Back catalogue: All genres

Review: Super Spicy's Super Spicy Recipe series is back with a sixth mouthwatering offering and once again it's a super hot outing of party-ready house and disco sounds. First up is the irresistibly colourful disco charm of Birdee with the freewheeling 'Underground' and its groove-infused piano. Label boss Monsieur Van Pratt then adds his own spin to a rare groove classic with a lung-busting soul vocal and Pato Watson is in edit mode as he tweaks 'Ella Fue' to perfection. Italian don Paul Older brings some funky jazz fusion sounds to his steamy 'Turkish Lights, C. Da Afro keeps it a party with his 'Nothing But The Funk' and Mexican Juan Soto slips into a more deep and loved-up funk-house vibe on 'All Is Full Of Love'.

Review: Bill Curtis' Fatback Band is known around the world for its soul and disco hits but their roots actually lay in funk. They were one of the most impressive outfits around in that particular genre and so they have, for those who are willing to dig deep enough, plenty of rare funk gems to call upon from their earliest days. Here we get a couple of them with 'Dance Girl' - the last tune they released in 1974 before signing to Event/Spring. It was a real classic at block parties back in the day and on the flip is a tune that will cost you over L1000 if you can find an original, namely 'Keep On Brother Keep On' - the group's second single on Curtis BC Projects II label.

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: Jim Sharp presents his sophomore Mountain 45s release, following up the absolute banger of a debut, 'Westchester Eagle'. Coming full circle, we hear Sharp team back up with fellow producer Double A here; on the A we've got the latter's 'Iko (Never Felt This Way)', a fearless cross-section of big beat, Latin funk and sampled West African refrains, while Sharp helms up the B-side this time around, with a full-horseshoe'd rerub of an (ashamedly on our part) unknown funk delight.

Review: 'Foolish Man Part 1' and 'Part 2' by The Huck Daniels Co is one of several 45rpms the BGP label is dropping at the moment and weirdly many of them are also in two parts. This one features guitarist Daniels who was a key part of the B.B. King band ahead of later setting in Los Angeles and becoming a respected leader in his own right. He wrote just one for Kent Records and that was in 1973 as the label headed into its final days. 'Part 1' on the A-side is a driving funk cut aimed squarely at the club and heavy on inspiration from James Brown and the version on the flip levels up with organ playing from Earl Foster.

Review: Nuremberg's Jayl Funk is a true torch-bearer for the art of funked up breaks to start a party anywhere and everywhere. He's back on Danish label Breakbeat Paradise with another sure-shot 7" of feel-good vocal grooves that should appeal to a huge spectrum of cats ready to get down, not least the A-side joint 'Shake & Boogie' with its infectiously sunny demeanour. 'Not Today' is a more disco-styled affair with snappy Philly string stabs and a slippery groove you could just sink your teeth into. Just watch out for that epic piano breakdown, it might just raise the roof off the joint.

Review: Staten Island's The Jazztronauts return to Nu Tone with a smooth cruising single which capitalises on the slick fusion style they do so well. There's a reflective, season-shifting mood to 'This Thing Of Ours' which feels perfectly suited to the time of year, whether it's David Giordano's wistful guitar chops or Josh Glazer and Shawn Rhoades' brass section pealing out over the laconic rhythm. 'When It Hits' on the flip is a more sprightly affair which sees drummer AJ Pantaleo setting a snappy pace and Jesse Blum flexing out on the keys, once again maintaining the buttery smooth style the band are so well loved for.

Review: More scorching hot soul sounds here from Original Gravity who look to Jodie and Floyd James and the GTs for their latest dose of 7" goodness. Jodie is in powerful form on the a-side as she delivers an empowering vocal over fast paced and chested-puffed drums that will steamroller all in their wake. This soul anthem has class and depth with some slick guitar solos and big horn energy. Floyd James & The GTs step up on the flip side with 'Johnnie's Blues' which is full of Hammond organ chords and 60s guitar riffs.

Review: An iconic soundtrack to a classic blaxploitation flick, JJ Johnson and Martha Reeves & The Sweet Things turned a collective head when they simultaneously composed their core themes for Willie Dynamite, directed by obscure director Gilbert Moses. This ineluctable screen treat stars Roscoe Orman and Diana Sands in a quintessential portrayal of early '70s New York pimping, with the central character's foibles giving rise to a latent conscience when he comes into contact with a young social worker. As is often the case with the blaxploitation genre, Willie Dynamite begins with the lead character cruising down the streets of New York in some kind of fancy car, and 'tracked by the central theme: the theme of Reeves' 'Willie D' is clear as day, lyrically portraying D's hustle as 'magic', "never treating two girls the same", "it's no different from any other industry". 'Keep On Movin' On' contrasts this with a note of modesty, signaling the movie's inevitable tonal shift; nor should you miss the B-side instrumentals 'Willie Chase' and 'Parade Strut'.

Review: Carlton Jumel Smith earned himself the title Mr Soul, being one of NYC's foremost exponents of a faithful sound which keeps the Motown flame alive. Having released a couple of singles on Timmion last year as well as linking up with Dojo Cuts on Colemine, now Smith is stepping out on Mocambo with the riotous party starter 'Keep On Swinging', a heated affair with sassy brass, overdriven guitar licks and the man himself holding it down with a killer vocal turn. 'Hope' on the flip is a funkier number which calls to mind classic Curtis Mayfield, not least thanks to that sprightly percussion section. Great modern soul music which knows where it's coming from.

Review: The Alloy Cuts label is back with another sweet 45rpm that collides some of the greats of hip-hop past into two new fusion and mash-up jams designed to do plenty of damage to dancefloors. First up is Jurasoc 5 vs Booty Haul with 'Divided Conformelution' which has some sick low ends and booming kicks overlaid with funky guitar riffs and hard bars. Booty Haul's 'Conformstumental' then appears on the flip side as the original sample source for the a1. It's more physical with the bars stripped away and still has plenty of raw funk.

Review: Just What The World Needs returns to their own self-titled label with a 14th outing of fiery disco heat. This is potent music that melds together jazz, funk and soul with a lashing of synth goodness. The opener is a real driver with emotive gospel vocals and mad jazz keys. Second is a slower jam with a more dreamy feel then the flip side comes on strong with jazz say leading the way beneath vaping chords and funky, smooth drums. Last of all is a supercharged leftfield bomb with explosive cosmic synths and the sort of energy that stands out in any set.