Charles Wright & The Watts 103rd Street Band - "What Can You Bring Me?" (2:45)
Review: You just cannot miss with this superb label which is now up to release number 33 in this series. And the latest is a golden-era classic featuring legendary mic men A Tribe Called Quest and top soul boy Charles Wright & The Watts 103rd Street Band. The A-side features the track taken from A Tribe Called Quest's Love Movement album so is packed with their signature beats and bars. On the B-side, you are treated to the funky original sample source from Charles Wright & The Watts 103rd Street Band which delivers a raw, infectious groove. If you love classic hip hop and funk, and why wouldn't you, this is a great pairing.
Review: ViGis opening salvo for 2025 brings together four artists from four continents who all blend their own diverse cultural roots and influences into a superb collection of cuts for the club. This is a 12" that offers a refreshing take on familiar sounds and delivers subtle yet punchy variations in style and rhythm. Adema keeps it nice and clean and slick on the deep, bubbly tech of 'Jm Glavio' while Red Pig Flower's 'Stardust' is a zoned-out roller. Artur Nikolaev's 'New Edition' is a deft minimal soundscape with warped lines and bubbles dub undercurrents. Cladu shuts down with 'No Name' which is a more propulsive cut.
Review: EPM20 Ep2 goes off on an electro tangent here. On this one, we have veteran producer Cisco Ferreira aka The Advent teaming up with his son Zein on the ferocious electro dystopia of "Strangeform" and as if that was not enough, another legend, the one and only Carl Finlow appears next with the abstract, cybernetic beats of "Optogenetic". Over on the flip, we have someone by the name of Detroit's Filthiest (quite an accolade!) who is in fact Motor City stalwart Julian Shamou (Motor City Electro Company) known for his work as 313 Bass Mechanics or Digitek, and longstanding hero of the Midwest Freddie Fresh should need no introduction; his contribution here under the Modulator alias is the deep mind IDM journey "Promars".
Review: The legendary Fokuz label outta the Netherlands hits a 110th release and opts for a selection of remixes from various artists. AirK & Cephei open up with 'Desire,' a slick roller with booming bass and epic synths. Break then comes through with tight remix of A2 Soligen & Type 2 's 'Can't Go' complete with expertly design hits. Break then goes it alone on the original 'Coming 4U' with its low end oscillations and closes out the EP back in remix mode. His take on 'What Are You' is a roaming, textural affair with twisted leads and flurries of toms.
Review: Clock Poets returns with Surrealism, a three-track various artists exploration of minimal techno and micro-house. Dan Andrei's 'Si Un Ecou' is a stripped-back, bass-heavy roller that is simmering with tension before erupting into modulated synths. Root's 'Apophis' delivers swing-heavy micro-house with shuffling drums and growling synth textures which nod to the genre's golden era. Clock Poets' 'Galaxy' on the flip is a sprawling 14-minute live-recorded jam rich in intricate sound design to end with a classy touch. Surrealism masterfully balances moods and textures here and makes for another refined entry in the Clock Poets catalogue for lovers of thoughtful, hypnotic dance sounds.
Review: The ever vital Boogie Back has another pearler on its hands here. This 7" is an SOS Band influenced double header produced by Ernie McKone, with Cheri Maree on the vocals. Firstly, 'Time Waits' pairs nice analogue drum work and big, pixelated chords straight from the 80s. It's a sugar sweet tune with a buttery smooth vocal that will get those rumps wiggling. Flip it over and you will find 'Is It You', a more slow and sentimental tune with splashy chords and bendy bass. The vibe is steamy and romantic, with the sort of tempting groove that you won't be able to resist.
Review: Jonny Benavidez is the soul star we can't get enough of right now and thankfully he is back with another doozy with Cold Diamond & Mink, whose mesmeric grooves make for another sublime voyage. This new 7" is a double-sider that has tunes taken from the My Echo, Shadow and Me album and 'Do What You Wanna Do,' is a lovely dancer with buttery top lines from Benavidez, rolling grooves, backing vox and big horns embellishing it yet further. On the B-side is 'Your Last Song,' a more bluesy and downtempo sound that is packed with powerful melodies that you wont't be able to stop humming.
Review: It's a sizzling seven up for Moiss Music here as they draw together four different artists to offer up one cut each for this new various artists collection. Boogietraxx goes heavy on the filter vibes on 'S N T' which is French touch disco-house of the highest order. Kellit's 'Pryscoks Sockin Socks' is all about sultry sax lines and loose-limbed disco house beats while C Da Afro gets heads up with the streaming sunshine synths of 'Don't Be Quiet.' Groovemasta shut down with the funky Afro-disco stylings of 'Gonna Make U Rock.'
Review: We all know that it is imperative to stay away from the minibar in most cases, but not here: the French label of that name is a classy outlet for those who like stylish minimal sounds. And who better to serve them up than the rightly revered Cabanne. This two-tracker kicks off with 'Karan' which is a delightfully smooth and heady late-night minimal joint with sci-fi designs and deft synth modulations. 'Straight' then has more defined drums powering forward the spaced-out motifs and slippery basslines. Two high-class sounds for connoisseurs only.
Review: When Cabaret Voltaire returned to the release schedule in 2020 as the one-man Richard H Kirk show, fans were relieved to find that mind-bending meld of 1970s Kosmische, techno, dub, house and space-age experimental electro was as pure as it ever has been - the results being a typically fresh and forward-thinking record the man in question summed up as "no nostalgia... normal rules do not apply. Something for the 21st Century. No old material."
Less than six months later and the big CV has more next level business to offer us, coming in the form of Shadow of Funk, a new EP that offers something of a counterpoint or extension to last year's full-length, Shadow of Fear. Based on 'Billion Dollar' alone - an acid-driven big, dark room banger that closes this EP -this release looks set to make an equally heavy impact, but as with anything this man touches, the joy is in discovery. So, let's leave it at that.
Review: 'Storia Fantasy' is a second release from Reparto Vinile that again marries Italo influences to a range of different genres. The label is based in Monferrato in Italy (which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site) and it is helmed by influential Italian Luca Bernascone. Here he assumes his new production alias Cabopolonio for a super new single. The vocal version is a nice mood tempo roller with lush pines and cosmic twinkles, vibraphone melodies and a nice retro edge to it. The instrumental version is a little more deep and slow. The dub element means it seduces even more and marks a second fine drop from this label.
Review: Fledging but already fine young label U.Dig out of Croatia is back with more final gold, this time from a master of the form in Alexis Cabrera. He kicks off with the mini-epic that is '1997.5', a real head-melting and elastic acid tune that is perfectly deep and rolling for the freaky afters. 'Straight Up' is more punchy and taught, with low-slung drums and crisp hits powering it forward. Last of all things get brilliantly unhinged on 'Microrama,' a kinetic and densely packed cut with flappy snares blaring synths, withering melodies and a true sci-fi feel.
Review: Following years spent serving up sounds on a wide variety of underground labels (Into The Woods, Atipic and Infuse included), Alexis Cabrera renews his productive partnership with Raum Musik - a label he last appeared on four years ago. The EP highlight is unquestionably A-side 'Dreaming of a Silver Future', a sparkling and positive-sounding affair in which spoken word snippets, shimmering stabs, jacking drum fills and tight TB-303 tweaks rise above a chunky bassline and restless drums. Flipside opener 'Your Name On My Arm' is a rugged and decidedly moody affair in which blackened electronics, trippy samples and dystopian sonics, cropped vocal samples and short TB-303 tweaks ride a charred bassline and chunky tech-house beats, while 'Do You Wanna Wonder' is a hypnotic and lightly intergalactic European tech-house roller with notably crunchy drums and a few nods to Twilo-era Danny Tenaglia.
Review: Alexis Cabrera has always liked to subvert expectations and cross traditional genre lines in his work. He does so again here on the On_NRV label which brims with inventive spirit. 'Mi Housa Es Tu Housa' is a vibrant minimal house cut with some fresh synth sounds looping through rolling and infectious drums. 'Balas Que Pican Cerca' has a more abstract cosmic feel with menacing sci-fi pads and unreeling drum funk. 'Expiration Pain' has a steely aesthetic with rugged and textural synth motifs looping up through the mix and last of all, 'Under That Blue Sea' is a more balmy cut that allows you to catch your breadth amongst some deeper grooves.
You Don't Love Me (No No No) (feat Delroy Williams) (3:38)
You Know How To Make Me Feel So Good (5:01)
Review: Susan Cadogan is an esteemed reggae vocalist who has been since the 1970s. Now she continues her musical journey with this cover single which is taken from her excellent 2020 album Hurt So Good - Storybook Revisited, distributed by Burning Sounds. Side-A features a rendition of the reggae classic by Dawn Penn, while Side-B offers a sweet soul interpretation of Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes' track. Enhanced with Japanese-inspired artwork on the jacket, this release showcases Cadogan's timeless talent and versatility as it bridges the gap between reggae and soul music across generations.
Review: Susan Cadogan's first live performance in Italy with The Magnetics was recorded in 2019 and is now getting released on long player. The vinyl features her chart-topping hit 'Hurt So Good,' which was produced by the legendary Lee Perry, alongside tracks from her 48-year career. Highlights include the 2017 comeback single 'Take Me Back,' and 'My Oh My,' which was a duet with The Magnetics that quickly sold out its 7" release. The LP overall captures a magic night that showcases the greatest hits from Cadogan's illustrious career.
Review: Erol Alkan's faultless Phantasy Sound is one of the most high-quality but musically hard to predict labels out there. British Ugandan DJ Josh Caffe has dropped a few killers here before and has a full length coming later in the year but first is 'Meine Lederjeans'. It's a slow-motion electro-funk cut which vocals that drip with Prince-style sexuality and soul. The Paranoid London remix then does what Paranoid London remixes do - bring the grit, grime and sleaze. It's a raw and frazzled remix with early Chicago acid-house vibes. A superb EP with two very different but equally standout tunes.
Review: The latest EP from the Lonely Planets label co-founder Caim plunges you into an innovative soundworld of ancient myth and futuristic techno brilliance. The title cut 'Medusa Hunter' weaves hypnotic rhythms with smouldering, Goa-inspired melodies that are driven by venomous basslines that evoke suspense and intrigue. 'Hypno Gravity' is a weightless cut with balmy neon pads and silky beats that lure you into a trance where time fades and consciousness drifts. 'Adonis From Space' is another supple and stylish sound with ambient pads adding scale to skeletal rhythms. 'Desert Planet06' shuts down with a masterful blend of dubby undercurrents and aquatic sounds.
Review: What we would give to go digging in the vast vaults of influential soul label JB's. Well, thankfully, they do it themselves each Record Store Day and as such we have some real treasure here with Richard Caiton's swooning and soul-drenched love song 'Thank You.' It's a super rare one from back in 1978 that is a real piece of New Orleans soul history (it is eye wateringly pricey for an original, too, with the only current one listed at just L2500.) On the flip is another lush modern soul tune 'Where Is The Love' which has been arranged by Wardell Quezerque.
Review: Richard Caiton has many great soul treasures in his arsenal and several labels have gone digging for them over the years. After a great reissue of his 'Thank You' gem on Record Store Day last year, now Upright have dug out 'I Like To Get Near To You.' He originally recorded it for the label back in 1969 and it is one of the standouts in his discography all these years later. It is a super short but super sweet soulful gem with raw drums and horns leading the way next to life-affirming strings and a heart aching vocal.
Review: This adventurous Bio-Synthetic EP is a dystopian exploration of the intersection between biology and technology that includes two original tracks alongside remixes by CREASOL, C-SYSTEM, 5ZYL, and EC13. 'Biomantics' delves into a sci-fi world where memory and energy are biotechnologically manipulated, while 'Synthogerm' envisions hybrid beings born of synthetic and biological fusion. The remixes expand the EP's themes with Creasol adding 80s synthwave, EC13 bringing an electro-techno edge, 5ZYL infusing electro and breaks, and C-SYSTEM delivering techno vibes.
System Check (Melchior Productions LTD remix) (10:18)
Destino Caminante (Flabbergast remix) (6:42)
System Check (Flabbergast remix) (5:51)
Review: Minimal house legend Thomas Melchior and Montreal's Flabbergast duo bring their skills to remix Calcio Club's cool System Check EP. Melchior is one of our favs when it comes to silky, deep, minimal house and here delivers a remix that retains the original's groove while smoothly transitioning into lush synth vibes. Flabbergast's Guillaume Coutu Dumont and Vincent Lemieux have a sound just as distinctive and offer two remixes that push micro-house's limits. Their tracks feature mind-bending effects, Moog-style synth hooks and a burst of percussion that all lead the remixes to a new level of dance floor ecstasy.
Review: Stone cold New Jersey funk business; Calender's seminal "Hypertension" has been a waymark in dancefloor developments since '75 and its big strings, high energy and nagging vocals still have total resonance to this day as proved by this rolling, conga fuelled twist from Mexican maestro Hotmood. Flip for more relevance as "Ritmo Latino" (from Calender's '76 album "It's A Monster") gets a cheeky breakbeat facelift from Voodoocuts. Now there's no excuse not to get funky every single day of the year.
Review: Is there a more prolific yet consistently high-standard producer in any genre, or in fact any art form, than Irish man Calibre? Seemingly forever, the low key but high class talent has been kicking out the jams across the worlds of drum & bass, ambient and even tech house in his earlier days. Now the Signature label boss is back once again with another impeccable one-two on this Peso 12". The title cut is a pent up bumper with killer bass and soulful vocal flourishes. 'My Chances' is a little more edgy and raw, direct and hard hitting but still with well worked vocals samples which could originally come from a Bob Marley record, if you ask us.
Review: Although Rhythm & Sound and Basic Channel man Mark Ernestus has worked with or remixed many different artists over the years, we didn't expect him to join forces with D&B scene stalwarts Calbre and DRS. Yet that's exactly what's on offer here, as the Hardwax founder delivers two typically deep, dubbed-out techno outings crafted from portions of the pair's collaborative cut 'Badman', which is due to feature on Calbre's forthcoming sixteenth studio album, Feeling Normal. Both 'Bad' and 'Badder' are typical of Ernestus' ultra-deep and hypnotic style, with snippets of the duo's original instruments, beats and vocals echoing in and out of a warming, all-encompassing, sub-heavy groove. In a word, it's superb.
Review: Does drum and bass get any better than this? Two of the finest names in the genre club together for "Run Away", met in the middle by the man like Fox who puts his vocal stylings into the mix. Rolling out smooth, it's that lulling bassline and softly-spoken chorus that takes the edge off punchy drums and signature Intalex-style strings from the pad section. Fans have been waiting for a release on this for some time now - finally, it's ownable. Showing that they can still deliver tastier goods for the dancefloor, "Something Heavy" is a funk-fuelled hips-mover with Fox sending out his raggamuffin sounds over down and dirty bass. You've heard it in the dance, now get it on repeat.
Review: Call Super delivers a superb telecommunication in the form of 'Swallow Me'. We're not sure why Call Super wants us to ingest him, but we're not going to question it too much. The new track samples Kamala Sankaram's performance at the final Resonant Bodies festival in New York in 2019. "In Ancient Greek, ololyga is the ritual shriek of women, a sound so alarming to men that it could not be uttered within their earshot" - goes the liner text. Sonically, Mr. Super blends the ololyga with Hebden-esque shuffles and glossy dance schlop, building a deeply resonant tune sure to kill egos the world over.
Review: On the latest edition of their excellent Soul Essentials series, Outta Sight has decided to bring together two versions of 'Ordinary Joe', a seemingly perennial favourite written by the late, great Terry Callier. His celebrated 1972 recording - all bold, sing-along choruses, organ stabs, jangling piano and lolloping grooves - breezes its way across side A, while Jerry Butler's earlier version, laid to tape in 1970, sits on side B. His version is much more expansive and musically detailed than Callier's take, with superb production from Gamble & Huff and some brilliant orchestral arrangements courtesy of Donny Hathaway. Both versions are, or course, incredible.
Rickey Calloway & His Tennessee Band - "Do It On The One (Stay In The Pocket)" (3:10)
The Tennessee Band - "Ain't It A Crime" (instrumental) (3:06)
Review: Funk Night cop a couple of fine funk gems here from Rickey Calloway. He is an r&b singer, as well as a rhythm guitar musician and songwriter from Jacksonville, Florida. His Tennessee Band helps him serve up funk that comes direct from the 70s, James Brown style. Both of the singles here are [rimed to fire up the floor, with 'Do It On The One (Stay In The Pocket)' the more direct of the two and the flip side 'Ain't It A Crime' (instrumental) going deeper.
Review: Mr Bongo's reliable Brazil 45s series reaches its' 85th instalment. This time round the Brighton-based label has chosen to offer up two cuts from Waldir Calmon's 1970 set Waldir Calmon E Seus Multisons. While the album is not all that renowned, the track 'Airport Love Theme' - which resides on the A-side here - most certainly is, thanks to Madlib sampling it on the Madvillain album. It's a laidback and languid fusion of mellow soul breaks, Mexican stand-off trumpets, soaring choral vocals, Mediterranean acoustic guitars and mazy organ solos, all topped off with the sugary polish often associated with classic lounge music. Over on side B there's a chance to savour another killer cut from the same set, Jean-Jacques Perrey-esque lounge funk groover 'Afro Son'.
Review: Northern Soul heads rejoice - Cam Cameron's delightful 1968 gem 'They Say' is back on 45 rpm thanks to Soul Junction. Cameron is a Black American artist who has a stunning voice, as you can hear here, but is one of many such talents to apparently have only ever recorded one tune before disappearing never to be heard from again. More's the pity. His real name was Alvin Cameron and he wrote this one while the lush strings come from the late John Andrew Cameron, a hugely respected arranger, producer and songwriter who had a big impact in the soul scene in the 60s and 70s in Chicago.
Review: The Brazil 45 series is pure gold for lovers of Latin sounds across the funk, jazz and soul spectrum. Each one sells out fats but usually emcees back around, as is the case with this 18th edition. It features Ely Camargo's 'Taieiras' from his Ely's 1972 album Cantos Da Minha Gente and is a lively folk-inspired track sampled famously by DJ Yoda in 2012. Despite recording 12 albums, Ely remains an enigmatic figure whose music is all we have to feed off. On the flip side, Rio sibling trio Trio Esperanca shine with their psychedelic gem from their 1971 self-titled album. Known for their stunning harmonies, the group released seven albums between 1963 and 1975 but this is one of their finest moments.
Review: During the 1970s, Cornell Campbell made some fantastic records with producer Bunny Lee. 'My Baby Just Care For Me', a favourite amongst the lovers rock-powered 1970s blues party scene in London, is undoubtedly one of their best joint efforts. The riddim is loose and languid, the added piano solos pleasingly expressive and jangling, and Campbell soulful lead vocal tterly beguiling. Chunkier, more dancefloor-friendly roots reggae vibes are the order of the day on flipside cut 'Jah Jah He Morn Ya', where Campbell's vocal improvisation between verses add even more energy to an already heavyweight jam. In a word: essential.
Review: These two classic reggae tracks are now available on 7" vinyl and pressed loud for maximum vibes. Cornell Campbell's opening cut 'Darling Forgive Me' is a heartfelt, soulful tune that showcases his emotive vocals over a smooth, steady rhythm. The song has become a sound system favourite over the years with its emotional plea and captivating melody. On the flip side, The Paragons' 'Baby Some Day' brings a more upbeat vibe with its catchy hooks and harmonious delivery. It is a perfect blend of love and longing, wrapped in a laid-back, rhythmic groove.
Review: Brazilian talent Rafael Cancian has grown in stature thanks to solid outings on the tasteful likes of Razor-N-Tape and Hot Pot Records. Now with that profile established, he heads out with a new label of his own in the form of About Disco. He inaugurates it with a quartet of edits that he has already been deploying to great effect on various dancefloors around the world. 'Sounds Chicago' does indeed with raw drums and great keys dancing over the beats. 'Ti Amo' has a more funky undercarriage and disco percussion, 'D'Afrique' again brings a funky bass riff to the fore with some psyched-out sounds for company and 'Opera' shuts down with some late-night and soul-drenched synths over intimate and stripped back house drums.
Review: Sao Paulo artist and About Disco label head Rafael Cancian once played Motor City Wine party in its native Detroit and was thought to hail from the city itself so synonymous was his sound with what the locals expected. As such he now steps up to Hot Pot with a new pair of edits starting with 'Heaven.' It's a fulsome cosmic disco stepper with low sling drums and plenty of shiny synths as well as soothing vocal coos that help take you to ecstasy. Flip it over and you will find 'Nigeriac' which is a syncopated mix of Afro funk and rock to shake your bones loose.
Review: Native Soul Recordings has been around a long old time in dance music terms and now it looks back over some of its finest works with this first in a new series of Best Of comps. Music writer Harold Heath is first up with 'Slipstream,' an effortless smooth late-night house cut with introspective chords and silky pads bringing real depth. The Candy Dealers get more lithe and elastic with the spraying bass and jumbled percussive house of 'Train Of Thought' and last of all, Asad Rizvi remixes Jevne's 'Moderize' with a funky little bassline and chord vamps that keep you on edge. A tasteful package of timeless house grooves.
Review: Cappo is one of Nottingham's finest and now he's back once again, this time with a drum heavy hip hop weapon that has been produced by Doctor Zygote and Jazz T. 'I Go Off' has hard bars and dark beats with a lingering and menacing sense of soul. As the dusty, stripped back beats set an imposing groove, Cappo flows over the top with great wordplay delivery in his inimitable Midlands twang. On the flip is an instrumental that hits hard, but it's the original a-side that you want here.
Captain Gloats vs The Beastie Boys - "Ring My Cheque Up" (4:34)
Captain Gloats - "Chequestrumental" (4:34)
Review: A genius soundclash with a distinct New York flavour, bringing two generations of world beating sounds from the Big Apple together on the same track. The rapping is just as smart mouthed and amusing as you'd expect, but it's their unlikely pairing with these familiar 70s disco grooves and additional beat enhancing that brings this release to life. It all makes for a heady, ludicrous but also ludicrously natural sounding mashup that you can really imagine causing carnage on many a dancefloor. There's an instrumental mix on the flip, too, for those after something a little less audacious to spin, but the A-side is where the true action is.
Review: Captain Planet is a globe trotting DJ and producer who mixes up worldly roots music with his own fresh take on hip-hop and dancehall. For this one he joined up with Zuzuka Poderosa & Raphael Futura for a brilliant Brazilian disco and funk song that harks back to the 70s and 80s with influences like Tim Maia, Sandra Da Sa & Gilberto Gil. 'Moqueca' though also has some nice dance floor weight to it as well as the richly tropical percussion, steamy horns and seductive chords. On the flip is an instrumental and the good news is this is a taster of a full album to come.
Review: Aussie label Picnic defies the notion that 13 is unlucky with an irresistibly fun new 12" from Captn K. 'Get It On' is full flavour house music with squelchy cosmic bass, big hits and prickly percussion, but the icing on the cake is a well worked sample from the soul legend Marvin Gaye. Rather than sounding over familiar as can many samples, this one sounds fresh because of the dazzling action all around it. 'I Need Some Loving' is another colourful house tune that draws from the old school piano era and melts it with some cosmic vibrations and another Gaye sample, then 'It Will Take An Eternity To Break Us' closes out with lush future disco chords and start-eyed melodies over warm deep house beats.
Review: Jurgen Paape has a brilliantly characterful sound and wrote one of our favourite silly records in 'Ofterschwang' some 13 years ago (go check it out, it's brilliant.) We're glad to hear some new music from the long time Kompakt legend and co-founder and once again it's not what you would expect. 'Allein' is a downbeat piece with oriental melodies and gently plucked strings over warm bass. It's not for the club, that is for sure, but the flip side version 'Allein In Italien' sure is. This one is a chugging and brit Italo disco number with retro 80s synth sounds and plenty of joyous grooves.
Review: The unequalled Soul Jazz label is serving up some monster funk this month and they don't come much bigger than these two cuts from Chuck Carbo. Opener 'Can I Be Your Squeeze' is a super catchy, break heavy and funk fulled party jam to destroy the floor. Written and produced by the celebrated Eddie Bo, it comes with big drums from New Orleans stick man James Black. On the flip is the ever so slightly more mellow but not less dance 'Take Care Your Homework Friend.' These have long been hard to find and now come pressed nice and loud on fresh wax.
Review: Brazil 45s hit the quarter century in their run and show no sign of stopping. It's an all-girl affair on this one as two hugely popular and prolific singers take a spin under Mr Bongo's spotlight. Elizabeth (often known as Elizete) lays down a steamy samba flavour that gets raunchier as the track develops. Elza, meanwhile, gets busy on a Bossa tip as a carnival of percussion and horns go toe-to-toe with her sharp, sexy staccato vocals. Powerful.
Review: Italian pair Carebears bring a freaky twist to their brand of minimal here. 'Phone Home' has a wonky dial tone that slowly disorientates you over loopy drums and bass and 'White Boards' then gets more raw. The drums are precise and militant and the mood is mysterious. Remixing is Thomas Melchior, who to our mind has made some of the most unique minimal cuts of the last 15-plus years. His deftness always shines thorough in his airy, hypnotic drums and here as Melchior Productions LTD he does that again, flipping 'White Boards' into something that is weightless yet rooted on the floor and dreamy but driving.
Review: Jahug is a brand new label that kicks off with a heavy rhythm from Carl I aka producer Carl Gayle. 'Deputy Dawg' is the tune and it has a low-slung low end that is couched in plenty of warm reverb. The vocals up top are raw and unaffected and filled with a sense of yearning. Add in some fresh hits and classic reggae guitar riffs and you have a nice fresh roots cut. On the flip, more horns are brought to the fore to give it some subtle warrior energy while extra effects and fleshy reverb all add more weight to the original.
Review: DJs this one is for you, The Makossa Man is back AGAIN after its 18 years of hiatus with more of their covers and remixes of the original 2003 EP. Limited to just 300 copies this is a much-welcomed love letter to DJs and the original EP, giving it a lease of new life and being a much-anticipated sequel to the sold-out original Makossa Man Remix EP that is set to release later this August. Carlos Nilmmns and Simoncino are a welcome return to the roster, serving up another plate of fantastic tribal deep house. The rhythms are infectious and hopefully serve as samples for some incredible DJ sets to come.
Review: The legendary Fatman is back with another must-have 10" release featuring Don Carlos's iconic vocal roots classic from 1980. The A-side includes the full 12" disco mix, highlighted by Robbie Shakespeare's unforgettable bassline which adds to the fresh, deep groove of this perfectly aged track. On the flip side, you'll find Delroy Wilson's infectious 'Live Good' alongside its dub version. The OG is a heavyweight cut with plenty of FX, echo and lo-fi sounds all making it an unforgettable jam. Essentially this is an absolute no-brainer for reggae and roots music lovers.
Review: Carmy Love is mainstay of the Big AC Records label by now with the likes of 'Rebel', 'Together Again' and 'Thinkin Bout You' all establishing her sound. Here she embodies a love of, or certainly respect for, Southern Soul here with a bog and bold stomper that has brassy horns and loose tambourines backing a lung busting vocal that is powerful and emotive. It's a track that has an authentic old school sound but with modern production heft. Flip it over and you'll find the equally magical 'Together Again' which is a slower sound that sinks in deeper and with more pain.
Review: Carmy Love brings a stylish hint of gospel to the beautiful vocal on this new single on Big A C. 'Rebel' was actually written many years ago yet the lyrics have huge repugnance today. The song has regularly been performed in that time with New Street Adventure but now the live version becomes all the more glorious as a full studio production. On the back is a tune inspired by the fertile soul crossover sounds of the late 60s and early 70s, with funky bass and body brass. These are tunes to warm your heart and uplift you as you leave the bad times behind.
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