Review: King Storm and The Steadies share the bill on the new 7" label from Stix/Big Single - Killer Jamaica style remixes of Diana Ross and Isley Brothers - For fans of Stix etc.
Review: Tunes Delivery is a sub-label of Scruscru's Scruniversa and now it enters into the world with a fantastic first offering in the form of this six-track various artists EP. 'Hotmood' opens up with the feel-good disco-funk of 'Just Tonight,' Scruscru keeps it real with 'Funky Flute' which is a nice languid instrumental and Frank Virgilio up the ante with some big horn-laced grooves. The flip side then comes on strong with three more brilliantly musical grooves that brim with catchy riffs and fresh disco-infused rhythms. A great start to what is sure to be a great label.
Reflect (I Thought It Was Me) (feat Moniquea - remix) (4:33)
Review: MoFunk has a lovely 7"on its hand here that very much has us pining for summer, warm outdoor parties and steamy funk sessions. I Ced's 'Call Me Up' (XL Middleton remix) is all squelchy boogie bass and shooting star chords. The effortless vocals do acrobatics up top and bring soul and joy to swell your heart. On the flip is another gem - 'Reflect (I Thought It Was Me)' feat Moniquea, which is slower, with finger clicks and swirling bass all warming you through while the chords build and the withering melodies bring yet more heat.
Review: Original Gravity strides into 2025 with this electrifying debut release from I Ragazzi. The limited 45 rpm has been crafted by the talented Neil Anderson and the title cut 'Terremoto' on the A-side bursts with funky, soulful energy that promises to keep floors moving and grooving all night long. It has big drums, crashing hits and driving Hammond organ stabs that never let up. On the flip, things get a little more laid back with 'Via Appia' which is led by more great organs, this time with swirling horn sounds and an inviting rhythm.
Review: Previously spotted passing hands for over 5000 quid, this one-off 45" from North Carolina troupe Ice has enjoyed cult status over the years in both the deepfunk and northern soul scenes. Straight from 1980, there's a great balance of classic soul motifs and modern production as "Reality" swoons and sways unhurriedly but emphatically while "Hey Hey" ups the boogie ante with firm focus on the party, sharp switches on the chorus and some insane bass runs. Another ice cold reissue from AOTN.
Review: Debut release on the Canadian label imprint from two Icons Of Hip Hop with the the debut 45 with Otis . This 45 draws on hip-hop's golden moments drenched in soul samples .Up first on 'Otis', which is offered up as a vocal mix on the A-side. It's three minutes of beat-making perfection with muted horns sampled throughout, raw back-and-forth bars and dusty drums with plenty of guttural soul. Flip it over for the massive funk instrumental which is stripped of the mic-work and allows the rawness of the classic 6t's soul sample to really shine through.A great start to what is sure to be an essential label for hip-hop heads.
Review: Part of a series of reissues by Idris Ackamoor & The Pyramids. Once privately pressed, Rhapsody In Berlin is the result of an extensive exploration of Africa before returning to the German capital. Both sides are built around one hooky refrain as each player takes the lead and the momentum into brave new areas. With a robust support from the heavy funk guitar backline and overwhelmingly funky drums, it's all about range of horns (muted or otherwise), flutes and pygmy flutes that weave tightly into each other with a sense of natural chaos. As the name of Idris's San Fran dance troupe suggests, this is a bona fide cultural odyssey.
Review: Following their surprise reunion and Strut-release album We Be All Africans last year, Idris and The Pyramids return... This time on Max Weissenfeldt's Philophon imprint. Laying down a spiritual arrangement so frenetic and full of its own life it takes up two parts, Idris's sax plays duet with Philophon's own vocalist Guy One. Gutsy, raw and full of surprises, it's another out-of-body experience from the longstanding jazz troupe.
Review: The legendary Ike and Tina Turner were at the peak of their collective powers back in the late 60s. For this Record Store Day, two of their most sought after classics make it on to a special 7". First up is an ice-cold early funk jam 'Bold Soul Sister' that has big funk guitar riffs from Albert Collins. It landed initially on the Blue Thumb label in 1969 and has since been pillaged by hip hop producers for all its golden samples. Reverse this one and you'll find 'Somebody (Somewhere) Needs You' which was a classic North Soul tune and has since become hugely sought after. It was written by Frank Wilson and an original will cost you over L150 so don't sleep on this one.
Review: It is always a highly anticipated event when Ikebe Shakedown drop new music and that is the case here once more. First up they tackle a legendary Ennio Morricone track as the A-side. Their take on 'Adonai' retains all the Western soundtrack charm of the original but with added horns, plenty of filthy but funky guitar riffs and a driving rhythm section sure to make its mark on the club. 'Waiting For The Storm' is a brand new cut that slows things down on the flip with jumbled drums and loose claps making for a more sensuous sound.
Review: This one is a real gem from American boogie-soul funk group D-Train, German vocalist Saskia and Dd Lahouve Production mainstay Imaa. It is a new cut but one that leans heavily on a classic 80s disco sound. 'One More Night Of Love' has the big vocal, the pixelated production aesthetic and a killer synth bassline as well as big chords. It's a perfect feel good disco weapon then the flip side 'Casanova' roll a little deeper. There's no way your hips can't swing to this one with its rolling arrangement, lush guitar motifs and glossy disco style.
Were Oju Le (Eyes Are Getting Red) Featuring Fela Anikulapo Kuti (9:03)
Review: Oluko Imo is a legendary figure in Yoruba mythology as well as being revered as one of the progenitors of the Yoruba people. He is believed to be a descendant of Oduduwa, the mythical founder and first king of the Yoruba people, but it's also the name of a Trinidadian musician who blends calypso heritage with Afrobeat and jazz from Nigeria. He recorded his iconic album between Lagos and New York in 1988 and it has long been a cult classic. This reissue features the title track from it - a deep cut and steamy rhythm, and 'Were Oju Le (Eyes Are Getting Red)', a horn led Afro-funk workout.
Review: Possibly arriving from the same source as those Originals seven inches comes the Rare imprint with a Ronseal approach to their releases i.e. this 45 slaps two highly sought after diggers delights on either side. The horn and string heavy funk disco of IMP Express's "8-1" makes a reappearance after Kon & Amir used it on a BBE comp a while back and it's joined by the equally jaunty "Keep On Moving" from Phillip & Llyod. Only 300 of these for the worldwide independent record shop network so don't sleep!
Review: Imperial Breed are a mystery funk band from Hamburg, Germany. The group has been put together by DJ/producer Falk "Hawkeye" Schacht and drummer Roberto Kien in an attempt to follow the seminal how-to-record-a-funk-band manual by Gabe Roth(Daptone) and Philip Lehmann(Soul Fire) from "Big Daddy" magazine step by step. This includes the use of karaoke mics, old school tape recorders and IKEA tambourines. The various musicians who made up the ever-changing Imperial Breed workshop are all well-known players from like-minded bands and projects but remain anonymus. Imperial Breed do not only use the cheapest and most outdated equipment, they also put the emphasis on instruments that were rarely used by old school funk bands. Instead of chicken scratch guitars or hammond organs, the sound of Imperial Breed is lead by ancient Arp and Moog synthesizers.
Review: Cleveland soul band The Imperial Wonders have a long and distinguished history, stretching back as far the mid 1960s. They were at their most potent in the early 1970s, when they enjoyed some success on the UK northern soul circuit thanks to a string of sizzling dancefloor hits. The two tracks showcased here were clearly recorded at a later date, but remain as hot and heavy as you'd expect. Choose between the restless electrofunk groove of "Love Me To The Music" and "I'm a Hostage", a slightly more traditional (but still synth heavy) soul growler that comes complete with a seriously urgent vocal.
Review: The backstory to this one is great. It starts in 1978 when a New York producer was in need of some studio musicians to lay down some fast and funky rhythms for a band he was working with, The Imperials. Minneapolis talents Andre Cymone and Prince Rogers Nelson duly stepped up and recorded 'Fast Freddy The Roller Disco King'. An album from the Imperials was set to follow but it never did, leaving us with this one majestic cut. It's soul-drenched and cosmic disco with a killer vocal back with a more leggy and slow-motion cosmic wonder, 'I Just Wanna Be Your Lovin' Man.'
Review: 'Fast Freddie the Roller Disco King' is a tune that is as good as its title. It was originally a single by Little Anthony and the Imperials (as The Imperials), featuring none other than Prince on guitar, synth and keyboards. The track's base was recorded by Prince with Pepe Willie and Andre Cymone at Sound Palace Studios in New York with later vocal and instrumental overdubs by The Imperials. The B-side, 'I Just Wanna Be Your Lovin' Man,' is an early version of '10:15,' though Prince's involvement as guitarist on this one remains unclear. Either way, this is a brilliant reissue for disco and funk lovers.
Review: The In Sound Company are in top form on this free new serve ing of 7" funk. It is heavily psyched out stuff for the heads with Yael Lavie the featured guests to kick us off on the time track. The drums splash and crash, the rugged guitar snakes below and the whole thing has a raw but real sense of seduction with plenty of subtle Turkish rock overtones, to our ears. Project Gemini's Paul Osborne plays bass on 'Our Tin Can Rocket'. It is a more driven flip side with whirring guitar pedals and hard biting drums for maximum club clout.
Review: It was unfortunately ignored by those outside of the soul and jazz-funk scenes, but back in 2010 Incognito released a terrific cover version of Boz Scraggs' classic 'Lowdown'. Happily, P-Vine have decided to reissue it, allowing those who slept on it to make amends. While faithful to the original version, Incognito's take is smoother and ten times more soulful, helped by stunning joint lead vocals from Mario Biondi and the mighty Chaka Khan. Over on side B you'll find an earlier, under-celebrated cut that's similarly jazzy, soulful, funky and smooth, 2005 recording 'To Prove My Love'. It's very good, but nowhere near as celebratory and inspired as the A-side.
Review: Star Creature boss Tim Zawada revives another boogie classic here with a special 7" release featuring two standout tracks from Gary, Indiana's I.N.D. It opens up with the A-side which showcases an underrated floor-filler that is packed with good time grooves. On the other side, the label presents a version of 'Into New Dimensions' (I.N.D.) which offers a fresh twist on the original. This release is a must-have for fans of boogie and rare grooves and it cannot fail to light up the club.
Last Night A DJ Saved My Life (Smeddles More Ass mix) (6:09)
Last Night A DJ Saved My Life (Smeddles More Ass dub) (5:22)
Last Night A DJ Saved My Life (vocal) (5:42)
Last Night A DJ Saved My Life (acappella) (3:11)
Review: Indeep's 1982 'Last Night A DJ Saved My Life' is a stone cold classic. It has been remixed several times over the years and never stops attracting new audiences with each passing generation. On this latest reissue we get the 1980s New York-based trio's still hard-to-beat original version as well as the acapella and Smeddles's More Ass mix and More Ass dub. They are subtle reworkings that tweak the original for a little more dancefloor heft but do nothing to distill its still golden charms and catchy hooks.
Review: Positive Pay For Japan takes us back to the start here with a disco tinged house gem from Inner Life, as remixed by the legendary Paradise Garage resident Larry Levan and edited by Diguma aka Muro. It's a gorgeously laidback track full of yearning vocals and squelchy synth bass. Big, lush strings add that classic feeling of luxury and you never want it to end. On the flip, Muro Diguma edits a remix of Candido's 'Jingo' that is a supercharged tropical disco cut with busy percussion, steamy vocals and surging drum work. Two timeless tunes for sure.
Review: Inner Space Quartet had a busy debut year in 2022: they put out three enthralling funk 7"s between the Far and Dime label and now they arrive on Funk Night outta the US of A. 'Holy Water' sure does have a religious feel to it during the break when some hypnotic chants arrive, but the rest of the tune is defined by psyched-out guitar, Thai funk grooves, and star-gazing cosmic feels. It's a lovely cut followed by 'Medicine Bag,' a dumpy and dubby cut with intoxicating eastern melodies and snaking flute leads.
Review: We aren't sure who Inner Space Quartet are be we are sure you will like them. This is the second new music from them this month and it follows a busy 2022 in which they put out three head-turning 7"s on different labels. They seem to be settling for Funk Night as their home this year but soundwise are harder to pin down - there is Thai funk, space rock, jazz, psyched-out guitars and much more all contained with these two expansive and immersive sounds. 'Paranoia Party' is the really 60s-tinged narcotic opener then 'Delay' brings more rock guitar sounds as if from some secret and tripped-out Stones concert in the desert back in the day.
Review: Japanese outfit Inokashira Rangers are the world's finest group of Hammond-heavy reggae cover version maestros. They turn their hands to a range of stone cold Western classics and always bring a little sense of fun to their versions. Here it is Nirvana's Smells 'Like Teen Spirit' which they tackle and it is a much loved cut that always sells out, so now gets a reissue. On the flip side is the equally brillaint but more comic 'Summer Madness' with its pillowy drums and liquid synths. A left of centre brace of tunes but essential none the less.
Review: Over the last decade, Inokashira Rangers have proved that you can turn pretty much any track - whether it's a TV theme tune, rave banger or grunge classic - into a reggae or rocksteady gem if you know what you're doing. They're at it again on their latest "45", which opens with a storming, largely instrumental reggae-soul version of Edwin Starr's 1968 soul classic '25 Miles'. Their version - full of reverb-laden drums, fuzzy organ motifs, mazy solos, warming bass and JB's guitars - is naturally hugely different to Starr's version, but recognisably the same song. Their flipside take on Spinners' classic 'It's a Shame' is rather more difficult, with the trio slowing it down to a skanking reggae crawl while retaining the familiar melodic refrain.
Review: Two insane slices of disco funk from the late 70s/early 80s, Salsoul and Fraternity have collaborated to release this very special 45. Not only is this the first time either track has appeared on 7", but they're also massively influential in sample culture. Instant Funk's "Funk Is On" comes complete with a lavish swinging breakbeat that most will recognise in the work of Stetsasonic but it's Gaz's "Sing Sing" that wins the most-sampled trophy, having appeared everywhere from Wu-Tang's "It's Yourz" to Wamdue Project's "King Of My Castle" to Kylie Minogue's "Speakerphone"! Two legendary slices of history, one special "7... The funk is well and truly on!
People All Around The World, Can Make It (Studio live take) (5:51)
Review: Milanese quartet The Invisible Session has a proven track record of delivering soulful nu-jazz workouts, with each successive release displaying a different range of influences (think jazz-funk, soul-jazz, Afrobeat, spiritual jazz and so on). So what do they have in store for us this time round? In its original form (side A), 'People All Around The World Can Make It' is a deliciously languid, fluid, sun-splashed number that effortlessly joins the dots between Afro-soul, soul jazz-and jazz-funk - all spiritual group vocals, Tony Allen-style drums, punchy horns and spacey synthesizer flourishes. The accompanying 'studio live take' is stripped-back affair that adds attractive delay trails to the horns, removes the vocals and prioritises the Fela-inspired groove. In other words, it's effectively their take on a reggae style 'riddem' version. Proper.
Review: "Rhode Trip", by Iodine 69, is an unorthodox instrumentation consisting of two Rhodes piano players and a drummer. This debut 7" was a long time coming and was well worth the wait. This display the dynamic keyboard abilities these cats posses.
Review: Ipa-Boogie's self titled album is a super rare one that is super expensive even if you do manage to find a copy. Thankfully, for the first time ever on 7" vinyl, Acid Jazz kindly serve up short versions of 'Get The Music Now' and 'Africa', which both come from said full length. These are some of the only recordings known from this obscure band, and they first came in 1978 but still sound ahead of their time. This release, it is also worth noting, kicks off a new 45 series from Acid Jazz entitled Albarika 45, which will focus on many rare singles and unknown versions throughout the forthcoming year.
Review: We haven't heard any new music from super soul group The Ironsides since back in 2020. Boy, how the world has changed dance then, Anyway, their sound has not and is just as life-enriching as ever across these two new tunes. First up is the glorious 'The Changing Light' with its lush sounds and catchy melodies and then on the flip is 'Sommer' which is just as able to melt your heart. The good news is they also have a new album coming on the label either next year or the year after so keep those eyes and ears peeled.
Review: Although they've collaborated a lot over the last decade, the two tracks on this seven-inch single date back to Stefan Ringer and Chris Irvin's first joint studio session. Remarkably given their friendship and long working relationship, it's also the pair's first collaborative release. A-side 'Callin' Me', which features vocals written and performed by Voyce Lashae (real name Alicia Leshik) is particularly potent - a squelchy, deep, soulful and off-kilter chunk of broken beat/souful electrofunk fusion rich in jazz-funk synth sounds, undulating electronic bass and crunchy machine percussion. The pair's jazz-funk and P-funk influences are even more evident on flipside 'Heels On', a similarly soulful, house-style number that sits somewhere between Kaidi Tatham and Prince.
Review: Mr. Weldon Johnathan Irvine is one of the many great artists who were part of the 80s funk, jazz, and soul scene. He is said to have been a super clam and gentle soul and that is clear from the music, which is superbly laidback and welcoming. This 45rpm takes a nice breezy jaunt through his jazzy world with innovative keyboard work and warm double bass and horns. There is a more smoky sound on the b-side which is a chill groove with lovely melodica and guitar sounds to nod along to. This is the first time this music has been available on 7".
Review: Weldon Johnathan Irvine is enjoying a return to the spot light this month as Dynamite Cuts serve up a trio of reissues of some of his best work. He recorded it all during the 80s, when the British funk, soul and jazz scene was at its most vibrant best and this is a fine expand of that. As always with this famously relaxed and easy going artist work, the music reflects his warm spirit in sound. This limited 45rpm opens with a special 7" cut of 'Deja Vu' which is mellifluous and glowing thanks to the molten Rhodes chords. On the flip is 'I Am' and then 'Bananas' gets you shaking your limbs with its off-grid beats and busy chord work.
Review: Back in the 80s, Weldon Johnathan Irvine was a core part of the sul, jazz and funk scene. He was an amiable man who put out plenty of records that reflected that and now some of them are making their way onto 45rpm for the first time ever. This latest 7" opens with 'Fat Mouth' which is a busy and dynamic cut with mad keys work, crashing drums and a real sense of urgency as it hurries along. There is a more reflective and thoughtful mood to the gorgeous flip side, which encourages the mind to wander on the heart chords and breezy grooves.
Review: 'Only Yesterday' is a lovely mellow soul song by Weldon Irvine that the great songwriter penned at around the same time as his classic 'I Love You.' It features his euphoric voice over a soft groove, and a melody that tugs at the heartstrings. Originally produced in 1977, the single was exclusively performed in Irvine's musical Young, Gifted and Broke but it was never included on an album at the time. It would have become a classic it it had, much like ' Love You' as it is a heartwarming song that touches everyone. The B-side, 'Musical,' is a fusion-like instrumental track also from Young, Gifted and Broke.
Love Theme (Ilija Rudman Higher Ground mix part I) (3:20)
Love Theme (Ilija Rudman Higher Ground mix part II) (2:43)
Review: Ilija Rudman shows his class here with two edits for the always-on-point Brooklyn Highs label. He turns his hand to an original by Soul Men aka Black Moses and Part 1 will her you lost in a reverie. The meandering, stoned, slow-motion funk licks, gentle drums and wallowing chords all wash over you like a soothing breeze. The Higher Ground mix part II introduces buttery male vocals that drip with eroticism and soul. This one should come with a pregnancy warning.
Review: From soul to disco, pop to balladry, Athens Of The North can do it all, and often much better than most. Another exhibit to back that up now comes in the form of this 7" from Isabr'm and his 'If I Had You.' It's a straight up bit of boogie fire, with soul overtones good enough to suit the L850 plus you will pay if you try to get an OG copy. Next to that superb a-side is 'Nothing At All' on the flip, a sombre track with aimless sax leads conveying a sense of romantic loss.
We use cookies to personalise content and ads, to provide social media features and to analyse our traffic. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners who may combine it with other information that you've provided to them or that they've collected from your use of their services.