Back in stock: Balearic/Downtempo

Review: Gerardo Frisina, the Italian musician and producer renowned for his expertise in Latin jazz, delivers a captivating experience with Mystical Funk on Schema records. Side-1 presents 'Mystical Funk,' a mesmerizing blend of tribal drums, smooth funk grooves, and island vibes that transport listeners to exotic landscapes. On Side-2, 'Spaced Out' takes a more urban direction, featuring an infectious hip-hop/funk beat infused with sophisticated organ sounds and hints of jazz influences. Frisina's masterful production seamlessly merges diverse elements into cohesive compositions that exude elegance and groove.

Review: Brooklyn-born street soul artist Martine Girault was an epitomal artist in the genre, and her extended stopover in the UK would prove instrumental in its development, despite her American origins. She was fittingly also a favourite of many international label staples from Eskimo Recordings to Opaz; while in the UK, she collaborated with producer Ray Hayden of Opaz for her standout single 'Revival'. A significant underground hit, 'Revival' veers on the aspirated side of the downbeat street soul sound. Girault's style is both angelic and hoarse, and riffs on the temporal bubbles of the contemporaneous genre new jack swing, while getting at something much higher than either style alone can peg. This reissue reproduces the song in pristine stereo, and brings out the ghost-noted piano hook to extra pop-out effect.

Review: Neapolitan funk maestro Mystic Jungle returns with a new LP less than a year after the dreamy Words of Love with more astrally-charged electro/boogie/disco type wonderment. Dario di Pace's third full-length has been quietly brewing for years, shaped by studio shutdowns and shifts in location i and that patchwork journey adds a certain character to the gorgeously technicolour music on show. It's perhaps his most eclectic and free-flowing release yet: a bright, hazy blend of styles that feels both loose and deeply considered. On the dancefloor end, tracks like 'Secrets' and 'Some Lovin'' burst with disco grooves, searing guitars, call-and-response vocals and sultry sax lines. Elsewhere, 'Innervision' and 'Twilight' lean into lovers rock and wavy neon-dub pop, full of yearning, shimmer and otherworldly flourishes. Then there's the stoner sway of 'The Road' and 'Get Me Higher' i sun-soaked, psychedelic jams with zoned-out soul at their core. A richly immersive Amalfi joyride from start to finish, the Periodica fire just keeps on burning.

Review: The enginmatic Orchestra Veneta follows on from last year's debut single with a duo of Balearic-laced edits, each of which is sure to be as powerfully popular as the Iglesias-themed first chapter. Rumoured to be the work of evergreen maverick DJ Harvey, the Orchestra Veneta sound is aimed squarely at discerning dancefloors, with each track breathing new life into esoteric cuts with the help of some respectful overdubs and production polish. 'Track One' reimagines the Gipsy Kings' 'Furia', adding evocative synths and a little low-end bump to the existing Latin guitars and feverish handclaps. Locomia's 'Taiyo Sol' gets the rework treatment on the flip, building into a fervour with idiosyncratic vocal chants powering over sturdy drums, exotic synths and gentle acid licks. Considering the pedigree of the alleged protagonist here, and the fact that part one changes hands for silly money on Discogs, sleeping on this would be ill-advised to say the least.

Review: Set against the wild, lunar backdrop of Lanzarote, Populous aka Andrea Mangia, a producer from Lecce on the heel of Italy's boot, unveils Isla Diferente, an instrumental journey blending cumbia and Latin ambient. The album captures the island's mystical atmosphere and is enriched by haunting vocal appearances from Fuera from Italy, Costa Rica's Javier Arce, Mexican Eva de Marce and Esoterica Tropical from Puerto Rico. The record is rich in organic soundscapes where delicate, dreamlike melodies meet experimental electronic textures. The result is a rich, new ambient sound with heavy influence from South America while also being a trip that mirrors the surreal beauty and mystery of Lanzarote.

Review: Originally tucked away on a 2020 12", Quiroga's 'Snaporaz' EP gets the treatment it always deserved with this expanded, four-track edition from Balearic archivists Archeo. Based in Naples, Quiroga stretches his original into a languid, Rhodes-soaked jazz-house glide on the A1ifull of crackling percussion, soft-focus pads and a bubbling low end that carries the melodic line into increasingly heady territory. A loose hand drum finale seals it with flair. 'Escorpiao' on A2 is subtler but no less vibrant, a slick fusion jam where keytar and cowbell meet over a featherlight grooveibalancing restraint and virtuosity in equal measure. The B-side belongs to Rome's Francesco de Bellis, appearing under his L.U.C.A. alias. Known for his Edizioni Mondo material, he warps 'Snaporaz' into a dreamlike new age dancer, slowing the tempo and steeping it in hazy atmospheres and woozy melodies. His 'Quirky Beat' version strips it further, letting skeletal drum edits carry the mood alone. Bridging Neapolitan warmth and Roman oddball finesse, this is a limited edition reissue that more than earns its second life.