Tags: Disco House

Review: It has now been three years since Jungle Fire first graced the Razor N Tape Catalogue, and now the Los Angeles latin/Afro/funk/soul 12-piece are back with a five track remix EP. Colombia's Felipe Gordon takes 'Atomico' into evocative, late-night mood music territory, label co-head Jkriv lends some low slung boogie-down feels to "La Kossa", while revered turntablist Nu-Mark delivers a punchy breakbeat take on another remix of "Atomico" and over on the flip band member Patrick Bailey (guitar) gets all spaced-out and echno-laden on his Snake In Da Bronx Dub.

Review: Since 2015, Tel Aviv twosome Rabo & Snob has been delivering annual releases on re-edit stable Whiskey Disco. Here they make the transfer to one of Sleazy McQueen's other imprints, Lovedancing, with some tasty original productions. "Yawumna", featuring Somma Idrisu, effortlessly underpins jangly acoustic guitars and African vocals with a metronomic nu-disco groove, while "Afia", featuring vocalist Azizaa, sounds like an unlikely fusion of Afrobeat and Adonis's "No Way Back". Art of Tones provides an organ-laden, sunshine-soaked Afro-house revision of "Yawumna", while Jacques Renault provides a suitably chunky dub of "Ifa" for those late night moments.

Review: Africa Seven's A7 Edits offshoot has already proved to be one of the better re-edit series around, primarily because they consistently employ some of the best re-editors in the business, offering them the opportunity to select tracks they want to rework from the parent label's vast catalogue of licensed cuts. This edition - the seventh EP to date - is another action-packed winner. Rising star Alan Dixon delivers a lightly tooled-up, all-action revision of Gyedu Bley Amadou's tropical disco classic 'Highlife', before Barcelona-based John Talabot and Pional re-frame Ekambi Brilliant's 'Afrika Afrika' as a kind of Afro-post-punk/dub disco mash-up. Over on side B, Escapade dances through a bouncy disco-house take on Pasteur Lappe's 'Na Real Sekele Fo Ya', while Jacques Renault expertly rearranges Michael Amara's Afro-disco-funk staple 'New Bell'.

Review: Samosa Records is back with a summer edition titled Afrikano Vol. 1, featuring four tracks from various artists. On the A-side, Vagabundo Club Social kick things off with the life-affirming boogie vibes of 'Mr. Mista', while by C. Da Afro & De Gama are equally uplifting on 'Sweet Dance' that's all about the beat and horn breakdowns.Over on the flip, Atchoum & Grincheux appear with the spiritual life music of 'Demokousse' remixed by Les Inferno who underpins the track with infectious breakbeats and finally Lego Edit provides goes poolside and sunset on the low slung 'Afromaniaco'.

Review: Bosq and Kaleta's most recent single, an inspired Afro-disco two-tracker featuring 'Meji Meji' and 'Sonayon', has been given the remix treatment. On side A, Folamour successfully re-imagines 'Meji Meji' as a joyous, sun-bright slab of cheery deep house/colourful nu-disco fusion, wisely making the most of Kaleta's infectious vocals, the original disco bassline, and the pair's chirpy horns. Over on side B, Bosq takes over and delivers a delicious 'disco dub' of 'Sonayon'. A little more stripped-back and groove-based than the original nix with breakdowns and special effects aplenty, Bosq makes merry with horns, highlife guitars and more Afrobeat style bass guitar pressure.

Review: After successfully showcasing his wares via EPs on GAMM, Razor N Tape and Barefoot Beats, fast-rising re-editor Elado pitches up on Bonfido Disques for the very first time. The resultant 12" contains some of his most interesting re-edits yet, with Elado cunningly opting for eccentric and oddball source material. 'Deepy Mango' sounds like a cross between proto-house, post-punk synth-pop and Kwaito - and that's a great thing in our book - while 'Space Lokum' is a throbbing revision of what sounds like a North African electro-disco obscurity (an Arab take on the Giorgio Moroder sound, basically). Over on the flip, 'Massi Tobi' is a boogie-era tropical disco gem from the Francosphere given a subtle makeover. In a word: excellent!

Review: The Lahaar is a Trans-Tasman collaboration between Julien Dyne, Horatio Luna and Surprise Chef's Lachlan Stuckey, featuring Mara TK and Toby Laing on vocals. Channeling a heady cocktail of inspirations from New York to Lagos, the supergroup easily moves through different styles in quick succession, from uptempo boogie to mega-ploddy dub. Seguing between original bangers and exploitation movie library music, the EP closes on the riveting 'Chase Scene (Part 1)', which casts evadign tjhe law in a surprisingly emotive light.

Review: If you don't have love for Rahsaan then you don't have love for life. The American is a veteran of the edit scene and someone who can flip any joint into a joyous groove. Here, Hot Biscuit have assembled a limited double 12" that brings together some of his best 'Disco Edits, Versions & Dubs." 'Big Bisou' opens up with a jumble of Afro drums and loose limbed rhythms, 'Mamoe Lowe' then has tribal vocal chants and raw percussive energy, and 'Preto Velho' then brings a little more laid back soul to the party. '77' is a funky disco strider and 'Secondo' closes with some hard assed funk.

Review: There's naturally much to enjoy on the latest volume in Africa Seven's A7 Edits series, which pairs original - and usually obscure - old Afro-disco and Afro-boogie gems with fresh 21st century edits. This time round, the A-side is all about Kemayo & K System's piano and horn-heavy disco-funk jam 'Biram', a two-minute blast of dancefloor exuberance that Phillip Lauer cleverly re-imagines as loopy, locked-in chunk of Afro-disco/disco house fusion. Over on the flip there's a chance to savour Afro National's heavy, low-slung stomper 'Push Forward', a cut that brilliantly adds chanted vocals and Hendrix style guitar solos to a sweaty, non-stop groove. Al Zanders does a great job in ratcheting up the tension and heaviness on his accompanying club-ready extension.

Review: The Light Touches label and production crew brings their magic fingers to another series of hot and lesser known tunes and forgotten classics here, all with something of an Afro tinge. 'Vera' kicks off with a playful and funky disco sound that is riddled with Afro vocals and melodies that make you want to move. There is more energy to the bristling drums and flailing hits of 'Savage' which has plenty of effects and loops bring the energy then the final cut is 'We De Youth'. It's a loose-limbed and percussive workout with big horns leading the way. Glorious stuff.

Review: Jonny 5 is known for his superlative edits as well as heading up the Bahnsteig 23 label and here he returns from time out becoming a father to kick off this new one from Duca Bianco. 'Joy riding' is loopy disco-post-punk for a peak-time trip. Multi Culti man Dreems then brings the Afro party vibes with his 'Bususua' which is packed with dub fx and steeped in fun. Miserymix then throws in their Italo-licked post-disco and punk sounds on 'Adjust Your Love' before a big finale by Black Bones. They offer a deep and dubby house that has been a secret edit for a while but finally gets unveiled here to great effect as it worms its way into your brain.

Review: La Casa Tropical out of South Africa takes us back to 1986 when enigmatic artist Vumani Mthethwa served up his enduring debut album Isiqedakoma. The record kicks off with what could be a Chicago house tune from the same era thanks to its big piano chords, and then it takes in the super fun and playful singles 'Black Mampatile' and 'Guy Fawkes.' Truth is, all of these tunes have big, bold basslines and standout melodies that lodge deep in your brain as you shake your limbs to the analogue beats. Colourful and charming, this is a perfect party record with its own sense of style.

Review: Samosa is doing what's right for it and disco lovers by double-dropping to start off the New Year with a bang. The Italian label has got a new VA EP arriving at the same time as this second volume of its African series. The second volume is another fresh one with an array of artists kicking off with Vincent Galgo who brings some raw percussive energy to 'J'ngolo'. Matalo!'s 'Zaire' gets more down and dirty with some rugged rhythms and Leslie Lello's 'Alcyone' has a joyous feel thanks to the big horns. It's De Gama's 'ETA' which then shuts down things with some Afro-vocal hypnotism.