DJs: Most Charted - Disco - Most Charted March 2012

Review: Given that Todd Terje's first original material in some five years resulted in one of last year's highlights with the Running Back released Ragysh, it's natural he would want to leave some space before following up. The first of a series of EPs crafted from using one bit of vintage gear in particular, It's The Arps sees Terje dabble with the intricacies of the Arp 2600 analogue synthesizer as well as pay homage to his favourite Monty Python sketch. This is just as nerdy as you'd expect from a man who recently launched a website with the specific intention of exploring the obsessive studio nature of his contemporaries. The aforementioned "Inspector Norse" is an obvious highlight here, slowly unfurling gorgeous layers of playful synthesis that grapple the simplistic drums with flirtatious delight. Naturally for someone who spends most weekends of the year in a nightclub, Terje demonstrates a real prowess for building up the track, teasing your senses once before unleashing the mid point monstrous moment. It makes for another signature track from Terje which is likely to engender a rapturous reception for many years to come. Alongside it, "Myggsommer" provides a brief, twee interlude into oddball sci fi soundscapes which again prove to highlight the Arp 2600's capacity for inventive and idiosyncratic sounds. From here Terje unveils a two part skywards saunter through "Swing Star" showcasing a more dextrous manipulation of the Arp 2600's melodies across the markedly more rhythmic upbeat first part and expansive luxurious cosmic subsequent endeavour. Whilst "Inspector Norse" is guaranteed to be the one track from this release you will hear in the international discotheques, the remainder of It's The Arps serves as a excellent reminder of Terje's ever growing talent as a producer.

Review: The moustached disco avengers at Sccucci Manucci drop their latest missive, featuring more transmissions from the disco underground. Argentinean based Toomy Disco provides "What Goes Around", a tightly produced disco-house number with horn snippets woven around low-slung grooves, whilst The Glue deliver "Without You" a hazy slo-mo looper with vocal teases and hypnotic guitar licks. On the flip, South West Seven lock themselves into a fast moving groove with "What Have I Got To Do", a track that contrasts its fast rhythmic pulse with vocals and guitars that slowly emerge from the filtered ether. Aeromaschine close proceedings with "Deep Champagne"; combining a deep and melodic bassline with improvisational touches and glitchy vocal stutters, it successfully forges its own sound whilst keeping in line with his disco counterparts.

Review: Coyote's long running Is It Balearic imprint score perhaps their finest release to date with this twelve inch from Hardway Brothers that figuratively throbs away at the stylus. We've been quite the fans of Hardway Brothers since they surfaced on History Clock with some unhinged proto house business towards the tail end of 2010, and it's clear that Sean Hardway's ongoing sting alongside Mr Weatherall at their sub 122bpm A Love from Outer Space parties is having just the right sort of effect on their productions. "Mania Theme" crawls into action, driven by gurgling analogues and twisting metallic rhythms, accruing laser guided synth lines and rasping percussion along the way as the track builds towards the most angelic of mid way luv'd up moments before falling foul to gravity and starting its descent again. There could be few ways to possibly improve upon the track, and a well chosen Andy Weatherall remix is one of them, aligning the track to his recent lineage of mind bogglingly good rockabilly aesthetics applied to a discotheque template. The moment where a humongous organ arises through the mist will surely remain one of this year's highlights on wax. It's might be considered thankless task trying to match such a remix, but Toby Tobias' widescreen jackers version on the flip gives the track a different context that is just as rewarding!

Review: The esteemed Les Edits Du Golem imprint resurfaces in style after an absence of several years with four refined oddities from the excellent I:Cube. Following swiftly from the veteran producer's stunning Lucifer En Discotheque 12" for Versatile, it's clear I:Cube has begun the New Year with panache. Proceedings open with the vaguely sinister slo-mo house of "HNT", all dramatic synth infractions and Cocker style hushed vocals over a strident rhythmic bump, which is complemented by the equally laidback sleaze that is "A Bicyclette". Those seeking more uptempo thrills will be satisfied with the infectious 90s Italian house stylings of "Piano In Paradise", which takes a pleasantly dark twist mid way through. "You Dance So Well" is reminiscent of the kind of oddball track you might find on those excellent A Few Things From Ivan Smagghe CDs and will delight those who prefer their music to be on the weird side.

Review: With label darlings Tiger & Woods invested in a heavyweight tour schedule over the past few months, it's no surprise that all has been quiet on the Editainment front of late. Hooray then as Pop & Eye return to the fore on their second EP for Editainment, displaying all the verve for expertly chopped and heavily processed variants on music's past that we've come to expect from the label and its many (or should that be few) contributors. As ever, the true record diggers alone will recognise what's been pulled apart and put back together with floor devastating aplomb, whilst the rest of you can marvel in how effective the four tracks are - "Spinach Life" in particular is delightful.

Review: REPRESS ALERT: With two massive reissues from Suns of Arqa and Jaki Whitren under their belts, the fledging label Emotional Rescue have come up with the goods once again, with this remastered reissue of incredibly rare 70s psyche-funk from Bob Chance. Two versions are included: the original 7" version, driven along by a razor-sharp guitar riff and sweetly lamenting lyrics, topped off with weird cosmic synths and galloping rhythm. However, the real gem is the edit entitled "Wild It's Broken" which sharpens the focus of the guitar and adds some serious kick to the drums to create a beefy counterpart to the new age original.

Review: The Vinyl Factory come through with yet another sumptuous twelve inch release that sees the Norse disco deities Todd Terje and Lindstrom & Prins Thomas remix two classics from the Roxy Music canon. Terje has of course been impressing more with his own productions of late, yet armed with the masters for the seminal "Love Is The Drug" he proves that his golden touch for remixing has not lost one iota of its enduring shine. Wisely choosing not to drastically change what is an almost perfect pop song, Terje elects to add plenty of echo and delay, deftly updating the track for contemporary ears without sacrificing any of Brian & co's sax infused charm. On the flip "Avalon" get's eased back into an expansive and largely horizontal Balearic chug by Linny & Prinny which offers a nicely paced accompaniment to the highly charged brilliance of the A Side.

Review: Rare Wiri boss Rayko holds the Guinness World Record for Soundcloud edits, having retweaked 97 of all disco records released in the period between 1973 and 1981. This alone makes the Madrid based producer a perfect candidate to join the ranks of Cole Medina and Lord Of The Isles on the American Standard imprint - perhaps the only record label named in homage to a urinal company? Rayko's debut on the always classy label is a typically infectious reworking of a disco oddity, replete with the sort of chugging bassline and snapping percussion that teases people onto the dancefloor. It's an ultra limited affair too with only 300 copies pressed up.

Review: Long before disco-digging and needless re-editing became the pastime of a generation, Glaswegian graphic designer-turned-DJ Al Kent was doing both. For proof, check his acclaimed, illicit Disco Demands series. Originally launched in 2000 as an outlet for his obsession with barely-known 1970s dance music, it quickly became a conduit for his painstakingly faithful re-edits of long-forgotten disco records. Having seen his stock rise of late, BBE have decided to re-issue each of the five volumes in one bumper box set. For those with a love of disco's stranger fringes, The Best Of Disco Demands should be required listening. With 45 stonking cuts - some re-edits, others original studio versions - across five discs, it's an essential indulgence for disco heads everywhere.

Review: Ed DMX's Fresh Up imprint enlist seminal French disco act Black Devil Disco Club and Yellow Peril Disco Group for this double drop of delightful weirdo disco - think a love of vintage synths, curious Italian synth-soundtracks, Radiophonic Workshop noises and tongue-in-cheek disco-campery. A-Side "Max Stroke" sounds like the theme tune to some long-lost 1970s sci-fi series - British and low budget, of course - whilst "Bamboo Disco" is an effortlessly cheeky fusion of Tomorrow's World synths, quirky Far East-inspired melodies and vocoder shout-outs. It's very silly, but also rather endearing.

Review: Having helmed the two previous Hamilton Dance releases himself, Marcos Cabral elects to introduce the record buying public to some new talent that's fallen on the Runaway man's radar of late. First up is the simmering "Times In My Life" from long term Philly house DJ Billy Werner which presents the sort of sultry, atmospheric poise you can imagine soundtracking the sunrise moments at Le Bain. Next up Mark Ingram and Brenden Wesley demonstrate there's more to the Boston scene than Soul Clap with the heady 90s stylings of "Sans Snare", which acts as a bumping prelude to the two contributions from Cabral himself. First up is Time Reveals, the new project he's started with synth extraordinaire Susan Domelsmith which sounds quite promising if "Cave With You" is any indicator, all lolloping drums spaced out to let the rich analogue sounds draw you in. Those lucky few that picked up Cabral's white label for LIES will like the final creeping bumper "Tuesday".

Review: Sleazy Beats Recordings is now a must check label for disco aficionados, and this EP from the mysterious Dead Rose Company maintains the label's strong track record with the production outfit's biggest release to date. "So Into You" begins with a springy bassline providing the backbone for a musculature of warm synth flourishes, with the sharp guitar licks cutting through like the proverbial knife through butter. "Hankasheef" meanwhile takes an 80s vocal snippet whose source will be right on the tip of your tongue, and marrying it with a mid-tempo groove and glorious filter action leading to an epic climax. On the flip side, "Kissing In The Dark" opens with a lush string section which provides the backdrop to a track that never seems to stop climbing. The EP ends with the blissful slo-mo action of "Come Closer", whose climactic horns offer a fitting end to a fantastic EP.

Review: NYC disco deity Jacques Renault has graced many fine imprints - Public Release, RVNG and his own On The Prowl label to name but three - and here he joins KZA's impressive Let's Get Lost edits stable inhabited by the likes of JD Twitch and Welcome Stranger. The big one here is A-Side "World Unknown", a heaving slice of visceral house formed around thumping drums and a vocal refrain that worms it way into your head and doesn't leave for some time. Pop this in your collection of peak-time party records and thank us later. The B-Side is made up of the shuffling deep house-disco crossover of "In The Jungle" and the positively delicious "Bah Bah Jazz": forget low frequencies, this one's all about those skittering hats! Raw, rough and ready from start to finish - highly recommended.

Review: Forever the horizontally inclined innovators, International Feel introduce a mild curveball in their direction with Flights of Fancy, a new series showcasing what Balearic should sound like - through the custom made Ear Dimension Filters they employ on the coastline of Punta Del Este of course. The identity of those behind Flights of Fancy remains a mystery, as does so much with International Feel, but regardless both tracks present adopt a vintage discofied aesthetic that will find a place in many a heart. "Love's A Dancer" comes across like a forgotten Moroder gem given the Noid recordings treatment, whilst the altogether more widescreen vision of Balearica that is "Tempo Of The Night" positively glides towards the runout groove.

Review: Our man from Banff Eddie C makes a welcome return to the Endless Flight imprint that's been the conduit for so much of the Canadian producer's finely judged disco escapades over the years. Commencing with "Tunnel Mountain", Mr Currelly is on epic form, expertly teasing out a simmering and emotion drenched melodic refrain over a woozy mid tempo structure that intermittently jacks with real energy. Alongside it "Banff Butt" sounds like rough Chicago house slowed down to an opiated pace, while flipside opener "Iceline" is a typically sumptuous gallop through thick layers of textured beatdown. Finally "Descent" mainlines intermittent twilight boogie vibes through the stripped back groove.