Back catalogue: Funky/Club House

Review: The Plastik People label has been going along nicely for its first few releases, with label head Marc Cotterell stepping up and coming correct last time out. Now he calls upon various artists with Dave Charlesworth taking care of the a-side of Nice Ripe Cuts. He offers two super slick garage cuts that cannot fail to make their mark on the club and it's no different on the flipside except D Lux & Y No combine first for '25 Miles' and then S R offers the irresistible 'Pressure.' An essential 12" for anyone looking to bring some fresh garage flavours.

Review: Swirl People have decided to launch a new label LITS (which stands for Lost In The Swirls) with new music from their reactivated Different Noodles alias. Wise move if you ask us because these tunes are top. 'Banana Resort' has an early West Coast tech house feel as well as hints of Chicago greats like Boo Williams and Glenn Underground. It's a super smooth and cool, breezy and balmy groove then 'Mr Boogie' gets more playful with bobbling drums and bright chord stabs under jazz leads. 'Flame' closes out a super strong EP with a more paired back sound built on fat drums and prying bass.

Review: Kaninchenbau's main collaborators Sokur and The Funk District helm this latest intergalactic journey in the form of 'All Over You'. It's a superbly tasteful and deep disco joint with lush synth work and the sort of groovy drums that make every head to the floor and get down. Next to the original is a classic 'House Mix' version and then comes two epic remixes on the flip. Both are from accomplished and ever busy Razor-N-Tape producers Nenor and DJ Vas who bring a real touch of classic to their work and offer a different look than the A-side.

Review: A top value for money opportunity here, as Moiss Music deliver the latest in their sweet and sticky Jam series of various artist 12" line ups, bringing you no less than six bubbling, vivacious disco triumphs from six artists. Khemir's 'Disco Bandit' kicks off proceedings, a production that sounds like it was made by a band of around 45 musicians, a proper cavalcade of strings, brass, brazen disco thump and beautifully bold vocals. Wurzelholz's 'Prince' goes for a bit more economy but with a slinky funk bassline like that - not to mention the occasional exclamation from the purple overlord himself - it's equally devastating in dancefloor terms. Among the other highlights, 'Golden' by I Gemin has the feel of a lost Daft Punk flip tune and Cosmocomics' 'Glamorous Garcon', boasting 70s-style synth bubbles that are as cute as they are retro. Tasty as ever.

Review: Toronto label Selections has become a firm favourite with house heads and now starts a nice sideline with its Special Edition 2023 series. This one welcomes Lea Lisa with her track 'Conversation Between Us' (Heide Club Mix) which is straight up underground house for the heads. Then comes an unreleased Javonntte remix of Evenn's 'One For Love' that pairs things back to raw dub essentials. Dan Only's 'Love Saturates' then gets a fine and formerly unreleased remix by Italy's Black Loops that has pristine drum programming and a fine bassline. Add in Sean Roman's jazzy dancer 'Sir William' and Jamn Ensemble's 'Convection' and you have a timeless house EP.

Review: Sampling As An Art Records is back with a new various artists package that has been assembled from talents the label boss has met on the road - musical projects undertaken during and after gigs. This is the first in a series of such releases and it kicks off with a fresh melodic house blast from Morgan, then gets the hands in the air with an old school, percussive piano number with UC Beatz's 'Ain't Good Enough' before S3A appear with 'Layers', a loopy filter house jam with sunshine, disco and soul in equal measure. Last of all is Mika Blaster with the epic sax and humid chords of 'Buisine Ness' (S3A edit).

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: Not only has it been some 15 years since The Shapeshifters bothered the pop charts with soaring disco-house anthem "Lola's Theme", but also nearly a decade since their last vinyl single. Appearing on a tasty seven-inch single, this two-tracker for Glitterbox features some of their strongest work since those halcyon days. A-side "Try My Love On (For Size)" is arguably the duo's most "pure" disco cut to date - a classic production that boasts rising horns, sweeping strings and a strong, Salsoul-esque vocal from Teni Tinks. Turn to the flip for the more relaxed and groovy "When Love Breaks Down", a future end-of-night anthem that's as poignant as it is uplifting.

Review: Si Brad was the original in-house producer for the Toko label. Dormant for 20 years, it is now back with a brace of brilliant new releases that immediately put it right back at the top. 'Avenue 6(Is This The Real Life?)' is pure blissed out sunset house music. The drawn out baseline, the gently bouncing drums and the airy vocal from Azeem all take you to a perfect party by the sea. The Real Crooked mix is a low slung and playful yet menacing dub. The Croocked one then steps up once more for a second and final mix that is sparse and eerie with subtle FX and speaker tweaking details.

Review: DJ SizleCaude is the head of the Herbal Soundz label and this is his first EP. It's one steeped in classic house knowledge and Chicago-referencing sounds. That is particularly true on 'About Time' with its spoken word sermon over dusty old drum sounds and hefty deep house drums. 'Kindly Listen' cuts it up with razor-sharp hi-hats and swirling pads that sound like a church organ in meltdown. Last of all is 'Ntho Tse', a swirling cosmic cut that takes you on a voyage through lush synth work and heartwarming pads before settling on a nice jazzy vibe.

Review: Local Talk has quietly but assuredly become a vital voice in there underground. It has done so over the last 13 years and now makes that occasion by doing what it does best - serving up timeless club sounds that mix under many different subgenres. This is another feel-good offering from four of the label's talents or as the label puts it, "producers that we love and respect." There is funky bass and soulful vibes from the Soul Renegades opener, Wipe The Needle's 'Light Years Away' is a more serene cosmic journey and The James L'Estraunge Orchestra offer a broken beat and jazzed-up dancer in 'Broken Spells.' Nico Lahs brings some cuddly depths to his slow-mo house jam 'Happenstance.'

Review: Local Talk are proud to present a live recording by Soulphiction & Netzer from 2018, recorded live just a month before the official release of 'Bizzness' - the first of several releases the late great Michel Baumann and this Swedish label released together. On the first side, you have a serving of lo-slung late night mood music in the form of 'Bizzness' (live @ BIX), and over on the flip you're treated to more sensual vibes with the soul-inflected delight of 'Dileila Emergency Dub'. Real proper deep stuff for the heads.

Review: Saint Wax reaches release number five and does so by signing up two emerging Italian talents in Sourires. They show a real understanding of deep house dynamics here across four warming cuts. 'Kick Back To The World' has soulful chords rolling under an equally heart-melting vocal and 'Les Jeux Sont Faits' then gets more playful with some great guitar riffs and diva vocals. 'Next Day' is a jumbled funk house workout with terrific samples and 'Our Love' then pumps the party with some big horns and nice dusty grooves that come with plenty of Latin and Afro overtones.

Review: Byron Stingil will always be one of the true and authentic original voices of house music. Still, a new tune from the man is always going to get us excited and so it is here. "We Belong Together' is another epic deliver from the man, who empties his lungs, serves up irresistible soul and does it over a house beat embellished with heartwarming horn and piano stabs. There are three different versions that vary slightly for different settings, but also a standout remix from Maurice Fulton. The Sheffield based US house don keeps it smooth, with colourful marimbas, a garage-flecked groove and steamy vocals.

Review: St Petersberg's Dobro label is noted not just for the quality and playability of its funky house and disco re-edits, but also for its value for money. This, their seventh release, is another great example, with no less than six floorfillers included on one 12", each bringing their own individual mood to the table. 'Flowers Festival' from Sun Rhythms has throbbing organs and fruity keys, topped off by a gorgeous Russian vocal. DJ Merci's 'Timetable' goes for chunky rave pianos and Fairlight stabs, lending it an 80s Italo-disco feel, before Ground Plane Aerial's 'Transition SP' closes the side with slap bass and stripped down house vibe that echoes some of Roule Records' more accessible moments. Side two VIGI's 'I Am You', is the most memorable of the whole package, with its idiosyncratic female vocal weaving a magical spell around the listener, before we finish off with a double whammy of Monny Me's swirling stringfest 'The Name Of The Game' and the parping horns and strutting groove of Ugly Frankie's 'Free Alcohol Shit', the latter including a bewitching and unexpected piano solo. Great work all round.

Review: Originally dropped mid-summer as a digital release, the quality on this remix package from The Sunburst Band was just too good to keep off wax. First up, bandleader Dave Lee himself steps up with a 'Jazz Funk Renaissance' version of 'Listen Love' which frames Wayne Hernandez's stirring vocal turn with molten Rhodes and wah-wah guitars aplenty. Then the Louie Vega-Josh Milan dream team come correct with two spellbinding versions that speak to their prowess in the field of live, deeply rooted house music. For good measure, Lee rounds things off on the B2 with a 'Flute Reboot' for those who just want to zone in on the groove.

Review: Dave Lee aka Joey Negro has pulled together a fine team of remixers here to serve up their own versions of tunes by him, Jakarta, The Sunburst Band and Prospect Park, all for his own Z Records. Freerange boss and deep house Don Jimspter goes first and brings real sunshine to his take on 'He Is.' Detroit badman Andres then does what he does best to 'I Recognise', that is layering in hip hop slanted beats and nice rolling baselines under lush chords. On the flip are two more positive house vibrations to make this a handy EP.

Review: Michael McDonald anthem 'Sweet Freedom' is an epic of its era and here it gets a special revision from edit royalty The Reflex. It's a a one sided, highly weaponised 12" that fuses disco, soul, and oodles of good time vibes, all together into one killer cut. The vocal is the main draw - its clean and pure, and tugs at the heart. The drums are silky and slinky, the bass rumbles deep down below and there is a real sense of cosmic dust being sprinkled over the whole thing.

Review: Black Pattern is a Swiss label that launched last year, which is why it is titling this new EP 'First Anniversary.' It is chock full of full-throttle house jams that care about nothing but getting the floor sweating. Dexter Troy does that right off the bat with the epic piano house of 'Paradise' while Mathis Vuilleumier offers a more steamy, jazzy garage-house vibe that is no less effective with 'Sunday Night.' Aiden Dahlia taps into 90s organ vamps with his 'Showcase' and Stelvio brings some crisp cosmic tech on 'Shakin''. This is a fine way to celebrate a birthday if you ask us.

Review: Following the success of the Ciao Italia. Generazioni Underground album, Rebirth is excited to release three additional 'Bonus' parts this year, on a limited edition vinyl press. Bonus Quattro continues connecting two distant yet neighbouring generations: the seminal early '90s, and the modern day from a futuristic perspective. On side A, there's some early classics by the likes of Nikita Warren on the emotive old school feelings of 'I Need You' (Flute Mix) and Lorenzo Morresi on the downbeat swagger of 'Tento Brass'. On the flip, Alex Neri & Marco Baroni serve up the proper uplifting house of 'Lamar' while Spinapsys appears with the life-affirming 'Whenever' (Asha) that's a true zeitgeist of a golden era.