Juno Recommends Disco Best of 2019

Review: We can think of a fair few disco diggers who will be more than a little annoyed by this re-issue. Originally released on the obscure La Shawn label back in 1980, "Take Me I'm Yours" is widely considered to be one of Patrick Adams' best productions. It's certainly something of a dusty gem, with Mary Clark's soulful, country-tinged vocals simply soaring over a reggae-tinged, string-drenched disco groove. It would have been nice to have seen original flipside "You Got Your Hold On Me" included, but it's not a major issue; given the in-demand (and hard-to-find) nature of the A-side, we should be pleased it's come back round again.

Review: The mysterious nut-gathering disco fiends at Secret Squirrel continue their razor-sharp edit work with two more incredibly funky slices of nu-disco. Side A is a spirited fusion of wah wahs, filters and a tight vocal loop from Ike Strong's "Boogie Land" while Side B is a slower, acid-tickled jam that takes Blair's "Nightlife" and brings it kicking and screaming into the 21st century. Both are stunning and are guaranteed to sell out like the previous SS editions.

Review: Since 2012, Munich duo COEO has served up a swathe of sample heavy, disco influenced house EPs for such labels as Let's Play House, Toy Tonics, Lagaffe Tales and Razor-N-Tape Reserve. Here they pop up on Razor-N-Tape's main edit label with something different: a quartet of traditional scalpel works from their personal stash. First up is the elastic, horn heavy disco-funk of "Express Lane", which is quickly followed by the skewed Arabic boogie-funk brilliance of "Libyan Sun". Over on side B, "Don't Oho" is a breezy revision of a sun-kissed Afro-disco workout that sounds like it would be capable of causing a commotion in the club, while "Move Your Body" makes merry with a warm, rich and intoxicating early '80s boogie-soul jam of unknown origin.

Review: Last year, obscure 1980s soul singer Garfield Fleming returned to action with a mini-album of tracks co-produced by modern boogie maestro Simon Tappenden AKA Ourra. Here we get a chance to savour once again his 1981 debut single, the much-sampled "Don't Send Me Away". It's something of a "groove"-era boogie classic, all told, with Fleming's superb lead vocal rising above sweeping orchestration and a chunky groove. It also boasts a seriously good breakdown in which Garfield's repetitive chorus vocals ride a stripped-back but percussive groove. Turn to the flip for the solid original B-side "You Got Dat Right", a jaunty slab of disco powered by honky tonk style pianos and a superb "walking" bassline.

Review: Triassic Tusk's "Screamers, Bangers & Cosmic Synths" series of crate digging comps has seen the Scottish crew showcase some seriously hot, little-known music. Mukatsuku have joined forces with the imprint to give a 12" release to two potent Afro-disco smashers that recently featured on volume two of the ongoing compilation series ,now remastered and sounding better than ever. On side A you'll find Liberian artist Tecumsay Roberts' bouncy 1979 Afro-soul/Afro-boogie number "It Makes Me Dance & Sing", where spacey Moog solos rice above a funk-influenced dancefloor groove. On the flip, the fun continues via Commy Bassey's Clav-happy, Nigerian sounding Afro-boogie roller "We Want Togetherness", a positive plea for unity that's as relevant now as it was way back in 1980.Juno copies come in an exclusive branded card sleeve with an additional obi strip not available at other retailers .As played/charted by Red Greg,Joe Claussell,Marcel Vogel, Craig Charles,Faze Action,Kalita,Cedric Woo,JKriv,Prins Thomas,Floating Points and Dom Servini so far.

Review: REPRESS ALERT!! Bastedos returns with more signature weirdo disco not disco (but disco) cut-up cuts.
This time the painstaking editing comes from A.M., Last Waltz, and Bastedos themselves.
Side A brings us Sit On This, a rolling, chugging, clapping, marimba-ing (!) disco workout in the vein of Material ,which pulls you along through a peaky peak time vocal, a sexed up guitar break, and some chopped-up chanting, all the way to its inevitable hands in the air Piano finale.
Side B first provides us first with No Smoking On The Moon and it's celestial choral stylings. Soft synths and tough bass play with each other beneath B-Movie fx and ecclesiastic organs. The sound of a space age disco cult... from the past.
Finishing off side B we have Magicke, the extended soundtrack to the opening of the gates of hell. Shuffling go-go perc, syncopated drums and fuzzed out chords play out under Satan's saxophone, before giving way to a damned (damned fuzzy that is) guitar, sounding out the call of Cthulu.

Review: There's no doubt that crate-digger, record collector and renowned Discogs seller Zafsmusic knows more than most about the world of private press vinyl releases. This 12", originally pressed up in super-limited quantities by its' creator, Martin L Dumas Jnr sometime around the turn of the '80s, has long been a must-have for collectors with several thousand dollars to spare. The title track is particularly wonderful - a warm, breezy, loose and fluid chunk of boogie-soul that Zaf has slightly tweaked to suit the needs of modern dancefloors. Flipside "Nonstop To The Top" has a more jazz-funk feel, with intergalactic synths complimenting Dumas Jr's sweet vocal and conscious lyrics.

Review: In a rare exception from their usual hyper-obscure archive finds, Best Record have opted this time to give a proper reissue to a diggers favourite which enjoyed a second turn in the spotlight via a Dimitri From Paris compilation on BBE. Radiance and Andrea Stone's "You're My Number 1" is everything a boogie jam should be, from the liquid funk of the bassline to the snap of the drums - we defy anyone to stay off the floor when this pearl drops. It's no surprise to know it was mixed by the legendary M&M Productions team, featuring disco mix champion John Morales. The original is ace, but the extended dub mix on the flip is the one that will have the heads freaking out.

Review: BBE unearth another batch of rare and underexposed disco cuts on Off Track Vol 3. Compiled by the crate digging New York/Boston based duo Kon & Amir, the release gives an authentic representation of Brooklyn’s ghetto, funk and afro music scenes. Sophisticated tracks for real music heads

Review: The Kalita crew step up with another finely chosen reissue gem from the history of African dance music, this time welcoming Ghanaian disco maestro Okyerema Asante to the fold with two utterly infectious party starters laced with ample feel good vibes. "Sabi (Get Down)" is a slinky groover with a killer bassline and sweet guitar licks for the heads down crew to bust out some serious moves. "That's My Girl" is a more sizzling affair with a brighter outlook, riding high on soaring brass and woodwind and packing a heartfelt message of love that everyone can vibe with.

Review: For their latest on-point reissue, the Dynamite Cuts crew has raided the bulging back catalogue of soul organist Reuben Wilson. Or, to be more specific, the Cadet-released 1975 set "Got To Get Your Own". Sadly, there's not enough space for the full version of the album's celebrated title track, so Dynamite Cuts has prompted for the no less essential seven-inch edit instead. It remains a stone cold killer that no soul or funk DJ should be without, even in its shortened form. The lesser-known "Tight Money" is no less essential - or heavy, for that matter - with Wilson and pals strutting through a heavyweight Blaxploitation funk cut whose lyrics riff on poverty and Black America's mid-'70s financial crisis.

Review: For the best part of 17 years, Theo Parrish's legendary re-edit of Made In USA's "Never Gonna Let You Go" was available only to those willing to pay serious sums for a copy of his first "Ugly Edits" release. Thankfully De-Lite has done the admirable thing and made it available to all via this essential new edition of the 1977 jam. It allows those who've never heard Made In USA's heartfelt and surprisingly laidback original to compare the two versions, which only highlights the brilliance of Parrish's re-edit. His ten-minute take speeds up the track, adding choppy edits effects to increase energy before rolling into the most righteous and celebratory bits of the original version. In our opinion, it's one of the greatest re-edits of all time.

Review: During the "rare groove" boom in London during the 1980s, Linda Williams' 1979 album track "Elevate Our Minds" became something of an anthem. Curiously, it was never released as a single at the time, making this surprise 7" edition something of a bonus for those still searching for the track. It remains a fine song, with Williams' brilliant vocals rising above bossa-influenced beats, warm bass, luscious boogie orchestration and gentle Latin style horn lines. The flipside features "City Living", the title track from the very same 1979 LP that "Elevate Our Minds" was taken. It's far funkier and more elastic in feel, with horn arrangements and a chunky groove reminiscent of some Teena Marie tracks from the same period.

Review: REPRESS ALERT: Compared to some of the ultra-obscure releases buffed up and reissued on Best, Loui$' "Magic Dance" is something of a perennial classic, but that doesn't diminish its value in getting another airing. Loui$ released a modest wedge of killer party anthems in his 80s peak, but this debut 12" in 1985 was the glittering prize. Of all the versions of this release, the rare Blow Up Records edition is the one that gets a look in here, and it's all about that special disco mix of "Pink Footpath". From gutsy analogue bass to shimmering lead pads, it's a dreamy dancefloor jam in every way.

Review: As the title sneakily suggests, the latest volume in DJ Soopasoul's essential "Soopastole Edits" series sees the prolific re-editor and mash-up merchant take his scalpel to all time disco classic "We Are Family". We could be wrong, but it sounds like it was created using the multi-track parts, focusing as it does for much of the duration on a stripped-back, DJ-friendly groove, selected vocal snippets and delay-laden musical elements not always audible on the original version. Over on the flipside "Cosmo On The Groove" version, he takes a slightly different approach, adding a classic old school hip-hop acappella to an expertly cut-up version of the track that utilizes a little more of the sing-along chorus.

Review: Originally taking form as Universal Robot Band's dreamy instrumental disco cut "Thyme" in 1977, within a year of its release Patrick Adams invited Marta Acuna to add suitably yearning, hazy vocal. Adding to the silky groove's allure without taking any of its original soul, Marta elevated an already pristine track into a real moment that embodies the deeper, most soulful aspects of late 70s disco. A highly authentic P&P reissue.

Review: Armed with a hard drive full of multi-track parts to a wide array of disco, rock, boogie and pop classics, the Reflex has spent the last decade offering up unique "Revisions" that often differ greatly to their source material despite using the same basic instrumental and vocal tracks. He's at it again here, offering up sneaky revisions of two dancefloor soul classics. On the A-side he handles "Dance To The Music", frequently stripping the track back to little more than a stomping groove, delay-laden vocals and wild organ lines. On the flip he turns his attention to "Pusherman", gently beefing up the groove while showcasing the attractive sweetness of the original track's fluid horn parts and bulging bassline.

Review: Criminally under-prolific soul man SJJ only ever released one album - My Music in 1978 - but his legacy and influence remains strong and the album enjoyed a re-release as recently as 2014. Neither, however, have either of these highlights been pressed to 45 until now. "Sweet Love" is a deliciously funky slice with a rampant slap bass and juicy Rhodes while "Reason For The Reason" charges with more of a spiritual edge as it breaks down into beautiful gospel-level vocals. There are no reasons for sleeping on this...

Review: Passport To Paradise has pulled off something of a coup here, snagging a rare re-edit EP from Redlight Records' digger Abel Nagengast. Predictably, it's rather good, and full to bursting with sneaky reworks of obscure gems. Title track "African Sheikh" - a kind of wonky Italo-disco/proto Afro-house hybrid - is particularly potent, though the quirky electrofunk/synth-pop shuffle of "Impossible" is almost as good. On the flip you'll find the dreamy, Balearic disco slinkiness of "Confusion", and the even more horizontal vibes of "Dazzled", where glistening guitars and hazy vocals intertwine with delay-laden beats and sustained synthesizer notes. As re-edit EPs go, it's one of the more special ones.

Review: The Andromeda Orchestra project was last seen on Faze Action last year, when "Get Up & Dance" got the remix treatment by Nick The Record. This time around the project gets a serious disco treatment from Ray Mang, who stretches "Don't Stop" out across the A side for a nine minute pleasure ride that's heavy on the funk. "Kano Line Dance" kicks off the B side in another loose and nasty party jam, before the original Philly string busting brilliance of "Don't Stop" completes the set in fabulous fashion.

Review: Norman Connors was a 'go to' producer in the 1970s and '80s for soul and jazz, while holding it down on an impressive array of solo albums. Connors is a drummer first and foremost, and across his rhythm-focussed recordings were the introduction of singers who went on to have their own individual careers such as Jean Carn, Phyllis Hyman and the exceptional Phillip Mitchel - who features on A side 'Once I've Been There'. Flipside track 'Captain Connors' comes as a 12" mix made in 1977 but never released before on vinyl! Previously, the title track was only ever on a promotional release, often changing hands at over 100 quid a time - demand is high on this special release on the original imprint, cop it while you can!

Review: REPRESS ALERT! Best Record Italy take the time machine all the way back to 1979 to revisit the wonderful Italo-Disco delights of Adolf Stern, whose "More... I Like It" represents the strangest end of the genre as it was taking shape. With heavily processed vocals injecting some serious strangeness into the chirpy disco backdrop, it's the kind of track to turn heads without a doubt. "Twenty Seven" on the B-side is equally magical in its capturing of the era, with the more obvious surface elements underpinned by a truly intoxicating line in synth arpeggios. Once again Best comes up trumps refreshing the history of Italian music of all shapes and sizes.

Review: REPRESS ALERT!: Giorgio Gordano and Giorgio Dolce originally produced "KKK" back in 1983, and the track was taken into the hearts of the blossoming Balearic scene hovering around DJ Alfredo at Amnesia. It's as gentle and sweet natured as Italo disco can be, and of course it makes perfect sense that Best Records would dig it out of the archives and give it the shiny new reissue it deserves. The "Club Mix" of "KKK" is a feast of simple, charming programmed melodies and crisp drum machine rhythms with the innocence of the early 80s in its heart. The "Dub Mix" and "Bonus Beats" on the flip are handy for the technical DJs out there, but the "Club Mix" is where it's at for the lovers.

Review: REPRESS ALERT!: Roberto Lodola has a rich legacy in Italian music, not least as a DJ and at the helm of early 90s outfit Rhythm Factory. Recognising the cult status of his first single, the 1986 12" Marimba Do Mar, Best Records have done the right thing in remastering this sun soaked classic with both original mixes and two previously unheard studio outtakes. The "Fusion Version" of the title track is a rich, sensual jam festooned with cascading pianos and tumbling percussion, while the "Vocal Version" brings a beautiful female vocal front and centre in the mix. "Feeling Of The Sun" is a delightfully spaced out lo-fi take on the original, and then "Hey George!" strips the music away and leaves you with a gorgeous beat track perfect for extended mixing potential.

Review: REPRESS ALERT!: Best may be best known for jazz and disco reissues, but they're also dab hands at unearthing forgotten gems from the annals of Italian deep house too. The Countach were last seen in active service back in 1990, dropping just two singles but making sure they were bona fide classics. "Aqua Marina" has plenty of lashings of jazz funk rubbed into its loins, not least on the "Sweet Dream Version". The "Paradise Version" nudges the key of the club mixes and ramps up the reverb, and then the "Original Studio Version" switches up the mood with an organic, live band groove on this crucial 12".

Review: Some six years on from his first edit outing on Razor-N-Tape, Frank Booker returns to the storied Brooklyn imprint with another batch of fire revisions. Leading the charge is the thrillingly low-slung A-side "Be Yourself". This is a driving slab of floor friendly disco that incrementally builds from a spacey, groovy start to a celebratory, string-laden conclusion. Just as good is "More", an elastic disco-funk outing that tightens up and extends a vaguely familiar workout and sounds like the kind of rearrangement that will create pandemonium when dropped at the right time. Finally, Booker dips the tempo considerably on the slo-mo space disco chug of "Starship", perfect for a rooftop boogie.

Review: What more needs to be said about this timeless disco hit? A staple of DJ sets by everyone from Derrick May and Laurent Garnier to James Murphy, this Harvey Fuqua and Patrick Cowley production from 1979 is a truly timeless classic whose spirit still lives to this day on modern dancefloors. Here we are treated to a rework by Britain's undisputed king of funky house Michael Gray (Full Intention) on his Sultra label. With full respect to the original, Gray's rework injects some dancefloor dynamics for the modern sound system. You even get a bonus instrumental "Dub Mix" on the flip!

Review: First up on the freshly minted Bacalao imprint is Bosq, a Ubiquity Records contributor renowned for his blends of funk, soul and sweaty South American music. While the heavy horns featured on this release were recorded in Bogota, the producer's usual Colombian flavour takes a back seat as he joins forces with Kaleta to deliver two covers of Fatback Band classics. First up is "Goin' To See My Baby", which is re-imagined as a fuzzy funk workout rich in rasping horns, tropical guitar flourishes and woodblock-driven Latin disco percussion. Arguably even better is the duo's cover of "Backstrokin'", which is given a Barrio-funk flavour complete with prominent bass, heavy-hitting horn motifs and excitable lead vocals.