Back catalogue: Disco/Nu-Disco

Review: On his new single 'Pacifico Waves', Joel Sarakula takes the scenic route down a pacific coastline, searching for peace, enlightenment and the perfect sunset. Travelling and searching is nothing new to Sarakula: it's almost his default way of being. Born and raised in Sydney, Australia before swapping oceans to live in the UK and more recently onwards to Gran Canaria: "I've been busy making my islands smaller" he jokes. But the music on 'Pacifico Waves' sounds like none of these places: with its easy drum shuffle, soulful guitar hooks and smooth vocal harmonies it distinctly evokes Southern California. It's such a potent portrait of the West Coast that if not for the contemporary lyrics and some modern production techniques, it could be a long lost hit from an early 80s LA studio band.

Review: Nobuyuki Suzuki is the Japanese soul and disco master who releases as 77 Karat Gold but also Sauce81. He's done so on the likes of cult London label Eglo before now, but here pops up on Beyond Space & Time with more of his silky smooth party starters. "I Wanna Show You" following this tried and tested path of happy vocals up top and slap bass funk down low. Glistening pads soar to the heavens and leave you feeling dazzled. "Love Is The Harmony (feat Ben Hadwen - 7" edit)" slows things right down, meaning the leggy drums and funk bass do amazing things to your mind, body and soul.

Review: Say She She are emergent stars of the NYC scene, pooling considerable talents from various parts of the world into a brew which feels wholly appropriate for the Big Apple. Upholding the open-hearted values of the downtown scene, they turn their hand to dexterous disco-not-disco get-down on ‘Reeling’ without ever sounding referential. Meanwhile on the flip they sink down into a more sultry mood, riding dusty, delicate drums and radiant Rhodes as a vehicle for some unreal vocal harmonies and a sound so cosy you could wrap it around you to stave off the winter.

Review: Say She She is the psychedelic soul group from Brooklyn that's exploded onto the scene since their debut in 2019. Receiving critical acclaim for their two albums to date, and the pleasure of touring Europe and North America, the Nile Rodgers-inspired female trio even got a video message of approval from the legend himself. Authentic and organic are two words that fit the classically trained troupe to a tea and, in the great soul tradition, covers are a necessity. Jim Spencer's 1979 attempt at foraying into disco 'Wrap Myself Up in Your Love' wasn't received amazingly at the time, but thanks to the adoration of archive label The Numero Group, the song has seen a resurgence in covers and fans. The original vocal is zany and expressive against some jangly funk guitars, whilst Say She She's rendition hones in on the sultry aspect of the track. Guitars are muted down to transform the song into a lovemaking slow jam, wind passages are introduced and the vocal is subtly powerful and sexy. This 7" contains both Spencer's original track and the interpretation by the trio, pressed on white vinyl.

Review: Brooklyn-based psychedelic soul group Say She She have exploded onto the scene since their debut in 2019. Receiving critical acclaim for their two albums to date, and multiple TV performances, the Nile Rodgers-inspired female trio even got a video message of approval from the legend himself. Organic and authentic are two words that fit the classically trained troupe to a tea and, in the great soul tradition, covers are a necessity. Jim Spencer's 1979 track 'Wrap Myself Up in Your Love' didn't get much attention at the time - his attempt at doing disco wasn't well received - but thanks to the adoration of archive label The Numero Group, the song has seen a resurgence in covers and fans. The original vocal is expressive and powerful against some jangly funk guitars, whilst Say She She's rendition hones in on the sultry aspect of the track. Guitars are muted down to transform the song into a lovemaking slow jam, wind passages are introduced and the vocal is subtly powerful and sexy. This single has both Say She She's cover - as well as the original - on a 7" disc.

Review: Set those filters to stun and get the glitterball rotating, because Italy's Giuseppe Scarano is back with some serious glitzy disco gear on his Cardiology label. 'BEK Again' boasts a hefty house undercarriage on which the brass, handclaps and funk are transported, a Jackson-esque vocal hook proving to be the cherry on top. 'Remember Da Name' and 'Know About Me' are a little sparser, with a garage beat not a million miles from some of Van Helden or Roger Sanchez's late 90s work, the musical gloriousness squashed down by filters until it's finally allowed to peak and soar. 'New Funk' completes the four track package, a tad slower and funkier with a sublimely wriggling bassline the central factor.

Review: Giuseppe Scarano's musical journey began at a young age, DJing in some of Puglia's best clubs like Clorophilla, Guendalina, Discorama and Heartz Festival supporting top tier DJs before launching NICEPEOPLE in 2018. His latest is on Constant Sound sublabel Cardiology and features four deep and dusty cuts. From the low slung disco loops of 'In Your Own' and the particuarly thumpin' Same For You' on the A side. Over on the flip, there's the swing fuelled deep house of 'Freaky' and some late '90s filtered house in the form of 'Best Places', cleverly sampling a pop classic from the same period.

Review: More mutant modifications from Wah Wah 45s Scrimshire: "Inner City Dancin'" is a one way trip on the disco express with a dramatic sense of orchestrated vibrancy, "Earthly Feelings" lets its inner desires known with a little fire and some serious funk wind while "Blazed Up" finishes the trip in the heart of New Jersey with a nod to one of house music's most influential acts. Get up, get down.

Review: Don't get mad, go nuts... The sneaky Secret Squirrel team return for their 21st mission and it's every bit as bright-eyed and bushy-tailed as everything else they've ever stashed. The A-side leads with a peppy horn-fired strutter that shoves us deep in the heart of the hottest dancefloor imaginable. Flip for an intimate, smouldering piece of end-of-the-night soul from 1979. Trust us, once you get a close hold of it, you'll never want to let go.

Review: It's five-up for Gooey Editz, the crazily named label that deals in crazy good reworks of disco goodness. This one finds Siggatunez at the helm with all eyes on the dancefloor and seven-odd minute opener 'Wonder' sure will fill it up with its bustling brew of big horns, la-la vocals and funk bass. 'Source Of Love' is a slightly more subdued and loved-up sound with plenty of sun-kissed percussive flair and 'Dance' then gets groovy on loopy bass and jumbled toms. 'G's Sax' closes down with another big assemblage of toms, hits, bass riffs and loose kicks that make you want to move all your limbs at once.

Review: Slight Delay aka Tiago makes a welcome addition to the Vibrations camp with this supreme e.p of leftfield house. 'West Sonic Vibe' is a deep eastern infused tropical gem with 'Party Over' taking on a harder edge on the same mystical journey. Oz producer of the moment Inkswel takes on the remix duties and rocks 'Party Over' into a slower funked up, bass line heavy trip via Sugarhill.

Review: Three generous portions of blissful beats on the Electric Shrine imprint, kicking off with the downbeat (in BPM terms) but lively 'Solar Visions' coming on like a dub mix of a lost Chic classic, 'What You Love' more like prime-era John Carpenter remixed by a mischievous Orb and 'Un Amore Supremo' a slow motion (one of the slowest we've ever encountered) reverb-fest, designed for more eccentric chillout rooms. And that's all before the opera singer pitches in.

Review: Spice does everything from buttery sweet soul to disco that makes you want to move. They are a firm favourite with those cultured crate diggers and their Let There Be Spice album is about as good as it gets. This fresh 7" from P-Vine features two of the standout tracks. First up is 'The Last Time' with some expertly penned choruses and a vocal turn that will have your mouth open in awe. Flip it over and the quality does not drop - "I'm So Glad To Say' is a high watermark for modern soul with staccato guitars over a persuasive bassline and gentle drums to make for a perfect captivating and mellow groove. A real must-own 45rpm.

Review: Recloose's live band Star Blazers have been circulating this deeply trippy, cosmic-minded take on Midnight Express's 1983 disco hit "Danger Zone" for at least four years now... Whether it's taken this long to licence or just a straight up case of disco/editry longness we don't know, but it's finally available and it comes with a powerful, loose-beat shake-down by one of edit culture's genuine princes, Kon. Dangerous.

Review: STG Soundlabs' first drop is a wild ride. First up, Suit & Tie Guy goes up against Dorian Electra on 'Fa$t Ca$h (Easy Credit & The Economic Cra$h)' which gets remixed by Objacktivist into eight minutes of bendy deep house with lashings of Ibiza soulfulness. The Lorenzo Vektor is a wild footwork remix with drums piled up on top of one another and the vocal chopped and diced into pieces. On the flip is a star-gazing synth house exploration of outer space and then a killer electro-funk jam. One of the most unpredictable EPs we've heard in ages.

Review: The world is full of heart-rendering electronic pop. So much so, you sometimes have to ask yourself if we can handle - or indeed actually need - any more. Rendered almost-immune to the emotionally barrage that seems to haunt our airwaves, playlists, and Made In Chelsea episodes, anyone who still has feelings in 2023 is doing well by all accounts.
Then along come Synthia, billed by the Big Crown label as a 'supergroup', comprising production don Leon 'El Michels Affair' Michels, and vocalist Claire Cottrill, AKA Clairo. Debate over what constitutes a 'group' aside, So Low, a startling double-A is enough to make you forget everything we just talked about, throw away the idea of overkill, and dive right in. As if born to score something cool, reflective, thought-proving and devastatingly romantic, fans of Electric Youth, Cocteau Twins and Almagris should be here already.

Review: REPRESS ALERT!: The fifth volume of their magnificent Super Spicy Recipe series finds the label's crew in full party effect, with the six tracks here crossing the borders from peak time dropping to essential warm up/down gear. First up, Vagabundo Club Social takes 'Beso Loco' featuring Tomjake Sax and turns up the controls to maximum fun, the Colombians throwing in tons of groove and Afro -influenced percussion, before Monsieur Van Pratt and Guatemalan singer Teff Brolo. This all-original track is leaded by the powerful soulful vocals, accompanied by a groove-infused piano which keeps the beats nicely anchored, followed by the ever dependable Reece Johnson who closes off this side. Flip it over for Bernardo Mota & Boogietraxx and the euphoric 'Keep On Doing Your Thing' before Sartorial takes proceedings into slightly jazzier territory on B2 and B3.

Review: Miles Away Records are proud to introduce their latest single to land on the label: the cosmic soul gem 'Super Star' by Ruth Waters and the State Of Mind Show Band. Ruth 'Silky' Waters was best known for her two disco-infused albums Never Gonna Be The Same and Out In The Open, produced by the late, great John Davis. 'Super Star', however, was released on the tiny independent KMBA Recordings label in the late 1970s, and draws on the twin wells of modern soul and gospel, lending both a touch of cosmic goodness. On the flip, there's 'Super Star Pt.2', which plunges deeper into the cosmic essence of the track by way of both extended guitar and synth solos; both tracks are stupendios in their own rights, making this a hotly versatile release for a far-and-wide DJ demographic.

Review: First released in 1976, Never Gonna Leave You was the name of both album and single, both of which fell under the shared credit of Satin Soul and Maryann Farra (aka. De-lite-ful), an instrumental soul group and singer both signed to Brunswick Records at the same time, and whom together collaborated for the entire decade. This new Japanese reissue of the full album via Solid highlights the group's success as purveyors of proto-disco, with the title track returning to our ears in all its glory, and with all its best hallmarks - sultry syncopations for rhythm guitar, breathy exhalations for voice - while complements such as 'You Got To Be The One' also amount to a rare - and stellarly-mixed, might we add - prototype of the cross-section of disco and latter-day neo-soul.

Review: Gilles Peterson and Bluey's Str4ta project has always been something of a nostalgic offering, with the pair exploring their mutual love of Brit-funk, jazz-funk and dancefloor grooves of the early 1980s. Naturally, they've loosely stuck to the same winning blueprint on sophomore set 'Str4tasfear', with the addition of an impressive cast-list of collaborators, a touch more production polish and a subtly wider set of inspirations only enhancing the listening experience. The results are uniformly impressive, with our picks of a very strong bunch including the slap-bass sporting, floor-friendly brilliance of 'Turn Me Around', the Maze-esque 'Night Flight' (all squelchy electronic bass, glistening jazz guitars and colourful synthesizer solos), the sweat-soaked jazz-funk disco heaviness of 'Lazy Days' (featuring Emma-Jean Thackray) and the super-sweet 'When You Call Me'.