DJs: Most Charted - Disco - Most Charted September 2015

Review: Given the connotations of their chosen moniker, we shouldn't be surprised by the mythical musical humidity at the heart men-of-mystery Mystic Jungle Tribe's debut album. A new project from Mystic Jungle and The Normalmen pair Milord and Whodammy, Mystic Jungle Tribe effortlessly join the dots between cheerful, cheap-sounding analogue funk, loose-limbed, sci-fi inspired jazz-funk, machine-heavy techno, woozy Balearica and sweet electronica. Interestingly, the beats on Solaria are often loose and live sounding, rather than throbbing and metronomic, giving the album a far looser feel than you'd perhaps expect. As debut sets go, though, it's rather impressive, and comes packed with cuts that sound as good in the club as on your home stereo.

Review: There are few record collectors and DJs with crates quite as deep as Psychemagik. They've already proved this beyond doubt via a trio of brilliant Magik compilations for Paul Murphy and Simon Purnell's Leng label. Magik Sunset Part 2 continues this run, gathering together another double-album's worth of fantastic obscurities from the worlds of stoner disco, left-of-centre rock, psychedelia and Balearica. As usual, there are some genuine "how did I not know about this record" moments, from the star-kissed Balearic jazz of Fabio Fabor and saucer-eyed white boy reggae-rock of the Trepidants, to the Flamenco-tinged AOR disco shuffle of Jack Adkins' "Sunset Beach".

Review: Like its predecessor, Diggin Disco Deep #2 is an all-star affair, with all manner of established artists queuing up to contribute woozy deep house cuts infused with rich disco influences. This time round, it's a two-disc affair, with some eight tracks to enjoy. It represents great value, as there's little in the way of filler and plenty of highlights. Saine delivers some breezy, almost Balearic goodness in the shape of "Bronx Medium", while Junktion's "Sidewalk Salsa" joins the dots between early Latin house, mid '80s New York garage, and the kind of sumptuous contemporary deepness that sounds tailor-made for open-air parties. Best of all, though, is Funkyjaws' "World Spin", which comes blessed with some of the most evocative, jazz-inclined guitar solos you'll hear all year.

Review: REPRESS ALERT: Mahogani Music's Dan Shake launches his label 'Shake' with two infectious edits.

Review: Feel good deep house on offer here yet again from Hamburg imprint A Room With A View, adding to their illustrious discography which this far has included such greats as Andre Lodemann and Joel Alter. This cheeky Dutch duo present us with "Heavy On the Bacon" which is further testament to their sense of humour in all its sultry and funky late night sense of groove. On the flip "Coconuts" is on the deeper side with all its funky mono synth leads doing their magic over a funky bassline. This would be ideal for fans of other Hamburg imprint Dessous; there's something about the north of Germany, what more can we say!

Review: Danny Krivit returns to the vinyl source with two killer edits for Paul Raffaele's Most Excellent Unltd. Label. He kicks off with a Cymande version that's been lurking in his crates for well over a decade. Taking the iconic bassline and stretching the Dickens out of it, it's a kindly reminder of how well Danny understands groove dynamics. Absolutely perfect for teasing a crowd before dropping the classic original. Flip for a shake-up of Niagara's "Sangondongo". A dedication to the drums whipped up with shamanic feels, say hello to your brand new favourite secret mixing weapon.

Review: Suave Parisian scalpel-botherer Dimitri From Paris continues to churn out top notch re-edits, slightly altering his famous production persona from label to label. Here, he delivers a second 12" for Razor 'N' Tape under the Dimitri From Brooklyn alias. Like its' predecessor, it features a couple of stone cold bangers. "Right My File" offers a thunderous, housed-up take on a lesser-known cover version of Dan Hartman's grandiose disco smasher "Relight My Fire" - all vocal breakdowns, big builds and big-lunged sing-along moments. As for "I Want Your Back", it re-casts Dimitri as The Reflex, laying down a version of The Jacksons' "I Want You Back" that sounds like it was done from the multi-track parts. It is, of course, dancefloor dynamite.

Review: Based out of Detroit, Pontchartrain come forth with their debut vinyl release on the Lovedancing label after providing the highlight of a split 12" from the Whiskey Disco operation late last year. Setting the bar very high indeed, the Detroiter delivers a trio of tight, sample heavy house cuts that will ease their way into your affections and record boxes and leave neither for some time. "Burning" is a quite wondrous flip on Gwen McCrae classic "Keep The Fire Burning" that really teases out the source material over seven minutes. "Hugging" rewires Joe Thomas' "Plato's Retreat" to the extent the vocal is discarded completely whilst "Sinner" turns a Nina Simone classic into a blinding house cut. This is what edits are supposed to sound like.

Review: Hot on the heels of their sleazy, basement-friendly Witch Doctor Love 12", Joel Martin and Gerry Rooney deliver anothe hot slab of twisted edits. Opener "El Dorado" is a curious affair, taking loops from a long-forgotten, disco-era Spanish dance record and turning it into a rolling, late night chugger. Arguably even better is "Limitless & Free", which cuts up and rearranges a suitably obscure chunk of stoner funk-rock. Wisely, they emphasize the low-slung groove, rising strings and swirling synthesizers, occasionally utilizing select sections of the original's sleazy, come-to-bed vocal.

Review: Two delightfully contrasting sides from respected editing/mastering troupe Ebony Cuts. "Carrie On" is all about the sweet cascading vibraphone riff that spirals further and further into the dancefloor over a mildly chugging beat, broken only by even sweeter pianos. "Oba Chule" is a much headier affair; loaded with African percussion, densely over-layered with exciting rhythmic switches and folk chants, it's all tied together with a persistent kick drum. Meltdown.

Review: Stunning new Balearica business from Swedish synth seducer Sasac; bubbling and deliciously slow and low tempo, the big synth washes shimmer over a subtle but sedate bassline. The three remixes are tailored to suit all shades of your soiree; Eddie C ups the tempo and doubles the length while maintaining the twinkle factor with relentless arpeggios. Alex Israel subverts proceedings with mischievous acid wriggles and a loose, latent funk around the beats. Benedek, meanwhile, takes us on a G-soul trip through the finest shades of 80s with the ultimate seduction version. Godly.

Review: Brooklyn's Razor-N-Tape reach out to the Lowlands and coax Hans Peeman into donning his Junktion alias for a new four-track 12" on their Razor-N-Tape Reserve label. Living up to it's dignified and reserved billing, this fifth release on the offshoot finds the Nijmegen-based Peeman laying down some luscious, colourful disco vibes that will brighten up any sun laden afternoon on the terrace. Title track "Hot & Bothered" sets the tone with a summery vibe underpinned by some bumping drums, whilst "I'm wishin'" glides with a subtle house bump and some wonderful vocal touches. "Fling Cleaning" sees Peeman veer off into disco chug territory, whilst "Visions of You" ends the 12" on a soulful note.

Review: Since donning the Payfone guise, former Kitty Bronx and Leon Lace man Phil Passera has yet to put a foot wrong. Both 2013 debut "International Smark" and last year's "Paradise" - the latter for Phil South's Golf Channel imprint - were both superb exercises in re-imagining New York boogie for the house generation. He's at it again here, with "Quarantine" offering the perfect blend of jaunty electrofunk synths, early New York garage dubbiness, effortlessly soulful vocals, rubbery disco bass and a dash of Giorgio Moroder. Flipside "Padre Pray For Us" is an altogether deeper, woozier proposition, with blazed drums, hazy Rhodes keys and fluid synths being joined by a killer trumpet solo - the kind that makes you want to close your eyes and just drift away.

Review: Following a couple of impressive outings on Cosmo Vitelli's I'm A Cliche imprint, well-regarded Israeli producer Moscoman makes his ESP Institute debut. The Tel Aviv native is in fine form, too, delivering a pair of tracks that blend trippy, psychedelic electronics with clear cosmic disco and no wave influences. Opener "Akachi" is arguably the bigger of the two, with swirling effects, tribal chants and bongo-laden percussion peppering a long-slung disco-not-disco groove. "Nobody Else" has a more trippy and trancey feel, with looped, slowly building guitar and synthesizer parts - all drenched in special effects - rising above a hypnotic, drum machine-led groove.

Review: REPRESS ALERT: Marcel Vogel has decided to celebrate the first five years of his edit-heavy Lumberjacks In Hell imprint in the only way he knows how: by putting together a sumptuous double-pack stuffed with fresh new material. In keeping with the way the label has developed in recent times, the eight tracks blend the boundaries between original productions, illicit remixes and straight re-edits. There's a celebratory, life-affirming feel throughout, from the rubbery bass, D-Train synths and rolling house grooves of Giovanni Damico's "The Break Down", to the bluesy deep house brilliance of Borrowed Identity's "Queens Bridge". Highlights are plentiful elsewhere, too, from the hustlin' electrofunk-meets-disco of Vogel's own "Come On", to the killer synth solos and fuzzy bits of Tim Jules' thrilling "Slap Beat".

Review: After pit stops in Cuba and Kenya, Auntie Flo and Esa's Highlife World Series lands in Uganda for its closing edition. Recorded over various stints at the East Africa music conference DoaDoa in Jinja in the past year, these four tracks find our intrepid pair of travelling fusionists working with musicians from Burundi, Rwanda, Kenya and South Africa. First up is "DoaDoa14" by Christopher and Swahili Alley, named in honour of its genesis at that year's conference and a fine journey through spiritual African house music. Next up Esa shows off his prowess at extended dancefloor burners with a superb twisting remix of Santuri's "Min Kula" whilst the B side features Bantu Clan Vs Sarabi's "Africa Ni Leo" in both extended and remixed by Behr form. A fine end to a consistently enlightening series.

Review: Massive repress alert! This was originally released by Pacific Beach some five years ago. It's now sporting fresh artwork, but the good Doctor's vibes - and Harvey's crucial knife skills - remain matchless; "Shine On Me" is a real soul stomper while "Be With You" is a big old juicy funk record with a plump bassline, vibrant falsetto vocals and bright, electric horn layers. Timeless editorship from Harvey Bassett and a must for the collection if you missed out first time around.

Review: The first volume of Delfonic's Disco Halal series, featuring brilliant re-edits by Acid Arab and Mehmet Aslan of obscure Middle Eastern material, was something of a hit. Four months on, the series returns with another quartet of Arabic dancefloor treats. While ears will undoubtedly be drawn to the intoxicating Lebanese disco of "Sorarim (KMTR Edit)", there are plenty of tasty treats to be found across the EP. We're particularly enjoying the clavinet-heavy slo-mo disco chug of Rabo & Snob's edit of "Hilbeth" and Moscoman's darkly spun, extra-percussive rework of "Machintosh". That said, Red Axes version of "Hamathil" is a certified killer, too.

Review: Especial is proud to announce a special release with 2 official remixes of the seminal afro-cosmic classic. With a nod to both the future and past, remixes come from NYC's drum-loop champ, Justin Van Der Volgen and is backed perfectly with Dusseldorf's mysterious tribal exponents, The Durian Brothers. Harking the original in many ways, Van Der Volgen's remix is a perfect homage. A crucial key change, plus subtle loops and arrangement make the right moves, allowing the instruments to build and build to the infamous horns and scat vocals interplay and on to crescendo. For their version, The Durian Brother eschewed simple remix in favour of a live jam which merges the Brothers poly-rhythmic percussion with the African influenced swing, guitar chops and horn stabs of the original. A perfect jam between the bands, but some 3 decades apart. Hope you enjoy.

Review: Amsterdam-based DJ/producer Olivier Boogie has been creating high-class disco and boogie re-edits for years, though it's only in the last 12 months that he's really had a chance to showcase his wares to a wider audience. Here, he delivers his second 12" for Whiskey Disco, following tasty outings on Phat Elephant and Hot Digits. As usual, his reworks get just the right balance between house style loopiness and the more reverential re-works of countryman Mr Mendel. That loopy feel is particularly evident on the sweet disco-soul shuffle of "I Know You Care", while the brilliant "Come Inside" gives a storming, upbeat disco number a colossal boot up the backside. Flip for the snaking sax lines, warm grooves and vibraphone solos of "How High", and the horn-totin', extra-percussive disco-funk deepness of "Watch Your Step".

Review: There's usually plenty of A-grade material to be found in the Editor's Kutz EPs, and this sixth volume in the popular re-edit series is no different. Chief amongst these is The Silver Rider's "Good Lovin' Baby", a chunky disco-funk roller - slightly straightened out for contemporary dancefloors - that boasts a terrific, string-drenched breakdown. There's also something deliciously glassy-eyed about Doc Jam's "In Your Eyes", a tasty, house style loop-jam that expertly cuts up a familiar disco classic. Elsewhere, Ed Wizard & Disco Double Dee provide a dubby take on Marcos Valle's Brazilian boogie classic "Estrelar" ("Stellar Dub"), and Vinyladdicted joins forces with Sleazy McQueen for a trip into groovy, AOR disco territory.

Review: Can We Melt The Ice is one of those mystery records that collectors love so dearly. Very little is known about it, other than that it appeared on Plush Records sometime around 1982 or '83. It was written and produced by Chicago producer Morris J Williams, whose sweet vocal provides a vocal point for the track's sensual boogie vibes - all lilting horns, subtle synthesizers and shuffling grooves. Brilliantly, this reissue from Finland's constantly on-point Traveller Records also boasts a previously unreleased longer version, which naturally extends the track's wonderful instrumentation in all the right places. Recommended.

Review: Hot on the heels of Greg Wilson's ace-graced "Volume 8" comes another A&R session from consummate south coast editor Fingerman. First up is a glossy, disco-minded twist on Steely Dan's "Peg". As famed from the classic De La Soul sample, Fingerman has extended the whole original to remind us how great the source material was in the first place. Flip for "Found Love". Another expert extension, this time he's taken a Fatback Band classic and given it the 2015 it's always needed. Powerful.

Review: With releases on the ever-wonderful Golf Channel and even its offshoot label, among others, you can rest assure that Justin Vandervolgen will deliver the disco goods, good n' proper. The sometime TBD studio partner of Lee Douglas steps up with his sixth solo EP under his own name (there are countless more under his various aliases) and lands on the Boogie Futuro label with Only U. Consisting of two tracks, Vandervolgen spans the full disco circle, starting with the 80's charged "Only U", a chuggy boogie monster with detuned vocals, and the more playful poppy beats of "Stalks". Two devilish little edits to lift you up and throw you in the dance.