Review: A Skillz and Krafty Kuts are veteran names by now but at one option they were some of the hottest new DJs and producers in the game. They pioneered a breakbeat, cut-up and paste sounds 20 years ago that was high on energy and with plenty of character. Now they look to the roots of the sounds they used to draw from and serve up a new single on Jam City that is all about disco. 'Lit Up' has loose, jumbled drums and funk basslines with some great vocal flourishes up top from Gizelle Smith. A remix on the flip takes things into deeper new soul territory.
Review: REPRESS ALERT!: Afrodesia may come on like another dusted down gem from those dedicated detectives at Best, but it is in fact a modern construction from the talented studio trysts of Mystic Jungle and Whodamanny from the Periodica camp. These Italian producers have more than proved their knack for crafting sublime, honey-smooth jams with a nod to the golden studio era of the 70s and 80s, and they're more than up to the task on this killer 12" of heavy funking jams with a dose of boogie and a nod to Ivory Coast disco. It's quite simply perfection, rendered with love and attention to detail, but utterly natural in its feel and flavour.
Review: NYC Records looks outside its in-house stable for the first time here and signs the delightful nu-disco delights of Constellation. This duo hails from Miami and focuses on space disco sounds that fans of the famous Metro Area style are sure to love. They remain mysterious themselves but their beats are brilliantly designed with plenty of retro-future pads, cosmic arps and tight basslines full of colour, texture and soul. Like Daft Punk but deeper and more dubbed out. All four of these cuts are sure to get floors going but also bring plenty of style.
Review: 'Back For More"' by Cool Million stands out as a true Neo-Boogie classic. Originally released in 2010, this infectious dancefloor anthem has become a coveted gem among DJs and collectors, with original pressings fetching remarkable prices due to its limited run of just 1,000 copies. Featuring the iconic vocals of Eugene Wilde, the title track is a soulful synth funk jam that continues to dominate playlists worldwide. The flipside offers another smooth midtempo delight featuring DeeDee alongside Wilde, further showcasing the duo's knack for crafting irresistible grooves. Now, in 2024, Cool Million is set to reintroduce their signature sound with new recordings, while simultaneously delighting fans with a limited re-release of the original pressing. This is an essential addition for any serious vinyl collector or DJ looking to elevate their sets.
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: This killer UK boogie 12-inch by Tony Crockett was originally recorded and released in 1982. It has some brilliant raps delivered in an aloof style, with plenty of swagger, and a touch of campness. They sound dated but in a good, nostalgic way, while the music around still sounds fresh with the sleek bass and big flutes, low slung drums and warm chords. On the reverse is /Plane Jane', another cheeky bit of UK boogie that oozes funk and cool. These are fun tracks for sure and come in a full picture cover.
Review: A modern lunar take on jazz and disco, Jazz On The Moon hears Italian producer Paolo Fedreghini moonwalk backwards through live horns, bass, synth and guitar for a crisply produced six-track EP. Opening with original NASA-issue intercom vocals from the 1968 moon landing, 'Interstellar' crafts a moonscape of Harmon-muted trumpet and avant-garde growls, while expansive electro-funk opens out on the title track and 'Distant Planet', by which point a tonal shift is underway. The vibe is increasingly P-funky, erring desolate on the interluding 'Outer Space', before we wind up purblinded by the light side of the mood on closers 'Groove Odyssey' and 'Cosmic Funk'.
Review: REPRESS ALERT!: The Fossils label has been unearthing more musical treasure for its fifth outing, and this one takes you directly to the Middle East for some twisted disco-funk with red hot grooves courtesy of Fava Luva & Dr. Professor. The source of the tunes is obscure and unknown but the pair bring plenty of their own goodness with additional layers of live instrumentation really bring them to life. 'Lahatz' is steamy and full of sensuous vocal magic and cosmic synth work that will get the floor into action, while 'Kerem' is even more topical and exotic with its rich array of strong melodies and downtempo beats making for a woozy and wonderful trip.
Remedy (feat Steve Monite - JKriv Disco dub) (6:02)
Review: Razor-N-Tape is a bastion of deep house brilliance as once again perfectly exemplified by this vibrant new package from Flamingo Pier. New Zealand collective Flamingo Pier have dropped several well received 12"s on the Soundway Records label and then came good with 2021's self titled full length. They are still all about bringing happy, sunny vibes to a tropical disco template here with the likes of the synth lead 'How 2 Feel' then funky vocal pumper 'Remedy'. There are cosmic rays lighting up the big chords and aloof vocals of 'Beneath The Neon' then a couple of remixes on the flip bring more dubby disco-house sounds.
Out Of Luck (feat Adriano Prestel - DJ Friction remix) (5:36)
The Other Side (feat Adriano Prestel - Marian Tone '85 rework) (4:35)
Interlude I (0:44)
The Other Side (instrumental) (4:21)
Out Of Luck (DJ Friction remix - instrumental) (5:41)
Out Of Luck (Soundrays mix - instrumental) (4:36)
Interlude II (0:21)
Review: The Outer Edge rounds off their series reworking tracks from the archive of lesser-known German 80s outfit Ghia. This time round, they're offering re-imaginations of an instrumental synth-funk track first featured on last year's Don't Look LP, 'Message From The Other Side'. This time round, the band has recruited vocalist Adrian Prestel and re-imagined it as colourful and authentic synth-number simply titled 'The Other Side'. As well as a solid instrumental take, we're also treated to a superb Marian Tone take which blends bits of the 1985 demo with elements of the 2023 re-recording. Elsewhere, there are also three takes on previous single 'Out of Luck': squelchy and crunchy neo-boogie vocal and instrumental versions courtesy of DJ Friction (the disco one, not the d&b producer of the same name) and a more low-slung, dub disco style instrumental revision by Soundrays.
Review: The backstory to this one is great. It starts in 1978 when a New York producer was in need of some studio musicians to lay down some fast and funky rhythms for a band he was working with, The Imperials. Minneapolis talents Andre Cymone and Prince Rogers Nelson duly stepped up and recorded 'Fast Freddy The Roller Disco King'. An album from the Imperials was set to follow but it never did, leaving us with this one majestic cut. It's soul-drenched and cosmic disco with a killer vocal back with a more leggy and slow-motion cosmic wonder, 'I Just Wanna Be Your Lovin' Man.'
Review: Just What The World Needs returns to their own self-titled label with a 14th outing of fiery disco heat. This is potent music that melds together jazz, funk and soul with a lashing of synth goodness. The opener is a real driver with emotive gospel vocals and mad jazz keys. Second is a slower jam with a more dreamy feel then the flip side comes on strong with jazz say leading the way beneath vaping chords and funky, smooth drums. Last of all is a supercharged leftfield bomb with explosive cosmic synths and the sort of energy that stands out in any set.
Review: Italo disco heads take note, here's a quintessential one-hit wonder from a mystery crew known only as Kash. Arriving in 1981, this particular release leans more towards the organic, band-led sound of the 70s with some choice synth flourishes on top, rather than the more driving sound which would catch hold further into the 80s. 'Supercool' is a bubbling, funky-as-hell joint which will loosen up any dancefloor with ease, but 'Percussion Sundance' might well be the popular pick here thanks to its outstanding drums and hazy ambience. It's an essential purchase for anyone who loves a proper disco curveball made the classic way.
Review: Love's Command have been "riding the rocket of Brit funk" ever since day one says ROCit who now serves up a pair of new cuts from them. This record is designed to spread love and pace and it does that with feel-good vibes from the off. 'Aliens From Above' is an out-there funk sound with tight, quick drumming, plenty of neat guitar riffs and a cosmic feel from the lush synths. Add in vocoder vocals and you have a trip to outer space that you will never want to end. Flip it over and you get a more dubbed-out version that is no less of an adventure.
Review: Primetime Paris producer Jay Murphy first teamed up with Natalie Nova in 2022 to release 'Boogie Oogie', a rejig of the classic A Taste Of Honey song. Emphasising postmodernity, we hear a timeless club classic liquefied for a fluid psychic economy: Murphy, a Franco-American musician based in Paris, produces, sings and key-plays over this funky opus, attesting his involvement in the funk scene since as far back as the early 1990s. But now Rob Hardt and Young Pulse bring their own versions, spanning slapping, chime-trilling propulsions, and a wildout inductive monologue from an anonymous contributing vocalist: "if you think you're too cool to boogie, boy have I got news for you... I wanna see you shake your derriere..."
Review: This is a reissue of a rare 1978 single from Whirl (aka West Indies Records Limited) which blends George Clinton's famous Parliament funk with Caribbean flair. The Outfit was one of the Caribbean's funkiest bands and they always showcased the creative potential of "Spouge music", particularly with their explosive cover of Parliament's 'Dr. Funkenstein', which they renamed 'Dr. Spougenstien'. Despite its rarity, the track became a hit in Barbados and was often mistaken for an original song. The B-side features a punchy Cosmic disco version of the Peter Gunn theme.
Review: The star-studded Sai Galaxy project returns, bringing together West African legends Steve Monite and Rob with multi-instrumentalist Simon Durrington, guitar maestro Alfred Bannerman, and Egypt 80 trumpet player Bade, for a second EP of vital Afro-disco and soul. Following up 2020's 'Get It As You Move' EP, the likes of 'Sometimes It Rains', the homonymous 'Okere', the truth-to-power 'Rich Man, Poor Man', and the live and swinging coda 'Hold Me Tonight' paint a multifaceted picture of a trio, equally as concerned with groove delivery as they are with narrative storytelling. Most emblematic of Sai Galaxy's approach is their inspiration by analog production techniques of similar Afro-soul albums from the 1970s and 80s, adding a modern touch informed by Simon Durrington's Digital Afrika project.
Review: Somewhere between a sauerkraut connoisseur, an ancient Athenian philosopher, and a crate-digging obsessive (we'll assume this is the threefold meaning of the nominal pun until we're course-corrected) Saukrates returns with a new single 'Driftin'' via Love Touch Records. This new limited 7" is indeed as, perhaps even more so, delicious as a jar of pickled cabbage considered in Socratic dialogue. The Juno-nominated Canadian icon is here heard teaming up with producer Gil Masuda, who provides a neo-eighties synthfunk bomb over which Sauks flaunts his singing chops (this is a surprise delicacy, as Masuda is not often heard since his 2006 Big Black Lincoln project). Bursting pianos glide over huge gated digi-snares on this gem, the featureless version of which also appears on the B-side.
Go Now Wetiko (feat Americo Brito & Mariseya) (5:59)
Roi Salomon (feat Mariseya) (5:24)
Duncan Truffle (3:14)
Review: Niels Nieuborg is Arp Frique, an artist who made a bold and brilliant debut on Rush Hour a few years ago and has never looked back since. His 2018 album Welcome To The Colorful World of Arp Frique showed off his fresh take on disco with a host of collaborators and now he once again lays down the beats while various guests appear on this new EP on Colourful World. Elements of zouk, highlife, Afro-disco and many more worldly rhythms lend these cuts their unique and characterful style. Analog drum machines, kick rhythms and psyched out synths all sit next to great vocals for a kaleidoscopic trip like no other.
Review: Library music maestro and original member of The Shadows Brian Bennett has a raft of sought-after records to his name, but this is surely one of the most prized. As with the best library music, the execution of the compositions is impeccable - like slipping on silken luxury leisurewear for your ears. The record has been a rich source for sampling over the years, so half the joy is in spotting licks and loops from your favourite tunes, but equally these disco-fied delicacies funk all on their own. Lovers of the Black Devil Disco Club vibe will be more than happy getting down to these tasteful cosmic groovers, unbelievably repressed for just the first time on Isle Of Jura since the original release in 1978.
Review: Having previously impressed with their reissue of Patrick Cowley's brilliant, all-synthesizer soundtrack to obscure '70s gay porn flick School Daze, Dark Entries and Honey Sound System once again join forces to shine a light on the high energy disco pioneer's work for San Francisco's Fox Studios. Unsurprisingly, it's another impressive collection, and features material recorded for a number of different pornographic films. There are naturally more up-tempo moments - see "Somebody To Love Tonight", which would later be re-recorded with Sylvester, and the synth-weirdness-meets-jazz-funk brilliance of "5oz of Funk" - but it's the impressively cosmic and exotic ambient moments, such as the stand-out "Timelink" and "Jungle Magic", that really stand out.
Review: It's been a minute since we had a record from Donny Benet, the Australian singer, songwriter, bass guitar ace, disco evangelist and entertainer. Turns out it's always worth the wait, with Infinite Desire not only classic Benet - albeit on a smooth, sultry, easygoing tip - but also a record that marks the beginning of a new chapter for this beloved character. His first on a freshly minted indie label he set up. A fun odyssey with added glitter and swirl, like almost everything the man touches, Infinite Desires is inspired by a simpler time, when blazers with shoulder pads were nightclub attire, hair was big, and overbites ruled the dancefloor. But what really stands out is how right these sounds still feel today. This is no pastiche, let alone parody, but DIY innovation that serves to remind us of what groove really means.
Review: Hailing from Philadelphia, the Eraserhood Sound label has been fostering a particularly cosmic bend of synths and soul music which is primarily rounded out by their in-house band, Fantasy 15. Following a string of on-point singles, the group now coalesce for a hotly anticipated debut album which delivers on the promise of those early drops. Drop in on 'Ray Gun' and let the thick swathes of brain-tickling synths send you stratospheric - this is hot and heavy boogie colliding with the loftiest prog and coming up trumps. There is a luscious vocal cut featuring Kendra Morris, but primarily this is an instrumental trip to take you very far out indeed.
Review: Pan-African supergroup Ibibio Sound Machine return with Pull The Rope, a tonal shift compared to their earlier full-lengths like Electricity; this one veers more on the side of acid house, highlife and disco, compared to the more histrionic electronics of the eponymous sound machine of that album, as well as Uyai and Doko Mien, heard thus far. As heard on the lead single 'Got To Be Who U Are', we are importuned with the command to be ourselves, as everybody else is already taken; such an injunction is met with a driving, time-of-your-life, weighty acid house production, which comes to neat effect when paired with Eno Williams' passionate soul vocals.
Review: Los Angeles' producer Luxxury has long specialised in the kind of opaque, warming, stylish and melodious fare that tends towards the timeless - retro-futurist, yacht-rock-tinged fusions of disco, AOR, synth-pop, boogie and blue-eyed soul that sounds like it was tailor-made to listen to while cruising down the Pacific highway in an early '80s convertible. Alright, his latest album, sees him subtly tweak that sound further and in the process deliver his most consistently entertaining full-length excursion to date. Our picks of the plentiful standouts include the slap-bass propelled dreaminess of 'Somebody Tonight', the radio-friendly dancefloor delight that is 'Be Good 2 Me', the yacht disco goodness of 'I Need Somebody' and the kaleidoscopic, filter-sporting lux-pop of 'Alright'.
Review: Asha Puthli's triumphant return to the stage after 44 years is marked by tour dates across the US, Australia, and Europe, including iconic performances at Glastonbury and We Out Here. To celebrate this milestone, Mr Bongo has repressed her legendary 1976 album, The Devil Is Loose, on gold vinyl. This album, featuring the psychedelic disco-funk classic 'Space Talk,' exemplifies Puthli's eclectic career spanning 60s psyche, free-jazz, pop, rock and disco. Each track on The Devil Is Loose highlights Puthli's celestial style and sumptuous vocal range, supported by orchestral-infused, disco-enhanced instrumentation. The album transitions seamlessly from the infectious funk of 'Flying Fish' to the cosmic transcendence of the title track, and the choir-channelling 'Say Yes.' Puthli's majestic vocals cast a unique spell, making the album cinematic and captivating throughout. Whether replacing a worn-out original copy or discovering Asha Puthli for the first time, this quintessential slice of her world promises to enchant and inspire.
Review: Laurin Rinder and W. Michael Lewis were amongst the most prolific producers of the disco era - a pair of jazz-trained eccentrics who not only embraced the disco sound, but did more than most to help develop it (they were particularly big fans of synthesisers, showcasing in their work as much as Giorgio Moroder and Patrick Cowley did). They also loved a concept - hence recording and releasing The Seven Deadly Sins, an album-length celebration of disco's sinful side, in 1977. As this Be With Records reissue proves, the album remains a rare beast: a largely instrumental disco album that sparkles from start to finish. For proof, check the seductive, electric piano-and-synth smothered grooves of 'Lust', the heavily electronic proto-techno of 'Gluttony', the solo-laden disco-funk heaviness of 'Pride' and the undeniably epic heaviness of 'Anger'.
Review: Released by Funk Embassy Records, 'Universal Language' is the debut album by Estonian funk outfit Silky Steps, a five-piece band from Tallinn that blends neo-soul, nu-disco and pop-funk. The album is full of catchy hooks, smooth vocals, funky guitars and synths that evoke the likes of Nile Rodgers, Jungle and L'imperatrice. The lyrics are playful and sensual, exploring themes of love, lust and connection. Highlights are the slo-mo opener 'Music' with its infectious vocoder, 'Falling For You', a collaboration with MC Roki that explores deep bass-driven territory and 'Fly, Goodbye', a bittersweet and nostalgic track with sensual neon-lit aesthetics.
Review: Tantra II, the fourth album by Tantra, showcases the band's electric fusion of disco, funk, and electronic elements. The recording sessions were helmed by producer Celso Valli, and the record was initially unveiled in 1982 to great acclaim. The album takes the form of two extended jams, one on each side, with funk, Italo, Balearic, cosmic and more all influencing the extended dance floor jams. Now it is reissued for the first time ever on vinyl so gets the full treatment with a pressing on nice heavyweight 180g wax and is presented in a limited edition run of just 300 copies.
Review: First released way back in 1997, The Mood Mosaic compilations found good traction not merely for their compiling of many lesser-known dark/Italo disco artists into singular compilations, but also for their use of implicitly sexual imagery on their front covers - a business-minded pairing, to say the least. This reissue harks back to the comp's enduring legacy, with lackadaisical classics including Marta Acuna's 'Dance, Dance, Dance', Touchdown's 'Ease Your Mind' and Black Devil's 'Follow Me' all appearing in quick succession.
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