Back catalogue: Disco/Reediciones

Review: Luca LTJ Trevisi is LTJ Xperience and he began his DJ and producer career in the 80s. He was a resident at two of Italy's most acclaimed clubs and sure knows how to craft a tune. As well as his own originals he is a master of the remix and someone who can rework any cut to be even more potent not he floor. He proves that here with four new versions that span deep and dreamy and cosmic disco. He tackles Vasquez, Black Mighty Wax, Soultrend Orchestra and Papik & Sarah Jane Morris and turns each into gold.

Review: Riot's popular Disco Made Me Do It Series notches up a third volume of beats here that will once again get floors vibing. Musta's 'Loving Me' is up first in the form of a Hot Toddy remix that twists and turns on groovy synths and sensuous vocals. There is a big diva feel and clean synth lines to Danny Kane's 'Sucker' that fill the heart with joy and then old-school funk comes to the fore on Jaegerossa's musical 'Street Player.' Completing the picture is the Qwestlife remix of Stan Boogie's 'Speak Out' which is another timeless cut with authentic disco loops and lovely vocal energy.

Review: St Petersberg's Dobro label is noted not just for the quality and playability of its funky house and disco re-edits, but also for its value for money. This, their seventh release, is another great example, with no less than six floorfillers included on one 12", each bringing their own individual mood to the table. 'Flowers Festival' from Sun Rhythms has throbbing organs and fruity keys, topped off by a gorgeous Russian vocal. DJ Merci's 'Timetable' goes for chunky rave pianos and Fairlight stabs, lending it an 80s Italo-disco feel, before Ground Plane Aerial's 'Transition SP' closes the side with slap bass and stripped down house vibe that echoes some of Roule Records' more accessible moments. Side two VIGI's 'I Am You', is the most memorable of the whole package, with its idiosyncratic female vocal weaving a magical spell around the listener, before we finish off with a double whammy of Monny Me's swirling stringfest 'The Name Of The Game' and the parping horns and strutting groove of Ugly Frankie's 'Free Alcohol Shit', the latter including a bewitching and unexpected piano solo. Great work all round.

Review: Three years after making her debut on Sounds of Beaubien West with the deep and dreamy Agua Congas EP, Paula Tape returns with her first vinyl outing since. This time round she's in collaboration with Italo-disco/Italo-house revivalist - and Alzaya Records co-founder - Volantis. 'Octava Dimension' is pleasingly thrusting and druggy affair, with the Chilean's breathy vocals and an ear-catching lead line working in perfect unison with a tough, Italo-disco style bassline and jacking machine drums. Over on the flip, Elias Mazian re-imagines the track as a tactile, early '90s deep house treat, while Tornado Wallace lays down an even deeper, dreamier revision built around a lovely bassline, heady stabs and off-kilter, post-electro beats.

Review: Samosa Records is back with a summer edition titled Afrikano Vol. 1, featuring four tracks from various artists. On the A-side, Vagabundo Club Social kick things off with the life-affirming boogie vibes of 'Mr. Mista', while by C. Da Afro & De Gama are equally uplifting on 'Sweet Dance' that's all about the beat and horn breakdowns.Over on the flip, Atchoum & Grincheux appear with the spiritual life music of 'Demokousse' remixed by Les Inferno who underpins the track with infectious breakbeats and finally Lego Edit provides goes poolside and sunset on the low slung 'Afromaniaco'.

Review: Tropical Disco have now served up an impressive 22 volumes of timeless and wonderfully seductive disco tunes. These are sounds that will brightened up your life and make it sunny even if the real weather is awful, as it is now at the end of October while we write this. Vagabundo Club Social bring Latin vibes to their big, horn lead opener 'Costero.' Monsieur Van Pratt's 'Jazz Player' then leads with a more seductive horn sound and slide guitars that get you grooving. Infradisco's 'Aungasana!' layers up steamy 80s sax lines with neon chords and bulky disco house beats and Roland & Brother Rich close out with a deep and jazzy house groove straight from a Detroit basement.

Review: REPRESS ALERT!: The fifth volume of their magnificent Super Spicy Recipe series finds the label's crew in full party effect, with the six tracks here crossing the borders from peak time dropping to essential warm up/down gear. First up, Vagabundo Club Social takes 'Beso Loco' featuring Tomjake Sax and turns up the controls to maximum fun, the Colombians throwing in tons of groove and Afro -influenced percussion, before Monsieur Van Pratt and Guatemalan singer Teff Brolo. This all-original track is leaded by the powerful soulful vocals, accompanied by a groove-infused piano which keeps the beats nicely anchored, followed by the ever dependable Reece Johnson who closes off this side. Flip it over for Bernardo Mota & Boogietraxx and the euphoric 'Keep On Doing Your Thing' before Sartorial takes proceedings into slightly jazzier territory on B2 and B3.

Review: In cahoots with the annual (not to mention excellent) Liverpool Disco Festival, celebrated editor and remixer Rahaan has been let loose on the West End Records catalogue. Happily, his new versions are rightfully respectful to the chosen disco and boogie classics with the Chicagoan simply adding choice effects here and there as well as some cranky old drum machine beats and occasional synthesizer flourishes. This is particularly evident on his raw but deep and slightly dubby take on Brenda Taylor's "You Can Have You Cake It Too", but also comes to the fore on the standout remix of Mahogany's spacey boogie jam "Ride on The Rhythm". String-laden disco bliss is provided via a bass-heavy re-arrangement of the Chuck Davis Orchestra's "Spirit of Sunshine", while Rahaan's Billy Nicholls rub is a high-octane, shirts-off treat.

Review: Fans of UK street soul from the mid-80s you need this one in your life as Heels & Souls Recordings returns with its eighth reissue and unveils some treasures by Elaine Vassell and 3rd Zone. In 1993, amidst the rise of house music, UK soul thrived, accompanied by its DIY street soul sibling as perfectly exemplified here by 'Never Give Up' which boasts a raw, breakbeat-driven groove, blending soulful house, hip-hop, and r&b, while 3rd Zone's 'You Stole My Heart' from 1991, later featured on their 1993 EP No Real Reason, offers a tender yet tough underground vibe. Both tracks showcase the era's spirit, proving that creativity trumps big budgets. Each side includes an alternate version for added depth and diversity.

Review: Sounds like it came out of Lagos in 1971, actually written and recorded in Lyon in 2015: Voilaaa is the brainchild of Bruno Hovart whose long relationship with Favorite goes way back to his days as Patchworks, Mr President and The Dynamics. Recording on a whole host of vintage machines and calling upon local African singers both cuts have a real authentic sense of realness; "Spies Are Watching Me" drives with big horns and swooning strings which isn't dissimilar to the work of The Movers, while the TY Boys-esque "Le Disco Des Capitales" is a heavier, more concentrated slab of floor-minded disco where the groove takes more of a forefront role. Apparently there's a whole album of this cooking... We can't wait to hear it.

Review: 'Lady America' is a classic, rare TK Disco re-issue. Voyage made their mark by developing a disco/electronic
sound and this was their classic disco single from their first album - a must have for the collection.