The holidays are officially over and the dance record industry is almost back to normal. Regular website updates and release schedules will resume next week; in the meantime, we've rounded up a handful of new releases, a few new promos, and a serious restock of some of our favorite titles from the past couple of months. We've also added about 30 new records to our expanding Sale section, so if you've been holding out on that, now's the time to order. We'll be moving certain titles out of the Sale section and back into the regularly priced catalog next week, so don't sleep. The end of our ultra-successful Year-End Sale is approaching.

Before we begin, a warning: Even though I generally like to include all of the pre-release white labels that we stock in this here newsletter, I've decided to omit a pair of promos that will be on and off the site in no time at all. We were expecting to receive a larger quantity, but have been dealt a tiny stock on these records, so I didn't want to get your hopes up. If you are one of the lucky few who manage to receive these promos, you are extremely fortunate. But I'd check the Online Shop right away should you want to stand a chance.

Now, onto this week's essential music:

CHRIS LUM "Return Of The Big Tool" EP Tango (Promo) [House, Tech-house] Moulton Studios vet Chris Lum follows up on his wildly successful Bigger Tool EP from last year with a brand new 12-inch for Tango Recordings, aptly titled Return Of The Big Tool. (Let's skip the Freudian evaluation, shall we?) Opening with "Nasti Tool (Little Freaks),” Lum builds a solid house groove that is propelled by a freaky disco vibe and an added dose of dirty talk that seems to merge a little bit of Marshall Jefferson with a whole lotta Prince. "What the Critics Say" takes it back to the San Francisco streets for a vintage display of West Coast tribal breaks sandwiched between Lum's signature funky four-to-the-floor-isms. Outstanding.

www.tangorecordings.com

JAY-J "Mother F#?kin' Name / Hayes Valley" Siesta [House, Tech-house] Apparently, Chris Lum wasn't the only one busy in the Moulton labs over the holidays as his sometimes-studio partner Jay-J also makes an appearance this week with a new EP for San Diego's Siesta label. The final results here are absolutely on point: "Mother F#?kin' Name" is a hard and moody peak-time cut with serious teeth. Jay-J's expert use of samples pits the tougher hip hop-inspired title clip against a sultry female vocal, cleverly rounding out the soft edges to keep the mood from becoming too abrasive. Brilliant. On the flip, Jay-J plants a rhythmic Latin tribal groover with hypnotic quality and unabashed West Coast dubbiness, ushering in the New Year with unquestionable Moulton flavor.

www.siestamusic.com

ZEB & SASHA C. "Hypnotizer" (Original, Dub Theory, and David Coleman & Sen-Sei Mxs) Jah Love [House, Tribal, Tech-house] The folks over at Jah Love Recordings kick off 2003 with another quality release, this time coming from Zeb & Sasha C. In true Jah Love style, the original is a rootsy and traditional electronic dub cut that will work with equal success at a house party or a reggae soundsystem. Meanwhile, hot on the heels of the huge "Geronimo" EP for Big Chief, San Francisco's David Coleman & Sen-Sei hand in a flawless dubby tech-house remix that utilizes Sen-Sei's keyboard expertise for a refreshingly complex and layered track. Equally as impressive is Dub Theory's upbeat and bass-driven tribal mix--a cut that further secures Jah Love's rising status as one of the country's premier dub-house labels alongside Grayhound and Worship.

www.jah-love.com

Need restocks? We've got what you want. Back in full this week, we've got the eagerly anticipated repressings of Tony Hewitt & Grant Dell's first collaboration on white label only, as well as one of my favorite records of the year, the Lawnchair Generals' U Dirty EP for Westbound Music. In addition to that, we've restocked Garth & Markie's already classic "Anthem #1" on Grayhound and I've personally selected a hot restock from one of my favorite producers of 2002, Alexander East. If you slept on his "Desire / Inside Of Me" EP for Aroma last summer, here's a second chance. This acid vocal monster has not left my box since its release. Check the Real Audio.

Also check out restocks from DJ Rasoul, Mike Dixon, Patrick Turner, The Little Men, Inland Knights, Eddie Richards, Hipp-E, Johnny Fiasco, Sombionx, Dizzy & Jado, Miguel Migs, and the long awaited return of Brique Rouge's limited edition remix package of Mambo Urbano's "Devotion" and Q-Burns Abstract Message's "This Time," reworked by Llorca and David Duriez.

As a final note, we are sad to see our friends at Nemesis Distribution in San Francisco close their doors this week. Thanks much to the gang there for all their help in the past year.

Hope you all had a healthy and happy holiday, and we look forward to serving you in the new year. Be good!

(Norman Arenas)


Primal Records is a house records shop.