Review: Unlike most disco re-edit EPs, Salsoul's latest instalment of 'Reflex Revisions' are "proper" remixes, making full use of original master stems and session tapes sourced from the parent artists themselves. With all four tracks handled by French producer and remixer The Reflex, we know we're in good hands here - he's been at it since 2012. Reflex Revisions don't just add a janky kick beneath a beatgridded 16-bar loop, but rather, they move and sway with the tracks' original feels. Our case in point: 'A Little Love' completely reimagines the drum section found on Aurra's 1983 original, making the whole sonic experience much clearer and brighter. As much can be said for Metropolis' downtempo 'I Love New York', on which Reflex here makes the song grander, wider. Compared to most re-editors, this is an impressive feat occurring in a different ballpark.
Review: Now released for the first time on vinyl in the UK, Parisian Nu-Disco sextet L'Imperatrice's 3rd EP Odyssee, released in 2015, was a 6-track journey through the dreamy, vintage sound of French disco-pop. Rereleased and renamed a year later under L'Empereur at a different speed, this gatefold contains the original EP as well as acoustic renditions of five tracks, plus a bonus track in Interlune, a strings piece that flows into the string instrumental of La Lune (Version Acoustique). The smooth bass and layered synth will hook you, but you'll stay for the vocal talents of Flore Benguigui who joined the outlet that same year. Her smooth tones are like melted butter against the bass. Odysee was a bold step for the band - but one that proved wildly successful and was just the beginning of the symphonic formula that L'Imperatrice has continued to refine to this day.
Review: L'Imperatrice's upcoming album Pulsar promises to be a vibrant fusion of funk, disco, pop, and house music, enriched with influences from French house and Italo-disco. The Parisian group show their versatility by incorporating elements of hip-hop, kosmische, and pop into their sonic palette, featuring guest vocalists such as Maggie Rogers, Erick the Architect, and Fabiana Martone, Pulsar promises to deliver a dynamic listening experience. With their infectious energy and innovative sound, L'Imperatrice continues to fascinate audiences, making Pulsar an eagerly anticipated addition to their discography.
Review: L'Imperatrice's upcoming album Pulsar promises to be a vibrant fusion of funk, disco, pop, and house music, enriched with influences from French house and Italo-disco. The Parisian group show their versatility by incorporating elements of hip-hop, kosmische, and pop into their sonic palette, featuring guest vocalists such as Maggie Rogers, Erick the Architect, and Fabiana Martone, Pulsar promises to deliver a dynamic listening experience. With their infectious energy and innovative sound, L'Imperatrice continues to fascinate audiences, making Pulsar an eagerly anticipated addition to their discography.
Review: Lakeside's Fantastic Voyage dates back to 1980 and is also the name of the number one hit the Dayton, Ohio group had in 1981. The song topped the r&b chart and marked their one and only ever entry on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 55. Sample hounds may know that hip-hop star Coolio used parts of this song for his own hit of the same name in 1994. The rest of the tunes are just as much a great and funky fusion of soul, disco and r&b with great vocal harmonies, guttural male growls and infectious drums.
Review: Lakeside - perhaps the unsung counterparts to Kool & The Gang (though they were just as great) - are routinely hailed as one of the earliest purveyors of funk-disco in its entirety, and we can more than believe that when taking in their fifth album from 1981, Your Wish Is My Command. Hugely ahead of its time, the production on this album is unmatched, with bombshell beats and ultrafilterswept synths making for unparalleledly glitzy backdrops for the Ohio nine-piece's watertight ows and yowzas. Our faves from this classic have to be 'Something About That Woman' and 'The Songwriter', the beats on which land like shoulder-slaps. Also, notably, this album features a rare hidden rerub of the Beatles' 'I Want To Hold Your Hand', which sets total fire to the original.
Herbie (Vick's extended Time Traveler mix) (11:17)
Play (Vick's Jazz Playground Vamp mix) (7:28)
Flame (Vick's extended Time Traveler mix) (10:18)
Rise/Rise (Vick's extended Time Traveler mix) (9:46)
Review: Vick Lavender presents a captivating journey through soulful house music with 'The Time Traveler'. This double LP is a testament to Lavender's deep understanding of the genre, seamlessly blending classic influences with a contemporary edge. From the infectious grooves of '4-11' and 'A Space Love Affair' to the hypnotic rhythms of 'Acid Outpost' and 'Archive 80', the album is a masterclass in soulful house production. Lavender's collaborations with Ammawhat and Angel-A add further depth and dimension, while tracks like 'Misty' and '1981' showcase his ability to craft emotive and atmospheric soundscapes. The extended mixes on Side 3 and 4 provide extended journeys into Lavender's sonic world, highlighting his skills as a DJ and remixer. This is a must-have for any house music enthusiast, a timeless collection that will transport you to the dancefloor and beyond.
B-STOCK: Small scratches and surface marks on records; label defect on disc 1, side B
4-11 (5:43)
A Space Love Affair (3:51)
Acid Outpost (album version) (3:46)
Archive 80 (album version) (3:29)
Misty (4:47)
1981 (2:00)
Again (with Ammawhat - album version) (2:00)
ICC (Inner City Children) (2:00)
Nothing Broken (with Angel-A) (2:00)
Reminisce (Sign Of Times) (2:00)
Herbie (Vick's extended Time Traveler mix) (11:17)
Play (Vick's Jazz Playground Vamp mix) (7:28)
Flame (Vick's extended Time Traveler mix) (10:18)
Rise/Rise (Vick's extended Time Traveler mix) (9:46)
Review: ***B-STOCK: Small scratches and surface marks on records; label defect on disc 1, side B***
Vick Lavender presents a captivating journey through soulful house music with 'The Time Traveler'. This double LP is a testament to Lavender's deep understanding of the genre, seamlessly blending classic influences with a contemporary edge. From the infectious grooves of '4-11' and 'A Space Love Affair' to the hypnotic rhythms of 'Acid Outpost' and 'Archive 80', the album is a masterclass in soulful house production. Lavender's collaborations with Ammawhat and Angel-A add further depth and dimension, while tracks like 'Misty' and '1981' showcase his ability to craft emotive and atmospheric soundscapes. The extended mixes on Side 3 and 4 provide extended journeys into Lavender's sonic world, highlighting his skills as a DJ and remixer. This is a must-have for any house music enthusiast, a timeless collection that will transport you to the dancefloor and beyond.
Review: Surely your first thoughts seeing this album drop are what a shame it is that LCD Soundsystem no longer crank out the tunes. Happily, we shall always have their fine body of work to revert to in times of need and few albums could quench your thirst for punk-funk-infused indie-disco bangers than this live effort from 2010's Berlin Festival. It has a number of the cult US band's classics included such as a fine rendition of 'Daft Punk Is Playing In My House', the seminal 'Get Innocuous!' and one of our favourites, 'All My Friends'. A wonderful way to revisit the glory years of one of the best bands of the last 20 years.
Review: Le Couleur consistently sidesteps complacency with each new album presenting a fresh musical experiment without ever losing its familiar foundation. With Comme dans un penthouse, the band takes its biggest leap into musical exploration yet as they revisit elements of 'Voyage Love' while delving deeper into disco infused with new wave nuances. The result is a cooler, more distant vibe compared to their previous work. The album crafts a narrative universe around Barbara, introduced in 'POP,' as she seeks excess, pleasure, and happiness amidst frenetic rhythms. From the Krautrock-inspired 'Autobahn' to futuristic tracks reminiscent of Das Mortal, Le Couleur deftly balances innovation with familiarity here on another sublime-sounding album.
Jayenne - "Love Walked In The Room" (feat Gina Carey) (6:46)
Foreal People - "Raise A Blaze" (feat Xan Blacq) (8:21)
Mistura - "Want Me Back" (feat Jemini) (6:54)
Dave Lee - "Taste My Love" (feat Billy Valentine) (5:58)
Mistura - "If You Ever Need Somebody" (feat Tiffany T'Zelle) (5:55)
The Sunburst Band - "Face The Love" (feat Angela Johnson) (5:45)
Raw Essence - "Do It Again" (feat Lifford) (6:27)
Dave Lee - "Power Of The Mind" (feat Billy Valentine - Power Trip mix) (6:14)
The Sunburst Band - "Let's Do It In Style" (7:11)
Harold Melvin & The Bluenotes - "Don't Leave Me This Way" (Dave Lee Philly World mix) (8:33)
Kokomo - "Use Your Imagination" (Dave Lee Re-Imagined mix) (7:18)
Review: DJ, curator and producer Dave Lee (fka. Joey Negro) continues to celebrate his 30-odd year long career in music with his second curatorital comp release. The 'Produced With Love' series charts all of Lee's original productions in soulful house and disco, and this second edition includes choices songs by the likes of Destiny II, Leroy Burgess and Andreya Triana. Always collaborative and with effortless attention to funking detail, Lee brings it once again.
Review: After years working alongside Gianluca Salvadori in Italian stoner rock/dub disco fusionists Almunia, Leo Cecanti has decided to strike out on his own. Minor Circle, his full-length debut solo set, is little less than inspired. Full of layered guitar textures (both acoustic and electric), shuffling grooves, sun-bright melodies and dreamy chords, it's a much more Balearic affair than Cecanti's joint works - albeit one that still includes plenty of nods towards psychedelic rock, chugging cosmic disco and jazz-rock. The whole thing is impeccably produced, mixed and mastered, meaning each of Cecanti's numerous musical elements (and there are many on each track) seem to leap from the speakers towards you.
Review: Giuseppe Leonardi returns with his highly anticipated mini-album 7 on the fresh label Unsure following his acclaimed releases for Second Circle. This eclectic collection features seven tracks showcasing Leonardi's diverse musical range. Kicking off with the unexpected 'Suzi Wong' which blends reggae and dub influences with mutant disco vibes and captivating vocals, it then takes in tracks like 'Anti Narcotics Police,' 'Both,' and 'Rrrrrrr' with uplifting house beats with a quirky pop twist. 'Wonder Girls' and 'Wondering' evoke rhythmic echoes of Stefan Schwander's new work, while 'Deadline' brings funkiness and magical melodies. 7 is a unique sonic journey that brightens any day with its playful coolness and raw charm.
Review: Les Abranis are a pioneering Algerian band known for having mixed up traditional Berber music with Western rock, folk, disco and funk. At the same time they never lost sight of their Kabyle heritage and as such really made a mark on the Maghrebi music scene all across the world from Algeria to France. This new collection Amazigh Freedom Rock 1973-1983 comes five years after Chenar le Blues / Avehri and is a deep dive into the band's discography. It spans everything from their early garage-rock experimentations to lush orchestrations and North African fusion gems from the 1980s.
Review: Greek DJ/producer Lex has been part of the scene in his home city of Athens since the dawn of the millennium, though it's only in the last few years that he's focused more on making music. The results of his efforts, which were previously showcased on 12" singles for Leng and Samosa Records, amongst others, have been quietly impressive. His debut album, Waving, continues in the same vein, utilising a pool of musician friends to craft cuts that blur the boundaries between sun-kissed, sofa-friendly Balearic warmth and subtly funk-fuelled, dub disco-framed dancefloor shufflers. The plentiful highlights include the stunning, tropical-tinged opener, 'Punta Allen', the organ-sporting vocal squelch-along 'Window Spells', acid-flecked nu-disco-meets-cosmic disco workout 'Silver Peace' and high-octane number 'Down My Soul'.
Review: Is there a more iconic modern disco duo that Lindstom and Prins Thomas? The superb Scandic-pair link up here to great effect on a six track record for Smalltown Supersound. As ever the references are far and wide, from world music to deep house, cosmic ambience to synth music. The tracks are stuffed with subtle details and a rich overarching musicality that makes them as good for focussed headphone listening as it does an early evening dance. 'Oranges' is achingly gorgeous, 'Harmonia' is awash in lush arps and 'Small Stream' is dreamy bliss. Once again these maestros have come through with the goods.
Could It Really Be? (feat Alex Wilson & Tony Momrelle)
All For Love
World Is Ready (feat Ursula Rucker)
Teflon Don (feat Jon Culshaw)
David (Goodbye To You)
All As One
Fragile Heart
I Saw You In My Dreams (feat Omar)
Courage To Change
Review: In 1990, Level 42 co-founder Mike Lindup released his first album, Changes, a blend of smooth jazz, quiet storm, synth-pop and Latin influences sprinkled with nods to gospel and other Black American religious music. This belated sequel once again pushes Lindup's vocals and colourful synthesisers to the fore, but musically it's a refreshed palette of influences, with the UK jazz-funk legend leaning more into soulful house, fusion, boogie, broken beat, hip-hop-soul and what would once have been considered acid jazz. It's a very good set all told, with dancefloor-friendly workouts and eye-catching collaborations (see Ursula Rucker hook-up 'World Is Ready' and Omar spotlight 'I See You In My Soul') being joined by glossy downtempo numbers.
Review: Less than 10 months have passed since the release of Matt Lord and Dennis 'Dego' McFarland's first collaborative album, but the long-serving duo have already readied album number two. The pair have been working together on-and-off for years and are clearly kindred spirits, at least musically. There's a warmth, looseness and pleasingly effortless feel about much of the material on show, which - like much 2000 Black crew material of recent years - adds luscious synthesizer and electric piano motifs to rubbery bass guitar parts and crunchy beats. It's naturally rooted in broken beat, but rhythmically also pays homage to jazz-funk, hip-hop, Azymuth-esque jazz fusion and boogie. It also includes an excellent, acid-flecked collaboration with mutual friend (and fellow bruk stalwart) Domu.
Review: This "Special Edition" of Lord Echo's recent third full-length, Harmonies, seems to be aimed at DJs. Whereas the original pressing contained the same tracks on one piece of wax, this version stretches the same tracks over two super-loud, heavyweight records. Formatting aside, the album itself is something of a head-in-the-clouds, feet-on-the-floor treat. It features the Kiwi producer working with a range of collaborators - Tony Laing of Fat Freddy's Drop and regular studio buddy Mara TK included - to serve up intoxicating cuts that brilliantly fuses reggae, dub and rocksteady rhythms with elements borrowed from disco, Afro-soul, Afro-funk, spiritual jazz and, more surprisingly, techno. It's a hugely vibrant and entertaining set, offering a good balance between dancefloor vibrations and more laidback concoctions.
Until There's Nothing Left (feat Alabama Shakes) (4:00)
Suse Millemann (interlude) (0:53)
Bittersweet (feat Portugal The Man) (5:09)
So Nice To Be In Love (feat Mascolo) (2:33)
Love Come Through (feat Panama) (4:28)
Succession (5:49)
Really Good (feat Reva DeVito) (0:21)
Dad To Daughter; We Say Yes (feat Dad & Yona Gold - interlude:) (4:32)
Two Days Older (feat Madelyn Rue) (2:39)
Carolyn Horn (interlude) (0:30)
Carolyn (4:35)
Mama, Mama, Many Worlds I’ve Come Since I First Left Home (feat Holly Bowling - outro) (0:59)
Review: LP Giobbi, the jazz-trained pianist and dynamic producer, continues to break boundaries with her upcoming sophomore LP, Dotr, through Ninja Tune's Counter Records. Known for her spontaneous, live collaboration and eschewing the rigid structures of electronica, Leah Chisholm aka LP Giobbi draws deep inspiration from her jazz roots. Her fresh approach and commitment to live performance make her one of the most captivating and influential DJs and producers in today's electronic music scene. Dotr promises to build on her already impressive career, showcasing her distinct fusion of genres and live improvisation.
Review: Scruscru recently launched a new label called Tunes Delivery and it's back with another banger here in the former of LTF's Fine Tuning album. It comes hot on the heels of some sublime Soviet jazz-funk sample madness on previous works and it's again, it's a proper masterclass in production. These are deep-cut funk sounds with cooling organ chords, hints of Money Mark vibes and psyched-out synths, wah-wah guitars and plenty of rawness to keep things authentic and timeless. The jazzy flutes of 'Bokeh' make it one of our favourites here but there isn't a single bad jam, truth be told.
Review: Unfairly, LTJ Xperience is a lesser-known LTJ, but thankfully he's not a jungle copycat artist by any stretch. No, thankfully, Luca LTJ is an honoured stalwart in the Italian nu-disco scene, known for his repurposing of Latin Bossa nova and jazz into electronic disco music by way of his own productions and various residencies in Bologna, Imola and more. 'Beggar Groove' was originally released in 2017, but here it gets an xponentially xpanded xperiential 2xLP edition featuring many spacy new cuts.
The Brand New Heavies - "Stay This Way" (feat N'Dea Davenport - The Lunar dub) (5:25)
Typesun - "The PL" (extended edit) (5:15)
King Errisson - "Space Queen" (7:00)
Yusef Lateef - "Robot Man" (6:30)
Daniel Humair, Francois Jeanneau & Henri Texier - "Le Cyclope"
Airto Moreira - "O Galho Da Roseira (The Branches Of The Rose Tree)"
Francisco - "Wache"
Nar'Chiveol - "Apocalypse Now Ho" (4:41)
On - "Southern Freeez" (8:05)
Soylent Green - "After All" (6:28)
Review: As part of a new glut of music from Mr. Bongo comes this new curator's compilation from Luke Una. Featuring tracks from Yusef Lateef, Airto Moreira, Crooked Man, Henri Texier and many more, Una collates these tracks under the umbrella of 'E-Soul Cultura' - a kind of nocturnal underground soul, disco and funk (both new and old) that the disenfranchised inheritors of the Earth prefer to play in their sleepy, tucked away home kitchens and lofts. A blend of Latinxfuturism, space-age jazz and all manner of folk exquisites appear - not to mention a slew of infectious house detours on the latter half.
Review: Los Angeles' producer Luxxury has long specialised in the kind of opaque, warming, stylish and melodious fare that tends towards the timeless - retro-futurist, yacht-rock-tinged fusions of disco, AOR, synth-pop, boogie and blue-eyed soul that sounds like it was tailor-made to listen to while cruising down the Pacific highway in an early '80s convertible. Alright, his latest album, sees him subtly tweak that sound further and in the process deliver his most consistently entertaining full-length excursion to date. Our picks of the plentiful standouts include the slap-bass propelled dreaminess of 'Somebody Tonight', the radio-friendly dancefloor delight that is 'Be Good 2 Me', the yacht disco goodness of 'I Need Somebody' and the kaleidoscopic, filter-sporting lux-pop of 'Alright'.
The Salsoul Orchestra - "Ooh I Love It (Love Break)" (Dimitri From Paris DJ Friendly Classic 12" re-edit) (5:24)
Skyy - "First Time Around" (Dimitri From Paris DJ Friendly Classic re-edit) (7:28)
The Jammers - "Be Mine Tonight" (Dimitri From Paris DJ Friendly Classic re-edit) (5:43)
Love Committee - "Just As Long As I Got You" (Dimitri From Paris DJ Friendly Classic re-edit) (6:34)
Review: Dimitri has been very generous with his edits this year, having unleashed some of his finest DJ weapons in the form of the "Brooklyn Edits" EP and this refreshed trilogy of classic Salsoul revisions. They need little introduction as we take off with the iconic harmonies and horns of "Ooh I Love It" land with the incredible soul fusion of Love Committee's oft-covered (never bettered) feels odyssey "Just As Long As I Got You". With trips to New York for silky disco with Skyy and a synth boogie freak-out from The Jammers, it's once again another reminder that no one does edits quite like the man from Paris.
Review: The Mellophonia label offshoot Fusion Sequence won us over with its well-presented and great-sounding first EP, and now a quick follow-up does the same. This one is another various artists affair that starts with some nice futuristic robot disco from Vanity Project. There is more organic and lush Balearic from Bobby Bricks and Pacific Coliseum follows that spine-tingling Ibiza sunset vibe. On the flip side, there is everything from late-night electronic house to lazy disco via Sorcerer's blissed out 'Just For Love' which would entrance any dance floor. There's as much quality as there is variation on this one, which makes it a useful EP indeed.
Barely Breaking Even (Louie Vega Boogie mix) (7:59)
Barely Breaking Even (Louie Vega NYC House remix - instrumental) (9:08)
Barely Breaking Even (Louie Vega NYC House remix) (9:07)
Barely Breaking Even (Louie Vega Boogie mix - instrumental) (7:55)
Review: We're prepared to argue with anyone on this, but Universal Robot Band's "Barely Breaking Even" is one of the best boogie-era disco records ever made. Its title was also the inspiration for the name of BBE Records, so it seems fitting that the label's 500th release is an all-star re-recording that brings together NYC house hero Louie Vega and original creators Leroy Burgess and Patrick Adams. Vega delivers vocal and instrumental versions of two distinctive passes: a slick, smooth, soulful and string-laden "Boogie Mix" rich in warm electronics and subtle nods towards the early '80s original, and a rolling "NYC House Remix" full of twinkling Fender Rhodes solos and atmospheric chords. As you'd expect, Burgess' re-recorded vocal is superb.
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