DJs: Most Charted - Disco - Most Charted March 2016

Review: Since launching in 2012, the Razor N Tape label has been one of the edit scene's most consistent labels. Along the way, they've released killer reworks from some impressive names, including Dimitri From Paris, Ron Basejam and Late Night Tuff Guy. Their latest high-profile recruit is Glaswegian disco digger and all round nice guy Al Kent. The three cuts here are a little tougher and more house-friendly than his often purist extensions, but still retain the loose, celebratory feel of his vintage source material. Choose between the soulful brilliance of "Come Back Home (Original Disco Version)", the low-slung, filter-and-delay boasting bounce of the thumping "Good Inside", and the no-nonsense disco-funk shuffle of "4006".

Review: Fresh off a 12" appearance on Dirt Crew alongside Harry Wolfman, Manchester-based DJ and producer Loz Goddard is back on a solo flex with the Drunken Monk EP for the Reserve sublabel from NYC edit crew Razor N Tape. Four tracks deep, this 12" has that slinky, glossy feel to it that sounds just right on Razor N Tape, with the Love Unlimited Orchestra does disco house shuffle of "Lovin'" the pick of the A-side cuts. Flip over and "Moovish" sees young Loz veer off into heavily filtered house territory, throwing in what sounds like some nifty RAMP sampling while he's at it. The appropriately-titled "Something Special" rounds out the 12" in fine style with a bit of a French Touch.

Review: In recent years, former broken beat and nu-jazz producer Volcov has become better known as a crate digger, record collector and re-editor. BBE has harnessed these skills for From The Archive, a compilation of - in the DJ/producer's own words - "music that I've discovered that I thought would be interesting to share". It's a typically deep, soulful and varied affair, beginning with the horizontal jazz-funk bliss of Are & Be before variously touching on jazzy, soft-focus U.S house (a superb Chez Damier rework of The Urban Cru), obscure boogie (TGB), crossover disco-funk (Hot Quisine), and floor-friendly broken beat (Shokazulu, Bembe Segue). Happily, the collection also contains a trio of previously unheard re-edits from the man himself.

Review: We can think of a fair few disco diggers who will be more than a little annoyed by this re-issue. Originally released on the obscure La Shawn label back in 1980, "Take Me I'm Yours" is widely considered to be one of Patrick Adams' best productions. It's certainly something of a dusty gem, with Mary Clark's soulful, country-tinged vocals simply soaring over a reggae-tinged, string-drenched disco groove. It would have been nice to have seen original flipside "You Got Your Hold On Me" included, but it's not a major issue; given the in-demand (and hard-to-find) nature of the A-side, we should be pleased it's come back round again.

Review: Frank Booker returns for his second outing on the evergreen Disco Deviance label offering up another pair of glorious disco reinventions seen through a raver's eye. "World Of Make Believe" is a fancy, down the line disco churner with plenty of strings, a hard punch, and a fabulous but of vocal riding over those kick drums; "Sequence Of Movement", instead, is all funky and down on the floor, boasting a sublimely phased out guitar serving as one mighty, groovy, delicious bassline. Yes please Frank.

Review: Saying that Editor's Kutz is going string would be an understatement, and although the label are only on their seventh outing to date, it feels like much longer that we've been graced with their inimitable style of disco editing. There's four cuts this time, a timeless bunch of disco groovers that have been re-moulded for the modern ear and its need for a steady but of 4/4. "Shining Bright" from VinylAddicted is any disco lover's dream come true, while Dan Johnson's "Love Affair" is a solid, fist-pumping bomb with one mighty bassline. On the B-side, "Stop On By" is more laid-back and cooler in its approach, but "Get Ready" is the shining star here, a deep, wet slice of dynamite funk that you could leave on repeat for hours on end.

Review: It would be fair to say that Estiban Lindsay's one and only album, 1980's L.A Walk, is something of a sought-after rarity. Considered by many disco/boogie diggers to be a must-have, original copies of the Canadian classic currently change hands for three-figure sums online. Ever the dusty-fingered digger, Nik Weston has managed to license two tracks from the album after hearing global trotting DJ Hunee championing the main track in his sets in 2015 , and provides his own extended dancefloor re-edits. Both are subtly done, with Weston teasing out Lindsay's grooves and making more of his deliciously soulful versions, all without adding needless house drums or contemporary production tricks. The EP also contains the original version of the warm, disco-boogie gem "Come To Me". As played by Craig Charles (BBC 6 Music), Hunee, Eddie C, Tom Noble, Admin, Mike Shaw, Volcov, Frank Booker, Red Greg, Ashley Beedle, Joey Negro, Dom Servini, Miles Eastwick, Faze Action and many more...

Review: Two sandy-toed Balearic gems from Phantom Island: Force Of Nature refix Japanese ska band Your Song Is Good into a sunset session, slowing the horns and adding their own glistening guitar over-lays with mesmerising effect. Flip to experience a slide guitar-laden revision of Byrne & Tepper's Apiento & Co project by Lexx Sunset Ashram that's subtly insistent with little dubby twists. Limited, hand numbered and dressed in silk screened sleeve and obi strip, it looks as beautiful as it sounds.

Review: REPRESS ALERT: Faze Action return with a brand new 12", teaming up with Zimbabwean born Zeke Manyika to create "Mangwana". Sung in Zeke's native Shona, and taking influences from Mory Kante, South African Kwaito to early house, Faze Action manage to create a record that harks back yet still has a modern and contemporary feel and is set to be the soundtrack to countless festivals and outdoor parties this summer.

The title track is followed by the stunning "Chiiko", featuring Zeke's vocals enriched by Rob's 'cello's with African rhythms floating you away to another tropical world. A Vision of Panorama turns up the dial with a stunning mix on the flip side. A new bass line adds to some quality keyboard work. Finally the brothers deliver are more stripped out dub "Paradise '89 Mix" tailored for the peak time.

Review: Like many producers, Martin Hayes has built his career on the twin pursuits of original, sample-heavy house production and floor-friendly re-edits. This 12" sees him reaching for the scalpel once more, delivering a quartet of killer cut-jobs for Brooklyn's mighty Razor 'N' Tape. He begins with the rubbery bass, punchy horns and sweaty disco percussion of "Get On Down", before offering a perfect balance between low-slung strut and epic, string-laden brilliance on the even better "Make Me Dance". Flip for the percussion-heavy disco-funk workout "Tight Spot", and the atmospheric funk breaks, glistening guitars and spacey delays of EP closer "Ol' Funky Music".

Review: Straight up disco soul from Minneapolis troupe Freakway who - according to legend - are based deep in Tokyo underground disco scene. "Hot Touch" comprises tight musicianship (especially between the bass and drums) with great precision vocals that really shine with articulation and wry humour in a way that's not dissimilar to Cameo. "Ain't Gonna Last" slows the vibe right down with a more soulful boogie touch where full emphasis should be paid to the bass that's fluid and funky enough to make Larry Graham blush. Tight.

Review: After five years of breathing new life into forgotten Eastern European music, The Very Polish Cut-Outs is taking its' final bow. Pleasingly, this fifth and final installment of the label's vinyl sampler series is packed to the rafters with high-grade material. MIod kicks things off with "Kiedy Bylem Malym Chlopcem", a rolling, dancefloor-friendly rework of a killer blues-rock/AOR disco killer from Polish bluesman Tadeusz. Fast-rising Moscovite Beard In Dust steals the show with a killer interpretation of Polish B-boy fave "Biala Sowa, Biala Dama, Bialy Kruk", before Daniel Drumz heads into warmer waters with the sun-kissed loveliness of "Na Kolana Pastuszkowie". Another superb EP is completed by two tactile touch-ups of obscure, evocative gems that sound like long lost Balearic classics.

Review: City Of Dreams' boogie, soul and funk reissues rarely disappoint. Predictably, this is another killer. Gina's "Hooked On Love" remains something of a delicious oddity: a cover of the Leroy Burgess-boasting Aleem classic of the same name, sung by mysterious vocalist Gina, and produced by the Aleem brothers themselves. While their original version was a surging, piano-heavy stomper blessed with Burgess's trademark vocals, the Gina cover re-casts it as a breezy, synthesizer-heavy boogie/ pop hybrid in the manner of very early Madonna recordings. It's a fine record, and comes accompanied with not only the superb original instrumental, but also a previously unheard "Basement Tape" version rescued from the archives.

Review: As with previous Wall of Fame releases, Night Shift is an all-star affair, with a quartet of producers each delivering a track that blurs the boundaries between re-edits, remixes and original production. Trujillo kicks things off with the gentle nu-disco breeze of "Midnight Plane", where soft-focus disco beats and eyes-closed pianos are joined by an undulating electronic bassline and reheated chords. The Silver Rider dives into filter-heavy disco-house territory on the bumpin' "Crown Royal", while Ooft recruits Highlife/Huntleys & Palmers man Esa Williams for the deep disco meets deep house warmth of EP highlight "Don't Go Near Water". Finally, P-Sol necks a fist-load of happy pills and reclines with a pile of lazy, sun-kissed jazz-funk records on the sleepy "Set Me Free".

Review: 14 Karat Soul's Erwin Lanier Junior laid down this 45" in 1980 and it's been sought after ever since, often passing hands for hundreds among collectors. "Blinded (By The Qualities Of You)" struts with an insistent kicks, lavish strings and fluttering horns while Lanier slips between a deeper tenor and Gorrie-style falsettos. "24 Hours" shows off Lanier's sense of upbeat urgency with epic layers of backing vocals and a dynamic that tips a strong nod to Whitfield and Strong's songwriting style. You can tell why this has been in such high demand.

Review: Spacers are perhaps one of the oddest soul groups to come out of Chicago, and their short-lived years were packed with quality releases that are much coveted by the diggers and samplers these days. Crates Of Soul have pressed 200 copies of "Do What You Can Do", a quirky, lo-fi soul tune that takes the sounds of the 70's to their outer limits, and as the band's name suggests, there is a clear sound of the extraterrestrial within the mix. "Don't Stop" is funkier and less odd, but equally excellent and an absolute bomb on the floor. Act fast, people, this is the dope stuff!

Review: Given his love of all things classic disco and classic house, it is somewhat surprising to find this Don't Need To Know 12" is Jacques Renault's debut release on Endless Flight. Sure the Lets Play House man has previously contributed remixes to the Mule sublabel, but Renault and Endless Flight seem like such a match made in heaven, it's odd they've not aligned before. Regardless, this 12" falls snugly into the Endless Flight canon of dependable house DJ tools blessed with a touch of disco classicism with the title track a hook up with Morgan Wiley that comes in "Beach" and "NY Strip" mixes. Down below, Renault goes solo and lays on the searing disco funk hard with "Nutte 'n Honey".

Review: Tokyo's Edit & Dub Recordings seem to put a lot of thought into their releases. Their first two 12" singles boasted unreleased scalpel works from Tee Scott and Larry Levan respectively. Their latest missive is titled NYC 1980 Special Disco Version, and contains a pair of subtle period reworks of popular club smashers of the time. The A-side boasts a superb revision of MFSB's Philadelphia International classic "Mysteries Of The World", which wisely concentrates on the loose-but-tight groove and the original's deep, life-affirming synth lines. On the flip, Francine McGee's wild "Delirium" gets the scalpel treatment, with the un-credited editor making merry with the original's intense electronic piano solos, clipped guitars and stretched-out synthesizer lines.

Review: REPRESS ALERT: Most famous for his Remix of Stevie Wonder "Signed Sealed Delivered", Smash Hunter aka 'DJ Smash' was released on the Mowtown Remixed project, alongside such heavyweight bedfellows as DJ Spinna, Jazzy Jeff and King Britt. Smash was also prolific compiler, producer and label boss for the acclaimed Fat Jazzy Grooves series on New Breed Jazz.

Review: The red engine's revving once again, and it's big enough to seat three men. Chief label racer Eddie C lays down a cosmic strut of eastern proportions with kaleidoscope whirls of kicks, pads and sitars. Joining him are familiar riders (Koosh) and new (Fraiser). The former lays down a bad trip DJ tool, all highs and cries and strange dubby textures. The latter provides the centrepiece: a chugging stately groove that opens up into pure sunshine soul when you least expect it.

Review: Two dubwise covers, re-issued since Ximeno's first press in 2012. Originally released in 1983, Derrick Harriott's cover of The Dazz Band's "Let It Whip" fuses the best of dub (he was one of the first artists to make sweet music with King Tubby at the mixing controls) and boogie, creating a unique hybrid that works almost too well. Meanwhile on the flip, Susan Cadogan covers the Mtume classic "Juicy Fruit" (also released in 1983), switching the original's R&B flavour for something more sunkissed and sultry. Both will work wonders when the summer comes.