Back in 2017, Dither Down released our album Let The Rhythm In. An extra song recorded during those sessions, back in 2015, never saw the light of day except in our live set.
It’s been a long time coming (Covid and pressing plant double hit), but thanks to the lovely folks at Royal Athlete in Berlin, the song ‘Hustle Never Ends’ has finally made it onto wax.
We’re thrilled to sit alongside some fellow practitioners of modern boogie on this EP and we reckon every track is a winner.
We’re delighted to announce our new single ‘Tech Noir’, complete with remixes by Jerge and Vanity Project.
Recorded as part of the Chemical Reaction sessions, ‘Tech Noir’ has a polyrhythmic, bass-driven house vibe. Combined with Emma’s powerhouse vocals, 4 to the floor drums and thick synth lines, it’s a sure-fire dancefloor banger.
The remixers
Jerge is a multi-instrumentalist and producer based in Paris and is associated with Bodybeat, You Man and Christine and the Queens.
Vanity Project is a producer who also runs the Claptrap Records label based in London.
This digital-only release features artwork from Rosie Rackham.
The interview took place over Zoom in early 2021 when the country was under national restrictions. Here’s the edited highlights!
Hi Darren! Tell me, how are you coping with the pandemic?
I’m really good and I’m really fortunate and blessed to have actually gained some work in new fields and new areas, which has kept me busy. I also have weekly meetings with my Houses which kept me really sane over Zoom. So, I’m blessed and I’m fortunate in this time where others in my career and field, and I’m talking about self-employed freelance artists are not.
It’s so nice to hear that, because so many artists are struggling right now. You want people to thrive in these terrible circumstances, so I’m happy. So, tell us, how did you come to be a vogue dancer and choreographer?
OK so, I actually started voguing a good few years ago, and how I started was through my House mother, which was Darren Suarez in Liverpool. I’m very fortunate that I call a second-generation UK voguer. He was an original voguer in the 80s in Liverpool. So what happened is, Paris is Burning came out, which is kind of like the bible for all vogue and he actually had a House in Liverpool called the House of Banjee Realness, which is taken from a category from Paris is Burning. So he had that group in Liverpool, and then vogue kind of went out of vogue. We kind of reconnected when we went to the same training institution but at different times. We had a conversation and at the time the Jason Nevins video It’s Like That came out with all the breakdancers. And I was like, “Darren, we need to do something like that, but with vogue”, because there was a re-emergence of the 70s/80s. It was all from a very cis, straight, male revival. And I was like, we need to bring back that 90s vibe of club culture and what that was about and those spaces that were a lot more revolutionary than those spaces are today.
It just went from there. He taught me, trained me, mentored me, and I project managed the first few vogue balls in Liverpool. He is iconic and pioneering within the UK, the northern ball scene. So I was very fortunate that I had an original person was out when that iconic video dropped. He’s a beautiful voguer as well, and his style is old way. They say there’s no school like the old school, and that the old way is the only way, so I was really fortunate that I learned from him and I was able to pass that down. I always say that Darren’s the seed that made the tree grow.
Would you consider yourself old way?
Yes. My preferred preference if I’m walking a ball, is old way. Just to go a little bit into the style if people are listening to this and going “what is old way?” There’s three fundamental dance styles in vogue, when people are walking a ball. You’ve got old way, which is pre-90s, and with each of the sections there’s always a musical style that goes with it as well, because of the influence of the music and the sonic sound at that time. My old way track that I love is by First Choice.
So, you went through the history of how the revival with Darren Suarez in the North, then you were involved in Deep in Vogue, this BBC documentary. Can you tell us a bit more about how that came about and how the Northern scene has become so prolific?
The way Deep in Vogue came about was – we get lots and lots of requests from people for us to talk about the scene, to film it, to photograph it, but we’re very precious and we’re very wary of who comes into our scene, what those conversations are, and who’s taking pictures of us and filming us, and doing interviews like this. So it was around four years ago, I had a very good friend called John Paul Riley who I’ve known since I was 14. He came to every ball and supported it, and he said that there were two of his friends who wanted to make a documentary about the vogue balls. Dennis, one of the producers and directors of the documentary came along to the ball so he actually understood the culture and where it had come from. Amy had also gone to a couple of them. So John Paul was like, “Darren, Darren, they want to make a documentary, and they’ll be really respectful, and Amy’s an amazing editor and Dennis is just a really good person who’s got a really artistic eye”, and so I opened up the conversations with them. Then I became executive producer on that project, and that was very important to have someone involved.
We had a beautiful working relationship – I really respect Amy and Dennis and the work they did on the documentary. It was all done for free and favours – very Mancunian! But we had access to some of the best stuff, the best equipment, the best studios. It was just that Manchester thing of, “I know somebody who knows somebody, will they do it for a plate of Thai vegan curry?” The music we got donated was by Crazy P and Nihilist, so we just created this documentary that we really wanted to be a love letter to the Northern vogue ball scene, and I think they really achieved that.
It’s doing the rounds in America, and we’ve got a Blu Ray of it now and it’s a brilliant point of reference for when people ask about the Northern ball scene, then I can go “watch Deep in Vogue”.
I watched it and I thought it was incredible. I thought it was beautifully done. It’s nice to see something in the North of England because often things are so London-centric, it’s a beautiful, high-quality scene.
Yeah, and it’s like, it’s just opened up so many doors and I think that’s what captured people’s imaginations – the fact that it’s Manchester and Liverpool. I think what people connected to on that was it didn’t really matter that it was a queer documentary, because I said I wanted to do a show about humanity and humans and show the diversity of the vogue scene and how, no matter what colour, shape, creed, race, political affiliation (although we all are kind of the same there), we can have a scene and a safe space, always honouring where it came from. It was black and queer, disenfranchised kids from New York that set up this scene, but also, it’s moved on and it’s revolutionised and that essence of family and chosen family is alive in all of us. People get it from the North, if you’re from Leeds, if you’re from Sheffield, even up to Newcastle. When I went to Sheffield, people were like “you just get it”. You just get that kind of DIY, fighting culture and I think Ricky says that we know what it’s like to be oppressed in the North, we are at a disadvantage economically to the South just because of the way the political landscape lies.
I just want to ask you why is that culture and community so important to you? What does it represent?
Well, being a kind of queer, mixed-race guy, a working-class guy, from a single mother, brought up in the North, there’s a lot of resonances that I can take from the original voguers. I may not have been made homeless, but I was poor, and I was disenfranchised, and I was brought up in the 80s and 90s. A lot of it is that I get – besides my family that I am extremely close to – I get to have an amazing queer chosen family. There’s something about finding your tribe and finding your people that understand you 360 degrees. Women understand this about code switching. We use this as a racial term, but you know, about acting one way, or dressing another way. We have to downplay our culture, or women have to downplay their sexuality because it’s seen as too much, or as an invitation for unsolicited behaviour or negativity towards you. Without the queer/alt community and without my allies and people who understand me and understand safe spaces, that is so important to me. With the vogue Houses that I’ve built, I’ve been fortunate that I’ve built my tribe, I’ve built a friendship and a network of people that just get who I am and understand where I’m coming from.
Tell us more about your Houses! I’d love to know more about House of Ghetto. What’s so unique about that and what’s so fabulous about that troupe?
House of Ghetto is my baby, whenever people ask me, I say I’m mother of House of Ghetto. That started off originally as a collective of drag queens and the girls and a few gay guys, then it went to the six girls that you see in Deep in Vogue, they’ve gone on to do amazing things. That’s incarnated into a collective of queer guys now. So it’s changed and manifested and grown. Even the people that started it off originally, we’re all still friends. It’s not like I’ve pushed anyone out or people have left, it’s just that thing’s grow and they manifest, and they change.
It’s extremely queer now, it’s all queer, all black and all male at the moment.
If someone wanted to learn more about vogue dancing and culture, more than they’ve learned today and particularly in the Northern scene, where should they start?
Instagram – that’s where most of the Houses platform themselves. Especially in the North, if you’re looking for a House, I’d say look at House of Flava, House of Ghetto, House of Black – that’s the best way to get in touch and see what workshops are going on, or if there’s a ball going to be put on. I’d say watch Deep in Vogue on iPlayer, so you know what it’s all about. And keep a look out for any of those Houses on Instagram more than Facebook.
In-person meeting again, that’d be so amazing, wouldn’t it? And we can go to gigs again and see performances. I’m really hoping that happens soon.
It shut down a few of the balls, so hopefully they’ll get back up this year and hopefully we’ll have another one in Leeds.
So, what’s next for you?
We’ve hopefully got some funding and will be doing our first family vogue ball which is more of a show, which is literally educating some children. We do a lot of vogue balls and people are like “I wish my kids could come but it’s not age-appropriate”, so we’re designing that. It may tour to seven cities if that comes through. Artistically I’m working on a musical called Rent Party and that’s been brought back this year. Planning balls and fundraising, money’s very hard to come by at the moment. And we’re still doing our gigs, so you may see us pop up at Glitterbox. We’ve started a relationship with Glitterbox and Defected Records, we dance with them a lot. Homo Electric we do and looking at some kind of monthly thing with one organisation at the moment, but until that’s confirmed I can’t say much more.
Thank you so much Darren for joining me today, it’s been awesome!
Limited edition Gildan 100% preshrunk heavy cotton shirt, with screen-printed design by artist Rosie Rackham, available on Bandcamp NOW!!
Available in shirt colours BLACK (white ink) and WHITE (black ink), sizes:
S – 34/36″
M – 38/40″
L – 42/44″
XL – 46/48″
White tee
Black tee
White tee
Black tee
Rosie Rackham is an interdisciplinary designer and graduate of Leeds Arts University. In 2020 she was one of two graduating students shortlisted for the first online Global Design Graduate Show, organised by leading launch platform for emerging creatives, ARTSTHREAD and i-D in collaboration with Gucci.
We were inspired to contact Rosie after seeing her ‘Music Connects People’ design for MAP Charity. We love Rosie’s concept-led bold and graphic style which uses botanical, geometric and figurative forms to explore interpersonal and environmental relationships.
“Connoisseurs of ’80s electro will find mind much to love on the Leeds-based trio’s second LP, jammed with exuberant, celebratory disco anthems that showcase the classic diva reach of singer Emma Mason” Mojo ★ ★ ★ ★
“An instantly danceable album fit for parties for all ages, this may well be a hidden gem of the year” Backseat Mafia 9/10
“A storming, potent, extremely direct return.” – Clash
‘Heartbreaker is a truly liberating track, lyrically and sonically.” –Get Into This
“Pop perfection….It’s impossible to feel bad with this blasting behind you.” – Get Into This
“Fitting between synthetic funk, elastic post-disco and smooth house moves… Chemical Reaction is the bullet-proof hit of sunshine that 2020 has so sorely been lacking.” – NARC 5/5
“Galaxians are pumping out feel-good tracks likes it’s 1989.” – The Rodeo
“Be it repetitive beats or loops, everything about this makes it a statement worth catching” God Is In The TV 8/10
Galaxians add a modern twist to retro sounds, recalling the likes of Roisin Murphy, Hercules & Love Affair, Lynda Dawn and Sink Ya Teeth. For their second album, Chemical Reaction— written and recorded with long-time collaborator and producer Ross Halden at Hohm Studio in Yorkshire—the band have stripped back the music and pumped up the vocals. Emma joined the band in 2016, and with her unstoppable voice elevates the group to a fully-formed musical act. This new LP is all about her. “We just wanted to make a pop album with simple songs and let Emma shine and do her thing,” they say.
Partly influenced by the post-disco output of Mel Cheren’s West End Records, the congas and cowbell-spiced first single celebrates attraction in all its forms. The shorter Mama Ghetto Vogue edit of title track “Chemical Reaction” is brought to life by Darren Pritchard, vogue dancer and mother of Manchester’s House of Ghetto, who meets a neon wonderland in the electrifying video.
Lucy Locket is one of our favourite DJs. A current member of the Love Muscle collective and former resident at Leeds’ legendary SpeedQueen parties, Lucy blends classic-era disco and house cuts into considered, soulful, life-affirming sets. We spoke to Lucy about music, memories, dance music culture and more….
*Guest appearance from Miss Frankie Knuckles.
What is your earliest musical memory and can you remember a pivotal moment when you first realised you felt really passionate about music?
I have lots of jumbled memories of living in Germany 2-4 years old involving Baby Love – The Supremes, Hands Up – Ottowan, Boney M, the Stars on 45 jingle in particular.But the clincher was receiving the Diana Ross solo album on cassette for my fourth birthday along with a silver handbag. I don’t actually remember the handbag but my sister bursts into peals of laughter about it when birthdays are mentioned because I toddled everywhere with it for a while. I listened to the title song of Why Do Fools Fall in Love so much I wore the tape out.
What was your environment like growing up, and which records made a big impact on you?
I’d say watching Top of the Pops and Sesame Street on BFBS made the biggest impact, and I don’t think I’ve moved on that much from either of those shows to be honest. Home environment living in Northumberland once in school was always very music based, mum is a brilliant pianist and classical music fan; dad loves long drives listening to the Beach Boys and Joan Armatrading; us kids were encouraged to take up music / dance / gym lessons when the opportunities came up. My sis and I pooled our pocket money to buy singles from Boots and Woolies, or the Music Shop on Bridge Street in Berwick. It must be noted that I loved then and love now, Just Another Dream by Cathy Dennis which came out in 1990.
How did your early creative development happen in terms of developing your first DJ sets and being able to say what you wanted to say through music?
I was a mixtape queen at school and sussed out that you could lead people into listening to some other songs that you wanted them to hear or thought they might like if given the chance, if you buried the song they really like halfway through side B.
Could you elaborate on moving to Leeds and playing at Speed Queen?
I remember it feeling right. I was absolutely certain about moving to Leeds for Uni (aforementioned sister who *spoiler alert* is clearly a huge influence on me, was then in her final year at York). I went clubbing loads, started buying loads more records, bought some belt drive decks and a mixer, handed a tape in to the Speedqueen shop to Suzy for a gig in the upstairs bar and got the gig. I really fell in love with i-Spy held by Kas and Suzy at NATO and then Speedqueen as they were two of a handful of spaces in my entire lifetime I have ever felt comfortable. From starting school onwards my life has been influenced largely by how awkward I feel I am and how awkward I am, so finding somewhere that is either not an issue or even, gasp, celebrated is so liberating. I learned so much about people and the human experience at SpeedQueen because I could tune in to what’s going on for everyone else for once, and I can’t thank Kas and Suzy enough for giving me that space to grow up.
How much do you think Leeds has changed during the time you’ve been living here?
This is a difficult one to answer actually because I’ve been here for such a long time and haven’t had many extended breaks from Leeds to truly notice what’s different. It’s cyclical I would say, so the ‘high street clubbing’ that was almost phased out by the time I arrived in 1995, it’s here again now – same as other cities of course. And the skyline is very different! The things I like about Leeds and the things I don’t are pretty much the same, though.
You’ve been part of the Love Muscle community for a while now. Underneath the fun and intensity of the parties themselves there seems an equally intense desire to establish a community, break down walls and to encourage people who attend to feel free, liberated, and respected. It’s anti-establishment in many ways. We (Galaxians) think that all of those things represent what dance music culture should be about. Would you agree with that?
Yes! And to celebrate, be glad we’re here, to create a dialogue about what we need, to connect. Wish that was the rule and not an exception though, don’t you?
Some of our own experiences of playing at parties and club nights is that some of the negative things people talk about experiencing at rock shows (heirarchy, sexism, whitewashing, rock star behaviour) aren’t as prevalent and it can be a more diverse, democratic, shared experience. Do you feel that yourself? Do you experience some of those same issues in dance music culture?
All of those issues are prevalent in dance music. I totally feel that, it is my lived experience of roughly 25 years of clubbing and there is plenty of evidence out there to back me up, and speak to the lived experience of minority groups I am not part of. If you look at the history of dance music and DJ culture from 1960s to present day, the inventors, innovators and community who made it happen are not the same as those who amassed / are amassing wealth from it and multiple systems of oppression see to that.
Parties and club nights that actively work towards creating safer spaces and prioritising communities (LGBTQ+ and/ or POC for example) are where there is a prevalence of diversity, democracy and shared experience. I want to see more parties and festivals out there committing to do the same work at a mainstream level, especially in these times where it’s difficult to find a piece of actual common ground which hasn’t been monetised. We can do better.
Do you feel that the DJ should always position themself behind the music, rather than being put on a pedestal?
There is room for everybody to do their thing in a way that is congruent to who they are and how they want to express themselves. That goes for the dancers too, I’ve had some brilliant nights dancing to DJs who don’t visually give themselves away (Al Kent), or deliberately finding my own corner to get my head down and rave. And I’ve had nights where I’ve actively sought out the connection with whatever is going on behind the decks or wanted to be the centre of attention on the dancefloor (that has happened twice).
That said, there is some self-interrogation to do if you’re playing music entirely composed and produced by people other than you, and how much credit you can take – or be perceived to be taking – for that. David Mancuso had the approach about right! I could go off on one here about DJing as a skill or set of skills but let’s leave that for another interview.As the wording of your question alludes to, it’s not always the DJ’s choice to be on the pedestal. I know several introverts and turbo nerds who are career DJs for whom the attention is a massive cringe they would rather do without.
Your sets at Love Muscle are always super-soulful and fluid, and always build really nicely. Do you prepare or do you play how you feel on the night when you know what the vibe in the room is once you’ve started?
Ah, that is nice feedback! Thank you. I do prepare, and I do play to the vibe in the room. The preparation bit comes in two ways; to manage my anxiety, and also to figure out what works as I’m mostly disco and a bit of early house, so live drumming can be a bugger to work with. It helps to know and learn your cue points where the drumming is relatively stable, and the phrasing drops in the right place. I always, always overpack so I have room to go somewhere else and follow the interest.
Tell us about the Equaliser collective and the group workshops you do as part of that?
I have, sob, recently taken a step back from Equaliser. I have loads of personal stuff going on at the moment so I needed to scale back my commitments. Also it was the right thing to do in terms of ensuring the workshops meet the needs of their audience and as I am a generation older than most workshoppers, I did feel that my literally old-school approach to hosting wasn’t always appropriate or beneficial to their learning.
The collective has been going for just over 2 years and holds club nights and free-to-access DJ workshops for women, trans and non-binary people. I’d worked for Leeds Met a few years ago teaching DJing so re-used my lesson plans to set up the workshops and then did some ‘train the trainer’ sessions with others in the collective and some previous workshoppers so they can host their own and adapt the materials accordingly to suit their style and audience. Really super proud of everything we’ve achieved so far, the positive difference I can see in Leeds parties and in the way the learning is being shared beyond the collective.
What are you listening to at home at the moment?
My record collection, all over again! I’ve just moved house and now have the opportunity to set up a proper listening / living room – I’ve got some well decent speakers on long term loan from a friend (thanks Lee), a listening deck and even splashed out on some better than average speaker cable. So I’m looking forward to hearing some stuff I own in a different environment to how I had been experiencing it. I had been listening to records at home in a quite a transactional way in my old place, broadly speaking it was an internal conversation of “Is this going to work? Yes / No”, in order to figure out what I could play out at a gig. Now I can listen to it all at leisure, in a different frame of mind.
To coincide with the terrestrial broadcast of Jeremy Deller’s documentary film Everybody In The Place: An Incomplete History of Britain 1984-1992 we thought we’d take a look at some of our favourite proto-house songs from the late 1970s to the mid-1980s.
What is proto-house? We tend to use the term to describe songs and sounds from the post-disco / pre-house period that signalled what was to come in dance music in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Though we often think of house music (and more specifically rave culture) as a 90s movement it has been argued that the seeds of house were actually sown more than a decade earlier. We’d like to present a selection of songs which give us an insight into where some of the musical ideas and sounds of house music originate from.
1. You Don’t Know – SERIOUS INTENTION (Easy Street 1984)
I have to admit that the first time I heard this song I didn’t really get what was so great about it, but it’s often said that the mark of a great song is that it improves with every listen. Here we have a classic case of less is more. The simplicity of the composition is exactly what I didn’t get at first but when I really got it I understood that the use of space and the minimal approach to instrumentation are what make it so good. And therein lies the key to many a great house tune.
2. Walkin’ on Sunshine – ROCKERS REVENGE Featuring DONNIE CALVIN (Streetwise / London 1982)
A benchmark for me in so many ways. I have so much love for this song (or rather version, as the original was written by Eddy Grant) because it captures a really exciting period in dance music and pretty much contains something from every sub-genre from that time. The early to mid-80s was arguably one of the most experimental periods in the history of dance music, not least because of the use of both live instrumentation (bass guitars, acoustic percussion etc) and drum machines and synthesizers.
You might think me insane for suggesting that house music was present in dance music as early as 1982 but just listen to that breakdown at the six-minute mark. Pure house vibin’.
3. Electric Baile (Commercial Mix) – MASTER PLAN (Sunset 1986)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=joUzl0j8jTo
A record that always makes it into my DJ sets to the point where I probably play it too often, but it’s just a peak-hour banger. On first listen I thought that it sounded way too European to be from Chicago but it’s good to have your ideas and expectations challenged by music sometimes isn’t it? This song opened my ears to a different Chicago sound and really made me realise how varied a community it really was back then.
This one has a great pounding kick and snare and gnarly synth bass line. Together with the conga pattern and sweet vocal it’s a pretty irresistible mix.
4. Let Me Down Easy – RARE PLEASURE (Cheri 1976)
1976?! Yes, really. I mean, listen to that piano motif. Okay, so it’s a stretch to call this song proto-house but along with Dancin’ And Prancin’ by Candido (Salsoul 1979) it does shine a light on the roots of the classic house piano hook and helps us understand the lineage from disco to house.
It’s one of my favourite ever songs and was also a eureka moment for me in terms of my love for disco. It’s a beautiful composition and is one of the first disco songs that really connected with me in a big way. I still think it’s really ahead of its time too.
5. Release The Tension – J-A GROOVE (Studio 1986)
Another favourite that rarely leaves my record bag between DJ sets. The artist name is apt. It has such a tight groove and I love the overall production on this one. The original is a Boyd Jarvis composition and as far as I know there are several versions of it including one featuring Colonel Abrams, however this one is my favourite. It’s just really pumpin’ and soulful.
6. The Music Got Me – VISUAL (Prelude 1983)
“When the weekend comes around, I can’t wait to hit the dance floor”. Pretty good lyric to open a song with. Here’s another Boyd Jarvis creation which is one of the more well-documented proto-house jams. Boyd was definitely ahead of his time and sadly passed away last year, arguably still without the credit he deserved.
Jarvis created a musical sound through the use of home made, reel to reel and hand-played sparse synthesizer & drum machine tracks that were featured extensively as overdubs on early-mid ’80s NYC WBLS FM “extended music sweeps” with DJs Timmy Regisford and later, Merlin Bobb.
7. Through The Night (Dub Mix I) – BLUE MODERNE (Sunnyview 1986)
I hadn’t heard this jam prior to buying the Running Back Presents Front compilations, which are a celebration of Hamburg’s Front club (which hosted parties from 1983 to 1997) and its residents Klaus Stockhausen and Boris Dlugosch.
I particularly love the moment where the instrumentation kicks in at around 1:15 and the way the mix moves along from there. The super-soulful vocal by Audrey Wheeler really lifts the whole arrangement and it’s a very classy mix overall.
8. Call Me Mr Telephone (Street Dub Mix) – ANSWERING SERVICE (Third Label 1984)
Another song featured on the Running Back comp series, this Italo monster features a sweet gnarly bass line and heaps of reverb and delay applied to the drums and percussion. I love the double-time kick in the early breakdown followed by the rap and the atmospheric synths that come in and out through the track. It doesn’t really move anywhere in terms of melodic development but it doesn’t need to, it’s just a great groove and sometimes that’s all you need.
There are lots of great things about this jam from 1988. The drum programming, pumpin’ production, and the sparse funky arrangement make it impossible not to move to. You could argue that it isn’t specifically proto-house as it was made at the time house music had already developed some of its signature sounds and an identity, but I’m including it because it sits so well next to any post-disco or house track and everytime I play it in a set at least one person asks me what it is.
That semiquaver snare roll gets me every time. Love it.
10. Dancing Therapy – INTERNATIONAL MUSIC SYSTEM (Emergency 1984)
I first heard this Italo banger in a record shop in London and it was one of those moments where you just like the look of a record and then you listen to it and wonder how or why you haven’t ever heard it before. Having thought I was alone in my love for it and having never heard it anywhere in a DJ set or playlist I heard it at a Love Muscle party in Leeds sometime last year and it was wonderful to know that I wasn’t alone in my admiration for it.
Born in the Bronx, New York, John Morales made his name as an editor, remixer and producer, and as a DJ at clubs such as Studio 54, Limelight and Stardust Ballroom.
For a large part of his early career Morales worked alongside Sergio Munzibai, and utilising their heritage (Morales is of Puerto Rican descent) they distinguished themselves with their Latin percussion-heavy arrangements and remixes, known collectively as the M&M Mixes.
Here we present 10 of our favourite Morales remixes and productions. Enjoy.
1. Barely Breaking Even – UNIVERSAL ROBOT BAND (Moonglow Records 1982)
Where else to begin than with a song many regard as Morales’ masterpiece. It’s hard to disagree with that opinion because it’s just so damn good, from the outrageous bass guitar (pushed right up front in the mix) to the way the instrumentation and orchestration weave in and out, building and dropping. Add to that an incredible vocal from Leroy Burgess and jaw-dropping musicianship from his fellow LOGG band members, it’s a collaboration made in heaven.
Before I heard this song I wouldn’t have thought it possible that an 11-minute jam with a drummer playing barely anything more than a kick drum could be so funky and satisfying.
2. Nice and Soft (Uptown Version) – WISH ft. LA-RITA GASKIN (Perspective 1981)
Another post-disco Morales gem that is just New York through and through, from the sultry keys at the beginning to that squelching synth bass line. There are a few versions of this and being a drummer I do generally prefer the ‘drummier’ version with it’s crazy fills and syncopated snare hits, but this Morales mix is certainly no slouch and does include some of those busier drum parts in the breakdown.
New York producer and songwriter Greg Carmichael (famed for his collaborations with Patrick Adams and Leroy Burgess) also appears here on arranging duties.
It’s a shame this remix was a CD-only release as I hate CDs and would pretty much kill to have this on a 12. Hey ho. One of Morales’ recent treatments in which he really ramps up the kick sound and polishes the production so it shimmers with a really clarity and crispness. Aside from the technical elements it’s just such a soulful song and a super-tasteful treatment, and quite frankly once it’s kicked in I never want it to end.
One of Morales’ great talents is the way he considers the space and uses everything in the composition to get the maximum impact out of the orchestration and the individual parts. Listen to the way he allows the string section to sing on its own for parts of the song, maximising the emotional effect. Stunning.
4. I’m Caught Up (In A One Night Love Affair) – INNER LIFE (Prelude 1979)
Where to start. Difficult to accurately describe my feelings for this song in a couple of paragraphs but I’ll give it a shot.
People often talk about disco being dead by 1979. Not so. Disco simply went back underground where it nurtured its roots once more, to give us incredible songs such as this. From the heart-wrenching vocal by Jocelyn Brown (and those “ah-ah-ah-ah, caught up!” backing voices) to the lush strings and sweet chord changes, it really is a thing of beauty and there’s always plenty of whistling and hollering from the dance floor whenever I play it out. Morales also produced the full album of the same name.
5. Do You Wanna Lover (Club Mix) – HOT BOX (Polydor 1983)
Dodgy name aside, this banger from 1983 displays all the percussive hallmarks of a Morales production: layers of agogo bells and cowbells over drum machine beats and a seriously wicked breakdown where you hear nothing except drums and percussion. I’m a sucker for live acoustic percussion over sequenced classic drum machine sounds, particularly the Linn Drum kick and snare.
This one has a vibe reminiscent of The System’s ‘You Are In My System’ and is a great example of the early electro / proto-house sound that got kids breakdancing all over the damn place.
6. Breakin Down (Sugar Samba) (JM After-Session M&M Mix) – JULIA & COMPANY (Columbia 1983)
Staying with 1983 here’s a somewhat lighter but no less potent jam with a really swinging Latin vibe and some great drum programming (those triplet tom rolls!). One of the things I love about this is that even though it’s a really busy arrangement at times it’s never not funky. It has a fun and joyful air but it still feels raw somehow. Sits nicely in a DJ set next to Teena Marie, too.
7. Lay It On The Line (After-Session M&M Mix) – LOGG (Salsoul 1981)
I could probably make a favourite list of Morales mixes that feature Leroy Burgess and his LOGG compadres as there’s so many great ones.
This one is a strong contender for numero uno, because it actually improves on the original (sorry, Leroy!) in two ways. Firstly, it absolutely rejoices in all the individual voices and elements of the composition, and I don’t know about you but I want to hear those elements, one by one, until everything is pumping away. It’s just so satisfying. Secondly, it takes a more polite original version and bumps the rhythm and bass guitars right up to maximum effect, making it twice as funky. It’s a bonafide boogie bomb.
8. Down For Double (After-Session M&M Mix) – CUBIE BURKE (Rissa Chrissa 1983)
This was Cubie’s only solo effort (he spent most of his career as a professional dancer) but it’s made the cut here simply because it’s a fine example of boogie and of Morales clean, tight remixing approach. It’s a low-key affair for sure, and not quite as developed as some of his reworks but it has a classy vibe and great groove, especially in the brilliantly-phrased bass guitar part. Recorded at Blank Studios by the legendary Bob Blank.
9. Once Is Not Enough (Dub Mix) – LEON LOVE (Still Rising 1984)
1984 was a good year in the post-disco, pre-house club landscape. Take Rocker’s Revenge’ dub/electro/proto-house masterpiece ‘Walking On Sunshine’ which for me embodies the experimental nature and musical joy of that period. When you listen to it you hear disco, garage, electro, house, all in one song. This Morales dub mix from the same year shares some of the same characteristics and I think I prefer it to the a-side.
10. You And I Together – BRENDA GOOCH (Salsoul 1981)
A new discovery for me and while it isn’t in the league of Morales’ well-known classic mixes I wanted to include something slightly more obscure because we’ve all heard ‘Ain’t No Mountain High Enough’ and ‘Hooked On Your Love’ a hundred times, right? Of course there’s a reason why those remixes are so highly regarded, but just for the sake of curiosity and interest I thought I’d end on this one.
Really feeling the intro here, in particular the repeating ‘flats in Dagenham’ snare drum and tom fill, the descending piano motif, and the unexpected but altogether soulful chord changes.
In honour of Larry Levan’s 65th birthday we’ve put together a selection of some of our favourites from his catalogue of mixes, remixes and productions. Of course there are countless articles, blogs, and playlists celebrating the maestro’s work, so although this is nothing new we think his legacy is worth celebrating and returning to again and again.
Choosing just ten songs is really quite a stretch as there are so many classics, but we hope we’ve added at least one or two songs here that you might be less familiar with.
Enjoy. Matt.
1. Don’t Tell Me – CENTRAL LINE (Mercury 1981)
Fair to say that the b-side ‘Walking Into Sunshine’ is the more well- known Levan remix from this particular 12 but for me the a-side is the one. You could argue that by Levan’s standards this is a fairly conservative, less dubby remix but it still has his signature all over it. Some of his arranging ideas could sometimes appear slightly random – percussion tracks starting in odd places within a phrase, instruments or effects leaping out of the speakers when you least expect etc – but for me that’s all part of the appeal. Listen to the hand percussion part here and you’ll see what I mean.
2. Seventh Heaven – GWEN GUTHRIE (Island 1985)
An obvious choice for sure, but it has to be in this list. Quite simply a benchmark for so many reasons, not least because of the personnel involved – Gwen Guthrie and the Compass Point All Stars team of Sly Dunbar, Robbie Shakespeare, Wally Badarou, and Darryl Thompson – but also because it showcases just how experimental and creative Levan was. Listen to those delayed claps leaping out of the mix and the way he turns a pretty smooth production (check the original mix) into something entirely more raw and druggy. It’s one of those mixes that when you hear it for the first time it’s like nothing you’ve ever heard before. And that bass guitar, OMG.
3. First True Love Affair – JIMMY ROSS (RFC 1981)
Another well-trodden path I know, but it’s a path that always leads to joy so it’s worth a revisit. There’s no doubt about the super-soulful chorus and general great vibe of the whole song but for me it’s all about that breakdown. The reverb-drenched synth line just amps up the character and takes things to a new place for a while before everything snaps back in.
4. I Got My Mind Made Up – INSTANT FUNK (Salsoul 1978)
I read somewhere that Larry’s remix of this Instant Funk banger is regarded in some circles as the greatest 12″ remix of all time. It’s a bold claim and I’m not sure I even think I agree with the idea that there has to be a ‘greatest mix’, but aside from that there’s little about this remix I can say that hasn’t been said already. It’s just SO funky from start to finish and I probably play it out just a bit too often, but I can’t help myself.
5. Need Somebody New – JAMAICA GIRLS (Sleeping Bag 1983)
A fairly recent discovery for me but I wanted to include it here because I’ve been enjoying it a lot and it’s another example of an unmistakable Levan intro; the way the sounds are introduced into the arrangement and how certain sounds are drenched in delay or saturated to the point where the sound almost starts to break up. I often wonder if some of the techniques he employed were to recreate sounds he was hearing when he was under the influence mixing records in the club.
6. Diamond Ring – BILLY NICHOLS (West End 1980)
Okay, so this could be a bit of a stretch because it’s difficult to say with any degree of certainty exactly what level of involvement Levan had in this, but it’s here all the same. Discogs classifies this under the sub-heading ‘Writing & Arrangement’ and the record lists Levan as ‘Music Consultant’, so it’s anyone’s guess. Tune is a total banger though and it definitely displays more than a mere sprinkle of Levan magic in my view.
7. A.I.E – LA COMPAGNIE CREOLE (Pardonnez-nous 2019)
Another recent discovery (unreleased prior to this year) and arguably a much more understated treatment than we might be used to hearing from Monsieur Levan. You could even say it’s quite smooth and polished, two words you wouldn’t normally use to describe one of Larry’s reworks. It has a lovely groove and is the perfect early evening summer vibe for a rooftop party before things get dark and messy inside the club.
8. Bodyshine – INSTANT FUNK (Salsoul 1979)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2Dv5lL1ipQ
Levan always had a knack of making a sexy song seem even sexier. Maybe it’s the way his creative flow and personality combined to bring out even more soul and sass from a tune. People often speak about his magnetic character and wild spontaneity, and his ability to squeeze even more emotional impact out of a song. I think you can add to that his ability to make a song feel more lithe and twice as sensual.
9. Double Cross – FIRST CHOICE (Salsoul 1979)
A song which will forever remind me of the Release Yourself parties hosted by Pat McCusker, Henry Hobson and myself at Wharf Chambers in Leeds from 2012 to 2017. Just a guaranteed floor filler and definitely one of Levan’s most muscular remixes. A banger, pure and simple. One of my favourite characteristics of his remixes is the way he just pushes those kick drum and bass guitar faders right up. G’wan!
10. Can’t Play Around – LACE (Atlantic, RFC 1982)
I’ve often heard people talk about 1982 as the best year for boogie. I’m not sure about that but I am sure that Levan’s mix of this Lace song should definitely be included in any best of 1982 list. For me, Levan produced some of his finest work during the post-disco period (though you could also argue that most of his work is from that period anyway!) when dance music dug deep into it’s own underground again and became even more experimental. Larry was definitely spearheading that movement with his raw, train-of-thought creativity and unique approach, not just to his remixes but his live sets too.
We’re excited to announce our headline show at Hebden Bridge Trades Club on 30th August, supported by Mealtime.
Friday 30th August Galaxians + Mealtime + Country Club DJs £8/£10 [+10% booking fee] Doors open 8pm
“A night to remember with amazing live electronic disco-funk-house magicians Galaxians who have been making waves nationwide since the release of their debut album ‘Let The Rhythm In’ with special guests the Manchester 6 piece synthclash band Mealtime and Country Club DJs. Highly recommended!”
I’m on mix duties again this month and it’s been difficult to select just a small amount of music from recent buys as there’s been a lot of good stuff out recently (ensuring empty pockets but a well-stocked record bag). Here’s some of my favourite songs of the moment, bursting with summer vibes.
– Matt
SHAKTI // Rainbows (Subway 1987)
RENE & ANGELA // I Love You More (Frankie Rodriquez Long Vocal Edit) (Capitol 1981)
KLEER // Open Your Mind (Atlantic 1979)
CHAKA KHAN // I Know You, I Live You (Tony Humphries Remix) (Warner Bros 1989)
BRIAN POWER // Falling Back In Love (Instrumental) (Soulhouse 2019)
JOE NEGRO vs. HORSE MEAT DISCO // Candidate For Love (Horse Meat Disco Mix) (Strut 2014)
TERRY HUNTER Featuring BARBARA TUCKER // Holding On (Club Mix) (T’s Box 2019)
PEGGY GOU // Han Pan (Gudu 2019)
JUNGLE BY NIGHT // Spending Week (Ron Trent Remix) (New Dawn 2019)
PRINCE // 17 Days (Zach Witness Version) (Witness 2019)
SOUL REDUCTIONS // Got 2 Be Loved (Take Away 2017)
Your sets at Love Muscle are always super-soulful and fluid, and always build really nicely. Do you prepare or do you play how you feel on the night when you know what the vibe in the room is once you’ve started?
