The second volume in the Salamanca edit series comes with four tracks by Mad’R, Afrobot, Mike Burns and Matt Moroder.
funk
VA – Highlife World Series (Kenya) [HGHLFWS002]
Next up in the Highlife World Series, we take a trip to Kenya where our man Esa plays the role of producer for the first time; with super talented local musicians – Sarabi and Makadem (aka the Fela of Kenya). Instantly timeless on both sides, see for yourself..
VA – Supafrico Vol.VIII [SF008]
Supafrico unearths another superb collection of impossible to find Afro Disco rarities. South Africa’s legendary songstress Margaret Singana is up first with her in-demand cover of the Stretch classic Why Did You Do It, a super-funky take on an already great song, previously only available on her 1977 Tribal Fence LP. Next up is Boogie Trip by Nigerian Doris Ebong, an uber-rare Afro boogie bomb, high on many a collectors wants list. The flip side features another couple of excellent cover versions, Sweet Talks party-starting Afro disco version of Andy Gibbs hit Shadow Dancing and the highly sought-after Disco Push from late Seventies South African band The Movers – a great floor filling take on Marvin Gayes Got To Give It Up.
Sarr Band – Double Action [BOOM7002]
Super hot reissue of the original Portuguese Boom Records release of the Sarr Bands sought after 1979 Double Action LP. The title track, a heavy chugging Cosmic gem, is a bit of a holy grail among disco aficionados, but the rest of the LP is equally as good. Other standouts include dark slo-mo instrumental Soul Machine, a wonderful cover of Vince Montanas classic Nice & Nasty, the dirty drugged up disco groove of Mefisto Boogie and not forgetting the highly in-demand Magic Mandrake, a great slice of off-the-wall dancefloor madness with pumping bass, searing horns and sleazy vocals.
VA – Balearica 20 [BLC020]
Wonderful new compilation of unearthed gems from Balearica. Kicks of with the indemand full 12-minute version of the Chaplin Bands definitive take on Lucio Battisti’s classic Il Veliero, a hypnotic druggy bass and guitar-driven dancefloor opus that tears the roof of every time. Followed by the short but sweet sun-drenched gem Flying Cloud by The Doobie Brothers. Next up comes Boule Noires Aimer DAmour a superb beefed-up French version of Leo Sayers Balearic favorite Easy To Love and then rounding things of is the gorgeous mellow groove of A Touch Of Temptation by Japanese multi-instrumentalist Masaaki Ohmura taken from his impossible-to-find You Gotta Chance soundtrack LP from 1985.
Interstellar Funk – Melbourne Deepcast 132
VA – Supafunkanova Vol.2 [ZEDDLP034]
Z Records returns with another humdinger of a compilation to start 2015. Supafunkanova Volume 2 has been selected by Joey Negro and Sean P. The dynamic duo continue to dig deep, compiling high quality albums filled with lesser known disco and boogie releases. Supafunkanova focuses on the funkier end of the 70s & 80s, showcasing some of the bumpier grooves recorded in the disco era when even James Brown had to take notice of the Saturday Night Fever inspired disco explosion. The duo have been working on Volume Two for some time now as the first instalment was released way back in 2007. It takes a while to put these albums together, tracking down the owners of these musical gems, finding the right image for the sleeve and so forth but it’s finally come together.
Little Starsky – Gangster Rock [GF11000]
Limited reissue of an amazing old school early 80s hip-hop 12” from the prolific Peter Brown stable. On this super-rare Golden Flamingo 12”, Little Starsky delivers a great jump-up party classic with heavy bumping bass and superb old-school rapping bringing the good-time party vibe every time. On side B, you get the instrumental version from Browns in-house Land Of Hits Orchestra which provided the backing for many of his releases
The Sunlight Project – The Klan Revisited [MRSP001]
Musicality’s second release is a remake of the Gil Scott Heron B-side ”The Klan”, featuring Allan Barnes formerly of the Blackbyrds, and Craig Huckaby. The A-side has a wind and keys driven retro-funkiness, aided by Latin percussion. KemeticJust’s remix on the B glues everything together into a slightly faster house-tempo, increasing the propulsion, and likely causing lively dancing to break out. It was mixed by Pirahnahead at United Sound Systems, and mastered by the legendary Herb Powers.
Mr. Mendel – Something Exciting [LIH014]
Zaltan – Quartier Choc [GRVTS002]
Second limited releases from Low Jack’s Editions Gravats label. Gold ink printed on white cassette Antinote boss Quentin Vandewalle aka Zaltan delivers a killer psychedelic boogie and ’80s motocross funk’ mix for Low Jack and Jean Carval’s Editions Gravats.
Theo Parrish – American Intelligence [SSCD007]
Given that this is the first album from the great Theo Parrish since 2007, it’s unsurprising interest in American Intelligence has rocketed over the course of the year as Sound Signature left a trail of hints. American Intelligence is a fine album; deep and woozy in parts, undeniably soulful, shot through with jazz influences and full to bursting with killer cuts. By now, everyone should know the brilliant “Footwork” single; soon, clubs will swing to the off-kilter dancefloor jazz of “Make No War”, the 21st century broken house of the epic “Fallen Funk” and the decidedly odd – but brilliant – “Helmut Lampshade”.
The High Society Brothers – High Society Brothers [MWLP003]
The group is composed of the key members of the Finnish funk powerhouse The Soul Investigators, who have previously backed worldwide success stories for artists such as Nicole Willis and the vocal duo Myron & E. This is an instrumental pressing of the “Lost Soul” album, which High Society Brothers did with New Orleans Soul Legend Willie West.
Willie West & The High Society Brothers – Lost Soul [TRLP008]
Born and raised in Louisiana, Willie West made his first recording already in the year 1959. While being backed by The Meters, he also had one release on Warner Brothers in the mid 1970’s, plus numerous singles produced by Allen Toussaint. Even though he was noticed locally and in the circles of soul music aficionados with minor hits such as ”Did You Have Fun” in 1960, Willie never managed to break to national success. During the past years, he has lived in Minnesota and kept himself busy in music. Lost Soul might be just the thing that finally gives him wider recognition. Lost Soul continues on the moody path laid by the 7” single recordings West has done with The High Society Brothers band from the year 2009. The group is composed of the key members of the Finnish funk powerhouse The Soul Investigators, who have previously backed worldwide success stories for artists such as Nicole Willis and the vocal duo Myron & E.
Mind Fair – Mind Fair [CHANNEL029]
Having impressed with a variety of weird and wonderful singles on International Feel, Golf Channel and their own Rogue Cat Sounds imprint over the last three years, it’s probably about time Ben Shenton and Dean Meredith dropped their debut album under the Mind Fair alias. Predictably, it’s an impressively wonky, off-kilter and dubbed-out affair, effortlessly joining the dots between dub disco, hazy punk-funk, heavy African rhythms (see stand-out “Voodoo Train”), slo-mo chuggers (“Neon Carnival”) and bluesy Balearica (“Sunny Carter”). Blessed with plenty of live drums, guitars and bass, as well as vintage synthesizers, it’s an attractively loose affair, with great ideas and beautiful mood pieces complimenting the low-slung, out-there experiments.
Paul Zaza – Le Payback [MRW001]
Sought-after cosmic jazz funk album from 1977. Plastic disco in the style of Jean-Pierre Massiera! Check the title track “Le Payback”, a French sleazy disco rework of the James Brown classic.
Banda Black Rio – Maria Fumaça [331651]
Banda Black Rio is a Brazilian musical group from Rio de Janeiro that was formed in 1976. It has a repertoire based on funk but also including samba, jazz and Brazilian rhythms. Banda Black Rio developed a particular style of instrumental soul music fusing together elements from a number of genres. This is the official reissue of the instrumental album Maria Fumaça from 1977.
Soft Rocks – Black Rox 3 [SRBR003]
Black Rox is back with 2 more sneaky Soft Rocks specials that have somehow been liberated from locked CD wallets and released into the wild for general consumption. The A side Sabu Dance combines Horns, Flutes & Percussion on this killer slice of midtempo funk from Africa via Berlin. This has been thoroughly road tested by Soft Rocks at their Kinfolk night & never fails to get a great response from the dancefloor. Side B. Don’t worry it’s not the tantric one’s ode to voyeurism but a rare as hens teeth slice of UK. Reggae at is’s finest. Adjustments have been made sensitively and sounds have been chosen to carefully match those from the appropriate era.
VA – Rock The Box Vol.1 [HS004]
Those with a passion for ’80s electrofunk, boogie, synth jams, machine soul and proto-house should already be aware of Inskwel and Benny Badge’s Hot Shot label. The imprint specializes in delivering fresh music inspired by those sounds. Here, the Australian duo gathers together a superb selection of contemporary revivalist sounds from like-minded souls. Highlights are naturally plentiful, from the rubbery bass and vintage synths of First Touch’s “Sure Feels Good To Me” and Jupiter Gang’s bodypoppin’ electro workout “America”, to the deep proto-house of Paradise Box’s “Slave 2 Knowledge” and Inkswel’s acid-tinged midtempo deep house rework of High Accord’s “You Are (My Number One Priority)”.
Gloria Ann Taylor – Deep Inside You [MGR001]
Reissue of one of the most wanted records on Discogs and being one the most expensive items sold on Discogs.
The Hipodrome Of Music 