Back catalogue: Disco/Nu-Disco

Review: "Blackout" was created by a collaboration between Black Mustang and the magical Kerrier District (Luke Vibert), Cornwall's answer to Metro Area. Kerrier Distract provided the chunky disco beats over which the Mustang stacked layers of Moog and tripped out dub vocals. This LoEB release with scare the hell out of your ears.

Review: It's a sizzling seven up for Moiss Music here as they draw together four different artists to offer up one cut each for this new various artists collection. Boogietraxx goes heavy on the filter vibes on 'S N T' which is French touch disco-house of the highest order. Kellit's 'Pryscoks Sockin Socks' is all about sultry sax lines and loose-limbed disco house beats while C Da Afro gets heads up with the streaming sunshine synths of 'Don't Be Quiet.' Groovemasta shut down with the funky Afro-disco stylings of 'Gonna Make U Rock.'

Review: Especial Specials has joined forces with Osaka-based imprint Chillmountain Recordings to offer up another Enjoy Your Self EP. This one once again showcases the talents on its roster with label head Ground kicking off with a beatdown meets trance sound on "Utau Narukoyuri'. After that slow burner come tribal percussive sounds from 'Arauma' (Kobato Dub), sunny cumbia on 'Something Sign' and a meandering Balearic journey from Akira Arasawa With KUN & FRANKY-CH that is brought to life with new age flute sounds, bird calls, jungle drips and folkloric strings. A fantastic EP, then.

Review: Reel People Music's vinyl sampler series is back with a third offering, this time once again bringing together a fine crew of artists on lovely turquoise vinyl. Up first is a wonderful remix by Opolopo of Adina Howard that brings jazzy keys and heavy deep house drums, then Rocco Rodamaal keeps it deep with a low slung groove topped with diva vocals full of soul. The Reel People vocal mix of Zo! is another heart-swelling and soul-drenched deep house roller with lavish synth work and last of all, Michael Gray closes out with a slinky number defined by funky bass licks and classy vocals.

Review: Son of Todd Osborn (Soundmurderer/Ghostly) Kaito Ian makes a hugely impressing first outing on the Galaxy Sound Co label with a series of lo-fi hip-hop beat-strumentals that cannot fail to get your head nodding. He is a dedicated music lover and skater with a deep knowledge of his craft and that shows here with some refined sounds starting with the soul drenched 'Revert', then on to the warped angelic vocal samples of 'Sequoia' and the percussive jumbled and scratching of 'Trek'. 'Wait Up' is another excellently blissed out joint and 'Sloan' is a sunny, laid back, lazy vibe to close down a superb EP.

Review: 15 months after dropping his first Versions EP of re-edits and reworks, sometime Shall Not Fade and SB Jamz producer Kassian has finally got round to readying volume two. If you're looking for bona-fide peak-time thrills, we'd recommend A-side 'If You Want Me', a subtly straightened and toughened-up re-arrangement of Barbara Roy and Ecstasy, Passion & Pain's 1981 disco anthem 'If You Want Me'. Kassian teases out some of the Italo-disco style elements audible on some of the early mixes of the boogie-era track, adding some twerkin' acid lines towards the end of the track. Over on the flip, 'So Nice' is a bouncy, shuffling, house-style tweak of a gorgeous disco bumper of unknown origin.

Review: Shall Not Fade and SB Jamz producer Kassian sure does like to let his music ruminate for a while before he follows it up with any more. This is his third outing on his own self titled label and it comes well over 12 months after the last. Once again though we're treated to three superb jams. 'Get Down' is a heavy analogue house jam with skewed synths and sleazy vocals perfect for a grotty warehouse. 'Timewarp' is even more raw and naughty with its acid prickles and ghetto drums then 'Ultimate Warlord' closes out with stomping peak time energy.

Review: The new Balearic release from Italian producer Katzuma is a four-track compendium of futuristic slosh, blending the essence of a classic beachside party sound with the pristine synthetics of the 21st Century. Packed with three originals and a fourth, unprecedented remix from fellow pusher Al Kent, it's a release packed with both low-end propulsions and shimmering, pool-refractive strings, providing a nice sonic dialogue of tension and release throughout.

Review: After his debut release with remixes from Arpanet and Mr Oizo, Kavinsky is back! Killed in a car crash back in 1986, Kavinsky is now a zombie in need of revenge. This record, released on Record Makers, is the story of his first steps in the world of the living dead. Three powerful and original tracks and a Sebastian remix. A bloody good one too.

Review: Kaymany & Asestar hail from Rome, a city where many musicians spend most of their days producing sounds for the television industry and even shopping malls. That's part of the reason the country has such a reparation for great jazz-funk sounds and now adding to that cannon are Kaymany & Asestar. 'Effimera' is glossy and feel good disco with retro future chords, while 'Digressione' has a Bob James style energy to it with its high speed funky bass and incidental chords. 'Capao' closes in Latin fashion with manic keys and more plucked and funky bass slaps making you shake every limb.

Review: It would be safe to say that Kayroy (real name Finian Langham) is on a roll. This is his third must-have EP of 2019 and his second outing on Whiskey Disco. It begins with "Rosella", a superb revision of Crown Heights Affair's "Say a Prayer" that strips out most of the vocals and layers up tasteful overdubs to give the track a more cosmic and dubbed-out feel. "You're The Reason Why" is a loopy but groovy rearrangement of a dewy-eyed laidback disco classic, while "Silk & Satin" is a riotous rework of a heavy disco-funk number rich in sharp, rising horn lines, screaming guitars, sweaty drums and toasty bass. Arguably best of all, though, is the fizzing, dubbed out Italo-disco-goes-poodle-perm-rock insanity of "One Night In Prague".

Review: Two years ago, Kayroy (real name Finnian Langham) seemed to be building up a head of steam thanks to two fine EPs of sample-heavy, house-friendly disco workouts on Whiskey Disco. Happily, we can confirm that he's in fine form on this delayed return to action. Opener 'Shark Infested' is typical of his style, with simmering samples from a lesser-known disco gem (strings, vocals and so on) being joined by gentle acid lines and rolling house beats. 'Brandy Beach' is a cheery, summery and tastefully beefed-up version of what sounds like a Brazilian jazz-funk gem from the late 1970s, while 'Starcrossed' sees him tool up and rearrange a spacey excursion from the camper end of the disco spectrum.

Review: Motown presents Eddie's 'Girl You Need A Change Of Mind', a mind-blowingly anthemic number, the kind of cut that burnt up dancefloors
when it first came out, and which has continued to please countless generations, through house, hip hop, funk, and beyond!

Review: If we had to put together a list of the world's greatest dusty disco re-editors, Al Kent would come somewhere close to the top of the list. Further proof of the Glaswegian's scalpel-wielding genius can be found on this epic two-tracker for GAMM. We're particularly enjoying flipside "Erotic Queen", a 12-minute-plus revision of a near unknown disco track that boasts densely layered, sweat-soaked percussion, razor sharp strings, hammered-out Clavinet lines and, as the track speeds towards its near orgasmic conclusion, spacey synths and all manner of alternating instrument solos. Massive! A-side "Fist Of Fury" is tidy, too, with Kent working his magic on a particularly spacey, deeper disco jam that has Moog solos for days.

Review: A top value for money opportunity here, as Moiss Music deliver the latest in their sweet and sticky Jam series of various artist 12" line ups, bringing you no less than six bubbling, vivacious disco triumphs from six artists. Khemir's 'Disco Bandit' kicks off proceedings, a production that sounds like it was made by a band of around 45 musicians, a proper cavalcade of strings, brass, brazen disco thump and beautifully bold vocals. Wurzelholz's 'Prince' goes for a bit more economy but with a slinky funk bassline like that - not to mention the occasional exclamation from the purple overlord himself - it's equally devastating in dancefloor terms. Among the other highlights, 'Golden' by I Gemin has the feel of a lost Daft Punk flip tune and Cosmocomics' 'Glamorous Garcon', boasting 70s-style synth bubbles that are as cute as they are retro. Tasty as ever.

Review: Emotional Rescue closes out another brilliant year with one final hot drop. This sorting 7" Safari by King Sporty was the artist's first ever single back in 1976. It comes after the label has served up plenty of reissues of the man known as Noel Wiliam's tackle but this one might be the best. It's from his album Deep Reggae Roots and is nice tropical excursion with steamy hits, wooden percussive sounds and funky bass over a low-slung groove and chanting vocals. This one is backed with a special disco mix by Lexx that reworks the tune for more lively moments.

Review: Emotional Rescue returns with the third (and final?) King Sporty & The Ex Tras releases with the first ever-official reissue of the highly sought after cult boogie jam Do You Wanna Dance? Coming as remastered vocal and instrumental, plus again featuring a special Discomix, this time courtesy of acid-disco slayer Felix Dickinson.

Appearing shortly after the success of the band's only album, Extra Funky, Do You Wanna Dance? pointed the way forward, moving further from Disco and closer to the rising electro-boogie sounds that were sweeping the dance floors. The confident up / jump electro drum programming, slap bass and trademark Sporty guitar chops are propelled by a monster swamp inducing synth arpeggio that sings the funk electric, while hip-hop-shout-outs ride the rhythm. If the vocals are too much for some, then the original Instrumental (dub) is also included for those just wanting that infectious groove.

As many will recall, Do You Wanna Dance? featured on Felix's "Originals" compilation for Claremont 56 back in 2011, so when the King Sporty reissue project was coming together there was only one name to be asked for the Discomix. With a long history of DJing and music production, as well the man behind the Recycled Records, Fools Gold, Urban Myth and Bastedos labels, as well many, many releases on the long running and aptly titled Cynic Recordings, his remix arrives on point.

Teasingly drawn out, his mix switches back / forth between versions, the interplay between vocals, guitar, bass and electro-glide synths hypnotically building, with Dickinson's deftly dubbing tripping it out, making the title's question irrelevant, as mind and feet involuntarily move.

Review: King Sporty is something of a chameleonic artists, not that many people know. He started out int he 70s making reggae and soul 7"s, then moved into disco, boogie, hip-hop and electro 12"s during the 80s, and then when house music hit in the 90s he evolved once more. This new drop from Emotional Rescue takes a tune from that late era. 'Computer Music' is four to the floor with electro influences and a lazy break that pull you in deep. Far-sighted chords bring a serene sense of cosmic majesty while a filtered vocal adds space age vibes. A dub is included as well as the Universal Cave Discomix by the Philadelphia DJ and production crew. A retro-future EP indeed..

Review: There is some class edit and mash up business going on here with the latest one from the Disco Bits crew. The 45 takes the form of of classic cuts reworked with an all new and contemporary edge with the dancefloor very much in mind. First up, a Patti Job classic gets taken apart and rebuilt with new vocals and a more stepping beat. The Chopper's 'People Hold On' is a more smoochy sound with classic vocal refrains singing out and twanging guitar riffs powering along a groove that is suited for everything from weddings to late night shenanigans.

Review: Italy's Groovin Recordings - based out of Milan's Vinylbrokers record shop, and dedicated to repressing some of the best and often hard-to-find disco and soul bits - have pounced at the chance to reissue and rework this gem as a 4-tracker. Taken from NYC disco band Kleeer's debut album, 'Tonight's The Night' is a classic diggers' disco divertissement. Now, it gets a thorough makeover. Along with the original version rounding this 12" off, Groovin have provided an extended version on the A-side. Two remixes come courtesy of the inimitable Dave Lee (fka. Joey Negro), who shines extra light on this tirelessly bright classic's rolling strings, divine choruses, wrist-slinging funk guitars and banging kettle drums. The 'Seeekret' mix is a standout: dubbing out the track to call attention to its laid-back moments.

Review: During a record digging trip to South Africa a year or two back, Rush Hour co-founder Antal stumbled on an obscure local cover of Klein & MBO's Ron Hardy and Larry Levan favourite, "The MBO Theme". The Warrior version, which was recorded at some point in the early '80s, is a little slower and breezier than Klein and MBO's original, with even finer fretless bass flavours and the track's famous melodies re-played on some particularly spacey synthesizers. Helpfully, the Klein & MBO version is on the A-side, so you can easily compare the two: Warriors' little known cover is definitely our pick of the pair.

Review: ***B-STOCK: Creasing to corner of outer sleeve but otherwise in excellent condition***


During a record digging trip to South Africa a year or two back, Rush Hour co-founder Antal stumbled on an obscure local cover of Klein & MBO's Ron Hardy and Larry Levan favourite, "The MBO Theme". The Warrior version, which was recorded at some point in the early '80s, is a little slower and breezier than Klein and MBO's original, with even finer fretless bass flavours and the track's famous melodies re-played on some particularly spacey synthesizers. Helpfully, the Klein & MBO version is on the A-side, so you can easily compare the two: Warriors' little known cover is definitely our pick of the pair.

Review: Believe In You by Knoe1 featuring George JJ Flores is a soulful electro funk track that exudes the essence of the early 80s. The vocal version opens with disco claps and a smooth, sultry vocal, complemented by groovy keyboard work. The instrumental version showcases the track's infectious rhythm and tight arrangements, offering a dynamic and engaging listening experience. Overall, Believe In You captures the essence of boogie and electro funk, showcasing the talents of Knoe1 and George JJ Flores.

Review: For the 29th instalment in their ongoing series of seven-inch singles, Demon Singles Club has decided to offer up a 45rpm pressing of Komiko's 'Feel Alright'. First released on legendary disco-boogie imprint SAM Records back in 1982, the track has long been a favourite with boogie DJs and with good reason. Built around a memorable bassline, squelchy electrofunk synths and unfussy machine drums, 'Feel Alright' boasts a fine female lead vocal whose lyrics extolls the virtues of dancing all night with happy strangers. As it did back in 1982, the vocal mix comes backed with an instrumental take in which producer Darryl Payne's killer bassline and synths rightfully take centre stage. If it's not in your collection already, you need to grab one of these copies pronto.

Review: From Kon's forthcoming compilation on BBE entitled Kon & The Gang, this 12? sampler features two cuts taken from the LP and an exclusive remix from Boston producer and mix engineer Caserta, namely "Timeless" (Caserta mix)" a tasty serving of super deep and low slung disco goodness. A more functional edit for DJ use follows on "Timeless" (remix - Caserta mix)". On the flip Truccy (better known as Compost's Rainer Truby and Corrado Bucci) present "Closer", a gorgeous slo-mo house jam with a rolling groove fetauring all the good stuff: swirling Rhodes keys, groovy congas and hypnotic vox.

Review: 80s mega classic getting a re-issue.

Review: DeLaChaud is the long-time home and record label of Krewcial, who is something of what you might call a young veteran in the game. Following impressive solo albums on PlayItAgainSam and UK's BBE in the early 2000's he is still going strong and this new one proves it. Whether sampling jazz greats, laying down funky bass and infectious drums there is no mistaking the soulful impact of these tunes. 'Love & Devotion' is a vocal gem that will raise anyone's spirits no matter which version you pick here and 'Nereci' brings a throwback house sound with a Latin vocal on the club mix. The Bruk mix is a lovely London broken beat and a final acoustic mix is a useful tool.

Review: There's naturally much to enjoy on the latest volume in Africa Seven's A7 Edits series, which pairs original - and usually obscure - old Afro-disco and Afro-boogie gems with fresh 21st century edits. This time round, the A-side is all about Kemayo & K System's piano and horn-heavy disco-funk jam 'Biram', a two-minute blast of dancefloor exuberance that Phillip Lauer cleverly re-imagines as loopy, locked-in chunk of Afro-disco/disco house fusion. Over on the flip there's a chance to savour Afro National's heavy, low-slung stomper 'Push Forward', a cut that brilliantly adds chanted vocals and Hendrix style guitar solos to a sweaty, non-stop groove. Al Zanders does a great job in ratcheting up the tension and heaviness on his accompanying club-ready extension.

Review: The Brazilian Hot Sauces is a four-track EP that explores the rich and diverse sounds of Brazil through house music. Parisian Soul opens the EP with 'Livre Ou Nao', a sunny and uplifting track with a catchy vocal sample and a Latin piano melody, followed by Keymono aka House Master Flash with 'Bahia', a deep and funky track with a reggae influence and a saxophone solo. On the B-side, Oscar delivers 'Brazil 2030', a futuristic and minimal track with a robotic voice and a percussive groove, and the EP closes with Keymono's remix of 'Brazil 2030', which adds more drums and synths for a more energetic and dancefloor-oriented version.

Review: Second time around for Kon's fabulous re-rubs of Twilight's slept-on 1986 disco-boogie gem 'You're In Love', which first dropped on seven-inch almost a decade ago. Vinyl copies of the 45 are hard to come by, so this Ubiquity Records re-issue is most welcome. Kon's takes stick closely to the original - these are multi-track tweaks, rather than revolutionary remixes - while subtly beefing up the groove and highlighting the band's weighty synth bassline. On the A-side you'll find the full vocal take - all sweet vocals, crispy disco drums, colourful synths and clipped, Chic style guitar licks - while the flip-side 'Dub' is a marginally more minimalist, groove-focused affair, with delay-laden vocal snippets and swirling instrumental textures echoing across the sound space.

Review: The second installment of Multi-Culti's Moon Faze Sun Gaze series is a typically psychedelic affair, with an impressive cast of producers delivering a quintet of trippy workouts. Von Party & Dreems join forces to present "Wet Raga", a spaced-out combination of delay-laden drums, space disco electronics, and Eastern mysticism. The ever-reliable Red Axes fuses heavy post-punk bass, with punchy percussion and minimal wave melodies on the excellent "Boosha Gdola", while Dreems go solo on the weirdo acid-electro bubbler "Sine O'The Tymes". Nick Murray and Kris Baha underpin psychedelic disco electronics with the heavyweight throb of house on "Say Something", before Cocolo draws proceedings to a close with the pitched-down shuffle of analogue wobbler "F33lings".

Review: Here comes Boots & Legs with another one of their sure fire edit batches from the disco house underground. First up Kayroy brings all kinds of Moog-soaked boogie magic to 'Something New', which also features Super Drama in the process. Disco Mortale & Futuristant have a canny fusion of wavey arps and boxy old-skool electro at work on 'Until Together' and Gabto has fun with some exotic synth work on the irrepressible 'Ki Ko Ho (which features Kauan Marco). Marching Machines complete the set with 'Seraphic' - a taut slice of slow-creeping EBM with a little glitter sprinkled on top.

Review: Somewhat confusingly, much of the music we assume was recorded by Italian Italo-disco group Koto was actually made by Dutch producer Michiel van der Kuy - albeit in a similar style. From The Dawn Of Time, which first surfaced in 1992 three years after he controversially acquired the name, is one such release. This reissue - the first on vinyl, as far as we can ascertain - shows what van der Kuy brought to the project, namely a rush-inducing sense of euphoria, synth riffs reminiscent of Euro-dance club cuts from the period, and rock-solid musicianship. Combine these with throbbing, Italo-disco and Hi-NRG style basslines, bustling machine drums and plenty of sonic star-gazing, and you have a post-Italo album that sticks closely to the blueprint laid out by the Dutchman's Italian predecessors.

Review: Dutch party-starters Kraak & Smaak have always been hard to pin down, with their vast catalogue containing everything from jubilant nu-disco, funk-fuelled breaks and Afrobeat to club-ready hip-hop jams, revivalist electrofunk, purple P-funk and slow-motion Latin treats. What unites their output - as this expansive two-disc 20th birthday celebration proves - is a hard-headed commitment to making sure everyone has a good time (something also proved by their occasional live shows). As best of collections go, Twenty is inspired, not least because it not only contains their biggest singles and fan favourites, but also some of their most notable collaborations. Look out for killer cuts with house legend Romathony, soul sensations Durand Jones, Mayer Hawthorne and Izo Fitroy, and yacht rock-loving Aussie nu-disco band Parcels.