Firefly - "Love Is Gunna Be On Your Side" (Dave Lee Love Emergency mix) (9:42)
Ruffneck - "The Power - The Rhythm" (Backroom Productions Feel The music mix) (5:17)
Johnny Dynell - "Rhythm Of Love" (Larry Levan Garage dub) (5:33)
Doug Willis - "Doug's Disco Theme" (Doug Disco mix) (7:18)
Review: In its full digital form, Z Records' excellent Life's Better With Disco Comp is an epic 37 tracks deep. Naturally there aren't that many cuts on this sampler 12", but the four on show are undoubtedly amongst the set's many highlights. Boss man Dave Lee kicks things off via a superb classic disco-meets-nu-disco revision of Firefly's 'Love Is Gunna Be On Your Side', before there's a chance to cop an obscure Backroom Productions rework of their early proto-house/garage-house gem (as Ruffneck), 'The Power - The Rhythm'. The mid-'80s fun continues on Larry Levan's vintage remix of Jonny Dynell's 'Rhythm of Love' - a killer fusion of dubbed-out synths and drums and Konk style Latin percussion - while Doug Willis' 'Doug's Disco Theme' is a classic disco-house number from Lee under one of his many alternative aliases.
Obatala Sango Ochun - "The Beginning" (Afrikan Latino mix) (6:24)
House II House - "Into The Night" (5:25)
Bizzy B - "Summer House" (3:20)
Rohan Delano - "Inflight" (5:17)
Montana Orchestra - "Esto Parese Amor" (Tribal Love beats) (5:11)
Uncle 22 - "The Man From" (6:22)
Review: Hotmix deliver another two-track slaying from an aliased ambassador of the label itself, this time the first edition in the new 'Obscure Bad Dreams' series. An homage to Sauro Cosimetti (the Italian house and techno mastermind whose credits include releases on Frequenza, Natura Viva and Beatfreak), six acolytes of the artist bring six, discoic house hosing-downs to the table. Most exciting among the selections are the lively African trad chanter 'The Beginning', the dreamy soulful house 'Inflight' by Rohan Delano, and Montano Orchestra's freestyle-inspired dub-electro-disco 'Tribal Love Beats' version of their own 'Esto Parese Amor'.
I Want It To Be Real (Late Nite Tuff Guy edit) (7:44)
I Want It To Be Real (Farley Hot House Piano mix) (7:03)
Review: In its original 1984 form, 'I Want It To Be Real' was Freeez founder John Rocca's debut single a soulful slice of cutting-edge vocal electro that rocked clubs from Brooklyn to Bradford. This welcome new edition boasts a fresh rework from edit-not-edit specialist Late Night Tough Guy, who utilises some of Rocca's original elements the killer bassline, synth solos and so on while adding dreamy deep house chords and a restless 4/4 beat. It's rather good, but even better is Farley 'Jackmaster' Funk's flip-side 'Hot Piano' mix, which originally appeared on Rocca's 1987 set Extra Extra. A breezy, life-affirming chunk of early Chicago house brilliance with added extended piano solos, it's arguably the definitive mix of 'I Want It To Be Real'.
Review: Few vocal deep house records are quite as timeless as Cece Rogers' "Someday", a Marshall Jefferson produced anthem that has continued to be constantly played by discerning DJs ever since its original 1987 release. As most will tell you, it was also the major sample source for Liquid's rave anthem "Sweet Harmony". This South Street reissue replicates the track listing of that initial Atlantic release, albeit it in re-mastered form to sound a little meatier on modern club soundsystems. On the A-side you'll find the essential Club Mix, where Rogers' impeccable vocal and Jefferson's meandering piano solos naturally dominate. These piano solos take more prominence on the "Some Dub" version, which in true '87 style still includes key vocal passages drenched in dub delay, while the Accainstrumental is - ironically - a little more like a contemporary house Dub.
John Rocca - "I Want It To Be Real" (instrumental) (5:12)
John Rocca - "Englishman In New York" (extended) (7:27)
John Rocca - "Move" (extended mix) (8:14)
John Rocca - "The Dream" (radio edit) (4:08)
Freeez - "IOU" (feat John Rocca - 7" version remastered) (3:51)
John Rocca - "I Want It To Be Real" (3:45)
Review: Freeez founder John Rocca made these cuts between London and New York City from 1982 to 1987. Once Upon A Time in N.Y.C is a pioneering compilation of proto-electro and house cuts that, for this reissue, come on nice splattered orange vinyl. As well as the six standouts on the original abut, there is also a bonus 7" with two extra cuts, one of which is the international hit 'I.O.U.' Elsewhere, jams like 'Englishman In New York', 'I Dub U' and 'I Want It To Be Real' all still bang as brilliantly now as they did almost 40 years ago.
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