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Here's a downloadable version of Z Records' limited edition Record Store Day vinyl remix package of four tracks by label boss Joey Negro and his Sunburst Band. Sizzling electro-funk lead track "Taste The Groove" is given a low-slung, chugging 'Walk The Night'-style disco makeover by Hot Toddy. "Why Wait For Tomorrow" is teased out into up to 11 minutes of vintage disco ecstasy (in over three different mixes!) by Al Kent. "Definition Of Luv" also gets some super camp New York housey lovin' from Sean McCabe.
Quick! Look up! Is there a glitterball twirling around majestically above your head? No? Then you're doing this summer wrong. This collection will definitely get you on the right track; curated by Germany's longest standing disco house imprint, each of these cuts will give you that all important hip-swaying, unashamed funky disco fix that you desperately require. From Roger Williams' pumping updated of Gusto's "Disco's Revenge" to Funky Star's super-polished string-slammed cover of Thelma Houston's "Don't Leave Me This Way", Disco Galaxy have put together a superb collection that will befit almost any hour on the White Isle.
Following a host of releases with his Sunburst Band, Z Records boss Joey Negro is back to perhaps what's he's best known for: spinning light and soulful disco house. This second in the series kicks off with the handbaggy "Smile" by Mistura and take in thumping diva business "Every Day Of The Week", sublime techy house "Life Is So Strange", unsullied authentic disco "Power To The People", acid-jazz on "Better Things To Come" and the phaser-heavy, electro-boogie of "Begun To Love".
Serious party vibes abound as El Salvadorian Itchy Bastards add three new funk nuggets to their armoury. "Make Money" takes Busta to trumpet school, "Lemme Talk" looks to Clinton for some world dominance (George, not Bill) and "Roundacorna" is a deeper, jacking affair with a lolloping slap-bass riff and some lovely organ and wukka-wukka guitar twangs on the main hook.
Tru Thoughts' extended family now stretches all the way to Rio with this very wise new signing. Drumagick have been around for over 15 years now, adding their Latin magic to house, drum & bass and funk templates. Here we find them with carnival-o-meter set at 11 with four fantastic compositions. "Maracutu" is brash brass medley that doesn't sound far off Gregory circa "Tropical Soundclash", "Rio Drums" is a deeper, tribal affair with an off-beat wobble bass thrown in, "Sunday Morning" is a jazzier, silkier affair while "Feelings" flips the switch on a lush rolling D&B tip with washy, soothing chords and emotive pianos.
Baile/funk carioca has remained a driving force on international dancefloor since first given a global megaphone by acts like Diplo, MIA and Buraka Som Sistema over five years ago. The influence of the favela-fuelled funk has wormed its way into many genres, and here we find those influences looped back with myriad new twists on the established sound courtesy of artists from all over the world. From Bumps' haunted house rip-tempo rub of Mago Bo to the old school hip-hop scratches and moombahton squeaks of "Cicada's Dance", the 17-track collection shows baile at its most extensive, deepest and creative. Not just an interesting development for the genre, but one that's landed in perfect time for festival season, too.
Get your lighters out! "Centre Of The Universe" is set to have spines tingling and smoochers cuddling in every club, party and festival throughout the summer. Premiered at Ultra, and already a big fave with Tongy and the daytime radio set, Magnus Carlsson's vocals cut through with the right amount of sentimentality while the erstwhile Swedish House Mafiette tweaks his anthem dynamics for something that's euphoric without ever getting too over the top. Already massive.
Todd looks back, way back, for this special one-off Tommy Boy release. Back to 1989 to be precise: the birth of acid house. Plundering the many sensational UK news scandals at the time, he's cut and pasted some of the more extreme reactions and sprinkled them over a loose, jaunty acid groove. Tongue-in-cheek but meaty as hell in the production department, this ticks every box and even provides a few laughs along the way.
Sharam continues to preach the good word from his Bunny Tiger pulpit with two more slinky, sexy filtered house joints. Clearly having fun getting back to his funky roots, this is Sharam at his smoothest and most dynamic. "Gonna Get You" is the more driving, slighter darker of the two with a big sweeping build and an ear-worm vocal while "Oh No!" oozes continental class with a Daft Punk-style chord arrangements and a strategic crescendo of elements that builds into a powerful drop. Impressive.
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