Great stuff from one of the new European "funky young lions" of Blue Note France! Italian trumpeter Flavio Boltro lays down a killer set of modern funk grooves here – clearly played with one foot in the past, but the other firmly in a present that's filled with tight snapping drum breaks and round warm basslines. The record has a very strong 70s feel to it, but with a style that's hard to place – and which is more a combination of a lot of different elements than it is that of any one player. There's lots of nice keyboard riffing away under Boltro's horn, and the band has a tight funky feel in the manner of some of the best Italian combos from the golden days of the early 90s acid jazz boom. Titles include "Duo", "Little Room", "Matteo", "Hey Papa!", "Vucciria", and "Tea In The Sahara". CD

A really different groove from El Michels Affair – but one that reminds us again that the group is really amazing at just about anything they ever try to do! The adult themes here are modes borrowed from older European styles – some of the slinky funk of Serge Gainsbourg and some of his contemporaries, mixed with maybe a touch of Euro erotic film scoring – but all given that strong undercurrent of funk that we can always expect from Leon Michels and the group – arranged and produced with a really superb quality throughout! The drums are nice and heavy, the basslines sexy and slinky, and there's some occasional wordless female vocals and larger arrangements that really expand the palette of El Michels. Titles include "Enfant", "Villa", "Kill The Lights", "Life Of Pablo", "A Swift Nap", "Munecas", "Rubix", "Hipps", and a number of "Adult Theme" tracks. LP, Vinyl record album

That's a mess of vintage analog electronics on the cover, and there's plenty of that inside the record as well – as Eleven76 come across with all sorts of cool classic 70s styles that move between soundtrack funk and some leaner, more cosmic cuts for the clubs! The album's definitely trying to evoke a classic sound library style – but as with some of the hipper European electronic artists back in the day, these guys also have their ears tuned towards crossover fame in a world where moogy electronics can get some spins in the discos – a blend that makes for a mighty wonderful little album that definitely lives up to the promise of its cover! Titles include "Duosynchronic", "Canyon Chase", "Wolf At The Door", "Knock Out", "Minister", "Step Off The Ledge", and "Kreuzer Weight". (Sound Library, Deep Funk) LP, Vinyl record album

There's plenty of electric colors here – a great blend of the many elements from this large European funk ensemble, all filtered down into a mighty nice groove from Misha Panfilov! Penza Penza are one of Misha's most lively projects – and the group have this energy that draws on classic American instrumental soul from the 60s and 70s, but trips things out nicely in that style that Panfilov does so well with other acts – a slight dose of psychedelic colorings around the edges, but never in a way that obscures the sharp instrumentation at the core! Titles include "The World Of High Voltage Badgers", "Der Himmel Uber Kakumae", "Color My Coffee", "Deep Dive", and "Electricolor". LP, Vinyl record album

Funky grooves, psychedelic sitar, and mod Hammond organ – a magnificent blend that's every bit as dynamic as the image on the cover – served up as the long-awaited debut album from this cool European combo! The album's got a feel that's somewhere between 60s spy soundtracks and Brit library work – but also carries a tighter, funkier groove overall – a contemporary ear for the best funky elements of the old days, served up with production styles that continue a very classic groove! The whole thing's a real unexpected delight – a set that grabs us with the same sort of energy as the older Blow Up scene during its best years – with no kitsch, no nonsense, and a brilliant sense of sound throughout. Titles include "Bengali Corporation", "Bumblebee", "Sitarmania", "Fuzz Party", "Per La Riviera Tolonesa", "La Panthere Pop", "Jerk A La Vague", and "Moog Traffic". CD