Wally Badarou

Review: Essential reissue alert: Arguably one of his most influential albums of his illustrious career, Wally's third album Echoes has matured incredibly well, joining the dots between electronica, island music, reggae, pop and ambient better than most self-styled Balearic DJs. Sampled by the likes Massive Attack ("Mambo") and Pete Herbert ("Chief Inspector"), we're moved through the moods in such a simplistic but warm, dynamic way as Wally switches from shedding a tear on the Scarface-era Moroder style "Canyons" to shedding a few pounds on the runaway boogie cut "Endless Race". Still sounding current 32 years deep, there's a reason the likes of Grace Jones, Level 42, Herbie Hancock and Black Uhuru worked with him.

Review: There are few certified music stars that France's Wally Badarou hasn't worked with along his illustrious career. Black Uhuru, Grace Jones and Herbie Hancock are just some of the names he's collaborated with, but the man only got to that stage thanks to his wonderful solo albums of the early '80s. His very first LP, the much-coveted Back To Scales To-Night, is a sublime boogie-soul gem and it's thanks to the collaboration between Expansion and Love Vinyl that we have it on our shelves once again. The title track is an instant hit of euphoria upon first listen, and its sonic treatment which rendered it stand-out back in the day... and still today! "One Day Won't Give It Away" is another favourite of ours, a drum-machine soul groover, but the instrumental version of "London Town" is also a reason to cop this magnetic, and refreshing soul album.