Back catalogue: Funk/Reissues

Review: London imprint Original Gravity keeps the 7" heat coming with a two-part reimagining of the blues standard 'I Can't Keep From Crying Sometimes'. J Blue takes the A-side, laying down a smoky, melancholic vocal over a stripped-back hip-hop groove, bringing 60s soul pathos into sharp modern focus. It's the kind of cut that creeps up on you-restrained, ghostly, all mood. On the flip, the Original Gravity Allstars stretch things out dub-style with a Pt. 2 version, turning the track inside out into something moodier, heavier, and bass-led. Another strong entry in the label's ongoing campaign to bridge vintage sonics and contemporary pulse-perfect for deep selectors and collectors alike.

Review: The enduring electronic musical gene sequence that was Virginia-born pianist and keys player Lonnie Liston Smith's spiritual funk-jazz opus, 'Expansions' from 1974, now hears another re-disco-scription by keyboardist Gail Johnson and her unstoppable band, Jazz In Pink. Renowned for her keytar uplifts and relentless live schedule, this is a rare 12" for the modern genius LA live musician. Her rendition of Smith's 'Expansions' both mellows and sharpens the mood in equal measure, providing a renewed euphony come euphoria. 'Glow' backs up the B-side with a sheeny original, with dramatic phrase stops and trademark peak-out pianos from Gail.

Review: Born and raised in Chicago, Durty Truth Records founder Darryn Jones delivers a couple of corkers for North-East England re-edit imprint Hot Biscuit Recordings. A-side 'In The Bush' is a thrillingly heavyweight jam - an Afro-funk meets Afro-disco version of a track made famous by US disco and boogie outfits, which Jones has expertly extended and rearranged in all the right places. B-side 'In The Know', meanwhile, is a take on a more classic-sounding slab of Afro-disco that boasts a superb "walking bassline", extended electric piano solos, sultry strings and a fine male lead vocal.

Review: This second instalment in the Spring Revisited seriesia collaboration between Acid Jazz and Ace Recordsioffers two expertly handled edits from across the Atlantic rooted in the fertile legacy of 70s New York soul. London's modern disco institution Dave Lee reinvents The Joneses' 'Love Contest' with his trademark finesse, giving the track a full-bodied groove-up without losing its bittersweet heart. The strings soar, the rhythm section locks tight, and Lee's decades-deep knowledge of disco and boogie shines through in every detail. On the flip, New York-based Coleen 'Cosmo' Murphy brings lush new life to Street People's 'I Wanna Get Over'. With sun-drenched keys, crisp hand percussion and subtle delays, she transforms heartache into late-night liberation. Both sides feel like love letters from DJ to danceflooriclassic soul refracted through contemporary ears, pressed on wax that looks and feels like it just time-travelled from 1979.

Review: Cosmic disco and spaced out Brit funk and pop fusion outfit Jamiroquai celebrates 20 years of their landmark Dynamite with a new limited edition reissue of what was their sixth studio album. Originally released in 2005, the album fused their signature funk, disco and electronic flair into smash radio hits like 'Feels Just Like It Should,' 'Seven Days in Sunny June' and '(Don't) Give Hate a Chance.' This anniversary edition comes pressed on exclusive coloured vinyl and also included is a replica promo CD sampler featuring pre-release single versions, an extended mix of the title track, and 'Black Devil Car.'

Review: British keyboardist, producer and songwriter Matt Johnsonibest known as a longtime core member of Jamiroquaiand no relation to the The The lynchpin isteps out once again under his own name with a second solo album that channels cosmic jazz, 70s funk and a renewed sense of purpose. Built around the symbolic narrative of Greta Thunberg's 2019 solo Atlantic crossing, the new record balances personal reflection with the energy of vintage groove music. With over 20 years' experience as Jamiroquai's co-writer and keyboardistihaving co-produced albums like AutomatoniJohnson now synthesises that foundation into something even more expansive. Aided by guests like Cory Wong, Will Lee and jazz fusion great Jeff Lorber, he crafts instrumentals that are warm, exploratory and fluid, rich with analogue synths and lyrical progressions. His YouTube community of 140,000 keyboard fans will find much to love here, but it's just as inviting for those new to his solo work. This is music that stares into the storm, yet sails through it with colour and clarity.