Hip-Hop Vinyl New Releases - News

Originally released on 7" in 1983 on the High Times label remastered for 10" reissue.

Pressed On Clear Vinyl! To celebrate the 25th Anniversary of UGK's first album, Get On Down goes the extra mile, presenting it for the first time ever on vinyl. AND 2LP clear vinyl at that, giving the strutting, funky grooves the chance to really stretch out on your system. Back in 1992, Southern hip-hop was still proving to the world that it could sustain a fan base that was chiefly raised on rap from New York and LA. The Geto Boys and 2 Live Crew had made strong cases by the earliest '90s, and Pimp C and Bun B were ready to make their own. Most of the trunk-bumping bass comes from drum programs and basic sampling on these tunes - in later years they would build their sound into something even fuller and deeper. Self-produced with additional work from Houston locals Bernie Bismark and Shetoro Henderson, the tracks here are minimal, slow and menacing, which matched their lyrical approach quite nicely. You can hear the beginnings of the group's true greatness in these early lyrical workouts - several taken from the regional cassette-only EP The Southern Way that got them signed to Jive - with tales of street hustles, relationships and self-reliance in a world stacked against them. They may have been done early-on, but that doesn't mean they aren't crucial to UGK's legacy - cases in point being the three singles: Something Good', a charismatic update to Bill Withers' Use Me Up', and Pocket Full Of Stones' (the latter featured on the Menace II Society soundtrack). Beyond the singles, deeper cuts like I'm So Bad,' Feels Like I'm The One Who's Doin' Dope' and Cramping My Style' made it clear to the world that this crew had the attitude and charisma to make even bigger waves in the years to come.

1982 roots originally on the Oak Tree label, with an essential dub. Put to use previously by Massive Attack.

Vibronics having been running things on the UK/European Dub scene for around 20 years with a massive following, a string of albums and singles for their own Scoops label and Zion Train's Universal Egg in-print as well as touring extensively worldwide.
`Crisis' - dating from 1999 - is an uplifting stepper featuring melodica player Vitamin M and has never been released before in any format until now which will satisfy the hordes of vinyl-hungry dub-heads.

Babe Wallace's life in the world of the arts has spanned almost 50 years. From the 1930s until the 1980s he enjoyed a performing career on several continents in cabarets, musical reviews, films and theatre. He was also a composer and writer with a voluminous body of musical compositions. "Dizengoff" was recorded and released in NY in the late 1960s after Wallace returned from a 17 year stint outside the US. He mixes up English and Yiddish lyrics on this unbelievable big band rhythm & blues monster. Any serious mod/popcorn/soul DJ should have this in his box. Raw, frantic and raucous RnB at ist best!

Not a label to just rummage around in old drawers, the Rocafort heartbeat also pounds to the sound of the fresh and current. Coming at you like a welcome slap on the back from two familiar faces, this latest 7" release sees DJ Format & Abdominal reminding you why you may be pushing 40 but can't turn your back on the funky rap thing.

Taken from their new LP "Still Hungry", these mature B-boys continue to breeze effortlessly through what they do best: bold sharp beats, ingenious instrumentation, a crisp, fresh lyrical style that harks back to the carefree early 80s.

"We're back" does what it says on the tin. DJ Format whips up a banging soulful groove, buoyed along by an upbeat flute and Abdominal's accomplished, perfect diction - as always, voracious and loquacious. "Diamond hammer", a reference to "excavating gems" is more frantic and scratchy, equipped with horror film organ loops and psychedelic guitars. A pumped up, supercharged affair delivered in brash, brazen style by the most likeable duo in rap.

Comes with a free Funky Chimes 45rpm adapter. Funky Chimes sampler 5/5: Kiosk - Mona Call / Hearts Of Soul & Shampoo - We Love The Policeman

'Funky Chimes' is a two-hour collection of excellent and unique grooves. It contains 27 of the most interesting yet long forgotten Belgian dance tracks from the seventies, when a generation of extremely gifted and versatile musicians experimented with funk, jazz, latin and other grooves.
'Funky Chimes' is in many ways the logical follow up to 2014's highly acclaimed compilation 'Funky Chicken'. Uncovering a blind spot in Belgium's musical heritage and unearthing a diverse collection of hidden treasures. 'Funky Chicken' has induced a renewed interest in Belgium's rare grooves from the seventies, which until then had never been regarded a genre worth mentioning. Having said that, this second instalment is much more than just a fast sequel or a batch of leftovers. The music's quality matches that of its predecessor, but the treasure hunt was even more adventurous, and the stories behind some of the nuggets even more gripping.

Funky Chimes sampler 5/5:
Kiosk - Mona Call / Hearts Of Soul & Shampoo - We Love The Policeman

For the past four decades, a growing cult of soul music collectors have sought two obscure LPs and a handful of extremely rare 45s released on the vanity record label LAD Productions, Inc. between the late seventies and the mid eighties by the mysterious South Side Chicago singer/song writer Larry Dixon.
Larry's raw songs capture the transition from R&B to boogie-down as disco was rapidly becoming extinct.
They also perfectly illustrate Larry's ability to overcome his environment and discrimination, transcended by his determination to write and produce music. With the support of his faithful musicians, Larry's success was only hindered by lack of airplay and promotion, but his talent shines through.
This is the story of Larry Dixon, his label LAD Productions, Inc., and his friends and family throughout four decades of music in Chicago's toughest neighborhoods.
Jerome Derradji is proud to reactivate Past Due Records - the boogie funk division of Still Music to release this fantastic archive - what many consider to be the Holy Grail - of Chicago Funk, Boogie and Soul.

Drummer and music producer Desmond Mahoney is another of the unsung heroes of British reggae. Born in Jamaica, he moved to the UK in 1967 and began his professional career playing drums in a band called Young Ones From Zion. He was a
founding member of Black Slate when the group formed in 1974, played with them through their glory years and after running a sound system in North London for many years, returned to the fold when the group reformed a few years ago. His first foray in music production probably came during a brief period in Toronto in 1978, working with a band called the Ishan Lions, but he was back in the UK in time for Black Slate's breakthrough material, which brought them onto Ensign in the UK, Barclay in France and Alligator in the USA. At the same time, he continued to arrange and produce for a number of British reggae artists operating in both the roots and lover's rock modes, female duo Nya & Natty's 'One Love Stylee' seemed to bridge the two styles quite successfully on this greatly sought-after 12-inch, first issued in 1981 on the S&G label, then based at a record shop in Bow.

Mellow Mellow Right On continue their recent hot run of form, with #7 selling out within a week. They unearth 2 obscure masterpieces from the modern & Northern soul vaults, so get those orders in quick as demand for the label is reaching new levels, get them while you can!

Special Remarks: brown marbled vinyl

Written, produced, arranged and engineered by Joseph Longo III Pal Joey Music aka Earth People

New York finest Joseph Longo III (aka Pal Joey / Earth People) presents an excursions into deep &
soulful house, downbeats and electronica.

Heavy Hammond organ led driving ancefloor devastation on 'Whip It On Me' taken from the 'Heavy Soul' album from 1968. On flipside and taken from the New Genius of The Blues album from 1967 and the first time ever on a 45 is Billy's killer rendition of 'Got My Mojo Working (But It Just Won't Work On You) featuring Mr Hawks on vocals and organ and Joseph Jones on guitar. Powerful stuff from the Mukatsuku camp and another essential single for your record box !

Limited edition. Strictly no repress

2x12LP, 180g Vinyl, with printed deluxe sleeve by Designers Republic On Millions, OLSSON effortlessly spans genres including dance, indie, pop and more in-between. Opener 'Hold On' - a collaboration with the sharp tongue of Sweden's Mapei - leads with a classic hip-hop beat before breaking into a danceable indie swagger, and has already seen OLSSON achieve high profile acclaim from the likes of Zane Lowe, Noisey and more. Elsewhere on tracks such as 'This Heat' and 'Satellite (Only Analog Talks)', OLSSON channels a '90s rave influence while also delivering a gnarled Brit indie rock bite, which plays like the tripped-out love child of Kasabian and Jungle.

Comes with a free Funky Chimes 45rpm adapter. Funky Chimes sampler 3/5: S.S.O. - Faded Lady (instrumental) / Roland Thyssen - Riff For Peggy

'Funky Chimes' is a two-hour collection of excellent and unique grooves. It contains 27 of the most interesting yet long forgotten Belgian dance tracks from the seventies, when a generation of extremely gifted and versatile musicians experimented with funk, jazz, latin and other grooves.
'Funky Chimes' is in many ways the logical follow up to 2014's highly acclaimed compilation 'Funky Chicken'. Uncovering a blind spot in Belgium's musical heritage and unearthing a diverse collection of hidden treasures. 'Funky Chicken' has induced a renewed interest in Belgium's rare grooves from the seventies, which until then had never been regarded a genre worth mentioning. Having said that, this second instalment is much more than just a fast sequel or a batch of leftovers. The music's quality matches that of its predecessor, but the treasure hunt was even more adventurous, and the stories behind some of the nuggets even more gripping.

Funky Chimes sampler 3/5:
S.S.O. - Faded Lady (instrumental) / Roland Thyssen - Riff For Peggy

Comes with a free Funky Chimes 45rpm adapter. Sampler 1/5: The Soul Scratchers - Scratch My Back (pt. 1 & 2) / Patricia Burns - Paddock

'Funky Chimes' is a two-hour collection of excellent and unique grooves. It contains 27 of the most interesting yet long forgotten Belgian dance tracks from the seventies, when a generation of extremely gifted and versatile musicians experimented with funk, jazz, latin and other grooves.
'Funky Chimes' is in many ways the logical follow up to 2014's highly acclaimed compilation 'Funky Chicken'. Uncovering a blind spot in Belgium's musical heritage and unearthing a diverse collection of hidden treasures. 'Funky Chicken' has induced a renewed interest in Belgium's rare grooves from the seventies, which until then had never been regarded a genre worth mentioning. Having said that, this second instalment is much more than just a fast sequel or a batch of leftovers. The music's quality matches that of its predecessor, but the treasure hunt was even more adventurous, and the stories behind some of the nuggets even more gripping.

Sampler 1/5:
The Soul Scratchers - Scratch My Back (pt. 1 & 2) / Patricia Burns - Paddock

Brenton Wood's classic second album Baby You Got It features the smash hit, Gimme Little Sign' as well as his signature ballads Me & You' and Catch You On The Rebound'. Officially back in print on vinyl for the first time since its original release in 1967

Brenton Wood's charmingly unpredictable phrasing and his infectious sense of good times made the smooth uptown soul of The Oogum Boogum Song' and Gimme Little Sign' into hits in 1967. Officially back in print on vinyl for the first time since its original release in 1967

Rewind to 2014: Mr Bird and Greg Blackman released an immaculate LP on BBE. As well received as it was, however, it didn't get the vinyl justice it deserves. Until now... "Where Did The Party Go", one of the albums many highlights, gets a limited pressing with two beautiful updates from the don Beedle. Really relishing Greg's falsettos and the swooning horns, Ashley seduces us with his slow and low North Street remix then casually undresses us with raw organ and percussion on the stripped back remix. Smouldering.

Kiko Bun delivers first class contemporary roots reggae over Cultural Roots' "Mr Liar Man" riddim. Shy Man sees heavyweight production from Alborosie complemented by Kiko Bun's sweet vocals, with a killer dub to match. The flip-side we have one for the herbalists: Alipanga is bass driven smokers anthem, featuring Kington's own Dre Island.

With the release of his third album "Just Being Me" Myles Sanko has truly arrived. Following the worldwide release in autumn 2016 the Ghana born British soul singer and songwriter played sell out shows across Europe and gained extensive airplay on all major radio stations from Germany to France, from Spain to the UK.

"This Ain't Living" is a strong statement in troubled times and the second single from "Just Being Me".

Myles Sanko will embark on an extensive European tour from March 2017.

Birthed from deep within London's burgeoning Jazz resurgence, Native Dancer have been setting levels across the capital's live scene (and beyond) over the past two years. Five individual artists who together set out to create a music that speaks from the heart and denies none of their influences in a genre twisting mashup of styles with elements of pop, soul, electro-funk, jazz, rock and dance music. Submit Records release Native Dancer's EPs Vol. I & II on 12" vinyl with gatefold sleeve. Limited to 500 copies, the release features an Eric Lau remix of 'Big Blue' and a digital exclusive remix of 'In Clouds' by Slugabed. Already having received airplay from Gilles Peterson, Marcia Carr, support from Alexander Nut (Eglo Records) and Afropunk - Native Dancer are one of London's most promising musical prospects, and SUBMIT001 sees their remarkable duo of EPs pressed to wax for the very first time.

Heavy dub rhythms with lush techno chords and a huge remix by Stenny. The release includes a limited 12" 180gr + limited 7".

Jamaican dub structures strongly influenced by 90s Chain Reaction/Basic Channel atmospheres and UK Trip hop elements.

Benjamin Booker has an excellent sound that mixes all the best hallmarks of classic soul and R&B with an edgy garage blues touch. Title track Witness features a guest vocal from Mavis Staples(!)

To coincide with the release of Witness,' Booker has shared a powerful personal statement recounting the song's origins on a writing trip he took to Mexico City, during which James Baldwin's observation that Once you find yourself in another civilization you are forced to examine your own,' took on the weight of experience. Am I going to be a witness' Booker asks in the statement (and the song). And in today's world, is that enough'

Read the full statement below and feel free to post On 'Witness,' Booker has created his most ambitious work yet by digging deep into his passion for eccentric soul, R&B, and blues, while never straying too far from the garage-punk intensity that made his self-titled 2014 debut such a creative breakthrough. The album's ten new, original tracks were all written by Booker, produced by Sam Cohen (Kevin Morby), mixed by Shawn Everett (Alabama Shakes), and recorded at The Isokon studio in Woodstock, NY and New York City's Red Delicious studio. Booker will tour extensively behind 'Witness,' including a stop in Austin next week for SXSW, more dates and festivals to be announced soon.Booker's self-titled 2014 album was ATO's best-selling debut since Alabama Shakes, earning him festival appearances and tour dates supporting Jack White, performances on Jools Holland, Letterman and Conan, and features in the Sunday Times, MOJO, New York Times, Rolling Stone, NPR, GQ, and more. The Times hailed the album's raucous, unruly mix of punk, blues rock and soul,' and Q Magazine heralded a rush of raw blues-rock abandon', The Independent made it their Album Of The Week, calling it a mainlined shot of unrefined, blues-based rock'n'roll spirit that cuts right through', SPIN simply called it Contender for rock record of the year.'

Busta Rhymes' massive third studio album(Extinction Level Event): The Final World Front gets it's first vinyl reissue since its original release back in 1999.
- Pressed onto heavyweight 180gm vinyl.
- Limited to 300 copies, preorders essential
- Pressed onto orange + cream vinyl
- Remastered specifically for vinyl.
- Housed in a high-quality textured matte sleeve with original artwork & insert in shrinkwrap.

Earlham Mystics is the new, techno and DJ-heavy project by Luke Abbott (Modern Driveway, Holkham Drones). His first EP 'Truth' is released on 24th March 2017 via NOTOWN Recordings - the label curated by friend and musical associate Gold Panda. The idea was hatched following time spend by Luke co-producing and mixing Panda's 2016 album 'Good Luck And Do Your Best'. The four-track 12' and digital release is the first in a series of sequential releases over the next 18 months that will follow the same musical lineage and feature both Luke's own material, plus his collaborations with other artists. Luke Abbott will be playing a series of promotional Earlham Mystics DJ sets across the spring.

J Dilla's brother Illa J takes us on a trip to his hometown Detroit with his third solo album HOME

Orange Street has a mystical place in Reggae's history.
Set in the heart of downtown Kingston, Jamaica. Even to this day it stands somehow locked in time and space.
The beat of the music ever changing and evolving. As politics, religion even the weather effect its course one thing remains a constant, Orange Street is central to the islands musical story.
The Ska era of Jamaica's sound time has told us can be dated from around 1962 to late 1966.
The instigators being the big three producers of this period, Clement Coxonne Dodd,Prince Buster and Duke Reid.
Prince Busters phenomenal output on the Blue Beat label, Coxonne Dodd's opening of his Studio One premises in 1963 at 13 Brentford Road gave him the facilities to hone and produce his music and Duke Reid's opening his own studio above his Treasure Isle record store in 1965.
The Rocksteady sound which ran a shorter more intense race between 1966 to 1968 would be Duke Reid's to command.
We hope you enjoy this selection of fine tunes that you can imagine bellowing out from Orange Street...So as the great song suggests...If you ever get to Orange Street..Close your eyes and let us take you there...