Funk Operator

You can also listen to this mix on Mixcloud where you’ll also find all of my other mixes.

The set this week starts with a new remix of a house classic from 2004, So Many Times. I remember listening to this tune when it came out and immediately falling in love with the perfect match of melody, voice, piano, and rhythm. If you haven’t heard it before, I’m sure you’ll love it. That song, plus the next three were the genesis of this mix. I’ve been playing Spread Your Love and Special Love together for a year or so, and when I’m Watching You and Serious were released, I found that they all fit together wonderfully in a evolution of sound.

I could have leaned more into house after Serious, but instead I decided to stick to the nu-disco sound and drift into a bit of nostalgia inspired by the twenty-plus-year-old opening track. Many of the remaining songs are remixes or covers of older tunes. A few may be a little cheesy (say Funk Operator, a remix of Sade’s Smooth Operator, or Freedom, a remix of Fleetwood Mac’s Dreams), but I still think they’re great. If a song works and sounds good in context, I’ll happily drop it into a mix even if it gets eye-rolls from the purists. The last two few songs move back into a more housey sound, which, I feel, echos the opening few tracks.

The mix is overall pretty good, but the transition between Special Love and Serious isn’t as transparent as I would like. Special Love ends somewhat abruptly so I mix into an earlier section of the song as the outro, but when I bring it in, the volume is a little low. The other spot that I’m not entirely happy with is the transition from Brazilian Nights into Warm It Up, where there’s a brief bass collision. The songs are in the same key so it’s not terrible, but it’s a bit boomy for a few beats.

Thanks for reading and listening. If you’re enjoying, please subscribe so you’ll always know when a new mix drops. Also, feel free to forward or share this with anyone you know who enjoys dance music. My next show at Falling Sky is just two weeks away on January 2.

Until then, stay funky!

Tracklist

1. I’m Watching You (So Many Times) (Extended Mix) — Gadjo, Nick Reach Up
   Armada Music

2. Spread Your Love (Original Extended Mix) — Sea ‘N’ Soul
   Purple Music

3. Special Love (Micky More & Andy Tee 7” Jazz Mix) — Jestofunk, Jocelyn Brown
   Groove Culture

4. Serious (Extended Mix) — Seamus Haji, feat. Mike Dunn
   Big Love Music

5. Funk Operator (Summer Vibes Mix) — Ministry Of Funk
   Muzik X Press

6. Freedom (Good Vibes Mix) — Disco Incorporated
   Muzik X Press

7. You Can Get It (Daisuke Miyamoto Remix) — Midnight Freakers

   Disco Freak Records

8. No Woman No Cry (Ibiza Mix) — French Connection
   PornoStar Records

9. Just Be Good To Me (Extended Mix) — Baccus
   Glasgow Underground

10. Brazilian Nights (X- Tended Mix) — Moogy Bee
    Deponiente Records

11. Warm It Up (Extended Mix) — OBM, Carla Monroe
    O Beach Music

12. Sweet Lover (Funk Disco Extended Mix) — Albert Marzinotto, Maiya Sykes
    King Street Sounds