology - Weighed & measured 2010 

-Cricco Castelli - Life is changing
Aroma 1998

-Topazz - New Millenium
Overdance! 1999

Knight One stand

I don’t know how I 've lived two years without having heard of it. I believe it’s gonna be one of those tracks that will reach 1000 plays from my player within half an hour. Good luck to my ears. I know my soul will enjoy it to the fullest.

If it reminds you of something, it's Diana Ross - It's my house taken to another -inconceivable to the humans- level, while some others may be more familiar with the Risco Connection - It's my house which uses the same sample.

The person that will be held guilty for my about to begin unworldly behavior (you know, press play and then press play again and then again and then -what the heck- quit pressing play and turn on the repeat mode and listen to the same tune for hours) is Knight One, a producer from the Netherlands who's about to release his debut EP titled "Swords cry". While you 're at it, check out here his mix on the Les Loups - Paradisco track -which I also find extraordinary- and download it for free (you can also download the whole EP Klub der Herzen for free here).

tracks' info:
-Knight One - Kiss
Sunrise Blend compilation
Juicy 2011

-Diana Ross - It's my house
The Boss
Motown 1979

-Risco Connection - It's my house
Black Rose Music 1979

-Les Loups - Paradisco
Club Cœur
So Sound Recordings 2012

-Les Loups - Paradisko (Knight One remix)
Klub der Herzen EP 
Paradisco 2012 

Feeling a little deviant

Unless you spent the previous night drinking like there’s no tomorrow or headbanging in a concert or a club, then you probably don’t wanna die right now. Let’s celebrate the achievement of getting through a Saturday night intact -and maybe say goodbye to a few brain cells that didn't make it when you had that 3rd beer- with some good music.

Sunday is the day I usually enjoy sets or radio shows, as I have the time to relish them with no breaks. I am quite fond of the Disco Deviance Pulse Radio Shows - I suggest you play them one by one - and the last one (Beaten Space Probe & Dicky Trisco mix - free download) I heard really got me going.



Disco sounds and edits that are just what you need on a day you want to relax, take your mind off of things and indulge in music either solo or with company. While listening to it, I almost cried to the “Let no man put asunder" edit (which, sadly, I don't know what it is, although I can imagine) and then the slapping bass and the piano of the "Neat Disco" finished me off. But what really did the trick for me and gave me a teeny-tiny stroke was the "High Speed connection" track as Pete Herbert and Dicky Trisco have imagined it. I was always crazy about the original track from B.T. Express and I equally loved the Phats and Small inspiration back in the days, but this one left me with an open-mouth and nothing to say. I think I'm having a Sunday morning fever.
  
tracks' info:
-First Choice - Let no man put asunder
Delusions
Salsoul Records 1977

-Future feelings - Neat disco
File under disco 2012

-B.T. Express - High Speed Connection (Pete Herbert & Dicky Trisco edit)
Disco Deviance 2010

-B.T. Express - Does it feel good
1980
Columbia 1980

-Phats and Small - Feel good
Now phat's what I small music
Multiply Records 1999