Back catalogue: Disco/Nu-Disco

Review: The faultless Big Crown label revisits one of its biggest hits from back in 2016. New York City-based collective 79.5 is made up of seven musicians and singers and their gorgeous 'Terrorize My Heart' 45rpm reached some heart aching disco highs. Now it comes with in two new forms - the disco dub with its seductive drums and bass and airy, soulful vocal, and a remix from hip hop royalty Tall Black Guy. He deconstructs the tune and rebuilds it as a smoky, jazz tinged slow motion hip hop beat. The chords are warm and cuddly, the vocal is more meandering but still acts as the perfect icing on a delicious cake.

Review: Audiosex and Hanoben stepped out together on Discos Capablanca back in 2018 with the on-point acidities of Phone Sex, and now they're teaming up once again for this killer clutch of edit tackle for the always interesting Duca Bianco label. Rather than the well-mined stocks of disco and funk that usually get dusted down by edit scavenegers, these two have turned to synth pop and German new wave sounds, coming up with four deep cover, deliciously dishevelled pieces which align perfectly with the brand of acidic club music they make themselves. 'Elvira's Katzenfisch' is a prime case in point - a broad, sweeping slice of synthwave which sounds like it might slide off the reel to reel at any moment, while 'Frank's Einsamkeit' swells into a searing 303 burner for the darkest dungeon dancefloors.

Review: Cordial have partnered with Afrodisia to reissue their sought-after album, 1980's Elephant Sunrise, in 2018, with an album of previously unreleased recordings to follow. To whet our appetite, they've decided to release the never-before-heard "Malik", a brilliant chunk of jazz-funk fusion that would have got jazz dancers hot under the collar had it appeared when it was originally recorded way back in 1982. On the B-side you'll find the similarly minded "A Fool No Longer", a dancefloor-focused chunk of blue-eyed soul that has previously only been available on obscure 1981 compilation album Rock Aus Der Alten Schule. Brilliant stuff all told.

Review: Should you be hankering after some suitably positive music right now - and let's face it, most of us are - then we'd recommend checking out this fine four-tracker from French jazz-funk combo Aldorande. There are two original cuts to choose from: the languid, laid-back and undeniably sunny breeziness of "Summer Body" - all female scat vocals, bustling jazz-funk bass, sweet pianos, two-step beats and boogie synths - and the bolder, more electronic fizz of "Breakfast In Space", which reminded us a little of vintage weather report. Charles Maurice delivers instrumental Dub versions of both, naturally beefing up the basslines and adding a little extra percussive pressure.

Review: Back in 2017, Four Flies Records unearthed and released a previously unheard "Afro-cosmic funk" EP from Italian soundtrack and library music legend Alessandro Alessandroni. Three years on, they've decided to give the 1978 recording the remix treatment. Bolissa and guests Calibra 35 kick things off with a densely percussive, out-of-this-world take on "Afro-Voodoo", before Pad re-imagines "Afro Darkness" as a chugging chunk of beatdown-disco laden with colossal chords, arpeggio bass and intergalactic electronics. Over on side B the "Jolly Mare Lifting" version of "Afro Discoteca" is a veritable leftfield disco stomper notable for its low-slung bass and spacey Moog lines, while Luca's "Quirky Version" of "Afro Darkness" is the kind of hallucinogenic, Marimba-tinged number that you can imagine Daniele Baldelli playing at the Cosmic Club circa 1981.

Review: This is a super sought after slice of 1980s disco goodness that was sampled by UK house producer Midland. He used bits of it on his huge, and we mean huge, 2016 summer anthem 'Final Credits' and that only served to send the price of the original up further. You'd be lucky if you can find an original copy of the 7" for under L125 these days. This official reissue has your back though and has been fully remastered with replica artwork in time to celebrates the 40th anniversary of its original release.

Review: Lee Alfred's 1980 disco classic 'Rockin - Poppin Full Tilting' fetches incredibly high prices on second hand vinyl markets, if you can even find one at all. It is one of only a couple singles the artist put out between 1980 and 1981. Here it gets a special one-sided 45rpm pressing with an extended version rolling on for six sumptuous minutes. Underpinined by a tight rhythm section and bubbly bass, the dazzling synth leads are all pixelated and cosmic, the female backing vocals add heat and the main voice of Alfred is all buttery and soulful.

Review: Italian disco DJ and producer Corrado Alunni shares his latest nu-disco soul nostrum, 'Make It Feel More', which, owing to the title, is an EP whose aim is to enliven the largely electronic and mechanistic bent of nu-disco with a good bit of live-recorded pizzazz. Such is heard on the title track, which moves naturally through both augmented and diminished electric piano cadences, not to mention slap basses, to be poised against the beats. Then 'Perfect Direction' brings the boughed basses and disco hits to a new layer of chill; with this, and the ensuing 'Keep Moving', it feels as if we've kept finding new rooms, in which new room contains a new type of hors d'oeuvre to try. 'The Beat Goes On' closes on a snappier and vinyl-driven vexation, perfect for the snakier kind of dancer.

Review: Best Italy continues to do a wonderful job of unearthing much-sought after gems and giving them the re-press they deserve. Lily Ann was a quintessential one hit wonder of Italo disco perfection that surfaced in 1984, and "Going Crazy" captures the mood of early 80s dance music perfectly. Adding value to the release beyond the fresh mastering job and high-end modern pressing, as well as the previously released vocal and instrumental we also get treated to a dub mix of "Going Crazy" to give you even more options for dropping this impeccable slice of Italian dance music history.

Review: Back in the late '70s and early '80s, Aquarian Dream's "Phoenix" was something of an anthem on the UK's soul all-dayer scene. While ostensibly a disco record, the band's jazz-funk roots ensured that it was particularly popular with serious dancers, particularly those who headed for the jazz room rather than the main dancefloor. The Norman Connors-produced cut remains something of a must-have for disco DJs who like their grooves to come with a fair dollop of instrumental solos. This timely re-press also includes the even wilder "East 6th Street" - originally included on the 1979 UK re-issue - which features Aquarian Dream band-members trading solos over a killer disco-funk groove.

Review: Stockholm based Ari Bald is up next for Better Listen after inaugurating Honey Butter Records last year with that great release. He keeps on with that deep disco spirit with these four funky and lo-slung jams. On the A side, we have two ergonomic edits in the form of "That Lonely Night" and "Enchantress" respectively which are looped to perfection with some somewhat familiar hooks that gradually build up to that drop! That's where the thumping kick comes charging in and it's sure geared for maximum dancefloor dynamics. On the flip, get ready for the funk explosion that is "Moonshiner" or what could be your First Choice (mind the pun!) in the form of the smooth and sexy late night groove of "Are You Mesmerized?"

Review: Disco Queen just keep on pumping out the good stuff with two more divine edits from house music's spiritual and dearly missed father Frankie Knuckles. Two sides for two different peaks of the nights; Steve Arrington's "Dancin' In The Key Of Life" is that classic 11pm feel good warm up that's layered with clever momentum while The Trammps' "Disco Party" lives up to its name with incredible energy and soul and a dynamic drop into the original midway. Rest in peace Frankie.

Review: 
There isn't much info out there about Arts & Craft, who put out only two singles back in the mid-eighties. But they sure are worth owning, as Jus Born know. They serve up this latest reissue with a new edit. Original 'I've Been Searching' is a stunning bit of Philly style disco that has big stings, plenty of glamour and a taught, funky bassline. Next to an instrumental, the one and only Al Kent comes through with an edit that fattens out the bass and raws out the breakdowns for real dance floor destruction.

Review: Kalita Records are proud and honoured to announce the first ever official reissue of the four choice tracks from Randolph Baker's privately pressed sought-after 1982 disco album 'Reaching For The Stars', plus an unreleased instrumental take of 'Party Life' sourced from the original 24-track analogue master tapes.

Originally recorded at Jim Morris and Rick Miller's Tampa-based Morrisound Studios, 'Getting Next To You' features both a mixture of both local Florida talent plus jazz superstar Nat Adderley and bassist John Lamb at their finest. Originally pressed in a limited run of just one-thousand copies, with no distribution and most copies being sold in the local city and on Randolph's own merchandise table at the back of live gigs, original copies have long been sought-after by both collectors and DJs alike, acknowledged as a true grail and masterpiece in the disco scene and deservedly demanding extortionate figures to those lucky enough to find their own.

Here, in collaboration with Randolph, Kalita Records have chosen to re-release the four choice tracks from the album: 'Getting Next To You', 'Jazzman', 'Callin' Me' and 'Party Life'. The former is an in-demand horn and chant-filled disco masterpiece, which, as Randolph explains, concerns unity and "everyone on the same level in other words, everyone just loving life". It is arguably the song that Randolph is most well-known for in the disco and funk scene and perfect for the modern discerning dance floor. 'Jazzman' is an instrumental track with prominent trumpet and saxophone solos working with funky basslines to produce a truly great jazz-funk groove. It was "a tribute to Nat Adderley and Duke Ellington's bass player, John Lamb, for being so generous and saying yes to the project". 'Callin' Me' is a soulful disco number featuring the lead vocals of Laurie Erickson and is "about being on the road and ensuring loved ones that you will always come back home no matter what. It was like a promise to ensure loved ones they didn't have to worry". Lastly, 'Party Life' is a joyous disco track with a strong funk bassline and horns. As Randolph recalls, it "was the joy like after an actor finishes a movie. There was nothing but joy. It's finished; let's celebrate big time. Where everyone in the studio yelled at the top of their lungs - The End!" Here, with access to the 24-track master tapes we have been able to include the original version plus an unreleased instrumental take, allowing us to focus on the infectious bassline and make it even more ready for the modern dance floor.

Accompanied by extensive interview-based liner notes and never-before-seen photos.

Review: This officially licensed 12" sees prolific British disco producer Ben Gomori take a scalpel to two cuts from veteran African musician Amadou Balake's 2015 album, In Conclusion. On side A you'll find a fantastic, eight-minute extension of the breezy shuffler "Bar Konon Mousso (Musicien C'est Pas Quelqu'un)", where snaking saxophone solos and sun-kissed, juju style guitars rise above a hot-stepping, bass-heavy groove. Turn to the flipside for a thrillingly epic take on "Massa Kamba", a deeper and slightly more musically intricate cut blessed with a blissful; Pat Metheny style jazz guitar breakdown, memorable chorus vocals and evocative horn lines.

Review: Coolly stepping out like a white-suited player on a Miami club strip, the high expectations set by any mention of Italian disco pioneer Daniele Baldelli are easily matched by the opener and title number. And things really only get better from there.
'Massive Birth' is an intelligent, freeform outing on a half-time, DJ Rocca's ever-tight drum programming clearly having some influence on the complex percussive patterns. On the flip, Mind Fair have their way with that original, turning it into a more grounded four-four workout if you listen beyond the top layer of rolls and snare crashes. For many, though, this one will be all about the Warehouse Preservation Society remix of 'Taylorpo', which puts Italo right back at the top of the disco agenda, sounding at once space age yet nostalgic, and unquestionably, unstoppably danceable.

Review: In 2011, Banda Achilifunk & OJO served up Gitano Real, one of the year's most essential albums. It was caned far and wide by funk lovers, in particular Craig Charles on his 6 Music show. Now, two cover versions taken from the essential album have been pressed to limited edition translucent yellow vinyl. First up, 'I Believe in Miracles' is an overwhelming take on the Jackson Sisters classic with plenty of happy Latin vibes and rumba funk rhythms. Flip it over for a more abstract version of McFadden and Whitehead's seminal 'Ain't No Stoping Us Now' which is a soulful disco number packed with sunshine.

Review: The Best Records reissue campaign continues unabated as the Italian label turns to Bariocentro. While the band may have had most of their time in the spotlight in the late 70s, they bowed out with a veritable bomb in the shape of Tittle Tattle, a tightly-wound, punchy slice of uptempo 80s boogie like they just can't make any more. Feel the reverb on the handclaps, the slick guitar chops and Moog-tastic bassline and just try not getting down. This plush reissue comes packed with the radio edit, the full length version, the instrumental and everyone's favourite slice of 80s B side action, the dub mix.

Review: Expansion Records' continues to delve into the bulging archives of Roy Ayers' influential Uno Melodic Records imprint, which issued some superb jazz-funk, soul and boogie throughout the 1980s. Here they offer a new pressing of Ethel Beatty's sought-after, Roy Ayers' produced 1981 double A-side. For some reason they've reversed the running order, with side A offering original flipside 'It's Your Love', a Dee Dee Bridgwater co-authored slow jam that's soulful, seductive and sumptuous. Over on the reverse you'll find the more celebrated ''I Know You Care', a deep disco number full of glistening guitar riffs, smooth chords and warming grooves. In a word: luscious

Review: Favourite France drop some absolute truth with this killer reissue of Beckie Bell's 1980 classic "Music Madness", from the album 'In Need Of...'. This is he funkiest disco you can possibly ask for, a chirpy, upbeat tune that calls for the good times. It's the sort of track that can be slapped on in just about any set, anywhere, and Bell's vocals are as infectious as the tight groove that pushes the track forwards. There are a couple of remixes, though, which bring out the best of the original and make it even more playable than before. The first one is a more beat-heavy reinterpretation from Voilaaa, while Tom Noble injects the perfect level of houseness into the equation thanks to a slamming 4/4 and some extra percussion. Perfect, and very much recommended if you've somehow slept on the original.

Review: Italian disco don and funk flexer Belabouche has landed on the likes of DiscoDat, Spare Change Disco and Gimme! Gimme. His edits and remixes are always in hot demand but here he offers up four original jams that show off his studio skills on the JDP Disco label. Flautist George alla Dispari features on 'Brooklyn', the full flavour funk fuelled opener that bustles with joy and good time vibes. 'I Gonna Miss You' is a more spaced out disco cut from the deep and 'Ikeja' then pumps the floor with squelchy bass and astral chords. 'Country Headquarters' lows to a seductive crawl to close things out.

Review: During the latter stages of the "Philly Soul" era, New York remixer Tom Moulton delivered a string of inspired, DJ friendly reworks for the Philadelphia International label. For proof, check this fine selection of classic Moulton mixes for the storied imprint. Check first his version of Archie Bell and the Drells' "Where Will You Go When The Party's Over", which he brilliantly teases out and increases in intensity over nine spellbinding minutes. The funkier flex of People's Choice's "Jam, Jam, Jam (All Night Long)" is a sweaty, low-down treat, while the Teddy Pendergrass rework is a soaring disco classic in the Philly Soul style. Best of all, though, is the string-drenched disco celebration that is his mix of Lou Rawls' "See You When I Git There".

Review: Belpaese Edits is a new Balearic and cosmic-minded rework series shrouded in mystery. We know it is Italian in origin (the label makes that clear), but very little else. In many ways, it doesn't matter; whoever is behind it, this debut EP is excellent. It opens with the chant-along, carnival-ready jazz-funk/South American style disco fusion of "Sentimento", before charging off on a more low-slung and driving direction via "Ancora Piaccio", a tasty revision of a lesser-known disco-era Italian record. Over on side B, "Di Chi Sei" sounds like it was made by Italy's answer to Sade (and, yes, it made us want to walk barefoot down a beach arm in arm with a loved one), while "Para Para" is a chugging, reggae-influenced chunk of slo-mo Italian disco-exotica.

Review: Climb on board the Belpaese express for another scalpel-wielding excursion into the eccentric world of cosmic disco and long-forgotten Italian club cuts. It's a journey every bit as riveting as their previous 12-inch trips. On the A-side you can settle in and let the extended Latin piano solos, Balearic boogie grooves, sweaty percussion breaks and early '80s jazz-funk synths of "Vai Di Samba" carry you towards your destination. A trip to the B-side buffet car is encouraged, too, where both "Fonde E Confonde" and the jammed-out, off-kilter Brazilian style electrofunk madness of "Electrosamba" are far more appetizing than your average on-board snack. The latter track, which also contains some insanely heavy passages of layered samba beats, is probably the EP's most potent cut.

Review: The sneaky scalpel fiends behind the Belpaese Edits imprint are back with more inspired reworks of obscure, little known and overlooked European - and mostly Italian - gems from the 1970s and '80s. First up is "Vieni Con Mi", a wonderfully overblown chunk of loose-limbed jazz-rock/disco-soul fusion blessed with breathy female vocals, mazy flutes, wah-wah guitars, heavy bass and drumming so wild it may well be capable of raising cadavers from their graves. Flipside "20 Secoli Di Favole" is similarly minded, if a little closer to Baldelli "cosmic rock" territory - all ragged rock riffs, manic female vocals, groovy bass and intergalactic analogue synthesizer lines.

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: The Belpaese crew is all about serving up big edits of big tunes form the rich Italian canon. They have plenty to go at and as such are putting out these useful EPs at decent speed. The next is another fine bit of studio tricker from the in house production team as they offer up the recognisable top lines and vocals of 'False Ipocrisie' but re-sung in Italian and replayed in Italo fashion. ON the fit is the more groovy and cruising jazz-funk-disco bomb 'Strumento Di Una Notte' that oozes silky grooves and nice icy hi hats.

Review: In the sales notes accompanying this latest slice of 7" gold from Athens of the North, boss man Euan Fryer admits that he spent a good "four or five years" trying to locate an original copy of "Time For Change" before finally tracking down original singer Benita. She was more than happy for him to reissue the record, which is one of the most inspired and well-made disco-soul records you're ever likely to hear (how it remained a lost classic, we'll never know). Benita's lyrics and vocals are superb, the horns are punchy, and the B-side "Hot Mix" contains one of the best slap-bass solos you'll ever hear. In a word: essential.

Review: Loredana Berte's career started in the mid seventies and went on to make her into one of the most iconic Italian singers of her generation. Her 1980's album proved her most acclaimed and now Groovin Records serve up two of its most standout cuts. The fuse big hearted vocals, cosmic disco keys and funky reggae beat that will warm any early evening party right up. 'In Alto Mare' is the more upbeat of the two thanks to its funky riffs and big piano stabs, but both still sound mighty fine after 40 years.

Review: Marking 40 years since the release of Edwin Birdsong's self-titled and fourth studio album, this Philly reissue couldn't have landed at a more poignant time as the LA funkateer sadly passed away on week of release. "Cola Bottle Baby" is known to absolutely everyone thanks to Daft Punk and that refreshing fizzy groove sounds even better, freer, looser, cooler in its natural state. The lesser spotted "Freaky Deaky Sities" kicks like a loose limbed mule, too. Perhaps a riposte to Roy Ayers "Freaky Deaky" hit the year before, or just another fine trope LA's funk continuum, once again it's the cult fusioneer at his most vibrant. Rest in peace.

Review: "Salmon Spungcake" was one of the last things Claremont 56 super-group Bison recorded before the sad passing of two of its' founder members, Holger Czukay and Ursula Kloss in the summer of 2017. Two years on from its initial release, Bison members Ben Smith and Paul 'Mudd' Murphy (also label boss) have decided to get it remixed, with original producer Conrad McDonnell (he of Idjut Boys fame) providing two suitably heavy dub disco interpretations, making this the band's first release since the passing of Czukay and Kloss. Check first the spacey A-side hypnotism of the "Zip It Shrimpy Mix", where melancholic chords and spaced-out vocal snippets wrap around a particularly percussive dub disco groove. Arguably even better is the stripped-back, bass-heavy and reverb-rich "I Think I've Got Gout Mix", which sounds like it was tailor-made to manipulate mangled minds at four in the morning.

Review: Richard Barrett is the man behind the Bitter End alias and he returns to it here to deliver some more beautifully soulful, full-bodied house music that follows on from his collaboration with Roisin Murphy. Known for his impeccable production, that shows here as the tracks are rich and lush and perfect for playing nice and loud. The grooves hit all the right spots, blending smooth vibes with infectious rhythms and in the case of 'Adjustment -> Love' delightful vocal hook. 'Maladjustment -> Love' is another sparkly cut with retro-future appeal and 'Something Going Nowhere' has a sleazy swagger to it.

Review: West End Records? What's that? This is Bitter End and you're in for some lush disco rhythms with this new badboy from the imprint's mysterious movers and shakers! "Echo Loves Narcissus (part 1)" dominates the A-side with a mighty, steel-cut groove that oozes a certain 90s nostalgia without sounding stale or overworked; the tune's punchy bass-weight and cosmic melodies make for the perfect combo. On the flip, "Get The Love" takes inspiration from the 80s EBM movement while still holding down a fine-ass house groove complete with sexy vocals and warehouse bleeps for all rave purposes...

Review: This week's lesson in simple musical mathematics is demonstrated by Tensnake and Aloe Blacc. The former's inexorable rise in 2010 has perhaps been matched by the worldwide popularity of the latter's "I Need A Dollar", so getting Mr Niemerski on board to remix the track was a smart move. The end results are typically appealing, with Blacc's vocals looped brilliantly around a burning deep house arrangement that peaks in all the right places. The central energetic pulse of cavernous bass stabs and slick hi-hats are inundated by massive swathes of soaring chords as the track progresses, with the requisite breakdowns augmented by choral vocal refrains. Totally euphoric in its intentions and execution, this is bound to have devastating effects when implemented at the right time.

Review: Black Devil Disco Club returns to action on LoEB with "Ride Again", a collection of mixes from his "In Dub" album. First up is the Prins Thomas mix of "On Just Foot", a chugging Italo disco groover led by a rolling arpeggiated b-line, quirky analogue stabs, vocoder vocal hits and wicked conga-laden beats. Proper floor-pleasing Italo workout. Next we have the Unit 4 mix of "An Other Skin", more b-line driving space disco with dark sounds and huge synth lines. Last but not least is the Black Mustang mix of "Constantly No Respect", a hard-hitting percussive jam exploring the darker side of the Italo universe.

Review: Blue Feather were a truly blue-eyed funk outfit from the Netherlands who had a prolific run in the 80s with two albums and a string of club singles to their name. "Let's Funk Tonight" was surely one of their bigger hits, and it sounds resplendent with a fresh master and the full extended version spread out across the A side here. Offering something new for the modern market, Best call upon Faze Action to flesh out this reissue with a killer dub of the track that treads softly but funks deep, just like a good dub should.

Review: Classic disco re-issue! A couple of nice Miami disco numbers from Jimmy Bo Horne, getting on the spankwagon on the A-side with a pumping club track, but not letting up on the flip either, another crisp number guaranteed to keep the disco burning!

Review: A while back, Africaine 808's DJ Nomad contacted Favorite Recordings' chief Pascal Rioux about a killer track he'd been given some years back - an obscure, previously CD-R only fusion of modern Gwo-ka and Zouk by Esnard Boisdur entitled "Mizik Bel". Rioux was excited by what he heard and agreed that the track should come out on vinyl, accompanied by a fresh rework by Nomad and Dirk Leyers as Africaine 808. Boisdur's original version (side A) is rhythmically dense but also cheery and life affirming, with celebratory chorus vocals and 80s zouk style synth lines subtly rising above a busy, all-action groove. Arguably even better is the sub-heavy Africaine 808 mix, which brilliantly re-imagines the track as a tasty chunk of tropical house/disco-zouk fusion.

Review: House music's roots are in the church and this new a celebratory various artist collection pays homage to that. The grooves are laced with soulful vocals, churchy chords and big strings that make for grand architecture and grander feelings of joy. Mark Brickman & Yam Who? open with a vocal gem that cannot help but bring a smile, while Wayfaring Strangers pump it up a little more with some funky disco house before Platinum City get you locked in a nice loose, long legged groove that is resplendent with lush keys and big vocal turns. 'Yah Mo B There' has an irresistible 80s vibe and big sing along choruses that will get hairs standing on end.

Review: The soulful title track to her album of the same name, "Bad For Me" is remixed here with a bit more flair by Larry Levan! The tune skips along at a really upbeat little pace, not really club but with more of a boogie flavour overall and it's backed by a mellower number with some jazzy George Duke production!

Review: North Carolina's Brief Encounter were one of the bands to define the 70's US soul sound but, unlike many of their peers, the group remained in the sights of crate diggers and specialists, straying away from significant commercial success. This particular single, for instance, wasn't even released officially and has remained the stuff of legends until now, so it's thanks to the reliable Athens Of The North that we're able to give it a spin on our turntables. Put simply, "Where Will I Go" and "Always" are two unmissable soul ballads that are simply impossible not to appreciate and get excited by - they encapsulate a particular note of optimism and romance that represented the 1970s in America, taking us on a journey into the past. Don't miss it!

Review: James Alexander Bright's new sinle, Cool Cool, is a sonic kaleidoscope brimming with vibrant sounds and deep emotion. Bright's distinctive voice, reminiscent of Eddie Chacon, Beck or Michael McDonald, shines throughout. His multi-instrumental prowessiplaying guitar, bass, keys, and moreiadds layers of complexity to the record. Cool Cool illustrates Bright's evolving sound and unwavering creativity, making it a compelling addition to his diverse discography. The 'ECLA Beautiful dub' adds a great alternative version that provides a broken down moody version of the original to balance the 7". Both sides are excellent.

Review: Boston's Cultures Of Soul present some edits here of underrated Belizean artist Bredda "David" Obi whose musical style known as "Kungo Muzik" mixes key flavours from his home with reggae and calypso to rock and funk to formulate a modern tropical style. Years later, DJs and record collectors found his music in basements of record stores in Los Angeles and Brooklyn - some of which are featured here. Sol Power All-Stars will get you stoned into the groove with their acid-inflected rework of "Dancin'", L.A.'s DJ Duckcomb works the original's lo-slung dub influence on "Experience" while the ever reliable Justin Van Der Volgen similarly accentuates the reggae swagger of "Sunshine". A tribute to a legend!

Review: Mystery edit label Brooklyn North catapult themselves into the dance with two superb flashbacks. Leon Ware's "That's Why I Came To California" gets the treatment on the A as full focus is fixed on that big positive chorus and the drums are touched up with a little broken energy. Flip for Sergio Mendes's "The Real Thing". Jacked with an uptempo energy, layers of instrumentation and insatiable vocal hooks, it's highlights Sergio's most driving and divine elements. Launching with two 12"s in the same week, Brooklyn North aren't messing around here.

Review: Bill Brown and Al Hall jr met in 1971 in south central LA and shared the same flat as jazz man Doug Carn and Brownstone vocalist Billy Wilson. They often played together and some of the sessions gave rise to the two hard to find tracks offered up here. 'Dreamworld Fantasie' is a first release of an unissued 1977 disco and soul gem that muses on how we'd all like our lives to be - and right now such escapist vibes have never been more in need. Flip it over and you'll find a rare though previously released 1971 single 'Stay Off The moon', which delivers a poignant political message that resonates to this day.

Review: First released back in 1978 on Parachute Records, Randy Brown's debut album "Welcome To My Room" is one of the better lesser-known Philadelphia soul style sets of the disco era. The team behind Expansions Records are certainly fans, because their latest "45" offers up two of the album's most potent tracks. A-side "I'm Always In The Mood" is simply superb, with Brown doing his best Teddy Pendergrass impression atop a heavily orchestrated, dancefloor-friendly backing track. Flipside "Love Is All We Need" is a little deeper but no less sumptuous, sounding a little like Vincent Montana producing "What's Going On" era Marvin Gaye. In a word: essential.

Review: West End's double-pack re-edit series continues, with long-standing UK electrofunk hero and scalpel rework specialist Greg Wilson sharing a quartet of revisions. There are airings for two of Wilson's most sought-after scalpel works from the "Credit To The Edit" series - superb versions of Brenda Taylor's "You Can't Have Your Cake and Eat It Too" and Raw Silk's "Do It To The Music" - as well as a couple of previously heard rearrangements that are on-point as per usual. Wilson first adds even more mind-altering delays and low-slung dub disco flavour to Forrrce's "Keep On Dubbin'", before superbly stretching out the mostly instrumental "Melt Down Mix" of Shirley Lites' synth-laden peak-time classic "Heat You Up".

Review: With its eccentric, helium-fuelled vocals, insatiable bassline, bold pianos and swirling strings, Bumblebee Unlimited's "Lady Bug" remains one of Patrick Adams and Greg Carmichael's greatest productions. This special reissue ignores the duo's original 1978 mixes, instead showcasing the '79 reworks released on RCA. On the A-side you'll find John Morales and Frank "Sunshine Sound" Trimarco's peerless, 10-minute "Disco Mix"- a rework that successfully showcases each individual musical element contained within Adams and Carmichael's similarly epic original production. On the flip, you'll find the lesser-celebrated but equally memorable Larry Levan remix, in which the legendary Paradise Garage resident wisely put more emphasis on the heavyweight bassline and relentless disco drums.

Review: When deciding on tracks to release on '45' for the first time, the Dynamite Cuts team seems to mine a mixture of sought-after sets, familiar favourites and overlooked obscurities. This single falls int the latter category, featuring as it does two killer cuts from Funk In Hell, a 1976 album by library music collective-turned-instrumental funk outfit Button Down Brass (a band founded by trumpeter and arranger Ray Davies). A-side 'Superstition' is simply superb: a down-low cover of Stevie Wonder classic 'Superstition' that sits somewhere between down-low library funk and Blaxploitation movie soundtracks, with a dash of big band funk thrown in. Instrumental flipside 'Shades of Hades' is equally as vibrant, with elongated electric guitar notes, heady hand percussion and spacey synth sounds combining superbly with spy-funk horns and weighty bass.As played by DJ Muro from Japan

Review: Stone cold New Jersey funk business; Calender's seminal "Hypertension" has been a waymark in dancefloor developments since '75 and its big strings, high energy and nagging vocals still have total resonance to this day as proved by this rolling, conga fuelled twist from Mexican maestro Hotmood. Flip for more relevance as "Ritmo Latino" (from Calender's '76 album "It's A Monster") gets a cheeky breakbeat facelift from Voodoocuts. Now there's no excuse not to get funky every single day of the year.