DJs: Most Charted - Disco - Most Charted October 2016

Review: Repress of the sought after Mukatsuku Records 12 containing two remastered tracks of Atlanta musician Ojeda Penn presented here according to Ojeda officially for the very first time.The A side kicks off with the extended holy grail instrumental version of 'Brotherson' taken from the Happiness album. There were two versions of the album Happiness in 1980 on the IFE independent label. They looked almost identical but the first version contained the now rarer elongated 9 & half minute jazz fused instrumental version of 'Brotherson' and then a few months later Penn recut the same album but with a much shorter version of the main track but this time adding strings and vocals assisted by Tommy Stewart from 'Bump N Hustle Music' fame. The former version is now being sold up to 500 dollors so this 180 gram single is a welcome release to the reissue market. Juno copies come in an exclusive branded card sleeve + sticker

Review: Afro disco fresh from 79: Eko Roosevelt Louis's third album Funky Disco Music will go down as one of Cameroon's finest disco LPs. Produced and pressed by French label Dragon Phenix, it's still reasonably easy to track down, too. For a taster, grab three of its tropical charms on this Fly By Night repress: "Funky Disco Music" is an infectious vocal-led cut that's written solely to make people get down, "Ndolo Embe Mulema" struts with much more Afro rock fusion while the harmonies of "Bowa'a Mba Ngebe" are sweeter than the finest honey you've ever tasted. For contemporary kicks Riccio has expertly touched the title track for a modern dancefloor/DJ friendly punch. Perfect.

Review: "Lescudjack" is one of the finest moments in Michael Chapman's epic discography. Originally featured on 1978's "Life On The Ceiling" album, the instrumental track melded the British guitarist's distinctive finger picking style with throbbing synthesizer lines and heavy space rock influences. Famously a favourite of Daniele Baldelli, and a long-standing secret weapon of Kosmiche-minded DJs, Chapman's peerless original version is joined here by a brilliant Lexx edit that subtly extends it into a more dancefloor-friendly version, with a longer opening build-up, a tasty drum break in the original, and a deliciously dubbed-out conclusion.

Review: Favourite France drop some absolute truth with this killer reissue of Beckie Bell's 1980 classic "Music Madness", from the album 'In Need Of...'. This is he funkiest disco you can possibly ask for, a chirpy, upbeat tune that calls for the good times. It's the sort of track that can be slapped on in just about any set, anywhere, and Bell's vocals are as infectious as the tight groove that pushes the track forwards. There are a couple of remixes, though, which bring out the best of the original and make it even more playable than before. The first one is a more beat-heavy reinterpretation from Voilaaa, while Tom Noble injects the perfect level of houseness into the equation thanks to a slamming 4/4 and some extra percussion. Perfect, and very much recommended if you've somehow slept on the original.

Review: Lexx and company's Phantom Island imprint has yet to release a duff 12" since springing up back in 2014. Their latest limited edition EP marks the debut of Fuga Ronto, a project birthed by two of the label's four co-founders, Ron Shiller (he of Drumpoet Community fame) and DJ Foster (AKA Tobias Schweizer). Predictably, the five tracks on offer are woozy, Balearic affairs that draw influence from the more humid, horizontal and new age-influenced end of 1980s European synth-pop. Some may draw comparisons with Franco-Belgian outfit Antena (they of "Camino Del Sol" fame), while others will point to Dunkelziffer as a clear inspiration. Whatever the various influences, the Invisible Escape EP is stunningly beautiful and exquisitely produced.

Review: Southern soul star Jeff Floyd was just 18 when he provided vocals for this Michael Floyd-produced single in 1978. "Life Is A Miracle" was Jax Transit Authority's only single, and has since gone on to be an in-demand item amongst Northern Soul DJs, in particular. Given that original copies fetch upwards of L5,000, this Athens Of The North reissue is certainly welcome. Brilliantly, this pressing not only features the sought-after original 7" A-side (here tucked away on the flip), but also the previously unreleased full-length version. Predictably, it's a thing of great beauty, with Jeff Floyd's brilliant vocals soaring above a wave of undulating disco-funk bass, spiraling synth solos and clipped guitar riffs.

Review: The Spacetalk label returns with this fine compilation by French house shotter, Jeremy Underground. We know him, and you surely know him, though his My Love Is Underground label, an imprint that has produced some of the best deep house in the last five years. He's not in house mode today, though, and instead the DJ shows us his soul roots. Ron Rinaldi's opener "Mexican Summer" is a real peach of a song, then there's some Brazilian disco-funk through Leila Pinheiro's "Tudo Em Cima", and the supremely deep and sensual "Superstar" by NCCU. Other favourites include Maureen Bailey's bittersweet anthem "Takin' My Time With You", and June Evans' "Hardly Need To Say", a tune that we could just leave on repeat. A highly recommended comp!

Review: It's been a while since Dedication's last 12" release, the celebratory, DFA-released "I Ain't Gonna Tell You". Here, the British-Japanese collaborative combo returns to action, pitching up on Paul 'Mudd' Murphy's admirable Claremont 56 imprint. While both of the tracks here have previously been released on obscure compilations, this is the first time they've made it to wax. Choose between the deep, bumping and evocative "Let Me Rock You" - seemingly a tribute to Frankie Knuckles' loved-up, piano heavy remixes of the mid-to-late '80s with a little Loose Ends mixed in for good measure - and the more funk-fuelled "Pito Deep". This hip-wiggler sits somewhere between Herbie Hancock style jazz-funk, Nu-Balearic explorations, and the revivalist analogue boogie of Moon B.

Review: The work of obscure, conscious funk outfit Africano has previously proved popular with reissue labels, in part due to the rare nature of their original 1970s releases. This limited 7" single features two of their finest tracks: the fairly well known "Open Your Heart", and 1973's "Satisfactorize Your Mind". While the latter is a string-drenched treat that feels like a dustier, slightly more psychedelic take on the Philadelphia International sound, it's "Open Your Heart" that most impresses. Featuring urgent, passionate vocals, winding horn lines and a stomping funk-soul beat, it remains the outfit's finest moment bar none.

Review: Danny Krivit has been chopping, looping and rearranging music since the days of scalpels and reel-to-reel tape, so it's little surprise that his re-edits are constantly on-point. His latest release - a first on 7" for some time - serves up two more expert reworks. On the A-side, he serves up a tightened-up, cut-down and to-the-point version of Wood, Brass & Steel's much-loved disco-funk shuffler, "Funkanova", finally introducing the original version's spiraling synths midway through. The origin of flipside "Sex" is better disguised, though its' combination of thrusting, low-slung funk breaks, heavy bass, wiggling sax lines and occasional, James Brown-like grunts packs a serious punch.

Review: Pete Herbert and Phil Mison's Reverso 68 project is hard to beat when it comes to classically-informed disco, Balearic and house music, having shored up on Eskimo, and Is It Balearic? in the past. It's been some time since they dropped fresh productions of their own, so this new four-tracker comes as a welcome injection of seasoned, high-end grooves for the slow but heavy part of the night. "Piece Together" is a natural opening gambit, letting acid basslines rub up against delayed strafes of synth and subtle guitar chops in the most grooving of ways. It's set the perfect tone for the rest of the EP to follow, guaranteeing this 12" a place in scores of bags.

Review: We probably say this more than we should, but this time our statement really isn't prone to hyberbole: we love the Cultures Of Soul label, and whatever genre they're reissuing, we can always count on them to deliver the quality like no other imprint. From Evans Pyramid to the recent black gospel compilation they've released, we have nothing but good stuff to say about them, and this is equally true of this new South African disco collection from the years 1980-1984. The title alone should do the trick but trust us, there is nothing but fire in here, and if you're the sort of collector scouting for rare African rhythms then this is the gear for you. The Cannibals start off with some lovely docile disco jams, Harari's "Party" is a sublime lo-fi funk cut, the Don Laka material is pure disco glory, and the remaining tunes by the likes of Neville Nash or Al Etto are able to destroy ANY dance floor from here to Durban. Top marks from us...

Review: One of the joys of the Secret Squirrels series - aside from the consistent quality of their late night disco and boogie reworks, of course - is the label's steadfast refusal to offer clues as to which DJs and producers are responsible. As usual, they give nothing away on this 12th installment, preferring to let the edits speak for themselves. This time round, the A-side contains a slightly dub-centric rework of a disco-boogie fusion cut full of sweet, life-affirming vocals, elastic synth bass and Inner Life style piano motifs. It feels impressively breezy, all told, which is in stark contrast to the heavy, trippy and locked-in B-side, which reinvents an early '80s disco cut as a late night shuffler with clear NYC proto-house influences.

Review: Get your hands on this vinyl only warehouse find quickly! Following up some sure fire disco fodder by the likes of DJ Shante and 2 Bitches From Queens, it is now the turn of Amiga 3000 with Queen Systemee. On the A side they throw down a reliable eighties disco edit on "Electric Avenue" sourced from a vaguely familiar loop. On the flip "One More Time" takes another infectious disco loop that sounds like The Trammps or a similar vintage and gets you stoned into its groove repetition.

Review: Two of the finest words in the dictionary - unofficial and edit. Throw in the two nouns - Joe and Claussell - and you've got a stupendously hot prospect on your hands. Lavish grooves, rich instrumentation, precision curation and grooves so uplifting you need lead shoes to keep you attached to the earth. As with 2014's inaugural collection, once again we're treated to the full spiritual spectrum from his epic take on Barbara Mason & Bunny Sigler's already beautiful "Locked In This Position" to a cathedral level take on The Fifth Dimension's "Aquarius", this really is a special (not to mention highly limited) 12".

Review: Having previously worked with Zero 7 and Nightmares on Wax before embarking on a solo career a few years back, Mozez (AKA soul singer/songwriter Osmond Wright) is no newcomer. The Ray Mang-produced "Run River" first appeared on last year's Wings full-length, and here makes it to wax for the first time. Sitting somewhere between early Freeez and Odyssey, Mang's extended vocal version is something of a soulful, soft-spun disco-funk treat. As we've come to expect from Mang, it's musically rich and impeccably played, with the live instrumentation providing a deliciously organic feel. This can be heard more clearly on the excellent flipside Instrumental.

Review: Brainstorm was the first act signed to Clarence Avart's Tabu Records, way back in 1976. By the time they released "Hot For You" in 1979, they'd already become one of the most talked-about disco-funk outfits in the United States. Here, that legendary track gets the Danny Krivit re-edit treatment, with the legendary New York DJ/producer wisely stretching out the rubbery, low-slung groove, hazy horn lines and urgent, sexually-charged vocal. On the flip, Krivit turns his attention to "Journey To The Light", the lead cut from the band's 1978 album of the same name. A far sweeter, woozier and more emotional cut than the A-side club-rocker, it's nevertheless a fine chunk of horn-heavy, synth-laden disco-funk goodness.

Review: Bristol-based party-starters Studio 89 have got good connections, so it figures that the mystery producer behind their first edits label release will be someone pretty well known. Certainly, the quality of the three tracks showcased here suggests as much. "Track A" is a wild and sleazy number that sits somewhere between eccentric Italo-disco, psychedelic disco, and weirdo rock. It's bizarre, but really rather good. Things simmer down a little on the flip, where the familiar, pitched-down disco sweetness of "Track B" is followed by the heady Euro-sleaze of "Track C" - all bubbly slap bass, trippy arpeggio lines and breathy, new wave-era spoken word vocals.

Review: The LPH White label is up and running with this disco-not-disco collaborative EP, and we have to say that we're digging each one of these five floor-melters. Badman Jacques Renault sets the gears in motion with the house-powered "Where Do We Go", all pianos and rolling beats, followed by Mr Guy and the slow, sample-heavy chugger called "Luv Magic" - check that bass! On the flip, Jesse Rudoy leans to a ore string-led disco swagger with "What U Do", "Just Give Me Joy" by Elvin Tibideux is a heavy disco slinger with a groove that you could just leave on repeat for eternity, and Private Panther's "Desire" is the perfect blend between old and new thanks to its dusty house beats and winding guitar loops. Recommended and not to be underestimated!

Review: Not to be confused with Trevor Jackson's covert edit alias of the same name from the mid '90s, Chicago scalpel wielder Leonard Part Sixx brings his Underdog project to New York's finest Razor N Tape for a hefty double pack. "Drum Jawn" sets the bar high, a percussion heavy version of early '80s German curio "Din Dada" by George Kranz that seems geared to set new records for the amount of drum samples used within the space of a track. From here, proceedings veer off down a classicist vocal disco wormhole - blessed with some modern squelches and groove twists from the Underdog - on "Love Is Da Need" before the second platter opens with the brushed honey soul strut of "So Damn Good." Sir Leonard rounds out the double pack with a slab of '80s disco funk in the shape of the heavy flexing "Just Fakin' It."

Review: With his star most definitely in ascendance, Mehmet Aslan brings his Turkish tones to his own Fleeting Wax label with some assistance from Dario Rohrbach on the anthemic, big room burner "Gazel". It's the kind of dramatic twist on house music that will inspire a fevered reaction from the floor, respectfully channeling exotic tropes while retaining a necessary functionality. Meanwhile Rohrbach's collaborative project Alma Negra resides on the B-side with the more delicate, North African simmer of "In The Beginning", tapping into the tradition of transcendental music in an engrossing fashion. Both sides represent the thrill to be found in crossing over ethnic music with Western club tropes.