With the original version about to devastate the 2-step market, M-Gee’s house mixes fully utilize the vocals of Yula backed up by a driving bass and chunky beats.
The Demtrios Project Feel Alive (Jon Cutler Rmxs)
Originally released last year, “Feel Alive” gets a timely makeover from NYC’s Jon Cutler, who takes the original vocal and works it to great effect over an ultra-deep bass and sweeping pads.
Copyright Feat. Lisa Millet Late at Night
UK production team Copyright teams up with the superb Lisa Millet for an action-packed track that can’t fail to move you with its distinctive guitar and first-rate vocal.
Joey Musaphia Feat. Michelle Weeks Heaven
Currently one of the hottest labels in the UK, Refunkt returns with the unmistakable gospel sound of Michelle Weeks fronting mixes by Joey Musaphia, Richard Earnshaw and Alliance DC. This imprint’s keeping up the momentum.
Various Artists Breakbeat Science Exercise.01 (Mixed by DJ Dara)
The overwhelming feeling of the first compilation from the Breakbeat Science imprint-which accompanies the store of the same name-is linearity. Whether the sensation of the individual tracks is melodic, pounding, ethereal or trancey, the overall effect is a smoothed-out, techno-influenced roll that would make this an excellent CD for a long drive back home from the rave. Dara mixes the entire thing seamlessly, and the track list features a lot of underrated American artists, including Kaos & Karl K, Datcyde, Abstract and Pieter K. Exercise.01 has got a lot in the way of drums, but could use a bit more bass.
Gold Chains Young Miss America
Gold Chains’s debut full-length is full of musings on the evils of fame and crass materialism, although to try to make out any sort of linear storyline from his lyrics would be a total waste of time. Chains bounces back and forth between rapping about sex and offering social commentary, throwing in plenty of metaphors along the way. He’ll talk about the state of the union, and then proposition you with a line like “I want to do cocaine off your ass in my theater.” The beats, co-written with Kit Clayton, are as unpredictable as the rhymes, veering wildly between punked-up glitch breakbeats, guitar-driven two-steppers and even a Bollywood-led jiggy hip-hop number. GC is at his underground best on the pounding, punky dance numbers like “Let’s Get It On” and “What Are We Looking For” but the rest of the songs are so lyric-heavy and attention-demanding that they’re best served up one at a time, rather than back-to-back-to-back.
Seel Fresh Nickelpump
On “Nickel Pimp,” Chicago’s Seel Fresh explains “the art of gettin’ over.” Even though Dug Infinite provides the slow, sparse, slamming beat, the b-side’s “Generation Lost” wins. The offbeat piano track by Mind has serious nod factor, Noble’s scratches are tight, and Seel’s frustrated flow fits perfectly. Fo’ shickel, my nickel.
Doujah Raze Spinmata
“Spinmata” is a tale of the woe and intrigue suffered by club DJs. Raze vents about requests from taxin’ Anglo-Saxons (“Can you play some hip-hop…like Britney Spears?”) over a slow, reggae-tinged horn track by The Beatminerz. The flip’s “The Breakoff” holds it down with guests Optical and Thad Reid, and blazing cuts from DJ Dial Tone.
Spaztik Emcee Run of the Mill Rmx
Over a beat that could be “Proceed, Part IV,” this Bay Area b-boy drops smoove lyrics like it’s ’88 and he came to set it straight. With Regina Monique’s soft singing on the hook, “Run” merges hip-hop and r&b without shorting either. The flip’s “We Three Kings” is a Philly affair, with a bangin’ beat by Grand Agent (Mountain Brother) Chops, who also rhymes.
Common Feat. Erykah Badu, Q-Tip and Pharrell Williams Come Close Rmx
A fly love song just got flyer. Common responds to charges that Badu is hip-hop’s Yoko Ono and owns up to his tight shirts and vegetarianism. Pharrell, offering girls rides on the handlebars, steals the show (again): “I’m goin’ back to my skater roots/but still got friends in them gator boots.” For added fun, imagine that Q-Tip’s verse goes out to Nicole Kidman.
