Tags: Boogaloo

Review: More heat here from Original Gravity with 'The Harlem Bugalu' from Luchito and Joaquin Marquez. This is a 7" that soon transports you to boogaloo paradise with its feverish Latin grocers and non-stop drum funk. The A-side is laden with spoken words, zippy percussive sounds and mad bongo bubbles with lashing of horn-led exuberance. Flip it over and you will find the slightly darker and more menacing energy of Joaquin Marque's 'Mala Mania'. Get your shake on and drop this one this summer for swift dancefloor explosions.

Review: Joe Bataan's 1968 sophomore album Riot! is considered a cornerstone of Latin soul and the record that truly cemented his reputation as the genre's king. Backed by the dynamic Latin Swingers band, Bataan masterfully blends Afro-Cuban rhythms, soul and funk with his signature streetwise flair. Tracks like 'It's a Good Feeling' and the title song capture the energy and emotion of late-1960s urban life while reflecting both personal and societal struggles. Its infectious grooves, raw vocal delivery and tight instrumentation mean that this one remains a timeless classic that continues to resonate across the generations.

Review: Vampi Soul duly remaster one of Ray Perez's most sought-after albums from 1969; this is the second in the Venezuelan salsa dura bandleader's (and group's) eponymous "Los Kenya" two-parter albums series, which tracked Perez and co's turn to purer salsa, after his more storied debut with Los Dementes from 1965 onwards heard more of a fusion of salsa, pachange, boogaloo and psych. An eight track reflection of a band's youthful spirit, marked by an opening "wee!" exclamation and subsequent vibrancy.