disco
Valerie Dore – Get Closer Remixes [RBSSS2]
Numero due in the Super Sound Singles series on Running Back continues on the re-issue/update tip of inexpensive records. Big in the charts in 1985, the Italian queen of “romantic dance” made her second single “Get Closer” a clairvoyant poem about… errr… life and love: “when the world is running down – get closer”! Think stonewashed jeans, endless summers on Italian beaches, boats coming back to the shore. Remixed by fellow country men Tiger & Woods, “Get Closer” gets sandblasted into our modern times and the necessary treatment to be the peak- and night time hug fest, it’s always supposed to be. Add a run out tool by DJ Oyster and a gentle DJ-friendly edit by Gerd Janson of the original to the billboard.
Sellorekt / LA Dreams – Turbo Quest [TURBO02]
Following on from 2015’s ‘Dreamatic’ EP by FM Attack is the belated next chapter in Mothball’s ‘Turbo’ series, dedicated to the best in contemporary synthwave. Sellorekt / LA Dreams is one of the most prolific and consistent artists in the genre, with a musical oeuvre spanning more than 30 albums. This 6 track EP has been carefully selected to make a thematically cohesive and exhilarating listening experience with maximum replay value.
Ozo – Anambra [ISLE004]
Isle Of Jura go back to 1976 to resurrect ‘Anambra’, the jewel in the crown of Dub, Soul & Funk outfit Ozo. ‘Anambra’ is something of a classic, a unique song that’s slow, ritualistic and spiritual, mixing African & Nyabinghi drumming with a Buddhist Sanskrit mantra ‘Om Mani Padme Hum’. An alternate version ‘Anambra River’ appears for the first time on the same 12”.
V.V.A.A. – Struments 005 [STRUMENTS005]
The free will of Struments has led them to concentrate in one 12inch the encyclopedic knowledge of Marc Pinol, a duo of kids that present themselves as T.A.L., and the responsible for all that, Spastor, that appears in a remix signed by Florian Kupfer. Lliure Albir sounds as if Pinol was dazzled by the light of a lantern in a chill out while Paranoid London resound in the next room. In his remix, Palms Trax bet on tom toms and certain tribal groove, adding soft eighties keyboards, deep atmosphere, speeches and dub deliriums that perfectly fit in the freak universe of Pinol. Florian Kupfer remix made of Spastor’s Death In La Paz: a hit made in the German musician style whose groove is created by a fold in the sound and the apparent imbalance it has with the bass drum. If after this dawn breaks, it will not be small thing. T.A.L. are guided by a retro-spatial pulse to open a fan of sounds that expands and contracts threateningly, and delicately form what looks like an EBM hit stripped of the hammers.
Grotto – Wait… No Hurry [LIVST004]
First official reissue of Nigerian Boogie Disco Grail LP produced by Grotto for EMI Nigeria and originally released in 1978. Contains dance classic’Bad city Girl’. Liner notes by Nigerian Music expert Uchenna Ikkone, include previously unpublished photos and extensive interviews by Temitope Kogbe. It contains more examples of disco-era dancefloor heat, with the band utilizing Moog synthesizers alongside their usual instrumentation. While naturally rooted in Afro-funk, the set contains some of the earliest examples of Afro-boogie while also touching on jazz-funk, psychedelic funk and undulating Afrobeat/Afro-disco fusion.
VA – Africa Airways Four: Disco Funk Touchdown 1976-1983 [ASVN040]
To date, each volume in Africa Seven’s thrilling Africa Airways compilation series has been little less than essential. It goes without saying that this fourth installment is also exceptionally good. Whereas previous volumes have focused on Afro-funk and “Afro-psych” (think Sly Stone, Nigerian style), this set drills down into African disco-funk released between 1976 and ’83. Highlights come thick and fast throughout, from the solo-laden, slap bass-boasting bounce of Tala AM’s “Get Up Tchamassi” and Charly Kingson’s squelchy, synth-laden Blaxploitation number “Nimele Bolo”, to the righteous, piano-driven thrills of Kemayo and K-System’s brilliant “Biram” and the superior boogie business of Jake Sollo’s “Tinini Yasana”.
Younger Rebinds – Retro7 EP [RB067]
Younger Rebinds is a new project and imaginary band by the inimitable and unstoppable Benny Rodrigues. Maybe best-known for his Rod moniker and releases on Klockworks, Rodrigues embodies and keeps the candour, spirit and curiosity that made techno music stand out in its start-up years – and that’s exactly what we have here. The “Retro 7 Ep” makes the most of the classic 707 drum machine, gnarly synths, ambient soundscapes, pianos and organs. Done in a way that is as much new wave, as it is electronic disco. Spread out over a double-pack with eight tracks (8!, get it), the Younger Rebinds hit the sweet spot between vintage DJ Hell aesthetics, Sterac Electronics and Trevor Jackson’s Metal Dance dogma, if its choir would be muted. Loud pressing and hypnotic artwork included. Please don’t look at it for more than 5 minutes.
Massimiliano Pagliara – Devoid Of Dimension Pt.1 [PLAYRJC048]
Massimiliano Pagliara returns to Live At Robert Johnson with a double release titled Devoid Of Dimension.
VA – RDY #42 (Ron Hardy Edits) [RDY042]
More edits from Ron Hardy. Mass production – Welcome to Our World (Of Merry Music), Cosmic Lady, Willie Hutch – Foxy Lady.
Burnin Beat – Its Hot [AFS034]
In demand massive South African disco banger from 1979. Now reissued for the first time on the AfroSynth imprint.
VA – Pantsula! The Rise Of Electronic Dance Music In South Africa, 1988-90 [RHMC003]
Late 80s South African dance floor winners only. Selected by DJ Okapi and Antal, the compilation holds tracks by Jivaro, The Hard Workers, Ayobayo Band, S.Y.B. & many more. This is the sharp electronic music that fuelled the local Pantsula dances during the 80s and 90s . A must have for fans of Bubblegum and Kwaito music. The 12 tracks selected for Pantsula! come from a very unique, very different time and place. They represent the birth of electronic dance music in South Africa, through the songs of one particular independent label from the time: Music Team. The sound represents the culmination of the bubblegum era, when South Africa’s disco artists outgrew their American influences and forged an increasingly electronic and ‘local’ pop sound. Evolving over time since long before the 80s, the distinctly South African subculture of Pantsula is more closely associated with an attitude, a style and a signature dance, rather than any specific sound. In the late 1980s and early 90s, Pantsula was also the name given to a new type of dance music taking over the streets of South Africa, influenced by earlier bubblegum and the rise of Shangaan Disco, but with a far broader appeal and a harder, purely electronic sound.
Biosis Now / Afro Train – Independent Bahamas V’s Ivory Coast Afro Funk [MUKAT053]
Few years ago label manager Nik played in France and the promoter pulled out a Biosis now 45 that he never knew existed up till then and was generally thought to be a long album track only. An extensive search revealed nothing online including popsike/discogs/ebay except a tropical seller who’d just bought a huge caribbean collection with the record included saying he’d never seen it before either and he was keeping it…Failing to secure a copy themselves the label licensed it instead and created their own 45 edit which retains all the funk & soul of the elongated album version into a 7 inch friendly format. On the flipside and 1973 Tumba Safari from Afro Train get’s a funky afrobeat re touch for peak time club play that would save you several hundred pounds on an original if you could actually find a copy!
Trancesonic – New Crime LP [DE175]
Tranceonic is the duo of Carlos Perón and Boris Blank of Yello who met in 1971 in their hometown of Zürich. From 1973 to 1976 they played in the New Wave group Urland. After the split of the group Perón founded the Tranceonic studio with his equipment in his private flat. Carlos invited Boris over to his studio and a concentrated work began. The idea was to make experimental new music with the hopes of having a hit in the United States. Everybody at this time was into punk, but Tranceonic loved industrial and electronic sounds. Their foresight and innovation created new ideas. Perón and Blank made electronic avant-garde music informed by the Berlin and Cologne schools. By 1978 the two had enough material to record an album and made a trip to San Francisco to visit Ralph Records. The Residents promised to release the music if the duo removed all the tape hiss, which never materialized. ‘New Crime’ is the first ever vinyl compilation of material produced, recorded, performed and mixed at Tranceonic Studio between 1976-1979.
VA – XXX666 [XXX666]
The first part of the limited edit series. Four obscure electronic edits pressed on a 12inch plus a digital bonus track.
Mr. Eff – The Parallel LP [GD028]
Introducing Mr. Eff. Part myth, part man. Dragging by the arm to safety through digital swamps and haunted houses, The Parallel stands as a singular vision of Miltonian proportions. Small vignettes and passing scenes give way to grandiose and beautiful moments, from the wave-sleaze of Midnight Predator to the pre-credits Suicide-tribute of H E A R T T H R O B, The Parallel works as much for drive time as it does for drifting off to a far off land that is both wonderful and strange.
HAEX-HRLL – North of Warren EP [GD027]
An addendum horrificata to the fantastic LP, Haex-Hrll AKA DJ Overdose returns from the nether regions of space with a louder dancefloor cut of sleeper hit ‘North Of Warren’ accompanied by witchy and dread filled extras. Remixes are provided by label heads Antoni Maiovvi who takes Test Tube Babies from the ‘Further From The Truth’ LP into tripped out waters and Vercetti Technicolor, who reimagines ‘North Of Warren’ for blood-soaked 90s Hollywood vampires.
Playgroup – Previously Unreleased Volume 2 [YW002X]
Following the success of last years Playgroup ‘Previously Unreleased’ album and its critically-acclaimed run of nine weekly 12′ vinyl EPs, Trevor Jackson has compiled a second volume of 20 tracks (11 unheard and 9 previously vinyl only) released as a Limited Edition Double CD and 6 track vinyl sampler on Nov 3rd via Yes Wave records. The music featured is a collection of reworked demos and unreleased recordings. A hedonistic mix of raw Disco, Dub, Funk, Dancehall. Electro, New Wave & Post Punk that all still sound as relevant today as they did when initially recorded for the debut PLAYGROUP album during 1997 – 2001.
VA – Italian Dance Wave Sei [SLOMO033]
Four slow-burning bombs that perfectly encapsulate how far that Slow Motion, slo-mo sound can be stretched. Featuring artists old as Alien Alien (Rodion & Hugo Sanchez) and Lerosa and new as Stoned Immaculate (Leo Mas & Fabrice) and Kassiel, Slow Motion drop the energy down a notch or two but not the emotion. Just as suitable for an early morning run as they are for a Balearic sunset, this four tracker has got essential written all over it.
VA – Italian Dance Wave Cinque [SLOMO032]
First part in a brace of new chapter of Italian Dance Wave Compilation Serie. Ma Spaventi, Sauvage World, 2000 and the hardest working man in disco, Slow Motion label head Franz Scala. A trippy selection of proper after hours jams, to keep feet moving and heads spinning till the sun comes up.
The Hipodrome Of Music 