Review: MDA Grooves - Universo Positivo Remixed EP (Kai Alcé, JKriv, Sean McCabe and Medlar) (Universo Positivo Records)

For over 40 yeas (already), MDA - Mundo de Aventuras - have been melded urban club with Latin and Afro styles into modern Dance music so let's get 4 of today's top groovesters to rework some of their best tracks from Universo Positivo's catalog!

You'll know the name Universo Positivo as founder, Joseph Salvador who set up the label/Amsterdam club scene in the 1990s mostly on back of his own productions whilst the first release was by Orlando Voorn and Amp Fiddler (RIP)!  And now, regular readers will recognise the movers of dance, Kai Alcé, JKriv, Sean McCabe and Medlar as a current day 'Gang of Four' remixers picked out for this the game of Twister (Ed. see the cover artwork?)

Kai Alce, (last seen HERE on the NDATL Remix of 'What You Came Here For') who is seen as a "most influential architect" of deep house kicks off extending 'Sonido Latino' into jazzy-soul vibra-cool a la Roy Ayers' raceway/lounge.

Sean McCabe is another never too far from a remix (for the past 20 years) so he knows a sandy samba shuffle for 'Ipanema Jazz' (Ed. hardly on the beach as he's based in Bristol!) as keys/synths and trumpet battle it out out on a cuíca rub(dub).

Talking of UK samba, Medlar is another producer far from the beach in his South London studio (perhaps Rotherhithe pier is the closest) but he does love an Island and a remix (see HERE) and he revolves 'U R The Revolution' into the mainroom 'hands in the air' retro-house banger (Ed. this is not a 'clean' edit).

But standing on top in his usual educational way is co-founder of Razor-N-Tape, JKriv who might be based in Brooklyn but seems capable of turning any sound into fun-loving disco heaven like his version of 'Caparica Sunset' which will get anyone on a upbeat (also check out the recent 'Reel Ones' EP HERE).

Expect to hear these tracks all summer long.

BUY LINK / PRE-ORDR: https://bfan.link/universo-positivo-remixed

Artist:  MDA Grooves 

Title: Universo Positivo Remixed EP (Kai Alcé, JKriv, Sean McCabe and Medlar)
Release date: 29th May, 2026
Label : Universo Positivo
Catalog Number : UP029
Format:  Vinyl / Digital / Bandcamp 

Review: Various Artists - Good Vibrations Vol. 3 (Good Vibrations Music)

We're used to seeing Sean McCabe's name as an artist and remixer so it's about time we caught up with him as head honcho of Good Vibrations label, now on  compilation Vol. 3!

This time last year, Sean McCabe released 'Only You' featuring (see review HERE) and I said then th Various Artists at, "McCabe has released nearly as many tracks/remixes as Foliage has and he's going to be in demand as much as ever with this one".   

Well, I didn't need a crystal ball for that prediction but the third vinyl cut in this compilation series is sharp with four great tracks and first up has got to be his own collaboratio with Ellis Aaron on 'Got It Bad'.  Sounding like a Gilles Peterson 'golden era' of R&B crossover, it rolls with organ stabs and deep bassline and Aaron's soulful vocals as it evolves deeper into a dub mix.

Talking of Peterson, not Les Nubians but Last Nubian's 'Dance Together', with Goldbar featuring Josh Leon) ups the groove into the deep house BRUK mix as it rides into the string synth space warp.

McCabe is primarily know for his deep/soulful house and he does have a love of a choir, like The Matsiko World Orphan Choir!.  This 12" kicks off with an thier track 'Rise' with a Black Sonix & McCabe extended remix raising the profile of this Liberian based educational/charity project for vulnerable children: certainly worthy of support.

This set peaks (again) with East London's David Bailey's Undergroud Project featuring Austin Jennifer Teresa Harvey (aka MissFly) with a McCadbe vocal mix of 'Baby Don't Make Me Wait' that leads with lush piano and MissFly's soulful vocals that have seen her on stage with the likes of Thelma Houston, Andrew Tosh and The Notorious BIG in the past.

The vinyl versions of Vol. 1 and Vol 2. have long 'SOLD OUT' so don't miss out on Vol. 3.

BUY LINK: www.juno.co.uk

Artist: Various Artists

Title:  Good Vibrations Vol. 3 

Release date: 24th October, 2024

Label: Good Vibrations Music

Cat. No: GVMV007

Format: 12" Vinyl / Bandcamp / Digital

Review: Sean McCabe & Jill Rock Jones - Only You (Foliage Records)

There must be quite a few tracks called 'Only You' but this year, the only one you need is this one by Sean McCabe & Jill Rock Jones out on the ever reliable Foliage Records.

As you'll know from their previous 'arms length' outing on MrMilkDee's '2 Positions' remix package (see review HERE) these two are ideal for each other in the Foliage extended family sense as most recently seen with Halo and (see review HERE) but there's lots of others we've featured.

Whilst the vocal mix is great, the edit seems more intense to me, there's a cracking 'Sean's Day & Night Dub' that's clearly meant to go on for 24 hours and as an added bonus, a Dubstrumental version.

McCabe has released nearly as many tracks/remixes as Foliage has and he's going to be in demand as much as ever with this one.

Artist: Sean McCabe & Jill Rock Jones 

Title:  Only You

Release date: 4th October, 2024

Label: Foliage Records

Cat. No: FN101

Format: Bandcamp / Digital

Review: Turbojazz & Sean McCabe feat. Monica Blaire – Don’t Look Down (Foliage)

It's fair to say that we're always impressed with tracks released on Foliage, but 'Don't Look Down' on this new release as it's going to be as big as a rollercoaster.

Monica Blaire has recently appeared on Foliage with Risk Assessment's 'It’s Not Right But It’s Okay' (see review HERE) and you don't have to have too much foresight to guess that the singer from Detroit will be asked by some cool kids to be on their next release; lets say, Turbojazz (aka Tommy Garofalo) and Sean McCabe who are definitely cool as they did the Technoir 'Techtube' Remixes (see review HERE).

'Don't Look Down' is very soul-jazz house with some deep keys and Monica on jazz skat duty.  It's one to keep you moving as a vocal, instrumental (love the bass on this one) and radio edit.

At this rate, the end of year charts at YATM will have a very high Foliage presence as inn additon to the previously mentioned tracks already, they've not long released Muzari & GugupashIngwe's 'Ingwe' (see review HERE) and the  brilliant Thakzin & Ray T track 'Don’t Let Me See' (see review HERE). I'm guessing this run of form is bound to continue.

Artist: Turbojazz & Sean McCabe 

Title:  Don't Look Down feat. Monica Blaire 

Release date: 18th August, 2023

Label: Foliage Records

Cat. No: FN096

Format: Bandcamp / Digital