Pop & Rock News

Emanating from Japan, and discovered by Erid D (of RUB 'N TUG fame)
These Re-edit masterclasses would never have gotten outside of their native market. Luckily a helping hand from one of NYC's most hyped party throwers has guaranteed a wider audience !
As they get closer to the final release in the alphabet themed series, we're treated to a Xmas special !
Holy Disco baubles I hear you say, can it be true
Firm DJ Harvey favourites which have been held back for a special occasion, crack open the port, drape yourself in tinsel and get down

Classy 1983 soul/funk hit from Rene & Angela, taken from their album "Rise", also Gloria D Brown's 1985 disco/funk shakedown, 'The More They Knock, The More I Love You'

Electro funk perfection in the shape of the brilliant and almost impossible to come by 'Mandroid' by Gift Of Dreams. Originally released back in 1983 on Jam Power Records, this remastered reissue is packed full with wall-to-wall dirty funk bitch-slapped by sleazy analogue bass. Featuring the ridiculously juicy underground classics 'Mandroid', 'Moonwalk' and 'Video Sensation', this album feeds you floor-filler after floor-filler oozing with cool synths, tweaky sound effects and quirky vocoders laced with a huge dose of killer ruff-neck vocals. Channelling a sound that many a present-day producer has tried to emulate, it is easy to see why this LP has become so sought after by hard-core electro collectors. Don't miss the chance to own this historical piece of wax.

Limited reissue of the original 1978 Calendar Records release of this super-obscure underground disco masterpiece from the Sarr Band. Highly in-demand after support from DJs such as Rahaan and Harvey, this killer double A-sided 12' kicks off with the awesome 'Magic Mandrake', a funky, undulating groove-stomper featuring an unstoppable bassline, boogie horns and sleazy vocals that rock the floor every time. On the second A side 'Double Action' is a slower, chuggier disco gem with psychedelic beats, seedy flute-loops and smoky synths making for a truly cosmic experience. Essential!

Persnickety Sounds is here to funk-ti-fy your world!
In this era of Nü-Disco, Space Disco, Cosmic Disco, Disco House and shit, there must be a beacon of quality to light the way and lead the faithful back to a place where good grooves matter and realness is holding court.
Let the labels fall and just get it movin'

Radio Cosmos is back with more beautiful, well crafted synth disco tracks. Keen K already stole our heart with his previous releases on Das Drehmoment, here he got some remix help of Infam and Roland Sebastian Faber aka Kinky Roland known for his excellent releases on Aube. On the split there is Infinity night with some classic bombastic synthesizer disco pop. Jean Michel Jarre would be proud of him! Limited edition.

Keen K., Kinky Roland (vocals) & Infinity Night will take you on another melodic trip into italo romantics! Inspired and fascinated by the golden age of italo disco (1983-1985) these guys could be considered the nu-romantics of italo-disco. Needless to say these tracks were created completely on old analog synthesizers

CD1 - Mixed










[aK] CD 1-11 | Randaberg Ego Ensemble - Vestamaran (Prins Thomas Diskomiks)



CD2 - Unmixed

The mysterious K&B pairing are back on No More Hits with another huge release to round off the year. Following their massive No More Hits 15 release 'Ain't No Woman' almost exactly a year ago. Make no mistake, this one is equally as good and we expect big things from K&B in 2013!

Newly mastered and cut on 45 RPM, Knuggles Recordings issues two kicking club tracks by Netto Houz from their Album 'Room 7101. 'Noctambulism' and 'Rossi's Records' were recorded in 1997 under the strong influence and in deep adoration of the music released by the great Chicago House labels of that time. Vinyl only, limited to 200 copies.

Following on from the release of recent single Hail Bop and subsequently the extended Hail Bop EP, Django Django are pleased to confirm details of their next release from their exceptional eponymous debut album - which was today nominated for this year's Barclaycard Mercury Prize. This revered accolade is yet another deserved nod, as it was announced last week that the band are in the running for Best New Act at this year's Q Awards.

After the success of Pablo and Shoey's 'Rejigs' series, Fatty Fatty Phonographics steps things up a notch with 'Downtown Classics Vol 1', featuring the big tracks and out-there obscurities that have worked the floor at the long running Dublin club collective's nights.
Side A makes room for all 13 minutes of Daniel Wang and Brennan Green's jaw dropping mix of Block 16's 'Electrokution'.
Block 16 were Ray Mang and Harvey/Idjuts collaborator Pete Z, and their 'Morning Sun' LP on Nuphonic got lost among the label's messy demise in 2001.
It didn't stop The Unabombers proclaiming it 'Album of the Year - We are kneeling' nor Daniel Wang taking up the baton and releasing this gem on his Balihu label, taking the hypnotic electro stylings of the original on a right journey by adding some propulsive Loft style disco and a totally unexpected melodica led dub reggae coda, Augustus Pablo stylee.
The original Balihu 12 has shouts to both Harvey and Dutch Italo-disco don I-F on it, and that about sums it up where this marvellous piece of 21st Century musical madness is coming from.
On the flip we have ourselves some joyful charity shop disco in the form of Sweet Cream's 1978 screamer 'I Don't Know What I'd Do If You Ever Left Me'. All Pablo and Shoey had to do to this little gem was create a lovely extended percussive intro before letting the insistent riff and squealing moog of the main song go.
A favourite of Larry Levan's at the Garage by all accounts, it's hands in the air chorus and brassy disco swagger meant it went all the way uptown to Studio 54 in disco's commercial peak year. More importantly, it has consistently plastered smiles on the faces of peak-time Downtown dancefloors since 2003, and we're delighted to share it with the world now!

Sensual disco delights from the man known for "Bump & Hustle Music" + his studio work w/ Major Lance, Tamiko Jones & Loleatta Holloway. 14 cuts of rare disco funk. incl "Pay the Price" "Party Nights" & "Hotbox" + 2 reworks by Al Kent.

2 X CD UNMIXED
With his Midnight Riot compilations, Yam Who has proved to be a shrewd mover. By focusing largely on the edits-not-edits sound - where disco and electrofunk meets deep house - he's managed to catch the zeitgeist of a scene that remains hugely popular.

This third volume reads like a veritable who's who of contemporary talent, featuring both well-known names (Ilya Santana, Rayko, Sleazy McQueen, Get Down Edits, Deadly Sins and Yam Who) and rising stars (Shit Hot Soundsystem, Jimmy The Twin, B-Jam, the excellent Stupid Human).

Musically, it largely delivers what you'd expect, expertly moving between delay-laden disco dubbiness, Tiger & Woods-ish disco-house and starlight nu-boogie.

Continuing their forays into the world of yesteryear grooves unabated, those pesky hell-dwelling Lumberjacks are at it again, this time drafting in O Boogie and Red Greg for some disco funk finesse for the smoothest get-downs. O Boogie lords it over the first side, leaning heavy on a rich piano hook that hammers lower register chords over an incessant disco tick, while evergreen track "Papa Was A Rolling Stone" gets re-versioned in such a floor-burning fashion you'll need asbestos boots just to get out alive. Red Greg's "Inner Rhythm" plies familiar tropes into a sweet instrumental groove that makes all the right moves.

'I started buying Funk and Soul records from Soul Bowl in Norfolk in about 1980, John Anderson the owner had a big barn full to the rafters with vinyl, he would travel the breadth of the States - bringing back container loads of rare music. So many in fact it was a daunting prospect to know where to start in that crazy Barn... endless shelves many of which you could not even get at as there were so many piles of records stacked on the floor. It was here that I first discovered Chuck Brown & the Soul Searchers.... 'Ashley's Roach Clip' was the sort of track title that would grab my attention According to John it was 'shite' from Washington DC... from that album I hunted out many more records, slowly putting the story together and thus finding GoGo. I even went on a pilgrimage to Washington in about 1986 on a record-buying trip... Had to ship 'em back and pay a stupid amount of tax but those tunes still rock and those toms will always roll...' Jon More (Coldcut), March 2012

'GoGo Get Down is a must for have any serious soulful record collector' Jazzie B, March 2012



'These GoGo tracks certainly brought a smile to my face. I have a monthly conversation with Ross Allen regarding the GoGo revival which we both think will happen. Wishful thinking! So it's great you guys are doing a comp of GoGo killers which in the scheme of things could prove us both wrong. A fantastic selection and believe me I shall be throwing down very hard! Put your hands up for D.C.!' Ashley Beedle





GoGo Get Down is the latest compilation from Dave Lee aka Joey Negro to be released on the Z Records label. A mammoth and rare retrospective of Washington DC's spectrum of Ghetto Funk, this collection showcases the visionary side of the GoGo scene while bringing its key artists the modern exposure they deserve.



Joey Negro gives us an insight into the vintage rhythms and chiming cowbells as well as the dedicated soul screams that pierce through the retro soul rhythm that gives GoGo its distinctive sound.



'As someone who has more or less made a career out of being a music lover, it's a great buzz to put together and release albums of these semi-forgotten genres like GoGo or our recent Brit Funk compilation. Many of the tracks included on this album are ultra obscure local-only releases which I've picked over my years of digging. Seeing a project like this through from the initial concept to the final product is quite a task at Z HQ and at points you can't help but wish you'd never started the damn thing ;-)



However, all of the graft is forgotten once the finished release arrives and you're listening to those bumpy DC grooves in all their re-mastered glory'

Dave Lee aka Joey Negro

Magic Wand is a secretive side label project from IS IT BALEARIC
This is their fifth release in the celebrated series, and comes jam-packed with four fantastic Balearic wonders, respectfully extended and amended
Magic

2013 marks the 30th anniversary of Bridget Cooper's '(Get Into) The Love Groove' release. Légère Recordings is proud to present the official re-release of the original 45 version of this seminal boogie tune written and produced by Calvin Hodge.
Calvin obtained a - single song contract' from Birdie Records in Detroit, Michigan to have another artist by the name of Bridget Cooper release the song in 1983, which was a modified version from what Calvin Hodge originally performed. This version made it to the Billboard Magazine's Top Single Picks category on June 4, 1983.

Transmissions from the Cyber Dance imprint have been sporadic since its inception in 2005, but when they arrive they're always something very special indeed. Ostensibly one of Italo Disco's great lost producers, we suspect that Bandido's Gang may well be a nom de plume for one of the label's many associates. Whatever their provenance, the tracks certainly sound like vintage Italo, with "Marinche" leading with a pulsating bass arpeggio and synth horn melody worthy of Moroder, whilst the Flemming Dalum & Steen Gjerulff remix adds layers of vocoder and a variety of cosmic accents to its sturdy frame. "Last Train to Tucamari" meanwhile takes a more languid approach, pulling in an opposite direction to the speeding train samples, whilst Flemming Dalum & Mike Salta's remix adds some guitar licks, hazy synth atmospherics and even a flute solo which just adds to the classic Italo feel. Killer!

This compilation represents some of Paul Phillips favourite soul, funk, disco and 80s club boogie tracks that for one reason or another went totally under the radar at the time of release in the US.

Repress on black vinyl 7". Italian producer SUONHO does edits of 2 classicsoul cuts: BEN E KING's classic "STAND BY ME" gets tweaked on one side andthe ultra hard to find "UNDIVIDED LOVE" by ESKEW REEDER gets re-edited onthe other. Full pic sleeve. Last 200 copies then deleted. (GLENVIEW)

With an estimate of 500.000 inhabitants Surinam has a lively music scene. Although Surinam is a relatively unknown country, it has a strong influence on the Netherlands where many of the Surinam people have been living since a couple of decades ago. The music from the Surinam is mainly known for it's kaseko (which evolved out of the traditional Kawina music) and soul music, but the Surinamese have also been active in other genres such as pop, funk & jazz. Most of the Surinamese music is hard to come by, and especially its funk is rare. Because it's that rare, you can wonder how much of it has been made. The occasional funk tracks pop up on a kaseko or soul album, but full funk albums are difficult to locate. Our aim is to document these lost gems: dancefloor tracks which meet the international standard of 'good' dance music. The drive to discover something new has brought us to Surinam and while diggin through these records we found a bunch of crossover tunes resulting in this specialized boogie funk compilation. The SURINAM! compilation features 10 rare tracks within the Surinamese boogie funk genre. Key players from the '76-'83 era such as Solat, Sumy, Erwin Bouterse, Reingoud and Thunderstorm are all included! The compilation also features extensive liner notes containing in-depth information on all the artists of the compilation. This album will be volume one in the Surinam! series. The other upcoming issues will focus on other the other genres of obscure Surinam music, such as Jazz and Soul.

[B] A2 | Erwin Bouterse and the Group Roetoe - Disco Party

With its title track heralded as 'ESSENTIAL NEW TUNE' by Jamie Jones & Seth Troxler on BBC's Radio 1, Shall Ocin's 'Tribute To Summertime' EP on Leftroom is tipped to be a crucial asset in record crates this autumn.This is Shall Ocin aka Nicolas Abalos' second offering for the Leftroom label following the brilliant Left'd released 'Moving On Powerdigger' earlier this year. With a natural talent and an ear for musicality this is clearly the onset of a fruitful career for this young producer.Ocin displays his dance floor sensibilities here, skilfully blending samples from George Gershwin's 1935 classic 'Summertime' with electronic sounds to create a refreshing contemporary cut in 'Tribute To Summertime'. Drawing on harmonised vocal lines and a cutting organic piano the track embraces the current resurgence of soul music in house, alongside raw shuffling drum programming and a bulbous sub bass-line, creating a sure fire dance floor killer.

Nach dem Mega - Erfolg der Compilation Serie "80's Revolution - Disco Fox" legen wir noch einen oben drauf und präsentieren euch: THE BEST OF DISCO FOX auf zwei CDs, die es in sich haben. Internationale Top-Titel wie: You're Woman, Ballet Dancer, Happy Station, Touch By Touch, Slice Me Nice oder No Tengo Dinero!Diese Titel füllten damals die Dance Floors aller Welt und haben nicht ohne Grund Discofox zum beliebtesten Tanz aller Paartänze gemacht - und liefern auch heute immer noch die perfekte Hitgarantie und natürlich die unwiderstehliche Discofox-Garantie - für Anfänger wie für Profis gleichermaßen geeignet!

Next up on Leng we have a 12' from new label artist Fernando. Apart
from releasing his own music, Fernando is also part of the duo 'Silver City' and the band '2020Soundsystem' alongside Ralph Lawson, Danny Ward (Moodymanc) and Julian Sanza (Silver City).
With all instruments played by Fernando himself, 'Blue Impala' rides overa seriously heavy bass line plus synths, electric and acoustic guitar work that make this a mid tempo dance foor monster.
Ray Mang delivers yet another storming remix displaying the usual high
production skills we have come to expect from the Mang studio. Here he
beefs up the drums and adds to the instrumentation turning in another late night twisted session.

The Gomma label looks to Venezuelan Grammy winners Los Amigos Invisibles and the ever-excellent Dimitri From Paris for their latest single, a cover of the Chaz Jankel classic 'Glad to Know you' backed with a remix from Ray Mang Los Amigos Invisibles have had an all-encompassing career taking them from the streets of Caracas, Venezuela in the early nineties to the stage of the Grammy awards in 2010 via just about every corner of the globe. Along the way they hooked up with legendary DJ/Producer, Dimitri from Paris who met them through Louie Vega in New York, Dimitri went on to produce their 'Venezuela Superpop' album as well as featuring the outfit on his own recordings. Now the Los Amigos Invisibles/Dimitri pairing is back for a brand new single on Germany's leading eclectic electronic label Gomma.'Glad to Know You' was originally a big hit for funk heavyweight & Ian Dury collaborator Chaz Jankel in 1982, now Los Amigos Invisibles and Dimitri From Paris take up the reigns with a cover version that is both true to the original and unique. Heavily delayed drums, warm bass and swirling FX roll around the funk laden guitar licks, uplifting keys and infectious vocals to create an instant floorfilling classic. For those who prefer things a little less vocal, there is a superb instrumental to accompany the original.To complete the package remix duties are handed over to UK production powerhouse Ray Mang who delivers an epic, near eleven minute long dub version that has Balaeric classic written all over it, quality stuff!
Gomma have hit gold once again with this superb new single from Los Amigos Invisibles and Dimitri from

Great historical tunes taken from 70's intl charts. All original, extended and remastered hits, such as Logic System, Gene Farrow, Tantra, John Foxx, The Sisters Of Mercy, ... and many more !!!!

Another great 12' compilation from the Balearica camp featuring four more wonderful eclectic rarities. Kicking things off we have a funky slice of über-rare classic 80s French boogie in the form of J.M. Black's superb 'Lipstick' closely followed by Kitty Grant's mega-dope version of the Chaz Jankel classic 'Glad To Know You', first pressed back in 1983 and now extremely hard to find. The flipside features two more in-demand dancefloor gems starting with Saada Bonaire's fantastically Balearic new-wave cut 'You Could Be More As You Are'. Originally released in Germany in 1984, it dishes up mesmerising female vocals and an ice-cool reggae-esque groove provided by legendary UK dub producer Dennis Bovell. Last up is one of the champions of mellow grooves - Leo Sunshipp's 'Give Me The Sunshine'. Quality stuff!

With the success our 80s Groove series has had previously selling over a quarter of a million copies worldwide, we thought it imperative to release another album jam-packed with the soulful side of the decade. So why not celebrate this funky and feel-good era in club music with 80's Groove 3. The album consists of 3CDs of dance floor anthems from the decade. CD1 pays tribute to some of the greatest hits from the most legendary artists. From Michael Jackson's critically acclaimed masterpiece ` Wanna Be Startin' Something' to Lionel Ritchie's dancefloor anthem `All Night Long', as well as The Pointer Sisters, Shakatak and Alexander O'Neal, this disc delivers only the best classic, soulful grooves. Moonwalk into CD2 to get the very best funky disco beats, including Sister Sledge, Shalamar, The Temptations, Diana Ross and Kool & The Gang. Finally, CD3 rounds up this definitive collection with a clutch of smooth, laid back hits from the masters of this artform, including Sade, Anita Baker, Atlantic Starr and Gladys Knight & The Pips.
CD1:



















CD2:



















CD3:

Another big remix package from ISM, who continue their homage paying endeavours for legendary NYC disco troupe Odyssey. This latest 12' sees remixes from Faze Action, Toby Tobias, Leftside Wobble and Ron Basejam. Opening proceedings on the A-Side you'll find Faze Action's thumping proto-house version of 'Going Back To My Roots' - this one is made for sweat-drenched Sunday nights at Horse Meat Disco! Mr Tobias goes deep on his version of 'O DJ KO', with the swampy bass, echo laden vocal cuts and bleep-fuelled melody a pleasing contrast to its raucous predecessor. The two remixes on the flip maintain these lofty standards, with Soundcloud don Leftside Wobble turning in a twinkling refix of 'Lonely Star', while Crazy P man Ron Basejam turns 'Ain't No Dubbin' Us Now' into a beefy, conga-led traipse through shimmering, Balearic soundscapes.

The third offering from the indisputably Balearic imprint Sunkissed Records comes in the shape of four dreamy tracks from the sultry Sade. First up is the 7-minute US remix version of 1984's 'Hang On To Your Love' - a sun-drenched hypnotic aural soother with a downtempo laidback groove and Sade's unmistakable silky-smooth, honey vocals. Next up on side A is the extended version of 1988 'Super Bien Total', a superb instrumental with seductive bassline and mesmerisingly anodyne flutes. Side B features two more blissful Balearic treats - the tranquil extended 12' mix of 'Turn My Back on You' and the haunting 'Siempre Hay Esperanza'. A must-have EP for any fan of the Balearic subculture and Sade lovers alike!

Slamming remastered reissue of über-rare Detroit electro gold 'Mill-Due' by T.Mack on tiny label Megas. Incredibly hard to come by, this underground 12' from 1985 oozes funk, soul, boogie and delicious groove with a huge slice of time-defying electro chic. With a super-squelchy analogue bassline, sexy guitar licks and killer beats, it is topped off with Detroit style space-age deep vocals which conjure images of early Juan Atkins productions - this record is a collector's wet dream! An on-air favourite of The Electrifying Mojo, this is Motorcity electro at its very peak. Absolutely 100% essential for fans of electro and techno alike! Do not miss out on this true holy grail of Detroit electro funk

CD 1

















CD2

The A side is HUGE, a special edit of a rare live JB recording. B side features 'I Can U Can' an awesome mid tempo number, the 12' is rounded off with the soulful 'Looking 4 U'. Yam Who getting back to the old school vibes on this one, killer release!