Many of you are those interested in extensive reviews. As a matter of fact and as a part of our strong liaison with Spiritofhouse.com, amongst the very first members of IDMW.com Family, we feel happy and honoured to go further more while having this weekly contribution from the man who gave life to this Zurich-based website. Please, welcome Mr Michael Fossati.

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 (09/19-09/25/2004)

MUSTAFA AKBAR "Sign Of The Times" (POJI Records)

For the latest release on POJI Records, DJ Pope teams up with singer and songwriter Mustafa Akbar to produce a political conscious song. DJ Pope blends the vocal stylings of Mustafa Akbar with a hot combination of live drums, funky bass, percussion, trumpet, jazzy keys and a wonderful flute solo to create a beautiful piece of soulful house music with a real message. This production is both very inspirational and uplifting - a thing missing in lots of today's dance music.

LOUIE VEGA featuring URSULA RUCKER "Journey's Prelude" (Vega Records/Promo)

Originally, just a spoken word intro by Ursula Rucker on Louie Vega's Elements Of Life Long Player, Frankie Feliciano gives it a Ricanstruction reworking that is based on phat percussions and drums, topped with a wicked saxophone solo and surrounded by moody keys. This remix creates sort of a hypnotic feeling, with a great selection of mixes (vocal, beats, acapella, instrumental) to play around with it.

CLAUDE MONNET presents MONICA NOGUEIRA "Eu Vou Levar" (Ssoh Records)

Claude Monnet and Jerome Degey team up with vocalist Monica Nogueira for a feel-good, late summer latin house groover with warm melodic sounds and a sweet chorus. DJ Gregory provides the remixes that are coming on a deeper, a bit tech-edged vibe.

STEPHANIE COOKE "Holding On To Your Love" (King Street)

Lifted from Stephanie's album Everything, this song was originally produced by Moise 'Big Moses' Laporte and released back in 1996. It is back now with brand new mixes courtesy of Frankie Feliciano who turns out R&B styled reworking which is on a soulful edge, having a retro touch. Also included are the classic Mood II Swing Dub and Grant Nelson Vocal version.

JOVONN featuring CAROLE SYLVAN "Something 'Bout Dis Love" (West End Tracks)/JOHNICK meets FTL "A Breath Of Freash Air" (West End Tracks)

West End Records unleash a phat two tracker on their Tracks imprint. JoVonn turns out one of his unmistakable deep productions with shuffling beats, deep bassline, jazzy keys and the sultry vocal performance by Carole Sylvan. JohNick (Johnny 'D' DeMairo & Nicholas Palermo Jr.) team up with FTL (Jeremias Santiago) for a smooth late nite ride that is based on a bumpin' bassline and melodic chords, and a sublime flute solo giving the track that little extra.

JOHN LUCAS "Familyworks 002" (Deep Inside Music)

This is the second sampler from the forthcoming album by John Lucas. It kicks off with "House music", a track featuring the vocals by Miriam Duncombe over stompin' beats that are added wih spheric keys. Next up is "The Place" featuring the same vocalist, this time singing over a broken beat that is added with ambient-ish keys. The flip side kicks off with "Can You Tell Me" featuring Tylene Thompkins on vocals, a smoothly bumpin' track with funky bassline and jazzy keys. On the last track "I Wanna Get Away", you can hear Miriam Duncombe again showcasing her vocal talents over a stmoothly thumpin' groove that is added with a funky guitar and melodic keys.

INAYA DAY & JACKII GILFORD "Freedom" (Purple Music/Test Pressing)

"Freedom" is produced by two upcoming producers from Switzerland: Roberto de Carlo and Dario Dattis. They've choosen Inaya Day & Jackii Gilford for their production as vocalists. Roberto de Carlo kicks things off with his vocal version which is on a smooth and soulful tip featuring jazzy keys, having a funky edge to it. Dario Dattis follows with his vocal take that has a true old-school flava to it, by keeping it jazzy and funky at the same time. His dub is more powerful with straighter beats and features an extra saxophone solo. This is the mix to choose for peaktime play with its tougher attitude, bringing the funky groove to full effect.

SOLU MUSIC featuring KAI MARTIN "This Time" (Solu Music)

"This Time" is the second single taken from the forthcoming album project of Solu Music with vocalist Kai Martin. The original version by Caspe & Nathanson has that unmistakable Solu sound with Kai Martin's passionate voice soaring throughout the guitar groovin', organ topped anthem-alike produtction. Jask provides the remixes with the beats taken to a new direction and featuring an extra saxophone, letting Kai Martin's voice play hypnotically throughout the song on the vocal take. The dub strips the vocal and lets the bass and guitar do the work.

U.P.R "Steel Waiting"/"God Is In Da House" (Soul Steel/CD Promo)

Soul Steel is a brand new label out of the UK firing off a phat premier release by U.P.R. "God Is In Da House" is based on a stompin' groove topped with a male spoken message, towarded to the chunkier dancefloors with its peaktime sounds. "Steel Waiting" is a soulful uptempo number with an irresistible vibe created by the fierce beats and funky elements together with the sexy vocals, spreading an uplifting feel-good feeling.

ARNOLD JARVIS "Always Be Right There" (MediaServices NYC Records)

It has taken ages for this record to be released. It is all about the Rulerz Of The Deep Remix which has been rotating on my CD-player for over a year now. This mix takes you on a ride into the deeper grounds of house music with a deeply stormin' groove with a rumblin' bassline, hypnotic keys and Arnold Jarvis' magnificent vocal performance that is backed with a sweet background chorus.

BRANDY "Talk About Our Love" (RotGut)

DJ Spen is unleashing another one of his hot reworkings of a R&B smash. This time, he went for the current single from Brandy and creates a funkily bouncin' groove topped with warm melodic keys and jazzy piano.