Back catalogue: Funk Soul & Jazz

Review: Something a little different from G.A.M.M here, as Parisian DJ Afshin joins forces with the mysterious Kiss My Black Jazz to offer up two incendiary edits. The real surprise killer is A-side "Trouble In My Way", which subtly turns a blues-era recording of a traditional slave sing-along into a handclap-heavy chunk of infectious gospel-house brilliance. It takes a little time to build up, but when the heavier beats drop midway through you'll have dancers eating out of the palm of your hand. Flipside "The Riot" sees them make merry with a Hammond-heavy chunk of 1960s jazz-funk, extending and reworking the cut to make it suitably sweaty, heavy and life affirming.

Review: Earlier in the month, Parisian producer Afshin joined forces with Kiss My Black Jazz and served up a brilliant, two-track missive of jazz-funk and blues-house reworks on G.A.M.M. Here they reunite for round two. This time round, they begin by reworking a shuffling, chant-along Afro-Brazilian gem of unknown origin, extending the carnival-ready percussive intro before unleashing the shuffling, sun-kissed samba rhythm and some of the sweetest vocals this side of a sing-along in a chocolate factory. Over on side B they give a similar tune to a killer chunk of reggae-funk fusion rich in warm dub bass, bongo-laden beats, bluesy guitar solos, fuzzy horns and James Brown style guttural vocals.

Review: Heat Rock Records' latest double-dose of cut and paste madness is as incendiary as you'd expect, with both tracks adding elements of classic dancefloor workouts to fat beats and plenty of added percussion. Chicago's Altered Tapes handles side A, thrillingly re-imagining Dee-Lite classic 'Groove is In The Heart' by utilising more percussive elements (including a killer, cowbell-driven drum-break) from some of the tunes that the New York band originally sampled on their chart-topping house classic. B-Boys and B-Girls the world over will love it! On the flip, Bay Area native King Most combines the vocals from a Salsoul disco classic to a backing track that cleverly combines elements from a Ramsay Lewis style jazz number and a JB's-esuqe funk bomb.

Review: Ten years deep, First Word showcase just how timeless their output has been by exploring their vaults and repurposing some of their finest classics 10" re-releases. Never press to vinyl before, each of these cuts surges at the very forefront of hip-hop, funk and world music. Each track is a highlight; "African Kings" is quintessential Afrofunk laced with warm keys and undeniable groove infection, "The Nuts" is futuristic homage to Danny Breaks, Marc Mac conjures the spirit of the Steve Miller Band on his Homecut remix and the Capstone remix of the Andreya Triana-fronted "Good Morning What's New?" is a drum-heavy jazz daydream you'll never want to awake from. Here's to another 10 years!

Review: Japanese producers Aru-2 and Kzyboost are mainstays of the beak making scene. The Tokyo pair have a full length album coming up in August but now offer up a first taster of what to expect from it. This special 45rpm features two of the tunes that will be on the album ad a-side jam 'Shooby Dooby' is a futuristic wedge of bubbling analogue funk, Synth bass powers it along and then some textbook Aru-2 talk box vocals add extra spice. On the flip is B-side 'Boost Step,' which heads down a more laidback and downtempo vibe with funk vibes and synth solos leading the way.

Review: Given their combined talents, you'd expect any collaborative album crafted by Andrew Ashong and Kaidi Tatham to be nigh-on essential. Happily, we can confirm that Sankofa Season, their first joint album, is ruddy, bloody brilliant (as Alan Partridge might say). Richly soulful, quietly jazzy and wholeheartedly positive from start the finish, the set sees them jump between deep jazz-funk, hazy contemporary soul, jazzy broken beat, breezy Latin soul, organic deep house and immersive, slow-motion soundscapes. Throughout, Tatham's organ, keyboard and piano work is highly impressive and Ashong's vocals are every bit as sumptuous as usual. Recommended.

Review: In a meeting between generations of broken beat titans, Andrew Ashong and Kaidi Thatham's Sankofa Season rightly earned classic status soon after its release in 2020, and now we're being taken back into the heart of these tracks with a heavyweight remix package from some serious talent. Mala's imperious dubstep touch brings some low-end pressure to 'Low Ceilings' or Shy One chopping up 'Learning Lessons' in her peerless deft style, there's a lot of ground covered by this considered gathering of minds. Special mention goes to Equiknoxx's Gavsborg and Shanique Marie, bringing a sweetly soulful touch to 'To Your Heart'.

Review: Back ion 2021, the relaunched Foliage Records imprint offered up a killer mix from NYC house legends Mood II Swing, the must-check Deep Rooted. Soon, the revitalised label will release a sequel, with long-serving British deep house don Atjazz at the helm. This sampler EP boasts six of the highlights from that set - all remixed and reworked by Atjazz himself. There's much to enjoy throughout, from the tense, slowly building deep-tech shuffle of Halo''s 'Glorty (Atjazz Galaxy Art Remix)'and the sun-splashed 6am bounce of Atjazz's remix of Dominique Fils-Aime's gorgeous 'Sun Rise', to the dreamy dancefloor wooziness of Ralf GUM's 'AWA' (re-imagined by Atjazz as an Osunlade-esque spiritual house workout) and the jazzy, bass-guitar-propelled broken house excellence of 'On The Road (Vocal Mix)', a three-way collab between Atjazz, Kelli Sae and The Realm.

Review: Australian band The Bamboos have been holding down things on the funky side of town since 2001, gaining fans all over the world with their authentic, dirty funk nuggets. In the same vein as bands like El Michels Affair or Breakestra, these guys are students of the classic breaks that underpinned the sample-hungry glory days of hip-hop. They've also had the incredible honor to back up some of funk's most revered names, notably New Orleans hit-machine Eddie Bo, Syl Johnson and Eddie Floyd.

Ahead of their new album 4 comes single "On The Sly", a perfect slice of mid-tempo joy, which has the same rollicking cowbell-driven vibe as classic UBB staple "Get Me Back On Time, Engine Number 9" by Wilson Pickett. Soulsides MC and singer Lyrics Born joins them on 2nd cut Turn It Up, another popcorn funk winner complete with chicken-scratch guitar parts worthy of James Brown stalwart Jimmy Nolen. Hanging out with the Aussies seems to have rubbed off on the Californian MC, as he even sings "Turn it up mate" at one point! DJ's get taken care of with an accapella and an instrumental too, making this release a good way to put some funk back in your trunk.

Review: Having played a slew of inimitable and unforgettable television comedy characters over the past decade or so, from Toast of London's Stephen Toast to Douglas Reynholm in The IT Crowd, Dixon Bainbridge in The Mighty Boosh and Todd Rivers in Garth Marenghi's Darkplace, you could be forgiven for expecting Matt Berry to use songwriting and music as another form of hilarious release. That's definitely not the case. There's plenty of release on I Gotta Limit, but this is anything other than satire. The first new music to come from Berry's 2025 album, Heard Noises, the two tracks here are pure joy, authentic and genuinely impressive on a technical level. Exchanging lines in a duet with Kitty Liv for the titular number, the vibe is part Northern Soul, part psych rock, and pretty much all completely captivating.

Review: Having landed his debut album Bosq Y Orchestra De Madera on Ubiquity Records back in 2013, Bosq will be returning with his second long player on the Californian label later this year. Take Over is the second 12" laid down as a precursor of what Bosq has up his sleeve and the Boston-based Whisky Baron is certainly on good form. Known for his towering vocal contributions to Fela's Egypt 80, Benin-born / Nigerian-raised singer Kaleta once again lines a Bosq production in lead cut "Take Over", and it might just be their heaviest collaboration yet! The Less Patient edit adds a bit of dancefloor weight to the track. Flip for the dense, delay heavy afrobeat burner "Bounce And Pull Up" which features some devilish horns from Evan Laflamme.

Review: First up on the freshly minted Bacalao imprint is Bosq, a Ubiquity Records contributor renowned for his blends of funk, soul and sweaty South American music. While the heavy horns featured on this release were recorded in Bogota, the producer's usual Colombian flavour takes a back seat as he joins forces with Kaleta to deliver two covers of Fatback Band classics. First up is "Goin' To See My Baby", which is re-imagined as a fuzzy funk workout rich in rasping horns, tropical guitar flourishes and woodblock-driven Latin disco percussion. Arguably even better is the duo's cover of "Backstrokin'", which is given a Barrio-funk flavour complete with prominent bass, heavy-hitting horn motifs and excitable lead vocals.

Review: You'd expect a collaboration between Columbia-based fusionist Bosq, Ibibio Sound System's horn section and vocalist Kaleta to be pretty darn good, and 'Song For Ehi' most certainly is. Inspired by a combination of classic Edo-funk, Afro-disco and reggae disco, the A-side original version delivers a near perfect mix of timbales-sporting dub disco grooves, reverb-laden lead vocals, Afro-funk guitar licks, Afrobeat-esque organ licks and punchy horns. The track's inherent dubbiness is further explored on the flipside revision, which adds extra layers of percussion and the kind of breathless dancefloor weight that marks out the greatest dub disco workouts. In a word: essential!

Review: In case you're not aware of the Whiskey Barons, they've been brewing up a cosmic fusion of Afro beat, disco and just a dash of dub for a few years now, knocking out occasional cheeky 12s on labels like Flavorhead. Here we find one half of the Boston duo teaming up with Nigerian singer Kelata for some full-on vocal afro antics. "More Heavy" is a supreme slice of contemporary Afro funk that's been produced with the loose but loopy production you'd expect to hear on a DFA release back in the day. "Dem Know", meanwhile, pounds a deep hypnotic groove allowing Bosq's horn, Hammond and guitar recipe bubble freely. Majestic stuff.

Review: Soul jazz fusion at its finest, the Whiskey Barons' Bosq teases us with two treats from his forthcoming album. The NYC 91 mix of "Up & Down" is an organic jam session that Masters Of Work would be proud to put their name to. With a magical meandering sax lead and just enough weight on the drums, it's an instant soul seducer. The Nigeria 76 mix lives up to its title in every way, too... Upbeat rhythm fusion, tight horn calls and a lush liquid wah wah effect on the guitars, it certainly wouldn't have gone amiss in Lagos back in its musical heyday

Review: American born/Colombia-based producer Ben Woods aka Bosq, and Benin-born vocalist/guitarist Leon Ligan-Majek aka Kaleta follow up on the success of their recent collaboration with Purple Disco Machine, and build on their nearly 10 years of working together with their new Afro disco number 'Ipade'. It features Kaleta's trademark chants and exclamations in a mix of Yoruba and English, over sleek rhythms, a ripping horns section and one funky bassline. Over on the flip, get down deeper into the groove with the lo-slung swagger of 'Ariya Tide'.

Review: This seven from the Originals label perfectly encapsulates what the series is all about, pairing a track whose elements have been sampled numerous times over with perhaps the best example of how it was musically reinterpreted. Even if you don't know "Up Above The Rock", the title track from the 1968 LP by Philadelphia based jazz pianist and composer Ray Bryant, by name you'll immediately recognise it's distinctive break and piano riff. This latter element was incorporated superbly on the early 90s hip hop cut "On The Run" from Kool G Rap and DJ Polo which lines the B Side, slowed down somewhat but still distinctively the work of Bryant.

Review: The Sitar Beat series is built with the DJ in mind - collecting some of the wildest, heaviest and most psychedelic Indian funk recorded and presenting it loud, and ready for the turntable. The first four volumes were assembled by one Indian music aficionado... For the first time, a "guest compiler" was brought in to lace you with some obscure goodies for volume five. As always, we continue the dig into Indian deep funk and psycho-psychedelic masterpieces recorded for the Bollywood film industry. And this time we're even going straight to Indian VHS Videotapes to issue incidental music never before released on vinyl... Sitar Beat Volume Five offers up the sought after title track from RD Burman's "Burning Train" soundtrack alongside Indo-disco (including one helluva Kraftwerk rip off!) and promises to be the first time that many of these songs are heard by the record-buying public - at least in this form. Edits remove any bobbing and weaving, leaving funk that only flies straight ahead!

Review: Raw, hard and guttural blues here from obscure female Chicago singer Frances Burr on Jazzman's uber-collectable Juke Box Jams label. It's backed up by a hard-driving, pepped-up and rowdy KJ Trio, resulting in a piano banging, sax honking, drums clattering dinked 45!

Review: Bouncing his time between Antibalas and his Marcos Garcia and Chico Mann projects, Chico returns after several years of silence with a sweet slice of lolloping broken soul. With its soft padded synths and cotton wool hug of Kendra Morris's vocals, there's a delicate tumble to proceedings as we nod and slide into a sound that's remained in its own soul universe since emerging almost 20 years ago. When done as well and with as much authenticity as this, it's timeless.

Review: If the rich history of US gospel soul, funk and disco gets your juices flowing, you need this new 12" from Joaquin 'Joe' Claussell in your life. As with many of the storied producer's edit-focused 12" singles, it has been pressed in limited quantities and should therefore be grabbed before all the copies disappear. On the A-side he offers up a tidy, dancefloor-focused tweak of Crowns of Glory's hard-to-find 1976 gospel soul cut "Lord, Look At Your People", brilliantly teasing out the intro before unleashing the song in all its inspiring righteousness. Over on the flip Clausell turns his attention to the Clavinet-heavy, Blaxploitation-era gospel disco anthem that is Keith Barrow's equally as inspired 1977 gem "A World Of Lonely People".

Review: In "Deep Mouthed Kiss" the New York poet Samantha Coerbell has written one of the most evocative, illuminating texts on the subject and London musicians Kros [Lorinson & Raven] have provided an appropriately potent sonic accompaniment. As Coerbell contemplates the full gamut of emotions experienced by mystified lovers who are "like teenagers in a stairwell", Lorinson and Raven deploy anything from unconventional percussion [a Pringles tin!] to slide guitar, bass, drums and backing vocals to create an entrancing stream of sounds. The African, dub and rock overtones of the arrangement betray the influence of anybody from Meshell Ndegeocello to Jill Scott to the Beach Boys. On the B-side of the single Kros show their versatility with the piece "Day Is Long". African percussion is still prevalent but the groove is much more physical and upbeat, surging into funk-rock territory courtesy of a hard-edged bassline and full-blooded guitar solos. From Gil Scott-Heron and Malcolm Cecil to Saul Williams and Krust, the collaborations between American poets and British musicians have been fruitful. The union of Samantha Coerbell, an exceptional writer able to make a few words linger in the mind for a long time and Kros, imaginative, progressive musicians able to sound like much more than a duo, is a rich addition to this lineage.

Review: Cool Million has long been synonymous with the boogie funk style, which is sadly a genre lost by the late 1980s. Collaborating with singers spanning eras from the 80s to today, they bridge generations of soul, funk, and boogie. Here they work with English soul sensation Kenny Thomas, known for his UK Top 40 hits, who is a cornerstone of the original UK soul scene, boasting eight Top 40 singles and two Top Ten albums. His track 'Without Your Love' exemplifies this genre, a driving uptempo anthem with a funky uplift. The accompanying dub version enhances its appeal for DJs worldwide, affirming its place in contemporary record bags.

Review: Given that Hard Fist's first two releases hit home hard, hopes are naturally high for the imprint's third 12". Whereas releases one and two were solo EPs, Princes of Abzu is something of an all-star affair. Label founders Cornelius Doctor and Tushen Rai join forces for the excellent, Acid Arab-esque opener "Place Du Pont", while Jakam's superb "Tribes" brilliantly joins the dots between Afro-house, Middle Eastern exotica and, most thrillingly of all, spiritual jazz. Elsewhere, Shadi Khries' "Semsemeh" is a dark and atmospheric chunk of psychedelic acid-jack and Timothy Clerkin's fuzzy and aggressive "Akama" is a mid-altering analogue chugger.

Review: This superb new 7" from Private Stock Records is both banging and sexy. The opening side has 'Slapture' and finds Daniel Crawford and Amber Navran flipping an iconic original hip-hop joint and smoothing it out into something that teases and pleases above plenty of slapping Stro Elliot with adds extra allure. On the flip, King Most's 'Kiss The Girls (& Make Them Cry) is a mix of digital synths and languid bass with a lute grove and hooky vocals all working to get you in the mood. Both sides are great additions to your shelves.

Review: Wild Oats graduate K15 appears here under the Culross Close moniker, a title that is perhaps reserved for slower, deeper, and more beautiful things such as this latest six-tracker for Japan's Sound Of Speed. "Home" kicks things off with a mild-paced, sun-kissed groove for the downtempo heads, "Meditations" is a distinctly jazzy moment, "Fatherless Boys" takes us back to Dego-like broken beat years, and "Spark!" heads back to the Blue Note for some more jazz experimentation. Over on the B-side, "Requiem+Reflections" nods to house and salutes funk, whereas "(Faith)" meanders its placid waters through a long, meditative river of harmony. Beautifully executed music, end of.

Review: UK legend Dego and killer keys-man Kaidi Tatham have been in a rich vein of form of late, dropping brilliant EPs on Eglo, Sound Signature and Rush Hour (the latter under their 2000Black alias). Here, they return to Eglo with four more slices of warm, rich, soul-flecked fluidity. As with previous outings, much of the material has a laidback jazz-funk feel, particularly "Orbiting Uhara" and the delicious "The Vault Descends" (think bustling bruk rhythms and darting boogie synths). They also offer up some tougher, synth-laden bruk-funk in the shape of "Man Made", while "Black Is Key" sees them unfurl a head-nodding vocal roller.

Review: Yes Eglo! Alex Nut and crew turn to two elder statesmen of London beat science in Dego and Kaidi Tatham for a killer induction into the art of crafting 'broken beat bullets'. For those who don't possess the necessary knowledge, Dego is the most familiar handle of Dennis McFarlane, founding member of 4Hero and responsible for so much good music over the years, and Tatham has an equally important role in the whole Broken Beat movement, being an integral member of the Bugz In the Attic collective. The pair have worked together previously on numerous occasions and they are on top form here with lead track "Ankle Injury" demonstrating a perfect balance of melody and crafty rhythm. Imagine Theo and Floating Points collaborating and your heads in the right spot to enjoy this track and "Acting Up On That Shit Don't Count" which is the sort of music you could imagine RAMP to be making if they were on the rise today. Do check the sumptuous piano and Rhodes vibes on final cut "Carrots & Sesame"!!

Review: Illegal Jazz Vol. 2 was a strictly limited edition drop that sold out in double quick time. Thankfully the Illegal Jazz label treats us to a second edition that is packed with just as much joyous disco, jazz and funk heat. All four of these joints from the 70ies are masterfully reworked by Delfonic & Kapote. The first cut is a bouncy one with big chords, the second has an irresistible samba shuffle, '
Maison Rejam' gets down and dirty and 'Garrett Rejam' layers up the silky house drums with warming Rhodes.

Review: Delfonic & Kapote makes a welcome return to their Illegal Jazz series. This is a seventh instalment and it's another bobby dazzler with four cuts all reworked for the dancefloor. Opening the party is 'Groove Head Rejam' with a low slung swagger, noodling guitar riffs and lovely glossy hi hats. 'Power Journey Rejam' is a deep one with chords to warm your heart and instrumental disco riffs to get you going before 'Imparable Rejam' brings a more steamy percussive vibe that is loose limbed and seductive. 'I Like Music Rejam' is a big party starter with horn stabs, lively vocals and wooden hits.

Review: King Storm and The Steadies share the bill on the new 7" label from Stix/Big Single - Killer Jamaica style remixes of Diana Ross and Isley Brothers - For fans of Stix etc.

Review: Japanese talent DJ Koco aka Shimokita is a hardcore 45rpm devotee. They are his chosen tools as a beat-juggling DJ who can do logic-defying things with his grooves. He is a regal on Bloom and already dropped serious heat in January with 'World Famous'. This time he is back with a fresh take on 'Made In New York' which is a 1985 classic by renowned Brazilian funk and jazz pianist Tania Maria. He brings his signature hip-hop flair and creativity with his trusted crew, 45trio, and enlists the dynamic saxophonist King TJ (DA-Dee-MiX) to elevate things further.

Review: Fresh 7" single bizness by DJ Marky, Makoto and Kez YM, all of whom lend their hands to nu-funk and disco on this fresh two-sider from Japan. 'You're The One (You're My Number One)' covers the eponymous 1983 disco cut by Katie Kissoon, but this rendition contains fresh vocals by featuring singer Sally Green. The flipside, meanwhile, flaunts an original.'Chameleon', with Takumi Kaneko from Cro Magnon handling keyboards, before offering up the track for a moody 'live' house edit by DJ Kawasaki.

Review: Limited upfront DJ promo like the "Enuff" 12". Comes with a full colour sticker on sleeve like "Enuff" . This remix record comes from the Neptunes/Pharrell school of swing beats, a track most definitely recorded for the more "jiggy" orientated dancefloors.

Review: Jalapeno jive maestro Soupasoul had another standout year, in 2024 and only heightened his reputation for crafting exceptional edits that bring new life into funk standards and hidden gems. With a sharp focus on the groove-rich breaks, he is back once again with another instalment that will ignite dance floors everywhere. This time his scorching rework of 'Give It Up' spotlights dynamic horn interplay and soulful jazzy choruses and 'Rock Steady' celebrates Aretha's powerful vocals paired with a killer breakbeat. These finely tuned edits honour the originals while adding fresh energy.

Review: Fast-fingered mash-up merchant and lauded scalpel fiend DJ Soopasoul can usually be relied upon to bring the goods. In fact, we've yet to hear an edition of his "Soopastole Edits" series that doesn't include the kind of sure-fire, party-starting fare guaranteed to get any DJ out of a dancefloor hole of their own making. Should you still doubt the validity of this statement, we suggest you check this timely reissue of the series' second volume, which has been going for serious bucks online. On side A you'll find a suitably punchy, funky and chunky revision of Kool & The Gang's Gene Redd produced 1970 jam "Give It Up" - the original source of one of hip-hops most familiar breakbeats - with a tight, club-ready revision of Aretha Franklin classic "Rock Steady" on the flip.

Review: Jalapeno jive maestro Soupasoul has been a busy funkateer this year. Not least with this impeccable edit series. Subtly resculpting funk standards and forgotten classics with full emphasis on the breaks they blessed us with, every single "45 has been a dancefloor riot... Not least this jam hot take on "Give It Up" and "Rock Steady". The former is full focus on the tight horn Q&A and those classic jazzy swoons on the chorus while the latter is all about Aretha's gutsy vocals and that killer breakbeat. Only 250 copies pressed... Soop soop!

Review: Jalepeno Records regular DJ Soopasoul launched his amusingly titled Soopastole Edits series at the tail end of 2016, serving up a tasty seven-inch single that boasted rock solid re-rubs of a couple of party-starting classics. He's at it again on this follow-up. On the A-side, he takes his rusty scalpel to Kool & The Gang's meandering, 1970 instrumental cut "Give It Up", emphasizing the original's killer break and snaking saxophone lines. On the flip he takes a similar approach to reworking Aretha Franklin's peerless "Rock Steady", subtly tightening up the groove whilst emphasizing the bumping nature of the original beats.

Review: It's taken them a while - 13 years in fact - but Agogo's hip-hop and soul-fired Resense offshoot has finally reached half a century of releases. As you'd expect, they've pulled out all the stops for 45 number 50, offering up a couple of confirmed floor-slayers. French DJ/producer (and label regular) Djar One handles side A, brilliantly reworking and tooling up a fiery chunk of Latin boogaloo/calypso fusion with the aid of some deliciously up-tempo, club-rocking breakbeats ('Smart Cakypso'). Over on the flip, San Francisco's King Most reaches for the delay and reverb on a tough, head-nodding and toe-tapping re-edit of Sam & Dave classic 'Hold On, I'm Coming'. They say you should never tamper with the classics, but King Most's take on this particular anthem is a genuinely brilliant alternative take.

Review: Second chapter of the 'Inside' series of various artists eps selected by Neroli's very own Volcov. This time with a more eclectic approach than the previous volume, exploring more electronic landscapes with Domu's downtempo ambience song aptly titled 'Point Of Entry' and Jamal Moss's unmistakable sound on his opus 'Black Hands Sound 63' on the first side. On the flipside Mother Tongue's own Patrick Gibin returns with another bouncing collaboration with Kaidi Tatham entitled 'Don't Read' and new upcoming wonder producer EDB serves 'You Bring Me Joy' with the help of Alberto Lincetto on keys and NTS resident Marshmello on vocals!

Review: Double A's 'Gotta be a Sucka 4 Luv' finally hits vinyl after two years of digital anticipation. This funk and soul-infused track is an instant party starter, boasting snappy drums, a catchy bassline, and horn stabs galore. It's a dancefloor anthem with undeniable energy and groove, perfect for any occasion. On Side-2, King Most's 'Standing Out' delivers classic funk and r&b vibes with a killer male vocal and infectious beats. This fun filled vinyl pressing ensures that these digital-only gems can now spin on turntables, bringing their timeless sounds to both collectors and DJs alike. Don't miss out on these essential additions to your music collection!

Review: Having already delivered a multi-artist EP of Reggae Dynamite earlier in the year, nostalgia-fired producer Neil Anderson serves up a speedy sequel on his popular Original Gravity label. Toaster Melbourne Douglas kicks things off with the ska-flavoured cheeriness of 'Rudy Skanking on the Moon', before returning later in the EP with slowed-down, rocksteady style reggae fuzziness of 'Rude Boy Don't Fight'. Elsewhere, label regulars (sorry) the Regulators deliver a high-tempo, Hammond-heavy instrumental workout (the excellent 'Caymanas Park Rocket'), while King Deadly layers languid organ solos over a more dub-wise groove on EP standout 'Joshua a Mek Riddim Run'.

Review: A limited collection of vocal mixes, instrumentals and edits of an eclectic mix of gangster rap, hip-hop-funk and old skool from the '70s and '80s golden era of hip-hop. Featuring a vocal feature from a fresh faced Snoop Dogg on Dr Dre's 'Nuthin' But A G Thang', and Kool Moe Dee's underappreciated tongue-in-cheek 'Go See The Doctor' - both with accompanying instrumentals on Side B. Accessories to these two hits are the instrumental to 2005 R&B banger 'Just Dance' by Lenisha Nelson, who unfortunately never broke through to a mass audience, and the 1974 debut song 'Do It ('Till You're Satisfied)' from the New York funk group Brooklyn Transit Express (B. T. Express). A unique mix of throwbacks to American artists during the peak moments of their respective genres, and the highest quality instrumentals you might ever get from these songs.

Review: Sole Aspect takes us around the world and to the studios of artists based across Madrid, Switzerland, Los Angeles and Detroit on The Mystic Embrace EP. Opening it up is Ernes Joey & Robbin Hauz with 'U Should Know' (feat Shea Doll - Age Of Rage remix) which is a version by Dubbyman alongside Dan Piu with some delightfully jazzy keeps, seductive deep house drums and aching vocals full of heart. The original is a stripped-back sound with less melodic luxuriousness but the still superb vocal front and centre. Dubbyman then mixes Klima Project's 'Sweetback' into a mid-tempo, cuddly back room deep house sound and Patrice Scott Reshapes it with some crystal-cut synth lines that bring cosmic charm.

Review: For those in the know, this is a highly anticipated 7" release of the iconic Japanese lo-fi and jazzy hip-hop gem 'Your Wo Matte' by Dweet x Kenichiro Nishihara. Originally crafted by the hit producer Nishihara and acclaimed rapper Dweet, this lush jam draws inspiration from Ahmad Jamal's 'Dolphin Dance' and features a beautiful piano melody and a refined beat which has helped it to earn its place as one of Japan's finest in the hip-hop genre. The B-side delight 'RE: Vibe' offers a soothing blend of Dweet's uplifting lyrics and after so many years with this one being hard to find, this reissue makes it widely availed for all, which is just how it should be with good music.

Review: Take a trip into the beating heart of Japanese nu-jazz with this essential single of two distinct halves ask intrinsically linked to each other. On the A side, Kyoto Jazz Massive's spin-off band Echoes Of A New Dawn Orchestra get their version of 'Substream' reworked by DJ Kawasaki, who creates a razor sharp edit laced with all kinds of funk-oriented grooves, available exclusively on this 7". On the flip, Kyoto Jazz Massive themselves get remixed by Parisian duo Mochi Men on 'This Feeling'. There's pre-existing relationships between all the players on this standout release, making it a cohesive perspective on the corner of the scene Kyoto Jazz Massive and their associated projects occupy.

Review: For its third outing, AWEH has a brilliantly and much anticipated collaboration between label head Esa and Soweto based South African Kwaito legend Kamazu. The music was made between 2020 and 2022 and is a perfect fusion of new school electronics and authentic and traditional musicianship that also pays testament to the power of musical synergy and South African cultural awareness. 'Shukuma' is a deep house tune with Afro vocals percussion bringing it to life in all new ways. After the dub comes 'Muntu' (feat dirty Bungalow) which is like a classic Chicago house cut with more Afro vocals and fresh percussive sounds and patterns.

Review: The Fantastic Freeriding's "The Next Chapter EP" contains four flamin' new tracks by all Switchstance heads, painting the by now trademark collage of the label's various styles all anew in bright and shiny colours. Opening the EP is Gypsy Soul by Kabanjak - a dreamy yet percussive reflection that takes you right back to a campfire near the mediterranean shore. New March is pure Protassov: Beats, way fatter than his own bum, plus sounds, melodies and samples that go their own ways but always right forward. Deela here makes a glorious return (were they ever gone?) with Ghost Song, a fine specimen of broken beats that is sure to rock the more advanced dancefloors. Closing the EP is an uptempo funk track that was conceived right after Ancient Astronauts survived their first DJ trip to beautiful Greece - involving hardly any sleep, a near plane crash and totalling at a hectic 36 Hours. All tracks on the "The Next Chapter EP" are exclusives and not included on the album of the same name, to be released in July '06. "From spliffed up beats to jazzed out grooves, Switchstance is the source for dope tracks across the board!" - Fort Knox Five (USA) , "From Jazz to Cinematic sounds, from Rare Groove to Reggae and from Hip Hop to Post Rock: this is a trip and you'll go far beyond ! Congratulations for the album, this is really good!" - Kid Loco (FR), "Thank God for Switchstance! Mellow, deep, dubby freeriding for the folks out there that wonder what happened to Kruder and Dorfmeister. Now I've got my soundtrack for Summer!" - Gunnar Hissam (Om Records/USA), "I enjoy the many different shades & moods of the music presented here, hold together by a passion for funky hip-hop breaks & laidback atmospheres. Relaxed, soulful & deep while still danceable. I'm lovin' the whole compilation!" - David Borsu (Counterpoint Rec./B), "Switchstance Recordings continue establishing their unique sounds with another strong release. Respect!" - Karsten John (Vinyl Vibes/D), "Great label that always brings the funk!" - Rob Life (Breakin Bread Rec./UK), "Expect to see "36 Hours" as No. 1 in my next chart, it's a Jelly Jaz rocker cut!" - Pete Isaac (Jelly Jazz/UK), "Amazing EP!!! Chart: #1 This really really blew me away! All amazing tracks but will be caining the '36 Hours' track this time next year! Fast & funky! will be in the box for a few months!" - Diesler (Tru Thoughts/UK.)

Review: Disco Hamam's Hamam House launched in 2014 and they've left us hanging at a lonely taverna table ever since... Knowing the party would warm up once again. Three years later, it truly has an a largely Turkish collective lay down a supreme collection of eastern funk trips. Fattish's "Gel Seher" adds a little swaggering house beat beneath the soaring vocals and strings, Kozmonotosman gets mischievous with a loose-string twang jam while Kurt Adam enshroud us with a strangely percussed subverted lounge ballad. Tokyo Matt takes a final roll of the dice with a tropical finale laced with fretless bass finesse.

Review: Clap City reissue this glimmering eighties pearl first outputted by the Hartford, Connecticut outpost WFAB Records; their only release, in fact. The highly obscure First Approach Band come second only to the further bedimmed name of featuring artist Karen Santos. Now out on a newly edited 7" replete with a neat new j-card, 'Never Knew' and 'Mister Love' are two hooking establishers of style by the band and singer in combo; both tracks deal in a machinic disco-funk repetitiousness, and come gravied by a synthetic sports whistle to top off its vocal counterclaims of ignorance.