Back catalogue: Funk

Review: Maledetta Discoteca closes out its year with this special blue vinyl featuring a mix of brilliant Italo disco artists. They all hail from Italy and Argentina and are editing originals that span disco, electro, proto-house and more. Hararis' 'Si No Pagan' is the first under the scalpel and is a funky cut with raw drums. Lance's 'Yo Quiero A Lucy' is a more slowed down and seductive sound with 80s synths, Marta Paradise's 'Calling' (edit) is a direct and sugar synth laced house stomper and Alan Strani's 'Tension Salsable' brings things to a closer with a nice stomping disco grove with mysterious synths and lush percussion.

Review: 'Beat Me Till I'm Blue' is a wonderfully funky classic by The Mohawks presented under the M Hawk alias, the Hawk in question being none other than KPM Music Library overlord Alan Hawkshaw, who wrote the themes from everything from Grange Hill to Countdown. It was a real cornerstone of the late-1960s library and soul-infused grooves of the sort that diggers still fawn over today, and sample fiends still search out. The track delivers Hawkshaw's distinctively driving Hammond organ riffs, tight drum breaks and irresistible rhythms, all of which have made it a favourite among DJs for decades. Two versions are served up here, one with the iconic horns and one with them stripped away, and both offer plenty of energy. .

Review: Tracey Hamlin's voice brings a richness and vitality to this collaboration with MasterFonk, riding atop an arrangement that radiates warmth and precision. Layers of rhythmic guitar, bold brass flourishes, and a commanding bassline work together to create a dynamic yet effortless groove. The instrumental cut offers a different perspective, stripping away vocals to highlight the interplay between melody and rhythm. It's a track that bridges the past and present of funk and disco, showcasing both genres' enduring power to move bodies and lift spirits.

Review: The University Of California Santa Cruz Chamber Singers is a group from the 70s headed up by Bob Masters that released two cult albums A Birthday Celebration and Voices. Their lush, lavish, soul-enriching sound is a harmonious balm that here on the newly reissued 'Children Of Bahia' gets paired with some Latin-tinged jazz sounds, shuffling samba rhythms, busy Rhodes keys work and plenty of organic percussive layers thanks to Randy Masters and Solar Plexus. 'Torremolinos (Windmills)' is an equally spiritual sound with more prominent flutes and dancing piano chords all energising every fibre of your being.

Review: This EP has proved hugely popular over the years and always sells out whenever it gets reissued. This will likely be the case again here with this newly remastered version via Tri Fire. It is a cult boogie and disco blend from Robbie M and The Midnight Express show band that originally hails from Rock Island in Illinois. It includes the hip-swinging and funky 'Danger Zone' (remix) plus a more paired back instrumental version and the original which is chunky, funky, and full of playful horns. All three versions do plenty of good things to dancefloors. Don't sleep!

Review: Willie Mitchell's 'Groovin'' has largely gone down in time as a hip-hop sample source par excellence, but that doesn't detract from its inherent original swagger. Now re-released via Octave Lab, we're once again reminded of the American bandleader's easy wrist-flicking grooves and organ pumps, with the star tune here representing a simple framing of funk and soul at its most essential, without fluff or pomp. Also on the B comes a version from Cut Creator$, whose reputation for mixing hip-hop sampling sources precedes them.

Review: 'I'll Take You There' by Leon Mitchison, featuring mixes from Kenny Dope, is a standout release from Kay-Dee Records, in a rare label head-to-head with Now-Again Records. This special edition tosses us an unreleased remix from Kenny Dope, infusing his signature funk-in-the-trunk style into an authentic and primally mixed track, working directly from Mitchison's original 8-track tapes. Acclimatising the first's deeper grooves to Dope's dope, breaks-heavy production, the artist is truly deft at upcycling vintage sonic garms.

Review: French funk lovers Acts of Sedition roll out another tasty double 7" here that features some massive joints from around the world. First up is the Latin heat of Rare Cuts's 'Amigo Bracno' with its big, bright leads, string lushness and percolating, percussive groove goodness all finished with a great Portuguese vocal. Monsieur Van Pratt Le Groove's 'El Rap Clap O' (Regroove) hits a little harder but with similar funk playfulness and some great chord work and Bully Boy then offers the raw and strident funk of 'Fear'n'Loathing In Funk Vegas.' Ben Jamin slows it right down with the sun-kissed late night bliss of 'Old Time Feeling.'

Review: Norio Maeda's Rock Communication Yagibushi, originally released in Japan in 1970, now comes reissued on Wewantsounds. Rock Communication Yagibushi has since become a Japanese jazz-funk cornerstone, owing to its incredible, complex mutative movement of 14 traditional Japanese folk songs into jaw-dropping jazz-funk versions. Maeda's killer arrangements fit perfectly somewhere on the stylistic intersection of David Axelrod and Lalo Schifrin; the album likewise is increasingly experimental as it progresses, with the big band bombast of the likes of 'Saran Bushi' mixing seamlessly yet also contrastingly with the vibraphonic improv shakedown 'Edo Nihonbashi', our highlight.

Review: "Of all the many noble attempts of the prog rockers to create a grand compositional style which blended elements from classical music with rock, none, in my view, ever reached the intensity, complexity and raw savage excitement of the great Magma masterworks." When you make music that feels like the love child of a rock & roll musical, gospel choir, Frank Zappa and Ziggy Stardust, why should anyone expect you to be even remotely humble when describing your own back catalogue. Magma's 1974 epic is nothing short of batshit crazy in the true sense - bordering, perhaps sprinting well beyond, the point of genius and capable of rendering any room speechless. A stunning example of how wild, exploratory and experimental the music industry was once so proud to be.

Review: The debut release from Hebrew Israelite vocalist, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Margeeah Aharon was recorded in July 1983 with the Kingdom Sounds community band in Tel Aviv. This deeply introspective blend of jazz, soul, funk and reggae is guided by Margeeah Aharon's soothing yet resolute voice, imbued with a meditative graceidrifting between the searching melodies of 'Bring The People Home' and the deep-rooted spirituality of 'Rise Black Spirit', while 'Music Is My Love' glows with warmth and devotion. The reflective 'Daughters Of Zion' and the title track capture Aharon's gift for meditative storytelling, where faith and longing intertwine. Decades later, the album's messages of love and self-discovery are as vital as ever.

Review: 1997's Slow Traffic to the Right found Bennie Maupin navigating between cerebral jazz and deep funk with style and ease. Though generally known for his abstract leanings and serious musical demeanour, here he showed a lighter side - not least because he is actually smiling on the album cover - while diving into grooves shaped by his time with Herbie Hancock's Headhunters. With help from rhythm masters like Mike Clark and Paul Jackson, Maupin swaps out ECM austerity for signature Oakland bounce, so tracks like 'It Remains to Be Seen' and 'You Know the Deal' excel with newfound swagger without abandoning his jazz roots. It's a compelling pivot into accessible, funky and smart jazz soul.

Review: A major departure from Les McCann’s earlier acoustic jazz and soul jazz outings, this exquisite 11-track record by the Kentucky pianist, vocalist and composer was the first in his discography to extensively feature electronic instrumentation, making it a favourite sample seep of producers such as Madlib and J Dilla. Following a studio-driven will by McCann to expound a deep, introspective and dynamic fusion sound, the record’s cosmic outcries - guaranteed by its use of ARP Odyssey and Fender systems - serve to transcend the expectations of the soul jazz genre. At times it sounds predictive of motorik kosmische, as on ‘Let’s Gather’, and even the raunchier wah-inflectors, such as ‘The Dunbar High School Marching Band’, carry an huge re-verbiage, reminiscent of the ambitious abysses of space.

Review: Charif Megarbane, the Beirut-based multi-instrumentalist and composer, stretches his sonic vocabulary on this sprawling new full-length, a genre-hopping journey that draws as much from the Lebanese coast as it does from the wider diaspora. Where his earlier work painted intimate portraits of local life, this one looks outwarditoward cultural entanglement, exile, and exchange. 'Hanadi' kicks things off with a sax-led, Somali-inspired groove, while 'Dreams of an Insomniac' drifts through hazy keys and fluttering violin. 'Al Dollarji' recalls his signature Mediterranean funk, full of ornate strings, but 'Al Bahriye' disrupts the flow with hip-hop motifs and vocal samples. Collaborations feel purposeful: 'Helia', with Swedish composer Sven Wunder and the Stockholm Studio Orchestra, layers lush cinematic strings into Megarbane's idiosyncratic palette. Even miniature pieces like 'Sfiha' or 'Preamble to the Conclusion' feel essential, punctuating the record's narrative of displacement with clarity and warmth. It's a collection that resists linearity, folding nostalgia and innovation into a rich, borderless soundian informal transmission between traditions, cities and moods.

Review: Produced by renowned Chicago producer Clarence Johnson, the Michigan Avenue album is getting its first-ever vinyl reissue. This sought-after release includes standout tracks like 'Special Kind Of Love,' known for its upbeat melody, and smooth soul classics such as 'Don't Take Me For The Ride' and 'All That Matters,' perfect for sampling. The album also features the soulful 'Can't Get Enough' and revered covers like the Flamingos' 'I Only Have Eyes For You' and Baby Washington's 'That's Heartaches Are Made.' Additionally, two new songs have been added to the original tracklist to make this reissue extra special and unique.

Review: The second release from Want Some Records features the first album by The Mighty Cavaliers from Kenya. Though not released in its original sequence, this album is a stunning showcase of Kenyan funk-inspired music. Each band member contributed to the songwriting process during the making of the album which means it has resulted in a diverse and unique collection of tracks where each has its own distinct character. Originally released in 1976 and 1978 as Fisherman, this masterpiece is now being reissued for the third time in a very limited edition of 500 copies with a fresh cover design. It's an enduring favourite so don't sleep on this latest chance to cop it.

Review: German funk heroes The Mighty Mocambos continue to prove that their funk is an ever-evolving force, navigating between the worlds of gritty, organic soul and cinematic experimentation with unapologetic energy. Their latest offering marks another step forward, refining the groove-laden formula that's earned them global acclaim while pushing into new territory. The opening track hits hard with orchestral flair on 'Road to Earth,' where the legendary Peter Thomas's arrangements lay the foundation for a full-on sonic odyssey. As they move through the album, tracks like 'It's the Music' and 'Hot Stuff' groove like a classic, with Afrika Bambaataa's presence lifting the energy and ensuring a tight vibe. But it's not all about party anthems. 'Not Get Caught' from DeRobert tells a story that's as gritty as it is soulful, capturing a narrative of crime with a raw, undeniable swagger. Even more dynamic is the standout 'Catfight,' which melds mysterious Eastern flavours with a tripped-out break, displaying a versatility that refuses to be boxed in. This is an album of triumphs, not just in the power of individual tracks but in the overall cohesion of sound and spirit, and by taking a step further into uncharted waters while keeping their infectious funk roots firmly grounded, The Mighty Mocambos challenge expectations and push boundaries. A showcase of a band in full flight, steadily rising.

Review: The turn of 1980 saw limited quantities of Salty Miller's lone album, a hidden gem of the beach music scene of the Carolinas, after which the properly named Beach Music Records names itself (they monopolised the scene early on). Miller's album blends soul, disco, and mid-tempo steppers, perfect accompaniments for the shag, beach music's signature dance. Though an 80s classic in its own right, Album 1 was made after Miller took extended time away from releasing: his masterwork heard a noble North Carolinian cast, including members of fellow The Embers, then join him on backing duties. Oceanic soundscapes and emotive string arrangements contrast with a local joviality; 'One More Time', 'Music Makes Me High', and 'The Fox' are standouts, though the peak sensation 'Happy Is The Word' has to be our highlight, bringing boardwalk-strutter soul and pitchy electric organs to a well chorused mix.

Review: The Modulations released their album It's Rough Out Here in 1975, not only impressing both industry and laity with the singles 'Rough Out Here and 'I Can't Fight Your Love', but also spurring the considerable career of a funk quartet whose merit outdoes their reputation alone. The Modulations recorded extensively with MFSB, the house band of the famed record label Philadelphia International; these sessions yielded this album, one considered a gem of 1970s soul music. Exemplary of the long, wistful titles of the Philly funk era and beyond, the titular roughness of the record is also nonetheless embedded in a sea of audible Romance; the Modulations' hard knocks don't exclude the necessity of letting emotion in, with 'Head On Collision With Heartbreak' being an indelible example of this sense of being swept up in one's own emotions in the face of heartbreak, away from the perseverance aesthetics of "gritty" realism one might expect from a title like this.

Review: Sol - the new album from Paris-based Venezuelan music artists Raul Monsalve y Los Forajidos - hears the band merge Venezuelan rhythms, jazz, Afrobeat, psychedelic funk, and experimental electronics into an utter boundary-piercing hyper-stimulater. For fans of George Clinton, Herbie Hancock, and Nyege Nyege Tapes, the album plants some roots and uproots others, with next-gen collab explorers Emanative, Kiala Nzavotunga, and Gustavo Ovalles using the passed-down torch to both burn old bridges and light the way over new ones. Drawing on old Venezuelan ecclesiastical traditions such as the Saint John the Baptist festival, the album opens with 'Fuego al campanero', blending Venezuelan chants with futuristic sounds, and burns into 'Como el Sol' and 'Machete no hace piquito', devling into themes of strength and perseverance.

Review: Dora Morelenbaum is a fast-rising star in Brazil's new music wave and a member of the Latin Grammy-winning band Bala Desejo and Pique is her stunning new debut solo album. It comes after the early success of her first EP, 'Vento de Beirada', and sees Dora soar to new heights as a bold and elegant artist. The album blends aspects of funk, MPB, disco, soul, and jazz with an indie pop flair and has been co-produced by Ana Frango Eletrico. The tracks feature plenty of classy and sophisticated arrangements as well as a number of groovy basslines and intricate production flourishes. Across them all, Pique bridges Brazil's musical past and present and also calls upon contributions from fellow musicians and family members to help make it a standout in the contemporary Brazilian music landscape.

Review: Mork is a duo that hails from Budapest and works in a world where jazz and soul collide into something fresh. They make their usual sounds with an unusual mix of tools and have delivered them in climbing halls, tea rooms, living rooms and kindergartens, all to great acclaim and with support from the likes of BBC 6 Music and Jazz Fm. Still Dreamin is their new album and is a nice track dive into lush synth work, gentle broken beats, r&b vocal hooks and a great bend of old school nostalgia and fresh, future ideas.

Review: Acid Jazz's announcement of the 30th anniversary 2LP remastered edition of Mother Earth's The People Tree is a momentous occasion for fans of acid jazz and soul music alike. Originally released in 1994, this album holds a significant place in the genre's history, blending elements of soul, funk, and folk-tinged rock from the 70s with a modern twist. The special edition reissue boasts the original album, along with three previously unreleased tracks and six making their vinyl debut. Remastered from the original analogue recordings, this release promises to breathe new life into the beloved classic. Featuring guest appearances from iconic artists like Paul Weller, Dee C Lee and Simon Bartholomew of Brand New Heavies, The People Tree is a testament to the collaborative spirit of the acid jazz scene. Notable bonus tracks include the previously unreleased alternative version of 'Apple Green,' an alternate take on 'Illusions,' and the title track itself. First-time vinyl cuts offer fresh perspectives on tracks like 'Jesse' and 'Slide Sweet Baby,' adding depth to the listening experience. The album's presentation is equally impressive, with a beautiful 'wide-spine' layout, printed inner sleeves, and insightful notes from label-founder Eddie Piller, accompanied by unseen photos from the original cover shoot. Overall, this anniversary edition of The People Tree is a album worth your time as it often selected for one of the best examples in the genre.

Review: Muchamucham's Qantikala is a delightful surprise from this innovative Japanese band, offering a blend of funk, ambient, and dub with a distinctive island flavor. Released by Special 10 Japan, this album stands out for its unique fusion of Hawaiian and Japanese influences, creating an original and tradition-steeped sound. Highlights include 'Pulau,' which features a breezy island vibe, and 'Bing Long Moon,' where funk and ambient elements intertwine with nature sounds for a relaxing experience. 'Onsen Moku Moku' is an enchanting island love song, while 'Yunta Asadoya' delivers a light rock groove that adds to the album's diverse appeal. Qantikala is a refreshing instrumental collection that transports listeners to a serene and eclectic sonic landscape. This is such a refreshing sound!

Review: The long-lost disco-soul-funk album You Can Be by the Music Makers Band is finally seeing the light of day on vinyl once more with new mixes from original multi-track tapes by Kenny Dope. Forgotten in a linen closet in Macon, Georgia since 1979, this reel-to-reel treasure contains recordings from the group that previously released 'Black Gold' as The Mighty Chevelles in 1977. By 1979, now known as Music Makers Band, they captured this disco-funk gem at Capricorn Studios and here each track shines anew thanks to the fine work of funk lover Kenny Dope's work.

Review: A lesser-known but electrifyingly slick city pop record (her fourth) by Junko Ohashi. 1979's Full House hears the Japanese singer's graceful but powerful contralto in full collaborative force, paired against the historic instrumental talents of her backing band, Minoya Central Station. Perhaps second only to Ohashi's timeless New York paean, Magical, Full House is yet another discographic dazzler that most likely contributed to the revival of the city pop genre after its retroactive but no less ironic recognition in the popular music sphere by the vaporwave subgenre, future funk. The mood throughout Full House is vital and joyful, suggesting something close to complete emotional fulfilment and idealistic glee on the singer's part - all part of the city pop's objective - its grand plan - to portray metropolitan life as an ultimate ideal.