New releases last two weeks: Disco/Re-Edits

Review: REPRESS ALERT!: Drop Music marks a marvellous quarter of a century of releases with this new slab of vinyl featuring some gems from disco funksters Crazy P and the house mainstays Inland Knights. Crazy P go first with 'Disc Odyssey' which is perfectly indicative of their much beloved sound with its low slung kicks and funky bassline. Inland Knights then offer a trio of in demand & unreleased tracks. 'Overnight' is a bumming deep house joint, 'Walk On' has an icy late night vibe and balmy pads and 'Do It Again is a more playful closer, with some killer b-line action. All four, needless to say, are timeless gems, and the fact the last two are appearing on vinyl first the first time makes it an even more desirable cop.

Review: Take It Easy! We need more taglines like these in such trying and self-recriminatory times, where the stresses of a part-imagined urgency prevent us from decompressing in the way our social lives really should allow for. But is dance music, whose traditional motto is to "jack", compatible with such a mantra? DJLMP shatters these apparent antinomies of relaxation and danceability with three new edited heaters here, designed for triumphant joie de vives of the kind that do not poke, prod or demand too much from us. A later Diana Ross sample is put on heavy opening rotation on 'Diana's Loop', while similarly echoic verboffs are exchanged on 'Spring Touch', where dub delays haze the mix into something a little more convulsive. Space for wonky downtime is reserved on the B's 'Reggatronic', in a rare case of hip, lo-fi breathing room reserved for a dance record.

Review: Here's (yet another!) standout from Made Up Records, beautifully remastered for this reissue of Vintage Pleasure Boutique: Laserdance legend Michiel van der Kuy's classic 'Let Me Free' us a big 80s disco banger with signature synth work and all the lovely textures of the time. As well as the dance version, this release also features four fresh remixes by A.P. Mono, Electro Potato, Bellatrix, and Chris van Buren. Each one respects the original's spirit while adding modern twists, seamlessly blending old-school charm with a hint of modern production design. Thanks to the original studio stems, these versions polish and reimagine the track so make for instant buys for synthwave or Italo disco heads.

Review: The late great Ron Hardy had as much influence on DJing and club culture as anyone before or since. It's not just what he played, but how he played it that set the standard from his legendary residency at the Music Box - not least the fact that he often had the highs squealing out of his system because they were the frequencies that had most impact on him while he was high on heroin. His productions all reflect his approach in the booth, and this latest collection of classics is back with rising disco, rawness, low-slung funk and high-speed, feel-good disco bliss.

Review: NYC Records admits that they've always been inspired by the legacy of David Mancuso and his iconic Loft parties-visionary invite-only gatherings in NYC that helped shape the very foundation of dance music culture. From the early 70s through the 2000s, these private events in Lower Manhattan were all about community, high-fidelity sound and deep musical connection. As a heartfelt tribute to that spirit, they present 'Friendly Movement,' a composition that channels the warmth, openness and groove that made The Loft such a special place. This one's for the dancers, the dreamers and everyone who believes music is meant to bring us closer together.

Review: French producer KX9000 is back with an electrifying EP that fuses electro-funk, space disco, Chicago house and broken beat into a superb new trip. While collaborating with the likes of Nic Hanson, Corsica One and others, KX9000 balances dancefloor drive with intricate detail throughout. Highlights include the dubby disco pulse of 'Tonight's Ride,' jazzy textures on 'Nuova Zone' and retro-futurist grooves on 'Lost E Shop.' 'Over Fee' offers some soulful depth, while closer 'Deepose Minute' channels classic deep house with modern flair. A standout in his catalogue, this could be KX9000's most refined and emotionally rich work to date.

Review: Samosa Records quickly follows up the first volume of its Earth, Wind & Funk series with another dynamic double-vinyl compilation that continues its established tradition of blending Afro, Latin and funk influences into infectious disco-house grooves. The EP picks a seriously punch with tracks like Leslie Lello's 'R U Doing' (De Gama Re-Groove), a bass-driven house anthem with soaring synths, Frank Virgilio's 'Juice,' a fusion of acid basslines, organ stabs and tribal vocals, and Javi Frias's 'The Big Dance,' which is an electrifying track with bongos, laser beams and a disco bassline that delivers exactly what its title promises.

Review: Disruptive Chicago house rule breaker and revered noise mangler Hieroglyphic Being aka Jamal Moss is back with more of his suitably entitled Weirdo Edits. The seventh volume dives headfirst into deranged disco territory and channels the frazzled, unpredictable energy of Ron Hardy's iconic Muzic Box tape edits across three heavily warped cuts built for dancefloor chaos. Moss leans into the lo-fi grit and psychedelic swirl he's known for on the hard-edge disco stomp of 'I'm Gonna Beat U This Way', then flips vintage grooves into a hypnotic, otherworldly club tool on 'Get Off Blast Off '. It's freaky, jacking, and unmistakably Jamal and then comes 'Clouds On The Rain.' off-kilter funk for heads who like their disco weird, raw, and full of soul.

Review: The Owl label kicks on with another party-starting mix of edits and remixes that blend funk, disco and soul into pure heat. 'Gimme Your Thang' is a low-slung opener with a filthy bassline and James Brown samples bringing it to life. 'Freaky To You' reworks a g-funk classic into a lavish and bumping slow-motion seducer and 'Rock Me Again' brings chunky, rolling funk with more classic vocal samples. 'Future Shock' shuts down with a lovely falsetto vocal and some psyched-out guitars.

Review: Panthera returns to Bordello with what could well be his most high-energy release yet. Blending Hi-NRG, Italo disco and bold 80s synth hooks, Synthesizer Hits III dazzles with loveable retro-futurist flair. The opener 'Fumare' is pure dancefloor drama with rasping beats and arpeggios lit up by euphoric surges. 'Lucifera' is a hypnotic anthem built on addictive vocal loops and shimmering melodies that is tailor-made for sunrise moments. 'The Magic Touch' layers lush strings and rich percussion for a cinematic synth tribute, while 'Toccata' is all about maximum glitterball flair and brings slow-burning disco laced with playful counter melodies. Vintage stuff.

Review: American singer and songwriter veteran Erik Rico's back on Cosmocities Record with a new 12" that brings fresh life to forgotten funk and soul classics. He delivers typically vibrant, soulful covers of tracks from Matt Soulie's vinyl vault, including P.J. City's 'Straight Forward,' Franklyn's 'Future Love' and Star Lighters' "Disco Funk.' The EP also features standout remixes and Gerd's remix in particular is gold and infuses a Chicago house flavour, while the UK's former Wild Bunch man DJ Nature adds a synth-laced, bass-driven groove and Aroop Roy delivers a dancefloor-ready anthem. These are the sort of authentic, lovably rough-around-the-edges sounds that bring real heat to headier floors.

Review: REPRESS ALERT!: Edit master Scruscru rarely misses no matter what sounds he decides to put under his scalpel. For this one on his own superb Scruniversal label he turns his attention to the lush sound world of City Pop over in Japan. On one vital 12" the maestro cooks up six varied but equally vital sizzlers starting with the funky sounds and big brass of 'One For Xsuxsu' then taking in the blissed out disco and house beats of 'Kyoto Sunshine', jazzy keys of 'Horomi & Rikishi', funky bass twangs of 'Secret Dream' and jazz lunge excellence of 'Nippon Bossa' before 'Scrutinised Tune' closes out with brown beats and sunny chords. Scruperb stuff.

Review: Skatebard and Lauer are Trollkraft, a sure-to-be iconic Norwegian-German partnership that has a famous love of synths and have already put out vast reserves of quality sounds across various styles. Here their collaboration gives rise to a pair of electrifying cuts. The title track features rich drum layers, lush strings and a throbbing bass undercurrent which has elements of disco, house, indie and Italo all adding to its charm. 'One Night In Geilo' channels 90s house rhythms with a brilliant two-stepping melody that smartly reimagines rave with playful, effervescent energy. These two wizards bring great character to this music with strobe lights, bongos, and trance all making for a full on heart-of-the-party experience doused in euphoria.

Review: SOULSIMMER & ALVARO is brand new duo about which we know very little other than they are selectors with many years of experience. They have been charged with serving up the debut 12" from new imprint RE-DISCO-VER and do so in a way that signifies it's going to be a label worth keeping an eye on. Drawing from years of spinning obscure gems at intimate private gatherings, the duo now channels their sensibilities into a love letter to dusty grooves and forgotten dancefloor magic that is newly reworked and reimagined. All four cuts tap into golden era disco with cosmic wandering synths and some lovely live drumming, synth solos and proper vocals that burn with great soul intensity.

Review: First dropped in 1985 on Italy's London Records Production, Superbowl aka 93rd Superbow is a high-energy Italo disco project from producers Gianfranco Bortolotti and Roberto Arduini. With its pounding basslines and vibrant synths unfurling into infectious melodies, this is the sort of tune that embodies the quintessential 80s Italian club sound-catchy, bright and built for the 'floor. This reissue stays true to the original with both 'Forever and a Day' on the A-side and its full vocal dub version, 'Forever and Two Days,' on the flip. It's a real piece of quality and authentic Italo magic that still hits the spot.

Review: Vintage Pleasure Boutique is bringing back a Eurobeat classic in Kim Taylor's iconic 'Say You'll Be Mine,' which was originally produced by Rob Van Eijk in 1987. This high-energy banger helped shape the Euro disco sound and became a cult anthem in LGBTQ+ club scenes across the US of A as well as in Japan. Everlasting version feature here from radio mixes to instrumentals, while remixes by Electro Potato, Chris Van Buren, A.P. Mono and Albiero alongside a rare 1988 remix all make this a vital 12" for fans of camp and colourful disco.

Review: The easy-to-love disco deviant and French music producer and remixer Yuksek makes a triumphant return to the evergreen Razor-N-Tape here with three cuts of fresh, original groove goodness. 'She's Mine' opens with driving percussion and an Italo-style bassline that is going to ensure take off in any setting, not least cause it's elevated by lush piano chords and yearning vocals that recall indie disco's golden days. The title track was made in cahoots with Brazilian producer Diogo Strausz and adds tropical flair and vibrant groove, while 'All Night' closes the EP with a playful, French-touch-inspired vocal loop and lashings of persuasive energy. With crisp production and ear-catching hooks throughout, Deja Vous is the right amount of nostalgic fun and forward-thinking invention.