Juno Recommends Disco October 2018

Review: After making a promising start with their first installment, Disco Pocho return with a second round of expertly selected, sliced and segued groovers from the parties of yesteryear. Javi Frias is the cat on the buttons this time around, taking two loose and limber disco funk burners and giving them just the right subtle touch to set the place alight. "It's A Shame" has an easy tempo, but there's more than enough heat embedded in the looped up slices Frias gets busy with - it's a dense, rugged and rock-tinged sound that should please Brass Construction fans. On the flip, "You Got What I Need" turns things up with a powerful, diva-led gem that's heavy on the one, just like it should be.

Review: REPRESS ALERT!: Roberto Lodola has a rich legacy in Italian music, not least as a DJ and at the helm of early 90s outfit Rhythm Factory. Recognising the cult status of his first single, the 1986 12" Marimba Do Mar, Best Records have done the right thing in remastering this sun soaked classic with both original mixes and two previously unheard studio outtakes. The "Fusion Version" of the title track is a rich, sensual jam festooned with cascading pianos and tumbling percussion, while the "Vocal Version" brings a beautiful female vocal front and centre in the mix. "Feeling Of The Sun" is a delightfully spaced out lo-fi take on the original, and then "Hey George!" strips the music away and leaves you with a gorgeous beat track perfect for extended mixing potential.

Review: Should you stumble on an original copy of N'Draman Blintch's 1980 album Cosmic Sounds for sale, it would cost you upwards of 1,000 Pounds. This, then, is a much-needed reissue. It contains four fine cuts that showcase the Ivory Coast-born musician's distinctively intergalactic take on Afro-disco, where spacey electronics and mazy synth lines rise above bustling, high octane grooves. The album does contain one decidedly laidback and loved-up slow jam - closer "She Africa (Ton Tour Viendra)" - but it's the celebratory brilliance of the set's dancefloor workouts that most impress. Check, in particular, the anthem-like strut of title track "Cosmic Sounds" and the hot-to-trot, solo-laden Afro-disco explosion that is opener "Self Destruction".

Review: Magic Wand is a label you can count on to deliver the disco edits and original productions you never knew you needed, calling on a strong cast of remixers and editors with the knowledge they offer up truly fresh propositions for your party delectation. JC Salinas has been previously clocked on Is It Balearic? and now steps up with a summery slice of island boogie from an undisclosed geographical location. Salso Picante's "Gotham" is a motorik beast of a track with plenty of 80s stylings and funk where it counts, while 1-800 COOLGUY gets into "Teaser" and rewards the faithful listener with a huge sound and splashed with colour and hair spray. The Rare Cuts edit of "Think Like A Lover" closes this excellent slab of wax out with a smooth, seductive roller for those more tender moments.

Review: Best Records fire up a surefire classic from the annals of Italian dance music, crafted courtesy of Italo-disco heavyweight Klein & MBO. "The MBO Theme" was originally a hit in the nascent Chicago house scene, spun by the likes of Ron Hardy thanks to its punchy synth bass and hooky Euro-vocals. This sought-after dancefloor gem has been given a faithful remastering touch, as is the Best Records way, and they've also dug out a previously unheard edit of the track named as the "Italian Version," which stretches out the club qualities of the jam for maximum party impact.

Review: Tom Moulton's fabulous mix of Love Committee's "Pass The Buck" was never given a proper 12" release back in 1978, instead making its way onto the band's debut album, "Law and Order". Here it finally gets an airing across a side of a record, with a new "edits and overdubs" revision by Sacred Rhythm boss Joaquin Joe Claussell on the flip. The latter builds on the soaring, grandiose power, swirling strings and urgent group vocals of Moulton's classic version, building from a layered, densely percussive start towards a sweaty conclusion via waves of instrumentation, swirling synthesized strings and everything-but-the-kitchen sink production. It is, then, a thoroughly brilliant rework of a classic - if under-celebrated - disco cut.

Review: There's no doubt that Roisin Murphy struck gold when she joined forces with Maurice Fulton earlier this year. The pair's latest single - the third in the series, if our calculations are correct - is another quirky disco classic in the making. Smooth title track "Jacuzzi Rollercoaster" features Murphy's distinctive lead vocal and Fulton's trademark instrumentation (rubbery bass guitar, flash-fried funk guitar flourishes, loose beats and mangled Clavinet motifs) being bolstered by some slick, soulful backing vocals courtesy of Ali Love. B-side "Can't Hang On" tips a wink to Fulton's eccentric house project Syclops - or his productions for spouse Mu, for that matter - with a squidgy acid bassline, madcap electronics and wild percussion solos combining to devastating effect.

Review: One of New York City's finest DJs and editors is back with more killer reworks. Jacques Renault takes time out from his popular Let's Play House Imprint to serve up the new one for Parisians Stamp. This follows up resplices by Harrison BDP, Swayzak and Man Power. 'Tom bo li de say de moi ya, yeah, jumbo jumbo?' Never mind - but rest assured that "Jambo" will have you getting down all-night-long on this edit of a timeless classic. For the more daring amongst you who hope to venture deeper into the night, we'd absolutely recommend the extended dub on the flip - this one will totally get the heads down.

Review: Franz Scala was last spotted on Boredllo A Parigi back in 2016 - he makes the move to Bahnsteig 23 for this bold record of synth pop, early electro and much more besides. "Anacondas" has a cheery tone, all sunny synth lines and a laid back boogie rhythm section, while "Thai City" is more like a scratchy beat track for DJs to get clever with. "Shadow Dancer" is one of the record's stand out moments - a muscular pop burner for all 80s romancers to get emotional and funky to. "Rascals" finishes the EP off with some seriously tough drums and some body-popping electro styles that should go down a storm on the floor.

Review: French producer Yuksek has released rather a lot of music over the last 15 years, though this appears to be his first ever collection of re-edits. You'll want to check tasty opener "How I Love To Dance", a lolloping rendition of a quirky and obscure disco number rich in Patrick Adams style instrumentation and well-placed dub delays, while the drum-heavy "The Beat" features waves of wonky percussion, a pulsating bassline and plenty of sweaty FX. Elsewhere, "Think Of You" is a head-bobbing revision of an AOR disco/disco-rock cut that sounds like it could have been re-edited by Eric Duncan, and "Dance In Disco" is a seductive Gallic disco chugger rich in heavily accented English vocals and jazzy electric piano solos.

Review: Second time around for The Revenge's brilliant re-edit of Hot Chocolate's "Heaven's In The Backseat of My Cadillac", which has become something of an in-demand item in the decade that has passed since its initial release on Jiscomusic. It remains one of the finest reworks of the modern era: a mid-tempo, sing-along stomper that's guaranteed to rock the party every time it's wheeled out. On the B-side you'll find something even more rare: the Scottish producer's never-before-properly-released (and much sought-after) take on Gwen McRae's "Keep The Fire Burning". This naturally retains all of the key ingredients of the classic original version, adding a rolling house beat and some suitably saucer-eyed chords to make an already loved-up cut even more seductive.

Review: Apparently eight years in the making, "Costellazione K78" is the collaborative effort of Discodromo and Massimiliano Pagliara. It's a truly cosmic affair that channels a generous amount of warm, 70s sound into its component parts as it sets a course for the stars. The A-side houses the original throbbing epic in its pure form, restrained in parts but with a bold narrative arc that reaches further out with every passing bar. Meanwhile on the flip you can feast your ears on the more boldly defined dub version, which amps up the FX and synth vamps for a truly interstellar space trip.

Review: Kalita Records announce the first ever and definitive discography of Carrie Cleveland. Here, they offer an expanded version of her 1978 album 'Looking Up', including both the issue and promotional versions of her single 'Make Love To Me', and the previously unknown sweet soul single 'I've Got A Feeling'.

Privately arranged, recorded and produced by Carrie and her husband Bill as a labour of love in their backyard studio in 1978, 'Looking Up' is one of the most in-demand soul/disco LPs in existence, sought-after in particular for their track 'Love Will Set You Free'. In addition, the promotional version of Carrie's single 'Make Love To Me' is one of the best and rarest sweet soul records to have emerged out of the West Coast soul scene, and her single 'I've Got A Feeling' is until today virtually unknown even to the most seasoned of collectors, with even Carrie herself unsure if it was ever released. With the album originally pressed in a limited run of just 1000 with 500 copies of each single, original copies of Carrie's records deservingly command eye-watering figures on the second-hand market. Kalita now satisfy the thirst with the first ever official reissue of her entire discography.

The Kalita vinyl reissue consists of both the expanded album and a bonus 7" single, and is housed in a gatefold sleeve. It includes extensive interview-based liner notes and never before seen photos, detailing Carrie and Bills' life and musical career.

Review: This is the third EP from the Mutable label out of Australia, featuring four more edits and over-dubbed cuts by this mysterious artist. On the A side, they take a salvia soaked stroll through sweaty disco shamanism, followed by a soca influenced scorcher. The oddball grooves continue on the flip: with a persuasively pokey paean to North Africa, followed by an uptempo synth powered wig-flipper!

Review: Night or day, we're always happy to receive a new version bundle from the mysterious (not to mention brazen) editors Disco Bits. For their latest excursion "Party Time" takes things out of control with a massive vocal hook every dancefloor knows and loves, "Wick & Lazy" is a ticket on the express to funk town while "Ain't No Cruel Intentions" brings a cruel twist to a Khan and Rufus joint. Finally "Jubilation" brings us all a little closer with solid strums and campfire chorus. Less disco bits and more disco wholes; these will pep up any flagging floor.

Review: On the fourth edition of his acclaimed Deep In India series, Todh Teri revives Indian cinematic sounds that are reworked for modern dancefloors. The mysterious producer then merges said aesthetics with house, acid and funk. The edits preserve the original flavors of these beloved classics, while making them current. On the A side of this volume, we have some explosive carnival vibes that are perfect for street parties, alongside what sounds like a classic Bollywood anthem mashed up with some sick 303 acid. On the flip, prepare to delve deep into the exotic with two hypnotic efforts. In particular the B2 which is a sleazy/woozy slow burner that's perfect for playing during the later hours.

Review: Over the years Moton - the label run by Darren House aka Diesel and Dave Jarvis - has become synonymous with releasing great quality edits from a range of amazing producers. Their 43rd release is no different, offering up two glorious edits ready made for the dancefloor. On the A side we have the lo-slung and sensual slow burner that is "Cuffari" (Make The World Larger Than Me) that is powered along by a powerful vocal performance that will have you singing along in no time! On the flip, things get down to a funky groove on the late night boogie-down vibe of "Dancing (Jumbo)" edited by Lumberjacks In Hell's Marcel Vogel.

Review: One way ticket business: cult one-hit-wonders Crashers dropped these cool runnings in 1981 and it's since been known to pass hands for high figures. Famously celebrated and consequently edited by Dimitri From Paris, here we find it in all its original Capo Disco glory. Vibrant, sing-along and just on the right side of sleaze, it still runs as fast as it did almost 40 years later. The same can be said for original b-side "Skank". Pure rare groove boogie with more than your month's quota of slapbass, fuzzy guitar and falsettos, it's another first class trip. Bon voyage.

Review: Up next on Los Angeles based label Take Away is prolific Swedish producer Daniel Savio aka Kool DJ Dust. The Stockholm native has also produced under such aliases as Dusty Gringo, Koolius Cesar and Simpleton on labels diverse as Flora & Fauna, Fasaan and Born Free over the years. Savio displays his deft hand as an editor on the Healthy Edits EP, with all of the being enough off the well-trodden paths and presented quite respectfully indeed. From the A side's powerful and life affirming soul jam "Really Love You", right through to the saucy "The Teacher" on the flip that is followed by "Summer Night" and its lo-slung groove.

Review: Label heads Sartorial and Moodeena present the latest volume in the suitably summery Tropical Disco edits series, with the latter kicking things off with "Gil's Groove", a wonderfully positive revision of a Brazilian jazz-funk jam that underpins the original electric piano solos and sun-kissed instrumentation with spacey electronic flourishes and a head-nodding house groove. It's followed by a storming, sax-laden collaborative re-edit romp, as the scalpel-wielding duo gets to work on a familiar disco-funk smasher producing their version which features plenty of filter tricks and a rock solid rhythm track. On side B, Sartorial takes the spotlight, first delivering a soaring disco-house cut rich in swirling strings and funk-fired guitars ("6 Million"), before successfully tooling up a bouncy, head-in-the-clouds disco number ("Feel The Heat").

Review: Man Face was a short-lived project from the heyday of disco, helmed by two South African artists Winston Alwyn Gill and Henderson Brathwaite, but recorded in Italy. It's little wonder to see "You're Hurting Me" coming to light on Best Records, the trusted stable for all kinds of Italian dance curios, but this time the re-release is being handled in conjunction with the always-on-point Early Sounds crew. Pellegrino, himself an Early Sounds regular, handles edit duties on the A side and lathers up the original with a delicate but delectable approach that keeps the bubbling grooves of Man Face intact while edging a little more mileage out of those sumptuous keys pattering drums.

Review: As the majestically matter-or-fact title suggests, this EP sees Cottam swap his dusty drum machines and classic synthesizers for a scalpel and reels of quarter inch tape. The results are as on-point as you'd expect, with the experienced producer delivering two tried and tested reworks. Perhaps the most arresting of the pair is flipside "Jigsaw", a wonderfully percussive rearrangement of a sparse but heavy tribal jam that sounds African in origin. It's little more than drums and a lone vocal, but it works so well. In contrast, A-side "Love Affair" sees him make merry with a deliciously glassy-eyed and celebratory mid-tempo disco jam full of glass-cut strings, punchy horns and seductive female backing vocals.

Review: Long-serving DJ and NTS breakfast show host Charlie Bones has decided to start his own label, Do You Records. The imprint's first EP is an all-star affair, featuring a trio of previously unheard tracks that have recently tickled the DJ's fancy. There's some suitably celebratory fare to be found on the A-side, where Bruce Hackford cuts up a camp old disco banger, turning it into the kind of rubbery, percussion-rich workout that sounds like it was tailor-made for al-fresco clubs and sweaty Adriatic boat parties. Over on the flip, Dog and Fox serve up the swelling glassy-eyed electronics, crunchy drum machine hits and blissful motifs of "Who Gets The Cows", before Seiji Ono goes all Balearic via the warm and picturesque jazz-funk soul of closer "Celebrate Your Life".

Review: More unreleased gold from Lafayette Afro congressman Bobby Boyd on Athens Of The North. Big 80s boogie funk, "Rock On" delves deep into Boyd's later material with a light Latin flare and a little p-funk sleaze and a full flavoured guitar solo. The main hit, however, is the dancefloor blunderbuss remix by decorated engineer of the time Bob Blank. With a discog that includes the likes of Larry Levan and Arthur Russell, he adds strong shades of proto house to the mix with big kick drums and an arrangement and dynamic that still boots floors and doors down to this day.