Boogie Boutique At Juno Download

Review: The first in a series of artist EPs on Hayz and Chris Awesome's Boogie Boutique sees nu-funk dons Russ Cuban and DJ B-Side getting cheeky with a bunch of classics and adding their own breaks flare to each. No prizes for guessing what "Bomb Slippy" is based around: the duo add the "Apache" drumbreak and some canny bass licks to the slowed-down Underworld anthem, while "Renegade Slam" sees Queens' finest bald rappers Onyx getting a thoroughly hefty reworking. "Jam" is a tasty remake of Technotronic's evergreen "Pump Up The Jam", while a breaks edit of "Bomb Slippy" makes for an excellent DJ tool.

Review: Can Boogie Boutique put a foot wrong at the moment? We don't think so. And here's some solid sonic proof from New Zealand-based label mainstay Funk Ferret. Joined by emerging funkster Imagine This, the duo have created a sprightly party bomb with rapid fire lyrics and a salaciously squidgy electro-inspired bass-hook. There are remixes galore; party baron Cut La Roc doffs his cap to hip-hop's glory days, Nick Fonkynson gets all gritty and vicious while DJ Alias & Benson drop the tempo for a classic exercise in extreme nu funk rudiments.

Review: Essential house party business here on Boogie Boutique, with a split EP from Morlack and Itchy Bastards that includes a free track. Morlack drops four vocal-led jams - namely "White Shake", "Back In Love", "Ying Yang Pulp" and the freebie, "Lively Up Yourself" - all of which are positively dropping with insouciant funk and boogie breaks flavour. The magnificently monikered Itchy Bastards drop a brace of tracks, with the slick guitar riffage and cut-up rhythms of "I'm Hot" alongside the tougher filtered disco-funk strut of "Itchy Brick". We challenge you to listen to this EP and not smile!

Review: Breaks and hip hop producer Ninelives The Cat comes through with a nagging slice of solid production and catchy vocals in the form of "LaLaLa". The chorus hook will claw into your head like the feline in control, while the choppy funk licks that make up the beat will find a comfortable home on dancefloors all over. On the remix tip, Funkanomics bring an uptempo 80s flavour with filtered guitars and brash drum machine beats, while DJ Alias does a more subtle turn in tightening up the groove of the original. Will Styles rounds things off with an electro-indebted workout full of chunky synths and club-ready construction.

Review: London nu-funk imprint Boogie Boutique come correct once again on the Shake It Out EP which pairs up French producer Prosper with a number of collaborators. The title track has Prosper going toe to toe with Knaresborough's finest Rory Hoy on a funk heavy cut n paste production blessed with the J-Live style delivery of Imagine This - German trio Funkanomics handle remix duties and turn in one of their trademark electrified productions that still makes ample usage of Imagine This' delivery. Following this, the superbly titled Old Skool Nemo proves his studio worth alongside Prosper on the boogie number "Get That Boogie Thing" whose speed of sound is matched by swiftness of vocal delivery from JC001 and the man Ashley Slater. Nick Fonkynson drops a remix that begs for a big beat revolution.

Review: Lovely original nu funk vibes right here. In a sea of bootlegs, productions like this stand out like cans of pop at a diabetic disco. Horn-tooting, bass-swinging and lyrically forthright it's an instant party starter with the perfect balance of hip-hop heroism and raw funk heritage. Remix highlights include Cut La Roc's old Brooklyn style hip-hop version and Jimi Needles combo of well-rounded bass and deep soul jazz chords. Shucks, the whole package bangs! Bottom line: If you don't buy "Pour Me" you'll be saying "Poor Me" a lot more often that you did.

Review: This bass-heavy twosome from Rollomatik should have breakbeat heads and ghetto funk enthusiasts getting all giddy in double-quick time. Opener "Bring It Back" sets the tone, mashing together shuffling midtempo riddims, Skrillex-ish mid range wobblers, low-end pressure and bouncy hip-hop vocals. "In The House", meanwhile, features a vocal that sounds like it was pinched from a Jurassic 5 record. Musically, there's a greater reliance on sax-laden funk and breaks that pack more energy than their sluggish tempo suggests. Both tracks will be getting major rotations on breakbeat dancefloors this Christmas - and rightly so.

Review: Finnish DJ crew Rollomatik break out on Boogie Boutique with a two track release that aims to represent the Arctic Circle fully in the nu funk/breakbeat scene. Formed of Hesh & Eaves, Rollomatik aim to rock the party and that much is evident on this cheeky EP with "We Love To Party" deftly blending Will Smith with Chic amidst a melange of other recognisable samples. A similar approach runs through flipside jam "The Greatest" as Rollomatik lay down the vocal from an oft used Q-Tip solo joint over a heavily filtered take on Sister Sledge's most ubiquitous track.

Review: Wide-armed sounds abound on the latest Boogie Boutique offering. More hip-hop than nu-funk in places, there's great casual confidence about each of these rubs. The label's Finnish faves Rollomatik are on board for two horn-heavy joints; the p-funk block rocker "Frying Pan" and the roof raising peak time "Soul Power". Label newcomers Jimi Needles and WBBL, opt for jazzier keys and a bassline that gradually evolves into quite the glitchy gem. Jacksonville jive merchant John Farruggio finishes the set with a waltz through 80s electro, mid noughties house and late 90s big beat. Swashbuckling stuff.

Review: Bucharest's Gemini Bros are all about classic funk sounds, and here they've enlisted a host of pals to help inject plenty of it into their own tune. "Twin Flavour" is a up-tempo belter, with an incessant rubber bassline and piano/organ riffs. The normally electro-heavy Ursula 1000 delivers an ace, but surprisingly discofied version, Stereo 77 go for trippy bongo acid and finally Pips & Midi Kobain beef up the original, adding plenty of brass and wah-wah guitar in the process.

Review: Funk and disco breaks get put thoroughly through their paces on this exclusive collection from Boogie Boutique, featuring treats galore for DJs and fans of souped-up funk. Badboe's beefed-up treatment of UBB-staple "I Like Funky Music" by Uncle Louis, or Breakbeat Junkie's Northern Soul-indebted "Crazy Jerk" are just two of the highlights from this collection that also features nuggets from Rory Hoy, Chris Awesome and Hayz amongst others.

Review: This is a bit of a treat for funk breaks fans, as leading label Boogie Boutique gathers together a selection of its finest floor-filling bangers. With cheeky mash-ups and bootleg remixes from the likes of Hayz, Ursula 1000 and Nick Fonkyson, there's much to enjoy, not least the sheer silliness of some of the rump-shaking fusions. Check, for example, the anthemic grooves of Nine Lives The Cat's "Let Me In" (a brilliantly executed fusion of "Just Be Good To Me" and "Cross The Tracks") or Badboe's "Show Me Ghetto". None of the cuts will win you brownie points with chin-strokers, but they'll certainly smash up the dance - and that's all that matters.

Review: From the funk 'n' breaks label Boogie Boutique comes this third selection of 10 winning nuggets, featuring Hayz' Shaggy tribute "Bathroom Banger", Freddy Fresh's excellently trippy mix of Cuban piano and Latin exotica "Pinata", and the Ludacris-sampling "Boogie Shuffle". For a more head-nodding flavour though, head straight for DJ Wood's "No Ice Cream On The Road" or Nine Lives The Cat's "LaLaLa".