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Z Records
Various
Leonid & Friends - "Street Player" (Dimitri From Paris Super Disco Blend - parts I & II) - (10:06) 126 BPM 
Dave, Maurissa, Dave Lee ZR & Maurissa Rose - "Look At The Stars" (Dave's Starshine club mix) - (7:44) 125 BPM
Review: Dave Lee's annual 'Essentials' compilations consistently deliver on their promise by rounding up the Z Records' biggest dancefloor hits and overlooked gems from the previous 12 months. 2023's edition is, somewhat predictably, another must-have collection packed to the rafters with house and disco treats. There are plenty of genuine scene anthems present - see Dimitri From Paris's epic revision of Leonid and Friends' cover of Chicago's 'Street Player', Lee's stunning disco rework of Jamiroquai's 'Little L', and his epic AC Soul Symphony cut 'I Want To See You Dance' - as well as lesser-celebrated gems such as the disco-boogie shuffle of Dynasty's 'Still In Love', David Penn's driving rework of Raven Maize's 'The Real Life', and Grant Nelson's piano-powered revision of Lee and Omar's 'Starlight'.
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ZEDDDIGICD 064
01 Dec 23
Disco/Nu-Disco
01 Dec 23
Disco/Nu-Disco
Various
Doug Willis & Dave Lee ZR - "Music Speak Louder Than Words" (Micky More & Andy Tee instrumental) - (6:27) 124 BPM
The Sunburst Band & Dave Lee ZR - "Journey To The Sun" (Micky More & Andy Tee instrumental) - (6:45) 124 BPM
Dave Lee ZR & Lakeshore Commission - "In 2 The Light" (feat Bluey - Dave Lee Slap Bass Invasion dub) - (6:02) 123 BPM
Foreal People & Dave Lee ZR - "In The Mood To Groove" (Dave's Shake Your Body To The Funk mix) - (6:49) 123 BPM
Dave Lee ZR & Raw Essence - "Do It Again" (feat Lifford - Dave Lee's dub It Again mix) - (6:34) 118 BPM
Played by: Juno Recommends Disco
Review: Dave Lee's Z Records bring us the third instalment in what is a very occasional series, with Vols 1 and 2 having dropped in 2009 and 2020 respectively. In fairly self-explanatory fashion, the 'Dubstramentals' compilations round up some of the best Instrumental and Dub mixes from the label's recent(ish) back catalogue, and as you'd expect from a label of Z's stature that makes for an impressive roster of talent, with remixes coming from the likes of Grant Nelson, Dam Swindle, Dimitri From Paris, Michael Grey and Sean McCabe. Spanning right across the spectrum from soul, funk, disco and boogie to peaktime house bizniss, this is a fine collection that will make a worthwhile addition to wide range of DJs' virtual record boxes.
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ZEDDDIGICD 062
10 Nov 23
Disco/Nu-Disco
10 Nov 23
Disco/Nu-Disco
Played by: Craig Charles Funk And Soul, Pete Haigh, Rudy's Midnight Machine, Juno Recommends Disco, Tonbe, BRENDON P, Kongisto, BAZZA RANKS
Review: Dave Lee has described this epic album, his first under the lesser-known AC Soul Symphony alias, as not only a 'labour of love', but also a tribute to the soaring string sounds and musically expansive arrangements that marked out work by original 1970s disco acts such as the Salsoul Orchestra, MFSB and Love Unlimited. Predictably, Lee has delivered and then some, serving up a string of epic disco workouts that flit between sax-laden mid-tempo beauty ('Windy City Theme'), soaring Philly Soul revivalism ('The Philly Avengers', with its jammed-out, Billy Preston style electric piano licks), seductive slow-jams ('Music For Your Pleasure'), elongated invitations to hit the dancefloors ('I Want To See You Dance'), sparkling disco-funk ('AC Express'), Salsoul-esque outings ('Seneca Village') and tributes to disco greats ('The Talented Mr Adams', which doffs a cap to the great Patrick Adams).
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ZEDDCD 059DD
27 Oct 23
Disco/Nu-Disco
27 Oct 23
Disco/Nu-Disco
Played by: Dave Lee ZR, Jayl Funk, Juno Recommends Disco, BRENDON P, That Needs an Edit/Pete Le Freq
Review: Initially launched in the mid-2000s as his tribute to grandiose, orchestrated disco, Dave Lee has decided to reboot his AC Soul Symphony project for a first EP of new material since 2007. The headline attraction is undoubtedly 'I Want To See You Dance', a sumptuously orchestrated and string-laden revivalist disco epic that sounds like a Tom Moulton-mixed collaboration between the Salsoul Orchestra and countless Philadelphia International artists of the mid 1970s. It comes backed by instrumental and acapella versions and bonus cut 'The Philly Avengers', a heartfelt instrumental tribute to the 'Philly Soul' sound smothered in Billy Preston style electric piano solos, simmering strings, rousing horns and flanged guitar licks.
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ZEDD 12367
29 Sep 23
Disco/Nu-Disco
29 Sep 23
Disco/Nu-Disco
Bah Samba feat Vanessa Haynes
Played by: Dave Lee ZR, Pete Haigh, Marcel Vogel, Juno Recommends Disco, BRENDON P, LEGO EDIT, Saint-Loup-en-Bray
Review: New mixes here of a track that was first released some 10 years ago, coming courtesy of the man like Dave Lee. 'Save Our Freedom', in Bah Samba's own words, "deals with the important issue of the recent erosion of civil liberties," but despite the earnest messaging is actually quite an upbeat and cheery affair, with singalong vox and scatted BVs married to a fat n' funky bassline, horn fanfares and steel drums galore. There are essentially two mixes to talk about: the Freedom Reign Mix is the sonically busier of the two with the Original Vibe Mix a little more straight-ahead, while matching instrumentals plus an acapella complete the package.
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ZEDD 12356
18 Aug 23
Disco/Nu-Disco
18 Aug 23
Disco/Nu-Disco
Review: Based in sunny Los Angeles, Raquel Rodriguez is a Mexican-American soul/R&B singer who lists the likes of Prince, Chaka Khan and Michael Jackson as influences. 'Undone' first appeared on her 2021 long-player 'Sweet Side', and now along comes UK disco legend Dave Lee to give it a makeover for more house-oriented floors. It's a task he pulls off with considerable aplomb, of course - there's literally no one better for the job - but ultimately he's only polishing a diamond... the real magic here lies in Ms Rodriquez's smooth, jazzy vocal delivery. A summer anthem on the soulful floors - file under 'unmissable'.
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ZEDD 12360
07 Jul 23
Disco/Nu-Disco
07 Jul 23
Disco/Nu-Disco
Various
Leonid & Friends - "Street Player" (Dimitri From Paris Super Disco Blend - Parts I & II) - (10:06) 126 BPM
Doug Willis & Dave Lee ZR - "Music Speaks Louder Than Words" (Micky More & Andy Tee Piano mix) - (6:28) 124 BPM
Review: Dave Lee's Z Records bring us a 15-track, Ibiza-themed collection that, just like last year's offering, features a mixture of recent releases (such as recent Akabu single 'Highways', presented here in Cody Currie Remix form) and favourites from days gone by. In the latter camp, Raven Maize's 'The Real Life' gets a 2023 reworking courtesy of David Penn and The Sunburst Band's classic 'Until The End Of Time' is also treated to a 2023 Remaster, while Micky More & Andy Tee's Piano Mix of Doug Willis's 'Music Than Speaks Louder Than Words' from 2011 dropped late last year and Z Factor's 'Gotta Keep Pushing' returns in the less-played Salt City Orchestra Remix, which featured on the 1998 FFRR 12-inch but not the original 1996 Z release.
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ZEDDDIGICD 060
23 Jun 23
Disco/Nu-Disco
23 Jun 23
Disco/Nu-Disco
Review: So it seems the man of a million aliases now has a new one, as having ditched his best known moniker post-Black Lives Matter, Dave Lee returns as Joey Montenegro and reworks this Yvonne Stevens-vocalled smash from 2005. Yes, you've heard the song a million times, but don't worry about that because this is 'Make A Move On Me' revisited, as the title suggests, in far more authentically 70s-sounding fashion. Admittedly DJ Spen & The Muthafunkaz' remix back in the day was similarly styled but even so, this turns out to be surprisingly essential.
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ZEDD 12359
16 Jun 23
Disco/Nu-Disco
16 Jun 23
Disco/Nu-Disco
Review: UK disco don Dave Lee teams up with Detroit vocalist Maurissa Rose, who since featuring on an Eddie 'Flashin' Fowlkes cut way back in 1995 has spent most of her career working in the soul/jazz/R&B arena, but who's latterly returned to a more dancefloor-oriented trajectory, working with the likes of Theo Parrish, Alton Miller, Royskopp and Lee's own Sunburst Band. Their collective experience and pedigree shine through clearly on 'Look At The Stars', but if soulful vocal belters aren't your thing then fear not because there's an accompanying, self-explanatory Moog Dub that's to die for.
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ZEDD 12358
26 May 23
Funky/Club House
26 May 23
Funky/Club House
Review: Best known for 1979's 'I Don't Want To Be A Freak (But I Can't Help Myself)', LA-based Dynasty were stalwarts of the renowned Solar label, releasing five albums spanning disco, boogie and R&B between 1979 and 1988. 'Still In Love', though, was a comeback single they recorded for US label Austin Boogie Crew in 2021 - and now Z Records give it a trio of remixes from label boss Dave Lee himself. With a back story like that, you KNOW the results are gonna be good: the only question is whether to go for the brace of pumped-up Solar Powered remixes or the smoother Dave Lee Original Vibe mix.
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ZEDD 12354
07 Apr 23
Disco/Nu-Disco
07 Apr 23
Disco/Nu-Disco
Played by: Dave Lee ZR, Kraak & Smaak, Pete Haigh, Juno Recommends Disco, Tonbe, J&M BROTHERS, Rayko, Andy Downtown Science, Discoholic Ken, Shaka Loves You, THE NICEGUYS, BRENDON P, HOTMOOD, Bully Boy
Review: When it landed on vinyl a few weeks back, Leonid & Friends' terrific cover version of Chicago classic 'Street Player' sold out in record time. It's with some relief, then, to find that the track, which was mixed by French disco and house legend Dimitri From Paris, has swiftly made the transfer to digital download. His 'Super Disco Blend Parts I & II' take is an extra-percussive, musically expansive affair which builds brilliantly before unleashing the familiar horns and vocals. He then cycles through various instrument solos as the track progresses. The accompanying dub is, naturally, a more stripped-back and groove-back affair, with the stricture and choice of instrumentation doffing a cap to The Bucketheads' 'The Bomb', the Kenny Dope produced house classic that famously sampled the Chicago track.
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ZEDD 12345
24 Mar 23
Disco/Nu-Disco
24 Mar 23
Disco/Nu-Disco
Review: The man like Dave Lee returns to one of his lesser-used aliases, Foreal People, and serves up two brand new cuts on his own Z Records. 'In The Mood To Groove' revisits a familiar "get on in the groove" vocal that was sampled by the mighty Anorak Trax back in the day, though its original source remains frustratingly elusive, and comes in two mixes: the Dave Lee Extended Mix is a disco/boogie delight, while Dave's Shake Your Body To The Funk Mix probably shouldn't need much explanation! 'Raize The Blaze' then ups the tempo a little and aims straight at the soulful/disco house floors.
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ZEDD 12351
17 Mar 23
Disco/Nu-Disco
17 Mar 23
Disco/Nu-Disco
Played by: Kraak & Smaak, Pete Haigh, Juno Recommends Deep House, BRENDON P, Sean McCabe, Nickas (Deeppa Records), Saint-Loup-en-Bray
Review: Seems like a few years now since Dave Lee last dusted off his Akabu alias but the name is usually a sign of quality and this new offering is unlikely to disappoint his army of fans. 'Highways' features an ultra-soulful male vocal courtesy of Jinadu, who's also worked with the likes of Black Coffee, Cristoph, Dixon and Jimpster, and comes in three mixes: Dave's own Medusa Mix and Medusa Dub lean towards his Sunburst Band style in their space-y, jazzy musicality while Toy Tonics regular Cody Currie supplies a refix for floors that like it just a little bit (deep) housier.
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ZEDD 12353
03 Mar 23
Deep House
03 Mar 23
Deep House
Dave Lee ZR / Various
Destiny II & Dave Lee ZR - "Play 2 Win" (feat Angela Johnson - Dave Lee Destination Boogie mix) - (7:16) 122 BPM
Dave Lee ZR & Lakeshore Commission - "In 2 The Light" (feat Bluey - Dave Lee Slap Bass Invasion dub) - (6:02) 123 BPM
Dave Lee ZR & Jean Aubergine - "Disco Numberwang" (feat Amy Douglas - Jean's extended Numberwang) - (7:02) 125 BPM
Review: Dave Lee's annual 'Essentials' comps, which serve as a record of what he's been producing, playing, remixing and releasing over the course of that year, are never less than essential. 2022's edition, which boasts 20 club-ready future classics, is no exception. There's not enough space to list all of the high-grade house, disco and boogie gems on show, but our picks of a very strong bunch currently include Grant Nelson's superb, subtly garage-tinged rework of Omar collaboration 'Starlight', Birdee's terrific, piano-powered disco-house revision of 'Do What You Feel', Doug Gomez's breathlessly percussive version of Kabbala's 'Ashewo Ara', Jean Aubergine's insatiably funky tweak of his Amy Douglas-featuring collaboration with Lee, 'Disco Numberwang', and Jusa's Rhodes-heavy jazz-funk club jam 'Musa'. Genuinely "all killer, no filler".
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ZEDDDIGICD 059
16 Dec 22
Funky/Club House
16 Dec 22
Funky/Club House
Mickey More / Andy Tee / Various
Doug Willis & Dave Lee ZR - "Music Speaks Louder Than Words" (Micky More & Andy Tee Piano mix) - (6:28) 124 BPM
Dave Lee ZR & The Sunburst Band - "Dialed Up" (feat Noelle Scaggs - Micky More & Andy Tee Cosmic mix) - (7:17) 123 BPM
The Sunburst Band & Dave Lee ZR - "Journey To The Sun" (Micky More & Andy Tee Sun mix) - (6:44) 124 BPM
The Sunburst Band & Dave Lee ZR - "Why Wait For Tomorrow" (feat Pete Simpson - Micky More & Andy Tee mix) - (7:21) 123 BPM
Dave Lee ZR & Joey Negro - "Love Hangover" (Micky More & Andy Tee Groove Culture Blend) - (7:10) 121 BPM
AC Soul Symphony & Dave Lee ZR - "Manhattan Skyline" (JN Spirit Of '77 extended mix) - (11:06) 122 BPM
The Sunburst Band & Dave Lee ZR - "The Secret Life Of Us" (Frankie Knuckles & Eric Kupper's Director's Cut mix) - (7:05) 124 BPM
Played by: Juno Recommends Disco, Juno Recommends Deep House, Juno Recommends Funky House, THE NICEGUYS, Gino Boleti
Review: Top-level disco/house fusionists and Groove Culture Records chiefs Micky More and Andy Tee have been let loose in the Z Records archive. The result is a fine compilation that combines some of their favourites from the long-serving label's catalogue with a sextet of remixes the duo has prepared specially for the collection. If you've been following their work, you'll know exactly what to expect, namely peak-time ready, soul-fired cuts that combine authentic disco instrumentation (horns, strings, guitars, bass etc) with rolling house beats and plenty of life-affirming vocals. Highlights are naturally plentiful, with their trio of Sunburst Band remixes, Masters At Work's classic, Nuyorican Soul style remix of The Blackbyrds' 'Mysterious Vibes' and Frankie Knuckles (RIP) and Eric Kupper's 'Directors Cut' mix of Sunburst Band's 'The Secret Life of Us' all standing out.
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ZEDDDIGICD 058
02 Dec 22
Disco/Nu-Disco
02 Dec 22
Disco/Nu-Disco
Review: Lakeshore Commission is not one of Dave Lee's better-known aliases; to date, he's only used it for one single, 2019's tribute to Randy Mueller and Skyy, 'Together (Right Now)'. For this belated sequel, the Z Records founder has enlisted the assistance of Icognito main man Bluey. He provides gorgeous, multi-tracked, Dayton-style vocals over a warming, jazz-funk flecked post-disco groove, beautiful brass arrangements and lovely orchestration on the EP-leading 'Mind Trip Mix'. The pair's love of jazz-funk (and Dayton in particular) comes through even more loudly and clearly on the starry, rubbery and floor-friendly 'Slap Bass Invasion Dub', while the 'Mind Dimension Dub' sits somewhere between the two mixes whilst also adding a touch of disco grit to proceedings. Excellent stuff as always from the man formerly known as Joey Negro.
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ZEDD 12346
14 Oct 22
Deep House
14 Oct 22
Deep House
Review: In which UK deep house legend Jamie 'Jimpster' Odell remixes a track culled from Dave Lee's 'Produced With Love 2' album, with predictably fine results. 'Want Me Back' in its Original form finds Dave donning his Mistura hat and teaming up with Toronto-based poet Jemini on a spoken-vocalled cut that's not dissimilar in feel to Akabu's classic 'Ride The Storm', while Jamie's two remixes - Jimpster's Jazz'd Up and Jimpster Peaktime Deepness - do pretty much exactly what you'd expect them to, in the best possible way. An absolute must for deep, soulful and disco house jocks alike.
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ZEDD 12344
02 Sep 22
Deep House
02 Sep 22
Deep House
Dave Lee / Various
The Sunburst Band & Dave Lee - "Garden Of Love" (Dam Swindle remix - Dave Lee There 4 U edit) - (7:21) 125 BPM
Played by: Faze Action, Juno Recommends Disco, Juno Recommends Deep House, Juno Recommends Funky House, Tonbe, BRENDON P, JAMES ROD, Detroit Rising, Sim 1 one
Review: As usual, Z Records' annual compilation of catalogue tracks doing business over on the White Isle is packed to the rafters with high-grade dancefloor treats. It opens with a sweltering Dave Lee and Harry Romero mix of Z Factor's '90s house classic 'Ride The Rhythm' and ends with Lee's string-laden disco rework of Foreal People's 'Does It Feel Good To You'; in between, you'll find an attractive mixture of bouncy Afro-boogie revivalism (Emmaculate's extended mix of 'Dougswana' by Dave Lee as Doug Willis), reworked Z Records classics (Atjazz giving a classic-but-percussive deep house feel to Jakatta's 'American Dream'), super-soulful house (Wipe The Needle),driving disco-house (Prospect Park) and breezy piano house (Sean McCabe's 'Italo Piano' mix of Soul Dhamma). As the old clich? goes, this is genuinely "all killer, no filler".
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ZEDDDIGICD 057
22 Jul 22
Disco/Nu-Disco
22 Jul 22
Disco/Nu-Disco
The Sunburst Band - "Listen Love" (feat Wayne Hernandez - Dave Lee Jazz Funk Renaissance mix) - (8:00) 125 BPM
The Vision - "Mountains" (feat Andreya Triana - Dave Lee live & Direct extended mix) - (7:42) 123 BPM
Roland Wrightangle - "In Your Blood" (feat Darcus - Dave Lee Funk In Your Blood mix) - (6:21) 116 BPM
Played by: Sam Redmore, FINGERMAN, Romanto (YSR / DISCO MACHINE), Jayl Funk, Juno Recommends Disco, Sean McCabe, Fouk, Kongisto
Review: Dave Lee's first Produced With Love album was not only a celebration of his production credentials, but also a celebration of the music that has inspired and shaped his career over the years, namely soul, disco, boogie, jazz-funk and house. This follow-up, which lands 5 years after its predecessor, continues in a similar vein, with Lee offering up 12 new songs and a wealth of remixes of tracks by other artists. As you'd expect, it's an on-point collection, with the many highlights including the soulful disco-boogie bounce of Raw Essence hook-up 'Do It Again', the Omar-sporting dancefloor sunshine of 'Starlight', the boogie/soulful house fusion of 'Love Walked In The Roo his hot-stepping two-step disco tweak of Roland Whitingale's 'In Your Blood' and a string-laden disco rework of 'Mountains' by The Vision.
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ZEDDCD 055DD
17 Jun 22
Disco/Nu-Disco
17 Jun 22
Disco/Nu-Disco
Review: Four mixes to choose from of this latest offering from UK disco don Dave Lee, which sees him teaming up with male vocalist Lifford and reassuming an alias (Raw Essence) that he hasn't used for about 20 years or so. The Extended Album Mix rocks pure early 80s boogie vibes, executed of course with Lee's usual impeccable production values, while the Dub It Again Mix brings the 80s synths forward. Lazywax's vocal and instrumental remixes, meanwhile, strip things right back to bare bones and as such may work better on those floors that lean more to the soul (as opposed to disco) side of the street.
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ZEDD 12339
20 May 22
Disco/Nu-Disco
20 May 22
Disco/Nu-Disco
Review: No, Essex's favourite disco don hasn't had a senior moment and accidentally covered Supermen Lovers' early 00s commercial house smash. Instead, he's teamed up with UK soul legend Omar on a brand new track that's... well, pretty much as unmissable as you'd expect a collaboration between Dave Lee and Omar to be! 'Starlight' comes served in fairly self-explanatory Club Edit, Extended Album Mix and Extended Instrumental rubs - I'd head for the album mix if I were you, because that's where a truly sublime jazz-funk piano line worthy of Rodney F himself gets to really shine though in all its glory.
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ZEDD 12337
22 Apr 22
Disco/Nu-Disco
22 Apr 22
Disco/Nu-Disco
Played by: Kisk, Juno Recommends Funky House, Fredeverything, Jazzman Wax, JAMES ROD, Matthias Heilbronn
Review: 'Garden of Love' is now one of the oldest tracks in the bulging back catalogue of Dave Lee's jazz-funk and boogie inspired Sunburst Band outfit. It was first featured on the outfit's debut album Here Comes The Sunburst Band and has been remixed a number of times since. The latest to give the track a good seeing to are Heist Recording chiefs Dam Swindle. Their take is driving but groovy, with the band's original instrumentation - dazzling Rhodes electric piano motifs, jazzy boogie bass, spiralling synth sounds - and vocalisations riding a bumping deep house beat. Lee provides his own re-edit of their remix, chopping it down slightly while alternating between the more euphoric and stripped-back sections of the Dam Swindle interpretation.
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ZEDD 12338
08 Apr 22
Funky/Club House
08 Apr 22
Funky/Club House
Colin Curtis / Various
Played by: Craig Charles Funk And Soul, Pete Haigh, Faze Action, Juno Recommends Funk, LEGO EDIT, NaCL
Review: One of the soul scene's most influential DJs, it's little surprise that Colin Curtis' Jazz Dance Fusion compilations on Z Records have been so impressive. He's dived even deeper into his vast record collection on this third volume, serving up a fine array of both classic cuts and sought-after obscurities. There's naturally plenty of Latin jazz on show - the backbone of the jazz-dance scene since the 1970s - but also forays into spiritual jazz, Hammond-heavy dancefloor workouts (see the sweaty 'Yatra Ta' by Martin Johnson), soul-jazz (JuJu), energy-packed percussion jams (GeeW) and Afro-Latin fusion (The Drive).
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ZEDDCD 056DD
01 Apr 22
Jazz
01 Apr 22
Jazz
Played by: Juno Recommends Deep House
Review: Londoner Wipe The Needle (real name Lee Gomez) has previously proved adept at blurring the boundaries between soulful house, broken beat and jazz-funk, an undeniably attractive hybrid sound in keeping with the recent bruk revival. In its' original mix form (track two), 'On Time', his first outing for Z Records, is a brilliant slub of bruk-up boogie-funk smothered in spring-friendly soul - think woozy synths, crunchy broken beats, aqua-funk bass, twinkling jazz pianos and sublime lead vocals from Tornoto's Sacha Williamson. There's a vocal free dub of that take tagged onto the end of the EP, plus two '4x4' house versions: a stunning, EP-opening full vocal version that's simply gorgeous, and a killer, slightly stripped back 'dubstrumental' mix that pushes the killer bassline to the fore.
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ZEDD 12336
25 Mar 22
Deep House
25 Mar 22
Deep House
Played by: Sam Redmore, Craig Charles Funk And Soul, Juno Recommends Disco, Discolypso, Shaka Loves You, Benedikt Freyr
Review: Two new remixes here of this Afro-flavoured production by Dave Lee in his Doug Wilis guise, which first came out back in 2007, and which was also remixed by Audiowhores the following year. The man picked to do the honours for 2022 is Emmaculate, AKA Chicago's Eric Welton, who doesn't flip the script too much, retaining the hi-life-ish feel of the Original but now augmenting the Rhodes that took the lead first time around with some scorching sax work. An Instrumental is also supplied, so if you'd rather dispense with the chanted male vox, you can.
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ZEDD 12334
11 Mar 22
Disco/Nu-Disco
11 Mar 22
Disco/Nu-Disco
Review: Older heads, don't get it twisted! This isn't, as I first thought, our man Dave revisiting the Sharone track of the same name that came out on his Republic label way back in 1989, but rather a brand new cut that's serve up in a choice of three mixes. The Dave Lee Destination Boogie Mix is aptly titled and hence fairly self-explanatory, but as appealing as that sugar-sweet female vocal is, it's his Taste The Bass Dub that wins out for yours truly. Again, little explanation required there - and the same goes for the acapella that completes the package.
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ZEDD 12333
11 Feb 22
Disco/Nu-Disco
11 Feb 22
Disco/Nu-Disco
Review: A slightly confusing release this, because these appear to be remixes of a track that's never actually been released in its original form. With no social media presence whatsoever, we'll also assume Risque Connection is another new alias for Mr Lee himself, the name presumably a nod to reggae producer Joe Isaacs' late 70s disco covers outfit Risco Connection. As for the record itself... well, you know Norma Jean Wright's 1978 original, and you probably know Lee's 2000 take with Taka Boom and East 57th Street's 1997 version with Donna Allen as well! No big surprises here, then, but with Gray and Lee at the helm you can't really go wrong, can you?
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ZEDD 12331
17 Dec 21
Disco/Nu-Disco
17 Dec 21
Disco/Nu-Disco
The Sunburst Band / Dave Lee / Various
Roland Wrightangle, Darcus & Dave Lee - "In Your Blood" (Dave Lee?s Funk in the Music mix) - (6:55) 116 BPM
Dave Lee, Horse Meat Disco & Angela Johnson - "Dancing Into The Stars" (Dave Lee Super Soulful mix - feat Angela Johnson) - (7:00) 120 BPM
Played by: Jean Jacques Smoothie, Juno Recommends Disco, Juno Recommends Deep House, Ash Reynolds, Tonbe, Kongisto
Review: Dave Lee's annual round-up of 'essential' cuts from the catalogue of his Z Records imprint is always worth picking up, and this year's edition is no different. Packed with high-grade disco, deep house and what would once have been called 'US garage' (that's soulful house, kids), it's a near faultless selection that will keep you in peak-time anthems for months to come. Our picks of an extremely strong bunch include the electric piano-heavy, downlow disco-funk bounce of 'In Your Blood' (a rare collaboration between Lee, Darcus and Roland Wrightangle), Sean McCabe's lusciously warm and groovy take on Matty, Monique and Monique Bingham's 'Now What', Andres' loopy, boogie-tinged deep house version of Joey Negro and Sacha Williamson's 'I Recognise', and Backroom Productions' recently reissued rework of their own 'The Rhythm' (as The Power).
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ZEDDDIGICD 056
10 Dec 21
Disco/Nu-Disco
10 Dec 21
Disco/Nu-Disco
Played by: Herbie Hatchback, Juno Recommends Disco, Tonbe, Shaka Loves You, Stephen Richards (DiscoDaze), Andy Buchan, Ravanelli Disco Club
Review: 'In Your Blood' first cropped up on a 'Remixed With Love' release, which implies Roland Wrightangle & Darcus are real people and not just another new alias for the many-hatted Mr Lee, but we can't be entirely certain! Either way, 'In Your Blood' is certainly authentically 70s-sounding whichever of the three mixes you plump for - the raw, looping funk of the Dave Lee In The Music Mix, a slightly deeper/mellower/jazzier rub from Ron Basejam, or the fairly self-explanatory Dave Lee Bloody Dubby mix. Proof, were any required, that the boy from Essex still does it better than most!
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ZEDD 12319
26 Nov 21
Disco/Nu-Disco
26 Nov 21
Disco/Nu-Disco
Played by: Juno Recommends Disco
Review: There's the Dave Lee who makes chart-busting dance anthems, there's the Dave Lee who's behind 23,497 disco cut-ups... and then there's the Dave Lee who's been responsible for some of the must sumptuous, soulful and sophisticated house music of the past 30 years. These remixes of US vocalist Liz Yancey AKA Ja'Shay's 1998 cut 'Shout Hallelujah', you'll be glad to hear, find us firmly in the latter territory - whether you plump for the main Redemption Mix, drop down a little deeper with the Brotherhood Dub or get creative with the Acapella, this is class in a glass, and a must for the soulful house lovers.
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ZEDD 12329
05 Nov 21
Disco/Nu-Disco
05 Nov 21
Disco/Nu-Disco
Played by: Juno Recommends Disco, That Needs an Edit/Pete Le Freq, Disco Sparks, Downunder Disco, Andy Buchan
Review: Essex's own disco don Dave Lee reassumes his late 90s/early 00s Prospect Park mantle for this Saturday night-friendly outing on his own long-running Z Records. There are no major surprises on offer, it has to be said - this is straight-up disco/soulful house of the kind that could have come out at any point in the past 25 years. What must ALSO be said, though, is that Dave does this sound waaaaay better than most - having helped invent it! - and with self-explanatory Disco Re-Shake and Jazzy Re-Shake mixes on offer, fans will be more than satisfied, with the latter's fluid jazz-funk geetar winning out for yours truly.
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ZEDD 12328
01 Oct 21
Disco/Nu-Disco
01 Oct 21
Disco/Nu-Disco
THE SUNBURST BAND / DAVE LEE / VARIOUS
Bobby DAmbrosio & Michelle Weeks - "Moment Of My Life" (Dave Lee Xtended Re-Organ-ization) - (9:05) 121 BPM
The Sunburst Band, Vivienne McKone & Dave Lee - "Trust Me" (DJ Spinna Nostalgic Future dub) - (6:33) 122 BPM
Review: After several successful releases together, UK soulful house stalwart Sean McCabe returns to ZR, this time for a remix/mix album. We handed over the keys to the vaults of Z Records parts and let him run wild in his underpants. The album features 6 new exclusive McCabe remixes - Monique Bingham, Blackbyrds, The Sunburst Band and Soul Dharma, plus Sean's interpretation of an unreleased Akabu song Time Line". That's all alongside many of Sean's classic remixes, plus his personal favourites from the extensive ZR catalog and a DJ mix.
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ZEDDDIGICD 055
03 Sep 21
Disco/Nu-Disco
03 Sep 21
Disco/Nu-Disco
Review: Horse Meat Disco and Dave Lee previously collaborated on a number of tracks for the former's fine debut album, Love and Dancing, so it's no surprise to see them revisit their previous hook-up with Angela Johnson, 'Dancing Into The Stars'. Lee kicks off proceedings with a 'Super Soulful' mix that joins the dots between warming deep, soulful house, colourful jazz-funk and joyous boogie, before Horse Meat Disco channel the spirit of Patrick Cowley on their throbbing 'Dub Wise Vocal Mix'. Arguably best of all though is the EP-closing 'extended DJ Friendly edit', a ten-minute chunk of celebratory disco-boogie brilliance that's as positive, sunny and cheery as you'd expect.
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ZEDD 12325
20 Aug 21
Disco/Nu-Disco
20 Aug 21
Disco/Nu-Disco
Doug Willis / Dave Lee / Various
Played by: Dave Lee ZR, FINGERMAN, Superbreak, Juno Recommends Disco, Tonbe, LEGO EDIT, Gino Boleti, 1Farshad
Review: As the title suggests, this fantastic - and let's face it, pleasingly epic - compilation showcases some of the many disco-centric cuts in the Z Records vaults, throwing in a few exclusives (see Dave Lee's fantastic, hybrid disco-boogie rework of Firefly's 'Love is Gonna Be on Your Side') for good measure. Such is the high-quality threshold that picking stand outs is tough, but our picks of a very strong bunch include the slick, boogie-funk brilliance of Crackazat's 'Sensationalized', Larry Levan's vintage, delay-heavy synth dub of Johnny Dynell's 'Rhythm of Love', the stomping disco-house release of 'Gotta Thing (2021 Remaster)' by Foreal People, Taana Gardner and Dave Lee, and John Morales' epic rework of Sean McCabe's 'Love For Life'. As the old saying goes, this is all killer and no filler.
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ZEDDDIGICD 054
23 Jul 21
Disco/Nu-Disco
23 Jul 21
Disco/Nu-Disco
Review: While Dave Lee has donned many aliases over the years, and worked on many projects, you get the feel that the Sunburst Band, his musician-led tribute to the jazz-funk, disco and boogie of his youth, brings him most joy. 'Listen Love', the first new Sunburst Band single for some time, is certainly a joyous and exuberant affair, especially in its EP-opening 'Jazz Funk Renaissance Mix' form. This is little less than a carnival-ready dance through Brazilian jazz-funk pastures topped off by a superb, partially improvised lead vocal from Wayne Hernandez. Louie Vega and Josh Milan join forces to deliver two headline grabbing reworks: an expansive, full vocal Latin house take and a driving dancefloor dub that's as sweaty and breathless as they come.
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ZEDD 12323
09 Jul 21
Disco/Nu-Disco
09 Jul 21
Disco/Nu-Disco
Various
Review: Glitterbox resident Dr Packer is a leading light of the contemporary disco scene, while Dave Lee was arguably THE key architect of the whole post-house disco phenomenon in the first place. So when the former helms a compilation on the latter's label, you'd expect great things, and suffice to say you're very unlikely to be disappointed. Hell, for this writer the deep n' sultry JN Revival Mix of early 90s classic 'Do What You Feel' is worth the price of admission on its own, but with Packer's own remixes of label favourites making up over a third of the tracklist, the collection as a whole is pretty much unmissable.
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ZEDDCD 054DD
02 Jul 21
Disco/Nu-Disco
02 Jul 21
Disco/Nu-Disco
