Back catalogue: Funk

Review: The 45 King was given unprecedented access to the rescued master tapes in the archives of the recently relaunched Westbound Records label in order to create the beats for this bumper album. The music of Junie Morrison and Ohio Players features heavily of course as The King pays tribute to the original iconic breakbeats that helped make him such a don in the hip-hop world. This box has seven singles in all, with 13 of these new tunes all appearing across seven differently coloured slices of wax.

Review: Yasuko Agawa's 'L.A Nights', a glossy 1986 single inspired by Light of the World's earlier dancefloor hit 'London Town', has long been regarded as a Japanese 'city pop' classic. It was also a big favourite amongst dancers on the UK's jazz-funk and soul scenes - thanks to a British issue on Bluebird - during the period, too, making this reissue extra appealing. Excitingly, this edition leads with a previously unreleased extended mix that wonderfully stretches out the tactile, laidback, synth-sporting jazz-funk number. The bassline, vibraphone solos and lead vocal from Agawa - sounding more like a Black American jazz singer than a Japanese popstar - are all superb. It comes backed by two fine B-sides: the classic, late-night vocal jazz of 'But Beautiful' and the stirring, up-tempo 'New York Afternoon'.

Review: Placebo isn't the indie band you're thinking of, but rather a jazz and progressive rock band from Belgium that is headed up by the legendary keyboardist and composer Marc Moulin. This 12" is a three track collection of live tracks recorded way back in 1973 from a live TV performance the group made. 'Planes' is a busy one with spy-theme leads and dramatic trumpets next to racing rhythm sections. 'Only Nineteen' is a more mellow groove but one that still explodes to life on rousing riffs and synth work. 'Showbiz Suite' closes out in mysterious fashion and keeps you coming back for more.

Review: 7" BOXSET EDITION! Having fulfilled his reggae ambitions, Snoop returns to the source with this incredible homage to the original funk that hip-hop spawned from. Referencing Bootsy Collins with his new moniker, he's teamed up with one of Stones Throw's most consummate funk purveyors Dam Funk. We don't need to tell you the result; authentic, sexy and smooth, it's a time machine that whisks us back to the late 70s and early 90s. From the dreamy textures and overdubbed harmonies of "1Question?", the shiny proto-R&B mothership moment "Do My Thang", everything about this screams class. Timeless funk made by two masters, we guarantee this will sound just as hot in 10 or 20 years.

Review: By now, most know the story of 94 East. The Minneapolis band was founded in 1975 by Pepe Wille, and included amongst its' members a precocious teenager called Prince Rogers Nelson. They made over an album's worth of recordings in 1977, which remained something of a secret until Willie released them in the mid '80s to capitalize on Prince's solo success. Here, these pioneering recordings are once again made public in tribute to the sadly departed Purple One. What's so remarkable about them isn't their high quality - you'd expect that given Prince's involvement - but rather how they sound like prototypes of the distinctive "purple funk" sound that the legendary artist later made his own. The album also includes "If You Feel Like Dancin", which is arguably one of the finest "proto-house" records ever made.

Review: This Record Store Day, US label Mochilla are reissuing a record that first landed in 2010 but has been out of print for five years. The Timeless Series captured the enduring impact that various different artists had on the world do ship hop. It is all live music that features orchestrated performances by Ethiopia's great Mulatu Astatke and famous Brazilian star Arthur Verocai. There is also the mesmeric Suite For Ma Dukes, which is a tribute to her son, James "Dilla" Yancey, by Miguel Atwood-Ferguson. What a collection for funk lovers who also appreciate their history.

Review: Scottish funk and r&b group The Average White Band had a fine series of disco and soul hits back in their heyday in the 1970s. As well as originals like their best known smash hit 'Pick Up the Pieces' they also served up superb covers like 'Let's Go Round Again.' AWB is their most successful album and it now turns a full half a centre old so gets a special reissue on Edsel across no fewer than 15 CDs. The album was number two for three weeks to Elton John's Greatest Hits upon release in 1974 and will no doubt do big numbers again all these years later.

Review: The reissue of Axiom Funk's Funkcronomicon is a high-energy celebration of funk's golden era, presented on red vinyl. Originally released in 1995 under the name Axiom Funk, this album is essentially a lost Parliament-Funkadelic masterpiece. Produced by the legendary Bill Laswell, it features a stellar lineup of funk icons including George Clinton, Bootsy Collins, Bernie Worrell, and Eddie Hazelihis final recordings. Other notable contributors include Sly Stone, Herbie Hancock, Maceo Parker and Sly & Robbie. The album blends funk, soul and rock with psychedelic influences, exemplified by tracks like 'Hideous Mutant Freekz,' Eddie Hazel's guitar showcase 'Orbitron Attack,' and Bootsy Collins' reimagining of Hendrix's 'If 6 Was 9.' The cover art by Pedro Bell enhances the album's mystique with its Lovecraftian themes. This reissue is a comprehensive experience for any funk aficionado. Don't miss out on owning this essential funk artifact.

Review: H.P. Lovecraft based much of the lore of his novels on the fictional Necronomicon, or Book Of The Dead, the apocryphal tome and curse-book of hell whose privies and hermeneutics transcended (most) mortal eyes. Axiom Funk, on the other hand - the united post-funk experiment led by the inimitable Bill Laswell, and also featuring the ineluctably starry roster of Bootsy Collins, George Clinton, Bootsy Collins, Jerome Brailey and Bernie Worrell, all daemonic names in the annals of the nether funk continuum; each worthy of their own sigil - gave us the Funkcronomicon in 1995. An ex-sanguine sizzler of a record written in desecrate blood, and whose vitiations allow it to mix an unholy cocktail of genres from P-funk to boom-bap to battle tool, this is a record akin to one long, possessive, dead-behind-the-eyes groove, building on the concept of funk, and all music for that matter, having been banned by false-conscious powers in the city of Ohio. What to do then, but to invoke music to incite the public's carnal unconscious?

Review: One of the most popular and influential groups in popular music, The Bee Gees' career spanned five decades, five Grammys and eight platinum albums-but until now, the group's extraordinary catalogue has never been upgraded. Reprise begins its complete restoration of their repertoire with 2xCD expanded remasters of their first three internationally released albums. 'The Studio Albums 1967-1968' is the definitive overview of the 5-piece Bee Gees line-up that shot to stardom in the late 60s: harmonising brothers Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb, and Australian musicians Vince Melouney and Colin Petersen. The revitalisation of these three early albums marks the first time the group has opened their extensive tape vaults for archival mining. On Bees Gees' 1st, Horizontal and Idea, the musical genius of the Bee Gees now sounds better than ever. Each reissue features the original album remastered in stereo and mono, plus a second disc of rare and unreleased tracks pulled for the first time ever from the Bee Gees' tape vaults. In-depth liner notes feature brand-new interviews from Barry and Robin Gibb. The Booklets also feature rare and previously unseen photos. The deluxe gatefold digipaks are in individually numbered limited-edition slipcases. Bee Gee's 1st, originally released in 1967, reached #8 on the UK Album chart and includes "To Love Somebody," "New York Mining Disaster 1941," and "Holiday." Disc 2 features 14 previously unreleased tracks, include alternate versions of most of the album cuts plus the recorded debut of "Gilbert Green," "House Of Lords," "All Around The Clock," and other ultra-rare recordings. "Horizontal", which debuted in early 1968, introduced the signature hit "Massachusetts," a chart-topper in Britain as well as the standouts "World" (a global hit), "Words," "Harry Braff," and the psychedelic title track. Disc 2 features thirteen rarities including nine previously unreleased tracks, among them "Out Of Line," "All My Christmases Came At Once," plus the medley "Silent Night/Hark The Herald Angels Sing" (one of only two songs in this box that doesn't feature a Gibb songwriting credit). "Idea" followed in August 1968 and broke the Bee Gees into the US Top 10 singles chart for the first time with the classics "I've Got To Get A Message To You" and "I Started A Joke". Disc 2 includes alternate mixes of "Idea," "Kitty Can," and "Let There Be Love," the film songs "Chocolate Symphony" and "Gena's Theme," plus, two previously unissued Coca Cola commercials.

Review: Ethiopian jazz mastermind Kibrom Birhane presents his latest album 'Here And There', a spiritual-cosmic meditation on indeterminacy. With a full ensemble of brass, chordopone and voice, and with Birhane manning a good bulk of the instruments we hear (piano, organ, krar, talkbox), this project expands on Birhane's roots, drawing on his absorption of thousand-year-old Ethiopian orthodox chanting as a child, as well as his talent at handling the region's most esoteric instruments.

Review: Brian Auger's Oblivion Express was the phoenix that rose from the ashes of sixties combo The Trinity. Fusing R&B, jazz, soul and funk, keyboard maestro Brian Auger created a new breed of music that took the US and the UK by storm. Auger's unique experimentation culminated in rhythm-infused jazz funk that united black and white 70s audiences. The six studio albums that make up Complete Oblivion illustrate the group's diverse musical influences and progression, from the 1970 self titled debut's heavy jazz-rock to the jazz fusion, Latin and disco-tinged Reinforcements from 1975 - this process no doubt powered by the group's evolving line up, which included guitarists Jim Mullen and Jack Mills, drummers Robbie McIntosh & Steve Ferrone, bassists Barry Dean and Clive Chaman and vocalist Alex Ligertwood.

Review: Although acclaimed by critics as Roy Budd's most impressive scores, the British composer's soundtrack for Michael Winner's 1973 crime thriller The Stone Killer has long been almost impossible to find - in part because it was only ever released in Italy and Japan. This reissue then is long overdue. The originally released soundtrack - a subtly synth-laden fusion of Blaxploitation style funk, spy-movie chic, jazz-funk, suspenseful orchestration and typically quirky musical eccentricities - can be found stretched across both sides of record one, with the second disc gathering together previously unreleased outtakes, alternative mixes and unheard compositions. These are by and large every bit as good as those tracks that originally made the cut and genuinely enhance the quality of the release.

Review: This 20-track album features three brand new remixes of highly revered production duo Chic, by Grammy-award nominated producer Dimitri From Paris. For this project, Dimitri was entrusted with the original studio masters so alongside the much loved essentials remastered here are remixes and previously unreleased instrumentals. Through disco grooves and meticulously reverent production, this album is a demonstration of how captivating orchestral music can be as compared to today's computer generated offerings - and all this is the work of one Frenchman's golden touch!

Review: Funk legend Bootsy Collins drops his rather indelible 23rd studio album at the age of 73. Despite the advancing years, Bootsy remains a restless innovator and tireless blender of funk, punk, rock, r&b and futuristic sounds. This latest concoction album features collaborations with icons like Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube, and Dave Stewart alongside fresh talents such as October London and Fantaazma. Bootsy embraces his role as mentor here and ensures that his singular grooves are embellished with new school energy. Beyond music, he's also launching the Bootsy Collins Network, a streaming hub for live shows, tech and gaming that could well be worth a look.

Review: P-Funk comes to P-Vine on this limited Japanese reissue of Bootsy Collins' 2020 album 'The Power Of The One', this time coming with an exclusive obi-strip. A collaborative feat - charting guests from Snoop Dogg to George Benson - the grandmaster of funk carries the torch of greatness all the way through from his bass appendage to his vocal head, delivering what might be his most eccentric and colourful album. Sauciest cuts include the electro-funking 'The Power Of The One' and the TV-statized 'Bootsy Creepin', and of course, we're excited to announce we'll be storming the 'Funkship Area-51'.

Review: Before Ibiza house, Carl Cox was a soul, funk and disco head, having been brought up on said music from the tender age of eight. Similarly, Manchester stalwart DJ Eric Powell has built up reams of the stuff in own personal hoard, over the years. 'MDFC Funk Connection' hears Cox and Powell cherrypick the best of the best of the best from their combined royal vinyl surpluses, drawing on the aesthetic of their famed 'Mobile Disco' parties, known for touring renowned tourist destinations such as Bali and Australia.

Review: DJ Nu Mark is best known as one of the producers for West Coast hip-hop heroes Jurassic 5, but he keeps himself busy outside of those duties with a devoted studio practice in search of killer grooves by any means necessary. Last year he created the Creme De La Crate pack for use in Ableton Live, using vintage recording techniques and years of studio prowess to deliver heavyweight drum hits, breaks, loops and fills. Now he's committed some of those sounds to wax, giving turntablists something to get busy with if they like to do things the good old way. Here's hoping we get to see some seriously skilled jugglers creating patchwork delights from these dope beats and breaks.

Review: Originally released in 1972, Dr John's fifth album is an upfront tribute to his inimitable hometown of New Orleans. A collection of covers, tracks chosen from the almost-endless archives of classic blues, jazz and creole tracks that have come out of the Big Easy over the preceding century or so. It also marked something of a character and stylistic sidestep for the legendary Louisiana player. Building a cult following and rather unique reputation for his eccentric stage performances and often pretty left-of-the-middle songwriting and arrangements, by comparison Dr John's Gumbo plays it much straighter, making this an authentic and respectful tribute to rhythm and blues as it has long been played. That's no criticism - the same masterful musicianship remains very much intact, while the personality still shines through. Simply put, the songs have been done again and again, but this album could only be Dr John.

Review: The 180-gram vinyl reissue of Dr. John's Gris-Gris by Music Direct is a meticulously remastered version of the classic 1968 album, using pure analogue components from the master tapes to the cutting head. This reissue highlights the album's intricate soundscapes, balancing catchy choruses with Afro-Caribbean percussion, swampy grooves, and haunting vocals. Dr. John's unique blend of voodoo mystique and psychedelic atmospheres transports listeners deep into the heart of New Orleans' spiritual underworld. Tracks like 'Gris-Gris Gumbo Ya Ya' and 'I Walk On Gilded Splinters' evoke a timeless, hypnotic quality, making the album as revolutionary now as when it debuted.

Review: American greats Earth, Wind & Fire were very much one of their era's finest and most commercially successful bands. They define the funk, soul and disco sound of the 70s onwards and by 1998 had a huge arsenal of tunes to draw on for this, their Greatest Hits album. It came just a year after their In The Name of Love record and is packed with gold such as 'September' from 1978, 'Got to Get You Into My Life' from the same year and 'Let's Groove' from 1981 amongst many more. This version comes on limited and numbered gatefold 180-gram audiophile yellow vinyl.

Review: In the annals of funk, few bands have as many monster hits as Earth Wind & Fire - and if you need further proof, here's a reissue of their mammoth Greatest Hits collection. 17 tracks deep and never missing a beat, there's the obvious but essential inclusions like 'Let's Groove', 'Boogie Wonderland' and 'September', but also plenty more party jams and smouldering ballads alike to delight in, pressed up on 180 gram translucent blue vinyl. For existing fans and funk newcomers alike, this is a must-grab for any disciple of the groove.

Review: To celebrate Fourplay's 30th Anniversary, the evosound label has put together this limited edition reissue with a gatefold sleeve on fresh blue wax. It is of course the work of celebrated jazz instrumentalists Bob James on keys, drums from Harvey Mason, Nathan Eat on bass and Lee Ritenour on guitar. Despite the heavyweight line-up it came together rather surreptitiously without any grand plan. The band's biggest success was hit single 'After The Dance' which was No. 1 in America's Contemporary Jazz charts for the best part of 10 months. A long version of that is included here along with all the other originals from the album.

Review: The Lawson Entertainment label out of Japan is having a busy month with two volumes of Best of Mondo Grosso albums landing as well this collection of remixes of Michale Jackson. If you are brave enough play these in the current landscape, and you find an equally sympathetic audience, then they could well do plenty of great things to your dance floor. There are drawn out, beat heavy remixes of tracks from all throughout the former King of Pop's career stitched into a lush reggae framework.

Review: Here's a partnership destined for greatness in the pursuit of grooves from around the world. The Gaslamp Killer made his name as LA's foremost digger of obscure, psych-heavy funk from parts unknown, while The Heliocentrics have shaped a formidable oeuvre as an ensemble working with everyone from Lloyd Miller and Mulatu Astatke to DJ Shadow and Archie Shepp. After crossing paths a few times The Heliocentrics became GLK's backing band, which lit the touch-paper for the long-simmering project which now sits before your expectant ears. If you dig the work of either party, you'll have some idea of where you're heading when you drop the needle on this one, but of course that also means you're in for a bag of worldly surprises and killer get-downs throughout this expansive, ambitious album project.

Review: Goodge is back with more deep and pressing funk sounds, this time with his Echoes of yesterday long player. As the title suggests, it finds him offering up a view on music's past influences at the same time as showing off his genuine respect for what has gone before. Across the 12 tracks, he goes into lush late night and jazzed up sound worlds where melodies lodge themselves deep in your brain and the funky drums keep you moving. It's an expansive world of emotion and a superb showcase of the artists ability to transcend time and space with his take on the roots of the sounds.

Review: Those interested in Japanese cartoons should know Space Adventure Cobra. First broadcast in 1982, it is now considered one of the country's finest animated TV series. This triple-vinyl box set celebrates Kentano Haneda and Yuji Ono's music from the series, combining compositions featured on the show with unheard extended versions and tracks that never made the cut first time round. Musically, it's a mix of Japanese disco, sax-sporting lounge jazz, jazz-funk, neo-classical movements and eccentric interludes, all doused in layers of cosmic dust and stargazing colour. The release also comes packaged with a 12-page booklet telling the story of the series and the making of the appealing, endlessly entertaining soundtrack.

Review: Fuzzy Haskins was an original member of Parliament-Funkadelic, and you can hear his voice plastered all over some of the most vital recordings from the early era of Geogre Clinton's P funk phenomenon. Unfortunately Haskins quit the group in 1977, but he managed to leave his mark in this most vital of funk mythologies. His debut album is a cult classic with all the hallmarks of P funk at its best, with Bootsy on bass, Bernie on keys to name but a few. It's a glorious burst of brilliance for any funk freak to get hyped about - just listen to 'Which Way Do I Disco' and get it on.

Review: You could say that Karl Hector & The Malcouns are one of the only bands left making afro like it should be made...laid back and hypnotic, in the same vein as legends like Fela and Mulatu. Can't Stand The Pressure is their new LP and boy is it a scorcher; over twenty sizzling funk killers that are built with an oldschool flavour and a newschool approach. The guitars are fuzzy and wet, the percussion dusty and abrasive, the horns mystical, and the organs eerie. Yes, the perfect concoction for the right kind of cocktail, served to you on a platter and across four sides of wax. Recommended.

Review: Organist Lim Ji Hoon delivers a rippling eight-track new album that forthcomingly makes its intent known, right from the jump. Organ Orgasm delivers landscapes of climactic disco, reggae and funk, all centring on Lim's instrument of choice, the timeless electric Hammond B3. His solo debut, Lim was formerly a member of the funk outfit Asato Union, but since defecting from that group, Organ Orgams charts a maturation and expansion in his sound, venturing so far as to cover Ethiopian jazz titan Mulato Astatke with 'Mascaram Setaba', before moving into the delicate bossa nova penultimate 'Besame Mucho', not to mention an orgiastic denouement.

Review: Jazz drummer and bandleader Takeshi Inomata made some terrific records over the course of his career, though few are quite as dazzling and incendiary as Sounds of Sound Ltd, his 1970 set with regular studio band Sound Ltd. Appearing at a time when the boundaries between jazz, jazz-funk and jazz-rock were becoming increasingly blurred, the set delivers good grooves, mazy solos and life-affirming musical motifs in equal measure. Throw in a wealth of energetic, on-point drum solos from Inomata and you have a set that sounds every bit as righteous and inspired in 2021 as it did half a century ago.

Review: In 1970, Akira Ishikawa, a key figure in the jazz rock movement, ventured into bold new territory with his album Electrum. This ambitious project shows his innovative spirit, pushing jazz boundaries with its intense, precise grooves and the musicians' quest for new heights. The album features standout tracks like the tempestuous 'Electrum,' the complexly layered 'Revulsion,' and the tranquil 'Speak Under My Breath,' which captures the serene clarity of dawn. The presence of distinguished pianists and arrangers Masahiko Sato and Hiromasa Suzuki adds further depth and brilliance to this already vibrant work. Electrum is celebrated as a major achievement in Ishikawa's career and is a notable highlight within the Victor "Japanese Jazz" series. Its revival brings renewed attention to Ishikawa's groundbreaking exploration of jazz fusion.

Review: Japanese jazz drummer Akira Ishikawa recorded countless albums with backing band Count Buffalo, though few are quite as revered or sought-after as 1981 set African Rock. It was part of a series of Afro-jazz influenced fusion albums that the band recorded in the late '60s and early '70s, though few others are quite as musically dazzling, impeccably produced and impactful. Naturally, it boasts some heavyweight, floor-friendly workouts inspired by the earliest Fela Kuti records - see the superb 'Animals/Mnama' - but also a wealth of more considered, jazz-leaning compositions. Highlights in this latter category include opener 'Prayer/Sala, a slow burn delight full of lilting trumpet, hazy clarinet, fluid drums and yearning voices, and the cinematic jazz delight that is 'Dawn/Alfajiri'.

Review: Only 400 copies pressed of this Japanese Jazz masterpiece reissue which sold out in Japan on release. Comes in thick paste board sleeve,numbered obi.Essential album for anyone with an interest in quality Japanese Jazz

Review: This boxset includes all the dual disc singles. Each single comes with the complimentary video.

Review: Recorded on March 28, 1974, at Studio Palm, Paris, Khan Jamal's skilful improvisation and rhythmic exploration throughout his 1973 jazz masterpiece Give The Vibes Some very much showcases the artist's virtuosity on the vibraphone. It is a record that takes you deep into intricate rhythms and soulful melodies all of which make for immersive atmospheres that take you into all new realms. Each track is a testament to Jamal's musical prowess and his ability to push the boundaries of jazz which his what has made it such a timeless gem amongst jazz heads.

Review: With a streak of hits reaching back to the early 90s, chart-topping Brit funk phenomenon Jamiroquai have plenty to celebrate. In 2006 they decided to remind everyone how much heat they've gifted to the world with High Times, a definitive overview of the singles that thrust them onto prime time radio and beyond. Now that compilation makes its way to vinyl for the first time, giving us the chance to spin such classics as 'Too Young To Die', 'Virtual Insanity' and 'Canned Heat' to our hearts content - all killer, no filler. This edition has been pressed up on green marbled vinyl and comes with insert and a slipmat, making it a must-have for collectors and die-hard fans alike.

Review: ***B-STOCK: Sleeve damaged but otherwise in excellent condition***


With a streak of hits reaching back to the early 90s, chart-topping Brit funk phenomenon Jamiroquai have plenty to celebrate. In 2006 they decided to remind everyone how much heat they've gifted to the world with High Times, a definitive overview of the singles that thrust them onto prime time radio and beyond. Now that compilation makes its way to vinyl for the first time, giving us the chance to spin such classics as 'Too Young To Die', 'Virtual Insanity' and 'Canned Heat' to our hearts content - all killer, no filler. This edition has been pressed up on green marbled vinyl and comes with and autographed art card, insert and a slipmat, making it a must-have for collectors and die-hard fans alike.

Review: With a streak of hits reaching back to the early 90s, chart-topping Brit funk phenomenon Jamiroquai have got plenty to celebrate. In 2006 they decided to remind everyone how much heat they've gifted to the world with High Times, a definitive overview of the singles that thrust them onto prime time radio and beyond. Now that compilation makes its way to vinyl for the first time, giving us the chance to spin such classics as 'Too Young To Die', 'Virtual Insanity' and 'Canned Heat' to our hearts content - all killer, no filler. This particular edition has been pressed up on green marbled vinyl and comes with and autographed art card, insert and a slipmat, making it a must-have for collectors and die-hard fans alike.

Review: Junie Morrison was a member of both Ohio Players and Parliament-Funkadelic, and on many occasions he carried the torches of these pioneering ensembles into his own, solo live settings. The Funky Worm: Live At Dooley's 1976 captures Morrison's performance at Dooley's club in Columbus, Ohio in 1976, where he played songs from his solo albums like 'The Funky Worm', 'Super J' and 'Suzie Thundertussy'. There's an incredible medley with what sounds like a keytar on there, as well as beautiful versions of 'Fopp' and 'Super J', capturing Morrison's sweaty, many-octaved input on the mic and guitar.

Review: Wow... This a serious package right here! A special dedication to the beats that helped make 1983 cult hip-hop movie Wild Style the big screen legend it's become, Kenny Dope has been given full access to all assets... And he's smashed it in every way. Each colour-coded cut is fully remastered, re-edited and brought back to life with timeless attention to groove detail while the liner book is full of images, quotes and tales from this unique and hugely creative time in pop cultural history. An authentic artefact, this is nothing short of an investment.

Review: Strut has managed to secure the rights to the first official remastered reissue of Lafayette Afro Rock Band's rare funk and Afro gem, 'Malik,' which originally dropped in 1974. In 1971, the Bobby Boyd Congress, an undocumented Afro-American septet, ventured from the US to France, seeking new horizons. They transformed into Ice upon Boyd's return and then connected with producer Pierre Jaubert who helped to shape their sound amid Paris's vibrant African scene. Then again later renamed, this time as Lafayette Afro Rock Band, they delved into instrumental Afro-funk, birthing classics like 'Soul Makossa' and 'Darkest Light.' Initially overlooked, 'Malik' gained hip-hop acclaim, with 'Conga' and 'Darkest Light' becoming iconic samples. This meticulously remastered reissue celebrates Lafayette Afro Rock Band's musical legacy.

Review: Even without the vintage hardback book, bonus tracks and booklet, this is a great addition to any collection... Exploring a relatively recent but hugely rich period in American music history, Jukebox Mambo is an extensive window into the fusion of Cuban and Latin music and R&B and jazz during the 50s. Some of it barely gives a nod to R&B at all (Dave Bartholomew's "Shrimp & Gumbo" and Fay Simmons' "Big Joe Mambo") while others deftly combine the jazz swing and energetic arrangement of R&B with mambo rhythms perfectly. Highly collectable whichever way you look at it.

Review: ***B-STOCK: Missing one 7" (Record 7 - Jackson 5 - Tribute Medley), but otherwise in excellent condition***


This special 7" boxset Motown State of Mind is a collection of Motown classics remixed by the legendary rapper, producer and member of D.I.T.C., Lord Finesse. The first two tracks tackle the one time King of Pop, while the undisputed soul god that is Marvin Gaye then gets some special treatment with an Underboss remix of "I Want You." The smooth grooves continue on DeBarge's "I Like It" (Soul Synopsis mix), which is pure sultry and steamy gold. Elsewhere Eddie Kendricks - "Body Talk" (TBG mix) is a string laced and slow motion disco funk gem and Sister of Love and Jackson 5 also get some careful treatment.

Review: Takako Mamiya's Love Trip stands as a shimmering gem in the realm of Japanese City Pop and AOR. Released in 1982 as her only album, it exudes a timeless allure that is ideal for the resurgence in this style. The album's production, spearheaded by a talented ensemble of musicians including Genji Sawai and Yoshihiro Naruse, is nothing short of exemplary. Mamiya's vocals effortlessly glide over smooth jazz-infused melodies, painting a picture of nighttime introspection and melancholic longing. From the sultry allure of 'Love Trip' to the introspective musings of 'Midnight Joke,' each track shows Mamiya's ability to evoke a range of emotions through her music. The album's thematic coherence, albeit occasionally disrupted by varied composers, adds to its charm, creating a cohesive sonic journey that transports listeners to a world of moonlit introspection and wistful romance. While Love Trip may not have achieved commercial success upon its initial release, it has since garnered a dedicated following among City Pop enthusiasts worldwide. Its re-release on limited edition clear sky blue vinyl is an example to its enduring appeal and significance within the genre.

Review:  Mamiya Takako cut her teeth in late-'70s Japanese girl group Pao before striking out on her own with 1982 debut album Love Trip. Full of sweet, sugary, synth-laden pop songs that drew on then contemporaneous jazz-funk and soul sounds, the album sold relatively poorly at the time but is now considered something of a classic. It has been proceeded by a seven-inch single offering up two of the record's more sought-after cuts, but now this deluxe edition offers the ultimate collector's piece. It's packed with undeniably loved-up gems, FM synth sounds, soft focus sax solos and bubbly jazz-funk bottom-ends.

Review: Jazz funk classics don't get any better than this... Released in 1977, James Mason's only album Rhythm Of Life gets the full repress it deserves. A full-flavoured document of Mason's musical and songwriting abilities and the bubbling fertile creative ground he worked in is displayed here in all its glory. From the quirky offbeat rhythm and overall carefree funk of the title track to lounge-lazing soul of "Funny Girl" to the sweaty, frenetic Off The Wall level fire of "I've Got My Eyes On You", this is an immaculate example of Mason's contributions to jazz, funk and soul.

Review: In one of those instances where the soundtrack eclipses the film, Curtis Mayfield's Superfly stands tall as a career highlight from one of soul's all-time greatest. The blaxploitation film itself was solid, but the songs Mayfield wrote for it are pure perfection - an acerbic portrayal of street life in urban America that views its players with heart and understanding, a truly wise rumination on cause and effect set to some of the most transcendent funk playing imaginable. As well as the original album, this special double-disc edition features single mixes, instrumentals and alternate takes from the sessions, deepening the legend of this seminal work.

Review: In terms of funk, the importance of The Meters can't ever be overstated. Compared to what the likes of James Brown and George Clinton were up to elsewhere, down in New Orleans Zigaboo Modeliste, George Porter Jr, Leo Nocentelli and Art Neville were cooking up their own Southern-fried style which had a groove all of its own. Despite their influential status on the Bayou sound and their constantly-sampled catalogue, they remain a cult favourite deserving of far more shine. The best place to start with their considerable catalogue is at the beginning, on their debut album where you'll hear such iconic grooves as 'Cissy Strut' and 'Here Comes The Meter Man'.

Review: Beastie Boy Mike D is back with another volume in this ongoing series on Mr Bongo. This latest one is jam-packed with 10 more sizzling selections many of which he has re-edited and remixed himself just for this boxset. They all come from the golden era of Brazilian music and in a limited edition clamshell box. Every single tune bangs to be honest but the likes of Sebastiao Tapajos Y Pedro Dos Santos's 'Cantico Del Agua' and Erasmo Carlos's 'E Preciso Dar Um Jeito, Meu Amigo' are particular highlights.