Search:age of soul

john Yancey' Is The Second Album Illa J Will Release On Jakarta Records, Following The Successful
Release Of Home Last Year. The Project Is The Second Collaboration With Los Angeles
Based Producer Calvin Valentine, Who Once Again Contributed All Of The Production For The Long
Player. While home' Was Largely Inspired By Illa's Native City Of Detroit, john Yancey' Now
Focuses On His Time In California.
(this Album Is) Definitely More Personal Than All Of My Projects, Nothing Specific, But I Basically
Talk About About The Ups And Downs Of All My Relationships Over The Past 10 Years, Still Grieving
About My Bro, Etc. This One Is Trippy Because The First Single Comes Out A Day Before My 32nd
Birthday And The Original Title Was 32 Because This Is A Special Year To Me Because My Brother Died
At That Age So It Had A Lot Of Meaning. But It Makes Sense That It Ended Up Being Called John
Yancey Because For So Long In My Career I Felt Like I Was Tryna Be Me And My Brother, And I'm Finally
At Peace, Like I'm Not J Dilla's Younger Brother Illa J, I'm James Younger Brother John.'
While The Story Of The Album Might Have Changed, There Are Certain Continuities As Well, Built
Around The Strong Foundation Of The Combination Of Illa's Voice And Calvin Valentine's Soulful
Sample Based Production. The Previous Album Already Saw Illa J Incorporate More Singing Into
His Raps And He Goes Down This Path Even Further: i Wanted To Emphasize The Singing But Use
More Of My Natural Singing Voice, As Well As Rap More Than On Home.' In Regards To The Music,
Calvin Wanted To Make The Project Sound a Bit More Polished Where Home Was Purposely
Rough Around The Edges.' Still, The Production Remains Soulful And Rich With Layers To Leave Things
Interesting For The Listener, The More Spins You Give The Record.
The Cover Was Created By Robert Winter, A Cologne Based Photographer Who Was Also Behind The
Visual Appearance Of Home.

The Missing ink between her Barry and Columbia singles, 'I Can't Stant It' b/w 'Only Yesterday' is Thelma Jones with her back against ther wall of an empty and indifferent Holidsay Inn lounge and nothing to lose.Washed out of thde recording business by the age of 30., Jones and her then-husband/manager James Hazley relocated to Tampa to work the hotel circuit and figure out what- if anything- was next. Following a cvhance encounter with Blair Mooney, Jones was invited to workshop a few stray originals at his studio 70 compound in 1972. 'He seemed to believe in me more than I did at the time, 'Jones remembered of the Tampa Studiop impresario. Jones signed with Columbia a few years later and hightailed it out to The Big Guava, leaving two sides of country-politican soul on the shelp to be forgotten about. This Eccentric Soul 45 is a first time issue, carrying the banner of Mooney's Gimp label and mastered directly from the original analog tapes.

November 5th, 2018 would have been Charles Bradley's 70th birthday. In celebration of his extraordinary life, Daptone imprint Dunham Records is proud to announce the release of his fourth and final album, Black Velvet. Black Velvet is a celebration of Charles Bradley, lovingly assembled by his friends and family at Dunham/Daptone Records. Though chronologically the material spans Charles' entire career, this is no anthology, greatest hits or other shallow rehashing of the songs that already made him famous. Rather, this album is a profound exploration through the less-travelled corners of the soulful universe that Charles and his longtime producer, co-writer and friend Tommy "TNT" Brenneck created in the studio together over their decade-long partnership.
It features new songs recorded during the sessions from each of his three albums, heard here for the very first time in all their scorching glory: "Can't Fight the Feeling," "Fly Little Girl" and the heart-wrenching single "I Feel a Change"; hard core rarities like his funk-bomb duet with LaRose Jackson, "Luv Jones," the psychedelic groover, "(I Hope You Find) The Good Life" and the ever-illusive alternate full band electric version of "Victim of Love"; sought-after covers of Nirvana's "Stay Away," Neal Young's "Heart of Gold" and Rodriguez's "Slip Away"; and the title track "Black Velvet," a stirring Menahan Street Band instrumental to which Charles was never able to cut a vocal.


Charles was truly a transcendent singer who led a remarkable life, overcoming unimaginable adversity to achieve great success and international acclaim very late in his life. What was really special about him and made him different from everybody else in the world was how he understood his pain as a cry for universal love and humanity. He felt that if he loved enough—if we all loved each other enough—we could take away the world's pain and sadness. That is why he jumped off the stage and literally tried to hug everybody he could. It's why he took such great care of a mother that had abandoned him. It's why he sang and danced like a lunatic. It's why he screamed like an eagle. And that's why we love him.


Black Velvet is a celebration of his life, and is destined to join Charles' first three albums alongside the cannon of essential soul records for the ages.

Fantastic 80s pop music with a soul and funk touch and an outstanding singer. A must have for fans
of Billy Ocean, Barry White and similar artists. Perfect playing, perfect production, perfect songwriting.

On the edge of the lightfooted disco movement there was sophisticated funk music and one of the often
overlooked protagonists oft he scene was Mr. Sterling Harrison, born in 1941, passed in 2005. His legacy contains
two solo albums from the early 80s and this, dear friends of funk music, is his second from 1981. Copies in good
shape fetch prices up to 800 Dollars so we should give this current reissue on EVERLAND warm welcomes. Is it all
worth the enthusiasm Oh, you can bet it is. Sterling Harrison had left behind the 70s and was ready for the 80s.
The sound is up to date, clear, clean and powerful. The music still shows the fire of the earlier funk records but the
synthesizer passages, the whole production proves that we are now entering a new age. 80s Synthie Pop is part of
the mix, despite the main ingredients are soul, funk and a bit of disco here and there. The vocals are overwhelming,
sung with great emotions and a feeling for the freaky edge of soul. The tunes here come as diverse as they can be,
each one with his very own face, but they all have the same spirit courtesy of Sterling Harrison. Each one should
have had a spot on the top ten pop charts in 1981 but in this case this album would probably be legendary in
another way. This music will drive every 80s black pop enthusiast wild. When after all these powerfully driving pop
and dance tunes, with a more relaxed reggae groover in between, your feet ask for a break, just go for a sweet soul
ballad in the best Barry White style. Smooth and slick, yet still performed with depth and spirit, such a song might
calm you down until the next dancefloor sweeper will hit your ears. The overall atmosphere of this record is truly
happy and enlightened. Good vibrations pour from every note, played here by a team of highest order musicians. A
perfect record for 80s black pop aficionados who admire Billy Ocean's 80s albums for example. This record is a
typical example of the contemporary pop music of its era, but this is what makes it even more charming. And the
songs will definitely stick to your mind after just a few spins without losing their fascination. A true gem for true
music lovers.

Marti Caine's infamous Point Of View is a groovy blend of slow-mo funk, dark disco and precise pop. Originally released on BBC Records in 1981, it has attracted a considerable cult following this century. The odd charity shop score aside, it has been impossible to find a copy for less than eye-watering sums (often selling for over £200) and, as such, it's an honour to present the first officially licensed vinyl reissue of this sublime record. Featuring expert liner notes written by Bill Brewster - perhaps the record's most notable champion - this lovingly curated release is limited to just 500 copies.

Marti Caine was a popular UK TV entertainer in the late 1970s onwards and Point Of View presented her with an opportunity to proceed in a hip direction by working with British R&B heavyweight Barry Blue. His legendary reputation was secured with a string of great records, among them the first three Heatwave albums, the Balearic hit "Afro Dizzi Act" by Cry Cisco and the cult smash "Breakin' In" by Javaroo. However, despite the array of talent working on the album, Point Of View sank without trace at the time. It's something that Blue attributes to the bizarre way BBC Records worked, and he entertainingly expands upon this within the liner notes.

Musically, the highlights are many and memorable. Its most notorious track is the sublime soul stepper "Love The Way You Love Me", the reason most people covet this album so profoundly. However, from the dark dubby disco of "Snowbird City" to the moody ballad "Love Is Running Through Me", the lesser heralded tracks are nothing short of exquisite. Indeed, the chugging elegance of sleazy disco opener "Can I Speak To The World Please" showcases a string-drenched strutting-funk that would've been enviable the world over. It's that good.

The outlandish artwork - presenting a striking, green-eyed Marti treating a tiger to a headlock - has been faithfully restored and is arguably worth the price of admission alone. With access to the original tape transfers, Simon Francis' sensitive mastering elevates the sound throughout and, as ever, it has been pressed at a reassuringly weighty 180g. Sadly, Marti died of lymphatic cancer at the tragically early age of 50 in 1995, so is not here to experience what we hope will be a long overdue reappraisal of the hitherto underheard genius of Marti Caine, the singer

righteous expensive: motohiko hamase's 1986 album "reminiscence" scores a decent prize at online vinyl selling platforms and it is worth each coin!

it's a perfect "refuge from nasty reality", as the glorious british 20jazzfunkgreats blog once said. and it comes from a man that knows his trade: bass play - an artisan on which he also already wrote many theoretical books in his more than four decades long career.

in the 1970's hamase was no stranger to tokyo's vibrant jazz scene. together with jazz pianist tsuyoshi yamamoto and jazz-rock guitar-ist kazumi watanabe he played in the isao suzuki sextet and was part of their classic landmark jazz-funk album "ako's dream" from 1976.

in the following years he also participated on records like mikio masuda's latin-funk-jazz gem "moon stone" or japanese female jazz singer, actress, and essayist minami yasuda's last album "moritato". in the early 1980ees his work shifted from pure jazz to electronic and ambient spheres and he started to compose his own music around his deeply emotional bass play.

from 1985 to 1993, hamase released five solo albums. just recently studio mule dropped his first one, "intaglio", in a new recording that sounds as stunning as the original release from 1986.

now the previously mentioned "reminiscence", his second work for the celebrated defunct japanese new age record label shi zen, follows in a fresh shape on studio mule.

as the original, it features deeply touching moments of sheer pristine perfection and distributes hamase's inner emotional landscape with a bewitching bass performance. a soothingly beauty of an album, that reflects hamase's search for spaces of melancholy.

a rhizome of soundscapes that capture, settle and sound elusive while simultaneously being awe-inspiring. as for "intaglio", the 66-years old artist gathered again some befriended musicians, rented a studio, staged his gear and recorded most of the original "reminis-cence" material new, while keeping the moving musical story arc of the original album alive in a fresh wrapping.

the result is a dazzling, blue mood seething, strongly hypnotic longplayer, full of personality and hybrid ambient electronic jazz spheres that open doors to unheard sound universes and that perfectly work for all those stress-relieved souls that love the disclosure of the mind and seek for a "refuge from nasty reality".

16 early vocal & jazzy tunes from the Golden Age of Jive & Kwela in South Africa. Released originally on fragile shellac discs only. Shellac is a very delicate material but the music survived thanks to the archives of ILAM. A truly great source of South African music is being preserved here for new generations, to inspire young and hopeful musicians and singers from all over the world. 180gram vinyl.These pearls of musical genius were recorded in the glory years of jive and kwela, the years 1940-1965 . On side A it is not difficult to recognise the similarities to American popular music like R&B and small combo close harmony singing.
But most of all notice that typical South African swing, that jive, that incredible smooth form of African jazz on side B; Kwela!
The rarest and most treasured finds are collected here, some with the original spoken intro's, 'sketches' as these were called. Characteristic conversations between the musicians, often in a humoristic slang, always extremely funny.
Now available as the fourth issue in the series 'Township Jive & Kwela Jazz'.

A year after his debut outing on the label, Max Essa makes a welcome return to Hell Yeah with the Han zon Roc EP, which is another of his impossibly laidback offerings.Essa is of course the long time UK talent who has become a part of the Balearic mafia thanks to releases on labels like Aficionado, Music for Dreams, and his own Jansen Jardin. This is the second coming together of artist and label and is another timeless excursion far out to sea.
Opener 'Han zon Roc (Midori Coup)' is an epic 12 minute adventure that slowly awakens your spirit with new age guitar plucks and heavenly ambience before organic drums slowly being to drift into earshot. They grow ever larger as synths start to spray about the mix, hand drums pitter patter and big chords bring the soul-shine. It's like the soundtrack to an afternoon boat party all condensed into one brilliant cut. 'How You Showed Me Everything' then gets super chill with lazy drum tumbles, bendy guitar lines and scattered hits. Withering cosmic chords colour the airwaves and its a track that will slow your heartbeat to nothing. Last of all, 'Rain Bird's Alfalfa Jam' is a analogue drum work out with early 90s hip hop influences and diving basslines. It's light and airy, nimble and playful and of course filled with the sort of tropical rays that make all of Essa works so brilliantly escapist.

Kinobe scored one of the biggest chill-out club hits of the Noughties, the deathless 'Slip Into Something More Comfortable'. Known from dancefloors, club backrooms, bars, radio spins, Café del Mar compilations and TV spots the world over - most famously the 'femme fatale' Kronenbourg beer advert - 'Slip...' established the duo at the forefront of a scene that still includes Groove Armada, Air, Röyksopp and Zero 7. Now Kinobe are back in a big way. Founder member and songwriter Julius Waters is now joined by Chuck Norman, multi-instrumentalist, producer and programmer who has worked with the Pet Shop Boys, Peter Gabriel and Robbie Williams. Norman has beefed up the classic Kinobe sound, while adding a pop sensibility to a raft of sparkling new material destined to soundtrack 2018 and beyond. On August 31st 2018 comes Golden Age, the first Kinobe album in 9 years. Lead single 'Little Words' might just be one of the tunes of year, a Donny Hathaway-esque, soulful slice of too-slow-to-disco that nods towards 60s hipster groovy. At once instantly familiar and brand new, a heartfelt three-and-a-half-minute pop-dance floorfiller - with a hook once heard, never forgotten. Elsewhere the Stephen Hague mixed 'End Of The Road' is a huge gospel-tinged ballad destined to own daytime radio, 'Skyhigh' is a gorgeously haunting sundowner, 'Heartstring' is all cosmic soundtrack strings while 'Sunray' is Kinobe at their very best, with its irresistible hooks, washes of melody and downtempo beats. Golden Age is shaping up to be the chilled album of the year, a thirteen-track soundscape of sparkling songs and idiosyncratic instrumentals that is vintage Kinobe. With live shows and festival appearances planned through the rest of the year, the return of Kinobe is only just beginning. Welcome to the Golden Age.

Dark Entries reissue the 2nd full length from Carolyn Fok / CYRNAI, an Asian-American female solo artist from the Bay Area. Carolyn's adventures in sound began with recording stories on a tape recorder at age 9 in 1976. A short time later, exploring the scattering of musical instruments and effects units her father left lying around the family home. She became especially fascinated by his TEAC reel-to-reel recorder that set off a lifelong fascination with sound design. By the age of 16 Carolyn had become inspired by industrial electronic act Cabaret Voltaire, as well as anarcho-punks Crass. Creating the stage name CYRNAI, a rearranging alphabet of Carolyn Fok, she played in several Bay Area bands including Treason, A State Of Mind, Trial and Rhythm & Noise between 1983 and 1991.

In 1986 Carolyn moved into her family's building in downtown San Francisco providing a space to develop her own art and music for the next two decades. She was the only tenant of the five story building. The top floor had 36 abandoned rooms with building materials and holes between floors, staircases that created natural reverb. It was during this isolated time that Carolyn would start working on her second release, 'Parts of The Insomnic Wheel,' 60-minutes of ten untitled pieces that ran into each other. This was also the first release on cassette due time constraints of the LP. She spent many nights at the 24-hour diner across the street chatting metaphysics, parallel universes, the 5th dimension and astro-projections. Carolyn would sleep next to paper/pencil and report dream states, experimenting with mental techniques, investigating how far her mind could go. It was a journey to unravel the 'dark night of the soul'. Utilizing her industrial surroundings, Carolyn would bang on sheet metal and record percussion on found materials. Originally released by Ladd-Frith in 1986, this reissue adds 4 unreleased bonus tracks recorded during the same period. Each copy includes a 16-page zine with lyrics, photos and notes by Carolyn. All songs have been remastered by George Horn at Fantasy Studios.

Cryovac Recordings is proud to release its' 20th edition on random colored vinyl. Cryovac is a gathering of minds that work together to create a physical record of their sound in this time. We go our own way in production and arrangement for our personal vision to endure. Our goal is to add a new layer to the Detroit soundscape.

D.J. Roach is a techno activist with a rhythm agenda of percussive techno. His banging and clanging romps rock through breakdowns and back again. Conga and claps work together to form a shaky funk. what is needed for a healthy dancefloor.

A.Garcia's subtle drone rides waves of synth in an offering of minimal ease. His moody atmosphere turns tone in soulful harmony; while simple drumming builds to a nonchalant bop. The rise and fall of the elements allow you to examine the track on all sides. Garcia smoothes out an early morning gem that is taylormade for a smoke.

First Time Out is a cosmic soul transmission from Nigeria's own Diana Ross, Theadora Ifudu. The arty co-host of hit TV program, 'The Bar Beach Show' hooked up with the guys from Monomono to created an album that is sultry, sexy and effortlessly cool. It's a smoky, New York Soul Club on wax. A graduate of the New York film school, Ifudu considered herself an artiste, and the opening track, 'Hello There!' Is arresting in its cinematic scope and intriguing strangeness. After briefly channelling Miriam Makes in 'Gbata Ngwa', she moves into full diva mode. '(When Will It Be) Right Time' features vocal runs that Mariah Carey would be proud of and 'That Man' has a smoky, jazz club vibe. It's easy to imagine Theadora, under a single spotlight, dazzling in a sparkling figure-hugging crowd, holding a hard-to-please New York audience in her thrall. At times funky, laidback and smooth, the greatest compliment that can be paid to First Time Out is that it sounds international. The musicianship is first class, the vocals faultless and the mood super smooth. Theadora Ifudu, the self-proclaimed 'moon watcher, ragdoll and artiste', created an Afro soul masterpiece for the ages. - Peter Moore,

* 7" vinyl
* 300 copies
* Featuring Planet Asia (Cali Agents)

2 songs on a limited edition 45 - 300 copies, all straight SP1200. Both songs featuring Planet Asia with one of the tracks featuring one of PA's friends Waz on the hook.

Fredfades & Sun Raw are keeping alive the gritty, analogue sound with 12-bit drums and loops but with their own unique style. Fred has been working with KingUnderground for the last 3 years and has a flock of releases. Sun Raw from Stockholm, Sweden is new to the crew but about to drop his debut "Beat Weeks". The duo are both part of Mutual Intentions crew and find inspiration from old music, from Jazz, funk, soul, rock and anything they find in the crates.

Planet Asia has been affiliated with KU from early on with a release and some features. Some MC's have been left behind, Asia isn't one of those. He's been kicking out better and better verses since he first showed up on the scene in the early 90's and it doesn't look like he's stopping anytime soon.

The world has barely recovered from the previous sting of the Scorpio Man, when he lands in another dose. "Cold Turkey Time" from Ernie Hawks' debut album gets a single treatment here arriving back to back with the 45 only track "Tracking Down". The latter should make the b-boys move even if heard in the relaxing steams of a Turkish bath, where its breezy melodies eventually point at.

"Cold Turkey Time" is a serious slab of jazzy funk that shares many of the exotica qualities of its partnering side. It might sound nice, while driving a fine European sports mobile down on a spiraling mountain road, preferably in a 60's dandy state of mind. The eerie wordless vocals at the end tie the package together so nicely that Dario Argento could have made a scene out of it.

The continental vibes emanating from this vinyl single are bound to appeal to rare groove fanatics and secret agents alike. Ernie Hawks and his merry bunch of professionals are on a mean streak here, so keep listening.

Warm return once again... One of the most consistent and influential agencies to have operated in the 2000s, the collective continue to develop their original agency, events and record label, and things are heating up very nicely. Following soul-arresting releases from Elliot Lion and Face + Heel comes this four-track odyssey from Belfast's Lunar Orbit Rendezvous AKA LOR. Ready for take-off

Our mission is set with 'Mystery To The Viewer', but what is the main mystery Is it the gravity-defying thrust of our engines or the identity of the anonymous (yet well spoken) narrator Listen closely for clues amid the heavy pulsating chords as we break away from the earth orbit and plunge deeper into the stars.

'In This Detail' sees us hurtling further and further into the dark unknown. There's a deep chilling aesthetic at play here as LOR makes his 808s weep with the loneliness only a long-stay astronaut can sympathise with. In perfect contrast, the isolation is balanced by the direct and vital 'Oriole'. One of LOR's earliest projects, updated with all the skills and techniques he's learnt on labels such as Exit Strategy and Cin Cin, it's a vital composition that rises and rises as we engage hyperspeed through the cosmos. 

Finally we land back on our home planet to the marching momentum of 'White Light'. Almost stately in its pace and rhythmic stride, things suddenly take a turn for the intense as a warping bass siren triggers a much darker direction and a series of spasmodic kicks and heavily shelved filters. Welcome home...

Twenty-eight Years Ago, Pissed-off Twelve-year-olds Around The Universe Discovered A New Planet, A Black Planet. Public Enemy's Aggressive, Benihana Beats And Incendiary Lyrics Instilled Fear Among Parents And Teachers Everywhere, Even In The Border Town Of Laredo, Texas, Home Of The Future Founders Of The Latin-funk-soul-breaks Super Group, Brownout. The Band's Sixth Full-length Album (out May 25th) Fear Of A Brown Planet Is A Musical Manifesto Inspired By Public Enemy's Music And Revolutionary Spirit.

Chuck D., The Bomb Squad, Flava Flav And The Rest Of The P.e. Posse Couldn't Possibly Have Expected That Their Golden-era Hip Hop Albums Would Sow The Seeds For Countless Public Enemy Sleeper Cells, One That Would Emerge Nearly Three Decades Later In Austin, Texas. Greg Gonzalez (bass) Remembers A Kid Back In Junior High Hipped Him To The Fact That Public Enemy's bring The Noise' Is Built On James Brown Samples, While A Teenaged Beto Martinez (guitar) Alternated Between Metal And Hip-hop In His Walk-man, And Adrian Quesada (guitar/keys) Remembers Falling In Love With Public Enemy's Sound At An Early Age. when I Got Into Hip Hop, I Was Looking For This Aggressive Outlet . . . And I Didn't Even Understand What They Were Pissed Off About, Because I Was Twelve And Lived In Laredo . . . But I Loved It And I Felt Angry Along With Them.'

Joseph Abajian (fat Beats' Owner) Must Have Sensed The Deep Hip-hop Well Lying Beneath The Versatile Band's Latin-funk Veneer. i Thought Their Sound Would Work Covering Public Enemy Songs,' Abajian Says, And, it Was Good To Know They Were P.e. Fans . . . We Came Up With A Track Listing And They Went To Work.' Despite The Band's Eagerness To Work On New Original Material (an Album Of Original Songs Is Slated For Next Year), They Couldn't Pass Up The Opportunity To Pay Homage To This Iconic And Influential Posse.

Translating Sample-based Music To A Live Band Turned Out To Be More Of A Challenge Than They Anticipated. Adrian Tried To Get Inside The Bomb Squad's (public Enemy's Producers/beat-making Team) Head In Order To Find The Inspiration To Reinterpret P.e.'s Songs: imagine The Bomb Squad Going Back In Time And Getting The J.b.s (james Brown's Funky Backing Band) In The Studio And Setting Up A Couple Analog Synths And Then Playing Those Songs.' While Some Songs Closely Follow The Original Musical Blueprint, Others Use The Source Breakbeats As Jumping-off Points Later Sweetened By Trombonist Mark speedy' Gonzales' Horn Arrangements, Synth Wizardry Courtesy Of Friend-of-the-band Peter Stopschinski, And Dj Trackstar's Turntable Scratches. But Don't Listen Expecting To Hear Paint-by-numbers Recreations Of Classic Public Enemy Jams. our Approach Is Never In The Tribute Sense,' Adrian Explains. we've Always Taken It And Made It Our Own, Whether It's The Brown Sabbath Thing Or This Public Enemy Thing.' Coming Off Numerous Tours As Brown Sabbath And Even A Stint Backing The Late Legend Prince, Brownout Is Arguably The Tightest And Funkiest Band On The Road Today And They're Psyched To Bring This Revolutionary Music To The People. For A Band Without An Overt Political Agenda, They Collectively Couldn't Resist The Opportunity To Play This Music Live, Especially Now. if There's Any Way That We Can Use The Already Political And Protest Nature (of P.e.'s Music), We Would Like To Try,' Beto Says. the Album's Title, Fear Of Brown Planet Is Definitely A Relevant Idea Today And We're Not Afraid To Put It Out There, Because We Want To Speak Out.' By Reinterpreting These Hip Hop Classics In Their Unique Style And Channeling The Spirit Of Public Enemy That First Echoed Around The World And Captured Their Imaginations All Those Years Ago, Brownout Is Doing Exactly That.

After putting out Kito Jempere's well received Sea Monsters album last year, Hell Yeah now serve up another selection of remixes of it. Accomplished musician Jimi Tenor, plus Miskotom and Max Essa all contribute before a 7", also taken from the album, lands later in summer. First up is Jimi Tenor, the legndary Finnish musician who has released on Warp, collaborated with Tony Allen and has his own band as well as occasionally playing sax with Kito Jempere Band at live gigs. He flips Puzzled into five minutes of stripped back and moody electronics with plenty of his own flute playing in the track. Busted drum sounds, spooky sci-fi synths and scattered hits make it woozy and late night and utterly absorbing. Miskotom—a newly emerging pair made up of Mik and his wife Andra, both based in Vilnius, Lithuania with credits on Pleasure Unit and Balearic —then reimagine 'Ampa' as a beatdown but of deep house with trudging drums staying low and shimmering synths drift out in all directions. Crunchy hits bring a subtle sense of funk and reverb drenched vocals bring a heavenly feel to the soul drenched grooves and summery keys.
Then comes Max Essa, the Japan based Brit who is a regular on this label as well as the likes of Is It Balearic. His first remix is a huge one that is sure to soundtrack many a boat party this summer. It's a gorgeous rework of 'Ampa' that puts achingly blissful vocals front and centre as low slung bass and slowly turning drums sink you into a pan-pipe laced reverie. Secondly, Essa offers a Dub Reprise that removes the vocals and places all the focus on his churning drums and new age grooves.
This is another perfect package of masterfully electronic horizontal sounds.

His latest release I KNOW from Elypsia Records is a quintet of Detroit inspired remixes of the song 'I Know'. Inspired by Kevin Saunderson, his original TECHNO MIX (7:06) is a hardcore and high energy track with intensity to match the wildest of crowds. The EP also contains 3 remixes of the track, each exposing and accentuating the brilliant aspects of his complex tune. It begins with the LUCIEN FOORT REMIX (6:41), a lively big room hit with a punch fit for an epic Saturday night. UK MIX (6:46) follows with subtle electric melo-dies and rhythmic drum and bass patterns that give listeners the feel of wonder and excitement under a clear starry sky. With a clean and gravitating groove BIT FLOAT REMIX (7:42) would fit perfectly in any Ibiza party with flair and style. This release is a masterpiece of its own and nothing less than the product of a man who was born with beats and melodies ingrained in his soul. For Orlando Voorn, making music is more than a way of life, it's a necessity. From the early age of 9 his natural intuitions became apparent when his drum teacher told his parents he could play everything that was shown to him, even though he had no ability to read a score. He began to DJ at the age of 12, and 3 years later won the World Mixing Championships of 1983 at just 15 years old. Steve Clisby, from the popular American band 'American Gypsies', recognized Voorn's ability and taught him chord structures, which gave him the tools to begin composing tracks using keys and bass. His artistry then took off, making a name for him-self with his vibrant dance tracks under the alias 'Frequency". Today, he's known as one of the Netherland's most inventive and ingenious producers in the world of electronic dance music. Having produced a wide variety of music under a number of monikers including 'Fix', 'Format', 'Urban Nature' and 'X-it', his diverse ability stems

The new release features 6 tracks and follows Julien's critically acclaimed debut album, Fallen. Released in 2016, the autobiographical LP was a bold new direction for Julien, and the first release under his birth name. Over the years, the Apron Records boss' bold, experimental electronics, jagged club cuts and outside-the-box collaborations have seen him carve out a lane all of his own making. His debut LP was divided into two musically contrasting sides, and told the tale of a fallen angel though jazz-fusion, chiming soundscapes and dark acid-tinged techno.

Since his album release, Julien has continued his creative streak by playing across the globe, from Tokyo, Seoul and Shanghai to Montreal and Melbourne, and further developing his label, which released a string of underground 12's in 2017 from the likes of Max Graef, Hanna, Molinaro and more.

On 'Bloodline', Steven continues the soundtrack style mood of 'Fallen' - channeling ominous analog techno, drifting synth-house masterpieces, warm soul and hints of new age. Both the title and artwork is a nod to the influence of Julien's family on his rich musical world and distinct nonconformist style, explaining how: 'the influence my family has given me growing up and my ancestors from Africa to native Indians from the Caribbean, has all played a big part in the music I create.'

Recorded in Apron Studios based in East London, each track on 'Bloodline' also features a tr808 or a piece of a 808, as a dedication to the iconic Japanese engineer Ikutaro Kakehashi, who passed away April 2017. The much-loved Roland founder and TR-808 creator revolutionised electronic music in the 1980s and 90s.

Do you like Love songs After spending a lifetime spent avoiding this subject in song, Joel Sarakula finally admits that he does. On his new album "Love Club" Sarakula relives the golden age of Soulful and Romantic Pop music and connects it with a modern aesthetic. While a deeper message of love and peace flows through the record, Joel Sarakula is no old fashioned hippie: ",Love Club' is about connecting to reality and re-framing the idea of romantic love and loss in the present, loveless age ". Featuring eleven songs touching all genres from disco to blues, from soul to soft-rock, Joel Sarakula's "Love Club" is a profound pop statement.

Joel Sarakula has travelled the world in search of his muse, experiencing everything from being a victim of Caribbean carjackings to performing in the remote fishing villages of Norway, via the dive bars of Europe and the US. It was the hodge-podge musical tapestry of England's capital that finally drew him to a settling point, in the wake of seemingly never ending run of shows. With personal tastes that span from the more avant-garde to soul and pop greats like Sly Stone, Todd Rundgren and Hall & Oates, there are clear nods to contemporaries like Unkown Mortal Orchestra, Erlend Oye and Toro Y Moi in terms of ambition and style.

With his last two albums "The Golden Age" and "The Imposter" collecting strong radio plays at BBC Radio 2, BBC 6, BBC London, XFM Joel Sarakula has been play-listed nationally in Europe including Flux FM, WDR 5, Radioeins, Bayern 2, Deutschlandfunk and Deutschland Kultur Radio in Germany as well as in Benelux and Italy and Spain. He is a regular fixture on the live festival and club circuit in the UK, Europe and internationally including appearances at SXSW, Primavera Sound, Glastonbury, The Great Escape, Liverpool Sound City, Scala London, Tallinn Music Week, V-ROX (Vladivostok) and Reeperbahnfestival Hamburg.

"Love Club" is Sarakula's bold and unashamedly emotional next step. In essence the album is a homage to the soulful singer & songwriter artistry of the Seventies filtered through a darker contemporary lens - fitting for these uncertain times. "I always shied away from generic love songs," the Sydney, Australia born songwriter admits, "but on this record I embraced the subject wholeheartedly... and intellectually, looking at themes of love, lust, loneliness and everything in-between." Take the first single "In Trouble", co-written with Michele Stodart of The Magic Numbers, as the best example for Joel Sarakula's unique, and honest approach to making music. "We Used To Connect" questions the changing nature of relationships in our social-media addicted world: 'We used to connect in the real world too, now the touch of your hand is a digital cue'.

"Coldharbour Man", on the other hand, examines the identity of the song's narrator and the artist vs. fan dynamic all wrapped up in a disco love song: "There's a lot going on in this particular track. I feel my writing has grown emotionally...", explains Joel Sarakula. "Just best to listen yourself and make up your own interpretation!: 'We met in a song come to life like some fantasy cliché, though I'm known for my moves in the dark you flooded sunshine on my day'. Then there's "Baltic Jam", capturing romantic love and loss in authentic 70s confessional singer & songwriter style and of course "Dead Heat", a song about how there is struggle in the most perfect relationship pairings as the match is so even: "I recall an ex-girlfriend of mine... when we first met, we thought we hated each other but we eventually flipped that emotion and realised we had a deep passion and love for each other, there just was a lot of underlying sexual tension!" : 'It's a battle we could only win, if we lose. We'd be stronger if these lonely ones became two'.

More than a year in the making, Joel Sarakula recorded "Love Club" in various studios around London and Berlin capturing soulful performances from his many musical comrades on vintage analogue equipment. "This record has truly been a labour of love. Recording and privately sharing these performances amongst my collaborators started to feel like a bit like a club - I guess that lead to the album title! I was surprised how much I actually enjoyed the 'love-making process' and I look so much forward to playing these new songs on stage with my band." We can't wait, Joel Sarakula.

Sound Warrior Records founded by Jenifa Mayanja & Dakini 9 aims to balance the playing field for female producers and exclusively release their music. SW006 "Warrior Formulation" is rooted in soul-stirring house with its heart arching towards the future. Lady Fingers returns with an engrossing slice of dub house. The North Carolina artist/DJ was recently a featured DJ at Moog Fest. Jenifa Mayanja Bumako records, shows up with a broken ambient house break. On the flip side Sound warrior teams with well known Berlin underground heroines "Mint Berlin" the female only booking agency. Representing Mint Berlin is co-founder Ena Lind who has been pushing boundaries in the electronic music scene in Berlin for over a decade. Lady Blacktronika comes with a soul house soaker. She has made quite a splash with her labels Sound Black and Sound Keymstry in the process earning the title "first lady of beatdown".

Detroit native Mark Flash aims to create music that moves - and it does. From New York to Hong Kong, his electropic funk' (yes, electropic') is the lifeblood of the party, with rich and full sounds that seep straight to the partygoers' soul. As one of the few DJ's who masters keyboard and percussion, his excellent musicianship and keen intuition is a sight to see live and an experience to be felt. As a well-respected name in the Detroit techno world and an influential part of Underground Resistance, he is deeply rooted to the city where it all began. From a young age he began spinning at small parties, slowly moving up the ladder through persistence and dedication to his craft. After paying countless dues to get to where he is today, Mark Flash humbly holds true to the music he creates, continuously harnessing the fire and passion that has always driven him. The EP begins with CORKTOWN GROOVE (5:44), a smooth and lively vibe to accompany you on a drive under city lights on a Friday night. Bumping up the energy, ELMWOOD PARK (7:34) hits the crowd with colorful synths and fresh moves. As the definition of high energy, KAIRAD's (7:10) powerful base and dynamic sound is the apex of the night. To finish off the EP, the classic feel of DEQUINDRE CUT (6:25) will leave you feeling good till the next day. This EP is another fresh cut from the man who stands behind his music, handing you an experience once you hit play.

Logistics, one of Hospital Records' most prolific artists, is back with his seventh studio album 'Hologram'. Inspired by his travels to Hong-Kong and New Zealand, this universally admired drum & bass figure presents a vibrant 16-track collection soaked in his signature groove, soul and liquid-funk stylings.

Opening track 'Lotus Flower' sets a warm springtime tone with fluttering harp-like arpeggios and atmospheric pads. 'Broken Light' follows on from the success that singer/songwriter Thomas Oliver brought on Logistics' collaborative LP with brother Nu:Tone. A sombre tone matched with melancholic lyrics bring a blissful beat to the album.

Keeping true to the craft, 'Chant' flips to Logistics' jungle style with molten-hot flair. A powerful punch of expertly sliced breaks and vocal stabs are the ingredients for this dancefloor weapon.

It's safe to say that this has been worth the wait. Although titled from the ever-growing illusion of the digital-age, 'Hologram' is an example of Logistics' very real talent and is a welcomed addition to his impressive repertoire of drum & bass classics. Quantity, quality and a fierce musical character is everything we have come to expect from this Hospital staple.

Our latest examination of Esoteric, Modal & Progressive Jazz of the 20th Century has taken us to Japan. The liberating force of jazz has been created and felt all around the world, but few nations on earth embraced the jazz message with the passion and intensity of Japan. From the dawn of the jazz age to the present day, Japanese audiences have been renowned tastemakers, enthusiasts and champions of the music - in the 1980s, Japan was the biggest per capita market in the world for jazz records, and it has even been said that Japanese jazz fans kept the jazz record industry alive through the lean years of the 1970s, when the music fell from commercial favour in the land of its birth.

But while the jazz aficionados of Japan are celebrated as sophisticated fans and consumers of the music, comparatively little is known outside Japan of the remarkable and abundant music produced by generations of Japanese jazz musicians. Numerous Japanese jazzers have found enormous success on the international stage - Toshiko Akiyoshi, Sadao Watanabe, Teramasu Hino, and many others are household names among jazz listeners all over the world, and with good reason. But if such global figures are put aside, the stunning heritage of Japanese jazz remains poorly understood outside Japan. As a result, the work of many celebrated Japanese jazumen has remained largely unknown to international audiences, and the extraordinary scope and depth of Japanese jazz has not been widely recognised.

Compiled for the Spiritual Jazz series in collaboration with the celebrated collector and DJ Yusuke Ogawa (Deep Jazz Reality, Tokyo), this 2CD/twin set of double LPs aims to correct that omission by uncovering the uniquely deep sound of esoteric, modal and progressive jazz from Japan - music of the heart, soul and Japanese spirit!

Each 2LP set comes complete with OBI strip and thick, textured sleeve. Our extensive liner notes extend onto printed inners, and are in both Japanese and English.

James Ramey, better known by his self-depreciating stage name Baby Huey, was a potently flamboyant presence in Chicago's soul scene during the 1960s. Though he suffered weight problems throughout his life due to a glandular disorder, he was easily recognizable for his appearance, which featured an enormous afro, and long, flowing African robes. He and his band The Babysitters were a wildly popular and successful local act across Illinois, cutting numerous 45 singles, without releasing a single full-length album. A chance audition with Donny Hathaway and Curtis Mayfield of Curtom Records would change everything for the band. Though the two of them were pleased with the group, they opted only to sign Baby Huey without the Babysitters. Huey would go on to spend much of

1970 recording a studio debut of psychedelic soul and funk music, comprised largely of covers of tracks by Mayfield, Sam Cooke, and others, plus two original compositions. During this time the now 400-pound singer struggled with addiction to alcohol and heroin. Huey would not see the release of his debut album, dying at the age of 26 from a drug-related heart attack. So many years after its 1971 release, Baby Huey's studio album Baby Huey: The Living Legend went on to become a cult phenomenon, a massive influence to hip-hop artists and fans, and is now considered a classic of its era. Tracks from the album have been a treasure trove of sample material for artists like A Tribe Called Quest, Wu-Tang Clan, DJ Shadow, and The Chemical Brothers to name just a few. Additionally Huey's own vocal style, which dabbled in sing-song melodies and self-referential rhyming, has been said to have influenced the development of rapping itself.

Fina Records strides into 2018 with another fresh new house EP, this time from PASO aka Pascal Pamme. Over the last few years this French artist has released on the likes of D.KO Records, Increase, and The Groove, and always showcases his knack for loose limbed, organic house grooves laden with jazzy keys and soul-infused synths. The four cuts he offers up here once again prove he is a producer with a truly authentic and musical style.

The warm and golden 'Idocracy' kicks things off with gently shuffling kicks, noodling chords and twinkling keys that together make for a perfectly cozy and intimate house track. 'Fuzy' is another perfectly louche and disheveled number with woody kicks stuttering beneath effusive Rhodes keys. Vinyl crackle and tinkling percussive sounds add to the immediately aged and lived in style of the track and mean it is one that will get smaller rooms well and truly involved.

On the flip, 'Limited Perception' ups the ante, with quicker drums decorated with more languid chords, plenty of smartly sampled sounds and a breezy sense of groove that is heartfelt and effortlessly feel good. Last of all, 'No Matter Where You're From' has great female vocals stitched into long-tailed pads as lazy, swaggering drums lay down a perfectly imperfect groove. It rounds out an EP of masterfully atmospheric house for those who like their beats with real feeling.

Ilija Rudman presents Andre Espeut 'Tears To Sound'
featuring Ron Trent Mix
Over the last decade and a half, Ilija Rudman has been responsible for many high quality releases, delivering distinctly warm, sun-kissed, analogue-rich material on labels including Bearfunk, Instruments Of Rapture, Compost , 20/20 Vision, Electric Minds, Is It Balearic Recordings, Rong Music , Classic Music Company and of course, his own Red Music imprint.
Even so, the Croatian has rarely made anything quite as deep and sensual as the material showcased on this first full EP for NuNorthern Soul. Top billing must go to the "Aquapella" version of "Tears To Sound", a spellbinding acapella cut that puts the enchanting vocals of storied soul man Andre Espeut front and centre.When Rudman sent the track to old friend Phil Cooper, the NuNorthern Soul boss thought it sounded like something he'd hear from US deep house legend Ron Trent. So, he approached the Prescription co-founder to see if he fancied remixing it. As you might expect, the results are astonishingly good.
Rich in rising and falling new age melodies, darting synthesizer motifs, languid piano flourishes and heavy analogue bass, Trent's wonderfully ultra-deep interpretation naturally gives pride of place to Espeut's seductive vocal. Even by the Chicagoan's infamously high standards, his epic Vocal Mix is incredibly special.
All versions of the single also feature two other original Rudman productions, both of which are wonderfully deep and dreamy. "Distant Feelings" is fluid, deep and yearning, with twinkling electric piano motifs and dreamy chords reclining over sizzling drum machine cymbals, no-nonsense beats and a gently pulsing analogue bassline. Those who enjoy the Balearic side of Rudman's work should also check out "Deep Sensation", a jazzy and breezy fusion of tumbling, vibraphone style melodies, rolling electric piano riffs and rubbery boogie bass. Both tracks are every bit as magical in their own way as the producer's thrilling Andre Espeut collaboration.

* Back with the heat, Chicago native DJ Jana Rush kicks off Objects Limited's 2017 with her debut album 'Pariah'. Jana Rush received attention for her mind-bending drum acrobatics on last year's 'MPC 7635' EP also released by Objects Ltd. Jana started djing aged just 13, releasing her first record on Dance Mania back in 1996 but having a hiatus from music between 2000 to 2013. With 'Pariah' she has created an album rooted in Chicago's footwork sound, but with a myriad of influences, such as jungle, acid, soul, jazz and house, developing her sound on from 'MPC 7635'. By popular demand from a kickstarter, now on vinyl!


* We kick off with 'Midline Shift' whose breathy, clipped erotic vocals intertwine with a pulsing bass and dry 808 rims creating a shimmering robotic effect. Moving on, the frantic 'Beat Maze' confuses the mind with white noise rushes and interlocking snares. Changing the scene, 'Divine' is sweetly soporific and charming, a beautiful, almost eerie track. The pace picks right back up with ' ', whose warbling jazz clarinets cut into a juke bounce. The stripped back beats of 'Break It' give one room to breathe before the croaking bass and distorted acid of 'No Fuks Given'. 'Old Skool' is exactly what you'd expect, its sample syncopated around a feverish rhythm throughout. Both 'Rapid Fire' and 'Acid Tech 2' are bangers, hitting you deep in that sweet spot. Jana brings it back down with 'CPU''s computer noises and sub bass hits. 'Chill Mode' gives time for reflection after all that fire, but its no ambient track, theres still that Chi-Town vibe. We finish with 'Frenetic Snare' whose Amen breaks will have Brits thinking of jungle, but it's a different beast altogether.

Pittsburgh-born Phillip Ballou's earliest years were spent in the gospel field, after he moved to New York City in the '70s, he teamed up with Bennie Diggs and Arthur Freeman, founding members of The New York Community Choir and singer Arnold McCuller to form the group Revelation. The quartet recorded for RSO Records, scoring some R&B success in the US with tracks like Get Ready For This' and You To Me Are Everything,' touring the Bee Gees among others. Phillip also sang on albums by NYCC recorded for RCA Records and continued with Revelation until 1982.Frequently hired for sessions in and around New York, Phillip teamed up with UK soul music journalist David Nathan (who he'd met in 1974 during Nathan's first US visit) and John Simmons, formerly a member of The Reflections, another New York vocal group to write a series of songs for his own proposed solo record deal. Although a contract did not materialize, one of the songs - Ain't Nothing Like The Love' - got some interest from famed Philadelphia producer Thom Bell who presented it to The O'Jays. Ultimately, the tune was turned down by Kenny Gamble and John Simmons, by then musical director for Stephanie Mills, recorded his own version for a small independent label in 1981.Phillip continued his own musical journey, touring and recording with James Taylor and Todd Rundgren. In addition, Phillip's name graced recordings by George Benson, Billy Ocean, Kashif, Nona Hendryx, Jonathan Butler, Teddy Pendergrass and Melba Moore, in 1981, he began recording with Luther Vandross and became a part of Luther's touring band for many years, as well as singing on productions by Luther on Aretha Franklin, Dionne Warwick and others, continuing his association with him until Luther's 2003 stroke. Phillip returned to his gospel roots in 2004 as Minister of Music at a Brooklyn church and passed away in March 2005, aged 55. Thanks to renewed interest in the John Simmons' 1981 recording on YouTube, David Nathan has uncovered several tracks from the 1978 and 1979 he did with Phillip and John including Phillip Ballou's original version of Ain't Nothing Like The Love,' gaining its first ever worldwide release as a 7' single on Nefer Records in association with Super Disco Edits

Expansion's most successful and longest running compilation series returns with a 2017 edition. The concept remains the same, fifteen must-have modern soul room gems taken from the year's biggest dance floor spins on the soul scene. While tracks here have topped UK soul charts, many have not been available in all formats. Once again, attention is paid to the 'flow' of the 15 gems chosen here from shuffling beats to boogie to more soulful house as played at modern soul events. Participants this year include Omar with Los Charly's Orchestra, Tawatha Agree (voice of Mtume's Juicy Fruit') with Aeroplane, Kenny Thomas with Thames River Soul produced by and featuring Incognito, and both Wez and The Groove Association formerly members of Brit Funk group Second Image. Leela James is here after her stint in a US realty TV show R&B Divas: Los Angeles', other guests including Amp Fiddler, Faith Evans, Trina Broussard and Lifford.

Greenlight by DJ Manny is the fifth release from TEKLIFE Records. This 10 trackLP is a masterclass in footwork production by one of TEKLIFE's leading figures. Born and raised in Harvey on the South-Side of Chicago, DJ Manny has been footworking since the age of ten. The Footwork sound has developed in unison with the dance style that accompanies it, and Manny embodies this synergy.DJ Manny is without doubt one of the best dancers on the scene, harnessing control, grace and power in every movement. So when he steps into the studio, he knows instinctively how to create tracks that make you want to move your feet.Instead of relying on chopped up samples, DJ Manny is more inclined to pickup the microphone himself, and this gives Greenlight an original and individual personality.On the opening track titled Way you Move, his flow is soulful and almost vergingon melodic. His laid back drawl sounds equally great on club bangers like Life in This Bitch and If U Want It. As a young man, DJ Manny was the protégé of the late great DJ Rashad, and Rashad's influence reverberates through classic - sounding footwork tracks like Boop Me Down and I'll Hurt Ya Baby.Elsewhere on Greenlight, DJ Manny explores different moods to great effect.Ghost Out is atmospheric and menacing, with a sparse, minimal rhythm and fearsome lowend pulsing through siren synths. Life In This Bitch is a defiant statement of self-affirmation, and Zancrash feat. DJ Taye is uplifting and dreamy,with complex rhythmic patterns evocative of vintage jungle records.DJ Taye makes a significant contribution to this record, collaborating with DJ Manny on 5 productions including the title track. A fellow TEKLIFE squad member, Taye is a highly accomplished producer in his own right, Expect to hear more from him very soon on HYPERDUB Records. Greenlight also features guest appearances from DJ Lucky, Gant-Man and Sucia.

If you were in the global house music scene around the turn of the century, you'll be very pleased to hear the news !

Dubtribe Sound System brought a wealth of inspiration and joy to the world's house music community with its deep, rich, thoughtful, musical and lyrical message at the height of their existence.
Sunshine and Moonbeam Jones, the prime instruments behind Dubtribe, dazzled audiences with their performances and further with their releases on home label Imperial Dub.

During an apparent long hiatus, Sunshine Jones has actually been as busy as ever, doing his own thing, as always, and touring city by city around the world to deliver his message, sound and soul in person to his legion of followers.

On the heels of the tours and shows, Mr. Jones is ready to release the incarnation of sounds that he's so eager to share.
The good time vibes are all there with a current poignant meaning for all to ingest. As they say, "the more things change, the more they stay the same."
Although in the data age, this release is deeper and more meaningful than the old adage ever could imply.

Pacific Beach Vinyl is pleased to announce, Sunshine Jones - Fall In Love, Not In Line in three equally glorious renditions.

The Allergies' debut album introduced the world to the way they effortlessly fuse funk, soul, disco, hip-hop and breaks into dancefloor-ready nuggets of ear candy. Taking classic sounds and reshaping for the modern age is the signature that won them plaudits across the globe.

Not ones to rest on their laurels, it hasn't taken long for them to deliver more of the goods on their second full-length album, 'Push On'. As well as taking the successful formula of the first record and expanding on the sound with raw Funk, Psych, Northern Soul, and Boogie influences, The Allergies enlisted two giants of underground Hip-Hop to bless mics on the album as well.

After a hugely successful collaboration on their debut LP, once again the dynamic lyricism and production skills of the inimitable Andy Cooper (Ugly Duckling) are present and correct in this new collection. Besides bringing the party on tracks like 'Main Event', he also settles scores with 'It Won't Be Me', before destroying all-comers on the battle Rap behemoth, 'Buzzsaw'. Also joining in on the action is UK MC veteran, Dr Syntax (The Mouse Outfit, Foreign Beggars) who prescribes some more healthy Hip-Hop advice on the track 'Remedy'.

Other highlights include the vintage Soul stomper, 'Entitled to That', Sixties uptempo groover, 'Hold You Close', and the fantastic little strutter, 'Get Down On You'. All in all it's a brand new set of future classics from your new favourite funky beatmakers, The Allergies.

This is a journey into sound. A series of journeys across the globe, in-fact. This time with Don Leisure from Darkhouse Family. Let us tell you a story. Firstly, we first need to answer a question. Who is Shaboo

It began in Africa. Nasser Barwani was the son of Shabudin. At the age of 15, Nasser (Don's Uncle) left Kenya and hitch-hiked his way to London. Nasser entered the movie business, occasionally finding himself in front of the camera, acting in Bollywood films. It was then that Nasser changed his surname to adopt a screen name - Shaboo.

According to Don, "Shaboo was the most colourful character in my family. I have fond memories of him playing tabla at family parties. When I was about 17, I was on a journey with my Uncle. Whilst Shaboo drove me around, he was playing the steering wheel as if it were a tabla. It was then I nervously asked "do you think, one day, I'd be able to make music too...". Shaboo was so furious he nearly crashed the car, slamming his hand hard against the wheel. He screamed "OF COURSE YOU WILL!! IT IS IN YOUR BLOOOOOD!!!"...

A week later, inspired by the creative energy of my Uncle, I acquired some music software, and began an all new journey. A journey through the beats..."

Long family car journeys were a constant in Don Leisure's life growing up. "We'd take frequent trips from Wales to London to visit family in the late 80s / early 90s. There I'd mainline into my cousin's record collections, and make full use of the signal radiance to the M4, searching the airwaves for pirate radio stations. However, I wasn't the only one to make use of this. Every trip, my parents would routinely tune their dial into Sunrise Radio - the only Asian radio station around back then.

The soundtrack of these road trips were somewhat unique. Whilst I tried to learn the lyrics to 90s hip hop songs taped off my cousins, my Mum would constantly interrupt, interspersing my boom bap with bonkers Indian radio ads. And here we have the premise of this album. An attempt to recreate this sonic mix, with sounds pulled in from dusty crates and breaks dug from all over the globe."

25 instrumental Hip Hop tracks, linked together in a truly unique style and fashion, this is much more than a beat tape. This is a journey into sound. For real.

Dedicated to Nasser 'Shaboo' Bharwani.

When Perlon started releasing their 'SuPERLONgevity' compilation series in 1999, it was not evident that the name, which had initially been chosen just for pun, would become a self-fulfilling prophecy. Now, Perlon is in its 20th year, indeed, and preparing the celebration of this anniversary, the label invites its listeners to enter the sixth round of illuminating expression, once more driven by playfulness and fluffy swingtime. This time, the journey extends to eight sides with no guidepost except maybe the order to set the controls for the heart of the potoo. 18 tracks unfold their magic formulas to release a cascade of funky blobs. The collection reflects the label's unique interpretation of sound and vision, of caring and sharing, of 'glitches and itches' - by forward and froward thinking artists who set landmarks and break standards for the sake of the sound of the extraordinary. Here's what you will find in this brand-new Perlon toy box that adds one more shade to the corporate colour scheme: House bubbles that sound like they come straight from a 'Bällchenparadies". A motor drive with a sexy beat. Tribal dances, warped ballads, romantic fantasies. Heavy bass fundaments with aerial notes that hover above like helium balloons. A meditation machine, chilly chimes and future clockworks. Speaking things with nonsense as a foreign language.

avorite Recordings proudly presents Natureza, first album of Joao Selva. The story of Natureza is made of the meeting between two passionate artists who are Jonathan "Matuto" Da Silva and Bruno "Patchworks" Hovart.Born and raised in Ipanema and son of a pastor, Jonathan Da Silva grew up in a community of ex-prisoners and converted artists. He made his first guitar notes before his 10th birthday, under the watchful eye of Wanda Sa (muse of the bossa nova), and influenced by a father who in addition to his work, was also a true music lover with a collection, where black music, rock and classical meet. From the age of 18, Jonathan began a life of entertainer, traveling the world to offer shows for disadvantaged children and intensively practicing the Brazilian traditional music arts (Capoeira Angola, Maracatu, Samba de Roda, Coco de Roda...). It was later in France and in Lyon that he put down his instruments. There he formed the trio Forro de Rebeca in 2008, touring the all country and winning many praise in media. The trio recently joined forces with American producer Maga Bo on the project Sociedade Recreativa, whose album was released in 2016 on The Jarring Effects label.Bruno Hovart is a recognized producer, multi-instrumentalist, and remixer. After passing through Angers, Birmingham and London, he's based in Lyon since 2001. Bassist and guitarist for various bands, he switched to production in the mid-90s. Passionate about music and tireless creator, Bruno has practiced in almost every imaginable style, when it comes to groove music, collecting many aliases and projects for more than 10 years: Patchworks, Voilaaa, Uptown Funk Empire, Mr President, Taggy Matcher, Mr. Day, Hawa, John Milk, Lightnin 3, The Dynamics or Metropolitan Jazz Affair ... Nothing resists and escapes his talent and production skills. Thus, when he discovered and met Jonathan and his music, Bruno saw an immediate opportunity to broaden the spectrum of his discography a little more, by looking at Brazil. Beyond its traditional heritage, Brazil has always been a land of extremely varied music, influenced by the international scene. Soul, Jazz and American Pop did inspire many local stars such as Chico Buarque, Carlos Jobim, Gilberto Gil, Tom Zé, or Erasmo Carlos. Both fervent lovers of this movement and these names, it's with the idea to pay them a faithful tribute, that Jonathan and Bruno began the Joao Selva adventure. Together they gave birth to Natureza and embark us for a trip into the heart of the Tropicalist Pop influences of Jorge Ben and Caetano Veloso, the intoxicating Funk of Tim Maia, and the social poetry of Vinicius de Moraes.

Until he was about 20, Texas-born Melvin Sparks was a rhythm & blues guitarist, backing Jackie Wilson, Curtis Mayfield and Marvin Gaye as a member of The Upsetters. But Sparks gave up his seat on The Upsetters' bus in New York City, where a chance introduction to George Benson led him to a place in soul jazz history. Melvin played and recorded with Lou Donaldson, Leon Spencer, Bernard Purdie, Jack McDuff, Jimmy McGriff, Idris Muhammad, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Charles Earland, Grover Washington Jr., Reuben Wilson and so many more. Even during the quietest years of soul-jazz Melvin stayed relevant through hip-hop and r&b, a quick search at WhoSampled turns up more than 150 samples of his funky chicken scratch. And Melvin's legacy is heard in contemporary soul/funk bands like The New Mastersounds, Soulive and The Greyboy Allstars, all of whom he also guested with several times before his early departure from this realm in 2011.

This release documents Melvin's final band just months before his death. Organist Beau Sasser and drummer Bill Carbone had been working with Sparks for several years, and, despite the power dynamic - they were in their early 30s, Melvin an elder-statesmen of the genre - the unit was sharp, relaxed and performed Melvin's music with a jovial spirit. The trio played the Burlington, VT club Nectar's regularly, but this night featured two "onlys." Per the recommendation of Nectar's agent they used the "Grippo Horns," the only time Sparks used a horn section in the last several years of his life, and they allowed a multitrack recording of the show. Both were strong decisions.

The tracks on this album, lovingly mixed by guitarist, producer and Melvin Sparks fan Eddie Roberts, demonstrate that Melvin played as well in the final months of his life as at any time. Sparks counts "Whip! Whop!" off at what he said The Upsetters called a "showtime tempo," and peppers it, as well as most of the album, with quotes from jazz standards, pop songs and cartoon themes, all woven effortlessly into the bebop-funk dialect he helped create. He unfolds amiable melodies, patiently and methodically, through his several-minute lead on "Breezin'." And Sparks is audibly uplifted by the Grippo Horns helping him perform his 1973 arrangement of "Ain't No Woman" for the first time in decades.

Hell Yeah is proud to present a new EP from an artist that has been on their radar for a while. That artist is Napoli's Quiroga aka Walter Del Vecchio, the Italian DJ and producer who also runs his own Really Swing label and has been given props by the in the know Test Pressing blog, as well as having all his tunes dropped by
Balearic Gabba Sound System at every opportunity.

One of the finest talents to come from Italy in recent times, Quiroga cooks up hypnotic and trance including sounds from a myriad of diverse influences from opiate jazz to shuffling funk beats, from shifty landscapes to library music.

First up is Viaggio a Tulum, a perfectly loose and jumbled mix of sunny vibes, feel good chords and clipped vocals full of soul. The sort of thing that has you day dreaming of lazy afternoons and drunken BBQs, it's perfect example of Quiroga's efforts style.
Non Dire Notte—featuring Acido and ReallySwing act 291Out members Luca "Presence" Carini on electric bass and Vincenzo "Warren" Ciorra on electric guitar—is even more lazy and elongated, horizontal and blissed out. Twanging guitars off set pixelated synths, squelchy chords and Afro signifiers bring the heat and overall you cannot fail to get lost in the groove.

Prati Bagnati is a serene ambient interlude that feels like laying on your back and looking into a deep blue sky and second ambient cut Bava is more textured and intense, with shifting drones and muffled voices bringing a sense of filmic unease to the table. Overall, this is a perfect window into Quiroga's most intoxicating musical world.

Support by Alexis Le Tan, Aficionado Djs, Coyote, Ibiza Sonica, Reza Athar, Gonno, Noema, Fabrizio Mammarella, Riccio, Bill Brewster, Private Agenda, Soft rocks, Tim Love Lee...

Jerome Meyer AKA Von D is a master craftsman, well-known for releasing dubstep and bass music since 2009. On an increasingly prolific trajectory since last year, recent 12's on Infernal Sounds, Trojan Audio and Scotch Bonnet have signaled his renewed focus on dubwise productions. We are proud to say that Von D's Khaliphonic debut sees him fully committing to reggae and dub - in his words, going back to my musical roots.'

Politricks' is a masterwork, cut from the same living rock as the classic Cuss Cuss riddim, a simply huge bass and drum workout that is truly one for the ages. Politricks is an anthem for now, a call to avoid the dead-end of politics-as-usual and a warning to beware of the lies politicians tell to keep themselves in power - full of promises but changing nothing. Von D says that working with Don Cotti was very natural,' and their easy relationship is audible - the tune fits the vocal like a glove, and Cotti's instantly-recognizable singjay style gives even more gravitas to an already heavy track. The dub version spools out Von D's signature saturated echoes even further, and opens up spectral chambers of reverb that shimmer and glow.

The B side Ygrec' is an equally massive tune, just as compelling if more meditative and mysterious, coming in both one drop and power-steppers mixes for maximum versatility and vibes. Both tunes and their versions feature an incredibly robust, warm, human sound - one that simply can't come from machines alone - live drums, bass, and kete drum among other instruments maintain the tradition of live musicians in dub - to say nothing of expert desk-based mixing and deployment of live analog effects the way the elders intended. Both tunes dial in at 140 making them perfect for roots and dubstep selectors alike.

Von D got his start as a drummer and engineer outside Paris, in the heady days of original jungle. Early releases on Disfigured Dubz, Hench, Boka, Black Acre and the seminal V Recordings, as well as his reggae-oriented Liquid Wicked project, cemented his reputation. Don Cotti is a prolific producer, DJ and MC with releases stretching back to 2006 on labels as varied as Bass Face, Studio Rockers, and Soul Jazz.

Mastered by Lewis at Stardelta. Art & design by Polygon Press.

Stirred up from deep within, from an abstract spiral of sound and movement, from a sensation of time and space absolving and converging at once, the Black Flower musicians have molded a tangible matter: the album Artifacts. Their second full album sounds international and ageless. Eastern influences, Ethiodub and jazz effortlessly merge. Fantasy and reality seem to fuse. In a word: nourishment for body and soul.

"Psyche-delicious and accessible 20th century Ethiodubjazz. As if John Zorn put on Fela Kuti's shoes and imbibed Mulatu Astatke's whirls."

Piloted by saxophonist /flutist /composer Nathan Daems (Ragini Trio, Dijf Sanders, Antwerp Gipsy-Ska Orkestra), this instrumental band aims for originality. Fellow musicians and 'brothers down the road' are Jon Birdsong (dEUS, Beck, Calexico) on cornet, Simon Segers (Absynthe Minded, De Beren Gieren, Stadt) at the drums, Filip Vandebril (Lady Linn, The Valerie Solanas, Antwerp Gipsy-Ska Orkestra) at the bass and Wouter Haest (Los Callejeros, Voodoo Boogie) playing keys.

For many of us, the Ethiopian aspect once made known to the world by Mulatu Astatke will stand out. Still, Black Flower further adds oriental scales, Afrobeat à la Fela Kuti, jazz in a John Zorn way and varied western music traditions such as rock and dub. The resulting melting pot is undoubtedly inspired by Nathan's distant travels and the multifariously colorful city of Brussels.

...Pretty legit if you ask me - LeFto, Studio Brussel

After their well-received debut album Abyssinia Afterlife (2014, W.E.R.F. / Zephyrus Records) that created an atmosphere of mythical figures and psychedelia, Black Flower now reflects on ancient and modern cultures. The album title Artifacts refers to centuries-old fragile objects or tools that empowered the development of human culture. The world today would look entirely different without those artifacts. The seemingly brittle suddenly becomes a powerful welding cornerstone. Add the musicians' personal musical backgrounds and the result is an album with an ageless mystique. Artifacts is the synthesis of different cultures, of the past and present, and personal and collective memories. It is the soundtrack to modern reality, based on the elements that connect us.

Brilliant - Gilles Peterson, BBC Radio 6

One of Belgium's Best Bands of these past years (...) Black Flower does not simply play a tune, they always groove! - Kurt Overbergh, Ancienne Belgique

Uncomplicated originality, plenty of space for fantasy and an organic tone: those are the ingredients for Black Flower to lay claim to an age-old human ritual: dancing! Still, Black Flower also stands out in various other settings. Their audience at a jazz club will have felt exalted, their audience at a late-night show will not have resisted dancing. The band wields influence over their surroundings in a way only heart-and-soul musicians can. This mastery has repeatedly taken them to United Kingdom, France, the Netherlands and Germany.