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12"
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BEWITH 024EP
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Two seminal 12" mixes of a pair of enormous tracks from Surface. French-only picture sleeve of the eternal "Falling In Love", backed with Be With's deconstructed mix of the swirling electronic soul/synth-driven slow jam "Happy". These sought-after versions have never been paired on the same record before. American post-disco/R&B trio Surface were a New Jersey vocal group made up of Bernard Jackson, David Townsend and David Conley. The majesty of boogie ballad "Falling In Love" was their first single, released in 1983 on Salsoul Records. The mellow magic of this track is loved the world over; it's a feel-good smooth boogie jam that's forever coveted. The slick, crystal clear beat, the legendary mini-Moog bassline, the melody, Karen Copeland's superb vocal, the great flute solo (referenced on the cover) all of it is literally perfect and beautifully encapsulates that mid 80s international club vibe. This here is the original Shep Pettibone mix in its entirety -- it's the only one you really need. Flip for the legendary "Love Mix" of 1987 hit single "Happy". You all know the original. At least, you should know it. But the "Love Mix" is a deconstructed, boldly produced mix which is the one the heads have turned to for so long. This killer remix begins with Jackson's spine-tingling isolated vocal, cleverly subverting expectations by actually delivering the first words of the original's second verse "You must be Heaven sent...Sent into my life...And I complement you baby...Baby" before a heavy 808 drum kicks hard with echoey handclaps. It's super sparse and a dubbed out slow-mo boogie banger like no other. The synth bass, atmospheric synth pads and synthesized flute glide in and out with effortless style and the whole thing is a wonder to behold. It's a slow jam, for sure, but crafted in the straight up funk tradition, using the digital tools of the day and this sparser than sparse version almost sounds like a precursor to UK Street Soul. A unique combination of undeniable funk, electro beats and an earnest, youthful tenor; it should be slamming out of every jeep forevermore.
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