|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2LP
|
|
GET 52734LP
|
2023 repress. "After the smash success of Deee-Lite's debut record World Clique, and their now-iconic dance club hit 'Groove Is In The Heart', anticipation was high for a follow-up from the New York-based dance music trio of vocalist Miss Lady Kier, and producers DJ Towa Tei and Super DJ Dmitri. For their sophomore record Infinity Within, Deee-Lite opted to venture in a different direction of sorts. The club-embracing disco-funk sounds and groovy vibes of World Clique were ever-present, but while that record contained themes of global togetherness, Infinity Within took a more socially aware route, with politically charged themes of environmentalism, (to show their bona fide-se, Infinity Within was one of the first titles to be issued in an ecologically friendly eco-pak) sexual liberation, voting rights, and critique of the judicial system. Taking major inspiration from the ancient Chinese divination text I Ching, Miss Lady Kier would later explain that Infinity Within was a natural progression for the group, not a departure. Elaborating in an interview with Reflex Magazine, she remarked: 'The reason why we titled this new album Infinity Within -- to balance out World Clique's idea of looking outward and thinking about unity -- is if you look outward, you should look inward to see what you're doing as an individual. Because people seem to be so passive -- I'd like to see people turn their TV sets off and start protesting.' Infinity Within was not the overwhelming commercial success that World Clique was, but its tracks shined on the Billboard Dance Club charts, with its lead single 'Runaway' reaching #1 on the chart, bolstered by a Gus Van Sant-directed music video. The record also featured a slew of top-tier collaborators, including Parliament veterans Bernie Worrell, Maceo Parker and Bootsy Collins (Returning from their appearances on World Clique) as well as Bootsy's brother Catfish Collins, legendary house DJ Statoshi Tomiie, and rap verses from Michael Franti, Jamal-Ski, and a pre-'Tennessee' Arrested Development. Even though critical reaction at the time was cooler than their debut, over the years Infinity Within has been considered an underrated gem of '90s dance, a classic of early club and house music, and a remarkable follow-up for Deee-Lite."
|
|
|
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
LP
|
|
GET 52729LP
|
2022 repress. "Sometimes a single is released that reaches such dizzying heights of success that it becomes a pinnacle of the decade they're indelibly tied to. 'Groove Is In The Heart' by dance-house trio Deee-Lite is one such single. The infectiously quirky, and eminently danceable track is prominently based around samples of 'Bring Down The Birds' by Herbie Hancock, and 'Get Up' by Vernon Burch, among many others, (Courtesy of dual producers DJs Dmitry and Towa Tei) paired with top-tier guest contributions from JB's veterans Maceo Parker and Fred Wesley, background vocals from Parliament-Funkadelic's own Bootsy Collins, and even a guest rap from Q-Tip, not to mention frontwoman Lady Miss Kier's own siren-like vocals. All disparate and disconnected elements, but ones that would come together to form dancehall greatness, and chart-topping success worldwide for Deee-Lite. 'Groove Is In The Heart' managed to reach #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, but excelled at its best on the Hot Dance Club Play chart, where it reached to the #1 spot. On top of its success in America it was a smash internationally, climbing the heights of the charts in the UK, Canada, Australia, and a variety of other countries. It remained in heavy rotation for much of 1990 on MTV as well. As the decades went on, 'Groove Is In The Heart' would be ranked among the greatest dance tracks of all time, as well as one of the greatest songs of the 1990s by VH1, Pitchfork, Buzzfeed, and many more. 'Groove Is In The Heart' was a potent single for Deee-Lite to lead with, but the album bearing it was nothing to slouch at either. The group's debut record, 1990's World Clique was released to major commercial and critical success, owing just as much to its addictive hybrid of seductive retro aesthetics, modern dancefloor flair, and esoteric, socially conscious messaging, on the back of celebratory club staples like 'Power Of Love', 'Good Beat', 'E.S.P.', and of course 'Groove Is In The Heart'. World Clique would reach top 20 charts in the US, UK, and Canada in sales, as well as earn rave reviews from NME, Chicago Sun-Times, Rolling Stone, and Slant Magazine, who called it an 'essential pop album'."
|
|
|
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
2LP
|
|
GET 52728LP
|
"When one makes mention of Deee-Lite, the 90's house-funk trio of Lady Miss Kier, and DJs Dmitry and Towa Tei, invariably their Billboard smash single 'Groove Is In The Heart' (Off their 1990 studio debut World Clique) will come up, and for good reason. With its Herbie Hancock-sampling bassline, some classic rhymes from Q-Tip, and guest vocals by Parliament-Funkadelic legend Bootsy Collins, the song became an indelible classic of 90s music, a massive commercial hit for Deee-lite, (Reaching #4 on the Billboard Hot 100) and is widely considered one of the greatest dance songs of all time. Although a massive success for the group, 'Groove Is In The Heart' led to some pigeonholing from critics and reviewers, who had specific expectations for future records. Rather than deliver more of the same free-wheeling, breezy dance music of World Clique, Deee-lite took a more politically-minded approach with their second album, spurred largely by front-woman Lady Miss Kier, who had a lengthy history of political activism prior to forming the group. 1992's Infinity Within rendered several Dance-chart hit singles, but was not as commercially or critically lauded as its forebear. Deee-lite were undaunted by their change in commercial fortune, regrouping with the addition of junglist DJ Ani, replacing the absent Towa Tei to record their third record. 1994's Dewdrops In The Garden was the result of their efforts, which struck a remarkable balance between the celebratory grooves of World Clique, and the social justice-driven Infinity Within. Lady Miss Kier had done a lot of world-traveling in the time between albums, and the material in Dewdrops was a reflection of her experiences, applying a spirit of global togetherness to their house-funk grooves. Regrettably, Dewdrops In The Garden was not a commercial success, yet it still managed to render its share of #1 Dance Chart singles; the atmospheric techno bounciness of 'Bring Me Your Love', and the spacious funk-house track 'Call Me.' Though Deee-lite would disband soon after Dewdrops In The Garden's release, the record remains an unheralded favorite among dance music devotees for its coupling infectiously bright, and soulful melodies, with banging dance-floor grooves, and unshakably optimistic vibes."
|
|
|
|