Maroon 5 - Makes Me Wonder

The main version of this song is actually quite dancey. It has the feel of a nice hipster disco song. A simple extended mix of the original would have made this song club-ready. However, Harry "Choo Choo" Romero did remixes. His mixes are more dub-like and have fewer vocals. The instrumental production is really energetic and synthy. It goes away from the light, airy production of the original. These are cool though. There's a club, dubstramental and radio edit.

On the unofficial tip, there's mixes by Ranny. He takes an unexpected departure with the sound he chose for the mixes. It's not his usual tribal/circuit fare. It's more in line with light original. Not that light though. His Sunset mixes are quite noteworthy and are worth checking out.

Rihanna - Umbrella

This is the lead single off of her 3rd studio album Good Girl Gone Bad. The original has the feel of an 80's pop ballad. It's a nice, simple track that almost got ruined with Jay-Z's rapping. It's really unnecessary. Remixes by Josh Harris (as Lindbergh Palace), Jody den Broeder and Seamus Haji with Paul Emanuel take this song to the clubs.

For all the mixes, it is worth mentioning that the vocals were sped up instead of being slowed down. The album version has one of those "dangerous" BPMs which could be very tricky when remixing. Some unofficial mixes have already contained a slowed down vocal because slowing down was easier than speeding it up. Rihanna has a lot of vibrato in her voice so that could cause some problems. But all the mixers handled this one very well.

Harris' mix has a lite 80's synth pop feel to it.

Den Broeder did two main mixes. The Deconstruction mix is very electro with lots of fun blips and beeps. Without the beats, it would sound like a slowed down drum n' bass track. The bassline is absolutely hot. And vocal effects on the "eh ella eh ella" parts are really creative. The Lush mix is a little more circuit, but it is also very electro with a hot bassline too. This also has the 80's kind of sound to it. The style of this one calls to mind some of the sounds of Axwell, Sebastian Ingrosso and Eric Prydz.

And finally there are Seamus Haji and Paul Emanuel's mixes. Theirs are super electro. It's a little more underground sounding.

Overall, all the mixes in this package are really impressive. All of them should garner plenty of airplay and spins on the dancefloor.

Cascada - A Never Ending Dream

This one first first made the rounds as part of a 3 track single with an extended mix and 2 very aggressive hard house/progressive trance mixes. After having multiple top 10 singles in the UK and all over Europe, this one has become a single in the UK on AATW.

In addition to harder mixes, some accessible house mixes by Digital Dog and Fugitive have been included. This is a very wise decision as many DJs may not be able to work in harder and faster mixes into their sets. The Digital Dog mix is very electro and aggressive. It has soaring trance synths in the background to preserve some of the feel of the original. Vocalist Natalie Horler sounds great over this new production. DJs that may have hesitated to play Cascada have no excuse not to play them now.

Mutya Buena - Real Girl

This is the real first single from the former Sugababes' vocalist. Moto Blanco provide a very simple, soulful house mix that suits Mutya's delicate, but sassy vocal. This mix bears resemblance to some of the light disco confections of the 70s. It could be easily mistaken for something from the Salsoul catalog. Yes, it's that good! This is a must-listen.

JoJo - Anything

This is her second single off of her second album. After the smash hit "Too Little, Too Late" comes "Anything." This one gets the remixing treatment by Wawa. This Toto-sampling track seemed like it would be a challenge to remix tastefully. Wawa totally excels in this remix. The result is a piano-lade, funky house mix. The piano is absolutely addictive. The main vocal mix works well as does the dub. The piano is the highlight of course. This one will be everywhere in the coming weeks.

Nelly Furtado - All Good Things (Come To An End)

This 4th single from her hit album Loose has also been remixed for the clubs and Dance radio. This one was hard to imagine with a clubbier production, but Dave Aude and Kaskade have both proved that it can be done in a way that does justice to the song.

Dave Aude's mixes could be best described as a mixture of electro, dance and a touch of 80's synth pop. This one will work in a variety of sets and environments.

Kaskade's mixes are in a similar vein but are a lot more 80's sounding. It's really gorgeous.

Both have handled their mixes extremely well. This is one of the best remix packages to come out in the last few weeks.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Nelly Furtado - Say It Right

This was the third single off of Nelly Furtado's critically and commercially acclaimed album Loose. Though this came out a long time ago, many mixes of this have been done, both official and unofficial. This mid-tempo ballad had been a frontrunner for being a single since the album was first released in the Summer of 2006. Many had been clamouring for remixes which came just in the nick of time. Just as it took off on Pop and Rhythmic formats, it got played on Dance stations in the original mix which clocked in at a danceable 123 BPM.

Bad Boy Bill, Friscia & Lamboy and Peter Rauhofer did the official mixes this time around.

Bad Boy Bill's mix was funky house and a bit electro. It did help bring out some of the emotion of the song. It's the most accessible of all the mixes.

Friscia & Lamboy have done a tribal/electro hybrid mix. It's a very simple electro mix. It's a good peak hour mix. This one would work best on Dance radio.

Peter Rauhofer has done three mixes!

Part 1 is a mild tribal/heavy electro mix. There lots of interesting synths and unusual synths. It works really well. Some may find it to be excruciating because of the "clashing" of the synths in some places. It's very unique. This is the big room mix of choice.

Part 2 is also known as the "Trance Anthem." It is a much darker mix. This has the feel of mixes done during Rauhofer's trance experimental phase in the late 90's when he did mixes for Pet Shop Boys, Eurythmics and Ayumi Hamasaki. It's not as big room and trancey though as say something Tiesto or Above & Beyond would do. However, it is very uplifting and really brings out further beauty in Nelly's vocals. This is one of Peter's best mixes in a while. And this is the mix of choice for this song.

Part 3 is basically a toned down version of Part 1. It's much shorter and concise. It's not as "schizophrenic" with the "clashing" synths. It bears a striking resemblance to Trentmoller's remix of "What Else Is There" by Roysopp. Peter may have been influenced by that slightly as he has been playing that song for the last several months in his sets. This is really dark and twisted.

There's many unofficial mixes of this song as most DJs wanted to tailor this song for their own sets. Cajjmere Wray, Peter Bailey, Scott Ferguson & Michael Tank and even Junior Vasquez have done mixes.

Cajjmere Wray's mix is very dark and driving. The deep synths and chugging beats give this mix a lot of energy. Quite well done.

Peter Bailey continues in that same vein and his mix is very minimal and sparse. The beats are very simple as is the rest of the production. The real highlight is the rest of the mix. There's some cool synth work and vocal effects. This mix is a bit long, however, some creative DJs could cut it down a minute or two and go between the sparse and complex portions of the mix.

Scott Ferguson & Michael Tank have done a very energetic circuit mix. It's almost appropriate to call this a trance/circuit mix. The synths and driving beats are quite amazing on this one.

And finally there is the mix by Junior Vasquez. His is the newest one of them all. He premiered his new mix at the Onyx event at Pacha in NY this past weekend. It has yet to be heard by the general public. However, those who were in attendance said that the mix was one of the best Junior mixes of the year. There has been some talk of the mix seeing an official release in the future. No further details available at this time.

What remains to be seen is how many mixes will be done for the next single "All Good Things (Come To An End)."

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.

Sylvia Tosun - A Day Like Any Other

Rising star Sylvia Tosun is back with a new single from here album. "A Day Like Any Other" is a very simple folkpop kind of song that gets transformed for the clubs by Solar Sun, Jose Spinnin, Alyson Calagna and Twisted Dee. Twisted Dee's mix is the main mix.

Solar Sun's mix is very minimal and electro-sounding. It sounds like something Gabriel & Dresden would do. Sylvia's vocals just float beautifully over the bare production. Minimalism is sometime the best thing. This one is the most laid-back of the bunch.

Jose Spinnin's mix is a lot more anthemic and synthy. This one is perfect for peak hour play.

Alyson Calagna's mix is anthemic as well, however it is much harder and a lot more driving. This sounds like an afterhours type of track that would fit in well with Victor Calderone, Chus & Ceballos and Richie Santana records.

Twisted Dee's mix is very in-between and would lend itself well to house and circuit sets for all times of the day and night. This is the most accessible.

All mixes are currently available on Beatport, Juno and Hammer Music.

The following mixes are available at this time:
Solar Sun Vocal Mix
Jose Spinnin Wants You To Stay Mix
Alyson Calagna's Dreaming of Her Mix
Twisted Dee Original Mix