Alton McClain & Destiny - It Must Be Love

Alton McClain and Destiny was an American disco group from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1978, the trio was composed of McClain, D'Marie (Delores) Warren, and Robyrda Stiger. They signed to Polydor Records in the year of their formation, and Frank Wilson produced their debut set, which was released as a self-titled album early in 1979 but then was repackaged under the title It Must Be Love several months later. The title track was released as a single and charted well, but the second album did not sell well, and the group was dropped less than a year after its release. They split in 1981.
McClain later married producer Skip Scarborough and continued working in the music industry; Warren died in a car crash in 1985 at age 32. Alton McClain continued recording as a gospel singer, releasing albums God's Woman in 1995 and Renaissance in 2005.

Links:

Discogs

Theo Parrish, Osunlade, Rick Wilhite - Blame It On The Boogie

Given Wilhite's staggering credentials, it's a bit surprising to see him just now releasing his first album; the Detroit native has been active since the early '90s, putting out classic records like The Godson EP and collaborating with the likes of Theo Parrish, Marcellus Pittman and Kenny Dixon Jr. as 3 Chairs. For nearly two decades he's also run Vibes New & Rare Music, a shop that served the basis for a compilation and 12-inch series on Rush Hour last year. Despite all this productivity, Analog Aquarium marks the first time Wilhite has put together a collection of new productions and released them all at once.

Analog features mostly new productions from Wilhite, plus "Cosmic Jungle," which appeared on 2005 compilation In the Dark (The Soul of Detroit). The album features guest appearances by some of Wilhite's usual collaborators, including Parrish, Pittman and Osunlade, plus Detroit-based vocalist Billy Love

Release:

Title: Rick Wilhite - Analog Aquarium
Label: Music 4 Your Legs
Catalog#: MFYL-004
Format: CD, Album
Country: Japan
Released: 2011
Genre: Electronic, Funk / Soul
Style: Deep House, Neo Soul

Tracklist:

01. Blame It on the Boogie
02. Dark Walking
03. Muzic Gonna Save the World Pt. 1
04. Sunshine Pt. 2
05. City Bar Dancing (Basement Mix)
06. Deep Horizons
07. In the Rain
08. Cosmic Jungle
09. Cosmic Soup
10. Muzic Gonna Save the World Pt. 2

Links:

Release on Discogs

Laurent Garnier - Man With The Red Face (Live Recording With Bugge Wesse...

Info:

Manchester made and Parisian based label head, DJ, producer, artist and re-mixer Laurent Garnier unleashes a double disc celebration of his work twelve years on from Shot in the Dark and the advent of F Communications. The French former embassy worker holds legendary status. He's renowned for cross continental and multi-generic influence when DJ'ing at the Hacienda and having a prolific and eclectic discography. Packed with a myriad of styles and favourites and rarities, Retrospective is an intriguing mixed bag.

"Crispy Bacon" practically drips with ash and sweat amidst its Space Invaders techno charm. The previously vinyl only "6 Months Earlier" exudes Balearic ambience and aims for the stratosphere. There are interpretations of others too. The edit of Carl Craig's "Demented" is suitably rabid and made for a crowd, while DJ Marky's "Butterfly" is worthy of Pork records in the deep warm house stakes before embarking on an MJ Cole shudder.

The live collaborative tracks with Norwegian Jazz keyboardist Bugge Wesseltoft are incredible. There's so much energy wrapped in an impeccable structure. These versions of "Man with the Red Face" and "Acid Eiffel" are ominous, exhilarative and vital. "Barbiturik Blues" wanders darkened trip-hop alleys after DJ Krush and Portishead. "For Max" has Rae and Christian's nicotine verve. I'm overwhelmed by the number of different sounds and styles on offer. A remix of Elegia's "Basic" is widescreen and floor filling friendly techno, while the playful chaos of "Astral Dreams" could fit onto a Soma compilation unnoticed. The closing "Le Voyage de Sunshine" has tranquil unease to rival anything by UNKLE, and perhaps a touch of the Angelo Badalamenti's in the murk.

This collection covers large chunks of the dance spectrum, and the quality is constant. This is a superior best of. A cohesive, enjoyable listen, indicating to the listener that it offers only a surface scratch. For those in thrall to the electronic, Retrospective is a welcome treat.

Release:

Title: Laurent Garnier - Retrospective
Label: F Communications, Play It Again Sam [PIAS]
Catalog#: F255DCD
Format: 2 x CD, Compilation, Digipak
Country: France
Released: 28 Aug 2006
Genre: Electronic
Style: House, Techno

Links:

Release on Discogs

The Trammps - Disco Inferno

The Trammps was an American disco band, who were based in Philadelphia and were one of the first disco bands. The band's first major success was with their 1972 cover version of "Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart". The first disco track they released was "Love Epidemic" in 1973. However, they are best known for their 1976 Grammy winning song, "Disco Inferno". The music journalist, Ron Wynn, noted "the Trammps' prowess can't be measured by chart popularity; Ellis' booming, joyous vocals brilliantly championed the celebratory fervor and atmosphere that made disco both loved and hated among music fans.

Links:

Biography

Kool And The Gang - Jungle Boogie

Kool & The Gang are an American jazz, R&B, soul, funk and disco group, originally formed in Jersey City, New Jersey in 1964.[1]
They went through several musical phases during the course of their recording career, starting out with a purist jazz sound, then becoming practitioners of R&B and funk, progressing to a smooth pop-funk ensemble, and in the post-millennium creating music with a modern, electro-pop sound.

Links:

Biography