The song that marked the return of Joe Bataan in 2004 finally makes it into a 7” single for the first time. Recorded at the Daptone studio this is a dancefloor favourite by the King of Latin Soul!

Back in 2004, Vampisoul was extremely honoured to play a role in the return to recording of the legendary Joe Bataan, which fully materialized in the acclaimed album "Call My Name", written and produced by Daniel Collás (The Phenomenal Handclap Band, Incarnations). Today, the song that marked the return of Joe Bataan finally makes it into a 7” single for the first time.

"This whole project grew out of a song called 'Cycles of You', which I had written around 2000-2001 with the guitarist and bassist of my band at the time, Easy. The chord progression and vocal melody really reminded me of Bataan, and it occurred to me that it wouldn't be impossible to get him into the studio to do a guest vocal if we ever recorded it. I had met Bataan a few years before at a small, family-reunion style show at the Nuyorican Poets Cafe in my neighbourhood, where he not only still sounded great, but was also gracious and easy to talk to.

By the time we got around to recording with Easy, the band was about to break up but we still had the studio booked. We all agreed that we didn't want to continue as a band, but at the same time, it would be a shame to never record what we had been working on. Around this time Bataan was playing out again, so I went to the show to see him and find out if he'd be interested in doing some vocals with us. He was agreeable, so we decided to turn it into a Joe Bataan session and do 'Cycles of You'.

When I got the opportunity from Vampisoul to do a full album, I was hoping Bataan and I could write some songs together, but our schedules proved tough to coordinate. I figured the best way to go about it was to do most of the work and just have him come sing on it. I thought this might be a little weird for him, since he is used to writing and producing most of his own records, but he was open to it.

The rhythm section was a band called TransLove Airways that I formed in 2002. We got really tight and developed a great sound that was, to me, equal parts Heart, Shocking Blue, Brian Auger and Rare Earth. To this core group I added pieces from a few other local bands: The Middle Initials, who are a great Temptations/Main Ingredient-style vocal group, and members of an incredible Latin band called Grupo Latin Vibe, who were responsible for almost all the percussion. There was also some fine trombone playing by Aaron Johnson of Antibalas and great flute work by Neal Sugarman and my cousin Sonny.

Preparing for “Call My Name” I listened to a lot of different records from the mid to late 70s and thought about how they were actually getting those sounds and how Bataan's vocal style would fit with them.

The “Call My Name” sessions took place when Daptone had just moved to Bushwick, its classic location. Gabe Roth and I had been acquaintances for a few years at that point, and since I didn't have a studio of my own, he was my first call whenever I had any recording to do. He was yet to become the legendary figure at the center of the Daptone/Truth & Soul universe, and the recordings he would do with Amy Winehouse were still a few years away.

The reactions to this album were gratifying. Diehard fans accepted it as a welcome addition to the canon and regularly compared it to some of my favorite records of Bataan's. At one point a New York radio station's listener poll listed two songs off of the album in the top ten of all-time best-loved Joe Bataan songs, and Ry Cooder enthusiastically mentioned “Call My Name” in a Wall Street Journal interview.”

Daniel Collás, producer of “Call My Name" More

After his previously successful outings with Vol. 1 & 2, Nicolas Laugier aka The Reflex is back with the third instalment of his Revisions series of Salsoul catalogue classics. Adding his familiar touch to update the labels renowned disco hits, there’s four tracks to choose from - all with that unique The Reflex flavour. Gaz’s “Sing Sing” and Edwin Birdsong’s “Win Tonight” get the Revision treatment while Rafael Cameron makes a double appearance, with a fresh version of “All That’s Good To Me” and a Cosmic Dub Revision of “Boogie’s Gonna Get Ya”. With three volumes under his belt, if there’s one person who can be trusted with the legendary Salsoul vault it’s The Reflex. More

French producer and remixer Nicolas Laugier aka The Reflex is a name synonymous with supreme remixes and reimaginings of disco, soul, funk and dance classics. This brand new and essential double-pack sees Laugier take on some of the immense Salsoul catalogue, lovingly reworking classics alongside deep digs from the seminal NYC disco labels vaults. There's something for every dancefloor occasion here with Inner Life, Metropolis, Leroy Burgess and Aurra all getting The Reflex touch. These new versions are more than just re-edits, these are proper remixes utilising master stems, session tapes and the original spirit of these incredible recordings. It's no wonder The Reflex's 'revisions' have found themselves in the hands of tastemakers, DJs and hardcore record fiends alike! You need these.... These brand new mixes have been mastered with love, care and respect for Salsoul / BMG. Artwork and design courtesy of Al Kent / Million Dollar Disco. Worldwide manufacture and distribution courtesy of Above Board distribution, 2021. More

Dutch duo Lars Dales and Maarten Smeets, better known as Dam Swindle, are the latest in a line of decorated contemporary producers taking on rework duties for legendary New York disco label, Salsoul Records. Comprised of four tracks split into two volumes, the pair provide fresh takes on a number of Salsoul hits, including the classic ‘Let No Man Put Asunder’ by First Choice and Double Exposure’s ‘Everyman’. There’s some funky edits of tracks by Kebekelektrik and Kongas, wrapping up an essential Reworks package courtesy of one dance music’s premier acts. TRACK LISTING: A Double Exposure - Everyman (Dam Swindle Remix), B Kongas - Kongas Fun (Dam Swindle Edit) More

Dutch duo Lars Dales and Maarten Smeets, better known as Dam Swindle, are the latest in a line of decorated contemporary producers taking on rework duties for legendary New York disco label, Salsoul Records. Comprised of four tracks split into two volumes, the pair provide fresh takes on a number of Salsoul hits, including the classic ‘Let No Man Put Asunder’ by First Choice and Double Exposure’s ‘Everyman’. There’s some funky edits of tracks by Kebekelektrik and Kongas, wrapping up an essential Reworks package courtesy of one dance music’s premier acts.TRACK LISTING: A First Choice - Let No Man Put Asunder (Dam Swindle Remix), B Kebekelektrik - War Dance (Dam Swindle Edit) More

Italian Disco remixer extraordinaire Moplen is back at the controls with a super sublime reworking of a wonderful and rare early 80's Leroy Burgess jam from the Salsoul vaults. 'Heartbreaker' is an underground classic, seeing Burgess back in the studio with longtime collaborator Sonny T. Davenport and Kiss FM mastermixer and producer Shep Pettibone on mixing duties. A tight and flawless early 80's production sensibility and the incredible vocal arrangements and lyrical performance of Leroy Burgess make this one a definite essential in any DJ's box. This is the real deal. If you dig that post-Disco electronic sound this one is for you, simply perfect in every way and quite tough to track down these days in its original form with copies reaching high figures on the second hand market. Needless to say, Moplen injects his own personal style into his remix and adds his unique flair creating an essential new version of this classic on the B-side. Always understanding, respectful and fresh, Moplen pumps 'Heartbreaker' in all the best ways, crafting a drum and bass heavy DJ version and new arrangement that you will be hearing for many years to come! Disco bliss. This remix and reissue is 100% supported by Leroy Burgess, who dug Moplen's new vision of this 1983 classic. Fully licensed, sanctioned and released by Above Board distribution and Salsoul Records, 2020. Accept no imitations! TRACK LISTING: A. Heartbreaker (Original Shep Pettibone 12" Mix), B. Heartbreaker (Moplen Remix) More

UK born, Australia based DJ & producer Dr Packer, who has garnered worldwide praise and acclaim for his soul, funk and disco edits, gives the Rework treatment to no less than four cuts from the legendary Salsoul Records back catalogue. Disco diva Loleatta Holloway and her mega-hit ‘Runaway’ is updated with a 2020 groove that maintains all the character and uplift of the soul drenched original. Rafael Cameron’s ‘Let’s Get It Off’ is a heavy slice of funk, with Cameron’s powerful gruff vocal front and centre over riffs and strings. Next is Ripple’s ‘The Beat Goes On’ – a shimmering, uptempo disco cut where Dr Packer really exhibits the sound and vibe 70’s dancefloors for contemporary ears while in-house collective The Salsoul Orchestra get ‘You’re Just The Right Size’ reworked: the lush percussive beats and elegant orchestral work are brightened up and who can resist that sultry vocal hook? Dr Packer once again reworks his magic to perfection.
TRACK LISTING. A1. Loleatta Holloway - Runaway (Dr Packer Rework), A2. Rafael Cameron - Let's Get It Off (Dr Packer Rework), B1. Ripple - The Beat Goes On & On (Dr Packer Rework), B2. The Salsoul Orchestra - You're Just The Right Size (Dr Packer Rework)
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Salsoul opens the vaults once more to today's top editors and remixers. This incredible 12" sees those PBR Streetgang dudes take the reigns to great effect. Digging in the vaults for those lesser spotted gems, the PBR crew have tweaked up 2 absolute Tom Moulton related killers here for our enjoyment. Side A is a finely tuned, lovingly fondled version of David Christie's LP cut 'Back Fire' from 1978. A sleazy, almost Euro feeling good timer that does the biz. On the flip, is the Destroyers mammoth 'Lectric Love', another lowdown cruiser of a track, nice cosmic FX and leather vibes for the late night prowl! Both edits are brilliantly done, and with a knowing and respectful nod too, one for the heads right her More

Salsoul opens the vaults once more to today's top editors and remixers. This incredible 12" sees Italian maestro Moplen take the reigns. Side A sees Skyy's 'Here's To You' getting some serious boogie love from remix powerhouse Moplen. 2 absolutely essential reworks of this massive garage classic are featured, both vocal & dub mixes for the Salsoul hardcore. Over on side B is Salsoul Orchestra's 'Ooh I love It', again blessed by the Moplen magic, always adding something to the mix in a respectful and knowledgable way, offering up breathtaking contemporary versions of the classics. More

DJ Pope from Chicago has remixed Love Thang by Iconic Salsoul Records girl group First Choice. Lead singer Rochelle Flemming is still touring internationally and singing the groups classics that have stood the test of time, Love Thang being one of them. DJ Pope has made a mark in the soulful house scene and brings his skills to this record for release on Salsoul Records. Featuring funky saxophones, the remix offers a contemporary, progressive take on the original that is sure to get dancefloors moving this summer. More

Some slamming 1978 Disco HEAT from the Salsoul stable! 'Pass The Buck' is a very popular LP cut from the group's sole long player 'Law & Order', naturally any Tom Moulton mix from that period is well worth your ears and your time if you consider yourself a Disco lover, the man's hands were all over a ton of classics and he had the magic touch for real. 'Pass The Buck' has all the hallmarks of the bombastic 'Philly Sound', arranged by the legendary Ron 'Have mercy' Kersey and his team and mixed by Moulton, this blast of FUNK opens side B of said long player. Mysteriously never released as a 12", this is one TM mix that really benefits from a nice loud pressing as it is presented here on this special RSD 19 12" reissue. That's not all, throw in a super, extended, cosmically overdubbed and tweaked re-edit from NYC's master of such disciplines - Joe Claussell - and we're talking some serious business, right? Well, that's what you get on this special limited release, the full 9+ minutes of Joe's very special reinterpretation, this one's all killer and no filler. Spiritual Discofied-Funk straight outta NYC for your enjoyment! Fully licensed, sanctioned and released by Above Board distribution and Salsoul Records. Accept no imitations! More

Walter Gibbons, a true master of the mix, a disco legend, a pioneer of dance music. There's literally very few who can lay claim to progressing the artform of studio mixing and technique than the late Gibbons. His contribution to contemporary music cannot be understated, first as a DJ where his drum laced experimentation captured the ears and minds of his peers and the dancers, then later as a mixer and studio genius where he continued on his quest. Often fixated on the percussion and breaks within records his versions would often dive into spaced out, dubby and stripped back territory that very few of his peers were even contemplating at that time, fervently reconstructing the tracks themselves and often the time, space and dancefloor within which the record was being played. A true original, Gibbons was behind many of the 'definitive' versions of the classics, his unique style often catapulting records that were just fine in their original form into brand new colourful, cosmic interpretations that flourished sonically and rhythmically with brand new sounds that bristled with vision. Salsoul Records thought a well programmed and thought out retrospective of this legends output was in order and this incredible collection of tracks is where we find ourselves. A stellar compilation across 2 heavyweight slabs of wax featuring of some of Gibbons' finest works. Included you'll find genre defining cuts like his mixes of Double Exposure, Loleatta Holloway, Love Committee, First Choice and many more. More

Salsoul and Italy's Sounds Familiar collective coming together is like a Sunday lunch where generations of friends and family cook together. The food of our grandmothers and forefathers getting a fresh new spin as their children come of age and return to the family home. Featuring a stellar array of internationally renowned underground diggers, DJ's, producers and remixers including DJ Spinna, Mark Grusane, GE-OLOGY, Twice & Volcov, Kai Alce and Specter, this special collaborative release shines a light on the deep corners of the Salsoul catalogue, lovingly reworked for 2018's discotheques by those who know, feel and understand the label, the dancefloor and respecting traditions while adding something a little bit different and a little bit new. Even when it’s a little bit different, it still Sounds Familiar. More

A true rarity from Salsoul's vast archive here, one for the bonafide boogie heads out there. This has gotta be one of the rarest Surface records in existence, 3 cuts of that amazing early 80's funk that only Surface can do! A licensed late 90's pressing of this particular EP became highly sought after and has since been impossible to track down for even the most dedicated diggers. 3 full length jams presented here, including a wondrous mix from the legendary Shep Pettibone of the classic 'Falling In Love', also included are the previously unreleased 'Stop Holding Back' and 'When Your X Wants You Back'. This whole record is pure heat, one for the aficionados. Properly licensed, wonderfully remastered and reissued for the dancefloor! You're not gonna find a more solid, well rounded example of that killer post-disco, electronic funk than this collection of cuts. Essential. Snoozing not advised! More

Legendary Australian Disco-fiend Late Nite Tuff Guy turns up the heat on the equally legendary Salsoul Records with 3 absolutely stellar reworks of some bonafide classics. Somehow, LNTG manages to tweak these old-school recordings and injects a thoroughly contemporary edge into them, making them sound brand new. Featured here are 3 stone cold Salsoul monsters, all respectfully handled and edited with care - First Choice's uber-classic 'Doctor Love' & 'Love Having You Around' (penned by Stevie Wonder & his then wife Syreeta, no less!) and Double Exposure's anthemic 'Everyman' all go under the knife in the best possible way! Beautifully mastered and featuring special Black & Gold Salsoul label artwork this special Record Store Day EP will undoubtedly be a collectors item! One for the Disco heads right here!

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Shep Pettibone - A name that commands the greatest of respect from DJ's, diggers, dancers and music lovers across the galaxy. A name that has been emblazoned across so many club classics that the accompanying discography is simply dizzying. The underground Disco of groups like Aurra, First Choice and Candido and early 80's experimental dubbed out club cuts of cult outfits like NV, Alisha and Carol Williams and even the heady pop chart successes of bands like Level 42, The Pet Shop Boys, Jermaine Jackson and many more, have all benefitted from Pettibone's prowess behind the mixing boards. A true musical legend and the man who literally crafted the sounds and styles of almost 2 decades of club music back to back, Shep Pettibone's pedigree can never be called in to question. Salsoul Records thought a well programmed and thought out retrospective of this legends output was in order and this incredible collection of tracks is where we find ourselves. A stellar compilation across 2 heavyweight slabs of wax featuring of some of Pettibone's finest works. Included you'll find genre defining cuts like his mix of Loleatta Holloway's 'Love Sensation', Salsoul Orchestra's majestic 'Love Break' and First Choice's anthemic 'Let No Man Put Asunder' alongside other Salsoul cuts from Weeks & Co, Instant Funk, Inner life and the legendary Leroy Burgess. More

From deep within the UK underground special things can emanate without warning.
This is exactly what happened here, a special one-off white label remix of one of Disco's biggest stars by one of the founding members of possibly the most influential electronic music crews in the land? Yep. For the uninitiated Loleatta Holloway is part of dance music's DNA, one of the most recognisable voices in Disco. Her tones have graced numerous club classics, she's been sampled 1000's of times, her vocal fingerprints are all over classic House music and are instantly recognisable. Remixer Pangaea aka Kevin McAuley is one of the main members of the formidable Hessle Audio crew alongside Ben UFO and Ramadanman. Rising out of the post-dubstep terrain of modern day England McAuley is a truly open minded DJ and producer pushing sonic boundaries and him and his Hessle co-conspirators have long been garnering respect from all corners since their inception as a collective. 'Stand Up' is a truly potent combination of two very different talents, fusing Pangaea's sparse, stripped back, minimalistic approach and Holloway's roof-raising diva vocals with the end result being a futuristic club classic in the making that gives an understanding, respectful nod to what has come before while gazing forth into the unknown.

Originally released as a promo-only white label, this remix has been wreaking havoc on dancefloors over the course of the summer and has featured heavily in the Hessle Audio crew's DJ sets. Gaining rave reviews on sites such as RA and with people literally passing out with excitement over this very special remix / re-edit it felt only right to give it a reissue on the label that serves as Loleatta Holloway's spiritual home - Salsoul Records. The hype is real on this one, do not sleep!
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Yet another solid gold modern reimagining of the mighty Loleatta Holloway, this time her infamous 1977 smash 'Hit & Run' goes under the knife and is tweaked to devastating effect by 2 of Chicago's finest modern day editors - Jamie 326 & Cratebug. Anyone with even a passing interest in Disco or House will be more than familiar with these 2 guys names. Having edited and remixed numerous cuts in their own original ways, they take this all-time Salsoul classic and strip it right back to the essence, to the very basics, and in the process create a total dancefloor weapon. This edit originally came out a few years ago (2013) on a compilation that showcased the new wave of contemporary talent emanating from the Windy City and naturally it was one of the cuts that stood out, finding favour with a wide variety of DJ's across the board from Motor City Drum Ensemble, Todd Terry, Jeremy Underground Paris, Theo Parrish and more. Drawing comparisons with Paperclip People's anthemic 'Throw' from 1994 in the way it snatches a killer loop from 'Hit & Run's' bassline, 'Hit It & Quit It' is a monster, a record you'll literally play over and over and over again, a relentless Disco juggernaut that oozes power. It made perfect sense for this legit single-sided reissue 12" to come out on Salsoul Records, the home of Loleatta Holloway's finest material and all of her classics. This limited reissue has been made in conjunction with Jamie 3:26 & Cratebug and Salsoul Records, 100% sanctioned and lovingly re-presented for your dancing pleasure. This one is HOT. Sleep at your peril! More

Leroy Burgess - One of the pioneers of Boogie, a legendary figure in the NYC Disco scene and all-out originator is well known by dance music aficionados across the globe for his output. His LOGG project from the early 80's especially has acquired a cult status amongst diggers, released on Salsoul in 1981 and boasting mixes from Larry Levan the LP became an instant club classic that still commands the dancefloor in 2017. Salsoul is a label that isn't afraid to bridge the gap between their hugely groundbreaking catalogue and contemporary dance music. They understand the impact and influence their music has had on DJ culture and embrace it wholly. Step up UK underground producer Marquis Hawkes who originally approached Salsoul with this set of killer reworkings that had long been private versions that featured in his sets. Having dropped EP's for labels such as Dixon Avenue Basement Jams, AUS Music, Houndstooth and many more his name is firmly planted in the minds of record fiends across the nation. Adopting a classic US style of production, using analog gear, dope loops and chops and finessing it all with his own grittiness, Hawkes seemed a good fit to remix 2 stellar joints from LOGG's catalogue. 'Something Else' and 'I Know You Will' both get cut up, re-edited and laced with rock solid drum programming by Hawkes on this sublime 12". Lovingly tweaked with just the right amount of RAWNESS for the dance this one won't leave your bag anytime soon! Pure peak-time sounds here, another example of Salsoul embracing the sounds of now and breathing freshness into their untouchable catalogue. Essential. More