Juno Recommends Soul: May 2022

Review: Sam Redmore's 'Tears' 7" is in keeping with his usual eclectic style. He effortlessly brings many different vibes to this pair of covers which are reworked in a cumbia style. First up is Giorgio Moroder's 'Tears' which in his hands comes something likely to win over a whole new generation of fans. An equally standout original is on the b-side, namely a Latin flavoured version of SOS Band's electro boogie classic 'Just Be Good To Me'. It will sashay and swing its way into your affections with its big horns and makes this a vital pick up.

Review: Athens of the North has long been one of the best labels current in action for our moment. This week's slew of new music indues this gorgeous soul 7" from Penny Goodwin. The a-side cut 'Slow Hot Wind' here was recently sampled by Tyler the Creator on his 'Hot Wind Blows' single which has drawn great attention to the brillaint downtempo cover which was originally on Penny's classic long player. At one time the track had vocals by Sergio Mendes before Penny covered it and here it is backed with the full length version of ' Too Soon You're Old' which makes its way to 45 rpm for the first time.

Review: Brazilian electronics are back in vogue, and Tony Bizzaro might have just snaffled up said new wave's crown. All the way from 1976 comes 'Que Se Faz Da Vida', a strutting, suave, emotionally cool EP of only the most DJ-able and collected soul-funk. This reissue is, bizarrely, Bizarro's first ever.

Review: San Diego band The Sure Fire Soul Ensemble are a brand new collective with a sound so authentic that you might easily mistake this as a reissue album. But no, it's all new, and is as ever with this crew packed out with raunchy horns and boxy percussion, blaxploitation-inspiration and modern funk goodness. The fantastic fourth album includes a couple of recent and well received singles such as 'Step Down' and mixes sweet classic soul with fiery lyrics driven by message of inequality and social upheaval. Fans of widescreen soul outfits like El Michels Affair and Menahan Street Band will love.

Review: The Lewis Connection was a Soul / Funk band from Minneapolis who may have looked like your average local band save for one exception - the guest member addition of Prince. These tracks are lifted from the self-titled album and "Got To Be Something Here" with Prince on background vocals and guitar marks the first time he appeared on a release by another artist on a track he did not write. In addition, it's also considered an early record of what would become the signature Minneapolis funk sound. This fine historically rich tune will be available in 45 rpm format for the first time.

Review: Following a period spent working with French library music maestro Janko Nilovic, Soul Surfers' main men Igo Zhukovsky and Romeo Miussky were inspired enough to jettison the rest of their revivalist funk and soul band and make a more freewheeling, spiritually- minded set of their own. Igor & Romeo's Sound Excitement is naturally rooted in sounds they've previously explored - think library music, soundtracks, deep funk and psychedelic soul - but also touches on jazz, jazz-funk, dub and exotica. It's a heady, hugely entertaining blend all told, with the pair's fine bass and drum parts - allied with their use of vintage, Soviet-era recording equipment - guaranteeing an authentic retro-futurist sound and highlights aplenty.

Review: Strap in for a super rough and ready ride through raw as coleslaw funk here from the Tramp label. This classic slice of original Los Angeles funk, 'Booty Whip' has feature on a label comp before but never on its own slice of vinyl. It is here presented as an unreleased acetate version and features some wild hammering on the piano, big, boisterous drums, expressive horns and guttural vocals. On the flip is a tune that is just as good in 'Money Tree.' The vocals are again sleazy and unrefined in all the right ways, with twanging guitars, psyched-out guitars and a big wall of sound.

Review: New cover versions of the Curtis Mayfield classic in funky soul and reggaefied versions

Review: It will shock no one that this week along, Edinburgh based label Athens of the North has a wealth of great new music out. This 7" is another one from William Stuckey. The last one came last year but sadly, only after the man himself had passed away. But they follow it up with another gem that comes with the blessing of the man's family. 'Everything That's Good In Life' has never been released before but is as good as his material gets and is sure to become another classic. ON the reverse is an alternate 7" mix of 'Hold Me Close' that cuts deep.

Review: A core group coming out of the Philadelphia soul sound of the 70s, this 7 inch release takes two tracks from The O'Jays 1971 LP "Super Bad", the last made before altering their four member line-up. P-VINE are releasing Crossroads of Life and Gotta Get My Broom Out for the first time together on this one-time press 7 Inch format.

Review: The year is 1971 and The Ultimates are a vocal trio who record only two tunes. Lead by Monica Thornton, they reform in 1976 to record another two, and they they vanish. It's hard to know why given the goodness of their only four recordings. They have all become sought after classics that light up Northern Soul parties whiners they get dropped. Here the Brewery Town Beats label reissue the group's first EP having remastered both tunes. 'Gotta Get Out' is the high speed, high impact opening track with smooth backing vocals and the up tempo lead next to tight drum work. 'Why I Love You' slows down to a more sentimental blue eyed soul sound.