17/12/2024
In the early 2000s, fresh off the buzz of I Pray climbing the ARIA charts, I found myself connected to Australia once again—this time through John Course and Vicious Music/Cosmetic Records. Vicious, the label behind global hits like Madison Avenue’s Don’t Call Me Baby, had a sharp ear for cutting-edge house music. The project? A remix for Melbourne’s Tony and Ben Crea, two DJs of Italian heritage, who, under the name Djeep, had crafted a house track featuring vocal samples from Australian singer Freddy Hemara. 🚀🚀
For the first version — the Mescaline Dub —I used a sax solo I had previously recorded but never released. It wasn’t just a random addition; it was the missing piece. The name “Mescaline” came from my production company at the time, a name I chose for its visionary spirit—music that goes beyond trends, hypnotic and immersive by nature. The rolling groove of the sax, the bassline, and the subtle guitar riff gave the dub mix a raw, deep energy that pulled the listener in with every beat. 🎷🎷
The label loved it so much and they came back asking for a second version. This time, I collaborated with the legendary Orlando Johnson, the American vocalist behind classics like Chocolate City, Turn The Music Up and I Say Yeah who had been living in Italy for years. Together, we completely reimagined the track—writing a verse and a bridge that elevated it into a full Deep Vocal version. The soulful energy of Orlando’s voice merged perfectly with the original groove, giving the remix a new life and a timeless feel. 🫠🫠
The result? Two versions, two stories—one journey. The deep vocal mix didn’t just make waves in Australia; it crossed oceans, landing on Roger Sanchez’s iconic Release Yourself Vol.7 compilation and David Piccioni’s Azuli Miami 2003. Back then, these compilations were more than releases — they were cultural benchmarks, capturing the evolution and energy of house music at its finest. 🪄🪄
Both versions stand as proof of what happens when creativity, collaboration, and instinct align: a sound that transcends time, speaks to dance floors, and connects the dots between continents. 🇦🇺🇮🇹🇬🇧🇺🇸
