Anorax 黑胶唱片和CD

Review: Anorax Records' motto and hash-taggable suggestion is to #eatsleepcollect, as if we weren't doing so already! This time they deliver on the highly anticipated 'Tighten Up' by Melbourne soul collective The Bamboos. First released in 2006 on Kenny Dope and Keb Darge's Kay-Dee label, this instrumental version of Archie Bell & The Drells' 1968 hit quickly became a favourite in soul and acid jazz circles. Rhythm-made by The Bamboos' leader, Lance Ferguson, this one stands out for its vocal absence, offering a quirky, irresistible take.

Review: Anorax has got a vital 10" here featuring a stone cold classic Balearic house tune from Don Carlos in two different mixes. First is the Paradise mix which is as Ibiza as house music gets - the swirling pads, the subtly joyous feeling in the piano chords, the blistered bassline. It all immediately transports you to the White Isle and gazing out to see as the sun sets and the party ratchets up a gear. On the flip is a Lute Mix which brings some more mellifluous melodies and makes the drums a little more bouncy. Both are brilliant.

Review: 'Decide' was the third single from Jay-J's debut artist album, Love Alive. It comes on 7" via Anorak and has the wonderful vocal brilliance of Big Brooklyn Red adding some soul to J's sophisticated r&b production, all remixed byTortured Soul's Ethan White two different ways. 'Decide' (Ethan White Easy Trax mix) is as lush and soulful as house music gets with swirling pads and organic drum hits over the rolling bassline all working to seduce any floor. On the flip is his Lazy Boy dub which has more skip in the drums and the chords are brighter and more central, but the deepness remains.

Review: The enduring electronic musical gene sequence that was Virginia-born pianist and keys player Lonnie Liston Smith's spiritual funk-jazz opus, 'Expansions' from 1974, now hears another re-disco-scription by keyboardist Gail Johnson and her unstoppable band, Jazz In Pink. Renowned for her keytar uplifts and relentless live schedule, this is a rare 12" for the modern genius LA live musician. Her rendition of Smith's 'Expansions' both mellows and sharpens the mood in equal measure, providing a renewed euphony come euphoria. 'Glow' backs up the B-side with a sheeny original, with dramatic phrase stops and trademark peak-out pianos from Gail.

Review: Don't forget to put on your Anorax... A new retro-futuristic outing by veteran dance music exec Neil Rushton marks his latest configuration in techno, which has kept mutant ever since the DJ broke from his infamous, 1970s Northern soul label Inferno. If Inferno was a glittery bodysuit, Anorax is like blast-protective PPE. Here Rushton welcomes Mark Archer and Chris Peat aka Nexus 21 back to the fold. Emissaries of the Salford dance music circuit, Nexus 21 have always harked a frontier-scouring, centennial vibe in sound. Their latest release is reissued from 2008, though the Network Records original only cut it to B-side: 'Self-Hypnosis' is a semiconscious auto-state in sound, bringing jam-born orchestra-stabs and sprung synth toms to a strange brew. We're left spiral-eyed.

Review: This one from The Sharpees's is a mythical gem among vinyl collectors that has long been revered in the Northern Soul scene. The story began when UK dealer John Anderson discovered an acetate titled 'Go On and Laugh' in Chicago with no artist name. It was sold to DJ John Vincent, who credited it to the Just Brothers, fuelling further curiosity. Years later in 2016, USA label Secret Stash unearthed the mystery by revealing the artist as The Sharpees who were known for hits like 'Do the 45' and 'Tired of Being Lonely'. Now, Anorax reissues this limited edition 7" alongside 'Tired of Being Lonely' to feed enduring demand.