Review: Nick Bike has been at it again, crafting high-grade club cuts that always make an impact. These two have already been well road-tested with great effect. 'Party People (Night & Day)' is the first and is a brilliant collision of some funky, soulful disco classics into one new and strident sound with irresistible claps and vocal hooks. On the flip is the scorching 'Every Night (Hold Me Tight)' which is just timeless and super smooth disco-funk with a persuasive charm. Two no-brainers here that will bring next-level fun to any set.
Review: Released in 1977 on Buddha Records, Norman Connors' heartfelt number 'Once I've Been There' is a lush piece of honest-to-goodness soul music that's long been held in high regard by diggers. It features a powerful vocal performance from Prince Phillip Mitchell, warm orchestral instrumentation, and a gentle groove arranged by Jerry Peters. Blending elements of classic r&b with jazz sophistication, the track has a timeless, cinematic feel. It's a standout in US drummer Connors' catalogue. Released in the same year, 'Captain Connors' is a loose and limber soul-jazz workout, with energetic horns and deinty keys riding over a sprawling arrangement. Well worth adding to the collection.
Take It To The Limit (Joaquin Joe Claussell extended version) (7:17)
Review: New York disco don Joe Claussell takes a scalpel to Norman Connors' 1980 uncut 'Take It To The Limit', turning a smooth Philly disco-soul burner into a swirling, peak-time epic. Originally voiced by Adaritha and buried on Connors' overlooked tenth LP for Arista, the track is flaymorphosed: pulled inside out, looped, stretched and whipped into chaos with Claussell's trademark floor-focused touch. If you've caught him lately at Body & Soul, you've likely heard this one spiralling into the rafters.
Review: The emerging Disco label sure does love disco - specifically a sound infused with funk, soul and in the case of the opera, lovestruck vocals that melt thereat. They come with a nice languid bassline and some sophisticated strings while 'Song' has a super cool and breezy groove and vocal that is airy, light, and uplifting in quietly devastating fashion. 'Fear' is more of a party starter with glossy vocals and strident claps and drums then 'Do You' shuts down with more jazzy flute motifs and a lo-fi rhythm with vocals that speak of late night love and lust.
Review: REPRESS ALERT!: Canadian go-slow master Eddie C is back with more of his sumptuous and sensuous grooves on the magnificent Funkyjaws Music. This new 12" kicks off with the emotionally intense and gospel-laced vocal sounds of 'Jesus Calling' with a passionate pastor lighting up the airways. 'Show Me The Way' is a more paired down sound this time with a raw soul edge and nice dusty drums, then 'Superior Disco' brings some lavish string stabs and funky basslines to some killer instrumental grooves. 'Loud Minority' closes out with some lovely jazzy organ work over more low-slung and dusty disco beats.
Review: Australian singer Nicky Nite Time and veteran Chicago second wavew house don Felix Da Housecat team up to rework Wham!'s 1984 classic 'Freedom', transforming its uplifting energy into a darker, harder-hitting, and low-key surreal dancefloor weapon. This bold refix pushes the track into pulsatory, late-night club territory, where the four walls about the dancefloor melt into strange shapes, and the checkered footlit floor cycles through the rainbow. The B-side includes Nicky's dub version for an alternative spin, along with an acapella, furthering our sense of possibility. A fresh, edgy, multi-version take on a beloved hit.
You Don't Want My Luvvv (Beatin' Hard version) (5:42)
Review: Brooklyn producer Gerard Young aka Ge-ology has always championed intricacy in his original house productions, preferring to survey and purpose-build from the ground up, not prefabricate. His Versions series through Hot Biscuit has been going since 2025, with a higher-than-usual number of deep cuts (usually six in total for each 12") all given names like "Extended FeelTheFire Mix", "From SideToSide", "CapricornTribe Mix" and "Raw Stripdown Version", evidencing a sense of literary licence and playing on otherwise boxed-in remix titling traditions. Janky sampled refuse of disco-soul and gospel replay over 'Keeep The Beat' like trash-humped radio components larked from wreckage - our fave track here by far.
Review: Born and raised in Chicago, Durty Truth Records founder Darryn Jones delivers a couple of corkers for North-East England re-edit imprint Hot Biscuit Recordings. A-side 'In The Bush' is a thrillingly heavyweight jam - an Afro-funk meets Afro-disco version of a track made famous by US disco and boogie outfits, which Jones has expertly extended and rearranged in all the right places. B-side 'In The Know', meanwhile, is a take on a more classic-sounding slab of Afro-disco that boasts a superb "walking bassline", extended electric piano solos, sultry strings and a fine male lead vocal.
Review: Best known to many as Brett Domino from 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown and all round internet keytar cover verion fame, Rob J Madin steps out from his comedy roots with a fresh suite of instrumental jazz-funk recorded mostly in his Sheffield attic. Drawing from the energy of artists like BadBadNotGood and Mildlife, the new six-track EP blends silky keys, warped synths, and choppy drum samples into a head-nodding, sun-drenched mod soul anthem set. 'Callisto Disco' veers over brash momenta, while 'Cherryade' leans back towards a laid-back optimism, not to mention the opener 'Bouquet Garni', which prophesies restless singalong hums by the never-forgetting listener.
Review: This priceless double-header brings together two timeless gems from South African music icon Letta Mbulu. On one side, the afro-electro boogie cult classic 'Nomalizo', a favourite among diggers and refined selectors alike, with its honeyed vocals, salty synth work and languid rhythms. On the other, there's 'Kilimanjaro Takes Us Higher', an uplifting, up-tempo dancefloor anthem radiating optimism with soul-drenched vocals, funk bass, disco strings and agile keys. Released together as a single for the first time, these sought-after tracks have been embraced across countless scenes for decades. Nothing short of essential.
Review: Secondhand copies of this record from 1983 have exchanged hands for up to as much as 400 quid, just to give you an idea of how highly it's valued. As is often weirdly the way with these cult old scuts, The Mobley Gang aka Dennis Mobley, only ever released this one tune, which he wrote while Dave Ogrin and Lou Gonzales did the production. It's a boogie-fried disco cut with sizzling synths and harsh drum sounds as well as playful pianos. The club mix is more funky and pared back and will have your hips swinging in zero seconds.
Review: Originally released in 1983, this cult disco gem by The Mobley Gang AKA Dennis Mobley, is a true collector's item with secondhand copies fetching up to L400 quite frequently. Remarkably, it was the only track ever released under this alias and was written by Mobley and produced by Dave Ogrin and Lou Gonzales. Now, it returns on translucent pink vinyl with a classic black edition also on offer. The A-side version is a boogie-fried disco bomb packed with sizzling synths, punchy drums and expressive piano lines. The club mix strips it back into a funkier, more hypnotic groove that's perfect for instant dancefloor gratification.
Review: The classic 1982 funk anthem 'Don't Fight The Feeling' by American r&b and funk band One Way gets a fine 12" pressing here, which means it can be played nice and loud. Singer Al Hudson leads the way with his buttery vocal, while a stepping and broken rhythm with lovely dry claps and w sloppy synth squeal make for a pretty unique sound given when this was first recorded. On the flip side, Windjammer's 'I Thought It Was You' offers a more mellow, melodic contrast full of the band's signature blend of r&b and jazz with cooing, heart-melting vocals and a nice stepping rhythm that lovers of UK street soul will surely be drawn to.
Review: No one's edits and disco bombs slap quite like Rahaan's. The US master of all things soulful and funky can tap right into your core with his work and this new EP on Hot Biscuit is the latest example of that. 'Get Up' opens with retro disco favours, funky guitars and lung-busting vocals that bring the heat. 'Zombies' sinks into a nice silky sound with sliding cymbals and hi hats and knotted bass, then 'How' slows it down a bit for a more playful and seductive disco sound with nice horns and squelchy bass. Three real heaters.
Review: It would be fair to say that Rahaan's Chicago Club Culture series, which here reaches its second instalment, is something of a passion project, inspired as it is by - in his words - "the golden age of Chicago club culture". Our reading of that is the 1970s and 80s, with all of the tracks on show being versions of cuts big on Windy City dancefloors in that period. The double-pack is heavy on tried-and-tested treats, from the expansive, Clavinet-sporting disco rush of 'Do You Like It' and the delay-laden, percussion-heavy brilliance of 'Columbian Dance' (all chanted vocals, punk-funk sax sounds, heavy electronic bass and layered Latin beats), to the crispy and crunchy, Chic-influenced excellence of 'Jealous For No Reason' and the low-down disco hustle of closing cut 'Can't Shake Your Love'.
Review: A bumper package of six - count 'em - reworkings of disco grooves by Scruscru, offering a myriad of new takes on classic sounds. Beno, Bernardo Campos's 'Space Gruv' opens proceedings with a luxurious, soulful edge, while Tree Threes' 'Sunshine Miss' coasts along gracefully with more of a beefed up jazz house vibe. Manuel Kane's 'Disco Visions' throws more beautifully jazzy chord shapes and adds a devastating diva vocal for a proper peak time feel, Immersif's 'La Tournee Des Phares' employs more of a broken beat shuffle and 'Rebecca's Mystery Mood' by Punky Wash revolves around Latin beats and lilting guitar lines. Finally comes arguably the EP's jazziest moment of all, Justnique's 'Elevator Music', with some mighty impressive tinkling of the ivories. Authentic, gorgeous sounds overlaid on some sturdy 4/4 templates - pure DJ heaven.
Review: Geordie one-man production line Smoove's Multitrack Reworks series consistently delivers the goods, with the popular funk, soul, breaks and disco DJ/producer dropping fine, Reflex style revisions of both classic cuts and lesser-celebrated gems. He begins volume ten by reworking Steely Dan's 'Peg', a cut beloved of hip-hop DJs thanks to its killer drum-break and use in De La Soul's 'Eye Know'. His version makes great use of the multi-track stems, teasing out the break and slowly building the instrumental elements before unleashing the vocals. It's a genuinely great rework, as you'd expect. Over on the flip, he gives 'Baby Be Mine', with its' crispy drums, glistening disco guitars and squelchy synth-bass, a similar treatment, before successfully chopping up a heavy, percussion-laden deep AOR soul number ('This Time').
Review: Pam Todd & The Love Exchange's 'Let's Get Together' dropped in the golden disco era of the late 70s and is one of our all-time top jams. The percussive breakdown at the mid-section is magic, and it all oozes funk, as well as having a proper singalong vocal up top. Mr K maintains the care of the original while tweaking the drums for modern floors across three subtly different mixes here on the Shrylden label. We found this one in the warehouse, so don't sleep, cause it won't be around long.
Review: Famously featured on NY Style Vol. 46 by DJ Masaru, Tranzit's 'Necessary Love' is a rare boogie gem from the 1980s that deserves more shine - and will not get it with this reissue. Smooth and soulful to its core, it delivers a mid-tempo groove wrapped in dreamy chords, lush textures and heartfelt vocals. With its romantic message and mellow energy, it's perfect for slow dancing or late-night reflection and is more than just a love song. It captures the emotional essence of 80s modern soul, so if you love overlooked r&b treasures, 'Necessary Love' is a crucial pick up.
Review: Dutch label Universo Positivo returns with label head Jospeh Salvador and house legend Orlando Voorn. Salvador has been active since the 1990s and has worked under various aliases and labels, while Voorn is known for connecting Detroit techno with European styles, and together they find a perfect sweet spot between deep and soulful house. The filter-funk energy of 'Slap My Funk' kicks off, then there's the boogie-fried and low slung house of 'Every Man Loves', jazzy melodies and big breaks of 'Break It Down' and strident, steamy disco-house stomper 'So Well.'
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