Review: Limited edition 7" comes in just 500 copies and features the American soul-jazz band from San Diego, California, known as The Greyboy Allstars. Memners Karl Denson, Elgin Park, Aaron Redfield, Chris Stillwell and Robert Walter have released six albums to date and originally formed as a backing band for rare groove star DJ Greyboy. Here though is the title track of their 'A Town Called Earth' long player from 1997 and it is one that is sure to appeal to jazz and funk heads who enjoy Pharaoh Sanders and Thembi. The band played seven live-streams during the pandemic and proved they still very much have it.
Jose Finagandara, Juan Diego Lllescas & Ground - "Something Sign" (5:39)
Akira Arasawa With KUN & FRANKY-CH - "Yunnan" (8:18)
Review: Especial Specials has joined forces with Osaka-based imprint Chillmountain Recordings to offer up another Enjoy Your Self EP. This one once again showcases the talents on its roster with label head Ground kicking off with a beatdown meets trance sound on "Utau Narukoyuri'. After that slow burner come tribal percussive sounds from 'Arauma' (Kobato Dub), sunny cumbia on 'Something Sign' and a meandering Balearic journey from Akira Arasawa With KUN & FRANKY-CH that is brought to life with new age flute sounds, bird calls, jungle drips and folkloric strings. A fantastic EP, then.
Move Your Body (A Fire House Chicago Classique) (6:01)
Marisa (GU edit) (5:33)
Tell You (Today) (GU edit) (6:40)
Hurry Up & Wait (GU extended version) (6:34)
Review: GU (which is of course an alias of Chicago favourite Glenn Underground) is back with a 20th volume of his Classiques series. It once again finds him adding his own special studio magic to come stone-cold classics from the funk and disco world. First, he flips Le Cop's 'Move Your Body' into a funky percussive sound with steamy vocals. Then Machine's 'Marisa' becomes a jazzy and expressive sound with busy leads and funky guitars and Loose Joints's 'Tell You Today' is a wild horn-led sound with a busy arrangement and pumping drums. Last of all are the sunny and soulful sounds of The Isley Brothers's 'Hurry Up & Wait' with cool house drums.
Review: The simply and aptly named 'Cuts' label launched in 2021, and immediately set about re-editing "precious (disco) gems mined from a wall of vinyl, cut, polished and mounted for maximum love." The image is endearing; that of a masked vigilante picking from an array of his/her/their best disco weaponry. For their fifth love-bombing crime fighting spree, the artist known as Guest (literally) cuts up classic cuts including 'A Place For Us' and 'Disco Is The Thing Today'. Moody, choppy and supremely dark.
Review: .Guest is a mysterious producer who delivers two stunning edits of rare and obscure tracks on this 7' vinyl. On the A-side cut 'Always Dancin' he transforms a disco gem into a groovy and funky dancefloor anthem with a catchy chorus and a smooth bassline. On the B-side, he takes a spiritual jazz tune and adds some cosmic synths and percussion on 'Krishna' to create a hypnotic and psychedelic trip. This record is a must-have for lovers of eclectic and adventurous disco music.
Review: Here we have the second edition of the Cuts series by the enigmatic Guest. Much like the first one back in April, we have some rare and special heaters here that have been re-spliced to perfection by Guest's deft hand. On the A side we have a respectful edit of a certain 1981 disco anthem with an amazing vocal that you have just got to hear, followed by some Ennio Morricone style spaghetti western disco on 'Maddalena". Over on the flip, things get low slung on the late night soul boogie of "Sisters".
Review: This collaboration between Jimi Tenor and Tomasz Guiddo shines brightly and features a heartwarming hook that really lodges deep in the brain as 'Where The Wild Roam' pairs ancient-sounding lo-fi drums with a Western-style whistle and plenty of earthy, twanging guitars. Next up the legendary Louie Austen lends his vocals to 'Smile' for a steamy and tropical house sound lit up with Latin melodies over a shuffling, samba-adjacent rhythm. Erobique, known for chart hits in Europe and his work with DJ Koze, contributes his magic, while Freestyle Man, aka Sasse from Moodmusic, delivers his trademark deep house style. Ale Castro adds a DJ-friendly house version, enhancing the EP's overall allure.
Review: Gold standard house label Razor-N-Tape looks back to Guinu's modern LP of Brazilian jazz-funk, Palago^, and has some key cuts from it remixed by a selection of assured studio hands here. First up, Jose Marquez reworks the title track into a heavy and hypnotic jam with big percussion. The Faze Action remix of 'Haha Fe' brings some fresh disco sounds and RNT stalwart Diogo Strausz brings big room synth energy and cosmic vocal filters. Last of all, Brazilian Carrot Green brings the 80s boogie brilliance to 'Porao de Ferro.'
Review: Classic reissue! A stunner from Gwen. One of her catchiest club tunes from the early years! "It Should Have Been You" bounces along on a tight bassline, with riffing guitar, and sweet washes of keys that really set the scene for the strong lead vocal flipside contains "God Don't Like Ugly'.
Review: GW Edits made a fantastic start to life with a big edit of an Italo classic back in September. Now the second volume of edits arrives with three more disco gems. Up first is a bonkers mix of Amerie in fine form and drums from The Verve's 'Unfinished Sympathy', a character cut with bustling beats. 'Gotta Keep Workin' It' the mixes up Miss Elliot with some old school funk to playful effect and 'Working The Illusion' layers up 80s synths and vocals with tambourines and hip swinging claps next to more iconic samples.
Review: The King Casuals and were founded in 1962 by the late great Jimi Hendrix and after the guitarist's death, he was in the late sixties replaced by Johnny Jones. He leads them in stomping and high energy fashion and here on the a-side is his interpretation of the Hendrix classic 'Purple Haze.' It's got all the things you need to get steamy on the dance floor and it always used to shake the floor at Wigan Casino. Gene Chandler is a bonafide Northern Soul legend who is well known to fans of the genre and his 'There Was a Time' is a real raw gem on the flip.
Mikal Asher - "Red Gold & Green" (feat Gary Davis - Warehouse Preservation Society Full mix) (7:04)
Gary Davis - "Heartbeats" (Knoe1 Acidsoul mix) (6:26)
Gary Davis - "Skip & Scat" (Ellxandra mix) (6:06)
Review: This new 12" is a compendium piece to Chocolate Star's recent 7" release and it comes in the form of more glorious disco goodness from Gary Davis. It kicks off with Warehouse Preservation Society's Full Mix of 'Red Gold & Green' featuring Davis. It's a stomping disco viber with loose-limbed percussion and dubbed vocals. Dvais's 'Heartbeats' then gets flipped by Knoe1 into an Acidsoul mix that is laced up with grilling 303s under the happy, tooting disco arps and fresh vocals. Canada's Elxandra then reworks a lesser known Davis house cut 'Skip & Scat' into a driving bit of full flavour deepness. It's a limited press on these rare cuts so do not sleep.
Review: REPRESS ALERT!: Monsieur Van Pratt is well known to anyone who likes their disco on the hot side. He heads up the Super Spicy Records label and is now back with a new entry into the Super Spicy Recipe series alongside plenty of other top names. He opens up the EP with a groovy masterpiece featuring a powerful bassline and captivating vocals. Hotmood's 'Like That' showcases the energetic prowess of the Mexican then Julps, from Mexico City's Departamento, debuts with a hypnotic deep cut. On the flipside, Groovy Kds keep the party alive with 'Get Down,' while The Magic Track delivers pure dancefloor magic. Closing out the 12", The Velvet Stripes serve up a super funky and potent finale.
Mark Picchiotti Presents Jersey Street - "Love Will Be Our Guide" (Moplen extended remix) (7:10)
Mark Picchiotti Presents Jersey Street - "Love Will Be Our Guide" (Dr Packer remix) (7:05)
Marco Faraone & Greeko - "Armaghetton" (Aeroplane remix) (5:43)
Flush - "Come Back Baby" (7:35)
Review: You know what you are going to get when you see the Glitterbox label - big, timeless tunes that are designed to get glamorous dance efforts in a spin. Glitterbox Jams Volume 4 is another fine assemblage of such sounds, with Moplen opening up with an edit of 'Love Will Be Our Guide' that is built on train track drums and fleshed out with magnificent horns, strings and synths. The Dr Packer remix is only a slight touch up then on the flip Aeroplane offer up an old school electro-boogie mix of 'Armaghetton' that sure is fun. Flush's 'Come Back Baby' closes in romantic vocal house fashion.
Jimmy Ross - "SOS Of Love" (Flowersons remix) (6:08)
Rainbow Team - "Tell Me" (JB Boogie Re edit) (6:38)
Galaxy Band - "Gosh" (remastered) (5:39)
Tony Cicco - "O' Guaglione" (MB edit remix) (6:35)
Review: Standby for some gloriously upbeat disco gold from the Full Time production crew out of Italy as they serve up this ninth volume of their Fulltime Factory series. It kicks off with the enduring sounds of Jimmy Ross and his slinky 'SOS of Love' as remixed by Flowersons. Rainbow Team's 'Tell Me' then gets a rework from JB Boogie that updates the drums, keeps the funky riffs and slowly builds to a colourful peak. The flip side has a nice remaster of Galaxy Band's analogue disco wonkery 'Gosh' and a second MB edit, this time of Tony Cicco's low slung, horn lead teaser 'O' Guaglione.'
Riccardi Schola & Giada Pesce - "Mistake Disco" (4:26)
Giulia - "M'hai Preso Il Cuore" (feat Riccardi Schola) (5:08)
Review: Riccardi Schola returns with a new double A-sided 7" single that is reminiscent of a private press Italo Disco record from the 80s, but infused with a modern twist and raw production style. The first track, 'Mistake Disco,' features Italian singer Giada Pesce, known for her collaboration on Riccardi's debut 'On My Mind' on the Bordello A Parigi label. The second track, 'M'hai preso il cuore,' is a charming ballad sung by Italian singer Giulia, also known as GGG in her DJ persona, with Riccardi providing backing vocals. Both songs evoke the nostalgic essence of early Italo Disco so sit back and soak up the authentic vibes.
Review: The Breaks and Beats label kicks on with a 31st instalment of magical sound that will inject soul and funk into any party and keep working DJs well stocked with heat this winter. First up on this limited 7" is The Webs with 'It's So Hard To Break A Habit', a slow and sentimental sound with aching v vocal harmonies and gentle rhythms laced with melancholic melodies. Gamith's 'Darkness' picks up the energy levels with some more bristling breaks and live drum sounds, funky vocal stylings and psyched-out guitar lines.
Review: Belgian-Moroccan singer Aicha Haskal is at the heart of this fabulous project which sees her joining creative forces with super-talented musicians from the Belgian scene. Between them, the group has a mad diverse spread of backgrounds and influences which means their music too is broad in scope - psychedelic sounds and funky grooves, Arabic melodies and European rhythms all feature in this album as do rap and parlando. Egyptian poet Abdelhamid Farag penned their first single 'Ghalat' and now this album expands around that with music that fights the oppression of women and fights for revolution.
Review: Nigerian disco-boogie act Galaxy's sole, self-titled album has become a holy grail for Afro-boogie collectors over the last few years, so it's no surprise to see Italian crate diggers Mondo Groove giving it the reissue treatment. It was produced by Jake Sollo - one of Nigeria's premier funk and soul musicians of the '70s and '80s - and recorded in the UK, though it was originally only ever released in his home country. Full of killer grooves (Randy Taylor's bass playing stands out), spacey synths and group vocals from the trio known as the 'Galaxy Girls', the set is packed with highlights. Our picks include a sublime, slow-motion reggae-boogie cover of the Police's 'The Bed's Too Big Without You', the intergalactic, club-ready brilliance of 'Galaxy' and the unbridled, life-affirming sweetness of 'Next To You'.
Review: Fifty years into his career, Gary Bartz continues to produce powerful spiritual jazz. In 2020, he collaborated with London band Maisha for Night Dreamer Direct To Disc Sessions and in 2021 he teamed up with Ali Shaheed Muhammad and Adrian Younge for Jazz Is Dead 6, both of which prove that. Now we get a special new pressing of his Live In Bremen 1975 album recorded during a European tour and capturing Bartz's groovy quartet with Chris Mims on keys, Curtis Robertson on bass and Howard King on sticks. The set revisits classics like 'Celestial Blues' and 'Uhuru Sasa' while showcasing Bartz's soulful sax and thoughtful compositions.
Review: It's always a good day when we hear something new from acclaimed saxophonist, composer, bandleader and innovator Camilla George. This third album is another rich, highly cultural mix of afrobeat, hip hop, jazz and Camilla's virtuosic alto saxophone sounds. Plenty of vital talents from the vibrant London scene feature as well as Birmingham's finest MC Lady Sanity. The record is dedicated to Camilla's Ibibio tribe of south eastern coastal Nigeria, and says the artist, is "a celebration of roots, creation and community" and that certainly comes over.
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: Building on the success of their A New Kind of Love album back in 2022, Ghost Funk Orchestra ventures further into the realms of film music, exotica, and psychedelic surf rock with new record A Trip To The Moon.' It was written with the aim of creating a richly layered and collaged listening experience with myriad elements waiting to be discovered with each new spin, and they have certainly achieved that. Featuring fuzzy guitars drenched in spring reverb and horns arranged in a studio big band style, it offers a blend of garage rock attitude and big compositions with influences like Eddie Palmieri and Dusty Springfield to be found within. It also features real recorded transmissions from the Apollo moon missions weaved throughout the tracks as a tale is told of a woman left stranded on Earth by her cosmonaut partner.
Review: Hands up, we're longtime fan boys of the Peoples Potential Unlimited label, Whatever they do - mostly heart aching lo-fi funk and soul from artists old and new - it's always class. Next up is a reissue of Glass Pyramid's Country Cowboy on a hand-stamped 12". It came originally on this label back in 2009 having been transferred from the original tapes which were recorded somewhere between 1982-1986 At Studio 7, Oklahoma City. It soon became a bit of a classic that still fetches above the odds on second hand markets. It's a gloriously feel good mix of disco and soul with instrumental grooves and belting vocals.
Srirajah Sound System - "Si Phan Don Lovers Rock" (feat Molam Inteng Keawbuala)
Perikas - "Laberinto"
Leo Basel - "Quelle Drole De Vie" (Nick The Record & Dan Tyler re-edit)
Mac Thornhill - "No Way To Control It"
King B - "Love Is Crazy"
L'innovateur Djoe Ahmed Et Le Zoukabyle - "Amek Amek"
Champagn' - "Bel Ti Negress"
Androo - "Lyriso"
Hidrogenesse - "La Carta Era Muy Larga" (dub)
Love Isaacs - "Surprise Surprise" (Joao Gomes & Dan Tyler Are Predictably Delayed rework)
Kajou - "Tet Chaje"
Conjunto Baluartes - "Nira Gongo"
Land Shark - "Tie Me Up" (The Nas-T version instrumental)
Rick Asikpo - "Let’s Get High" (Nick The Record re-edit)
Pellegrin El Kady - "Seiva De Carnaval"
Lee Jackson Band - "Call On Me"
LTA (Love The Action) - "What Comes To Ya?"
Urban Volcana Sounds - "Ame No Uta" (Rain song - extended version)
Review: Those on London's crate-digging underground should be well aware of Tangent, an eclectic, anything-goes party created by esteemed record collectors John Gomez and Nick The Record. With a little help from Mr Bongo, they've curated this compilation featuring some of their favourite selections from the party - the vast majority of which are either obscure, rare or overlooked. It's a predictably impressive selection all told, with the pair bouncing between digital reggae-infused global grooves (Srirajah Soundsystem), mid-80s French jazz-funk-synth-pop fusion (an exclusive edit of Leo Basel), quirky riffs of the Pointer Sisters (Marc Thornhill's 'Automatic'-inspired 'No Way To Control It'), zouk, proto-house-era Balearic brilliance (Androo), squelchy AOR synth-disco (Hidrogenesse), heavy Latin percussion workouts (Conjuto Balurantes), dub (Lee Jackson Band) and much more besides.
Review: No Food Without Taste If By Hunger is the 20th compilation in Analog Africa's Limited Dance Edition series and it also happens to be a mega-rare classic from the world of Edo funk. The Good Samaritans from Benin City, Nigeria released a very small run of the original in 1982. It is an infectious album of hypnotic basslines layered up with trance-like grooves trippy psychedelic guitars that make for an utterly unique kind of funk music. Newly mastered, pressed to 180g vinyl with a silk screen printed cover, and limited to just 2000 copies, this is a rare chance to own such a landmark album.
Review: There is no stopping the prodigious producer Felipe Gordon who turns out huge amounts of work, without ever sacrificing artistry. He brings soul and jazz to his deep house sounds and this is the fourth time he has landed on Clone. 'Profundo' gets things underway with singing synths and shuffling deep beats, then 'Hold On' centres escapist and sunny melodies that take you to the Med. Elsewhere 'I Don't Know Why' brings spoken word vocals to lavish house and 'Takes Time' oozes sex appeal with its steamy sax notes and gentle piano tinkles. All of these cuts are laden with great musicality that puts many producers to shame.
Review: Cal Green is a soul guitarist from Houston, Texas who isn't afraid to get as emotional as can be. Here is one of his standout cuts which was made with R&B organist Charles Kynard plus jazz heavyweights Tracy Wright and Billy Moore gets a long overdue repress. 'Tripping' and the reverse side opener 'Sieda' are Cal Green originals that come with hooky melodies that makes perfect jazz-funk listening. The infectious groover will carry you away in no time and this limited edition reuse, the first ever, is sure to fly out so do not sleep.
Review: Gruppo Sound's enigmatic discography spans over thirty titles from the 80s and 90s, shrouded in mystery and intrigue. Despite limited information about the collective, their library music albums can be found across various labels managed by Flipper Music publishing group. Behind the pseudonym lies multi-instrumentalist Gabriele Ducros, son of renowned composer Remigio Ducros. Gabriele Ducros, the sole creator behind Gruppo Sound, ventured into music libraries and soundtracks before crafting tracks for notable television commercials, earning international acclaim. New York City, a compilation attributed to Gruppo Sound, features Gabriele Ducros' diverse musical influences, blending funk and jazz elements with electronic instrumentation. Each track reflects a fusion of styles, echoing the experimentation of the era when synthesisers were emerging. From urban vibes to dreamy atmospheres, the album paints a vivid sonic landscape. Electronic keyboards evoke nostalgia, while flute and saxophone add depth and texture. With a blend of computer-generated melodies, playful themes, and sophisticated fusion compositions, the album encapsulates the essence of the Big Apple's musical spirit.
The New Mastersounds - "Give Me A Minute" (LP- part 1)
Renegades Of Jazz - "Magic Touch" (feat Alexia Coley)
The King Rooster - "Smudgin'"
Diazpora - "Raw Meat"
Sir Ali Bengali - "ABX"
Diazpora - "Song 2" (feat Nora Kinga Becker)
Mothergroove - "Bastard"
Wake&Bake! - "Soul Woman"
The Inmates - "Bread & Water"
The New Mastersounds - "Give Me A Minute" (part 2)
Wake&Bake! - "PartyStarter" (7") (2:56)
Wake&Bake! - "Soul Woman" (3:04)
Review: The wonderful Our Label Records Vol. 1 celebrated two decades of rare funk 45s from the imprint's storied history and it now gets reissued for avid collectors and DJs who missed out first time around. Founded in 2005 by brothers Tom and Gu in London, the label soon got international acclaim by distributing tracks worldwide and establishing a niche for uptempo funk and soulful grooves. The compilation features hits like The New Mastersounds' 'Give Me A Minute Pt. 1 & Pt. 2' and Diazpora's 'Song 2'. With contributions from Mothergroove, Sir Ali Bengali, and Renegades Of Jazz, plus an exclusive track by The King Rooster, this release is vital to all proper funk heads.
Review: Heavenly Sweetness has always dealt in music for the soul that is drawn from the worlds of funk, soul and jazz. This new collection of such tunes is another testament to that with a heavily international and world bent. Oodles of Latin, hip hop and Afro vibes pervade the tunes by Guts aka Fabrice Franck Henri alongside a whole host of collaborators. He's a super prolific talent who has put out some ten albums in just over a decade and Estrellas is one of his best. It comes on six sides of delicious wax and takes you on a trip to sunny climates from Cuba to Brazil.
El Hijo Del Buno - "La Danza Del Espiritu" (feat Los Gaiteros De Pueblob Santo) (3:32)
De Mar Y Rio - "Bailen Y Gocen" (3:52)
Umu Obiligbo - "Udemba" (3:35)
Amadou Balake - "Massa Kamba" (4:33)
Joi N'juno - "Samemala" (5:18)
Avila Santo - "Wole" (3:44)
Oliver N'goma - "Icole" (5:15)
Patrick Saint-eloi - "Ay Pwan Van" (5:53)
Timothee Et Pot & Co - "Rentre Dans Ton Hlm" (2:59)
Adelasio Muangole - "Nao Fatiga Muangole" (5:24)
Locobeach - "Idea Desesperada" (4:05)
Review: Guts is a renowned French producer, DJ and vinyl connoisseur known for curating impeccable selections of global sounds. He has done so three times before for this series on Heavenly Sweetness and now returns with a fourth volume that arrives just in time for party season. This essential compilation traverses vibrant Latin rhythms, dynamic Afrobeat, soulful grooves and infectious tropical rhythms to make for a far-travelling listen. Again it shows off Guts' unmatched ability to uncover hidden gems and present them with fresh energy in an eclectic yet cohesive celebration of music's global spirit.
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