Review: Like its predecessor, 'Urban Grooves 2' takes a deep dive into the vast vaults of IRMA Records, resurfacing with a 30-track set of "urban funk breaks dub hip-hop beats". In practice, that means a mix of head-nodding, slow-motion disco-funk (see the various contributions by hypno-disco king LTJ Xperience), rubbery jazz-funk-goes-dub disco workouts (Vito Lalinga), toe-tapping, sample-heavy instrumental hip-hop (Ice One), Latin-flecked downtempo grooves (Lo Greco Bros and Flow Bop), sumptuous neo-soul (Orange Factory), and wah-wah guitar sporting deep funk (The Smoke Orchestra). Equal parts club-ready and sofa-friendly, 'Urban Grooves 2' is a uniformly entertaining and life-affirming compilation.
Review: It was way back in 2016 when DJ Steevo made his first appearance on Manchester-based Sprechen. Here he returns to the imprint for the first time since with two tracks of house-friendly nu-disco science. First up is "Giagirat", a warm and groovy affair that smothers a toasty deep disco groove with spacey chords, jaunty Rhodes stabs, glassy-eyed piano riffs and intergalactic electronics. Steevo switches to synth-heavy mode on "Once In A Lifetime", where his lazy, sun-kissed guitar motifs and comorting chords offer a perfect accompaniment to mazy synth solos, echoing machine drums and a gently pulsing, Italo-disco style arpeggio line. By the time the dreamy breakdown homes into view you'll be having a glassy-eyed "moment" or two.
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