Week 31: NY Garage

Ok, there's a LOT to discuss before I throw this one out there. First off, big up to Birgitte in Norway, who sparked the idea to do this mix. She requested a mix of '80s soul & R&B; this is the first of two mixes exploring that theme (the other will come in two weeks).

Anyway, this week we have a tape of New York Garage. This is NOT garage rock, and the name has nothing to do with that...the "garage" in question is a sub-genre of disco that came from New York and helped pave the way for house music. It's named after the Paradise Garage, a members-only all-night dance club which existed in New York from 1977 to 1987, and was home to super-big-deal dance music legend Larry Levan. Previous to 1977, Levan had been mentor to "Godfather of House" Frankie Knuckles—in '77 Knuckles moved to Chicago to begin his residency at the Warehouse, and Levan remained in New York, beginning his residency at the Paradise Garage. Much like the distinctive sound of Frankie Knuckles at the Warehouse became known as "house music", Levan's distinct sound became known as "garage".

That having been said, one could basically define "garage" as "stuff Larry Levan liked, or stuff that sounds like Larry Levan would've liked it", but that's not very helpful to people who've never heard any of his productions or DJ sets. Basically, "garage" can be used to describe any mid-tempo American disco or house with heavy piano / vocal / gospel / diva elements. There's often a lot of weirdo stripped-down dubbed-out effects as well.

The word "garage" is still used to describe brand-new New York house tunes in this template, but this week's mix is just focusing on the classics—stuff from 1977-1983 that Larry played as he was defining this new sound. It's far from an exhaustive list, but it's a starting point.

And for those of you wondering where UK Garage (i.e. "garridge") fits in to all this, the lineage is pretty direct: US garage blew up in London around 1989, and throughout the early 1990s you had a scene of UK house producers mimicking the piano/diva/gospel choir sound of US garage. Those were the first "UK garage" releases, and as that scene absorbed more and more jungle/drum&bass/reggae influence, it evolved into 2-step, speed garage, grime, dubstep, bassline, UK funky, and everything else in the "post-garage" spectrum. It's gone on its own distinctly British path, but listen to MJ Cole or Burial and you can still hear Larry peeking through.

Chrissy's Year of Mixtapes Week 31: New York Garage.

1. Brooklyn Dreams; Street Man (12" Version) (Millenium, 1978)
   
2. The Salsoul Orchestra feat. Jocelyn Brown; Take Some Time Out (For Love) (Salsoul, 1982)
   
3. Ashford & Simpson; Stay Free (Warner Bros., 1979)
   
4. Lamont Dozier; Back To My Roots (Warner Bros., 1977)
   
5. Convertion; Sweet Thing (M&M 12" Mix) (Vanguard, 1982)
   
6. Denroy Morgan; Happy Feeling (Becket Records, 1982)
   
7. The Salsoul Orchestra feat. Loleatta Holloway; Seconds (Shep Pettibone Mix) (Salsoul, 1982)
   
8. Inner Life; I'm Caught Up (In A One Night Love Affair) (John Morales 12" Mix) (Prelude, 1979)
   
9. Paul Lewis; Girl, You Need A Change of Mind (Chrissy Re-Edit) (Sunshine Sound Disco, 1979)
   
10. Candido; Dancin' & Prancin' (Salsoul, 1979)
    
11. NYC Peech Boys; Don't Make Me Wait (Larry Levan 12" Mix) (West End, 1982)
    
12. Roy Ayers Ubiquity; Running Away (12" Mix) (Polydor, 1977)
    
13. Chantal Curtis; Get Another Love (Key Records, 1979)
    
14. Loose Joints; Is It All Over My Face? (Larry Levan Mix - Female Vocal) (West End, 1980)
    
15. Sylvester; I Need You (Howard Merritt Mix) (Fantasy, 1980)
    
16. Third World; Now That We Found Love (Disco Mix) (Island, 1978)
    
17. D-Train; Keep On (François K Mix) (Prelude, 1982)
    
18. Instant Funk; Everybody (Larry Levan Mix) (Salsoul, 1980)
    
19. Sinnamon; Thanks To You (Shep Pettibone Mix) (Becket Records, 1982)
    
20. Class Action; Weekend (Chrissy Murderbot Edit) (Sleeping Bag, 1983)
    
21. Dinosaur L; Go Bang! (François K Mix) (Sleeping Bag, 1982)
    
22. Jamaica Girls; Somebody New (Larry Levan & Ron St. Germain Mix) (Sleeping Bag, 1983)

NEXT WEEK: Weed Songs.

Week 30: The Year in Rave—1993

I've done a few of these rave / jungle /happy hardcore tapes already, and here is another. I should've probably called it "the year in UK rave", because there aren't any non-British tracks on here. For those unfamiliar with the whole story arc, 1993 was the year that UK rave really developed into what we would recognize as jungle and happy hardcore. I'm really into stuff from this transitional era, when those two genres existed side-by-side, before they really split from each other. Here's a tape of my fave tunes.

Chrissy's Year of Mixtapes Week 30: 1993 Rave.

1. DJ Krome & Mr. Time; The Slammer (Suburban Base)
   
2. Johnny Jungle; Flammable (Cloud 9 Remix) (Suburban Base)
   
3. DJ Hype; Shot In The Dark (QBass Remix) (Suburban Base)
   
4. Grooverider; Sinister (The Influence Remix) (Reinforced)
   
5. A Guy Called Gerald; This Is The Right Time (Juice Box)
   
6. QBass; Deepa (NRG Remix) (Suburban Base)
   
7. DJ Vibes; Sing It Loud (Asylum)
   
8. Jump Up Crew; Come Again (Labello Blanco)
   
9. Run Tings; Look No Further (Suburban Base)
   
10. Doc Scott; Street Knowledge (The Lost Track) (Reinforced)
    
11. Nookie; Shining In Da Darkness (Reinforced)
    
12. SMD Volume 1; Untitled (Side A) (white)
    
13. Cloud 9; Mr. Logic (Movin' Shadow)
    
14. DJ Massive; Feel The Rhythm (Labello Blanco)
    
15. DJ Vibes; Obsession (Music's So Wonderful) (Asylum)
    
16. DJ Rap & Aston; Vertigo (QBass Dark Remix) (Suburban Base)
    
17. Red Alert & Mike Slammer; Ruff (Slammin' Vinyl)
    
18. DJ Dubplate; Free Your Soul (Labello Blanco)
    
19. Smokey Joe; Original Bad Boy Riddim (Labello Blanco)
    
20. Q Project; Champion Sound (Alliance Remix) (Legend Records)
    
21. Origin Unknown; Valley Of The Shadows (Long Dark Remix) (Ram Recordings)
    
22. Macka Brown; Beware Of The Bassline (Labello Blanco)
    
23. Citadel of Kaos; Warped (Boombastic Plastic)
    
24. Wax Doctor & Jack Smooth; New Direction (Remix) (Basement)
    
25. Naughty Naughty Volume 1; I Need Your Lovin' (white)
    
26. Acen; Window In The Sky (DJ Krome & Mr. Time Badup Mix) (Production House)
    

NEXT WEEK: New York Garage.

Week 29: Bassline

This week's mixtape features a genre that has consistently been one of my favorites over the past couple of years: Bassline.
It's British, it's mostly from the North, and it's essentially a second wave of '90s Speed Garage (which itself was a style of uptempo, bass-heavy house music drawing from 2-Step, Jungle, and R&B). Much like Dubstep, Bassline is a new reinterpretation of these influences. It sounds pretty much like the name: fast, garridgey house tunes with HUGE basslines.
Sadly, Bassline seems to be on the wane. In London & the rest of the south it's been completely supplanted by UK Funky; I imagine it's still got a strong fanbase Up North, but I couldn't say for sure.
Anywho, here's a little retrospective of what I've been listening to in the past couple of years. By no means a definitive look at the "classics" of the genre—just what I think is good.

Chrissy's Year of Mixtapes Week 29: Bassline.

1. Piddy Py feat. MNT; Get Loco
   
2. Mr. Virgo; Hypnotiq
   
3. The Wideboys feat. Sarah Saville; What You're Thinking (Up Norf Dutty Mix)
   
4. Jagged Edge; Walked Outta Heaven (Burgaboy Remix)
   
5. Wittyboy; Curry House
   
6. Dexplicit; Karma (Dex Mix)
   
7. A1 Bassline feat. Safi; Girl Thing
   
8. Jinder; Youth Blood (Squire of Gothos Remix)
   
9. Brett Maverick feat. NE1; Chop Of Them
   
10. DS1; Lock Off
    
11. DJ Murkz; Datz Me
    
12. N.B. Funky; Nutz (Bassline Remix)
    
13. Ace Of Base; All That She Wants (Dexplicit Remix)
    
14. Blackstar; Time & Time Again
    
15. Dizzee Rascal; Sirens (Big Ang Remix)
    
16. Mr. V; Motherfuckers
    
17. Luniz; I Got 5 On It (B.U.N. Remix)
    
18. Mask; Gangster
    
19. DJ Q; Gangsters
    
20. Subzero; Bring It Back
    
21. Perempay & Dee feat. Katie Pearl; In The Air (Rekless Mix)
    
22. The Wideboys; Project Bassline
    
23. Rubi Dan & The Heatwave / DJ Q; Walk & Wine (Dutty Wine)
    
24. DJ Q; Love Like This
    
25. Diamond feat. Terri Walker; I Think I'm In Love (Burgaboy Remix)
    
26. Piddy Py; Leekers
    
27. Natasha Bedingfield; Single (Delinquent Remix)
    
28. WunnaDemWuns; I Feel (Wittyboy Remix)

NEXT WEEK: The Year in Rave—1993.

Week 28: Knockin' Boots

Here's a tape about fuckin'.

Chrissy's Year of Mixtapes Week 28: Knockin' Boots

1. Akinyele; Put It In Your Mouth
   
2. 504 Boyz; I Can Tell You Wanna Fuck
   
3. Major Lazer feat. Amanda Blank & Einstein; What U Like
   
4. Minnie Ripperton; Inside My Love
   
5. Missy Elliott; Pussycat
   
6. Xrabit & DMG$; Party In My Pants
   
7. LL Cool J; Doin' It
   
8. Squarepusher; My Red Hot Car
   
9. 69 Boyz feat. Disco & The City Boyz; Pass The Puddie
   
10. Outkast; Spread
    
11. Kanye West; Take Yo Pants Off (Gant Man Refix)
    
12. Otto Von Schiroch; STD Me
    
13. Bell Biv Devoe; Do Me!
    
14. Madonna; Erotica (Kenlou B-Boy Mix)
    
15. Khia; My Neck, My Back
    
16. Akinyele; Do You Wanna
    
17. Candyman; Knockin' Boots
    
18. Lee "Scratch" Perry; Bed-Jamming
    
19. Clarence Carter; Strokin'
    
20. S.L.Y.; I Need A Freak (Black Freak Mix)
    
21. Mike Dunn presents Mr. 69; Phreaky MF
    
22. Teddy Pendergrass; Turn Off The Lights
    
23. H-Town; Knockin' The Boots
    
24. Public Announcement; Body Bumpin' (Mike Dunn Remix)
    
25. Parris Mitchell Project; Bitches & Money
    
26. King Force; Doggie Style (Sterling Void Remix)
    
27. Armand Van Helden; To Be A Freak
    
28. Sexual Harrassment; I Need A Freak
    
29. Egyptian Lover; Kinky Nation (Kingdom Kum)
    
30. 2 Live Crew; The Fuck Shop
    
31. Sylvester; Sex (Ian Levine Remix)
    
32. Gwen Jonae; Red Light Lover
    
33. Sarah Dash; Lucky Tonight
    
34. Jamie Principle; Baby Wants To Ride
    
35. Ragtyme feat. T.C. Roper; Fix It Man (Chrissy Re-Edit)
    
36. Shy FX & T Power feat. Noel McCoy; Sheets
    
37. Daddy Woody; Punany Chemist
    
38. Mad Cobra; Oh Yes

NEXT WEEK: Bassline House.