R.Tyme – R-Theme (1989)

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In 1988/89, I was intensely distracted by two US music genres at the same. Hip hop from the likes of Def Jam, Cold Chillin’ and Jive labels… and the Detroit house sound being peddled here by UK labels 10 Records, FFRR and Big Life, amongst others. The latter released this beauty in 1989. ‘R-Theme’ was written by Inner City’s DJ Darryl Wynn (D-Wynn) and put out by Derrick May‘s own label Transmat. May had produced and remixed the track, but the subsequent Big Life pressing sounded much better. This is what alien techno sounded like in the summer of 1989, in case you were wondering. Have a great weekend.

The Paradise – In Love With You (2003)

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Last year, the Smugglers Way label re-released Upper Cuts, the classic 2005 compilation of French filter house. Amazingly, it was the cumulative work of one Alan Braxe – real name Alain Quême. Braxe is probably best known for his successful partnerships with Daft Punk’s Thomas Bangalter, producer Fred Falke and his cousin DJ Falcon (aka Stéphane Quême). But in 2003, it was his collaboration with Romuald that created this beauty. The Paradise’s ‘In Love With You’ features on Upper Cuts. Have a great weekend.

Sammy Virji – Never Let You Go (Hamdi Edit) (2021)

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Racine -> Chicago -> London -> Brighton. Here we have layers of a dancefloor onion. UK dubstep producer Hamdi left his mark in 2021 with his throwback edit of DJ Sammy Virji’s ‘Never Let You Go’, which itself is inspired by speed garage bomb ‘Ripgroove’. With that song’s release in 1997, London duo Double 99 started the clubland rinsing of the vocal sample of Chicago DJ Kelly G’s Bump-N-Go mix of Tina Moore’s ‘Never Gonna Let You Go’. The original song is a classic a R&B groove from the Wisconsin-born singer.

Hercules And Love Affair – Blind (Frankie Knuckles remix) (2008)

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Hercules And Love Affair is producer Andrew Butler’s musical collaboration with a rotating cast of performers and musicians. In 2008, he struck gold with Anohni (one knows as Antony Hegarty) on vocals and Frankie Knuckles on mixing desk. The song originally featured on the collective’s self-titled 2007 album.

&Me & Blackcoffee – The Rapture Pt. III (2023)

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Another recent and classic tune from the Keinemusik stable. The label hit its stride in 2023 with this and the Moderat remix. &Me is the Berlin-based DJ-producer André Boadu. Blackcoffee is the South African DJ-producer Nathi Maphumulo. Together, the duo created ‘The Rapture Pt. III’. Enjoy.

Whilk & Misky – All By Myself (Mall Grab Remix) (2016)

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Whilk & Misky is/was the alias for Charlie Dickens and Nima Khaste’s teamwork. In 2016, Jordon Alexander (aka Mall Grab) remixed one of the duo’s singles. ‘All By Myself’ is a gift to to those still dancing in the New Year…

Shanti Celeste & Hodge – Whispers (Rave Mix) (2023)

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For those still partying… this year, the ever-busy Shanti Celeste hooked up with Bristol-based DJ–producer Hodge to record their EP Bounce on Celeste’s Peach Discs label. The Rave mix of ‘Whispers’ lays down hi-BPM drums and some Korg M1 organ to create a party sound: “Tell me something nice”. Happy New Year!

Moderat – More Love (Rampa &ME Remix) (2023)

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A tune for dancing in the New Year. The Berlin trio Gernot Bronsert, Sascha Ring and Sebastian Szary are Moderat. This year, the Keinemusik team Rampa &ME remixed their single ‘More Love’ to create one of the best house tracks of the last few years. Enjoy and have a great and happy New Year.

9 of the best – sounds of 2023

It’s New Year’s Eve and I’ve carved out some time this afternoon to review the sounds of my year. The following nine songs are my favourites and are in no particular order…

Wednesday – TV In The Gas Pump

Blondshell – Joiner

Dirty Nice – This Is Gonna Hurt

L’Rain – Pet Rock

SZA – Kill Bill

Moderat – More Love (Rampa & ME Remix)

Ethan P. Flynn – Abandon All Hope

Black Honey – Cut The Cord

The Rural Alberta Advantage – Real Life

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Honourable mentions also go to: The Arcs for ‘Sunshine‘; Amber Arcades for ‘Odd To Even‘; Rahill and Beck for ‘Fables‘; waterbaby for ‘Airforce blue‘; Wednesday for ‘Formula One‘; Lana Del Rey for A&W; The National for ‘New Order T-Shirt‘; Daughter for ‘Be On Your Way‘; Yaeji for ‘For Granted‘; Spector for ‘All Of The World Is Changing‘; Ratboys for ‘Black Earth, Wi‘; Blur for ‘The Narcissist‘; Jungle for ‘Back On 74‘; The Murder Capital for ‘Return My Head‘; and Olivia Rodrigo for ‘vampire‘.

Bicep – Opal (2017)

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I am listening to Bicep’s self-titled debut album on vinyl this evening. Joy. Andrew Ferguson and Matthew McBriar strike a perfect balance between trance and ethereal house music with ‘Opal’. A year later, Kieran Hebden (aka Four Tet) released some remixes of the track which are also really worth a listen. Have a great weekend.

DJ Koze – Royal Asscher Cut (2013)

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Producer Stefan Kozalla, aka DJ Koze, established himself as a bit of a pied piper in the noughties. He had the ambition to start his own label Pampa Records in Hamburg in 2009 and by 2013 he was releasing what he considered his own “Sgt. Pepper”. The LP in question, Amygdala, is a decade old this year and due a revisit. At its heart is the house music overture ‘Royal Asscher Cut’.

Alison Limerick ‎- Where Love Lives (Classic Mix) (1990)

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It’s been quite a day for house music in my household. So, I’m embarrassed to realise that I’ve not posted this classic already. ‘Where Love Lives’ featured on every UK dancefloor for at least the first few years of the 1990s. For certain, its piano house treatment played – the keyboard hook took the nights by storm.

Rampa, Adam Port, &Me feat. Sofie Royer – Discoteca (2021)

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The German collaboration and label Keinemusik released an eclectic triple LP of their work in 2021. Send Return features the call-to-dance ‘Discoteca’. Rampa, Adam Port, &Me recruit the Austrian-Iranian singer Sofia Royer to provide the whispering tones for those that like to close your eyes and move.

Sex-O-Sonique – I Thought It Was You (1997)

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Good afternoon. Sex-O-Sonique was one of the monikers of house music producers Michael Gray and Jon Pearn. S-O-S released just two singles ‘You / Get Loose’ and ‘I Thought It Was You’. The latter was a late-1990s dancefloor monster. The formula was not complicated: a spoken word sample from 1970s TV series The Sweeney, followed by some really well selected Herbie Hancock artistry; namely, the ripped chorus from his 1978 disco hit of the same name.

Omar S feat. John FM – Hear Me Out (2020)

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Is Tuesday too early week for a house music workout? Neh. In 2020, Detroit techno producer and label head Omar S put out the double LP You Want. For those of you that like to reminisce about ’90s house, it’s really worth a listen. The album features ‘Hear Me Out’ which manages to fuse the electronic with live drumming. A collaboration with his protégé John FM, the single has big-room classic written all over it.