Disco Recommendations May 2013

Review: The highly anticipated release of Grimy Edits Vol. 6 is here with the type of monster edits you'd expect from GRIMY! On this sixth volume of the popular edit series you have Veteran Chicago DJs Zernell & Rahaan bringing the heat with Rahaan's supercharged version of Rebound as the 1st track, coupled with the Zernell - Rahaan collaboration of an obscure B-side Latin Disco / Break Beat Jam perfectly titled WHAT! Joined on the flip side of the release is veteran edit master Tim McAllister of M.I.L.C. Music fame who takes a lesser known JB 7" and transforms it into the dance foor killer titled "I Need Help!".

Review: Emotional Rescue is proud to reissue one of Germany's best - if most underrated - collectives Dunkelziffer. Formed of Dominik Von Senger, Reiner Linke and Helmut Zerlett, the floating line up also included contributions from Can's Damo Suzuki and Jaki Liebetzeit, as well as The Unknown Cases'
Stefan Kratchen and Reebop Kwaku Baah. This true "supergroup", over a 6 year period, made 4 ground breaking albums that covered the classic Krautrock blend of heavy, repetitive drumming, intricate, overlapping melody and sonic intonation, but expanded it to include heavy dub, soul and jazz elements.

Review: Brooklyn label Razor N Tape return with some razor sharp edits from the personal armoury of Frank Booker, Anyone who keeps a left eye on contemporary deep house and disco should be familiar with the Auckland based DJ, producer and co-host of the Hit It & Quit It radio show with Recloose; in fact those that aren't should enrol in disco night classes right now! Those might help you ID the source material on the two edits from Booker here, though the gliding horn heavy funk and distinctive grunts of A Side rework "Skin" should be all the clue you need. On the flip, the loose limbed percussion and rising Philly strings of "Interstellar" provide equal doses of dusty disco delight.

Review: There are sexy vibes aplenty right here as Disko mainstay Larse gets all low-swung and slinky on "Dynamic Duo". Lolloping along with a big old fretless bass run that borders on p-funk, Larse lets the low-end riff chatter away before introducing the standard strings and struts. "Love Is The Answer" is a more traditional nu disco edit with tight loops, a glamorous vocal cycle and a relentless stomping groove. "Hot", meanwhile, lives up to its name with a devilishly deep groove that touches on the foundations paved by Moroder and early 80s electro boogie. For a little more beef, flip for the Adana Twins remix.

Review: REPRESS ALERT: Little do people know that Coober Pedy is an opal rich town buried deep within the red and arid outback of South Australia. Lewie Day (aka Tornado Wallace) and Tom Moore may be from Melbourne, but the duo make up the Coober Pedy University Band, coining the term "Krautback" to describe this Moon Plain EP. Drawing upon italo synths and mid-tempo Balearica as inspiration, the first release comes in 12" form via Soft Rocks' Kinfolk label. The reverb washed Australian crooner Chet Faker appears on the title track "Moon Plain" alongside heavy struck piano chords, while "Sentenced Beyond The Seas" is a flow of groggy atmospheres and downtempo beats. "Oblong" is the the EPs stand out italo track with short bass arpeggios a highlight, while Soft Rocks "Acperience" mix of "Moon Plain" takes on an acidic and space western theme.

Review: The seemingly bottomless archives of prime Ron Hardy edits are raided once more for the eleventh plate in the RDY series arriving on the murkiest translucent vinyl we've seen in some time. Hardy's official 1986 remix of "Donnie" from The It sits on the B Side and for those unfamiliar to its intoxicating charms, this makes a welcome opportunity to indulge. It's all about the A Side for us however; Hardy's magical take on "Peaches & Prunes" which is a masterclass in gruff editing, is joined by the crazy "Passion" which sounds like The Flirts classic melted down completely.

Review: The Rush Hour affiliated No Label operation springs in a new edit based direction, with Peaking Lights band member Aaron Coyes at the helm for this clutch of APC Edits Vol 1. We presume APC stands for Analogue Players Club, the name Coyes uses for his recently founded radio show on Dublab, certainly the three tracks here feel at home with the sort of music played on that show. Disregarding track title notions, these three untitled edits roll through long form hypnotic kosmiche (think Vangelis and John Carpenter jamming for a weekend) frisky italo disco and gritty funk. All three tracks have been mastered by Pete "Sonic Boom" Kember too!

Review: Japanese label Endless Flight embarks on the first of several Eddie C remix 12"s. First up is Marvin & Guy's remix to "La Palette" - the title track from Eddie C's most recent Endless Flight EP. What was originally a funky and Havana-styled house tune gets transformed into an electro-tinged cut of new school boogie with italo synths and lo-fi drums. Bearded Australian producer Tornado Wallace continues his re-emergence from production slumber with a remix of "Every Life Under The Invisible Hands", taken from Eddie C's Country City Country album. This time a funkier production is dipped into a deep pool of cosmic Balearica, with Wallace sending Eddie C's original elements through a galaxy of pumping bass, starlight synths and space western themed guitars.

Review: For the 1986 BMX themed film RAD, Australian synth pop band Real Life soundtracked the most memorable scene, a BMX boogie at a school prom. If there was to be a 2013 remake, Kid Machine's "Space Renegade" would be a choice substitute for Real Life's "Send Me An Angel". Its arpeggios, monophonic keys and quick fire pitter patter beats are genuinely 1980s sounding, while its synths and pads harbour the same whimsical flair as the Real Life's '83 hit. Flemming Dalum however slows down his remix to what seems almost half the tempo of Kid Machine's original, a possible option for those slow motion replays of spinning handle bars and rotating spokes. Cyber Dance artist Casionova resurfaces too with "Space Commando" which pits high pitched and sustaining lead singing loudly against thrumming arpeggios and synths while Flemming Dalum brings in heavier beats, Justice like basslines and loud glockenspiels in his second remix.

Review: When it comes to disco reversions, remixers don't come much bigger than Metro Area's Darshan Jesrani. Here we find him slicing up intriguing new synth pop act Disco Double. The main mix rolls with a delightfully playful analogue bassline that complements every second the falsetto vocals. For something a little deeper head for the spit-roast dub where the drums are stripped back to a more tribal flavour and the synths are dubbed out to perfection. Release your "Demons" within today!