Hip-Hop Vinyl New Releases - News

Cochemea Gastelum is coming home to connect with his roots. After nearly 15 years of touring the world with Sharon Jones and The Dap-Kings, the saxophonist offers a deeply personal album of jazz and indigenous-influenced rhythms. All My Relations¸ out February 22 on Daptone Records, is 10 tracks of mesmerizing and spiritually ascendant instrumentation. The first single 'All My Relations' is available now.

'All My Relations is a way for me to explore my roots through music. Some of it is a memory that is imagined from a time and place I've never been ('Sonora') or a musical impression of ritual ('Mitote'),' Cochemea says. 'I felt compelled to add the way I feel when I go to ceremony, when I feel connected with my ancestors, to the musical narrative.'

A California native with Yaqui and Mescalero Apache Indian ancestry, Cochemea grew up surrounded by music but without knowing much about his heritage. Both his parents were musicians, and they gave their son a heavy name meaning 'they were all killed asleep.' Cochemea has spent much of his diverse musical career - as a soloist, musical director, composer and ensemble player - exploring and iterating on roots music, and All My Relations is a capstone meditation on his own ancestry.

Originally conceived during Sharon Jones and The Dap-Kings' final year of touring, Cochemea and Daptone's Gabe Roth cast a varied but familial set of New York musicians to bring All My Relations to life. A large portion of the album was created through improvisation and collective writing, where its 10 musicians created a melodic, percussive conversation. 'It was a beautiful experience - people would start playing and we'd work up these arrangements on the spot, then record it.'

'In a sense, this record is a prayer for unity, love and the recognition that we are all part of a web, and everything we do effects everything else,' Cochemea says. 'These days there's so many lines being drawn, I wanted to focus on what unites us.'

Cochemea has a long history of uniting multiple genres with his powerful polyrhythmic sensibilities. His roots in jazz, Latin, funk and rock led to multiple tours with funk-jazz organist Robert Walter's 20th Congress, and connected him with Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings for their 2005 Naturally tour. Cochemea also played tenor sax with The Budos Band and Antibalas, and Baritone sax on the Amy Winehouse sessions, before becoming a full-time Dap-King in 2009.

In between marathon tours, Cochemea recorded a critically acclaimed solo album of soul, funk, and afro-Latin jazz, The Electric Sound of Johnny Arrow, all while doing session work for the likes of Mark Ronson, Rick Rubin and Quincy Jones. He's performed alongside Archie Shepp, Beck, David Byrne, Public Enemy and The Roots. Cochemea was also a featured soloist in the award-winning Broadway play Fela!, which led to historic performances in Lagos, Nigeria.

Kicking off 2019 two tracks the first time on a 45 from prolific Japanese producer DJ MItsu The Beats from the Sendai hip hop group GAGLE and licenced from the Jazzy Sport organisation . Mukatsuku put out two GAGLE 45's produced by DJ Mitsu back in 2008 so this is a welcome return to the label for the producer . A side kicks off with a dreamy jazzual affair featuring Kaneko Takumi on keys.On the flipside an excellent low slung jazz hip hop instrumental

Volume 9 of Mukatsuku Afro series kicks off with 'M'Ongele M'Am' from Cameroon artist Eko Roosevelt Louis taken from his early 1980's self-titled album and licenced for this 45 from Nubiphone & Africa Seven. The track was one of the highlights of the 2017 Pop Makossa compilation for Analagog Africa and it's the first time ever on a single in its own right.Driving brass funk fuelled afro disco does not really get much better than this. On the flipside Georges Ouedraogo from Burkina Faso gives us us the dance floor bomb ''Deni'' taken from his 1978 long player ''Gnanfou Gnanfou'' also licenced from Africa Seven and also the first time ever on a single. Punchy brass offset by those hipnotic vocals and funky wah-wah guitar has a deserved place on the flip. Strictly no repress. Essential 45 for the dancefloor !

Originally released in February 2009, P.O.S' third album, Never Better, was met with critical acclaim propelling his aggressive fusion of grinding beats and radical lyrics into critics' charts and fans' hearts worldwide. Never Better showed P.O.S was reaching his prime, rapping at full clip to ride rolling drums and revving distortion, and bending genres at a time when people were still bending over backwards to fit within categorizations. P.O.S has always seen genres as permeable, and the resulting Never Better was nothing if it wasn't noisy, badass and impossible to ignore. For the 10th anniversary of this outstanding release, we've produced a very special, limited-edition triple-vinyl pressing of Never Better. This deluxe 3xLP re-issue comes packaged in a 12" gatefold jacket housing Cyan, Magenta & Yellow-colored triple vinyl, with a screen-printed side F, as well as inside-pocket printing and a free digital download card. It also features four bonus tracks; "Slint" and "Let it Rattle (demo version)", as well as two live recordings of "Purexed" and "Terrorish" from a special performance on TPT's The Lowertown Line. Whether you're just tuning in, or completing your collection, this anniversary re-issue is sure to hold its own amongst many genres, and amidst any vinyl collection.

Following up on their debut full length release, 79.5 drops a new and revamped version of their dance floor classic "Terrorize My Heart (Disco Dub)". A tune that leaves no room for gray and finds the ladies of 79.5 walking the line between vulnerability and forthrightness. Setting out with admonishments of love and infatuation that are quickly checked by the bluntness of women who've lived in the Big Apple for years, 'is it her or is it me, that's how it's gotta be'. Remixed and remastered with a new intro for the DJs, producer Leon Michels and engineer Jens Jungkurth managed to take an already smash of a tune to a higher level. For the B side we enlisted one of underground hip hop's brightest stars, Tall Black Guy. His 'Bounce Remix' of 'Terrorize My Heart' is just that. The Detroit producer takes the tune to a different level and turns it into a monster of a head-nodder. Loose drums and chord stabs provide backing track while vocal samples through out keep the track super hype. An easy dancefloor killer for the Hip Hop / R&B jocks.

Mint Sealed stock from 1994 pressing
Imported from Unidisc, Canada

M3 is a memoir, love story, how-to manual and manifesto all in one. As a renowned DJ and producer, DJ Jazzy Jeff's career spans decades, genres and generations. M3 is a reflection of that existence and his declaration of independence'.
In the final instalment of his Magnificent' series, DJ Jazzy Jeff celebrates unhindered creativity.
While staying true to his b-boy roots with classic boom bap drums, Jeff infuses a myriad of sounds that have influenced his production work over the years. The result is a cohesive mix of hip-hop, R&B, funk, jazz and house.

For M3, DJ Jazzy Jeff brings extraordinary artists together to present a multigenerational perspective on life, love, the current state of society, and the music industry. The Trinity,
comprised of Grammy and Oscar award-winning MC Rhymefest, Philadelphia MC Dayne Jordan and multitalented artist Uhmeer, serves as M3's primary storytellers. With three distinct styles, the
trio is a recipe for an unprecedented flow and a magical delivery.

The Trinity lays bare the foundations of real hip-hop with tracks including The Beginning, Scars, and Where You At. Things lighten up with feel good tune Skater's Paradise, and a tribute to
womankind, Stronger Than Me. And M3 wouldn't be complete without a few soulful voices.
Singer/Songwriter Aaron Camper provides his sultry sound to Midnight Escapade' and The Way We Cool.' While Maimouna Youssef lends her soulful harmony to Child of God,' and Masego
adds his signature trap-jazz flair to 2Step.'
For DJ Jazzy Jeff, M3 represents creative freedom and a feeling of empowerment that he hopes will inspire fellow artists to maintain their independence and take charge of their own destiny'.

Not really a "Best Of" but in fact a proper album recorded for Alvin GG Ranglin in 1977 at Channel One and Harry J featuring the Revolutionaries on the backing tracks. McKay is one of those artists whose records are now highly sought after by collectors. His unique yearning vocals strike an emotional chord and like Junior Byles he never seemed to sing a song without investing in it something of the fragile passion that reportedly troubled his inner world. The standout tracks include It's Running Over, When The Right Time Come, Blow Wind and Some A Dem Run Away. Onlyroots present this fine album complete with its stunning original cover photo featuring McKay, his gaze suitably focused somewhere in the middle distance, a hefty spliff balanced between his fingers, in crisp full colour detail. Essential stuff.

8.0 REVIEW ON PITCHFORK : Though 40 years have passed between albums, roots reggae legend Max Romeo's latest picks up right where the classic Lee 'Scratch' Perry-produced War Ina Babylon left off.

Max Romeo (born Maxwell Livingston Smith, 22 November 1944) is a roots reggae recording artist that has achieved critical acclaim and chart success worldwide, with a recording career spanning 50 years. From his humble beginnings in Jamaica with the Emotions harmony group, Max's distinctive voice was soon picked up by the island's top producers, and he began his career as a powerful solo artist.

His 1968 world smash 'Wet Dream,' the Bunny Lee-produced 'song that nobody wanted to sing,' propelled Max onto the global stage with the track reaching Number 10 in the UK charts, despite being banned by the BBC, and it also hit the Number 1 chart position in Jamaica.

In 1971, Max's Let The Power Fall album set the path for the renowned political and social commentary that make his songs so powerfully relevant. In fact, the Leftist People's National Party (PNP) chose 'Let The Power Fall' as their theme song for the 1972 Jamaican general election. Max had been working sporadically with innovative producer Lee 'Scratch' Perry during the same era, but things reached another level in 1975, when Max began working on the excellent concept album Revelation Time at Perry's legendary Black Ark studio. 1976 saw the pair collaborate on what is certainly Max's best-known album to date, the internationally successful War Ina Babylon. Pairing the Black Ark version of Perry's oft-changing Upsetters band, with Lee Perry's inventive production, Tony Wright's fantastic hand-painted cover, and Max's insightful lyrics; all produced what is rated as one of the best roots reggae albums ever released. The album included hit songs such as 'War In A Babylon' and 'Chase The Devil', the latter becoming the most sampled reggae song to date.

We now fast forward to contemporary times, to find that Max has teamed up with British producer Daniel Boyle, who had recently finished a long stint working with Lee 'Scratch' Perry on rekindling the Black Ark sound for a number of releases, which culminated in the acclaimed & award winning album ''Back On The Controls''.

Daniel's vision for the Max Romeo project was to take the rekindled Black Ark studio set up, which he and Lee had created at Daniel's Rolling Lion studio in London, and blend a mix of the old and new with it, to create a follow-on from War Ina Babylon. The idea was to make a truly heavyweight roots reggae album; driven by Max Romeo's powerful and conscious lyrics.

For this project, Daniel and Max rounded up some of Lee Perry's old Upsetters line-up, including Vin Gordon on trombone, Robbie Lyn on keyboards, and Glen DaCosta on saxophone, blending these veteran Jamaican studio legends with Daniel's ever evolving 'Rolling Lion All Stars' session band, to create a reggae super group, with some added input from Lee 'Scratch' Perry himself on percussion, effects and backing vocals.

To complete the concept, Daniel connected with Tony Wright, who was bought on to design and hand-paint the cover art. Tony was responsible for hand painting many famous album covers during the 1970s and beyond, including Bob Marley and the Wailers' Natty Dread, Lee Perry's seminal dub album Super Ape, Junior Murvin's Police and Thieves, Ijahman Levi's Haile I Hymn, and many more...

The album plan was now in place. Max and Daniel thus headed into the studio throughout 2015, to create a set of ultra-heavyweight deep roots reggae tracks, with Max penning all original lyrics drawn from events taking place in the world we are living in today. Unfortunately, many of the same issues that prompted Max to write his deep social commentary on War Ina Babylon, are as ever-present today as they were back in the 1970s. So the writing sessions focused on the problems the world is facing in the 21st Century. Therefore, the album title was born, because, in Max's own words, 'We as a human race, are living in a real horror zone...'

The music was written, and the rhythm tracks arranged. So Daniel decided to continue the 1970s theme that the music was demanding, and set about recording the songs, with a classic Lo-Fi approach - Raw, rough round the edges 'Roots' style recordings, tracked live; but utilising the best vintage equipment available in the present day. A heady mix of original Fairchild, Decca, Neve, RCA, Gates and Teletronix compressors, Decca, Pultec and Neve EQ's. RCA, Grampian and Telefunken microphones, and a vintage Neve console; were used to record the music. With a focus on capturing Lee Perry's classic Black Ark 'Lo-Fi' drum sound. Max's vocals were then recorded using a beautiful, original 1950's RCA 44-BX Ribbon microphone. The tracks were then taken to Daniel's Rolling Lion Studio, where Lee Perry arrived to add percussion, effects for the dub versions; and backing vocals. Using similar units to those that had been in the Black Ark, including the Mu-Tron Bi-Phase, Grampian reverb and the Roland Space Echo. Daniel then mixed the tracks and created a set of ultra-deep & heavy dub versions, all blended together on his vintage British, Trident 80B console. All culminating, with a true mix of veteran and modern players, working with vintage analogue equipment; recorded, mixed and dubbed in the present day — A real blend of the old and the new. The concept was then taken to Tony Wright, who designed the stunning artwork, hand-painted in oils, taking the woman he featured on the 'War Ina Babylon' cover; and bringing her into our modern day world—the real 'Horror Zone.'
ROLLING LION STUDIO 2016

Midnight Groovers burst onto the musical scene in the early 1970s led by Phillip Mark aka "Chubby" and his brother "Coe". This compilation puts together for the very first time all the best reggae tracks of the famous Dominican band. Their music spreads a strong and deep message, a message of resistance.

Naughty NMX cooks up summer in the winter with two primo tracks of Boom Bap Soul. Side A takes you through Harlem from Rutger Park, down Malcolm X Blvd all the way to the Apollo with sweet soul music and neck snapping drums down all of Our Streets. Side B gives you a Million And One reasons to then hop the A train all the way to Marcy, Brooklyn, with silky piano stabs for the journey.

Roots Dub from Vinney Satta and Omar Perry ! With a Vida Sunshyne featuring. Wise dub stuff !

Diggers With Gratitude bring you Phill Most Chill's highly sought-after debut single, reissued
on 7' vinyl for the first time, including the never before reissued B-side track 'Out To Kill'.

This is the latest new installment of Soul Jazz Records' on-going collection of Rastafarian music at Studio One, featuring classic material from legendary roots and culture artists The Gladiators, Horace Andy, Freddie McGregor, Sugar Minott and the Wailing Souls, alongside a superb selection of rarities from Sir Coxsone's musical empire made up of one-off and practically unknown Rastafarian artists who recorded on a myriad of Studio One off-shoot labels in the 1970s - The Manchesters, Mellodies, The Nightingales and others.
In this new collection, we see that once again the prescient Clement Dodd was a man who saw the wider picture. In the 1960s it was Sir Coxsone who identified the creative potential of The Wailers, Toots and the Maytals, Heptones, Burning Spear and many, many others. In the 1970s Studio One released an untouchable selection of the finest as styles moved from reggae to deejay to dub and, in the latter half, the emergence of dancehall.
But what is also clear is that throughout this era Studio One released an incredible amount of roots music, and not just the most commercially obvious. For alongside the career-building catalogues of Burning Spear, The Wailing Souls, The Gladiators and so on, one needs to be an ardent Studio One collector to know some of the truly raw Rastafarian music featured here. Groups such as The Manchesters or The Nightingales feel as if they were recorded straight out of the churchical chants of the mansions.
Black Man's Pride explains the links between the ideology of Clement Dodd at Studio One and the Rastafarian faith, which was the creation of Afro-Jamaicans and concerned above all else with a black consciousness and empowerment, a rediscovering of the personal and racial identity of black people. The movement began in the 1930s and, in tandem with this black consciousness, called for a rejection of the British imperial culture that dominated Jamaica, while creating an identity based on a re-appropriation of an African heritage.
The Rastafari movement was like a pivot, bringing together and balancing many vectors of ideologies. Marcus Garvey's Back to Africa movement, trades union discourse, anti-colonialism and nation independence, maroon self-definition and independence, the spirit of African rebellion in the Caribbean. For Clement Dodd, a black man and producer growing up in Kingston in this era, Rastafari was simply a part of his everyday world - from witnessing Count Ossie's grounations to the faith of many Jamaican artists at Studio One - from the Skatalites onwards.
Featured here alongside these classic and rare tracks from Studio One are new and extensive sleeve notes with track-by-track notes by Rob Chapman, author of the acclaimed Downbeat Special and Never Grow Old Studio One books.
The album is released as double heavyweight gatefold vinyl (+ free download code), CD with slipcase and booklet, and digital album.

Lost 80s presents 30 tracks compiled by Gary Crowley across three 'themed' LPs, from 'Jingly
Jangly' indie-pop 7's to the edge of the New Romantic, and Dance grooves. Many of these tracks
are rare and very hard to find having not appeared on CDs or LPs since the original 80s releases.
The better known artists that do appear here are represented by some of their lesser-known
('lost') tracks.
'The 80s (and especially the first part) was an amazing time for music. It was a mad, fast,
kaleidoscopic rollercoaster ride where the chancers taking your money not only walked the walk;
they backed it up with innovative, amazing tunes that changed the way music was made forever.
That's certainly how I remember it...' Gary Crowley
Presented across 3 x Heavyweight 180g pieces of coloured vinyl, and including an introduction
and track by track notes by Gary Crowley, plus memories of the era from Nick Heyward (Haircut
100), Sarah Dallin (Bananarama), Gary Kemp (Spandau Ballet) Annabella Lwin (Bow Wow Wow),
Clare Grogan (Altered Images) and more.
'So here, spread over these three LPs, I've collected together the best (in my personal opinion)
of the guitar bands, the dance acts and the synth groups that made up the soundtrack of that
gloriously thrilling decade for me and my friends. Let me just state for the record, you'll find no
Michael Jackson, Madonna, Prince, Duran Duran, Dire Straits or the like appearing on these
discs...'


























[Z] E4. Whodini - Magic's Wand [Special Extended Mix]



[ZD] F4. The Staple Singers - Slippery People [Club Version]

The first commercial vinyl edition of this classic of modern African music, from Burkinab musician and singer-songwriter Victor Deme. The album is a unique mosaic of folk blues melodies, intimate Mandingo ballads, and Latin

influences, salsa and flamenco. This reissue celebrates the album's 10th anniversary, which was a huge success in France (Gold disc, with 100,000 copies sold) and voted Album of the Year in 2008 by France Inter listeners (the No. 1 French public radio station).

After a 30-year career in Burkina Faso, Deme finally released his first album aged 46. In 2007, with the help of journalist David Commeillas and of Soundicate's activists, they founded the label Chapa Blues Records to promote Victor's

music. The singer started to work on his album in the small studio at the back of his artist residence in Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso. The studio is no more than two rooms separated by a truck windshield and equipped with

a 16- track console, but it has become the rallying point of numerous talented artists. 'His voice is warm and slightly husky and his songs are splendidly lyrical and supported by excellent guitar playing.' - Songlines (The Best Albums of 2008)

LP DELUXE EDITION includes: Pink vinyl / Poster / Redeem code, Ltd to 300 copies, LP includes redeem code / Ltd to 700 copies - PRAED's fourth album. This is the ultimate kit to prepare calmly for the sixth extinction! The Lebanese duo delivers a raging interpretation of the chaabi - popular Arabic music - using synthesizers, drum Machines, samples and other devices. The result is hypnotic and psychedelic, on the verge of trance. The clarinet of Paed Conca and the soaring lyricism of Raed Yassin sound like distant calls for help emerging from a world that is falling apart and slipping away. The record itself is enhanced by its sleeve - designed by the Lebanese artist Raphaëlle Macaron - printed in 5 Pantone colors making it as explosive as the music.

LP DELUXE EDITION includes: Pink vinyl / Poster / Redeem code, Ltd to 300 copies, LP includes redeem code / Ltd to 700 copies - PRAED's fourth album. This is the ultimate kit to prepare calmly for the sixth extinction! The Lebanese duo delivers a raging interpretation of the chaabi - popular Arabic music - using synthesizers, drum Machines, samples and other devices. The result is hypnotic and psychedelic, on the verge of trance. The clarinet of Paed Conca and the soaring lyricism of Raed Yassin sound like distant calls for help emerging from a world that is falling apart and slipping away. The record itself is enhanced by its sleeve - designed by the Lebanese artist Raphaëlle Macaron - printed in 5 Pantone colors making it as explosive as the music.

While Montego Bay natives Jackie Bernard, his brother Footy Bernard and cousin Lloyd Kerr recorded under various guises in the early '60s, their collective arrival as The Kingstonians in 1967 marked a sea change not only in the vocal trio's productivity and popularity, but also in the emerging Reggae sound. The Kingstonians made several chart-topping singles between 1968 and 1970, including the massive hit 'Singer Man' whose success ultimately led to the release of their sole LP, Sufferer.

Originally issued on Trojan, Sufferer collects a dozen of The Kingstonians' best-known songs. Produced by Derrick Harriott, these truly boss sounds would pack dancehalls on the island as well as become the soundtrack for working-class youth across '70s Britain.

The title track remains a classic of the early Reggae era with impeccable arrangements, stuttering organ and soul-steeped lyrics. The Kingstonians' shift away from Rocksteady modes is perhaps most apparent on the aforementioned 'Singer Man'—an irresistible forward groove, prompting a deeper danceability that is rightly centered on real feeling.

Reproducing the original sleeve design, this reissue is part of an archival series that focuses on Trojan's essential '60s and '70s catalogue. Liner notes by Laurence Cane-Honeysett.

Considered the Sean Paul of West Africa w/the social conscience of Bob Marley & Fela Kuti, this Sierra Leonean pop superstar delivers a mixture of 90s dancehall reggae, Afrobeats & the current leanings of the naija movement.

The Misadventures Of A Middleman is the new album from Essa. Despite being a firm fixture in the UK rap scene for over a decade, this will be Essa's first full-length since 2006's 'Grown Man Business' album with DJ Mr Thing. Early releases 'Liquid Love', 'City Breaks' and 'Dancing Shoes' (under former name Yungun) established him as one of the UK's most insightful MCs. Collabs with Guru (Gang Starr/Jazzmatazz) and praise from Nas and Mark Ronson followed. All of this whilst pursuing a parallel career as an entertainment lawyer.

The collision of these two worlds, plus his mixed race heritage, are the inspiration for the new album and the track 'The Middle Man'. This vinyl only release features a remix by label-mate and producer of the moment Tall Black Guy, adding his trademark soulful hip hop sound to Essa's on-point rhymes.

Jim Sharp returns with two rebuilt edits aimed at the dance floor and the ladies. Side A takes a healthy amount of Crazy bongos, blends them with epic horn stabs In an ode to the psychological side of Love. The B side rebuilds from the ground up with fluttering pianos, wah-wah chords, warm rhodes and a dash of 90's R&B swing to remind you of the first time falling in love.

Playing a seven inch called I Love Digital is the most classious thing ever :)

On a trip to Tokyo, steeped in thoughts about a world driven by fear, scaremongering and supremacy ever present, there was a need and desire for Rushmore to explore his own internal hope, faith and positivity - themes that lie at the core of debut album, 'Ours After'.

The LP's backbone is informed by his past musings of 90s/00s rap albums, fused with the more recent club stylings of innovative music pioneers like Spinn, Rashad (RIP) & Teklife.

At 13 tracks long, the album is a journey - and a chance for Rushmore to re-imagine the music he'd been gifted before, to become 'Ours After'.

First time reissue of Scion Succcess' debut
Pressed in the UK on red vinyl. Ten song LP full of NYC dancehall classics like "Put It On" and "Pain-A-Back." Recorded at Phillip Smart's HC&F studios with the best NYC session players of the day, a criminally underrated LP. Check out "Juggling Spot"

'nice & greasy' is an appropriate title for this album. Not only was the familiar progressive rock sound in place, the soulful and funky vocals of Chris Farlowe continued to influence their sound as it did on 'Made in England.' It was indeed absolutely nice n' greasy, albeit maturely.

Crane's hammond b-3 organ was ever present and always influential in the final outcome of each song, with this album being no exception to that rule.

'Voodoo in You' is a shining opportunity for new guitar player Johnny Mandala to show his wares and he really seizes the moment by giving Crane some great biting chords to wrap his spirited keyboard playing around. 'take one toke' leads off side two in a big way. It's the best track on the album, combining the strengths of each band member effectively and mightily without any compromise. Crane was never one to negotiate his music in any way, and this final effort for this line up gave their fans another classic Atomic Rooster LP to covet and cherish for the years to come.

'Miri' is the fifth album by Malian ngoni maestro Bassekou Kouyate and the followup to the acclaimed 'Ba Power' (2015) which saw a more electric approach, complete with distortion and wah wah pedal (as Mojo magazine

says 'in Kouyat 's hands, the little lute, with its skin made from the head of a cow, becomes every bit as thuggish as a distorted Les Paul.'). The sound on this new album is more rootsy and reconnects to the beginnings

of Bassekou's solo career and his celebrated debut album 'Segu Blue' (2007). 'Miri' ('dream' or 'contemplation' in the Bamana language) sees Bassekou in a somber, contemplative mood, reflecting about life, love, friendship, family and

his country in a time of crisis. Mali's problems are plentiful: egoism in politics, Islamists, tensions between nomads and cultivators and climate change (including the Niger river drying up).

As always there is the intricate sound of Bassekou's virtuoso ngoni playing - and, ever the innovator of the ngoni, one of the album's stand out tracks, 'Wele ni' sees him playing slide ngoni with a bottleneck. Guests include Habib

Koite, Afel Bocoum, Abdoulaye Diabate and Michael League (Snarky Puppy, Bokante) amongst others. 'Superb ... As usual, the playing is incredible. He takes an ngoni - a lute like

cross between a guitar and a cricket bat - and creates complex riffs and rills that draw the listener in to the music. It seems and sounds simple but there is incredible layered complexity to the music as it builds. The sound isn't forced

but you find yourself following the multiple rhythms and strands of the music in a natural way as each pushes forward into your consciousness ... Magnificent.' ***** Music-News

The Betty Ford Boys are ready to retox! "Retox" is the second album by the Austro-German producer super group consisting of Suff Daddy, Dexter and Brenk Sinatra. The album was recorded at The Fisherhaus, a small timber cottage somewhere in Bavaria earlier this year. The Betty Ford Boys moved their home-studios from Berlin, Stuttgart and Vienna into the small shack and let loose. If you compare "Retox" to the 21st century G-Funk of their debut album "Leaders Of The Brew School", one can say that the Betty Ford Boys are reporting from the dark side of the moon this time. Low-tuned and bass-heavy stoner beats are sitting next to moog-driven 808 workouts and you never know what's comig next. If "Retox" follows a formula then the formula is that there is no formula. "Retox" is simply one of the most - if not the most - complete instrumental hip-hop albums of 2014. Period!

THE CLUB THAT SET THE TEMPLATE FOR NORTHERN SOUL COMPILED WITH FOUNDING DJ CARL DENE AND NEWLY REMASTERED FOR THE CLUB'S 50th ANNIVERSARY

'Before the Catacombs there was Rhythm & Blues, after the Catacombs there was Northern Soul' - Carl Dene They called it 'the greatest little Soul Club in the land' and, as history tells us,

it bridged the gap between the R&B of the Twisted Wheel and the 'adrenalin' soul of the Golden Torch. It was an integral part of the rare soul movement and

set the template for what became known as Northern Soul! This stunning vinyl album is compiled in association with the club's founding DJ, Carl Dene, and celebrates its 50th Anniversary. It has been newly remastered

and pressed to 180g heavyweight audiophile vinyl complete with sleeve notes and a printed inner sleeve.

This New Record Occurs A Flawless Recipe, Featuring The Flavoursome Ingredientsused In Previous Releases, Seasoned With New Elements Which Brings His Sound To A Whole New Level. Bouncing Between Detroit Influenced Jazzy-house, Parisian 90's Friendly Grooves And Deep, Hazy Hip-hop Cuts.

After His Debut Ep "bites & Pieces" F. Of Audiotreats Follows Up With His Debut Album. After 25 Years In The Game As Dj And Producer For Acts Like Dendemann, Joy Denalane, Slum Village, Oddisee, Kev Brown And Collaborating With Shuko For The "cookies & Cream" Series On Jakarta And Shuko's For The Love Of It Label He Is Ready For His Instrumental Release On Shuko's Label. 90´s Flavour With A Dilla Swing And Smooth Soul & Jazz Samples Are The Big Part His Production Style.

2024 Reissue

We're proud to introduce the new Superfly reissue of 1989
nigerian ecological soul LP, a superb dubby manifesto to nature
preservation! The album sounds like nothing else and comes with
extended liner notes by Uchenna Ikone. As usual, beautiful quality
repress with paste on covers made in Japan, Obi and 180grs vinyl,
limited to 1000 copies only!

180 gram vinyl re-issue of classic Maytones album first released 1976. Produced & Arranged by A. Ranglin. Original LP Illustration by Tyrone Whyte

Advertising in Riddim, Black Echoes and Record Collector Magazine

All-time classic rocksteady album with the evergreen rewind Love me Forever, and more.

2x12"

An artist as versatile as Alex Krüger is a rare find these days, not only did he release numerous EP's and albums as Tigerskin or Korsakow since the mid 90s, he's also been on the forefront of the 'Dub Techno' movement since 1999 with outings on classic labels such as 'Raum...Musik", 'Force Tracks' and '3B/ United States of Mars". Now ten years after his last album on 'Opossum Recordings' Alex is back with this well crafted genre bending full length 'Caves & Cages". From deep techno cuts through rippling ambient excursions to funky reggae infused live jams with Haushausen this work is yet another milestone in the creative bubble Alex lives in (i.e. his studio). A predominantly analogue producer, Alex recorded most sounds for 'Caves & Cages' on his modular synths and vintage gear at Organic Domain during 2017 and early 2018. Throughout the album tension ebbs and flows effortlessly via syncopated subs, analogue improvisation, subtle chord stabs and sustained swells interspersed with textured field and home recordings. The ambient opener 'Intra' sets the tone for the album. Rich with alien atmospheres, distant soundscapes, out of reach voices and licks of live instruments dug up from numerous recordings dating back as far as 30 years, even before Alex started his electronic journey. The sojourn ventures deeper from there. Subaquatic dub techno is the mood on 'King's Cave", 'Helix' and 'In Air' only surfacing ever so slightly for moments of clarity where shimmering tops and glistening synth lines shed some light on the steady grooves. The tracks 'Future History' and 'Transition State CIV' border on deep house territory.

produce by theo parrish