Tags: Soulful House

Review: Not only has it been some 15 years since The Shapeshifters bothered the pop charts with soaring disco-house anthem "Lola's Theme", but also nearly a decade since their last vinyl single. Appearing on a tasty seven-inch single, this two-tracker for Glitterbox features some of their strongest work since those halcyon days. A-side "Try My Love On (For Size)" is arguably the duo's most "pure" disco cut to date - a classic production that boasts rising horns, sweeping strings and a strong, Salsoul-esque vocal from Teni Tinks. Turn to the flip for the more relaxed and groovy "When Love Breaks Down", a future end-of-night anthem that's as poignant as it is uplifting.

Review: Danny Krivit is currently known as one of the music community's greatest purveyors of top quality disco & house as he continues to perform regularly before sold-out audiences around the world. With his unique ear for what works on the dancefloor he has also become known as "King of the Re-edit." Danny has a deep connection to Kim English's "It Makes A Difference" release on Nervous Records from 2006. Krivit worked with writer Kyle Smith on the remixes that originally made this tune an anthem at his 718 Sessions parties as well as one of the highlights of club nights from Tokyo to New York to London that appreciate quality soulful house. The B-side is Danny's re-edit of one of the most famed dubs from the Nervous catalogue as well as for the producers Mood II Swing. Upon its release in 1993 this dub emerged as one of the defining sounds of summer 1993 at Ministry Of Sound which had just recently opened the year before. The "rushing rushing rushing" hook is well knownby golden era of house afficianados around the world and he does an amazing job bringing this essential hook.

Review: It may come with an eyebrow-raising price tag, but what's on offer here is undeniably alluring: a box set of 10 seven-inch singles containing all of the songs from Louie Vega's brilliant Expansions In The NYC album - an all-star affair in which the Masters at Work man celebrated his love of New York disco, boogie and house. The album itself is incredible, with fantastic musicianship, arrangements and vocals, while the cast list - which includes original electrofunk outfit Unlimited Touch, Peech Boys main man Bernard Fowler, Honey Dijon, Cindy Mazelle, Moodymann, Kerri Chandler and his son Nico - is similarly impressive. It's a great product, packed with brilliant music: a fitting finale to this portion of the ongping 'Expansions NYC' project.

Review: Caserta is legendary digger Kon's long time engineer, and he sure does have a wealth of tricks up his own sleeve. Here he gets to tackle his own super 7" on the Bridge Boots label and first off he serve sup a lovely take on a Stevie Wonder tune. 'Stevie?' (Caserta Sunday Saint mix) has mid-tempo grooves rolling away nicely beneath exquisite synth work and a well-treated vocal from the man himself. JoDaCe steps up on the flip for a Saturday Sinner mix that is more driving and ready for the club. The bass is rugged, the vocals more looped and freaky, the effect just as brilliant but in different ways.

Review: Famously returning to the game he was part of right back in the late 80s, Brian Power released his first album last year at the age of 54. Now back with his first new material since then, he's not messing around. Featuring long standing Muthafunka Marc Evans, "Falling Back Into Love" is a sprightly sunny side soulful house gem loaded with timeless appeal and emotion. And if that's not enough, the legend that is DJ Spen has supplied his own edit for the B. Feel the love!

Review: Daniel David (FKA Trailer Limon) makes a great impression on Bastard Jazz with his first solo record. This 7" finds him link with the Jazz Mafia for a feature after he has done plenty of work with the legendary San Francisco duo the Pendletons. Because of that he is credited with helping to kickstart the Bay Area's modern funk resurgence but here he shows he has plenty of his own skills too. 'Tambor De Cura' (with Guinu) is bustling jazz that is vibrant and vivacious with big horns, steamy jungle atmospheres, humid pads, bird calls and many other great details that form a hefty groove. 'Devotion' is then a funky jazz fusion with cosmic pads and lush vocals.

Review: Theo Parrish teams up with Maurissa Rose again on a rare if not completely unprecedented outing that is pure soul magic rather than the dancefloor spells Parrish normally casts. It's a quite the classy outing, as Rose goes full pelt over tinkling percussion and hip-hop beats, showing that every inch of her reputation is totally deserved. Fans of the pair's previous single, 'This Is For You', will find this more coneventional in a 70s classic soul way, but even more spectactular.

Review: A 90s lost soul gem, Aleshure is an anomaly in the modern age. Very little to no information exists about the songstress, but thanks to Stainless Soul Records head Mike Ward, this deep dive into the soul crate is being pressed for the rest of the world to hear on vinyl for what may be the first time. This is a two-sided affair (not to be mixed up by the label misprinting), with Side A's 'School Me' being a box-ticking disco-soul dance track contains everything you could possibly want from 90s soul-dance. Flip over to side B for a slow jam soul ballad 'Tricky Sticky Situation', a modern-day Romeo and Juliet story of yearning through a divide. Extremely limited and super rare, get your hands on this underappreciated 90s gem while you still can. Hopefully a sign of more to come from Stainless in the soul and dance department.

Review: The revered songstress that is AK is back on Most Excellent Unlimited for another hot and soulful single that comes on the heels of a special 7" release of her seminal 'Say That You Love Me.' This one, 'Beautiful You' is making its vinyl debut here and comes with strong messages of empowerment and affirmation. The lyrics and vocals are uplifting as is the music which comes in the form of a 7" edit by Body & Soul legend Danny Krivit' of GRAMMYr award-winner Hex Hector's Lush remix. It's a perfectly paired back sound with the original on the flip, and both tunes really make their mark. This is a great package that's exclusive to wax.

Review: Belgian artist Gratts wrote 'Sun Circles' as an empowerment anthem for his two sons and it dropped to plenty of acclaim last year. In its wake, Gratts DJed with Adelaide's multi-talented Alexander Flood on percussion and after some conversations he was enlisted to bring his jazz background to a remix of the original. He did so live as part of a quintet and the result is a super summery, airy rework with soulful vocals that linger long in the air. Detroit-based techno and ambient maestro John Beltran appears on the flip to bring a classy Balearic remix that will have you dreaming of longer, warmer nights and plenty of sun-kissed dancing fun