Review: 10 years on from its initial release, Groove Armada's contribution to the Anotherlatenight series gets a new lease of life. For those searching for deep, downtempo and vaguely Balearic fare, it's well worth a look. While Groove Armada's mix is enjoyable enough, it's the unmixed tracks that are most worthy of attention. Amongst the familiar classics (Kleer's boogie classic "Tonight", Mr Fingers' "Can You Feel It" and Metro Area's "Muira"), you'll find hot curiosities from the likes of Shuggie Otis (the decidedly acid-fried "Strawberry Letter 23"), Loose Ends ("Feel The Vibe"), Good Together (forgotten super-deep house jam "Work It Out") and Don Ray (the heady disco grooves of "Standing In The Rain").
Review: The melodrama in nu-disco land is catching with this fine Vienna label taking their cue from Alkalino by announcing their "Very Last Edits". Let's hope it's all just hot air to promote their hot tunes. Philly Vanilli presents three of the four tracks: the weird and wonderful warped loops of "I Work For A Living", the rolling basslines, whistles and soulful vocals of "Every Way But Loose" and the gently tweaked "Saturday Night The Girls Are Alright". Aretha Franklin Roosevelt's "Its Just Your Love" is given a deep and shimmering house rework by Teddy Esposito too.
Review: Here uber-compilers Strictly Breaks present their third collection of songs as sampled by classic hip hop act, A Tribe Called Quest. These collections serve as both testament to the taste and crate digging skills of the '90s act and, as well, just a great collection of songs to dig, ya dig? Highlights include the hip-cat modernist jazz of Cannonball Adderley's "Steam Drill", the spittle-flecked verbosity of Last Poets' "Time", the tragically beautiful "Midnight Cowboy" theme and Stevie Wonder's anthem to beat all anthems, "Sir Duke". Dope.
19 Stevie Wonder - "For Once In My Life" - (1:44) 111 BPM
20 Esquries Now - "Think" - (2:34) 110 BPM
21 Janko Nilovic - "Drug Song" - (3:08) 89 BPM
22 Mario Nascimbene - "Shake N Bake" - (2:04) 57 BPM
23 Idris Muhammad - "Brother You Know You're Doing Wrong" - (5:42) 121 BPM
24 100% Posion - "Windy C" - (5:31) 97 BPM
25 Open Sky Unit - "Sunshine Starr" - (5:13) 98 BPM
Review: As you can see - and hear - the Strictly Breaks imprint is back with another monster compilation, filled with the same charm and charisma as all of the other Soul Treats series, and it's time for number 19 in the series! Opening with Aretha Franklin's "Big Man" is a clear statement of intent, and that's closely followed by Junior Parker's "The Tax Man", so you know this is a soul compilation done absolutely correctly. If anything, it serves as a wonderful review of the very best music to represent a sound and an era that will forever remain timeless; but this ain't no amateur gear...just go an indulge in tunes from the likes of Joyce Williams, Charles Earland, James Spencer, Stevie Wonder and many, many more soul heroes.
