Juno Recommends Funk / Reissues August 2020

Review: The latest edition in DJ Soopasoul's "Soopastole Edits" series looks like it may fly off the shelves, and with good reason. The lead cut is not an edit per se, but rather a crafty, clever and expertly produced mash-up that places selected rap flows from the acapella version of Beastie Boys classic "Ch-Check It Out" over a tightened up and fattened up rearrangement of MFSB's disco-era jam "People All Over The World". Sometimes these kinds of mash-ups can be messy, but this genuinely isn't, with the Beasties' vocals fitting the backing track like a glove. Over on side B Soopasoul shares his tweak of the MFSB track, which is entirely instrumental bar periodic use of the band's female backing vocals. In a word: ace!

Review: DJ Soopasoul's last mash-up was an inspired affair that saw him perfectly fuse tracks by Philadelphia Soul legends MFSB and the Beastie Boys. Here he takes a similar approach, placing the rap vocals from the 1995 hip hop classic "How High" atop a suitably funky, lolloping beat crafted from Clavinet-heavy sections from Stevie party-starting floor-heater "Superstitioun". It works remarkably well on the A-side vocal mix, and those who'd not heard either track would be convinced that there was no mash-up antics going on. Over on side B you'll find an instrumental mix that showcases Soopasoul's editing skills; minus the Hip Hop vocals, is a fine re-edit of the Wonderful jam.

Review: Smoove is back with another of his magical conceptions. This is one of the most bold and adventurous projects he's ever undertaken on Wack Records and finds him layering up hundreds of samples taken from more than six full lengths by A Tribe Called Quest, and he's one of the best to ever do it. The result is a magnificent and mellifluous 7" that brims with soul, jazz, rich beats and vocal snippets that interplay so smoothly you'll be in awe. Both sides are alive and authentic and picking apart the pieces is all part of the fun.

Review: Given the recent passing of Ennio Morricone, it seems fitting that we're being treated to a reissue of Babe Ruth's "The Mexican", a scorching funk-rock number based on the late, great Italian composer's theme from "For A Few Dollars More". The band's cover of that can be heard on the B-side, but it's the five-minute A-side, which boasts lyrics calling out the misleading narrative of John Wayne western "The Alamo", that you need in your life. Full of killer funk breaks that became staples during hip-hop's foundational block party era, plus driving musicality and some of rap music's best-known hooks, the track is still capable of slaying dancefloors 47 years after it was first recorded.

Review: The Beats & Breaks 7" series was founded to satisfy the desires of DJs, mainly by serving up re-edits that put some of the world's most recognizable drum breaks front and centre. This edition kicks off with a rearrangement of the Winstons' "Amen Brother", whose drum break not only became a staple of U.S hip-hop in the 1980s, but also the foundation of jungle and later drum and bass. This edit wisely gives plenty of air time to the infamous drum break, dropping into it at frequent intervals in between bouts of punchy, horn-heavy funk. Flip to the B-side for a tastefully chopped and rearranged version of The Chosen Few's super-sweet 1976 soul cut "Candy I'm So Doggone Mixed Up". This is the limited clear vinyl version and limited to just 200 copies !

Review: Kaleta's first full-length collaboration with the Super Yamba Band, 2019's "Medaho", was something of a slept-on treat: a fiendishly psychedelic Afrobeat affair that was every bit as heavy, colourful and vibrant as you'd expect. Here, one of the album's standout tunes gets the remix treatment courtesy of long-serving, party-starting musical fusionist Bosq. The Ubiquity and Soul Clap stalwart delivers vocal and instrumental passes of "Jibiti", both of which make great use of Kaleta's vocals and Super Yamba Band's fuzzy, Fela Kuti-style horn lines. Bosq's groove is closer in feel to Afro-disco than the original album version, though the bassline, organ stabs and vocals are pure Afrobeat gold.

Review: For the second in their series of clear vinyl reissues of some of their most sought-after "sevens", the mysterious Breaks & Beats crew have chosen to revisit their fourth 45, which originally landed in early 2018. It's well worth picking up, if only for the version of James Brown classic "Funky Presisdent", which features extended grooves and breakbeats for added DJ pleasure and double-up opportunities. That said, we're also big fans of the mystery scalpel fiends' light-touch revision of the Vibrettes' brilliant, voodoo funk favourite "Humpty Dump (Part 1)". This, too, makes more of the original's short drum breaks and strutting instrumental grooves, before unleashing the female vocal group's great vocals.

Review: Soul Brother Records is doing the world a great service by reissuing Sisters of Love's 1973 proto-disco anthem "Give Me Your Love", which is here presented in a Juno exckusive white vinyl edition. The song has been re-edited, bootlegged and reworked countless times over the years, and newcomers should be able to tell why straight away: the combination of brilliant group vocals, Blaxploitation style gyutars, fluttering flutes and powerful horns is simply superb. This time round it's accompanied by a lesser-known gem, "Try It, You'll Like It", which first featured on the B-side of a 1973 single. It's a powerful chunk of conscious funk/soul fusion of the sort that was incredibly popular during the period it was recorded.

Review: The Original Gravity label's latest must-check missive is unusual, featuring as it does four tracks squeezed on to one limited edition seven-inch single. As the title suggests, it's Latin-themed, with two artists (overseen by Welwyn Garden City-based producer Neil Henderson) delivering two sweaty South American funk workouts apiece. Luchito Rodriguez handles side A, delivering the Tito Puente style mambo brilliance of "Hey Guajira Baby" and the insatiable, fienishly fuzzy Latin funk/boogaloo business that is "Vacilon". Over on the flip, Nestor Alvarez first offers up a beefed-up, bass-heavy taken on a familiar mambo favourite ("Lupita"), before sprinting towards heavy Latin funk territory on the insatiable "Bang The Bongo".

Review: This special 7" boxset Motown State of Mind is a collection of Motown classics remixed by the legendary rapper, producer and member of D.I.T.C., Lord Finesse. The first two tracks tackle the one time King of Pop, while the undisputed soul god that is Marvin Gaye then gets some special treatment with an Underboss remix of "I Want You." The smooth grooves continue on DeBarge's "I Like It" (Soul Synopsis mix), which is pure sultry and steamy gold. Elsewhere Eddie Kendricks - "Body Talk" (TBG mix) is a string laced and slow motion disco funk gem and Sister of Love and Jackson 5 also get some careful treatment.

Review: If you don't already own a copty of Gil Scott-Heron classic "The Bottle", one of the many highlights from the pioneering spoken word artist and musician's 1974 collaboration with Brian Jackson, "Winter In America", then we'd heartily recommend picking up one of these limited-edition, white vinyl singles. For the uninitiated, the track features Scott-Heron musing on alcoholism and poverty over a killer flute-laden soul-funk groove. This time round it comes backed by another Scott-Heron/Jackson gem, "Johannesburg" - a more musically inventive and bluesy meditation on arpartheid first featured on the pair's 1975 album "From South Africa To South Carolina".

Review: The popular Breaks & Beats series of light-touch, DJ-friendly re-edits of soul and funk classics has decided to reissue some of its most sought-after seven-inch singles on clear vinyl pressings. Fittingly, the first to get the reissue treatment is the label's first ever release from 2017. On the A-side you'll find a tasty extension of Melvin Bliss's warm, heartfelt, piano-heavy 1983 cut "Synthetic Substitution". While Bliss's brilliant original is largely kept in-tact, the mystery re-editor naturally makes more of the opening breakbeat. Flip for a similarly tasty rearrangement of Sweet Daddy Floyd's 1978 Blaxploitation style disco-funk shuffler "I Just Can't Help Myself", a cut rich in rolling breaks, densely layered percussion, punchy orchestration and "Shaft"-style guitar licks.

Review: Some 12 years after it first hit record stores, Favorite Recordings has decided to offer-up a new pressing of one of Bruno Hovart's finest singles as Mr President, Mr Day collaboration. In its' original form, the track is a cheery, summery and wonderfully mood-enhancing chunk of 1970s style funk-soul fusion rich in punchy horns, bustling breaks, loved-up vocals and boisterous bass guitar. Also worth a listen is the flipside 'B-Boys Edit', which concentrates on Hovart's superb instrumental backing track before adding oodles of breakdance-friendly hand percussion and Latin style drums. Like the A-side, it's simply superb.

Review: Even by their usual high standards, the Allergies new LP - their fourth in total - is a particularly kaleidoscopic, party-starting affair. It sees the popular Bristol duo join forces with a series of guest vocals and MCs, most notably regular rapper Andy Cooper and cheeky scene veterans the Cuban Brothers, to deliver a series of funk-fuelled workouts that variously mix and match elements of hip-hop, mambo, stomping Northern Soul, deep funk, jazz and horn-heavy 1970s soul. While the samples of old are still present, it's the tightness and weightiness of the live instruments and strong vocals that make "Say The Word" such a terrific listen. In our opinion it's their strongest collection of work to date, and that's saying something. Bravo!

Review: Dynamite Cuts' latest extra-special double "45" mines ones of the earliest albums from soul and funk legends Earth, Wind & Fire, a 1971 set that was notably more psychedelic in sound than many of their more celebrated later releases. Opener "C'mon Children" is fiery, weighty and driving in the style of San Francisco funk-rock heavyweights "Tower of Power", while "Bad Tune" more than lives up to its title in a "bad meaning good" way (it also includes some crazy solos, which is no bad thing). Over on disc two, "Help Somebody" is an insanely up-tempo, horn-heavy Boogaloo style romp, while "Momet of Truth" is a low-down funk number straight out of the top drawer.

Review: Those who love classic Afro-Latin music should already know "Lupita", one of the standout tunes from the sole 1971 album by Belgian composer Nico Gomez (real name Joseph van het Groenewoud) and his Afro-Percussion Inc backing band. That album was reissued a few years back by Mr Bongo; here 'Lupita' is given a rare airing on 7" single by Matasuna. This time round, the deliciously percussive mambo workout - all punchy horns, wild organs and vocal breakdowns - comes backed by a fresh remix courtesy of Bosq. This version is arguably even better, with Bosq wisely choosing to focus on the drums, horns, bass and organs for added dancefloor pleasure.

Review: As the title suggests, there's an undeniably humid, sun-kissed and tropical feel to Act of Sedition's latest double-dose of seven-inch re-edits. Accedo Domingo lives up to his name by adding squelchy TB-303 lines and relaxed house beats to a stirring Cape Verde dancefloor jam on "Corre Riba", before Those Guys From Athens deliver a chunky, house-style revision of a turn-of-the-80s MPB classic ("No Bola"). Over on the second "45", DJ Laurel tools up an undeniably funky disco number (the stellar "Peanut Man") before Monsieur Von Pratt makes an already heavy disco-funk number even weightier ("Lose Your Mind").

Review: Funk, soul and jazz-funk reissue specialists Dynamite Cuts are particularly good at offering up seven-inch singles featuring album tracks that have never previously appeared on "45". They're at it again here, delivering a killer seven-inch featuring the much-sampled two-part track that bookends K.C & The Sunshine Band's self-titled, 1975 sophomore LP. "Let It Go (Part 1)" is a low-down Miami funk treat featuring a hot-to-trot-mix of bustling drums, heavy percussion breaks, rousing vocals, fiery (and familiar) horn riffs and impassioned lead vocals. The slightly shorter "part two" mix is an even heavier, vocal-free take that deftly showcases the quality of the band's hip-shaking, rabble-rousing instrumentation.

Review: According to the South American music specialists at Matasuna Records, Ralph Weeks' 1971 single "Let Me Do My Thing" - recorded alongside backing Los Dinamicos Exciters - is arguably the most sought-after Panamanian soul record around. As this reissue proves, Weeks' original version is rubbery, heavy and rousing, with the singer's rasping lead vocal soaring above a weighty backing track that sounds like a breezier take on the New York boogaloo sound. On the flip, Voodoocuts tools it up for modern dancefloors, underpinning his club-ready edit with punchy new drums that give the cut more of a breakbeat style swing.

Review: More must-have reissue action here, as Soul Brother Records offers-up an ultra-limited, Juno exclusive white vinyl "45" featuring two revered gems from Washington D.C funk heavyweights The Soul Searchers. On the A-side you'll find "Blow Your Whistle", a deliciously weighty, energetic and infectious funk stomper laden with wah-wah guitars, punchy horns, bustling grooves and, as you'd expect from the title, whistles. Over on the B-side you'll find "Ashley's Roachclip", a more laidback chunk of breezy instrumental soul goodness from 1974 whose headline-grabbing attraction is a seriously good - and extensive - flute solo.

Review: Admas' debut album, Sons of Ethopia, is probably best known for "Kalatashew Waga", a polyrhythm-fuelled chunk of melodious synthesizer funk that was memorably remixed by Andras Fox back in 2015. Here, the in-demand album gets an official reissue for the first time since it first appeared on the obscure African Heritage Records label way back in 1984. The band's unique blend of styles and instruments - think synthesizer-heavy instrumental boogie, electronic Afro-beat, dewy-eyed AOR soul and cheery highlife - remains as alluring and surprising as ever. Given that original copies are almost impossible to find, this is a much-needed reissue.

Review: You may have noticed a fair few limited-edition white vinyl releases popping up on Juno in recent times. Here's another, this time from Expansion Records. What's on offer is certainly tempting: two much-sampled gems from 1980s electrofunk and jazz-funk maestro Don Blackman. On the A-side you'll find "Heart's Desire", a jaunty slab of jazz-funk-soul rich in multi-tracked scat style vocalizations, rubbery slap-bass, deep chords and jazzy solos. It's a stone-cold classic all told and really deserves to be in every soul head's collection. Turn to the flip for "Holding You, Loving You", a sumptuous slow jam that's as languid, loved-up and subtly summery as they come.

Review: The Beats & Breaks 7" series was founded to satisfy the desires of DJs, mainly by serving up re-edits that put some of the world's most recognizable drum breaks front and centre. This edition kicks off with a rearrangement of the Winstons' "Amen Brother", whose drum break not only became a staple of U.S hip-hop in the 1980s, but also the foundation of jungle and later drum and bass. This edit wisely gives plenty of air time to the infamous drum break, dropping into it at frequent intervals in between bouts of punchy, horn-heavy funk. Flip to the B-side for a tastefully chopped and rearranged version of The Chosen Few's super-sweet 1976 soul cut "Candy I'm So Doggone Mixed Up".

Review: Masterful soul instrumentalists El Michels Affair return to home label Big Crown with some worldly infused sounds on this tasty new 7". "Dhuaan" (feat Piya Malik) is the opener and brings plenty of psyched-out Turkish vibes and snaking synths, crashing drum hits and intoxicating break downs. The whole thing makes for a fascinating ride. "Sha Na Na" (feat The Shacks) then takes a more deep and mysterious route, with organ chords bending and warping as if heat damaged, while super silky drum playing oils the groove.