Review: This is another reissue of a record that remains an ongoing favourite. Original Gravity delivered again with the original pressing featuring two unique versions of 'Burning Spear'. Nestor Alvarez opens with a lively, Latin-inspired rendition filled with fluttering flute melodies, raw drum beats and vibrant dancing keys that radiate sunny energy. On the flip, La Machine D'Argent takes a more cosmic approach, smoothing the vibe and layering spaced-out sounds for a dreamy, immersive journey. This release showcases Original Gravity's knack for reimagining funk with flair by offering two distinct yet equally good takes on a timeless groove.
Ebony Evans - "Loving You Is All I Wanna Do" (4:38)
Lewzarius - "Step Up" (4:54)
Review: Ebony Evans is a superb soul talent who for this single worked with Manny Campbell who wrote and arranged. Originally recorded in 2004, 'Loving You Is All I Wanna Do' appeared on the Luv's Fire CD Maxi Single and later on a full album in 2006 through Coastal Records but now debut on vinyl thanks to Soul Direction. On the flip side, Lewzarius' 'Step Up" shines as a rich collaboration between Campbell and Haran Griffin, who is best known for 'Movin' Much Too Fast.' Atlanta-born Lewzarius recorded this track during his time at Coastal Records in the late 90s.
Review: Maledetta Discoteca closes out its year with this special blue vinyl featuring a mix of brilliant Italo disco artists. They all hail from Italy and Argentina and are editing originals that span disco, electro, proto-house and more. Hararis' 'Si No Pagan' is the first under the scalpel and is a funky cut with raw drums. Lance's 'Yo Quiero A Lucy' is a more slowed down and seductive sound with 80s synths, Marta Paradise's 'Calling' (edit) is a direct and sugar synth laced house stomper and Alan Strani's 'Tension Salsable' brings things to a closer with a nice stomping disco grove with mysterious synths and lush percussion.
I Don't Know What It Is But Keep That Light Shining On Me (Keith Lawrence Refix version 1) (4:26)
I Don't Know What It Is But Keep That Light Shining On Me (Keith Lawrence Refix version 2) (4:32)
Review: Keith Lawrence is a DJ and producer from Brixton in South London with plenty of credentials, and here he serves up a pair of refixes of 'I Don't Know What It Is But Keep That Light Shining On Me', a reggae jam with an edge. The first one is laden with hooky guitar riffs and has soaring call-and-response vocals expanding the sound up top. The second is more raw and a little stripped back with a focus on the timeless rhythms and sounds. Two tunes that demand to be played loud and with bass - obviously - pushed to the max.
Review: Francesco Fisotti is the leader of the new Italian disco-funk band Le Dune and this makes their debut release. 'Sugar' features a fusion of electronic drums, synths and groovy bass with a retro feel but fresh modern production flair next to vibrant guitars. When you pair all that with catchy, pop-driven vocals you have a timeless disco vibe that will unique all manner of dancers. Alongside the original version, the Extended Mix emphasises the groove, the Instrumental Version' leans into a percussive, tribal sound while the 'La Notte Mix' co-produced by Issam Dahmani delivers a late 80s proto-house feel.
Review: Discodelic and Groovie Records unveil a pair of rare 1970s Panamanian gems here with forgotten tracks from The Meditators, and Los Misticos. Originally recorded for radio and left in storage, these Latin psych funk bombs capture the underground spirit of Panama's vibrant music scene from more than 50 years ago. Licensed through Tamayo Records, these songs have been beautifully mastered and now the long-lost recordings, which barely made it to vinyl the first time around, become available for all who are keen to drop the heat and learn about Panama's hidden musical treasures at the same time.
Review: Freddie Love was a blind singer from Baton Rouge in the United States. He recorded two incredible 45s for Eddie Shuler's ANLA label and his debut release featured the dynamic two-sided track 'Crazy Girl'. It is a heart-swelling soul sound with slow but funk drums and bass riffs under a brilliantly expressive vocal heavily influenced by James Brown. On the B-side is Part 2 which has more guitar action laced in. This has long been a sought-after record and it is now receiving its first-ever vinyl reissue which will bring renewed attention to Love's powerful sound.
Review: Leroy Hutson is an American singer and songwriter revered by lovers of soul, dub and r&b. He's dropped countless hits which have long been favourites of deep crate diggers, and for this one, he switched things up quite literally in terms of the alias he used. The tunes are as killer as always with 'Butter Fat' pairing some free jazz melody with twisted funky basslines and organic percussion over funky drums. On the flip, 'Feel The' gets more soulful and laced with melody as big energy comes from the piano vamps. Two killers.
Review: La Clave's self-titled album from 1973 is a refreshing mix of Latin rhythms and the vibrant sounds of the city of San Francisco. Formed by nine musicians from Mexico, Panama, Cuba and Puerto Rico with Benny Velarde at the helm, the group blended their rich cultural backgrounds with the soulful and experimental music scene of the Bay Area during that period. This unique mix created a joyful, energetic sound that still lures you in to this day, which is why this mini-classic gets reissued as part of the Verve By Request series.
Review: On Good Together, Lake Street Dive embraces a renewed sense of purpose and focus on unity amidst social divisions. Described as "joyful rebellion", the album blends energetic, danceable sounds with a defiant, principled message that makes a long-lasting impression. "There's so much pain and division but living in anger isn't sustainable," drummer Mike Calabrese explains adding, "Joy is a powerful way to sustain yourself, and we wanted to remind people of that." The album he has made with his bandmates was produced by Grammy-winner Mike Elizondo and is the first time they collaborated on songwriting from the start. In turn, this expanded their creative range and has brought a new depth to their sound.
Review: Azar Lawrence's 1976 solo album People Moving is one that puts his skill on tenor, alto, and soprano saxophones front and centre throughout. The classic album was assembled by a stellar lineup including none other than Patrice Rushen on electric piano and vocals, as well as Harvey Mason on drums and Mtume on percussion. It was dedicated at the time to Charles Stepney and blends funk, soul, and jazz into a vibrant musical experience. The title track, 'People Moving,' stands proud with Lawrence's soulful saxophone and Jerry Peters' impressive horn arrangements really drawing you in. The record also marks Skip Scarborough's debut as a producer, and it's a role he later expanded when working with artists like Bobbi Humphrey, Con Funk Shun, and Phyllis Hyman.
Review: This new album from Les Truffles is as delicious as the thing they are named after, and as classy too. It's a deep dive into their smoky and seductive late night instrumental funk sound. The drumming is deft and feathery, the chords like puddles of bliss and the melodies hypotonic. Sometimes there is caution in the stick work to make for an unsettling mood, at others these sounds are warm and controlling for evening relaxation. Fans of El Michels Affair and Bad Bad Not Good will surely lap up this double album on Funk Night.
Review: Here, celebrating its 40th anniversary, Level 42's World Machine returns with a special reissue of the 1985 album that launched them to global fame. Departing from their jam-based roots, the band embraced a more structured songwriting process and also set to work producing the album themselves with engineer Julian Mendelsohn. The result was a polished, pop-funk breakthrough led by the hit single 'Something About You' which of course became a Top 10 hit worldwide, including in the U.S. Follow-up singles like the emotive 'Leaving Me Now' and the infectious "'World Machine' cemented the album's success and helped mark a major turning point in the band's career and 80s pop history.
Review: This brand new 2xCD set celebrates Level 42's 1985 top three album World Machine, which was produced with Wally Badarou. The album reached #3 in early 1986 and features the hit singles 'Something About You' which peaked at #6, and 'Leaving Me Now' which went on to reach #15. In the U.S., a Shep Pettibone remix of 'Something About You' became their highest-charting single by hitting #7 on the Billboard Hot 100. CD1 includes the original album, while CD2 offers some fresh 7" edits, 12" extended versions, remixes and B-sides. The set also features a booklet with lyrics, photos and a foreword by Simon Carson and Paul Waller.
Review: The Boston-based band The Post Pop Space Rock Be Bop Gospel Tabernacle Chorus and Orchestra was led by Webster Lewis and this album was recorded live in Oslo, Norway, in 1971. The original album was released in 1972 and this expanded edition includes previously unreleased songs, unseen photos and the full backstory of the historic concert. It is a rather rare recording that showcases spiritual and soul jazz at its finest and blends instrumental and vocal tracks for a unique, eclectic sound that has made it highly sought after. Newly transferred from the master tapes, it offers improved sound quality and is a must-buy for jazz cats.
Review: London Fog is the name of a live album by The Doors, but is also the name of a rock band who brought all new energy back in their day in the 1960s. In 1965, the buzz of 'swinging London' saw the opening of the Goldfinger-inspired 007 Club at the London Hilton. Harold Sakata, famously known as Oddjob, served as the host with Mick Mortimore spinning records as the DJ. Tony Craig and the Men About Town were the resident band and were captivating audiences at the city's most sought-after venue. Craig later formed the band London Fog and continued to perform regularly at the 007 Club while also recording this album full of soul and hard rock.
Review: This project celebrates B-Boying, which is one of the core elements of hip-hop culture, with tracks inspired by spontaneous dance challenges-whether in the street, subway or at a bus stop. Featured in Marc-Aurele Vecchione's ARTE series Boys and Girls Africa, the collection includes tracks like 'Perkushun,' 'Latin Breakdown' and 'Tex Mex Breaking.' Limited to just 300 copies, each vinyl sleeve is tagged, numbered, and signed by street artist Golf which makes it an authentic and collectible record for hardcore breakdancers.
Review: Mr Bongo's Cuban Classics Series now looks to highlight Los Reyes 73 and their sensational 1975 debut LP. This Afro-Cuban-funk gem combines psych rock with deep funk, cementing its status as a 70s Cuban masterpiece and a favourite with those who know. Despite releasing only two albums and a few singles, the band was highly influential in Cuba and gained international recognition through 2000s compilations. Produced by Raul Gomez and featuring Cuban music heavyweights, the album blends traditional Cuban Son with funk and psychedelic elements. The reissue uses the beautiful bird illustration cover art from the Mexican Pentagrama Records release.
Review: Scruscru and Los Protos hook up on the former's ever-reliable label for some more funk-fuelled and sample-heavy madness. This eight-tracker draws on the best of Library, jazz, hip hop and soul and collides elements of all of those together with some raw, and what sounds like, MPC beats, all tapped out with a lovably loose vibe. Some like 'Local Sugar Diggers' look up towards a sunny, cloudless sky, others like 'Dreams Of Sonora' are swaggering broken beat workouts with sensuous sax lines setting a steamy tone. 'Por Do Sol Em Shelekhmet' is another highlight with its aloof, angelic vocal tones.
Wayne McGhie & The Sounds Of Joy - "Fire (She Need Water)"
Cougars - "Right On"
Eddie Spencer - "You're So Good To Me Baby"
The Hitch-Hikers - "Mr Fortune" (feat The Mighty Pope)
Noel Ellis - "Memories"
Wayne McGhie - "Here We Go Again"
Review: Working in partnership with Light in the Attic and curated by Grammy-nominated producer, DJ and journalist Kevin Howes this wonderful new collection chronicles a vital musical migration: in late-1960s Toronto, Caribbean immigrants infused the city with ska, rocksteady and reggae and recorded some of the era's toughest tracks. Originators from Studio One, Treasure Isle and Trojan Records all united and broke racial and cultural barriers to build an influential yet under-appreciated Canadian reggae scene that is now showcased with a 20-page booklet with archival images, artist bios and essays on this double vinyl set.
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