Juno Recommends Disco September 2020

Review: Edinburgh has long fancied itself as the Athens of the North, having gained a reputation since the 1700s as a centre for ideas in philosophy, economics and medicine.The Athens Of The North house band are back as East Coast Love Affair and their soulful and emotive deep disco version "Don't Be Afraid", a version of a super rare Disco 45" by Sky's The Limit, followed by a low slung and minimalistic afro house workout titled "Taken For Granted" on the flip.

Review: If you're looking for some high-grade, tried-and-tested disco and house fare, we'd strongly advise grabbing this second vinyl sampler celebrating 30 years of Dave Lee AKA Joey Negro's popular Z Records imprint. It begins with the insatiably sweaty disco-house hedonism of Doug Willis's down-low 2014 classic "Crystal Lover" - which, surprisingly, has never appeared on vinyl before in this original mix form - and ends with the Revenge's loopy, sort-after, synth-fired re-edit of Mid Air's early '80s disco-boogie classic "Ease Out". In between you'll find Lee's 2015 "JN Revival Mix" of his classic early '90s U.S garage/soulful house jam "Do What You Feel", and the similarly inclined and deliciously sunny "City Connection Mix" of Lee and the Sunburst Band's Angela Johnson-voiced "Only Time Will Tell". As the old cliche goes, this is "all killer, no filler".

Review: For the uninitiated, Flaunt Edwards is one of the many artistic aliases of long-serving crate digger, DJ and beat-maker Jason Jackson AKA J-Rocc. This 12" sees him transform a trio of classic cuts from the disco and boogie era, two of which should be familiar to those with a love of late '70s and early '80s American dance music. Jackson first joins forces with pal Kon on "Planets of Life", a dubbed-out and gently beefed-up rearrangement of a killer Whispers cut that famously formed the basis of a heady house cut by The Revenge way back in 2009. Flipside opener "Groove Game" delivers a fuzzy and stomping interpretation of a weighty Hamilton Bohannon classic, while "Overweight" is a fine revision of a jaunty, horn-heavy disco delight.

Review: The discerning diggers' disco edit label of choice is back with more tricks conjured up from the top hat of party grooves past. Magic Wand have just the kind of quality control you want in an edit label, which is no more apparent than on the slow and sticky funk of Osmose's "Pour Myself" which opens up this latest 12". Sweetooth is marginally more animated but still resolutely chill with the Balearic overtones of "Edith & The Kingpin Remake". Baz Bradley unfurls some slick funk lines embellished with ecstatic piano, while Mushroom Project's edit of "Buyu" shakes things up with a heavy dose of Latin percussion.

Review: Second time around for Kyoto Jazz Massive man Shuya Okino's "Still in Love", a swelling, string-drenched slab of life-affirming disco-soul, featuring the fine vocals of sometime Fertile Ground chanteuse Navasha Daya. This version is not the same as the epic - and now insanely in-demand - original 2011 version, which came out on legendary Japanese label Especial. This time round, it's been given the seven-inch edit treatment by storied scalpel fiend Ryuhei The Man. His chops, nips and tucks are naturally well-judged, allowing the track's chunky, DJ-friendly drum breaks a chance to do their thing before dropping in Daya's vocal and Okino's stirring strings. It's a suitably respectful and on-point edit, as is the rework of original B-side "Look Ahead" featured on the flip.

Review: Multi Culti's Cult Edits series returns to bring you some saucy, sizzling surrealism from the outer reaches of the groove. Nicola Cruz is up first with the humid beatdown and transcendental acid undertones of "Cartomante". Asa Moto keeps things clammy but driving with the African pulse of "Safari Glove" while Balam takes things in a more wigged-out synthwave direction on "Carnaval Acido". Tyu's "Negra" turns the heat up higher with a massive low end throb and plenty of chuggy pressure for ultimate dancefloor escapism. Akimbo completes the package with the feverish carnival atmosphere of "Batucada", which of course piles on Latin drums and plenty more besides.

Review: Fresh from delivering one of Razor 'N' Tape's strongest edit EPs to date, rising star Dino Soccio pops up on L.A label Pleasure of Love with four more high-grade rearrangements. He takes us in a surprise direction on opener "Chimay Groove", which turns what we think is a glassy-eyed, mid-80s synth-pop B-side into a woozy chunk of Italian style dream house bliss, before joning the dots between proto-house, Kraftwerk and early Chicago jack on "Acid5 Finale". "Bump Theme" is a sweaty revision of one of those bustling, acid bass-propelled jack-tracks that Ron Hardy loved and championed in the mid 1980s, while closing track "Nana's House" is a more spaced-out take on what sounds like an obscure, late 1980s French Makossa-house cut.

Review: Given that Todd Terje's first original material in some five years resulted in one of last year's highlights with the Running Back released Ragysh, it's natural he would want to leave some space before following up. The first of a series of EPs crafted from using one bit of vintage gear in particular, It's The Arps sees Terje dabble with the intricacies of the Arp 2600 analogue synthesizer as well as pay homage to his favourite Monty Python sketch. This is just as nerdy as you'd expect from a man who recently launched a website with the specific intention of exploring the obsessive studio nature of his contemporaries. The aforementioned "Inspector Norse" is an obvious highlight here, slowly unfurling gorgeous layers of playful synthesis that grapple the simplistic drums with flirtatious delight. Naturally for someone who spends most weekends of the year in a nightclub, Terje demonstrates a real prowess for building up the track, teasing your senses once before unleashing the mid point monstrous moment. It makes for another signature track from Terje which is likely to engender a rapturous reception for many years to come. Alongside it, "Myggsommer" provides a brief, twee interlude into oddball sci fi soundscapes which again prove to highlight the Arp 2600's capacity for inventive and idiosyncratic sounds. From here Terje unveils a two part skywards saunter through "Swing Star" showcasing a more dextrous manipulation of the Arp 2600's melodies across the markedly more rhythmic upbeat first part and expansive luxurious cosmic subsequent endeavour. Whilst "Inspector Norse" is guaranteed to be the one track from this release you will hear in the international discotheques, the remainder of It's The Arps serves as a excellent reminder of Terje's ever growing talent as a producer.

Review: Had we been able to flock to clubs and festivals this summer, this soaring disco earworm from Belgian nu-disco don and French legend Dimitri From Paris would have sound-tracked many a giddy, hedonistic moment. In its original "Extended Vocal Mix" form,"Can't Get Enough" is a sublime slice of authentically celebratory disco revivalism laden topped off with a superb lead vocal from singer Leela. The accompanying "Dubstrumental" also hits all of the right turn-of-the-80s disco dub mix notes - think extended percussion breaks, stripped-back instrumental passages etc - while Yuksek's fine remix takes the track further towards "French Touch" style disco-house territory with an added dose of delay-laden proto-house magic. Big!

Review: These Cosmic Discotheque compilations sure sound like they've been beamed in from the stars, judging by the deep-dive obscurities they've committed to wax for a fresh set of spinners to get busy with. Once again there's killers galore on here, from the chant-a-long "Ayayaya" by Epsilon to the classic and heavily sampled low-swinging groove of Crystal Grass' "Crystal World". There's a consistent vibe here where the party potency of disco collides with the progressive sensibilities and theatrical pomp of 70s rock, felt particularly keenly on Springblossom's "Bump" or Captain Dax's wild-eyed "Dr Beezar Soul Frankenstein". All killer, no filler.

Review: Mr. K and Most Excellent Unlimited are back with another must have motherlode of ten essential cuts on 7-inch, assembling a serious cross-section of diverse jams that were particularly popular at The Garage, majority of which appearing on 7-inch for the very first time in any form, let alone in these unique quintessential edits. Patrick Adams and Greg Carmichael production, female diva classic "Let's Get Together" backed with a previously unreleased NYC Peech Boys demo version of "Somebody Else's Guy." Tough South Bronx funk "Standing In Line". Synth epic, Krivit's classic edit of "Evolution". Disco Funk edit of Larry Levan's "Slap, Slap, Lickedy Lap". With much more in this diverse and remarkably sought after tracklist, surprises, like "Catch The Rhythm" (the only Boris Midney production regularly played at The Garage), along with Mr. K's previously Japan-only edit of Loleatta Holloway tour de force "I May Not Be There When You Want Me". Five singles impressively mastered with maximum fidelity and playability for an exclusive Record Store Day, including a bonus pair of newly designed, Mr. K seven-inch slipmats.

Review: The third drop in the Correcciones Calypso series finds the Mexican label turning to regular fixture Thomass Jackson for the A side, where he brings some heavyweight crossover pelters for the ever-broadening tastes of the dancefloor. "Maquina De Bongo" is a fierce percussive throwdown with a chuggy cosmic disco sound that drives crowds into a frenzy, while "Lavora!" follows on a similar tip albeit with a slightly punchier EBM undercurrent. On the flip, Plot Pilot has an equally adventurous sound that draws on freaky synth flourishes and Eastern motifs for a pan-continental trip on a seductively dark tip. "Move To The Nida Beach" slows things down to an insanely catchy, chant-along synth pop pulse.

Review: Mind Fair have been around the block with their strain of disco-infused house music, stopping off at Golf Channel, International Feel and Kinfolk amongst others, so you know they've got you covered for classy edits that are actually useful and interesting. This heavyweight drop for Magic Wand kicks off with the righteous stomp of "Holding On" before dropping into a reworking of uptempo jazz funk classic "Feeling Good" by Francine McGee. "All Night Soca" beefs a classic cover of Lionel Ritchie up for the dance, while "Mastermind" finishes the record off with some cool and deadly funk.

Review: The seventies were a golden time for disco, soul and funk all the many different fusions of those sounds. Few are finer than Breakwater's "No Limits" which is a 1978 boogie classic. This version is a special reissue of the rare 'promo-only' extended version that's backed with the monster funk cut "Do It Till The Fluid Gets Hot." "No Limits" has soaring guitar riffs and the sort of breezy grooves that sweep you off your feet. The vocals soar just as high and make this a real classic. The flip side is more driven and kicking, with upbeat bass hits and kinetic hand claps all topped with a sense of peak time fun.

Review: The Belpaese crew are back with another round of edits celebrating strictly Italian grooves. Let's face it - there's a rich enough culture of disco and funk hailing from the Romans to keep diggers busy for a long time yet. "Ed Invece Vai" is a mid-tempo cruiser with a sweet falsetto vocal and a whimsical tone, while "Disco Astrale" ups the pace and weaves in some cosmic swishes for a particularly funky trip amongst the stars. "Prigioniero Dei Sogni" is a cool 70s workout with dramatic strings and some killer synth flex where it counts. "Fuori Un Brutto Vento" completes the set with a powerful blast of bombastic songwriting strapped to another sure shot built for the dancefloor.

Review: We'd argue that "Feelin' Love" is one of the most impressive productions in Psychemagik's growing catalogue. First released in the spring of 2019, it returns to stores in 2020 via a fresh white vinyl pressing. The track is impressively drowsy, warm and woozy, with fragile, eyes-closed female R&B vocals rising above a blend of snappy drums, thickset bass, swirling synth sounds and chiming melodies, all seasoned with the kind of trippy effects that hit home hard when you're feeling love (sorry) at four in the morning. Flipside "Wake Up Everybody" is arguably even better, with the production pair peppering a head-nodding, hip-hop influenced groove with impeccably dubbed-out piano sounds and opaque musical flourishes.

Review: Gerd Janson's ever-green Running Back is here to inject some musical joy into your summer with a new various artists EP that brims with disco brilliance. "One Swallow Doesn't Make A Summer Part 2" is actually the follow up to a Various Artists sampler for a hypothetical mixtape that still hasn't been put together. This is big, colourful, synth laden dance with high spirits and feel good hooks right from the off - "Synergy Bar" is a tropical and leggy jam, Fred Asquith pumps a more driving house sound, "Spiritual Galaxy" rides on cosmic waves and "Central Store" is a darker, electro tinged cut for the late night hours.

Review: The Mr K Edits series continues to be a hotbed of crucial dancefloor wares, taking stone cold classics and giving them a gentle refinement to make the grooves stretch out that little bit longer. The latest in the 7" series focuses on The Police and two of their finest jams - the first is no stranger to revisions, covers and remixes. "Voices In My Head" has been tackled by many, not least 90s hip house upstart KC Flightt, but here the original version goes on a version excursion that brings out the best in the tune. On the flip, "When The World Is Runnin' Down" shimmers with uptempo new wave refinement that should set any open minded dancefloor alight.

Review: There are certain songs so eternal they could be re-edited and repressed into infinity and never grow old. There are also certain remixers and re-editors that can be trusted with even the biggest of anthems, and Psychemagick are surely up there. Taking on Talking Heads' "This Must Be The Place" and Fleetwood Mac's "Everywhere" is no mean feat, when the originals were such pop perfection to begin with. Balancing the scales between a fresh treatment and solemn respect for the sanctity of the original versions, these versions simply add a little oomph in the rhythm section and apply smatterings of blissful, dubbed-out FX where it counts to send these perennial favourites into the stratosphere.

Review: Isle of Jura boss Kev Griffiths has spent a lot of time digging into the Caribbean disco-reggae scene over the last few years, so it should come as no surprise that he's uncovered a slew of gems from obscure Jamaican duo The Pearls to reissue. Norman Watson and Stanley Shaw originally made their name in the late 1970s with a string of dancefloor-focused disco-rap and disco-reggae records, but it's 1980's "On & On" - here issued for the first time on 12"- that could well be their finest hour. It's a sparse, squelchy mixture of rubbery synth-bass, light disco instrumentation and party-starting rap vocals. It comes accompanied by the original "all-star" dub mix, and a brilliant new extended edit from Waxist that makes the most of elements from both versions.

Review: JKRIV and The Disco Machine's Make It Hot gets the remix treatment here with mature disco don Ray Mangler's going first. He lays down train-track grooves that never let up and overdubs with shimmering chords and steamy vocals that will work any party into a lather. JKRIV then steps up with a retro-future mix packed with gauzy chords and old school keys before veteran Pete Herbet steps ups with Discky Trisco for the most upbeat, candied and accessible version, and possible the best.

Review: Italian house producer JazzyFunk makes an appearance on Samosa Records with this strident, colourful slice of disco house which positively bursts out of the confines of the 10" grooves. "All Night Love" is all slick licks, MIDI brass parps and a classic diva vocal turn over the top. It builds up nicely and it drops in style, making all the moves you want to set the place alight. "Sexy Thing" has a more romantic lilt to it thanks to swooning strings and sassy sax, but peak time good times are still the order of the day so you can be sure this one pumps where it counts.

Review: Leroy Burgess has made many terrific records in his time, and his turn-of-the-'80s boogie-era work for Salsoul contains many stone cold classics. Even so, he recorded few songs quite as addictive or impassioned as 1983's "Heartbreaker" - a strutting ode to a new lover featuring squelchy synths aplenty, inspired gospel style backing vox and a stunning lead vocal from the sometime Universal Robot Band maestro. On this reissue, Shep Pettibone's indispensable original 12" mix is backed by a fresh remix from Italian disco king Moplen. His version is a little more stripped back, expertly showcasing the original's immaculately programmed drums, bassline and squelchy synths. In his usual manner, you'll also find a number of sublime vocal breakdowns that really help the track soar. Superb!

Review: LTJ X-Perience's 2015 album Don't Let The System Get You Down became a mini classic soon after release. It was the producer's fifth at the time, and he has serve dup two more since, but this one remains the most in demand, hence a timely reissue on Italy's IRMA. The six sides of vinyl serve up plenty of disco treats that lean on funk, soul and downtempo and ooze a real authenticity and authority. The title track itself is a fine example, with its loose and jailing grooves, organic percussion and soaring, serene strings.

Review: Originally released in 1979 as a B-side to The Neville Brother's "Sweet Honey Dipper", "Dance Your Blues Away" saw Ivan go solo for the first time on this sultry modern soul jam. Laced with a plucky bass and just the right smattering of sleaze, it set the foundations for Ivan's extensive solo career. It also provides the perfect groove tools for The Mighty Zaf to work his editor craft and beef up the vibe with subtlety. Keep on dancing!

Review: Eccentric, California-based imprint Take Away has put out some impressive 12" singles since launching earlier in the year. Predictably, this two-tracker from the little-known Soul Reductions is another stone cold killer. A-side "Got To Be Loved" - a bouncy, pitched-up disco-house floorfiller that sits somewhere between Tiger & Woods and late '90s "French Touch" house - leads the way, sounding like the kind of cut that will quickly raise the temperature out on the dancefloor. Flipside "A Rose Is A Rose" is a deeper and woozier offering, delivering a rolling house re-interpretation of a boogie-era electrofunk gem with added filter effects.

Review: There's much to admire about this EP of remixes of "Gorgeous", Yuksek's hook-up with Brisbane band Confidence Man that was one of the highlights of his ace "Notto Riso" album. Check first the producer's own "Extended Disco Version", which brilliantly extends the synth-sporting revivalist disco-boogie original, before listening to Mighty Mouse's bouncy, gently housed-up (but still disco-centric) EP-opening rework. Those looking for something darker and weightier will enjoy the dub disco-goes-lo-fi house flex of Chloe's rework, while the Dombrance and Jack Burton remixes that close the EP offer distinctly different electro-disco takes tailor-made for sweaty late-night dancefloors.

Review: Over the past few years, Johnny Rock has proved to be one of the shrewdest re-editors around, delivering must-check reworks of thoroughly obscure gems that tend towards the exotic and intoxicating. Further proof of his dusty-fingered, scalpel-wielding genius can be found on this Orange Tree Edits outing. Check first the rubbery, off-kilter '80s electro-flex of "Kat-Woman Do", before admiring the Mascara-sporting, New Romantic style synth-pop goodness of "Bitter Juice". Elsewhere, he offers up some skewed, percussion-rich late-night eccentricity (the delightfully weird "Hippie Jam") and successfully dances his way through some Communism-era Yugoslav post-punk heaviness ("Streets of Belgrade").

Review: Miami's legendary TK Disco presents a collection of classic breakbeats from their extensive back catalogue. In NYC in the late 70s and early 80s, the music that would come to be known as 'hip-hop' was in its formative stages in the city's Black and Hispanic neighbourhoods. Kool Herc, Grandmaster Flash, Grandmaster Flowers, Mean Gene, Jazzy Jay, Afrika Bambaataa, Charlie Chase and numerous others would go on to popularise the genre with a unique DJing style utilising the 'breaks'' - the unadulterated groove where the band on the record cut loose. Collected here are some of those most infamous beats, the very building blocks upon which popular culture and club music have been built, from the low slung B-boy vibe of Freedom's "Get Up And Dance", Herman Kelly & Life's "Dance To The Drummer's Beat" and the timeless hook of George McCrae's "I Get Lifted" amongst many more.