Back in stock: Funk/Reissues

Review: Chris Bangs' varied and eclectic musical journey is a key reason he was chosen to curate a compilation for Ace. With a background ranging from space rock with The Mighty Om to DJ residencies across London, Bangs' career spans numerous genres, from jazz, funk, to soul. Bangs' DJ sets and parties - in such time-honoured venues as Special Branch in Brentford, London - were seminal in the evolution of the acid jazz genre alongside Gilles Peterson, where "acid jazz was never meant to be more than a pisstake". His foray into production, such as the proto-acid jazz classic 'Psychedelic Jack' with Peterson on vocals, cemented his legacy, but it's curation highlights such as this that really get our gears going. Hold tight as we scour early acid jazz brilliants from Gunky to Vera Cruz to Brazilian Skies to Jubilation.

Review: Hamilton Bohannon's debut Stop & Go, first dropped back in 1973 and is a raw and essential slice of early 70s funk. Though maybe more known for his later disco hits, here Bohannon delivers something earthier-looser grooves, soulful vocals and inventive arrangements that simmer rather than explode. This album offers a deeper, more nuanced sound compared to his polished, high-energy disco work and highlights include the blissed-out 'Singing a Song for My Mother,' the deep funk of 'Happiness,' and the widely sampled 'Save Their Souls.' A crate-digger favourite and funk connoisseur's gem, Stop & Go is a percussive, spiritual, and downright nasty record that holds up start to finish.

Review: New York outfit The Budos Band return with their first full-length release on Diamond West, the new label founded by band members Tom Brenneck and Jared Tankel. VII was produced by Brenneck and engineered by Simon Guzman and has plenty of their signature taut, groove-driven tracks that blend Afro-soul, doom rock and 70s psychedelia. They were all recorded in California and feature the percussionist Rich Tarrana, who adds his own fresh texture without detracting from the raw, hypnotic MO of the band. As usual, this is music that is equal parts cinematic and visceral and is perfect for nocturnal drives and deep immersion. Now more than two decades in, The Budos Band are still able to surprise and compel.