My Playlist #51_part2

Out now on Crosstown Rebels: lnk.to/denniscruzroots

Longstanding Spanish talent Dennis Cruz achieves a career milestone this October with the release of his debut album, Roots. The ten-track LP draws inspiration from Cruz’s life experiences, resulting in a body of work that encapsulates the sounds and musical styles that have led him to where he is today.

Dennis spoke on what this moment represents, stating: "I wanted to work on a broader project, the cornerstone of my artist career, and this is what Roots is. The album is a convergence of influences taken from music that I've been listening to all my life, from funk, salsa, and flamenco to house and disco. I am so happy this project could finally come to life. I want to thank the several friends and artists that worked on it with me; Damian Lazarus for believing in it from the beginning and helping it reach the world on Crosstown Rebels." - Dennis Cruz

The journey begins with La Ratonera, a Spanish-themed cut that sets the tone with a warm underlying groove and P. Rivas’ enchanting vocal hooks. Los Tamales soon arrives, released as a July single ahead of the album, before Good Old Days completes proceedings on the A Side. A collaboration with minimal-maestro Ian Ludvig, the result is a stripped-back dancefloor number that feels ripe for the late night hours.

Ecua takes charge on the B Side, upping the tempo with resonant kick-hat combos and plenty of flamenco-inspired swing. What U Doing comes next, as Leo Wood’s harmonic vocal tones perfectly complement Cruz’s hard-edged, groove-led bassline, opening neatly into Bend. The three-minute piece showcases the Spaniard’s love of jazz and salsa throughout.

We’re treated to another piece of teamwork on Go Down, with iconic Jamaican singer Lee Scratch Perry featuring on top of a low-slung, rhythmic backbone, paving the way for Ahora Todo Va (Dub). Josh Butler’s influence can be felt right from the get go, as four-four drum patterns converge on spicy, latin-fuelled lyrical samples.

Te Quiero Cantar acts as the penultimate track, bringing us more funky, house-driven flavours before Back Again brings things to an ebullient close. The final collaborative offering with Iuliano Mambo takes us on a journey through punchy percussion and swinging synth build ups, rounding off an eclectic body of work that looks set to light up dancefloors across the world this year.

Roots showcases the many facets of Dennis Cruz’s production capabilities. The album embodies the life experiences that have defined his career; the moments of progression and elation, from fresh-faced up-and-comer to established musical presence. At the heart of the LP lies an inherent Spanish theme - a nod to the country and culture that Dennis calls home. It’s playful, joyful and built to make people dance, three traits personify this talented producer today.

MÜSE co-founder Dennis Cruz has cemented his reputation as one of global dance music’s most-esteemed talents, in a career that spans decades. Regular industry awards and nominations (including Beatport, RA, Vicious Magazine, and DJ Awards: Best Tech House 2018, Best Deep Tech 2019 and winner of Best Producer in 2017), showcase the skill with which Dennis has become a tastemaker for quality house music, whilst consistent appearances across the worldwide festival circuit have brought his sound to international audiences. BPM, Tomorrowland, ADE, Kappa Futur and WMC are just a few examples, a testament to Dennis’ esteemed presence in the scene.

Dennis Cruz

Los Tamales

Dennis Cruz - Los Tamales

From its humble beginnings in 2001, the Brooklyn label Bastard Jazz Recordings has trailblazed a unique path in the world of independent record labels. Appealing to both DJs and music fans from all walks of life, BJR has become known for its eclectic sound & community of global artists from Mumbai to Napoli, New York to Kinshasha, who touch on everything from funk to hip-hop, house music to forward thinking beats, soul to jazz and international sounds, along with its unrelenting commitment to the vinyl medium. This November, the label will be celebrating 20 years of operation in various incarnations and are releasing a special compilation and a DJ friendly 4xLP titled ’20 Years of Bastard Jazz’ filled with brand new cuts from its current roster, plus a selection of catalog material, some of it classic, some of it overlooked, and some of it unpressed. 

Highlights from the compilation include Australian outfit The Goods, who team up with Steve Spacek (famously of the eponymous British band) on the spacey future soul banger, “FEELS 4 U,” while label stalwarts Potatohead People (who recently teamed up with both De La Soul, Jazzy Jeff, and Kaidi Tatham as well as a host of others on their new album) deliver “Bonzai View,” with its live instrumentation & technical prowess fused with a head-nodding boom-bap beat the group has become known for. Pittsburgh producer Buscrates delivers “Spotlight,” a slinky modern funk / boogie production, while brand new signing POSY gives us “Amai,” a delicate beat construction with gorgeous strings, horns and live bass weaving in and out. 

Notable past catalog on the compilation include LA producer Captain Planet’s classic “Un Poquito Mas” featuring Chico Mann (Antibalas, Here Lies Man) which is still being sung along to in clubs worldwide from Mexico City to Berlin 7 years later, and the airy, indie dance vibes of Manatee Commune’s “Majestic Diver.” Los Angeles producer and talkbox wizard B. Bravo’s “Can’t Keep My Hands Off You” featuring Reva Devito goes into more sultry territory, while Rumtum’s “Tropic Air” gives us a fresh splash of wobbly tape synth and relaxed lo-fi drums. Of course, the club is not left out and the catalog includes dancefloor ready remixes from friends of the label like Jimpster, DJ Spinna, Jacques Renault, and the red hot up & coming Brooklyn duo musclecars. 

Bastard Jazz started early as so many nascent DJ-oriented imprints come into existence, as founder & president Aaron Schultz just barely out of his teenage years was beginning to find his footing as a DJ in Brooklyn, New York. Culling together a small group of artists early on, the label ran as a side project for many years, releasing a handful of records per year. Following a reorganization & renewed commitment in 2014, the label has experienced exponential growth while moving from a DJ oriented standpoint to an artist focused organization that thrives on signing and nurturing new talent and new sounds, while maintaining a concurrent sonic thread in its music. POC owned with a majority POC artist stable, Bastard Jazz’s story is the slow build of a real indie label with a diverse sound & roster from the ground up, through trial and error, listening, learning, and adapting to the times without becoming jaded or losing its original vision. 20 years on, it’s still here & stronger than ever.

Bad Colours - Evers' Jam

Hold On

Time Is Tight

Sunday Sermon (Album Version)

G. Love And Special Sauce

Cold Beverage

The Distant Future

Business Time

Nearly There

stream/download

rest easy

Walter’s Call

Summer Fruits

G. Love & Special Sauce is an American Hip-Hop Blues band known for its unique fusion of hip-hop, blues, funk, and soul. Formed in 1993 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the band originally featured Garrett Dutton, aka G. Love, as the lead vocalist and guitarist, Jeffrey Clemens on drums, and Jim Prescott on bass. The trio quickly gained attention for their laid-back, groovy style and G. Love’s unique vocal delivery, blending rap-like spoken word with bluesy singing.

Their debut self-titled album, G. Love & Special Sauce, was released in 1994 on Epic Records and included the hit single “Cold Beverage,” which became popular on alternative radio stations and MTV, solidifying their presence in the music scene. The band’s style has been described as a mix of “slacker blues” and “alternative hip-hop,” as they frequently incorporate elements of 90s hip-hop beats with classic blues rhythms.

Over the years, G. Love & Special Sauce has released numerous albums, including Coast to Coast Motel (1995), Yeah, It’s That Easy (1997), The Electric Mile (2001) and the GRAMMY nominated The Juice (2020). Their sound evolved to include more soul, R&B, and rock influences, though they retained their laid-back vibe and clever lyrical play. Their 2014 album Sugar saw a reunion of the original lineup after several years, and they continued to tour and produce music with a loyal fan base.

Known for their energetic live performances, G. Love & Special Sauce has played at festivals like Bonnaroo and Lollapalooza. Garrett Dutton also frequently collaborates with other artists, including Jack Johnson, with whom he shares a similar vibe, and has released solo projects that dive deeper into his blues influences. G. Love & Special Sauce remains a beloved name in the music scene, blending genres in a way that feels fresh and authentic.

Cold Beverage

G. Love & Special Sauce

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