Underground Sound of the Miami Music Conference

by Azuli Records

Azuli Presents Miami 2005, the fifth in their annual series and the definitive Miami compilation.

Ah… quinquennium, quinquennia: as excuses for a celebration go, this birthday is as good a start as any ? so welcome to Azuli Presents Miami 2005, the fifth in our annual series and the definitive Miami compilation. We can hardly believe it ourselves but since it first blinked its innocent eyes in the year 2000 (when the inevitable copycat compilations weren?t even a glint in any other record label a&r?s roster) we have fearlessly singed our psyche (and signed a lot of cheques) in order to bring you a double CD jam-packed with what?s hot in underground dance music according to the gospel of the Miami Winter Music Conference. Why? Because we have always felt that it ? and you ? are worth it!

Since the beginning we?ve adopted a sleeves-up, hands-on approach and have clubbed, schmoozed and burnt ourselves to death, braving blistering showcases outdoor in the Floridian heat and indulging in more clubbing marathons than Paula Radcliffe could train for in order to bag fledgling international hits, cult underground goodies and club classics from the world over. If that sounds a little egocentric, Madison Avenue?s ?Don?t Call Me Baby? (2000), Aztec Mystic?s unforgettable ?Jaguar? (2000), Ministers De La Funk?s euphoric ?Believe? (2000) and Joey Negro?s chart- topping ?Must Be the Music? (2000) opened the batting. Thus our series was born.

Not content to sit on our lobster derrieres, 2001?s CD was home to such seminal club tracks as KOT?s ?Finally?, Static Revenger?s ?Happy Music?, Bel Amour?s ?Bel Amour? and Sputnik?s vibratory ?Stylus Trouble?. In 2002 we saw off all other contenders again by opening with Xpress 2 and David Byrne?s chart dominating ?Lazy?, Shakedown?s glorious ?At Night?, Josh One?s depth-defying? Contemplation? and Chicken Lips? blazing ?He Not In?, whilst 2003 was another vintage year with Lee-Cabrera?s unfeasibly large ?Shake it?, E-Funk?s hugely popular ?Shout? and Louie Vega and Julie McKnight?s gorgeous ?Diamond Life?. Last year we delivered another great vintage by featuring the full-bodied, sweat-fests that were Martin Solveig?s ?Rocking Music?, Neruda?s haunting ?West Ghost?, Morillo, Romero and Nunez?s outrageous ?Dancin?, Danny Howells? ?From Dusk Till Dawn? and Dennis Ferrer?s sublime ?Sandcastles? (since licensed by Defected).

For our next storming term in office we?ve sexed up our cabinet, filling it with major players old and new: Mylo (DJ Magazine?s Star of 2004) brings the electro-dynamo that is ?Destroy Rock and Roll?, Tiefschwarz go out and out Belgian electro bonkers with ?Issst? whilst there are mainstream moments from C64, Rachael Starr and Scape featuring D?Empress amongst others. The underground bubbles and boils over like a shameless love volcano thanks to Dylan Rhymes? ?Salty?, Sander Kleinenberg?s twisted ditty ? Fruit? and Linus Loves? meaty and beaty ?Night Music?. These ? amongst many others – are the reasons why we truly are the first among equals.

Now in its 20th year, the Miami Winter Music Conference is revered as an ?institution? by those in the know and has been more recently recognised by the media worldwide as a hugely important, yet mental kind of dance institution that tirelessly breaks new dj?s, new producers, new parties, new sounds and has its finger firmly on the pulse of tomorrow?s hits. The millions who, in those fleeting 20 years, have passed through the security on both sides of Miami International Airport because they believed, and still believe in its relevance can?t be wrong. Nor were we wrong in creating a series that annually flicks the ?v? at the doubters and shouters in order to represent the vibe of a conference so fast moving that it makes even the future look old-fashioned. Nor are you wrong for supporting us and for that, we thank you.

‘1000 Years’ – Jupiter Ace
  • Windows Media
  • Real Player
‘Love On My Mind (King Unique Vocal Mix)’ – Freemasons
  • Windows Media
  • Real Player
‘The Fruit (Tom Novy Remix)’ – Sander Kleinenberg
  • Windows Media
  • Real Player
‘Geht?s Noch?’ – Roman Flugel
  • Windows Media
  • Real Player

  • Underground Sound of the Miami Music Conference
  • by Azuli Records
  • Published on April 1st, 2005

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