Review: Suave Parisian scalpel-botherer Dimitri From Paris continues to churn out top notch re-edits, slightly altering his famous production persona from label to label. Here, he delivers a second 12" for Razor 'N' Tape under the Dimitri From Brooklyn alias. Like its' predecessor, it features a couple of stone cold bangers. "Right My File" offers a thunderous, housed-up take on a lesser-known cover version of Dan Hartman's grandiose disco smasher "Relight My Fire" - all vocal breakdowns, big builds and big-lunged sing-along moments. As for "I Want Your Back", it re-casts Dimitri as The Reflex, laying down a version of The Jacksons' "I Want You Back" that sounds like it was done from the multi-track parts. It is, of course, dancefloor dynamite.
Review: Rush Hour did us plenty of favours this year but by far our most cherished was the reissue of James Mason's timeless, proto-house excursions on the infamous "Nightgruv" EP. There's really not much to be said about these peerless productions, the original mix is a stunning voyage through glimmering synths backed by a chugging beat groove, but the unreleased longer edit is the one - voyaging through those gorgeous drums and piano keys like there's no tomorrow! "I Want Your Love" is another masterpiece - slo-mo hip-hop beats mixed in with those killer funk bass lines and the infamous vocals taking you to another dimension.
Feel So Good Inside (extended Waxist edit mix) (6:51)
Feel So Good Inside (4:19)
Take Me To (New York City) (4:18)
Review: The result of a diligent digging quest since he heard DJ Klas drop it many years ago, Lyonaisse editor Waxist has finally track down his own copy of Lamar's 1980 disco soul love gem and given it some serious treatment. Extending the unfettered positivity of the original by almost two minutes (with special attention paid to that immense organ solo), it lives up to its name in every possible way. For authenticity's sake he's also included the original B-side "Take Me To New York". Still standing the test of time impeccably after 35 years, one tickle from the lolloping bassline and swooning keys and your dancefloor will be hooked.
You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real) (Michael Gray remix) (7:33)
You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real) (Michael Gray dub mix) (7:38)
Review: What more needs to be said about this timeless disco hit? A staple of DJ sets by everyone from Derrick May and Laurent Garnier to James Murphy, this Harvey Fuqua and Patrick Cowley production from 1979 is a truly timeless classic whose spirit still lives to this day on modern dancefloors. Here we are treated to a rework by Britain's undisputed king of funky house Michael Gray (Full Intention) on his Sultra label. With full respect to the original, Gray's rework injects some dancefloor dynamics for the modern sound system. You even get a bonus instrumental "Dub Mix" on the flip!
Review: You'll struggle to find a more loved-up and life-affirming chunk of proto-disco brilliance than The Sisters Love's 1973 "Give Me Your Love". The record's lasting impact can be seen in the number of times that it's been reworked, re-edited or bootlegged over the years. Here it gets an official 7" reissue via Soul Brother Records. It sounds as good as ever, with the all-female group's now familiar vocals rising above Blaxploitation style guitars, fluttering flutes and powerful horns. It's a celebratory release, and then some. This time round it's accompanied by a lesser-known gem, "Try It, You'll Like It", which first featured on the B-side of a 1973 single. This is a powerful chunk of conscious funk/soul fusion of the sort that was incredibly popular during the period it was recorded.
Review: There's no doubt that crate-digger, record collector and renowned Discogs seller Zafsmusic knows more than most about the world of private press vinyl releases. This 12", originally pressed up in super-limited quantities by its' creator, Martin L Dumas Jnr sometime around the turn of the '80s, has long been a must-have for collectors with several thousand dollars to spare. The title track is particularly wonderful - a warm, breezy, loose and fluid chunk of boogie-soul that Zaf has slightly tweaked to suit the needs of modern dancefloors. Flipside "Nonstop To The Top" has a more jazz-funk feel, with intergalactic synths complimenting Dumas Jr's sweet vocal and conscious lyrics.
The Vision - "Heaven" (feat Andreya Triana - Danny Krivit edit) (6:21)
The Dangerfeel Newbies - "What Am I Here For?" (original NDATL vocal - Danny Krivit edit) (8:45)
Review: Since the 1970s Danny Krivit has been a prolific re-editor. We're used to him cutting up classic cuts - think disco and soul, in particular - but he's never been afraid to turn his talents to contemporary cuts. That's what you get on this surprise Defected release. On the A-side he turns his attention to "Heaven", the killer gospel-inspired modern disco single from The Vision and Andreya Triana, turning in a version with plenty of drops, instrument solos and more emphasis on the righteous, life-affirming vocals. He's in a smoother mode on side B, extended and rearranging the rich and soulful dancefloor treat that is Kai Alce's Original NDATL vocal mix of The Dangerfeel Newbies' "What Am I Here For?" - a gem from 2016 that has previously been criminally overlooked.
Review: Released in celebration of Expansion's recent re-serving of two of Leon's early 80s albums - Rockin' You Eternally and Leon Ware - here's a delightful 45 that reminds us of his finest solo moments. "Why I Came To California" is a sun-kissed soul boogie groove with big horns and even bigger chorus. "Rockin' You Eternally" (which is, let's face it, one of the smoothest song titles to ever come from the 80s) showcases Leon's softer side. A ballad steeped in sentiment, play this loud enough and everyone in a five mile radius will stop and get smoochy.
Dance Your Blues Away (The Mighty Zaf edit) (4:32)
Review: Originally released in 1979 as a B-side to The Neville Brother's "Sweet Honey Dipper", "Dance Your Blues Away" saw Ivan go solo for the first time on this sultry modern soul jam. Laced with a plucky bass and just the right smattering of sleaze, it set the foundations for Ivan's extensive solo career. It also provides the perfect groove tools for The Mighty Zaf to work his editor craft and beef up the vibe with subtlety. Keep on dancing!
Review: During the "rare groove" boom in London during the 1980s, Linda Williams' 1979 album track "Elevate Our Minds" became something of an anthem. Curiously, it was never released as a single at the time, making this surprise 7" edition something of a bonus for those still searching for the track. It remains a fine song, with Williams' brilliant vocals rising above bossa-influenced beats, warm bass, luscious boogie orchestration and gentle Latin style horn lines. The flipside features "City Living", the title track from the very same 1979 LP that "Elevate Our Minds" was taken. It's far funkier and more elastic in feel, with horn arrangements and a chunky groove reminiscent of some Teena Marie tracks from the same period.
Review: Ooof! Two forever-scorching disco gems from the one and only Cheryl Lynn. This extended version of the screaming funklet "You Saved My Day" has only been available on rare promo, while the full version of her seminal party jam "To Be Real" enjoys pride of place on the B. 40 years young and still untouchable.
Review: A serious piece of soul sampling history right here. "Evil Vibrations" is instantly recognisable thanks to De La Soul's "A Roller Skating Jam Named Saturdays". Fast-paced boogie blessed with swooping sugar harmonies, it still sounds as smooth as it did when originally released in 78. Touching stargazing ballad "The Star Children" was even more popular with the hip-hop set scoring cameos on cuts by both RZA and Mobb Deep. Both cuts are taken from the album Help Us Spread The Message. Criminally it's their only LP!
Review: This release features two of Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes' recordings that typify the cream of Philadelphia International and Sigma Sound studios' dominance of the dancefloor - at the absolute height of their creativity and power. They were one of the most popular groups on Gamble & Huff's label, clocking up a number of hits in the mid 1970's. "Bad Luck" spent 11 weeks on the No.1 slot on Billboard's U.S. Dance chart in 1975 and has since become one of the biggest dancefloor staples ever recorded. It gets a remix by the master Tom Moulton for added club dynamics. On the flip, we have the original full version of the classic "Don't Leave Me This Way" which is also mixed to perfection by Moulton. Both are state of the art lessons in what exhilarating dance music is all about. Fully remastered on limited edition 180 gram heavyweight vinyl.
Review: Two Arista classics from 79/78 respectively, the cult (not to mention heavily sampled) charms of Pittsburgh soul queen Hyman are presented immaculately right here on this heavyweight vinyl double-A. "You Know How To Love Me", taken from the 79 album of the same name, is a straight up disco stomper that should be recognisable to all with its distinctive horn fill and rousing backing vocals while "Living Inside Your Love" (from her 78 album Somewhere In My Lifetime) is a slinkier, sultry affair with some sizzling scat vocal flare and harmonies that will have you weak at the knees. It's all love.
Review: It's well known that People's Potential Unlimited boss Andrew Morgan has some serious crate digging skills. Even so, he continues to amaze with the obscurity and quality of the releases he chooses to reissue. Serious collectors have long sought out "Let's Ride" by guitarist Willie Lee Jnr under his occasional Junei alias. Originally released on 7" back in 1987, it's a killer chunk of synthesizer-heavy electrofunk blessed with some serious eyes-closed guitar solo action. Flipside "You Must Go On" - originally the A-side of the '87 release - is fantastic, too, offering a near perfect blend of sun-kissed Balearic attitude and smooth '80s soul grooves.
You Can't Turn Me Away (Produced By Roy Ayers) (5:28)
Review: Expansion's latest must-have release brings together two killer cuts from Sylvia Striplin's brilliant 1981 album "Give Me You Love", which originally appeared on Roy Ayers' Uno Melodic label. Ayers produced and arranged both cuts alongside regular collaborator James Bedford. "Give Me Your Love" is, of course, something of an anthem in underground disco circles, with Striplin's breathy and emotionally rich vocal rounding off a superb cut that's rich in crunchy Clavinet lines, walking bass, snappy drums, sensual synth doodles and rising horns. Flipside "You Can't Turn Me Away", meanwhile, is closer in sound and vibe to Roy Ayers' jazz-funk cuts from the period, which is no bad thing.
Don't You Want My Love (Dimitri From Paris Classic re-edit) (6:17)
Review: During her heyday in the late 1970s and early '80s, disco chanteuse Debbie Jacobs released some killer material (see "High on Your Love" and "Undercover Lover", for starters). "Don't You Want My Love", an energy-packed, orchestral disco smasher originally released in 1979 to promote the singer's debut album, is also up there with the best of her output. Here, the Paul Sabu produced original version gets the reissue treatment by Defected offshoot Glitterbox. Sabu's original club-length version sits astride the A-side, with Dimitri From Paris providing a "classic re-edit" on the flipside. His version sticks fairly close to the original, offering necessary nips and tucks here and there whilst steering clear of contemporary production trickery. Naturally, it's a rock solid rework from a true master of the scalpel rearrangement.
Review: Having previously persuaded some of the re-edit scene's biggest names to contribute reworks, Razor-N-Tape has now recruited the Grand-daddy of the scalpel scene: 1970s disco original Danny Krivit AKA Mr K. He begins with "Stuff", a deliciously epic revision of an atmospheric and joyous disco cut rich in snaking synth solos, evocative instrumentation and glassy-eyed vocals. Krivit teases the tune in slowly, eventually cutting loose as the nine-minute edit reaches its final few minutes. Side B is all about "The Story", a jaunty and musically complex instrumental disco number that contains some fantastic orchestration, spacey 1970s synthesizer flourishes and heady female backing vocals.
Review: It would be fair to say that great Italo-disco albums are few and far between. Ago's 1982 debut album, "For You", is undoubtedly one of the rare examples of an Italo-disco artist getting it right across an entire LP. As this timely reissue proves, the artist (and his production team) was more heavily influenced by U.S disco, boogie and early electrofunk than many of his synth-pop and new wave-loving peers, giving the set an authenticity and warm instrumental feel often lacking in similar Italian exercises. You may find the accented vocals a touch tongue-in-cheek, but the choruses are great, the instrumentation brilliant and the production spot on.
TSOP (The Sound Of Philadelphia) (Special 12' version) (5:49)
Review: MFSB was an American studio band formed by producers of the Philadelphia International Records label. The label was founded in 1971 by Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff in Philadelphia. This is an official 12 inch re-release of probably the most revered Paradise Garage anthem of all time. Originally released in 1973, "Love Is The Message" has sustained dancefloors across the world ever since and here Prime present the full original mix from the master himself: Tom Moulton, which is very rare, as any seasoned digger could attest to. On the flip is "T.S.O.P. (The Sound Of Philadelphia)" aka the official Soul Train theme, again using Moulton's original mix.
Review: Unlike many of their compatriots, Timeless Legend were a soul group who didn't limit themselves to a killer, one-off EP before disappearing into the shadows. Believe us when we say that this is basically what happened to most bands in the 70s. In the case of these guys, they stuck around for a series of albums and singles that have remained engrained in every collector's memory, and that now go for big bucks on the second-hand market. "Everybody Disco" is their 1979 masterpiece, a tune that encapsulates the disco movement perfectly, from the beats to the bass and even the synths. What a hummable dance anthem - grab it before the RSD 2018 stock runs out!
Are You Lonely? (Greg Wilson & Che Wilson mix) (5:57)
Are You Lonely? (The Revenge Redub) (7:04)
Are You Lonely? (Yam Who? re-edit) (6:13)
Review: Classic boogie-down antics for those that know on this wonderful old school production by short lived outfit Hipnotic. Alongside the wondrous rarity that is "Are You Lonely?", it also comes with four new interpretations of the much loved and sought-after funk fuelled gem. First up, Stockholm legend Peter Major aka Opolopo delivers his usual style of magic featuring an amazing bassline and slick neon-lit production style. Legend Greg Wilson is joined by Che Wilson to deliver smooth and lo-slung rework, while Scottish disco hero The Revenge does his usual slo-mo thang, before Midnight affiliated Yam Who? goes back to the program with his respectful edit.
Review: PPU may have expanded its remit to issue contemporary acts like Pender Street Steppers and, soon, Beautiful Swimmers but the label is still digging through the soul and boogie archives of forgotten US acts. The work of George Franklin Smallwood has provided a source of much inspiration for Peoples Potential Unlimited over the years with the archivally minded label issuing several singles, a DVD and a Christmas album from the local Washington DC artist. Here PPU grant Smallwood's soul gem "You Know I Love" it's first 12" release having first surfaced at some unspecified time in the early '80s and is worth investigating for the drum machine heavy dub version on the flip!
Review: By the time "Touch Me In The Morning" was mailed out to American DJs in 1979, Marlena Shaw has long since established herself as one of soul music's greatest voices. "Touch Me In The Morning" was merely a promo-only affair, remixed from the shorter "Take A Bite" album version - but it did become something of a dancefloor anthem in certain underground clubs. Here, the sought-after 12" is given a replica reissue, with the stomping, string-drenched title track being accompanied by exactly the same B-side cuts as the '79 pressing.
Walter Whisenhunt Orchestra - "Love Is A Hurting Thing" (feat Gloria Ann Taylor) (7:18)
Review: Sometimes, incredibly rare and expensive records don't live up to the hype. We can safely say that Gloria Ann Taylor's "Deep Inside You"- a superb, disco-era chunk of sexually charged soul - is not one of those records. Very few original copies were pressed, which not only explains the eye-watering second-hand prices but also the numerous bootlegs that have appeared over the years. This, then, is the record's first licensed reissue. It's worth picking up, not only for the sublime title track, but also for bonus cuts "What's Your World" - a laidback, super-sweet chunk of laidback West Coast soul - and the lushly orchestrated "Love Is A Hurting Thing".
We use cookies to personalise content and ads, to provide social media features and to analyse our traffic. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners who may combine it with other information that you've provided to them or that they've collected from your use of their services.