Category — Singles

Released: 05/2009

More magic from the soul extraordinaire! After moving out of the heart of northern soul of Detroit and joining forces with Peanut Butter Wolf’s Stones Throw label in L.A. this mans career have taken off! It was the beautiful debut “Just ain’t working out” that caught my attention – and if you haven’t checked it out you know what to do!  

His voice reminds me of Bob Dylan and the production is up there with the best soul music on Motown and Staxx. ”Maybe so, Maybe no” Starts out with electronic, spaced out harp – then breaks down into a driving, chorus backed vocal gem. So uplifting and inspirational. On the flip you get the lovely “I wish it would rain“.

Stones Throw | MySpace |

Released: 1983

Don’t really remember how I discovered this tune, but is definitively up there with my favorite disco moments. A UK top ten hit released in 1983, it’s got the girlish charm and the sweetness of a Jackson Five gem, all put on a slow, funky discobeat.

It just goes on forever, not really distinguishing the break from the rest of the tune. Juliet Roberts is the vocalist carrying the lyrics, and you start to wonder why we didn’t hear much more from her during the last days of disco. The release I’ve got has the original, an instrumental version (but why cut out those lovely words?), and a acapella version for mixing it up.

| YouTube |

Released: 28/08/2008

I just discovered this label, and found out that I missed the release by Will “Quantic” Holland. Well, never to late is it? Got to mention the  release schedule – Two releases in the summer of 2006, then almost two years until it reappearad last summer.

Anyway, Marula Soulfood caters for a feast – bossa, soul, funk, blues – “Feeling alright” is the fourth release, and it is brand new. The track it is a fast, flute fueled funk monster with a massive vocal. Chip himself is playing both flute and sax on the track, while he  is assisted by Dominic Buckley on drums, Dan ‘Bootsy’ Broad on guitar, Morgan Pugh on bass and the wonderful Emma Ellis on vocals. 

Chip was originally based in Manchester before moving out to Madrid. He has written, produced and re-mixed for labels such as Freestyle, Kingstreet, Ministry of Sound, Hed Kandi, Mr Bongo, Universal, Sony and Soulfuric. His sax and flute credits include Nightmares on Wax, The New Mastersounds, Aim, Rae & Christian, Roy Ayres, Badly Drawn Boy, Jimpster, Grupo X, The Resin Dogs, The Sweet Vandals and the soundtrack to the Guy Ritchie movie “Snatch”. He is also one third of the Malena outfit signed to Freestyle Records.

MySpace | Soul Seduction | Juno Download |

Released: 23/04/2008

My second favorite artist from Finland, just edged out by Nicole Willis and the Soul Investigators. ”Don’t take it too hard” is an exquisite piece of music, right out of the golden age of the 70′s northern soul – It is cheerful, driving and sweet.

Tuomo (born as Tuomo Prättälä, 1979) is a soul-singer, jazz pianist, composer, lyricist and producer. After Sibelius Senior Secondary School of Music, Helsinki Conservatory of Pop and Jazz and the civil service as sound engineer in the Finnish Theater Academy, he started his career as a professional musician. He has released two albums, “My thing” in 2007 and this years “Reaches out for you” – both highly recommended.

It is a true sign of quality when you can listen to a song a million times like I have with this one, and it will fit in on any soul compilation you ever choose to make. The single is taken from his debut album and also include “Ourselves” a slow Stevie Wonder’ish ballad.

Tuomo | YouTube | SoulSeduction | Juno | MySpace |

Released: 27/01/2009

This is an absolutely amazing debut release from House Of House on Harvey’s highly collectable label. There are only 600 copies of this in the world (thus the price of £15 equals well spent). Two good tracks, where “Rushing to paradise” is the track of choice. 

“Rushing to paradise” is an euphoric, playful piano house anthem on the same level as Rub & Tug’s brilliant remix of “Snake and ladder” (I still love that one). Wicked stuff! You have to wait for it though, it builds for ages before it finally releases eight minutes in. I quite like the vocals as well, expressing love gone wrong, but with tons of determination and optimism. 

“The rough half (don’t stop)” is a slow, 80s inspired balearic classic with your fair dose of guitars. Both sides of this one will stay in your box for quite a while.

The popularity of genres twists and turns, and obviously we have been back to disco and balearic for a while, perhaps as a reaction to the massive trend that was (and still is) minimal. However, this is far from lazy recycled balearic, it is a contemporary classic.

Phonica | Hypem | Juno | MySpace |

Released: 02/03/2009

One of the best disco re-edits I have hear so far. A group of bloggers from the UK and Japan have joined up and released four smoking edits – with one definitively standing out. The one is Karen Young’s classic “Deetour” produced by Walter Kahn at Queen Village Recording Studios in Philadelphia in the early 1980s. It is a classic, slightly cheesy boogie track with so much joy and excitement put in that you just can’t stop smiling and dancing.

Other tracks on the release include “Masimbabele” by The Unknown Cases – a slow 80s groover with an africanism vocal and some retro guitar riffs put in for for good measure. On the flip, “What’s that you’re doing” is a electric Prince’ish disco track that is more than playable, while “Spotlight” is a slow baleric disco delight straight out of a slow scene in Miami Vice. 

Fat City | Juno Records | Phonica |

Released: 20/01/2009

My first face to face experience with Horse Meat Disco was when I was required to buy a mustache to get in to their very neatly organized area during last years Lovebox Weekender – to see Maurice Fulton. The institution is, of course, older than that and has been going for more than five years now.

The clubnights (and now label) have dedicated itself to disco in all its forms. Every Sunday night in South London the Horse Meat Disco residents and special guests take charge of the decks and deliver the foundation for great dancefloor movement. “Attracting a wide audience of old time disco heads, club kids, bears, naturists and something new in gay clubs; a space where disco fans of a heterosexual persuasion could live out their fantasy of going to a gay disco club without feeling totally out of place”. Sounds like we’re back in legendary New York City days of disco right?

Finally the people behind the club have put together an EP of two very special edits of Horse Meat Disco classics! Both “Dusty Blue” and “Don’t go in the bushes” will get the floor dancing. Can’t really decide which one I like the most at the moment – but already looking forward to the next installment in the series!

Phonica | Rough Trade | MySpace |

Released: 09/02/2009

Originally a prolific club night deep in the south west of England, Good Groove was known for serving up a unique mash up of disco, funk and breaks. Naturally, when the guys behind started their own record label it was going to revolve around that sound – with the ambition that their releases never would leave a dj’s record box!

This EP is the eight release of the “Regrooved” series (the label’s 12th release), and it continues to deliver a good blend of funky house, disco, latin and breaks – all made for the dancefloor. 

My favorite is the Breakbeat Junkie’s “Here’s the funky beat” which is a soulful house number with those lucid and funky little piano lines, old school rhymes and good grooves. This is definitively going to be a hit with a lot of dj’s out there – including me. One the same side, the Sly Players turns the funk and tempo up with “Turn you one”, combining the breakbeat and disco elements neatly. One the flip, Calagad13 joins in with a re-work of an old disco classic, while DJP goes into latin territory. A decent package for several occasions, but prominently lead by the Breakbeat Junkie.

PS! Check out my review of “Featurecast – Take a ride” on the same label.

Fat City | MySpace | Juno |

Released: 24/01/2009

This is a solid piece of of groovy reggae – on both sides of this 7″. “Cobra dub” is bouncy, it is melodic and it is cheerful. On the flip ”Paper boy” is amazingly a reggae cover version of the classic nintendo game “Paper boy” – check it out and see if you can recognize any resemblance on YouTube!

In any case, no matter where the artist got the inspiration – the results are as wicked as it is funny. If this ain’t getting you in the right frame of mind for some late night groovin’…The slow bass, tripping piano and and the horns of the main melody makes in an instant classic.

Fat City | Piccadilly Records | Phonica Records | Juno Records |

Released: 13/01/2009

I must say I’m usually not into German vocals, but not let that put you off on this one. “Cologne’s Badu” introduces her band the Fleur Earth Experiment with the first single from their 2009 album “Soul des Cabots”. There is a more music from the album on MySpace, and judging by those it is worth checking out.

As the record label says; think Minnie meets Madlib in Cologne and you have a vague idea what Fleur Earth is about. The 7 inch singles main cut, “Zeitleiden”, is soulful and atmospheric, uplifting yet moody, laid on a solid foundation of beats. It released on the German label Melting Pot Music, home to amongst others Lefties Soul Connection, Marc Hype and Jim Dunloop, and Dj Day.

Listen to it on YouTube.

FatCity | Juno Records | TuneTribe | Melting Pot Music | MySpace |