Izipho Soul レコード& CD

Review: You'd be hard pushed to find a better label than Hawaii's Izipho Soul when it comes to heart aching soul sounds. As it fast approaches its 100th release it is Jesus Alvarez who lands on this new 7" with two tunes taken from an album that has not knowingly been released and never maddest past the promotional test pressing on Columbia. Both just are exceptional and are from the same recording period as 'Sooner or Later', a 7" on Polydor, with Alvarez being well known at the time for his Sylvia Robinson connection and productions and performances on The Willow Band's 'Willowman' and The Nicky Newarkers 'Woman'.

Review: Izipho Soul is one of our favourite labels here at Juno HQ. The music it serves up is of the sort that makes you need it in your bag as soon as you hear the first few seconds. June Evans is the latest lung busting vocalist to swoon her way into our hearts with this dazzling performance from 1981 over golden chords, leggy drums and a killer synth bassline that is phat as hell. Flip it over for 'Hardly Need To Say,' an achingly beautiful lament over a fusion groove that glows bright and exudes warmth.

Review: Izipho Soul is one of our favourite labels here at Juno HQ. The music it serves up is of the sort that makes you need it in your bag as soon as you hear the first few seconds. June Evans is the latest lung busting vocalist to swoon her way into our hearts with a sunshine mix of this dazzling performance from 1981 over golden chords, leggy drums and a killer synth bassline that is phat as hell. Flip it over for 'Hardly Need To Say,' an achingly beautiful lament over a fusion groove that glows bright and exudes warmth. Utterly essential.

Review: Julian Jonah is a true veteran of British music, having caught the earliest wave of UK house music, worked with Billie Ray Martin, and even lent his chops to the mighty 187 Lockdown. On this single for Izipho Soul, he's tapping into a classic vein of late 80s-early 90s soul, with a smooth as silk production style and stunning vocal turns from Tamika (on 'Now's The Time For Us') and Ada Dyer (on 'Comin' Back For Your Lovin''). If you grew up through the original era this record will trigger all those nostalgic feelings for quintessential prime time radio soul, with all the feel-good factor in place on one handy little 7".

Review: Although the Australian outfit Regime roots are in revivalist funk, 'Never Gonna Stop' sees them turn their hands to warm, loved-up and sun-kissed soul of the kind that was once all the rage in the mid 1970s. The grooves are toasty, the male and female lead vocals effortlessly soulful, and the instrumental touches - think languid jazz guitar solos, sweeping strings and lazy, trumpet-heavy horn arrangements - little less than superb. Flipside 'Deuzy Vibe', a P-funk flavoured, turn-of-the-80s boogie-soul style affair, is almost as good. There aren't that many of these -vinyl 45s around, so buy now to avoid disappointment.

Review: Throughout the 1970s, Houston vocalist Sammie Relford released a string of brilliant singles on a variety of tiny labels. These days, the vast majority of these are rare as hen's teeth, making this three-track 7" something of a must-have for soul fans. On the A-side you'll find the brilliant (and near impossible to find) "Breaking Ice On Love", a heartfelt chunk of sumptuous, string-drenched goodness that sounds like it was recorded at some time during the Philadelphia Soul era, and "Hey Love", a sweet and loose ballad originally featured on Relford's 1979 debut album. Turn to the B-side for "Hook Me Up", a smooth, '80s soul style slow jam recorded in the twilight of the Texan vocalist's career.

Review: Legendary 70s funk band Ripple are back with two original members making new music again. Curtis "Kazoo" Reynolds & Keith "Doc" Samuels now go by the name of Ripple 2.20 and their first work is a new version of John Edwards' "Exercise My Love." It is a cover, but not as we usually know it - they lay down an incredible new vocal and play the parts with a real sense of sensuousness. On the flip is a new remix of some of Ripple's original material in the form of Fashion's take on "I Don't Know What It Is, But It Sure Is Funky", a raw, dirty, sleazy jam to get you in a sweat.

Review: This is the first time this particular disco gem has ever been on a 7" vinyl. It comes from Tommy Stewart's self-titled 1976 album, one of the most revered and in demand disco records ever. It was recorded in Atlanta, Georgia and became such a hit because of how far musical legends Marlin McNichols, Bill Wright and Tommy Stewart managed to take the super funky disco production (clue - way ahead of its time.) 'Fulton County Line' and 'Riding High' and two fo the glorious album highlights, with lush arrangements, soaring strings and funky bass all getting the emotions flowing as well now as they did first time around.

Review: This is the first time this particular disco gem has ever been on a 7" vinyl. It comes from Tommy Stewart's self-titled 1976 album, one of the most revered and in demand disco records ever. It was recorded in Atlanta, Georgia and became such a hit because of how far musical legends Marlin McNichols, Bill Wright and Tommy Stewart managed to take the super funky disco production (clue - way ahead of its time.) 'Fulton County Line' and 'Riding High' and two fo the glorious album highlights, with lush arrangements, soaring strings and funky bass all getting the emotions flowing as well now as they did first time around.