This DJ Chart features three compilations and various releases spanning Afro House, Jazz, Broken Beat and Disco variants.
As always, share the love with each other and support the artists by taking advantage of Bandcamp Fridays.
1. Deep Aztec - I've Found U feat. James Blond3
South Africa has come to the forefront of the electronic music scenes around the world recently with a tone of Amapiano and Afro House tracks being released. While this track isn’t either of those things, the artist, Deep Aztec has produced an album that traverses genres arriving at a really well rounded release. I’ve been playing a number of these tracks out and if you are playing a range of residencies, this release will have something that you can play at just about all of them.
2. Beatbyhand featuring Rona Ray - Say Yes (Extended Mix)
Keeping on the South African vibes this Afro House version of Floetry’s Say Yes is done really well. The label has also released a Jimpster remix. But I think the original extended mix takes this RnB slow jam and keeps the integrity of that vibe. I also copped the Jimpster version but I think this one is my preferred dig.
3. ISHFAQ - Wonder Jazz
Anything with jazz in the title will summon a click from me. This is a great compilation on Dance Regular covers mainly house and bruk (BRoken beat UK) styles. My pick of the bunch is this jazzy house exploration by ISHFAQ.
4. Hidrogenesse - La Carta Era Muy Larga (Dub)
Seemed like this comp was on pre-order forever. Finally it has reached release and, as expected, features all quality selections from John Gómez and Nick the Record, residents at the Tangent night in the UK, released on Mr. Bongo. Huge variety but all of the tunes are unique and dancefloor ready jams.
5. Kyoto Jazz Massive ft. Vanessa Freeman & Echoes Of A New Dawn Orchestra - Power
This collaboration between Kyoto Jazz Massive and parisian Echoes Of A New Dawn (aka Jéroboam) honours the 30th anniversary of Kyoto Jazz Massive’s initial debut. Brothers Shuya and Yoshihiro Okino have carved out a reputation for musical jazz and funk inspired dancefloor tracks. Take your pick! there’s six of them and I’m not sure what my favourite is but today it’s the lead track ‘Power’.
6. DFRA Experience Jazz Band - Jazz In
From the liner notes on Bandcamp: “It incorporates classic Deep House and House sounds plus the fusion of Modal Jazz, Bebop, and Hard Bop style melodies.”
Take my money.
7. Juls baby - From Stony Hill to Sao Paolo
Soulection founded their brand on being the ‘the sound of tomorrow’ which has aged into what is sounding more and more like the sound of the moment, which is currently Afro House and Amapiano. While I sound critical of their motto, it’s really just a reflection on fact that anything purporting to represent the future isn’t going to age well if it has a crowd to please. Onto the music, this compilation delivers several nice moments which I’ve been including in my sets lately. Particularly this dub inspired take from Juls Baby.
8. Alex Kassian - Oolong Trance (Paradise Mix)
Alex Kassian is now one of the most in demand artists on the euro festival circuit. After seeing Alex steadily gaining traction on socials, I did an investigation on bandcamp to see what the fuss was about. There’s a lot of piano house going around at the moment but I think what matters is when somebody takes something and makes it their own. Pushing things forward doesn’t always mean innovating but rather adding another piece to the quilt of styles that form around an idea. It’s a fine line between that and adding to the garbage. As always, the challenge is sifting through the noise to find the sound.
9. Cleo Sol - When I'm In Your Arms (RedSoul 2023 Edit)
Good edits are an essential part of a DJs collection, as they be the key to opening an audiences ears to your sound. When it comes to slow jam tracks they don’t always convert well to uptempo dance editions so the editor really has to figure out how to make it work and it is a fine line between success and not. I love the original version and came across this house edit by RedSoul which is just that. Well done.
10. Malik Alston - Tie It Up (Latin Sunrise Remix)
I’ve been walking around humming the main line from this track for weeks now. Jazzy and housey but without a really strong kick drum puts the focus shifts onto the solos. I love playing this in bars. At first it’s like “where’s the kick drum?” but actually when you play this on a system you realise its just right.