Back catalogue: Funky/Club House

Review: Toolroom has gone from underground house label to one of the UK's most successful and large scale dance brands. They keep on serving up the sort of hits that become big festival anthems and this is another one, with new school Chicago artist Gene Farris paired off with ATFC for big, rollicking piano house sounds on 'Spirit of House.' 'R U' then gets more tech edged and sweaty on a big synth loop and walls of drums, while 'Tech House Kinda Thing' is a supersized tune designed to do plenty of damage. There is real funk and soul in the cut up and filtered vocal loops of closer 'Not Enough.'

Review: The idea behind the Snatch Classics series, which is finally making its vinyl debut following a few tester releases digitally, is deliciously simple. It sees label founder Riva Starr and friends deliver fresh interpretations of classic cuts. On side A you'll find a fresh take on Bob Sinclar's "French touch" filter disco anthem 'I Feel For You' by Star B - AKA Starr and UK techno stalwart Mark Broom. Their version is chunky, energetic, loopy and bass-heavy, re-framing the cut as a tech-funk workout with added string-laden disco chops. Over on the reverse, Starr re-edits and pimps up Groove Armada's 'Superstylin', making it even more sub-heavy, dubbed-out and boisterous (albeit in a rather classy way, we think). Tasty tweaks of classic cuts: what's not to like?

Review: It's a sizzling seven up for Moiss Music here as they draw together four different artists to offer up one cut each for this new various artists collection. Boogietraxx goes heavy on the filter vibes on 'S N T' which is French touch disco-house of the highest order. Kellit's 'Pryscoks Sockin Socks' is all about sultry sax lines and loose-limbed disco house beats while C Da Afro gets heads up with the streaming sunshine synths of 'Don't Be Quiet.' Groovemasta shut down with the funky Afro-disco stylings of 'Gonna Make U Rock.'

Review: The simply and aptly named 'Cuts' label launched in 2021, and immediately set about re-editing "precious (disco) gems mined from a wall of vinyl, cut, polished and mounted for maximum love." The image is endearing; that of a masked vigilante picking from an array of his/her/their best disco weaponry. For their fifth love-bombing crime fighting spree, the artist known as Guest (literally) cuts up classic cuts including 'A Place For Us' and 'Disco Is The Thing Today'. Moody, choppy and supremely dark.

Review: Dobro is a house and disco edits label run by Belarusian DJ/producer Iner out of St Petersburg. For its fifth release, it's another various artists affair featuring a whopping six tracks with appearances from I Gemin on the dusty, boompty and off-kilter 'I Like 2 Party', Paul Rudder & OUI go ultra deep in the tradition of the Three Chairs sound on the emotive 'In The Sky For Our Love', while Bendrik serves up the mandatory late night mood music vibes on 'Chat House' and Swales provides the banger on the funky and tough rolling 'Blue Skies'.

Review: In a break from their usual program, Circoloco look to Chicago and the rising star that is NEZ. Previously spotted last year on Three Six Zero alongside Felix Da Housecat, now NEZ throws down three varied cuts that show he's one to keep tabs on. First up comes 'You Wanna?', a pumped up peak time house cut with our man upfront inciting the dancefloor to come alive. 'Let's Get It' drops down into trap mode with Schoolboy Q jumping on the mic, and then the B side turns the heat up with the mighty Moodymann and Gangsta Boo chipping in to create a party monster in 'Freaks'. Skip this one at your peril.

Review: Gilberto Gil and Ernie Watt's classic jazz dancer 'Gondwana' gets a big remake here for the main man OPOLOPO. He offers a tweak that brings broken beat funk, with his jazz-fusion keys dancing over the shuffling drums and bass and mad pianos brings the vibes. The vocals are the icing on the cake for this class South American party starter. On the flip he turns his sights to Kevin Moore's 'Speak Your Mind' which is a summery and soulful disco heater with a squelchy boogie bassline that takes off and ensures the dance floor will do the same.

Review: St Petersberg's Dobro label is noted not just for the quality and playability of its funky house and disco re-edits, but also for its value for money. This, their seventh release, is another great example, with no less than six floorfillers included on one 12", each bringing their own individual mood to the table. 'Flowers Festival' from Sun Rhythms has throbbing organs and fruity keys, topped off by a gorgeous Russian vocal. DJ Merci's 'Timetable' goes for chunky rave pianos and Fairlight stabs, lending it an 80s Italo-disco feel, before Ground Plane Aerial's 'Transition SP' closes the side with slap bass and stripped down house vibe that echoes some of Roule Records' more accessible moments. Side two VIGI's 'I Am You', is the most memorable of the whole package, with its idiosyncratic female vocal weaving a magical spell around the listener, before we finish off with a double whammy of Monny Me's swirling stringfest 'The Name Of The Game' and the parping horns and strutting groove of Ugly Frankie's 'Free Alcohol Shit', the latter including a bewitching and unexpected piano solo. Great work all round.