Review: It's been slowly drip-fed to us over a 10-month period but now here at last is the full album. On 'Something Like That', Jalapeno bosses Skeewiff celebrate 25 years in the game by paying tribute to some of the music that's inspired them, delivering generally very faithful but also very accomplished reworks of classic tracks by artists ranging from The Winstons and Jimmy Smith to Dick Dale and Herb Alpert. New additions to the roster on this final version include Nancy Sinatra's 'These Boots Are Made For Walking', Muppets 'Mah Na Mah Na', Mel Tormé's Mod club standard 'Coming Home Baby' and, just to prove they're not taking themselves TOO seriously, Boots Randolph's 'Yakety Sax' - better known to most as the 'Benny Hill' theme.
Review: Back once again with the rework masters, as Jalapeno bosses Skeewiff drop the latest instalment in a series of covers/re-edits/homages that's been released in dribs and drabs over the past nine months. The new addition this time out is their take on 1954 Dean Martin classic 'Sway', though if our ears don't deceive us - bearing in mind that there are at least 67 different recordings of the song! - it's actually the 1959 Rosemary Clooney version that's referenced here. Elsewhere on the EP, their takes on lounge classics from The Winstons, Herb Alpert, Dick Dale, Jimmy Smith, Keith Mansfield and The Young Holt Trio return.
Review: Jalapeno bring us their latest V/A collection rounding up the cream of the label's recent releases. The line-up features all the usual suspects (The Allergies, Ivo FitzRoy, Flevans, Smoove & Turrell and label bosses Skeewiff) as well as a handful of newer names, and if you're a fan of the label's trademark blend of funk, soul, breaks and hip-hop - with the emphasis this time out firmly on the soul side - then it's hard to see how you'd end up dissatisfied here. Standouts for yours truly include Wolfgang Valbrun's 'Cyclone', with its big, cavernous production redolent of 60s/northern soul, and Mr Doris & D-Funk's rapped homage to UK childhood 'Back In The Day', but you'll doubtless find your own favourites...
Review: Not quite sure what's going on but Jalapeno are now seemingly halfway to releasing a new LP from label bosses Skeewiff incrementally, with one extra new track appearing on each consecutive release! There's not much we can tell you about their takes on 'Misirlou','Amen Brother', 'Little Spanish Flea', 'Exclusive Blend' or 'The Cat' that we haven't told you before, then, so let's focus this time around on new arrival 'Wack Wack', which was originally a crazy jazz workout recorded by The Young Holt Trio (AKA Young-Holt Unlimited) in 1966 - and which will inspire the cutting of numerous rugs for sure.
Review: Definitely one from the cheeky side, this, as Skeewiff serves up five fresh takes on some very well-known tunes from days gone by. Whether you actually require new versions of Dick Dale's 'Misirlou' (as made famous by 'Pulp Fiction'), Herb Alpert's 'Little Spanish Flea' or The Winstons' 'Amen Brother' is something only you can decide, but there are Friday night floors out there that'll lap 'em up for sure. It's the brace of slightly less obvious choices that stand out, though - Keith Mansfield's kitsch classic 'Exclusive Blend' and Jimmy Smith's 'The Cat', the latter a good place to send anyone who asks "What does 'wigged-out Hammonds' mean?"!
Review: Jalapeno bosses Skeewiff have long been known for their love of all things jazzy, lounge-y and library music-ish, but seldom have they worn that heart so brazenly on their sleeves as they do with this EP, which packs four covers of easy listening classics. Dick Dale's 'Misirlou' many people will know from the 'Pulp Fiction' soundtrack, while The Winstons' 'Amen Brother' gave the world the Amen break; add to those Herb Alpert's 'Spanish Flea' and Keith Mansfield's 'Exclusive Blend', all respectfully but unashamedly reinvented in signature Skeewiff style, and you've got a surefire recipe for some unpretentious dancefloor fun 'n' frolics.
Review: The 'Jalapeno Funk' series reaches its 12th installment. The title's arguably something of a misnomer, because the 20 tracks here are largely closer to Dap Kings-style neo-soul - with, in true Jalapeno style, a side order of hip-hop - than they are to phat-assed 70s funk. But look at the names involved: with the likes of Smoove & Turrell, The Allergies, Skeewiff, Dr Rubberfunk, Ivo Fitzroy and Aldo Vanucci all onboard, you know fans of the label and/or the style are going to be more than satisfied with this one! Soopasoul's jazz-tinged 'A Wild Mad Beat' is one standout for this reviewer, while Skeewiff's 'Man Of Constant Sorrow' is worth a mention for its distinctive use of a country/bluegrass-style male vocal.
Review: We're full of respect for the team behind Jalapeno Records, who have now been offering up the finest in funk, soul, hip-hop, disco and breakbeat for 20 years. It's a landmark that calls for a celebration, and with this compilation they've certainly marked their anniversary in style. The 20-track set is full-to-bursting with party-starting heat, with vintage gems from the likes of Skeewiff, Ikon, Kraak & Smaak and Featurecast being joined by more recent highlights from current imprint heavyweights such as Smoove & Turrell and the Allergies. Highlights are plentiful, with our picks including the break-driven revivalist soul headiness of Aldo Vanucci's 'You're All Show', the summery positivity of Gizelle Smith's 'S.T.A.Y' and the rushing disco brilliance of Dimitri From Paris's essential edit of Izo Fitzroy's 'I Want Magic'.
Review: The 'Jalapeno Funk' series reaches its 11th installment, which is no mean feat! As such, you should have a pretty good idea what to expect here already, and you'd be right. All the usual Jalapeno suspects - Flevans, Skeeweiff, Smoove & Turrell, Speedometer, The Allergies, Dr Rubberfunk, Aldo Vanucci - are present and correct, and while it has to be said there aren't many stylistic surprises or curveballs on offer, fans of the label's trademark funk 'n breaks sound will be more than satisfied, with highlights including Flevan's light-footed 'Speculate' and Vanucci's Hammond-toting 'Get A Hold On This'.
Review: Now over 20 years into their career, Latin-funk-big beat fusionists Skeewiff return with an album that touches on multiple music bases. The album opens with 'Starsky & June', an energetic slice of car chase funk that owes a considerable debt of inspiration to Isaac Hayes' classic 'Theme From Shaft'. Elsewhere, rapper Baby Bam guests on three tracks that will keep the hip-hop lovers happy, while jazzier flavas can be found on another trio of cuts featuring acid jazz survivors Brand New Heavies. One of these latter three, 'Cosmic Space Jam', is a particular standout, as is the rambunctious, 1920s-inspired 'Cheeky Charlie'.
Review: Veteran UK retro breaks duo Skeewiff (aka Alex Rizzo and Elliot Ireland) recently caused a splash with the release of their first album in ages, Skeewiff In Wonderland. Now they're back again, this time with a new, non-LP single. "Coming Home Baby" appears here in three versions: an acapella (or 'Wiffapella") a single edit and the full length version. Out favourite is the latter where you get nearly eight whole minutes of searing DnB beats fuelling a shimmy-tastic 50s/60s-style swing-along. Also included is the Austin Powers-meets-The-Spencer-Davis-Group Hammond heavy romp, "Triumph Stag". Groovy, baby!
Review: Exclusive to us here at Juno Download, we present the new full length by Legendary British duo Alex Rizzo and Elliot Ireland aka Skeewiff. TheIr block rocking beats have made them stalwarts of the Jalapeno label as well as appearing regularly for Rambling and out of Japan and their own Pedigree Cuts imprint. Their cut and paste 'cinerama' is twisted and transported via five dimensions throughout the album and perfectly encapsulated on this thrilling soundtrack to a departure. Highlights include the liquid drum and bass of dynamic opener "Down The Rabbit Hole", the uplifting 'soul-step' of "Pig & Pepper" (that has the Hospital Records kinda sound) as well as "Who Stole The Tarts" which goes for glitchy and bleepin' beats and bass shenanigans.
Review: The clue is in the title here as Brighton-based funk label Jalepeno have rounded up fifteen of the best soul sister cuts from their mighty catalogue. Boasting a mix of old and new, and spanning quite a few different styles too, this compilation couldn't have come soon enough. Some of the many highlights featured include the powerful and bluesy soul-bearing opener, "Reckoning" by Iro FitzRoy, the candy floss tones of Berenice Van Leer on the 80s-tastic "My Mind' Made Up" by Kraak & Smaak and the muscular harmonies of Farina Miss on Featurecast's "Ego Tripping".
Review: Swing-hop hero Skeewiff was off gallivanting around Brazil recently, producing all kinds of Latin-tinged gems. Now he's back on home ground with the equally popular Shawn Lee for seven collaborative rejigs of some tasty vintage nuggets. We get a whole selection of different retro styles here, but our faves include the cowbell, hammond and big, lazy beats of "Cramp", the total Austin Powers-style wig out of "Teen Beat" and the odd analogue electro romp of "Groovin".
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