Review: Antonio launched his own label Tribal Winds all the way back in 1998 so big up to him for still serving up new releases over a quarter of a century later. This one is a killer, too - a worldly melange of influences from house to Afro, disco to funk. 'Nibakhulu' kicks off with a hefty tribal feel then 'Ashe' (feat Morris Revy) gets more percussive. 'The Old Ones' (feat Taola) rides on funky drum patterns with lush string sounds and big claps powering it along and last of all 'Africa Me Llama' (feat Ziphezinhle Celeste) comes with fresh percussive patter and jumbled drum funk. Each of the tunes gets a side each to play out and really make its mark.
Review: Antonio Ocasio's latest outing for his own Tribal Winds imprint is yet another characteristic Afro-Latin groove swang. As ever, Ocasio infuses the mixable quantic calcines of deep house with the live instrumentation endemic to much Afro-Cuban music, producing a solid straddling of danceability and naturalism. A1 'Afro Beat Forever' does its utmost to inspire the potency of the Afrobeat genre, stepping up the default tempo to a solid 120ish while fervent "hey" shouts and unhurried horns embellish the mix; while, in equal measure, does the inverse 'Boleka', featuring respective vocalist and producer Toshi and Jephte Guillaume, work in the vivid vocals, cosmic guitar solos and diatonic chords that only a true lounge-grounded groove could muster.
Review: Antonio Ocasio is a spiritual house veteran truly embedded in the story of NYC house music since he minted the Tribal Winds label in 1998. There were a few years where things went quiet, but Ocasio has been back in action in 2023 and swiftly following up the Soulciety Music Series release with this stunning 12". On the A-side we get Sugah Lyrics offering her hushed, poetic vocal tones amidst the rolling percussion and dreamlike synth work of 'Sacred Tones'. The flip takes a different path as a mellow, soulful composition lays the groundwork for Nina Hadz Antich's sweet singing on 'That Something', once again affirming Ocasio's gifts as a songwriter and producer as well as an NYC deep house staple.
Antonio Ocasio & Coflo - "Protecting My Peace" (7:44)
Antonio Ocasio & Cee Elasssaad - "Agbara" (6:44)
Review: Although nowhere near as celebrated has his New York contemporary Joaquin "Joe" Clausell, Antonio Ocasio has been offering up spiritually enriching house music on the Tribal Winds label since the late 1990s. Here he debuts the Soulciety Music Series via a 12" containing two ear-catching collaborations. COFLO lends a hand on A-side 'Protecting My Piece', a fine slab of synth bass-propelled spiritual house piled high with Latin percussion, elongated synth solos, dreamy pads and addictive piano hooks. Cee Elesssad joins Ocasio in the studio for B-side 'Agbara', a deliciously positive, sun-soaked number that adds excitable, jammed-out organ solos to a rubbery and life-affirming piano-house groove
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