Review:
In the words of Paper Disco, episode six of their floor-friendly "Trash The Wax" series delivers "plenty of party pumping offerings". Predictably, proof of the set's club-ready status arrives via Hi-FI Sean's compilation opening remix of IPG v Hot Toddy's "Slow Motion Cowboy", which delivers a funk-fuelled riot of delay-laden guitars, funk rock attitude and sizzling dub disco grooves. Naturally, the rest of the collection is similarly strong. Highlights include a rare production outing from Bill Brewster (the throbbing, off-kilter Italo-disco him of "4 U Blue"), the Balearic Italo-disco bliss of Richard Norris's "Glow", the dreamy, arpeggio-driven nu-disco warmth of Kooky and Damoon's "Walk Back Into My Life" and Sheffield stalwart Solid State's deep, epic revision of "Remnants" by Speed For Lovers.
Review:
62 collections deep and still blazing up any party in a 1000 mile radius; Katakana deliver yet another fun and funk-fuelled package. All laced with a heavy rhythmic theme, attention to groove detail is paid throughout as we're treated to range of classic and deeply dug edits. "Galaxy" sets the tone with a sleazy strutting war cry before we're hurled into a Latin frenzy on both the sultry "Camina" and the bull-fighting "Descarga". Elsewhere "Leroy Loves Ya" brings the soulful touch and "JB World" closes with a little psychedelic mystique.
Review:
By now, we should all know what to expect from Editorial's multi-artist edit missives, namely refined party-starting fodder that puts the needs of dancefloors first and foremost. That's certainly what Ed Wizard and Disco Double Dee serve up on the bustling, bass-heavy Afro-funk style madness of the first of five "Dope Licks" on the long running label's latest EP. Hotmood's string-powered disco-funk bubbler "Worldwide" also hits the heights thanks to punchy horns and rolling, beefed-up beats, while Levantine's "Right On" is a rolling and relaxed exercise in filter-sporting disco-house grooves. Elsewhere, Melon Bomb's "Sweet Jam" makes merry with rubbery beats, jazzy bass guitar, dubbed-out vocal snippets and clipped funk guitars, while Alex Zuiev's "Get Lifted" offers the perfect balance between Idjuts style dub disco madness and toe-tipping disco-house chunkiness.
Review:
Scotland's Soup Dragons hit the mainstream in 1990 with their cover of the Rolling Stones' "I'm Free". The Glaswegian four-piece were synonymous with the emerging 'Madchester' sounds of the time and the track reached almost anthemic proportions. These modern perspectives by nu-disco giants Midnight Riot still do the song justice: label staples Yam Who? team up with Alan Dixon Remix for a gospel like remix that reaches near spiritual moments, then all the Riot Allstars team up for a sultry and dubby nu-disco rendition until the man himself - Hifi Sean aka Soup Dragon's frontman Sean Dickson - wraps it up with his driving funky house makeover which is superb.
Review:
According to our meticulous records, "My Hood" is the first collaborative single from sometime Relief Records and Monologue Music producer LEON, and recent Hot Creations signing Dennis Cruz. It sees them drag hip-house into the 21st century, layering a swaggering half rapped, half sung vocal atop a rubbery, driving backing track rich in fuzzy bass, rolling percussion and deliciously odd electronic noises. While good, we'd argue that Ewan Pearson's accompanying reworks are even better. Both the "Remix" and "Dub" versions operate at a slower, more chugging tempo, with the experienced producer wrapping mind-altering, psychedelic electronics and delay-laden dub-disco guitars atop a chunky, Italo-disco influenced groove. The "Dub" is naturally the more intoxicating of the two, though it's a close run thing.
Review:
Given that each of their previous releases has been on-point, it's little surprise to find that Fouk's latest EP is packed full of warm, sample-heavy, disco-flecked deep house treats. We'd argue that the headline attraction is bouncy opener "Organ Freeman", a tasty workout that layers fresh organ solos over a house groove built around rubbery bass and obscure disco-funk samples, though the wilder and more driving "Wrong Way" pushes it close. Elsewhere, "Butterfunk" is a lolloping trip into mid-tempo deep house/disco/jazz-funk fusion, while closer "Winter" is a loved-up chunk of deep space instrumental hip-hop with added boogie synths.
Review:
Like many producers in the nu-disco scene, Motte first rose to prominence by offering up a string of superb re-edits online. Since then, he's released music on Purple Disco Records and Big Love, and here makes his bow on Yam Who's mighty Midnight Riot label. There's much to enjoy about title track "Darkroom Boogie", a rolling chunk of mid-tempo goodness that brilliantly re-invents an un-credited AOR disco track as a rubbery, funk-fuelled sing-along ripe for peak-time plays. Arguably even better is bonus cut "Mount U", a tidy re-edit of a lesser-celebrated, Solar Records style early '80s electrofunk cut high on punchy horns, elastic synths and eyes-closed male vocals.
Review:
Ali "Ooft" Herron usually operates out of his own FOTO Recordings label, so it's a pleasant surprise to see the Scottish producer pop up on Hot Digits. Naturally, there's no dip in quality, with Herron expertly exploring slo-mo deep house/ disco fusion (bubbly opener "Remote Lover" and the swirling Barry White style purr of "One Thing", before pushing up the tempo in pursuit of peak-time glory. In this category you'll find the layered hand percussion and spacey bass of glassy-eyed '80s soul rework "Keep Running" and the snappy, riff-heavy bounce of turn-of-the-'90s NY house workout "Indy Thinking". The latter is also given a bonus going over by label chief Fingerman, who adds swirling effects and trippy synths to make it sound like an alternate take on Lil' Louis's "French Kiss".
Review:
Crazy P main man James Baron returns under his Ron Basejam alias, with more liquid nu-disco jams. Started as a casual side project 12 years ago, Baron wanted to 'capture the more diverse and quirky sides of his musical tastes', creating underground music that he incorporates with character, personality and humour. The After The Rain EP sees him return to Bristol institution Futureboogie, for the first time since 2016's "The Carrington Spirituals". Featuring the very soulful and near spiritual title track, the lo-slung funk attack of "The French Exit " and the late night acid express of "Raise" (featuring some vocals reminiscent of the legendary Daryl Pandy) among others - each one is a a sure shot and will light up the dancefloor.
Review:
If you dig Masterworks Music's celebratory, feel-good approach to disco re-edits and reworks, we'd advise picking up this bulging, 26-track collection of killer cuts from the label's recent past. It begins with a superb disco-funk cut-up by The Funk District and ends with a smooth, rolling and glassy eyed boogie-era disco revision by Saskin S that's almost worth the admission price on its own. In between, you'll find a swathe of superb revisions from some of the edit scene's finest - South Beach Recycling, Hotmood, Chewy Edits and Dr Packer included - with the selected tracks variously touching on electrofunk, boogie, P-funk, Latino disco and super-sweet '80s soul.
Review:
There's no high concept behind Midnight Riot's latest compilation of label favourites and unheard cuts, just a desire to deliver "summer burners" to "make your body move". As usual, label boss Yam Who has gathered together a selection of original productions, re-edits and remixes that prioritize frenzied limb shaking. Highlights include a deliciously deep and woozy, Joey Negro style M+M rub of Soulpersona's "Sunset City", a bouncy, boogie-meets-nu-disco revision of Hypnotic Lovers' "Chemistry" by Birdee, the sax-laden disco-funk shuffle of Stephen King's "Hold On To You", some soaring peak-time disco edit business from Alan Dixon and a suitably cheery, talkbox-sporting rework of an underground disco classic by long-serving edit crew Drop Out Orchestra.
Review:
Mondo Groove has gathered together a crack team of remixers to rework cuts from Daniele Baldelli's five-part Cosmic Temple series of EPs. Predictably, the resultant revisions are rather good, with something to suit almost all cosmic tastes. DJ Tennis kicks things off with a fine version of "Ganhava" that brilliantly joins the dots between deep, melancholic synth pop and gently pulsing Italo-disco, while DJ Ralf brilliantly re-casts "Kosmaro" as a low-slung late night dub disco roller heavy on punk-funk bass and clattering percussion hits. The highlights keep coming throughout, from the sun-bright, synth-heavy nu-disco throb of Tiger and Woods rework of "Vhanessa", to the pots-and-pans percussion assault of Eric Duncan's super-deep remake of "Diffrazione" and old pal Marco Dionigi's sax-wielding dub disco-goes-electrofunk revision of "Taxon".
Review:
Berlin based Israelis Disco Halal are purveyors of all things exotic and this is further exemplified tremendously on their Perfect Strangers EP. With previous releases by hometown heroes such as Moscoman and Autarkic, you know what kind of oddball grooves to expect from this bunch! The Organism from Ukraine serves up some dark disco of the most hypnotic kind on "Reflection", Kincaid (Sol Selectas/Silver Bear) gets into some esoteric tribal vibes like a true shaman on "Tyrant" and mysterious trio Mount Kismet get back to the program on the trippy and lo-slung cosmo-balearica of "Prune & Dunes".
Review:
Second time around for Syncbeat's "Music", an influential early UK electro workout made by members of legendary Manchester outfit Broken Glass and mixed by local hero Greg Wilson. This surprise Running Back reissue includes all three of Wilson's original 1984 mixes. There's the wonderfully deep and glassy eyed Afro-electro/synth-pop fusion of the Original Mix, the Bobby 'O' Orlando-influenced shuffle of the "Remix" and the stripped-back, delay-laden edit brilliance of the dub style "More Music". Fresh reworks come from German house stalwart Boris Dlugosch who tidies it up and beefs it up whilst retaining the loved-up vibes and chanted vocals of the '84 original. His two DJ tool style revisions - the bodypopping "Bonus Beats" and sunrise-friendly "Tribal Reprise" - are also superb.
Review:
Parisian producer Simon Says has been doing his thing for nigh on two decades now, most recently via Dialect Recordings. Few of his previous releases, though, are quite as saucy and arresting as "Feel Me" - a killer dub-disco re-imagining of a lesser-known 1982 Blancmange album track rich in bubbling synthesizers, fuzzy bass guitar, whispered vocals and spacey synthesizer melodies. For those looking for a dose of extended pleasure, Bill Brewster's chugging re-edit - an eight-minute scalpel rearrangement of Simon Says' original - should scratch that itch. Elsewhere, fellow French producer Yuksek pushes up the tempo and gives the track a little more pulsating nu-disco flavour on two tasty revisions, while Eskimo regulars NTEIBINT cannily emphasizes Simon Says' flash-fried funk-rock guitars.
Review:
We were full of praise for Aman "AIMES" Ellis's first batch of Wonder Edits, a formidable four-tracker that landed last month. Predictably, there's more floor-friendly goodness to be found on this swift follow-up. This time, Ellis eases us in gently with the stepping, post-freestyle Brazilian goodness of "Batonga", before beefing up the beats for a disco-house take on a string-laden Bollywood Disco staple ("Jimmy"). He's back in synthesizer-wielding mode on the bright-and-breezy Euro-disco chug of "Take Me Up", while "Dancing" is a swirling, pumping, delay-laden and decidedly full-throttle fix-up of a well-known Bee Gees anthem that sounds like it's capable of causing a commotion on most danceflors.
Review:
The team behind Thunder Jam is dreaming of a "Fantasy Fling". Given that the compilation is an expansive, 21-track affair (sorry), it would be safe to say that they're thinking of a steamy, all-action romance rather than a disappointing one-night stand. Musically, the cuts on offer tend towards the warm and loved-up, with Adata's dreamy deep house opener "Marlena Soul" and the glassy-eyed Balearic disco heat of Aure Zwins' "Long Way" setting the tone. Highlights include the loopy, filter-heavy bounce of Celestino's Lionel Richie-sampling "Rhythm", the twinkling, picturesque nu-disco cheeriness of Double F.O.G's "Bang Bao Boulevard", the synth-heavy boogie revivalism of "Fangkok" by Ivan Fabra and the low-slung dub disco-goes-jazz flex of Noil Rago's "J.Club".
Review:
More from Roisin Murphy and Maurice Fulton, as their collaborative series of singles reaches volume three. This time round, there's an extra pair of hands in the studio: sometime Crosstown Rebels and Hot Creations artist Ali Love. His slick and soulful vocals can be heard in the background and during the choruses of "Jacuzzi Rollercoaster", a wonderfully loved-up slab of Fultonian deep disco eccentricity rich in the producer's usual elastic bass, loose beats, starry electronics and'70s R&B guitars. "Can't Hang On", meanwhile, is a skipping chunk of house goodness that contains wild and eccentric elements (squeezable synth bass, sweaty percussion solos, jammed-out keys and weird noises) more often found on Fulton's superb Syclops productions.
Review:
Norwegian producer Saskin S pitches up on Masterworks Music for the very first time. As with his previous outings for the likes of Hot Digits and Thunder Jam, the "Night Grooves" EP is packed with colourful, high quality material. Check, for example, the Blaxploitation funk guitars, low-slung grooves and densely layered percussion of loop-driven opener "Another Technique", the acid-driven (nu) disco-funk madness of "What Is Breakbeat?" and the formidably bluesy, jazzy and wonderfully atmospheric deep house shuffle of "What Do You Need?". Arguably best of all, though, is title track "Night Grooves", a sparkling chunk of '80s soul-meets-nu-disco cheeriness rich in colourful synthesizer lines, atmospheric chords, twinkling melodies and low-slung dub disco grooves.
Review:
Neapolitan disco editor Frank Virgilio is back on the scene after great releases on Hot Digits, Midnight Riot and Good Stuff. He's really hitting the big time now if this appearance on Masterworks says anything! Featuring four scorchers guaranteed to cause a disco inferno pretty much anywhere, The Black Hole EP features the sexy and lo-slung title track, the late night boogie-down antics of "Electronite", as well as "C.B.E Way" which is on the funked-up acid jazz tip, and finally "Extraordinary Night" which will loop you into submission with its sublime brass section reminiscent of classic Salsoul kinda vibes.
Review:
Here, Seamus Haji's reliable Re-Loved imprint serves up a third collection of club-ready reworks from long-serving British re-editor Chewy Rubs. Turn first to the stomping peak-time fun of "Aux Naturally", where the hirsute scalpel specialist turns swirling, life affirming disco classic into a find slab of loopy disco-house gold. Things get sweatier and denser on the wonderfully percussive disco-house sleaze of "Everybody Disco", while "Space In Raver" is a fine fusion of raw, bombastic UK garage style bass, jaunty piano riffs and rolling house drums. Finally, the Chewy one reaches for the cowbells and dub disco bass on "Bunch of Grapes", a low-slung late night roller rich in delays effects and jammed-out keys.
Review:
Few outfits in the nu-disco scene are quite as experienced as Mirror People. The Lisbon-based trio has been serving up colourful, floor-ready treats for the best part of a decade, though this EP on band member Rui Maia's Belong Records imprint might be their best collection of cuts to date. Covering Loose Joints classic "Is It All Over My Face" is fraught with danger, but we can confirm that they've done a terrific job, primarily by retaining the wonky looseness and dub-flecked quirkiness of the Arthur Russell/Steve D'Aquisto original. Elsewhere, they provide a chunkier disco cover of Ralphi Rosario's early Chicago house classic "You Used To Hold Me" (here titled "Hold Me"), pay tribute to John Carpenter soundtracks on "Taste of Murder" and go all jaunty and spacey on the arpeggio-driven sleaze of "What Is Luv?".
Review:
Fresh from turning in a killer remix of the Soup Dragons "I'm Free" alongside Midnight Riot boss Yam Who, Alan Dixon returns to the label with a feisty four-track missive. He fires from the word go, with bounding, energy-packed opener "All We Need Is Dance" delivering a brilliantly bouncy revision of a shirts-off, turn-of-the-'80s San Francisco disco smasher. The thrills don't stop there, either. "Let Ya Feet Rock" is a thrilling combination of elastic slap bass, synth-fired disco-boogie instrumentation and sturdy beats, "Dance Across The Floor" is a seductive 129 BPM deep disco workout, and "Forever" is a riotous re-edit of a stone cold classic that sounds like an end-of-night anthem in the making.
Review:
Absolutely massive package of disco gold from the man like Dimitri here as he's entrusted with the master tapes of Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards' most iconic and influential songs and told to do his unmistakable thang. From the original Chic materials to Sister Sledge via Norma Jean Wright, Dimitri takes the blueprint that founded every dance beat that's followed in the last 40 years and gives them a just polish, slight extension and just that little bit of extra dancefloor spice for today's floors. Perfect for everything from home listening to massive arena gigs.
Review:
With his Wonder Stories label going from strength to strength, Aman "AIMES" Ellis has decided to launch a re-edit focused offshoot. It's perhaps fitting, then, that Wonder Edits first release comes courtesy of Ellis himself. All four tracks hit the spot, with Ellis getting just the right balance between old-fashioned scalpel rearrangements and contemporary, house-inspired loop jams. We're particularly enjoyed the choppy but celebratory disco-funk of "Makin' Moves" and swirling, vibraphone-sporting slo-mo disco closer "Lovin". In between, you'll find solid revisions of two better-known boogie-era gems, including Maze's proto-house classic "Twilight".
Review:
A clutch of tracks from Mexico's Jona Saucedo and Joseph Terruel get the re-edit treatment from mystery producer(s) Para-Mu here. "Digital Soup" is the EP's most uptempo cut and could equally well be filed under slo-mo house, while elsewhere "False Dreams" is lazy, loop-y and druggy, "Fashion Show" is a haunted midnight cruise on Miami's Ocean Drive, "Beverly" has an 80s soul flava, "About U" nods to future R&B and "Sexy Mama" is low-slung and seductive. All told, it's a classy EP all round, and one to reach for when you want to slow things down a little on the dancefloor.
Joey Negro & Horse Meat Disco & Angela Johnson - "Dancing Into The Stars" (feat Angela Johnson -Horse Meat Disco dub Wise vocal Mix- album Exclusive) - (6:41) 120 BPM
Review:
As the title suggests, this tasty EP sees Z Records boss Dave Lee AKA Joey Negro get his hands on two popular cuts by contemporary American electrofunk outfit The APX. Lee does a particularly impressive job on "Sweet Surrender", first laying down a club-ready '80s soul style vocal revision full of elastic synth-bass, Jam and Lewis chords and Midnight Starr guitar hooks, before delivering a sparse, groove-driven and delay-laden Dub that's so authentic to the duo's 1980s inspirations that it could have been released by Solar Records in 1984. The same could arguably be said about the slower and even more loved-up flex of Lee's "Future Boogie" mix of "Lose Yourself To The Groove", which is available in both vocal and instrumental flavours.
Review:
Hot on the heels of Soundway's fantastic Gumba Fire compilation of South African boogie and synth-soul comes this partner EP, which shines a light on the country's short-lived but influential Heads Records imprint. The label was only originally active for two years between 1982 and '84, but in that time released a handful of killer 12" singles. A few of those came from Starlight, whose sought-after "Picnic" - a proto-bubblegum, boogie affair heavy on rising horns, jazz-funk electric piano solos and rubbery synth motifs - is arguably this EP's standout moment. Elsewhere, contemporary scalpel fiends get their chance to rework classic Heads Records moments, with Frankie Francis delivering dubbed-out renditions of two cuts: Manyane's stomping, Italo-disco-influenced "Thabong" and Adaye's gravelly, gospel-influenced peak-time disco-funk workout "Turn It Up".
Review:
London's Midnight Riot have a had a steady stream of releases throughout 2017, with several excellent compilations exploring the many shades of nu-disco music: such as last month's fabulous Japanese Boogie & Disco Reworks - Volume 2, Balearic Headspace - Volume 2, back in August plus Joutro Mundo presents - Brazilian Boogie & Disco Reworks - Volume Duo in the middle of the year. Here they present African Disco Juice, which as the name would suggest: has all you Nigerian and Ghanaian boogie fans sorted with this fine bunch of re-edits and similarly influenced original productions. Highlights include Reverso68 main man Pete Herbert's smooth and slinky "Agama", London lo-slung duo Psychemagik with the groovy "Carnival De Trancoso" and label staples Yam?Who with some seriously spiritual life music on the uplifting "Pure Heat". And indeed, it sure is!
Review:
Soundersons slowly expanding discography is chock full of high-grade material, so it's little surprise to find that their latest Midnight Riot outing is also rather good. "Sopa De Tomate", in particular, is excellent - an ear-pleasing chunk of post-boogie/nu-disco goodness rich in chanted Italian vocal samples, bright synthesizer riffs, warm bass and densely layered percussion breaks. Label boss Yam Who provides a typically slick and soul-fired modern disco interpretation full to bursting with his trademark tasty instrumentation, before Glaswegian disco don Al Kent serves up an instrumental revision that sounds like it could have been made in Brooklyn in 1979. Bonus cut "He Doesn't Love Me", meanwhile, is a sparse and atmospheric late night nu-disco jam blessed with seriously rubbery synth-bass.
Review:
Antton is the latest addition to the Ibiza club scene, as resident DJ at several hotspots such as Ushuaia Tower, Cafe Del Mar, Es Vive Hotels Experience Bar and The Beach Star Hotel - where he is also the music director. He comes to Hot Digits armed with a plethora of sultry poolside reworks and classic vibes, which the label themselves perfectly described as' perfect for warming up or firing off!' From the lo-slung soul power of "Alejarse", classic slo-mo disco on the rather sultry "El Dolor Mas Dulce" (with Dimitry Soul) or "Ve Mas Despacio" respectively. Lastly, label head honcho Fingerman gets on board with an extended re-edit of "Milagro".
Review:
Granada-based twosome Mordisco make their first appearance on historic Manchester label Paperdisco following previous outings on My Favourite Robot, Midnight Riot, NDYD Records and Spa in Disco. The Spanish duo kicks things off with "Musica De Baille", a bouncy, percussion and delay-rich slab of tropical nu-disco/chunky house fusion that rises and falls in all the right places. The duo's ability to craft slowly building, life-affirming goodness is further confirmed by second track "Nahual", where jangling piano riffs, swirling chords and sampled choral vocals triumphantly rise above a foreboding, shuffling house groove.
Review:
Since 2015, Tel Aviv twosome Rabo & Snob has been delivering annual releases on re-edit stable Whiskey Disco. Here they make the transfer to one of Sleazy McQueen's other imprints, Lovedancing, with some tasty original productions. "Yawumna", featuring Somma Idrisu, effortlessly underpins jangly acoustic guitars and African vocals with a metronomic nu-disco groove, while "Afia", featuring vocalist Azizaa, sounds like an unlikely fusion of Afrobeat and Adonis's "No Way Back". Art of Tones provides an organ-laden, sunshine-soaked Afro-house revision of "Yawumna", while Jacques Renault provides a suitably chunky dub of "Ifa" for those late night moments.
Review:
It may have taken eight years, but Joey Negro has finally got round to putting together a follow-up to his superb Backstreet Brit Funk compilation. Like its predecessor, this sequel shines a light on Britain's under-appreciated musical response to the U.S soul, jazz-funk, disco and electro scenes of the late 70s and early 80s. On the whole, the showcased tracks are altogether deeper selections than those found on volume one, meaning obscure highlights come thick and fast. These include - but definitely aren't limited to - the low-slung disco-funk of Rick Clarke's "Potion", the glassy-eyed breeziness of Paradise's "Stop and Think", the footworker-friendly jazz-funk riot of Touchdown's "Ease Your Mind" and the samba-soaked carnival flavours of "Brazeila" by Brazeila. Oh, and a killer dub of Janet Kay's overlooked Brit-boogie classic "Eternally Grateful" that has never before been released.
Review:
This decidedly epic collection marks Katakana Edits's first foray into the compilation market and is designed as a "best-of" style outing. It boasts 30 reworks, mash-ups, remixes and re-edits gleamed from the prolific imprint's first 50 singles. Naturally, club-ready material comes thick and fast, with a multitude of genres - think swamp funk, disco, dub disco, electrofunk, Italo-disco, hip-hop, reggae and dancehall - and wide variety of tempos represented. Naturally, some of the reworks tend towards the well known, though there are also plenty of rubs of lesser-known gems for those who want to dig deeper than familiar peak-time anthems. Most importantly, the standard remains impressively high throughout.
Review:
Volume 66 of the Katakana Edits is nothing but vibes from start to finish, and surely exactly what we need in the blazing summer months - edits, edits, and nothing but more edits! SO|KA's opening "Grease" is a dubby, weighty house chugger that blends effortlessly with juat about any form of dance tune, while DJ Laurel's "Lost In The Crowd" is a disco charmer that leads with horns and is backed by pumping beats, leaving the final "All Or Nothing" to provide the seductive charms thanks to a gentle r&b charm. Beautiful stuff.
