Review: Miami's legendary TK Disco label has swung open the doors to its vital back catalogue and allowed some of the most golden gems to be reissued here. These are two stone-cold breakbeat classics and b-boy delights that come kissed by the sun and ready to get your party started. 'Dance To The Drummer's Beat' opens up with plenty of joyous vocals and loose percussion over fresh and funky breaks. On the flip of this 45rpm is 'Do The Handbone', a hard-hitting and raw cut with big vocals and plenty of lively trumpet action. Both are surefire winners.
Review: Who doesn't like a sentimental soul 7" in their bags to drop as that magical end-of-the-night tune? Well not us, that's for sure, and this one more than fits that bill. Paul Kelly's buttery smooth vocals and romantic overtones make 'You Make Me Tremble' a real classic of the genre. The chords are warm, the drums gentle, and the sentiments intimate. The flip side of this 45rpm from Soul4real is 'Come With Me' which is even more heartbroken, with its quivering strings and oh-so-delicate vocals.
Review: UK producer Inigo Kennedy - also known as Seducer, Tomito Satori and Helki Torsnum - comes up with a pair of techno tracks that positively glisten with luxuriant melody and a beautiful musicality that's rare to ape in this - or indeed any - scene. 'RackSpace 2' and 'Dewdrops' both glide with serene ease, the melodies weaving away in the back seat of the track but never threatening to overwhlelm the atmosphere. The latter is definitely operating in a spacier sphere, with the reverbs and delays working overtime, but both are nicely restrained takes on techno that nevertheless paint vivid sonic pictures.
Review: Kodama & The Dub Station Band is fronted by the talented dub trumpeter Kazufumi Kodama and together they recently presented their new cover album, COVER Song Collection featuring a selection of their versions of popular songs that they often call upon in their live performances. They have all been meticulously recorded in the studio and now one of them, inspired by Bob Marley's masterpiece 'Is This Love,' gets cut to 7". It finds Kodama transforming the classic into a vibrant instrumental rendition that captures Marley's positive vibes while offering a fresh take on the rhythms.
Review: Occasionally a single comes along that shows off a contemporary group's samplework. 'Hustler's Convention' from Dynamite Cuts is one. This new 7" recalls funk supergroup Lightnin Rod's album of the same name - originally released in 1973, it is renowned for being one of the major influences on hip-hop, bringing a sociopolitical commentary to black music at the time. Here the original track 'Sport', named after one of the album's protagonist hustlers, is blended with the B-side 'Four Bitches Is What I Got', which builds a smoke-filled narrative story involving poker tables and underworld czars around the funk backing.
Review: While Last Poets are rightly regarded as the 'godfathers of rap', others would insist that Hustlers Convention - a 1973 solo album from member Jalal Nuriddin under the Lightnin' Rod alias - had more influence on the birth of hip-hop. In part, that's down to the funk backing he received on the album from his chosen backing bands, which included the mighty Kool & The Gang. Here, Dynamite Cuts prove the point by offering two killer cuts from the set on 7" for the very first time. A-side 'Sport' is a Blaxploitation style delight - all ear-catching horn motifs, shuffling funk breaks, weighty bass, wah-wah guitar and languid spoken word vocals - while 'Four Bitches Is What I Got' sees our hero make merry over a more stripped-back take on the same backing track.
Review: Get ready for a classic hip-hop throwback with 'Definition Of Ill', the latest collaboration from Phill Most Chill and Krash Slaughta. Channeling the essence of early 90s hip-hop, the title track on Side-1 is packed with old-school vibes, heavy on samples and beats that hit hard. Phill's sharp rhymes and Krash Slaughta's impeccable production make for an unbeatable combo that will get any head nodding. Flip to Side-2, and 'I Ain't Playin With Y'all' delivers more New York-style boom-bap, complete with killer scratching and raw energy. The beats are tight, the flow is relentless, and the overall vibe feels like a trip back to the golden age of hip-hop. Phill's lyrics are inspired by Krash's beats, and it shows in the synergy between the two. This vinyl release is limited and comes in two distinct cover and label versions. If you're a fan of premium hip-hop, you won't want to miss out.
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