Miss You Germany Schallplatten & CDs

Review: Do you know the Barefoot Man? It's the name of a German musician, George Now, who ended up in the Cayman Islands in 1971. He produced this record for Phillip Bodden and it is ripe with the nuances of West Caribbean island life from the slow-paced disco sounds to the naturalistic melodies. To suit this 12" an extended edit has been done for longer enjoyment of the original while the flip side has some bonus Calypso beats. The whole EP has been restored and remastered for extra listening pleasure.

Review: If you like sensuous and slow motion grooves with hints of dub, reggae and disco all packaged up in super bawdy soul then look no further - this new 12" features a pair of singles that were first put out on 7" by Risco Connection's Otis Gayle. Up first is the glorious 'Sexy Eyes' which was a worldwide charting success and Dr Hook now brings new reggae vibes to his cover version, then on the flip is Domenic Troiano's 'We All Need Love', again with a mix of dubby disco and reggae stylings that have been draw out into extended format to make for a more lasting impact on the dancefloor.

Review: Way back in 1983, American musician Chris McCaa assembled a band and recorded one single as the Redhots - a dewy-eyed, AOR-leading Balearic ballad called 'If I Had To Say Goodbye'. At the time, McCaa slapped it on a 7", alongside the Brazilian-influenced jazz-funk sunshine of 'Bahama Rama' (another gorgeous, largely unknown gem), and released it himself. Mercifiully, it has been saved from obscurity (and eye-watering second-hand prices) by MISS YOU, who have decided to issue it on 12" for the first time. We get freshly remastered versions of both original tracks, alongside a gorgeous extended edit - created specifically with this release in mind - which ups the Balearic factor considerably. The resultant light-touch revision sounds like Chris Rea's Balearic classic 'Josephine', only miles better.

Review: One online reviewer described Shakeena's sole album, 1987's 'Dance Music', as a 'lover's rock jewel'. We tend to agree. Now available again on wax for the first time since the 80s (when it was pressed and released by a tiny label and sunk without trace), the album offers an enticing mix of echo-laden drum machine beats, dub-wise reggae basslines, cheery 'FM' synth-sounds, soulful vocals and nods towards freestyle, boogie and '80s soul. Highlights are plentiful throughout, with our picks of a very strong bunch including the club-ready title track, the glossy 'Your Love' (where Shakeena raps as well as sings), the classical lovers rock of 'Reggae Music' and the sweet and tender 'We Are The Mothers of the World'.