Razor-N-Tape is a Brooklyn-based label that releases feel-good disco and deep house that is, as label heads JKriv and Aaron Dae put it: ‘Good for dance!’. Founded in 2012, and oozing with funk and soul, the label has released beautiful beats from the likes of: COEO, Fouk, Junktion, Ron Basejam, Eli Escobar, Lovebirds, DJ Vas and more.
Review: The illustrious Razor-N-Tape label once again demonstrates its unyielding dedication to exceptional music with a captivating debut from Hiatt dB. With releases on esteemed imprints like Rhythm Section and his own Mystery Zone label, Texan talent Hiatt dB's debut on Razor-N-Tape introduces us to a scintillating six-track mini album titled "11pm - 'Til," an electrifying odyssey that traverses the sonic landscapes of funk, house, acid, breaks, disco, and boogie. The album's opener, "When The Night Is Right", sets the stage with an irresistible allure, inviting dancers to surrender to the rhythm and embrace the night. "First On The Floor" unfurls with spaced-out boogie beats, evoking visions of a cosmic dance party where the boundaries of time and space dissolve. "Take The Low Roads Home" exudes slow-motion house sleaze, pulling us into a hypnotic state of groove. Hiatt dB's musical prowess shines brilliantly on "11pm - 'Til," demonstrating a masterful command over a spectrum of genres. A synthesis of influences, from the raw energy of breaks to the nostalgic charm of disco, creates a symphony that is both captivating and compelling.
Review: Brooklyn-based five-piece 79.5, headed up by singer, songwriter and bandleader Kate Mattison, released their debut long-player 'Predictions' on Big Crown Records in 2018 and now, five years on, they follow it up with their self-titled sophomore outing on Razor-N-Tape. '79.5' opens with the sax-sporting late-night dancefloor groover 'Club Level', but after that the tempo seldom goes much beyond walking pace, making this an album that's probably best suited to post-club listening, with one slow jam after another bringing hints of R&B, smooth jazz and bittersweet Adult Oriented Pop, and with an 80s-sounding sax line never far away. It'll be too polite for some - the sweary 'B.D.F.Q' notwithstanding - but you just KNOW babies will be made to this...
Review: Here we have the debut long player from Pedro Guinu, a Brazilian artist who's currently based in Rio De Janeiro. The album, intended as a tribute to the greats of the Brazilian scene of the 70s, was recorded live in the studio and as such captures the raw, organic feel of recordings of that era well. Obviously, it'll be of most interest to Brazilian music buffs, but good places to start for the rest of us would be the slightly funkier 'Raridade', the hip hop-leaning 'Joana Joa' or the bruk beat-ish 'Electromandinga', the latter making great use of what sounds like a feedback hum.
Review: If you're in the mood for some lazy, languid, sofa and warm-up friendly grooves, we'd heartily recommend this second Razor N Tape outing from Los Angeles crew Pools. Utilsing their trusty MPC, a wealth of hazy disco and jazz-funk samples, and complimentary sun-baked instrumentation, the beat-making combo saunters between confirmed head-nodders, hypnotic mid-tempo grooves and seductive slow house - all crafted with one eye on musicality and the other on capturing a mellow vibe. It's a fine collection all told, with the pair's slow-motion dancefloor grooves sounding just as good at home as they do on a club soundsystem. Musical vitamin D for the lockdown generation: what's not to like?
Review: The latest missive on Razor N Tape's original production-focused Reserve offshoot should delight all those who love revivalist instrumental funk-fusion. It comes courtesy of Nashville combo Magic In Threes, who offer-up four original tracks: laidback and jaunty groover 'Chupa Cobra', Blaxploitation style wiggler 'Work Tapes', high-octane spy-chase dancer 'Come On Down' and the Jimi Tenor style lounge funk tease of 'Finnish Funk'. Each comes accompanied by a killer remix. We'd recommend checking out Bruno 'Patchworks' Hovart's Fela Kuti-inspired afrobeat rework of 'Work Tapes', COEO's loopy, bass-heavy house interpretation of 'Finnish Funk' and Fouk's sparkling jazz-funk take on 'Chupa Cobra' - all are utterly inspired.
Review: First released on wax almost three years ago, Hade's first edits EP for Razor 'N' Tape has finally made it to digital download. This is undoubtedly a great thing, because it's arguably one of the Brooklyn imprint's strongest collections of cuts to date (and that's saying something). He opens via the sweaty, occasionally dubbed-out disco-funk goodness of "Say What You Wanna Say", whose combination of killer grooves and slowly building heaviness guarantees good times. He flips the script entirely on "Jeep Cherokee XJ", crafting a killer hip-hop jam out of dusty jazz samples and boom-bap beats, before dancing his way through an early slab of harmonica-laden disco-rap ("My Thang"). To round things off, Hade once more joins the dots between hip-hop and jazz on hazy closing cut "Range Rover HSE".
Review: For their latest trick, Razor-N-Tape chiefs J Kriv and Aaron Dae have decided to take a trawl through the horizontally inclined parts of the label's bulging back catalogue. "Chill Cuts Volume 2", then, is packed to the rafters with blazed and blunted beats, from the woozy hip-hop deepness of Tall Black Guy's head-nodding rework of Lovebirds' "Icarus" and the bluesy, turn-of-the-millennium downtempo beats of J Kriv and Free Magic's "Eleanora", to the Moon B style slow P-funk revivalism of Kan Sano's "Music Overflow" and the Rhodes and Moog-laced sumptuousness of "Penwick Pool" by POOLS. If it's warm, toasty and laidback dancefloor disco you're after, The Groovers "Make Me Feel" is also well worth a check.
Review: From Germany with love: dynamic duo M.Ono and Luvless return to RNT with five more funk odysseys. M.One takes the lead; "Just Like Magic" is all about the big string swings and urgent soulful snippets while "Eins A Legge" jitters to a more persistent filtered groove. Deeper into the trip Luvless sends us into untold euphoric states on "Rising Youth", he takes us deep down the sleazy beat rabbit hole on "File Save As" and wraps up the package with the vibrant elastic synth strikes on "Stretchin'". What a way to kick off 2018.
Review: Cosmic-minded Brazilians get busy with Razor N Tape with an artistically presented eight track collection of native edits and originals. Charming from the off-beat funk of "7 8 E 1", we're soon hammered by the steady stamps of "Botoque", massaged by the come-to-bed soul of "Formula 1" and whipped into a shamanistic frenzy by the percussion-fuelled "E Um Barato". Complete with a cheeky little 7" brother - that features the acid slapping Latin club smasher "Margarida" and the ghetto-busting funk of "Blaus" - these are the type of packages RSD was invented for. Party time.
Review: The vibes here are strictly West Coast. Innertubes is a ten-track collection of hazy warm pool parties, music with a vintage Instagram filter applied. Highlights include the gentle chipmunk funk of "Power Questing" and the rolling 70s keyboard joint "Penwick Pool". There are also five bonus remixes included for those craving more housed-up beats.
Review: Brooklyn label Razor-N-Tape get in on the Record Store Day action with this special edition of Beatin Tha Breaks from Nashville-based Magic In Threes. It's the remixes that come first, with Dutch artist Fouk going into similar house territory to Kenny Dope with plenty of live instrumental touches blessing the bristling percussion. It's a totally different vibe on the Freddie Joachem remix, with the Californian opting for some midtempo funk breaks that stay closer to the sound of Magic In Threes' original version. This closes out the RSD release on the B-side and is an easy-breezy affair dripping with soulful guitars and harmonies.
Review: The Dynamics EP marks the artist debut from Caserta, a future star for sure. He tries his hand at a bit of everything over these six tracks, including the deep cowbell soulful grooves of "If It Wasn't For You", the lean sample-laden electro-house of "Dynamics" and the elegantly wasted, blissed out synthpop of "My Dreams". It's all sewn up with quirky interludes and outros too, making for an impressively cohesive release.
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