WEST LOOP CHICAGO Vinyl & CDs

Review: Neatly packed onto a Vong45 7" - reissued in this case for the Japanese market, with artwork by Jet Set - the West Loop Chicago crew are back at it again with more of that sultry finery, with their eyes set squarely on the lounge. The main version of 'Daylight' is a blissful treat, all languid Rhodes and low slung funk which doffs its cap to Roy Ayers on its mystical voyage to the outer reaches. On the flip, we get treated to an 88 BPM mono version of the track if you need even more of that vintage flavour, coming on like a deep cover 70s cut with a sound that pours out of the speakers like melted butter. Spread it on your toast and take yourself away to somewhere sunny, whatever the weather.

Review: The West Loop Chicago crew are back at it again with more of that sultry finery, neatly packed onto a Vong45 7" and with their eyes set squarely on the lounge. The main version of 'Daylight' is a blissful treat, all languid Rhodes and low slung funk which doffs its cap to Roy Ayers on its mystical voyage to the outer reaches. On the flip, we get treated to an 88 BPM mono version of the track if you need even more of that vintage flavour, coming on like a deep cover 70s cut with a sound that pours out of the speakers like melted butter. Spread it on your toast and take yourself away to somewhere sunny, whatever the weather.

Review: Taken from a trio of 45s from the Vong45 record label, here the West Loop collective remake some of their favourite soul, jazz and funk tracks. This release in the series has West Loop remaking the original foundation to the A Tribe Called Quest masterpiece 'Electric Relaxation' - 'Mystic Brew' as recorded by Blue Note keyboard player Ronnie Foster in 1972. Featuring all live instrumentation including some fierce Hammond organ vamps, a deep rich bassline and a vibrant electric piano solo, West Loop revitalise the jazziness of the original on 'Part 1' but move into a funkier direction with 'Part 2' on the flip. Perfect 45 territory for the funk and hip hop DJs.

Review: Those heavyweight funksters at West Loop Chicago are back again with more crucial heat for your boogie bag. This time the mysterious international cabal of edit heads have slipped from City Volts over to Vong45 - a label that may or may not also be under their control. The name tells you all you need to know - seven sweet minutes of luxurious grooves edited with a soft touch to keep the musicality smooth and flowing across both sides of this 7". Anyone who takes the classic '70s sound seriously will be jamming to this - buttery smooth and hot as hell, just how we like it.

Review: Stunning stuff here from the mysterious but utterly intriguing West Loop Chicago, an outfit only known for two previous releases on City Volt and nothing else. Taking cues from the broken beat and jazz scenes, this new record is a force to be reckoned with, not least as "The Serpent" comes wheeling in with a skittering drum funk and bugging synth lines to send you pinging into the cosmos. On the flip, "Divinity" has a more organic feel with Rhodes keys and piano dancing across the rhythms - these aren't specifically billed as edits, but given the project's background in disco re-rubs it's safe to assume these are two soul jazz bombs buffed up for your wild card spinning pleasure. There's even bonus beats for each track included - how considerate!

Review: The West Loop Chicago collective reportedly span continents, pooling soul-soaked talents into some truly powerful dance music. "Knocking On The Door Of The Cosmos" doffs its cap to Sun Ra with some crafty samples, but the musical vibe is more in line with the likes of Andres, Dego or other such masters of irrepressibly funky house music. "Theme For Chicago" takes an iconic Roy Ayers jam and gets wild with the filter, "Son Of Equinox" trips down a loose and limber jazz funk pathway and "Payback" whips up some tightly clipped samples into a pumped up peak time belter. From start to finish this EP oozes class and authenticity - a serious grip for any self-respecting Midwest heads.