End of the Month Necessities

Posts are becoming few and far between at the moment but at least I can always squeeze in a few essentials for those dark winter nights ahead, so here's four more of the best.














You Can Dance If You Want To (D) - Moodymann (KDJ):
Bit of a rarity this one. Released as a double 12" in a plain black sleeve, all tracks untitled and coming correct with soft porn labels (all of which I've gratuitously stuck above), this was ,as far as I know, hastily withdrawn due to it using uncleared Prince samples. This, of course, makes it highly collectable and it has apparently gone for around £200 on Ebay. The track above is the floor filler of the quartet.

I'll always remember the review in Jockey Slut when this was released. The reviewer spent almost as much time bemoaning the "sexism" of the label art as talking about the music. I wonder if I'll get the same treatment?






Asphyx - Sterac (100% Pure):
Sterac, aka Steve Rachmad, is one of my favourite producers having never let his guard down and always produced state-of-the-art high quality emotive techno heavily influenced by Detroit and, in most cases, surpassing these influences to create melodic mood music that is difficult to equal in any genre. 'Asphyx' was released back in 1995 and I remember Laurent Garnier opening a set with it at one of the infamous Soma parties in Paris (nothing to do with the Glaswegian record label). Ostentatious trance is blended with techno to great effect.







Contemplation (King Britt's Funke Mix) - Josh One (Electromatrix):
A repetitive "open up you mind" vocal amidst driving disco strings is all this one needed to become a classic. Simplicity is the key. It does what it says on the tin, etc . . . Highly effective.





Freaky (The Bar Heads Mix) - Lou 2 (Strictly Rhythm):
Louie Vega and Little Louis united to make this deadly deep house battle weapon. I'm a sucker for spoken word vocals and this is one of the best. As far as I know this was a one-off and they didn't collaborate again. Am I right? Answers in comments below if you can be arsed.