Back catalogue: All genres

Review: The Balearic Sessions is a new series of releases from disco and house king Dimitri From Paris. Each one finds the legendary French artist dig into his vaults to turn out some of his most Balearic edits and remixes. This second instalment opens with a smoky Chicago house groove run through with steamy French vocals. Midi V's 'Belle Comme Isabelle' is brilliantly old school with more great French vocals sounding superbly libidinous and some fine key solos, then there's Latin deep house on 'Kaoma' and wonderfully native melodies on the Afro-tinged 'Kassav.'

Review: Bjorn Wagner's all-star tropical disco band, Magic Source, loves a cover version. The outfit's first EP boasted, as a bonus cut, a superb (and colourful) take on Tom Tom Club's 'Genius of Love'. On this belated sequel, they've gone one better by re-inventing A Guy Called Gerald's pioneering UK house classic 'Voodoo Ray' as a driving, all-live tropical disco jam. It's cleverly done, with all the key elements being replicated, sometimes in canny ways (the acid lines now become Clavinet lines, the synth-bass is now bass guitar, and so on). It's a fantastic cover all told and one that is far more than a smile-inducing novelty. Also superb is flip-side 'Interplanetary Bounce', a spacey jazz-funk/disco fusion cut rich in fuzzy horns, vintage synth sounds and shuffling drums.

Review: Bars on the French Riviera, beaches in Cannes, hot sunny weather, mesmerising deep-blue seas and lovely leafy palm trees all come to mind once you drouth need on this latest 12" slice heat from Favourite France. Magic Source do a great job of musical transportation here particularly with 'Genius of Love' which is a riff on the Tam Tam girls classic. The tropical island beats and funky bass riffs all douse you in good vibes while a lead flute takes your mind up, up and away into a cloudless sky. 'Riviera Drive' is slight more dance effort ready with its rump-wiggling trumpets, exotic synths and Balearic disco vibes.

Review: Franck Biyong is a Cameroonese musician, composer and singer. As leader of the band Massak and creator of the 'Afrolectric' sound (a fusion of afrobeat, electro-funk and avant-garde Jazz), he has recorded, toured and performed constantly ever since 1997 to bring his musical vision to western audiences. Here Biyong gives us a timeless song that has both political, spiritual, and musical messages coming through every nook and cranny of "BLA". Huge horn section, a female choir, heavy drums, and the voice of France's most talented and charismatic singer. Frank Biyong takes you on a musical journey that leaves you aching for more.

Review: Hot tune alert! Lee McDonald is back with two brand new remixes of the hot hit "We've only just begun". Grant Phabao comes with a wicked lilting soulful reggae remix. Lots of heavy keyboard over percussions, and tight horn blasts punctuating the whole groove! Take this to your next sound system jam and pretend you're the king selector! On the flip, Patchworks, the man behind many contemporary funk bombs, has done a stunning remixing job to give a dancefloor approach. It has nice keyboard touches that really send this tune to the stars without losing any of the soul of the original! The result is pure magic.

Review: "I'll Do Anything For You" is taken from Lee McDonald's "Sweet Magic" album, one of the most sought after, rare and revered soul records, originally released on Debbie Records in 1981. This smooth release is now out on Favourite Records.

Review: Fly Girl/Fly Boy anthem alert as German funk outfit The Mighty Mocambos team up with legendary US producer Afrika Bambaataa. Assisted by vocalists Charlie Funk and King Kamonzi for French label Favourite Recordings, it's a modern day b-boy wet dream as a dedication to universal hip-hop and funk culture whilst emulating the vibe of a NY block party with that breakbeat punch. And there's an exclusive instrumental on the flipside: nothing less than essential.

Review: Favourite brings you the single 'Natural'. Modo Solar's music is very influenced by 70's Brazilian
artists like Marcos Valle, Joao Donato, Azymuth and 70's US funk-soul music like Stevie
Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Leroy Hutson, and Shuggie Ottis. This single includes great mixes
by Patchworks.

Review: As vocalist with funky sensations The Dynamics (famous for their awesome covers of "Seven Nation Army" and "Move On Up" amongst others) Cameroon-born Mounam has already delighted legions of fans with her unique and soulful tones. Now she steps out on a solo mission, backed up by Parisian band Trevor and Lisa, and it's a resounding success. Tight brass and afro-beat drums give Mounam the perfect backing for her sharp and powerful vocals, as does the slower Dwilt Sharp mix that accompanies the single.

Review: The multi talented Mr Day provides another release on Favourite Recordings with "Small Fry." Perfectly in tone with label and artist, this soulful release offers the original alongside a disco mix from Patchworks.

Hailing from France, Mr Day has his highly insurable fingers in several pies. He is the singer for both the French jazz combo, Metropolitan Jazz Affair and The Dynamics. He has also featured on highly acclaimed productions by Patchworks, Boozoo Bajou and Mr President not to mention his own electro soul releases on indie label Rotax. Now, Favourite recordings will be unleashing his debut solo album next month and have therefore decided to release "Small Fry" as a taster of the album which goes by the same name.

Displaying his immensely soulful disposition, the track Evokes classic 70s soul from the likes of Marvyne Gaye, Curtis Mayfield and Al Green. Its composition is sparse and roomy, each sound is given space to breathe as this easy and enveloping track unfolds with swagger and finesse. Effortlessly suave, "Small Fry" perhaps hints at the kind of pure soul music, dipped in elegance that we can expect from the forth coming full length. It is a beautiful track that also touches on Northern soul and Motown whilst keeping Mr Day's unique own sound.

Completing the package is fellow Frenchman, Patchworks. The esteemed producer and long time collaborator with Mr Day gives us a fresh and upfront disco-soul remix. More suited to the dancefloor than the original, his remix still retains the warm, vintage style that his production is known for.

Review: Mr.Day, France's answer to Curtis Mayfield returns with 'Soul On Wax' on Favorite and produced
by Patchworks. Side a is a tribute to 60s sultry dancefloor soul with silk vocals &
a sexy groove. Flip comes more in a 70s funky breaks stylee with heavy drums.

Review: Ruff n' Tuff Soul Music! Last summer's deep funk hit by Patchworks (AKA Mr President).

Review: Some 12 years after it first hit record stores, Favorite Recordings has decided to offer-up a new pressing of one of Bruno Hovart's finest singles as Mr President, Mr Day collaboration. In its' original form, the track is a cheery, summery and wonderfully mood-enhancing chunk of 1970s style funk-soul fusion rich in punchy horns, bustling breaks, loved-up vocals and boisterous bass guitar. Also worth a listen is the flipside 'B-Boys Edit', which concentrates on Hovart's superb instrumental backing track before adding oodles of breakdance-friendly hand percussion and Latin style drums. Like the A-side, it's simply superb.

Review: One Bjorn Wagner is the mastermind behind the cosmic disco project Magic Source, a natural follow-on after the acclaimed funk outfits Mighty Mocambos and Bacao Rhythm & Steel Band. Voyage Spectral is his second album under the alias, following Earthrising in 2016. It's a dazzling display of synth-laden grooves, inspired not least by the rare and obscure cosmic disco bits made by relatively anonymous artists for European music libraries. Minimal, princely, fast disco cuts like 'Speed Boat To Atlantis' embematize the feel of this album and Wagner's oeuvre, as they nail the chilled-out psychedelic fantasy of magic-carpetting to far-off mythical worlds.

Review: French groove connoisseur Charles Maurice digs deep into Brazil's once-thriving boogie and disco movement. All tracks recorded between 1977-84, most of them rarely - if ever - released outside of Brazil, it's a bounty of beautifully produced silky soul curated, arranged and delivered with authenticity. Highlights include the syrupy harmonies and Chic-style guitar and bass foundations of Brenda's "Natureza Viva", Lady Zu's cat-like mic purring on "Valeu A Pena" and the soaking wet synth/slap bass fusion and jazz chords on Rosana's "Alegria No Ar". Sun kissed.

Review: After the Brazilian Disco Boogie Sounds compilation, Favorite Recordings follows-up with the concept, this time focusing on its homeland language. Digging into the mysterious Charles Maurice's vinyl collection, the label and the DJ extracted 10 amazing hidden dancefloor hits, all produced between 1975 and 1984 within the French music scene.

In the late 70s, like most part of the world, France was deeply touched by the influence of American music. The Disco sound therefore quickly reached the French Pop charts, and as always, a creative and prolific independent scene emerged in the shadow of this trend, with quite unequal results, but also some obscure real classics.

Helped by a close connoisseur friend, DJ and collector Charles Maurice presents a fine selection of what he thinks represent best the amazing energy and quality of this specific movement and period. With 10 rare titles, he draws a perfect picture of the different styles and productions you could find in French record stores at that time;

On one hand, tracks by Overdrive, Marche Noir, Didier Makaga or France-Lise, were mostly composed and produced by underground artists and labels from the French Caribbean and African community, and also filled with the raw spirit and power of this Tropical stamping. On the other hand, tracks by Beckie Bell, Kelly, Le Club, or Bernard Guyvan, were all released by major French labels such as Trema, Carrere, Disques Vogue, or Pathe Marconi, and created by confirmed independent producers, acting not only in France, but also in Canada and the US.

For example, Philippe "Honeyman" Renaux was the founder of Clever label and has credits for Grace Jones, Sheila & B. Devotion, or Gino Soccio to name a few. Canadian composer and producer George Thurston is internationally known as Boule Noire, with his worldwide success "Aimer d'amour". And Pierre "Berjot" Jaubert was part of the famous Lafayette Afro-Rock Band, before becoming a prolific producer who revealed the Disco diva Chantal Curtis among others, collaborated on recordings for Motown or Tom Moulton, and even scooted the lead singer of Vladimir Cosma's most famous hit, "La Boom".

With all this talent and "savoir-faire", each of these 10 forgotten songs had nothing to be ashamed of compared to some majors' Disco hits and productions, but unfortunately didn't get the same fate. Today, Favorite Recordings and Charles Maurice are very proud to shed some light again on these gems, and hopefully offer them a new life on your turntable.

Review: Archivist, historian and dedicated crate digger Maurice continues his exploration of global AOR, a genre whose spotlight is usually hogged by successful US and UK acts. Focusing on the era's peak between 75-83 this second edition finds him striking gold in Australia (Renee Geyer Band's jazz-tickled "Two Sides"), Yugoslavia (Boban Petrovic's disco-licked "Prepad") Hawaii (Greg Yoder's Balearic Cat Stevens strummer "Things Were So Easy") and his native France (Carol Ray Band's yacht-primed boogie "Quelques Mots Gentils) Crisp production, stylistic melting pots and soft of the soul; AOR really was a global language.

Review: Last year, French record collector Charles Maurice put together AOR Global Sounds, a compilation of forgotten tracks from around the World, by artists influenced by the hazy West Coast style of Steely Dan. Here, he unleashes a follow-up, once again delving deep into the archives for inspiration. There's naturally much to admire, from the music box-heavy blue-eyed soul of Greg Yoder, and sax-laden stoner jazz-funk of O Ji Ji, to the synth-heavy disco-funk shuffle of Carol Ray Band's brilliant "Quelques Mots Gentils", and the Balkan AOR disco warmth of Bobana Petrovica. Look to the heavens, hold a loved one close and get slow-dancing.

Review: Fresh from curating Favorite's Disco Boogie collection, Maurice returns to flex his crate surfing skills once again. This time: Album Oriented Rock. A style usually associated with US and UK acts such as Boston, Journey, Fleetwood Mac et al, Maurice reminds us it was a worldwide phenomenon that drew techniques and ideas from across the board. Here Maurice serves up long lost specials from around the world such as slinky, swooning disco-edged delights from Quebec's Diane Tell, sunkissed horn-heaven from Brazil's Juniour Mendes, chunky p-funk bass gems from Poland's Ulla and key-laden harmonic evangelism from Hawaii's Nohelani. AOR truly knew no barriers or boundaries, this is a fantastically curated collection.

Review: On his fourth exploration of the world of global "Adult Oriented Rock", French crate-digger Charles Maurice focuses on the period between 1977 and '86. That means a greater emphasis on synthesizers, dusty drum machines and the kind of sparkling melodies that would once have drifted from daytime radio at an alarming rate. There's much to enjoy throughout, from the dewy-eyed synth-soul of Arlana's "When You Call My Name" and the breezy boogie of Omega Sunrise's "Too Hip", to the sparse Balearic bliss of Isabelle Mayereau's "Orange Bleue", the flute-laden easy listening hum of Fernando Toussaint, the sax-happy '80s sleaze of Special Occasion's brilliant "Flyin' To Santa Barbara" and the jaunty Latino jazz-funk of "Mellow Out" by Pacific Dreams.

Review: On his fourth exploration of the world of global "Adult Oriented Rock", French crate-digger Charles Maurice focuses on the period between 1977 and '86. That means a greater emphasis on synthesizers, dusty drum machines and the kind of sparkling melodies that would once have drifted from daytime radio at an alarming rate. There's much to enjoy throughout, from the dewy-eyed synth-soul of Arlana's "When You Call My Name" and the breezy boogie of Omega Sunrise's "Too Hip", to the sparse Balearic bliss of Isabelle Mayereau's "Orange Bleue", the flute-laden easy listening hum of Fernando Toussaint, the sax-happy '80s sleaze of Special Occasion's brilliant "Flyin' To Santa Barbara" and the jaunty Latino jazz-funk of "Mellow Out" by Pacific Dreams.

Review: ***B-STOCK: Creasing to corner of outer sleeve but otherwise in excellent condition***


For those intrigued by the distinctively Gallic but authentically American-sounding world of French disco-boogie, Charles Maurice's ongoing compilation series should be essential listening. Here he serves up a third instalment that's every bit as good as its' acclaimed predecessors. Highlights naturally come thick and fast throughout, from the mid-80s dreaminess of Maya's undeniably Balearic "Lait De Coco (Dub)" and the Brenda Taylor-ish bounce of Judy Carter's brilliant "Listen to the Music", to the Leroy Burgess style piano stabs and Patrick Adams-ish disco production of Caramel's "L'Amour Toujours L'Amour". Oh, and the late night radio warmth of NST Cophies' "Segregation", a sweet, undulating workout that will no doubt find favour with Balearic selectors.

Review: For those intrigued by the distinctively Gallic but authentically American-sounding world of French disco-boogie, Charles Maurice's ongoing compilation series should be essential listening. Here he serves up a third instalment that's every bit as good as its' acclaimed predecessors. Highlights naturally come thick and fast throughout, from the mid-80s dreaminess of Maya's undeniably Balearic "Lait De Coco (Dub)" and the Brenda Taylor-ish bounce of Judy Carter's brilliant "Listen to the Music", to the Leroy Burgess style piano stabs and Patrick Adams-ish disco production of Caramel's "L'Amour Toujours L'Amour". Oh, and the late night radio warmth of NST Cophies' "Segregation", a sweet, undulating workout that will no doubt find favour with Balearic selectors.

Review: For those intrigued by the distinctively Gallic but authentically American-sounding world of French disco-boogie, Charles Maurice's ongoing compilation series should be essential listening. Here he serves up a third instalment that's every bit as good as its acclaimed predecessors. Highlights naturally come thick and fast throughout, from the mid-80s dreaminess of Maya's undeniably Balearic "Lait De Coco (Dub)" and the Brenda Taylor-ish bounce of Judy Carter's brilliant "Listen to the Music", to the Leroy Burgess style piano stabs and Patrick Adams-ish disco production of Caramel's "L'Amour Toujours L'Amour". Oh, and the late night radio warmth of NST Cophies' "Segregation", a sweet, undulating workout that will no doubt find favour with Balearic selectors.

Review: During its late '70s and early '80s heyday, France's disco-boogie scene tended towards the eccentric. Yet despite the camp, tongue-in-cheek feel adopted by many French bands and producers, much of the music was of an impressively high standard. That much is clear from Charles Maurice's second French Disco Boogie Sounds compilation. Packed full of slick, synthesizer-driven material and punchy, horn-heavy disco-funk thrillers (see the Teena Marie style "Movin" by Jackie Esam), it's a fine collection of Gallic dancefloor treats. You're unlikely to find a better example of jazz-funk positivity than Black Bells Group's "Talk Me Mam's", while Messan's "Keep Cool" is a lesson in thrusting, up-tempo disco sweatiness.

Review: Pascal Rioux's Favorite Recordings hasn't put out a dud record since its inception back in 2006 and, along with introducing us to artists like Onra, the imprint is surely one of the most complete sources of disco and nu-disco available on the market. Their most recent series, AOR Global Sounds, have all the makings of future classics, and this is especially true given the fact that all of its tunes have been lost in the depths of time and greedy Discogs sellers. The third chapter in the series features tunes from between 1976 and 1985, carefully curated by Charles Maurice with the aim of showcasing various disco artists from around the world that have been influenced by the inimitable 'Westcoast' boogie sound. Make no mistake, these tunes are all rare-as-hens-teeth, and you're unlikely to find them pressed up on wax anywhere else. Although each tune features a different artist, from Stratus through to Funky Team or even Brazil's Willy Santana, this is very much an LA kinda thang. An essential comp for anyone serious about their boogie joints...

Review: Pascal Rioux's Favorite Recordings hasn't put out a dud record since its inception back in 2006 and, along with introducing us to artists like Onra, the imprint is surely one of the most complete sources of disco and nu-disco available on the market. Their most recent series, AOR Global Sounds, have all the makings of future classics, and this is especially true given the fact that all of its tunes have been lost in the depths of time and greedy Discogs sellers. The third chapter in the series features tunes from between 1976 and 1985, carefully curated by Charles Maurice with the aim of showcasing various disco artists from around the world that have been influenced by the inimitable 'Westcoast' boogie sound. Make no mistake, these tunes are all rare-as-hens-teeth, and you're unlikely to find them pressed up on wax anywhere else. Although each tune features a different artist, from Stratus through to Funky Team or even Brazil's Willy Santana, this is very much an LA kinda thang. An essential comp for anyone serious about their boogie joints...

Review: Charles Maurice shows off his digging skills once again with a collection of tunes that does exactly what it says on the tin. He delves into the album oriented rock archives of countries as far and wide as France, the United Kingdom and Venezuela to come up eight rare and hidden gems. The series started back in 2015 and still makes for essential listening now with gems like 'Don't Take It Away' by Westside - a love song about a new relationship, recorded in Minnesota and mastered on Sunset Bld. Sugar Cane's 'What You Do To Me' is another loved up gem with real romance in the chords.

Review: A new one from Paris' Favorite Recordings. After two acclaimed LP's as Mr President released over the last decade, Bruno Hovart is back. One Night is soul and disco with a modern touch, fitting all the criteria to become an instant club classic. With special guest vocalists like Jennifer Zonou (Hawa), Cindy Pooch, Celia Kameni (Saving Coco) and Sabba MG - who you may recognise from previous releases. The title track is a sexy, loungey and jazzy deep house joint reminiscent of early noughties grooves on Naked Music or Hed Kandi. Plus, there's also a wonderful rendition of Roy Davis Jr and Peven Everett's classic 'Gabriel'.