We bring you funk DJ extraordinaire Mr Lingo's monthly round-up of what's hot and engraved on waxy vinyl discs the size of your mug, moon-face. And remember kids, don't download... get in shopping mode.
#1 - Bamboos - Side Stepper LP
This is the 3rd LP from Australia's biggest and best import. With the Tribe Called Quest artwork, and 4 or 5 standout tracks including 'I Cant' Help Myself' and 'King of The Rodeo' as featured in my charts before this is probably the most eagerly anticipated of their LP's to date, and certainly doesn't disappoint. Featuring all manner of guest soloists from Kylie Auldist to Megan Washington this really is the funk album to buy this year, and the live show you really should see when they tour the UK later this year.
#2 - Mr Scruff & Alice Russell - Music Takes Me Up 12"
Guess who's got another album out? Mr Scruff delivers the first offering on his Ninja Tuna imprint taken from the LP of the same name. This 12" features 3 tracks from the coming LP and features the one and only Alice Russell on the vocals. 'Music Take Me Up' has been disrupting, destroying and damaging dancefloors with its jazz-soul-funk-floor loveliness and this is exactly what you expect from the Scruffster; wobbly wonky dancefloor tracks that always put a smile on your face. Awesome!
#3 - Herbaliser - Can't Help This Feeling 12"
Bit of a departure from the usual Herbaliser fayre of anthemic hip hop monsters as this takes a more broken beat and breaksy tip from thier new LP 'Same As It Never Was.' Their love for all things jazz, funk, rare groove shines through and opens the Herbaliser up to a whole new audience. With a new label, a new main vocalist, and a new focus on soulful songwriting, this could well be their richest and most diverse record so far.
#4 - Diplomats Of Solid Sound - If You're Wrong 7"
Second single from the Diplomats of Solid Sound album and the magic combo of The Diplomats and Lack Of Afro are back. After producing his full lenght album, Lack of Afro aka Adam Gibbons has picked up and reworked another track from the US ambassadors of funk & soul's album, and as usual delivers a heavy dose of breaks, percussions, deep funk and dancefloor grooves.
#5 - Midnight Express - Danger Zone 12"
Lead by the fabulous Robbie M, the Midnight Express Show Band recorded one of the hottest boogie tunes ever in Danger Zone. This gets a full length working over and re-edit that is guaranteed to please no end of dancefloors and disc jockeys alike.
#6 -Various - Hollertronix Vol 9
Anyone who loves rawkus electronic booty moosic knows about Diplo, and the Hollertronix series. The 9th installment from the Mad Decent/Money Studies camp sees Buraka Som Sistema team up with Diplo & Skream for a couple of insane remixes alongsde DJ Znobias 'Patchy Luanda' and Radioclit's 'Africa'. Rare, but worth it.
#7 Roots Manuva - Again & Again 7"
From the eagerly awaited and acclaimed new LP from Roots, 'Slime & Reason' this 7" comes equipped with an Arctic Monkeys remix of Again & Again that should have the cross-over appeal it desires as they take on Roots Manuva's latest with a pair of uncompromising dubstep steppers.
#8 - Mr Scruff - Kalimba 12"
Another 12" from Ninja Tuna; with yet more funk inside his capacious, magical trunk. Aimed full-square and flat out at what is technically called 'dancefloor domination'. 'Kalimba' will give DJs everywhere a chance to relax, kick back and have a cup of tea for five minutes, while their crowd goes wild. 'Give Up To Get' carries on where 'Kalimba' lets off. Brass, low-slung groove, some squiggly keyboard, it's an unrelenting monster.
#9 - Taggy Matcher - Rappoors Delaaght 7"
I love this 7"! Busta Rhymes infamous 'Woo Haa!' is layerd up over an awesome reggae cover of Sugarhill Gangs 'Rappers Delight'. The resultant mash up is first class, with excellent production with the choice pairing of Busta Rhymes and this rare reggae riddim.
#10 - Aldo Vannucci & Futurecast - Blue Grassed Devil 12"
4 tracks of breaksy mash-up sick b-boy action!! Aldo Vannucci and Futrecast team up for some peak time Nu-Funk breaks extravaganzas which will definately turn the action up on the dancefloor and keep the whole place moving. Up-front funk for the more breaks orientated.
That's all for this month, funkateers and muskahounds... cop them shits before the oil in your barrell goes the way of the credit biscuit and disappears forever.
Wax lyrical y'all.