THE FOREIGN EXCHANGE Vinilo y CD

Review: London soulful house label Makin' Moves (brought to you by Matt Langrish-Smith & DJ Jamesey) bring the heat once again with these awesome remixes of The Foreign Exchange: an internet-spawned collaboration between Dutch producer Nicolay and US rapper/singer Phonte Coleman from Little Brother. "Body" is taken from their recent album Tales From The Land Of Milk & Honey and it is a wonderful slice of modern soul that calls to mind the work of Kaidi Tatham or Vikter Duplaix. The remixes on here work that extra bit of magic though and who better than NYC's finest DJ Spinna to deliver the goods on his deep and emotive remix. His second offering, the "Ride It Out dub" dives even deeper and does exactly what it says on the tin on this version, aimed squarely at late night dancefloors.

Review: Sometime BBE outfit The Foreign Exchange (AKA Little Brother member Phonte Colman and beat-maker Nicolay Cook) have long been associated with the "nu soul" movement, so it seems appropriate that Reel People Music has asked them to compile this sumptuous set of lesser-known modern soul gems. Featuring emerging and underground talent from both sides of the Atlantic, there's much to enjoy throughout. Highlights include the samba-soaked soulful house brilliance of Piranhahead and Diviniti's "The Beauty of Life", the mazy, lo-fi soul/electronica fusion of Muhsinah's "Somebody in My World", the slick future R&B of The Dividends and a couple of fine chunks of sparkling hip-hop soul (via Gwen Bunn and DJ Spinna respectively).

Review: Reel People Music does a fine line in old school house, disco, funk and soul. It's reissued remixes of Robin S classics, put out albums by the label heads Reel People and now offers up a tasty vinyl sampler. Reel People themselves kick-off as remixed by Art of Tones and with the lush neo-soul vocals of Angie Stone on the mid-tempo disco-house-funk roller 'Don't Stop The Music.' Opolopo brings another soul-drenched deep disco sound with a great Angela Johnson vocal and Stro Elliot's Roller Rink rework is a nice lazy beat for cosy backroom dances. DJ Spinna does his signature soulful thing on the gloriously groovy 'Tonight We Ride'.