Audio By Carbonatix
When talking about Miami house, Murk is a name that reigns supreme.
The seminal DJ-production duo of Oscar Gaetan and Ralph Falcon not only put Miami on the house music map in the early ’90s, but they also cut some of the biggest house classics, period.
But what is Miami house? Does the 305 house scene actually have a homegrown sound of its own? “I think it means a lot of things to a lot of people, but mostly means nothing at all,” Oscar G tells Crossfade.
“I think there was a time when Miami house meant a certain drum-heavy sound that I made popular while playing for many years at Space. That set off a bit of a movement among local DJs and producers, musically.”
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“Currently, there is not that type of cohesiveness in the local scene. There is mostly more mainstream sounding DJs playing a more run-of-the-mill sound.
“On the other hand, local artists have turned away from that and developing their own alternative styles. I think this has led to a more diverse Miami House music scene but a less-defined sound.
“You have guys like Robbie Rivera and Cedric Gervais doing big things with their more pop-friendly vibe. You also have guys like Lazaro Casanova, Danny Daze, Jesse Perez, and Hectik Rivero doing great stuff on a deeper tip. Then Patrick M, Edgar V, DMS12 and Cocodrills are doing it on the tech-house side. I could go on and on. Diversity is good!”
Now, Oscar G’s new Beat long-player on Nervous Records isn’t going to settle the debate over what constitutes Miami house. But with its deep jacking grooves and sultry vocal hooks, the album definitely won’t disappoint fans of the Murk man. From big-room vocal anthems like “Fallin'” featuring Adaja Black to deeper underground cuts like “Play U Out” featuring Miami’s Lazaro Casanova, it showcases Oscar G’s expert command of any dancefloor.
“I approached this album as if I were programming a DJ set, the difference being I would create every song to fit within that set,” Oscar explains. “I really enjoyed the challenge of writing new music with a certain goal in mind. I feel it is a much more personal album for me, but still reflects what I do as a DJ.”
Buy: Oscar G’s Beats LP
Oscar G. Friday, June 8. Mekka, 950 NE Second Ave., Miami. The party starts at 10 p.m. Call 305-371-3773 or visit mekkamiami.com.
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