This Week

Review: Here we have two rare-as-hen's teeth cuts from disco-era boy/girl duo Aurra. They largely released on Salsoul and had the likes of Larry Levan remix them, so you can kind of guess what to expect. "Satisfaction" is classic early 80s electro-boogie that recalls the sleazy glamour of Prince proteges Vanity 6. "My Lovin Is For You" is more the kind of jheri-curled smooth ballad that the likes of Champagne were known for.

Review: Joey Negro's Z Records have a remarkable knack for knocking out vintage compilation after vintage compilation. Here though, they've really discovered a rare niche of unmined gold courtesy of Nuphonic's David Hill who acts as selector. As Hill explains "gospel music has often followed trends in secular music" and this album captures 24 attempts of gospel getting on the disco and boogie trains. Highlights include the hiNRG longing of "I Need You", the electro-soul of "Love Is The Message" and the piano & strings frenzy of "Awake O Zion".

Review: The recent album Hill Of Feathers by former dance vocalist Hannah Williams and her retro-soul outfit The Tastemakers is the LP that just keeps on giving. "Tell Me Something (Liberties)" is the latest single to be culled from said album and is one of the record's best showcases for her remarkable raw and dexterous voice - all set to an authentic 60s slow groove. Non-album track "Je M'appelle Le Saxophone" goes for some cod-French lounge action and largely succeeds.

Review: In a break from their high quality re-issue campaigns, Hot Casa switch focus to the contemporary for their newest release. Fourteen-armed Parisian Latin-funk combo, Setenta, are back with the highly anticipated follow up to their 2010 debut Funky Tombao. Boasting as many tracks as they have arms, "Latin Piece Of Soul" sees the band really fine tune the fusion sound they always sought to achieve, particularly on tracks like the wah-wah and organ freak-out of opener "Colorblind", the Afro-electro-funk of "Guapeta" and the disco influenced "Mambo Machine".