The tenacity & dedication of Mark Mendoza (aka 280 West) is evident with this ninth release on New Jersey's Phuture Sole Recordings. Recently, to the sheer joy of his fans, Mendoza won a battle with cancer, which is most probably a testament to his passionate driving force which includes music!

With that said, Mendoza comes blazing through the gates with a monster jam with one thing in mind: to make you dance feverishly. "I Never Knew" features the gritty yet smooth vocals of veteran Diamond Temple along with 280 West on production duties. As always, Mark's productions are always consistently smooth and lush. However, this particular song will have pundits climbing the walls, with its infectious rhythmic recipe of electric guitar, timbales, horns along with a fat bassline, not to mention the solid vocals by DT, with the back-up vocals provided by Ray, Goodman & Brown. A peak hour soulful house tune if there ever was one!

Three versions are provided, including the Main Mix, Dub and a useful Reprise. Once again, Phuture Sole Recordings comes correct with proper house music for the soul / sole!!!!! Necessary.



Artist: PHIL HOOTON
Title: Revelations b/w Afro Phunk
Label: Phuture Sole Recordings/Phuture Rhythms (PR-001)
Format: vinyl promo

Comprising one half of the Jersey Katz (along with Charles Gatling), UK's Phil Hooton sets off Phuture Sole Recordings' new subsidiary label, Phuture Rhythms (PR-001) with a super-tight two track EP, which includes the ten minute "Afro Phunk" along with my favourite, "Revelations" which runs well into 11 minute territory, and could easily suit a Shelter vibe.

Both instrumental cuts are intended for dancefloor mayhem, and Phil does it in very tasteful fashion. Both are laced with Afrikan jazz elements and could have easily been proper remix material for any Femi Kuti material for example. Job well done Mr. Hooton!



Artist: SOUL CREATION feat. KENNY BOBIEN
Title: Through The Rain
Label: Gotsoul (gs-009)
Format: vinyl promo

Soul Creation provides the excellent and poignant 12 minute backdrop to possibly one of Kenny's best songs ever. Unlike the majority of his releases, which some may argue have become predictable, Kenny keeps the verses to a minimum, as is evident with his entrance at the 5 minute mark!! Trust me though, it may seem odd at first, but this sort of delayed entry is strategic and delivers in magical ways later on in the story. Simply put, it makes the song stand out.

Bobien's words of hope and faith weigh heavy at key points of this proverbial journey, specifically just under the 8 minute mark when Kenny lazily testifies, "you can make it...through the rain". Absolutely stunning!! The rest of the way, Kenny calmly sings in spurts, scats and humms along beautifully over SC's percussion-filled, dramatic and introspective deep-gospel masterpiece which has been lighting up my dancefloor for many months. And wait until you get to the break at the 10-minute mark. Whewww!!!! Words still cannot describe this. Classic written all over this one folks!!! 'Nuff said.



Artist: GLENN UNDERGROUND
Title: Indians & Bagpipes
Label: Gotsoul (gs-007)
Format: vinyl promo

Chicago's deep house don, Glenn Underground (aka GU, aka CVO), makes his Gotsoul debut with a vengeance. The last time GU dropped a jam with such energy, it was called "Mental Black Ressurection" (Lifeline Records). Similar to MBR, which quickly became a Club Shelter classic, "Indians & Bagpipes" is meant to set dancefloors on fire with its feverish energy and hypnotic rhythms, not to mention those original bagpipe blows, which may be a first for house music. I can only imagine how the nightclubs in Glasgow or Edinburgh will light up when hearing this slick, monster jam. It's ironic that the cat number for this record is 007, because like Bond, "Indians & Bagpipes" will catch you off guard and smoke you. You won't even know what hit you!!!!!!



Artist: JESSE OUTLAW feat. BILL BEAVER b/w STEAL VYBE
Title: A E I O b/w Brasilian Ski
Label: Gotsoul / Steal Vybe (MMSMIAMI-01)
Format: 7" orange vinyl promo

This limited edition only 7" orange vinyl was specifically produced just in time for the WMC 2006 and M3 events in Miami. Side A features the dub fu edit of the infectious "A E I O", a future Gotsoul release by up & coming producer Jesse Outlaw, who not long ago provided us with his stunning release on Eargasmic entitled "Love You So". A E I O has all the makings of an anthemic, chant-along journey of mammoth proportions.

Side B features a gorgeous and vibey unreleased edit of Steal Vybe's "Brasilian Ski". Chris Forman (aka SV, aka Cee-Rule) demonstrates yet again why he has risen to the top of the house game with such haste. Vintage Forman at his best. Look for Brasilian Ski to come out soon on Steal Vybe Music.



Artist: VARIOUS ARTISTS
Title: Jamsteady, vol.9
Label: Jamsteady (js-009)
Format: Vinyl promo

Jamsteady volume 9 features the hypnotic, sexy, yet beautiful Osunlade yoruba remix of Fantasia Barrino's "Free Yourself". Simply put, Osunalde did pure justice to her original version. Side A also features the Casa Mena bassment mix of "Go" by rapper Common Sense (aka Common).

Side B features a stalwart 'CP Lost Heroes Rub' of one of the most well-known Sierra Leonean tracks that exists, by Bunny Mack entitled, "Let Me Love You" (1979), an African national anthem where disco-zouk meets funk fusion. CP does a stellar job in classy fashion, as he usually does. Worth the coin.



Artist: GENETIX feat. SHANCHOY
Title: Sunrise
Label: Shines Records (shi-003)
Format: vinyl promo

This third release on Toronto's Shines Records takes a dip into the pool at the deep end. Gene King (aka Genetix) has been doing this thing for years, as evident by his cultivated house productions. "Sunrise" features the sultry vocal stylings of Shanchoy, as Genetix lays out yet another lesson in deep, zen-like house music in tasteful fashion ("original mix" and "hypnotic sunrise").

Closing out this three-track affair is fellow Torontonian, Jason B, who is another hot new producer/remixer, who re-moulds Gene's original into something that most will mistake as a Kerri Chandler production (not a bad thing!), with its heavy bassline, and moody keys provided by none other than Martino, who recently has also become a household name. Heat!



Artist: PLUSGROOVE
Title: Konkrete Jungle
Label: Shines Records (shi-004)
Format: vinyl promo

Gene King's Shines imprint is well on its way with this its fourth solid release. Plusgroove's tough original mix (as well as the Stripped Jungle Mix) is marinated with some serious Chicago classic house feel that will surely get the pundits sweating. As always, Gene King's 'GK Experience Mix' delivers the merchandise with its dramatic, ultra slick tribal house feel, complete with mucho keys to keep with the program at hand: Deep House!

And of course, there's the superb remix by Martino and Suges, collectively known as Eminence. Their 'Eminence Vocal' is a lush affair that ultimately creates an intimate environment with just the right amount of drive to fill the dancefloor quickly, as evident from the first time I dropped it!! Pure heat!



Artist: RASMIR MANTREE
Title: Mental Stimulation (3 mixes)
Label: unsigned
Format: mp3 promo

Mantree Records' Rasmir Mantree hits me off yet again with a dreamy, uptempo, esoteric stomper for the mind and body. Mental Stimulation needs to be put out on wax. All three versions are heavy and one better than the other. The gentle spoken-word lyrics by Rasmir himself are perfectly suited for the tough, conga-laden background production that he concocted. My personal fave, the Stimulated Mix, stays true to his original, with the added exception of some well timed deep keys. Absolutely sublime...

Rasmir demonstrates again why he is definitely worthy of releasing material on any credible house label (ie: West End, Nite Grooves, Phuture Sole, etc..). Also, in similar fashion as The Rurals, Rasmir recently started producing songs with his wife. So be on the lookout for that as well. You can contact rasmir via his website: www.myspace.com/mantreerecords



Artist: SUGES feat. LIMORE
Title: Do With You
Label: Plusgroove Records (pg-001)
Format: cd-r promo

This first release for Nick Tolentino's Plusgroove imprint based out of Toronto is a lesson in ultra-deepness. The original album version, radio edit and 'fromthesoul remix' are all r&b, neo-soul affairs that are tastefully produced by Suges (West End, Soulstar, Shines, Headphoniq, Jinxx) for those intimate, introspective moments. Very similar to some of Aqua Bassino's moody, downtempo treats.

The stand-out track for me is the Eminence remix, which is an intense and slamming lesson in proper deep house, which features the subtle, eclectic and lush female vocals of Toronto's Limore Twena. On this release, she sings beautifully in English. I point that out only because she can sing in 16 different languages!!! All this to say that Limore's performance intensifies the entire moody experience offered by Eminence (aka Martino & Suges..pronounced shugz). Pure class.

Look out for the new album by Suges for Harley & Muscle's Little Angel Records, entilted "Lust, Love and Loss". Visit suges at: http://www.myspace.com/sonicecstasy. Visit Limore at http://www.limore.com. Visit Plusgroove at http://plusgrooverecords.com/



Artist: Mary J Blige
Title: Be Without You (Jihad Muhammad's Movement Soul Remix)
Label: unsigned
Format: mp3 promo

My oh my my my......... Jihad has outdone himself once again. Coming straight out the lab, this has got to be one of the slickest, sexiest, jazziest deep house remixes Mary's ever gotten. It completely eclipses her boring album version. The flute version is even sweeter. I have recieved MAJOR dancefloor response from this remix. Nuff said....Done with pure taste and respect. When will Mary wake up and hire some of these deephouse cats to turn out a pure house greatest hits remix album for the masses?



Artist: CRUZ & BORIS
Title: La Calle Lauder
Label: unsigned
Format: mp3-promo

New Toronto resident and ex-Montrealer, Marcelo Cruz churns out yet another vintage deephouse stomper, laced with his signature heavy basslines, thumping beats and mucho percussive love. He joins forces with Boris and turns it out on this 8-minute floor stomper, yielding great dancefloor results, atleast everytime i've dropped it. Think Prescription meets Instant House meets Tribal Winds meets Trackmode. Mean grooves.



Artist: LARS BEHRENROTH/ JOHN KUMAHARA/ REELSOUL
Title: Friends Re-United EP
Label: UK Basic (ukb-005)
Format: mp3 promo

On this superb 3-track EP, label honcho Frank Martin showcases a trio of up and coming house producers who have released successful records in the past couple of years.

Side A features "Inflection", a slick demonstration of deep house in its purest form by LA's Lars Behrenroth, who cooks up a hot nugget, equipped with a super-fat bassline, synth riffs, percussion and some saxophone stylings by John Juster.

Side B starts off with Toronto's John Kumahara who delivers the terrific "Lost", a contemporary house treat influenced by the classic Chicago house era. The EP closes out with LA's Will Rodriguez (aka Reelsoul) who brings us the warm grooves of "Music", a vintage Reelsoul affair that'll get that dancefloor moving.



Artist: RASMIR MANTREE
Title: If Guitars Could Talk
Label: unsigned
Format: mp3 promo

Rasmir concocts yet another journey in musical gymnsatics with an ode to his 'favourite' instrument, the guitar! A hypnotic, relentless groove will have you dancin' with reckless abandon while Rasmir's sporadic spoken-word injections will coach you on (ie: "jus listen"). Electric guitars fuse with percussions, while a soft piano intervenes in the background just enough to keep you yearning for more. Another success for this up and coming stellar house producer out of New Jersey! More to come.....www.myspace.com/mantreerecords



Artist: DEEPSOULJAH
Title: trinidadian nites b/w sexual desire
Label: unsigned
Format: mp3 promo

Toronto's Deepsouljah (aka Trinidadian Deep) proves once again why he is worthy of collaborating with the master, Ron Trent. Although these two tracks have not been signed yet, there may be a good possibilty that they be released on either Prescription or any other sister label (Deepblak, Future Vision, etc...).

"Trinidadian Nites" is a highly infectious floor stomper that'll pack the dancefloor very quickly as evident during my personal dj sets. Its caribbean influences are obvious as 'Trini' focusses on keeping it dancer-friendly, with plenty of percussion and steel pan to keep the pundits yearning for more. Masterful!!!

"Sexual Desire" is another gem just over 13 minutes long. Although Deepsouljah brings it down a notch in terms of overall energy (as compared to Trini Nites), the track is as close to a deep house masterpiece as possible. This guy is absolutely gifted, with his knack for rhythmic & musical martial arts. Deepsouljah definitely has the Midas Touch. Look out for more from this Trinidadian souljah!!



Artist: MOSES McCLEAN feat. NEDRA
Title: Dream
Label: Still Music (stillm-011)
Format: mp3 promo

The beauty with the majority of Still releases lies in the fact that each package comes with several nice cuts or versions if you will, giving you more bang for the buck. And with this 11th release (already!!), Still continues the tradition by delivering a 4-cut project.

The veteran duo of Mitch Moses and Vince McClean (collectively Moses McClean, hereafter M&M) cook up yet another tight vocal house jam. On "Dream" (original mix) they sollicit the services of female vocalist Nedra, who belts out a solid, yet beautifully gentle performance.

Italy's ISOUL8 (Neroli, Sonar Kollektiv, Still Music) proves why he is the illest producer out of Italia since Harley & Muscle, with his gorgeous rendition of the M&M original. He paints a warm & cozy musical landscape with hypnotic percussions, moody basslines and cool moog layers.

The stand out cut is the Patchworks remix, where Bruno Hovart once again displays his skills in creating a musical botanical garden of sorts. His remix is a lush & sexy affair that'll be favoured by the likes of Ron Trent & Larry Heard. Top marks.

Finally, Michigan-native Frank Juncaj (aka DJ 3000), who's well known as a master of Detroit Electronic Soul, as well as label honcho for Motech Records, comes out of the bullpen with his re-definiton of the M&M original. This locomotive of a techno remix will rock smokey rooms from the alleys of Detroit to Belgium. Superb package!



Artist: AYBEE/ BOOGIE DELITES (Ron Trent)/ TRINIDADIAN DEEP
Title: Artifacts From The Future EP
Label: Future Vision Records(fv-002)
Format: mp3 promo

This stratospheric three-tracker on Germany's Future Vision Records features the trio of Aybee, Ron Trent and Trinidadian Deep (aka Deepsouljah). Each one drops a cut from their respective upcoming albums. Aybee's "Ghetto Sunrise" is a spacey, introspective journey into the deepest realms of house with a school of hard knox attitude oozing from its every pore. This will be released on the forthcoming "East Oakland Space Program".

Using his Boogie Delites moniker, Ron Trent delivers "Journey", an ode to the early 80's underground dance sound, which gave birth to the house sound of today. Very appropriate. This will be released on Trent's forthcoming "Baby Powder" LP.

Finally, taken from his upcoming LP entitled "Caribbean Logic", Trinidadian Deep offers "My True Love", a gentle display of cutting edge, avant-gardism with a sprinkle of caribbean influences to yield a head-bobbing deep houser. Quality package out of Germany!!



Artist: GEORGE MENA & FRANKE ESTEVEZ
Title: The Fuzion Traxx EP
Label: Fuzion Records (fuz-006ur)
Format: mp3 promo

The Fuzion tandem are back again with some straight madness on this smokin 4-tracker available only at www.traxsource.com for the moment. As has become their custom, Mena & Estevez show & prove (again!) by delivering some tough and dirty b-boy house, laced with enough soulful, gritty and jazzy elements to keep the jocks and (break)dancers itching for more.

All four pieces are on point and offer that signature Fuzion sound, laced with fat basslines, percussion, and uptempo rhythms aimed for the intelligent dancer. Take heed to "Steppin Out", "Runnin Deep", "Rising Sun" and "Steel Drum Passion", all of which are equally hot, although I have a slight preference for the aforementioned first track. Cop it before it's too late.



Artist: BENJAMINE BOLES
Title: Naeema
Label: Iwanai Music (iw-010)
Format: mp3 promo

Based out of Toronto, Benjamin Boles is a multi-talented artist. He not only produces, but he equally deejays, plays the guitar and is also a writer for Toronto's infamous Now magazine.

On this, his first appearance for Ryan McAdam's successful Iwanai imprint, Boles presents the eccentric "Naeema", a hypnotic and techy journey with hints of acid and funk intertwined, just in time for the Detroit Electronic Music Festival. Three eclectic mixes are featured, all of which are somewhat of a new venture for the Iwanai sound, which until now has been faithful to the soulful deep house genre. Don't fret though, because those who are akin to the sounds of Sonar Kollektiv, Planet E and Compost, as well as Larry Heard's more techier side will relate to this.



Artist: TRACKS FROM THE OTHER SIDE feat. JEANNIE HOPPER
Title: How Many Tears (Doruk Ozlen mix)
Label: Eloquent/Westside (elo/2005 (wsr/1999)
Format: mp3 promo

The original Victor Simonelli production (Westside Records) gets a masterful deep re-moulding by Doruk Ozlen, well known for his Tribal Winds release(TW-020) back in 2002. Jeannie Hopper's subtle and dreamy vocals are perfectly matched by Doruk's eloquent musical painting. Deepness to set the mood right without a doubt. You can purchase the mp3 at the following link (copy & paste):

http://www.vjsproductionsinc.net/buy_area.php?sid=f9a501ec2be4e4af76bc9d9152a92cab&area=1&cat=111&d=&ord=1&p=main&cmd=art



Artist: AUDIOWHORES feat. PETE SIMPSON
Title: Not Going Back
Label: Tempogroove Recordings (tpg-001)
Format: mp3 promo

Graham Lord & Adam Unsworth, collectively known as the Audiowhores (Soulfuric, Look At You, MN2S), jumpstart their new UK label (Tempogroove Recordings) with a slamming peak hour house jam featuring vocalist-of-the-moment, Pete Simpson.

The main mix is gushing with that signature Audiowhores soulful-peakhour dancefloor flavour that will pack dancefloors instantly. The infectious dub version places heavier emphasis on the bubbly bassline and will have pundits and handbaggers alike pouring in sweat!!! To close out this fine package, Brazil's DJ Meme offers us his superb and classy, disco-infused rendition that'll have the Incognito fans bursting by the seams. Cop it at www.traxsource.com



Artist: PATRICK DREAM feat. ROY DAVIS Jr.
Title: Feet Don't Fail
Label: Mixed Signals Music (msm-006)
Format: mp3 promo

Patrick Dream (formerly of Bombay Records) joins forces with Roy Davis Jr on this the sixth release on Toronto's Mixed Signals imprint. The final result is "Feet Don't Fail", an energizing, uptempo, jazzy house thumper featuring Roy Davis himself on vocals, as well as on keys.

Patrick's main mix, which is perfectly suited for any dancefloor, delivers the goods in fine fashion, while his "Mile End Dub" takes it a degree more into subterranean territory. Andy Roberts' more stripped down and moody "Safari Dub" takes a ride through the wild, yet keeping it simple and to the point. A nice package indeed from Mixed Signals Music.



Review by Michael Terzian sinister@deepvibes.org