Cold Diamond & Mink

Review: Like Daptone house band the Dap-Kings, Timmion's go-to combo Cold Diamond and Mink are absolute masters at delivering revivalist soul and funk cuts that offer authentically old sounds and fuzzy production with new beats, grooves and melodies. They're at it again here with regular collaborator Carlton Jumel Smith. As usual, you'll find the full version on the A, with Smith delivering a raw, impassioned lead vocal above the Finnish band's languid, sweet, sixties-style soul backing track. That instrumental can be enjoyed in all its jazzy, sun-kissed, horn-tooting beauty on side B. As with their other instrumentals, it's near perfect.

Review: One of Finnish funk imprint Timmion's most enduring stories; Pratt & Moody and Cold Diamond & Mink's 2017 "Lost Lost Lost" gets an update with Gerald McCauley. Not particularly known for his singing or songwriting (but very much active in other aspects of the industry) the original's raw blues struck a chord so strong in him, he put pen to paper and dulcets to tape to provide a new perspective on the track. The results speak for themselves. There's no wondering here... It's a full blown heartache conclusion.

Review: Timmion house band Cold Diamond & Mink have provided stellar backing for all manner of artists over the years, including vocal combo Thee Baby Cuffs, funk veteran Willie West and, most recently, sometime soulful house singer Carlton Jumel Smith. They're at it again here, this time providing the musical foundation for debutant Emilia Sisco. Her vocals - sweet, occasionally strong, always passionate - take center stage on "Don't Believe You Like That", a Dap Kings style revivalist heartfelt and emotional soul number. Turn to the flip to revel in Cold Diamond & Mink's simple, effective and dustily produced backing track, which remains the beating heart of the whole shebang.

Review: The latest hot-to-trot missive on Timmion subsidiary Stylart pairs the label's house band, Cold Diamond and Mink, with Thee Baby Cuffs, a three-part vocal harmony group from California whose only previous release was an ultra-limited seven-inch single last year. The group's classic-sounding vocals - reminiscent of famous male soul combos of the early 1960s - act as a focal point on the side A original version, though it's the studied retro brilliance of Cold Diamond and Mink's on point backing track that stands out. The band's authentic production - all rising horn lines, rich bass, loose-limbed drums and '60s style hard stereo separation - can be heard even more clearly on the fantastic flip-side instrumental take.