Review: Both of these funk gems are taken from a cult compilation Trans Groove Express, which explored the sounds of Express Records and was assembled by MURO. Fourth Wave now serve them up on a superb 7", starting with Maki Asakawa. 'Hohi Hitotsu' is a delightfully gentle and subtle dub with funky guitars adding movement while the sultry vocal soars. Yasuhiro Abe's 'Night Fish' is a brighter and more retro 80s soul and boogie sound with glowing chords and snappy hits. The Japanese language vocal is emotive enough to mean plenty without understanding the meaning of the words.
Mark Brickman & Yam Who? - "Shined On Me" (feat Venessa Jackson) (7:30)
Wayfaring Strangers - "Get Your House In Order" (6:12)
Platinum City - "Holy Spirit" (7:35)
Yam Who? & Brian Lucas - "Yah Mo B There" (6:16)
Review: House music's roots are in the church and this new a celebratory various artist collection pays homage to that. The grooves are laced with soulful vocals, churchy chords and big strings that make for grand architecture and grander feelings of joy. Mark Brickman & Yam Who? open with a vocal gem that cannot help but bring a smile, while Wayfaring Strangers pump it up a little more with some funky disco house before Platinum City get you locked in a nice loose, long legged groove that is resplendent with lush keys and big vocal turns. 'Yah Mo B There' has an irresistible 80s vibe and big sing along choruses that will get hairs standing on end.
Sade - "Nothing Can Come Between Us" (2001 Tokyo House mix) (7:30)
Sade - "Love Is Found" (House dub) (6:18)
Jill Scott - "Think It Better" (dub Yinja re-edit) (6:36)
The Bongo Jam - "Love Disco Dub" (Yinja re-edit) (6:50)
Review: There will also be space in a real DJ set for a cheeky edit or playful mash up. This latest volume of just that from Yinja covers plenty of ground so is a brilliantly useful 12" to have in your bag for when you want to pump the party. First up, The Bongo Jam's 'Love Disco Dub' becomes a shuffling, vibey and deep cut soulful house sound, then Jill Scott's 'Think It Better' (dub Yinja re-edit) gets a late night make over for smooth sessions. On the flipside are two reworks of classic Sade tackle, and both come with signature r&b vocals and well worked drums.
Review: Correcciones Calypso returns from a generous hiatus with the fourth edition of its acclaimed edit series, replete with four re-edits that veer from the subtle to the downright brazen. Thomass Jackson and INigo Vontier invite the French duo Youkounkoun to open proceedings with an insane early 80s edit full of big drums and exotic touches that's been blowing dancefloors all around the world for the past years - and definitely resides in the brazen category, despite a lot of work having gone into it. Olta Karawame make their debut on the series with a powerful, compact edit full of ballsy keyboard riffing and a military-sized kick drum that is guaranteed to have heads banging . To complete the release label bosses Thomass and INigo deliver edits of their own with their characteristic sound, giving this EP maximum a value for money factor and entertainment from start to finish.
Review: Disco and house deviant YSE Saint Laur'Ant is back with a dive into groove-laden sounds that have long been his signature, all while blending genres with real finesse. Side-A begins with a gospel-tinged track featuring ESG-style rhythms, raw beats and an addictive bassline. It is followed by 'Special,' where airy vocals over a laid-back groove create a dreamy atmosphere then flip it over and New York Boys delivers a spaced-out pulse with urban grit. The finale, 'Gone Fighting' is a midtempo closer that shines with its infectious Slavic sample wrapping up this EP with a reflective, groovy vibe.
Review: 'Sayonara Ha Syuppatsu No Kotoba' roughly translates as "Goodbye is the Word for Departure" and is a striking blend of Japanese indie and folk music. The album combines rich acoustic melodies with introspective lyrics to make for often poignant and nostalgic atmospheres with Yasuda's emotive voice at the heart of the sounds. The band's intricate instrumentation reveals more with each listen and the record explores themes of departure, self-reflection and the bittersweet nature of transitions. They might sound heavy but the delicate soundscapes also capture both moods of vulnerability and resilience which adds to the tender, affecting nature of the record.
Review: Yung Bae is the alias of Dallas Cotton, a Los Angeles-based producer with influences that include disco, r&b and Japanese City Pop. He had already proven his capabilities over the past two years, but his album Bae 3 really shows off his mastery in making A-grade funk. There's the boogie-down vibe of 'Back To The Classics', the neon-lit night moves of 'If You Want It', as well as the low slung mood music of 'All Night' and the upbeat horns-driven dancefloor heater 'Fantasy' being just of the highlights.
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