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Early work from Smash – a group that included the core of DeBarge before they went onto bigger fame! Oddly, the album was first issued in Germany in 1977, but made its US debut here on Source – about time, too, as the record's a nice blend of funky tunes and the sweeter pop soul you'd expect from DeBarge. The funky tunes are actually pretty nice ensemble numbers – grooving in a harder edge than you'd think for the period, especially as so many groups were noodling a bit too much on the bass. Titles include "Pall Mall Groove", "Funk Freak", "Where's the Party", "Your Love", "Don't Waste My Time", and "Anyway".

All the Jimi hits you'd ever want in one place! Titles include "Purple Haze", "Fire", "The Wind Cries Mary", "Stone Free", "Crosstown Traffic", "All Along The Watchtower", "Red House", "Foxy Lady", and "Hey Joe".

One of the stranger James Brown albums from the 60s! The record is one of the only vocal albums he cut for the Smash label – and it was issued during a time when James was strangely contracted to two labels – King and Smash. His dual contract situation was that he couldn't record any new original vocal material for Smash – apart from the title track "Out Of Sight", which had already been snuck on the market, and which is a sinister funky track built along the same lines as "Papa's Got A Brand New Bag" (not on this album.) Apart from that track, the rest of the material on the record is more traditional R&B and pop stuff – sung by James in a strong soul style. Titles include "Somethin Else", "Nature Boy", "Maybe The Last Time", "I Wanna Be Around", "I Got You", and "Good Rockin Tonight". The liner notes are great, too – with some pretty interesting information on Brown's career, and African-American politics.

Smoking hot rod grooves – put together by studio maestro Bruce Johnston in the years before he became a bigger Beach Boy! The set's one of many groovy surf/car sets that Johnston cut during this mid 60s stretch – although it's more obscure than most, given its release on Smash Records – instead of the usual Capitol or Columbia outlets for his work. But the lineup features some key familiar faces from those other projects – guitar from Glenn Campbell and Tommy Tedesco, and some mighty drums from the great Hal Blaine! Hot Rod enthusiast George Barris adds his name to the project – and also gives up some nice car knowledge on the back cover – and titles include "Stick Six", "Fireball", "Jive Driver", "Super Fine", "Firecracker 400", "Hotty 32", and "Speed Shifters".

A motherlode of mid-to-late 60s Killer – 5 whole albums for Smash Records – I'm On Fire, Return Of Rock, Memphis Beat, Soul My Way and Together (with Linda Gail Lewis) – in a 2CD set! The heart of the collection are the records Jerry Lee cut for Smash from '65-'67 – and they're classic to us, but actually quite overlooked in the canon – with some blistering takes on Memphis rock, soul and boogie woogie – great records that didn't sell a ton of copies at the time, leading up to his stellar run as a country music star. It also includes '69's I'm On Fire compilation of singles from the earlier 60s, and his decent country duets album with sister Linda Gail Lewis. 58 songs and almost 2 1/2 hours of vintage Jerry Lee Lewis! Includes "Memphis Beat", "I'm On Fire", "This Must Be The Place", "Hit The Road Jack", "Flip, Flop And Fly", "Baby, Hold Me Close", "Sexy Ways", "Mathilda", "Sticks And Stones", "Big Boss Man", "The Urge", "Shotgun Man", "I Bet You're Gonna Like It", "Secret Places", "Jackson", "We Live In Two Different Worlds" and many more!

A host of wonderful work produced by James Brown – most of it by a range of different singers, and one by The Godfather himself! The collection brings together some of the earliest James Brown productions – mid 60s tracks recorded for King and Smash Records, most of which aren't nearly as well known as later JB productions for the People and Polydor labels! As with that later work, all the grooves here are right in the same territory that James was hitting himself – upbeat, funky, and stone out of sight soul – all with plenty of rough edges, and backings from the same tight core of musicians that were helping out Brown on his recordings. The package is a real treasure – and is a great complement to the James Brown Singles collections from the Hip-O Select label – proof that even in these early days, James was clearly the hardest working man in show business – given all his time in the studio with other artists! 22 tracks in all – including "I Found Out" and "I'll Keep Pressing On" by Bobby Byrd, "That's When I Cry" and "If You Don't Think" by Anna King, "I Don't Care" and "Unexplainable" by Dizzy Jones, "Got No Excuse" and "If You Don't Work You Can't Eat" by James Crawford, "Do You Really Want To Rescue Me (part 1)" by Elsie Mae, "Lookie Lookie Lookie" by The Jewells, "Wide Awake In A Dream" and "Nobody Cares" by Vicki Anderson, "Devil's Den" by The Poets, "It Hurts To Be In Love" by Yvonne Fair, "That's The Spirit" by Rev Willingham, "Faith" by The Five Royales, "I Cried" by Tammy Montgomery, "Soul Food (parts 1 & 2)" by Al Brisco Clark, and "New Breed (The Boo Ga Loo) (part 1)" by James Brown.

An excellent bit of Latin groove – one of our favorite crossover boogaloo sets from the 60s, and easily some of the greatest work ever by Jimmy Castor! And yes, this is the same Jimmy Castor who's known for his funk albums of the 70s – but back in the day, he was open-minded enough to work in genres that included doo wop, harmony soul, and Latin – the last of which he does surprisingly well! The album's got a wonderfully earthy Spanish Harlem groove throughout – heard most famously on the title hit – "Hey Leroy", a fierce romp with a heavy piano groove that's clearly inspired by the work of Joe Cuba – but burning hard throughout on a variety of groovy covers and hard-hitting originals! Lots of piano, searing sax, snapping percussion, and humorous lyrics – and tracks include "Ham Hocks Espagnole", "Our Day Will Come", "Hey Willie", and "Southern Fried Frijoles".

A great overlooked album by this fantastic tenor talent from Detroit. Although often lost in other people's groups, Billy is excellent here, and lays down some great solos with a lot of imagination and fire. He's backed by a group that includes Thad Jones, Kenny Burrell, and Richard Wyands, and the tracks include "Bossa Nova Ova", "Oliver Jr.", and "Brother Peabody".

Sublime soul from Anna King – a James Brown-produced sock-soul diva who predated Marva Whitney and Lyn Collins! "Get These Memories" is done in a wonderful way – tight snapping drums underneath, and some really hard-wailing raw vocals from Anna over the top – making the tune sound like you've never heard it before! "If Somebody Told You" is a slower blusier number – one that has Anna really going over the top on vocals – blowing away Etta James, Fontella Bass, and all other comers!

Here's where things really started getting interesting for James Brown! The album was issued right around the same time as James' single "Out Of Sight" on Smash – and like that track, "Papa's Got A Brand New Bag" was one of the first to use that "instruments on the beat" style of funk that would dominate all of James' work in years to come – that amazing groove that completely turned soul music on its ear – and paved the way for generations to come! The result is a startling sound that forever changed the face of groove – and you'll hear it nicely placed on this album, along with great cuts like "Cross Firing", "Mashed Potatoes USA", "Doin The Limbo", and "Love Don't Love Nobody".

Rare hard funky soul from early 70s titans Damn Sam The Miracle Man – and some of the rawest, fiercest funk we've ever heard! Damn Sam is actually a group – spearheaded by vocalist OC Tolbert – a man with a roaring voice and righteous delivery that could tear through brick – and producer Jack Taylor. If not for the amazing funky 45 tracks "Damn Sam The Miracle Man", "Smash" and "BJ" – all of which appear on this long lost LP – they may have been obscure to even the most diligent crate diggers, an argument in favor of that format if there ever was one. The group is a real killer, with absolutely pummeling funky drums and snapping electric congas & bongo work on just about every track – plus soaring trumpet and sax work that counterbalance the fury of Tolbert's vocals nicely. Tolbert's history with gospel lends a genuine spiritual aspect to the frenzy, too – one of the sweetest raw funk tornadoes you could every hope to get swept up by! Other tracks include "Give Me Another Joint", "Let Me Be Your Only Man", "LA 26000", "Poor Mary", Music Makes You Feel Alright", "Rainy Night In Georgia", and "Sonny B".

The return of The Heavy – the UK funky soul and rock combo who put out a couple of catchy records before unexpectedly delivering an advert/sporting event smash hit with their "How You Like Me Know" single! The Heavy have been at it for a few albums now, serving up a punchier, brasher brand of funk-rock-soul than most of their contemporaries – and their still doing just that! They're as eclectic as ever, too, with slick modern takes on old school rhythm & blue along with the kind of anthemic funk pop that made "How You Like Me Know" so inescapable. Includes "Can't Play Dead", "Curse Me Good", "The Big Bad Wolf", "Be Mine", "Same Ol'", "Just My Luck", "Don't Say Nothing", "Blood Dirt Love Stop", "The Lonesome Road" and more.

The return of The Heavy – the UK funky soul and rock combo who put out a couple of catchy records before unexpectedly delivering an advert/sporting event smash hit with their "How You Like Me Know" single! The Heavy have been at it for a few albums now, serving up a punchier, brasher brand of funk-rock-soul than most of their contemporaries – and their still doing just that! They're as eclectic as ever, too, with slick modern takes on old school rhythm & blue along with the kind of anthemic funk pop that made "How You Like Me Know" so inescapable. Includes "Can't Play Dead", "Curse Me Good", "The Big Bad Wolf", "Be Mine", "Same Ol'", "Just My Luck", "Don't Say Nothing", "Blood Dirt Love Stop", "The Lonesome Road" and more. Vinyl version includes the bonus instrumentals LP!

A selection of beats from four contemporary forces working on the Norwegian scene – J-Ramm, Kolon Productions, Clark F, and The Nutsons! The last are the only ones here we've heard before – from a great single we used to stock many years ago – and each artist has a different approach to their work. J-Ramm mixes laidback beats with a more pronounced hip hop style – especially on tracks that feature work from Frank N Dank, Shawn Jackson, or Illa J. Kolon Productions are heavy on hip hop too – but also have a pretty great ear for unusual sounds – staying straight on tunes with work by Baatin or Super Smash Brothers, then hitting mellower, almost soundtracky modes on instrumental cuts. The Nutsons are a bit more beat heavy than we remember, but have also lost none of their sense of whimsy either – especially in the playful turntable work that really makes their tunes bristle. Clark F's another newcomer to our ears – and his work here features guest contributions from Loys Doy, Onkl P, and Toby Tones. 32 tracks in all – and a great way to sample a heck of a lot of beats from overseas!

A nice one from producer, songwriter, remixer and pop soul force of nature Jellybean – his first album for Chrysalis! It's actually not as out there and spacey as you'd expect from the title – but there really was no one quite like Jellybean in this planet in the 80s. Former Contortionists singer Adele Bertei sings on half of the record – and it's a pretty sweet and unique mix of pop, soul and dance! Includes "Little Too Good To Me", "Who Found Who", "Just A Mirage", "The Real Thing", "Walking In My Sleep", "Hypnotized By (Your Touch)", "Jingo" and "Am I Dreaming". This Cherry Pop CD edition has 5 bonus tracks – 7" and 12" mixes including "Who Found Who (US Club Mix)", "Just A Mirage (12" Remix), a dance mix of the earlier crossover smash "Sidewalk Talk".

Life is good, and so is Nas – and that's an understatement – as he's one of the most vital MCs of the early 90s onward! Life Is Good finds Nas in a somewhat liberated mode, though still rocking an Empire State Building-sized chip on his shoulder – and spitting charismatic vitriol at any target deemed worthy – but he's too smooth and too sharp of a lyricist for it come off as too ill-mannered. Good stuff from a legend. Includes "No Introduction", the standout "Loco-Motive" with Large Professor, "Daughters", "Reach Out" with Mary J Blige, "Back When", "The Don", "Stay", "Bye Baby", "World's An Addiction" with Anthony Hamilton, "Summer On Smash" with Miguel & Swizz Beatz, "A Queen's Story" and more.

A mad bit of soul psychedelia from Prince – a record that sounds better and better over the years, and which stands out from most of his 80s work thanks to some really unique production and songwriting! After Purple Rain, Prince did anything but wince in the face of living up to such a massive crossover smash – and if Around The World didn't move nearly as many units, it stands pretty tall these days. A mix of Revolution pop funk & soul, with a more swirling, self consciously psychedelic pop. Titles include the hit "Raspberry Beret", "Paisley Park" (with melody so strong, no wonder Prince held onto the name for other ventures) plus "Around The World In A Day", "America", "Temptation", "Pop Life", and "Condition Of The Heart".

A bold step forward for British soul in the 21st century – and the smash second album from the great Terri Walker! Terri's got a sound that's loud, proud, and completely in the pocket – emerging here with a fully-formed groove that should not only please the fans of underground soul who dug her first album, but which should also push her out into new audiences very strongly! There's a punctuated quality to the production on the set that almost seems to further enforce the power of Terri's great voice – a snapping sort of rhythm that really pushes the whole thing over the top. Titles include "What The Hell", "Hurt By Love", "LOVE", "Whoopsie Daisy", "The Woman You Want", "Feel Love", "The One That Got Away", and "Star".

Funky sounds from the Harlem scene – an incredibly rich collection of work from the Rojac and Tayster labels – a set so massive, it's like finding a box of rare funky 45s and deep soul singles in the back of some old record store! The package offers up way more work than we might have expected from our knowledge of a few key funk classics from the labels – a treasure trove of under-discovered gems from the grittiest years of the New York scene – most of them cut in the pre-disco years, with raw edges that almost feel more like southern soul and funk than other work from the Big Apple! Vinyl version has 30 tracks on 2LPs: "Tuesday's Child" by Kim Tolliver, "Quittin' Time" by Big Maybelle, "Something Special About My Baby" by Clarence Reid, "I Love My Baby" by International GTOs, "No Better For Ya" by Jo Armstead, "What's My Chances" by Chuck Flamingo, "Get In My Bag" by Curtis Lee & The KCPs, "Lovin Lies" by Third Guitar, "This & That" by Jo Armstead, "Don't Lose Your Groove" by Lavell Hardy, "Nwanne Nwanne Nwanne" by Aleke Kanonu & Tolbert The Miracle Man, "Smash" by Damn Sam The Miracle Man, "Baby Don't Cry" by Third Guitar, and "Whip Ya" by Chuck A Luck & The Lovemen Ltd.

Digital Underground's first album of P-Funky, hook heavy, party rockin hip hop for Tommy Boy! The first two albums by Shock G and the rest of the crew are classics, even if they don't get enough always get the props – possibly because the well the well of P-Funk samples wasn't necessarily the freshest waters, and also because the "Humpty Dance" was such a crossover smash, but few through a party like Digital Underground at the dawn of the 90s, and it's fresh and funky all these years later. Titles include the hit "Doowutchyalike" and the mega hit "Humpty Dance", plus "Freaks of the Industry", "Doowutchyalike", "The Way We Swing", plus "Sex Packets", "Street Scene", "Packet Man", "Underwater Rimes (rmx)", 'The New Jazz", "Rhymin On The Funk", 'The Danger Zone" and "Packet Reprise".

A smash hit from Silver Convention – thanks to the dark pop disco hit "Get Up & Boogie", the leadoff tune on this surprisingly strong set! The strength of the album really comes from the masterful blend of strings, beats, and piano from arranger/producer/keyboardist Silvester Levay – who manages to keep a lot of space in the grooves, and create a sense of darkness in places you wouldn't expect – almost a coldness that predates the European dancefloor sound of the 80s, barely warmed up at all by the trio of ladies singing lead vocals. Titles include "Get Up & Boogie", "Play Me Like A Yo Yo", "No No Joe", "Old Wine In New Bottles", "Thank You Mr DJ", and "You Turned Me On By You Can't Turn Me Off".

After the success of the US3 hit "Cantaloop", Blue Note embraced the "let's sample our classics, and turn them into new dance hits" philosophy, and put together this full album that features modern DJs and producers remixing older works by the likes of Cannonball Adderley, Bobby Hutcherson, Lonnie Smith, Ronnie Foster, Grant Green, Donald Byrd, and others. Remixers include Large Professor, DJ Smash, Guru, The Roots, Diamond D, and Angel – and titles include "The Sophisticated Hippie", "Montara", "Listen Here", "Move Your Hand", "Summer Song", and "Down Here On The Ground".

A mad bit of soul psychedelia from Prince – a record that sounds better and better over the years, and which stands out from most of his 80s work thanks to some really unique production and songwriting! After Purple Rain, Prince did anything but wince in the face of living up to such a massive crossover smash – and if Around The World didn't move nearly as many units, it stands pretty tall these days. A mix of Revolution pop funk & soul, with a more swirling, self consciously psychedelic pop. Titles include the hit "Raspberry Beret", "Paisley Park" (with melody so strong, no wonder Prince held onto the name for other ventures) plus "Around The World In A Day", "America", "Temptation", "Pop Life", and "Condition Of The Heart".

A super huge hit for Donna Summer – a disco classic as well as a pop crossover smash! The album was produced by disco powerhouse Giorgio Moroder, and featured the hits "Hot Stuff", "Bad Girls", and "Dim All The Lights". Plus the songs "On My Honor", "Our Love", "Lucky", "There Will Always Be A You", "Sunset People", and lots more!

If Hawaii was this funky, we'd move there in a minute – and honestly, we wouldn't be surprised if this record did a heck of a lot for the image of state back in the day! The soundtrack is one of our all-time favorites – a driving batch of larger orchestrations that is heavy on percussion, filled with jazzy riffs, and which makes great use of electric bass to round out the bottom nicely! Mort Stevens goes way beyond the typical cop show groove on this one – filling up the record with rich colors, unique tones, and some great inflections on the horn passages that charge each tune with a mad level of excitement. There's some great instrumental touches in the set too – like occasional fuzzed-out guitar, Hammond organ, and even a bit of sweet flute and soulful sax – giving the whole thing a feel that reminds us of Lalo Schifrin's best work from the time. Includes the massive "Hawaii Five-O" theme, plus the cuts "Call To Danger", "Up Tight", "Blues Trip", "The Long Wait", "The Floater", "Beach Trip", "Operation Smash", "McGarrett's Theme", and "Front Street". Book 'em Danno!

The final third of Jackie DeShannon's legendary run for Imperial Records in the 60s – a smashing batch of singles that really represent some great musical growth at the time! On these sides, Jackie's even more soulful than before – definitely taking inspiration from the generation of singers who were singing her songs – and from the growing wave of girl vocalists who were working with more soulful styles too – especially those from the Brill Building scene. The result is a great blend of New York uptown and LA sunshine – a superb batch of tunes that really sums up the unique place that Jackie DeShannon had in modern music. Many tunes are originals by Jackie – and the set also features great tunes penned by Jimmy Holiday and Bobby Womack too – titles that include "Changin My Mind", "I Keep Wanting You", "What Is This", "Nicole", "Nobody's Home To Go Home To", "You Keep Me Hangin On/Hurt So Bad", "Brighton Hill", "Christmas", "Keep Me In Mind", "Bird On The Wire", "What Was Your Day Like", "Put A Little Love In Your Heart", "Always Together", and "Do You Know How Christmas Trees Are Grown".

A smashing second set from Everything But The Girl – a record that has the duo stretching out a bit more from the straight jazz leanings of their Eden debut – yet still sticking strongly in a mode that has their music moving with lots of classic influences! The songwriting is still top-shelf – not afraid to show its emotions, yet never over-mired in them either – a beautiful balance that really comes through in the vocals of Tracey Thorn. Production is a bit more mainstream, yet still light years away from the clunk of most mid 80s pop – and titles include "When All's Well", "Ugly Little Dreams", "Shoot Me Down", "Are You Trying To Be Funny", "Sean", "Anytown", and "Ballad Of The Times". 2CD book-style package is amazing – with tracks from singles that include "Kid", "Heaven Help Me", and "Pigeons In The Attic Room" – demos of "Angel", "Ugly Little Dreams", and "Are You Trying To Be Funny" – and BBC recordings of "This Love", "Ballad Of The Times", and "Are You Trying To Be Funny".

A smashing 2CD set – one that features two very compelling albums from the lovely Maysa! First up is a self-titled album from 1964 – one of Maysa's first efforts ever, and done in the sweet style of the legendary Elenco label! The set's a live one, and features light bossa arrangements by Eumir Deodato – played by a combo that includes Deodato himself on organ and piano, plus vibes by the engimatic Ugo! Maysa's vocal tone still has some of the drama of later years, but the bossa arrangements really give the whole thing a lighter, livelier feel – one that we really love! Titles include "Demais", "I've Got You Under My Skin", "Dindi", "Bouquet De Izabel", "Fim De Noite", and "Bom De Tristeza". Ando So Numa Multidao De Amores is a great one from 1970 – a record that features some great arrangements by Luiz Eca and Roberto Menescal, both of whom give the album a gentle glide that offsets the emotive quality of Maysa's vocals nicely. Titles include "Que Eu Canse E Descanse", "As Praias Desertas", "Quando Chegares", "Bonita", "Suas Maos", "Eu", "Assim Na Terra Como No Ceu", "Molambo", and "Yo Sin Ti". Plus, the CD also features a number of bonus tracks too – including "Historia De Amor", "Homem De Bem", "Depois De Tanto Tempo", "Tema De Simone", and "Nosso Caminho".

A smashing set of work from drummer Louis Moholo – a set that shows that after all these years, he's still a richly creative talent on his instrument! The album has Louis duetting with pianist Alexander Hawkins – a younger player who'd caught his ear a few years before, and who turns out to be a perfect partner for the record – graced with just the right kind of free-thinking, yet spiritual elements as Moholo's own music – able to stretch out strongly with a lot of freedom, yet never lose sight of the overarching goal! The tracks are all long and open – and almost recall some of the interplay between Moholo and Chris McGregor in years back – especially some of the freer work on the 70s London scene. The album's a beautiful extension of the Ogun Records tradition – and titles include "Lakutshon Ilanga", "Hear Our Hearts", "Heavy Manners", "Amaxesha Osizi", "If I Should Lose You", "Pure Vision", and "Catch You On The Rebound".

A smashing selection of soulful tunes from the Hurst series – all contemporary numbers, all underground, with plenty of gems you've likely not heard before! As with the first volume, the ear for a great track is key to the set – a really well-chosen batch of tunes that goes past the obvious heavy-hitters in the Neo Soul scene, to present some key up and comers, as well as a few familiar talents in some new mixes. Titles include the excellent 12" gem "1960 What (Gerardo Frisina Cuban soul mix)" by Gregory Porter – plus "Hit The Devil" by Room 56, "Pay Day" by Milan Ring, "Be Free" by Moonchild, "I'm Waiting On You" by Michon Young, "I'll Take You There" by Boukou Groove, "Everything I Need (ext mix)" by Maz, "Renovation" by Jazz Collective, and "Freedom" by Gabriele Poso.

This ain't Chicago, but the sound here owes plenty to the Windy City as well – as the collection documents an amazing criss-crossing of cultural modes that occurred when early UK house musicians took the sound of the underground into the bigger British club scene! In a way, this music's a third chapter in a journey that began when the post-disco American underground were digging the styles of the British electronic generation – then began to craft their own music with early house productions from Chicago and Detroit. These rose in such popularity with UK listeners, that by the end of the 80s, the grooves reversed themselves, and flowed back over the Atlantic – inspiring musicians like these to take the best elements of American house music, particularly Chicago acid, and push it even further into something new! And while the generation yielded plenty of lame tracks and crossover pop, this set shows the real deal – those excellent initial singles that made digging UK singles almost as great as US ones, at least for a brief while. 2CD package features 24 titles that include "Take Me High (mansion mix)" by Colm III, "Show Me What You Got (acid mix part 1)" by SLF, "Jealousy & Lies" by Julian Jonah, "Where's The Love Gone (rmx)" by Julie Stapleton, "Safety Zone" by Exocet, "Pressure Dub" by Ability II, "1666 (pyro-maniac mix)" by MD Emm, "Free To Be" by Window Smashers, "Twin Tub" by Return Of The Living Acid, and "Crashing" by Baby Ford.

A great mix of jazz, bossa, and other European grooves from the 60s and 70s – a smashing compilation of rare tracks, very much like others in this series! There's not much of a structure to the collection, but the cuts are all mighty nice – a really well-selected batch of numbers that includes "Conversations" by Silhouettes, "Sombre Guitar" by Danser's Inferno, "Claudia" by Panema Leblon, "Autumn Leaves" by Milt Jackson, "Jive Samba" by Jon Hendricks, "Here We Are Falling In Love" by Meta Roos, "Le Coeur Qui Jazze" by France Gall, "Exotica" by Walter Kubiczec, "Uela Uela" by Charly Antonlini, and "Sunshine Superman" by Big Jim Sullivan.

Classic early 90s charity compilation with now hard-to-find tracks by Uncle Tupelo, Beastie Boys, American Music Club, Pavement, Soundgarden, Nirvana, Uncle Tupelo, Smashing Pumpkins, Patti Smith and more.

A great little set – one that's even better than the first in the series! As with that one, this smashing package features great gems from the glory days of the Factory Records scene – the time when the Manchester label was also hosting its own Hacienda nightclub – and helping to change the sounds and styles of modern music around the globe! What we love about this set is the way they've gone even deeper than before – to pull out some of our favorite Factory artists who maybe didn't break as big as the others – including some that only issued 12" or 7" singles for the label. And although "dance" is part of the title, you should take that term very loosely – as many of the numbers here have more of an electronic or post-punk vibe – the kind of stuff that we loved to groove to many decades back – but which would be sure to clear the floor at an Ibiza party these days. 2LP version features 9 tracks that include "Can't Afford (unorganized mix)" by 52nd Street, "The Fox" by A Certain Ratio, "Blue Roses" by Minny Pops, "N'Sel Fix" by Fadela, "Fate" by Nyam Nyam, "Sakura" by Section 25, "Meat Mask Separatist" by Biting Tongues, "Sommadub" by Sir Horatio, "You Hurt Me" by Shark Vegas, and "Host" by The Wake.

Triple vinyl pressing of Lootpack's first full length – one of the early classics on Stones Throw! 24 tracks in all, which is 6 more (!) than the double vinyl version, Guest appearances by Declaime, Defari, Tha Liks, Dilated Peoples, Quasimoto and Medaphoar, with Madlib's singular style of beats bumpin' throughout. Includes the early singles "The Anthem", "Whenimondamic" and "Questions", plus "Crate Diggin", "Episodes", "Likwit Fusion", "Weededed" and cuts like 'Speaker Smashin", "Verbal Experiments" and 'Wanna Test" which aren't on the double LP.

Smashing early work from Jimmy Smith – a killer set from 1957 that has him going head to head with some of Blue Note's finest players! The album marks one of the first time Jimmy played with such greats – and one of the first time they played with an organist – and the lineup includes work by Donald Byrd, Lou Donaldson, Hank Mobley, and Art Blakey. Tracks are long, with plenty of room for solos – and titles on this first volume include "Funk's Oats", "How Hight The Moon", and "Falling In Love With Love".