Rusty Villiers - Disco Boy

This mostly instrumental tribal release is interesting as it combines a deep voiced male vocal, some subtle Disco elements, and tons of tribal drums. There are remixes by Nick Harvey, Matt Moss, Taz, and Anndy Stamer.

Nick Harvey's mix builds with hard drums and bass to a deep Disco era bassline drop leading to peak hour synths. Matt Moss softens things up with his Electro House mix, building to a Giorgio Moroder "I Feel Love" type section. Taz's mix has an old school rave flavor recalling some of Superchumbo's work. Anndy Stamer's peak hour mix features a fierce, warped Electro riff. Overall, every mix is really great.

-Listen to clips and buy the release here (Beatport)

Grade: A

Nick Harvey Presents Halo - Pure Love (Remixes)

The highly anticipated remix package for "Pure Love" has been released today! Vibelicious, Aulden Brown, Audio Assembly, Matt Moss, Taz, and Brent Hensley provide the remixes this time around. Vibelicious provide a chilled, yet danceable mix. Aulden Brown's minimal electro/house mix is good. Audio Assembly's interpretation is drummy and driving. Their mix best utilizes the vocals. Matt Moss's circuit-oriented treatment is energetic as well. Taz's mix is a tribal dub using only some of the vocal. The real action kicks in during the second half. Brent Hensley's mix is tribal as well. His mix calls to mind some of Hex Hector's darker mixes from the earlier part of the 2000's. Closing out the package are two dubs by Nick Harvey and Audio Assembly. Nick Harvey's dub is a minimal, percussive piece suitable for afterhours. This one would also work well when layered with the break of a synthy track. The Audio Assembly dub is largely based on the vocal version, but is a bit more underground sounding. Overall, every mix on this package is really good.

Purchase the digital single here (Juno)

Grade: A

Jesse B. Williams v. Brooke Wilkes - Last Day

This is the latest single from Brooke. Written by Jesse B. Williams, the lyrics are really good. The song's style and writing calls to mind such classics as "Don't Let This Moment End". Brooke's vocal performance is memorable and effective. The original version is dance/pop-oriented. It begins like a Donna Summer song with the slow part and then the uptempo production comes in. It has a short mixable intro before the slow part. There are remixes by Manny Lehman, JMBW & Joel Dickinson, and Taz. Manny's is his usual big room brilliance. JMBW & Joel's mix begins like many of their tribal anthems with a drama-filled buildup. The slow part from the original is maintained for the beginning of the first verse and is a nice touch. Taz's version is very synthy and seems to jump through multiple styles within one mix, including big room, electro house, and minimal house. It somehow works. Overall, this is a strong record with a strong remixer lineup.

Purchase the digital single here (Masterbeat) and here (Amazon)

Grade: A

Ryan W - Crave

"Crave" is the debut single from up and coming singer Ryan W. Ryan delivers a warm, unforgettable vocal on "Crave." Remixes by Nick Harvey, Ruben Vega, Fumi Kondoh, Taz, and Streamweaver make this dancefloor ready. Nick Harvey's main mixes a bit more accessible this time around with the soaring synths and pounding beats. His Sunday Morning mix is a bit more big room-ish. The dubs of his main versions are nice as well. Ruben Vega's mixes are a bit more drummy. Fumi Kondoh's has plenty of 'drama' in it with its various ups and downs in energy level. The old school vibe of it is really great. Taz's mix is indeed a 'wild ride' as the mix name indicates. It hits hard in all the right places. Streamweaver's is very big room-ish as well. The entire package is great. "Crave" could soon become a club classic.

Purchase the digital single here (Masterbeat)

Grade: A

Nick Harvey - Wurkin

Already on a roll with a number of releases on his label, Nick Harvey's latest track "Wurkin" will also be quite huge. It is a dark, tribal mostly instrumental track, save for some select vocals. It would fit in well during slightly deeper, afterhours type sets in its main versions. Remixes by John Michael & Billy Waters, Michael Hades, Taz, and Streamweaver help this song to fit into other types of sets. John and Billy take the song in a dark, peakhour circuit direction. The synthwork calls to mind the NY club classic "Lift Up The Needle." Michael Hades also takes the song in a slightly more commercial peakhour direction. Taz's is a bit more minimal but it works really well. It calls to mind some of Armand Van Helden's really dark, dubby treatments of songs during the mid to late 90's. Streamweaver takes things in an epic, trancey direction. It's really great to see that much variety on a remix package.

Buy the digital single here (iTunes)
Grade: A