Vacation time!!!

Right now I´m chilling in Valparaiso, Chile- a beautiful city- and will be spending the next week and a half here and in Buenos Aires, Argentina. If I get proper internet access I just might try updating the blog, but it will be pretty slow for sure... See you all when I get back home!

Jackie Mittoo: Disco Dub

Jamaican keyboard hero Jackie Mittoo moved to Canada in the mid 70's and stayed in Toronto for the rest of his career. One of his projects from that period is The Money Makers, a somewhat obscure collection of reggae instrumentals.
A funky little track called Disco Dub has been a huge personal fave ever since I first heard it on one of my Toronto visits.
Jackie Mittoo: Disco Dub

Mind Blowing Decisions

The long version of my favorite Heatwave classic. I love how they flip the rhythm halfway through. The Jimmy Sabater cover version is also super smooth.
Heatwave: Mind Blowing Decisions (12" Version)
Jimmy Sabater: Mind Blowing Decisions
I also have a reggae version somewhere (Big Youth?), but it isn't on the same level as these two.

Last Night A DJ Saved My Life w/ DJ Eli TONITE!!!!

Yours truly together with Lifesaver Records HKI and Ricu Flair proudly present DJ, remixer & blog dude extraordinaire, Eli Escobar, in Helsinki for the first time ever. The venue is Redrum and the date is Friday November 23th, one day before the long anticipated Devin The Dude show. The weekend is already called the "superweekend" around town. Better not miss it....

Btw, check out Eli's bangin club take on Chris Brown & T-Pain's smash hit Kiss Kiss. Hawwwwwttttt!!!

UPDATE: The night was sold out and like expected Eli murdered it...... THANKS TO EVERYBODY WHO SHOWED UP!!!!!!!

Shalamar: Night To Remember

Such a timeless song and such an absurd video. One of the YT comments asks "Was this song about a threesome?" LOL.

Visage: Fade To Gray

On the other hand, this is just as timeless and just as absurd.

The Day We Lost The Soul

Moodymann: The Day We Lost The Soul / Tribute! (1995)

Subway Theme

Almost everybody knows Chris Stein's Subway Theme. If not from Wildstyle, then from the background of Illmatic's The Genesis intro. Some five years ago local electronic trio And The Lefthanded covered the song and created what is for my money one of the finest Helsinki records ever.
And The Lefthanded: Subway Theme
Shout outs to T.A. and Vilunki for being some of the coolest dudes in town too.

Boogie requests

A few songs from the Disco To Get Drunk To mixtape series I've been repeatedly requested, all three are huge personal faves as well.
R.B. Hudmon: Searching For Your Love (Instrumental)(198?)
Sass: Much Too Much (1982)
Vance & Suzzanne: I Can't Get Along Without You (Moxie Edit) (1980)
(DTGDT #4 had the instrumental version credited to the Apple Sauce band, this re-edit from 2004 combines the best of both versions.)

Devin The Dude LIVE

Looks like the long awaited Devin show is finally happening in Helsinki this Saturday. A few words to my HKI peoples about the ticket situation: iiihan kohta myydään ei oota jotan hankkikaa liput ASAP ok? Tulee myymään loppuun, ei epäilystäkään.

This here is one of The Dude's coolest songs...



Btw, my Best Of Devin-mix from a few years back is still up in case you haven't checked it yet.

Shotgun Buck

Tameil's take on JR Walker & The Allstars' 1965 hit "Shotgun" is pure genious.
DJ Tameil: Shotgun Buck
Tameil MySpace & store

Freeway: Still Got Love

Cool song and a highly enjoyable video.

Messy Marv feat Mike Jones: Body Rock

New Bay ish, from the forthcoming Draped Up And Chipped Out Volume 2. The beat is ridiculous.
Messy Marv feat Mike Jones: Body Rock
BONUS:
Incredible joint from a few years back, low bitrate though. "Orange juice and a blunt for breakfast, while I read the paper.."
Guce & Messy Marv (Bully Wit Fullys): Orange Juice & A Blunt (128)

Another 100 posts full

So I have another 100 posts full, making it 200 in total. I was planning to post some disco 12"s, house 12"s, whatever, but then got this real nostalgic vibe and started rummaging through stacks of 90's rap 12"s. And this here is what I ended up with: 10 more or less forgotten Wu-affiliated gems from the early days that you absolutely need in you life, in addition to the actual classics of course.
I'm not saying these are the best of the countless off-shoots and remixes, just that most of these I used to play a lot AND still really enjoy today. Some of thems are hard to come by too...
Enjoy!

Chef Raekwon & Ghostface: Rainy Days Remix (1996)
Othorized F.A.M.: Keys & G's (1995)
Pop Da Brown Hornet: Can You Wu-Wu-Wu? (1995)
Pop Da Brown Hornet: Let's Go The Lap (1995)
Pop Da Brown Hornet: G.P. Connection (1996)
Shyheim feat Big L: Furious Anger (1999)
DSA (Dark Skinned Assassin): Lock Shit Down (1995)
DSA (Dark Skinned Assassin): Unholy (1996)
Ghostface feat Mary J Blige: All That I Got Is You (Mighty Mi Remix)(1997)
Ghostface feat Raekwon, RZA & Slick Rick: The Sun (2001)

BONUS: This is more recent, but so good I just had to include it here:
Method Man & Ghostface: No Friend (2003)

Oh and I just realized I should have definitely had the first LA The Darkman 12" up in here, but it's not here now and honestly I don't know where it is. When I find it I'll post it.

Daisy Lady

Of all UBB classics Daisy Lady has always been one of the biggest party starters for me. It's also real fun to do doubles of.
7th Wonder: Daisy Lady (Extended Intro Edit)(1979)

BONUS:
And here's the Sugarhill houseband take on it, the hard to find instrumental version of 8th Wonder. Also very effective, with just enough but not too many vocal snippets thrown in.
Sugarhill Gang: 8th Wonder (Instrumental)(1980)

Remix, Remake, Remodel

Now here's a cool little 80's jam, one I never ever heard anyone play out. Which is a shame as the lyrics couldn't be more on point in 2007, take a listen and you'll know what I mean. I don't know much about dude but I do know he played keyboards in UK outfit Shakatak and later worked with Gary Numan on a bunch of records.
Bill Sharpe: Remix, Remake, Remodel (1985)

Btw, just in case you're in need of any more DJ tips: you might want to try this after/before whatever Chromeo record you currently prefer...

Brian Bennett: Discovery

Here's a little throwback to the not so distant past when sound library records were the greatest thing since sliced bread and I was busy cleaning out studios left and right...
Brian Bennett: Discovery (1980)
This used to be our theme song when me and my then partner DJ Didier first started the Monday night mixshow on Radio Helsinki. I kinda overdosed on it back then, but after a few years of not touching it at all I can see myself playing it again. It's a cool piece of space funk after all.

Kells in Helsinki

Oh yeah, just got this cool little Kells club edit from my fellow HKI dj Marvin Jaxxon. Very subtle with just some additional Sing Sing and stuff, definitely something I can use. Kinda reminds me of the Sex In The Kitchen Remix that was doing the rounds a few months back. Check it:
Kickin It With Your Girlfriend (Jaxxon Bmore Remix)

Pillow Talk

Sylvia: Pillow Talk
KW Griff: Pillow Talk (256)

More killer KW Griff club tracks here, really good quality too... highly recommended!

Classic Time #24

Some prefer the flip side, some go for the big hits, but in Helsinki Thinking Of You has been THE Sister Sledge song to play for as long as I can remember. I've certainly done my share to keep that tradition alive too.

Sister Sledge: Thinking Of You

American Nights #5

My man Josh aka Fox 50 from Detroit just finished the fifth volume in his American Nights mix series. Quality stuff as always, take a listen!

Sade: By Your Side Neptunes Remix

This was everywhere a few years back, I can't believe I never saw the video until now. Such a great remix of such a great song.
If you love Sade like I do you'll find the 2001 live version entertaining as well. I wish I'll get the chance to see her onstage one day.

Certain Ratio: Shack Up

A weird video to a great song.

Classic Time #23

The instrumental side of Master Jay & Michael Dee's old school New York rap 12" was a big record in the early days of Chicago house and has been sampled later as well. No wonder, as the groove is really smooth and housey, if you can say that. Numero Group did a great job reissuing this and another TSOB label fave Sabata earlier this year, should be still available too.

Master Jay & Michael Dee: T.S.O.B. Instrumental (1980)

Disco To Get Drunk To #4

Ok the CD's are almost gone, so here it is for ya'll to DL. Fourth volume in my disco mix series, recorded back in February. The cover is by my good DJ/AD friend Pablo Steffa. Enjoy!

Thundder: Move Everything You Got
Cloud One: Patty Duke
Solomonic Rhythm Section: School Days
Apple Sauce: I Can't Get Along Without You
Sass: Much Too Much
Crown Heights Affair: Let Me Ride On The Wave Of Your Love
First Love: It's A Mystery To Me
Rome Jeffries: Good Love
The Pied Piper Of Funkingham: Clap Song
Backlash: Hang With The Gang
One Way: Let's Go Out Tonite
The Citizens Band: Boogie With The Channel
Daniel Wang: In The Street
Little Scotty: Going To A Disco To-Night
Juanita: Sonho Real
Ozone: Gigolette
Jan Leslie Holmes: I'm Your Superman
Cortez: Tonight

71 minutes, 80,9Mb
Download here
Alternative Zshare link

Btw, if you missed them you can still find the earlier three volumes here, here and here.

Ignorant Shit

I really love this, regardless of the sample. Or maybe it's because of it, I don't know...

Shone

This used to be me and my man DJ Fiskars' jam last summer. I even put it on the summer mix, but finding a good quality version was impossible so it was never played out much. Well here it finally is, sounding fresher than ever. Will be back in rotation for sure, there's never enough songs at 115bpm anyway... Artist Myspace

Ballgrum (aka Ballgreezy): Shone

Disco loops

I'm a sucker for ghetto house with straight disco loops. Tonite I'm gonna play some and I'm already hyped....
DJ Funk: We Gotta Love
DJ Deeon: 2-B-Free
My HKI people I see you at 6. Linja OK?

Damn man! You gotta love the innernets...

Johannesburg, Riyadh, Istanbul, Albuquergue, Anchorage, Adelaide.... those are just some of the far away places dotted in my new visitor map on the bottom of the page. And I only had that thing up for a day, without any major updates even. I can definitely respect that.

Here are a few very random (but very good) songs talking about the "world"...

The Team: Top Of The World (209 vbr)
Bangin album track from 2005's World Premiere.
Anita Baker: No One In The World (New Orleans Bounce Mix) (160)
I love me some bounce, but stuff is hard to get if you're not in NOLA... Anyone wanna help me out?
Daft Punk: Around The World
Possibly their finest moment, for me at least.

Btw, stay tuned as there will be a lot of things going on over the next few weeks... some mixes maybe, and something special to celebrate my 200th post. After that I just might have to keep a low profile for a while as I will be travelling in Argentina and Japan.

Now how cool is this cover?

Honestly, this is gotta be one of the freshest cover designs I've ever seen. The record ain't half bad either, actually it's a prime example of the Italian boogie sound of the era. For some reason the album remained pretty obscure even when Turn The Music On became an international hit in 1983.
This is my favorite track, though...

Orlando Johnson & Trance: Can't Break Loose (1983)

Paper Route store now up

Now go and support one of the hottest rap labels around, you know what I'm sayin? A lot of 320's in there as well, not all though.