Back in stock: Funk

Review: Arp Frique & The Perpetual Singers come together for this most personal gospel funk album which was inspired by the birth of Frique's daughter, Jesamy. It finds the Amsterdam-based multi-instrumentalist mixing up organic funk with obscure synths, bubbly basslines that are always on the move with swirling guitars that add the colour and all make for an unusual and interesting mix of P-funk and gospel-disco. There are plenty of universal messages throughout which all emphasise the need for unconditional love while legendary vocalists like Dennis Bovell, Muriel Blijd, Mariseya, Brandon Delagraentiss and Rocq-E Harrell contribute to the powerful sound. Delagraentiss's choir, The Gospel Experience, also do their bit by adding big, rich, heartfelt vocals. It's quite the listen.

Review: Sol Set is a Detroit-based collective, an amalgamation of composers, musicians, artists and vocalists brought together by producer John Beltran, whose new label All Good Music chooses its debut album for its inaugural release. John Beltran and Shane Donnelly preside over seven sumptuous and confident slices of modern, sub-kissed soul and Latin sure to put a smile on anyone's face, even those of us faced with an altogether more British summer. Influences range from the Steve Wonder-style double vocals of 'Bliss Mode' to the South American 'Rhythm of the Sun', which echoes the beach bum haziness of Jorge Ben, but the vibe remains joyful and skillfully yet effortlessly executed throughout. Gorgeous.

Review: Hamilton Bohannon's debut Stop & Go, first dropped back in 1973 and is a raw and essential slice of early 70s funk. Though maybe more known for his later disco hits, here Bohannon delivers something earthier-looser grooves, soulful vocals and inventive arrangements that simmer rather than explode. This album offers a deeper, more nuanced sound compared to his polished, high-energy disco work and highlights include the blissed-out 'Singing a Song for My Mother,' the deep funk of 'Happiness,' and the widely sampled 'Save Their Souls.' A crate-digger favourite and funk connoisseur's gem, Stop & Go is a percussive, spiritual, and downright nasty record that holds up start to finish.

Review: P-Vine Japan does great work once more here by bringing back into print some hugely sought-after sounds from the blues and r&b world. The first release in their new series revives Larry Davis' 1969 Kent Records single, which was originally written by Sherwood Fleming. The A-side, 'For 5 Long Years' delivers a gritty mid-tempo funk-blues groove while the B-side, 'I've Been Hurt So Many Times' (a classic subject for a blues tune) channels Willie Cobbs' signature sound. These will be familiar to anyone who has danced at a Northern Soul event and cannot be slept on.

Review: Over the course of two fine, full-length excursions, Don Glori (real name Gordon Li) has perfected a warm, breezy and frequently life-affirming trademark sound that cannily joins the dots between jazz, samba, MPB, jazz-funk and soul. He leans into the latter elements more on summery third set Paper Can't Wrap Fire, drawing on the talents of a wealth of Melbourne music friends across nine sublime tracks. There's much to admire throughout, from the sun-soaked jazz-funk/soul fusion of 'Brown Eyes' and summery head-nodder 'Janet', to the spiritual jazz joy of 'Song For Ants', the Brazilian brilliance of 'Precious' and the oceans-deep nu-jazz shuffle of 'Saturn's Return'.

Review: Hilton Felton's 'Be Bop Boogie' is a delightful classic from the man originally from Norfolk, Virginia. The jazz organ player worked with the likes of Chuck Brown and The Soul Searchers as well as Eva Cassidy at points in his career, and his debut solo album from which this is taken is impossible to find these days. This rare groove jazz funk nugget was recorded in the same place as 'The Bottle' by Gil Scott heron and uses all of its seven minute play time to really get deep under your skin. On the flip is part 2, a rare Japanese 7" edition from 2011.

Review: New Zealand-born Lance Ferguson has been the beating heart of Melbourne's modern funk and soul scene for the best part of two decades. It's this that allowed him to gather many of the city's best musicians together to record "Rare Groove Spectrum", an album of fresh covers of rare and classic funk, soul and Latin jams. There are some killer versions to be found amongst the 11 tracks on offer. We're particularly enjoying the collective's riotous instrumental revision of Pleasure classic "Joyous", the strutting deep funk heaviness of "Egg Roll" (a similarly restless cover of a mysterious but much-played cut that should be familiar to dusty-fingered diggers and knowledgeable dancers) and the sumptuous summer breeze that is the combo's meandering take on Earth, Wind and Fire staple "Brazilian Rhyme". It is, though, all superb.

Review: This is one of a couple of proper holy grail boogie funk gems that French label PBT are dropping this month. Love At First Sight by First Love was originally released in 1982 out of Chicago and is a rare gem that captures the peak of modern soul and funk. Led by powerhouse vocalist Yvonne Gage (who is credited as Yvine Gage), the newly reissued record deals in rich production by Randy B and Chuck Colbert, who are icons of the genre. Standout tracks include the synth-drenched 'Don't Say Goodnight' and the smooth, late-night groove 'Party Lights', while 'Don't Be Afraid' is a sentinel, string-laced slow burner. With deep basslines, tight drums, and lush synths throughout, this one is a real heart melter.

Review: Helsinki funk legends Kuja Orchestra return with a fresh lineup and a brilliant blend of Latin, soul, blues, disco-funk, African, and Oriental influences. Their new album Seasons in Rhythm, part of Jazzaggression's library series, was recorded over two years at Studio Pelto and showcases core members guitarist Timo Hatva and bassist Aku Helin alongside new recruits keyboardist Miska Puusa and drummer Tony Pelkonen. Session musicians include Joose Kyyro on sax and flute, Heikki Tuhkanen on trombone, and Toimi Tytti on vocals. This eclectic mix of funky Latin, Afrobeat and cosmic grooves comes on nice heavy 180g vinyl.

Review: By now, we should all know what to expect from Lack of Afro, AKA veteran funk, soul and hip-hop producer Adam Gibbons. This fourth studio album for regular home Freestyle Records is being pitched as his most eclectic yet. Certainly, there's plenty of variety in the textures, styles and tempos, from the disco-funk stomp of Herbal T hook-up "Brown Sugar" and sweet Northern Soul blast of "The Contender" (all fuzzy guitars and pleasing horns), to the soft soul shuffle of "Making It Right" and Breakestra-ish hip-hop funk of "Here We Go Again". Despite the variety, Gibbons is still at his best when really cutting loose, as the superb opener "Freedom" adeptly demonstrates.

Review: Holy grail alert! This gem from the 80s boogie scene is an ultra-rare 1983 release on Starville Records that is now finally reissued after decades of scarcity. Long coveted by collectors and often fetching €800-€1000 a pop, the standout track of the two is 'I Wanna Thank You'. It's a bona-fide boogie-funk gem with silky vocals, rich synths and an irresistible mid-tempo groove. Flip it over for 'Lover's Holiday,' a soulful, harmony-laced slow jam that showcases Starville's signature sophistication with aching vocals and a sense of yearning that stays with you for a long time. This is a limited press, so don't hang about.

Review: The magnificent Mukatsuku returns with another superb little package here on limited 12". It features the Afro disco sounds of Fred Fisher Atalobhor And His Ogiza Dance Band firstly on 'WTFS' which was originally released back in 1981. It's a booty-wiggling cut with myriad funky lines, squelchy synth motifs, lush chords and soul drenched vocals that bring the sunshine and party in equally playful measure. On the flip is 'Ebi Lolo' which is defined by its big brass section and loosey-goose guitar lines, bright chords and subtle funk. Two great gems once more from this on point label.

Review: The Houston Talent Expo '82 is one of those curious releases that has come out of a very special moment in time. Moreover, it's a one-off, a exception that came to be out of chance. The group was an extended collection of African-American in the Houston area throughout the 1980s, and this was their only release as a unit. "Let's Get High" sets the scene in perfect fashion, a funky, slow-motion groove with enough soul to kill the devil himself, but there's even gear for the diggers and samplers to salivate over. The absurdly good "Chocolate Coated People" drops a wonky, gritty slice of percussion over drugged-out melodies and a sea of funkiness. This is a truly special piece of music - don't miss it.

Review: Mr Bongo reissues a classic record here from an iconic musical maverick. From her roots in India, to becoming a world famous artist with a celebrated career in music and acting, Asha Puthli forged a career path through '60s psych, free jazz, pop, rock, disco, and more. Her 1976 album The Devil Is Loose is maybe the most well known record, featuring the classic 'Space Talk' which was championed by many DJs, most famously the late David Mancuso at The Loft, in addition to being sampled The Notorious B.I.G., P Diddy and The Pharcyde. In later years, Puhtli went on to collaborate with the likes of Bill Laswell, DJ Spooky and Talvin Singh.

Review: Since first pitching up on Favorite Recordings a few years back, Russian saxophonist Andre Solomko has delivered a string of impressive albums and singles that gleefully join the dots between smooth jazz, '80s jazz-funk and Afro-fired disco-funk. Le Deltaplane, his latest full-length excursion, explores similar sonic territory, moving from languid, jazz-funk-influenced soul ("Le Deltaplane", featured in both vocal and instrumental versions), to deliciously smooth and glassy-eyed disco-jazz ("Moonbeach Disco"), via a range of sumptuous, solo-heavy workouts that sound like that could have been featured on a sought-after, turn-of-the-'80s jazz-funk obscurity (the wonderfully loved-up "Aquaplane" and "Summer '79"). Throughout, Solomko and company's arrangements and instrumentation are little less than sublime.

Review: Four Flies present the first ever 45rpm to be taken from Giuliano Sorgini's masterpiece album Zoo Folle. The library and soundtrack specialist cooked up some irresistibly groovy and funky sounds on the record and two of the best are picked here for serious DJ deployment only. 'Mad Town' opens up with some killer and funky drum breaks with a slick flute line adding extra pizzazz up top. It's a psyched out number for big dance floor moments an on the flip, 'Ultima Caccia' is a more Afro-tinged and tribal number with blissed out drums from Giuliano and some mad funky percussion by session player Enzo Restuccia.

Review: Dutch label Universo Positivo returns with label head Jospeh Salvador and house legend Orlando Voorn. Salvador has been active since the 1990s and has worked under various aliases and labels, while Voorn is known for connecting Detroit techno with European styles, and together they find a perfect sweet spot between deep and soulful house. The filter-funk energy of 'Slap My Funk' kicks off, then there's the boogie-fried and low slung house of 'Every Man Loves', jazzy melodies and big breaks of 'Break It Down' and strident, steamy disco-house stomper 'So Well.'

Review: French label PBT is absolutely on fire right now with a series of massive reissues of long-time boogie, funk and soul grails that will have collectors in a spin. Next up is this hidden gem from Florida's boogie funk archives, Pixie Dust by Wreckin' Crew, which was originally released in 1983 and was once a US-only rarity. It's a bass-heavy, synth-laced prized find for collectors and DJs featuring Robert Rans (who was the co-writer of Freeze's classic 'AEIOU') and veteran producer Kent Washburn. It's brimming with tight grooves and crisp drum programming while smooth vocal harmonies flow throughout. Every track radiates pure 80s boogie energy, all crafted with precision and ready to dominate dancefloors.