Slip it out

Jahcoozi, “Ali McBills (Robert Johnson 6am X-Ray Italo Rework)” [Careless] (buy)
Ata and Sasse had the right idea in morphing the tune’s iron lung dub into a disoriented mover and shaker, still woozy from drinking that barium & vodka cocktail. Sasha Perera’s dusky pipes are so effortlessly flirty and used in perfect proportion, nonchalantly standing above the moving sidewalk of synth arpeggios and heedlessly warped motifs. Ewan Pearson had the right idea kicking off his Fabric comp with this tune.

Black Science Orchestra, “Save Us (The Jam)” [Junior Boy's Own]
I doubt I was the only person disappointed by the rather over-hyped “Free Your Mind,” Jay Haze and Villalobos’ most recent collaboration. For a tune that was supposed to embody carefree summer vibes, it lacked zest and spontaneity; and that guitar solo, while well chosen, adds little from so far back in the mix. By contrast, the Black Science Orchestra seem to have written muggy good times straight into the DNA of “Save Us,” and “The Jam” version reminds us where an arcing fuzzy guitar solo belongs: all over the place. Even the (mercifully short) sax solo can’t bog down this track, which will likely appear in as many house mixes as I can record. Leave it to the classics!

Daso, “Daybreak” (Jona remix) [My Best Friend]
A friend and I were talking the other day about how under-appreciated Daso was, which prompted me to browse through his releases and find this. Jona is a kind butcher to the track, more of a parent cutting bite size pieces of meaty synths with boxcutting percussion. A lean cut for a choosy dance floor.

Trainspotting your modern dance recital

Undo, “No Matter Where You Are We Are Together” (Donato Dozzy & Modern Heads Remix) [Factor City Records]

Alter Ego, “Satanic Circus” [Klang Electronik]

Marcel Dettmann, “A Req” (T++ Remix) [Marcel Dettmann Records]

My review of Jona’s likely hit single, The Evidence EP, took on many forms before finally reaching its current state. It also started a full point higher and included more glowing praise; realizing just how much like Booka Shade “Smart Cats Vs Dumb Dogs” sounds helped me put it into perspective. Still (and for that reason), I can imagine quite a few dance floors going mental for its strong Get Physicalized hook.

Also, Holger Czukay recently announced (ok, earlier this month) release dates for some choice rereleases: Movies, Clash, and Time & Tide will reach shelves June 15th.

Little White Earbuds April Charts

Top five tracks are no better or worse than the other 10 Hits, just chose to write about them. Same for the Misses.

Hits
01. Stardiver, “Another Moment of Silence” [Kompakt Extra]
What a leap up since Burger’s last Speicher appearance. This is what this moniker should do best: unfolding shimmering melodies over a smart, rambling arpeggios. A cosmic warm-up to a stellar DJ set.
02. Kalabrese, “Not the Same Shoes” (ft. Kate Wax) [Stattmusik]
Kalabrese is anything but a sure bet for me, but here he nails it. Kate Wax’s gritty pipes provide great contrast to the tune, which itself is a clever mix of sleek and gnarled. Bass flares, free-spirited synth vamps, konk drums and Kalabrese’s effortless vocals — it all fills a need I didn’t know I had.
03. Sebbo, “Beirut Boogie” [Liebe Detail]
Now that “Fizheuer Zieheuer” is on the table, horns are liberated from the semi-exclusive hands of house. There’s a bit of nastiness I love about the track; it’s chorus (if you want to call it that) is so fierce it makes the blip percussion seem puny. A little out of balance, still essential.
04. Cold, “Strobelight Network” (Eulberg & Ananda remix) [Exacta.udio]
This track is like a normal, everyday walk to work, but along the way you walk through two parades of hippie drone musicians who are especially happy about life. A brave DJ would hit a crowded floor with this to see what happens.
05. Lindstrøm & Solale, “Let’s Practise” [Feedelity]
This revises a demo Lindstrom posted on his Myspace earlier this year. Crisp space disco with psychedelic arpeggios and sultry vocals that, while appearing simple on the surface next to some of Prins Thomas’s recent productions, is a strong argument for Hans-Peter sticking with the genre for a while.

06. Jona, “Smart Cats vs Dumb Dogs” [Get Physical] (review forthcoming)
07. Kaliber “12.1″ [Kaliber]
08. Joel Pryde, “Slow Burn” [none]
09. The Rice Twins, “Can I Say” [Kompakt]
10. Thomas P. Heckmann, “Violent Stains” [Rasputin]
11. Matthew Dear, “Deserter” (Four Tet remix) [Ghostly Intl]
12. Mark August, “Warm” [Innervisions]
13. Substance & Vainqueur, “Reverberation” [Scion Versions]
14. Marc Antona, “X-Tension” [Freak 'n Chic]
15. Lusine, “Flat For You” (Matthew Dear remix) [Ghostly Intl]

Misses:

01. Luke Solomon, “Ghouls” (Claude VonStroke’s Beats From the Grave) [Rekids]
I can’t play this until my next Halloween rave and I’m not sure I like that. Glad to see VonStroke is still having fun, I guess.
02. All of the “Fancy Footwork” remixes [Turbo Recordings]
03. Booka Shade, “Tickle/Karma Car” [Get Physical Recordings]
04. Robert Babicz, “Sin (Remixes)” [Systematic]
05. Sid LeRock, ” Naked” [Cereal/Killer]

Knock knock

You’re not supposed to laugh yet!

Patrice Rushen, “Haven’t You Heard?” [Elektra] (My boyfriend Mark gets all the credit for this one)

Luomo, “Tessio” (Akufen remix) [Force Tracks]

Sierra Sam, “Perfume” (Jona remix) [Surprise Records]

Oliver Hacke, “6:33″ [Trapez]