Review: Knoe1 & Tim Tucker - Girl UR Freaky (Star Creature)

I'm happy to blame Rick James, Shalamar and all other spaced out funk and soul troupers for Knoe1 & Tim Tucker's blast-off track, 'Girl UR Freaky' - and lets throw the old Atomic Dog himself, Mr. George Clinton. 

That's some heritage these guys have found and they've really done an upstanding track that you'll love as the vocal plus more than grateful for the instrumental version to back this one up; especially if you're just got into the label's recent release, Stimulator Jones' 'Stimulator Tracks Vol. 2' (see review HERE) that's more new school than retro but you may well find a connection; especially on 'Cali Red'.

That might be because Knoe1 and Tim Tucker both come from California and Tim has prevously worked with the emperor of synth funk and boogie, the Egyptian Lover; don't even get me thinking about the posibility of a an Egyptian Lover remix - that really would be a freaky gurl.

Nailed the "This is tough groove for tender moments on the dancefloor" brief as it's hard to better this one.

Artist: Knoe1 & Tim Tucker

Title:  Girl UR Freaky

Release date: 7th February, 2025

Label : Star Creature

Catalog Number : SC7073

Format: 7" / Digital / Bandcamp Link HERE

Review: Mirlaqi - Life As A Whole (Star Creature)

Chicago's Green Velvet was a big fan of the Star Creature x Mirlaqi EP, 'Système' that came out 5 years ago so it must be time for a view of life as a whole via four tracks from Geneva's finest.

With 'Origins' and 'Oceans' with respective remixes by Lay-far and Saine, this is a big hits as Timour Nigolian (aka  Mirlaqi) went to Chicago to hang out with Star Creature's Tim Zawada and was inspired to produce these tracks.

At YATM, we're long-time fans of Lay-Far (see review HERE from 2016) and as he never disappoints, his remix of 'Origins' is quite a bit pacey so I prefering the spaced out synth soulful end of the day BRUK boarders on the original.

Saine's 'Ocean' remix gets down on the beach walk and finds some low down synth action whist the original is dominated by clean sparkly jazz-funk keys that's and whispy vocals that's just right for the indoor mainroom.

This is already in demand by DJ ears as descerning and diverse as Pittsburg's Dubmission (Kerem Gokmen), Scotland's Simon Harrison (Basic Soul Show) and Ramgate's Jo Wallace (Ramrock Records).  And not only is Star Creature hot with this release, co-head honcho Tim Zawada's latest radio show on OpenLab, currently on #2, is also worth keeping up to date with; see links below. 

OpenLab:  Star Creature Vibes Radio 02 – Tim Zawada HERE

BUY LINK:   https://www.traxsource.com/artist/568939/mirlaqi

Artist: Mirlaqi 

Title:  Life As A Whole

Release date: 31st January, 2025

Label : Star Creature

Catalog Number : TBC

Format: Digital / Bandcamp 

Review: Igor Jadranin - Contemporary Outdoors (A Vision Of Panorama & Byron The Aquarius Remixes) (Star Creature)

The landscapers out there will be familiar with the modern concept of bringing the outdoors in, Igor Jadranin's 'Contemporary Outdoors' is all about... dancefloor & party!

The Star Creature label has made a name for itself with sourcing the best in underground electro boogie, disco, soul and funk like Raf Reza's 'Why You Gotta?' (see review HERE), Stimulator Jones' 'Stimulator Tracks' (see review HERE) and now, outta Belgrade, Igor Jadranin!

You wouldn't think the guys at Chicago HQ would have to go so far a-field, but Igor's six tracks are from the 'Heavy In Stereo' leftfield and synth ready for the dancefloor along with 'Massive' and 'Anemoia'.  It's strange that Igor has managed to obtain a raw / vintage sound that's smooth to glide to all at the same time.. 

So who thought it's be a good idea to have remixes by Byron The Aquarius (there's a 'Contemporary Outdoors' Instru mix plus a bonus, 'Midnight') with a 'Contemporary Outdoors' A Vision Of Panorama remix.   

As you might have guessed, A Vision Of Panorama (Ed. Bar?), is synthned out Balearic vibe house fusion but let's go straight to Byron The Aquarius  as this is MASSIVE in the same area as his 'Go Ahead' remix on Brandon Markell Holmes & Toribio hit on Toucan Sounds (see review HERE).  It may be too late for Midnight new year timings but 2025 is going to be fine with this release as this is well up to the standards of Igor's Latin jazz-funk synth monster 'Anemoia' or the Ashley Beedle North Street mix of 'Middle Proves' (love out to Ashley, Jo and all North Street/Ramrock people - see HERE).

You could say, "Another adventurous 12” for Tim Zawada’s Star Creature that blurs the lines between sounds and styles, keeping the Windy City label at the high risk high reward side of your DJ crate" - and you'd be right.

Artist: Igor Jadranin 

Title:  Contemporary Outdoors (A Vision Of Panorama and Byron The Aquarius Remixes) 

Release date: 31st January, 2025

Label : Star Creature

Catalog Number : SC7067

Format: 12" / Digital / Bandcamp BUY LINK 

The Contemporary Outdoors EP | Igor Jadranin | Star Creature Universal Vibrations

Review: Stimulator Jones - Stimulator Tracks Vol. 2 (Star Creature)

"What we're gonna do right here is go back, way back, back into time." - well, we are but we're also going to look forward to Vol. 2 of 'Stimulator Tracks' from Stimulator Jones on Star Creature as he's being inspired by the past to find star tracks of the future.

You don't have to go that far back to get Vol. 1 as it was only this summer that we had the four track 12" that squelched it's boogie acid on the dancefloor particularly 'Night Walk' as the acid drops on synth backing vocals in a 80s disco groove that works it's magic every time.

Could Vol. 2 match this or even be better?  Well, I suppose once you've jumped ships from Stones Throw after a couple of albums of beats/jazz/funk/soul of 'Enviroments Striving For Perfection' you're going to have more than one weapon in ya arsenal.  And this is deep in manoevres from backroom to mainroom with 'Cytoplasm' - as your 303s go cyborg crazy in a bubblin' soup.

Talking of mainrooms, what's that classic I can here interupting our backroom get down on 'Fantasies'; this is track on it's own is going to make this 12" fly as it crosses many decades of house - you've got to get up to this one. 

'Hold Plz' is like another Chicago loop soundtrack with a killer bassline whilst the lead track, 'Cali Red' is the most danceable of the lot with disco space synths and sirens warning us that this is a big track.

Mr. Jones' appeared on the emerging talent showcase, Gilles Peterson's 'Brownswood Bubblers' back in 2017 (Ed. that's Vol. 12 that also featured Madison McFerrin and Chip Wickham!) was an indication that we'd see him in the future so it was no surprise that 'Stimulator Tracks Vol. 1' was great; and now I believe Vol. 2 is even better!

Buy Link: Stimulator Jones - The Stimulator Tracks Vol 2

Artist: Stimulator Jones 

Title:  Stimulator Tracks Vol. 2 

Release date: 17th January, 2025

Label : Star Creature

Catalog Number : SC1258

Format: 12" / Digital / Bandcamp Link HERE The Stimulator Tracks Vol 2 | Stimulator Jones 

Review: Raf Reza - Why You Gotta? / Pineapple Island (Star Creature)

I'm often asked, "Why do you have to keep up with all the new records?" I have to own up, it's new productions like, "Why You Gotta?' and 'Pineapple Island' on Star Creature that make me do it.

 

Available on 7" and digital, Toronto's Raf Reza had his finger on the synth funk that'll give the Commodores' 'Machine Gun' a run for its money in terms of instrumentals as 'Why You Gotta?' takes some proto jazz-funk house to the limits.

On the flip, there's some slow jam groove with some Azymuth / Roy Ayers inspired bass and Balearic shoreline boogie from 'Pineapple Island' - book you flights for now.

And whilst it's always a good idea to get the physical vinyl version there's a digital bonus track 'Space Strut' that sounds like it could go back as far as Sun Palace's 'Raw Movements' from the mid-80s. 

In fact, it turns out that this session was originally recorded in a attic bedroom over 8 years ago so it's even more impressive that Star Creature are around to give it a worldwide release and I'd adivise not to hang about with this one.

Artist: Raf Reza

Title: Why You Gotta? / Pineapple Island (Space Strut)

Release date: 25th October, 2024

Label : Star Creature

Catalog Number : SC7067

Format: 7" / Digital / Bandcamp