Juno Recommends Disco Best of 2021

Review: Al Kent's Million Dollar Disco is back in business with a surefooted single-sided press of a sumptuous piece of disco taxidermy. Taking the vocal from The Four Tops' 'Ask The Lonely' and some licks from 'It Seems To Hang On' by Ashford & Simpson, Kent has cooked up something achingly beautiful, for when you want the dancefloor to get all misty eyed. It's no accident that it's been mixed down at the legendary Green Door studio in Glasgow either - this sounds as warm and bubbling in your ears as any of the consistently great-sounding music that spills out of that spot.

Review: Bonfido Disques is back with the third release of their exotic concept series, embracing the feel-good vibe of the 80's international disco scene whether it comes from the African continent, the Middle East or America, combined with heavy contemporary drums in order to stand out in modern DJ sets. Four reworks for the dancefloor on a limited edition 12" vinyl.

Review: REPRESS ALERT!: After their Pimp Life EP kicked off proceedings last year, Soul Central are back on their very own Electric Shine label with more of that feel good house tackle they do so well. The duo have earned their stripes plenty over the years working with labels like Defected, and they're on searing form here as they whip up a sizzling disco fever with the oh-so-sweet 'Just Friends' and get deep into the groove with the synth-licked 'Party Together'. 'Your Smile' leans in on a truly sentimental vocal hook which will spread infectious positivity out amongst a crowd of party people, and 'Michigan Slide' nudges the heat up with some serious bass flex and bugging Rhodes chords.

Review: A vinyl only label focused on music from deep house hero's Saison. V3 is a collection of unreleased music from the duo focusing on borrowed sounds and reinterpretations. The label focuses on deep, disco, and house influenced jams that have been supported by many of your favourite DJ's over the past year. We hope you enjoy them as much as we do!

Review: Last year, Gilles Peterson and Incognito main man Jean-Paul Maunick (AKA Bluey) delivered the first single from their Str4ta project, a shameless tribute to the Brit-funk sound of the early 1980s that was popularised by such now iconic acts as Atmosfear and Central Line. Debut album Aspects expands on this template, flitting between up-tempo, jazz-dance friendly floor-fillers (the brilliant, 'Dancing in Outer Space'-inspired title track being one of the best examples), rubbery and soulful future sing-alongs, and the kind of slick, soul-fired, synth-sporting fare that manages to be both deliciously loved-up and pleasingly glassy-eyed. With the experienced Maunick at the controls and providing much of the instrumentation, the album is as musically rich and expansive as you'd expect.

Review: Craft Music's taste in sizzling hot party music is absolutely confirmed as razor sharp with this third instalment of edits and re-rubs with a twist. Far from vanilla re-arrangements, these re-versions get fruity with the source material and on Good For Dance there's a particular emphasis on acid. First up Scruscru & Aman Po-Kaifu get right down and dirty with Nigerian classic 'Salem' by The Funkees, whipping up a veritable storm with 'Acid Salam'. Next up Skitcut gets into a serious stomp laden with wriggling 303 action on 'Zaletaet Na Acid', and Funkyjaws has some fun weaving slamming claps and nimble bleeps into the brassy source material for 'Acid Circus'. Eddie C rounds things off with a proper rubbery acid tweaker which slips in smooth on 'Dysk Dzokej On Acid'. Classy stuff, and whole heaps of fun for those who love acid, those who love disco, and those who love both.

Review: The latest one on Faze Action's label comes from Robin Lee in his Rudy's Midnight Machine guise. This is where Lee's disco funk fantasies run amok, with 'Dyane' in particular coming on strong with the sound of the early 80s. This is blissfully melodic, good time stuff throughout, steeped in classic motifs but delivered with a fresh, modern panache. There are downtempo Balearic moments like 'Crystal Dragonfly' to get lost it as much as there are plenty of invigorated calls to the dancefloor, making this a five track EP to really get your teeth into.

Review: Duca Bianco brings the disco goodness once more here with Tom Bolas serving up four fresh cuts. 'Tanz Ohne Planeten' is a go slow chugger with ling legend drums and glistening chords. 'Guestlist Of Love' soars on a slick electro beat with robotic vocals adding some cyborg funk. 'Fick Mich' steps it up with withering chords and libidinous vocal cries over stark and steely drums. Last of all, things get seductive and blissed out on 'Shinjuku Strut,' a retro future vocal disco gem designed for good times. This is a hugely varied EP that nails four very different but equally brilliant styles.

Review: 
The eleventh edition in the Tuff Cut series sees the artist formerly known as DJ Housemaster Cam (HMC) deliver a couple more low slung, slo-mo edits for maximum dancefloor potential. The Adelaide-based legend serves up some proper disco fever on 'Shame', with a real champagne flavour if you know what we mean. On the flip, hear the amazing grace of 'To The Rhythm', yes it's yet another resplice of the classic, but this time it's been done just right! Respectful edits of the highest calibre, from a land down under.

Review: Acclaimed French producer The Reflex is back on his Flex7 imprint. The Reflex moniker is part tribute to Nile Rodgers' remix of Duran Duran's 1984 song of the same name and a nod to the Logic Pro production software's Flextime tool, which allows users to alter and sync audio files. It's business as usual on this one, with two remixes direct from the master tapes combining creativity and functionality for maximum dancefloor impact. On the A side you've got the low slung yet elevating soul power of 'Wheel Spin' (Revision), while over on the flip there's the downtown vocal funk of 'Giv It Up' (Revision).

Review: Robot84's impeccable run of funkified house cuts continues apace with this new drop. The London-based duo have the peak time squarely in their sights on 'Make Me Feel Good', rinsing a veritable cascade of uplifting house tropes from across the board. It might be that you want that pitch perfect diva vocal lick, or perhaps you just want the instrumental - either way you're covered on the A side. On the flip side, things take a turn towards Italo with the sleek and sassy 'Futuro Disko', and then veer towards a dubby, tech-tinged strain of house music on the immersive 'Ago (Dubbed Out Mix)'.

Review: The Duca Bianco posse continue to plough headlong into the thicket of vintage dance music across genre boundaries, with a crack team of deepest diggers picking out lesser spotted jams and giving them an expert re-rub. First up, Franz Scala drops some synth-pop B-side dub mix magic on 'Sweet Carillon', before Hysteric leaps into action with the staccato body-popping bombast of 'Pleides', coming on like Yello and The Human League rocking out with Thomas Dolby. Beatfoot & DJ Dollpin bring a seriously salty slice of proto trance voodoo on 'Osdorp Discoteca', capturing the magic of the sound when a melting pot of influences such as Italo disco were feeding into the musical mix. Cherrystones finishes things off with 'Gom Reg Raga', a loping, polyrhythmic meditation with plenty of mysticism folded in between the earthen drums.

Review: Get those party pumps greased up and don thine finest gladrags, it's time to hit the disco with the fruitiest bunch in town. By now you no doubt know about the level of quality you should be expecting from a Disco Fruit 12", and this second sampler doesn't disappoint. Label regulars are present and correct, with Hotmood kicking things off with the sultry, sizzling 'You Are A Star', while C Da Afro vamps things up with the kind of uptempo electro-disco that borders on hi-NRG. Mitiko slides into a slinky Balearic groove on 'Back To Dance', and Loshmi takes things in a more esoteric, jazz-inflected direction on standout cut 'Regah'.

Review: In a monumental move - after being personally asked to do so by Sylvester's estate - Soulwax has returned to Craft Recordings for this latest double reworking of the icon's 1978 disco classic, 'You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)'. This 12" is a straight-up affair, with one vocal and one instrumental adorning each respective side, and both dealing in Soulwax's slapping club reinforcements of a classic disco bit. And that's not to mention a hidden, never-heard-before Patrick Cowley synth solo found before the start of the original multitrack. This cut was specially made to play on the Despacio soundsystem, the 50,000-watt vinyl only system created by Soulwax alongside LCD Soundsystem's James Murphy.

Review: Roy Ayers made a number of killer disco cuts in the late 1970s, though few are quite as essential as 'Running Away', which has now been reissued by South Street Disco. Built around an instantly recognisable (and much-sampled groove), the extended 12" version is rich in rubbery, rising and falling bass, clipped guitars, spacey Rhodes motifs, superb lead vocals from Ayers and even better backing vocals courtesy of the female quintet who would later become Eighties Ladies (who's superb 'Tell Him' was reissued in 2020). Turn to the flip for another chance to savour Fever album-opener 'Love Will Bring Us Back Together', a deeper and more low-down disco groover that boasts some seriously good Clavinet riffs and another inspired Ayers' vocal.

Review: REPRESS ALERT: Manchester label Coral City is a brand new affair that launches with a standout first EP. It comes from N&W who have been on a long hiatus but show they have lost none of their skill in the meantime. Their vintage analogue sound is pure and joyful, with nods to old school Italo as well as classic French touch. The rugged beats do their thing below majestic synth work that is sweet, crystalline and catchy. The cosmic chord progressions on each track help take you higher and on this booty shaking evidence this is sure to be a label to watch.

Review: Edit superstar C. Da Afro comes fresh off the back of a series of big outings on labels like Tropical Disco, Samosa Records, Masterworks Music, and many more. Once again this increasingly vital studio whizz comes correct with a series of playful disco house bombs. 'Don't Give Up The Groove' plays with filters, layers up the funky riffs and soars on a diva vocal. 'Wantin' U' is a classic house tune with authentic old school production chops and 'Holding On' is a super sweet outside party tune for the warmer months. 'The Solo Groove' sends you home on some feel good strings that melt any heart.

Review: Set your phasers to disco, the Spincat label is back with more of that fired up, exquisitely edited goodness that makes you want to get down. First up on this various artists 12" is The Funk District, who keeps things heady and swooning on the Philly string busting 'Like A Bird On A Cage'. Hotmood, fresh from bringing the good stuff to Disco Fruit, is feeling feisty on the decidedly jacked up 'La La La'. It's an uptempo stomper with a relentless charge and a loopy flavour that could sit in a techno set as easily as a disco one. C Da Afro and JB Boogie team up to kick the B side off with 'Latin Vibez', which works in some choice 80s electro funk flavours amongst the driving disco beat.

Review: The sixth helping from Duca Bianco is a big disco offering that kicks off with a first track from Casinoboy in a decade. His 'On My Mind' is a corrugated jam with knotted bass and deadpan 80s vocals then some a secret unknown weapon that layers angular, slapping drums with rave sirens and a dark disco beat. Contemporary disco legend Rune Lindbaek then comes good with a sci-fi trip and gauzy synth lines of 'Ratsastic Empress.' Last of all, Khidja rounds out on 'Chuncho', a smooth groove with far-sighted pads that get you in the zone. Pressed on nice heavy 140g wax, this is another tidy 12" from Duca Bianco.

Review: "Music is a borderless language"
This is our gargantuan motto at Fauve Records.

With this mission statement arose a new project called WEST & EAST,
born from the desire to link the world of the West & the East. The idea was to ask two artists/bands to collaborate on a split EP - with one original track each, and finally to remix each others' work.

For Volume 1, it is with a humble esteem that we present Mameen 3: the duo DJ soFa & Cheb Runner - from Belgium & Morocco - face to face with Indonesian future legend Dea. We are extremely happy to launch the new series with this extraordinary collection of retro-futuristic club music, filled with treasury oddities.

Review: Mukatsuku goes all Balearic with this limited hand-numbered 180 gram 12 inch with a collaboration with Leng.First up is the sultry, melodic & life affirming jazzy keys glory which is ''Susta'' taken from the 10 Years compilation from 2020 now given a whole side of vinyl for itself. On the flipside Payfone is in fine form on "Last Night in Sant Celoni" is where Phil Passera offers up a warm and humid chunk of soft-touch dancefloor bliss underpinned by a combination of vintage analogue drum machine, 1980s style slap bass, rich electric piano motifs, and casually brilliant jazz guitar flourishes provided by regular Payfone guitarist Royce Wood Junior. First time this instrumental version has been available on wax.As played by Ashley Beedle,Faze Action, Chari Chari, Calm, Smoove,Red Greg, Crazy P,Charlie Dark etc...

Review: Edinburgh has long fancied itself as the Athens of the North, having gained a reputation since the 1700s as a centre for ideas in philosophy, economics and medicine.The Athens Of The North house band are back as East Coast Love Affair and their soulful and emotive deep disco version "Don't Be Afraid", a version of a super rare Disco 45" by Sky's The Limit, followed by a low slung and minimalistic afro house workout titled "Taken For Granted" on the flip.

Review: The Patchouli Brothers from Toronto share an affinity for the strange side of house, disco, soul and esoteric sounds as heard on Defected, Soundway, GAMM, Star Creature, Pleasure of Love and Basic Fingers. They are resident DJs at Beam Me Up, a weekly disco night in Toronto and a monthly party in Montreal. They now present four scorching edits here on Moton: kicking off with the heart warming soul power of 'Lead Astray', the energetic funk explosion of 'Kin Sol', as well as the sexy late night boogie-down vibe of 'Can't Get You Down'. Also on the flip is a nice track ending on a low slung and slo-mo tip titled 'Project Soul'.

Review: Kalita have a great one here with a first ever official reissue of Muchos Plus's, a much sought after 12" from 1979. It's pure reggae disco heat that forty years after release is still a banger. It was first put out on bandleader Rudy Mills' own label U-Solo Records, and is actually a pair of versions of their devastating disco take on The Beginning of the End's smash hit 'Funky Nassau', plus their own reggae funk slow jam 'Love Misunderstood'. An original is well over 500 quid on Discogs and it's easy to see why. The tunes brim with energy, funky licks and whistles, coats and much more to bring that worldly feel good vibe.

Review: Antal has already been dropping the worldly beats on this EP which is a fine stamp of approval for Israeli DJ and collector Elado. This marks his debut on the label having won plenty of fans for his offering on Eddie C's cult Red Motorbike. The music take its cues from all over the planet - Africa, India and the Middle East - and brims with disco joy, funk richness and plenty of earthly soul. 'Big Baba' is a classy party starter with good time feels, 'Gulab Jamun' is a foreign language acid laced love song and 'Blame' is synth heavy disco funk.

Review: Athens Of The North get themselves in party mode with a fourth EP from East Coast Love Affair. There is some series fun to be had in these tracks, with side one. 'Confrontations,' being a rebuild of a rare disco funk 45 by Homegrown Syndrome. On the backside is 'Shake' which goes deeper but still has plenty of dance floor appear. It has tropical perc and whirring electronics that just scream 'dance' while the actual screaming vocal reminds of Moby classic 'Go!' These are hefty tunes, rare as you like, but immediately accessible and high impact.

Review: Now going by his given name of Dave Lee rather than his obviously problematic previous alias Joey Negro, the Z Records boss has not showed any dip in form since the switch. Here he serves up three of his legendary mixes, this time tackling an unearthed and unreleased Leroy Burgess tape that was recorded in the same sessions as 'Heartbreaker'. 'One Plus One' is the sound of an artist in his prime, with lush backing singers adding buttery warmth to the lead vocals, big instrumentals filing your soul with joy and noodling bass driving things along. All three mixes are superb and subtle in equal measure.

Review: The See-Saw label calls up a hit list of disco edit dynamos to bring a little party rocking magic to their latest 12", leading in with the looped up funk of Hotmood. 'Seductive Look' is the perfect insistent groove to get lost in, which contrasts with the bold and feisty 'Time To Move' by C Da Afro. Keeping things mixed up on the B side, Ziggy Phunk brings something special in the pattering, bongo-laden roller 'Space Ranger'. Alexny rounds things off with the low slung thwack and transcendent sax of 'Umbele', a track humming with the energy of Afrobeat at its source.

Review: Joe Corti serves up some more house-ified disco revamps for his China White label, tapping into a soulful stream to offer up some sublime dancefloor manna for more meaningful moments. There's the heavy-hearted balladry of 'Home', which piles on the emotion without ever being overblown, and the dusty reverie of 'The Wind Can Talk' with its breezy piano chord loops. 'Let Me Tell You Why' maintains a melancholic mood without dipping in club energy, pitching itself squarely at the warm up end of the night, and then 'Our Story' seals the deal with some wise words from the one and only Gil Scott-Heron.

Review: Glossy disco beat maker and silky synth-smith Purple Disco Machine really leans on the OG pure one, Prince, for the opening track on his Soulmatic album. It's filled with electronic funk, twisted vocoder vocals and big licks that will work on a wide range of dance floors. Elsewhere his collab with Boris Dlugosch, 'Love For Days' is a dazzling vocal house anthem thanks to the seductive sounds of singer Karen Harding and 'Devil In Me' feat Joe Killington & Duane Harden is a cover like you have never heard before. This special Record Store Day reissue is limited in numbers and sure to fly off the shelves.

Review: Constant Sound offshoot Cardiology's latest boundary-blurring re-edit release comes courtesy of Alexny, an Argentinian rising star who has previously released a wealth of music on all manner of digital-only imprints. He hits the ground running with 'Everybody Get Up', sneakily adding new beats, bass and musical touches to a string-drenched old disco jam, before applying the same house-style approach to a hybrid disco/electrofunk cut on 'Get On The Floor'. Over on side B, 'Give It To Me' is a chunkier and more bass-heavy disco-house bumper, while 'Do It You Got It' is a rolling, filter-sporting revision of a particularly spacey, turn-of-the-80s disco workout.

Review: Mango Sounds, a disco edits and disco-house imprint with a bulging, digital-only catalogue to its name, has finally decided to release a record. Predictably, there's plenty to savour on the Russian label's first wax outing. Etur Usheo gets proceedings under way in fine fashion with 'Wo Ye Wa (Na Na)', a fine fusion of sparkling nu-disco electronics, driving disco bass and African instrumentation/vocals, before Whatever Charles delivers a lolloping, house style re-rub of a funk-fuelled Afro-disco treat ('African Dialects'). Experienced re-editor and remixer Ziggy Phunk steals the show with vibraphone-laden, proto-house treat 'Blues Grinder', while So.undso's 'Ultrashake' is a celebratory disco-house stomper with added synth squelch.

Review: After a strong run on Ghetto Disco, Edinburgh's Natasha Kitty Kat lands on Re-Loved with two surefire party heaters for anyone who likes their disco with a bit of bite. 'Ninja Dance' leads the charge with a heavyweight style which, in its most looped up passages, captures the tough and funky pump of Soundstream. 'Cissy' is a fierce stomper, all diva vocals and a string hook to die for. Kitty Kat has a razor sharp instinct for the most potent elements of disco, and she works them with style across both these incendiary tracks.

Review: The Gallery has these rare grooves up for auction, so they advise you to place your bid quickly. Spoken like true gallerists (or collectors?) this label has presented two previous displays of artistic editing that are still enigmatic to this very day, and their next one retains the high standard in artistic quality. On the A side of this 12' we have the low slung disco disco inferno of 'Steady On Now' packed with a vibrant brass section, cosmic synths and some fine guitar work. On the flip, you're in luck (what more can we say) on 'Not You Again' which has that classic Salsoul kind of vibe all the way, oh and that vocal - good times!

Review: To celebrate 25 years of Ten Lovers Music, Patrick Gibin and Caruso deliver 2 tracks for a special double sided 7" pressed on sky blue vinyl. On Side A, 'Flash Point' is another example of Patrick's boogie aesthetic which oozes groove and positive melodies. A soon to be collector's item for all the boogie funk connoisseurs. On the flip "Archive" from Caruso, which as the name suggests is an unreleased Deep House track from 2002, still standing the test of time.

Review: A decade ago, New York band Midnight Magic delivered arguably THE greatest disco anthem of the 21st century, the sing-along classic that is 'Beam Me Up'. Fittingly, Razor 'N' Tape has decided to mark the record's anniversary by delivering a trio of fresh remixes. Prins Thomas' A-side remix is the most faithful to the original, though it also boasts his usual dubbed-out effects, loose and heavy disco percussion and some wriggly acid lines amongst the disco bass, melancholic horn blasts and now-familiar vocals. Over on side B, Kim-Ann Foxman re-imagines the cut as a sleazy, mid-tempo acid disco chugger and Each Other re-frames it as a surging, arpeggio-driven dance through Italo-disco pastures. Ace!

Review: It has now been three years since Jungle Fire first graced the Razor N Tape Catalogue, and now the Los Angeles latin/Afro/funk/soul 12-piece are back with a five track remix EP. Colombia's Felipe Gordon takes 'Atomico' into evocative, late-night mood music territory, label co-head Jkriv lends some low slung boogie-down feels to "La Kossa", while revered turntablist Nu-Mark delivers a punchy breakbeat take on another remix of "Atomico" and over on the flip band member Patrick Bailey (guitar) gets all spaced-out and echno-laden on his Snake In Da Bronx Dub.