Back catalogue: Disco/Nu-Disco

Review: When tasked with compiling his first After Dark compilation for eight years, musical font-of-all-knowledge Bill Brewster decided to go "slow and low", picking an impressively eclectic collection of low-tempo outings old and new. The results are undeniably impressive, with Brewster serving up an entertaining and eye-opening mixture of twinkling, jazz-flecked electronica (T.O.E), synth-laden proto-Balearic dreaminess (Island Band), Weatherall-esque dark disco psychedelia (Brewster's Hotel Motel project remixing Jeb Loy Nichols), squelchy nu-disco deepness (Ray Mang dubbing out Khruangbin), acid-flecked revivalist proto-house (Rhythm Plate), little-known, 80s soul era synth-pop (Debbie & The Code), future Balearic anthems (Nail re-editing Gilbert O'Sullivan), saucer-eyed, piano-sporting space house (Gus Patterson) and ultra-deep electro (Carl Finlow). As usual, Brewster has largely avoided familiar favourites, instead showcasing obscurities that deserve wider attention.

Review: Having previously shone a light on lovers rock via two volumes of his For The Love of You compilations, dusty-fingered selector Sam Don has turned his attention to 'underground UK soul'. In practice, that largely means - though not uniformly - street soul of the late 80s and 90s. It's a simple idea, executed brilliantly, with Don working tirelessly to get the blessing of all the artists involved. Sweet, synth-heavy and lusciously loved up, the 12 tracks on show are undeniably excellent, with the many highlights including the piano-sporting, breakbeat-driven dancefloor pleasure of Kofi's 'Step By Step', the sax-sporting shuffle of Jenny B's 'Sexy Eyes (Club Mix)', the bubbly 80s soul cheeriness of Cavalier's 'Don't Touch' and the bustling post-boogie brilliance of 'Passion' by Taffy.

Review: Given the brilliantly simple concept behind this fine compilation - contemporary Detroit producers remix Funkadelic - we're rather surprised nobody's done it before. With 17 varied re-rubs stretched across two hugely entertaining CDs, there's plenty to enjoy. Highlights come thick and fast, from the deep house/P-funk fusion of Alton Miller's take on "Get Your Ass Off and Jam" and Andres' loose, hip-hop influenced revision of "Music For My Mother", to the thrusting loops and heady late night hypnotism of Anthony Shake Shakir and T-Dancer's version of "Standing on the Verge". While many of the versions stay relatively faithful to the original, the more "out-there" interpretations - see BMG's outer-space ambient dub of "Maggot Brain" and Moodymann's epic revision of "Cosmic Slop" - are also consistently impressive.

Review: At the tail end of the '80s, Sylvia Striplin quit Norman Connors' jazz-funk group Aquarian Dream in order to pursue a solo career. Joining forces with producers James Bedford and Roy Ayers, she recorded 1981 debut album "Give Me Your Love", a well regarded but largely overlooked set that has since become a sought-after item amongst soul collectors. This Expansion reissue presents the album on CD for the first time in two decades. As with many soul albums of the period, it sashays between jazz-funk, boogie and heartfelt slow jams, contrasting memorable dancefloor workouts (see stone cold classic "Give Me Your Love" and a stellar cover of Roy Ayers favourite "Searchin") with more saccharine, loved-up fare. This edition also boasts a couple of bonus cuts, including the superb 7" mix of "Give Me Your Love".

Review: By now, we should all know what to expect from the popular Too Slow To Disco series, namely glassy-eyed, pitched-down disco, boogie, yacht rock, blue-eyed soul and AOR with a distinctive soft-focus flex. Naturally, there's plenty to savour on the series fourth edition, much of it either obscure or previously overlooked. Our picks of a predictably strong collection include the horn-totin', much-sampled Pleasure classic 'Nothin' To It', the lusciously loved-up cosmic soul of Prime Time Band's 'Fall in Love in Outer Space', the eyes-closed, Rhodes-sporting AOR soul of 'Stay The Night' by the Farragher Brothers, the slow release swell of Alan Price's 'Groovy Times' and the sun-splashed jauntiness of Max Leake's 'Tell Me The Reasons'.

Review: The latest volume in Soul Jazz's Boombox series, which focuses on the formative years of hip-hop culture, delivers a notably deep dig into some of the innovative and inspired disco-rap, electro and proto-hip-hop records released by independent labels, mostly based in New York City, between 1979 and 1983. It's a genuinely eye-opening affair that boasts a mixture of little-known debut singles from now legendary acts (Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, Funky Four Plus One More), inspired obscurities (see 'Get Live '83', a rare recording by a Chicagoan high school band), bona-fide dancefloor gems (Mike T, Sangria, the electrofunk-rap of Silver Star), and deliciously deep cuts. Throw in Soul Jazz's usual exhaustive, expansive liner notes, and you have another essential collection from the quality compilation specialists.