S-Witch - Sensual Motion (The Sensual Re-Mix)

Another CD rip from Australia up now, an extended mix of a hip-house gem from the incredible Alston Koch. 

The Sri Lankan born artist gained the title ‘The Pop King of Asia” through releases in the 1980s. In Australia he was particularly known with band Dark Tan for Disco Lady, seen here on Countdown.  

Koch's more underground releases have returned to the spotlight in recent years, with a Robert Racic remix of Never Felt This Way Before reaching eye-watering resale prices  and his work as Alston & The Fremantle Doctor getting a re-issue on Berlin's Sound Metaphors label in 2024.

Sensual Motion, flew similarly under the radar, with only a music video of the Radio Version available online.

The Sensual Re-Mix is quintessential early 1990s house. The drum programming sounds like it could have come out of New Jersey, euphoric key melodies play above a bubbling bassline.

I particularly love Koch's deep baritone and the beautiful cheesy-ness his lyrics bring. When he says "baby..." I always find myself smiling. 

A beautiful house music deep cut that could have come from a big label, but ended up on a obscure Australian CD in a cardboard sleeve.

Check out the record on Discogs here.

Here are more photos of the CD:

Three 7-Inch Versions

 A bit of a change of pace this week on the channel, with uploads of three 7-inch version cuts from a bunch of cheap dancehall 45s.

I picked all these up in a dirty, disorganised tub on the floor of a local second hand shops, all for under five bucks!

Since then I have been banging them at many a bar gig, and thought they deserved a bit more recognition.

Ranging from the late 1990s to early 2000s, these versions showcase stunning dub production, beautiful instrumentation and all for a few dollar b-side!

The first one coming from the Sweet Beat label, the b-side of rasta legend Luciano's Jah Will Surely Deliver. Check out the record on Discogs here.

Next, what looks like the first release on US label Twin Tower records, probably around 2006. While Perilous Time has heavy hitting vocals from Bascom X, this version keeps the whistles for a playful dub side. Check out the record on Discogs here.

Lastly, the Front Page Crew of Font Page Records brings us a sublime Version of Junior Kelly's Hungry Days. Special shoutout to the whistle hook that sounds straight of a west coast g-funk record! Check out the record on Discogs here. 

Hopefully these uploads show you that you never know what you might be able to get on the floor or in a dirty crate somewhere! It might just have your new staple tune down there! Can never dig too deep. 

New Reality - Sex With A Beat

Two more under-appreciated cuts from the plethora of house music from 1990s US up now. 

This one coming via New Worlds Records from Sylvania, Ohio, probably released in the early 1990s.

Sex With A Beat originally appeared in 1990 on a 12-inch that is now remarkably sought after, despite the Dance Mix being the same as the Cosmopolitan Fly Girl Mix on this release. 

For me the disco sides are a bit cheesy, but the b-side brings some really enjoyable remixes by non-other than Chez Damier for Detroit's K.M.S. productions.

At this time Damier worked in A&R and Studio Management for Kevin Saunderson's label. K.M.S. often gave the, still fledgling, Detroit Techno treatment to late 80s disco and boogie records, so it's no real surprise Sex With A Beat made it up the I-75 for these great remixes.

Both Damier's versions use the freestyle sounding vocals to more restrained degrees, with overlays of sax solos and additional keys. 

The Techno Mix is probably best thought of as the term relates to early Detroit Techno. Stripped back drum programming, instrumental solos and some vocal samples combine for a beautiful proto-house record. 

The Ultimate Mix hinges on a breakbeat sample not dissimilar to the Blue (Remix) by The Chemists and features some great vocal dubs. Special mention also to the orchestral strings that feature in the back end.

Both are intriguingly unrecognised Chez Damier remixes that deserve to tell their history of house music from the midwest. 

Check out the record on Discogs here.

Also for those in Melbourne I am opening for Danish heavyweight DJ Popup next week!

Moved to be on the lineup with my heroes, playing for my heroes in Skydiver Records. Tickets going fast!

The Chemists - The Chemists EP

 Two deep cut remixes from mysterious one-release outfit The Chemists up now.

From Canadian deep house label Contraband Records but apparently mastered in Nashville, Tenessee, there's not a lot of hard evidence on these gems.

The original versions of both Blue and Call Me, are low-key, deep house chillers, with vibraphone and brass samples reminiscent of the New York and New Jersey sound. 

But, in the remix versions the energy gets amped up.

Call Me (Remix) keeps the vibraphone hook, but has some latin percussion, vocal sampling, and a driving bass line far more danceable than the original.

Blue (Remix) keeps the catch sax melody but gets the breakbeat treatment for a head-shaking change up.

This record is an interesting mystery of US early 1990s house music. While the original tracks seem to fit easily in the time period, the introduction of breakbeat and latin percussion in the remixes, probably by the same producer, add another element to the mystique.

Check out the record on Discogs here.

Summer Spread!

 Lived out my dream this morning by hosting breakfast on PBS FM!

You can listen back to the recording via the photo below.

Full mixed bag with ambient, jazz, street soul, yacht rock and kwaito all included.

Enjoy!

Barbara Joyce - Fantasy

 Back to regular programming after lots of Aussie digging for Vitamine!

Up on the YT now is underground Brooklyn disco from the late 80s.

Barbara Joyce was an American soul singer, most notable for being a founding member of B.T. Express.

Fantasy slipped through the cracks on small label LuLu Records and somehow ended up in a bargain bin in Northcote. 

One of the songwriters, Glenn Dorsey, released another version later with his group the Twiliters, with another vocalist. To me it doesn't have the same charm as this original version.

Loved hearing this one as soon as I picked it up. 

Full-frontal charging guitar riffs give way to really beautiful pads and percussion.  Vocal treatment and lyrics sound great too.

Somehow this one survived many of the cringe disco tropes!

Get one while they're still around.

 

Check out the record on Discogs here.

Also if people are in Melbourne Saturday afternoon I'm playing at Raffy's End of Year Weekender from 3pm-5pm - Come thru!

VG+ Cover on PBS

 Covered Adam Brozinski on his show VG+ this week in the wee hours of Wednesday morning.

Packed a few recent pickups and lots of boogie and disco.

Click the photo to listen back:

Tracklist:

Artist	Song	Label (Year)
George Benson	Breezin'	Warner Bros (1976)
Viola Wills	Dare To Dream	Wide Angle (1986)
Unique	You Make Me Feel So Good	Prelude (1984)
Isabelle Antena	Life Is Too Short	En Cavale (1986)
141 G	What You Gonna Do (Dub Mix)	Into The Light (2012)
Tommy Seebach	Bubble Sex	EMI (1977)
Rufus & Chaka Khan	Ain't Nobody (Hallucinogenic Version)	Warner Bros (1989)
Steve Miller Band	Macho City	Mercury (1981)
Rey De Copas	Frontera Del Ensueno (The Grid Caramba Remix)	Kickin Vinyl (1990)
Simply Red	Something Got Me Started (Perfecto Mix)	Eastwest (1991)
Jeff Floyd	Don't Leave Me	Papaya Records Detroit (2022)
France Joli	Gonna Get Over You	Prelude (1981)
Crucial	Send Me Your Love	Chuwanaga (2019)
Jiro Inagaki and His Soul Media	Painted Paradise	Columbia (1975)
Risque	Starlight	Polydor (1982)
Richard Sanderson	Check On The List	Vogue (1984)
John Martyn	Changes Her Mind	WEA (1982)
Lemi Aso	The Beginning	Atlanic (1978)
Noriko Miyamoto	Sweet Sugar	Invitation (1984)
Dinosaur L	In The Cornbelt (Larry Levan Mix)	Soul Jazz Records (2004)
Joy Rider	Mr Romeo (Tired of Phoney)	RCA (1984)
Butch Le Butch	Why R We Makin Music?	Cosmetic Records (2002)
Harold Melvin and The Blue Notes	The Love I Lost (Theo Parrish Re-Edit)	Ugly Edits Vol 2 (2002)
Infra-Red	When Luv's The Feelin' (Hayden Andre Remix)	Strobe Records (1991)
TC	1991 (Presti Philly Sound Version)	Paradise Project Records (1991)
Kreamcicle	No News Is News	Starlite (1983)
T.C. Curtis	You Should Have Known Better (Dub Mix)	Virgin (1985)
Black Gold	C'mon Stop	Prelude (1983)
Alessandro Scellino	Dinner In The Jungle (Erotic Mix)	Spacetalk (2019)
Willie Colon	Set Fire To Me (Inferno Dub)	A&M (1986)
The Rolling Stones	Too Much Blood (Dance Version)	Rolling Stones Records (1984)
Carole Williams	Can't Get Away From Your Love (Special Club Dub Mix)	Isle Of Jura (2024)
Wide Boy Awake	Slang Teacher	RCA (1983)
Stacey Q	Shy Girl	On The Spot (1985)
Kym Mazelle	Was That All It Was (Def Dub Mix)	Syncopate (1989)
Lucky Merek	You Got Me Dancing	RE:WARM (2021)
Ferrari	On Safari (Vocal Mix)	Eight Ball (1992)
The It	Love And Life	Black Market Records (1990)
Subculture	The Voyage (Hayen Andre Deep Mix)	Strobe Records (1991)
Imagination	Tell Me Do You Want My Love	Body Talk (1981)
Freeez	Southern Freeez	Beggars Banquet (1981)
Superior Elevation	It Was September	Mr Bongo (2022)