Buscar:charmer

Heady house label Courtesy Of Balance only releases music that you know will stand the test of time. It is informed by the classic schools of deepness but always with a modern touch and unique character, and next to carry that torch is Ostrich aka Nadir Agha. He's in charge of curation at Montreal's legendary Stereo Club and shows his class here with opener 'Snake Charmer' which is built on a dynamic groove foundation and embellished with wispy pads that take your mind on a wander. 'Promiscuous' is heavy, dubby house stripped back to the core essentials and perfectly executed. 'Buttered Up' is a little more mobile but embellished with nothing chords and smoky vocal soul and 'Broken Science' closes with a brilliant broken beat flourish that is full of jazzy invention.

Das New Yorker Jazz Ensemble Onyx Collective veröffentlicht 7' als Vorgeschmack auf ihr zweites Album!

Das New Yorker Jazz Ensemble Onyx Collective war lange ein Geheimtipp in der Internationalen Jazz-Szene. Big Dada veröffentlichte 2017/2018 insgesamt drei EP's der Combo digital. Die zwei besten Stücke 'Fruit Stand' und 'Snake Charmer' erscheinen nun auf 7' um die Wartezeit auf das kommende Album zu versüßen. Das Album, das den Namen - Lower East Suite trägt, ist zusammengestellt aus Aufnahmen ihrer Live-Auftritte im vergangenen Jahr. Ladenfronten, Bars und Straßenecken dienten hierbei sowohl als Venues als auch als Aufnahmestudios für das Onyx Collective. Die vorab-EP's wurden unter anderem von Gilles Peterson, XLR8R, Fader, Clash und Pitchfork hochgelobt.

Auf weltweit 500 Einheiten limitierte 7' Vinyl inklusive Sticker Sheet in durchsichtigem Plastik-Sleeve.

2025 Repress

140g vinyl, remastered, double LP with the original LP along with a second record of 14 rare tracks

Sweet And Nice is the vital debut album from Jamaica’s undisputed first lady of song Marica Griffiths. It’s reggae at its most soulful. Slinking through a tight ten tracks of R&B and pop-sourced material, it became an instant best seller. 45 years after its initial release the LP is available again on vinyl, now as a double LP, with an extra record collecting 14 rare tracks.

Sweet And Nice has appeared over the years with a revised running order and under different titles. But the original’s opening sequence of loping soul is legendary, even beyond reggae circles. These songs are now returned to how they were presented on that first Jamaican release, and under their intended album title. Be With doesn’t mess with magic.

Marcia’s version of “Here I Am (Come and Take Me)” has long been lusted after, played by genre-hopping selectors to snapping necks for decades now. It’s followed by the sophisticated, rollicking wah-wah funk of “Everything I Own” and the slice of smooth lovers soul par excellence that is “Green Grasshopper” and her ace, lilting Neil Diamond cover “Play Me”.

The thundering, humid funk of “Children At Play” “sounds uncannily like a precursor of Massive Attack”, as FACT Mag astutely noted when they put Sweet And Nice at number 16 in their list of the 100 best albums of the 1970s. Otherworldly, moody and essential.

Side two keeps the fire burning. “Sweet, Bitter Love” should leave you swooning, and is also one of the album’s alternate titles. Curtis Mayfield’s already-eternal “Gypsy Man” is up next, recast as proto-lovers rock.

“There’s No Me Without You” is elevated to canonical status by the majestic, forlorn horns of the Federal Soul Givers and Marcia’s heartbreaking delivery. And if this doesn’t get you then surely the next track will: arguably the definitive version of Ewan MacColl’s “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face”. Yes, seriously.

“I Just Don’t Want To Be Lonely” re-takes its rightful place at the end of the LP’s second side… but we couldn’t leave it at that. So we added an entire second record of rare material recorded around the same time as Sweet And Nice, much of it unavailable since it was originally released. Some of these songs have only ever been found on now unattainable 7" singles and no, rarity doesn’t always correspond with quality, but in this case we’re talking about some seriously jaw-dropping music.

Amongst 14 extra tracks you’ll find the exquisite late-60s singles “Melody Life” and “Mark My Word” which, along with the sumptuous reading of “Band Of Gold”, are now £100 records, if you can find them! Just sayin’. There‘s also a fantastic version of “The First Cut Is the Deepest” and an alternate take of “Play Me” with producer Lloyd Charmers adding his own vocals.

Everything’s been remastered of course, including the original LP, so Sweet And Nice now sounds even sweeter, and even nicer.

4/5 Mojo review: ‘Sparse, hypnotic big-room techno that builds from the bass drum up

Double LP is released on 140gm black vinyl in a transparent gloss foil sleeve, artwork and design by Ian Anderson for Designers Republic. Circuitry Electronic launches with a release that stands as a statement of intent - an artist with few true peers within English electronic music, with an album that jumps out of the speakers and slaps you around the chops. G-Man is Gez Varley - one half of Sheffield pioneers LFO, and thirty years into his solo career, with his first vinyl album release since Avanti on Force Inc way back in 2002. Speaking to DJ magazine in 2014 Gez recalled his early days working with Mark Bell as LFO: “We were influenced by groups like 808 State. Unique 3, Nightmares On Wax and also stuff like Kraftwerk, Detroit techno and early electro. So when we first hooked up and made tunes together we just wanted to rock the dancefloor at our local club The Warehouse”.

Their eponymous track ‘LFO’ – a classic of the bleep and bass techno movement – was one of the first releases on the Warp label, gate- crashing the UK’s Top 20 whilst annoying Simon Mayo along the way. Having worked with the likes of Richie Hawtin, Karl Bartos, Laurent Garnier, Art of Noise, Radiohead, YMO and Alan Wilder, in addition to the LFO output, you'd expect Gez to know his way around a techno dancefloor rhythm and drum pattern, and this is an inventive funk-filled journey that never veers too far into experimental territory yet avoids the cliches and generic tropes that too often lose the listener when techno manifests in album form.

ZHERAV unleashes hypnotic Middle Eastern grooves on NAJA / BAZAAR 45 for Batov’s highly collectable 45 series.

New Zealand-based producer ZHERAV announces his debut release, NAJA / BAZAAR, a double single and 45 on Batov’s Middle Eastern Grooves series. The record fuses psychedelic rock, hypnotic rhythms, and electronic production influences, creating a sound that moves between swung grooves and cinematic, reverb-soaked textures.

ZHERAV draws from his background in house and techno, layering live guitar, bass, and synths over programmed drums. “I had a production template for house music on Ableton” he explains, “and I thought about how to switch to this Middle Eastern sound using the same format”. Most of ZHERAV’s tracks developed through improvisation - starting with programmed drums, then experimenting around scales on instruments until something works. ZHERAV has already received support from independent radio in Australia and New Zealand, and encouragement from international artists like Ko Shin Moon.

Both tracks explore Middle Eastern scales, bringing a distinct flavour to the grooves, while maintaining ZHERAV’s signature hypnotic layered sound. ZHERAV had something in mind related to snakes and their charmers when creating the A-side, NAJA (“Indian Cobra”). An ominous bassline loops repeatedly over snapping drums and percussion, whilst ZHERAV improvises guitar riffs and effects over the top.

When funk music exploded onto the global pop scene in the late sixties, many of Jamaica's leading music-makers were inspired to incorporate elements of the exciting sound into their work. The result was the fascinating and compelling funky reggae style that proved immensely popular with record buyers on both sides of the Atlantic throughout the early ‘70s.

Pioneers of the sound included such celebrated producers as Lee ’Scratch’ Perry and Lloyd Charmers, whose recordings are heavily represented on both the CD and LP versions of this irresistible collection.

Collected here are some of the finest examples of the funky reggae, performed by some of reggae music’s most accomplished artists, from Ken Boothe and Lee Perry’s Upsetters to British-based acts, Greyhound and The Marvels.

Temple Needs Water. Village Needs Peace." is a philosophical exploration into the essence of community, spirituality, and transformation.

This 15-track collaboration between producer Real Bad Man and Memphis rapper LUKAH medi-tates on themes of unity, leadership, sacrifice, and renewal. With contributions from billy woods (Armand Hammer), Adrian Utley (Portishead), and Shabaka Hutchings, this album ascends through personal and spiritual achievements, delves into the duality of knowledge, the unseen forces, and the cyclical nature of life and death.

The album reflects on growth, resilience, duty, ancestral wisdom, and the healing power of words, culminating in a celebration of inner peace and communal harmony. With a backbone of musically ambitious beats and soul-baring verses, this album carves its mark as the year's most enthralling listen.

After several years of existence Rite Of Passage have naturally progressed into the launch of their vinyl label. Based between Rotterdam & Slovenia the label called on four intriguing characters to assist with the soundtrack of RoP01, "I Want To Shower With Your Emotions". A nod to the Dutch underground as the VA features DJ Tjizza, new kids on the block Young Adults, Nathan Homan and the sought after Eversines.

Vision of Love is all about slow motion, soul-drenched grooves and after two solid statements to that effect, now comes a third. This one, curated by Monsieur Van Pratt, is a collection of all-Mexican talent and the man himself also features. He opens up with 'Without U', which is a sensuous deep disco percolator, before Vincent Galgo's '(La Otra) Vida' brings some steamy Latin energy to percussive grooves and Van Pratt then has a second go with 'Dumi' featuring Spanish vocals and colourful horns over a rolling bassline. Ele Cinco's 'Limited Love' is a blissed out and late night charmer, then Cinema Paradisco shuts down with nice squelchy synth bass and undulating drums on 'Track Sin Nombre.'

Groove charmer Route 8 spirals through the techyverse on his full Gestalt Records debut, unleashing a trident of dancefloor destruction, neatly wrapped with a stripped back Gearmaster remix on the B2.

Here is our Hot Sauce Volume 5 showcasing some seriously groovy and rare Rocksteady,
Boss and Reggay tracks mixed expertly for yet another thrilling early Reggae experience on vinyl.


Here is the much anticipated volume 5 of the HOT SAUCE compilation LPs dedicated to the Trojan related labels between 1965 and 1975.
HOT SAUCE volume 5 features outstanding original Rocksteady, Boss Reggae and early Reggae (“Reggay”) tracks including rare songs, overlooked gems, hidden treasures and a couple of hits. The record labels showcased on this fourth volume are Amalgamated, Bread, Downtown, Duke, Explosion, Grape, Harry J Records , JJ Records, Rio, Splash, Upsetter and Techniques.

The tracks here have been selected according to their musical interest firstly, their rarity, and their complementarity.
These tracks are all outstanding tracks, “killer tracks”, there is no “filler” whatsoever.

Particular attention has been paid to the way the songs are sequenced (or “mixed”) so that the album builds up nicely and gradually, generally starting
with the Rocksteady songs on the A side and the 70s songs on the B side.
The HOT SAUCE series is a musical journey across Trojan and its labels showcasing early Jamaican Reggae’s diverse musical genres and outstanding artists.
Since the early 70s’ “Tighten Up” and “Club Reggae” series, no compilations have really explored these labels in depth on vinyl.
It might be the last volume of the series as we know it so we wanted to make a splash for volume 5.
It is a nod to self-censored lewd Reggae covers from Trojan and Pama in early 70s. So don't fret,
a collectible yellow sticker has been strategically applied on the shrink-wrap to cover Miss Rocksteady's bottom!!
With its striking cover and its thrilling Reggay selection, volume 5 is bound to become another successful album in the Hot Sauce series...

A full tank of gas, the gentle glow from the radio dial, & stretches of open highway await, Forever Gamblin’ On You meanders through miles of soulful AOR, funky folk, & dusty soft rock obscurities. A follow up to Sky Dust Drifter, this compilation was gleaned from American private press oddities & rarities of the 70s & 80s, all of which are seeing their first official reissues on this album. A celebration of love, rebirth, and exploration radiating like the warmth of a loved one from the passenger seat.

Featuring “Feeling The Fire”, a jazzy, AOR grooving declaration of love and desire taken from the sole release from The Mad Brother. The compilations’ title track “Forever Gamblin On You” by Petroc And Pals, features an echo-laden folk rock recollection of hard feelings delivered with swelling guitar in a mournful soft psychedelia. Angie Pepper’s “Miss You Too Much” dwells on a past love, rolling along with an effortlessly cool rhythm section, while Roy McComas croons of his manifested “angel of love” on the swirling psych folk rocker “Girl Of My Dreams”.

Forever Gamblin’ On You unfolds as a hopeful yet equally melancholic collection of nomadic anthems, primed for a memorable journey along the back roads of familiar American landscapes.

The new 12” series on Ballyhoo Records is dedicated to what label owner ‘Thee J Johanz’ describes as ‘Triptech Journeys’. The series takes the listener on a journey traversing old school house to mystical acid and everything in-between.

On volume 1, titled ‘There Is Power In Love’, side a gives us ‘Afrobot and Steven Pieters’ who deliver the perfect message of love. The artist ‘Strange’ then provides us with his stunning Indian style Charanjit Singh rag reworks. We then have raving madness from Goa’s finest ‘Deka’ whose track ‘Dance with me’ was a secret weapon played at a number of major festivals over the summer.

Flip it over to side b, we have ‘Thee J Johanz’ providing us with the perfect intro/outro tool for DJs (lets face it, there is simply not enough good ones on vinyl!) We then have ‘Sintaro Fujita,’ Ballyhoo’s best Japanese friend, delivering sharp and mystical vibes with his track ‘Are We Still Friends.’ Last but by no means least, snake charmer ‘Sid Ua’ slows it all down leaving us in a trance like state with his stunning track ‘Feels Familiar.’ Weird and wonderful music from a fabulous bunch of weird and wonderful talented outsiders, this cannot be missed!

Following on from the warm reception to Hell Yeah and Music Conception reissuing Calm's cult Before album, the labels have come together once more to offer up a reissue of the Japanese master's highly sought-after long player Moonage Electric Ensemble. The hard-to-find original has been given an all-new mixdown from original stem files and then re-mastered by Calm himself, and the double LP will also come with a bonus 12" featuring his very own Daydream Dubs plus an obi-strip and original artwork by FJD.

The blissful yet soul-stirring Moonage Electric Ensemble, which landed first in 1999, was Kiyotaka Fukagawa's stunning sophomore album and the one that kept the bar high following his debut Shadow of the Earth. It investigated all new worlds of future jazz, ambient and downtempo and has since become a cult classic that often fetches three figures on secondhand markets. He has released over 18 albums since including Before which was reissued in 2022, though Moonage Electric Ensemble remains a favourite with those who enjoy the most accomplished and innovative sounds from the first wave of chillout.

This escapist charmer opens with the suspensory synths and piano keys of 'Unseen Small Steps' featuring spoken words from Dan Gamble, then 'Light Year' has gently tumbling rhythms and shimming synth moving about the soothing mix. 'Noon At The Moon' brings gorgeously fizzing future jazz drums and mellifluous piano playing full of subtle joy, and 'The Other Side Of The Moon' then layers up melancholic chords and chunkier rhythms that are detailed with gorgeous persuasive details and mystic flutes. 'Tsukiyo' is a new age charmer with paddy hand drums and romantic interplay between sax and trumpet, 'Between Worlds' is an ambient interlude with distant winds blowing and intimate whispers from Gamble before closer 'Authentic Love Song' rides on dusty trip hop breaks as lazy piano chords melt the heart and Gamble serves up another aloof monologue.

This is another welcome reissue of a sublime album that is not only one of Calm's finest but also a true gem in the wider world of downtempo music.

Titled “Vernacular", the debut album by Blake Reyes is set to release on Axis Records on Friday, October 27, 2023, in vinyl and digital formats. The album is personally overseen by Jeff Mills, and is part of the "Axis Jazz" collection.

This confirms the eclecticism and versatility of both Axis and Blake Reyes, through harmony and rhythm, cultural influences, and the right touch of fusion: characteristics that have always defined jazz.

The album was recorded in three different cities (Bologna, Milan, and Rome), with Jeff Mills present during all recording and mixing sessions. Particularly in Milan, work was done at the Officine Meccaniche studios, where Duke Ellington, Quincy Jones, and many others have recorded.

?Vernacular" is an album that draws from jazz, Detroit techno and funk. It evokes operatic work due to its aspiration to create strong emotional intensity. The album features a blend of acoustic instruments such as acoustic bass, acoustic and electronic guitars, and the Steinway & Sons Grand Piano - the same Duke Ellington played in 1963 when he recorded ?The Symphonic Ellington" album - alongside electronic instruments including drum machines and Roland synths.

?I titled the album ?Vernacular' because I focused solely on production and sound quality, drawing inspiration from vernacular art, as a self-taught and artisanal approach in the noblest sense of the term", Blake Reyes explains. ?The musical references can primarily be found in Jeff Mills and his Millsart project, and more broadly in the works of composers like Bruno Nicolai, Piero Umiliani, Piero Piccioni, Brian Bennett, John Cameron, and even Raymond Scott. For the lyrics of the track ?At Night,' the visual reference that inspired the lyrics can be traced back to certain paintings by Henri Rousseau, particularly ?The Dream,' ?The Snake Charmer,' and ?Sleeping Gypsy.' All of this was done in post-production, working alongside Jeff Mills: a wonderful experience, a continuous flow and exchange of ideas."

Producer, DJ, and sound designer Blake Reyes (born Luca Vertulli) divides his time between Milan and Ibiza. His productions consistently focus on the sounds and emotions derived from tapes, samplers, drum machines, and analog synthesizers. His mixes are broadcasted on stations such as Ibiza Global Radio, Ibiza Sonica, Radio Raheem, and Olà Radio. His DJ sets are distinguished by their elegance and quality, always bringing the dancefloor to the right temperature. He boasts releases on Trax Records and Rebirth Records, and in 2019, he founded Triton Records, his own record label.

Musicians: Dario Lutrino: piano, Stefano Brandoni: guitar, Niccolò "Bolla" Bonavita: bass, Anna Bassy: singer, Blake Reyes: drum machines and synthesizers.

Music composed, produced and directed by Blake Reyes. Lyrics written by Blake Reyes. Studio Engineer: Taketo Gohara, Mastering Engineer: Giovanni Versari, Producer: Jeff Mills.

Studios: Officine Meccaniche, Milan / Fonoprint, Bologna / Forum Studios, Rome

Kompakt unveils the third volume of Jörg Burger’s Velvet Desert Music compilation series, dedicated to music that hits the sweet spot between the cinematic, the (pop) ambient, and the psychedelic. With Velvet Desert Music Vol. 3, Burger and his friends wander afar, taking trips away from, or adjacent to, the dancefloor that’s acted so long as the crucible for the Kompakt aesthetic. Like its predecessors, it’s a gorgeous, lambent collection of late-night mood music.

Because it’s such a broad church, Velvet Desert Music admits all kinds of new experiences, as well, with Burger looking for music that "leads out of the desert into the velvet universe". Indeed, of all the volumes in the series, this third instalment feels closest to an album made by a true collective. The roster has changed, with new contributors Flug 8 and Seb Martel, both with his trio Las Ondas Marteles and with Chocolate Genius and Zsela as La Finca, joining regulars The Novotones, Mount Obsidian, The Golden Bug, Paulor and Sascha Funke.

Burger himself reappears, too, alongside Fritz Ackermann (of The Novotones), Max Würden and Thore Pfeiffer, in The Velvet Circle. Their contributions are pure lush life electronica: “Our Tribe” hitches a ride with a low-slung groove, flickering psychedelic reels of acoustic guitar traipsing across moody bass and taffeta layers of drone; their opening remix of Flug 8’s “Puerto Rico” gently introduces the album with softly tangling electronic tones, while guitars, drenched in reverb, pirouette in the background. A Mount Obsidian remix of “Sacrosanct” by Burger’s The Black Frame -project is a swirling treat for the ears.

La Finca’s electronics and voice miniature, “What Clouds Say”, is a masterclass in poetic restraint; Martel’s “Dark Mambo”, remixed by Burger, is one of the collection’s big surprises, for it indeed does what the title says, a drifting, surrealist take on the mambo form, full of pensive chords, rich with unrequited longing, a breathy saxophone whispering under the song’s sly rhythmic carriage.

Elsewhere, The Novotones chime in with a slyly propulsive, Krautrock-esque charmer, “Liberty Bell”, and the guitar-led tone-drift of “Valley of Oblivion”; Paulor’s “The Last Coke in the Desert” is a chiming, lilting dreamscape; Mount Obsidian are joined by vocalist Charlotte Jestaedt for two modern takes on early-hours art song, “Marole” and “Fade”; Sascha Funke’s “Mathias Rust” is a lavish dancefloor dream, vocal samples drifting through the song as it slowly envelops the listener in its opulent radiance.

This is just a taste of the rich pleasures of Velvet Desert Music Vol. 3, a triumph of a compilation that takes the psychedelic visions of its predecessors and looks for the desert within, a dusty kiss, a road-movie hallucination flickering on the listener’s eyelids, a cinematic projection from deep inside the mind.

This exceptional release brings together two of Marcia Griffiths’ most remarkable recordings.

Both tracks originally appeared on her acclaimed debut solo album Sweet and Nice , produced by

Lloyd Charmers and released on Trojan Records in 1974.

These two gorgeous tracks are extremely popular today as highlighted by the hundreds of thousands views on Youtube

but incredibly, this is the very first time these two gems are issued on a 7" single!!

Texan deep house don Rami invites you into an evocative world here that is part soothing late night charmers, part avant-garde electronic experiments and part cruising late night grooves. 'First' is a deliciously drowsy sound to get you on side, then 'Popsumn' shakes things up with bleeping synths, fragmented vocals and warped pulses. There is a moment to pause amidst lush ambient on 'After You', daydream in the cuddly kicks and far-sighted pads of 'I Like This' and gaze off into the distance on the far-sighted 'Bedtime'. 'Sex! Closes with a steamy late-night pulse that could well get you in the mood.

Sarturan Records is back with its 2nd Various Artists release. A powerful gathering of DJs from all over France, offering a dynamic mix of rhythmic electro, break and minimal touches in this 4 tracks EP. Let’s ride with RVR and Kapik from the PSS crew, alongside Lazer Man and Kiss The Future for an enchanting journey.

Ken Boothe and Lloyd Charmers - two soul-driven innovators - deliver a bold statement. Each vocal cut is paired with a raw version: stripped to drum and bass - raw, unfiltered. It's a format that would shape reggae's future. This is where it starts - no filler, just foundation.

glo-worm produce chiming pop music of a nonbouncing variety that sounds pure, forlorn and unencumbered. Glo-Worm are at the heart of the `90s East Coast independent pop music scene that brought us Slumberland Records, Velocity Girl, Versus and chickfactor magazine. glimmer KLP054 brings all the various glo-worm 45s together under one roof. It's a real charmer, and now available for the first time as a long playing (LP) phonograph record. glo-worm formed in Washington D.C., summer 1993 and features the voice of Pam Berry ( cofounder of chickfactor magazine) accompanied by Dan Searing (drums, percussion) and Terry Banks (guitar). Previously, Pam had sung in Black Tambourine. Terry played in Tree Fort Angst and a stint in English underground combo St. Christopher. Dan had been in Whorl. During the course of glo-worm's two-and-a-halfish year lifespan, the band released three 7" EPs (issued by the Somersault, Slumberland and K labels) and had songs on a couple of compilations, all leading up to the glimmer [KLP054] album, which compiled the 7" EPs and added a cover of The Cure's `Friday I'm in Love' and was released by K in 1996.

Mike Popov is the musician behind the I Gemin project, which was conceived as a way of working disco style and sampling into his house tracks. And the results are brilliantly effective and charming. 'Introfall (Autumn)' makes for a low-slung downtempo start, 'Come Together' brings horn-led disco house fun and 'Black Tea Groove' sinks into a fat-bottomed and dubby rhythm alive with magical synth flourishes. The blissed out 'Summer Breeze' is an escapist charmer, and the flipside features three more exquisite genre studies that have real heart and authenticity.

A warm breeze drifts through the open cabin of the boat, carrying the scent of salt and sunwarmed teak as it stirs the linen curtains. The man moves easily, bare feet against the wooden floor, the slow rhythm of the harbor rocking beneath him. He flips through his records with a knowing touch, pulling out a favorite—something smooth and mellow, with buttery vocals and melodies that drift like a sailboat on calm waters. The needle drops, and honeyed guitar riffs spill into the air, effortless and sunlit. He reaches for the bottle of rum, the ice in his glass chiming softly as he pours, then adds a squeeze of lime, a lazy stir. Outside, the water glows in the last light of day, golden ripples stretching toward the horizon. He leans back against the cushioned bench, drink in hand, the music swirling around him like the evening breeze—unhurried, weightless, exactly where he wants to be.


Small Talk brings together a carefully curated selection of long-forgotten, yet remarkably smooth and captivating soft rock and AOR tracks from the ‘70s and ‘80s, compiled by Brandon McMahon. These lesser-known songs are drenched in lush harmonies, dreamy guitar riffs, and mellow rhythms, capturing the essence of an era without the mainstream recognition. For those with an ear for the obscure and a taste for the subtle, Small Talk offers a fresh perspective on an era’s most overlooked gems.

Few Jamaican music makers have demonstrated greater versatility or proficiency than Lloyd Charmers, who first made his name on the Jamaican music scene as a youthful singer- songwriter in the early 60s.

His output as both a performer and producer included multiple major reggae hits.
After his international break through, he produced work for keyboard maestro Harold Butler.

Butler’s widely sought-after ‘Gold Connection’ album, an instrumental collection from
1976 features nine superior reggae and soul instrumentals, including popular versions of ‘That’s The Way I Like It’ and the title track.
This album is an essential acquisition for both completists and all those who prefer their reggae with a little bit of soul.

Gold Connection is available as a limited edition of 500 individually numbered copies on orange coloured vinyl.

Celebrated session guitarist, Willie Lindo, steps from behind the scenes and into the spotlight to deliver some top class original compositions and sublime cover versions.

A sumptuous piece of gourmet music. Timeless dub, executed to perfection. The B-Side sees Lindo cover Al Green and Bobby Womack, converting their slow jams into stoney instrumental masterpieces, a sort of precursor to the hip-hop way of sampling and reinterpreting our collective heritage.

Far & Distant was recorded at 220 Marcus Garvey Drive, eight years prior to Rita Marley relocating Tuff Gong International to that address.
A relic from an era where being “in the studio” actually meant something.

Portland's Paul Dickow, the man behind the Strategy alias, is back with a new album that has been created with a 1989 model sampling keyboard. Exploring its limitations, he plays the sampler by hand and abandons sequencers for a more organic approach which apes a guitarist's connection to their instrument. The record delves into glacial, pensive soundscapes where experimental, ambient and dance music elements all come together with deliberate intention. Though Dickow crafts a sound rooted in ambient techno futurism it is one open to serendipitous, experimental outcomes which makes it a gently unpredictable listen and otherworldly charmer.

By the close of the 1960's, Lloyd 'Charmers' Tyrell was firmly established as one of Jamaica's premier talents, having previously made his mark as a key member of leading vocal outfits, The Charmers and The Uniques. His move into record production in 1968 swiftly resulted in numerous Jamaican hits, with his success attracting the attention London-based reggae music giant, Trojan Records, with whom he swiftly signed a licensing deal in 1969. As the '60s drew to a close, Trojan released 'Reggae Is Tight', on which the multi-talented Charmers demonstrated his keyboard-playing talents over a dozen fast-passed rhythm tracks. This is from the golden age of boss reggae sounds. A must for all true fans of vintage Jamaican sounds. Reggae Is Tight is available as a limited numbered edition of 500 copies on orange coloured vinyl

Mitte März 2025 veröffentlicht Ninja Tune ein Reissue des legendären Albums 'Adventures in Foam‘ welches das einzige Album von Amon Tobin ist, das unter dem Namen Cujo (portugiesisch für „dessen“) veröffentlicht wurde. Diese ultimative 3xLP-Wiederveröffentlichung bringt zum ersten Mal alle Tracks zusammen und bietet damit eine umfassende Version des Albums.

Good and smoked out rasta vibes from the new album by Dreadsquad and friends !

Jah vibes with a pinch of Ska feels, nice one guys !

Moar & DJ Vince are "The Beatmatics"
After a very nice 1st volume on tape only, the beatmaking duet is back with a new volume feat beats jazzy & deep, 90s remixes, samples tools and scratch tool!
For sure put it on the turntable and feel the boom bap vibe with their vintage samplers collection !

Good and smoked out rasta vibes from the new album by Dreadsquad and friends !

Jah vibes with a pinch of Ska feels, nice one guys !

Let’s Get It On is the 7th album of reggae pioneer Ken Boothe . The album is produced by Lloyd Charmers and is originally released by Trojan Records in 1974.

The record includes the well-known Syl Johnson cover of “Is it Because I’m Black”, plus Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Get it On’”.

Let’s Get It On is available as a limited edition of 750 individually numbered copies on orange coloured vinyl.

15 years onwards from the original release in October 2009, "This Is …" by Gizelle Smith & The Mighty Mocambos remains a classic in its genre. Upfront, raw and melodic, this super sister funk album has not aged at all. Now, in 2024, it is time for a proper re-release with unreleased bonus tracks, rare remixes and a limited edition double vinyl album. Welcome to the deluxe version of "This Is …" by Gizelle Smith & The Mighty Mocambos.

Read here what the original release sheet said about the album:

"Strong album – packs a serious punch" Craig Charles Funk and Soul Show, BBC 6 Music

"A breath of fresh air" Keb Darge

"Really amazing stuff, full of killers" Nick / Record Kicks

"Definitely recommended" Peter Wermelinger, Funky & Groovy Music Records Lexicon

"What a fantastic album – this is proper funk" Tobias Kirmayer, Tramp Records

Ever since their first collaboration on the "Mocambo Funk Forty Fives" compilation, things have gained momentum for Gizelle Smith, the "Golden Girl of Funk", and the much respected Hamburg-based label and live band The Mighty Mocambos. Their first single "Working Woman" became an overnight smash and a prime-time club favourite of funk & soul DJs from all over the world. Initially released on the Finnish private press label Old Capital, producer legend and Grammy nominee Kenny Dope (Masters at Work, Bucketheads) picked up and remixed the song for his own label Kay Dee Records. Gizelle Smith & Mocambo now step up with a full-length album of bonafide sister funk. In the days of digital recording and Pro Tools editing, they show true exception to modern techniques and create their highly regarded, unique and raw soul sound, by making use of simple dynamic microphones and reel-to-reel tape machines. In a genre which is often littered with overused clichés of the past, the charismatic Gizelle Smith adds a lot of her own flavour rather than slavishly copying icons of bygone decades. The result is a refreshing alternative to post-millenium plastic pop without being a mere retro rip-off. From the heavy and determined "Gonna Get You" to vulnerable, gospel-tinged laments such as "Coffee High", "This Is Gizelle Smith & The Mighty Mocambos" is just as deeply rooted in the music from the golden era of soul as it is a modern masterpiece in its own right. Blazing horns, soulful guitars, driving drums and basslines combined with Gizelle's gripping and powerful voice all weave together to create a long player that is varied and coherent at the same time.

Black, Gold & Green was the first of three albums Ken Boothe would record together with producer Lloyd Charmers and takes his Memphis-via-Kingston aesthetic to the next level. Some of the best soul singing of his career can be heard here on numbers such as ""Out of Love,"" ""Missing You,"" and the gritty ballad ""Second Chance."" His singing as being in the same kind of soul groove as the late and great Otis Redding. Ken’s tradition, though, is based in the powerful religious messages reflected in the native Jamaican religion. Black, Gold & Green includes some serious social-political material, and these heavy tones permeate every note of this album. It also includes his great cover version of Bill Withers' ""Ain't No Sunshine."" Black, Gold & Green is available as a limited edition of 500 individually numbered copies on orange coloured vinyl.