ThinkSoul25
soulful house
ThinkSoul25 Radio | Week 3 | Rooftop [Free Download]
ThinkSoul25 Radio Week 3 is here and Johnny Fontana put together yet another sexy (he’s good at that,) soulful/deep house mix inspired by Copyright’s “Lifted (Pablo Fierro Remix.)”
We’ve had a few gloomy days off and on, but by far the weather in the DMV has been superb. Not disgustingly hot (mid-summer is the worse) and not too breezy. I say, the weather, for the most part, has been just right. And with good weather comes parties! But the best type of party, especially in DC, is the rooftop party.
Whether it’s a big soiree or an intimate gathering amongst friends, rooftop parties in DC are the best! Sexy and ultra beautiful people taking a break from their stressful government/corporate jobs, and sitting back relaxing to the sounds of house.
Rooftop is a mix for socializing, flirting, dancing, and daydreaming. Get your sexy on with a selection of house personally selected by Johnny Fontana. I’m telling you guys, he deserves a residency in DC. He brings that Miami flavor and international house vibes that this city is craving. Trust me DC, we need him! 
ThinkSoul25 Radio | Week 3 | Rooftop
Spirit Soul Mix Archive | Going Deeper – May Podcast 2013
Russian house duo Going Deeper (Timur & Eugene) are back with brand new mix for the Spirit Soul Mix Archive.
Loaded with uptempo deep and soulful house, this May Podcast is surely one that will get you up and moving, but not dancing like a maniac. It’s uptempo, but the mix starts off with a sexy groove that deserves righteous sex appeal; not reckless grinding.
Not sure if any of that made much sense, but oh well! The point is, this is a good mix and Going Deeper is on my radar now. These Russian guys and there monthly mixes are earning a spot in my heart next to my other favorite duo, Bondax.
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Deep Sugar: Where House Music Lives In Baltimore
Normally, I blog about an event the day after, but I partied last weekend at Deep Sugar till 5 in the morning; slept most of the day and Monday was an exceptionally lazy day. By no means am I a slacker, but as a freelance writer/artist, I make my own schedule. So you know what that means? I can live it up on the weekends (and weekdays if I want) with no regret, but I must say, there is nothing like a night/morning at Deep Sugar.
I hadn’t been to Deep Sugar in quite some time, considering I had moved to Los Angeles, and prior to my move, I was living all the way in Germantown (crazy far from Baltimore.) But I knew that since I had moved back to Maryland and had already had my night of dancing at U Street Music Hall’s Red Fridays, I would have to venture to downtown Baltimore and get in my monthly fix of Deep Sugar. And boy, did I ever!
Bringing my mom with me for the first time (we had never been out dancing together, it was a new experience) we made the 15 minute drive to the Paradox. My mom, being cautious of finding parking, decided we should get there right at 11pm. And…we did. Normally I don’t go early unless I have to, but it was nice seeing Lisa Moody already getting warmed up. Shortly after some great funky tracks, the room began to slowly fill as people from all different backgrounds, ages, sizes, and even fashion choices made their way onto the dance floor.
Let me tell you, Deep Sugar is truly an experience! You can try to be a wallflower and bop your head to the music, but trust me, you’re gonna wanna dance. Sweat, sweat, sweat! I can’t even tell you how soaked my shirt was. It was so wet, I had to take it off and wear my tank while jumping up and down, smiling, and getting lost in the infectious house.
From classics to tribal to soulful to deep to tech to gospel, Lisa and Nate played all types of house!
If you’re looking for some pure house and you happen to be in the vicinity of the DMV (DC.MD.VA,) then you need to check out Deep Sugar. Held at Baltimore’s legendary nightclub The Paradox on the second Saturdays of every month, Deep Sugar is a fabulous event hosted by the Deep Sugar Family. It’s a big family, but the lovely Girl Squad Ultra Nate and Lisa Moody hold it down in the main room.
Not only did I have such an amazing time (as usual,) but I met some cool people (lots of dancers) and passionate house junkies. Everyone comes with a vibe that is just all about the music. Every now and then you might sense an attitude, but once a certain track comes on, someone’s frown is turn upside down into a joyous smile. It’s hard to be upset when you get lost in the spirit of house. My mom and I even shed a few tears while dancing and getting lost in the spirit of some of our favorite gospel house tracks.
Hey, they say house is a spirit thing, a body thing, a soul thing, and I know from years of falling in love with this music and experiencing it, that house truly is like no other genre!
So, with all that being said (sorry for the lengthiness,) I must say that if you want to experience house music on the East Coast and don’t want to make a trek to New York, then check out Deep Sugar @ The Paradox. From 11pm to 6am the morning, come early and till dawn (like I did,) or come whenever you want and still dance till dawn. Haha, you can’t resist the enigmatic atmosphere of the dancefloor chanting your name.
Hope to see you next month at Deep Sugar. Save the date: Saturday, May 11th, 2013 with OSUNLADE. Yes, Osunlade. I can’t wait!
LIKE DEEP SUGAR MUSIC ON FACEBOOK
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There’s No Right or Wrong Way To House…It’s a Feeling
In 2002 I fell in love with the sounds of house, which stimulated my infatuation with house dancing. I grew up in a household in which boogaloo, popping, breaking, and hip-hop were being practiced by my brother and of course my mother, who is an old school popper. Dance was a key part of my cultural development and falling in love with the house culture introduced me to house dancing…my favorite abstract expression.
As a child taking ballet, modern, lyrical, and variants of jazz, I had always had a passion for dancing. While my brother, choreographer Jamile McGee, took dance serious and made it his career, I on the other hand didn’t pursue it as a career. But my lifestyle of house music led me to discovering a unique freedom and abstract expression within the atmospheric beats of house. House dancing is one of my favorite styles of dance and I do refer to myself as a house dancer.
Now, within house dancing you’ve got legends like Brian “Footwork” Green, Ejoe Wilson, Tony McGregor, Marjory Smarth, Caleaf Sellers and “Brooklyn” Terry Wright that are professional house dancers, but I think anyone and everyone who lets house move them is a house dancer. Yes, there are technical moves in the foundations of house, which including footwork, jacking, and lofting, but aside from having the skills down, house is truly a feeling; there is no right or wrong way to house.
You see, the beauty of house is the unlimited potential to express yourself. Whatever the beat compels your soul to feel, your body knows how to naturally respond. Even if you do have some 8 counts prepared, you still get lost in the music and the spirit of house moves your body.
This fluid expression in house dance results in so many different styles of house dancing. You can spend hours on YouTube (like I do) and see so many different house dancers with their own style. While one might be more driven to do footwork, another dancer might be more soulful and loose with big expressions via the arms and torso. It all really depends on how the track moves you at the moment.
With the freedom of mind, body, and soul being priority, that doesn’t mean house dance is obsolete from competition; the vibe of competing is less aggressive and more in the spirit of happiness. Events such as House Dance International and House Dance Forever bring house dancers, spectators, novices, and house aficionados from around the world together to compete, share music, and keep the culture thriving.Competition can be fierce, but there is still a level of joy and spiritual freedom in the competitors that you might not see in a hip-hop battle.
House dance is all about letting the music take control and losing all inhibitions; nothing is off limits, no style or movement is considered “wrong.” You could be jacking one moment, then throwing in a hint of vogue followed by some african movement. Now, there are battles and styles such as vogue and wacking that are often in their own categories at events, but freestyle and experimental rounds allow for anything and everything…in the spirit of house.
So, as you can see, I can keep going on a long-winded explanation of house dance and the art of it. But I’d rather let the videos do the rest of the talking. So I leave you with this. You know how you walk into an art gallery and you see that insane abstract piece that makes no sense, yet it speaks to you? Well, that’s the spirit of house. House is that weird abstract painting that inspires you to stare, speak, or even pick up a brush and let the innate emotion move your limbs…jack your body.
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♥ | Frank B – ‘Chain Of Fools’
At some point in your life (well I know, quite a few times in my own,) there comes a time and place you realize that your just a link on a “chain of fools.”
Those from generations before me or those who at least appreciate the classics (instead of this commercial radio garbage) know that “chain of fools” is not only just a saying, but a great song by Aretha Franklin.
It’s yet another great song Aretha Franklin song that is filled with so much raw emotion and wisdom. But as of late the song has been gaining some popularity within the house community. How do I know this? Well, it might not officially be a mainstream craze, but producer Frank B’s “Chain of Fools” is a nice house cover of the classic Franklin track, and I’ve heard it on so many different podcasts and mixes in the past few months.
Even though the song came out in the summer of June 2012, it’s still a great house track that is getting much love and has become yet another one I add to my favorite lists. Im really digging this track and I think it’s one of those tracks that you should listen to, love, appreciate, and share with your friends. It’s simple, yet beautiful and has that nice vocals that make you want to dance.
♥ Compuphonic – ‘Sunset’ feat. Marques Toliver [Official Video]
Belgian producer Compuphonic captured my heart quite some time ago with his track “Sunset” featuring Marques Toliver.
The track has a beautiful deep house vibe infused with hints of whimsical romanticism (that’s how I feel when listening to it,) and now the track has a music video to match.
The animated video for “Sunset” was created in studios in Lisbon and Vienna and it’s the great companion for the vibes of each rhythm.
The sheer simplicity is honestly what makes this video one of my favorites. There could have been a video featuring a beach and some hotties or a sexy lounge scene, but this quirky animation is the exemplification of “Sunset.”
Watch the video below! I’m pretty sure you’re going to love it.
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Strictly House | VA – Talking House Vol.1 (LTH001D) 2013
Stockholm-based record label Local Talk recently released a bangin’ new EP that is strictly for the house headz. If you like house, wait no, If you love house, then you need to check out Talking House Vol.1.
The EP has a great selection of tracks that were selected by Mad Mats + Tooli. Now if this is your first time getting down with house, then you need to listen to Fubert’s track, “First Time House.” It has a pure house vibe that is reminiscent of the classics.
For those of you who like your bass hard, raw, and hard (emphasis on hard,) then you’ll like DJ Steaw’s track “Sky Hunt.“
The EP has a lot of great tracks, so you owe it to yourself to give them all a listen. But if you’re feeling moody, then jam out to the sounds of Dirtytwos “Moody (Original Mix.)”
My favorites: “Moody,” “Heart Attack,”"MAW Basics (Gerd’s NY Stomp Mix)”
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