vinylcd -funk / soul / jazz /-date

Crate Digging 101. Two undisputed classics from Bob James back to back on 12". When it comes to James' much sampled catalog, it doesn't get much more essential then "Mardi Gras" and "Nautilus." Upgrade that old worn out Alpha Omega copy with this one that has convincing CTI labels. Cop doubles and get busy!

• music label: CTI Records

reviewed by Von Bee 05/2012

Now on vinyl by popular demand! Soul In A Digital World was originally released on CD back in 2010, and ever since its was dropped, people have been asking "where's the vinyl version?". A couple years later and prayers are answered on thick black wax. For those unfamilar with Derobert & The Half-Truths, they are the in-house band for G.E.D. Soul - a small relatively unknown label from Nashville, TN that is pumping out some of the best deep fried southern soul as can be heard all over this LP (Tkat from the NY store actually put us on to these guys by picking up some records they brought into the shop). The samples will speak for themselves as this is 100% analog soul for fans of Daptone, Funk Night Recs, and Truth & Soul! Recommended.

• music label: G.E.D. Soul 2012

reviewed by Extravagant Traveler 05/2012

Top quality reissue of Howlin' Wolf's 1969 full length. The Howlin' Wolf album is widely considered a modern classic, even though Howlin' Wolf himself really didn't like it (he even went so far to call it "dog shit"). It was a bold experiment back in the time of its original release by Cadet Records (a subsidiary of Chess Records) - to take a legendary blues artist like Wolf and try to modernize his sound by integrating electric instruments and pyschedelic arrangements (a la Hendrix). Even the album art was a radical experiment stating the artist disapproved of it right on the cover! Not surprisingly it didn't sell very well back then, but over time the album won a special place amongst music aficionados thanks to its unique mix of traditional blues and electric rock elements. Diggers will note the heavy breaks littered all over this piece and might even catch a known sample or two.. or three. Highest quality vinyl pressing with audio remastered from the original analog tapes for optimum sound quality and comes packaged in a paste-on style jacket featuring the album's famous original artwork. Comes in black or red printed cover (randomly shipped).

• music label: Get On Down 2012

reviewed by Extravagant Traveler 05/2012

First ever full length LP from the good people at PPU. UKU KUUT's "Vision Of Estonia" 7" is an all-time favorite among heads here at the Lab, so we were stoked to see a whole album of material come to fruition. If you dug the 45, you'll love the LP as it is stacked with the same kind of laid back leftfield beats and lost 80's boogie grooves. Here's what the PPU had to say about it: PPU's first long-play LP highlights some of the early beginnings of one of our favorite producers, UKU KUUT. Written and recorded at UKU's home studio in Los Angeles and Stockholm between 1982 & 1989. Some tracks co-written with Maryn E. Coote, famous jazz vocalist who had her beginnings in 1960s Soviet Union. "That's my MOM" recalls UKU, "I remember when I was little, sitting under the mixing board at her sessions". Growing up in studios, UKU's love of music production began early, and over the years he has amassed a vast collection of domestic and soviet electronic gear. In true PPU style this LP is a mix of UKU KUUT's raw cassette demos, forgotten masters and unreleased magic. 10 tracks with full pic sleeve. Recommended.

• music label: People's Potential Unlimited 2012

reviewed by TKB 05/2012

The curatorial wizardry of Chocolate Industries releases true magic on “Personal Space: Electronic Soul 1974 - 1984”, their new collection of incredible finds, gems of unheard, private-issue soul from the 70s and 80s, all with an emphasis on synthesizer, sequencer, and drum machine usage. Setting itself far above most recent reissues, it’s a compilation that explores the creation of an identity amidst what was a new age of sounds. Unique atmospheres, moods, emotions, are pioneered by circuitry, a prime example being the Makers’ “Don’t Challenge Me”. Lulling the listener into its call-and-response of synthesized composition and sultry vocals, the track has been melting ears around here. Jeff Phelps, Key & Cleary, Starship Commander Woo Woo’s “Master Starship” (basically, THE jam) further highlight these uncharted territories of emotional weirdness… a wholly new kind of soul music prime for introspection, mind-wandering and thoughtfulness (thoughtlessness). Highly recommended, a must-have for anyone who’s been digging anything from Stones Throw, Now Again Records, etc. Also of note, awesome packaging is just always a plus, with a beyond choice photo from NASA gracing the comp’s cover.

• Music Label: Chocolate Industries 2012

reviewed by A. Tomorrow 05/2012

Leave it to Numero Group to dig up that long lost soul you wish you knew about sooner. Here they've unearthed some true soul gems from Cleveland's Love Apple. Apparently the entire recorded catalog of this soulful trio had been collecting dust in a coverted dairy barn for almost three decades until being re-discovered. The band consists of three extremely soulful ladies who pour out their hearts on the mic, while Lou Ragland holds down guitar and Tony Roberson hits the drums. Needless to say the recordings have a gritty lo-fi quality to them, but it only adds to the appeal when you sit down and soak in the Love Apple vibes. Six tracks of pure soul bliss on heavyweight vinyl, housed in old school brown paper Boddie sleeve. Recommended.

• music label: Numero Group 2012

reviewed by Extravagant Traveler 05/2012

Another sureshot 45 from Detroit's Funk Night Records via Motor City heavyweights, Will Sessions. These guys are killing it from every angle - funk, jazz, fusion, hip hop... Apparently they can do no wrong! On this one they go for a tough reinterpretation of BR Gunna and Phat Kat's "True Story." These guys are masters at giving hip hop beats a real live feel. On the flipside things get heavy heavy on "Dub Rock," a track based off the Black Milk cut of the same name. Two sides of fire right here, well recommended!

• music label: Funk Night Records 2012

reviewed by Von Bee 05/2012

Will Sessions do it up for the jazz heads. The five piece band from Detroit might best be known around these parts for their amazing live renditions of hip hop classics (see Elmatic or Mix Takes) and their smokin' funk originals (check those Funk Night 45s), but on 2010's Kindred the band showcase their talent for jazz fusion styles. With super influential jazz labels like Tribe coming from Detroit, it only makes sense they would do a tribute to the pioneers of the sound. This really sounds like a rare record from the 70's full of lush spiritual and free jazz moods, together with powerful drums at times. Check the sound on the uplifting "Redirections," "Omniverse" or the driving "Polyester People" and "Seven Miles." The title track "Kindred" even features Tribe Records veteran Wendel Harrison! Excellent stuff from start to finish. Recommended.

• music label: The Few

reviewed by Extravagant Traveler 05/2012

It's a match made in disco heaven. P&P Records is synonymous with the original disco sound (of Harlem to be exact), and who better to dig through the archives and compile and mix the best jams from their massive catalog? The one and only DJ Spinna! Ya'll should be familiar with Spinna's undeniable talent as a selector behind the decks, and this release is even more proof of the skills. For the mix version, Spinna runs through 21 P&P joints - from soulful groovers, uptempo movers, to disco breaks galore - all mixed and cut up to perfection. Seriously, this is how you do a disco mix people! Contains tracks from Cloud One, Ahzz, Karisma, Little Scotty, Queen Yahna, Louise Murray, Mary Clark, Marta Acuna, Golden Flamingo Orchestra, and many more. The double LP version contains 8 unmixed, full length versions of tracks from the mix that also happen to be some of the rarest P&P cuts from the catalog (check the insane unheard funk of the Michael Campbell and High Voltage joints, or the smooth chillout grooves of Cloud One). And if that wasn't enough, it's pressed up on bright pink vinyl! Disco heads will not want to miss this, recommended.

• music label: Five Day Weekend 2012

reviewed by Von Bee 04/2012

When The Unabombers dropped their Saturday Night Sunday Morning back in 2002 it was a tribute to their highly successful basement club, the Electric Chair. These days the Mancunian duo heads the Electric Elephant festival in Croatia. And just as eclectic as that festival is, this mix shows just how ahead of the curve they were. Mixing different styles and genres with ease was not as common place back then. The duo moves easily through house, hip hop, boogie and funk, stringing together the disparate strains of dance music. Double CD includes mixed and unmixed versions. Double LP commits some of the best & most collectable cuts to wax.

• Music Label: Electric Chair 2002

reviewed by The Voice 05/2012

RSD 2012 Exclusivo. Back to back live versions from the godfather of soul performed at the legendary Apollo! Includes scorching versions of "There It Is" and "Pass The Peas" complete with audience cheers and claps. Both tracks are previously unreleased so this is the only place to get 'em! Limited to 5000 copies in cool pic sleeve, recommended.

• music label: Universal 2012

reviewed by Von Bee 04/2012

Official 180g vinyl reissue of Karen Dalton's debut full length, courtesy of Light In The Attic. It's So Hard To Tell Who's Going To Love You was originally released back in 1969 on Capitol and is an the perfect introduction to Dalton's intoxicating world of bluesy folk music. Bob Dylan put it best, "She had a voice like Billie Holiday’s and played the guitar like Jimmy Reed." Just take a listen to on any of the tracks and you'll hear this to be true. It's no wonder she has garnered praises from the likes of Fred Neil to Nick Cave! This is essential listening for folk and blues fans, or classic American songwriting in general. This Light In The Attic reissue is set to become the definitive analogue version of Dalton’s stunning debut with period artwork, tip-on jacket, extensive liner notes, photos, and clear audio re-mastered from the original Capitol masters. 10 tracks in all, recommended.

• music label: Light In The Attic 2009

reviewed by Extravagant Traveler 04/2012

This digger / jazzhead favorite gets reissued for the first time on vinyl by Light In The Attic (on a roll recently). In this reissue, the label stayed true to the Impulse high design ethos, with the original heavy gatefold cover, additional Downbeat linear notes, and sparkling 180g vinyl. Diplo was the first one to tip me off to this international gem, so we'll refer to his original Record Check review:

"In the country of Hungary, they still have traveing Gypsies snd shit. The go around on Vespas and play sitars now, but they are still all about the free spirited musicianship and mack mode, as Gabor demonstrates. It is the kind of music that sll the hot English girls that over did the mascara had sex to in the sixties. Just cool type shit. Like you gotta be sitting in a cafe' with a goatee and a sunglasses on to really feel the effects. Gabor has some very listenable records on Impulse. I love his stuff, very melodic with his hungarian ethnic music steeze coming though somehow. He is usually playing guitar real well, but here he picks up the sitar and can't stop getting loose. This record is a jazz dance super sitar Bernard Purdie on drums type record, with a bunch of spiritual Krishna song titles. I ate Krishna food at a rainbow gathering once so I can bob my head to this record and Rasa on the regular. You don't even know rock and roll until you have heard "Paint it Black" on a sitar."

• Music Label: Light In The Attic 1967/2010

reviewed by the mgmnt 08/2010

First time domestic reissue of this classic from B-Music and Light In The attic. This deluxe version features glossy gatefold packaging and extended linear notes and a 1971 interview with Serge. Here's our original review: "There are many reasons to add this album to your collection, not the least of which is the incredible covered cooter proudly displayed by Jane Birkin (aka Jane B). Damn those hippie girls from Blow Up. Fans say this is French rebel icon Serge Gainsbourg's masterpiece. And it's got beats. Although broken into a few different movements, Histoire De Melody Nelson is a singular piece of work held together with Serge's gravel lyrics, a recurring tar-pit bass and the story of Melody Nelson. The album is book ended by "Melody" and "Cargo Culte" which both utilize the album's centerpiece- that haunting bass that you will recognize from the Beatnuts' "Superbad." En Melody" also deserves mention for the great intro and controlled spazz guitar work (sampled by De La). Serge was a legend- banned in many countries for his blatant sexual and political messages, loved by women despite having a "head like a cabbage," always centered in controversy and usually producing interesting work. In Serge's later years, he attended an awards show and told Whitney Houston "I want to fuck you" on live TV. ODB would be proud. Recommended.

• Music Label: Light In The Attic 1971/2009

reviewed by the mgmnt 04/2009

Beatnuts sample source on 7" ! Hip-hop heads will recognize Dizzy Gillespie's "Matrix" as the sample for Beatnuts' "World Famous," but the track holds its own as a groove jazz masterpiece originally released on underground NY jazz label, Perception. The original is highly sought after in digger circles, but is available here on the teaser 7" for BBE's upcoming Perception/Today retrospective. Flipside features another groovin' jazz rarity, this time by Brazilian singer Astrud Gilberto, with a cover of Jorge Ben's "Take It Easy My Brother Charlie."

• music label: BBE 2012

reviewed by Von Bee 04/2012

Record Store Day 2012 exclusive from Light In The Attic! This release was flying of the shelves of the NY store on RSD, and one look at the package and it's easy to see why. From the label: "Never To Be Forgotten: The Flip Side Of Stax 1968-1974 is Light In The Attic’s Record Store Day 2012 love letter to some of the lesser-known Stax Records artists, collected and presented in a knock-out 7” vinyl box set. Containing 10 faithfully reproduced 45-rpm singles from Mable John, Bernie Hayes, Lee Sain, Melvin Van Peebles, Roy Lee Johnson & The Villagers, and John Gary Williams, in addition to label stalwarts Johnnie Taylor, Mad Lads, Emotions, and Rufus Thomas, prepare to move, groove, and be enthused. Never To Be Forgotten comes housed in a beautiful flip-top container case replete with an extensive 84-page bounded booklet brimming with informative interviews with the surviving musicians contained within and liner notes by Memphis writer Andria Lisle, candid photographs, and personal anecdotes from Stax enthusiasts and label veterans Stewart, co-owner Al Bell, and promotions manager Phillip Rauls. Plus, a free Download Card for those turntable-less moments." Limited stock, act fast. Recommended.

music label: Light In The Attic 2012

reviewed by Extravagant Traveler

• revised softcover edition with 16 pages of new content
• special pack includes colored 7" vinyl (random color, only 500 pressed)
• side A: Geno Jordan: You're a Peachtree Freak On Peachtree Street (Tom Noble Edit)
• side B: IZ Army: Brainwash (Army of Shadows Edit)
• Chosen by Amazon as the Entertainment Book Of The Year
• Selected by the Village Voice as one of the 10 Best Books of The Year

You might be wondering about the title How To Wreck A Nice Beach and how it relates to that awesome lookin' vocoder on the cover. Well it's actually how the author misheard a vocoder-rendered phrase "HOW TO RECOGNIZE SPEECH," an easy mistake when trying to make sense of this crazy voice altering device! In this book, Dave Tompkins shares the incredible story of the vocoder - from how it was invented (by Bell Labs in 1928) to its usage by the military to guard from eavesdroppers during WW2, all the way to the 70's when it used by musicians and today when it is the ubiquitous voice of pop music. See this unlikely machine pop up in context next to JFK, Kubrick, popular science fiction, Nazis, and of course its musical context from Stevie Wonder, Herbie Hancock, Freestyle, Kraftwerk, Egyptian Lover, Cybotron, Afrika Bambaataa, Roger Troutman and Zapp. The history of the electronic voice (talk boxes, auto-tune, and even artifical larynges are covered as well) is traced in fascinating detail with tons of awesome photos & illustrations and entertaining personal anecdotes. I actually had the pleasure of sitting in on an interview with Dave Tompkins the other night (for the Mad Decent podcast) and let me tell you - this guy knows his stuff! 350  pages. Highly Recommended.

Gil-Scott Heron is a living legend. You might know of him from his revolutionary street poetry of the 70's, his influential spoken word albums, or maybe just heard about the hardships of his life and times in New York City. Anyway you look at it, his words have affected the lives of many, and here he is in the new decade of the new millennium, reaching out to a whole new generation of people with a brand new album. Plenty of artists go to retirement and comeback, but Gil-Scott Heron has really impressed me with I'm New Here. His scuffed and often tired voice tells of the hardships he has dealt with over the many years in a soulful bluesy manner - sounding so experienced, yet fresh over the minimalist modern beats and sound-scapes. Can't really pick and choose tracks here - this is the type of album you have to enjoy as a whole, but if you want a couple standalone highlights check out "New York Is Killing Me," "I'll Take Care Of You," or "Me And The Devil." Powerful stuff. Recommended.

• Music Label: XL Recordings 2010

reviewed by snackmaster 04/2010

This has been on heavy rotation in the Lab office ever since we got the promo a few months ago. It's one of those albums you can put on and know that every song is gonna be awesome, no fillers or skippers... basically, it rules. The album compiles the best releases from the Soul Cal label, which means you get the best rare soul and funky soulful disco cuts circa 1971 to 1982. You can bet that each and every song on here is dripping with that vintage soul goodness - the kind that puts a smile on your face and makes it seem like the sun is shining on you (even when the weather sucks outside). Check out some of the office favorites like Record Player's "Free Your Mind," Rhthym Machine's "Put A Smile On Time," Mixed Feeling's "Sha La La," Luther Davis' "You Can Be A Star," or just click on any of the samples - they're all that good! This deluxe release (both 2LP and CD) also comes with an 80 page full color companion book filled with rare photos and details each bands history. Essential purchase for the soul enthusiast. Highly Recommended.

• music label: Soul Cal 2012

reviewed by snackmaster 04/2012

Onur Engin is the truth. With all the edits that flood the market these days, Onur's releases always stand out - not only by tune selection (far from the usual disco stuff), but also by his respectful and effective touch. His past releases on GAMM, Plimsoll, Square and his own OE imprint got us familiar, but now the Turkish producer releases a full double LP of material to really sink our ears into. Music Under New York delivers on all fronts with a stellar selection of jazz, soul, funk, fusion and latin from the likes of Eddie Palmieri, Gloria Gaynor, Don Costa, Bill Conti, Bill Evans, Stanley Turrentine, Starvue, Quincy Jones, and many more. This record is going to be on heavy rotation for awhile! Pressed on double 180g 12" and housed in a sweet pic sleeve. Easy recommendation on this one.

• music label: Glenview Records 2012

reviewed by Von Bee 04/2012

Another foray into the intriguing world of Korean psyche. This album follows up the recent peaked interest in Korean fuzz guitar pioneer  Shin Jung Hyun (thanks to the excellent Light In The Attic compilation and Soulscape's mixes). Hyun leads the band here, laying down super hip, fuzzy backings for Kim Jung Mi's vocals (entirely sung in Korean). Aside from a couple ballads, the album is consistently popping with some great psyche gems (I thought tracks 2, 5, 6. 7, 10 were especially good). Shin Jung Hyun fans and the music nerdus will really dig this, recommended.

• music label: Lion Productions 2011 / 1973

reviewed by the mgmnt 04/2012

Unmixed vinyl companion to the mix. Dave 1 and P-Thug do it up proper for the 30th entry in the long running DJ-Kicks series with a wide selection of cuts from artists that have helped shape and influence Chromeo's sound. Plenty of funky disco, grown n sexy 80s R&B, italo, and French love jams from the likes of Kano, France Joli, Carmen, Val Young, Cheri, Leo Sayer, Shotgun, and Alan Parsons Project as well as contemporary joints from peers like Chateau Marmont. 13 tracks total, cool pic sleeve designed by Trevor Jackson.

• music label: Studio !K7

reviewed by snackmaster 08/2009

One of the most popular and loved Charles Mingus records, Mingus At Antibes has that certain mass appeal and easily digestible formula that makes near cousin to John Coltrane's Giant Step which was recorded in the same year (1959-60). "Better Git It In Your Soul" is probably my favorite Mingus track of all time, and here it gets extended into 12 minute stomp (compared to Mingus Ah Um's 8 minutes). 6 long playing tracks that equal an hour (generously spread over 2LPs), soul grunts included. Recommended.

Very welcome reissue of this rare groove holy grail. Starvue's "Body Fusion" has appeared on a few soul compilations in the past, but this is the first time we've had it on 12", and with convincing label reproductions to boot. The track has been highly sought-after since it's 1980 release on Midwest International thanks to its supremely sexy and sensuous soul steppin' groove produced by The Chi-lites' Clarence Johnson. Top it all off with stunning and emotive vocals and you have a pure soul masterpiece that withstands the test of time. Includes short version and long version on the flip. Recommended.

• music label: Midwest International

reviewed by Von Bee 03/2012

Soul veteran Lee Fields returns with another full album of heartfelt ballads and funky numbers for your earholes. On "Faithful Man" Lee teams up once again with the always on-point Truth & Soul production team of Leon Michels (El Michels Affair) and Jeff Silverman, who provide the perfect backdrop for Lee's raw emotion. From the get-go you can tell there ain't no kind of half steppin' going on as "Faithful Man" sounds like it came direct from the era of the Delfonics, the Moments, and James Brown. A powerful voice like this can only come from experience, and experience is something Lee has in abundance with a career spanning 43 years (and counting)! The rest of the album follows suit with standouts including "I Still Got It," "Moonlight Mile," "Who Do You Love," and the instrumental smoothie "Intermission." 10 tracks of pure unadulterated soul.

• music label: Truth & Soul 03/2012

reviewed by Von Bee

Ah, the picture comes together. From Stones Throw: "When Madlib launched his Madlib Medicine Show last year, the original idea was simple: twelve releases, one per month, alternating between original works and mixtapes spanning dierent genres. It took a little longer than planned to hit number 12 - so we ordered up a bonus, number 13 - and, since we figured that there might be some new converts to the fold, we decided to package all 13 albums together. We call this collection The Brick. The Madlib Medicine Show Series is a combination of Madlib's new hip-hop productions, remixes, beat tapes, and jazz, as well as mixtapes of funk, soul, Brazilian, psych, jazz and other undefined forms of music from the Beat Konducta's 4-ton stack of vinyl." In summation: you get all 12 Medicine Show CDs plus a bonus 13th CD, individually packaged and shrinkwrapped together into a "brick". Recommended.

• music label: Stones Throw 2012

reviewed by the mgmnt 03/2012

Will Sessions are at it again! After garnering props from everyone (including DJ Premier) on those Elmatic instrumentals, and killing it on the funk tip on all those (now sold out) Funk Night 7"s, the five piece band from Detroit is back with "mix takes". What is a mix take you ask? A "mix take" is actually one long continuous funk jam, recorded live and in one take, that goes through all manner of classic hip-hop and funk break tunes. Hear Dilla and Slum Village beats flawlessy morph into the funk breaks they came from, live versions of Nas instrumentals with fresh unheard solos, you get the idea. And if you don't check the video below. Super dope stuff! No tracklist (as it is all a continuous a mix of grooves), but real heads will be able to call all the songs on this piece. Recommended.

• music label: Fat Beats 2012

reviewed by Von Bee 01/2012

Another set of breaks for days! All The Breaks volume 2 collects 100 more original and sought-after breaks on one hefty slab of wax for all the producers, Djs and b-boys. You've heard many of these on classic hip-hop productions, but here they are straight up for your sampling/chopping pleasure. Features raw drum breaks from Manzel, One Way, Fat Larry's Band, Lonnie Smith, Roy Ayers, Funk Inc, Lyn Collins, Dennis Coffey, BT Express and many more. Recommended.

• music label: Bag Of Items 2012

reviewed by Von Bee 02/2012

BOO-YAO! BBE has been teaming up with Al Kent over the past few years to put out some mind blowing compilations of lost disco heaters, but this one takes the cake! For their latest collaboration, the label has compiled all 5 volumes(!) of Kent's Disco Demands series into one massive 5 CD set (and you know if anyone has enough rare disco gems to fill 5 CDs worth of material, it's Al Kent). Along with impossible to find original cuts the compilation features a ton of exclusive re-edits that Kent has made a name for himself with. Here's what he had to say about the release: "The Disco Demands series started sometime in the early 2000s - I couldn't give you an exact year because it didn't feel like a big deal, so I never noted it. I simply wanted to put out a compilation of some records I really liked and maybe make a little of the money back I was spending on them. Buy some food and stuff. There's always been Disco comps around of course but there was rarely anything that strayed too far from the standards; the same songs kept appearing over and over again, or the comps would feature records you could pick up anywhere for little money. I've never seen the point in that. I gave up judging a record on its value or rarity a long time ago but surely there's more to disco than Exodus, Martin Circus, Mass Production and all those Salsoul, West End and bloody Prelude records. So it was a nice surprise to find that there were other people out there who thought the same way. Volume 1 was pretty straightforward - just some nice records, with the only edit being an instrumental of "Disco Socks"; a strange, thinly veiled reference to the disco sucks movement. Then on Volume 2 I included a few of my edits and introduced the cover up concept to the disco world. That caused a bit of controversy, which of course I loved. And so it continued for five volumes. What we have here then is the full series, give or take one or two cuts, all remastered, many re-re-edited, with lots of nice naked pictures to boot." 45 tracks spread over 5 CDs and housed in individual sleeves with sexy cover art. Must-have release for the disco heads, RECOMMENDED.

• music label: bbe

reviewed by The Voice 01/2012

You can always count on Onur Engin for tasteful quality edits, and the 6th volume of his edit series brings just that. The standout here is an exceptional rework of Bobbi Humphrey's "Harlem River Drive," on which he respectfully re-arranges, loops and bumps up the Mizell production for extended pleasure on the floor or in the headphones. Straight up cruise control material right here! And while we're on cruise control, check the super smooth groove of Al Johnson & Jean Carne's "I'm Back For More," and Gwen McCrae's "Let's Straighten It Out," both given Onur Engin's loving touch. Recommended.

• music label: ONUREDITS6

reviewed by Snackmaster 12/2011

Dancefloor fire! DJ Naughty, The Reflex, and Kon take on three Bee Gees classics - Night Fever, You Should Be Dancing, and Staying Alive, respectively - and the result is nothing short of sure-shot weapons for your next gig. The edits were created from the ORIGINAL STUDIO MULTI-TRACKS of the disco standards, highly recommended.

• music label: Hotgold

reviewed by Nakinboots 02/2012

Onur Engin sure knows how to pick 'em! Hot on the heels of his stellar jazz funk edits (see Onur Engin Edits Vol. 6 on the site) comes this double A-side of soul funk edits on GAMM. Everyone knows Kool & The Gang's ubiquitous jam "Summer Madness" and here Onur gives it a loving re-rub, looping up key parts for easy mixing, and filtering it out on the lush slow disco tip. When the recognizable melody finally comes in it's like watching a beautiful sunrise on the beach, you just can't front on it! On the flip he adds a bit of edit magic to James Mason's soul jazz classic "Sweet Power" transforming the already monster cut into a stomping dancefloor heater. Well recommended.

• music label: GAMM

reviewed by Snackmaster 02/2012

Where the F has this been in my life? Maybe it's cause a copy sold for $3050 as early back as November 2011 (2 copies later sold in the $800 range)? The majestic sound is something you just wouldn't be able to even imagine. To put it in some modern context, my brain is like this is some RZA sample shit, but when the song starts to breathe, I'm like RZA has nothing on this. Those thud bomb 2000 drums, the wicked guitar plucks in the distance, and the female vocals? Ownit. Ownit. Ownit. Both sides are tremendous, but I something about "And I Love You(1)" pulls at my soul strings. Wait a second, that outtro on "I Don't Think I'll Ever Love You(2)" just stole my Yugo. Highly recommended.

• music label: Orivious

reviewed by the mgmnt 02/2012

If you caught Honest Jon's repress of Steel An' Skin's 1979 steel pan disco jam "Afro Punk Reggae Dub(1)," then you already know the calibre of awesomeness we are dealing with here. The 12" is hard to come by now, but is still a favorite in DJ bags across the world. Here EM Records Japan gives you another chance to catch the track, plus a handful of other afro-carribean disco and dub joints from the 70's compiled for the first time on vinyl! Basque in the soul reggae disco goodness of tracks from Steel An' Skin's 1984 album Black Rain, which features ex-members of the legendary 20th Century Steel Band. Pressed on thick vinyl, with full pic sleeve and insert in English and Japanese. Recommended.

• music label: Em

reviewed by Extravagant Traveler 01/2012

"You feel your nasty boogie flow?" That lyric pretty much sums up PPU-009, the 9th(!) release on the ever-so-funky label. "Street Shuffle" by Sir Bentley (gotta love that name) is that '79 disco sleaze at its best, complete with a funky-ass beat and ultra-pimp vocal stylings. Throw this shit on and you can seriously feel the pimp juice coming off the vinyl. The original is superb, but check the Tom Noble Edit as he flips the arrangement and making it even hotter. As usual with PPU releases, you can forget about finding the original. Recommendo.

• music label: People's Potential Unlimited 2009

reviewed by: Snackmaster 02/2009

Daptone put it best when it comes to this "new" Bob & Gene single: - This record is Deep. It's not for everybody. It's not for DJs looking for the fastest, loudest drum breaks. It's not for collectors who want to impress their friends. It's not for kicking off dance parties or cutting into samples for your friends to make beats with. This is a record for lovers. If that seems to be overstating the case a bit, maybe you haven't heard Bob & Gene, 'cause everyone I know who listened to their album on Daptone fell in love and now swears by it - it's powerful stuff. "I Can Be Cool" comes from the album, the bittersweet tale of young man without the "cool" resources to hook the girl of his dreams. Flipside is the previously unreleased, "Jackson 5-esque" number, "You Don't Need Me." Nice replica 45 label artwork, too.

• music label: Daptone 2007

reviewed by: Chris Lemon-Red 05/2007

Holy chit! I been waiting for this sound for a long time man. Daptone and Truth & Soul have been flirting with ballad-type El Michaels and Lee Fields releases, but this is that real deal low rider anthem shit needing gun shot salutes and dedications to Smokey, Little Sad Eyes, and Joker from around the block. "You Gave Me Love" is fucking awesome. Don't test. Don't even flip it over (although "Your Name" is kinda tough too). Just be a man and run that ballad son. According to Daptone, this was originally released on the Buffalo-based label Mo Do, with Bob & Gene being label owner William Nun's 15 year old son & best friend. Hot shit that belongs on mix tapes, oldies radio, and my sunday afternoons.

• music label: Daptone 2006

reviewed by: the mgmnt 10/2006

Another incredible afrobeat gem repressed by the good folks at Soundway. Ifetayo is the only album ever released by Black Truth Rhythm Band, a super rare and sought-after piece originally released in 1976. The group was led by Oluko Imo (who would would eventually play in Fela's Africa 80 band) and are rooted in super heavy afro vibes. Just check the shakin' funk grooves of "Umbala," "Ifetayo," the tropical flavor of "Aspire," or the deep rhythms of "You People" and "Kilamanjaro" for a taste. Pressed on beautiful 180g vinyl with bonus 7" featuring a non-album bonus cut. Not to be missed for fans of afro sounds! Recommended.

• music label: Soundway

reviewed by: Extravagant Traveler 01/2012

Dr. Breaks' The Chronicles collects original funk and soul tracks Dr. Dre used to make his biggest hits. Most of these won't be a surprise to you, but it is super nice to have them all on one piece of vinyl in their full length original form. You get Leon Haywood's steamy "I Wanta Do Something Freaky To You" as used on "G-Thang," David McCallum's "The Edge" as used on "Next Episode," George Clinton's "Atomic Dog" as used on "What's My Name," Charles Wright and 103rd St. Band's "Express Yourself" as used on the NWA jam of the same name, and many more. Must have for your next Dre Day party.

reviewed by: Von Bee 05/2011

All the info you need on this one is right in the title: hand-picked by those crafty Soundway folks (who did that cool Panama comp last year), this import-only 2LP features 17 gems from the vaults of Colombia's largest and longest-running record label, Discos Fuentes. Just like the label, this comp contains a wide variety of Latin styles (cumbia, salsa, calypso, gaita, etc.), but there are outside influences popping up all over - just check the psychedelic harmonies on Frunk y Sus Tesos' "Improvisando." Los Corraleros de Majagual's 10+ minute descarga take on "El Mondongo" is pretty spicy, but nothing here begs to be chopped by a DJ like Pedro Laza's horn-heavy "La Picua." Also check Michi Sarmiento's "Hong Kong" and the wild cumbia of "La Piojosa" - "The Flea-Bitten Woman." This is the type of thing we could throw on all day long in the office and nobody would complain. Recommended.

• music label: Soundway 2007

reviewed by: Chris Lemon-Red 04/2007

I first learned of Shin Joong Hyun in middle school. An Entertainment Tonight-style Korean show (rented on VHS, of course) featured him in a retrospective segment, giving a rundown of the brilliant musician's illustrious (and bumpy) career. At the time, I didn't care much about the artist's lasting impact on Korean popular culture or how he fought to stave off the authoritarian government's restraint on forms of expression. However, in between old clips covering his work, arrests, and life, the piece included a footage of much-older - yet vibrant - Mr. Shin playing sick riffs on his Strat, and I became intrigued. With some help from older family members, I got familiar with more tracks from the man, like "MiIn" with YeopJeons. Fast forward to now, here is Beautiful Rivers And Mountains: The Psychedelic Rock Sound of South Korea's Shin Joonghyun from Light In The Attic Records. As I am recording the comp and reading through the comprehensive liner notes/in-depth interview/track-by-track notes (by Mr. Shin), I can immediately sense how "personal, spiritual, and deep" SJH's music is. His experiences - from the for-hire days in a US military base in Korea to the drug use days to the governmental surveillance, torture and institutional confinement days - fuel the notes and the words, and I realize quickly why he is known as the "godfather" of Korean rock. Beautiful Rivers..., described as "a music trip existing somewhere between Motown, Hendrix, and the Velvet Underground," chooses 14 tracks from 1958-74 and showcases Mr. Shin's work as a guitarist ("Moonwatching"), songwriter("Beautiful Rivers and Mountains"), producer ("Please Wait"), arranger, and talent developer ("The Sun"). It's the first anthology of Shin Joong Hyun's music outside of Korea, and it's a rare chance to experience his "beautiful, life-giving, restless, and ungovernable" catalog. Recommended.

• music label: Light In The Attic

reviewed by: nakinboots 09/2011

Bastard Jazz with that feelgood, warm stuff. Lord Echo's "Thing I Like Do(1)" is the perfect combo of crisp American funk, latin vibes, and afro horns. This would be great in a skate video. B-side takes a detour into the boogaloo swamp with "Long Time No See."

• music label: Bastard Jazz 2011

reviewed by: the mgmnt 12/2011

The Sofrito crew joins forces with London's DrumTalk for a couple of pumping Highlife edits aimed straight at the dancefloor. Loving the hype energy on the modernized remix of Mpese Mpese Band's "Mpese Theme" from DrumTalk that's sure to set off the party with chopped samples and fat bass, while Sofrito give a subtle rework to Canadoes Dance Band's "Fine Woman" that will spread feel good vibes all across the floor.

• music label: Sofrito Super Single 2011

reviewed by: Extravagant Traveler 11/2011

Originally released by Stones Throw in 2006, Shine Through is Aloe Blacc's debut solo album. Mostly produced by the singer/rapper himself, the full-length is top-notch modern soul with deep roots in hip-hop and at times, caribbean and latin sounds. If Good Things hones in on updating and polishing vintage soul, Shine showcases Aloe's ability to creatively weave together different styles of music, as demonstrated in "Whole World," which joins spaced-out synth swirls and a rugged drum break with the singer calling out those that came before him, "Long Time Coming," which is Oh No and Aloe doing a boom-clap rendition of a Sam Cooke classic, or "Are You Ready," which follows more in the tradition of club-oriented hip-hop. As far as other tracks are concerned, "Bailr" was responsible for generating all the buzz around the album when J.Rawls released it as a single, and for "Patria Mia" Aloe puts his bilingual talents to good use over a heavily latin-flavored beat. For more picks, check out the analog-ed out "Caged Birdsongs" with delicate and soulful vocals of Danica Rozelle, or the Madlib-produced "One Inna" and "I'm Beautiful," featuring Aloe's signature crooning over excellent hip-hop grooves. Recommended.

• music label: Stones Throw 2006

reviewed by: Telekinetic Kat 2006

This Sharon Jones release offers two more album cuts from the highly received Naturally LP. Good instrumental movement on "How Do I," with a soul sound that could easily be a mid-60s JB production. It's got that polished, but not slick, orchestrated but still loose feeling that makes those JB sides so damn tight. And Ms Jones is clear as ever on the vocals. Well done. B-side is the fast paced "My Man Is A Mean Man" (she's got a lot of dudes).

• music label: Daptone 2004

reviewed by: the mgmnt 2005

Maybe you're looking at the cover of Alternative Funk and wondering what the hell it is. Don't be ashamed, I did the same thing when it came in. Back in 1984 a label called Vox Man compiled these tracks and stamped that label on them. It's turned into a highly sought after document of what these days gets called minimal wave from around the world. There's a bunch of great material on here. From the stretched out funk of Randal Kennedy's "Smith's Room" to the mutant deconstructed Casio on "Control Panel" by Process Blue there are some truly inspired moments. One of the most crowd pleasing tracks on the comp is the "Genius Of Love" aping "Fitness School" from Tranquil Eyes. But the tracks are all over the place, giving you bits of punk-funk, new wave and experimental electro. Some of the most recognized groups on here are going to be Vox Populi! and Psyclones who both deliver on the synth funk promise even if it gets a little off kilter at times. This is clearly a must have for anyone who is bent on catching up with underground music from the past. Recommended.

• music label: Vox Man Records

reviewed by The Voice 10/2011

Hey Bobby- why do you like soul food? If I could fill a 45 jukebox, the 45's off this album would definitely be some of the first to go in. The 8th wonder of the world drops it like its hot with Pass the Peas, the Grunt, Gimme Some More, The Rabbit Got the Gun, Escapism and more. There's a real good mix of feelings on this record from the smooth cry of Theme from King Heroin to the aggressive step of The Grunt, sampled about 100 times by Public Enemy. They chopped up The Grunt horns into their signature controlled noise sound that really changed the way hip hop was being produced. It's also got the great Pass the Peas which everybody knows from De la Soul is Dead. This is what girls with sandaled feet and gap teeth like to dance to in the summer time. The first JB's record and definitely a good argument for a rooftop barbecue party.

• music label: People

reviewed by the mgmnt 10/2005

Harlem River Drive, although brief in its existence (this is their only LP), was an important part of musical development led by the guidance of Eddie Palmieri. This record is generally known as the first prominent musical fusion of black and latin musicians and art. Eddie enlisted an all star lineup of local New York Latin musicians with prominent jazz musicians (including Bernard Purdie). The album gained fame through the dancefloors with tracks like the monster Idle Hands and Seeds of Life. The title cut, If, and Broken Home have more of a soul tint to them and truly bring out the gut of the project. Very rare in the original (usually goes for over $100), this album has also been accused the familiar tag, but in my opinion, it's the way you listen to it. Although Purdie and the rhythm section shine on the dance tracks, the album functions more as an excellent study of styles with the quality found in the blend and the message. Yada, yada. Feel it.

• music label: Roulette 2005

reviewed by the mgmnt 10/2005