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.
Curtis Baker & The Bravehearts - "Fried Fish ’n’ Collard Greens" (2:40)
The Native Yinzer - "The Hip Strip" (2:33)
Review: The fourth edition in Original Gravity's Down In The Basement series, which gathers instrumental soul and swing cuts onto worthy 7" slabs, resounding the fervent 1960s decadal gap in which mod reigned supreme. With juleps flowing and kneecaps knocking, Abramo & Nestor bring newfangled electric pianistic swing with 'Dig It!', while a twinned "hit it!" injunction is heard from Floyd James & The GTs on the reissued 'Work That Thang'; James' voice is tubed and speed-delayed to terrific effect, achieving a sprung intonation. Curtis Baker brassifies the bonanza with the lively 'Fried Fish 'n' Collard Greens', while The Native Yinzer's exiting excitation 'The Hip Strip' quilts our ears with a mnemic, down-feathery Hammond-breaks bit.
Review: Australian soul singer Stella Angelico has been at it since 2012, and now, signaling yet more to come, we hear a fresh 7" documenting her work with Cookin' On 3 Burners, a Melbourne-based band whose specialism is Hammond organ funk and soul. On the A we've got 'I'm Comin' Home To You', a nimble pop-soul of impeccable quality, expressing the joy of a long-awaited return. The B-sider, 'Whole Woman', is more of a monologue and slow jam, expressing the joy of staying fully embodied and grounded.
Review: These two tracks from Mike Bandoni and Chip Wickham have been a long time coming. The two stablemates from the 'Craig Charles Fantasy Funk Band' have been discussing a collaboration for years and now; and it's finally in the bag! Mike brings his trademark killer funky drums (recorded by the legendary Malcolm Catto), percussion, Rhodes, bass and vintage guitar vibes to the party, whilst Chip delivers some sublime and highly complimentary work on sax and flute. 'Infinity Pool' sounds like a long-lost Bobbi Humphrey-meets-Bob James composition, with the flute taking centre stage - underpinned by what can only be described as mammoth funk grooves on every other instrument - while 'Get It!' is a cool number, channelling a phenomenally infectious groove and hook, both of which remain in the brain for days.
Nick Bike - "Scratch Sentence / 98 Beat / Skipless / 101 Beat" (6:19)
Review: Private Stock Records serves up a treat for DJs and turntablists with a new 12" packed with beats, scratches, and skipless tracks. Four skilled DJsiBig Once, Cutso, Double A, and Nick Bikeicontribute their skills to this collection, offering a diverse range of flavours for scratching and beat juggling. Each DJ delivers a 'Scratch Sentence' and a selection of beats at various tempos, providing a versatile toolkit for creative routines. The inclusion of skipless tracks adds another dimension, allowing for seamless blends and extended mixes. With its focus on functionality and quality, this release is a must-have for any serious turntablist or DJ looking to expand their arsenal of sounds.
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: 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: The Milanese outfit dive headlong into cinematic Afro-disco on this limited 7", reworking two cult dancefloor staples with characteristic flair. On the A-side, their version of Piero Umiliani's 'Discomania' hits with tightened syncopation and swirling synth arrangements, turning the cosmic Italo-disco cut into a hypnotic afrobeat strut. Flip it over for a rich reimagining of Azymuth's 'Jazz Carnival'iCalibro 35 boost the groove with deep-bottomed funk and crisp horns, pushing the original's samba swing into widescreen. Known for their work at the intersection of funk, soundtrack and psych, the band bring sharp musicianship and warm analogue heat to both sides of this essential 45.
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.
Review: The on point Funk Night label returns with these raw and emotive jams from Rickey Calloway & The Tennessee Band. The tidy two track 7" opens with the raw soul jazz sounds of 'Everybody Say Yeah' with its blasts of horns, expressive vocals and rolling rhythm section all cutting deep. Flip it over for the slightly more loose feeling 'Mr Meaner,' an instrumental version with the backing singers left in place to inject some human warmth to the lo-fi grooves.
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: GC Cameron was born and raised in McCall Creek, Mississippi, and by the age of 22 he was already famous having joined Motown Records. He was signed up as lead singer of the legendary group The Spinners and had several web recover tunes and a few hits such as 'It's A Shame,' which was co-written and produced by Stevie Wonder. After that, Cameron left the group and went solo and teamed up with Harvey Faqua, Greg Crockett and Elgie Stover to record his best-ever work, which now makes its way onto this fine four-track EP courtesy of Soundway.
Black Nostaljack (Aka Come On) (radio edit) (4:03)
Black Nostaljack (Aka Come On) (feat Run & Kid Capri - Kid Capri mix Tape remix) (3:51)
Review: Bronx titans Camp Lo came out strong when they arrived in the late 90s on Profile Records. Of the many sure shots on their debut LP Uptown Saturday Night, 'Black Nostaljack' was a cool, funked up party jam to get every nodding their approval. It's a classic kind of hip-hop, like an East Coast version of People Under The Stairs, and it sounds super fresh on this 7" from Get On Down. As well as the original version on the A side, the flip features the jacked up 'Mix Tape Remix' from Kid Capri, which turns the heat up good and proper if you need to get the crowd freaking.
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: More from the cheeky scamps behind the Disco Bits label, an imprint whose releases regularly blur the boundaries between re-editing, re-making and remixing. Here they welcome back imprint regulars Cannon & Mirrorball (we laughed, at least), who once again serve up two guaranteed disco floor-slayers. A-side 'Hot Lovin (Don't Stop, Don't Quit)' sits somewhere between disco-house and hip-house, with excitement-building raps lifted from vintage hip-hop cuts sitting atop a non-stop beat crafted from tooled-up elements from a celebratory disco favourite. As the title suggests, 'Shack Attack' cheekily blends elements from Banbarra classic 'Shack Up' and B-52s hit 'Love Shack', adding some other choice samples to create a tidy, well-made mash-up that sounds tailor-made for disco dancefloors.
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: 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: First released in 2009 through People's Potential Unlimited - the vintage funk and soul outfit operant out of Washington, D.C. - Cardell Funk Machine's 'Shoot Your Shoot' is a daring tease, dealing in candid soul thematics about taking chances, and/or asking, "what's the worst that could happen?". The first ever release by this alias of the avant-soul Chicago musician Cardell Harrington, 'Shoot Your Shot' was released in 2009 but may have been recorded even earlier; Cardell was said to have only been 19 at the time, allegedly laying it down in prominent soul producer Donald Burnside's studio. Backed by the 'lo-fi' halfstep number 'It's All Over', this is electric soul through and through, commanding a bare-boned but still brilliantly even, neon sonic keel.
Review: .No, this is not a surprise jazz-funk outing from Dan 'Caribou' Snaith, but rather a reissue of the sole single that French outfit Cortex released as Caribou, way back in 1977. Copies of that record are now very hard to come by, so it's great that Trad Vibe have delivered this fresh edition. It's worth picking up for 'Californie' alone. The track is a near perfect fusion of the Gallic ensemble's usual loose jazz-funk sound and energetic, sun-drenched disco - all breathless electric piano solos, memorable guitar licks, dancefloor-friendly grooves and spiralling group vocals. Original flipside 'Stevie', a more relaxed and loved-up affair closer in tone to Cortex's usual material, once again resides on the reverse.
Review: Guitarist Carl Holmes formed his band with The Commanders and recorded a full-length in 1962 for Atlantic, just a few years after first started gigging. He later went on to record for the Parkway and Verve labels and even gigged with Jimi Hendrix, though never conveyed any of the sessions to tape. His group disbanded soon after in the late 60s and he then formed this one which was defined by its strong rhythm section. This is their only record and it's a classic bit of funk from smoking breaks to syncopated Latin-tinged jams and some more mellow magic in between.
Review: Jean Carne was an underrated legend of disco and r&b music through the 70s and 80s and this reissue helps one of her gems back into the spotlight. On Side-1, the title track delivers a smooth, sensual slow jam that blends early 80s soul with subtle funk and electronic influences. Carne's vocal performance is nothing short of captivating, evoking both tenderness and passion in equal measure. Side-2 offers 'Heartache', another classy soul track that showcases Carne's ability to convey emotion through her rich, soulful and wide ranging vocal talents. The track effortlessly captures the smooth, seductive essence of early 80s r&b and boogie. Timeless rare grooves from yesteryear like this coming back around to be heard again is what makes reissues so important.
Review: Late 70s funk fusion from Tunisia: capturing the moment leading Tunis bands Dalton and Marhaba Band joined forces for some legendary disco fusion. "Alech" ignites with a Doobie Brothers style shiny guitar, big slap bass and soaring synth work while "Hanen" is a little more introspective and soulful with its honeyed harmonies and cascading chord sequence. Complete with instrumentals.
Review: The Carver Area High School Seniors' 'Get Live '83 (The Senior Rap)' is a stone cold party hip hop classic. It has been out of print for some four decades, however, and so has become a rather hard to find and expensive record. Thankfully, Soul Jazz Records have got the rights to this full reissue which was first pressed in 1982 on the private press label Challenger. The cut featured as the standout on Soul Jazz Records' recent 'Yo! Boombox' collection and now standalone as a seven minute stunner. It's an old school party disco delight with great rap and killer beats, all presented with the original artwork.
Review: CASQUIAT's ability to balance heavy, floor-filling beats with thoughtful, experimental layers is on full show in this new 7" from DATUM. The two cuts push the boundaries of hip-hop and bring in a raw electronic edge. 'The Stopper' is a high-energy cut that collides skittering percussion and intricate rhythms to make for an intense yet hypnotic club vibe. In contrast, OG Ranks takes a deeper, more introspective route with moody undertones, spacious production, and a sharp focus on atmospheric tension. They make for a fine yin and yang and cannot fail to make their mark in the club.
Review: Casquiat - a mysterious production moniker, and clear play on words of the name of a famous New York neo-expressionist artist, punned with either a casket or casque (we're not sure which) - lays down an equally mysterious but also supremely effective edit of the infamous Boyz II Men tune, 'If I Ever Fall In Love Again', re-baptizing it 'Lady Friend' and lending two alternate takes on the rerub (whether 'Bad Self' or 'Lady Storm' are artists or mix names, we also can't tell). Whereas the original track's bittersweet barbershop tones exist purely as an acapella - unusually, in their case, it was an original acapella, not recorded for a produced pop song - Casquiat lays down two, boxy contemporary breaks / hip-hop mashups here, one operative at 90bpm and the other more at 70bpm, and both bringing unusual dubby flavours to an otherwise pure R&B hit.
Review: Kendrick Lamar's 'King Kunta' and Kelis' 'Milkshake' hear an unlikely pairing on the perfunctorily named Edits series. The former track - some might agree its dust is still settling, as it was released in 2015 - sounds almost twice as lively here, its "oh, yes, you can, oh, yes you can!" ad-lib sounding about as squeezed as a hand-wrung lime steeped in its own juices and then dried out in Saharan heat. There's a diatonic, electric piano hook added on top too; Kelis' flip has a similar feel, mashing up the noughts teaser hit with a dash of easily identified r&b goodness - we're 99% sure you'll recognise the instrumental, its having also originated somewhere in the familiar fires of pop musical preeminence.
Review: Casual Connection returns with a pair of clever edits that breathe new life into familiar classics. On 'Downtown King Kunta', the team samples Ginuwine's iconic 'Pony' and adds a fresh rap vocal, reimagining the smooth, sultry vibe with an energetic, streetwise twist. The track strikes a perfect balance between nostalgia and innovation, giving listeners a new appreciation for the beloved sound. On the flip side, 'Billie's Milkshake' takes Busta Rhymes' 'Gimme Some More' and gives it a playful, bass-heavy makeover. The edit retains the original's dynamic energy while adding a contemporary flavor that'll have crowds moving. Casual Connection's ability to elevate these tracks while keeping the essence intact showcases their skill in remixing and reinvigorating hip-hop and r&b staples.
Review: Lovers of heart aching soul are well attuned to the output of the Izipho Soul label. Each and every 7" they serve up is impossibly emotive and the new one is no different from Cornell CC Carter. It features singles taken from the artist's hugely anticipated new album, Next Life, and suggests it's going to be an absolute cracker. It will feature 13 carefully constructed songs with rich 70s and 80s soul influences throughout. Here the two chosen singles offer mid tempo, deep cut funk backed with a big ballad that will melt anyone's heart.
Review: Cee O Funk's latest double-sided release, 'Night With You,' is a brilliant example of the French touch in modern funk. The A-side features 'Night With You,' a sexy and electrifying track infused with electro funk vibes and highlighted by Mae Rojas's strong vocal performance. B-side 'Brazil,' offers a beachy electro funk experience that transports listeners to sun-soaked shores. Both tracks are masterfully crafted with analogue synths, adding a rich and authentic texture to the music. Cee O Funk continues to impress with their ability to blend classic disco funk elements with contemporary electrofunk influences.
Review: Mr Bongo take an MPB breather, tempering their recent larger-scale ambition to reissue mammoth Brazilian disco on comp with a 7" side order appetiser of a classic Brazilian MPB track. Celia's 'Na Boco Do Sol' ('At the Mouth of the Sun') is a gestalt slice of slow-samba, bringing with it a dash of torrid soul and telenovela cinematics. The favourite Arthur Verocai collaborator sings of psychic cities and imaginariums of the soul, verifying a well-travelled spirit; Verocai himself, and Vitor Martins, both lend the song a fuzzy phonic with their guitars and strings. And on the B side comes 'A Hora e Essa, the first track from her second self-titled LP: a lively samba-funk workout, doused in jazzy piano licks, strutting guitars and punchy horns.
Review: Two more rare grooves purloined from Cultures Of Soul's Brasileiro Treasure Box Of Funk & Soul and delivered on a sweet 45: Celia's "A Hora E Essa" is a steamy Latin funk workout from 72; all horns, cuicas and soft, honeyed vocals. Franco's "Ei, Voce, Psiu!" takes a more US funk idea with Franco's spoken vocals giving off a strong air of bandleader as the band lock down a tight groove beneath. Watch out for samba flip towards the end. Blink and you'll miss it.
Review: Colin Curtis - an early purveyor of rare groove and jazzdance whose credo rings far and wide - has been helming his own label of originals for some time now. Presently focusing on the best live-feel broken beat, house and jazz in his orbit, his latest curation, Cengiz and Ishfaq's 'Vibrations', is no break from this general rule. Each artist helming one side respectively, Cengiz' 'Motf' and its remix work a steadily built progression around faint jeers, metallic percs, filterpassed tom fills and space-age risers, the latter of which is much more skeletal than the former; while Ishfaq's 'Wonderjazz' moves impressively somewhere in the lost interregnum between speed garage and techfunk.
Review: It's rare we hear reissues from those close to the original horses' mouths, but the work of G.U.S. Records is an exception. Run by vinyl and tape collector Gustavo C., the aim of the imprint is to re-release the soul, funk and early proto-electro of artists from Detroit whose music had only circulated in unreleased demo form. Mainly focusing on funk and boogie, '80s music abounds; notwitshstanding two former releases from rather unrecognised names, their third is a mega-rare single from Central Line. 'Love Will Find It' and 'Do You Remember' have never before seen the light of day, despite the four-piece band's long stint with the major label Mercury. The B-side is a favourite; a unusual slice of falsettoing boogie in triplet time.
Review: Fresh from the Harlem hotpot, 1980: Harold Sargent's Chain Reaction teamed up with Sound Of New York's founder and producer Peter Brown for a star-lit, horn-baked, organ-licked disco creation that still funks hard 36 years down the line. With its maximal approach, disco bubbles and emphatic gutsy vocals, it could be argued that this funk even harder today due to it ticking every possible disco, boogie and funk box possible.
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