Our Hearts Didn't Go That Way (feat Durand Jones) (3:57)
Long Term Parking (3:05)
So Real (2:54)
Magazine (0:35)
Fight Or Fall (4:21)
Review: Brooklyn-based band 79.5 make music right now, rather than being some long-lost acts from the 80s as you might expect from the cover. The group consists of singer, songwriter and composer Kate Mattison, singer and rapper Lola Adanna, drummer Caito Sanchez, bassist Andrew Raposo and sax player and flautist Izaak Mills. Their self-titled album comes on Razor-N-Tape and captures the sound of New York City perfectly with soul and psychedelic melodies that are hard to match. From 70s underground disco to acid jazz to and sweet pop sounds, they draw on it all for this fine concoction of dancefloor gems, which also serves as a protest at the often all too male dominated world of dance music.
Review: It's another touchdown for Running Back, who've here reissued the disco-rock artist Aric's 'I Love Your Love'. A beloved track that first featured on the later psychologist's 1980 single 'Oh What A Night', 'I Love Your Love' was not intended to stick out in the minds of disco fanatics as a forgotten favourite. A careful reselection job has gone into this one, then, with the initial A-sider now appearing as B-side, and three new mixes surfacing from Gerd Janson, Elado and Pete. The vibe of the new record is almost as uniquely ecstatic and summit-mounting as the producer and singer's exquisite performance was back in 1980; Elado's production is quantic enough to motorise the original's best romantic excesses, while Pete's is more of a sensuous extra slice and Janson's version takes up womp-disco with a fearless weight.
All Night Long (She's Got The Moves I Like) (album version) (5:53)
Keep It Hot (extended version) (6:30)
Imagination (extended Promo mix) (6:52)
Riccochet (Dancin' Danny D' mix) (5:57)
I'll Cut You Loose (album version) (5:15)
Dreamer (Shep Pettibone long vocal version) (5:58)
Starlette (album version) (5:51)
Downtowne (album version) (6:30)
Time For Love (long version) (6:52)
Mistakes (extended version) (5:57)
She's A Woman (album version) (5:15)
Review: B. B. & Q. Band (Brooklyn, Bronx, and Queens Band), was an Italian-American post-disco band. A studio project created by the late Jacques Fred Petrus after the success of his main project Change with Mauro Malvasi. The band formed in Bologna in 1979, disbanded in 1987 and featured members such as Kevin Robinson, Paris Ford, Chielli Minucci and Curtis Hairston among others. Disco Hits (remastered) comes courtesy of Original Disco Culture and features timeless classics such as the unmistakable 'On The Beat', the neon-lit sway of 'All Night Long' (She's Got The Moves I Like) as well as Dancin' Danny D's mix of 'Riccochet' and Shep Pettibone's rework of 'Dreamer'.
Review: For some reason, South Africa was a hotbed of over-the-top, sometimes synth-laden space disco in the late 1970s. Recently Ultra Vybe re-edited and remixed one of the most famous examples, 'Love in Space' by Rene Riche and Her Cosmic Band, and here give another sought-after South African gem the same treatment. Blush's 'Lift Off' first appeared in 1980 and features two female singers banging out suitably cosmic lyrics atop driving drums, twisted synthesizer lines and clipped guitar riffs. It's undeniably catchy and over-the-top in the best possible way, as a quick listen to the A-side "45 Edit" will prove. Over on the flip, U Key fiddles with some filters and provides bumping new drums, thus transforming the track into a disco-house treat.
Review: The first installment of Late Night Tales' After Dark was that rarest of things: a DJ mix that retained a smoky sense of early morning, home listening atmosphere while retaining an open-minded focus on the dancefloor. This follow-up - once again compiled and mixed by Bill Brewster - offers more of the same. Musically it's pleasingly varied, moving from the string-drenched downtempo beauty of Typesun's "Last One Home", to the heady Balearic rock of General Lee, via Justus Kohnke, the soulful post-bruk smoothness of As One, and the sprightly analogue electronics of Emperor Machine's remix of Paqua's "Late Train". There's also a bunch of previously unreleased tunes to enjoy, including killer contributions from the Mang Dynasty (AKA Ray Mang), The Gino Fontaine (Chicken Lips man Andrew Meecham) and - most surprising of all - The Grid and Robert Fripp.
The Blaxploited Orchestra - "The Pursuit" (Good Guy Mikesh & Filburt remix)
The Gino Fontaine - "Revnorev"
Salsoul Invention - "Soul Machine"
Neurotic Drum Band - "NEurotic Erotic Adventure"
Day Outside - "Faraway Sensation"
Mugwump - "Boutade" (Miseridub)
Hubbabubbaklubb - "Mopedbart"
As One - "Music Is An Open Sky"
Crowdpleaser - "Not Yet Not Yet"
Paqua - "Late Train" (Emperor Machine Special extended version)
The Grid & Robert Fripp - "A Cabala Sky"
Asadinho - "Haiku"
Justus Kohncke - "Tell Me"
Daniele Patucchi - "People Come In" (Mang Dynsaty edit)
Mang Dynasty - "After Dark" (dub)
Detachments - "The Flowers That Feel" (Fernando remix)
General Lee - "Magic"
Review: The first installment of Late Night Tales' After Dark was that rarest of things: a DJ mix that retained a smoky sense of early morning, home listening atmosphere while retaining an open-minded focus on the dancefloor. This follow-up - once again compiled and mixed by Bill Brewster - offers more of the same. Musically it's pleasingly varied, moving from the string-drenched downtempo beauty of Typesun's "Last One Home", to the heady Balearic rock of General Lee, via Justus Kohnke, the soulful post-bruk smoothness of As One, and the sprightly analogue electronics of Emperor Machine's remix of Paqua's "Late Train". There's also a bunch of previously unreleased tunes to enjoy, including killer contributions from the Mang Dynasty (AKA Ray Mang), The Gino Fontaine (Chicken Lips man Andrew Meecham) and - most surprising of all - The Grid and Robert Fripp.
Make Me Move (feat Chelsea 'Chesta' Blake - Boogie version) (4:50)
Here's To You (feat Jolie Davenport) (4:39)
Review: As E Live, Eli Hurwitz is such a big part of the Star Creature Universal Vibrations family that they gave him his own sub-label, Elivity Records. His latest fantastic 45 doesn't appear on either of those imprints, but rather parent label Tugboat Editions. For those who like authentic-sounding revivalist boogie, we'd recommend picking this up - both tracks are re-inventions of old tunes with E Live's colourful, synth-powered twist. Check first 'Make Me Move', where glossy female vocals rise above a squelchy bassline, shimmering synths and unfussy drum machine percussion. Even better though is Hurwitz's flip-side cover of Skyy classic 'Here's To You' - a boogie gem that he re-invents as as a deeper, smoother and dreamier slab of neo-boogie squelchiness.
Review: The music of Earth Wind and Fire is pretty inescapable, but you won't find us complaining. The American soul, disco and funk collective have crafted some of the greatest dance floor tunes of all time, and they still bang decades later. This Ultimate Collection gathers together the best of them on nice heavyweight yellow vinyl. From the epic 'Boogie Wonderland' to the more sentimental 'Fantasy' via super funky gem 'September' there is plenty to love here. First released in July 1999 on Columbia Records, it claimed high in the album charts and remains an invaluable collection.
Review: Boogie Back Records have been going consistently since the early 90s, serving as a rare case of a label whose relentless output helps blur the lines of "boogie" and "neo-boogie". And while an increasing sanitation of sound might often be associated with most generic "neos", Ernie & The Family Mckone prove this wrong on their latest 7", 'That Girl', whose sound is as tight yet live as ever. Fronted by Boogie Back label owner, singer, producer and guitarist Ernie Mckone (aka. "The Great Ernesto"), this record is a family affair in aspirate vocals and finger-clicking beat bounces. The A-side hears Mckone aim to relieve a lover from pain by keeping a secret, and the B slangs lower on a near-variation of the same beat, albeit the lyrics carry a deep saudade.
Review: For those too young to remember the days of glitch-house and electro-house at the turn of the noughties (think Herve, Switch, Claude Vonstroke etc), Fake Blood was one of the true masters of the style. He released a swathe of big records for Cheap Thrills and others, with the two tracks collected here - both of which date from 2009 - being the biggest. A-side 'I Think I Like It' is a superb example of the style, with the producer expertly cutting up a pleasingly silly and over-the-top disco-pop number and turning it into sweat-soaked, hands-aloft gold. 'Mars', meanwhile, gains its dancefloor power from a frankly filthy, mind-altering bassline-turned-lead-line, around which crispy drums, breakbeats and Mylo-esque synth stabs make their presence felt.
Roman Flugel - "More Is Not Enough (Heaven Or Hell?)"
Lauer - "Hector"
San Laurentino - "Final Landing"
Tuff City Kids - "People Is A Crackhead" (Tuff Hamlet riddim)
Review: Established as a record label some four years ago, Live At Robert Johnson have really come to the fore as representing the best of contemporary European deep house alongside the likes of Dial and Running Back. Here, the Frankfurt institution returns to their recent triumphant Lifesaver compilation with this addendum 12" release featuring the productions from Roman Flugel, Lauer, San Laurentino and Tuff City Kids. Flugel opens proceedings with the rough and moody "More Is Not Enough" which brandishes a beat that can't help but get in your face. This is complemented by the calmer, sumptuous New Beat stylings of Lauer's "Hector" and the richly colourful "Final Landing" from San Laurentino. "People Is A Crackhead (Tuff Hamlet Riddim)" is not only the best track title in a hot minute but yet another original dancefloor slayer from Gerd Janson and Lauer's Tuff City Kids, opting for the Germanic digi dub meets tuff house route.
Review: Good luck... except, we're much likelier to be the ones who'll need the good grace of fortune, as opposed to the Melbourne mates' duo GL (which, we think, stands for Good Luck - we could be wrong). First released on the EP cassette 'Love Hexagon' - described as a homemade homage to chart-unfriendly funk and 80s romance dance - this contemporary showstopper of a tune now comes to limited edition 7" vinyl and recalls the pair's slick penchant for sporty major-minor chords and convalescent handclaps, conspiring to achieve a modern take on boogie and synth funk. With buskin socks and track headbands worn aflock, the pair pose in the middle of the basketball court, as 'Take Me Back' and 'When You See' set the soul alight by way of a nostalgic adolescent flambe.
Review: The PPU label of out DC is one of our favourites. It's lo-fi sound draws on disco, funk and soul and results in always magical 7"s of delightful dancefloor heat that not only serves up killer grooves, but also plenty of memorable and heart aching hooks. This new one from Glass Pyramid has it all. 'Stop It' is a lo-slung and dusty disco gem with lung busting diva vocals and hip swinging drums that will bring tears of joy to the eyes if dropped at the exact right moment in a set. On the flip, 'Better By The Minute' is another banger with hints of UK street soul in the drums and vocals.
Review: Heidelberg-based David Jackson is half-Irish, hence this giddy attempt to combine giddy, kaleidoscopic Italo-disco with nods to his ancestry. In truth, only 'Guinness Emotions' - an effects-laden, spaced-out fusion of electric folk and glitchy, spaced-out electronica - features distinctive nods to Irish musical culture. What's on offer elsewhere across the EP, though, is still highly impressive. Title track 'Guinness Italo' is a throbbing, shirts-off chunk of celebratory Italo-disco/Hi-NRG revivalism, while 'Guinness Trance' sits somewhere between neo-trance, Italo and late '80s Eurodance. Bonus cut 'Guinness Drumapella', a proto-house style drum workout, is ideal for those DJs who like to get busy in the mix and build up the percussive pressure.
Review: Gerd Jansen's first collection of autobahn-inspired "ambient-not-ambient" cuts, released back in 2012, was something of an overlooked triumph. If anything, this second volume in the series - once again packed with exclusive, never-before-heard material - is even better. There are glistening, far-sighted excursions from Leon Vynehall, Shan and Orson Wells, a brilliant chunk of shuffling dancefloor hypnotism from Joy Orbison, and some vintage, low-slung ambient fare from Dutch veteran Orlando Voorn. Meanwhile, Disco Nihilist's "Melancholy" is formidable emotive - unsurprising, given the Detroit and deep synth-pop influences - while Lauer's "Autofahrn" is a thrillingly authentic Kraftwerk tribute.
Review: Vancouver's Maya Killtron is an artist on a mission. A talented songwriter and vocalist with a deep-rooted love of synth-funk and 80s boogie, her slim catalogue to date is full of quality collaborations with talented, like-minded producers. She's at it again on her latest missive for Spanish "modern funk" stable The Sleeperz Records. On side A, she works with producer Andrew Napoleon on the brilliant 'Body Fly', a glossy slab of mid-80s synth-funk/synth-pop fusion rich in squelchy P-funk bass, bright lead lines and colourful chords. Estonia-based Latvian Artis Boris tales over on side two, underpinning a typically expressive and soulful Killtron vocal with sinewy strings, modern boogie grooves and nods aplenty to early 1980s disco. Naturally, the sound is nostalgic, but both cuts sound undeniably fresh.
If It Ain't Jazz, we don't know what it has! Back, after a punctuated pause, the label return to dazzle us with their enduring, distinctive brand of instrumental disco-soul razzmatazz, and here we hear Laroye and Aroop Roy rub two heads' choices up the right way, both into phattened, globular, kick-boosted anthems. First comes 'You're A Star', an electroni-cization of Aquarian Dream's 1978 disco explosion, to which Laroye brings much extra shimmy and sway. Then there's Roy's 'Let The Music Play', sampling an unknown (to us) number that - don't get caught off guard - certainly *isn't* Shannon's freestyle hit from 1983. Whatever it is though, it's a banger too!
Review: With a career spanning almost four decades, Luca Travesi aka LTJ Xperience is no stranger to legendary Italian label IRMA, on which he brings the funk once again on his latest effort 'Feeling Better', a slo-mo and seriously lo-slung dancefloor heater featuring powerful vocals underpinned by dope beats and psyched-out motifs. Elsewhere, there's the soulful downbeat journey 'Before You Know It' featuring some killer horns, and some top class acid jazz arriving in the form of B-side cut 'Let's Dance'.
Review: One Bjorn Wagner is the mastermind behind the cosmic disco project Magic Source, a natural follow-on after the acclaimed funk outfits Mighty Mocambos and Bacao Rhythm & Steel Band. Voyage Spectral is his second album under the alias, following Earthrising in 2016. It's a dazzling display of synth-laden grooves, inspired not least by the rare and obscure cosmic disco bits made by relatively anonymous artists for European music libraries. Minimal, princely, fast disco cuts like 'Speed Boat To Atlantis' embematize the feel of this album and Wagner's oeuvre, as they nail the chilled-out psychedelic fantasy of magic-carpetting to far-off mythical worlds.
Review: Philly supergroup MFSB (an acronym for Mother, Father, Sister, Brother,) ended their spectacular discography with this, Mysteries of the World, a magnificent final studio album, co-written and produced with the legendary Dexter Wansel. The title track is of course the well-known, much loved and sparkling jewel in the album's crown but the whole thing is a wonderful affair with Philly soul and orchestral jazz-funk meeting in perfect harmony. The stylish and sophisticated sounds here still sound out of this world and cannot fail to get any dancefloor going.
Review: Initially established by disco polymath Patrick Adams as a "low budget" studio band, Musique briefly burned brightly, releasing two albums and a handful of genuine dancefloor anthems. Their story started in 1978 with this double-header - produced by Adams and mixed by a youthful Francois Kevorkian - on Salsoul Records. This reissue has naturally been fully remastered for club play and is presented on rather fetching translucent fluorescent green vinyl. A-side 'In The Bush', an infectious and high-octane slab of restless disco-funk full of clipped guitar licks, propulsive bass, punchy horns and hybrid whispered/sung lead vocals, is the more celebrated and much-played of the two tracks, though the heavily orchestrated and Salsoul Orchestra style 'Keep On Jumpin' is also excellent.
Dance Your Blues Away (The Mighty Zaf edit) (4:32)
Review: Originally released in 1979 as a B-side to The Neville Brother's "Sweet Honey Dipper", "Dance Your Blues Away" saw Ivan go solo for the first time on this sultry modern soul jam. Laced with a plucky bass and just the right smattering of sleaze, it set the foundations for Ivan's extensive solo career. It also provides the perfect groove tools for The Mighty Zaf to work his editor craft and beef up the vibe with subtlety. Keep on dancing!
Review: ***B-STOCK: Record very slightly warped***
Disco Mind is a young but already standout label and now it is back with Feijao Amigo, another must-have EP featuring Brazilian gems expertly reworked by two of Brazil's top edit maestros in Joutro Mundo and Bernardo Pinheiro. Pinheiro kicks off with 'Fogo' which is big on funk and brass and perfect for peak time, while his second cut 'Diga Amor' is a lively rework guaranteed to move you. On the flip, Mundo offers 'Santos Da Guine' which has been sourced from an ultra-rare record and elevated by a subtle touch-up. The EP closes with 'Dia Lindo' which is a collaboration between Joutro Mundo and Pasternak and is full of sunshine, funk and bold hooks.
On The One (feat Mr Auden Allen & Renegade Brass Band) (2:56)
Only Because You're Around (feat Andrea Brown) (4:23)
Blockbuster (4:00)
Tears (4:14)
So Real (feat Lumi HD) (3:38)
Review: Since switching to original production following years spent offering up killer remixes and re-edits, Sam Redmore has released an increasingly impressive stream of singles. The consensus has been that has long-promised debut album, Universal Vibrations, would be extra-special. And so it has proved. Put simply, it's brilliant - a musically rich and expansive affair full of quality sung (and occasionally rapped) vocals, organic instrumentation (including inspired string and horn arrangements) and effortlessly good fusions of soul, broken beat, jazz-funk, disco, hip-hop, Afrobeat, Latin grooves, tropicala and head-nodding R&B. It's little less than a triumph and could end up being one of the most acclaimed albums of 2022.
Review: Rufus and Chaka Khan's final stretch balances the unfiltered funk of their live performances with the studio polish of their later work. Their live recordings deliver an electrifying set, reworking classics like 'Tell Me Something Good' and 'Sweet Thing' into extended, groove-heavy jams. 'Ain't Nobody' stands outinot just as the lead single but as a masterclass in electro-funk, pairing airtight drum programming with Chaka's soaring vocal for a career-defining moment. Their studio material shifts towards sleek 80s production, offering a more restrained but still soulful contrast. A dynamic farewell from an era-defining partnership.
Review: After a year of energizing live performances, Say She She releases their vibrant cover of the Jackson Sisters' classic 'I Believe In Miracles.' With Sergio Rios of Orgone behind the fresh, funky production, this track is irresistibly danceable. On Side-2, 'C'est Si Bon,' is a French discodelia anthem from their acclaimed sophomore LP Silver. It's a bi-lingual, joy-inducing track that compels listeners to dance. This 45 features two crowd-pleasing tracks that promise to ignite any dancefloor. With its infectious energy and stellar production, this record is bound to become a favorite for vinyl enthusiasts and partygoers.
Review: One thing you can say about Siggatunez's Gooey Edits series is that the included reworks are never simple cut-and-paste jobs. Like Joaquin 'Joe' Clausell, the German DJ/producer enjoys adding percussion, keys, drum machine beats and more to his source material. He's at that again here, first adding heady hand percussion and jazzy keys to a classic French, Italo-disco era jam ('Feel Me'), before giving a musically expansive New York disco classic the same kind of treatment on 'Inch'. 'Just Me & You' is a slightly straighter, lightly tooled-up take on a lesser-celebrated disco-soul sing-along, while EP highlight 'The Key' sees him successfully tamper with a warm, synth-heavy, Italo-disco style slab of mid-80s electronic excellence.
B-STOCK: Slight surface marks, record slightly warped
Lady Luna
Danger
A Go Go
Evita
Review: ***B-STOCK: Slight surface marks, record slightly warped***
Berlin-based SIRS returns with another healthy dose of edit debauchery. If you have listened to any of Daniel Klein's previous releases, then surely you know what to expect. On the A side of Sirs Cuts EP 03 we have the mechanical '80s disco funk of 'Lady Luna', followed by the neon-lit Italo antics of 'Danger'. Over on the flip, we have a super freakin' freestyle electro joint in the form of 'A Go Go' as well as the slo-mo energy of 'Evita' closing it out.
Never Thought I'd Get Ya (Dom Thompson remix) (5:28)
Never Thought I'd Get Ya (Mr Mulatto Beatamix) (5:09)
Never Thought I'd Get Ya (Afro Acid remix) (4:32)
Never Thought I'd Get Ya (Frank Situation remix) (5:24)
Review: For their latest must-have release, nu-boogie maestros Star Creature has turned to Stroud-based boogie revivalists Situation. "Never Thought I'd Get You" is not only the West Country producers' latest hook-up with sweet-voiced soul man Andre Espeut, but arguably one of their strongest releases to date. The tasty original version - a sumptuous chunk of '80s groove revivalism full of intricate musical touches - kicks things off, before Dom Thompson re-imagines it as an analogue-rich slab of '80s soul revivalism. Mr Mulatto adds a little hip-hop-soul swing on his ace "Beatamix", the "Afro Acid" version takes the track closer to organic deep house territory, and Frank Situation's EP-closing remix is a snappy, peak-time ready club workout for those that like it fast and weighty.
Review: Fulgeance and Soulist continue their beautiful collaborative work together with a record that will tickle you pink. Literally... 'Guili' means tickle in French. Paying homage to acts like Azymuth, 'Guili' is a full adventure that never sits still as the synths and drums lead us into a carnivalesque groove laced with plenty of acid and a delicious slap bass section. 'Toro' continues this organic, live groove feeling with even bigger keys and loose limbed drums driving us to an almighty and chaotic breakdown. For added magic Art Of Tones is on side with a crucial remix. What a session.
Review: Sultry street soul/R&B from two otherworldly underground names, intro'ing Vol. 1 of their 'Grown and Sexy Music' series. Sudi 'Space Ghost' Wachspress handles the production on these three swaying, sex-soul tidbits, while Teddy Bryant aka. Urbyne tops things off, adding melismatic croons to the affair. A-sider 'Heaven Sent' is a glistening, ecstatic exercise in digi-R&B moods, as Bryant sings of excited imaginations and loving fantasies. 'Little Bit Of Love' spices things up to a boom-bap flavour, with thoughts of neediness prevailing - of course, they just "need a little bit of your drug". 'Relax Your Mind', finally, ushers in a safe space / comedown after the high.
Review: Following a fine mini-album on Los Angeles' Casablanca Sunset Records four years ago, "indie-dance" trio Supertaste have kept up a steady stream of singles and one-off cuts, mostly via their own self-titled imprint. Supernova, officially their debut album, marks the Brooklyn combo's first appearance on vinyl. The sounds they showcase are warm, positive sounding and groovy, recalling the work of fellow New York outfits Holy Ghost, Escort and Midnight Magic - albeit with their own synthesiser-embracing twist. It guarantees great listening throughout, with our picks including 'Protostar', the more bluesy indie disco flex of 'Supernova', the dub disco-flecked joy of 'Play To Lose' and the deliciously slow, dreamy and spacey 'Right Place/Right Time'.
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