Time to kick off the new year with a great new electro single by Ski Oakenfull. Oakenfull has taken Level 42's 1980 debut single Love Meeting Love, a Brit-funk favorite, and updated it with Valerie Etienne on vocals (who has done backing vocals for Jamiroquai and almost appeared on Level 42's Forever Now album in 1994 according to Level 42 expert Paul Waller), while retaining the classic vibe which made the original so timeless. Downtempo fans will love this one (and I'd be shocked if the No Beats Mix didn't end up on the playlist of Washington, DC's famous Eighteenth Street Lounge) and the instrumentation is a brilliant take on the original keeping the old school feel with just enough newness to satisfy those who never heard the original or Level 42. The Original and Instrumental mixes are my favorites while the No Beats Mix sounds like it was lifted from a Ministry of Sound chillout mix (an ideal grab for the modern lounge set). The Acapella Mix will only be of interest to those planning to do their own remix (I'd like to see a club mix to round out the release rather than the last one). As a fan of the original Level 42 single, my opinion may be a bit biased, but I really think Oakenfull has done a nice job with this one and it should appeal to plenty of DJ's across multiple formats. This single also reminds me of how timeless this song is 29 years later, and with Etienne's smooth vocal delivery, the same just might be said for this version in another 29 years. Sophisticated and soulful music like this is a rarity in the clubs and a welcome addition for 2009.
Oakenfull first made an impact in 1991 with the K-Creative, one of the initial signings to the then newly established Talkin' Loud Records. Co-writing & co-producing their debut album 'QED', he toured extensively throughout Europe and Japan. After his tenure with the K-Creative ended, Ski joined UK soul-funk band Raw Stylus as keys man (touring & recording with legendary Steely Dan producer Gary Katz) and regularly performed with the in house band at Gilles Peterson's seminal club nights at Bar Rumba in London. Most recently Ski has completed a new project under the guise of Ayota. Initially inspired by a Japanese friend's book of Poetry entitled Helicopter Flying In A Cloudy Sky, Ski wrote soundtracks to three of the poems. This quickly developed into an album project continuing a Japanese ambient theme. The result is 'Helicopter Cuts' (Third Ear Records).
Oakenfull first made an impact in 1991 with the K-Creative, one of the initial signings to the then newly established Talkin' Loud Records. Co-writing & co-producing their debut album 'QED', he toured extensively throughout Europe and Japan. After his tenure with the K-Creative ended, Ski joined UK soul-funk band Raw Stylus as keys man (touring & recording with legendary Steely Dan producer Gary Katz) and regularly performed with the in house band at Gilles Peterson's seminal club nights at Bar Rumba in London. Most recently Ski has completed a new project under the guise of Ayota. Initially inspired by a Japanese friend's book of Poetry entitled Helicopter Flying In A Cloudy Sky, Ski wrote soundtracks to three of the poems. This quickly developed into an album project continuing a Japanese ambient theme. The result is 'Helicopter Cuts' (Third Ear Records).
To listen to samples of all four mixes, be sure to click here. The full single will be released through iTunes on March 6, 2009.
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