Review: Presenting another collection of the best nu-funk and ghetto breaks from the Breakbeat Paradise label, volume 2 of Paradise Breaks contains a killer selection of hip-hop, funk and bass work from artists at the top of their field such as Badboe, Morlack, Breakbeat Junkie and Jazz K Lipa. Among the 15 tracks, look out for Pimpsoul's low-slung remix of Badboe's "One of Those Days" and the re-energised Southern soul of Jiggy Joe and Prosper's "Sweet Home Smoke".
Review: Denmark's Breakbeat Paradise, as the name suggests, is Scandinavia's holy ground for anything breakbeat-oriented. Starting as an early music website back in 1996 it has since then developed into a full-blown label and an impressive one at that This time we have five different names and five different tracks, ranging from Conte Crux's electro-charged "Turn It Up" to "Like Jello" by DJ Rudd - featuring masterful sampling and chopping throughout. Morlack's "Makossa" re-spins some old-school NY rap, whilst "Bring Back The Funk" itself is a driving, break-ridden floor monster. DJ Throwback's "The Hook" tops it all off with some loose, hip-winding beats and breaks a la Africana.
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: It's not often an artist gets treated to being remixed 18 times on the one release, but here Morlack pulls it off. But before the remixing gets underway he raises the curtain with a Notorious B.I.G sampling gambit of slashing synths, tearing basslines and fluttering drums. Then there's the remixes. Funkanomics get all big band, Stevie Wonder and straight up hip hop on part two of a remix to "Take It To The Zulu", while BadBoE provides a killer remake of "Nice & Rough". James Brown is in the place during Trotter's remix of "Play Cards Right" while Morlack electrofunkifies himself in a 2014 remix of "Ghetto Vaccination". More breakbeats than you can poke a DJ at!
Review: Normally one for the grand gesture (his last album boasted 27 tracks!), master of the gently nefarious art of the mash-up, Morlack, comes back down to earth to deliver a mere four edited disco gems for Katakana. As usual, the production quality of his sample-fuelled jiggery is second to none, with the slow and elastic funk of smoocher "The Dude", the slap bass twitcher "Morning", the stormin' electro-funk of "Dusic" and the raw, cowbell bustin' hoe-down of "Spinnin'" proving to be dancefloor devourers one and all.
Review: Morlack comes correct once again with a 27-track collection of total funk blasts. Naughty booties, reversions and mash-ups galore, the eclectic vibe ranges from skippy hair-swishing party rock ("Funky Woman") to cheeky Ting Tings reversions ("Hang It Up") via crazy blends of Zeppelin, Black Box and Outkast ("Ride On A Whole Lotta Love"). Elsewhere we hit gems like the big disco string B.M.W sucker punch "Get A Lil Stupid" and Bowie-busting block party slammer "Triple Fame". Morlack's repertoire was already bulging before this - now it's just ridiculous. Easily one of the best masters of the illicit art of mashery.
Review: Now a firm face on the nu-funk and glitch scene, Morlack continues to surprise and delight with each and every release. A sample craftsman, his ability to twist and manipulate references is second to none. Here we find him in slo-mo disco mode with lush warm synths that swoon over a slinky-but-subtle bass groove and robust beats. Remix-wise Leygo gets sexy with a superb 124 half-tempo jam that will work well in warm-ups and end-of-night wind downs and Kenny Beeper adds a more uptempo funk flavour to proceedings by way of a stinking bassline. Morlack also gets busy on the remix front himself with a cheeky Sunz Of Man and ODB vocal version. Like we said, Morlack always surprises and delights.
Review: Could Morlack be the funkiest man to ever have come out of France? Quite possibly. Listen to the Troutman-meets-Biggie EP title track and you'll see where we're coming from. A juicy jacking throwback to the '80s and '90s it's a one-way-ticket to Party Central. And there's no turning back. "Funky Thing" meanwhile takes a Meters-esque refrain from The Unemployed and throws in a bunch of chicken noises and series of soaking wet basses to great effect. Elsewhere we're bombarded by synth swoonery and old school hip-hop on "Hit Directly" while "In Brasilia" showcases Morlack's penchant for disco.
Review: French funk baron Morlack returns to Breakbeat Paradise with a textbook quad of mid-tempo booty-shakers. "Chinchillas" takes Snoop to the disco, "Cele-FUNK-Tion" stomps with walloping 80s boogie flavour. "Ready Ready" gets Dizzee and spins with vibrant jazz funk fusion. "Party Time" finishes the set with Rick James/Bootsy style groove garnished in a healthy sprinkle of ragga. Lovely.
Review: Last spotted on volume 10, Katakana mainstay Morlack returns with six more distinctive edits and rubdowns. In keeping the series' Latin, jazz, soul and boogie motifs, each of these cuts oozes smooth funk sophistication. With a sound that ranges from Papa Levi's rapid chatter on the skank-packed "Trouble In Africa" to the slapbass and horn-heaved sensation on "We've Got", Morlack tickles every corner of the dancefloor with gusto. Essential.
Review: It's been a great year for Morlack so far, and he's showing no signs of losing momentum with this brand new quad of nu-funk booties. "Shake That Pussy" gives Dizzee a P-funk massage. "Move Song" comes at you with a shiny Paul Hardcastle / Harold Faltermeyer style 80s groove. "Pusher" takes Ice-T's finest moment and gives it a Shaft-style 70s car chase down Lombard hill. Finally we hit a funky climax of Parliamentary proportions as Morlack goes back to the source and samples Bootsy himself. Outstanding stuff.
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: Following up his original "Good To Go-Go" volume late last year, French funk shuffler Morlack unleashes his ghetto ghouls with this super heavyweight five pack. Both "Say Nope 2Dope" and "Wickedest Band Alive" swagger with block-rocking boogie funk flavour, referencing the likes of Rare Essence and Sugar Hill. Elsewhere we're seduced by Prince-level synth flashes on "Go-Go Queen", we're massaged by '80s synths on "Take Some Bitches" and get all p-funk on "You Know What's Up". Consistently heavy and utterly funky, Morlack's funk message is loud and clear right now.
Review: How many edit series can boast reaching a tenth volume? Ok, well how many can boast of attaining ten successful ones? Here French funk party commander Morlack provides five new top-notch retweaks that take no prisoners. "Loose It" is a tight James Brown-style jam that occasionally veers into French electro territory, "Let's Boogie" is all funk grooves and tough hip-hop breaks, "Big Pill" is total rubberband disco-funk,"Capital S" is more electro-boogie and finally "Tough" wraps things up with a big ole slap bass and flute singalong!
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: Breakbeat Paradise continue their commendable services to ghetto funk freaks across the globe with this rather delicious four track from French funkateer Morlack. The lead piece, a pelvis thrusting rendition of Tower Of Power's '72 hit "You Got To Funkafize", sets the agenda with supreme squidgy bass and a groove that simply won't quit. "Party Squeezing" follows, and with it comes an enchanting slap bassline that should woo the most poe-faced of dancefloors. Elsewhere we get a little lively on the horns with "Champagne & Caviar" and "Lil Strange To You", a track that harbours a walking bassline that's so brutishly funky rumour has it Bootsy Collins' chopped off his ear when he listened to it on our site.
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.
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 head Morlack returns to the BBP label after his first "Ghetto Vaccination" release for them a few years back with this sample-tastic, funk 'n' breaks work out. Lead song "Take It To The Zulu" gets split into two parts - one bearing a huge nod to Afro-tribal house and the other leaning on more of haunted hip-hop tip. "Get It Hot" however switches up styles into a jazz-funk blitz while "See The Light" goes all out soulful with some excellent mellow jazz samples layered over kicking breaks drums.
Review: Uh-oh! It's French breakbeat wizard Morlack back to his old tricks! Returning to Breakbeat Paradise, the prodigious beat-maker drops the second chapter of Ghetto Disco, a series which, as you can probably tell by the name, focusses on the more 'gangsta' side of disco and boogie. In fact, these five cuts are of the latter than they are the former, stomping and chomping their way across arrangements with some fiery electro bass and cosmic tones. There's even a nice layer of hip-hop sensibility in there for you, namely through the party-ready funk-bomb by the name of "Smokin N Drinkin". Big and bad - here to party!
Review: If ever there was a resident curator of the esteemed nu-disco Katakana Edits series, it's the Go-Go hero Morlack. Frankly, he's always at it. Here he's back for numero 47, this time rustling up three new cuts for our itchy disco feet. "Ring" goes for the jugular, taking a well-known (to the point of wedding disco classic) 70s barnstormer and adding some seriously filthy electro arpeggios to the mix. Next up, "Up Down" is a slow and groovy party breaks cover version of Diana Ross' perennial classic. Last but not least is "Tell Me Something Good" which is relaxed and mellow reggae fun at its finest.
Review: Re-edit maestro Morlack went AWOL for a while, with reported sightings of him partying with Trotter in as far away locations as Brazilian jungles coming in thick and fast. Well wherever he disappeared to this producer is back and he's brandishing a new album to boot! Beautiful Mistakes features 13 new jams, all of which are guaranteed to get you moving in one direction or other. Highlights include the lively jump up Egyptian DnB of "Belly Pyramid", the smooth 80s soul grind of the title track and the glistening electro-funk grooves of "Nightlife". Back in business!
Review: The Breakbeat Paradise Recordings catalogue is an impressive one, boasting some of the most sought after releases in and around the breakbeat scene. That catalogue has just been improved yet again by the ever-impressive sounds of Morlack, who returns with his brand new 5 track project. We kick off with the depthy funk melody sampling and gritty reeses of 'Keep That Funk' before drawing for the vocal fidget combos on 'Be Bumpin Fresh' and 'Ghetto Girls'. Next up the more stripped back skippy arrangements of 'DayO', before finishing up the EP with 'Lets Get It (part 2)', which utilizes some fantastic patois vocal sampling with exhilarating horn riffs and smooth percussive patterns.
Review: Funk Blasters are back and this time alongside the king of cuts himself; Morlack, who arrives on the scene with a fresh bag of magic as he unveils the second volume of his 'Cheeky Edits' series. We begin with the shuffling disco beats of 'Cruncked House', before moving into the soul grooves and expressive riffs of 'Feel It'. To follow; 'Smthing Special', another futuristic soul slice, leading into the darkened hip hop drumwork of 'A Toke'. The project then rounds off nicely with 'Knee Dip', a funkadelic blend of crunchy rhythms, precise vocal slices and moogy bass leads, packed with flavour and energy.
Review: For their 63rd edition, Katakana Edits hand the reins over to Paris based DJ Morlack again with some crafty resplices of some forgotten disco gems. Following up a slew of terrific releases on the always reliable Breakbeat Paradise imprint - you're in equally good hands with this four tracker. From the neon-lit, '80s styled boogie down jam "Your Love", the Cameo styled funk attack on "Wop" to a golden oldie by the artist who was formerly known under a variety of names on "Do It 2U Right" - there is no doubt that Ben Morlack has got it goin' on!
Review: As one of the leading Parisian future breakbeat masters, Morlack makes a return to Funk Blasters for a super groovy four track project by the name of 'Good To Go Go Vol. 5'. Right from the off we are greeted with super crunchy drum patterns on 'Woody's Groove' and 'Go Go Bart', both of which combine these arrangements with very catchy funk riffs. On 'Got My Eyes On You' the funk levels increase as smooth vocal samples roll into play alongside vibrant bass melodies. With 'Hey Buddy' we are thrown a super curveball as we delve into more latin rhythms and carnival themes before we finish the EP nicely with the crafty yet soulful design on 'Let Me See You Go Go'.
Review: We all know his name. And by now we should all know what he sounds like, too... Morlack has been blazing the nu funk, bass and bootleg scene with creativity and stacks of long players for a good half decade now. This latest set comprises 14 of his genre-melting dancefloor devices; from the Kravitz dancehall facelift "Boss Like Me" to the slap-bass strutting, percussion heavy 80s rap homages "For The Brothers In The Ghetto" and "Problems Generator" each cut is primed for unashamed party fun. Elsewhere there's a 90s ghetto twist on the Tower Of Power-twisting "Movin' On The Dumb Stuff" while another highlight "Back It On" sees Beenie Man getting the funkiest version of his illustrious life. Not a dull moment throughout, Morlack keeps killing it. Get to know.
Review: French producer Morlack pops up with this bangin' little release on BBP Recordings. "Ghetto Vaccination" will turn the most heads here, appearing in both original and remixed by Badboe form. The Danish producer adds some nu-funk muscle to his version, adding a sheen of buyability to an impressive release that also includes three more Morlack originals - namely "Electrophonic Mind", the squealing sax of "Nice & Rough" and Juno Download freebie "Play Cards Right".
Review: Morlack comes correct once again with a 27-track collection of total funk blasts. Naughty booties, reversions and mash-ups galore, the eclectic vibe ranges from skippy hair-swishing party rock ("Funky Woman") to cheeky Ting Tings reversions ("Hang It Up") via crazy blends of Zeppelin, Black Box and Outkast ("Ride On A Whole Lotta Love"). Elsewhere we hit gems like the big disco string B.M.W sucker punch "Get A Lil Stupid" and Bowie-busting block party slammer "Triple Fame". Morlack's repertoire was already bulging before this - now it's just ridiculous. Easily one of the best masters of the illicit art of mashery.
Review: Paris-based Ben Morlack is the man at the controls for this latest addition to the ever-growing Katakana Edits series. 'Rainbow Mash' is just that: a mash-up of styles with house, big beat and P-funk influences thrown into the pot and serve up as a gloriously energetic dancefloor romp topped with a "party down!" vocal and a rolling, house-y piano riff. 'That Girl', meanwhile, beefs up Maxi Priest and Shaggy's 1996 ragga hit for modern dancefloors, while leaving the 'Green Onions' riff on which it's based intact. Both tracks can be safely filed in the box marked 'party-starters'.
Review: Well, it's most certainly hit the time to get funky as we take a stroll through this high energy collection of breakbeat chops from Morlack, who lands on the Funk Blasters imprint with fantastic results. We are treated to some absolute sauce buckets on this one, from the irresistible melodic grooves of 'U R The Rap Machine' to the old school vocal sampling of 'Family Anime' and gritty bass work on 'Movin' Alright'.Following this, the high energy bassline movements and hard hitting drums of 'Get Down' certainly strike a chord, with the EP rounding off well on the smooth vocal lines of 'Crazy Wig'.
Review: Bustling breakbeat badman turned re-edit hero Morlack has served up some scintillating stuff of late, including a brilliant four-tracker on Katakana Edits. Here he gets his re-edit groove on for Thunder Jam. It's a decent label debut which moves from vaguely Balearic '80s Afro-boogie (the synth and filter-sporting "Kalimba Tree") to chunky, hard-wired P-funk brilliance (the Bootsy Collins-esque bounciness of "Agony"), via smooth, slick and seductive '80s soul ("Control", whose slap-bass, screeching car tyre effects and sassy female vocals are particularly alluring) and horn-toting, big studio electrofunk ("Lovin' U"). In other words, it's another tidy collection of cuts.
Review: The chopper king himself Morlack returns here to the legendary Katanaka Edits imprint here with four stunning recreations, showcasing just why he is held in such high esteem by all of us here at Juno. The first track 'Here Comes The Hook' combines soulful, uplifting horn melodies with punchy drum moves for with fantastic results, whilst 'Here I'm' applies a similar format to some classic disco vocals. Next, 'Sossego' leaps to the forefront with some smooth, bluesy guitar riff, which is followed by the psychedelic grooves and twists of 'Lucy On Skate' to see out the EP in style.
