Afro House mix by BLcKBLT

Here's a new mix featuring some of the tracks that I'm currently feeling. Yes, following on from the previous article, I thought I should include some Boddhi Satva classics as well as some of our own edits and tracks. There's also tracks by Agev Munsen - which at first sounds like some Scandinavian dude, but is actually another alias for Lil Louie Vega of MAW. Just so you know!

4tothefloor - deeper than your average mix by Blckblt on Mixcloud

Download link is on the mixcloud page.

to mixcloud

Boddhi Satva - one of a kind

You know when you are finding a direction with your music, and you find someone who is doing what you are trying to do and much better for that matter. Boddhi Satva, for me is such a producer. Many of you will be familiar with his work but I cannot write a house blog without mentioning this man who has been such a big influence on my production.

Hailing from Central African Republic, he has created a genre of house music called "ancestral soul" which is sort of a cross between deep house and traditional african rhythms. As well as collaborating with traditional African singers such as Oumou Sangare of Mali (it blew my mind when I first heard her "Worotan" album in 1996 - her first worldwide release - btw if anyone has the parts to Djorolen, I would love to do a remix!).
Check out Ngnari Knonon which BBE were quick to pick up!



Also of note are his takes on RnB and soul music which he has called Ancestral Soul Interpretations. Featuring his own takes on artists from Frank Ocean to Rihanna, he brings a whole new repertoire of tracks to the table - and all for FREE!!! Good on him, good on us for sharing it, good on you for checking it out - good on everybody. 

Check out the download link here

Recently picked up by Louie Vega of MAW, this DJ/producer is headed for the big time. Let's hope great things come for Boddhi Satva in 2013.  

4 to the floor - that's US!

So I guess it's customary to welcome you all and introduce ourselves onto blogland. We're two house music loving folks, who thought we could give back to a wider audience what we've been doing from our little London base(s) to the local music scene.

 We started a night in East London called 4 to the Floor, which wanted to fill the need for dancers and house lovers to jam after Jimbo finished his Groove Sanctuary nights at Madame Jojo's on Sunday nights. We wanted to play everything that dancers grooved to that had a 4/4 beat mainly house music but also some disco, boogie, minimal tech, afrobeat and Latin.

Let me introduce you first to Eddieboi from South Africa. He comes from a place where house music is everyday music and this music is ingrained in his DNA. I have never met anyone who champions house music like he does!!! Growing up in a little village in South Africa, he has brought his amazing music to the Big Smoke. I truly admire his love of house music and it is an honour to be working with one of the nicest guys on the planet.

 I myself have grown up with rock music in my early teens, hip hop and reggae in my later teens and then onto soul, funk and disco as my tastes broadened. House music really became important when I started house dancing while in Paris - where the predominant house music at the time was African influenced, percussive and minimal.

I hope this blog to be a celebration of house music, in all its manifestations, from the early influences of disco to acid house, broken beat, deep house, minimal, soulful grooves, maybe a tad of jazz fusion.... It's all about the music, as they say and about keeping an open mind.....

Discovery Of Community the Music Project

Discovery Of Community the Music Project, discovery of the deep deep soul of Manchester the Rainy City.

Towards the end of last year (2012), Osunlade was booked to play at Spectrum in Manchester so
being a lover and a follower of Yoruba Soul records and the man himself without hesitation I
quickly booked my ticket to the rainy city as soon as I saw this on resident advisor.
When the day arrived I set out on the 2 and a half hour journey north and thanks to the
Virgin ground-jet we were there before I could even take a second look at the clock.

From Manchester Piccadilly station it was a simple 15 minute walk with google maps to
the designated venue. Arriving at the bar around 11pm I clearly was from out of town
as I seemed to be the 3rd person there with the 1st being the dj. I didnt mind because
this gave me time to visit the Gents and jump out of my long johns, free my skin for
what would possibly be a sweaty sweaty night.

The first DJ whom I cant be bothered to look up his name was quite alright. Big fella playing
at about 116 BPM and less. I enjoyed this set, it gave me an opportunity to negotiate
at a kind pace my one night stand affair to be with the dance floor at a slower civilised
pace.

The second DJ, a man whom I was to discover stands for something exceptional in the rainy
city started his set around 1/1.30am. I remember very well the Atjazz record he played, so deep
I had to hunt it and buy it immediately. It just made me... how does anyone explain that feeling?
The set continued and from what I learned later was initially meant to be an hour set became
an hour and a half due to someone stealing Osunlade to interview him right before the start
of his set. Everything happens for a reason though because I enjoyed every moment of this
set. I was well satisfied, well danced before the man of the hour himself had taken on the
cdj2000's. They say it takes on average 5/6 listening(s) to a DJ's live set before you really
know who he is, what he is trying to say and how he/she goes about saying it.
For me, it took just one hour and I knew I had found Jack! Jack of the united Kingdom.
The man I know will with or without our help continue to heal and therefore unite
the nation through beats and rhythms expressed through a four four beat.

People who know me musically know that Osunlade is to me musically who Prince is to him
and likewise who Michael black boy Jackson is to most but I tell you I was moved by Irfan
Rainy on that night instead. Don't get me wrong, Osunlade is special and still is, he lives
in a world of divinity of his own in my opinion but I did not even
need to hear his set that night (or morning for that matter). I was full. My soul, was
full.

They say music is ladder for the soul, I will let you make the conclusion here
yourself...

DJ Eddie Boi