The Fashion Office Recommends…Miss Dolly Parton
August 28, 2009
This week, we’ve gone a bit country and dedicated The Fashion Office Recommends to none other than Miss Dolly Parton. Obviously, it’d have been rude not to have included the amazing ’9-5′ and after a rather ‘special’ day in the office, here’s to a lovely long Bank Holiday weekend.
Enjoy.
Sostylistic recommends a track named after little lady called Jolene.
Sartoriology chose the essential, Working 9 to 5.
A Work In Progress opts for: I Will Always Love You.
Emily selects: Jesus And Gravity.
Soldiersailor: the cool and cute banjo track, Little Sparrow.
Last week, we donned our flares and dug out the glitter balls in The Fashion Office Recommends – Disco. Look out for next week’s edition, same place, same time.
The Fashion Office Recommends…Disco
August 21, 2009
After last week’s mammoth challenge of choosing a Power Ballad (and miserably failing), I’ll hopefully redeem myself with a bit of Disco…
Plus, it seems we’ve been inspired by the amount of sequins adorning our fashionable friends today and created a flood of outstanding disco classics. The Fashion Office is clearly a collective of closet disco divas. Well, with music this good, who wouldn’t be?
Happy Friday.
Sostylistic chooses ultimate diva: Diana Ross – Love Hangover
Ellie picks a woman (and track) of equal worth: Donna Summer – Love To Love You Baby
New Favourite Thing: Maxine Nightingale – Right Back Where We Started From
Sartoriology: Chic – Le Freak!
Stevie: Diana Ross I’m Coming Out. What a coat…
Frankie: Thelma Houston and the original version of Don’t Leave Me This Way.
Emily couldn’t have picked better with my favourite Jackson 5 track: Can You Feel It.
Soldiersailor: Patrice Rushden – Haven’t You Heard
Unable to resist another feel good Friday track, Chic and Everybody Dance comes a very, very close second.
We’re building a list of themes for The Fashion Office Recommends (TFOR) so feel free to let us know your suggestions. Don’t miss the next installment, each and every Friday.
Each year, there’s a veritable choice of Ibiza compilations to choose from. Whilst I’m a big Azuli fan, a sample CD made its way to me last year to prove there’s only really one go-to label to wind you up for the White Isle, and keep you going long after a hedonistic week. Who? Independent house label CR2 Records.
This year, the landmark club Space celebrates its twentieth birthday and to mark the occasion, they’ve chosen CR2’s founder Mark Brown (one half of DJ duo MYNC project), and his partner in crime Nick Corelli to present the Space 2009 CD. Thanks to Facebook, I was sent a message to notify me the album had been released and as a music junkie and Space fanatic, I was unable to contain my enthusiasm. What’s more, a lovely lady named Cila from their PR team then discovered Tinker Tailor and contacted me just in time to send me said compilation. I’m thrilled to say, as I listen now, I was right to be excited.
Here’s why: less than two minutes into La Terraza (disc one) – I’m hooked. Seamless mixing, heart-pounding beats and baselines are peppered with classic tunes that hurl me back to my house-bunny teens. Brown and Corelli excel themselves in mixing three decades of classics such as David Morales’s Needin’ You, Lee Cabrera’s infamous Shake It and Analog People In A Digital World (featuring and titled after St Germain’s timeless Rose Rouge). The result? The best selection of tracks I’ve heard in a very long time. All 108 minutes has got me fired up, ready for my Balearic getaway (visible somewhere on the horizon), and eager to track down each and every song to mix myself. At only halfway through listening, I’m already thinking that if this year’s compilation is anything to go by, on September 6th, I will not be leaving the Space dance floor. Period.
Part two, La Discoteca, opens with ‘The Crawl’ by Harry Choo Choo Romero vs Nick & Danny Chatelain, and whilst mirroring the tracks name (things take a while to warm up), the underlying addictive beats ensure your anticipation is cranked so high, you know it’ll be worth the wait. Enter just enough and no more of the key beats from Faithless’s We Come One. This remixed version by Bobby Tee and Juan Kidd is by far my most loved track of the moment and destined to be absolutely massive. Is it appropriate to prematurely thank CR2 now?
Things take a darker turn as disc two continues with a slathering of tech, trance and minimal vocals, before sneaking in Simian Mobile Disco’s super-track, Audacity Of Huge. As if I needed anymore convincing to love the Space ’09 CD, there’s a bit of Pryda on the menu too and a brilliant stripped back version of Underworld’s Long Train by Petrae Foy & PJC Project. Who’d have thought the 90s could sound so cool? If you manage to track down the extended version, make sure you don’t miss the last twenty seconds of the track too - quite simply, they’re amazing.
With a winning formula of old, classic and stomping new house tracks and the entrancing beats Space are known for, (those that race through your body and glue you to the dance floor); CR2 have done the club proud by producing the ultimate download. Whether like me, you are making your way out to Ibiza for the closing parties, have been or are already booked for next season, this essential mix guarantees catapulting you instantly to the otherworldly, unforgettable experience that is Space.
Thanks to Cila for kindly sending my way the perfect soundtrack to to my Ibiza trip and what’s likely to be my biggest and best birthday yet. With music this good, it’s definitely going to be one to remember…
Love At First Sight Exists & It’s Rad
August 17, 2009
Yesterday whilst checking out some new affiliates at work, I stumbled upon possibly the most exciting brand I’ve seen for a long time. Rad, the new diffusion line from self taught American designer Rad Hourani launches this November – and it’s pretty special.
If nothing else, (and from a purely selfish angle), he has encapsulated my style perfectly in each design. The range consists of sharply tailored, drape front blazers paired with grunge grey tees and thigh skimming school boy shorts. Think All Saints crossed with Jil Sander, Kain (the go-to label for the ultimate T-shirt) blended with Reiss; Rad hosts a fusion of high fashion and high street in a monochrome palette. Each piece is introspectively inspired by Hourani, loaded with rough, rock ‘n ready attitude and designed to be unisex (showcased by androgynous, heel wearing models). What’s sure to become a capsule collection of ever-versatile basics will be available at www.radbyradhourani.com in three months time and will be priced from $100-$400.
However, if like me, you simply can’t wait until November; get a head start by layering current looks in your wardrobe with goodies borrowed from the boys. Just add black boots and ankle socks before taking your new look and nonchalant attitude to the streets…
The Fashion Office Recommends…Power Ballads
August 14, 2009
Seems each Friday, I take subconcious pleasure in making this as difficult as possible for myself – this week, The Fashion Office Recommends…Power Ballads. Sorry people, things are about to get very slushy…
Sostylistic opts for: Aerosmith – Don’t Want To Miss A Thing.
Ellie: Bon Jovi – Always.
New Favourite Thing chose: White Snake – Here I Go Again.
Sartoriology: Frankie Goes To Hollywood – Power Of Love.
A Work In Progress: Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston – When You Believe.
Stevie: Roxette – It Must Have Been Love.
Another new recruit, Frankie recommends: Bonnie Tyler – Total Eclipse Of The Heart.
Soldiersailor: Madonna cover’s disco diva Rose Royce’s, Love Don’t Live Here Anymore.
I really didn’t like this track back in the 80s. As a child, I found it miserable compared to the more frenetic tracks, Over and Over and Angel on Madonna’s debut album Like A Virgin. Several decades on, with age (and less sugar in my diet), I’ve grown to love it by understanding the pain the lyrics convey, and as an adult, think this is a peaceful, really quite beautiful track.
Check out what revamped and remixed tracks made the list last week in The Fashion Office Recommends – Sampled Tracks.
Radio One Exclusive: Faithless’ New Track – Sun To Me
August 10, 2009
Before heading out and hitting the dance floor on Friday night, i tuned into Radio One by chance for what turned out to be an amazing set by Vernon Kay. Standing in for Pete Tong, amongst some old classic house tunes, Kay delivered the exclusive first play of Faithless’ new track – Sun To Me. It’s been a while since they’ve released anything but it quickly became clear, it had definitely been well worth the wait.
Stomping beats kick off from the very beginning and with a dose of classic organ filtering in before Maxi Jazz’s haunting vocals, Sun To Me has every signature Faithless sound it needs to be an instant hit the world wide. Check out what happens two minutes and fifty seconds in, the first of many constant crescendos are sheer genius. There’s a little bit of what sounds like a sample of The Egg and Walking Away tucked in for good measure too. Play it now, turn it up loud and i think you’ll agree, it really has been worth every minute of the wait.
The Fashion Office Recommends…Songs That Stick Like Glue
August 1, 2009
Once again, the girls have chosen some great tracks for The Fashion Office Recommends. This week, the theme is catchy little numbers that simply stick in your head and by chance, there seems to be a bit if an underlying Sade theme. So here they are, some great sounds to help you into the weekend.
SoStylistic recommends: Sade – Somebody already broke my heart
Ellie’s choice: Lady GaGa – Paparazzi. As much as Lady Crotch-In-Your-Face irritates me, I can’t deny her talent – including this really rather cool video.
Sartoriology opts for another Sade classic with By Your Side.
A Work In Progress selects: Florence And The Machine – A Kiss With A Fist
Soldiersailor – I’ve been looking for the perfect music to wind down to all week. Needless to say I shouldn’t have looked past Sébastien Tellier. La Ritournelle fits the bill perfectly – it’s something quiet, something soothing and something I always forget just how good it is.
Find out what’s the girls chose last week and don’t forget to look out for next week’s edition, dedicated to the best pick in sampled tracks.
