Review: "Playa Capricho"is actually Copa Turbo's debut as an artist, but it sounds like he's been strumming on guitars and pushing buttons on drum machines and synths for a long time. In fact, the tune is comparable to classics by the likes of David Guetta or Bob Sinclair, coming through with a sweet, summary house groove disguised as a pop track. There's plenty of remixes, too, most notably by Juan Soto - dropping a deeper, dubber feel to the original - Juotro Mundo and his disco version, and Cccccchaves with something something a lil different.
Review: Debutant Dubhouser doesn't seem all that keen on offering up information, with the producer's slim online presence offering no clues to his or her identity. If the intention is to let his or her music do the talking, the "Ereh EP" certainly ticks all the right boxes. Opener "Avirt" is a pleasingly chugging, mind-altering affair where echoing electronic motifs and effects-laden noises bubble away above a heavy, locked-in groove. "Ereh" is a slightly trancey chunk of heady nu-disco rich in woozy synthensizer riffs, bass-heavy grooves and trippy electronic flourishes, while closing cut "Rolod" is a late night dub house shuffler full of hypnotic beats, flashing acid lines, gentle synthesizer riffs and dub-wise effects.
Review: We're not sure who Hoochie Coochie Papa is - or are, as it may be more than one producer - but this first outing on Golden Soul is pretty darn good. "Work Me Body" is a deliciously sweaty and throbbing affair; a contemporary take on Italo-disco and mid 1980s Hi-NRG rich in arpeggio style synth-bass, spacey electronic melodies, sampled male vocal snippets and glassy-eyed chords. The first of two accompanying remixes comes courtesy of Spanish scene stalwart James Rod, who adds insatiable cowbells while stripping the cut back to its' muscular, arpeggio-driven core. To round things off, man of the moment Andy Buchan re-imagines "Work Your Body" as an ear-catching tribute to Giorgio Moroder's production work on Donna Summer's "I Feel Love".
Review: Clad head to toe in his finest carnival threads, Golden Soul Records chief James Rodriguez grabs his scalpel and sets to work on a second selection of lesser-known Brazilian music gems. Opener "You Are Me Dream (Sambasoul Re-edit)" is a near perfect revision of a breezy, sun-kissed Brazilian gem, with Rodriguez brilliantly combining summery samba-disco samples with an elastic drumbeat and restless funky acid motifs. "Pernangola (Boogie Groove Re-edit)" is a loopier, chunkier and more obviously bass-heavy affair built around jangly samples from what sounds like a samba-folk record, while "Minsumbobo" is a bouncy re-interpretation of a Brazilian P-funk work out rich in kaleidoscopic synthesizer lines, Bootsy style bass and swirling electronic effects.
Review: For his latest outing on Golden Soul, James Rod has decided to pay tribute to Italian dance music in his own special way. First up is "Cootutto (Italian Boogie Madness Edit)", a loopy, head-nodding and toe-tapping tweak of what sounds like an early '80s Italian tribute to George Clinton/Bootsy Collins style P-funk. "Splendido Splendente (Rettore Super-House Re-Edit)" offers a more forthright and funky excursion into loopy, filtered disco-house territory, while closing cut "Ok OK (Italo-House Re-Edit)" re-invents a chiming chunk of synth-powered boogie as a kaleidoscopic romp through nu-disco/peak-time house fusion.
Review: From his turns on Good Stuff and Disco Volante through to the stellar work carried out on his own Golden Soul label, Spanish mastermind James Rod is no stranger to sexy, refined twists on classic disco tropes. This collection brings together enough essential jams to keep a dancefloor burning until the early light, running timeless tropes through a modern filter for a pristine vision of contemporary disco house. There's plenty of Moog-laden boogie business to devour on "Call Heart (Epic Love Rework)" while "Chance To Dance Rework" amps up the cosmic qualities, and there's another nine such gems to fill your boots with on top.
Review: For the second time in as many weeks, James Rod (real name James Rodriguez) has his scalpel out. Last time out, it was all about gentling tooling up American and European disco-boogie records; this time around, the Spaniard has his wicked way with a trio of sun-kissed Brazilian jams of the late 1970s and early '80s. First up is "Paico", a chunky revision of a breezy, horn-heavy samba-disco number that Rodriguez has brought bang up to date with the addition of dub delays, lolloping drums, and a thickset synth bassline. The arguably superior "Ela Disco" brilliantly dubs out an electrofunk era chunk of Brazilian disco brilliance, while "Latin Life" is a filter-sporting slab of mid-tempo disco-house chug rich in jangling guitar riffs and insanely heavy bass.
Review: While he's released some killer original productions over the years, most of which fit into the "synth-heavy nu-disco" category, James 'Rod" Rodriguez's re-edits have consistently been amongst the best around. Predictably, there's plenty to set the pulse racing amongst the Spaniard's latest batch of tried-and-tested reworks. We're particularly enjoying opener "Fornur Love", a peak-time disco bubbler made extra-potent thanks to Rodriguez's addition of a killer new acid bassline. "Groovin On Boogie" is arguably even heavier, with Rodriguez successfully sticking a rocket under a bouncy, horn-heavy disco smasher, while the undulating acid style bass returns with a vengeance on the '80s disco grandiosity of closing cut "Running Of My Love" [sic].
Review: Synth-tastic nu disco is the order of the day on this latest despatch from Spanish producer Jaime Rodr?guez Navarro, better known as James Rod, which comes on his own Golden Soul label. His original marries an Italo-esque synth throb to rolling nu disco beats and occasional western/Mexican-style horn fanfares. Azaria's remix doesn't flip the script too much, but does up the tempo a notch and beef up the bottom end; the Aleito Remix is a little sparser and nudges towards progressive house territory, while the Rayko & James Rod Remix drops the tempo slightly to give the track a druggier, chuggier feel.
Review: Fans of the Gigolo or Ed Banger years will love this new jam from James Rod & Disco Doubles. Recalling Black Strobe at their electro-house height, "Fucker Crazy" is a snarling acidic trip. Elsewhere "White Sands" is a melancholy Italo-disco pulse-a-tron and the always-great ItaloBrutalo turns in a blistering Euro-dance version too. Last but not least Autoven literally rocks it with guitar-riff driven banger of a rework.
Review: After exchanging admiring glances across the Iberian Peninsula, Spanish producers James Rod and Parissior have finally decided to "play together". Happily, Golden Soul has decided to share the results of their shared studio labours. Very good they are, too, with the original collaborative mix of "Let's Play Together" wrapping trippy, delay-laden, NYC freestyle-inspired synthesizer motifs around an arpeggio-driven groove that sits somewhere between Giorgio Moroder and cheeky Italo-disco. On his solo rework, Parissor drags the track further towards druggy, bass-heavy nu-disco territory, while Rod's revision adds extra layers of real disco flavours while wisely pushing the bassline and synthesizer motifs to the fore.
Review: Last time we heard from Landerground, he was in cahoots with friend and fellow nu-disco explorer Rayko. Here he goes solo once more for a near 12-minute trip into swirling, slowly building dancefloor brilliance. "Xicago" is built around a chugging, relentlessly rising bassline, but owes much of its power to throbbing organ stabs and bubbling, high register synthesizer arpeggio lines. It's one of those Italo-disco influenced dancefloor epics that needs to be played in full in order to unleash its full potential. The obligatory remix comes from James Rod, whose "Hard Slow" version toughens up the arpeggio bassline and peppers it with trippy vocal samples in an audacious bid for Italo-disco-meets-nu-disco perfection.
Review: Ukrainian Midnight Riot and Spa In Disco affiliates Limpodisco made their debut on Golden Soul with a slithering electro boogie bomb that's so authentically 80s you can smell the Old Spice and Filofaxes through your speakers. Slippery and wet and unrelenting in its sopping sense of funk, there's a sense of mischief in the Tom Tom Club style vocals while the bassline will drive every joint in your body crazy. Remix-wise James Rod adds a little late night toughness to the kicks, Rayko brings a psychedelic synth twist while Quakerman bubbles things right down to an illicit acid banger that's underground to its very core. Not just a clever title.
Are You Alwrong (James Rod vocal Madness House remix) - (6:46) 119 BPM
Review: Alexander Koning is held in high regard within the tech-house scene, so it's something of a surprise to see him debuting on Golden Soul with a brand new Italo-disco-fired project, Love In Colour. In its original form, "Are You Alright" is decidedly driving, with Koning successfully wrapping boogie synths, disco-funk guitars and disco-house style vocal snippets around a thrusting, Italo-style arpeggio bassline. Koning moves further towards disco-house pastures on the cut-up, sample-heavy French touch madness of "Are You Alwrong". That cut also gets the remix treatment courtesy of Golden Soul stalwart James Rod, whose filter-soaked "Vocal Madness House Remix" certainly lives up to the promise of its' title.
Review: Mexican produer Estuardo Flores, better known as Lusca, comes to Spanish label Golden Soul with the latest example of what his bio calls his "slower, darker acid disco". In its original form, 'Lost In Thar' (feat Mil Y Nadie) is a slo-mo chugger made up mostly of Italo-esque synths, and powered along by a hard-hitting kickdrum. The Jb Dizzy Remix ups the tempo considerably, and indeed could work in progressive/melodic house sets, while the final remix comes from James Rod, who takes us down an even more dark and apocalyptic path than the original. A track to dance to at the end of the days.
Review: Prolific producer Manuel Costela is clearly a fan of long-distance relationships. Certainly, there are few longer relationships than those forged from "Interstellar Love". The track itself does make a good case for supernova romance, though, layering litlting, loved-up synthesizer lead lines above a rolling disco groove rich in rubbery bass, laytered spoken vocal samples and glistening, Chic style guitars. Parisior opts for a looser, warmer dub disco feel on his accompanying remix, throwing funk-rock riffs into the mix to add a little more grunt, before JB Dizzy re-imagines "Interstellar Love" as a twisted fusion of rolling nu-disco grooves and wild TB-303 style acid lines.
Review: Spanish producer Manuel Costela has been on a serious roll of late, and this latest release on Golden Soul does nothing to diminish his fast-growing reputation. There are two re-rubs of 'Interestellar Love' to choose from here: Limpodisco's take emphasises the track's rawer, more organic elements, with mucho application of Hammond organ and fat, squelchy funk bass, while James Rod's mix takes us into more stomping disco-house territory with hard-slammin' 4/4s and a disco-style walking bassline. Both rubs come fully laden with pyow-pyow-pyow! space disco stabs, practically guaranteeing the throwing of shapes out on the floor.
Review: It's been a while since we last heard from Adrian Molinar, a Mexican DJ/producer who impressed with a fine 2015 debut on Tom Tom Disco. In fact, our research that this is Molinar's first single for at least three years. "Cymatic" is deliciously psychedelic and mind-altering, with Molinar wrapping ragged and undulating TB-303 style acid lines around a driving electronic groove that sits somewhere between jacking house and fizzing nu-disco. James Rod takes the track in an entirely different direction on his accompanying remix, which peppers Molinar's thrusting groove with flash-fried funk guitars and punchy, 8-bit electronics. The EP also contains a stab-happy revision by Pato Watson that's rich in the kind of razor-sharp riffs that we've always associated with "Brown Album"-era Orbital.
Review: Pato Watson and James Rod think that nu-disco has had its day. Instead, they've decided to champion "Disco Nu". So how does it differ to the shiny, synth-laden sound of nu-disco? Well, for starters its' dark and driving, with echo-laden spoken word snippets and trippy guitar sounds rising above unfussy drums and a bassline that's powerful, heavy, druggy and thrusting. There are synth riffs, too, though they're sharper than your average nu-disco workout. Tony Disco delivers the first remix, a low-slung affair that wraps breezy house pianos round a no-nonsense disco-house groove. In contrast, the "Deep Rating Version" is a delay-laden dub disco excursion rich in sustained synthesizer chords, crashing cymbals and elastic bass. All three versions are top-notch, though we probably prefer the latter.
Review: James Rod works with disco don Rayko a lot, often appearing on his Rare Wiri label. Now the favour is returned as Rayko brings the disco heat to Rod's Golden Soul imprint. On "Surrender" Rayko is found in full 80s mode, re-editing some prime FM-friendly synth-soul with added AOR guitar licks. Like stretching the instrumental break from a Lionel Richie b-side and turning into a cool Daft Punk jam. There are plenty of cool remixes too, highlights of which include Dim Zack's sleek Paradise Garage-style rework and Tulioxi's deep space disco version.
Review: Spanish disco outsider James Rodriguez comes through with his James Rod moniker, and launches the first release of the newly crowned Golden Soul imprint. The dude offers five downtempo disco nuggets, and his beats shift from starry balearica to slow-burning boogie. Our picks from the lot have to be "Bass For The Lovers" for its deep, sweltering licks of low-end and string-heavy hooks, and the mid-tempo scorcher that is Cuts Shakes More Shakes" - surely a winner on the ol' PA!
Review: For the third release on his Golden Soul imprint, Spanish producer James Rod has turned to Slync, the recording alias of fast-rising producer Ian Stanford. His "Neon" is something of a sweltering, beach-friendly treat, with eyes-closed, Steve Hillage style guitar solos and Balearic piano flourishes stretching out across a chunky disco-meets-deep house groove. His original is backed by all manner of remixes, including a chunky, guitar-heavy 'Balearic Remix' from globetrotting Spaniard Rayko, and a typically atmospheric 'Yacht Disco' version from Somerville & Watson. Arguably best of all, though, is the interpretation from Get Down Edits, who reach for the pianos and sparkling electronics in a bid to create Balearic disco gold.
Review: Here we have a meeting of Latin minds, with two top Spanish producers Spiral Border (Yon-X) and James 'Rod' Rodriguez. The resulting track "Nothing Is Slow" is, at 109bpm, actually very slow, but with its chiming 80s-style synths, relentless kick drums and arpeggios, is a glossy slice of acidic Balearica at its finest. Remix-wise, Jarie Brathen adds pace an trancey Italo synths. Yon-x's own "Slowie" mix ups the tension resulting in a brooding cosmic journey, whilst Rigopolar ends with some rough and ready EBM. A dreamy haze of an EP.
Review: The brilliantly named Take The Cookies is the recording alias of musician, vocalist and producer Tania Haroshka. "Could I Drown On Your Desire" marks her first appearance on Golden Soul Records, and sees her effortlessly combining elements from disco and electrofunk with deep, drowsy, rich and soulful house flavours. Her hazy, laidback original is accompanied by a wealth of remixes. These include a breezy, beach-friendly deep disco-house rework from Phunktastike, a wonderfully rich and evocative nu-disco interpretation from David Manso, and a rubbery, analogue rich "Epic Cosmic Remix" from storied Spanish producer James Rod. It's this version - think nu-disco on acid, with some Italo-disco elements thrown in - that hits home hardest.
Review: According to his SoundCloud page, Florence, Italy's Mattia Tulioxi "is a good person and a wise guy". Which is all well and good but how about the music, you say? Not bad at all! His latest release for Spain's Golden Soul Records provides us with some cruisey, spaced out, nu disco grooves that fans of Todd Terje or Jay Shepheard will be all over. Starting off with the galactic boogie of "Revolution Zero" he the launches into "Don't Stop" which is actually on a more energised tech house tip with its razor sharp and bumping bassline leading the way towards mad and modulating euphoria. "So What", however, gets back into the cruise control tempo with its smooth arpeggio and sweet melodics backed by a study drummers' beat and a recurring Blaxploitation sample. There's a couple more remixes of this track; Mexico's Molinar stays on the nu disco tip, but gives it more of an uplifting vibe with bleepy synths, while Sweden's Copycat gives it a glitzy, pop-inflected house makeover.
Review: In normal circumstances, we'd be a little worried if someone served us "Golden Cream". We know we're safe in the hands of DJ/producer James Rodriguez though, with the compilation representing the cream of the crop from the Spanish producer's Golden Soul Records imprint. There's naturally much to enjoy across the 17-track collection, with Rodriguez opting for cuts that flit between kaliedoscopic nu-disco headiness (Italo Brutalo's remix of his and Disco Doubles' "White Sands"), Clavinet-happy acid disco chunkiness ("Crazy Bass" by The Players and DJ Steevo), elastic electrofunk with a Middle Eastern flavour (Dim Zach's remix of JB Dizzy's "Transistor"), driving late night intensity (Los Fugazi's "Afterglow (Flxxx Remix)", peak-time piano fun (Get Down Edits glistening remix of Slync's loved-up "Neon") and rushing disco goodness ("Tradlord" by Call Me Classic).
