Expansion Schallplatten & CDs

Review: Expansion's offshoot label is back with a second release and for the occasion have put together a special eco vinyl 10" here that is strictly limited to just 100 copies and is fully deserving of that treatment: Tom Browne Feat. Carol Woods combined to great effect in the 80s on this soul classic that now gets a first-ever single release. It's the sort of immediately heartwarming tune that draws from soul, jazz funk, disco and more to cook up a steamy and excellent groove. On the flip is Diplomats Of Soul with their own super cover of 'Brighter Tomorrow' featuring Brit funk and acid jazz greats Incognito & Imaani.

Review: Serious jazz dance fusion from 1974, Norman Connors' cover of Carlos Garnett's "Mother Of The Future" drives with shamanistic fury before the firing keys, heaving horns and deep soul vocals fly into the mix. For a more contemporary jazz take, flip for Bembe Segue's emphatic live version. Lavished with her distinctively rich vocals and stern spoken word and complete with wild bass runs and a thick bed of percussion, it's an instant show-stopper. Two incredible covers, one special 10".

Review: Expansion is pushing the boat out for Record Store Day 2020. Chief among the label's must-check RSD releases is this 12", which offers up fresh re-edits - courtesy of an un-credited re-editor - of two sought-after cuts by late-'70s and early '80s West Coast fusionists Halo. The headline attraction is undoubtedly the fresh edit of the ultra-rare extended mix of 1981's 'Let Me Do It', a warm and groovy modern soul/boogie jam primarily known for its' familiar "let me do until you're satisfied" vocal refrain. The band's shorter original version is also included in the package, alongside a shorter re-edit of their sparkling, synth-heavy 1988 single "Life". In keeping with the more celebrated A-side, it's an energetic, life-affirming earworm.

Review: You'll find few jazz-funk era rays of sonic sunshine better than 'Give Me The Sunshine', the career highlight of relatively short-lived American soul band Leo's Sunshipp. It originally opened their 1978 debut album, We Need Each Other, but later became something of an anthem throughout the UK on the jazz-funk and rare groove scenes. If you don't already own a copy, you should cop one of these reissues. The full six-minute version of the track featured on the A-side is little more than a languid bob through sun-soaked pastures full of liquid bass, simmering strings, whistling synth lines and a smooth, ear-catching lead vocal. Also worth a listen is flipside 'Back For More', a more up-tempo modern soul club cut that's not quite as incendiary but every bit as alluring,

Review: When Gregory Porter first released "1960 What?" back in 2012, he'd yet to become the soul superstar we know and love today. The single was released in limited numbers first time round and, thanks to his elevation to star status, has become an in-demand collector's item - hence this timely reissue. It's every bit as classic-sounding as the majority of Porter's work, with the main man providing an impassioned delivery of conscious lyrics over a wonderful soul-jazz backing track. Serious contemporary dancefloor thrills are provided by Opolopo's superb flipside revision, which re-imagines the track as a bass-heavy chunk of jazz-house brilliance that rivals St Germain's "Rose Rouge" in its ability to send dancefloors wild.

Review: Last year, the Expansions label kicked off a wonderfully intriguing 10" series featuring classics from soul music's rich canon complemented by contemporary cover versions and so far it's seen Blue Note troupe Quasimode tee off against Johnny Hammond and Bembe Segue challenge Norman Connors. A third edition duly arrives and hints Expansions are really enjoying the creative challenge the concept allows them with the jazz funk classic "Zaius" from Eddie Russ joined by a cover from the celebrated UK funk veterans Incognito. Originally appearing on the 1976 LP See The Light, "Zaius" is a blinding example of why Russ is described a master of the keyboard and it's complemented well by Incognito's B Side cover which appears on vinyl for the first time. Don't sleep!

Review: The UK's number one independent soul label Expansion Records commences each year with the label's most anticipated collection, Luxury Soul. The success of the series comes down to the quality of tracks sourced from independent soul artists, focusing on the major and emergent names of the year - this time including Will Downing, Con Funk Shun and Narada Michael Walden. For many of the 35 tracks featured on the compilation, this is the first time they'll have ever appeared on CD, having landed in the soul charts either at number one or in the top ten over the last 12 months. Further exclusives include The Requestors feat. Vivienne McKone, Kloud 9 feat. Kenya, and The Paradise Projex with an exclusive mix of 'Here & Now'. The release is to coincide with the Luxury Soul Weekender in January 2024, and includes tracks by three artists performing live at the event.