Disco Recommendations September 2015

Review: There are few record collectors and DJs with crates quite as deep as Psychemagik. They've already proved this beyond doubt via a trio of brilliant Magik compilations for Paul Murphy and Simon Purnell's Leng label. Magik Sunset Part 2 continues this run, gathering together another double-album's worth of fantastic obscurities from the worlds of stoner disco, left-of-centre rock, psychedelia and Balearica. As usual, there are some genuine "how did I not know about this record" moments, from the star-kissed Balearic jazz of Fabio Fabor and saucer-eyed white boy reggae-rock of the Trepidants, to the Flamenco-tinged AOR disco shuffle of Jack Adkins' "Sunset Beach".

Review: There's usually plenty of A-grade material to be found in the Editor's Kutz EPs, and this sixth volume in the popular re-edit series is no different. Chief amongst these is The Silver Rider's "Good Lovin' Baby", a chunky disco-funk roller - slightly straightened out for contemporary dancefloors - that boasts a terrific, string-drenched breakdown. There's also something deliciously glassy-eyed about Doc Jam's "In Your Eyes", a tasty, house style loop-jam that expertly cuts up a familiar disco classic. Elsewhere, Ed Wizard & Disco Double Dee provide a dubby take on Marcos Valle's Brazilian boogie classic "Estrelar" ("Stellar Dub"), and Vinyladdicted joins forces with Sleazy McQueen for a trip into groovy, AOR disco territory.

Review: Suave Parisian scalpel-botherer Dimitri From Paris continues to churn out top notch re-edits, slightly altering his famous production persona from label to label. Here, he delivers a second 12" for Razor 'N' Tape under the Dimitri From Brooklyn alias. Like its' predecessor, it features a couple of stone cold bangers. "Right My File" offers a thunderous, housed-up take on a lesser-known cover version of Dan Hartman's grandiose disco smasher "Relight My Fire" - all vocal breakdowns, big builds and big-lunged sing-along moments. As for "I Want Your Back", it re-casts Dimitri as The Reflex, laying down a version of The Jacksons' "I Want You Back" that sounds like it was done from the multi-track parts. It is, of course, dancefloor dynamite.

Review: Based out of Detroit, Pontchartrain come forth with their debut vinyl release on the Lovedancing label after providing the highlight of a split 12" from the Whiskey Disco operation late last year. Setting the bar very high indeed, the Detroiter delivers a trio of tight, sample heavy house cuts that will ease their way into your affections and record boxes and leave neither for some time. "Burning" is a quite wondrous flip on Gwen McCrae classic "Keep The Fire Burning" that really teases out the source material over seven minutes. "Hugging" rewires Joe Thomas' "Plato's Retreat" to the extent the vocal is discarded completely whilst "Sinner" turns a Nina Simone classic into a blinding house cut. This is what edits are supposed to sound like.

Review: The first volume of Delfonic's Disco Halal series, featuring brilliant re-edits by Acid Arab and Mehmet Aslan of obscure Middle Eastern material, was something of a hit. Four months on, the series returns with another quartet of Arabic dancefloor treats. While ears will undoubtedly be drawn to the intoxicating Lebanese disco of "Sorarim (KMTR Edit)", there are plenty of tasty treats to be found across the EP. We're particularly enjoying the clavinet-heavy slo-mo disco chug of Rabo & Snob's edit of "Hilbeth" and Moscoman's darkly spun, extra-percussive rework of "Machintosh". That said, Red Axes version of "Hamathil" is a certified killer, too.

Review: Walter Gibbons tripped out 1978 rework of "Get Up On Your Feet (Keep On Dancin')" by TC Funk & The Fist-O-Funk Orchestra is rightly regarded among the disco pioneer's finest works, stretching the glory out to a wondrous 11 minutes (and 2 seconds). It was a highlight among highlights on Strut's Jungle Music compilation of Gibbons productions back in 2010 but the 12" original edition has been a long sought after rarity. Out of nowhere comes this limited repress from the Fist-O-Funk label with the killer Gibbons mix backed the ecstatic and superbly named "Bumpsies Whipping Cream" which features mixdowns from Tom Savarese.

Review: The Rimini Rimmers aka Nijmegen pair Derksen (Slowpoke) & Wolters (JMMSTR) debut on the latter's label with the super limited 12" Coke Rock Disco Edits Vol 1. Pressed in a quantity of just 100, this hand-stamped 12" finds the Dutch pair plundering the disco archives for some nicely quantized, and heavily treated edits that should fill the needs of any self-respecting discotheque dancefloor. Of the four cuts, "Tonight Dub" will be familiar to any disco scholars but fair play to the Rimini Rimmers for the manner in which they've deployed their box of FX heavy studio tricks.

Review: Number #5 in VinylAddicted's popular Editors Kutz series has been split into two parts with this first 12", arriving on rather dashing pink vinyl, featuring contributions from Luvless, Trujillo, Jean Claude Gavri and Sleazy McQueen who collaborates with the label boss. Indeed they call shotgun with a breezy disco number "Lonely D", complemented well by the star struck strut of the Luvless rework of "My Luvin". Trujillo's edit of "Get Up And Dance" has one of those grooves that will rescue any dancefloor whilst Monsieur Gavri offers some Soulful Relief with a nice closing tweak of an unknown disco cover of Al Green classic "Stay Together".

Review: Having spent the last three years successfully mining obscure Polish music for inspiration, The Very Polish Cut-Outs has decided to apply their formula to little-known Russian releases. The Very Soviet Cut-Outs, then, features prime re-edits - presumably by Russian producers - of Soviet-era material. There's much to enjoy, from the chugging disco-meets-electro brilliance of the Beard In Dust edit of Pavel Ovsyannikov Orchestra's "Downhill Skiinga", to the eccentric and downright bizarre Russian disco-rap of Bratya Po Razumu's "Skrech Rap (Schmoltz Edit)". For those keen on more traditional disco thrills, Krjuk's head-nodding, toe-tapping rearrangement of Alla Pugacheva's sweet "Cafe Dancing Lights" more than fits the bill.

Review: Greg Wilson doesn't wait around does he? The famed UK DJ and edit innovator only launched his Super Weird Substance label back in June but it's already racked up a healthy quartet of releases. Having featured on the label's inaugurating release alongside Wilson, Seacombe-based twins The Reynolds step up for their debut proper with a superb cover version of a Northern Soul classic. Bessie Banks' 1976 single "Don't You Worry Baby, The Best Is Yet To Come" was big at Blackpool Mecca back in the day, and is given a sublime contemporary rerub which sees vocals from Katherine and Carmel Reynolds ride the production work by Greg Wilson and Lee 'Peza' Perry.

Review: Number nine in the Balearic Blah Blah series gets off to a frisky start with the VH edit of "Walk The Walk", essentially retooling an obscure Talk Talk number for the Innervisions crowd with some subtle production boosts. The tempo rolls down markedly on "Cool World" from Balearic Blah Blah regular Ri??olo DJ, a sumptuous '80s drum machine work out with a nagging bassline and crooning vocal hooks, whilst the closing "Goonies" is a fine disco tool from the same era. Sandwiched inbetween is the sax heavy "Summertime" tweak from KBE.

Review: Nohelani Cypriano's 1979 debut album, Nohelani, has become something of an in-demand item since Athens of the North reissued two of the tracks last year. Here, it gets a handy reissue, so those without the desire to dig deep can revel in its' curiously unique mix of styles. Cypriano's Hawaiian heritage is represented by the strange sound of pedal steel on a number of tracks, which also feature easy listening, disco, boogie, soul and jazz-funk influences. It's a bizarre but entertaining melting pot of influences, and one that happily steers clear of kitsch territory thanks to the high quality of its' most notable moments, in particular "Lihue", "Island Boy" and the deliciously camp "South Sea Island Magic".

Review: Disco selectors rejoice! Two prime remixes of TS Monk classics are finally committed to the 12" format they deserve courtesy of Italian label Groovin Recordings. Both the John Morales and Paul Simpson remixes originate from the 2009 expanded CD reissue of TS Monk album Human and have been crying out for a vinyl release ever since! Up top Morales extends the disco delights of "Candidate For Your Love" with some superlative phasing utilised throughout, whilst proto-house legend Paul Simpson turns in a killer low slung boogie refix of "Bon Bon Vie".

Review: Red Laser's Wet Play trilogy concludes with four of the juiciest disco treats of the series; "Streetboxx" is a sopping wet electro boogie jam that wriggles so hard its speedos pretty much fall off half way through. "Your Sunshine" splashes down in the early 80s with processed vocals, lounge chords and synth-toms that spurt so hard we should really sell towels with this EP. "Xanthan Gum" dives deep into an Ame-style tech pool while "Another Life" whips up a tsunami of nostalgia thanks to a well known arpeggio and a bassline that's soaking in boogie feels and refuses to shake itself dry. Squirty.

Review: Frustratingly under prolific editor Lafleur blossoms once again with three superb revisions. "Ain't Gonna Give You More" takes Reuben Wilson down a funky loopy alley that's actually a shortcut to the freakiest party in town while "You Got It" is a sharp shake up of Deadly Sins with some precision cuts on the vocal hook, horn refrain and super-tight groove. "Fight The Good Fight" flips the switch for something much more peaktime and tech; adding Jaw-style vocals and an Ame-style lollop to Benga's "Emotions", it's a neat counter to the sweaty funk on the A-side.

Review: Slovenian disco demon Ichisan continues his rich vein of form with three slices of instant cosmic. "Fantazija" is the perfect ice breaker. Thumping like an Idjut Boys track, twinkling like a Kirk Degiorgio tune, it guarantees sweaty participation. "Mambo" is a much groovier affair. Bona fide deep house with a shimmering air, it wouldn't have gone amiss on a Julien Jabre record. Finally we hit "Novi Svet". The sunset cut of the bunch, loaded with glistening nylon strings and spacy arpeggios, it's a Balearic bomb waiting to melt hearts and minds when played at the right time.

Review: The epic adventures of Captain Starlight continue as Cali soul men Woolfy Vs Projections deliver their third album. Following from where "The Return Of Love" left us in 2012, it's a bounty of Balearica rich in tempo fusions, shimmering instrumentation and cosmic textures. From the Foalsy gallops of "My Room" to the Thievery Corp style dub funk of "Set It Up" via the heavier, leaner, 2020 Soundsystem style late night bell ringing of "Tanglers", each cut works as a whole new chapter while creating a much larger picture as it develops. Like all the best albums should. Perfect for homes and dancefloors alike.

Review: Two delightfully contrasting sides from respected editing/mastering troupe Ebony Cuts. "Carrie On" is all about the sweet cascading vibraphone riff that spirals further and further into the dancefloor over a mildly chugging beat, broken only by even sweeter pianos. "Oba Chule" is a much headier affair; loaded with African percussion, densely over-layered with exciting rhythmic switches and folk chants, it's all tied together with a persistent kick drum. Meltdown.

Review: 1984: a vintage year for Italo, notably Hildegard whose dusky, sultry Marlene Dietrich homage Alta Infedelta became a cult LP. "Satanicamente" and "Gay" were both stand-out tracks that really showcased her rich, purring, bassy delivery and here we find them consummately edited and futureproofed. The former tingles like a Grace Jones yarn with Danish Italo connoisseur Flemming Dalum adding a dubby touch to the drums and a lengthier, more luxurious groove while the latter is subtly polished to retain the vocal velvet and shimmering synths of the original.

Review: Five releases in and Al Bunz and Tone B Nimble switch up things on their Al Tone Edits series, downscaling from 12" releases to dinked 7"s but there is no drop in standards of quality. Dipping into their personal armoury of Disco, Soul, Funk, and Gospel weapons, All Tone come up trumps with the vocal disco burner "Silly" on the A-side, which features some heavily phased trickery that will delight the discotheque dancefloors. On the flip, "Dis-Go Theme" is an exercise in groove laden intensity, with the occasional detour into a vocal passage.