Party Groove: Winter Party Volume 8

Mixed by DJ Roland Belmares

For many gay men, it’s all about being able to sing along. With every song on this album coupling vocals with high-energy rhythms, it’s an ideal mix for getting your groove on! This US release hit the stores in back in March, but I definitely think it’s worth checking out if you haven’t already.

Mixing feelings of wonder and exhilaration, “How Can I Be Falling” became an instant favorite for me. “SongBird” has a sad but majestic beauty to it, while “The Message” has a little bit of advice that every one of us could use. There wasn’t a single track I didn’t like, so this continuous mix made for a very enjoyable 70 minutes.

The CD stems from the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force’s annual Winter Party Festival in Miami Beach – an event poised to solidify itself as one of America’s top fundraising events of the year. DJ Roland Belmares describes his new mix as an uplifting journey and admits that he favors keeping the energy level high while weaving in familiar tones.

Party Groove: Fireball Volume 3

Mixed by DJ Paulo

This album immediately struck me as being a lot darker and more trance-like than Winter Party. High-powered tribal dance is what DJ Paulo is known for bringing to his venues. Personally I find rhythm without melody comparable to motion without emotion, but I’m sure there are lots of people out there who will find the songs to their liking.

Some tracks are purely rhythm, while others have spoken lyrics. I found “U Ain’t That Good” and “He Gives More” to be my favorites simply because they are more melodic than the majority of others.

Sales of this CD benefit Chicago’s Hearts Foundation, a not-for-profit group supporting fundraising efforts for Chicago’s GLBT community and HIV/AIDS service organizations. More information is available at www.thefireball.com.

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