Stevie Nicks - Stand Back

This is an update of Stevie's older hit. Club vocalist Sam Obernik covered this a short time back and it had some fantastic remixes by Linus Loves. Hani, among other mixers was chosen for this project. Junior Sanchez has also done mixes. Only the Hani mix has been made available as of now. This remix is a nice sophisticated house/electro hybrid that will easily be a floorfiller. Check this one out immediately.

Gwen Stefani - 4 In The Morning

From her sophomore solo album comes the third single "4 In The Morning." The original is a stunning mid-tempo ballad. Stuart Price was commissioned to do the remixes for this one. He notably remixed her debut solo single "What You Waiting For" in 2004. He goes for a heavy electro house mix that unfortunately drops the chorus. The new electro production is so hard and sleazy sounding (think of some of Peter Rauhofer's mixes from 1997). It's a good thing though. Stuart really does well with synths and electro. The beats bear a little resemblance to his work on Madonna's "I Love New York" from 2005's Confessions On A Dance Floor. The chugging bassline underneath is just so dazzling. This one is best enjoyed at a high volume to get the full effect. And the electric synth loops are really great too. This is yet another great Stuart Price mix.

Bjork - Earth Intruders

This is Bjork's latest single from her new album after her almost-acapella Medulla project. This Timbaland produced single has already become a fan favorite in just the last few weeks. The original is not a dance track per se, but it is very dancey. This one is just screaming for a nice tribal workout that maintains most of the original elements. Even the original sped up a little sounds fine too. There is a mix by Spank Rock which doesn't sound like it's name. It's a slightly electro, borderline dance-rock track. It loses some of the hard edge the original has. But the vocals are still there and it works well.

Dane Cook - Just Wanna Dance

Comedian Dane Cook is not singing on this track. However, there are some choice samples of him during a comedy routine. The samples come from a bit he did about nightclubs and dancing from his Harmful If Swallowed stand-up special from a few years ago. The snippet chosen by remixer Blake Jarrell is totally genius. And the loop he creates from Dane's "sound effects" makes for a really creative mix. This one has some medium hard beats. This would work well in a dark house or circuit set. This one is in the same fashion as Junior's infamous mixes of Margaret Cho and Zsa Zsa Gabor, however this one does not wear on your nerves after a while. Check it out. The whole Harmful If Swallowed audio CD could make for an endless supply of material for more tracks in a similar vein.

iiO - Rapture 2007

This club classic from 2001 has been given yet another makeover. This one has made regular appearances on DJs' playlists through the various remixes and remakes. Although the original Deep Dish, John Creamer & Stephane K, Riva, Armin Van Buuren and Afterlife mixes can't be easily topped as those were some fantastic mixes. However, this new mix is in a class of its own. It's a nice hard, driving, sleazy update to the stunning original. Nadia Ali's vocals from the original version are used on this one and they fit the electro production Starkillers is known for so well. It's a full vocal mix unlike their previous mix of "Is It Love." This one has just been released and has been really hard to track down. It is definitely worth all the effort.

Yoko Ono - Open Your Box (Remix Album)

This is not a re-release of the single she released a few years ago. However, this is a collection featuring a bunch of remixes done of her songs over the last few years. Some of her recent club hits include "Open Your Box", "Kiss Kiss Kiss", "Yang Yang", "Walking On Thin Ice", "Everyman/Everywoman", and "Hell In Paradise." In addition to those, there are some previously unreleased remixes and there's the new cover she did of "Give Peace A Chance." Multiple mixes for several tracks are included in this 14 track set. It's completely unmixed. However, all songs are not in their original club lengths. They have been edited down so they would be suitable for mixshow use and consumers who may not feel like listening to a 12 minute remix. The editing is really well-done so the flow of the mixes doesn't feel interrupted. These mixes are harder and a lot dancier, and are suitable for the clubs unlike Ono's previous remix collection Yes, I'm A Witch, which contained downtempo reconstructions of her classics. The full club mixes are available for sale at iTunes and the CD maxis for some of them may still be available through some careful eBay searching. Overall, this is a must-have for fans of Yoko Ono's Dance music career and those who enjoy something a little out of the ordinary.

Star 69 Sampler

This free sampler features a decent selection of songs from the Star 69 label. Some older ones, some recents and a few that have not been released in an unmixed form. This is available exclusively at participating Borders locations all over the U.S. In many cases, it is located next to the new releases section where Offer Nissim's Forever Tel Aviv is displayed.

Here is the tracklisting:
01. Suzanne Palmer - Free My Love (Offer Nissim Mix)
02. Starkillers - Scream (Kobbe and Austin Leeds Mix)
03. Angel Moraes - Music Is Your Life (15 South Mix)
04. Anton Fielding & Tiny Stix - Fever's Coming (Original Mix)
05. K&S Project - The Music (Peter Rauhofer Mix)
06. Club 69 featuring Kim Cooper - Warm Leatherette (Saeed Younan Mix)
07. Offer Nissim featuring Maya - Be My Boyfriend (Original Mix)
08. Little Green Men - Through With You (Chus & Ceballos Mix)
09. Offer Nissim featuring Maya - For Your Love (Original Mix)
10. Suzanne Palmer - Luv 2 Luv (Original Mix)

Hilary Duff - Dignity

Richard Vission remixes yet another song for this rising poptart This is the third single in a row which featured mixes by him. He also did several of the songs that are on her current album of the same name. This mix has more vocals than the last two did. This one is just a simple peak hour/early evening mix. More mixes to follow. This one is currently available on a bonus CD that came with the album at Walmart stores.

Cajjmere Wray- Say It (Do It)

This is a minimal underground track that utilizes the fierce production Cajjmere laid down for his mix of Nelly Furtado's "Say It Right" which was uncommisioned. Some samples of the Nelly vocals are in the mix still, but they are manipulated so well. This is a nice afterhours track.

Janet Jackson - With U

This is the 3rd song off of her current album 20 Y.O. No official mixes have been done for this one yet. However, Chad Jack managed to make a mix from the album version. Using some really clever EQing, he managed to make the original blend in really well. The new mix is very electro and has underlying tribal beat. This mix is a good bridge between house and circuit. Junior Vasquez has been playing this a lot on his weekly XM radio mix show. That is the only place this mix can currently be heard. A dub sample had been posted on Chad's website and MySpace earlier this year but no vocals were present to give an idea of what the mix would be like. It works really well. The effects done on the vocals really break up the mix and give it some atmosphere. A dub with just the manipulations would be great too. Tune in to Junior's mixshow to hear this.

Jennifer Lopez - Que Hiciste (Remixes)

It was rumored several months ago when the original and Reggaeton mixes of this song were reviewed that Tony Moran might be remixing this song, and it has finally happened! Tony has given this song the hard, tribal anthem that this one was meant to become. He takes the powerful original to the next level. He preserves some of the original elements and sounds to maintain some familiarity. The Spanish guitars in the original are here, but they are a little darker. It works well. And a nice hard bass and synth loop make this even more powerful. Jennifer's vocals take center stage on this production and sound even better. Both the club and dub clock in at over 10 minutes long. Both versions a nice deep tribal journey. The dub preserves the structure of the vocal mix but with less vocals. The dub may work better in most circuit environments. Overall, these are great.

Joe Zangie - Can You Feel The Love

Although the "Freestyle era" came to an end many years ago, there's still a handful of artists that still record in that style. Up and coming artist Joe Zangie's latest single "Can You Feel The Love" is one of those kind of songs.He has been around for several years now, but has only achieved regional success.

It has those familiar Afrika Bambaataa "Planet Rock" beats and bass which have found their way into many songs frome the era. However, given that these types of releases occur so rarely, it's nice to hear it again in such a context. There's a nice little sample from Noel's classic "Silent Morning" in there too.

Joe's vocal performance on this song is top notch. It calls to mind some of the great male vocalists which dominated the Freestyle era, including Noel, Stevie B, TKA, Johnny O, Collage and Tolga. He totally fits right in with all those legends. The lyrics are simple but great. Less is more.

This song has the style and vibe of an older song, but it sounds fresh, while sounding classic--a rarely accomplished feat.

In addition to the Freestyle-ish main mix, there's also the Tank's Luv Luv Edit that is much housier. It keeps a lot of the vibe of the main mix. This one sounds a lot more modern and would fit in nicely with House and light Circuit sets.And this one is ready for radio.

For maximum crossover potential, especially on radio, this one could use some trancey-breakbeat mixes, possibly by Ford and Front who dominate in such remix styles. Those would complement this sort of song.

Overall, this is a great release. Just in time for Summer. Joe's forthcoming debut album will be available later in the Spring. Check him out on MySpace for more info.

Katharine McPhee - Over It

American Idol runner-up from Season 5 is already doing well on the pop music charts, and now it is time for her to make her mark on the club charts.

There are several mixes however, the Funk Generation mixes by Mike Rizzo and Chico are the most friendly for the clubs and radio. Mr. Mig's mixes are a bit too downtempo to work that well in a club, however, they are suitable for radio.

The Funk Generation mixes a cross between house and mild electro. It has a very nice Summer feel. The vocals go so well over this new production. Totally natural.

These mixes are worth checking out ASAP.

Lustral - Many Years From Now

Although they rose to prominence over a decade ago with the song "Everytime" which has been remixed and reinvented many times over, there was really no proper followup that garnered the attention that "Everytime" had.

This new one called "Many Years From Now" sounds like a more sophisticated version of "Everytime" without the similar lyrics and stuff. This one sounds like the vocals are by Tracy Ackerman who did vocals on "Everytime."

There's remixes by Ralphi Rosario as well as other mixers, however, it's all about Rosario's mixes. He has two flavors of vocal mixes, a dub and an instrumental. The Remix features only some vocals, while the Full On one features many more vocals. The Dub has some vocals. The vocals just float beautifully over this borderline lounge/circuit mix. This sounds good at all times of the day and night. Dazzling mixes.

Tony Moran featuring Kristine W. - Walk Away

This one has finally seen an official release after having been debuted in the form of a live performance at a Pride celebration last year.

So far, the mixes are by Tony Moran with Warren Rigg, and on one of them, Dave Saronson is co-collaborator.

The tracklisting of the CD promo.

01. Tony Moran & Warren Rigg & Dave Saronson Mix (8:44)
02. Tony Moran & Warren Rigg Evolution Mix (9:04)
03. Tony Moran & Warren Rigg Evolution Mixshow Edit (7:21)
04. Tony Moran & Warren Rigg Padapella (8:45)

Overall, this one is not too different from the original demo version that had been making the rounds for several months now. That one was not as big room as this one is. It also lacked the soul that these new ones have. The vocals sound properly mastered now. Kristine sounds amazing as usual. It's nice to have her back after all these months.

The Moran, Rigg & Saronson mix is a deeper and darker than the other Moran & Rigg mixes. It's a little more synthier too. It's not extremely different from the other mixes. Moran & Rigg's Evolution mixes are a little more peak hour. They're the usual circuit goodness that Moran & Rigg are known for. The mixshow edit is a nice tight version of the main mix. It could have been just a few seconds shorter.

And for all those remixers and DJs, a padapella has been included. It's really well done. On it's own, it sounds just great. It's going to be hard to improve upon this already great track.

A radio edit of the main mix is also available, but not on this specific promo. This track is ready for radio already. No additional mixes are really nedded as these will

This is a must-have for Kristine W./Tony Moran & Warren Rigg fans. For casual fans, this is still worth a listen. Look for this one to be burning up the Billboard Dance/Club Play charts in the coming weeks.

Robin Thicke - Would That Make U Love Me

R&B sensation Robin Thicke has already made a name for himself doing songs for other artists and guesting, and now he is doing his own thing on his new album The Evolution Of Robin Thicke.

In its original version, it's a nice smooth R&B number. Thicke's vocals are very smooth and warm. Shades of Usher and Justin Timberlake can be heard in his vocals, however, he holds his own.

Legendary House DJ/remixer David Harness provides a very suitable mix. It's totally laidback and soulful. The acoustic guitars in the mix are really stunning. The whole mix sounds very organic and fresh and does not sound "canned." Absolutely amazing.

Kelly Clarkson - Never Again

This is the lead single off of her much-awaited followup to Breakaway entitled My December. The original and dance mix are to be sent to radio this week. Dave Aude has already done a remix which was made available for download with a pin number from a 12 pack of Vitamin Water. This is a simple rock-leaning, electro-house mix. It is in a very similar vein as Jason Nevins' mixes for Kelly from her previous album. This stands on its own though. The bassline and some of the elements from this mix bear resemblance to Aude's mix of "Talk" by Coldplay over a year ago. It sounds similar enough, but it's not a carbon copy. It works really well here. This is the first mix of the song right now. More are coming soon.

Ralph Falcon - I Need Someone

This vocal track has been around for several months now and has quickly become a favorite of many DJs.

A handful of mixes by Kobbe & Austin Leeds, Cajjmere Wray, Armand Pena and Erich Ensastigue had already been released on Nervous. There's some new mixes by The Cube Guys and Charlie Soluna which take this one up a notch.

The Cube Guys mix is very housey and would lend itself well to both house and circuit sets. The Charlie Soluna mix is a bit darker and more tribal. This one is better for afterhours. The warped "pots and pans" type of synths are really cool.

These new mixes are really awesome. Check them out.

Kaci - Can't Help Myself

No stranger to the Dance scene is Kaci who has already made waves with her Dance-friendly releases "I Will Learn To Love Again" and "Paradise." She is back with another single that is even catchier and more addictive.

"Can't Help Myself" boasts some really strong and sexy vocals, and equally impressive lyrics. Kaci is in top-form here.

Go straight for Aurora's mixes. These are perfect for both the radio and clubs. It is a nice cross between electro-house, trance and a little Eurodance. It has a slightly mid-1990's Eurodance type of feel. It's a nice change from some of the other same-ish mixes that are released sometimes.

This one will be everywhere soon!

Robin S. - Show Me Love 2007

This song has been remixed and remade many times over during the last few years. Stonebridge's classic remix which became the single version is the basis for this update. The mix may not bring too much to the table that hasn't been brought before. Simply, it's the original Stonebridge mix with an added Eric Prydz-ish beat. For fans of the original, this one isn't an over-the-top remake as some have been.

This is a must-listen right now.

Offer Nissim featuring Maya - For Your Love

This is the lead single off of Offer and Maya's forthcoming followup to First Time. Although Second Time was released a few months ago, it was basically a re-release of First Time with a bonus CD containing some previously unreleased remixes of their tracks. This is the true second album. Early Summer has been the time they have thrown around as when the project may be released, but that is all subject to change.

This track follows a slightly different structure as some of their previous releases. It contains only a small number of lyrics, however, they are done in such a manner that one may not notice that aspect. Maya showcases even more of her impressive vocal range. She sounds very angelic. The production differs a bit from their previous releases. The signature beats and bass are present, however, the synths are much more prevalent. The parts without the beats feature these gorgeous housey pianos circa 1993 (think of the pianos in Masters At Work featuring India's "I Can't Get No Sleep"). However, it is reverbed and becomes a part of the whole track. Maya's soaring vocals over those portions sound just so amazing.

The Original Mix has a proper intro with beats. On the other end, there is the Intro Version with the gorgeous building 2 minute beatless intro. It has a nice layering of the synths and pianos as well as some Maya vocal samples. After the beats come in, it is just like Original Mix.

Remixes by Peter Rauhofer, Kobbe, Masi & Mello and Manolo & Gold round out the new CD maxi that will be released on April 10, 2007, the same day Offer's Forever Tel Aviv will be released.

Peter's mix is a nice hard, tribal stomper with dark electro synths. It is more of a return to the anthemic style he dabbled in for a while in the early 2000's. It works really well. Peter's previous mixes of Offer and Maya have been lukewarm, however, this one is red-hot! The part with the recreated Original Mix elements is killer! Totally unexpected.

Kobbe's mix is a simple dirty, electro house mix in the same vein as something that Starkillers would do. It works well.

Masi & Mello go for a more mellow mix. The beats are very minimal. The deep penetrating bass is hot while the pianos in the mix are very chill. A very paradoxical mix that works quite well also.

Manolo & Gold offer a very aggressive, synthy, tribal mix. This mix could work as a bridge between house and trance sets. It would lend itself well to both. Maya's vocal are perfectly suited for all types of music, especially trance.

Overall, this remix package is very good, in comparison to previous Offer and Maya ones.

The CD maxi will be released to some stores as well as Amazon.com and Perfect Beat, and the mixes can already be purchased on the Star 69 website.

Tony Moran - Something About You

This was recorded over a year ago with lead vocals by none other than Tony Moran himself. Yes, he sings. He had done a few songs during the Freestyle era, as well as a cover with Nicki Richards of "High" by Lighthouse Family and most recently a cover of When In Rome's "The Promise."

Offer Nissim had originally charted this in his top 10 as early as April of last year. He has done multiple dubbish style mixes which feature only a handful of vocals. Jody den Broeder did a slightly more circuit/electro mix which is full vocal, and of course there's Tony's own Circuit Mix which is full vocal as well.

Tony's dazzling, warm vocals just float beautifully atop the productions. He sounds totally amazing. He needs to sing more often because he just sounds so good. As of now, no release has been planned for the song as a single. Until then, Tony's mix can be heard on Brett Henrichsen's current CD for Masterbeat.

Christina Aguilera - Candyman

This is the 3rd single off of her 3rd studio album Back To Basics. This uptempo, Andrews Sisters-homaging record has always been on the table as a possible single. It was supposed to be the 1st and then even the 2nd single after "Ain't No Other Man" was chosen, however, "Hurt" was picked as the 2nd single.

Unlike the previous 2 singles which had a handful of remixes, only one has been accepted by Christina's label. And this mix was by Offer Nissim.

Offer recently reworked "Hurt" as a private mix which went on to be featured on his double disc mix CD Forever Tel Aviv. Offer was then chosen to do a mix on an official basis. As of right now, only his mix was accepted.

No unofficial mixes have been done that were noteworthy as the high BPM and lack of an official or filtered acapella have really not allowed for much to be done. Given the BPM situation (the album version clocks in at 172 BPM), doing a house mix in the 125 to 132 BPM range is very difficult to do because of the intense vocal stretch. A slowdown mix a la those few that Junior and Thunderpuss did would work, however in this case, the slowdown part could work as a slow part because the vocals would sound fine if the BPM was halved and made to be 86. Speeding it up from 86 is just not a possibility without the vocals sounding chipmunknish, especially with all that vibrato. The only other option for using slowed down vocals would be doing a dub.

Offer chose the last option and did a dub mix with only select vocals. Much in the same vein as his stunning dub of Beyonce's "Deja Vu" last year, he uses only a few actual lines of vocal. It's mostly Christina's high notes and vocalizing. He takes Christina's old school track and transforms it into a Mediterranean masterpiece. If the few phrases and loops of vocals from the original had been left out, this could pass as one of the mixes Offer has done of other Mediterranean divas such as Fairuz, Ofra Haza and Rita. Speaking of Rita, the synth hook and bass elements sound very similar to the mix Offer did a couple of years ago of her take on "Jerusalem Of Gold." It works rather well. The multiple portions that are beatless could be difficult for some to program, but the energy is never lacking.

Overall, this is a great mix. Offer really delivered something amazing, as usual. This is one of Offer's few official mixes for a mainstream artist. Hopefully this could be the first of many more to come.

Brett Henrichsen - Masterbeat Presents Winter Party 2007

As he has for the last several years, circuit DJ extraordinaire Brett Henrichsen brings the latest installment in the Masterbeat series. A handful of recent hits and a bunch of previously unreleased goodies make up this edition. Mixed end to end, this mixed CD keeps the flow going at a great pace without getting boring. The 5 rare and unreleased Tony Moran-associated tracks on here are worth buying this compilation alone. This is a must-have.

01. Deep Influence - Fiesta Fatal (Tony Moran & Deep Influence)
02. Inaya Day - U Spin Me (Mike Cruz Club Mix)
03. Outwork Featuring Mr. Gee - Elektro (The Cube Guys Delano Remix)
04. S. Blush - It's My Life (Tony Moran's Extended Mix)
05. Tony Moran - Something About You (Circuit Mix)
06. Noel - I Feel Alive (Tony Moran & Jody den Broeder Mix)
07. Suzanne Palmer - Free My Love (Offer Nissim Mix)
08. Offer Nissim Featuring Maya - For Your Love (Club Mix)
09. Red Carpet - Alright (Tony Moran & Jody den Broeder Mix)
10. Soul Logic - Let's Get Together (Harrington's Tribal Anthem)

This is currently available on the Masterbeat website and at Perfect Beat.

Bob Sinclar & Cutee B featuring Gary Pine, Sand Dollar - Sound Of Freedom

This is the lead single off of Bob's forthcoming remix album entitled Soundz Of Freedom. The album is to feature many of the mixes that have been done of songs from his recent album Western Dream. It is to be released in May of this year.

Here is the tracklisting:

01. “Sound Of Freedom” Feat. Gary Pine & Dollarman
02. “What I Want” By Fireball
03. “Rock This Party” (2007 Remix)
04. “Baïaninade Nago” By Salomé de Bahia
05. “Meu Carnaval”
06. “Kiss My Eyes” (Chocolate Puma Remix)
07. “Everybody Movin” (Kurd Maverick & Eddie Thoneick Remix)
08. “Everybody Movin” (Guy Schreiner Remix Remix)
09. “Ultimate Funk” Feat. Big Ali (Tocadisco Remix)
10. “The Beat Goes On” (Mousse T Remix)
11. “Champs Elysées Theme” (Jamie Lewis Remix)
12. “Tribute” Feat. Ron Carroll & M. Robinson
13. “Together” Feat. Steve Edwards
14. “I Feel For You” (Axwell Remix)
15. “Give A Lil Love” (Erik Kupper Remix)

This song can be described as being a blend of "Love Generation", "World, Hold On" and "Rock This Party." It has the beats and rap style of "Rock This Party", and a choice older song's chorus. The vibe is a mix of the other two. No whistling this time though! Rozalla's rave anthem "Everybody's Free (To Feel Good)" is sampled from for the chorus. It's resung of course.

Mario Vazquez - One Shot

Former American Idol contestant Mario Vazquez is back with another single off of his debut album. Official mixes by Ospina Sullivan will be shipping to DJs soon.

Until then, be on the lookout for the Drew G. Montalvo and Abe Clements "Mary-Thon" Mix. This is an unofficial mix, however, it is of premium quality. Drew G. has been gaining prominence on the NYC scene in the last few months through his remixes and regular spinning engagements at various clubs.

It is a dark, electro, and synthy mix. Clocking in at almost 10 minutes, it is a journey through sound. The vocals come in early enough though. It's full vocals from that point onwards. The vocal effects and loops are really nice and fit the mix well, especially in the middle. The energy of the mix doesn't let up until the end which is a great thing. The few dropouts and beatless portions are quite strategic and could work really well for those creative DJs out there.

The bass-synth hook is quite noteworthy. It is a recreation of the one Junior Vasquez created in his famous mix of "Your Child" by Mary J. Blige. It is not quite as in-your-face as it could have been. It blends in with the whole track quite well.

This mix is a must-listen.

Krystal Cruz - Shadows Of Your Love

Although the original versions by Midnight Society and Corbo & Atchison came out in the early part of 2006, this song was resurrected through a scorching mix by rising mixer Altar.

This new mix immediately gained significant attention when Junior Vasquez played this mix on his Junior's World show on XM Satellite radio in the early Fall. Within just a matter of hours, fans were clamoring to find out the artist and remix info. This song was played several more times to similar fanfare.

After several months, this mix has finally been released through Beatport in a collection of previously unreleased mixes.

This tribal, emotional journey through sound is almost 10 minutes long, but it never feels long enough and beckons to be played over and over. Krystal's amazing vocal delivery is easily one of the best vocals on a club record in the last several months.

Pick up Altar's Love Anthem now!

Akcent - King Of Disco

Romanian boyband Akcent has released several English-language singles in an attempt to break into other countries. Their smash hit "Kylie" which even got the attention of syndicated weekly show Open House Party was their first and only success in the U.S. No additional singles in the U.S. have been issued yet.

"King Of Disco" is a simple Euro-Dance/Pop track with an infectious chorus and fun chorus. This song calls to mind some of the Euro acts of the 90's that managed to break into almost every country, whether or not they were welcome--not always a bad thing. Vengaboys, Aqua, Corona, Ace Of Base and Bad Boys Inc are just some of the artists that come to mind.

This one is definitely worth seeking out if only for the homage to Madonna at the end which is taken further in their campy video.