Category Archives: Disco
DOLLAR BILL Y’ALL-SPRING RECORDS AND THE FIRST DECADE OF HIP HOP.
Dollar Bill Ya’ll-Spring Records and The First Decade Of Hip Hop. Label: BGP. Format: CD. Release Date 28th April 2023. Disco was one of the musical success stories of the late-seventies, and provided the soundtrack to dancefloors across the world. That changed in 1979, and disco’s demise was rapid. Its critics stated that some disco …
JON SAVAGE’S 1980-1982-THE ART OF THINGS TO COME.
Jon Savage’s 1980-1982-The Art Of Things To Come. Label: Ace Records. Format: CD. In November 2015, Jon Savage’s critically acclaimed book 1966: The Year the Decade Exploded was released. The book told the story of what was one of the most important and influential years in the history of popular music. However, this was just …
LUKE UNA PRESENTS E SOUL CULTURA.
Luke Una Presents E Soul Cultura. Label: Mr. Bongo. Format: CD. Each week, countless new compilations are released into what’s become an increasingly competitive marketplace. These compilations are released by indies and major labels in the hope that this is the start of a lucrative and long-running series. However, the reality is that most will …
SOUL DROPS.
Soul Drops. Label: Acid Jazz Records and Miles Away Records. Format: CD. In April 2019, Acid Jazz Records and Miles Away Records decided to reissue some of their favourite 45s. This included many soul sides released from 1969 onwards. Many of them were long out of print and nowadays, are real rarities coveted by crate …
JON SAVAGES’S 1977-1979-SYMBOLS CLASHING EVERYWHERE.
Jon Savage’s 1977-1979-Symbols Clashing Everywhere. Label: Ace Records. Format: 2CD Set. Jon Savage’s 1977-1979-Symbols Clashing Everywhere is the seventh instalment in the compliant series he has curated for Ace Records. This long-running series has been released to critical acclaim, and like previous volumes features a truly eclectic collection of tracks. They reflect just what music journalist Jon Savage was listening to …
PSYCHEDELIC SOUL PRODUCED BY NORMAN WHITFIELD.
Psychedelic Soul Produced By Norman Whitfield. Label: Kent Soul. Format: CD. In 1968, producer Norman Whitfield began to pioneer the groundbreaking psychedelic soul sound at Motown. This was a stylistic departure for the label and the start of a new and exciting chapter for Motown. By then, Norman Whitfield had been at Motown for nine …
CULT CLASSIC: KEITH MANSFIELD-CONTEMPO.
Cult Classic: Keith Mansfield-Contempo. Nowadays, Keith Mansfield is regarded as one the doyens of library music, and original copies of his 1976 album Contempo are now highly collectable. That’s the case with many other KPM Records’ releases. Everyone from sample-hungry hip hop producers and crate-digging DJs to film producers collect library music. They remember hearing …
CULT CALSSIC: TIM MAIA-RACIONAL VOLUME 2.
Cult Classic: Tim Maia-Racional Volume 2. By 1975, Tim Maia was a changed man and had turned his back on the rock ’n’ roll lifestyle that he had embraced and enjoyed since releasing his eponymous debut album in 1970. Back then, the charismatic Brazilian singer realised that he was only here for a visit and decided to live life to the fullest. He drank, …
KEITH MANSFIELD-CONTEMPO.
Keith Mansfield-Contempo. Label: Be With Records. Format: LP. Nowadays, Keith Mansfield is regarded as one the doyens of library music, and original copies of his 1976 album Contempo are now highly collectable. That’s the case with many other KPM Records’ releases. Everyone from sample-hungry hip hop producers and crate-digging DJs to film producers collect library …
MILLIE JACKSON-21 OF THE BEST 1971-1983.
Millie Jackson-21 Of The Best 1971-1983. Label: Westbound. Format: CD. It’s no exaggeration to say that Millie Jackson was one of the most talented and charismatic female vocalists of the seventies and early-eighties. She spent twelve years signed to Spring Records and released sixteen studio albums between 1972 and 1983. Three of these albums, 1974s …
CULT CLASSIC: DJ SHADOW-PRIVATE PRESS.
Cult Classic: DJ Shadow-Private Press. On September the ’16th’ 1996, DJ Shadow released his critical acclaimed landmark debut album Endtroducing…..on the label Mo Wax Recordings. Endtroducing….which featured uptempo jams and slow, dark and broody tracks was inspired by early hip hop and was hailed as a genre classic-in-waiting. It was no surprise when Endtroducing….was certified …
NICK LUSCOMBE PRESENTS TOKYO DREAMING.
Nick Luscombe Presents Tokyo Dreaming. Label: Wewantsounds. Format: CD. Release Date: 27th November 2020. Usually, the compilation market is buoyant with a myriad of exciting, eclectic and esoteric releases hitting the racks of record shops each week. Sadly, 2020 hasn’t been like most years and this has resulted in many record labels have scaled back …
CULT CLASSIC: EROL BÜYÜRBURÇ-HOP DEDIK.
Cult Classic: Erol Büyükburç-Hop Dedik. By October 1976, Erol Büyükburç was one of the biggest names in Turkish music. He was a flamboyant showman who looked like, dressed like and conducted himself like a star. Erol Büyükburç wore lame suits and was greeted by a legion of loyal fans every time he took the stage. …
LOFTS AND GARAGES-SPRING RECORDS AND THE BIRTH OF DANCE MUSIC.
Lofts and Garages-Spring Records and The Birth Of Dance Music. Label: BGP. Format: CD. Release Date: ‘30th’ October 2020. As 1979 dawned, the tide was turning against disco, which had been one of the musical success stories of the late-seventies, and had provided the soundtrack to dance floors across the world. That was about to …
CULT CLASSICS: SIDIKU BUARI-FEELINGS AND SIDIKU BUARI AND HIS JAM BUSTERS.
Cult Classics: Sidiku Buari-Feelings and Sidiku Buari His Jam Busters. There aren’t many people who forge a career in sport and music, but Ghanian-born Sidiku Buari managed to do just this. He was a silver medallist in the 400 metres at the 1963 All-Africa Games held in Dakar, Senegal. Two years later, in 1965, he …
CULT CLASSIC: SIDIKU BUARI-DISCO SOCCER.
Cult Classic: Sidiku Buari-Disco Soccer. There are very few people who manage to forge a career in both sport and music, but Ghanian born Sidiku Buari managed to do just this. He was a silver medallist in the 400 metres at the 1963 All-Africa Games held in Dakar, Senegal. Two years later, in 1965, Sidiku …
TIM MAIA-RACIONAL VOLUME 2.
Tim Maia-Racional Volume 2. Label: Seroma. Format: LP. By 1975, Tim Maia was a changed man and had turned his back on the rock ’n’ roll lifestyle that he had embraced and enjoyed since releasing his eponymous debut album in 1970. Back then, the charismatic Brazilian singer realised that he was only here for a visit and decided to live life to the fullest. He …
CULT CLASSIC: THE MANHATTANS-THERE’S NO ME WITHOUT YOU.
Cult Classic: The Manhattans-There’s No Me Without You. Like so many other soul groups, success took time to come The Manhattans’ way. The Manhattans had already released seven albums before making a commercial breakthrough with 1976s The Manhattans. It was certified gold, and 1977s It Feels So Good and 1980s After Midnight repeated the feat. However, …
CULT CLASSIC: THE IMPRESSIONS-ABOUT TIME.
Cult Classic: The Impressions-About Time. For any group, losing their lead singer can derail their fortunes. In some cases, this can prove fatal. It’s a body blow that the group never recovers from. Especially when the lead singer happens to have written many of the group’s biggest hits. This was the case with The Impressions. …
CULT CLASSIC: JOE HOUSTON-KICKIN’ BACK.
Cult Classic: Joe Houston-Kickin’ Back. Joe Houston’s career began in 1941 when he was just fifteen, and a saxophonist in a touring band never turned up. This presented the bandleader with a problem. However, he needn’t have worried as Joe Houston was in the audience and this was the breakthrough the young saxophonist had dreamy about. From an …