For those of you interested in extensive reviews, long time IDMW.com partner/friend, Zurich-based Spiritofhouse.com head Michael Fossati comes along with his weekly selection of ultimate goodies. Gruezi Mein Herr !

The pieces of music thereafter are taken from the weekly Fresh Grooves mix series as conceived by Michael Fossati.

All your promos to be sent to :

Michael Fossati P.O. Box 9403 – CH 8036 ZÜRICH (SCHWEIZ)

Contact : michael.fossati@spiritofhouse.com

Picks of the Week

THE SHADOW KINGS featuring DAVID WALKER "Soul Music" (Undo Records/promo)

Undo Records bless us with a truly soulful release courtesy of The Shadow Kings and featured vocalist David Walker. The original take is spreading an organic live feeling through the instrumentation that includes guitar and saxophone together with a deep and funky bassline, with the passionate lead and background vocals creating an incredible feeling. Richard Earnshaw's interpretation makes just subtle changes to it by adding a jazzy piano line and a smoothly stompin' groove, while the Native New Yorkers use a deeply stormin' groove together with melodic keys and a wicked guitar riff.

DJ ROMAIN & JON CUTLER featuring JEANNIE HOPPER "Deja vu" (King Street)

King Street continue to rework gems from their back catalogue. This time, the ten year old "Deja vu" by the trio of DJ Romain, Jon Cutler and Jeannie Hopper has been chossen as and gets a new life with mixes by Mr. V who delivers exquisite deep textures on his take, creating a lush deep house interpreation with sultry keys, soft congas and muted keys over a deeply thumpin' groove that acts as playground for the seductive spoken words.

STERLING ENSEMBLE featuring SARA DEVINE "Life Ain't What It Seems" (Vega Records)

Not long after the release of the smooth and jazzy "Believe" on Ricanstruction comes the next bomb from Albert 'Sterlin' Menendez & Rico Suarez, featuring vocalist Sara Devine. "Life Ain't What It Sesms" is a gorgeous deep number remixed by Louie Vega in grand Dance Ritual style, combing a fierce percussive groove with harmonic keys, soulful and sexy vocals and a wicked organ solo.

DJ JORJ featuring CARMEN HENDRICKS "Till I SEE THE SUN" - Fanatix Remix (Curious Records/test pressing)

One of last year’s summer anthems is back with stunning new mixes by Fanatix. "Till I See The Sun" by Australian producer DJ Jorj features sweet vocals by Carmen Hendricks that are placed over a smoothly bumpin', funded-up garage groove that is added with a jazzy piano line and melodic keys, creating a harmonic vibe. The dubstrumental on the flip stripps the vocal, letting the music do the talk.

SUGES featuring SYREETA NEAL "Always Be Your Lady" (Soulstar)

After last years massive "Slave To The Poison", producer Adam "Suges" Sugar returns with the lovely "Always Be Your Lady", featuring the sexy voice of Syreeta Neal. This is a laidback production featuring a passionate vocal performance together with melodic keys over a deeply stromin' groove, spreading a mellow late nite vibe. Remixes are courtesy of Harley & Muscle who give the song their unique deepness, Davidson Ospina and John Dalback.

MANNY VASQUEZ & CLIFTON KING "Family Prayer" (Deepa Grooves/test pressing)

For those of you remembering the "Robinson Wall Project Volume 1" on Black Rain Records from 1993, "Family Prayer" will be familar. This updated version is dedicted to John Robinson, a legendary DJ and producer. The main vocal is a laidback affair with a mellow bumpin' groove, topped with an emotional vocal by Clifton King and melodic keys that create a warm feeling. The instrumental features additional keys, while the Boyd Jarvis's alternate take uses straighter beats and a wicked organ solo together with vocal ad-libs.

SIR PIERS featuring MONIQUE BINGHAM "Fools Got Nothin'" - Reel People Remix (Curious/test pressing)

The Reel People remixes are in time for the summer, and they turn the funky feel good anthem into something completely different compared to the original version. These new mixes are based on a soulful broken beat and are enhanced with funky keys and funky guitar riffs, creating a warm and uplifting feeling.

SOUL CREATION featuring MISU "Sueno En Ti" (Deepa Grooves/test pressing)

Soul Creation are busy in the studio these days, putting out one great production after another. "Sueno En Ti" is a fantastic track that is based on an irresistible jazzed-up house groove featuring spoken words by Misu together with wicked keys and horns that add a touch of an orchestral flavor to it. The dub version is focussing on the jazz elements, intensifying the irresistible feeling of the track.

MARK GRANT featuring RUSSOUL "You R the 1" (Blackstone)

"You R the 1" is the third release for Blackstone Records, produced by Mark Grant and featuring the talented R&B artist Russoul on vocals. The 'Soul Pass' mixes are on a funky tip, featuring a bass heavy and funky yet very soulful musical backing with big horns and great saxophone together with the wonderful vocals. The 'Re-Funk'd Dub' takes the best elements from the song while stripping the vocals and adding percussion, creating a funky monster jam that will turn the dancefloor crazy.

COPYRIGHT presents ONE TRACK MIND "Essence Of Life" (Copyright)

The long awaited "Essence Of Life" is finally here, continuing the series of slamming releases for Copyright. It is set to keep the dancefloors moving all over the world, coming in three different flavors. The 'Main Mix' is based around a smoothly stormin' groove that is enriched with a jazzy saxophone and warm acidic keys, giving the track a spacey edge. The 'House Mix' uses old-school styled percussion and piano, adding a Chicago house touch to the song, that is further enhanced on the 'Tantric Mix' that changes the whole groove to sound like an early house production.

TIGER STRIPES featuring SIMONE MORENO "Vem Sambar" - Hipp-E Remix (Look-At-You - Slip'N'Slide/CD Promo)

This monster Latin track is back to destry once more the dancefloors, this time courtesy of mixes by Hipp-E. The uplifiting vibe of the original is kept alive on these new interpretations, with the strings and vocal shining all the way as they are layed over a fiercely driving, tribalistic groove. Currently only available as online download on Traxsourse, a vinyl release is scheduled later this year on Slip'N'Slide Records.

July 17, 2005

Bah Samba featuring Isabel Fructuoso "Calma" (BKO Records CD Promo)

"Calma" comes with delicate rhythms and pretty latin guitars as backdrop for Isabel Fructuoso's heartfelt voice in the original version. The 'Bah Samba Beach Mix' strips the instrumentation down to the guitars and laminar keys, creating a lovely chillout vibe, while Louie Vega takes the song to the dancefloor with a wonderfully instrumentated, percussion driven latinesque groove. Quentin  Harris' take is a nice contrast, adding his trademark beats and keys to it, replacing the latinesque sounds.

You can listen to the "Louie Vega Instrumental Remix" and "Quentin Harris Re-Production" on my mix  Fresh Grooves Volume 305
 

Juan Hoerni & Keith Jones "Afrique" (ChaCha Project Records 12")

"Afrique" by the team of Juan Hoerni and Keith Jones features lovely guitars, jazzy flute, sweet percussion and wicked drums that create a gorgeous late night gem in its original form, that is reworked by DJ Spinna into a shuffling groover coming with additional keys, spreading a subtle vibe. Jordan Strong & Pescado deliver a dubby rework that comes compete with jazzy keys and nice delays.

You can listen to the "DJ Spinna Remix" on my mix  Fresh Grooves Volume 305
 

Vivian Green "Gotta go, gotta leave" (DFA Remix)(FallOut Records 12")

Darryl James & Fred McFarlane aka DFA return on the FallOut label with a reworking of Vivian Green's "Gotta go, gotta leave" that is spreading a warm melodic feeling through its smoothly tumpin' groove that is topped with lovely guitars and jazzy keys, letting Vivian Green's sexy voice shine all over.

You can listen to the "Vocal" on my mix  Fresh Grooves Volume 305
 

Franck Roger & Olivier Portal featuring Chris Wonder "Me myself & I" (Seasons Limited Records 12")

Seasons Limited secured the rights for "Me myself & I", a classy deeep garage production courtesy of France' hardest working producer Franck Roger. "Me myself & I" features the soulful voice of Chris Wonder over a delicious smooth backing music featuring lush rhodes and courtesy of Olivier Portal, a deep bassline, shuffling beats and stellar guitar.

You can listen to the "Main Vox" on my mix  Fresh Grooves Volume 305
 

Exclusive Preview: Stacey Mallory featuring Empress "What is housemusic... (Stacey's House)" (JellyBean Soul Records CD Promo)

With the release on Jellybean Soul imminent, there are brand new mixes of this great tune to be discovered, created by Stacey Mallory himself. They feature soulful and sexy vocals by Empress over a broken-beat styled, smoothly thumpin' groove, topped with jazzy and laminar keys, spreading a laidback and melodic vibe. The instrumental features a lovely guitar that is enhancing the laidback vibe, while the dub is based on a driving 4/4 house groove and features irresistible keys.

You can listen to the "Dub" and "Guitar Instrumental" on my mix  Fresh Grooves Volume 305
 

The Sunburst Band "He is" / "Fly away" (Joey Negro / Audiowhores Remixes)(Z Records CD Promo)

This limited release features two essential tracks back to back. First up is "He is" that got the Joey Negro remix treatment, featuring wicked synths, atmospheric keys and a spoken word vocal over a fierce funktified groove. The flip features Audiowhores reworkings of "Fly away",  turning the track into a peaktime stomper while keeping the original vibe alive.

You can listen to "He is (Joey Negro Mix)" and "Fly away (Audiowhors Sax Dub)" on my mix  Fresh Grooves Volume 305
 

Off The Cuff "Shake" (SoulFuric Trax Records CD Promo)

"Shake" is an uplifting production, with the 'Solid Purpose Mix' being the choice for peaktime play with its powerful stompin' groove that is added with catchy keys, a funky bassline and wicked spoken vocals. For a more relaxed affair, check the 'Primo Mix' that comes with a smoothed down groove and added jazzy flute and saxophone, adding a lovely laidback touch to the track.

You can listen to the "Primo Mix" on my mix  Fresh Grooves Volume 305
 

Quentin Harris "Let's be young" (UnRestricted Access Records 12")

"Let's be young" by Quentin Harris is an anthemic and epic instrumental track based on an electroncic groove that get topped with various synth chords, guitar washes and horn stabs that ctreate an irresistible feeling on the dancefloor.

You can listen to it on my mix  Fresh Grooves Volume 305