Steve Arrington - "Dancin' In The Key Of Life" (Frankie Knuckles edit) (9:07)
The Trammps - "Disco Party" (Frankie Knuckles edit) (7:42)
Review: Disco Queen just keep on pumping out the good stuff with two more divine edits from house music's spiritual and dearly missed father Frankie Knuckles. Two sides for two different peaks of the nights; Steve Arrington's "Dancin' In The Key Of Life" is that classic 11pm feel good warm up that's layered with clever momentum while The Trammps' "Disco Party" lives up to its name with incredible energy and soul and a dynamic drop into the original midway. Rest in peace Frankie.
Review: The relentless Athens Of The North is having a busy month even by its own high standards. February alone has at least three new 45rpms dropping and this might be the best: Homegrown Syndrome were a band that ended up in LA but giggled all round Memphis. Some members had played with an earlier band but they all came good on these previously unleashed tunes that have been found in the attic of Jerry Jones. 'Got The Love' is a chunky funky stepper with swirling synths and disco energy. 'Party Vibes' then takes off once more on hip swig claps, big arching chords and strident drums.
Review: Bill Brown and Al Hall jr met in 1971 in south central LA and shared the same flat as jazz man Doug Carn and Brownstone vocalist Billy Wilson. They often played together and some of the sessions gave rise to the two hard to find tracks offered up here. 'Dreamworld Fantasie' is a first release of an unissued 1977 disco and soul gem that muses on how we'd all like our lives to be - and right now such escapist vibes have never been more in need. Flip it over and you'll find a rare though previously released 1971 single 'Stay Off The moon', which delivers a poignant political message that resonates to this day.
Review: The ever-playful and seriously skilled mash-up and edit maestro The Reflex has been out in a class of one for many years. Few in his field managed to cook up the sort of delicious disco brilliance that he manages and this new 12" on the fledgling Discolidays isn't going to change that perception. 'Overture' (The Reflex Revision) is a glorious fusion of instrumental disco and withering sci-fi designs next to a catchy as hell vocal. On the flip, things head south with Latin melodies and percussion and glorious flute lines bring the joy to 'O Ba Ba' (The Reflex Revision).
B-STOCK: Sleeve slightly damaged, record slightly warped
Soulsearcher - "Can't Get Enough!" (Dr Packer remix)
The Shapeshifters - "Lola's Theme Recut" (Dr Packer remix)
Johnny Corporate - "Sunday Shoutin'" (Dr Packer remix)
Cleptomaniacs - "All I Do" (feat Bryan Chambers - Dr Packer remix)
Review: ***B-STOCK: Sleeve slightly damaged, record slightly warped***
UK disco sensation Glitterbox light the touch paper on another fizzy summer with four gossamer smooth edits of four seminal house classics. Gliding us through time to soulful house's golden era with a sassy, loose groove shine to each edit; Soulsearcher's 96 anthem "Can't Get Enough!" gets respectfully plumped, Shapeshifter's 2003 sing-along bomb "Lola's Theme" is stripped back to a stark funk groove while Johnny Corporate's 2000 hit "Sunday Shoutin'" gets flipped into slinky bassline wriggler. Finally one of the best covers Stevie Wonder has ever had gets a luxurious rub down as Cleptomaniacs' 2000 swoon-fest enjoys the full Packer treatment. Summer starts here.
Review: US producer Pilooski shows us exactly how disco edits are done with their latest three-tracker 'Special Disco Versions', all three of which are dedicated to the work of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons. The time-honoured and unmistakable hit 'Beggin', already a hit in Pilooski re-edit form back in 2007, works its subtly breakbeaty, surround-clappy magic, perfect for those hankering after a more readily-DJ-mixable version of the hit. A spinal-scratchy French verison of 'Who Loves You' appears afterwards, not to mention the original version of 'Grease' on the B2.
Review: G. D. & The Big J's 'Movin' On' is a primo funk, disco and boogie melange that has been heating up global dance floors ever since it was first released in 1980. It is a much sought-after jam which, if you can even find an original copy, will cost you upwards of three figures. 'Movie On' is seamless and smooth, a brilliant and vibrant mix of busy guitar riffs, and claps and upbeat drums that come with a lively vocal that says to the heavens with effortless soul. It sounds like basically the same tune is included on both sides you so never have to worry about this one wearing out - which it could well do given how often you will be playing it.
Chuck Davis Orchestra - "Spirit Of Sunshine" (6:23)
Review: Westend brings more of that glorious disco goodness that they have been so well known and loved for over such a long period of time. This one is a split that kicks off with Jake's 'You Are the Star.' It's propelled by neat and tidy bass guitar riffs with more decorative melodies and riffs up top. The drums have an irresistible sense of slide to them and the vocal is of course the icing on the cake. Chuck Davis Orchestra steps up in the flip with more lush and classy disco complete with effervescent string stabs and more funky bass. 'Spirit Of Sunshine' manages to bottle up just that and douse you in it from start to finish.
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: This delightful 7" features a collaboration between two Star Creature veterans from Northern and Southern California who deliver a raw, uncut boogie track. The wonderful 'Girl Ur Freaky' is both breezy and laidback but irritably dance. The vocal harmonies are heart-melting, the wispy synths bring cosmic cool and the drums and squelchy bass sit together perfectly. The vocal version really is where it's at with this one but if you want it more subtle then the flip-side instrumental is the one for you.
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: Mr Bongo's Brazil 45's series brings us two Brazilian classics: Rita Lee & Tutti Frutti's 'Agora E Moda' and Pete Dunaway's 'Supermarket'. 'Agora E Moda' from Lee's 1978 album Babilonia is a psychedelic disco-boogie groove highlighted by squelching guitar licks, funk drums, and cosmic vocals. Rita Lee, the former lead singer of Os Mutantes and a key figure in the Tropicalia movement, left a lasting legacy upon her passing in 2023. On the flip side, Dunaway's 'Supermarket' is a rare groove/AOR gem with a standout bassline, swaggering guitar, and lush strings, showcasing his talent as a composer and multi-instrumentalist. This release celebrates the enduring influence of Brazilian music.
Review: A special summer-tuned dedication to two of Africa's most creative contributors who both passed away at the birth of the New Year. First up, South Africa's Shaluza Max's 2002 classic gets the revisitation it deserves; big accordions, honeyed Zulu vocals and a chugging groove that could plough into any dancefloor under the sun, it struts with a timeless sense of universal groove science. Flip for a rewind to the mid 80s as Soundway pays tribute to the hugely prolific Tabu Lay Rochereau. Complete with smooth, soothing synths, show-stopping harmonies and slinky bassline that won't quit, it's as heart-rending now as it was 30 years ago.
Review: REPRESS ALERT!: Monsieur Van Pratt is well known to anyone who likes their disco on the hot side. He heads up the Super Spicy Records label and is now back with a new entry into the Super Spicy Recipe series alongside plenty of other top names. He opens up the EP with a groovy masterpiece featuring a powerful bassline and captivating vocals. Hotmood's 'Like That' showcases the energetic prowess of the Mexican then Julps, from Mexico City's Departamento, debuts with a hypnotic deep cut. On the flipside, Groovy Kds keep the party alive with 'Get Down,' while The Magic Track delivers pure dancefloor magic. Closing out the 12", The Velvet Stripes serve up a super funky and potent finale.
Review: Personality Edits is back with a third thrilling offering and this time out it is Nordic warrior MorkyMork and Tottenham's Tony Tobiason who deliver the goods. 'All Engines Go' kicks off and is a wildly percussive, textural groove with toms, crashing snares, raw hi-hats and plenty of FX all budding the energy before a mad saw tooth basslines spray about the mix to raise the roof. On the flip is 'Bleep Bleep', which is another wild sound with uptempo breaks and bleeps sounding like nothing else put there. Drop these and the crowd cannot fail to lose their heads.
Jimmy Ross - "SOS Of Love" (Flowersons remix) (6:08)
Rainbow Team - "Tell Me" (JB Boogie Re edit) (6:38)
Galaxy Band - "Gosh" (remastered) (5:39)
Tony Cicco - "O' Guaglione" (MB edit remix) (6:35)
Review: Standby for some gloriously upbeat disco gold from the Full Time production crew out of Italy as they serve up this ninth volume of their Fulltime Factory series. It kicks off with the enduring sounds of Jimmy Ross and his slinky 'SOS of Love' as remixed by Flowersons. Rainbow Team's 'Tell Me' then gets a rework from JB Boogie that updates the drums, keeps the funky riffs and slowly builds to a colourful peak. The flip side has a nice remaster of Galaxy Band's analogue disco wonkery 'Gosh' and a second MB edit, this time of Tony Cicco's low slung, horn lead teaser 'O' Guaglione.'
Review: A strong, strong showing from Duca Bianco after a period of relative dormancy, teaming up with Manchester's Talking Drums for a musical culture clash with maximum impact. The four tracks see a wide palate of influences being mixed up, from the cheeky Afrobeat shuffle of 'Monkey Key' to the 80s electropop of 'Voice Of Omicron' and the Nico-esque vocal delivery on Balearic groover 'Dolce Julia'. This is an EP with lots of surprises, tons of originality and musical confidence brimming over its edges.
Vocalize My Luv (feat Florence Adooni & Lizzy Amaliyenga - Electric remix) (4:09)
Review: In recent years we've become accustomed to Jimi Tenor flitting between off-kilter jazz, Afro-soul and - most recently via a Freestyleman collaboration - oddball house. 'Mysteria', his latest single, recalls the easy-going vocal numbers that marked out his years on Warp Records in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Not quite lounge, synth-pop, deep boogie or jazz-funk but rather something in between, the song features a typical lead vocal from Finland's greatest export bar Teemu Pukki, some seriously squelchy bass, and plenty of retro-futurist charm. Arguably even better is 'Vocalize My Love', a kind of jumpy Afro-dancehall number featuring analogue bass, hot-stepping drums and superb vocals courtesy of Florence Addoni and Lizzy Amaliyenga.
Review: Terry Tester hails from Copenhagen and has already impressed with some Detroit-inspired house heat on labels like Brownswood and BBE. He has also dropped a fine solo EP on Creak Inc this month but at the same time the label has enlisted two artists to remix two of his tunes on this new 12". Up first is 'Grace' (Buscrates Reflip), an early evening and boogie-fried deep house cut with hip-swinging claps and conversational leads that bring the funk. The B-side is more business-like - 'Space Million' (Ian Wallace remix) has dev, dynamic drums and heart-aching vocal hooks for late-night dancing.
Review: Unlike many of their compatriots, Timeless Legend were a soul group who didn't limit themselves to a killer, one-off EP before disappearing into the shadows. Believe us when we say that this is basically what happened to most bands in the 70s. In the case of these guys, they stuck around for a series of albums and singles that have remained engrained in every collector's memory, and that now go for big bucks on the second-hand market. "Everybody Disco" is their 1979 masterpiece, a tune that encapsulates the disco movement perfectly, from the beats to the bass and even the synths. What a hummable dance anthem - grab it before the RSD 2018 stock runs out!
Review: February is the month of love and so it is fitting that a new 7" drops from our much loved Washington DC label Peoples Potential Unlimited US. Every bit of lo-fi funk and disco this label deals in comes with a healthy dose of romance and this one from Marshall Titus is another case in point. 'Take A Chance' is full of steamy promise and retro-future 80s synth work over crunchy drums. The vocal is alluring and sensuous and the bassline further pulls you in. On the flip is a more raw and affected alternate version.
The Tolbert Family Singers - "Ride The Gospel Train" (feat Brother O C Tolbert) (3:36)
O C Tolbert - "Give It To Glory" (5:46)
Review: With Cordial Recordings, LoveVinyl's Roual Galloway is doing a terrific job in making rare, sought-after tracks available to a wider audience. In truth, you'll struggle to find a more rare and expensive gospel killer than The Tolbert Family Singers' "Ride The Gospel Train", a drum machine driven chunk of gospel-boogie with crunchy funk guitars that's been changing hands for hundreds of pounds online. Andrew Weatherall is a fan and it's easy to see why. Flipside "Give it Glory", a solo cut by Tolbert Family patriarch Brother OC Tolbert, is a sweeter and breezier slab of gospel-soul that has never before been released on vinyl. Two killer cuts for the price of one: nice one, Roual!
Review: In 1980 Tina Weymouth was playing bass for the Talking Heads while her husband Chris Frantz played drums. The couple were vacationing in the Bahamas when they met Monty Brown and Stephen Stanley. Together the four set out to make the kind of music that David Byrne and the Talking Heads stayed clear of: romantic, sunny, dance-able pop music. Their debut single, "Genius Of Love" is that classic early 80s cross between synth-pop and hip-hop, and went right to the top of the dance charts, securing them an identity separate from that of Talking Heads. It found a home in the samples of several hip-hop aficionados and was even nicked by Mariah Carey for her 90s hit, "Heartbreaker".
Bibleway Church Of God In Christ - "Since Jesus Came Into My Life" (3:09)
Eliezer Mass Choir - "Where He Leads Me" (3:01)
Review: If you're looking for an introduction into the world of original 1970s and '80s gospel funk and gospel soul, you can't do better than Tone B Nimble's ongoing Soul is My Salvation series of double A-side "45s". This is the eighth edition in the series and contains two more thoroughly obscure workouts. On the A-side you'll find Bibleway Church of God in Christ's 'Since Jesus Came Into My Life', a fizzing gospel-soul stomper that was first featured on the organisation's 1980 private press LP What Do You Say About Jesus. Over on the flip there's a chance to savour Eliezer Mass Choir's 'Where He Leads Me', a more disco-tinged number that reminded us a little of the Joubert Singers' much-loved 'Stand on the Word'.
Pink Family - "Don't Give Your Life Away" (AI-Tone extended mix) (5:00)
Review: Rain & Shine's "Soul Is My Salvation" project is something of an epic: an eight-part series of "dancefloor friendly gospel songs" curated by veteran Chicagoan DJ Tone B Nimble (real name Anthony Fields). This first part - "Chapter 1" - opens with a sublime, gospel style sing-along cover of Sister Sledge classic "We Are Family" that sounds like it was actually recorded in church. It's brilliant, life-affirming stuff. Over on side B, scalpel fiend Al-Tone offers up an extended version of obscure New Zealand group The Pink Family's 1979 cut "Don't Give Your Life Away" - a warm-hearted - some would say righteous - disco workout that's almost as good as the A-side. We await the next volume in the series with baited breath.
Review: Claremont 56 continue to disregard the genre boundaries - preferring instead to give good music the attention it deserves - as their latest looker of a twelve inch presents us the sounds of Torn Sail. Fronted by Smith & Mudd vocalist Huw Costin, Torn Sail go all 60s West Coast rock on us with the gloriously rich sounds of "Birds". From its acoustic beginnings the track gradually unfurls into a delightful groove embellished by soothing vocal harmonies. It's almost a thankless task enlisting anyone to try and remix what sounds like a perfect song, but Claremont 56 obviously chose right in requesting the services of Tiago. In the Portuguese producer's hands "Birds" is transformed into a heavily psychedelic freakout which gently develops into a kraut rock behemoth filled with swathes of heavy organ vibes. Containing several shifts in momentum - including a glorious half speed finish - this is a truly stunning remix which left our jaws occupying the floor!
Review: It is often said that this tune was one of the catalysts for the coming together of Brit-funk sounds and UK disco styles back in the early eighties. Either way it is a real British classic that landed on the influential dance label Record Shack and came from the unique musical minds of Jeff Weston and Northern Soul, Blackpool Mecca and Wigan casino DJ/Promoter/icon, Ian Levine. Now the hard tp find and much coveted, as well as expensive, original has been officially licensed and remastered with a full colour picture sleeve for this special 12".
Review: Transport's Move Your Body is a thrilling rediscovery from a once short-lived Portland outfit, featuring members from Ural Thomas' 1960s band. This eleven-piece disco-funk powerhouse recorded an album's worth of gems in 1978, but they remained buried for over four decades. The steady groove of the A-side captures their original essence, yet it's their dynamic rendition of 'Always There' that steals the showiarguably the finest cover of Ronnie Laws' classic to date.
Review: Colemine continue their 7" singles charge with this new one by Tre D'Ambrocia, a budding contemporary soul singer - to say their future prospects are "promising" would be an understatement. Sullen but no less emotional, A-sider 'Closer' is a nighttime, g-funk-whistling exercise in soul, with D'Ambrocia's vocals seeming to span both soul and r&b as it cuts through the mix like a beckoning finger, urging us to "come closer". The B-side, meanwhile, hears D'Ambrocia cover the Toots And The Maytals original, for an initially dispiriting yet ultimately cleansing new leaf in song form.
Review: Alonzo Turner's 1978 classic 'Whoever Said It' gets a repress here for all you disco fanatics in the know. There's a familiar vocal (what a falsetto!) and bass hook on part one that was probably sampled a lot over the years, while the second part on the flip is more funked-up and groovy - perfect for DJ use. Turner went on to garner production credits for the likes of Rivage, a funk/soul-quartet from Miami, and for vocalist Norma Lewis (Passion All Stars, Shakatak, Stepsisters) before fading into obscurity. Turner passed away in 1991, aged 38.
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