FSQ Top 10 - June 2024
It’s a tale of two DJ charts - because what may be available on Beatport is not available on Traxsource - and vice a versa.
Also we are absolutely in love with Luke Temple’s alter-ego project - Art Feynman - and this cut “All I Can Do” which would be our #1 choice if it was present on any DJ chart. ** we just realized this was released in November 2023, but hey it’s new to us.
Sonically, the tune ripped right out of Sly & Robbie’s “Compass Point All Stars” playbook - you could hear Grace Jones singing this on her Nightclubbing or Warm Leatherette albums. The lyrical theme (lyrics here) of this track is about putting yourself out there, and trying to do your best - with lines like:
You know it's all I can do
I maybe don't have a good reason, yeah
But it's all I can do
I've got a certain desire
To be a man of creation
Where is my dream?
Feynman aka Temple also sings “You know I hit the mark sometimes” and in this case he has, with an anthem that many of us musicians can relate to - we are out here doing all we can do to be people “of creation”. This would be #1 on our chart but it isn’t on Beatport or Traxsource where the DJs live.
And now the charts. Over at Traxsource - FSQ Top 10 June 2024 - at #1 on the chart - San Francisco based producer Chrissy teams up with vocalist Carrie Wilds for a triumphant late 80s / early 90s slice of dance pop that celebrates optimism and positivity during apocalyptic times - the anthemic “Things Can’t Go On Like This Forever”.
At #2 Willie Graff and DJ Pippi may be in Ibiza but they bring a slice of New York City to the white island with the supremely funky jam “Dance First, Think Later” which feels like a release from Salsoul revised for 2024 - a future forward classic with a jamming horn section and chant you’ll certainly agree with: Dance First indeed!
At #3 - 2fox with “Just Be” and you can’t resist the soulful and silky voice of Nandi set up against the East London duo of Max Sinàl and Renell Shaw’s triumphant soulful house sounds. This is another positive anthem that celebrates life - replete with a spoken word affirmation from award winning poet and author Sophia Thakur. We charted the title track from the 2fox EP, “Elevation”, last month at #1.
At #4 our brothers Soul Clap have a remix for Orlando Voon and Amp Fiddler - a posthumous release from the pair with Amp’s classic vocal sounds. The Soul Clap “Groove” remix bubbles with the most cosmic synth sounds, latin percussions and a tempo that will have you really pushing it on dance floor. Twirl around and show off some samba and salsa dance styles if you’ve got ‘em when this comes on.
The rest of the chart is rounded out by several instrumental led dance tracks from Tatie Dee, DJ Rocca and Daniele Baldelli, and Residentes Balearicos. There’s even more on the chart so make sure to give it a listen and support the artists. Chart follows and keep reading for the Beatport chart.
Over at Beatport - FSQ Top 10 - June 2024 - the chart is led by one of our favorite all time producers Ray Mang who extends Joe Goddard’s track “Flow” with vocalist Florious into a 11-minute plus “end of the movie” type soundtrack theme with dripping wet synth sounds and triumphant timpani drums.
At #2 - Eli Escobar turns in one of his best remixes in his large catalog with an absolutely deep and moody remix of Roisin Murphy’s “You Knew” - replete with all of the 80s dance music sounds from big claps, punchy bass synths, and brooding synth pads - we must emphatically state that Eli is truly the Shep Pettibone of our time.
At #3 - DJ Pippi and Willie Graff’s album Universal Language will continue to get love from and we thought another jam from the album - “Island In The Sun” - is a bit more true to the Balearic spirit with a bit of a Caribbean riff underneath this guitar led instrumental featuring the Santino Surfers. This tune then opens the chart to more Balearic ideas, with One Half of Bent at #4 on a 9-minute chill out journey called “Heading Home” that half way along the way takes you into some brilliant mid tempo piano house territory.
The rest of the chart showcases some dance pop across the spectrum from the disco-not-disco of Fcukers’ “Bon Bon” to the soft Nu-disco of mega star Billie Eilish’s “Birds of a Feather” and Adam Port’s turn at ampiano / afro-house. If there’s music hitting out there, we won’t shy away from charting it whether it’s a big tune or completely underground, and this chart offers something for everyone. There’s more on the chart following too …