The new remix pack is a celebration of house music’s past, present, and future, with each producer bringing their unique style to Ultra Naté’s “HAPPY FEELING.”
Ultra Naté, the Baltimore-based dance music icon, has released an electrifying remix pack for her track “HAPPY FEELING,” featuring collaborations with producers Russell Small (of The Freemasons) and DNO P. The release is accompanied by a vibrant and energetic official video that perfectly captures the song’s upbeat, positive vibe.
This remix collection takes listeners on a journey through the rich history of house music, offering a diverse range of styles from 70s-inspired nu disco and 80s synth-pop to bass-heavy NYC underground sounds and main stage anthems. Contributors to this remix pack include Cevin Fisher, Les Bisous, Slowz, D’Angello & Francis, 808 BEACH, and Odyssey Inc.
Odyssey Inc.’s remix is a nod to vintage Giorgio Moroder, bringing a relentless, disco-infused energy to the track, while Slowz slows things down with a shimmering, 80s Miami-inspired pop version. 808 BEACH delivers a classic US House vibe, perfectly accentuating Ultra Naté’s powerful vocals. Les Bisous adds a touch of Summer disco flair with a French touch bassline, and D’Angello & Francis surprise with a more rave-based, BPM-heavy edit, perfect for fans of late 90s and early 00s hard house.
Cevin Fisher also makes a strong showing with two remixes that have already proven to be hits on Traxsource, with his deep house and tribal takes on the track. Rounding out the pack is the Original Club Mix, a favorite that originally launched the single.
DJ LIFE sat down with Ultra Naté to discuss “HAPPY FEELING,” the new remix pack, and much more, and this is how it went down….
DJ LIFE: What initially inspired you to pursue music?
Ultra Naté: I didn’t set out to pursue music actually, music found me quite accidentally when I discovered club culture in Baltimore. Through meeting the Basement Boys in that space, I started organically writing and recording raw demo ideas as a cool and creative hobby. The first demo turned into a first single (“It’s Over Now”) in 1989 and subsequent debut album (Blue Notes In The Basement) on Warner Brothers UK in 1990. I didn’t see any of it coming until it was all happening!
DJ LIFE: When did you know this was what you’d want to be doing for the rest of your life? If not this, then what?
Ultra Naté: After my second album One Woman’s Insanity in 1993 (produced by Nellee Hooper, D-Influence and The Basement Boys), I really got my head around the concept of being considered a professional songwriter, recording artist and entertainer. It was the end of my deal with Warner, as our second album came out with the US label, which was never a great idea, but was out of our control. Once that deal was over I had a very sobering new reality, but I could also clearly see that this creative outlet was something I really loved doing and dance culture was a scene I loved being a part of globally.
DJ LIFE: Who are some of your biggest influences? Top 3 collaborators?
Ultra Naté: Lenny Kravitz was a phenomenal collaboration, he played guitar on the song “Pretender” from my 4th album, Stranger Than Fiction (2001). It goes without saying how immensely talented he is, but he is exceptionally cool and easy-going in a way you would not expect from someone at his level. He is very giving and open to the sharing of ideas and building concepts together.
Working with D-Influence on multiple tracks and albums throughout my career has always been a very educational and fulfilling collaboration. Because they are a live band, the level of musicianship and approach is very different from producers who work strictly from the digital space. Not that one is any less talented than the other potentially, but it is a different feel.
One of my newest collaborations, which has yet to be released has been with Basement Jaxx recently, we had a six-hour day in London to get in the studio, write and record. In that short time frame, we built so many ideas with from the ground up with laser precision. Felix and Simon really gave a master class in co-writing!
DJ LIFE: Tell us some more about your new track “HAPPY FEELING” and how it first came about…
Ultra Naté: “HAPPY FEELING” was written during the pandemic lockdown, under dire circumstances in a bleak moment and is taken from my 10th album, ULTRA (2022) and ULTRA Deluxe (2023). There was so much angst and anxiety in the air/atmosphere, with the complete disruption of life as we knew it. As a creative, I anchored myself by writing and recording as much as possible. It became an anthemic collaboration with the talents of Russell Small (of Freemasons), DNO P, John “J-C” Carr and Inaya Day. The song comes from a vulnerable place, a desire for a moment of happiness in the mist of all that madness. “HAPPY FEELING“ is simply our basic need and desire to connect.
DJ LIFE: What can you share with us about the accompanying remixes and video?
Ultra Naté: My long-time label/management Peace Bisquit and I put together a really comprehensive remix package to suit the dance floors of today. From nu disco to upfront house with new versions by Cevin Fisher, Les Bisous, Odyssey Inc., D’Angello & Francis, 808 BEACH and Slowz. it’s all there to be discovered. Music moves so fast these days because of technology, however I feel we’ve given “HAPPY FEELING” every opportunity to grow on dance floors over the Summer months with this diverse package of remixes. It’s a slightly old school approach to the remix package with its variety.
I had an amazing time directing and co-producing the video with my team for “HAPPY FEELING, and working with my amazing DP Katie Simbala who is also from Baltimore; Nate Brown edited and Matyas Keleman handled post. I had a concept and put things in place to bring it to life in Miami. We shot a very colorful, upbeat clip that captures the energy of the song perfectly.
DJ LIFE: When you first got your start, what was the equipment you first learned on? What’s your current DJ setup consist of?
Ultra Naté: When I first started DJing back in 2003, it was with vinyl only, so it was Technic 1200s, and a Urie (rotary) mixer with a GSA ISO. As time went on and the necessity to convert to CDs (and eventually digital altogether), it became Pioneer 3K’s and a Pioneer V10 mixer, but I still love the sound & feel of rotary when the opportunity happens. At home, I play on my original set up (Urie & GSA Iso) with the CDJ units.
DJ LIFE: For production, what’s your DAW like? Is it your ideal studio? If not, what would your ideal studio consist of?
Ultra Naté: For at home pre-production I use a simple and streamlined set up consisting of a MAC laptop running LOGIC, a Neumann U87 condenser microphone, and Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 interface. An ideal studio is not so much about a physical space with lots of bells and whistles (although we love that), but the real secret sauce that makes my world light up is an amazing engineer. The studio experience can be the best vibe ever with whatever set up if you have a great engineer.
DJ LIFE: Can you tell us about your Deep Sugar parties in Baltimore?
Ultra Naté: Deep Sugar is my baby – it’s a party I created and have nurtured for 2 decades with an awesome crew of friends in Baltimore. It’s been my homebase and starting it back in 2003 provided me with a platform to learn my craft and flex my creative muscles in a different way. It’s always a celebration of house music from underground to disco and beyond. It’s a place to dance like nobody’s watching, to get lost in music with people from diverse backgrounds – who surprisingly are your tribe!
DJ LIFE: Beyond Baltimore, you’re taking the party to ADE and beyond. What do you have in store for the future of the event series?
Ultra Naté: I’ve taken Deep Sugar on the road for many years, with residencies in Miami, New York and LA before Covid. We’ve also done ADE previously in 2018 & 2019. The party was so well received, I would say it was an underground fave! Many have inquired if I would bring it back soon. Obviously Covid derailed so many things, but I’m finally ready to bring it back to ADE, because representation matters. As a self-contained, completely independent, Black female Artist & DJ (that has over three decades of skin in the game) I am an anomaly. My party is intimate. There are no lasers, giant LED screens or pyrotechnics. Those productions are absolutely great for big commercial shows, but Deep Sugar is not pre-programmed production, its main goal is real connection with the people.
DJ LIFE: Where do you envision yourself five years from now?
Ultra Naté: Ideally, I will have further grown and elevated my brand, my music, and my audience. But also beyond music I will have explored and flourished in other areas of the arts, possibly adjacent to making music but who knows! Recently hosted the 13 episode podcast, The History Of The World’s Greatest Nightclubs Executive Produced by Paris Hilton. That was a new and rewarding experience. I just want to keep evolving, keep walking through new doors and be fearless as I move through new opportunities.
