Keep it kewl

For this brand new week we have ahead of us, I'd like to share with you something fresh and upbeat to keep things going up and cool.



This is the new EP from RollAnd, a french dude with a french touch. The Diana track may remind you of this and this -which makes me love it even more- and while we're at it, check out and download for free one of my favorite older ones from RollAnd here which is a really nice take on Gwen Guthrie's "It should have been you" and definitely his point of view on Chic's "I want your love", here. God, I love this track in all its versions. That's totally impossible.

tracks' info:
-RollAnd - Bandit Mentos EP
Spincat Records 2014

-Chic - I want your love (RollAnd Remix)
2013

-RollAnd - We love Nevers (Original love city mix)
We love Nevers EP
Eraflure Records 2013

Feel-better soundtrack

When I was little, I had a certain cassette I would press play to the times I was feeling sad cause my brother would mess up all my toys, my sister wouldn't lend me her sweater, my friend at school wouldn't tell me her secret or my parents wouldn't buy me enough ice-cream. That cassette was, oddly enough, a compilation of classical music pieces and I believe I haven't sat down to listen to classical music since then -I really can't explain this choice of mine back then.

Later in my teenage years, where my ups and downs were similar to Space Mountain and my music taste would range from Doors to The Prodigy I would still make a weird choice for a teenager in the '90s. The music that would keep me company when I got the blues for a boy was oldies, stuff from the 50's and the '60s, rock'n'roll and doo-wop, uplifting sound -even if the lyrics were mushy and all.

The last soundtrack I had for difficult times was a speed garage compilation (this one to be exact) an old friend had given me, which I would always listen to in my early twenties. The energy and rhythm of this music would always absorb the bad stuff, so it suited me right. After that, I have no recollection of a specific feel-better soundtrack in my life.

The other day, as I was browsing through youtube and soundcloud, I came across a freshly uploaded set from DjJade who I must say I completely trust as far as filter house and quality is concerned.



I believe this is gonna be my new music shelter next time I feel like being with me, myself and I. Totally uplifting, but with a nostalgic touch and melody with rhythm that can make you move your body and seem weird, but don't give a shit about it.

Download it for free here, check out the playlist and have a good time with it. Whether you're up or down.

set's info: 
The DjJade - The Vibe
2014

Bipolar

For the sake of this post, let's assume that the french-touched remixes and the original sample-spreading tracks are categories of people.

Sample: decent, cute, clean-cut, tidy, affectionate person with whom you want to cuddle, whisper love words, hold hands, smooch, tease, look straight in the eye and possibly cause nausea to those who don't get it.

French-touched: dirty, sick bastard who brings out your hot-blooded self, from whom you can't keep your hands off, whose passion could load you for more than a lifetime and possibly cause nausea to those who don't get it.

Lovin' both categories equally. *shrug*

tracks info:
-Gayle Adams - Your love is a life saver
Gayle Adams
Prelude Records 1980

-Phantom's Revenge - Charlie
Charlie EP
I dischi della valigetta 2010

Wrong words, right music

Poland would definitely not be in the top of my answers to the question "where do you think this comes from?", but I love outsiders and -sometimes- surprises. We owe this outsider to _jackie who uploaded in soundcloud 5 days ago, along with a big "thank you" for the free download.



If this tune "speaks" to you, don't miss out on more _jackie's sounds, who drops weekly tracks every Saturday in his page. The "Wrong words" track is the latest, spoken with the right music.

track's info:
_jackie - Wrong words
2014

See the sky?

If this awesome spring weather continues for the rest of January, we're gonna have a serious problem.

Always missing the french house feeling, back in time when everyone was smiling to this music and spring was all around permanently.

Get your free download here. Cheers!

*couldn't spot the sample on this one, so if you get it, drop a message.

track's info:
Raymix - Show me the sky
2011 (?)

Bass stop

I have a thing for bass. Especially when it's slappy.



Slap in the face or what?

This track is part of a very long (more than 30 tracks), but awe-inspiring filter-lovin' LP, "Worlds apart" by Vostok-1: a spanish project, with a russian name that grooves on french house. Creative mix-up, don't you think?

It's also part of an amazing one-month old compilation of nu-disco and disco-house tunes, some more frenchy than others, entitled Paradisco Vol. 1 and released by Emincé De Musique. If you don't find favorites in this comp, then there's something that's not quite right about you searching through this blog.

All of the above, available for free download. Clicks on fire!

track's info:
-Vostok-1 - Depth of the Cosmos
Worlds apart 2013

One, two, three, hit it!

It didn't take more than two high-school buddies, big love for house music (french house especially) and a joined force of inspiration for this new EP to be brought into this world. The Camaro kids undoubtedly share a vacation feeling through their new sounds and I believe I already have a favorite.



Thank you guys for the summerish tunes and the free downloads. You definitely have a place in my vacation usb stick.

track's info:
Camaro kids - One two three
Vacation EP
Champagne Records 2013

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

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

Batman is Chic

Je me sens un peu française aujourd'hui. No, I don't mean I'd like to drink wine and eat foie gras (yak) or quiche lorraine, but I certainly feel up to getting through this Monday with a bit of filter-loving, disco-inspired french house music.

First track I played let Batman in. Lebatman is an Italian producer with a french touch, whose track "Le Batman!" started playing first thing in the morning. I love the main sample -keep reading or listening, you'll find out- but I also adore the Stargard - Wear it out sample which pops up and makes you think, you know, till you figure out what this sound reminds you of, remember the title and finally congratulate yourself for not having lost it yet after years of burnt brain cells.

One thing led to another and then I started playing the Alpha Snail remix of the same track (Alpha Snail is a 20-year-old producer from Chicago. In case you didn't get it, the guy is 20 years old). While it was bringing sheer pleasure to my ears, it reminded me of a track I used to utterly adore in the late 90s: Fafa Monteco - Bells Compressor. Inevitably, it came next on my playlist and then I decided to pay my respects to the track that gave life to all of the above (and several other remixes and edits like Dirty House Crew - Groovin', Todd Terje's edit, the Dimitri from Paris version, etc.)

Respect.

You can download for free the Lebatman track here and his other tracks here. 

tracks' info:
-Lebatman - Le Batman!
2009

-Lebatman - Le Batman! (Alpha Snail remix)
2011

-Fafa Monteco - Bells Compressor
Danse avec les loups
Black Jack 1999

-Chic - I want your love
C'est Chic
Atlantic Records 1978

Get Lucky with some help

Contrary to those who wore down the play button and hurt their index finger while pressing repeat to "Get Lucky", I think I’m gonna go with those who find the new single of Daft Punk kinda… humdrum (there I’ve said it).

Daft Punk have given tracks to the electronic music history that are pure diamonds ("Revolution 909", "High life", "Too long", "Burnin’", "Fresh", "Digital love" -for the hopelessly romantic- and loads of others) and make their new one seem just a mushy tune that can easily fit into a summer soundtrack cd, somewhere between… I don’t know... other boring tracks that make an average background mixtape – with background being the unwelcome key word here.

Another thing that colors this track in grey shades, as far as I’m concerned, is Pharrell Williams. He isn’t really in the list of  artists and musicians that are compatible to my ears and music background – although the Cassius - "Eye water" track had really got me going back in those days – don’t know why, don’t ask me. To be honest and fair, though, I don’t see myself liking this song more with another vocalist, so I won’t blame it on Pharrell.

All of the above made me start tracking down other versions that would be more satisfying - although it's still kinda early. In this search, I found that the Lifelike remix comes way closer to the Daft Punk sound we know and love, can fit just as well in a summer mood mixtape and most importantly slips away from the background sense, climbing up into the ears with more energy. It’s more in the Daft Punk spirit and I believe will make the disappointed ones slightly smile with nostalgia.

Enough with the words. Here you can find the Lifelike remix and here you can give another chance to the original version (Daft Punk and Nile Rodgers deserve it). I’ ll give one too. 

track info: Daft Punk - Get lucky (Lifelike remix)

Bonus: If you’re one of those who absolutely, utterly and completely loved “Too long” from the Discovery album, maybe you’ll find the version of D33P interesting. Listen or download it for free here.