Review: VA - Maintain Altitude 2 (Soul Quest Records)

Still flying high is Soul Quest Records as they maintain altitiude with their second compilation that's such a showcase for the 'London Underground' and all it's connections!

Following Max Sinàls 'Healling' EP with KingCrowney (see review HERE) and 'Intentions' (see review HERE with vocalist Liv East)  here's some more "leftfield synth-jazz Bruk house dancefloor" focus on the reewarwst of the  Soul Quest label.

Whilst it's a compilation, Max & KingCrowney team up on the jazz-house-Bruk that they call 'A Bit Mad' and it's KingCrowney's trumpet that keeps the UK arm of Zachary Berns' NYC style jazz house (see review HERE).  And talking of New York, someone else has noticed as Misto Kay's 'Bruklynn' (Ed. did you see what they did there) is also on the money.

Whilst at the leftfield edge, Berkeley Hunt (he of 'A Ghostly Tryst' -- see review HERE) gets on the 'Speed Jazz' flight to the outta edges.

There's two tracks featuring vocals, the opens, Sixm Sol's 'Lead The Way featruing Legzdina and the closing track, Streeton's 'Ride' featuring Faro; on an Indo-jazz razor sharp space ship.  Both fit in with the Soul Quest indentity whilst the returning Reel Love Seeker's 'Mood Swings' is a return to 90s house that's links these tracks together. 

So wherever you're flying to this year, this is ready for your inflight club/radio luggage compartment.

BUY LINK / PRE-ORDR: https://www.juno.co.uk/products/slxm-sol-max-soul-quest-maintain-altitude-2-vinyl/1152516-01/

Artist: Various Artist

Title: Healing EP

Release date: 12th June, 2026

Label : Soul Quest Records

Catalog Number : SQR022

Format:  Vinyl / Digital/Streaming / Bandcamp 

Review: Various Artists - XPRESS Singles Vol. 2: Nothing But The Music / 20 Buck Funk (The Disco Express)

After the XPRESS Singles Vol. 1, service is resumed with Vol. 2 as your 4 carriage (track) train of "funk, soul, nu-disco, house".

The next train of singles after XPRESS Singles Vol. 1 release (see HERE) sees XPRESS Singles Vol.2 leave the platform and its a certified dance floor weapon with London duo Dirty Supercar with a brand new cut, 'Nothing But The Music' in original and Angelo Ferreri remix versions.

We know Dirty Supercar from 'Get Down Boogie'/'Body Slam' (see review HERE) and this track is supported by the soulful vocals of Elliot Chapman with some super 70s strings.   

Ferreri version is a bit of a slow burner but it builds to peak time levels: this guy knows what he'd doing.

But hold on, what's this '20 Buck Funk' on a return ticket from the Château d'Amour residency? 

Bustin' Loose's love letter to James Brown

 (see review HERE).  This time it's the DE SOFFER remix and it's got to be a "stand out" we demand the funk, "the 20 Buck Funk".

And you know that 'Hot' by La Felix was melting (see review HERE) well, it's back and DE SOTTER extended for more dancefloor action.  Both DE SOTETER remixes feature West Coast's Relaye on the rap that moves the crowd to the front for the heatwave.

A seriously strong vinyl package from front to back. Pressed in a limited run of 300, and already sounding exceptional on wax, this is one for the collectors and the selectors alike.

BUY LINK / Pre-Order: XPRESS Singles Vol.2: Nothing But The Music / 20 Buck Funk by Dirty Supercar, Angelo Ferreri, De Soffer, Bustin' Loose, Relaye, La Felix | Soundbubble

e & Felmann,Funky Love EPThe Disco Express,7

Artist: Various Artists (Dirty Supercar, Angelo Ferreri, Bustin’ Loose, Relaye, La Felix)

Title: XPRESS Singles Vol. 2

Release date: 15th May, 2026
Label : The Disco Express
Catalog Number : XPRESS109
Format:  Vinyl / Digital / Streaming / Bandcamp

Review: Various Artists - XPRESS Singles Vol. 1 (The Disco Express)

After the excitment of The Disco Express - TDE100 - we're still on a Special Service as the XPRESS Singles Vol. 1 service is "packed with fresh originals and hand-picked gems, the compilation blends funk, soul, nu-disco, house, and electronica".

If you missed The Disco Express 100 (see HERE), the exhibition (see HERE) and our interview with Bustin' Loose Tom of last year (see HERE), you'll want to catch up with the timetable for post-100 TDE starting with this Singles Vol. 1 release.

Bustin' Loose kicks off from the South London terminal with 'Soulbound' which also gets a Dam Swindle remix - stunning stuff that's not going to stop at the end of the line.  These guys have totally refurbished the engine of 70s disco into an modern rapid transit.

Backed by the equally impressive 'Abracadabra' by Magnolia & Sam Karlson featuring Relaye as an original version plus a 'stripped back' Phil Weeks Ghetto Mix and a housey La Felix remix.

All seal TDE as a must have fun party release; need I say more?

BUY LINK / Vinyl Pre-Order: Soulbound: https://go.protonrad.io/rlF3tLpn4furY

                                                Abracadabra  https://go.protonrad.io/rlkj2h-kyjdFU

e & Felmann,Funky Love EPThe Disco Express,7

Artist: Various Artists (Bustin’ Loose, Magnolia, Sam Karlson, Dam Swindle, Phil Weeks, Relaye, La Felix)

Title: XPRESS Singles Vol. 1

Release date: 27th March, 2026
Label : The Disco Express
Catalog Number : XPRESS107
Format:  Vinyl / Digital / Streaming / Bandcamp

Review: Various Artists - Sweet 16 Mixtape x Stuckey & Sensible J (Hopestreet Recordings)

Fans of Surprise Chef, Karate Boogaloo, Ziggy Zeitgeist, Godtet, JK Group and the rest of Melbourne hip-hop / jazz / soul /funk massive that'll looking for a present that'll survive the Xmas hols, look no further than this 16th Birthday mixtape compilation .

The Hopestreet Studios are 16 and to celebrate, here's a special mixtape: one side featuring brand-new MPC edits and remixes by producer Sensible J and the other side being a seamless all-vinyl DJ mix by Lachlan Stuckey (Surprise Chef / College of Knowledge Records).

Since 2009, the artist based co-operative have released 50 records and fostering a community spanning soul, R&B, funk, Latin, Bollywood psychedelia and more.  And who doesn't love a mixtape?  

Diggin' deep into the Hopestreet vaults as far back as Zillanova, Emma Donovan & The Putbacks, Zretro and The Putbacks, while Stuckey’s side curates long-loved 7” staples from The Cactus Channel, Danielle Ponder, Karate Boogaloo and beyond.

 

If you mix the spirit of West Coast / Stones Throw or catch their current day south coast Aussie neighbours with this party tape.

BUY LNK /PRE-ORDER: Sweet 16 Mixtape | Hopestreet Recordings

Artist: Various Artists

Title:  Sweet 16 Mixtape 

Release date: 12th December, 2025

Label : Hopestreet Recordings

Catalog Number :  HS

Format:  Cassette Digital / Bandcamp 

Review: Various Artists - Wah Wah 45s Remixed 3 (Wah Wah 45s)

Wah Wah 45s see out 2025 with a whopping thirty track compilation, showcasing some of the finest remixes and reworks that have been released on the label in recent years, as well as a dozen brand new, never heard before cuts!

The new 'Wah Wah 45s Remixed 3' is the first remix compilation on the label in seven years and what an impressive choice 'leader' Dom Servini has made from the wealth of producers, DJs and musicians that have worked with over the years.

From the most recent Sunbörn Meets Clap! Clap! project (with 'Vuvuzela Dourada' on the Cengiz remix) to Jamie Finlay with the album opener, the Quiet Dawn remix of 'Family' (originally on the album 'Sun Dogs' - see review HERE).

Of course you can't miss out Dele Sosimi who seems busier than ever with gigs in Bristol and London's Fox & Firkin early in the new year.  The album 'The Confluence' (see review HERE) with The Estuary 21 didn't need any remix, but Dazzle Drums are more than up to the task on 'E Si Mè dò' (and if they're listening, Dom, Chris Long and me are still awaiting the FB3 Dazzle Drums Remix - please). And so influencial Dele is, you'll the project with Medlar (see review HERE) and there's the Dele Sosimi x Medlar 'Full Moon' Dam Swindle remix and then Medlar's own remix of their 'All About The Dance' and Daz-I-Kue on 'Gudu Gudu Kan'.

And there's a heavy Afrobeat heritage presence with Raz & Alfa Sackey, Isaac Birturo & The Rail Abandon, Eparapo (with a WheelUP remix - check out his new album, 'Inner Light, see review HERE) plus the Sam Remore remix of 'Black Lives Matter'; Brum's finest Redmore having had Dele Sosimi guesting on his track 'Home' (see review HERE).

The label, like Dom's DJ sets and radio shows, are always varied, fun and quality and that's what's the feature of this collection, especially as long term artists like the always impressive Soothsayers ('Natural Mustic' Sarathy Korwar remix), Bev Lee Harling (Aroop Roy remix HERE and Hardkandy HERE) to the 'historic' TALC, The Reflex Revision of 'De Gui Ding' (see review HERE) and you'll know Afrikanz On Marz as Ashley Beedle who we understand will be recuperating from home soon with his F*CLR/Ramrock musical family and another of Dom's old mates, Espen Horne's 'Bergen Sunray's being remixed by Session Victim (see review HERE).

Even then, names that perhaps are not so familiar stand out, like Land Of Echos', 'What We Want' (remixed by disco guru Delfonic - fresh from his Roy Ayers 12", see review HERE) as they've "got it".

With all these tracks and seven years of remixes to pick from this is a collection that you'll be more than happy to say that you've got it!

BUY LINK: Wah Wah 45s Remixed 3 | Wah Wah 45

Artist: Various Artists

Release: Wah Wah 45s Remixed 3
Release Date: 28th November, 2025
Label: Wah Wah 45s
Catalog Number: TBC
Format: Digital / BANDCAMP

Review: Various Artists - The Chicago Boogie Vol. 4: Comin' At Ya’ (Star Creature & The Boogie Munsters)

Can you think of something less Halloween than a 4 track EP on Star Creature? I can't either when it's Vol. 4 of 'The Chicago Boogie' series, no scary 'star' creatures here!

Well its taken 3 years since Chicago's Boogie Munster Crew teamed up with Tim Zawada (head honcho of the Star Creature label out of Chicago) for the Chicago Boogie re-issue series.

The likelihood is that only these mega deep diggers will know these tracks so to have them remastered, given a "beefed up" TZ Extended edit and available is reason alone to get out up to date with the windy city's finest.

And it won't take you long to 'Fallen Into Love' by Motherfox and you won't know Tiger Jack's 'Let's Bounce', originally on the Ajana label (Ed. Who?), that only ever had 2 releases.  'Let's Bounce' might not have the most cerebal depth of lyrics but it moves feet which is the main thing.  

And talking of cerebal lyrics, if you think AI is the future via ChatGPT (al a Hawksby & Jacobs' "cheap" version), 2025 chat bot vocals were all the 'future' rage back in 1983 as Pyramid Plus get vocoded up with 'Comin' At Ya' to the "spaced-out boogie".

Getting back to Side A, the set is completed by the 'rare as hens teeth', at the time of writing, "never sold on Discogs", gold that was passed onto the label by the Numero Group (more Chicago based brotherly love) that is, Soul Invaders' 'Give Me You': what a mouthful!

Any of my avid followers will know, I've never been to Chicago (see The Tonerarm, 02.10.25 with the interview of Lynyn HERE and his album review HERE) but this is encouragment in itself to cross the pond and get this package on vinyl.

BUY LINK:  The Chicago Boogie Volume 4: Comin' At Ya' | Star Creature Universal Vibrations

 

Artist: Various Artists

Title: The Chicago Boogie Vol. 4 

Release date: 31st October, 2025

Label: Star Creature

Cat. No: TBC

Format:  Limited 12" / Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Various Artists - Techno Kayo: Japanese Techno Pop 1981-1989 Vol. 1 (Compiled by Dubby & Antal) (Rush Hour)

You can't mention Japanese Techno Pop without mentioning Yellow Magic Orchestra who managed to link pop, dance music and Far Eastern folklore during the late 1970s which then >>>>> became synonymous with Techno Pop in Japan.

So what with the now omnipresent J-pop and the indepth explorations of all things J-Jazz from BBE (see review HERE) and increasing interest in all things JPN, it's time to dig deeper and at Rush Hour, they couldn't pick anyone better than the duo of Dubby (owner of the legendary record shop Ondas in Tokyo, was one of the first to make Japanese music available to the outside world) along with Antal (co-founder of the Amsterdam-based, Rush Hour Records).

We know the minds at Rush Hour can what they say about judging bookwonder from Ron Trent's 'Lift Off' (see review HERE) to Planet People (see review HERE) to much further afield with link ups with Japan's Jazzy Sports but this mere 7 track compilaton is the first in a series of planned compilations.

"Techno Kayo?", I hear you say. Well, well bringing kayōkyoku style up-to-date with a mix of pop and the new 'futuristic sounds' of synths and drum machines (that we're literally on their Japanese doorsteps; Roland, Korg, Yamaha) and the influence of the European cousin's like Kraftwerk, Yellow Magic Orchestra's main members, Haruomi Hosono (bass), Yukihiro Takahashi (drums) and Ryuichi Sakamoto (keyboards) could see/hear the future.

But could they have seen that Hosono would be the most influencial of the trio (as well as having a solo career that included albums known as the "Tropical Trilogy") or that Tomita's studio assistant (remembering 'Snowflakes Are Dancing') would also be leading figure?  Luckily there's additional notes by Ken Hidaki who can distinguish 3 types of Techno Kayo!  You may be an expert yourself, but Dubby and DJ Antal and they kick off with an obscure track, 'Happy Times' by The Peters; repetitive and joyous.

Kuniko Yamada's 'Tetsugaku Shiyo (Viens Philosopher)' picks up on some spoken word/rap whilst Kazuo Ohtani's 'Last Battle' is clearly from the turntable / computer game/OST crossover connection a la Miami Vice/Tom Tom Club?

Put all this into a synergy pot, and the ping chef says 'Microwave' (the "manufactured pop singer" Kyoko Koizumi) and the High Speed Bullet, Targets' 'City Train'.

Like every other nation (under a groove), Japans top producers were absorbing all the new waves from around the world, disco, ska, reggae, soul, hip-hop, funk, synth-pop such that Hikashu's "experimental", 'Melonno Nakano Hitsuji' stands out like a sore thumb and fits in like Bowie/Eno/Byrne doing something world.

Think my favourite, at the moment, is TPO featuring Linda (Masters) with 'Rock The Hour' - big 80s hair and synth bounce that's close to a Mrs Fripp/Sam Fox mix - who is Linda Masters and where is she now?

We know quite a bit about Tokyo (you'll recall our Nic Luscombe's involvement in 'City Music Tokyo' (see review HERE) but this is outside of our J-Jazz Kissa Bar musicology snob DJ booth.   Vinyl and CDs come with obligatory OBI strip and expect more in the world of proto-techno, electro-pop to expand you're studies.

And where does Ken Matsudaira fit in with this?

BUY LINKS: 2 x LP (pressed at 45RPM) and CD

Vinyl: rushhour.nl/vinyl

CD: rushhour.nl/CD

Artwork from Johann Kauth (Stenze Quo)

Artist:  Various Artists

Title: Techno Kayo: Japanese Techno Pop 1981-1989 Vol. 1 (Compiled by Dubby & Antal)

Release date: 26th September, 2025 

Label : Rush Hour

Catalog Number : RH-STORE JPN 13 

Format: Vinyl / CD 

Review: Various Artists - Apparel Music B-Day 15 (Apparel Music)

You don't normally have a huge birthday party at 15 but you can see why Apparel Music have decided to go large on this one to celebrate!

No room for Lukus' 'Love Andeavour' (see review HERE) as it's crammed with slippery customers like Osunlade, last seen with Fred Everything on his label with Robert Owens (see review HERE), LYMA (as on Marcel Vogel's label, see review HERE) and Inkswel (last seen on Compost, see review HERE with Andre Espeut).

And probably best describe by the label themselves, "From the USA with Osunlade to Australia with Erin Buku & Inkswel; from Denmark with Ghosten (featuring Francesca Touré and IZZY NU) to Italy with 2KS and Kisk; Argentina and Brazil with Eduardo and HNQO (with Collateral Lab), Spain with Tuccillo, Germany and The Netherlands with Marcel Vogel & LYMA. It's about exploring genres, diving into far-off worlds, being curious about other places, other people and figuring out how to make them all feel comfy under the same roof, chilling in the same room. A room we've been furnishing for a while with our little treasures, some fancy furniture, some not-so-fancy, but always with passion. There’s more music to make, more stories to discover, more people to meet. Apparel Music is not just a label anymore, it’s a big, instinctive, unplanned love letter to everyone who’s been and who’ll be a part of it". 

As you can tell, founder Kisk's 'worldwide' vision of Apparel from Milano is a big mix start with his own track, 'I Wanna Dance With You' and it's non-strop until the last track 'SayNoMore' (Ed. did you see what they did there?) by 2KS .

Ten years ago they released a 20 track compilation, 'Jazzy Soup' and we're still licking out lips for more Apparel Music - Happy 15th B-day!.

BUY LINK/PRE-ORDER: https://apparel-music.lnk.to/BDAY15

Illustrated by Tu

Artist: Various Artists

Title: Apparel Music B-Day 15

Release date: 6th June, 2025 (Vinyl)

Label : Apparel Music

Catalog Number : APPPAREL007 APL007W APL007APDIllustrated by TuEXTRA055

Format:    Vinyl White (150 copies) / Vinyl Black (150 copies) 

                Digital / Bandcamp (Release date: 15-08-25)

Buy / Pre Order: https://apparel-music.lnk.to/BDAY15

Review: Various Artists - Fermented Grooves Volume 4 (Stereo Ferment)

Stereo Ferment's 'Fermented Grooves' compilation series is now on Volume 4 and is now also available in debut double vinyl pressing!

Following on from Volume 3 from a couple of years ago (see review HERE), the latest is another chunk of worldly funk-disco-dancee compilation with influences from Afrobeat, flamenco, disco, funk and all inbetween in a mere 9 tracks.

And it doesn't take long before you get excited that this is on DJ friendly vinyl kicking off with Josh Ludlow's 'Vikram' for some yogic disco: you may recall Ludlow from his big hit 'Bumper Thumper' (with a Medlar Remix) from earlier this year and he's still hot and sweaty.

In keeping with the health and fitness theme, Kraftwerk goes 'Y.O.G.A.' with Oreku who you'll recall went "NaNaNa" of 'Little Fly' from Vol. 3.  And since then, The Patchouli Brothers have shown us what they can do on JKriv Razor-N-Tape's edit 12" (see review HERE) and they're at it again with 'Sidi_93'  (Ed. is that some sort of road cycling shoe?) that's big on the Indo-piano house bang (that's how they roll).

In fact, there's quite a bit of an Indo-vibe with Anish Kumar's 'Unity Drum' before you get to 'Deli Gönül Neylersin' by FOC with it's mod-psych-funk organ.

Joint label boss (with Oreku), Coy Haste (he of 'Bancha Bounce' (see review HERE) who goes all Gwen Stefani macarena (and more) bouncing but I'd prefer the Turkish-space-funk of 'White Lights In Summer' by Dialtone or the big room of 'Shamim' (by the inappropriatly named Moving Still).

These guys love to experiment and have a smile on their face at the same time and this is another joyous release.

Many thanks to DJ Bob Hill and his Illicit Grooves crew for pointing this one out to us.

Artist: Various Artists

Title: Fermented Grooves Vol 4

Release date: 3rd April, 2025

Label : Stereo Ferment

Catalog Number : SF017

Format:  2xLP Vinyl / Digital / ONLY available on Bandcamp 

Review: VA - The Original Sound of Mali 2 (Mr Bongo)

Thinking about a Mr Bongo Record Club compilation that focuses on the original sounds of Mali, this new compilation adds to 2017's Vol. 1 digging deeper into incredible sounds from the 70s and 80s.

French journalist and African music expert, Florent Mazzoleni joined forces with Mr Bongo's David Buttle to bring you this amazing, if not magnificent dozen of tracks by such household names as Ousmane Kouyaté & Ambassadeurs Internationaux, Rail Band, Les Messagers du Mali, Mystère Jazz de Tombouctou and many more.

Drawn from the 70/80s post-independent Mali, the freedom of traditional musicians with modern instruments went to their heads and ended up in the melting pot: none more so than Les Ambassadeurs du Motel de Bamako with 'Get Up James' - this is not a one track album, I repeat, definitely NOT as one track album, but if you love James Brown, this is one to get up to - it's 'James NOT James' to mis-quote.

Hotels in Bamako were the place to party back in the day and now it's a hot bed of recording studios due to the Tinariwen effect and those Ambassador's know how to switch to that camel jazz walk 'n' blues ballad ('Matou Kagni').  Of course there's lots on international visitors to the Hotels bringing western music and it's possibly best asseminated in the opening tracks 'Kefimba' and Bouba et Sakona Sacko's 'Mamaniya'. 

'Yayoraba' and 'Moussokéléyato' by Allata Broulaye are marvellously 'rock-guitar' based mixed with wailing vocals  you can see why Robert "I'm a Brummie" Plant is such a fan of Malian music.

And not to be outdone, there's a couple of jazz bands, Malian style of course; Mystère Jazz de Tombouctou and Tentemba Jazz du Mali and possibly our favourite, the Rail Band ('Massaré Mousso') as Bamako would be for the rail terminous and all the hotels; that's how it all works.

And if there's any mod-revivalists still tuned in, the cover version of 'Midnight Hour' by Tjiwara Band de Kati to end on is pretty sharp in its own way; great guitar and drum solos which just about excuses the vocals not being up to Mr. Pickett soul quality. 

So whilst Vol. 2. still has the Mali/desert blues feel of Vol.1 . Zani Diabaté et Le Super Djata Band, Alou Fané & Daouda Sangaré et al, but if you do get it only for 'Get Up James', you won't be sorry.  And if you get the album for the other tracks, you won't be sorry either: Win - Win! And get on up and add this album to the collection. 

BUY LINK: https://www.mrbongo.com/products/the-original-sound-of-mali-2-vinyl-2lp-cd

Artist: Various Artists 

Title: The Original Sound of Mali 2

Release date: 7th February 2025

Label : Mr Bongo

Catalog Number : MRBCDLP278

Format :  2xLP Vinyl / CD / Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Various Artists - We Wah 25 (Part 10/32 - Jamie Finlay - 'Daylight' feat. Ellen Beth Abdi) (Wah Wah 45s)

Regular readers of YATM will know that we go a long way back with Wah Wah 45s and Mr. Dom Servini so for the 25th Birthday Party compilation that came out last week, here's a bit of a selective retrospective!

Especially as there's a massive 32 tracks to celebrate 25 years (Ed. Wonder who thought of that equation?) and part of the celebrations was Wah Wah 45s stage on the Friday at WeOutHere Festival with Jamie Finlay and band that travelled all the way from Manchester to Dorset, starting out in 'Daylight' and ended as one of the gig's of the day in the Tomorrow's Warriors Big Tent (Track 10. on the compilation - see below as he was due to be the star turn at the London Jazz Festival launch  back in November, 2008).

Somebody called 'Speedy S' gave us an update; Speedy S eh!

Europe: City Guides/Events						FLY HOME NEWS AFRICA/MIDDLE EAST ASIA/PACIFIC CARIBBEAN EUROPE -Features -Reviews -City Guides/Events LATIN AMERICA US/CANADA - - - - - - FLY VIDEO FLYkr GALLERIES FLY CD SHOP (UK) FLY CD STORE (US) www.flickr.com what is this?
Wah Wah!! London Jazz Festival Launch (Cargo, 14.11.08) The best ever London Jazz Festival has the best ever launcher, its Dom Servini and a bunch of his favourite Wah Wah 45 folks.
It’s not that long since the brilliant Meanwhile… from the Wah Wah 45’s Part-Time Hereos but Mr. Servini and the boys now bring us the official London Jazz Festival launch and the Jaime Finlay album launch all rolled into one! You’ll recall Jamie Finlay (composer, producer, musician, DJ from Manchester) released the ‘Little Trumpet’/’Temperature’ 12” three years ago so the debut album Pocket Science is definitely long awaited especially as he’s been picked as ‘one to watch’ for sometime; comparisons with Prince, Plantlife, George Clinton and, legendary producers, the Mizell Brothers no less. In support are the London based funk band, The Filthy Six (sort of half of a Dirty Dozen?) that find their influences in the golden age of late 60’s Blue Note artists such as Lou Donaldson, Grant Green, Jimmy McGriff, Donald Byrd and other Droppin’ Science types. Currently hosting a monthly night at the world famous Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club, London and other gigs across town, they now get a chance to burn up the Cargo dancefloor with their mix of original material and classics. They’ve got their own debut album Knockout ready to drop soon so it’ll be a double launch nigt. On the DJ front, Pete Isaac makes the long trip up from the West Country from the home of Jelly Jazz for a rare London appearance (so get there early) and your usual Wah Wah 45’s residents will also be on hand to entertain you. Looks like Wah Wah’s out to make the rest of the LJF an anti-climax! Links www.myspace.com/jamefinlay www.wahwah45s.com LIVE: JAMIE FINLAY & HIS ORCHESTRA + THE FILTHY SIX DJS: PETE ISAAC + WAH WAH RESIDENTS (DOM SERVINI, SIMON GOSS & CAPSTONE) 8-3am £10 adv, £6 before 9, £12 on the door www.cargo-london.com 83 Rivington Street, EC2 www.myspace.com/thefilthysix www.jellyjazz.com London Jazz Festival - Fri 14th - Sunday 23 November 2008 londonjazzfestival.org.uk www.bbc.co.uk/radio3 —Gerry Hectic Friday 7 November 2008

Review: VA - Family Affair Vol. 4 (Razor-N-Tape)

The NYC to the world present that comes via those trendies at Razor-N-Tape (now on Vol. 4) is the compilation that gives the most for the dancefloor that's 'Family Affair'.

If you've been a fan of Razor-N-Tape's yearly round-up of friends and family since Vol. 1 in 2021, the first thing you'll notice about this years' Vol. 4 is they've swopped the black frame album art theme for a snappy pop-art-ish 3x3 tile, which would work great if they created drinks coaster products (Ed. we'll want 10% of future sales).

You'll also notice that the quality of Vol. I's "affair", like heavyweights Dimitri From Paris, DJ Rocca and the then lesser known, Clive From Accounts (who only last week had his Fred Everything remix released on Lazy Days Recordings - see review HERE), is still being used as the formula.

There's two options, a 5-track 12" featuring DJ Rocca's comptemporary in the cosmic disco style, Ilija Rudman ('Discoteka Parmida'), Yasmin ('Real High'), Barcelona's Arnau Obios ('Pagan Mambo', a lively Afrobeat), label co-maestro JKriv's rework of Bessa Simons' 'Sii NaNa' plus one of our 2024 favourites, Vincenzo with 'Love Accurate' (also see the incredible Vincenzo remix of 'Free Born Man' by Sumsuch & Will Brock - see review HERE and his own 'Extrasolar' on Be Adult Music - see review HERE).

The digital 10 track also features future names like the Underground System's "Afro-Punk-Disco" (very NY), Dennis Liber and Yasmin Kademian on Latin-Italo-disco ('Baila Exotica') and Misiu's 'Belsize Funk' (too good to be influence by Belsize Park 80s jazz-funk? And Mike Misiu who was on Family Affair Vol.2 with Philippa who has just has a remix released on Best's Friends - see review HERE) and on Vol. 3, Yuu Udagawa who had her tracks remixed by JKriv and Fred Everyting earlier this year (see review HERE).

So it's clear that those that you don't know on Vol. 4 now will probably go on to get better known within the Family Affair dispora of dance so get it now to get ahead of the game and enjoy this wide ranging festive get together.

Artist: Various Artists

Title: Family Affair Vol. 4
Release date: 13th December, 2024
Label : Razor-N-Tape.
Catalog Number : TBC
Format :  12" - 5 track vinyl / Digital / Bandcamp

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