Tags: Jazz Funk Disco

Review: When Danilo 'MCDE' Plessow and Bobby van Putten established their Space Grapes label last year, it was their stated intention to present 'the best in contemporary live dance music'. What they meant, we suspect, was releases like this debut album from van Putten's Another Taste combo - a four-piece whose colourful and sonically authentic sound rooted in boogie, 80s electrofunk and obscure, private press disco. The results are undeniably impressive, sounding something like a long-lost album from 1983 - complete with kaleidoscopic synths, soulful vocals and killer basslines - of the kind that dusty-fingered crate diggers consider a 'holy grail'. Highlights include the Plessow co-produced boogie brilliance of 'Anything You Want' and the funky bassline driven mid-tempo disco-soul of 'Time Is On My Side'.

Review: No one edits a classic like Mr. K, as he has proven time and time again. Now the legendary studio craftsman is back and revisiting Paradise Garage and some of the club's legendary sounds. First up is TW Funkmasters' 'Love Money,' which was conceived by UK radio reggae jock Tony Williams and fuses Dennis Brown's reggae hit 'Money In My Pocket' with early rap influences. The dub version was embraced by New York's dance scene and became iconic at the 'Garage, with many homages coming later such as Larry Levan's Man Friday remake, 'Love Honey, Love Heartache.' On the flip, Janice McClain's 1979 Philly disco classic 'Smack Dab In The Middle' shines as Larry Levan's mix is reworked by Mr. K who turns up the jazzy groove with fresh breaks.

Review: While this fabulous album may sound old - as if it was an obscure, jazz-funk-tinged Italian disco release from 1982 - it is in fact brand, spanking new, making it the first new LP of original material released by legendary Italian imprint Best Record in over four decades. Created by Raffaele 'Whodammy' Arcella and Cosimo Cosmo Mandorino, it offers the same kind of boundary-blurring fusion of early '80s boogie, electro, low-tempo Italo-disco, jazz-funk, disco, Afro-cosmic and colourful Balearic pop (with a few cheeky raps and spoken word vocal passages thrown in) as the Neopolitan albums of the early-to-mid 1980s that inspired them. It's a brilliant set all told - one that authentically pays tribute to their influences and inspirations while offering something genuinely new and exciting.

Review: DJ Scientist aka John Raincoatman is the German record collector behind the Outer Edge label. This time he welcomes Ghia for a second outing following the sold out and hugely desirable first one. This one comes in the form of a full length album featuring some previously unissued songs and lots of the group's signature downtempo synth pop sounds. They are soothing, lush and soulful, with delicate female vocals over sweet and innocent 80s keys and drum sounds. Perfectly steamy and sexy for slow dancing or lazy afternoons.

Review: Rufus and Chaka Khan's final stretch balances the unfiltered funk of their live performances with the studio polish of their later work. Their live recordings deliver an electrifying set, reworking classics like 'Tell Me Something Good' and 'Sweet Thing' into extended, groove-heavy jams. 'Ain't Nobody' stands outinot just as the lead single but as a masterclass in electro-funk, pairing airtight drum programming with Chaka's soaring vocal for a career-defining moment. Their studio material shifts towards sleek 80s production, offering a more restrained but still soulful contrast. A dynamic farewell from an era-defining partnership.