Search results: Get Ready!

Review: France's faves Battle Weapons deliver two heady new edits, only for those ready. On the A comes an ingenious, probably never-done-before, almost laughably why-hasn't-anyone-else-ever-thought-of-this-until-now breakbeat rendition of Peter Bjorn & John's 'The Young Folks'. To be frank, they've not done much besides beef up the backbeat a little, but a simple sprucing up is sometimes all a tune needs. On the flip comes a phattened version of 'Forgot About Dre' mashed up with the Azzido Da Bass UK garage classic 'Dooms Night', also produced to hilariously, surreally arresting effect.

Review: While lots has been written about the influence of Black American soul and R&B artists on Britain's most successful (white) bands of the 1960s, little focus has previously fallen on the music of black Britons - and others from elsewhere in the Commonwealth who called the UK home - during the same period. Gotta Get A Good Thing, which tells the story of black music in Britain in the "swinging sixties", is therefore long overdue. Musically, it skips through soul, rhythm & blues, ska, rocksteady and more besides, offering up tracks from both well-known names and overlooked artists. Throw in extensive liner notes - including an introductory essay from Fitzroy Facey of the Soul Survivors - and you have a genuinely essential compilation.

Review: It's now a quarter of a century since Terry Callier released his Timepeace album, which was his first after a 15 year break. The record won the United Nations's Time For Peace award for outstanding artistic achievement and for "contributing to world peace." It features standout tunes like 'People Get Ready' and 'Brotherly Love' composed by Curtis Mayfield, as well as a guest spot from Pharoah Sanders on tenor-saxophone on the title song 'Timepeace' and seven other wondrous tunes that showcase soul, jazz, folk influences. This reissue includes an insert with lyrics and liner-notes by Tom Terrell.

Review: Surely one of the most iconic of all the British funk bands of the 90s, The Brand New Heavies split the difference between the heads-down seriousness of the rare groove scene with a sharp pop instinct which found them great success. This best of collection gives you hit after hit, and as soon as the irresistible groove of 'Never Stop' kicks in you'll be taken right back to that era. There's a house sensibility to some of the tunes which speaks to their proximity to Soul II Soul, but this is a funk band first and foremost, and their dynamic flow as a group is what resulted in such evergreen hits as 'Shelter' and 'Apparently Nothing'.

Review: Alton Ellis is known as the Godfather of Rocksteady and has put out several key albums such as Mr Soul Of Jamaica from 1967. The genre innovator has the smoothest of smooth voices and shows that again on Sings Rock & Soul, which is actually heavy on the soul and light on the rock. This limited edition reissue on Studio 1 sounds superb and all of the 12 tracks are gorgeous things with unhurried reggae rhythms and his soaring vocals backed by sympathetic guitar riffs and neat chords.

Review: In 1971, in the midst of America's conflict in Vietnam, the US army held a 'battle of the bands' contest and showcased the two winning bands in a promotional album. East Of Underground, the gritty runner-up, managed to capture the spirit of America with their sweet-soul covers of Sly Stone, Curtis Mayfield and Funkadelic. The quality of the recording is superior, as is the musicianship: the falsetto harmonies, the gritty guitar, and the devouring drums...

Review: Williamsburg-based Truth & Soul Records is fast becoming one of the most reliable sources of modern soul and revivalist deep funk. Should you be unfamiliar with their output - and you should be, given that they set up shop in 2003 - this double LP trawl through the label's bulging back catalogue should be an essential purchase. Highlights are naturally plentiful, from the Cuban and Caribbean influenced instrumental brilliance of Bacao Rhythm & Steel Band's "Pimp", and the stripped-back deep soul of Beau Williams' "I'll Be Home Soon", to the raw, Hammond-heavy 60s jazz-funk of The Fabulous 3's "Night Bird" and fuzzy analogue afro-funk of Zafari's "King Masuru".

Review: Motown might well be up there as one of the greatest labels of all time - although maybe Blue Note would have something to say about that - and so a collection of its most classic cuts is always going to be worth hearing. The famous and original music factory was a real production line in the 60s, turning out hit after hit that reigned soul and pop for a new generation. All the most iconic gems are here by the lies of Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson & The Miracle, Martha Reeves & The Vandellas and Billy Preston & Syreeta amongst many more.

Review: In soul terms, The Spinners are one of the greatest to ever do it, and box sets like these serve as the perfect way to get across some of their finest work. This seven-disc CD collection gathers together their legendary Atlantic studio albums produced by Them Bell, plus an additional 25 bonus tracks covering single edits, non-album B-sides and tracks from the group's very first Atlantic studio session. The Philly soul legends' biggest hits are present and correct, from 'I'll Be Around' to 'The Rubberband Man', plus scores more songs remastered by Nick Robbins to ensure they sound the best they ever have.