A surprisingly wonderful little project – one that brings together shorter snippets of Fela's classic tunes, into an extended sound collage that's got a really captivating feel! We initially expected this one to be gimmicky and a bit silly, but it's really not – and instead stands as a loving "mixtape" that showcases the best bits of Fela's genius – a keyboard solo here, a vocal chant there, all the while pushed along by the great one's groundbreaking Afro Funk rhythms! The set includes one very early number by Fela from 1964 – "Ololufe Mi" – plus bits of later tracks that include "Mr Follow Follow", "Ariya", "Unnecessary Begging", "Swegbe & Pako", "Monkey Banana", "Trouble Slee", and "Look & Laugh". (Global Grooves, New Grooves) CD

Features cuts by Blackstreet, Trouble Funk, Boogie Down Productions, Jungle Brothers, Armand Van Helden, Jackson & His Computer Band, Silver Bullet, Felice Taylor, and others. (Funky Compilations, New Grooves) CD

A really great compilation put out by the folks at Red Hot – an organization dedicated to "Fighting Aids Through Popular Culture". Previous sets by the group have focussed on jazz, bossa, and other music – and this time around, the focus is Africa, currently suffering from a rampant AIDS epidemic. As a response to the problem, Red Hot have brought together a host of different artists in a set of new Afro Funk tracks that would do Fela proud! In fact, over and above the politics, the set's actually one of the best new Afro Funk projects we've ever heard – with a list of artists that includes Archie Shepp, Lateef, Gift Of Gab, Talib Kweli, Jorge Ben, D'Angelo, Femi Kuti, Macy Gray, Meshell Ndegeocello, Cheikh Lo, Tony Allen, Positive Black Soul, Kelis, and others – all coming together in a really wonderful set of tracks that crackle with excitement! Unfortunately, one of Aids most famous African victims includes Afro Funk pioneer Fela. As a loving tribute, the set's made up of new versions of Fela tunes – with titles that include "No Agreement", "So Be It", "Gentleman", "Shakara/Lady", "Water No Get Enemy", "Trouble Sleep Yanga Wake", "Colonial Mentality", and "Shuffering & Smiling". (Global Grooves, New Grooves) CD

A collection of work from the "first phase" of Troubleman – singles, remixes, and rare tracks recorded over the past few years – assembled here together in a nicely cohesive album! The work's very much in the spirit of that on the other full Troubleman set for Far Out – spacey dancefloor jams that build on 70s fusion, modern broken beats, and some styles from Troubleman's contemporaries on the current London scene. There's a nicely stripped-down quality to a lot of these tracks that we like a lot – one that makes them a bit funkier than expected, as heavy beats and keys dance together in a celebration of groove! Titles include "The First Phase", "The Otherness", "The Switch", and "Intergalactic You Intergalactic Me" by Troubleman – plus "Stereo (Mark Pritchard rmx)" by Stereo People with Kirsty Hawkshaw and "Carambola (Mark Pritchard rmx)" by Azymuth. CD

Heavy grooves from the Far Out label – a set of cuts from the company that don't just fall into their usual Brazilian bag – and which stretch out in a sweet array of styles that include funky fusion and African-inspired rhythms! Most of the artists here normally work in a Brazilian vein, but the collection offers up some fresh takes on their sound – and also manages to pull together some more obscure Far Out tracks, including a few unreleased cuts too! Titles include "Poweride" by Marcos Valle, "Pembe (unreleased version)" by Future Warriors, "Somewhere Beyond (unreleased version)" by 4Hero Presents Natures Plan, "Eighties Times" by Jose Roberto Bertrami, "Magnetic Feel (unreleased version)" by Roc Hunter, "Chameleon (Offworld rework)" by Azymuth, "Strike Hard" by Troubleman, "Jazz Carnival" by Azymuth, and "New Morning" by Sabrina Malheiros. (Funky Compilations, New Grooves) CD