Search:dan fun

The way you're saying it, "prolific" isn't the right word for The Bug Club. You've got to say it with the trademark Welsh lilt and pay due homage to this inimitable band's origins in the renowned hit factory of Caldicot, South Wales. Do that, and you're about right with how to summarize a group who've released ten singles, two albums, two EPs, three things nobody knew how to describe, and an album under a different band's name, all since 2021, and while playing 200+ gigs a year. Initially comprising the songwriting core of Sam Willmett (vocals/guitar) and Tilly Harris (vocals/bass) with Dan Matthew (drums), The Bug Club started plying their trade in 2016. They were signed by UK label Bingo Records in Autumn of 2020. BBC 6 Music's Marc Riley was an early champion, hammering the single, booking the band in for a session as soon as it was allowed, and rightfully praising songwriters capable of singing the whole alphabet in a two-minute song and making it work. Third LP On The Intricate Inner Workings Of The System - their first for Sub Pop - sees the band serve up a beefy slab of their speciality Modern-Lovers-meets-Nuggets garage rock. There's B-52's call-and-response fun mixed with AC/DC power chord grunt. Leaning towards fast-paced punk, opening double salvo "War Movies" and "Quality Pints" sets out the stall: duel vocal piss-taking, surreal takes on everyday topics that go full circle and become profound, riffs all day long and then all the next day too. "Quality Pints" deals with the pressing concerns of any conscientious touring outfit, taking to heart the rule of the three R's as penned by renowned fellow pints fan Mark E. Smith of The Fall. Repetition, repetition, repetition. If it's that important, which it is, it's worth saying again. "War Movies" dresses distorted chugging with a comprehensive 'best of' list for the genre, with Sam Willmett offering a solo casually chucked out in a way that will make your dad promptly give up any resurgent guitar playing ambitions. And "A Bit Like James Bond" tackles the UK's sleaziest undercover export at the same time as the embarrassing ego problem that besets much of its population - but it's only heavy(ish) in the fun, loads-of-riffs sense. So, that's what they've been finishing up during their massive month-long break from gigs. In a bid to avoid being branded layabouts, The Bug Club will support their upcoming Sub Pop release with a springtime tour of the UK and Europe beginning May 10, before heading out to the US in September.

Limited to 350 copies

Stop what you're doing and give us your full attention because Hell Yeah mainstay My Friend Dario's new album Senza Estate is going to define the sound of summer 2024. It's an eclectic eight-track collection that has something for everyone and is inspired by dreamy Italian soundtrack composers Piero Piccioni and Umiliani.

Curveball Italian talent Dario is a real dance floor don who collides acid, nu-disco, breakbeat and electro. His take on Balearic is unique and always sends dance floors wild, as proven with his last outing Food For Woofers Vol 2 earlier in the year. His new album is the sound of life by the Mediterranean, Balearic audio pleasure for daytime dreaming and nighttime dancing with vocal tracks written and performed by the UK's Space Echo Records associate Darene Obika.

Dario hails from Catania on the island of Sicily and his inspiration for Senza Estate, which translates as 'without summer,' was an imaginary holiday, weekends at the seaside, car journeys in the sun, relaxing sunsets and late-night dancing. 'For five years, I worked in a shop six days a week so despite living on a Mediterranean island I could never enjoy these things. Instead, I locked myself in the studio and jotted down the ideas, sensations, melodies and rhythms I had about another lost summer.'

'Keep On Cruising' is a downtempo opener with innocent synths that are filled with hope and promise for the warm months ahead. 'Zingarella' is a wide open sea view with wispy pads, seductive flutes and jazzy melodies that bristle with life and the tropical title cut gets more dancey on shuffling broken beats and radiant synth glows. There's a seductive laid-back cool to the tumbling keys of 'Marittimo' and 'What You Need' is a horizontal groove with loved-up vocals, 'Falò' pairs sensual acoustic guitar with work with pillowy drums and 'Il Pianeta Proibito' layers up sci-fi synths and stuttering bass into a bubbly sound that leads to cosmic take-off. 'Acid Panorama' is the melancholic closer which hints that the summer sun is setting one final time after weeks of carefree fun.

But the good news is, you can repeat the joys of My Friend Dario's masterful Senza Estate over and over again.

Arp Frique returns with a brand new release on his imprint Colorful World Records in collaboration with Rush Hour. A compilation of 12 Cape Verdean gems assembled with the help and knowledge of Americo Brito, there is a very special story behind it. Americo Brito, who features on Arp Frique’s original Nos Magia, is a proud and important member of the Cape Verdean community in Rotterdam. His story reveals the historical connections between radio, vinyl, Cabo Verde and Rotterdam’s international music scene in the 70s and 80s. Cape Verdean insiders say “we export all they have to other countries, only to import it back again”. Cape Verdeans have migrated all over the world, mainly to cities with big harbours, like New York, Boston and Rotterdam (Holland). Rotterdam became one of the main destinations (next to Portugal) on the European mainland. When Americo, like many of his friends and relatives moved to Rotterdam, he quickly became infected with the music virus. Surrounded on a daily basis by Cape Verdean music in Portuguese pensions and small hotels, this was where sailors ingested a dose of “sodade” through the interpretations of their beloved music by the local Cape Verdean artists. Americo took to the stage with his band Djarama in the 70s and 80s. The live music scene was buzzing and the Cape Verdean community had their own infrastructure for arranging shows, often in nightclubs where the band had to bring their own soundsystem. Interestingly, Americo didn’t stick to performing and recording music. He found another way to help spread the Cape Verdean magical secret of music across Rotterdam, Holland and beyond: “There was this spot in Rotterdam where all foreign radio stations were housed, all these different nationalities together, Surinam, Cape Verdean, Hindustani…Guy Ramos and some of my other friends made radio in the 80s there. I got involved in their radio activities. Later on I started to work as a technician and eventually as producer and radio DJ for “Radio Voz De Cabo Verde”. Radio became bigger and there were around 4 different Cape Verdean stations active at one point in Rotterdam. instrumental in the development of this was the attic of a Dutch friend, where “Radio Babalu” came to life. Radio has always held a special place in my heart.” Americo’s music collection stems from this era, also aided by his many travels across Europe to cities with Cape Verdean communities. Alongside Rotterdam local, Arp Frique, Americo unveils some of these songs: dancefloor hits and beloved radio gems known in the Cape Verdean scene by younger and older generations alike, and so far undiscovered by a “bigger” audience. The compilation showcases the worldly view of Cape Verdean music, incorporating knowledge from their travels in their compositions. It ranges from the obvious funana and coladeira, to the more unexpected influences of deep disco, new wave, uptempo reggae, jazz-funk and Brazilian pop music; demonstrating just the tip of the iceberg, but what an amazing t(r)ip it is!

After releasing their debut album in 2022 that showcased their signature mix of psychedelic and funk, Neighbourly is returning with two EPs that explore new sonic territory. The first, “Outside 311” draws inspiration from bands like Wet Leg and Parquet Courts with more post-punk and garage rock styles. The second “Alla Discoteca” takes a sharp turn and draws inspiration from bands like Altin Gun, Nu Genea, Masayoshi Takanaka and Khruangbin, with more dancey, disco styles and all Italian lyrics. Both EPs offer the listener a sonic adventure, full of twists and turns but with the classic Neighbourly psychedelic, funky charm.

If Los Bitchos’ electrifying 2022 debut album Let the Festivities Begin! was the rowdy build up to the big night out, then Talkie Talkie is the Technicolor explosion of the dancefloor. Made up of lead guitarist Serra, who carries both Australian and Turkish heritage, Uruguayan synth and keytar player Agustina Ruiz, Swedish bassist Josefine Jonsson and British drummer Nic Crawshaw, the group are united by a commitment to having fun. It’s a contagious energy they’ve had no problem transmitting to the world: since the band officially arrived in 2019 with two sell-out 7" singles, they marked themselves as one of London’s brightest bands to watch. Since then, they’ve found a home in beloved indie label City Slang, ripped stages across the most coveted stages the globe over (such as Glastonbury and Coachella, as well as supporting Pavement and King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard), and radiated the verve of their personalities and cultures through their exploratory take on rock’n’roll. The London-based quartet’s new album is glistening with charisma, sonic experimentation and a puckish spirit. Named after a fictional club of the same name Talkie Talkie is a late-night paradise brimming with freedom and possibility; a place where partygoers can escape reality in the dance or daydream along to the invigorating soundscapes.

Los Bitchos promise to turn the global indie rock scene upside down in 2024!

Ltd Edtion
If Los Bitchos’ electrifying 2022 debut album Let the Festivities Begin! was the rowdy build up to the big night out, then Talkie Talkie is the Technicolor explosion of the dancefloor. Made up of lead guitarist Serra, who carries both Australian and Turkish heritage, Uruguayan synth and keytar player Agustina Ruiz, Swedish bassist Josefine Jonsson and British drummer Nic Crawshaw, the group are united by a commitment to having fun. It’s a contagious energy they’ve had no problem transmitting to the world: since the band officially arrived in 2019 with two sell-out 7" singles, they marked themselves as one of London’s brightest bands to watch. Since then, they’ve found a home in beloved indie label City Slang, ripped stages across the most coveted stages the globe over (such as Glastonbury and Coachella, as well as supporting Pavement and King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard), and radiated the verve of their personalities and cultures through their exploratory take on rock’n’roll. The London-based quartet’s new album is glistening with charisma, sonic experimentation and a puckish spirit. Named after a fictional club of the same name Talkie Talkie is a late-night paradise brimming with freedom and possibility; a place where partygoers can escape reality in the dance or daydream along to the invigorating soundscapes.

Am 30. August 2024 veröffentlicht der aus Kaiserslautern stammende DJ und Produzent Zedd sein neues
Album „Telos“, welches seine erste Albumveröffentlichung seit 9 Jahren ist. Nach dem großen Erfolg seines
letzten Albums „True Colors“ aus 2015, das mit Dance-Hymnen wie „Beautiful Now“ und „I Want You
to Know“ mit Selena Gomez glänzte, bietet auch „Telos“ wieder spannende Feature, u.a. auch die Single
„Out Of Time“ mit Bea Miller.
Zedd beschreibt „Telos“ als sein bisher ehrlichstes und persönlichstes Album, weiter sagt er: “With Telos, I
wanted to create a profound album listening experience that takes you on a journey beyond just the songs.
I wanted everyone to be able to feel a deeper emotional connection, like how I felt listening to my favorite
albums when I was growing up. It was the details, transitions and cohesiveness that made me want to
create a truly meaningful body of work.”
In seiner Karriere arbeitet der jetzt in Los Angeles beheimatete Zedd mit einer beachtlichen Reihe von
Künstlern zusammen und remixte Songs von u.a. Justin Bieber, Lady Gaga, Black Eyed Peas und Skrillex.
Neben fünf Nominierungen und einem GRAMMY Award (2019) für die beste Pop Duo/Group Performance seiner Single „The Middle“ feat. Grey und Maren Morris, räumte er auch noch zahlreiche weitere
Auszeichnungen ab. Das Album wird auf Vinyl am 30.08. erscheinen

Betty Boo is a Hip Hop pioneer and 90's icon, as well as a a multiplatinum selling, Brit- and Ivor Novello- Award-winning singer, songwriter,
and producer from West London
After a chance meeting in McDonalds on Shepherd's Bush Green, she ended up
supporting Public Enemy on tour in the US with her Hip Hop trio The She Rockers.
In 1989, she featured as guest vocalist on The Beatmasters' Top 10 single - Hey
DJ/I Can't Dance (To That Music You're Playing).
Her first solo single - Doin' The Do - was released the following year and
announced Betty Boo as a phenomenon in her own right. Betty Boo released two
albums - Boomania and GRRR! It's Betty Boo - and then mostly retired from the
public eye. 2022 saw the unexpected return of Betty Boo with her incredible
album Boomerang.
Betty Boo now returns with a new project, 'Rip Up The Rulebook'. "I loved making
Boomerang so much that I kept writing. I'm very proud of these songs and grateful
to be back creating music full time. The album title Rip Up The Rulebook is my
response to stereo- typical ideas about what women should be doing in their fifties.
I have never had so much fun making music (with my friends Andy Wright and Gavin
Goldberg). Long may it continue".
Live dates for 2024 to be announced. Upcoming performance at London's
Islington Assembly Hall on June 15th.

The second release to come out of Sound Metaphors’ collaboration with the Italian electronic music Don, Gianpiero Pacetti aka JP Energy. “I Have A Pessimistic Outlook Of Life E.P.” showcases a considerably more mature and polished sound relative to the previous release as the artist moves into the end of the 90’s and seems to shed the naive playfulness one could still hear in “Strano E.P.” with it's Italo-disco influences. Here things get more serious and even more “industrial” with a darker and perhaps more cynical tone, not unlike the title of the EP. A 3 track record, very much oriented towards the dance floor, “Fantastic Machine” comes in at over 130BPM with a very metallurgical flavour, something one could imagine hearing at a moving assembly line for car engine parts in a factory somewhere in Brescia, yet with an overlaying eerie nuance. “Automatic Sun” comes in with a very driving beat, the secret weapon of the release by all means, very effective employment of electronic percussive elements. And finishing the EP, Gianpiero’s Requiem to the format, a once record store owner who by 1999 might have already been feeling the tides of change brought in with the early CDJs (one could imagine) “The End Of Vynil” goes into full on electro territory with the beat and very much in tune with the title expresses a funerary darkness with the melodic elements. All in

The records is released in two options. Both hvae 180g vinyl records. The first version has two black vinyls and the second limited edition (numbered 100 pieces) has one turquoise vinyl and the other red.

Over the last three decades, Auckland, New Zealand, has given birth to several generations of musicians, DJs, and producers who operated within the interzone between jazz, blues, soul, funk, Latin music, hip-hop, house, boogie, and broken beat. Across two slow-cooked albums that sit at the intersection of machine funk and vivid live instrumentation, Odyssey (2016) and their forthcoming sophomore release Long Road (2024), After 'Ours - the group project of pianist and composer Michal Martyniuk and drummer, guitarist and producer Nick Williams - have comfortably located themselves within this antipodean tradition.

Born and raised in Auckland, Nick Williams grew up surrounded by music from a young age. At home, his mother, Mary Anne, a record collector and DJ with deep, diverse vinyl crates, kept his ear sharp. By the time he was eight years old, he was regularly joining his musician father on stages across Australia in his blues rock band Slippery Sam. In his early twenties, Nick began leading the eleven-piece Auckland Latin-dub-funk fusion big band Tangent, who performed regularly until the late 2000s.

Michal Martyniuk, on the other hand, grew up on the opposite side of the world in Szczecin, Poland. After playing classical music for twelve years and attending jazz school, he relocated to New Zealand with his family in his teens. While studying at Auckland University Jazz school, Michal came into the orbit of the legendary New Zealand saxophonist, composer, producer, and band leader Nathan Haines, who brought him into the same world as future collaborators like Tama Waipara, Batacada Sound Machine, Sola Rosa and Nick.

Inspired by the rich stories of jazz, neo-soul, electronica, and dance music from both sides of the Atlantic Ocean and the open-eared Auckland scene they emerged from, After 'Ours formed in 2011. Born out of a friendship cultivated through playing together at bars and nightclubs around town and home studio sessions. "Nick had family and work, so I had to wait all day," Michal says. "We'd come to the studio at 10 PM and go till 3 AM. That's how we came up with the name.

Session by session, After 'Ours revealed itself to be a creatively fertile meeting of minds. "We both have our angles, but it works well in the end," Nick reflects. "It takes the music to a place we can't get to by ourselves."

Between 2011 and 2016, they wrote and recorded Odyssey with a cast of musical collaborators that included KP, Sharlene Hector & Kevin Mark Trail (UK), Matt Nanai, Nathan Haines, Jakub Skowronski, Nick's partner Ange Williams (nee Saunders) and British producer Mike Patto from the lauded UK future jazz group Reel People. Influenced by the smooth yacht rock of Steely Dan and Donald Fagan, the warm midtempo bounce of A Tribe Called Quest and J Dilla, and the complex jazz/RnB bop of Robert Glasper, Odyssey was a labour of love that emphasised community, warm-hearted hospitality, and care.

Seven years on, they're finally ready to return with Long Road, an album that contains some of their best work yet. As well as reconnecting with past collaborators Kevin Mark Trail and Ange Williams, Long Road sees After 'Ours calling on assistance from Louis Baker, Jakarta-based saxophone player Kuba Skowroński, bassist Dan Antunovich, Los Angeles-based drummer Chris Bailey and the journeyman British soul artist Omar Lyefook.

Across ten songs that plot a stargazed course through their antipodean spin on UK broken beat, jazz, modern soul, and blues rock, Nick and Michal build on everything they learned while writing and recording Odyssey. In the process, they take their joyful musical visions to sublime new heights.

The weather might never be hot in the UK but the 7th release from Regulate Recordings is an absolute scorcher! Coming hot on the heels of the “The Rhythm / Make Em Bounce” going to the top of the Juno charts and doing serious dance floor damage the North West imprint have gone even bigger for the next release with a daisy age inspired transatlantic cross over.
Manchester producer Atomphunk has teamed up with Seattle Duo Mugs and Pockets with turntablist extraordinaire DJ Deviant on the cuts. The results are without doubt the jams of the summer, which is handy because the A side is called “Summer Jam”. With a popping funk bass line and rhymes dancing over the top that immediately evoke the spirit of the Native Tongues, but added into the mix is that Grand Central / Fat City groove and the West Coast USA bounce of Jurassic 5 and their collaborators, (Chali2Na is a big supporter of Mugs & Pockets). In a packed field “Summer Jam” might just be Regulate’s biggest release yet.

Things don’t let up on the flip “Back For More” sees Atomphunk go for the hotter stickier side of the season, with a more laid back synth driven groove evoking Roy Ayers and Quincy Jones, but with crisp beats and Mugs and Pockets bringing it once more. Don’t sleep on this one.

First-ever release of the long-lost original full length versions of tracks from Sheena’s 1985 hit collaboration with super producer Nile Rodgers. Remastered from the original master tapes and pressed on orange coloured vinyl with brand new artwork including full lyrics and rare photos.

Features the previously unreleased uncut versions of singles ‘Jimmy Mack’ and ‘Magic Of Love’, original alternate ‘Break Mix’ of ‘Do It For Love’ and 7 minute+ take on the rock-funk
workout ‘Don’t Turn Your Back’
This orange vinyl ‘Uncut Nile Rodgers Sessions’ edition of 1985’s dance-R&B orientated ‘Do You’ features eight previously unreleased full-length versions of tracks from the hit album.

‘Do You’ finds Sheena Easton hooking up with Nile Rodgers at his imperial 1980s superproducer peak - following mega hit productions for the likes of David Bowie, Madonna and Duran Duran. Easton fully embraces her new upbeat, pop-funk direction on tracks like the Top 30 US dance hits ‘Do It For Love’ and classic Motown cover ‘Jimmy Mack’, as well as sensual groove ballads like ‘Magic Of Love’ and ‘When The Lightning Strikes Again’.

The latest full-length from Kishi Bashi, Kantos is a work of exquisite duality: a party album about the possible end of humanity as we know it, at turns deeply unsettling and sublimely joyful. In a sonic departure from the symphonic folk of his critically lauded 2019 LP Omoiyari - a career-defining body of work born from his intensive meditation on the mass incarceration of Japanese-Americans during World War II - the Seattle-born singer/songwriter/producer's fifth studio album encompasses everything from Brazilian jazz and '70s funk to orchestral rock and city pop (a Japanese genre that peaked in the mid-'80s). Informed by an equally kaleidoscopic mix of inspirations - the cult-classic sci-fi novel series Hyperion Cantos, the writings of 18th century enlightenment philosopher Immanuel Kant, a revelatory trip to ancient ruins on the island of Crete - Kantos ultimately serves as an unbridled exaltation of the human spirit and all its wild complexities. During the earliest stages of creating songs for the album, Ishibashi's main intent was to return to his highly eclectic musical roots, in part by tapping into his jazz background and by delving into the dance-rock-leaning sensibilities he previously embraced as co-founder of Brooklyn-bred indie band Jupiter One. But not too long into the songwriting process, he stumbled upon an AI-equipped website capable of composing catchy song hooks based on a prompt - a turn of events that quickly catalyzed the existential inquiry at the heart of Kantos. Although his ruminations on AI, transhumanism, and humanity's troubled fate indelibly guided the making of Kantos, Ishibashi nonetheless views the album as "less of a warning about this kind of hubris but more a celebration of the very characteristics that make us human: desire, passion, empathy, and love." "If there's anything I want people to come away with when they hear this record, it's a feeling of excitement about the possibilities of human-created art," he says. "Even as we're learning more about all the amazing things AI can do, I think humans will always be one step ahead in terms of our creativity and innovation. There's still no limit to what we have to offer."

The 8-LP box set Miles At Newport 1955-1975 - The Bootleg Series Vol. 4 features of live performances by Miles’ stellar band lineups from 1955, 1958, 1966, 1967, 1969, 1971, 1973, and 1975, in New-
port, Rhode Island, New York City, Berlin, and Switzerland. From Miles’ debut performance at NJF in 1955 (a hastily arranged jam session featuring Thelonious Monk and Gerry Mulligan), to his final public performance of the ‘70s in 1975, the box set traces the ascen- dance of Miles’ music as the jazz superstar he has become known to be.

The full-length concert performances alone of Miles’ famed “Kind Of Blue” Sextet (with Cannonball Adderley, John Coltrane, Bill Evans, Paul Chambers, and Jimmy Cobb), and second great quintet in ‘66 and ‘67 (with Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, and Tony Williams) represent templates that reverberate in jazz and popular music to this day.

Miles At Newport 1955-1975 - The Bootleg Series Vol. 4 is available as a deluxe 8LP box set, housed in a lift-off box. The set includes print- ed innersleeves, a mini poster of Miles, and a 12-page booklet with extensive liner notes and rare photos.

Die aus Hawthorne, Kalifornien, stammenden Thee Heart Tones setzen mit ihrer Musik sowohl eine Tradition fort als auch neue Grenzen. Leadsängerin Jazmine Alvarado ist gerade mal 19 Jahre alt und das älteste Mitglied der Gruppe, Jorge Rodriguez, ist 21, aber wenn man sich ihre Platte anhört, wird deutlich, dass sie weit über ihr Alter hinaus talentiert sind. Thee Heart Tones, das sind Jazmine (Gesang), Ricky Cerezo (Tasten und Orgel), Jorge (Schlagzeug), Jeffrey Romero (Bass), Peter Chagolla (Leadgitarre) und Walter Morales (Rhythmusgitarre). "Eines Tages bekam ich eine Mail von Ricky Cerezo mit der Frage, ob ich einen Song für seine neue (damals noch namenlose) Band schreiben wolle", erzählt Jazmine. "Ich kannte seinen Schlagzeuger und die anderen Jungs aus der Mittelschule, sie waren also bekannte Gesichter. Sie schickten mir ein mp3 eines Instrumentalstücks, das sie geschrieben hatten, und sagten mir, sie wollten einen Text, also schrieb ich einen und schickte ihn ihnen." Dieser Song wurde schließlich "Don't Take Me as a Fool", eine schwermütige Moll-Ballade, in der Jazmines schwülstiger, perfekter Gesang erklingt, und die nun für ihr Debütalbum bestimmt ist. Ricky ging nach Hause und spielte seinem Vater "Don't Take Me As a Fool" vor, das er als Sprachnotiz auf seinem Telefon aufgenommen hatte. "Ich war zögerlich. Dad kannte diese Musik besser als jeder andere, er ist damit aufgewachsen. Aber er hat sich mein Telefon geschnappt und es an sein Ohr gehalten. Seine Zustimmung bedeutete mir sehr viel. Aber er hatte die gleiche Reaktion wie Jorge und ich, als wir Jazmine zum ersten Mal singen hörten. 'Das wird ein Hit', sagte er mir. Ihr habt hier etwas ganz Besonderes". Es war dieselbe Aufnahme, die Leon Michels und Danny Akalepse von Big Crown Records aufhorchen ließ, die beide sofort das Potenzial der Gruppe erkannten. Nachdem sie bei dem Label unterschrieben hatten, flog Leon nach Los Angeles, um mit Tommy Brenneck in Tommys Diamond West Studio ihr Debütalbum aufzunehmen. In fünf Tagen haben sie 14 Songs aufgenommen, die den Charme des Teenager-Souls einfangen und ihn mit ihren bewährten Produktionsfähigkeiten mischen - das Ergebnis ist ein modernes klassisches Soul-Album. Der Album-Opener und Titeltrack "Forever & Ever" ist ein ansteckender Two-Stepper, der sofort die Stimmung hebt, während schwere B-Seiten-Balladen wie "Should I Call You Tonight", "Cry My Tears Away" und "It's Time" den Klassikern des Genres den Rang ablaufen. Mit "Need Something More" ziehen sie das Tempo an und füllen die Tanzfläche, während Jazmine mit einem Track im Northern-Soul-Stil ganz sachlich die Dinge auf den Punkt bringt. Sie covern den Klassiker "Sabor A Mi" aus der Feder von Alvaro Carrillo mit großem Effekt, werden ihm gerecht und stellen ihre Version auf eine Stufe mit den besten von ihnen. Ein weiterer Höhepunkt ist ihre Version des The Vanguards-Klassikers "Somebody Please", den sie auf eine ganz andere Ebene heben. Die stampfenden Drums von "No Longer Mine" stehen im Kontrast zu Jazmines honigsüßem Gesang und enden mit der düsteren Energie eines Hip-Hop-Samples aus den mittleren 90ern. Forever & Ever ist sowohl ein Beweis für die unverwechselbare musikalische Chemie als auch für das Talent der beiden. Ihre Intentionen als Band sind ein Beweis für ihren kollektiven Charakter. Die Entscheidung, "Sabor A Mi" zu covern, "erlaubt es uns, unser Publikum wissen zu lassen, dass wir zu unseren Wurzeln zurückkehren", sagt Jazmine. "Wenn man in L.A. aufwächst, wird man von der Stadt, den Kunstwerken und der Musik beeinflusst", sagt Ricky. "Dad besaß kein Lowrider-Auto, aber andere Mitglieder unserer Familie schon. Impalas. El Caminos. Wir waren von der Kultur beeinflusst, insbesondere von der Chicano-Kultur. Und Oldies und Soulmusik spielten eine große Rolle." Der Stil. Die Kultur. Die Anspielung auf die Vergangenheit. "Das ist es, was wir anstreben. Wir wollen junge Chicanos mit ihrem Erbe verbinden. Und wir wollen die Menschen vereinen_ alt und jung."

Die aus Hawthorne, Kalifornien, stammenden Thee Heart Tones setzen mit ihrer Musik sowohl eine Tradition fort als auch neue Grenzen. Leadsängerin Jazmine Alvarado ist gerade mal 19 Jahre alt und das älteste Mitglied der Gruppe, Jorge Rodriguez, ist 21, aber wenn man sich ihre Platte anhört, wird deutlich, dass sie weit über ihr Alter hinaus talentiert sind. Thee Heart Tones, das sind Jazmine (Gesang), Ricky Cerezo (Tasten und Orgel), Jorge (Schlagzeug), Jeffrey Romero (Bass), Peter Chagolla (Leadgitarre) und Walter Morales (Rhythmusgitarre). "Eines Tages bekam ich eine Mail von Ricky Cerezo mit der Frage, ob ich einen Song für seine neue (damals noch namenlose) Band schreiben wolle", erzählt Jazmine. "Ich kannte seinen Schlagzeuger und die anderen Jungs aus der Mittelschule, sie waren also bekannte Gesichter. Sie schickten mir ein mp3 eines Instrumentalstücks, das sie geschrieben hatten, und sagten mir, sie wollten einen Text, also schrieb ich einen und schickte ihn ihnen." Dieser Song wurde schließlich "Don't Take Me as a Fool", eine schwermütige Moll-Ballade, in der Jazmines schwülstiger, perfekter Gesang erklingt, und die nun für ihr Debütalbum bestimmt ist. Ricky ging nach Hause und spielte seinem Vater "Don't Take Me As a Fool" vor, das er als Sprachnotiz auf seinem Telefon aufgenommen hatte. "Ich war zögerlich. Dad kannte diese Musik besser als jeder andere, er ist damit aufgewachsen. Aber er hat sich mein Telefon geschnappt und es an sein Ohr gehalten. Seine Zustimmung bedeutete mir sehr viel. Aber er hatte die gleiche Reaktion wie Jorge und ich, als wir Jazmine zum ersten Mal singen hörten. 'Das wird ein Hit', sagte er mir. Ihr habt hier etwas ganz Besonderes". Es war dieselbe Aufnahme, die Leon Michels und Danny Akalepse von Big Crown Records aufhorchen ließ, die beide sofort das Potenzial der Gruppe erkannten. Nachdem sie bei dem Label unterschrieben hatten, flog Leon nach Los Angeles, um mit Tommy Brenneck in Tommys Diamond West Studio ihr Debütalbum aufzunehmen. In fünf Tagen haben sie 14 Songs aufgenommen, die den Charme des Teenager-Souls einfangen und ihn mit ihren bewährten Produktionsfähigkeiten mischen - das Ergebnis ist ein modernes klassisches Soul-Album. Der Album-Opener und Titeltrack "Forever & Ever" ist ein ansteckender Two-Stepper, der sofort die Stimmung hebt, während schwere B-Seiten-Balladen wie "Should I Call You Tonight", "Cry My Tears Away" und "It's Time" den Klassikern des Genres den Rang ablaufen. Mit "Need Something More" ziehen sie das Tempo an und füllen die Tanzfläche, während Jazmine mit einem Track im Northern-Soul-Stil ganz sachlich die Dinge auf den Punkt bringt. Sie covern den Klassiker "Sabor A Mi" aus der Feder von Alvaro Carrillo mit großem Effekt, werden ihm gerecht und stellen ihre Version auf eine Stufe mit den besten von ihnen. Ein weiterer Höhepunkt ist ihre Version des The Vanguards-Klassikers "Somebody Please", den sie auf eine ganz andere Ebene heben. Die stampfenden Drums von "No Longer Mine" stehen im Kontrast zu Jazmines honigsüßem Gesang und enden mit der düsteren Energie eines Hip-Hop-Samples aus den mittleren 90ern. Forever & Ever ist sowohl ein Beweis für die unverwechselbare musikalische Chemie als auch für das Talent der beiden. Ihre Intentionen als Band sind ein Beweis für ihren kollektiven Charakter. Die Entscheidung, "Sabor A Mi" zu covern, "erlaubt es uns, unser Publikum wissen zu lassen, dass wir zu unseren Wurzeln zurückkehren", sagt Jazmine. "Wenn man in L.A. aufwächst, wird man von der Stadt, den Kunstwerken und der Musik beeinflusst", sagt Ricky. "Dad besaß kein Lowrider-Auto, aber andere Mitglieder unserer Familie schon. Impalas. El Caminos. Wir waren von der Kultur beeinflusst, insbesondere von der Chicano-Kultur. Und Oldies und Soulmusik spielten eine große Rolle." Der Stil. Die Kultur. Die Anspielung auf die Vergangenheit. "Das ist es, was wir anstreben. Wir wollen junge Chicanos mit ihrem Erbe verbinden. Und wir wollen die Menschen vereinen_ alt und jung."

Die aus Hawthorne, Kalifornien, stammenden Thee Heart Tones setzen mit ihrer Musik sowohl eine Tradition fort als auch neue Grenzen. Leadsängerin Jazmine Alvarado ist gerade mal 19 Jahre alt und das älteste Mitglied der Gruppe, Jorge Rodriguez, ist 21, aber wenn man sich ihre Platte anhört, wird deutlich, dass sie weit über ihr Alter hinaus talentiert sind. Thee Heart Tones, das sind Jazmine (Gesang), Ricky Cerezo (Tasten und Orgel), Jorge (Schlagzeug), Jeffrey Romero (Bass), Peter Chagolla (Leadgitarre) und Walter Morales (Rhythmusgitarre). "Eines Tages bekam ich eine Mail von Ricky Cerezo mit der Frage, ob ich einen Song für seine neue (damals noch namenlose) Band schreiben wolle", erzählt Jazmine. "Ich kannte seinen Schlagzeuger und die anderen Jungs aus der Mittelschule, sie waren also bekannte Gesichter. Sie schickten mir ein mp3 eines Instrumentalstücks, das sie geschrieben hatten, und sagten mir, sie wollten einen Text, also schrieb ich einen und schickte ihn ihnen." Dieser Song wurde schließlich "Don't Take Me as a Fool", eine schwermütige Moll-Ballade, in der Jazmines schwülstiger, perfekter Gesang erklingt, und die nun für ihr Debütalbum bestimmt ist. Ricky ging nach Hause und spielte seinem Vater "Don't Take Me As a Fool" vor, das er als Sprachnotiz auf seinem Telefon aufgenommen hatte. "Ich war zögerlich. Dad kannte diese Musik besser als jeder andere, er ist damit aufgewachsen. Aber er hat sich mein Telefon geschnappt und es an sein Ohr gehalten. Seine Zustimmung bedeutete mir sehr viel. Aber er hatte die gleiche Reaktion wie Jorge und ich, als wir Jazmine zum ersten Mal singen hörten. 'Das wird ein Hit', sagte er mir. Ihr habt hier etwas ganz Besonderes". Es war dieselbe Aufnahme, die Leon Michels und Danny Akalepse von Big Crown Records aufhorchen ließ, die beide sofort das Potenzial der Gruppe erkannten. Nachdem sie bei dem Label unterschrieben hatten, flog Leon nach Los Angeles, um mit Tommy Brenneck in Tommys Diamond West Studio ihr Debütalbum aufzunehmen. In fünf Tagen haben sie 14 Songs aufgenommen, die den Charme des Teenager-Souls einfangen und ihn mit ihren bewährten Produktionsfähigkeiten mischen - das Ergebnis ist ein modernes klassisches Soul-Album. Der Album-Opener und Titeltrack "Forever & Ever" ist ein ansteckender Two-Stepper, der sofort die Stimmung hebt, während schwere B-Seiten-Balladen wie "Should I Call You Tonight", "Cry My Tears Away" und "It's Time" den Klassikern des Genres den Rang ablaufen. Mit "Need Something More" ziehen sie das Tempo an und füllen die Tanzfläche, während Jazmine mit einem Track im Northern-Soul-Stil ganz sachlich die Dinge auf den Punkt bringt. Sie covern den Klassiker "Sabor A Mi" aus der Feder von Alvaro Carrillo mit großem Effekt, werden ihm gerecht und stellen ihre Version auf eine Stufe mit den besten von ihnen. Ein weiterer Höhepunkt ist ihre Version des The Vanguards-Klassikers "Somebody Please", den sie auf eine ganz andere Ebene heben. Die stampfenden Drums von "No Longer Mine" stehen im Kontrast zu Jazmines honigsüßem Gesang und enden mit der düsteren Energie eines Hip-Hop-Samples aus den mittleren 90ern. Forever & Ever ist sowohl ein Beweis für die unverwechselbare musikalische Chemie als auch für das Talent der beiden. Ihre Intentionen als Band sind ein Beweis für ihren kollektiven Charakter. Die Entscheidung, "Sabor A Mi" zu covern, "erlaubt es uns, unser Publikum wissen zu lassen, dass wir zu unseren Wurzeln zurückkehren", sagt Jazmine. "Wenn man in L.A. aufwächst, wird man von der Stadt, den Kunstwerken und der Musik beeinflusst", sagt Ricky. "Dad besaß kein Lowrider-Auto, aber andere Mitglieder unserer Familie schon. Impalas. El Caminos. Wir waren von der Kultur beeinflusst, insbesondere von der Chicano-Kultur. Und Oldies und Soulmusik spielten eine große Rolle." Der Stil. Die Kultur. Die Anspielung auf die Vergangenheit. "Das ist es, was wir anstreben. Wir wollen junge Chicanos mit ihrem Erbe verbinden. Und wir wollen die Menschen vereinen_ alt und jung."

Søren Skov Orbit's debut album, "Adrift," is at once subtle and profound. The saxophonist and his collaborators have created something quite special and consistently deep. This record may not easily be classifiable, but the most interesting music creeps between the lines

Danish tenor and soprano saxophonist Søren Skov (Debre Damo Dining Orchestra) and keyboardist Peder Vind co-founded the trippy quintet Søren Skov Orbit in 2016 to explore “more jazzy ideas,” as the saxophonist puts it. Joined by a rhythm section steeped in contemporary improvisation and psychedelia, bassist Casper Nyvang Rask, drummer Rune Lohse and percussionist Ayi Solomon of the legendary 80's Ghanaian roots/highlife band Classique Vibes, the Orbit belts out a richly focused helping of broadly African-inspired modern jazz with a hazy sheen.

On the opening “Notifications of Nothingness,” Skov digs in his heels, a steely but languid unspooling of burnished tenor lines atop condensed, quavering piano and the thick footfalls of bass and percussion. As a tenor player, Skov has done his homework and has a kinship with Albert Ayler, Archie Shepp, J.R. Monterose, and the Dutchman Hans Dulfer, but he clearly has got his own robust phraseology and expressiveness. He also cites multi-reedists John Gilmore, Yusef Lateef, and Bilal Abdurahman as, “some of the players I’ve been listening to the most for the last 10-15 years.”

A healthy dose of reverb is present throughout the album, echoing Alton Abraham’s studio wizardry with the Sun Ra Arkestra or the trance-inducing and compressed fidelity of certain Ethio-jazz and Mystic Revelations of Rastafari sessions. Skov notes that, “everything is recorded live at the same time in the same room. I wanted to do it that way in order to catch the dynamics and authenticity of the music.” There is, in fact, a complex teeter- totter between crisp and hazy execution, achieved by a delicately balanced mix that keeps the group’s sound simultaneously advancing and receding. Vind’s phrasing is terse and introspective, a vibrating echo that nudges and reflects on Skov’s brusque tenor in a dance of sonic displacement.

“Orbiting” pits a chunky backbeat and the teetering, taut hand-rhythms of Solomon against an infectious, almost microtonal piano riff, while Skov’s arpeggios are clean and florid as he patiently rises up from under a carpet of funky loops. Following the freer “Reflections of Rif,” “Naration” lilts with a wink at “Footprints” and tugs between up-tempo polyrhythmic drive, clanging keyboard accents, and the innately steadfast keenness of the bandleader. The coupling of Solomon and Lohse is a big part of the group’s detailed energy; as the leader puts it, “Ayi knows everything about regional differences in drum patterns. He is always listening and super responsive, and his and Rune’s dynamics are amazing.” The music both presents a “vibe” and keeps the door open for engaging well under the surface as repeated listens will be extremely rewarding.

Lavender Vinyl. In the late 1970s, a peculiar sound began bubbling up from the land of 10,000 lakes. Buried beneath 50 solid inches of annual snow, Minneapolis made a Sound quite different than what the pop world foresaw. It issued forth as a slick, black, technologically advanced fusion, poised to storm the charts. Never known for sizable African-American populations, the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul in fact harbored a tight-knit community of musicians working feverishly through the late '70s and early '80s toward a radical manipulation of American dance music, coating futuristic funk with the glamorous sheen of guitar rock. Synthetic ebony and ivory met electricity, with sexed-up results sent shockingly across the pop heavens like violet lightning.