Back catalogue: Funk/Reissues

Review: The Demons Singles Club is back with more devilishly good funk here in the form of Doris Duke's version of Marlena Shaw's 'Woman Of The Ghetto.' It first appeared on her 1975 alum Woman and is a searing take with full-bodied vocals full of fire. It's an urgent sound that adds weight to the social commentary of the lyrics and the b-side tune from Rhyze is just as essential. 'Fire' is a massive disco cut with stomping drums, funky bass riffs and plenty of noodling guitar riffs that make it effervesce.

Review: Rahaan, one of Chicago's finest exports, delivers another stellar collection of dancefloor-focused edits. This four track EP traverses a spectrum of sounds, from disco to house, showcasing Rahaan's signature blend of infectious grooves and soulful energy. 'Project Funk' sets the tone with its undeniable funk flavour, its driving bassline and infectious horns guaranteed to get bodies moving. 'Shangri La' takes a more ethereal approach, its dreamy melodies and hypnotic rhythms transporting listeners to a blissful paradise. On the flip, 'Tribe Dance' injects a tribal-infused energy, its pulsating rhythms and percussive elements creating a primal atmosphere. 'Deeper' closes out the EP with a deep house excursion, its hypnotic groove and soulful chords inviting listeners to lose themselves in the music. With its impeccable selection and expertly crafted edits, this release is a must-have for any discerning DJ or lover of quality dance music.

Review: For his latest trick, cheeky scamp The Reflex has turned his attention to the Herbie Hancock tune that inspired countless 1980s kids to don a tracksuit, grab a pair of Adidas Shelltoes and hurl themselves around like the Crazy Legs crew. Naturally, his version of 'Rockit' is a body-popping treat that subtly extends and rearranges sections - especially those containing Hancock's jammed-out synth parts - and adds a few tasty breakdowns before unleashing the now familiar melody. Over on the flip the French producer takes his scalpel to the Isley Brothers, providing a fine multi-track edit and extension of the group's much-loved, guitar-solo sporting proto-disco soul number 'That Lady'.

Review: Cosmocities returns with a sizzling six-track remix package of 'How It Feels To Be Loved' by American artists Erik Rico & C. Boogie. These jams are all ready for deployment in the club but come with a soulful signature that fans of Rico will quickly recognise. Tracks 'How It Feels...' and 'Love Everlasting' both get reworked by the one and only Josh Milan while Marc Mac, and Rico himself also step up with their own fresh twists. Milan's 'Honeycomb' mix infuses slap bass and acid-leaning grooves, his 'Floor Radio Vocal Mix' adds late-night soulful funk, Rico's 'Trench Coat Tribute Remix' delivers seductive P-funk vibes and Marc Mac's take on 'Love Everlasting' brings Balearic house magic.

Review: Isabel Roberts' mid-80s single 'Love Situation' featuring Robert Chandler, is revitalized on this limited 12" release, part of Backatcha's 'Hot Vinyl' reissue series. These UK electric-boogie-synth-funk tracks are essential for any dancefloor. 'Love Situation' is a smooth, soulful jam with a catchy melody, perfectly complemented by Chandler's vocals. The instrumental version on the same side allows the groove to take center stage, making it ideal for those crucial dancefloor moments where the music needs to shine on its own. On Side-2. 'Just Fall in Love,' continues the vibe with a romantic, yet danceable track that's just as versatile. The inclusion of its own instrumental version ensures this 12" is a complete package, offering both vocal charm and instrumental grooves. 80s fans of the groove will surely find some enjoyment with these on their turntable.

Review: Uniquely squeezy new funk by Robotron and the Funkadelic camp. Laying down a phat, uptempo synthfunk slew - 'Toy-Boy', 'Save Your Love' and 'Funk With Me' - alongside myriad liner note puns such as "are you ready to funk off?" and "we give a funk!", you can be sure that the tone of this one is kept both light and heavy, in a mutually opposing but impactful way. The B-side 'Save Your Love' is the particular highlight, presenting a rather interesting fusion of Italo, freestyle, street soul... it's kind of got everything.

Review: For decades, the humble disco re-edit has offered wannabe-producers a way into music production. In recent years, there's been an upsurge in house 'edits' too - a trend that has seen countless producers combine bits of classic and obscure cuts with their own peak-time ready grooves. This debut from the previously unknown Jay Rook fits into that category. Check first opener 'Master Wonnin', where Rook turns what appears to be a classic Highlife jam into a bouncy, bass-heavy Afro-house workout, before further refining the same attractive, sun-splashed formula on 'Eme (Yeah Yeah)'. Over on side two, Rook changes tack on 'Do God a Favour', adding a touch of hip-swinging, disco-flexed gospel-house flavour to a bluesy old soul-jazz cut, while 'Jesus Saved Me (Glad)' is a filter heavy disco-house re-wire of a righteous gospel number.

Review: Roundtree hit hard with the few joints they gifted to the disco world. Led by songwriter and producer Kenny Lehman, they dropped an album and a couple of singles in 1978, but then made a surprise return in 1982 for a one-shot drop of boogified perfection on Aria. 'Hit On You' is one of those simply perfect jams with a nasty bassline and all the hooks you could wish for, and Groovin clearly know what they're after as they lead with the dub mix on the A side for this reissue. There's also the remix version of the track, and an additional retouch from Moplen thrown in for good measure to give you a prime cut three ways - no bad thing in our book.

Review: Roy Ayers made a number of killer disco cuts in the late 1970s, though few are quite as essential as 'Running Away', which has now been reissued by South Street Disco. Built around an instantly recognisable (and much-sampled groove), the extended 12" version is rich in rubbery, rising and falling bass, clipped guitars, spacey Rhodes motifs, superb lead vocals from Ayers and even better backing vocals courtesy of the female quintet who would later become Eighties Ladies (who's superb 'Tell Him' was reissued in 2020). Turn to the flip for another chance to savour Fever album-opener 'Love Will Bring Us Back Together', a deeper and more low-down disco groover that boasts some seriously good Clavinet riffs and another inspired Ayers' vocal.

Review: The Reel Estate label is back with another limited slab of clear wax and two devastating outsider-disco cuts. 'Shape The System' has crashing hits and dark, chugging drums, with plenty of sleazy guitar lines king out of the mix, effects and delay adding tension and a bulbous bassline bringing the weight. On the flip, 'River Art' is less dense but no less out there with its twanging riffs, muted jazz horn motifs, broken beat drum tumbles and organic percussion. It's controlled chaos that makes you shake your limbs loose. An essential leftfield cut.