Back in 1988, disco rap aficionado and collector Dave Lee put together a compilation titled 'Back To The Old School', showcasing some of the best of the genre, most of which had never been issued before in the UK . Fast forward to 2025 and Dave's label Z Records has managed to procure the rights to a few choice old school cuts for a (sort of) follow up. The difference is this time Mr Lee has remixed and re-worked the songs for today's dancefloors while preserving their original flavour and integrity. In this first part of the series we have TJ Swann's 1981 jam 'Get Fly', re-tracked and taken into lo-slung yacht rock funk territory with a sizzling synth solo for good measure, a perfect compliment to TJ's smooth NYC flow. Terry Lewis & Wild Flower are up next on the A-side, with a boogie rich, mid-tempo stomper with a heavy funk bottom end and a message that still rings true in this day and age. Mike T's 'Do It Anyway You Wanna' finishes things up with a compulsive dose of jazz-tinged disco rap that goes straight for the jugular, super charged slap bass underpinning sharp sax and flute motifs while the rich tones of Mike T slide over the top. Dave Lee yet again providing a masterclass in production.

Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More

Volume 26 of the 12" series Attack The Dancefloor features four chart topping no.1 singles available on Vinyl for the first time, WOW. First up it's the meeting of giants as we are treated to the huge version from Michael Gray of 'What About My Love' who bumps the tempo and takes the source parts into HOUSE territory, priming it for the peak time & finally satisfying the 'when's it out on vinyl' crowd. Up next the floor filling, gospel tinged "(You Gotta) Give It Up" by Z Factor, still doing damage on the dancefloors since it's recent digital release. On the flip we have the 3rd & current chart topper 'Down Down Down' by Raw Essence aka Dave Lee, his latest dose of Discotheque dopamine. Feeling both familiar yet fresh, it's all about classic good times here backed up with ravishing Moog Wizardy and irresistible vocals. To round of this essential slab of wax is Opolopo's standout 'Bebeccie's Theme' which delivers muso boogie of the highest order. Full of discreet chords and sophisticated string turnarounds, backed up with deft synth touches from the keyboard magician.

Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More

25 editions deep now, the Attack The Dancefloor 12" series is where we at ZR do our best to cater to our "Is it coming out on vinyl?" crew. Kicking off proceedings is Dave Lee's mix of Foremost Poets classic 'Beside Myself', a brand new remix where Dave delivers a stonking, cowbell cracking slice of house with the soulful joy Johnny Dangerous brings with his vocals. Backing that up on the A's is the peak time disco house track from our friendly neighbour Doug Willis, on this occasion aided and abetted by someone who's been doing the do just as long, but in Chicago - Mr Mike Dunn. Ich Liebe Es Zu Tanzen!.
On the flip is Output / Input's 'Every Time You Touch Me' which gets Boogiefied by Dave Lee, who adds slick Moog bass, jazz-funk guitars & brassy synths under Antonio McLendon's Luther-esque vocal performance. To close out is one for the Garage heads, an exclusive 'Vocal Dub Pressure' version of Groove Assassin's recent hit remix of Destiny II's 'I'm Here For This' which is currently not available digitally. As Kate Bush once said "Wow"!!!

Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More

Two of the most prolific remixers in the world of Disco, Dave Lee and John Morales have teamed up for one of their biggest projects to date - 'Mixed To The Maxxx' After gaining access from the legendary original artists these two highly esteemed producers take the multi-track tapes of many classic Disco, Funk & Soul tracks and re-work them...to the Maxxx! Here we are treated to a 12" sampler of what is to come from the Album later this year.
First up, the Bass twanging floor filler version from Dave Lee of 'The Brothers Johnson - The Real Thing' which has already been causing a stir in his DJ sets of late, featuring lots of musical parts not audible in the original. Following up is Dave's Friday Night Fever Mix of Philly legends 'Bell & James - US chart hit "Livin' It Up (Friday Night)' where he beefs up and extends the original to re-step back out on the town, a masterclass in elevating something that is already great to start with. On the second 12" we have John Morales taking on a biggie! Inner Life's - Aint No Mountain High Enough. Here John handles the prestigious parts with the respect due, re-shaping key moments in a new light and bringing the sonics up to par for modern dancefloors, an Anthem Mix indeed. To finish proceedings Morales takes on British Jazz-Funk band 'Light Of The World' with their mum loved classic 'London Town' bumping the tempo a touch and beefing up the funk.

Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More

Z Records returns with a Hustle-tastic 12" to light up both your life and DJ sets. It's the boss himself Dave Lee who kicks off with his extended rework of a bonafide Brit Funk classic in the shape of Hi Tension's 'British Hustle'. Featuring David Josephs's signature vocals over the chugging Caribbean rhythm track, its a song that's never received an extended club mix from the tapes since its first release in 1978. His second cut is a Re-Wriggle of a Funky Worm volume pumping classic that becomes a fat-bottomed house jam with stomping brass, ear-worm vocal hooks and Latin inspired keys. "On the flip' (as they say) is Foreal People's 'Tango Hustle' - a driving clav heavy, jazz funk workout complete with chanting dance instructions over various solos. Add in an Acapella and some 'Hustle Beats' and you have a very muscular package.

Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More

During the 35 years of making music, Dave Lee has constantly been searching for new singers and writers to work with. A search that’s ended up with many fantastic collaborations and releases with the likes of Thelma Houston, Taka Boom, Dianne Charlemagne and Seal. More recently this quest led him to Maurissa Rose and the creation of their album ‘London / Detroit’. After hearing Maurissa's voice on a Theo Parrish record Dave reached out to her and after a few long phone conversations and mp3 swaps they both agreed a visit to London would be much more fun than trying to work together remotely. Maurissa made the journey from her home in Detroit to write and record an album with Dave at his studio in March 2022 - as they both feel that creating music together in the same room is always better. The fruits of their labour yielded 11 brand new songs (and 1 cover) tapping into their collective love of Soul, Disco and R&B, with a sprinkle of Soulful House. This album is a special one for Dave Lee as it’s the first time in his career he’s recorded an entire album with same singer on every track. In the album’s liner notes Dave talks of how Maurissa is a naturally creative person, full of ideas, warm & unpretentious which is reflected in her vocal performances throughout ‘London / Detroit’. Dave’s expertly crafted music is backed up with a deeply passionate yet effortless delivery from the Detroiter, a marker of someone who has honed and perfected their art. When it comes to the music side of this LP, Dave Lee is once again proving he’s still at the top of his game and shows no sign of relenting. Drawing from his encyclopaedic knowledge of all things Soul/Funk/Disco, we are treated to a range of styles, BPMs and influences from 95bpm street soul to more uptempo disco and boogie flavours. Be it the rippling synth voyage opener of ‘You Decide’, taking the Johnnie Taylor classic ‘What About My Love’ into a modern Boogie realm, upping the tempo on the soulful houser ‘I Feel the Sun” or bringing the tempo back down to the bassy acidic chug of ‘You’re Giving Me Life’. Mr Lee is truly adept at creating a modern disco soul sound without the usage of samples. London and Detroit might be two very different cities on opposite sides of the Atlantic but this album is proof that creative synergy knows no distance.

Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More

Z Records proudly presents Vol.3 in its 90’s House & Garage compilation series, this time presented by Jeremy Underground, a man who should need no introduction when it comes to all things House & Garage. Jeremy is a passionate record collector, DJ, music lover whose collection and knowledge surpasses his years of collecting and he’s made it his personal mission to bring the warm vibes of this sound back and showcase the spirit of this golden era in House. His third ever House music compilation and much like the previous two in this series, the compiler digs deep into his collection to select tracks that haven’t been re-released digitally and, in one case, never released at all! Meaning a lot of the tracks included here are being digitised for the very first time. Sourcing material from the original DAT tapes of the artists or in some cases painstakingly transferred from Vinyl, cleaned and treated to the highest professional standards of today. Split over two parts on Gatefold Double 12” Vinyl, Double CD or Digital/Streaming for the first time, this is a very carefully curated album, showcasing a deep love & understanding for the sound represented here, from what is a definitive decade for House & Garage. Featuring tracks and remixes from the likes of Kerri Chandler, Murk & 95 North…
Tracklist Under Embargo

Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More

Z Records is back with another instalment of badass Funk from the Disco era with Supafunkanova Volume 3 which has been selected by prolific DJ, producer, remixer and record collector Woody Bianchi.



Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More

Colin Curtis is back! with another finely curated selection of the best Jazz Dance Fusion records he could find. Volume 4 reflects a combination of new music unreleased music and tracks that have never been on vinyl before or not attained the recognition they deserve. Packed with great Jazz Dance music from the UK and all around the world. The whole purpose of these compilations is to introduce you to fantastic talent and allow you to then go and explore all their works and keep this movement moving! With brand new & exclusive releases, extremely rare tracks and many only available on Vinyl for the first time from Brazil, Cuba, Japan, Italy, USA, UK and beyond. Showcasing another insight into Colin Curtis"s world of Jazz Dance Fusion and highlighting the sheer diversity & talent on offer from Vocal Jazz, Salsa, Latin Spoken Word to Sambas & Fusion, It"s all Here!

Tracklist
1.1Bill Ortiz - Fusion/Noche Cubana
1.2Born 74 & Onj - Tape Your Beat
1.3GeeW - Still In Love
1.4Mary Greer Mudiku - Happy Sunrise
1.5The Sultan's Swing - 46 To Somewhere
1.6Stefano Di Santis - Unreachable Galaxy
2.1Charro Band De Emilio Guerrero - Movin
2.2Somos Amigos - Pa'gozar
2.3Telmo Fernandez & The Latin Soul Beat - Cuchifrito Pa'
2.4Juju - Cla Samba
2.5Moreen Meriden - Caught In A Fever
2.6Alfredo Dias Gomes - Samba De Negro
2.7Alonso Gonzalez & Jazz Latino - Mr. Fool


Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More

Colin Curtis is back! with another finely curated selection of the best Jazz Dance Fusion records he could find. Volume 4 reflects a combination of new music unreleased music and tracks that have never been on vinyl before or not attained the recognition they deserve. Packed with great Jazz Dance music from the UK and all around the world. The whole purpose of these compilations is to introduce you to fantastic talent and allow you to then go and explore all their works and keep this movement moving! With brand new & exclusive releases, extremely rare tracks and many only available on Vinyl for the first time from Brazil, Cuba, Japan, Italy, USA, UK and beyond. Showcasing another insight into Colin Curtis"s world of Jazz Dance Fusion and highlighting the sheer diversity & talent on offer from Vocal Jazz, Salsa, Latin Spoken Word to Sambas & Fusion, It"s all Here!

Tracklist

1.1Venus Dodson - Mother Of The Future
1.2Jacques Schwarz-Bart - Mendé
1.3Guinu - Eletromandinga (Extended Version)
1.4Stefano Di Santis - Nova Laze
1.5GeeW - Kyoto
1.6Mary Greer Mudiku - I Face East
2.1Alfredo Dias Gomes - Vaya Mulatto
2.2Juju - Wanting Touch (Instrumental)
2.3Nova Vida - My Only (GeeMix)
2.4Lifetime - I'll Bet You Thought I'd Never Find You
2.5Tres-Men - Samba De-La Cruz
2.6Miho Nobuzane - Ponteio
2.7El Caballo Y Su Orquesta - Mambo De Papi


Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More

Colin Curtis is back! with another finely curated selection of the best Jazz Dance Fusion records he could find. Volume 4 reflects a combination of new music unreleased music and tracks that have never been on vinyl before or not attained the recognition they deserve. Packed with great Jazz Dance music from the UK and all around the world. The whole purpose of these compilations is to introduce you to fantastic talent and allow you to then go and explore all their works and keep this movement moving! With brand new & exclusive releases, extremely rare tracks and many only available on Vinyl for the first time from Brazil, Cuba, Japan, Italy, USA, UK and beyond. Showcasing another insight into Colin Curtis"s world of Jazz Dance Fusion and highlighting the sheer diversity & talent on offer from Vocal Jazz, Salsa, Latin Spoken Word to Sambas & Fusion, It"s all Here!

Trackliste
1.1Bill Ortiz - Fusion/Noche Cubana
1.2Born 74 & Onj - Tape Your Beat
1.3GeeW - Still In Love
1.4Mary Greer Mudiku - Happy Sunrise
1.5The Sultan's Swing - 64 To Somewhere
1.6Stefano Di Santis - Unreachable Galaxy
1.7Charro Band De Emilio Guerrero - Movin
1.8Somos Amigos - Pa'gozar
1.9Telmo Fernandez & The Latin Soul Beat - Cuchifrito Pa'
1.10Juju - Cla Samba
1.11Moreen Meriden - Caught In A Fever
1.12Alfredo Dias Gomes - Samba De Negro
1.13Alonso Gonzalez & Jazz Latino - Mr. Fool
2.1Venus Dodson - Mother Of The Future
2.2Jacques Schwarz-Bart - Mendé
2.3Guinu - Eletromandinga (Extended Version)
2.4Stefano Di Santis - Nova Laze
2.5GeeW - Kyoto
2.6Mary Greer Mudiku - I Face East
2.7Alfredo Dias Gomes - Vaya Mulatto
2.8Juju - Wanting Touch (Instrumental)
2.9Nova Vida - My Only (GeeMix)
2.10Lifetime - I'll Bet You Thought I'd Never Find You
2.11Tres-Men - Samba De-La Cruz
2.12Miho Nobuzane - Ponteio
2.13El Caballo Y Su Orquesta - Mambo De Papi

Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More

Legendary producer Dave Lee returns as AC Soul Symphony with the “Metamorphosis” LP - his most ambitious
production project in his 35-year career.
With an inimitable CV and discography that includes over a thousand production credits to his name, hundreds of singles
under renowned pseudonyms including Joey Negro, and three UK top 40 hits as Jakatta, Dave Lee is one of the UK’s
most revered producers of disco and house music, defining each genre with a signature sound. Always looking to push
the boundaries of what it means to make music, his latest project sees Dave return to one of his lesser-known pseudonyms
– AC Soul Symphony – to deliver an epic disco record that takes the sound back to its roots in every way possible.
“A few years ago, I produced a remake of David Shire’s orchestral disco masterpiece Manhattan Skyline under
the alias of AC Soul Symphony. I really enjoyed reworking that classic track in a way that retained my favourite
parts of the original but also writing new musical sections that gave it more my own flavour.”
Comprising 15 beautifully arranged disco tracks that effortlessly span almost two hours, “Metamorphosis” is an album by
definition, but at its core, much more than that – it is a labour of love, meticulously composed, arranged and crafted through
a very tangible and human creative process which is unmatched by many modern producers.
“I do it because I love the process of creating something. My aim is to come up with an end result I genuinely
think I’d want to buy, play and listen to if it wasn’t me.”
Inspired by happy memories from the golden era of TV and the soundtracks of his favourite childhood shows,
“Metamorphosis” was borne of a desire to put the strings center stage and “I thought making a whole album of this mainly instrumental, string heavy, tv theme like music would be a really
enjoyable project and one that would play to my strengths as a producer. It was also slightly new territory
musically and a bit of challenge.”
Taking disco back to a physical place, “Metamorphosis” was an organic writing process that saw Dave lay down his ideas
digitally, before reshaping the MIDI strings into a proper arrangement and recording them live with a 20-piece orchestra at
RAK Studios. By his own admission, it is an album of pure indulgence, but by relying on digital production methods, it can
be easy to lose sight of the soul that makes music such a unifying entity. Backing up the immaculate strings with catchy
vocals and enough groove to level a discotheque, it’s this soulful energy that Dave has captured and expertly delivered
with “Metamorphosis”.

VINYL PART ONE
Record One
A1 Windy City Theme
B1 Tradewinds
Record Two
C1 Six Billion Dollar Man
D1 Seneca Village
D2 Metamorphosis

https://soundcloud.com/k7-records/sets/zeddlp059-ac-soul-symphony/s-HszMwWkZIal?si=f6af473f320745e7a3f209defab137e9&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More

Legendary producer Dave Lee returns as AC Soul Symphony with the “Metamorphosis” LP - his most ambitious
production project in his 35-year career.
With an inimitable CV and discography that includes over a thousand production credits to his name, hundreds of singles
under renowned pseudonyms including Joey Negro, and three UK top 40 hits as Jakatta, Dave Lee is one of the UK’s
most revered producers of disco and house music, defining each genre with a signature sound. Always looking to push
the boundaries of what it means to make music, his latest project sees Dave return to one of his lesser-known pseudonyms
– AC Soul Symphony – to deliver an epic disco record that takes the sound back to its roots in every way possible.
“A few years ago, I produced a remake of David Shire’s orchestral disco masterpiece Manhattan Skyline under
the alias of AC Soul Symphony. I really enjoyed reworking that classic track in a way that retained my favourite
parts of the original but also writing new musical sections that gave it more my own flavour.”
Comprising 15 beautifully arranged disco tracks that effortlessly span almost two hours, “Metamorphosis” is an album by
definition, but at its core, much more than that – it is a labour of love, meticulously composed, arranged and crafted through
a very tangible and human creative process which is unmatched by many modern producers.
“I do it because I love the process of creating something. My aim is to come up with an end result I genuinely
think I’d want to buy, play and listen to if it wasn’t me.”
Inspired by happy memories from the golden era of TV and the soundtracks of his favourite childhood shows,
“Metamorphosis” was borne of a desire to put the strings center stage and “I thought making a whole album of this mainly instrumental, string heavy, tv theme like music would be a really
enjoyable project and one that would play to my strengths as a producer. It was also slightly new territory
musically and a bit of challenge.”
Taking disco back to a physical place, “Metamorphosis” was an organic writing process that saw Dave lay down his ideas
digitally, before reshaping the MIDI strings into a proper arrangement and recording them live with a 20-piece orchestra at
RAK Studios. By his own admission, it is an album of pure indulgence, but by relying on digital production methods, it can
be easy to lose sight of the soul that makes music such a unifying entity. Backing up the immaculate strings with catchy
vocals and enough groove to level a discotheque, it’s this soulful energy that Dave has captured and expertly delivered
with “Metamorphosis”.

VINYL PART TWO
Record One
A1 The Philly Avengers
B1 AC Express
B2 The Mystery, The Moment
Record Two
C1 It’s Got To Be Love
C2 Music For Your Pleasure
D1 Losing My Mind At The Disco

https://soundcloud.com/k7-records/sets/zeddlp059-ac-soul-symphony/s-HszMwWkZIal?si=f6af473f320745e7a3f209defab137e9&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More

Legendary producer Dave Lee returns as AC Soul Symphony with the “Metamorphosis” LP - his most ambitious
production project in his 35-year career.
With an inimitable CV and discography that includes over a thousand production credits to his name, hundreds of singles
under renowned pseudonyms including Joey Negro, and three UK top 40 hits as Jakatta, Dave Lee is one of the UK’s
most revered producers of disco and house music, defining each genre with a signature sound. Always looking to push
the boundaries of what it means to make music, his latest project sees Dave return to one of his lesser-known pseudonyms
– AC Soul Symphony – to deliver an epic disco record that takes the sound back to its roots in every way possible.
“A few years ago, I produced a remake of David Shire’s orchestral disco masterpiece Manhattan Skyline under
the alias of AC Soul Symphony. I really enjoyed reworking that classic track in a way that retained my favourite
parts of the original but also writing new musical sections that gave it more my own flavour.”
Comprising 15 beautifully arranged disco tracks that effortlessly span almost two hours, “Metamorphosis” is an album by
definition, but at its core, much more than that – it is a labour of love, meticulously composed, arranged and crafted through
a very tangible and human creative process which is unmatched by many modern producers.
“I do it because I love the process of creating something. My aim is to come up with an end result I genuinely
think I’d want to buy, play and listen to if it wasn’t me.”
Inspired by happy memories from the golden era of TV and the soundtracks of his favourite childhood shows,
“Metamorphosis” was borne of a desire to put the strings center stage and “I thought making a whole album of this mainly instrumental, string heavy, tv theme like music would be a really
enjoyable project and one that would play to my strengths as a producer. It was also slightly new territory
musically and a bit of challenge.”
Taking disco back to a physical place, “Metamorphosis” was an organic writing process that saw Dave lay down his ideas
digitally, before reshaping the MIDI strings into a proper arrangement and recording them live with a 20-piece orchestra at
RAK Studios. By his own admission, it is an album of pure indulgence, but by relying on digital production methods, it can
be easy to lose sight of the soul that makes music such a unifying entity. Backing up the immaculate strings with catchy
vocals and enough groove to level a discotheque, it’s this soulful energy that Dave has captured and expertly delivered
with “Metamorphosis”.

VINYL PART TWO
Record One
A1 The Philly Avengers
B1 AC Express
B2 The Mystery, The Moment
Record Two
C1 It’s Got To Be Love
C2 Music For Your Pleasure
D1 Losing My Mind At The Disco

https://soundcloud.com/k7-records/sets/zeddlp059-ac-soul-symphony/s-HszMwWkZIal?si=f6af473f320745e7a3f209defab137e9&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More

This special 12" features two tracks that will not be on the vinyl version of the forthcoming AC Soul Symphony, Disco opus "Metamorphosis" featuring a 20 piece orchestra alongside a whole host top live players. That makes it an even more vital pick up because both are pure disco fire. 'I Want To See You Dance' has the title's classic refrain repeated over big Salsoul style string licks, funky basslines and soloing piano. 'The Talented Mr Adams' is a tribute to the legendary disco producer Patrick Adams and is a super sweet swooner with golden live strings and brass backing up a loose-limbed rhythm and vamping pianos that get you in the mood for love. These two tracks act as a fine teaser for what's to come on the much-anticipated album from a contemporary version of acts like MFSB and Love Unlimited Orchestra.

Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More

Complimenting the release of the new Supafunkanova Vol.3 album by Woody Bianchi is this extremely badass 7” for all those that like it at 45. Two very rare, choice cuts from the album, one of which doesn’t feature on the Vinyl version of the Compilation.

First up is the ‘Together Band’ with their falsetto boogie funk track ‘Calif. Curl, Calif. Girl’ sitting somewhere between Slave & One Way with it’s killer guitar groove, disco toms and synth swells.

On the flip is ‘The Firebolts - Firebolt Hustle’ an extremely hard to find cut on 7” featuring legends such as Bernard Wright and Barry Johnson. A pure badass Funk track from the Disco-Boogie era indeed!

Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More

Two little ducks, it's 22! You asked so we have delivered, with this mind and groin boggling 12''. Kicking things off with some monsterous uptempo garage courtesy of Grant Nelson’s Remix of Dave & Omar 'Starlight'. Next up is a forthcoming DJ Fudge production ‘Everything' by Chocolate Fudge Band, featuring lots of live instrumentation and a Curtis Mayfield style vocal.

Flip it over for Dave’s super soulful 4/4 workout of 'Look at the Stars' featuring Maurissa Rose and the brand new Opolopo - 'Looking For You', a deep and bouncy cut filled with soulful Motown vocal chops and an Organ workout worthy of any Sunday service. Take your trousers off, lie back and enjoy.

Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More

Fans of late 70s British TV show The New Avengers (where we first saw Joanna Lumley) will rejoice as Dave Lee dons his AC Soul Symphony cap and renders out a funked out version of the iconic theme song. It’s all grooving clav, wurlitzer, funky drums and the all important symphony of strings transporting you back to the golden days of both TV themes and symphonic disco. If MFSB had recorded a version of The New Avengers then it might have sounded something like this

On the flip a special 7'' version of one of the most popular tracks from Dave Lee’s Produced with Love II album 'If You Ever Need Somebody', a super classy mid tempo modern song featuring the silky vocals of Tiffany T’Zelle. Ideal for your next roller disco jam!

Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More

Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More

BBE Music presents a brand new album celebrating one of Philadelphia soul music’s most iconic figures, Teddy Pendergrass, remixed by pioneering producer and engineer, John Morales.

This exploration of 1970s Philly soul at its apex focuses on one of the era’s defining voices, Theodore DeReese Pendergrass. Born in Philadelphia in 1950, Pendergrass sang church music at age two, and was ordained a minister at ten years old. Having learned drums and played in local bands during his teens, at 20 he was hired as a drummer for the Blue Notes by group leader Harold Melvin. After being spotted singing along onstage, he was soon appointed lead singer, and the rest is history…

The masterful, revealing remix work of John Morales affords these classic songs improved clarity, allowing each individual player more space to be heard and modernising the recordings without ever losing sight of the original spirit. The virtuoso quality of the songwriting, production, arrangements and performances shine forth anew, and so do some of the music’s subtler qualities and nuanced, sometimes conflicted, subtexts that might have been overlooked in the most conventional view of Pendergrass in his prime.

Curated authoritatively, remixed with love and passion, John Morales’ collection revisits our relationship with Teddy’s and Gamble & Huff’s music as compellingly and immersively as when it was new. Teddy’s timeless force resides equally in his talent for portraying truthfully the joys and hurts, beliefs and doubts, blessings and challenges of our lives, and in the bravery of confronting them all with an honesty that is still utterly extraordinary.

A1 – The More I Get, the More I Want (John Morales M + M Mix)
A2 – Only You (John Morales M + M Mix)
B1 – The Love I Lost (John Morales M + M Mix)
B2 – Come Go with Me (John Morales M + M Mix)

C1 – Don’t Leave Me This Way (John Morales M + M Mix)
C2 – Now Is the Time to Do It (John Morales M + M Mix)
D1 – Satisfaction Guaranteed (Or Take Your Love Back) (John Morales M + M Mix)
D2 – If You Know Like I Know (John Morales M + M Mix

E1 – You Can’t Hide from Yourself (John Morales M + M Mix)
E2 – Is There a Place for Me (John Morales M + M Mix)
F1 – Where Are All My Friends (John Morales M + M Mix)
F2 – If You Don’t Know Me by Now (John Morales M + M Mix)

Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More

A collection of unreleased tracks from the early 90's Jumpin' & Pumpin' era, when FSOL hid behind various guises

Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More

Japanese vocalist Q.i & producer Hair Kid, originally from New Jersey and now also based in Japan, are the duo known as Milk Talk. Their off-kilter brand of synth funk sits somewhere between modern funk & city pop but is sure to please fans of vaporwave, future funk, disco & deep house as well. Their recently-released album is still an elusive find outside of Japan but “Wagamama Riso,” a digital-only loosie released during the early days of the pandemic, has now been unleashed in physical form on Los Angeles-based MoFunk Records. MoFunk's head, XL Middleton, remixes the track and adds his own retro-electro/R&B flair to the leftfield boogie feel of the original version. Both versions on a single 7” make this a top choice for anyone who loves their funk loaded with analog synthesizer action.DJ support:- DJ Notoya (Tokyo Condition)- Walla P (Voyage Funktastique)- Soul ClapMilk Talk's self-titled debut album was released recently in Japan and has added greatly to the buzz surrounding the group. However, the difficulty of procuring physical copies of their LP outside of Japan will surely make this 7” a desirable piece of add to any DJ or record collector's stash. Milk Talk was also recently featured on the Soul Clap Records compilation “New Directions In Funk Vol. 1,” curated by XL Middleton.

Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More

Reissue of the 80s 12” single from Trinidadian musician Oluko Imo (Black Truth Rhythm Band), featuring Fela Kuti and Femi Kuti.
Recorded between Lagos and New York in 1988, the tracks sit at the fault line of the Trinidad-Yoruba connection, blending calypso heritage with the Afrobeat and jazz of Nigeria

On the A-side, title track ‘Oduduwa’ is a brooding slice of peak-era Transatlantic Afrobeat, blending a heartfelt plea for social justice and equality with a haunting piano line, shuffling drums and ethereal sax solo.
The song takes its name from Oduduwa, the founder of the Ife Empire, who is also seen as a divine Orisha (deity) in Yoruba culture, one that is often evoked by musicians and activists in Trinidad as a signifier of Yoruba heritage on the island.

On the flip, ‘Eyes Are Getting Red (Were Oju Le)’ is a long-lost slice of low slung Afrobeat featuring both Fela and Femi Kuti. Classic Nigerian horns and keys combine with Oluko Imo’s Caribbean-influenced guitar and Fela’s virtuoso sax solo, bridging the musical gap between Lagos and Port of Spain.

Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More

MUSIC FOR A SUNDOWNER – Melodic AOR / Yacht Rock from GermanyTramp fans will already be familiar with the band "People", as they were featured on the latest edition of the "Praise Poems" series (Volume 9, TRLP/CD-9109). "Misty Mood" was not only the song we included on Praise Poems 9 but also the title of their debut album from 1981. However, it wasn't their first release on Vinyl.In 1969, two years after the group was founded, a 7-inch single EP with four folk songs was released, by then under the name "The People". With Woodstock and the changes in folk and rock music in the early 1970s, bandleader Bernd Heyder dissolved the band. A few years later he founded "People", whose sound was now based on artists such as Crosby, Stills and Nash and Neil Young. After many frenetically celebrated live performances, the desire to record a full length album arose at the end of the 1970s. In 1981 the time had come and "Misty Mood" was released on a small, local label called "Ohrwurm Records". Just one year later the band released their second album titled "Easy Going". Their third and final album, which exclusively contains songs with German lyrics, was released on CBS Records in 1983. CBS wanted to sign Bernd Heyder as a solo artist, but he politely declined. When the hoped-for success failed to materialize, CBS prematurely terminated the band's contract. In 1984, "People" disbanded.With the stunning LP release "Natures Melody", Tramp Records honors Aschaffenburg's "People" after almost 45 years. The reason why no one has really taken an interest in them so far may be because the original Vinyl records are anything but rare. For the 'people' behind Tramp Records, this is absolutely insignificant, it's simply the music what counts. And the songs are so extraordinary that we are proud to set up a special monument to the band with this album.

Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More

Expect the sounds of funk & soul mixed with jazz, influences from Brazil, Africa, Europe and all over the globe, textures of instrumental sounds & voices, fusing to create the much-loved ‘jazz fusion’ sound in Colin Curtis' Jazz Dance Fusion Volume 2.
2LP
A1 Tino Gonzales – Latin Gypsy 7.23
A2 Paoli Mejias - Revelation 5.17
A3: 8VB - Gengis 6.38

B1 Marita Albán Juárez Quartet – Upa Neguinho 4.43
B2 Steven Kroon - Tombo 7/4 5.55
B3: Hajime Yoshizawa feat. Navasha Daya - Celebration 5.17
B4 Curtis Lundy - Never Gonna Let You Go 4.22

C1 Carmen Lundy - So This Is Love 3.34
C2 Raffaela Renzulli Ensemble - Brasilia 6.35
C3: Grady Tate - Little Black Samba 9.14

D2 JD Walter - Golden Lady 5.52
D3 Jam Session Goes Latino - Manteca 6.39
D4: Leslie Lewis & Gerard Hagen Trio – Keeper Of The Flame 5.24

Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More

Dazzle rolled deep. Very deep. In the 1980s, it wasn't unusual for the Milwaukee-based group to show up at various Midwest night clubs in a caravan of 30-40 cars and vans. Their live following was hard won over a career that spanned 20+ years, many line up changes, and a handful of project names. Friends, family, and fans made the journey with them weekend after weekend, a testimony to both the musical prowess of the group and the tight-knit community that they emerged from.

Donald Smith, band leader, was there the whole time - joined by many of his siblings and friends - first as founder of the Ghetto Players, a early 70's nine-piece which also included siblings Michael, Ronald, and Charles. They played hard funk in the style of early Kool and the Gang, and although they sadly left no recordings, the strength of their live act managed to catch the eye of local Milwaukee R&B music entrepreneur Cobie Joe Payne. Cobie had made a couple of records locally in the early/mid 70s as a singer, including the impossibly weird and amazing rare afro-blues-funk 45 "Sweet Thing", but had never enjoyed national success. When the Ghetto Players disbanded in the early-mid 70s, Donald soon put together a new group, C on the Funk (the 'C' referring to lead vocalist and sibling Charles), under Payne's tutelage. Sister Lorrie Smith came in as the drummer, the line-up being fleshed out by brothers David and Melvin Johnson, and friend Robert Mitchell. After a few years as a strictly live attraction, they drove to Chicago and produced a single, "In the Disco" / "A Place" for Payne's small record label Sweet Thang Records in 1980. Lacking the financial backing needed to supply the local R&B disk jockey's "promotional fees" , this single sadly languished in obscurity, gathering dust inside the local tavern jukeboxes and manilla promo envelopes that comprised Payne's DIY distribution network.

C on the Funk were traveling the Mid West extensively at this point, and making some important friends on the road. Ike Wiley Jr. of the Dazz Band/Kinsman Dazz took particular interest and the band was re-christened Dazzle, partially as a tie-in with Dazz, partially to embrace the new sounds that would distinguish the 70s disco scene from what record collectors and DJs would now refer to as the "Boogie" era. There no doubt was a stigma attached to the word "Disco" as the eighties began, and as we see in this collection C On the Funk's "In the Disco" is remixed and transformed into the psychedelic synth instrumental of Dazzle's "Disco's Out", a title which embodies both the next-step approach Smith and company were pushing for, and humorously comments on the state of black dance music in the early 1980s. The Dazzle recording, done in Chicago in 1982, updated the sound and featured an expanded line up, most notably a second synth player (Charles Washington), and a percussionist/second lead vocalist (Greg McDonald). The added synth textures and deep percussive grooves give the Dazzle recordings an elegant late night vibe that resonate just as well in a good pair of headphones as they do on the dance floor. The trance inducing cough syrup-warble of "Explain" may best exemplify this here. Sadly, a pressing flaw in the 12" halted production and promotion, and the EP and the songs within were lost to the ages. The group, having done a much better line in the live music business, followed that path instead all the way to the early 90s. --bio provided by andy noble

Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More

Optimo (Espacio) started life as a weekly club night. It was born at The Sub Club in Glasgow on a wet, windy, wintry November Sunday night in 1997. Run by JD Twitch and partner in crime Jonnie Wilkes. Optimo was a reaction against what felt like an increasingly conservative musical soundtrack in clubs here at that time. Clubland felt as if it had become very bland and a bit too serious; it was the era of the dawn of the Superstar DJ. Clubs often felt like bastions of male energy. It seemed dance music and culture was going somewhere far, far away from where it was meant to be. The notion of fun had got lost. It was no longer the world they had devoted ten years of their lives to already, and lots of their friends felt the same. When the opportunity came up to do a Sunday night at The Sub Club it felt like the perfect opportunity to rip it all up and start again. So they did. There was nothing in the city (or possibly anywhere) like it. As the club believed wholeheartedly in what they were doing, there was no pressure from The Sub Club to fill the club. So, they embraced the freedom. Groups of people who had never been in the same room at the same time before came together. A community of kindred spirits started to emerge. Word spread, slowly. Lots of people checked it out. Many loved it, some hated it. The core of the Optimo idea was to embrace music they loved that might work on the dancefloor from whatever era or genre they thought felt right. It might not seem very radical now but at that time it was revolutionary.After about a year and a half, the club went from having 100 people attending most nights to suddenly one week having 500 people turn up. It was very weird. It was as if a collective light bulb went off in people’s heads in Glasgow. From that week on, until the very last weekly Sunday night at the Sub Club, in 2010, over a decade later, it was packed. There were 550 Sunday Optimo nights. A LOT of music was played. So, what was the music? People often find it hard to pin down exactly what Optimo is. This has been a positive but also a negative as we live in a world where people want easily defined “brand identities”. The simplest definition of the music played is “music for dancing”, which of course is a very broad definition. Even better than trying to define it in words, we have these 2 volumes of music that give a hint of what that might be. This is not a “Best of Optimo” or a “Greatest Hits of Optimo” compilation. For people who come to, or used to come to the nights there are of course “Greatest Hits”. But, over such a long timespan they are “hits” belonging to a certain moment in time and space. Someone who came to Optimo in 1997 would have a completely different notion of the big tracks at the club to someone coming in 2003, or 2010, or today. This compilation is just a snap shot missing several genres that might make up the DNA of Optimo. There is though a broad sweep through lots of music Optimo loves, that they believe is amazing. Music that they know will rock a dancefloor, that they have played between 1997 and 2023. Of course Optimo nights were not all about rocking the dancefloor. The first hour was always a time for them to play music they loved that often was far removed from the dance. Side 1, Volume 1 of this compilation is the kind of music one might hear at the very start of an Optimo night. Optimo have always loved a good slogan. The most long lived, and fitting Optimo slogan is "We Love Your Ears", which is in essence what it is all about to them.

Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More

The Beat by SPUN – West Coast Breakbeat Rave Electrofunk 1988-1994. In the late 1980s, Disco was taking a backseat to the burgeoning psychedelic scene in San Francisco, marking a pivotal shift in musical culture. A dynamic transformation was underway as the younger generation sought a fresh auditory adventure, all while the devastating AIDS epidemic cast a somber pall over the city's nightlife. Amidst this evolving backdrop, a subtle yet distinct sonic movement quietly emerged within the confines of San Francisco’s vibrant club scene, often referred to as "The Beat." Although Hip-Hop, New Wave, Gothic, Punk, and the burgeoning Modern Rock genre held considerable sway, the pre-RAVE clubs in SF witnessed the fusion of these genres into a unique amalgam of sound that insiders dubbed “The Beat.” This musical tapestry encompassed everything from Hip-Hop and Freestyle to Industrial, New Wave, Boogie, Miami Bass, and Techno – the unifying thread being the distinctive vibe that characterised this eclectic mix. As House, Techno, and Raving gradually gained prominence along the West Coast, a distinctive interpretation of these evolving sounds took root. Drawing inspiration from influential hubs like New York, Chicago, Detroit, Europe, and notably the UK, which saw a wave of talented young DJs migrate to California, San Francisco became the backdrop for its own version of the second Summer of Love. While the exact chronology might spark debate – some recalling '92, while others leaning towards '93 – what remains indisputable is the era spanning from 1990 to 1994, an unparalleled epoch of exuberant dancefloor revelry on the western shores. In the face of limited backing from major labels or established independent dance music entities of the time, a grassroots movement of labels and producers emerged organically, ardently championing this distinct sound and catapulting it onto the global stage. This sonic identity was deeply influenced by “the Beat,” acting as a creative wellspring that informed the musical landscape. While the tracks compiled in these volumes might not encompass the entirety of this transformative musical epoch, they offer a vivid snapshot of the melodious tapestry that coloured San Francisco and the broader West Coast during that era. Each track featured stands as a 100% Sure Shot that was played heavily by DJ Spun back in those very heady days.

Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More

"The Closest Thing to Silence" is the result of a collaboration between Australia-based, French born fourth-world music legend Ariel Kalma and the International Anthem recording artists Jeremiah Chiu & Marta Sofia Honer, whose critically-acclaimed duo debut "Recordings from the Åland Islands" had been released last year

LPI colour is 'Silent Gray'

In August 2022, Australia-based, French born fourth-world music legend Ariel Kalma was invited to participate in BBC Radio 3’s Late Junction series of special collaborations. The program pairs artists that have not previously collaborated to create new music together. Kalma was quick to suggest working together with two musicians whom he has never met – the International Anthem recording artists Jeremiah Chiu & Marta Sofia Honer, whose critically-acclaimed duo debut Recordings from the Åland Islands had been released just a few months earlier. Kalma sent an invitation to Chiu and Honer, which was received with great enthusiasm. Chiu had been a fan of Kalma’s work for a long time, even citing him as a major influence on his approach to electronic music composition. After meeting their goal of 20 minutes worth of music for the program (which was four pieces total), the three musicians were satisfied in what they would present, and sent along their work to the producers of Late Junction; but simultaneously they felt like there was much more to be said, more work to be done. There were several pieces that they had nearly completed that weren’t sent for inclusion in the radio program, and there were many ideas for refining those that had. The three musicians collectively agreed that they would continue work together and try to push the music further. The Closest Thing to Silence is the result of their efforts to take the collaboration further.

Tracklist
1.1Ten Hour Wave
1.2Breathing In Three Orbits (Intro)
1.3Breathing In Three Orbits
1.4The Closest Thing To Silence
1.5Dizzy Ditty
1.6Une Ombre Légère
1.7New Air
1.8Écoute Au Loin
1.9A Treasure Chest
1.10Stay Centered
1.11Stack Attack

Sicherheits- und Herstellerinformationen / safety and manufacturer info (GPSR)
WAS - Word and Sound Medien GmbH
Liebigstrasse 2-20
DE - 22113 Hamburg
Germany
Contact: [email protected]More