Hip-Hop Vinyl New Releases - News

Boogie Café continue their incredible form by offering up three tracks of deep house goodness from Aroop Roy.

The A side 'Good Times' sweeps in with a bumping house cut, laced with feverish vocal cutups whilst the B side hits first with a hazy, deep synth stab groover, and finishes on a blistering, afro-tinged slice of funk fuel.

Crab Cake and Turntable Training Wax present Killer Portable Zombie Cutz! Crab Cake Records teams up with TTW, bringing you a deep cut non skip 7" DJ scratch tool, with a mixture of classic old school samples, zombie quotes and unique 80's retro noises/samples.

Originally released in 2014 and now back by popular demand with new cover art. Contains 17 tracks produced by Fredfades using the SP-1200 and a bunch on the MPC 2000XL. The A-side's all vocal tracks by the Norwegian lyrical genius Ivan Ave with no guest features. The B-side is a mesh of Fredfades instrumentals.

Limited edition 7" with 7 bonus tracks not available on Fredfades's "Warmth" solo debut album. 300 copies in a white disco sleeve with a PVC cover. Mastered by Christian Obermayer at Strype Audio in Oslo. Design by Even Suseg.

In 2013 he dropped a classic with Ivan Ave called Breathe on KingUnderground Records. Warmth is his debut solo album following a long line of singles, collaborative albums, cassettes and load of independently released projects. The album has 16 tracks made from jazz, soul and boogie samples with gritty drums and a dash of synth stabs, mixed by Fred and mastered at Strype Audio in Oslo by Christian Obermayer. The title track Warmth is the last track on the album and was sampled from a live recording off one of Fred's favourite jazz records that is always on heavy rotation at the crib. Guests at the table include MED (Stones Throw), Mndsgn (Stones Throw), Ivan Ave, (Jakarta), MoRuf, Koreatown Oddity (Stones Throw), Chester Watson and more.

"In The Pocket" - A library record containing 16 drum breaks, compositions w/ stems & misc percussion. Recorded to a Raindirk Audio Symphony LN2 console on to 1/2" tape, then mixed and mastered.

The digital version contains bonus breaks and stems.

"As a sampling artist, I'm always looking for breaks or for that matter any kind of drum hit to use. There's something about those textures and natural harmonics you get from sampling vinyl that you just can't beat, so when Dan asked if I'd be interested in putting a library record together for KingUnderground, it was a no brainer!"

"I was lucky enough to grow up on a beautiful farm in Suffolk and when I was a teenager my dad bought a second-hand snooker table that we set up in the same room as the drum kit. So the theme for this was easy, Snooker/Breaks. Since my childhood, these two things have been synonymous." – Jonny Drop

* Vinyl EP

* Lewis Parker's 20th release on KingUnderground

* Design by Bee Graphics

* Featuring Verbz

* For fans of Jehst, Pete Rock, Madlib, Black Moon etc.

* Lewis Parker's new EP is called "When It Rains It Pours" and comes out May 25th.

The EP contains 3 songs with instrumentals - including an exclusive remix, drum links, beat underscores & an acapella. The title track features British rapper Verbz. Photography by Elliot baxter. Cover art by Bee Graphics.

“The 45 Collection” by Lewis Parker is released on a five x 7-inch vinyl set, including unreleased songs and instrumentals from the multi-faceted producer. Record No. 1 is: Incognito (original) B/W Instrumental Original and unreleased version of “Incognito” taken from “It’s All Happening Now”, 2002. The man with the golden sound is back to showcase some rare material from his personal archives for the first time with this beautifully packaged and limited-edition 45 set. The set of 5 seven-inches features unheard original versions, instrumentals, and unreleased songs from a classic period of output between 2002-2006, including beats from the sessions of his critically acclaimed “It’s All Happening Now” LP and the “Put a Beat to a Rhyme” remix project. All this is available for the first time. After a long stay in Queens, NY, soaking up the energy and grittiness of the city and working with Joey Bada$$, the London-born musician is back in the UK. After several successful previous releases with KingUnderground Records, Lewis is now releasing a special treat for long-time fans. As Parker continues to maintain his musical integrity and commitment to the traditional Hip-Hop aesthetic while simultaneously pushing his sound forward,KingUnderground brings a rare snapshot of the veteran producer’s cuttingroom floor.

“The 45 Collection” by Lewis Parker is released on a five x 7-inch vinyl set, including unreleased songs and instrumentals from the multi-faceted producer. Record No. 2 is: Fakin’ Jax Remix (Inst) B/W Shaky Dog (Inst) 2 Unreleased instrumentals of “Fakin’ Jax” remix, taken from “Put A Beat To Rhime”, and “Shaky Dog“ Instrumental from Ghostface Killah’s “Fishscale” album. The man with the golden sound is back to showcase some rare material from his personal archives for the first time with this beautifully packaged and limited-edition 45 set.

The set of 5 seven-inches features unheard original versions, instrumentals, and unreleased songs from a classic period of output between 2002-2006, including beats from the sessions of his critically acclaimed “It’s All Happening Now” LP and the “Put a Beat to a Rhyme” remix project. All this is available for the first time. After a long stay in Queens, NY, soaking up the energy and grittiness of the city and working with Joey Bada$$, the London-born musician is back in the UK.

After several successful previous releases with KingUnderground Records, Lewis is now releasing a special treat for long-time fans. As Parker continues to maintain his musical integrity and commitment to the traditional Hip-Hop aesthetic while simultaneously pushing his sound forward, KingUnderground brings a rare snapshot of the veteran producer’s cutting-room floor.

“The 45 Collection” by Lewis Parker is released on a five x 7-inch vinyl set, including unreleased songs and instrumentals from the multi-faceted producer.Record No. 3 is: Nothing But Aces ft. Ace Lover B/W Instrumental, an unreleased song recording from 2002. The man with the golden sound is back to showcase some rare material from his personal archives for the first time with this beautifully packaged and limited-edition 45 set. The set of 5 seven-inches features unheard original versions, instrumentals, and unreleased songs from a classic period of output between 2002-2006, including beats from the sessions of his critically acclaimed “It’s All Happening Now” LP and the “Put a Beat to a Rhyme” remix project. All this is available for the first time. After a long stay in Queens, NY, soaking up the energy and grittiness of the city and working with Joey Bada$$, the London-born musician is back in the UK. After several successful previous releases with KingUnderground Records, Lewis is now releasing a special treat for long-time fans. As Parker continues to maintain his musical integrity and commitment to the traditional Hip-Hop aesthetic while simultaneously pushing his sound forward, KingUnderground brings a rare snapshot of the veteran producer’s cutting-room floor.

“The 45 Collection” by Lewis Parker is released on a five x 7-inch vinyl set, including unreleased songs and instrumentals from the multi-faceted producer. Record No. 4 is: Lean Back Remix (Inst) B/W Sunny Dedications (Inst). Unreleased instrumental version of “Lean Back” remix, taken from “Put A Beat To Rhime”, 2004. Unreleased Instrumental version of “Sunny Dedications”, taken from “It’s All Happening Now”, 2002. The man with the golden sound is back to showcase some rare material from his personal archives for the first time with this beautifully packaged and limited-edition 45 set. The set of 5 seven-inches features unheard original versions, instrumentals, and unreleased songs from a classic period of output between 2002-2006, including beats from the sessions of his critically acclaimed “It’s All Happening Now” LP and the “Put a Beat to a Rhyme” remix project. All this is available for the first time. After a long stay in Queens, NY, soaking up the energy and grittiness of the city and working with Joey Bada$$, the London-born musician is back in the UK. After several successful previous releases with KingUnderground Records, Lewis is now releasing a special treat for long-time fans. “Sunny Dedications” featured in instrumental form for the first time ever; is a classic beat taken from Parker’s seminal “It’s All Happening Now” album released in 2002 on Massive Attack’s Virgin imprint, Melankolic. The lush strings and hard drums still strike a chord over 15 years later. As Parker continues to maintain his musical integrity and commitment to the traditional Hip-Hop aesthetic while simultaneously pushing his sound forward, KingUnderground brings a rare snapshot of the veteran producer’s cutting-room floor.

“The 45 Collection” by Lewis Parker is released on a five x 7-inch vinyl set, including unreleased songs and instrumentals from the multi-faceted producer. Record No. 5 is: Hold it Down ft. Dynas B/W Instrumental, an unreleased song, recorded in 2004. The man with the golden sound is back to showcase some rare material from his personal archives for the first time with this beautifully packaged and limited-edition 45 set. The set of 5 seven-inches features unheard original versions, instrumentals, and unreleased songs from a classic period of output between 2002-2006, including beats from the sessions of his critically acclaimed “It’s All Happening Now” LP and the “Put a Beat to a Rhyme” remix project. All this is available for the first time. After a long stay in Queens, NY, soaking up the energy and grittiness of the city and working with Joey Bada$$, the London-born musician is back in the UK. After several successful previous releases with KingUnderground Records, Lewis is now releasing a special treat for long-time fans. As Parker continues to maintain his musical integrity and commitment to the traditional Hip-Hop aesthetic while simultaneously pushing his sound forward, KingUnderground brings a rare snapshot of the veteran producer’s cutting-room floor.

Originally released in 2008 as a limited edition CD. ‘Sniper Beats’ is now finally available on vinyl from KingUnderground. ‘Sniper Beats - Underscores for Drama & Action’ Contains 13 instrumental tracks from Mr Parker’s vast production collection. Each track was originally selected by Lewis and recorded raw, straight out of the SP-1200 (with no external samplers involved). Those same tracks have now been remastered for this much anticipated vinyl release.

The music would make the perfect fit in movies like the recently released Dolomite revamp, and the now cult classic Black Dynamite. But it doesn't fit into a blaxploitation soundtrack style box alone. You could imagine iconic rappers like Ghostface or Black Thought using
these soundscapes. ‘3’ would even fit comfortably next to classic KPM or De Wolfe library releases from the mid 70’s, just as well as current indie trio, Khruangbin. A heavy drum break intro and trippy wah-wah guitar licks accompany cinematic strings and stirring horns on ‘Finnish Funk,’ followed by the killer sleazy bass and fuzz guitar of ‘Breezy Day’, two standout cuts both included on previously released 45’s by KU that swiftly sold out. Contributing to the scene of classically-tinged soul and funk beats with contemporary class,
MI3 display a smooth burst of colourful moody grooves with lush Rhodes keys and soulful head-nod breaks. With stellar musicianship throughout, the band present top shelf tunes for the crate digging
Dj and discerning music collector alike. Formed just shy of a decade ago, the group shows skills far beyond their years together.

Two Rose Royce treasures from the 1982 Epic LP, 'Stronger Than Ever' get a much deserved official, remastered reissue, with each side respectively fetching a pretty penny on their own.

First up, 'Still In Love', opens with otherworldly keys and a rumbling bass before diving into an alluring disco anthem where lively strings and animated pianos dance with a dose of '80s synth action. The powerful and emotive tones of Rose Norwalt swell with the rising string section, before making way for an exquisite piano solo that give this the power to enthral any dancefloor.

Take to the flip to find 'Best Love' which follows in those sparkling footsteps, utilising pitch bent top lines, graceful violins and a springing bassline that blend perfectly with Rose's voice. A sweet and tender tale with an irresistibly soulful touch.

A Rose Royce double header spread lovingly over either side of a 12' for maximum clarity and punch.

It is our distinct pleasure to present Penrose, a new imprint poised to usher in a whole new era of soulful sounds.

Founded by Daptone Records' own Bosco Mann after building a new recording studio in his hometown of Riverside, California, Penrose will showcase the most exciting acts emerging on the blossoming SoCal souldies scene today.

For its inaugural release, the label offers up five singles by five exciting new artists: Thee Sacred Souls from San Diego; Jason Joshua from Miami; East L.A. mainstays Thee Sinseers, and The Altons; and Altadena veterans, Los Yesterdays.

The innovative & creative, Norwegian producer "Torb The Roach" teams up with "Floppy MacSpace" for their second album and 8-bit video game, "Square Wave Adventures".

There are strains of underground hip hop that predict the mainstream's future or find themselves in conversation with its present. Then there's the one that branches out from the rest with something mystifying, creative, unusual, avant-garde and ingenious to create an uncanny character, "Floppy Mac Space".

The dramatic events leading up to the making of Torb and Floppy's 1st album, "Tape Echo: Gold Floppies", were chronicled in a film released with the album. WATCH >>

In the new "Square Wave Adventures" game the drama continues and this time you can partake in the action! The game is pure 8-bit video game madness. The plot is set in a futuristic retro dystopia. SuperMonster has captured Torb The Roach and, with him locked away, deploys his weapons of mass production to enforce a terrible reign of uninspired musical excess. As the last hope, Mac Space disembarks on a heroic quest to free Torb and save the universe from eternal monotony. Urged onward by the thumping rhythms and hypnotic basslines from the soundtrack, Floppy battles his way through SuperMonster's minions and agents of evil towards an inevitable final showdown with SuperMonster himself!

The album, which is the soundtrack to the game, showcases the duo's signature sound combining 12-bit drum machines, samples & classic synths, such as the Minimoog and Yamaha Dx7. Square waves have been tossed into the broiling brew of sounds as well, resulting in a full palate of new and surprising acoustic flavors!

The 10 level, 8-bit video game, made in collaboration with programming whiz Nils "Nilski" Nordmark, can be played online for free at Squarewaveadventures

Formed in Brixton in 2006, afrobeat band Yaaba Funk have released two albums with Sterns Music and performed numerous acclaimed live shows — including support slots for Seun Kuti and Ebo Taylor.

Rapidly rising star Danvers (also of Kassian) takes the infectious energy of 'Oman Foa' into a triumphant new direction, with one of his broken beat rhythms at its core — recalling his big summer track 'Aye Ata' which received heavy support from the likes of Gilles Peterson and Midland. With a succinct arrangement that lets the joyous brass and powerfully harmonised vocals shine potently, it's a feel-good party music that works wonders when deployed at the right place and time.

'Hwe Hwe Mu Na Yi Wompena' is Yaaba Funk's cover of the Ghanian highlife singer K. Frimpong and his Cubano Fiestas' irresistible 1977 track, which Ben Gomori strips back into two instrumental-focused versions. His 'Message Of Love Edit' is a summery, housey flip with trumpets mutated into synths and the bass pumped up with chunky distortion, while his 'Message Of Love Live Dub' zones in on the live grooves with just a little extra embellishment.

Sterns Edits is an official collaboration between African music stalwarts Sterns Music and London's Ben Gomori.

GRAMMY award-winning musician and producer "Anna Wise" has announced her forthcoming debut album, As If It Were Forever, out October 18 via Alpha Pup Records, along with a new alt-R&B single "Nerve," which was written in a single evening. Anna Wise shares, "I created 'Nerve' with Jon Bap and Nick Hakim in a single evening in Brooklyn, NY.

Sometimes words and melodies flow out so fast, it's best to have all your tools ready to catch the ideas before they leave you and tap on the next person's shoulder. I had all my tools ready that night, and I'm grateful. Lyrically, it's about spring cleaning your relationships and not being afraid of letting go. Typical, I know, but it's a lesson I am still learning."

As If It Were Forever finds Anna Wise joined by collaborators including: Little Simz, Jon Bap, Nick Hakim, Denzel Curry, Gwen Bunn, Mndsgn, Carter Lang, Jake Sherman, Pink Siifu, Sid Sriram, Jonathan Ellington, Simon Mavin, Paul Bender, Zeke Mishanec, and Dane Orr. Leading up to this album, Anna Wise released five projects as part of experimental R&B bedroom pop outfit Sonnymoon before independently releasing her debut solo EP, The Feminine: Act 1, in 2016.

The EP was met with praise from Pitchfork, The Fader, and more for the confrontational, viral anthem "BitchSlut," while "Precious Possession" scored an unforgettable moment on Netflix's Dear White People. Wise's second EP, The Feminine: Act 2 followed in 2017 to features from NPR and Beats 1, with single "Some Mistakes" hand-picked by Sir Elton John. Shows on Netflix, HBO and OWN have since utilized her contemporary sound. Wise is also a collaborator of Kendrick Lamar, having appeared on each of his projects since Good Kid, M.A.A.D City, and received a GRAMMY for Best Rap/Sung Performance for her collaboration with Lamar on "These Walls."

In support of As If It Were Forever, Wise will be bringing her captivating live performance to New York City and Atlanta this fall.

DJ Andy Smith returns to 'BBE Music' with a second stunning installment of his compilation series ‘Reach Up – Disco Wonderland’, released on triple vinyl, double CD and digital formats. “Volume 2 takes the baton from Volume 1 and runs with it” says Andy.

"It brings new Disco heat, with unreleased tracks & remixes by myself, Full Intention & Nick Reach Up, Crissy Kybosh and Bad Bikini vs Disco Circus. These fresh takes rub nicely alongside tried and tested original tracks from the golden age of Disco for all to enjoy.”

In the two years since the first volume of ‘Reach Up - Disco Wonderland’ was issued, Andy’s ‘Reach Up’ DJ collective have been busy with performances at festivals such as Bestival, Festival No.6 and Eastern Electrics, as well as a host of club gigs from London to Lisbon and many spots in between. Their monthly South London Soul Train residency in Peckham, London is now in its third year, while their monthly Soho Radio show has been streamed and downloaded by thousands of Disco lovers Worldwide.

Just like Volume 1 before it, Reach Up – Disco Wonderland Volume 2 takes in forgotten boogie, funk, dance-floor soul and early house gems from the 70's and 80's, as well as a few contemporary productions created with a nod to the classics. Ranging from obscure West Indian pop artists to Chicago Disco royalty, ‘Reach Up - Disco Wonderland Volume 2’ searches high and low to find the heaviest grooves and purest deep-down good vibes. An exclusive DJ mix is included on the CD version for maximum 'Reach Up' pleasure.

A monumental Ibizan anthem and one of the biggest releases on Hot Creations to date, Back & Forth is the next collaboration from the indomitable duo of DJ Sneak and Jesse Perez. The release also features vocals from KE with colossal remixes from the mighty Ricardo Villalobos and rising talent DJ Lukke.

Back & Forth is a number reminiscent of the 90s with its broken drum beat and spoken word lyrics. Speaking of the release, Sneak himself says that he wanted to create 'a street smart dance floor track with powerful latino sounds and all the right ingredients for a club banger'.

Young Brazilian talent DJ Lukke is first to remix, co-produced alongside Blakkat aka Mark Bell, he adds a percussive tribal twist and rumbling bassline. Ricardo Villalobos takes his version to a whole new dimension like only he can, with weird and wonderful soundscapes enhanced by glitchy, distorted vocal hooks. A video of the Chilean maestro playing the original recently went viral, building further hype around the release.

House gangster DJ Sneak has been at the forefront of dance music since the early 90s. He's had records signed to highly esteemed labels including Classic, Snatch! and Magnetic, as well as running his own influential imprint I'm A House Gangster. Miami playboy and Mr Nice Guy Records boss Jesse Perez has released an abundance of music on labels like Edible, Toolroom, BPitch Control and Do Not Sleep. Ricardo Villalobos needs little introduction. A firm favourite amongst DJs and club-goers alike, his career has seen him play countless notorious parties and festivals, with prolific productions seen on seminal labels including Perlon, Dekmantel and Mosaic.

Our Dear Metropolis is the third album by the Amsterdam based brassband Gallowstreet. Our Dear Metropolis is an (mostly instrumental) ode to their home city and at the same time a critique of the direction the city seems to be heading in. Gallowstreet has taken the sounds of their city and transposed it to an array of original compositions that put a spotlight on the different facets of modern city life. Facets that are not reserved for the Dutch ca pital alone; powered by a large array of brass and reed instruments this album provides the sonic fuel to traverse any modern cityscape.

The diversity of the city is reflected in the variety of styles that Gallowstreet employs, from pulsating trance to solemn hip hop grooves. Live, their music translates to an infectious live show that sparks pure joy and excitement in their audiences. The music comes fitted in a beautiful sleeve with artwork made by Joost Swarte, a renowned artist who is well known for m aking intricate pieces on life in the big city for the New Yorker.

It was 50 years ago that a talented local musician named Lamont Butler started to create an album that would combine love, happiness and joy. Lamont’s only official album release It’s Time For A Change has been very popular for record collectors around the world but never saw the wider success it truly deserved.

Born 1949 in Louisville, Kentucky; Lamont Butler was drawn to music and dance from the very beginning. He was the son of a well-known gospel, blues and R&B singer and pianist Clifford Butler Sr, receiving an early education in what’s required to be a touring musician.

It quickly became apparent that Lamont had a wonderful voice and was pushed to the front despite no being fully confident yet of his singing ability. Lamont performed on the gospel circuit for a number of years cutting his teeth with groups such as The Enterprise, The Dynamics and The New Beginnings eventually going solo with Lamont Butler and The Spirit of Truth.

It was whilst he was singing and performing during this period that he started to write his own songs and think about putting together an album bringing together all of his influences from R&B, jazz, soul and of course gospel. The result is very raw, almost low-fi sound of It’s Time For A Change, released nearly 10 years after Lamont started to pen the first tracks and it gained relative success. He toured the album around churches in Louisville with tracks such as Love One Another, Time For A Change and Ungodly War quickly becoming firm favourites within the churches of Louisville.

Miles Away Records are pleased to working with Lamont and to be issuing a long overdue album reissue of It’s Time For A Change on LP and CD. Remastered with care by Nick Robbins at Sound Mastering and complete with in-depth sleeve notes.

2 more floor-friendly 45's from the Deptford Northern Soul Club’s Record Box. Featuring Fifty quid’s worth of excellent brass-powered psyche soul that originally turned up on Buddah Records in 1969.
An absolutely huge Blackpool Mecca 45 with a backflip moment at around 40 seconds moment that repeats for all stomping excessives.

Backed with the legendary Lee Dorsey’s mighty ‘Give It Up’ from the same year. A swampy soul stew with a funky feel by the hugely under rated singer. An Allen Toussaint production with The Meters providing the chops.

Further excursions of one of the most dedicated producers of Vancouver in the early 90s: Pilgrims Of The Mind. Three tracks coming out of the sweet sonic brew that was cooking on the West Coast at the time: elements of techno, ethno, downtempo and general smoked-out trippyness abound.

Remastered and reissued for the first time since their original release, AOTN are proud to present three classic cover versions from the lovers rock era. Tough to track down previously, the Sonia version of Easier To Love was always a favourite of lovers fans. After getting a spin on Sam Floating Point's NTS show, it's popularity soared and any remaining copies got quickly hoovered up.

The first press of the 12 comes in a printed AOTN sleeve which is a respectful tip of the hat to the OG dub vendor disco sleeve that many of these original 12s were distributed in.

First Word Records continues its series of special collaborative releases for it's 15th anniversary with an absolutely firing double-header from 14KT and Tall Black Guy.
On this limited 7" vinyl, the two renowned US beat-makers revisit two of their previous First Word singles, turning out flips of each other's tracks, also featuring a multitude of talent, in the form of Moonchild, Muhsinah, Stro Elliot and James Poyser of The Roots.

Following on from the first volume in 14KT's jazz project 'IAMABEENIE', here he flips TBG and Moonchild's collab, 'I Will Never Know', originally from Tall Black Guy's 2017 sophomore album 'Let's Take A Trip'. The original neo-soul bump is transformed into a deliciously epic latin affair, drenched with deep Brazilian vibes throughout - this is one to draw for at those steamy get-downs; a slinky slab of dancefloor fire.

Tall Black Guy returns to First Word for the first time in a minute, and takes on the Muhsinah-lead joint 'The Power Of Same', the lead single from 14KT's 2019 acclaimed album, 'For My Sanity'.

As to be expected, TBG delivers his unmistakable blend of dope dubbed-out spacey soul and boom bap kicks & snares, complete with guitar licks from Stro Elliot, and keys from James Poyser. Two of the dopest producers in the game, this one is completely 1000% essential.

Following their first 7" in 2018 Budabeats Records is proud the release the debut LP of pioneering Hungarian Afrobeat supergroup, the Mabon Dawud Republic.

The band started out as the Fela Kuti tribute band for the very first Felabration event in Budapest.
In the past two years they created an impressive repertoire of their own tunes. The rawness you can hear on their early recordings transformed into a more mature and sophisticated sound, still deeply rooted in the traditions of West-African music.
They even toured in Ghana where they had the chance to record with highlife legend Pat Thomas, as you can hear on 'Gyae Abrabi'.
On 'Na Lie' they are joined by Fela's original Egypt 80 band member, keyboard player and singer Dele Sosimi.
Other guest performances include Ghanaian vocalist and kologo player Stevo Atambire (on 'Mawadioh' and 'Talk to Me') and vocalist Abate Berihun (on 'Nanu Nanu Neye').

Presenting a condensed survey of KRAAK’s recent past and immediate future through a selection of tracks that chart the breadth of the label’s output.

The 18 songs contained within this unassuming piece of plastic speak for a generation of artists whose contribution to the legacy of KRAAK is in no way insignificant: the faded melancholia of Ignatz, the cosmic outlook championed by Köhn, the bejeweled exotica of Bear Bones, Lay Low, the brainwave tingling of Floris Van Hoof... all of the elements and personas that make up not just a community, but a constellation bright and beaming. A new crop of newcomers to the roster (Vica Pacheco, KRAMP, Kuupuu and Orphan Fairytale) herald new frontiers within the continuation of narratives that are as auspicious as they are unmapped.

The tracks made especially for this cassette are testaments to the musical kinship as well as camaraderie that KRAAK has always held at its core, and of which KRAAK Festival is the chief manifestation. Reminisce while gazing at what unfolds before you and stay tuned: there is more to come.

Emotional Rescue again delves in the world of private pressings, with a reissue of British electronic pop meets proto-House duo 4AM. With copies of their self titled album now highly sought after, this timely reissue presents two of their songs as a stand alone 7".

Consisting of multi-instrumentalist Steve Kirby - piano, guitar, bass, programming - and vocalist Kevin Finch, 4AM came together after youths filled with a love of music. Following a string of band attempts, Steve dived in to the world of midi, allowing him to build a studio set up and play solo. A meeting with new work colleague Kevin quickly developed to joining forces to expand on his early demos.

Their melodic, dance-influenced pop draws on a love of Japan, OMD and The The, but also ECM jazz and a touch of "white boy soul". The TR-808 drum and hi-hats, string stabs and random acid squelches - although no TR-303 was used - highlights the influence the nascent House sounds emanating from the "second summer of love" of 1988 / 89 had in their music melting pot.

Over this, personal lyrics flow, full of honest emotions and a touch of youthful naivety thrown in - of relationships, love, sex and passions. Intended as a personal artifact, the original album was released in 1990 with no promotion or live shows and has taken until now, some 30 years, to find a cult audience. I want you with a Passion.

A very rare Rocksteady album by the Jamaican guitar virtuoso, Ernest Ranglin. Unlike all the other musicians in those days, Ranglin was not allowed to go between studios to record and release music as he wished because he was an exclusive employee of the Federal records. Thus it's really hard to find a Rocksteady record with his name on it. Although whenever he found a spare time, he would go to Duke Reid's studio and play the guitar and bass as a sideman, often playing sessions with Lynn Taitt. According to Ranglin himself, "I felt really comfortable being at Duke Reid's studio", though sadly there have not been a single release of his solo guitar tune which was recorded there.

So here comes the album, it's the rare Rocksteady instrumentals by the man himself. Some of the main features would be "Summertime", "Flamingo" and "Hold Me Tight", the wickedest selection of the moist Rocksteady that will certainly catch your heart. Other than that, there are the uptempo "Sling Shot", the relatively arranged towards pop direction "Don't Sleep In the Subway" and some ballads to represent the Federal's widely ranged style that won't go off after a long time, exactly how this one of the biggest leading labels in Jamaica had thought of. This may not make Rude Boys in downtown growl, although it will clearly last eternally as Ranglin's 60s best album to the future generations.

---

Produced By:Richard Khouri

Recorded At:Federal Studio

Engineered By:Louis Davidson

Musicians: Lead Guitar: Ernest Ranglin, Alto Sax: Ernest Ranglin (in Julie)

Musical maverick and interstellar comedian George Clinton changed the shape of modern
funk with his Parliament and P Funk projects, the first yielding a harder-edged somewhat
more traditional form of funk, the latter a goofy, loose and sloppily playful Afrofuturist take
on funk innovation. The live shows always stretched the boundaries of plausibility, as well as
musical contours, with our hero beaming himself on stage from a massive “mothership” to
deliver an excessive funk tour-de-force. Make My Funk The P-Funk takes its name from the
group’s ubiquitous catchphrase and the tracks are drawn from various live performances
stretching from the late 1970s to the early 1990s, and there are some studio recordings as
well, such as the instrumental “Good Love.”

Gil Scott-Heron was one of the foremost singer-songwriters of his generation. A committed
civil rights activist that also wrote a couple of unusual novels exploring negative elements of
the black experience and the punitive societal attitude against black people in the United
States, Scott-Heron recorded an exceptional body of work during the 1970s and 80s, and
although longstanding issues with drug addiction resulted in repeated bouts of imprisonment
and an ultimately shortened lifespan, he continued to produce noteworthy material into the
new millennium. Anyone that had the pleasure of seeing Scott-Heron and His Amnesia
Express band during the mid-1980s is unlikely to forget it; percussionist Larry McDonald,
drummer Rodney Young, saxophonist Ron Holloway and backing vocalist/keyboardist Kim
Jordan provide a full yet uncluttered backdrop to the man and his piano, as evidenced by
these stunning excerpts from the summer 1986 tour, with “Winter In America,”
“Johannesburg,” “Blue Collar” and “Shut ‘Em Down” being among the standouts.

Floating Points reissues rare '70s soul album, Tomorrow's People's Open Soul. The collector's favourite will be available for the first time in 40 years via Melodies International.
Melodies International proudly expand their catalogue of rare soul gems with another carefully crafted reissue, complete with full 16 page Melozine. This time it's the spellbinding Tomorrow's People album: Open Soul which was originally released in 1976. Deep in South Chicago, a band of four brothers raised on doo-wop and flea-market instruments made a record during the mid 70s that did not only mark a seminal point in their youthful careers, but would go on to become a true collector's favourite. Open Soul is quite simply one of the best examples of raw, stripped down soul in its purest form, and for this reason has become a highly sought after rarity. The album has been carefully reproduced and will be officially available for the first time in 40 Years, this time accompanied by an interview with one of the original brothers, various Tomorrow's People memorabilia and a number of other contributions from Melodies' friends around the world."

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2019's breakout album 'Part Time Millionaire' saw multi-instrumentalist Flevans develop his writing to incorporate a more song-based approach than his previous beat smith leanings - this certainly proved to be a positive step, earning him some new, high-profile fans including Zoe Ball, Don Letts and Craig Charles.

He's now taken that same approach even further with his latest studio album 'Accumulate' out at the beginning of May 2020.

The title came around from the repeated mantra of 'speculate to accumulate' (which loosely translates as roll the dice, have a gamble) that kept cropping up during an in-depth recording process that saw Flevans drop everything to completely commit all his focus to the project and to push his sound in new directions.

And it proved an appropriate one, as when the fruits of his labour became fully formed it was clear there was a much more varied sonic palette than any previous work. Gathering up all his favourite styles - funk, soul, disco, house, quirky pop and cinematic sounds, Flevans has created an album that draws from all but is still undeniably his own.

Working with a crack team of collaborators he's served up another absolute gem of a record that is more lyrical than any of his work before. One of the stars of the last album - Laura Vane (MJ Cole, Cee Lo Green) returns to the fold to front four tracks with her versatile and powerful vocal.

Label mate, Smoove & Turrell front man, and all–round Geordie extraordinaire John Turrell also gets to flex his tones on the wonderfully upbeat northern soul gem 'Silly Games'. Plus there are two unique cuts with the mysterious Scooby Jones, a man who has worked and toured with acts as diverse as Ed Sheeran, The Black Eyed Peas, Craig David and more.

And, for the fans that go way back, there's a couple of classic dancefloor-ready Flevans instrumentals in there for good measure. Really, there's no gamble here, just another killer LP - Flevans has speculated, so you can accumulate!