The second of the In The House series from uber-label, Defected comes from Kings Of Tomorrow's Sandy Rivera, providing 2 CDs of deep, soulful and pumping house. Includes tracks from MAW, Urban Blues Project, Michelle Weeks and more. Slipcase. 2003.
CD Reviews
Grows on you
Ahmet Hepdogan | Minneapolis, MN USA | 07/10/2003
(4 out of 5 stars)
"I have to admit, after the first "In the House" remix by Jay J and Miguel Migs, I was execting a lot from this album. The first week I got it, I hted it, and made comparisons to the first compilation. Later, I gave it another chance. You have to be in the right mood to listen to it. But like I said before and will say it again, the Defected guys did it again. They do a phenomenal job with this compilation business. 4 stars."
Brilliant mix of the newest and most surprising US House
Candyflip69 | Melbourne, AUSTRALIA | 05/15/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Sandy Rivera, one large part of very much respected house groovers Kings of Tomorrow, presents a new double CD outing in the 'In The House' series here. Its a potent blend of more conventional East Coast US house sounds, featuring much of Sandy's own production work, but then some much tougher, deeper and darker house sounds than perhaps we're used to from him, over on Disc 2.Disc 1 kicks off with his current self-penned hit, 'Changes' and then continues in such a rich vein of form that you're not going to want to leave the room. In quick succession, you'll be seduced by Kitsune's breakbeat-like 'Attend 1', which slides effortlessly into funky-chunk dancefloor house of The Movemment's 'We Get Up', before Tony E-Tones 'Ooh La La' keeps the 4/4 happening, and introduces some ultra smooth french vocals and an even sexier trumpet to back 'em up. That allows us to roll easily into one of the album highlights, being Masters At Work's hit from last year, "Backfired" of course, with that fantastic shouted chorus from guest vocalist India. And then Soul Rebels make the first of two appearances with 'The Revolution Will Not Be Televised', this time out with a more upbeat housed mix, but still with that razor sharp laser-guided vocal focussing squarely on us through the mess of beats. It's impossible to ignore. The rest of CD 1 is equal quality throughout, but I'll mention Markus Enochson's 'Musical Prayer' as one more highlight, the lyric being another in a song that is so strong, it stops you dead to listen. And of course its mixed perfectly, seamlessly and without a jarring beat anywhere to be found.Disc 2 starts off almost conventionally... Sandy Rivera's 'I Can't Stop' is a house number, no doubt, but it has a slightly harder, repetitive edge which almost gives the game away. Is that some Tech creeping in there amongst the 4/4 house beat? Some echo, some samples, some trancey vocal loops? Yes, all there.. but then Vibe Residents 'Dj's Calling' drops in and its as regular a house track as you can possibly find. Hmmmm, wait a minute...Jason Jinx 'Your First Time' is soulful, sexy and deep house at it's best. "Do you remember the first time you stepped out on a dancefloor, and you thought, this is exactly where I want to be", he asks. For most of us, that resonance is exceedingly strong. But this mix is suddenly turning very inward, very much darker, the beat more monotonous and insistent. We're spiralling down the K-hole Ladies and Gents: hold tight! A few minutes later, we're listening to 'The Revolution Will Not Be Televised' for the second time, but this particular mix is echoing our thoughts back on the chrome polished liquid tunnel, as we slide ever further down the wormhole. 6 tracks in and we're beginning to believe that Sandy has a totally different agenda for us this hour. The more we progress in this mix, the more certain of it you'll become. DJ Gregory's 'Prassay' has the sort of Breaks inspired backbeat and looping synth line that screams 'definition of Tech-House' and for a full 6 minutes here you can throw off the collared shirt, take off the slacks and the patent leather shoes while y'all get back to pure and unadulterated basics. Dancin', not posin' is the order here. Oscar G & Ralph Falcon's 'Dark Beat' comes down and the game is a dead giveaway. We're in a new world now Alice, the old tea-party is finished and the Mad Hatter is screaming out 'fiddlesticks, day is night, down is up, black is white!'. All the while there's that incongruous Big Country sample sounding, somewhat disconcertingly, in the background. Enough to make you shudder! Art of Noise steps in on Cutlab's 'Loud Kissin' and further proves, this ain't your Daddy's house no more.This guy can do no wrong right now and as a successful house Producer, writer, DJ and recording artist, Sandy Rivera has an embarrasment of talents to his credit. This album confirms his skill on all those levels and is not only a great listening experience for anyone smart enough to understand the quality contained within, it is also a very modern and willing testament to the sensational abilities of one of the great US House men (and House labels) alive today.If you know House, you know you want this."
AWESOME!!!!
DJ Vipul | India | 11/20/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"this CD is a grab for anyone whoz a Sandy Rivera Freak!!!!
It was my luck that i stumbled upon this last copy of this CD and to my surprise, i am playin 7 tracks regularly from this CD. Trust me!! DJ's u gotta grab this one!"
Sandy Rivera Rocks !
Kayne Chong | Singapore | 05/21/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Gem of an Album. A definitive MUST buy if you are a House Music lover. This first of the 2 part CD starts off with Sandy's very own creation feat. 'Haze' on vocals titled 'Changes' which set the mood for the rest of the album. Following a worthy mention on track no.3 with 'We Get Up' by Copyright Presents The Movement. Moving along, the rest of the tracks gets more soulful & bassy. 'The Revolution Will Not Be Televised'-Soul Rebels also feat. in Disc2. What surprised me was the no frills beat at the very begining of the 2nd disc. The beats are harder & louder. with the familiar Osca G's 'Dark Beat' gracing the tracks as well. The beats kept pushing harder & darker until the Grand finale when Sandy,Haze & DJ Phenix's 'Splinter In Your Mind' kept me mesmerized with some very good mixing. Some of the vocals in this track sound awfully familar akin to 'Morpheus' in The Matrix. Brillant. I fully recommend it."