Hip-Hop Vinyl New Releases - News

2022 repress of this highly sought-after neo-soul / boogie LP from Lynda Dawn.

• Vaughan Mason is an influential disco-funk producer and musician who most notably released the
1980s roller skating anthem ‘Bounce, Rock, Skate, Roll’
• The spectacular single was released on Brunswick records and has been sampled by dozens of
artists ranging from Daft Punk, De La Soul to a Tribe Called Quest
• Originally released in 1980, this reissue has been pressed on 140g black vinyl with original artwork
and printed inner sleeve

7" Vinyl Reissue on Reggae On Top

Asymmetrical runs the double edition release of Fill-Lex, the release will be release on vinyl and tape.

Years ago we known this artist and felt in love with his particular mode to interpretive the music, finally then we got an LP album with all the artist registers. The A side is a long side, songs for reflexing and to concentrate to feel his agony and deeply songs cruelty. Sam de la Rosa did a reedit that transport you to under soul fight. The second side is oriented to dance floor but without leave his furious method of percussive loops and aggressive voices. 3 songs that will be blow your mind and your feet.

ble edition release of Fill-Lex, the release will be release on vinyl and tape.

Years ago we known this artist and felt in love with his particular mode to interpretive the music, finally then we got an LP album with all the artist registers. The A side is a long side, songs for reflexing and to concentrate to feel his agony and deeply songs cruelty. Sam de la Rosa did a reedit that transport you to under soul fight. The second side is oriented to dance floor but without leave his furious method of percussive loops and aggressive voices. 3 songs that will be blow your mind and your feet.

7" Reissue on Reggae On Top

7" Reissue on Reggae On Top

7" Reissue on Reggae On Top

7" Reissue on Reggae On Top

Brandy, who has won over 100 awards as a recording artist and sold over 40 million records worldwide, ius set to release her first new album in
8 years!

Carlton Jumel Smith is back on Timmion Records, doing what he does best: grooving, testifying and romancing his way into your heart. His last album for the label 1634 Lexington Ave. left many contemporary soul fans in awe – some in tears of joy – and they will be pleased to know that he has something new cooking in 2022.

The first release from an upcoming trilogy of singles, "Devoted To You" packs everything you could want from a mid-tempo jam. A steady tambourine beat rides the mellow Cold Diamond & Mink groove, leaving Carlton all the pockets he needs to fill with his ever-funky but delicate delivery.

Keep tuned this year for a bunch of new soulful tracks from Carlton and Cold Diamond & Mink. They will keep you warm and cozy through any kind of weather!

(Limited 50 copies)

This is another dream come true for us! 31 years after going to that first Public Enemy Show as a young teenager it is a Chuck D release on our label with a big thanks to SpitSlam!
"freedBLACK (7" Edit)" is a special version of the album track, re-edited by producer extraordinaire C-Doc for this very 45 you are about to order.
"Blacknificent Remixx" remakes the album version into a stand-out posse cut featuring the undeniable talents of Blak Madeen and The Impossebulls over a moody boom bap instrumental.
The 45 design comes as "Silver Side" and "Black Side" paying tribute to the outstanding classic "It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back".
Both versions are previously unreleased!

7" Reissue on Reggae On Top

7" Reissue on Reggae On Top

The third release on the Misadventures imprint sees Haners return with three tracks that won't disappoint.

7" Reissue on Reggae On Top

Perhaps the best Soul / Funk LP Athens of the North has ever released and you know we have high standards, not one filler and mostly unreleased tracks – Essential LP

The Up Tights were formed by Henry Bradley in Forrest City, Arkansas in March of 1967 while most of the band members were attending Lincoln High School.They took their name from the Stevie Wonder song "Uptight - Everything's Alright." Playing at school functions, they quickly branched out to playing bigger shows and headlined the 1968 St. Francis County Fair in Forrest City.

The Up Tights first recorded for Action Records in Memphis as Noble and the Up Tights. The 45 featured an original song by singer, Izear "Ike" Noble Jr. titled "Don't Worry About It."

Henry Bradley was drafted into Vietnam in 1968. He served in the 1st Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment. While he was away, the Up Tights continued with Henry's brother, Arthur, taking over all the guitar duties. The band also hired a manager named John Mitchell. In 1968, the band met Joe Lee, who owned Variety recording studio in Jonesboro, Arkansas.

For the band's first recordings at Variety, Lee chose two originals by Noble titled "Look a Little Higher" and an updated version of "Just a Dream" which Lee released on his Alley Records label in 1968. Lee continued to record the band over the next several months. He liked to experiment in the studio and produced many versions of the group's original songs, adjusting the mix and adding elements to each unique take.

For the group's second Alley release, they appeared simply as Ike Noble on the record label. Lee brought in a local songwriter named Charles "Jamie" Holmes, who had previously written for Alley records and Joe Keene's studio in Kennett, Missouri

The resulting 45 from this collaboration was "It's Bad" backed with "That's What I Get," two Holmes originals. Another Holmes original was unreleased at the time, but available here titled "There's Gonna Be a Better Day Coming." Stax Records was interested in signing the group and wanted to re-cut "It's Bad" at their studio, but ultimately the label passed since they generally had a policy of working with Memphis based groups.

As the band grew in popularity, they began appearing with and competing with Memphis legends, the Bar-Kays. The group's biggest show in Arkansas was an opening slot at Barton Coliseum, one of the largest venues in the state, in Little Rock in mid-1969. As a result, the band was offered a spot on George Klein's "Talent Party" television show on WHBQ in Memphis in July of 1969..... Further Sleeve notes on back of the LP

Adelaide producer & DJ Inkswel introduces his new project ‘The Snaglepuss’ with ‘Chasing Infinity,’ a concept LP with a star-studded guest list that takes us on a stylistic journey from hiphop and g-funk to up tempo broken beat, boogie and house. With guests including Talib Kweli, Amp Fiddler, Steve Spacek and Kylie Auldist the album describes a cosmic quest for a new galactic home, searching for a better place and stopping on every dancefloor on the way.

Inkswel (aka Jules Habib) has spent much of the last two decades in the Northern Hemisphere DJing every party and club from Rhythm Section in London to Output in New York and released music on BBE, Atjazz, Sonar Kollektiv, Tokyo Dawn and Motor City Wine. He’s produced tracks for artists like Pugz

Atoms & Georgia Anne Muldrow and remixed artists including Amp Fiddler and Dez Andrez. On the Snaglepuss material, he’s taken a more collaborative approach and much of this record was co-created with bassist Stephen Lane, Sloth on horns, UK broken beat royalty Kaidi Tatham and Inkswel’s wife and musical partner Erin Buku. Inkswel and the team’s genre bending productions draw influence from P Funk, 80s Pop, Boogie Funk, Classic 90s Hip hop and Contemporary Soul stitching it all together into a seamless multicoloured package.

The album kicks off with a nod to Inkswel’s musical roots, golden era hiphop. ‘Let It Grow’ features the legendary Talib Kweli, supported by Erin Buku and Baba Israel. Next up, staying in the hiphop lane, is ‘Everything’ feat. Dudley Perkins, followed by the spacey stylings of ‘Mystical Magic’ featuring Lee “Scratch” Perry and Elf Tranzporter and ‘Butterflies’ featuring Steve Spacek. From there the album turns up the tempo and the heat with the bouncy rollerdisco jam ‘New Day’ featuring Melbourne legends Kylie Auldist and N’fa Jones and the title track which features UK Soul luminary Oliver Night on vocals. Amp Fiddler jumps on organ and vocal duties on ‘How I Feel’ and Kaidi Tatham steps up on keys for ‘Cosmic Love Affair’ featuring the princely vibe of Erik Rico and contributes again to the instrumental cut ‘Intergalactic Bboy Anthem’. The album is rounded out by remixes from UK legend Mr Scruff, Detroit don DJ Dez Andrez and Adelaide’s Funkwig.

Jackie Mittoo, organ and piano maestro, was not only a founding member of the legendary Jamaican Ska group The Skatalites, but through the course of Jamaican music’s long history has produced a body of work under his own name and of that with his various group incarnations, The Soul Brothers, Soul Vendors and the Sound Dimension. His distinctive organ and piano sound and musical arrangements have all played a major part in Jamaica's musical history.

Jackie Mittoo (born 1948, Kingston, Jamaica) began playing musical instruments at a very early age. Taught piano by his grandmother he was performing live by the age of 10 and recording by the age of 15. Two Kingston bands that he played with the Rivals and the Sheiks brought him to the attention of Studio 1's founder Coxsone Dodd. Who at the time was putting a group of musicians together to be his studio band. Impressed by his skills on both the organ and the piano, Jackie was asked to join in what would become Jamaica's foremost band The Skatalites. The fellow band members were Lloyd Brevett (bass), Lloyd Knibbs (drums), Don Drummond (trombone), Tommy McCook, Roland Alphonso and Lester Sterling (Sax), Johnny Moore (trumpet), Jah Jerry(guitar) and Mr Mittoo (piano). This line up ruled the Jamaican scene between 1964 - 1965 as well as inventing the Ska sound, they also performed the backing duties for the other top labels of the time including Duke Reid's Treasure Isle and Justin Yap's Top Deck label.

1965 saw The Skatalites disband, and Jackie Mittoo move on to his next musical project The Soul Brothers. Formed with fellow Skatalite Roland Alphonso,this band would back all the hits coming out of Studio 1 for the next three years with Jackie Mittoo working as band leader and musical arranger. Around this time Jackie also had his own single released, a Ska underground classic called 'Got My Bugaloo'. Rare, as it also features Jackie in the unusual role for him, as lead singer!!!!. 1966 saw the Ska sound evolve into Rocksteady, again with Jackie's band at the helm, and his first hit single the Rocksteady cut 'Ram Jam'. The success of which would lead to a solo career and album releases under his own name such as 'Now', 'Macka Fat', 'Evening Time', 'In London' and 'Keep on Dancing', to name but a few. In 1967 the hits at Studio 1 were still flowing when The Soul Brothers morphed into The Soul Venders and began backing such luminaries as Ken Boothe, Alton Ellis, Delroy Wilson, The Heptones, The Cables, The Wailers and many other of the label’s solo artists.

By 1968 Jamaican music was ready for another change and Rocksteady rolled into a slower groove soon to be called Reggae. Jackie Mittoo would be at the forefront with his latest band The Sound Dimension. A line-up that included Leroy Sibbles (bass),Roland Alphonso and Cedric Brooks (saxophone),Eric Frater and Ernest Ranglin (guitar) and Bunny Williams (drums). Being the house band at Studio 1 they backed all the leading names of the time, John Holt, Horace Andy and Alton Ellis, all of Studio 1's output carried his sound. Jackie Mittoo emigrated in the late 60's to Canada but travelled to Jamaica and London to record with many of the big new names, who were trying to redress Studio 1's supremacy and needed his magic touch. Such producers as Bunny Lee used Jackie Mittoo on many of his sessions,Sugar Minott among others were always glad of his services.

For this release we have put together a selection of some of his finest recordings done with legendary reggae producer Bunny Lee. 1970’s cuts that feature Jackie’s numerous talents, showing his ability to embellish tracks with a feel few could better. Musical arranger, band leader and all around studio ace.

We hope you enjoy this great set with Jackie Mittoo in fine style and his organ super powered indeed…

“(Got To) Move On / Rosa Da Ribeira” continues the series of edits and remixes from Stefano Tirone aka S-Tone Inc.’s latest studio album, Body & Soul (2020, SCCD/LP493); this 7” is also a preview of the forthcoming release of a project named “Body & Soul - The Disco Experience” where Stefano, with the help of some of his faithful collaborators, reinvents and transforms into a new ‘disco-groove boogie’ dress the entire Body & Soul LP.

Both songs here combine nu-disco with late ’70s funk / soul / dance, Stefano’s first real ‘musical love’: a way therefore to underline his unconditional passion for the music that represented his youth and, at the same time, the awareness of the inevitability of the modern times we live in.

“Got To (Move On)” is an up-tempo song with a leading pulsating bass that sees the participation of Afra Kane, a Nigerian singer who has lived in Italy, England and Switzerland, and who gives ‘black’ shades to the songs with her splendid voice.

“Rosa Da Ribeira”, sung by Toco with the additional backing vocals of Priardi Ribas, Luzia Dvorek and Gui Hargreaves, shows off an exotic touch given by the Brazilian melodies and the Portuguese lyrics, and is further enriched by Gilberto Tarocco’s baritone sax and Randy Freeman’s trombone.

Stimulator Jones breaks new ground on his sophomore LP, La Mano. The Stones Throw affiliate heads over to Mutual Intentions for a novel instrumental record that expands a musical dialect built on his singular fusion of sounds. The artist explores the musical possibilities contained in his hands as he moves between keys, guitars, drums and wind instruments in arrangements that break down the intellectual barriers of genre for the corporeal intimacy of the soul.

Vital Sales Points:
The title track is already picked up and compiled by Gilles Peterson on Brownswood Recordings.
La Mano is Stimulator Jones first instrumental LP between two Stones Throw albums as a singer.¨


Scroll to next page for audio and artwork links + resources…

Freestyle digs deep to reissue this rare UK boogie 12" by Take Three, originally released back in 1983. Forming the first drop in a new reissue directive from the label, focused primarily on unearthing rare and classic UK funk, soul & boogie.

Fronted by former South London lovers rock vocal harmony group, Alpha (sisters Jackie & Jean Heron and Marlene Richardson), Take Three was the brain-child of writer/producer trio "S.H.E." - Steve Sinclair, Peter Hinds & Kevin Ellis.

Meeting each other at The Factory community centre in Paddington (now known as the Yaa Asantewa centre and in the last few years, The Yaa Centre) Steve & Kevin began a partnership writing and directing their own theatre productions as part of The Black Theatre Co-Op, which called the centre home at the time. When a song they had written together for one of their productions received praise and plaudits, the path toward writing and producing records began, bringing in more seasoned hand Peter Hinds - formerly a member of key brit funk groups Light of the World and Beggar & Co, and player with Incognito, Imagination & Loose Ends - to complete the circle.

The Tonight's the Night 12" was pressed up on their own label Fast Forward with distribution provided by Andy Sojka's Blackmarketing, and would be the first commercial outing for a creative partnership that would spawn multiple projects/aliases spanning the UK soul, funk & dance scenes, and still continues to this day.

Music on Vinyl serve up a special orange vinyl reissue of this legendary The Upsetters album from 1978. All the individual copies are hand numbered and the whole thing was of course produced by the late great Lee 'Scratch' Perry. It was the last record he did in his legendary Black Ark studio before he closed it down (and later burnt it down thinking it was possessed by evil spirts). It is another superb highlight of his skill on the studio mixing desk, with taped out dubs, hissing hi hats and meandering melodies that burrow deep into your brain and body.

Available on Double Vinyl LP, rammed with super funk smashers from the Queens of Funk

The legendary reggae powerhouse is back with a brand new studio album, "New Day," the follow up to their 2018 Grammy nominated effort, "As the World Turns." The album release is the focal point of celebrating "50 Years of Black Uhuru" as 2022 marks 50 years since the band's formation in 1972 in Kingston, Jamaica. Flash forward 50 years from 1972, millions of albums have been sold, 8 Grammy nominations and 1 Grammy Award, and the band finds themselves looking back on the accomplishments and forwards to a "New Day" dawning. Marketing Highlights: - Nationwide headlining tour supporting the album in major markets in May - Summer European tour anchored around a Festival play at Reggae Land Festival in Milton Keynes, UK with Shaggy, Julian Marley, Inner Circle and more - Full Press Campaign supporting the album release - Extensive multi-phase online digital marketing campaign

A masterpiece of the schooner rock variety, Black and White Raven is an album that emerged from Archie James Cavanaugh’s youthful dream of recording his own music while stuck in the Alaskan wilderness. With a freewheeling cast culled from Archie’s travels around the Pacific Northwest, including Redbone's Tony Bellamy and Pete DePoe, Black and White Raven was set down as the ’70s crested. Traces of disco, AM gold, gospel, and yacht mixed freely with his Tlingit heritage, creating a breezy and optimistic portrait of life in the 49th state.

Amy Winehouse’s Live at Glastonbury 2007 will be available on vinyl for the first time from June 3. It captures her performance on the Pyramid Stage at that year’s festival, 15 years ago this summer.

Winehouse’s show, her second at Glastonbury, will be released in a 2LP black vinyl set. They bring back to the fore one of the most memorable highlights of her all-too-short career, capturing not only her unique artistry and song craft, but the singer and writer’s trademark, between-songs banter and the sheer love for her emanating from the festival crowd. Highlights include “Rehab,” “You Know I’m No Good,” “Love Is A Losing Game,” “Valerie,” and “Tears Dry On Their Own,” as well as her cover of Toots and the Maytals’ “Monkey Man.”

Amy played a second set later the same day on the Jazz World Stage, and returned to the Pyramid Stage the following year, firmly establishing herself as part of the world-famous festival’s remarkable history. The artwork for the forthcoming release includes recollection of the performance by Glastonbury Festival’s co-organizer Emily Eavis. “Amy Winehouse was a Glastonbury-goer through and through,” she says. “She either came and played or, when she wasn’t working, came and camped. She played in the blistering heat and the heavy rain, and there were so many magical moments to her performances.”

(WITH BONUS 7")

Latest 45 on Dinked’s Random Rap imprint features Russian producer Paul Sitter link up with Ugly Duckling’s Andy Cooper on Go Move sampling Charles Wright’s classic “What Can You Bring Me” to great effect. Side B sees Paul create an instrumental masterpiece sampling the Kings of Rock both tunes primed to rock the dancefloor!

Limited edition 300 copies. Sababa 5’s debut single features the talented Japanese singer and belly dancer Yurika. The two songs - Crossroad of Love (Ai no Kousaten) and Blue Universe (Aoi Sekai) – blend Yurika's dreamy vocals and texts with the band's 70's sensibility and Israeli soul music. As the band plays a mediterranean groove of both Israeli and Arabic origins, Yurika's Japanese lyrics float effortlessly on top. Sababa 5 and Yurika met in the summer of 2017, when Yurika was in Israel for an internship at the Orly Portal Dance Company. Yurika, performing at the time as a belly dancer with Boom Pam and Ouzo Bazooka, wrote lyrics in Japanese for two melodies composed by Sababa 5 guitarist Ilan Smilan. Both songs on the single are love songs, love that is both personal and universal. The combination of lyrics in Japanese, Yurika's gossamer vocals influenced by the Kayokyoku style and the Israeli sound of Sababa 5 creates a unique and interesting sound. Yurika (vocals), Ilan Smilan (guitar), Amir Sadot (bass) In the recording Lior Romano (keyboards) and Assan (drums).

ABOUT SABABA 5 Sababa 5 was formed in 2016 by Amir Sadot and Ilan Smilan, both members of TIGRIS band and the Hoodna Orchestra. The four members of Sababa 5 are already well known for their work with some of Tel Aviv's top artists/vocalists such as Gili Yalo, Liraz Cherchi, Sari and Reno, Ester Rada and Kutiman - to name but a few. With influences that range from Wrecking Crew and The Funk Brothers recordings from the 60's, to analog Middle Eastern music from the 70's, the sound of the band constantly evolves around different genres and rhythms. Yet, in its core, Sababa 5 remains very much a groove-centric band. The main source of inspiration for the band are "lehakot ketzev" (beat groups) from Israel that played innovative combinations of psychedelic rock mixed with Mediterranean Arab music during the 60’s and 70's. The fusion of East and West, along with the new spirit brought by the band members, creates a unique mix of styles that comes together into a new and original work. The band is currently working on a new instrumental album alongside the production of new songs for local singers. ABOUT YURIKA Born in the Chiba district on the eastern outskirts of Tokyo, Yurika began her journey towards belly dancing at the tender age of five, taking up lessons in jazz dance. After high-school, she applied for belly dancing lessons almost by chance - yet as she quickly fell in love with the music and the nature of the movements, Yurika knew this is what she was meant to do. Before long, Yurika began traveling around the Middle East, learning belly dancing in different cities and countries like Egypt, Morocco and Turkey. Whilst in Turkey, she met the famous Istanbul-New York based female darbuka player Raquy Danziger - who later invited her to perform in Israel. Once in Israel, Yurika began studying with Orly Portal, a master of contemporary folklore dance. After finishing her studies with Orly, Yurika remained in Tel Aviv and joined bands like Boom Pam and Ouzo Bazooka as a dancer. In her work with Sababa 5, Yurika is featured as a vocalist for the first time.

Naya Beat Records is proud to present its release Naya Beat Volume 1: South Asian Dance and Electronic Music 1983-1992. This is the first in a series of compilations and full-length album reissues dedicated to uncovering hidden electronic and dance music gems from the overlooked ‘80s and ‘90s South Asian music scene.
The compilation features future classics from India, Pakistan, the U.K., Canada, Guyana and Suriname released between 1983 and 1992. From East-West’s dancefloor filler "Can't Face The Night (Club Mix)" to Remo’s balearic masterpiece "Jungle Days" (off his seminal album Bombay City!) to other disco, synth-pop, and balearic dancefloor bangers from artists like Babla & His Orchestra, Sheila Chandra, Bappi Lahiri and Asha Puthli to name a few, this double album includes highly sought after, previously never reissued and otherwise impossible to find grails.
The double album has been mastered by multi Grammy-nominated Frank Merritt at his mastering studio The Carvery and includes some killer remixes and edits by Naya Beat co-founders Turbotito and Ragz.
Turbotito and Ragz have this to say about the release: “We’ve spent the last year meticulously remastering some of the coolest finds from our collection and have had the honor of working in close partnership with many of the original artists. We are beyond excited to bring this music out to a new generation of dance and electronic music lovers.”
Founded by former Poolside member Filip Nikolic (Turbotito) and DJ and record collector Raghav Mani (Ragz) Naya Beat (loosely translated from Hindi as “New Beat”) is building on the success of seminal South Asian dance and electronic reissues like Rupa Disco Jazz and Charanjit Singh’s iconic Ten Ragas To A Disco Beat. Turbotito and Ragz have spent years digging for records in the most unusual places, from the crowded and dusty markets of New Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai to the Guyanese corner shops in Jamaica, Queens, to the Surinamese record stores in Amsterdam and the South Asian communities of London and Birmingham. They have amassed an exceptionally deep treasure trove of dance and groove-based music that has never been reissued

Coveted early US house project originally released in 1991, featuring downtempo Balearic flavored keys and samples over sexy drum machine beats, remastered.

Side house music project by multi-instrumentalist Craig Fall originally involved with acts like Stevie Wonder and the Beach Boys. Originally released in 1991, both tracks sound like one of the most familiar tracks you've never heard before. A timeless exercise in Balearic nostalgia with sample based accents and catchy keys over downtempo latin percussive beats, guaranteed to change your summer.

Over the course of her lush, expansive, defiantly sprawling new album, “Sometimes I Might Be Introvert”, released on Age 101, the
Ivor Novelloaward-winning, Mercury nominated Little Simzdelivers an
undeniable modern classic, effortlessly condensing any number of
disparate styles and genres into music which thrillingly broaches the gap between urgent modern treatise and hip hop.

A bold, quantum leap forward from the critically beloved “Grey Area”, this is hardly music aiming simply for the pop charts; rather, it is turbo charged with the kind of fury and potency, confusion and anxiety that make up the modern experience of being Black, British and female at this particular point in time.

This is no mere philosophical exercise, however - the result is her most ambitious and soaring body of work to date, one which operates at the very heights of what rap can be.

Galaxy Sound CO crew back at it!! New Year Winter release for 2021.
(DJ COPY / Promo USE ONLY)

SIde A.
Groovin Soul Edit. Wutang all time classic flip sample..

Cosmic Analog Ensemble is the brainchild of prolific Lebanese music producer and multi-instrumentalist Charif Megarbane, a one-man musical force who writes, performs and produces all of its creative output. With a DIY music ethos, Megarbane has crafted an inimitable style of instrumental music, a melting pot of global sounds that effortlessly glides between 1960s Italian library music, Spaghetti-Western soundtracks, afrobeat, Middle Eastern psychedelia and hip-hop breaks. In little more than a decade, Megarbane has released over 100 albums, offering an experimental musical diary of his late-night improvised sessions, recorded across Beirut, Nairobi, Paris, London and Lisbon – the various cities he’s called home. Released under CAE and multiple other aliases such as Trans-Mara Express, Tapeman No.1, Free Association Syndicate and Monumental Detail, Megarbane’s vast discography is archived on his own independent label and digital platform Hisstology, a window into his expansive yet insular musical universe, in which he plays (almost) every part.

Since 2009, Megarbane has released 31 albums under the Cosmic Analog Ensemble moniker, through which he’s developed his trademark sound of abstract analog library music for the 21 st century, soaked in the golden sunshine of the Mediterranean coast. ‘Expo Botanica’ is CAE’s latest offering, due to be released on vinyl via Hisstology Records on June 24th 2022 with a global physical distribution through Big Wax Records. Expo Botanica completes a trilogy of CAE albums, following the critically-acclaimed LPs ‘Une Vie Cent Detours’ and ‘Les Sourdes Oreilles'. ‘Une Vie Cent Detours’, was dubbed by Pitchfork as 'A major landmark on Megarbane’s musical travels' . The 2017 full-length ‘Les Sourdes Oreilles’, CAE’s first vinyl release, was hailed by Bandcamp as ‘a crate-digger’s dream, a magnum force of infectious grooves and sample-ready melodies that feel rare and familiar at the same time.’

Fronted by an abstract painting by Megarbane, ‘Expo Botanica’ features 16 instrumental tracks, each one the theme for the imagined life of a plant. Capturing the carefree innocence of the playground in its meandering melodies, ‘Expo Botanica’ could easily be the soundtrack to a 1970s children’s film, harking back to an era when they were scored by legendary composers like Piero Umiliani. The album illustrates Megarbane’s mastery of beautifully simplistic melodies with the kind of hypnotic hook that sticks in the mind for days. An album of two parts, Side A sets a tranquil atmosphere with whimsical European-style cinematic soundtracks, while Side B serves up infectious organ grooves, funk-laden breaks and tumbling Oriental psychedelic pop melodies. A master sonic illusionist, Megarbane is the maestro of his own fictional orchestra.

Starting 2022 right with the much-anticipated volume 2 in the Ordinary Dreams compilation series. This time Levelling up to a 12 track double disc physical release of end to end cuts from Planet Trip friends and family around the world.

As always expect a deep sonic journey through dub, downtempo and reggae to the oddball, tribal and dream state mutations of house music. Contributions from an all star cast of heads including; Symptoms Of Love, Paula Tape, Jex Opolis, Mayurashka, Errortica, Good Block, Mogwaa, DJ Ray, Ivy Barkakti and more.

First Word Records is extremely proud to welcome back Children of Zeus with their sophomore album, 'Balance'.

Following the release of their debut album 'Travel Light' in 2018 (which featured in numerous 'Album of the Year' lists), Tyler Daley and Konny Kon spent the next two years extensively touring the UK, Europe, Australia and South Africa.

With shows on ice over the last 12 months, Children of Zeus took the time to mature their sound; 'Balance' is 50 minutes of future-classic British soul music encompassing hip hop, neo-soul, gospel and r&b. Konny's laidback flow once again merges with Tyler's unmistakable buttery vocals across a set of bass-heavy backdrops and smoothed-out keys, taking the blueprint from their debut and evolving it into a deeper, more-refined sound.

As with previous material, the album is largely produced by the duo themselves, though we also see the return of Grammy-winner Beat Butcha, whose previous production credits include Jay Z, Beyonce, Nipsey Hussle, & Griselda (one of Butcha's productions graces first single 'No Love Song'). Title track 'Balance' comes from upcoming producer & Soulection regular, cay caleb and also features the only vocal feature on the album, from rising UK soul talents Akemi Fox and Georgie Sweet.

The Children of Zeus journey began with a mutual love of 90s Manchester pirate radio; consuming hip hop and beats, r&b and street soul, lovers rock and dancehall, garage and bass music. Then followed decades of performing, creating and collaborating in different guises. Over the past few years, the hip hop soul duo have garnered props far and wide; from Jazzie B to Jazzy Jeff. They've done performances for the likes of Soulection and BBC, in addition to hosting their monthly NTS Radio show and collaborating with artists like Black Milk and Goldie.

From travelling light, to travelling nowhere, it's been a time where we've all had to reflect on the lives we lead. This album is about equilibrium; walking the thin line of life and striving to keep your footing firm at all times, ever pushing forward. Balancing the rough with the smooth and the work with the play.

The Children of Zeus sound is now fully grown. It's time to bring 'Balance' into the universe. This is unashamedly big people music to be played out of big speakers. The definitive sound of UK street soul in 2021. The story continues..