Hip-Hop Vinyl New Releases - News

Gentleman & Ky-Mani Marley veröffentlichen zusammen ein Album und gehen diesen Sommer gemeinsam auf Europa-Tour!
Die beiden Künstler arbeiteten zum ersten Mal beim MTV Unplugged-Konzert von Gentleman zusammen und haben danach beschlossen, ein gemeinsames Albumprojekt zu starten. Auch Marcia Griffiths, die früher bei Ky-Mani's Vater und Reggaelegende Bob Marley im Background gesungen hat, ist als Feature vertreten. Zu dritt haben sie Bob's Klassiker "Simmer Down" neu interpretiert. Ebenfalls auf der Singleliste befindet sich - Mama , bezeichnenderweise eine Hommage an alle Mütter, produziert von Supadups, der sich aktuell für einige Drake- und Rihanna-Produktionen verantwortlich zeichnet.

Gentleman & Ky-Mani Marley veröffentlichen zusammen ein Album und gehen diesen Sommer gemeinsam auf Europa-Tour!
Die beiden Künstler arbeiteten zum ersten Mal beim MTV Unplugged-Konzert von Gentleman zusammen und haben danach beschlossen, ein gemeinsames Albumprojekt zu starten. Auch Marcia Griffiths, die früher bei Ky-Mani's Vater und Reggaelegende Bob Marley im Background gesungen hat, ist als Feature vertreten. Zu dritt haben sie Bob's Klassiker "Simmer Down" neu interpretiert. Ebenfalls auf der Singleliste befindet sich - Mama , bezeichnenderweise eine Hommage an alle Mütter, produziert von Supadups, der sich aktuell für einige Drake- und Rihanna-Produktionen verantwortlich zeichnet.

Gott sieht alles . Eisen . Eckkneipenhustler .
Mofa . Kleid deiner Mutter . Spiegel .
Gebrochener Knieboogie . Flatrate .
Schwarzer Krauser . Komm im Bimma . Spiel
des Lebens . Lass mal bleiben . Haram Ciphe

Nach ruhmreichen Auftritten bei der Freestyle-Battle-Veranstaltung »Rap am Mittwoch« und seinem
Erstlingswerk »Pilsator Platin« 2014 erscheint nun am 13. Mai Turbo, Karate Andis Debüt bei seiner
neuen Labelheimat Selfmade Records.
Auf 13 Tracks gibt der leidenschaftliche Eckkneipengänger Einblicke in seinen Alltag als spielsüchtiger
Vollzeitalkoholiker mit einem Dauerabonnement für das gepflegte Durchbeleidigen seiner
Deutschrap-Kollegen, macht aber auch vor den großen Themen nicht halt.
Produziert wurde Turbo von Bazzazian und Farhot aka »DIE ACHSE«, die sich mit ihren
Stand-out-Produktionen für Haftbefehl, Gentleman u.a. in den letzten Jahren einen ehrfürchtigen Ruf
erarbeitet haben. Die vorwärtsgewandten High-End-Beats mit ungeheurer Detailverliebtheit treffen auf
Karate Andis schier unerschöpflichen Fundus an mehrsilbigen Reimketten und respektlosen
Punchlines und machen Turbo zu einem der spannendsten Alben des Frühjahres 2016.

Michael Franti ist schon lange dafür bekannt, ein Vorreiter des lyrischen Aktivismus zu sein.
Mit seinem genreübergreifenden Sound, unglaublich dynamischen und lebensfrohen Liveshows und sehr bewussten Texten, begeistert er Reggae, Hip-Hop, Funk und Folk Fans weltweit.
Den Titel seines neuen und somit 13. Albums, SOULROCKER, definiert Franti wie folgt: One who lives from the heart, with compassion for all, and possesses a tenacious enthusiasm for music, life and the planet.
Treffender könnte es nicht sein!

Another huge seminal release from Salsoul. Contains the original Bobby "DJ" Guttadaro and Tom Moulton exnteded 12" remixes of these fully fledged disco nuggets.

Shabazz Palaces is Ishmael Butler (Digible Planets) and Tendai Maraire, and their Lese Majesty was easily the most spun record on the Third Man office turntable in 2014. Our admiration reached new heights when we had the honor of hosting the Seattle-based duo for a live performance and direct-to-acetate recording in our Nashville Blue Room last year. In Third Man consigliere Ben Swank's own words, "Shabazz Palaces' obstinately original oeuvre emanates from a fully formed higher conscious, they plant their flag in the outermost realms of the hip hop global soundscape where vibrations throb into beat-heavy explorations, chrome covered constellations of higher reveries each offering its own sonic boom."

Ishmael and Tendai announced recently that they will be supporting Radiohead on their upcoming LA dates, and the group released a new video featuring footage from the Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit, NASA's Johnson Space Center, and the Hubble and Cassini space missions for their track "Dawn In Luxor" just last week, We agree... you'd better go ahead and watch here.

This is the Dub version of the previous album of Blundetto « World of ». TIP!
In the largest Jamaican tradition, Blundetto decided to revisit the songs from his latest album "World of" in dub.

With his partner and producer, Blackjoy, they locked themselves in the studio with delay chambers and a multitude of effects for tweaking sounds and extract the substance of dub.

The result offers a variety of sound and atmosphere for the greatest pleasure of the ears.
Dubwise !!!

Originally released in 1977, and reissued here for the first time on 7" with the instrumental, this is a modern soul classic from Jeff Perry. Original copies on Epic have exchange hands for over £100. Chicago's Jeff Perry aka Jeffree is a highly skilled songwriter, musician and producer. He sang vocal sessions at Chess, Motown, produced at Hot Wax and for his brother Greg Perry's group 100 Proof Aged In Soul. He worked with Jackie Wilson, Diana Ross, Norman Whitfield and maintained his own solo recordings from 1975 at Arista, then Epic, MCA and his own label

Zumindest südlich des Weißwurstäquators sind sie als Hip-Hop-Schwergewichte bekannt: Der "Bavarian
Barbarian" Liquid, der seit dem Album "La Le Lu" und seinem sechsstellig geklickten Polt-Remix jedem ein
Begriff ist, der Bayrisch versteht. Und der auf Englisch rappende Bayer Maniac, Live-Rampensau vom andern
Stern und Beatmaker von Weltruf. Dass sich die Zwei erneut für ein Album zusammengefunden haben, war
nur folgerichtig. Denn Liquid, ursprünglich aus dem oberpfälzischen Regenstauf, und Maniac, aufgewachsen
in South Carolina, gehören zu den spannendsten und produktivsten Hip-Hop-Künstlern ihrer gemeinsamen
Wahlheimat Regensburg. Die oberpfälzische Domstadt ist es auch, die man auf "Slang Funk Slam Dunk"
deutlich heraushört: Liquid rappt in Mundart. Denjenigen, die sich darauf einlassen und das Gesagte
verstehen, eröffnet sich ein vielschichtiges und entspanntes Lifestyle-Szenario zwischen Skateboard und
Konsole, das im postkartenidyllischen Bayern-Klischee nördlich des Weißwurstäquators eigentlich gar nicht
vorgesehen ist. "Es is hoid a Movement und koa Gimmick" und "Slang Funk Slam Dunk" dessen dopeste
Manifestation.

Zumindest südlich des Weißwurstäquators sind sie als Hip-Hop-Schwergewichte bekannt: Der "Bavarian
Barbarian" Liquid, der seit dem Album "La Le Lu" und seinem sechsstellig geklickten Polt-Remix jedem ein
Begriff ist, der Bayrisch versteht. Und der auf Englisch rappende Bayer Maniac, Live-Rampensau vom andern
Stern und Beatmaker von Weltruf. Dass sich die Zwei erneut für ein Album zusammengefunden haben, war
nur folgerichtig. Denn Liquid, ursprünglich aus dem oberpfälzischen Regenstauf, und Maniac, aufgewachsen
in South Carolina, gehören zu den spannendsten und produktivsten Hip-Hop-Künstlern ihrer gemeinsamen
Wahlheimat Regensburg. Die oberpfälzische Domstadt ist es auch, die man auf "Slang Funk Slam Dunk"
deutlich heraushört: Liquid rappt in Mundart. Denjenigen, die sich darauf einlassen und das Gesagte
verstehen, eröffnet sich ein vielschichtiges und entspanntes Lifestyle-Szenario zwischen Skateboard und
Konsole, das im postkartenidyllischen Bayern-Klischee nördlich des Weißwurstäquators eigentlich gar nicht
vorgesehen ist. "Es is hoid a Movement und koa Gimmick" und "Slang Funk Slam Dunk" dessen dopeste
Manifestation.

1x customer!

The subject of Music From Memory's latest compilation release is the elusive and mysterious Philadelphian musician Napoleon Cherry (aka Cool Waters). Oddball funk biz TIP!
In the late 80's and early 90's Cherry privately released two LP's and an EP which form the basis of this retrospective, alongside an unreleased cut 'When You Had The Chance' which was recently released on 12' in collaboration with US label PPU.
Recorded with a very DIY aesthetic and a strong presence of gospel and RnB, Cherry's unique take on soul and funk music, reflect a rawness that stands in contrast to the slick, over-produced soul of that era. With appearances by jazz musicians such as the late celebrated saxophonist Byard Lancaster, who coincidentally played with MFM's previous compilation subject Vito Ricci, Napoleon's music seems to defy any clear categorisation.From cocktail jazz funk to intergalactic synth workouts to melancholy bedroom soul, Napoleon's use of synths and drum computers, though perhaps unknowingly, also seem to strongly echo elements of early house music.

Lullabies For The Broken Brain' is an odd instrumental project from Detroit producer Quelle Chris (Danny Brown, Sean P, Pharoahe Monch, Jean Grae). While most have come to know Quelle's production for its oinky doink, ear gagging, smooth jazz, 'Lullabies...' reveals another aspect of his wizardry.

Released on black & white marbled vinyl.

This high flying, jello instrumental album is ideal on an Armageddon evening, or as a snack of the day. Each track is dormant and juicy. 'Lullabies...' is an infinite instrumental rude, a backdrop for deception.

For some, lullabies come to mind when folding the planets while being lost in space. Formed in different dreams, daydreams and hallucinations, set low in the earth or hanging high at the Alamo, lullabies seem to stir up a sort of distress that we need at times. This project is an amalgamation of beats put together to do something. Whether to reflect on a certain animal within, or to accompany heavy drugs, Lullabies puts forth farts to provoke blah blah.

'Quelle skillfully blends genres, showing his great range as a composer and creative visionary' - 7.4 review from Pitchfork

'It mirrors the line between dreams and reality, evoking the split second you fall asleep during a crazy movie and your mind retains the flickering images from the screen' - Interview on Mass Appeal

Album stream premiere and single premiere via Noisey 'penchant for offbeat bars and ear-grabbing production' with coverage in SPIN 'one of the most distinct voices in independent rap', Impose, 2 Dope Boyz, Okay Player, Hip Hop DX, Ego Trip Land and Indie Shuffle

Produced by Linval Thompson, mixed by Scientist and first released in 1981 this wonderful Dub Landing starts out with an exceptionally powerful dub reformation of Al Campbell's 'Unfaithful Children' showcasing Scientist's exceptional skills of deconstruction and reconstruction. Scientist at his best on Dub Mir!

FIRST REISSUE EVER

REMASTERED BY HOPETOWN OVERTON BROWN

CONTAINS A BONUS CD

45RPM AUDIOPHILE EDITION

Truly outstanding Scientist killer dub LP, originally released in 1981. Produced by Linval Thompson and mixed by the one and only Scientist at King Tubby's.

FIRST REISSUE EVER

REMASTERED BY HOPETOWN OVERTON BROWN

CONTAINS A BONUS CD

45RPM AUDIOPHILE EDITION

Jimmy Riley meets Scientist in dub! Classic Scientist dub action over tough Sly and Robbie Channel One rhythms. All tracks recorded at Channel One by Prince Jammy, Scientist, Jimmy Riley. Top ranking dub!!

FIRST REISSUE EVER

REMASTERED BY HOPETOWN OVERTON BROWN

CONTAINS A BONUS CD

45RPM AUDIOPHILE EDITION

Two years after the release of their critically acclaimed album Death Drive, Sole & DJ Pain 1 announce the follow-up album, "Nihilismo". This album embodies the overlap of their music with the world of activism and journalism. "Nihilismo" is a revolutionary hip-hop album that challenges the nihilism of modern life, of late stage capitalism and of a world that seems to have no future.



It is a DIY testament to how both artists have plotted a way out of that despair through DIY ethics and a life of making working class, yet revolutionary music. To be released on collaboration with Fake Four Inc. & Alpha Pup. The winning collaboration between indy rap iconoclast and platinum producer DJ Pain 1 has resulted in truly original music that has been heralded by industry standard bearers like 2DopeBoyz and Spin, as well as popular radical media platforms such as Russia Today and Truthout.



Featuring contributions from punk rock icon Chris Hanna of Propagandhi, anarchist author Scott Crow, Decomposure, Fake Four label head Ceschi, Jah Boogie, Church Fire and The Delta Mirror, "Nihilismo" pushes the boundaries of the genre. The album also includes the title track for the upcoming documentary on Drone whistleblowers, "National Bird," which recently premiered at the Berlin Film Festival to rave reviews.

Two odd Island bangers previously only avaible on the VERY rare Stephen LP you almost certianly don't own. Athens of the North is happy to drop these Funky Modern Pieces on our preffered format for the first time. Recorded in Freeport Bahamas and produced by the mighty Frank Penn. Catchy, on the Edge and full of personality. Records like this is why we do what we do.

As Michigan's anti-Surgeon general, Red Pill Quips: "We may not be the heroes this world needs, we're definitely not the heroes this world wants, but at least we're here." His partners in Ugly Heroes are Chicago MC Verbal Kent, and Detroit producer Apollo Brown. Their second Mello Music Group release, 'Everything In Between', offers diamonds of wisdom amidst the existential dumpster fire.

It's been said that if you go down deep enough, past the personal, you eventually reach the universal. Ugly Heroes embody that axiom, unravelling their own stories, self-doubts, and doubts with depression to arrive at something as profound as it is vulnerable. Apollo Brown warps soul music and bayonet-hard drums, creating a singular forum of soul-couching dirty-sky symphonies. Levitating boom-bap for the 21st Century.

Muhammad Ali and the ultimate sound of fistfighting. - Aus gegebenem Anlaß.

Er war ein notorisches Großmaul - und der beste Boxer seiner Zeit, vielleicht aller Zeiten. Spätestens nachdem sich Cassius Clay in Muhammad Ali umbenannte, der Heavy Weight Champion den Kriegsdienst in Vietnam verweigerte und radikale schwarze Ideen äußerte, reichte sein Einfluß weit über den Boxring hinaus in die Politik und Kulturgeschiche hinein. "He is he": Ali taugte mit seinem selbstbewussten, scharfsinnigen und durchtriebenen Auftreten zum Sport-Idol wie zum Pop-Rebellen. Das bezeugen nicht zuletzt die vielen musikalischen Tribute an "Black Superman" aus den unterschiedlichsten Ecken der Welt. "Hits & Misses" trägt zwei Dutzend Songs von und um Muhammad Ali zusammen. Bekannte und unbekannte Soul-, Funk-, Brasil- und Reggae- Musiker von Alvin Cash bis Sir Mack Rice, von Big Youth bis Jorge Ben treffen da auf singende Boxer und ehemalige Ali-Gegner wie Joe Frazier oder George Foreman. Und natürlich hatte auch "The Greatest" bei Gelegenheit die Boxhandschuhe gegen das Gesangsmikrofon eingetauscht... Zusammengestellt von Claas Gottesleben und Jonathan Fischer

The fifth installment of the One-derful! Collection focuses on the Midas imprint of this legendary R&B label group. Midas is preceded by the One-derful!, Mar-V-Lus, M-Pac!, and Halo compilations and will be followed by the release of the Toddlin' Town sub- label. This series marks the first in-depth study of what was once one of Chicago's most prominent African-American run labels.



Midas Records is available in 2xLP and CD formats, and within the grooves of these 25 tracks lie southern funk and soul from Bennie Sharp & The Sharpies and Bobby Mack, strong female leads from Irene Scott and No No Starr, and storming group vocals by The Inspirations and The Compliments. Midas was the shortest lived label in the One-derful! stable and thus provides and excellent place to showcase unreleased material from One- derful!'s vast vault of tapes. Featured among the 11 never issued tracks on Midas are incredible songs from Andre Williams, Bennie Sharp & The Sharpies, Bobby Mack, and McKinley Mitchell.



Central to Midas is the Leaner family. By 1966 when brothers George and Ernie Leaner added Midas as a sub-label to their One-derful! label, they were revered figures on Chicago's Record Row and beyond. They distributed material from labels like Motown and Stax and they attracted top talent. It wasn't uncommon for a WVON DJ to help the Leaners sign their newest discovery, or for their singers, musicians, songwriters, or producers to have Chess or Motown on their resumes.



Between '62 and '71, the One-derful! family of labels released 180+ 45s of stunning soul, funk, and gospel. Over two years of painstaking research and work, including countless hours spent cataloging, transferring, and mastering 250 of the label's tapes, has contributed to an amazingly extensive reissue collection. In addition, some of the world's leading experts have contributed liner notes and interviewed virtually every known surviving artist, producer, and otherwise involved party.



In total, the six volumes of the One-derful! Collection include 12 LPs/6 CDs with 147 tracks, 57 which were never issued, and 144 pages of 12' x 12' liner notes stuffed full of rare and never before seen photos and memorabilia. Spanning 1962 to 1971, these compilations bring forth a wealth of overlooked and never before heard recordings and history.

Wilson Simonal - Nem Vem Que Nao Tem
An instant and super catchy samba-MPB hit made famous through by its inclusion in Fernando Meirelles and Kátia Lund's 'City Of God'. This is a firm Simonal favourite here at Mr Bongo HQ.

Simonal was a hugely successful singer in the 1960's and early 70's, one of the most popular artists in Brazil infact.'Nem Vem Que Nao Tem' was previously released on 7" by Odeon in France and Spain, and appears on his 'Alegria, Alegria !!!' LP on Odeon Brazil, released in 1967Trio Mocoto - Nao Adianta
Trio Mocoto were one of Jorge Ben Jr's main backing bands and highly influential to his sound. They recorded with him on the seminal 'Força Bruta', 'Negro É Lindo' and 'Tábua de Esmeralda' LP's.

Nao Adianta first appeared on Trio Mocoto's self-titled 1977 Arlequim LP. It was subsequently released on 7" in Spain, Portugal and Italy (and we are assuming France too).

https://youtu.be/ElN6OmBbWEc
* Another from dig the vaults of early 1990's UK Dub / Roots with these two sure shots.
*Both originally released on the same hard-to-find Sound Business 12" back in 1994.
*`African Mask' is a hypnotic slice of meditative dub which features repetitive vocal phrases from Paul Fox which along with Nick Manasseh' Raphael get production credits. A tune favoured by Jah Shaka from those times,
* `Writing on the Wall' is a vocal and dub affair in the more traditional mode roots reggae mode.
*500 only pressed

Favorite Recordings proudly presents this new official album reissue of An Eye For An Eye by Byrne & Barnes: A true WestCoast/AOR masterpiece, produced in legendary music city Muscle Shoals (Alabama) and originally only released on Japanese label Climax.

In 1981, Robert Byrne followed up to his 1979 album, Blame It On The Night, by teaming-up with multi-instrumentalist Brendan Barnes to record this rare WestCoast classic. If they never recorded any other music together, both display incredible music career and went on to produce for many famous artists such as Pointer Sisters, Patti Austin, Earth Wind & Fire, Phil Collins, Brian McKnight, or Boyz II Men to name just a few.

An Eye For An Eye features amazing and sophisticated songs, and parades all the elements of the AOR style: a jazzy sometimes fusion approach, with modern soul and groove flavors. If it's almost unknown in Byrne & Barnes' country of origins and in most part of the world, it's become hugely popular and sought-after in Japan and for all WestCoast music lovers.

After Charles Maurice recently selected the song 'Love You Out Of Your Mind' in the AOR Global Sounds Vol.2 compilation, it quickly felt obvious for Favorite Recordings to arrange a proper reissue of the full album, including for the first time the vinyl format.

Fully restored and remastered with great attention to sound quality, An Eye For An Eye by Byrne & Barnes is presented in a deluxe vinyl version housed in a tip-on jacket, as CD and in Digital versions.

Magic Source is a project led by producer Björn Wagner (The Mighty Mocambos, Bacao Rhythm & Steel Band, Mocambo Records), who is renowned for creating an authentic and hard-hitting raw funk sound. Following a few acclaimed single releases on Favorite Recordings over the past few years, the French label deeply wanted to collaborate further with the German combo, for a special and exclusive project bringing their music on new paths. This new project is a step towards a new style: Analog-Electronica, or so called Cosmic-Disco sound.

Recorded on a 16-track reel-to-reel tape, EARTHRISING combines raw unedited live band recording, with the refined production aesthetics of the Disco era, including the use of vintage synthesizers, group chants and processed acoustic percussions, for an organic club feeling. While maintaining an un-edited, but highly hypnotic four-on-the-floor groove, Magic Source leaves the old beaten track of cheesy Disco-Pop and overheard Dance classics.

The music is an unusual and surprisingly coherent mixture: Earthrising unites rootsy Afro elements (such as almost tribal chants, percussions and a funky rhythm section), with sci-fi score soundscapes (such as ethereal synthesizers, Theremin and space echo and miniature instruments) to an irresistibly grooving beat extravaganza.

"Cosmic music" was known exclusively in the region of north Italy, Austria, and southern Bavaria until recent. Originally an eclectic DJ mixing style that evolved in the late 70s, it combined Disco, Ethno groove fragments, Electro, Afrobeat, Dub, Italo, Funk and Exotica weirdness to a trancy and danceable turntable symphony.

Magic Source creates its very own all-live version of Cosmic. Though you will rarely hear anything similar from any other band, there's hardly an eclectic style that sounds more natural than the wonderful that is Earthrising.

Mecca And The Soul Brother from 1992 is considered by fans and critics as one of the finest hip hop albums of the early 90s. Songs like 'Lots of Lovin', 'They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)', 'Anger In The Nation' and 'It It Ain't Rough, It Ain't Right' have everything; funky basslines, solid production, convincing lyrics and lots of soul. Producer Pete Rock built his beats from obscure R&B, funk and jazz records and CL Smooth added his sometimes philosophical raps.

Guest rappers on the album include Grand Puba (of Brand Nubian), Heavy D, Rob-O, Grap & Dida, and it reached #7 in the US R&B/Hip-hop charts and #43 in the US album charts.

Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth stopped working together in 1995 after finishing their follow-up album The Main Ingredient (MOVLP1634). Rumor has it that the duo will be reuniting for a brand new album.

Der in Wiesbaden geborene und in L.A. aufgewachsene Rapper ScHoolboy Q gilt, zusammen mit
seinem Black-Hippy-Kollegen Kendrick Lamar, längst als Speerspitze der neuen Hip-Hop-Generation.
Gründe dafür gibt's viele: In seinen intelligenten Raps schimmern sowohl die eigene Vergangenheit als
Schulüberflieger, als auch seine Erfahrungen als Teil der Crips durch, knallharte East-Coast-Einflüsse
von unter anderem Jay-Z, 50 Cent und Nas treffen auf hautnah erlebte West-Coast-Anekdoten,
etablierte Gäste (z.B. Pharrell, Raekwon) treffen auf die Next Generation des Hip-Hop und den
lässigen Flow eines 29-Jährigen - kein Wunder also, dass sein letztes Album - Oxymoron' (2014)
sogar für einen Grammy nominiert wurde. Das 4 Album von ScHoolboy Q wird schon seit Monaten als
eine der wichtigsten Hip-Hop-Veröffentlichungen des Jahres 2016 gehandelt. - Meine Tracks basieren
in der Regel auf persönlichen Erfahrungen, auf Dingen, die mir in L.A. passiert sind', so Q. - Manches
ist vielleicht ein bisschen überzogen dargestellt, aber im Kern sind das schon alles meine
Geschichten, meine Erlebnisse.' Einen ersten Vorgeschmack hatte er schon im Mai mit der Single
- THat Part' vom Stapel gelassen, für die er Kanye West als Gast an seine Seite holte.

* A five-piece band isn't something you'd expect to be linked to drum and bass label Med School but The Erised's elegant approach adds yet another string to Med School's forward-thinking bow. A unique collective from Ukraine, The Erised includes drum & bass producers Detail and Hidden Element, dancer turned singer/songwriter Sonya together with a collective of jazz, rock and pop musicians.* The band's impressive 2015 debut release, the Desire' EP, included the supremely popular Pray' and It's Over , immediately capturing the attention of music fans across Europe and beyond.
* Fast forward one year and The Erised are set to unveil their debut album, 'Room 414', a mature, impassioned creation that explores the band's vast emotional landscape. Sonya's voice is more absorbing than ever before, delicately crafting tales of sorrow and heartbreak before seducing the listener with her trademark, mesmerising choruses.* The Erised's moody instrumental textures capture a fine balance between tragic and euphoric, fire and water, spring and autumn. No track is the same, as every minute passes, a different part of the story is told.
* 'Room 414' is a landmark moment for both the band and the label, as all involved take a step into the unknown with this truly magnificent album.

Undoubtedly one of the most iconic and legendary reggae labels to come out of the UK,Fashion Records has a rich and deep history that reaches far beyond the world of reggae. The brainchild of John MacGillivray and Chris Lane, two music devotees who started the Dub Vendor market stall in Clapham Junction selling imported reggae and dub vinyl during the late 70s (which later went on to spawn the hugely popular Dub Vendor shops), a dub cutting studio and label was set up in 1980 and started generating hits instantly, regularly topping the UK reggae charts and attracting attention further afield. Soon a recording studio was built, which served as a drop-in for most of the Jamaican stars passing through London at the time.

Horace Andy, Johnnie Clarke, Alton Ellis, Frankie Paul, Junior Delgado and many more household names all spent time in the A-Class studios during the early days, although it was the stars of the new UK reggae explosion that really put the label on the map. Alongside artists such as Dee Sharp, Keith Douglas, Papa Face & Bionic Rhona, the label was a springboard for talents such as Asher Senator, Macka B,Andrew Paul and Smiley Culture, the latter scoring a top 20 hit and a couple of appearances on Top Of The Pops with his 1984 single "Police Officer".

Going from strength to strength, it was the chart explosion of dancehall in the early 90s that saw more international names come flocking to the label and more hits racking up - far too many to list here, but a brief glance through the discography shows Cutty Ranks, Papa San, General Levy, Top Cat, Tenor Fly, Daddy Freddy and Wayne Wonder all recording sides for the label. Subsequently another more uniquely English style of dance music began using acapella samples from the label, jungle. Based around the soundsystem style of Jamaican music, with an emphasis on the cutting drums and heavy basslines, young jungle producers used many of the tracks recorded and played by the previous generation as the music's backbone, the vocals given new life by the rudimentary samplers being used in bedroom studios all over the land.

Fast forward 25 years and those reverberations are still being felt today - drum & bass, dubstep, hip hop, trap and almost any other sub-genre of what many now refer to as "bass music" has the DNA of reggae and dancehall running through it, so its only right to expect a little payback. A&R'd by music fanatic and owner of the NICE UP! record label, Jon Sheppard - "Inna NICE UP! Fashion" aims to bring new life to some of these legendary tracks by having modern day producers rework them in their own style and re-introduce them to a new audience. From the frantic breakbeats of rave-revivalistSpecial Request and the bottom end sonics of Radio 1's Toddla T & Melé, to the modern minimalist dancehall-tech of Machinedrum and the digital dub drone of The Bug, there is plenty to get excited about here. Poland's Radikal Guru serves up some classic dubstep, Germany's Jahtari crew take it back into 80s nostalgia with their 8-bit dancehall style, whilst modern reggae producers Wrongtom, Jstar and Mr Benn all show why they are on the forefront of the UK reggae revival. The tempo gets upped for some heavier jungle inspired remixes from Aries & Gold Dubs, Serial Killaz and festival favourites Dub Pistols, giving a little bit of something for everybody.

Limited Repress!!


As the title suggests Welcome 2 Detroit is a showcase of the talent from J Dilla's hometown, introducing a pre-Slum Village Elzhi on the song "Come Get It", and making room for his longtime 1st Down partner Phat Kat on the appropriately titled "Featuring Phat Kat".

Although it is a solo album, on several cuts, such as the first single "Pause", Dilla takes a backseat and lets others command the mic. He also covers Donald Byrd's "Think Twice", singing the lead vocals (which many may assume to be Dwele, who actually sings background vocals and plays trumpet and keyboards on the track).

The influential sound for which he's received praises from Questlove (of The Roots) to Pharrell alike, is on full display here. J Dilla provides various moods for his listeners, ranging from grimy hardcore hip hop ("Pause") to electronic psychedelia ("B.B.E."). The track "Rico Suave Bossa Nova" is inspired by Brazilian music group Azymuth. As Dilla mentions in the extensive liner notes:

'
I fell in love with Brazilian music the day I listened to a Sérgio Mendes album. We used to have jam sessions in the studio after work was done, (and) one day my mans Karriem Riggins came through. I asked him for "Bossa nova". He gave me exactly what I needed.
'


On "African Rhythms", J Dilla covers the Afro beat group Oneness Of Juju's song of the same name, replaying all the instruments as well as mimicking the spoken introduction.

On the albums outro "One", J Dilla takes a moment to thank all who have helped him in the Hip-Hop industry, including Slum Village, Q-Tip and De La Soul. The Pop band 'N Sync is also mentioned, hinting to a time around the album's release where Dilla was slated to do a few beats for the act. (This collaboration never materialized.) Both the intro and outro were recorded on a hand-held microphone the night before the turn-in date. An instrumental version of the album was released on August 23, 2005.

Over 10 years ago, Leon Michels released his first full length record, Sounding Out The City. It was Michels' first full length record under the moniker El Michels Affair. At the time, the budding retro soul scene consisted of mostly organ quartets a la The Meters and of course, Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings were in the early days of their ascent to world domination. Leon Michels, who was 18 when recording Sounding Out The City began, had just released Thunder Chicken, the first record by his high school band The Mighty Imperials. At the time of SOTC, Michels was just discovering early rocksteady, afrobeat, and 60's garage rock, which inevitably crept its way into the songwriting. He purchased a Tascam 388, an 80's 1/4" reel to reel 8 track intended for home recordings, and began recording music in a 10x10 box with no windows that also doubled as his childhood bedroom. Along with fellow Mighty Imperials Nick Movshon, Homer Steinweiss, and Sean Solomon, and Michael Leonhart, Thomas Brenneck, and some of the musicians from The Dap Kings, Michels recorded the LP over a two year period. Upon it's release, it received some rave reviews and the small deep funk community ate it up, but due to the lack luster promotion and distribution the rest of the world was slow to catch on to the instrumental gems featured on SOTC, which Michels appropriately labelled as "cinematic soul". However, in 2005 it found it's way into the hands of the people who were organizing a series of concerts for Scion that paired bands with MC's. El Michels Affair was contacted about playing one show with Raekwon The Chef of Wu Tang Clan fame. The show was such a success it led to a tour, and then to another set of concerts that featured multiple members of the Wu-Tang Clan. This eventually led to the release of El Michels Affair's second record, "Enter the 37th Chamber" which introduced them to a much larger audience and has been their most successful release to date. Michels has since gone on to produce and co-produce numerous records for powerhouse soul artists like Lee Fields. He shares songwriting credits with Adele, Jay-Z, Ghostface Killah, Aloe Blacc, and has played on records by Ray LaMontagne, Lana Del Rey, The Black Keys and Dr. John.

First release from a new Disco Edits imprint.
The A-side, is a rework of the Disco Soul classic "I Believe in Miracles". The vocals and strings are from the 1973 Mark Capanni original and the beat is from the Jackson Sisters version.
The B-side is a beefed up edit of the Disco Ladies Disco/Northern Soul classic "Its Better Than Walking Out".

Classic Northern Soul Stomper.

Limited repress!

BBE/BBE Records have teamed up with DJ/Producer Mr Thing, to dig deep into his extensive collection to compile a series of albums of rare and sought after breaks. This series reflects brilliantly on his dedication to digging for those untouched and unrivalled samples and breaks as you hear him use in his DJ sets. As a DJ, Mr Thing never fails to engage the crowd with his winning combination of hip hop and funk breaks spiced up with his legendary mixing and scratching skills.
The first installment in the "Strange Breaks & Things" series contains superb songs, some you've probably never heard of, some which may make you go: "I recognize this sample!"... because it was once used as the backdrop for a classic Hip Hop track. If you liked the legendary "Strange Games" compilation series on BBE compiled by the likes of Kenny Dope & DJ Spinna, you'll love "Strange Breaks & Things".

From the forthcoming album Kidayu, out September 8th 2016 on Hot Casa Records.


When faced with the decision to take a different direction at the risk of getting lost in a synthetic sound or to further explore the same musical path, Vaudou Game did not need to consult the oracle for very long when putting together their new album.

Since their first acclaimed album, Apiafo and its irresistible single "Pas Contente", these Lyon natives never turned down the heat on over 130 stages across Europe, Africa, America and Asia. Peter Solo has displayed his amulets, charisma and yellow pants around the globe.

When time came for them to harness their Afro-Funk sound for the second time, they turned their attention once again to their analog strengths. Vintage material, instruments produced in the 70's and cassette tapes were the "grigris" (or lucky charms) which proved most effective to ward off digital corruption of their music and return them to a tight-knit group with a solid groove.

LP (+ FREE CD WITH BONUS TRACKS + d/l code)

The Second album by Big Funk Factory D-Funkt! the soundtrack to the story Transaction Declined'.

The band's usual cast features amongst others Mat Johnson (Jamiroquai, Laura Doggit, Julian Perretta, Duffy)as The Nerdmeister General on keyboards. Wayne Nunes and Perry Melius (Tricky, Aswad, Billy Ocean) as That Tall Bloke and The Metrognome on bass and drums.

Michael Brown (George Michael, Chaka Khan, Leona Lewis) on guitar in the guise of The Widdler, Jodie Linscott (Just ... Everybody look her up on google) as The Lin Machine on percussion and Vanessa Haynes (Incognito, The Gorillaz, Van Morrison) and Janet Ramus (Shapeshifters, David Bowie, The Eurythmics) who are cast in the roles of Siren One and Two and feature on the track She wants what wants.'


Some notable guest appearances include Ernie Mckone (Galliano, Push, Candi Statton) as The Slightly Shorter Bloke whose bass features on Independent Street', Rob Hughs (ABC, Heather Small, Eddie the Eagle film soundtrack) in the role of Bobby Pop Sax and Tim Cansfield (The Bee Gees, Steve Winwood, Annie Lennox) who for the benefit of this album goes under the title Acoutico Fanstica. His fabulous Spanish guitar playing features on Only The Silent Survive'.


Fronted by Andy Wood Mitchell (The AM Band, Andy & The BigFunk, Andy & the Other One) the organizer of this musical menagerie revises his past role as Vocalist, Producer etc ...

The Music begins with a more electro funk vibe than the previous release but the introduction of live instrumentation later on brings the sound right back to the Funk base that was established in the band's first album Factory Sample'.