House and it’s children, music of celebration. Few can attest to having witnessed, first hand, the evolution of “celebratory music" (let’s put it like that) for the past four decades… but Black Tulip founder Joseph Salvador has seen it all since it started. From the first summer of love during the hippie revolution to the acid house festivities in it’s second coming and up until the present moment, Salvador has been writing songs, tweaking knobs, patching cables, heating valves and welding circuits.

Since the first incarnation of TINK! Records in the late 80’s, Black Tulip has been Salvador’s pet project. It was created as a tribute to the great New York vibe, inspired in the spirit of the legendary Paradise Garage soundtrack and applying the principles passed on by the greats: Cheren & Levan, Sly & Robbie, Arthur Russel, Patrick Adams and, of course, François K… and it has survived, untouched, until today. Over many releases, Black Tulip has endured and advanced as a symbol of house and garage culture and it’s new release is an amazing accomplishment that attests to it’s author’s coherent vision of said “celebratory music”.

For Black Tulip’s most recent release, Salvador called young yet experienced producer Ka§par to aid him accomplish his vision for “Better Days”. Both conceptualised a common idea: the sound one could expect to hear in a would-be universe where the Garage was still rockin’ with Levan at it’s helm… with this in mind, they crafted the astonishing Portland dub. The result was a mid tempo, pulsating, african influenced arpeggio trip, with a super tense arrangement and filled with discrete jazz chords… To top it off, Inner Life front man and Prelude, De-Lite, Salsoul singer Wendell Morrison rips through the electronic backdrop with a huge vocal performance, singing Salvador’s mysteriously spiritual words against Ka§par’s tight tropical boogie bleeps. This means House music.

To complete the release, remix duties fell upon Social Disco Club who drives the track onto that place where classic rave meets deep house, for an amazing and long rendition where a bubbling 303 melts MPC beats, drenched in moist Juno atmospheres, possibly one of SDC’s most amazing remix moments in recent times. Japanese house expert Setsuo Morikawa turns the track on it’s head and manages to go all Strictly Rhythm on it, making a pure New Jersey jacker as if evoked from the mid 90’s, with sharp, clattering hats & snares, and deep as it gets bass… perfect floor material.
The 1990's original take was cut at the infamous Portland Sound Studio in Amsterdam with the original Black Tulip formation, Joseph Salvador, 'Groovemaster' Johnson, Rik Zwaan, Bob Pieck and Wendell Morrison on vocals and only released on a EMI/TINK! Records CD sampler Dance Cuts Vol. 1.