Disco Recommendations August 2012

Review: DJ Harvey's Locussolus return to International Feel with a two track twelve dominated by the storming ode to Berghain, coincidentally arriving at a time when the Berlin club's future is very much in the air. Sounding every bit as good as the best parts of last year's Locussolus album for the label from the Punta Del Este, "Berghain (Darkroom Mix)" offers a chugging, K-hole friendly alternative to the all too prevalent pedestrian nu-disco sound that should appeal to the afterhours heads. "Telephone (Mediterranean Mix)", meanwhile, is a prime slice of Balearic disco-pop in his own inimitable style. Oozing fun, it should get an airing at plenty of festivals this summer.

Review: Hot off the back of being hailed the "edit king of 2012" by Gilles Peterson and dropping THAT Gold Fingers release, Kon steps back into Basic Fingers mode to deliver two more sublime disco boogie cuts for the more funk friendly floor. "Get It Together" has summer written all over it, burning into action with a killer horn loop before the bass kicks and the track heads for the stars. Kon demonstrates his skill and understanding of structure throughout, dropping the groove to a lull before building it right back up throughout, and the sweetly soulful vocals have that eminently sing-along quality. The tempo drops to a low slung bump on the flip as Leroy Burgess gets expanded with equal aplomb on the seemingly infinte "Strong Love (Everlasting)".

Review: A second standard pressing of Kon's masterful Cerrone edit arrives following the the initial 'blink and you'll have to pay a hefty price on Discogs' gold edition and subsequent repress. Originally released back in 1981, "Hooked On You" featured an early guest spot from one of THE voices of disco in Jocelyn Brown, and Kon's edit of the track under his Sir Own name has been burning a hole in the internet via Soundcloud and YouTube since late 2010. The label calls it "one of the most talked about and sought after reworks in recent times" for a good reason! If you like this check Kon's new LP for BBE too!

Review: Judging by the DJ reactions, "Open Your Mind" could be Al Kent's strongest edit to date - and that's saying something. Free of contemporary frills, it deliciously extends a warm, inviting and occasionally sweaty disco-funk groove to ten glorious minutes. Throughout, it gently ebbs and flows, moving from a shuffling instrumental number to an inspirational vocal cut midway through. "Like The Way", meanwhile, offers a deeper, more soulful vibe, playing around with a formidably obscure cut dripping with lazy guitars and hushed, almost casual vocals. While not as impressive as the epic A, it's still pretty darn tasty.

Review: Surfacing earlier this year on those all too limited Golf Channel promos, the full version of Juju & Jordash's Jewsex 12" arrives replete with some amusing artwork and the even more amusing tagline "Conceived by Juju & Jordash on a balmy night 9 months." Such is the production versatility of Gal and Jordan you never quite know what to expect from the Amsterdam based duo, and this long awaited return to Golf Channel finds them channelling the spirit of countless deliciously filthy italo denizens of days gone by. It's hard not to get swept up in the relentless waves of raw and libidinous sounds that pummel through the speaker cones on the original "Jewsex." Flip over and switch down to 33rpm and the "Clubsex" version goes tougher, harder, and stronger as the rippling arpeggio bassline gets lost amidst the steamy jacking drums - maybe this is bath house music? The duo's penchant for horizon widening dub expanses finally makes an appearance on the appropriately titled "Dubsex."

Review: ** ESP REPRESS ** In this enduring age of shallow house and poorly executed "disco edits" you have to applaud labels like ESP Institute who keep veering down their own stylistic trajectory with little regard for trend or fad. Their latest 12" emission comes from a new name to us in Michael Ozone, a Melbourne based producer whose apparent interest in Giallo Horror soundtracks and New Beat is very much evident here. However it's the unique and absurdist way with which Ozone implements these influences across both "Perfect Systems" and "Hetropia" that grab your attention and have you flipping the needle back to the start again and again to try and cram every detail into your cerebral cortex.

Review: The real attraction of this two-track from Raw Meat is Melon's rework of "The Future", a formidably contemporary re-cut of a familiar 80s-funk fave that sits somewhere between baggy Balearica, new wave and hustlin' disco-house. It's cleverly done, alternating between the P-funk and house phases, dropping just enough vocal to keep the dancefloor happy. On the flip, Sterac cuts up Donna Summer's "I Feel Love", extending the vocal elements (her yelps, for starters) in the style of Tiger and Woods after a night cruising in Hamburg's most macho discotheque. Needless, perhaps, but well done nevertheless.

Review: *** REPRESS *** Following some weeks after the usual drip of 'blink and you've already missed them' Golf Channel promo copies comes the finished version of the latest Try To Find Me output. Nicknamed the Justin Vandervolgen Hit Factory at the Juno Offices, this release sees the producer once again proving his record collection is matched by a deft touch when it comes to the edit. Vandervolgen offers up contrasting ends of the modern discoteque spectrum with Side A's "I'm Dancer" a muscular flex of EBM and proto house with a punishing kick drum rhythm attacked from all corners by heavily funked guitar, devilishly devious arpeggiated bass and a proper 80s male vocal hook. On the flip "Needs Ending" provides overdue satisfaction for all those who heard Phil South drop the track at Electric Elephant last year, with the TBD man does wondrous looping things to a chugging 80s electro disco oddity - just wait for that vocal to drop! Mad limited and mad brilliant as usual!

Review: London rave collective come record label Wavey Tones do it right with their second release, securing four tracks from Rephlex regular DMX Krew. Operating under all manner of aliases, the UK artists is renowned for delivering consistently varied sounds and the Decaying World 12" confirms that wide ranging reputation. Lead track "Mustard Parasol" is a half-stepping tune which slip neatly between the modern UK Bass movement and the synth explorations of Legowelt, whilst the title track starts off with a powerful electro-tinged bassline but quickly transforms into a bumpy drum machine workout filled with superlative effects and yet more mutated sonics. Over on the B-side, "Flat Rate" enters the acid kingdom and pushes forward with sharp snares and dreamy voices, whilst "Three Days Of Entropy" slams back to the 80's for an inspired synth trip with neat bursts of punchy percussion and far-out, tweeting melodies.