THATMANMONKZ レコード& CD

Review: A double dose of goodness here, as Whiskey Disco regulars Pontchartrain and thatmanmonkz serve up two tasty new re-edits apiece. It's the former who handles side A. He begins with the breezy, tropical-sounding disco stomp of "La Magie" - all punchy horns, classic disco bass, fizzing synth lines and glassy-eyed female vocals - before brilliantly reworking a suitably obscure disco/jazz-funk instrumental (the suitably spacey "Hey Mariposa"). Arguably even better is "Luh Me On Mi Celly", the low-slung, stretched-out dub disco revision that counts as thatmanmonkz's first contribution to the EP. His second, "Radiation Steppa", is a fizzing, synth-heavy disco-boogie number blessed with passionate male group vocals.

Review: One of the brightest talents in the UK house firmament, Thatmanmonkz is back on his own Shadeleaf label with an EP of remixes and versions centering around last year's Non Zero Sum Game album. First up is the mighty Waajeed, who brings some Motor City bump to "Them Thangs" in fine style before 'Monkz's own "Dubstramental" of the track. PPF deliver some seriously pumping, pneumatic pressure to "Freaks 'n Prophets" and then new original track "Sawa Sawa" completes the set with that dusty, tactile blend of sounds that 'Monkz makes his own.

Review: Sheffield's Thatmanmonkz returns with the Feels Trip To The District EP, where he teams up with his good pal Martin Miguel. The record is inspired by several trips to dope parties in the District of Columbia, home of the quickly rising label Better Listen Records. Starting off with the the lo-slung disco deepness of "Sweetiez Fresh", it's a dusty and looped up jam that will appeal to fans of the Robsoul sound. On the flip, things take a well funkier and more soulful turn with that familiar vocal on "The Assassinator" and finally things end on a groovy and sun kissed note with the slo-mo/hip-hop inspired boogie of "XDC". Real name Scott Moncrieff, he's appeared previously on a who's who of labels such as Delusions Of Grandeur, Kolour LTD and Classic in recent times.

Review: While he may now be best known for his dusty deep house excursions, Scott "Thatmanmonkz" Moncrief was once primarily known as a maker of off-kilter modern soul under the Small Arms Fiya alias. Interestingly, this debut album for Delusions of Grandeur smoothly combines both of these musical threads with other soulful and jazzy influences, resulting in a set of dancefloor soul that bristles with laidback authenticity. The Sheffield producer is clearly talented, and barely puts a foot wrong throughout Columbising. Whether paying tribute to George Benson style jazz-funk ("Boogie Down"), A Tribe Called Quest ("A Fly New Tune"), disco ("Another Night Under The Glitterball"), and bumpin' jazz-house ("For Bae"), Moncrief always hits the spot.

Review: Delusions Of Grandeur, easily one of the most consistent deep house labels to come out of the post-minimal era, returns with that guy we all love, Thatmanmonkz. Himself and Chicago's Khalil Anthony are remixed by the equally consistent Jimpster, who delivers the goods by laying down some utter tech house quality on "Take U 2 My House", while Brooklyn-based Sound Signature man Ge-ology takes on "Jus Anutha Wunna Deez", and comes out the other end with a murky, beat-heavy house monster that bumps so perfectly along. The originals are sexier, chunkier in the mix, and backed by some killer vocals, particularly "Take U 2 My House" - what a beaut! Recommended and tipped...

Review: A love letter to the Basement Boys 2001 classic with Ras Baraka "An American Poem", Malik Ameer Crumpler lays down an incredible, wry and poignant sermon over a swing beat that builds into some fine freeform horn work from Leron Thomas. A fusion that spans Sheffield, Paris and New York, pays homage to Gil Scott Heron and delivers a critical message, the timeliness of this is legitimate. The acapella is incredibly handy, too. With sunrays this strong, everything else is a lightbulb...

Review: The edit and rework-focused Hot Peas 'N Butter series has never come clean about who is behind it, though so far each of its named editors has been based in the Steel City of Sheffield. Here two of the series' most prolific editors, thatmanmonkz and pal Simba, join forces to deliver four-more sneaky re-rubs. Check first the driving disco-soul funk of "Track 1", before diving headfirst into the two-step jazz-funk brilliance of "Track 2", a cut that contains some fantastic dueling horn solos. Over on side B, "Track 3" is a smoothed out, proto-house style take on a synth-laden early electro number complete with silly pitched-up vocal snippets, while "Track 4" sees the Sheffield duo put their own spin on a particularly spacey cut from the Prelude back catalogue.