Review: Japanese talent DJ Koco aka Shimokita is a hardcore 45rpm devotee. They are his chosen tools as a beat-juggling DJ who can do logic-defying things with his grooves. He is a regal on Bloom and already dropped serious heat in January with 'World Famous'. This time he is back with a fresh take on 'Made In New York' which is a 1985 classic by renowned Brazilian funk and jazz pianist Tania Maria. He brings his signature hip-hop flair and creativity with his trusted crew, 45trio, and enlists the dynamic saxophonist King TJ (DA-Dee-MiX) to elevate things further.
Kool & The Gang - "Give It Up" (DJ Soopasoul edit) (4:02)
Aretha Franklin - "Rock Steady" (DJ Soopasoul edit) (3:30)
Review: Jalapeno jive maestro Soupasoul had another standout year, in 2024 and only heightened his reputation for crafting exceptional edits that bring new life into funk standards and hidden gems. With a sharp focus on the groove-rich breaks, he is back once again with another instalment that will ignite dance floors everywhere. This time his scorching rework of 'Give It Up' spotlights dynamic horn interplay and soulful jazzy choruses and 'Rock Steady' celebrates Aretha's powerful vocals paired with a killer breakbeat. These finely tuned edits honour the originals while adding fresh energy.
Review: The latest missive from modern funk maestros The Sleeperz Records is a red seven-inch double header that pairs Canadian neo-boogie queen Maya Killtron (a label regular) with two similarly minded producers. She joins forces with Andrew Napoleon on A-side 'Body Fly', a glossy slab of mid-80s synth-funk/synth-pop fusion rich in squelchy P-funk bass, bright lead lines and colourful chords. Estonia-based Latvian Artis Boris sits in the producer's chair on side two, underpinning a typically expressive and soulful Killtron vocal with sinewy strings, modern boogie grooves and nods aplenty to early 1980s disco. Naturally, the sound is nostalgic, but both cuts sound undeniably fresh.
Review: Those good folks at Burning Sole dip into their funk treasure chest once more here and share a raw, densely packed new sound from The King Rooster. This firmly red 45 kicks off with 'Bush Drop' which pairs deriving, shrill Hammond organ stabs with sleazy guitar licks and drums that feel James out live and in the moment. 'Dirty Cop' has squealing leads that very much bring the feel of a 60s spy chase thriller with more vivacious drums and even some police sirens to add to the dramatic and evocative effect.
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: REPRESS ALERT!: Funkyjaws Music is back to make your body move with the latest instalment in its ongoing edit series, Let's Dance, this time with a sixth sizzling volume. Monsieur Van Pratt's loose and languid 'Besame' opens up with some gorgeous strings and funky guitar licks then Kiko Navarro brings a rich Afro flavour with the shuffling and percussive rhythms of 'Bosinga'. Bogdan Ra's 'Get On The Floor' is a fresh take on a disco classic with irresistible vocal charm and swooning pads. Last of all, Zaffa demands you 'Shake It' and you surely will as he layers up wet claps, sliding hi-hats and lively drums into a big-hearted party starter.
Review: The legendary Kashmere High School Brass Band from Houston, Texas always deliver an incredible jazz-funk storm and in this rare groove masterpiece, they have rarely sounded better. Known as the world's best student band, their astonishing groove defies what you would think a bunch of high school musicians would be capable of. Originally released in 1974, this sixth album features original compositions by their teacher, Conrad Johnson, and includes all four titles from their catalogue, complete with a fine jacket design and exceptional sound quality. The tunes come thick and fast and include 'Kashmere' with its killer breakbeats, 'Head Wiggle' a fast-paced bass-driven funk, 'Do You Dig It Man?' big band funk at its best and 'Thunder Soul' which is percussive jazz funk brilliance.
Review: KSB stands for Kashmere Stage Band group that was initially founded by Conrad O. Johnson. He was at the heart of the group which is surely one of the most accomplished student outfits of all time. They hailed from the eponymous Kashmere High School in Houston, Texas, and were active in the 1960s on until the late 1970s. They related a number of albums which only get got pressed up a maximum of 1000 times so have become cult favs and hard to find treasures. P-VINE however changes all that with a series of limited reissues of their most renowned albums, including this one, Out Of Gas But Still Burning, as well as some others which have never actually been on wax before.
Review: During the late 1970s and early '80s, Miami was a hotbed of percussion-rich disco-funk that blended popular Black American grooves of the day with nods to the drum-heavy rhythms of Afro-Cuban music. Herman Kelly & Life were amongst the outfits at the vanguard of this movement, though unusually they only released one album, 1978's Percussion Explosion! Here it gets a remastered CD reissue. It's naturally best-known for boda-fide disco anthem 'Dance To The Drummer's Beat', but there are plenty of other hot, break-heavy classics on display - not least the low-slung, high-octane brilliance of 'Who's The Funky DJ?', the string-drenched disco-soul sweetness of 'Share Your Love' and the low-down, extra-heavy funk rinse-out that is 'Do The Handbone'.
Review: The good folk at Mr Bongo are reissuing Herman Kelly's seminal 1978 album that birthed the iconic breakbeat classic 'Dance To The Drummer's Beat.' This Miami-based disco-funk project headed up by the drummer and producer features Latin, funk and percussive grooves that have gone on to influence generations of hip-hop and dance music producers. It is thought to have been sampled over 125 times by legends like DJ Shadow, N.W.A. and Run-D.M.C. after initially gaining fame via Ultimate Breaks & Beats in 1986. This reissue presents the sought-after 4:12 Alston Records version and it is as infectious and irresistible as ever.
Black Market/Running The Dara Down (part 2) (10:02)
Sightseeing (7:45)
Cocktail/Walk Tall/Agharta (10:34)
Dream Clock (6:28)
Abstraction (3:08)
Can It Be Done (4:26)
Badia/Boogie Woogie Waltz (5:19)
Fast City (6:39)
Domino Theory (7:45)
Face On The Barroom Floor (3:59)
Review: Luniwaz LIVE is the sound of Scott Kinsey paying tribute to Joe Zawinul and Weather Report, not by basic imitation, but through fearless reinvention. The album was recorded live in Prague and brings Zawinul's spirit to life with raw energy and deep improvisation alongside Kinsey's seasoned rhythm section. As part of that, Hadrien Feraud and Gergo Borlai join forces with rising saxophonist Patrick Bartley Jr to blend jazz mastery with modern flair alongside guest appearances from Pedro Martins, Meredith Salimbeni and Bobby Thomas Jr, who further elevate the sound. Far from an exercise in nostalgia, this is a great reimagining of a jazz legacy.
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