Back catalogue: Disco/Nu-Disco

Review: Rob Hardt is a prolific multi-instrumentalist and producer and has spent 30 years crafting hundreds of songs and working with international artists. Known for his influence on soul, funk, rap, and r&b, Hardt leads the band Cool Million which boasts millions of streams on Spotify and Apple Music. His productions are robust and packed with authenticity so always manages to cut through to the big time. This new album is a collection of those sounds, drenched din soul, and featuring plenty of great collaborations that have helped bring his musical visions to life.

Review: Curated as part of the iconic street artist's Tate exhibition this year, The World Of Keith Haring unites many of the talented souls Keith knew, or was inspired by, during his prolific rise as one of the most vital cultural spokesmen through the 70s and 80s. Soundtracking the gritty downtown NYC streets he made his first mark on, this limited collection captures the whole melting pot from b-boy culture with cuts such as "E.T Boogie" and "Bump N Grind", raw boogie and soul ("Over & Over") and pure drama ("The Guardian Angel Is Watching Over Us"). A powerful collection as striking and relatable as his own signature.

Review: While former New Young Pony Club member (and sometime Hot Chip collaborator) has devoted much of her career to DJing, her occasional solo musical releases have always been strong. Her solo debut LP, 2021's Private Sunshine, was excellent, but if anything this belated sophomore effort is even better. The album's genius lies in its consistency and the first signs of a smart, stylish, trademark boogie and proto-house influenced synth-pop sound, with extra authenticity provided by clear sonic nods to classic 1980s cuts from NYC and beyond. She's always been a talent, but it feels like a genuine crossover moment could be upon us - helped, no doubt, by the quality of the sassy 'Frequency', slow-motion jam 'Stop The Rain' and future dancefloor anthem 'In My Heart'.

Review: Heatwave's greatest hits collection from 1984 is a perfect embodiment of their sound. Disco, soul and funk all combine to thrilling and floor filling effect across nine tracks. The band formed in the mid-70s in Europe but had members from all over the world. Johnnie Wilder was the founder and an American serviceman based in West Germany who stayed put after the war and sang in local clubs before hooking up with Rod Temperton in the UK. 'Boogie Nights' is their most iconic and successful hit and it opens this collection in gloriously uplifting fashion.

Review: Chicago was a hotbed for talent in the 1970s (well, it always has been and always will be, to be honest) and one of the groups to emerge at that time was Heaven & Earth, a vital soul vocal collective. They released four high-quality albums and this one, 'I Can't Seem To Forget You', was the first on Clarence Johnson's G.E.C. Label. It is packed with super sweet vocals and Dwight Dukes' lush falsetto and has never before been reissued. This version from the good folks at P-VINE has an extra bonus cut 'Promises,' which has previously only been available as a single from 1975.

Review: Disco bossmen HiFi Sean and David McAlmont return with their new album, Daylight, on Plastique Recordings and a fine one it is too to follow up their acclaimed 2023 debut, Happy Ending. Daylight features twelve exhilarating tracks that celebrate the essence of summer and do a good job of capturing its vibrant colours and joyous moods. This is the first of two albums from the duo in 2024, with the nocturnal counterpart, Twilight, set for release on December 1 and therefore likely to be a celebration of the moods of winter. In the meantime, your days will be long and bright and full of dancing with this one.

Review: Former Soup Dragons man Hifi Sean (real name Sean Dickson) seems to have found a musical soulmate in David McAlmont. The pair have already impressed via a pair of well-regarded albums and here drop a third collaborative full-length - barely six months after its predecessor, Daylight, appeared in stores. Designed as a kind of flip side to that set - a loosely conceptual musical night drive from dusk 'til dawn - Twilight cannily combines slow, soft-touch grooves, dreamy textures, bubbly electronics, strobe-lit synths and McAlmont's honeyed vocals to great effect. The plentiful highlights include Blessed Madonna collaboration 'The Comedown', the tactile bliss of 'Goodbye Drama Queen', the huggable wooziness of 'High With You' and the heartfelt sweep of 'Star'.

Review: Six months after dropping their second collaborative full-length excursion, Daylight, HiFi Sean and David McAlmont deliver the yang to that set's ying - the loosely conceptual dusk-til-dawn night drive that is Twilight. More synth-heavy and strobe-lit than its predecessor, the album sees the effortlessly soulful McAlmont add his honeyed vocals to backing tracks rich in soft-touch grooves, dreamy textures, bubbly electronics and strobe-lit melodic motifs. This limited, deluxe edition is the one to grab if you can; aside from being pressed to colourful purple vinyl, it also comes bundled with a single-track seven-inch flexi-disc (containing a fine alternate dub mix of 'Driftaway') and an autographed art print.

Review: HiFi Sean and David McAlmont's latest collaboration, Daylight, delivers another dose of upbeat, soulful and danceable tunes on the follow up to their acclaimed debut, Happy Ending. The first of two releases from the duo this year, with the companion album, Twilight, set for release in December, Daylight is a vibrant journey through 12 songs that celebrate the colors and feel of summer. The duo's chemistry shines through as they explore themes of joy and exploration, and fans can anticipate a deluxe limited 'Neon Orange' Vinyl Edition featuring a free orange flexi-disc, signed art print and downloadable lyric book.

Review: Dave Lee's Z Records label has a growing reputation as a purveyor of high quality, crate digger-friendly disco and boogie compilations. This latest, curated by former Nuphonic boss (and Ballistic Brothers member) David Hill, shines a light on the gospel end of black American dance music in the 1970s and early '80s. For those new to gospel's influence on disco and boogie, it's a revelation. Moving from righteous gospel-soul (Tommy T & Company, Truth & Devotion) to spine tingling disco screamers (Bobby Womack and Christina Essence's superb version of Sylvester favourite 'I Need You') and synth-laden boogie jams (Norman Weeks & The Revelations, The Young Delegation's brilliant "He Lives"), it's an unashamedly celebratory trip into dancefloor gospel territory. Recommended.

Review: Although the end is now finally in sight, we are still very much spending time at home, gazing off into the distance and dreaming of better times. Enter this sumptuous soundtrack from Hillside, whose Sunday In June album on the ever classy Claremont 56 is a perfect accompaniment to you lazy afternoons. The gorgeous record is utterly doused in sun, with sparkling keys, go-slow beats and lush strings all oozing cool yet bribing with warmth. It's the sound of perfect afternoon in the garden, or on the beach, with tropical grooves and Balearic bliss flowing freely from front to back.

Review: Day-Glo Chaos Gets Physical, the third album by Hologram Teen (Morgane Lhote), is a tight, kaleidoscopic blend of 80s synthpop and quirky electro. Lhote draws from her obsession with arcade games and cinematic synths, building a vivid world where bright electronic textures collide with playful rhythms. It's no surprise she cites influences like Jacno's analogue electro and John Carpenter's dystopian scores - you can hear their pulse throughout the record, most notably in tracks like 'Midnite Rogue', which nods to Lhote's love of retro gaming with a rhythm as driving as an Outrun arcade session. The album thrives on its sharp production and colorful arrangements, creating a sense of motion and energy that's both nostalgic and forward-thinking. The inclusion of everything from Sega Master System-inspired sounds to a custom synth designed in Ableton (cheekily named after prog-rock legend Rick Wakeman) showcases Lhote's playful approach to electronic music, while still maintaining a sense of sophistication. Tracks like 'Teen Beats Highway' and 'Valley Nights (Burnin')' tap into that irresistible groove, perfectly balancing punchy, rhythmic hooks with atmospheric melodies. This isn't just a retro throwback; Day-Glo Chaos updates and modernises the nostalgia, offering a nuanced reimagining of synth music's neon-glow past. It's meticulously layered yet fun, upbeat without being overbearing. Whether you're drawn in by the danceable beats or the sonic tributes to old-school gaming and 80s cinema, this album brims with personality and an unmistakable charm.

Review: Honey Dijon is the perfect artist for the DJ-Kicks series given the breadth of her knowledge and she delivers a killer mix with tracks from Blackjoy, Art of Tones, Shaboom, Kiko Navarro, and an exclusive new cut of her own. A Grammy-winning DJ, activist, and fashion icon, Dijon has found success in various fields while staying true to her Chicago house roots. The 19-track mix, her first commercially available compilation, highlights her deep knowledge of house music and blends forgotten classics, rare finds, and modern gems. This vinyl sampler includes one of her own original tracks, definitely one of the best of the lot.

Review: ***B-STOCK: Sleeve damaged and LP1 label on wrong side but otherwise in excellent condition***


Honey Dijon is the perfect artist for the DJ-Kicks series given the breadth of her knowledge and she delivers a killer mix with tracks from Blackjoy, Art of Tones, Shaboom, Kiko Navarro, and an exclusive new cut of her own. A Grammy-winning DJ, activist, and fashion icon, Dijon has found success in various fields while staying true to her Chicago house roots. The 19-track mix, her first commercially available compilation, highlights her deep knowledge of house music and blends forgotten classics, rare finds, and modern gems. This vinyl sampler includes one of her own original tracks, definitely one of the best of the lot.

Review: Honey Dijon is exactly the sort of artist you want to hear from in the DJ-Kicks series. And she more than comes through with tracks by Blackjoy, Art of Tones, Shaboom, Kiko Navarro, and a brand-new cut from Dijon herself. Known as a fashion icon, activist, Grammy winner, and DJ, Dijon has achieved success on many fronts but always brings with her a sense of authenticity and a through line to the roots of house in Chicago. The 19-track mix marks her first commercially available compilation and showcases her deep knowledge of house music as she blends forgotten classics, dollar-bin finds, and modern tracks, including one of her own.

Review: Hot Chip continue to occupy a unique space in British music. Yet despite their standing as a bunch of polymaths just as at home with pure pop as experimental diversions, what continues to truly separate them from all or any contemporaries is a rich melancholy to their sound, and it's this which looms pleasantly large on 'Why Make Sense'. The songwriting of Alexis Taylor and Joe Goddard has never sounded sharper, not their beat-driven yet tastefully spare sound more addictive. Now as ever, no-one can reconcile human emotion and machine-like rhythm in quite the same fashion as this maverick outfit.

Review: Hot Chip are back! The coolest dudes since Devo return like a monkey with a miniature cymbal with their seventh full length album. With vocoding effects layered over the sweet tone of Alexis Taylor's voice referencing all matter of contemporary and retro-active pop and trance sensibilities, this album once again sees Hot Chip at the front of pioneering, friendly and avant garde pop music. Produced by the late Philippe Zdar (one half of Cassius) - also responsible for applying award winning touches to albums by Phoenix and Cat Power, Domino is calling the record "a celebration of joy but recognises the struggle it can take to get to that point of happiness". Our tips: album opener "Melody Of Love" and the '80s trance-pop that is "Hungry Child".

Review: Heels & Souls Recordings marks its tenth release with a reissue of Hot Slot Machine, the pioneering 1992 album by South African prodigy Makhosini Henry Xaba, also known as Joe Nina. Created when he was just 16, this six-track LP merges US and UK influencesihouse, hip-hop, soul and reggaeifiltered through a distinctly South African lens that set the stage for the emerging kwaito sound. Drawing inspiration from the bass-heavy rhythms of artists like Blackbox and Ten City, Hot Slot Machine goes beyond the bubblegum pop of the era, delivering a richer, synth-laden sonic landscape that resonated deeply with early 90s South African audiences. Tracks like 'Rhythm', 'Unchain My Heart' and 'Shake Ya Down' hit with chunky hip-house energy, while 'Lookin' Mix', 'I'll Be Ready' and 'Lovin' Mix' showcase a low-slung, infectious groove. The album, long lost to history, has been carefully remastered by Sean P and Justin Drake, who restored the tracks from surviving rips. Licensed from Gallo and featuring liner notes and unseen photos, Hot Slot Machine is a vital reissue that celebrates a crucial moment in South Africa's musical evolution.

Review: Brazilian artist Hyldon's 1981 album 'Sabor De Amor' is a Latin classic that is well overdue this reissue by Jazzybelle Records. It was the fourth from the soul man, singer and instrumentalist who was, with equally celebrated peers Tim Maia and Cassiano, at the very heart of the Brazilian soul revolution of 70s. This may be his most consistent album with its more than accomplished backing by Azymuth musicians including Alexandre Malheiros on bass, drums from Ivan "Mamao" Conti and Hammond jams from Sergio Carvalho amongst others. The bass is funky, the arrangements are sophisticated and full of sun with noodling jazz melodies and Portuguese vocals all oozing summer magic. From mellow moments like the title cut to more dazzling and upbeat dancers like 'Amor Na Terra Do Berimbau' this isa joyous listen.