New releases this week: All genres

Review: First featured on Body And Soul's ultra-rare 1971 album and now a coveted collector's item, these two standout funk beauties are available on 7" vinyl for the first time. Essential for any self-respecting soul and funk fanatic, this one captures the raw, vintage energy of a bygone era and still cuts through today. The A-side, 'In the Beginning,' serves up deep funk grooves and soulful harmonies reminiscent of Sly Stone's classic sound. On the flip, the band offers a vibrant, funk-infused take on Laura Nyro's 'Stone Soul Picnic' and reimagines the timeless track with bold rhythms and all-new and funky fresh flair.

Review: Adeen Records is back with its The Bird series and this time Cad73 is the one at the buttons. First up he flips the age old classic 'Love and Happiness' into a smooth and seductive sound with lush chords and warming melodies. Flip it over and you will find a rework of 'How Can I Forget You' which becomes a Northern Soul great with big hooks and driving rhythms that will get big reactions in the club. Two different but equally effective and cultured cuts.

Review: The Bird series is back once again with a fourth offering and it is label founder Jason Wilkins who takes care of this one under his Camille moniker. It kicks off with a flip of 'Hogin' Machine' that has raw and dusty drums and funky basslines that keep on coming and keep you locked. things slow down n the B-Side with 'Safari in D'. This one becomes a more mellow and laidback sound that offer a different take on an original by L'Eclair. The bass is warm and melodic, the drums loveably lazy and the keys jazzy and pensive. Super stuff for lo-fi lovers.

Review: Phil Mison, long revered for his chill-out sets and Balearic sensibility as a DJ, not to mention over two dozen releases under his belt, returns as Cantoma with a new single that perfectly captures the spirit of sunset listening. 'Light As Before' is a gentle and evocative piece built on Latin percussion, breezy guitar work and a standout horn section that lifts the track into a golden-hour daydream. It's the kind of track that feels tailor-made for a coastal terrace, a glass in hand and nowhere to be but the present. The B-side remix is a tasteful reimagining that dials down the horns and replaces them with soft flutes and delicate acoustic textures. This version leans deeper into the groove with a more introspective yet still melodic mood. It trades some of the exuberance for warmth and depth, making it an ideal complement to the original. Both sides highlight Mison's continued mastery of Balearic downtempo.

Review: A true gem from the golden era, reggae royalty Johnny Clarke's 'Love Feeling All Over' is a standout rework of Diana Ross's seminal 'Love Hangover' and it gets a fresh spin with this alternate mix. Stripped down and rebuilt for sound system culture, it brings deeper bass, rawer textures and a heavier, more hypnotic vibe than ever before. Pressed on a weighty 7" on Clarke's own Naphthali label, this version is tailor-made for selectors and dancefloor devotees and has long been a certified 80s classic. This dubby take brings new life to a beloved anthem that backs up claims that Johnny Clarke remains a foundational voice in reggae.

Review: Moscow's premier instrumental outfit the Diasonics return with a limited clear vinyl 7" drawn from their forthcoming second LP Ornithology. The A's 'Oriole' locks into a crisp disco-funk rhythm, combining icy Soviet-era synth motifs with the kind of motorik groove that could've come straight off a 70s Eastern European library session, its minimalist melody mimicking the oriole's call while nodding to the Moscow commuter train of the same name. Flip it for 'Chickadee', all break-heavy thump, plucky bass and streetwise swagger straight from early 80s NYC.

Review: The mysterious Ronnie Frazzle steps out with a head-turning 7" for Hot-Rox, again limiting itself to just 300 copies. The precedent has been set since 2022, when the 'Doom Sessions' series set about laying MF Doom acapellas to other unmistakable hip-hop instrumentals. On the A, 'The Doom Sessions' leans into murky low-end and glinting synth bursts, anchored by grainy, half-lit verses from Doom, set to Roots Manuva's 'Witness'. Flip it for mix 2, which displaces the mood entirely with slick bass runs, sun-warmed keys and smoother vocal flows; less clash than complement.

Review: Lil Static rerelease Jay Z's perhaps most well known singles: '99 Problems' and 'New York State Of Mind' which were the first ever to top the charts and propel the rap turned mogul's name to fame. Also bookending two distinct phases of his career, the A side is a polished love letter to New York built on soaring piano loops and Alicia Keys' chorus, crystallising his transition into cultural statesman mode: less hustler, more mayor. Released in 2009, it echoed Frank Sinatra's civic romanticism but filtered through the lens of Marcy Projects and Roc Nation boardrooms. '99 Problems', from The Black Album (2003), hit different: raw, confrontational, stripped down to Rick Rubin's punk-funk minimalism. Courtroom tension and street wits flip a snappy chorus into a layered commentary on race, law enforcement, and the media.

Review: Mushi 45 prompt a history lesson: Hailing from Paris in the early 70s, Lafayette Afro Rock Band forged a fusion of American funk and West African rhythms, producing grooves that stuck like thumbtacks through later genera such as hip-hop and electronica. Their track 'Darkest Light' stands out for its piercing, mussitating bari sax riff, famously looped on Jay-Z's 'Show Me What You Got'. Another essential cut, 'Deep Gully', delivers sharp guitar stabs over a crisp drum break, also a backbone for numerous hip-hop and jungle tracks. The group's sessions at Pierre Jaubert's Parisound studio yielded records like Soul Makossa and Malik, both cult classics rich in percussion and horn work.

Review: The one and only edit king really struck gold with his iconic rework of Marvin Gaye's 'I Want You,' which now celebrates 20 years with its first-ever 7" reissue on Most Excellent Unlimited. Stripping back the original to spotlight Gaye's sensual vocals and minimal conga-driven rhythm, this near-drumless edit is pure magic. On the flip, Mr K delivers a euphoric edit of Billy Paul's Philly disco gem 'Only The Strong Survive' and stretches its soaring vocals and propulsive groove into an extended, floor-lifting finale. Both sides are essential: one intimate and sultry, the other triumphant and explosive, making this another essential 45 rpm from Mr. K.

Review: This fourth volume continues this series' mission of bringing some rare Afro-disco gems up to date for modern dancefloors. New life is brought into lesser-known classics while preserving the vibrant energy of the genre right from the off with Side A offering up the infectious, organic sounds of 'MPDD' while Side B offers 'MKZB' which has a seriously groove-heavy bassline and smartly layered percussion. Both of these are proper secret weapons for DJs and pure bait for dancers.

Review: Tea Breaks comes through with the goods again here in the form of a killer hip-hop hit that comes from the legendary East Coast scene back in the mid-90s when, for our money, it was turning out its most vital artists and albums. 'CREAM (feat R & ID)' has familiar dark soul energy with strumming strings running across its face, dusty and deep beats and iconic vocals. On the flip of this tidy 7" is an instrumental version that strips things back to the core ingredients and lets your mind do the rest.