Back catalogue: Soul

Review: Impossibly powerful and soul fuelled sounds from Gabriels,who have headlined a fine list of all the major musi events, not least Glastonbury with a stirring performance that took them to all new levels. 'Love & Hate In a Different Time' is their most hard hitting tune but still comes with plenty of sweetness and sits at the centre of this 12" of the same name with an alternate version also included next to dusty and lo-fi soul gut wrenchers like 'The Blind' and the intimate vocals, swooning strings and finger clicks of 'In Loving Memory.'

Review: A new four-track EP reflecting ever-expanded horizons for the band, 'Bloodline' is the latest output from loose-limbed, soul-stirring funk band Gabriels. Quickly finding fans in the likes of Elton John, Celeste, Paul Weller, Benji B, and Gilles Peterson, Gabriels should soon find plenty more on a record that could soundtrack a David Lynch epic; such is its drama, its suspenseful, late-night orchestral ruminations. Capped by frontman Lusk's voice - a weapon that swoops through the octaves breathlessly - Gabriels have that rare ability to make you re-evaluate music, and what it can do, in a heartbeat. Whilst Lusk provides the wow factor with that ridiculous larynx, Gabriels are very much a close-knit trio. Producer, keyboardist (and full-time video director) Ryan Hope hails from Sunderland but calls LA home. Fellow producer-composer and violinist Ari Balouzian, a man with endless musical projects on the go at any one time, gives Gabriels' songs a real 'feel' to them. Sultry, soulful mood music certainly isn't the band's modus operandi, but this new experimental EP should paint an altogether more rounded idea of where Gabriels are at today.

Review: The Galaxy Sound Co's latest 7" kicks off with a remastered edit of 'Passion Play' by The Sugarhill Gang. It's a tune that was originally on their self-titled 1980 album and comes with background vocals from the superb funk and soul band Positive Force. Somehow the tune didn't make the charts at the time though it has been heavily referenced and sampled since, including by the likes of Kerri Chandler. The B-side is 'Who Is She (And What Is She to You)', a soul-jazz cover of a Bill Withers classic taken from Madelaine's only album, Who Is She, in 1978. It has a serious Chicago pedigree and great arrangements from Johnny Pate.

Review: Kent Records have been doing a yeoman's job securing, collecting and releasing beloved and rare gems for a 7" reissue. Here, they collect two different recorded versions of the track 'My Little Girl'. The Bobby Garrett version from 1966 and offers a vintage soul sound while The Bob & Earl Band rendition is from 1970 and has heavy Motown influence in it. These rare soul reissues save the fans so much money versus buying an original copy. Thank you Kent!

Review: If you like sensuous and slow motion grooves with hints of dub, reggae and disco all packaged up in super bawdy soul then look no further - this new 12" features a pair of singles that were first put out on 7" by Risco Connection's Otis Gayle. Up first is the glorious 'Sexy Eyes' which was a worldwide charting success and Dr Hook now brings new reggae vibes to his cover version, then on the flip is Domenic Troiano's 'We All Need Love', again with a mix of dubby disco and reggae stylings that have been draw out into extended format to make for a more lasting impact on the dancefloor.

Review: Earlier this year, DJ Scientist stumbled upon another early Ghia composition tucked away in the depths of a master tape. It was a treasure too precious to remain unheard. Sadly, the original track couldn't see the light of day due to sound quality and issues with the original vocals. To make matters more disappointing, no instrumental version survived. Thus, the only way to share this catchy boogie funk track with the world was to recreate it from scratch. And so, the Ghia saga unfolds once more, but in this chapter, there's a new and unique twist. 'Out Of Luck' draws its roots from the aforementioned lost track, originally composed by the group in 1985. This time, however, the song has been expertly reworked by Marian Tone, with new vocals by Adriano Prestel. The outcome? Quite possibly one of the smoothest and most refreshing modern funk tunes you'll hear this year.

Review: ***B-STOCK: Slight surface marks on the record sleeve***


A half century may have passed since the release of Marvin Gaye's conscious soul masterpiece, What's Going On, but the album still sounds as fresh, otherworldly and intoxicating as ever. That much is proved by this half-speed remastered 50th anniversary edition. It backs the original album - a detailed, deep, emotive and melancholic masterpiece packed with much-loved classics (the title track, 'Inner City Blues', 'Mercy Mercy Me' and so on - with a second album of outtakes, demos and alternate versions. These include mixes that track the development of the incredible title track and various hard-to-find mono mixes initially released by Motown as singles.

Review: If you listen to those who know about such things, then The Ghetto Brothers' Power-Fuerz album is one of the best-ever Latin funk records. The group formed on the streets of New York City's South Bronx in the late 1960s and often called themselves a gang as much as a band. They were keen supporters of Puerto Rican nationalism and were motivated to help uplift fellow Latino and Black men in their community. Back in 1971 is when they released their one and only album and it had little to no promotion and was only distributed locally so is one of those that has since taken on cult status.

Review: If you're a fan of the golden age of soul then you will well know that this album Taking All The Love I Can from The Chosen few is one of the canon's most revered. Since its original release on Maple Records in 1971 it has not been reissued on vinyl until now. It features their uniquely moody take on Northern Soul and plenty of swaggering arrangements and heart-melting vocals, not least the gorgeous falsetto of 'Something's Bad'. Oringals of this will cost you over $500 on second hand markets so make sure you cop this newly remastered version on all-new audiophile and virgin vinyl.

Review: The Great Revivers have been mainstays of the Funk Night label for a decade or so now. They know how to serve up the most potent dancefloor bombs for DJs who like to make an impact and after countless 7"s to that effect, they now drop an entire album's worth of high-grade tackle. 3rd Drop from this Russian quartet takes in 12 of their most signature sounds, from the rolling and cosmic-tinged open 'Adventures Begin' via the bristling broken beats of 'Not Good, Too Bad.' There is a 60s American feel to many of these cuts as well as some more slow and sentimental moments like the organ-laced melancholy of 'From Darkness To The Light'.