Recommended Listening

Curtis Hairston - I Want You All Tonight (The M+M Remixes) [Quantize Recordings]

More than forty years on from the original release, John Morales revisits one of his classic M&M productions (originally with Sergio Munzibai), bringing it squarley into the 21st Century. John's new versions feel a little brisker than the 1983 mixes and have a few new elements including drums from Jamirquai's Derrick McKenzie and new keys from John & Greg Radford. The pure funk and passion of the original are preserved with the higher tempo injecting a little energy for the modern floor. The dub is pure funk gold! Moving on, label head DJ Spen teams up with keyboard maestro Michele Chiavarini to deliver a soulful house interpretation, upping the tempo a little further and adding their own original elements, including a live bassline from Michele to rival the original. With all three remixes hitting the spot, the package is rounded off in spectacular with two of the original M&M versions from 1983. Now to the toughest choice of 2024 to date, which mixes to play? I suspect that all five will feature at some point in the coming months.

"I Want You All Tonight" is available now on Quantize Recordings via Traxsource.

Track Review

Lenny Fontana & D Train - Raise Your Hands (John Morales Mixes)[Karmic Power Records]

Three years on from the initial release and with numerous remixes in between then and now, Lenny Fontana & D Train's collaboration from 2015 "Raise Your Hands" gets the John Morales M&M treatment with excellent results. For those who don't recall, the song is built on the legacy of D Train's own classic composition "Music" and is a proper hands in the air style track that's aimed to get you on the floor and singing along. Of all the remixes to date, these are the ones that stick closest to the original vibe. M&M mixes over the years have rarely strayed too far from the initial concept, choosing instead to re-interpret for the sort of floors John packs out every week on his travels all over the world. There's an extended intro, the bass feels a little beefier and the rhythms roll a little more than the original mix but other than that it's a highly tasteful retouch rather than reconstructive surgery. Available now on Traxsource and many other digital platforms.

Reviewed by Dean Serafini

Track Review

Yogi & Mo 'Funk - Magic [Peppermint Jam]

This one arrived in my inbox last week and made an immediate impact. It's only taken me this long to get round to the review because I've been finding it difficult to find the right words but it has the happy knack of bringing a smile to my face which is always a good sign. Expect soulful vibes with catchy melodies soothing vocals, groovy synth bass, funky guitars, and atmospheric brass. I'm not sure you can easily label the track; it evokes memories of 80s groove with a touch of disco and a whiff of house but it's probably easier just to accept that it's an enjoyable tune however you choose to describe it. Now, onto the remixes which include an interpretation from none other than Mr M&M himself, John Morales. He increases the tempo, alters the rhythms and dampens the bass a little but otherwise stays quite close to the original concept. The most significant departure comes in the form of the "Yo-Mo House Mix" which is a straight up old school peak time house groover. It introduces organic synths that remind me a little of some of the Masters At Work dubs of the early 90s. The package concludes with a selection of dubs and instrumentals taking the total number of versions to eight so there's plenty to choose from. Available on pre-release via Traxsource on 28th September with a world wide release date of October 14th.

Reviewed by Dean Serafini

Recommended Listening

Spencer Morales ft Tasha Larae - I Need Your Lovin' [Quantize]

It's a song that needs little introduction given that it's the Teena Marie classic from 1980. John Morales & DJ Spen have tastefully reconstructed the original composition, injecting plenty of funk and an authentic soulful vibe that's guaranteed to lift your mood. There are a total of five mixes to choose from, every one a sure fire winner. Don't sleep on this one!