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MIX NOTES

Blues Theory Churchapella – Stuggart-born DJ Michael Baumann has been putting out house records since the mid 90s. He currently goes by the name Soulphiction and runs his own label Philpot, which I will go ahead and assume without any evidence that it’s a reference to LL Cool J’s DJ Cut Creator “aka Philpott”.

How Do I Let Go (Charles Webster deep mix) – Jersey OG Dennis Ferrer worked extensively with KT Brooks over the years. They recorded this song in 2006, a year or two before KT passed from Pneumonia (RIP). Dennis wrote a very moving message on DHP at the time, listing some of the songs that Karlon was instrumental in. These included “Reach For Freedom”, “Call”, “Colors”, “Run Free”, “Joy To the World”, “He Is”, “Sunshine”, “Fire”, “Grateful”, “Life Everlasting” and Change The World”. If you’re a fan of Mr Ferrer’s music, you can imagine how devastated he was to lose KT. Many of my friends were too. I never met him, but I definitely felt his music, and this song in particular. Rest in power.

Out The Door – London’s Jay Funk has been holding down clubs big and small all over the world since the early 90s. This came out in June of 2017 and I just love the way that bassline pushes and pulls.

Guap – I can’t tell you how much it thrills me that there are people under the age of 25 making their own version of house music. Yaeji was born in Queens but spent time in both Atlanta and Seoul, Korea. She’s been putting out tracks for the last couple of years. Some very deep house, like this song. Some kinda trappy, like this song. She talks all mellow n shit on her own joints, and to me at least, she rocks mad cool, nerdy styles. When LCD Soundsystem wrote “I’m Losing My Edge”, they were referring to muh fuckaz like her, who are on some next shit you don’t even know about. Props.

Ceilings – I was a die-hard Jimpster fan from jump street. The last few years I haven’t been feeling him so much, but then he went and dropped this jewel with Laura Barrick in June of 2017. It’s schmoove and sexy and has that breathy Telepopmusik “Love Can Damage Your Health” kinda vocal that sounds like that deep shit I love. All I can say is MOAR PLEEZ.

Liquid Spirit (Claptone remix) – German DJ Claptone first came on my radar in 2015 with his mega-hit “No Eyes”, which I heard in all kinds of places all over the place. Here he hooks up a bouncy remix for Gregory Porter, who delivers the vocal goods as only he can, and manages to write a socially conscious song about water rights. Nina Simone would be proud. Clap ya hands now.

Work It Out – The great thing about Karizma is that he produces tracks that sound just like the way he DJs live. Loops upon loops that stutter and double and quadruple and ring out then drop down low. Hard and fast, but full of soul. Anyone DJ I know that has witnessed him live has been struck with awe at the energy he can produce in a club. Very very few are on his level. Baleedat.

No Love High Enough (ATFC remix) – Speaking of energy, this track has it in spades. London DJ and nightlife impresario Warboy teamed up with a Ruth Brown, a contestant from the UK edition of The Voice. ATFC aka Aydin the Funki Chile, is Aydin Hasirci, and he’s been making tracks since the 90s. He brings a real Brasilian Carnival vibe to this remix, and if I was still playing in clubs, I’d save this for peak time, fosho.

Origins – Swimming it back into the deep end a bit, this is a 2017 track by Dominican-born NY-based producer Ezel. Like a lot of cats who came up under Osunlade’s wing, he weaves the Yoruba spirits into a lot of his tracks. Having experienced some of these vibes firsthand in Cuba, I can attest to the power of the ancestors.

Rocketship (Quentin Harris remix) – While I like to focus on new music in most of my house mixes, I still need to reach back in the crates here and there for some cuts that still move me. This Donnie remix is just that. There was a time in the early 2000s when Quentin had just started blowing up, with his bootlegs running shit all over town, and those of us who sorta knew him personally were feeling all kinds of hometown pride about our dude. He and I played together once or twice, and he always brought mad love to his DJ sets. And I’ve always dug the little “Nights Over Egypt” riff he snuck in towards the end here.

It’s Yours (138 blend) – I made this blend of E-Man’s acapella so long ago, I’ve forgotten what the backing track is. No matter. Still gets the job done.

Off Script – After what feels like a long hiatus in the house world, Cork’s Greg Dowling and Shane Johnson aka Fish Go Deep are finally back to remind us that Ireland can still bring the funk. You may remember them from their 2006 smash hit “The Cure and The Cause”, which can be heard on THIS MIX from that same year.

Can’t Let You Go (Louie Vega & Josh Milan truth dub) – Esteeemed veterans of the global deep house scene, Louie and Josh know how to make a track bump. Add in disco diva Loleatta Holloway and you really can’t lose. I’ve always wondered if dudes like Louie needed to convince a famous singer like Loleatta that so many club heads nowadays have a special love simply for the way she talks on records, or if she already knew that (?).

The Everlasting Now (Yam Who rework) – Andy Williams and Des Morgan makeup the dynamic duo that is London’s Yam Who. They were making very eclectic remixes back in the early 2000s, but these days they are very heavy on the UK disco edit scene, via their label Midnight Riot. To their credit, with all of their edits, Yam Who have always shown some love for the source material, which is evident here on this slept-on Prince track from 2001’s “The Rainbow Children”. That whole album is basically a blatant Jehova’s Witness fable, but if you get past that, there are a few nice tunes on there.

Deep Dip – Parisians Joss Moog & Around7 aka 4th Sign released two consecutive Eps last year, called Eloge de la lenteur Pts 1 and 2. This translates as “take your time”, which is a perfect suggestion for a cut like this one. Sparse. Lush. Deep. The phrase “house is a feeling” is an embarrassing cliché most days, but sometimes it fits perfectly. Feel this, si vous plait.

Deeper – Hard to believe this song is now over 20 years old, yet here we are. You gotta give Herbert mad credit for crafting a cut like this that really doesn’t even sound dated. That is not easy, by any means. But the man knows his shit. He’s been making electronic music of all shades and tempos in the UK since the 90s. I particularly like his Dr Rockit records, and some of his weird one-offs, like that song “back to the start” that closes out THIS MIX

Ancestral Afrobeats – Just a little percussion bridge to get us back into vocal territory. This Luyo and Mike “Agent X” Clark track came out on Italy’s Double Cheese imprint in 2016. It’s Luyo’s own label, and has been home to work by many A-list producers like Spen, Kerri Chandler, and Ashley Beedle. I just played the stripped down beats here, but the full version with vibes and keys is worth a listen too.

If I (Myles Serge remix) – Peep this youtube of Mega Jawns recording this track in 2014. Sounds just beautiful, wouldn’t you agree?.  Mega Jawns is a US/UK duo consisting of Will Brock from Philadelphia and Will Sumsuch from Brighton. They’released their debut LP “Ten Letters From Home” on BBE in 2014. I’ve always been fascinated with the word “jawns”, which is unique to Philadelphia, and is an abstract noun that can be used for just about anything. Linguists claim it is a bastardization and then expansion of NYC’s “joint”, but just try telling an Eagles fan that.

New Attitude – The Revenge does it again. What can I say? He put Edinburgh on the house map years ago, and has been making bangers ever since. The man is a BEAST. We are not worthy.

Love, peace and music. – J