Needles » uptown-funk

Si*Sé – This Love (The Crystal Pharoah Remix)

needles — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 05:43:37 +0000

I think this New York City group is about to release their second album this month, but I have only recently heard of them. They seem to be very jazzy, trippy and electronic; however, I would probably categorize their latest single, “This Love”, as neo-soul (no, it’s not dead!). The version I’m posting today is a remix that flings the track right onto the disco floor… and I’m a sucker for a good, new slice of the uptown-funk. If you don’t believe me, peep the Joyo Velarde and Whitney Houston posts from September. But for now, check out Si*Sé:

Si*Sé – This Love (The Crystal Pharoah Remix) | Si*Sé

Whitney Houston – Million Dollar Bill

needles — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 04:01:57 +0000

She is back…and what a way to do it! In this age of Autotune and re-crafted vocals, Whitney Houston returns to the scene with a masterful blend of pure uptown-funk crafted by none other than Swizz Beats and Alicia Keys. They chop, filter and loop up one of my favorite Loleatta Holloway track from her self-titled 1977 album, “We’re Getting Stronger”, truly an apt description for the new, huskier and sexier-voiced, Whitney. She easily outshines her contemporaries with a raw and infectious track worthy of a spin on the Studio 54 dancefloor. Check out both tunes below:

Whitney Houston – Million Dollar Bill | Arista

Loleatta Holloway – We’re Getting Stronger (The Longer We Stay Together) | Gold Mind

Joyo Velarde – Take You Home

needles — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 04:10:36 +0000

I think I first heard of Joyo Velarde through the Soul Sides website. I have since learned that she forms half of a power couple with Lyrics Born, so any of you that are fans of his or Latryx’ music are probably already familiar with her work. She has a strong and well-rounded singing voice, but it’s Melanie Veloria’s production that really made me a fan of this track. The horns that begin to blow in the second verse are icing on the cake. She has a video for this single up on her website right now as well. But don’t take my word for it, listen to her yourself:

Joyo Velarde – Take You Home | Quannum

Hercules and Love Affair – Hercules’ Theme

needles — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 05:18:00 +0000

This is my second favorite uptown-funk (“disco” for all the non-funk fans out there) group to come out this decade since Escort. Escort dropped some dance floor scorchers in 2007, but Hercules and Love Affair blew up the club in 2008. They are labelmates with LCD Soundsystem, Shit Robot and a bunch of other disco-punk, dance-rock bands from New York. What makes Hercules special is the sometimes-lead singer, Antony from Antony and the Johnsons. No joke, dude has a singing voice like Ella Fitzgerald. I have managed to catch Hercules and Antony at two separate shows in the area, but I doubt I will get to see them together live. All I can say is, their show reminds me of a time when people used to go to a club and DANCE when a band played. They are that stimulating…

Hercules and Love Affair – Hercules’ Theme | DFA