Review: Cardini & Co. glance over the last few years of their discography over at Correspondant, serving up a finely curated selection of their trademark brand of dark disco on 'Collection Vol 1'. It features all the modern classics you could possibly need compiled in one package: from Gerd Janson's low slung remix of Yovav's "Caribbean Zen Mode", Julian Stetter's utterly mesmerising epic "Bushwick" and the neon-lit glory of Krystal Clear's reinterpretation of Terr's "Neuromancer" to more recent additions to the catalogue like Fideles' balearic tinged nu-disco groove "Brain Machine". Elsewhere, there are some proper anthems that couldn't possibly have been overlooked, such as Damon Jee's awe-inspiring "Charmaniac", Maceo Plex with the moody "Mutant Disco" (feat. Maars) and eclosing it out are label staples Red Axes with the very track which set them on course for success seven years ago - "Caminho De Dreyfus".
Review: As you can imagine, Breakbeat Paradise Recordings specializes in the sort of house music that's carried by chunky blockade of beats and bass, all rounded off by a distinctive electro swing. This is the second chapter of the Big Fat Mama Beats series and, once again, the imprint have gone to extreme measures to secure a supremely effective line-up for both them and us. There's not a dull moment in here, or anything remotely beatless, so be sure to cop yourself this super-charged, super floor-minded collection of new-school breaks for the masses.
Review: Clouded Vision boss Matt Walsh's first mix CD, The Clouded Vision Experiment, gained plenty of praise on its 2012 release. Three years on, he's finally got round to putting together a follow-up. As with its predecessor, The Clouded Vision Experiment Level 2 aims to join the dots between bouncy, electro-influenced techno, warehouse-friendly tech-house, glistening nu-disco (see the Eskimo Twins' "Elegy") and hard-to-define, dancefloor-friendly electronica (Richard Norris's "Dim The Lights" being a great example). The unmixed portion of the collection is full of gems, including tracks and remixes from The Hacker, Pulp Disco & The Outcasts (whose P-funk goes-acid banger "3.142" stands out) and the brilliantly named Forty Fingers Dynamo.
Review: Budapest beat conjurers MustBeat tether up 21 of the finest remixes they've commissioned over the past four years. The end result is a widescreen romp that explores - and consequently tickles - every nook, corner and cranny of funk's thick-shag underbelly. From the swampy glitch dub of Sammy Senior's remix of "Unreality" to the sunshine skanks and crisp nylon string plucks of Niles Philips' take on "Cop Dat Shit" via the midrange squiggles and sweaty swagger of Trotter's twist on "Supernature", there's a clear consistency and clarity on this package that's seldom seen on a remix collection. A neat testament to the label's toil and great opportunity to fill any gaps in your collection.
Review: There's no-stopping the Tru Funk crew this year; be it booties or original funk cuts, the collective have been dishing out some fine styles of late. This compilation is the current zenith of their achievements; 10 fresh tracks from the likes of Chudy, Jayl Funk, DJ Axe, Dastardly Kuts, Warson, Sammy Senior and more. Low swung slo-mo ghetto is the flavour of the day with dashes of disco, funk, hip-hop and booty bass liberally splashed throughout. Highlights include Nynfus Corporation's ragga-bassline bomb "Weekend In Budapest" (featuring classic Freestylers lyrics if we're not mistaken) and Robinson Grooves' eighties-tastic slap-bass heavy "Bounce". If you've not yet joined the Tru Funk club, now's the time to sign up.
Review: Oh Lord, the Bomb Strikes again! It's the fourth volume of the unbeatable Funk N' Beats, mixed and 'sexified' by the inimitable Fort Knox Five! The man has collected an impressive number of artists and tunes right here, featuring the likes of The Fundamentals, Basement Freaks, Kormac, BadBoE, and many more beat smiths who are utterly up for a proper showdown! If you're stuck for beats, holding out on bass, or have been missing a bit too much funkiness from your life, then hit that download button and get movin'...
