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Review: Get yourself geared up for festival season with some fierce party starters certified with the Glitterbox stamp. Melvo Baptiste leads the charge with 'Sweat', a sizzling disco house stomper with Dames Brown giving the biggest diva energy on her show-stopping vocal. Lovebirds bring unbridled joy on the Philly string swoon and slinky b-line funk of 'Burn It Down', while Art Of Tones & Inaya Day keep it peak time on the sassy strutter 'Give My Love'. Young Pulse & Fleur De Mur complete the set with 'Smooth Sweet Talker', another bright and bold vocal cut par excellence.

Review: Son of Todd Osborn (Soundmurderer/Ghostly) Kaito Ian makes a hugely impressing first outing on the Galaxy Sound Co label with a series of lo-fi hip-hop beat-strumentals that cannot fail to get your head nodding. He is a dedicated music lover and skater with a deep knowledge of his craft and that shows here with some refined sounds starting with the soul drenched 'Revert', then on to the warped angelic vocal samples of 'Sequoia' and the percussive jumbled and scratching of 'Trek'. 'Wait Up' is another excellently blissed out joint and 'Sloan' is a sunny, laid back, lazy vibe to close down a superb EP.

Review: Super Spicy's Super Spicy Recipe series is back with a sixth mouthwatering offering and once again it's a super hot outing of party-ready house and disco sounds. First up is the irresistibly colourful disco charm of Birdee with the freewheeling 'Underground' and its groove-infused piano. Label boss Monsieur Van Pratt then adds his own spin to a rare groove classic with a lung-busting soul vocal and Pato Watson is in edit mode as he tweaks 'Ella Fue' to perfection. Italian don Paul Older brings some funky jazz fusion sounds to his steamy 'Turkish Lights, C. Da Afro keeps it a party with his 'Nothing But The Funk' and Mexican Juan Soto slips into a more deep and loved-up funk-house vibe on 'All Is Full Of Love'.

Review: Electronica production duo Arnau Obiols and Kayyak, who've laid down a name for themselves for their distinct blend of cultural influences and captivating soundscapes, here present two new tracks that seamlessly fuse Afro-inspired rhythms with groovy organic beats. Barely letting us clock for a second that these are in any way electronically programmed or sequenced, this fresh Compost Records 12" hears its two new cuts, 'Faith' and 'San Diago', abound in the ambered, sandy interim of a clear-skied evening, in which cocktails flow and smiles widen. Remixes by Prins Thomas and Medle & Dele Sosimi do just as well to complement the mood.

Review: Believe In You by Knoe1 featuring George JJ Flores is a soulful electro funk track that exudes the essence of the early 80s. The vocal version opens with disco claps and a smooth, sultry vocal, complemented by groovy keyboard work. The instrumental version showcases the track's infectious rhythm and tight arrangements, offering a dynamic and engaging listening experience. Overall, Believe In You captures the essence of boogie and electro funk, showcasing the talents of Knoe1 and George JJ Flores.

Review: Mystery surrounds the story behind this edit-style two-tracker - and, indeed, the identity of Baggy Leggins and Duke Hobo themselves - but there's much to admire about it. Check first A-side 'Keep Marching', where a lightly beefed up and housed-up semi-acoustic groove offers a platform for sweet, bilingual female lead vocals, jaunty guitars and simmering strings. It's a genuine dancefloor revision, but one that will suit Balearic DJs and confirmed party starters as much as dusty-fingered crate diggers and selector sorts. 'Shuffleupagus', meanwhile, sees the mystery artist cut up and tool up a vaguely familiar Latin workout with predictably energetic and party-starting results.

Review: This 2024 edition marks the return of Joe Bataan, via the same track that made his name in 2004. Vampi Soul first welcomed the Latin Soul king to the label two decades back, facilitating the release of his 2005 album Call My Name. The pre-release singles for the album were 'Chick-A-Boom' and 'Cycles Of You', packed onto a single 7"; these quickly became DJs' favourites and have thus since remained long out of print. As it was twenty years ago, 'Chick-A-Boom' is a simultaneously upbeat but ghostly track, with Bataan's vocals quadrupling up in a wall of sound while providing the vibe equivalent of a Jackie Chan flick. 'Call My Name', meanwhile, goes heavy on the clavichord and synth whistle, as Bataan revels in a funereal theme, dancing, thundersticking into the great beyond.

Review: ***B-STOCK: Sleeve damaged but otherwise in excellent condition***


Pleasure of Love reissue imprint, New Islands, launches with a quiet stormy, soulful Balearic stunner. Kim Yaffa's 'Once Bitten' was recorded in LA and released on a 1989 private press 7", only to be buried in American record bins for decades after. A re-emergence of Yaffa's music on the internet in the last couple years has reached a fever pitch, with collectors thirsting after copies of the record. Now, New Islands has worked directly with the artist to deliver an official reissue, professionally transferred from the mixdown reels, carefully restored, and remastered. The track is an effortless class-act pop tune, with 80s blue eyed soul / Sade inspired sounds, and unknowingly Balearic production that renders it timeless (it's reminiscent of Linda Di Franco, Edie Brickell or 80s Fleetwood Mac). The 12" is rounded out by new mixes from Michael David (Classixx) and Nick the Record & Dan Tyler (Record Mission).

Review: ***B-STOCK: Creasing to corner of outer sleeve but otherwise in excellent condition***


During a record digging trip to South Africa a year or two back, Rush Hour co-founder Antal stumbled on an obscure local cover of Klein & MBO's Ron Hardy and Larry Levan favourite, "The MBO Theme". The Warrior version, which was recorded at some point in the early '80s, is a little slower and breezier than Klein and MBO's original, with even finer fretless bass flavours and the track's famous melodies re-played on some particularly spacey synthesizers. Helpfully, the Klein & MBO version is on the A-side, so you can easily compare the two: Warriors' little known cover is definitely our pick of the pair.

Review: French outfit Disco Records - whose name is a masterclass in SEO - returns for four new disco edits, this time housed in a deep purple sleeve. On the A, we hear nominally unchanged, but sonically-tampered-with, versions of Billy Frasier's 'The Mind Blower...' and King Tutt's 'You Got Me Hung Up'. The B-side, meanwhile, flaunts two further excellent cuts reworking The Hippolytes and Ozone, the latter of which is a particularly intoxicating slice of laserific, finger-licking boogie.

Review: Sexxy Dexx's 'Revelry' transports listeners back to the heyday of 80s funk and soul with its infectious energy and undeniable groove. Drawing inspiration from the likes of Prince, the track exudes a playful sensuality that is perfect for the dance floor. With its catchy hooks and pulsating rhythms, 'Revelry' captivates from the first note to the last, ensuring that feet will be tapping and hips will be swaying all night long. On the flip side, Delores Galore's 'What's It Bout To Be' brings a modern twist to the electro-funk genre, blending infectious beats with soulful melodies and seductive vocals. The result is a dance track that is as irresistible as it is memorable. Together, these two singles offer a tantalizing glimpse into the vibrant world of funk-infused pop, proving that the spirit of the 80s is alive and thriving in today's music scene.