Search:jam san

Styles
All
Sandrider - Armada LP

Sandrider

Armada LP

12inchLPSRR014C
SATANIC ROYALTY
04.08.2023

Sandrider are a band who have clearly poured hours of time and endless
energy into making their latest offering, Armada, one of the strongest
stoner rock records of the year so far
With excellent guitar tone and a perpetual sense of forward motion, it is with
great honor that we bring you the exclusive stream of this record. This is a scene
that has a relatively low barrier of entry and consequently it unfortunately
propagates a lot of subpar music. Sandrider seem to see that and use that as
inspiration to push beyond. A cut above their peers, this is what stoner rock
should have been about in the first place. Jam it now!

pre-order now04.08.2023

expected to be published on 04.08.2023

36,93
Claude Cooper & Brain Fog - More Myriad Sounds LP

Bristol meets Brooklyn! Produzent Claude Cooper und der New Yorker Sänger Brain Fog liefern gemeinsam eine inspirierte Bonusrunde zu Coopers viel beachtetem, unbändigem Debüt 'Myriad Sounds' (2022) ab. Das Duo hat die Originalinstrumentals zu einem rauen transatlantischen Amoklauf mit punkig-psychedelischen Jazz-Breaks gemacht, die mit allem kollidieren, was New Yorks reiches musikalisches Erbe zu bieten hat.

- 'There's no doubt that this psych-funk/jazz/seventies-soundtrack/hip-hop album absolutely scorches. It's vital and vibrant and exactly what we need to kick start the year.' - Louder Than War**** Album of the Week
- 'Raucous rhymes and blistering jazz breaks make for one rebellious reworking.' Backseat Mafia 8.8
- 'Bristol's beat scene backdrops late night jams.' - MOJO****

pre-order now04.08.2023

expected to be published on 04.08.2023

29,20
OH SEES - LIVE AT THE CHAPEL SAN FRANCISCO 10.2.19 (2x12")

**WAREHOUSE FIND ORANGE/RED TRANSPARENT VINYL ** The Oh Sees at the peak of their prog obsession, super jammed out and totally dominating. The Chapel SF 10.2.19 is a 53 minute, beautifully recorded, hi-fidelity live explosion of orc puke and kraut-gone-punk rock dominance by one of the rippingest bands of the 21st century. 2 x LP set on limited edition transparent blue and bone colored vinyl with side D etching and faithfully (re)created TMOQ-style bootleg album art.

pre-order now31.07.2023

expected to be published on 31.07.2023

46,18
THE CLIENTELE - I AM NOT THERE ANYMORE LP 2x12"

I Am Not There Anymore folgt auf das 2017 erschienene Music For The Age Of Miracles (das nach einer siebenjährigen Pause der Band erschien), wobei die neuen Aufnahmen 2019 begannen und stückweise bis 2022 fortgesetzt wurden - zum Teil wegen der Pandemie, aber auch, weil die Band den Raum für Experimente haben wollte. "Wir haben uns schon immer für andere Musik als Gitarrenmusik interessiert", sagt Sänger, Texter und Gitarrist Alasdair MacLean. Diesmal hat er - zusammen mit dem Bassisten James Hornsey und dem Schlagzeuger Mark Keen - Elemente des Post-Bop-Jazz, der zeitgenössischen Klassik und der elektronischen Musik einbezogen. MacLean meint: "Nichts von alledem war in der Lage, seinen Weg in unseren Sound zu finden, außer auf die beiläufigste Art und Weise, in der schwächsten Ausprägung." I Am Not There Anymore bestätigt die Stellung von The Clientele unter den großen Stilisten der Popmusik, indem es geschickt von Bild zu Bild, von Stimmung zu Stimmung wechselt, und zwar auf eine Weise, die sich sowohl neu als auch klassisch anfühlt, während The Clientele als Band in neue klangliche Gefilde vorstoßen. Im Laufe der 32-jährigen Karriere von The Clientele haben Kritiker und Fans ihre Lieder mit Worten wie "ätherisch", "schimmernd", "dunstig", "hübsch" und "zerbrechlich" beschrieben. Alasdair MacLean, hat seine eigene Interpretation der Wirkung, die seine Musik erzeugt. "Es ist das Gefühl, nicht da zu sein", sagt er. "Was wirklich in allen Clientele-Platten steckt, ist das Gefühl, nicht in dem Moment zu sein, in dem man sich befindet." I Am Not There Anymore evoziert regelmäßig das, was MacLean "das Gefühl, nicht real zu sein" nennt. Viele der Songs wurden von MacLeans Erinnerungen an den Frühsommer 1997 inspiriert, als seine Mutter starb.

pre-order now28.07.2023

expected to be published on 28.07.2023

27,31
THE CLIENTELE - I AM NOT THERE ANYMORE LP 2x12"

I Am Not There Anymore folgt auf das 2017 erschienene Music For The Age Of Miracles (das nach einer siebenjährigen Pause der Band erschien), wobei die neuen Aufnahmen 2019 begannen und stückweise bis 2022 fortgesetzt wurden - zum Teil wegen der Pandemie, aber auch, weil die Band den Raum für Experimente haben wollte. "Wir haben uns schon immer für andere Musik als Gitarrenmusik interessiert", sagt Sänger, Texter und Gitarrist Alasdair MacLean. Diesmal hat er - zusammen mit dem Bassisten James Hornsey und dem Schlagzeuger Mark Keen - Elemente des Post-Bop-Jazz, der zeitgenössischen Klassik und der elektronischen Musik einbezogen. MacLean meint: "Nichts von alledem war in der Lage, seinen Weg in unseren Sound zu finden, außer auf die beiläufigste Art und Weise, in der schwächsten Ausprägung." I Am Not There Anymore bestätigt die Stellung von The Clientele unter den großen Stilisten der Popmusik, indem es geschickt von Bild zu Bild, von Stimmung zu Stimmung wechselt, und zwar auf eine Weise, die sich sowohl neu als auch klassisch anfühlt, während The Clientele als Band in neue klangliche Gefilde vorstoßen. Im Laufe der 32-jährigen Karriere von The Clientele haben Kritiker und Fans ihre Lieder mit Worten wie "ätherisch", "schimmernd", "dunstig", "hübsch" und "zerbrechlich" beschrieben. Alasdair MacLean, hat seine eigene Interpretation der Wirkung, die seine Musik erzeugt. "Es ist das Gefühl, nicht da zu sein", sagt er. "Was wirklich in allen Clientele-Platten steckt, ist das Gefühl, nicht in dem Moment zu sein, in dem man sich befindet." I Am Not There Anymore evoziert regelmäßig das, was MacLean "das Gefühl, nicht real zu sein" nennt. Viele der Songs wurden von MacLeans Erinnerungen an den Frühsommer 1997 inspiriert, als seine Mutter starb.

pre-order now28.07.2023

expected to be published on 28.07.2023

34,41
VARIOUS - SOUL - MASTERPIECES FROM THE QUEENS OF SOUL MUSIC LP 2x12"
 
26

Obwohl der Begriff "soul" schon während der Dreißigerjahre in der US-amerikanischen Populärmusik auftauchte, entstand Soul als eigenständiges Genre erst in den 1950ern aus Gospel und Rhythm"n"Blues sowie je einer Prise Blues und Jazz. Schon bald darauf sollte Soul zum Inbegriff "schwarzer Popmusik" werden. Kennzeichnend für die afroamerikanisch geprägte Unterhaltungsmusik sind emotional gefärbte Sangeskünste. Sich mit ganzer Seele und herzergreifendem Gesang den Vibes, dem Groove und der Message hinzugeben, das macht Soul aus. Sängerinnen wie Aretha Franklin, Etta James, Tina Turner, Lavern Baker, Marlena Shaw oder Diana Ross beherrschten dieses Metier meisterhaft. Sie finden sich neben Dionne Warwick, Nina Simone, Dusty Springfield, Irma Thomas, Amy Winehouse, Ibeyi und vielen anderen Künstlerinnen auf der geschmackvoll kompilierten Doppel-LP "Soul Women".

pre-order now21.07.2023

expected to be published on 21.07.2023

22,90
YORUBA SINGERS - OJINGA’S OWN LP

The 1974 debut album Ojinga’s Own and single Basa Bongo/Black Pepper by Guyanese Afro-Folk band The Yoruba Singers has been remastered for vinyl and digital.
The Yoruba Singers formed in Georgetown, Guyana in 1971. Despite their name they were not from Nigeria, but identified strongly with the area from which so many of the African diaspora in Guyana and neighbouring regions were originally descended.

The group started adapting Guyanese traditional folk music as well as writing their own - blending a mixture of protest, social commentary, blues, and genres inspired by the times. Beginning with about 12 people sharing vocal duties, most of the early repertoire was inspired
by folk songs that started life on plantations or in religious settings accompanied by a few sparse musical instruments.


Integral to the Yoruba Singers’ sound are echoes of Obeah traditions which are very closely related to the Santería religion of Cuba and the Orisha and Shango traditions of Trinidad and Tobago. Calypso and steel band culture from nearby Trinidad and Tobago was to some extent part of the musical DNA of the group, but they were naturally also influenced by the massive volume of rocksteady and roots-reggae coming from Jamaica.

out of Stock

Order now and we will order the item for you at our supplier.

13,40

Last In: 2 years ago
Jazzanova - Face at My Window

Jazzanova

Face at My Window

12inchBBE690SLP3
BBE Music
21.07.2023

Taken from the album ‘Strata Records – The Sound of Detroit – Reimagined by Jazzanova’, BBE Music, DJ Amir and 180 Proof records present the 3rd single from this monumental project. This release features remixes by Japanese Club Jazz pioneers Kyoto Jazz Massive, and Genre Blending New Yorkers, musclecars. Kyoto Jazz Massive were enlisted to remix the Jazzanova reimagining of Sam Sanders’s iconic song Face at my Window. Their mix adds an intimate Jazz Club feel to vocalist Sean Haefeli’s recording, which highlights the dynamics of Sean’s voice. The subtle tempo increase maintains the feel of the original and adds a punch to the brass section, making the track an entirely new experience. musclecars add that traditional New York / Chicago House vibe to Jazzanova’s reimagining of Kenny Cox’s ‘Beyond the dream’, and the result is a skippy afro/latin dancefloor filler which can go on forever. musclecars demonstrate their genre blending superpowers on this mix which adds a garage swing to a jazz record, definitely going to be a jam for the dancefloors in 2023. Both remixes showcase the importance of DJ Amir's unearthing of these strata gems, and Jazzanova’s reimagining, how they have breathed new life into one of Detroit’s hidden gems - Strata Records. They will definitely on board new audiences to the treasure trove that is Strata, and the iconic stories surrounding the often overlooked record label.

out of Stock

Order now and we will order the item for you at our supplier.

24,79

Last In: 10 months ago
Various - SOUL FINGERS 2 LP 2x12"

After the success of the first volume, the second SOUL FINGERS’S tribute compila&on is released on double vinyl too.

SOUL FINGERS is a wandering black music dancefloor that in 2023 reaches to celebrate 10 years lifelong. Soul Fingers mixes soul, disco and funk, with rap and La&n rhythms. In this brand new compila&on there are some pieces that have really marked great par&es since 2013.

This time featuring some carefully selected dancefloor music bombs directly from the hands of Claudio Cavallaro, the leader of the Soul Fingers console!

out of Stock

Order now and we will order the item for you at our supplier.

27,94

Last In: 2 years ago
The Congos - Dub Feast

he Congos possess what all bands look for, that unique distinctive sound that draws the listener in. Alongside the great songs, lead singer Cedric Myton's singing, phasing and falsetto voice makes that just the case.
The Congos were formed by Cedric Myton (b. 1947, St Catherine, Jamaica) around the mid-Seventies when the
Rasta message was central to the reggae sound coming out of Kingston, Jamaica. But he had started out in the
Rocksteady era, when he formed the vocal group 'Tartans', taking lead vocal duties alongside Devon Russell, Prince Lincoln Thompson and Lindbergh Lewis.They cut 'Dance All Night' (1967) and 'Coming On Strong' (1968). The line-Up became The Royal Rasses and from this Cedric moved on to form the Congos on meeting Roydel Johnson, who had previously sang with Ras Michael and the Sons of Negas. Cedric's Rasta roots were firmly in place when he went to work with producer Lee Perry to cut the seminal album 'Heart Of The Congos' at Perry's just built, Black Ark Studios in 1977. Cedric Myton has carried on the mantle, cutting a set of tunes with the help of his good friend Mr Brent Dowe, who had previously sang lead vocals with the Melodians.This is the Dub set to the vocal album released on the Kingston
Sounds label called 'The Congos Feast'(KS008).With such strong songs, rhythms and vocals it always had the chemistry for a great dub set. Hope you agree and enjoy the dub excursion...

pre-order now15.07.2023

expected to be published on 15.07.2023

13,40
Don Toliver - Love Sick

Regeln sind dazu da, gebrochen zu werden, und Grenzen existieren, damit man sie überschreiten kann.

Wer wüsste das besser als Caleb Zackery Toliver alias Don Toliver , der alle Hürden und Hindernisse in Lichtgeschwindigkeit überquert. Der vielfach Platin-ausgezeichnete Sänger, Songwriter und Künstler aus Houston, Texas hat sich von einer Underground-Instanz zum Superstar entwickelt - unbestreitbar, unzähmbar und mit einem unnachahmlichen Stil ausgestattet, der von Hip-Hop-Hochglanz, intergalaktischem R&B, progressivem Pop und einem guten Schuss Rockstar-Attitüde geprägt ist. Selbst in dieser Branche voller extrovertierter Sonderlinge gibt es niemanden, der klingt, aussieht und sich anfühlt wie Don.

Sein Vehikel für den nächsten Überschalltrip: das neue Album "LOVE SICK" . Auf seinem dritten Werk stellt Toliver visuelle Anleihen aus der Disco-Kultur, Mafia-Filmen und dem opulenten Design der 70er-Jahre in einen zeitgemäßen Kontext. Das Album erzählt die Geschichte von Don, der ein Speiselokal führt, das "Love Sick Diner", und nun plant, in die Nachtclubszene einzusteigen. Dabei gerät er jedoch mit dem Gesetz in Konflikt. "LOVE SICK" nimmt uns mit in eine Welt, die so facettenreich und einzigartig ist wie der Künstler Don Toliver selbst.

pre-order now14.07.2023

expected to be published on 14.07.2023

54,41
Soul Jazz Records Presents - YO! BOOMBOX – Early Hip Hop, Electro and Disco Rap 1979-83 LP 3x12" + 7"

Yo! Boombox is the new instalment of Soul Jazz Records’ Boombox series on the early days of hip-hop on vinyl and features some of the many innovative underground first-wave of early rap and disco rap records made in the USA in the period 1979-83.

The album includes the first releases of seminal groups such as Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five and The Funky Four Plus One More through to a host of rarities and little-known obscurities such as the Carver Area High School band’s ‘Get Live 83’, an awesome record made at a Chicago high school.


The album is released as a deluxe triple LP complete with 3x full inner sleeves of extensive sleeve notes, exclusive photography and original label artwork. There is also a very-limited one-pressing only special deluxe version that comes with an extra bonus super-rare 7” single of ‘Magic’s Rap’ by Magic’s Trick, aka ex-marine Magic Fraga, a record that was only ever available on US military bases!


Yo! Boombox also features the stunning photography of Sophie Bramly, one of a very select group of photographers (alongside Henry Chalfant, Martha Cooper, and Joe Conzo) who were allowed full access to document the exciting early days of hip-hop in New York.
These first exuberant wave of innocent, upbeat, party-on-the-block rap records were the first to try and create the sounds heard in community centres, block parties and street jams that first took place in the Bronx in the mid-1970s. Where the first DJs – Flash, Kool Herc and Bambaataa – were back-spinning, mixing and scratching together now classic breakbeat records like The Incredible Bongo Band’s Apache or Babe Ruth’s The Mexican, these first pre-sampling rap records were all made using live bands, often replaying then current disco tunes.

As Chic’s ‘Good Times’ was to ‘Rappers’ Delight’, the songs here feature then-current dancefloor hits such as the Tom Tom Club’s ‘Genius of Love’, Cheryl Lynn’s ‘To Be Real’, MFSB’s ‘Love Is the Message’ while MCs rapped over the top, creating a unique new sound. In fact, the links between disco and rap date back earlier to the ‘party style’ MCing of figures such as the legendary DJ Hollywood or radio DJs like Frankie Crocker.

This new Soul Jazz Records collection
celebrates these first old-school rap
records, bringing together rare, classic
and obscure tracks released in the
early days of rap.

out of Stock

Order now and we will order the item for you at our supplier.

44,75

Last In: 2 years ago
Viscardi & Il Duo Magnetico - Sale Sole / Jamba Club

Viscardi & Il Duo Magnetico is the new collaborative project between italo-swiss DJ, producer and singer Pascal Viscardi,
Yavor Lilov and Alain Sandri, respectively drummer and percussionist of the swiss cult band L’Éclair.

The three musicians joined forces in Geneva and worked in the studio for the past two years with Viscardi as the main
vocalist, Lilov producing the tracks and playing drums, bass and keys, and Sandri on guitar, percussion, and backing vocals.
The result is a unique and contemporary version of italian pop, peppered with new-wave, boogie, disco and world music
references.

On Sale Sole Pascal's mellifluous lyrics float on a midtempo boogie groove, projecting visions of sun drenched cities and
summer sunsets. On the flip side Jamba Club is a reggae infused slow burner, reminiscent of night encounters and forgotten
love stories.

Sale Sole / Jamba Club marks the project’s debut release and serves as a sneak peek into the upcoming full-length album,
set to release on Cosmic Romance in fall 2023.

out of Stock

Order now and we will order the item for you at our supplier.

12,48

Last In: 2 years ago
MAYA ONGAKU - APPROACH TO ANIMA LP

Hailing from the seaside communities surrounding Enoshima, a small island located 50 km southwest of Tokyo, Maya Ongaku is a ragtag collective of local musicians whose brand of earthy psychedelia transcends widely beyond the roots of their inner souls. The name derives not from any kind of ancient civilization, but rather a neologism defined as the imagined view outside one’s field of vision. The band—currently a trio of Tsutomu Sonoda, Ryota Takano, and Shoei Ikeda—finds sanctuary at the Ace General Store, a beachy vintage shop and salon-like space just hidden from sight from the bustling, touristy riverside Subana Street. Between discussions on music and art, curating the vinyl section and manning the register, and chatting up with locals young and old, the members find time to jam and record their spontaneous ideas in the studio tucked away in the back. It’s in this unlikely setting where Maya Ongaku finds its origins, the culmination of what Sonoda describes as 自然発生 (shizen hassei), meaning spontaneous generation, or the supposed production of living organisms from nonliving matter.

Approach to Anima, the group’s debut album released on Guruguru Brain, finds Maya Ongaku building a foundational groove while tapping into their innermost psyche. Sonoda’s malleable guitar and vocals, Takano’s sinuous bass lines, Ikeda’s floating woodwinds, and a sprinkling of delicate percussion—all coalesce into an aural experience that’s assertive yet abstract, calm but unsettling. The slow building, sax-laden “Approach” serves as an introduction to Maya Ongaku’s world, while the appropriately-named “Water Dream” floats its way toward the gentle finale of “Pillow Song.” It’s a concise distillation of their many interests and influences, from Neo-Dada and Fluxus, to where contemporary art intersects with the development of modern recording technology in the ‘60s and ‘70s.

As the title suggests, Approach to Anima is not intended to be a terminus; it’s merely the beginning of an exploration. The three childhood friends that comprise Maya Ongaku are always looking beyond the confines of the idyllic but rapidly gentrifying enclave of their beloved Enoshima. Feeding off of the energy that still radiates from the triumphant, decade-long journey of their label bosses’ band Kikagaku Moyo, who rose to global prominence from scrappy beginnings busking on the streets of Takadanobaba, they hope to go wherever inspiration takes them, to anywhere around the globe where their music can find a home.

Ultimately, Maya Ongaku’s uninhibited world-building will make it possible for us to see the unseen, expand the possibilities of the naked eye—all through the unbridled vibrancy of their music.

out of Stock

Order now and we will order the item for you at our supplier.

25,63

Last In: 4 months ago
Santana - Santana LP 2x12"

Santana's self-titled debut album announces the arrival of a new Guitar God. Made during the legendary bandleader's most fruitful and creative period, the classic 1969 set functions as an accessible entry point into the tangy worlds of Latin music by way of an intoxicating blend of Afro-Cuban percussion, jazzy tempos, exotic leads, bluesy riffs, and psychedelic accents.

Indeed, separation between Carlos Santana's fluid fills, spicy solos, and broiling grooves and pianist Gregg Rolie's soulful Hammond organ runs allows the music to come alive with a newfound freshness and radiance. Songs simmer, with each passage bursting forth with vibrant colour. Just like the equally essential follow-up Abraxas, Santana also lays claim to one of the biggest (and unfortunate) production gaffes in music history.

For nearly four decades, copies were produced with the left and right channels reversed, meaning that everything was placed in a backwards manner. This even extended to compilations on which individual songs from Santana were included. Rest assured that, in addition to boasting reference audiophile sonics, this 180g 45RPM 2LP set gets all the specifications exactly right. And with a record of this magnitude, you want everything to be perfect.

Bound by natural chemistry and earthy spirituality, the record's innovative synthesis of myriad styles goes beyond anything that came before – as well as nearly everything that's followed. Playing with the finest band that the iconic guitarist ever had, Santana doesn't water down any exotic roots or simply incorporate mainstream Western styles into a Latin framework. This is a true hybrid, responsible for opening up borders, transcending cultural divides, and, most importantly, exhilarating the senses.

Released just weeks after the band blew minds at Woodstock, the groundbreaking record stands alongside Miles Davis' Bitches Brew and Jeff Beck's Beck-Ola as a pillar of rock fusion. Featuring the Top Ten radio smash "Evil Ways" and jam favorite "Soul Sacrifice," it hasn't aged a day. Hear like never before why Rolling Stone says Santana is #149 on its list of the Greatest Albums of All Time.

pre-order now30.06.2023

expected to be published on 30.06.2023

97,44
Al Tanner Quintet - Happiness Is.Takin' Care Of Natural Business.Dig?

Reissue des ersten von drei Alben, die auf James Bronsons Boutique-Label Touché aus San Francisco in dessen 20-jähriger Diskografie erschienen: 'Happiness Is... Takin' Care of Natural Business... Dig?' ist gleichzeitig die einzige LP des US-Pianisten Al Tanner, ein wahrer Heiliger Gral des Blues-Jazz, ausgegraben, entstaubt und mit ausführlichen Linesnotes aufgefrischt von Jazzman. Die CD enthält zwei zusätzliche Bonustracks, die dem 180g Vinyl als Download-Code beiliegen.

pre-order now30.06.2023

expected to be published on 30.06.2023

32,98
Byard Lancaster - It’s Not Up To Us LP

Byard Lancaster was a composer/multi-instrumentalist born in Philadelphia in 1942. He started playing alto saxophone at an early age and later took up flute and bass clarinet. While attending Berklee College of Music, Lancaster and pianist Dave Burrell organized late-night jam sessions with fellow students and touring musicians. In 1965, he moved to New York and quickly became part of the city's burgeoning scene – playing with jazz luminaries such as Archie Shepp, Sunny Murray, Bill Dixon and Marzette Watts.

It's Not Up To Us, Lancaster's 1968 debut as a leader, was originally released on Vortex, a subsidiary of Atlantic responsible for first albums by Chick Corea, Keith Jarrett and Sonny Sharrock. Featuring guitarist Sharrock (another Berklee alum), It's Not Up To Us is true fire music – fusing elements of free jazz, soul/R&B and traditional folk song.

On the opening title track, Lancaster's luminous flute draws the listener in, while bassist Jerome Hunter grounds the tune with a simple descending theme over Keno Speller and Eric Gravatt's syncopated rhythms. "John's Children," a reference to the group's status as post-Coltrane players, showcases the modal strumming of Sharrock's steady drones as Lancaster cries into the void. After repeated listens, Lancaster's original compositions become visceral aural memories ingrained in the ear, while the standards ("Misty" and "Over The Rainbow") sound the most avant-garde pieces on the album.

This first-time vinyl reissue is recommended for fans of Albert Ayler, Don Cherry and Pharoah Sanders.

pre-order now30.06.2023

expected to be published on 30.06.2023

28,78
Various - Flower Power - Best of Love, Peace and Happiness LP 2x12"
out of Stock

Order now and we will order the item for you at our supplier.

34,03

Last In: 13 months ago
Lewis Taylor - Stoned Part I 2x12"

Stoned Part I was the first self-released album from lost soul phenomenon Lewis Taylor. His third album proper, it was initially released on his own label Slow Reality in 2002 and it's been licensed to Be With for this long-awaited double LP release, its first ever vinyl edition. The songs are varied, hook filled and outstanding. Beloved by his legions of diehard fans, it's nothing short of a masterpiece.

After parting ways with Island, and without a label deal, Lewis went back to his home studio and began to record Stoned Part I in 2001. Co-written and co-produced with longtime collaborator Sabina Smyth, Lewis sings and plays all the instruments on this beautiful, emotional and very human album. It represents Lewis at his most accessible and finds him in the middle ground between his two Island releases. In some ways, Stoned Part I distills the best of his musical sensibilities. The flawless production is dense, layered and very early-2000s slick. The bottom end is thick, funky and sexy.

The complex, proggy-soul of title track "Stoned" opens the album and instantly captivates. Deep swinging funk with truly sweet soulful vocals, complemented by wah-wah guitar and swelling acidic synths. As Lewis himself told us, the ad libs at the end of the track were a nod to Paul McCartney at the end of "Hey Jude". Fan favourite "Positively Beautiful" has shades of Curtis and Marvin; its richly layered harmonies propelled by a simple, metronomic click-track that gives way to a more fully fleshed beat for the magnificent coda.

The slow, sweeping majesty of "Lewis IV" is all moody atmosphere, featuring dense, richly textured music and heavenly multi-tracked harmonies. The stop-you-in-your-tracks incredible "Send Me An Angel" could have been a huge AM radio hit, beautifully crafted sophisticated soul-pop songwriting in the vein of the very best Sade records. Yep! *That good* The smooth, psychedelia-lite "Til The Morning Light" is a gorgeous, sun-dappled love song, layered with Lewis' distinctive honey drenched vocals and, again, the type of record you could've easily heard all over the radio at the time of initial release.

The remarkable, wide-eyed "Shame" packs so many shifting styles into one song, it has to be heard to be believed. Opening in a laconic, breezy style, not unlike a Dallas Austin or Rodney Jerkins produced R&B hit of the day, it morphs into a heavy psych-soul Soulaquarians wig-out (the solo bearing an uncanny resemblance to Carlos Santana’s on "She’s Not There") before elegantly sliding into string-assisted symphonic soul and then back around again. And again. Sheer brilliance. The sublime, gentle head-nod funk-soul of "When Will I Ever Learn" (Part 1) is a strikingly well-turned-out tune, a neat, sweet bass-driven guitar-soul jam that ensures our jaw won't be leaving the floor anytime soon. "Lovin’ U More" sounds like a classic turn-of-the-century Neptunes production, the likes of which they'd lay on for JT BITD. A Latin-tinged groover with more than a little Nile Rodgers-driven slick funk stylings, it's yet another instant Lewis bomb with those gorgeous harmonies and chart-friendly irresistible key-changes to boot. Another indisputable (non-)HIT!

The funky seductive swagger of "From The Day We Met - Part II" opens the final side of wax, giving way to the gigantic buzzing synth-funk beast "Lovelight", a track so insouciantly mighty it should have been a massive hit for someone. Wait, what's that? Robbie Williams covered it? Ah, OK, well, I guess that says something about the effortless pop genius contained within. Containing a seemingly unnoticed nod to Kraftwerk’s "Computer World", it's Lewis's favourite song on the album. It's easy to hear why: "Sabina’s production totally nails it. I love the restraint and the subtlety, and that mixture of warmth and sweetness from the singing against the slightly cold, yet beautiful airy-ness of the backing track." To close this phenomenal album, the twisted electronic soul of "Sheneverdid" marries Lewis's beautiful falsetto to his virtuoso playing and an easy-cum-ominous musical backdrop. Stunning.

Simon Francis’s vinyl mastering, approved by Lewis himself, presents the eleven tracks over a double LP so, as ever, it sounds sensational. The records have been cut by Cicely Balston at Air Studios and pressed at Record Industry. Allow Lewis Taylor to get you Stoned.

out of Stock

Order now and we will order the item for you at our supplier.

30,21

Last In: 2 years ago
Items per Page:
N/ABPM
Vinyl