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Vocals? You want vocals? Chicago's Cajual are creating a mighty fuss with the storming "Be Grateful" gospel doublepack from The Congregation. Featuring the production talents of Braxton Holmes and Dewey B., powerful vocals from Lavenia Carter, and choice musicianship, let's hope this group gather more often. The Classic vocal version is paired with an edgier Dewey B. remix, a jazzy Soulo version, and the remix instrumental so you've plenty with which to play. Not to be outdone, New York's Hip Bone cut loose with "Power" from The Glenn Turner Project. World Style and Filthy Rich reconstruct the original, with USG's Ron Trent and Anthony Nicholson laying down a masterful ten minute plus mix. Just in time to save us from hammering the original completely into the floor, the incredible "Better Day" from Charles Webster's Presence gets the Salt City Orchestra touch on Pagan United Kingdom and Pagan America. And in another case of meaningful lyrics, "Testify" is the latest single pulled from "The Purist", Byron Stingily's brilliant solo debut that is set to be the male vocal house album of 1998. Also out on New York's Nervous, there's a new batch of remixes of Joe T Vanelli's "Voices In Harmony" and Kim English continues to lay the groundwork for her forthcoming full length with "Pumpin' And Jumpin'". As they've done with Stingily, when the label does drop the English album (which has been pushed back a number of times), you'd best believe it will have one solid tracklisting of proven winners and future gems. How about some tracks? Fourone1 is a new house label founded by Detroit's K Hand and set to do some serious dancefloor damage. Most of the music will be from Hand herself and "Sweet Love" is the label debut that has "Love Hangover" (US Motown 1976) from Diana Ross being given the slice and dice. The A side version uses long loops from the source, while the two mixes on the flip bump along with just various bits and pieces. Highly recommended and one of the best disco cuts ups in some time. Germany's Ladomat does the funky filter with "Dizko Queen" from ARJ Snoek. There's some Bee Gees in the title track, plus a few others yet to reveal themselves, while bonus track "Love" trips up what sounds to be Eartha Kitt's take on "Love For Sale". Ian Pooley "Presents Bluelite-Enlite" on the After Midnight imprint from the Netherlands, putting his gear through the paces for some uptempo filter play. The Blue Boy's "Sandman" (US Playland/Priority) gets remixed for North American ears with questionable results. E-Smoove sucks all life out of the piece, Skyjuice are off in another dimension, and Fire Island's instrumental Rhodes mix is just too clubby in the percussion department. Farley & Heller's Fire Island Groove is the pick here, retaining the vocal and giving it just the right musical bed for the proper vibe. Fresh off chart success with their last release, Kingpin is up next with the dark beats of "Here I Come" from the C.J.D. Project. From Helsinki, Sound On Ground is the housier side of Function Recordings. Nimeton move through a variety of tracky moods. As 16B, Omid Nourizadeh keeps making waves as we're taken into the "Black Hole". The two mixes stay true to the title with plenty of dank funk percussion and what sounds like real drumming. Imagine that. Continuing in the real instruments department, Young, Gupta, and Manzo (i.e. Leo, Raj, and a friend) groove "Beyond The Stars" on Gupta's super Spectrum. This is becoming the label to watch in the UK these days as the live instrumentation sound, whether it actually be faux or fact, grabs the spotlight. If you like that, you probably drool whenever the Idjut Boys are mentioned. After Masters At Work gave Atmosfear's "Dancing In Outer Space" future funk classic the overhaul, the results were so spectacular and well received that England's Disorient decided to continue the project. The Idjut mixes of "Deep Base 9" are the first in a series of five remix EPs which see the likes of Americans Francois Kevorkian and Joe Claussell, plus Dimitri From Paris, sifting through the Atmosfear archives and breathing new life. Not that the original couldn't have stood on its own. In fact, "Alternative II" still sounds great, and Atmosfear's Andy Sojka gets in a mix himself. Let's hope this signals the start of a renewed recording schedule in these disco friendly times. Out now from the UK's consistently credible Paper Recordings is one of Detroit's original innovators, Eddie "Flashin'" Fowlkes, with the "Soul Train" twelve. Keep an ear open for singles from Dirty Jesus (hmmm...what would you call the follow up to the fantastic "Don't Fuck With My Shit"?) and the Problem Kids recording as Mark One and Departure Lounge. Calgary's Penetrate label hits with material from Cross Section head Chris Simmons along with Canadians Vince Ailey and Nick Holder on one package, then vinyl from Crispin Glover (doing it now with Crime's "This Brutal World" on his British Matrix), and some disco house from New Jersey's Brothers Vibe (the gentlemen behind the Sound Of Music label). On Imperial Dub Recordings, Dubtribe and Doc Martin get it together for the Doctor Dub EP. Carl Craig is busy at this year's Winter Music Conference in Miami. He DJs at the Urb party and for the Ovum soiree appears as Paperclip People. "For My Peepz" is forthcoming from this incarnation and Moodymann makes a return to Planet E with a 12" pencilled in for May. All these and more coming soon to a turntable near you. Now what about the albums? Freezone's Moving House baby now has a sibling. Seven tracks over four sides provide maximum sonic clarity. Lenny Fontana, Joe Louis, Faze Action, Mateo + Matos' Yesterday For Today, Charles Webster as DJ Profile, Afronaught, and Ashley Beedle's Crazy Gods. With names like these you can expect quality and SSR keeps their reputation intact with this one. Speaking of the Beedle, "Future Juju" (UK Nuphonic) is the new solo thing from the man also known as Black Jazz Chronicles. Gene Farris steps up to challenge fellow Windy City specialist Gemini in the album sweepstakes. "Planet House" is out on the German Force Inc. 1998 will see Paper continue to focus on long players and artist development. Expect LPs from Crazy Penis, New Phunk Theroy (currently doing damage with "Honey Falls" and drawing the blueprint for their Forensic imprint), and The Streetlive Originals, new to the fold, who precede their full length debut with a single. April sees a ten track label compilation with the first 3 000 copies including a 70 minute collage on compact disc from Salt City Orchestra (Elliot Eastwick and Miles Hollway) using bits from the entire catalog and some vocals from Derrick "call me Mr. Disco" Carter. Soon come from California's Silent, watch for a vinyl compendium celebrating the Dublin house music scene. Kevin Saunderson's full length E- Dancer album for Planet E, "Heavenly", should be out in late spring. What's in the mix this month? Everybody seems to have a bad case of fighting-to-come-up- with-the- name-for-the-next-big-thing-in-the-UK-itis. Deep Freeze's Andy Lewis is the doctor gonna make everything alright. One word describes "UK Garage Fever Vol 2" (UK Subversive) to a T--refreshing. Sure there's skippy garage and superior gospel housers from Gerideau ("Let The Sunshine", plus "Alright" with the Jump Up Krew), George E (Banana Republic's take on "Inna City"), and others on here, but there's also major boundary pushing and that's what keeps the music alive. The Dreem Teem remix of Underground Solution featuring Colour Girl's "Tears" (licensed from 4 Liberty) is a perfect example--there's no four on the floor kick and you don't miss it for a second. Test press action, underground classics, and recently released songs such as Charles Dockins featuring Lawrence D'Ior's "Contagious Love" (UK Fatt Boy) are on trial and win the case. In a funk? This is the cure for whatever ails you. If you're skilled in tracking down the limited edition goodies, "Classic TP Mix! Vol. #1" (US Intangible) has Parker cutting and scratching his way through some oldies and plenty of his own material. Seek and you shall be rewarded. Coming in the "It's A Nervous World" DJ mix series is DJ Kosmos with "New York After Hours: A Later Shade Of Deep" and the peak hour house of DJ Rio's "House Music Dusk To Dawn". Top 10 1. K Hand--"Sweet Love" 12" (US Fourone1)
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