Review: Louis Baker - Keep On (Best Works Remixes w/ Andre Lodemann, Philippa and Hollis P. Monroe) (Best Works)

If you're a fan of the label Best Works, you'll know that the partnership of DJ André Lodemann and A&R manager, promoter and radio host Daniel W. Best down is only interested in Best Works, especially when it comes to the remix.

Blimey, it's been 15 years since Berlin's Eva Be's 'New Crack' EP on Best Works and even longer since New Zealand's Fat Freddy's Drop/Joe Dukie and DJ Fitchie relased 'The Room' on the forerunner label, Best Seven (Ed. founder member of Fat Freddy's Drop, Chris 'Mu' Faiumu sadly passed away on 17th July this year, RIP). 

So no surprised that the Berlin based label has teamed up with another New Zealand export, Louis Baker and provided a deep remix team of Lodemann himself, Philippa (NZ and last seen on 15 Years Of SlothBoogie - see review HERE) and Hollis P. Monroe.

In fact, the Hollis P. Monroe remix has some resonance with Joe Dukie's soulful vocals that make the track dreamy that you'll want to 'Keep On' and on [NB.Mr. Best first heard Louis Baker, a New Zealand-based soul singer, perform "Keep On" as the opening act for Fat Freddy's Drop at the Tempodrom in Berlin in 2024]

Lodemann weighs in with 3 versions himself, a vocal mix, radio mix and dub.  Regular readers will know what's coming next - where's the combined 20 minute version?  Smooth soul with Lonnie Liston Smith jazz-funk dreams and spiritual bells: it's going to be in all the best (no pun etc) DJ Chart lists this year.

Not to be outdone, Phillipa's 'Don't Lose The Fire' mix that pumps like a train ready for the club with the vocals sounding even more Marvin Gaye with a bit of echo and some crazy synths.

Not only that, we're promised a Part 2 with Delfonic (watch out for 'Roy Ayers Delfonic Reworked #1' coming soon on BBE), Larse and Gush Collective: got to keep on and stay strong with this.

Artist: Louis Baker
Title: Keep On (Best Works Remixes w/ Andre Lodemann, Philippa and Hollis P. Monroe) 
Release date: 1st August, 2024
Label :Best Works
Catalog Number  BWR032
Format: Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Cosmo Klein & The Campers - Soul Fiction Remixes (Best's Friends)

About 20 years ago, there was a label called Best Seven, with a freestyle sound "with main influences being Reggae/Dub and Soul" so it's great to see Daniel Best is still going strong with his contact's book as Best's Friends with a remix version of Cosmo Klein & The Campers' 'Soul Fiction'.

The "old" contact's book included favourites like Lightning Head (aka BiggaBush - my mentor), Joe Dukie (Fat Freddy's Drop), The Black Seeds (these were a great live band), Frost & Wagner and my favourite, Eva Be (who is still DJing Cle Kahlcke / LoYoTo) so it's really exciting to see DJ, Producer, all-round Berlin-based mover and groover Daniel W. Best is still at it with Best's Friends Music. 

The original Cosmo Klein & The Campers' soul, pop, funk album came out last year but this time it's been given a Best Seven style remixed make-over including dancefloor omni-present Art Of Tones (who have a track 'The Magic Count' on the 'Best Of 2024' EP that's also coming out today - see review HERE).  'Nothing But Love' has a Indo-biting dust vibe that could be a nice warm-up to 'The Magic Count'. 

Keeping the New Zealand connections going, the Berlin-based Kiwi, DJ & producer Philippa takes us on a Fat Freddy's Drop bounce on the dubby 'Life Back Home': and just to let you know, '& The Campers' came about as the original album was mostly recorded by Cosmo visiting his jazz mates around the country in his 1988 Hymer Camper (now you know this, you'll see loads of Hymer camper van conversions on the road).

The jazzy mates are most obvious on the Moods' remix of 'Head' and back to the reggae, 'I Do Love You' is remixed by the Frost outta Wagner, Oliver Frost and it's very radio/commercial/hit friendly.

Talking of popular DJ Friction is well known in Germany being in 90s DMC DJ Battles and hip-hop band Freundeskrels but his remix of 'Nothing But Love' is a funker and comes with the instrumental version.

And when it comes to worldwide well known, we get 'Right Here, Right Now', the Opolopo remix and instrumental version. Sweden's Opolopo is regular remix name on YATM (see review HERE) has just released his own album with Angela Johnson. And perhaps it's because the title is not that 'Right Here, Right Now; (thankfully), the instrumental sounds brilliant.

This is such a varied album and in keeping with a German theme, if you said the originals have been Jazzanova-ed in house, dance and reggae/dub, not even Thomas Tuchel could improve this.

Artist: Cosmo Klein & The Campers 

Title: Soul Fiction Remixes 

Release date: 29th November, 2024

Label: Best's Friends Music

Catalog Number: TBC

Format:Digital / Bandcamp