Back catalogue: Funk

Review: Greg Belson is a world leading gospel collector and DJ who had great success with his Divine Disco series. He continued his vital work with Cultures of Soul on the Devin Funk compilations series and now the label are serving up the many highlights on 7". Here we have
Pearl Farano & The High Lights Of Joy with 'Who's Your Boss', a high speed funk gem with in the pocket drum playing and energetic guitar riffs. The real star of course is the coarse vocal that cannot help but light your fires. On the flip, Zella Jackson's vocal soars next to summery flutes and raw, dense rhythm sections.

Review: REPRESS ALERT!: Funkyjaws Music is back to make your body move with the latest instalment in its ongoing edit series, Let's Dance, this time with a sixth sizzling volume. Monsieur Van Pratt's loose and languid 'Besame' opens up with some gorgeous strings and funky guitar licks then Kiko Navarro brings a rich Afro flavour with the shuffling and percussive rhythms of 'Bosinga'. Bogdan Ra's 'Get On The Floor' is a fresh take on a disco classic with irresistible vocal charm and swooning pads. Last of all, Zaffa demands you 'Shake It' and you surely will as he layers up wet claps, sliding hi-hats and lively drums into a big-hearted party starter.

Review: The Luv N' Haight Edits series launched in style earlier this year, enlisting Nico Jaar and 78 Edits to rework two Mike James Kirkland classics to tie in with the annual Record Store Day festivities. This second volume sees Chicago duo Rahaan and Zernell tackle music from Tommy Stewart's self titled 1976 album, recently reissued by the Ubiquity sub label. If you're not familiar with Stewart's work then you need to check that LP, one of the defining releases of the pre-disco era and two of its highlights are given respectful touchdowns on this clear 12". There's an obvious deftness to the way Rahaan and Zernell loop up the intro bars of "Practice What You Preach" before dropping in those killer strings and then launching into the song itself, while the dirty funk of "Bump & Hustle Music" is only made more apparent by the duo's subtle arrangements. Big 12" for the discotheques!

Review: Mr Bongo offers up an incredible 86th volume in the Brazil45 series, and this time it's Black Rio funk from two mainstays of the sound, Toni Tornado & Zeca Do Trombone. A-side 'Sou Negro' is from Tornado's 1970 EP on Odeon Records. It's a sought after number that despite lasting only just over two minutes still makes an indelible impression. Zeca Do Trombone & Roberto Sax join forces on the flip for 'Coluna Do Meio,' which is a more smooth, easy going jazz laced tune compared with the raw and direct a-side. This one has an acrobatic vocal and sunny riffs bringing pool-side vibes under clear blue skies.

Review: Long time compadres spotted together on Mofunk as far back as four years ago with "Press Play", Zackey Force Funk and XL Middleton collide on the LA funk imprint again, this time sharing the 45" a side a piece. ZFF goes for the soothing touches, smooth with just subtle hints at sleaze while XL goes all out George Jetson with an upbeat juicy space bass strut, sprinkled keys and new jack vocals. Two dope label faces, two killer jams, one fly way to kick off 2018 from Mofunk.

Review: The Zone Identity has been away for two years but makes a welcome return here, even though we still don't really know who is behind the project. What we do know is they excel at soul-jazz grooves and tasteful covers of classic material and that this one is led by drummer Jay Mumford. 'Knight Rider' is a super cover of the title tune of the iconic 80s show. It's replayed with heavy drums snapping beneath the classic synth phrasing and some extra late night vibes. J-Zone then offers a slow motion workout with '9 Breaks (The Warm Up).'

Review: .Back in 2021 when he first dropped this one, The Zone Identity had been away for two years. It was a fine return though that now comes with a special Japanese Edition sleeve. The project is an anonymous one but they excel at soul-jazz grooves and tasteful covers of classic material and that this one is led by drummer Jay Mumford. 'Knight Rider' is a super cover of the title tune of the iconic 80s show. It's replayed with heavy drums snapping beneath the classic synth phrasing and some extra late night vibes. J-Zone then offers a slow motion workout with '9 Breaks (The Warm Up).' Still fresh.

Review: Iconic label Strut have really hit their stride in 2010 with a veritable slew of retrospectives, compilations and artist albums covering everything from disco to Sowetan Jazz. They round off a fine year with the auspicious introduction of a new series of mixes called Disconnect with Leo Zero at the helm. The concept behind this series is to invite Strut's favourite DJs and producers to explore the darker, more extreme corners of their record collection. Armed with this creative freedom, Leo Zero has delivered 75 minutes of delightfully subversive music that sets the standard high for subsequent volumes. Commencing with the lilting afro beat of Desmond & The Tutus - surely Tigersushi's most underrated act? - Leo draws on his fifteen years experience as a DJ and producer with a Balearic mix in the truest sense, veering effortlessly between spiky 80s punk funk, reggae that sound tracked Zero's Soulsonic parties, a Sting cover version, nu beat chuggers, kraut rock and EBM throbbers. This is an invitation to consume the lesser broadcasted reaches of a record collection you should not turn down. Golf claps to Strut for including a bonus CD that has eleven of the tracks in unmixed format!