Review: Somewhere between a sauerkraut connoisseur, an ancient Athenian philosopher, and a crate-digging obsessive (we'll assume this is the threefold meaning of the nominal pun until we're course-corrected) Saukrates returns with a new single 'Driftin'' via Love Touch Records. This new limited 7" is indeed as, perhaps even more so, delicious as a jar of pickled cabbage considered in Socratic dialogue. The Juno-nominated Canadian icon is here heard teaming up with producer Gil Masuda, who provides a neo-eighties synthfunk bomb over which Sauks flaunts his singing chops (this is a surprise delicacy, as Masuda is not often heard since his 2006 Big Black Lincoln project). Bursting pianos glide over huge gated digi-snares on this gem, the featureless version of which also appears on the B-side.
Review: A superb 12" slab of rare South London British jazz funk, originally released in the UK in 1984 by Jamaican-born producer Tony Williams, the man behind the seminal Funk Masters' jazz-funk masterpiece, 'Love Money'. Now heard again, 'Keep On Searching For Love' is emblematic of London's 80s dub disco sound, with its every constituent part recorded, arranged and processed to the discotheque-addict's letter. Gated snares and acapella croons abound, with the uplifting vocals of Linda Taylor shining as brilliantly as star at the peak of its supernova. The flipside instrumental, 'Eastern Lady', comes complete with hypnotic bassline, drum machines, synths and stabbing horn lines; both tracks have been lovingly remastered from tape and now come exquisitely repackaged for you to enjoy. Gotta keep on!
Review: City Pop-era Japanese girl group Shohjo-Tai's 1984 EP with Red Bus Project (an alternative alias for their then synth-loving production outfit, Redbus), 'Escape', has long been a favourite amongst crate diggers - hence this handy reissue courtesy of Sound Metaphors offshoot Thank You. While the artwork has been refreshed, all three original tracks appear in freshly remastered form. On side A you'll find 'Forever', a body-popping slab of 1984 electro featuring Shohjo-Tai rapping in English over bubbly drum machine beats, squelchy bass, 'Rockit'-esque sounds and periodic horn breaks. Turn to the flip for Antal favourite 'Electric City', a driving City Pop-meets-Italo-disco club track blessed with a heavy and metronomic bassline, and the electro-goes-jazz-funk brilliance of 'Ku.Ro.O.Bi.Magic'.
Review: If you read these pages at all often, and specifically those dedicated to Peoples Potential Unlimited, you will know we're fully signed-up fans of this superb DC-based label. Lo-fi funk, soul and disco both new and old is its main trade and here we get another such gem from Dwight Sykes. 'Rock Steady' is a passionate sound with listing hi-hats cutting through the murky analogue airwaves as jumbled drums, bass guitar twangs and epic falsettos all tug at the heart. 'One Night Stand' (feat Jahari) is a slow and seminal soul sound full of yearning and romantic pain.
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