With Odyssey dropping Legacy earlier in the year, the legendary disco-soul-funk-rnb band (best known circa NYC late 70’s early 80’s) have been thrown back in the spotlight and earned some long deserved respect from the next generation of music heads. Alongside this full length collaboration with Yam Who? came news of a remix project, dropping December 12th titled Return To Flight.
Ron Basejam and Faze Action also contribute some killer reworkings as does Ashley Beedle; all to be expected. The definite highlight however comes from new(ish) production duo Disco Dirtbox – the pairing of Kid Circus & Paul Barkworth – flipping up ‘Don’t Tell Me Tell Her’ in a stunning manner guaranteed to make the wave of slow-mo body music fans sit up and pay attention.
Personally I would’ve loved to see ISM Records throw a bit of money behind this and get it pressed up and in to record stores, especially due to the names and quality of the remixes and the fan base they’re aiming for.
Check underneath for the distributor’s press release, that inexplicably is absent of capital letters.
strap yourself in, a superstar producers package from ism records, bringing in the biggest players on the block to remix the odyssey classics into an array of musical styles and genres.
its been some year for brooklyn’s very own odyssey, seeing them headline the ‘garden festival’ in croatia as well as an amazing live performance at horse meat disco’s 8th birthday party plus an array of club performances across the uk with their live band.
‘native new yorker’, odyssey’s debut single, a worldwide smash, which went straight to no 1 on release in america, and possibly the hardest track to re-create on the ‘legacy’ album. ashley beedle has taken a walter gibbons approach here, stripping the track down to the bone, working his way through the parts and reworking the song into a total classic, with effects units and applying a whole array live dubs and edits.
written by the legendary lamont dozier, ‘going back to my roots’ has been turned into dancefloor monster by both faze action duo with their prototype chicago workout focusing on the infamous prototype piano house hook and working in an infectious 80’s b-line and prelude sounding keyboard licks.
ray mangs percussive interpretation of ‘use it up & wear it out’, a no 1 single in the uk for the new york band, parallels an italo disco vibe, with its twisted synth bassline giving this track a modern twist with an afro appeal.
pbr streetgang’s mix of ‘inside out won the award for the sunset moment at this year’s garden festival, ruff and tough 80’s drums with a deep electronic structue, the full effect of this blissful masterpiece can be watched on youtube, go find it!
one of the new compositions from the ‘legacy’ album, ‘lonely star’ was selected by leftside wobble, geniusly taking it up from its original 2step tempo and flipping into a modern day deep house classic that would give kerri chandler a run for his money!
one of ism’s personal favourite, the multi talented ron basejam jumped at the chance to remix the philly soul anthem ‘ain’t no stoppin’ us now’ taking into another realm all together. his interpretation is a far-out hi-life afrocosmic workout, adding a completely new vibe with his cutting edge studio techniques.
east london’s toby tobias brings his deep jacking beats to ‘o dj ko’ yet maintains the soulful roots of this afro boogie floor killer, fusing minimal vocal elements to create a multi sonic warehouse soundscape.
flash atkins & discodirtbox have both reconstructed the norman jay rare groove classic ‘don’t tell me, tell her’. the dirtbox remix nods heavily towards the tiger & woods sound, with futuristic drums, heavy synth stabs and a razor sharp production style, whereas the notorious flash atkins turns in a very danny krivit influenced almost live mixing desk edit exposing the beautiful studio production of odyssey’s band.