Paris DJs Best Of 2012 Singles

This selection of the best singles of the year 2012 was not an easy one to aggregate... Well a list is a list. You might not be surprised to find in there Adrian Quesada (Brownout, The Echocentrics), Grant Phabao (Franck Biyong, The Lone Ranger, Grant Phabao Afrofunk Arkestra), Marco Benevento, The Budos Band or Ticklah - who have all been heavily featured on Paris DJs along the years. 2012 Discoveries include Algiers, Andrew Ashong, Chico Trujillo, Lukid and Zulu Guru, who all delivered something really different than the norm. And finally labels such as Colemine, Counter, HopeStreet Recordings or Truth & Soul have kept on delivering old school grooves with perfection in mind.
Paris DJs Best Of 2012 Singles
Paris DJs - Best Of 2012 - The Singles

Algiers - Blood (Double Phantom) video | buy
An experimental music trio combining elements of gospel, spirituals, noise, soul & rock, conjuring the dead sound to life. We're eagerly awaiting the follow-up to this first single!
-> played in Bag of Goodies Vol.5




Andrew Ashong - Flowers feat. Theo Parrish (Sound Signature) info | buy
Ghana-based singer/songwriter Andrew Ashong enlists the help of Detroit techno/Chicago sound sculptor Theo Parrish for this romantic beats and soulful ballad
-> played in Blues Ain't Nothin' But A Low-Down Shakin' Chill




Brownout - Flaximus / I Won't Lie (Kept Records) info | buy
Killer Budos Band-like-hard-hitting latin-funk-rock-psych monster with an utterly soulful funk ballad on the flip! Expect a Grant Phabao remix of 'I Won't Lie' for 2013…
-> played in Bag of Goodies Vol.6




Franck Biyong & The Diamane Bantu Messengers - C.F.A. Music (Paris DJs) info | buy
Swala Emati, singer for ©© Les Frères Smith, balances with class the deep growls of Franck Biyong on a classic Afrolectric beat, fusing Afrobeat with Blaxploitation Funk




Grant Phabao Afrofunk Arkestra - Ogun feat. Franck Biyong, Nicolas Baudino, Zakari Frantz (Volcom Ent./Electric Cowbell/Paris DJs) info | buy
With heavy heavy Afrofunk breaks and horns slabs, the dancefloor stormer Ogun by the Grant Phabao Afrofunk Arkestra has already been ravaging the clubbers heads & feets every time it's been tested on the floor.
> played in 21st Century Afro Spectacular Vol.2




Grant Phabao & The Lone Ranger - Usain Bolt The Puma (Paris DJs)
info | buy
The song starts on a killer chorus hook before slipping into an unstoppable flow of no less surprising verses, filled with wiki-accuracy, wicked rhymes and dynamic rub-a-dub gimmicks. The reggae groove itself is relentless, tight and bumpy, like 70s Jamaica sounding heavy.




Chico Trujillo - El Gran Pecador (Electric Cowbell) info | buy
Watch the dancefloor go crazy with Chico Trujillo's unique & heavy blend of Balkanese Cumbia party tunes - Gran Pecador, is just massive, a singalong monster for all kinds of open-minded bars and clubs!
> played in Bag Of Goodies Vol.12




Courtney John - Born To Fly (Liondub45) info | buy
Another killer and addictive vintage roots production from NYC producer Ticklah, featuring Jamaican sweet & soulful singer Courtney John on falsetto vocals.




Il Carbonaro - High Noon (Colemine) info | buy
You'll recognize instantly the Peplum dub-funk sound of The Budos Band on this amazing 45, the second single from the forthcoming 'Postales' soundtrack.




Jungle Fire ‎- Comencemos / Tokuta (Colemine) info | buy
A killer afrofunk 45 which we played over and over in our sets and mixes, and which includes a cover of Fela Anikulapu Kuti's "Let's Start". Can't wait for the album from these cats!
> played in 21st Century Afro Spectacular Vol.2




Lady - Money (Truth & Soul) info | buy
This over-addictive classy new Truth & Soul single is a hit everywhere and might go as big as 'I Need A Dollar'….
> played in One Last Bag Of Goodies For The Road




Liam Bailey - Please Love Me (Truth & Soul) info | buy
The follow-up to the amazing reggae soul of '‪When Will They Learn‬' is an uptempo soul track with a country twist that sounds like the musical lovechild of Curtis Mayfield and Waylon Jennings.
> played in Bag Of Goodies Vol.12




Lukid - Bless My Heart (Werkdiscs) info | buy
Lukid amazes with his soulful/ambient electronic pop, the first track from his new album 'Lonely At The Top' is a timeless 21st century blues gem.
-> played in Blues Ain't Nothin' But A Low-Down Shakin' Chill




Marco Benevento - This Is How It Goes (The Royal Potato Family) info | buy
A pastoral psych folk sing along beauty, ethereal and trippy, extremely delicate and the first glimpse into the new direction Marco Benevento might be taking for his next long player
> check our 45mn mixed introduction to Marco Benevento's music which omits this single




Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars - Mother In Law (Cumbancha) info | buy
A massive afro-soca single produced by Ticklah, just like the whole album which is a sophisticated affair of purely refined 21st Century Afro-Carribean music… but the single is the one making everyone jump!
> played in 21st Century Afro Spectacular Vol.2




The Cactus Channel - Emanuel Ciccolini (HopeStreet) info | buy
A monster high-octane bassy funk tune which opens a funky as hell, while catchy and melodious as candy fabulous instrumental funk album.
> played in The Friday Night Session mix




The Echocentrics feat. Grant Phabao - The Echocentrics Remixes (Ubiquity) info | buy
Heavy qualiy dub and ska remixes of Adrian Quesada's psychedelic latin funk project The Echocentrics, coupled with an unreleased track and some digital bonus dubstepish remixes

-> played in Blues Ain't Nothin' But A Low-Down Shakin' Chill




The Heavy - What Makes A Good Man (Counter) info | buy
An indie-rock meets gospel soul masterpiece.
-> played in Bag of Goodies Vol.8




Tom Jones - Evil (Third Man) info | buy
Mr. Jones laying his unmistakable voice over Howlin' Wolf's "Evil" and the Frankie Lane classic "Jezebel", both produced by Jack White at Third Man studios!
> played in Bag of Goodies Vol.7 and Beyond Radio & Pop-Flavoured Covers




Zulu Guru (Jesse Boykins III & MeLo-X) - The Perfect Blues (Ninja Tune) info | buy
Singer/songwriter Jesse Boykins III and producer/emcee Melo-X join forces as Zulu Guru, bringing together a new electronic sound rooted in soul and blues. Their second single is killer 21st century melodrama, and the Jacques Greene deep house take of the same track is the thing too!
-> played in Blues Ain't Nothin' But A Low-Down Shakin' Chill


Original post on Paris DJs