DARONDO Schallplatten & CDs

Review: Darondo's "Legs" - a sexually charged chunk of heady Californian funk-soul fusion rich in punchy horns, killer drum breaks and eyes-closed lead vocals - has long been one of those "Holy Grail" records for soul collectors. As a result, original copies of the 1974 "45" change hands for hundreds of pounds apiece, making this Ubiquity release a genuine blessing for those with reduced record buying budgets. The sublime title track resides on the A-side, with the more relaxed, groovy and down-low "Let My People Go" taking pride of place on the flip. In a word: essential.

Review: The exact backstory of this one is hard to pin down but suffice it to say if you haven't heard Darondo's 'Didn't I' before then as soon as you do you will fall in love. It has previously been released on a 7" entitled 'Edits' by Stefan Trischler aka Trishes back in 2010 but with a different B-side. Here it comes on TLM with a 1773 remix on the flip. The original is a hard-ass funk cut with raw and tough drums and splintered hi-hats all topped off with the aching and soulful vocal sample and some distant lavish strings. The flip side version features Cerebral Vortex and has extra bars that add a hip-hop touch.