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Review: Sample-digging beat-maker DJ Mitsu The Beats has been churning out blazed grooves and hazy, head-nodding workouts for well over 15 years. You'll find a fine example of his woozy, laidback and emotion-rich approach on the B-side of this Mukatsuku Records outing, which marks his first appearance on wax since 2016. While that track, "Pilot", is all warm Rhodes lines, toasty bass, Vibraphone flashes and crunchy MPC beats, it lets A-side "Let Go" shine - it was made in collaboration with Kaneko Takumi from Cro-Magnon and features spacey, Herbie Hancock style synthesizer lead lines stretching out over rich Fender Rhodes chords and shuffling, bossa nova-influenced beats.As played by DJ Spinna, Rob Luis (Tru Thoughts),Marc Hype,The Allergies,Kid Koala ,Nancy Noise,Smoov etc

Review: Mukatsuku's ongoing "Afro Series" continues with a fine limited edition 45 containing two funk-fuelled floor-fillers. In fact, you'll struggle to find a more celebratory and life-affirming workout than Eko's "M'Ongele M'Am" licensed from Nubiphone & Africa Seven, a Makossa-fired Afro-disco gem rich in punchy horns, driving Afro-boogie bass, lilting synthesizer lines, Mariachi style trumpet solos and the kind of chant-along vocals that should put a smile on the face of even the most miserable of dancers. Over on side B, Georges Ouedraogo's "Deni" is an essential Clavinet-happy killer chunk of Afro-funk/Afro-Disco fusion from Burkina Faso. As played by Floating Points,The Allergies,Faze Action,Antal ,Lego Edits & Red Greg so far...

Review: Originally out on the Practice What You Preach album from 1993, "The Plan" by German funkateers Poets of Rhythm has never been pressed up as a single, but has always remained much sought-after by the funk heads, and why wouldn't it be? It's got it all: a James Brown kind of sleaziness backed by a jump-up groove and a sliding set of organs. Wallace Brothers feature on the flip, with the rare funk blazer by the name of "What Cha Feel Is What Cha Get", a rare floor-dominator now available for your turntable. Records are your friends, Mukatsuku leads the way! As played by Mr Thing,Snowboy,Dean Rudland,Smoov etc

Review: Two Gilles Peterson classics on one 7 inch !! As per usual, the unstoppable Mukatsuku delivers the undeliverable, and somehow the label boss Nik Weston has managed to license a pair of sought after tunes to find on the second-hand market. It's the second instalment of the Club Jazz series with this 45 a Hungary vs France sound clash.Hungary easily wins this one thanks to the sublime rhythm that is "Bamba" by Dimenzio, an inimitable jazz-dance leviathan that manages to mash-up all the right elements of jazz together with something a little weirder and electronic - a truly supreme piece of music that is recommended to ANYONE. Marius Culter's "Diamant" is a high calibre jazz funk missile, and works beautifully as a stand-alone, but its somewhat swamped by the sheer quality of its counterpart. Recommended. As played by Dean Rudland, Mr Thing, Ashely Beedle, Faze Action,Red Greg,Scrimshire,Frank Booker,Nancy Noise and Pete from On The Corner Records etc

Review: After 11 years Mukatsuku hits the 50th release on the label with the second installment of the limited edition Funk Monsters series. Two dance floor destroyers are laid bare to slay the toughest of audiences.Up first Pearl Dowdell who's surname on earlier Saadia issues was misspelt as Dowell with a killer female funk gem saving you hundreds of pounds for an original...
On the flip the lesser known super rare killer driving rare funk of Billy Cee & The Freedom Express with 'Hard Times' for peak time play which shows no mercy for your audience feet ! Juno copies come in exclusive packaging and this release is in short supply. Once it's gone ...it's gone. You have been warned !

Review: Mukatsuku presents the second volume of killer Ghanaian highlife/afrofunk monsters this time focusing on two artists legendary in the genre. First up first time on a 45 from 1980 is '' What Is Life '' from the Ebo Taylor & Uhuru Yenzu album ''Conflict Nkru! ''. Amazing brass,flute and afrocentric rhythms lay the path for the track once heard never forgotten. On the flip first time ever on a 45 Pat Thomas who features on volume 1 of the series comes correct with possibly the best version (and there are a few ) of ''Gyae Su'' . With its jangly african guitar licks and infectious chorus lines the feel good factor is set to maximum. Another dope afro burner on Mukatsuku and sure to sell out fast. 500 hand numbered copies and no repress. As supported by DJ Koco from Japan and Jonathon Moore (Coldcut )

Review: Killer heavy Hammond organ led driving dancefloor devastation on 'Whip It On Me' taken from the 'Heavy Soul' album from 1968. On flipside and taken from the New Genius of The Blues album from 1967 and the first time ever on a 45 is Billy's killer rendition of 'Got My Mojo Working (But It Just Won't Work On You)' featuring Mr Hawks on vocals and organ and Joseph Jones on guitar. Powerful stuff from the Mukatsuku camp and another essential single for your record box and Juno copies come in exclusive packaging ! As played by The Herbaliser, DJ Spinna, DJ Amir ,DJ Marky, Dom Servini, Bob Jones,Faze Action, Djar One, Smoov and more.

Review:  The latest single from Mukatsuku is from Australian DJ/Producer Katalyst who was one of the winners at Australian Dance Music Awards in 2002. 'How Bout Us' originally came out as part of the album ''What's Happening ' on Australian label Invada in 2007 before receiving a global CD only release for BBE a year later in 2008 but up till now has never been out as a single in it's own right. The track 'How Bout Us' features vocalist Steve Spacek with an exclusive unreleased instrumental version on the flipside. Killer production with massive string lines and charismatic vocals to ignite your dancefloor.As played by Coldcut,Mr Thing, Skeme Richards , Marcel Vogel,The Herbaliser,DJ Prestige, Boca 45, Smoov,Andre One Of A Kind, DJ Gilla (First Word Records) , Huw72, Dom Servini (Wah Wah 45's), Ben Gibson,etc

Review: Two killer tracks licensed from Oriki Music,mastered by Frank From Sofrito at The Carvery and taken from the recent Akwaba Abidjan compilation. These two monsters from De Frank Jr are straight up deep and funky afrobeat from 1970's Ivory Coast. More essential dancefloor delights from Mukatsuku - strictly vinyl only & singles only...As played by Hunee ,JD Twitch & Alexander Nut

Review: Two stonking reggae disco/soul cover versions with oodles of cross over appeal for a variety of dancefloors licensed from the catalogue of Bushays music. Everyone loves a decent cover version right? Sit still to these beauties and you obviously still tied to your chair. Comes in exclusive Juno packaging, hand stamped in Kraft paper inner sleeve plus branded card sleeve with free sticker. In the DJ box of Mr Scruff, Red Greg, Hugo from Sofrito, Dom Servini, Barry Ashworth (Dub Pistols), Scrimshire, Jose Padilla, Peter Croce & Marc Hype.

Review: Juno exclusive 45 !! The Mukatsuku label's latest release offers up two killer cuts from Los Angeles beat-maker J Dankworth, the DJ/producer behind the Dig. Find. Listen. Sample. Chop mixtapes. There are two luscious tracks to choose from, both of which were first featured on a digital-only EP back in 2017. There's the deep, drowsy, Guru/Jazzmatazz style headiness of warming A-side 'Freezer Pizza' and the jaunty, head-nodding brilliance of string-laden flip 'Nardwuar'. As supported by DJ Spinna, DJ Koco, J Rocc, Skratch Bastid, Rob Luis,The Allergies, Skeme Richards, Smoove,Marcel Vogel and more....

Review: By now, you should know Devon Russell's sought-after 1984 cover of Curtis Mayfield classic "Move On Up", a incredible, post-disco era reggae-soul revision that just oozes sun-splashed positivity. It's virtually impossible to pick up the original 45 so this dinked reissue from Mukatsuku Records is most welcome and has been lovingly remastered. The seven-inch is also notable for including another overlooked gem from Russell's even lesser-known 1993 album of Mayfield covers, "Darker Than Blue". His rendition of "Give Me Your Love" here presented for the very first time in a 45 format is blissfully glassy-eyed, colourful and hazy, giving the Mayfield classic a decidedly Balearic reggae feel via head-nodding grooves, fluid synthesizer lines and jazzy guitar solos. In a word: brilliant.Supported so far by DJ Koco & DJ Muro from Japan and Craig Charles BBC 6 Music, The Allergies,Mr Thing, Andy Smith & Boca 45 from the uk....

Review: Mukatsuku label labels latest release showcases some typically funky workouts from Black Milk Music regular LTF AKA Light The Fuse, a Siberia-based beat-maker known for the deepness of his samples and the dopeness of his productions. Both these tracks lifted from Rucksack Records Monolith long player and here features on A-side 'King of Funk' is a bombastic tribute to James Brown that peppers a weighty, bass-heavy boom-bap beat with sharp, effects-laden horns and razor-sharp guitar licks. It sounds a little like a long lost late 80s NYC hip-hop club instrumental, which is no bad thing. B-side 'Give Them Some Horns' is deeper, hazier and jazzier, with dusty sax and trumpet samples riding layered percussion and a typically head-nodding beat. As played by DJ Koco ,Bobbito & The Allergies

Review: London funk outfit Mukatsuku are among our prime go-tos whenever we're in need of anything with a Latin edge. 'Turn It Up!' is the latest from one of the most eminent bands in their roster Opensouls: the track is a monster of a downtempo funker that leans largely into its instrumental, but features a sprinkling of euphoric vocal from the band's singing mainstay Tyra Hammond. Packed to the brim with crashing fills, bright brasses and lollicking bass licks, this is a prime set-opener and summer soundtracker.

Review: Presto drops this 7" as a teaser from his Basement Beats album which was recorded in 2020 while he lived in New York. The idea was to offer a window into his daily commute from early 5am walks to Union Square to his daily E Train trip. Opener 'Official' boasts a gritty drum loop that acts as a bed for a sublimely melodic sample and 'Floating' has a dose of the old school as it travels into the future. As always with Mukatsuku releases, this one is another carefully curated project that includes a hand-numbered 7" in gold ink with a hand-stamped inner sleeve and a nice wooden keyring.

Review: For this 7" single, label boss Nik Weston took a deep dive into the vast back catalogue of Discos Fuentes, Columbia's oldest record label (it was founded in 1934, fact fans). On the A-side you'll find "A La Memoria Del Muerto" by long serving salsa outfit Fruko Y Suis Tesos, a typically jaunty, dusty and celebratory workout that was originally released on a now hard-to-find 7" single sometime in the early 1970s. Over on the B-side, Weston takes us on a trip to the early days of Cumbia via El Combo Los Galleros's brilliant 1963 album cut "Soledad", which still sounds heavy, punchy and intoxicating 44 years after it was recorded, and has been a staple in the bags of top selectors such as Hunee, Red Greg, Kai Alce, Dom Servini & Craig Charles from BBC 6!

Review: It seems strange that Tommy Stewart's seminal rare groove funk anthem 'Bump And Hustle Music' has never had a 45 release, but Mukatsuku has set out to address this issue with Volume 2 of their 'First Time On A 45 Classics' series. On the flipside we find Bridge's sublime version of 'Stella' via the originally unreleased album 'Crying For Love' - recorded in Boulder, Colorado in 1981. First Experience reissued that album in 1999 but this is the first time 'Stella', written by Paul Tillman Smith has been made available as a 45. Juno copies come with an exclusive hand-stamped inner sleeve and branded card outer sleeve. DJ support from Danny Krivit, Red Greg,Fleamarket Funk,The Allergies, 45Live, Peter Croce, Boca 45 and Snowboy etc