Review: For reasons not made clear, the esteemed Gomma label collared Peaches and decided to record some cover versions of tracks from the back catalogue of the iconic Casablanca Records label. Purists might sneer at the mere idea of this concept but the end products are undeniably fun (and its refreshing to hear Ms Nisker actually sing as opposed to, you know, act like Peaches). Moullineux step up first with a burning punk funk rendition of Flashdance's "Maniac", whilst Telonius' take on Donna Summer's "Our Love" gets bonus points for having Mr Harold Faltemeyer on keys! Other highlights in the eight track include Munk's chunky disco funk take on the Stephanie Mills classic "You Can't Run From My Love" whilst the ever excellent Phenomenal Handclap Band embellish the Halloween standard "Walk The Night" with their own distinct brand of loose limbed funk.
Review: Last year, Kapote joined forces with regular home Toy Tonics to release Teutonik Disaster, a compilation of his own re-edits of late '70s and early '80s, "German new wave funk". 12 months on he returns to the same label with a new collection, Mushroom House, which boasts a mixture of Balearic, Afro and cosmic-influenced cuts from the imprint's vaults. Highlights come thick and fast throughout, from the rubbery, dubbed-out Afro-house bounce of Ponty Mython's 'Slippin' Into Darkness' and the dusty Afro-disco haziness of Munk's 'Nigerian Jam', to the intergalactic electro trip of the Asphodells' killer remix of 'The Circular Path' by the Deadstock 33s, and the deep space Italo-disco chug of Baldelli's sparkling 'Phobos (2020 Version)'.
Review: Given that he released his first record under the Munk moniker way back in 2000, it would be fair to describe Mathias Modika as a "veteran". The Gomma founder has released a wide variety of music under the alias over the years, much of it with a jazzy bent. He's at it again here, with title track "Hot Medusa" offering a 95 BPM stroll through hazy, guitar solo-laden downtempo pastures. Even better is "Purple Haze", which combines bumpin' deep house, woozy chords and notable Todd Edwards influences on a particularly tasty, mid-tempo shuffler. Best of all, though, are Kai Alice's two deep, jazz-house remixes of "Hot Medusa", which blend bossa influences with all manner of tasty musical flourishes.
Happiness Juice (extended Club mix) - (8:02) 115 BPM
Happiness Juice (Miguel Campbell remix) - (6:27) 119 BPM
Happiness Juice (Satin Jackets extended club mix) - (7:11) 113 BPM
Happiness Juice (instrumental version) - (6:57) 115 BPM
Happiness Juice (Radio version) - (4:15) 115 BPM
Happiness Juice (Satin Jackets remix) - (4:23) 113 BPM
Review: Unfettered positivity, "Happiness Juice" is guaranteed to quench any feel good thirst you and your dancefloor have for a long, long time to come. Featuring catchy vocals over a perfectly complementary riff, this sensational track goes way beyond living up to its name. The remixes have been well curated, too. Miguel Campbell goes for sultry classic west coast simplicity while the Satin Jackets switch the focus to the epic piano riff. Pure soul satiation.
Review: Gomma boss Munk (AKA producer Matthias Modica) has rarely strayed from the comforting bosom of his own imprint, so it's a surprise to see him popping up on Under The Shade. "Intimate Stranger" has an immediacy that suggests it could be a big dancefloor hit in coming months. Its' driving, classic house bassline and alien rave stabs work perfectly with the soaring, pitched-up female vocal and accompanying organs. There's a decent instrumental, too, for those who prefer their grooves stripped-back. Remix-wise, choose between the murky acid of Fabrizio Mammarella (our pick), the prog house-tinged beauty of Mercury's interpretation, or the electrofunk-goes-rave antics of Plastic Plates' dizzying rework. All are pretty hot.
Review: Gomma lift "Mis Labios" the latest track off Munk's gloriously decadent album The Bird & The Beat, which comes backed with the usual array of suitably fine remixes. There's an undeniable sexiness to the original thanks to the breathy vocal contribution from Joyce Muniz, which rides Modica's own salsa riffs with aplomb. Muniz herself contributes two remixes that realign the track for a tougher crowd - anyone who checked her release for Man Recordings last year will know what to expect. Further reason to investigate comes in the form of a shimmering disco refix from Black Van that provides one of the better recent examples of how to use the vocoder wisely.
