Funk Blasters At Juno Download

Review: Nu-funk breaks label Funk Blasters drop four new gems from the Itchy Bastards on this new EP - led by the chunky P-funk of "Funk Iz Us" and backed nicely by the old-school rap of "Movin' Machine" and the more disco-paced, brass-flecked "Hang On".

Review: It's 80s time! Eat your Filofaxes. Buy low. Sell high. Have rubbish hair! Or... Just get your funky selves down on this retro-funky four piece. Spanish soundclowns Itchy Bastards give EU's "Doing Da Butt" a raw rub, ensuring not to take any of its authentic timely class. Morlack, meanwhile, takes what sounds like a Paula Abdul snippet and blends it with every shade of block party on "Give It Here" and gets cosmic with on well known vocal from "Let No Man Put Asunder" on "Monie 2009". Finally Itchy Bastards finish the show with some lovely glockenspiel action. Naturally.

Review: Here we have a shared EP showdown between 'seasoned ghetto-funk priest', Morlack, and the self-proclaimed 'deadly mash-up monks' Mako & The Hawk. Mash-ups are indeed the dish of the day, with the former delivering some cleverly tweaked 80s boogie "Big Flow" and slick vintage funk "Heaven's Posse". The latter act are on a different tip though, with Radio Clash given a hip-hop makeover in "Doug Clash" and a lazy rap meets reggae uptown in "Lighters On The Corner".

Review: French funkateer Morlack gets lively with an EP that belies its unforgiving title... Far from sounding cruel, each of the five cuts on here resonate with a sprightly, positive glow. The big problem is where to start: do you kick off your party with the slap-bass naughtiness and party chant of "It's Hot"? Or you go straight for the jugular with the rampant "Do It To Me"? Alternatively you could press the 'carnival' button and get freaky with the heaving horns of "Mamboteca". How about throwing the party into delightful disarray with the Cypress Hill/Bootsy booty "Refugee Camp"? Or, for your final option, causing a mosh pit with the Busta-front electro-techno-rock clash "Tical"? It's all about the options, of which Morlack gives you plenty. Cruel? Too generous more like!

Review: Morlack's a dark horse! Having emerged in the last 18 months with a selection of ace floor-shattering singles on Breakbeat Paradise, Big M and Funk Blasters, he's not so once as hinted at a full-length album. Yet here it is; and it sounds as if it's been in our collections forever. Operating with a slithering, low-swung vibe there's heavy emphasis on bold hip-hop breaks, sopping wet basslines and well crafted hip-hop vocals from the likes of ODB, Bootsy Collins, Public Enemy and many many more. As the album progresses we shimmy from cheeky b-boy to raw funk ("Bizz") to 80s electro boogie pop ("Yabba Bridge") to decadent synth-driven proto-house ("I'm Too Sexy"). From mischievous funk flinger to full album artist, Morlack's taking names right now.

Review: Just like his previous EP a few months back on Breakbeat Paradise, Morlack ticks every single party box possible across five tracks here. Kicking off with his darkest moment to date, "Ghetto Messiah" is a vicious Bassnectar flavoured rub of Fugee's "Rumble In The Jungle. Meanwhile "Get Twisted" flips the switch completely with a fair tale nu-funk jam that utilises DMX's "X Gonna Give It To Ya" to a booty-shaking excess. Elsewhere we find Big Daddy Kane going disco ("Dogzone V3") and Nas, Kanye and KRS-One getting lively on a the fattest p-funk groove this side of the Weight Watchers clinic ("Get A Lil' Stupid").

Review: French breaks-bass producer and remixer Morlack has made a name for himself with some cheeky edits and sub-punishing originals over the last few years, but "Where Do U Get Ur Funk From" is his first full-length foray for the Funk Blasters label and it's a gem from start to finish. A mix of straight up raw JB funk (as on "Put It Out") to heavyweight nu-funk breaks ("Soul Train Line"), Morlack lends his hand to all manner of styles and keeps things buzzing and distinctly party-flavoured over the LP's thirteen tracks.