Back catalogue: Funky/Club House

Review: A classic that delivers the quintessential Euro house experience with its infectious energy and irresistible dancefloor appeal. This new yellow vinyl version brings flashbacks flooding in of the era's vibrant club scene through a mix of upbeat rhythms, catchy melodies and expansive remixes. Side-1 opens with the single version of 'More & More', a track that wastes no time diving into a groove-laden beat and euphoric synth lines. The extended mix that follows stretches the vibe even further, offering DJs and dance enthusiasts a longer ride through the track's pulsating, feel-good energy. Side-2 turns up the heat with the 'Underground' remix, which injects a deeper, more nocturnal edge into the track, perfect for late-night sets. The 'Trance Mix' closes the collection with an ethereal, sweeping take on the original, merging classic Euro house elements with hypnotic trance influences. This release is a love letter to the era of extended pleasure through remixes, capturing both the mainstream appeal and underground allure of Euro house.

Review: Don Carlos should by now be known to most house music crate-ologists as Carlo Troja from Verase, Italy -not Euvin Spencer from Kingston town. Alas, confusion still runs rampant over the ambiguity surrounding the Don Carlos name; if only they'd heard just how great this new EP from the former North Italian nuff-sayer truly was, they'd never forget the difference, of course! 'Italian Paradise' is a fresh, still dripping-wet house EP out via Groove Culture; its lightweight organ triplets, electric piano smears, and lens-fogged sunglass strings are what makes it *it*: a more than suitable release for hammock skygazing and/or wooly garment shedding.

Review: Marc Cotterell's 'Feel The Groove' EP is a vibrant, disco-infused collection that merges classic grooves with modern production. The title track, 'Feel The Groove', is a light, fun disco gem, capturing a funky 70s mood with a fresh UK garage twist and that xylophone magic touch. 'Get It Right' takes the funk further, building up to a filtered disco crescendo that's perfect for late-night floors, oozing with energy and sleek edits. On the flip side, 'My Groove' offers a deeper vibe, giving the EP a well-rounded feel with its rich bassline and smooth production. Finally, 'Work Me' is catchy and playful, bringing a polished sound that keeps the rhythm flowing. Altogether, 'Feel The Groove' is a solid pick for those craving both nostalgic and modern dancefloor moments.

Review: Amasser of over 100 million streams in 2024, 'Ora che non ho piu te' ('Now I No Longer Have You') was one of Italy's top electropop hits of 2024. Attracting a panoply of remixers for use in their own DJ sets, Mondo Groove now commit four of the choicest of said redoings to a vinyl press, enlisting such first magnitude stars as Benny Benassi and DJ Ralf. Progressing through fine layers of burbling synth and cooing sentiment, we're most taken, however, by Samuele Sartini's closer, which the roar of crowds into descending synth beneficences, causing all heaven to break loose.

Review: REPRESS ALERT!: Cruise Music marks its tenth EP by serving up what it says are "secret funky house weapons" and there isn't much wrong with their description. Danny Cruz kicks off with 'Shoulda Been You' which rides on smooth grooves and has gentle synth waves breaking over the beats as heartfelt vocal sounds rise out of the mix. Mark Funk's 'True Lies' brings a classic 90s vocal sample to a non-stop soul beat and the B-side has got Dirty Disco Stars going big and funky and glorious on 'Look Up' then Mirko & Meex Re-touch 'Young Hearts' .

Review: ***B-STOCK: Sleeve damaged but otherwise in excellent condition***


Smooth house master James Curd has a bunch of his succulent sounds remixed by a heavyweight roster of remixes here. First up Art of Tones layers in freewheeling synth loops and tough disco claps to his remix of 'Sunday Queen'. 'Sublime Mind' gets the Byron The Aquarius treatment and becomes a cosmic star-gazer with zoned-out pads and sweet beats. Add in some signature soul from Terrence Parker and another perfectly tracky house tool from the always-on form Rick Wade and you have a classy EP.

Review: ***B-STOCK: Sleeve damaged but otherwise in excellent condition***


For those who like kaleidoscopic synth sounds, nu-disco and 80s electrofunk nostalgia, the announcement of a collaborative single from modern disco maestro Purple Disco Machine and Canadian boogie revivalists Chromeo will be big news. Happily, 'Heartbreaker' is tons of fun, providing a perfect fusion of Purple Disco Machine's throbbing, cheery and uplifting take on nu-disco and the authentic synths, talkbox flourishes and eyes-closed vocals that have always marked out Chromeo's work. The A-side extended mix is particularly potent, but we're also massive fans of the alternate instrumental take, in which the uniqueness of the fusiuon - Moroder-ish bass, elongated mid-80s soft rock synth solos and glossy FM synth stabs - comes to the fore. To quote Alan Partridge, it's a copper-bottomed hit!

Review: US house champion Junior Sanchez lands on the legendary Planet E label here with new remixes of his 'Art-O-Fact' bringing plenty of funk and Motor City house sounds. The Detroit remix opens up and is a deft working of the groove with smart filters and bursts of sparkling arpeggios lighting up the speedy house beats. The Detroit Bass remix is a little heavier and with more low end, as you might expect from the title, and last of all the Detroit Beatless remix is a masterclass is emotive synth work that dances and teases in a cosmic night sky.

Review: Volume 4 of the Make Up series is another doozy and this one brings together accomplished house heads Camille, Chez Damier, and Nico Lahs in a celebration of underground disco classic "through the lens of 60's and 70's underground comix." Similar to these rebellious reads, the tracks on this release carved their niche with purists seeking distinct and thrilling sounds. Across the double album, Camille's contributions include Mystic Pleasure's 'Back Door (Getting Down)' and Cold Fire's 'Badder Than Bad' which both bring soulful melodies and infectious rhythms, Chez Damier adds Fascination's 'Shine My Love' and Bileo's 'You Can Win' with shimmering vocals and funky basslines and together, they make for an exhilarating mix of disco brilliance.

Review: Turkish-Italian DJ and producer Carla Frayman aka Carlita's debut album Sentimental comes on Ninja Tune and the lead single, 'The Moment,' features English producer SG Lewis. Sentimental reflects Carlita's musical evolution in recent times and offers a new dimension beyond her club-focused tracks. The album includes collaborations with DJ Tennis, Sicilian artist Orofino and peers like Mascolo, Elderbrook, Julietta and Cleo Simone. Carlita describes the creative process as both challenging and rewarding and aim to surprise listeners with her diverse musical expression. The track 'Time' has already become a crowd favourite and the rest of the album likely will too.

Review: Whereas the first volume of Italian house pioneer Don Carlos's retrospective of Italian house, Echoes of Italy, largely stuck to the picturesque but chunky and organ-rich "Italo-house" template, this second volume expressly focuses on "paradise house" - what Young Marco and Christiaan MacDonald dubbed "dream house" on their superb Welcome To Paradise series. As you'd expect given his association with the sound, Carlos's selections are notably different (and arguably less well known) than theirs, even if some of the same artists feature. It's cultured, tactile and loved-up dancefloor dreaminess all the way, with highlights including the slow-build wonder of Onrico's saucer-eyed 'Echo Gimini', the low-slung groove of Alex Neri's 'The Wizard (Hot Funky Version)', the piano-laden, breakbeat-driven shuffle of Moto Grosso's 'Titanic', and Carlos's own gorgeous, organ-heavy 'Boy'.

Review: Italian house didn't need the glitz of Ibiza or the muscle of Chicago and Detroit. It carved out its own spaceismoky, dreamlike, and effortlessly cool. This collection captures the full spectrum of that golden era, from the hypnotic tribal rhythms of Progetto Tribale's 'The Sweep' to the shimmering, euphoric synths of Onirico's 'Echo'. There's the deep, rolling pulse of Don Carlos' 'Boy', the jazz-infused elegance of Lady Bird's 'Jazzy Doll (Odyssey Dub)', and the raw energy of Green Baize's 'Synthetic Rhythm'. Elsewhere, 'Titanic' by Mato Grosso offers an atmospheric voyage, while 'The True Underground Sound of Rome' delivers deep, sophisticated grooves. These weren't just club tracks; they were portals to another world. Whether it was the funky shuffle of Alex Neri's 'The Wizard', the soulful pianos of Carol Bailey's 'Understand Me (Free Your Mind)', or the after-hours pulse of MCJ's 'Sexitivity', this was music made by studio obsessives who understood that house wasn't just a soundiit was a feeling. Underground, inventive, and deeply emotional, this collection is a snapshot of an era where the Italian touch brought warmth, sensuality and an undeniable groove to dancefloors worldwide.

Review: Italo house has enjoyed quite a resurgence in the last few years, with plenty of new releases popping up that sound convincingly authentic in their production and aesthetic. It's always nice to savour the real deal, though, and it doesn't get much more real than the one and only Don Carlos when it comes to direct-from-the-source dreamy 90s peninsula house. Here, the Don compiles a comprehensive selection of classics from the genre. With shimmering pads, soulful vocals and synth-flute leads aplenty, this bygone LP is steeped in both nostalgia and not-so-subtle reminders that not too many of the more recent pretenders have added a great deal to the form. Highlights permeate the comp, from Montego Bay's 'Everything' to Kwanzaa Posse's 'Wicked Funk'. The unabashed positivity of Golem's 'Music Sensations' makes for a welcome addition, as does the driving synth energy of Eagle Parade's 'I Believe'. In truth, the LP doesn't put a foot wrong, transporting listeners to the balmy hedonism of golden-age Rimini. Though it's never good to generalise, the old adage 'Italians do it better' certainly seems apt here.

Review: Cascada's Evacuate The Dancefloor, now on limited edition purple vinyl, is a burst of high-energy dancefloor anthems and heartfelt ballads. Side 1 opens with the unforgettable title track, a global hit with infectious hooks and pulsing beats, followed by the anthemic 'Hold On' and the emotional 'Everytime I Hear Your Name.' The energy keeps climbing with 'Ready or Not' and the club-driven 'Fever.' Flip to Side 2 for the sultry 'Breathless,' the electrifying 'Dangerous,' and the introspective closer 'Draw The Line' in a delicate Yanou Candlelight mix, rounding out this essential dance-pop collection.

Review: French house duo Cassius are undersung stars of the genre. Their cuspate millennial smash 'Cassius 1999' marked out well the fervour of the time, fizzing against our ears with its liminal "don't" vox, creep-in bass, brushup rides and stinger Morricone chords, which all build to a laggard but crucial French house wahher. A full-length album followed, exploring the same themes: and now the duo share a new "tool" version of the record, which pares the each of said debut LP's tracks to their barest bones. An "homage to our early experiments with endless loops", 1999 DJ Tool celebrates the long-form, live set cutup approach necessitated by their many European tour dates during the early noughts.

Review: Cyril's debut album offers a compelling fusion of house and UK garage, underscored by his distinctive Australian flair. Collaborations with artists like Kita Alexander on 'True' and Dean Lewis on 'Fall At Your Feet' infuse the tracks with emotive vocals, enhancing the rhythmic foundations. The inclusion of extended versions of 'Stumblin' In' and 'The Sound of Silence' showcases Cyril's adeptness at reimagining classics, breathing new life into them. Cyril's versatility is remarkable here, solidifying his position in the contemporary electronic music scene.