Posts from — March 2009

Released: 23/04/2008

My second favorite artist from Finland, just edged out by Nicole Willis and the Soul Investigators. ”Don’t take it too hard” is an exquisite piece of music, right out of the golden age of the 70’s northern soul – It is cheerful, driving and sweet.

Tuomo (born as Tuomo Prättälä, 1979) is a soul-singer, jazz pianist, composer, lyricist and producer. After Sibelius Senior Secondary School of Music, Helsinki Conservatory of Pop and Jazz and the civil service as sound engineer in the Finnish Theater Academy, he started his career as a professional musician. He has released two albums, “My thing” in 2007 and this years “Reaches out for you” – both highly recommended.

It is a true sign of quality when you can listen to a song a million times like I have with this one, and it will fit in on any soul compilation you ever choose to make. The single is taken from his debut album and also include “Ourselves” a slow Stevie Wonder’ish ballad.

Tuomo | YouTube | SoulSeduction | Juno | MySpace |

Another show this saturday, this time with lots of good disco thrown in our usual mix of soul and funk. I finally got to play the Undiscovered re-edit of Karen Jones’ “Deetour” – a radio debut in Norway, as well as some very good finish soul music, more from the New Mastersounds and a cheeky Nina Simone sampling track from Harvey K-Tel. Check out the full tracklist below…

The New Mastersounds – Two note brown [Freestyle Records]
The Commodores – Machine gun [Motown]
Feature Cast – Funky white brother [Good Groove]
Lee Mcdonald – I’ll do anything for you [Favourite]
Sister sledge – He’s the greatest dancer [Atlantic]
Tuomo – Don’t take it too hard [Jupiter Finland]
Rudy Love and the family – Come back home [Calla]
Randy Crawford – Streetlife [Blue Moon]
Rick James – Ghetto Life [Motown]
Young & Company – I like it (what you’re doing to me) [Rams Horn]
Sly Mongoose – Snakes and ladder (rub n tug remix) [Mule Music]
Stetsasonic – Talking all that jazz (dimitri from Paris edit) [Tommy Boy]
Harvey K-Tel – Boops Apocalypse [Music for the people]
Chic – Good times [Atlantic]
Don Ray – Standing in the rain [Polydor]
Undiscovered/Karen Jones – Deetour [Atlantic]
KC & the Sunshine Band – Thats the way I like it [RCA]
Mr. Day – Tears of joy [Favourite]
Kool and the gang – Hollywood swinging [De lite]
Beatconductor – Something Better [G.A.M.M]
Marvin/Tammi Terrell – Aint no mountain high enough (Dimitri from Paris edit) [Motown/Defected]
T-Connection – At midnight [T.K. Disco]
Commodores – Brick House [Motown]
The originals – Down to love town (dim’s full length disco Citay remix) [ITH Records]

Released: 27/01/2009

This is an absolutely amazing debut release from House Of House on Harvey’s highly collectable label. There are only 600 copies of this in the world (thus the price of £15 equals well spent). Two good tracks, where “Rushing to paradise” is the track of choice. 

“Rushing to paradise” is an euphoric, playful piano house anthem on the same level as Rub & Tug’s brilliant remix of “Snake and ladder” (I still love that one). Wicked stuff! You have to wait for it though, it builds for ages before it finally releases eight minutes in. I quite like the vocals as well, expressing love gone wrong, but with tons of determination and optimism. 

“The rough half (don’t stop)” is a slow, 80s inspired balearic classic with your fair dose of guitars. Both sides of this one will stay in your box for quite a while.

The popularity of genres twists and turns, and obviously we have been back to disco and balearic for a while, perhaps as a reaction to the massive trend that was (and still is) minimal. However, this is far from lazy recycled balearic, it is a contemporary classic.

Phonica | Hypem | Juno | MySpace |

Our second show included a lot of hidden gems. Most of you probably don’t know the samples behind chart-topping productions from artists like Jay-Z, Dangerdoom, Beyonce or Amerie – so we thought it was a good idea to open your minds to the original tracks.

Blendcrafters – Lola (show intro) [Genuine]
Ultramagnetic MC’s – Give the drummer some [FFRR]
Sam & Dave – Hold on Im coming [K Point Gold]
Amerie – Gotta Work [Columbia]
Keith Mansfield – Soul thing [Pronit]
DangerDoom feat Talib Kweli – Old School [Lex Records]
Frankie Vallie & The Four Seasons – Beggin’ [Seasons Record Company]
Nelly & Christina Aguilera – Tilt ya head back [Universal]
Curtis Mayfield – Pusherman [Buddah Records]
Edwin Birdsong – Cola bottle baby [Philadelphia Int.]
Jackson 5 – I want you back [Motown]
Jay-Z – Izzo (H.O.V.A) [Rock-A-Fella]
Betty Wright – Secretary [Alston]
RJD2 – Ghostwriter [Definitive Jux]
Rudy Love & The Love Family – Does your mama know [Calla]
Menahan Street Band- Make the road by walking [Daptone]
Jay-Z – Roc boys (and the winner is) [Rock-A-Fella/Def Jam]
Barry White – It’s ecstasy [20th Century Records]
Labi Siffre – I got the… [EMI]
The Meters – Oh, Calcutta [Josie]
A Tribe Called Quest – Can I kick it [Jive]
Bobby Bland – Ain’t no love in the heart of the city [Dunhill] 
Jay-Z – Heart of the city (ain’t no love) [Rock-A-Fella/Def Jam]
Johnnie Taylor – You’re the best girl in the world [Columbia]
Kraak & Smaak – Squeeze me [Jalapeno]
Chi-Lites – Are you my woman [Brunswick]
Stevie Wonder – I wish [Motown/Tamla]
Jackson 5 – Dancing Machine [Motown/Tamla]
Q-Tip – Move [Universal Motown]

Released: 02/03/2009

One of the best disco re-edits I have hear so far. A group of bloggers from the UK and Japan have joined up and released four smoking edits – with one definitively standing out. The one is Karen Young’s classic “Deetour” produced by Walter Kahn at Queen Village Recording Studios in Philadelphia in the early 1980s. It is a classic, slightly cheesy boogie track with so much joy and excitement put in that you just can’t stop smiling and dancing.

Other tracks on the release include “Masimbabele” by The Unknown Cases – a slow 80s groover with an africanism vocal and some retro guitar riffs put in for for good measure. On the flip, “What’s that you’re doing” is a electric Prince’ish disco track that is more than playable, while “Spotlight” is a slow baleric disco delight straight out of a slow scene in Miami Vice. 

Fat City | Juno Records | Phonica |

My radio debut went alright, and I am already looking forward to saturdays show. We are going to devote time to the original songs that have been put to popular used on modern hiphop tracks – and we definitely have some nuggets to share with you from the archives. 

As promised I am publishing the tracklist here. I have included links to reputable record stores that might have a copy in stock, so if you liked the song and want a physical or digital copy I’ve made it easy for you (most of the tracks anyway). You can listen to the show here (click on Lt.Wee & Anders Teigar, and the date of the show)

(Intro) – Mr.Confuse – Hurricane Jane [Legere Germany]
Datarock vs. Beatles vs. James Brown – Fa fa good [unknown]
Sir Jarvis – Rick’s browns pistol [Badass 45]
Nicole Willis and The Soul Investigators – Keep reaching up [Timmion]
Lily Allen – Smile (Mark Ronson) [EMI UK]
Bob Dylan – Most likely you go your way (mark ronson re-version) [Columbia] 
Lack of Afro – The Outsider [Freestyle] 
Kraak & Smaak feat. Ben Westbeech – Squeeze me [Jalapeno] 
The New Mastersounds - Idle time (lack of afro remix) [Record Kicks]
The Isley Brothers – This old hear of mine [Tamla/Motown]
Flevans – The Funz [Jack to Phono] 
Sneaky Pete – U don’t know [unknown]
Marvin - Holla (beatsy collins re-edit) [white label] 
Mayer Hawthorne & The County -  Just ain’t working out [Stones Throw] 
Marvin Gaye – What’s going on [Tamla/Motown]
Joss Stone – Put your hands on me (urban allstars re-work) [White]
DJ T-Rock & Squashy Nice - Pretty girl with a crocked smile [Hed Kandi]
Bahama Soul Club – The nassau jam (smoove’s funky jam) [Buyu]
Booker T & The .G.’s – Melting Pot [Collectables US]
Dusty Springfield – Spooky [Philips]
Loose Joints – Is it all over my face (S-man’s edit) [West End US]
Kidda feat Psycho Les from the Beatnuts – VIP [Skint]
Greyboy – Gotta be in love (Quantic remix) [Ubiquity]
Rueben Wilson – Got to get your own [GB music]
Dj Moscow – Too busy [Monk Records]
Mark Ronson – Outro [EMI UK]

Released: 20/01/2009

My first face to face experience with Horse Meat Disco was when I was required to buy a mustache to get in to their very neatly organized area during last years Lovebox Weekender – to see Maurice Fulton. The institution is, of course, older than that and has been going for more than five years now.

The clubnights (and now label) have dedicated itself to disco in all its forms. Every Sunday night in South London the Horse Meat Disco residents and special guests take charge of the decks and deliver the foundation for great dancefloor movement. “Attracting a wide audience of old time disco heads, club kids, bears, naturists and something new in gay clubs; a space where disco fans of a heterosexual persuasion could live out their fantasy of going to a gay disco club without feeling totally out of place”. Sounds like we’re back in legendary New York City days of disco right?

Finally the people behind the club have put together an EP of two very special edits of Horse Meat Disco classics! Both “Dusty Blue” and “Don’t go in the bushes” will get the floor dancing. Can’t really decide which one I like the most at the moment – but already looking forward to the next installment in the series!

Phonica | Rough Trade | MySpace |

 The wonderful Tirk Recordings is hosting a remix competition in cooperation with Soundcloud and Juno Download. You can put your skills to work on “Ecce – Control”, “Brad Vachal – Toys” or the amazing, Chic sampling “Start something” by Morten Sorensen (as posted here before).

Two winners will be chosen by Tirk, the first price being a disco night out in east London (including two tickets to Disco Bloodbath vs. Optimo thursday the 9th of April, hotel room and dinner for two), a years subscription to Soundcloud, £50 voucher from Juno Download (useful!) and perhaps most importantly, the winning track will be made available for sale on Juno Download. The runner up will also receive a years subscription to Soundcloud and having the track released for sale.

The submission deadline is the 2nd of April, so get started right away! Last time I entered (the “Jazzanova – I can see” remix competition on Soundcloud) we ended up making a pretty decent track but missed the deadline We are putting the finishing touches on it at the moment – and I’ll make it available for you here.

Tirk Recordings | Soundcloud | Juno Download

I am playing funk and soul with my good friend Lt.Wee on national radio tonight. The show is on for a couple of saturdays between 22.00 and midnight – so make sure you tune in to NRK P3 (online if your outside the beautiful country of Norway) and let me know what you think on this blog later.