Review: There's a fair chance you'll already have heard "Cola", experienced production duo Camelphat's collaboration with vocalist Elderbrook. The original version, with its rumbling bass, atmospheric builds, subtle bassline house influence and "she sips the Coca-Cola" refrain, has become something of an anthem since first appearing on digital download earlier in the year. For this first vinyl release, Defected has packaged the now-familiar original mix with a trio of reworks. The most impressive of these comes from German veteran Mousse T. He brilliantly re-casts the track as a bumpin' chunk of celebratory disco-house complete with thrilling piano riffs and an elastic bassline.
What Would You Do (Expansions NYC dub vocal) (7:10)
Review: Get ready for a rush-inducing dose of proper soulful vocal house from the mighty Dames Brown. On this record for Defected, Detroit's foremost trio of Athena Johnson, Lisa Cunningham and Teresa Marbury linked up with the mighty Amp Fiddler and Andres for a rip through house music as real as it gets. The original 12" mix of 'What Would You Do?' is hard to beat for raw, heavy-hitting groove and production, but there are some choice remixes included here for those who have different needs, whether it's the bouncy jazz funk of Two Soul Fusion's version or the smoother sound of Folamour creating a sleek disco house variation for the peak time crowd.
St Germain - "Alabama Blues" (Todd Edwards dub mix) (5:39)
Indo - "R U Sleeping" (Todd Edwards mix) (5:59)
Sound Of One - "As I Am" (Todd Edwards mix - version) (6:13)
Kim English - "Tomorrow" (Todd Edwards dub) (7:31)
Daft Punk - "Face To Face" (4:02)
Todd Edwards - "Shut The Door" (7:24)
Todd Edwards - "Push The Love" (7:46)
Todd Edwards - "The Dream" (6:49)
Review: Todd Edwards is affectionally known as Todd the God because of his skills. Those skills are two fold - he famous fomented this own style of garage with quick beats and cut up vocals used like an extra instrument in the mix. But he is also a badass DJ who can slam through house and garage with high energy and plenty of charger. As such, he is rightly celebrated here with an overdue entry into Defected's long running House Masters series. All his most famous joints make the cut, from the bumping remix of St Germain to the lively vocal soul of his dub of Kim English via originals like his jazzy, chord laced anthem 'Push The Love.'
Sam Divine - "Take My Hand" (feat Josh Barry) (5:57)
Oden & Fatzo X Camden Cox - "Lady Love" (4:55)
Review: Though mostly known for their colourful and soul-drenched house, Defected can also do more physical and tech-leaning sounds as exemplified on this new EP. It features a mix of new school tastemakers with Jansons opening up with the old school breaks and bars of 'Hypnotic' (feat Dope Earth Alien) then American star LP Giobbi layers up the freewheeling melodies and punchy drum loops on 'Giodisco.' Sam Divine gets for a deep and driving house sound on 'Take My Hand' (feat Josh Barry) and Oden & Fatzo X Camden Cox close things out with a more light and airy vocal sound on 'Lady Love.' Some useful variation here.
Review: Defected needs no introduction, simply a reiteration that its no secret its one of the most influential house labels around today. Jamie Jones made a huge splash at Ibiza's 2022 season with this track, receiving support across the board from underground tastemakers to daytime radio. Bolstered by the remixes of Brazilian icon Vintage Culture and the alchemist himself, longtime Ibiza master Damian Lazarus on this rolling feel-good house groove. It's easy to see the mass appeal of such a sunny track.
While Jamie explored disco influences with his signature high-energy groove on the original, Vintage Culture's clear-cut trademark sound gives a distinctly tougher feel, a chugging bassline and rolling synths giving it that dark club side. Lazarus, the soundshifter that he is, reshapes the track in his image. Culminating in a more abstract, chopped-up house entry, undeniably funky with some synths and keys that sound like they shouldn't work - but by God do they.
Review: Over the last three years, DJ/producer Mimmo "MoBlack" Falcone has turned MoBlack Records into arguably the World's leading label for African house music. Defected clearly thinks so, because the label has decided to put out this EP featuring tracks from remixes from Falcone and some of his regular collaborators. On side A Falcone joins forces with Armonica to deliver two sparkling, rubbery, positive and heavily electronic reworks of Fela Kuti classic 'International Thief Thief'. Both hit the spot, though it's the Dub, with its extended vocal breakdown and trippy effects, that floats our boat. Over on the flip we're treated to two versions of MoBlack, Emmanuel Jal and Henrick Schwarz hook-up 'Chagu': a bouncy Afro-tech take from Schwarz and a warmer, deep Afro-house interpretation by Falcone.
Review: Return to 2001: Swiss brothers Shakedown drop an iconic house anthem that debunked the standard XXL funk du jour with a much spacier, synth-based 80s boogie sound. Still relevant and heavily played, Defected have commissioned three on-point artists for the 2018 contemporisations: Peggy Gou gets her acid tweaks on, Tiger & Woods pitch down the vocal and dust off the Street Sounds electroid feel and Purple Disco Machine cooks up an unapologetic funked up house jam that wouldn't have gone amiss on Classic back in the day. For good measure Shakedown return with their own signature Galactic Boogie version that pumps with strong Moroder tendencies. Good night.
Groovejet (If This Ain't Love) (Purple Disco Machine & Lorenz Rhode remix) (7:09)
Groovejet (If This Ain't Love) (Breakbot & Irfane remix) (5:32)
Groovejet (6:19)
Groovejet (If This Ain't Love) (vocal mix) (7:30)
Groovejet (If This Ain't Love) (Riva Starr Disco Odyssey mix) (7:50)
Groovejet (If This Ain't Love) (Riva Starr Skylight mix) (6:31)
Groovejet (If This Ain't Love) (Harvey Sutherland remix) (7:24)
Groovejet (If This Ain't Love) (Harvey Sutherland instrumental) (7:23)
Review: Sophie Ellis Bextor got her self back in the headlines during lockdown having hosted a series of live streams from her own home. They reminded people of her happy go lucky and dance floor friendly sound, not least her epic naughties hit 'Groovejet' (If This Ain't Love).' Defected capitalise on this with a massive double pack of remixes from contemporaries like Purple Disco Machine and Riva Starr. The original sits pretty in the middle of them all and frankly still takes some beating but Harvey Sutherland does a fine job of updating it with some cool jazz-funk bass and chords.
Dennis Ferrer & Disciples - "Whisper" (feat James Yuill - John Summit remix) (5:40)
Ferreck Dawn Vs Izzy Bizu - "Life" (5:56)
Ferreck Dawn X Jem Cooke - "Back Tomorrow" (5:58)
Review: Defected gather together some big hitters for this VA release which will appeal to all those who like their house music pitched for the biggest rooms possible. John Summit takes us to the top with 'La Danza' and Dennis Ferrer & Disciples get some epic remix treatment courtesy of Summit once again. Ferreck Dawn and Izzy Bizu face off on the B side with 'Life', which brings some powerful pop hooks into the mix atop a catchy as hell house beat. That leaves it to Dawn to tackle Jem Cooke for a version of 'Back Tomorrow' that's just as anthemic, giving you everything you need to move a massive crowd.
Missing (feat Andreya Triana & Ben Westbeech) (4:43)
Time (0:50)
Wasting (feat Ben Westbeech & Roy Ayers) (4:40)
Believe (feat Ben Westbeech) (4:58)
Facade (0:54)
Paradise (feat Ben Westbeech) (5:10)
Nebulous (2:11)
Satisfy (feat Ben Westbeech, Honey Dijon & Andreya Triana) (5:29)
Heaven (feat Andreya Triana) (4:57)
Tenacious (0:48)
Home (feat Andreya Triana) (3:53)
Review: Ben Westbeech and Kon are The Vision, an accomplished musical duo who first came together having made a chance meeting at Southport Weekender. Between them they have covered all dance styles from classic to contemporary and so it's no surprise this album is a special one with fine craftsmanship and exemplary mixes of disco, soul, house and funk over 14 lush tracks. The list of collaborators is also high class with Roy Ayers, Honey Dijon, Andreya Triana, Dames Brown and Nikki-O all adding their own excellence. It all adds up to a record that gets form dance floor delights to funk laden gems, soul drenched jams to heartfelt odes.
Review: Last time out Andreya Triana and The Vision (AKA KON and Ben Westbeech) took us to "Heaven" and back. For their latest single they've asked us to gape in wonder at some suitably sizeable "Mountains". In its original "Extended Mix" form (side A) the track is soulful, slick and seductive, with Triana's superb vocals rising, mountain-like, above a musical panorama rich in dreamy chords, jazz-funk bass, gospel pianos and club-ready beats that sit somewhere between deep house and disco. Danny Krivit is the man at the controls for the flipside remix. He stretches out the track impressively, making a bit more of the spacey synths, guitars and bass while re-framing the track as a soaring slab of piano house brilliance.
The Vision - "Heaven" (feat Andreya Triana - Danny Krivit edit) (6:21)
The Dangerfeel Newbies - "What Am I Here For?" (original NDATL vocal - Danny Krivit edit) (8:45)
Review: Since the 1970s Danny Krivit has been a prolific re-editor. We're used to him cutting up classic cuts - think disco and soul, in particular - but he's never been afraid to turn his talents to contemporary cuts. That's what you get on this surprise Defected release. On the A-side he turns his attention to "Heaven", the killer gospel-inspired modern disco single from The Vision and Andreya Triana, turning in a version with plenty of drops, instrument solos and more emphasis on the righteous, life-affirming vocals. He's in a smoother mode on side B, extended and rearranging the rich and soulful dancefloor treat that is Kai Alce's Original NDATL vocal mix of The Dangerfeel Newbies' "What Am I Here For?" - a gem from 2016 that has previously been criminally overlooked.
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