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The selections on this compilation demonstrate exactly how much Lowell 'Sly' Dunbar & Robert 'Robbie' Shakespeare have learned from the roots of reggae, American rhythm & blues and soul. These versions of contemporary and vintage soul songs show Sly and Robbie at their very best on covers of Little Willie John's Fever, Al Wilson's Show & Tell, Tony Joe White's Rainy Night In Georgia (as covered in soul by Brook Benton), The Delfonics' Don't Break Your Promise, The Impressions' You Must Believe Me, The Spinners' Could It Be I'm Falling In Love and a brace of Marvin Gaye covers in Sexual Healing and Inner City Blues. All are sung with panache and feeling by the various vocalists and backed up with superior rhythms. Showcased here with full-length versions, from Sly and Robbie. For over forty years they have contributed so much to the body of reggae music that they can truly be seen as its backbone. Without Sly Dunbar & Robbie Shakespeare it is no exaggeration to say that reggae would not have figured anywhere near as prominently as it has done in popular music, long may they continue...

Sly & Robbie

Usually known as simply Sly & Robbie these two master musicians have a variety of names including The Dynamic Duo, The Rhythm Twins and even, on occasion, Drumbar and Basspeare. The role of backing musicians was exactly that... to stay in the background... but Sly & Robbie are the only reggae musicians whose names are internationally known and respected. These architects and builders of Jamaican music have constantly tested the boundaries of what could, and couldn't be used in reggae but despite working extensively with stars of the international firmament including Joan Armatrading, Joe Cocker, Ian Dury, Bob Dylan, Serge Gainsborough, Gwen Guthrie, Herbie Hancock, Mick Jagger and Grace Jones their roots are firmly planted in Kingston's teeming reggae scene.

"Salsoul Boogie Essentials vol. 1" launches a new series from the seminal NYC label... specialising in all things BOOGIE!

Kicking off with 4 beautifully re mastered Boogie gems from Creme De Coco ("Boogie Strut"), O.R.S. (Body To Body Boogie), Aura ("Such A Feeling") and Rafael Cameron (Boogie's Gonna Get Ya" - Francois Kevorkian 12" Instrumental Mix).

Released in conjunction with Salsoul Records/Verse 2015. Expect more Boogie Essentials in the pipeline...

Long Beach serial chiller Ahwlee is a beat vet who delivers smooth buttery samples with a nostalgic vibe. 1991 is a cult classic cassettenow reissued for the first time. These tracks are dusty, mellow and easy-going. Don't mistake mellow for boring, however, because Ahwlee's production is nuanced and intricate underneath the minimalist overtones. There's jazzed-up Rhodes all over the place, and the percussion work masterfully includes a ton of negative space in between perfectly chopped breaks. They'll get your head nodding.

You know that old song that O. V. Wright did so well in 1971 that no one can ever do that song again — A Nickel and a Nail' O. V. Wright has held tight to that song, and rightfully so.
But not no mo. Not to take anything from O.V.— but after nearly half a century, now you gotta step aside. Don Bryant is here.
Though it ain't like he just showed up. As Willie Mitchell carved out his place at Hi Records, Don was close by. Don cut songs at Hi under the Four Kings moniker ( That Driving Beat')
and as a solo artist ( Don't Turn Your Back On Me'). Around 1970, Willie put Don with the Hi label's newest act, Ann Peebles, who burst on the scene with Part Time Love.' Don looked at
this slight young lady and penned 99 Lbs' for her. The relationship warmed, they co-wrote the hit I Can't Stand the Rain' in 1973 and were married the following year.
And all the while, that voice was maturing, mellowing, until these recordings that find him, at age 74, in peak form and taking O. V.'s song. The band is a mix of lifelong cohorts and upstart stalwarts. They understand where he's been and where he wants to go, making his song How Do I Get There,' a rhetorical question, because they have clearly found the way.

Romanian Dub production ! Fat electro reggae and it's Dub !

Reggae and Dub in a Dancehall fat ambiance : songs and versions. BIG !

FIRELP232 is the 12' black vinyl LP, download card included. ESG's fusion of sweet soul and punk attitude with an intuitive understanding of dance music remains.' The Guardian This is still funk with an alien otherworldliness the likes of which George Clinton never envisioned, stripped to its barest essentials for maximum impact.' All Music ESG are as cool as ever.' The Guardian Pumping their way out of the South Bronx of New York in the early 80s, this rhythm and dance-punk outfit made unforgettable funk that was also unusually rooted in post-punk. This powerhouse of raw and cutting edge music ultimately made them ahead of their time. ESG enjoyed success sharing stages with PiL and Gang Of Four and have been heavily sampled as many musicians including TLC, Wu-Tang Clan, Beastie Boys and Liars. A band-approved reissue of 'Step Off' will be released the same day with artwork from award nominated illustrator Hannah Alice, who recently gained critical praise for her work on the Bert Jansch reissue of Avocet'.

The Notorious B.I.G. is widely recognized as one of the world's most influential rappers and has sold more than 17 million albums in the U.S. alone. Before his murder in 1997, Christopher Wallace recorded two classic albums as The Notorious B.I.G. His debut Ready to Die arrived in 1994 and helped revitalize the East Coast rap scene with massive hits like Big Poppa' and Juicy.' Faith Evans has enjoyed worldwide success as an award-winning singer, songwriter, actress and writer. She has recorded eight studio albums, including the back-to-back platinum smashes, Faith (1995) and Keep The Faith (1998).

Faith Evans and The Notorious B.I.G. famously met at a photo shoot in 1994 and were married nine days later. What followed would become one of the most legendary love stories in hip-hop history. Evans has now, 20 years after B.I.G.'s still unsolved murder, created THE KING & I, a brand new album that tells the story of their life together. The LP includes 24 tracks, including newly recorded vocals by Evans melded with vocals by Biggie Smalls, some well-known but also a selection of rare and unheard rhymes from the B.I.G. vault.

THE KING & I also includes an impressive list of guest appearances by rap royalty including Busta Rhymes, Jadakiss, Lil' Cease, Lil' Kim, Sheek Louch, Styles P, and Snoop Dogg. Evans has also brought on some of the most acclaimed producers in hip-hop, many of which produced some of B.I.G.'s most famous tracks, including DJ Premier, Just Blaze, Salaam Remi, Stevie J, and Chucky Thompson.

Info: Fat Hop once again takes you back to a time when things were simple.When dance music made you want to dance...When 'hardcore' was an adjective and not a 200 bpm genre... When it wasn't about watering down gut instincts to 'fit in' with the cool kids.. When it was about Vibe over image..Hyping the party up rather than dumbing it down.. When it was about having FUN....and in that spirit, Fat Hop brings you more B-Boy Rave for the Ageing Hipster!

Lefto (Belgium) and Free The Robots (California) found themselves on tour together a year and a half ago and had the wise idea to do a record together with the beats they were making from inspiration collected along the way. Fast forward to the present,and that idea has grown into Karavan - an album of international exotic melodies and heavy rhythms - that reflects the sound gather through their years of consistent nomadic touring.

RED VINYL

On 9 June 2017 we will reissue The Cool by Lupe Fiasco on 2LP. Widely regarded as his best album, The Cool, celebrates its 10th anniversary this year.
Reissued on clear vinyl, this will be the first time since the album's original release that the title will be available on LP. The album debuted at #1 on the Billboard Top 200 and stayed there for 9 weeks, it was also widely successful in the UK, debuting at #7. The Cool is certified platinum and features the mega hits Superstar feat. Mathew Santos' and Paris, Tokyo.'

Baker's Dozen heads back to the East Coast where veteran producer Marco Polo brings a welcomed boom bap flavor to the series. New York City is the birthplace of Fat Beats (and as many would say, hip-hop in general) and current NYC resident Marco Polo is true to form in representing our roots. As always, every volume of BDZ features one artist and twelve tracks (with limited random copies including the Baker's Dozen bonus track on a flexidisc) and comes equipped with a 5x7' postcard insert that features a photo of the artist's workspace along with the equipment used in their music making process. A personal narrative of how they got into beat making in the first place is featured on the back of the jacket. Visually cohesive and packaged with the utmost attention to detail, Baker's Dozen is a series that speaks up for artists whose craft renders voices superfluous, and whose instrumentals alone suffice to make a statement. Another nerdy thing I dig about these versions is most of them are the OG raw MPC versions before they got all mixed down and separated. My fellow producers can relate to the agonizing process of chasing the demo sound' in the final mix...we wanted to keep it 100% rare and unreleased.' - Marco Polo

Classic Old Skool Hip Hop here featuring Most Wanted's Calm Down' and a nice little instrumental edit by #waxnerds very own Matt Love - first time on a 45 for this club banger - super limited so don't sleep! 5-4-3-2-1.......doubles required!!

Razor-sharp production of the highest order from two of the masters of the early 80's Rio de Janeiro boogie sound, Robson Jorge and Lincoln Olivetti. Both were highly acclaimed music producers of the time, starting around the mid-70's. Over the course of his career Olivetti worked with artists including Rita Lee, Erasmo Carlos, Don Beto, Marcos Valle, Tim Maia, Gilberto Gil, Gal Costa, Sandra Sa, Painel de Controle and many more. The album takes in mid-tempo, AOR, boogie and even latin all way through the tempo's to ultra-quick Prince style disco-funk workouts. Includes several standout tracks - 'Aleluia' and 'Ginga' being our two favourites. Synths, horns, claps, drum machines, guitars, keys and vocal harmonies combine effortlessly.
Originally released in 1982 on Som Livre, Brazil. Replica original
reproduction.

The mark that the late producer J Dilla left upon hip-hop during the 90s and early-to-mid 00s is undeniable, and his work with De La Soul, Busta Rhymes, The Pharcyde, and many more has long been cemented in the annals of hip-hop history. It was during his time as a member of seminal Detroit group Slum Village however that ranks as among his greatest. His work with rappers Baatin and T3 would be a strong influence upon modern rappers like Kanye West and Kendrick Lamar, and earn widespread critical praise, and comparisons to other legendary groups like A Tribe Called Quest. In speaking retrospectively on their most famous album "Fan-Tas-Tic Vol. 1", The Roots' drummer Questlove has said of the release that it "single-handedly birthed neo-soul." J Dilla has been gone for over 10 years now, and Slum Village has moved on from their time with the legendary beatsmith, recruiting new members along the way. Despite this, new Dilla compositions are still being discovered, and his legacy continues to be shared and celebrated with a modern hip-hop audience. Ne'Astra Music Group now presents a new compilation of rare Dilla material: Vol. 0. Ten tracks featuring the classic Slum Village lineup of Dilla on vocals and production, with Baatin & T3 also on the mic, collected by modern SV member Young RJ from unreleased material and demos recorded between 1994 and 1997. The knowledgable hip-hop head may recognize key tracks from the circulated EPHCY Sessions, while others have never seen the light of day. A piece of hip-hop history that would have otherwise wallowed in obscurity, until now.

The third Yacht Trip brings the dancefloor even closer. - I Want Your Love perfectly fits to the first or last chapter of a partynight. D.S.E. stripped theoriginal 10 minutes track down to 5 minutes, compressing it to it's essential´message and moving mood. - Stay With Me and it's uptempo arrangement´sets you in motion from the first beat until the end. It invites everybody to come to or stay on the dancefloor having a good time.

Recently championed by Gilles Peterson on his BBC6 Music radio show, "Dilla" by Abstract Orchestra has been generating a buzz since it's inception in 2016 and subsequent u.k. tour, during which the album was presented to the public in its live form.

Led by Saxophonist Rob Mitchell, Abstract Orchestra seeks to reflect the diversity of music sampled by Hip-Hop producers by presenting music that has the complexity of jazz, framed within the simpler structures of Hip-Hop. Complex harmonies are framed within simple loops and complex bar structures and time signatures can pass by unnoticed. "I selected the tracks on the album with very much the live performance in mind" says band-leader and arranger Rob Mitchell "So the album is a reflection of the tour and the music we performed".

Inspired by the legendary live performances of The Roots with Jay-Z and the 40 piece orchestral arrangements by Miguel-Atwood Ferguson of the work of J Dilla, classic arranging techniques underpin modern loop-based structures.The band itself is based on the classic jazz big band instrumentation of saxes, trumpets and trombones and features the cream of the north of England's jazz scene who collectively have played with Jamiroquai, Corinne Bailey Rae, Mark Ronson, Martha Reeves, John Legend & the Roots, Roots Manuva and Amy Winehouse.

"Dilla" by Abstract Orchestra is a tribute to the work of the highly acclaimed and influential producer. Opener"Welcome to Detroit/The Diary"takes the the vocal sample from Isaac Hayes's "Man's Temptation" and places it against lush brass and driving beats while"Workinonit"Transplants the original 10cc guitar samples from the Dilla original onto biting trumpets and aggressive saxes, underpinned as always by Joost Hendrickx's on point drumming. On"Stop"vocalist Anna Uhuru handles the Dionne Warwick vocal with assurance while the band lay down an arrangement that is reminiscent of the work of David Axelrod and Don Sebeskey, both big sources of inspiration for Abstract Orchestra.

The middle of the album revolves around 2 Dilla medleys featuring versions and sections of"Airworks", "ULove", "Last Donut"and"Welcome To The Show"."Raw Shit"sees Farfisa organ underpinning the insistent brass figures with the bass taking on an almost bassoon-like quality while "Official/Fall In Love"sees Anna & Akin provide a stunning vocal performance, trading lines over the delicate horn arrangement. "Fantastic"features theRhodes intro of the original which is then taken up by the flutes and baritone sax. Inspired by the work of 20th century classical composers like Barber and Copeland the 2nd half of the arrangement takes on an almost orchestral feel with shades of Gil Evans.

"Love","So Far To Go","A.N.G.E.L.", and"Sun In My Face"provide interesting takes on these well known Dilla originals while album closer"Two Can Win"(recently championed by Gilles Peterson on his BBC6 Music show) acts as a showcase for the variety of Anna Uhuru's vocals, blending the style of the original Sylvers track with Minnie Ripperton style harmonies, 70's funk and Lalo Schiffrin/JJ Johnson film score vibes.

Closing track "Two can win" was played twice in two consecutive weeks by Gilles Peterson on his BBC6 Music show, where he declared it to be "A Winner".

Recently championed by Gilles Peterson on his BBC6 Music radio show, "Dilla" by Abstract Orchestra has been generating a buzz since it's inception in 2016 and subsequent u.k. tour, during which the album was presented to the public in its live form.

Led by Saxophonist Rob Mitchell, Abstract Orchestra seeks to reflect the diversity of music sampled by Hip-Hop producers by presenting music that has the complexity of jazz, framed within the simpler structures of Hip-Hop. Complex harmonies are framed within simple loops and complex bar structures and time signatures can pass by unnoticed. "I selected the tracks on the album with very much the live performance in mind" says band-leader and arranger Rob Mitchell "So the album is a reflection of the tour and the music we performed".

Inspired by the legendary live performances of The Roots with Jay-Z and the 40 piece orchestral arrangements by Miguel-Atwood Ferguson of the work of J Dilla, classic arranging techniques underpin modern loop-based structures.The band itself is based on the classic jazz big band instrumentation of saxes, trumpets and trombones and features the cream of the north of England's jazz scene who collectively have played with Jamiroquai, Corinne Bailey Rae, Mark Ronson, Martha Reeves, John Legend & the Roots, Roots Manuva and Amy Winehouse.

"Dilla" by Abstract Orchestra is a tribute to the work of the highly acclaimed and influential producer. Opener"Welcome to Detroit/The Diary"takes the the vocal sample from Isaac Hayes's "Man's Temptation" and places it against lush brass and driving beats while"Workinonit"Transplants the original 10cc guitar samples from the Dilla original onto biting trumpets and aggressive saxes, underpinned as always by Joost Hendrickx's on point drumming. On"Stop"vocalist Anna Uhuru handles the Dionne Warwick vocal with assurance while the band lay down an arrangement that is reminiscent of the work of David Axelrod and Don Sebeskey, both big sources of inspiration for Abstract Orchestra.

The middle of the album revolves around 2 Dilla medleys featuring versions and sections of"Airworks", "ULove", "Last Donut"and"Welcome To The Show"."Raw Shit"sees Farfisa organ underpinning the insistent brass figures with the bass taking on an almost bassoon-like quality while "Official/Fall In Love"sees Anna & Akin provide a stunning vocal performance, trading lines over the delicate horn arrangement. "Fantastic"features theRhodes intro of the original which is then taken up by the flutes and baritone sax. Inspired by the work of 20th century classical composers like Barber and Copeland the 2nd half of the arrangement takes on an almost orchestral feel with shades of Gil Evans.

"Love","So Far To Go","A.N.G.E.L.", and"Sun In My Face"provide interesting takes on these well known Dilla originals while album closer"Two Can Win"(recently championed by Gilles Peterson on his BBC6 Music show) acts as a showcase for the variety of Anna Uhuru's vocals, blending the style of the original Sylvers track with Minnie Ripperton style harmonies, 70's funk and Lalo Schiffrin/JJ Johnson film score vibes.

Closing track "Two can win" was played twice in two consecutive weeks by Gilles Peterson on his BBC6 Music show, where he declared it to be "A Winner".

Containing some of the best songs he's ever written, "Southern Nights" is Allen Toussaint's 1975 "swing for the fences" attempt at an all out masterpiece. Somewhat of a concept album, with reoccurring instrumental themes usually based on the title track popping up between songs, this album spawned at least two hits for other artists. The title track (minus the Lennonesque rotary speaker vocal effect) was a giant hit for Glen Campbell, and "What Do You Want The Girl To Do" was one of several singles on Boz Skaggs' 1976 gazillion seller "Silk Degrees" and also recorded with some success by Bonnie Raitt. On rust colored vinyl.

'3.33 am' is the debut EP from NYC songwriter and vocalist Amber Mark. The lead single taken from the seven-track EP, 'Lose My Cool', is a breezy, uptempo blend of future R&B and introspective lyricism. Spending her formative years travelling the world and imbibing music, art and culture alongside her mother, Amber Mark's artistry is a kaleidoscopic mix of influences. From the jazz, soul and Indian classical music she listened to at home to the hip-hop and downtempo electronica she soaked up along her travels, these influences are reflected on '3.33 am', a collection of songs that tell the story of the loss of her mother in 2015, as well as her resulting experiences of grief, acceptance and overcoming. Each track on the EP is formed around a stage of her grieving process, Isolation, questioning, sadness, overcoming, anger and regret... Those were my stages.' Despite the themes at the core of this EP, the music is fresh and filled with optimistic melody. I didn't want it to be this sad, depressing EP' said Amber, I wanted it to uplift people who had gone through it.' '3.33am' is entirely written and produced by Amber herself. At the top of 2016, Amber uploaded her debut song 'S P A C E', a track that Noisey called simultaneously insistent, fresh and classic'. Instantly storming Spotify's viral chart after a cosign from Zane Lowe, Amber signed with trend-making London label PMR Records (Jessie Ware, Disclosure, Jamie Woon) and is setting out to prove that her success was no fluke.

Candido Cameron was a Cuban percussion maestro who had played with luminaries such as Dizzy Gillespie, Buddy Rich and Count Basie throughout his illustrious musical career which started in 1952. Fast forward to 1979 and Candido finds himself caught up in the Disco boom that had engulfed his adopted New York City. Feeling he could add his trademark quick-fire Conga and Bongo playing to Disco's straight 4 x 4 syncopated rhythm he cut some records with legendary NYC label Salsoul. The fruits of this partnership were 2 full length LP's and a handful of 12" singles that changed the face of underground Disco.

The first of these two LP's made for Salsoul was the truly epic "Dancin' & Prancin" containing the all time classic "Jingo" which has been sampled, edited, re-configured and coveted by too many names to mention! It's a killer funky Disco version of master Nigerian drummer Olatunji's 1969 percussion suite of the same name, Salsoul style. The LP also contains one of the deepest Disco records of all time; "Thousand Finger Man" a testament to Candido's percussion prowess and a spacey, beautiful voyage that has left more than an indelible mark on modern House music, often being cited as a huge influence by artists such as Masters At Work and more.

This new re issue contains all 4 tracks from the original LP plus this new expanded edition contains lost rarities and extended versions of "Jingo" and "Thousand Finger Man". All fully re mastered for 2015 and re released in conjunction with Salsoul.

Messalina keeps up the pressure with another fantastic assortment of Balearic gems including a heavy steel drum version of the classic 'Papa Was A Rolling Stone', plus 'Peace & War', a throbbing Afro disco groover with phat bass, funky synths, killer piano hook and a great positive message. It's over to Brazil on the flip with the brilliant 'Katarina', a slo-mo chugger full of Rio flavour edited to perfection by Balearic maestro Andy Kidd with the promo already receiving a lot of attention in Ibiza. Lastly we have 'Crioula', Lucci Capri's floor friendly version of a lost Jose Roberto samba funk classic. Top quality all the way.

* The follow-up to AGS-7001—one of the top 50 vinyl releases of 2015, according to The Vinyl Factory—features two more heavy-hitting tracks from Mike Lundy's Hawaiian holy grail 1980 LP

On the A-side is space-funk anthem Nothin Like Dat Funky Funky Music', originally unearthed by DJ Muro as the opening track to his 2009 mixtape, Hawaiian Breaks.The icing on the cake is a sweet soul duet, Round And Around', on the B-side.Mike Lundy's last remaining copy of the LP hung on display in his living room for years. The master tapes were lost in a fire years ago. The seal was broken on Mike's personal copy and the album was meticulously remastered for this Aloha Got Soul reissue series.

Tedeschi Trucks Band, led by the husband-and-wife team of singer-guitarist Susan Tedeschi and guitar virtuoso Derek Trucks, have grown into one of the most deeply skilled and admired musical ensembles in the world. 2016 was the 12-piece juggernaut's most impressive and successful year to date. Live From The Fox Oakland captures the band performing at their best. From the opening notes of Don't Know What It Means' to the closing solo on Let Me Get By' the Tedeschi Trucks Band are firing on all cylinders.

. New jersey connection are pretty much set in stone in the disco hall of fame. There 1981 smash "love don't come easy" on carnival records became a hit all around the globe. Move on a few years and band leader Eddie Saunders had many other musical groups and acts going on. Here in the late 1980's he teamed up with Cynthia Wilson to record this lovely modern disco cut. For some reason the project got shelved and they returned to it only last year. With a few tweaks here and there they deliver another beautiful slice of New York Soul.

* Includes a DIN A2long poster inside the 12" sleeve with edition number and music download code

* Rogue Style 1 EP is an international homage to b-boy culture, where the worlds of breakbeat music and breakdance collide. Sinistarr (USA), Kiat (Singapore), Kabuki (Germany) and HomeSick (Canada) are connected in many ways, now they lay bare their hip-hop roots and give something back with a fresh take through the eyes of drum & bass and juke/footwork. Here is what they have to say:

Sinistarr: "As a teenager I grew up as a b-boy, dancing anywhere I could: schools, parks, festivals, you name it, my crew was there with cardboard and a speaker. I eventually got deeper into DJing and making music and learned to bring a sound that's not just for the crowds and the purists, but also for all the dancers!"

Kiat: "Hip Hop has taught me to keep evolving, to explore new forms in all my art. Progression is the key to evolution. -- I met Sinistarr online thru myspace and we had a musical connection which led to our first collaboration 'Black Diamonds' which is still one of my personal favourite tunes I've been fortunate to be part of it's creation. With Kabuki, i've always been a fan of his work since his 'Makai' alias on No U-Turn, despite meeting him only recently thru the label.I've always known him to be constantly progressing his ideas in his music which I respect alot."

Kabuki: "B-boy culture has always been a strong influence on how I pursued my art, mainly because of its DIY ethos and attitude of perfecting your craft. Incidentally these were also the aspects that drew me to Jungle when I first discovered it in the nineties. -- I'm happy to rub shoulders with Kiat, Sinistarr and HomeSick on this release, as I'm a fan of their music foremost, but also because we became friends through the music."

HomeSick: "I was only a child in the 90s and as a result I feel like my understanding of b-boy culture was experienced second hand thanks to 90s/early 2000s hip hop music. I appreciate the parallels I can see with footwork culture, particularly the similarities to the community mentality of break dancing. -- I know Sinistarr through booking him for our local party night in Alberta, Canada called Percolate. Our city must have left an impression on him because a year later he made the move here from Detroit. Had the pleasure of hosting him as a room mate for a little over half a year, the home was a very potent creative space during this time. Kabuki hit me up a few years ago and we very quickly got to sharing tracks and collaborating together. Mans a master of production and a super important part of the global scene."

The idea for a reminiscence of b-boy culture stem from label owner Booga:

"Why am I interested in this so much I grew up in East Germany and as the movie "Beat Street" premiered in 1985 over here I was age 13 and blown away by the energy, the music, the wit, the style - everything in this movie was better than everyday life in Leipzig. So I started saving for a cassette recorder and taped music shows from West German radio and prepared tapes for school disco gigs to the hope somebody would do the "robot" to Arthur Baker "Breaker's Revenge". Unfortunately that never worked out hahaha. But I was hooked since then and as the wall came down in 1989 I travelled to West Berlin just to buy the Beats, Breaks and Scratches 1-4 vinyl box by Simon Harris. The fascination for breakbeats never stopped and before I discovered Jungle around '94 I was down with the British cut up house thing from the likes of Marrs, Krush and Coldcut as another form of breakbeat music. The "do it yourself" spirit from hip hop culture inspired me to start a local website called breaks.org in 2000 to locally promote the drum and bass scene with emerging producers, djs and mcs for a wider audience and I threw in some interviews with Storm, Kabuki, Rob Playford, Klute and John B. That turnt into a multi author blog called itsyours.info in 2004 which still exists - that is where I had the pleasure to introduce Kiat and Ash in 2007. All these years I was listening and playing drum and bass tunes when the occasional "bboy tune" came up, some were obvious like Alex Reece "B-Boy Flavour", Lemon D "B Boyz", Commix "Change" and some were not so much self-explanatory like Digital & Spirits "Phantom Force" and the remixes by T-Power & Codeine or Fracture's Astrophonica Edit - but I felt the hidden force of breakdancing nevertheless. With the Rogue Style series I have the first class opportunity to ask established and new Defrostatica artists to present a current interpretation of b-boy culture. This is a dream coming true."

For the 3rd volume in our New Directions In Funk 7' series we're keeping it close to our Brooklyn home with special versions of choice cuts from the recent Soul Clap and Midnight Magic albums. This release brings together two stand-out cuts on a collectible red/white marble blend 45 rpm 7', perfect for funky DJ sets. First up is "Synthesizer Girlfriend' from last year's self-titled Soul Clap album. This song features Miami diva Ntem on vocals and Detroit talk box maestro HazMat doing what he does best. On the flip side, Brooklyn based disco ensemble and Soul Clap Records regulars Midnight Magic keep the vibes flowing on 'Dark Thunder', a standout mid-tempo jam from their recent 'Free From Your Spell' LP

One of those songs that seems tailor made for the popcorn genre, '16 Tons' gets a bold, big-band treatment from the legendary blues-man BB King - one of the best renditions out there. Flip it over for a contrasting but just as cool twist on '16 Tons', this one an uptempo, jazzy workout that will surely turn heads.

Archetypal swinging, jazzy popcorn from croon cat Dav Kipp with a finger snapping ditty named 'Yea! My Baby Loves Me'. On the flip, Jeanie Allen shows that the girls can swing just as much as the boys, with an added injection of feminine sass and desperate romance in the form of 'I Really Love You'

We are very happy to welcome Jeroen Verschueren AKA Digid into the ZamZam fold with two cuts of high grade sound system fire. Straight outta Belgium, Digid has had our attention for a few years now thanks to a string of crucial releases on labels including Cubiculo, Moonshine, and Lion Charge. We dare say this wicked release will further his steep rise in profile.

We Nah Go' is a well-tested weapon, a full-charge stepper with both deep space and big room appeal. Crisp & heavy production captivate with sizzling high end, massive bassweight, and kick drum pushing into the red. The cinematic melodic figure, majestic horns, and mysterious, reverb-soaked atmosphere add up to a can't-fail powerhouse in the dance.

Digital Time' counters with a similar sonic palette and epic sweep, but an utterly deep and more meditative vibe. This is full eyes-down weaponry with a half time/one drop feel, chasms of reverb, tape echo madness, and a wobbly bassline from the eternal present of Early Dubstep.

Mastered by Lewis at Stardelta.

Henry Thomas low key 45 on Raptown records has until now been a featured in the record boxes of Deep Boogie and Two Step Dj's who know the deal, it's now time for it to spread its FM synth wings to bigger dancefloors. What more do you want, a SOLID two sider that only slipped through eBay a few times on the cheap as people did not know it, managed to bag one of those myself and with some help from a good friend track Henry down, alive, well and looking forward to his music getting a revival.

Jim Sharp is back again cooking up summer in the spring. On side A, the late great Nate Dogg comes solo over the Scorpio break mixed with the Boney M. disco smash Sunny and the results are OOOOOH WEEEE. On the B side, another party rocking break gets dissected. The theme for S.WA.T. gets broken down to it's freshest elements while Gifted Unlimited Rhymes Universal (Guru) kicks the conscious party rhymes. A double A side to rock the block party all summer.

McKinley Mitchell's 'No Love Like Your Love' is an evergreen popcorn R&B winner, a dancefloor sureshot that somehow has evaded reissue until now. Byrdie Green's 'Tremblin'' is somewhat more understated by comparison but no lesser for that, a slinky piece of lusty blues that will set the right tone at any party.

NAUTILUS is a trio centered around drummer Toshiyuki Sasaki, formed in 2014 along with its Bassist Shigeki Umezawa and Keyboardist Daisuke Takeuchi.Their distinctive style, which can be summarized as the modern rare groove, embodies a mixture of jazz, funk, disco, soul and even hip hop. The conception of NAUTILUS is drawn not only from the composition 'Nautilus' written by Bob James, but also from an American submarine that actually existed, thus resembling their contemporary style that carries on the rare groove music of the 70s in an abyssal imagery. Sasaki's versatile, yet solid drumming combined with Umezawa's full- bodied, powerful bass and Takeuchi's classically-trained prowess produces an exceptional sound unique all on its own.