DJS: MOST CHARTED - DISCO - MOST CHARTED JANUARY 2014

Review: Limited. Mysterious. Essential. The ever-collectable New York Edits series continues with two more outstanding versions that were created during the city's headiest disco era. Stomping, loopy and fully-focussed on the dancefloor, both sides stand the test of time and remain that way for a long time. "Side A" takes a stomping funk approach while "Side B" takes a more spacious groove with alluring harmonies, strident strings and an awesome bassline. Just like the previous series releases, this is essential... Grab it while you can!

Review: Less of an EP, more of a mini album, there's a rich sense of consistency throughout this vibrant compendium. Authentic, funky and polished to a sexy sheen, nu-disco mainstay Jaz has nailed each and every vibe on this six-tracker. Highlights include the wonderfully sedate groove, sexy synth squiggles and slo-mo Will Powers flavour of "Cranmer's Beat", the frenetic guitar rhythm and emphatic vocal focus of "Took You" and the block-party busting Zapp & Rogers-style funk riff on "I Can't Dance". Dust off those Jaz hands, you're going to need them.

Review: Last seen on Stilove4music back in 2008 sharing plate space with TJ Dumas and DJ Marquis, the God Son Rick Wilhite makes a welcome return to Jerome Derradji's label with The MC. This time Wilhite goes toe to toe with Tim McAllister of MC Edits fame, with the pair contributing a track each to both sides. If you want a glimpse at Wilhite's personal armoury of tough to the bone edits then this is the record for you - just witness how Rick dices the extended drum break on lead cut "My Life Is A Minimal Circle". McAllister offers Chi-town style percussive sweat to the Detroit grit of the God Son with the final cut "Catchin Sun" the track proper disco heads will always reach for.

Review: Thirteen is unlucky for some, but that's not the case when it comes to the hugely popular RDY label which digs through the vast archives of Muzic Box favourites pioneered by the legend that was Ron Hardy for a thirteenth time. On the A Side is a classic example of Ron's style, extending the intro to "Adventure" by The Dells into 8 minutes of blissful disco excellence, whilst the take on "Love Surge" embellishes the electronic nuances of Jules Shear's mid 80s synth pop curio. House heads will be all over the final cut, a "Untitled" production/edit Hardy collaborated with fellow Chi-town House pioneer Jesse Saunders which has box jam brilliance written into it's DNA.

Review: Smokecloud come correct with this stunning doublet. The A-side is taken care of by Whiskey Disco head honcho Sleazy McQueen. What begins as a frenetic post-funk DFA style jam, "TTOF" suddenly switches into an all-out disco adventure with big strings, brassy vocals and a seriously hedonistic groove. Osmose takes care of the B with much sexier, slower jam. Editing Captain & Tennille's "You Never Done It Like That" with clarity and care, it's the perfect foil to Sleazy's full-flavoured disco joint. Hand-stamped and limited, this needs your attention now!

Review: Released back in October, Diabolical Synthetic Fantasia was the all new mix CD from the much loved cosmic crate diggers extraordinaire Psychemagik and fully lived up to the standard of previous compilations from the pair, stacked heavy with thick psyche, collector's holy grails and freaked out disco monsters. Fans of Psychemagik and the vinyl format will be pleased to see the lads have pulled six untitled nuggets from the compilation for issue on this impressively green and red splattered 12". A must for those selectors that play the more far out dance establishments!

Review: Perhaps THE most influential DJ and producer to have ever emerged from Italy, cosmic king Baldelli returns to his debut artist album from 2005 with a crack team of killer remixers. The end result is predictably stunning with highlights coming from all angles... From Eric Duncan's cinematic psychedelia twists on "Funk Me Again" to Greg Wilson & Derek Kaye's bubblesome electro funk take on "Mellow Game" via the dubbed out rhythmic hypnosis of Idjut Boys' "Fontainebleau" remix, every cut on this remix album will stun and awe all house, disco and funk floors. Essential.

Review: Ridiculously limited, this galaxy gallivanting two-tracker from Kool DJ Dust and The Keep's Nemas Problemas tickles two wholly different sides of the cosmos. "Mother Brain" is a super-camp disco stomper that's saturated in star-gazing sci-fi sounds while "Jupiter Rising" is a more sedate, funkier jam complete with some of the best organic bass riff to have ever emerged from Sweden. An impeccable release, grab it while you can.

Review: **Repress** Cheeky end of year bomb from the Sex Tags clan that might just be one of the best house records issued this year. Issued on Sex Tags UFO, the delightfully named Speckbass sees ST Mania founder DJ Fett Burger teaming up with the unheralded DJ Speckgurtel for a 12" that seem to consolidate the myriad of influences that make up the Sex Tags Empire into just two records. Lead track "Speckbass" seems initially straightforward, but beneath that ramshackle drum backbone all manner of sampled and recycled sonic chaos unfolds in a manner that is just brilliant. "Deepspeck" is just as good, seemingly cramming all manner of deep house signifiers into the mix and slamming you in the gut with those emotion packed chords.

Review: Having signalled the end of their Originals series in fine fettle with a wonderful selection from the New York based producer and selector Alex from Tokyo, Claremont 56 send out the end product of what must be one of the most onerous tasks in recent years. This rather dashing 5xLP box set house two tracks a side from each of the ten Originals compilations issued since the series commenced back in 2008. Aside from the sticky issues of actually legally licensing these tracks for a vinyl release, there's also the factor of having to whittle out just two songs from each of the compilations. Regardless, Paul Mudd Murphy has done a splendid job with inclusions such as Donna McGhee's superb disco cut from the Rong Music volume or the undervalued Anthony Watson gem from the final installment getting the approval of the Juno review team.

Review: Stupendously rare Italo gem from the criminally under-prolific Trieste-based Big Ben Tribe, this quirky poplet first came our way in 1984 on Gong. Last spotted changing hands for hundreds on auction sites, Dark Entries have done the disco world a favour and licensed a reissue. Untouched and naked in all its 80s glory, the synth patterns, abstract lyrics and arrangement were way ahead of their time and clearly influenced many electronic pop and Balearic bands who followed. Vocals just a bit too much for you? No worries, just flip for the instrumental. Tarzan loves summer nights, and we love Dark Entries for unearthing this utter classic.