Back catalogue: Funk

Review: Primetime Paris producer Jay Murphy first teamed up with Natalie Nova in 2022 to release 'Boogie Oogie', a rejig of the classic A Taste Of Honey song. Emphasising postmodernity, we hear a timeless club classic liquefied for a fluid psychic economy: Murphy, a Franco-American musician based in Paris, produces, sings and key-plays over this funky opus, attesting his involvement in the funk scene since as far back as the early 1990s. But now Rob Hardt and Young Pulse bring their own versions, spanning slapping, chime-trilling propulsions, and a wildout inductive monologue from an anonymous contributing vocalist: "if you think you're too cool to boogie, boy have I got news for you... I wanna see you shake your derriere..."

Review: Jay Murphy - Franco-American musician, producer and singer based in Paris - and South African singer songwrite Natalie Nova join forces to give a fresh spin to a classic, reinterpreting a well-loved track with their own unique flair. The original mix oozes with jazz-funk vibes, where Murphy's smooth keyboard work and Nova's soulful vocals combine effortlessly, adding new depth and energy to the timeless track. The groove is rich and inviting, pulling you into its rhythmic charm while still honouring the essence of the original. On the remix, Young Pulse brings his signature style, turning the track into a soulful, funky journey with added layers of warmth and groove. His touch injects an extra dose of funk, transforming it into an irresistible dancefloor-ready tune.

Review: Last time out, back in 2021, Nassau Track Authority served up a swathe of previously unreleased instrumental mixes of songs recorded by Grace Jones at Compass Point Studios, Nassau. This 12" sees the shadowy collective once more dip into the archives of the legendary Barbados-based studio to recover more synth-laden, dub-wise disco instrumentals. They begin with 'Peanut', a Sly & Robbie-fuelled, vocal-free take on Gwen Guthrie's peerless Larry Levan fave 'Peanut Butter', before wallowing in the susp-enseful, slow motion boogie-dub brilliance of 'Adventures' (a take on an old Will Powers single). Over on side B, 'Seventh' is an infectious, musically detailed instrumental take on another Gwen Guthrie classic (the slap-bass propelled 'Seventh Heaven'), while 'Doctor' is a particularly dub-wise, slow-motion mix of 'Till the Doctor Gets Back' by guitarist, songwriter, longtime Marianne Faithful collaborator and Compass Point All Star, Barry Reynolds.

Review: In 1984, Jamaican-born producer Tony Williams gifted the British jazz-funk scene with two exceptional 12" records, both now rare gems. One of these, Nat King Cool's 'Checking Out,' showcases a fusion of MFSB's 'Mysteries of the World' with quintessential UK Brit-funk vibes. Originally released on the Tai Wan label, this single remains as fresh today as it did in 1984, with its captivating flip-side instrumental. Remastered from tapes, these essential 80s Brit-funk tracks are presented on pristine vinyl, adorned with bespoke repro-labels, and packaged in a groovy Soul Jazz/Funk Masters house bag, which means it looks as good as it sounds.

Review: Domenico Niki is the man charged with the curation of the Echoes From Disco label and it will all be with a focus on rediscovering and re-editing disco, boogie and jazz from across the world. The inaugural outing features four re-edits that cover a wide array of styles. 'Through That Door' is jazz-funk with twanging guitars and sunny piano keys while 'African Horns' is a deep Afro-funk cut with fluid rhythms soon getting under your skin. 'Copacabana' is a busy, relentless and sax-laced funk banger and 'Follow Me' then slows things down with a more 80s-sounding downtempo soul vibe perfect for early evening sessions.

Review: Nkono Teles was one of the standouts of the Doing It In Lagos compilation by Soundway, which proved a best seller. He is someone who worked on, arranged and or produced music for more than 100 other artists in Nigeria across the 80s, including playing keys with Tony Allen's band. Now he gets the spotlight firmly on himself with a retrospective mini-comp fun of his unique boogie and funky rhythms, cutting edge drum machine sounds and mix of synths and guitars. It's a collection fans of the likes of William Onyeabor and Steve Monite will love.