Da Funkie Junkie & Cosmic Girl dig deep for jazz-soaked house compilation

‘Caviar Jazz – A journey into jazz inflected house music’ is a deep dive into the golden era of house (1995–2005), with an edit of a rare ‘70s disco-jazz track thrown in for good measure.

It’s set for release on June 16 by Milan's Right Tempo label, known for its focus on jazz, funk, soul, and acid jazz—vinyl ships out around June 19.

Taking charge of the curation are Malaysia-based soulful house aficionados: Da Funkie Junkie aka Donovan Tho—a law graduate turned influential DJ/promoter—and Cosmic Girl aka Julia Nicholson—a multi-instrumentalist and creative force who thrives behind the scenes.

Drawing from their personal vinyl collections, the duo weave together a warm, full-bodied soundscape that’s as rich and refined as the title suggests.

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Opening with an exclusive Caviar Jazz edit of Jo Boyer’s 1977 cut ‘Isabelle and the Rain’, the duo warm things up with added tempo and vibrant swing, breathing new life into a more laidback classic.

Daft Punk’s remix of I:Cube’s ‘Disco Cubizm’ offers hypnotic, pitch-dipped syncopation, while Cricco Castelli’s classic ‘Life Is Changing’ delivers one of house music’s most enduring emotional punches—this one needs no remixing, many online mentioning it as “one of the best house tracks ever”, “favourite track of all time” and “one of those timeless tunes that never leaves your memory.”

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Mixes of legends like Frankie Knuckles, Louie Vega, and Mondo Grosso round out a selection that’s rich in groove and heavy on class.

Far from a casual playlist, ‘Caviar Jazz’ is deeply intentional. These are records that “talk to each other”, sequenced with intent and emotion.

It's a mature listen, but never boring; nostalgic, yet timeless with all the vinyl crackles, soul-stirring keys, live instrumentation and all.

Pre-order the digital album and the vinyl when it drops mid-June here.

Amira Waworuntu is Mixmag Asia’s Managing Editor, follow her on Instagram.

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