Curtis Baker & The Bravehearts - "Fried Fish ’n’ Collard Greens" (2:40)
The Native Yinzer - "The Hip Strip" (2:33)
Review: The fourth edition in Original Gravity's Down In The Basement series, which gathers instrumental soul and swing cuts onto worthy 7" slabs, resounding the fervent 1960s decadal gap in which mod reigned supreme. With juleps flowing and kneecaps knocking, Abramo & Nestor bring newfangled electric pianistic swing with 'Dig It!', while a twinned "hit it!" injunction is heard from Floyd James & The GTs on the reissued 'Work That Thang'; James' voice is tubed and speed-delayed to terrific effect, achieving a sprung intonation. Curtis Baker brassifies the bonanza with the lively 'Fried Fish 'n' Collard Greens', while The Native Yinzer's exiting excitation 'The Hip Strip' quilts our ears with a mnemic, down-feathery Hammond-breaks bit.
Review: Reissued by Before I Die after being singled out as a choice cut from a recent Swedish library music compilation, 'UFO' is a cosmic funk jam by one lesser-cited duo known as Falk & Klou. This being their only collaboration, the fused efforts of Carl Johan Fogelklou and Fredrik Segerfalk make for an otherworldly experience, with lasery sound FX and a strange narration complementing this toothy electro-funk oddball. The remix by Andi Henley (Ruf Kutz) on the A-side cements the track's importance.
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: Ralph Lamb and his confrere Andy Ross are The Family Fortune. They serve up their own unique twists on sounds you would expect from James Brown with classic dance floor vibes and powerful vocals from the one and only Jessica Darling. This fresh new slice of funk gold comes on tasty 7" via the Skyline label. Both tracks are super short but super sweet. Up first is 'Andy Cafe '68' (part 1) with its prickly drumming, big horn work and playful swing. Flip it over and 'Andy Cafe '68 (part 2)' works the chords more but aside from that carries on where part one left off. Two tidy bits of funk of ever we did hear them.
Review: Rooted in the musical vibrancy of New Orleans, The Family Underground was led by Roland Treaudo and Manuel Herrera Jr and transcended cultural boundaries with their fusion of Baptist and Hispanic influences. Their legendary Sunday residency at Whitey's Devil's Den was consistently packed beyond its 400-person capacity and showcased Manuel's piano prowess and Roland's magnetic stage presence. For over 250 consecutive weeks, the band's electrifying performances continued into the early hours without promotion, drawing crowds far and wide. Amidst relentless touring, their limited studio time birthed timeless classics 'Everybody Knows' and 'For The Love Of You' which now arrive on this special 7" for Record Store Day.
Review: Originally released in 1979, this is a highly sought-after gem due a reissue to bring its soulful, classic charms back into the spotlight, complete with the original B-side. The opening track, 'Hollywood Dreaming', is a smooth, catchy piece that expertly blends a funky rhythm with a rich horn section and excellent vocals. The infectious melody and creative arrangement make it a standout in the band's catalog. It's a track that embodies the essence of late '70s soul and funk while still feeling fresh and timeless. 'Shine On' delivers a late-night disco groove, heavily influenced by the genre's rise during the era. Its funky bassline and smooth rhythm provide a perfect soundtrack for dancefloors and intimate settings alike. The track oozes with soulful energy, showcasing the band's ability to seamlessly merge funk and disco influences into a cohesive sound. Father's Children, formed in Washington, D.C., originally as a doo-wop group, evolved into a funk and soul powerhouse by the late 70s. It is certainly bittersweet to hold this piece of music in your hand - and especially without having to take out a second mortgage.
Review: Keyboardist Hilton Felton's 'The Power Of Love (It's In My Heart)' has never been available on standalone 7", until now. It has been newly remastered for the occasion and finds the talented Felton at his best as he lays down his signature mellow grooves. For proof look no further than the groovy soul of 'The Power Of Love (It's In My Heart)' has Angela Winbush as a youth on vocals and features great musical depth, while s 'The Power Of Love (It's In My Heart)', which has never been released as a single, and 'Spreading Fever (Part 1)' is as smooth as they come with its silky and seductive lead sax.
Review: The mighty DFA label has always come at dance music from a rock and indie perspective and for that reason has always brought plenty of new ideas to the dancefloor. Fernando Pulichino has long been at the heart of the operation with his fusion of rock, funk, and electronic beats and here he is again with more of the same. 'I Got, She's Got' is a raw, energetic track, while the remix offers clarity and rich arpeggios. 'She's Playing With Fire' with saxophone by Gustavo Buchiniz, meanwhile, adds another explosive element meaning that all three tracks deliver pure club-ready firepower.
Remedy (feat Steve Monite - JKriv Disco dub) (6:02)
Review: Razor-N-Tape is a bastion of deep house brilliance as once again perfectly exemplified by this vibrant new package from Flamingo Pier. New Zealand collective Flamingo Pier have dropped several well received 12"s on the Soundway Records label and then came good with 2021's self titled full length. They are still all about bringing happy, sunny vibes to a tropical disco template here with the likes of the synth lead 'How 2 Feel' then funky vocal pumper 'Remedy'. There are cosmic rays lighting up the big chords and aloof vocals of 'Beneath The Neon' then a couple of remixes on the flip bring more dubby disco-house sounds.
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: The Foster Jackson Group are one of those forgotten but highly coveted one-hit disco wonders that exist in the bottomless pit that is often classed simply as 'soul'. All that aside, these people made an incredible 12" back in 1979 that has been going for serious bucks on the second-hand market, but thankfully the prodigious P&P Records have saved the day yet again. "Feel The Spirit" is a devilish, inimitable disco jingle that is split between the more percussion ridden "Long Disco Version", and a more contained, more floor-focussed "Disco Version" They both contain that instantly addictive dose of piano, though. Check it out, you'll know what we mean...
Review: Originally released in 1972, Frank Foster's The Loud Minority album was one of the legendary tenor saxophonist's most accessible and commercially successful albums. The album's many qualities were best exemplified by the title track, an effortlessly vibrant and effusive number that cannily mixed jazz-funk style solos and elements of modal, fusion and big-band jazz. This 7" single marks the epic, 14-minute piece's first appearance on a single, albeit heavily edited and split into two distinctive parts. The first (side A) is positive, cheery, undeniably funky, and underpinned with some killer drum-breaks. In contrast, the second is an exceedingly energetic and occasionally discordant affair, as Foster and his accomplices trade solos and build towards a breathless conclusion.
Review: Soul Brother present two sublime cuts by Carolyn Franklin, younger sister to Aretha, for their debut appearance on the seven inch format. On top of her significant body of work as a songwriter and background artist for Aretha and several other acts of the 60s and 70s, Carolyn Franklin record four solo albums and several singles for the RCA label. Rare groove heads favour Franklin's fourth LP If You Want Me in particular, issued in 1976 but originally recorded three years earlier, and Soul Brother have licensed two highlights for this 7" which demonstrate Carolyn's range for anyone not familiar with her work. "Sunshine Holiday" is a psyche delight akin to Linda Lewis' "Reach For The Truth" whilst "Deal With It" is pure funk.
Review: The well-regarded Far Out label starts a new catalogue number series for this first reissue from Brit-funk band Freeze. They are of course best known for lighting up the charts and dance floors of the 1908s with their super hit 'Southern Freeez' but also penned plenty of other gems. 'Keep In Touch' is right up there amongst them and now comes as an original and edited version on heavyweight vinyl. It is a joyful track packed with busy jazz-funk keys that cannot fail to amp up the party, especially in unison with a busy and tight bass riff and hip-swinging claps and drums. The edit shortness things up t make for an even more potent gem.
Review: Before tearing up dancefloors - and the pop charts - with 1981 single 'Southern Freeez', Brit-funk outfit Freeez self-released a couple of singles on main man John Rocca's Pink Rhythm label. These are now sought-after items, particularly debut double A-side 'Stay'/'Hot Footing It', hence this handy reissue. 'Stay', an early composition from UK jazz-funk legend Jean-Paul Maunick, is a deliciously expansive affair, with Spanish guitar solos, dazzling electric piano motifs, rubbery bass, shuffling drums and sweet female lead vocals all vying for attention in the mix. 'Hot Footing It' is a more straight-up UK jazz-funk floor-filler full of fluid jazz-bass, bustling drums and warming Rhodes riffs. Both tracks have naturally stood the test of time very well.
Review: After their hair-dropping debut LP Latin Freaks, Funkool Orchestra keep the stovetop hot with a high-energy 7" vinyl, bridging the delta between their first and second albums. A Maledetta Discoteca production, 'Tengo Che Ffa' blends Mediterranean funk, disco, and Neapolitan groove into an allusive proto-P-funk prance, especially if, at least, the B-side's title is to be believed. The latter alternately named 'Dance With Pezz', we hear them pick up the pace with a clav-spiced, conga-crammed number. Take it from us: the record is a clavi-net good.
Review: This 7" is taken from Funkshone's sophomore long player, '2.' It is a hard breaking, funked up b-boy anthem that makes a long awaited appearance on 45rpm with Mike Bandoni's trademark drum grooves set against the usual Funkshone wall of sound. UK broken beat maestro Kaidi Tatham does his magical thing on the flute, too, for good measure. DJ Skeme Richards made the OG a big hitter on the scene after using it in his set at the Red Bull BC Boy Finals in Brazil in 2012. On this special release it gets a 'never-heard-before' b-boy cut up on the flip.
Review: Leading Italian disco outlet IRMA is back with more irresistible and dazzling goodness, this time courtesy of Funky Destination with some pretty standout remixes. 'Take It Down' opens up as a new version by LTJ Xperience that has percolating funk lines and slow, sensuous grooves. 'Mr Bong' (Louie Beat Re-work) is a more percussive number with brilliant drumming and sunny melodies and 'Take It Down' offers a sensuous soul sound and some psyched-out guitar riffs. Last of all is the most streamy and busy of the lot with unresolved drum loops, disco percussion and rousing pads that will fill the floor.
Review: With names like Funtown and 'Pleasure', you already know how it's gonna go down. The Japanese imprint here offer two new ones to follow up their prior releases such as 'Better 2 Know U'; on the A-side comes 'Pleasure', on which we're assured that one kiss from this mystery vocalist is all it'll take to get us excited; and then, on the B-side, comes a sudden lo-fi future funk interjection, in what might be one of the sickest examples of the form that we've heard in a while. Not one to miss.
Review: The vibrant Cuban music scene of the 1970s thrived with creativity, and FA-5's self-titled 1976 album perfectly captures that energy. Part of Mr Bongo's Cuban Classics series, the record blends Latin rock, funk, soul, disco, and Afro-Cuban rhythms into an eclectic and captivating sound. The funk-heavy opener, 'Muevete Con Las Fuerzas Del Corazon' features an infectious bassline, lively horns and drum breaks, setting the tone for a genre-hopping journey. With standout tracks like the Latin disco-funk 'Casa De Ladrillo' and a cover of Commodores' 'Brick House' this hidden gem, which was produced by Tony TaNo, is a must-have for both fans and collectors.
Review: This Record Store Day, The Flirtations are back with Still Sounds Like the Flirtations, their first album of new material in 55 years. Renowned for their 1969 hit 'Nothing But A Heartache', which spent 14 weeks on Billboard's Hot 100, the group toured with icons like Stevie Wonder and The Four Tops. Their signature song remains a Northern Soul classic, remixed in 2022 by Tobtok and Oliver Nelson. Produced by Ben Rice, the album delves into their life stories, drawing from personal, social, and political experiences and was recorded across Abbey Road, Resident Studios, Degraw Sound, and Creative Workshop, with many standout tracks showcasing timeless perspectives on love and life.
Review: Admirable reissue imprint Comb & Razor Sound continues to unearth, license and re-print lesser-known gems from around the world. Their latest find is Fire Woman, the incredibly rare third album from little-known nine-piece Foundars 15. Interestingly, the album's tracks are not straight-up Afro-funk or Afro-beat workouts. Instead, they various take in Cymande style reggae/soul fusion, psychedelic '60s style pop, wild funk rock/Afrobeat fusion, Hammond-laden torch songs, and skewed Afro-jazz. It's a curious but hugely entertaining hotch-potch of styles that makes for hugely enjoyable listening from start to finish. Highlights include fuzzy, solo-laden closer "Ekele", the anthem-like "Simin Boogie" and Fela Kuti-ish "True Light".
I Got A Thing, You Got A Thing, Everybody's Got A Thing (3:53)
I Wanna Know If It's Good To You (5:59)
Standing On The Verge Of Getting It On (3:18)
Hit It & Quit It (2:46)
Cosmic Slop (5:21)
Can You Get To That (2:50)
Loose Booty (3:16)
Funky Dollar Bill (3:06)
A Joyful Process (2:55)
I'll Bet You (6:14)
Review: This is a first-ever CD-reissue of legendary funk outfit Funkadelic's Greatest Hits album - known amongst fans as 'the sheep album' - from back in 1975. It came on Westbound and has plenty of the most enduringly iconic tunes as one of George Clinton's group's most iconic covers in a catalogue full of them. The tracks here are taken from the band's first six albums and features 45 mixes, LP mixes and an edit of the instrumental 'A Joyful Process' which has never before been reissued. The whole thing has been remastered as the original was known for being a little thin in the low end.
You Can't Miss What You Can't Measure (Alton Miller mix)
Get Your Ass Off & Jam (Marcellus Pittman remix)
Cosmic Slop (Moodymann mix)
Music For My Mother (Andres Wo Ahh Ay vocal mix)
Undisco Kidd (Gay Marvine edit)
Super Stupid (Dirtbombs version)
Take Your Dead Ass Home (The Fantasy version)
Music 4 My Mother (Underground Resistance mix)
Let's Take It To The Stage (Amp Fiddler Laugin @ Ya mix)
Standing On The Verge (Anthony Shake Shakir & T dancer remix)
You & Your Folks (Claude Young Jr club mix)
Be My Beach (Mophno & Tom Thump mix)
You & Your Folks (Claude Young Jr dub)
Let's Make It Last (Kenny Dixon Jr edit - mono)
Looking Back At You (Ectomorph Stripped & dubbed)
Maggot Brain (BMG dub)
Review: Given the brilliantly simple concept behind this fine compilation - contemporary Detroit producers remix Funkadelic - we're rather surprised nobody's done it before. With 17 varied re-rubs stretched across two hugely entertaining CDs, there's plenty to enjoy. Highlights come thick and fast, from the deep house/P-funk fusion of Alton Miller's take on "Get Your Ass Off and Jam" and Andres' loose, hip-hop influenced revision of "Music For My Mother", to the thrusting loops and heady late night hypnotism of Anthony Shake Shakir and T-Dancer's version of "Standing on the Verge". While many of the versions stay relatively faithful to the original, the more "out-there" interpretations - see BMG's outer-space ambient dub of "Maggot Brain" and Moodymann's epic revision of "Cosmic Slop" - are also consistently impressive.
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