10 Years of soWHAT Records album: DHLA review

“10 years of soWHAT Records celebrating the music styles of Afro & Soulful House”

By Tamsyn Lyn Govan “Court Jester SA”

Big Up’s to UPZ for a Pure Surprize….

Being given the opportunity to review these oh-so-tasty-treats, Was not only a dream come true… A “Pure Surprise”… It was fate!!! There honestly is no other way to explain the excitement I felt when I found this track amongst the tracks… It was all because of this track, I began my Deep House Love Affair… Finally finding my heart & soul…

Starting my journey with this 2 album compilation was the first 13 track album that focuses more on Soulful House… Although I must say it is a new take on Soul Lounge bordering on the side of a very futuristic slowed down disco…

My Top 5 (No Particular order)

Can’t Wait – Hennings Project feat. Daryl Strodes (UPZ Phunky Mix)

Believe In Love – Groove Cartell & Harrison Crump

Sangoma’s Theme - UPZ feat Lifford

Endless Motion - Dahl Hates Disco

Pure Surprise – UPZ (Remaster, Club Edit)

I honestly had always thought of myself as a Soulful Gal! Yet the biggest surprise was still to come…

I opened the second, a 17 track album that focuses on Afro House… My heart was completely smitten… The dark sexy African tribal earthiness was adored from the first beat...

My Top 5 (No Particular order)

Arfika Wo-Man – UPZ & Black Motion Feat Theo Lawson (Groove Cartell Drumap)

Love Is Not For Hire – Avi Elman & Danny J (Black Coffee Mix)

A Dream Away – Sio & UPZ (Cuebur Remix)

Some People - Dahl Hates Disco (Cuebur & UPZ Remix)

Happy Days - UPZ feat Stephanie Cooke (Cuebur Vocal)

The house foundation for this whole compilation holds strong throughout both albums and while it combines a couple different influences from the past and touches various genres such as Jazz, Soul & R’nB while even adding a sprinkling of futuristic slowed-down disco to the mix getting lost in feelings of what I could only imagine the hidden lounges of 60’s & 70’s were like…. While the rich smoky sexiness of the earthy African tribal beat combined with bit more of a deep techy take shine bright on the Afro house.

The 2 compilations have a couple tracks in common yet have picked up on their different musical journeys and is set to accommodate varying tastes and personalities who listen. You can’t be without these House Music gems and there’s definitely something for everyone...

Afro House Links:

itunes: http://apple.co/2B1Da5O

Traxsource: http://bit.ly/2AmmCWC

Googleplay: http://bit.ly/2AH5Gqs

Beatport: http://bit.ly/2I9DmjY

Juno: http://bit.ly/2ForKba

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2vBw86j