Review: New Zealand-born Lance Ferguson has been the beating heart of Melbourne's modern funk and soul scene for the best part of two decades. It's this that allowed him to gather many of the city's best musicians together to record "Rare Groove Spectrum", an album of fresh covers of rare and classic funk, soul and Latin jams. There are some killer versions to be found amongst the 11 tracks on offer. We're particularly enjoying the collective's riotous instrumental revision of Pleasure classic "Joyous", the strutting deep funk heaviness of "Egg Roll" (a similarly restless cover of a mysterious but much-played cut that should be familiar to dusty-fingered diggers and knowledgeable dancers) and the sumptuous summer breeze that is the combo's meandering take on Earth, Wind and Fire staple "Brazilian Rhyme". It is, though, all superb.
Review: Following a pair of well-received albums on Juicebox Recordings (not to be confused with A Guy Called Gerald's 1990s label of the same name), self-styled "nu-funk" duo Franc Moody have transferred to Night Time Stories for the release of new album Chewing The Fat. Like its predecessors, it blends a left-of-centre, Hot Chip style sensibility with colourful and nostalgic synth sounds, disco strings, good grooves and nods aplenty to both 21st century electronica and the Halcyon days of synth-funk in the 1980s. The results are frequently superb, with highlights including the throbbing-but-sparse 'Square Pegs In Round Holes', jaunty opener 'Driving On The Wrong Side of the Road' and the blissful, tactile and string-laden nu-disco bounce of 'Bloodlines'.
You Can't Miss What You Can't Measure (Alton Miller mix)
Get Your Ass Off & Jam (Marcellus Pittman remix)
Cosmic Slop (Moodymann mix)
Music For My Mother (Andres Wo Ahh Ay vocal mix)
Undisco Kidd (Gay Marvine edit)
Super Stupid (Dirtbombs version)
Take Your Dead Ass Home (The Fantasy version)
Music 4 My Mother (Underground Resistance mix)
Let's Take It To The Stage (Amp Fiddler Laugin @ Ya mix)
Standing On The Verge (Anthony Shake Shakir & T dancer remix)
You & Your Folks (Claude Young Jr club mix)
Be My Beach (Mophno & Tom Thump mix)
You & Your Folks (Claude Young Jr dub)
Let's Make It Last (Kenny Dixon Jr edit - mono)
Looking Back At You (Ectomorph Stripped & dubbed)
Maggot Brain (BMG dub)
Review: Given the brilliantly simple concept behind this fine compilation - contemporary Detroit producers remix Funkadelic - we're rather surprised nobody's done it before. With 17 varied re-rubs stretched across two hugely entertaining CDs, there's plenty to enjoy. Highlights come thick and fast, from the deep house/P-funk fusion of Alton Miller's take on "Get Your Ass Off and Jam" and Andres' loose, hip-hop influenced revision of "Music For My Mother", to the thrusting loops and heady late night hypnotism of Anthony Shake Shakir and T-Dancer's version of "Standing on the Verge". While many of the versions stay relatively faithful to the original, the more "out-there" interpretations - see BMG's outer-space ambient dub of "Maggot Brain" and Moodymann's epic revision of "Cosmic Slop" - are also consistently impressive.
El Hijo Del Buno - "La Danza Del Espiritu" (feat Los Gaiteros De Pueblob Santo) (3:32)
De Mar Y Rio - "Bailen Y Gocen" (3:52)
Umu Obiligbo - "Udemba" (3:35)
Amadou Balake - "Massa Kamba" (4:33)
Joi N'juno - "Samemala" (5:18)
Avila Santo - "Wole" (3:44)
Oliver N'goma - "Icole" (5:15)
Patrick Saint-eloi - "Ay Pwan Van" (5:53)
Timothee Et Pot & Co - "Rentre Dans Ton Hlm" (2:59)
Adelasio Muangole - "Nao Fatiga Muangole" (5:24)
Locobeach - "Idea Desesperada" (4:05)
Review: Guts is a renowned French producer, DJ and vinyl connoisseur known for curating impeccable selections of global sounds. He has done so three times before for this series on Heavenly Sweetness and now returns with a fourth volume that arrives just in time for party season. This essential compilation traverses vibrant Latin rhythms, dynamic Afrobeat, soulful grooves and infectious tropical rhythms to make for a far-travelling listen. Again it shows off Guts' unmatched ability to uncover hidden gems and present them with fresh energy in an eclectic yet cohesive celebration of music's global spirit.
Johnny Dynell & New York 88 - "Jam Hot (Rhumba Rock)"
Talking Heads - "I Zimbra"
Art Zoyd - "Sortie 134" (part 2)
Class Action - "Weekend" (Larry Levan mix)
Adiche - "Chuka-Ja (Get Ready)"
The Girls - "The Elephant Man"
The Golden Flamingo Orchestra - "The Guardian Angel Is Watching Over Us"
Gray - "Cut It Up High Priest"
Extra T's - "ET Boogie"
Convertion - "Let's Do It"
Yoko Ono - "Walking On Thin Ice"
Fab 5 Freddy - "Change The Beat"
Review: Curated as part of the iconic street artist's Tate exhibition this year, The World Of Keith Haring unites many of the talented souls Keith knew, or was inspired by, during his prolific rise as one of the most vital cultural spokesmen through the 70s and 80s. Soundtracking the gritty downtown NYC streets he made his first mark on, this limited collection captures the whole melting pot from b-boy culture with cuts such as "E.T Boogie" and "Bump N Grind", raw boogie and soul ("Over & Over") and pure drama ("The Guardian Angel Is Watching Over Us"). A powerful collection as striking and relatable as his own signature.
Review: Rhapsody, the Harlem Gospel Travelers' third studio album, was inspired by a request from the band's friend and mentor, Eli "Paperboy" Reed to record some covers of classic and lesser-known gospel-funk songs from the mid-to-late 1960s and early 1970s. Naturally, the New York based trio have put their own spin on the material, offering nods to hip-hop, stomping soul (see the genuinely terrific 'Somebody's Watching You'), doo-wop ('How Can I Lose', with its infectious vocal harmonies and irresistible hand-clap rhythm) and heady slow hams ('Have You Tried Jesus', the squelchy, hip-hop-soul flavoured 'Searching For The Truth'). It's a superb set all told, with the group's impeccable vocals rising high above brilliantly realised and expressively played instrumental backing tracks.
Review: Soul legend Isaac Hayes' enduring legacy as a soul visionary echoes through this second volume of his singles, which picks up from where the first left off. The collection spans 1972 to 1976, a time when Hayes transitioned from Stax to his own Hot Buttered Soul label. Tracks like 'Hung Up On My Baby' and the relentlessly funky 'Chocolate Chip' showcase his blend of lush orchestration with raw, gritty grooves, a style deeply rooted in the soul-rich streets of Memphis, where Hayes' early musical foundations were laid. As he moved away from Stax's structure, Hayes embraced a new sense of creative freedom, merging cinematic soul with the emerging sounds of disco, perfectly captured in 'Disco Connection'. The production, unpolished and alive, channels the intensity of Hayes' sound from the early 70s, pushing boundaries while remaining deeply personal. This release is a reflection of the man's profound influence on soul music, one that continues to reverberate through generations.
Review: Isaac Hayes passed 16 years ago but his legacy as a soul music icon endures and likely always will. Known for his groundbreaking work with Stax's Enterprise label, Hayes set the standard for what became known as "symphonic soul" by crafting albums that remain as powerful as when first released. Alongside his LPs, Hayes also achieved massive success with singles and had 16 consecutive hits on the r&b chart from 1969 to 1976, many of which crossed into pop. Hot Buttered Singles is the first collection to feature every A and B-side of his 'Yellow Stax'-era singles in their original versions and they all sound superb.
Review: Karl Hector and the Malcouns are an interesting proposition. While ostensibly a funk band, their output regularly touches on Afrobeat, exotic Indian instrumentation, trippy psychedelic rock, atmospheric soundtrack fare and wonky, drum-Laden sci-fi weirdness. This sophomore set - their debut, Sahara Swing, dropped in 2008 - includes all these influences and more, offering a vivid, off-kilter journey taking in psychedelic jazz-funk, Arabic instrumental soul and Hammond-laden psychedelic freak-outs. It's hard to pin down, for sure, but that just adds to its' humid, kaleidoscopic allure.
Review: In 1977, American jazz composer, pianist and organist Weldon Irvine helped create the musical Young, Gifted & Broke, which was in part inspired by Aretha Franklin's 1969 anthem 'Young, Gifted & Black' - a song whose lyrics were penned by none other than Weldon. Irvine was naturally responsible for the writing the soundtrack, which was recorded at the time but only released for the first time 12 years ago. It's an exceptional set all told, joining the dots between jazz, Blaxploitation funk, soul and gospel, with inspired instrumentals sitting side by side with songs that showcase the talents of both the lead characters and a talented chorus of backing singers.
Review: Off the Wall isn't just an album; it's a coronation. This is where Michael Jackson truly takes the throne, cementing his reign as the King of Pop. Released in 1979, this nine-times platinum landmark is a visionary blend of funk, disco, soul and r&b, a vibrant tapestry of sound that still shimmers with life four decades later. Featuring timeless hits like 'Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough' and 'Rock With You', Off the Wall is a testament to Jackson's unparalleled talent and innovative spirit. Mobile Fidelity's numbered-edition hybrid SACD presents this classic album in all its audiophile glory. Sourced from the original master tapes, this reissue explodes with energy, playing with tremendous clarity, detail, and dynamics. Every note, every beat, every vocal nuance is rendered with stunning precision, allowing you to experience Off the Wall as if you were in the studio with Jackson himself. Housed in mini-LP-style packaging, complete with the iconic tuxedo-clad album cover, this SACD is a must-have for any serious music lover. It's a chance to rediscover a masterpiece, to immerse yourself in the magic of Michael Jackson at his creative peak. From the infectious grooves of 'Workin' Day and Night' to the heartfelt ballad 'She's Out of My Life', Off the Wall is a timeless classic that deserves to be heard in its purest form. This Mobile Fidelity reissue delivers just that.
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