Freeez – “I.O.U.” (I Dub You)…

Artist: Freeez
Title: I.O.U. (I Dub You)
Year: 1983
Genre: Classic Electro Synth Dance
Comment: Produced and remixed by Arthur Baker (see picture below)
Media Source: Recorded straight from 12-inch record to enhanced digital.

Freeez – “I.O.U.” (I Dub You) (mp3)

A new music sub-category was added to this blog today…
Stabbing Basslines is now listed in the Categories navigation-menu on the right-sidebar.  All tracks in this category will have STABBING BASSLINE stamp-of-approval image next to their titles.  I just LOVE any kind of track that has stabbing and rolling bassline(s) coming from synthesizers and any other kind of bass instrument. Such basslines DRIVE the music tracks along their spinal-chords, punching and grooving their way through the sound-wave paths of polyrhythms.  So it is in this section where carefully-selected tracks with stabbing-basslines will be categorized under.

Tommy Musto :: C. T. Satin – “I Found A Friend”…

Artist: C. T. Satin [Tommy Musto]
Title: I Found A Friend
Year: 1987
Label: Underworld
Media Source: Recorded straight from 12-inch record to enhanced digital.

C. T. Satin [Tommy Musto] – “I Found A Friend” (mp3)

I remember this track being different from all the rest. Tommy Musto raised the bar when it came to hard, punchy, rolling melodic bassline in this track which blends 4/4 House-beat and Freestyle elements. Although the date printed on the 12-inch says 1987, this track was originally released in 1986. The record you see in the picture above is a 1987 re-issue.

Tommy Musto :: Wired – “To The Beat Of The Drum” (Crash Version)…

Artist: Wired [Tommy Musto]
Title: To The Beat Of The Drum
Year: 1987 (really 1986)
Label: Underworld; Creole
Media Source: Recorded straight from 12-inch record to enhanced digital.

Wired [Tommy Musto] – “To The Beat Of The Drum” (Crash Version) (mp3)

In 1986, this track by Tommy Musto set the standards high in electronic dance music. It stands on its own plateau. Hard, punchy and melodic synth bassline grooves the track raw and core. Electric, chorused piano chops add serious emotional value. Blend of 4/4 house beat and freestyle.

Tommy Musto :: Movement – “The Movement” (Original Version)…

Artist: Movement [Tommy Musto]
Title: The Movement (Original Version)
Year: 1986
Label: Underworld
Media Source: Recorded straight from 12-inch record to enhanced digital.

Movement [Tommy Musto] – “The Movement” (Original Version) (mp3)

Tommy Musto :: Movement – “The Movement” (House Version)…

Artist: Movement [Tommy Musto]
Title: The Movement (House Version)
Year: 1986
Label: Underworld
Media Source: Recorded straight from 12-inch record to enhanced digital.

Movement [Tommy Musto] – “The Movement” (House Version) (mp3)

This is a very very RARE 12-inch gem indeed ….. New York Street Mix of “Say La La” by Pieces Of A Dream (1986). Good luck in finding this track anywhere on the net!  Not even on YouTube.  You may find the original-extended version of Say La La, but not this New York Street Mix, especially a good quality recording (high-resolution 320/kbs MP3). I just love the minimal approach to this remix which has a bassline to die for. Each bassline note sounds like staccato one-shot bass-stab thats deep. The drums are factory sounds that of an E-Mu SP12 drum-machine/sampler (picture & info further down below). Nice breakdown and build-up towards the middle and end with nice gradual fade-out. I’m gonna let the music do the talking. Have a listen. I hope you’ve got beefy speakers!

Pieces Of  A Dream – “Say La La” (New York Street Mix)…

Artist: Pieces Of A Dream
Title: Say La La (New York Street Mix)
Year: 1986
Label: Manhattan Records (via EM)
Media Source: Recorded straight from 12-inch record to enhanced digital.

Pieces Of A Dream – “Say La La” (New York Street Mix) (mp3)

Pieces Of  A Dream – “Say La La” (Extended Album Version)…

Artist: Pieces Of A Dream
Title: Say La La (Extended Album Version)
Year: 1986
Label: Manhattan Records (via EM)
Media Source: Recorded straight from 12-inch record to enhanced digital.

Pieces Of A Dream – “Say La La” (Extended Album Version) (mp3)

About Pieces Of A Dream…

Source of information (click here)

• Formed 1975, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.
• Pieces Of A Dream are:
• Cedric Napoleon (bassist)
• Curtis Harmon (drummer)
• and James Lloyd (keyboardist)
• Pieces of a Dream were founded in 1975 in Philadelphia when the principal members were all teenagers.
• Originally somewhat jazz-oriented, Pieces of a Dream has mostly emphasized R & B although they usually include a few jazz numbers in their performances.
• Grover Washington, Jr., produced their first three albums (all for Elektra during 1981-83), they have since recorded for Manhattan.
• The group has also included Lance Webb (lead vocals), Randall Bowland (guitar), Vincent Davis (synths) and Norwood (vocals).
• Saxophonist Ron Kerber became a member in the 1990′s.
• Their albums included ‘Pieces Of A Dream’ (1981), including ‘Warm Weather’ featuring the vocals of Barbara Walker, ‘We Are One’ (1982) and ‘Imagine This’ (1983), including ‘Fo-Fi-Fo’, all were a fusion of R & B, jazz and soul.
• They continued this formula following their switch to Manhattan (via EM]) with ‘Joyride’ (1986), ‘Makes You Wanna’ (1988), including ‘We Belong To Each Other’, and the Gene Griffin, co-produced ‘Bout Dat Time’ (1989).
• Later releases concentrated more along the smooth jazz vein.

“Say La La” Performed by FAMU’s World Famous Marching 100 Band…

E-Mu SP12  Drum Machine/Sampler…

The E-mu SP-12 is the classic drum machine & sampler combo that paved the way for such greats as the E-mu SP-1200 and AKAI MPC series of sampling drum machines. Redesigned from E-mu’s original Drumulator drum machine, the SP-12 is a classic drum machine with built in sampling capability. There is a set of preset drum sounds including kick, snare, hihats, toms, cymbals, handclap and rimshot. These sounds can be mixed and edited using the sliders. Then you can add your own beats and drum sounds using the built-in 12-bit sampler. Sampling time is limited to only a few seconds and the quality is very lo-fi (a sound loved by lo-fi and trip hop). Store your patterns and link them into songs, there’s room for 100 of each! There are mono and individual outputs (no stereo). It’s been used by Madlib, Large Professor, Chicago, and DJ Premiere.

The SP-12 was quickly superceded by the SP-1200 in 1987 which was continuously reissued through 1997. The SP-1200 is undoubtedly the more popular of the two since it has added features and emphasized sampling by eliminating the preset drum sounds.

Source of information (click here)

Freeez…

Title: I.O.U. (I Dub You)
Year: 1983
Genre: Classic Electro Synth Dance
Comment: Produced and remixed by Arthur Baker (see picture below)

Freeez – “I.O.U.” (I Dub You) (mp3)

Yarbrough & Peoples…

Title: I Wouldn’t Lie To You (Extended Version)
Year: 1986
Genre: Electronic Dance R&B, Synth Bassline Groove-Driving

Yarbrough & Peoples – “I Wouldn’t Lie To You” (Extended Version) (mp3)