Vivien Vee - Higher [8247 - 1973]

Vivien Vee - Higher - 8247 - 1973 Carrere/Savoir Faire 12"

320kbps

This is probably the first in a series of Vivien Vee posts on here. A top notch Italo-Disco star if there ever was one, Vivien put out an assortment of top shelf records from 1979 to 1989. She was "discovered" (whatever that means) by my favorite Italo Disco producers of all time Claudio Simonetti and Giancarlo Meo. Claudio is a founding member of the much loved group Goblin who did the classic synth score for Dario Argento's Suspiria and George Romero's 1978 Dawn of the Dead and together Claudio and Giancarlo we're responsible for three of my all time favorite Italo groups:

• The duo's strongest project Kasso who put out classics like "Walkman," "Brazilian Dancer (DJ Version)," "Key West," and "One More Round." Their music has got a lot of love by DJs since House DJs like Frankie Knuckles and Jellybean Benitez played and remixed them in the eighties. 
• Capricorn who had Italo Boogie hits "Capricorn" and "I Need Love" on Emergency and Delirium Records.
• The great gay disco group Easy Going who we're named after Rome gay club that co-founder Paul Micioni was the resident DJ at. They had amazing artwork and a ton of quality singles like the 11 minute "Baby I Love You," "Suzie Q," "Fear," and best of all the absolutely massive all time Barry classic "Do It Again."

Vivien Vee's work with Claudio and Giancarlo ranges from amazing orchestral Disco to the more synth driven Italo Disco sound of this Higher release; a Melodramatic baroque eighties melancholy bop that would fit in alongside Valerie Dore's Italo classic "It's So Easy"

1. Higher
2. Blue Disease

Mr. De' - Time Space Scrilla EP [EF 2003-1 - 2001]

Mr. De' - Time Space Scrilla EP - EF 2003-1 - 2001 Electrofunk Records 12"

320kbps

I honestly don't know much about this record and I forget where I came to it from. Well executed intelligent house that includes elements of Acid, Ghetto House, and Club. "Time Space Skrilla" is a dreamy yet driving Acid track punctuated by synthetic strings and a dude saying "uh!" and "Skrilla!" "Woodward Avenue" is three killer minutes of drum programming and a synth lead that sounds like a metallic spring soloing to its heart's content.

"Whatulike" is the first song I heard (somewhere) from this EP and definitely the best track. A high energy foul mouthed Ghetto House pop hit.

1. Time Space Skrilla
2. Woodward Avenue

Missing Channel - FJAAK 002 [2018]

Missing Channel - FJAAK 002 [2018]

320kbps

I can't remember who played it but someone demolished Analog BKNY with this FJAAK remix at Wrecked's night with Matrixxman this year. I don't know much about these FJAAK guys except they smoke a lot of weed on Instagram and have a lot of chutzpah to take a 1991 Robert Hood/Claude Young Hardcore Techno gem, remix it to great effect, and release it alongside the original as the third record for their self titled label.

Amral's Trinidad Cavaliers Steel Orchestra - Steel Vibrations [PRP 198/CALYPAN 010 - 1973]

Amral's Trinidad Cavaliers Steel Orchestra - Steel Vibrations [PRP 198/CALYPAN 010 - 1973]

320kbps

Produced by Trinidadian travel agency Amral, Steel Vibrations was created predominately in an attempt to market Trinidadian tourism to Americans, The result of this band/record/marketing ploy is an incredible record of steel drum covers of popular Western music.

Steel drum "Hava Nagila?" Sure. "Rock Around The Clock?" Of course. To be frank you haven't lived until you've heard Amral's surprisingly hardcore version of "Oye-Como Va," a song that legitimately makes me want to punch a cop. 

1. Somewhere My Love
2. Hava Nagila
3. Oye-Como Va
4. Matilda
5. Love Story
6. Delilah
7. Rock Around The Clock
8. In The Mood
9. Time Is Tight
10. Caterpillar
11. Soul Chick

 BONUS BARRY

Amral's Trinidad Cavaliers Steel Orchestra - The World Is A Ghetto

320kbps

Their cover of War's "The World Is A Ghetto."

Cry to this one

Armenta & Majik - I Wanna Be With You [8.303 - 1983]

Armenta & Majik - I Wanna Be With You [8.303 - 1983 Savoir Faire/Carrere 12"]

320kbps

Big in France but nowhere else, the NYC based funk/soul group Majik spent the early eighties struggling to bring the fame tbey'd found in certain European markets to their hometown. The group burned out after a while, disbanding in some fashion until 1983 when their former lead singer Armenta had the idea to record a reinterpretation of one of the band's early singles,  "I Wanna Be With You." Teaming up with writer/producer Amir Bayyan (brother of Robert "Kool" Bell of Kool & The Gang), they produced this all-hands-on deck Boogie SMASH that ran up both Billboard and European charts.

Irresistibly saccharine hook, crisp undistorted guitar work with a tone similar Kasso's "Brazilian Dancer," long synth laden vamps, and a tribal percussion breakdown that crescendos with a fucking Vocoder solo. Masterpiece.

1. I Wanna Be With You (Part 1)
2. I Wanna Be With You (Part 2)

BARRY BONUS

Armenta - I Wanna Be With You (Club Mix)

320kbps 

This "club remix" from what I believe to be some sort of digital reissue around 2010. Nothing obnoxiously modern - just a very similar mix to the original that combines pt. 1 & 2 and bumps the drums and vocoder up a bit for club utility. 

Black Sheep - Strobelite Honey [00600753648292 - Mercury 1991/2016 UMC Digital Reissue]

Black Sheep - Strobelite Honey [Mercury 1991 12"/2016 UMC Digital Reissue]

320kbps

Black Sheep are a North Carolina born, Queens bred Hip-Hop duo from the early nineties. Their song "Strobelite Honey" sampled SOS Band's "Take Your Time (Do it Right)" and Young & Company's "I Like What You Do To Me" "and had FOUR remixes by David Morales.

The Def Mix is a clear stand out in my mind. No nonsense joyful floor filling nineties house with an Italo House worthy piano breakdown. 

1. Strobelite Honey (Dance Radio Mix)
2. Strobelite Honey (Def Mix)
3. Strobelite Honey (Hot Mix)
4. Strobelite Honey (Momo Beats)

Cartouche - Running Up That Hill [ZYX 8643-8 - 1997 CD Maxi-Single]

Cartouche - Running Up That Hill [ZYX 8643-8 - 1997 CD Maxi-Single]

320kbps

Cartouche's Euro House cover of Kate Bush's "Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)." 

Ice cold and porcelain smooth, this sounds like something that would play in a Gap dressing room at the mall in the late nineties. It's all pretty similar but I'm partial to the Club Vocal.

Fun fact: Myrelle Tholen from Cartouche has retired from music and now runs a "streetdance school" in Belgium.

1. Running Up That Hill (Radio Mix)
2. Running Up That Hill (Club Vocal)
3. Running Up That Hill (Club Strumental Mix)
4. Running Up That Hill (Dance Mix