Back catalogue: Funky/Club House

Review: First released a decade ago and revisited periodically ever since, Arftul and Ridney's collaboration with UK soul queen Terri Walker is a 21st century house classic. This 10th anniversary edition - released in limited numbers for Record Store Day 2023 - pairs fresh revisions with classic reworks. Michael Gray steps up with a funk-fuelled, disco-tinged revision, before the insanely talented Opolopo opts for a deeper, jazz-funk-flecked revision that's as classy as it is soulful. Elsewhere, Eric Kupper's 'Directors Cut Tribute To FK' version is a strings-and-piano-laden treat, while Ridney's own 'Rework' is a tasteful, piano-sporting deep house shuffler.

Review: It's (almost) summertime which means all bets are off, sets get more playful, DJs slacken their own usual rules and reach into a wider world of vocal, uplifting sounds to please sun burnt dancers. Enter this reissue of Michel Cleis's stone-cold Ibiza classic 'La Mezcla.' It's got a chunky groove, fluttering flutes that bring Latin flair and carnival vibes aplenty. This 12" also comes with two remixes - Paul Kalkbrenner flips it into a deeper, more loose and languid groove with tribal funk and the Charles Webster club mix is pure warm and soulful goodness.

Review: Dancin' The Mambo (The Reflex Revision) grooves with infectious disco energy, seamlessly blending Chic-esque rhythms with early piano house vibes. The Reflex's revision injects new life into this 1980 gem, maintaining its French flair while adding modern twists. With its pulsating basslines and irresistible beats, this track is a testament to the timeless allure of disco music. Perfect for igniting dancefloors, its vibrant energy captures the essence of a bygone era while feeling fresh and exciting for contemporary audiences. Prepare to be transported to a world where disco reigns supreme and every beat compels you to move.

Review: What would it be like to be invincible? An ecstatic funky house climax from the dream team of music-maker Michael Gray and singer Tatiana Owens, new one 'Invincible' channels the pure excitement of real love and connection, lyrically equating that excitement to feeling as if nothing could slow us down. Speaking of "common love" and "every day and every day", this is an unstoppable single, with its impenetrable march forward backed up by piano chords, stabbing string hits and punchy fills. Don't miss the B-side 'You Got To Remember', nor the live performed version on YouTube!

Review: The esteemed Michael Gray is back once again with his superb house sounds, this time on Sultra with 'Save Me.' An extended mix of the title cut opens up and is the sort of glorious crossover anthem that will unique any crowd with its clean and soulful vocals, pristine sax notes and swooning strings, all married to a breezy and effortlessly catchy groove. After the dub version comes 'Ivy' which is another accessible, heart-swelling and radio friendly house sound that harks back to the proper songwriting days of yore, then 'Season High' closes with a bright synth one that twists and turns next to celebratory chords and singalong vocals.

Review: A momentous move from neon-soaked electro outfit Justice hears them team up with the like-minded thrower-backers Tame Impala for a "why didn't anyone think of this before?" EP, 'Neverender'. Released hot off the plate of a recent Alexandra Palace show, the just duo are heard to tip the lady's scales towards miscarriage, following their last LP Hyperdrama with a single tort of regret. Kevin Parker's unmistakable countertenor floats above the track's nightridden house mix like a beamer trailing its driver's emotions in its exhaust fumes: "Because I remember / The hardest of times I / don't forget / Neverender." An ode to "can't unsee", it also comes backed by remixes by Kaytranada and Rampa.

Review: Spencer Morales taps into the most lavish and soulful end of the house spectrum here with a glorious new single 'What Cha Gonna Do With My Lovin.' The glossy and sophisticated production oozes charm and high end touches while the vocals are as pure as they come - soaring, full of soul and nicely in sync with the rolling beats and golden chords, sumptuous strings and loose percussion. On the flip, 'You Gonna Make Me Love Somebody Else' is a rework of a disco classic with another catchy vocal and more infectious soulful house grooves.

Review: Almost a quarter century into his recording career, Mousse T has not lost his ability to create party-starting anthems, even if he's consciously moved away from the heavily compressed, filter-happy disco-house sound of old. "Rock The Mic" - his first release for Defected's revivalist disco offshoot Glitterbox - sounds like an anthem in the making; a cheery disco beast built around live-sounding drums, simmering strings and Plantlife style, P-funk-inspired hip-house vocals. The accompanying remixes come from dusty-fingered crate digger turned disco don Kon. As well as a warm "Remix" rich in warm electric piano riffs and authentic disco instrumentation, the Brooklyn producer also serves up a fine Instrumental take and a handy Acapella.

Review: Toolroom's house imprint keeps the party pumping with another diverse selection of floor-filling weapons. Grant Nelson & Mark Knight lead the charge with 'Do It Y'all', a track that's been tearing up charts and dancefloors with its raw energy and irresistible rhythm for a while now. But this sampler doesn't simply rest on its laurels; it takes us on a winding path through the multifaceted sounds of house music. The Deepshakerz & Turntables Night Fever follow up with 'Oh Phunk!', a high-energy stomper fueled by a relentless rhythm section and soulful vocal samples that hark back to the golden age of house music. Richard Earnshaw, however, opts for a different approach, reimagining Fonda Rae's classic 'Touch Me' with a touch of soulful depth and emotion. Sebb Junior closes out the sampler with 'Makes Me Feel', a track brimming with bright melodies and feel-good vibes, showcasing the playful side of house music. This sampler is a showcase for the label's dedication to quality house music that offers listeners a diverse range of beats that are both good for the dancefloor and any discerning DJs.

Review: Rebirth invites us to go back, way back, to the Italian underground techno scene of the 90s with this new selection of alternate versions, unheard gems and certified classics. Oneiric & Vortex open up with a tune that brings to mind the warmth of Motor City techno on 'Oasi' before GNMR layer up supersized hi hats and seriously weighty beatdown drums, Populous offers the loopy melodic delight of 'Barragan' and G-Connection heads into the cosmos with the dreamy ambient of 'Free Your Spirit', a perfect mood build if ever we heard one. Two further gorgeously blissed-out post-rave comedown sounds close out this gem of an EP.

Review: The T Recs label has another playful funky house offering here on hand-stamped blue wax. The opener is awash with samples you will recognise if you are of a certain vintage and enjoyed chart music in the 90s. The loopy synths borrow from French filter house and the bassline bobbles with a great sense of funk with the erotic vocal coos add the heat up top before some big male vocals finish it in style. The flipside is a backup of the same tune just in case you play out the A-side too much.

Review: Slick, plinky-plonky hip disco editry/reissue-tastics from Peppermint Records, who celebrate their 30th anniversary in style with the first in a series of edits and remixes on vinyl. First up is a 7" version of T-Ski Valley's 'Catch The Beat', featuring an edit of Dimitri from Paris & Mousse T's classic Oldskool mix, flipped with the 'Special remix instrumental' on the B. Limited Edition - so act fast!

Review: Telefax Productions - mysterious musical masterminds formed by veteran producers with roots in the late 80s - finally drop a vinyl release of their 2024 breakout club anthem, 'Break This House Down'. It is an unashamedly revivalist hip-house banger backed by proper DJs like Honey Dijon and Luke Solomon and features fiery verses from rising Buffalo MC DeeVoeNay. Alongside the flame-hot original is a live band version with HR Nightmare, plus a rough and ready bruk remix from London's EVM128 and last but not least, a visceral acid house rework. This is a perfect example of how you balance nostalgia and freshness and do it right. The package is finished in style with fine artwork by KLF legend Jimmy Cauty.

Review: Four tracks from another new school Detroit name who's been around for decades, Tink Thomas, who returned to his first musical love - house - after forging a highly successful name for himself as a hip-hop and r&b producer, not least producing for Madonna's Maverick label. Although they would happily fit in alongside the latest Kyle Hall or Theo Parrish, thanks to some sexily syncopated work in the rhythmic department, there's a markedly different vibe to the likes of overtly disco-slanted rug cutter 'Gonna Make U Dance' and the prominently reggae flavoured overtones of 'Wat A Bam' and 'Mistic Flow', that means it'll stand out while knowing exactly how to keep the faithful on their feet. Irresistible.

Review: Welcome to the world Music Plan Records, whose first release - a fine multi-artist affair - offers up a quartet of nostalgic workouts variously influenced by deep, soulful and Mediterranean house flavours. Experienced producer Fabio Tosti opens proceedings with his own 'classic mix' of Logical Groove collaboration 'Take Me Down', a sunny and celebratory vocal house groove rich in dream house chords, funky disco bass, snaking sax sounds and stretched out piano solos, before Tosti dons the TNT Inc guise for a deeper, chunkier and more late-night friendly workout ('U Just Have To Deal', featuring the Robert Owens-esque vocals of Chappell). Elsewhere, The Deepshakerz 'Yamamba (3baltitz main mix edit)' is a heavily electronic Afro-house shuffler, while Tosti's '2023' version of his 'Shosholoza' is an Afro-tinged slab of locked-in house hypnotism with added jazzy piano riffs.

Review: Track Deluxe Records is based between Barcelona and Paris and this is its first vinyl release. It comes from the eponymous producer and brings plenty of feel good and funky vibes to summery house drums. 'Jackpotes' kicks off with happy piano chords and nicely undercooked drums topped with some subtle vocal swirls passed through a warm retro filter. 'Sing It Back' is an edit of the Molokai classic with plenty of colourful melodies, a new and funky skip in the beats and a hint of garage swing to finish it with a modern touch.

Review: The French feel-good maestros over at Treasure dig up another pair of gems from the vaults. This time F.R delivers two more killer reworks of certified classic cuts, each of which will hear you requisition the dancefloor, be that the opening cinematic trip-hop-jazz-house smoothings of 'Pearls' or the ensuing tribal spaces and wobbly washes of 'Makes Me Wonder'.

Review: Californian pair KG Superstar & B.Valentine join forces to bring plenty of island influences to some steamy and funky house music here. 'Get Up' features KG's expressive Jamaican style vocals with lots of B.Valentine ad libs which are designed to get those asses shaking and hands in the air. It's a perfect party time cut that comes in the form of FRZVL's Massive main mix and then a more clipped and funky dubstyle version. DJ Spinna then shows his class with his Galactic dub Vox which is all percussive energy and broken beat loops.

Review: Lausanne in Switzerland is not only home to the admirable Black Pattern Records imprint, but also sometime Street King and Mood Funk Records artist Dexter Troy (real name Alexandre Grazzola). Here, label and artist join forces for the first time to launch the latter's new series, The Double Take. The idea seems simple: Grazzola drops two fresh tunes, each of which gets reworked. The vibe of his original tracks is gritty, energetic and effects-laden disco house, with the gargantuan, Sylvester-sampling 'Needin' You' being followed by the deeper and more locked-in 'Without You', which incorporates elements from an Alicia Myers classic. DJ Sneak - a major influence on the sound explored on the EP - delivers an energetic, filter-sporting tease-and-release take on 'Needin' You', toughening it up in the process, before Groove P drops a more rubbery and expressively funky take on 'Without You'.

Review: A reissue of a 1988 house classic by DJ and producer Hipolito Torrales and company; 'You're Gonna Miss Me' is an incipient deep house classic, often described as one of its pangaeic moments, being an effective early production masterclass as well as a precursive blueprint for garage house. This fresh 12" version ' is a weightily produced stonker, with Cinthie's version channelling an extra low-middy grit, and Terry Farley and Wade Teo's version elbowing their way to string-laden euphoria with equal voracity. The original appears too, in all its raw, reissued charm.

Review: The latest V/A sampler record by Toolroom Records comes in the shadow of unfortunate news in regards to singer Kathy Brown, who, last we heard, was battling stage four cancer. Brown is the original featuring singer of Praxis' 'Turn Me Out'; her vocal contribution to the track has since gone sampled by many a deep and jackin' house producer, owing to its standout "work me with temptation" lyric, whose simple injunction and passionate delivery would seem to bottle the essence of an era (of overwork, of temptation, of desire). Now Toolroom continue to dedicate their latest releases to Brown in her honour; this time, her 'Turn Me Out' vocal is reworked into 'Turn Me Deeper', featuring a star cast of organ-synth peddling, deep house foundation-shattering producers (Wh0, Mark Knight, James Hurr), backed up by contributions by the likes of Shadow Child, Low Steppa and Maur as addenda.

Review: Left Coast electronic music producer Dave Aju and The Invisible Art Trio have joined forces once again to deliver Glossolalia, a powerful seven-song album that defies conventional genres and transcends cultural differences. Recorded during the COVID-19 pandemic at the legendary G-Son studios in Atwater Village LA, Glossolalia is a timely and uplifting call-to-action that reflects the turbulent times we live in. With its twisted grooves and every song's lyrics in complete gibberish, Glossolalia takes listeners on a complex and nuanced sonic journey that leaves us with as many questions as answers. It is a testament to the power of collaborative music-making and a reminder that, despite our differences, we are united by our love of music and our shared human experiences.

Review: TSHA's new album 'Sad Girl' i due for release on September 27th on Ninja Tune i contains her most danceable work to date. This is heard as much on the recent summer single 'Sweet Devotion', featuring Caroline Byrne: the first track she's been confidently able to slot between the New York and Chicago house and techno grooves of her acclaimed DJ sets. This danceability forms the backbone of the entire record, as we witness TSHA welcome in a new era, one in which she ushers in a new vocal order, and continues to carve out a sense of creative independence, rather than seeking approval from her musical peers. From the sizzling progressive future-powerpop of 'Girls' to the string-doused, motoric breaks ballad 'Drive', this is a glisteningly urbane record, one for authentic and sophisticated pop heads.