Introducing OBI02 – Plight of the Gifted EP by TB Shine, the second release on
Dutch-label OBI Trackz.
Operating under various aliases since the early 2000s, TB Shine is one of the many expressions of Norwegian artist Terje Bakke. Plight of the Gifted EP holds five tracks that drift between hypnotic minimalism and raw percussive workouts, told through disjointed rhythms, haunting atmospheres, and layered tension.
The A side kicks off with Dopamine Dungeon—a slippery, low-end-driven roller wrapped in hazy textures and unstable euphoria. The track traps the listener in a quirky haunt, like the title describes accordingly. Red Army Moody Troopers follows with a tougher edge: straight drums, spectral pads, and an undercurrent of unrest. It’s a track that marches forward but never fully lands, suspended in an unresolved urgency.
On the B side, Plight of the Gifted appears in two versions. The original leans into emotional melodic motifs and fragmented structures, evoking both vulnerability and defiance. The Haunted Version strips things back further—bleeding with space, odd grooves, and a kind of post-club phychosis that lingers long after. Closing the EP is Plague Doctor, a slow-burning piece where a hopeful melody echoes and distant percussion round off the release with a sense of closure while being wrapped in a warm blanket.
With Plight of the Gifted EP, TB Shine offers a layered and personal collection— one that walks the tightrope between control and collapse, rhythm and mood. A fitting next step for Obi Trackz: cryptic, cinematic, and carved with intent.
Bob and Marcia were a Jamaican vocal duo, that consisted of Bob Andy and Marcia Griffiths.
Griffiths & Andy achieved international fame with their rendition of Nina Simone’s “Young, Gifted and Black.” The song resonated deeply with audiences in the UK, selling over half a million copies and earning Bob & Marcia a place on Top of the Pops.
It reached the number #5 spot in the UK charts.
This album is packed with classic tracks & cover versions - gems like “It ain’t me babe” , “Keep the customers satisfied” & “Put a little Love in your heart”.
Their popularity soared, and the duo continued with hits like “Pied Piper,” bringing reggae to European audiences during a time when the genre was still emerging on the global stage. Their success was not just commercial but symbolic,
as they inspired pride and cultural appreciation among Jamaican communities worldwide.
Young, Gifted And Black is available as a limited edition of 750 individually numbered copies on orange coloured vinyl.
The musical "Young, Gifted and Broke", written by Weldon Irvine as writer, musical director, and full lyricist/composer, was originally released in 1977. The musical was inspired by the Black Civil Rights anthem "Young, Gifted and Black," which Weldon wrote with Nina Shimone. The recording session brought together a group of talented musicians, including Marcus Miller, whose name had not yet reached international prominence, to breathe new life into Weldon's distinctive inserts. The recordings were discovered in the early 2010s and released on CD in 2012, and P-VINE is proud to be the first in the world to release them on vinyl!
Neues elektronisches Soloalbum des Produzenten Gifted & Blessed alias Gabriel Reyes-Whittaker - sein erstes Album unter diesem Pseudonym seit 2016.
'Heard and Unheard' wurde mit einem semi-modularen Synthesizer, mehreren Effektprozessoren und zwei analogen Drumcomputern erstellt.
Das Album besteht aus zehn nachdenklichen und hypnotischen Tracks mit Schwerpunkt auf Textur und Atmosphäre.
Gifted & Blessed war ein Gründungsmitglied der Beat-Szene von Los Angeles, er trat bei den allerersten Low End Theory-Events in L.A. auf und produzierte und arbeitete mit Künstlern wie Kelela, Ras G und Steve Arrington zusammen.
Seitdem hat er sich in der Underground-Elektronik- und Tanzmusikszene einen Namen gemacht und unter anderem Musik auf Eglo und All City veröffentlicht.
Die Musik von Gifted & Blessed ist auf vielen Compilations enthalten, unter anderem auf Sassy J für Rush Hour und Prosumer für Fabric.
The Ray Alexander Technique were four gifted musicians from Harlem led by Raymond Alexander Jenkins, they recorded their solitary LP ‘Let’s Talk’ in 1974. Amongst 70s soul and funk albums it is in the exalted status category.
Selected as a first time on a 45 is ‘Taking The Long Way Home’, a wonderful mid-tempo opus conveying the message of never giving up.
Featured on Side 2 is the band’s final and hideously rare LU JUN 45. Ray’s friend Chris Bartley was enlisted and was the featured vocalist on both songs - ‘I Am In Love With You’ is a stunning sweet soul ballad, whilst ‘I Wonder Why’ takes the tempo up a few notches and packs an equally emotional punch thanks to the great arrangement and Bartley’s achingly wistful performance.
21-year-old Mikayla Simpson, the artist widely known as Koffee releases her debut album Gifted, a milestone in a brief yet already illustrious career, and with it comes a determination to speak to the times. Koffee is on a mission to bring light and brevity to the stories of now; songs like “Lockdown” expertly articulate the hope many of us have felt during months of isolation (“Where will we go / When di quarantine ting done and everybody touch road,” she sings). The upbeat, punchy rhythms of “Where I’m From” and classic reggae tones of “X10” are her way of scoring the scenes of life. As producer of half of the album’s ten tracks, Koffee crafted the album from bursts of inspiration in hotel rooms whilst on tour and freestyle sessions with her band. It includes collaborations with global renowned producers like JAE5 and Frank Dukes alongside homegrown Jamaican talent such as iotosh, crafting the huge crossover anthems “Pull Up” and “West Indies” along the way.
TIME magazine counts Gifted Gab amongst the top female rappers in America. "Cause & Effect" is her vinyl debut, showing off Gab’s singular style, mixing complexity with wit, confidence with seduction, bars-upon bars of rapping with R&B melodies. Half of the album is hard-hitting gangsta murder music, while the flip side is effortlessly smooth. "It's for the after-party, the kickback. When you finally got the one you’ve been vibing with all night up close and personal,” as DJ Mike Ramos describes in the liner notes. Seattle underground hip-hop label Crane City Music is proud to release a special, limited-edition vinyl version of “Cause & Effect” on transparent red wax. The record is the color of blood and love, both appropriate analogies for its twin sides. It has been specially mastered by Adam Straney, has liner notes from DJ Mike Ramos, and is limited to 1,000 numbered copies.
Form is Vision is a collection of music unified by the same vision but not by the same form. It’s the vision making the form, without being influenced by the form itself. Here, visionary electronic artists as Afrikan Sciences and Juju & Jordash meet cross over jazz bands like Hobby Horse and Where is Mr. R?!. The music was compiled by Autre & Two Thou, whose productions here form a bridge across different moods. The result is a synergistic leap away from genre-bound music.
Gifted Culture collective is ready to unleash the second jam session of the announced trilogy. GMI Jam Venice comes from the filth and the mug of the abandoned ex-industrial area in the outskirts of Venice. There, Autre and Two Thou invade Hawaiian Chips' top-notch studio, where all together ride 70's synthesizer rarities and try to domesticate the monstrous Yamaha CS 80. This jam, inspired by the post-industrial Venetian scenario, dives between the dreams of archetypal electronic music and reminiscences of psychedelic progressive bands, giving birth to two long journeys ready to gently carry the dance floor into the outer space.
Gifted Culture collective kicks off with Zinnigheddas Jam Berlin, first 12' of a series of three releases recorded exclusively during improvised jam sessions. Gifted Culture wants artists to breath and to represent in music the contemporaneity that surrounds us. Gifted Culture catches that very moment on tape. This is an itinerant music project, to highlight the context as influence on the artistic process.
During the first session Two Thou, Autre, Xinner and Demo gather together during a Sunday night in Kreuzberg with an electric bass and a bunch of synthesizers. There they start to tell us how they feel the 'now'.
There has been much speculation about the significance of the Mayan system of timekeeping. Many researchers on the subject have verified that the Mayan long count calendar, which is only one of several advanced timekeeping tools devised by the Mayan people, comes to an end on December 21, 2012, with no real clear explanation as to what exactly that signifies. Some have speculated that it was meant to point to a cataclysmic event that would end the world as we previously knew it, while others have hypothesized it to indicate some worldwide shift in consciousness around that time. This musical offering is not meant to speculate on the meaning of this date. Instead, it serves as a tribute to one of the most astronomically, mathematically and architecturally advanced civilizations in the history of planet Earth. Each track is a tribute to one of the many Mayan spiritual sites known to date. While only four of these temples are acknowledged in this recording, many others have been rediscovered and more are yet to be found.
SDH (Semiotics Department of Heteronyms) is the new project of two key figures of the synth-wave/industrial scene of Barcelona. Andrea P. Latorre and Sergi Algiz, founders of the Cønjuntø Vacíø label and also in the post-punk band Wind Atlas, unveil a new act more oriented towards pop music. SDH is change, alteration, distortion, metamorphosis. Their synth-pop songs, sprinkled with EBM and techno, are mysterious, obtuse and suggestive. The project seems to revolve around the idea of fiction. What is the language of feigned personalities What is fiction An individual is one and another, is liquid. It is physical. Incarnating someone is doing it in a corporeal way: making it flesh. Conceive: everything is real: reality does not exist. How is a fiction embodied They have already supported artists such as Marie Davidson and Merchandise and performed at the Swedish festival Kalabalik På Tyrolen, one of the reference festivals of the darkwave scene.
To mark the 50th anniversary of Trojan Records comes 'Trojan Ska & Reggae Classics', a double vinyl album comprising 24 of the most celebratory Jamaican music hits from the iconic label's legendary catalogue.
Released in tandem with the TV advertised 3CD version of the same name, this joyous collection showcases the very best in classic Caribbean sounds, from rude boy ska to dancehall anthems, with the set featuring an incredible 22 Top 50 UK chartbusters, including 4 UK Number 1s and 13 Top 10s.
The perfect musical accompaniment for the summer of 2018 and beyond, this blistering 2LP vinyl collection compilation ably demonstrates just what makes Trojan so special and why it remains the world's greatest reggae label, half a century since its launch.
As an integral part of the Trojan 50 marketing campaign, the LP will be heavily promoted via the label's website, Facebook & Twitter pages, Instagram and YouTube channel.
[T] D2 | Desmond Dekker - You Can Get It If You Really Want
LP 3x12"[28,99 €]
A DJ, producer and significant figure in contemporary electronic music, Marcel Dettmann steps forward to contribute to Running Back’s ongoing Mastermix series. Whereas previous editions of Mastermix have taken an ear to the sound of lapsed, legendary clubs such as Wild Pitch and Front, Dettmann’s curation deftly captures the man himself in ongoing perpetual motion, raiding the vault for his own precision-tooled edits, long-employed on dancefloors to devastating effect. Alongside a continuous mix, this release arrives as a 3LP gatefold, and as a limited edition cassette.
Closely associated with Berlin’s techno landscape, Dettmann was born and raised in the former GDR, then later immersed in the bleary-eyed counter cultural landscape of post-unification Berlin. Initially oriented by post-punk, industrial and new-wave music, Dettmann has been DJing since 1993, always expanding and perfecting his repertoire. He later began working behind the counter at the city’s tastemaking rave boutique Hard Wax, and a decade after he first dropped a needle, became (and remains) resident at notable local nightspot Berghain/Panorama Bar, where his instincts have helped sculpt the signature sound of both main dancefloors.
Of course, you’re probably not asking, “Who is Marcel Dettmann?” More importantly, you might want to know; just what treats has he gifted us here? The trip begins with a simple pitch-shift skywards, transforming Identified Patient’s creeping ‘The Female Medical College of Pennsylvania’ into a peak-time freakout, before an alternate take on Toctronic’s ‘Bis uns das Licht vertreibt’ emerges from the vaults for the first time. Dating from 1995, and one of Dettmann’s all-time favourites, Cristian Vogel’s ‘Untitled’ clambers back into the box with respectable cuts, while John Bender’s ‘Victims of A Victimless Crime’ kicks off the flip sporting a new arrangement, transporting us back to the foundations of a confident, stripped-back sound.
A few subtle edits to Clark’s perilously funky ‘Dirty Pixie’ takes us to Dettmann’s remix of Junior Boys. Produced in 2010, it transposes the Canadian duo’s sophisticated pop with our curator in his minimal prime, and has since become an irresistible prize for high-minded diggers. The same can be said for Experimental Products’ explosive proto-electro anthem ‘Who Is Kip Jones?’, empowered from pricey Discogs purgatory with just the slightest of tweaks. It’s deservedly sandwiched between the guiding influences of Chicago and Detroit in the form of Mutant Beat Dance’s raw ‘The Human Factor’ and a shimmering new version of previous solo production ‘Water’, featuring close friend and Ostgut Ton ally, Ryan Elliot.
The second half of the Mastermix seamlessly connects the mechanical past and digital present of EBM and industrial in the dance, with Dettmann’s instincts as a guiding hand. Severed Heads’ iconic ‘We Have Come To Bless This House’ emerges with mere nips and tucks, while Nitzer Ebb’s ‘Shame’ is significantly reimagined as a highwire act of rhythm and tension, setting up a sensual second take on a 2017 remix of ‘Limbo’ from Swiss synth heroes, Yello.
Core musical memories are shaken and stirred with a context-shifting take on Frank Duval’s emotional classic ‘Ogon’, while Ian North’s ‘Sex Lust You’ and Ford Proco’s notable Coil collaboration ‘Expansion Naranja’ effectively throb with only minor adjustments, respectfully imagined as “shadow versions”. Meanwhile, a simple breakbeat lifts Albert Kuningas’s ‘Astraalprojektio’ in the direction of wide-eyed dancefloors, while a fresh take on K-Alexi Shelby’s ‘Season of The Real’ inexplicably emerges somehow even funkier than before.
The conclusion of the compilation leads back to Das Tier from the prolific experimentalist Conrad Schnitzler, whose swirling synths and hypnotic vocals are duly tightened by Dettmann, but only as he puts it, “in conversation with the original.” Concluding three discs and thirty years of commitment to the dancefloor, this Mastermix not only offers us the opportunity to eavesdrop on this endless exchange, but to gain some sought-after material for our own record collections.
Really glad to present the first release of the year 2026, an amazing piece of music made by 4 friends of Copenhagen Jacob Funch, Kim Las, Rasmus Valldorf and Tan Vargas.
A very cinematographic journey in between Ambient and Experimental, with a certain touch of Balearic right in the middle of the Leftfield. A super trippy trip, gifted by beautiful melodies and vocals like on the titles “Indisponible” or “Mambo n6”… as if you were crossing a super cozy desert on LSD, starting from the coast after a nice bath in the sea to the dryness of the sand under the sun, with intense divagations like on “Fastelavn” or “Kompasitu” to long relief of contemplations like on “Opium Swing” or “Blizzard” at the end of the way...
This is a full immersive experience, one of those life soundtrack releases, and probably one of our favorite release ever.
Yellow Vinyl
Blue Lake reveals his most ambitious album yet, which finds its visionary creator Jason Dungan harnessing the collective alchemy of his band, with ten spirited tracks that resonate with a powerful directness, evoking an ecological connection to the wider world.
The solo project (Blue Lake), now on its fifth album, found its name and inspiration via Don Cherry's 1974 live album, sparking a creative epiphany in Dungan, who set off on a path into his own untapped sonic world, guided by what he cited as the emotional potential found within non-lyrical composition. With a newly inspired ethos aimed toward creating direct and simple instrumental music imbued with a deep sense of feeling, Jason began combining an array of musical elements that gave rise to his highly revered album 'Sun Arcs' (2023), with its "ornate, zither-led lattices" (Pitchfork, Best New Music). Conceived in the blissful isolation of a Swedish cabin set in the woods, this was music that soundtracked spring in full bloom. Then, in contrast to the solitary approach of 'Sun Arcs', the highly lauded mini-album 'Weft' (2025) began to set the tone for a more band-oriented approach to delivering the Blue Lake sound. Jason had by this time experienced a special collective energy with his band during a swathe of live performances, which he then sought to harness and distill on 'The Animal', leading him to take the project into a traditional recording studio (The Village) and its limitless potential along with his gifted cohorts.
'The Animal' at its core vividly celebrates human collaboration and is deeply rooted in a sense of community and non-hierarchical connectivity. The group's creative alchemy transcends outwards and beyond the musicians performing together, to summon an inclusive, existential and ecological connection to the wider world and its inhabited spaces. The album contemplates the idea of the human as an animal as Dungan explains: "I'm quite fascinated in thinking about humans more as part of the animal environment and not as something that's so separated into a "human" realm, or sitting on top of a hierarchical pyramid. So the Animal is also me, or us - that we are just living, existing, in the same way as a piece of moss or a sparrow or a cow.
'The Animal' is a form of musical metamorphosis, still acoustic, yet more amplified, elevating it to new dimensions. The Blue Lake project takes on a new lease of life to encompass collaboration with Jason Dungan bound in a universal connectivity, resulting in his most ambitious album to date. A harmonious rejoicing that cements his reputation as a transformative presence in contemporary music.
Walter Thomas’s “Chicago Knights” LP features a retrospective of songs written and released between 1987 and 2009, primarily with the Roland 1824 and the Fostex 8 track reel to reel. Channeling the spirit of underground soul and dance music specifically rooted within the greater area of Chicago, Illinois–a city known for its deep and healthy soul and r&b roots–this compilation features 8 of its 9 tracks on vinyl for the very first time.
The intro track “I Wanna Get Witcha” dates back to 1987, holds a proven track record of kicking off many a dance floor, rocking clubs worldwide in a blur of boogie-funk, disco, and soul. “Immaturity” and both versions of “Fed Up” echo the emotional differences and tensions between lovers in a spat. “Magic City” served as the anthem and homage to its namesake roller skating rink in 90s-era Waukegan, IL. While “Chicago Knights” is a relentless mid-tempo groove inspired by the aggressive motorists that dominate Chicago roadways, “2nd Chance” drops the tempo to a slow r&b roll, preaching the ethos of love, peace, and forgiveness.
Last but certainly not least, “E&J’s” was a real commercial jingle used for a once legendary BBQ joint “E&J’s” in Illinois: a short bonus track to close out the LP. These 9 tracks are just a touch of Walter’s expansive body of work, and we’re stoked to bring them to you on wax.
Walter Thomas is a singer, songwriter, producer, arranger, and composer from North Chicago, IL known for his soulfully smooth arrangements and vocals. Walter has toured internationally with quintessential soul groups like the Temptations and Friends of Distinction, as well as opening for performers including the Floaters, Bette Wright, The Emotions, and The Drifters. His decades of touring with nightclub and concert performances have honed this gifted artist into a seasoned and refined live act.
2025 repress
Repressing of Larry Heard's return into the spotlight with another classic release after all those years! A fantastic 12 presenting the gifted Memphis based vocalist Mr. White (aka Chad White). 'You Rock Me' is a soulful affair, created to be timeless, while 'The Sun Can't Compare' is a fun play with vocals over a typical Larry Heard acid track. Must have for all fans of good house music!!
Santamaria Brothers are the latest incarnation of a lifelong musical journey rooted in rhythm, rebellion, and reinvention. The children of Peruvian and Ecuadorian immigrants to Australia, brothers Pat and Andrew Santamaria grew up steeped in the sounds and culture of Latin America - a deep inheritance that coloured everything they did, even as they moved through scenes and styles far from home.
In their youth, the brothers sharpened their first musical swords playing in globally touring indie bands. As the rhythm section of cult outfit Lost Valentinos, they had the opportunity to see the world and learn from the best; touring with, working alongside, and releasing music through the likes of Soulwax, Ewan Pearson, and Kitsuné. Taking those experiences home, they dove deep into the rave underground, co-founding of the crucial Sydney-centric techno label, warehouse party collective, and long-running radio show Motorik! In that guise,they helped shape the city’s electronic music scene over the past decade from the booth, the studio, the airwaves, and the street.
Now, after years behind the decks and on both sides of the mixing board, Santamaria Brothers return to their roots - releasing music under the family name for the first time. With We Got Latin Soul, they bring it all together on a 4-track EP of club-ready edits (via Sosilly Records). Reworking four towering figures of Latin soul; Mongo Santamaria, Ray Barretto, Pucho & The Latin Soul Brothers, and Joe Bataan — the brothers inject each cut with tasteful touches of Balearic haze and chugging acid house pressure, honouring the originals while making them sing on today’s dancefloors.
This is Latin soul filtered through a unique blend of antipodean rave culture, crate-digging, and relentless reinvention. It’s joyful, percussive, and made for the club - a full-circle moment from two lifers forever finding new ways to move bodies.
-- Including A4 insert with release text by Jeff Mills --
"If we're lucky, sometimes we can hear something that goes a bit beyond the boundaries of what we expect. And when this happens, we should be grateful for these experiences. The more "unexpected" we're gifted, the more magical life seems.
These works by Dimi Angelis are a bit more than what they seem. More than music or something to dance to, the sense they give me is that they are sonic pulses or a type of language we've yet to realize."
- Jeff Mills
Naya Beat is excited to announce 'PAWA!', a soaring disco-funk anthem celebrating feminism and the power (pawa) of togetherness. It is a mouthwatering collaboration between legendary jazz vocalist and disco pioneer Asha Puthli and NYC’s punk-chic, discodelic stars Say She She.
A fortuitous and fleeting window between touring schedules allowed Puthli and Say She She’s Nya Gazelle Brown, Sabrina Cunningham, and Piya Malik to write and record Pawa! with members of the cult funk band Orgone in the English countryside at Mike Oldfield’s (Tubular Bells) studio. Pawa! is a tribute to female fortitude and an anthemic call to action for unity and collective action. PAWA TO THE PEOPLE! Asha’s spoken word bursts into a soaring falsetto while Say She She’s celestial three-part harmonies make for a sublime call and response between the fabled mentor and her gifted disciples. Throw in a stellar bassline and one of tightest rhythm sections around, and you have an instant classic. And if that wasn’t enough, four remixes bring Pawa to the dancefloor! The UK’s legendary Crazy P deliver not one, but three future classics – an epic house take with a stomping bassline, a stripped-down vocal dub, and a sunshine-ready disco dub. Not to be outdone, Greece’s favourite dance duo Boys’ Shorts add magical disco touches and reimagine the original as an eight-minute balearic opus.
Featuring beautiful artwork and a premium poly-lined inner sleeve, the 12" has been cut to vinyl for the discerning DJ and listener by Grammy-nominated Frank Merritt from The Carvery, London.
Never-before-heard psychedelic acid techno and ambient compositions from beloved Japanese producer Susumu Yokota. Recovered from a collection of DAT tapes gifted by Yokota to Ray Castle during the period he released some of his most memorable records such Acid Mt.Fuji or Ebi's Zen.
A fortunate meeting between Ray Castle and Transmigration label boss David Fogarty means these works finally see the light of day.
"FEELING FULLY YOURS" PRE-ORDER ONLY EDITION:
Heavyweight Vinyl / Original glued prints on Thick Cardboard 700 gram / 2 Separated parts hand-glued / Glossy lamination / PVC outer sleeve / Bandcamp Limited Edition 30 pages paperback booklet printed on "Favini Tintoretto Bianco" 350 gram cardboard / "Watoji" Japanese hand-bound with black cotton / hand painted cherry red fore-edge / Full interview to Jym Marks by Tony Higgins printed on 90 gram "Fedrigoni Constellation Snow"/ full album lyrics printed on 90 gram "Favini Seaweed Paper"and exclusive full format B&W picture printed on high quality photographic paper, Books front cover printed on 300 gram Moldmade paper.
Childish Gambino is (and isn't) Donald Glover, a recording artist, writer, actor, director, producer and comic who was gifted his alias by an online Wu Tang-Clan name-generator. Originally hailing from Stone Mountain, Georgia - his Mum was a daycare provider and his Dad a postal worker, where TV was banned in the house - Glover first entered the spotlight as a member of sketch-troupe Derrick Comedy, via a stint working on The Daily Show and the invitation to join the '30 Rock' writing staff by Tina Fey before he'd even graduated from NYU. A succession of mini-albums and mixtapes surrounded all of this, parallel to acting roles ranging from The Muppets to NBC's cult hit comedy 'Community'. It was 2011's debut album 'Camp' - his first since signing to Glassnote Records - which marked a breakthrough for Childish Gambino, whose music explores everything from identity, race, and technology to hip-hop culture, class, and family. Follow-up 'because the internet' went top 10 on the Billboard chart, was nominated for 2 Grammy Awards and further assimilated Gambino's multiple disciplines (it was accompanied, for instance, by two films and a standalone 72-page screenplay). Around this time - and between roles in HBO's 'Girls' and movies like 'The Martian' - Glover also announced that he was working on his own TV show: a comedy-drama which he would star in, write and direct, 'Atlanta' premiered on FX this autumn to significant critical acclaim (it's already been described as "Twin Peaks with rappers"). The show was launched alongside the third Childish Gambino, 'Awaken, My Love!', this summer at 'Pharos', a series of secretive, audio-visual live performances which took place in a custom-designed dome in the middle of the desert in Joshua Tree. A second series of 'Atlanta' has already been commissioned, whilst Glover has recently been cast in the forthcoming Spider Man movie and has also been confirmed to play the iconic role of Lando Calrissian in the next Star Wars film (a Han Solo spin-off). His most vital artistic statement to date, Childish Gambino is expected to unveil further music from 'Awaken, My Love!' in the coming weeks.
Dedication is Stevie Bensusen and Lashley Todd, two friends born and raised in Seattle, WA, who started singing together in high school. Their dynamic blend was undeniable and it made all the sense in the world to form a band together. And if and when the planets were somehow aligned and they were gifted with adequate financing, go into the studio and record their voices. Convinced that their unmistakable vocal blend would be better served by recording their own material (songs both written and arranged by Stevie) that would showcase their voices, both solo and together. After attending Boston's Berklee College of Music to study theory and composition, Stevie returned to Seattle with a batch of new tunes and arrangements in his portfolio. He and Lash focused on rehearsing the material and looked for a chance to take their sound into the studio. As luck would have it, someone liked their prospects enough to bankroll their studio sessions. They hired and rehearsed the top-notch players that would make up their masterful rhythm section, then booked time at now legendary Kaye-Smith Studios in Seattle to cut and mix their tracks. What came from those sessions are four powerful and sophisticated R&B performances, being made available only on the Final Bell label by Super Disco Edits. Their adventures in the unpredictable world of recorded music are now beginning to unfold. Which brings us to this moment in time when audiences in the UK can finally discover, and appreciate . . . Dedication.
Dedication is Stevie Bensusen and Lashley Todd, two friends born and raised in Seattle, WA, who started singing together in high school. Their dynamic blend was undeniable and it made all the sense in the world to form a band together. And if and when the planets were somehow aligned and they were gifted with adequate financing, go into the studio and record their voices. Convinced that their unmistakable vocal blend would be better served by recording their own material (songs both written and arranged by Stevie) that would showcase their voices, both solo and together. After attending Boston's Berklee College of Music to study theory and composition, Stevie returned to Seattle with a batch of new tunes and arrangements in his portfolio. He and Lash focused on rehearsing the material and looked for a chance to take their sound into the studio. As luck would have it, someone liked their prospects enough to bankroll their studio sessions. They hired and rehearsed the top-notch players that would make up their masterful rhythm section, then booked time at now legendary Kaye-Smith Studios in Seattle to cut and mix their tracks. What came from those sessions are four powerful and sophisticated R&B performances, being made available only on the Final Bell label by Super Disco Edits. Their adventures in the unpredictable world of recorded music are now beginning to unfold. Which brings us to this moment in time when audiences in the UK can finally discover, and appreciate . . . Dedication.
Wewantsounds is delighted to continue its extensive reissue program of Meiko Kaji"s early discography, originally released by Teichiku Records in Japan between 1972 and 1974. The Quentin Tarantino muse-famous for her starring roles in Lady Snowblood and Stray Cat Rock-was also a gifted singer. Otoko Onna Kokoro No Aika is another collection of superb cinematic songs featuring Kaji"s signature mix of Japanese Pop and Groove, backed by lush, atmospheric orchestrations. This includes her rendition of "Tokyo Nagare Mono," the theme song for Seijun Suzuki"s cult 1966 film Tokyo Drifter. This reissue features the original artwork, an OBI strip, and a four-page insert with new liner notes by Hashim Kotaro Bharoocha, who interviewed Meiko Kaji for the occasion.
Blue Lake reveals his most ambitious album yet, which finds its visionary creator Jason Dungan harnessing the collective alchemy of his band, with ten spirited tracks that resonate with a powerful directness, evoking an ecological connection to the wider world.
The solo project (Blue Lake), now on its fifth album, found its name and inspiration via Don Cherry's 1974 live album, sparking a creative epiphany in Dungan, who set off on a path into his own untapped sonic world, guided by what he cited as the emotional potential found within non-lyrical composition. With a newly inspired ethos aimed toward creating direct and simple instrumental music imbued with a deep sense of feeling, Jason began combining an array of musical elements that gave rise to his highly revered album 'Sun Arcs' (2023), with its "ornate, zither-led lattices" (Pitchfork, Best New Music). Conceived in the blissful isolation of a Swedish cabin set in the woods, this was music that soundtracked spring in full bloom. Then, in contrast to the solitary approach of 'Sun Arcs', the highly lauded mini-album 'Weft' (2025) began to set the tone for a more band-oriented approach to delivering the Blue Lake sound. Jason had by this time experienced a special collective energy with his band during a swathe of live performances, which he then sought to harness and distill on 'The Animal', leading him to take the project into a traditional recording studio (The Village) and its limitless potential along with his gifted cohorts.
'The Animal' at its core vividly celebrates human collaboration and is deeply rooted in a sense of community and non-hierarchical connectivity. The group's creative alchemy transcends outwards and beyond the musicians performing together, to summon an inclusive, existential and ecological connection to the wider world and its inhabited spaces. The album contemplates the idea of the human as an animal as Dungan explains: "I'm quite fascinated in thinking about humans more as part of the animal environment and not as something that's so separated into a "human" realm, or sitting on top of a hierarchical pyramid. So the Animal is also me, or us - that we are just living, existing, in the same way as a piece of moss or a sparrow or a cow.
'The Animal' is a form of musical metamorphosis, still acoustic, yet more amplified, elevating it to new dimensions. The Blue Lake project takes on a new lease of life to encompass collaboration with Jason Dungan bound in a universal connectivity, resulting in his most ambitious album to date. A harmonious rejoicing that cements his reputation as a transformative presence in contemporary music.
The Éthiopiques series returns! Essential archive recordings from an extremely fruitful period in Ethiopian music.
Before “Swinging Addis” took over the world, there was Moussié Nerses Nalbandian — the Armenian-born composer who shaped modern Ethiopian music. Mentor, arranger, and pioneer, he laid the foundations of Ethio-jazz.
This Éthiopiques volume revives his forgotten legacy, recorded live by Either/ Orchestra First issue ever with new exclusive photos and in depth liner 8-page insert.
“Ethiopian jazzmen are the best musicians that we have seen so far in Africa.
They really are promising handlers of jazz instruments.”
Wilbur De Paris
(1959, after a concert in Addis Ababa)
አዲስ፡ዘመን። *Addis zèmèn* **A new era.**
The time is the mid-1950s and early 1960s, just before "Swinging Addis" bloomed – or rather boomed – onto the scene. Brass instruments are still dominant, but the advent of the electric guitar, and the very first electronic organs, are just around the corner. Rock’n'Roll, R’n’B, Soul and the Twist have not yet barged their way in. Addis Ababa is steeped in the big band atmosphere of the post-war era, with Glenn Miller's *In the* *Mood* as its world-wide theme song, neck and neck with the Latin craze that was in vogue at the same period. Life has become enjoyable once again, with the return of peace after the terrible Italian Fascist invasion of Ethiopia (1935-1941). The redeployment of modern music is part and parcel of the postwar reconstruction. *Addis zèmèn* – a new era – is the watchword of the postwar period, just as it was all across war-torn Europe.
The generation who were the young parents of baby boomers** were the first to enjoy this musical renaissance, before the baby boomers themselves took over and forever super-charged the soundtrack of the final days of imperial reign. Music is Ethiopia's most popular art form, and very often serves as the best barometer for the upsurge of energy that is critical for reconstruction. Whether it be jazz in Saint-Germain-des-Prés or the *zazous* who revolutionised both jazz and French *chanson* after the *Libération*, be it Madrid's post-Franco Movida, or Dada, the Surrealists and *les années folles* that followed World War I, the periods just after mourning and hardship always give rise to brighter and more tuneful tomorrows. Addis Ababa, as the country's capital, and the epicentre of change, was no exception to this vital rule.
**Two generations of Nalbandian musicians**
Nersès Nalbandian belonged to a family of Armenian exiles, who had moved to Ethiopia in the mid-1920s. The uncle Kevork arrived along with the fabled "*Arba Lidjotch*", the** "*40 Kids*", young Armenian orphans and musicians that the Ras Tafari had recruited when he visited Jerusalem in 1924, intending to turn their brass band into the official imperial band. If Kevork Nalbandian was the one who first opened the way of modernism, pushing innovation so far as to invent musical theatre, it was his nephew Nersès who would go on to become, from the 1940s and until his death in 1977, a pivotal figure of modern Ethiopian music and of the heights it. Going all the way back to the 1950s. Nothing less. And it is Nersès who is largely to thank for the brassy colours that so greatly contributed to the international renown of Ethiopian groove. While the younger generations today venture timidly into the genealogy of their country's modern music, often losing their way amidst a distinctly xenophobic historiographical complacency, many survivors of the imperial period are still around to bear witness and pay tribute to the essential role that "Moussié Nersès" played in the rise of Abyssinia's musical modernity.
Given the year of his birth (15 March 1915), no one knows for sure if Nersès Nalbandian was born in Aintab, today Gaziantep (Turkiye/former Ottoman Empire) or on the other side of the border in Alep, Syria... What is certain is that his family, like the entire Armenian community, was amongst the victims of the genocide perpetrated by the Turks. Alep, the place of safety – today in ruins.
Before Nersès then, there was uncle Kevork (1887-1963). For a quarter of a century, he was a whirlwind of activity in music teaching and theatrical innovation. *Guèbrè Mariam le Gondaré* (የጎንደሬ ገብረ ማርያም አጥቶ ማግኘት, 1926 EC=1934) is his most famous creation. This play included "ten Ethiopian songs" — a totally innovative approach. According to his autobiographical notes, preserved by the Nalbandian family, Kevork indicates that he composed some 50 such pieces over the course of his career. This shows just how much he understood, very early on, the critical importance of song as Ethiopia's crowning artistic form. Indeed, for Ethiopian listeners, the most important thing is the lyrics, with all their multifarious mischief, far more than a strong melody, sophisticated arrangements or even an exceptional voice. (This is also why Ethiopians by and large, and beginning with the artists and producers themselves, believed for a long time — and wrongly — that their music could not possibly be exported, and could never win over audiences abroad, who did not speak the country's languages).
Last but not least, one of Kevork's major contributions remains composing Ethiopia's first national anthem – with lyrics by Yoftahé Negussié.
Nersès Nalbandian moved to Ethiopia at the end of the 1930s, at the behest of his ground-breaking uncle. Proficient in many instruments (pretty much everything but the drums), conductor, choir director, composer, arranger, adapter, creator, piano tuner, purveyor of rented pianos,... he was above all an energetic and influential teacher. From 1946 onwards, thanks to Kevork's connexion, Nersès was appointed musical director of the Addis Ababa Municipality Band. In just a few years, Nersès transformed it into the first truly modern ensemble, thanks to the quality of his teaching, his choice of repertoire, and the sophistication of his arrangements. It was this group that would go on to become the orchestra of the Haile Selassie Theatre shortly after its inauguration in 1955, which was a major celebration of the Emperor's jubilee, marking the 25th anniversary of his on-again-off-again reign.
At some point or other in his long career, Nersès Nalbandian had a hand in the creation of just about every institutional band (Municipality Band, Police Orchestra, Imperial Bodyguard Band, Army Band, Yared Music School…), but it was with the Haile Selassie Theatre – today the National Theatre – that his abilities were most on display, up until his death in 1977. To this must be added the development of choral singing in Ethiopia, hitherto unknown, and a sort of secret garden dedicated to the memory of Armenian sacred music, and brought together in two thick, unpublished volumes. Shortly before his death (November 13, 1977), he was appointed to lead the impressive Ethiopian delegation at Festac in Lagos, Nigeria (January-February 1977).
His status as a stateless foreigner regularly excluded him from the most senior positions, in spite of the respect he commanded (and commands to this day) from the musicians of his era. Naturally gifted and largely self-taught, Nerses was tirelessly curious about new musical developments, drawing inspiration from the very first imported records, and especially from listening intensely to the musical programmes broadcast over short-wave radio – BBC *First*. A prolific composer and arranger, he was constantly mindful of formalising and integrating Ethiopian parameters (specific “musical modes”, pentatonic scale, and the dominance of ternary rhythms) into his “modernisation” of the musical culture, rather than trying to over-westernise it. It even seems very probable that *Moussié* Nerses made a decisive contribution to the development of tighter music-teaching methods, in order to revitalise musical education during this period of prodigious cultural ferment. Flying in the face of all the historiographical and musicological evidence, it is taken as sacrosanct dogma that the four musical modes or chords officially recognised today, the *qǝñǝt* or *qiñit* (ቅኝት), are every bit as millennial as Ethiopia itself. It would appear however that some streamlining of these chords actually took place in around 1960. It was only from this time onward that music teaching was structured around these four fundamental musical modes and chords: *Ambassel*, *Bati*, *Tezeta* and *Antchi Hoyé*. A historical and musical “details” that is, apparently, difficult to swallow, especially if that should honour a *foreigner*. Modern Ethiopian music has Nersès to thank for many of its standards and, to this day, it is not unusual for the National Radio to broadcast thunderous oldies that bear unmistakable traces of his outrageously groovy touch.
Emerging from the University of the West Indies (UWI) in Jamaica during the late 1970s, Main Attraction was a group of talented singers whose music captured the social and political energy of their time. With a sound that blended reggae and soulful ballads, their songs were both a reflection and a response to the challenges of the era.
The group originally featured Sonia Copeland, a gifted writer, arranger, and back-up singer, alongside Sharon Jones, whose velvet voice led many of their reggae tracks. They were joined by Allison Smith, Marjorie Smith, and Shahiba Ali, forming the group’s first lineup. As time passed, Michelle Thompson and Lileth O’Connor joined, further enriching the group’s dynamic harmony.
Main Attraction’s musical journey began with their debut recording, a cover of Once Upon a Time, produced by David Haughton under the management of Clayton Downie. Later, with Owen Palmer as their manager and producer, the group expanded their horizons, performing in cabaret gigs with the band Mind Benders and embarking on an overseas tour that showcased their talent in New York City. While Sharon Jones led reggae tracks like Jam Up, Allison Peart and Shahiba Ali brought their soulful touch to R&B songs, creating a rich, versatile repertoire that captivated audiences.
Jam Up was the group’s first original recording, composed and arranged by Sonia Copeland. Performed as part of the Reggae Song Competition during Carnival in 1978, the song is a rallying cry for unity and progress. With powerful lyrics and a Shaka rhythm, Jam Up calls on Jamaicans to come together, strive for economic growth, and uplift the nation collectively.
Sonia’s vision was clear: that Jamaicans from all walks of life would find inspiration in the song’s message, motivating them to improve their standard of living and contribute to the country’s growth and prosperity. Decades later, the lyrics remain just as relevant — a timeless call to action for social and economic strength.
Hold this record in your hands, let the music play, and feel the enduring power of reggae music to transform, uplift, and connect.
Soul Jazz Records’ new Soul Jamaica brings together a wicked selection of
reggae funk and soul tracks from the legendary Studio One stable, featuring
a stellar line-up of artists including Jackie Mittoo, The Heptones, The
Gladiators, Sim Smith, Peter Tosh and The Wailers, Cedric ‘Im’ Brooks and
many more.
For a short period of time at the end of the 1960s and early 1970s, nestled
between the end of rocksteady and the arrival of roots reggae, Studio One
released a small stream of superb soul and funk reggae tunes – covering
everyone from Sly and The Family Stone, Diana Ross and The Supremes,
Nina Simone, Gene Chandler, Tyrone Davis and more.
Most of the tracks featured on Soul Jamaica were only ever released on
Studio One’s UK-subsidiary label Bamboo in small-run pressings and are
now consequently extremely hard to find.
The cover photograph features images of Air Jamaica, the new airline
created by the Jamaican government at the end of the 1960s, showing how
in the years following independence the
country assumed its place on the world
stage, with reggae music playing a key
role in creating the island’s new
cultural identity.
Part 2[13,66 €]
Following on from 2024's "Distant Landscapes EP" alongside Tensal, Amorphic returns (solo this time) to James Ruskin's Blueprint Records with a new ten-track album released digitally and as two four-track vinyl EPs released simultaneously.
Amorphic is a pseudonym of Scottish artist Vince Watson to explore more raw and hypnotic signatures. Launched in 2022, Amorphic has featured on labels such as Token, Symbolism and Modularz as well as the two labels Vince runs himself: Amorphic and Morph.
With almost 30 years in the industry, Vince has released over 1000 tracks, which has allowed him to work and gig with some of the very best in that time including Laurent Garnier, Richie Hawtin, Carl Craig and inthis year, Vince will release an LP with Carl Cox on his label Awesome Soundwave. As a touring musician has been able to play at some of the world's best clubs as both Amorphic and Vince Watson, including a residency at Tresor Berlin, DC10 Ibiza with Carl Cox, Berghain and Womb Tokyo as well as being a current resident of 909 Festival in Amsterdam.
earth had been watched by the keepers of the secrets for millennia.
the human experiment had evolved into chaos.
the subjects had destroyed themselves and the planet they were gifted.
a few were taken, leaving a dying planet behind.
the rest of human history was deleted.
the gods sought a new order.
the year zero...
Part 1[13,66 €]
Following on from 2024's "Distant Landscapes EP" alongside Tensal, Amorphic returns (solo this time) to James Ruskin's Blueprint Records with a new ten-track album released digitally and as two four-track vinyl EPs released simultaneously.
Amorphic is a pseudonym of Scottish artist Vince Watson to explore more raw and hypnotic signatures. Launched in 2022, Amorphic has featured on labels such as Token, Symbolism and Modularz as well as the two labels Vince runs himself: Amorphic and Morph.
With almost 30 years in the industry, Vince has released over 1000 tracks, which has allowed him to work and gig with some of the very best in that time including Laurent Garnier, Richie Hawtin, Carl Craig and in this year, Vince will release an LP with Carl Cox on his label Awesome Soundwave. As a touring musician has been able to play at some of the world's best clubs as both Amorphic and Vince Watson, including a residency at Tresor Berlin, DC10 Ibiza with Carl Cox, Berghain and Womb Tokyo as well as being a current resident of 909 Festival in Amsterdam.
earth had been watched by the keepers of the secrets for millennia.
the human experiment had evolved into chaos.
the subjects had destroyed themselves and the planet they were gifted.
a few were taken, leaving a dying planet behind.
the rest of human history was deleted.
the gods sought a new order.
the year zero...
"Pretty Close", Ethel Lindsey's debut LP, marks the beginning of a new musical journey, showcasing the talent and heartfelt nostalgia of this gifted singer-songwriter. Deeply rooted in the sound and spirit of the 1970s, her work draws from the golden age of Soul, Funk, Disco, and AOR, blending these genres with elegance and authenticity. Her songwriting and vocal delivery are so true to the era that one could easily imagine this album emerging straight from a California studio in 1976.
Entirely composed, written, and performed by Ethel Lindsey, Pretty Close is a deeply personal and cohesive body of work. From lush harmonies to groove-driven arrangements, the album captures the warmth and depth of vintage recordings while offering a fresh and intimate take on these timeless sounds.
Once again, Favorite Recordings brings its signature dedication to the project, ensuring every step of the process—from production to final mix—remains faithful to the sonic and aesthetic codes of the era. The album was produced using a maximum of vintage analog equipment, staying true to the texture and character of original 70s productions.
This is not merely a nostalgic tribute—it’s a sincere continuation of a musical tradition. With a deep respect for the past and a forward-thinking spirit, Ethel Lindsey breathes new life into classic genres, reaffirming their relevance in today’s musical landscape.
As Ethel herself puts it:
"The songs on this album offer but a fleeting glimpse into the whimsical, melodic reveries that may have danced through the mind of a young girl growing up in the northeastern suburbs of Paris, France during the early to mid-1980s. They are, perhaps, the earliest echoes of a fraternal musical upbringing—an inheritance both consciously absorbed and unconsciously imprinted—shaped by shared moments, half-remembered sounds, and the mysterious alchemy of childhood imagination. This collection is, in essence, a first distillation of that early inner world: playful, imperfect, sincere."
