Review: Patrick Adams was responsible for producing tons of terrific disco records during the late 1970s and early '80s, but few are quite as dizzyingly good as Cloud One's 1976 cut 'Atmosphere Strut'. Created by Adams with the assistance of regular collaborator Peter Brown, the 9-minute plus track is notable for the extensive use of superbly spacey synthesizer lines, an infectious deep disco groove and a typically head-in-the-clouds lead vocal from Margo Williams. This reissue naturally offers-up Adams' original, must-have 12" club mix, but also a brand-new re-edit from disco rework specialist KON. He lengthens the intro, beefs up the bass and makes crafty use of some improvised vocals from Adams and Williams that were previously buried on the multi-track master tapes.
Review: NYC Records looks outside its in-house stable for the first time here and signs the delightful nu-disco delights of Constellation. This duo hails from Miami and focuses on space disco sounds that fans of the famous Metro Area style are sure to love. They remain mysterious themselves but their beats are brilliantly designed with plenty of retro-future pads, cosmic arps and tight basslines full of colour, texture and soul. Like Daft Punk but deeper and more dubbed out. All four of these cuts are sure to get floors going but also bring plenty of style.
Chez Madame La Baronne (Idjut Boys Fazz Junk version)
Review: Earlier this year, French disco and jazz-funk combo Chatobaron joined forces with fellow Parisian Dimitri From Paris for the rather good 'I Like (The Music That You Play)'. While that was a wholehearted disco workout, this speedy sequel sees the band (and their high-profile collaborator) explore their West Coast jazz-funk influences via an inspired workout full to bursting with killer instrumental solos, dusty grooves, memorable motifs and a genuinely killer, cowbell-sporting percussion brerak. This time round, there are no Dimitri From Paris remixes; instead, dubbed-out disco favourites the Idjut Boys are on hand to smother the track in tape echo and dub delay. The result is a typically spaced-out, low-slung affair that naturally makes the most of the band's killer bassline and layered percussion sounds.
Review: Andy Meecham's forthcoming ninth album as the Emperor Machine, Island Boogie, is a genuine treat - a wonderfully colourful and effects-laden trip into what the former Bizarre Inc and Chicken Lips man calls 'electronic cosmic disco-boogie'. To get us all in the Mood, Leng have served up this EP of dubs and remixes. In the latter category you'll find a superb, piano solo-laden proto-house rework of 'Devoilez-Vous' by fellow Stafford act T Kutt, and a typically warm, languid Balearic disco interpretation of 'Island Boogie' by Leng co-founder Mudd. Meecham delivers two wonderfully skeletal, wayward and trippy instrumental dubs, lightly transforming 'Devoilez-Vous' and 'La Cassette' in turn. In a word: essential.
Review: A modern lunar take on jazz and disco, Jazz On The Moon hears Italian producer Paolo Fedreghini moonwalk backwards through live horns, bass, synth and guitar for a crisply produced six-track EP. Opening with original NASA-issue intercom vocals from the 1968 moon landing, 'Interstellar' crafts a moonscape of Harmon-muted trumpet and avant-garde growls, while expansive electro-funk opens out on the title track and 'Distant Planet', by which point a tonal shift is underway. The vibe is increasingly P-funky, erring desolate on the interluding 'Outer Space', before we wind up purblinded by the light side of the mood on closers 'Groove Odyssey' and 'Cosmic Funk'.
Review: Jeroboam serves up the tongue-in-cheek title 'Brexit Funk' on Chuwanaga and is sure to get you moving as a result. There is some serious sunshine and Brit-funk loveliness to the title track. It is lit up with vibes keys and irresistible funk basslines that all brim with good-time fun. 'Peckham Night' is a more sultry and steamy sound for when the sun is setting thanks to its lazy drums and splashy cymbals all topped with some smoky trumpet soul. A dub mix rounds out with even deeper-cut grooves and romantic melodies. Three grown-up delights for sure.
Review: Love's Command have been "riding the rocket of Brit funk" ever since day one says ROCit who now serves up a pair of new cuts from them. This record is designed to spread love and pace and it does that with feel-good vibes from the off. 'Aliens From Above' is an out-there funk sound with tight, quick drumming, plenty of neat guitar riffs and a cosmic feel from the lush synths. Add in vocoder vocals and you have a trip to outer space that you will never want to end. Flip it over and you get a more dubbed-out version that is no less of an adventure.
Review: After two 45s on Les Disques Bongo Joe, Dutch Afrofunk space cadets make their debut on Soundway with their first full EP. Hurling all their roots and inspirations into a heady, bewitching brew of west African, Columbian, Caribbean, Latin and all-round cosmic fusion, the results are four slabs of world funk gold. "Down In The Basement" updates highlife styles with a salubrious big-bottomed disco twist, "The Opposite" ups the tempo with a little more cumbia charm while "Continue The Fun" adds a dub mentality to the mix as we're chugged to oblivion with heads down introspection. Finally "Tuto Bay" closes somewhere on a Cuban beach with rum-warmed harmonies. Beautiful.
Review: 2022 has been a hugely successful year for Razor N Tape founder JKriv, whose various singles, remixes and re-edits have all hit the mark. His final release of 2022 sees him serve up four more hot-to-trot edits for the long-running Moton label. On opener 'Repent', the Escort bass player serves up a fine rearrangement of a spacey synth-sporting disco-funk obscurity, while 'Lingala Nacionale' is a fast paced, turn-of-the-80s Afro-disco number with strong vocals, beats and jangly guitars. Over on side B, JKriv first gives his interpretation of a squelchy Caribbean boogie gem from Tappa Zukie ('Love Dream'), before dipping the tempo a touch on a suitably summery rework of a sun-baked Brazilian disco-boogie gem.
Space Talk (2023 mix - mixed By Filip Nikolic & Raghav Mani) (5:30)
Space Talk (Dimitri From Paris Spacer dub) (6:38)
Space Talk (extended mix - mixed By Filip Nikolic & Raghav Mani) (6:41)
Review: Asha Puthli's 'Space Talk' is one of those quintessential diggers delights, hardly a secret weapon any more but widely recognised as a magical slice of misfit cosmic disco from the genre's golden era, fronted by Puthli's ethereal vocal. Now the track gets a remix package courtesy of Naya Beat, and the versions aren't to be trifled with. First up comes the mighty Dimitri From Paris, who ladles the funk on thick, trips out the atmosphere and sends the track even further away from terra firma. Flip the record over for Dimitri's even trippier dub when you really want to juice the dance up. There's also a neat and tidy 2023 mix of the track and the original extended mix, making this an essential purchase for those craving the beauty of the OG version as well as those hungry for a classy-as-hell new twist on a dead cert classic.
Review: Skeme Richards of New York pioneers Rock Steady Crew returns to the Redropped series with a tour-exclusive 7" packed with two raw-edged flips. For this release, he's unearthed a pair of cosmic disco and jazz-funk originals from his bottomless crates and retooled them with heavier low-end and tighter edits built for modern rigs. The result? Deep cuts reimagined for today's selectors, shaped by Skeme's seasoned touch as both a dancer and DJ. Ahead of a confidently slated Skeme Richards x Oonops tour across Germany in May 2025, 'Galaxy Amonst The Stars' is truly a riotous cosmic soiree, made unforgettable by its kazooing sax and brilliantly bright beat novae.
Review: Christopher Sprains and The Strange Band recorded a whole heap of material in a hazy, drug-fuelled 19178, but their - surprisingly - never gained enough traction with the NYC disco crowd. Perhaps this work was too ahead of its time and, while it does share some qualities with the music of Rick James, it contains something dark, sexy, a little bit twisted and, of course, strange. The lead track "You" is a synth-heavy, electrifying boogie cut with a rugged percussion swing and an air of post-punk to its mix down, not to mention those utterly freaky vocals; our favourite, though, is actually "Space V", an insanely nutty electro cut that would have undoubtedly been on The Electrifying Mojo's playlist should it have landed on his lap. Totally recommended...
Review: Daniele Prencipe, a former member of Ganymed, the influential Austrian space disco band from the late 70s, is a versatile multi-instrumentalist with a rich discography spanning jazz to pop. Based in Italy, he excels as a musician, singer, and composer, yet remains underrated despite his evident talent. His solo projects and work with Surprise showcase his exceptional abilities. Particularly notable are tracks like 'Wow' and 'Singin' And Steppin'' which are reissued now by Baba and show how he pioneered the use of the Minimoog and Vocoder. These compositions feature intricate arrangements that set them apart. Originally released on a rare 7" by Polydor in 1983, these are standout funk jams.
Review: The UK's Robin Lee is one of the members of much-loved disco gang Faze Action but also he's behind Andromeda Orchestra who return here with an album that offers a cosmic fusion of jazz-funk and disco. It's been put together with Moogs, clarinets, Rhodes and rich analogue textures that make for a mix of nostalgia and sonic richness that sinks you in deep. Blending nostalgia with innovation, Lee creates deep, immersive soundscapes. There are widescreen odysseys like 'Mythical', loved-up bunkers such as 'Thinking About Your Love' and a rare Nick The Record remix of 'Get Up & Dance' that overflows with cosmic melodies and lush, life-affirming strings.
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.
We use cookies to personalise content and ads, to provide social media features and to analyse our traffic. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners who may combine it with other information that you've provided to them or that they've collected from your use of their services.