Hip-Hop Vinyl New Releases - News

Underground Jazz, Street Funk & The Roots Of Rap 1968-79

Soul Jazz Records' new release 'Soul of a Nation: Afro-Centric Visions in the Age of Black Power' is released in conjunction with a major worldwide art exhibition, Soul of A Nation: Art in the The Age of Black Power which takes place at the Tate Modern, London, UK (July-Oct 2017) and The Brooklyn Museum, New York, USA.
The album shows how the ideals of the civil rights movement, black power and black nationalism influenced the evolvement of radical African-American music in the United States of America in the intensely political and revolutionary period at the end of the 1960s following the assassinations of Malcolm X, Martin Luther King and the rise of the Black Panther party.
Featuring groundbreaking artists such as Gil Scott-Heron, Roy Ayers, Don Cherry, Oneness of Juju, Sarah Webster Fabio, Horace Tapscott, Phil Ranelin and many others, Soul of A Nation shows how political themes led to the rise of 'conscious' black music as new afro-centric styles combined the musical radicalism and spirituality of John Coltrane and radical avant-garde jazz music alongside the intense funk and soul of James Brown and Aretha Franklin and the urban poetry and proto-rap of the streets.
The Soul of a Nation exhibition draws on the links between Black art forms - art, music, poetry - and how they came together during the civil rights and black power era as part of the wider black arts movement across the United States.
Iconic African-Amercian revolutionary figures such as Martin Luther King, Malcolm X and Angela Davis, John Coltrane, Muhammad Ali all appear in the radical artworks of Barkley L. Hendricks, Romare Bearden, Norman Lewis, Lorraine O'Grady and Betye Saar.
A selection of original radical jazz record sleeves artworks which appear in Soul Jazz Records' earlier groundbreaking Freedom, Rhythm and Sound - Revolutionary Jazz Original Cover Art book will also be on show at the Tate, London throughout the exhibition. The Freedom, Rhythm and Sound book is also newly back-in-print in conjunction with this major exhibition and the release of the Soul of a Nation album.
Stuart Baker (founder of Soul Jazz Records) will appear on the panel of Jazz for Soul of a Nation: Art in the Age of Black Power discussion at the gallery as part of the show.
Soul of a Nation comes with extensive sleeve-notes and exclusive photography in a large 36-page outsize booklet and slipcase. Double gatefold vinyl album edition comes with full colour inners + bonus download code and includes full sleeve-notes/photography.

The Allergies' debut album introduced the world to the way they effortlessly fuse funk, soul, disco, hip-hop and breaks into dancefloor-ready nuggets of ear candy. Taking classic sounds and reshaping for the modern age is the signature that won them plaudits across the globe.

Not ones to rest on their laurels, it hasn't taken long for them to deliver more of the goods on their second full-length album, 'Push On'. As well as taking the successful formula of the first record and expanding on the sound with raw Funk, Psych, Northern Soul, and Boogie influences, The Allergies enlisted two giants of underground Hip-Hop to bless mics on the album as well.

After a hugely successful collaboration on their debut LP, once again the dynamic lyricism and production skills of the inimitable Andy Cooper (Ugly Duckling) are present and correct in this new collection. Besides bringing the party on tracks like 'Main Event', he also settles scores with 'It Won't Be Me', before destroying all-comers on the battle Rap behemoth, 'Buzzsaw'. Also joining in on the action is UK MC veteran, Dr Syntax (The Mouse Outfit, Foreign Beggars) who prescribes some more healthy Hip-Hop advice on the track 'Remedy'.

Other highlights include the vintage Soul stomper, 'Entitled to That', Sixties uptempo groover, 'Hold You Close', and the fantastic little strutter, 'Get Down On You'. All in all it's a brand new set of future classics from your new favourite funky beatmakers, The Allergies.

In 1988, on the eve of a two decade civil war, Somalia's authoritarian ruler Siad Barre launched punishing air strikes on the north of the country, known today as Somaliland, in response to agitations for independence. The bombing leveled the entire city. Barre targeted Radio Hargeisa to prevent any kind of central communication system that could organize a resistance.

With the attack imminent, a few brave radio operators and dedicated vanguards of Somali culture knew the archives, containing over half a century of Somali music had to be preserved. Thousands upon thousands of cassette tapes and master reels were quickly removed from the soon-to-be targeted buildings. They were dispersed to neighboring countries like Djibouti and Ethiopia, and buried deep under the ground to withstand even the most powerful airstrikes.

"We buried them in the ground so the bomb's won't hit," one former leading journalist with Radio Hargeisa told us.

These audio artifacts were excavated and recalled from their foreign shelters only very recently. Some of those recordings are now kept safe in the 10,000-strong cassette tape archive of the Red Sea Foundation, the largest collection of Somali cassettes in the world, in Somaliland's capital, Hargeisa. The Ostinato Records team digitized a large portion of the archive, distilling 15 songs that reveal the panoramic diversity of styles and sophistication of Somali musicianship.

Over a millennia of trade in the Indian Ocean invited the cultures of the Arabian Peninsula, Persia, India, Southeast Asia, and even China to slowly work their melodies, scales, and sounds into Somalia's rich musical repertoire. Each track is a keen illustration of a carefully refined, rarely revealed cultural crossroads of the world.

The archive offered a living window to the Mogadishu of the 1970s and 1980s, when the coastal capital glistened as the "Pearl of the Indian Ocean," when wine flowed freely. With its iconic ivory-colored architecture and crescent beaches overlooking the Indian Ocean, Mogadishu was home to the lavish Al Uruba and Jazira sea side hotels, where youthful bands like Iftiin, Sharero, and Dur Dur serenaded cosmopolitan crowds at some of the most elegant nightclubs in East Africa. These damaged cassettes evoked memories of the revered national theater, where Waaberi Band provided unforgettable soundtracks.

Mogadishu's nightlife culture was rich and booming. Raucous rhythms, rugged horns, celestial synthesizers, and stalking baselines came alive alongside majestic voices like Mahmud "Jerry" Hussen and powerful and adored female singers like Faadumo Qaasim, Hibo Nuura, and Sahra Dawo. Somali music of this era is set apart by its empowerment of women. Female singers, often more prolific than their male counterparts, are inseparable from its evolution. Half the compilation is sung by women, their voices often compared in Somali poetry to the sweetness of broken dates. Poetry, intrinsic to the cultural fabric, forms the foundation of Somali songwriting.

Somali music's golden age, curiously, occurred under a socialist military dictatorship, which effectively nationalized the music industry. A thriving scene was owned entirely by the state. Music was recorded for and by national radio stations and only disseminated through public broadcasts or live performances. Private labels were virtually non-existent. This music was never made available for mass release. Almost all recorded material came from original masters or homemade recordings of radio broadcasts. As a result, most of it has never been heard outside Somalia and the immediate region.

During the Cold War, Somalia drifted between Soviet and American support — and a decade of U.S. backing allowed soul and funk to capture the imagination of Somali youth, adding the final touch on this masterpiece era.

This project took our team to Mogadishu, Hargeisa, Djibouti, and across the Somali diaspora in Europe, the United States, and the Middle East. For the last year, from Minnesota to Mogadishu to Malaysia, we have tracked down the musicians, songwriters, composers, former government officials, and quirky personalities that colored Somali music life. Their words and stories are revealed in a 15,000-word liner note booklet — the only document of its kind to cover this era of Somali music in depth.

Alongside the story of Somalia's music before the civil war, the selection is also focused on the pan-Somali sound. Spread over much of the Horn of Africa, Somali language and culture transcend arbitrary borders. Somali singers from Djibouti were at home in Mogadishu.

This compilation seeks to revive the rightful image, history, and identity of the Somali people, detached from war, violence, piracy, and the specter of a persistent threat. These 15 tracks should serve as a necessary starting point.

In 1988, on the eve of a two decade civil war, Somalia's authoritarian ruler Siad Barre launched punishing air strikes on the north of the country, known today as Somaliland, in response to agitations for independence. The bombing leveled the entire city. Barre targeted Radio Hargeisa to prevent any kind of central communication system that could organize a resistance.

With the attack imminent, a few brave radio operators and dedicated vanguards of Somali culture knew the archives, containing over half a century of Somali music had to be preserved. Thousands upon thousands of cassette tapes and master reels were quickly removed from the soon-to-be targeted buildings. They were dispersed to neighboring countries like Djibouti and Ethiopia, and buried deep under the ground to withstand even the most powerful airstrikes.

"We buried them in the ground so the bomb's won't hit," one former leading journalist with Radio Hargeisa told us.

These audio artifacts were excavated and recalled from their foreign shelters only very recently. Some of those recordings are now kept safe in the 10,000-strong cassette tape archive of the Red Sea Foundation, the largest collection of Somali cassettes in the world, in Somaliland's capital, Hargeisa. The Ostinato Records team digitized a large portion of the archive, distilling 15 songs that reveal the panoramic diversity of styles and sophistication of Somali musicianship.

Over a millennia of trade in the Indian Ocean invited the cultures of the Arabian Peninsula, Persia, India, Southeast Asia, and even China to slowly work their melodies, scales, and sounds into Somalia's rich musical repertoire. Each track is a keen illustration of a carefully refined, rarely revealed cultural crossroads of the world.

The archive offered a living window to the Mogadishu of the 1970s and 1980s, when the coastal capital glistened as the "Pearl of the Indian Ocean," when wine flowed freely. With its iconic ivory-colored architecture and crescent beaches overlooking the Indian Ocean, Mogadishu was home to the lavish Al Uruba and Jazira sea side hotels, where youthful bands like Iftiin, Sharero, and Dur Dur serenaded cosmopolitan crowds at some of the most elegant nightclubs in East Africa. These damaged cassettes evoked memories of the revered national theater, where Waaberi Band provided unforgettable soundtracks.

Mogadishu's nightlife culture was rich and booming. Raucous rhythms, rugged horns, celestial synthesizers, and stalking baselines came alive alongside majestic voices like Mahmud "Jerry" Hussen and powerful and adored female singers like Faadumo Qaasim, Hibo Nuura, and Sahra Dawo. Somali music of this era is set apart by its empowerment of women. Female singers, often more prolific than their male counterparts, are inseparable from its evolution. Half the compilation is sung by women, their voices often compared in Somali poetry to the sweetness of broken dates. Poetry, intrinsic to the cultural fabric, forms the foundation of Somali songwriting.

Somali music's golden age, curiously, occurred under a socialist military dictatorship, which effectively nationalized the music industry. A thriving scene was owned entirely by the state. Music was recorded for and by national radio stations and only disseminated through public broadcasts or live performances. Private labels were virtually non-existent. This music was never made available for mass release. Almost all recorded material came from original masters or homemade recordings of radio broadcasts. As a result, most of it has never been heard outside Somalia and the immediate region.

During the Cold War, Somalia drifted between Soviet and American support — and a decade of U.S. backing allowed soul and funk to capture the imagination of Somali youth, adding the final touch on this masterpiece era.

This project took our team to Mogadishu, Hargeisa, Djibouti, and across the Somali diaspora in Europe, the United States, and the Middle East. For the last year, from Minnesota to Mogadishu to Malaysia, we have tracked down the musicians, songwriters, composers, former government officials, and quirky personalities that colored Somali music life. Their words and stories are revealed in a 15,000-word liner note booklet — the only document of its kind to cover this era of Somali music in depth.

Alongside the story of Somalia's music before the civil war, the selection is also focused on the pan-Somali sound. Spread over much of the Horn of Africa, Somali language and culture transcend arbitrary borders. Somali singers from Djibouti were at home in Mogadishu.

This compilation seeks to revive the rightful image, history, and identity of the Somali people, detached from war, violence, piracy, and the specter of a persistent threat. These 15 tracks should serve as a necessary starting point.

After the success of their previous vinyl singles, 'Figo' b/w 'Keep Running' and 'You're Good To Me' b/w 'Her Name Escapes Me' plus their debut album "Forever Tomorrow", Darlington-based jazz/funk/soul/disco combo Weekend Sun return to Hero Records to release their new double A-sided single featuring the tracks 'Losers And Fools' and 'Hole In My Heart' on 17 June 2017. The single has already been BBC Introducing's 'Single Of The Week' on Bob Fischer's BBC Tees radio show and was played every day during the day time the following week.

'Losers And Fools' has been played heavily on Chris Donald's Soul Show (BBC Newcastle) and won his 'single of the week spin off' which apparently guaranties a hit record as well as a full season in Blackpool with Rod Hull and Emu!

Catch Weekend Sun playing Hardwick Live Festival, Stockton Stages Festival and supporting Smoove and Turell at the Boiler Shop over the summer.

A split release on Nation's sublabel, Kode. Two exclusive tracks from Black Meteoric Star and D'Marc Cantu. These songs will never be released anywhere else. 250 copies only.
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D'Marc Cantu's RDDS is an abstract production where Hip Hop Meets electronix. A rare, unique document of class and sickness.

Black Meteoric Star closes the release with an homage to a legendary NYC neo film...

REPRESSED !

Retrogott is back on AVA. RECORDS! Following Funky Beats And A Green Petrol Bus, here comes Funky Beats And A Supersonic Turbojet: Fresh as usual in a hand stamped color cover!

The DJ/production duo from Munich back with four tracks full of bass-heavy excursions into hybrid forms of club music close to Grime, Dancehall, Dub, Techno and the yet unnamed territory in between - their natural habitat. Lead single and first track of the EP is Copper And Lead, which features "London city warlord" Riko Dan of Roll Deep fame, spitting dangerous lyrics on a Bashment/Grimeriddim.Following this is Blurred Vision, low end monster named after their gigantic soundsystem event series, exploring the middle ground between Dub and the technoleaning 4x4 universe. Up next is Killer, a song with Warrior Queen from Jamaica, who prepares for a Dancehall dub war on a 808-heavy beat straight from Miami...err, Munich.Topping the EP off is Siren Riddim, an instrumental uptempo bomb for the apocalypse club gang and all the gunfinger crew. It's the first EP in a series of three, leading up to an Haul & Pull Up album in early 2017. With this, Schlachthofbronx will follow up their three previous original albums (2009s Schlachthofbronx, 2012s Dirty Dancing and 2014s Rave And Romance), completed by EPs for Labels like Mixpak, Monkeytown, Mad Decent, Disko B and Man Recordings as well as production work for artists like M.I.A., Snoop Dogg, Major Lazer or Bonde Do Role.

TCP (The Cat Production) is the umbrella under that phineas produces some sort of beats. The archives are early pruductions that are now released by certain:dubs with its own series, that represent the roots of his productions in the sound of hip hop culture.

A few years ago, Melodies family members Floating Points and DJ Red Greg got their hands on a couple of original 70s obscurities. While these standout records shone brightly in their own right, the two DJs saw the potential to create their own edits behind the scenes, finely attuning the original versions to modern-day dancefloor standards. Of these new recordings, they cut only five copies for themselves and a few DJ friends of theirs. Today, Melodies International is very proud to bring you MEL006 and MEL007. Fully licensed, lovingly mastered to the highest possible standards and carefully edited to dial up that dancefloor enjoyment, these two 'You're A Melody' classics weren't originally meant to get official releases. But due to popular request, they are now available to play and share in very special moments at parties around the world. MEL6 arrives as a 7-inch, with the original version and the edit on the flip. First released in 1979 as a three-minute up-tempo library recording, 'Disco Baby", one of 10 tracks off a record available to license for film, radio, television and other media, held some hidden magic that would only get uncovered almost four decades later. Informed by years of combined dancefloor experience, Floating Points and Red Greg have slightly tweaked the original material, realising that played in the right context, it can become a true disco anthem.

Eddie C's Red Motorbike rolls into town again...
We're sticking with to the 7" format for this one, as Eddie splits the release with Moon Tan
Two more slinky, late night grooves await, as the scissors and tape are expertly wielded

Another keeper...

Hand - stamped, 7" vinyl only business

In Flagranti releasing a collaboration project with Ayakamay a contemporary conceptual artist living in New York City. Remixes by Das Komplex & Mytron.

Stone cold classic hip hop track from the vaults of legendary UK hip hop label Music Of Life, brought to life in a new ragga stylee by Fat Hop honcho, Jerome Hill with Itsu Uno mixing the dub version on the flip. Think THE BUG meets MAJOR LAZER. Hard stuttering ragga dancehall beats with a deep sub punch and quirky bleeps on the riddim This one is big !!

Never befrore released Fat and Hardcore Hip Hop from 1992. A time stamp of the year featuring rugged production, firing horn sections, fast raps, caustic deliveries and unashamed local accents. The sound sits somewhere betweenThe London Posse, Demon Boyz and Cyprus Hill. No official releases exist and apparently no billed gigs were ever played, but there is no doubt that had 'Say What I wanna Say' been given a proper release at the time of it's production in 1992, it would today sit comfortably amongst bonafide UK Hip Hop classics of that era and be considered a part of UK Hip Hop heritage. For me, they stand for something. it's an artefact. A relic from an era long forgotten, from a crew who loved doing what they did, and did it for the love alone. An important piece of history, that never happened whilst simultaneously happened in the most real way possible and for me embodies the true spirit of Hip Hop.

Three of these tracks were mixed down by a then unknown Roots Manuva and appeared on a very limited run of white labels in 1993 that never made it to official release. One of these would set you back £75 if you managed to find it on Discogs, while the other three tracks only ever existed on a cassette and are being released for the first time ever.

So pleased to announce this one - It's been a long time in the workings.. Brand new Fat Hop records - The DOPEST 1992 Hip Hop tracks, restored, remastered and available on vinyl . "Neighbourhood Threat" !!!

LTD 140g 10" grape juice vinyl MAIDM is made up of musical pioneers Aim and Mikey D.O.N.
Locked in the lab for as long as it took, they're now set to share the first fruits of this miraculous merger. Presented on tasty 10' grape juice vinyl, MAIDM's opening statement boasts two hard hitting hip-hop home-runs, Tun Up Di Heat (Party Banger) and B-Boy Shit.Tun Up Di Heat (Party Banger) is an earth-quaking, bass speaker shaking introduction to how nice they are. A beatific blend of head down hip hop and funky, floor-filling accessibility, Tun Up... is the perfect introduction to MAIDM and it's precision manifesto.Flip to the flip side for second track B-Boy Shit, a track that eschews concession to commerce and takes no prisoners through minimalistic murk and hyper-aggressive vocals. Long forgotten legends are name-checked, old scores are settled, the dirty break-beat rolls on and hip-hop gains a fresh new anthem.
MAIDM - Imagine the possibilities...

* Rob Smith is undoubtably the Godfather of the modern Bristol music scene, his music and influence defining the city over the last three decades.

* Punch Drunk presents a very limited repress of two anthemic two step indebted productions from the early 2000s in the classic Rob Smith style.

Having welcomed in 2015 on BBC 6 Music with a guest mix on Craig Charles' NYE House Party to over 250,000 listeners, Diesler was welcomed back to the show in late January 2015 to launch the first 'A Little Something Radio' Compilation.
Along side Craig Charles the compilation gained support from fellow BBC 6 Music DJ Huey Morgan who featured it on his show too. Such high profile launch and support, along with the 15 wonderful tracks on the compilation of course, propelled the release to become one of Here & Now Recordings most successful debut compilations.Inspired by his podcast of the same name, Diesler returns with the 2nd installment of 'A Little Something Radio' - 'London Sessions'.
Diesler delves deep into the vibrant and rich Modern Disco, Electronic Soul & Balearic scenes which thrive across the global dance floors and festivals, with a selection which reflects the variety of music he plays in his London DJ sets.
The 14 track CD and LP features established acts including Leo Zero (with remixes including Madonna, Lana Del Ray & Florence & The Machine under his belt), Yam Who(remixer of John Legend, Zero 7 & Amp Fiddler), Darkhouse Family (regulars at Fabric), US producer Tall Black Guy (who's fans include Gilles Peterson, Jazzy Jeff & Questlove) and Plateau Gats (supported by Hacienda legend & M-People founder Mike Pickering) well as debuting new artists Narcsus Prye, Ubiquity and Rich Keyworth who have all been hotly tipped thanks to their amazing live shows and work on feature film scores.
Along side European DJ jaunts Diesler also enjoys a monthly sell out residency called 'You Dig', with his DJ partner Simon Ham, at Soup Kitchen in Manchester, which was rated in the Top 10 UK Clubs by The Guardian.

Rsd Limited pressing

Reissued in its original form for Record Store Day 2016 for the album's 50th anniversary.

Limited Edition, Picture Disc 

RSD Limited pressing

1981 studio album.  James Ingram on the singles "Just Once" and "One Hundred Ways," 

Scrimshire's edits are synonymous with our imprint, and every one has been of the highest quality, often hand-picking the more obscure works you never knew you loved, from some of your favourite soul voices.

And as we turn 21 (release-wise) he pulls it out of the bag once again, rework Chaka's string-laiden "Some Love" into a monstrous dance-floor destroyer, adding some serious sliced and diced funk chops to Merry Clayton's percussion heavy version of "Keep Your Eye on the Sparrow", and finally, subtly and tastefully turning McNeal + Niles' rare slow and soulful treat, "Summertime Love" into a late night Balearic beauty.

The perfect summer soundtrack and another sure-fire Dubplate winner!

'Creation One' is a stunning eight track, jam packed album, so elusive but full of pure joy! Invigorating, stimulating, delightful, a treasure of rhythms grooves and breaks! 'Sombre Guitar' is the favourite to many, especially DJs! In the 1970's, composer and multi-instrumentalist John Danser formed Danser's Inferno, a funky Jazz-Rock-Fusion band, an ensemble of 14 very talented musicians. At age 14 John Danser emigrated from London and established himself in New York City where he earned a master's degree in music at the Manhattan school of music. In his early years, Danser played in classical as well as jazz gigs, simultaneously arranging and composing. He later went on to have an extensive musical career and at one point served as a bandleader at Concord hotel, during the Borscht Belt era, where he played for Sammy Davis jr., Milton Berle, Bob Hope and Judy Garland. - Rachel Kinoti

Jazzy Hip Hop instrumentals and a little hardcore breakbeat for the road:)

on ihm selbst schlicht als - project' bezeichnet, vereint das Album - untitled unmastered.'
Studioversionen jener namenlosen Tracks, die Kendrick Lamar im Verlauf der letzten Monate in
diversen TV-Shows präsentiert hatte, unter anderem bei - The Colbert Report', - The Tonight Show
Starring Jimmy Fallon' sowie zuletzt im Rahmen seiner gefeierten Grammy-Performance in L.A., wo er
neben - The Blacker The Berry' und - Alright' noch einen dritten, unveröffentlichten Song in sein Set
integriert hatte

Superb melt of World Music and trip Hop. Mental Instrumental, sweet and deep.

This well produced strong disco funk album is a hidden gem. The original is on many wants lists and rarely turns up. Heady disco funk from the glory days of the Miami soul scene in the 70's. This smoking album by the group Obatala is tight in a good way. Core funk energy mixed with some added strings and horns. A mode that's funky club, but never straight disco at all. Titles include "April", "Shades Of September", "Disco Party", "Funk-A-Fried", "Tight Rope", and "Work It Out". A killer set throughout! - Marc Janssen