Paraphrasing the Soul Sonic Force and sorting through today`s releases for tunes that could have graced Alfie & Leo`s Amnesia dance floor. 

Wolf Muller & Niklas Wandt – Welcome Zum Paradies – Growing Bin

A mid-tempo epic from the Instrumentalmusik von der Mitte der World long-player. Where serene forest ambience gives way to poetry. Words set to a tick-tocking rhythm. Punctuated by jungle cries and riding a Reggae b-line.

Turner Street Sound – With The Lot – Butter Sessions

Continuing the Reggae theme, antipodeans, Turner Street Sound make Digidub, that anyone into recent releases by Androo and Andy Rantzen should check.

 

Wavetest – Hanstraum (Love Mix) – Phantom Island

More Dub, but of the cowbell-tapping Disco variety. From a three-track E.P. on Switzerland`s Phantom Island. Hanstraum featuring some fine fretwork, and coming across like FK mixing a piece of classic Japanese Jazz / Fusion.

Cosmic Handshakes – Walkabout – Going Good

From an LP out of Detroit, Michigan, that owes more to Eno & Byrne`s My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts than Model 500, Mayday, or C2. Although its Side 2 has moments that pay homage to the might of Moodymann and Theo.

Shams Dinn – Hedi Bled Noum – Smiling C

Arabic Rap and clipped French Pop Funk care of Santa Cruz`s Smiling C.

Junior Mendes – Pedras De Cristal – Athens Of The North

I was in need of a vocal to keep the party going. So I fudged the rules a little and fell back on this hit of Lincoln Olivetti-produced, Brazilian Boogie. Brass and slapped bass. Released on Athens Of The North in December,  and included in my end-of-year lists.

Unknown – Latin Edit – Mutable

Also from sometime late last year. I know nothing about this. A three track 12, where the uptempo A-side is a groove constructed from carved up, Flamenco-like juxtapositions. One of the two more mid-tempo`d edits is a Punk Jazz loop of Bristol origin. This is the other. With wobbly beats that wouldn`t be out of place on a Wolf Muller record, it launches into an upbeat, bouncing, then jumping, latin, lyrical carnival-like, call-and-response celebration.

Dayme Arocena – Yambu (Joe Claussell Mix) – Brownswood

Following Esa`s recent `80s / Second Summer Of Love-tinged remix of Como, Brownswood enlist Joe Claussell for a Sacred Rhythm re-work of Dayme Arocena`s Yambu. Turning in a trademark, Trance-inducing dance floor Rhumba. A combination of rich percussion and deep Tech, that builds to a horn-led climax, and recalls Claussell`s seminal take on Ananda Project`s Let Love Fly.

Unknown – Rentboy – Decent International

Into the dark, momentarily, (life is both Yin and Yang) with snare-smashing EBM. Edits-not-edits of two Music Box-worthy oddities, that the press release describes as Christiane F meets Tron. Plantain builds an Industrial tattoo, crashing and overlapping machine sequences. Sending in twisted (dis)harmonics of mind-bending, top-of-the-head scything sinewaves, then dropping a big old-fashioned House bass-line and claps of King Tubby thunder. Rentboy mixes snatches of Ennio Morricone`s Spaghetti Western whistle with Ron Hardy`s drums. Partners these with obsidian arpeggios. The reverb on it, making me wonder if it was recorded live at a warehouse rave.

Casbah 73 – Love Saves The Day (Rahaan Remix) – Love Monk

Madrid-based, ex-Glaswegian, Oli Stewart, pays tribute to Larry Levan with an ode to the Paradise Garage. Recruiting stellar singer and players for a play on Loose Joints` Is It All Over My Face? And honours The Loft by lifting Mancuso`s “Love Saves The Day” tag-line. A remix by Rahaan further “loosens” the jam. The percussive bonus beats throw in a whole lot of Konk.

AD Brouke & ROTLA – Raw (Ron Trent Remix) – Far Out

21st Century Fusion – with absolutely crazy keys – from Rome. The album cut sounds like a “Techno-Azimuth”. All thunder thumbs and squelching synths. While Chicago legend, Ron Trent sends the track into an arms-in-the-arm party stratosphere. Where ray guns refracted off mirror balls form constellations in Disco`s night sky.

Track-List

Wolf Muller & Niklas Wandt – Welcome Zum Paradies – Growing Bin

Cosmic Handshakes – Walkabout – Going Good

Turner Street Sound – With The Lot – Butter Sessions

Shams Dinn – Hedi Bled Noum – Smiling C

Wavetest – Hanstraum (Love Mix) – Phantom Island

Junior Mendes – Pedras De Cristal – Athens Of The North

Unknown – Latin Edit – Mutable

Dayme Arocena – Yambu (Joe Claussell Mix) – Brownswood

Unknown – Rentboy – Decent International

Casbah 73 – Love Saves The Day (Rahaan Mix) – Love Monk

Ad Brouke & ROTLA – Raw (Ron Trent Remix) – Far Out