"Azuli captures the Musical Magic of Miami!"
muema@speedgarage.com | New York, NY | 06/06/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Finally a Miami compilation worth listening to! Forget all the free CD's and singles packed into your Miami Music Conference gift bag. Azuli quickly and cleverly assembled this wonderful 18 track compendium of soulful slamming tunes for your ears. Forget also all the albums released throughout the summer claiming to be summer anthems, this is where it all begins. For those that don't know, each year in March, Miami is ground central for the house music mafia: the producers, DJ's, vocalists and their hangers on looking to both make and break records. The week long festival of sun, song and sin champions a handful of "songs of the conference", anthems that serve as the soundtrack of the Miami experience. Songs catchy, clever and captivating enough that they are heard time and time again at the bar, at the club, at the lounge, by the pool and at the beach. Songs that rise above the fray destined to go on to become summer anthems. Past chart toppers includes hits by Ultra Nate, RESCUE ME by the Sun Kids and SING IT BACK/BRING IT BACK by Moloko, just to name a few.Enough about the background, lets get on to the music. First up, Azuli and Lenny hit us with the dynamic duo, the Basement Jaxx and the original mix of BINGO BANGO. This upfront floor stomper will get everyone jumpin'. Listen for the spanish influenced melody, listen for the horn and that wonderful, wonderful chant:"Bing, bing, bing, bing, bing, bing, bing, Bangooooooo!"Moloko's soothing voice prevails again with THE TIME IS NOW (Francois K Vocal Mix). Next upJoey Negro teams up with Taka Boom yet again on the club mix of MUST BE THE MUSIC. This masterfully produced powerful song prevails with buildups, breakdowns and the dominating vocals of Taka Boom, as only she can! MOCA's disco inflused HIGHER (with David Morales & fam on production) follows. Madison Ave's DON'T CALL ME BABY imports the groove from AINT NO STOPPING US NOW, with a nasal vocal style a la Crystal Waters, will have the crowd singing"I belong to me so don't call me baby!"One of my personal favorites Artful Dodger's Vocal Mix of Barbara Tucker featuring Daryl D'Bonneau, STOP PLAYING WITH MY MIND (Produced by Whiplash & Turner). The intro is simply marvelous! The 4/4 rhythm pumps while Barbara's vocal filters in slowly and KABOOM, Daryl comes in"Woooooooo Time after time, Time after time . . . I ain't goin' no where!"Barbara coos:"You've got to love me Or leave me! Stop playin' with my mind Stop wastin' my time!"This album is simply too good to be true! Track 7 kicks of with Ministers De La Funk featuring Jocelyn Brown BELIEVE. Who can forget that guitar riff intro. 'Nuff said! If for no other reason, cop this album for track 8, Afro Medusa's PASILDA. Wow! Produced by Nick Bennett, Patrick Cole and Isabel Fructuoso, PASILDA will infect you with the groove. Listen for the breakdown at 3minutes 30 seconds into the song, the buildup is un-believeable! Then the beat drops! Guaranteed to rock any crowd! Romain and Danny Krivit (resident NYC's Body & Soul) douse us with the delightful PHILLY GROOVE on track 10. Lenny Fontana seamelessly blends PHILLY GROOVE into another intrumental delight originally heard on Tony Humphries Net Mixes, SUNDAY SHOUTIN' by Johnny Corporate. This album simply contains too much good music! DOWN DOWN DOWN by the Gambafreaks, RISE by the SOUL PROVIDERS and a song canned at NYC's Body & Soul and Louie Vega's DANCE RITUAL club nights JAGUAR by DJ Rolando aka the AZTEC MYSTIC.Azuli presents Miami 2000, THE compilation album of the summer!"
Track Listings (12) - Disc #1