Buscar:funky fat
A dynamic DJ and producer, the Galway-born, Berlin-based artist is driven by mood not genre, gleefully scribbling outside the lines to craft rhythmic, high-vibration dancefloor cuts that make them a delicious match for the Chunkers. Just reference their pin-sharp releases on Radiant, Punctuality, Planet Euphorique and their own World of Worlds imprint. While anyone who’s caught their throwdowns at Draaimolen’s legendary forest stage, Horst Festival or London’s infamous queer party Club Are already knows what’s up.
Their contribution to the BSC catalogue is bang on. Lead cut ‘Track Like’ is a straight-up Chunker. Beginning life as an instrumental, it’s a pumping house cut marked by a grooving bassline, tight drums and a contained ravey energy, before Eoin DJ added that vocal that took the production into peak-time party territory.
A producer who requires no introduction – Jennifer Loveless join the Chunkers fold with a full-bodied remix of ‘Track Like’. Lock in for a funky maximal re-rub with the attitude turned up to 11. Back in Eoin DJ’s corner, the crisp ‘n’ punchy ‘Pure U’ is driven by fat kick drums, euphoric chords and a chunky rolling bassline. Exquisite stuff. A tight Dub version is included in the pack. The EP rounds out with the perky ‘Feel Deeper’, which channels ‘90s New York house and circuit sounds and is built around a hooky vocal line and rhythmic drums.
Eoin DJ follows BELLA, Eliza Rose, Papa Nugs, Paperkraft and remixes Peach and CARISTA in joining the Big Saldo’s Chunkers family as Sally C delights in growing the label via a carefully curated roster of artists.
“I loved the label already, so I was super stoked when Sally asked me to do a release. Chunkers is always
so on-point and consistent with its output. All of the releases are certified party starters – fat basslines, catchy vocals, full of energy and tuned to perfection to hit on the soundsystem. I used that as a jumping off point when making the EP. You could say it’s Chunkers – Eoin DJ style.” – Eoin DJ
“I was hooked on Eoin’s sound since they released ‘Ode to Beachball’ in 2024 on Punctuality Records. I love their ability to weave emotion and groove so seamlessly. It’s been a pleasure working on this EP – I’ve been endlessly rinsing all of the tracks. Such a great producer!” – Sally C
After Maghreb K7 Club – Synth Raï, Chaoui & Staïfi (1985-1997) and Maghreb K7 Club Disco Singles Volume 1, 2, and 3, Sofa Records and Les Disques Bongo Joe team up again for a new project exploring funky, synth-driven tape music from the Maghreb.
This compilation brings together eight songs —delivering a Saharan pop sound melted with reggae, dub, new-wave and funk — by Yassine (Ahl) Nana, the iconic figure of Mauritanian pop music in the 1980s and 1990s. Yassine and his band recorded songs between Nouakchott, Paris, and Rabat, resulting in only a pair of rare cassette tapes. This music was definitively part of the vibrant wave of African sounds sweeping across the continent at the time, from Abidjan to Oran and Kinshasa.
This compilation features previously unreleased recordings, along with liner notes, interviews, and exclusive iconography.
Felipe Gordon is back on Shall Not Fade with his new album Tezeta and f*ck is it special.
Felipe Gordon is SNF label mainstay... (we released his triple repressed debut album "A Landscape Onomatopeya" in 2022 as well as 7 x 12" EPs on SNF over the years plus an extra 12" on Lost Palms)... so given his consistent and exceptional output on our record label you'd probably forgive some complacency with this write up, you might even afford us license to assume we're preaching to the choir and allow us to rest easy knowing that at this stage Felipe Gordon's records sell themselves.... Well none of those things are happening here because when an artist makes a record this complete, this good, you have to try to find the words. You use words like "timeless", "complete and "special". Words that can carry the weight. Because when you've listened to an album dozens of times, and not once, in any part, on any listen in any way has it fatigued you, you need to say. When a record felt so wonderfully familiar from the first listen and just kept on giving you the same feels ever since, you need to say. When a record makes you think about you how you feel about certain Air & St Germain albums (even when you know what it means to put that in a press release), you need to say. So here we are, saying these things.. Tezeta is a special record, one that exists in the rarefied air. A proper album. A record that every time you press play you will immediately remember why you own it and why you love it. A record that your subconscious will know so well that if shuffle is on you will know in an instant. An album that when it's in your collection and the first track starts you get a twinge of annoyance because you didn't listen again sooner and when the final track stops you stop too.
Given paint and a canvas we can most of us paint a picture, but only those that are gifted can paint something that makes us feel. Tezeta makes you feel. Feel familiarity when it's playing, yearning when its not, and absence when it ends. This alone would be enough to make the argument as to why this album is special and justify the gushing opening paragraph of this press release. But we're not done yet.
We don't really have a word in english for what Felipe Gordon has created with this album and how it makes you feel. "Tezeta" that word.
Tezeta is a one of four musical modes within the traditional Ethiopian modal music system known as Qiñit. Mulatu Astatke, the father of Ethio-jazz, frequently uses this mode, often translating it as "nostalgia" or "longing". Gordon says Mulatu's own tezeta recordings convey to him "feelings of melancholy and longing from a point of affection". This is exactly the feeling Gordon has captured. It is what he has woven through every recording on this album. Tezeta is the prime ingredient. It's the base note in recipe, it's sprinkled over the signature jazz-sampled house tracks. It powers the vast array of synthesizers Gordon deploys. It underpins the explorations into trip-hop. It's present in Gordon's varied vocal deliveries and it tunes his guitar. It's in the running order. It's the flow. Tezeta is tezeta in electronic music form, with 4/4, breakbeats, samples and synths.
Gordon says a big part of what differentiates this album from from his previous albums is that is was recorded in a period where he allowed himself to create music without the constraints of time or self-pressure which coincided with a moment of heavy personal growth which allowed him to reflect deeply on his work.
There is a word in Portuguese "Saudade" that Gordon says has a similar meaning to Tezeta - Saudade is defined as a deep, sometimes bittersweet, longing or nostalgia for someone or something that is absent or lost. But here at SNF we think that in Tezeta nothing has been lost. Quite the opposite. Through Felipe Gordon's artistic explorations we have all gained something very special indeed.
Demuir is a firm part of the deep house world by now and always brings sounds that are as sophisticated as his alias suggests they should be. This time, he's heading up a new EP for Selections that opens with 'Free', a percussive sound with organic, live-sounding drums that are woody and funky with smooth vocals and pads up top. Oscar P reworks it with a heavier, house-driven low end but keeps some playfulness in the trumpets. 'Fate For Faith' is a warm and steamy mix of bongos and hadn't drums with muffled beats and cosmic synth rays that reach for the stars. A cuddly dub closes down what is a heartfelt and human EP.
- A1: Elements Of Life Ft. Lisa Fischer - Soar
- B1: Funki Cadets Ft. Willy Soul - Feelin' Good Tonight (Shapes Mix)
- B2: Louie Vega - We Are Grateful
- C1: Funki Cadets Ft. Keith Thompson - Take It (Shapes Mix)
- C2: Elements Of Life - Giant Steps (Gary Bartz Vibrations Mix)
- D1: Bebe Winans - Father In Heaven (Two Soul Fusion Vocal Dub)
- E1: Honeysweet - What Kind Of Man
- F | Elements Of Life Ft. Dawn Tallman - Bad For Me
- G1: Elements Of Life Ft. Dawn Tallman - Bad For Me (Frisco Disco Dub)
- G2: Funki Cadets Ft. Willy Soul - Feelin' Good Tonight (Shapes Instrumental)
- H1: Elements Of Life - Whistle Bump
- I1: Honeysweet - Because Of You
- J1: Honeysweet - New Life
Vega Records is proud to present the Vega Records 5 Pack Unreleased VI, the sixth edition of a 5 piece vinyl filled with tracks that haven’t been released or have upcoming releases in the next few months.
The 5 pack Unreleased VI introduces 4 new songs from the upcoming 2026 Elements Of Life Album with a brilliant song entitled “Soar” by Lisa Fischer, written and produced by Two Soul Fusion Josh Milan & Louie Vega as well on vinyl the garage disco smash “Bad For Me” originally sung by jazz legend Dee Dee Bridgewater back in the 70’s with lead vocals by Dawn Tallman and music performed by the Elements Of Life band. A tribute to the talented Gary Bartz with a cover of John Coltrane’s genius “Giant Steps” bringing the jazz gem to the dance floors. And lastly from Elements Of Life, their rendition of the Deodato Loft classic “Whistle Bump” featuring legendary David Bowie guitarist Carlos Alomar!
Josh Milan, creator of the group Honeysweet introduces three tracks from his forthcoming Honeysweet III on Vega Records. We foresee a favorite with “What Kind Of Man” bringing a Brazilian jazz feel which was made for the dancers. The remaining two Honeysweet tracks “New Life” and “Because Of You” are truly emotional pieces of music that hit your core.
New projects and aliases on the horizon with Funky Cadets featuring Brooklyn’s own Willy Soul on spoken word duties, it’s deep house at its best and the NY iconic artist Keith Thompson who sang on the Vaughn Mason classic “Break For Love” who delivers a powerful message on the well written lyrics of “Take It”.
Lastly, never released on vinyl the gospel club smash “Father In Heaven (Right Now)” by multi Grammy winner and gospel royalty Bebe Winans with a Two Soul Fusion produced Synth solo / Vocal Dub.
It’s a blazing wall of sound on the 5 pack unreleased with artists and musicians Lisa Fischer, Josh Milan, Keith Thompson, Honeysweet, Dawn Tallman, Elements Of Life, Willy Soul, Carlos Alomar, Ivan Renta, Luisito Quintero, Axel Tosca, Sherrod Barnes, Lea Lorien, Ramona Dunlap, Louie Vega and Bebe Winans!!!
Get your vinyl soon, it’s limited edition!
LOSOUL is back on SLICES OF LIFE with two minimal house gems!
Frankfurt-based DJ and producer legend LOSOUL is renowned for his unique sonic language and deep, captivating grooves.
On his latest release for the Berlin imprint, the tracks take us on a journey back to the roots of minimal house - raw, stripped-down, and deeply immersive.
"Post Service Pop" on the A-side flows deep and funky, spreading pads like hot oil, topped with subtly modulated vocal snippets.
"Modesty Bump" on the B-side dives into rawer territory with high-energy sounds and edgy sonic sparkles, while maintaining that minimalistic, steady, driving groove we all love in Losoul’s work: groovers and grinders for the long-distance runner’s soundtrack.
Daniel Vangarde is the father of Daft Punk's Thomas Bangalter, and back in the 70s and 80s he was a musician who had great success writing and producing for the likes of Gibson Brothers and Ottawan on his Zagora label. He also worked solo as Who's Who and in 1979 produced a now cult favourite record of cosmic-euro disco. Two tracks from it get reworked from the original tapes here by The Reflex. He brings dubby, mid-tempo drums to 'Hypnodance' while retracing its Eastern melodic charms and sense of sophistication. His take on 'Palace Palace' is more funky and upbeat with leggy drums and elastic basslines smothered in cosmic arps.
Summer might be over in a literal sense, but there is no finer way to keep its vibes alive than with another scorching drop from Scruniversal, especially when it is focused on Brazilian sounds. This latest comes from a trip of talents and first up is 'Inspetores De Umidade,' a lithe and funky break that rolls on fat drums with organic percussion and Portuguese raps turning up the sunshine. On the flipside is 'Acido Brasil', another ass-wiggling delight with big horns, wiggly 303 details and a funk to spare. Pure heat on a very tasty 7".
Soul Visions is an instrumental journey into the world of Deheb, who, after several years of continuous sound research, continues to draw inspiration from jazz, soul, funk, and progressive rock records, first discovered through his father and then through his fellow collectors and DJs, including his partner DJ Marrrtin from Funky Bijou.
The Breton artist is renowned in the beatmaking world for his collaborations in New York in the mid-2000s (Moka Only, Sean Price, Torae, Tye Phoenix, Apani B, etc.) and for his album “LEAF”, released in 2015 with Swiss producer Chief. He is best known for producing classic Funky Breaks in the global breakdance scene with Marrrtin under the name Funky Bijou, whose tracks have been played at the world's biggest breakdance events since 2011 (Battle Of The Year, Red Bull BC One, etc.). All their tracks have been listened to more than 30 million times on various platforms and social networks.
A prolific artist who draws much of his inspiration from funk and jazz, he is based in Nantes and has collaborated with groups from the French Neo Soul scene, such as J-Silk from Bordeaux, Jo Wedin from Sweden, and Keysuna from Nantes. Close to the dance scene, he has also collaborated with dancer and choreographer Mackenzy Bergile, which led him to join the CCNRB's choreographic project “Earthbound” by choreographers Saïdo Lehlouh and Johanna Faye in 2023.
Deheb has also been composing for documentary projects since his first collaboration with director Shyaka Kagamé in 2015 for “Bounty”. In 2024 and 2025, he worked on two critically acclaimed projects: “Boulevard du village noir”, produced by Radio Television Suisse, and “IMIHIGO, le pacte rwandais”.
This year, 2025, he brings us “Soul Visions”, a journey through the cinematic sound of the early 1970s to the soul funk and jazz funk of the late 1970s, a pivotal period in his own musical identity that contributed to the funk sound of his guitars and the texture of his synthesizers and electric pianos.
Soul Visions is first and foremost a tribute to the artists and composers, the geniuses of that era, such as the Mizell brothers in “Larry and Fonce”, the Bell brothers in “Ron and Don”, and giants of the genre such as Isaac Hayes, Yuji Ohno, Roy Ayers, and Clarence Reid. All these masters of the genre had their own distinctive sound and arrangements, which were easily recognizable and which are among Deheb's major inspirations.
Burnski's Constant Black continues to be a platform for producers keen to explore a cosmic world of tech house and minimalism. There is certainly a spaced-out vibe to opener 'In The Knoe' from ADR, which is tough and punchy, with tight drums and crystalline lines all making for a funky vibe. 'Freedom' is a little deeper and more balmy for late-night intergalactic travel, then 'I Remember When' pumps the party with loopy bass and psychedelic swirls of colour. Dan Goul steps up on the flip with 'Method', which is a full-fat tech sound with warm synth smears and wiggling motifs that make your ass move, then 'Passing Thoughts' shuts down with a cruising groove and sense of astral adventure.
There is some real mystery around this new 12". Even Google has no clues as to the artist or the tune. 'By The Way I Like Your Pants' could be brand new or 40 years old - it's a funky disco cut with great instrumentals and a serious vocal that rides the great basslines and hip-swinging clapping, but one thing is for sure, it's a real edit master who has set to work on it. A dub version is included with extra fat bass and then the instrumental takes it back to the irresistible groove.
The Spacebunny tracks were originally released on Surreal Recordings back in 1996, the original mix being licensed to Danny Tenaglia's Twisted Secrets (vol2), since then it has become a party classic with original copies changing hands for over £100 on discogs.
The Mingers "Fancy A Shag" track was released in 2002 on Deeper London (a subsidiary of Surreal Recordings) with a limited press of only 200 copies. The track is floor filler and was often one that would kick things off in the early stages of the night, featuring big tribally beats, a fat funky bass and emotive strings.
Mark your calendar for February 14, 2025—CLUB U NITE RECORDS drops 'A Box of Goodies – Rare Edition'!
This EP delivers four rare gems straight from the 90s house vaults:
'The Nite' (1997) kicks things off with a deep house organ, disco vocal bits, and a deep deep bassline.
'End of Luv' (1999) takes you deeper, blending straight beats with melancholic vibes - perfect for sunset beaches or as closing track.
'Stompin’ Pumpin’' (1996) gets jazzy and funky with an addictive Rhodes loop that won’t quit. So good!
'I’m the One' (1996) nails it with a raw Chicago swing, fat minimal grooves, and a dope jazz-piano sample.
Four 90s killer tracks, three making their vinyl debut - get it before it’s gone!
- A1: Dj Frank & Dj Ghello - Low Power
- A2: David Batiste And The Gladiators – Funky Soul
- A3: The Marvells - Rock Steady
- A4: The Fatback Band – Yum, Yum (Gimme Some)
- A5: Stoneground - Chica Boom
- B1: The Crusaders - Stomp And Buck Dance
- B2: John | Cameron Quartet – Troublemaker
- B3: Bill "Butter Ball" Crane – Stepin' Tall (Part 2) (Instrumental)
- B4: Gloria Lynne – If You Don't Get It Yourself
- C1: Dj Frank & Dj Ghello - Hot Bands
- C2: The Undisputed Truth – Poontang
- C3: Oliver Sain – St Louis Breakdown
- C4: Joao Donato - Whistle Stop
- C5: Marie "Queenie" Lyons – See And Don't See
- D1: The Violinaires - Keep On Moving
- D2: Jimmy Jackson - What Is?
- D3: Lee Fields - Funky Screw
- D4: Roger And The Human Body – Freedom
- D5: The Laurence Stephen Orchestra - Export
This is the fourth volume in the collection dedicated to the Arlecchino nightclub in Santa Maria Codifiume, in the province of Ferrara. It's once again a double-vinyl set that gathers the best of Afro, Funky, Rare Groove, and Black Music, as played at the club by resident DJs Giancarlo Lelli, DJ Ghello, and DJ Frank.
Mexico-born and based The Funk District has been adding a contemporary spin to funk, soul, disco and Afro for a decade now. His latest takes him to Saint Wax and kicks off with 'Alligator Groove', which is a leggy, strident disco pumper with neat and funky guitar riffs. 'The Reverend' has even fatter drums pumping down and guttural gospel vocals adding emotional intensity. Gledd remixes with a more light-fingered and jazzy touch and flipside cut 'Gimme Something' offers deep disco and then acid tinged house anthem 'A Little More' rounds out the package.
- A1: She's Getting Married In August
- A2: Evenin' Rain
- A3: Les Papillons
- A4: Zeena
- A5: Virgin Morn
- A6: Seeds
- B1: Crystal Blue
- B2: Lady Carole
- B3: Lotus Child
- B4: Last Prayer
- B5: Hymn For Today
- C1: Boston
- C2: Blackbird Charlie
- C3: My Sun
- C4: Closer To The Truth
- C5: Strange News
- D1: Moonchild
- D2: Red Shoe Truckin
- D3: Beautiful
- D4: Opal Blue Sunday
First time vinyl reissue, expanded and deluxe double gatefold 140g double vinyl, remastered audio with restored artwork and fresh liners written by Paul Hillery (Folk Funk & Trippy Troubadours)
Alan James Eastwood's glorious Seeds is a certified folk-funk lost-classic.
But who was Alan James Eastwood? He had never hit the big time and commercial success eluded him. By the mid-1970s, his musical career was pretty much over and he was almost unknown except among deep heads, amongst whom he would gain cult status.
Original copies of the 1971 vinyl release of Seeds exchange hands for high sums, if you can find one. This expanded 2LP contains an extra record, collecting 9 rare non-album singles and is presented in a gatefold sleeve complete with freshly commissioned liner notes courtesy of Paul Hillery (Folk Funk & Trippy Troubadours).
With the long overdue deluxe reissue of this prized artefact, we hope to finally shine a light on the unheralded genius of Alan James Eastwood. RIYL Nick Drake, Rodriguez, Richie Havens.
Alan James ‘Bugsy’ Eastwood was a renowned musician and singer who came to prominence in the late 1960s with The Exception, an unsung but excellent band from Birmingham. The Exception released many singles, the first featuring friend Robert Plant on tambourine, before an album, The Exceptional Exception. However, by this time, Bugsy was feeling constrained and restless; he left the band within weeks of the release.
Having vanished from the scene, he was honing a deeper, introspective edge to his songwriting. His demos found their way to the sound engineer and producer Mike Cooper at Pan Music Studios in Denmark Street. Loving what he heard, Eastwood soon entered a recording session with Cooper. The session was just Alan, his guitar and harmonica and - by all accounts - it was remarkable. With the songs, the voice and such an exceptional talent, it was hard to go wrong. Says Mike: "We had John Hawkins do the big string arrangements and Richard Hewson arranged the string quartet. We overdubbed the orchestrations on Alan's original session recordings, adding Chris Karan on tabla and various percussion. We considered re-recording the vocals but found that the magic on that original session was so exceptional overdubbing would not be as good as the atmospheric 'live' performance."
Mike and Alan viewed each track as a different entity, giving the album a diverse sonic palette. Assessing each song individually, they decided which would be suitable for each arranger. Top-flight session musicians were added to the roster to complete the sound, with Byron Lye Fook (father of musician Omar) on drums, bassist Mike Ward, Brian Pickles on marimba and jazz drummer Chris Karan on tabla and percussion. Recorded in a matter of days in Pan's small 8-track studio, they carefully added overdubs, rhythm sections and four string sessions arranged by Hawkins, with Hewson's arrangements recorded at Trident Studios.
Seeds was Alan James Eastwood's debut solo album – indeed, his only solo album - and was originally issued on President in 1971. It melded Eastwood’s impressive rock sensibilities with a folk thread to superb effect. His arresting voice - its deep, rough-hewn soulfulness - coupled with gorgeous string-drenched backing, make this a phenomenal listen. It really is a great 70s singer-songwriter record - with touches of acid-folk and folk-funk throughout.
It opens with "She's Getting Married In August", a mellow tune with Richard Hewson's strings arranged around Alan's straightforward guitar structure. Up next, the joyous, sun-dappled guitar and strings workout "Evenin' Rain" glides by before the fragile, accordion-enhanced "Les Papillons" breezes out of the speakers. The bluesy "Zeena" follows, featuring vocals and acoustic guitar and showcasing Eastwood's effortless harmonica. Starting out as a ballad, "Virgin Morn" builds with soaring strings and gospel-tinged backing vocals from Marilyn Powell and jazz singer Josephine Stahl. The A-side closes with the title track, "Seeds". With a chugging mid-tempo beat, soulful vocals and a beautiful Bacharach-esque string arrangement, it truly is stop-you-in-your-tracks spectacular.
Side B opens with "Crystal Blue", gilded by Lye Fook's marimba, lush gospel-esque backing vocals and handclaps. Eastwood's acoustic guitar begins "Lady Carole", which starts as a bluesy ballad and builds with more string arrangement, lifting the track to another height. A towering highlight of epic proportions, "Lotus Child" is a true masterpiece of arrangement. It opens with simple yet stunning do-do-dah vocal harmonies blended with John Hawkins's strings, bass lines and rhythmic beats, forming a vibe very much in conversation with the sounds coming from LA's Laurel Canyon. Next up, the heartwarming "Last Prayer", dedicated to Alan's first and last love, contains a melancholic vocal with a wistful string-drenched arrangement that would sit comfortably in a Federico Fellini score. Bringing the album to a close, "Hymn For Today" is a melodic raga with tabla, strings and a soft-psych feel. Eastwood's prophetic whisper - "I am real. At last, I am real" - profoundly hits home.
Kicking off the extra disc is the sparsely funky and country-tinged "Boston", released as the flip to the astonishing "Seeds". Next up are the two tracks that comprised Alan’s debut solo 7" single from 1968. The laconic, Bobby Charles-esque "Blackbird Charlie" evidences a real depth and charm in Eastwood's songwriting whilst the starkly brilliant flip, "My Sun", was a horizontal, atmospheric folk-tinged soundtracky precursor to his later work on Seeds.
In 1972, two further standalone singles followed. The first was the evergreen flute-driven folk-funk bomb, "Closer To The Truth", backed by the funky blues of "Strange News". The second, a deeply moving Havens-inspired "Moonchild" - rightly fawned over to this day - was flipped with "Red Shoe Truckin'", a groove-infused track. Eastwood also paired up with Marilyn Powell for a single produced by Powell's partner, Mike Cooper. Under the name Eastwood & Powell, they released their staggering rendition of "Beautiful", a rock-blues-pop song arranged by Ivor Raymonde and written by Carole King. Over on the flip, a funky Eastwood original "Opal Blue Sunday" lurked. This is not to be overlooked.
Over the years, Alan remained active on the music scene, but problems with alcohol and health complications from diabetes severely impacted his career. He spent his latter years living in London until his untimely death from heart failure on 25 October 2007, just one day before his 62nd birthday and without his music having received the real acclaim it so dearly deserved.
This deluxe reissue, spellbinding from beginning to end, should hopefully go some way to rectifying this tragic fact. Mastering for this special double vinyl edition was overseen by Be With regular Simon Francis and it was cut by the esteemed Cicely Balston at Abbey Road Studios to be pressed in the Netherlands by Record Industry. The original artwork has been lovingly brought back to life at Be With HQ, with the addition of passionately written liner notes specially for this landmark reissue by none other than Paul Hillery.
FIRST-EVER VINYL RELEASE OF CULT 1980 CASSETTE-ONLY ALBUM BY EGYPTIAN SINGER NAGAT EL SAGHIRA, CURATED AND ANNOTATED BY DISCO ARABESQUO. INCLUDES PRODUCTION BY EGYPTIAN FUNK LEGEND HANY SHENOUDA
Following the highly-acclaimed "Sharayet El Disco" compilation, Wewantsounds is delighted to team up with Disco Arabesquo for the reissue of Nagat El Seghira's cult 1980 album "Eyoun El Alb"
Originally released only on cassette on the Egyptian label Soutelphan, the album has since become a sought-after classic on the Arabic groove scene and this is the first time it is released on vinyl. Consisting of four tracks, the album features two tracks produced by Hany Shenouda whose group Al Massrieen is a reference on the Arabic disco funk scene.
Remastered for vinyl by Colorsound Studio in Paris, the album features the original cassette artwork plus a two page colour insert featuring liner notes by Disco Arabesquo.
When it comes to Arabic Divas, Oum Kalthoum, Fairuz and Warda usually take the lead in the poll list. But in her native Egypt, singer Nagat Al Saghira comes very close to this triumvirate. Born in Cairo in 1938, Nagat began singing when she was still a child gaining her stage name "El-Saghira" ("the young one") at this occasion as she started giving concerts at the age of seven, pushed by her father, the famed calligrapher Muhamad Hosny (Nagat's half-sister is the renowned actress Soad Hosny).
Nagat quickly rose to fame in the late forties and became an essential part of classic period of Arabic music, interpreting songs by such titans as Mohamed Abdel Wahab, Baligh Hamdy and Kamal Al Taweel. She also sang the works of Syrian poet Nizar Qabbani whom she introduced to a mainstream audience. Nagat started singing shorter songs but then upgraded to longer ones, often performing/recording them live as it was the trend in the 60s and 70s.
One such song is "Eyoun El Alb" ("Eyes of the Heart") which makes up the whole of Side 1 of the original cassette. Written by Mohamed El Mougy and Abd al-Rahman al-Abdouni, Eyoun El Alb is a love song made up of several distinct sections enhancing Nagat's hypnotic singing, accompanied by a percussion-heavy, traditional Egyptian orchestra.
Side 2 is the "diggers" groovier side featuring two floaters,"Bahlam Ma'ak" ("I Dream with You") and "Ana Basha El Bahr" ("I Adore The Sea") produced by cult Egyptian musician and producer Hany Shenouda, whose albums with his group Al Massrieen are highly sought after on the Arabic funk and Disco scene. One Al Massrieen track features on the "Sharayet el Disco" set compiled by Disco Arabesquo who notes that "Hany Shenouda had made waves with his new musical style that weaved in western funk and disco sounds into Egyptian music"
Both tracks feature an infectious slow-burning groove and incorporate funk influences with fat bass and lines of synth and clavinet that adds a funky tone to Nagat's soft singing. The third track "Fakra" ("Do You Remember") brings the best of both world with a syncopated rhythm and arrangements that are slightly more traditional than the Shenouda-produced tracks.
Originally released in Egypt on Cassette in 1980 on the venerable Soutlephan label, the album is now making its vinyl debut on Wewantsounds annotated by Disco Arabesquo and remastered for vinyl by Colorsound Studio in Paris for the joy of Arabic funk and Global beats worldwide.




















