LIGHT TOUCHES Schallplatten & CDs

Review: Unlike some edit imprints, Light Touches Records doesn't tamper with classics by adding unnecessary house beats or cheap production tricks, choosing instead to deliver scalpel style reissues whose dancefloor power comes from smart rearrangement and subtle re-EQing. The imprint's latest missive sticks to this tried-and-tested method, offering up a quartet of gospel-fired edits from Andrea Passenger. The producer begins with 'The Top (Higher)', a fine rearrangement of a righteous disco number, before successfully re-animating a bluesy soul shuffler ('Hear My Prey'). Elsewhere, 'Lil Longer' sees Passenger make merry with a Clavinet-heavy soul workout, while 'Giving It Up' is a straight-up, piano-sporting, choir-heavy treat.

Review: The Light Touches label and production crew brings their magic fingers to another series of hot and lesser known tunes and forgotten classics here, all with something of an Afro tinge. 'Vera' kicks off with a playful and funky disco sound that is riddled with Afro vocals and melodies that make you want to move. There is more energy to the bristling drums and flailing hits of 'Savage' which has plenty of effects and loops bring the energy then the final cut is 'We De Youth'. It's a loose-limbed and percussive workout with big horns leading the way. Glorious stuff.

Review: Light Touches Records is on a mission to shine a light on forgotten gems, unknown classics and quality rarities and so far it has done just that in some style. This latest helping of hot wax is another limited edition 7" with just 250 copies pressed up, so move fast because it will sell out given the goodness of the grooves: there is squelchy disco funk on 'Cora' with its lush strong sounds and speedy drum work, then 'Enchant' cuts lose on a bliss out late night downtempo vibe, star-gazing chords and funky bass twangs.

Review: Light Touches Records does what it says on the tin - it 'retouches' and sheds 'light' on old 'records', with a focus on rare groove and Latin music. They're unorthodox, though, in that they don't credit the original artists behind these 'classics', throwing the question as to whether these are legitimate originals - or just clever emulations - up in the air. That shouldn't deter you, though, because 'Cheeky' and 'Weeping Funk' are still killer slices of hypnotic funk: "cheeky chaka" goes the refrain on the samba-esque A, while track two is instrumental, resting squarely between the mournful and the upbeat.

Review: For those who love learning about unknown grooves, forgotten gems and rare diamonds, Light Touches Records is a god send. This time out the Dutch label serves up a brand new and teaming 12" just in time for summer and the return of proper club action. It features three tunes by unknown artists and kick off with 'Things,' a deep and bubbly funk groove with a strong vocal and big horns. 'Arigato' ups the ante with bristling disco energy and tight licks that pump and dance floor, while 'Helpful' gets a little more romantic with its elegant strings soaring to the heavens and classy sound really exuding warmth and positive vibrations.

Review: Light Touches Records is the latest new label to dedicate itself to finding forgotten gems and previously unknown rarities and it has done a fine job so far. The fourth outing is another smoking one that kicks off with "Hustler", a big rolling groove with sensuous trumpet leads and sliding drums to get you in the mood. "Just A Little Time" is a lush vocal gem that breezes along on noodling bass and jazzy chords, then "Everything" slows right down to a crawl, with exotic percussion and tropical chords all overlaid with some steamy vocal work. Fabulous.

Review: More stellar rearrangements from scalpel-wielding Light Touches supremo Andrea 'Passenger' Di Maggio, whose approach to the humble re-edit sticks closely to the founding principles of disco-era reel-to-reel rework legends such as Danny Krivit and Francois Kevorkian. Top of the list is A-side "Flashed", where Passenger makes merry with a groovy, low-slung AOR disco-funk number rich in blue-eyed soul vocals, layered Clavinet lines and nagging electric guitar motifs. Over on side B, "Changes" offers up some slightly heavier (and undeniably spacey) disco-funk/funk-rock fusion, while "Do" is a leisurely, arguably Balearic cosmic rock number complete with sleazy sax solos, hazy vocals and tactile synthesizer motifs.

Review: According to first-wave disco re-editors such as Danny Krivit, the perfect re-edit should simply be a rearrangement of an existing track that makes it more suitable for club plays. That seems to be the ethos behind the Light Touches series. Certainly, there's no attempt from editor Andrea Passenger to add contemporary production effects or beef up the bottom end with new beats; instead, this second volume in the series serves up a trio of tidy, club-ready rearrangements. On the A-side you'll find "Get Up", a groovy disco-funk outing rich in eyes-closed guitar motifs and restless horn lines. Turn to the B for the low-slung, up-tempo, string-drenched peak-time disco swirl of "Let's Have It" and "Around", a glassy-eyed, loved-up disco slow jam full of jaunty orchestration and hazy vocals.

Review: The Light Touches series is dedicated to shedding "new light on hot rarities, unknown grooves and forgotten classics". Pleasingly, the edits included on this debut EP - and, presumably, on subsequent releases - feature no overdubs. It's a purist approach to re-editing, but one that brings the best out of the mystery producers' cherished rarities. Opener "World" is a tasteful extension and rearrangement of a sort-after chunk of jazz-funk/disco fusion, where jaunty horn lines, fluttering flute solos, sparkling piano riffs and elastic bass wrap themselves around rolling beats. "Bibi's Groove" sees the scalpel-wielding editors tackle a party-starting Afro-disco workout full of jazzy guitar solos and fuzzy Moog parts, while "So in Loop" brilliantly chops up and extends a loved-up, end-of-night soul classic.