Back catalogue: Disco/Reediciones

Review: Reissued from the original Sedsoul 7" first laid down in 2010, and then a further digital 'House Session' edition in 2015, Cool Million and Eugene Wild are again 'Back For More'. Clearly, the Danish-German production duo, when in collaborative cahoots with r&b singer Wilde, are prone to redound to milking the dance for all it's worth; we gather that for as long as this tune is out, they'll always want their seconds and thirds, else they wouldn't eat, so to speak. So too does this third edition of the stellar, four-alt-mix 'Back For More' prove just as funky as it did at the moment of its original release fourteen years ago; Wilde rides the groove with serious flux, assuring the fulfilling of said prophesied return against spiccato strings and a curvaceous synth bass. There's even a karaoke version on there too, just in case you'd like to flaunt your underground soul intel at your next knees-up.

Review: Private Stock Records is slowly but surely building up a golden catalogue of funk magic. This fourth EP is another high-class double dose that opens with Cutso's 'Fallen Love (Woo Woo)', a swirling slow burner of a tune with heavy, languid drums and twisted vocal samples that eventually coalesce into a warming party vibe. Excel's 'Had To Shut You Down' is a glorious soul gem with lush Philly strings and ornamental arrangements that raise your spirits and elevate your mood with its seductive grooves, not to mention a classic r&b vocal sample.

Review: First released way back in 1980 on the album of the same name, 'Coming To You Live' is one of the most beloved dancefloor jams in the sprawling catalogue of sorely missed soul-jazz organist Charles Earland. Here reissued on seven-inch (and therefore presented in edited form), the track blurs the boundaries between Latin-tinged disco and jazz-funk - all heady female group vocals, heady horns, spacey Herbie Hancock synths and infectious grooves. Over on the flip you'll find original B-side 'Street Themes', a breezier, similarly Latin-tinged jazz-funk cut that features some sensational keys-playing from Earland. In a word: essential.

Review: It's time to don your leathers and strap in for another ride on go-slow master Eddie C's Read Motorbike. This time out the Canadian deep disco specialist kicks off his latest 7" with 'D8 With The Rain.' As always it is a super smooth groove that is smartly embellished with dusty old samples that tug at the heart. 'Sweet Honey' is a sunny one with plenty of joyous little chords and a carefree groove that flaps and slaps away down low. Easy to love, hard to pull-off grooves once again from the evergreen Eddie C.

Review: Backatcha is on a superb run of releases right now with top tunes from Leonie and Learoy Green dropping around the same time as this stepping street soul gem from En to End. This is primo boogie from the late 80s now landing on 45rpm for the very first time. It's been taken from the tape archives of London singer-producer Tony Shand and kicks off with the vocal version of 'Nothing's Happening'. His rather deadpan vocal has an aloof kind of allure next to the squelchy bass and glowing keys. The instrumental strips it away to allow the retro production to shine.

Review: Funk, soul and boogie foundations are relaid, with this standout 7" record from 2023 reissued through the same outlet, Boogie Back. With authorial stylishness and pelvic passion, Ernie & The Family McKone have been going ever since the eponymous Boogie Back founder first began releasing underground dance music and street soul in 1992. After a mid-noughts hiatus, he is back with a fresher soul delight, charting the smoother soul directions he's reoriented himself in in recent years. Slick basses and fire falsettos charm up this puree of sound, as Lex Cameron and Valerie Etienne each compel us to move closer inwards: 'Feels Like I'm In Love', with its titular refrain, mirrors our reaction to the music.