The daughter of a Brazilian mother and German father, Astrud Gilberto achieved international prominence with “The Girl From Ipanema,” an inauspicious debut
recorded for the landmark album her husband, Joao Gilberto, created with Stan Getz in 1963. Moving to the USA, where she was subsequently based,
she continued her solo career and also toured with Getz, with whom she later began a relationship. Over-the-top classic That Girl From Ipanema allowed
her to revisit the hit in the sweeping high-fidelity full-spectrum setting of a disco big-band,
the album overseen by MFSB and Salsoul mainstay, Vince Montana.
Along with individual takes of Cole Porter’s “Love For Sale” and Harry Nilsson’s “The Puppy Song,”
original “Far Away” benefits from the understated trumpet of Chet Baker, but the album ultimately revels in all things disco,
the Brazilian element coming courtesy of percussionist
Dom Um Romao on select tracks. Crank up the volume and tune in to the brass, piano and percussion that percolates under Astrud’s characteristically soft
and sultry vocals to fully experience this underrated gem.
Buscar:brazilian
Grandeza, the debut album by Sao Paulo’s Sessa, points to new, subtle directions for modern Brazilian music – a deep, minimalist, almost insinuated use of the rich textures that define the songwriting history of Brazil, one which Sessa now joins among its most promising new voices. His songs are sung in Portuguese, with visceral, sensual lyrics in the vein of Caetano Veloso, and the melodic flourishes of Tom Jobim and Arthur Verocai.
However, the music gets a deliberate minimalist treatment rarely found in contemporary Brazilian music, more reminiscent of the bareness of Leonard Cohen, with touches of tropicalia, psychedelia, and the mystic jazz of Moondog and Pharoah Sanders. Recorded in various locations between São Paulo and New York City.
After Sunrise, the new collaboration from Circles Around The Sun and Mikaela Davis reunites the disco cosmonauts and acclaimed harpist for further explorations of the synergy first showcased on the title track of CATS’ 2023 album, Language.
Comprised of two new original compositions, ‘Gloaming Way’ and ‘Moonbow’, and an inspired interpretation of Brazilian legend Sérgio Mendes’ ‘After Sunrise,’ the album features the first appearance of vocals on a Circles Around The Sun recording, sung by Davis. A live take on ‘Language’ rounds out the second side and brings the pairing full circle.
Once the endless night of the discotheque finally gives way to morning light, you may find yourself seaside as the sun peeks over the horizon. As the party rolls through the dawn and into the day, this is the soundtrack.
This is After Sunrise. If it’s nice, play it twice."
One of the most remarkable unheard albums of 1969, Genesis, the sole release by San Francisco-based sisters Wendy and Bonnie Flower, has emerged as an acclaimed pop-psych touchstone. Brimming with melodic confections and laced with radiant, sisterly harmonies, the set�s breezy Brazilian splashes and soft-rock strains convey a sophistication that belies the artists� tender ages (Wendy, 17; Bonnie, 13). The album has grown over the years in importance, and has influenced a generation of psychedelic pioneers, from Broadcast to Stereolab to Welsh rockers Super Furry Animals ( who sampled the duo on their hit "hello Sunshine") This single-lp edition is pressed at RTI and is an exact replica of the original 1969 pressing, with fully restored cover art and incredible sonics mastered from the original reels.
- A1: Sounds Of The Studio (Prelude)
- A2: Hold Up
- A3: Handmade Hustle (Instrumental)
- A4: Start Sumthin' (93033) (Feat. Roc C)
- A5: Thoughts Of An Old Flame (Skit)
- A6: Minze (Come Closer)
- A7: Louder (Blast Your Radio Theme)
- A8: The Ride (Nightcoastin' Instrumental)
- A9: O.g. Pt. 1 (Whirlwind Mix)
- A10: O.g. Pt. 2 (Underwater Mix)
- A11: Stageridin' (First Demo Double Image Mix) Pt 1
- B1: Stageridin' (First Demo Double Image Mix) Pt.2
- B2: Love_Hate (Instrumental)
- B3: Smoke Break (Whodat_) / Interview #4080
- B4: Embryo Thought (Instrumental)
- B5: The Adventures Of Soul Bra And Docta Dick'em Excerpt
- B6: Cheaters (Episode #3) (Feat. Poke)
- B7: Mic Check (Smoke Break Ii)
- B8: Real Talk
- B9: The Sound Of Champions (Instrumental)
- B10: Charlie Hustle
- B11: Girls (Prelude) / Same
LP 2x12"[38,45 €]
Madlib Invazion presents a colored vinyl issue of the long out of print 11th issue on the Madlib Medicine Show series - Low Budget High-Fi Music, on clear pink vinyl. In 2010, Madlib launched an ambitious series of releases known as the Madlib Medicine Show, which allowed the prolific producer to release new material on a monthly basis. The series touched on all the genres Madlib digs, and that’s just about any genre you can consider - from Jazz to Rock, Soul to Disco, myriad African musics, Brazilian and Reggae. On the 11th installment in series Madlib returned to his hip hop roots with Low Budget High-Fi Music. Featuring a run-down of regular Madlib collaborators who provide the Beat Konducta’s foil, it also included a hint of what was meant to come on the never-realized second Jaylib album, with a previously unreleased J Dilla collaboration."
- A1: The Loop Digga: Sounds Of The Studio - Prelude
- A2: The Professionals - Madlib & Oh No: Hold Up
- A3: The Loop Digga: Handmade Hustle (Instrumental)
- A4: The Professionals: Start Sumthin' - 93033 (Feat. Roc C)
- A5: Guilty Simpson: Thoughs Of An Old Flame
- A6: The Loop Digga: Minze - Come Closer
- A7: Madlib: Louder - Blast Your Radio Theme
- B1: The Loop Digga: The Ride - Nightcoastin' (Instrumental)
- B2: A.g.: O.g. Pt. 1 (Whirlwind Mix)
- B3: Oh No: O.g. Pt. 2 (Underwater Mix)
- B4: Frank Nitt: Stageridin' (First Demo Double Image Mix)
- B5: The Loop Digga: Love/Hate (Instrumental)
- B6: Strong Arm Steady: Loose Girl (Electronic Drunk Demon Version)
- C1: The Loop Digga: Smoke Break - Whodat?
- C2: Supreme Team - Madlib & Karriem Riggins: Interview #4080
- C3: The Loop Digga: Embryo Thought (Instrumental)
- C4: The Loop Digga: The Adventures Of Soul Bra And Docta Dic'em Pts. 1 And 2 C5. Med & Poke: Cheaters - Episode #3
- D1: The Loop Digga: Interliberation Interlude
- D2: The Loop Digga: Mic Check - Smoke Break Ii
- D3: Lmd: Real Talk
- D4: The Loop Digga: The Sound Of Champions (Instrumental) D5. Strong Arm Steady: Charlie Hustle
- D6: The Loop Digga: Girls - Prelude
- D7: The Loop Digga: Same
- D8: Med: Snakes 101
- D9: J Rocc: Girls
- D10: J Rocc: Uh - Outro
LP[30,46 €]
Repressed. In 2010, Madlib launched an ambitious series of releases known as the Madlib Medicine Show, which allowed
the prolific producer to release new material on a monthly basis. The series touched on all the genres Madlib digs, and that’s just about any genre you can consider from Jazz to Rock, Soul to Disco, myriad African musics, Brazilian and Reggae. On the 11th installment in series Madlib returned to his hip hop roots with Low Budget High-Fi Music. Featuring a run-down of regular Madlib collaborators who provide the Beat Konducta’s foil, it also included a hint of what was meant to come on the never-realized second Jaylib album, with a previously unreleased J Dilla collaboration.
"Although life is hyper-individualised, you rarely go about it alone. This rings especially for RADIOHOP, the 4-man band drawing in everything that derives from Jazz. Aptly titled, ‘All We Do’ sees the band culminating each member’s journey through life as a performer and music head, into one entity. It is a collection of various musical feelings; drawn from all of the widely diverse musical environments they are surrounded by. Their early explorations in Hip-Hop laid the foundation RADIOHOP jetted from. All We Do ventures into Soul, Funk, Jazz, Broken Beat, Brazilian harmony, Fusion and other genres that they see connections with. It engenders a journey through the peaks and troughs of a modern musical spectrum and is an undeniable act of successfully approaching a contemporary Jazz album.
Together, they drew on Jazz as a concept existing outside the walls of formality. In addition to sessions and gigs with like-minded musicians, they explored the Amsterdam nightlife and genre-bending concerts for inspiration. This 3.5-year exploration brought them unconventional writing, producing and performing experiences resulting in All We Do being as much a presentation of the people accompanying them on this exploration, as it is about the journey itself.
RADIOHOP are constantly surrounded by other musicians and creatives from all different genres, disciplines, and spaces. The album is a celebration of the creative, and the ecosystem they operate in. The band likes to root that in the philosophy of Hip-Hop: spoken word, rap, vocals, lyrics, flute solos, photography, digital art, graphic design, tagging and poetry all congregate on the limited vinyl, as they truly believe art should not see any material boundaries. All We Do appreciates the art and the artist's creative endeavour. RADIOHOP gladly shares that with others in a holistic creation that is this album."
Thanks to the success of his productions and his remixes, all the works printed on vinyl made by Luca LTJ Xperience Trevisi have been snapped up among his fans and DJs from all over the world.
From his past catalog there was still a complete album released only in Compact Disc and in digital format in 2013: Ain't Nothing But A Groove, left behind not because it had anything less than the others but simply to alternate new releases with catalog ones.
Now it is finally being printed.
The album, strictly in the DJ Friendly version, double vinyl with only two tracks on each side, contains some of his Nu Disco Funk pearls such as: What I Feel, Linear Funk and Get Down. Luca LTJ Trevisi (LTJ Xperience) began his career as a DJ and producer in the 80s.
As resident DJ of two of the most famous Italian clubs, the Kinky in Bologna and the Cap Creus in Imola, he was one of the first Italian DJs to play House Music and to revive that particular selection of Black Music called Rare Groove mixed with Jazz and Latin-Bossa who gave birth to the Acid Jazz movement at the end of the 80s.
His first official release was in 1988 and was titled First Job, paired with Kekkotronics, and was also the first album from Irma Records. The song was included in many compilations and many DJ playlists around the world. In the following years, among his singles we find some song forms that anticipated the Breakbeat genre such as Do n't Stop The Sax and Funky Superfly. He produced Tameka Starr's single Going In Circles, also for Irma Records, which has become a classic of the Downtempo/R&B genre.
In the mid-90s he produced some Italian Acid Jazz groups such as Bossa Nostra and Live Tropical Fish and began to select Rare Grooves compilations that have become classics such as Groovy and Suono Libero. At the same time he also started playing outside Italy, in particular at the Blue Note and the Jazz Café in London, at the
Giant Step in New York and at the Montreaux Jazz Festival in Switzerland. In 1999 he released his first album under the pseudonym LTJ Xperience entitled Moon Beat which featured Ohm Guru in
the production and Taka Boom and Jackson Sloan as vocal guests. Two tracks from the album have become club classics:
the Brazilian House version of Sombre Guitar and the chill out Moon Beat. His second album in 2003 entitled When The Rain Begin To Fall features Joe Bataan in the reinterpretation of his most famous song Ordinary Guy which has become a Gilles Peterson classic.
After some singles including Organ Mind / I Love you (Larry Heard's favorite track) he dedicated himself to the world of the Nu Disco genre, releasing 5 albums in the genre to date. The latest Deepening of A Groove contains Bad Side with the American singer Anduze on vocals, which is one of his most popular hits, adored by Moodyman so much that he included it in the music of Playstation's Gran Theft Auto which sees him as the protagonist with his avatar.
DJ Support: Don Letts (6 Music), Piet Blank Blank & Jones / Dj Ease Nightmares On Wax / Macca Nts Radio / Coyote / Mike Salta Music For Dreams / Pete Gooding / Layne Fox 40 Thieves / Chris Coco / Richard Dorfmeister Kruder & Dorfmeister / Bill Brewster / Simon Mills [Bent. Plus Loads More.
DJ Feedback:
Lovely laid-back vibes. Excellent! - Francois K [NYC, USA]
Ay what a beauty! Takes you away from the madness for a moment. - Macca (NTS)
Following on from Los Rayos Del Sol (2021) & the follow up Los Rayos In Dub (2022) NuNorthern Soul presents ‘Moonbeams’ by Ibiza based producer, per-cussionist and sunset selector, George Solar.
Inspired by nocturnal moods and illuminated by the moon in all its phases, this collection follows the vibrations of 'Los Rayos Del Sol.' It's a journey into night-time peace and harmony, embracing the moonlit atmosphere.
MEDIA LUNA (feat. Ken Fan)
Opening with angelic dubby downtempo, this track translated is 'Half Moon,' sets the tone for the night.
MOONBEAMS (feat. Ken Fan)
Featuring love poet JEN, 'Moonbeams' captures the rise of the moon and the message of love.
COUNTERMOON (feat. Ken Fan)
Originally a slower cumbia demo, this track evolved into a retro dance piece with a minimalistic touch. Reflecting the off-center vibe of lunar forces.
LUNATICOTINA (feat. Ken Fan)
A tribute to the global beats scene, this ritual tune incorporates grooves from all continents, dedicated to Ibiza's 'global beats' oasis LAYLAH venue.
O LUAR
Influenced by Samba vibes and the Brazilian approach to moonlight, this track combines Solar dub and cosmic stardust.
MOONBEAMS reprise (for KS)
A tribute to Klaus Schulze, a secret Solar Moon band member, this reprise is a spontaneous improvisation recorded in memory of the spiritual godfather.
UK/NL reeds player, composer and producer Finn Peters presents his new 10", Red, Green and Blue; The three track EP of Nu Jazz/Broken Beats is being released on the artist's own Mantella Records imprint and sees a return to solo recording (after a decade hiatus) for the award winning Jazz maverick, beloved of Gilles Peterson and fans of cosmic jazz.
Influences include Compass Point Records, Africa Bambaata, Yusef Lateef and Walter Gibbons. It is heavy sounding with MPC3000 and SP 12 drum breaks, heavy African and Brazilian percussion, ethereal flute choirs and analogue synths a plenty.
Rare debut LP by the eccentric Peruvian singer Jean Paul "El Troglodita", known for his wild performances and extreme way of life. Enrique Roberto Tellería made his Peruvian television debut in 1965 under the stage name Jean Paul El Troglodita and wearing an imitation leopard skin suit. He would switch from melodic calm to shouting wildly or suddenly drop to the floor on his knees and smash the furniture like crazy. At the age of 19, DisPerú signed him to the label on the strength of these early performances. His first single included a freely translated version of 'Secret Agent Man' in Spanish. He began to work on the eleven cover versions that would feature on his first LP immediately, writing all his own lyrics and accompanied by the beat band Los Steivos. Despite the predominance of English beat music in Peru, the album only included three songs directly related to the British invasion: 'Bus Stop' by The Hollies, also played in raga rock style; 'Paint it Black' by The Rolling Stones; and 'The House of the Rising Sun', which follows the arrangement recorded by The Animals. So most songs come the American songbook. Apart from 'Tema de El Troglodita' (a versión of 'Secret Agent' by The Challengers), we find the bluesy 'Mustang Sally' (Sir Mack Rice). Two other US numbers, originally performed with orchestral accompaniment, were adapted to fit the rock band format: 'Poor Side of Town' (Johnny Rivers) and 'Take Me to the Moon' (Kaye Ballard). 'El verdadero amor' ('True Love'), an uncredited version is in a similar vein. The Spanish song 'Negro es negro' (Los Bravos) and the Brazilian track 'Que todo se vaya al infierno' (Roberto Carlos) also feature on the LP. El Troglodita's association with the so-called nueva ola, indicated on the back cover, needs clarification. In Peru, nueva ola was a mixed bag rather than a specific musical style and encompassed slow rock, twist, bossa nova and all the styles that the record industry produced to tame the wild rock 'n' roll impulses of teenagers in the early sixties. The Peruvian artists that performed these inoffensive Spanish adaptations of Paul Anka, Neil Sedaka or Frankie Avalon, were presented as successful models of youth culture. This was until 1964, when the Beatles with their mop-top haircuts hit the charts, vindicating rock 'n' roll and imposing the group format over the soloist model. Meanwhile the press continued to call any youth music recorded during the rest of the decade nueva ola. Jean Paul noted these distinctions early on and distanced himself from it in several statements. He saw his performance more in a style as a solo artist as following in the footsteps of e.g. Los Saicos. His 'hippie' lifestyle got him arrested by the new de facto military government in 1968, who accused him of promoting drug consumption and corrupting the Peruvian youth. The charges were soon dropped but his reputation was tarnished, and he ended up emigrating to Central America. The album includes Spanish sung versions of British beat songs and covers of the American songbook as well as various international hits.
More Brazilian brilliance from Barefoot Beats...
Man of the moment, Aroop Roy takes a break from his busy touring schedule to serve up a super cool slice of deeply hypnotic magic. Totally bem gelada!
On the flip side, Belem born, but now Sao Paulo based DJ and producer Bernardo Pinheiro returns to Barefoot Beats and absolutely destroys the dance floor with this peak-time euphoric Brazilian Disco anthem.
All delivered on beautiful, LTD edition 10inch vinyl pressing.
BELEZAAAAAA!
Vamos!
Principal member Keith Finch linked up with reggae manager and publisher Othman Mukhlis at Stanley House Studio in 2001 and began a series of projects featuring there love of retro reggae. JA13 worked with major reggae stars of the sixties on the ‘Heroes of Kingston’ project, Alton Ellis, Derrick Morgan, Dave Barker Dave and Ansell Collins Winston ‘Mr Fixit’ Francis, Denis Alcapone, Owen Grey, BB Seaton Gaylads and legendary trombonist Rico Rodriguez. [Which lead to two solo albums with Rico Rodriguez]. Project championed by David Rodigan and Ranking Miss P. Music in films and TV including Hawaii 5-0, various US films, BA, Tesco, various BBC, latest and currently they have many tracks on BBC most successful export ‘Death in Paradise’. They also feature two tracks in the forthcoming Shaggy documentary Other reggae artists projects include Bob Andy, Joseph Cotton, General Saint and Clint Eastwood, Don Campbell, J C Lodge, Susan Cadogan, Glen Adams [Upsetters] Pat Rhoden [first artist on Trojan] Tippe Irie, Tenor Fly, Spanna Banner, FYA [Platinum in Japan], Bounty Killer, Elephant man, and many more on ‘Bar Mitzvah riddim’ which was co written and produced with Skatta Burrell. Written for UK pop reggae band Madness on last two albums, and on the project ‘Charge of the Dance Brigade’ with Lee Thompson [Madness] and Jennie Matthias Belle stars singer] with Brazilian jazz accordionist/pianist Chico Chagas. And a host of other top musicians. [Which he co wrote, produced, engineered and nurtured] JA13 have featured on many reggae projects and remixes, the latest offering is ‘World Radio Dub – Chapter One’
Needle Mythology, the label founded by music writer, author and broadcaster Pete Paphides, is thrilled to announce the signing of the eagerly anticipated debut album by London singer-songwriter and renowned DJ Iraina Mancini. Iraina’s singular pop vision will be known to regular listeners of 6 Music, where her singles ‘Undo The Blue’, ‘Deep End’, ‘Shotgun’ and ‘Do It (You Stole The Rhythm)’ have all been enthusiastically embraced. Iraina's obsession with music stretches back into her early childhood, much of which was spent absorbing her parents’ collection of old 45s, in particular her dad’s Northern Soul records – an alternative education which meant that, by her early 20s, she was a familiar presence in the DJ booth at many discerning London club nights. Her love of French ye-ye, British freakbeat, Brazilian bossa nova, soul, and Turkish psych will be well-known to regular listeners of her Soho Radio show. Having always sung from a young age, Iraina embarked on a string of collaborators such as Jagz Kooner (Sabres Of Paradise), Sunglasses For Jaws (Miles Kane) and Simon Dine (Paul Weller, Noonday Underground) which truly saw her find her metier as a songwriter, conjuring melodies that stand shoulder to shoulder alongside her impeccable influences. Iraina describes her first single for Needle Mythology ‘Cannonball’ as “a celebration of that moment when you meet someone you really fall for and it knocks you for six. It can be a bit scary, but you’ve just got to go with what your intuition is telling you.” Written with Simon Dine, the vertiginous heart-in-mouth abandon of the song perfectly mirrors the circumstances that brought it into being. Iraina cites Jacqueline Taïeb’s 1967 single 7h du Matin as an early inspiration for the song: “There’s such a great energy about that song. Her vocal is amazing and all those stops and starts that grab your attention.” “This is an artist I absolutely love, one of our rising stars at 6Music.“ Lauren Laverne BBC 6Music “Iraina seizes on the best aspects of the past, blurring those impeccable 60s and 70s influences with a touch of modernity.” Clash “Full of femme fatale poise and swooning chanteuse flourishes.” The Times
A product of the not-so-underground, genre-bending melting pot that is Naarm (Melbourne, Australia). producer, composer and multi-instrumentalist Don Glori (AKA Gordon Li) prepares to unleash his forthcoming album ‘Don’t Forget To Have Fun’ via DeepMatter Records.
Following the release of his much-heralded 2022 LP ‘Welcome’, and a relocation to London, Don managed to tap into a potent creative current, by taking himself to a place of discomfort, and taking his creative back to basics for ‘Don’t Forget To Have Fun’. This invigorating approach helped distill the initial album sketches into a compelling and intoxicating listening experience across the record, creating a true work of art, traversing jazz, funk, soul, RnB, samba and beyond. Whilst the record itself is hard to describe, but even harder to forget.
Album opener ‘Pause’ pairs psychedelic influences with a cyclic loping groove and focuses on recognising a safe space that can act as a refuge. Taking inspiration from Steely Dan, Brian Bennett & Azymuth, ‘Emerald’ channels Jazz rock, 70's LA studio energy, with the faster funk sections featuring an unruly amount of mouth percussion, synth lead lines, and vocal melodies that weave in and around the tight horn arrangements. ‘All Seeds’ is a heady blend of samba and Brazilian street soul, with field recordings of Don’s old house in Melbourne providing additional seasoning. ‘First Touch’ is a downtempo 80’s boogie-infused gem, keeping proceedings nice and sleazy. The final three movements move through one fluid composition, charting the disorientating course of a fever dream, through beguiling astral travels, unexplainable occurrences, and transcendent moments.
A product of the not-so-underground, genre-bending melting pot that is Naarm (Melbourne, Australia). producer, composer and multi-instrumentalist Don Glori (AKA Gordon Li) prepares to unleash his forthcoming album ‘Don’t Forget To Have Fun’ via DeepMatter Records.
Following the release of his much-heralded 2022 LP ‘Welcome’, and a relocation to London, Don managed to tap into a potent creative current, by taking himself to a place of discomfort, and taking his creative back to basics for ‘Don’t Forget To Have Fun’. This invigorating approach helped distill the initial album sketches into a compelling and intoxicating listening experience across the record, creating a true work of art, traversing jazz, funk, soul, RnB, samba and beyond. Whilst the record itself is hard to describe, but even harder to forget.
Album opener ‘Pause’ pairs psychedelic influences with a cyclic loping groove and focuses on recognising a safe space that can act as a refuge. Taking inspiration from Steely Dan, Brian Bennett & Azymuth, ‘Emerald’ channels Jazz rock, 70's LA studio energy, with the faster funk sections featuring an unruly amount of mouth percussion, synth lead lines, and vocal melodies that weave in and around the tight horn arrangements. ‘All Seeds’ is a heady blend of samba and Brazilian street soul, with field recordings of Don’s old house in Melbourne providing additional seasoning. ‘First Touch’ is a downtempo 80’s boogie-infused gem, keeping proceedings nice and sleazy. The final three movements move through one fluid composition, charting the disorientating course of a fever dream, through beguiling astral travels, unexplainable occurrences, and transcendent moments.
With two critically acclaimed albums and a swathe of award-winning production turns under their belt, Ana Frango Elétrico present their most confident and accomplished work to date: Me Chama De Gato Que Eu Sou Sua / Call Me They That I’m Yours. Gesturing to a tradition of Brazilian boogie music, but bouncing with modern pop ebullience, the album sees the Rio artist evolve from a captivating upstart into a surefooted scene leader in full stride.
At just 25, the prolific artist and producer has already garnered worldwide admirers. Ana’s sophomore Little Electric Chicken Heart was nominated at the 2020 Latin Grammys. Since then, standalone singles have received the WME ‘Best Music Producer’ Award, recognising Ana’s deep passion for music production – a passion which has led to collaborations with nascent Brazilian stars Dora Morelenbaum, Illy and Sophia Chablau. Most recently, Ana was hailed for their co-production of Bala Desejo’s 2022 Latin Grammy-winning album Sim Sim Sim.
The new album finds Ana at their most assured and full voiced. Album opener “Electric Fish”, with funky bass and shimmering backing vocals, sets a buoyant tone. “Boy of Stranger Things” is its bombastic counterpart. It’s the grooviest Ana has ever sounded. And the most brazen. Lyrically, where Ana was once oblique on personal matters, they are now forthright – lucidly exploring their gender identity, citing accessible cultural references, and often singing in English.
“I started this album in 2021 with the intention of showing, in means of sound, understandings and feelings about queer love, subjectively exposing myself,” the non-binary artist states – before qualifying that though “feeling was its driving force, the album is really about musical production.”
“There’s so many references to different decades,” Ana explains. “Seventies drums with eighties processing … Going back, getting beyond … Testing the limits of organic sounds”. Characteristically playful, on Me Chama, Ana takes vivid and rewarding detours through funk-inflected R&B (“Dela”) and art pop (“Dr. Sabe Tudo”). “Nuvem Vermelha” is a cinematic chanson with lush strings that recalls Arthur Verocai. Then, “Coisa Maluca” loafs with the indie insouciance of Canadian slacker Mac Demarco. Later, “Let's Go Before Again”, is a full-on drum machine workout evocative of Stereolab.
"Espontaneamente se Tenta: Aventuras Sonoras de Djalma Corrêa is an album of deeply exploratory pieces by legendary percussionist and composer Djalma Corrêa. This double-LP set features previously unreleased recordings that cover a wide range of sonic experiments, revealing an unknown side of the prolific and groundbreaking Brazilian artist. Most of the tracks on this album were digitized for the first time – directly from the original tapes – and were compiled in collaboration with Corrêa just before he passed.
The result is a wild and unsettling collage that shows us just how original and intense Corrêa could be: from the unorthodox electroacoustic piece Evolução (Para Fita e Filme), which channels ancestral African inspirations to create a sonic cosmogonical narrative, to the proto-mixtape Exemplo de Sintetizadores, in which he transitions from transcendental drones to astral cha-cha-chas.
While the compilation might seem disjointed at first listen, it is in fact the most accurate translation or representation of his central concept: spontaneous music. Djalma's relationship with sound was always guided by his fearless approach to listening, and by his audacious and dynamic interaction with both musicians and equipment, which enabled him to work across a wide array of genres: from jazz to completely abstract music, always through a personal DIY ethic.
Corrêa developed a strong bond with experimentalist and inventor Walter Smetak, with whom he shared a studio during his formative years at Universidade Federal da Bahia. Suite Contagotas, featured in this collection, is no less than a sonic materialization of that bond: an experiment revolving around dripping water and its randomness – a tentative exploration of the ideas and possibilities envisioned by Smetak for his audacious, albeit unrealized, Estúdio OVO.
Djalma, however, is best known for his studio work in historical albums, including many by Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil and Jorge Ben, and for his own polyrhythmic opus Baiafro. The last track is an early recording called Bossa 2000 dC, first performed by Djalma at the 1964 Nós, Por Exemplo concert, an event which is often cited as marking the beginning of the Tropicalia movement. At the time, he was the only artist in the lineup using electronic devices to create sounds, e.g. medical oscillators and contact mics to augment his percussive palette.
The artwork is an amalgamation of material found in the Djalma Corrêa Archive (currently managed by his son Caetano Corrêa) and other material created during the period in which the record was being put together. The intention is to guide the listeners through this possibly tempestuous soundscape, giving them additional resources so that they may draw their own meanings and make their own sense of this extremely immersive and original experience – which is like nothing we've ever heard before."
Mr Bongo proudly presents the debut album from Tasmania-born, Melbourne-based, Finn Rees. Gliding across a swirling palette of saturated hues, Dawn Is A Melody feels vintage yet vibrant, new but familiar at the same time. A spiritual, deep and textured jazz record, tipping its hat to greats from the past, capturing memories and reformulating them into new ideas with the help of some of Melbourne’s finest talent.
Expert keys player for the likes of 30/70 and Elle Shimada, alongside one-half of Close Counters, this debut LP was Finn’s conscious departure from the realm of groove-based jazz. Instead, Dawn Is A Melody places the piano and arrangements centre stage, giving Finn and his fellow Melbourne crew freedom to explore the spaces in between, new emotions and alternate soundscapes.
In Finn’s own words: “My intention with Dawn Is A Melody was to create a world; a microcosm of colour. Something rich and beautiful that allowed the melodies and compositions to reach their full potential. It was driven by hope, curiosity and the search for beauty and reassurance in this ever-changing world. The emotion behind the music is really about the journey of life, growing up and changing, as well as my relationship with Tasmania’s natural landscapes where I grew up, a part of the world that is incredibly unique and beautiful.”
The album arcs between opening, middle and end. Beginning with the optimism of ‘Looking Up’ and ‘Lagoon’, the former a celestial, string and harp marbled slice of positivity, the latter a spiritual journey of exuberance and hope, Finn’s fingers dancing across the ‘70s Yamaha grand piano. From there the songs blossom outwards with the cinematic soulful journey of ‘It’s Behind Me Now’ and Brazilian-inspired ‘Expansion’, as the divine ‘Crossing’ signals a transition to a new realm. The energy is transformed from the rich cosmic textures to a more intimate and personal feeling with ‘Ablaze’, ‘Between Spaces’ and ‘As It Passes’ which blissfully fades down to simply piano and strings to close out the record.
Recorded at Rolling Stock in Collingwood, Melbourne, Henry Jenkins was drafted in as recording and mix engineer, his minimal vintage mic setups giving a live aesthetic and warmth to the arrangements. Lucky Pereira and Blakely McLean Davies form the rock-solid rhythm section, with a hand-picked line-up of other Melbourne talent on display, including Cheryl Durongpitikul on tenor sax, Siwei Wong on harp, Audrey Powne on trumpet and Allysha Joy on vocals to name only a few.
Plotting a course from Alice Coltrane, through Herbie Hancock, to Arthur Verocai, this is a debut nourished by the past but firmly made in the present. A record unable to be age-stamped, casting ambiguity as to when, what era and by whom it has been crafted. Like a vintage lens capturing a current scene, Dawn Is A Melody is warm and familiar yet focused on the here now.
"Trails" is a 7-track EP by Guitarist and composer Robbie Belchamber, which draws upon elements of jazz, brazilian, west african and folk music. The compositions are centered around the soft timbre of fingerstyle nylon-string guitar, with subtle arrangements incorporating voice, flute, percussion, mandolin, accordion and electric guitar filling out the texture.
"During lockdown I spent a lot of time exploring Melbourne's northern waterways, riding my bike along the Birrarung, Darebin creek and Merri creek. These opportunities to slow down, reflect, observe and spend time in nature formed the genesis of many of the compositions. "Trails" sonifies these experiences, the bubbling rhythms of water, melodic inventions of currawongs and magpie-larks, pervasive scents of the bush, all changing with the seasons."
"Trails" is the first release under Robbie Belchamber, and features collaborations Melbourne musicians such as Lucky Pereira (Glass Beams, 30/70), Hannah McKittrick, Grace Robinson (Empress), Moses Carr, Aidan Ryan (NoLess) and Erica Tuccerri.
















