Disco | Boogie 364 Items

Another much welcomed reissue of the late 70's funk laden, disco two tracker from Splendor. The A side 'Take Me To Your Disco' is emblematic of disco records from that golden era where big bands and big budgets were rife. Yet there's an interplanetary twist to this one, with the mysterious, eerie, spacecraft sounding intro paving the way for a tale of extraterrestrials wanting to get down at one of planet earths discos. You can tell this came from an era were disco really was taking over
Flip it over and you've got the mighty Special Lady. With Philip Bailey, of Earth, Wind and Fire fame, on production his style comes through strong in the vocal arrangement with the level of feeling and power he squeezes out of each voice.
A chance to add these two anthems to the collection!

A much welcomed reissue of the 1978 Idris Muhammad gem 'Boogie To The Top'. Released a year after, arguably, Idris' most well-known anthem, 'Could Heaven Ever Be Like This' the similarities in style and composition are clear. Expertly produced, rich instrumentation, expansive drum fills, gospel tinged full-bodied vocals, all the while epic and life affirming in it's nature - what more could you want?
Young Pulse steps up on the b-side, to add his own subtle touches and tweaks to the original. Looping the guitar and echoing out the vocals whilst working in more of the synth lines. The addition of a crisp clap and extra percussion add an element more vibrancy into this mix, keeping the original feel intact whilst revitalising it for 2018.

Two incredible 70’s soul cuts from The O’Jays get the reissue treatment for 2018. The A side contains the mighty ‘For The Love Of Money’ a near 7 minute cautionary tale to the dangers of greed and exploitation. "For the love of money. People will lie, Lord, they will cheat. For the love of money. People don't care who they hurt or beat." As pertinent now as it was in the 70’s if not more so considering current affairs. A much sampled record, loved by many!
On the flip, ‘Darlin' Darlin' Baby (Sweet, Tender, Love)’, the second hit single off the O’Jay’s album ‘Message In The Music’, is a romantic soul serenade with that killer Gamble and Huff production – Philly’s finest!

A classic slice of Philadelphia funk from People's Choice, officially remastered and reissued for 2018.
‘Here We Go Again' is a definitive, feel-good disco stomper combining a full frontal bassline, infectious keys and staccato guitar licks that effortlessly build and build throughout the track. Cries of 'Here We Go Again' ring out at it's peak epitomising the feeling that this groove could last forever.
Keeping up that perpetual good time groove the B side houses the mighty 'Jam, Jam, Jam (All Night Long)'. A track doused in the funk, from the rugged vocals to the addictive hooks, it'll worm it's way into your head for weeks.

The original 12” version of this badboy will set you back near on £150, so it’s a much welcomed official, remastered reissue. A favourite from the likes of Sadar Bahar and Mr Scruff you’ll be hearing this one a lot come summertime.

American soulstress Phyllis Hyman gets two of her much loved anthems officially reissued on 180g vinyl.
"You Know How To Love Me" is a 7 and a half minute lesson in love. It's got that full bodied production of this golden era - layering strings seamlessly with a busty brass section and a flute line that even the most hardened can't help but smile at. Couple this with Phyllis' sultry yet powerful vocals bolstered by a backing group containing, amongst others, the mighty Gwen Guthrie.
On the flip, "Living Inside Your Love" hits you with a soul jam, heavy on the funk - complete with hands in the air chorus. Just as perfect to close out a set, as it is to warm up the floor.
Two essential tracks for any soul & disco aficionado!

Limited edition vinyl!
Only one copy per customer!
Being totally infected in the mid Seventies by the new possibilities analog synthesizers were offering in sound and studio production, Leston Paul became the pioneer in electronic music production in the early Eighties in Trinidad. Leston Paul is one of the most in-demand music producers and arrangers in the Carribeans. It is said that he has worked as a producer on more than twenty thousand recordings.
In 1983 Leston Paul felt the time was right to record his debut album, 'The Arrival' which was done at K.H. Studios in Port of Spain. His obsession with synthesizers led to a heavy use of electronic instruments like an Oberheim synth, a Roland bass machine, a Roland drum machine and a Simmons Digital Clap Machine on this record. Most of the instruments were played by Leston himself. On vocals he used well known singers like Charmaine Forde, Nadie La Fond, Carl & Carol Jacobs, Joanne Wilson and Peter Britto.
Due to lack of proper distribution sales weren't very good. This circumstance makes this record very rare today and sought after.
Leston was introduced to Kool & The Gang's background vocalist Barbara Hernandez by his friend Jeff Medina. Leston had started to write and record All Nite Tonight in Trinidad and brought the song to New York. At the Millford Plaza Hotel Hernandez and Paul finalized the song and decided to re-record the track at the Sound Lab Studio. Kool & The Gang were playing a gig the same day of the recording session in New York and Leston managed to get them into the sudio to record the horn section.
Barabara Hernandez took Leston to Kool & The Gang's home studio in New Jersey and was very impressed by the sound quality they were able to produce and decided to adopt this model in Trinidad. While working on the recording of Arrow's 'Hot Hot Hot' album in New York in 1982 he had his first encounter with an Apple Macintosh computer being used in a studio and was deeply impressed. From the money he made from the production of Arrow's album he bought a Tascam eight-track recorder and an Apple Macintosh computer.
In the bedroom of his apartment in St. Augustine he set up the first home recording studio in Trinidad. Here he produced his next album 'Keys To The City' in 1987, which was completely done on a computer and showcases the potential of electronic music production. The track Everyday Life is very popular among djs and electronic music enthusiasts.

The 80s Italo disco /proto-house classic ‘MBO Theme’ by the mighty Klein & MBO, repressed! Comes with an heavy (and unheard) South African version on the flip. Huge Tip!
“The MBO Theme” (1983) has been a dance floor favorite since decades, created by Mario Boncaldo and Tony Carrasco - the legendary Italian/US duo Klein & MBO. The track got support in NYC and Chicago by greats as Larry Levan, Frankie Knuckles and Ron Hardy.
The rare version on the flip is created by a South-African band called Warrior. Rush Hour explain how they came across the track: “We bumped into this version on a South African record digging trip. It took us a few months to realize the scarcity of this version. Ian Osrin, a well respected engineer in South-Africa who was involved in many 80ties and 90ties Bubblegum, Kwaito and South African disco records, explained us about music distribution in South Africa during apartheid. Because the country was culturally banned at the time, a lot of releases weren’t imported or exported. Even when a track was huge, like “The Klein & MBO Theme”. So South African musicians would create their own versions which were sold locally.
We got in contact with Tony Carrasco from Klein & MBO. He also hadn’t heard Warrior’s version before, but he liked it as much as we do!"

The Pendletons is a long-standing boogie-funk and modern soul project of E da Boss and Trailer Limon. The "Gotta Get Out" EP highlights the hardships of life and love in modern society, via the smooth and bass heavy grooves of The Pendletons production squad.

Limited edition for Record Store Day 2016!

Grammy Award winner Louie Vega has the unique ability to spotlight and highlight the most essential elements of classic dance tracks and remix and recreate them to create something just as powerful for today’s audiences. Currently in the midst of putting the finishing touches on his forthcoming album, Expansions In The NYC, Louie took some extra time to gather together the original members of the seminal New York – based disco funk band Unlimited Touch and collaborate with them at Log Cabin Studio in Manhattan and his own Daddy’s Workshop Studio in New Jersey to produce the 2020 edition of “I Hear Music In The Streets.”

New single by legendary Brazilian singer DI MELO, 40 years after his classic self-titled Samba-Soul LP. Performed and produced by French brilliant combo COTONETE, this single and collaboration will be followed by a full album early 2019.
Florian Pelissier speaks about the project: “On tour in Brazil with Cotonete, we had a few days off in Sao Paulo and I really hoped to make a collaboration with an important artist or band from the Brazilian funk scene. We had thought of Marcos Valle, Meta Meta or Ed Motta... but Rafaela Prestes our Brazilian "sound ingineer/genious" told me: "I worked for the return of Di Melo in Rio 2 years ago. He rocks, he’s adorable and he lives in Sao Paulo, here’s his number, he would be perfect for Cotonete."
No sooner said than done. I'm a huge fan of Di Melo and had already tried to contact him for Cotonete 6 years ago. The next day, on a Sunday, he arrives at our house with Jo, his wife, and Gabi, his daughter. He takes the guitar in front of us in the kitchen, and gives us a private show of 3 hours… we cried the tears of joy.
He had 400 original songs never recorded, a gold mine. On the same night, we started working the arrangements for 2 days, followed by a rehearsal and two small gigs in Sao Paulo. Immediately after, we recorded in the magical Epsilon B studio. All with the participation of Gabi, his 10-year-old daughter, and future star.
This album is the summary of this moment, of these 5 days of madness spent together between “the best band in the world” and the legend Roberto Di Melo… Simple, beautiful, Brazilian-French, human music…”

Original founding members of New England's premier reggae band, The I-Tones; Jon Gorr (Keyboardist), Tony Allen (Drummer), and RAM (Vocalist) released their side project "It's No Lie" in 1983 on Massmedia Records.

'I Don't Know Why' is Kraak & Smaak's debut single from their legendary album 'Juicy Fruit', and it's an outstanding collaboration with Grammy-nominated soul royalty - Mayer Hawthorne.

It's a true meeting of minds which is exactly what you'd expect from these two class acts. Kraak & Smaak throw down the gauntlet in a popping boogie track with the Tuxedo frontman delivering his signature sweet and catchy soul melodies over the top. Sublime!

The flip sees another jewel in the K&S arsenal. The album version of their hit single 'My Mind's Made Up', which features live band member and regular collaborator Berenice van Leer, is a more funked up spin on the original. Nonetheless it brings more fire to play with on this one-off 7" release.

Can’t stop, won’t stop – keep this one turnin' till the early morn.

LBD sounds are back with a new 12" from their Lbdissues series. This time they have a track taken from a sought after 7" single by Eva Hurychova & Jan Neckar from former Czechoslovakia, originally released in 1984, professionally remastered and with additional reinterpretations & edits. "To Chce Mit Svuj System" is a sleazy electro disco number with its unmistakable 80s sound, instantly memorable without being too in your face. Optimo's JD Twitch comes on board with his extended edit, that stays close to original but has upgraded it for current dancefloors. And last but not least, a newly formed duo of Oliver Torr and LBD Sounds label owner Olin, now working under Torr & Rich moniker, are here with their debut work - a pitched down 80s disco reinterpretation of "To Chce Mit Svuj System".

With some of the best DJs and selectors there is a certain mysterious sound or underlying feeling which unites the music they play, regardless of genre, year or tempo. Luke Una is a master of telling a story through music and this compilation is a perfect example of his musical alchemy in action. Featuring tracks from Yusef Lateef, Airto Moreira, Crooked Man, Henri Texier and many more, it is a collection of new, old, rare and under-discovered music from around the world, all united by Luke under the banner of “E-Soul Cultura”.

It’s best described by Luke himself, who writes: “As the 5AM city sleeps and the strobe lights are slowly turned off, we gather on the wrong side of town in a transcendental journey alone together. We are the late night disenfranchised holding on in various after parties, flats, lofts, random kitchens and basements into the outer cosmos with É Soul Cultura. Music from exotic tear jerkers, Afro-spiritual jazz, cosmic Brazilian celestial grooves, machine street soul, dark horses, lost B-sides, £1 bargain-bin bombs, hidden gems, late night Italo dubbing, deep velvet N.Y.C garage, bass buggin sonic futurism, wrong speed 33bpm pitched up +8 new beat, majestic sunset strings, sweet vocals from heaven, no half steppin jazz dancing in outer-space and odd numbers. Yes… magical moments, together, holding on in witness protection suburban cul-de-sacs and Castle Court flats. Cosmic É high, 3000ft above the city getting evangelical to murky, wonky timeless beautiful music. This thing of ours dreaming of better days. Fail we may, sail we must, the sun will come up again.”

Beginning his career as an original Sheffield house young blood in the mid 1980s, Luke’s move to Manchester and partnership with Justin Crawford saw the birth of Electric Chair, a cornerstone cult night in the UK underground club scene, and later Electric Elephant, a Croatian festival paying homage to their wild eclecticism from Balearic to Brazilian to E soul, house, disco and techno. Luke’s much loved, long running Homoelectric night and more recently Homobloc sell out festival for 10,000 souls has been at the forefront of Manchester’s Lgbtq cultural landscape.

Luke’s Friday evening show on Worldwide FM has captured imaginations and has already become a cult four hour must-listen monthly journey with fans all over the world. Today Luke remains, as ever, at the forefront of a changing scene, pairing the momentous legacy of Manchester’s 80s and 90s scene with the delivery of what today’s club communities need to get down.

Fresh Italian nu-disco edits.

Favorite Recordings proudly presents Voiciii, the 3rd and new album by Voilaaa, an immersive dip into its Afro-Disco universe spread across 14 tracks. Needless to say you’ll find in this new LP all the ingredients that made him famous: strong dancefloor-friendly festive bangers, irresistible funky arrangements and an undeniable sense of humor and irony. Bruno “Patchworks” Hovart, behind Voilaaa, is as often surrounded by amazing vocal featurings from previous LP’s regulars (Pat Kalla, Lass) but also new voices you may already have heard on its recent EPs (David Walters, Rama Traore, Ayuune Suule), as well as the saxophonist Boris Pokora. The LP is also an occasion to pay tributes to major artists of the African sound, such as Fela Kuti (on “Water No Get Enemy”), or Manu Dibango (“Manu Écoute Ça” and “Tenor Jam For Manu”). Since the release of Voilaaa’s previous LP’s Des Promesses and On Te L’Avait Dit and their massive international support, the Voilaaa Soundsystem did travel through the world to deliver its message of infectious joy and groove, from Equator to Thailand, from Kazakhstan to the infamous French “Fête de l’Huma”. Now you know: Voilaaa is everywhere and Voiciii (“here it is”) their new album.

SIRS kicks things into fifth gear for the latest SIRS CUTS EP with four more, full power, fist pumpers form the disco stratosphere that join the dots between Italo disco, synth pop and AOR-leaning Balearic loveliness.

Moton Records hand the keys to their castle to Razor-N-Tape co-captain JKriv, with the Brooklyn bossman repaying the gesture with four top shelf edits from his esteemed locker. Digging in the depths, there’s a flavour for every occasion here that span the world over.

Pioneers, that’s what we call them. Not properly a giant team, but a bunch of forward thinking producers. In the heyday of the italo disco there was some forward thinking, a new way to address the club scene. 1985 is the golden year and if you want to get to the core of the synth-pop experience look no further ! This previously unreleased compilation collects a series of unbelievable tracks. An outstanding vision featuring la crème de la crème of the early 80s scene. All the way from electro wizard Alexander Robotnick to the astonishing performance of vocalist Mya Fracassini, through the French connection of Bigazzi brothers of Mon Bijou.

Heap (who runs Wiener Brut): „While working on the release we kept on jokingly referring to the record as the „Austrian Mashisa“ due to the similarity in sounds it provides. I first played the Megamix on last year’s Dekmantel Selectors festival, where it showed its potential for being a Summer hit. In fact, the original 7'' release was the result of a final school project with the goal to substitute the Austrian tradition of compiling a class magazine when graduating from school.“

Here we are at the dawn of a new compilation series and we’re kicking things off with an absolute gem that features a selection of hard-to-find records (some impossible to find) and some that have been hiding in plain sight all along. They all share common qualities, being that they are beautiful, soul quenched songs that sing of love, peace and unity.

‘With Love: Volume 1’ has been compiled by Miche and presents a curated selection of rare Brazilian, gospel, modern soul and jazz-fusion fire. We have Brazilian rarities by Alcione and Quientaessencia, UFO gospel by Keith Chism & Light, the jazz-funk/AOR sounds of City Lites taken from a Radio Station album, and the anthemic feel-good emotional soul of Belita Woods to name but a few.

Tracking down artists and musicians from the past is an art form. Like a seagull swooping for treats, sometimes the prizes are easily found, and at other times, it’s the result of very late nights trolling through Facebook profiles, message boards, hitting dead ends and following red herrings, and yet still the search goes on. This compilation is a true labour of love with all the artists tracked down and licensed by Miche. It has long been an ambition of the London based musical connoisseur to compile an album, and like anything that requires craft, care, and knowledge - it takes time. There are many twists and turns in the hunt for those records that make your jaw drop.

In 2018, when just 24, Miche became a music programmer for London’s illustrious Spiritland group of venues. From this musical sanctuary, he was able to listen, learn and meet some of the best selectors from around the world. It was a musical education, and he was particularly drawn to the deep sessions by DJs such as Mark Taylor, George Arthur, Kev Beadle, Patrick Forge, Dr. Bob Jones, and Colin Curtis to name a few. He also used this time to begin running his re-issue label Discs of Fun and Love with co-owner and friend Frederika.

Sometimes the cynical knock compilations, there is certain snobbery amongst some about the original pressing, but music shouldn't just be about lucky collectors giving over large sums of money to record dealers. It's also about a bridge to the past, a celebration of the legacy of somebody’s art, and a second chance for initially overlooked work to shine. As with all the best compilations, it has been compiled with love…

Mike Maurro is back at it. Taking the keys to the Philadelphia International Records vault and plucking out two certified classics The O'Jays - I Love Music and Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes feat. Teddy Pendergrass - Wake Up Everybody to give them a little Maurro re-edit magic. Officially licensed and taken from the master tapes, Maurro extends each track in all the right places, looping sections up, echoing elements and keeping everyone calling out for more. Uplifting music for the soul, given a new lease of life.

Sounding simultaneously from the past, the present, and the future, the debut album 'mlde' by Marxist Love Disco Ensemble seeks to eradicate both the trite from disco and the sobriety from political music. Half poetic, half tongue-in-cheek, this stunning compact eight-track album is influenced by Eastern European and Mediterranean 70s disco records. In the words of band member Paolo, ''it was written in response to hearing 'I love America' by Patrick Juvet. The song prompted the question: why does disco, a genre originally created by oppressed minorities, eventually become synonymous with American capitalist excess?" Mlde seeks to break this connection.

Merging disco, post-disco 80s pop, and boogie into the fold, 'mlde' was recorded using only analogue instruments, giving it warmth and space. Recorded on cassette, ¼ and ½ inch tape, this gives moments of lo-fi abstraction between the beats of an aggressive, tight drum kit. Instruments used for this recording range from saxophone, trumpet, harpsichord, guitar, and rare analogue synthesisers. The bass sound is shaped by early 80s boogie records, whilst the influence of artists such as Hamlet Minassian can be heard in some of Mlde's more driving-disco outings, such as 'Hues of Red'. In the tradition of Soviet vocal group records, which the band has studied, some songs are sung by a vocal quartet in homage to this tradition.

Tracks such as '1905' and 'Brumaire' have a greater pop aesthetic, with Paolo's vocal style on these more pop-driven songs evoking early 80s bands such as Orange Juice and Chas Jankel.

The format and message of pop and disco are commonly viewed just to entertain and move bodies around a dancefloor; however, lyrically, the subjects range from dialectical and historical materialism, class struggle, Marxist theory and praxis, as well as the concept of Marxist disco music.

Adding the icing to the cake, mastering don Joker aka Liam McLean dusted the album with his magic, giving the songs space where the room is needed, as well as the kick and punch demanded by the modern dancefloor.

Yes, this is a press release, and they are always full of hype, but we were blown away when we heard this album, and we hope it enriches you too.

It's hard to believe we are now up to Volume 5 of our renowned Record Club series. Curating these compilations, where we share our latest musical discoveries and old favourites from the global stage, is always a labour of love. This selection is less dancefloor-driven than our previous volumes, as fewer opportunities for live events drove us to explore other paths and styles in the musical spectrum. But, whether you're DJing for a kitchen or a club, there is still a generous serving of spicy dancefloor magic. For Volume 5, we looked to a broad church - from Brazil to Cuba, Ghana, Jamaica, Japan, Mauritania, South Africa, Sweden, Trinidad and Tobago, the UK, and the US. We pulled songs from the 70s up to the present day and feature a stellar cast of artists. There’s an exclusive track from Sven Wunder which was recorded solely for this compilation. We also have a track from Admin which was released as a private press 7" at the start of 2021 and one we felt was far too good to only be available for the lucky few. You’ll also discover one of our most treasured Gyedu Blay Ambolley productions, a full-force African disco colossus! We hope you will enjoy this selection of seventeen eclectic songs as much as we do.