France

After a first edition acclaimed internationally, Favorite Recordings and Charles Maurice finally follows-up to their French Disco Boogie Sounds compilation with a second volume!!Pursuing his fine work at digging rare music from around the world, DJ and collector Charles Maurice presents another brilliant selection of great music linked to France and French West-Indies: 12 hidden and forgotten titles, all produced between 1978 and 1985, whether in France, or by French artists abroad. This time again, he perfectly browse and defines the great energy and quality of this specific Disco/Funk scene at that time, both in the underground market, or through bigger labels.On one hand, tracks by Crystal, Jackie Esam, Ideku Dynasty or Marc Ashy, were produced by small artists and labels from the French Caribbean and African community and also filled with a raw spirit and some Tropical influences. On the other hand, tracks by Claude Morgan, Greg Smaha, Roots, or Black Bells Group, were released by major labels such as Phonogram, RCA, Derby, or Carrere, thanks to confirmed independent producers, acting not only in France, but also in Canada and the US.Today, Favorite Recordings and Charles Maurice are very proud to unearth these 12 gems, with amongst them some very hard to find and almost unknown titles.

Favorite Recordings presents this new official album reissue of The Parker Brothers: Maybe one of the best Blue-Eyed-Soul/Modern-Soul private press albums you can imagine, surprisingly highly unknown and underrated.Produced in 1981 by George P Grexa and released in a private-press version on his label Crown Vetch Enterprises, this album is filled with memorable material from the first note to the last, mixing Modern-Soul, Boogie, cross-over Jazz and Rock elements, for a result reminiscent of the WestCoast music’ golden years, however being recorded in Pittsburgh.As one of the longtime favorite collectable piece for Charles Maurice, it’s a real honor and proud for Favorite Recordings, to finally officially reissue it from the original master tapes and for the first time on vinyl.

Boutique French house label Vibes And Pepper come through with a Various Artist outing that pairs the new school talents of Tomska and New Jack City with the old school and enduring qualities of James Duncan and Jeremiah. James Duncan goes first with 'Track #2', a soulful affair with lazily jazzy chords and muffled vocals bottled up into a teasing house groove. The drums feel alive and the repeated melodic phrasing brings some nice tension to proceedings. Tomska's 'Stolen Moments' is a typically thick cut track with solid kick drums underpinning spoken word musings and colourful little melodies. It's physical and will make you dance without losing the important human connection. Jeremiah's 'Keep On' is much the same: this one has a classic feel to it, with warm pads softening the effect of busy, live sounding percussion. Some firing vocals help set the groove alight and re-call the classic days of 90s house with relying on the same tried tropes. Finally, 'Slow It Down' does not slow it down, but instead invites you to move your body with huge rubbery kick drums and shuffling claps. Dulcet vocal tones and garage-inflected percussion make this a hugely vibey affair to finish off another timeless house EP.

After recently launching the D3 recordings label to a great reception, the man behind Vibes And Pepper is ready to launch his second new label, D3 Elements. The artist behind the three track EP is Raymond Funnye aka Strong Souls, who back in the mid-nineties released on still much mythologised Chicago label Dance Mania as well as the UK's Black Market, which also saw him work with the legendary Larry Heard. The music he offers here is of a high pedigree from start to finish. "The Beast" opens the EP with a stripped out percussive hook running right up its core as widescreen pads extended out around it in all directions. When the humming bassline and pronounced kick drums drop into the mix result is pure and propulsive house heaven. Following this, "Remember When" goes a little deeper and less direct, with well swung drums stretched beneath golden chords and delightfully rough percussion. Simple yet effective, it's both classic and relevant at the same time. Finally, "Don't You Know" is the most intimate and romantic, with delicate and subtle keys, far off percussion jacking ever so slightly and spiralling pads adding a sense that you are constantly in free fall. It's gimmick free deep house of the highest order and closes out a classy EP.

Brought to you from the people over at Vibes & Pepper. The first EP on D3 Recordings, called D3 One, kicks off with 'Track 1'. It's a smooth deep house jam with warming pads and a subtle drive to its kicks. The ticking percussion and bobbling bassline adds to the kinetics but never detract from the heady mood, whilst 'Track 2' is slightly more upbeat thanks to the soft chord stabs and more broken kick drum pattern. Again it's simple but effective, expertly produced and no nonsense deep house for the underground heads. Finally, 'Track 3' ups the ante with a more propulsive groove but pads that are just as soft focus and humid, with deft little celestial synth patterns add a sense of scale and sci-fi-ness to proceedings.

After kicking off with a delightfully classy deep house EP from Chicago's Strong Souls, D3 Elements presents its second EP from Brian Harden. This long anticipated EP is reminiscent of his upbeat, melodic style that is his trademark after releases on Relief Records, Underground Therapy, NiteLife Collective, Moods And Groove and House 4 Life records.The Black 3 EP opens with "Qunu", a rhythmic homage to South Africa's Nelson Mandela. A complex piece filled with tribal percussions and vibrant melodic sounds that will keep you dancing. "Qunu" creates an addictive rhythm of warmth and color. "Days of Days" is a euphoric affair with lush chords, enticing percussions with a rising bass line. Light and airy with a compelling groove, it's a masterful example of genuine house. "Chicago To Detroit" closes out the release and lives up to it's title, touching on what makes house music from the two Mid West cities so very compelling.

French label D3 Elements returns to Chicago for its next EP, this time looking to the assured house talents of Hakim Murphy for three tracks of raw, dense grooves right from the heart of the Windy City. Opener 'Boxbeat' is a curious, freaky jam with bobbing percussive hits, wonky, pixel thin synth lines and free roaming pads that wrap the whole thing in a nice sense of spaced-out serenity. 'Taste o'Rainbow' has a much more firmly planted kick drum that pounds away uninterrupted below a free flowing brew of modulate synth sounds. It's expertly reduced and masterfully reserved and is sure to send dance floors wild as a result. The flipside cut 'Freshness' has pinging drums and a big, frazzled bass line as slithering chords rain down the face. Musical yet jacking, cosmic yet propulsive, it is a perfectly contemporary Chicago house sound that rounds out a fine EP from one of the best in the game.