Review: Kid Sublime - You Got Me Runnin' ft. Bako (Natural Element)

Kid Sublime turns up at the start line with no. 002 ready to start running away with some jazzy tinged housey BRUK with 3 variations on the remix, WheelUp vs Holland's Mo Wrights - so how is the winner?

Well, winner or not, I remember being told about 20 years ago by someone who knows about these things that, "if it's got a Kid Sublime remix on it, it'll sell alright"?  And all these years later, perhaps the table has been turned a fraction as Kid Sublime's new 12" has a remix by Tru-Thoughts' WheelUp (see of the recent 'Inner Light' see review HERE) that takes the soulful original into deeper BRUK dancefloor.

Kid Sublime, who has had countless previous releases on high profile labels like Kindred Spirits (Amsterdam's hot bed of hip-hop to spiritual jazz), Japan's Jazzy Sport, London's BRUK birthplace Co-OP and Theo Parrish's Sound Signature to name just a few, has Geogian/Amercian singer-songwriter Bako on vocals.

And the winner is!  Mo Wrights' vocal and original remixes that somehow seem to 'WheelUp' all the components with more jazz organ and keys, bass synths, vocals (not in the instrumental of course), dub siren in such a way, it's like a Roy Ayers' 'Running' without any Roy Ayers!

Of course, the real winner is you and me with Natural Element as this is only their second release, following Joe E's 'Smoke' 12" (Ed. did someone say "Kaidi Tatham" influence?) that's already sold out so it's be a good idea to get on this one ASAP.

BUY LINK: You Got Me Runnin' | Kid Sublime | Natural Element

Artist: Kid Sublime 
Title: You Got Me Runnin' 
Release date: 1st August, 2025
Label : Natural Element
Catalog Number  NE002
Format: 12" Vinyl / Digital / Bandcamp

Review: The Funkin' Machine - Nun Trovo & Chiki Chicancan (Star Creature)

Naples in the summer is perfect for some Italo Disco on the dancefloor! 

After Mirlaqi's 'Life As A Whole' (see review HERE) and the remixes of 'Dances Of The Red Planet' (see review HERE), the Star Creature label hit us with some more leftfield 'Nu-Balearica meets Deep Space Jazz Disco' overlooking the bay on Naples.

The Funkin' Machine are a band that formed in 2020 with Andrees Balbucea (vocals/keys), Alessio Pignorio (guitars), Roberto Porzio (bass), Paolo Bianconcini (percussion) and Andrea de Fazio (drums) with their own back catalogues of credits on many a Italian hit including Mystic Jungle (see review HERE) and Pelligrino & Zodyaco (Ed. Sounds like some Italian Bayou drinks mix).

They've joined fellow Italians Giovanni Damico, Modula and Leones who have releases on the label and these two instrumentals, 'Nun Trovo' (got a touch of Shakatak goin' on with those keys) and 'Chiki Chicancan' are typical cheeky uptempo tracks that are hot, steamy and ready to explode from the slopes of Vesuvius.

And not only is Star Creature hot with this release, co-head honcho Tim Zawada's hot all summer long in Chicago as is his latest radio show on OpenLab, currently on #8.

OpenLab:  Star Creature Vibes Radio 08 – Tim Zawada HERE  

BUY LINK:  Nun Trovo Cchiù / Chiki Chicancan (Instrumental Mixes) | The Funkin' Machine | Star Creature Universal Vibrations

Artist: The Funkin' Machine

Title:  Nun Trovo & Chiki Chicancan

Release date: 1st August, 2025

Label : Star Creature

Catalog Number : SC7089

Format: 7" Vinyl  / Digital / Bandcamp