MINT

Not content with providing us with the tune of summer 14 - the Mood Hut released "Something (On My Mind)" - Jack Jutson has only gone and done it again on his Future Times debut. "Thirstin" is every bit as likeable as its' esteemed predecessor, delivering a subtly sun-kissed blend of loose, delay-laden deep house percussion, rich Rhodes chords and yearning vocals. Truly, it's magical - the kind of warm, evocative fare that will still be getting rotations decades from now. Flipside "Atmosphere", an instrumental cut built around jazzy drums, live disco bass and brilliant eyes-closed piano solos, is almost as good. Clearly, the Pender Street Steppers man is one serious talent.

Pressing issues may have delayed the Pender Street Steppers' debut on Mood Hut Recordings, but this fresh single on PPU should more than plug the gap. Those who may have heard the Mood Hut outfit's Life In The Zone cassette last year will know what to expect: "Openin' Up" combines jittery conga percussion with rubbery bass and a positively uplifting sense of melody that nevertheless errs on the grubbier side of the spectrum, while "M Flight" is even more summery in it outlook, as a humorous '80s-inspired piece of melodic sampling propels its blissful chords and carefree bassline. As with all Mood Hut-affiliated releases, this won't last long...

"Endeavors", the 4th compilation from Voltaire Records, explores the vibes of boogie, disco, modern funk, and whatever the hell type of music is also on there that doesn't fit into those aforementioned genres.It's the music that a bunch of nasty psychotic animals would be jamming in a festering urban back alley, as shown on the compilation cover, illustrated by Oakland- based artist, Jessie CaliforniaHarvey Sutherland, hailing from Melbourne, kicks off the compilation with “That’s The Fact, Jack” a drifting G-Funky/Rhodes composition that glides smoothly along like a cutlass supreme in the slow lane. K-Maxx, of the Sweater Funk crew, next takes on production and MC duty on “Wake Up”, and churns out a heavy boogie-soul testament to the female persuasion. XL Middleton closes out the A side with “One and Only” an uptempo boogie-slapper accompanied by his signature shredding keyboard lead. On the B Side, Social Lovers start it off with the deep disco cut “Can’t Let It Go”, which dubs along as vocalist Megan D weaves her sultry vocals between polyrhythmic percussion. Moon B next challenges the dancefloor to pinpoint his sound to a specific era, location, or vibe...and comes up with the atmospheric groove of "Back On". Timothy Fairplay closes out the comp with the sinister rolling sci-fi cut “Rooftop Meeting”; an altruistic anthem of computer hardware mayhem, that defies time and space

Long standing soul man Willie (or Hill as he usually operates on PPU) returns with three more timeless soul joints. "Eternal Love" is a soul monolith of Vandross proportions as Willie belts his guts up over a slippery synth boogie groove, classic 80s falsetto harmonies and brick-melting synth-toms. "Talking On A Funky Note" takes us to the early 90s with a Bobby Brown-style new-jack sound while "Over The Hump" brings us to an inspiring climax with lyrics of intestinal fortitude so heavy they'd make a world champion life coach blush. Perfect for all training/chips down montages.

Just in time for summer! Some serious heat from the darkest corners of the TK Disco vaults, dug up, re-mastered and brought back to life for your listening and dancing pleasure!To say Trama's sole LP is a rarity is an understatement! Released on TK offshoot CAT Records in 1977 it's swaggering street-funk attitude, tight ass rhythm section, blistering arrangements and stellar vocal performances from a young Donna Allen has left beat digging, Soul, Boogie and Disco freaks hot under the collar for over 3 decades!Often selling on-line for tidy sums (£250 +) this LP is a true gem, now is your chance to own a %100 legit, TK Disco sanctioned, vinyl copy of this killer Soul LP. Re-issued just the way it originally came out in 1977, no tricks. Essential!

Japanese hip-hop LP dedicated to J Dilla !“I can’t remember the first track I listened to, but I started to become aware of his presence with “Slum village / Fantastic Vol. 2”.He’s been producing classics even before this album, and I’ve listened to numerous tracks including the unreleased ones. But for me, Jay Dee/ J Dilla’s presence is packed into “Slum village / Fantastic Vol.2” and “Welcome 2 Detroit”. I have never been influenced so much by music in my life, and probably never will be. Until then, I strived to create music without being influenced by anyone, but by recognizing him and becoming a captive of his worldview, there was no way to escape his influence. His extremely tight drums were made without relying on quantization, and his use of sine waves for bass and layering filtered samples was incredible. He had a distinctive utilization of space, and seemingly rough but delicate style. There’s no doubt that he laid the foundations for my current style. I have created tracks for people in the past, but I have never dedicated a whole album for anyone. Even after his passing I greatly respect him as a mentor, and I have longed to dedicate an album for him in order to reflect on my present self. The intension of this album is not to imitate, but to present myself while reflecting on how his influence has helped me to find my own style. This is a dedication of my style to him, which would not have been possible without his influence. I will continue to respect him.