Back catalogue: Funk

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: Roy Ayers at his most transcendent. 'Everybody Loves the Sunshine' is more than a summertime anthemiit's a spiritual moodboard that's shaped jazz-funk, soul, r&b and hip-hop for nearly 50 years. Ayers, born in Los Angeles and raised in its fertile fusion scene, places the vibraphone at the music's heart, coaxing heat-haze tones from sparse chords, synths, and that honeyed chorus. Flip it over and the instrumental version unlocks a deeper layer: stripped of vocals, it becomes a pure groove, drifting and hypnotic. What lingers is the balanceibetween melancholy and bliss, rhythm and release. A rare track that feels entirely unhurried yet quietly radical, now preserved in a limited pressing that looks as golden as it sounds.

Review: This orange 7" is a miniature monument to one of soul's most quietly influential figures. Roy AyersiLos Angeles-born, jazz-schooled, funk-mindedicrafted 'Everybody Loves the Sunshine' not to dazzle but to dissolve. It moves with a drowsy clarity: shimmering synth, near-whispered vocals, and a lazily tumbling bassline that never quite lands. Released during a golden run of Ayers' mid-70s material, the track has since become shorthand for warm-weather introspection, equal parts ease and ache. The instrumental version on the reverse keeps the spirit intact, offering a meditative glide through the same terrain. Limited to 300 copies, this orange pressing pairs a low-lit groove with a deepening sense of legacyiAyers' influence isn't just heard, it's felt in the space he leaves behind.

Review: Few recordings capture the easy intensity of a summer afternoon like 'Everybody Loves the Sunshine'. Released in 1976 and wrapped in slow-drifting synths and soft falsettos, the track became a touchstone not just for Roy Ayers, but for 70s soul and beyond. Born in Los Angeles, Ayers helped define the jazz-funk crossover, placing the vibraphone at the centre of a sound both hazy and sharply detailed. The original vocal take on the A-side still melts under its own warmth; the instrumental on the flip uncovers the careful architecture beneath. Issued here on 7" black wax following Ayers' recent passing, this reissue feels like both a keepsake and a quiet honouring of an artist who shaped a whole way of listening.

Review: At legendary jazzdance hubs like London's Horseshoe and Camden's Electric Ballroom, one track ruled the floor: Hino Terumasa's 'Merry-Go-Round', pulled from the Japanese trumpeter's 'Double Rainbow' album. A bass-driven jass fusion storm, it sent dancers into a frenzy, tending fast down a psychedelic jazz mountain. A staple of BBE's J Jazz compilation, 'Merry-Go-Round' was Paul Murphy's top pick for a fresh rework, heard here from Niknak. Rising to the challenge, Takumi assembled top-tier musicians to craft an electrifying tribute; eight minutes of unrelenting, steam-hammer funk, pushing jazz dance energy to its limits.

Review: TC.KYLIE x The Hourglass deliver a dynamic jazz fusion outing here that mixes up Hong Kong, Japanese, and British cultures in a top debut album. Jazz fusion pianist Kylie leads her band with great energy while playing keyboard and synth keytar that is a little reminiscent of Japanese jazz rock. Based in Hong Kong and London, she's inspired by Shaun Martin, Robert Glasper and Japanese acid jazz groups like Fox Capture Plan and Jabberloop and that shows in these sounds. They are bright, happy and uplifting with the majestic flute leads of 'Merry-go-round Of Life ' impossible not to fill you with excitement and joy.

Review: South London's Trambeat return with a double punch of funk and soul on LRK Records 13 years after first being formed by Graham Potter and Des James. The Croydon-based band brings classic Northern Soul energy with sharp modern flair to their latest 7", featuring 'Blow Up The Groove' and 'All Killer, No Filler'. Both channel dancefloor euphoria with turbocharged horns, breakneck grooves and bold vocals over strutting basslines and all-nighter anthems. Trambeat's shift from DIY collective to stage-commanding soul machine is great, and if their debut 'Don't Hold Back' teased their potential, this release kicks the doors wide open.

Review: Dan Tyler and Nick The Record's third installment in the Mr Bongo Edits series brings a bold twist to Cuban classics with three tracks that are equal parts cosmic and dancefloor-ready. On the A-side, Tyler extends two Juan Pablo Torres tracks from his reissued 1978 'Algo Nuevo' and 1977's 'Super Son.' First, Tyler reimagines 'Cacao,' a standout track from Torres' LP, giving it room to breathe and intensifying the percussive climax with swirling synths and spacey dub effects. It's a track that thrives on a big system, building tension as it goes, and works wonders in the right environmentijust ask anyone who caught it at La Paloma in Barcelona. Next, Tyler dials into 'Pastel En Descarga,' turning the Latin-funk fusion into a punchy, trippy dub with delay and drama, keeping the track's energy while taking it further into spacey, cosmic territory. On the flip, Nick The Record tackles Grupo Los Yoyi's 1977 'Paco La Calle,' taking a 2009 edit and expanding it into a longer, more hypnotic piece. The percussion pushes and pulls as the psychedelic synths swirl, creating a dynamic and ever-building groove. The 2025 version is elevated with new synth lines courtesy of Tyler, deepening the track's psychedelic richness. A cosmic whirlwind of reworks that bridges the gap between '70s Cuban innovation and modern dancefloor sensibilities.

Review: This Price album was originally part of the 2023 Diamonds and Pearls Super Deluxe box set, but now the triple vinyl live recording arrives on standalone yellow vinyl in a fancy triple gatefold sleeve. It was initially captured on January 11, 1992, at Prince's Glam Slam club in Minneapolis and is a performance that showcases Prince and The New Power Generation at their creative peak, just ahead of their epic world tour. Spanning over 100 minutes and 14 tracks in all, the still electrifying set focuses on material from the Diamonds and Pearls era and includes a preview of the then-unreleased 'Sexy M.F.' to make for a fine snapshot of a new era in Prince's evolving sound.

Review: The 12th album from The Temptations for Berry Gordy's influential Motown label came in 1970. It was written in its entirety by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong and produced by Whitfield, and despite the label it came on, Psychedelic Shack pretty much tore up the usual Motown template and instead delved deep into psychedelia. The acid-tinged title track breaks new ground thanks to the influence of the B-52s and they maintained this vibe on 'Hum Along and Dance' but ventured into different territories with the experimental 'You Make Your Own Heaven and Hell Right Here on Earth' and 'Take a Stroll Thru Your Mind.' The album peaks with tracks like 'It's Summer' and the Whitfield-penned classic 'War.' This album remains timeless and a great example of the band's evolution

Review: Also known as "Portland's Pillar Of Soul", Ural Thomas is a widely esteemed Portland based r&b singer-songwriter and musician, active since the 1950s. Still going strong over almost three-quarter century's worth of performing and releasing, Thomas' breathtaking oeuvre comes to a recent head on this latest LP+7" via Cairo, 'Nat Ural'. Eschewing his latest incarnation with backing The Pain (making up Ural Thomas and the Pain), which was formed after a long hiatus, we return to Thomas' solo sensibility here. A new LP backed up by a sneaky extra 7", Thomas' distinctive, homely brand of strutting vocal soul is once more put on display here.

Review: This unique album is a bold reimagining of the iconic sweet-soul group, spearheaded by Delfonics' lead vocalist William Hart and infused with Adrian Younge's unique, hip-hop-informed perspective. While the album features elements familiar to Delfonics fans, such as the electric sitar, french horn and lush string arrangements, Younge's approach departs from traditional production, offering a more experimental and idiosyncratic take on the genre. Drawing influence from the eccentric strains of soul and r&b adored by crate diggers, Younge's arrangementsiincorporating harpsichord, glockenspiel and electric sitariimbue the album with a sense of campy psychedelia, yet manage to avoid veering into kitsch. Hart's crystal-clear falsetto remains a cornerstone of the album, with his voice serving as a bridge between the past and Younge's modern vision. Though much of the album sees Hart performing solo, a departure from the layered harmonies of classic Delfonics, it feels organic and fitting for the material. The pairing of Hart's legendary voice with Younge's analog-driven production creates a sound that feels both nostalgic and fresh. Tracks like 'True Love' and 'Stand Up' show how much care has been given to allow the original beauty to the focal point. A genius blend of old-school soul and modern sensibilities.