Hip-Hop Vinyl New Releases - News

Leaving Records introduces San Francisco’s Xyla to the world. The classical musician-turned-producer’s debut full-length Ways presents a fresh, electronic yet organic sound that deftly skates over and around genre limitations into a deeply felt, lush and hyper-futuristic group of songs. Echoes of sweaty rave anthems and classic IDM head trips can be heard strewn throughout Ways’ serpentine compositions, awash in deep ambient swirls and intriguingly twisted samples. Of the album’s title, Xyla states, “Sometimes you think of how things could’ve been. There are a million different ways that things can go.” The eight tracks on Ways each feel like a uniquely personal expression, heavy feelings processed by the producer’s classical music training and extrapolated through exciting self-taught production methods.

The trajectory of Ways covers many different moods and atmospheres. Early standout “Now” inhabits a reflective space, emotive vocal samples mingling with a variety of expressively filtered synths. Xyla states, “It was a very vulnerable time when I was making this music. It was winter, I quit my job, and I had lost a few close people. I just really felt like, ‘Now that I need you, where are you?’” The devastating “Cold” mirrors its title with thick smears of psychedelic pads, abetted by deliriously sliced vocals stabs and a ferocious acid bassline. Title track “Ways” straddles the line between footwork and ambient, a stuttering, endlessly listenable track that unfolds new and unexpected sounds at each turn.

The pairing of Xyla and Leaving Records is a natural one, with the label and producer sharing an affinity for adventurous musical styles that defy easy categorization. Xyla states, “I listen to so much music, and I really feel like my music is all over the place … I was having an identity crisis, and then Leaving Records announces the mantra ‘All Genre, All Genre, All Genre,’ …… ‘yes, that’s me.’”

ZamZam 86 sees the return of Adam Prescott alongside the legend Iration Steppas AKA Mark Iration.

Stomping on from recent releases on Conscious Sounds and Lion Charge, we’re happy to have Reggae Roast boss Mr. Prescott back for the first time since his hit “Fear” with Macka B all the way back in 2017. And it has to be said that we couldn’t be more thrilled to finally be working with Mark Iration on vinyl, whose deep history in Leeds, crushing sound system, unmatched dynamism in the dance, and revered status in the global dub community can’t be overstated- respect due!! Coming off of a serious reissue campaign and epic documentary in collaboration with Dubquake Records, this is Iration Steppas first new music on vinyl since an extremely limited 7” on Dub-Stuy 5 years ago

HIGHLIGHTS : Arima Soul, a new band coming from Basque Country, contains musicians with extensive experience in the Basque music scene. At the beginning of 2021, the band was nominated as "Best New Group" in the "Enlace Funk 2020 Awards" in Madrid, Spain. DESCRIPTION: Arima Soul ("Arima" means "Soul" in Basque language) is a new musical project initially created by Lidia Insausti (vocals) and Mikel Makala (bass), later joining Paul San Martin (keyboards) and Hilario Rodeiro (drums). With a clear influence of Rhythm & Blues, Soul, Funk, Groove and Jazz of the 70's, but also with an eye on contemporary Neo-Soul style. In their live shows, in addition to playing their own songs sung in Basque, they perform covers of some exponents of the genre such as Bill Withers, Etta James, Curtis Mayfield, Dee Dee Bridgewater and Marie "Queenie" Lyons.

Over the course of the last five years, the Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio have established themselves as the world's premier funky organ trio. The organ trio, along with founder and manager Amy Novo, continues to devise the perfect blend of raw, passionate music and engaging industry practices. Through a firm partnership with label Colemine Records, the trio has garnered Billboard charting albums, sold out shows, tens of thousands of albums sold, and millions of streams. Lofty accomplishments for an instrumental organ trio. Now, with permanent drummer Dan Weiss behind to kit, DLO3 is proud to present Cold As Weiss, their third studio album to date that finds them tighter than ever, and continuing to push funky instrumental music to a new generation of fans. For Fans of New Mastersounds, Soulive, Jimmy Smith, Khruangbin.

After the recent reissue of their first eponymous album, Favorite Recordings proudly presents Vegas, the second LP from Venezuelan band Esperanto. Rare and sought-after for many collectors, it was recorded in between Las Vegas and Caracas and originally released in 1981. Following bandleader Jorge Aguilar in his musical trip to the infamous American city bathing into flashing lights and vivid colors, we're invited to an excursion in Disco, Boogie and Jazz-Funk territories. Finally reissued, fully remastered, Vegas will be available as Gatefold Tip-On Vinyl LP.

With great care and attention to details, Esperanto managed to create a very convincing sequel to their Jazz-Funk debuts. Vegas keeps indeed a perfect balance between various influences. Through energic disco beats with intense funky solos, catchy AOR-influenced songs, where Jorge delivers convincing vocal performance, or sunny jazz-funk slow jams, the album still reveals something quite authentic. And this feeling echoes surely the one that could have been felt by Jorge Aguilar while discovering USA on a trip - where it all started for the music he loves. Like sometimes a foreigner's enriching view on some local specialty, he surely brought with the band all his authenticity and young but vibrant experience while convincing at the same time major labels for distribution.

With certain notoriety coming with the release of their first album, Jorge Aguilar and his drummer Pablo Matarazzo planned to go to Los Angeles for a few gigs. But once there, they realized their contact had to leave for Tina Turner's tour in Europe. Before that, he invited them to come along to Las Vegas and eventually meet musicians there. Luckily, the plan worked perfectly: Jorge came back to Los Angeles with a lot of contacts then moved to Boston and NYC before finally coming back to Caracas. He told: "I was so impressed with this trip that I told myself that one day I would return to Los Angeles and Las Vegas. The first tracks I did them in Los Angeles with Kenny More, James Gadson and other session musicians from that city. Later, I took the tracks to Caracas where the musicians of the band recorded overdubs. After that, I returned to Los Angeles to master with Bernie Grundman who was still working in his small studio at A & M records studios in Hollywood. As can be seen in the title of some of the songs like "Hollywood", "Vegas", "Kenny's Place", were only the translation of my experiences at the time."

Big Crown Records is proud to present Piece of Me, the sophomore full length offering from Lady Wray. This is something of a homecoming for Nicole. Where her 2016 solo debut Queen Alone leaned more towards Soul and R&B with tinges of hip-hop, this record changes the mixture. It's still R&B with the textures of analog Soul, but there is a heavy Hip Hop influence that brings the sum of Nicole's career together in a new sound that will de ne her future. Boom-bap drums and chunky bass lines are front-and-center creating a perfect head-nodding backdrop for Lady Wray to take on the good, the bad, the difficult, and the joyful on her most personal collection of songs to date. The title track, "Piece of Me," which has already become a classic since it's 2019 release is about the people in your life who need more than you are willing to give. This tune and the B side of the 7" "Come On In" were the first songs put to tape for this album and they were recorded with Nicole sitting in a chair 8 months pregnant with her daughter. Her voice is so powerful, so raw, so thorough on these initial songs - it's wild to think that they were recorded this way. And even wilder to know that she knocked them all out in one take. Longtime collaborator and producer Leon Michels keeps the musical backing restrained and expertly executed, setting up Lady Wray for the full spotlight and setting the tone for the rest of the album. While the upbeat energies of "Under The Sun" and "Through It All" are sure to become hits that reconnect Lady Wray with her 90s R&B fanbase, "Where Were You" offers a behind the scenes look at what those days of stardom in her youth were really like. Nicole takes on the racial tension in America with her poetic and powerful "Beauty In The Fire" and leans heavy into her faith and church upbringing on the showstopper, "Thank You". She gushes about the profound love she's come to know for her daughter on "Melody" and celebrates life's ups and downs on "Joy & Pain". In 2021 it is rare to hear a varied yet cohesive album with no "skippers", but that is what you have here in spades. The tried and true chemistry between Lady Wray and Leon Michels has undeniably found a higher level and this album stands as a testament to conviction and dedication for all of us to enjoy and be inspired by.

Jack Wilson was a talented, jazz pianist. Wilson's music had elements of hard bop, swing, cool jazz and soul-jazz, and it was all tied together
by his tasteful playing and soulful appeal.
This album is an exceptional and fresh album by twoexceptional musicians.
Jack Wilson and Roy Ayers have an instinctive and uncomplicated sense of showmanship that goes hand with awareness appreciation for their audience, and an enthusiasm for their music.
It repays all the cents spent to buy this record.

The emotion-packed O’Jays on a stellar mid-tempo groove from 1966, the cream of their mid-‘60s time on the Imperial label. Released just a year before their anthem ‘I Dig Your Act’; it’s a side that smoulders behind the vocal of Eddie Levert, a sax-powered gem. Original copies go for between 30 and 50 quid, more if it’s in good condition.

Remastered for maximum tear jerking power by the DNSC Stateside guru.

Backed with a Ric-Tic/Motown-styled drum and harmony classic from the mighty Willie Hightower. A £60 nugget when released on the original Capitol label back in ’67. With a hand clapping time change, wayward guitar and gorgeous brass stabs, plus a wild all-girl harmony backing that elevates it to an evocative high.

Blackalicious produced a record of such sonic depth and lyrical ambition it proudly stands alongside the work of Bay Area funk fathers Sly Stone andShuggie Otis, or hip-hop classics like Outkast's Aquemini and The Roots' Things Fall Apart.Lyricist Gab († June 18, 2021) moved beyond the introspection of earlier albums, going deep on "Black Diamonds and Pearls" as a pregnant teen conquers her fears, while on the epic "The Fall and Rise of Elliott Brown", a lost, incarcerated boy transforms into a leader of his community. What Gab achieved lyrically, Xcel accomplishes musically, with beats that touch on classic funk sidling cosily alongside the orchestral sweep of Stereolab. "The Craft," Xcel says, "is our passion to bring discipline to this music, the passion to keep growing, keep stretching, keep doing things we haven't before. The Craft is what we live for.

The Craft features guest appearances by George Clinton, Floetry, Lateef The ruthspeeker, Lyrics Born and Pigeon John.

Blackalicious is loved by fans of The Roots, Jill Scott, Eryka Badu, Mos Def, Talib Kweli.

Firstly, there is also a new special limited-edition one-off pressing edition orange-pressed CD enclosed in jewel case and slipcase. 18 years on from its original release Studio One Dub remains super-hard hitting featuring classic + rare Dub tracks from Studio One, many available on vinyl for the first time in over thirty years.

Studio One Dub includes the dubs of many classic tracks such as Horace Andy’s “Skylarkin”, Johnny Osbourne’s “Truth and Rights”, John Holt’s “Hooligan”, Freddie McGregor’s “Bobby Bobylon” plus many more rare tracks.

The album also comes with two rare interviews - one with Clement 'Sir Coxsone' Dodd about dub and dubplates and one with the sound engineer Sylvan Morris, talking about his groundbreaking period at Studio One and his many innovations that he evolved there.
In short, this is a 100% essential album!



"Almighty slab of dub featuring loads of rare and classic dub versions of Studio One's foundation tracks." Rough Trade

“Quite a treat awaiting here for the unsuspecting reggae faithful – as always with Soul jazz chock full of a bunch of big tunes – but here in version form lies some of the freshest rhythms and most radical revisions of some of the greatest Studio One music. The darkest and the absolute deepest in the series – naturally essential.” Boomkat

"Continuing the Studio 1 Series this album features classic and rare Dub tracks from Studio One, many available for the first time in over thirty years. Studio One Dub includes the dubs of many classic tracks such as Horace Andy’s “Skylarkin”, Johnny Osbourne’s “Truth and Rights”,
John Holt’s “Hooligan”, Freddie McGregor’s “Bobby
Bobylon” plus many more rare tracks. In short, this is an essential album!" Wax Museum

Soul Jazz Records’ long out of print classic ‘Studio One Dub’ collection is being re-released in three new one-off limited-edition coloured pressing 18th anniversary format editions!
Firstly a heavyweight special limited edition one-pressing only orange 2xLP vinyl + download.

Secondly, there is also a new special limited-edition one-off pressing edition orange-pressed CD enclosed in jewel case and slipcase.
And thirdly there is a very limited unique new one-off pressing orange-cased cassette format (200 copies only)!
18 years on from its original release Studio One Dub remains super-hard hitting featuring classic + rare Dub tracks from Studio One, many available on vinyl for the first time in over thirty years.

Studio One Dub includes the dubs of many classic tracks such as Horace Andy’s “Skylarkin”, Johnny Osbourne’s “Truth and Rights”, John Holt’s “Hooligan”, Freddie McGregor’s “Bobby Bobylon” plus many more rare tracks.

The album also comes with two rare interviews - one with Clement 'Sir Coxsone' Dodd about dub and dubplates and one with the sound engineer Sylvan Morris, talking about his groundbreaking period at Studio One and his many innovations that he evolved there.
In short, this is a 100% essential album!





"Almighty slab of dub featuring loads of rare and classic dub versions of Studio One's foundation tracks." Rough Trade

“Quite a treat awaiting here for the unsuspecting reggae faithful – as always with Soul jazz chock full of a bunch of big tunes – but here in version form lies some of the freshest rhythms and most radical revisions of some of the greatest Studio One music. The darkest and the absolute deepest in the series – naturally essential.” Boomkat

"Continuing the Studio 1 Series this album features classic and rare Dub tracks from Studio One, many available for the first time in over thirty years. Studio One Dub includes the dubs of many classic tracks such as Horace Andy’s “Skylarkin”, Johnny Osbourne’s “Truth and Rights”,
John Holt’s “Hooligan”, Freddie McGregor’s “Bobby
Bobylon” plus many more rare tracks. In short, this is an essential album!" Wax Museum

FLASH's monstrous double-sided dynamite is quite hard to find in its original format. We here at TRAMP are mega happy to be responsible for this re-issue and we hope that everybody who learns about it is as pleased as we are. For those who are interested in FLASH's story we strongly recommend to check out PRAISE POEMS Vol.8.

The original 7-inch versions of these two tracks by the cult vibes man. The A-side is a long-time jazz dance favourite, whilst its flip is a furious soul dancer.

** CASSETTE RELEASE - very limited run - 30 minutes running time.

"Fry Ry delivers two sides of comatose, cone-shaking beats, low-slung and optimized for the whip. Blending the best bits of r’n’b slow jams, slapped bass licks, swampy guitars and soul snippets with a dash of Memphis rumble. De Bovenover Blues is a bittersweet road trip via the sanctified riffs of a bygone era.

4 chop-outs from the DE BOVENOVER BLUES beat tape . TIP!

The first ever international album from the Republic of Djibouti and Ostinato's first studio recorded album. While the music of Somalia is widely celebrated, its neighbor, Djibouti, formerly known as French Somaliland, is home to an equally deep reservoir of its own unique Somali music.

A stunning collision of Indian Bollywood, Jamaican dub and reggae, sleek horns inspired by Harlem's jazz era, and the haunting and joyous synthesizer melodies of the Red Sea by Groupe RTD, the national radio band of Djibouti and one of East Africa's best kept secrets.

Helmed by Mohamed Abdi Alto, possibly the most unheralded saxophone virtuoso in all of Africa, and mentored by guitarist Abdirazak Hagi Sufi -- both of whom feature as instrumentalists on our Grammy-nominated compilation Sweet As Broken Dates -- Groupe RTD is the finest expression of Djibouti's cosmopolitan music style.

Alto honed his trade from a steady diet of John Coltrane and Charlie Parker. Abdirazak's guitar style draws heavily from his love affair with Jamaican music. Young singers Asma Omar and Hassan Omar Houssein are fluent in the classic hits of Bollywood and Indian music. Synth player Moussa Aden Ainan brings a distinctly dexterous Somali touch, reminiscent of the exceptional keys work of Somalia's Iftin and Waaberi Band. Their sound is kept afloat by measured Tadjouran rhythms, courtesy of drummer Omar Farah Houssein and dumbek player Salem Mohamed Ahmed's perfect interplay.

Recorded in three days -- as per the strict limit set by Djibouti's national radio authorities -- with a state-of-the-art mobile recording studio replete with the very best audio interfaces and carefully positioned microphones around a less than soundproof room to achieve a vibrant, professional sound while maintaining the analog warmth of decades prior.

Double vinyl pressed at 45 RPM, housed in a gatefold sleeve.

On Delta Estácio Blues, São-Paulo-based singer, composer and actor, Juçara Marçal delivers an electric, unflinching take on contemporary Brazil where samba, tropicalia and maracatu are reimagined via hip-hop production techniques.

Created under an oppressive political climate as Brazil suffered from the pandemic, pain, anguish, chaos and anger run through Delta Estácio Blues. Co-produced by Marçal with fellow Metá Metá founder Kiko Dinucci the album was partly inspired by Danny Brown’s 2017
leftfield rap masterwork ‘Atrocity Exhibition’.

For fans of: Metá Metá, Moor Mother, Kiko Dinucci, Damon Locks, Neneh Cherry

Los Retros is the young Mexican American singer songwriter whose music has captured the hearts of fans around the world. He broke onto the scene with the viral single ‘Someone to Spend Time With’
in 2019, which has racked up over 40m streams. ‘Looking Back’ is his third EP.
 Los Retros was just sixteen when he first began recording in his family’s living room on an old fourtrack. The recordings comprising ‘Looking Back’ grew out of these early sessions. Now officially released for the first time. Includes fan favourite ‘Amtrak’ (2.5m YouTube views).
 For fans of Cuco, Beebadoobee, Toro Y Moi, Yellow Days, Mild High Club, Boy Pablo.

Twice JUNO-nominated and two-time Polaris Prize listed, Toronto's soul songstress Tanika Charles unveils her album "Papillon de Nuit: The Night Butterfly".

"Papillon de Nuit: The Night Butterfly" is the third studio album from Canadian Soul/R&B powerhouse Tanika Charles and is slated to be released worldwide on Milan-based Record Kicks label on April 08th. Composed and recorded while in and out of lockdowns, "Papillon de Nuit" is an album anchored in growth and maturity. The thematic inspiration came from an unlikely source, a creature that soars after the sun sets, but often goes unnoticed until the light shines on it. It is the "papillon de nuit" to some, but drably referred to as a moth by others, revealing a bias in language alone.

"I always thought it was a strange insect. Once while in Paris, a friend swatted at one and I asked: 'Was that a moth?'. I was told: 'No, that's a papillon de nuit.' I thought that was the most beautiful description for this otherwise overlooked creature. When I later learned of the symbolism associated with it, I felt that really spoke to both my own situation and also what we've all been going through." Production on "Papillon de Nuit" was helmed by a mixture of old and new collaborators. The Safe Spaceship Records production team, consisting of Scott McCannell (Lydia Persaud, Claire Davis), Ben MacDonald and Chino de Villa (re.verse, Jessie Reyez), produced four songs on the album. The group also assisted as session musicians for songs produced by newcomer Todd "HiFiLo" Pentney (Allison Au Quartet, JUNO Award winner). "The Gumption" contributor Kevin Henkel ("Tell Me Something", "Look At Us Now") returned with three compositions, and old friend Jesse Bear (Sean Kingston, Stan Walker) contributed to one song.

Following the success of "Soul Run" (2016/17) and "The Gumption" (2019), Tanika had found a comfortable pace of releasing albums then hitting the road the following year to bring her show to new markets far and wide. So when things changed for all of us, and plans of touring "The Gumption" properly fell through, there was a realization that getting to work on the next project was the healthiest choice to make.

"I was in some dark places. My energy was stagnant and the only reliable constant was this perpetual uncertainty. I had gone from feeling like I was everywhere to only being in one place. From seeing so many new faces, to only my own, in the mirror, everyday and having to face that. Getting back to work on music allowed me to explore these feelings through the format I know best. And I wanted to make sure that when things were ready to resume, I'd be ready with something new for my audience too."

Tanika, who took part in the writing of most of the album, was also assisted by regular co-writer Robert Bolton ("Soul Run", "Remember to Remember") and accomplished solo performer Tafari Anthony (Priyanka, of RuPaul's Drag Race). Featured guests include the multi-disciplinary artist Khari McClelland and rising Toronto rapper, DijahSB. Both Dakarai Morris-James (Joanna Majoko, BeBe Zahara Benet) and Sean "D/SHON" Henderson ("Love Overdue", Serena Ryder) assisted with vocal arrangements across multiple songs.


"I think this album represents my best work to date. And yet, it also represents me coming to terms with who I am as an artist. For the first time I think I've actually accepted my own voice. I can hear beyond the imperfections, and I realized that when paired with the right music, it can sound pretty good. I still have my doubts and my dark places, but a little less of them."

Recorded in 2012 following their breakthrough LPs for Freestyle Records - and stored in The Apples vault maturing ever since!
It seemed like the band were a ways past due a return to the label, and what better way could there be than to release this powerful, uplifting & headbanging Blur cover.

Wherever you are and whoever you're with, whenever you feel like screaming on the edge of a cliff or to simply dance like the end of the world is coming (all imminently possible!) this one is for you. Backed up with the irresistible klezmer-funk energy of The Apples' 2009's take on The Power, because we just couldn't resist giving it another blast on wax.

Produced By Yonadav Halevy
Recorded, Mixed & Mastered By Uri "MIXMONSTER" Wertheim
Executive Producer: Erez Todres
Arthur Krasnobaev – Trumpet
Yaron Ouzana – Trombone
Oleg Naiman – Tenor & Soprano Saxophones
Yakir Sasson – Baritone Saxophone
Erez Todres – Turntables
Ofer Tal – Turntables
Alon Carmely – Double Bass
Yonadav Halevy – Drums
Uri "MIXMONSTER" Wertheim – Sound Console, Tapes, Effects
Recorded At Luna Studios, Tel Aviv With Roy Nadel, 2012.
Art by The Bitterman Sisters. Thanks To Fada Zach Bar.

The Pro-Teens are Melbourne's enigmatic anonymous instrumental group, coming from the College Of Knowledge's roster of low-slung cinematic soul grous.

The Pro-Teens pay tribute to the late great MF DOOM, reimagining two iconic cuts from the deep catalogue of the infamous Metal Fingered Villain, ahead of a full-length LP of MF DOOM covers (forthcoming 2022).

Peachfuzz, an early triumph from the days before Daniel Dumile donned the mask and called himself MF DOOM, comes from KMD's first album Mr Hood. The Pro-Teens take on the uptempo marimba-laced funk of the original beat that DOOM produced under his original moniker MC Zev Love X, paying respect to the early years of DOOM's career.

One Beer, a standout track from MF DOOM's MM..FOOD album, finds the Teens diving deep into the tracks sample, French group Cortex's Huit Octobre 1971. Constructed around the beat's iconic chorus, voiced by drummer / bandleader Libby Clique-baité, One Beer subversively transforms the original track's main groove into an eerie landscape of fuzzed out guitar and harsh synthesizer tones.

The legendary Twinkle Brothers return on UK label Reggae On Top to give 'Praises to the King'.

“Soul is My Salvation is a collection of dance friendly gospel songs. The mission is to simply uplift your spirit through music and word. Dance floor’s around the world mirror the reactions of Churches from the 70’s and 80’s when experiencing these recordings.” - Tone B. Nimble.

Released as a series of eight limited vinyl-only 45, when assembled together the covers reveal a beautiful design courtesy of designer Charlotte McCrae. A true collectors item.

The final chapter sees two cuts of pure gospel greatness, taking your soul to salvation via firstly the Bibleway Church Of God In Christ – Since Jesus Came Into My Life followed up by Eliezer Mass Choir - Where He Leads Me.

Four heavy hitters from the Apricot Ballroom
crew, directed straight at your dancefloors
(wherever they may be right now).
Soviet Cuts alumni Beard In Dust and friend of
the family Lancaster Bomber join the
AB bosses Joi La Frique and Nonna Fab,
to bring you a selection of hifi-certified tracks
that we guarantee even your mum'll dance to.

Chicago legend and well known collaborator of Derrick Carter (Red Nail Kidz), returns with a brilliant full length listening experience. Tapping into his roots, Chris delivers a deep and melodic 11 track banger. Currently being supported by Mark Farina, JT Donaldson, Diz, DJ Heather, DJ Sneak, and many more.

 Knitting Factory Records are proud to release the next
instalment of long-awaited vinyl reissues from the Fela Kuti
catalog. ‘Box Set #5’ was co-curated by Fela's son, worldrenowned multi-instrumentalist and Afrobeat ambassador,
Femi Kuti, and Chris Martin (Coldplay).
 This volume includes ‘Why Black Man Dey Suffer’, ‘Noise
for Vendor Mouth’, ‘Kalakuta Show’, ‘Excuse O’, ‘Ikoyi
Blindness’, ‘Original Sufferhead’ and ‘Overtake Don
Overtake Overtake’.
 The artwork for each album has been meticulously
recreated from the original vinyl pressings, alongside
vintage vinyl label artwork.
 Included in the box alongside the seven vinyl LPs are a
20-page full-colour booklet featuring introductions by Chris
Martin and Femi Kuti, in-depth commentaries on each
album by veteran music journalist and Afrobeat historian
Chris May, song lyrics, never before published photos of
Fela Kuti and stills taken from the 1982 Fela documentary
‘Music Is The Weapon’, plus a 16” x 24” poster designed
by Nigerian artist Lemi Ghariokwu, the creative force
behind 29 of Fela‘s album covers.

Les Cooles De Ville is an Amsterdam based alternative Hip-Hop group creating soulful music using elements of Jazz, Bossa Nova and Pop. Recording and performing with live instrumentation and a mixture of samples and electronics they bring a unique, international vibe to the musical landscape quirky colourful, laidback and romantic they deliver a sound reminiscent of contemporaries like The Internet and Tom Misch.

Sometimes referred to as the Dutch equivalent of the Native Tongues the group's sound is inspired by acts like Digable Planets, De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest, Lucy Pearl and Slum Village.

L.C.V.D.'s new self-titled album is available via digital platforms and vinyl via Season Five Records / Below System Records. The album includes guest appearances by Benny Sings, Roos Jonker, Randell Heye, Delaney Nelom, Benjamin Herman and MARNIX.

Tartelet has a knack for uncovering virtuosic, off-kilter electronic music. Max Graef—born, bred and still holding it down in Berlin's Prenzlauer Berg—is their latest artist in this mold. Though adventurous dance music is thick on the ground in the German capital, Graef's 2013 run of singles, cropping up on Graef's own Box aus Holz, plus Melbourne Deepcast, The Gym, Heist and Tartelet, continually surprised, infusing worn-in house with manic energy and acrobatic elasticity. Where many of his peers make languid, self-consciously laid-back tunes, Graef makes brilliantly restless ones. Dropping the needle on one of his EPs, you nearly expect it to pop right off again.


Rivers of the Red Planet, Graef's first full-length and Tartelet's latest album project, takes all that wildness and refines, expands, updates and scrambles it. It's as ambitious and deviously entertaining a record as you'll hear in 2014, the fulfillment of Graef's desire to make anything but another contemporary house music album. At any given moment, Rivers of the Red Planet feels like it could have been recorded through the smoke at a jazz club in the booth at a techno club 30 years from now or inside an MPC stocked with crusty dollar-bin samples. (We'd guess the staff at Graef's beloved OYE Records in Berlin will have a difficult time settling on which section to file it in.) If it sounds sampled, it's a testament to Graef's natural musicianship and production prowess —the record is heavy on sounds he played himself, from drums and Rhodes to fat synth melodies wrung out of an old Crumar Performer water-damaged to perfection. For vocals, Graef enlisted Nigerian singer Wayne Snow, whose rugged soulfulness makes him a natural pairing. On cuts like "Drums Of Death" and "Speed Metal Jesus," the club- readiness of his EPs lives on. But Rivers of the Red Planet may be most at home in your living room, with a good bottle of red and a roaring fire's crackles mixing with the pops and hiss of the vinyl—a playful listen that sinks in, burrowing deep and getting you all warm and gooey on the inside.

Confunktion Records very own Mr. Confuse returns with a cover version of Rockwell's 80s classic "Somebody's Watching Me" in true organic funk style. The songs kicks off with heavy funk drums, an incredible horn section, funky Hammond organ sound and soulful vocals by singer John Winston Berta.

Make sure you check out the music video of 'Somebody's Watching Me' and don't miss this release on Confunktion Records as the 7 Inch vinyl version is limited. Be quick on this one!

SupaFunki – Rhythm Rhyme Revolution

Let’s face it Barrie Sharpe and Gareth Tasker never stand still. Having done a trilogy of vinyl albums that turned out to be certainly their most characteristic work of late. They are valiantly pushing onto the next chapter and now in the middle of releasing a slew of 45’s.

‘SupaFunki’ (which is actually a re-release from 2016) is a slow burning slice of light and airy funk buoyed by his chants and short vocal sermonettes, which retains an exciting vitality and relevance. It’s a funk mantra done with the guileless self-assurance of a preaching true believer.

Here is a futuristic freedom of mind and spirit at work and spreading much joy into the bargain.

Gareth’s nifty musicianship is a highlight too, escalating the aural excitement these two can muster proving groove is in the heart but also in the mind body and soul.
(Emrys Baird - Blues & Soul)

Alvin Ranglin's memories about his productions with U-Roy

"At the time I started working with U-Roy on the LP Dread In A Africa in 1975, I already recorded a few good songs two-three years before with him. But sometime after this project with U-Roy my Record Village shop at 5 Hope Road -on Half Way Tree- got broken into, and these thieves set the place on fire. At the back of the shop, I had a storeroom in which I kept many of my tapes. So some tapes were destroyed with songs from artists like Eric Morris and also some of the U-Roy project. I rented that place from a Chinese lady and she wasn't insured so I lost a lot of money there! At that time this all happened I was in England for business. So it was very stressful to me as you can imagine. Anyhow, I decided a year later on to release the five songs which I still had on tape with some instrumentals from the backing band Skin, Flesh and Bones, as a kind of a showcase album. I don't know what at Dynamic Sounds where the album master was cut by Carlton Lee. Something went wrong as the stamper didn't came out 100% how it should have been. Anyhow, I pressed a very small number of the album, around 12 copies or so, and put them in blank jackets as I didn't made a printed jacket yet. As I rented a shop to TonyRobinson on Slipe Road it make sense a few of the U-Roy albums are carrying his sticker. It got a good reception on the test pressing so I just disbanded it as I thought it was better to concentrate on recordings I did with Gregory Isaacs and Maytones, which were big sellers at that time. U-Roy was of course going strong with Tony Robinson as his producer in 1976, so I'm glad after so many years passing by this album is finally getting a proper release on the Jamaican Art label.

Lego Edit strikes again! The A1 features a “Wonderful” vocal
sample plucked from a well-loved pop/soul legend - it's a
surefire dancefloor pleaser. Three further funk, disco and Afro
gems feature on this killer 12". Hot stuff!

Placebo are a legendary Belgian jazz funk band led by Marc Moulin, 1971 to 1976.AP-VINE have released some of their titles as reissue CD's & LPs before but this time we present their finest tracks from their 3 stadio albums as limited pressing 7 inch singles with new remastering!

It's a common misconception that ambient can't be loud or make itself known. This couldn't be further from the truth, with some of the canon's most special moments coming when the beats drop and the overall atmosphere is a strange kind of expanded intensity - a sense of build without blatant intent or obvious destination.

The relatively short, but impeccably sweet Reality Used To Be A Friend Of Mine back catalogue is very much proof of this. One of a string of re-releases from the stable, here The Ambientist presents six tracks that veer from the opiate beats of '1', to the proto-jungle-tech of the deeply atmospheric '6', calling at loose Balearic rhythms, beautiful drones and crystalline acid house. Whatever you take from all that, don't forget to take it with you