Kay Dee US Schallplatten & CDs

Review: Kay-Dee Records comes at us with a 45 double-hitter, presenting Bert Hector's 'The Phoenix' and 'The Kraken' with Kenny Dope on remix duties. On the first record, we're treated to 'The Phoenix', a sure-fire funk gem with a super-warm sound - beat is as cool as it gets, with a laid-back and funky attitude sitting beneath a joyous intermingling of sitar, flute, brass and guitar, all performed at expert levels. 'The Kraken', meanwhile, channels a killer groove, strutting at 85 bpm and incorporating a huge brass section which pumps loud, while flute solos and funky Wah-guitar chops take things up a notch.

Review: Tyrone Washington's 'Submission' is a timeless gem that gets pressed up to 7" here both in original form but also with the masterful Kenny Dope remix on the flip. The A-side is a hard edge jazz number with squealing reeds and tumbling drums, chord stabs and an insistent and rather dark energy. Kenny makes it into a much more smooth number with drums that nails you to the floor. The sax stabs are more muted and fade into the background as the menacing chords come to the fore. Two vital tunes for the collection for sure.