THE ALLERGIES Vinilo y CD

Review: Jalapeno remains one of the hottest and most spicy labels out there for hip hop lovers, and now it is The Allergies who bring the heat on a new and limited edition 7". They kick this one off with 'Stanky Funk' which features Bootie Brown and brings some old school cool, plenty of retro organ chords and noodling basslines that will tie the dance floor in knots. 'Never Gonna Let Go' then ups the ante with even more raw and hard hitting breaks next to big vocals and driving brass.

Review: UK beatmakers The Allergies are absolute Jalapeno mainstays who always serve up suitably sizzling and funky sounds. Following on form their last album Promised Land here back in September 2021, two of the singles from it now get pressed up to 7". The a-side is an extended version of 'Going To The Party' (feat Lyrics Born) with big drum breaks, live vocals and an atmospheric back and forth with super sized horns. 'Utility Man' (feat Andy Cooper) is a deeper, smoother cut with some mega slick vocal rhythms and lovely double bass sounds to get you bumping.

Review: Jalapeno Records is one of UK's funkiest dance labels and is has been for ages. Bristol beatmakers The Allergies are just as funky and always serve up a massive dose of sunshine on their Latin flecked sounds. The opener here is 'Move On Baby' and is one of the best tunes the pair have ever laid down. Its packed with great samples, a high speed 60s spy theme rhythm and vintage rhythm 'n' blues vocals over energetic drum breaks. It is a textbook offering form this duo with all the big hooks and horns you need to carry you to the next level. B-side banger 'Are You Ready' is a stomping soul sessions with huge vocal work from Miss Marietta Smith.

Review: Times may change and life may evolve, but the Allergies will always be unashamed party-starters whose records are both pleasingly heavy and instantly accessible. By now, you shouldn't need further proof og their skills in this department, but if you do, the Bristol combo's latest "45" is a lesson is dancefloor-igniting goodness. 'Lean on You' is a live and funk-fuelled as you'd expect, with distinctive flash-fried funk-rock guitar riffs, bustling, interestingly slung breakbeats and a fine lead vocal from Dynamite MC. Over on the flip, 'Working on Me' is a more bluesy, cut-and-paste funk breaks number that's guaranteed to get feet moving out on the dancefloor.

Review: Don't be fooled by the smoky jazzy horns on the intro: The Allergies are still at the front of the party queue! They were just lulling us into a false sense of security before hitting us with a precision range of big soul swingers and dynamite party killers; both "Hold You Close" and "Since You've Been Gone" pop with big beat bangs, "Entitled To That" stamps and sweats like Wigan Pier is still holding the best dances in the country, "Main Event" parps and pumps while long-standing affiliate Andy Cooper reminds us who's boss while "It Won't Be Me" (also with Cooper) is coded with so much horn and guitar powered gusto you could be fooled into thinking Ugly Duckling are back. Yet another triumphant album from one of Jalapeno's most exciting acts.

Review: The final single to be taken from Moneyshot and Rackabeat's hugely successful debut album As We Do Our Thing, "You Wouldn't know" and "Special People" close the LP cycle with fitting party spirit. The former is a dense weave of horn samples and well-known vocal hooks over some deliciously swashbuckling beats while the latter is a sweatier funk groove that's reminiscent of the classier end of big beat's golden era but with more original funk spirit. Rumour has it they're already deep into their second album...