Back catalogue: Funk Soul & Jazz

Review: Brazilian producer Zopelar is a real wizard when at work in the studio. He has done disco-tinged full lengths, synth-laced house sounds, deeper than deep grooves and now steps up to Sudd Wax with another brilliantly musical EP. It opens with the shimmering pads and free-flowing keys of 'Papaia' which then gets a Byron The Aquarius Jazz Twist mix that cuts even more free and gets even more cosmic. 'Jazz Class' is a funky one with golden chords and astral pads and the flip brings three more house gems laced up with the sort of meaningful melodies you don't often hear in this genre.

Review: 18 months after a fantastic launch instalment courtesy of the mighty Danny Krivit, Mr Bongo's Edits series returns. This time round, it's Manchester legend and 'E Soul Cultura' specialist Luke Una at the controls. On the A-side he handles 'Love Games', an obscure slice of mid-80s South African disco by Thandi Zulu and The Young Five, cannily focusing on the warm, gently funky groove and the track's spacey synth solos. Over on the flip, the Electric Chair co-founder takes on Lionel Pillay's percussion, synth-and-organ classic 'Plum', stretching out the most dancefloor friendly sections before unleashing waves of solos and the original's saucer-eyed, sun-splashed instrumentation.

Review: Zackey Force Funk and XL Middleton joined forces on the boogie powered electro-disco album Blue Blade Piranha and served up a journey that fuses funk and electronica in fresh new ways. The album features Zackey's distinctive vocals, known for their raw energy, paired with XL Middleton's unrivalled production prowess. The result is a genre-defying experience, where funky basslines intertwine with futuristic beats that showcase this duo's ability to push sonic boundaries and create a groove-laden soundscape that nods to the past while embracing the cutting edge. With its infectious rhythm and experimental flair, the collaboration stands as a testament to innovation as well as being irresistible to the hips.

Review: Brand new compilation including Ohio soul supergroup Zapp & Roger's essential tracks. Flaunting a formidable repertory, including 'More Bounce To The Ounce' and 'Computer Love', Now Playing charts the rise and plateau of Roger Troutman, whose light still embers on; the match was lit in the early 1960s, during which time the breakout hits 'Jolly Roger' and 'Night Time' propelled Troutman to early successes. A career dip in the 1970s didn't stop him; it took until 1976 for Zapp to gestate and come to fruition, initially under the name Roger & The Human Body. As time went on, it became clear a snappier name was required, thus conceiving Zapp. Just ten tracks of instant-grat, Troutman and co. are heard here in full, time-capsuling swing.

Review: Latin funk music's best and brightest recollector-reissuers Vampi Soul continue to do what they do best with this latest reissue of the debut self-titled album by Zulu. One of the last great albums of the first wave of Peruvian rock,and originally released in 1974, Zulu was infamous for its linking of psych-tinged rock with Afro-Latin American beats and folk pop. The enigmatic Zulu (real name Miguel Angel Ruiz Orbegoso) was best known during his lifetime as a member of the bands Traffic Sound and Los Nuevos Shain, but his only solo album commands a unique aura as a numinous rarity, immediately pre-dating his latter-career immersion in the religious community. Reissued for the first time with the collaboration of Zulu, including extensive liner notes and one extra track, the likes of 'Si en el cielo yo viviera', 'Laberintos' and 'Candela' are pastoral gems of folk-cumbia and salsa, playing back with a level of sensitivity and texture that could only be born of a worthy spirit.