With so many compilations dropping week after week it’s easy to dismiss a number of them but when the name Louie Vega graces one you have to take notice, for good reason. For “Mad Styles & Crazy Vision 2” spans the wonderful world of House music of the various styles of the last thirty years. Few people thought that House music would stand the test of time but not only has it shown staying power it has continued to evolve, thanks to the growing number of talented DJ’s and artists who stay committed to the music. There are tracks that take you back to the early days like Todd Terry’s “I’m Your DJ”,  representative of the raw underground deep dish sound that filled many clubs back in the late eighties. There’s the pulsating disco flavored sound of Peven Everett’s “Inspiration” that will surely get your heart racing. Black Coffee’s “We Are One” is filled with bombastic percussions and uplifting lyrics. If you’re feigning for some tribal house you can’t go wrong with Phil Asher’s “Textya”. Josh Milan’s “Your Body” is a delicious slice of soulful rhythmic vocal house with tasty horns and percussion. With Forty two songs plus a continuous mix of all songs you be hard pressed to pass this up. This is a must have if you’ve ever felt or wish to experience the spirit of house.

Reg Dancy

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Amsterdam’s Tom Trego picks up from where he started with his debut; the disco flavored “Voyage Direct”. With his latest release “Iris”, he has enlisted an array of likeminded artists to enhance his eclectic soulful dance infused arrangements. On “Being With You” Tom flips the Smokey Robinson classic into a futuristic synth flavored club jam. “What You Do” is an electro soul gem with a wicked groove and fellow DJ Tyree Cooper fills in as the official hype man mid-way through the track. Om’Mas lends his vocals to the eighties inspired euro dance tune “So Cold”. With other notable appearances like Oliver Day Soul and Meikbar, “Iris” will certainly quench your thirst for twisted synth flavored dance tracks.

Reg Dancy

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“Broken Soul Jamboree” is the creation of British producer Dave Tipper, who is no stranger to composing brilliant electronic music. With this release, he has arranged a batch of dreamy down-tempo gems that meshes elements of Indian, classical and electronica into a cinematic odyssey that is tailor made for late night lounge sessions. Some of the highlights are “Big Question Small Head”, a head nodder filled with infectious beats, a wicked bassline and clever use of the mandolin instrument. “Class 5 Roaming Vapor” is an ambient down-tempo gem due to the multi layered chord arrangements. “Royal Dragon Sire” is filled with dreamy cinematic soundscapes and is simply chill out music at its best. Tipper’s orchestral arrangements and live instrumentation make “Broken Soul Jamboree” essential listening. For those looking for electronic music that pushes the boundaries, you’ve come to the right place.

Reg Dancy

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I wondered what it would be like if I were a rapper and I was given free rein to select some beats from the vault of all-star hip-hop producer Pete Rock.  After all his production talents has been the backbone for numerous rappers for years.” Petestrumentals Ten year anniversary” celebrates the 2001 release and the great fact about these joints is that they haven’t aged at all. For instance, “A Little Soul” packed with deep grooves and thick beats is the kind of funk that never gets old. “For The People” still is hypnotic thanks in part to the wicked fender Rhodes arrangement layered nicely over more heart pounding beats. And while the focus is mainly on instrumentals, the disc is hardly devoid of vocals. Rapper Nature spits fire on “To My Advantage” as well as Freddie Foxx on “Mind Frame”. For old time sake we’re treated to a CL Smooth collaboration as he waxes poetic on how a true hustler handles his business on “Back On Da Block”. “Ten Anniversay” also arrives with additional bonus tracks and alternate takes to certify that a strong release is even better. For all hip-hop enthusiasts and beat aficionados this definitely belongs in your collection.  

Reg Dancy

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“Cheikh Tidiane” is the first of several releases from the Senegal based label “Terangabeat” which features the music of Idrissa Diop. Diop is the man largely responsible for the music known as Mbalax, which merges Senegalese with Latin rhythms and paved the way for artists like Youssou N’Dour and Omar Pene .  This release covers some of his strongest recordings from 1969-76 with the band Sahel. The latin flavor is evident on tracks like “Yaye Boye”, a warm laidback tune highlighted by Idrissa’s   tenor flavored vocals and Cheikh Tidianne Tall’s rhythmic guitar playing. “Caridad” is another winner filled with sparkling percussions and soaring keys.  Sahel’s harmonious horn section figures prominently on “Fonkale Garape” as well as Tidiane Tall’s guitar soloing. Their spirited playing elevates the compositions to another level. The sound quality on the recording is the only drawback as several tracks have an analog sound and you wonder how much better this would if it was digitally remastered. That said, “Diamonoye Tiopite” is a hidden treasure that brims with emotion, energy and is filled with heartfelt lyrics.  Kudos to Terangabeat for allowing this disc to see the light of day.

Reg Dancy

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What do you get when you put together a veteran producer and an underrated vocalist? You have “Cookie Dough”, the debut from Wildcookie aka producer Freddie Cruger and vocalist Anthony Mills. Together they have crafted an album filled with wicked bass grooves laced with warm mid to down-tempo soul rhythms. Cruger’s compositions range from chilled out jazz to mellow slow burning funk and hip-hop. Top that off with Mills varying vocal styling’s and you have an ambitious yet seductive recording that you’ll find hard to resist. Among the highlights are “Heroine”, previously released on “The Drugs EP” deals with the influence the drug had over some of our legendary artist’s in order to reach their musical heights. Cruger lays down a jazzy mid-tempo groove with a simple drum snare beat while Mills falsetto elevates to the upper register. “Touchy Touchy” has a bossa nova inspired groove with a subtle piano melody that features Mills making his move on a honey and breaking down protocol on what to do on ladies night. On the mellow funk flavored “Come Closer” Mills comes across as a mixture of Curtis Mayfield meets D’Angelo as he croons about the woman who has got him hooked and between the two of them are feigning for each other at a moment’s notice. Much like the title, “Cookie Dough” is kind of like that triple chocolate Devil’s food cake you have no business indulging in. You try to fight it but it’s no use. Just give in and enjoy it over and over. Although the disc at various moments has a dark mood to it, you won’t be able to resist the funky rhythms, the vocals and the production. Superb work by Wildcookie in delivering a disc that merely scratches the surface of their musical chemistry.

Reg Dancy

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Macon, France native Jennifer Zonou, aka Hawa has steadily built an impressive resume since starting her career in 2000. After working with local acts around France she eventually connected with Pascal Rioux of Favorite Recordings where she released her first single “D.A.N.C.E.”. A chance meeting with Bruno Howart of Patchworks would ultimately evolved into her debut lp. That is good news since “My Little Green Box” is earthy striped down soul that fits neatly within the Patchworks funk soul roster that includes The Dynamics and Mr. President. Among the highlights are “Never Give Up”, a mellow groover that brims with yearning intensity. “Lost Girl” is a good vibes up-tempo gem ignited by infectious rhythm guitar playing. “Spin Me Around” is another keeper about someone who lifts your spirits when you have those days when everything goes wrong. Hawa’s sun drenched vocals are surrounded beautifully by an irresistible groove, highlighted by the Hammond B3 organ and funky horns. Hawa scores with an impressive debut that certifies her as someone to keep an eye on. This is an enjoyable lp that will harken memories to old soul analog classics that you wish you held onto. This spirited recording will make you think they never left.

Reg Dancy

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Brooklyn based rapper T.R.A.C. demonstrates on “The Network” that he has lyrics in abundance and the beats to match, courtesy of Marc Mac. Like The Foreign Exchange did several years ago, TRAC and Marc Mac collaborated over the internet and “The Network” is an impressive result of two likeminded talents providing immediate satisfaction.  Over fifteen tracks, T.R.A.C. effortlessly waxes poetic on the daily grind and the economic hardships that surround his environment. On “Step Rite On In” Marc Mac samples the 70’s Blue Magic classic over thick beats while T.R.A.C. leads us on a journey into his life and the code he lives by. ”Radio Heroes” is another banger that features the vocals of Baron aka Drue Davis. “Over My Shoulder” has a laidback groove with a jazzy bassline. On this tune, T.R.A.C. laments about struggling to stay on the right path without being drawn into temptation. “Somn’ For Your Ears” provides more bounce to the ounce and finds T.R.A.C. professing to commitment to the hip hop game. With a release as strong as this one, that’s good news for hip hop enthusiasts.

Reg Dancy

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I don’t know exactly what inspired the title of rapper Raashan Ahmad’s new release but I would like to think that what we’ve lost is some old fashioned feel good hip-hop, which he provides here in abundance. Indeed, the Crown City Rockers front man delivers another refreshing dose of that laidback soulful hip-hop we never seem to get enough of.  There are many enjoyable tracks here to savor like “Imagination”, a mid-tempo rhodes flavored tune that evokes images of sunny afternoons in Cali, which is where Raashan calls home. “Sunshine” has all the ingredients of a summertime jam, the warmth of the grooves, tight rhymes’ and the soulful voice of Noelle Scaggs for bonus points. Another standout track is “I Am” which features the underrated Chi-town native Rita J. Raashan and Rita J’s effortlessly flowing styles make for good chemistry.  “These Foolish Things” is easily one of the best trackss here, and there are quite a few to pick from. Raashan and guest Count Bass D ride this soul jazz organ grinding groove while Silya Nyomen adds a little bit of spice with her soulful vocals. “Falling” also receives honorable mention thanks in part to supreme lyricist Gift Of Gab and singer Aloc Blacc. Despite the notable guest appearances Raashan impressively carries this disc on his own shoulders. Like his previous release “The Push”, Raashan delivers another strong record filled with lyrics that are fun and some that are thought provoking. This is a well spent investment from the underrated MC.

Reg Dancy

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If there is a little known Disco record out there languishing in somebody’s vault, chances are Al Kent will find it. With “Disco Love 2” he has delivered another batch of rare gems that have never seen the light of day. While some of the selections here will not cause a uproar over as to why they have been in exile, there are a few gems that certainly merit your attention. The standout tracks include “I Feel Like Dancing” by Aged In Harmony sounds like one of those frequent Prelude releases from back in the day with an anonymous vocal blessing a funky groove driven Disco treat. “Love Exchange” is the type of up-tempo disco jam that was played in roller rinks throughout the late seventies. “I Think I’ll Do Some Steppin On My Own” is one of the stronger selections featured here. Vocalist Sandy Barber belts out an up-tempo tune with strings that would have easily fit into the Philly International catalogue. “Loosen Up” is another highlight that begins with a blistering conga solo that shifts into a wicked bass groove peppered with funky horn riffs as well. For those who occasionally suffer from the Disco fever, “Disco Love 2” is the remedy for you.

Reg Dancy

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