Review: Strut's archival remit remains as international as ever, with their latest compilation squaring the focus on late '70s Hawaii on the delightful Aloha Got Soul: Soul AOR & Disco In Hawai'i 1979-1985. Across the backdrop of societal change on the island (statehood into America in '59 and the Vietnam War) Hawaiian youth found inspiration in the music of The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and later Earth Wind & Fire leading to a truly vibrant scene by the mid-'70s. It's after this where Strut pick up the story, bringing together a glorious 16 track collection that spans the genres and suggests Hawaii to be a most fertile location for music during this era. Do take some time to check the detailed sleeve notes from Aloha Got Soul's Roger Bong which offer further context for the music!
Review: Originally starting back in the mid-noughties as a slightly Ed Banger-esque producer, London based Swede Blende has mellowed over time into a more discofied take on the electro sound. He's also forged a bond with the always-hip Eskimo recordings. Here he presents three new sparkly gems: the cowbells and string-laden "Paramount", the raw '80s punky-funk of "Sparkle" and the wall of synths beauty that is closer "Plush". Just lovely.
Review: They may both be vastly experienced, but it would be fair to say that Groove Culture chiefs Micky More and Andy Tee are genuine rising stars. Following a string of confirmed club hits that blend disco, house, soul and jazz-funk, the pair have put together a sequel to their much-admired 2021 compilation For Those That Like To Get Down. It naturally includes a handful of their own productions and remixes (see their fantastic, bass guitar-propelled piano house revision of Miguel Migs and Lisa Shaw classic 'Lose Control' and their fab Cevin Fisher hook-up 'All About The Culture' for starters), alongside a swathe of summery, life-affirming blends of house, soul and disco from the likes of Mark Cotterell, DJ Mark Brickman, Derek McKenzie, Serge Funk and Simon Adams.
Review: After six years spent teasing and titillating with a steady stream of high value singles, David Kennedy is finally ready to release his debut full-length under the now familiar Pearson Sound alias. The first artist album to appear on the Hessle Audio imprint he co-founded with Pangaea and Ben UFO, Pearson Sound is a surprisingly sparse and otherworldly affair. Intriguingly, Kennedy's usual twisted, dubbed-out analogue rhythms largely take a back seat, with moments of tough dancefloor abandon (see "Rubber Tree" and the tipsy "Headless") playing second fiddle to stripped-back synth-scapes and otherworldly ambience. It's striking on first listen, and only gets more impressive with repeat listens
Review: Igor Gonya has enjoyed a productive year so far, delivering EPs on Moodyhouse, Moiss Music, Moulton Music, Gents & Dandys and Good Luck Penny. Now the Russian producer can add Discoweey to that list, too. As you'd expect, he's in a chunky disco-house kind of mood on virtual A-side "To Make Your Heels Sparkle", a bouncy and entertaining affair in which bustling new beats underpin groovy and occasionally spaced-out sections of a tried-and-tested disco classic. Gonya shakes things up on sax-laden second cut "Mel Brooks", which sees him conjure up a head-nodding house cut crafted from hard-wired funk loops.
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