GUTS Vinilo y CD

Review: While he's been offering up some sizzling solo albums of late, French DJ/producer GUTS is still arguably better known as the seasoned selector behind the excellent "Beach Diggin'" compilations. Here he offers up another compilation, this time showcasing tried-and-tested tracks that have been rocking his DJ sets for the last few years. Mostly focused around club-friendly global sounds past and present, the 17-track selection is full of little known killers, overlooked dancefloor workouts and forgotten gems. Highlights come thick and fast throughout, from the horn-sporting boogie-zouk bounce of Evasion 85's "Van La Ka Vante" and the cheeky "Rappers Delight" re-write "Bon Tempos" by Equipe Radio Cidade, to the sparkling Afro-disco heat of Eko Roosevelt Louis' "Tondoho Mba" and the righteous Afro-Brazilian drum workout that is Alma Luma's "Princesa Isabel".

Review: Spanish selector Guts digs deep into his collection once more to offer up another collection of the cuts that have made his sets so special over the years. It's an international mix that takes in worldly Afro grooves, percussive cuts, plenty of gorgeous instrumentals with elements of soul, jazz and funk. Standouts include The Garifuma Collective's 'Merua' (feat Umalali) and Kaleta & Super Yamba Band'a 'Jibiti' (Bosq remix). They tell a great story when playing out together and certainly capture the essence of Guts, who has been serving up these collections to great acclaim for a while now.

Review: Heavenly Sweetness has always dealt in music for the soul that is drawn from the worlds of funk, soul and jazz. This new collection of such tunes is another testament to that with a heavily international and world bent. Oodles of Latin, hip hop and Afro vibes pervade the tunes by Guts aka Fabrice Franck Henri alongside a whole host of collaborators. He's a super prolific talent who has put out some ten albums in just over a decade and Estrellas is one of his best. It comes on six sides of delicious wax and takes you on a trip to sunny climates from Cuba to Brazil.

Review: Known for his Beach Diggin work, renowned French DJ, producer and digger Guts is back with a second volume of his Straight From The Decks Series. The sounds once again take in classy offerings from the worlds of Latin, afro, soul, Afrobeat, zouk and house, while a couple of super remixes from Dam Swindle also make the cut. Plenty of the tunes are hard to find rarities "acquired through nerve-raking auctions battles" while some previously digital only cuts also make the collection. Copping this one is short cut to a summer packed with classy heaters and steamy international rhythms.

Review: Since the Beach Diggin' compilation series launched a few years back, a number of its obscure, Balearic-minded selections have been given full length reissues of their own. We can probably expect a number of the tracks from this brilliant fifth volume to get the same treatment. As usual, the wide-ranging track list is thick with highlights, from the synth-heavy, French language reggae of Raphael Toine's 1986 bubbler "Femmes Pays Douces" (taken from the artist's frustratingly hard to find Ce Ta Ou album) and vibraphone-laden jazz-funk smoothness of Yasuko Agwa's sought-after "L.A Night", to the barely-known brilliance of Andre Maria Tole's Cameroonian gem "Sweet Dole". In other words, it's another essential selection.