Back catalogue: Funky/Club House

Review: Rebirth is thrilled to announce the release of three bonus parts of the 'Ciao Italia. Generazioni Underground' album in 2023, available on limited edition vinyl. 'Ciao Italia' Bonus Quattro, Cinque and Sei continue to connect two generations - the trailblazers of the early 90s and those continuing the legacy today, with a futuristic perspective and renewed energy. Bonus Sei includes classic tracks from legends like Doni & Leo Young, Pastaboys, G.P.M., Steve Mantovani, Dan-E-Mc, Daniele Mad, along with unreleased material from newer Italian artists such as Hiver and Feel Fly.

Review: Craft Music welcomes two maestros in Funkyjaws and Los Protos for this new EP. 'Poko Sav' opens up with some big rhythmic flair, steamy vocals and percussive drums and a generally sunny vibe that brings back some summer warmth. 'Vem Meu Amor' pairs twitchy electronics with organic percussion and grooves and 'Can't Touch This' ups the ante with some punchy disco-house sounds and exotic vocals before last of all, ''Beira Mar' slows things down with a late night blend of pulsing synths and analogue drums.

Review: Connoisseurs of the European underground will be well-tuned to the sounds of quality operator Nico Lahs. And as for house operations over in the States, they don't come much finer than Kai Alce's NDATL Muzik, which means this a superb coming together. And so it proves with 'Over Me', offering slouchy, low-slung deep house beats with nice aloof, soulful samples. 'Searching' has a zoned-out late-night feel with swirling pads and a super smooth groove, then 'Overcome' brings a little more percussion and jazzy key work which Alce flips into one of signature and smoky shufflers.

Review: Tommy Largo is a big deal in the world of jacking house and here he lands on Greenhouse Recordings with plenty of evidence to support that. His sound comes steeped with Southern influences on opener 'BBQ Ribs' with its noodling jazz chords and spoken word mutterings making for a lively atmosphere over funky beats. The Jam Funk Remix has a Chicago bump to it with the jazzy keys left in place over well-swung drums. 'On No Not Again' hints at new jack swing with its steamy sax lines and effortlessly catchy groove before 'BBQ Ribs' (Oddphonic remix) closes out with the deepest sound of the lot, perfect for when the sun has gone down and the party heads indoors.

Review: Lauer will need no introduction to anyone reading this. He is a long-standing pillar of the underground and a real house master. Here he brings some throwback 90s vibes and rave Ibiza energy to opener 'Centurio' with its acid-tinged synth and hands-in-the-air chords. 'I Don't Know' pairs things back a little with slapping drums and acid-tinged stabs and 'Trig Out' gets back to peak time and sun-kissed main room house fun complete with a curious whistle. 'Longo' closes out this bright, ageless EP with another mad mix of wonky pianos and sizzling house beats.

Review: Vintage house and disco don Dave Lee knows a thing or two about serving up irresistible and timeless cuts and that's what he does here with the 24th instalment of the long-running Attack The Dancefloor series on his own Z Records. The man himself kicks off with Maurissa Rose on the loosely chugging, deep and soulful 'Open Me Up' (a first taste of the upcoming album together). He then slips into US garage style with his popular remix of The Trammps' 'I've Gotta Stand Up' that harks back to the glory days of 90s Soulful House. Felix Buxton's Celestial Being & Citizens Of The World Choir's 'Raise The Vibration' gets a gloriously sunny and positive Crackazat club mix before Lee closes the release with squelching synth in the form of his Boogified mix of Soul Dhamma's classic 'Flower.'

Review: Razor-N-Tape throw it over to Lex Wolf here for some homemade and high impact edits from the disco world. The artist is already well known for some red hot recent releases on the Make-A-Dance crew's MAD Edits series and now brings more big samples and bigger beats to some main stage bangers. The opener layers up raw drum machines, r&b vocal hooks and withering melodies. 'Russle Love' then plays with filtered and screw about with some synths to make for a prickly bit of body music with what sounds like an Arthur Russel vocal lost in the middle. 'Warmer' is another energetic and twisted fusion of disparate sounds and 'Sendsome' then shuts down with a little extra soul.

Review: Rocksteady Disco welcomes Dennis Liber & Lex for a standout debut here. Their four-tracker captures the magic of musical nights spent down in Mexican hotspot Tulum with organic and airy grooves aplenty. 'Una Sera D'Estate' (feat Max Giovara) exodus late-night warmth and loved-up vibes with its melodic bassline and disco-tinged house drums. 'End Of The Line' is more lively but is no less direct with its big drums and pointed bass phrasings. Liber then goes solo for the dreamy, Italo-tinged yet tropical 'Playa Eden' and wonderfully escapist closer 'Hidden Island' complete with Balearic beats and the sound of singing dolphins.

Review: Hot off the heels of Official UK no.1 and soundtrack to the first summer after lockdown Afraid To Feel, skyrocketing duo LF SYSTEM satisfy fans' cravings for a powerful disco anthem with follow-up single Hungry (For Love). Clearly LF Sytem anticipate it'll be a summer of love.

Review: Rising duo LF System is a Scottish production duo consisting of Conor Larkman and Sean Finnigan. They provided the definitive funky house summer anthem last year called 'Afraid To Feel' which samples the 1979 song from American funk group Silk, 'I Can't Stop' (Turning You On). This version is a much appreciated extended mix with a DJ friendly intro. Over on the flip, they pay credit to the original with the MM edit of this absolutely sensual number, that still holds its own to this day some 43 years on.

Review: Whether she likes it or not, Sophie Lloyd will always be known for the unfeasibly uplifting gospel disco-meets-gospel-house anthem 'Calling Out'. That was released five years ago and ever since, she's struggled to embrace it's shadow. With 'Angels By My Side', Lloyd seems to have embraced this, delivering another fine gospel-powered number that inhabits a similar sonic space while being different enough to avoid accusations of treading water. It's genuinely good, too, with Pauline Taylor delivering superb lead vocals over a hybrid gospel disco/stomping gospel sound hybrid full of Hammond organ licks, booming bass guitar, piano house riffs and stirring orchestration. In other words, it's another anthem in waiting.

Review: Theo Parrish has green-lit a couple of back catalogue reissues from his Sound Signature label this month and this one originally came back in 2010 and found him on production duties and Bilal Love on the vocals. The Melloghettomental EP is an archetype Parrish offering - dusty, lo-fi beatdown and house fusions with muted but meaningful chords and aching vocal hooks. You get all that on blissed-out opener 'Can't Keep Running Away', superbly soulful live bass work on 'U Bring Me Up' and heavier, more griding grooves but still sublime vocals on 'Why Wait'. The title cut is an off-grid mix of sci-fi melodies and diffuse chords, shimmering drums and low slub bass. Sublime.

Review: Mattie Safer, bassist for The Rapture, presents his solo project on Razor-N-Tape. The Lovetempo EP features chilled-out vocal tracks moving between laidback disco, modern bossa nova, and Sade-esque grown-n-sexy jazz grooves. Hitting notes of both melancholy and positivity, Mattie's plaintiff vocals wind through all four of the original songs, delivering catchy and singable hooks. Yuksek's remix of the most uplifting tune takes it to joyous hands-in-the-air territory. A delightful EP that showcases Mattie's versatility and talent, perfectly crafted for those who enjoy a smooth and soulful vibe.

Review: Spaced Repetitions is a new label by veteran producer Manuel Tur who has always been known for his deliciously deep sound. For the imprint's fourth outing, he serves up two versions of a tune by Ingrid Lukas taken from last year's album ELUMELOODIA. The Estonian-Swiss singer, pianist and composer's angelic vocals remain in place up top as the dubby drums roll down low and all manner of icy synths and gassy melodic tinkles pepper the groove and get you into a celestial state of mind. The dub version allows that to come to the fore even more.

Review: After the first pressing sold out in quick time back in August, LA producer Luxury has done the right thing and opted to repress this collection of reworks. So, if you're after a touch of dancefloor opulence, this series in which he breathes new life into everything from yacht disco gems to platinum-selling rock anthems could be for you. The producer is in good form on volume five, variously offering up a swirling, gently dubbed-out and pleasingly Balearic take on a pop rock favourite ('Into The Future'), a throbbing revision of a poodle perm-sporting synth-pop/soft rock anthem ('Burn Burn Burn') and a chunky, tactile, disco-tinged, soft-focus re-imagining of the George Michael-esque ('Tonight'). Naturally, all are tastefully executed and add more than enough low-end weight to please contemporary dancefloors.

Review: Natural Rhythm make their Sounds of Style Records debut with 'Solo Tu,' featuring the sultry spoken word of Lyssa. This deep house gem seamlessly blends Latin House, Jazzy House, and US Garage influences, showcasing why the group has been a favorite among top DJs like Mark Farina and DJ Sneak.The title track 'Solo Tu' is an uptempo funky banger, embodying the classic early 90s house vibe with a smooth, deep house foundation. JT Donaldson's '90s Rework' on the A-side masterfully channels vintage vibes through his SP1200, delivering a timeless, classy US house music experience. Hotmood's 'House Vibe Mix' injects an upbeat energy perfect for any setting, from poolside fun to sweaty warehouse parties. His version is a testament to house music's versatility, ensuring it gets the job done no matter the occasion. Natural Rhythm's "Solo Tu" is a vibrant, multifaceted release that promises to make your ears smile and your feet move, making the label's first release a memorable one in the deep house scene.

Review: LSD’s Remixes EP channels the group’s genre-blurring ethos into a collection that thrives on reinvention. Lil Wayne’s charged verse on ‘Genius’ adds grit without overshadowing the original’s playful intensity. MK’s remix of ‘Thunderclouds’ transforms its soaring vocals into a deep house anthem, all pulsing bass and late-night allure. Banx & Ranx’s reggae-infused take on ‘Genius’ radiates sun-soaked warmth, while Dombresky’s remix of ‘No New Friends’ packs a punch with relentless house energy. CID’s rework of ‘Audio’ dials up crisp, percussive beats that slice through its melodic core. Meanwhile, The Aston Shuffle injects ‘Heaven Can Wait’ with shimmering synth layers, balancing nostalgia with dancefloor readiness. Lost Frequencies’ remix of ‘Thunderclouds’ closes the record on a euphoric high, reframing its introspection with bright, festival-ready optimism. This is LSD’s universe expanded — familiar yet thrillingly unpredictable.

Review: This is the first album in seven years from seminal electronic music project Leftfield (now led solely by co-founding member Neil Barnes), and contains some of their purest and most innovative output to date. While not available to the public just yet, 'Pulse' is the lead track, and carries with it an updated sound that seems to draw on the deep-euphoric influence of Bicep or DJ Seinfeld. It contains guest contributions from Fontaines D.C. frontman Grian Chatten and author Lemn Sissay, and charts a sparky creative spate despite a difficult period for the Barnes.

Review: This new long player from Ministry of Sound is their contribution to Record Store Day 2024 and it takes the form of a bunch of mixes of London Grammar's various different tunes. Global house outfit Camelphat feature a couple of times with some nicely emotive and upbeat sounds, 'Strong' gets a jump up drum & bass rework from High Contrast, Henrick Schwarz brings his emo house touch to 'Wasting My Young Years', MK adds some dance-pop sheen to 'Oh Woman Oh Man' and Dennis Ferrer remixes 'Sights' into a tense tech cut with snappy drums.

Review: Some of Masters at Work man Louie Vega's greatest full-length projects have paid tribute to New York's 50-year dance music story, as well as his personal musical inspirations (most notably the Nuyorican Soul album he penned with long-time production partner Kenny 'Dope' Gonzalez in the 1990s). Expansions in the NYC, his latest epic excursion, treads a similar path, offering a large number vocal-heavy numbers that not only blend elements of disco, boogie, proto-house and house, but also feature some genuinely high-profile vocalists from that era (think Peech Boys' Bernard Fowler, Unlimited Touch). Vega also joins forces with 21st century house star Honey Dijon on the superb 'Feels So Right', while the hook-ups with Moodymann, Kerri Chandler and Joe Clausell are as inspired as you'd expect.