Ben Manson & Gerald Henderson - Magic Orgasm

In its original incarnation released in 1997, this was one of the Twisted Records' most famous hits. The song consisting of just two words repeated over and over was hypnotic when coupled with the sleazy production by the late Peter Rauhofer. The song has been updated by Ben Manson and Henderson with the vocals being the only aspect connecting back to the original. The production is tribal, but it doesn't really go anywhere. This would work better as a DJ tool layered over another track.

-Listen to clips and purchase the mixes here (Beatport)

Grade: B+

Charlotte - Somebody's Baby (Peter Rauhofer Remixes)

The singer-songwriter is best known for the club hits "Skin", "Someday", and "Don't Be Afraid Of The Dark." This song appeared on her debut album which remains unreleased in the U.S. These previously unheard, unreleased remixes by Peter Rauhofer, who passed away earlier this year were made available yesterday for the first time. It is unknown exactly when these mixes were completed, but based on the overall sound and style of them, it was reportedly between 1998 and 2000. Peter worked with Eric Kupper on these gorgeous Garage/House mixes. Charlotte delivers a spirited vocal performance which goes perfectly with the production.

Listen to clips of the 2 mixes here:

The acapella was also released earlier this year as part of Nervous Accapellas Vol 6
 

Grade: A+

Jei - I'm Ready (Remixes)

This is the latest single from the former reality TV star. Produced by Oba Frank Lords, this club track is a great throwback to the halcyon days of 90s House music. Jei delightfully channels the vocal style of La India, La Princesa de la Salsa who was known for this type of belting on House songs. Oba's main mix is sparse and tribal recalling Danny Tenaglia's Twilo era mixes. Danny G, Murk, and QBA provide the additional mixes. Danny G's mix is the most current with its tribal/electro sound. Murk do their best to bring back their sound heard circa their Liberty City project. It's straight out of the early Sound Factory era. QBA's mix is really deep and dark, also in the vein of mid 90s Danny Tenaglia and Peter Rauhofer. Overall, all of the versions are great.

-Purchase the digital single here (Beatport)

Grade: A

Club 69 Back Catalogue Now Available For Purchase!

Club 69 was a production team comprised of the late Peter Rauhofer, Eric Kupper, and Georg O. Luksch. They had a number of hits with their own productions as well as the many remixes they did. Up until recently, only the Best Of Club 69 compilation comprised of the singles and select album tracks from the Adults Only and Style albums was available for digital download. It is unknown when it happened, but all of the Club 69 CD maxi singles, the 2 albums, and the ReStyled remix album released in the U.S. are available now. Some of the remixes, dubs, edits, and DJ tools found on the vinyl singles, promos, import editions have not been made available at this time. and iTunes is the only digital store selling these at the moment. Hopefully other stores like Beatport will carry these so DJs and collectors can purchase them in WAV format.

Here is what is available (the links are for iTunes and will let you hear clips of every track and purchase if you wish to):

Singles

• Diva / Fantasy
• Sugar Pie Guy / Warm Leatherette
• Let Me Be Your Underwear / Always Unique
• Much Better / Drama
• Alright
• Muscles
• Diva (New Mixes)
• Let Me be Your Underwear (New Mixes)
• Warm Leatherette (New Mixes)

Albums

• Adults Only
• Style
• ReStyled (Remix Album)
• Best Of Club 69

DJ/Remixer Peter Rauhofer, 48 passes away

The Grammy winning DJ/remixer/producer/record label owner lost his battle with brain cancer today at the age of 48. Originally from Austria, Peter began his career working as a record label A&R for Gig Records. He made forays into DJing and production a short time after.

Peter's first major release was under the alias Danube Dance with "Unique." which went on to be an underground hit. Under his most famous production alias of Club 69 with Eric Kupper and Georg O'Luksch, "Let Me Be Your Underwear", "Sugar Pie Guy", and "Take A Ride" followed. These appeared on the full length album Adults Only released in 1995. A second album, Style was released in 1997. In addition to usual vocalist Kim Cooper, he introduced a new singer Suzanne Palmer who had only done a handful of songs at the time. "Drama", "Much Better", "Alright", and "Muscles" were the major hits from the album. After Twisted Records closed, Peter created the Star 69 label to release his own tracks as well as for a number of other artists. Amuka, Lula, Offer Nissim with Maya Simantov, and Suzanne Palmer were some of the label's biggest successes.

In addition to the original productions, Peter remixed almost every major artist including Annie Lennox, Beyonce, Cher, Christina Aguilera, Deborah Cox, Depeche Mode, Donna Summer, Duran Duran, Janet Jackson, Jennifer Lopez, Justin Timberlake, k.d. lang, Kristine W, Madonna, Mariah Carey, Nelly Furtado, Pet Shop Boys, P!nk, Rihanna, Seal, Scissor Sisters, Shakira, Toni Braxton, Tori Amos, Whitney Houston, and Yoko Ono. These are just some who he did remixes for. Of the aforementioned artists, he notably remixed Madonna's songs more than any of the others. Peter won a Grammy in 2000, and was nominated again in 2001 and 2004 (for his mix of Christina Aguilera's "Beautiful"; the category of Best Remixer used to be for a body of work for a particular year until it was changed in 2002).

In just the past year, Peter had begun to actively remix again completing both official and private mixes of Adele, Alicia Keys, Gossip, Inaya Day, Janet Jackson, Kazaky, Madonna, Miasha, Mika, Offer Nissim, P!nk, Rihanna, Scissor Sisters, Swedish House Mafia, Toni Braxton, Tori Amos, and will.i.am & Britney Spears.

In addition to his many remixes and productions, Peter DJed regularly, often playing his many private collection mixes. For several years, he had a regular residency at the legendary Roxy club until its closure. He also played at Spirit and Stereo at various times too. He notably played at The Saint At Large's Black Party held at Roseland. Peter had his Work party events several times year, often co-headlining with other newer DJs.

Despite the many changes in Dance music both in terms of tastes, styles, and industry shifts, Peter constantly reinvented himself staying relevant and successful more than 2 decades. He leaves behind a tremendous body of work that is almost unparalleled by any of his contemporaries. He will be truly missed.

Condolences, messages, and stories may be posted and shared on his official Facebook page here

Some of Peter's best remixes:

Eurythmics - 17 Again (sorry, it won't let me embed)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qIfsXlSMbYw

 

DJ/Remixer/Producer Peter Rauhofer Diagnosed With Brain Tumor

The Grammy award-winning remixer, producer, DJ, and record label owner's manager Angelo Russo announced today on his Facebook fanpage that Peter was just diagnosed with a brain tumor.

Dear Friends and Loyal Fans,  

As Peter Rauhofer's manager and dear friend for many years, it is my sad duty to announce that Peter was rushed to the emergency room several weeks ago. After confirming that Peter had a seizure, further testing has revealed a large brain tumor, something that has gone undiagnosed for quite some time.

At this time, Peter's family is working closely with a team of talented Neurologists to determine the overall best treatment option. Please be assured that he is getting the absolute finest care possible, twenty-four hours a day.

I know Peter would appreciate your kind consideration and positive energy during this extremely difficult period. We will post any updates and progress reports as they become available.
Feel free to post your condolences as well as check into this page for updates.

Sincerely, Angelo

If you want to send him your support and good wishes for a speedy recovery, here is his Facebook fanpage: https://www.facebook.com/PeterRauhoferOfficial/posts/10151562837765042

Peter will be in our thoughts and prayers.

P!nk - Try (Remixes)

It took a little time for the song to gain momentum, by P!nk's "Try" is a certified hit. Many had been wanting some club remixes for the song. There have been a few uncommissioned ones. Here are 3 of the best ones by Cosmic Dawn and Peter Rauhofer.

Cosmic Dawn's mix maintains most of the elements of the original, making it just a little faster. Fans of remixes that don't stray too far from the original will love this.


Peter Rauhofer remixes this into a gorgeous peak hour transformation. He did change up the structure of the verses and the chorus, but it works quite well.


Both of these mixes are extremely well done.

Grade: A

Janet Jackson - Throb (Peter Rauhofer 2013 Remix)

The sexually charged track was released as a single in only certain parts of the world, however, it managed to fairly well without being formally released as such. It is one of her most popular songs from the janet album released in 1992. The song had some delectable remixes by David Morales which were released as b-sides on certain editions of her singles. The song has minimal lyrics delivered in a breathy manner, plenty of moans, groans, and exclamations of ecstasy.

Peter Rauhofer, who had previously remixed Janet's "Just A Little While" in 2004 recently completed a new remix of this for 2013. The mix is dark and tribal with the vocals coming in at just the right times. The familiar vocals have a different feel with the new production but it's really well done.

The remix is available for listening and downloading:


Grade: A-

Rihanna - Diamonds (Peter Rauhofer remixes)

The song has been a smashing success all over the world for the last couple of months. There have been plenty of official and unofficial mixes so far. Most of the official mixes were at a tempo slightly faster than the original as the vocals are such that speeding them up to a traditional House tempo may not work out too well.

Peter Rauhofer delivers two slamming mixes that work so well. Better late than never right? His aptly titled Beautiful Anthem mix has full vocals. The vocal stretch is so incredibly well-done that it almost sounds like Rihanna recorded new vocals. The production is driving and dramatic, recalling his Club 69 days, but within a modern context. This is the quintessential club mix. The Makes The World Go Round Dub has an underlying bassline which calls to mind the legendary Deep Dish mix of Sandy B's song of the same name. Just a handful of vocals have been used, but this dub could serve as a nice tease for the vocal mix.

Both mixes are available to download for a limited time only:



Grade: A

Miasha - Everybody's Beautiful (Peter Rauhofer mixes)

Previously reviewed in November, the Peter Rauhofer club mix of the positive song is now available to stream.



It's a hard-hitting almost full vocal mix that stays close to the original with that lovely beatless piano section which begins the song.

Purchase the mix here (iTunes)

Grade: A

Gossip - A Joyful Noise RMX EP

The Indie Rock group known for their quirky and fun songs have enlisted the help of a number of remixers to do reworks of songs from their latest album.

Miasha - Everybody's Beautiful (Remixes)

This is the first single from the newcomer. "Everybody's Beautiful" is a rousing positive, self-affirming song. Vocally, Miasha calls to mind Florence Welch. The original is an electro/pop song that would sound at home on Pop radio today. This is something different from the usual though.

Peter Rauhofer has remixed this one to make it even more palatable for the dancefloor. He does a fantastic job of turning this into the anthem it deserves to be, maintaining many of the elements from the original version. There are plenty of energetic buildups and drops in the Big Room mix and Dub. Overall, these are outstanding.

-watch the music video for the original here (YouTube)
-buy the original version here (iTunes)
-watch a video of Miasha being interviewed by Pro Motion; a clip of the Peter Rauhofer mixes begins the video here (YouTube)

Grade: A

Tori Amos - Flavor (Remixes)

This song originally appeared on her 2009 album Abnormally Attracted To Sin. It has been reworked for her new concept album Gold Dust which features classical and orchestral arrangements for some choice songs from other albums. The 2009 version is a piano-driven trip hop song. The new version is very striking in how dramatic it is with the new arrangement. It is absolutely beautiful. Tori's vocals are lovely as can be expected.

Peter Rauhofer has completed some remixes for the song. The Club mix is a Deadmau5 meets Chicane  electro/house one. The Big Room mix starts off slowly and builds up with the hypnotic synths and drums before the vocals come in. Tori's vocals usually sound amazing on a club production, and this is no exception. The Big Room mix works better. The Old Skool dub mix has a few fun vocal loops but is mostly instrumental with a hard electro synth. The vocal drop in the middle is totally unexpected and so perfect.

Overall, this is a great set of remixes for a great song.

Listen to the remixes here (Soundcloud)

Grade: A

Peter Rauhofer feat Zander Bleck - The World Is Mine

Originally released in 2004 by David Guetta featuring the vocals of JD Davis, the song went on to be pretty huge in clubland. Peter Rauhofer has teamed up with vocalist Zander Bleck to do a remake. Zander manages to capture the vocal nuances of the original vocalist, although nothing compares to the original. The new production is electro with some big room synths. It's a really energetic take on the song.

Listen to a clip and purchase the mix here (Beatport)

Grade: A-

Kazaky - Love (Peter Rauhofer Mix)

Ukrainian boyband Kazaky has gotten a significant amount of attention for their flamboyant, barely there costumes, racy videos, and good looks. Their somewhat catchy brand of dance/pop music has gotten lesser attention. "Love" has very few lyrics and lacks a traditional verse-chorus structure, however, the chorus that it does have is somewhat memorable.

Honey Dijon feat Dajae - Until The Day

Miami's Funky Green Dogs (the duo of Ralph Falcon and Oscar Gaeten with then vocalist Pamela Williams) had a hit with this in 1998 with mixes by Peter Rauhofer, Masters At Work, Superchumbo, and Marshall Hansen. This has been given a deep house makeover courtesy of Honey Dijon with the help of a few people including Alex Kenji, Uner, and Aki Bergen. Legendary singer Dajae does a fine job on the vocals, taking thing in a different direction. Alex Kenji's mix is an electro/house floorfiller. Uner's minimal mix is deeper while Aki Bergen's is much darker slightly industrial sounding.

Listen to clips and purchase the mixes here (Beatport)

Grade: A-

Suzanne Palmer - Big Love

It has been a while since we have had something new from her. She is back with "Big Love." It is based on the same set of vocals which were in Pete Heller's 1999 international club hit "Big Love". That track was based on Stargard's 1979 song "Wear It Out." Suzanne really delivers on this track. The lack of lyrics other than the two main lines throughout the song make you long for some verses and choruses. Peter Rauhofer's main mix is electro/tribal tinged. It has a lot more energy than some of his recent work. It has a nice hard, driving bassline and some pretty synths. The Muzzaik mix is in a similar direction but a lot more minimal. Etienne Ozborne & Peter Brown's mix has a little more going on but is very repetitive. Peter's is the mix of choice.

Purchase the 3 mixes here (Star 69's own store)

Grade: A-

Whitney Houston - I Didn't Know My Own Strength and I Look To You

These are two of the three singles from her comeback album I Look To You to be remixed. "I Didn't Know My Own Strength" saw a couple of mixes by Peter Rauhofer and Daddy's Groove a few weeks back. Immediately following that, "Million Dollar Bill" saw mixes by the Freemasons, Frankie Knuckles, Warren Rigg, and Peter Rauhofer. It just topped the Club Play chart.

Starting off the month of November right, additional mixes for "I Didn't Know My Own Strength" and  new ones for "I Look To You" have been promoted to DJs.

For "I Didn't Know My Own Strength", there are mixes by familiar collaborators Junior Vasquez and Jonathan Peters. Junior's mixes are dark and big room oriented. The Drama Intro one is a little milder. The choice "It's Not Right But It's Not Okay" vocal samples are a nice touch. Jonathan Peters continues in a slightly lighter direction, however, his is quite good as well.

For "I Look To You", there are mixes by Johnny Vicious, Dio, Giuseppe D, and DJ Paulo. Johnny's club mix begins in a tribal electro style but then suddenly it becomes uplifting and melodic when Whitney's vocals come in. Absolutely stunning. His Warehouse mixes are much harder and more electro. Dio's is a funky, electro-house affiair. Quite nice. Giuseppe D's is a Eurodance with a hint of circuit/tribal mix.. The addition of the piano is lovely. DJ Paulo's mashup is an interesting tribal/electro type mix. It's a well-done mashup. It doesn't feel like a mashup as it matches so well.

Overall, the mixes for both tracks are superb.

The mixes will be available for purchase in the coming weeks.

Grade: A+

Frankie GoesTo Hollywood - Relax 2009

This is considered a classic in many circles. There have been several revisits to this song ever since the early 1980's release. Most notably the 1993 one by Jam & Spoon and then again in 2001 by Peter Rauhofer (and others of course). While an update of this nature isn't necessary, it's a great opportunity to introduce this song to a whole new generation.

New mixes by Chicane, Jody Den Broeder, LMC, Lockout, Spencer & Hill, and Scott Storch have been completed. Chicane may seem like an unusual choice, but he delivers a nice chilled mix which has a similar vibe as the original, but nice and modern. Jody's has some elements from the original. But it's mostly funky house. It's pleasant. The LMC mix is very true to the original. This is close enough to the original that it has the right amount of nostalgia, but brings something new. The Lockout mixes do the same thing as LMC's. A little less Euro-sounding. Spencer & Hill's mix sounds good during the beatless parts, but it's mostly electro-house-ish and not very fresh. Scott Storch turns this into a hip/hop club banger. It actually works. Overall, this package is quite good. A little something for everyone.

All clips are hosted by YouTube

• Chicane
• Jody Den Broeder
• LMC
• Lockout
• Spencer & Hill
• Scott Storch
  

Grade: A

Whitney Houston - Million Dollar Bill (Freemasons Mix)

Yes. The Freemasons have remixed Whitney's disco throwback single off of I Look To You. They are a perfect choice for this song. They have made an already great song even better. Think of this as a meatier version of the original. It's a lot more hard-hitting and would fit into a variety of sets. The label wisely released the mix just one day after the album was so fans can get it right away. Peter Rauhofer has also been asked to remix this song.

Buy it here (iTunes) and here (Amazon)

Grade: A+