James Duncan - producer of a flawless string of sublime House EP's for labels such as Real Soon and his own Le Systeme imprint; horns man for Metro Area, Morgan Geist and Lem Springstein (Mood II Swing) and currently on trumpet duties for Sal Principato (Liquid Liquid) - invites us to join him on a whistle stop tour through some of the subway stations in his neighbourhood for the first in a series of "Brooklyn Beats".
LABEL: WNCL Recordings
CAT NO: WNCL027
ARTIST: James Duncan
TITLE: Brooklyn Beats Vol. 1 EP
FORMAT: 12" vinyl / digital
RELEASE DATE: 18th March / 25th March
Just squeezing in my latest selection before January is out.
Juno chart can be heard HERE.
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1. IMYRMND "Tong Po" (Tartelet)
To describe this EP as merely "jazzy" or "twisted" would be to do it a diservice. Even though it is both of those things. Good, crazy House music from the ever reliable good and crazy Tartelet label
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2. LOUIE VEGA feat. JOCELYN BROWN . You Are Everything (Vega)
This could have been recorded yesterday, today or tomorrow. Legends in the game presenting classic HOUSE music.
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3. PEARSON SOUND . Thaw Cycle (Pearson Sound)
A fine display of 'typical' Pearson Sound ingredients - cold minimalism and melancholy - without stinting on the nasty funk. Ditto for the B side.
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4. MOODTRAP . Make It Better (Lower East)
I'm not entirely show how the Gerd Rough Dub relates to the original track nor do I care. Hands down, it's the winning cut on this release.
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5. EKKOHAUS . Corner People EP (Holic Trax)
Tucked away on the B side is a track called "New Tricks" and its got bells and stuff and drums that make you want to dance so that's the one I'm playing.
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6. CHAOS IN THE CBD . Midnight In Peckham (Rhythm Section International)
First in a run of RS twelves that I picked up last year and inexplicably forgot to chart. Some pleasant sounds throughout this 4 track EP but it's "Observe", with its hint of vintage Strictly Rhythm, that gets the rewind,
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7. FYI CHRIS . Back In The Millenium (Rhythm Section International)
Another one from the impeccable back catalogue of Peckham's finest. Like many, I've been opting to play the darker, jagged lead track from this EP
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8. HENRY WU . Good Morning Peckham (Rhythm Section International)
A bumper 6 tracker with some varied styles on show. My money's on the broken rhythms of "Neezy (Wok)". Rhythm Section really did have quite the year in 2015.
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9. MAX GRAEF . KSF (Kaese Shincken Floete) (Box Aus Holz)
Completely missed this on first release in 2013 so this handy re-press means that I now have some Max Graef magic dust in the bag.
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10. JOSS MOOG . Lili's Theme (Robsoul)
Been trying to get this ever since it came out on 2014 and finally got my sweaty mitts on it. The title track is packed full of blissful soul - just perfect.
