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: Oooh! Angie Stone's "Wish I Didn't Miss You" definitely belongs in the canon of all time modern soul classics. Taken from her 2001 second album Mahogany Soul, the Swizz Beats produced track made optimum usage of an O' Jays sample and was instrumental in that LP going gold and propelling the former D'Angelo collaborator to stardom. It also inspired countless official and under the counter remixes with Blaze's perhaps the most recognisable. So yes this reissue on 7" from Outta Sight is worthy if you don't have the original in your collection and features a housed up remix from Hex Hector on the flip.
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.
Review: Last year, obscure 1980s soul singer Garfield Fleming returned to action with a mini-album of tracks co-produced by modern boogie maestro Simon Tappenden AKA Ourra. Here we get a chance to savour once again his 1981 debut single, the much-sampled "Don't Send Me Away". It's something of a "groove"-era boogie classic, all told, with Fleming's superb lead vocal rising above sweeping orchestration and a chunky groove. It also boasts a seriously good breakdown in which Garfield's repetitive chorus vocals ride a stripped-back but percussive groove. Turn to the flip for the solid original B-side "You Got Dat Right", a jaunty slab of disco powered by honky tonk style pianos and a superb "walking" bassline.
Review: While his source material tends towards the well known, there's no denying the quality of The Reflex's "revisions". Their genius likes in his ability to source and utilize stems and master tapes, allowing him to remix and re-edit killer disco jams in the same manner as original masters such as Tom Moulton. It means that he can craft new instrumental breakdowns, stretch out portions that were originally overlooked, and generally breathe new life into otherwise all-too-familiar anthems. The two revisions featured here are typically impressing, with the impassioned, driving, heavily rearranged Philadelphia Soul flipside ("BD LCK") just nudging out anthem like A-side "Ansun" (a brilliantly teased-out version of one of the most familiar disco records of all time).
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: The one and only Mr K sure does know how to cook up a masterful edit. Here he heads into gospel territory with the latest 7" in Most Excellent Unlimited's collaborations with him. Both of these tunes are appearing on 7" vinyl for the first time here and have long been staples of the sets of Danny Krivit. His 'Churchapella' edit of Madonna's 'Like A Prayer' is as holy and steamy as it gets with the whole thing sure to uplift and energise any crowd. On the backside is a superb edit of the Clark Sisters slinky rare groove gem 'Ha-Ya (Eternal Life).' It's a slightly slower tune but one that makes just as much of an impact.
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.
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.
Never Gonna Let You Go (Theo Parrish Ugly edit) (10:04)
Never Gonna Let You Go (5:10)
Review: For the best part of 17 years, Theo Parrish's legendary re-edit of Made In USA's "Never Gonna Let You Go" was available only to those willing to pay serious sums for a copy of his first "Ugly Edits" release. Thankfully De-Lite has done the admirable thing and made it available to all via this essential new edition of the 1977 jam. It allows those who've never heard Made In USA's heartfelt and surprisingly laidback original to compare the two versions, which only highlights the brilliance of Parrish's re-edit. His ten-minute take speeds up the track, adding choppy edits effects to increase energy before rolling into the most righteous and celebratory bits of the original version. In our opinion, it's one of the greatest re-edits of all time.
Street Player (DFP Super Disco Blend - parts I & II) (10:05)
Street Player (DFP Special dubwize mix) (7:03)
Review: Dimitri From Paris has the kind of masterful touch which makes any one of his remixes buy on sight material. But if you need to know more, on this 12" for Z Records he's taking on the Russian band Leonid & Friends and their cover of 'Street Player' by Chicago. Of course the original was an iconic joint made even more classic by 'that' Bucketheads tune, and you can hear DFP having fun nodding to that iconic bit of 90s chart-topping house in these deadly versions. If you like your disco house fierce and fiery but still delivered with finesse, this record is all you need.
Review: Bridge Boots main man Caserta has previously proved to be one of the most talented re-editors around, up there with higher profile artists such as the Reflex and Joey Negro. His latest offering, a red seven-inch single featuring new rearrangements of Diana Ross hit "I'm Coming Out", is another beauty. On the A-side he offers up a "Long Way Mix" that gives more prominence to Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards' killer backing track (partly via stripping it back to the groove at key points) while retaining most of Ross' vocals. On the flip you'll find a "Sing-A-Long Dub" that strips it back further during key instrumental passages to allow the Motown legend's vocals to shine.
Review: Barbara Lynn (b. 1942) is an American rhythm and blues guitarist, singer and songwriter best known for her 1962 R&B chart-topping hit, "You'll Lose a Good Thing". Her highly sought after 1976 song "Movin' On A Groove" gets a much needed repress here from London's Soul Brother, with the funky "Disco Music" featured on the flip. The title track is a soul anthem for those who know, and it's been sold for extortionate prices on the second-hand market but thanks to Soul Brother you can finally get a copy for a reasonable price! A very strong 45 release for DJs and collectors alike.
Gratitude - "We Are Here To Party" (7" version) (3:46)
Jax Transit Authority - "Life Is A Miracle" (4:56)
Review: Many of the finest independent disco 45s that Athens of the North has reissued were licensed by crate digger David Haffner, so it's fitting that AOTN boss Euan Fryer has given him a compilation of his own. "Disco With A Feeling" contains some of those picks, alongside other obscure favourites from Haffner's sizable record collection. It's absolute fire from start to finish, with the little known private press and small-run cuts tending towards the more soulful and jazz-funk influenced end of the disco spectrum. Basically, it's a must-have for anyone who gravitates towards the rare end of the disco spectrum.
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: With roots as a backing singer for Stevie Wonder, Wycoff went on to become a soul ambassador throughout the early 80s. This 1982 reissue is one of the best examples of his silky, heartfelt delivery... "Looking Up To You" is a dynamic love song where traces of big 70s production build and build throughout. "(Do You Really Love Me) Tell Me Love", meanwhile, was only ever released as a B-side. Its 80s production counter the dramatics of the A-side with cool synthetic perfection. Reissues don't get much broader in production or sweeter in sound than this.
Hey Uh-What You Say Come On (Dave Lee Revibe) (6:35)
Steal Your Heart (Dave Lee Showtime mix) (7:39)
Review: Dave Lee is of course the given name of Joey Negro, the tireless UK music head, disco lover, record label owner, DJ, producer and archivist. 'Hey Uh-What You Say Come On' (Dave Lee Revibe) is first and is a big percussive workout with man Roy Ayers bells and xylophones over a steaming groove. 'Steal Your Heart' (Dave Lee Showtime mix) reaches for the big Philly strings and sets them free over a more chunky and funky groove that gets right under your skin. Lovely stuff.
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: The Gallery has these rare grooves up for auction, so they advise you to place your bid quickly. Spoken like true gallerists (or collectors?) this label has presented two previous displays of artistic editing that are still enigmatic to this very day, and their next one retains the high standard in artistic quality. On the A side of this 12' we have the low slung disco disco inferno of 'Steady On Now' packed with a vibrant brass section, cosmic synths and some fine guitar work. On the flip, you're in luck (what more can we say) on 'Not You Again' which has that classic Salsoul kind of vibe all the way, oh and that vocal - good times!
Review: More quality grooves from Washington DC label specializing in reissuing obscure and unknown 70s and 80s dance music. This time around is Dreamcast who are Davon Bryant in conjunction with Swedish guy Sasac aka King Al. "Liquid Deep" is sexy late night deep funk the way it was always intended and Bryant's smooth as silk vocals are just like... Wow! So with Dreamcast on the vocals and Sasac on the beat, we are hoping there's more things on the way from this trans coastal duo in 2017.
Review: Betty Griffin's 'Free Spirit' gets served up as two new remixed versions in honour of the 10 Year Anniversary of Greg Belson's noteworthy radio show, Divine Chord Gospel Show on Dub Lab. Greg himself joins up with Paulo Fulci as Divine Situation to add their own special fire to the already hot originals. Their first Downlow rework rides on some psyched-out guitar lines with the chunky, percussive rhythms riding rough below. Then, on the flip, the Maceo's dub is more smooth, streamlined and cosmic with its widescreen synth lines.
Love & Hate In A Different Time (Greg Wilson & Che mix) (8:40)
Love & Hate In A Different Time (Greg Wilson & Che extended mix) (7:08)
Love & Hate In A Different Time (acappella) (5:36)
Review: 'Love & Hate In a Different Time', one of the Gabriels' sonically sweetest but most lyrically hard-hitting singles to date, may seem an unusual choice to remix, even if the 2020 release did feature a stomping groove reminiscent of Northern Soul. Greg Wilson and Che have done a great job in re-imagining it for dancefloors on their 'full length remix', though, wrapping the original's simmering swings and Jacob Lusk's incredible vocals - smothered in reverb and delay - around a rolling, 1970s style disco groove. The pair also a delivers an 'extended original mix', which stretches out Gabriels' 2020 single version for greater dancefloor pleasure, and a spine-tingling, effects-laden 'acapella' take. Simply essential.
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: 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.
Review: It has been a bit of a while since we heard from edit king and seductive groove maker Late Nite Tuff Guy. Thankfully now he is back after his hiatus with more of his brilliance in the form of a third entry into his Soul Cut series. He brings his magic fingers to a pair of dazzlers here, with a hearrt-wrenching version of a latter yaers Motown anthem, with a modern update that leaves the original vocals in place but adds a little more drum weight. On the flip, 'Don't Look' is a much more smoochy and seductive late-night sound for cosy dances.
Review: Although the Australian outfit Regime roots are in revivalist funk, 'Never Gonna Stop' sees them turn their hands to warm, loved-up and sun-kissed soul of the kind that was once all the rage in the mid 1970s. The grooves are toasty, the male and female lead vocals effortlessly soulful, and the instrumental touches - think languid jazz guitar solos, sweeping strings and lazy, trumpet-heavy horn arrangements - little less than superb. Flipside 'Deuzy Vibe', a P-funk flavoured, turn-of-the-80s boogie-soul style affair, is almost as good. There aren't that many of these -vinyl 45s around, so buy now to avoid disappointment.
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: This special 12" features two tracks that will not be on the vinyl version of the forthcoming AC Soul Symphony, Disco opus "Metamorphosis" featuring a 20 piece orchestra alongside a whole host of top live players. That makes it an even more vital pick up because both are pure disco fire. 'I Want To See You Dance' has the title's classic refrain repeated over big Salsoul style string licks, funky basslines and soloing piano. 'The Talented Mr Adams' is a tribute to the legendary disco producer Patrick Adams and is a super sweet swooner with golden live strings and brass backing up a loose-limbed rhythm and vamping pianos that get you in the mood for love. These two tracks act as a fine teaser for what's to come on the much-anticipated album from a contemporary version of acts like MFSB and Love Unlimited Orchestra.
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: With fine multi-track re-edits and remixes to his name already on GAMM, KAT and Lumberjacks In Hell, it would be fair to say that Moplen (AKA Italian producer Luca Locatelli) is currently one of the most sought-after rework specialists in the disco scene. Here he makes his first appearance on A&R Edits, a sneaky imprint that has been around longer than most rework labels. A-side "A Minute" is an energetic, all-action revision of Tavares' 1975 disco gem "It Only Takes A Minute" - a song later made more famous by Brit boy band Take That. Over on side B Moplen gives his take on David Joseph's sparse, synth-powered Paradise Garage favourite "You Can't Hide Your Love", which has in turn been further extended by Greg Wilson.
Review: Limited edition, hand-stamped white label 12"s from Smoove, reworking as though each of its remixed originals were axiomatic expressions of sonic perfection. 'Dance', for example, has a well known 80s classic reworked to stomping, heavyweight perfection - stretching its vocals to breathy ecstasy. Meanwhile EWF's 'Can't Hide Love' and 'Playing Your Game, Baby' by a certain Mr White, unite over a similar subject matter; there's no point in hiding your love. All aboard the underground love train.
Review: Al Kent takes on Japan’s answer to Vince Montana for another extended disco mix, with the emphasis - as always - on disco! Judging by the popularity of the pair’s last outing this release should once again please those DJs and music lovers with a penchant for the percussion, strings and traditional instrumentation that underpins the best disco music, bringing it up to date with one eye firmly on the past.
Review: The Patchouli Brothers from Toronto share an affinity for the strange side of house, disco, soul and esoteric sounds as heard on Defected, Soundway, GAMM, Star Creature, Pleasure of Love and Basic Fingers. They are resident DJs at Beam Me Up, a weekly disco night in Toronto and a monthly party in Montreal. They now present four scorching edits here on Moton: kicking off with the heart warming soul power of 'Lead Astray', the energetic funk explosion of 'Kin Sol', as well as the sexy late night boogie-down vibe of 'Can't Get You Down'. Also on the flip is a nice track ending on a low slung and slo-mo tip titled 'Project Soul'.
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