JAMIE 326 Schallplatten & CDs

Review: Jamie 3:26, the Chicago house luminary, returns with the second instalment of his Danacefloor Damage series, a collection of re-rubbed disco cuts crafted with the dancefloor in mind, but possessing a depth that transcends the club. This time around, he's unearthed three gems, each an ode to his impeccable taste and his uncanny ability to breathe new life into forgotten classics. 'Flyin'' takes flight with a dizzying array of soaring strings and a groove that's as infectious as it is propulsive. 'Funkin' (Hardy Tribute Version)' pays homage to late disco/early house legend Ron Hardy, its driving bassline and soulful vocals a fitting tribute to his enduring influence. 'Jungle DJ Tool' injects a tribal energy into the mix, its percussive rhythms and hypnotic chants guaranteed to induce a state of dancefloor abandon. Jamie 3:26's edits are a masterclass in dancefloor manipulation, expertly balancing euphoric highs with moments of introspective restraint. A potent reminder that the classics never truly die when preserved in the right hands.

Review: Funk, soul and house music courses through the veins of Jamie 3:26 and he always manages to convey that into his irresistible grooves. The best of them come on his own label 326 which is where he arrives now with this new 12" Dancefloor Damage Vol 1. It's a tight affair with just one cut on each side of the wax, starting with 'Maqnifique' which is a steamy, intense disco house stomper with wiry lines and unrelenting grooves. On the flip is a very different vibe - a sunny, flute-led led and jazzy soulful house number with heart-melting chords.

Review: There's much to admire on this first collaborative EP from Rotterdam dwellers Jamie 3:26 and Danou P, not least epic A-side workout 'Roy Layers', a warming, drowsy and musically expansive deep house tribute to Roy Ayers. A genuine epic that stretches out for 13 magical minutes, the track boasts a variety of spacey, jazz-funk style synth solos and expressive vibraphone workouts rising above an organic, laidback deep house groove. Over on the reverse, 'Bushman B' sees them pepper a tougher, locked-in and fiendishly sub-heavy house beat with excitement and energy-packed Hammond riffs, while 'Rug Burn' is a sweat-soaked, disco-sampling beast packed to the rafters with gospel organs and thumping kick-drums.