FOUNDATIONS: DANNY TENAGLIA
Let's take a moment to appreciate Brooklyn's finest.
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It's Friday, and I'm re-laying the Foundations.
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A close friend of mine once joked that I must have shares in Danny Tengalia, given how often I reach for his work.
And it’s certainly fair to say that when it comes to House music, Danny will always be my Number 1. After all, when given the choice, why would you settle for less than the very best?
For today’s foundational listening pleasure, please allow me to direct your attention to three pieces from Brooklyn’s finest.
BOTTOM HEAVY
First out the gate is 1994’s Bottom Heavy EP on Tribal America. The first thing Danny put out under his own name.
Interestingly, 'Bottom Heavy' was actually a remix he did for New Order of their track 'World (The Price Of Love)' They declined the remix, but gave permission for Danny to use the track (as it was his own work)... He removed the vocal and the rest, as they say, is history.
We're going to roll with the original 13 minute version. And I should warn you, if you have any affinity for House music you will not be able to stay still when the beat hits. This track is absolute beast mode. Pure dutty dance floor energy from start to finish.
TOURISM
Next up, Tourism. Tenaglia’s second LP, released in 1997 on Twisted. Link to the full album here.
I remember buying this on CD when it came out, and it was pretty much my introduction to real House music when I first started hitting the clubs.
Released just three years after Bottom Heavy, the technical progression is clear. Cleaner lines, a wider scope of vision, total refinement of form and function combined with a melancholic, almost tortured soulfulness and wistfulness in the vocals.
An exceptional package that includes some of the most iconic House tracks of what will always be the golden era of this music.
It’s impossible to pick a favourite, so I’ll go with three:
Music is the Answer (w/ Celeda) - What can I really say about this one? A strong contender for the greatest dance music vocal of all time.
Turn Me On (w/ Liz Torres) - progressive pomp and splendour from Danny and the iconic Liz Torres. Those chords...
Elements - a deep, dark shamanic distillation of the rhythmic art form down into its most stripped back and fundamental components. Truly something else to behold in a club, and I think probably Tenaglia's most personal artistic statement as a producer and DJ. This is what he's about, after all: Building the track and set from the ground up. Truly epic.
Make sure to listen to the whole thing though, yeh?
DANNY TENAGLIA B2B KERRI CHANDLER
Finally, this absolute gem of a mix from 1993. Danny Tenaglia b2b Kerri Chandler at Code in Napoli.
Come for the wall-to-wall bangers (it BOOTS off from 4.30 with the Murk remix of Kwanzaa Posse, what a bassline…).
Stay for the crazy Italian guy hitting the mic throughout "DANNY, DANNY, DANNY!".
You just know this was an epic party.
Right, I'm off to enjoy the sunshine.
More soon.
Love ya.
Rubin