Defected (Defected in general)

Member Name: samredmore

Product:	Defected in general
Date:	13/07/01 (467 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Excellent tracks, Good price

Disadvantages: None

In recent years, many of the best house tracks produced have been released on 'Defected'. Boasting tracks such as ATFC - "In & Out Of My Life", Bob Sinclair - "I Feel For You" and Roger Sanchez - "Another Chance", it is easy to see why Defected are rapidly developing into the biggest and best record label producing good quality house tracks.

It all started back in January 1999, when Defected's first track, Soul Searcher's "Can't Get Enough", was a success in the UK singles chart. This was followed up by the more underground track "Everybody Get Up", by Capriccio. The next single to be brought out on Defected was another chart success. Powerhouse, accompanied by the vocal talent of Duane Harden, whose popularity had been boosted by the recent success of Armand Van Helden's "You Don't Know Me", was a good blend of powerful vocals and a catchy piano riff. At this point, it was already becoming clear why Defected's reputation was quickly rising as they released more and more tracks of excellent quality.

In amongst the releases of less known tracks from Phunkie Souls and PJ, was another commercial success; Masters At Work presents India - "To Be In Love". Although this track turned out to be one of most successful tracks of the year, it was their next release, "Get Get Down" by Paul Johnson, which, up until recently, was Defected's most successful chart hit. Personally I do not like "Get Get Down" and find it to be one of Defected's weakest and most annoying tracks, but obviously many people did like it as is shown from the heights to which it scaled the UK singles chart.

Following up the success of Paul Johnson, Defected released what I consider to be one of the best funky house tracks I know of. With an instrumental sample from Fatboy Slim's "Right Here, Right Now" and a vocal sample of Adeva's &
quot;In & Out Of My Life", ATFC presents OnePhatDeeva "In & Out Of My Life" went on to become one of the anthems of '99.

Further releases of more underground tracks including the likes of Eddie Amador, Fatty Acid, Astrotrax and King Unique further contributed in expanding Defected's already impressive back catalogue of records.

Ministers De La Funk's "Believe", Soul Searcher's follow up to "Can't Get Enough", "Do It To Me Again" and tracks by Crystal Clear and AWA Band were all released before one of the biggest tunes of last year came out, "I Feel For You", by Bob Sinclair. The track hit high in the charts and was heard throughout the summer at many of the clubs in the dance capital of the world, Ibiza.

Following up the success of "In & Out Of My Life", ATFC / OnePhatDeeva's next offering came in the form of "Bad Habit", which was more of the same formula that made "In & Out Of My Life" so successful. With strong vocals by Lisa Millet and a good tune, "Bad Habit" was a more than worthy follow up to "In & Out Of My Life".

Underground hits for Olav Basoski's "Opium Scumbagz" and (the somewhat poor) "Sunday Shoutin" by Johnny Corporate were next on Defected's agenda with Loleatta Holloway's "Dreamin" soon to follow. The vocal from "Dreamin" is a sample of Loleatta Holloway from 1978, and is backed up by a very lively, uplifting tune.

Junior Jack with "My Feeling" and Hatiras with "Spaced Invader" both went on to be very successful tracks, receiving a fair amount of airplay on the radio.

Cleptomaniacs, Bob Sinclair and Astrotrax all then had tracks released on Defected.
With the exception of Warren Clarke's "Over You", most of Defected's recent releases stayed as very underground tracks, however,
their latest release turned out to be Defected's biggest chart success so far.

On July 8th 2001, Roger Sanchez's "Another Chance" went straight in at number 1 in the UK singles chart, holding off competition from the likes of Wheatus and Hearsay. I think "Another Chance" is Defected's best release to date, which makes it fitting that it is also the one which has had the most chart success as well.


Full list of all Defected releases :-

Soul Searcher - "Can't Get Enough"
Capriccio - "Everybody Get Up"
Powerhouse - "What You Need"
Phunkie Souls - "Tha Music"
Masters At Work - "To Be In Love"
PJ - "Happy Days"
Paul Johnson - "Get Get Down"
ATFC / OnePhatDeeva - "In & Put Of My Life"
Eddie Amador - "Rise"
Choo Choo Project - "Hazin & Phazin"
Fatty Acid - "Fatty Acid EP"
King Unique - "King Unique EP"
Astrotrax - "It's Over"
Ministers De La Funk - "Believe"
Soul Searcher - "Do It To Me Again"
Crystal Clear - "Live Your Life"
AWA Band - "Timba"
Bob Sinclair - "I Feel For You"
ATFC / OnePhatDeeva - "Bad Habit"
Olav Basoski - "Opium Scumbagz"
Johnny Corporate - "Sunday Shoutin"
Loleatta Holloway - "Dreamin"
King Unique - "Love Is What You Need"
Junior Jack - "My Feeling"
Hatiras - "Spaced Invader"
Cleptomaniacs - "All I Do"
Astrotrax - "The Energy"
Bob Sinclair - "Darlin"
J. Majik - "Love Is Not A Game"
Mr G - "Lights EP"
Warren Clarke - "Over You"
DJ Phenix - "Voices"
Roger Sanchez - "Another Chance"


When Defected release a track, there ar
e two versions available, each with different mixes of the track on them. A double pack is then released which consists of both versions of the single. This is helpful in tracking down the correct mix of the track and also gives you more variations on the track as some mixes can be very different from each other.


As well as records being released on Defected, records are now being released on Defected's sister label, 'Fluential'.
Fluential is a label concentrating on bringing in new talent and allowing established producers make records under a different name, perhaps with a different style. Fluential aims to bring out quality underground hits, without necessarily being a success in the charts.
Artists to have had records released on Fluential include Soul Vision (a.k.a Sandy Rivera & Jose Burgos) and Cleptomaniacs (a.k.a Soul Searcher).


Full list of Fluential releases :-

Soul Vision - "Don't Stop"
Cleptomaniacs - "Time Out For Love"
DJ Phenix - "Do You Love Me"
Knee Deep - "Can We Really Do This"
Secret Souls - "Colours EP"
First Choice - "The Player"
Soul Vision - "You've Been On My Mind"
Annette Taylor - "Faith"
Deep Sensation - "Somehow, Somewhere (There's A Soul Heaven)"
Knee Deep - "I'll Be There For You"


Defected is not a record label that only produces singles. Here is a list of albums / compilations released on Defected with, in my opinion, a few of the best tracks off the album listed below it :-

VARIOUS - "SOUL HEAVEN"
Includes :-
Dajae - "Everyday Of My Life"
Loleatta Holloway - "Dreamin"
Masters At Work - "To Be In Love"

VARIOUS - "DEFCOM1"
Includes :-
Eddie Amador - "Rise"
ATFC / OnePhatDeeva - "In & Out Of My Life&qu
ot;
Soul Searcher - "Can't Get Enough"

VARIOUS - "DEFCOM2"
Includes :-
ATFC / OnePhatDeeva - "Bad Habit"
Ministers De La Funk - "Believe"
Junior Jack - "My Feeling"

BOB SINCLAIR - "CHAMPS ELYSEES"
Includes :-
"I Feel For You"
"Darlin"

VARIOUS - "INDEPENDANCE"
Includes :-
Soul Vision - "You've Been On My Mind"
Bob Sinclair - "I Feel For You"
Astrotrax - "The Energy"

VARIOUS - "SUBLIMINAL SESSIONS / SESSIONS 10"
Includes :-
CZR - "I Want You"
Joey Negro - "Must Be The Music"
Danny Tenaglia - "Music Is The Answer"

VARIOUS - "SESSIONS 11"
Includes :-
Spiller - "Groovejet"
Simon - "Free At Last"

VARIOUS - "SESSIONS 12 : THE MAGIC SESSIONS"
Includes :-
Gypsy Man - "Barbarabatiri"
Kings Of Tomorrow - "Finally"
Warren Clarke - "Over You"


One of the best aspects about Defected, as a record label, is that every once in a while, they release a collection of accapellas of recent Defected and Fluential releases, which can be a very useful as a DJ tool to add an extra dimension to your set.
For those of you who do not know what an accapella is, I will explain it to you. For those of you who do know what one is and doesn't want to have to read an explanation of them, I suggest you move down to the next paragraph. Anyway, an acapella is the vocal from a track on its own, without any beat, instruments or anything else. This can be useful to play over the top of an instrumental track, to give it more effect and add something to it.
Each collection of accapellas usually consists of between 8 and 12 acapellas on the record.
Here is a list of the available accapellas, wit
h the best ones off each individual collection listed below them :-

DEFECTED ACCAPELLAS : VOL. 1
Includes :-
ATFC / OnePhatDeeva - "Bad Habit"
Astrotrax - "The Energy (Feel The Vibe)"
ATFC / OnePhatDeeva - "In & Out Of My Life"

DEFECTED ACCAPELLAS : VOL. 2
Includes :-
Bob Sinclair - "I Feel For You"
The Committee - "Scream & Shout"

DEFECTED ACCAPELLAS : VOL. 3
Includes :-
Loleatta Holloway - "Dreamin"
Masters At Work - "To Be In Love"
Eddie Amador - "Rise"

DEFECTED ACCAPELLAS : VOL. 4
Includes :-
Junior Jack - "My Feeling"
Hatiras - "Spaced Invader"
Soul Vision - "You've Been On My Mind"

DEFECTED ACCAPELLAS : VOL. 5
Includes :-
Warren Clarke - "Over You"
Bob Sinclair - "Darlin"
Knee Deep - "I'll Be There For You"


With excellent quality tracks being released at a good price (Defected tracks are usually released at £2.99 as opposed to £3.99 for most record labels), regular accapella compilations released and albums coming out through Defected, I really cannot find anything whatsoever to fault them on.
With tracks such as "Finally" by Kings Of Tomorrow to be released in the future, I can only see Defected becoming even better as it grows in size and reputation.

Summary: