Goodbye 2011. Hello 2012!

Hello dear readers!

Welcome to the very first post of 2012. I wish to all of you a wonderful year full of good health, work, peace, love and money (it looks like tarot cards reading, isn't it?), all of this accompanied by lots of good music, of course!

For this first post of 2012 and following the new year's eve aftermath, I chose to linger the sound environment that, I'm sure, many of you readers were engaged in. That being said, embrace yourselves, because the blog is going to become a big dance floor.

To open the hostilities we have the Portuguese own DJ "Tó" Pereira. You don't know him? What about if I say DJ Vibe, does that ring a bell? Lisbon born DJ Vibe is, probably, the best Portuguese DJ with large international recognition, featuring in his résumé the Award for Best DJ in the World in 1999, as well as performances in the most emblematic world renown clubs like London's Ministry of Sound, Ibiza's Pacha, Berlin's Love Parade or New York's Vinyl. So, it's time to shake your boots at the sound of DJ Vibe's remixed versions of "Knights of Jaguar" by DJ Rolando (aka The Aztec Mystic) and "Tropical Soundclash"  by DJ Gregory, both of them featured in Vibe's double CD album Global Grooves Vol. 2.

Having entered the groove already, it's time to keep on the same page with "Again" from Roger Sanchez, that can be found in Select 2008: Music for Our Friends, an album from siblings Claude Challe and Jean Marc Challe. Roger Sanchez is a worldwide famous renowned North American DJ, son of Dominican parents. He founded his own record label, named Stealth Records, and has a radio show since 2001 called "Release Yourself" with about 15 million (!) listeners worldwide. In 2003, Roger Sanchez won a Grammy for Best Remixed Version (the remixed song was "Hella Good" from No Doubt). About Roger Sanchez's tune "Again", it's another portrait of the eternal "war" Men vs. Women. I draw your attention (especially the men!) to the bloody brilliant lyrics. Who among us, men, hasn't yet experienced a similar situation, thought exactly the same and heard women saying precisely what's said in the music? Hmm...

We carry on now though more Latin rhythms, with "Pa El Bembe" from Raw Artistic Soul feat. Edisney Portales Vega. Raw Artistic Soul is the artistic name of Phil Kullmann, a German DJ that grabs his influences from several musical genres, from Latin to Jazz or African rhythms. He specialized himself in drumming, especially Latin drumming, and it's exactly this kind of drumming that's on "Pa El Bembe", a tune that can be found, for example, in Beginners Guide To Buddha Lounge album. A mi me gusta cariño!!

Finally, and to end up on a high note, we'll travel through the Arab inspired progressive house from "Maktoub" (which is Arab for "meant to be") by Sean Bay vs. Medhi Mouelhi feat. Arabella. Sean Bay is a Tunisian born DJ, electronic music producer and owner of Magenta Recordings record label (in the official video here presented, Sean appears at 1:45). He currently lives in Paris, France, and the song "Maktoub" was precisely the one to reach the TOP in several countries and launching him to international fame and recognition. Besides, it has the privilege to feature in the latest album of the worldwide renowned Chillout compilation Buddha Bar, more specifically Buddha Bar XIII produced and mixed by DJ Ravin and David Visan, released in 2011. Two features stand out in "Maktoub": the violin and Arabella's voice.

So, are the legs still hurting? Hangover's gone? What, not yet?? Well then, go back to the beginning and listen to every music once again, this time with a handful of roasted peanuts and you'll see it'll be over in a blink of an eye!

I hope you liked it. Happy new year of 2012 and see you next time!