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New Zealand based crate digger Frank Booker invites good friend Julien Dyne to drop the second release on his new imprint Down In the Basement.
JD picks up where The Man Called Booker left off on Vol 1 and gets straight up to speed cutting up rare boogie, disco and Afro jams and employing his trademark raw cuts in an old school style, while lacing oodles of FX 'n stuff into the mix.

The overall sound is reminiscent of the early Idjut Boys material, which is so close to Mr Booker's heart.

Mr. K returns to the 12-inch format for the latest in his series of edits for Most Excellent Unlimited, making the most of the long-playing wax with two contrasting cuts. First up is Ike Strong's "Boogie Land," an obscure side that was originally released in 1981 and saw plenty of action at the Paradise Garage. Krivit's edit is inspired by Larry Levan's technique in running the tune, focusing as Larry did on the late-song breakdown before dropping into a stripped-down rendition of the undulating main groove, a boogie bomb to be sure!
Don't let the name fool you — the enigmatic Boogie Man Orchestra, stars of the flip side, are all about disco. The instrumental "Lady, Lady, Lady" first appeared in DJ sets in the summer of '75, the prime breakout year for disco, making its way from Chicago all the way to clubs on both coasts despite having no national distribution. Pre-dating the introduction of the 12-inch single, the song never saw release on the larger format, until now. Krivit's edit takes advantage of the extended playing time by easing into the Philly-style orchestral groove and letting it breath for a dramatic, building dancefloor moment.

Razor-N-Tape welcome hometown hero Danny Krivit into their stable of editors with a 2-track EP that sources a pair of vibes from the catalog of the ubiquitous "Q."
"Stuff" begins with a mysteriously looped and reverbed-out saxophone sample, building perfectly toward an eventual explosion of soulful horn stabs and vocals over a percolating rhythm section, in classic Q style.
"The Story" tells a mellower yet mesmerizing tale, with its lush string arrangement and artful groove, perfect for those early warmups or late-night comedowns. A true living legend of NYC's rich DJ history, Danny dug deep into his personal cache of edit weapons for this very special record. Absolutely essential!

Four smoking hot disco tunes picked by Mr. Fonk and reworked by our veteran edit producer and KitKat resident Billy Idle. Sounding like the mid 70s and early 80s, these tracks have all been tested thoroughly on our Disco Bizarre floor to maximum effect. No fillers, just thrillers!

The latest from Mr. K and Most Excellent Unlimited pairs lowdown and stomping disco from an unlikely source with a funked-out floorfiller from some very familiar voices. Minnie Riperton’s 1977 single “Stick Together” was an outlier in her catalog of smooth modern soul, an intentional nod in the direction of the prevailing disco sound. Co-written with Stevie Wonder, “Stick Together” in its original single release was divided into two parts, the first a fairly conventional uptempo cut with all the catchy qualities you’d expect from Stevie and the husband and wife team of Richard Rudolph and Minnie. It was the second half of the song that caught the ears of DJs who played for funkier dancefloors, however. Freddie Perren, a former member of Motown’s legendary Corporation collective of songwriters and producers, and a man then red-hot off his success with Tavares’ “Heaven Must Be Missing An Angel” and the Sylvers’ “Boogie Fever,” was on production duties, and the song clearly benefits from his disco-friendly touch. In Mr. K’s epic edit we are treated to a lengthy exploration of the second part of “Stick Together,” featuring keyboardist Sonny Burke (veteran of Marvin Gaye’s band and fresh from playing on Candi Staton’s disco smash “Young Hearts Run Free”) working out an irresistible Jingo-esque piano part, Riperton’s sensual ad-libs, and, as if that wasn’t enough, a cameo appearance by Pam Grier on finger snaps! Krivit’s 8-minute-plus edit passes way too quickly to get enough of the hypnotic groove — rewinds are called for! Our flip side, “Body Language,” originated as an album cut on the Jackson Five’s last album of original material for Motown, Moving Violation, recorded before Jermaine left to go solo and the remaining brothers joined Epic Records in a new incarnation as the Jacksons. For such an obvious heater it’s puzzling why the label never released it as a single; but regardless of that apparent misstep, “Body Language” has long been a sure shot in many DJs’ bags. With his new edit, Mr. K presents the track in its ultimate form, loud, remastered, stretched out and rippling with energy over a full six minutes. With an iconic bass line that just doesn’t quit, and Michael and the boys in fine form, it’s impossible to imagine a situation where this wouldn’t set the room on fire.

Two undeniable disco classics given the golden touch by edit royalty Mr K, for the third instalment of his highly sought after and limited edit series. Buy on sight business from the master once again.

Record Store Day 2021 Release. Mr. K takes on two different disco moods in the latest in his long-running series of edits on 45. Danny Krivit’s edit of Tony Orlando’s “Don’t Let Go” was released in Japan in 2012 and immediately became a sought-after, impossible to find rarity. Orlando’s version of “Don’t Let Go” was released at the height of the disco era, but the song itself was already a well-worn pop standard, having been covered by numerous artists before the pop singer tried his hand at it, switching things up with a percolating disco groove. “I never expected to rave about a Tony Orlando record,” wrote Vince Aletti in his Record World column in June of 1978, “but this one’s really terrific… My pick for a summer refresher.” The Jimmy Simpson mix on the original 12-inch follows the vocals with a long instrumental section that teases the various elements provided by the Muscle Shoals band (guitar, vibes, strings, and above all a sinuous synth) back in over the relentless bass and drums. Danny’s edit, which he’s trimmed down for its debut on 7-inch, works with this instrumental break and more than lives up to Aletti’s description as an addictive warm weather jam. From the moody instrumental sound of “Don’t Let Go” we move to the bright uptempo vocal track "I Fall In Love Everyday." In spite of the relative obscurity of this fabulous but lesser-known cut, it comes with a sparkling pedigree. “I Fall In Love Everyday” was written by Jay Graydon (whose credits also include “Turn Your Love Around” for George Benson and “Breakin’ Away” for Al Jarreau), produced by Motown ace Mickey Stevenson (who wrote “Dancing In the Street”) and arranged by David Foster, who was just making the transition from session keyboardist to the superstar songwriter/arranger he’d become. The backing track was first used for singer/TV personality Jaye P. Morgan’s version of the song a year earlier, but you certainly can’t blame the team for reusing the music when the band included studio heavyweights like Harvey Mason, Lee Ritenour, Ray Parker Jr., and Kenny Loggins. Danny’s creative edit fashions a clean, DJ-friendly instrumental intro where none existed on the original, and gives new life to a track that’s sure to bring some sunshine to dancefloors. As always, these unique selections from Mr. K’s personal stash are cut on a loud, club-ready 7-inch pressing.

This latest limited 7" from Mr. K features two incomparable baroque soul masterworks, one from a Chicago-based band that defied categorization and the other a deep cut from a living legend songwriter and performer.

The psychedelic soul of Rotary Connection’s “I Am the Black Gold of the Sun” still sounds revolutionary and unlike anything else, a full fifty years after it was originally released in 1971. Swathed in ethereal ripples of strings (courtesy the Chicago Symphony Orchestra) innovatively arranged by unsung genius Charles Stepney, and rooted in a rock solid foundation provided by the cream of Chicago’s cutting edge session musicians (among them guitarist Phil Upchurch and drummer Morris Jennings, veterans of countless soul jazz cuts), “Black Gold” sits in uncharted territory somewhere between soul, rock, jazz and classical chamber music. It’s a gorgeous territory, a fantasy land where Minnie Riperton and Sidney Barnes’s vocals transmit mystical, uplifting vibes, the entire affair anchored throughout by an addictive piano riff—a mixture that proved irresistible to Masters at Work, who covered it for their Nuyorican Soul project in 1997. Mr. K’s edit doesn’t try to force anything fancy on this masterpiece, simply tightening it up and taking advantage of the lush remastering to present this progressive classic on 45 for the first time.

In keeping with the orchestral soul mood, Mr. K turns to Stevie Wonder’s “Pastime Paradise” for the flip. Whereas “Black Gold” paints a portrait of a magical land, Stevie’s lyrics on “Pastime Paradise,” originally issued in 1976, are a penetrating look at the very earthbound concerns of modern society and its follies, an urgent message to look ahead rather than languish in dreams of the past. The sensitive string accompaniment provides just the right amount of gravitas and emphasis to Stevie’s voice without overwhelming it, while the hare krishna-inspired tambourine keeps the rhythm effectively. Mr. K’s edit again keeps things true to the original, simply providing a subtle intro that uses the tambourine rhythm to lead into the body of the song.

Disco king, Mr. K, drops the fifth edition of his super sought-after and limited edit series. Another double dose of pure disco elation, retouched, tweaked and extended in all the right places, cut loud and proud on either side of a 12 inch.

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The new batch from the bottomless edit archives of Danny Krivit is an uptempo, guitar-heavy excursion into two cuts of danceable rock from opposite sides of a decade.

“Marbles” originally came out late in 1970, the result of a collaboration between the fiery British guitarist John McLaughlin and drummer Buddy Miles. Miles was hot off his time with Jimi Hendrix, and producer Alan Douglas, who’d been instrumental in putting together the Band of Gypsys group, attempted another crossover combination with a brand new, blazing guitar god. Also on the date was Larry Young, an organ player best known for his expansive jazzy albums on Blue Note, and several veterans of Buddy Miles’ funk-rock combos. The resulting mixture produced in “Marbles” a powerful, driving rhythm anchoring an addictive riff that steamrolls through the cut in a fashion not unlike the motorik sound of Velvet Underground or Can. Mr. K’s edit leans heavily on the drums, naturally, with a long, tailor-made intro and a mesmerizing focus on the main riff, extending things well past the seven-minute mark.

Ten years later, the world of music was in an entirely different place but a good guitar riff coupled with a driving beat was still powerful currency on the dancefloor. This time, the group was Scottish new wave-punk group APB, whose single “Shoot You Down” had garnered unexpected peak time play in cutting edge NYC hotspots Danceteria, the Peppermint Lounge, the Ritz and the Mudd Club. “Shoot You Down” combines the urgency of the Clash with the free for all vibe that characterized the downtown scene (and throws in a chant borrowed from P-Funk for good measure). Mr. K has created a long instrumental opening that leads into the vocals, giving the tightly-wound 7-inch single a proper extended 12-inch treatment it deserved but never had before.

The sound is crisply remastered for club play, and stretched over the breadth of a 12-inch single. Both of these tracks are appearing on the long-format player for the first time.

This one's for all the jazz-fusion heads out there and a celebratory tribute to the undisputed king of anything jazzy, Mr. Gilles Peterson. The Japanese duo The Magic Twins delivers a strong 3-track EP which is full of jazz/brazil/funk-fusion reworks that would make the dancers at the legendary London Club Dingwalls swing just a little longer. Proper dance material for the jazz-ish community.

Disco deliverance done right, the king Mr K. drops the 6th instalment of his buy-on-sight, limited edit series. Retouched and retweaked gold, destined to fire those synapses into the stratosphere whichever side you draw for.

Back at it with certified disco royalty Mr K, who lets loose the 7th instalment of his sought after, limited edit series. Tweaked and extended in all the right places, if there’s anyone that knows the recipe for dancefloor ecstasy it’s this man right here.

It was certainly unpredictable that a legendary jazz drummer would record one of spiritual disco’s most revered songs twenty-three years into his career, but that’s exactly what happened when Idris Muhammad laid down the epic “Could Heaven Ever Be Like This” in 1977. Hailing from New Orleans, Muhammad always had more than a touch of funk to his rhythms, and by the late ’70s his collaborations with master engineer Rudy Van Gelder on recordings for the CTI and Kudu labels had gelled perfectly with the reigning jazz-funk sound of the day. Arranger Dave Matthews (famously part of the James Brown stable) collaborated with lyricist and former Long Island record store clerk Tony Sarafino on writing the song, which on the original recording unfolds over a nearly 9-minute build. Appearing at the crest of the disco movement, “Could Heaven Ever Be Like This” was an immediate hit with David Mancuso and the attendees of his loft parties, quickly spreading to other venues and even making a small climb up the Billboard R&B charts. For this new issue on Most Excellent Unlimited, Danny Krivit, whose own career as a dancefloor orchestrator from the DJ booth has paralleled the timeframe of the song’s existence, has replaced the original loose introduction with a mix-friendly steady groove that maintains the unstoppable pulse of the song while maintaining the cathartic mid-song break and giving the track potential for even more momentum.

Another percussionist is responsible for our flip side track, “Magic’s in the Air.” Vince Montana was not only an in-house arranger and producer for Philadelphia International and other Philly soul labels, but was an accomplished vibraphone player. His talents are on display and doubly emphasized by Mr. K in this overlooked cut from Ronnie Walker, a falsetto singer who draws a rather strong comparison to the best songs of fellow Philadelphians Blue Magic with this uptempo, subtly synthy 1975 track. Never having appeared on a 12-inch, and indeed never having appeared even on a full-length album, Krivit’s edit is the first extended mix of “Magic’s in the Air” to date. Alongside “Could Heaven Ever Be Like This,” itself notoriously difficult to find in 12-inch form, this latest from MEU’s long running series with Mr. K is a bonafide must-have for the discerning DJ.

Italian stallions Groove Culture let loose a new 7” (only) imprint, with the inaugural release serving a high energy, high flying double dose of the good stuff. Funk & Disco at its finest from Micky More & Andy Tee - check it out!

Mr. K is back again with a double-sider that tackles the ups and downs of love and does it in fabulous style with two solid soul classics.

Yvonne Fair was a veteran of the soul music world when she finally got the chance to record her first full length album in 1975. She had recorded multiple singles under the guidance of James Brown (her “I Found You” was reworked by Brown into the chart-topper “I Got You (I Feel Good)”) and, after leaving the JB camp for the auspices of Motown, a clutch of 7-inches with Norman Whitfield. These were gathered together to form her first (and only) full-length, but before the album was completed a final song was added to fill things out. This last minute touch would turn out to be the crowning achievement of her career. “It Should’ve Been Me” didn’t seem to be a notable addition at first. The song was originally done by Kim Weston a decade earlier and then by Gladys Knight. But Fair’s version had something special. In addition to the novel addition of a percolating drum machine pulse, Fair imbued the lyrics with a heartfelt sincerity and gruff emotion that touched listeners in a way that other versions had missed. Released as a single in the UK in late ’75, the song rose to the top ten of the British charts by February of the following year, inspiring Motown to release it as a US single. The song never replicated its UK success in the States, but went on to have a long life as a staple of drag performances and gay club life. Gay club life being the heart of all great club life, it’s only natural that the impact of the song has continued to spread, from Adeva’s hit house version in 1991 to Miley Cyrus’s recent revival of the song. Danny Krivit pays tribute to this storied history with his own version, a simple yet effective edit that stays true to the original but gives DJs a little more room (and fans a little more time to sing along!) than the all-too-brief original.

Continuing on our theme of lovelorn loss and redemption, Mr. K turns his attention to the New Birth’s “Brand New Lover” for our B-side. While the original slowly moves from the tentative, immediate aftermath of breakup to the eventual positive path forward, Krivit’s edit jumps straight to the joyous resolution to find new love, riding a delicious call and response chorus punctuated by signature breakdowns from master producer Harvey Fuqua. Danny’s edit provides a natural uplifting opportunity that never stops building over the course of its extended five minutes. Until now, the track has only been available on the group’s debut 1970 full-length, and never on a 7-inch single.

As always, this release has been mastered to the highest standards and is certain to find a spot in the bags of discerning listeners and DJs alike.

Mr. K transports us to the golden era of the Loft with two disparate, but equally heavyweight classics from the Mancuso oeuvre mastered and cut loud, deep, and clear for club play.

First up is an edit of a track that embodies the spirit of early ’80s downtown New York City. Released in 1982, “Konk Party” was the band’s calling card and first hit, and represented their multicultural, no wave, hip-hop/disco hybrid perfectly, the opening sax riff itself a sly nod to Wild Sugar’s breakbeat classic “Bring It Here” that the Beastie Boys would later sample. A Loft staple — the video was even filmed there — “Konk Party” was also played widely across the influential clubs of the day, becoming an instant staple at Danceteria, Mudd Club, and other hot spots. The easy-going groove, heavy on the percussion and low-slung bass, complimented by bilingual lyrics from Angel Quiñones, has dated well, and sounds especially ready for action in this new edit from Mr. K, largely inspired by the original 12-inch’s choice Uptown Breakdown Mix. This is the first time “Konk Party” has been available on 7-inch.

The heavy percussion backing is perhaps the only similar element that links our A-side to its flip, but that only goes to show the breadth of styles that coexisted in the audio landscape of the Loft. “Hold On To Your Mind,” first released in 1970 by Northern Irish rock group Andwella, is a heavy, psychedelic tour de force that more than lives up to its cautionary, heady title. Mr. K has outdone himself with his new mix, a supercharged blend of extended percussion breaks — absent on previous 7-inch mixes — driving vocals, and fuzz guitar. For those who have never been able to track down the original single, an expensive proposition, and even for those who have, this new edit is certainly the definitive version.

As the mercury gradually nudges up on this side of the world we have the perfect soundtrack for the extended evenings and we have French producer DJ Moar to thank for that. This latest chapter in his 45 Loves series entitled Funky Party is laced with that summer dance-floor syrup to keep the dance-floor cookin'. The J side is the cool side. Moar slips on the Balearic boots for a steppers cut that instantly transports us to the beaches and seaside sunsets. Some clever vocal samples are sprinkled throughout. Feelin' it! On the flip JJ, Moar shifts gears and treats the listener to a Paisley-punched French house tribute that bangs! With a straight-up funk-fueled chorus we'll all be bellowing out this summer and coupled with a tight horn section this Punk-funk feast is a real treat for the listener. Hand-stamped records & limited press.

P&F Recordings takes a quick break from original material to welcome back everyone’s favourite Episcopalian Minister/DJ: JAZ. When it comes to left-field floor fillers, JAZ (née John Zahl) is in a league of his own. Over the past 13 years, he's churned out celebrated home listening mixes, jaw-dropping DJ sets, and extended edits with a pace that belies the usual slow-motion tempo of the majority of his selections. Here, he serves up four colourful, cosmic, dance floor delights. EP opener ‘Cloud Worship’ marries a chugging prog-rock-esque bassline with virtuosic synth work. Then ‘Pick a Toy’ gets us sweating with some serious Caribbean flair. On the flip side, ‘Puzzle’ delivers exotic chants and an infectious, serpentine beat and lastly ‘Friday Night’ closes things out with infectious, retro positivity. While one might wonder how JAZ consistently unearths these obscure yet essential gems, it's obvious that he's driven by a higher purpose. Let the ceremonies begin!

The early ’80s were a fertile time for electronic music, as the explosion of relatively affordable synthesizers and drum machines gave creative musicians a new way to express themselves. For Danny Krivit, DJing at the Roxy and soaking in the sonics of the Paradise Garage, it meant an exciting collision of the worlds of dance music and hip hop. For our latest release, Mr. K has pulled out two of his sureshots from that era and given them a tune-up for today’s sound systems.

“Pleasure Boys” by Visage was released in 1982 and epitomized the new wave crossover sound that would be co-opted and expanded on under the Freestyle banner. While the track was conceived with the vocal taking the lead, that vocal was never heard at the Roxy, Krivit’s focus being the thunderous synth bass break that he’d extend to epic proportions using twin copies of the single. It’s this routine that he’s recreated on our featured edit, a bare bones riff that still sounds enormous on a club system.

For the flip, Krivit goes a little deeper with his edit of “Emotional Disguise” by Peter Godwin. Another cut originally released in 1982, Krivit again ditches the overwrought new wave vocal in favor of the atmospheric synth stylings of the instrumental, which he accurately describes as a standout, “played at the Garage and at the Roxy for the hip hop crowd.”

Energetic, atmospheric, and with huge sonic impact, these edits are appearing on 7-inch for the first time.

How do you breathe new life into a treasured, classic track? Answer: let Danny Krivit loose on it! Who better to inaugurate our Mr Bongo Edit Series than one of the bosses of the art of the edit. More than just simple re-touches or loops to make the track easier to mix, Danny works his magic by employing all those years of studying and working with music as a remixer, producer and DJ. He has been honing his craft since the art form began and he seems to have a natural intuition for what works on the dancefloor. When we asked Danny if he would be interested in reworking some tracks from Mr Bongo's back catalogue we knew the edits would be special, but Danny has outdone himself with these beauties, and arguably they are more than just edits. By sheer chance, Danny had already worked on a rough personal mix of Sabu Martinez's 'Hotel Alyssa-Sousse, Tunisia’, a track taken from the treasured 'Afro Temple' album originally released in 1973. Danny just needed to freshen and tighten it up to a standard he was happy with, and the result is pure Latin fire. The Belgian / Dutch orchestra leader Nico Gomez's 'Lupita' from 1971 is an undisputed banger, this underground Latin-crossover favourite has been causing mayhem on dancefloors for years. Here Danny takes it into another sphere adding extra drama and build-ups, adding and overlaying fresh percussion which sounds like it could have been taken from lost outtakes. Even those who may have heard 'Lupita' countless times, are sure to be impressed by the new lease of life that Danny has breathed into it. 2 huge tracks and 2 killer edits from a master of the craft.

Solid dancefloor burning disco edits, played by Harvey and Artwork...THE SHIT!!!

Hi Quality Records hit the grounding running with their first release, a spellbinding, full frontal, double disco workout of original material from More Amour.

A melding of the minds of two longtime friends, Artwork and Jon Solo, More Amour kick things off with the peak time cosmic warper ‘Nightshift’. A cross-Atlantic cocktail of intergalactic synthwork, beefy drums and celestial pads with an extra shot of disco in there to keep you grooving till the early hours.

Flip it to find a Balearic boogie beast in the form of ‘Don’t Look Down’. Full of brain-spangling synths and blissful chords that will have your mind riding off into the sunset before that keytar solo blasts you into another dimension.

Package includes free peel off kiss-cut sticker.

Moar's skilful hands and exceptionally well-trained ears combine beautifully on all of his edits, and this is no exception. Full of space and room to breathe, the A-side's 'i' is a deep house/disco number and is a sparkling gem of a track. I can't tell you what the sources are, but the xylophone layered and looped over the dubby beats is a sweet spot you'll want to taste over and over. It could be a warm-up track, mixed into a peak time set, and is most definitely one for the late night set. Over on the flip this huge classic funky song has been beautifully re-rubbed by Moar, this fattens and tightens an already phat and tight classic groove with some electro flourishes. A very respectful mix perfect for the dancefloor! Hand stamped records & limited press.

Mr. K’s series of edits on Most Excellent Unlimited is nothing if not eclectic, and utilitarian — as befits a veteran DJ of Danny Krivit’s stature. For our latest, Krivit pulls two disparate gems out of his bag of tricks and fits them neatly on a single 7-inch piece of vinyl.

In 1972 Ralph Bakshi’s landmark underground animated film Fritz the Cat was released, featuring a soundtrack performed by an all-star cast of San Francisco area musicians associated with the Berkeley-based Fantasy label. Perhaps Fantasy’s biggest artist was the vibes player Cal Tjader, who debuted in 1955 and was still going strong when songs were gathered for the movie’s soundtrack nearly twenty years later. Rather than simply using one of his older, already-recorded tunes, Tjader laid down a completely new version of his earlier hit record “Mamblues.” This time however, he swapped his standard latin percussion accompaniment for a can’t-miss rhythm section of Bernard Purdie, Chuck Rainey, and Arthur Adams. The result was a searing funk workout that took the latin jazz classic to new heights. Mr. K subtly warms this one up by adding a hint of reverb and bringing the tempo down a notch, pushing things from frenetic to funky, and firmly into friendly mixing territory for the DJs.

For our flip side, we turn to an unsung jewel amongst Philadelphia’s many contributions to disco music. Executive Suite released a series of singles in ’74 and ’75 that were recorded at the famed Sigma Sound Studios and had ties to a number of better known disco luminaries, among them the holy trinity of Baker-Harris-Young and, on “You Believed In Me,” the mighty Patrick Adams. Along with his longtime associate Stan Lucas, Adams garnished the vocal quartet’s composition with a driving arrangement and epic, soaring strings. The combined effect produced a vibrant, uplifting club cut that echoes the positive spirit of Curtis Mayfield’s “Move On Up” while being altogether its own thing. For our latest release Mr. K focuses solely on Adams’s instrumental section, returning repeatedly to that addictive string riff and creating a propulsive rhythm track that just doesn’t quit. And we don’t want it to!

As always, these connoisseur’s choice cuts have been remastered and pressed to Most Excellent Unlimited’s standards, and are primed and ready on 7-inch for DJs and home listeners alike.

It is a huge honour to present the Disco Gospel 12”, curated and edited by Chicago's Marc Davis and Sadar Bahar. Featuring two under-the-radar disco / gospel fusion tracks that have been given a new lease of life courtesy of these masters of their craft.

We first came to know Marc through his always on-point Black Pegasus record label, which he’s been running since 2006. As a renowned international DJ, record collector, and an integral part of Chicago's underground music scene, we knew anything he sent our way was going to be serious and he didn’t disappoint. Joining forces with Sadar Bahar (Soul in the Hole), who is himself a gospel and disco legend and a DJ's DJ favourite across the globe, they dug deep and put us onto two absolute gems from their beloved collections. As DJs who play a wide range of genres, their ability to spot the real heat within any sound has placed them at the top of their game. As Sadar puts it, "We are always digging for records and these fit the criteria of disco and happen to be gospel”.

First up is the feel-good joint 'I'm So Happy' by Fountain of Life Joy Choir Under The Direction of Kevin Yancy. Originally released in 1978 on a subsidiary label of T.K. Productions entitled Gospel Roots, the clue is in the title with this one. It's an unadulterated, uplifting, joyous dancer. Marc and Sadar’s fizzing edit brings out the best elements of the song and extends them. Working the addictive vocal hooks and building the funky instrumental grooves produces a spirit-lifting mood that is bursting with enough energy to light a fire under any dancefloor.

'Optical Illusion' on the flip, takes the tempo down, but doesn’t let up on the vigour. It’s a driving, stomping anthem that features another lung-busting vocal performance. Working with a live recording of Rev. Charles H. Nicks and The Baptist Assembly Of Free Spirit Churches Mass Choir, this one proves to be the perfect accompaniment to the ecstatic vibe of the A-side. The duo has condensed and heightened the drama of the song and added some light-touch production elements to clean up and enhance the sound. We guarantee this will be filtering its way into the sets of discerning DJs worldwide.

Marc described the selections best when he succinctly put it like this, “We both knew these were two heaters on our first listen”.

We completely agree, and with recording and engineering contributions from Tone B. Nimble (Soul Is My Salvation) and Rahaan, here we have Chicago royalty creating an unmissable release that celebrates the crossover of dance music with the musical traditions of the church.

A strong, strong showing from Duca Bianco after a period of relative dormancy, teaming up with Manchester's Talking Drums for a musical culture clash with maximum impact. The four tracks see a wide palate of influences being mixed up, from the cheeky Afrobeat shuffle of 'Monkey Key' to the 80s electropop of 'Voice Of Omicron' and the Nico-esque vocal delivery on Balearic groover 'Dolce Julia'. This is an EP with lots of surprises, tons of originality and musical confidence brimming over its edges.

Mr. K goes Gospel on the latest seven from Most Excellent Unlimited’s series of collaborations with the master editor. As is often the case, both of these edits are appearing on vinyl, and on 45, for the first time, with all the hallmarks of MEU’s commitment to quality.

A massive favorite with audiences who’ve attended Danny Krivit’s sets around the world, his “Churchapella” edit of Madonna's “Like A Prayer" is finally on wax. One of the singer’s greatest tracks, it has always fascinated with its combination of the sacred and the profane, leaving it up to the listener whether she is referring to a secular or holy love. In Krivit’s hands, focused largely on the undeniably massive sound of the Andre Crouch Choir, the divine nature of the lyrics shine through. Uplifting, moving, even transcendent when presented at the right moments, it’s both an inspiring piece of music and a seriously powerful DJ tool.

“Like A Prayer” is paired on the flip side with a fantastic edit of the Clark Sisters funky, slinky rare groove classic “Ha-Ya (Eternal Life).” Never officially released on 7-inch before, Krivit has taken the loose original recording and given it a steady pulse not by adding post-production elements, but via his experienced hand at building a musical movement that audiences will respond to. A slight tempo change, a bit of careful repetition, and at last connoisseurs of the smaller format vinyl have a definitive version of this powerful song.

It’s back to the heart of disco with the next release — our sixtieth! — in Most Excellent Unlimited’s long-running series of collaborations with master editor Danny Krivit, this installment on long-play 12-inch vinyl.

Our A-side features the work of Euro-disco maestro Alec Constandinos, whose symphonic suites and long form arrangements for stars like Cerrone and Don Ray made him an essential ingredient on many a glittering dancefloor in the late ’70s. Love & Kisses was one of his earliest disco projects, and one of his most popular. Their song (the “band” was a studio fabrication of Constandinos) “I Found Love” stretches across the entire side of an LP in its original form, but for discerning disc jockeys who leaned towards the funkier side of the spectrum, the percussion and bass breakdown is where it’s at. And if you are a long-time follower of Mr. K, it will come as no surprise that it is here that he focuses his metaphoric razor on the iconic breakdown, and we are left with a tough, driving track that will suit throwback sets as well as slot nicely into modern uptempo programming. As an added bonus, stick around to the very end when Krivit lets the song’s memorable acapella sample (“And I suppose you thought it was all over??”) finish it out.

It simply does not get much bigger than Donna Summer in the world of disco. Her song “Heaven Knows,” a duet with Brooklyn Dreams singer “Bean” Esposito, is one of the many gems in her catalog, and one that still evokes powerful reactions in heads, both old and new. Produced by the dream team of Giorgio Moroder and Pete Bellotte, the power and groove are propulsive and indisputable. Krivit begins with an extended "Mac Arthur Park" horn crescendo that teases the emotion before introducing a newly stripped down singalong verses and chorus of “Heaven Knows”. As the song progresses, a fabulous building effect until the end, a six-minute run through the clouds, enveloped in the ecstasy of that same horn crescendo. A sudden finale, fading into the ether, takes us out and leaves the listener (and DJ) with an open path of which musical road to take next, a master’s touch from an editor who excels at his craft.

Duca Bianco is back with one of its special various artists' releases, and a mighty fine one it is too. This one finds four guest producers all with their finest studio tools sharpened and ready for action. Two of the artists are well known but use new alias - one is Israeli synth and psyche wizards Red Axes who work their magic as Der Sexa on 'Gabi Plane' and another is Beauty & The Beat party man Cedric Woo as CW. He gets nice and twisted here while the other two cuts - one from Italo king Franz Scala who builds slow new wave funk, and one from Manchester's renowned edit kings Talking Drums who offer some lovely leftfield madness on 'dmnb', all make for crucial listening.

Jonny 5 is known for his superlative edits as well as heading up the Bahnsteig 23 label and here he returns from time out becoming a father to kick off this new one from Duca Bianco. 'Joy riding' is loopy disco-post-punk for a peak-time trip. Multi Culti man Dreems then brings the Afro party vibes with his 'Bususua' which is packed with dub fx and steeped in fun. Miserymix then throws in his Italo-licked post-disco and punk sounds on 'Adjust Your Love' before a big finale by Black Bones. He offers deep and dubby house that has been a secret edit for a while but finally gets unveiled here to great effect as it worms its way into your brain.

Most Excellent Unlimited is happy to announce the next release in its series of collaborations with master DJ and editor "Mr. K". Two exceptional deep classic album gems skillfully cut down to a maximum 7" 45rpm format, Luther’s “Funky Music (Is a Part of Me)” and Zulema’s “Giving Up.”

Long before “Never Too Much” and his other solo hits, Luther Vandross was an in-demand backup singer and vocal arranger, working with luminaries like Carly Simon, Bette Midler, and Donna Summer, along with his stand out performances in Change, Bionic Boogie, & so many more. Perhaps his most significant role, however, was backing David Bowie on the 1975 Young Americans album. It was during these sessions that Bowie heard Luther’s song “Funky Music (Is a Part of Me)” and re-tooled it to become the Bowie/Vandross joint composition “Fascination,” which went on to become a successful Bowie single.

For the latest edition of Most Excellent Unlimited’s series of edits, Mr. K has gone back to the original source, credited to the group (not the solo artist) Luther (which also features Christine Wiltshire). Mr. K's technique on this edit is cleverly subtle, in the process giving us the first opportunity to get almost the entire full-length song on compact 7-inch wax, keeping that irresistible building energy that places the track firmly on dancefloor-friendly territory.

“Giving Up” was the opening track on Zulema’s second LP, and given the drama of the intro, with its rolling piano, string ensemble, and piercing guitar, it’s not hard to hear why it was effective in that role. Mr. K’s edit benefits from a crystal clear remastering in which each element of the band is distinct in the soundfield, led by Zulema’s gutsy vocals upfront. Originally a 1964 Gladys Knight tearjerker that crept along at a tango’s pace, Zulema’s 1973 cover gives the song a new, powerfully soulful arrangement, championed by such disparate eras and tastemakers as Nicky Siano at the Gallery in the ’70s and breakbeat hunters the Beatnuts in the ’90s that has easily found favor with a wide variety of listeners and DJs, and this new issue should solidify that position. Never before available on 7-inch, “Giving Up” is a bonafide funk and proto-disco classic —

The Duca Bianco label swerves its usual various artists' format to allow CW - who has appeared on those before - to step up with his own solo EP. He is a mysterious artist but is well known for his immersive record collection and legendary sets on the London scene. He is one-third of the Beauty & The Beat party and brings his unique twists of Afro and soul to this quartet of tunes. 'Karambolage' opens up with lots of big horns and noodling string sounds over a ramshackle beat then things take a cosmic turn on the rather more psychedelic 'Six Times Seven' with its Nippon-koku polyriddims, while 'Ou Ka Jis Fe Kole' is a party starter with a Zouk dub edge and 'Nzimbab' is built on a low slung and swaggering rhythm.

The Vinyl Only label rolls on towards its 20th release here with Mar De Novo serving up the irresistible Apericena EP. 'Quantity Check' is a low-slung funker with noodling baselines and nice loose percussive rhythms under some exotic vocals. 'Blue Eyes Clear' is a more lavish and downtempo number of chilling by the Med come sundown and then comes Ryu's Rub of 'Quantity Check' which is more funky and fat-bottomed. 'Nao Fazer Nado' rounds out an escapist EP with some dreamy melodic chill-out sounds that will have you gazing off to the stars.

This release is a story of serendipitous stars aligning. Having released Bala Desejo’s anthemic single, 'Baile De Máscaras’, back in May 2023, we could sense that we had a summer classic on our hands. We always thought that it had the potential to find fans in a dance music audience, and thanks to a fortuitous moment whilst listening to Gilles Peterson's radio show, we heard a mysterious “Jamz” edit of the track.

In a further twist of fate, the sensational DJ, producer, and radio presenter Jamz Supernova recently graced our Great Escape in-store event with a phenomenal DJ set. After some feverish digging and emailing to her team, we discovered that she was a fan of the original song and had made a personal edit to play in her DJ sets. Gilles had heard Jamz spinning the edit and asked for a copy, and by sheer coincidence and good fortune, it all fell into place.

For this release, we have included the original edit that Jamz and Sam Interface had made for personal use only. It is a beast of an edit that gets heavier and deeper as it progresses. It makes the track dancefloor ready and adds to the anthemic nature of the original. Additionally, Jamz and Sam wanted to deliver a further updated remix where the pair have added more percussive elements that take the song in a tropical house direction. So, a massive thank you to Jamz and Sam for allowing us to make these wonderful productions available for all.

Wonderful edit king Mr K is back with more of his superb scalpel work on his own Most Excellent Unltd label. This latest 7" tackles some mighty original material in the form of Steve Wonder's gloriously uplifting 'If You Really Love Me.' It is just as life-affirming and joyous in Mr K's hands with some extra drum weight and drawn-out grooves that will energise any dancefloor. On the flip is 'Time Of The Season' which taps into some golden funk and soul with soaring vocals and big horns over a killer, infectious bassline.

É Soul Cultura captain, originator of Manchester’s legendary Electric Chair and definitive people’s champion, Luke Una taps into a lifetime’s worth of musical discovery for the second volume in our Mr Bongo Edits series. A cosmic coming together that sees two of Luke’s secret weapons, re-edited and re-contextualised by the man himself to provide optimal dancefloor euphoria. A stalwart of the underground for nearly 40 years, Luke has become an appointed leader of the late night disenfranchised, with an unquestionable ability to pick records that make minds tick. Not least through his two É Soul Cultura compilations released on Mr Bongo over the past two years. A taste that traverses genres as much as it does emotions and decades, who better to give an insight into the tracks he has chosen to edit, than the man himself. “I've been an avid collector of afro-beat house, techno and underground black heart disco since before the basement soul days of Electric Chair 30 years ago. Both these bombs were very much holy grail finds, plucked from the last four decades of digging in random crates of dusty vinyl all over the world.” First up, Thandi Zulu & The Young Five’s interpretation of Pure Energy’s early ‘80s disco power play – ‘Love Game’. With a distinctive South African synth bass and killer keys combo, Luke explains the original has this “bonkers alchemy of heavy machine soul, uptempo rawness and a majestic disco evangelism”, making it ripe for a re-edit. On the B side, Lionel Pillay’s Jazz dancer ‘Plum’. “The original was a relentless 18-minute raw jam”, Luke states, “which despite its late ‘70s South African origin kinda reminded me of a 1986 Chicago piano House record”. “These edits strip the tracks back and rebuild them, giving them more sonic weight with that looped up drum jacking militancy from the days of Chicago, combined with a boosted sense of transcendental, psychedelic, cosmic disco. They have always had such an explosive reaction on so many dancefloors including the heavier electronic club, so it felt only right to reshare them”.

The tom-tom heavy tribal rhythm of “Wela Wela” is one of the rawest, hardest cuts from the band Black Blood, a conglomeration of musicians from the central part of the African continent who were based in Belgium. The group had a breakout single in 1974 with the exotica-leaning “A.I.E. (A Mwana)” but never were able to quite capture the excitement that single generated with their follow up records. We can only guess that songs like “Wela Wela” were simply way too heavy for the pop tastes of the day, since the groove is a beast! — an acid rock tangent of the “Soul Makossa” riff that radiates pure energy. Mr. K aserts “It’s an incredible song to dance to, but was not very DJ friendly, and I never seem to hear other DJs play it... or even talk about it.” Originally debuted on his Grass Roots album, Mr. K's new rearrangement should change that, especially now that it's been made available on this hard hitting, portable 7-inch format.

Originally released the same year as Black Blood’s debut, “Komi Ke Kenam (Fish & Funjee)” was discovered and distributed by a small independent Brooklyn label that featured many other incredible African bands of the 70's. The song opens with a tough breakbeat (subtly extended by Mr. K on our release), and rumbles over a funky bassline and slicing wah-wah guitar before bursting out with a sax-led climax, a gritty get-down jam if there ever was one.

Both cuts have been remastered expressly for DJ play and are loud and clubworthy, in new extended edits that tease every last bit of funk from the originals.

Record label boss, producer / DJ, and revered collector Marc Davis returns to his Chi-Talo series with the much-anticipated second volume. A concept of a split EP, taking one ultra-rare Chicago gem and the other a scarce Italian disco record and re-interpreting them for the modern dancefloor aesthetic.

With the first volume, released on Marc’s own Black Pegasus label, now trading hands for considerable amounts of money, round two sees him impart another double dose of digging sorcery for this Mr Bongo 12”.

Marc began his illustrious career in the Windy City in the ‘80s and was one of the first out of Chicago to be recognised for his eclectic approach to DJing. Presenting a global sound palette that took in choice cuts from Brazil, Africa, jazz fusion, house, soul and disco, whilst mixing it together Chicago style. Decades of knowledge and experience that is now distilled down into the Chi-Talo series.

The Italo selection came via a tip from Marc's Swedish friend, Julian Wareing. Hearing the track led Marc down the rabbit hole to secure a copy of this Italo-Disco, album cut oddity by the New Sound Quartet from 1979. The original of 'Bass Construction', measures in at four and a half minutes and is already a feverish funk groover. But Marc saw an opportunity to extend and re-edit the track, keeping in the vein of the original but giving it space to breathe. Tweaking out every last ounce of goodness, Marc locks you into a hypnotic groove for maximum dancefloor deliverance.

The Chicago side is as rare, as the rarest of hens-teeth, only ever existing as a one-off acetate by the band The Saucer Planes. One of the members of the group was the sadly passed-away older brother of Marc’s DJ mentor, Jahmal Anderson. From the very first listen, Marc knew he’d been hooked up with an undiscovered boogie gem. A long-lost track that the world needed to hear. But the project has remained dormant until now, not least due to the fact that the original recording of this low-fi vocal boogie groove is housed on an ever-deteriorating solo acetate. Rescued, restored and given a brand-new lease of life, Marc has turned the track into a low-slung, psychedelic instrumental boogie bounce. Raw, rough and mesmerising, it’s a refreshed relic that is a testament to Chicago’s club sound and swagger.

Whichever side you draw for, this is guaranteed to move bodies as much as it wins over hearts.

Casinoboy makes a triumphant return to Duca Bianco with a sparkling EP that once again shows his studio mastery. Previously featuring alongside luminaries like Rune Lindbaek and Khidja on a well-received compilation, Casinoboy's latest kicks off with 'Honesty' which is a blend of Balearic and breaks that brings a shuffle-and-wiggle experience with uplifting samples and an old-school UK rap edge. 'This Feeling' has a catchy Street Soul feel, while 'Searos' mixes up ambient sounds and Spanish Guitar to evoke the essence of the White Isle. Closing with 'Astral Go Go,' really pumps the party in ways only he knows how.

Mr. K is back with a tribute to one of the great tape editors that updates a timeless DJ crate staple, plus a proto-hip hop instrumental that works as a standalone groove or a useful disco tool, specially reworked for maximum sonic potential on the compact vinyl format.

First up is an extended edit of the Frankie Beverly and Maze sureshot “Before I Let Go.” Originally released on the best-selling 1981 Live In New Orleans LP, the track was not actually a concert recording but a new studio track made to fill out the final “D-side” of the double album live release. A smash hit on Black radio right out of the box, “Before I Let Go” was chosen as a single and went on to become a must-play standard for parties of all varieties, from club nights to family barbecues. 1991 saw the noteable edit on Moo Records that quickly became a DJ favorite with its skillfully extended intro and outro. Some 30 years later it can be revealed that this was the work of beloved NYC DJ and editor Gail “Sky” King, a formidable technician with the razor and tape, who considered this one of her best works. “Gail’s edit was unfortunately pressed at the lowest quality,” Krivit explains, “and as good and useful as the edit was, I often chose not to play it because of its harsh quality.” Working from a new, high resolution source, Mr. K carefully recreated some of King’s iconic highlights, while optimizing it for the 7-inch format.

Our flip side is a bit more unusual, but also a fun and funky one. legendary hip-hop pioneer DJ Hollywood, “Hollywood’s Message” was a self-released single from the man who was one of the first to grab the microphone at a jam and rhyme over records. In this case however, as a backing track for his rhymes Hollywood took a shortcut and used the renowned “Love Is The Message” edit created by Mr. K that repeatedly runs the groovy clavinet break from MFSB’s tune. Mr. K tightens up the instrumental chant version for it's first time on a 7" release, also adding a touch of Millie Jackson "Now That I Got Your Attention Again" at the top of the song as an intro, which in itself could be used to introduce almost anything, all custom fitted for 7-inch vinyl.

We have a subtly edit of “Soul Town” by The Motherhood, the psychedelic 1969 LP “I Feel So Free. Motherhood was the unlikely name of Klaus Doldinger's psychedelic fusion band, who eventually transmuted into the bands Passport (Klaus Doldinger, Lothar Meid & Udo Lindenberg) & Hallelujah (Paul Vincent & Keith Forsey). “Soul Town” appears as the B-side to the first single “Back In The Grass”, which fetches ~$275. It was produced by Siegfried E. Loch, & written/arranged by Paul Nero. Many will recognize it as the closing track on the Ocean’s 13 soundtrack. It’s a psychedelic, jazz-funk bomb that punches hard.

Pinball Number Count (Edit) by The Pointer Sisters b/w Soul Town (Edit) by The Motherhood | Galaxy Sound Company — Gsc45-043, test pressing | You know the drill. It’s Galaxy Sound Co. It is cop-on-site. It is yet another Gsc45 edit you need in your crates. & number 43 doesn’t disappoint. I have been wanting both of these jazz-funk nuggets on 7-inch for a minute now, so much love to the GSC crew!

Any of us who grew up on Sesame Street in the 1970s will know this A-side righ away. “The Pinball Number Count” (or Pinball Countdown) is a collective title referring to the 11 one-minute animated segments on the TV series Sesame Street that teach children to count to 12 by following the journey of a pinball through a fanciful pinball machine. These segments are notable for the colorful, imaginative animation as well as the funkysoundtrack with vocals by The Pointer Sisters. It was produced in 1976 by Imagination, Inc. in San Francisco, California for the Children's Television Workshop & debuted on Sesame Street during Season 8 .

This latest installment of Mr. K Edits focuses on two midtempo cuts for the roller skaters and lowdown groovers, with a couple of deep album tracks that are appearing on 7-inch for the first time — both with unique Mr. K edits.

First up is “Felix Leo” from Californian keyboardist Rodney Franklin. A subtle instrumental that was overshadowed at the time by the monster hit “The Groove” (also known to UK’s jazz dancers as The Freeze), “Felix Leo” is that creeper that makes its way into your consciousness and won’t let go. As he so often does, Mr. K trims the track to its leanest, meanest measures, starting directly from the menacing, hypnotic chord progression that forms the root of the composition. Proceeding at a stately leonine pace befitting the title, the song spirals beautifully, as a lush string section encourages the listener to get lost in the unfolding sonic textures.

“In Love” is a very early Prince track, in fact it’s the very first cut in which we hear Prince play instruments on his debut album, released in 1978. And play instruments he does, every single one of them — drums, bass, guitar, and above all, those creamy ARP and Moog synth lines that power this tune. Bouncing along on a rhythm that blends a solid four-on-the-floor stepper’s groove with a hint of the staccato upbeats of reggae, this one’s an easy warmup for dancers and a perfect tempo for skaters. Mr. K’s edit gives us the extended mix the album never did, adding nearly two minutes to the LP timing without ever feeling strained or repetitive.

“I learned both of these songs for roller skaters in my early Roxy days,” Krivit says, referring to the legendary downtown NYC roller rink, “both had those grooves that stood the test of time.” We think this exclusive 7-inch will do the same!

As always, these are mastered and cut to vinyl with both home hi-fis and club systems in mind, and the sound is unmatched.

If you're looking for some summer fire from the Soul-Funk-Disco world then look no further than this new from Micky More & Andy Tee. Groove Culture Bosses teamed up with Angela Johnson and Dj Meme Orchestra for the cover of the classic Rose Royce's song 'Is It Love You're After'. Strings, Horns, synthesizers, guitars, bass etc... All here is played live, more than twenty musicians worked on this project. 'Is It Love You're After' is a track that contains the beauty and the essence of Soul-Funk-Disco: Instrumentation and vocals of the highest level. Package sees Legendary New York City DJ Danny Krivit providing a dj-friendly edit for the dancefloor plus a housy Mix From Da Lukas. A Must Have!

One of London’s most loved underground parties, Tangent, celebrates its 10th birthday this year with a new compilation on Mr Bongo. Its residents, John Gómez and Nick the Record, have curated a selection of prized, rare and dancefloor-ready tracks that have soundtracked the past decade of their parties. Alongside remastered reissues of these original cuts, the CD version of the compilation also houses three incredible edits from Nick, John and Dan Tyler of the Idjut Boys. These were too good not to press onto vinyl, so we’ve given them the standalone 12" they deserve.

Contextualising their edits Nick states, “Tangent was not only the place for us to play the music we love the most, it also became the testing ground for our edits. It was really helpful being able to see the effect each of these had on a dancefloor before the records were released and many of them also became firm Tangent classics.”

Up first, Nick is joined by Dan Tyler (Idjut Boys), who he runs the edit label Record Mission with, for a furiously feel-good re-edit of Leo Basel’s ‘Quelle Drôle De Vie’. Basing their edit on the 1987 ‘Special Remix’, it does what any great re-work does, dropping the sections from the original that don’t quite hit the mark, whilst focussing on the gold in amongst it all. The result is a slice of peak-time, French boogie joy, that will warm even the coldest hearts.

John then joins Dan at the dials for a cosmic revamp of Love Isaacs 'Surprise Surprise'. A serving of ‘80s electro-funk, dripping in swagger with a highlife tinge. John and Dan extended the grooves for maximum dancefloor power, space echoing it into the stratosphere at all the juiciest points.

Lastly, Nick takes on Rick Asikpo and Afro Fusion 'Let's Get High' from the super sought-after 1980 album, Got To Be Me. Celestial, gospel-infused soul from Nigeria, Nick homes in on the energetic last 2 minutes of the original as the building block of his 12-minute edit. A completely reworked, feverishly paced creation, Nick switches the sections around, saving the slow, soulful segment for a brilliant cosmic breakdown before the track erupts back into its full flow. Synthesised, jazz-funk elation from start to finish!

Samosa Records dips its toes back into the Afrikano waters with Volume 3 of the Afro themed, genre-busting series and features four deadly tracks from some of Samosa’s most trusted lieutenants.

Breaking the ice as the first track of this exceptional EP is Vincent Galgo and ‘African Rebel’. Mr Galgo has clearly read the brief here – giving us a 125bpm marauder that’s a melting pot of unstoppable horns, furious rhythms and an Afro-pop style bass that is the beating heart of the track.

Track 2 is Samosa regular Frank Virgilio who introduces us to his ‘Mistress’. As a straight up jazz-infused, mid-tempo rhythmic chugger, ‘Mistress’ quickly gets down to the important business of racking up the beats and instrumentation. The generous spread of guitar riffs, assertive bass and organ stabs are expertly lifted by the layered and always rolling drums and bongos induce a trance-like state of mind, so be warned!

On the B-Side Samosa newcomer Casper Leo wears his Tribal heart on his sleeve with the enchanting and utterly captivating jangler - ‘Tom Tom’. You can never have too much Kora guitar and ‘Tom Tom’ has lashings of it, with delicious sprinkles of melodic Marimba – perfect for West African sunsets.

Closing the EP off in style is Afro beats grand master, Lego Edit and the filthy-sexy ‘El Safari’. No other producer can take the essence of the Afro beat structure and bend it to their will like Lego Edit can. Like a late night fist-fight in Club Coco Bongo, ‘El Safari’ punches its way out of the doors. A slinky, wily alley cat of a tune that digs deep with its claws and doesn’t let go and another masterpiece from Lego Edit.

Afrikano Vol.3 has done the impossible and set the bar even higher for this wonderfully diverse Samosa series. We want more. We want ‘4’. With this in your record box, you’ll come with a warning.

Ste Hendry [Black Light Disco]

Hot Piroski Records have been on something of a hiatus for the last year or so but now make a welcome return with a new EP series. This collaborative affair is the result of an epic journey in an old Mercedes from London to Gunjur and finds label head Robin 12Tree working with The Gambia and Bongo Koi as Gambian Disco Express. 'Enlightenment is Now' marks their first release on Hot Piroski Records and it comes with vocals from Gambian mystic Rev. Joseph N'Gole, recorded on the banks of the River Gambia. This one has already been hammered by Psychemagik, Pete Herbert, and Severino from Horse Meat Disco so it comes quality assured.

Mar De Novo is a mainstay of the Vinyl Only label which is now almost up to release number 20. As always these are magnificent beats that blend great invention with a healthy respect for disco days gone by and they are all made in what must be a studio jam-packed with analogue gear from all across the ages. 'Instant Humidity' has plenty of characterful synth details that are freaky and playful, 'Call Me' pairs stepping disco beats with super sweet vocals and 'Paraggi' is a blissed-out seaside gem. 'Progression' heady back to the club with strobe-lit disco arps, 'Get A Way' pairs plunging basslines with cosmic keys and another great vocal and 'Quiet Down' rounds out with another horizontal downbeat disco gem.

Give It Up Or Turnit a Loose (Edit) by James Brown b/w Web (Edit) by Hampton Hughes / Give It Up or Turnit a Loose (Bonus Breaks) by James Brown| Galaxy Sound Company — Gsc45-044, test pressing | The long-running @galaxy_sound_company imprint has been responsible for some superb re-edits over the years, most of which are pleasingly purist in tone — meaning they are pro rearrangements with no added effects but & needless new beats or cheap trickery like so many out there— making any of their releases cop-on-site. & as you can hear from the test pressing, the 44th in the stellar series delivers yet again.

Side A is a masterclass in breakbeat editing of a b-boy classic sample source. Yes, there are many killer JB edits out in the universe, but when you see that the legendary Black Cash & Theo AKA Thelonious Beats take a turn, you know you gotta cop this mutha on site. Here the edit master bravely returns to one of the main sources of the dawn of hip-hop — JB’s comp “In The Jungle Groove” which was released in 1986 to capitalize on it’s popularity in the genre at the time. The comp is named for a breakdown section that appears in “Give It Up Or Turnit a Loose” which is the workout we have here. JB quiets the band down to handclaps, footstomps & congas played by Johnny Griggs. After he raps a little, JB cues legendary drummer Clyde Stubblefield back in, followed by bassist Bootsy Collins & the rest of the band. JB wasn’t intentionally trying to create a perfect batch of hip-hop samples in the late 60s & early 70s, but he couldn’t have succeeded any better if he had been. This edit may enter well-worn territory but he uniquely delivers an edit that showcases why it inspired so many & still delivers the goods to help you get your party started off right & quickly.

Next up on the flipside we are treated to an edit of “Web” by Hampton Hughes, from his 1974 David Axelrod produced & arranged album “Northern Windows”. Heads will recall it as the core sample for “Off the Record” by Hieroglyphics, from the 1998 LP “3rd Eye Vision”. This jazz-funk burner features a stellar line-up: Piano/keyboards = Hawes Trumpet = Allen DeRienzo, Snooky Young Trombone = George Bohanon Sax/flute = Jackie Kelso, Jay Migliori, William Green Electric Bass = Carol Kaye Drums = Spider Webb