Review: Influential and prolific, Dave Lee has been one of house music's major proponents of soulful, disco-tinged, vocal tracks. Without question, he was instrumental in its development. Produced With Love is only the second ever Joey Negro album to be released and the first for more than 20 years. It proves that dance music with character still exists and rather than rely on sampling older records, the overwhelming majority of music is newly recorded. Rest assured that there's quite the supporting cast here, on the vocal front: the late great Diane Charlemagne on "Overnight Sensation", Canadian songstress and frequent Nick Holder collaborator Sacha Williamson on "I Recognize" and the legendary Linda Clifford on "Won't Let Go". Fellow London disco dons Horsemeat Disco collaborate on "Dancing Into The Stars" too. The second half of the collection focuses on Lee's impeccable remixes and yes: there is a version of "Must Be The Music" and a track by the inimitable Peven Everett entitled "Love Is Thicker Than Water" alongside several other gems.
Review: Covering the many guises of Dave "Joey Negro" Lee, Z Records compile some of the British house don's most 'beefa-shaped moments on this new, 25-track collection. Recent delights, such as his collaboration with Gramaphonedzie ("No Sugar") and his more soulful Doug Willis project ("Music Speaks Louder Than Words") mix up against classics such as "The Real Life" (done under Lee's "Raven Maise" alias) and tribal-house anthem "American Dream" - here represented with the extended "Different Gear" mix. Look out also for The Revenge's excellent edit of the disco bomb "Kilimanjaro" by Letta Mbulu.
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.
Shay Jones - "When Love Calls" (E-Smoove's Late Night) - (7:08) 120 BPM
Slam Dunk'd - "No Price" (feat Chromeo & Al-P - Dr Packer extended remix) - (8:06) 123 BPM
Luke Solomon - "Light You Up" (feat Queen Rose & Amy Douglas - Louie Vega Roots mix) - (9:10) 123 BPM
The Lab Rats & The Experiment - "Music Is My Way Of Life" (feat Lisa Millett - The Lab Rats Present The Experiment/Lab Rats Main Experiment) - (8:11) 125 BPM
Copyright & One Track Minds - "Good For You" (feat Angie Brown) - (8:17) 125 BPM
Review: Edinburgh-based Athens Of The North are best known for wonky leftfield house and disco/soul, but they've never been afraid to throw the odd curveball. One such came in the form of 2020's 'For The Love Of You', a compilation of lover's rock covers of funk, soul and disco classics, and now here comes a second installment, which packs reggae-fied takes on much-loved gems from the likes of Dennis Edwards, Randy Crawford, Bill Withers, William DeVaughn, The Mary Jane Girls and, perhaps more surprisingly, Simply Red. Covers collections have of course long been a staple of the reggae scene, but they can often be a bit hit-and-miss - thankfully this one features a lot more hits than misses!
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