NEW MUSIC: GEORGE MICHAEL - I WANT YOUR SEX 2010 FREEMASONS CLUB MIX

Even though Sony Music has pushed back its plans to release the 23rd Anniversary Re-issue of George Michael's Faith, Freemasons have gone ahead and unleashed their Club Mix of his legendary 1987 hit I Want Your Sex.  Undoubtedly this would have to do with Michael's recent string of legal problems.  There is still no confirmed release date for the set, but we can expect to see it surface early 2011.

If you have been following my Blog for a while, you'll remember that back in July, Russell Small of Freemasons had revealed to me that he was ironing out plans with a legendary male artist.  That artist of course was George Michael and I was vowed to secrecy...  but alas, the secret is out!

Lemme guess - you want to hear it, right?  Of course you do.  It's phenomenal. Although the tempo change takes a bit of getting used to, I expect this to tear-up the Dance Floors. Here's to hoping this leads to a revived public interest in Michael's music again. It really saddens me to see what has become of my favourite male artist of all time. Listen below:

INTERVIEW: FREEMASONS

It was a hot, humid Pride Sunday in Toronto which marked the Canadian debut of UK Remix Kings, Freemasons.  After having e-mailed back-and-forth for the past couple months to figure out the logistics of our meeting today, I could not mask my excitement of partaking in the Freemasons experience finally.  

The duo which hails from Brighton, are responsible for some major Dance Floor successes for acts like Beyoncé, Kelly Rowland, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Kylie Minogue, Whitney Houston and many, many more;  diverse and chameleon-like.  But Freemasons are not simply just Remixers.  They produce their own brand of Electro/Disco House in their own original material also.  They are comprised of Russell Small (of Phats & Small) and James Wiltshire, good friends who named themselves after a favourite Pub in their hometown.  

Unfortunately, due to a hectic Pride Week Touring schedule which has seen them travel to four different cities around the world this past week, Wiltshire opted out of this visit, instead focusing on moving his studio today.  Small though, was able to deliver a stellar experience from a Binder of CDs, entertaining a good turn-out of wet, Swimsuit-clad boys and girls at Dundas Square as part of Epic Weekend's Splash Bash.  Its Promoters have opted to introduce this party as an alternative to existing Pride Toronto festivities.  View photos I took from the event here.

EPIC WEEKEND'S SPLASH BASH AT DUNDAS SQUARE FEATURING FREEMASONS, SOFONDA COX AND GIRLICIOUS

Epic Weekend's Splash Bash was a viable alternative for those looking to celebrate Pride Weekend in Toronto. Ambitiously booking Dundas Square for the event proved to be a bit of a risk for party promoter Joseph Patrick, who had his work cut out for him in persuading party-goers to look outside the box of events "officially" affiliated with Pride Toronto.

Today's outdoor Water Party pulled-out the stops inviting UK DJs/Producers extraordinaire Freemasons who were making their debut appearance in these parts after conquering the world with remixes for the likes of Kelly Rowland, Kylie Minogue, Shakira, Beyoncé and many more. Also trio Girlicious were tapped to do a short performance, in addition to an always exciting performance from Toronto's most-consistently stellar Drag Queen: Sofonda Cox.

NEW MUSIC: SOPHIE ELLIS-BEXTOR - BITTERSWEET

Currently at work on her fourth studio album, Sophie Ellis-Bextor has teamed up again with my favourite UK production duo, Freemasons to deliver us this little bit of deliciousness.  The single is called Bittersweet and it is the first single from her still untitled album and Peter Robinson aka The Messiah of Pop, PopJustice's Song of the Day - a prestigious honour.  Ellis-Bextor did announce via her Twitter page last month that the album was to be called Make a Scene, but she latter announced that "it was not good enough!".

Although she has been focusing on motherhood of late, her new material is sounding stronger than ever, judging by her one-two punch of Heartbreak Make Me a Dancer and now this track.  My honest opinion is that Freemasons' sound is becoming a bit redundant, of late but nonetheless this is still great.  Ellis-Bextor's vocals more are a part of the experience rather than being front and center which may sound like a bad thing, but it works.  And I really love the little rhythmic homage to New Order's Blue Monday prior to the choruses.  This is likely a work-in-progress, thus it will be interesting to see what details will be added in the final cut.

Listen to Sophie Ellis-Bextor's new single Bittersweet (audio content owned by Fascination Records/Universal Music):

NEW MUSIC: SHAKIRA - GYPSPY (FREEMASONS RADIO MIX)

I'm not sure who's idea it was to not release Shakira's excellent She Wolf album worldwide simultaneously,  but I'm certain the people upstairs at Sony Music are kicking themselves right now.  Or maybe not considering this will be her last album anyway under the Epic imprint before transitioning to newly launched Live Nation.  I really, really had high expectations for that album but alas, it's been buried under the rubble after showing so much promise with its first single.  The songs were there definitely and Shakira is more than capable of delivering  in a live performance, believe me. 

With that being said, attentions have now been devoted to third single Gypsy, a track about the free spirit known as Shakira, expressed through guitars, sitars and string padding.  On the Freemasons Radio Mix of this track, some extra synth colouring is added in addition to new rhythmic elements.  The mix is atypical of the electro house mixes we are accustomed to from the UK duo but nonetheless, this is the version that should be delivered to radio.  The original album edit is perhaps too sparse.  It should find some degree of success in terms of airplay in the Hot Adult Contemporary format and may get some spins in the Top 40 format too.

Preview Shakira's Gypsy (Freemasons Radio Mix) below in full (courtesy of Sony Music):