Back catalogue: Funk

Review: DJ Notoya returns with another expertly curated selection of Japanese gems, this time delving into the funky, soulful, and city pop sounds of King Records. Spanning the years 1974 to 1988, this compilation is a treasure trove of forgotten classics and hidden gems, a sonic time capsule that transports listeners back to the neon-lit streets and vibrant nightlife of 1980s Japan. Buzz's 'Garasumado' kicks things off with an infectious groove and funky guitar riffs that could rival any Western funk classic. Mami Ayukawa's 'Sabita Gambler' adds a touch of soulful sophistication, her smooth vocals gliding over lush instrumentation. Keiko Toda's 'Fade In' is a city pop gem, its dreamy melodies and catchy hooks evoking a sense of carefree optimism and urban cool. Elsewhere, Johnny Yoshinaga's soulful ballad 'The Rain' provides a moment of introspection, while Kumiko Sawada's disco-infused 'Your Love's Away' will get you moving and grooving. The compilation closes with the feelgood sounds of Masatoshi Kanno's 'Day By Day', a perfect encapsulation of the city pop aesthetic.

Review: In full gatefold LP form comes the latest Brazilian boogie compilation by Horse Meat Disco, selected selectors of the best rarities in the disco genre. Curated mostly by founding member Luke Howard and with added consultations from crewmates James Hillard, Severino Panzetta and Jim Stanton, a lifetime of frolicking among samba troupes, carnival processions and yearly Rio visitations went into the choices you hear here, consummating one man's intuitive taste for a sound whose appeal stretches far wider than its nation of origin. Mr Bongo invited Howard to their Brighton HQ for an extended on-site selection, proving its off-the-cuff expertise: early electronica experiments from Ze Carlos blend voluminously with Jorge Ben pennings and mouth-watering Luiza Maura 7" cullings, proving a hand-picking that is at once eclectic and unifying.

Review: Bilbao's Soul4Real Records' subsidiary label celebrates its first compilation after delivering 14 singles in three years. The album kicks off with the rare 12" mix of Samuel Jonathan Johnson's wonderful 'You' and includes previously unreleased gems from Glenn Jones, Earth, Wind & Fire and Gladys Knight & The Pips. Highlights include Glenn's 'Share My Love' and Gladys's timeless 'How Deep Is Your Love' as well as EWF's 'Club Foot,' all of which were omitted from their original albums. Side two features Phyllis Hyman's 'Forever With You' and downtempo classics like Tyrone Davis's 'Never Stopped Loving You' and The Dells' 'Somebody's Gotta Move' round out an exceptional compilation.

Review: Asiko Tito is one of many lost gems of Nigerian music. It has been curated by Lagos' legendary Jazzhole and feature music first recorded in the late 90s. The 10-track compilation captures Afrobeat, Yoruba-funk, Afro-funk, highlife and spiritual jazz gems that reflect Lagos' rich musical tapestry. Each track blends traditional rhythms with modern influences which are the hallmarks of the city's vital scene. Jazzhole is a label led by Olakunle Tejuoso and his son and has been a cultural institution for over 30 years thanks to its championing of African and Afro-diasporic sounds. This is another welcome reissue that reminds us of Nigeria's enduring creativity.

Review: The liberation of Mali from French rule in 1960 led to an explosive musical renaissance, and on this latest 2xLP compilation, Mr Bongo seek to remonstrate the nation's excellence in the face of much strife. After 1970, amid revived drives to document many national and regional music productions from the West African nation, Malian culture underwent a fertile transformation, with state-sponsored bands and orchestras able to record with sound engineers for the first time. Compiled by French writer and journalist Florent Mazzoleni and Mr Bongo's own David Buttle, we hear here the likes of Ousmane Kouyate & Ambassadeurs Internationaux, Rail Band, Les Messagers du Mali, Mystere Jazz de Tombouctou and many more, where bright, fuzz-packed tones whirl about our ears in serene squalls of balafon-driven funk, rumba, wassoulou, jeli and blues.

Review: Tiny but big-hearted German label Tramp Rec. share Praise Poems, their latest journey deep into the heart of funk music. A curators' comp like few others, Tramp's tracking-down and selection efforts are little-matched here, and their assurances are comparably thorough. For example: "this album needs time and patience to be fully understood. Be prepared to listen to this album in tranquillity. If you do not do so you will most likely rate this release one out of five stars." The mystification of a records by the issuer prescribing how one might listen to it is an old and well-known trick, but we think it may genuinely apply in this case: Gemstones' 'Cold Soul', Cookie Thomas' 'Black Velvet Soul' and Lee Stone's 'What Is Life' are all examples of soft-spoken rarities. All the tracks here, in fact, were recorded courteously and dynamically, and not bombastically; such was characteristic of the best Latin and North American blues, jazz and funk of the 70s.

Review: Heavyweight champions of the compilation world, Numero Group, defend their undisputed title once more with this collection of greats from San Antonio mogul Abe Epstein's Dynamic label. In its heyday, it became a hub for soulful music with its flagship band the Commands scoring a hit in 1966 with 'No Time For You.' Their success led to 20 more singles over 30 months and Epstein's inclusive studio welcomed a diverse racial mix of Texas talent which in turn created a melting pot of sound. This collection reflects that across 28 gems from groups like the Tonettes, Little Jr. Jesse & the Tear Drops and Bobby Blackmon & His Soul Express all exploring different soul niches.

Review: There have been many concurrent sounds of 60s and 70s New York, but the Latin soul subsidiary of said multipli-city saw and heard its heyday in the sweet-spot of 1964-78, where the Latin American favourite label Fania Records reigned supreme in its niche. Bannering the likes of Willie Colon, Hector Lavoe, Ruben Blades, Johnny Pacheco and Celia Cruz, Fania was born of a desire to promote salsa music and adjacent styles in New York, after Dominican musician and label boss Johnny Pacheco underwent financial woes and sought respite in memories of a quaint Cuban luncheonette of the same name. The heady mix of sonic pimento collides several of the best salsa bands in a New York otherwise dominated by soul and funk, amounting to a charred, lively stew.

Review: Loving On The Flip Side compiles overlooked ballads from the flip sides of funk 45s in the Now-Again and Truth and Soul vaults, all presented in the same format as the Soul Cal anthology. This collection showcases incredible music that pairs heavy funk with sweet soul to create a sound the label calls "sweet funk." The journey began nearly a decade ago with the discovery of the Darling Dears and Funky Heavy's unique two-sided single which sparked a search that led to their full inclusion in this anthology. The process unearthed other soulful gems and now culminates in an essential exploration of black American creativity and musical innovation.

Review: It's been a while since the last one but finally, the fourth volume of the Mighty Mellow collection is here. It is another delight from the editors of The Mood Mosaic series and this time out, they explore mushy funk and abstract jazz while featuring tracks from a diverse range of artists including Pete Jolly, Annette Peacock, Dusty Springfield and more. Across the four sides of vinyl are an eclectic mix of soulful grooves and experimental sounds that span genres and eras. It's largely laidback, gentle funk and jazz for those occasions when you want to kick back and get lost.

Review: Hot Casa has always been a proverbial hot pot of international sounds from across several rhythmic and cultural worlds. The New Year starts off on a strong footing for the French crew with a new album from Afro funk collective Vandou Game. It finds them reaching outside their usual Togolese confines to take inspiration from across the Atlantic. The record was made in the legendary OTODI studio with Peter Solo on hand to add his expertise to a bunch of feel-good, horn-laced workouts that are laden with percussion, have endlessly catchy rhythms and plenty of soulful, authentic vocal charms.