The Rejected & Que Sakamoto – To Rack And Ruin Vol. 12

To Rack & Ruin, the infamous vinyl-only sub-label of El Diablo’s Social Club, is back again this September with Volume 12 in the series.  This time it’s the turn of mysterious Italian producer The Rejected and Tokyo’s own disco kingpin Que Sakamoto to provide the addictive grooves.

The taste of Neil Diablo, the man behind the series, has gained international recognition over the years since he started the Manchester club night El Diablo Social Club in 2003.  Now a regular feature in the blossoming Croatian festival scene as well as clubs across the globe, there’s no other more qualified pair of ears to pick out quality disco edits.

First up on the A side is The Rejected.  Although this newcomer might not be well-known yet, his productions have a swagger that show the confidence in his skill.  ‘Gambling In The 70’s’ is a downright feel good groover that toes the line between disco and balearic with tumbling toms and unashamedly camp vocals making it impossible to not move your body.  His second original, ‘Lucky Lucio’, is a different beast entirely.  A slow and brooding bassline churns out against a bongo background before heavily distorted keys and hushed psyche vocals bring in a completely new element to this already funk infused vibe.

Flipping over, Tokyo’s Que Sakamoto takes a break from his legendary Huits Etoiles clubnight to demonstarte why he’s one of Japan’s hottest talents. ‘Mr Monlight’ wastes no time in getting started, kicking off with some sliced piano chords and squelching synths building up to a driving and slow-burning disco bassline.  Extra layers of astral keys and distorted licks give this track a trippy edge.  Following up from the vibes on his first track, Que’s second production ‘Salut Des Frangines’ starts off with that old-school funk wah wah guitar sound we’ve all grown up loving.  Powerful organ stabs are brought in alongside a commanding drumbeat and synth hooks to make this track a true timewarp to the golden age of funk.

Volume 12 of To Rack & Ruin is without doubt one of the best yet from this well-loved series, with The Rejected and Que Sakamoto making an emphatic debut on Neil Diablo’s vinyl-only imprint.  Released on the 19th of September, make sure you pick up your copy before they’re all gone.