The organ riff in this track contains samples from organist Jackie Mittoo’s “Free Soul” and to me a really captures a modern interpretation of classic Ska and Rocksteady. The story of the video and the mean spirited subject matter of the song are complimented nicely by the adorably dark, sexy sassy and lovely rude Lily Allen.

Another bit of self-promotion, here is my dance floor friendly take of “Rudo Imoto” by the legendary Zimbabwean Chimurenga group, The Four Brothers. “Rudo Imoto” translates into “Love is a Fire” in Shona. Ain’t that the truth. I didn’t do too much to this one — just a simple edit: tweaked the bass, and added some percussive elements to make it work on a modern dance floor.

Rudo Imoto (Meistro Sol Power Bump) by Sol Power DC

I have one playlist on Spotify and it has 5 songs in it. This is one of them…

Tracklist:
It’s Your Turn (Cuetec Edit) – Delegation [Unreleased]
Not in Love Anymore (LNTG Rework) – Michael McDonald [2011]
We Can’t Fly – Aeroplane [2010]
Just a Memory – 6th Borough Project [2008]
Build it Up (Break It Down Remix) – Negghead [2010]
Quiet Dawn – Clause Four
Quiet Dawn – Cuetec [Unreleased]
Turn me Away (Good Parts Edit) – Good Parts [2011]
Put It In – The Legendary 1979 Orchestra  [2011]

Late Night Workshop (mixed by All Good Funk Alliance) by Thirty Thirsty

This jam has many of my favorite things all in one vid:
- fly kicks
- a fly honey with a sweet voice (hey, Melanie Durrant!)
- dancefloor flavor
- a sweet, jazzy disco break

I first got hip to Art of Fresh producer Slakah the Beatchild when I was checking out what was going on in the Toronto hip-hop and soul scenes. He worked closely with Drake, whom as we all know went on to dominate the popular hip-hop world.

Slakah still keeps it soulful though, releasing his own solo material as well as a brand new second album with Art of Fresh partner D.O.. That would be the basketball playing fellow in the video.

Check the visuals for this infectious song and then download the whole album for free.

Her classic song “Something’s Got a Hold on Me” was recently sampled by Flo Rida for “Good Feeling” and has really became the song of the moment recently. Flo Rida basically took her riff, laid some vocals over a Avicii & Alesso beat and called it a day. His song is decent, but feels like every other top 40′s pop dance song to me.

Antiheros took her riff and laid it over this Pretty Lights song and came up with something refreshing and unique but also has a nostalgic vibe due to the sample that Pretty Lights uses. Anyway, I present you with the Antiheros remix today for your downloading pleasure.

Pretty Lights – Good Feeling (Antiheros Remix) by Antiheros

Happy Bloody Valentine’s Day!

1990 was DJ/producer Andrew Weatherall’s year.

In addition to remixing “Hallelujah” for the Happy Mondays, single-handedly inventing the indie dance genré with “Loaded”—a radical reworking of Primal Scream’s “I’m Losing More Than I’ll Ever Have”—and the amazing ‘A Mix of Two Halves’ version of Saint Etienne’s “Only Love Can Break Your Heart,” Weatherall added his dance floor touch to “Soon,” the lead single on My Bloody Valentine’s Glider EP on legendary Creation Records, at a time when label owner Alan McGee was going completely mental discovering dance culture in Manchester.

Weatherall recombines Kevin Shields’ obsessively controlled guitar squall and Belinda Butcher’s wordless vocal, and punches up the sampled drums, adding in some then au current hip-hop touches. The resulting churn and thump was totally of—and totally ahead of —its time.

My Bloody Valentine – Soon (Andrew Weatherall Mix)

Looking for a vehicle to promote his girlfriend Vivienne Westwood’s fashion line, McLaren convinced Adam Ant’s original backing band to jump ship and form a new wave band dressed in Westwood’s finery: Bow Wow Wow. Following the Adam & the Ants formula [pop melody + twangy surf guitar + Burundi drumming], and aided by the sex appeal of teenage singer Annabella Lwin, Bow Wow Wow made a major impact on the New Wave movement in the U.S. and UK. The band scored their second U.S. charting single, “Do You Wanna Hold Me?” in February, 1983.

The loss of Don Cornelius will continue to weigh heavily on all of us who were influenced by his legacy.

Here’s a tasteful mashup I put together as a small tribute, and as a tool to keep the Soul Train spirit alive on our dancefloors—with a Sol Power twist.

Afrobeat Blues for Don by DJStylus

Easy enough, right? But just try and come up with your favorite love song…it is really hard. Sure a top 5 or 10 would be a snap…but just 1. I chose Joni Mitchell’s “Help Me.” It is a song that I only discovered a few years ago (although it was released in 1974) but it certainly is one of the sweetest love songs ever and for right now my favorite. It is in company with John Lennon’s “Starting Over”, INXS’ “Never Tear Us Apart”, The Postal Service’s “Such Great Heights” and “Something” by The Beatles (which I danced to at my wedding) to round out my top 5. But there you go, if I have to pick one…