Funk / Reissue Recommendations August 2015

Review: Reissued as a standalone single for the first time since 1973, Lyn Collins' most famous track "Think" gets a timely revisit. The harbinger of one of the most important breaks of all time, written by James Brown (naturally), "Think" will still ooze raw funk and party direction for generations to come. Flip for the original People-released B-side, a touching cover of Bill Withers' classic "Ain't No Sunshine". Beautiful.

Review: Previously spotted passing hands for $1000, this Rodney Matthews doublet has been hot property since funk selector Ian Wright unearthed it. "Walking With Eyes Closed" oozes the slick falsetto funk Average White Band always aspired to; well-polished, super-tight, big highs and emphatic harmonies. "Life Is A Beautiful Thing" gets even funkier as the Miami troupe lay down cement-like dollops of bass-led funk over a stick beat and more rifle-like nagging vocals. Look up the word belter and you'll find this record.

Review: Sounds like it came out of Lagos in 1971, actually written and recorded in Lyon in 2015: Voilaaa is the brainchild of Bruno Hovart whose long relationship with Favorite goes way back to his days as Patchworks, Mr President and The Dynamics. Recording on a whole host of vintage machines and calling upon local African singers both cuts have a real authentic sense of realness; "Spies Are Watching Me" drives with big horns and swooning strings which isn't dissimilar to the work of The Movers, while the TY Boys-esque "Le Disco Des Capitales" is a heavier, more concentrated slab of floor-minded disco where the groove takes more of a forefront role. Apparently there's a whole album of this cooking... We can't wait to hear it.

Review: Freestyle mainstays Speedometer are back... And they're brandishing a brand new album. "No Turning Back" is the lead title track. Featuring velvet vocals and sharp scat spits from James Junior, it's a soft-but-stern statement of intent that drags us in gradually and refuses to let us go once we're hooked. Those hungry for Speedometer's more upbeat party feels, flip for "Orisha's Party" where the groove is so tight and fizzy you can't but think of MJ's "Wanna Be Startin' Something". For good measure, The Reflex has also joined the party with a luxurious extended house shakedown that's primed for the season and beyond.

Review: German funk collective The Mighty Mocambos unleash another killer track from their third album Showdown on this 7" slammer for Legere Recordings. Up top "Not Get Caught" thrusts with tight drums and a crisp guitar lick, precision played to create space for Derobert's ballsy narrative. Flip for "Never Get Caught", a full-flavoured instrumental that gives every band member time to shine. Exemplary timeless funk that 45 selectors will keep in their boxes for years to come.

Review: Mark Ronson's unavoidable feel good jam of the year gets the cover version of its life from Sly 5th Ave and the Clubcasa Chamber Orchestra. Surpassing the original in every possible direction, the instrumentation is tighter than queen bee's HQ with the horns showing Bruno Mars how lead lines are done and flutes playing the consummate backing vocals. Uptown funk gonna give it to ya!

Review: Brand new funk from London analogue evangelists The Snitch: Only available on vinyl (due to the fact that they're still tied to a major label for a library music deal), both cuts sizzle and slap with a fire that's been raging since the late 60s. "Don't Get Crazy" is a screaming, sweaty uptempo jam with brash bandleader vocals and breaks so heavy they could crush a house. "Caught On The Wrong Foot" is a straight up instrumental shakedown with bold horns and a groove you wish could carry on until Christmas 2024.

Review: Self-styled one-man horn driven funk music machine The Gene Dudley Group recently presented raucous dance jam, "I've Changed". Now the parent album has arrived and it continues the fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants party sound of the single. There's an additional 10 tracks on here, all guaranteed to raise the roof, including the spacey harp-dub of "Tiger Jam", a partially recognisable retro funk version of "Inspector Norse", and the brass and rippling melodies of (instrumental) Caribbean anthem "Stevie Flare".

Review: This longstanding New Orleans funk institution have made their name not only with instrumental prowess and a propensity for paying homage to the rich musical heritage of their hometown, but with a love of collaboration, and 'Into The Deep' sees them welcoming the likes of Macy Gray, Mavis Staples, JJ Grey and others on board to deal out a rich and rewarding collection of songs that deal in celebratory atmosphere, stripped-down groove and effortless cool. Balancing out classicism and open-minded innovation in style, Galactic casually redefine how a funk record can be made in the 21st century.