Kim English - My Destiny

Although this one first garnered some attention and buzz last year through Exacta and Junior's own mixes, this one has been made over for premium peak-hour consumption with the help of Kobbe & Austin Leeds and Ron Carroll.

Kobbe & Austin Leeds may seem like an unusual fit for a vocal track like this, however, it workes really well. This one has a nice synthy bassline that sounds best when turned up loud. The twisted background sounds and those gothic bells really give this mix some personality. All of the vocals are not used in the main mix. The dub has even less, but it's very suitable. The dark, twisted production shines here. The Radio Edit has full vocals though.

Ron Carroll goes for a mildly subdued house production. However, the beats and bass pattern resemble the sound Offer Nissim has become famous for. This is a premium mix for circuit. However, there's very few vocals in the mix. It is almost like a dub. The Dub has no vocals at all, however, it is totally different from the main version. The Radio Edit, surprisingly, has full vocals though. This one could be saved through a new mix that stitches beginning and ending of the vocal mix with the edit in the middle.

Overall, both sets of mixes could be floorfillers. Get all of them.

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)

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.

Offer Nissim - Forever Tel Aviv

Israeli DJ/remixer/producer has been all over the place these last couple of years whether it be when he is spinning at events, remixing or writing and producing with Maya Simantov. His latest continuous mix compilation will be getting a U.S. release on April 10, 2007 courtesy of NY-based label Star 69. This compilation was released in Israel earlier in the year amidst much fanfare. The compilation was well-received. Some fans outside of Israel went so far as to try to learn basic Hebrew so they could read the script on the Israel websites so they can place an order for the compilation! With a tracklisting like this, it's no surprise!


CD 1
01. Beyonce - One Night Only (Offer Nissim Remix)
02. Suzanne Palmer - Free My Love (Offer Nissim Remix)
03. Robin - The DJ Made Me Do It (Rosario Dub)
04. Beyonce - Deja Vu (Offer Nissim Remix)
05. Groove Connetion - Te Quiero (Kortezman Remix)
06. Kristine W - Be Alright (Offer Nissim Remix)
07. Offer Nissim feat. Maya - Perfect Love (Perfect Club Mix)
08. Suzanne Palmer - Keep The Faith (Offer Nissim Remix)
09. Robinson Valentti - Set Me Free (DJ Fist Remix)
10. Donna Summer - Power Of Love (Offer Nissim Remix)
10. Offer Nissim pres. Fairuz - Eastern Drums (Original Mix)

CD 2
01. Christina Aguilera - Hurt (Offer Nissim Remix)
02. Snake Cedric - A-H-A (Belocca Remix)
03. Outwork feat. Gee - Elektro (Cube Guys & Delano Remix)
04. Sizequeen - Freak (Rauhofer Is A Freak Mix)
05. Offer Nissim feat. Maya - Be My Boyfriend (Original Mix)
06. Offer Nissim feat. Maya - For Your Love (Original Mix)
07. Offer Nissim feat. Alain Chamfort - Manureva 07 (Original Mix)
08. Yinon Yahel - Beatzzz (Dub Mix)
09. Angine Stone - Wish I Didn't Miss You (Offer Nissim Remix)
10. Land Of Voodoo - Bodyshaker (Cajjmere Wray Remix)
11. Offer Nissim pres. Ivri Lider - Nights In White Satin

This compilation primarily features Offer's own mixes as well as some other tracks from Star 69. Many exclusives appear on here. Here's some descriptions of a few of them. He begins with a cool retro-sounding mix of Beyonce's take on "One Night Only" from Dreamgirls. This mix bears a slight resemblance to his mix of Abba's "S.O.S." from last year. "Be Alright" by Kristine W. is an original co-production that Offer has been playing out since last Summer. It has seen no commercial release until now. The unreleased mix of Donna Summer's cover of "Power Of Love" by Luther Vandross is particularly noteworthy. This compilation is worth purchasing for just that song alone. It is absolutely stunning. It is easily one of Offer's best mixes. Another exclusive is Offer's mix of "Hurt." It is quite dark and uplifting. This mix really brings out the emotion of the song that many of the other previously released mixes couldn't. The new track "For Your Love" gets its first commercial release on this collection. The CD maxi with remixes is also out on the same day. This new Maya-vocalled track is one of their best ones. Maya's soaring vocals accompanied by equally stunning synths makes for a great track. The piano breaks are so beautiful. The original plus remixes are available for purchase on Star 69's website. Alain Chamfort's overlooked classic "Manureva" is given the Offer treatment for this collection. It's a very unusual choice of song for remixing for the circuit scene, but it works so well. Another exclusive is the Mediterranean/tribal instrumental track "Beatzzz" by Yinon Yahel, who has worked extensively with Offer. This is a scorching track. Offer's rare mix of "Wish I Didn't Miss You" by Angie Stone is a lot of fun. The choice vocal loops and effects are totally mind-bending. This mix has been a favorite of legendary NY DJ Junior Vasquez for a couple of years now. This one deserves a proper commercial release. It's a nice blend of the underground and the commercial. Closing the compilation is Israeli rock star Ivri Lider's hauntingly beautiful cover of "Nights In White Satin" by the Moody Blues. It's the perfect way to end the compilation.

This is an essential compilation for fans of Offer and for those looking for something a little different. The mixing is sooo smooth that it's hard to tell where the songs start and end. It's nice though.

This is already available for purchase at the Star 69 website and at Perfect Beat. This will be widely available in music stores on April 10, 2007.

Christina Aguilera - Tell Me Misstereee

This is a mashup of Diddy (aka Sean Combs) and Christina Aguilera's "Tell Me" with Cajjmere Wray featuring Mina's "Misstereee" that has become a big deal during the last few weeks. Israeli DJ Offer Nissim has been playing this unusual creation at his last few gigs. This was just one of the many highlights of Offer's set during the closing party at Roxy in New York last week. Up and coming remixer/producer/DJ Ronen Mizrahi's remix of "Misstereee" was used as the instrumental for this unique track. It takes a short segment of Christina's "Tell Me" vocals and turns it into this cool dub. Vocal samples from the original Cajjmere track have been left in. It works quite well. A short sample of this mix can be heard here.