Back catalogue: Funk Soul & Jazz

Review: The long running DJ Kicks serious has always been fascinating, offering as it does the chance for DJs and producers known for a particular style to spread their wings musically. Jazz-minded German techno combo Brandt Bauer Frick grab that chance with both hands on their instalment, showcasing an atmospheric blend heavily influenced by nu-jazz and smoky, jazz-flecked deep house. This vinyl edition features ten unmixed cuts from the mix for the selectors out there along with a CD version. On the latter there are numerous pleasing diversions, from the head-nodding analogue boogie of Inkswel and Moog-laden African rhythms of William Onyeabor, to the dense drum workout of their own "Brommel" and the winding synths and ultra-deep production of Fantastic Man's "Late At Night". They also make room for a bit of tech-jazz (Galaxy 2 Galaxy), and the booming late night moves of Cosmin TRG.

Review: Dam Funk has been foundational in crystallising Stones Throw's undisputed leadership in the nu-school funk and boogie scene, and he's up there with the great J Dilla in our books. Naturally, he's been asked to mix up the latest series of DJ Kicks and, ladies and gentlemen, it's a real masterclass - one of those comps you can safely leave on and let it do its thing on you. The mood is personified by a fine blend of electronics and tougher, funkier rhythms by artists such as Index, Moon B, and Dam himself. There are also a few rare cuts by Chicago house legend Gemini that fit in perfectly, and a whole heap of wavy, Cali-inspired electronic funk. Badass.

Review: A genre-hopping, mind-bending mix from the king of eclecticism, Kieran Hebden (aka Four Tet), that ushers in a new age of experimentation for the seminal DJ Kicks series. Known primarily for his home made excursions to the far reaches of the musical map, Kieran Hebden is a DJ on a different kind of trip, the gratifying results of which can be seen all over this exemplary DJ Kicks compilation (the 26th in this now legendary series). Inspired by his 8 hour sets at The End and in Ibiza with Timo Maas, Kieran says he has rediscovered the thrill of filling a floor: "Playing for people who just want to dance is an exciting thing for someone who’s into experimental music". As you might expect with Four Tet, however, nothing is ever that straightforward, and his DJ Kicks is a mind blowing experience, taking in just about as many genres as there are tracks: Old skool hip-hop, French prog, conscious soul, electronic experimentation, minimal techno, early two-step, cosmic jazz, African thumb pianos and much more besides share space here, bound together by analogue synth interludes, segues and an exclusive new Four Tet track specially created for this compilation 'Pockets'; this year's only release under the Four Tet moniker.

Review: What's so striking about the tracklisting for Gold Panda's entry into the DJ Kicks canon is its diversity, erring towards a more stripped-down, experimental kind of techno but ranging across artists as diverse as Drexciya, Zomby and Bok Bok. Some of the highlights from the mix - including Drexciya's brilliant "Andraean Sand Dunes", Bok Bok's "Charisma Theme" and Melchior & Pronsato's "Puerto Rican Girls" - are collected on this 2xLP set via !K7 Records. A superb addendum to one of the most daring DJ Kicks compilations in a long time. Recommended.

Review: Jayda G is one of house music's most breakout and cross-over sensations in the last five years. She plays with an obvious passion for what she does, and that is mirrored by the tunes she makes and the selections she digs for. A DJ-kicks from her was always going to be a good time listen and so it proves - her own 'All I Need' takes some beating in the feel-good house realm, but the likes of HAAi's lo-fi shuffler 'Good Ol'Fashioned Rugs', disco stepper 'I Want Your Body' from Royale and House Of Jazz's super soulful 'Hold Your Head Up' come real close.

Review: Steven Julien has been in his own musical world since he first started putting out beats. He blends everything from hip-hop and house to funk and soul in his always emotionally raw, frayed edge sounds. Because of that breath in his sound, the Londoner is the perfect candidate for a DJ-kicks mix and so it proves as he journeys from the sofa to the club and back again with tunes of his own next to jams from across the ages and the genres. Ryuichi Sakamoto, Brothermartino, My Girlfriend and more all feature in a well-mixed, well-programmed set that contrasts bright keys with dirty basslines, and boogie funk with more sleek machine rhythms.

Review: To get away from the 'one track after the other' compilation concept K&D checked in at Havlis Super Sound where their man Alex (don of the echo chambers) has a secret dub-laboratory. There K&D did a dub session on the selected tracks to inject some dynamics and life into it. They took two bottles of Highland Park whisky and their old dub-echoes from the cellar and did a smoked-out dub echo-orgy.

Review: After a whirlwind year - releasing her acclaimed debut Mother, touring globally, remixing Dua Lipa and launching a podcast - Logic1000 (Samantha Poulter) now marks herself out from the other DJ-Kicks entrants with a unique approach to the vinyl LP-mix form. Seeking calm amid the chaos, she curates a deeply personal mix reflecting her home life, morning rituals, and evolving sonic palette, coursing through neo-ambient textures, dub-infused post-2020 downtempo, and NY-feel golden hours. Exclusive tracks from close friends DJ Plead and Big Ever blend seamlessly, while Poulter herself contributes two originals: 'Fused', most notably, pinches the ears with its distilled +12 vocal repitchings and a tropical flow. Poulter embraces a softer, contemplative side here, her mix emphasising subtlety in a series otherwise often besieged by artists seeking to stand out with techno-schlocks of loudness and rapidity.

Review: Although he's one of the most revered DJs in the UK with a wide following of like-minded eclectic music heads, Mr Scruff very rarely releases mix albums or compilations. It's for this reason that his edition of the "DJ Kicks" series is such a big deal. That mix itself - available on CD and digital download - is naturally superb, but his selections, which are showcased here in unmixed, DJ-friendly form, are also top-notch. Starting with the drowsy hip-hop soul of Max Graef's jazzy rework of Andreya Triana's "Gold", the Manchester veteran offers up a hot-to-trot mixture of downtempo soul (Sudan Archives), off-kilter Afro-tech (Tiger), ragga (Ding Dong), Floating Points style house (his own hook-up with CyberPunkJazz), drum workouts (Andy Ash), synth-powered proto-house (Alexander Robotnik), Latin beats and much more besides. Ace.

Review: Originally released in 2000.

Review: Let's just pause for one second; now, think about all that music that has so enriched your life down the years. All of it, without fault, and regardless of any strict genre definitions, is soul music. If it flicks a switch deep inside you, speaks to you, comforts you and makes you feel good about yourself, then that, my friend, is soul music. German DJ and producer Henrik Schwarz understands this musical truth more than most. A long-time aficionado of those musical forms that are commonly rooted in some appreciation of this sonic legacy - funk, house, disco, jazz, techno, and yes, the dictionary definition of soul (James Brown, Marvin Gaye, Motown etc, etc) - his adventures into hi-fi are testament to such a fact. And nowhere is this more readily apparent than on Schwarz's latest venture: a much-deserved foray into that Holy Grail of DJ mix albums, !K7's acclaimed DJ Kicks series. Across 23 tracks, Schwarz enthusiastically takes us on a musical journey that without wanting to get too chin-strokery about it, manages to entertain, enthral and educate all at once. And that he achieves this without losing sight of the style and sophistication that are the hallmarks of his unique DJ sets and his much praised productions and remixes is only added grist to his musical mill. Schwarz's background is jazz: free-flowing, improvisational and inspirational jazz, the likes of which set the pre-rock'n'roll years alight. And it's this mindset that initially informs his well-chosen mix. Rather than go for the latest bunch of tunes that are burning a hole on dancefloors across the globe, Henrik has paid homage to the music that he has loved down the years. Consequently, Moondog's jazz classic 'Bird's Lament' sets the scene for the journey we are about to undertake. When this segues into Double's blissful slice of Balearica, 'Woman Of The World', it's clear that we are in the hands of a rare talent. For Henrik Schwarz is a DJ who utilises all the tools of the modern sound sculptor - his usual sets are comprised of him jamming live via his trusty laptop - with a reverence for what has gone before. It's no wonder that Gilles Peterson is such a fan of his productions 'Supravision', 'Chicago', 'Jon' (which is featured here) and 'Leave My Head Alone Brain', nor that his music is lapped up by Manchester's hugely influential Electric Chair coterie. Henrik himself admits that he didn't want to think too much about his mix, rather he let the music dictate what direction he went in. "I just selected the tracks and then played them," he admits. "It was more about the feeling of the mix, creating those emotions and combining extremes." Such a case comes when he mixes the minimal techno of Robert Hood's 'The Core' with an African field recording. It's about creating layers and textures and in doing so it gives his mix a depth that is truly awe-inspiring. But this isn't all about intellectual grandstanding. Good times are audible at every turn: James Brown encourages us to get on the good foot with his dancefloor shimmy, 'Since You've Been Gone', and the psychedelic free jazz of Schwarz's own 'Jon' is both vibrant and hypnotic. Elsewhere, the stirring strut of Jae Mason's 'Let It Out' and the irresistible Afro-beat of Cymande's 'Anthracite' both compel you to fish out those dancing trousers. Undoubtedly though, the blue touchpaper is well and truly lit by Schwarz's 'Imagination Limitation', a track written especially for this mix. Placed next to Detroit legends Drexciya's 'Black Sea' - all crisp and muscular Motor City futurism - it ticks Schwarz's techno fetish with aplomb. Other dancefloor delights come courtesy of avant-garde nut job Arthur Russell's trippy cosmic disco 'Get Around To It'. Being a mix of untold seams, the funk flavours at the business end speak of Schwarz's cerebral qualities. Womack & Womack's 'Conscious Of My Conscience', Rhythm & Sound and Sugar Minott's 'Let Jah Love Come', Doug Hammond's 'Wake Up Brothers' and the incomparable Marvin Gaye's 'You're The Man' are all moving and literate pleas for a better world. And that in a nutshell is the mix you presently have in your hand. It's a CD that tells a story. It contains tracks that ooze class, that reek of history, that are imbued with style. It is a mix that speaks of life's rich tapestry. In short, Henrik Schwarz has delivered a mix with something for your mind, your body, and, most importantly, your soul.

Review: The last few years have really seen Paul Woolford reach the top of his game in many different ways. Be it bowel emptying rave as Special Request, festival baiting piano house tunes or chart topping pop dance crossovers under his own name, the man is proving himself to have a real golden touch. He sure does crank out all these tunes at a prolific rate, too, but you still feel he does everything with meticulous precision. This DJ Kicks is a case in point. It touches on all the many different facets of his sound from glossy and feel good house to early Chicago classics, post-rave dreamscapes to brutal jungle breaks. What a legend.

Review: Whether operating under his own name or the equally familiar Henry Wu alias, Kamaal Williams' next-level musical fusions are always rooted in soul and jazz. Both inspirations come to the fore on his superb contribution to the long running "DJ-Kicks" series, a smooth, atmospheric and ear-catching set that crams 29 scintillating cuts in 80 action-packed minutes. Sprinting between 21st century R&B, jazz-funk, deep house, dancefloor jazz, broken beat, kwaito, dub, drum and bass and off-kilter, impossible to pigeonhole cuts, the musician, producer and DJ manages to both educate and entertain in equal measure. Along the way you'll find plenty of exclusives, including a number of his own previously unreleased productions.