The solo debut of Eric Boss – a singer you might know as part of the duo of Myron & E – who gave us some great harmony soul records on Stones Throw and Timmion! Here, Eric is a much straighter soul singer overall – working with a sharp funky punch in the backings, with plenty of Mighty Mocambo help that you'd guess from the record's placement on their label! Tunes move nicely between 60s and 70s funky soul modes, but often with a more complex, contemporary vibe on the rhythms – and although the set features guest work from Gizelle Smith and Gift Of Gab, Eric hardly needs any help to make a strong statement on his own. Titles include "Bad Luck", "Closer To The Spirit", "I Wanna Ride", "Spiders", "Get Next To You", "Forward", "Merry Jane", and "Your Life Is Up To You". CD features the bonus track "The Turning Point" – with Ishtar. CD

Brownout sound heavier than ever here – recording in Texas, not Berlin (that's the last name of the producer) – and with a fantastic blend of deep funk, Latin elements, and lots of psychedelic touches! In fact, there may be more of that last aspect here than ever before – possibly because the guitar lines of Adrian Quesada get lots of strong placement in the mix – but also because the percussion, vocals, and other acoustic elements are all fused together in the mix in a really great way – this kind of wide wash of sound that's nice and dirty at all the right moments. Titles include "Seamus", "Nain", "Somewhere To Go", "Upon This Rock", "You've Got To Change", "Brownie", "Hold Your Way", "In Between", and "After November". CD

A wonderful Holiday set from Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings – easily one of the coolest albums you'll ever hope to spin in December! The group really recreate the vibe of a classic Christmas soul album – like records from James Brown or Stevie Wonder – and do an excellent job of moving between funky numbers, deeper soul, and some righteous message cuts that remind us that the Holidays aren't always happy for everyone on the planet. And these guys also don't just hang out at Christmas – and instead touch on other December holidays too – in a sweet mix of cuts that features Sharon in the lead on many numbers, plus some great instrumentals from the Dap-Kings too. Titles include "8 Days", "Ain't No Christmas In The Projects", "Big Bulbs", "Funky Little Drummer Boy", "World Of Love", "Got Rest Ye Merry Gents", "Silent Night", "Just Another Christmas Song", and "Please Come Home For Christmas". (Holiday Music, Deep Funk) CD

A wonderful Holiday set from Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings – easily one of the coolest albums you'll ever hope to spin in December! The group really recreate the vibe of a classic Christmas soul album – like records from James Brown or Stevie Wonder – and do an excellent job of moving between funky numbers, deeper soul, and some righteous message cuts that remind us that the Holidays aren't always happy for everyone on the planet. And these guys also don't just hang out at Christmas – and instead touch on other December holidays too – in a sweet mix of cuts that features Sharon in the lead on many numbers, plus some great instrumentals from the Dap-Kings too. Titles include "8 Days", "Ain't No Christmas In The Projects", "Big Bulbs", "Funky Little Drummer Boy", "World Of Love", "Got Rest Ye Merry Gents", "Silent Night", "Just Another Christmas Song", and "Please Come Home For Christmas". (Holiday Music, Deep Funk) LP, Vinyl record album

A super-funky group from the Estonian scene – one who serve up a blistering barrage of drums, riffing guitar, and fast-moving basslines – all at a level that has these guys sounding like some sort of incredibly sharp group from the 70s! The style is a bit like the best blue-eyed funk acts from years back – vocals that are rolling over the top of the grooves, but with a real focus on incredibly sharp instrumentation throughout – played at a pace that never lets up, and which really earns these guys the second part of their name! Titles include "Funky Lump", "Look Behind You", "The Poet", "Too Hot", "Tell Me Tell Me", "Beef Grinder", "Cookin Some Beans", and "Get Up Move On". CD

Lexsoul serve up a great mix of live drums and programmed rhythms here – all very much in an upbeat boogie funk mode, and definitely touched with the sort of explosive energy promised in the title! The Estonian group have a more refined sound than some of the grittier deep funk combos out there – more of a snapping groove in the rhythms, at that level that recalls the moment when funk ensembles got a big bigger, yet were still able to keep everything right on the groove, right on the money! Titles include "Entertainment", "Sex", "Supersoul", "Basics", "Nu Reality", "Money", and "Carambola Jelly". CD