JOSH FB Top Picks

LOOSE FM SPECIALS (Thematic Digging)

RADIO DISCOTHÈQUE TROPICALE

A Collection of DJ friendly edits from around the world tweaked for maximum dancefloor usage (largely Antillean retro zouk)

JOSH FB (aka Discothèque Tropicale) EDITS

The Listening Bar

Musical Backpacking with Josh FB showcases the amazing music that can be found across the world, “from the wonderful trumpets found in Carribean zouk and soca to the groovy basslines that African genres like Makossa, highlife and bubblegum synth-pop offers” This is a show where anything goes from Italo disco and Chicago house to music from across the MENA region.

Musical Backpacking with Josh FB - November 21

Josh FB - Affair 70

This time the @musical.backpacking show takes a prolonged stop near the island of Guadeloupe. Josh’s love of zouk music runs very deep. “If you dig hard enough there’s near enough an endless supply of wonderful music to be found from this small collection of Southern Caribbean islands” he says. Josh goes on to state that’s it’s pretty difficult to quantity into words how much he connects with this genre - and that hopefully this comes through in the show! @joshffb

ZOUK LOVE SPECIAL w/ JOSH FB - 4 MAY 22

During the 80s & 90s South Africa had a diverse, thriving music scene, exemplified by the marriage of traditional mbaqanga and township funk with disco, funk, boogie and synth pop resulting in the 'bubblegum synth pop' sound. During the flux of the 90s, that bled into hip-hop, rap, house music and R&B and the emergence of kwaito.

Join digger JOSH FB as he journeys through the joys of South African dance music

BUBBLEGUM & KWAITO SPECIAL W/ JOSH FB - 24 JUN 22

MUSICAL BACKPACKING W/ JOSH FB - WEST AFRICAN SPECIAL (LIVE)

Having dug through Zouk and South African music in his last two shows - resident JOSH FB steps up for another global special exploring the diverse sounds and rhythms of West Africa

From Ghanaian highlife to Cameroonian Makossa, Cape Verde to Mali, Senegal, Guinea-Bissau, Nigeria, Ivory Coast and beyond - Expect more global boogie and rare groove from @joshffb this Saturday @musical.backpacking

MUSICAL BACKPACKING W/ JOSH FB - WEST AFRICAN SPECIAL - 1 JUL 22

2 JUL 22

LOOSE X MIKKELLER MICROFESTIVAL: JOSH FB

Resident @joshffb this time explores the world of covers, with 2 hours of classics reimagined through the lens of sounds and styles from across the world 

From Cantonese ABBA to Japanese Madonna, Nigerian Sting to Indian Jacko, this is one for diggers and pop fans alike! @musical.backpacking

LOOSE.FM

MUSICAL BACKPACKING W/ JOSH FB -  COVER TO COVER SPECIAL - 8 JUL 22

From the soothing tones of Lebanese artists like Ziad Rahbani to synth fuelled Algerian/Syrian Raï - @joshffb hopes to showcase a wide range of Arabic music right through to the exciting scenes developing around us today with groups like Dar Disku and Habibi Funk

MUSICAL BACKPACKING W/ JOSH FB - MIDDLE EAST & NORTH AFRICAN SPECIAL - 29 JUL 22

DISCOTHÈQUE TROPICALE W/ SPECIAL GUEST: ON THE ROCKS - 2 SEP 22

By legendary Guedeloupe zouk artist Edith Lefel from her 1988 record 'La Klé' - first of a series of edits me and the Discothèque Tropicale crew are working on, hope you enjoy it x

Edith Lefel - Etiw Doudou (JOSH FB / Discothèque Tropicale Edit)

Taken from the iconic Hibiscus Records' 1990 release of zouk/reggae fusion band 'Shango'. The Bamboo Beat album is a straight up killer record with 'Irie' being one of my all-time favourite tracks ever put out.

I changed the intro, cut out some parts and rearranged bits to make the breakdown you can hear at 0:31 for example. Hope you enjoy the edit, more to come... :)

Shoutout to my good pal and fellow zouk digging nerd Bedoui for turning me onto the record. It's sadly very rare, I'd love to be able to reissue it on my label 'Discotheque Tropicale' one day so more people could listen to this wonderful work of music x

Shango - Filinn' (JOSH FB / Discothèque Tropicale Edit)

With their music being championed by the likes of Antal, Hunee, Dar Diksu and Barbara Boeing to name a few - it’s a pleasure to welome @discotheque_tropicale to the Loose studio for 2 hours of “soulful, sun filled dance music from around the world, carefully selected to make you smile and move” @discotheque_tropicale @joshffb @sunni.d__ @o_sultani_ @matty_s_vinyl

DISCOTHÈQUE TROPICALE - 30 SEP 22

Start your morning right as @joshffb is ready to soundtrack your weekend. Expect a more relaxed approach as Josh reaches into his record bag for a vinyl affair with music from across the world heavily inspired by Hifi Listening bars like Brilliant Corners and Spiritland

THE LISTENING BAR W/ JOSH FB - 7 OCT 22

Cabeça por trás da Discotheque Tropicale, Josh FB se une a nossa série com um mix para fazer qualquer um sorrir e dançar. Junto com amigos também obcecados por Zouk e suas derivações tropicais, desde Londres, eles comandam a label e também compõem a curadoria da londrina Loose.fm.

No mix, além de material ainda não lançado da gravadora, recentemente endossado por figuras como Antal, Hunee, Dar Disku e Barbara Boeing, uma mistura saudável que vai do italo ao freestyle, soca, reggae, disco, música brasileira, e além. Pra deleitar!
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JOSH FB (Discothèque Tropicale)joins our series bringing his usual sound of soulful music from around the world...carefully selected to make you smile and move. As is the motto for his reissue and licensed edits label @discotheque_tropicale which he runs with along with 3 fellow zouk obsessed, crate digging music lovers (as well as helping program London selector station @loose.fm)

Here he delivers an extended mix filled with unreleased label material which has recently been championed by the likes of Antal, Hunee, Dar Disku and Barbara Boeing

Along with this is a wide range of music from italo and latin freestyle to soca, roots reggae, disco, Brazilian music, zouk and beyond”
--

JOSH FB - Alter Disco Podcast #151

@joshffb brings globally found wax to kick back and tap your toes to and he’s got a tote bag full of joy from the land of Brum

THE LISTENING BAR W/ JOSH FB - 14 OCT 22

Two ﻿of the most enthusiastic zouk lovers around, London based JOSH FB and ﻿Dijon digger Under Radaar record a killer﻿ live b2b from the Rinse HQ in Paris. Expect 2 hours of Caribbean magic ﻿from these key members of new Afro-Caribbean reissue label “Discothèque ﻿Tropicale”

Rinse France Podcast

Discothèque Tropicale with JOSH FB b2b Under Radaar - 26 Octobre 2022

Massive! Josh FB continues the morning with a more relaxed version of his usual steez, taking you into the PMs with some head nod, shoulder shuffling vibes. @joshffb

THE LISTENING BAR W/ JOSH FB - 28 OCT 22

Taken from the 1992 release on the legendary label 'Debs' from zouk duo Guy Houllier & Yves Honoré. Dug out in Paris from one of the most impressive private collections of Caribbean music I've ever seen - was great to see the record lived up to its impressive artwork... these guys clearly had some style!!

Intro is adjusted to be more club ready with several other tweaks here and there. As always big thanks to anyone who checks this out - I hope you enjoy!

Guyves & Co - Danje (JOSH FB / Discothèque Tropicale Edit)

Discovered courtesy of our good friend Under Radaar / Arthur - aka the zouk wizard I aspire to be! 

Taken from a truly wonderful 1988 zouk record from Barbados released on the iconic Hibiscus Records. En Nou Alle Zouké is also glorious, but this slower and more emotive track also deserves some serious attention!

Amazing horns, vocals, guitar riffs and melodies - what a Jam. Catch the OG on our Discotheque Tropicale youtube channel - It is amazing! his one has an altered intro, an interlude removed, more horns and is just a but more dancefloor/DJ ready. 

Thanks for checking it out, hope you enjoy x

Fil Pak - Moin Ké Diw (JOSH FB / Discothèque Tropicale Edit)

A real legend of the game! Jean Philippe Marthély has a huge discography, and since 1981 has been part of the legendary zouk band Kassav'!

The influence of this super-group on music not only in the Caribbean, but also across West Africa and beyond cannot be overstated. The pioneering collective of incredible Antillean musicians basically founded the zouk genre, and Jean Philippe has been a choice vocalist for decades.

This edit I dedicate to my grandmother Lulu. With the title and vocals to me sounding like "To Lulu" especially in the call response chorus, this was immediately the first thought that came to mind. Just like this track she had incredible positive energy and was a force to be reckoned with, may she rest in peace. Thank you to Hunee for the continued inspiration!

I hope you like it - as always if you're reading this and listening to the track.. a huge thank you to you all x

Jean Philippe Marthély - Touloulou (JOSH FB's 2-U Lulu Edit)

@joshffb is back again, dropping in the studio and pulling his new E&S rotary from his musical backpack for an all vinyl affair - mix of new digs and ones that never leave the bag!

THE LISTENING BAR W/ JOSH FB - 23 DEC 22

Seriously dope 1991 release on the South Africa's famous Tusk Records. At the time this label was outputting some of the country's finest music with countless kwaito and bubblegum synth pop bangers to be found!

A unique record as latin vocals and rhythms are infused into the bubblegum synth pop and kwaito sounds. Producing a one of kind killer album. 'La Luna' and 'Working Man' are both huge tunes also!

There was a section in the middle of this that I really wasn't a fan of, the edit aims to maintain the energy a little more, and using the already killer baeline, construct an intro that should be very straightforwards to mix. 

Hopefully does the job! As ever thanks for checking this stuff out... I hope you enjoy it!

El Pedro - Carnaval (JOSH FB / Discothèque Tropicale Edit)

Josh is back from Paris with a bag full of lovely finds. This time he invites fellow @discotheque_tropicale family member @o_sultani_ for a soulful, groovy display of global music! Credit to Dave’s Hifi Bar in Miami for the beautiful setup

THE LISTENING BAR W/ JOSH FB & SULTANI - 3 MAR 23

Hope you enjoyed the last two synth pop edits. Back at the usual stuff here with a Zouk adjacent Kizomba / Cape Verde Bomb from a dope 1996 compilation.

An ultra romantic infectious beat, beautiful synths, vocals and chord progressions. Nice for opening or closing... Similar to Antillean zouk but the beautiful Portuguese derived vocals work magic here, encompassing the track with a lovely vibe

As always thanks for checking these out. Drop a comment if you liked it pls! Peace and love, JOSH FB x

Vado Semedo - Kel Dia (JOSH FB / Discothèque Tropicale Edit )

Edit of 'Makosmurf' by Jimmy & Fredo from their 1985 release. Cameroonian musicians Jimmy Mvondo Mvele and Fredo Tete combine to produce a record filled with afro zouk crossovers. With this digi makossa heater being the standout of the album for me. The soukous break is reduced and the intro extended for maximum dancefloor effect!! Hope you enjoy x

Jimmy & Fredo - Makosmurf (JOSH FB / Discothèque Tropicale Edit)

In this 1992 obscurity George Biron produces a zoukkiller sizzling with emotion and energy. His near falsetto voice is soothing and perfectly accompanied by beautiful trumpets, female backing vocals and baselines. With some difficulty I managed to remove a particularly heinous siren that played throughout the track, completely ruining it in my opinion! My 10th edit - Hope you enjoy :)

George Biron - Prevention Routiere (JOSH FB / Discotheque Tropicale Edit)

Awesome 1990 cover of a haitian zouk track by Mizik Mizik originally titled 'Pale Avem' released the year before. Although both versions are great, the female vocals in this cover are especially smooth and soulful. A truly incredible baseline accompanies wicked keys and horns in this wonderful piece of zouk love. Along with extended intros & outros, both versions contain a section which is not dancefloor ready and has been removed. Hope you enjoy!

Jean-Louis Maguy - Palé Avé M (JOSH FB / Discothèque Tropicale Edit)

Another Cameroonian killer record - with this track brimming with soul and energy. The chorus is simply fantastic and I tried to extend certain parts, and removed some sections that took a big left turn that might've sounded strange or killed the energy on a dance floor. Ambiana's vocals are fantastic and her falsetto reminds me of the vocals in Kollywood tracks. Hope you guys enjoy! Shoutout to Oliver Pinto for sending me the rip xx

Ambiana - Youpiya (JOSH FB / Discothèque Tropicale Edit)

A marvellous piece of makossa from 1988. Charlotte Mbango's amazing vocals carry the track along with hypnotic guitar riffs, baselines and euphoric horns. Some sections have been cut as they wander into happy soukous territory, whereas this track shines best when it's deep and bittersweet in my opinion. Hope you enjoy!

Charlotte Mbango - Konkai Makossa (JOSH FB / Discothèque Tropicale Edit)

Short and punchy 140+ bpm percussive, dancefloor ready killer zouk from the 1985 release by Group Ayé. Some cheesier vocals and instrumentals have been removed with most of the track centring around the ending of the original and various drum breaks found throughout. Hope you enjoy... also shoutout for the tip to Norman who runs the amazing youtube channel "Jean Ferrer", merci frérot!

Groupe Aye - Bodé (JOSH FB / Discothèque Tropicale Edit)

This wonderful cabo zouk from 1995 provides the perfect first team up for Gaz Preston & me. Quite a tricky edit involving multiple cuts, loops, rearranges and additions, but we feel it sounds great now! Ideal for warming up dancefloors :)

Jack Darosa - Sorraia (JOSH FB & Gaz Edit)

Another epic masterpiece of synth-compas fusion from 1985 created by Haiti's Erick Paul (who some may remember for his legendary track "Bel Carnaval / Mardi Gras". Jazzy and uplifting, the vocals elicit comparisons to Brazilian music. This track makes for great dancefloor material with it's euphoric horns, flutes and beautiful keys and synth melodies. Certain parts looped along with a reshuffled structure to maximise the dancing potential! Hope you enjoy x

Erick Paul - Rising (JOSH FB / Discothèque Tropicale Edit)

High energy dancefloor funana of the highest order! Fast paced party starting coladera PALOP music with amazing vocals, accordion , baselines and horns. Some cheesy parts in the middle are cut out to maximise the dancefloor effect! Released in 1994 by Cabo Verde's 'Dalcyf', this one is most certainly a love song with it's title translating to "Good and beautiful Girl".

Dalcyf - Menina Bo E Bela (JOSH FB / Discothèque Tropicale Edit)

Taken from Raoul Denis Jr's wonderful 1985 album 'Ti Ra Mizikasion'. 'Ti Gason Fe Respew' is a classic from the album but here is a flip of the lesser known banger 'Mizikasion'. Deep vocals, dreamy horns and synth melodies coupled with groove filled guitar riffs and baselines all combine in an especially hypnotic, cosmic zouk killer. The outro is reworked as an intro with the wonderful sax solo leading the charge before the drums kick in. Hope you enjoy this one - I've found it to be a beautiful track to close out dancefloors with!

Raoul Denis Jr - Mizikasion (JOSH FB / Discothèque Tropicale Edit)

Quite a special one here! Wonderfully deep and emotive compas from one of the leading groups in the genre. Some of the best instrumentation you can find in Antillean music... with sumptuous sax solos, triumphant trumpet sections, sweet keys and beautiful vocals. A real gem that has been working excellently as a powerful closing track recently. 

Not an easy edit given that the track is not quantised, making  looping difficult. Nevertheless I did my best to make a more DJ friendly intro taken from the middle of the track. The original vocal intro is lovely, however the minute or so afterwards as well as the last minute in the original I think loose a bit of the impact and drama that makes it so good on the dancefloor. Therefore as wel as some other rearrangements, they've been cut out from the edit. Feel free to listen to the great original version on Cedric Woo's 'Cookies and Berries' youtube channel (I also bought the record from him, hence this edit is likely made from the same copy!).

Hope you enjoy this one - I think it's special. Shoutout to Dijon's Under Radaar for the tip :)

Daniel Dimbas & La Differencia - Fo Nou Priye Mon Dye (JOSH FB / Discothèque Tropicale Edit)

New edit out! A cherished  first collaboration between myself and my zouk padawan and good friend Vrøge. On top of our regular zouk discussions, we've also shared many special moments on the dancefloor together, so an edit together has been on the horizon for a while now!

This one is a gorgeous, bumpy 90s digi-zouk floorfiller with gorgeous horns, sultry vocals and a hefty low end. Self released in 1991, 'Zouk +' was sadly only album put out by Georges Pronzola (aka Gustamberg), would have loved to hear more of his beautiful music!

When planning a visit to the Netherlands I sent over the track with the idea of creating the edit together in person. Mesmerised by the track Youri quickly agreed to the idea, after which we of course completely forget about the whole thing and I flew home 😂. 

However, eventually we remembered and had a blast collaborating online to create the edit! After a few iterations we feel it's finally ready to share, and were delighted to early support from Hunee a few weeks ago! Hope you enjoy :)

Gustemberg - Les Antilles (JOSH FB & vrøge edit)

In honour of 'Mother's Day', founder JOSH FB and fresh new resident Fred Salt team up on this wicked piece of dancefloor cabo zouk. After the breakdown the killer synths of Pedro Rocha's Splash will rock any party - complimented by the vocals of a young Isia Da Luz singer her loving for her mother... the title translates to "My Mummy". Also released on the prestigious 'Cabo Verde Airlines' label, maybe as a marketing tool / promo material? This one goes out to all the amazing mothers out there - thank you let's dance!!

Isia Da Luz & Splash - Mae Maezinha (JOSH FB & Fred Salt Edit)

Proper party starting italo house from 1993 released on R S Records. Ultra rare vinyl with wild synths and a fun bouncy dancefloor friendly melody. Edited to max out the effect... hope you enjoy!

Club Tropicana - Sound System (JOSH FB / Discothèque Tropicale Edit)

Amazing ultra rare Canadian disco/ boogie privately pressed 7 inch. Quantised and extended intro / outro to help out the DJs, also removed some vocal bridges which in my humble opinion brought the energy down. Extremely tight grooves from the guitar and drums here, complimented by Pierre Rochette's sultry vocals, I love the little growl he does before each drop. Sure to get the party started this is one for the dancefloors! Been playing it a lot recently and seems to always get a great response... Hope you guys enjoy! Comment / dm me if you'd like me to send the file :)

Pierre Rochette - On the Beach (JOSH FB Edit)

Record loving selector DJ based in London (and formerly Edinburgh). I love sticking my head in crates and learning more about the amazing music that can be found across the world. 

I'm a bit of retro zouk specialist (checkout my zouk show on My Analog Journal for more) but also have a great interest in soca, highlife, makossa, PALOP music, bubblegum, kwaito, latin freestyle and beyond - I enjoy celebrating globally sourced groovy records to fill dancefloors, and deliver an experience that makes club goers smile while they move

My mission is to spread this wonderful music and the talented artists that contributed to its creation with as many as people as possible! 

I run a clubnight and reissue / edits label along with a few friends called “Discothèque Tropicale”. Music to bring the boogie, fill the floors and put smiles on faces! 
 
Pls ask for IDs I’ll always give them! Don't be a stranger, drop me a DM on Instagram anytime I always love to connect with fellow music lovers from around the world. Send me music pls 🙌

Music is a universal language with the power to break barriers and bring people together ❤️ 

jtsfryerbloom@gmail.com for bookings or probs faster to whack me a message on insta (@joshffb). Much Love, JOSH FB xx

JOSH FB

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