Review: Mishell Ivon and Vincent Kwok are back and combining their skills once more with this brilliant bouncy new funk outing on The Sleepers. The first tune on this pocket-rocket of a 7" is 'High', a funky weapon that is high on life and built around well-syncopated drums and a percussive bassline. The icing on the cake is Mishell's vocals which weave in out of the synth stabs and lush keys, all of which are well arranged. Flip it over and you'll get lost in the funk once more with 'In The Dust' with its masterfully rhythmic bassline and more of those buttery Mishell vocals.
Review: Almost a year to the day on from the release of the first release from their hush-hush Pezzate imprint, dusty-fingered Italian crate diggers Twice and Volcov with more must-have re-edits of suitably little-known gems. Check first the untitled A-side, where one of the two producers (we're not sure who edited what) successfully takes their scalpel to a sparkling slab of synthesizer-heavy jazz-funk brilliance full of two-step drum machine beats, squelchy acid-style electronics, comforting chords and kaleidoscopic lead lines. There's a more deliciously Balearic feel to the flipside edit, which boasts extended jazz guitar solos and elongated synthesizer chords riding a Latin-tinged fusion groove.
Review: 'Girassol' has long been one of the hardest-to-find gems in Brazilian great Marcos Valle's vast catalogue of sun-drenched musical treats. It was initially recorded and released as a promo-only seven-inch, with copies being handed out to customers of a Brazilian supermarket chain. This, then, marks the track's first ever commercial release. In its' original form (side A), 'Girassol' is a lusciously short, soft-focus affair - a two-minute chunk of laidback, jazz-funk influenced South American boogie bliss with the kind of high production values that you'd expect from Valle during his successful post-disco period. As with the original 7", it comes backed with the slightly more elaborate 'Playback' instrumental mix, where gentle, eyes-closed saxophone solos come to the fore.
Review: For the latest volume in their ongoing Brazil 45s series, Mr Bongo has decided to change tack. The two tracks showcased here are from the golden age of Brazilian boogie. On the A-side you'll find Marcos Valle's "A Paraiba Nao E Chicago", a largely overlooked cut from his 1981 full-length Vontade De Rever Voce. While not as instantly as infectious as some of his better-known singles, it's still superb; a breezy, blue-eyed soul cut full of rising horns and sweet Portuguese vocals. On the B-side, you'll find Don Beto's 1978 disco-funk jam "Nao Quero Mais", a superb track that was seemingly inspired by the Doobie Brothers' "Long Train Running".
Robson Jorge & Lincoln Olivetti - "Aleluia" (3:52)
Review: Two silky sides of Brazilian disco soul on Mr Bongo's perennial Brazil 45s series. First up, long-haired lothario samba fusionista Marcos teams up with Leon Ware for a pristine polished piece of early 80s disco funk. Golden harmonies, staccato vocals and a super juicy bassline; it's not hard to see why it was his best selling single. Flip for the equally smooth "Alleluia" from Brazilian boogie gospelist; this one is all about the percussion heavy breakdown. Proper sunshine block party business.
Review: We cannot get enough of Washington, DC-based label Peoples Potential Unlimited. It deals in a particular brand of lo-fi funk and disco with a hit of the leftfield about it. This time out they unearth some lost recordings from Landyhill (Timex Social Club) Bay Area funk. It has the rude girl vocals of Jamie Vallo over crunchy beats, squeaking synth motifs and raw drum work. Word on the street is more demos have been found from the same era and are to be unveiled soon, but this previously unreleased jam is a great starter.
Review: Austin's Vapor Caves enlist funk heavyweights XL Middleton and E. Live for a powerful remix release that brings plenty of dance floor goodness. On the A-side, XL Middleton, who is rightly dubbed the 'Modern Funk King', delivers a high-energy boogie-blast that elevates the original track to new heights. Flip to the B-side and you will find E. Live crafting a smooth, jazz-infused remix with a relaxed, soulful vibe that's sure to win over any right-thinking dancefloor. Star Creature is on a winning streak at the moment and here delivers yet another essential joint for fans of modern funk.
Tahira Jumah - "I Guess It Doesn't Matter Anymore" (3:25)
LJ Johnson - "Floating" (3:00)
LJ Johnson - "Daydreams Can Come True" (3:30)
Carolyn Crawford - "Which Way Do I Turn" (3:04)
Carolyn Crawford - "Timeless" (3:56)
Saundra Edwards - "Tow Away Zone" (4:07)
Saundra Edwards - "No More Room In My Heart" (3:16)
Tyrone Ashley - "Just Another Rumour" (3:08)
Tyrone Ashley - "Put Your Finger On The Trigger" (3:13)
Evelyn Thomas - "Have A Little Faith In Me" (3:41)
Evelyn Thomas - "I Wanna Make It On My Own" (3:44)
Ebony Alleyne - "This Is A Woman's World" (3:27)
Ebony Alleyne - "Like A Lady" (3:18)
The Originals - "Take The Only Way Out" (3:35)
The Originals - "Please Mister Postman" (3:42)
Pat Lewis - "Just A Little Appreciation" (3:43)
Pat Lewis - "Could I Ever Live Without You" (3:05)
Review: Sonic Wax has been putting out various different instalments of its ultimate North Soul Millennium Classics for a while. After a load of great volumes, they are all now collected into one bumper set. For extra authenticity, this one comes across ten 7" records all presented in one box and features some 20 odd turns, most of which have never before been issued in this format. They take in 70s and 80s style modern northern soul sounds with plenty of favourites old and new all included. An ablest must for fans of Northern Soul.
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