VA - Carry On Kinky Beats (2001)

Carry On Kinky Beats is an eclectic (or eccentric) mix of upbeat soul, funk and dance with a common thread of crazy kitsch madness. If it's true that you can judge a person by the music they listen to, then DJ Chunks has to be the man at parties with the coolest records and loudest shirts.

There are cowbells and swirling hammond melodies round every corner, notably the happy-go-lucky "On A Sunny Day" by Puddu Varano or the rump shaking "Barbed Wire" by Soul Mission. There are a few big names thrown in like Booker T & The MG's ("Slum Baby"), Primal Scream ("Revenge of the Hammond Connection") and the Love Unlimited Orchestra, better known as the instrumental extension of soul giant Barry White ("Strange Games & Things"). It would be unjust to pick a standout track from the 18 fantastic songs here--if you're looking for a contemporary slant on the swinging end of the 1960s or if Austin Powers is your unlikely hero then this collection is for you baby, yeah! --Georgina Collins