MARK DEVLIN: THE SWEETEST DAY IN AUGUST/ UPLIFTING SOULFUL HOUSE MIX

Although I'm generally considered a hip-hop head, I've always enjoyed deep, soulful, funky and uplifting house too, so I've just exhumed this mix of those styles that I put together in 1997, (the mix's title is evidently a reference to Joe T Vannelli's 'The Sweetest Day In May', although this one was done in August. Do you see what I did there?) As I didn't have PC editing facilities in those days, this was done live in one take.

As I recall, I bought the vast majority of these records from Vinyl Mania and Dance Trax in New York, (remember vinyl, kids?) I also heard most of them on Danny Rampling's highly influential Love Groove Dance Party show on Radio 1 at the time. Not only were the 90s a golden decade for hip hop and R&B, it was also a fantastic time for this style of house music. How that decade is missed.

Download, absorb and enjoy.

SANDY B: WORLD GO ROUND (Deep Dish Mix)
TODD TERRY PROJECT: I'LL TAKE YOU TO LOVE
MILK & SUGAR: HIGHER AND HIGHER
BOBBY D'AMBROSIO Featuring MICHELLE WEEKS: MOMENT OF MY LIFE
MIKE DUNN: HE'S GONNA MAKE IT ALRIGHT
CHAKA KHAN: NEVER MISS THE WATER (FRANKIE KNUCKLES MIX)
LIL LOUIS & THE WORLD: CLAP YOUR HANDS
ALCKY: DANCE, DANCE, DANCE
ULTRA NATE: GET IT UP (THAT FEELING)
HARLEM HUSTLERS: GET ON DOWN
MIGHTY DUB KATZ: IT'S JUST ANOTHER GROOVE
H20 Featuring BILLIE: NOBODY'S BUSINESS
KNEE DEEP Featuring SHARLENE HECTOR: TAKE ME BY THE HAND
ANGELIQUE KIDJO: WOMBO LOMBO
TORI AMOS: PROFESSIONAL WIDOW (ARMAND VAN HELDEN MIX)
HUFF & PUFF: HELP ME MAKE IT
L.A. MIX: DON'T STOP (JAMMIN')

MD AT REVOLUTION MUSIC FACTORY, SUNNY BEACH, BULGARIA, TONIGHT

CANIBUS 'CHANNEL ZERO'. NOT FOR THE X-FACTOR MENTALITY

Here's one for those that like their mind blown, and a great example of how hip-hop can be a truly revelatory force when it wants to be.

Canibus really went in with this track off his 1998 Can-I-Bus album, displaying his penchant for deep lyricism by addressing everything from the Roswell alien crash, to Freemasonry in US politics, to the origin of the 'gods' who seeded human life on Earth millions of years ago. All over a sonically unsettling beat. Exactly. This is not one to listen to when you're in an X Factor frame of mind. It's so cerebral that it definitely warrants a couple of good listens free of distractions to get the full effect.

As this was never a single there was no official video. But this homemade one includes the lyrics for the full effect.

MARK DEVLIN: THE SWEETEST DAY IN AUGUST/ UPLIFTING SOULFUL HOUSE MIX

Although I'm generally considered a hip-hop head, I've always enjoyed deep, soulful, funky and uplifting house too, so I've just exhumed this mix of those styles that I put together in 1997, (the mix's title is evidently a reference to Joe T Vannelli's 'The Sweetest Day In May', although this one was done in August. Do you see what I did there?) As I didn't have PC editing facilities in those days, this was done live in one take.

As I recall, I bought the vast majority of these records from Vinyl Mania and Dance Trax in New York, (remember vinyl, kids?) I also heard most of them on Danny Rampling's highly influential Love Groove Dance Party show on Radio 1 at the time. Not only were the 90s a golden decade for hip hop and R&B, it was also a fantastic time for this style of house music. How that decade is missed.

Download, absorb and enjoy.

SANDY B: WORLD GO ROUND (Deep Dish Mix)
TODD TERRY PROJECT: I'LL TAKE YOU TO LOVE
MILK & SUGAR: HIGHER AND HIGHER
BOBBY D'AMBROSIO Featuring MICHELLE WEEKS: MOMENT OF MY LIFE
MIKE DUNN: HE'S GONNA MAKE IT ALRIGHT
CHAKA KHAN: NEVER MISS THE WATER (FRANKIE KNUCKLES MIX)
LIL LOUIS & THE WORLD: CLAP YOUR HANDS
ALCKY: DANCE, DANCE, DANCE
ULTRA NATE: GET IT UP (THAT FEELING)
HARLEM HUSTLERS: GET ON DOWN
MIGHTY DUB KATZ: IT'S JUST ANOTHER GROOVE
H20 Featuring BILLIE: NOBODY'S BUSINESS
KNEE DEEP Featuring SHARLENE HECTOR: TAKE ME BY THE HAND
ANGELIQUE KIDJO: WOMBO LOMBO
TORI AMOS: PROFESSIONAL WIDOW (ARMAND VAN HELDEN MIX)
HUFF & PUFF: HELP ME MAKE IT
L.A. MIX: DON'T STOP (JAMMIN')

MD AT REVOLUTION MUSIC FACTORY, SUNNY BEACH, BULGARIA, THIS WEDNESDAY

TWICE AS NICE IBIZA CROWD SINGS ALONG TO OASIS

Scottie B drops Oasis 'Wonderwall' at urban night Twice As Nice in Eden, Ibiza, with Dr. Psycho on the mic ... and it works?!

'MADE IN BRITAIN' UK HIP HOP/ STREET SOUL MIX, 1997

Here's one I made earlier - in 1997, in fact. A mix of some of the homegrown hip hop and street soul tunes that were around at the time. It's a long way from Grime and UK Funky.

Sadly, no track listing has survived from the time. I've done my best to recall the tracks, but there are a couple of ones whose identity I can't remember. Any suggestions appreciated!

Listen and download here.

DAVID ICKE TALKS ABOUT 'BLUEPRINT' CORPORATION RAP

If your first instinct when it comes to David Icke is to dismiss him as a nutter ... take a listen to what he has to say here, and see if you still feel the same way. Real talk. And just the very tip of the iceberg when it comes to understanding how we're all being systematically duped and controlled every day.

MD LATVIA DOUBLE BILL, THIS THURSDAY & FRIDAY

Thursday 2nd September
JAMMIN' HARD! (with DJ Ai-Va & DJ Rudd) @
Pulkvedis, Riga, LATVIA

Friday 3rd September
GRAND OPENING (with DJ Ai-Va) @
Club PMK, Saldus, LATVIA

MD AT THE RHYTHM INSTITUTE, RIGA, THIS FRIDAY

I'm delivering another Flipside talk at The Rhythm Institute in Riga, Latvia, at 5pm this Friday, 3rd September. See the video for a recap on last year's.