Review: Hot Piroski Records have been on something of a hiatus for the last year or so but now make a welcome return with a new EP series. This collaborative affair is the result of an epic journey in an old Mercedes from London to Gunjur and finds label head Robin 12Tree working with The Gambia and Bongo Koi as Gambian Disco Express. 'Enlightenment is Now' marks their first release on Hot Piroski Records and it comes with vocals from Gambian mystic Rev. Joseph N'Gole, recorded on the banks of the River Gambia. This one has already been hammered by Psychemagik, Pete Herbert, and Severino from Horse Meat Disco so it comes quality assured.
Review: US house legend and deck technician A Trak is back with a third volume of 10 Seconds on his own Fools Gold label. This latest 10" comes on red wax and features for wonky and characterful tunes. 'Like I Said' is all low slung and funky bass guitar riffs and slick soulful house drums. 'Jyeah' brings a more cut up rhythm with warped sub and bleeping synths. 'Riiide' is another infectious house vibe with busy chords and daubs of synth, loopy vocals and hurried beats that call to mind French filter house classics and it's the same story with the brilliantly immediate thrills of 'JustCantLive'.
Harry Romero - "Revolution" (House Masters edit) (5:13)
Prunk & Rona Ray - "Keep It Simple" (6:41)
Review: The mighty Defeated has got a fun package on its hands here with some fat disco and house anthems primed and ready for big room summer fun. A'Studio's 'SOS' (feat Polina - Skylark remix - Nic Fanciulli edit) is chunky house with a hooky vocal and rolling groove designed to sweep you up and away. Chloe Caillet then remixes Tensnake's classic 'Coma Cat' into a hands-in-the-air house stomper with epic strings. Harry Romero's sweaty 'Revolution' gets its drums buffed up and well swung by a House Master's Edit and Prunk & Rona Ray steal the EP at the last with their lush vocal house cut 'Keep It Simple.'
Review: There's plenty of hype swirling around this short-run debut from Londoners Adelphi Music Factory, with regular radio plays and appearances in a host of top DJs' set lists resulting in insatiable demand. It helps, of course, that "Javelin" is an absolute beast. Packed with energy, the A-side version sees them generate maximum sweatiness by working cut-up gospel vocal samples atop a loopy, full-throttle, techno-tempo disco-house groove. Honestly, it's one seriously heavyweight rub that's guaranteed to get dancefloors eating out of the palm of your hand. The B-side "Dub" is, if anything, even wilder and heavier, with the little-known outfit utilizing stretched-out, delay-laden vocal lifts and restless piano stabs over ten action-packed minutes.
Review: 'Disco Tape', which launched via a must-check 12" back in August 2023, os Sound Exhibitions' multi-artist EP series. This second volume is a similarly action-packed affair that gleefully blurs the boundaries between reworks, re-edits and sample-heavy original productions. Alexny kicks things off with two sun-soaked treats - the percussive and warming tropical disco tribute 'Caribbean Breeze' and the sax solo-sporting dancefloor shuffle of 'Bada Boom' - before Paride Pavone rounds off side A with the jazzy disco-house celebration of 'In Key'. Phil Disco impresses on side B with two killer cuts (the funky bass-propelled disco heaviness of 'Never Gonna Leave You' and the swirling jazz-funk-house bump of 'Disco Ipno', while disco-funk specialist C Da Afro rounds things off in fine style via the insatiable grooves and fluttering flute solos of 'The Choice'.
Let Me Be Your Fantasy (Dimitri From Paris club mix) (6:14)
Let Me Be Your Fantasy (Dimitri From Paris dub) (7:16)
Let Me Be Your Fantasy (Masters At Work Clap Yo Hands dub) (7:25)
Let Me Be Your Fantasy (Moplen remix) (5:03)
Let Me Be Your Fantasy (Mousse T Fantastic Shizzle mix) (6:00)
Let Me Be Your Fantasy (Blackchild remix) (6:00)
Let Me Be Your Fantasy (Two Soul Fusion remix) (12:05)
Review: Anane's soulful vocal delivery takes centre stage on her reimagining of this evergreen disco cut - originally crafted by Love Symphony Orchestra in 1978 - rebooted here through a series of new mixes from some massive house names. Dimitri From Paris delivers two irresistible cuts, his club mix a vibrant and energetic journey through classic house sounds, while his dub strips things back to a hypnotic groove. Masters At Work's 'Clap Yo Hands Dub' injects a dose of infectious energy, while Moplen's remix takes a more atmospheric approach, its swirling synths and hypnotic rhythms creating a mesmerising soundscape. Mousse T's 'Fantastic Shizzle Mix' adds a touch of soulful bounce, while Blackchild's remix delves into deeper, more tribal-infused territories. Two Soul Fusion's remix closes out the collection with a smooth and uplifting vibe, its soulful melodies and infectious groove leaving a lasting impression. A true classic reimagined through the lens of a host of diverse, talented producers.
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: Stockholm based Ari Bald is up next for Better Listen after inaugurating Honey Butter Records last year with that great release. He keeps on with that deep disco spirit with these four funky and lo-slung jams. On the A side, we have two ergonomic edits in the form of "That Lonely Night" and "Enchantress" respectively which are looped to perfection with some somewhat familiar hooks that gradually build up to that drop! That's where the thumping kick comes charging in and it's sure geared for maximum dancefloor dynamics. On the flip, get ready for the funk explosion that is "Moonshiner" or what could be your First Choice (mind the pun!) in the form of the smooth and sexy late night groove of "Are You Mesmerized?"
Review: Especial is a label always on a mission to unearth left-of-centre perspectives on club music. This new EP, Be Honest, is just that from long-time friends Lipelis and Arsenii, who are based in Belgrade and New York but seek inspiration in the New York sounds of the 80s and hook up with Gayana for some woozy and lovelorn vocal additions. 'Be Honest' is a dubbed out and swaggering deep disco groove that comes as long, dub and cappella versions on the A-side. The 12" dance mix brings some superb house drums into the picture and the Dubplate VIP is a fresh jungle rhythm. This is an EP with something for all.
Review: This third volume of instrumentals continues the faultless Isle of Jura label's deep dive into dub versions and beyond. Side one takes in references from UK street soul and reggae and features two late-'80s tracks by Howard Hill with machine-led rhythms, rudeboy reggae skank and soulful pads. Protek's 'I Love to Dance With You' is a proto-house gem featured in a Jura Soundsystem mix and here it gets a loving re-edit by The Nightlark. Side B includes an instrumental-driven track with spacey FX from The Cool Notes' and Ilija Rudman's 'Dub 4 Love' which is a knowing nod to acid house's golden era.
Review: Athlete Whippet's first outing on Toy Tonics, 2021's Vesta EP, offered a hugely attractive fusion of Berlin deep house nous and colourful jazz-funk/jazz-fusion instrumentation. This follow-up continues in a similarly vibrant vein, with the duo adding all manner of vocal and instrumental samples and a distinctive '80s boogie influence to their already rainbow-coloured trademark sound. Across the four tracks, the pair confidently skip between rubbery, summery house ('Noguiera'), thrilling P-funk/nu-disco fusion (the throbbing electronic bass, jumpy synth sounds, dreamy chords and tidy machine drums of 'Mesmerise'), cut-up boogie-house squelch ('I Think I See') and shuffling, breakbeat-driven deep house/synth-funk fusion ('Slow Down').
Review: Hello to new label I Love Your Edits which is to tap into a rich tradition of tweaking disco gems from days gone by in order to bring them up to date and make them that bit more suited to modern dancefloors. Austin Ato takes care of the first outing and starts with the hard-hitting disco house rawness of 'Bertha' which is a grinding and loopy cut that never quits. 'Been So Good' then brings some funky vocal work and neat guitar riffs and 'Love Explosion' is a classic you will likely already know with its soaring strings. 'Cleo' shuts down with a more funky and jazz-tinged sound.
Raphael Scemama & Tournissoux - "Like This Girl" (edit) (8:02)
Review: Untold Stories finally tells their first story in Various Artists form, reaching their hands deep into a forgotten folk corpus to retranslate each tale to we, who only speak house and techno. Described heartily as a ripple-maker, Lebanese producer Nesta devises his own folk fairytale with 'Bouchees A La Reine', with Axel S leading on with a nostalgic and groovy jazzy infused minimal track to counterpoint the A's meaty copra. On the B, Sonus takes the help with a surreal electro-dance burbler on which a winsome voice repeats the word "dreaming". And closing out comes the flat beat knockout 'Like This Girl', an instructive melody for future storytellers.
Review: The Stamp label is up to its 18th outing here and once again it is an irresistible coming together of club-ready grooves with well-chosen and well-worked samples. First up the essence of one of George Benson's most iconic cuts gets reworked into a smooth house beat with the guitar kicks, vocal inflections, claps and melodies all getting you up on your toes on 'Night' (dub). 'New York To Rio' then brings some dusty deep house grooves and impassioned vocals for a more upbeat kinda party. Hand-stamped white label business this, so do not hang about.
Review: We always love to hear from the Swedish folks at Studio Barnhus, a bunker-turned studio in Stockholm that serves up left-of-centre sounds on the regular. Ari Bald and CJ Scott combine for this one and bring a usual sense of melodic flair and catchy pop hooks to quality club beats. 'Disko Lena' is house music full of whimsy and charm, 'Panta Tanta' is packed with fun samples and 'Lasse Mango' is a steamy workout with shuffling, garage-lining drums. 'Bogges Bubblor' shuts down with some cosmic magic.
Review: DJ Rocca has collaborated with plenty of people before, most notably Dimitri From Paris, fellow Italian producer Leo Almunia and UK chill-out don Chris Coco, but this 12" marks his first EP-length hook-up with Afro-cosmic and cosmic disco pioneer Daniele Baldelli. Unsurprisingly, they've delivered the goods and then some. With its early Warp Records style bleeps, infectious hand percussion, squelchy bass and jammed-out Clavinet licks, 'Rolling Wave' is a future cosmic disco classic. 'Focused Image' is a more chugging and low-slung Afro-cosmic-funk workout with nods to classic house, while 'Marchin' On' adds layers of funk to a throbbing Italo-disco groove. 'Funk Infusion', meanwhile, sees the pair dial up the cosmic disco funkiness to the max. Excellent stuff, as expected!
Review: The ever-impossible to pin down Shall Not Fade label welcomes back Baltra for a first EP since his last full outing in 2019. The NYC artist's Dreaming Of A Disco EP manages to be both fuzzy, lo-fi and nostalgic but also forward looking and fresh. He opens with hazy disco loops and shimmering 80s chords underpinned by a funky bassline that cannot fail to hook you in. There's a more pumping and sweaty house groove on 'Imaginary Laughter', blissed out Balearic vibes on 'Private Paradise' and gorgeously airy and organic jazz-funk stylings layered over a nice raw four-four beat on closer 'Sunset Jam.'
Review: Swedish talent Beatconductor is back with more of his masterful mash-ups, this time looking to pop icons like Taylor Swift and more commercial house artists like Peggy Gou for inspiration across the four cuts. 'Fallin' is a nice laidback and loved-up summer vibe about the feelings of falling in love, 'Sugar & Spajs' brings old school US soul sounds to another mid-tempo groove embellished with big horns and 'Tell Me U Luv Me' is a nicely heated and cosmic disco stepper with some big vocal stabs. 'Peggy Swift' closes with effortlessly breezy and catchy disco-pop.
Review: Italian disco don and funk flexer Belabouche has landed on the likes of DiscoDat, Spare Change Disco and Gimme! Gimme. His edits and remixes are always in hot demand but here he offers up four original jams that show off his studio skills on the JDP Disco label. Flautist George alla Dispari features on 'Brooklyn', the full flavour funk fuelled opener that bustles with joy and good time vibes. 'I Gonna Miss You' is a more spaced out disco cut from the deep and 'Ikeja' then pumps the floor with squelchy bass and astral chords. 'Country Headquarters' lows to a seductive crawl to close things out.
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.
Review: Detroit's John Beltran can do no wrong if you ask us, and what he does do is always famously varied, from sound design for TV to melodic techno excellence via ambient beauty. Here for MotorCity Wine he revisits his Back To Bahia series with a third volume that finds him flexing his Afro-Brazilian deep house chops. The 7" opens up with the jazzy boogie of Lsaura' which is steeped in Minneapolis funk and will get cultured dancefloors in a spin. 'As The Sunsets' that appears on the flip and is a superbly emotive sound with wispy late night melodies and glowing harmonies and shuffling Latin grooves. Essential.
Review: There is a great combination of the classic and the contemporary on this new Disco Disco 12". 'Paradise' is both deep yet moving, a warm tune with cuddly drums but retro chords that bring the energy. 'Latino' has shimmering hand claps and sensuous vocals with hulking great kicks that are full of promise. 'It Was Just A Dream' pairs vocoder vocals with glistening synth details and another enthralling and heavyweight house groove and 'RUFF Menace' then taps into 80s synth sounds with its stomping beats and deadpan vocals brought to life with celebratory synth chords.
Review: Cult Edits are specialists in pushing a certain kind of heater, working in a mode landing something between edit and original. Six producers - Mario Bianco, Tomoo Hata, Roe Deers, Radial Gaze, A Tweed and Oltrefuturo - lay down a blend of sampledelic, ecstatic, multi-tempo'd tribal moods. Channelling everything from chic Tulum rituals to the brutalism of Eastern-European underground clubs, and rounded off by doses of Italian rasta and Japanese re-imagining of Hungarian folk song, all come to the label's exquisite brand of mandala-esque vinyl.
Review: Richard Barrett is the man behind the Bitter End alias and he returns to it here to deliver some more beautifully soulful, full-bodied house music that follows on from his collaboration with Roisin Murphy. Known for his impeccable production, that shows here as the tracks are rich and lush and perfect for playing nice and loud. The grooves hit all the right spots, blending smooth vibes with infectious rhythms and in the case of 'Adjustment -> Love' delightful vocal hook. 'Maladjustment -> Love' is another sparkly cut with retro-future appeal and 'Something Going Nowhere' has a sleazy swagger to it.
Review: Tony Black's latest single, 'Sexy Lady,' released on FullTime Production, is a vibrant blend of disco, funk, and house. The track features standout vocals from Nadyne Rush and Jacob A, adding a soulful touch to its infectious beat. 'Sexy Lady' is instantly memorable, capturing the essence of each genre it fuses. The remix contributions by Italian producer Da Lukas deliver powerful club-ready versions, with the Da Lukas remix and Da Lukas vocalize remix both offering distinctive grooves. Souls Groove's mix brings out the funk and soul elements, showcasing the more musical side. Each version of the track adds its own unique flavour, making 'Sexy Lady' a versatile release.
Review: Dutch DJ, digger and re-editor Pete Blaker returns to Hot Biscuit Recordings - possibly the most on-point re-edit imprint of the last few years - with a second batch of tried and tested revisions. Lead cut 'Harry's Little Vocoder' is, we think, a fine re-edit of a grandiose, horn-heavy, orchestrated European disco of the sort most associated with German artist Harry Thumann. On the B-side he returns to 'Neverending' - which in its original re-edited form appeared on his previous Hot Biscuit 12-inch - and delivers a fresh 'cosmic version' alongside Dionisis. Effectively a fresh cover, it's a deep, dreamy, drum machine-driven chunk of intergalactic cosmic disco that should suit nu-disco DJs and disco purists alike.
Review: Three years after launching as a digital-only imprint, Vinny Villbas's Badabing Diskos label finally makes it to wax. In keeping with the label's desire to promote homegrown talent - an approached pioneered by his old pal Prins Thomas via the long-running Full Pupp imprint - all three showcased cuts come from Oslo-based artists. The legacy of synth-heavy, off-kilter Norwegian 'space disco' can be heard across the EP, but especially on Jarle Brathen's 'No Restaurants', which conjures memories of Lindstrom and Todd Terje's work of the late 2000s and Vilbas's dreamier and more loved-up 'Just In Time'. Bolder, bigger and even more life-affirming thrills come to the fore on the flip, where label regular Sommerfeldt delivers the epic breakdowns, driving bass, restless cowbells, winding acid lines and shimmering synth chords of 'The Everlasting Frog'.
I'm Caught Up (In A One Night Love Affair) (John Morales M+M main mix) (8:06)
I'm Caught Up (In A One Night Love Affair) (John Morales M+M mix edit) (4:16)
I'm Caught Up (In A One Night Love Affair) (John Morales M+M Classic club) (7:59)
I'm Caught Up (In A One Night Love Affair) (John Morales M+M instrumental mix) (7:50)
Review: Inner Life's 'I'm Caught Up (In A One Night Love Affair)' released in 1979 is a quintessential disco anthem that captures the exuberance and allure of the era. Jocelyn Brown's powerful vocals deliver a story of fleeting romance, seamlessly intertwining with lush orchestrations and a driving rhythm section that still get people up and dancing all these decades on. The track's infectious groove, memorable hooks, and lavish production epitomise the magic of late-70s dancefloors which is it why it is such a staple in both nostalgic disco sets and modern dance compilations. This reissue offers up four different versions by the great remix king John Morales.
I Specialize In Love (Ben Liebrand Classic rework) (6:59)
I Specialize In Love (Ben Liebrand DJ's Delight) (5:37)
Review: Sharon Brown's iconic disco anthem 'I Specialize in Love' has been given a fresh lease on life by legendary remixer Ben Liebrand. The Classic Rework Version is an energetic and groovy reinterpretation that infuses the original with a funky disco flair. On Side 2, Liebrand's DJ Mix takes a more extended approach to the remix. While it retains the original's energy, it adds new elements and transitions to create a cohesive and captivating dancefloor experience. By skillfully blending the old and the new, Liebrand has breathed new life into this timeless classic, ensuring that it continues to resonate with dance music enthusiasts for years to come.
Cerebro Orgasmo Envidia & Sofia (Bosq remix) (4:40)
Review: Martin Buscaglia's riotous, psychedelic Latin funk anthem from his 2006 classic album El evangelio segun mi jardinero finally makes its much-requested debut on a 7". This release features a stunning remix by Bosq. The original track is a wild, high-energy ride through vibrant Latin funk landscapes, bursting with infectious rhythms and lively instrumentation. Bosq's remix adds a touch of his signature magic, infusing the track with a subtle cumbia feel while maintaining its midtempo groove. Resisting the urge to speed it up, Bosq crafts a remix that's perfect for the dance floor, offering a joyful, everyone-smiling experience. The result is a delightful, midtempo dancefloor treat that celebrates the original's wild spirit while adding a fresh, irresistible twist.
Review: Exemplary nu-disco wax from the German Kaskadeur crew, lending a much-coveted plodders' energy to two sonic units by disco's twin queens. The slow churn of 'Kaskadeur 08', the eighth in the eponymous series, is characteristic of much contemporary techno-disco, betraying a capacity to urge foot, leg and hip movements in the listener and yet still without so much as a hint of histrionics: a must if you want to leave so much as a scent of cool in today's scene. The mysteriously named 'AN' and 'NE' play back like electrochromic disco hits of yore, though their source material is various, making this a special case of not just editing, but remixing: the A's 'Hearts Run Free' by Candi Staton and the B's 'No Mountain High Enough' by Diana Ross are make for great uses each.
Review: Carlita comes hot off the heels of a recent remix of Diplo's 'Don't Be Afraid' with a fresh EP for Life And Death. Tinged with inflections from Italo house to ambient techno, 'Bon Trip' and 'Run Run Run' are dreamlike trips through chordy syncopation and whirly vocal. By far the best aspect of this EP is the techno remix by Krystal Klear, which has a sprinkling of autotune that's been amped up to French house levels. A glossy and ear-piquing new EP.
Let's Invade The Amazon (Yoruba Soul remix) (6:19)
Let's Invade The Amazon (JKriv remix) (6:33)
Review: Legend of the Madrid scene Casbah 73 is back with a new one for Kraak & Smaak's Boogie Angst here, featuring four new sweltering tracks. The message of environmental politics on 'Let's Invade The Amazon' sung by Hawaii by-way-of Texas' Tonya Wilcox is backed by a low slung disco arrangement, followed by the late night boogie-down instrumental 'Pale Splash Of Blue'. Over on the flip, remixes come from some right legends of the scene; Yoruba Soul takes the track deeper as expected, while Razor N Tape main man JKriv goes for a tropical vibe.
Review: Having previously worked his magic on classic cuts from Diana Ross, Luther Vandross and Teddy Pendergrass - among others - Bridge Boots boss Caserta has now moved on to Marvin Gaye. He's grabbed the acapella from a classic song - in this case one of Gaye's duets with Diana Ross, "My Mistake (Was To Love You)"- and incorporated it into a brand new track. The A-side "Casey Mistake Mix" sits somewhere between early '80s boogie and the mid-80s proto-house sound created by Boyd Jarvis, Timmy Regisford and Paul Simpson. Interestingly, Gaye and Ross's vocals fit it like a glove. The flipside "Dub That Got Away" is an altogether more bumpin' garage-house workout rich in cut-up vocals snippets and wobbly analogue bass.
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: Here comes an all new and unknown edits labels with some playful disco house jams packed with characterful samples from Chaka Kenn. 'Dawn Breaker' opens up with freewheeling melodies and loose drum breaks that makes for a nice sunny vibe run through with jazzy Rhodes action. 'High Steaks' takes on a heavier house vibe with layers of lo-fi synth and some muffled vocals for company. Last of all is some playful swing that fuses house and hip hop over Hall & Oates bump and grind groove and filtered vocals. Useful tools for sure.
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