Up next on Fresh Meat are three tracks by Italian producer and DJ Giovanni Damico from White Rabbit Recordings. We have been big fans of Damico since releasing his When It Was Fresh EP on Fresh Meat last year. Damico’s tracks are unrefined, stripped-back and funky. His way of working and aesthetic harken back to the golden era early-90s house productions, but his sound is far from retro. All three tracks featured here are produced in Damico’s playful and intoxicating style.
The EP opener, “Get In The Spirit,” literally commands the dancer to do just that. An elemental groove provides the backbone for the earthy vocals on this jam. The second track, “Fanu Bob,” incorporates short melodic samples cycling back and forth between various instrumental refrains and vocal passages. The EP closes with “Dirty Disc,” a thick bass and drum workout using beautifully timed sparse melodies and psychedelic elements.
Marques Wyatt - “Tight groove on ‘Dirty Disc!’”
Danny Tenaglia - “‘Fanu Bob’ 4/5 … thanks!”
Tony Humphries - “As usual quality deep tracks! Slammin’.”
Brett Johnson - “‘Fanu Bob’ is deep and twisted, will play for sure.”
Giom - “‘Dirty Disc’ … Nicely done!”
D’Julz - “Nice EP! ‘Fanu Bob’ and ‘Dirty Disc’ in the box.”
Mike Monday - “Love both ‘Get In The Spirit’ and ‘Dirty Disc.’ Back behind the decks with a residency after 18 months off all music - and I’m very happy to have received this as a welcome back present.”
Luke Solomon - “Mad. Love this.”
Rocco - “Nice deep vibe and nice vocal.”
Florian Kruse - “Funky as hell! Really liking all three tunes here. My fave is ‘Fanu Bob!’”
Deepchild - “Wonderful stuff - original, organic and more than a little special!”
Murray Richardson - “Great EP from Giovanni, proper house moves…love the ‘Fanu Bob’ track especially!”
Catz n Dogz - “Nice dubby stuff for the beginning of the set.”
Stuart Patterson - “Lovin’ this. Takes me back but still sounds fresh.”
Joshua Iz - “I’m all over this!”
Available now from Beatport
Max Jacobson & Dave Powers - Feel Factory EP (Fresh Meat Records)
Paying homage to the hypnotic groove….
After a brief hiatus, Fresh Meat Records is back. The Feel Factory EP is by new breed Chicago producers Max Jacobson and Dave Powers. Max has been DJ’ing around town at some of our favorite spots and organizes undergrounds and private afterhours. David, a professional musician and music instructor also DJs, throws parties and performs live with his jazz trio. Max and David’s songs are out on Akbal Music, Klectik, and Fade, and they have forthcoming releases on Tanzbar Musik / Workbench and Snubb Records. The Feel Factory EP's title track is slow-burning and earthy with great changes. “Don’t Let It" combines Powers’ jazz licks with an elegant classic U.S. house groove. The last two tracks get more psychedelic. For their first remix in years, Nathan Drew Larsen and Mazi work the machines over “Don’t Let It,” adding tape echoes, MPC programming, a string machine and other vintage synths. The EP ends with “Dos”, a tracky cut with a low vibe and warehouse rhythms. We think this is future house that knows its history.
Chris Gruber - “Nice EP. Hard to say which track is the best one. Will play for sure.”
Elef - “Really feelin’ both ‘Don’t Let It’ mixes. Hot stuff once again delivered by the FM HQ!”
Three - “Great stuff guys. ‘Feel Factory,’ Nathan and Mazi’s remix, and ‘Dos’ are all in the box. ‘Dos’ is uber deep in such a class way.”
Alex Flitsch (Connaisseur) - “Elegant release. I really like ‘Dos.’”
D’Julz - “Sick remix. Lovely old school vibe and dope bass line.”
Catz n Dogz - “Drew Larsen & Mazi remix is really good! Reminds me about the good old dayz.”
Florian Kruse - “This is the true Fresh Meat sound! Really digging all tracks here. Big fan of those chords.”
Kate Simko - “Go Max and Dave Powers! Great bass line in ‘Feel Factory,’ will be supporting these fresh Chicago talents for sure!”
Deepchild - “Fresh Meat can do no wrong! This is pure, uncut booty-burger with a crispy side order of win-sauce smothered in sexx-fries!”
Giom - “Nicely done as usual. Definitely liking all these.”
Available now from Beatport.
Audio Soul Project - Have It All Remixes (Fresh Meat) →
The “Have It All” dub proved to be the most popular track on Audio Soul Project’s LP Hip Shake Heartache from earlier this year. The idea for the track originally came from an R&B acapella. For the album “dub" mix the vocals were stripped down. Here, for the first time, we’re making the full vocal ‘Bootleg Version’ available. The music on this rendition is an expanded take on the one from the album, making room for the emotional vocals. This song is made for those deep house DJs who still covet the human voice in their sets.
The first remixes are by Fred Everything. On his ‘Remix 1’ crisp and modern drum machine beats set into motion layers of atmospheric synthesizer work. This is Fred in top form retriggering the vocals and creating a sophisticated groove completely true to his signature sound. The music builds organically into an airy breakdown, allowing the scat vocals to open up and shine after which things return to the already established funky flow. Mr. Everything’s second remix moves all of his previously established elements into moodier territory - the smooth synths are filtered down, the sub bass more submerged and the central breakdown goes into Basic Channel territory complete with echoing analog keys, DX-7 like bass swells, space sound effects and that dub snare we all know so well.
Belfast based Ric McClelland aka Scope completes this remix package putting together a 90s influenced Todd Terry conjuring remix of “Have It All (Dub)”. The classic “Jumpin’” beats get refreaked and fused to a new bass line, percussive organ and fat, bright stabs. Programmed percussion, a droning high pitched string and sparse vocals inject just the right amount of smokiness into this otherwise straight up peak time affair.
Rob Mello - Great mixes all round here.
MANIK - Solid stuff from FMR! Digging the Bootleg Version and Fred Everything Remix. But all of them are quite nice.
Johnny Fiasco - Spot on!
C-Rock (Motorcitysoul) - Wow, amazing release!
Roberto Rodriguez - Digging the Bootleg Version. It will get hands in the air for sure.
Tony Humphries - Wicked funky tracks! Full support!
Olivier Desmet (Amenti) - Superb package, although the original dub version from the album is still my favorite. As a matter of fact I played it at The End Up on Sunday! I will definitely give the Fred versions and the new Bootleg Version plays.
Joshua Iz - Great package of remixes from one of my fave tracks off the (amazing) album - I’m sure I’ll find a way to play all of these.
Nathan G (Defected / Large Music) - This has been one of my fave Audio Soul Project tunes to date. Still playing the original so the new remixes are a welcomed edition. Well done all round. Full support!
LawnChair Generals - Reeeeeally loving the Bootleg Version. Fred’s deep dubby mixes are great as well.
Q-Burns Abstract Message - Fred Everything Remix 1 is dope…a superb, building ride of a mix. Will give it some plays for sure.
Kev Obrien (Stranjjur) - Wow, this is just amazing! Loving the Bootleg Version most, but Fred and Ric both put forth some awe-inspiring work on the remixes. I’ll have them all!
Available Now From Beatport