Juno Recommends Funk / Rare Groove / Reissues : Best of 2022

Review: The Beats and Breaks series of "Extended Break Edits" has so far succeeded in its stated aim to provide DJs with simple but devastatingly effective rearrangements built around lengthening key percussive packages. The mystery editors behind the series are at it again here, first looping up the distinctive, cowbell and triangle-driven drum passages dotted throughout Bob James' classic "Take Me To The Mardi Gras". On the flip, they take their scalpel to David Matthews' 1977 jazz-funk gem "Sandworms", casually making merry with the proto hip-hop beat, rubbery bass guitar, flanged guitar riffs and snaking saxophone solos.

Review: Jim Sharp & Nick Bike are two of Canada's finest beat makers and here they turn their attention to the legendary Marvin Gaye. His 'Inner City' from the timeless What's Going On album gets a modern update from Jim Sharp that retains the soulful vocal of the original but with new drums. They're crisp and tight but funky, and the bendy chords and melodic motifs flesh it out. On the reverse is a Power Mix by Nick Bike that ups the weight and stomp of the drums and layers in the wordless ad libs from the original to bring the soul.

Review: We're firmly convinced that the A-side of this sneaky seven-inch from Mushi 45 main man Mister Mushi borders on genius. Entitled "Hard Lifetime", it sees the Japanese DJ/producer pepper a killer hip-hop-meets funk groove - all tight horn blasts, addictive drum breaks and jazzy soul guitar riffs - with elements of Mr Byrne's celebrated vocal from Talking Heads classic "Once in a Lifetime". The whole thing is wonderfully infectious, toe-tapping and hip-wiggling, breathing new life into one of music's most familiar tunes (and, for the record, the production is so good that Byrne's vocal sounds like it was tailor-made for the backing track). You'll find the Mushi one's fine instrumental take, shorn of all T Heads references, tucked away on the flipside.

Review: Krafty Kuts join FF45's repertoire with 2 deft new tunes, both of which work their proper remixy mashup magic. On Side A, they merge Nas' 'Made You Look' together with Placebo's 'Humpty Dump' for a busy and bustling chill hip hop bit, 'Humpty Nas', all cloudy and energetic... Side B meanwhile reinterprets Kenny Dope's 'Get On Down' with original production flair.

Review: Released 40 years ago in 1977 ''Rhythm Of Life '' by James Mason was possibly one of the greatest vocal Jazz fusion releases of all time . New vinyl imprint Dynamite releases a quality limited edition double pack release showcasing the highlights from that album plus some additional rare versions of the tracks. The version of 'Sweet Power Your Embrace'' is taken from the incredibly rare 7 inch promo only issue. On the flipside is a different version of the club floor dancer ''Free'' which features a heavy bongo workout . The 45 second slab on this package features two tracks featuring the vocals from Clarice Taylor on ' I've Got My Eyes On You'' and the superb 'Slick City' which were both never commercially released as a 45 before.

Review: Sound Signature is proud to present a re-issue of the 7-inch single from Sundown titled "Spaced Outta Place". Composed by Amp Fiddler, Spaced Outta Place was originally released in 1981 on Parkside Records.

Review: Japanese outfit Inokashira Rangers are the world's finest group of Hammond-heavy reggae cover version maestros. They turn their hands to a range of stone cold Western classics and always bring a little sense of fun to their versions. Here it is Nirvana's Smells 'Like Teen Spirit' which they tackle and it is a much loved cut that always sells out, so now gets a reissue. On the flip side is the equally brillaint but more comic 'Summer Madness' with its pillowy drums and liquid synths. A left of centre brace of tunes but essential none the less.

Review: 'Good Life' remains an enduring soul classic that unites people of all ages on the dance floor. Well, now you can also enjoy it as reinterpreted by the Brassroots band, made up of leader and trombone man Jerome Harper with various other brass men alongside him. They keep the original's lead hook, which becomes a big, bold, tooting celebration up top while the fat bottom bass drives it along below. On the flip is the big, churning rhythm and more heft bass and bass work of 'Try Again.'

Review: Berlin-based artist Voodoocuts has been offering up seriously groovesome edits and flips for the hip-hop minded on labels like Juice On Wax and RESENSE, and now he's dropping a second round of executive party jams on Friday's Funky 45. This 7" kicks off on the A side with 'Got Jazz', which threads some sweet sitar licks and boom bap drums underneath Stetasonic's 'Talkin' All That Jazz'. On the flip we get a freshened up version of Eric B & Rakim's 'I Know You Got Soul' which should appeal to those who like their beats big and brassy, nodding to the likes of The Wiseguys and that mid-90s era of cut-ups. Got a party that needs funking up? You know where to come.

Review: Mountain Records are a new funk label, pushing 45's cut with new funk tinged with a modern production sheen. For this one, label mainstay Double A, as usual, helms up the A-side with 'Are You Ready To Play The Game?' We find ourselves answering that we certainly are, as the tune immediately establishes unclear intent: its sample urges us to "play the game by the rules", but judging from all its sharp instrumental and breakbeat choppage, it certainly doesn't abide by its own rulebook! DJ Fleg, meanwhile, brings two classy tooly cuts to the B side, one of which features fellow producer Lean Rock.

Review: Melbourne, Australia based sextet The Traffic, headed up by Ivan 'Choi' Khatchoyan, serve up a special MJ feature funk 45. Presented in a special pressing in red vinyl with black splatter, we get awesome renditions of Michael Jackson tracks 'Beat It' and 'Thriller' from his iconic Thriller album from 1982. The big band energy of the players make these cover versions worthy your attention, with a killer horns section imitating the king of pop's falsetto to great effect.

Review: In 2002, New York producer Ursula 1000 released his groundbreaking, genre-busting album Kinda' Kinky, meshing groovy retro sampladelic licks with modern breaks and beats. For its 20th anniversary this year, Ursula revisits the 60's swinging London mod shaking title track with his own 2022 redux. UK breakbeat master A.Skillz remixes the flipside into a relentless, giggling funky disco monster! The cover design is by world renowned space-age bachelor pad artist Shag.

Review: The Big Payback series hits third volume and again bangs together classic soul and funk artists with hip hop giants. This JB & The Soul Mates take on Busta Rhymes. They layer up jazz-funk drums and synths into lively arrangements that are topped with sick verses from the master and plenty of James Brown ad libs also colour the groove. It's a high energy party starter, but if you need something a little less busy, the instrumental on the flip has you covered with its big horns and sax lines getting hands in the air.

Review: When it comes to crafting party-starting joints featuring classic hip-hop and R&B vocals, few producers can match the output of Gallic rework fiend Jerome Potin AKA Moar. He's in prime form on this ultra-limited "45" too. A-side 'H' crafts a rolling, 4/4 hip-hop tempo beats out of some classic disco licks and then adds Ol' Dirty Bastard and Kelis' vocals from one of the biggest hip-hop hits of 1999. It's a simple idea, brilliantly executed. Flipside 'HH' is equally as funky and accessible, with cut-up edit effects, rubbery slap-bass sounds, jangling acoustic guitar chords, warming synths and the lead vocal from a much-loved R&B jam. Tons of fun!

Review: REPRESS ALERT!: Here's something special from the rapidly swelling Adeen label. Always bringing something a little different to the house and disco edit game, this time they've reached out to the legendary Chez Damier to team up with label boss Camille and Italian producer Nico Lahs in assembling a compilation of on point edits that will have any keen digger in a frenzy. Across two slabs of wax we get respectfully touched up versions spanning a range of styles. There's powerful singalong soul stirrers like Janice McClain's 'Giving My Love', nasty low down groovers like Love Cild's Afro Cuban Blues Band's 'SpanDisco', and lots more besides. If you need some deep cover heaters with girth in all the right places, look no further.

Review: After the success of last year's inaugural Disco Reggae compilation from Stix, it's no surprise the long running reggae focused offshoot of Favorite Recordings have returned with a second collection. All the usual Stix suspects are present and correct here with Matcher, 7 Samurai, Mato, and John Milk all contributing to the nine tracks that will nice up any dancehall that's got a sense of humour. Stand out cuts include the 7 Samurai Electro Dub take on Levan classic "Stand On The Word" and the Grandmagneto cover of "Tainted Love". The Mato mix of "Happy" is as chalk or cheese as the original from that fella in the big hat.

Review: Favorite Recordings founder Charles Maurice - initially better-known by his production alias Pascal Rioux - has long been regarded as a dusty-fingered crate digger, so his new compilation series, Fusion Global Sounds, is hotly anticipated. He says it will be an outlet for jazz-funk and fusion tracks of the 1970s and early '80s, mostly made by artists in different parts of the world whose fame never spread further than their own local scenes. You'll find numerous highlights on the series' debut, from the breezy, morning-fresh loveliness of Renato Anselmi's 'Hello Mr Acuvis' and the sun-soaked, afternoon shuffle of The 1960 Band's 'Keep That Same Old Feeling', to the dream pop-influenced sparkle of Otoshakers' 'Simpere Tu' and the righteous dancefloor hedonism of Sundance's 'Buster'.