Back catalogue: Funk

Review: The fourth edition in Original Gravity's Down In The Basement series, which gathers instrumental soul and swing cuts onto worthy 7" slabs, resounding the fervent 1960s decadal gap in which mod reigned supreme. With juleps flowing and kneecaps knocking, Abramo & Nestor bring newfangled electric pianistic swing with 'Dig It!', while a twinned "hit it!" injunction is heard from Floyd James & The GTs on the reissued 'Work That Thang'; James' voice is tubed and speed-delayed to terrific effect, achieving a sprung intonation. Curtis Baker brassifies the bonanza with the lively 'Fried Fish 'n' Collard Greens', while The Native Yinzer's exiting excitation 'The Hip Strip' quilts our ears with a mnemic, down-feathery Hammond-breaks bit.

Review: Get yourself geared up for festival season with some fierce party starters certified with the Glitterbox stamp. Melvo Baptiste leads the charge with 'Sweat', a sizzling disco house stomper with Dames Brown giving the biggest diva energy on her show-stopping vocal. Lovebirds bring unbridled joy on the Philly string swoon and slinky b-line funk of 'Burn It Down', while Art Of Tones & Inaya Day keep it peak time on the sassy strutter 'Give My Love'. Young Pulse & Fleur De Mur complete the set with 'Smooth Sweet Talker', another bright and bold vocal cut par excellence.

Review: A modern lunar take on jazz and disco, Jazz On The Moon hears Italian producer Paolo Fedreghini moonwalk backwards through live horns, bass, synth and guitar for a crisply produced six-track EP. Opening with original NASA-issue intercom vocals from the 1968 moon landing, 'Interstellar' crafts a moonscape of Harmon-muted trumpet and avant-garde growls, while expansive electro-funk opens out on the title track and 'Distant Planet', by which point a tonal shift is underway. The vibe is increasingly P-funky, erring desolate on the interluding 'Outer Space', before we wind up purblinded by the light side of the mood on closers 'Groove Odyssey' and 'Cosmic Funk'.

Review: Working with its sister label OST Recordings, Acid Jazz releases a new version of 'Family Tree' by Family Tree, on a smart-looking label based on the look of the original's Ananda label. For the first time since 1975, this new reissue comes with the Kevin Beamish Disco version and a shorter disco mix, as was initially compiled. Handcrafted by 'I Specialize In Love' hitmaker Sharon Brown and her group Family Tree, this eponymous disco-funk sheller is an unpolished study of musicianship above overproduction; the drums are dynamic and dry, lending ample space to Sharon's nostalgic familial reminiscences.

Review: Originally released in 1979, this is a highly sought-after gem due a reissue to bring its soulful, classic charms back into the spotlight, complete with the original B-side. The opening track, 'Hollywood Dreaming', is a smooth, catchy piece that expertly blends a funky rhythm with a rich horn section and excellent vocals. The infectious melody and creative arrangement make it a standout in the band's catalog. It's a track that embodies the essence of late '70s soul and funk while still feeling fresh and timeless. 'Shine On' delivers a late-night disco groove, heavily influenced by the genre's rise during the era. Its funky bassline and smooth rhythm provide a perfect soundtrack for dancefloors and intimate settings alike. The track oozes with soulful energy, showcasing the band's ability to seamlessly merge funk and disco influences into a cohesive sound. Father's Children, formed in Washington, D.C., originally as a doo-wop group, evolved into a funk and soul powerhouse by the late 70s. It is certainly bittersweet to hold this piece of music in your hand - and especially without having to take out a second mortgage.

Review: San Franciscan soul crooner and multi-instrumentalist Kelly Finnegan shares the 7" vinyl edition of his 2023 single 'Leave You Alone', following on from its original cassette and digital release. A lo-fi testament to unrequited love, moving on and giving in, regaling a love story from the femme perspective and recalling the soulful themes of singer Bettye Swann. This time, the record also comes backed by a B-sider, 'Thom's Hartbreak', is a sonic thank you letter to Thom Bell & William Hart, two names synonymous with the 60s-70s Philly Sound.

Review: Flammer Dance Band returns with 'Gynger', a high-energy, groove-infused album that showcases their vibrant fusion of funk, Afrobeat and psychedelic sounds. After a whirlwind year of touring, including a stint backing Ghanaian legend Funky Rob, the seven-piece group hit the studio with fresh inspiration and contagious spontaneity. Over five intense days, they recorded Gynger, an album brimming with dynamic, raw energy. Highlights include,'Bandet Gar', which is a horn-heavy funk powerhouse, bursting with infectious rhythms. 'Ekko Av Deg Selv' takes a more experimental route, with its distinctive keyboard work lending the track a unique and eclectic vibe. 'Glad' delivers a laid-back, Balearic flavour, with breezy guitar riffs and a relaxed island groove, offering a refreshing, chilled-out contrast. Meanwhile, the title track, 'Gynger', dives into trippy, psychedelic territory, swirling with hypnotic rhythms and spaced-out vibes that pull listeners deep into the groove. This release sees a band at the peak of their creativity, blending tight musicianship with a free-flowing, jam-like spirit. Flammer Dance Band's is clearly a leader in funk and Afrobeat, offering this fresh take on classic grooves with modern twists.

Review: Calling all locked-groove stickerers, needle twisters, and/or tonearm weight worriers, prepare your ears and needles for a wonderful trove of breakbeat bullion, ripe for the looping and the zealous hunching over. This modern rare groove emulation by Florence, 'Funky Song', lays down a phantasmically funky original breakbeat, fleshed out and swollen unto the most maximal of proportions. Then, don't forget, there's 'Let's Dance', which reworks Jimmy Bo Horne's 'Dance Across The Floor' for a rare and never-edited-before take on the perseverant, provocative hip roller of a track.

Review: The eighth release on the limited edition Florcene Funk sublabel brings two formerly unreleased cuts to our ears. On the A comes 'Tryin' Everything', a lyrical homage to keeping one's options open and not losing one's spirit - "tryin' everything, gotta check it out!" - whilst the B urges the collective listener to climb off its high horse, with 'Get Off An Jam' - through which we are implored, by way of a South Side Coalition sample, to "hey, get down, get off your seats and jam."

Review: Before making it big with Maze, Frankie Beverly was the man behind Raw Soul, a heavyweight, politically conscious band whose fuzzy, full-throttle sound sat somewhere between the J.B's and Sly & The Family Stone. The band's most famous moment was 1975 single 'Color Blind', which was originally recorded as 'What's The Color?' Here that never-before-heard recording is finally issued. Rich in fuzz-soaked horns, crunchy drum-breaks, weighty bass and clipped funk guitar licks, the track features some superb, James Brown style lead vocals from Beverly. Brilliantly, there's also a chance to savour the unheard Raw Soul instrumental version, which features an extended, DJ-friendly drum solo midway through. A slice of history that's well worth picking up. As played by DJ Koco....

Review: After their hair-dropping debut LP Latin Freaks, Funkool Orchestra keep the stovetop hot with a high-energy 7" vinyl, bridging the delta between their first and second albums. A Maledetta Discoteca production, 'Tengo Che Ffa' blends Mediterranean funk, disco, and Neapolitan groove into an allusive proto-P-funk prance, especially if, at least, the B-side's title is to be believed. The latter alternately named 'Dance With Pezz', we hear them pick up the pace with a clav-spiced, conga-crammed number. Take it from us: the record is a clavi-net good.

Review: With names like Funtown and 'Pleasure', you already know how it's gonna go down. The Japanese imprint here offer two new ones to follow up their prior releases such as 'Better 2 Know U'; on the A-side comes 'Pleasure', on which we're assured that one kiss from this mystery vocalist is all it'll take to get us excited; and then, on the B-side, comes a sudden lo-fi future funk interjection, in what might be one of the sickest examples of the form that we've heard in a while. Not one to miss.

Review: The vibrant Cuban music scene of the 1970s thrived with creativity, and FA-5's self-titled 1976 album perfectly captures that energy. Part of Mr Bongo's Cuban Classics series, the record blends Latin rock, funk, soul, disco, and Afro-Cuban rhythms into an eclectic and captivating sound. The funk-heavy opener, 'Muevete Con Las Fuerzas Del Corazon' features an infectious bassline, lively horns and drum breaks, setting the tone for a genre-hopping journey. With standout tracks like the Latin disco-funk 'Casa De Ladrillo' and a cover of Commodores' 'Brick House' this hidden gem, which was produced by Tony TaNo, is a must-have for both fans and collectors.

Review: Craft Recordings get back on their curatorially expert business with this serious new reissue from Fania All Stars, the long out-of-print Latin-Soul-Rock. This eight-track gem from the 70s salsa ultragroup (literally; FAS consisted of over 25 members at the height of its fame), released via their own label in 1974, documents the moment at which over 40,000 salsa punters visited New York's Yankee Stadium to catch a glimpse of their talents, alongside a myriad of other Latin greats. Fania All Stars threw a curveball, however, by not only playing pure salsa but blending it with styles like funk and soul, thus sticking out from the crowd and adding a spicier punch. We welcome this record, out via Craft Latino, with alacrity, as it celebrates the 50th anniversary of this 'wow' moment, which deserves to be documented even if solely for its powers of FAS' fusional imagination.

Review: Celebrated around the world for their contribution to the world of funk and disco, it all began for the Fat Back Band with the debut album Let's Do It Again which now gets reissued on South Bound. It has been out of print for many years and the reissue comes with the full cooperation of Fatback founder Bill Curtis. The album was recorded in 1972 at Blue Rock Studio in New York and includes originals like 'Street Dance' which became a Billboard R&B hit in 1973 plus 'Free Form', 'Take A Ride (On The Soul Train)' , 'Give Me One More Chance', 'Goin' To See My Baby' and the title track. It also comes with cover versions of some classics like Jimmy Webb's 'Wichita Lineman', 'Green Green Grass Of Home' and David Gates's 'Baby I'm A Want You'.

Review: Kelly Finnigan's A Lover Was Born channels the raw energy and emotion of classic Midwest soul, evoking the spirit of labels like King and Curtom with a contemporary twist. The Monophonics frontman offers a collection of tracks that blend gritty passion with heartfelt elegance, transforming deep emotions into something virtuous and timeless. Following his 2019 solo debut The Tales People Tell, Finnigan's new album marks the culmination of years of creative growth, punctuated by a string of projects, including Monophonics releases and collaborative work with other artists. Recorded across California, Ohio, and Staten Island, A Lover Was Born sees Finnigan partnering with longtime friends and collaborators like Max and Joe Ramey, Jimmy James, and Sergio Rios, to craft its rich sound. The album is a variety of influences, with tracks like 'Get a Hold of Yourself' and 'Chosen Few' featuring Northern Soul's stomping energy, while slower, soulful cuts like 'Let Me Count the Reasons' and 'Count Me Out' showcase Finnigan's tender side. His voice, echoing the rawness of Otis Redding and David Ruffin, brings depth to every song, seamlessly blending soul's past with a fresh, modern sensibility.

Review: Eddie Fisher's The Promise is a rare and under-the-radar 1985 session from the East St. Louis guitarist, best known for The Next One Hundred Years and The Third Cup. Though never a mainstream star, Fisher's legacy has grown through the years, thanks to DJs and crate diggers who uncovered his unique blend of boogie, jazz and funk. Released on his own Nentu label, The Promise remains one of the most elusive records in his catalogue, a boogie jazz funk essential that has been long out of print.

Review: Frank Popp Ensemble returns via its fourth studio album, recorded and produced in Spain throughout 2024. Known for their sleek combos of flared orchestration with retro soul motifs, Popp once again brings in a wide array of guest vocalists: Gerard Love, formerly of Teenage Fanclub, on the strings-laced rework of his own deep cut 'Save' from 2004; then Nicke Andersson (The Hellacopters, Entombed, Imperial State Electric) on 'Caught In A Web', a high-energy Northern soul workout reproduced in full Magic Touch style. An impeccably done cinematic indie soul rouser, wrestling the nubby essence of a sound to the ground.

Review: After their debut collab on this label back in 2020, Afro-Cosmic pioneer Daniele Baldelli and sometime FPI Project member Marco Fratty are back once again with a new album, Graffito that taps into all their many years of experience at the forefront of this sound as producers and influential DJs. It's a record packed with cosmic arps and dazzling synth lines that reach for the stars over heavy, churning drums that lock you in. The track titles give more than subtle hints as to the vibes of these pieces, all of which are utterly timeless and could be long-lost 70s classics or future gems.