There's never been a better bit of throwback dancefloor fodder ever! Sure, these guys were blaring out of every cheap radio at the time, and it was just about impossible to walk into a shopping mall without hearing "Groove Is In The Heart" for about 5 years after the album came out – but to us, that was a great thing, and the record represents one of the high points in pop music of the past few decades. Thanks to some skillful sampling by Towa Tei, the group were grounded in a rich history of funk, house, disco, soul, and Brazilian influences – all of which they managed to blend with a postmodern perfection that other groups could only ever dream of! The big hits are certainly very familiar, but the whole album's a delight – and tracks include "Who Was That?", "Smile On", "Try Me On . . . I'm Very You", "World Clique", "ESP", and "Good Beat". This great expanded 2CD edition includes a full CD of remixes, too – 26 tracks in 2CDs! Given that the weird mixes and extrapolations of tunes by the group were such a big part of their larger sound, the extra material really helps get a full picture of the album's greatness! CD

Neo-classic boombap from Dilated Peoples –a team rooted strongly in time-honored group rap, compelling beats and turntablism – setting out to live up to the classic craft rather than re-invent the wheel, and deliver the goods track for track here! Not quite as nostalgic as the more straight-up throwback rappers of the late 90s and early 00s, which proves Dilated Peoples all the wiser, as this one has hardly aged a day. Tracks include "Right On" featuring Tha Alkaholiks, "The Shape Of Things To Come" featuring Aceyalone, "No Retreat" featuring B Real, "Work The Angles", "The Last Line Of Defense", "Annihilation", "Ear Drums Pop", "Expanding Man", "Triple Optics", "The Main Event", "Service", "The Platform" and four more. CD

The title gets it right on this one, because The Persuasions sing all acappella – quite unique for soul music at such a time of heavy production! The group were a great throwback to an earlier era of vocal group harmony – and this album, recorded for Zappa's Straight label, gave them great exposure to a crossover audience that helped them thrive way into the 70s. There's a nicely rootsy feel here – almost what The Chambers Brothers were doing in the late 60s, but even more stripped down, due to the lack of instrumentation. The performance is a live one, and the recording really preserves the feel of the set – leaving in some of the introductions and crowd noise, which further authenticates their sound. Titles include "Drip Drop", "The Bounce", "Up On The Roof", "It's All Right", "Searchin' for My Baby", and "Don't Look Back". CD

A beautiful group soul vocals effort from the Persuasions in the early 70s – working in a throwback acapella mode, but still with a fresh feel – thanks to a hip dawn of the 70s sound, and a stripped-down feel that you'd probably have never gotten back in the day! It's amazing how fresh it sounds, even today – each individual voice captured with crystal clarity, and strong genuine emotion – with an honest and real sound that's not overly polished. Wonderful! Titles include "Chain Gang", "Walk On The Wild Side", "Gypsy Woman", "Another Night With The Boys", "Let It Be", "Don't It Make You Want To Go Home", and "The Sun". LP, Vinyl record album

Very cool work from vibist Cal Tjader – sounds that are different than some of the larger arrangements and concepts of his Verve Records albums of the mid 60s, and material that appears here for the first time ever! The set features a range of appearances that Tjader made on radio in Seattle – really well-recorded dates, done at the city's famous Penthouse nightclub – and featuring Cal's vibes in a stripped-down setting that's almost more of a throwback to his pre-Verve material for Fantasy records. There's excellent players throughout, especially on piano – as the keys are handled by Clare Fischer, Al Zulaica, and Lonnie Hewitt – all of whom did great work with Cal – working here in combos that feature plenty of percussion from Armando Peraza, and drums and timbales from Johnny Rae and Carl Burnett. The tunes are a nice mix of modes – some Latin, some bossa, lots straighter jazz – and titles include "Insight", "Davito", "Pantano", "Leyte", "Half & Half", "Bag's Groove", "Mambo Inn", "Morning", "Soul Burst", "Cuban Fantasy", "Love For Sale", "Reza", "On Green Dolphin Street", "O Morro Nao Tem Vez", "Fuji", and "Along Comes Mary". CD

Very cool work from vibist Cal Tjader – sounds that are different than some of the larger arrangements and concepts of his Verve Records albums of the mid 60s, and material that appears here for the first time ever! The set features a range of appearances that Tjader made on radio in Seattle – really well-recorded dates, done at the city's famous Penthouse nightclub – and featuring Cal's vibes in a stripped-down setting that's almost more of a throwback to his pre-Verve material for Fantasy records. There's excellent players throughout, especially on piano – as the keys are handled by Clare Fischer, Al Zulaica, and Lonnie Hewitt – all of whom did great work with Cal – working here in combos that feature plenty of percussion from Armando Peraza, and drums and timbales from Johnny Rae and Carl Burnett. The tunes are a nice mix of modes – some Latin, some bossa, lots straighter jazz – and titles include "Insight", "Davito", "Pantano", "Leyte", "Half & Half", "Bag's Groove", "Mambo Inn", "Morning", "Soul Burst", "Cuban Fantasy", "Love For Sale", "Reza", "On Green Dolphin Street", "O Morro Nao Tem Vez", "Fuji", and "Along Comes Mary". LP, Vinyl record album

A masterful later album by the Beastie Boys – who always preferred to put out a great record every five or six years, than a sub par album every 2 or 3! All these years after Paul's Boutique, when the world of difficult, expensive sample clearance could've kill the layers of pop pastiche sound bites that made P's B such a brilliant statement, the soul and funk samples are still piled on in abundance on this one (albeit with a more electro studio built backdrop), as are the block rockin' party rhymes – even if the tone is serious and strident in spots. There are no attempts at live funky jazz or punk rock this time – this may be the Beasties' most classifiable hip hop album in decades. Add it to that ever growing list of good-to-great albums by aging artists who were coaxed back into the game in part by their feelings about post 9/11 politics. Tracks include the great throwback single "Ch-Check It Out", "Right Right Now Now", "3 The Hard Way", "It Takes Time To Build", "Rhyme The Rhyme Well", "Hey F**k You", "Triple Trouble", "Oh Word?", "That's It That's All", "All Lifestyles", "Shazam!", "An Open Letter To NYC" and more. CD

A stylistic triumph for southern hip hop soul hero Sleepy Brown – a late 90s throwback to smoky, sultry late 70s funk & soul in style and approach, but with the bright and thumping sound of the finest, most soul-steeped Organized Noize/dirty south hip hop of the time, a la peers and frequent collaborators lik Outkast & Goodie Mob. Sleepy's Theme sounds especially good in hindsight, as it was really ahead of it's time circa 1998 in the way blends classic funky soul influences with a contemporary vibe, prefiguring what would be a huge hitmaking formula for Cee-Lo and Speakerboxxx/The Love Below-era Outkast come the early 00s! Includes "Can't Let Go", "Court Room", "Choked Out Saturday Night", "Still Smokin'", "Simply Beautiful", "Fallin' In Love Again", "Curse On You", "Black Cherry", "Grind On", "The Ride (Private Party)", "Conversation", "Menage A Trois" and more. CD

Very cool work from vibist Cal Tjader – sounds that are different than some of the larger arrangements and concepts of his Verve Records albums of the mid 60s, and material that appears here for the first time ever! The set features a range of appearances that Tjader made on radio in Seattle – really well-recorded dates, done at the city's famous Penthouse nightclub – and featuring Cal's vibes in a stripped-down setting that's almost more of a throwback to his pre-Verve material for Fantasy records. There's excellent players throughout, especially on piano – as the keys are handled by Clare Fischer, Al Zulaica, and Lonnie Hewitt – all of whom did great work with Cal – working here in combos that feature plenty of percussion from Armando Peraza, and drums and timbales from Johnny Rae and Carl Burnett. The tunes are a nice mix of modes – some Latin, some bossa, lots straighter jazz – and titles include "Insight", "Davito", "Pantano", "Leyte", "Half & Half", "Bag's Groove", "Mambo Inn", "Morning", "Soul Burst", "Cuban Fantasy", "Love For Sale", "Reza", "On Green Dolphin Street", "O Morro Nao Tem Vez", "Fuji", and "Along Comes Mary". CD

Toronto-based Aphrose is a hell of a soul singer – an artist with a voice rich enough to crack the mainstream, but a more laidback way of putting over a tune that makes her music sound even more personal overall! The album's almost at throwback to a time when we were regularly discovering gems from the neo soul underground – and in a time of tracks dropped online at random times, Aphrose has done a really great job of delivering a full-length set that stands as a mighty demonstration of her talents! This is only her second record, and it already feels like she's grown a lot since the first – and will definitely be an artist to keep our ears on in years to come. Titles include "Soft Nuclear", "Higher", "Zag", "Good Love", "Chop The Cake", "YaYa", "In The Time Of Sorrow", and "Heavenly Father". LP, Vinyl record album

A rock solid effort from one of the finer producers on Stones Throw at this stage in the label's esteemed history! If you expect 1988 to be throwback effort by the number title, think again, but he's not as predictable as that anyway. He sets an impeccable and unpredictable mood that stays rooted in adventurous instrumental hip hop – with tracks like "Learn" that feel like a contemporary instrumental hip hop take on late 70s Bob James jazz, to soaring hip hop soul with bright keys and vocal samples, even bits of 80s boogie funk that do feel at home on a record called 1988. Includes "Don't Be Afraid", "Do You", "Listen", "Makeitliveforever", "Be Safe", "Mindin' My Business" with Durand Bernarr, "Uonlygetone", "With (Reality)", "Awomanslifeislove", "Solivelive" and more. 22 tracks in all! LP, Vinyl record album

The excellent second album from Pilot, really perfecting the guitars, keyboards and vocals and hooks formula that shot them into the pop consciousness a year or so earlier – probably their best album ever! The first record had the massive hit "Magic" (aka oh, oh, it's. . .) but this record has a few tunes with hooks that are just as sharp. The opener "You're My No 1" is so catchy, we can hardly believe it's not a throwback pop radio staple, and the record has a few of tracks nearly as grand. The vocals & harmonies are better arranged, and the guitars and keyboards are in that great comfort zone between the glam pop of the previous couple years and the new wave pop to come. Somewhat silly bubble gum lyricism, sure, but it's tasty stuff! Other tracks include "January", "Love Is", "Call Me Round", "To You Alone", "Passion Piece", "Dear Artist" and more! LP, Vinyl record album

The return of Mr Mef & Funk Doc – 10 years on from the original Blackout LP – and it's a solid duo hip hop LP the likes of which we don't hear nearly enough of in the late 00s! It seems like Blackout! 2 has been in the works almost since the first LP had run its course, but if you haven't been on pins & needles in anticipation, their expert lyrical chemistry should glide you back into it pretty easily. Erick Sermon is back in as producer, as well as Pete Rock, Mathematics, Rockwilder and others – with some mid school love without going throwback, and it's great to hear this duo back in fine form on record. Titles include "I'm A Dope N**a", the tight single "A-Yo" feat Saukrates, "Dangerous Emcees", "Hey Zulu", "City Lights" feat Bun B, "Mrs International" feat Erick Sermon, "Four Minutes To Lockdown" feat Raekwon & Ghostface, "A Lil Bit" feat Malanie Rutherford, and more. CD

16 tracks in all, including "Cop That S**t", "Shenanigans", 'That S**t Ain't Gonna Work", "Don't Make Me Take It There", "Indian Flute", "Naughty Eye", "N 2 Da Music", "Throwback" and "Hold Cuts". LP, Vinyl record album

Bessie Smith by LaVern Baker – a great blend of modes that really comes off great! Instead of sounding like a throwback blues album, the set comes across with a nice degree of contemporary class – thanks in part to a jazzy presentation that's a bit different than some of Baker's other music of the time – and which sports reeds from Sahib Shihab, tenor from Paul Quinichette, trumpet from Buck Clayton, and trombone from Jimmy Cleveland! Baker's voice is in fine form in this comfortable setting – and really works magic with tracks that include "After You've Gone", "Preaching The Blues", "Empty Bed Blues", "Back Water Blues", and "Gimme A Pigfoot". CD

A masterful later album by the Beastie Boys – who always preferred to put out a great record every five or six years, than a sub par album every 2 or 3! All these years after Paul's Boutique, when the world of difficult, expensive sample clearance could've kill the layers of pop pastiche sound bites that made P's B such a brilliant statement, the soul and funk samples are still piled on in abundance on this one (albeit with a more electro studio built backdrop), as are the block rockin' party rhymes – even if the tone is serious and strident in spots. There are no attempts at live funky jazz or punk rock this time – this may be the Beasties' most classifiable hip hop album in decades. Tracks include the great throwback single "Ch-Check It Out", "Right Right Now Now", "3 The Hard Way", "It Takes Time To Build", "Rhyme The Rhyme Well", "Hey F**k You", "Triple Trouble", "Oh Word?", "That's It That's All", "All Lifestyles", "Shazam!", "An Open Letter To NYC" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Neo-classic boombap from Dilated Peoples –a team rooted strongly in time-honored group rap, compelling beats and turntablism – setting out to live up to the classic craft rather than re-invent the wheel, and deliver the goods track for track here! Not quite as nostalgic as the more straight-up throwback rappers of the late 90s and early 00s, which proves Dilated Peoples all the wiser, as this one has hardly aged a day. Tracks include "Right On" featuring Tha Alkaholiks, "The Shape Of Things To Come" featuring Aceyalone, "No Retreat" featuring B Real, "Work The Angles", "The Last Line Of Defense", "Annihilation", "Ear Drums Pop", "Expanding Man", "Triple Optics", "The Main Event", "Service", "The Platform" and four more. LP, Vinyl record album