Back catalogue: All genres

Review: A year after dropping his acclaimed album 'Billy Valentine And The Universal Truth' with Flying Dutchman and Acid Jazz Records, Billy unveils a fresh take on a soul classic. Recorded at LA's prestigious Henson Recording Studio, alongside producer Bob Thiele Jr. and a stellar band including Larry Goldings, Pino Paladino, Jeff Parker, James Gadson, and John Philip Shenale, he introduces three new tracks. His rendition of Gil Scott-Heron's 'Lady Day & John Coltrane', debuted on Gilles Peterson's BBC6Music, mesmerising live audiences. This special edition 7" includes a unique edit of 'Home Is Where The Hatred Is', not previously available on vinyl.

Review: Featuring sister funk paired with a beautiful ballad, this release is a true gem for aficionados of 1960s indie soul music. It comes from The Velvet Vettes via Tramp and is a limited pressing so don't sleep. A-side cut 'Give Me A Little Bit Of Time' is a lively one with plenty of Northern soul energy as well as lung busting vocals and great backing harmonies full of soul. Flip it over and you will find the much more slow and sentimental sounds of 'I'd Like To Know' which is a real heart melting crooner.

Review: Get your lugs around this, the first single from Leo Vidal & The Rayvelles, and you will soon be keen to know more. 'Haunted By Your Love' is a modern take on the West Coast oldies sound from Leo Vidal, a 70s soul singer from rural Virginia who brings his East Coast harmonies to croon about lost love. The Rayvelles is the duo of Fergal McBride and Tuck Nelson and are the creative force behind Echo Ray Studios in London, a space that channels the soul of Motown into contemporary music. Backing vocals are provided by Cassandra Dali and Marietta Smith while the flip has a remix by Call Sender who layers in some inviting dub weight.

Review: The Voices Of East Harlem were an ensemble of vocalists who for Just Sunshine Records recorded two albums under the direction of Leroy Hutson and Curtis Mayfield. "Cashing In" is one of their most classic songs, a highly sought after track on original 7" fetches a small fortune on the collectors market. First recorded and released in 1973, it has all the hallmarks of a Leroy Hutson composition and an established audience that crosses the boundaries of northern, crossover and modern soul. The song is coupled here with "Take A Stand', another highly regarded and sought after modern soul room dance floor tracks, never previously released on 7" single until now

Review: Produced by Leroy Hutson and Curtis Mayfield, released by Just Sunshine Records, over the course of five years, the community-based collective Voices Of East Harlem blessed the world with three albums and a whole string of funky singles, including these two cult tracks. "Wanted Dead Or Alive" is straight up funk with a strong splash of gospel. One of their most popular cuts, it was taken from their 1973 self-titled album. "Can You Feel It" on the B offers much more of a rare groove and funk vibe with keys and some powerful backing vocals. It still sounds as fresh as it did 45 years ago. You feeling it?

Review: The community-based collective Voices Of East Harlem blessed the world with three albums and a whole string of funky singles back in the day. They were produced by the dream team pairing of Leroy Hutson and Curtis Mayfield and came on Just Sunshine Records over the course of five years. Many cult tracks were born and two of them get reissued here on this new and limited edition 7" for Dynamite Cuts. 'Can You feel It' is deep cut funk with steamy vocals and Part 2 is a little more spaced out and cosmic with tumbling drums and freeform synths. Superb stuff.

Review: One of the key record producers and pushers of the 60s-70s Philly Sound - which upended the generic norms of soul and r&b to establish a brasher and more bombastic sound - Thom Bell has gone down in time as the holy son of soul, forming one part of its so-called holy trinity along with Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff. This new compilation is an exciting retrospective on the man's best works, bringing greater-known groundbreakers - Delfonics' 'Didn't I Blow Your Mind This Time', Stylistics' 'Betcha By Golly, Wow' - with lesser-spotted lovables from the likes of Nancy Wilson's 'Joe' to Deniece Williams' 'Silly'. Bell was known for his introduction of the celeste, the French horn and the harpsichord to soul music - all can be heard throughout the comp at various points, testifying his staunch commitment to expanding upon an already established sound.

Review: A UK club culture icon for all the right reasons, Luke Unabomber has put in a helluva shift over the years bringing the best tunes to the best parties for decades upon decades. He might be just as visible these days as a social media raconteur-comedian, but his depth of knowledge is unfathomable and a compilation like this is the perfect vessel to realise just a little of what he possesses in his fabled record shelves. Away from direct dancefloor firecrackers, this is a chance for Una to show off some jaw-dropping mellow cuts spanning soul, jazz funk, spaced-out electro and scores more obscurities besides. It's a collection like no other, featuring fully fledged songs that will burrow into the soundtrack of your own life without even a shred of resistance.

Review: The release of Never Too Much: Greatest Hits is an exceptional tribute to the genius of Luther Vandross, coinciding perfectly with the documentary 'Luther Vandross: Never Too Much.' This collection is a treasure trove for lovers of soul and r&b, showcasing the velvety smoothness of Vandross's voice across his iconic studio tracks. With the addition of four previously unreleased gems, including a soul-stirring rendition of the Beatles classic "Michelle," this album immerses listeners in the rich tapestry of Vandross's timeless artistry.

Review: This five-disc CD set has an impressively broad and satisfying journey through one of the most dynamic decades in popular music. From glam to disco, punk to singer-songwriter balladry, soul to soft rock, each disc brings together an eclectic mix of tracks that still feels essential. The opening tracks boast undeniable energy: Queen's 'Don't Stop Me Now' and ELO's 'Mr Blue Sky' remain joyful anthems, while Blondie's 'Heart of Glass' and Gary Numan's 'Cars' introduce a touch of post-punk and synth-pop futurism. As the compilation moves into moodier and more socially charged fare, the inclusion of The Clash's 'London Calling' and Marvin Gaye's 'What's Going On' add depth and urgency, but there are moments of sheer beauty like Joan Armatrading's 'Love and Affection' and Justin Hayward's 'Forever Autumn' too. The disco era gets a full-bodied celebration with staples like Gloria Gaynor's 'I Will Survive', Chic's 'Good Times' and Earth Wind and Fire's 'September', each one carrying the rhythm and flair that defined dancefloors at the time. Meanwhile, soft rock and radio-friendly hits like 10cc's 'I'm Not In Love' and Bread's 'Make It With You' provide smoother, introspective tones. Nostalgic singalongs such as 'Sweet Caroline', 'Mull of Kintyre' and 'Tie a Yellow Ribbon' add a glimpse of warmth that remains from the 60s. Each track is a classic in its own right, but together they form a kaleidoscope of 70s culture.

Review: Down & Wired 7: A Dose Of Psychedelic Funk & Blue Eyed Soul is a gold mine of rare 60s gems, carefully curated for lovers of soul, psychedelic and garage rock. This compilation, released by Perfect Toy Germany, offers a cost-effective way to enjoy tracks that would otherwise be difficult and expensive to acquire, with original copies often fetching hundreds of dollars. Highlights include The General Store's "Love Is You," a fusion of psychedelic rock and funk that sets the tone for the collection. The Comin Generation follows with the swinging 60s vibe of "Hey Girl," while Function's "Free Style" delivers a funky riff-driven groove. Tracks like The Third Stone's 'Happiness Is Coming' and Whiz Kids' 'Take' continue the journey through the era's diverse sounds. Songs like Dandy King's 'Flowers Peace Love' and Synod's 'Places To Do,' this compilation is perfect for anyone looking to explore the eclectic sounds of 60s rock and soul.

Review: The concept behind Luke Una's first solo compilation as a selector may be a little bit fuzzy - fundamentally, it's music for watching sunrises and feeling spaced out after a night on the tiles - but the music he's decided to showcase is uniformly fantastic. In-keeping with his famously eclectic approach to music, the 13 tracks on E-Soul Cultura include forays into spiritual jazz (Chene Noir), luscious Brazilian sunshine music (Robson Jorge & Lincoln Olivetti), acid-jazz-goes-deep house (Brand New Heavies), British neo-soul (Typesun), jazz-funk (King Erisson, Yussef Lateef), chant-sporting proto-house madness (Nar'Chiveol), a prime slices of sub-heavy Sheffield brilliance (On's sought-after cover of 'Southern Freeez') and a blissed-out chunk of minimalist electronica from Roman Flugel's Soylent Green project.

Review: Studio One Soul 2, the highly anticipated second volume of Soul Jazz Records' acclaimed Studio One series, dives deep into Jamaica's enduring love affair with American Soul and Funk. This special 18th anniversary edition features a vibrant array of legendary reggae artists like Horace Andy, The Heptones, Cornell Campbell, and Ken Boothe, all of whom got their start at Studio One before achieving global success. The album features a unique blend of classic and obscure American Soul and Funk tracks, reimagined with a distinct Jamaican flavour. Standout tracks include Cornell Campbell's stunning recut of The Mad Lads' Curtis Mayfield-penned 'Ten to One,' Winston Francis' soulful interpretation of The Five Stairsteps' 'Don't Change,' and Devon Russell's powerful take on 'Make Me Believe in You,' which arguably rivals Mayfield's original. This collection, featuring a mix of classics, rare gems, and previously unreleased tracks, has been meticulously remastered. Perfect for a serious reggae enthusiast, this compilation embodying the Studio One ethos of reworking influential soul records into a Jamaican soundscape.

Review: Many of the finest independent disco 45s that Athens of the North has reissued were licensed by crate digger David Haffner, so it's fitting that AOTN boss Euan Fryer has given him a compilation of his own. "Disco With A Feeling" contains some of those picks, alongside other obscure favourites from Haffner's sizable record collection. It's absolute fire from start to finish, with the little known private press and small-run cuts tending towards the more soulful and jazz-funk influenced end of the disco spectrum. Basically, it's a must-have for anyone who gravitates towards the rare end of the disco spectrum.

Review: Nodding to a seminal piece of music writing which documented the emergent disco phenomenon and inspired a smash hit movie, Tribal Rites Of The New Saturday Night is an authoritative compilation from the early years of disco. It's been put together with care, swerving obvious or over-played tracks to focus on the kind of powerful, soul-shaking cuts that could have been heard lighting up dance floors in Brooklyn in the mid-70s. There are some legends on board, from Creative Source to Eddie Kendricks, Ecstasy, Passion & Pain to Harold Melvin & The Bluenotes, but whoever's on the credits, these are picks to satisfy the surliest of disco bores as much as those who just love a great, groovy tune.

Review: Tramp Records celebrate a whopper milestone, with the label's 125th record taking shape as a reconnaissant celebration of 1970s soul jazz and funk, forming part of the Praise Poems series. Launched to fare an interminable journey through the many privately pressed, furtively released and/or criminally undersung jazz-funk-soul records of yore, and with an international focus, this is a rather special case of one such compilation series making it to its tenth edition, and still retaining the kind of quality control and assiduity most comp-curators may only dream of. From the opening, ultra-headsy 'Fields Of Laughter' by the chartless American band Color Me Blu, to instrumental AOR from pianist George Melvin's short-lived Quintet, you can expect to hear super-rarities here, with some originals only having heard but two acetates to their names at first press.