Back catalogue: Funk

Review: Craig Charles, renowned for his soulful groove, presents The Craig Charles Trunk Of Funk Volume 3, a collection of 19 tracks that epitomize his passion for soul, blues, disco, and funk. This compilation, curated with long-time collaborator Greg Boraman, showcases Charles' lifelong dedication to soul music. With a career spanning poetry, acting, and television hosting, Charles' love for soul and funk has remained constant. His BBC 6 Music shows and global DJ sets have solidified his reputation as a premier ambassador for these genres. Volume 3 is a blend of club classics, contemporary hits, and timeless soul tunes. The collection, available in double LP gatefold sleeve and CD, is a testament to Charles' ability to seamlessly blend old-school classics with modern beats, creating a dynamic and infectious musical experience. Whether you're a long-time listener or a newcomer to his trunk of funk, this album will make you a fan.

Review: 'Strata Records: The Sound Of Detroit Volume 1' is a careful yet exquisite collection of soul, funk and jazz classics from Detroit's rich musical history, throwing back to a time before techno took the Motor City by storm. DJ Amir has curated a diverse selection of songs from the Strata Records catalog, showcasing the label's extensive roster of artists (the likes of Kenny Cox, The Soulmates, and Charles Mingus), and in some cases restoring tracks whose recordings have suffered a loss of quality over the years, for an ultimately soul-bearing listen.

Review: Bristolian turntablist and crate digger Andy Smith has long been renowned for the depth of his funk, soul and hip-hop selections, though it's only in recent years that we've discovered the quality and diversity of his disco collection. He continues to flex those credentials on the third instalment in his Reach Up - Disco Wonderland series. While there's plenty of obscurity on show, as you'd expect, Smith has chosen to include contemporary nu-disco cuts and fresh re-edits alongside vintage picks. So, while we cuts from The Sunshine Band, the disco-highlife of Orlando Julius and some late 70s electro-disco courtesy of French outfit Quartz, we're also treated to fresher tracks and edits from BB Soul, Birdee and Nick Reach Up, Yam Who and Full Intention. Throw in a killer DJ mix of the same material by Skratch Bastid and you have a genuinely essential collection.

Review: Andy Smith's Reach Up - Disco Wonderland Vol. 3 continues his exploration of the "Discosphere" with 16 more and one again carefully curated tracks. Featuring artists like Buscrates, Trailer Limon, and Rena Scott, the compilation also includes stellar edits and remixes by Full Intention, Yam Who, and Skratch Bastid. Initially curated during pandemic lockdowns and inspired by virtual DJ sets, Andy continues to share his superb collection via the legendary BBE Music label and once again this triple vinyl LP offers a treat for DJs, collectors and audiophiles alike.

Review: The concept behind this new collection on BBE is a simple but effective one: sommelier Frederic Beneix has picked out a selection of wines, and beat maker DJ Cam has dug deep to serve up some rare but fitting musical accompaniments that were produced in the same year. Wine4Melomanes, therefore, is a unique collection of sounds from all over Europe that connects the complexity and sensuality of a tipple with the rhythm and melody of a song. Most are lush and sophisticated jazz cuts that sound good whether you're drinking or not. Delicious.

Review: Japan's revered DJ Muro has put together his first ever compilation for BBE. Diggers Dozen is a real gem with 12 tracks of Japanese jazz-funk and Latin-jazz goodness that fuse traditional instrumental with traditional melodies. These tunes were originally made for the 70s for Nippon Columbia by legendary composers of the time such as Kiyoshi Yamaya, Tadaaki Misago & Tokyo Cuban Boys, Kifu Mitsuhashi, Toshiyuki Miyama and more. Finding these cuts on their original pressings is rare and expensive so don't sleep on this real collector's essential.

Review: The Grasso is greener in Bologna: home to two of the most well-connected collectors in Italy. Suppliers to the likes of Kenny Dope, Phil Asher and Dimitri, Gino and Federico have carved their crate craft to insane levels over the last 30+ years... As shown on this detailed, widescreen boogie, funk and disco collection for BBC. Splattering the vibrant collection with a handful of their own edits (TB Funk's salubrious struts on "Free Blow", fly-by boogie falsettos on Living Color's "Plastic People"), the Grasso bro's have put together a package that's eye-opening, enlightening and damn fine to party to. See you on the other side.