Hip-Hop Vinyl New Releases - News

Favorite Recordings and Charles Maurice proudly present the 3rd edition of their acclaimed AOR Global Sounds compilations series. Another brilliant selection of 14 rare and hidden tracks, produced between 1976 and 1985 in various parts of the world.

On AOR Global Sounds Vol.3, DJ and producer Charles Maurice delivers again a fine overview of the AOR and WestCoast influences for many artists in the late 70s and early 80s. Even more than on previous volumes, he selected highly forgotten productions, deeply infused with Disco and Soul flavors.

Many of these great gems were naturally produced through all the USA, often made by artists with a very short career and as private press. For example, Jeff Silna only recorded this amazing song after winning the competition of a long gone Miami radio station, the Stratus project started around 1974 in Rhinelander, Wisconsin, and was a band led by Bob Ackley who only released this 7' single in 1976 after recording a full album and doing a few gigs around Michigan, John Kontol (Jon Konteau), however having credits for a few productions and appearances and still acting as a musician, never released another LP after his heartbreaking experience with Erect Records, that never rewarded him for his work and even change his name against his consent, as for Dirt (In The Sky' by 7 Days Unlimited, whose both members were from Pittsburgh area, where a lot of dirt was literally flying in the air, the song was released in 1980 on a very limited 500 copies 7' single.

But this kind of stories and waste of talent is not solely and American privilege, from Willy Santana (member of Placa Luminosa) in Brazil, and Funky Team in Sweden, to Stacey and Out Of The Fog in Canada, this 3rd edition proves again if necessary the international scope and fervor of this music scene, and the surprising amount of great music that go unnoticed at that time.

Fully remastered from originals, with great attention to sound quality as always, AOR Global Sounds Vol.3 (1976-1985, selected by Charles Maurice) is presented by Favorite Recordings in a gatefold vinyl double LP and as CD.

In the early 80's, violence take over Jamaica and many artists left the island included Coxsone Dodd. He opened Studio One in New York at 3135 Fulton Street.

Few years later, legendary member of The Gaylads, B.B. Seaton, went to New-York to visit Coxsone. B.B. Seaton wrote 'Dancing In The Moonlight' and organized a studio session. He built a riddim close to Earons' classic 'Land Of Hunger'. Then he went to famous Blank Tape studio to mix the tunes. The result is a huge groovy electro disco reggae dub tune.

You will get a seven minutes extended mix on A-side with a perfect transition between vocal and version. The B-side contains one version, and a drum percussions instrumental. This reissue was made from the original master tape and the spirit of the first artwork.

This 7th Dailysession release is packed with party-banging grooves for various occasions. Side A starts with Monchan

REPRESSED !!
After Violinbwoy's successful Mono County twelver and Moonshine's tight collaboration with Steppas Records, the imprint is ready to march on and announce its next 12 inch coloured vinyl release waiting in line.

Ikeb's newest A-Side, Curitiba Strut,' delves deep into disco, with four minutes of musical fire. Driven by the deep-pocketed pulse of its four-man rhythm section (Barnaby Alter, drums, Dave Bourla, percussion, Vince Chiarito, bass, Robin Schmidt, guitar) and one of the tightest horn trios on the East Coast (Mike Buckley, winds, Jason Colby, trumpet, Nadav Nirenberg, trombone), Curitiba takes flight. Adding in special guest Kelly Finnigan of the Monophonics on synth, this is a can't-miss for DJs and dancers alike! Monophonics B Side Hanging On' is what happens when California Psychedelic Pop meets Detroit Soul. Heavy Vocals and Horns lead the way over a steady groove of Drums, Fuzz Bass, transistor Organ and a whirling wave of 6 & 12 String guitars. Picked from their 2015 psych-soul gem 'Sound of Sinning', this California flip is a perfect Northern Soul answer for DJ's and to balance such a heavy Afrofunk Instrumental on the A Side from one of Brooklyn's finest bands!

- 1st 45 release on Transistor Sound
- Special edition split side
- Original music by 2 of the heaviest bands in the soul/funk scene
- A side is new unreleased music by Ikebe
- B side by Monophonics is off their popular LP Sound of Sinning
- Both sides are uptempo and DJ friendly
- Both bands have previous popular releases on Ubiquity & Colemine Records

This EP was originally released in 1977 by Audio y Vídeo through the label Iris. These bossa instrumental songs were composed by Juan Muro (Loeme is one of his pseudonims) and were recorded by great musicians like Rafael Martínez (guitar). The first (and only) release was very limited and the copies were sent exclusively to radio stations, discotheques and clubs. Because of that have surfaced so few records.
There are only 400 copies available of this reissue. All the songs have been remastered by Ángel Álvarez and each record includes a postcard signed by Juan Muro.

Appearing for the first time on Instagram in 2014, POORGRRRL is the culmination of the Miami based artist Tara Long's worst dreams and best nightmares. As an online identity or IRL, POORGRRRL challenges viewers and listeners with convoluted lyrics and a lo-fi "fuck it" demeanor. She presents an alternative personality to pop culture, appropriating it where she must. She is on a quest to save Miami, her birthplace and home, from it's own reputation, before it goes underwater.
In October 2015, shortly after her premier performance at iii Points Music Festival, she released "Triptic," an 11-minute music video, ending with the single "we Trashy." It ignited a debate amongst YouTube and Reddit users over the artistic validity of the work. The critics such as, Go Fu ck Yourself, pointed out the obvious, describing it as "garbage," while defenders used hash tags such as #hatersdontgetit and #futureofmusic to describe the video.
During Art Basel 2015 in Miami (December), after appearing on the cover of the Miami New Times Art Basel edition, she installed audio/visual work at the "Littlest Sisters Art Fair" (Spinello Projects), and performed alongside Shamir at The New Contemporary Art Museum (ICA). In 2016, she has performed at the International Noise Conference in Miami, Okeechobee Music Festival and alongside Le1f.
Her debut EP, "PITIPARTI", is a collection of her work so far, preceding a full-length set for release in the near future.

12" with HQ Printed Sleeve

Charlotte is a friend of DEEWEE's. She sings in both English & French. This E.P was written in collaboration between Charlotte and Bolis Pupul then produced by the Dewaele brothers (Soulwax / 2manydjs) at DEEWEE in Ghent. Cont...

A brief rundown on the tracks... '1,618' arrives somewhere between a futurist song and a cosmic disco sound. It twists and turns. 'Senegal Seduction' is a slow melodic ride. 'Je m'appelle Charlotte'. 'Le Froid' is a percussive vocal dub piece. Charlotte's vocals turned inside then out again. 'Celle' is a song addressed to a father and a heartbeat to finish.
Sleeve design by Ill Studio, Paris.

HQ Limited 12 with Translucent PP Sleeve, black inner amd 30x30 cm Posterinlay

Oh the joy of leaving you with this mystery. Noone really knows exactly who the Pilgrims Of Peace are or how their music ended up in our hands. But this dubbed out 2 tracker is so smokin' hot we don't really care, the music will take you there... Prins Thomas. Mambo HQ 25th of Januray 2017

SHIRO SCHWARZ returns after a successful breakout 2016 including debut singles on STAR CREATURE & MOFUNK. Two floor fillers - The B Side featuring a party cut, "BOOGIE GHOST" - a cult favorite from their live performances & the romantic floor filler on Side A with "TOGETHER".

Golden age hip-hop by a multi-talented Spanish beatmaker, a French singer and three US MCs. The multi-talented Alex Rocks is back with his debut album Rise N Shine! After his 7" "Get Em Up" featuring Replife, the Madrid DJ, musician and beatsmith hooked up with French singer Jessica Fitoussi and US based rappers Sleep Sinatra, Junclassic, and Jack Jones. He carefully selected the tracks he felt would sit well with each artist, and they did not disappoint. From the Pharcyde-evoking title track to the raw soul on "Moonlight Creedence", the rugged vibe of "My Time" and the fiery "All In Your Mind" - the heart-made beats are the perfect backdrop for the socially conscious and intelligent lyrics provided by his collaborators.
Alejandro Melero grew up in Madrid in the eighties, when the Spanish capital was living a cultural revolution, still crawling out of the dark hole that had been the 40 years of fascist dictatorship. Apart from jazz, flamenco, rock and pop, at the end of the decade and the start of the next, the radio started playing rap and hip-hop coming from across the pond. At the time, Spain was quite unfamiliar with hip-hop culture, but there were a few artists emulating their American cousins' music and style, and for the fans, tape trading was an excellent way to share and discover the music of Young MC, Run D.M.C., Pete Rock & CL Smooth, Gang Starr, Leaders of the New School and the like. The way they made music made a lasting impression on young Alex.
Throughout the nineties, he kept digging, stumbling upon and investigating new and different sounds. He built up a substantial record collection and got in contact with dozens of other vinyl junkies just like him. It would, many years later, inspire him to start Spain Diggin': a series of short videos featuring Spanish record collectors talking about their records and antics, shot, directed, and edited entirely by him. He came under the influence of the Beat Junkies and the Invisibl Skratch Piklz, resulting in him having a go at turntablism before he got his first Ensoniq EPS 16+ sampler and started to make his own beats.
Now using an Akai MPC2000XL, Alex Rocks' sound is not like any of his Spanish peers. While there isn't really an easily identifiable "Spanish sound", one could argue that in most Spanish hip-hop, the music is secondary to the lyrics. Not so with Alex, who got guitar and harmony lessons from a former guitarist of Spanish rumba heroes Los Chichos and taught himself to play bass and piano as well. Add that to the fact that he's never been afraid to show his admiration for the sonic aesthetic of the East Coast, and you get a jazz-tinged sound with a definite Golden Age hip-hop quality to it.
Besides beatmaking, Alex Rocks is currently keeping himself busy with his jazz-funk live band, his aforementioned Spain Diggin' series, and deejaying in clubs and on Radio Gladys Palmera.

*Singer-songwriter Amelia Harmony is a welcome addition to the Partial Records roster. Although relatively a new comer, over the last few years, Amelia has been playing with bands of varying genres and styles in and around her native Derby, as well more roots reggae-orientated releases on labels such as King Earthquake, Instrument of Jah, Mellow Vibes and her own recently established Soulshine Music label.
*`Fear and Love' is an uplifting rootsy steppers rhythm with a positive message and soulful vocals topped off with some tasteful acoustic guitar licks. Amelia's delivery oozes cross-over appeal. We will be hearing lots more from her.
*Produced by Liam McGurk for his own well-established Partial Records label.
*The Dub version is mixed by UK dub master legend Dougie Wardrop at Conscious Sounds studio, London

The two songs included in this 7-inch, "Spooky" and "Hurt So Bad", directly come Andrea Balducci debut album "Bloom" (Schema Records, 2012, SC 459): two evergreen standards modernized and rearranged in a smooth, refined groovy soul key, a voice inspired by crooners such as Frank Sinatra, Jamie Cullum and Michael Buble, over music played by an exceptional team of musicians. These are songs that speak to the heart.

When the seasoned singer and musician Bobby Oroza lay his gentle voice on tape at the Timmion Labs a year ago, nobody knew what was about to happen. The beat ballad "This Love" on the Stylart sublabel, flew out and the first pressing was sold out within a week. A dj issue was sold for a hundred dollars at an auction even before the record was released. The hype was real.

Originally the lengthy vocal take was spread on two sides, persuading dj's to spin it with two copies to get the full experience. This pleasure can now be extended even further by rocking the instrumental backing by Cold Diamond & Mink before cutting to the vocal. Or, if you prefer it sans vocal, keep it instrumental all the way. Incidentally, not many are aware that Bobby plays the organ here.

For fans of Bobby's extremely personal style, he has new tracks in the pipeline, and man are they potent. Keep your ear tuned to Timmion and Stylart, the official home of post-millennial soul sounds.

What initially started as idea for a DJ-duo project quickly turned into a new production outlet for German producer David Hanke. He is well known for his Northern Jazz, Funk and Afrofunk productions under various monikers ever since his first release back in 2008 of which the most recognized surely is his Renegades Of Jazz-alias.
After starting to fully embrace the Afrofunk vibe with his 2016-released Renegades Of Jazz album 'Moyo Wangu' as well as two Dem Juju Poets singles in the same year it's now about time to release 'Liberated Thoughts' - the longplay debut for Dem Juju Poets which is scheduled for April 2017.
Having spent an influential part of his childhood in Arusha, Tanzania and engrained the music of East Africa, his sound combines these influences with modern, more club-orientated electronic Afrofunk productions which defines the core sound of Dem Juju Poets.
With 'Liberated Thoughts' Hanke refines his Afrofunk vision for 2017 informed by his experience as a DJ in venues all over Europe which naturally led to a more floor functional production approach.
The opening title 'At The Jubilee Gardens' serves a sweet equatorial coast sound combined with heavy drums and a seductive bassline followed by 'Stonetown Shakedown' with a positive and energetic theme, chants and a busy brass section to set the dancefloor in motion.
'Bagamoyo' has a distinctive sound with it's electronics and a laid back character followed by 'Juju Chant #1' which samples 'Mantis Revolver' by Seattle based trio 'Afrocop' whilst the title track 'Liberated Thoughts' with it's raw but floor friendly combination of drums and vocals leads back to the center of the dancefloor.
The title 'Mala Mali' describes the curse of money, whether you have much of it or even nothing. Fusing a cinematic, widescreen trumpet arrangement with vintage synths and rolling drums - a digression into slightly more psychedelic Afrofunk territories. Furthermore, 'People's Republic' is built on a more Soul based idea with Jazz flutes and a vibrant horn section.
'Fubica', a peculiar theme for bumpy streets, provides broken beats, a mellow Jazz guitar and leaping sax followed by the second interlude 'Juju Chant #2'. The following 'Barabara' was released as a prequel single to 'Liberated Thoughts' and perfectly complements the albums flow..
With 'Poacher's Lookout' the psychedelic touch is revisited again, this time creating a tense overall atmosphere, with additional hypnotic scats and some darker electronics. The album closes with the Dub-inspired slow groove of 'Flowers For Lions', a beautiful ending for 'Liberated Thoughts'.

What initially started as idea for a DJ-duo project quickly turned into a new production outlet for German producer David Hanke. He is well known for his Northern Jazz, Funk and Afrofunk productions under various monikers ever since his first release back in 2008 of which the most recognized surely is his Renegades Of Jazz-alias.After starting to fully embrace the Afrofunk vibe with his 2016-released Renegades Of Jazz album 'Moyo Wangu' as well as two Dem Juju Poets singles in the same year it's now about time to release 'Liberated Thoughts' - the longplay debut for Dem Juju Poets which is scheduled for April 2017.Having spent an influential part of his childhood in Arusha, Tanzania and engrained the music of East Africa, his sound combines these influences with modern, more club-orientated electronic Afrofunk productions which defines the core sound of Dem Juju Poets ,With 'Liberated Thoughts' Hanke refines his Afrofunk vision for 2017 informed by his experience as a DJ in venues all over Europe which naturally led to a more floor functional production approach.
The opening title 'At The Jubilee Gardens' serves a sweet equatorial coast sound combined with heavy drums and a seductive bassline followed by 'Stonetown Shakedown' with a positive and energetic theme, chants and a busy brass section to set the dancefloor in motion.
'Bagamoyo' has a distinctive sound with it's electronics and a laid back character followed by 'Juju Chant #1' which samples 'Mantis Revolver' by Seattle based trio 'Afrocop' whilst the title track 'Liberated Thoughts' with it's raw but floor friendly combination of drums and vocals leads back to the center of the dancefloor.
The title 'Mala Mali' describes the curse of money, whether you have much of it or even nothing. Fusing a cinematic, widescreen trumpet arrangement with vintage synths and rolling drums - a digression into slightly more psychedelic Afrofunk territories. Furthermore, 'People's Republic' is built on a more Soul based idea with Jazz flutes and a vibrant horn section.
'Fubica', a peculiar theme for bumpy streets, provides broken beats, a mellow Jazz guitar and leaping sax followed by the second interlude 'Juju Chant #2'. The following 'Barabara' was released as a prequel single to 'Liberated Thoughts' and perfectly complements the albums flow..
With 'Poacher's Lookout' the psychedelic touch is revisited again, this time creating a tense overall atmosphere, with additional hypnotic scats and some darker electronics. The album closes with the Dub-inspired slow groove of 'Flowers For Lions', a beautiful ending for 'Liberated Thoughts'.

While they both have collaborated on each other's solo records, Still Hungry marks their first joint album. Still Hungry boasts the best of what Format and Abs bring to the hip-hop community: funky, up-tempo and slick beats, coupled with intelligent, savvy lyrics. The album also showcases a grittier, harder sound, reflecting the maturity of the two artists, giving their audience some head-bobbing bangers that could rock any concert hall.

Format and Abs have contributed to each other's albums, with Abs providing slick verses on Format's debut album Music for the Mature B-Boy, and Format producing tracks on Abdominal's debut release Escape from the Pigeon Hole. In 2003 they provided support for Jurassic 5's European tour, and then continued touring together as headliners based on how hype crowds became when they took the stage.
Together, they have toured the UK more than twenty times to sold-out crowds. They have rocked stages such as Glastonbury Festival, Boomtown Festival and the iconic Jazz Café and Brixton Academy venues in London. They have also brought their high-energy shows to Australia and across Europe several times over the past fifteen years.

Like any memorable hip-hop team, DJ Format & Abdominal have found success by working off each other's strengths and giving the global hip-hop community a unique and funky sound destined to be a fixture in every rap lover's collection.

After over a year spent in a slight creative slump in a crumbling terraced house in Tottenham, Jam Baxter rang his label boss while heavily intoxicated to request they fly him to Bangkok forthwith, to rejoin forces with '...so we ate them whole' producer and engineer, Chemo. After an initial period of understandable hesitancy, the flights were booked and Baxter found himself suddenly regurgitated from the belly of a Jet Airliner into the magical and surreal surroundings of Mansion 38.

Mansion 38 is the name of the apartment block in Bangkok in which Baxter wrote the entire album, all the while going slowly insane on a heady mix of local liquor and multicoloured pharmaceuticals. The album is very much a product of the month he spent there in a dream-like state, becoming a delusional half-man half- goat figure to be admired and feared in equal measure.

Despite not being the wholesome and creative Zen retreat he anticipated and most probably needed, the backdrop of seedy late nights and impulsive tropical hedonism has resulted in some of his most intriguing and honest work to date. Chemo once again provides the haunting and evocative canvas that is all too perfect for Baxter's colourful imagery and dark psychedelic storytelling, blending a huge array of influences into an album that flows seamlessly from start to finish.

With comrades Lee Scott and Trellion flying to Bangkok on a whim to record their contributions and with videos shot in Bangkok, Hanoi and London this is truly an international project born of grand ambition and abject madness.

Mansion 38 is clear proof that after several years and multiple solo and group projects, Jam Baxter is still angrily shoving the boundaries of hip hop and lyricism further outward.

London-based jazz exotica trio Les Hommes are back with the thoroughly off-kilter long-player The Sinner. The mood is a globe-trotter with sounds from Arabian cafes, sonic postcards from Rio and deep modes from European jazz quarters. The Sinner is a continental audio trip, an excursion into east-meets-west where Les Hommes's core line-up of vintage Lowrey organ, a gamut of exotic percussion and amazingly swinging jazzuous drums, joins a high-contrast sonic palette that includes frenzied Eastern chimings of santur, Italianate clarinet, vibraphone and alto flute - channelled through the cinematic variations-on-a-theme blueprint.
From the Shearing-meets-Monk 1960s club grind organtronica of 'Queen Fez', the noirish clarinet-led brooding shimmer of 'Canticle', the primal swing of the jazz samba 'Espírito santo' to the visceral pulse of the Persian daf in 'Dusty road' and the modal mood that colours 'Dolores', The Sinner is a supremely mondo bella figura. A fairground ghost train ride into unchartered sonic territory with its unspoken salutary tale of The Sinner and his arcane quest for atonement.

A good concert is like a journey. When it starts you might not know what episodes await you, but in your heart you can feel which direction it will take you in. The Miramode Orchestra offers just this type of enriching, exhilarating experience. Although they meander between coordinates including jazz, electronica and groove, the seven musicians can never be tied down to a single musical location. The sound created by a four-man rhythm section and three horn players is always flavoured by a certain ambition, but never fails to let souls fly and get bodies sweating!

Their debut album Restless City' announced the band as fans of both exploration and experimentation. Why break down barriers when you can simply soar over them - after all, they only exist in the mind. It is therefore no surprise that collaborations have already included not only a range of artists more at home in genres such as hip hop, soul and modern club culture, but also a string ensemble. The latter returned to the studio for the band's forthcoming album Tumbler', which is set for release in early 2017 on Agogo Records. There is a noticeable shift towards more song-like structures: The vocals of Inèz Schäfer, Dan Freeman, Mara von Ferne and the band's keyboard player Eren Solak are taking Tumbler to another level.

At times it is difficult not to hear a touch of Bon Iver, 4hero or Cinematic Orchestra. Yet just as listeners are ready to slot a song into a pigeonhole, the Miramode Orchestra whisks them away to a new, unexpected stop on their journey.

Considering the incredibly wide range of styles adopted by Piero Umiliani during his career, it will come as no surprise for you to know that he also produced disco. At that time in Italy disco had still an exotic appeal and was considered apt to accompany a genre of movies that was at once erotic and comic. "Discomusic" is some sort of a white version of a sound that is inherently black, a unique record within Umiliani's discography. The track "Discomania" became popular as the closing theme of 90° Minuto, a famous Italian football TV show.

A special SKRS and Boomarm dedication to all the ladies, the international Gyal Dem! 10 tracks of potent, crackling dub abstraction and sound system meditations from the elusive dub xperimentalists known as SEEKERSINTERNATIONAL.

Raised in the 80s and 90s mobile DJ culture of the Philippines and currently based in Richmond, British Columbia, SEEKERSINTERNATIONAL (aka SKRS) have been actively shaping their unique, left-of-center roots inspired minimalist dub since the late 90s. With releases on Digitalis, Bristol's No Corner, and their own ICS Library Records, SKRS holds true to dub music's original spirit of exploration and transformation as both a metaphor for and a reflection of one's inner search: from slowed breaths to quickened senses, looped invocations and false starts, shifting realities and eroded beliefs, refracted egos and the all-echoing Oneness - all subjects of their (re)search - all part of The Dance.

Housed in an incredible gold, black, & white printed sleeve designed by SKRS in-house visual wing, MYSTERYFORMS.

Swindle completes his 'Trilogy of Funk' series with the 'Purple Walls' EP recorded in LA last summer. He is joined by soul singer Daley and regular collaborator Terri Walker on his first record of 2017. It is a full departure from his 140 bpm previous outings on Deep Medi & Butterz, but still retains his signature style he has been honing over the last ten years. The previous EP's 'Connecta' and 'Funk & Grime' have long sold out, and the final edition won't stick around long either.

Record Kicks proudly pres. Juno Awards nominee Tanika Charles. Her debut album "Soul Run", produced among others by Slakah The Beatchild - best known for his works with Drake - will be released on Record Kicks next April the 7th.

Already filed under "one of the heavy hitter of 2017" and anticipated by its first single, the title tracks "Soul Run" which is hitting the airwaves all around the globe, Soul Run is the debut album by Edmonton-raised Tanika Charles.

The album produced among the others by Slakah The Beatchild (BBE Records), best known as a producer for his collaborations with Canadian rapper Drake, strikes a seamless balance between the warm authentic vintage Motown soul sound, yet contains a contemporary twist to it. A tricky thing to accomplish, however, Tanika has undeniably managed to achieve this, judging by the glowing reviews and support she's currently receiving from all around the globe, including a nomination at the 2017 Juno Awards (the Canadian Grammys) for best R&b/Soul album of year.

"The most buzzed-about Soul singer in Toronto" according to CBC network, in a few short years has transformed from an emerging solo artist to a commanding performer and bandleader, a staple in the Canadian soul scene, both on stage and off. Her touring career has seen her supporting the likes of Estelle, Haitus Kayote, Lauryn Hill and Macy Gray. Highly impressive, considering she is only just releasing her debut album to the world, after her low-key EP release, 'What! What What!', back in 2010.

Growing up on a musical diet of Patti Labelle, Jill Scott, Bob James, Stevie Wonder, D'Angelo, Bjork and The Black Crows, Charles' eclectic music taste subconsciously shines through in 'Soul Run', an album's name that came from a tragic part of Tanika's life. Miss Charles presents an immutable charm, at times endearingly abrasive and honest in her vulnerabilities. If Tanika's singing it, she's lived it! Soul Run "is a post breakup album. It's not about a breakup as such, but about finding yourself after hitting the reset button", Charles makes clear. Tanika Charles put a modern, edgy twist on the classic Motown sound, resulting in an album that captures the ears and feet of anyone in a 5 mile radius. Fans of Sharon Jones, Lee Fields, Lauryn Hill and Macy Gray... watch out !!!

Having anthologized his '60s songbook with 1976's overdue long-player Positive-Negative, Grand Rapids, Michigan's Tommy McGee was eager to place something more modern into the marketplace. Brass at Brunswick and MCA failed to hear a hit in McGee's sultry-yet-assured delivery of Now That I Have You.' Unable to find a home for the romantic anthem, McGee issued his 2-step masterpiece on his own TMG Records in 1981. McGee would revisit the composition later in the decade, dressing the tune with drum machines and synthesizers for a run of 12-inch singles. However, this 45-only version from 1976 captures the progressive soul stepper at its most organic.

The Wound Up Beat Tape takes inspiration from long car journeys sat in the backseat whilst growing up. The sensation of watching the world go by blasting cassettes on your Walkman. A deeply personal way of consuming music these teenage experiences have never left the artists and still inspire them to this day.Transported to a world of breaks whilst in reality sat in the back seat of your parents car, these were intimate sessions of being totally consumed in music. This tape reflects how producers from around the world, whilst having wildly different upbringings, share the same nostalgic experience.This has spawned a wonderful compilation ranging from nineties boom bap to modern jazzy atmospherics. A wide spectrum of music held together with one common goal. Trans- porting you to your own back seat musical journey.Like all Next Phase releases packaging of the physical product is equally important as it's music. Attention to detail is paramount with each cassette supplied with a painstakingly hand crafted outer sleeve. These were produced by cutting individual pieces of cardboard then spraying them with paint.A paper transfer was then layered over the custom paint job before nally scratching away the paper so only the ink and paint were left. Keeping with the nostalgic theme the supplied booklet was printed using a risograph duotone. This gives it a dated comic book feel whilst using a current digital technique.This juxtaposition of retro and modern is one of the driving forces behind Next Phase

A two city bridge with Tokyo's finest, the Jazzy Sport rep Budamunk on the A, and Chi-city beat-monger Radius on the flip. Pure smoke-laden beats, heavy on the nod.

The UK-based imprint Unity Through Sound, founded in late 2016, has already been declared a household name in the contemporary bass music scene, and that with good reason. Their already- sold-out debut record by spirited Headland (NZ) has been taking great strides in the scene, rattling bodies left and right. Clearly demonstrating the labels skillful aptitude towards releasing firey material at just the right time. Bringing forth nothing but pure, condensed amalgamations of weight and groove. Keeping the spotlight on their side after a short breather, they're now back with another weighty vengeance - mighty Chad Dubz at the controls for the second installment, catalogued as 'UNITY002' Based in Bristol, the 'Foundation Audio' label owner Chad Dubz knows his way around bass. Also having released on imprints like Cue Line, Indigo Movements, Hold Tight Records, the man is perfectly aware of the specifics of relentlessly unleashing highly regarded material from time to time again. Further embedding the claim, he's already been on the airwaves on prestigious formats like Rinse FM, Radar Radio and GetDarker TV, as well as the renowned Sub FM among others.
Lowering the turntable stylus on Side A, the listener is met with sparsely layed out hats, reeling in the attention as eerie thumps reverberate, making way for the sound of a match being lighted. The sound is then set ablaze, furiously being pushed forward through its deep-rooted sub routine. Its foundation is accompanied by the odd, but carefully selected foley sample, echoeing away alongside the exquisite feast for ears and body. Aptly named 'Drained', feeling it on a big rig, will definitely leave us gasping for air and grasping for steady ground. The same has to be said for the B-Side, as we're flipping the record, the listener is met with dubbier inclinations through use of catchy organ chord staccati and rastafari-esque vocal ramblings - all the while preserving every ounce of weight. UK-based Chad Dubz goes all out with his EP, discharging two authoritative full- body-experiences. Needless to say, the release can safely be expected to sell out rather sooner than later, so make sure not to miss the pre-order. A hot record for the lovers of bass weight.

Released in collab with BBE, taken from the forthcoming BBE digital LP, Colo(u)rs Of The World, Hip Hop production man of substance, Chris Read hooks up Chicago 's Pugs Atomz to bring us these two jazzy hip hop choons bringing back memories of early Pharcyde vibes. Limited Edition of 500 - don't sleep!

Outstanding and miraculous, this record is an international effort, resulting in a great combination, relevant for both bagging it or playing out on a soundsystem. The original music is by one of Russia's most prolific and gifted reggae musicians - Rebelsteppa. Melodic instrumental music, a swing-stepper with a saxophone.

None Shall Escape the Judgement', vocals by Stikki Tantafari from Jamaica is on the A side of the record. This song is rough and tough, dynamic and persistent. Stikki Tantafari has previously released music with Paul Lush on Nucleus Roots Records.

On the B side "Give Unto Jah' by Sista Sherin, the German singer. Compared to the record's first side, this one is smoother, the voice of this young lady is glorious and captivating - positive vibrations.

Both sides feature Rebelsteppa's dub-mixes - His style is always a mixture of classical energy combined with peculiar intelligence of sound given by restrained echoes, created for the soundsystem.