Hands Of Time At Juno Download

Review: More commonly known for his dusty fingered crate digging endeavours alongside Amir, Boston's Kon dips his toes into the world of glistening disco danceteria for the always stellar HOT Gold label. Whilst the world needs another revision of Michael Jackson like it needs another series of Big Brother, there is an undeniable class to "Sunlight" which lifts a mere titular smidgen of the departed King Of Pop's vocal turn from "Rock With You". Placing it amidst a live instrument mid tempo crunch filled with classic disco flourishes such as tight bass guitar and swirling keys, it makes for another HOT Gold hit. Up next, there's a slinky dub version where you can appreciate the input of some of the other artists involved, such as Tom "Disco" Noble on guitar!

Review: You know a nu-disco record is on to something when its chiming analogue melodies and bubbling synths sound like they were designed for a woodland rave full of tiny pixies, goblins and fairies. That's what "Reaction" sounds like (to us, at least), and it's rather good. There's a darker, dubbier remix from Tiago Zawa, too, for those who secretly want the fantasy rave to be taken over by villainous Alan Rickman lookalikes. "Odyssey", meanwhile, takes the cheery little people on a trip to the moon - think space disco with a dash of acid and old skool piano frippery - while Jacques Renault's dubby house remix sets off into deep space and just keeps on going.

Review: The Hands of Time reaches its third release will the help Social Disco Club. Electronic, acid jazz of the highest order from the Portuguese producer offers a statement of intent for 2010 for both him and the label.

Hands of Time are a young label, currently led by Humberto Matias' Social Disco Club whose "I'm Good For You" is already the producer's second release of the label's entire back catalogue of three releases. The previous two outings were edit based, coming from Social Disco Club themselves and then The Beat Broker. However, now they kick start proceedings with an original production from the Portuguese artist. An infectious jazz sample house groove sets in from the start as a neat piano chord hook and a steady bassline set the tone. Tidy percussion with some jazzy high hats and symbols are soon joined by a lush, authentic sounding soul jazz female vocal. Adding a playful feel to this suave and sophisticated number gives it real character and personality - something that Social Disco Club is proving to be able to effortless bring to his tracks.

Dr Drunks re dunk adds an unstoppable rolling four note bassline to the original, making it a groovier and dancier versions for the dancefloor. Tiago strips the track before patiently building it up and up with stabbing synths and swirling sounds in this driving disco take on the original. Finished by a funky dub version, this release highlights Social Disco Club as an act to watch throughout 2010. As his building reputation continues to grow, we can only wait and see what he has up his sleeves next.

Review: Despite a solid discography, it would still be fair to say that Humberto 'Social Disco Club' Matias has built his fast-rising reputation largely on the back of some excellent re-edits. While his original productions are rarely less than noteworthy, they regularly lack a bit of sparkle. For the first few minutes, "Let's All Chant" looks as if it's wandering off down the same route, with a relentless, drugy bassline sparring with so-so percussion. But then, just as all seems lost, a hooky disco vocal samples drops in (at least on the strangely named "Gay Version") and we're away. It's very simple, but it works brilliantly. Good work, Humberto.

Review: Given the quality of his previous releases this year - most notably the Lilt EP of original productions - 2012 could be a breakthrough 12 months for Portuguese producer Humberto Matias, better known as Social Disco Club. Here, he goes back to the disco edit scene where he first made his name, offering up two lip-smacking party jams. Lead cut "Na Mouche" is particularly good, fluctuating between growling disco-rock and percussion-laden party disco for seven sweaty minutes. "Disco Sucks (Again)" offers a formidably tough and driving version of Harvey Mason's iconic 80s boogie cut "Groovin You", wisely concentrating on the track's famous percussion and widely sampled backing vocals.

Review: If the sparse beats-and-old skool acapella intro of "Lilt" doesn't get you going, you're clearly in need of serious House Therapy. Like Portuguese producer Social Disco Club's other recent work, it bristles with late night intent, offering a sweaty blast-from-the-past and long, drawn-out chords that could have been stolen from "Sueno Latino" or "Pacific State". "Simple Dreams" is positively warm and cuddly in comparison, all darting synth bass, loose percussion and jazz keys. Then there's "Unknown Sea", a stretched-out, retro-futurist nu-disco jam that bubbles and fizzes with electronic intent. Social Disco Club has always showed promised; he's now delivering.

Review: This solid, party-friendly three-tracker from edit specialists Hands Of Time takes a rusty scalpel to some of the most familiar work of beardy disco-popsters the Bee Gees. While many will consider the source material to be a touch too, well, obvious, the three included edits are very good - if only because they appear to have reconstructed the tracks using the original multi-track tapes. The resultant versions delight in stripping the familiar originals down to their grooves, dubbing out individual elements in a Todd Terje-ish style. The real winner is Kon's Whiskey Dub of "Staying Alive", which uses the original vocal sparingly, instead building up a formidable, horn-heavy disco dub.