The Patchouli Brothers

Review: From humble beginnings, putting on parties in an Albanian dive bar in in the city's east end, Toronto's Patchouli Brothers have gone on to hit the big time - holding a residency at rotating disco The Piston called Beam Me Up. Their second 12" for UK label Basic Fingers features two cuts which capture the fervent energy of their popular shindig. On the first side we have "Shout On" which is a low slung funk jam that features a wicked horns section, groovy conga drums and a super sleazy vocal delivery. On the flip side we have the sun-kissed and life affirming soul power of "My Love", a respectful edit which will light up the dancefloor - just wait until that soaring church organ comes rushing in.

Review: We've been very impressed with the re-edits of Toronto based party-starters the Patchouli Brothers. This four-tracker marks their first appearance on Whiskey Disco, and comes on the back of a run of killer 12" singles on Basic Fingers. They hit the ground running with elastic EP opener "He Wonders", where fiendishly exotic synthesizer lines and hazy, misty-eyed vocals ride bouncy beats and rubbery bass guitar, before sauntering off into horn-heavy deep disco-funk territory on "A Mighty Joy". The fun continues on the flipside, where the formidably fuzzy, off-kilter warmth of tropical disco stepper "Can't Stop Christy" is joined by the classic disco flex of fantastic closing track "Take You There".

Review: Previously seen (and heard) on Whiskey Disco, Barefoot Beats and Basic Fingers, Toronto twosome The Patchouli Brothers have crossed the Atlantic and set up home on G.A.M.M. As the title suggests, this is the first in a series of re-edit EPs for the storied Swedish imprint. First up is "All Good Things", a fine re-arrangement of an obscure disco gem that comes loaded with sweeping strings, soulful vocals, killer grooves, Chic style guitar riffs and just the right amount of spacey synthesizer action. Over on the flip, they work their magic on a bustling cut that sits somewhere between the sumptuousness of Philadelphia International releases and eighties disco-funk.

Review: US re-edit crew The Patchouli Brothers return to Sweden's Gamm with two more reworked dancefloor cuts from days gone by. On the A, you'll find the exuberant 'Fuqua & James' with its sweeping strings, brass fanfares and falsetto "I'm so grateful" vocal - the track being a rejig of Sylvester's 'Grateful' from 1978 that, somewhat unusually, is quite a bit slower than the original. In comparison, the B's 'Peace, Love & Understanding' mines velvet-suited mid-70s soul a la Barry White or Joe Simon for its source material, but is every bit as upbeat and danceable as the A-side.

Review: Following a successful run of disco deviance on top labels such as GAMM, Basic Fingers, Barefoot Beats and Tugboat, Toronto's Patchouli Brothers are up next on the sixth edition of the "Pleasure of Love" edit series. The "Beam Me Up" hosts have a proven track record with the ol' razor and tape, distilling rare and underappreciated cuts and turning them into peak time dancefloor gems. These four cuts on volume six are no exception. Our picks: the joyous and sunkissed "Made In France" (tres bien!), followed by the carnival energy of "Soca Danny" with its powerhouse brass section and the classic Stateside vibe of "Crossed Your Mind" on the flip.