Dancetones

Rip It Up, Issue 171, 1 October 1991, Page 35

Dancetones

HOT HOUSE TRAX: The latest release from Britain's “coolest" label NETWORK records is a scorching new garage influenced track from techno whizz Kevin "REESE" Saunderson. Credited as simply REESE, 'Direct Me' (123bpm) sounds very similar in style to the Crystal Waters singles, and will find favour • with those who like plenty of soul in their house music. This is way ahead of anything INNER CITY have done for a longtime. My other house favourite for the month is the great new track from hiphouse artist M-DOC. Some may remember him from Steve Hurley's Work It Out' compilation from last year, and on this new single 'Are U Wid It' (119bpm) he teams up with Hurley once more. The standout feature of this track, apart from Silk's typically awesome mix, is the excellent use of PRINCE's 'I Wanna Be Your Lover' which is used as a chorus for the song. Available in six mixes with

contributions from Junior Vasquez and Bad Boy Bill. ON THE RAP TIP After wading through the stack of rap releases for September, the track that stood out from all the rest comes from the new Epic artist THE RHYTHM. 'l'll Do Anything For You' (98bpm) is the first single from his debut album which was produced by Jon St James, who has produced all the CANDYMAN singles. Sounding incredibly like ; ■ CANDYMAN himself, THE RHYTHM delivers a laid back rap ballad with a killer female chorus. Anyone who liked 'Knockin' Boots' should RUN out and get this! Another single getting major rotate on my playlist for the month is • 'Sleeping On My Couch'(9Bbpm) by DELTHA FUNKEE HOMOSAPIEN. Produced by the almighty DJ POOH and ICECUBE this is taken from his new album I Wish My Brother Was Here. Some may be hearing his name for the

first time, but DEL has. worked on production on both ICECUBE'S and YO YO's solo albums. Not hardcore as you might expect, this is more from the De La, Jungle Bros school of rap. Looking forward to the LP... sth Ward Posse gangsters THE GETO BOYS return this month with a new single entitled 'Mind Playing Tricks On Me'. Probably their most accessible single to date, Willie D, Bushwick and Scarface deliver a mellow rap about all the competition who are supposedly after their lives. The instant hook in this song is the great guitar sample which I think may be George Benson. They also win disgusting cover of the year with this one. Available only on US import, grab one before it's banned. Unusual pairing of the month is flute session musician JIMMY Z with rapper and producer DR. DRE from NWA. Their single 'Funky Flute' (101 bpm) is a great slice of hip hop like no other I've heard, with DRE delivering a typically strong rap of JIMMY's excellent flute solo. Better than anything on the new NWA album and out now on US import. Other rap releases of note is the new BIG DADDY KANE 12" 'Raw '9l', which also features remixes of 'lt's Hard Being The Kane' and 'A Taste of

Chocolate' and the new single for JIBRI WISE ONE 'The House The Dog Built' which was No 1 on the Billboard Rap chart at the time of going to press. SWING AND SOUL RAY PARKER JR makes a comeback this month with a scorching new single 'She Needs To Get Some' (98bpm). Out on US swing label MCA, this is a great slice of swingbeat which sees PARKER in good voice and a mile away from the GHOSTBUSTER days! This hot track also contains a rap from labelmate FATHER MC and is available locally through BMG records. 'Piano In The Dark' was a huge hit for solo artist BRENDA RUSSELL a couple of years back, and 1991 sees a brand new version of the track by AMP (The Alan Matthews Project). Out now on the sometimes dodgy UK label DEBUT, AMP have recreated the track perfectly with the killer addition of SOUL II SOUL's'Back To Life' breakbeat. This will be massive and only just misses out on single of the month. If you are one of these boring NZ DJ's who buy one record a week, make this one it and then maybe you can stop playing crap like 'The Power'!! Smooth, seductive, sexy, what else can you say about MICA PARIS apart from the fact that she has one of the

best voices in soul music today. Her latest single 'Young Soul Rebels' (111 bpm) apparently won't be out here for a while yet so if you can find one floating about on import buy it. Awesome production, a great vocal, and it features the keyboard riff from LISA LISA's new single. Essential. After the debut single from SOUNDS OF BLACKNESS, the great swing single from MINT CONDITION, and this latest release from KARYN WHITE you would have to say JIMMY JAM and TERRY LEWIS are at the height pf their distinguished production career. After a two year absence, ■ KARYN is back with a definite hit. Taken from her new album Ritual Of . Love 'Romantic' (111 bpm) is a real winner with JAM & LEWIS on original production and SHEP PETTINBONE (who has done some classy mixes lately) handling the remixes. Available locally through Warner music and on the way to the top. Also recommended is the new 12" from FS EFFECT'I Wanna Be Your Lover' (111 bpm). FS EFFECT had one of the standout tracks on the NEW JACK CITY soundtrack and come back equally as strong with this swingbeat track which also features CHRISTOPHER WILLIAMS.

IF YOU BUY ANY RECORD THIS MONTH MAKE SURE IT IS: ■ ... Currently the most sought after record in Auckland, New Zealand and the world 'Set Adrift On Memory Bliss' by British rappers PM DAWN. Out in the UK on the Gee ST label this is the third single from what until now has . been a fairly average rap act. This, single will change all that mainly due to the large sampling of SPANDAU BALLET's huge hit from a few years back 'True'. Remixed with ERIC B & RAKIM's famous 'Paid In Full' beat this would pack dancefloors anywhere in the world and probably even Wellington. GET IT!! < GRANT "SAMPLE GEE" KEARNEY