Back catalogue: Funk

Review: Matasuna Records, based in Berlin, kick off their 2025 with a ladling of fresh soul soma food, this time by Barca's finest one-girl band The Blaxound (Marta Roman), in collaboration with singer John Vermont. Building on irreverent, vintage 60s pop from Spain, whose sound is categorically fiendish to replicate, the two artists have nonetheless managed a close hewing here. 'No Es Por Ti' showcases Vermont's throaty singing, lyrically playing out the eternally relatable breakup trope of "it's not you, it's me." Then 'Qu Ms Te Da?' follows with an affectingly syncopal rhythm, with a tightened snare played only on the 4, heightening the erotic tensity of the scene, driven by shuffling hats alone, whilst the artists' respective cools are kept.

Review: Emma Noble, the emerging soul singer from London, delivers a powerful performance on the girl group soul anthem 'Unstoppable'. Her second single, it's poised to become a next-gen floor-filler; catch us playing it on repeat, *in flagranti*, after it premiered on Craig Charles' BBC6 Soul Show in early 2025. 'Going Going Gone' backs it up on the B-side, as the first single from FPE's upcoming album Waves. Hearing rising Australian singer-songwriter and pop genius J Mahon on vocal duties, the track's catchy brass sections combine with J's androgynous soul vocals, and evokes the sounds of young Motown artists in the style's 60s adolescence.

Review: The enduring electronic musical gene sequence that was Virginia-born pianist and keys player Lonnie Liston Smith's spiritual funk-jazz opus, 'Expansions' from 1974, now hears another re-disco-scription by keyboardist Gail Johnson and her unstoppable band, Jazz In Pink. Renowned for her keytar uplifts and relentless live schedule, this is a rare 12" for the modern genius LA live musician. Her rendition of Smith's 'Expansions' both mellows and sharpens the mood in equal measure, providing a renewed euphony come euphoria. 'Glow' backs up the B-side with a sheeny original, with dramatic phrase stops and trademark peak-out pianos from Gail.

Review: Over the years, France's Favorite Recordings has been very good at sniffing out lesser-known European gems from the disco and boogie era, mostly for superb and must-check compilations. Recently, they decided to make some of these licensed obscurities available on a series of 12" singles, where a louder, club-heavy cut is preferable to DJs. The latest sees them offer-up two lesser-known Belgian gems produced in the mid 1980s by future new beat don Tony Baron. Jonathan Jr's 'Hanging On To You' is warm, shuffling and synth heavy, with the artist's soulful and jazzy lead vocal sitting alongside squelchy synth-bass, Nile Rodgers style guitars and post-electro beats. Special Occasion's 'Flying To Santa Barbara', meanwhile, sits somewhere between 80s soul, AOR synth-pop and sax-sporting B-movie soundtrack goodness.

Review: Born and raised in Chicago, Durty Truth Records founder Darryn Jones delivers a couple of corkers for North-East England re-edit imprint Hot Biscuit Recordings. A-side 'In The Bush' is a thrillingly heavyweight jam - an Afro-funk meets Afro-disco version of a track made famous by US disco and boogie outfits, which Jones has expertly extended and rearranged in all the right places. B-side 'In The Know', meanwhile, is a take on a more classic-sounding slab of Afro-disco that boasts a superb "walking bassline", extended electric piano solos, sultry strings and a fine male lead vocal.

Review: This second instalment in the Spring Revisited seriesia collaboration between Acid Jazz and Ace Recordsioffers two expertly handled edits from across the Atlantic rooted in the fertile legacy of 70s New York soul. London's modern disco institution Dave Lee reinvents The Joneses' 'Love Contest' with his trademark finesse, giving the track a full-bodied groove-up without losing its bittersweet heart. The strings soar, the rhythm section locks tight, and Lee's decades-deep knowledge of disco and boogie shines through in every detail. On the flip, New York-based Coleen 'Cosmo' Murphy brings lush new life to Street People's 'I Wanna Get Over'. With sun-drenched keys, crisp hand percussion and subtle delays, she transforms heartache into late-night liberation. Both sides feel like love letters from DJ to danceflooriclassic soul refracted through contemporary ears, pressed on wax that looks and feels like it just time-travelled from 1979.

Review: Soul Junction revisits the Scot-Tees Capri master tapes here to unveil two previously unreleased tracks. First is 'My Sweet Polly' by The Scott Brothers, a late 60s dance tune inspired by Howard Scott's former girlfriend. Coupled with this is a studio version of Judson Moore's "Everybody Push & Pull," a crossover hit influenced by Rufus Thomas. The Scott Brothers evolved from the 'Elpeccios' in 1958 to the Scott Brothers Band in 1963 and were instrumental in Chicago's music scene. Their label, Capri Records, produced hits like 'We Like Girls' and worked with legends like Garland Green. Judson Moore was a veteran singer who thrived under their mentorship and went on to leave a lasting legacy.

Review: This is a historically significant album now gaining deserved recognition with this anniversary reissue. Born George Folurunsho Johnson in Nigeria in 1916, Ginger's Yoruba heritage shaped his music and by the late 1940s, he had moved to London and was busy collaborating with British jazz icons like Ronnie Scott, Phil Seaman and Kenny Graham's Afro-Cubists. A pioneering figure, Ginger recorded some of Britain's first African music releases and mentored a young Fela Kuti and became a cornerstone of the African and West Indian musical community. By the 1960s, Ginger's mastery of Afro-Cuban percussion cemented his legacy across genres and performances, including the Notting Hill Carnival, and this album shows why he was such a singular artist.

Review: Ekoya is the fourth album from Jupiter & Okwess and it marks a new chapter in their sound as they embrace Congolese funk, rock, Afropop and Latin influences. This record was conceived during a South American tour and recorded in Mexico so reflects a cross-cultural fusion that's deeply rooted in African history and features collaborations with artists like Flavia Coelho and Mare Advertencia. Along the way, the music tackles themes of change, resilience and the global challenges we face so tracks like 'Selele' and 'Orgillo' fuse political commentary with big rhythms. Through a great mix of languages, rich instrumentation and powerful messages, Ekoya is a wonderfully worldly celebration.