Funk / Reissue Recommendations April 2014

Review: "Happy" has enjoyed matchless success, having hit the top spot no less than three times... And selling over a million copies in the process. Here Sony BMG unleash a 12" edition featuring the instrumental on the flip , adding a whole new lease of life to one of the most positive pop songs written in recent times. Breaking down into a really cool human rhythm, even without Pharrell's vocals this excels in every possible funky way.

Review: From the 1990s Leeds roots to global tours, nine studio albums and sessions with the likes of James Taylor, Mr Scruff, George Porter Junior and The JBs, The New Mastersounds are entrenched in modern funk history. Here we find them at their most extensive; from the raw funk attitude of "Monday Meters" (complete with distorted Hendrix flavour) to the bluesy deep house of "When It Rains", the band excel in every funky path they tread. Other highlights include the insanely infectious "Whistle Song", the driving dreamy vocal soul of "This Game" and the powerful badboy funk jam "WW111". Serious groove therapy, this is essential.

Review: Only 200 pressed . Don't sleep !

Review: This. Is. Brilliant. A highly limited cover version double-A... And they're both incredible executions! First up is the Newcastle seven-piece's take on the Massive Attack classic "Unfinished Sympathy". Belted with equal measure of gusto and sorrow, it's a completely refreshing and complimentary twist. "White Lines" is a similar story... More frenetic and driving, it takes the famous Liquid Liquid bassline into distorted guitar and horn heaven. Oh, and watch out for that middle eighth. Don't ever come down...

Review: A steel drum band cover of the JB's "Hot Pants Road"... Does this description need any more hype than that? Not really. But just in case, the Gay Philadelphians are a group from Trinidad & Tobago. They only ever released one album and these are two of the highlights. One storming cover and one steam-powered original. "Jo Jo Lo" is a shimmering slice of harmonics with an infectious hook and wonderful inclusion of chants towards the finale. Stunning stuff.

Review: Taken from their forthcoming compendium Bombay Disco, Cultures Of Soul dig the dusty crates of Hindi films around the late 70s and early 80s to unearth two resoundingly fresh Bollywood bangers. Combustible Edison affiliate and all round legend Brother Cleve lets rip on "Udi Baba". Taken from 1982 film Vidhaata, he executes the perfect subtle stomp and euphoric synths behind an insanely infectious vocal message. "Koi Lutera" is an exclusive that you won't find on the album... Destination 1983, this uptempo jam comes from a film Wanted: Dead Or Alive. And with its hair-raising acid line and speedy dynamic, it still sounds wholly relevant. An intriguing lesson that leaves you wanting more.

Review: Tramp head back to the late 60s and dust off the criminally rare Club 7 releases. Arranged by Johnny Heartsman - a man who played a role in hundreds of funk, blues and soul releases throughout the decade - Rudy's honey-coated tones drape themselves over both these cuts in true style. "Love" is an upbeat northern soul groove with a big hook and big vocals to match. Complete with a cheeky whistle, it leaves you feeling you've known it forever. "Let's Stick Together", meanwhile, is a straight up smoky blues affair where Rudy, the horns and guitar sit together with emphatic harmony. Feel the love.

Review: Minneapolis 11-piece Derobe Dance Band sound so authentic, if you didn't know they're a new act you'd think they came straight of Lagos in 1970. Even these recordings come with that dusty weight of the original Afrobeat recordings. Lead track "Gogoplata" is all about the dramatic dynamics, first emphasising the horn messages before dropping into a lush organs while the guitars shimmer with highlife nuances in the background. "Kem Dahg" comes with more of a funk flavour than its soft subtle opening that ignites to a bold horn chorus. This band has clearly studied their inspirations for a long time and they've conjured a fantastic fusion as a result. An essential 7".

Review: ** REPRESS ALERT ** French selector Reverend P launches his new edit series for GAMM with three astonishing soul refixes. Both chapters of "After Da Dance" see Marvin go under the knife in the most respectful way possible with big emphasis on the groove and instrumental elements. "I Know You Ain't Real", meanwhile, sees the Parisian DJ apply the same technique to the Chi-Lites to equally evangelistic effect. All aboard the soul train!

Review: Little did Wanda Davis know when she cut her version of "Save Me" for a single on Project Soul Records in 1971, that her first (and unfortunately only) release would go on to become one of the most sought-after records in the history of American soul, fetching well over $1000 from collectors worldwide. Now, 40+ years later, Wanda returns to wax with the spooky "Where Did You Sleep Last Night?" (a 100+ year old murder ballad made famous by Leadbelly). Backed by the always rock-steady grooves of the Secret Stash house band (aka The Lakers), it's immediately clear Ms. Davis' vocals haven't lost any of their power in the ensuing decades - if anything, she's upped the soulful sultry quotient tenfold!

Review: Nicole Wray's Lady outfit undergoes a trio of remixes; Each one adding a whole new dynamic to the instant sing-along modern disco gem. DJ Spinna goes for a classic late 80s bump-n-shuffle remix with a squidgy 808 bassline and strutting beats. Oh No adds a lavish percussive arrangement giving it the same flavour Quantic gets when he works with Alice Russell. Finally T&S look back to Motown for inspiration as we're teased with dramatic cinematic orchestration before a big funk riff flies into the mix. Drop any of these versions and you're guaranteed good dancefloor loving.

Review: For some of the older vinyl hoarders out there, the name Red Astaire will bring up misty eyed memories of silky smooth D'Angelo and Erykah Badu bootlegs that you'd invariably hear dropped in bars from Shoreditch to the Northern Quarter. It's nice to see Fredrik Lager still operating under the Red Astaire guise some ten years after that GAMM explosion, treating our ears to his own particular brand of reggae-flavored down tempo and hip hop to Latin styled club music. As the title suggests, Nuggets For the Needy 2 is an album length follow up to the 2007 LP Nuggets For The Needy and amongst the hiphop tweaks there is a superbly stripped down take on Michael Jackson that you need to check!

Review: The stupendously collectable Northern Soul Stories debut enjoys a limited repress... Both Jackie Ross's "Trust In Me" and Marvin Gaye's "Lucky, Lucky Me" stomp with rich, captivating soul charm. Once-rare early cuts from both parties, there's a reason why this has been in such high demand since its first outing several years ago. Jump on this as soon as you can.

Review: French fusionista Izem steps up to Gamm with three international boundary-smelting funk gems that star point blank into the future while retaining strong roots to the past. "ITT" is almost techno in its relentlessness as it breaks into a hyper-charged, steppy Afrobeat. With its Latin licks and clipped chants, "Celia" is so Brazilian you can hear the cheers from Rio Maracana Stadium. Finally, "Hajja" is the most retrospective of the three thanks to its electro boogie bass, lavish pianos and sultry French vocal. Three edits made wholly his own, each of these cuts emphatically explains why Izem has enjoyed white hot hype from the Wah Wah crew, Gilles Peterson and Quantic.

Review: Rarities really don't get bigger than this! So rare it's never even sniffed an eBay bid, until now there were only two copies in known existence. Now, thanks to brand new funk imprint AOTN, there are 500 more. "Chauffeur" is quintessential deep funk as the hammonds and bass forge a tight groove for Monica to state her case with sexy emphasise. Complete with a super-bad cover of Sam & Dave's "Hold On, I'm Coming", this really is a very special 45. And it comes with a no-repress guarantee.

Review: Back in 2005, the Luaka Bop and Stones Throw labels jointly issued World Psychedelic Classics 3: Love's A Real Thing - The Funky Fuzzy Sounds Of West Africa with the former releasing the CD edition and the latter a double LP version. As the elongated title suggests, the third edition of Luaka Bop's World Psychedelic Classic series swung the focus to West African music from the seventies and really opened people up to the psychedelic sounds of Manu Dibango, William Onyeabor, Gasper Lawal and a whole other host of artists from West Africa. Luaka Bop have evidently secured the rights for a vinyl reissue of the compilation, and anyone who indulged in their popular fifth volume focused on William Onyeabor will relish the opportunity to pick this up again.

Review: only 300 copies ! Don't sleep !

Review: Taken from the album of the same name, this 1976 classic from Temptations frontman Kendricks was a huge disco anthem when released. Only, apparently, to be overshadowed by Donna Summer's "Love Trilogy". Kendricks' trademark falsetto rings with emotive insistence and with a tight guitar and bass backbone, big strings and bold horns, funk oozes out of every single beat matching his soul bar for bar. An excellent reissue.