Review: Following fine outings from Fort Knox Five, the Allergies, Smoove and Marc Hype, amongst others, Bomb Strikes' reliable Funk N' Beats compilation series returns with rising star X-Ray Ted at the controls. In keeping with the series' heavyweight, funk-fuelled style, the Bristol-based DJ and beat-maker has gathered together a killer collection of soul, hip-hop and funk club cuts, with a smattering of more laidback numbers to keep things fresh. Highlights are plentiful throughout, with our picks including the boom-bap brilliance is Aldo Vanucci's tidy remix of 'All Down' by Mr Doris and D-Funk, the dancefloor jazz heaviness of Nostalgia 77's 'Changes', the cut-and-paste craziness of Double Dee & Steinski's 'Jazz' and the disco-funk masterclass that is X-Ray Ted's own 'Party Time'.
Bass Is The Place To Rock The Place - (3:33) 125 BPM
Baby I Like The Way - (3:13) 105 BPM
The Bass That Goes Boom - (3:13) 128 BPM
Miami Got The Bass - (3:14) 128 BPM
Hip Shakin' Bass - (3:50) 128 BPM
Bass In Your Mutha Fuckin' Face (Electro) - (3:42) 126 BPM
Do U Like Bass - (3:49) 128 BPM
Ghetto Bass - (2:44) 115 BPM
The Story About Bass - (3:42) 128 BPM
Miami Abcs - (4:06) 128 BPM
Trans Miami Xpress - (3:18) 126 BPM
Evolution - (3:17) 127 BPM
Planet Miami - (2:23) 111 BPM
South Beach Hustlin' - (3:23) 128 BPM
Review: For this brand new feature length Album project, B.O.S.E readies his wits and sharpens his productive spears, making ready for a scintillating spectacle as 14 tracks of electro fire come to fruition. The constant themes of the album are that of 80's synth pop, with electronic synth machines playing out drums and melodies on 'Planet Miami', 'Miami Got The Bass' and 'Bass Is The Place To Rock The Place'. There is also a constant breaksy theme running riot, as 'Bass In Your Mutha Fuckin' Face' and 'Hip Shakin' Bass'. The album screams retro electro, with our highlights being the hardcore rolls of the title track 'Evolution' and of course the vibrant arrangements of 'Miami ABC's'.
Review: Since launching in 2010, Miami's Disco Balls label have brought us music from the likes of C Da Afro, Frank Virgilio, The Stoned and Ken@Work; since 2015, they've also been serving up annual genre-based compilations, with this nu-disco best-of selection for 2020 having house, disco house and jackin' house sisters. Across 19 tracks from almost as many artists you'll find everything from raw funk (Jerem A's 'Do The Do'), via loose-limbed jazz-funk (Dubplate Disco's 'Between Us'), to shimmering Balearic grooves (Zulu Natives' 'Say It Yeah Now'), making for a collection that's well worth investigating, particularly if you like your nu-disco on the faithfully 70s-sounding side...
