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.

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.