Review: Spanish nu-disco don James Rod returns to Golden Soul with a synth-tastic disco epic that's served in your choice of two quite different flavas. Rod's original is heavily influenced by cosmic disco and new beat/EBM, starting out with a simple locomotive-like chug before atmospheric FX usher in the layers of synths that just keep on building, the whole thing getting more and more spaced-out as it progresses. The accompanying Azaria Remix takes the mood to its natural conclusion, abandoning any 'disco' pretensions entirely and instead aiming straight at the progressive house floors.
Review: Back in November 2019, Golden Soul Records chief James "Rod" Rodriguez released "Italoatomical Gems", a tidy collection of re-edits of largely lesser-known Italo-disco gems that the Spanish producer had subtly tooled-up and taken in a different direction. He's at it again on this hastily released single, which was produced in isolation during Spain's COVID-19 lockdown. There's plenty to set the pulse racing, not least the throbbing, delay-laden late night pressure of "Skyler", where pulsing deep space chords and slivers of melody rise above a chugging, arpeggio-driven electronic groove. Elsewhere, "Out The Invaders" is a little darker and moodier in tone, with reggae style stabs and plenty of glassy-eyed electronic flourishes, while EP opener "Two Heads Are Better" is a stripped-back, faintly foreboding throb-job.
Review: In recent times, James Rodriguez Navarro (that's James Rod to you and me) has rightly saved his best material for the Golden Soul label he launched way back in 2015. There's naturally much to admire on the Spanish producer's first outing of 2020, from the hybrid nu-disco/deep house/Italo-disco throb of the decidedly spacey opener "Special Rod Paradise" - check the delay-laden guitar motifs and intergalactic synth flourishes - to the filter-heavy driving house vibes of closing cut "Marthian", where squally trumpet solos rise from the abyss to catch the ear. The track sandwiched in between, Latin-tinged deep disco-house bumper "Paralatino", is also rather good.
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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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!
We use cookies to personalise content and ads, to provide social media features and to analyse our traffic. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners who may combine it with other information that you've provided to them or that they've collected from your use of their services.