This Week

Review: It's a mark of the quality of Mad Mats' A&R skills that GAMM has managed to notch up almost a decade of releases without really resorting to releasing the sort of stinky cheese that usually plagues bootleg and mash-up imprints. This EP from newcomers The Reflex continues that record, offering two excellent, funk-laden bangers that get just the right balance between anthemic pomp and heads-down stomp. First up is "ABC", a stretched-out re-take of The Jackson 5's most famous hit that boasts a completely different (but very good) musical backing. "I Feel Good" is even better, turning a loose funk classic into a tight dancefloor bumper thanks to snappy new beats.

Review: A destination label for fans of classy disco and funk edits, GAMM introduce The Reflex to their roster with these new additions to their "ReVisions" series. Marvin Gaye's "Ain't No Mountain" gets a subtle boost to the beats and bottom end, while on a similar Northern Soul vibe, The Reflex treats "Rehab" with a new set of drums and a few added strings and stiff guitar chanks. Best of all, the beatless instrumental of Marvin's seminal "What's Going On" is reconnected with the original acapella in a superbly tasteful mixdown that shows off every nuance of that incredible recording.

Review: We've lost count of the number of volumes in the Good Times series, but it must have easily reached double figures. This instalment, previously unreleased digitally, first appeared on long-departed rave imprint React back in 2003. If you missed out first time around, it's well worth checking. Unlike later volumes, which seemed to try and tick far too many boxes musically, Good Times 3 pretty much sticks to gorgeously sunny, soulful flavours. That means a delightful, party-friendly selection that touches on vintage funk, soul, disco, boogie, US garage (remember that?), ska, reggae, classic hip-hop (the boom-bap brilliance of Main Source) and, erm, Jamiroquai. Delightfully, there are plenty of classics to plug the gaps in your collection, but also a wealth of lesser-known nuggets.

Review: As any hardcore funk collector would tell you, Barbados-based Blue Rhythm Combo produced some seriously heavy records in the early 1970s. Between 1971 and 1975, they produced two albums for the obscure Merrydisc label and a smattering of blistering singles. This six-track collection from self-confessed vinyl geeks Jazzman gathers together some of their best work in one handy download package. There's much to enjoy, from the party-friendly horns and rhythms of "Get Down" to the laidback grooves of "Sister Jeanie". Sadly, their crazy cover of Paul Simon's "Mother & Child Reunion" is missing, but you can't have everything.

Review: In typical Jazzman fashion, the two tracks showcased here are taken from a "long lost" album that even the most knowledgeable funk and soul heads would struggle to know much about. The album in question, Flatfoot Hustlin', was recently reissued as part of the label's ongoing Holy Grail series and was originally recorded in the decidedly funk-free surrounds of Halifax, Nova Scotia, way back in the early 70s. The two tracks here are arguably that album's highlights. "Like Your Stuff" itself is a breezy soul cut shot through with genuine warmth, whilst "Flatfoot Hustlin'" sees The Sidewinders in full-on gritty funk mode. It goes without saying that both are superb.