Ambala / Amor Bailar (Dan Tyler Dub Reprise) / Music For Dreams

Dan Tyler’s dub of Ambala’s Amor Bailar is a highlight from a quintet of quality that can be found on Kenneth Bager’s 5th volume of Balearic Biscuits. Tyler extravagantly echoes the track’s congas and ringing guitar riff. Weaves in the backing singer’s ethereal sighs and the funky clavinet. His treatment some how amplifies the original’s sense of ecstatic exhilaration, holding back the drums until the 5 minute mark, and then letting them go for a big Balearic blast-off, complete with soaring synth solo.

Tony Cercola / Lumumba / Mr Bongo

Tony Cercola’s Lumumba is a teaser from Gabriele Poso Presents: Ritmo Italiano ‘Unspoken Sounds Of Italian Tamburo’ – a compilation that collects a selection of percussive Italian pieces from the 1960s through to the 1980s. Cercola’s cut dates from `87 and sets chants, hand drums and panpipes to a banging then state-of-the-art EBM beat. A bit like Elkin & Nelson meeting Screaming Tony Baxter. 

Deep88 / Italia 90

Alessandro Pasini has been releasing music under the moniker Deep88 since 2010. Adherent to, and often outspoken about, what makes deep house, deep house his latest offering Italia `90, as its title suggests pays particular homage to the “Paradise” variant of his homeland. Built around MPC beats, from sighs, chimes, acidic squiggles and a soaring, euphoric string line, its authentic blissed-out vibe is also an affectionate nod to classic US stuff like Frankie Knuckles’ Whistle Song. 

Mad Professor X Marvin Gaye / Avianca Dubs

I didn’t discover enough “leftfield” dubs this month to fill a separate list, so I’ll squeeze these amazing Mad Professor takes on Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On? in with the Balearic beats. Really I guess they could have been mixed with the Chocolate Milk & Brandy, since these soulful live dubs – not reggae reworks / mashups – are a surefire poolside / seaside / summer / sunset smash. The drums are the only constant, while echoes of the original’s vocals and strings are woven in and out, cut short, looped into infinity via deadly doses of delay. There are snatches of the familiar sax refrain, and “The Prof” also teases with bursts of the b-line and the backing banter and chants. 

N.B. I don’t think the mix in the vid is the same as the ones on the 12, but they’re damn fine anyway. 

Mamacita / Tu Amor / Mr Bongo

Balearic Mike flagged this beast up in his end-of-year lists, noting that it was something that The Idjut Boys had been playing. Now Luke Una, via Mr Bongo, has reissued the tune – which was released digitally over a decade ago – on a 12. A terrific Chilean twist of the Jamie Principle / Frankie Knuckles classic, this is perfect flooring filling stuff since it packs both familiarity and surprise. A more minimal, modern remake its stays pretty faithful to the original, but the bass is a bit squelchier and there’s way more cowbell. Somehow the song seems more seductive when sung in Spanish… but maybe that’s just me. 

Laurie Miller / True Love / Presagi Records

Having reissued Laurie Miller’s `80s Miami freestyle unclassic Love Is A Natural Magical Thing, Presagi Records continue their collaboration with the singer by pressing up the previously unreleased track, True Love. The original is a piece of piano-led acid jazz, positioned somewhere between the solo stuff of Matt Bianco’s Basia and Factory Records’ Kalima. The label have also commissioned a remix from modern dub maverick Tapes, who loses Laurie’s vocal and instead latches onto the rumbling rhythm. Sending keys and timbales tumbling and vaporising drum hits. Spinning the debris into the ether. 

Mike Riviera & Marco Ohboy / Azul / Shades Of Sound

Mike Riviera and Marco Ohboy’s EP on Joe Morris’ Shades Of Sound is another set of super authentic homages to Italy’s “Paradise House” – those early `90s productions that were effectively a deep, uniquely European take on New York garage. Azul is a Mediterranean mirage of congas, finger clicks, lion birds and warm swells, topped off with a lush, live flute solo from fellow countryman DJ Rocca. This also comes with a beatless mix. Dream Of You is far slower, like a B-side reprise from an old “Scream Up”, something such as, say, Johnny Parker’s Love It Forever. The rhythm still rattling, with a tribally breakdown. It’s melody, melodica-like. Joe’s Italia `90 remix increases the tempo a tad, moving the music more towards Alex Neri (when he was still “Lee”) territory. Adding honking faux horns, a couple of cool key solos (the last one wah-wah-ed) and sampling the Latin scatting from Sandee’s Notice Me*. Suave Folly then takes a Soul II Soul steal (the same break lifted for Primal Scream’s Loaded) and straps that to electrobogie bass and bucolic bleeps (the latter remind me of Danmass’ Happy Here). 

Orchestra Veneta

Having previously worked their dance floor magic on Julio Iglesias’ Begin The Beguine, Orchestra Veneta returns with a couple more clever edits. The first is based around a fragment of a forgotten Gipsy Kings track. Transforming the short sample by stretching it out ever increasing loops and fusing it to a chugging electronic groove. Adding shouts, laughter, accordion and a little acid. The results are a little reminiscent of Flamenco Massive’s back-in-the-day Boy’s Own favourite Mi Corazon Es Negro and The Grid’s dubs of Rey De Copas. The flip features some slightly cheesier Spanish pop. 

Quasi Dub Development / Let’s Communicate / Pingipung

Another single, a 45, that should really be in a dub list, Let’s Communicate first appeared on Quasi Dub Development’s 2014 LP, Little Twister. However, Elijah Minnelli has recently remixed the track. His signature guira scratching and wheezing, world weary squeezebox are a perfect match for guest vocalist Lee Perry’s trademark ad libbing. Perry’s stream of consciousness, ping-ponging between dreams and reality and Minnelli’s slow, cumbia street procession were made to go together. 

*Sandee and Laurie Miller were both in the group Expose.