New releases last two weeks: Funk Soul & Jazz

Review: MURO Select presents yet another crucial 7" for Fourth Wave Record Factory for anyone whose ears prick up when it comes to Far Eastern soul, city pop and jazz cause this one has two of Hamada Kingo's urban mellow gems. He was a key figure in 80s city pop and AOR and his iconic track 'Dream Is Alive' from the Earthian image album makes its vinyl debut and is full of The flip side features 'Yokaze,' another standout urban mellow tune that captures the smooth, soulful vibe of his work and is perfect for those close listen bar sessions or the gentle moments early in the evening.

Review: For Fourth Wave Record Factory, MURO has put together a couple of new and exclusive 7" releases that feature two classic Japanese AOR tracks by artists who very much played a part in defining the sound. Firstly, Ginji Ito's smooth and soulful 'Heart and Soul,' originally from his tenth album, shines with mellow mid-tempo vibes and glossy vocals and melodies. On the flip side is 'Uwaki na Kare,' a beloved cover of a classic US disco track from Ritsuko Kazemi's third album that comes correct with a catchy, laid-back Saturday love groove. This release marks the first time these iconic songs have been pressed on 7".

Review: Mixed by Japanese producer and DJ Muro, who has a background in hip-hop, this connoisseur is never short on deep cuts and takes us on a journey through soulful, vintage AOR sonics from his home country. Whilst no two tracks are by the same artist, there's a cohesion to the tracklist thanks to Muro's ear in pulling out things that sit so well together. Asakawa Mak's 1988 cut 'American Night' is a smooth nod to sophisti pop greats Prefab Sprout; whilst Seri Ishikawa's elegant and lush number, 'Eternal 1/2', highlights how innovative she was in forging new sounds back in 1985. These two cuts are just the tip of the iceberg, yet this compilation is an ideal entry point to some of the finest Japanese music of the late 20th century. You can bank on Muro delivering the goods.

Review: Naya Beat, the LA reissues and reworks label gathering and recasting some of the most delicious sounds of the South Asian diaspora, gathers some of its standout digital-era reworks onto vinyl for the first time, offering a vibrant cross-section of global disco, house and experimental editry from its roster. At the centre is a brand-new reimagining of Asha Puthli's 'Our Love Is Making Me Sing' by Bernard Fevre, better known as Black Devil Disco Club, who brings to the fore his signature moody synth atmospheres. Also included is a pulsating disco mix of Pinky Ann Rihal's 'Party Tonight' by Turbotito & Ragz, already spun by the likes of CC:DISCO and Barry Can't Swim. JKriv then twists RD Burman's 'Birth of Shiva' into a house stomper laced with bansuri and squelching bass, while Daniel T. transforms 'Zindagi To Zindagi Hai' into a dubbed-out Bollywood journey.

Review: Geordie one-man production line Smoove's Multitrack Reworks series consistently delivers the goods, with the popular funk, soul, breaks and disco DJ/producer dropping fine, Reflex style revisions of both classic cuts and lesser-celebrated gems. He begins volume ten by reworking Steely Dan's 'Peg', a cut beloved of hip-hop DJs thanks to its killer drum-break and use in De La Soul's 'Eye Know'. His version makes great use of the multi-track stems, teasing out the break and slowly building the instrumental elements before unleashing the vocals. It's a genuinely great rework, as you'd expect. Over on the flip, he gives 'Baby Be Mine', with its' crispy drums, glistening disco guitars and squelchy synth-bass, a similar treatment, before successfully chopping up a heavy, percussion-laden deep AOR soul number ('This Time').