Ashley Thomas returns fresh from a string of gigs across Europe, and follows up the critical success of his debut album on Wah Wah 45s, A Tale Of Two Cities, with four exquisite remixes. The recently retired Domu delivers a stunning four to the floor house rework of the life affirming Let It Bloom, with a very handy dub version to boot; label mates Part Time Heroes turn out a seductive Moodymann style remix of the ballad Would You Cry; and the man himself reinterprets his mid tempo shuffler Maybe Is Maybe into a synth driven dance floor destroyer.
Vinyl copies are strictly limited on this one, so don’t sleep!!
www.myspace.com/ashleythomasuk
Reactions
The PTH Remix is supa! Will play in the show. Michael Ruetten (Compost Radio Show)
Really getting into this one. Very 1985 Boogie rather than house, if you know what i mean! Adrian Gibson (Freestyle Records)
Nice mixes! Kev Beadle (Solar Radio)
I love all the tracks, especially the beautiful uplifting Domu remix! The album is still a favourite, I have to listen to it every week! The same goes to Scrimshire album, which keeps growing with every listen. DJ Keyser (Crate Soul Brothers, Budapest)
A truly excellent selection of mixes. PTH remix was played on the show a few weeks ago and the Domu re-work will defo feature on next week’s basic soul show!! Simon Harrison, Basic Soul
PTH remix is my fave of this package. Really strong remix! Well done! Gerd (4Lux, Holland)
A good set of remixes all round. Sammy Goulbourne (The Other Side Radio Show, Birmingham)
Absolutely fantastic remix EP!! Domu did a great massive house bomb of Let It Bloom. Really do like it so much!! My absolutely fave one is the remix by Part Time Heroes. I am really feeling it. So lovely and deep. Big up for this!! Will play it out for sure !!! Markus Milz (Further In Fusion)
Great set of tracks starting with two good house offerings Let it Bloom,prefer the vocal personally and when does DOMU fail to produce the goods.
Then we get PTH mix of Would you cry which is spot on with a great vocal, with the Nicola Conte (which cannot be a bad thing) backing rift which flows so well 6minutes 20 seconds is gone.
My personal favorite comes last Maybe is maybe which has a great funk tinged vocal house that with pitch adjustment could be carried to a number of discerning dance floor punters.
Shall be giving these an airing on my radio show over the coming weeks. DJ Abbo (Starpoint Radio)
I am a big fan of Ashley and these new mixes are banging! Love them all. Cant pick a favourite. A great release! Greg Clifford (Son Of Soul)
Ashley Thomas / Would You Cry (Part Time Heroes Remix) : Great vocal, love the keys in this as well, very smooth. I will play on a future show. (8/10)
Ashley Thomas / Maybe is Maybe (Ashley Thomas Remix) : Awesome! I’m going to open up my show with this track this week! Well arranged and produced, excellent work! 320 definitely makes a difference especially on that awesome key solo! (9/10)
Ashley Thomas / Let it Bloom (Domu House Mix) : Nice African and Latin house vibe with a very catchy chorus / chanting. Very bouncy great work. (8/10)
Ashley Thomas / Let it Bloom (Domu House Mix) : Wicked stuff from Domu! Glad kept the chanting, some dubs just sound like instrumentals, this ones perfect. Will use this on a future show. (8/10) DJ Neilto
Let it bloom (House mix): a beautiful track that gets better and better with every ear I give it.
Would you cry (PTH remix): The melancholy in Ashleys voice makes would you cry an outstanding song, cool, mellow and melancholic seems to be a perfect combination. The production is perfect, nothing more nothing less.
Maybe is maybe (AT remix): A bit more funky than the two tunes above with its breakdowns in the right place to be. This one one is massive, tie your shoelaces, move on down to the floor and shake it, shake it good!!
Georgios Paraglou (Guosto Records, Greece)
Reactions to A Tale Of Two Cities
Album of the Week! Gilles Peterson (J Wave, Japan)
Has everything from jazz to latin to funk. But above all is dripping with quality soul. Superb! The Craig Charles Funk And Soul Show. BBC 6Music. (playlisted)