If there was a soundtrack to my life, nearly every song would be a Deep House cut. The throb of a steady beat and a driving bass line always, in some inexplicable way, make me feel good. Aural therapy, if you will. And when it's the right song, or better yet the right collection of songs, there is nothing better in this world.***
Miguel Migs is a master of the Deep House sound. The soulfulness of his work isn't just something you hear, it's something you feel. He's a musician who speaks the language of music in the most expressive of ways. Both his personal productions and his compilation CD's quietly exalt his skills.
Out on NRK records, 24th Street Sounds is a shining example of the Miguel Migs sound. It's a two CD set, containing a continuous mix CD and a collection of his own tracks released on the NRK label.
The mix CD is a beautifully executed set, perfect music for kicking off your night, livening up a party or setting the groove of an after hours gathering. A lot of the major Deep House labels are represented. There's tracks from Om Records, Swing City, Paper Recordings and Purple Music. All labels to look for if you enjoy the sounds.
I'm a vocal junkie, and there are plenty of lush vocals to satisfy my cravings. Generous Flavor's 'Waiting' has a gorgeous filtered songstress floating in and out of the track. Soularis is represented with their hit track 'Don't Change'. And the whispering vocals on Roomsa's 'Sunrise' are sure to soothe away your worries.
But Deep House isn't just about vocals, and neither is this set. The comfortably familiar strains of Rasmus Faber's 'Divided United' will make you tap your toes and nod your head. So will the lively sax on the track 'Sona Unica' by the Audio Whores & Groove Assassin. And the dub of one of my personal favorites 'Stereo Flavas' by Hi-Fi Mike makes me dance every time I hear it. When the jazzy piano starts dancing around the melodies with the screaming sax, I lose it.
The selected works disc has twelve tracks that are original works by Miguel Migs. This will definitely give you a true taste of his own person flavor. It's mostly a collection of dub tracks, but the grooves are tight and the sounds are hot.
In all, this dual CD set compares favorably with his earlier works on Naked Music. However, this time around he's given a nod to the DJ's by including the second disc with the unmixed cuts of his own. The moral of the story? Go out and pick this one up to fill a room with luscious Deep House grooves by a masterful DJ/Producer.
Always with you in 4/4,
Peter Mavrik
peter@windycitymediagroup.com
***Except maybe when I see Todd smile.
