Juno Recommends Disco May 2021

Review: American label Mojo Electric have reissued golden oldies by the likes of Cybotron, Freestyle and Jive Rhythm Trax recently, but this could be their biggest one yet. They continue their foray into classic electronic music with this stone cold classic. Get your hands on a French Touch classic, it is of course 'Around The World', an unforgettable early anthem from Daft Punk on a cute 7" pressing. The seminal late 1997 classic is on the A-side, followed on the flip by the bombastic bounce of 'Da Funk' - another anthem by Bangalter and de Homem-Christo.

Review: Al Kent's Million Dollar Disco is back in business with a surefooted single-sided press of a sumptuous piece of disco taxidermy. Taking the vocal from The Four Tops' 'Ask The Lonely' and some licks from 'It Seems To Hang On' by Ashford & Simpson, Kent has cooked up something achingly beautiful, for when you want the dancefloor to get all misty eyed. It's no accident that it's been mixed down at the legendary Green Door studio in Glasgow either - this sounds as warm and bubbling in your ears as any of the consistently great-sounding music that spills out of that spot.

Review: Bonfido Disques is back with the third release of their exotic concept series, embracing the feel-good vibe of the 80's international disco scene whether it comes from the African continent, the Middle East or America, combined with heavy contemporary drums in order to stand out in modern DJ sets. Four reworks for the dancefloor on a limited edition 12" vinyl.

Review: The Patchouli Brothers from Toronto share an affinity for the strange side of house, disco, soul and esoteric sounds as heard on Defected, Soundway, GAMM, Star Creature, Pleasure of Love and Basic Fingers. They are resident DJs at Beam Me Up, a weekly disco night in Toronto and a monthly party in Montreal. They now present four scorching edits here on Moton: kicking off with the heart warming soul power of 'Lead Astray', the energetic funk explosion of 'Kin Sol', as well as the sexy late night boogie-down vibe of 'Can't Get You Down'. Also on the flip is a nice track ending on a low slung and slo-mo tip titled 'Project Soul'.

Review: 'Turn Me Loose' effortlessly joins the dots between hazy deep house and nod-along disco, adding cute new musical touches to a chunky, sample-based groove. Flipside 'Into My Eyes' is arguably even better making great use of horn, vocal and synth loops from a bogie-era disco-funk number.

Review: Unlike its predecessors, the third and final part of Elements of Life's reissue of their 2013 double-CD Eclipse does not come on a 12" double-pack, but rather a double seven-inch. It contains some genuine gems from Louie Vega's disco/Latin/house fusion collective, starting with a suitably rousing, celebratory and mood-enhancing diso-boogie cover of Joubert Singers' classic 'Stand on the Word'. The EP also sports two other tidy covers - a rich, sun-splashed jazz-funk take on Stevie Wonder classic 'Pastime Paradise' and a lazy, hazy, carnival-ready interpretation of Brazilian standard 'Berimbau' - as well as a deliciously jazzy EOL original called 'Hot Music'.

Review: Edit & Dub is an always on fire label that deals in serving up lost mixes of dancefloor classics. The latest helping of goodness kicks off with a pair of tunes from Gino Dentie & The Family. 'Movin On' is real smooth groove train business with noodling chords and big horns while 'Express' gets a little bit deeper. A meandering flute leads the way up top with flat footed kicks making you move. The flip has high speed cosmic disco funk in the form of 'Voodoo Man' and then more loose limbed sunshine on 'I'm Gonna Dance,' a heartwarming cut for sure.

Review: Originally released back in 1977, 'Native New Yorker' is considered by some as one of the greatest disco productions ever. Odyssey was originally formed in 1968 by Virgin Islands born sisters Carmen, Lillian and Louise Lopez. Lillian and Louise later teamed up with Filipino producer Tony Reynolds where they explored a more pop-oriented sound as heard here. Brookside Records dug through the Sony vaults and came up with a pair of remixes by NYC 'mixmaster ' Mike Maurro. The A-side's Extended version has a long extended intro, break and extended instrumental sections. On the flip, 'Use It Up and Wear It Out' boosts the rhythm section and adds subtle changes while staying respectful to the original sound

Review: Alonzo Turner's 1978 classic 'Whoever Said It' gets a repress here for all you disco fanatics in the know. There's a familiar vocal (what a falsetto!) and bass hook on part one that was probably sampled a lot over the years, while the second part on the flip is more funked-up and groovy - perfect for DJ use. Turner went on to garner production credits for the likes of Rivage, a funk/soul-quartet from Miami, and for vocalist Norma Lewis (Passion All Stars, Shakatak, Stepsisters) before fading into obscurity. Turner passed away in 1991, aged 38.

Review: The Duca Bianco posse continue to plough headlong into the thicket of vintage dance music across genre boundaries, with a crack team of deepest diggers picking out lesser spotted jams and giving them an expert re-rub. First up, Franz Scala drops some synth-pop B-side dub mix magic on 'Sweet Carillon', before Hysteric leaps into action with the staccato body-popping bombast of 'Pleides', coming on like Yello and The Human League rocking out with Thomas Dolby. Beatfoot & DJ Dollpin bring a seriously salty slice of proto trance voodoo on 'Osdorp Discoteca', capturing the magic of the sound when a melting pot of influences such as Italo disco were feeding into the musical mix. Cherrystones finishes things off with 'Gom Reg Raga', a loping, polyrhythmic meditation with plenty of mysticism folded in between the earthen drums.

Review: Jacques Renault is back and in fine fettle as he serves up four more of his fantastically varied edits. He kicks off with the busy and bristling 'Blue Eyes' which is filled with jumbled grooves, disco synths and funky bass. There is a more classic soul sound on 'Into It' that rides over a deep cut rhythm section and Oh Yeah' then brings some blurting James Brown style raw funk. Last of all is 'Love Like That ' which is all bright boogie bass, loose percussion and a carefree female vocal to die for.

Review: There's something special with these hush-hush reworks and re-edits as they breathe new life into dusty old Brazilian disco and boogie cuts. A-side 'Hustle Do Brazil' is a rambunctious, party-starting treat that turns a handful of loops from a piano-heavy South American disco record into a bouncy, disco-house slammer. He subtly switches tack on side B, delivering an edit of the deeper, smoother and jazzier 'A Festa', wisely prioritising his source material's spacey jazz-funk synths, heady party atmos, good grooves and even greater electric piano stabs. Samba-disco magic!

Review: Nicolas Laugier aka The Reflex is the man behind Revision Records and has been a crucial name in the fabric of electronic music, widely praised for his well executed edits done directly from the master tapes. Returning off the back of his latest 'revision' of Norman Doray & Darren Crook's 'Sweet Freedom', the London-based producer now turns his deft hand to two time Grammy award winner Nile Rodgers' 'Do What You Wanna Do', his disco anthem from back in 2014. The Reflex Clubbed Up Revision 2021 is deep and groovy mood music that's perfect to start up the dancefloor, while The Reflex Greatest Dancer mix on the flip is proper funky house version with a nice bit of stomp to it.

Review: Razor-N-Tape looks to Israeli producers Eyal Rob and Ronen Sabo for this latest tasty trip. The duo serves up fine disco, funk, and afro fusions that take you from the terrace to the back room and then outside once more when the sun comes up. 'Yom Yom' (feat Soma Idrissu) is the warm and feel-good party starter, then 'Have You Seen My Lady' is more rooted to the floor with its heavy kicks, chants, and claps. There's a fun and playful 'Yom Yom' dub to kick off the flip side, then 'Adjinu' gets more freaky, with a wandering bassline and plump loops getting peppered with organic percussion.

Review: The Belpaese crew is all about serving up big edits of big tunes form the rich Italian canon. They have plenty to go at and as such are putting out these useful EPs at decent speed. The next is another fine bit of studio tricker from the in house production team as they offer up the recognisable top lines and vocals of 'False Ipocrisie' but re-sung in Italian and replayed in Italo fashion. ON the fit is the more groovy and cruising jazz-funk-disco bomb 'Strumento Di Una Notte' that oozes silky grooves and nice icy hi hats.

Review: This 12" on Kalita marks first ever official reissue of the highly sought after Michael Paul reggae-soul-disco gem 'Reggae Music.' It is something of a megabit that never was after first coming on the New York-based Revolver Records. Since then it has been hard to find, and even if you do find a copy, many are said to have some real sound quality issues. Either way it is now a bit of a grail for a certain sort of DJ so to have it here, remastered and nice and loud, is big news. As well as the languid and steamy original, there is a killer dub version on the flip.

Review: Fauve Records is tapping into the overlooked sound of 1980s Hong Kong and some of the razor-sharp Cantonese disco that was getting pumped out for the clubs. Following hot on the heels of the Extinct Melodies From The Tropical Moon EP, label founder Romain FX is back on board with MH delving back into the archives of seriously overlooked dance music that, thanks to their editing skills, transcends time in its sheer classiness. MH throws down a tough stomper that could sit comfortably alongside a Yello belter, and a sprightly electro funker for the boogie crowd. RFX veers towards vocodered acid disco shot through with Italo bombast and then seals the deal with some AOR electro-pop with enough punch to go ten rounds with Robert Palmer.

Review: Just What The World Needs is back with more of its carefully tidied and trimmed edits of classic oldies. They press up limited quantities sand promises to never repress, so you best move fast on these tasty dance floor morsels. 'Hard' is a steamy disco funk proposition with deep and sexy male vocals, then things get flipped entirely for 'Never Get Over You' with its open air feelings and sunny-day melodies all backed by huge strings. There is more goodness with the bubbling bass and drums of 'Keep It Up Longer' and breezy-funk of 'Keep On Dancin.'

Review: Mr. K is an edit wizard and certified disco don. His super sought after and always limited self rebased series hits a fourth volume here with more our dance floor bait. 'Can't Nobody Love Me Like You Do' does everything right - the swooning strings that brig a big sense of occasion, the driving rhythm section and the sing along male vocal. Things move from the 70s to the 80s on 'Can't Keep Holding On' which is as smooth as silk in the way it fuses that decade's polished production with r&b vocals and the sort of hooks that will always make a real mark.

Review: For good time sounds, few labels are as constant and reliable as Gamm. Here comes more of those uplifting beats for happy dance floors courtesy of Ukokos & Jabco, who follow up from their huge 'Keep Rising All Night Long' with more massive gospel vocals and strong melodies. Of course, the production is always soulful production from these boys and ratter than the more hip hop leaning beats of their past, the lean on house frameworks for their rhythms here. On the flipside however it is more of a disco vibe with a big vocal sample primed and ready to get those hands in the air.

Review: Satin Finish started out as a trio of Goldsboro musicians namely Donald Oliver on keys, Joe Exum on drums and Dennis Kornegay on bass. They were all scouted to the Greenback Records label out of New Jersey by two producers by the names of George Greene and Gary D. Jackson. High school graduate Karen Scott was the band's vocalist and here she does a fine job across a pair of stunning and spine tingling cuts of soul drenched, mid tempo disco funk. 'Took A Chance On Love' has great harmonies and dancing keys to get you moving and 'Didn't Wanna Lose Your Love' is the more sentimental slow song for smoochy moments.

Review: 'Ubiquity' really is an all-star affair, at least by nu-disco standards. It started out as a revivalist, boogie-era disco groove crafted by Nicky Night Time, which was then tweaked and turned into a vocal number, before Breakbot added some killer string and horn arrangements. The results are spellbinding, all told, coming on like a future disco classic full of addictive vocals, colourful synths and authentic turn-of-the-80s instrumentation. The superb original mix comes with a trio of re-rubs: a loopy disco-house revision from The Magician, a more cosmic and spaced-out revision from Eric Duncan that recalls some of his work as Still Going, and a Metro Area-influenced re-wire courtesy of Lubelski.

Review: The See-Saw label calls up a hit list of disco edit dynamos to bring a little party rocking magic to their latest 12", leading in with the looped up funk of Hotmood. 'Seductive Look' is the perfect insistent groove to get lost in, which contrasts with the bold and feisty 'Time To Move' by C Da Afro. Keeping things mixed up on the B side, Ziggy Phunk brings something special in the pattering, bongo-laden roller 'Space Ranger'. Alexny rounds things off with the low slung thwack and transcendent sax of 'Umbele', a track humming with the energy of Afrobeat at its source.

Review: After impressing first time round, Love Drop is back with a second single for the aways reliable GAMM label. Once again the mission is simply - to tear the roof off with big, disco and house fusions that are jam packed with hooks, soul and heft. 'We Got To Get Our Shit Together' is something of a cosmic workout that has synths reaching out to the stars while the congas, flashy synth breakdowns and tropical beats roll on below. 'Let It Flow' is a throwback vocal roller with all the dazzle and glossiness you need to get the floor packed and pumping.

Review: Sister Sledge's 'Good Times' is one of those enduring classics that unite people of all ages, backgrounds and music tastes. Even though the originals still do plenty of damage, Marco Fratty & Marco Flash have decided to serve up a couple of fresh updates for the year 2021. The first is an extended version that draws out the grooves, layers in finger clicks and pumps up the bass. It's simple but effective, for sure. You can then flip it over for a more deep and dubbed out rework that has more studio trickery bringing it into the future.