Groove Culture Italy レコード& CD

Review: Italian dance producer Gianni Bini debuts on Groove Culture with the House Of Glass LP, topping up his impressive discography with a solo studio effort, and bolstering the already massive stock of production credits attached to his bulging, insatiable name. Though his various monikers over the years have indeed propelled him in a many-a-direction, Bini's latest here centres on epic disco, and rewinds the tape to an earlier sound first explored in his formative days as a producer; retroactively, we hear a livelier, more contemporary take on the stabbing strings, bristling bass and bubblegum beats - all live-recorded - that first put him on the map.

Review: Da Lukas's Satisfy Your Soul EP is a four-track full of disco goodness that opens with the title track, a driving, percussive workout with a powerful vocal performance. 'Let Your Body Be Free' continues the party music with a dynamic horn section and disco breakdown. 'Supergood' is a hi-energy dancefloor anthem, with a pumping beat an infectious filtered house sound. The EP closes with 'Music Turns Me On', a slow-burning track that enjoys riding the groove with a generous amount of funk. Da Lukas' tracks are nicely crafted, with a deep understanding of the disco genre. Satisfy Your Soul is a must-have for fans of disco and nu disco alike.

Review: Second time around for Harlem Hustlers' surging disco-house anthem, which first appeared in stores way back in 2005. This time round, the Italian duo have reworked it considerably, placing underground boogie legend Orlando Johnson's lead vocal front and centre while opting for some more organic-sounding instrumentation (the original was more sample-heavy). On their '2023 Rework' they channel the sound of Groove Culture label bosses Mickey More and Andy Tee, wrapping Johnson's vocal, tidy horns, flanged guitars and classic-sounding piano riffs around a warming bass guitar part and crunchy house drums. It's a very classy and far more authentically 'disco'-sounding track than their 2005 original. Their flip-side 'Get On The Floor' mix, meanwhile, has a smoother, more synth-heavy disco-house sound, less vocal and even more of the excellent horn sounds.

Review: Italian soul legends Jestofunk released the classic 'I'm Gonna Love You' back in 1991, it was their first single, in fact. Comprised of northerners Alessandro Staderini, Claudio 'Moz-Art' Rispoli and Farias, they went on to release six albums until disbanding in 2005 after 'Mama Blues'. A zeitgeist of the early '90s acid jazz sound, featuring new jack swing styled beats, a killer sax and soulful vocals, it was the MC Turbo Sax Mix which undoubtedly gained the most popularity, and became an essential track on the playlist of many a hair salon throughout the rest of the decade. Some of you may even know the track from its inclusion on 2011's Knights Of The Playboy Mansion, mixed by French Touch icons Bob Sinclar & Dimitri From Paris. The version featured here is a nice modern reshape by Groove Culture heads Micky More & Andy Tee, taking the track into sensual and emotive territory with their deep house style remix. Proper mood music.

Review: Italian stallions Groove Culture fling two new disco edits our way, conjuring fresh thoughts of 'Downtown LA' and leaving us feeling 'Alright'. Slippery, raw, mix-worthy and packed with punch and laughter, there's good cheer coarsing between every kick, slap and clav on this pair.

Review: Although they've been serving up high-grade blends of disco, funk, soul and house for some time, it's only in recent years that many of Micky More and Andy Tee's most potent productions have made it to wax. The two tracks here, which first appeared digitally in the middle of the last decade, are fine examples. 'I'm Another Man' is heavy, raw and impactful, with the pair adding rolling house beats to a horn-heavy deep funk song complete with gravelly male lead vocals. Over on the flip, 'Night Cruiser' is their (successful) attempt to make (and update) a Vincent Montana style, Salsoul disco instrumental with added house chops. Keep an ear out for the Roy Ayers style vibraphone solo that drops midway through.

Review: More splattered translucent green and black vinyl action from Groove Culture, the in-house imprint of Italian disco, house and jazz-funk fusionists Micky More and Andy Tee. As usual, there's a celebratory, party-starting feel to both tracks, with lead vocals from some genuinely legendary singers only adding to the 'bona-fide peak-time bangers' flavour on show. A-side 'Celebrate', with Kathy Brown and Shree Hicks, starts off as a rolling, bass heavy mid-tempo disco-house number, before the pair introduce some killer disco strings to take it closer to "revivalist disco" territory. 'So Wide Open', with Angela Johnson on lead vox, continues this trend, wrapping punchy horns, disco strings, Bernard Edwards style bass and Nile Rodgers-esque guitar licks around a chunky house groove.

Review: Italian dance band Reverendos Of Soul, formed by Giovanni Ceccati & Andrea Tonici, have been lighting up the scene since 2013. The 'So Special' EP includes four of their best tracks showcasing a signature and euphoric blend of disco, soul and house; label heads Micky More & Andy Tee serve up three mixes of Reverendos Of Soul hits ('So Special', 'Love Is All Around' and 'Gotta Feeling'), with White Soul Project also sprinkling their magic onto proceedings for their delicious version of 'It's Over Now'. In summary, an ethereal and blissful future disco glitzer.

Review: Italy's Groove Culture has really done a fine job of winning us over since it started out and this 14th EP is another one that is sure to slide into your affections. It's a quartet of disco-tinged house cuts from Right to Life, Micky More and Andy Tee that kicks off with the hip swinging and lush feels of 'Subway'. 'Hold On To My Love' then layers up the loops and rickety organic drums with some rousing strings and vocals. The good time vibes and carefree sense of soul continues on the flip with 'Blow Your Mind' and the more heartfelt 'Love Blind'.

Review: Serge Funk, and his contemporaries Micky More & Andy Tee, bring utter floor-shaking heat to Groove Culture with 'Move On Up' and 'Runaway', two four-to-the-floor crowdpleasers working in rapidfire vocal samples and bass licks sifted from the trawled megahertz of funk. Compressed and pumped-out to no end, each track here balances the other out nicely in mutual a barrage of interwoven rhythms and vocal "hups".