Bestsellers This Week

Review: Anyone who decides to dedicate a fair chunk of his debut edits release to scalpel cuts of tracks from Led Zeppelin, Jefferson Airplane and Stevie Wonder must have gonads the size of watermelons. Sitting down could be an uncomfortable proposition, then, for the mysterious V, whose seven-track debut EP also includes chunky, floor-friendly re-tweaks of The Kinks and Sly & The Family Stone (as well as a couple of stonking disco bangers). While some would argue that much of the material here didn't need messing with, he's done an excellent job. The Dub of "Whole Lotta Love", for example, is pitched just right, offering much more bang and exactly the right amount of disco dubbiness.

Review: After a brief dalliance with 78 Edits, Edinburgh-based producer Barry "B-Jam" Fell pops up on Superbreak with a bulging sack full of dubby disco and electrofunk re-edits. Fell's greatest asset is his emphasis on groove (think rubbery basslines, swinging beats, subtle kicks etc), and all six cuts here offer the perfect balance between goodtime fun and fuss-free, floor-friendly jams. There are some moments that will be familiar to disco diggers (see the disco/jazz-funk tomfoolery of "No Fly Zone"), but for the most part he's re-cut unfamiliar jams. Of these, it's the boogie badness of "Set My Sights" and delightfully heady "Love It" that really stand out.

Review: It can take some producers years to develop a "trademark" sound, but Brooklyn-based Lou Teti's done it in six months. Like his most recent outings for Mullet and Tigers On A Leash, "Shake" offers a breezy mix of nu-disco synths, DFA-ish baggy indie-dance vocals, low-slung punk-funk bass and a sprinkling of Balearic stardust. The influences are obvious, but the blend is all his own. Remix-wise, Drop Out Orchestra turn in a baggy, E'd-up version that sounds like a cover of Primal Scream's "Loaded", while Toby Tobias lays down some delicious deep house/nu-disco fusion for bleary-eyed dancers. A versatile package is rounded off by a bumpin', deep disco rub from J Kriv.

Review: Re-edit specialist Nelue makes the step from Soundcloud fave to full-blown artist with a selection of his best reworks to date. The four tracks featured do a good job showcasing his floor-friendly style, which offers a neat balance between dubbed-out contemporary groovery and original electrofunk and disco. Each of the four tracks is worth a listen - they're all sharply floor-friendly and come with oodles of synth-bass goodness - but it's the dubbed-out, tooled-up version of Instant Funk's "Body Slam" that probably impresses most. That said, the housed-up, delay-laden treatment of Prince's "Sign O'The Times" is pretty tasty, too.

Review: Newcomers Luv Shack Records have a simple agenda: to prove that the city of Vienna is home to a hotbed of new production talent. This first split EP, featuring four distinct cuts from some of their homegrown artists, suggests that they could do good things in 2012. LeSale starts things off with "Make Me Feel So Good", a fabulously luxurious chunk of goodtime disco with a distinct soulful twist. Burnin Tears offer a dub fusion of sun-kissed nu-disco and organic deep house, while Jakobin & Domino jack it out with the delightfully bumpin' acid track "Night Glow". A thrilling slab of piano heavy, late night nu-disco from The Beautiful People completes a fine package.

Review: Through his releases on Chopshop Music, DJ Butcher has proved to be a skilful practitioner when it comes to the party-starting end of disco edits and reworks. While he rarely resorts to cheap tricks or less than subtle percussion, his edits and re-cuts have a fun, effervescent quality that's sometimes at odds with current trends. This latest EP for Master Press offers more of the same joyous, fuss-free fodder with a cheeky glint in the eye. Lead cut "Love It" - a combination of samples from two or three jangly, summertime disco hits - is arguably the pick, though the squeezable electrofunk jams "Chinga" and "Get Down" are not far behind.

Review: With Valentines Day just around the corner, Editorial changes tack and takes a step into the world of loved-up, slo-mo groovery. It's a smart move. They've got some great up-and-coming producers involved, with Matthew Kyle's pal Joseph Terruel and Aussie moustache man Rocco Raimundo both offering deliciously deep, spine-tingling rubs. The latter's epic, filter-heavy "Looking For You" is arguably one of the best things he's done to date - a sinewy, string-laden disco slow dance that should impress all but the most miserable of disco purists. Heion's "Run" and DJ Steef's "I Can Win" are gorgeous, too, offering loopy, bass-heavy grooves with just the right amount of lip-smacking charm.

Review: And so it lands. Todd Terje launches his new eponymously named label Olsen in fine style with the much anticipated EP It's The Arps. Or should we say Todd Tease as the Norwegian has been dropping lead track "Inspector Norse" since the budding months of last summer! Given that Terje's first original material in some five years resulted in one of last year's highlights with the Running Back released Ragysh, it's natural he would want to leave some space before following up. The first of a series of EPs crafted from using one bit of vintage gear in particular, It's The Arps sees Terje dabble with the intricacies of the Arp 2600 analogue synthesizer as well as pay homage to his favourite Monty Python sketch. This is just as nerdy as you'd expect from a man who recently launched a website with the specific intention of exploring the obsessive studio nature of his contemporaries. The aforementioned "Inspector Norse" is an obvious highlight here, slowly unfurling gorgeous layers of playful synthesis that grapple the simplistic drums with flirtatious delight. It makes for another signature track from Terje which is likely to engender a rapturous reception for many months to come. Alongside it, "Myggsommer" provides a brief, twee interlude into oddball sci fi soundscapes which again prove to highlight the Arp 2600's capacity for inventive and idiosyncratic sounds. From here Terje unveils a two part skywards saunter through "Swing Star" showcasing a more dextrous manipulation of the Arp 2600's melodies across the markedly more rhythmic upbeat first part and expansive luxurious cosmic subsequent endeavour. Whilst "Inspector Norse" is guaranteed to be the one track from this release you will hear in the international discotheques, the remainder of It's The Arps serves as a excellent reminder of Terje's ever growing talent as a producer.

Review: When quizzed about his debut full-length before a Juno Plus party last year, John Talabot paused for a minute. "It's not really house, more electronica - like a proper album," he finally remarked. It's an apt description. Fin is clearly rooted in house - and the kind of melody-driven, atmospheric tackle that the Barcelona-based producer excels at - but it's certainly not a dancefloor-focused set. There are off-kilter downtempo moments, slo-mo compositions and twisted beatscapes that recall the impossible-to-pigeonhole antics of Hyetal (circa "Broadcast"), Sepalcure and Instra:Mental. Then there's closer "So Will Be Now" (one of two collaborations with Pional), a near-genius chunk of future garage/deep acid house fusion that's so beautiful it almost hurts. As transformations go, Fin is stunning.

Review: When quizzed about his debut full-length before a Juno Plus party last year, John Talabot paused for a minute. "It's not really house, more electronica - like a proper album," he finally remarked. It's an apt description. Fin is clearly rooted in house - and the kind of melody-driven, atmospheric tackle that the Barcelona-based producer excels at - but it's certainly not a dancefloor-focused set. There are off-kilter downtempo moments, slo-mo compositions and twisted beatscapes that recall the impossible-to-pigeonhole antics of Hyetal (circa "Broadcast"), Sepalcure and Instra:Mental. Then there's closer "So Will Be Now" (one of two collaborations with Pional), a near-genius chunk of future garage/deep acid house fusion that's so beautiful it almost hurts. As transformations go, Fin is stunning.

Review: Although once celebrated by those within the funk breaks scene, Neighbour have always been more disco and electrofunk-friendly than their party-starting reputation suggests. In recent times, their Homebreakin' label has largely eschewed breaks-related antics in favour of cuts shot through with original electro flavour. This collaborative EP with pal Dave Allison continues that trend, fusing floor-friendly disco drum breaks with vintage synths, fat electro breaks and some seriously cheeky old skool samples. There's plenty of fun to be had, from the sweaty, upbeat shenanigans of "Kickin' Action" to the slo-mo synth-wave-meets-Balearica goodness of "You Can Do It".

Review: The artist occasionally known as LTJ Experience offers up a one track single, and it's really rather good. Taking its cue from the "disco sound of 2011" - i.e a floor-friendly fusion of disco loops with subtle house bottom end - "I Don't Want This Groove To Never Ends" [sic] gently undulates for nearly nine minutes. The changes are very subtle - the odd dash of dub FX here and there, percussive elements dropping in and out of the mix, and some slick filter action - but the groove is so good you don't want it to stop. Recommended.

Review: A superb Bjorn Torske gets the remix treatment EP from Smalltown Supersound as Todd Terje, Harvey and Crimea X all tackle tracks from the Norwegian's 2010 album Kokning. No stranger to the art of the remix, Terje has been cutting his teeth of late with some killer original material (um "Inspector Norse" hello) but his remix of "Langt Fra Afrika" proves Toddney has lost none of his Midas touch in that department. Retaining the loose Afro groove of the short original, Terje extends the track tenfold, embellishing proceedings with a dizzying concoction of detuned drums, catchy horns, shuffling shakers, samba drums and crazy chants. Up next, Mr Bassett adds some requisite sleaze to "Nitten Nitti" whilst Italian duo Crimea X bring out the arpeggios for a ride to outer galactic discoteria on a brilliantly throbbing take of "Slitte Sko".

Review: With remixes from Crosstown Rebels man Maceo Flex and Hot Creations type Danny Daze, Ellum Audio are clearly aiming high with their second release. Bazar's original version of "Hard To Find" is pretty tasty, though, sounding like a delightful high-octane fusion of touchy-feely E-house, off-kilter electronic disco and 80s synth frippery (check the "Blue Monday" syn-voice chords). Plex delivers an even more wide-eyed version, dipping the tempo slightly and contrasting rubbery funk basslines with typically blissful builds. Danny Daze, meanwhile, works a spooky, low-slung groove before throwing in some twinkling pianos and washes of sleazy synths.

Review: Having previously released a sole EP of warm, disco-flecked deep house, French producer Matthieu Cle gets to showcase a wider range of musical styles on this four-tracker. There are two original productions and two re-edits. Of the latter, his tweak of 80s soul smoocher "After Midnight" is probably the pick, though the straightforward rework of West Philips' "Sucker For A Pretty Face" will get a greater dancefloor reaction. Really, though, it's the original tracks that steal the show, with the super slo-mo "Black Mysteries" - like Matthew Kyle on smack - just edging out the chiming 80s goodness of "To Begin With". A mixed bag that's well worth a listen.

Review: For reasons not made clear, the esteemed Gomma label collared Peaches and decided to record some cover versions of tracks from the back catalogue of the iconic Casablanca Records label. Purists might sneer at the mere idea of this concept but the end products are undeniably fun (and its refreshing to hear Ms Nisker actually sing as opposed to, you know, act like Peaches). Moullineux step up first with a burning punk funk rendition of Flashdance's "Maniac", whilst Telonius' take on Donna Summer's "Our Love" gets bonus points for having Mr Harold Faltemeyer on keys! Other highlights in the eight track include Munk's chunky disco funk take on the Stephanie Mills classic "You Can't Run From My Love" whilst the ever excellent Phenomenal Handclap Band embellish the Halloween standard "Walk The Night" with their own distinct brand of loose limbed funk.

Review: Sticking Brooklyn-based duo Chordashian into a neat pigeonhole isn't particularly easy. "Don't Wait Up", the lead track from this extended EP, is a great example. Utilising traditional instruments, vintage synths and the latest soft synth plug-ins, it sounds like a curious mash-up of Hall & Oates, andBenoit & Sergio with a Buzzin' Fly-ish deep house sheen. "Sea Crest", meanwhile, could be considered to be nu-Balearic - it certainly has that blinking-at-the-sun gorgeousness - while "The Jam" is thrillingly adventurous (if a little odd). With a trio of fine remixes also included, "Don't Wait Up" is easily Mullet's best for some time.

Review: Spanish re-edit hero Rayko had a productive 2011, releasing some of the best cut-ups and disco reworks of the year. Here he begins 2011 in similar fashion, delivering four more tried and tested slabs of dancefloor funk. Opener "My Lady" does a terrific job at re-modelling a Prince-era, slap-bass heavy 80s jam, removing all but snatches of the vocal in favour of more instrumental groovery. "After The After" continues on a similar theme, going deeper into slow dance territory, while "Turn Me On Again" builds brilliantly over six delightfully sensual minutes. "This Is It", meanwhile, adds some head-nodding house flavours to a simmering 80s soul jam. Solid.

Review: Over the past 12 months, Munga has successfully established himself as one of a new wave of producers contributing something different to the flagging re-edit scene. Here, he presents another four-track collection of edits-not-edits, tracks that re-imagine famous or lesser-known tracks with the aid of more than just a few tired FX. Opener "Spread Love" turns a breezy disco-funk cut into a synth-heavy electro-funk/nu-disco fusion, whilst "Binary" dubs out a lesser-known electronic disco oddity in pleasingly Balearic fashion. "You & Me" adds sparkling two-step beats to a horn-toting disco-soul jam, whilst "Tell Me" delivers a gargantuan slap bass-totin' disco screamer.

Review: It's been almost five years since Kris Menace used the Stars On 33 moniker, and his musical style has shifted several times since then. Whereas back then it was for a typically shiny, disco-tinged house EP, this time round it's for something altogether more emotion-rich and Balearic. Sure, he's still basically making house, but this time it sounds looser, more organic, more disco even. Both "Keep On Dancing" and "Luv" both strike a positive balance between swooping, string-laden disco and piano-heavy Balearic house, while "Something You Can Feel" pits sturdy bottom end electrofunk against cute jazz guitars with considerable success.

Review: Amsterdam dwelling editor par excellence Em Vee took the solo reigns on the inaugural Lumberjacks In Hell - and truly excelled with a great reimagination of "Miss You". The second release on the label sees the German share duties with Spanish edit demon Rayko. First up is an expert rearrangement of Candi Staton's cover of the Bee Gee's standard "Nights On Broadway" which strips the track of its orchestral leanings to focus on the groove! Following this is a meaty take on a classic, with Barbara Keith's cover of "All Along The Watchtower" reinforced with some bottom end bump. Em Vee spreads a special disco version of Alma Lee's late 70s Philly delight "Gimme Your Love" with an extended intro that fully displays his edit talents.

Review: Given his Siberian roots, you'd expect this EP of edits-not-edits (i.e edits with overdubs and additional productions) from producer Sunner Soul to be icier than a frost-laden walk in freezer. Actually, it's totally the opposite, offering a trio of slo-mo tracks that are so warm, sunny and groovesome that you actually expect them to come with a free hug from Sunner himself. "Disco Action" itself is a gorgeous chunk of Rhodes-laden disco-boogie, whilst "Just Loving You" is a seductive call to the cozy warmth of a kingsize bed. "Sunshine", meanwhile, gently bumps and grinds around sun-flecked guitars, groovy bottom end and some seriously sexy horns.

Review: Long before disco-digging and needless re-editing became the pastime of a generation, Glaswegian graphic designer-turned-DJ Al Kent was doing both. For proof, check his acclaimed, illicit Disco Demands series. Originally launched in 2000 as an outlet for his obsession with barely-known 1970s dance music, it quickly became a conduit for his painstakingly faithful re-edits of long-forgotten disco records. Having seen his stock rise of late, BBE have decided to re-issue each of the five volumes in one bumper box set. For those with a love of disco's stranger fringes, The Best Of Disco Demands should be required listening. With 45 stonking cuts - some re-edits, others original studio versions - across five discs, it's an essential indulgence for disco heads everywhere.

Review: This solid, party-friendly three-tracker from edit specialists Hands Of Time takes a rusty scalpel to some of the most familiar work of beardy disco-popsters the Bee Gees. While many will consider the source material to be a touch too, well, obvious, the three included edits are very good - if only because they appear to have reconstructed the tracks using the original multi-track tapes. The resultant versions delight in stripping the familiar originals down to their grooves, dubbing out individual elements in a Todd Terje-ish style. The real winner is Kon's Whiskey Dub of "Staying Alive", which uses the original vocal sparingly, instead building up a formidable, horn-heavy disco dub.

Review: With everyone from Metronomy to Azari & III tapping up Psychemagik for remixes this year, the duo will surely be hot property in 2012, however this release, the second in their series of edit EPs, sees them take the knife to another two lost gems. The name of the amusingly titled "Ass Nation" comes from the presumably misheard lead vocal, which is combined with some low-slung bass guitar, trumpet solo action and heavily delayed guitar licks. "Upskirt" meanwhile is a disco-blues number, whose slow pace is given a rocket fuelled push with some searing, high-octane guitar work, topped off with some cosmically charged sound effects.

Review: Hot Creations team member Miguel Campbell drops his debut on the label replete with a remix from Richy Ahmed. "Baby I Got It" simply belongs to Hot Creations; summer vibes, modern house, simple b-line and undeniably primed for a sweaty dancefloor. Second up "Something Special" goes down a luscious route with long, drawn-out synths, groovy bass and more summery female vocals. Mr Ahmed meanwhile takes remix duties for "Baby I Got It" and attacks with dark piercing twists and eerie turns.

Review: Second time around for Novika's "Miss Mood", a breezy chunk of indie-dance/nu-disco goodness that boasts a wonderfully springy punk-funk bassline. This time round there are some six remixes to choose from, including rubs from electro-disco sorts Last Robot and Mullet regulars Satin Jackets (soon to release a fantastic collaboration with Rocco Raimundo). Perhaps the most notable remix comes from Crazy P man Chris Todd under his Hot Toddy alias. In typical Crazy P fashion, he delivers a version that wraps Novika's strong vocal in a wide-eyed mix of dreamy pads, bright pianos and warm disco atmosphere.

Review: This two-tracker from Subsoil offers an interesting approach to the edit-not-edit genre. Instead of collecting together a bunch of different edits, they've decided to get two producers - in this case Changed and Editorial veteran Disco Tech - to rework the same (uncredited) disco/soul original. Changed is up first, offering a slick, sultry and occasionally sensuous interpretation that sits somewhere between the head-nodding disco/house of Matthew Kyle and the fluid disco of the original. Disco Tech's version, meanwhile, takes some time to build before letting the original chorus and strings take over. His use of drops and FX is, in particular, excellent.

Review: Having begun the year with a stone-cold dancefloor slayer - their brilliant revision of "Criticize" on Kojak Giant Sounds - Brighton twosome Maxxi Soundsystem attempt to end 2011 with a similar smash. "Make Or Break" certainly has similar potential, coming on like an inspired fusion between Balearic-flavoured nu-disco and bass-heavy Julio Bashmore/Futureboogie-ish house (think wobbly, dubby bass, cut-up R&B vocals and touchy-feely pads). Both "There's No Love" and "Never Stop" take a similarly E'd-up approach, with the latter adding a touch more synth-funk bottom end for maximum dancefloor pressure. Look out for these guys in 2012.