Mukatsuku

Review: Sample-digging beat-maker DJ Mitsu The Beats has been churning out blazed grooves and hazy, head-nodding workouts for well over 15 years. You'll find a fine example of his woozy, laidback and emotion-rich approach on the B-side of this Mukatsuku Records outing, which marks his first appearance on wax since 2016. While that track, "Pilot", is all warm Rhodes lines, toasty bass, Vibraphone flashes and crunchy MPC beats, it lets A-side "Let Go" shine - it was made in collaboration with Kaneko Takumi from Cro-Magnon and features spacey, Herbie Hancock style synthesizer lead lines stretching out over rich Fender Rhodes chords and shuffling, bossa nova-influenced beats.As played by DJ Spinna, Rob Luis (Tru Thoughts),Marc Hype,The Allergies,Kid Koala ,Nancy Noise,Smoov etc

Review: Mukatsuku's latest must-have release offers another opportunity to own early Freddie Cruger AKA Red Astaire favourite "Take It Personally". The wonderfully dusty, smoky and life-affirming hip-hop-soul cut first appeared as a Swedish only CD single in 2001, before later being included on the Stockholm stalwart's 2006 debut album "Soul Search". This time round, the inspired original - all head-nodding beats, sumptuous strings and sugary-sweet vocals from guest Desmond Foster - comes accompanied by a previously unreleased instrumental take. This vocal-free version is superb, offering listeners a chance to wallow in the quality of the Swedish veteran's bumpin' beats and intoxicating, head-in-the-clouds production. In the record box of Danny Krivit,DJ Spinna, Kid Koala and more! Only 300 hand-numbered copies and strictly no repress. Juno copies come exclusively in additional hand stamped kraft paper inner sleeve and branded card outer sleeve. Don't sleep !

Review: For this 7" single, label boss Nik Weston took a deep dive into the vast back catalogue of Discos Fuentes, Columbia's oldest record label (it was founded in 1934, fact fans). On the A-side you'll find "A La Memoria Del Muerto" by long serving salsa outfit Fruko Y Suis Tesos, a typically jaunty, dusty and celebratory workout that was originally released on a now hard-to-find 7" single sometime in the early 1970s. Over on the B-side, Weston takes us on a trip to the early days of Cumbia via El Combo Los Galleros's brilliant 1963 album cut "Soledad", which still sounds heavy, punchy and intoxicating 44 years after it was recorded, and has been a staple in the bags of top selectors such as Hunee, Red Greg, Kai Alce, Dom Servini & Craig Charles from BBC 6!

Review: For the fourth volume in Mukatsuku's ongoing Jazz Classics series, label boss Nik Weston has decided to reissue two lesser-known gems from the nu-jazz era. On side A you'll find Kirk Degiorgio in As One mode, laying down a sublime chunk of sultry jazz bliss that comes laden with virtuoso horn playing and some superb keys-work from then session player Jamie Odell (AKA Jimpster). It was recorded almost 20 years ago, but sounds timeless. Equally as impressive is Butti 49's "Spiritual Radiations", a bright-and-breezy, soul-flecked chunk of jazz positivity that sounds like Rotary Connection jamming with Kyoto Jazz Massive.Juno copies come with an exclusive hand-numbered obi strip not available at other stores plus branded sleeve & sticker.DJ support so far from Spiritland,Faze Action,Nicola Conte, Kalita Records Chris,Nick Emanative,Simon S,Steven Tang and Kay Suzuki

Review: Volume Ten of the Mukatsuku label's Afro Funk & Disco Gems series has two more tracks released for the first time on a 7 inch in their own right. First up is Peter Yamson's 80's afro boogie feelgood masterpiece ''Everybody Dance'' taken from the Sun On Africa album (mispelt on discogs as Sun Of Africa by the way ! ) and licenced directly from the artist .Infectious chorus and funk groove with Roy Ayeresque vibes and punchy brass . On the flipside from 1981 we get Get Up Tchamassi from french african group Tala AM which is a funk drenched heavy slap bass boogie mostly instrumental affair with female vocals and great sax playing and catchy rhythm guitar.

Review: On this latest tasty Mukatsuku seven-inch, label boss Nik Weston has raided the back catalogue of Modern Sun Records founder and experienced jazz-wise producer Marc Friedli AKA Skymark. A-side "Flying Fantasy" originally appeared on the Spanish producer's 2016 album "Resistance Sonore", but is here featured in instrumental form for the first time. If anything, it's better than the original version, largely because we get to revel in Friedli's mazy Fender Rhodes solos, rubbery jazz-funk synth bass and loose-limbed, West London style broken beats. You'll find plenty more jaunty jazz-funk vibes and liquid electric piano solos on B-side cut "Rhodes E Serenidade", which first slipped out way back in 2015. DJ Support so far from Dom Servini, Emanative,Red Greg,Kevin Beadle, Mike Chadwick,Dynamite Cuts & Rocafort Records so far

Review: Two stonking reggae disco/soul cover versions with oodles of cross over appeal for a variety of dancefloors licensed from the catalogue of Bushays music. Everyone loves a decent cover version right? Sit still to these beauties and you obviously still tied to your chair. Comes in exclusive Juno packaging, hand stamped in Kraft paper inner sleeve plus branded card sleeve with free sticker. In the DJ box of Mr Scruff, Red Greg, Hugo from Sofrito, Dom Servini, Barry Ashworth (Dub Pistols), Scrimshire, Jose Padilla, Peter Croce & Marc Hype.

Review: Triassic Tusk's "Screamers, Bangers & Cosmic Synths" series of crate digging comps has seen the Scottish crew showcase some seriously hot, little-known music. Mukatsuku have joined forces with the imprint to give a 12" release to two potent Afro-disco smashers that recently featured on volume two of the ongoing compilation series ,now remastered and sounding better than ever. On side A you'll find Liberian artist Tecumsay Roberts' bouncy 1979 Afro-soul/Afro-boogie number "It Makes Me Dance & Sing", where spacey Moog solos rice above a funk-influenced dancefloor groove. On the flip, the fun continues via Commy Bassey's Clav-happy, Nigerian sounding Afro-boogie roller "We Want Togetherness", a positive plea for unity that's as relevant now as it was way back in 1980.Juno copies come in an exclusive branded card sleeve .As played/charted by Red Greg,Marcel Vogel, Craig Charles,Faze Action,Kalita,Cedric Woo,JKriv,Prins Thomas and Dom Servini so far