Review: Peter Matson & JKriv - Facile EP (Favorite Recordings)

Favorite Recordings are upping the disco game on every release it seems as multi-instrumentalist Peter Matson and seasoned DJ/producer/record label owner JKriv get together with the Ibibio Sound Machine to get hard on the new 'Facile' EP with, no less than a Yuksek remix! 

It's not that long ago that Razor-N-Tape exile Diogo Strausz released his new album 'Dance Para Se Salvar' (see review HERE) on the Paris based label Favorite Recordings but to find that Peter Matson has checked out of his Bastard Jazz 'Hotel PM' (see review HERE) along with Razor-N-Tape's "doorman", JKriv (last seen with 'Intuition' EP - see review HERE) is a bit of a surprise to say the least, it's not like they're underappreciated?

But wait until you hear the track 'Underappreciated' (this is the one that features Ibibio Sound Machine (as featured on Joi n' Juno - see review HERE) as it's like a re-discofied Grace Jones in her 'Pull Up To My Bumper' prime   Perhaps it because it evolved in JKriv's Brooklyn studio as a combination of live instruments and that je ne sais pas!

The Yusek remix keep it sounds like it comes from the birth of 'Ring My Bell' disco  - don't even think  'Underappreciated'.

The EP is rounded off with the track 'Facile' (featuring Olivya) and 'Over Suffa' (featuring Samy Love) each of which would make equally impressive lead tracks.  Samy Love (from Cameroon) sings in French on a Afro-boogie-funk groove with a bit of rockin' guitar thrown in like the cool that is Frank Biyong (he of 'Radio Masoda' - see review HERE).

'Facile' is also sung in French and is close enough a racey Chic to get loads of European club and radio plays.

Recommend you order quick as this is totally the opposite of 'Facile' and 'Underappreciated'!

BUY LINK / PRE-ORDER (Vinyl): Peter Matson & JKriv - Underappreciated ft. Ibibio Sound Machine

Artist: Peter Matson & JKriv 

Title:  Facile EP 

Release date: 6th March, 2026

Label : Favorite Recordings

Catalog Number :FVR204

Format: Vinyl / Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Gratts - BSBF: Selected Reworks (Be Strong Be Free)

"Belgian producer Gratts drops a package of reinterpretations from his Be Strong Be Free imprint, showing off the label's collaborative, open-hearted spirit."

 

This has a strong flavour of NuNorthern Soul meets Ramrock Red for easy dancefloor grooves.

Alex Kassian sets the tone with a lush, chugging instrumental of 'Sun Circles', followed by Fennec's rolling, floor-ready re-chug of 'Better Days'.

Terry Farley & Wade Teo (he of tthe Wade Teo remixes - see review HERE) deliver a classic 90s Sound Factory-style overhaul of 'Off My Feet, while 'Submerge Me' dives into raw, hypnotic percussion.

Conrad McDonnell (50% of Idjut Boys) adds heavyweight dub depth to 'Jour De Fete' before we get a full instrumental of breezy, dubbed out disco cut 'Nuit De Fievre' whilst Southpaw flips 'Euphoria' into "tender, emotive trip-hop".

The perfect start to the week and remember, 'Be Strong, Be Free'.

 

BUY LINK / PRE- ORDER:  https://www.juno.co.uk/products/gratts-bsbf-selected-reworks-alex-kassian-terry-farley-vinyl/1124051-01/

 

 

Artist: Gratts 

Title: BSBF: Selected Reworks 

Release date: 2nd March, 2026
Label : Be Strong Be Free
Catalog Number : TBC
Format: 12" Vinyl / Digital  

Review: Thomas Blondet - Again & Again (Rhythm & Culture Music)

Washington DC based DJ and producer Thomas Blondet presents 'Again & Again', a deeply musical album rooted in timeless dancefloor culture. Drawing from decades of experience as a DJ, producer, and label founder, the album reflects a sound shaped by longevity, groove, and emotional depth.

Across the project, Blondet collaborates with a distinguished group of vocalists and artists, including Arnold Jarvis, Eric Kupper, Michelle Rivera, Will “Reelsoul” Rodriguez, Leyla Chatti, and Andi Hanako. Each collaboration adds a distinct voice while maintaining a cohesive musical identity rooted in soul, groove, and restraint.

Blondet has been DJing since the late 1980s and is a long-standing resident at Eighteenth Street Lounge in Washington, DC, where he has held a residency since 1999. That foundation informs 'Again & Again' — a body of work built with patience, warmth, and an understanding of how music moves people over time.

The album is anchored by the focus track 'Déjà Vu' featuring Joran Danielle Harris, a hypnotic and soulful cut driven by lush chords, steady rhythm, and evocative vocals that capture the feeling of familiarity and return. The song sets the tone for an album that explores love, memory, and creative renewal — the cycles that draw listeners back again and again.

Stand-out tracks a plenty, including 'Blue Birds' (featuring Ammoye and Rise Ashen) as the twelve track explores "late-night atmospheres" with instrumental "to deeply expressive vocal tracks".

'Again & Again' stands as a confident statement from an artist whose credibility has been earned through time, consistency, and global connection. It is both a personal reflection and a continuation of Thomas Blondet’s enduring commitment to music that resonates beyond trends and lives on the dance floor.

BUY LINK / PRE-ORDER VINYL: https://sym.ffm.to/againandagain

Title: Thomas Blondet

Title: Again & Again 

Release date: 6th March, 2025

Label : Rhythm & Culture Music

Catalog Number : TBC

Format: Digital / Bandcamp