Usmev feat. Bleu Renee - Twilight Room (Bogota Records)

Barcelona’s Usmev combines with Bleu Renee on the Twilight Room EP, the single for the approaching summer from Bogota Records. A conservatory-trained pianist and guitarist, Usmev first appeared on Bogota’s debut release, Themes. A deep, mid-tempo excursion, “Twilight Room" shows supreme confidence in the power of a strong bass groove and the soulful R&B vocals of Bleu with resonating pads filling the left over space. Renowned Dallas DJ and producer JT Donaldson adds energy to the track with a funkier, percussive remix. Chuck Love, an equally renowned name in the house music world, gives the song some sleazy Minneapolis soul, teasing out the vocals in an evocative manner. Rounding off the release with a techy reconstruction, the Copenhagen-based Slammer chisels down the original while speeding up the tempo to match the shuffle of frenetic drums. The Bogota crew have produced an EP sure to seduce dimly lit dance floors.

Mark Farina - “Lovely.”
Julius Papp (NeoDisco Music) - “Good one! Each mix with its own unique take but partial to the vibe of the original version.”
Tensnake - “Great deep stuff.”
Robert Owens - “The Chuck Love remix is cool.”
DJ Heather - “Deep and lovely.”
Graeme Park - “The original mix is great. Deep, moody and highly appealing.”
Jask (Thaisoul / Soulfuric) - “Very smooth.”
Chris Fortier - “This is how deep house is done.”
Abicah Soul - “I will play the original mix a lot.”
Nick Holder - “Nice and deep.”
Random Soul - “Nice remixes from JT Donaldson and Chuck Love!”
Al Bradley (3am Recordings) - “All four here are really strong … the original is a glorious deep workout, while JT Donaldson and Chuck Love turn in wicked chunky re-rubs. But it’s the Slammer version which got me overall … wicked percussion and a superb flow.”
Jaymz Nylon (Nylon Trax) - “Beautiful and powerful.”
Dave Mayer (Strictly Rhythm / Hardsoul) - “JT Donaldson remix for me!”
Alvaro Hylander (DeepWit Recordings) - “Fantastic release from what is becoming one of my favorite labels. I’m really liking it all. I’m a big follower of JT Donaldson’s sound and he delivers a refreshing interpretation of the already great original mix. The entire release is pretty much finger-licking-good.”
Vincent Kwok (Eight-Fifteen / Transport Recordings) - “I’m really feeling the Slammer remix.”
Jevne (OneThirty Recordings) - “Wow, this release is DOPE! All mixes are killer but the stand out is the Slammer remix.”
Joey Silvero (Distant People) - “It’s got a summer feel with a bump to the bass … working for me all the way.”
Tee Cardaci (Low Down Grooves / Sine Qua Non) - “Always love to see a remix from my man from Fair Park. JT Donaldson delivers the goods on this one … a nice deep groove with great interplay between the bass and the synths, leaving just enough of the vocals in place to bring the sexy!”
Deron Delgado (Stompy / Paradise) - “Solid EP for all four tracks! Good to hear some fresh JT Donaldson tracks.”
Shane Johnson (Fish Go Deep) - “Good range of remixes here with JT Donaldson’s standing out for me. Great bass!”
Lorenzo al Dino (7th District / Jockey Club) - “Great track and mixes … perfect for my beach club sessions.”
Michael Fossati (Spirit of House) - “A truly entrancing slice of sexy late night deepness.”

Available now from Beatport and Juno Download.

Chuck Love - Illusion / Slip N Slide Horns (Vino Recordings)

Minneapolis house music label Vino Recordings welcomes Chuck Love back to the fold with a spicy two track release highlighting his distinct, soulful sound laced with outstanding musicianship. Chuck Love needs little introduction, first appearing on Vino with the Take Me EP in 2004 and following this with appearances on the likes of Om Records, Salted Music, and his own Love Network. With “Illusion” Chuck offers a tale of love gone awry over a smooth disco-flavored production featuring a killer analog synth bass and string stabs that drip with emotion. “Slip N Slide Horns” is also Chuck Love at his best, complete with an in-your-face flute solo and late night, dubbed-out trumpet licks. Chuck’s vocals are top notch on both tracks, but instrumentals are also available in this single for the deeper dance floors. Prime stuff here from Vino Recordings and Chuck Love … dig in!

Husky (Random Soul) - “It’s nice to hear Chuck on his soulful tip. These are great chill-axing tunes, perfect for any lounge-house session.”
Eric Kupper - “‘Illusion’ is lovely.”
Shane Johnson (Fish Go Deep) - “‘Slip N Slide Horns’ is very tasty … a catchy little vocal groove that paves the way for a lovely, melodic arrangement.”
Jay West - “Nice and soulful … I’m diggin’.”
Mousse T. - “I love this.”
Nick Holder - “Fresh release … ‘Slip N Slide Horns’ is nuts!”
Graeme Park - “‘Illusion’ is very appealing.”
Robert Owens - “These are all great tracks.”
Richard Earnshaw (Spiritchaser) - “‘Slip N Slide Horns’ is a cool jam!”
CJ Mackintosh - “’Illusion is nice!”
Groove Junkies - “A very solid offering from the Minneapolis kid!”
Joey Silvero (Distant People) - “‘Illusion’ brings that bass and I love that hook!”
Rick Preston - “Beautiful!”
Sista Stroke (5Magazine) - “So organic, original, and f**king welcome to my ears! Chuck’s the mainstay .. period.”
Mauricio Aviles (Movido, Loveslap!) - “Nice. I’ve had ‘Slip N Slide Horns’ bouncing in my head from the first listen. Really catchy!”
Michael Fossati (Spirit Of House) - “It’s next to impossible to choose between these two gorgeous productions.”
Malik Fulsoul (Image Radio, UK) - “Big groove, tight drums, and nice horn section … supporting!”
DJ Nova (Rodon FM 95, Greece) - “The coolest soulful house release of the year so far. Magic tunes with disco influences, smooth and elegant percussion, and acid jazz vibes.”

Available now from Traxsource and Juno Download.

Monte Hilleman - Father's Day Pride (Vino Recordings)

Minneapolis-based Vino Recordings present another superb, smooth, and funky house music single, this time courtesy of label don Monte Hilleman. “Father’s Day Pride” was written on Father’s Day 2011 and carries the sounds and emotions emanating from a proud papa. Monte recruited the incredibly talented keyboard skills of Mr. Brian Nielsen and the sax chops of longtime Minneapolis jazz wizard Walter Chancellor, Jr. to embellish his inspiration. The original Club Mix features a lovely dose of piano, synth leads, and saxophone over a soulful house rhythm and deep, bumping bass. The Dub Mix takes things in a spacier direction with added percussion, and filtered lead line, and elements of the original’s instrumentation dubbed out for maximum electric bliss. Prime after hours fare.

A quintet of remixers, all hailing from Minneapolis, also get behind “Father’s Day Pride” with a varied and high quality set of reinterpretations. First up is the incomparable Chuck Love who delivers a mix that, as he says, “sits where the drinks get expensive.” Chuck sets snatches of the original’s instrumentation over a potent groove and a warm low end. Some jazzier breakdowns spice things up, but the track never strays from its soulful foundation. This is followed by the duo of Havens + Hart (Stranjjur, Sleazy Deep) who provide a stripped down version with a looser tempo and a bit of a nu-disco feel. An added vocal line enhances the deep, melancholy vibe that should mesh perfectly with late night affairs. Next up is Jason Heinrichs (Aphrodisio, Revival) who takes the track’s gentle instrumentation and counters it with a tough Chicago-influenced beats and a bouncing bass line. The result is a solid prime-time stomper. The fourth remix of the pack comes from Overnight Sensations, the new project from Minneapolis DJ Alex Jarvis. A throbbing, drum-heavy mix with building, deep flourishes, the Overnight Sensations mix will sound big and bold coming out of night club speakers. Last up is Jason Heinrichs again, this time in collaboration with producer Leon Lilke as Snagglepuss to offer a change of pace to “Father’s Day Pride.” This mix takes on a progressive, electro-influenced vibe with Italo elements and dramatic breakdowns while deftly maintaining some of the instrumentation and melodies from the original. WIth all of this, “Father Day’s Pride” reveals a hefty package, with styles and sounds that should find a fan in dance music DJs of all stripes.

CJ Mackintosh - “Monte’s Club Mix is working!”
Jask - “Monte’s Dub and Havens+Hart mixes are my faves of the bunch. Nice work!”
Abicah Soul - “Proper funky house tune for the floor. Chuck Love’s remix is tops.”
Marques Wyatt - “Tight!”
Vincent Kwok - “I’m really feeling the Havens + Hart mix. Funky bass line!”
Bryan Jones (Control Recordings) - “Chuck Love kills it.”
Doc Link - “Monte’s Club Mix is on fire!”
Joey Silvero (Distant People) - “I love the live feel to this. The sax is fantastic, the bass just keeps pushing. Serious!”
Swift (DJN Project) - “Monte’s a f**ken beast. That’s a dope track, dude.”
Jamie Topham (CDPool) - “Quality instrumental release with something for everyone in the house arena. On a personal level it’s Chuck Love’s version that does me proud.”
Groove Assassin - “Great stuff from Monte! Loving his club mix … dope package!”
Alex Dimitri South Soul - “Lovely stuff. Support!”
Christos Kedras (Kapa Music) - “Nice package with lots of variety. I’m feeling the Overnight Sensations mix the most, liking the groove.”
DJ Craig C (Pound Boys) - “A couple of wicked mixes here via Havens and Hart and Snagglepuss!”
Spiritual Blessings (Gotta Keep Faith Records) - “Very nice. The piano and Moog are madly fine in Monte’s Club mix. Other highlights are Heinrich’s Blissed Out Dub, very deep bass indeed, and the Overnight Sensations Deep Groove Mix.”
Michael Fossati (Spirit Of House) - “A phenomenal slice of jazz-house guaranteed to make you yearn for more … this is sheer musical bliss.”
Stefan Popovic (DiscoTone Radio Show) - “This is amazing! Jazz in the house baby - just what we need.”

Additional support from Mousse T., Robert Owens, Nick Holder, DJ EMan, Groove Junkies, Booker T. (Kings Of Soul), Daz-I-Kue, DJ Pope, Fabio Tosti, and Edground.

Available now from Juno Download and Beatport.

Chuck Love feat. Demonica Flye - The Voice (Vino Recordings) →

Minneapolis house music yogis Vino Recordings are pleased to announce the relaunch of the seminal indie house label founded in 2003. ‘Nordeast’ Minneapolis soul brother Chuck Love’s long lost feel good single “The Voice” leads the charge in a string of 2012 Vino Recordings releases. The track showcases Minneapolis house diva Demonica Flye and her plea for Chuck to save the state of house music by bringing the soul back.

The call and response vocal demands inspiration on the dance floor. The remixes from Jevne (Onethirty Recordings), Bryan Gerrard (Celebrity Records) and Vino label boss Monte Hilleman take the track in four different directions, from Jevne’s deep tech, to Gerrard’s dubbed out mix, to Hilleman’s gritty and uplifting main room-roller.

Known for his signature “Live DJ/Video” set, Chuck Love pulls triple duty as the DJ, a vocalist and a multi-instrumentalist. The result: a ridiculous mix with some slamming, ‘on-the-fly-produced’ tracks showcased within the set. In 2010, Chuck launched his Love Network label and teamed up with Colette for the first release: “UR Everything” (with remixes by Santiago & Bushido). You can also find Chuck’s releases on the likes of OM Records, Great Lakes Audio, Shifted Music, Salted, and Tango.

Vino label boss Monte Hilleman scouted Demonica Flye at a local jazz club in 2003. A life-long soul, R&B and jazz singer with Romanian, Irish, Native American, and African-Amercian roots, Flye is the lyricist of many compositions as well as a singer and disc jockey. Demonica recorded an album in 1991 called Deception and is also former lead vocalist of Backbeat Jam Factory and sub-vocalist with The R Factor. Of interest to house heads, she recorded several compositions with Farley Jack Master Funk and continues the proud house tradition with “The Voice.”

Ashley Beedle - “The original mix does the trick … One for those weekends. Big support!”
Marques Wyatt (Vanguard / Deep L.A.) - “I’m diggin’ this groove.”
Robert Owens - “The original mix of ‘The Voice' is a great track. Love it!”
Joey Silvero (Distant People / Seamless) - “Yeah! I like this sound … Loads of energy.”
Gordon Murray (Billboard Magazine) - “Smooth soulful House.”
Cherokee (Cherry Global Radio Show / KISS FM Australia) - “Supreme! All mixes work & I’m really diggin’ ‘Bryan Gerrard’s Remix’.”
Stefan Popovic (DiscoTone Radio Show / WTC House Radio) - “Some nice skills displayed here … Jevne’s version takes me back in time, that’s for sure.”
Nick Holder (DNH Records / Treehouse) - “Very nice package! The ‘Jevne Remix' stands out to me.”
DJ Benjamin (Marivent Music Intrenational / Pressure Radio) - “Fantastic release with great remixes in the pack!”

Available now from Juno