Back catalogue: Funk

Review: Another jewel for all the deep diggers out there produced by Calvin Arnold aka Billy Byrd - soul and funk singer, guitarist, songwriter and producer from Georgia, USA. "Lost In The Crowd" is a solid funk workout, featuring an intense rhythm and a powerful vocal. On the flip, there is a more chilled-out soul jam titled "Silly Kind Of Love" for the connoisseurs out there. Reissued due to public demand here on a nice great-sounding 45" by Vienna's always reliable Record Shack.

Review: Mary Love didn’t quite reach the acclaim of her soul-funk peers like Betty Wright, but she laid down a breadcrumb trail of essential tracks across her career on classic labels like T.K. Disco. ‘More Love (And Then Some)’ was a hidden treasure recorded by George Semper with Love’s 12-year-old daughter Robbie and the mighty Fontella Bass on backing vocals which lay in wait in his archives until it was unearthed for a compilation in 1997. Since then the track has snuck out into the wider consciousness, but it’s never had the proper airing such a monster track deserves until this much-needed reissue on Record Shack.

Review: Record Shack unearth two tunes from the vaults of Austrian public broadcasting institution ORF, available for the very first time on officially released 7" record. Pressed using only the strictest high-grade equipment, the flame of soul soprano Stefanie Vhynak's 'Feelin' It' is rekindled with a rejuvenative flair: the Viennese singer cut her teeth in the USA before her return to her birthplace, where she was discovered and subsequently enjoyed a longstanding career. Though her stint with the Austrian Broadcasting Company was short-lived, it could still be argued that Stefanie's rep of contributions to the broadcaster lie among her best. The exigency of radio is paramount to good songcraft, which is why there are two versions of 'Feelin' It' here; the first of which lays down the centrality of the song's lyrics via pared-backbeat and muted funk, and the latter pulling the pull ring on the sonic grenade, allowing a full-throttle vocal and instrumental amour to explode.

Review: This new 7" offers the chance to discover unearthed killer tunes from the vaults of the Austrian Public Broadcasting Institution (ORF), which officially appear on wax here for the first now time. Stefanie & ORF Big Band are behind 'Compared To What', a hard-hitting funk cut with lo-fi aesthetics and big horns. The flip side version is a subtle tweak with just as much energy. These tracks are pressed in top audio quality as they have been sourced directly from the archive master recordings. This release is a strictly limited edition so do not sleep.

Review: This 7" is a reissue of one that first dropped back in July and soon sold out but with two extra cuts. It offered a rare chance to discover hidden gems from the Austrian Public Broadcasting Institution (ORF) vaults which were all vinyl debuts in summer. This gatefold double 7" kicks off with Stefanie & ORF Big Band's 'Compared to What,' a hard-hitting funk track featuring lo-fi vibes and powerful horns. The A-2 offers a subtly tweaked version, maintaining the same high energy. 'Feelin' It' then comes on the flipside with big brass leads, deep-cut drums and a stirring, emotive female vocal lead. A second alternative is also featured.