Review: The studio of Harry J's in Jamaica has turned out another pair of belters here. This limited edition and hand-numbered 7" features two killer 1969 tunes. The first is a bittersweet roots tune with a lead trumpet that does all the work. It's in conversation with the organ below and as they to and fro, expressing their pair, the bass rumbles and the percussion jangles. As well as that standout from Richard Ace, the flip-side has a super rare tune 'Candy Lady' by Hugh Black & George Ferris. It's another earthy tune with lovestruck vocals.
Review: Audiosex and Hanoben stepped out together on Discos Capablanca back in 2018 with the on-point acidities of Phone Sex, and now they're teaming up once again for this killer clutch of edit tackle for the always interesting Duca Bianco label. Rather than the well-mined stocks of disco and funk that usually get dusted down by edit scavenegers, these two have turned to synth pop and German new wave sounds, coming up with four deep cover, deliciously dishevelled pieces which align perfectly with the brand of acidic club music they make themselves. 'Elvira's Katzenfisch' is a prime case in point - a broad, sweeping slice of synthwave which sounds like it might slide off the reel to reel at any moment, while 'Frank's Einsamkeit' swells into a searing 303 burner for the darkest dungeon dancefloors.
Review: Legalize Lambada Vol 6 brings a vibrant Italo homage that showcasing the talents of Albion, Ric Piccolo, and Hysteric. Side-1 kicks off with Albion's 'Nucleare,' an early 80s DIY sound track seasoned with robotic Italian vocals, serving as a unique introduction. Next, Ric Piccolo's 'Disco Teacher' delivers a potent mix of early disco and 80s electro sounds, setting the stage for some serious dancefloor action. On Side-2, Ric Piccolo returns with 'Alright,' continuing the danceable energy with another infectious groove. Finally, Hysteric's 'Moment' offers a moody, keyboard-rich Italo house track, exuding a sexy, soulful vibe that prompts deep, introspective dance moves. This compilation is for fans of Italo disco and disco and those seeking something fresh in these genres. Legalize Lambada Vol 6 is steeped with that Italo sound with modern twists, making it perfect for both nostalgic disco enthusiasts and new listeners alike. Whether you're looking to fill a dancefloor or enjoy some soulful Italo vibes, this release delivers.
Review: The third edition in Ten Lovers' Coin series hears Marcello Cassanelli, Caruso and Helen McCormack fuse churnout disco, chicken pickin' guitar and Rhodes solos, in an extravaganza of fresh, sartorial dance music. Never pressing too hard, Cassenelli's 'Starlight' and 'Tropical Breeze' go easy on the master channel, with unhurried pan flutes, roiling strings and twizzling G-synths stuck loosely to a soft but firm electro-tropical backbeat. 'Dream Horizon' is a brilliant outerlude on which to close the side. On the flip, Caruso & Helen McCormack allude equally to the Manchester Street Soul scene of the late 80s with 'Have & Hold', whose razor-edge r&b vocals and low-slung progression lend the record a surprise twist. Their 'Love You More', meanwhile is lushness personified, before Caruso's 'Central' chugs magnficently towards the run out groove with oozing synths and glitterball glamour.
Review: Charlie Charlie's 'Save Us' is a track brimming with raw emotion, and Mondag's remix feels like a perfect counterpart, bringing a subtle touch of melancholy with its soft saxophone solo. The track maintains its weight, but Mondag's approach gives it a dream-like quality, coaxing out the depths of its aching beauty. Bella Boo's edit brings a noticeable shift, tightening the rhythms and infusing the track with a sharper energy, but it never loses the soul of the original. Gerd Janson, meanwhile, offers an ambient version that feels like an entirely different experience - less immediate, but no less absorbing. On the other side, Hypernatural's remixes expand on the dreamlike, almost otherworldly feeling of the originals. Knightlife's take on 'Spirit Walk' stretches the song's already fluid nature, making it feel weightless, while Gerd Janson's remix of 'Stormfront' adds a darker, more reflective mood.
Review: Sweat It Out Records kicks off their tasty Sweat Sampler series with their first volume, cutting niftily across four exceptionally sweaty bops, spanning tongue-in-cheek deep tech reworks and downtempo disco delights. First off is the dream team of Cid and Havoc & Lawn, whom together deliver a hilariously effective house version of America's 'A Horse With No Name'; this is shortly followed by Saturday Love, Kon and Furious's 'Come Out', a rejigged nu-disco samosa packed with some rare vocal spices; then there's 'Give It To Me' by Marco Lys and Ben Miller, a bass-driven bouncer unafraid of lasershot winddowns, injunctive vocals and risers; and finally, there's Set Mo's 'Could I Be', the anthem of the bunch, whose buildup and drop is alarming, affecting, cumulatively awe-striking.
Don Covay & The Jefferson Lemon Band - "If There's A Will There's A Way" (3:36)
Harvey Mandel - "Baby Batter" (3:40)
Review: Climactic, psychedelic soul and blues brilliance by Don Covay, co-written by Donny Hathaway and backed by a proto-Balearic sweetmeat on the B, Harvey Mandel's 'Baby Batter'. The A-side was originally released one year after (1972) the B-side (1971) on the American Janus label, and the tracks provide a palpable contrast, drawing on the same idiom yet approaching it with remarkable difference. Covay's lyrics are, thematically, overflowing with determination, despite the psychic conflict at the track's heart. Is there any resolution? "The sweeter you, look, mama... the bitterer you treat me..."
Carolyn Crawford - "It Takes A Lotta Teardrops" (2:47)
Hodges, James, Smith & Crawford - "I'm In Love" (2:26)
Review: It Takes A Lotta Teardrops showcases the refined touch of Mickey Stevenson, delivering a timeless Motown sound. This Leon Ware and Vicki Basemore composition, although unreleased until now, echoes the classic vibes that Kim Weston also interpreted, but like hers, it remained in the vaults. The decision to shelve this gem in 1972 may have been due to its retro style during a time of evolving musical tastes, yet it remains an essential listen for Motown and Northern Soul enthusiasts. On Side-2, 'I'm In Love', stems from Carolyn Crawford's work with Hodges, James and Smith in 1971. Released under the M'Pingo label, this track embraced a more contemporary feel for its era and continues to resonate in Modern and Crossover rooms today. This single is a fine addition for collectors and fans of classic soul.
Review: Tatsy Recordings is up to a fifth release and it wants you to sample what it is all about with this fine sampler. It kicks off with Disko Junkie's 'I Like To Party' which will indeed get you ready to party with its lavish grooves. A Nu Disco Mix of Discotron's 'September' then brings more good time feels with its colourful synths and vibrant rhythms. Flip it over and HP Vince has got the sauce with 'Got The Groove' with its loopy bass and classic samples, House Punkz then rework another super smooth soul sample into some disco house beats and Serial Thrilla end it all with the slamming 'More More More.'
Review: The debut release in a new EP series from Bordeaux's Monomoods label, ordained for nu-disco and Italo disco lovers. The label call on four resident producers - Doctr, Brian Ring, Astore, and Hysteric - to each deploy their very own dancefloor finesser here. Ensuring maximum satisfaction at a near constant drip-fed rate, 'Boxer' and 'Open Secret' bring us nonstop synthy, glam-glittered gusto; the latter track is special indeed, and a highlight of ours. The feeling of pure glee is tossed asunder by the B-side, however, with 'Mandarin Energy' bringing profound chord-data to an anomalistically expansive mood, and 'Adventure' fitting perfectly as the lighter, but still heavy, gated-snared Italowave number of eclectic choice.
Rhano Burrell - "When Can I Call You" (feat Lisa Lee - Honey Dijon & Luke Solomon edit) (5:21)
Review: The second volume of edits of classic outings on Nu Groove records, assembling modern house heroes such as Dam Swindle, Phil Weeks, and Honey Dijon to re-fix tunes by the legendary Equation and The Burrell Brothers among others. Highlights include Dam Swindle's misty eyed extension of Equation's 'I'll Say A Prayer 4 U'- a perfect rainy day house anthem, and the paranoid phonk of Rhano Burrell's 'When Can I Call You' as remapped by Honey Dijon & Luke Solomon. Surefire party starters all round.
Review: Big Love's popular compilation-style A Touch Of Love series returns for a sixth instalment, with boss man Seamus Haji once again showcasing a quartet of tried-and-tested treats. Fittingly, he kicks things off with 'Serious', a kind of hbrid heavy garage-house/disco house affair featuring organ solos aplenty and vocals from Chicago legend Mike Dunn, before Moon Boots joins the dots between sweet 80s soul and nu-disco on the synth-powered vocal number 'In My Life'. Heavy, French Touch-inspired disco-house vibes are provided by DJ Fudge ('Escapade'), before Dutch rising star Danou P - with a little help from pal Jamie 3:26 on vocals - delivers the organ rich deep house/garage-house fusion of 'Fly'.
Review: The decorated Spanish producer and DJ Henry Saiz, who operates under the novel character moniker Hal Incandenza, has been in the scene for 15 years now. He comes to us this time with an EP under MM Discos, a 12" stringing together deep house, nu-disco and techno sensibilities mixed with classic vocal samples. The patchwork of genres is a floor filler, the sub bass sure to get heads rocking on 'Ceremony', the classic house references on 'Incivitas' being too perfect not to groove to. For something more retro futuristic and techno-house, Marvin & Guy punch in another fantastic remix for this record, giving their interpretation of 'Incivitas' a far more theatrical sound, less danceable and more thoughtful.
Review: Expansion is pushing the boat out for Record Store Day 2020. Chief among the label's must-check RSD releases is this 12", which offers up fresh re-edits - courtesy of an un-credited re-editor - of two sought-after cuts by late-'70s and early '80s West Coast fusionists Halo. The headline attraction is undoubtedly the fresh edit of the ultra-rare extended mix of 1981's 'Let Me Do It', a warm and groovy modern soul/boogie jam primarily known for its' familiar "let me do until you're satisfied" vocal refrain. The band's shorter original version is also included in the package, alongside a shorter re-edit of their sparkling, synth-heavy 1988 single "Life". In keeping with the more celebrated A-side, it's an energetic, life-affirming earworm.
Music Makes The World Go 'Round (instrumental) (3:23)
Review: Numero's Hottest Sounds Around series has excelled at unveiling a treasure trove of late-70s Caribbean grooves. Now they look to Trinidad where Stan Chaman's Semp label originally presented the Hamilton Brothers' calypso-disco hit 'Music Makes The World Go 'Round' back in 1978. It is a vibrant sound with multi-layered grooves, plenty of inescapable summer vibes and a tropical edge that cannot fail to bring the good times to any session. On the flip is an instrumental that pairs things back to the bubbly rhythms. What's more, it comes on lovely pink vinyl.
Music Makes The World Go 'Round (instrumental) (3:30)
Review: Numero's Hottest Sounds Around collection captures obscure late-70s grooves from the Greater Antilles. Trinidad's Stan Chaman's Semp label delivered Wilfred Luckie's quirky 'My Thing' and the Hamilton Brothers' calypso-disco hit 'Music Makes The World Go 'Round' in 1978. Meanwhile, across the sea, Frank Penn's G.B.I studio recorded Stephen Colebrook's Doobie Brothers-inspired 'Stay Away From Music,' appealing to cruise ship audiences. All three tracks are packaged in a custom Numero sleeve, echoing the design of Edward Seaga's influential Caribbean music label, WIRL (West Indies Records Ltd.). This compilation revives the vibrant, eclectic sounds of the late 70s, providing a fresh look at the music that once enlivened the Caribbean scene.
Review: Detroit musician and producer Dave Hamilton hears two fantastic early emissions of his reissued via BGP. Known originally as a guitarist and an early member of the Motown house band, Hamilton's influence on music, especially the later Northern soul firestorm in the UK, is perhaps understated. His guitar contributions to the likes of Marvin Gaye's 'Stubborn Kind Of Fellow' and John Lee Hooker's 'Boom Boom' are indeed cherished additions to the Michigan funk and r&b canon, but perhaps it's his later outings as Dave Hamilton and the Peppers - and later founding of the labels Demoristic and TCB - that house the real trinkets. 'The Deacons' and 'Pisces Place' both came out via the TCB label, and brought vibraphonic blues and astrologic easy listens respectively to wax.
Review: Freestyle 'Turn Up The Music' courtesy of this new 12" from Roy Hamilton, Cosmo Bowen and Dennis Palmer. The trio worked together way back in the 80s and back then it was as part of a nine-piece outfit known as Breeze. Anyone who attended the iconic Ronnie Scott's in London back then will probably have heard them play upstairs with the likes of Hi Tension and Gonzalez. In 1984 they decided to lay down this one and only 12" on the HBS label they ran. It's a stomper but a laid-back one that is now well in demand on the funk and soul scene.
Review: A really cool concept from Expansion here; one side is a reissued seminal classic, the other is a contemporary version. And what a way to start the start the series; hard bop hero Johnny Hammond influenced pretty much every soul, jazz, rare groove and funk artist who've followed in his path, and the joyously unpredictable "Los Conquistadores Chocolates" is one of his best. Naturally Japanese jazz outfit Quasimode are an ideal remix choice. Known for their wildstyle riffage and signature switches, they've paid the utmost respect to Hammond.
Review: Herbie Hancock has been responsible for many era-defining records over the years - "Rockit" being a particularly good example - but few of his compositions have been quite as game changing as "Chameleon". First featured on 1973 album "Head Hunters", the 15-minute epic was revolutionary in a number of ways, not least in its use of a killer 12-note bassline, "percussive" style guitar parts and loose-limbed funk beat. It remains one of the greatest jazz-funk moments of all time, as this timely reissue proves. This time round, it comes accompanied by another "Head Hunters" classic - Hancock's groovy, synth-laden re-recording of his own 1962 composition "Watermelon Man". Two stone cold classics for the price of one: what's not to like?
Review: Two out-and-out rarities from Hancock's Columbia-era output. Strictly the sole preserve of DJ promo back in 79/80, the clue is in the title 'special' disco remixes. Smooth, soulful and arranged with such style, every element of Herbie's essential ingredients is brought to the fore in its own time with its own space. "Stars In Your Eyes" swoons with a soulful ballad feel while "Saturday Night" pumps and jumps with party-pulling allure. Simply essential.
Review: If we had a pound for every hush-hush Sade remix or re-edit we'd heard over the years, we'd likely have enough to fund a night out - or at least a light lunch at an overpriced London restaurant. This one comes from - surprise, surprise - a mystery artist, on the freshly minted Illegal Paris rework imprint. It sees our shadowy hero give his, her or their take on 1984's 'Hang On To Your Love', re-framing the classic cut as a smooth, subtly nu-disco tinged slab of warming deep house excellence built around a rising and falling bassline, crunchy drums and tech-house tinged electronic flourishes. The superb full vocal A-side version comes accompanied by a dancefloor dub style 'instrumental'. This features occasional vocal snippets and loads more spacey synth sounds.
Review: Mr Bongo are enacting a thorough revisiting of some of the very best soul, funk, MPB and boogie gems to stud their catalogue over the years; at this rate, the tagline "back by popular demand" has become a motto. This careful pairing of mutually constitutive Hanna and Almir Ricardi tunes made up the label's 54th release. 'Daixa Radar' comes first as the initial "rediscovery" of DJ Koco, whose Brazil 45's mix was the functional tipoff. Ricardi's 'To Parado Na Tua' is a similar midtempo boogie cut, produced by the legendary duo of Lincoln Olivetti and Robson Jorge, whose singularly timbral slap-drums are to die for.
Review: Maledetta Discoteca closes out its year with this special blue vinyl featuring a mix of brilliant Italo disco artists. They all hail from Italy and Argentina and are editing originals that span disco, electro, proto-house and more. Hararis' 'Si No Pagan' is the first under the scalpel and is a funky cut with raw drums. Lance's 'Yo Quiero A Lucy' is a more slowed down and seductive sound with 80s synths, Marta Paradise's 'Calling' (edit) is a direct and sugar synth laced house stomper and Alan Strani's 'Tension Salsable' brings things to a closer with a nice stomping disco grove with mysterious synths and lush percussion.
Review: Hardrock Striker's prolific output as a label owner and producer maintains as we take a trip into the Italo dimension of his sound on this essential new Skylax 12". 'Dead Souls' sounds like it's paying tribute to the Joy Division track of the same name, here strapped to the snappiest of robo-disco beats and spelt out in thrumming arps and pointed bleeps. As well as two versions from Striker, Parissior also throws down a pair of interpretations which bring their own motorik magic to the the table, plus the odd new wave motif thrown in for good measure.
Review: At the start of the COVID-19 shutdown, Rob Hart and David A. Tobin were writing music for an artist's project. When the artist left, they found themselves reflecting not on lost work but on their shared love for music. Their conversation turned to the 90s-a time when hip-hop fused with funk and soul, promoting fun, parties and unity. Inspired by this, Rob created a sound palette echoing the hits of the early 80s and 90s, while David envisioned a local club vibe. In one day, they crafted this song with infectious hooks, nostalgic beats and joyful energy. Rob's production polished the track into a "hands-in-the-air" anthem-a tribute to good times and a beacon of positivity in dark times.
Review: It's hard to imagine how different club culture would be without Ron Hardy, the legendary American pioneer who set out the blueprint for how DJs should play. His own edits often formed plenty of the backbone of his sets back in the 70s and for many years the RDY label has been serving up some of his most reliable and go-to records. This 54th installment is a tasteful four-tracker that draws on house, gospel, disco and soul. 'I Have A Dream' kicks off with some raw Chicago jack, 'Dub Love' is a stripped-back sound full of menace and 'Hot Hands' gets busy with textural claps and screwy acid getting ever more wild. 'Acid' shuts down with mid-tempo drums full of rawness.
Review: The deep house maestro that is Ron Trent has been tapped up for some of his remix expertise by the good folk at Leng. He is charged with tackling Harks & Mudd's 'Susta' and turns out two versions. His opening remix is all grown up Balearic sounds. Gentle percussion is scattered over the leggy house drums, noodling Rhodes chords bring colour and a breathy female vocal layers in the sun kissed soul. It's an immediate classic. On the flip comes his dub, which is more fleshy and elastic, but with just as much soul and warmth.
Review: Second time around for Harlem Hustlers' surging disco-house anthem, which first appeared in stores way back in 2005. This time round, the Italian duo have reworked it considerably, placing underground boogie legend Orlando Johnson's lead vocal front and centre while opting for some more organic-sounding instrumentation (the original was more sample-heavy). On their '2023 Rework' they channel the sound of Groove Culture label bosses Mickey More and Andy Tee, wrapping Johnson's vocal, tidy horns, flanged guitars and classic-sounding piano riffs around a warming bass guitar part and crunchy house drums. It's a very classy and far more authentically 'disco'-sounding track than their 2005 original. Their flip-side 'Get On The Floor' mix, meanwhile, has a smoother, more synth-heavy disco-house sound, less vocal and even more of the excellent horn sounds.
Review: Legendary bandleader Eddie Palmieri took a rare groove excursion from his Latin legacy in the early 70s for two albums as Harlem River Drive. Criminally overlooked, Soul Brother have dusted off two of the many highlights from his self-titled debut; "Idle Hands" is a sleazy, Gaye-style message with an almost spoken word quality to the vocals and a smoky wooziness to the horns while "Seeds Of Life" is a real end-of-set belter that rises and rises with tight orchestration between the guitar, horns and drums. Incredible... This can't be slept on this time round.
Review: There have now been almost 100 hundred entries on Mr Bongo's Brazil 45 series and as far as we can tell not one of them has been a dud. This time they opt for a big and airy soul sound from The Harmony Cats. They were an all female vocal quintet that hailed from Sao Paulo and banded together in 1976. Most prolific in the disco days, the b-side here is their best known tune outside of Brazil. It's got a cosmic breakbeat and light vocals that soar to the skies. A-side 'Seja Como Nos (De Pe No Chao)' is a just as sweet sound that transports you to Latin America in an instant.
Review: The Brazil45 series has always been pure gold and now come a pair f beauties from Harmony Cats, a vocal quintet-turned-trio from Sao Paulo known for their disco-era hits. Harmony Cats' 'Theme' from 1976 is their most recognised track outside Brazil and is inspired by Rhythm Heritage's Barretta's Theme with its spacey breakbeats, lush vocals and percussive flair, all of which have made it a true crossover classic. On the B-side, 'Seja Como Nos (De Pe No Chao)' delivers an exuberant Brazilian twist on The Jacksons' 'Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)'- it's a guaranteed floor-filler with radiant disco energy and Harmony Cats' signature vocal style.
Review: American jazz pianist Gene Harris first released 'Losalamitoslatinfunklovesong' and its counterpart 'Summer' in 1974, when both initially appeared on the classic soul jazz album Astral Signal. Thereafter, it enjoyed a second bout of popularity after being picked up by the trailblazing rare groove scene in London. Now for a third: Selector Series now proffer another reissue of this rare groove workout, a Latin funk gem for an age not yet properly recorded or recognised. Snappy, pugilist drums, wowwing synths and filling choral counterpoints make this a real funk treat.
Review: Athens Of The North celebrate the longstanding contributions of host, presenter, writer, personality and occasional singer Bernard "Spider" Harrison. Recorded sometime around 1970, and fetching large triple figures between collectors, the feel good bluesy soul cut "Beautiful Day" first landed on Lulu Records and has barely seen the light of day since... Until now. And it's loaded with a never-before-released drum cut. Don't sleep, though. Only 500 of these have been pressed.
Review: Detroit-born jazz musician Wendell Harrison did a lot of seminal work with the likes of Phil Ranelin and Tribe in the early part of his career, but he's also slipped out some seriously funky wares like this rare joint originally from 1982 on Wenha Records. Athens Of The North are champions of such records, picking them up, showing them some love and getting them out to a fresh audience, and so it goes on this killer 7", which flips the A and the B so Harrison's version of Stevie Wonder's 'Rocket Love' gets up front in all its groovesome glory.
Review: Den Harrow is famed amongst the heads for his Italo disco classics like 'Overpower,' 'Future Brain' and 'Bad Boy' and he recently returned with the new release 'Always.' Frontman Stefano Zandri, whose charisma and dance moves helped propel Den Harrow to chart-topping fame, once again takes centre stage in the original, and this waxy instalment sees producers Eddy Mi Ami and Mark Hoogkamer deliver their unique remix styles. They both breathe fresh life into the iconic project and offer cuts packed with dancefloor-ready energy and undeniable Italo charm. As such, 'Always' is one of those you are going to be reaching for time and time again.
Review: Izipho Soul has got another release together here that is sure to fly off the shelves as quickly as all their others. It's two tunes taken from a now hard-to-find 2007 album by prolific musicianship and sometimes Diana Ross collaborator Richard Hartley & Soul Resurrection called Face II Face. Phil 'Phillet Of Soul' Ward is the man who has selected them and he's picked real doozies. 'Jesus Makes Me Happy' is a slow motion and sentimental rhythm for dancing at sundown while 'Heart & Soul' is a sentimental ballad.
Review: Mayer Hawthorne's debut release hears a faithful reissue via Stones Throw. 'Just Ain't Gonna Work Out' was first released in 2008 as the first forerunner to the LP A Strange Arrangement, which was released the following year. Housed on a distinctively oblong, heart-shaped, red 7", the star track hears Hawthorne segue uncertainly from serenade to breakup song, and we're treated to his trademark croaky falsetto too; too nice to pass up. B-sider 'When I Said Goodbye' is a haunting soul reminiscence, giving barbershop harmonies laid down by a ghostly troupe, amid talk of shattered wills and wistful post-breakup apologies.
Let's Try Being In Love (12 Inch extended mix) (10:12)
Let's Try Being In Love (Louis La Roche mix) (4:54)
Review: Savage Garden's Darren Hayes returned from the wilderness in 2022 after a hiatus of almost ten years. During that time, he tried his hand at stand up comedy, kept a social media presence in the form of shared videos featuring him bursting into song, and evidently spent a fair amount of time recharging. After all, you don't make albums with the energy of Homosexual, the comeback piece, if you're running on empty.
Let's Try Being In Love was the first single taken from that, and in many ways the whole package is more about message than music - a guy publicly celebrating his sexuality and marriage after spending a very long time not feeling ready to do so, during a period in which he was a bonafide global pop star. Here said track appears in both 12" extended form and a Louis La Roche mix, both of which are made for chugging dancefloors, filtered tracking synths firing on all cylinders and an overall sense of self.
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