New releases last four weeks: Funk

Review: As you probably know if you're reading this, Jorun Bombay is one of the most consistently on for edit maestros in the game. Here he steps up with a new outing that sticks right at the heart of the dancefloor once more. 'Strictly Dann Stealy' is a clever mash-up of De La Soul's 'Eye Know (Know It All Remix)' featuring the original source vocals over a faithfully recreated instrumental. It channels the signature energy of early 90s hip-hop clubs with a fresh twist you've never heard before. On the flip, 'Whole Grain O's' offers a reimagined instrumental take on 'Oodles of O's' which is packed with reggae chants, added turntablism and signature 'Oh's'. It's a playful, party-ready version that balances just the right amount of nostalgia and brand new style.

Review: Two powerful soul sessions from Alice Clark's eponymous debut 1972 album. "Don't You Care" is a hard-hitting soul standard (that became very popular in acid jazz scene in the early 90s) where Alice opens her heart for all to see while her incredible band ebb and flow with Clark's emotions. "Never Did I Stop Loving You", meanwhile, languishes in sentiment at a slightly lower tempo that allows her to really dig deep for those low notes. The real fun happens as we reach momentum towards the end and every band member brings out their A-game and bounces off each other - backing up Alice every step of the way. You will care about this.

Review: Bowie is a new label that says it intends to "dig deep into the unreleased sides of pop superstars material from the past." The opening gambit is a strong one that should hook you in for more as it comes in the form of a 7" with two fine funk instrumentals, neither of which have been put out before. 'Golden Years' has lovely live drums and meandering guitar licks for some carefree listening, while 'Fame' has a deep cut groove that rises and falls in dramatic fashion with more neat and tidy riffs adding the detail next to the big licks.

Review: P-Vine Japan does great work once more here by bringing back into print some hugely sought-after sounds from the blues and r&b world. The first release in their new series revives Larry Davis' 1969 Kent Records single, which was originally written by Sherwood Fleming. The A-side, 'For 5 Long Years' delivers a gritty mid-tempo funk-blues groove while the B-side, 'I've Been Hurt So Many Times' (a classic subject for a blues tune) channels Willie Cobbs' signature sound. These will be familiar to anyone who has danced at a Northern Soul event and cannot be slept on.

Review: Dusty Donuts return with another heavyweight 7" of hip-hop gold, this time journeying from Queensbridge to Staten Island. Side A delivers a bouncy, chopped-up rework featuring a Lost Girl once heard on a legendary QB mixtape and it is guaranteed to ignite any dancefloor. Flipping over, the vibe shifts to Shaolin with a raw and soulful reinterpretation of a classic that pays tasteful homage to Staten Island's finest. With tight edits and a deep love for golden-era hip-hop, this release hits hard on both sides and is another great example of the craftsmanship, nostalgia and party-starting energy the Dusty Donuts crew always deals in.

Review: Danny Krivit remains in a class of one when it comes to meticulous and masterful edits of classics. He puts out a fair few of them too, but the quality levels never dip, as is the case again here when he throws it back to the energy of his native New York's most legendary dancefloors. Opener 'Flying Machine' by War was originally composed for the 1978 film Youngblood and is a dramatic Latin-infused instrumental packed with swirling flutes, fierce perc and a breakbeat that's fuelled countless Afro house tracks. It's a fiery dancefloor weapon that hasn't been on 7" before and it comes backed with 'How Much Are They', which dives into deep dub territory with help from post-punk legends Jah Wobble, Jaki Liebezeit and Holger Czukay. It's a real mind melter packed with mad effects.

Review: Melbourne, Australia based sextet The Traffic, headed up by Ivan 'Choi' Khatchoyan, serve up a special MJ feature funk 45. Presented in a special pressing in red vinyl with black splatter, we get awesome renditions of Michael Jackson tracks 'Beat It' and 'Thriller' from his iconic Thriller album from 1982. The big band energy of the players make these cover versions worthy your attention, with a killer horns section imitating the king of pop's falsetto to great effect.