Aeroplane came crashing onto the scene with some phenomenal remixes of the likes of Grace Jones and Sebastien Tellier and their eagerly awaited debut album finally lands on September 6th in the shape of “We Can’t Fly”. The lead single of the same name set the bar high with it’s barrel loads of funk and the album won’t disappoint anyone expecting more of the same. Huge chunks of nu-disco goodness prevail throughout and some Brian May-esque guitar licks up the surrealness factor.

Taking influences from the likes of Giorgio Moroder and The Human League, it sounds like the soundtrack to the best 80′s movie that was never was. In a world full of musicians taking themselves too seriously, this album is simply a joy to listen to from start to finish – never afraid to plunge headfirst into synth operatics and wear it’s heart on it’s fairly psychedelic sleeve.

Various vocalists drop in to lend their own touch, most notable being Jonathan Jeremiah amazing vocal on “Good Riddance” but I personally prefer the instrumental outings, I’ve picked a couple of my favourites below but I highly recommend you pop along to your retailer of choice on the 6th of September and grab this chunk of musical gold.

Aeroplane – My Enemy

Aeroplane – Good Riddance

While the Aeroplane remix of this newie from Chromeo has been floating around for a while and getting everyone hot under the collar, it’s the brilliant Noise Invaders dub that’s doing it for me. As it’s a dub mix you thankfully only get a snippet of the vocals and the rest of the track is left to breathe fully as a big housey funk monster. It’s a wee bit on the cheesy side but it’s just so jam packed with funk that you won’t be able to resist breaking out the robot.

Available now at Beatport.

Chromeo – Don’t Turn The Lights On (Noise Invaders dub)

Another weekend and yet another music festival comes upon the Labs collective. This time a Sunday all day number beckons in the shape of the Electric Frog Festival. Looking at the line up, one act sticks out as having the ability to deliver the Friday classic…..Liquid Liquid.

Liquid Liquid were formed in the post-punk underground of NY in 1980. Since then they have had an extraordinary influence on contemporary dance music for more than 20 years. From the beginnings of hip-hop, to the nascent dance scenes in Detroit and Chicago in the mid 80′s right up to the present day, the influence of Liquid Liquid’s sparse, funk and reggae influence grooves can still be heard in clubs and dance productions all over the globe.

Liquid Liquid – Optimo

Boohgaloo Zoo are K’bonus and U-Gene, two veterans of the Belgian and Dutch music scenes respectively. After meeting at the 10 Days Off festival in Ghent the duo started sending each other beats and tracks and soon enough a full album was in the making.

“Testify” is the second single taken from the stunning self-titled debut album. All out on Prince like vocals while the bassline and synth stabs are clearly in the business of tearing roofs off. Heavy 21st century funk people! Also worth checking out the Joe Goddard remix, but we have gone for Soulphiction rework. Check out Spanish label Lovemonk for more goodies like this.

Boohgaloo Zoo – Testify (Soulphiction’s Boogie Version)

In the middle of what is being touted as the best Sonar festival yet, Spanish act Mweslee released his new EP “Eurocarne”. This monster is a cocktail of driving funk synth, stuttering beats with soul on tap. I’ve picked out the tune “Nova Olimpia” which delivers right on point. Pick this Nod Navigators release up at Boomkat.

Mweslee – “Nova Olimpia”

You can’t really beat a bit of Herbaliser funk – and June 29th sees Ninja Tune unleash “Herbal Tonic” – a best of album of sorts. Featuring a selection of top quality beats that span The Herbaliser’s 15 year career, every track’s a winner.

To give you a wee taster they’ve kindly given us this wee album minimix for download – so grab it, have a listen and head on over and pre-order the album.

The Herbaliser – Herbal Tonic minimix

What is Jimmy Edgar all about? Synth, funk, 80′s electronica, its all in there!!! One thing is for sure his new album is going to blow up dance floors when its gets its release on the 21st June on !K7. We have a free download thanks to XLR8R which gives you a taste of things to come….Massive!

Jimmy Edgar – Hot Sex Raw

Glasgow house label Price of a Pint Recordings was established in Summer 2009 primarily to release the output of Glasgow based producer and Dj Esteban Carracas. The mysterious Esteban originally hails from LA and came to our slightly less sunny shores in 1989 bringing with him a love of hip hop. He then discovered the sounds of early jungle and drum n bass before returning to the lower BPMs and diving head first into the world of breaks and house.

After successful releases on Flatpack Traxx, Lingo and Guesthouse, it seemed the logical step to launch his own imprint. With just two releases under it’s belt, it’s shaping up to be a fine label that sits well alongside other more established Glasgow institutions.

So this brings us to the label’s first podcast. Taking in the label’s ideology of “as long as it’s funky, we’re digging it”, Esteban steps behind the turntables and delivers a 75 minute mix that spans various genres while retaining a groove throughout.

Esteban Carracas – Price of a Pint Recordings – Podcast 1

Tracklist

Ronnie Laws – Piano Interlude (Live at the Roxy) – Blue Note
Ronnie Laws – Always There (Live at the Roxy) – Blue Note
Latyrx – Latyrx – Solesides
Laj & Quakerman – Quantico Hilton – Fiasco
Laj & Quakerman – Leap Of Faith – Fiasco
Laj & Quakerman – Basket Case – Fiasco
Gerardo Frisina – Al Borado – Afro Art
The Yardbirds – Stroll On – TCM
The Chemical Brothers – Come With Us (Stef’s Wee-Edit) – Virgin
The JDs – Funky Party Time – Jazzman
The Presidents Of The United States Of America – Mach 5 – Columbia
The Sabres Of Paradise – Bubble And Slide II – Warp
The Pioneers – More Love – Trojan
Sonic Youth – Sugar Kane (Stef’s Middle 16 French Excursion) – Geffen
Ronnie Laws – Solid Ground – Liberty
Dunno for sure but it sounds like an 80s disco verion of Minnie Ripperton – If I Ever Lose This Heaven – White label I bought in a charity shop in Dennistoun for 10p!

Dialogue throughout from the motion picture Jimi Hendrix

In demand artist and producer Floating Points appears to have tunes in most of the best mixes around at the moment. We thought we would flip it about by bringing you a mix he did in support of threatened East London clubbing mecca Plastic People. The Eglo records man gives us further examples of just how wide his musical knowledge is. If you haven’t seen him DJ yet your missing out on a treat. Shout out for XLR8R on this one.

Floating Points – My Plastic People Mix

01 Flora Purim “Encounters” (Milestone)
02 Deniece Williams “Slip Away” (Columbia)
03 Esther Philips “Home Is Where the Hatred Is” (KUDU)
04 Windy City “(So You Think) Somethin’s Missin’” (Chi Sound)
05 James Brown “Mind Power” (Polydor)
06 Gil Scott-Heron “Lady Day and John Coltrane” (Flying Dutchman)
07 Brian Auger & Oblivion Express “Whenever You’re Ready” (RCA)
08 Willie Bobo “Sixty-Two Fifty” (Columbia)
09 Chick Corea & Return to Forever “Captain Marvel” (Polydor)
10 Kuniyuki “Precious Hall (Dub)” (Natural Resource)
11 Larry Heard “Missing You” (Track Mode)
12 Herbert “Suddenly” (Studio !K7)
13 Darkstar “Aidy’s Girl Is a Computer (Kyle Hall Oats B So Deep Remix)” (Hyperdub)
14 Floating Points “Shark Chase” (Eglo)
15 Pharoah Sanders “Greeting To Saud (Brother McCoy Tyner)” (Impulse)

Continuing their tradition of putting out most of their work for remix, Tosca AKA Richard Dorfmeister and Rupert Huber release their 2009 album “No Hassle” into the wild and allow a bunch of remixers to get their dirty hands on it. From Smith & Mudd’s loungey funk remix of “Springer” through to Spirit Catcher’s chunky house take on “Joe Si Ha” and rounding things off with K&K Streichquartett’s classical version of “Rosa” there’s something here for a fair variety of tastes.

The stand out track for me is Rodney Hunter’s damn funky remix of “Rosa”. It’s a bit of a discoy funk house beast, so fire it up and get yer armchair groove on.

Tosca – Rosa (Rodney Hunter Version)

Available now at Juno Download.