Hip-Hop Vinyl New Releases - News

A Quest Called Tribe begins with a series of portraits drawn by Stéphane Carricondo in
2017 dedicated to Hip-Hop legends. As close partner in art Medline proposed to create a
soundtrack for them, and first interpreting ATCQ's classics with elements of the past,
present and future. The best way to materialize this multidimensional tribute was obviously
a vinyl. And it's the one we unveil today.
On the visual side, ATCQ's portraits are composing the front cover and, assembled into a
great scene, are printed on a colorful A2 poster. Stéphane Carricondo's natural lines are
highlighting each member's soul map. The alchemy of the dark ink on emptiness gives to
them an impressive sparkle of life.
On the musical side, the classic themes are transformed into a polymorphic fusion, were
jazz, funk and soul from the original sample sources converse with Tribe's characteristic
beats. Medline added a hint of his magic, unique rhythms, improvisations, arrangements,
original orchestration and inspired melodies.
The album is an ode to the band that marked both artist's life and mind. A cultural print and
school of sound that designed Hip-Hop foundations. With a blooming expression Medline
and Stéphane Carricondo are going to the roots of ATCQ in a quest for the tribe.

Chicago brother Jamie 3:26 is back and this time more focused and more sober than ever (yup, he gone clean)!

After his classy album release on BBE he's now back on GAMM with what he does best, top class Chi-town disco edits!
This time 'round Jamie goes to work on two gems from The Watsonian Institute and Peoples Choice.
As usual, the soul and funk is always present and both edits go well beyond the 9 min mark...extended play guaranteed!

Limited edition 45 vinyl with two brand new tracks form Juno and Mercury prize nominated Canadian soul Queen Tanika Charles. On the A side "Love Overdue" the 1st taken from the forthcoming new album "The Gumption" is an irresistible R&b/Soul mover that equally pays homage to Amy Winehouse and 60s Club Soul. On the flipside the floorshaking "Remember to Remember" sounds like Diana Ross and The Supremes produced by Drake, explosive contemporary Motown ssound.

Produced by a stable of some of Canada's finest musical minds including DJ Kemo (The Rascalz, Kardinal Offishall), Chin Injeti (DJ Khalil, Eminem, Drake) and Daniel Lee (Hooded Fang, Phedre), "The Gumption" is the awaited new album by Juno Award and Polaris Music Prize-nominated Canadian new star Tanika Charles and it's scheduled for release on May 10.

Watch out 45 is limited to 500 copies worldwide.

This 40th Anniversary 7” collection has been curated by Jerry Dammers, selecting his favourite 12 singles released on the label between 1979 and 1984. Presented with their original sleeve designs in a bespoke 1960’s style carry case along with a Two Tone 7” slipmat and an art card signed by Jerry Dammers.

Released via the Epic/Firebrandz label, this is the 8th studio album from US hip/hop/singer/songwriter/producer/former Dungeon Family member. A 21 track album on standard CD & double LP (was released digitally earlier this year). Collaborators include Drake, Travis Scott, Young Thug, Da Baby, Lil Baby and more. Specialist radio support. Online/social media activity. Video plays across MTV/Vevo/Vimeo/YouTube. Streaming playlists. Ads, features, interviews and reviews across all press outlets. Poster and database campaigns.

"Double releases are a tradition in the house of Krachladen Records, the home of the new Sublabel Krachladen DUB. The 12" split EP „Dub Rosin Vol. 01“ will be released at the same time with 4x 7“ vinyl release „normal dub“ from a rocket in dub. The Dub Rosin EP opens a series of split EPs and compilations, which are reserved exclusively for DUB musicians and will be released 2-4 times a year at irregular intervals. On Dub Rosin Vol. 01, A and B side will be shared by the Düsseldorf IDM masters GRAPH with two and a rocket in dub with three previously unreleased tracks.

For 15 years the Düsseldorf IDM duo GRAPH (Stefan Jürke & Jens Beyer) has been engaged in the search for sounds beyond trends within electronic music. They experiment with sound and rhythmic structures that are constructed and deconstructed with the help of digital and analog tools. They constantly contrast the precision of digital music tools with improvised textures, surfaces and "beats", thus creating extraordinary and always danceable soundscapes. For Dub Rosin Vol. 01, GRAPH have provided two brutal but at the same time very peaceful and atmospheric tracks in which they experiment with Dub elements in a refreshing way and remain true to themselves despite all innovations. Deep and deepest subbasses fly around your ears, embedded in a trippy and organic soundspace.

The three tracks of "a rocket in dub" form a kind of bridge between the old and the new tracks (if music could talk, italic 32 vers. normal dub, KLD 001). Themes and harmonic schemes of the old tracks are reworked to versions, provided with new drums and percussion and thus updated. The tempo is a bit slower, but the hypnotic effect of repetition is still the main focus. The third short track was created as a friendly homage to Düsseldorf (for F.S.), a hint of a theme."

Mr. K and Most Excellent Unlimited are back with another must have motherlode of ten essential cuts on 7-inch, assembling a serious cross-section of diverse jams that were particularly popular at The Garage, majority of which appearing on 7-inch for the very first time in any form, let alone in these unique quintessential edits. Patrick Adams and Greg Carmichael production, female diva classic "Let's Get Together" backed with a previously unreleased NYC Peech Boys demo version of "Somebody Else's Guy." Tough South Bronx funk "Standing In Line". Synth epic, Krivit's classic edit of "Evolution". Disco Funk edit of Larry Levan’s "Slap, Slap, Lickedy Lap". With much more in this diverse and remarkably sought after tracklist, surprises, like “Catch The Rhythm” (the only Boris Midney production regularly played at The Garage), along with Mr. K’s previously Japan-only edit of Loleatta Holloway tour de force “I May Not Be There When You Want Me”. Five singles impressively mastered with maximum fidelity and playability for an exclusive Record Store Day, including a bonus pair of newly designed, Mr. K seven-inch slipmats.

More than two years ago "Matasuna Records" already reissued two songs of the gifted Peruvian piano master "Otto de Rojas" on a 7inch single. "El tema de Coco" is another great track on his 1976 album "Superéxitos Bailables", on which he mixed Latin with Funk, Jazz and Disco. The song was reworked by "Retro Roland Riso", known for his Bossa 70 edits and by label founder "Alex SoulBrigada", who now deliver two different versions of this tune for the dancefloor.

"Otto Raúl de Rojas Guedes" (1941-2008) was a Peruvian musician, composer, arranger, musical director of radio and television broadcasts. He's considered one of the most influential figures in Peruvian music of the 70s.

The musical landscape of Peru, especially in the musical epicentre Lima, was influenced in the 1960s by US Funk, Soul or even psychedelic Rock and merged it with Peruvian Cumbia and traditional Criolla music. The young & unknown "Otto de Rojas" started his musical career in this environment and played in various bands like "Bossa 70" and "Los Hilton's". A commercial breakthrough in his career came in the early 70s when he took over the musical direction of the TV show "Trampolín a la fama" and made a name for himself with his talent as an arranger.

He was also active as an arranger and musician for the Peruvian record company "MAG", and as a versatile and talented pianist he has participated in various recordings of different popular rock groups like "Los York's", "Traffic Sound" and others.

Otto released his first successful solo project at the age of 25 in 1976. His songs "Al Ritmo Del Bump-Bump", a cover version of the US hit "Soulful Strut" by "Young-Holt Unlimited", and the song "Choca Las Caderas" are considered one of his greatest successes and represent for many the best songs of Otto de Rojas. In the following years he recorded more albums and was often to be found on the stages of Lima.

In 2008 Otto de Rojas died tragically and much too early. With him, the Peruvian music world lost an unsung icon. However, his music will live on and keep the memory of this exceptional talent alive.

"Roland Retro Riso's" Al-Ritmo Rework on the A-side puts an impressive percussive rhythm layer over the original and makes it to an inimitable funky groover for the dance floor.

The "SoulBigada" Edit on the B-side transforms the song into a deep disco-funk banger, focusing on the deep rolling bassline, funky wah-wah guitars, brass and the virtuoso piano playing of Otto de Rojas, giving the song the necessary pressure.

Digging deep into the annals of Gospel now, the name Pastor TL Barrett should be familiar to the eagle eyed crate diggers amongst you. An extremely "colourful" character from Chicago's Southside neighbourhood who found himself on the wrong side of the law for his involvement in some activities of a dubiously illegal nature, more importantly, besides this the pastor was widely known for his community activism and positive sermons preaching love and responsibility. Shady past aside, this fantastic 1976 LP entitled "Do Not Pass Me By" is a real Gospel beauty and features 8 tracks of resplendent hands in the air rejoicement. Having never been reissued before this rare as gem is finally back out in the open, complete with it's incredible untampered with sleeve artwork and design. Barrett's unique voice and message is timeless and instantly recognisable, you can't help but become one of the congregation whilst listening to these wonderfully rousing and positive paeans to the lord almighty. Saying that, even if you find yourself to be a non-believer, the soul, funk and jazz stylings (with the odd flourish of synth!) the good pastor is laying down will be equally as alluring to those of you who dig those particular sounds. "Do Not Pass Me By" was originally released on Miami's TK Disco offshoot Gospel Roots, it's the Pastor's second release on the label and is a beautiful snapshot of how things might have gone down at his "Mount Zion Baptist Church of Universal Awareness". A unique LP with with a somewhat lo-fi charm, the tracks contained run the gamut from slow, downtempo ballads to roof raising, danceable Disco-esque anthems.
This is the first time that "Do Not Pass Me By" has been reissued on vinyl, fully remastered from Gospel Roots/TK's original tapes, represented the way the the LP was issued in 1976 with all original cover and label artworks intact. Now, almost 40 years after it's original release the album has now been made available again for 2016, fully licensed in conjunction and with the full permission of Henry Stone music / TK Disco, Miami, FL.

Europe's best funk band collaborating with Hip Hop legends, booosh!

Timeless Legend are Jackie Hogg, Allen B. Burney, Donald Harmon, and Michael Harmon from Columbus, Ohio.

Their music is among the most elusive on the rare funk/soul scene with “I Was Born To Love You” a huge crossover club anthem and with ‘timeless’ appeal.

The ‘Synchronised’ album from 1980 is iconic and one of the rarest ‘rare grooves’ and original copies currently sell for over £1,000 a copy. There will only be 1000 copies of this numbered reissue

Album features Ernie K Doe’s ‘Here Come The Girls’, The Meters, Eddie Bo, Professor Longhair, Lee Dorsey, Wild Magnolias and more.

This is the definitive collection of New Orleans Funk featuring acknowledged masters next to some of the earlier artists who shaped the meaning of funk. The album is also filled with many rare, sought after and undiscovered funk tracks. It covers the period from the emergence of New Orleans Funk in the early 1960's through to the mid-seventies.

The record is an essential part of anyone in any way interested in Funk's record collection. It has some vital ingredients in it that you can't find elsewhere. With the sound of the New Orleans Funeral March Bands, Mardi Gras Indian Tribes and Saturday Night Fish Fries all as inspiration New Orleans Funk developed into a unique sound.

New Orleans is a port town. Originally owned by the French, this was where many slaves were brought from the West Indies. Many of these slaves came from Haiti and brought with them the religion of Voodoo and its drums and music. It became one of the first parts of America to develop a strong African-American culture leading to the invention of Jazz in the early 1900's.

A main feature of Jazz in New Orleans were the Jazz Funeral Marching bands. Solemn Brass bands accompanying a coffin would, on burial, be joined by a second line of drummers and dancers which would turn the event into a celebration of the spirit cutting free from earth. This African tradition is strong in New Orleans and still goes on to this day. The backline drums play a syncopated style that is neither on the beat nor the off-beat. It is these rhythms that are the basis of New Orleans Funk.

The album comes with a booklet presenting a historical explanation to how and why this music came about, and with lots of information about the people involved.


Reviews: "A Perfect Primer For Funk Fans" Q (Top 5 albums of the year). "Probably the finest compilation that Soul Jazz has released. Essential" Time Out.

On this new 7" on All Nations Records, French undercover talent William Stepper teams up with veteran DJ Little R to deliver a powerful message on refugees struggling to reach safer shore. “No Place On The Boat” gets an even more meanings through the deep riddim of Simon Nyabinghi. The devastating dub mix on the flip of this single makes it a people’s favourite since its first play a couple of years back as a dubplate.

Two outstanding pieces of music from a few years ago, now on vinyl for the first time.

‘Blessed’ is a Gospel Jazz treasure that builds into an impassioned workout. ‘Mistakes’ showcases Cleveland’s vocal acrobatics that only he can produce. It is difficult to hear this song and not be moved.

Barry Issac- Herb Street / Chazbo - Herb Melodica / Dave Crispy Horns - Herb Horns / Herb Street Dub

Betty Wright (original name Bessie Regina Norris) rose to fame in the 1970s with hits such as “Clean Up Woman”, “Lovin’ Is Really My Game”, and “Tonight Is the Night”. She was an outstanding performer and this Live album provides much evidence of Wright’s vitality as a singer. Besides the wonderful performances of her own hits she also sounds incredible on the cover of Leon Russell’s “A Song for You”. The album peaked at #63 in the Canadian Album Chart. This expanded edition features two bonus tracks not available on the original album. Betty Wright passed away May 10th, 2020 at the age of 66.

Available for the first time on coloured vinyl as a limited edition of 1500 individually numbered copies on translucent yellow vinyl

Cryogenetic teleports us back in time with his DAT recordings.

NBN Archives’ second reissue is the debut - and sole - LP of Bay Area group – i.f.A aka International Family Affair.
A lethal fusion of G-Funk and R&B, this self-titled album was first released on Rollin Record Enterprises in 1997.

After having dropped their first single on Capitol in 1996 and being shelved right after, band-leader Derrick Shaw had the plan to start over his i.f.A project independantly. With roots in and around Oakland, East Palo Alto and Stockton, it was only a matter of time before these musical minds would meet to form their own “Family Affair.”

Derrick Shaw aka D-SHOOT was a vocalist and musician with a well-known band called Kashmir before he met the self-dubbed Godfather. After an introduction on the basket-ball court, the two became friends and immediately went to work flushing out many of D.’s musical concepts. In stepped BIAS, a rapper born into the game. His versatile rap styles blended perfectly with i.f.A.’s old school Funk and R&B vibe. SOS, a rapper from the streets of Oakland with a unique cadence, added his “gangsta rap” and “rough edge” background which compliments the style of i.f.A.

Produced by D-Shoot and Ivan Johnson this LP is loaded with rapping and singing backed with smoothed-out instrumentals that gives off that "laid-back/bumping" vibe with that "something for the ladies".

“It’s so different you can’t help but like it. We will appeal to a wider fan base because we’re not trying to sound like every other act coming out.” - D-Shoot.

'Resonate,' Lettuce's seventh studio album, is a sonic continuation of the acclaimed sextet's 2019 GRAMMY Award-nominated album 'Elevate,' which earned Lettuce their first collective nomination in the category of Best Contemporary Instrumental Album. The new, critically-acclaimed 11-track collection, featuring the singles "House of Lett," "Checker Wrecker" featuring DC go-go music legends Big Tony Fisher of Trouble Funk and Tyrone"Jungle Boogie" Williams of Rare Essence, and "NDUGU," plays like a master class in funk sub-genres. On 'Resonate,' Lettuce continue to be celebrated boundary-pushing innovators nearly three decades into their lauded career, blurring the lines and smashing it up with jazz chords, psychedelic passages, big horns, strains of soul and go-go, hip-hop elements and a joyful, uplifting improvisational sound all their own.

Originally released in 1982, on Cobiana Records.

Limited deluxe version of 500 copies on 180 gram vinyl, with insert and tip-on cover.

Tustumnhos di Aonti can be defined as “a testimony of the weakness of yesterday.” The album is an African Groove made with European instruments, but with its heart and soul deeply grounded in Guinea-Bissau. The eight tracks represent Ze Manel’s (member of Super Mama Djombo) poetic yet frustrated account of what was happening around him. “Love is a social thing, when I see something I don’t like, I sing it in my way. About the people. The people are never wrong.”

"“Als das Kind Kind war, wusste es nicht dass es Kind war” the opening words of “Himmel über Berlin (Wings of Desire)” by Wim Wenders are so incredibly simple and innocent that they strike you down like the most murderous thunderbolt: “When the child was a child, it didn’t realize it was a child”. Are these words the fantasies of an adult or are these words the adult cogitations of a child’s brain?

Green Vinyl Repress

Being the humble guys that they are, Surprise Chef aren't going to admit they have something very special going down. However, there must be some magic in their studio, or maybe in the fact they all share a house and have formed close bonds, or perhaps from absorbing the DIY ethos of running their own record label that has culminated in such a unique and enchanting sound.

'Daylight Savings' is the follow-up to the group's debut album 'All News Is Good News’. That album earned the band a much-deserved following across the world and triumphantly marked their arrival onto the international stage. Their new album was recorded in Spring 2019, almost exactly a year after they recorded ‘All News Is Good News’. It was the weekend that daylight savings time started in Australia, and the studio was filled with the smell of the towering Jasmine bush on the exterior back wall of the house. The record is subsequently filled with the optimism that comes with the impending warmer months and longer days in Australia.

Recorded in their own home studio in Melbourne, the production approach for 'Daylight Savings' is a big step up from their debut. Engineer, Henry Jenkins, created enormous-sounding space within this record, using a great deal of creative analogue recording techniques and working in an expansive recording environment. The results are a sound that emulates the massiveness of the late-60s Capitol Records.

‘Daylight Savings' was written collaboratively by the whole band and features the core Surprise Chef rhythm section. It expands upon where their debut left off with a leaning more towards 70's jazzfunk than soul and a stronger focus on the rhythm section. There’s the epic drama, ebbs and flows of a vintage David Axelrod or Alain Goraguer cinematic production, plus the influence of El Michels Affair and Melbourne bands Karate Boogaloo and The Putbacks, yet it still sounds uniquely Surprise Chef. You get a sense of that rare attribute of being both a contemporary band and a band you expect it won't be too long before other producers start sampling them.

After the very successful EP releases of quickly, quickly’s “Over Skies” in mid 2018 (27m spotify-streams) and Please Wait’s “Black & White” in late 2019 (6,4m spotify-streams to this day) Jakarta Records and Ta-ku take their joint label to the next level presenting 823’s very 1st longplayer - a compilation feat. an international line-up of already established as well as up & coming Lo-Fi producers, handpicked and curated by none other than 823 label-head Ta-ku himself.
1st single to be released on 21st of August is „Serenity“ by prolific 27 year old producer eevee (1,5m monthly listeners) from the Netherlands aka „the queen of Lo-Fi“ delivering a loopy and very hypnotic tune w/ quite jazzy horns feeling like watching the sunset on a desert planet like Dune - from outer space.
2nd single will be a double-single, coming on September 11th w/ finnish indie-producer Idealism (2,5m monthly listeners) and his tune “Somehow” – a steady and softened beat w/ colorfull and chilled piano chords – on the one side and Ta-ku’s “Remember Me” - another powerful Lo-Fi anthem by the Australian allrounder and 823 patron - on the flipside.
The compilation’s 3rd drop will be a double-single as well featuring 19 year old, US-based self made producer Peachy! (2,6m monthly listeners), delivering his Shanghai inspired, very spheric walk-by tune “Stroll” on one side while Laguna contributes his slowly uplifting but very keen “Lone Rider” on the flipside, catching that specific moment when switching from boredom to euphoria right away.
All singles off the compilation will be accompanied by customized visuals from different filmmakers catching the songs’ very own vibes. The compilation’s artwork comes along in its very own and unique 823-style.
Worldwide web promotion for this release will be handled and taken care of by Jonathan Kim.
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Ta-ku’s 823 label represents the appreciation for the people, ideas and places that inspire and push their protagonists forward. The artwork is shot by the artists themselves and each release has an accompanying photo zine that acts as a visual story to compliment the music being showcased. 823 is also the numerical representation of the phrase 'Thinking Of You'.

“823 celebrates the simple beauty of everyday life and the people in it that inspire us. In that spirit we are proud to present our very first compilation featuring artists we love. All Things Considered Vol.1” (Regan Matthews aka Ta-ku)

823 is a multifaceted Perth-based record label, fashion brand, and artistic community, founded by Australian producer and all-around creative, Ta-ku (846k monthly listeners on Spotify). With an ethos of attention to detail and appreciation for the everyday things in life, 823 doesn’t stick to any particular genre. 823’s releases include Cabu’s (800k Monthly Listeners on Spotify) “So Far To Go” EP, Ta-ku and matt mcwaters’s duo project “Black and White,” which featured Masego collaboration “Flight 99” (14 million streams on Spotify), their debut release with Australian producer and instrumentalist Kuzich, and multiple sold out clothing capsules. “All Things Considered Vol. 1” set off a collaborative series of curated compilations, featuring both budding and well-established artists around the world including Idealism, Wun Two, pastels, SwuM, Jinsang, Saltyyyy V, and more. “All Things Considered Vol. 2” sees the continuation of this project, this time in partnership with fellow Perth-based powerhouse, Butter Goods.

Butter Goods is a Perth clothing brand rooted in skating culture and style, but drawing inspiration from hip-hop, jazz, and music at large. Butter Goods has been featured in major publications, including GQ, Complex, and HYPEBEAST. They’ve collaborated on releases with Peanuts and Puma, and have reached international levels of popularity. Butter Goods co-founder Garth Mariano’s deep love for and eclectic tastes in music drive his creativity, and are front and center in his partnership with Ta-ku and 823 on “All Things Considered Vol 2,” where the two team up to curate a wide-ranging compilation.

Arriving on September 2nd, 2022, “All Things Considered Vol. 2” is an exploration of Ta-ku’s and Mariano’s extensive and often overlapping musical palettes in two parts. The record pays homage to the love of instrumental music and hidden gems of new school jazz and funk that act as a source of inspiration and nostalgia for the both of them. The collaboration brings together over a dozen producers and instrumentalists from Sydney to Chicago, including Jadu Jadu, Gnarly, Tenderlonius, silentjay, and more. Side A is curated by Ta-ku and 823. It’s as much a love letter to the past as it is a nod to the future of beat-making. Featuring sample heavy, drum looped beats, sprinkled with the occasional ear candy for the attentive listener, it presents cruisy soundscapes & easy listening. Side B is curated by Garth and Butter Goods. It’s a raw and eclectic companion to Side A, leaning heavily into the texture and grit of multi-layered jazz and funk-driven beats.

As with any 823 release, the project is as visual as it is sonic. The artwork and visualizers are a celebration of Garth’s love of thrift culture and old nature documentaries, fused with 823’s design aesthetic of bringing everyday inspirations to the forefront. CRT style visuals are paired with 90’s spin, slide and fade away transitions. When partnered with the music, each visualizer could easily work as the intro for an episode of a VHS series of nature docos.

1st single, “senzu bean,” arrives on July 7th and kicks off Side A, showcasing Ta-ku’s hip-hop-centric tastes. Sydney producer Jadu Jadu teams up with UK-based TAMBALA, apltn, and Makzo for a vibrant instrumental. From a head-nodding bassline beneath fuzzy synths, to soft horn licks sprinkled over electronic drums, “senzu bean” is sonically rich and multilayered.

2nd single, “Too Much” by UK producer saaaz arrives July 20th. It’s a moody and low-tempo beat that builds itself up over time, complete with cryptic vocal samples and syrupy drums and bass. Also off of 823’s Side A, “Too Much” maintains a laid-back hip-hop theme but with saaaz’s signature and definitive lo-fi twist.

3rd single, “Goodmorning” from Baro Sura and silentjay of Melbourne arrives August 3rd, kicking off Butter Good’s Side B. The track is bright from start to finish and is a sun-filled track perfect for closing out the summer with. Final single, “Fool’s Gold” by Los Angeles producer L.Dre arrives August 17th. The infinitely creative beatmaker layers soft hums and the sounds of crashing waves over crisp drums and an infectious bassline. Together, it makes for a beat that sounds like it was made outside, under the sun, and is best enjoyed in the same way.

Focus track, “Seventh Wonder” by Tenderlonius, comes off of Side B, and is a window into the ideas and palettes on both sides of the compilation. The beat slowly fades in, one sound at a time, until it reaches a full-fledged groove, soaked in synths, bass, and horns, that’s impossible not to move to.

On the whole, “All Things Considered Vol. 2” is a forward-focused, sonic journey into the minds behind two of today’s great creative brands, and is as artistically eclectic and varied as those minds are, and a proud follow-up to its first volume.

LP contains A2 poster on uncoated stock.

The Geneva based combo Cosmic Shuffling strikes again with two superb Ska instrumentals taken from the "Magic Rocket Ship" studio sessions. The album release has been postponed due to the COVID crisis, but it’s our pleasure to give you a glimpse of what’s coming soon. These two cuts will not be on the upcoming album, 7" single exclusive, with beautiful silver ink labels! Pure fireball to make you dance and twist during the summer.

Dubbing Sun x Echo Ranks x Radikal Guru bringing the conscious vibes once again.

Born in Kingston in 1952, Oku Onuora is a one-of-a-kind artist in Jamaica music history. Poet, but most of all political activist, he creates a new musical style in the late 70’s : Dub Poetry, engaged poetry written in Jamaican patois and vituperated on reggae rhythms. Right after, Mutabaruka in Jamaica, and especially Linton Kwesi Johnson and Michael Smith in England march in his footsteps to spread the genre and make it famous.

With six albums to his credit, including the famous ‘Pressure Drop’, Oku Onuora returned in 2018 with the reissue of one of his most beautiful albums, ‘I A Tell... Dubwise and Otherwise’, on which he is backed by none other than Bob Marley’s Wailers.

Two decades after his last CD, the founding father of Dub Poetry comes in 2019 with ‘I’VE SEEN’, sixteen titles produced by the Swiss of Fruits Records and Doctor T. This new album alternates between a cappella poems and powerful riddims performed in the purest Jamaican tradition by the musicians of The 18th Parallel, to which is added Doctor’s T modern electronic touch. The outcome is a refreshing blend subtly put together which should delight both specialists and genre enthusiasts with its innovative sonorities. Available on LP and CD.

Rising High LP is a debut album of Bristol's own Tubby Isiah - brand new project launched by Jevon Ives (De-Tu) & his dad Jason Ives.

While ZamZam Sounds is a dub label without reservation or qualification, our roots as music lovers reach deep into punk, metal, folk musics, and other sounds from the well. Thus it's a great pleasure to introduce ZamZam 79, a musical blessing from Al Cisneros of Sleep and Om fame. As bass player and vibe-controller for two of the most seminal bands in the 'stoner metal' and heavy drone zones respectively, Cisneros has toured the globe countless times anchoring multiple projects with his distinctive, melodic bass weight. So singular is his tone and approach that Rickenbacker recently released an Al Cisneros signature bass guitar. His deep love of reggae has manifested most explicitly in a number of releases under his own name, on his own Sinai imprint as well as Drag City, and it was these releases that convinced us we had to reach out.

Continuing the label's special 7"s releases that capture the nascent 80s post punk, dub, funk and pop - as examined on releases by The Jellies, Woo, Phantom Band, 4AM and more - here a discovery of unheard demos from Dislocation Dance's Midnight Shift album.
As part of the eighties Manchester scene, the band's pop and jazz sensibilities have continued to garner attention, offering a rightful place in the city's rich music history.

With the closure of Richard Boon's New Hormones label in 1982, they came to the attention of Geoff Travis' Rough Trade. Creating a home studio in the basement of an old rambling farmhouse in Withington, Ian Runacres (guitar, vocals), with lyricist Paul Emmerson (bass), set to work creating demos to garner a deal.

Inspired by the funk-disco of Dr Buzzards Original Savannah Band debut album, Here Comes Love was written using Roland TR-606 drum machine, guitars, bass and (cheap) keyboard, its magical and lo-fi charmed quality melts hearts.

On Mr Zak, the fun Runacres had is evident. Written as an "indie" song, but with Aztec Camera and Burt Bacharrach on his mind, with Andy Diagram (trumpet) and Kathryn Way (vocals), hides a structure matching the album version, but which in its rudimentary instrumentation and production is unique and outshines the later version, to encase a specific period and innocence, of time.

Finnish multi-dimensional artist Jimi Tenor is back with a new 7" on Philophon to announce the upcoming album Aulos, which is going to be released in October.On Sugar And Spice he reunited with Ghanaian drummer Ekow Alabi and German producer Max Weissenfeldt.

Sugar And Spice is the perfect summer hit for Jazz, Boogie, Soul and Afro-Beat lovers. A bouncy bass with hip chords, some sharp horns and a sweet voice are driven forward by Ekow's rolling beat. On Lover's Bridge Jimi creates some reminissence to the classic Sun Ra compositions from the 50s and early 60s. A singing organ calls some heroic horns, carried away by a rhythm section, which practice the power of repetition formula par excellence.

London-based duo, Jive Talk, have unveiled their latest EP, ’Cheap Knock Offs EP’ – the second release on their own vinyl-only imprint, Not For You, which is anything but what the title suggests. Rolling with a typically sultry underground disco swagger, their latest three-track release, is a dose of downright disco goodness of the highest calibre, ready for every dance floor.

Opening with a smooth house number in ‘Love Right’, this permeating entanglement of percolating acid basslines and deep, eloquent vocals instantly sets the mood for what to expect here. Feel-good vibes are the order of the day as ‘Erol’s Chocolate’ swiftly follows up with some sleek, crisp drum patterns and fervent vocals that forge an irresistible disco-house jam with some real soul about it, before ‘Just Got To Be Me’ closes out proceedings with a deep, rattling groover that sums the EP up perfectly.

Liam Bailey comes out swinging with "White Light," an instant-classic, dancefloor filler. The rough and tough drum break intro catches you from the first beat before the track gives way to an infectious and uplifting reggae-dis- co number. Liam's instantly recognizable voice showers his muse with praise over deep round bass lines and a four on the floor beat. The combination of Leon Michels' crushing production and Bailey's lyrics like "You love yourself, you're so exciting, like no one else"... is sure to make this a staple in dj sets around the globe. The B side "Cold & Clear" is a proper lighters in the air, slap the wall, top ranking tune. The track struts in the door with a natural and undeniable confidence. Liam weaves a heavy metacognitive story over the one drop drums, perfect basslines, and organ stabs that will have people stepping in rhythm. The lo-fi production weaves elements from the finest early rocksteady era with touches from the late 70s / early 80s digital era and takes the entire vibe into the present with unorthodox arrangements and vocal treatments. Bailey has a tune here that will hold up next to the classics in the dancehalls from the yards of Jamaica to the discotheques in his homeland of England. Also Available From Liam Bailey: Champion / Please Love Me Again 7”