Sare Havlicek – Vibe On You

Well then… I said the other day that I've been getting less nu-disco through, and maybe a change really is in the wind, because here even TIWWD's favourite purveyor of retro Italo disco leaves the analogue synths alone for a mo' and turns his hand instead to what is essentially a slab of very polished, disco- and house-inspired pop in a vein that's not a million miles from Crazy P.

Mix-wise, the Single and Instrumental versions come on like a lost Patrice Rushen number given a (mild) house makeover. Sare's own 115 BPM Mix and Dub slow things down in a Nightdubbin' kinda way, while the Nothing You Can Do Mix keeps the tempo but goes even more to town on those 80s dub flavas. Steve Kotey & Manestar and Ilija Rudman, on their respective mixes, both flirt with Balearic disco-house vibes, while Drrtyhaze's remix introduces some nice squelchy Chi-town 303 bass.

But overall, the vibe is house-ified, disco-tastic pop done exceedingly well, proving this Slovenian producer is no one-pony.

Out: This week

About: Yep, this is another one from the mighty Nang stable…

Various - Hibernation Vol 2

Okay, so you think you know what to expect from a Bear Funk nu-disco comp – there's certainly been enough of them. But wait!

Cos y'see it doesn't all have to be glacial Italo synths, slightly iffy 80s hi-camp vocals and Levan/Cowley-homaging weird bass wobbles, you know. Nu-disco can have its more thoughtful, mellow, musical side too… and that's what's showcased here. Sure, the usual suspects are all present and correct - Essa, Rudman, Tobor, Mudd and of course Kotey – but this is definitely a more chilled-out, less brash side of the nu-disco coin, with wilful experimentalism for experimentalism's sake forgone in favour of an overall vibe that's a bit less Hoxton hipster hangout and a bit more lush cocktail bar.

In other words, it's very good, and you should buy it immediately. End of.

Out: Last week, but again I was in the throes of Mega Armageddon Tooth Death at the time

About: If you need me to tell you about Bear Funk, you're probably reading the wrong blog. But cos I'm nice, here's their website, so you can go educate yourself a bit and come back when you're ready. We'll be waiting.

Kotey Extra Band - Full Length

Unless I'm mistaken (which does happen), then this is nu-disco stalwart Steve Kotey's first, er, full-length since his 2009 offering as Afrobutt. And I'm glad to report it's a far more satisfying affair than said album, which got only a so-so 6/10 from yours truly in iDJ at the time.

The key thing to note is that Kotey seems to have gotten over the Moroder/Italo obsessions, and moved on to a sound that's altogether more organic and funky. Fans of 'cooler', more cosmic/Euro styles are still catered for - check Leave Me I'm Dancin' or Danger Eyes for instance - but cuts like Hustlin' or Scooter Show have the mid-70s stamped all over them, not the early 80s, and sound all the better for it.

There are no major surprises on offer, it's true. But it's definitely better than the last one – if we gave marks on here, we'd be looking at an 8 – and it's a sign that Kotey is still worth keeping an eye on. Because you do get the feeling the best is yet to come…

Out: This week

About: This is on Kokey's own Bear Funk label, naturally enough… visit 'em online here.