Glorious

Given the fact that "Life Changes" was one of my favorite albums from 2000, it should come as no surprise that I am here to rave about Ski Oakenfull's sophomore endeavour "Rising Son." What's surprising to me is that I had no idea that it had been released at all until I found it listed at an online shop (apparently it's been out since late Agust on superior house music label BBE records).

I won't say much else because you can read all about it here; watch a video of the lastest single - "So Beautiful" - here (at the bottom of the page); listen to snippets of most of the songs here; and hear the non-album exclusive, "New Orleans Under Attack" here.

Most importantly, you can buy it here or download tracks from the I-Tunes store by doing a search for the album. Come on, people, house music supports you, please support house music.

Sneak Peek: ...and, for those of you who can't wait until next week's release of the latest Depeche Mode album, "Playing the Angel," well, have we got some nifty news for you here.

Not enough? Well, how about Tori Amos singing that old 80's stalwart... uh... better you listen.

Some noteworthy new releases look back at acid house

Mr. Larry Heard, aka Mr. Fingers, aka Loose Fingers, has released a heartbrakingly beautiful CD that seems to look back at his musical career from the vantagepoint of a true legend in house music looking back at his glory days and some missed opportunities. Larry Heard / Loose Fingers' "Soundtrack From the Duality Double-Play" is split in half, "The Duality" which contains a mellow, jazzy, mostly instrumental 8-song suite; while "The Double-Play" 2nd half kick-starts with the wiggly acid groove of "What is House" (think Blaze's "Do You Remember House?" over an acid beat) and mostly sustains the groove through the end. Faves: "Transmission X," "Lamentation" (download free MP3 here legally) and "Ask Me About My Life" (sample here).

Coincidentally BBE records also released their latest "The Kings of House" 2-CD mix sessions, with one disc going to Kenny Dope and the other to Louie Vega (aka Masters at Work, aka Nuyorican Soul). Just as nostalgic for the Detroit / New York / Chicago house music scene of the 1990's, it's no surprise that Mr. Fingers' hugely influential "Can You Feel It" is here (mashed up with Sterling Void's "It's Alright" which the Pet Shop Boys would later cover). This is the sound of the West Side Piers back when the young ones were voguing their way through life (before Madonna picked it up) and, at least the Kenny Dope mix, also builds to an acid house freak out. Louie Vega goes a bit more for tribal house beats though he also goes back to basics, ending with - what do you know - Mr. Fingers' amazing "Never No More Lonely" (with vocals from the incomparable Robert Owens). Stand outs: Hercules "7 Ways to Jack", Tyree's "Acid Crash", the original version of "Strings of Life" by Rhythm is Rhythm (recently resurrected by Soul Central feat. Kathy Brown), Romanthony's "Let Me Show You Love", Blunted Dummies' "House for All" and Kerri Chandler's "Rain."