Thank You Germany Vinyl & CDs

Review: While hardly a "Holy Grail"all bar a few people didn't know it existed until recently, D.J Never Sleep's sole single, the private press gem 'Teorema', can certainly be described as "buried treasure". It was reportedly the work of some experienced Italian producers, though its' sound is all Spanish guitar solos, early house-meets-Latin freestyle beats, joyous Piano riffs and evocative female vocals, it is pure formative Balearic house. This Thank You reissue not only showcases the original EP's two leading mixes (track two here, the more chugging and synth bass-sporting rework, is the pick), but also a never-released, effects-laden 'Never Sleepy Beats' drum took, plus versions in Spanish (B1) and French (B2).

Review: Some suitably sizzling summer fare here from the dusty-fingered Thank You crew, whose latest reissue focuses on a little-known, house-era Italo-disco gem from 1990. First time round, the single was a private press seven-inch, meaning that only a limited number of copies were ever pressed up. In its original vocal mix form 'Tengo La Sangre Caliente' blurs the boundaries between Euro-synth-pop, colourful Italo-house and Italo-disco. It's good, but the accompanying instrumental mix is even better. Over on the flip, Castro delivers two killer re-edits: an extra-percussive version that emphasises the more house and Flamenco-inspired elements of the 1990 original ('Tengo Las Castanetas Caliente'), and a sweat-soaked 'beats' version for those who like getting busy in the mix.

Review: Lol Hammond is a former member of Spiral Tribe and early live techno act The Drum Club who now makes music on his own as Wah Wah Planet. Back in 1990 is when he penned this fantastic five track Balearic house EP alongside Russell Crone and with female vocal contributions from Lucy Sian. It very much lay out an early blueprint for UK street soul and the opener on the A-side 'Jewel' explores a romantic theme with hooky pop lyrics. Things get more left of centre on the 'Love FXU' with three trips into a smoother sound world perfect for sun kissed island dancing and with influences ranging from early breakbeat and trip hop to elements of dancehall music.

Review: First released way back in 1991, minus a title (that appeared when it was reissued the following year), Mr Monday's 'Daybreak' has long been considered a Balearic classic by those of a certain vintage. Genuinely sunset and sunrise-ready, the original mix is a warming, tactile and pitched down treat full of slow-motion acid house bass, kaleidoscopic chords, spacey synth sounds and sparkling piano motifs - all rising above a languid beat that's perfect for wearing early morning shuffling and seated early evening head-nodding. This Thank You reissues also boasts two previously unheard versions: a deliciously dubbed-out, delay and reverb-laden 'Bonus Beat' take, and a near 10-minute 'bonus dub prayer', full of whispered female vocals, stretched-out grooves and dub-flecked percussion breaks. A genuine must-have!

Review: One of the more surprising trends of the early 1990s was the fusion of contemporary club culture - or at least the slow-motion end of it - with what would have once been considered 'church music'. While it was made famous by Enigma's global hit 'Sadness', Sloopey G's 'Domine' EP was reportedly recorded and released first. Certainly 'This Is The Day (Notre Dame Remix)', which naturally heads this THANK YOU reissue, sounds like a prototype of the Enigma sound - think British street soul beats, dreamy ambient pads, sampled monk chants, tactile bass and spoken word vocals. The EP also includes both similarly formed original bonus cuts, 'Victime' and the house-influenced 'Cathederal Dance', as well as previously unheard bonus cut 'Love In Heaven', a deliciously, shuffling and saucer-eyed affair.

Review: Much time has been spent marking the importance and excellence of some aspects of the Italian dance music story - think the 1980s Italo-disco movement, Baldelli's cosmic disco vibes, and the later Italo-house and Roman techno scenes - but there are still gaps in our knowledge. That's where this compilation from Dualismo Sound and Gabrielle Casiraghi comes in. Devoted to 'Italian dancefloor outsiders', it aims to educate us on some of the overlooked oddities recorded in Italy between 1987 and '94. It more than achieves its aims, delivering a mixture of proto-trance (Cy & Gy), Fairlight-powered instrumental synth-pop (Ubaldo Missoni), druggy Afro-cosmic throb-jobs (Teknoafro), sparkling "Worldbeat" (Bokaye), breakbeat-driven downtempo grooves (Nightmare Lodge), and impossible-to pigeonhole sonic insanity (Zen). A genuine 'must-check'.