MANTIS Vinyl & CDs

Review: Epsilon Record Co. has done great work here by getting a new one out of Mantis who is back after 40 years with a brand new and super soulful single. It is one rooted in the classic though, with nice lo-fi and not overproduced drum work, glorious chords and a feel good vocal. 'When I Feel Like You Love Me' is utterly uplifting and cheery and is sure to melt all hearts who hear it. An instrumental is offered up on the flip but do the right thing and plenty the full and magical vocal version.

Review: A charmingly ethereal platinum gem of synthy disco-soul, Mantis' 'Love Was Born For Me' is a formerly unissued slice of genius dance music from the lesser-spotted New Hampshire, US fivesome. Allen Atkins, Baxter Fullerton, Alvin Harrison, Vernon Stewart, Rocky Whitaker, Paul Ungar all came together as fresh graduates of Dartmouth College back in 1976, and decided to take a shot at stardom while they were young, as the trope goes. Never quite finding favour with the "free" hand of the music market - of course, most of the best talents tend to be smothered by it, not lifted up - it's only now that they're seeing more recognition than ever before, thanks to the reissuing work of our friends over at Epsilon. Now we hear the beautifully songwritten 'Love Was Born For Me', citing the feeling of jubilance and renewed confidence in love, not to mention the wowowow-ing lo-fi slow jam, 'Do We Have A Love', which shows off the incredible vocal melisma of Allen Atkins.