Mint Condition Vinilo y CD

Review: Following the sad passing of UK tech-house pioneer Nathan Coles earlier this year, this Mint Condition reissue has taken on an extra layer of emotional resonance. Co-produced by Coles and long-term creative partner Terry Francis, Discfunktional first surfaced on the pair's Wiggle label 23 years ago. It was their last release as The Delinquents. It remains a terrific record. A-side 'Disc' is a hypnotic, mind-altering and surprisingly tough peak-time delight - all short, sharp TB-303 lines, spacey synth riffs, tight piano stabs and breathless acid bass. The mind mangling early morning vibe continues via the similarly acid fired 'Funktional', whose foreboding sub-bass, winding TB-303 lines and crunchy drums are as infectious as they are addictive.

Review: For those who either weren't around or not alive in the late 1990s, Housey Doingz was an all-star collective of British producers - including scene stalwarts Terry Francis and Nathan Coles - who helped codified the then emerging tech-house sound via a string of EPs and a superb debut album, "Doing It". This EP from reissue specialists Mint Condition mines that album, offering up four of the most sought-after and timeless tracks. Check first the electro-flavoured late-night intoxication of "Curly Wurly" - all rugged acid lines, twinkling lead lines and stabbing bass - before admiring the more breakbeat-flavoured classical tech-house purity of "The Poets". Elsewhere, shuffling, tech-tinged beats nestle beneath dreamy deep house chords on "Ambidextrous Left", while "Flying Saucer" is a creepy, all-action affair bestowed with a genuine sense of forward momentum.

Review: Mint Condition continues its run of strong reissues of house and techno music. Originally released on the cult label Robs records in 1995, Kilowatt's 'The Last EP' is finally getting the much deserved repress. Included is the wicked acid banger 'Loose End' which is a diamond of the mid-90s bleep house sound. 'The End' is another standout track on this release that gives us great memories of all the exciting IDM related going ons in the mid 90s - not least in the club of the same name - with echoes of 808 State from the late 80s too. Sometimes you aren't sure why a record's been reissued, but this one is definitely a worthy case. Expect these copies to go fast.