Back catalogue: Funk

Review: Heat Rock Records' latest double-dose of cut and paste madness is as incendiary as you'd expect, with both tracks adding elements of classic dancefloor workouts to fat beats and plenty of added percussion. Chicago's Altered Tapes handles side A, thrillingly re-imagining Dee-Lite classic 'Groove is In The Heart' by utilising more percussive elements (including a killer, cowbell-driven drum-break) from some of the tunes that the New York band originally sampled on their chart-topping house classic. B-Boys and B-Girls the world over will love it! On the flip, Bay Area native King Most combines the vocals from a Salsoul disco classic to a backing track that cleverly combines elements from a Ramsay Lewis style jazz number and a JB's-esuqe funk bomb.

Review: Japanese producers Aru-2 and Kzyboost are mainstays of the beak making scene. The Tokyo pair have a full length album coming up in August but now offer up a first taster of what to expect from it. This special 45rpm features two of the tunes that will be on the album ad a-side jam 'Shooby Dooby' is a futuristic wedge of bubbling analogue funk, Synth bass powers it along and then some textbook Aru-2 talk box vocals add extra spice. On the flip is B-side 'Boost Step,' which heads down a more laidback and downtempo vibe with funk vibes and synth solos leading the way.

Review: Australian band The Bamboos have been holding down things on the funky side of town since 2001, gaining fans all over the world with their authentic, dirty funk nuggets. In the same vein as bands like El Michels Affair or Breakestra, these guys are students of the classic breaks that underpinned the sample-hungry glory days of hip-hop. They've also had the incredible honor to back up some of funk's most revered names, notably New Orleans hit-machine Eddie Bo, Syl Johnson and Eddie Floyd.

Ahead of their new album 4 comes single "On The Sly", a perfect slice of mid-tempo joy, which has the same rollicking cowbell-driven vibe as classic UBB staple "Get Me Back On Time, Engine Number 9" by Wilson Pickett. Soulsides MC and singer Lyrics Born joins them on 2nd cut Turn It Up, another popcorn funk winner complete with chicken-scratch guitar parts worthy of James Brown stalwart Jimmy Nolen. Hanging out with the Aussies seems to have rubbed off on the Californian MC, as he even sings "Turn it up mate" at one point! DJ's get taken care of with an accapella and an instrumental too, making this release a good way to put some funk back in your trunk.

Review: You'd expect a collaboration between Columbia-based fusionist Bosq, Ibibio Sound System's horn section and vocalist Kaleta to be pretty darn good, and 'Song For Ehi' most certainly is. Inspired by a combination of classic Edo-funk, Afro-disco and reggae disco, the A-side original version delivers a near perfect mix of timbales-sporting dub disco grooves, reverb-laden lead vocals, Afro-funk guitar licks, Afrobeat-esque organ licks and punchy horns. The track's inherent dubbiness is further explored on the flipside revision, which adds extra layers of percussion and the kind of breathless dancefloor weight that marks out the greatest dub disco workouts. In a word: essential!

Review: American born/Colombia-based producer Ben Woods aka Bosq, and Benin-born vocalist/guitarist Leon Ligan-Majek aka Kaleta follow up on the success of their recent collaboration with Purple Disco Machine, and build on their nearly 10 years of working together with their new Afro disco number 'Ipade'. It features Kaleta's trademark chants and exclamations in a mix of Yoruba and English, over sleek rhythms, a ripping horns section and one funky bassline. Over on the flip, get down deeper into the groove with the lo-slung swagger of 'Ariya Tide'.

Review: This seven from the Originals label perfectly encapsulates what the series is all about, pairing a track whose elements have been sampled numerous times over with perhaps the best example of how it was musically reinterpreted. Even if you don't know "Up Above The Rock", the title track from the 1968 LP by Philadelphia based jazz pianist and composer Ray Bryant, by name you'll immediately recognise it's distinctive break and piano riff. This latter element was incorporated superbly on the early 90s hip hop cut "On The Run" from Kool G Rap and DJ Polo which lines the B Side, slowed down somewhat but still distinctively the work of Bryant.

Review: The Sitar Beat series is built with the DJ in mind - collecting some of the wildest, heaviest and most psychedelic Indian funk recorded and presenting it loud, and ready for the turntable. The first four volumes were assembled by one Indian music aficionado... For the first time, a "guest compiler" was brought in to lace you with some obscure goodies for volume five. As always, we continue the dig into Indian deep funk and psycho-psychedelic masterpieces recorded for the Bollywood film industry. And this time we're even going straight to Indian VHS Videotapes to issue incidental music never before released on vinyl... Sitar Beat Volume Five offers up the sought after title track from RD Burman's "Burning Train" soundtrack alongside Indo-disco (including one helluva Kraftwerk rip off!) and promises to be the first time that many of these songs are heard by the record-buying public - at least in this form. Edits remove any bobbing and weaving, leaving funk that only flies straight ahead!

Review: Cool Million has long been synonymous with the boogie funk style, which is sadly a genre lost by the late 1980s. Collaborating with singers spanning eras from the 80s to today, they bridge generations of soul, funk, and boogie. Here they work with English soul sensation Kenny Thomas, known for his UK Top 40 hits, who is a cornerstone of the original UK soul scene, boasting eight Top 40 singles and two Top Ten albums. His track 'Without Your Love' exemplifies this genre, a driving uptempo anthem with a funky uplift. The accompanying dub version enhances its appeal for DJs worldwide, affirming its place in contemporary record bags.

Review: King Storm and The Steadies share the bill on the new 7" label from Stix/Big Single - Killer Jamaica style remixes of Diana Ross and Isley Brothers - For fans of Stix etc.

Review: Japanese talent DJ Koco aka Shimokita is a hardcore 45rpm devotee. They are his chosen tools as a beat-juggling DJ who can do logic-defying things with his grooves. He is a regal on Bloom and already dropped serious heat in January with 'World Famous'. This time he is back with a fresh take on 'Made In New York' which is a 1985 classic by renowned Brazilian funk and jazz pianist Tania Maria. He brings his signature hip-hop flair and creativity with his trusted crew, 45trio, and enlists the dynamic saxophonist King TJ (DA-Dee-MiX) to elevate things further.

Review: Jalapeno jive maestro Soupasoul had another standout year, in 2024 and only heightened his reputation for crafting exceptional edits that bring new life into funk standards and hidden gems. With a sharp focus on the groove-rich breaks, he is back once again with another instalment that will ignite dance floors everywhere. This time his scorching rework of 'Give It Up' spotlights dynamic horn interplay and soulful jazzy choruses and 'Rock Steady' celebrates Aretha's powerful vocals paired with a killer breakbeat. These finely tuned edits honour the originals while adding fresh energy.

Review: Having already delivered a multi-artist EP of Reggae Dynamite earlier in the year, nostalgia-fired producer Neil Anderson serves up a speedy sequel on his popular Original Gravity label. Toaster Melbourne Douglas kicks things off with the ska-flavoured cheeriness of 'Rudy Skanking on the Moon', before returning later in the EP with slowed-down, rocksteady style reggae fuzziness of 'Rude Boy Don't Fight'. Elsewhere, label regulars (sorry) the Regulators deliver a high-tempo, Hammond-heavy instrumental workout (the excellent 'Caymanas Park Rocket'), while King Deadly layers languid organ solos over a more dub-wise groove on EP standout 'Joshua a Mek Riddim Run'.

Review: The Fantastic Freeriding's "The Next Chapter EP" contains four flamin' new tracks by all Switchstance heads, painting the by now trademark collage of the label's various styles all anew in bright and shiny colours. Opening the EP is Gypsy Soul by Kabanjak - a dreamy yet percussive reflection that takes you right back to a campfire near the mediterranean shore. New March is pure Protassov: Beats, way fatter than his own bum, plus sounds, melodies and samples that go their own ways but always right forward. Deela here makes a glorious return (were they ever gone?) with Ghost Song, a fine specimen of broken beats that is sure to rock the more advanced dancefloors. Closing the EP is an uptempo funk track that was conceived right after Ancient Astronauts survived their first DJ trip to beautiful Greece - involving hardly any sleep, a near plane crash and totalling at a hectic 36 Hours. All tracks on the "The Next Chapter EP" are exclusives and not included on the album of the same name, to be released in July '06. "From spliffed up beats to jazzed out grooves, Switchstance is the source for dope tracks across the board!" - Fort Knox Five (USA) , "From Jazz to Cinematic sounds, from Rare Groove to Reggae and from Hip Hop to Post Rock: this is a trip and you'll go far beyond ! Congratulations for the album, this is really good!" - Kid Loco (FR), "Thank God for Switchstance! Mellow, deep, dubby freeriding for the folks out there that wonder what happened to Kruder and Dorfmeister. Now I've got my soundtrack for Summer!" - Gunnar Hissam (Om Records/USA), "I enjoy the many different shades & moods of the music presented here, hold together by a passion for funky hip-hop breaks & laidback atmospheres. Relaxed, soulful & deep while still danceable. I'm lovin' the whole compilation!" - David Borsu (Counterpoint Rec./B), "Switchstance Recordings continue establishing their unique sounds with another strong release. Respect!" - Karsten John (Vinyl Vibes/D), "Great label that always brings the funk!" - Rob Life (Breakin Bread Rec./UK), "Expect to see "36 Hours" as No. 1 in my next chart, it's a Jelly Jaz rocker cut!" - Pete Isaac (Jelly Jazz/UK), "Amazing EP!!! Chart: #1 This really really blew me away! All amazing tracks but will be caining the '36 Hours' track this time next year! Fast & funky! will be in the box for a few months!" - Diesler (Tru Thoughts/UK.)

Review: On this multi-artist bonanza, Aficionado owners Jason Boardman and Moonboots have decided to showcase contemporary talents from Manchester, in association with clothing brand Good Measure. Half Sink steps up first, gently unfurling the reverb-heavy guitar solos, booming bass and shuffling samba rhythms of "Tsukimi". King Clyde's loose, groovy and fuzzy "Request Line" is a bouncy disco-funk treat, while Dream Lovers' "For Belgian Friends" is an evocative chunk of meandering bliss. Arguably best of all, though, is "On A Whispered Way" by The Records We Never Made, a glistening, delay-heavy foray into cinematic, post-rock pastures. Clearly, Manchester's got (Balearic) talent.

Review: Limited edition Japan only issue 12'' of new versions of classic Blue Note tracks re interpreted by mostly Japanese cutting edge producers.

Review: The K-BONUS remix ep offers a delightful bouquet of all-around fresh, electronic funk flavours. DUBLEX INC introduce their mix with mighty organ tracks before kicking in with a bouncy broken boogie beat. The big break sounds like a nod to trance sounds in current house music but teases a bit more by falling into a skanking two step before bringing back the back. Everybody have a funky good time!

Review: Two Ghanaian grooves from 1977 on Mr Bongo's perennial Afro 45s series. First up the legendary K Frimpong with what is largely believed to be his biggest track of the era: "Kyenkyen Bi Adi M'awu". A tight fusion of highlight guitars and much more persistent organs and percussion, it's a timeless example of Afrobeat's finest fusion. Flip for Ebo Taylor's "Heaven". Released on his debut album that's regularly spotted passing hands for $500, full focus here is on the horn sections. Bold, major chords and tightly wrapped around the woodblock rhythm; just sit back and let the instrumentation saturate you. Heavenly.

Review: How can you not fall completely head over heels with a heavily 70s boogie funk tune whose lyrics state 'I'm super drunk off your loving''! K Maxx is none other than multi instrumentalist and San Francisco resident Ken Hopkins, who's been steadily putting out music and producing since the mid 90s. This 45 is the second on the Sweater Funk label and "Supa Drunk" is saturated in the vibes of the golden era of boogie with a falsetto vocal, squelchy analogue sounds and a catchy melody to boot. On the flip the tempo is dropped for ''Love Is Comin' ''- a slow boogie jam awash with keyboard synth sounds and full vocal. Recommended.

Review: German disco might be most closely associated with Boney M but in fact it offers so much more. The scene was initially influenced by the influx of American soldiers camped in the county during the 70s. They listened to far away radio sounds from the US which were always steeped in disco and the locals caught on. Black Pearl Records now showcase how the scene has evolved over the years: and t is vibrant and inventive with its own distinctive characteristics if this i anything to go by. This collection has a cross-section of sounds that go from the classic 70s disco years to cosmic, NDW, synth pop and more. Disco De:Light

Review: Former band "Kadri Six" - five men plus singer "Lamia" - have devoted themselves to the real spirit of funk and soul music with the release of 'Cold Sweat' on Sonorama. Their trademark sound is "real", "alive" and "black", with raw vocals, moving organ, hard hitting bass lines and trombone or sax riffs to set every dancefloor on fire.

Review: 'Get Up', the second 2008 release on Germany's funkiest label, Tramp Records is again by Kaleta & ZoZo Afrobeat. Kaleta, multi-talented singer,
composer, producer, guitarist and percussionist, has been leading this ZoZo Afrobeat project since 2003. With his original afrobeat concept,
thought provoking lyrics, Benino-Nigerian rhythms and amazing songwriting skills he proves once more that he plays in the same league as bands
like Antibalas, Kokolo and Femi Kuti to name just a few. The band consists of 12 very talented musicians whose origins lie in several countries
from around the globe including Cameroon and Nigeria.
Kaleta & ZoZo Afrobeat combine complex rhythms and high octane acid jazz guitar riffs to create a unique sound. Even more amazing, Kaleta
has performed, toured and recorded with the two most prolific Nigerian music legends, Fela Kuti and King Sunny Ade as well as Fela's son,
Femi Kuti. Born in Porto-Novo, Republic of Benin and brought-up in Lagos, Nigeria it is not a surprise that Kaleta sings in Yoruba, Goun, Fon,
French as well as Pidgin English (the official language of afrobeat).
Watch out for the forthcoming debut album by Kaleta & ZoZo Afrobeat named 'Country Of Guns', available March 17th, 2008 on Tramp Records.

Review: "Kane's Spanish Home", by Dennis Kane, has support from Ashley Beedle, Stuart Patterson and Terry Farley.

Review: Rick James Dwells In The Abyss is the debut release from the London based outfit, The Kanpai Quartet. It comes on their own label and combines everything they are known for - the rich musical melange of late 60s and early 70s library music with plenty of louche jazz grooves and subtly funk drumming. The title track is a real doozy - a subtle mix of soft melodies and persuasive groves that you feel you could listen to for days. On the flip, 'Pearly Gates' is deeper, quieter, and just as beautiful. The Heliocentrics's veteran drummer and producer Malcolm Catto engineered and mixed the record so it sounds superb.

Review: Some scintillating all-star action here, as nu-boogie star and Star Creature regular Andre Esput joins forces with fellow revivalist synth-funk stalwarts Kappekoff and Reggie Got Beats AKA RGB. 'Sugar' is the kind of colourful, bass guitar-sporting, synth-powered electrofunk goodness that would once have featured on legendary label Solar System - all squiggly lead lines, rubbery bass, tight machine drums and soulful lead vocals for the ever on-point Esput. The quality - and authenticity - of the trio's early '80s sound comes through loud and clear on the flipside instrumental version, which also includes added musical motifs and dub style drops. A genuine neo-boogie banger!

Review: Athens Of The North strike gold once again as we head to Texas, circa early 70s, for two more big funk gems from the Now Again vaults. Only previously available on albums (which were all known to be limited to about 1000 units) both "Kashmere" and "Scorpio" get the full 45" treatment. The former ignites with a lavish horn salvo before dropping into a trumpet led blues groove, while the latter leans back on a smoother jazz boogie groove. Both absolutely crunch.

Review: The Kat Edits label have scored a real coup here, licensing a pair of tweaks the legend Domu originally committed to a super-rare Japan only CD compilation for the ESP DJ Classics series back in 2009. Domu's always been a classy producer no matter what he turns his hands to and this pair of edits really do deserve to be preserved on the vinyl format - kudos to Kat! Up top, "Love Vibes" by The Emotions is given a slightly upwards pitch adjustment by Domu, with plenty of skilled filtering to boot, whilst the B-side sees Claudia Barry's classic 1978 jammer "Give it Up" is embellished with some extra raunch sauce.

Review: This funky 7" has been repressed and is now back in stock by popular demand. This is an incredible, funky, steel-band interpretation of Gary Numan's 80s hit "Cars", originating from Tobago.

Review: NuNorthern Soul take a brief respite from their BJ Smith series so boss man 'Phat' Phil Cooper can indulge his love for Ryo Kawasaki. Focusing on the period that the '70s met the '80s, Selected Works pulls together five delicious slices of Kawasaki bliss from a boundary pushing discography that spans writing, arranging, producing and playing. For an introduction to Kawasaki, this release is near perfect, taking in sublime jazz through heaving slabs of funk to out-there electronic vibes. Extra context is provided in the extensive sleeve notes from Marc Rowlands that pull from his 2015 interview with Kawasaki. Despite being five tracks long, this still feels like a generous rifle through the Ryo archives.

Review: Kaymany & Asestar hail from Rome, a city where many musicians spend most of their days producing sounds for the television industry and even shopping malls. That's part of the reason the country has such a reparation for great jazz-funk sounds and now adding to that cannon are Kaymany & Asestar. 'Effimera' is glossy and feel good disco with retro future chords, while 'Digressione' has a Bob James style energy to it with its high speed funky bass and incidental chords. 'Capao' closes in Latin fashion with manic keys and more plucked and funky bass slaps making you shake every limb.

Review: A limited yellow vinyl funk odyssey from Record Store Day, "I Get Lifted" is taken from KC & The Sunshine Band's second album (1975) Still sounding shiny and floor-minded, the original stands the test of time incredibly well. Todd Terje's edit, however, takes it to another level; upping the tempo (and, possibly, the key), he's extended the right places, added a little more emphasis on the kicks and made sure we can't miss the breakdowns and instrumental sections.

Review: 
Irish Edits crew Keep Schtum deliver their second release with an expansive nine minute reworking of Odyssey's ''Hang Together'' stretched out across the A Side. On the flip Cymande's ''Getting' It Back'' gets some added oomph via a chugging beat and a dirt-funk bassline, whilst Willie Bobo's ''Roots'' receives a heavily percussive makeover.

Review: This 7" originally released on Horoscope was the only single that Pandella Kelly ever put out. There is no information out there about her and no copies for sale on the most popular secondhand vinyl market out there. A-side jewel 'Stand In For Love', written by E Levert and featuring co-production by B. Massey and W.WIlliams, is a strident soul tune with soaring vocals and a fat and funky bassline. On the other side is 'Loves Needed' is a slow and sumptuous sound with lavish backing vocals and gorgeous strings.

Review: Motown presents Eddie's 'Girl You Need A Change Of Mind', a mind-blowingly anthemic number, the kind of cut that burnt up dancefloors
when it first came out, and which has continued to please countless generations, through house, hip hop, funk, and beyond!

Review: A stone cold classic, nothing else to say. A must for any disco aficionado, Kenton Nix's one and only production as Kenix Music featuring Bobby Youngblood 'There's Never Been' (No One Like You) on West End from 1980 receives a much needed repress here. Nix started out quite late in his career at the age of 25, but through his friend Larry Levan he got a record deal at West End Records where he wrote Taana Gardner's 'Heartbeat' and Ednah Holt's 'Serious, Sirius Space Party' and later went on to produce Gwen McCrae's 'Funky Sensation'.

Review: Dewey Kenmore clearly knows the pains of unrequited love and irrelationship better than most artists. The enigmatic soul singer's new single 'Before We Say Goodbye' channels the denial stage of grief: "you know it's just you and I, do or die", he opines, desperately grasping after the former ecstasy of a now fading relationship. The song is full of doomy minor chords and Hammond organ-ic reverie, laying on thick the mood of irreversibility around life's milestones.

Review: Here's a sweet slice of soul on Colemine from Dewey Kenmore - a new talent who strikes a chord on this sterling debut. 'Before We Say Goodbye' taps into a distinctly Curtis Mayfield-informed sound, all cool organ, pattering bongo and a subtly heavy-hearted mood. In terms of production, it's got warmth for days, and Kenmore's voice has just the right amount of cracks around the edges to get across the pain in the lyrics. Given the supreme quality of the backing track, it's no bad thing to have the instrumental on the flip of this 7" too.

Review: Jon Kennedy from Stockport in northern England and possibly most famous for his output on Manchester label Grand Central, teams up with Vinylize who specialize in making eyewear with frames from recycled vinyl records. This limited edition two track 7 inch kicks off with the b-boy breaks laden effort of ''Shake'' with a repetitive saxophone lick. On the flip ''The Shakes'' is a similar outing with energetic rhythms offset by plucked acoustic guitar and a UK rap from Sixth Letter.

Review: You might well have caught wind of Kenny Dope's exhaustive Wild Style Breakbeats box set which came out in 2014. It found the New York legend offering up six 7"s carrying iconic breaks used in seminal hip hop movie Wild Style. Well now you can cop something from that highly sought after box and enjoy it for yourself as the first disc gets its own individual release. On the A side we've got the low slung bass and dusty groove of 'Down By Law', and on the flip it's 'Subway Beat' with a sweet low funk groove. Both should evoke strong memories for anyone versed in the roots of hip hop culture, but regardless they're just kick ass beats you could have a lot fun juggling and blending into other people's music.

Review: Glasgow's Ewan Kelly aka Al Kent returns to Swedish label G.A.M.M. for another nice bunch of disco goodies. On the first side, you've got the lo-slung psychedelia of 'Stranger Danger' which makes for a proper dancefloor heater right at the peak of the evening, followed over on the flip by the mellowed blues of 'Galaxy 21' that's perfect musical accompaniment for a Balearic sunset, and the delay drenched dub antics of 'Sugar Trip' closes it out.

Review: The second of this week's Million Dollar Disco EPs repeats the formula of previous waxual excursions from head honcho Al Kent: take impossibly hard to identify disco rarities and subject to a liberal dose of Walter Gibbons-style editing techniques. A simple yet very effective equation, you have to agree. Sliding across the A Side we have the fuzzy guitar-led brilliance of "The Get Down", a track punctuated by a relentless procession of shuffling snares. Pure instrumental disco heat! "The Strut" does just that on the B Side, some excellent melodies dribbling down the intricate syncopation and tight bass licks that propel the track beneath a swathe of vintage strings. "Heatwave" finishes the 12" in style with some heavy organ and synth funk outs chopped and looped to perfection over the chuggy beat.

Review: Flash your trash cans, the KCs have returned in remix form. Dusting off their second album Trash Or Treasure for others to have a play in the jazzy muck, they enjoy a whole range of recycles. Highlights include Sampology adding a warm thump and loopy twist to "Strawberry Fields" (while keeping the sitar shining), Two Dee switching up "Rabbit Hole" into a Miami bass style breakbeat serving session and the misty, spooked out wooden leg skank on "Kojak The Frog". Mystical, faithful, moorish.

Review: Releasing what is perhaps the most laid-back collection of funk tunes to hit our ears in years, Spasibo here see to the release of Kerbside Collection's two newest soul-manifestations. 'Bills Be Gawn' is like low-freq food for the heart; beginning with a funky boom-bap beat akin to that heard in early hip-hop when it became gangsta rap, the track has a super-fly bass end, bass-licking and trunculating to no end. 'Raid' is ever so slightly brighter and more fun, with janglier and sunnier sensibilities.

Review: Fans of the Craig Charles Funk & Soul Club on BBC Radio will have heard the DJ hammering this one of late. Now it finally makes its way to a limited edition 7" featuring Grant Phabao's (aka Paris DJs) sizzling ska rework, as well as TwoDee's dub-reggae remix treatment on the flip. The ever excellent Grant Phabao decides to spend up the tempo on his version, bringing things to a nice boil with ska overtones. The reverse goes slower. It revels in a swaggering dub rhythm and has you marvel at the heat damaged chords that shimmer up from the centre. Lovely vibes.

Review: The always outstanding Acid Jazz welcome back Argentinian producer Kevin Fingier with his fantastic collective. They secured a huge hit with the rifts single 'Don't Wanna Cry No More' and this follow up is another must-have instrumental double sider. Opening up is 'Latin Dynamite', an explosive cut with plenty of mid 60's fusion vibes and a perfect mix of mod jazz and boogaloo. Flip it over and you'll find the more obscure but groovy 'El Basement', a big R&B dancer with a killer flute solo, some big horn leads and slapping hits, all tope doff with a screaming Hammond organ. Perfection.

Review: Acid Jazz has joined forces with Argentine producer Kevin Fingier to launch a label dedicated to his productions, all of which breathe new life into 1960s and '70s style funk, soul and boogaloo. This inaugural release is something of a peach. A-side "Don't Wanna Cry No More" sounds like a Mod scene anthem in waiting - a rasping, horn-heavy slab of soul/rhythm and blues fusion that sounds like it could have been made around 1966. Over on side B the Mod vibes grow even stronger via "Sunglasses After Dark (Part 1)", a Hammond-heavy instrumental wrapped in addictive bass, jazzy drums, fluid vibraphone solos and pert saxophone stabs.

Review: The Mushi 45 label doesn't release all that much, but what it does put out is invariably insanely good. For the avoidance of doubt, this two-track missive sits in that category. It serves up two rare, sought-after 1970s gems from Rinsyoe Kida, Akira Ishikawa & Count Buffaloes, who made some of the tidiest Japanese funk, jazz-rock and jazz-funk of the period. A-side "Tan To Setsu" is superb, with the assembled players brilliantly blending traditional Japanese style melodic motifs - played on traditional instruments - with a riotous, high octane funk backing track rich in heavy bass and fiery horn lines. "Jongara Bushi" is similarly inclined and every bit as raucous.

Review: Available in extremely limited quantities, this new 7" from Burning Soul arrives in both black, or as we have it here, white, and it's another gem from Kidding that keeps up this fine Swiss label's high-quality output. The A-side bursts to life with 'Seriously,' a blistering funk anthem infused with Hammond-organ melodies, underpinned by a deep bass groove and gritty guitar licks. Flipping over to the B-side, 'Komet Ride' kicks up the tempo with even more vigorous drumming and exhilarating organ solos. It's a whirlwind of funk brilliance, underscoring Kidding's knack for delivering electrifying musical adventures.

Review: A warm welcome to the world of deep funk to Kidding, a relatively recently formed combo from Hamburg, Germany, whose debut single 'R U Kidding' is one of the heaviest, wildest and most energetic organ funk workouts we've heard in a while. Organist Andreas Paparrousos is undoubtedly the star of the show on the A-side title track, with his jammed-out riffs and solos riding high-octane drum-breaks, infectious, Meters-style guitar licks and a weighty bassline. The band's other players - drummer Lucas Kochbeck, bassist Tim Ertl and guitarist Legbo - get more of a chance to strut their stuff on flipside 'Am I Kidding?, a more laidback affair full of loose-limbed drum solos, flanged guitar licks and fast-fingered bass. As debut singles go, it's a stunner.