Back catalogue: Funk/Reissues

Review: Fresh from delivering killer dancefloor jazz covers of classics cuts by Galaxy 2 Galaxy and Avicii (really), Japanese trio Polyplus deliver a fine sequel to last year's Good Luck Sound Tracks EP. They go for the dancefloor jugular from the off, wrapping snaking sax solos, fuzzy guitar licks and elongated solos around a breathlessly rapid punk-funk groove on 'Massive', before fusing Brit-Funk and sweat-soaked jazz-rock on 'Speedy Gold'. This hybrid jazz-funk/rock sound continues on 'Ranki 2025' (whose heavy beats and memorable piano riffs nods to classic house). Elsewhere, 'Ocean Breeze' re-frames wide-eyed city-pop as jaunty jazz-funk and 'Natural Born' is a drum solo-sporting slab of jazz-rock/jazz-fusion insanity straight from the top drawer.

Review: Just three months after its predecessor was released, the second and final part of Joe Armon-Jones' epic All The Quiet album series lands in stores. Entirely written, produced and mixed by the man himself - with a few friends and high-profile guests popping up to add instruments or take to the mic - the set offers atmospheric, immersive and perfectly-pitched musical fusions rooted in his various sonic influences (think jazz, funk, soul, hip-hop and dub). Highlights are plentiful, from the deep and dreamy jazz-soul shuffle of 'Another Place' (featuring significant contributions from vocalists Greentea Peng and Wu-Lu), to the warming, dubbed-out soul of top-tier Yazmin Lacey collaboration 'One Way Traffic'.

Review: Funkadelic superstar George Clinton knew many a side project as a producer; one was the ingenious, part-cyborg duo, The Brides Of Funkenstein. It was Clinton's idea that two other backing singers, Lynn Mabry and Dawn Silva, become the Brides Of Funkenstein, a character he invented for the 1976 Parliament LP, The Clones Of Dr Funkenstein. So popular were the brides that Clinton wasted no time in signing them to Atlantic Records; their debut album here followed the rip-roaring fan feedback that ensued from their debut single 'Disco To Go' / 'When You're Gone' in the US. The decision to break the male-fronted P-funk mould was intentional: simply *that many* Clinton instrumentals could not be credited to the man alone. "He's got thousands of tracks. He's got a whole cupboard full of them. He's got enough tracks to keep him in albums for two years," once chimed Mabry. Enchanting each jam with mecha-augmented femme flair, we're urged to be taken to the limit, across a blistering seven, smackout tracks. Mark 'Warship Touchante', the star tune by far: a wonky hi-NRG nutter, splattered with surreal, performative electronic vocal effects.

Review: Cymande's Renascence is a serious return to form, reviving the spirit and groove of their 1974 classic Promised Heights but with a fresher bite. Still a cornerstone for early hip-hop heads and funk aficionados on both sides of the Atlantic, they're back with the same politically sharp, soulfully positive vibe that put them on the map. It's an album that reminds us Cymande's sound hasn't aged; they're just here to finally get the flowers they've always deserved.

Review: Adding to the fervour around Japanese city pop - the genre is still a clogged but speculative seep for reissuers, who are keen to capitalise on the mainly Tokyo-born genre's still underground, under-recognised reserves of music - comes DJ Nutoya with a fresh and terse ten-tracker compilation: Tokyo Bliss. This breezy selection centres on the all-rounder genre's favourite international foci, boogie and funk: frissonic formulas for sensational home listening. Most tracks here make their debut on vinyl outside of Japan; from Buzz's pristine tremolo'er 'Garasumado', to Keiko Toda's escape-noteworthy 'Fade In' and Yuji Mitsuya's delirious summer disco dirge 'After Five At Caf-Bar', this is an impeccable curation job.

Review: Over the course of two fine, full-length excursions, Don Glori (real name Gordon Li) has perfected a warm, breezy and frequently life-affirming trademark sound that cannily joins the dots between jazz, samba, MPB, jazz-funk and soul. He leans into the latter elements more on summery third set Paper Can't Wrap Fire, drawing on the talents of a wealth of Melbourne music friends across nine sublime tracks. There's much to admire throughout, from the sun-soaked jazz-funk/soul fusion of 'Brown Eyes' and summery head-nodder 'Janet', to the spiritual jazz joy of 'Song For Ants', the Brazilian brilliance of 'Precious' and the oceans-deep nu-jazz shuffle of 'Saturn's Return'.

Review: Following a pair of well-received albums on Juicebox Recordings (not to be confused with A Guy Called Gerald's 1990s label of the same name), self-styled "nu-funk" duo Franc Moody have transferred to Night Time Stories for the release of new album Chewing The Fat. Like its predecessors, it blends a left-of-centre, Hot Chip style sensibility with colourful and nostalgic synth sounds, disco strings, good grooves and nods aplenty to both 21st century electronica and the Halcyon days of synth-funk in the 1980s. The results are frequently superb, with highlights including the throbbing-but-sparse 'Square Pegs In Round Holes', jaunty opener 'Driving On The Wrong Side of the Road' and the blissful, tactile and string-laden nu-disco bounce of 'Bloodlines'.

Review: Soul legend Isaac Hayes' enduring legacy as a soul visionary echoes through this second volume of his singles, which picks up from where the first left off. The collection spans 1972 to 1976, a time when Hayes transitioned from Stax to his own Hot Buttered Soul label. Tracks like 'Hung Up On My Baby' and the relentlessly funky 'Chocolate Chip' showcase his blend of lush orchestration with raw, gritty grooves, a style deeply rooted in the soul-rich streets of Memphis, where Hayes' early musical foundations were laid. As he moved away from Stax's structure, Hayes embraced a new sense of creative freedom, merging cinematic soul with the emerging sounds of disco, perfectly captured in 'Disco Connection'. The production, unpolished and alive, channels the intensity of Hayes' sound from the early 70s, pushing boundaries while remaining deeply personal. This release is a reflection of the man's profound influence on soul music, one that continues to reverberate through generations.

Review: Off the Wall isn't just an album; it's a coronation. This is where Michael Jackson truly takes the throne, cementing his reign as the King of Pop. Released in 1979, this nine-times platinum landmark is a visionary blend of funk, disco, soul and r&b, a vibrant tapestry of sound that still shimmers with life four decades later. Featuring timeless hits like 'Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough' and 'Rock With You', Off the Wall is a testament to Jackson's unparalleled talent and innovative spirit. Mobile Fidelity's numbered-edition hybrid SACD presents this classic album in all its audiophile glory. Sourced from the original master tapes, this reissue explodes with energy, playing with tremendous clarity, detail, and dynamics. Every note, every beat, every vocal nuance is rendered with stunning precision, allowing you to experience Off the Wall as if you were in the studio with Jackson himself. Housed in mini-LP-style packaging, complete with the iconic tuxedo-clad album cover, this SACD is a must-have for any serious music lover. It's a chance to rediscover a masterpiece, to immerse yourself in the magic of Michael Jackson at his creative peak. From the infectious grooves of 'Workin' Day and Night' to the heartfelt ballad 'She's Out of My Life', Off the Wall is a timeless classic that deserves to be heard in its purest form. This Mobile Fidelity reissue delivers just that.

Review: During the late 1970s and early '80s, Miami was a hotbed of percussion-rich disco-funk that blended popular Black American grooves of the day with nods to the drum-heavy rhythms of Afro-Cuban music. Herman Kelly & Life were amongst the outfits at the vanguard of this movement, though unusually they only released one album, 1978's Percussion Explosion! Here it gets a remastered CD reissue. It's naturally best-known for boda-fide disco anthem 'Dance To The Drummer's Beat', but there are plenty of other hot, break-heavy classics on display - not least the low-slung, high-octane brilliance of 'Who's The Funky DJ?', the string-drenched disco-soul sweetness of 'Share Your Love' and the low-down, extra-heavy funk rinse-out that is 'Do The Handbone'.

Review: Journey Through Life witnesses Afrobeat pioneer, pallbearer and powerhouse Femi Kuti's very latest transformation in sound, as we witness the artist turn vividly, self-reflectively inward. The LP proposes a rare self-produced window into Femi's personal evolution, spanning childhood memories to fatherhood and, of course, the unshakable presence of family. As he puts it: "At the end of the day for me family is all that matters. The essence is to manage such events and let love prevail." Long celebrated for his uncompromising political voice, Femi leans evermore into an already evident vulnerability, revisiting earlier material through several, pylonic stylistic anchors: his signature horn-laced grooves, not to mention themes of personal legacy and posterity.

Review: The Last Poets, pioneers of revolutionary spoken word and proto-rap, return with a powerful new album that blends their fiery lyricism with the infectious rhythms of Afrobeat. 'Africanism' sees the legendary duo, Abiodun Oyewole and Umar Bin Hassan, collaborating with a stellar cast of musicians, including the late Tony Allen, Prince Fatty, and members of Seun Kuti's Egypt 80. The result is a potent and timely exploration of social and political issues, delivered with the same raw energy and uncompromising spirit that has defined The Last Poets' music for over five decades. Abiodun revisits classics like 'When The Revolution Comes' and 'Gash Man', their messages of social justice and self-empowerment still burning bright. Umar's 'Niggers Are Scared Of Revolution' and 'Just Because' remain as potent and provocative as ever, their unflinching commentary on race and inequality cutting through the noise of contemporary discourse. The album's musical landscape is equally captivating, with Tony Allen's polyrhythmic drumming providing a driving force, complemented by the soulful melodies and intricate arrangements of the contributing musicians. A powerful reminder of the transformative power of music and spoken word.

Review: Prolfic producer Neiro 'Papik' Poggi founded the Soultrend Orchestra almost 15 years ago as a vehicle for his acid jazz, funk, soul, disco and jazz-funk fantasies. The project has been 'on ice' for a while, with Now Imagine, officially the band's second studio set, appearing a decade after its predecessor. It's a typically musically rich affair with a string of guest vocalists joining the expansive 'orchestra' to run through happy, sun-splashed tracks. Highlights come thick and fast throughout, from a lightly Latin-tinged cover of Sister Sledge disco classic 'Lost In Music' and the Jamiroquai-esque warmth and soul of 'Wiser' (featuring Wendy D Lewis), to the vibraphone-wielding smooth grooves of 'Touched By Your Love' and the glossy jazz-funk-goes-house rainbows of 'You Came Along' (featuring Steve Biondi).

Review: Prince Buster, born Cecil Bustamente Campbell in 1938, was a key figure in the birth of ska and rocksteady, and infamously embodied the term "rude boy"; he'd come to enshrine a symbol of rebellious youth culture in Jamaica. A leading conspirator in early soundsystem culture, Buster's story stretches as far back as the days of systems such as Tom The Great Sebastian as well as variou Kingston-bound stacks operated by Coxsone Dodd. Now this eagerly awaited third volume from Rock A Shaka continues to compile Buster's best works, the standouts among them being 'A Tribute to The Toughest' from 1967 - believed to be a precursor to the long-loved 'Ghost Dance' - and his cover of James Carr's 'Dark End of the Street,' Ernest Ranglin's 'Come Get Me,' and Winston Samuels' 'I'm Still Here.'

Review: Second time around for Royksopp's superb contribution to the popular, post-club focused LateNightTales mix series, a beloved volume that first hit record stores back in 2013. For the uninitiated, it sees the long-serving Norwegian twosome offer up an attractive blend of synth-heavy Scandolearic shufflers (their own cosmic pop number 'Daddy's Groove'), dubbed-out soul (Rare Bird), swelling synth soundtrack fare (Vangelis), neo-classical (Johann Johannsson), reverb-laden accapella beauty (Prelude), sun-soaked blue-eyed soul (Richard Schneider Junior), nods to the KLF's Chill Out album (Acker Bilk), seductive slow jams (Byrnes & Barnes), vintage Balearica (Andreas Vollenweider, John Martyn) and atmospheric new wave (XTC, This Mortal Coil).

Review: Rufus and Chaka Khan's final stretch balances the unfiltered funk of their live performances with the studio polish of their later work. Their live recordings deliver an electrifying set, reworking classics like 'Tell Me Something Good' and 'Sweet Thing' into extended, groove-heavy jams. 'Ain't Nobody' stands outinot just as the lead single but as a masterclass in electro-funk, pairing airtight drum programming with Chaka's soaring vocal for a career-defining moment. Their studio material shifts towards sleek 80s production, offering a more restrained but still soulful contrast. A dynamic farewell from an era-defining partnership.

Review: Satellites' self-titled 2020 debut album won plenty of plaudits, with critics the world over hailing the Tel Aviv-based band's blend of vintage, Turkish style psychedelic folk-rock and dancefloor adjacent grooves indebted to funk, soul and disco. Aylar, the six-piece's belated sequel, continues in this vein, with the band arguably being bolder with their musical choices. For proof, check the cosmic strut of opener 'Tisaldi Mehmet Elmi', a psych-funk transformation of a traditional Turkish folk song, the low-slung grooves and sweet retro-organ melodies of 'Midnight Sweat', the gritty, thrusting and hallucinatory 'Yok Yok' and the future dancefloor anthem that is psychedelic Turkish disco gem 'Zuluf Dokolmus Yuze'.

Review: Ebo Taylor, a towering figure in highlife and afrobeat, recorded his latest album during his debut US touria milestone that came at the remarkable age of 88. Teaming up with Adrian Younge and Ali Shaheed Muhammad, Taylor crafted a psychedelic journey steeped in 70s-inspired rhythms. Tracks like 'Beye Bu, Beye Ba' and 'Kusi Na Sibo' reflect his spiritual depth and lyrical wisdom, exploring themes of gratitude and divine guidance. Recorded at Linear Labs, the album pulses with fuzzed-out guitars, polyrhythmic percussion, and Taylor's signature vocal style, standing as both a testament to his enduring brilliance and a crown jewel in the Jazz Is Dead series.

Review: Some 21 years after volume one appeared in stores, PTG's ongoing Masterpiece: The Ultimate Disco Funk Collection series has reached its 36th instalment. Given the series' longevity and the sheer number of tracks already showcased across volumes one to 35, the cuts on display here are genuine rarities, cult classics and sought-after gems. As usual, highlights are plentiful, from the soulful vocals, dreamy chords and rubbery slap-bass of In Touch's 'Why Did You Stop Loving Me' and the boogie-era sunshine shuffle of 'I'm Yours' by Hollywood Tucker, to the big studio swell of Spence's mid-80s jam 'Gonna Party', the 80s soul smoothness of Jimmy Scott's 'Games' and the synth bass-propelled post-boogie brilliance of 'Divided Love' by Haywoode.

Review: International favourites on the boogie-and-beyond selection circuit, Horse Meat Disco deliver the first edition in a brand new compilation tracking yet more heat disco of a Brazilian flavour. Some 13 years in the making, much love and attention has been poured into this compendium, which unearths tracks from the seemingly endless urban goldmines of Brasilia and Rio, twin obsessive loci, nurtured by founding member Luke Eagle amid an extended exploration of the South American nation's dance music culture. Having learned to dance samba and paraded the Rio Carnival, this is a compilation rooted in worldly experience, made up largely of 7" finds. Chief among the brilliants are Ze Carlos' Italoesque wonder 'Venha' and the well-spiced 'Sol De Verao' by Lafayette, spanning years' worth of digging.

Review: Strut continues to explore the vast archives of Disque Debs, a long-running, Guadalupe-based label that, over the course of half a century, released a wealth of music from the Caribbean. In the process, Henri Debs imprint helped launch the careers of countless French-speaking artists while not only showcasing stylistic movements such as zouk, bouyon and merengue, but also bold, colourful and tropical takes on existing Caribbean, Amercian and European sounds. Highlights include - but are in no way limited to - the slowly unfurling, synth-heavy shuffle of Sadi Lancreot's club-ready 'Dou Se Vou Ki Siwo' and the horn-heavy tropical disco brilliance of Dominuque Parol's 'Come On Baby'.

Review: Tramp Records celebrate a whopper milestone, with the label's 125th record taking shape as a reconnaissant celebration of 1970s soul jazz and funk, forming part of the Praise Poems series. Launched to fare an interminable journey through the many privately pressed, furtively released and/or criminally undersung jazz-funk-soul records of yore, and with an international focus, this is a rather special case of one such compilation series making it to its tenth edition, and still retaining the kind of quality control and assiduity most comp-curators may only dream of. From the opening, ultra-headsy 'Fields Of Laughter' by the chartless American band Color Me Blu, to instrumental AOR from pianist George Melvin's short-lived Quintet, you can expect to hear super-rarities here, with some originals only having heard but two acetates to their names at first press.

Review: The Nighttime Lovers series, which deftly showcases the forgotten and overlooked corners of 1980s disco, electrofunk and synth-powered dancefloor soul, reaches its 36th instalment. As you'd expect given the high number of previous volumes, the selections tend towards the defiantly deep, with more familiar artists being represented by lesser-known treats. So, instead of the much-loved 'Love Me Like That', Reel To Reel offers up the glossier, slap-bass propelled 80s soul of 'Don't Keep Me Hanging On', Cashmere contributes the sweet and tactile 'We Need Love' and GQ drops the eyes-closed lead vocals and horn-heavy peak-time hustle of 'Is It Cool'. Other highlights include Phil Upchruch's Marlena Shaw-sporting 'It's Got To Be You', Linda Clifford's superb 'I Want To Get Away With You' and the squelchy synth-disco of 'Decisions' by Anthony Lockett.

Review: This two-disc set captures groundbreaking band at the peak of their live performance powers. Known for their genre-blending mix of funk, jazz, soul and rock, the band shines in this energetic recording, showcasing their tight musicianship and dynamic stage presence. The collection includes extended versions of fan favorites, with grooves that stretch and evolve in ways only possible in a live setting. Tracks like 'Slippin' Into Darkness' and 'The World Is a Ghetto' come alive with improvisational flair, while the interplay between the band members highlights their cohesive chemistry. The recording quality is excellent, preserving the raw energy of the performance while offering clarity that allows each instrument to shine. This live album serves as a time capsule of the era's musical innovation. Those who appreciate soulful, groove-laden live music, this is an essential band to have in your collection.

Review: A compilation of tracks from past albums, collaborations and formerly unreleased cuts by XL Middleton, G-funk-master extraordinaire from LA. Compiled specifically for XL's recent Japan tour, this release comprises the bulk of remaining copies, which, we can vouch, flew largely off the shelves, and fast. The sole focus on G-funk, albeit in his own signature style, has proven so far effective for XL; his production style tends towards the unmistakably steezy and squeezy, and it also borders on West Coast crunk and DJ Mustard-esque ratchet at points. XL entertains wonky 808s and smooth 2-stepped blears, effectively conveying the mood of "layered back", best enshrined in the happily system-conscious track 'Unemployment'.

Review: 'Linear Labs: Sao Paulo' marks Adrian Younge's next chapter, bringing together unreleased tracks from his global collaborations. Known for blending analog warmth with modern sound, Younge delivers an exciting mix of psychedelic soul and hip-hop. The album includes highlights like 'Something About April III' and 'Don't Cry for the Devil' with Snoop Dogg, alongside contributions from artists like ALA.NI, Bilal, and Stereolab's Laetitia Sadier. Each track taps into different influences, from Brazilian samba to Middle-Eastern psych, creating a dynamic sonic experience. This CD release presents Younge's curated vision of musical innovation, a must-have for fans of his boundary-pushing sound.