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Review: It's hard to imagine how different club culture would be without Ron Hardy, the legendary American pioneer who set out the blueprint for how DJs should play. His own edits often formed plenty of the backbone of his sets back in the 70s and for many years the RDY label has been serving up some of his most reliable and go-to records. This 54th installment is a tasteful four-tracker that draws on house, gospel, disco and soul. 'I Have A Dream' kicks off with some raw Chicago jack, 'Dub Love' is a stripped-back sound full of menace and 'Hot Hands' gets busy with textural claps and screwy acid getting ever more wild. 'Acid' shuts down with mid-tempo drums full of rawness.

Review: Dave Lee's "AC Soul Symphony" alias has been releasing delectable and sultry disco since 2005 but reached his magnus opus in 2023 with the release of the "Metamorphosis" LP. Here we find two tracks handpicked from the album and delivered, for the first time, in a 7" format. The single starts much as the album does with the track "Windy City Theme", beautifully scored, recorded, and produced legato strings envelope the track, punctuated with horns and vocals reminiscent of a Love Unlimited Orchestra production. This version of the track has been rearranged, speeding up the pacing of the track and reaching the juicy parts in a really satisfying way. On the flip side we have the title track from the album "Metamorphosis", which is the first time the vocal version has been made available on Vinyl. A bass laden intro gives ways to glistening pianos and those signature strings (have we mentioned how good the strings are?). A more laid back and seductive track than the A side, but no less appealing. Again, due to the limitations of the 7" format, "Metamorphosis" has been expertly rearranged with loving care and attention.

Review: Manchester mavericks A Certain Ratio have been on a rare run of form of late, with 2023's 1982 counting as one of their most vibrant and endlessly entertaining albums for decades. Of course, all their albums are of a consistent quality, but It All Comes Down To This genuinely crackles with energy. From the word go, the veteran band's inherent funkiness is present, but this time it comes cloaked in fuzzy funk-rock guitar riffs, acid-fried effects, and vocals that are amongst the most forthright they've committed to wax (or, in this case, CD). In many ways, it is - as the band and producer/Sopeedy Wunderground boss Dan Carey intended - a 'back to basics' sound that focuses on the key aspects of ACR's sound. When those 'basics' are so strong, it's no surprise that the results are this impressive.

Review: Get yourself geared up for festival season with some fierce party starters certified with the Glitterbox stamp. Melvo Baptiste leads the charge with 'Sweat', a sizzling disco house stomper with Dames Brown giving the biggest diva energy on her show-stopping vocal. Lovebirds bring unbridled joy on the Philly string swoon and slinky b-line funk of 'Burn It Down', while Art Of Tones & Inaya Day keep it peak time on the sassy strutter 'Give My Love'. Young Pulse & Fleur De Mur complete the set with 'Smooth Sweet Talker', another bright and bold vocal cut par excellence.

Review: For their latest deep dive into Italo-disco history, ZYX Records have enlisted the help of Guiseppe "Joey" Mauro - an Italian producer, songwriter and keyboardist whose career stretches right back to 1984. His "Italo-disco legends" selection is heavy on his own work - no bad thing given his credentials - and contains a wealth of material that has never appeared on CD before. Highlights are plentiful, with our picks including Mauro and Ventura's sparkling and uplifting 'You & I', Italowarriors' throbbing and colourful crew cut, 'The Warrior (120 Italo Version)', the bubbly cheeriness of 'Crazy (Classic Mix Version)' by Malcolm & The Bad Girls, and the effortless Italo funkiness of Raf Coney's 'Horsepower'.

Review: Alex Puddu is a versatile multi-instrumentalist, composer, and producer renowned for his collaborations with luminaries like Edda Dell'Orso and Joe Bataan, and here he presents a debut double single that is sung in Italian. With tracks 'Pullover Grigio' and 'Texas Blonde,' he introduces a fusion of Italian funk-pop from the late 70s and early 80s and melds the with the pop and indie melodies of contemporary Italy. Also drawing on influences from soul to disco, Puddu's unique production style shines through with its most tender chords, seductive vocals and sunny sounds.

Review: ***B-STOCK: Missing original outer sleeve but otherwise in perfect working condition***


Mikal Asher, a scion of Jamaica's Morgan family dynasty, reunites with Chocolate Star Records here and does so with a collaboration with disco legend Gary Davis. Asher, akin to his brother Denroy Morgan, upholds the family's legacy of righteousness through music. Known as the Binghiman, he crafts captivating tunes with profound lyrics and has recorded in Ghana's Hustle Hard Studios and collaborated with industry pioneers in Kingston and Brooklyn, setting new standards in musical excellence along the way. Here, 'Wicked Ah Fi' transforms into a modern dub stepper, while 'Black Woman' offers a soulful, laid-back dedication to Davis' wife, Sonjia. This 7" also comes with innovative remixes from California-based DJ and producer Knoe1.

Review: Son of Todd Osborn (Soundmurderer/Ghostly) Kaito Ian makes a hugely impressing first outing on the Galaxy Sound Co label with a series of lo-fi hip-hop beat-strumentals that cannot fail to get your head nodding. He is a dedicated music lover and skater with a deep knowledge of his craft and that shows here with some refined sounds starting with the soul drenched 'Revert', then on to the warped angelic vocal samples of 'Sequoia' and the percussive jumbled and scratching of 'Trek'. 'Wait Up' is another excellently blissed out joint and 'Sloan' is a sunny, laid back, lazy vibe to close down a superb EP.

Review: Electronica production duo Arnau Obiols and Kayyak, who've laid down a name for themselves for their distinct blend of cultural influences and captivating soundscapes, here present two new tracks that seamlessly fuse Afro-inspired rhythms with groovy organic beats. Barely letting us clock for a second that these are in any way electronically programmed or sequenced, this fresh Compost Records 12" hears its two new cuts, 'Faith' and 'San Diago', abound in the ambered, sandy interim of a clear-skied evening, in which cocktails flow and smiles widen. Remixes by Prins Thomas and Medle & Dele Sosimi do just as well to complement the mood.

Review: In 1975, Silver Convention burst onto the global stage with their hit song Save Me, introducing the world to The Munich Sound. The album included the Grammy-winning smash hit 'Fly Robin Fly,' which topped both the disco and pop charts for weeks and became the band's signature song. Now, Omnivore Recordings and Good Time Records present an expanded reissue of this classic debut, featuring five bonus tracks and insightful liner notes detailing the album's genesis and global impact. With its original international cover art and a 12-page color booklet filled with photos and ephemera, this reissue is a must-have for fans of Eurodisco and music history enthusiasts alike.

Review: ***B-STOCK: Sleeve damaged but otherwise in excellent condition***


Pleasure of Love reissue imprint, New Islands, launches with a quiet stormy, soulful Balearic stunner. Kim Yaffa's 'Once Bitten' was recorded in LA and released on a 1989 private press 7", only to be buried in American record bins for decades after. A re-emergence of Yaffa's music on the internet in the last couple years has reached a fever pitch, with collectors thirsting after copies of the record. Now, New Islands has worked directly with the artist to deliver an official reissue, professionally transferred from the mixdown reels, carefully restored, and remastered. The track is an effortless class-act pop tune, with 80s blue eyed soul / Sade inspired sounds, and unknowingly Balearic production that renders it timeless (it's reminiscent of Linda Di Franco, Edie Brickell or 80s Fleetwood Mac). The 12" is rounded out by new mixes from Michael David (Classixx) and Nick the Record & Dan Tyler (Record Mission).

Review: ***B-STOCK: Creasing to corner of outer sleeve but otherwise in excellent condition***


During a record digging trip to South Africa a year or two back, Rush Hour co-founder Antal stumbled on an obscure local cover of Klein & MBO's Ron Hardy and Larry Levan favourite, "The MBO Theme". The Warrior version, which was recorded at some point in the early '80s, is a little slower and breezier than Klein and MBO's original, with even finer fretless bass flavours and the track's famous melodies re-played on some particularly spacey synthesizers. Helpfully, the Klein & MBO version is on the A-side, so you can easily compare the two: Warriors' little known cover is definitely our pick of the pair.