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: NYC combo 79.5 are, like Midnight Magic and Escort before them, a live outfit whose trademark sound and output is shaped by the rich musical history of the city they call home. That superb sound was outlined on last year's eponymous debut album, tracks from which appear in remixed form on this must-check EP. There are two takes on previous single 'Feel Like Dancin': an extended deep house take by Malik Hendricks with added Afro-house percussion, and an impressive low-tempo chugger titled the 'Generalisation Dub'. 'B.D.F.Q' also comes in two contrasting variations: the spacey electro-meets-ghetto-house flex of the Jubilee Remix, and an extended version of FSQ's Midnight Magic style neo-disco interpretation. A percussive and joyous J Kriv house revision of 'Our Hearts Didn't Go That Way' completes a fine package.
Review: An international meeting of the minds here as Japan-based British veteran Max Essa joins forces with Eddie C, who hails from Ontario in Canada but now calls Berlin home. Together they've come up with four classy jams that blur the lines between Balearica, nu-disco and deep house, with 'Melon Steppin' centred on a fragile keys riff but busting out some fine 303 squelch in the middle, 'Save Me' a more mellow and soulful affair with hints of jazz-funk, 'We Live In the Hills' all ponderous drums, haunting chords and more squelchy synths, and 'Sixth Bridge' a more midtempo, vaguely lounge-y closer.
Review: Felipe Gordon may be a confirmed label-hopper - in the last 12 months alone he's appeared on Clone Royal Oak, Toucan Sounds and Shall Not Fade - but he's also Mr Consistency. Predictably, this return to New York's Razor N Tape imprint is full to bursting with tried-and-tested dancefloor treats. Gordon is at his expressive, musically expansive best on 'Flutes of Gold', where vibraphone and synth solos stretch out over a lolloping deep house beat and warming electric piano chords, while 'Right Beside Me' is an infectious, low-slung, sample-heavy jazz-house delight. To round off the EP, Gordon smothers a luscious deep house groove with extended organ solos ('Homage to Bossa'), before taking us deep into space via the wild TB-303 motifs, pots-and-pans beats and shimmering chords of 'Acid Party at Santa Barbara'.
Review: Since it first appeared a couple of years ago, Elado's 'Gulab Jamun' rework of Nadeem Khan's 'Bollywood disco' classic 'Tu Tak Tu Tak Tutiyan' has become a firm favourite on dancefloors around the world. Here it returns to Razor-N-Tape via an officially licensed reissue. That take - a squelchy, acid-flecked stomper that puts Nadeem Khan's infectious lead vocals front and centre, alongside jacking drums, looped sections of the original instrumentations and wiggly TB-303 motifs - naturally opens proceedings. It's followed by the previously unheard '4AM Mix', a more intoxicating, exotic and mind-altering dub-style remix that naturally makes more of Elado's bassline and savage acid tweakery. In a word: essential!
Review: Flamingo Pier, the disco-boogie sensation from New Zealand, takes a transatlantic journey with their latest Beneath the Neon EP for Razor-N-Tape. Recognised for their electrifying parties in East London and their hometown festival appearances - this Kiwi collective serves up three fresh tracks that both reinforce and broaden their trademark danceable indie-soul & groove. The lead single, "How 2 Feel" delves into the club realm with a pulsating house rhythm paired by angular synth stabs, horn lines, and infectious vocal chants. "Beneath the Neon" and "Remedy" stay true to Flamingo Pier's signature disco-dance style, featuring more vocal hooks, funky guitar riffs to boot, and some mighty fine Luke Walker production. To top it off, the EP includes remixes by Chicago house legend Glenn Underground and RNT co-head JKriv, who welcomes in some extra Afro-boogie royalty in Steve Monite for a guest appearance. Drenched in sun-soaked vibes, Beneath the Neon is the ideal soundtrack for basking in the dog days of a summer afternoon.
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: RNT welcomes Amy Douglas - of Horse Meat Disco, DFA, Soul Clap and Tiger Sushi fame - to their label with a double dose rough-n-tumble NYC disco heat. Amy's distinctive vocal swagger and songwriting talent shines through on this EP, co-written and produced by Razor-N-Tape co-honcho JKriv. Both tracks are bass-heavy ear-worms, serving as wickedly naughty party starters. With Freaks At Night delivering a pair of future modern disco classics to ignite dance floors, get your vocal-led bassline and pianos from "Freak At Night" with some sultry drums and percussion in "Bit-O-Honey".
Review: Following on from the release of her debut album last year and its 'Remixes' counterpart in May, Rose Robinson AKA Tigerbalm now returns with two fresh tracks that once again showcase female vocalists from around the world. 'Nina' finds her collaborating with transnational duo Farafi, while the accompanying 'Sisters' is graced by pan-African supergroup Les Amazones d'Afrique. Both tracks are rooted firmly in traditional African music, with 'Nina' a percussive, chanted affair while 'Sisters' has a more lilting, singsong kinda vibe, but 'Nina' also gets a brace of more house-oriented remixes courtesy of Tel Aviv's Elado (a Razor-N-Tape regular) and Bruno Hovart's Voilaaa project.
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: What we have here is the first-ever release from Lovetempo, a new solo project from Mattie Safer, who's best known as the bassist for NYC punk-funk outfit The Rapture, as well as his slo-mo stylings under the Poolside moniker. On this evidence, Lovetempo will slot in neatly between the two: less strident and attitude-y than the former but more dancefloor-oriented than the latter. Most of the EP's five original cuts sit somewhere between Balearica, indie soul and melancholy electronic pop, but it's Nick Catchdubs' stripped n' strutty, 80s-flavoured remix of 'Turnaround' that stands out to these ears.
Review: Underground System, a quintet based in Brooklyn makes a comeback on local label Razor-N-Tape with their impressive five-track release called "The Looking In EP." This release offers a unique fusion of Balearic grooves, left-field funk, and up-tempo backbeats that showcase the distinct US sound. The band's signature use of flute and synth soundscapes, driving percussion, and catchy vocal hooks is prominent in all tracks, ensuring a groovy and captivating listening experience. Furthermore, RNT regulars Nenor and Clive From Accounts have contributed two club-ready remixes, taking the tracks to even greater heights of dancefloor appeal
Review: Midnight Magic brings some hot and love-filled vibes to Razor-N-Tape's new EP. Kicking things off is a sensational remix by Perel of their hit track 'I Found Love,' which is a powerful and emotional disco-house anthem that will have you reaching for the sky with a rush of energy. The original version of the track is a bit more subdued but still exudes an infectious party spirit. Next up, Dimitri From Paris & DJ Rocca offer their cosmic touch with a subtle but groovy Erodiscotique remix. Finally, Sophie Lloyd takes the reins with her glossy synth work on her remix, adding her own spin to this already sensational release. Get ready to experience a musical journey filled with passion, energy, and pure disco magic!
Review: Last heard collaborating with Horse Meat Disco on Glitterbox (2021's 'Sanctuary'), New York collective Phenomenal Handclap Band have decided to showcase their new material on a growing NYC institution: Aaron Dae and J Kriv's popular Razor N Tape imprint. They're in fine form on title track 'Burning Bridges', a squelchy, lyrically bittersweet chunk of disco-boogie revivalism that's as stylish and classy as they come. Norwegian master Prins Thomas provides a pleasingly extended, Clavinet-heavy dancefloor tweak for those that want bolder disco thrills, before the band offers up the psychedelic and Balearic experimentation of 'It Was The Summer'. That, too, comes backed by a fine remix: the squelchy, mind-mangling, TB-303 driven acid thrills of the Each Other mix.
Review: Two mixes to choose from of this latest bullet from 79.5, a New York outfit whose line-up includes Dap Kings drummer Homer Steinweiss. In its Original form, 'Club Level' sits somewhere between 80s boogie and the smooth jazz-funk of the same era, being a languid affair that's driven along by a moody bassline, haunting keys and airy fem vox with a "say you wanna, say you wanna fly" chorus, while a droning sax lends proceedings an almost cinematic air. Eli Escobar's remix swaps out the beat for something a tad livelier, drops the sax drone and adds analogue synth sparkles to give the track a more straight-up nu disco feel.
Review: Pedro Guinu's first album for Razor N Tape, 'Palago', was a wholehearted tribute to Brazilian music of the 1970s and '80s that we'd argue is one of the slept-on sets of 2021. This follow-up EP brings the Brazilian's trademark sound bang up to date via a wealth of quietly impressive remixes. Jose Marquez kicks things off with a fine revision of the title track that sits somewhere between classic Azymuth, nu-disco and samba, before Faze Action deliver a groove-driven, Clav-happy Balearic disco rework of 'Haje Fe'. Elsewhere, Diogo Strausz steals the show with a percussion and synth-laden revision of 'Electromandinga' hat straddles jazz-funk and synth-boogie, Carrot Green dances his way through a squelchy house-not-house revision of 'Portao De Ferro', and SekoBass opts for a hot-stepping, sun-soaked sound on a fine re-wire of 'Palago'.
Review: Sometime Honey Dijon collaborator Cor.Ece impressed us back in the summer with the 'Dance To Keep From Crying EP'. This speedy sequel sports a mixture of extended takes of tracks from that set, and remixes of others. The extended take on the title track, made in cahoots with Razor N Tape co-founder J Kriv, is simply gorgeous: a fine mix of proto-house, boogie and nu-disco sounds topped off with a genuinely soulful lead vocal. Acid-flecked, piano-sporting soulful deep house cut 'What's The Word' (with Danny Kane) is tastefully extended before Bad Colours delivers a sub-heavy, Todd Edwards-inspired revision. Dave Giles II hook-up 'Possibly Impossible', a squelchy bass-propelled nu-disco-meets-house number, is not only extended by also remixed by Crackazat, who gives it a jazzy, Rhodes-laden, Afro-tinged deep house flavour.
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: The 54th release on Razor 'N' Tape's original production-focused 'Reserve' offshoot is a belated digital edition of Nenor's first outing for the imprint, On That Day, which first surfaced on vinyl nearly two years ago. It remains a brilliant four-tracker all told, with the Israeli producer confidently strutting between jazzy, jammed-out and pleasingly organic disco/deep house fusion (spacey synth solo-laden opener 'And Others'), analogue bass-propelled early morning deep house bliss ('Gonna Do'), jazz-flecked sunshine brilliance (the jazz-funk leaning, life-affirming giddiness of the title track) and low-slung, late-night goodness (the slightly dubbed-out, filter-sporting haziness of 'Fire & Water').
Review: The Brooklyn-based producer, DJ, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist JKriv steps in on his own label Razor-N-Tape to deliver a trio of all-original cuts on his Something Else EP. Starting with the late night boogie-down vibe of 'Something Else' featuring totally electrifying vocals by Brandon Markell Holmes. Following is the low-slung disco heater 'Try Again' featuring Phenomenal Handclap Band and another irresistible vocal courtesy of Nic Hanson. Carry on and it's all about 'Shoulda Been Me' (feat Toribio) which receives a spiritual deep house rework by the one-and-only Alton Miller that's worth the admission alone.
Review: Two tracks in a total of five mixes make up this EP from Kokoro Disco-San, AKA the Barcelona-based trio of Lalo Lopez, Miguelito Superstar and Thompson. In its Original form, 'Sunshine' is an unsurprisingly summery and mellow nu-disco joint that, as we move on up through the Beach Bum Edit and SPF76 Mix rubs from label boss JKriv, gets progressively more electronic, the former adding an 80s squelch b-line and the latter throwing in some fine stabs, while 'Jungle Deep' is a slice of moody tropical disco served with or without a spoken female vocal. I'd go 'with' if I were you...
Review: Razor 'N' Tape Reserve's latest release is a label debut from Nenor, an Israeli producer previously best known for being one half of Mahogani Music-signed duo Rabo & Snob. He begins by offering up two cuts featuring vocalist Jenny Penkin: the attractive nu-disco/deep house fusion of 'How Can I Be Free' and the giddy nostalgic rush of revivalist number 'Do You Remember', which joins the dots between rushing piano house and late '80s Larry Heard productions. Red Axes provide a fantastic rework of the latter cut, retaining some of the dreamier and more life-affirming elements while also giving it their usual chunky grooves and psychedelic tinge. Elsewhere, 'Gonna Take My Time' is a locked-in late night delight full of sharp stabs, and 'Work That' is a restless, energy-packed late-night delight.
Review: A decidedly pop-tastic release from Razor-N-Tape here, coming from Underground System, a multiracial, NYC-based indie-dance live band who cite Fela Kuti as a primary influence and whose work has previously appeared on Soul Clap Records, Planet E and Hell Yeah Recordings. Both 'Into The Fire' itself and the vaguely new wave-tinged 'He Said, She Said' have something of a Hot Chip-ish kinda feel, while on 'Desnuda' the band take a left turn into more reggae-leaning territory. The standout for this writer, though, is Yuksek's remix of 'Desnuda', which packs lashings of fat, squelchy 80s bass.
Review: Here's an EP that's been on fairly constant rotation since landing in this reviewer's inbox on Monday morning - and if your tastes lean towards the deepest and spaciest of house grooves, your experience of it may be very similar! 'Transmission' will provide the perfect accompaniment to those late-night, sofa-bound excursions into inner space, while 'Sable Sun' has a mellower vibe and 'Red Light' takes us into the 4am deep jackin' zone. The real killer, though, is 'Tremors', which rocks the kind of bassline (so sumptuous and warm you could swim in it) not often heard since all those classic Italian dub house records on Irma and Antima 30 years ago. Absolutely outstanding.
Review: Fresh from hitting the headlines thanks to a couple of killer collaborations with Honey Dijon, vocalist and songwriter Cor.Ece pitches up on Razor N Tape for the very first time. 'Possibly Impossible' was produced by label co-founder JKriv and sees Cor.Ece deliver layered, superbly soulful vocals over a backing track rich in squelchy, spacey synth-bass, twinkling electronic motifs and beats that sit somewhere between futurist deep house and the classier end of nu-disco. Musical polymath Crackazat takes the track to whole new heights on his accompanying remix, which combines live jazz and jazz-funk instrumentation with tougher, more locked-in house beats and a weightier bassline.
Review: Diego Strausz's first outing on Razor-N-Tape, a vinyl-only offering released in early 2022, was a thrillingly vibrant and hard-to-pigeonhole affair, with the Paris-based Brazilian joining the dots between Batacuda, South American disco, boogie and deep jazz-funk. Here the EP finally lands digitally, albeit in expanded form. We get previously unheard extended versions of the single's two tracks: 'Emancipacao', a kind of extra-squelchy, rhythmically rubbery and deliciously dreamy tribute to Azymuth, and '50 Anos Em 5', a TB-303 acid-sporting slab of Latin jazz-fusion with bonus spacey synths. Perhaps the package's most notable moment though is Ron Trent's inspired remix of the title track, which in typical fashion sees the legendary deep house producer add extra layers of musicality, sun-kissed positivity and plenty of killer house-not-house beats.
Review: Man-of-the-moment Felipe Gordon was little more than a Columbian producer with promise when he first appeared on Razor N Tape Reserve back in 2019. Since then, he's chalked up impressive, jazz-funk influenced deep house releases for all manner of high-profile labels including Heist, Local Talk and Shall Not Fade. This belated return to Razor N Tape is great, too. Opener 'Strings of the Afterline' is pleasingly hazy and dreamy whilst boasting Gordon's usual synth-heavy squelch, while 'The Fall of a Withered Empire' is a rare vocal number with a deep jazz-house feel. Elsewhere, 'Classico' is a bouncy, classic-sounding deep house bounce-along rich in sparkling synth riffs, while 'Julia Y Lewis' is a more languid and laidback chunk of jazz-sampling, funk-fuelled deep house haziness.
Review: It's taken a while, but Razor N Tape has finally decided to drop a compilation after years spent serving up tasty EPs. Made up entirely of previously unheard fodder, Family Affair Volume 1 giddily flits between delay-laden proto-house brilliance (Dimiti From Paris and DJ Rocca, JKriv dubbng out Sentimental Animals), slo-mo deep house/deep nu-disco fusion (Clive From Accounts), jazzy head-nodders (Ben Sun), dubby hypno-house (Misiu), string-drenched peak-time house creepiness (Eli Escobar and Lauren Flax), Escort style disco-boogie revivalism (Saucy Lady), Afrobeat (Jungle Fire), extra-percussive tropical disco (Daniel T in re-edit mode) and loopy, acid-fired breakbeat house deepness (Lay-Far). In other words, it's a fantastic collection of cuts tailor-made for sweaty dancefloors.
Review: With this entertaining EP, former Outplay contributor Clive From Accounts becomes the latest producer to contribute to Razor N Tape's excellent Reserve series of original productions. He's delivered a sublime EP all told, with opener 'Tell Me' providing a near perfect blend of driving disco-house, saucer-eyed deep house and foreboding, warehouse-ready motifs. He opts for a breezier, jazzier and more colourful deep house sound on bona-fide ear-pleaser 'Without Your Love', dives into deeper waters via the dusty deep house/jazz-funk fusion of 'Strictly Business' and looks skywards on spacey closing cut 'Yukon', a thoroughly emotive and intergalactic breakbeat roller.
Review: The latest artist to join Razor N Tape's original production-focused Reserve imprint is UC Beatz, a storied deep house producer whose bulging discography contains all manner of warming, club-ready treats. There's plenty of subtle variety to be found on the Midnight Swing EP, with the Brussels-born artist flitting between hazy, organ-sporting late-night chunkiness (the classic-sounding title track, which makes use of some vintage vocal snippets), airy colourfulness (the ultra-positive electronic melodies, lo-fi machine drums and tactile chords of 'Blue Ciel', and revivalist, mid-90s New Jersey garage/New York deep house fusion ('Broken Idyll'). Label regular Cody Currie provides the sole remix: a gorgeously airy, warm and sun-kissed revision of 'Blue Ciel' that's simply sublime.
Review: Three years after Jungle Fire joined Razor N Tape Reserve, the label has decided to offer up a swathe of new remixes of some of the band's classic cuts. It's a simple idea, executed brilliantly. Man of the moment Felipe Gordon excels on a jazz-funk and nu-disco-tinged deep house re-frame of 'Atomico', before label co-founder J Kriv delivers a thrillingly squelchy, driving disco dub of 'Le Krossa'. Legendary turntablist DJ Nu-Mark offers a superbly funky rework of 'Atomica' that embraces the track's Afrobeat roots, band-member Patrick Bailey joins the dots between electro and Afro-funk on his deliciously spacey 'Snake in Da Box Dub', and Samuel Miles opts to layer up breathless, energetic percussion on his fine remix of 'Biri Biri'.
Review: If you're not familiar with Sentimental Animals, there's a good reason for that: it's a brand-new Transatlantic collaboration between old pals Dicky Trisco and Razor N Tape Records' co-founder J Kriv. 'Love Vibration', their debut single, is simply superb, offering an attractive, colourful and addictive trip through hybrid disco-boogie territory complete with dextrous bass guitar, authentic turn-of-the-80s beats and a fine lead vocal from Nicki B. The pair also offers up a superb, proto-house inspired 'Basement Mix' (think Paul Simpson, Winston Jones, Boyd Jarvis etc), and 'Loose Rules', a more organic slab of disco warmth smothered in Chic-style guitars and mazy piano solos. To complete a superb package, Yuksek offers up a slightly tougher and more driving disco-house rework of 'Love Vibration'.
Review: A decade ago, New York band Midnight Magic delivered arguably THE greatest disco anthem of the 21st century, the sing-along classic that is 'Beam Me Up'. Fittingly, Razor 'N' Tape has decided to mark the record's anniversary by delivering a trio of fresh remixes. Full Pupp boss and Scandolearic disco king Prins Thomas leads the charge with a richly percussive, constantly building peak-time revision that adds wriggling acid lines and delay-laden horn solos whilst retaining the original's core elements (think walking bass, celebratory vocals and cheery piano stabs). Elsewhere, Kim-Ann Foxman re-imagines the cut as a sleazy, mid-tempo acid disco chugger and Each Other re-frames it as a surging, arpeggio-driven dance through camp Italo-disco pastures. Ace!
Review: For their latest trick, Razor-N-Tape Reserve has decided to breathe new life into 'Agua', one of the standout cuts from Brazilian band Baianasystem's chronically overlooked 2018 album O Futura Nao Demora. Freerange main man Jimpster delivers two wonderfully breezy and life affirming reworks: a fully-formed remix that wraps Antonio Carlos' vocal and splashes of the original's samba-soaked instrumentation (jazz guitars, warming horns, vintage synth sounds and so on) around a tactile deep house groove, and a deeper, dreamier and especially groovy Dub. After that Diego Strausz and JKriv take over, first re-framing the track as an extra-percussive chuck of acid-speckled nu-disco (their remix), before brilliantly stripping back the cut on their disco instrumental style Dub mix.
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