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Rare Wiri Spain
Review: Rare Wiri bring us three new rubs of the tracks that made up German nu-disco regular Andy Bach's 'If You Leave' EP, released in November last year. Romanto's take on 'Come On Now' strips away the deep house elements and transforms it into a hazy summer nu-disco jam, Stephane Deschezeaux's Organic Remix of 'Dimesions' injects a little more funk and soul into what was quite a trippy, Balearic-leaning original, before 'If You Leave' - a fairly 'accessible' and pop-oriented nu-disco cut in its original form - gets handed over to label boss Rayko, whose rework gives it a deeper, more underground kinda feel.
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RW 242
15 Apr 24
Disco/Nu-Disco
15 Apr 24
Disco/Nu-Disco
Played by: Rayko
Review: Leeds-based Jay Dixon AKA Jay-Son specialises in dark, moody electronic disco and has chalked up releases on such labels as Rare Wiri, When Disco Goes Wrong, Paisley Dark and Nein Records, among others. Here he returns to the former with a two-track release: 'Into The Infinity Of Light' is a throbbing, pulsating workout that blends influences from Italo disco, Belgian new beat, coldwave and acid house, topping the lot with rave-y "come on!" shouts, while the accompanying 'Such A Vibration' is a hazier affair that operates at a much slower tempo and makes good use of some classic Loleatta vocal snips.
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RW 241
08 Apr 24
Disco/Nu-Disco
08 Apr 24
Disco/Nu-Disco
Review: Rayko teams up once more with Elena Hikari to deliver the pair's second joint long-player, following on the heels of 2023's 'Tu Alma Y La Mia'. But while that first album was good, this one's exceptional! Cinematic, cosmic opener 'Too Much' sets the tone but it's the second track, 'Nunca James', that really hits you in the face: it's a slow-burning monster, with Hikari's haunting vocal earning it a place in the box marked "truly sublime". 'Looking To Edge' is another BIG track that probably needs to be heard on a 4am dancefloor to be truly appreciated; after that you get four more cuts that blur the lines between cosmic/Italo disco, Balearica, coldwave, house and pop (including a new version of 'Extraordinarylove' from the first album) before the title track, another deep, slo-mo chugger, plays us out in very fine style. Excellent work!
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RW 238
18 Mar 24
Balearic/Downtempo
18 Mar 24
Balearic/Downtempo
Played by: Irregular Disco Workers, FINGERMAN, Disco Tech (DiscoDat), Juno Recommends Disco, Rayko, FRAN DEEPER, Mark van der Ree, Saint-Loup-en-Bray
Review: Given the prolific output of his Rare Wiri label, it's a wonder Rayko finds time to get in the studio at all. But he does, regularly - and when he's not producing synthy, 80s-flavoured nu-disco jams of his own, he somehow also manages to fit in the odd cheeky re-edit or 20! Here, then, a score of such reworks are served up for your listening and dancing pleasure, with the emphasis firmly on lesser-known gems - sources include Ann Peebles, Diana Ross, Quincy Jones, Break Machine, Michael Sembello and Earl Flint, as well as US folk-rocker Barbara Keith's version of 'All Along The Watchtower', but there are plenty more that will have to go unidentified. Suffice to say, though, that if funk, disco, boogie, electro and pop from the 70s and 80s float your boat, this collection will leave you positively buoyant!
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RW 232
05 Feb 24
Disco/Nu-Disco
05 Feb 24
Disco/Nu-Disco
Played by: Irregular Disco Workers, FINGERMAN, ROMANTO (YSR / DISCO MACHINE), Tonbe, Rayko, Discoholic Ken, Dave Mathmos
Review: Two solid slices of contemporary disco here from Luxembourg's Andrea Frittella, better known as Irregular Disco Workers, brought to you by Rayko's Rare Wiri label. Musically, 'This Is How We Do' sits somewhere between boogie and disco-house, but the vocodered vocal (intoning the title) will help it slip neatly into more Italo/cosmic-oriented sets as well, while the accompanying 'Back To The Roots' is more overtly synth-y and 80s-leaning, with the vocoder getting another workout while a pleasingly chunky bassline chugs along underneath and sparkly, stabby synths inject a little drama. Both cuts pack plenty of energy and so should keep 'em moving for sure.
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RW 230
22 Jan 24
Disco/Nu-Disco
22 Jan 24
Disco/Nu-Disco
Review: We can't tell you much about Dani Diaz, except that we're guessing he/she/they are neither the American actress nor the Spanish footballer of the same name... then again it's on a Spanish label so who knows!? Either way, what you get here are two electronic disco ventures from the more experimental side of the street, with 'Far From Virgo' packing hints of both Yello-style electronica and Morricone soundtracks, while 'Old West Bolero' is similar in MO but, as the title suggests, leans a little more heavily in the latter direction. Both are probably better suited to those longer sets (or the warm-up) than peaktime dancefloor mayhem, but both are plenty playable all the same.
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RW 229
15 Jan 24
Disco/Nu-Disco
15 Jan 24
Disco/Nu-Disco
Review: We can't tell you much about Lab Infinity except that they made their debut back in the summer with a track inspired by dolphin calls, which gives you some idea of the kind of ultra-chilled vibes to expect from this new outing on Rare Wiri. 'Afortunado' in its Original Sunset Mix form is textbook Balearica with warm, unhurried beats, gently fluttering Spanish guitar and a spoken/whispered female vocal. The Live On Board Version loses most of the percussion and brings the guitar to the fore, while finally the Acoustic Sunrise Mix takes us into full-on ambient terrritory.
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RW 228
08 Jan 24
Balearic/Downtempo
08 Jan 24
Balearic/Downtempo
Various
Review: Clocking it at just under 2.5 hours long, you certainly can't fault this Rare Wiri year-end label comp on the value for money front! With 23 tracks on offer there's no room here to go into them all individually, and you probably have a pretty good idea of the label's particular electronic, 80s-leaning flavour of nu-disco anyway. Suffice to say, then, that Rare Wiri's many existing fans will be more than satisfied while newbies - if there are any left! - should start with AINZ's chunky, sleazy 'Hangover', the Italo strut of From Beyond's 'Non Analogue', MR Gee's throbbing 'Gravity', Rune Lindbaek's sci-fi refix of Ilya Santana's 'Cosmos Rising' or, a personal fave, Kelton Prime's 'Disco Arpeggio', wherein nu-disco meets garage vox...
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RW 227
25 Dec 23
Disco/Nu-Disco
25 Dec 23
Disco/Nu-Disco
Review: There are a bewildering number of bands, artists and producers working under the name Ricochet, including punk, metal, indie and gospel outfits, and at least one junglist. THIS Ricochet, though, are the Italian-American NYC duo of Afreen and Davide Golin, and they describe their influences as "synthpop, Italo disco, Italian pop and European film scores" - which gives you some idea of what to expect from this single-tracker, a summery, shimmery nu-disco jam with pop overtones that's being released as a trailer single for Rare Wiri's 'Best Originals Of 2023' compilation, which is also out this week.
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RW 225A
11 Dec 23
Disco/Nu-Disco
11 Dec 23
Disco/Nu-Disco
Review: Known for his work on Boite Music, Spa In Disco and Sprechen, among other labels, Barcelona boy Ivan Fabra now comes to Rayko's Rare Wiri imprint with two slabs of heavily electronic disco, plus a remix from label regular Ainz. 'Life', in its Original form, comes from that region of the musical spectrum where Italo-disco and progressive house make gooey eyes at each other, while the chuggy, train-like riff that powers 'Thoughts' nudges it further in the house direction. Ainz's remix of the title track, meanwhile, gets busy with the FX and synth squiggles, making it the pick for peaktime dancefloors.
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RW 223
27 Nov 23
Disco/Nu-Disco
27 Nov 23
Disco/Nu-Disco
Review: A solid nu-disco four-tracker here from German scene stalwart Andy Bach, brought to you by Rayko's Rare Wiri. The EP opens with the low-tempo, deep house meets boogie groove of 'Come On Now', which is the kind of track the word "slinky" was invented to describe, before 'Dimensions' takes us into slightly trippier, Balearic-ish territory. Only then do we come to 'If You Leave' itself, a more archetypally 'nu disco' affair with its shimmering synths and treated male vocal, which comes with an accompanying Dub. It's all good but 'Come On Now' is the clear winner to these ears.
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RW 221
13 Nov 23
Disco/Nu-Disco
13 Nov 23
Disco/Nu-Disco
Review: Tunesmith's breakout 'Disco Classic' featured on his 'Slow Disco' album earlier this year, but evidently he liked the title so much he's recycled it for this, his second Rare Wiri full-length in just six months. While 'Slow Disco' was a 'does what it says on the tin' job, the title this time is perhaps more in keeping with Throbbing Gristle's industrial/noise classic '20 Jazz Funk Greats', in that you won't find much in the way of straight-up, 70s-inspired disco here. Instead, Tunesmith carves out a new musical niche all of his own that sits somewhere between shimmering nu-disco, indie and out-and-out pop, with a heavy 80s influence - not least because 'Bands From The 80s' namechecks the likes of Duran Duran, Pet Shop Boys, Tears For Fears and FGTH!
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RW 220
06 Nov 23
Disco/Nu-Disco
06 Nov 23
Disco/Nu-Disco
Review: Four tracks of heavily electronic disco make up this latest V/A collection from Rakyo's Rare Wiri stable. Ilya Santana gets the ball rolling with the ominous, cinematic 'After Dark', before Kay-chi & Keymon drag us onto the early 80s dancefloor with 'Patches Of Light' feat Kally Voo. The label boss himself then steps up with 'Relax Your Body', which looks to styles like cosmic disco, EBM and Belgian new beat for inspiration, before the EP's completed by MR Gee's 'Under The Moonlight', which opens with a mood-setting manic cackle then breaks out into something of a moody, midtempo synth epic.
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RW 219
30 Oct 23
Disco/Nu-Disco
30 Oct 23
Disco/Nu-Disco
Review: Two solid slices of cosmic disco here from Mallorcan scene stalwart Fran Deeper, brought to you by Rayko's Rare Wiri imprint. "Canalla" itself starts out with perky, sprightly synths before breaking out a stuttered bassline, space disco stabs and what sounds suspiciously like a cheeky sample from Buck Rogers' pal Twiki. From there on out it's epic synth sweeps and reverb a-gogo on a cut that'll inspire the throwing of shapes on dancefloors for sure, while the package is completed by "Mercy Madamme", which is in a broadly similar vein but has a fatter bottom-end and a more rolling feel.
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RW 218
23 Oct 23
Disco/Nu-Disco
23 Oct 23
Disco/Nu-Disco
Review: Four tracks from as many artists make up this latest V/A offering from Rayko's Rare Wiri, with a couple of heavy-hitters sharing the stage with a brace of newcomers. Up first is new boy Billy Woods, who channels early 80s cod reggae vibes on not-unlikable opener 'Reggae Music' before Spanish veteran Ilya Santana shows us how the big boys do it with the surging, euphoric and lightly rock-tinged nu-disco of 'X Factor'. Label chief Rayko then steps up with the decidedly 80s-sounding 'Jabdah' before Leo Zero plays us out with the rawk geetars of 'All Is Fair'.
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RW 217
16 Oct 23
Disco/Nu-Disco
16 Oct 23
Disco/Nu-Disco
Vicky Montefusco feat Anya Rei
Review: Italy's Vincenzo Montefusco teams up with fellow Napoletano Anya Rei, a DJ, producer and vocalist who heads up the Elettra Music label, for this joint outing on Rayko's Rare Wiri. 'Mare' in its Original form is a midpaced affair with shimmering Balearic synths and quite a poppy vocal from Ms Rei. The label boss then gives the track a makeover that sits somewhere around the Italo-disco/progressive house cusp, while the EP's completed by a remix from Mexico's Saint-Loup-en-Bray, who throws caution to the wind as he ditches the vocal and unleashes some seriously gnarly, angular synths.
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RW 215
02 Oct 23
Disco/Nu-Disco
02 Oct 23
Disco/Nu-Disco
Played by: Rayko
Review: South London lad Tony Johns returns to Rare Wiri with two tracks of uncertain genesis: he's probably best known for his re-edits but he does make original tracks as well, and which category these two fall into we couldn't tell you. Either way, though, 'Hidden Sadness' is a hazy, pulsating, Balearic-ish instrumental jam, with the synths mostly to the fore but also sporting a nice little piano interlude in the mid-section, while 'Synthsational' is more uptempo and packs a heftier bottom end, making it the pick to these ears. If electronic disco is your bag, this is one to check for sure.
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RW 211A
04 Sep 23
Disco/Nu-Disco
04 Sep 23
Disco/Nu-Disco
Played by: Irregular Disco Workers, Flash Atkins, Juno Recommends Disco, Rayko, Rule Six, FRAN DEEPER
Review: If you like your disco on the epic, electronic and slightly more experimental side, this new EP from Mexico's La Guardia de la Luz is worth investigating. 'Danza Planetaria' is a chunky, midtempo affair whose fat, squelchy bassline underpins all manner of FX and synth squiggles, while 'Wingmaker' is a more contemplative cut that shifts through several moods as it progresses. The ambient-leaning 'Starseed' then throws us something of curveball before 'Pista Da Baile' takes us down a slightly darker, moodier path that leads to the 11-minute 'Le Lieu De Banheur' - one to reach for during those 4am excursions into wonkier territory.
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RW 210
28 Aug 23
Disco/Nu-Disco
28 Aug 23
Disco/Nu-Disco
Review: Cal Gibson, a Nottingham-raised veteran producer best-known for his role in early noughties outfit Neon Heights, has had a new lease of life since re-emerging as Secret Soul Society. He has a decidedly Balearic album on the way for Hell Yeah! Recordings, but first there's the matter of this four-tracker for Rayko's Rare Wiri imprint. Gibson begins in predictably loved-up mood via the wide-eyed, sample-heavy tactility of 'Its Magic', an acid-splashed cut of the sort that fellow Notts boy Naill used to offer up, before successfully cutting up and dubbing out some heady Philly Soul on the druggy flex of 'Mighty Fine'. 'Minding The Seasons' is an attractive Balearic nu-disco throb-job, while 'Who Is The Don' is a spaced-out slow jam that makes great use of samples from a swamp funk treat.
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RW 208
21 Aug 23
Disco/Nu-Disco
21 Aug 23
Disco/Nu-Disco
Review: Back in April we singled out 'Crime' as the standout from Nonsense's 'November Lovers' EP thanks to Bocxod's distinctive "red wine is not a crime" vocal, so forgive us for feeling somewhat vindicated as Rare Wiri select that very track for the remix EP treatment. There are three new rubs to choose from: Andy Buchan's is probably closest to the languid 80s groove of the original while label boss Rayko's take sports some plangent six-string work and has a wobbly, wonky, almost hallucinatory quality. The pick for these ears, though, is the chopped and strutty Irregular Disco Workers Remix - a proper call to the dancefloor.
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RW 207
14 Aug 23
Disco/Nu-Disco
14 Aug 23
Disco/Nu-Disco
Review: The mysterious D.S.D has/have chalked up a series of tasty modern disco releases over the past couple of years on both Paper and Rare Wiri, and here they return to the latter with a four-tracker featuring a pleasing variety of flavas. It opens with 'Best I Ever Had', a big, strutty disco-boogie affair that samples the vox from the S.O.S Band's 'Borrowed Love'. 'Blue Gardenias' follows in straight-up synth disco mode, 'Heywatzapnin' is a light and Balearic-ish affair that then surprises with a beast of a warping bassline, while finally 'High As The Devil Skyscraper' is a boogie instrumental with plenty of hand percussion for the dancers.
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RW 206
07 Aug 23
Disco/Nu-Disco
07 Aug 23
Disco/Nu-Disco
Review: We don't know much about Manner of Speaking, the artist behind this EP, though Rare Wiri founder Rayko has described the producer as an "ambient warrior". The two original tracks on show certainly tend towards the downtempo end of the spectrum, with Manner of Speaking delivering woozy, layered, synth-laden electronic soundscapes that sit somewhere between electronica, IDM and the more psychedelic end of Weatherall-esque "dark disco". There's 'Zandloper', where moody chords and dusk-friendly melodies rise above a shuffling electronica beat, and the Giallo-meets-Vangelis soundtrack throb of 'Unseen Events'. Rayko remixes the latter, giving it a chugging, drum machine-driven spin (all crunchy electronic snares, TR-707 style kick-drums and Italo-disco riffs), while Ilya Santana turns 'Zandloper' into a hazy and clandestine nu-disco workout.
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RW 205
31 Jul 23
Balearic/Downtempo
31 Jul 23
Balearic/Downtempo
Review: This appears to be the first-ever release from Atollo, about whom we can tell you absolutely nothing, but let's hope there's more to come because both tracks here are truly excellent. 'Jaxx Room' is a lively cut that'd work on all manner of deep house and disco floors with its rolling drums, sumptuous piano chords, haunting sax, chopped-up vocal snips and wonked-out mid-section, but the stone cold killer here is the accompanying 'Patti', a looping, jazzy, midtempo affair with vocodered vox, eerie synths and, towards the back end, some Rhodes noodling to die for. Mellow class in the proverbial glass!
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RW 204
24 Jul 23
Disco/Nu-Disco
24 Jul 23
Disco/Nu-Disco
Played by: Irregular Disco Workers, ROMANTO (YSR / DISCO MACHINE), Juno Recommends Disco, Rayko, Andy Downtown Science, Discoholic Ken, FRAN DEEPER, D.S.D., Andy Buchan, Ben Jamin
Review: Boise, Idaho native returns to Rare Wiri with three cuts that are probably best described as "homages" to classic tracks - they're certainly not just straight-up re-edits but whether they're sample-based or essentially covers isn't entirely clear. Either way, if you ever had any love for Donna Summer's 'Bad Girls', Michael Jackson's 'Get On The Floor' and/or Dead Or Alive's 'In Too Deep' but felt they were in a need of a more contemporary make-over, then guess what, you're in luck! 'Good Time Girls' leads the charge for yours truly but the echoing, dubbed-out production on 'Too Deep' deserves a shout too.
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RW 203
17 Jul 23
Disco/Nu-Disco
17 Jul 23
Disco/Nu-Disco
Played by: Irregular Disco Workers, ROMANTO (YSR / DISCO MACHINE), Juno Recommends Disco, Rayko, D.S.D.
Review: AINZ is Manolo Canaveral, who hails from Palma, Mallorca and under that name has racked up a string of releases over the past three years on 2phonic Recordings, Boite Music, Spa In Disco and Rare Wiri. Here he returns to the latter with a four-tracker made up mostly of bleepy electronic disco. 'Future' is a jerky, Italo-esque affair, 'Hangover' is broadly similar in style but underpinned by some nice squelchy bass, 'Monsters' has a more Germanic, coldwave-y kinda feel while finally 'The Harmonizer' again has a fat bottom-end and a lil' more funk and groove in its veins.
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RW 202
10 Jul 23
Disco/Nu-Disco
10 Jul 23
Disco/Nu-Disco
Various
Played by: FINGERMAN, Juno Recommends Disco, Rayko, Ilya Santana, Discoholic Ken, BRENDON P, Kongisto, FRAN DEEPER, Warriors of the Dystotheque, Saint-Loup-en-Bray
Review: Born back in 2008, Rayko's Rare Wiri mark their 200th release with an album-length compilation featuring 12 brand new cuts from what the man himself describes simply as "some of my favourite artists out there". The album starts out in laidback, Balearic mode with Secret Soul Society's 'Draw Of The Cards' and ends up back there with Manolo's 'By The Moon', but in-between you'll find the looping, funked-up deep house of Fran Deeper's 'Lost Baby', the shape-throwing 80s Faltermeyer-isms of Kelton Prima's 'The Beggining', Ilya Santana's floor-friendly cover of Vangelis's 'Dervish D', the electro nouveau of From Beyond's 'Star Slip' and more besides. Here's to 200 more!
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RW 200
26 Jun 23
Disco/Nu-Disco
26 Jun 23
Disco/Nu-Disco
Review: Spain's Rare Wiri bring us three slabs of driving electronic disco courtesy of Konstantinos Tsirikos aka Kay Chi, an Athens-based purveyor of "dark disco and Italo body music" who made his production debut in 2020. There's something of a Kraftwerk/Yello-ish feel to '11 Wave', which powers forward like a train, while the accompanying Mr Gee Remix is a little less urgent and whole lot groovier. Completing the package is 'Club Cobra', whose pounding 4/4 kick brings back memories of early Belgian techno. All three should work well as peaktime pounders on the floors they're aimed at.
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RW 199
19 Jun 23
Disco/Nu-Disco
19 Jun 23
Disco/Nu-Disco
Review: No need to start invoking the Trades Descriptions Act here: 'Slow Disco' is what it says on the box, and slow disco is exactly what you'll find inside. Guitarist and producer Klaus Wienerroither has several long-players as Tunesmith under his belt already, dating back to 2006 and ranging in style from indie-rock to squelchy broken beat and electronic pop, but this album adopts a far more mirrorball-oriented aesthetic, and as such will appeal to fans of artists such as The Phenomenal Handclap Band or Escort. For this writer, it's the tracks that feature Mara Miletic's vocals that stand out - particularly recent single 'Disco Classic' and the irrestistibly catchy 'Feels Good'.
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RW 197
05 Jun 23
Disco/Nu-Disco
05 Jun 23
Disco/Nu-Disco
Played by: Irregular Disco Workers, Solazz, FINGERMAN, Rayko, Andy Downtown Science, CHEWY RUBS, FRAN DEEPER, Andy Buchan
Review: Two tracks in three mixes make up this latest offering from UK disco stalwart Andy Buchan. 'Prince Says Dance' is a slab of oddly restrained electronic funk that's got plenty of bottom-end squelch and an indecipherable, treated male vocal in its original (well, 2023 Version) form, before Chewy Rubs maxes it out with FX, stabs, reverb and Latin percussion trills. But it's the title track that takes the gold, a driving 4/4 houser with Jersey-style organs to die for and a vocal sample from Junior Vasquez's 'Get Your Hands Off My Man' (and Opal Funk Band's 'Ain't No Way' before that).
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RW 196
29 May 23
Disco/Nu-Disco
29 May 23
Disco/Nu-Disco
Review: Something of a departure here for former Neon Heights man Cal Gibson's Secret Soul Society, as out go the dusty lo-fi beats and hazy Balearic loveliness, and in steps some electronic disco struttery to take their place. That's not to say the EP as a whole isn't still a fairly mellow affair - it's not all angles, dry ice and cheekbones - but the synth collection definitely gets a bit more of a bashing this time out! The title track in particular gets quite eardrum-piercing in places, though 'Wonder' is a bit closer in spirit to earlier releases, a languorous headnodder for those times when being vertical just doesn't seem worth the effort.
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RW 195
22 May 23
Disco/Nu-Disco
22 May 23
Disco/Nu-Disco
Rayko feat Elena Hikari
Review: Spanish disco don and Rare Wiri boss Rayko has worked with vocalist Elena Hikari on several previous releases in the past, two of which - 'Unite' and 'Testify' - are among the eight tracks that make up their first collaborative full-length. As such you'll have a good idea what to expect already, with synth-y, 80s-inspired disco/pop the general order of the day, from chuggy, hazy opener 'Extraordinary Love' to slightly more abstract and beats-y closer 'Imagina'. But thankfully the sheer quality of Ms Hikari's voice is strong enough to carry it off, with 'Testify' in particular sounding as good as it ever did and the vaguely dark wave-ish 'Unite' and 'A Different Day' adding a little variety.
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RW 193
08 May 23
Balearic/Downtempo
08 May 23
Balearic/Downtempo
Review: Oslo-based London lad From Beyond has been doing his thing mostly for the likes of Paper Disco, Golden Soul and Nein Records since 2018. Earlier in the year he released the 'Non Analogue' EP on Rare Wiri, and now here come the remixes, with the 80s synth-oriented 'Far Far' now given an added dose of squelch courtesy of Parisian veteran Kelton Prima, while 'Non Analogue' itself, which originally sounded like electro getting caught in the act of turning into early Chi-town house, gets beefed up a notch or three by Spa In Disco boss Saint-Loup-En-Bray, and as result plonks itself down more firmly in the latter arena.
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RW 192
01 May 23
Disco/Nu-Disco
01 May 23
Disco/Nu-Disco
Review: We don't know who is behind the Fabulous Lover project - for some reason, Rare Wiri has not released any details - but this debut EP is well worth checking out. Inspired by a mix of tactile, glassy-eyed British street soul, the 'quiet storm' soul-pop of Sade and the glossy, colourful sounds of mid-80s synth-soul, all four tracks are warming, laidback, softly soulful and blessed with some impeccable synth sounds. Highlights are plentiful, with our picks being the dreamy, head-nodding shuffle of deep Balearic soul number 'Evening Lights', the squelchy synth bass, smooth FM synths and AM radio-friendly warmth of nostalgic nu-disco number 'Take The Lead' and the club-ready '80s soul flex of 'It's Supposed To Feel That Way'.
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RW 191
24 Apr 23
Funk
24 Apr 23
Funk
Review: Following releases on Kultura and Spa In Disco, the mysterious Nonsense come to Rare Wiri with three slices of heavily electronic, 80s-leaning nu-disco here. Opener 'Crime' is the one that's most likely to stick in your head, thanks to an insistent, lolloping bass groove and a vaguely Hot Chip-ish "red wine is not a crime" vocal loop - courtesy, presumably, of featured artist BOCXOD - while elsewhere, title track 'November Lovers' is a pleasant Balearic instrumental with keyboards firmly to the fore while 'Slow' does what it says on the tin and is a bass-y chug topped with plinky-plonk, Casio-like keys. But for dancefloor play, our money's on 'Crime'.
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RW 188
03 Apr 23
Disco/Nu-Disco
03 Apr 23
Disco/Nu-Disco
Played by: Romanto (YSR / DISCO MACHINE), Juno Recommends Disco, MANUEL COSTELA, FRAN DEEPER, Saint-Loup-en-Bray
Review: Two complimentary but contrasting cuts make up this latest offering from Denver disco don Funk Hunk, which is brought to you by Rayko's Rare Wiri label. In the red corner we have the pure boogie vibes of 'Piece Of Candy' itself, which sounds so authentically early 80s that it would HAS to be a re-edit, though we can find no evidence of an original existing anywhere! Meanwhile in the blue corner we have 'Proposition', an altogether funkier affair that calls to mind Zapp or Cameo but turns out to be a (considerably slowed-down) rework of a Bar Kays cut from 1982.
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RW 187
27 Mar 23
Disco/Nu-Disco
27 Mar 23
Disco/Nu-Disco
Review: Whether under his own name or as Manolo, Helsinki's Roberto Rodriguez has chalked up over 50 releases - including outings on the likes of Compost, Plastic City, Lazy Days and Freerange - and now comes to Rare Wiri with a new offering that's available in two quite different mixes. The Original rides a rock-solid midtempo 4/4 kick and a fat, squelchy analogue synth bassline, augmenting same with sci-fi synths and brass stabs, and is a sure bet for peaktime nu-disco stomping. The analogue drums, bass guitar and reggae-ish guitar chops of the Paper Street Soul remix, on the other hand, bring a mellower vibe altogether.
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RW 185
13 Mar 23
Disco/Nu-Disco
13 Mar 23
Disco/Nu-Disco
Review: Spanish don Ilya Santana returns to Rare Wiri and ropes in Scandinavian counterpart Rune Lindbaek on remix duties. In its Original form, 'Cosmos Rising' - as you can probably guess from the title alone - comes from that part of the musical spectrum where Italo/cosmic disco and progressive house/melodic techno collide, and as such should work on any floor where they like it big, bold and trippy. But it's the Rune Lindbaek Remix that nudges it for yours truly, being an even bigger, bolder and trippier pass with warehouse-friendly kicks and some added spoken vocal samples paying homage to the special magic of the mushroom.
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RW 183
27 Feb 23
Disco/Nu-Disco
27 Feb 23
Disco/Nu-Disco
Played by: Juno Recommends Disco, J&M BROTHERS, Rayko, Discoholic Ken, MANUEL COSTELA, FRAN DEEPER, Andy Buchan
Review: Three slices of retro-tastic disco action on this latest from Rare Wiri regular Bodie Lee. It's a brave producer who takes on 'Le Freak' but the Boise, Idaho native pulls it off on 'C'Mon Down To 54': the jury's out as to whether it's a re-edit or just a very faithful homage but either way, it'll get 'em shimmying for sure! Elsewhere, 'Ring A Bell' draws on an unidentified boogie-era cut with a fine funk bassline, while the more uptempo 'Sunset' reworks Michael Jackson's 'Sunset Driver', a cut demo'd for 'Off The Wall' and reworked during the 'Thriller' sessions but only released in 2004.
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RW 181
13 Feb 23
Disco/Nu-Disco
13 Feb 23
Disco/Nu-Disco
Review: mR gee serves up a neat two-tracker for Spain's Rare Wiri, with 'Gravity' blending House, Prog and Italo Disco influences into a chunky, throbbing mid-paced concoction that's topped with a spoken male "my rhythm" vocal and should work on a range of floors, while there's a distinct mid-80s pop sheen to the drum machine beats and sparking synths of 'Midnight Lovers'
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RW 179
30 Jan 23
Disco/Nu-Disco
30 Jan 23
Disco/Nu-Disco
Played by: FINGERMAN, Juno Recommends Disco, Rayko, Andy Vann/Grass Green, MANUEL COSTELA, Kongisto, FRAN DEEPER, D.S.D.
Review: Spain's Rare Wiri bring us an EP packing four nu-disco gems from as many artists. Kelton Prima is up first with the boogie-flavoured 'Disco Arpeggio', which features an irritatingly familiar vocal cut-up (Eddy Grant? Colonel Abrams? who knows?) before Chewy Rub brings us the typically chunky and infectious 'Explore The Cosmos'. Then it's over to D.S.D with 'What Can I Dooo', a near-instrumental throbber that veers towards housier/proggier pastures, before the EP's completed by King Cosmic's 'Midnight On Jupiter', a dark n' bassy plodder with strong hints of Belgian new beat. Solid stuff all round, even if I can't help feeling I've maybe broken the first rule of Space Club here...
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RW 178
23 Jan 23
Disco/Nu-Disco
23 Jan 23
Disco/Nu-Disco
Played by: FINGERMAN, Juno Recommends Disco, Rayko, Soulfuledge, MANUEL COSTELA, FRAN DEEPER, Saint-Loup-en-Bray
Review: Rayko teams up once more with semi-regular collaborator Fran Deeper for this two-track outing on his own Rare Wiri label. 'On The Beat' itself is up first, building from a gently rolling, Balearic-ish intro into a full-blown boogie jam complete with sugar-sweet soul vox, analogue stabs, brass fanfares and sparse, reverb-heavy production. The accompanying 'Bioluminescence' maintains the general 80s vibe but is a touch heavier and more wonked-out, its central New Beat-like synth-bass throb topped with light n' breezy keys and all manner of FX sounds: think Italo-disco heard though a progressive house filter and you're somewhere in the ballpark.
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RW 177
09 Jan 23
Disco/Nu-Disco
09 Jan 23
Disco/Nu-Disco
Review: Utkin Mikhail AKA Ootkeen returns to Rare Wiri with a three-tracker that blurs the lines between nu-disco, Balearica and deep house to supremely chilled effect. The EP opens with the dreamy, hazy 'Engineer Of The Soul', a cut for those late night/early morning moments when you find yourself melting into the sofa, before 'On The Road With Clouds' ups the tempo a notch or two - you could even imagine this one finding its way into deeper prog sets, early doors. But it's a case of "saving the best till last" here, with the title cut bringing you seven minutes of pure driftaway sonic bliss.
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RW 175
05 Dec 22
Disco/Nu-Disco
05 Dec 22
Disco/Nu-Disco
Review: No, Tunesmith - true identity unknown - isn't being a massive egotist in calling his new release for Rayko's Rare Wiri label 'Disco Classic'; instead, the title merely references the plainitive one-line female "play me a disco classic now" vocal. The Original version is a mellow, midtempo affair, with dense layers of reverberating sound underpinned by a rock-solid bassline, and probably one for the warm-up or those post-club sessions. Sauco's remix, meanwhile, adds 4/4 kicks, handclaps and swap out the b-line for a more electronic one, and as such is undoubtedly the better bet for dancefloor play - though both rubs have their charms for sure.
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RW 174
28 Nov 22
Disco/Nu-Disco
28 Nov 22
Disco/Nu-Disco
Review: With an EP title like 'Boogie Grooves' there are no prizes for guessing what style/era from the dancefloor history books is being paid homage to here. Kelton Prima's opener 'The Lights' is a masterclass in shimmering early 80s synths and chorus'd, slightly chipmunky fem vox, Tony Johns' 'Watching You' revisits the 1980 jam of the same name by Ohio funkateers Slave, 'Slow-N-Funky' drops down into decadent, string-drenched 70s disco mode as it loops up the backing vox from a 1975 cut by Furman & Johnson, but the pick of a fine crop is Pete Le Freq's more house-ified 'Stars Out', a rework of Stargard's 'Wear It Out' from 1979.
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RW 172
14 Nov 22
Disco/Nu-Disco
14 Nov 22
Disco/Nu-Disco
Review: Leeds lad Andy Buchan returns with a two-track EP designed with the specific intention of making booties shake on dancefloors. 'Prince Says Dance' is an interesting concoction that marries a live-sounding, 70s-style funk bassline to synths and sequenced vocal "aaahs" that positively reek of the 1980s, as well as spoken "house... electric" snips. The title track, meanwhile, makes great use of the vocal from Junior Vasquez's mid-90s classic 'Get Your Hands Off My Man', which it pairs with a simple rolling backbeat and some seriously wonked-out synth action. The latter stands out to these ears but then again I might be biased, having rinsed the original back in the day...
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RW 171
07 Nov 22
Disco/Nu-Disco
07 Nov 22
Disco/Nu-Disco
Review: The trio of Ilya Santana, Rune Lindbaek and Rayko is surely a line-up to get any nu-disco lover's mouth watering, but do be aware that the clue's very much in the title here, with all three producers drawing heavily on Spanish/Latin influences - Lindbaek's 'Moonlight', in particular, may invoke memories of sangria-sozzled evenings on youthful package holidays. Conversely, if you're NOT a huge fan of Latin sounds generally, then Santana's 'Fresa' is probably the one to head for, operating as it does in slightly more typical nu-disco territory, with only the vocal and strings bringing a hint of Latin flava.
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RW 170
31 Oct 22
Disco/Nu-Disco
31 Oct 22
Disco/Nu-Disco
Played by: Rayko
Review: A relative newcomer to the scene, having popped his release cherry as recently as 2019, Ruksby is a Moscow-based disco, acid house and electro producer who's known in real life as Alexander Klygin. Here he brings us three perfectly serviceable disco workouts, kicking off with the upbeat 'Disco In My Head' with its "You're like the music/Playing in my head/Everywhere I go" male vocal, before moving on to the slightly more sedate 'Mlfy' with its layered strings, and concluding with 'Fancy Love', a proper drifty, dreamy slow-burner with some nice lil' jazzy flourishes here and there. Solid stuff all round.
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RW 169
24 Oct 22
Disco/Nu-Disco
24 Oct 22
Disco/Nu-Disco
Played by: Roberto Rodriguez (Manolo), Juno Recommends Disco, Rayko, Discoholic Ken, Paul Withey // Sweetooth
Review: A quick trawl of social media and music sites reveals little about Manolo's true identity - assuming he/she is neither a beauty salon in Swansea, nor Mr Blahnik taking a day off from cobbling! - but here the mystery producer comes to Rayko's Rare Wiri with an unhurried throbber that sits right on the nu-disco/Balearic cusp. With resonant bass, a sparkling top line and dreamy male vox it's plenty playable, but if pushed my money would be on Sauco's remix, which adds a little dancefloor oomph and, dropped at the right moment, could well inspire a few hands-in-the-air moments...
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RW 168
17 Oct 22
Disco/Nu-Disco
17 Oct 22
Disco/Nu-Disco
Review: A new EP from Spanish disco don Rayko is always something to get excited about and this latest release on his own Rare Wiri imprint doesn't disappoint. 'Searching' itself is a midpaced groover with a nice squelchy bassline and a wistful female vocal, while 'Anyway You Wanna' reworks Cashmere's 'Do It Anyway You Wanna' from 1983. 'Can't Wait (For Your Love)' sounds like another boogie-era re-edit, though what of we're not sure - and no, it's not Nu-Shooz - and then finally there's 'Special Eyes', which keeps the early/mid 80s vibes coming and could probably tempt Max Headroom out of retirement!
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RW 167
10 Oct 22
Disco/Nu-Disco
10 Oct 22
Disco/Nu-Disco
Rayko feat Elena Hikari
Review: 14 years into his production career, Rayko is in better form than ever. That much is proved by 'Extraordinarylove', a fine slab of pitched-down, Italo-powered late-night pop featuring the fine vocals of Elena Hikari. Her lead vocal chimes out above a chugging, sequenced synthesiser bassline, bubbly lead lines and vintage-sounding drums (think Gaz Nevada, and you're close) on the Spanish producer's own 'Slow Version'. Manuel Costela provides the obligatory remix, upping the tempo and successfully re-framing the track as an atmospheric, squelchy and star-lit chunk of 21st century nu-disco excellence.
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RW 166
03 Oct 22
Disco/Nu-Disco
03 Oct 22
Disco/Nu-Disco
