Feel my Bicep

Some more Cosmic funk. Another nice n nasty release on New York’s finest Salsoul Records, spreading disco throughout our lives. I like the synth breakdown/ solo type thing in it- for me this sums up a lot of 80s music but is rarely heard in ze disco- unlike 80s glam rock which required at least one 3 minute solo where the reset of the band can get get smack up in the interval.

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Continue reading ‘The Strangers – Stimulation’

Ibadan Records has been and continues to be a groundbreaking tastemaker deeply rooted in the influences of colorful New York life as is represented in the range of our repertoire.

”There isn’t really an Ibadan sound. Ibadan has a principle to make high quality music which covers all areas of electronic music, acoustic dance music, ultimately jazz funk, jazz and maybe even hip hop and R&B”. 

Now over a decade doing business, label founder Jerome Sydenham’s artistic ambitions for Ibadan Records couldn’t be clearer. From the earliest years of acoustic, afro-tinged house to the Pan-African Electro of the 10″ series to the more recent explorations into Techno and TechHouse, the sound of Ibadan has always pioneered new directions in dance. 

Here are some of my favourite tracks from Ibadan Records, support the artists and pick the track up on beatport/juno.

Jerome Sydenham and Dennis Ferrer – The WJ

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Jerome Sydenham and Kerri Chandler – 36 degrees (tokyo dub)

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Jerome Sydenham and Dennis Ferrer – Sandcastle (Pete Heller re-edit)

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Chez Damier has devoted his life to electronic music as a vocalist, DJ, producer, label manager and graphic artist. Splitting his time between Detroit, Chicago and occasionally New York, Chez set up the Music Institute with Derrick May and Alton Miller looked after the business affairs and studio output of Kevin Saunderson’s KMS label, and helped countless producers get a start in production. On top of that, he has a kick ass discography of his ow

Proper old school Chicago house here with addition work on the New York Dub  from Derrick May and MK, you can definitely see the Strings of Life vibe coming throuh.

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Continue reading ‘Chez Damier – Can you feel it (New York Dub)’

This was a huge track with the clubbing community in New York back in 85, although it remained fairly off the radar throughout europe! Great acid bassline with contrasting balearic keys and strings make this a cheesy elevator classic…..! Enjoy. 

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Continue reading ‘Northend – Tee’s Happy’

Named after the world renowned New york Disco haunt, Studio 54, this smooth little beauty of a track encompasses almost everything that era had to offer, sleazy yacht rock, deep funk….white linen suits & pastel coloured turtle necks…..it’s all hear….

Sea Level was formed by Allman Brothers band members Lamar Williams, Jaimoe, and Chuck Leavell in 1976. After the release of the first album, Cats on the Coast, the band added musicians Davis Causey, George Weaver and Randall Bramblett. In 1979 they released this 12″ on Capricorn, “Sneakers (Fifty-Four)”

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Continue reading ‘Sea Level – Sneakers (Fifty Four)’

Let your shoulders do the talking with this  one sleazy jam…… which was huge back in the day of ‘The Arena’, one of New York’s disco clubs back in the late 70’s.

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Continue reading ‘Gino Soccio – Try it out’

Had a nice read of the DJ Harvey- Disco Punk feature on RA today, and it made me grin a little…I think every radio mix be it on Beats in Space or EVR with Harvey makes me do the “laugh-out loud-on-the-train thing”  when listening to it on the old iPhone, mainly when he brings his joyful charisma to an interview. I like the Harvey and Kane duo, it makes for a good radio partnership, thanks to Dennis “Citizen” Kane for hooking us up with this mix a while back.

Bringing a smile to everyone’s face here is 2 hours of Harvey and Kane ripping it up!

DJ Harvey & Citizen Kane on East Village Radio

Continue reading ‘DJ Harvey & Citizen Kane on East Village Radio’

Huge edit from the Black Disco guys- getting a bit of airtime recently on the likes of BIS

“slicing the fattest piano groove with bit of fuzz-bass madness”, Soulful and allround great. I love this. original is a cracker too. Pick up the full EP at phonica.

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Continue reading ‘Bionic Boogie – Chains (Nitedog Anonstop Edit)’

Not many bands can cram pulsing synths, wild saxophone solos and punk rock into four minutes this well. Bearing this in mind, it is criminal to think that this single only reached 39 in the UK charts in 1982 and didn’t even get released in the US! Often overshadowed by the bigger hits, Blondie boast a pretty substantial back catalogue that no fan of good music has an excuse for not exploring.

Blondie – War Child (1982, The Hunter)

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William Anthony Colon is a Puerto Rican salsa music icon. First and foremost a trombonist, also sings, writes, produces and acts. He is also involved in municipal politics in New York City.

Colon was born in the Bronx, New York in April 28 1950, to Puerto Rican parents. He picked up the trumpet from a young age, and later switched to trombone, inspired by the all-trombone sound of Mon Rivera and -at least during a specific period in the 1960s- that of Eddie Palmieri. He was bullied in his neighborhood because of this, and had to defend himself quite often from gang members.

Miami vice collides with New York Disco! There ain’t a genre that describes this tune whilst having a deep house vibe the congas, the piano and the soulful  lyrics keep it disco!

Willie Colon- Set Fire To Me (Inferno Dub Version)