11 minute read
Grooves
Guest Reviewer: Crispin J. Glover “All This Love”
u Soul Central u Tropical Disco A glorious slab of feel-good disco and a brilliant rework of “Give It to You,” a forgotten disco gem by RCR, has shades of Spiller’s “Groovejet.” My wife loves it, my 8-yearold son loves it, and I’d love to hear it in a nightclub very soon... here’s hoping!
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Wankelmut Mike Dunn
Demarkus Lewis Tom Junior
u Wankelmut & Anna Leyne u Toolroom A big-room whopper, this Leyne-fronted house track delivers a great combo of rhythmic grit and vocal soul. The Martin Ikin remixes takes the track in a trippier, more tech-house direction, while Mousse T’s piano-driven remix pushes a deeper flavor. – Jim Tremayne
The Shapeshifters feat. Billy Porter u Glitterbox One of the standout tracks of 2020, this soulful slammer gets an overhaul for 2021. Remixes come courtesy of Dimitri from Paris, Catz n Dogz and David Penn that all carry a slightly different vibe, but all deliver big time. – Curtis Zack
u Tom Junior u Groove Soul Records Flexing a filtered sample of “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg,” the London-based Tom Junior scores with a dancefloor winner here. Proper loose drums and funky bass create a swinging groove that’ll get things going. Add in the old-school vocal tidbit and you get an essential slice of house music. – Tommy D Funk
“RHYTHM” u Duwayne Motley u Simma Black With gospel piano loops and searing vocals leading the way, this soulful deep-house track really gets pumping with the rolling rhythm kicks in. Big bass and hefty thump lift this one to classy house status. Hair-raising stuff right here.
Soul Central
– Tommy D Funk
Duwayne Motley
u Demarkus Lewis u Large Music Lewis is back – and he never, ever disappoints. Loaded with soulful vocals and a sassy, swinging rhythm, this track should light up garage-favoring jocks. And don’t sleep on the dub mix, which – Curtis Zack
punches plenty deep. – Tommy D Funk
u Skydoll feat. Jearlyn Steele u Skydoll caliber deserves.
Out of Minneapolis, Skydoll delivers a message of positivity, not to mention a first-rate discohouse song. The original is perfect, but remixes from Chuck Love (sweeping and piano-driven) and Richard Earnshaw (ultra-funky) deliver the goods as well. – Curtis Zack
u Viva Recordings Sporting deep, jazzy house vibes, this is another ultra-silky production from Lawton. With the spoken-word vocal drops, organ riffs, funky bassline and thumping rhythm, this one really comes alive for the dancefloor. – Tommy D Funk
“BACK AND FORTH” 2021
u Supakings u Peppermint Jam This sassy Peppermint Jam classic gets refreshed 22 years after its original release with a whole host of new remixes. The Main Ingredient sample still (rightly) dominates this disco-house release and with updates from Michael Gray and
Shapeshifters & Billy Porter
Mo’Funk bringing it to a new clubbing audience, this should be a smash yet again.
u Leroy Burgess u Z Records Lost in the Salsoul vaults for 35 years, this bright and sweeping disco groover was discovered by Dave Lee (aka Joey Negro) who has dutifully taken the masters, given it a sprinkle of boogie magic and given it the release a track of this u Bobby Breezy & Col Lawton
– Curtis Zack
DEFECTED PRESENTS HOUSE MASTERS: MIKE DUNN
u Mike Dunn u Defected Forty cuts of classic-house goodness – jacking acid, deep-house, vocal-driven garage, prototechno, it’s all here. Chicago legend Dunn drops some old-school favorites and newer tracks. Picks include: “It’s Anotha Groove” by MD XSpress; “Who Turned You Out” by Byron Stingily; “Jass Yo Azz Off” (Tribal X Mixx) by Dunn presents The Jass Mann; “Natural High” (Mike Dunn Black Glitter Extended MixX); and “Huggin’ & A Luvin’” (Mike Dunn Luvz Huggin’ U ReMixX) by Gershon Jackson. – Tommy D Funk
BABICZ (continued from page 10) somehow broken. That’s why I make music so quickly, because I only need seconds to see what I need to change.
DJ Times: So rather than using a DAW and drawing music to a grid, you’re using internal visualisation to shape the sound?
Babicz: That’s totally right. I work with Logic and always open
The Vision (continued from page 12) she smashed it. Two years ago, we performed “Missing” at Defected in Croatia and, if you watch the video, the power cut out, the whole festival was down. The crowd then started singing the hook, which they had just heard for the very first time, and instantly we knew, seeing that reaction, that “Missing” was a single.
DJ TIMES: WHAT GEAR DID YOU USE TO GET THAT CLASSIC SOUND?
Westbeech: There was a lot of use of an ARP Quartet, which is like a string machine. I grew up in Bristol and Portishead used that synth a lot. In my Amsterdam studio, where most of the record was made, I’ve got a lot of vintage gear – a lot of the tracks went through an UnFairchild, which is a remake of the classic Fairchild compressor. It gave a lot of the record that tape saturation sound that it has. I bought that compressor about halfway through the recording, and it Sounding Off Pioneer (continued from page 22) you’re playing.
One thing that was conspicuously absent from the CDJ-3000 at the time I had the review units is support for Serato DJ Pro. That support has been promised for a future software update to the units, which should make a lot of the Pioneer DJ faithful much happier with these new decks.
Conclusions: As I mentioned earlier, the new Pioneer CDJ-3000 will set you back roughly $2,300 each. For that investment, you get a really solid, reliable media player — a product born from an extensive legacy, and an unwavering commitment to the DJ market. With a solid feature set designed to support those at the top of the DJ game, no doubt the CDJ-3000 is destined to become a fixture in high-end venues and in the riders of big-name DJs. Of course, part of that depends on us emerging intact from a global pandemic, and to a degree, on Pioneer completing the Serato DJ support. But as we swing into 2021, it would appear that — thank goodness — both are simply a matter of time. an empty screen, but already have this emotional sculpture inside of me and just use Logic as a tool. I don’t care whether the matrix is DJ-friendly – I just put the elements where I think they make sense. I play everything by hand, too, so I don’t work with step sequencers anymore. It’s more fun to just play things.
DJ Times: Tell us about your online Mastermind sessions that teach
changed the sound of the record. KON: I came from the [Akai] MPC60 era, but I haven’t used hardware for a long time. Everything is [Native Instruments] Maschine into Ableton Live. I also use Serato Studio where I can whip things up super-quick, then import them into Ableton. We also used some of the synths at Ben’s studio like the Oberheim and Juno.
DJ TIMES: HOW HAS LIFE DURING LOCKDOWN BEEN?
Westbeech: It’s been difficult not being able to gig when you have a record out. It’s a really odd thing not being able to do any shows. The last show we did was in Printworks [a London club] to 6,000 people, then the next week we were in lockdown. To go from that high to nothing was tough as an artist. I do feel incredibly lucky, though, considering that a lot of people can’t pay the rent.
DJ TIMES: WHAT’S NEXT FOR
THE VISION?
Sounding Off Numark (continued from page 23) included on controllers at this price. Both units come with Serato DJ Lite and are compatible with Serato DJ Pro.
To me, these seem like really good controllers for DJs wanting to make the transition from DJ software alone or smaller DJ controllers to a moreadvanced, intermediate DJ controller. Additionally, I could also see these – especially the Mixtrack Platinum FX – being purchased by experienced DJs as a secondary set-up for smaller gigs or as a bedroom/portable practice tool.
One question that is likely to come up is whether to choose the Mixtrack Pro FX ($229 street price) or the Mixtrack Platinum FX ($279 street price). Personally, I’d opt for the Platinum FX: no DJ controller at this price has such thorough screens, and they give the controller a very professional look.
However, both are fine choices for DJs wanting a controller that offers advanced features – such as paddledriven effects – while elevating the essentials. Well-done, Numark. production.
Babicz: I had a plan to start a teaching/mentorship platform a long time ago and it never took form – so now was the right time to do it. I started a project called Mastermind, and it’s really saved my ass. I was giving master classes before because I always like to share what I know with people, but Mastermind has helped me to put a structure to that. I do online group Westbeech: As soon the situation open ups, we will try to do as many gigs as possible. We have festivals such as Parklife and Love Saves the Day lined up, which may or may not happen, and then obviously Glitterbox in Ibiza. Also, we recently released a remix of an old Jakkata and Bug (continued from page 17) I’m shrinking down the collection to what I really think I need.
DJ Times: Are there “secret studio weapons” that help create your favorite sounds?
Bug: One of my favorite synths is the Studio Electronics Omega 8. We used it on pretty much every track on the album I did with Langenberg [2018’s Paradise Sold on Poker Flat]. It is such a great-sounding, versatile synth, I wouldn’t want to miss it. But I just bought the Sequential Prophet-5 Rev4, an updated version of the original Prophet-5 with the original chips, and the option to switch between the chips of the Rev1 and 2 or the Rev3. It is a beast, very simply, but a very effective weapon for what I am into. I had one in ’94, but it was in a really bad shape, so I had to give up on it at some point. So damn happy it’s back now. And I can’t forget the Minimoog Model D. I bought it when they re-issued it, and it simply suites me very well.
DJ Times: What’s your DJ set-up and why do you choose that route?
Bug: I play on [Native Instruments] Traktor with Control Vinyl, simply because I still like to touch the vinyl, put the needle on, etc. But I don’t want to carry all those records around anymore. Also I like the extra opportunities that come with playing digitally – having various effects at hand, for example. So, for me, this is still the perfect pairing of the two worlds.
DJ Times: What kind of livestreaming have you done during this time?
Bug: I did a live-stream for a good cause for a promoter in Chile. I recorded it at Noisy Rooms [rehearsal space] in Berlin. It was actually fun playing records out loud. I had calls and one-on-one meetings with students every week, and I’m finding that I’m explaining things that I never had to explain before. When you produce alone, you don’t have to explain why you did something, so teaching has also helped me to understand how everything is connected. Even after 30 years, I still see myself as an advanced beginner!
– Danny Turner Seal tune [“My Vision”] from back in the day for Dave Lee’s Z Records. I’m also doing some solo projects. KON: I think it would be difficult to predict that we will be back next summer, but I cannot wait to get back to playing and even social gatherings and smiling and feeling good. – Curtis Zack
a friend helping me with the videotaping – he was there dancing with me, which made it even more fun. But I don’t think it’s something I am keen on doing on a regular basis. It is missing the crowd factor, though. Also, it was a bit inflationary at the beginning of the first lockdown. I personally prefer audio mixes, as I don’t need to look at a DJ to enjoy myself listening/ dancing to music. I mean, seriously, how many people watch a whole live-streaming from the beginning to the end? Most of all the clicks that you’re seeing have probably joined in for a few minutes and then turned it off again.
DJ Times: How do you see the DJ/electronic-music scene changing in 2021? How will DJs and events adapt?
Bug: To be honest, I’m not sure if clubs/festivals will be able to re-open next year after all what’s going on in the world right now. Politicians all over the world are somehow blaming the nightlife for the infection process, even though in most countries the nightlife hasn’t been happening since March. It seems like we are the ulcer one would like to get rid of. So many people from the nightlife and everything that comes with it are struggling. So little is done to help people get through these times. And thinking of the clubs, whose financial support has been cancelled… Only time will show how many will survive this period. We will have to wait to find out how big the damage on the entertainment industry really is in the end. I truly hope for the best.
DJ Times: What income-producing work did you lose during this time?
Bug: I lost all gigs going back to March so far, including a nice tour in
