Deep Groove Encyclopedia

Osunlade

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Revitalizing the sometimes stagnant New York deep house scene, Osunlade's music is rhythmically propulsive, soulful, and highly spiritual, not surprising considering he is a priest in the Yoruba religion of Ifa. With a background in soul music, Osunlade worked with Lauryn Hill and Patti Labelle before turning to house, the music of his childhood. After forming his record label, Yoruba, Osunlade quickly established a reputation for refreshing singles such as "Power to Conquer" and "Cantos A Ochun Et Oya."

As Yoruba's catalog developed a wider fan base, the venerable Soul Jazz label, most famous for their compilations, approached Osunlade about recording for them. Paradigm was one of the year's best albums and signalled a new height in Osunlade's career.

With appearances on many compilations and frequent remix requests, it's clear that Osunlade has struck a nerve with the dance community. By 2006, he had moved to Greece and released Aquarian Moon, a record that shows an even deeper appreciation for Latin and African influences.

His label site is www.yorubarecords.com.

Osunlade's Deepest Grooves

El Primer Ano (Yoruba, 2001)
Not credited as an Osunlade release, but he wrote and produced the songs on this retrospective of his label. Highlights include the popular singles "Power to Conquer," "The Closer I Get" and "Cantos a Ochun et Oya," presented in its Frankie Feliciano remix. "Ald eia de Ogum," with its walking bassline, is another monster. Think quality tribal, deep house that references the ancestors and you have the jist of this album.

Paradigm (Soul Jazz, 2001)
The first original artist release for Soul Jazz is worth the wait. Shades of African music, jazz, and soul mingle with his standard house flavor to produce a very satisfying disc. "The Deep" was one of the top singles of 2001.

"Tree of Life" (Versatile, 2001)

"I Might Do Something Wrong" - Tortured Soul (Central Park, 2001)

"Don't Change" - Erro (Z, 2002)
Virtually unobtainable at the time of its original 2001 release, Joey Negro picked it up for his label, thankfully leaving Osunlade's mix intact.

"An Invitation" - Home and Garden featuring Nkemdi (Central Park, 2002)
Featured remixes on this organic vocal shuffler.

"Diamant" (Isma'a, 2002)
Taken from the Creole Love Call compilation, Osunlade remixes this Marius Culthier tune with his trademark Afro style.

Offering (R2, 2004)

The Yoruba Soul Mixes (Rapster, 2004)
A selection of his treasured mixes for Tortured Soul, 4 Hero, Roy Ayers, and others.

Re-Offering (R2, 2005)

Aquarian Moon (BBE, 2006)
A departure from Paradigm, this laid-back affair reflects Osunlade's interest in global grooves and indicates startling growth for the producer.