Review: San Francisco-based collective 40 Thieves draft in a couple of very special guests here. Cinnamon Joyce, formerly known as Joyce Jones, was a member of Philly stalwarts First Choice and sang on classics like 'Armed And Extremely Dangerous' and 'Smarty Pants', while Gary Davis was an in-house musician for Patrick Adams and Peter Brown's equally legendary P&P Records. Which explains the sheer quality that drips from every pore of 'The Gift', a slo-mo groover sitting somewhere between soul, Balearica and nu-disco that's augmented by some gorgeous, garage-y organs and supplied with dub, beats and radio mixes for maximum playability.
Review: Since launching at the dawn of the decade, Paul 'Mudd' Murphy and Simon Purnell's Leng label has risen to become one of the most consistent nu-disco labels around, with a trademark style that cannily combines chugging grooves, dub disco rhythms, and clear West Coast psychedelic rock and contemporary Balearica influences. It's for this reason that this celebratory 10th birthday compilation is such a treat. The multitude of highlights includes, but is no way limited to, the kaleidoscopic nu-disco rush of Pete Herbert's vintage remix of Apiento's 'She Walks', the kraut-folk-goes dub insanity of the Idjut Boys remix of Mountaineer's 'Golden Chalk', the intense drug-chug of Mudd's 'Slow Rave' mix of Tiago's 'The Source', and the late-night exotica of 'Luna' by Turkish producer Ali Kuru.
Review: San Francisco trio 40 Thieves have never been particularly productive, dropping a handful of impressive releases over the course of the last decade. It's something of a pleasant surprise, then, to discover that this long-awaited debut album encompasses an impressive 20 tracks. It's exciting to report, too, that The Sky Is Yours is also rather good. Sitting somewhere between low-slung punk-funk, misty-eyed Balearica, slacker dub-rock, stargazing disco, wonky jazz, stripped Italo and bubbly nu-disco, the 20 tracks bristle with sassy alternative attitude and intoxicating underground flavour. It takes a little time to soak it all in, but it's worth the effort; The Sky Is Yours is full of weird and wonderful highlights.
Review: Balearica exponents 40 Thieves are back on Leng for this cheeky little treat. "In Your Space" is five minutes of slow motion cosmic pleasure, holding a soft and fluffy linear 70s groove that's in no rush to go anywhere...and with the chilled mood it'll put you in, that's a very good thing indeed.
Review: Occasional Rong Music types and Smash Hit Music Co mainstays 40 Thieves transfer to Claremont 56's dancefloor offshoot Leng for a touch of heady Balearic chugginess. "Backward Love" is arguably their best single for some time, coming on like a twisted Balearic disco trip through San Francisco's party underground with only copious amounts of LSD for company. It features backwards guitar solos, a killer groove and the sort of tight, dubwise disco bass that used to mark out Mudd releases. Flipside "Crystal Mountain Thunder Fuck" (really!) continues in the same vein, sounding not unlike an 80s alt rock B-Side. Well and truly baked - we love it.
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