In the Box: Soul Clap

In the Box: Soul Clap

7 December, 2010 | 7.34AM

• Written by: Beatportal
• Filed under: Music News: in the box, soul clap

This December has brought Soul Clap tidings of great joy indeed. Just this week, they were voted #16 on Resident Advisor’s Top DJs of 2010 poll—not bad, for two dudes from Boston whose crates are heavy on ‘90s R&B. And with their debut mix CD forthcoming from Jonny White’s No.19 Music, these recent Miami transplants are clearly just getting warmed up.

London clubbers can get a taste of Soul Clap’s unique style on Saturday, December 18, when they bring their long-running party, YoYoYo ‘90s Jam, to the Hearn Street Car Park, abetted by Robert Owens, Danny Rampling, Rob Mello, and Martin “Liberty” Larner. In advance of their gig, we asked them about their ‘90s fetish and had them break down some of their favorite classic tracks for us.

First of all, tell us a little bit about the YoYoYo ‘90s Jam parties. What’s the idea behind them, how long have you been doing them, and what have they been like so far?

It started in Charlie’s kitchen in college. We were listening to C&C Music Factory’s “Things That Make You Go Hmmm,” and we said, “ Hmmmm, whatever happened to Cross Colors and Hypercolor? Let’s buy them and start HyperCrossColors.” Then we forgot about it. Then five years ago we saw a tube of MC Hammer toothpaste and YoYoYo ‘90s Jam Was Born.

You guys are from Boston, a city that isn’t (or at least wasn’t) particularly known for electronic dance music. Did the ‘90s theme help rope in clubbers who might have been suspicious of contemporary house music?

Yeah. It really started as a monthly special event at one of our pop nights, and we used it to trick people into dancing to ‘90s house music by the end of the night. Slowly people got more and more open minded, and more electronic-music heads started coming out to hear something different. By the end we had a huge mix of everyone holding hands and singing along to “Heal The World.”

As far as ‘90s music goes, is it strictly a nostalgia thing? What is it about the music of the ‘90s that appeals to you?

The concept of YoYoYo ‘90s Jam is definitely all about nostalgia, but we also really do love the music from the ‘90s. We all know the ‘90s was the golden age of hip-hop, ‘90s R&B was so sexy and emotional, ‘90s pop is way more positive and uplifting; rave, hardcore, jungle and speed garage all popped off in the ‘90s, and of course you really can’t beat ‘90s house.

We’ve seen bits and pieces of ‘90s fashion creeping back into style lately. In addition to Hypercolor and Cross Colors, what ‘90s looks do you foresee coming back?

Definitely overalls, tapered jeans with elastic and zippers on the ankles, zoobas, starter jackets and of course marble print track suits.

You guys have become known in part for your re-edits. Is there any record out there that you wouldn’t edit, for whatever reason?

Songs that are already all-time classics and of course songs that suck.

What are you guys working on now?

We just finished our first official mix CD! It’s for Jonny White from Art Department’s No. 19 Music out of Toronto, Canada and includes a bunch of awesome exclusives from the fam. Now we’re wrapping up our DJ Kicks, which we’re doing with Wolf + Lamb and is made of never before heard exclusive tracks from us and the Wolf + Lamb / Double Standard family.

Finally, Beatportal wants to know what’s in your DJ box! Tell us your favorite tracks for the following situations…

Favorite set opener

702, “Steelo”

This track is a perfect mood setter.  The beat is smoothed-out, classy R&B flavor on top of a sample of “Voices Inside My Head” by the Police. Ooohwee!

Essential freestyle cut

P.O.F., “Running.” This cover of a classic Information Society track actually came off a Classic Booty Anthems compilation we’ve had for years. Since we’ve just moved to Miami we broke it out again and its on constant repeat.

Best NY/NJ garage tune

Kerri Chandler, “Hallelujah” [King Street Sounds]

This is one of our all time classics: beat, baseline, vocal, Kerri, perfect.

Best new-jack swing cut

R. Kelly, “Vibe.” What was Kells singing about?  Was it is Aaliyah?  I mean, she certainly had that vibe, well it was a forbidden vibe.  But “ooooh stop the press,” she got that VIIIIIIBE!

Favorite acapella

Lidell, “Townsell Nu Nu”

Technically this one’s a beat-a-pella, so its extra easy to mix.  Just an all out ‘90s house jam that George Cherry aka DJ Inkognito put us onto about sexy ladies and all that.

Chicago house pick

Cajmere, “Brighter Days” [Cajual]

This tune is about as close as you can get to a house-music crossover pop hit that is still 100% quality. Cajmere reaches into his Lil Louis pocket and WHAM! Look, say what you want, but the whole genre was unbeatably mastered before the new millennium and “Brighter Days” is proof.

Detroit pick

Moodymann, “I Can’t Kick This Feelin When It Hits”

Definitely representing a more soulful side of Detroit, this perfect loop track is still totally applicable in any DJ set today. Timeless.

Soft-rock guilty pleasure

Chris Isaak, “Wicked Game”

Really, words cannot describe the power of Chris Isaak…

Best tribute to Boston

Edo G, “Home”

No other song shouts out the Bean like this one. Repre-representing MASS!

Record you play when you’re in a bad mood

Black Sheep, “Fuck You”

Black Sheep - Fuck You

The New Y’shua | Myspace Video

There’s a couple different ways we could go with this, but let’s do angry.

Two records that you *always* play together

112, “Only You (Remix)” into Biggie, “Hypnotize.” If you drop it just right, the Biggie verse on the remix goes right into Biggie’s first verse on “Hypnotize.” Guaranteed party destroyer!

The record that will never leave your box

Daft Punk, Homework LP. Could be the greatest dance music LP of our tween years ;). 

Trippiest record

Green Velvet, “The Stalker”

Str8 up scary shit. Many a ravey dancefloor panic attack survived, thank god!

Most devastating bassline

Double 99, “Ripgroove” [Skint]

Ok so maybe speed garage was an immature sound, but damn there was NOTHING like it, and this one was the illest of all.

Happiest record

Bobby D’Ambrosio feat. Michelle Weeks, “Moment of My Life”

Really nothing is gayer than this song… [I assume you mean “gay” as in “happy” or “jovial”? –Ed.] Makes us laugh to look back at how much we dug this one. You had to understand UK garage and dudes like Tuff Jam and Dreem Teem to understand the context here and clearly in Boston it was missed. We must have looked like some weirdos in huge rave pants dancing around to this one, but hey we were raving… oh yeah, we’re still raving!

Closing track for those “one more tune” encores

Luther Vandross, “Power of Love”

Luther, you are missed.  ‘90s R&B drum breaks + emo pads + an all time love song = hands in the aaayerrrrr!

Tune that is guaranteed to make people cry

Michael Jackson, “Will You Be There”

Come on, no one moves a nation like MJ.  He reminds us, much like Bill S. Preston and Ted Theodore Logan once did, to be awesome to each other. The fact is that we as humans are generally NOT awesome to each other and that thought makes me cry.

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