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: Get your hips and heart around this bit of L.A. boogie by the elusive Ben White and you cannot help but feel better. It is a highly sought-after rarity that disco collectors have been fawning over since forever. It was originally reissued as a 45 by the great Athens of the North and now comes this 7" version which was sourced from Andy Noble, who has often helped the label out before. It features two sides of exceptional modern soul and boogie that blend rhythm and grove in magical ways that are never going to age. 'I See A World' has lovely and tender falsetto vocals and 'Give Me Love (Always)' is more of a party starter.
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: Berlin's renowned Iptamenos Discos its back with more great musical enchant in the form of this new white vinyl 12" in hand-numbered hand-stamped sleeve from Boys' Shorts. This dynamic queer duo comes from Greece and is made up of Vangelis (formerly of LAGASTA) and London-based Tareq. Their Something To Forget EP is a dazzling mix of disco with a whole world of subtle influences from other genres. Two originals come accompanied by innovative remixes from Gabe Gurnsey and Whitesquare to make this an effective outing that will likely win Boys' Shorts many new followers.
Review: Kiko Navarro kicks off 2024 with his Afroterraneo label's first release, presenting a fresh rendition of 'Mama Calling', his enduring collaboration with Buika. Originally released in 2004, the track was revitalised during preparations for a November 2023 live show, becoming a standout performance. Retaining its signature horn stabs, this updated version injects new energy into the vibrant, life-affirming anthem. With a remix by Tedd Patterson included, the release promises to ignite dancefloors well into the New Year, offering a perfect blend of nostalgia and contemporary flair.
You Don't Care (About Our Love) (long version) (6:30)
You Don't Care (About Our Love) (3:48)
You Don't Care (instrumental) (4:27)
Review: The Record Store Day releases are coming thick and fast right now, and this is another doozy that arrives in limited quantities. British artist Mark 'China' Burton left an indelible mark with his one and only ever release, which is this soulful disco masterpiece. Produced by Adam Sieff and unveiled on the Logo label in 1979, this string-laden gem remains highly coveted, with original 12" copies fetching over L400. The arrangement, crafted by the UK's John Altman, who later collaborated with icons like Diana Ross and Tina Turner, adds to its allure. Altman, known for his work on the iconic 'Walking In The Air' with Aled Jones, lends his expertise to this limited edition release.
Finally Ready (Dimitri From Paris TSOP - The Sound Of Paris - remix club dub) (6:35)
Finally Ready (Dimitri From Paris TSOP - The Sound Of Paris - remix part I & II instrumental) (7:33)
Finally Ready (David Penn extended remix) (7:21)
Finally Ready (Catz 'n Dogz extended Pride mix) (6:43)
Finally Ready (Dimitri From Paris TSOP - The Sound Of Paris - remix part I & II) (9:12)
Finally Ready (acappella) (3:57)
Review: The Shapeshifters are bonafide dance music champions with some rare studio skills. Their golden era sound is as rich as they come and their on going relationship with Glitterbox now results in a new future classic, 'Finally Ready.' It follows on from jams like 'Try My Love' and 'Life Is A Dancefloor' and has a strong message that no matter where you come from, on the dance floor there is always acceptance and hope. Grammy, Tony and Emmy Award-winning singer, director, composer, actor and playwright Billy Porter is the co-writer and with all its big strings, live horns and sense of theatre, it's another winner.
Cyndi Lauper - "Change Of Heart" (12" extended club remix) (7:52)
Pet Shop Boys - "West End Girls" (The Shep Pettibone Mastermix) (8:23)
Alisha - "Baby Talk" (extended dance mix) (6:43)
The B-52's - "Summer Of Love" (Summer party mix) (6:07)
Huey Lewis & The News - "Hip To Be Square" (dance mix) (6:00)
New Order - "Bizarre Love Triangle" (Shep Pettibone 12" remix) (6:43)
Depeche Mode - "Behind The Wheel" (Shep Pettibone mix) (5:56)
Erasure - "Chains Of Love" (Unfettered mix 2009 Remaster) (8:25)
Elton John - "I Don't Wanna Go On With You Like That" (The Shep Pettibone mix) (7:20)
Review: Arthur Baker is the perfect host for this new series from Demon Music which focuses on the famous extended remixes of the 80s. Each series will be a multi-disc, various artist collection that is united by one remixer, and there can be few better to kick it off than the legend that is Shep Pettibone. He was a hugely in demand studio hand who reworked multiple genres and everyone from Pet Shop Boys to Duran Duran, New Order to Level 42, George Michael to Erasure. This ambitious, widescreen collection takes in all manner of golden remixes from the world of soul, pop, synth and more.
First Choice - "Let No Man Put Asunder" (12" Sheppettibone mix) (8:00)
Review: The art of the remix is no doubt indebted to NYC legends such as Shep Pettibone and Arthur Baker. It's quite fitting then that the latter should curate some of the greatest moments of the former on part two of The Classic 12 Inch Master Mixes Volume One. Pettibone's innovative approach to remixing throughout the '80s and early '90s has had a lasting impact on dance music. Featured on here are his renditions of B B & Q's '(I'm A) Dreamer' where he gets that perfect late night boogie-down vibe in effect, as well as Lionel Richie's classic 'Love Will Conquer All', perfectly streamlining the groove of The Salsoul Orchestra's 'Ooh, I Love It (Love Break)' and lending his deft hand to First Choice's anthemic 'Let No Man Put Asunder' among many others.
All Night Long (She's Got The Moves I Like) (album version) (5:53)
Keep It Hot (extended version) (6:30)
Imagination (extended Promo mix) (6:52)
Riccochet (Dancin' Danny D' mix) (5:57)
I'll Cut You Loose (album version) (5:15)
Dreamer (Shep Pettibone long vocal version) (5:58)
Starlette (album version) (5:51)
Downtowne (album version) (6:30)
Time For Love (long version) (6:52)
Mistakes (extended version) (5:57)
She's A Woman (album version) (5:15)
Review: B. B. & Q. Band (Brooklyn, Bronx, and Queens Band), was an Italian-American post-disco band. A studio project created by the late Jacques Fred Petrus after the success of his main project Change with Mauro Malvasi. The band formed in Bologna in 1979, disbanded in 1987 and featured members such as Kevin Robinson, Paris Ford, Chielli Minucci and Curtis Hairston among others. Disco Hits (remastered) comes courtesy of Original Disco Culture and features timeless classics such as the unmistakable 'On The Beat', the neon-lit sway of 'All Night Long' (She's Got The Moves I Like) as well as Dancin' Danny D's mix of 'Riccochet' and Shep Pettibone's rework of 'Dreamer'.
Review: Berlin-based boy/girl band Bionda e Lupo has a unique sound that brings alienation, disdain and delusionary disco to synth wave. Their stark rhythms and honeyed melodies and lyrics all combine to mesmeric effect, and never more so was that true than on this new album, La Deutsche Vita. It is made on an array of authentic old school analogue gear so has a lovely future-retro aesthetic, with bright melodies and angular, post-punk drum funk overlaid with sweet vocals. It's fast-paced body music with a playful twist but serious compositional skills.
Review: Black Devil Disco Club brings its unique sense of style this this special pink vinyl LP which arrives in seriously limited quantities. These are psyched-out takes on disco with a rugged edge but plenty of thinking arps such as on the opener 'Corps Magnifique' with its French spoken words adding an air of romance. 'Corps Magnifique' pairs haggling metal synths with rugged beats and 'Etincelles' then has rugged bass and acidic leads bring menace to the party. The flipside features three more curious and left-of-centre takes on disco.
Review: Splash down to 1978-80: influential Philly funk troupe Breakwater gave the world two albums over two years.Full focus on slow jams and soulful fusion, the Breakwater melting pot is just as strong in jazz and Latin as it is soul and funk. Here we're treated to a selection of the best moments from Breakwater and Splashdown (minus the famous Daft Punk-sampled "Release The Beast") such as the unforgettable Floydian chorus of "That's Not What We Came Here For", the soaking wet bass and tight bright horns of the raunchy boogie jam "Do It Till The Fluid Gets Hot" and the sunshine soul of the sublime "Say You Love Me Girl". A sharp insight into a band that was criminally short-lived at the time..Rumour is there is a new album on the horizon and they still play live -there were two live uk dates in Jan 2017 already !
Review: The first installment of Late Night Tales' After Dark was that rarest of things: a DJ mix that retained a smoky sense of early morning, home listening atmosphere while retaining an open-minded focus on the dancefloor. This follow-up - once again compiled and mixed by Bill Brewster - offers more of the same. Musically it's pleasingly varied, moving from the string-drenched downtempo beauty of Typesun's "Last One Home", to the heady Balearic rock of General Lee, via Justus Kohnke, the soulful post-bruk smoothness of As One, and the sprightly analogue electronics of Emperor Machine's remix of Paqua's "Late Train". There's also a bunch of previously unreleased tunes to enjoy, including killer contributions from the Mang Dynasty (AKA Ray Mang), The Gino Fontaine (Chicken Lips man Andrew Meecham) and - most surprising of all - The Grid and Robert Fripp.
Review: Brijean is the combination of percussionist and singer Brijean Murphy and multi-instrumentalist and producer Doug Stuart channelling their collective experiences into fresh rhythms. They debuted their first Ghostly album back in 2021 and since then have left the Bay Area. This new EP finds the pair at their most intimate, working through grief and exploring a new range of moods and styles across effervescent rhythms and colourful chords that bring rich and vibrant feelings to the fore. It's a captivating and creative record that might be their best yet.
Review: Sting Like A Bee is the one and only long player released by Bumblebee Unlimited. It came back in the disco heyday of 1979 and their unique blend of deep disco and house is defined by a rather unusual trait - and that is an insect theme that results from the pitch-altered vocals. Way ahead of their time back then and still with a distinctly original edge, the tunes have aged well and feature lots of great and funky baselines, lush strings and sophisticated arrangements. An overlooked gem if you ask us that rightly will get plenty of attention now it has been reissued.
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