DJS: MOST CHARTED - DISCO - MOST CHARTED MAY 2014

Review: Moon B takes it back to the old school that is PPU! Atlanta-based analogue funkateer Wes Gray made his debut proper as Moon B back in 2012 on People's Potential Unlimited, and has since found further acclaim with a killer EP for London label Going Good and releases as Vaib-R and Sean Sanders for Nous and Hot Mix. Andrew Morgan's PPU has always been something of a home base for Moon B material however, with several other cross format releases in recent times. The suitably titled II is the second Moon B long player and pulls eight tracks from the home studio recordings of Wes Gray made over the past few years with that signature "slank rhythms and cutting basslines you've grown accustomed to" present and correct!

Review: Arguably one of the first ever dubplate labels, Sunshine Sound was home to limited runs of DJ-friendly versions throughout the 70s and early 80s. Most are long gone, but the "Unreleased Version" series continues to unearth the existing gems. Having previously dusted off a very special version of Candido, they return with three more exclusive rubs; a super-slinky boogie take of Taana Gardner's 1979 "Paradise Express", a thriving, drum-heavy take on the lolloping bass jam "Loosen Up" and the piano-slapping strutting "Hot Fun" where Dee Dee Sharp's vocals provide the ultimate sensuous showdown. As limited as the original acetate presses, this needs urgent attention.

Review: Those that keep their left eye finely trained on the new releases in the Disco section will remember fondly last summer's debut slammer from the My Rules crew which gripped a pair of proper edits in the vein of COMBI and NY Edits and is probably still servicing the dancefloors overseen by the more adventurous selectors. A second release from My Rules arrives and brandishes more of the same, with lead track "Yah Yah" a wonderfully insouciant slice of psychedelic disco where harmonious vocal chants duel flirtatiously with swirling synths and a killer bottom heavy groove. Face down and "Woman" ups the tempo slightly, adding some electric funk with the results reminiscent of Junior Byron or Rick James.

Review: The clue is in the title... "Tee Ess Munk" sees Kon explore two T S Monk classics with his own inimitable style. First up "Kon Kon Vie" takes "Bon Bon Vie" and gives it a respectful extension and added beef to the frizzy bass groove. Meanwhile on the flip we find an equally sweet twist on "Candidate For Love" as Kon ensures the shimmering keys and honey-coated vocals are given full focus over the bold disco hook. It's time for some Munky business! Who's in?

Review: Two massive edits from one of the true disco kings: Dimitri ups sticks from Paris to Loisada and the only things he's packed are two out-and-out classics from Donny Hathaway and Johnny Hammond Smith. "Talkin' Bout" is a lolloping loose funk ghetto safari that pumps with so much funk it's criminal. "La Victori Xocolat", meanwhile, is a Hammond-heavy shakedown that gives the original 1975-released "Los Conquistadores Chocolate" the groove-heavy extension its always dreamt of. Highly limited, highly funky.

Review: The last producer to appear on the Sleazy Beats Black Ops series was Max Graef, sharing space with Andy Hart on Heavy Setters EP in the summer of 2013, and since then the young Berliner's career has sky rocketed (as indeed has the record with Hart which is now changing hands for seriously silly money on the used circuit). It's tempting to see how Finnish producer Saine fairs after people acquaint themselves with his Business Hours EP for Black Ops, certainly it demonstrates a nice cultivation in style and approach from previous releases on Odd Socks and Musthave Records. Equally adept at producing instrumental head nodders or raw MPC-style beatdown grooves, Saine focuses on the latter across the three cuts here with the disco flecked finale "Scrabble" the highlight of a very strong release indeed.

Review: Chugging disco ain't goin' nowhere as far as Whiskey Disco are concerned. Yse Saint Laur'ant proudly demonstrates this on the lead track "Sunset Woman", whose vocals are enough to bring the house down alone. "Crying Woman" is a little grubbier and lo-fi, in a way sounding like it could have been made for New York's break dancers of the '80s, whereas, conversely, "Ghetto Woman" is a slow, funked-out, sultry deep house track made to unite dancefloors. It's the great vocal hook and guitar licks of "Psychodelic Woman" that complete this sturdy four-track EP by the regularly impressive Yse Saint Laur'ant.

Review: Now firmly part of the Glenview family, the brother Lipsky return with their first offering of 2014 in the shape of the wonderfully titled Apes In The Orange Groove 12". In original form, the title track finds Sergey and Sasha offering up a quintessential slice of timeless euphorica, as heady waves of analogue synths and textures are complemented by Amazon flute attitude and tropical bird call. This timeless fusion of classic house and spell-binding Balearica is well complemented by the acid tickled revue from West Coast sonic mystic Secret Circuit that brings some dancefloor weight to proceedings. Go ape!

Review: The Africa Shakedown label coined one of last year's surprise hits with it's debut release, and the label's second release is likely to prove just as popular. Noema features once more and the Salon Zur Wilden Renate resident has collared contributions from Eddie C, Axel Boman and the Soft Rocks crew. Eddie C is first up with the irresistibly groovy "O Ye" which wouldn't look out of place on a Red Motorbike 45 dinker, whilst Noema conjures up the spirit of Bill Laswell on the dubby, scratchy production "The Shake". Studio Barnhus co-founder Boman is probably the biggest draw here and his rerub of the uncredited "Bayaya" should be familiar to anyone that's caught a DJ set from the fun loving Swede. Soft Rocks bring it home with the heavily delayed jammer "Disco Machine". Strong moves all round here sir.

Review: Record Store Day Edition: Morales and Munzibal's seminal edit art was enjoyed by pretty much every essential name in dancefloor music during the 80s and early 90s. From the Stones to the Commodores, no one escaped the M&M touch. And these are two perfect examples; Inner Life's classic "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" is given a solid, rhythmic polish and boasts elements of the previously rare Patrick Adams take. Elsewhere the duo pay homage to Philly soul legend Vince Montana as their version of Salsoul Orchestra lets the strings breathe with serious drama and dynamic.

Review: The enigmatic edit crew returns! And they're firing on the most tricked out disco cylinder you ever did see... Two sides, two killer cuts, two reasons to get involved. Side one is all about Empress "Dyin' To Be Dancin". Emphasising the Rogers-style guitar shimmers and thundering bass, it's loopy, it's hypnotic, it will have your dancefloor strutting harder than Travolta. Flip for an awesome twist on Diana Ross's "Love Hangover". Taking the best bit of the record and completely subverting it, full focus is applied to the lolloping bass, jazz key sprinkles and insistent organ hums in the background. Trust us: this is one hangover you'll want to maintain for as long as possible. As with all Secret Squirrel 12"s, this one is limited... Go nuts.

Review: Imagine being unheard for 35 years. Just sitting there, gathering dust, not a soul knows you even exist. Then bang: along come a crack team of contemporary disco evangelists and restore you to your original recorded splendour. Now stop imagining and start living! This is the reality. Recorded in 1978, both these lavish soul disco cuts ooze authenticity and emotion. Sitting somewhere between Average White Band, Troubleman-era Gaye and Faze O, both cuts are driven by golden falsettos, rich warm orchestration and slick grooves. Super-limited, grab them now or forever sit silently gathering dust.

Review: Record Store Day Edition: Al Kent knows his disco edits like we know how to breath, instinctively and naturally. Refocusing the emphasis on all the best aspects while paying complete respect to the original, he's a bona fide editing don. And these are two fine examples: The J's 1979 string-laced soul piece gets the full 4/4 treatment with tight loopy percussion that teases with neat groove drama. On the B we look to Sandy Barber for inspiration. Taken from her 1978 album Best Is Yet To Come, here Al's magic is found in the lolloping groove extension and slight twist on that insatiable bass runs. Two perfect treatments, one seriously essential Record Store Day 12".

Review: Brothers Simon and Robin Lee have long excelled at the album format, delivering occasional sets that ripple with impressive musicality, sinewy strings, cozy downtempo moods and upbeat dancefloor moments. Body of One, their fourth full length (their first dropped on Nuphonic back in 1997), continues this trend, offering a compelling trip through the pair's myriad influences. After opening with a sweaty post-punk thumper ("Prisoner of Your Love"), we're variously treated to Italo-influenced vintage house ("Magic Touch"), rubbery disco-funk ("Freak For Your Love"), Arthur Russell-influenced tropical downtempo pop ("Caruso's Monkey House"), dreamy Balearica ("Floating World") and string-laden gorgeousness. As for the title track, it sounds like So-era Peter Gabriel.

Review: Yet another coup for Mudd's Claremont 56 imprint, Paqua first made their rocky, psychedelic Balearica known to world with the sleazy, guitar-twanging chugger "Late Train" in the summer of 2013. Following it with beautiful "Dinosaur Zappa" shortly after, the UK/US band suddenly went quiet on us, leaving us thirsty for more of their heady cosmic brew. Mercifully they've returned... And have done so with an entire album of material. Ranging from the string and strum bliss of "The Visitor" to the "Horse With No Name" style pace and folky delicacy of "We Are What We Are" via the Motown-style funk missile "Ruby Running Faker", Akaliko is stamped with indelible cosmic authority thanks to its dynamic compositions and tight instrumentation. As spellbinding as it is essential.

Review: Dublab affiliates and current no-wave dons Pharaohs return to Lovefingers ESP Institute label to get the dancefloor treatment. The Another Beach version forges the sedate lollops of "Ahumbo" into a lush bass groove that's laced with infectious percussion and majestic splashes of instrumentation that build dynamically and hypnotically. Tornado Wallace's take on "If It Ever Feels Right" is even more floor-focussed thanks to its arpeggiated bass twist and Ame-style construction. Spellbinding.

Review: ** REPRESS ** Tom Noble on Beats In Space Records? It had to happen sooner or later given how often the Superior Elevation boss has blessed Tim Sweeney's radio show with his collection of rare and dusty disco and boogie gems. Taking the name House of Spirits, Noble's unparalleled mastery and knowledge of the disco arrangement is on full display with "Holding On" which takes it's cue from the Salsoul label in it's pomp and is dominated by a sublime gospel vocal delivery. The accompanying Peaking Lights Dub has been explained by Beats In Space as a "free-flowing disembodiment of the performers, melting into one amorphous, hustling and bustling entity held together at the whim of Coyes at the controls." Which seems a pretty apt description from the soundclips.

Review: Earlier in the year, American crate diggers Cultures of Soul impressed with Bombay Disco, a brilliant collection of largely unknown disco tracks from Hindi films. Here, they turn their attention to the Caribbean, collating some of the finest disco from Trinidad & Tobago, Jamaica and the Bahamas. Predictably, there's plenty of celebratory obscurities to tickle the fancy of disco diggers, from the synth-laden madness of Joanne Wilson's "Got To Have You" and disco-soul rush of Ronnie Butler & The Ramblers' "Peace Without Love", to the low-down dub disco groovery of Mavis John's "Use My Love" and Waxist Selecta's superb edit of Prince Blackman's party-minded disco-reggae cover of "Rapper's Delight" (aka "Rockers Delight").

Review: Few other producers seem to be able to match HNNY when it comes to reworking old, pop, dub or unknown selections with such confidence right now. The Swedish producer's latest willing outlet is Omena, the fledgling label set up by Local Talk artist Tooli and features just the one track in "Always" which finds HNNY in particularly silky form. "Always" has looped vocals, travelling filters and organic sounding percussion - underpinned by big beats and bass - that makes it as good as anything the Studio Barnhus crew could throw down.

Review: Beautiful beach music from Green Linez 2012 album Things That Fade, everything about "Hibiscus Pacific" sparkles and ripples with Balearic sonic majesty. Remix-wise Sorcerer adds a slightly heavier beat and a spell-binding series of arpeggios, Jaques Renault takes us deeper into the dance with a cool sense of techno infectiousness by way of nagging hi-hats and spooked out stretches and Moon B kicks it old school with a New Atlantic style 808 jam that fits the original synth lines like a well-tailored suit. Highly limited, this is not to be missed!