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New Orleans Anthem With Great Lazy Vocals And An Insanely Brilliant Instro On The Flip From The Goldband / Hollywood Stable Which Is The First Cut, Not From The Later Issue.

The begena is a large ten-stringed lyre which is part of the traditional Amharic heritage of Ethiopia. The Amharas, who have long formed the politically and culturally dominant people of Ethiopia, mainly inhabit the central and northern part of the country. In the majority, they follow the monophysite Orthodox Tewahido Church established in the early fourth century AD.

Music plays a very important part in the life of the church. Most of the liturgy is sung and, contrary to secular music, it is accompanied by percussion instruments only. The begena occupies a special place because it is the one melodic instrument exclusively dedicated to the spiritual repertory. Because of its mythical origin, it is highly respected. Tradition holds that the begena was given to king David by God, and brought to Ethiopia by Menelik I, together with the Ark of the Covenant. It has always been the instrument of kings and nobles. Played by pious men and women of letters, it never became widespread. But it never disappeared either, not even under the Derg regime (1974-1991) which had banned the instrument.

Among Amhara string instruments, the begena is the most carefully crafted, especially with regard to the ornately sculpted crossbar. Its ten gut strings are cleaned and twisted several times. The characteristic buzzing timbre equalled by no other Amhara instrument is due to the enzirotch, that is, small bits of leather placed between each string and the bridge. This plays an important part in the sound production by creating a brief contact between the string and the upper rim of the bridge, thus modifying the vibrating properties of the string. In this manner, the spectrum of the sound is considerably enhanced (up to over 10 kHz).

The begena is a very powerful instrument, it keeps the devil thirty steps away, and its presence in the home wards off malicious spirits. Priests and preachers recommend its presence, especially during Lent (Fassika Tsom) when the Orthodox Amharas ponder their sins and repent. Because of its spiritual import, the begena generates intense emotion. According to some musicians, playing the begena brings them into direct contact with God or the Virgin Mary. The religious role of the begena is underscored by the shape of the instrument, each part symbolises an important element of the faith. The crossbar for instance, which reaches across the entire width of the instrument, represents God who is above all things. The belly which "gives birth" to the sound represents the Virgin Mary, and the ten strings recall the Ten Commandments.

Recorded by Stéphanie Weisser in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, March 2002-December 2005.

Mastered by Renaud Millet-Lacombe.

Issued under license from VDE-Gallo, Switzerland.

The begena is a large ten-stringed lyre which is part of the traditional Amharic heritage of Ethiopia. The Amharas, who have long formed the politically and culturally dominant people of Ethiopia, mainly inhabit the central and northern part of the country. In the majority, they follow the monophysite Orthodox Tewahido Church established in the early fourth century AD.

Music plays a very important part in the life of the church. Most of the liturgy is sung and, contrary to secular music, it is accompanied by percussion instruments only. The begena occupies a special place because it is the one melodic instrument exclusively dedicated to the spiritual repertory. Because of its mythical origin, it is highly respected. Tradition holds that the begena was given to king David by God, and brought to Ethiopia by Menelik I, together with the Ark of the Covenant. It has always been the instrument of kings and nobles. Played by pious men and women of letters, it never became widespread. But it never disappeared either, not even under the Derg regime (1974-1991) which had banned the instrument.

Among Amhara string instruments, the begena is the most carefully crafted, especially with regard to the ornately sculpted crossbar. Its ten gut strings are cleaned and twisted several times. The characteristic buzzing timbre equalled by no other Amhara instrument is due to the enzirotch, that is, small bits of leather placed between each string and the bridge. This plays an important part in the sound production by creating a brief contact between the string and the upper rim of the bridge, thus modifying the vibrating properties of the string. In this manner, the spectrum of the sound is considerably enhanced (up to over 10 kHz).

The begena is a very powerful instrument, it keeps the devil thirty steps away, and its presence in the home wards off malicious spirits. Priests and preachers recommend its presence, especially during Lent (Fassika Tsom) when the Orthodox Amharas ponder their sins and repent. Because of its spiritual import, the begena generates intense emotion. According to some musicians, playing the begena brings them into direct contact with God or the Virgin Mary. The religious role of the begena is underscored by the shape of the instrument, each part symbolises an important element of the faith. The crossbar for instance, which reaches across the entire width of the instrument, represents God who is above all things. The belly which "gives birth" to the sound represents the Virgin Mary, and the ten strings recall the Ten Commandments.

Recorded by Stéphanie Weisser in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, March 2002-December 2005.

Mastered by Renaud Millet-Lacombe.

Issued under license from VDE-Gallo, Switzerland.

Ria Moran steps into a bold new chapter with Cubico, her debut solo album set for release in July 2025 via DeepMatter Records. A deeply personal and sonically rich project, Cubico sees Ria stepping forward as a producer and instrumentalist, blending R&B, neo-soul, and jazz with introspective songwriting that explores love, self-discovery, and emotional growth. The 12-track album moves fluidly between smooth R&B grooves and darker alternative tones, embodying the full spectrum of her artistry—sweet, emotional, moody, quirky, and fun. Ria made her long-awaited return in November 2024 with Take It or Leave It, a collaboration with Nubiyan Twist that showcased her evolving artistry and set the stage for Cubico and finding support from BBC Radio 6, Radio 1, Rinse Fm, Jazz FM, Worldwide FM, and more. Prior to this, her 2019 EP Moving into the Light gained widespread recognition from BBC Introducing, BBC Radio 6, and Worldwide FM, placing her among the UK’s most exciting contemporary soul voices. Her music sits at the juncture of forward-thinking UK soul music and nu-jazz, placing her alongside contemporaries including Ego Ella May, Yazmin Lacey and Cleo Sol, whilst also nodding to pioneers like Sade and Erykah Badu. Beyond her solo work, Ria has built an impressive career as a collaborator. Her contributions to Nubiyan Twist’s Freedom Fables earned a MOBO Award nomination, and she later appeared on Blue Note Records’ Blue Note Re:Imagined series, performing a BBC Radio 2 live session at the legendary Maida Vale Studios. She also worked with bassist Daniel Casimir on his acclaimed Boxed In album, joining a roster of UK jazz heavyweights including Nubya Garcia and Moses Boyd. Since 2019, she has been a touring vocalist with Gotts Street Park, sharing stages with Celeste, ENNY, and Pip Millett. With Cubico, Ria Moran is fully stepping into her own as an artist, delivering a debut album that is as raw as it is soulful, as vulnerable as it is empowering—a must-hear for fans of innovative and heartfelt music..

Ahead of a full-length album coming on Glitterbox Recordings, the king of disco re-edits Dr Packer presents four of his versions of soulful dancefloor favourites old and new, giving a flavour of what's to come from the LP. 'Different Strokes' kicks off with a re-rub of the MK-produced LaTrece 'I Want To Thank You', itself a house cover of Alicia Myer's soul classic from 1981. Dr Packer pulls back on the tempo, making way for keyboards that echo the vocal melody and enhanced percussion. Next, he remixes 'Still In Love' by Shuya Okino, a contemporary nu-disco classic with gorgeous string instrumentation and a tight guitar riff. In true Dr Packer style, his version has plenty of extra funk, fleshing out the bassline to suit a dynamic disco set. A remix of ATFC's 'Bad Habit' is next, again given the effortlessly laidback, groove-laden Dr Packer treatment. Finally it's Soul Rebel's 'I'll Be Good', a vocal house classic from the mid-noughties, reinterpreted masterfully for today's Glitterbox dancefloor.

First Word Records areproud to present a new double-AA sided collaboration from K S R and Konny Kon (Children of Zeus) - 'Part of the Plan / Faded from the Jump', available on 7" vinyl and digital.

Two of Manchester's finest r&b ambassadors, the duo team up for two tracks displaying very different styles of soul music.

'Part of the Plan' has a timeless classic feel, nodding back to the likes of Stax and Atlantic, akin to the contemporary sound of Daptone artists like Jalen Ngonda or Thee Sacred Souls. Waves crash on the dock of the bay, with [ K S R ]'s soulful tones and Konny's laidback production (accompanied by Son of Zeus, Tyler Daley on the backing vox).

'Faded from the Jump' is another three and a half minutes of bliss, taking on a sound that's more signature to the duo's previous work, individually and collectively, sitting somewhere between future r&b, neo-soul and classic Manny street soul. [ K S R ] again takes the lead on this smoothed-out cut, with Konny behind the boards on production.

[ K S R ] hails from Moss Side and has been steadily building a strong rep for himself over the past few years with a slew of releases, including an EP and several singles via First Word. He was named "R&B act to watch" by Complex, and hand-picked by Mahalia to perform an event she curated personally at London's Jazz Cafe. He's toured with artists including Pip Millet, Etta Bond, Mica Miller & The Mouse Outfit, and also collaborated with various d&b artists, such as Zero T, Lenzman, Searchlight and Makoto. Music aside, [ K S R ] has also been creative ambassador for New Balance, Foot Locker, Nike, Size? and Manchester United.

Konny Kon is best known for being one half of hip hop soul duo, Children of Zeus. With performances for Colors and Soulection, and support from peers Jazzy Jeff, Jazzie B, Loose Ends & countless others, Children of Zeus have released two highly-acclaimed albums and two EPs on Worldwide Award winning-label, First Word. Additionally to writing, performing and producing, Konny is a formidable DJ, hosting a popular monthly show on NTS Radio, and performing at numerous events; most recently supporting Mercury Award-winner's Ezra Collective at every date on their European tour, culminating in a show with Children of Zeus at Wembley Arena, London.

Both artists have had wide support across the board from numerous tastemakers, including 1Xtra, BBC Radio 1, BBC 6 Music, Rinse, Represent, Unity, Mixmag, Notion, Hypebeast and tons more. The duo have previously collaborated on 'All on You' (from the CoZ album 'Travel Light') and single 'CGWY' (from [ K S R ]'s EP 'Peace + Harmony').

This single showcases the vocals of [ K S R ] and the production of Konny Kon to a degree that exudes pure quality and class, exemplifying the power of modern British soul music.

'Part of the Plan / Faded from the Jump' is released on 7" vinyl and digital, 22nd November 2024.

lp wiBola’s music melds sheer force of spirit with a sound not often heard by ears outside the remote Upper East Region of Ghana. This man who grew up herding livestock in the savannah, far away from the tropical coast and cosmopolitan cities of Accra and Kumasi, has aligned himself with national and international means of expression to transform his hometown sound into something downright avant-garde. His bold fury stems from the kologo—a two-stringed lute with a calabash gourd resonator—and Frafra language vocals, emitted in raspy bursts.

Traditionally, kologo performances occur at pito (local beer made from fermented millet or sorghum) bars, weddings, funerals, festivals or spontaneous jams on the street, which are the environments where Bola honed his craft as a solo musician. In recent years, he came into contact with people like his mentor Guy One who helped him get into the studio to document what is some of the most dynamic music to come out of Ghana since the emergence of hiplife in the mid-'90s.

Volume 7, which came out in 2009, is just one entry in a brilliant series of recordings Bola has released on CD and cassette. Although he employs a traditional instrument and the age-old mode of griot story-telling, Bola embraces elements of up-to-the-minute mainstream Ghanaian music—drum machines, synths, bone-shaking bass. Inspired by pioneering kologo greats like King Ayisoba, Bola has taken a dynamic instrument used by traditional healers and herbalists to sing to god in search of advice and taken it to futuristic heights.

Last month, Chase and Status returned to the limelight unveiling their hard-hitting and trailblazing singles “When It Rains” ft. BackRoad Gee, complete with a Jack McMullen starring, Hector Dockrill-directed cinematic visual and the addictive smash “Don’t Be Scared” ft. Takura. Today, the duo are making a true statement of intent for the year ahead, with the announcement of their sixth studio album, What Came Before. Created by Crown & Owls, the accompanying artwork captures a truly special and magnetic live moment. Speaking on the concept, Crown & Owls state:

“We wanted to create an image that captured the very human compulsion to gather in a dark room and dance and sweat. Such scenes have a different weight to them after they were off the table for a good while, and we were very interested in capturing a moment of collective catharsis in the shadow of a period of history that pushed isolation on so many. We were really interested in the stories of the individuals in the image - what drives them to want to be in that room? The whole campaign kind of works backwards from that moment in the photo really - the intersecting stories of the dance floor, and the sense of freedom and release it brings to the individual. The record sleeve, the single covers, visualisers and elements of the music videos were all captured at this special night - it’s been a joy to work on.”

Landing alongside the album announcement is new single “Mixed Emotions” - a euphoric and recognisably brilliant dose of true Chase and Status energy that landed alongside an incredible video, filmed in two halves and directed by UKMVA-winning Femi Ladi (Pa Salieu - “My Family”). Femi Ladi states:

“On nights out like this, sometimes you just want to get fucked up. Trying to get to that moment, when you’re out of your head and completely in the moment. Sometimes music gets us there, sometimes drugs and alcohol, sometimes it’s a combination of all 3.

I want to connect our camera to the chasing of that high. A visual metaphor for trying to reach that euphoria. Each time she takes a bump, a line or a pill, the camera closes in on her. The closer she gets to that euphoric moment, the closer the camera gets to her.

By the end I want the audience to have an uncomfortable and claustrophobic feeling as our hero goes slightly overboard, a feeling that most of us know but won't dare to admit.”

Consisting of 13 tracks, What Came Before distills 15 years of unparalleled experiences into a bold, invigorating sixth album; informed by global tours, sold out headline shows, five albums, multiple awards, chart success, underground kudos, top tier collaborations and remixes, and, above all else, that unwavering dance floor energy that remains as tangible and transformative now as it has since the very beginning. This pure, unadulterated exhilaration is the glue that binds all of these experiences together, cultivating a legacy of positive vibes, unforgettable moments and the continued progression of British club culture.

For trailblazers Chase and Status, the story is cyclical - a constant process of regeneration and refinement that comes full circle. Everything that came before, from their inception point to now, has brought them back to their essence.

Landing in the wake of their critically acclaimed specialist album RTRN II JUNGLE, and the more recent news of their headlining ParkLife festival this Summer, Chase and Status’s musical return is highly anticipated. After a series of teasers were published on their social media, the duo directed their fans to whatcamebefore , unveiling a plethora of forthcoming Summer festival dates.

The forthcoming album marks the inception point for the duo’s next phase; while on forced hiatus they also went back to square one with their live show. With What Came Before Chase & Status prepare to embark on the next chapter of their illustrious career as a seasoned act ignited by the same excitement

The most political music is often the most explicit, battering its audience with its beliefs. But that isn't always the case; sometimes it embeds its ideas in subtler, more successful ways. Take The Hotelier (previously The Hotel Year), whose second full-length Home, Like Noplace Is There is comprised of what can only be described as anthemic, cathartic rock songs, sent occasionally to delicate and destructive extremes. Singer Christian Holden pushes his clean voice until it crumbles, on "The Scope of All of This Rebuilding" against a strutting pace, and on the furious "Life in Drag", but most powerfully during the chorus of "Your Deep Rest" where his words are heart-wrenching and haunting. As drummer Sam Frederick stamps out an enormous beat and chords - strummed by Cody Millet, Scott Ayotte, and Chris Hoffman - clamor around him, Holden sings, "I called in sick from your funeral / tradition of closure made it feel impossible... / I should have never kept my word to you / Not a cry not a sound / Might've learned how to swim but never taught how to drown /You said remember me for me, I need to set my spirit free." By making political statements through personal explorations, The Hotelier has not only make a uniquely political record, but also a subtler, more successful one.

"On The Inside", das erste eigene Album von Gotts Street Park, ist mehr als nur ein Album - es ist eine Einladung: "Wir möchten, dass die Zuhörenden das Gefühl haben, mit uns einen Raum zu betreten und einen Blick auf unseren Prozess zu werfen", sagt das Trio aus Leeds (UK) und begibt sich auf eine Odyssee zwischen den Genres: Von lässigen Vintage-Soul über R&B und Jazz-Akkorden hinzu Hip-Hop Grooves.

Josh Crocker (Bass, Produktion), Tom Henry (Keyboards) und Joe Harris (Gitarre) fanden sich durch ihre gemeinsame Liebe zum Motown der 60er Jahre und entwickelten sich schnell zu einer gefragten Szene-Band mit Millionen von Spotify-Streams bei der einige der aufregendsten aufstrebenden Stimmen des Hip-Hop und Pop nach einer Zusammenarbeit fragten: Celeste, Kali Uchis, Yellow Days und Rachel Chinouriri sind nur einige der Acts, für die die Band individuell geschrieben und produziert hat. Auch auf "On The Inside" sind einige alte und neue Weggefährten zu hören, wie etwa die aufstrebende R&B-Sängerin Pip Millett, Rosie Lowe und ENNY.

Gotts Street Park are a proud bunch of throwbacks. The Leeds-based trio - Josh Crocker (bass, production), Tom Henry (keys) and Joe Harris (guitar) - met through various music studies and friendship networks. Individually their tastes are diverse: from North Indian classical to experimental jazz, soul to alternative hip hop but their vision is united: “The idea of doing things live in one room has always been important,” remarks Josh. “That’s how they used to do it. Our identity evolved from that.”

The inception of the collective goes back to around 2012. There have been minor line up tweaks - they currently record with a rotating list of drummers - but the philosophy has stayed the same: an ongoing pursuit to capture the raw, unparalleled vibe that comes from recording music together, usually as one take, sometimes to analogue tape.

That approach is a deliberate call back to the methods made famous by legendary studios like Sun and Stax in Memphis, or FAME and Muscle Shoals in Alabama and their in-house bands. That’s why for years, GSP set up their own studio in a shared house in a tough (but, crucially, affordable) corner of west Leeds, Armley. Gotts Park (historically the home of industrialist Benjamin Gott) was close by - the group’s name was a nod to their local geography but also the fact it sounded like an area plucked straight out of some of their favourite East Coast hip hop releases.

Their work was quickly noticed, and it was from that base where they began working with an eye catching list of collaborators: Rejjie Snow, Kali Uchis, Cosima, Yellow Days, Chester Watson, Greentea Peng and Benny Mails. Tom also played keys in Mabel’s band. Early on, while performing as a band for hire for those artists, they were simultaneously honing their own sound; a deliberately retro “heavy, saturated” atmosphere that married the languid vibe of traditional soul with the pin sharp clarity of contemporary hip hop. Old leanings, sure, but upcycled with their own modern twist. “We’re constantly trying to build a catalogue,” says Tom. “Writing new stuff and sending it out to people.” That’s why after the release of their debut EP, ‘Volume One’, in 2017 the invitations kept coming; most notably from Brits Rising Star award winner Celeste, with whom they recorded two tracks on her debut EP ‘Lately’.

‘Volume Two’ once again features an impressive raft of vocalists - all female - from established names to fresh talent. This time, musically, the overall tone is lighter; less gritty, more optimistic. “It’s definitely not as gloomy,” says Josh. “Still though, there is this kind of dark, mysterious thing that we do a lot that works,” he continues. “Like the song we’ve done with Grand Pax, for example - it’s got that kind of witchy darkness to it. I think if you do a really straight male soul voice, it can be a bit cheesy and sound like you’ve heard it a million times before.”

Their collaborations might be some of the freshest of 2020 but make no mistake: Gotts Street Park are out there looking to create something timeless.

London based duo Blue Lab Beats announce their new and most ambitious album to date : “Motherland Journey”. The two producers and musicians assemble an all-star lineup ranging from Afrobeat star Ghetto Boy to rising stars such as Tiana Major9, Pip Millet, Ego Ella May, Kofi Stone and much more. They broaden their inspirations from their trademark Jazztronica and masterfully blend afrobeat, New R’n’B and Soul.

'Dieser neueste Soundtrack aus seiner Feder fühlt sich an wie ein längst überfälliges Wiedersehen mit einem verloren geglaubten Freund: Sofort erkennt man die bekannten Züge wieder, es umgarnt einen und zieht einen hinein in eine Welt, die unverwechselbar seine ist – die Welt von N.O.W. Immerhin kann man dieses Mal drei Dinge identifizieren, die zusammenkamen und dieses Album ganz klar prägen sollten: ein persönlicher Schicksalsschlag, ganz viel Zeit (ein Nebeneffekt der Pandemie) und Black Lives Matter. Inzwischen eher eine Art Bandleader, streckte er seine Fühler aus und knüpfte Kontakte mit jungen Talenten, deren Ansatz irgendwie zu N.O.W. zu passen schien. Bald war er mit Leuten wie Shabaka Hutchings, Haile Supreme, Mara TK und Sabrina Mahfouz in Kontakt. Auch Greentea Peng, OSHUN und Pip Millett fragte er an, erklärte ihnen die Stoßrichtung: Sie alle sagten zu und nutzten die im Titel angedeuteten Freiheiten und Freiräume auf ihre Art, lieferten ihre ganz eigene, vertonte Definition von Freiheit ab.' - Don Letts aka The Rebel Dread

“Lugar Alto presents their very first release: the incredibly rare and absolutely stunning “Homenagem”, by Leonardo V. Boccia. This is a forgotten gem from the eighties that examines traditional Brazilian themes such as choro, northeastern folk, and capoeira with touches of eighties electronics and new age.

Leonardo Boccia is a musician, multi-instrumentalist, composer, researcher and university professor of Culture and Society at the Federal University of Bahia, whose interests include sound studies, manipulation of sound media, audiosphere and aesthetics, musical theatre, audio culture and neuromusic.

Born in Italy, this respected academic studied music in Berlin, moved to Rio de Janeiro and established himself in Salvador where he was invited to research the northeastern music of Bahia. There he created the experimental group Macchina Naturale, an eclectic combo that performed regularly during his stay. In November 1980, Boccia participated in the first Instrumental Music Festival of Bahia as a soloist where he performed works of his own.

But it was in 1983 that Professor Boccia composed, directed and produced the LP Homenagem. With photos by renowned photographer and artist Mario Cravo Neto for the front and back cover of the booklet, the album presents new and original compositions for instrumental ensembles, such as: Choro Fantasia – for guitar and berimbau -, Canção para Iracema, Homenagem and Lenda do Sertão. The LP was originally released on January 3rd, 1984, with a live performance in the main hall of the Castro Alves Theatre under the title Tribute to Brazilian Music, with the participation of vocalist Sueli Sodré, who contributes to the album, instrumentalists Zeno Millet and Onias Camardelli, accompanied by choreography and visuals.

Much of Homenagem examines the genre of Brazilian music known as Choro, or Chorinho, a genre which appeared in Rio de Janeiro in the 19th century. Choro is regarded as the first typically Brazilian urban music and, over the years, it has come to be considered one of the most prestigious genres of national popular music. Stylistically, it originates from Lundu, a percussion-based rhythm of African inspiration but also influenced by European genres. The instrumental composition of choro was based on the trinca flute, guitar and cavaquinho. Over time, other wind and string instruments were incorporated.

Here, in Homenagem, Professor Boccia deliberately mixes the old and the new, the traditional and the innovative; the album is the environment of Chorinho reconsidered and recontextualized, and its melodies and harmonies still capable of surprises. Just listen to “Terra e Povo” – it has an almost proto-acid-house quality to it, while the synth washes on “Mãe Natureza” with the ethereal vocal stylings of Sueli Sodré ushering in the progressive quality of the album.

Too long out of print, new label Lugar Alto now offers you the chance to reappraise this fascinating reissue of yet another forgotten chapter in Brazilian music.”