Review: Many Hands is a fresh label helmed by Jona Jefferies and Kava that here kicks out an eclectic EP with four tracks from various members of its musical family. Dan Aikido opens with '0800 TXT4 Herb,' a smooth fusion piece that builds a laid-back groove, blending fretless bass, jazzy keys and soulful vocals all reminiscent of Rare Silk's 'Storm.' Ernie Ruso's 'Stroke It' offers slow, sensual r&b infused with P-funky wah-wah effects while DJ Nomad's 'African Boy' brings upbeat pop house next to funky organ and a female reggae MC.Jefferies' closer 'A Change Will Come' samples Dr. Martin Luther King Jr with a rave-inspired beat and soulful piano. Cracking stuff.
Review: Oooh! Angie Stone's "Wish I Didn't Miss You" definitely belongs in the canon of all time modern soul classics. Taken from her 2001 second album Mahogany Soul, the Swizz Beats produced track made optimum usage of an O' Jays sample and was instrumental in that LP going gold and propelling the former D'Angelo collaborator to stardom. It also inspired countless official and under the counter remixes with Blaze's perhaps the most recognisable. So yes this reissue on 7" from Outta Sight is worthy if you don't have the original in your collection and features a housed up remix from Hex Hector on the flip.
Review: Montreal producer and keyboard maestro Anomalie offers a full-MOT servicing of funk-jazz on 'Velours', a choice track that presaged his 2018 EP 'Metropole'. Born of a chilled bedroom jam, the first iteration of this track was uploaded to YouTube in 2017, and utilised stacks of Yamaha pianos as well as sleek, sexily designed sample pads. Anomalie provides a rich, honeyed set of chordophonal can-cans over nothing but a swung backbeat, bringing seemingly boundless phonic fruition from little nutrient. Now the song hears a full reproduction and repackaging in vinyl form via Devins 7s.
Nathan Haines - "U See That" (feat Vanessa Freeman & Marcus Begg - Atjazz Love Soul mix) (5:12)
The Realm x Atjazz x Kelli Sae - "On The Road" (vocal mix) (7:58)
Review: Back ion 2021, the relaunched Foliage Records imprint offered up a killer mix from NYC house legends Mood II Swing, the must-check Deep Rooted. Soon, the revitalised label will release a sequel, with long-serving British deep house don Atjazz at the helm. This sampler EP boasts six of the highlights from that set - all remixed and reworked by Atjazz himself. There's much to enjoy throughout, from the tense, slowly building deep-tech shuffle of Halo''s 'Glorty (Atjazz Galaxy Art Remix)'and the sun-splashed 6am bounce of Atjazz's remix of Dominique Fils-Aime's gorgeous 'Sun Rise', to the dreamy dancefloor wooziness of Ralf GUM's 'AWA' (re-imagined by Atjazz as an Osunlade-esque spiritual house workout) and the jazzy, bass-guitar-propelled broken house excellence of 'On The Road (Vocal Mix)', a three-way collab between Atjazz, Kelli Sae and The Realm.
Review: Much loved Michigan techno and ambient virtuoso John Beltran wraps up the so far so excellent Back to Bahia 7 series with the a final volume that proves to be the most dancefloor focussed offering yet. Leading with 'O Patio,' Beltran shows his class with a blend of jazz-funk and MPB that comes with a rather sunny Ibiza-inspired twist while echoing the vibes of Latin greats like Robson Jorge and Lincoln Olivetti. On the flip side, 'Belle Isle' is a perfect party anthem for those outdoor sessions - think beach gatherings or cookouts and you won't go wrong. This has been a brilliant series and while it's a shame it's over, this is a fitting way to end it.
Hate 2 Love U (feat Ari Lashell Marquinn Mason) (3:34)
Patterns (5:56)
Sex Fire Passion (4:52)
Wya (3:19)
Review: Luminaries of the St. Louis and Atlantan experimental dance circuits, Blvck Spade and Stefan Ringer reign over similar territories in the niche downland of raw, soulful house. Here the pair team up for the first time ever for a notable Touching Bass debut, with Ringer handling production and Spvde masterminding all things poetic, choral and verbal. Building on both artists' slowly accrued, and now prolific, contributions to such labels as Eglo, FWM and Dolfin Records, this newly erected album-temple hears the duo shift impossible sacral brickwork by the force of composition alone, with star relic 'YOURZZZ' especially cultivating an inner sanctum of humid cowbell, funky acid line, and theophanic vocal run.
Review: Across four elegantly crafted tracks, Italian producer Bottone blends rich melodies with smooth, intricate production, creating a collection that feels effortless and deeply refined. Side -1 opens with 'On Hilly Earth', a laid-back yet deep cut where light, jazzy chords float over a deep, groovy foundationiperfect for early evening unwinding. 'Teach Me The Way You Walk' steps up the tempo slightly, embracing a warm, melodic house feel with a sunset-kissed glow, its uplifting vibe tailor-made for golden-hour dancefloors. The title track, 'Beggin' For Love', leads Side-2 with gentle, beachy rhythms and keyboard work that exudes warmth and relaxation. Finally, 'It's A Heart Feeling' closes the EP with a deep, emotive grooveiits soulful touch and flowing melodies making it an ideal end-of-the-night moment. With 'Beggin' For Love', Bottone crafts a great balance of sophistication and ease, showing he is a name to watch for in the future.
Review: To bear a name like Breakbeat Lou, you'd have to have earned it. And Louis Flores is indeed arch-digger numero uno: mainly having cut his teeth as a co-creator of the Ultimate Break And Beats compilations on New York's Streetbeat Records, Lou was born anew as a DJ as way back as 1974 (!), amassing a boss pile of vinyl and thus music intel, largely as to where and how to source the best breakbeats out there. With elite producers like DJ Premier, Large Professor, The Bomb Squad, Pete Rock, Dr Dre and Marley Marl all having sampled Lou's wholesale procurements over the years, the man himself now steps back up to flaunt his very own pump-action breaks works. From KRS-One to Loose Ends, the samples on this are electric, and the original beats bombastic.
Review: The third edition in Ten Lovers' Coin series hears Marcello Cassanelli, Caruso and Helen McCormack fuse churnout disco, chicken pickin' guitar and Rhodes solos, in an extravaganza of fresh, sartorial dance music. Never pressing too hard, Cassenelli's 'Starlight' and 'Tropical Breeze' go easy on the master channel, with unhurried pan flutes, roiling strings and twizzling G-synths stuck loosely to a soft but firm electro-tropical backbeat. 'Dream Horizon' is a brilliant outerlude on which to close the side. On the flip, Caruso & Helen McCormack allude equally to the Manchester Street Soul scene of the late 80s with 'Have & Hold', whose razor-edge r&b vocals and low-slung progression lend the record a surprise twist. Their 'Love You More', meanwhile is lushness personified, before Caruso's 'Central' chugs magnficently towards the run out groove with oozing synths and glitterball glamour.
Review: The cover of this new one from Tomi Chair is a whole lot darker, more menacing and moodier than the music within. 'Waiting For The Typhoon To Pass' is in fact a beautifully plaintive sound with a slow, calming rhythm. Gentle chords are draped over the top and no one is in an hurry to go anywhere as curious synth keys come and go like passing memories. On the flip, 'Dream Universe' is a more propulsive sound with metallic drums cascading over raw hits and distant winds howling with a hint of danger.
Review: Charlie Charlie's 'Save Us' is a track brimming with raw emotion, and Mondag's remix feels like a perfect counterpart, bringing a subtle touch of melancholy with its soft saxophone solo. The track maintains its weight, but Mondag's approach gives it a dream-like quality, coaxing out the depths of its aching beauty. Bella Boo's edit brings a noticeable shift, tightening the rhythms and infusing the track with a sharper energy, but it never loses the soul of the original. Gerd Janson, meanwhile, offers an ambient version that feels like an entirely different experience - less immediate, but no less absorbing. On the other side, Hypernatural's remixes expand on the dreamlike, almost otherworldly feeling of the originals. Knightlife's take on 'Spirit Walk' stretches the song's already fluid nature, making it feel weightless, while Gerd Janson's remix of 'Stormfront' adds a darker, more reflective mood.
Review: Cheeba's Latin brothers are back with yet another Havanan shuffle, extensively vacationing in Cuba to soak in very best of the nation's ripest stylistic amassments. Taking cues from cut and paste funk to Latin boogaloo, 'Cuban Shuffle' and 'Pablo's Theme' urge us formerly to "keep it going, now" before latterly dropping us into a fuzz-scat vat of hazy brass and stomping, found percussion. Most notably, the A-side's vinyl scratches sate a pruritic itch, and a careful dosage of reverb marks out a roomy but expansive atmosphere, one difficult to recreate lest you actually were there in 1970s Cuba.
Review: Massive jazzdance and UK bass fusions on the new e-glowup from Eglo (though the record is also released physically). Celebrating 15 years of the nominal "post-dubstep" label, this limited 12" EP hears four exclusive, unreleased tracks from an upcoming label-definer compilation, the third in a series. Born from the basement of Plastic People, the pressure has remained continuously on Eglo to keep the same foment of bass musical innovation that the club nurtured alive. Plastic People is a routinised object of nostalgia, and it is often deemed the last proper place for innovation in bass music before austerity Britain militated against it. Zed Bias's remix of Chunky's 'Dancing On Tables' with Metrodome - and the deep, bruk-inspired track, 'Minerals,' from Liverpool's rising star Sticky Dub - both prove this assessment totally wrong. Genius thrives. On the flip, we've also house legend Giles Smith (formerly of Secretsundaze) delivering fresh material, as well as label boss Alexander Nut making his official debut with the lo-fi electro house track 'Arcade Fun Pt. 1.' The full compilation, featuring artists like Shy One, Steve Spacek, and Fatima, drops in April.
Review: Coolin' Out's back with a fourth volume of seductive edits for those more cultured dance floors. This one kicks off with 'Solstice' which is laidback and oozes cool. Gentle drums and mellifluous synths rise up from the deep cut and slow-motion groove with plenty of cosmic edge. The tight instrumentation creates a sublime atmosphere that is both full of relaxation and subtle euphoria. The flipside, an edit of Soul Vibrations,' flips the script with dusty drum breaks, a hint of Italian Library music instrumentation and some rousing melodies that get you on edge.
Review: In late 2023, Tokyo-based musician Daigo Sakuragi moved to London where he revisited recordings made with fellow Japanese artists. Inspired by the city's energy and atmosphere, he crafted Togenkyo, a 28-minute fusion of early 2000s folktronica and contemporary ambient music that now comes as two long continuous pieces on one slab of vinyl. Layering immersive synth textures with spatial production, he grounds the piece in organic drum and bass grooves while a saxophone elegantly weaves through the soundscape. Togenkyo reflects an inner utopia that is attainable yet imperfect and is a comforting, meditative work.
Review: It may have been seven years since DJ Koze last delivered an artist album, but in defence the popular Hamburg producer had his hands full working with other artists (most notably Roisin Murphy). He has managed to put out the odd single, though, to which you can add this typically interesting and off-kilter two-tracker. A-side 'Buschtaxi' is deep house with a subtle Latin tinge - rhythmically at least - and layered with dreamy chords, African vocal samples, twittering melodies and attractive, sun-soaked synthesiser sounds. The long-serving producer flips the script on side B, reaching for crunchy, house-tempo breakbeats, moody bass, rising chords, what sound like mangled electric guitar motifs and effects-laden vocals courtesy of Marley Waters. More, please!
Lost Girl (Marc Hype & Jim Dunloop Late Night rework) (3:24)
Special Technique Of Love (Jim Dunloop Shaolin Soul edit) (3:08)
Review: The mighty Dusty Donuts return to Queensbridge where they encounter a 'Lost Girl' featured on a legendary mixtape by one of QB's finest. This bouncy, choppy Marc Hype & Jim Dunloop Late Night Remix is sure to ignite any gathering. On the flipside, the vibes shift from Queensbridge to Staten Island and bring a special sound to work the crowd - this heavy soul classic arrives in true Shaolin style with choppy, dark soul chords and classic hip-hop beats. It's a track that commands attention with the drums but also locks in head and heart.
Wake Up In The Sunshine (Naughty NMX LAX To JFK mix) (4:34)
Keep A Level Head (RuNmX Naughty But Humble mix) (4:21)
Review: Dusty Donut's Naughty NMX returns with a double helping of irresistible grooves to make you move. On the A-side, he reimagines a timeless summer funk classic with a vibrant, Nubian-inspired twist that instantly brightens up any space. On the B-side, he teams up with label mate Runex to deliver a deeper, soulful vibe, featuring smooth production, punchy rhythms, and slick drums. The result is a track that's impossible not to move to, bringing both energy and joy and the perfect way to get the spirit of summer alive and well, even as the darker months remain here.
Wake Up In The Sunshine (Naughty NMX LAX To JFK mix) (4:34)
Keep A Level Head (RuNmX Naughty But Humble mix) (4:21)
Review: Dusty Donut's Naughty NMX has been busy laying down some killer joints but also working on releasing them in several different formats including this one which arrives on a limited edition blue vinyl 7". First up he brings a classic summer funk anthem up to date with a vibrant twist that hits hard with instant warmth. The B-side sees him join forces with label mate Runex for a deeper, more soulful track that features smooth production, punchy rhythms and slick drums that are perfect for any summery setting when the good vibes are flowing.
Review: El Michels Affair returns with a new two-track release that showcases his continued excellence as both a producer and musician. The A-side, 'Mr Brew,' opens with a menacing intro before evolving into a spacious tune masterfully balancing tension and release. Gentle guitars, strings, flutes and brass weave over a heavy drum track to make for a bright and immersive landscape. On the B-side, 'Kodak' is a lesson in space and arrangement with mellow drums and beautiful instrumentation setting the perfect mood. EMA's trademark restraint ensures the vibe remains the focal point while delivering a perfectly crafted sound that never overwhelms.
Review: Calling all locked-groove stickerers, needle twisters, and/or tonearm weight worriers, prepare your ears and needles for a wonderful trove of breakbeat bullion, ripe for the looping and the zealous hunching over. This modern rare groove emulation by Florence, 'Funky Song', lays down a phantasmically funky original breakbeat, fleshed out and swollen unto the most maximal of proportions. Then, don't forget, there's 'Let's Dance', which reworks Jimmy Bo Horne's 'Dance Across The Floor' for a rare and never-edited-before take on the perseverant, provocative hip roller of a track.
Pleasure, Joy & Happiness (Musclecars remix) (9:24)
Circles Going Round The Sun (Laroye remix) (8:06)
Review: Yet two more Brownswood bubblers rise to the surface, this time under the well-organised branch of the tree known as Brownswood Remix Editions, which does what it says on the lovey-dovey carving. Here, back-to-back debutants Musclecars and Laroye receive the Olympic torch from London-based acid jazz group Galliano, who've blazed a thick trail of flame since their original formation in 1988, not to mention a recent reformation in 2023. 'Pleasure, Joy & Happiness' hears a house musical chorale from Musclecars, with added vocal mystifications threshed in the stereo field, producing a Balearic effect. Laroye's version of 'Circles Going Round The Sun' brings swelling "Kaytra" grooves and bumper drums to an anticipatory mood, provided by the original's solo siren song and urban monologue.
Review: Dynamite Cuts continue in their mission to share jazz, funk and soul deep cuts with the world, this time pulling a timeless gilded funk rabbit out of their hats. Gregory James Edition took on the collective mantle of "Prophets Of Soul" at the moment of their 1973 debut, which would only then be followed by the 1979 record Gonna Grow Some Gold before an eventual disbandment. A shame, since 'Ain't No Sunshine' and 'Changing Things' stand out as the record's finest offcuts; the first track uses its various clavinets and Farfisa Combo organs to estrange an existingly capricious funk sound, rendering it rather odd, alien, spacious. 'Changing Things' contrasts with upswells of gushing piano set to a funk backbeat, which come yet measured by an admirable key change control, again held down by lead player Gregory Bibb.
Review: Holo makes a welcome return to Shall Not Fade, delivering four tracks that strike a perfect balance between deep house nostalgia and contemporary groove. His signature soundilush synth work, crisp percussion, and a delicate emotional pulliis on full display, weaving a rich, transportive atmosphere throughout. 'Pink Wax' sets the scene with warm, enveloping pads and a rolling low-end, effortlessly drawing us in. 'Flipper' leans into more playful territory, its shimmering melodies and tight drum programming keeping the energy light yet propulsive. Across the record, Holo's ability to craft emotive, immersive dance music remains undeniable, blending hazy textures with infectious rhythms in a way that feels both timeless and forward-thinking.
Lost Girl (Marc Hype & Jim Dunloop Late Night rework) (3:32)
Special Technique Of Love (Jim Dunloop Shaolin Soul edit) (3:08)
Review: The mighty Dusty Donuts return to Queensbridge where they encounter a 'Lost Girl' featured on a legendary mixtape by one of QB's finest. This bouncy, choppy Marc Hype & Jim Dunloop Late Night Remix is sure to ignite any gathering. On the flipside, the vibes shift from Queensbridge to Staten Island and bring a special sound to work the crowd - this heavy soul classic arrives in true Shaolin style with choppy, dark soul chords and classic hip-hop beats. It's a track that commands attention with the drums but also locks in head and heart.
Review: Space Echo returns with a bold funk-fuelled trip here that is powered by irresistible rhythms built on downtempo grooves. The track reflects on war-driven forces destabilising communities and Gianluca Petrella's trombone work channels pure Fred Wesley-esque funk energy while 1970s-inspired choral arrangements amplify its introspective message. Alongside this, Agosta's remix of 'Mother Forgive Us' from The Invisible Session's Echoes Of Africa transforms the track into a futuristic Afro-funk odyssey with tribal percussion tubing up next to pulsating electronics. A great package with a message of climate urgency that calls for a reconnection to nature.
Love Theme (Ilija Rudman Higher Ground mix part I) (3:20)
Love Theme (Ilija Rudman Higher Ground mix part II) (2:43)
Review: Ilija Rudman shows his class here with two edits for the always-on-point Brooklyn Highs label. He turns his hand to an original by Soul Men aka Black Moses and Part 1 will her you lost in a reverie. The meandering, stoned, slow-motion funk licks, gentle drums and wallowing chords all wash over you like a soothing breeze. The Higher Ground mix part II introduces buttery male vocals that drip with eroticism and soul. This one should come with a pregnancy warning.
Review: In a rare backwards castling and killer checkmate, Friendly Records boldly re-press one of J Dilla's most beloved cuts, 'Geek Down', which appeared on his landmark Donuts LP. Known for its sample of the 2001 dark funk tune 'Charlies Theme' by The Jimi Entley Sound, this indelible, ringed hors d'oeuvre was essential for the critics' collective assessment that the 2005 LP was his magnum opus. Trailing pink sprinkles behind it, 'Geek Down' made Dilla's name. Sadly, the title would seem predict the artist's death just three days after the record's release. Dilla was a true productive geekazoid, and it shows in this track, with its untameable, above-the-law Western guitar wahs and tense, lilting strings keeping the goosebump hairs stood aright. The originally sampled track appears on the B, still only part-revealing the magic trick.
Review: This one oozes more cool than George Clooney sat poolside and sipping on Kool-Aid. It is the seventh offering in this fine series which features the most iconic reworked, retouched and edited tracks from the legendary soundscapes of Pikes Hotel in Ibiza. There is no better place to ask up the gorgeous vibrations of 'Mata' with its steamy trumpets and genre-breaking beats than under the Mediterranean sun. The flipside 'Xiprell' captures the essence of laid-back sophistication and the warmth of Ibiza with arching prog guitars and pensive chords draped over the most go-slow live drums.
Review: After releasing two 10" and 12" records in 2019 and 2020, Paris-based punk-jazz duo La Recre are back to complete their EP trilogy with this fresh 45 rpm. '137' brings together the worlds of jazz and electronica with shimmering, skyward and celestial synths bringing mysticism to shimmering jazz drums and warped synths. 'La Lune' is another intense and cinematic sound with spoken words from a spacecraft launch adding grandeur to the cascading melodies and ever-evolving beats.
Review: If It Ain't Jazz, we don't know what it has! Back, after a punctuated pause, the label return to dazzle us with their enduring, distinctive brand of instrumental disco-soul razzmatazz, and here we hear Laroye and Aroop Roy rub two heads' choices up the right way, both into phattened, globular, kick-boosted anthems. First comes 'You're A Star', an electroni-cization of Aquarian Dream's 1978 disco explosion, to which Laroye brings much extra shimmy and sway. Then there's Roy's 'Let The Music Play', sampling an unknown (to us) number that - don't get caught off guard - certainly *isn't* Shannon's freestyle hit from 1983. Whatever it is though, it's a banger too!
Review: On his new 12" for his own kickstarter label Cosada, easy riser Laseech beseeches us to dance. Jazzy, soulful house music enlists the emosh but unrushed voice of Swaylo, snaring the essence of heartfelt house in a power-of-three-tracks net. Awakening the legend Ron Trent from his slumber, his deep, percussive touch and copy-paste-happy vocal science adds a happily haphazard twist. Inspired by the melodic landscapes of the Adriatic, the inaugural label name "Cosada" holds out a personal meaning for Laseech, drawing from both an idyllic island and the street where his studio lies, symbolising his continued hope to make timeless music.
Review: After two long years, Dailysession has decided to reboot its popular DSR House EP series. As with its' three predecessors, volume four is a split affair. Montreal-based Jonattan Levingstone, co-founder of Parages Music, handles side A, first delivering a deep, immersive, dubby and space-heavy epic (the soft-touch, sunrise-ready hypnotism of 'Licorella') before doffing a cap to Japanese great Sprinkes and Italian ambient house of old on the gorgeous and enveloping 'Nufsaid'. Label head honcho DJ Monchan takes over on the flip. 'Eyes', a decidedly Balearic collaboration with Alfonsso Bottone, sits somewhere between musically detailed Kyoto Jazz Massive style nu-jazz and blissful deep house, while 'Tears From Stars (DJ Monchan Remix)' sees him turn a lesser-known version of a familiar song (Sting's 1987 number 'Fragile') into a Balearic house shuffler.
Review: Loftsoul's Re Works series is back with a sixth chapter that gets decidedly deep, not least with the opener 'Deep Poem'. It is just that - a smoky mix of dubby and slow-motion drums, wispy synths and spoken words that make for an intimate vibe. 'Euro-Express' brings rickety Kraftwerk rhythms and sleek synths right up to date with bigger low ends, then a classic piece of Ryuichi Sakamoto ambient gets a remix with some more crunchy textures but the same sense of melodic gorgeousness. Four useful sounds for constructing late-night mixes.
Review: Reissued on Japanese talent scourers Musicaanossa Gryps, whose special interest lies in every oddity from obscure breakbeat to hip-hop and jazz, comes the debut, originally self-released album from Cuban cellist, songwriter and vocalist Yaniel Matos. At once arresting and strikingly pure, Matos attends to the ears with a naturalistic plucked cello style and high tenor, proffering an easygoing Afro-latin feel whose tender valence few can claim to know without musical inducements such as this. Backed by a star cast of musicians such as Sidiel Vieria on bass and Cuca Teixeria on drums, Matos reissues a humble throbber of a record here.
Review: Presented simply, with basic artwork that offers a subtle nod to DJ Harvey's iconic Black Cock Edits series of the 1990s, this single-sided blue 12" marks the debut of a mysterious new rework series: Mr Wong's Edits. We're not sure who Mr Wong is - aside from the fact that the artist is not the grime producer of the same name - but he has delivered a strong debut. 'The Finest This Is What You Are' sees him tastefully mess around with a lesser-celebrated, string-drenched S.O.S Band jam - or at the very least, an acapella of it. This is combined with sweeping, string-laden elements from a simmering Barry White disco number and a shuffling, bossa-influenced Latin house beat. It's certainly a unique combination but one that works really well.
What You Won't Do For Love (feat Ryuto Kasahara - Muro re-edit) (4:44)
Love Theme From Sparticus (Kenichiro Nishihara remix) (3:07)
Review: Japanese jazz, funk and rare groove sensations Nautilus share their latest cover version, this time of Bobby Caldwell's 'What You Won't Do For Love'. This version stars Toshiyuki Saki on guest drums and vocalist Ruto Kasahara on vocals, bringing a digressional arc to Nautilus' usual sound. On the flip comes another rerub, this time of Nautilus' own 'Love Theme From Spartacus', from their latest album, remixed by producer Kenichiro Nishihara, which incorporates a light-hearted and feathery jazz-hop verve.
Review: With an irresistible blend of broken beat and nu-jazz grooves, 'Chameleon' is a enjoyable smooth jazz gem driven by funky basslines, strings, lively percussive and catchy keys. The arrangement flows effortlessly, creating a sound both sophisticated and danceableia perfect balance of complexity and accessibility. Flipping to the B-side, 'Losalamitoslatinfunklovesong' takes a more laid-back approach. Led by a warm, soulful organ, the track exudes chill vibes with its subtle funk underpinnings and jazzy finesse. The addition of a vocoder adds a playful, retro-futuristic charm, rounding out a composition that's as soothing as it is engaging.
Review: Last year, Kiko Navarro unveiled a regularly updated Spotify playlist, entitled TwentyFour, which he uses to showcase his favourote productions, reworks of other artists, an d remixes if his work. That playlist has now spawned the first of what we believe will be an ongoing series of EPs. The long-serving Spanish artist (and Afroterraneo Music founder) begins by showcasing his fine, pleasingly rolling re-edit of Blaze's hybrid soulful house/Earth Wind & Fire style disco classic, 'Breathe', before treating us to a superb, sample-heavy and piano-rich Tucillo remix of his own 'The First Time'. Over on side B, he serves up some bouncy disco-house action ('Jammin' All Night Long', with its female spoken word vocals, jazzy pianos and killer groove) and an authentic-sounding Afrobeat re-make of 'Isao' by DJ Fudge.
Review: Proh Mic delivers his best work with this new single which sets the stage for an upcoming album that is sure to once more invite us deep into his unique disco-funk world. 'Special Request' is a dance floor anthem but also a tribute to the DJ that is sure to become a Modern funk classic. Produced by Liquid Pegasus, it's a party starter with funky-ass drums and big, irresistible claps under a retro-future vocal. The B-side, 'Free To Be', features Proh Mic singing and rapping about staying authentic in a world that tries to dull our shine. With soulful production by Vitamin D, the track blends fun with deep, life-affirming lyrics and has a truly timeless edge.
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