Back catalogue: Funk

Review: This second instalment in the Spring Revisited seriesia collaboration between Acid Jazz and Ace Recordsioffers two expertly handled edits from across the Atlantic rooted in the fertile legacy of 70s New York soul. London's modern disco institution Dave Lee reinvents The Joneses' 'Love Contest' with his trademark finesse, giving the track a full-bodied groove-up without losing its bittersweet heart. The strings soar, the rhythm section locks tight, and Lee's decades-deep knowledge of disco and boogie shines through in every detail. On the flip, New York-based Coleen 'Cosmo' Murphy brings lush new life to Street People's 'I Wanna Get Over'. With sun-drenched keys, crisp hand percussion and subtle delays, she transforms heartache into late-night liberation. Both sides feel like love letters from DJ to danceflooriclassic soul refracted through contemporary ears, pressed on wax that looks and feels like it just time-travelled from 1979.

Review: Two popular tracks from the highly rated and MURO-curated compilation Diggin Victor: Deep Into The Vaults Of Japanese Fusion / AOR are now made available for the first time on their own standout 7". Originally released as a limited item at an anniversary event, these rare gems are magically escapist sounds that blend library music, jazz, soul and Balearic mindsets into a pair of tropical heaters. The Kumi Sasak A-side is a real melodic noodler with meandering bass and a whimsical, carefree spirit as it heads nowhere in particular in hypnotic fashion. Side-B has 'Kimono' by Tetsuo Sakurai, which is a more rhythmic sound with funky bass riffs and 80s broken beats and a lush vocal.

Review: REPRESS ALERT!: Edit master Scruscru rarely misses no matter what sounds he decides to put under his scalpel. For this one on his own superb Scruniversal label he turns his attention to the lush sound world of City Pop over in Japan. On one vital 12" the maestro cooks up six varied but equally vital sizzlers starting with the funky sounds and big brass of 'One For Xsuxsu' then taking in the blissed out disco and house beats of 'Kyoto Sunshine', jazzy keys of 'Horomi & Rikishi', funky bass twangs of 'Secret Dream' and jazz lunge excellence of 'Nippon Bossa' before 'Scrutinised Tune' closes out with brown beats and sunny chords. Scruperb stuff.

Review: A limited red vinyl edition of Sofian producer Skill's skilful 'Tribute To The Godfather', a simple yet effective 7" breaks edit outlining just how much tension and suspense can be fleshed out of a James Brown drum sample. Mr. James Brown, undoubtedly the linchpin of funk, is said to have been so tyrannically dictatorial during recordings that he would fire session drummers in a flash if they were slightly behind. Only a man with gangsta-level gusto could have squeezed this breakbeat out of a young Clyde Stubblefield, signalled by a decided "hit it now" from our sequin-flared compere.

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: A nice mix of funk, hip-hop and reggae influences go into the melting pot on the latest SuckaSide, with 'Even After All' proving to be a laid back, blunted jam that's backed up with some hard hitting, sturdy beat manouevres. On the edgier sounding flip, meanwhile, a female MC spits with impressive ferocity while a lovely warm - and somewhat familiar - analogue-edge loop works its magic. Both are key components for use at different points in the jam, some badly needed heavy weaponry that Donald Trump can't withdraw from service here.

Review: The third full-length from London nine-piece Soul Grenades distils over a decade of performance into slick, high-impact modern funk. Their sound - sharp brass, syncopated rhythm, deep-pocket bass - owes as much to the horn-driven grooves of the Meters as to the tightly orchestrated grit of early 2000s revivalists. But it's the band's songwriting, honed through years of gigging, that carries the weight here. 'Dopamine' is an instant opener, kinetic and bright, while 'Jealousy' draws from vintage soul drama with horn stabs and raw vocal flair. On 'Star Gazin'' and 'Be Mine', they shift into a softer register without losing rhythmic tension. 'Death At The Disco' ups the stakes, laced with cinematic flair, and 'Suga Mama' punches through with high-speed strut. Elsewhere, the slow-burn closer 'A Better Day' leans into gospel-funk catharsis, building tension in restrained waves. Everything is dialled in - arrangements tight, solos concise, vocal harmonies blended without fuss. While earlier records mapped out the group's energy on stage, this one moves with the confidence of a studio band in full control. As far as raw pleasure goes, they've hit the brief.