On My Turntables Sept. 27, 2013

Kristine W's back with a new club number that has "HIT" written all over it. You'll drop your cosmos, dahlings, and head straight to the disco floor when Ms W belts out "SoClosetoMe." This is outstanding diva-driven club music the way it always should be. She has a slew of fab remixers, my faves being the Todd Terry Main Mix, especially, and the Tony Moran Destination Club Mix.

Another fab diva returns with a Whitney cover that's tops. Ms Barbara Tucker joins producers The Cube Guys for "I Wanna Dance with Somebody." Cube Guys' original version is pumpin' with poz energy, but you can't get better than David Morales' Pride Anthem Mix. Does the name of this mix tell you where he's going to take us? You won't be able to sit this one out, believe me.

Miley Cyrus, "Wrecking Ball." Holy Hannah Montana, did she get our attention at the MTV Video Music Awards with her performance! As I've said before, the Paul Ruiz remix was fantastic.  Many of the dance mixes out are not as successful; just a bunch of busy noise. The Edson Pride/Sweet Beatz Project remix isn't bad, but I'll stick with Ruiz if I really feel the need to spin this.

Gabry Ponte's Funk & Love do-over of "I Will Survive" is a great, respectful  remix of Gloria Gaynor's eternal classic. Probably not for peak hour but maintains the integrity of the song that will definitely draw people to the floor, plus full of both Funk and Love as promised by its remix title.

Disco most certainly is still in style if UK"s Irish Colleens, The Saturdays, have named their latest song "Disco Love," although the song is more HiNRG in style rather than disco. Fave mix: Starlab Disco Club Mix. Runner-up: Wideboys Extended Mix. In any event, a catchy tune from the dance-music girl group.

Buddy B thanks my blog's audience in the US, of course, but also in the Ukraine, France, Germany, Netherlands, UK, Romania, Russia, Italy, Poland, Brazil, Mexico, Canada, Thailand, and welcome Bangladesh! Take to the dancefloors, share the music, let unity and love, peace and harmony take over our planet. We are one world! SoClose.

Attached below, the original mix of Kristine W's "SoClosetoMe." (And dig those back-up vocals!)

David Morales' Changes: Divahood Is Powerful

   As autumn breezes sweep in a fresh, new season, there has probably been no finer dance-music album this past summer -- or perhaps for all 2012 to date -- than David Morales' Changes, available through iTunes and CD Universe. It is the first album from the Grammy Award-winning producer/remixer/dj since Two Worlds Collide in 2004.

The beautifully conceived and executed techno-disco single, "Golden Era" preceded the album release. It features the outstanding Roisin Murphy on vocals, in a swirl of strings and cowbells above the got-to-move bass line. Morales says of Murphy, in an interview with Joonbug, "She is not just some bubblegum chick that went la-la-la." In fact, this is not a "la-la-la" album of house tracks by any means. Here, we're going deeper with meaning, with diva attitude, with style, with music. But it's an upbeat series of tracks in any event. Just get that bubblegum out your mouth when you shake your ass to the rhythm.

The remixes of "Golden Era" are highly recommended and can be purchased from Amazon.com.

Ok, this album is simply amazing, and the divahood factor is through the roof as Morales works with a sampling of clubland's best. Janice Robinson is totally fantastic singing her self-penned "What Do You Believe In?" It's a touching number that will also make you want to move. Janice has recently been writing hits for others, like Frenchie Davis and Deborah Cox, so it's livin' joy to find her returning to the studio and stage as vocalist, reclaiming her spotlight.

Divahood is powerful, David acknowledges, with no less than three numbers from the divine Ultra Nate. Her "I Really Love" kicks off the album with regal style, though "Planet Called Love" may be my fave of the three.

Polina is on hand with the dreamy "Holiday" (no, not the song by you-know-who), "Stay" (the album's second single with remixes) and "Fall In Love." Tamra Keenan has two offerings included (the catchy "I Don't Belong Here" and "7 Days"), and Jonathan Mendelsohn is the sole male artist, offering some controlled testosterone vocals ("You Just Don't Love  Me" and "Last Time") on two tracks as well.

This is an expertly produced, melodic work of disco genius. Strong artists, strong lyrics, just beautifully done music from a true maestro in the world of dance, David Morales. So, say goodbye to summer -- and bubblegum!

Below, my favorite remix of "Stay" by the fabulous Joe T. Vannelli, who knows how to work a song:

Hot in Danceland

Abu-dabu-Dhabi!

This week, New York City was chilly and wet, wet, wet. C'mon, come through, New York, New York!

But things are sizzling in Danceland. My blog has gotten a lot of hits recently from United Arab Emirates, most likely from Abu Dhabi, and I want to send thanks to whoever is reading my blog there! I love Abu in the springtime... and ABBA, too! I hope to vacation there later in the year and have a Sex in The City II-like experience (without the dropping my condoms in a public square part).

David Morales' album officially drops this week, featuring the debut single, "Golden Era," with vocals by Roisin Murphy. The album is called Changes and it also includes vocals by club goddesses Janice Robinson, Tamra Keenan and Polina. Not so shabby... even in Abu Dhabi! He will dj at Cielo Thursday night and include tracks from Changes. Love is being sent out, especially to Janice, whose song "Dreamer," done with Italo-house group, Living Joy in the 1990s, is a perennial classic. She's on the trail as solo performer (has continued to write for other artists, notably Deborah Cox), and I can't wait to hear her perform again; she's been away too long and, like Dolly, nice to have her back where she belongs.

Titty titty bang bang

Meanwhile, it's the duel of the uber-divas as they tour and seem to compete for tabloid attention. Madonna exposed her nipple in Istanbul (it was Constantinople (not Abu Dhabi)) and it was no wardrobe malfunction as you can see in the picture above.  She proceeded to moon her Rome audience. What an ass!, did someone say? Perhaps in Italiano, eh?!

Meanwhile, Lady Gaga got smacked in the face with a metal pole, at a New Zealand concert, by one of her dancers. A little hostility and sabotage? Fired the klutz's ass, m'Lady? Anyhow, she received a headline by ending up with a concussion with two dramatic blackened eyes. Pretty pretty?

Gaga shines!

Gaga even tweeted about it and posted this picture. No "Natural Gaga" this go-round! Lipstick, eyebrows done, showing off those shiners, suffering for her art.

And so, until the next time, hope to see you on the dancefloor!  Shiners welcome!~~ Buddy

It's A Golden Era with David Morales, Roisin Murphy & President Obama

Roisin Murphy

David Morales is back, ready to get everyone on their feet to his nouveau disco sound with "Golden Era," a retro-tinged dance number with orchestral flourishes associated with classic dance-floor arrangements. None other than club-fave Roisin Murphy (pictured), the contralto Irish diva of dance and electronica fame, is the featured vocalist on this and she rises to the occasion beautifully. So, swirl, hands up in the air, Sunday tea dance style, on the day our President officially and historically pronounced June "Gay Pride Month!" And have a cocktail or two to really celebrate. Happy days are here again this summer; toast to a new Golden Era! Disco's back!

Below, both the Morales "Disco Mix" & the President's announcement, courtesy of YouTube. (Btw, Prezzie O is so cool, he even tosses in a Whitney quote, "bit by bit, step by step.")