Search dance music

Review: Anyone with a cursory taste for house music history will be familiar with the name Timmy Regisford. A stalwart of the New York house scene for some 30 years, he needs no real introduction. Ahead of a forthcoming album that is packed with guest vocalists and fellow producers and set to drop just after we usher in 2011, Regisford debuts a taste of what to expect on this twelve inch. "At The Club" is produced in conjunction with regular cohort Adam Rios and features the sweetly soulful holler of Brooklynite Lynn Lockamy riding a bumping house beat. The groove is laid down by subtle synth stabs and warm bass patterns and ably assisted by increasingly prominent organ flourishes. The flipside mix discards with the vocals to fully emphasise the organ flex but its Lockamy's voice that makes this track a killer.

Review: Berlin based cohorts Ekkohaus and Rufus (also part of Tru West and Nightdrivers) consummate their friendship with this four-track mission statement that deals in gutsy house music with a range of moods to suit every corner of the night. "Studer" is a cheeky cut with jazzy key flurries and a fulsome bassline squelch, while "Pagan" takes a tougher route into heavy delay feedback and pure rhythmic intensity. "The End Of An Ear" is a playful beast that takes off-key melodies and oddball noises and works them into a moody, heavy grooving context, while "Peace & Reflection" pushes the swing past the brink for a leftfield house jam that sounds liable to fall apart at any minute, in a good way of course.

Review: Amazingly, it's five years since the last volume of the Strange Breaks & Mr Thing series, in which the London crate digger and turntablist gets to showcase the depth and diversity of his record collection. Predictably, this belated third installment is full of killer selections, from the low down funk of Dynamic Concept's "La Da Da" and steel band madness of Amral's Trinidad Cavalivers, to the jazz-funk goodness of Harry Beckett's "Ring Within Rings". Mr Thing shows his immense turntable skills on disc one, chopping and looping breaks while keeping things moving, while the second disc features unmixed versions of his ludicrously obscure selections. In a word: essential.

Review: Aussie producer Kloke steps up to the far-reaching Styles Upon Styles imprint with a collection of deep and distinctive flavours. His sermon begins with the washy, brushy textures of "Deep City" that chugs lazily with deep house muscle but ambient spirit. "Mayfield", meanwhile, ebbs and flows mournfully over a bed of sad organs. Further on we hit Burialesque muffled anthemia ("Ritual"), we get zoned out by the tripped chops and overlaps of "Room With A View", we step back to the early 80s with the dramatic synthesis of "Flood" and end on a subverted electro high with "Unlearning". Strange and complex yet charming and immersive, Kloke has created something genuinely unique here.

Review: Last year saw BBE call on Kev Beadle, a well respected digger, selector, radio host and label boss, to dust down his curation hat and put together Private Collection, his first compilation in almost two decades. Given the critical reception to that twelve track selection of independent jazz from the '70s and '80s it's little surprise to see BBE invite Beadle to dig through his personal archives for a second edition. Many of the tracks included here are the epitome of rare, given the fist airing outside the legendary club sessions that Beadle played back in the day and focuses more on the modal, spiritual and cosmic end of the jazz spectrum. A most enlightening collection from Mr Beadle.

Review: Record Store Day Edition: Morales and Munzibal's seminal edit art was enjoyed by pretty much every essential name in dancefloor music during the 80s and early 90s. From the Stones to the Commodores, no one escaped the M&M touch. And these are two perfect examples; Inner Life's classic "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" is given a solid, rhythmic polish and boasts elements of the previously rare Patrick Adams take. Elsewhere the duo pay homage to Philly soul legend Vince Montana as their version of Salsoul Orchestra lets the strings breathe with serious drama and dynamic.

Review: Emotional Especial is the new label from the people that brought you the Emotional Rescue, Emotional Response and the (limited shelf life) Emotional Relish. Emotional Especiale will focus on the sounds and styles that influenced contemporary disco producers, taking in new wave, new beat, EBM and proto house with a remit to span the 90-115BPM tempo range. Jamie Paton of Cage & Aviary fame helms the debut EE release with the Bizarre Feeling EP which features a titular homage to New Order as well as some rough punk funk for punks in disco pumps ("To The Light") and odd Compass Point style disco dub "Ju Know".

Review: The nefarious joy of Death Waltz continues unabated with the soundtrack from Maniac, a recent slasher film starring Elijah Wood. In the increasing appreciation of droning cold wave synth music that sounds as though lifted straight from the 80s, Robin Coudert's effort is particularly on point. In the bombast of the compositions, Rob has captured the perfect nostalgic ambience for all the classic soundtracks of the era, not least John Carpenters. Of course, being a Death Waltz release you also get to enjoy high-grade artwork, plush packaging and fetching blood-spattered wax.

Review: Brooklyn multi-instrumentalist trio Archie Pelago step up to inaugurate the Styles Upon Styles label proper with the Hall of Human Origins EP. Previously, SUS have been issuing music under the excellent conceptual BASH series, and their decision to branch out from that is justified with this excellent release from Archie Pelago. Brought to wider attention on last year's self titled debut on Mr Saturday Night, the trio of Hirshi, Kroba and Cosmo D have garnered subsequent praise for their output on Well Rounded and their own Archie Pelago Music imprint. For the uninitiated Archie Pelago focus on an organic and texturally intricate approach to electronic music which they themselves describe as "keep it human, give it soul" and the Hall of Human Origins EP maintains the standards of their previous output. Numerous tempos are covered across the five tracks with "Chronomancer" and "Wrong Apartment (Worms)" stand outs.

Review: S.P.Y makes his highly anticipated debut on Hospital Records with Love & Hate, a four-track journey into the darkest depths of D&B with plenty of old skool influences, marking a return to core values and a pure sound. The title track is dominated by pounding sub bass stabs with moody atmospherics and twisted diva vocals. "Clouds" blends brooding virus synths with machine funk for a techstep banger, whilst "Sleepy Hollow" sees S.P.Y strip back production to a Detroit influenced sound with epic synths. The S.P.Y remix of Submotion Orchestra's "All Yours" rounds things off in style.

Review: Agogo Records put out some serious jazzed out funk this year and Hidden Jazz Quartet's EP was among its best to date. The title track "High Heels" features the voice of Omar and it's a blissful modern funk piece - exactly what we want to see! On the flip it's the Lack Of Afro remix, a irresistibly upbeat and feel-good bundle of piano chords and gentle lyrics.

Review: A giant leap for Punch Drunk, this debut LP by Bristol producer Guido could lead to an avalanche of fans for the burgeoning "purple sound" of young Bristol producers like Guido, Joker, and Gemmy. After only a handful of singles and remixes, Guido has fashioned a perfect album that drips with freshness and originality. Combining post-dubstep styles with a pop sensibility and the production clarity of The Neptunes, there's a host of unlikely sounds thrown into the mix that strangely end up working - check the Kenny G-style sample flipped perfectly in the appropriately named "Mad Sax" as an example.
While the album starts off on an exclusively instrumental tip, "Beautiful Complications" bucks the trend and features a deliciously warped female vocal that works a treat with Guido's sparse and gritty beats. As the album steadily grows in energy, tunes like "Way You Make Me Feel" and "You Do It Right" pack more beats into the bars and the album really feels like a journey, not just a random collection of songs. Not only is it an accomplished debut, it's fiercely original and exciting, and comes very highly recommended indeed.

Review: The first of three Creme Jak releases to land on our shelves this week comes from James T. Cotton and D'Marc Cantu's 2 AM/FM project. "The Final Approach" opens in cinematic fashion, a menacing bass throb working underneath slowly swirling synths. Soon after a compressed kick drum enters the fray, complemented by twinkling keys which give the tracks a small ray of light. The track then all but finishes before kicking back in with more ominous vocals and a spacey Frankie Knuckles-esque Chi-town synth pattern, bringing to a close another epic galactic adventure on Creme Jak.

Review: Exclusive Ram signing DC Breaks follow up their 2009 smash hit "Pickett Line" on sub-label Frequency with another hands-in-the-air anthem featuring lush, soaring vocals from Rox. DC Breaks fans may remember her from the duo's superb remix of "My Baby Left Me" a year or so ago. Catering for the Annie Mac market this time, they blend rolling percussion with sonorous, melodic strings and finish it with a glossy polish. "Take That", up next, kicks off with unnerving notes, sci-fi synth swoops and sweeping strings, before dropping into classic Ram tear out, complete with rowdy bassline, growling vocal sample and soaring synths aplenty. Massive.

Review: The third in Delta Funktionen's Setup One series maintains the Dutch producer's ability to make deep, robust techno that simply works on the dancefloor. "Another Dimension" contains those idiosyncratic rasping hats and disturbing vocal cuts - and like all techno primed for the floor, the beat just feels that little bit more robust when it comes back in after the breakdown. "Miss Communication", up next, contains some thunderous drums rolling deep beneath radar bleeps before the unbeatably named "Minds Into Meltdown" maintains the sweaty momentum on the flip. The toughest of the lot though has to be "Data Economics", one of the most weird, paranoid, downright brilliant dancefloor tracks we've heard all year. Just don't do what we did and accidentally blast it through the office speakers at 45 RPM...

Review: We've been waiting patiently for this release to drop for nearly 18 months now. "Discopolis" originally appeared for a brief moment on Alan Braxe's Vulture imprint and was quickly scooped up by Defected and immediately deleted. Here this epic slab of uplifting house, with an Italo tilt, finally finds a release. This first of two 12"s features the much sought after original mix, Chris Lake's powerful electro house bomb remix and a live remix from Hundred Birds.

Review: Jazzman Gerald & N.Carolina obsessive record collector Jason Perlmutter
have selected 22 rare & unreleased slices of heavy funk from the Carolinas
to show how the gospel according to James Brown reached out into even
the most bucolic and remote arenas.

Review: Started in 1996 by music enthusiasts, DJs and compulsive record diggers Adrian Gibson and Perry Louis, Messin' Around was only expected to run for a few weeks. 10 years later and the session is still going strong - attracting crowds of music lovers from London and further afield. It seemed only right to release a compilation to celebrate this milestone for one of London’s longest-running jazz and boogie nights, but it was also essential to release some of these tracks on to vinyl for the first time. Leading the charge is Rasmus Faber with the tantalising "Ever After (Samba reprise)" setting the pace for the dancefloor. Following on is Elizabeth Shepherd with her fully-charged "Four" - exclusive to this 12". Over on the flip, Abossa Eletrica drop the fantastic "Beleza Nao Vai Embora", whilst Boomish finish things of with the be-bop jazz sound of "Smalls". Essential music for the more discerning dancefloor!

Review: A long-lost late '70s classic from Nigerian Prince Eji, a man who's performed with pretty every legend you can shake a sax at: Miles Davis, Bob Marley, Fela Kuti and many more. One of highlife's most successful international ambassadors, Eji's musicianship seeps from every lively groove; the complex horn-play on the title track "Charity Begins At Home", the off-beat tenor sax madness on "Lagos Complex - Highways" and the trippy off-beat harmonies and vocal overlays on "Unity In Africa" are just three of many examples of this album's (and Eji's) unicity.

Review: Eyetone present their most ambitious release to date with the introduction of Pink Murder; a synth-pop trio band hailing from Brooklyn/NYC consisting of Michael Panico of Stargazy, Gregory Henits of Folding Legs and Vita and The Woolf's Jennifer Pague.ALike its name, it feels fresh and wonderfully mystique; a gorgeous waft of warmth and well-being; a fantastic remix package by Mark E, Inkswel and Wood Drift that is enriching, soothing and ready for the dance floor. Along with a reconstructed edit of the original mix by label founder DEMI.

Review: Standing beyond just today's current trends, Eyetone has quietly gone about its business of releasing music with substance and picking up support along the way from some of the finest selectors in the business. Doc Martin, Craig Richards, Sasha, Evil Eddie Richards and Honey Dijon to name a few.

Now its 3rd release gathers momentum and sees the introduction of Macedonian producer Dark Beat. Drawing influences from techno luminaries Derrick May, Robert Hood, and Ricardo Villalobos among others, his Nightlight EP is set to cause a sonic tidal wave on the techno circuit with 4 unadulterated club tracks that enter the night and exit into the light.

Review: Self-styled "day-dreamer" Luke Palmer has largely impressed since making his debut as Ozel AB on Lobster Theremin back in 2014. We're not the only ones to have taken note of his progress, either; it seems Jens "Lowtec" Kuhn and the rest of the Workshop label family are fans, too. Palmer's expansive debut for the lauded, Berlin-based imprint is full of evocative treats, from the Tangerine Dream style synthesizer ambience of "Fortier" and outer-space dancefloor deepness of "Orbit 416", to the bleep style sub-bass pressure of deep dub house shuffler "Whuffie" and warped electronics of beat-less IDM cut "Sunfire". It's perhaps a little more horizontal in places than we may have expected, but that simply enhances Palmer's production credentials. Clearly, he is a multi-talented producer with a widescreen vision.

Review: Volume 2 pools more of Demi's extensive network of friends and is truly a heavyweight mix of reworks that each shine in their own light. Leading the charge is a masterful re-intepretation by one of the scene's truest artists in Eric Volta who came to be known to the masses thanks to his club smash hit "Love Your Illusion" on No.19 Records. Volta completely flips Fresh & Made on its head with a sonic exploration that is typically understated yet full of tension. The mix glides through a range of emotions and helps expose Pague's vocals in a new light and demonstrates once more the studio prowess this man has when he is given free reign to manifest his mind onto the mixing desk.
SLF is London based producer Stephane Lefrancois and a well respected sound engineer to many in the dance scene. This remix came about by one of those accidental but wonderful crossing of paths when Demi visited his studio for a mixdown session on some of his own unreleased material. After playing each other some music at the end of a day session, the song immediately struck a chord with Stephane who didn't hesitate to put his stamp on the release. Work went underway with Demi and Stephane that evening with Stephane continuing the session himself overnight to complete a simply gorgeously warm and swayful rework that will have you putting this on repeat again and again.
Dorylus is becoming an increasingly well respected producer outfit Ain the scene, winning plaudits all over for their pure approach to music making their innovative vinyl based Bokhari Records. One half of Dorylus Paul Crognale is also a key resident for the influential Electric Minds stable. A
It was again an enthusiastic tone and meeting between Paul and Demi that set this mix in motion; A mix that odes to the past with its use of modified hardware that creates a sound which has a strong influence taken from Ten City/Inner City life classics.. With it's classic yet contemporary approach this mix has been causing a profound impact in Demi's sets these past 6 months.
And finally a truly outstanding remix is provided by Felkon hailing from Dresden, Germany, and who is an established and respected producer in his own right. Felkon scored a massive hit with his remix of Jamiroquai's "Too Young to Die" which initially caught Demi's attention. This is a no-nonsense electro trance anthem done right. It simply hits all the right notes; shamelessly euphoric yet controlled and mature that taps direct into the senses and proves to be an explosive tool for any dance floor.
A very personal project that is reflective of his own style of DJ'ing, this package put together by Demi oozes class and has something truly for everyone.

Review: Nolige is power: heritage heavyweight SB81 takes us back to the source with three ravishingly rusty breakbeat slammers. "90s" captures the hardcore trajectory into jungle perfectly with its wall-of-sound style drums and menacing basses beneath. "Memories Of You" whisks us a little further down the decade when Alex Reece reminded us of the sunshine. Finally "Pache" provides a whiplash dash back to 91 with embittered hoover stabs, more broad-shouldered breaks and iced out atmospherics. Nostalgia is power.

Review: The long awaited return of Rick Wilhite, Marcellus Pittman, Theo Parrish and Kenny Dixon Jr. (aka Moodymann), four of Detroit's hottest musicians jamming on live instruments in one studio. The 3 Chairs are back with three new tracks.

Review: Another two years have passed since Metro Area last shook up the scene with a 12", so it is with great pleasure that Environ presents the latest outing from Morgan Geist & Darshan Jesrani. "Metro Area 7" finds Metro Area continuing on their quest for fresh sounds and timeless production, expanding the compositional palette while retaining the emotional spirit of their early influences. Miss this Environ Records release at your peril.

Review: DJ Buck brings a remix of a DJ Dennis track that was never released on Dae Recordings. A classic early house sound with echoed vocals and narration urging the dancer into the sound of infectious percussion, monster bass, sizzling hi hats and a warm groove.

Review: Andres has become one of Detroit house music's most celebrated producers in the last decade, but as any deep house nerd will tell you, he's been serving up superb singles and albums since the late 1990s. Out in the Open, which here gets the reissue treatment for the first times, dates from 2002 and is every bit as good as you'd expect. A-side 'You'll Be The One' is a great example of his trademark dusty, sample-heavy and loop-driven style, with crackling extracts from all manner of soul and jazz-funk cuts being melded into a hazy, quietly soulful deep house treat. The even deeper and dustier, MPC house jam 'Is It Cool' kicks-off side B, before the Detroiter goes all Moodymann on the impeccable, solo-laden 'Take Off'. A genuine must-have!

Review: New from tech house producer Adryan, "The Jazzer" features some distinctive one-note organ stabs that drive the tune nicely, with uplifting beats propelling it even further. Russ Gabriel's mix is almost unrecognisable at first, keeping the vibe more intense and hypnotic as the bassy strings grow and swell over the top of a nu-disco beat. "Slight Return" is another winner that winds itself down to just the barest keys and then builds up again.

Review: The success story of the two guys from Karlsruhe Kristian Beyer and Frank Wiedemann (aka Ame) is showing no signs of waning. Having led the annual charts of Groove and De:Bug magazines, provided Pete Tong with a single of the month and even making a DJ mix for said DJ's BBC show, the Essential Selection. Their hit "Rej" has been christened by Louie Vega and Danny Krivit (Masters At Work) as the "Plastic Dreams" of the new millennium. So here is their first official mix-compilation! Their DJ sets are currently being celebrated everywhere from Miami to Paris and Helsinki, so it was only a matter of time until they immortalized one of their kicking mixes for home use on an official mix album. Sonar Kollektiv label bosses Jazzanova delivered the first in this "...Mixing" series and in so doing earned worldwide thanks for making one of their eclectic DJ sets available in digital format for the first time. The duo from Karlsruhe selection is no less varied as they switch from old to new, through house, disco, minimal and techno. Synth pioneer Laurie Spiegel, who already presented a prototype of the Detroit techno sound in the 70s, sets things off with her "Appalachian Grove 1" which was written in Fortran (an old computer programme, long before Basic or C). The unusual track "24 Hours From Culture II" from 80s Dutch wave band New Musik is to this day a favourite of DJs like Daniele Baldelli and DJ Harvey. He later also used the classic "Woman Of The World" by Swiss group Formation Double on his legendary "Sarkastic Disco" mix. "Stand Up" from Nexus could easily be mistaken for a Metro Area number. Besides Ame another name that is often being mentioned with regards to the deephouse renaissance is Henrik Schwarz. His most striking remix to date is also his most timeless. The way he accentuates the voice of Robert Owens with opulent strings on Coldcut's "Walk A Mile" means it'll still give you goose bumps in ten years. Ben Westbeech is the star of Gilles Petersons new label Brownswood Records. His track "So Good Today" unites the typical Yoruba style with analogue Chicago sounds. God of remixers, Carl Craig's version of Jonny L's This "Time" was previously only available as a promo so for some the search for this jazz, house and techno hybrid ends with this release. The latest addition to the Innervisions label which Âme started with Dixon is Gilb'R & I:Cube (aka Chateau Flight). Their wide tune "Baroque" makes the perfect bridge to Luciano's "Stone Age" which has been a central part of the Ame DJ set for over two years so could not have been left out of this collection. "Flashback 86" sounds, as the title suggest, as though it might have been made in the late 80s, however actually it is produced by Jonathan Burnip who can otherwise be found behind the counter of London's Soul Jazz record store. Derrick May's Funtopia featuring Jimi Polo remix was also previously only available as a promo. It was given to Ame by Dominic Capello, manager of Glasgow's Sub Club. Of course Ame's own breakthrough track, "Nia", must be celebrated once more before it gets slightly quieter, although no less exciting, with Jump Cutz "Deep Introspection #5". This track is another true classic and favourite of Needs Crew that has long been almost impossible to get. And as true Manuel Gottsching fans Ame of course had to include an Ashra number in the mix. Their track "Sunrain" has been a big influence on the club music of today. As a whole, Ame's "...Mixing" is not just a bridge between old and new, club and home stereo. It also serves as an interesting connection between various musical genres which are currently dominating the good metropolitan clubs.

Review: Influential Guadeloupean musician Erick Cosaque released his seminal Cosaque 1978 in, funnily enough, 1977. Now, Heavenly Sweetness reissue this sun soaked classic from the man who was one of the most notable interpreters of Caribbean island culture. He became one of the main exponents of the local Gwo-ka tradition as exemplified by this album. The eight tracks are highly rhythmic affairs with expressive vocal work jostling next to majestic lead horns and a general sense of energy that conveys the hustle and bustle of a busy weekend market day.

Review: For those who follow the work of British IDM legend Claro Intelecto, the last few years have been frustrating, to say the least. It's been five years since his last album, and three since he released a 12" single. Exhilarator, his fifth full-length, is certainly well over-due. Predictably, the triple vinyl set - pressed in limited quantities on "splatter vinyl" - is also rather good. As usual, it offers a superb balance of dark and intoxicating electro, tuneful intelligent techno, bubbly IDM, glitchy post-ambient soundscapes, deep and bass-heavy techno shufflers and clanking, off kilter experimentation from the Autehcre school of electronica. It's atmospheric, impeccably produced and stuffed full of highlights. In other words, it's another great Claro Intelecto album.

Review: Following a killer acid-piano house 12" and contributing a Test Pressing-certified new-disco chug to a split release with Tuff City Kids (both) on Terre des Pommes in 2014, The Working Elite further refine their ability to soundtrack festivities with Rockman / Born Again. While "Rockman" conveys an understatedly cinematic mood with repeated imitation string cycles over crisp electro foundations, "Born Again" presents a new wave / rave endurance test, summoning perspiration from dedicated day-dancers with its metronomic hammer of a beat overlaid with motivating synth-lines like marching toys. On the flip, Saap and Lauer (Tuff City Kids) provide inventive interpretations of these tunes, reshaping "Rockman" into a stomping, flashing-lights electro jam while "Born Again" gets a delightfully multi-dimensional digi-dub treatment complete with acid-reggae breakdown over a 4/4 house beat.

Review: The runaway success of Metro Area 4 EP (released November 2001) surpassed all expectation, not least the Metro Area's own. The feature track "Miura" - a sinister, sparse and absolutely unique piece of dance music - captured the imagination of a broad cross-section of DJs, dancers and listeners from almost every genre. Ubiquitously charted and still played with reverence today, "Miura" unwittingly broke Metro Area's music out of the underground. Nonetheless, in keeping with the duo's low profile approach, not a single promo was mailed out to stimulate sales and the frenzy was created purely by word-of-mouth. Don't sleep on the two boogie gems that back the A-side: "Let's Get..." and the Preludesque "Strut."

Review: Pal Joey collectors can sleep easy at night: Earth People's classic "Dance" has been repressed in its full glory complete with the rarely seen dub and handy bonus beats. Cut-up MPC house grooves' with plenty of Chic samples loaded into the mix!

Review: You have all heard this awesome EP already. Three tracks from Black sun empire collaborating with Noisia.

Review: Few can match BBE when it comes to the funk and disco compilation stakes - the label's been issuing killer compendiums curated by some of the finest and most eminently knowledgeable DJs and diggers since the mid 90s. Soul In The Hole sees them hand the controls to Sadar Bahar, Chicago based DJ described by BBE as the city's "best kept secret". Bahar began DJing in the early 80s, a historically important time for music in Chicago and states he was driven by an "unquenchable desire to create one of the best collections ever". This 12 track compilation demonstrates Bahar has achieved that with aplomb, traversing through a colourful range of funk, soul, disco and boogie, with Frederic Mercier's "Spirit" a real gem.

Review: South Australian duo the Carter Bros have their 2009 LP, originally released on local Adelaide label Cuckoo Music, pressed to vinyl thanks to Kevin Griffiths' Tsuba imprint. Laced with a Parisian motif the album dips and dives between cleverly sampled filter house, one-take analogue super sessions and Detroit love. A cavorting dancefloor essential.

Review: This EP first appeared in Brazilian stores way back in 1967, just as Marcos Valle was becoming an international singing sensation. Original copies are near impossible to find this side of Rio de Janeiro, hence high second-hand prices and the appearance of this timely reissue. The title track kicks things off via Valle's breezy vocal and a jaunty, hybrid samba/bossa-nova groove, before the Brazilian great opens his heart on the string-laden, easy listening beauty of "O Amar E Chana". There's more of a big band jazz feel to the sweet samba shuffle of "E Preciso Cantar", while horn-heavy closer "Batacuda Surgiu" has the feel of a carnival-ready dancefloor anthem in Valle's traditionally summery, easy-going style.

Review: For those keen on early '80s jazz-funk explorations, the first 12" from Mike Collins' Sun Palace combo, 1983's hard-to-find Winning, has long been at the top of the wants list. Happily, BBE has decided to make the in-demand B-side, "Rude Movements", available again via a tasty, Record Store Day 7" single. To fit the restricted playing time of the format, Collins has expertly split the original into two parts, subtly re-editing a few parts in the bargain. The results are sublime, with the glistening guitar solos, spacey synths and lo-fi drum machine hits of "Part I" just edging out the hazier "Part II".

Review: Compiled by noted disco digger Al Kent, The Men In The Glass Booth explores the early days of the re-edit and the remix. Specifically, it looks at the scalpel and production work of some of the disco era's most influential DJs - Walter Gibbons, Tom Savarse, Jellybean Benitez, Tee Scott, Francois K and John Luongo included - in a bid to chart the rise of the dancefloor-friendly extended version. Naturally, the material on show is top notch, with far more obscurities than well-known cuts. The three-disc set is also accompanied by a superb booklet, which contains archive interviews and detailed histories of those involved. If you dig disco, this is an essential purchase.

Review: REPRESS ALERT: Despite only a few releases, the Electronic deep house sound of Vibraphone Records and the production team behind it had a major impact on the international 1990's dance scene.

The original 90's vinyl are now considered precious collectors items Revitalized by an increasingly new young audience interest this label has reached a cult status and it is now been re-launched via Juno Records.

Produced by The True Underground Sound of Rome team all the tracks included in this re-released are characterized by a heavenly atmosphere and a cinematic sound.

This 12" Vinyl EP contains the analog re-mastered & new recording version of the original 4 tracks first released in 1992 .

Review: A choice selection of four deep. sultry floorfillers from four different artists across this new 12" from 124 Recordings. 'Come To Me' by Chris Fry heads up the selection with sturdy four-to-the-floor foundations hinting a original US garage vibes, all embellished with classy, oozing strings and a stickier-than-gum vocal refrain. Heat Alliance's '74 Streets' is a tad slower and dubbier and as its title suggests, revels in its rude funk and sparkly disco influences processed through some subtly modern filtering action. 'Amsterdam' from Kit Mason combines tripper FX with an irresistible, chunky groove, reminiscent of the soulful delirium of Felix da Housecat's finer moments, while 'Bit Mania' by Nicola Brusegan draws proceedings to a close with a celebratory, summer-slanted slice of uplift built around a nifty 70s-style funky guitar lick. Lots of variety, but everything here is going to get feet headed towards the dancefloor without doubt.

Review: The 20th anniversary of iconic New York house label Henry Street Music has previously been celebrated via a series of 2014 reissues of classic material from Clone. Now, BBE has taken the baton, putting together a superb retrospective that stretches across five CDs and, in this case, three heavyweight slabs of wax. Wisely, BBE has chosen to pack it with both must-have classics - Bucketheads' "The Bomb", Armand Van Helden presents Old Skool Junkies' "The Funk Phenomenon", and DJ Sneak/The Polyester's string-laden disco-house bomb "Show Me The Way" - and lesser-known gems. It's these that really set the pulse racing, with Timmy Regisford's hard-to-find - and utterly brilliant - remix of DJ Duke and Roland Clark's "D2-D2 (I Get Deep)" standing out.

Review: It's been 13 years since Will Holland delivered his eclectic, electronica-heavy debut album under the now-familiar Quantic alias. In that time, he's turned into something of a globetrotting fusionist, variously turning his hand to heavy revivalist funk, Cuban beats, cumbia and sweet downtempo grooves. On Magnetica, his ninth album as Quantic, he draws together all of these strands, delivering a dub-heavy set that does a brilliant job in showcasing the sheer breadth and diversity of his influences. With plenty of Latin instrumentation, a huge cast list of guests and nods to early influences such as hip-hop, reggae, electronica and folk, it feels like the culmination of a thrilling, 13-year journey. As a result, it's arguably his strongest set for some time.

Review: The realization of a project started more than a year ago, 2 Marcus Mixx originals are reworked into brilliant never before heard tracks courtesy of Chicago's own legendary Ron Hardy. A rare and powerful piece of house music history.

Review: Serving as a taster for his upcoming album for Unified Chicago, house master Glenn Underground drops this 2 track sampler featuring "Negro Music", a deep track with meandering keys & spoken word vocals giving it a Kerri Chandler feel to it and "Prelude".

Review: A Larry Levan classic with big basslines and classic house grooves, plus a cool Vocoder vox. Comes with very rare instrumental versions and a great Legowelt remix. Legowelt delivers a more powerful version of the tracks with his trademark bass lines.

Review: Nice 'n deep quality Detroit techno/house.

Review: Side A unleashes a monster by the legendary Larry Heard (aka Mr Fingers aka Gherkin Jerk). Think 'Acid Indigestion' with a different banging 909 drum track. Side B is the highly sought-after Kenny Larkin remix of 'Share My Life' by Inner City.