Disco/Nu-Disco

Editorial venture to France for ED025 with four expertly edited, blissful gems from Parisian producer, Chevals.The A side hits with two hazy cuts of sun drenched disco house. ‘Left Behind’ swells with filtered tales of lost love radiating a bittersweet warmth. Rich bass melodies and clipped funk guitars shine through as thoughts drift away across glistening seas. ‘Eye Of Love’ is served up next, equally as impassioned with buzzing synths, basking Spanish guitars and joy-filled chords and congas give a sense of desert islands where day-to-day life is only a figment of the imagination.Flip it over and ‘The Line’ hits with a pumped up, soulful bassline that solos and sidewinds with brazen hats as its accomplice. Squelching keys and deft Rhodes touches add luscious harmonies to leave listeners lulled by its masterful flow.Last up, ‘Time’ takes a pensive, eyes closed trip - delicate vocals, summery synth lines and glimmering samples washing away the worries as they wander over the airwaves.

Brothers in disco Moodena & Sartorial take the helm for the imprint’s sixth outing, packing another constellation of deep feeling, classy edits.It’s evident how musically informed the label-heads are, once again mastering the art of transmuting vintage US sound palettes into contemporary dance floor missiles for ‘Tropical Disco Edits Vol.6’.Opener, Sartorial’s ‘Just For You’ sets a colourful scene, bringing infectious bongos tickling from below. The breakdown is a righteous, hair-raising incline, eventually plummeting you into slinky vocals and extended strings that are as emotive as they are hedonistic.The game is in the name on ‘Sweet Music’, The bongos, kicks and shakers tracing out a clean, spacious groove. Nifty effects feature more than usual, bringing a raucous sense of energy to the track.Infamous party starter Moodena takes control on the flip with the records real highlight ‘Jupiter Rising’, a divine gospel of modern soul, penetrated with the artist’s signature emphatic drums. Piano and vocals conspire to elicit a bubbling sense of wide-eyed optimism, perfect for beating those autumnal blues.‘Boogie Monsta’ closes off the release, pitching it down a couple, Moodena conjures visions of a rodeo showdown at 3am in a bourbon-drenched Texan saloon.Don’t sleep, this series doesn’t just bang, it flies!

A doctor by day and a musician by night, Leon x Leon has been producing songs in his Parisian home studio since 2013, where house, italo-disco and boogie are mixing. When he was younger, he was immersed in music by taking jazz drum lessons at the conservatory, and especially by seeing his father, a sound engineer, who had been building his own synthesizers since the 1970s. As a tribute, he used one of these unique synthesizers on a title of the disc.After a remarkable remix of Cerrone's "Funk Makossa" and several tracks on various from “Red Laser Disco”, he released his project My Solar Brass on the same English label in 2017. Organizer of many Parisian parties, he also participated in the founding of the publishing label “Good Plus". With the release of Rokanbo on Cracki Records, Leon x Leon signs a mature EP with the influence of different styles.The first eponymous title is a manifesto mixing Acid, House and Zouk. As soon as we launch the track, the pop & acid 80's sounds takes us to another world... A UFO from the Islands! The other parts of the EP don't leave us in the lurch! “Formant Sweep” delivers a soft and groovy bass that responds to an endless, spatial synthetic takeoff. On “Red Footpath”, the harder kick cleverly blends with an atmospheric blanket and a bright, lively flute solo straight from an abandoned piece of bamboo on a deserted beach. After that, “Jungle Juice” lets a crazy keyboard solo resonate in the middle of tropical fauna and flora, and finally on “Horizon”, the EP ends in beauty with an airy atmosphere. This last piece sounds like a beautiful sunset at the end of a long summer day.Through all these tracks, Rokanbo EP offers us a clever contrast between synthetic notes and the warmth of tropical groove, and places our gaze towards the horizon, seeking the groove to disturb its line on the infinite sea.

New Aussie label, Corella Records, run by producer/DJ Blind Tiger (formerly Captn K) is broadening the repertoire with a second release, a new indie disco 12" single, Forbidden Fruit.Forbidden Fruit - Field of Fruit Mix, is the one to check out. It's an indie dance/nu-disco excursion with driving bass and piano. Reverb slathered vocals from Steve Hensby and dreamy strings make this track an uplifting 8 minute journey.With a touch of early Chicago House in the piano stabs, Georgio Moroder in the rhythm, the drive of Underworld and repetitive elements reminiscent of Field.Forbidden Fruit - Original Mix, is serving up some classic disco with funky synth bass, driving drums and percussion and the full range of vocalist Steve Hensby makes this a great dance floor mover.Forbidden Fruit - Fruit Jam Mix, Blind Tiger delivers party jam vibes. Complete with electro drum machine, party goers and warped electric guitar from Luke Dux. It's a fun, stripped-back remix, that feels like the guys have stumbled on a vintage drum machine and a bunch of instruments at a house party and start cooking up a fruity jam.A little of something for everyone on this one, check it out.

Razor-N-Tape bring out the big guns for their remix package of the Los Angeles Afro-Latino funk band Jungle Fire.JKriv’s remix of 'Firewalker' channels the original live instrumentation into a bombastic, DJ-friendly workout, while Boston-born/Medellin-based producer Bosq steps up to tackle 'Village Hustle' bringing his unique blend of rhythmic flavours to this melting pot of zesty goodness.This diverse 12 Inch also boasts the first remix and release by the newly-reunited Black Science Orchestra in 15 years! Original founding members Ashley Beedle and Rob Mello take on 'Culebro' and transform it into an pulsating Afrobeat groover. Bringing the infectious bass to the foreground behind a shuffling rhythm layered with guitar and horn samples, BSO turn out a serious heater of a remix and dub, worthy of their triumphant return!

RNT savors the last bit of summer with a deep-n-sexy offering from Nebraska on the 'Usin' Me" single, out now on the Razor-N-Tape Reserve imprint. Londoner Ali Gibbs tweaks a soulful sample with signature finesse; part disco, part house…all vibes!Aided and abetted by an electro-funk 808-heavy remix from Lovebirds, a dark and stormy take by The Revenge, and a standout slow-burning mix from DJ Nature, we can say for certain you'll be "Usin'" this record, indeed.