Hot Casa France At Juno Download

Review: A fine reissue of this third album by '70s Afro-funk band Blo, who were championed and produced at one time by The Small Faces' Ronnie Lane, sees a treasure trove of almost Can-like grooves become available for a whole new generation of music fans. "Mind Walk" holds a tense, Hammond-led vibe with plenty of jazzy drum fills worked into the funk, while the woozy soul of "Gotta Get Me A Better Head" finds the band tapping into JB-esque licks.

Review: Hailing from Togo, West Africa, Itadi Bonney is an internationally respected musician. Here Hot Casa have tracked down and reissued one of his most desirable albums, "Itadi", originally released back in the 70s and thought long lost ever since. Recorded live with four musicians in a in a Ghanaian radio station, it features eight rousing political Afro-soul gems intended as a call for peace and unity in Africa, a message still very much needed today.

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".

Review: Can you imagine a Latino version of "Papa's Got A Brand New Bag", especially recorded to the soundtrack to an Austin Powers mission south of the border? Well, that's basically what "Ijo Soul" is all about. Also we get the seven-strong Parisian funk combo displaying African influences on the call and response electro funk of "Guapeta".

Review: Ahead of a full album of edits of Ivory Coast Afro funk entitled Ivory Coast Soul, Hot Casa drop this exclusive Julien Lebrun edit of this beautifully flowing 1981 gem. With Lebrun applying a soft touch to the guitar and organ-driven funk, this irresistible and pacey tune gets extended and made DJ-friendly for fans and spinners to enjoy equally.

Review: There's something delightfully sweet and naive about "I Can't Stop", the latest dewy-eyed soul cut from France's The Boogie Gentlemen. It's essentially a cover of Patti-Jo's Curtis Mayfield-producer slow-burner "Make Me Believe In You", but it sounds little like the original. Instead, this remake offers a soft focus, almost blue-eyed soul interpretation. It's a great twist and one of those tracks we can imagine working brilliantly as an end of night staple. Instrumental B-Side "It's Party Time" offers more sensual smooth grooves, with soul vocals samples and subtle electric piano flourishes riding a delicious head-nodding groove. Impressive stuff.