Hip-Hop News

The latest on Milan-based DIY label GRAFT, by London-based Italiano, Soreab. Edition of 200, beatless A side and a remix of Equohm's previous GRAFT A side, on the flip.
Each blessed with several hand-stamps to make up the artwork. each one unique.
Comes with a DL code for two extra tracks too.



We're also offering out the 'Early Dub Tapes' on LP, a newly repressed Blakamix classic (originally out in '94, comprising of tracks from 86-90) from the boss Mixman, now available on wax again.
Proper, original UK dub from the 1&only Blakamix crew.

The Soninke collective consciousness finds its origins in a founding myth, a blood pact: the legend of Biida and the decadence of the empire of Ghana or Wagadu (evoked by Léopold Sédar Senghor as a land of plenty in his poem Le Kaya Magan). From the 3rd century AD, gathered in the region of Sahel, on the edge of the Sahara desert, the Soninko ruled over their kingdom and its capital Kumbi Saleh. According to folklore, they were blessed with abundant rain and nuggets of gold could be picked directly from the ground.

They owed this prosperity to a providential but cruel protector: the Wagadu Biida, a seven-headed serpent who lived at the bottom of the Kumbi well. Every year, as a reward for his favours, the Biida demanded an offering: the life of the most beautiful virgin woman in the community. Sacrifices took place for generations, until the 13th century AD, when fate chose Siya Yatabéré, Maamadi Sehedunxote's sweetheart...

Centuries later in 1977, Gaye Mody Camara, a young Soninke raised in Mali's Kayes region, settled in France to found his own empire. Initially selling wax, kola nuts and other goods in his Parisian outlets, he rapidly started distributing cassette tapes and eventually producing a multitude of recordings for his own label: Camara Production.

Crossing paths and collaborating over the next four decades with legendary artists, griots and industry moguls like Boncana Maïga, Jean-Philippe Rykiel, Ganda Fadiga, Diaby Doua or Ibrahima Sylla, Camara became one of the great independent music producers of his generation, and a pilar of the Parisian Soninke diaspora.

Released in close collaboration with Gaye Camara and with the assistance of Daouda N'diaye, one of A.P.S' (Association pour la Promotion de la langue et de la culture Soninké) historical members, this selection of songs and accompanying notes aim to shed a light on an intricate culture and its modern music, injustifiably unknown outside of West Africa and the various Soninko diasporas around the world.

From Malian Zouk to Mauritanian Reggae and other psychedelic groovers originally released on cassettes or digitally, we have given the utmost attention to bringing this music to a new format. It has been carefully remastered and pressed on a couple of 180g vinyls, with riso printed liner notes.

X-Ray Ted's 'Talkin' EP' finally gets the vinyl outing it deserves, a format that this classic was always destined to fit so well on. On the A-side, 'Talkin' layers strings, horn hooks, and guitar licks over a bed of rolling beats and bass, all topped with that soul-infused earworm of a vocal. On the flip, 'So Much' is no less infectious with vocal refrains interplaying with guitar parts and horns to deliver a perfect blend of vintage-sounding soulful beats. Ahead of X-Ray Ted's debut album, these two tracks showcase why he has picked up an army of loyal fans for the way he can perfectly deliver these original old-school sounds with a modern twist. The sunshine vibes and feel-good warmth practically ooze out of the vinyl grooves. This limited run of 7s on Bombstrikes will not hang about for long.

You may ask yourself what lies beyond the cumbia? What psychedelic permeations reveal themselves in the breaks of the modern day tropical wave? La Banda Chuska's debut single on Names You Can Trust provides a glimpse into the broad benchmarks of this new noise and language, channeling and surfing through a barrel of rip-roaring guitar licks to create something decidedly distinct and du jour at the same time. Just imagine if the B-52s got trapped in some sort of demented Pacific-Peruvian time warp and were forced to shred their way back into existence, bongos in tow. Come along for this excellent adventure and experience for yourself, the tropical waviness of La Banda Chuska's colorful crush.

Here at Mr Bongo we have been inundated with people asking us to reissue this release. Ana Frango Elétrico's petit cult classic masterpiece 'Little Electric Chicken Heart' from 2019, which was only ever released on vinyl and CD in Brazil and Japan, has fast become a collector's item.

Well received by fans, DJs, and reviewers on release, The Needle Drop expressed "Ana Frango Elétrico's authentically vintage fusion of chamber pop, rock, samba and jazz is a real blast!" listing it as one of its Top 50 Albums of 2019. The album's reputation has been slowly building ever since, gaining a Latin Grammy nomination in 2020, and now solidly cementing itself as a gem of contemporary Brazilian music.

Across the albums nine tracks, Ana blends elements and influences from MPB, Tropicália, indie rock, punk and pop, forging them together with a sumptuous dose of her signature style. The finesse of 'Saudade' kicks off the LP, one of Ana's most known tracks to a non-Brazilian audience. A sublime opener, beginning with a spellbinding piano solo before transcending into a beautiful dream-laden slice of warmth, complete with luscious jazzy horns and deft vocal delivery. ‘Promessa e previsões’ follows, the only track on the album not to be written by Ana, instead being penned by Chico França. It’s a swelling and sweeping twilight groover, building and breaking across absorbing peaks.

Other highlights on the album include the anthemic 'Chocolate', which was a firm favourite with a packed sing-along crowd when we heard Ana perform it live. Elsewhere, 'Se No Cinema' hits with its quirky allure, charm and catchy melodies before transforming into a carnival spirit.

Tapping into the richness of Brazil’s new wave of musical energy, the album also includes a heavyweight lineup of collaborations with artists such as Dora Morelenbaum (Bala Desejo), Tim Bernardes, Antonio Neves and Guilherme Lirio to name but a few.

A short, sweet and refreshing record, that leaves nothing to waste, marrying playful ideas with poignant themes. 'Little Electric Chicken Heart' is a future classic and will beguile fans of ‘70s Brazilian recordings, Gal Costa, Mac DeMarco, Stereolab, Superorganism, Caetano Veloso and more.

Here at Mr Bongo we have been inundated with people asking us to reissue this release. Ana Frango Elétrico's petit cult classic masterpiece 'Little Electric Chicken Heart' from 2019, which was only ever released on vinyl and CD in Brazil and Japan, has fast become a collector's item.

Well received by fans, DJs, and reviewers on release, The Needle Drop expressed "Ana Frango Elétrico's authentically vintage fusion of chamber pop, rock, samba and jazz is a real blast!" listing it as one of its Top 50 Albums of 2019. The album's reputation has been slowly building ever since, gaining a Latin Grammy nomination in 2020, and now solidly cementing itself as a gem of contemporary Brazilian music.

Across the albums nine tracks, Ana blends elements and influences from MPB, Tropicália, indie rock, punk and pop, forging them together with a sumptuous dose of her signature style. The finesse of 'Saudade' kicks off the LP, one of Ana's most known tracks to a non-Brazilian audience. A sublime opener, beginning with a spellbinding piano solo before transcending into a beautiful dream-laden slice of warmth, complete with luscious jazzy horns and deft vocal delivery. ‘Promessa e previsões’ follows, the only track on the album not to be written by Ana, instead being penned by Chico França. It’s a swelling and sweeping twilight groover, building and breaking across absorbing peaks.

Other highlights on the album include the anthemic 'Chocolate', which was a firm favourite with a packed sing-along crowd when we heard Ana perform it live. Elsewhere, 'Se No Cinema' hits with its quirky allure, charm and catchy melodies before transforming into a carnival spirit.

Tapping into the richness of Brazil’s new wave of musical energy, the album also includes a heavyweight lineup of collaborations with artists such as Dora Morelenbaum (Bala Desejo), Tim Bernardes, Antonio Neves and Guilherme Lirio to name but a few.

A short, sweet and refreshing record, that leaves nothing to waste, marrying playful ideas with poignant themes. 'Little Electric Chicken Heart' is a future classic and will beguile fans of ‘70s Brazilian recordings, Gal Costa, Mac DeMarco, Stereolab, Superorganism, Caetano Veloso and more.

Although perhaps not a household name like Sergio Mendes, Marcos Valle or Flora Purim, Bororó is considered to be one of the most important and talented Brazilian musicians of his time. Taking his moniker from the indigenous people of his country, who live in the state of Mato Grosso, Bororó steadily built his career for well over a quarter of a century, along the way performing live and in the studio with such legends as Gal Costa, Milton Nascimento and Caetano Veloso.

Born Dimerval Felipe da Silva in 1953 in the central Brazilian city of Goiânia, the capital of Goiás, this composer, singer, arranger, producer and multi- instrumentalist first took an interest in his father’s guitar at the tender age of twelve. This was closely followed by his second love, the drums, as Bororó found himself onthe sticks with a local dance combo called The Mad. Much of his early professional life was spent deeply involved and inspired by the burgeoning music scene of Rio de Janeiro and the emerging Clubs Da Esquina movement, and his abilities on a plethora of stringed instruments, as well as his natural talent as a drummer, would later make him a popular figure among artists as diverse as superstar musician and producer Peter Gabriel and Brazilian samba queen Beth Carvalho, bothof whom he worked with extensively during the late m1980s and early 1990s.

One of his most significant moments came in 1979 though, when Bororó made his debut with the Orquestra Sinfônica De Goiânia, conducted by Maestro Braz Pompeu de Pina, and made plans to use members of the orchestra on his first four-song release that same year. The resulting EP was written by four collaborators - Carlos Ribeiro, Gustavo, Nasr Fayad Chaul and Lilian.

Despite a lack of budget, and using Bororó’s connections with the owner of the legendary Araguaia Studio, the collective managed to record the EP on four tracks, using limited resources and a budget cobbled together from their work making commercial jingles in the very same studio.

The EP’s opener is the sublime and evocative title track, A Tempo e a Gosto. Written by Fernando Perillo, it was one of the young musician’s first recordings and features him dueting vocally with Bororo who also provides acoustic guitar and bass, with Gringo on drums and Napa on keys.

Bright Magus is an instrumental quintet born under the influence of Miles Davis' metaphysical electric period, a visceral and magical passion always shared by Giovanni Calella and Leziero Rescigno. Davis' most eclectic and psychedelic period, that of recordings for Columbia from 1969 throughout the 70s. Albums like “In a Silent Way”, “Bitches Brew”, “A tribute to Jack Johnson”, “On The Corner”, “Big Fun” made them immerse themselves in one of the most fascinating experiments that Miles has generated in his long and prolific career. We are talking about music that is difficult to fit into one genre, in these masterpieces you can feel the contemporaneity of that historical period. Electric Jazz, Funk, Psychedelia, Rock, Afrobeat, Ambient, drag you into something absolutely new, mysterious and sometimes furious. Just a year ago Giovanni and Leziero took courage and started recruiting musicians who had to have the right attitude and knowledge. Guitarist Alberto Turra was the first to be interested in the project, then came Mauro Tre, pianist and keyboard player and Gianni Sansone on trumpet. All seduced by Miles and in love with that magical period.

Before making the first album "Jungle Corner", the band did some live shows to amalgamate all the ideas that came out during the improvs recorded by Tullio Treffiletti in the trumpeter's home studio (later baptized Selim Studio). At the Isola Studio in Manuel Agnelli's space and with the help of the very talented Guido Andreani, Bright Magus then recorded in three days live all the material which in the meantime had been enriched with more structured melodic themes and less casual drafts . Mauro's contribution was very important in this. The finalization of the album was then managed by them in the small "Diabolicus Studio" taking care of editing, post production and mixing.

Guest on the album in two songs, Enrico Gabrielle of Calibro 35 on flute and clarinet.

The cover design is a work by Barba Ughi alias BAX.

2024 heißt es 20 JAHRE CHINESE MAN (RECORDS)! Das aus Südfrankreich stammende Trio Chinese Man (bestehend aus High Ku, Matteo & Sly) tritt seit seiner ersten VÖ unabhängig unter der Fahne des eigenen Label Chinese Man Records auf. Gegründet 2004, beziehen sie ihre Einflüsse vor allem aus dem Hip-Hop, Trip-Hop, aber auch aus Dub, Electro und Reggae. Mit über 600 Shows weltweit im Rücken, kehrt die Band 2024 für ihrem dritten richtigem Album zurück, eund einer explosiven Live-Show. Dieses neue Album wurde in den Studios des Labels in Marseille sowie in Paris, im Studio Zarma und im berühmten Studio Ferber in Paris aufgenommen, insbesondere mit dem Orchester "L'Ensemble Hors Champ". Die Leitung des Orchesters wurde Gilles Alonzo anvertraut, einem der Gruppe nahestehenden Musiker, der die Orchesterparts für sechs der 13 Titel des Albums mitkomponiert und arrangiert hat. Zu den Gästen des Albums gehören z.B. General Elektriks, KT Gorique, Stylo G, Isadora, Youthstar & Miscellaneous, FP & Green T (ASM) und Stogie T. Die Gruppe hat außerdem Ferdinand Lemoine für Bläserarrangements eingeladen. Lemoine hat bereits mit dem Funk-Produzenten Dabeull und der Pianistin Sofiane Pamart zusammengearbeitet. Wie schon bei ihrem ersten Album vor zehn Jahren hat die Gruppe beschlossen, Sodi (Studio Zarma) für die Koproduktion und den Mix des neuen Albums sowie Antoine Chabert (Studio Chab) für das Mastering zu engagieren. Die Gruppe kehrt mit dem Wunsch zurück, ihr Album einem erneut größeren Publikum zu präsentieren. Drei Vorab-Singles bereiten dafür bereits den Weg.Doppel-LP (schwarzes Vinyl) sowie CD!

Repress

Hello Friends,
we are touched to finally present you Pampa Vol. 1! When we decided to go for a label compilation our main goal was: Every single song has to be a star! Almost 2 years we kept chasing and squeezing the best out of our good friends and admired artists until we now finally got what we dreamed of in the beginning: A Firmament of Stars. All tracks have been produced exclusively for this compilation and haven't been released before! Enjoy!

Gloria Scott’s ‘What Am I Gonna Do’ is considered by many as one of the greatest soul records of all time. A masterpiece produced by Barry White, that oozes class, lush instrumentation and the remarkle vocal talent and emotive delivery of Ms Scott.

From the impecable opener ‘What Am I Gonna Do’ through to the Modern Soul scenes favourite, ‘(A Case Of) Too Much Love Makin’, nearly every cut on the LP is a classic.

An extremely rare LP since it’s release in 1974, with original copies changing hands for over £100. Now 50 years on it has been officially licenced & lovingly reissued by the Selector Series label and arguably an LP every Soul fan needs in their collection.

4 years in the making, this surprise collaboration between Drop and Ashong fuses soul and psychedelia with downtempo beats.

Ashong’s continuing mission to subvert expectations manifests greatly here, but the album is full of melodic hooks, layered to infinity alongside his acoustic guitar. Meanwhile Jonny Drop quietly flips samples unrecognisable from his extensive vinyl collections and once again makes a leap forward in his production identity.

Stand out single Puzzle Dust is a perfect slice of UK soul and jazz that sets everyone up for a unique sonic experience.

Next up in the Mr Bongo Cuban Classics series is an outing by the mighty Juan Pablo Torres from 1978. Released on Cuba’s state-owned Areito imprint, Algo Nuevo showcases trombonist, bandleader, arranger and producer Juan Pablo Torres' unique scope of sound. A melting pot of an album that weaves together jazz-funk and traditional Afro-Cuban genres with tripped-out synth touches and dancefloor grooves.

The opener 'Pan Caliente' is a fiery celebration, combining a driving groove with Latin percussion, feverish horns and infectious “la-la-la” vocals. The wild, squelching cosmic synthlines give an otherworldly touch to proceedings that sit nicely on a modern dancefloor. 'Guajira 2001' is perhaps Juan's future-focussed take on the vibrant style of Cuban dance-led music called guajira. Blistering bongos, congas and claves moving together with trumpets, trombones and twanging acoustic guitars that you can’t help but bounce to.

Other highlights include, 'Cacao', a Cuban cosmic funk strutter that places the claves upfront, with a scatting vocal line and percussive climax reminiscent of George Kranz electronic disco anthem 'Din Daa Daa' from 1983. Elsewhere, 'Elvira' further showcases the psychedelic essence of many of the album’s tracks. A deep Latin workout where tasty percussive breaks and scorching keys blend with trippy vocals and rumbling synths.

A varied album encompassing a variety of Afro-Cuban genres and rhythms entwined with flashes of mind-bending cosmic influence. Algo Nuevo is a further jewel in Cuba’s musical crown of riches, with plenty of dancefloor treats and downtempo numbers held within

Next up in Mr Bongo's Groove Merchant Records reissue series, sees an outing for a much-loved and heavily sampled funk/soul/blues album by Junior Parker. Originally issued under the title The Outside Man on Capitol Records in 1970 with an alternative cover, this reissue replicates the Groove Merchant release titled Love Ain't Nothin' But A Business Goin' On featuring the car cover released in 1971.

The Mississippi-born, Memphis-based blues singer, harmonica player and songwriter Junior Parker (aka Little Junior Parker) had a stellar career in music. Since the early 1950s he released records on labels such as Duke, Mercury, United Artists Records and more. Sadly though, Parker died at the young age of 39 during surgery on November 18, 1971.

Originally released under the alternate title a year before his untimely death, Love Ain't Nothin' But a Business Goin' On is drenched in Parker’s trademark buttery vocals and soulful grooves, swaggering between smokey blues, raw funk outings and orchestrated soul ballads (with sublime arrangements by Horace Ott).

The album also features three Beatles cover versions in the form of ‘Taxman’, ‘Lady Madonna’ and ‘Tomorrow Never Knows’. For 'Taxman', Parker completely reinterprets the song taking into a New Orleans funk realm, a sample of which was used as the main hook line on Cypress Hill's classic 'I Wanna Get High'. Elsewhere, 'Tomorrow Never Knows' is flipped into a tripped-out, psychedelic soul-swamp blues ballad, whilst 'Lady Madonna' is given a funky blues makeover.

As shown with Cypress Hill’s use of ‘Taxman’, since the ‘70s Parker’s legacy has been immortalised for future generations through the deep well of samples that his music has become a source of. Tracks from Love Ain't Nothin' But a Business Goin' On have been sampled by some of the biggest names out there, such as A Tribe Called Quest, DJ Shadow and De La Soul.

A seriously smooth album oozing with soul and emotion from a Blues Hall of Fame inductee, Junior Parker’s Love Ain't Nothin' But A Business Goin' On is a superb example of the early ‘70s crossover funk/soul sound.

Conceived, written and recorded during the COVID pandemic, "King Perry" was produced by Daniel Boyle, and features guest performances from Greentea Peng, Shaun Ryder, Tricky, Marta, Rose Waite and Fifi Rong. Two tracks were also co-produced with Tricky, who releases Perry"s last recorded performances on his False Idols label. Record producer, composer, singer, and pioneer of the dub music genre Lee Scratch Perry passed away in August 2021. His influence over popular music since the 1970s is hugely significant, with artists including Bob Marley & The Wailers, The Clash, Beastie Boys, Max Romeo, Junior Murvin and The Orb all enriched by Perry"s legendary touch, innovative studio techniques and production style.

Miša Blam’s - Sećanja (Memories), one of the most sought of, rarest and cult ex-Yugoslavian jazz LP’s - is finally reissued, sourced and fully licensed straight from vaults of Jugodisk (Belgrade, Serbia). And where better than on the Everland’s Everland-Yu imprint dedicated to the unheard sound of Yugoslavia! This LP, kept tight in private ex-Yu collectors cabinets and championed by jazz dance DJ’s across the planet, was recorded in 1979 and released in only 1000 copies in 1980 by the Beograd Disk label. The LP is filled with jazz-funk, bop styles, latin jazz and even Gospel live recordings by the Golden gate quartet (recorded by Miša himself) all accompanied by the crème de la crème of Yugoslavia’s jazz-funk instrumentalists at the time (Jelenko Milaković, Lazar Tošić, Stjepko Gut, Jovan Maljoković, Josip boček…). Miša Blam (1947 - 2014) was an influential Serbian jazz composer, arranger, publicist, festival organizer and Radio-Television Belgrade’s long-time collaborator (jazz and folk orchestras, recording engineer, music director…). But Miša was first and foremost a bass player! Having played with numerous worldwide famous jazz cats he often talked of his work in the Chet Baker - Sal Nistico trio while living in New York and playing with them for two years (or rather bailing Sal out of prison or buying off Chet’s trumpet on his behalf from the pawn shop). The album perhaps represents an unusual collection of songs mostly composed by Miša Blam himself during his world wide spanning jazz pursuits in the 70’s. Unusual for it does not stand alone as a cohesive album release but as a collection of works that we were lucky to be rewarded with in his very sparse discography consisting of: one EP, this LP and one cassette tape… Finally this collection showcases what was Miša all about – and that was jazz bass in all its marvelous forms – from lacing dreamy ballads with his impeccable upright bass fiddle play to grooving on his fender bass on the jazz-funk monster Sećanje which could be included on any acid jazz compilation of the 90s (check out Balkan Express...). Masterfully executed and kept to its original sound this release will keep your ears busy and open to the sound of ex Yugoslavian jazz and the sound of unheard Yugoslavia – where-else but on Everland-Yu! ~ Dr. Smeđi Šećer, 2021

Pone is one of the founders of The Fonky Family : a French hip hop band from the 90's. He won many gold and platinum records. Paralyzed by amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) since 2015, also known as Charcot disease, he started producing again in January 2019. Since then he produced the first album in history to be composed, made and mixed with only eyes, called Kate & Me. Pone used samples from Kate Bush to whom this album is dedicated.

Neuauflage anlässlich des 30-jährigen Jubiläums des legendären Albums - in limitierter Auflage erstmal wieder mit "Gz Up, Hoes Down"!

Zur Feier des 30-jährigen Jubiläums von Snoop Doggs Multiplatin-Album 'Doggystyle', das als eines der wichtigsten Alben aller Zeiten gilt, bringt Death Row Records das Album mit der Original-Trackliste von 1993 auf Vinyl wieder in den Handel bringen. Diese neue 30. Jubiläumsausgabe wird den Track "Gz Up, Hoes Down" enthalten der seit der Pressung 1993 nicht mehr auf dem Album zu finden war. Für neue und alte Fans ist dies die ultimative Version des Klassikers, mit dem Snoop seine Solokarriere startete und dabei half, den Sound von Los Angeles zu definieren.

Cool Rasta is an album by The Heptones, which consisted of Earl Morgan, Barry Llewellyn, and Leroy Sibbles. Brought up in the Trench Town area of Kingston, their first successful record was Fatty Fatty, first released in 1966. Since then, they have had several hits including 'Country Boy,' 'Mama Say,' and 'Book Of Rules.' At the guiding hand of top producer, Harry Johnson they recorded Cool Rasta, which came out in 1976. The title track of the album is a typical example of The Heptones at their brilliant best.

Remastered and pressed on audiophile virgin vinyl for your listening pleasure.

PURE WICKED TUNE ist eine Mixtape-artige Sammlung von Auszügen und Cut-Ups von DIY-Kassettenaufnahmen rarer Groove- und Soul-Blues-Soundsystems, die morgens auf House- und Blues-Parties hauptsächlich im Süden und Osten Londons spielten - von Mitte der 80er bis zu den Früh-90ern. Sie spielten einen Mix aus seltenen Soul-, Funk- und Boogie-Platten in einem unnachahmlichen Reggae-Soundsystem-Stil, komplett mit Toast, Sirenen und Effekten, die später von Tom & Jerry, 4Hero, Reinforced und LTJ Bukem gesamplet wurden. Musik, die nicht im Radio oder den Plattenläden erhältlich war und einen tief verwurzelten, aber oft übersehenen Einfluss auf die britische Musiklandschaft hatte.

Take a trip to Jamaïca with this selection of the finest tunes played by the masters of Reggae. A nice 5 LP vinyl boxsett with Bob Marley, Lee " Scratch " Perry, Max Romeo, Black Uhuru....

Did you know that for decades, record collectors across the Dutch-speaking region have overlooked a significant portion of their own musical heritage while avidly searching for rare grooves and breaks in bins filled with more exotic music? It's a fact! And that's where Harde Smart comes in. After delving deep into dusty crates of Belgian and Dutch music, Harde Smart's inaugural compilation in 2019, dedicated to music from the 1970s, brought to light a selection of smooth, jazzy, funky, and soulful gems from Flanders (the Dutch-speaking part of Belgium) and Holland. In addition to exquisite grooves and hard-pounding drums, these songs shared Dutch lyrics, offering a unique compilation of lyric-driven Flemish and Dutch music from back in the days.

Yet, nothing is as certain as the unexpected. This compilation marked the first time a Dutch album uncovered the authentic Afro-American funk and soul vibe, which, albeit sporadically, influenced the work of both popular and lesser-known singers and musicians in this corner of the world during the 1970s. Undoubtedly, influences also stemmed from French chanson and rock music of the era. This 21-trackalbum shattered all musical predictability, taking listeners on a strange and nostalgic journey, offering a revised collection of "essential homegrown classics" for local listeners while also captivating non-Dutch-speaking audiences.

With the second compilation, Harde Smart shifts its focus from the 1970s sound to explore the next decade, the 1980s. Vinyl aficionados No Sleep Richy and Micha Marva joined forces with Sjefke De Kok, one of Holland's premier crate diggers, to continue their musical odyssey. Digging even deeper into dusty bins filled with Dutch and Flemish records once again unearthed an exquisite selection of tracks-too weird to play, too rare to ignore. From butt-shaking boogie to weird disco adventures on wax, this album encapsulates all the good stuff of the 1980s: smooth and seductive alongside dark and wavy. Get ready for an atypical introduction into the Dutch lyric-driven music from the 1980's.

Die Apart Demos wurden zwischen 1980 und 1984 in verschiedenen Kellern und professionellen Studios in Chicago aufgenommen und dokumentieren 12 intime und reduzierte Skizzen, Demos und unveröffentlichte Tracks von Andre Gibson und der Universal Togetherness Band, als sie sich auf ihre Solokarrieren zubewegten. Von tief empfundenen Huldigungen an die Liebenden, die von einem seidigen Fender Rhodes verziert werden, bis hin zu Disco-Party-Startern über spirituelle Dankbarkeit - Andre Gibson lässt uns in sein Herz blicken und bringt am Ende alles zusammen. Die Universal Togetherness Band aus Chicago, verband in ihrem eklektischen Sound Funk-, Soul-, Disco-, Jazz-, Rock- und New-Wave-Einflüsse mit intelligenten und fantasievollen Texten. 1978 gegründet und geleitet von Andre Gibson, mit seinem Bruder Arnold Gibson (Schlagzeug, Bass), dem ehemaligen Colorvision-Mitglied Fred Misher (Bass, Hintergrundgesang) und Freds Bruder Leslie Misher (Leadgitarre), während Andre die Keyboards, das Vibraphon und den Leadgesang übernahm. Obwohl die Gruppe mehrere Jahre lang in den Clubs von Chicago auftrat und gelegentlich größere Auftritte absolvierte (vor allem als Vorgruppe von Peter Gabriel), hatte sie Mühe, ein größeres Publikum für ihre anspruchsvolle R&B-Melange zu finden. Zwischen 1979 und 1982 nahm die Band Dutzende von Sessions auf, die Gibsons weitreichende Vision als Komponist und Bandleader dokumentierten. Während Gibsons Zeit am Columbia College kamen Paul Hanover (Mundharmonika und Klavier) und Louis Sanford (Schlagzeug) zu den ursprünglichen vier Multiinstrumentalisten hinzu. Nachdem sich die ursprüngliche Besetzung der Universal Togetherness Band schließlich Mitte der 1980er auflöste, nahm Andre Gibson weiterhin mit einer Besetzung mit Frank Alexander (Schlagzeug), Allen Burroughs (Gitarre), Art Love (Bass) und Michael Young (Saxophon) auf. 2015 veröffentlichte Numero Group eine erste Zusammenstellung mit unveröffentlichten Aufnahmen mit dem schlichten Titel Universal Togetherness Band.

A year on from the release of his critically acclaimed album ‘Billy Valentine And The Universal Truth’ released in collaboration between Flying Dutchman and Acid Jazz Records, Billy returns with a brand new take on a classic of conscious soul. Returning to the studio with Bob Thiele Jr and the band that is made up Larry Goldings, Pino Paladino, Jeff Parker, James Gadson and John Philip Shenale, he has recorded three new numbers for release on the deluxe version of the album. The first to be released is his take on Gil Scott-Heron’s ‘Lady Day & John Coltrane’ which held audiences in rapt attention when performed live over the last year.

Epic, grooving, dazzlingly creative, perfectly attuned blends of complex mbalax drumming, field recordings, thumping kick-drum, and cosmic, bubbling, jamming synths and electronics.

The opening is suitably liminal, haunted by a diachronic sense of times past, present, and to come: ancestral ghosts, scratched playback, scraps of old recordings, voices strangulated or just out of range; puttering drums; futuristic, kosmische keys. Part II picks up the pace; III gives the drummers some, and heightens the atmosphere of enchantment. Jon Hassell’s Fourth World music courses through a kind of Dream Theory In Dakar.

Toco SOS, the second side, is a thumping, throbbing, mesmeric future-classic; perfect for fahr’n fahr’n fahr’n on the Autobahn… in a spacecraft. Expert hand percussion, call-and-response singing, bin-trembling foot-drum, spaceways keys. Sleekly funky as prime Popol Vuh.

Both sides range expansively by way of Berlin, where Lamin resided for a few years: you can hear something of T++’s brilliant, landmark HJ record on the A, and elements of Mark Ernestus’ crucial Ndagga project, on the B.

Half an hour of stunning music; in a beautiful sleeve, with mirror lettering, and an intricate spot-gloss rendition of salt crystals, laid over a photograph of the salt mines at Lac Rose, outside Dakar.

Released for the first time in CD and Digital format in 2017 this is the sixth album by Luca Trevisi LTJ Xperience.

It contains some of his most played songs such as Get Down, Let There Be Groove, Put Me Down and the one that gives the title to the album Beggar Groove here in its two versions.

The release is in a limited edition double album on White vinyl. Luca LTJ Trevisi (LTJ Xperience) trained as a producer DJ in the late 1980s. Resident first at the Kinki Club in Bologna and then at Cap Creus in Imola, he is one of the first Italian DJs to program house and above all to re-propose Black Music, Jazz and Latin Bossa, all the genres that then over time gave way to Acid Jazz and Nu Jazz.

He began his work as an artist and producer with Irma Records and in the 90s also his activity as an international DJ who saw him play at the Blue Note and the Jazz Café in London, at the Giant Steps in New York and at the Jazz Festival in Montreux.

In 1999 he released his first solo album under the name LTJ Xperience. To date he has released 7 albums all on Irma Records, several compilations, many singles and remixes also collaborating with international labels such as Far Out Recordings, Sleazy Beats, Future Classics, E.A.R., Music For Dreams, Apersonal Music.

Luca LTJ Trevisi (LTJ Xperience) began his dj/producer career in the 80s. As resident dj in two of the most famous Italian clubs of the time, Kinky in Bologna and Cap Creus in Imola, he was one of the first Italian jocks to spin House and to re-propose those black music, jazz and latin-bossa classics from the 70s that at the end of the same decade would have given birth to the Acid Jazz and Rare Groove movements. His first single release in 1988, titled First Job, together with Kekkotronics, was also the first release ever on Bologna based Irma Records. It was featured in a lot of compilations of the time and entered several playlists, rapidly reaching cult status for many UK and US djs. During the early 90s LTJ delivered a couple of singles in a kind of pre-breakbeat style: Dont Stop The Sax, released all over Europe, and Funky Superfly. He also produced US singer Tameka Starrs single Going In Circles, always for Irma Records, still a classic in the downtempo/r&b field. In the second half of the nineties Luca began to produce acid jazz bands like Bossa Nostra, still today one of Irma Records main acts. Their first album had Vicky Anderson as special
guest and today is still considered one of the most important European acid jazz albums. In the following years he concentrated on developing his activity as collector and rare vinyl merchant, which gave him the chance to get in touch with djs from all over the World and to discover many forgotten gems from the past years. Thanks to this experience he was able to create two extremely successful rarities series on Irma Records:

Groovy and Suono Libero. In the meanwhile LTJ started to dj outside Italy too, performing in important venues like the Blue Note and Jazz Café in London, Giant Step in New York and Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland. In 1999 saw the release of his first solo album under the LTJ Xperience moniker. The album was produced with the collaboration of fellow Irma artist and producer Ohm Guru and had Taka Boom and Jackson Sloan among the guests. Two of the main tracks on the album are brazil house classic Sombre Guitar and title track Moon Beat, which became a true hit of the Chill Out genre, featured in dozens of important compilations.

After making countless productions for Irma Records, including their second album When The Rain Begins To Fall (with the participation of the historic Spanish-American singer Joe Bataan), and the recents singles as ORGAN MIND / I LOVE YOU (favorite track by Larry Heard ) & ON THE FLOOR / SOUND MACHINE, LTJ is devoted almost exclusively to re-edit and reconstruct tracks from the past with the addition of sounds and rhythms in post production for labels like SUPER VALUE, SMALL WORLD DISCO, HOT GROOVY RECORDS, OH CRISTO! increasing the production of this new musical genre that is currently defined as beatdown/slo-mo, working with international labels such as Far Out Recordings, Sleazy Beats, Future Classics, E.A.R. Music For Dreams, Apersonal Music, Roam Recordings, !K7.

For the first time LTJ Xperience (Luca Trevisi) and Papik (Nerio Poggi) present together this collaboration with the American singer Anduze.
Anduze had already collaborated with both producers, with LTJ Xperience with the song Bad Side and Infiltrator: with Papik with the songs Get One and Justice or Conspiracy.

In particular, the song with LTJ Xperience 'Bad Side' is still a huge success today and has been synchronized with the Playstation game GTA and included in the soundtrack of the film And Just Like That, sequel to the television series Sex And The City.

This new song Best Life is in the classic Funky Groove style of LTJ Xperience productions, played and produced by Nerio Poggi together with Peter De Girolamo, his closest collaborator, with an original Soul vocal by Anduze that recalls the greatest interpreters of the genre , from Marvin Gaye to Stevie Wonder

É Soul Cultura captain, originator of Manchester’s legendary Electric Chair and definitive people’s champion, Luke Una taps into a lifetime’s worth of musical discovery for the second volume in our Mr Bongo Edits series. A cosmic coming together that sees two of Luke’s secret weapons, re-edited and re-contextualised by the man himself to provide optimal dancefloor euphoria.

A stalwart of the underground for nearly 40 years, Luke has become an appointed leader of the late night disenfranchised, with an unquestionable ability to pick records that make minds tick. Not least through his two É Soul Cultura compilations released on Mr Bongo over the past two years.

A taste that traverses genres as much as it does emotions and decades, who better to give an insight into the tracks he has chosen to edit, than the man himself. “I've been an avid collector of afro-beat house, techno and underground black heart disco since before the basement soul days of Electric Chair 30 years ago. Both these bombs were very much holy grail finds, plucked from the last four decades of digging in random crates of dusty vinyl all over the world.”

First up, Thandi Zulu & The Young Five’s interpretation of Pure Energy’s early ‘80s disco power play – ‘Love Game’. With a distinctive South African synth bass and killer keys combo, Luke explains the original has this “bonkers alchemy of heavy machine soul, uptempo rawness and a majestic disco evangelism”, making it ripe for a re-edit.

On the B side, Lionel Pillay’s Jazz dancer ‘Plum’. “The original was a relentless 18-minute raw jam”, Luke states, “which despite its late ‘70s South African origin kinda reminded me of a 1986 Chicago piano House record”.

“These edits strip the tracks back and rebuild them, giving them more sonic weight with that looped up drum jacking militancy from the days of Chicago, combined with a boosted sense of transcendental, psychedelic, cosmic disco. They have always had such an explosive reaction on so many dancefloors including the heavier electronic club, so it felt only right to reshare them”.

Hip Dozer embarked on its journey almost a decade ago, in 2015. Diggers and producers joined this adventure, bound by a shared dedication and passion for the 90s hip-hop music and culture. Nearly 10 years since our label’s creation, the beat-making scene has evolved significantly, tingering closely with its mother genres that are jazz, library music, funk and soul music. We’re happy to be able to illustrate this continuous evolution of the artists’ skills, now richer than ever.

Eight years after the initial release of our 1st Anniversary compilation, our goal remains unwavering and will always revolve around championing the beloved art of beat-making while supporting and highlighting the talents of emerging artists.

This year, we are delighted to collaborate with some of our long-time partners: Konteks, Mama Aiuto, Shuko, KaspaHauser, SoulChef, Emapea, and some new ones—Juan Rios, doidoi, Farhot, and Tremendous Aron.

A massive thanks to all the incredible artists who jumped on board for this project! Your enthusiasm has made the journey exciting from the start, and we have much more in store for you. Thanks to all the listeners who keep tuning in with us.

The debut Creation Rebel album, originally released on pre-On-U Sound label Hitrun in 1978. The original band, featuring the drummer Eric "Fish" Clarke, had been a studio outfit known as the Arabs, now primarily remembered for their work with Prince Far I, including the classic dub set "Cry Tuff Dub Encounter Chapter 1". The rhythm tracks for this album had been laid in Jamaica but the overdubs were worked up at Gooseberry Studios in London. The experienced Dennis Bovell was the engineer, with the young Adrian Sherwood on his very first production assignment encouraging him to make it “madder” and add more and more effects.

2024 Backstock

15-track double album black vinyl 2-LP including the singles Through The Wire, All Falls Down and Slow Jamz. With jaw-dropping cameos from Jay-Z, Common, Mos Def, John Legend, and the Harlem Boys Choir, this 2004 album is as explosive, provocative, and complex as rap gets. Kanye magically sledgehammers home opinions on taboo topics over beats that are equally daring.

5 years after his last and 3rd album, Lucas Arruda finally presents his long awaited new LP, Ominira.
Since the release of his first album on Favorite Recordings (Sambadi / 2013), Lucas Arruda has clearly established himself as one of the most talented contemporary artist and composer from Brazil. His music is filled with fusion style, mixing influences and elements from his Latin musical background, with his genuine admiration for Jazz, Soul, Pop and Funk music.
During these 10 years of collaboration with label honcho Pascal Rioux, Lucas Arruda’ music has always received great supports and feedbacks from international media and tastemakers, each album perfecting the level of composition and production. With Onda Nova (2019), Lucas dived willingly into Robson Jorge & Lincoln Olivetti influences, aiming to capture the true essence of Brazilian Funk and AOR tradition. Now a father and family man, he turned more deeply into his native influences when composing this new beautiful album. Fully composed and produced by Lucas, Ominira also features appearances from friends local musicians and artists such as Italo Vinicius (Drums), Thiago Arruda (guitars), Roger Rocha (sax), or Flavia K and Andre Motta on vocals.
"Ominira is about freedom, art and music. It's also about honoring my ancestors and my musical influences. I delved a little deeper into my African roots, in addition to Brazilian music and rhythms, and my longtime passion for Soul/Funk. After a long production process I feel like I made my best album. So, I present to you OMINIRA, a new chapter in my career. Have a nice trip!"

Bewilderment - the feeling of being perplexed and confused - is the inspiration behind Pale Jay's new album. It's a soulful exploration of a family's gradual disintegration due to years of avoidance and miscommunication. During this difficult time, Pale Jay began to question the stories he had always lived with and re-examined his identity. The resulting work, Bewilderment, is his first full-length album, which strives to find answers to these questions and more. The album is set to release on 8/18/2023 on Karma Chief Records, a subsidiary of Colemine.Pale Jay is a trained jazz vocalist and pianist, and he wrote, recorded, and produced all songs on the album, except for 'By The Lake', which is a collaboration with labelmates Okonski - Steve Okonski, Aaron Frazer, and Michael Montgomery. Pale Jay's music is influenced by a wide range of songwriters, including Labi Siffre, Carole King, and William Onyeabor. 'Bewilderment' is a seamless blend of Pale Jay's trademark dusty soul, slow disco, and Afrobeat, with string arrangements by Raven Bush adding an extra layer of magic to the beat- heavy productions.Pale Jay's debut LP is a captivating journey of self-discovery. Each song on Bewilderment tells a unique story, but they all share a common theme of personal growth and self-understanding. Grab a copy on 8/18/2023 to dive in and experience the new album.

Emotional Rescue dives back in the world of post punk experiments and early synthesised electronics to present another of the labels iconoclastic 7" 'collectors specials', with a look at Stockholm's Staalfagel.

Born in 1977, Erik Fritjofsson and Petter Brundell merged and formed Staalfagel out of the suburbs of Jakobsberg. Like so many at the time, the duo was tired of Prog, Jazz and Symphonic Rock and formulated something new and against at the same moment; a time where drummers were jettisoned in place of drum machines and the inspirations of artists like Creedence Clearwater Revival, Devo and Pere Ubu were thrown in the mix to fervent results.

With Micke Kjell soon joining on bass, they toured Sweden constantly, the manic machine beat, beating guitars and strange synth sounds defeated the throng and led to a considerable following. Recorded live to tape with no overdubs or mixing, the faithful CR 78 drum machine, the results radiate energy.

Release just 4 records in 2 years (1980 - 1982), Utan Rymddrakt Pa Uranus appeared as their last ever release. Jettisoning the punky-funk vocals of previous releases, the single is a pure electronic groove. Funk bass and guitar atop, its short form simplicity is perfection distilled in 2 parts of less than 3 minutes, conjoined like some reggae dream, with 'Uranus II' acting the dub 'version' counterpoint.

Discovered and shared by long-time friend, DJ and collector, Gary The Tall steps out from behind the decks and microphone of his long running NTS show to present an exemplary "Reversion". Teaming up with master producer and label affiliate, Timothy J Fairplay on engineering duties, they keep the originals' straightforward charm, deceptively editing, looping and reversing with aplomb, for a killer flip side.

The tune entitled 'Smite Dem' is a fully self-produced release that we had made entirely in a remote collaboration style between both our own studios (Selah Dub Studio & Blak Nile Studio) where we had both decided on doing 2 different grooves on the project after initially working tirelessly on the original one drop groove version (which you can hear mixed on the first 2 mixes of the record). This is what set the way for inspirations with the dubs to let loose after one morning waking up and messaging Mali together a serious warrior style steppas pattern for the project. He did that without fail as that being his forte. At this stage it then led us to both be very ecstatic with the outcome of the creation at hand.

With great honour we are pleased to share with you the fully completed first wave of collaborations from this booming link-up ready to blaze up plenty of sessions worldwide! The message is here and the word is clear; let us live in love and not have any fears! Keep your shining light bright for all mankind, oh Jah!

Debut of Maurizio Martinucci's (aka TeZ) pseudonym SARMUNG on the newly born Amsterdam-based, Orizzonti Paralleli record label.

"TeZ is an Italian interdisciplinary artist and independent researcher living and working in Amsterdam. He uses technology as a means with which to explore perceptual effects and the relationship between sound, light and space. Since 2010 he has been a permanent member of Adi Newton’s seminal british band Clock DVA and a regular contributor of Antigroup.

Under the SARMUNG name he is now exploring the subtle atmospheric intersections between ambient, IDM, acid and minimalist Sound. For this project TeZ has been inspired by the mythological Persian collective Sarmung whose music was meant to accompany secret sacred dance."

Comes with full picture cover and insert!

DNA Records is proud to present a Cambodian reggae 7” release to showcase some of the talent from this wonderful country and the power that Jamaican music has around the globe.

DUB ADDICTION - Founded in the tropical heat of Cambodia's capital Phnom Penh in 2011 by Sebastien Adnot and Jan Mueller (AKA Professor Kinski), Dub Addiction features a combination of
Cambodian, French, German and Nigerian members. They quickly captured the hearts of local Cambodians and Western expats in a beat.

Cambodian national and vocalist, toaster DJ Khla, is a political activist and is now living in exile in Europe after having fled his country because of military pressure on him and his family. He was able
to escape Cambodia while on tour with Dub Addiction in Denmark.
Their fusion of reggae combined with traditional Cambodian instruments like tro (violin), chapey (traditional Cambodian string instrument) and Roneat (xylophone), along with the toasting of
Cambodian vocalists DJ Khla (Nhem Palla), MC Curly (Kosal Dang) and a variety of traditional female vocalists and international MCs creates a very unique blend.

After all, though South-East Asia and The Caribbean might be far apart on the map, they both get light from one sun.
VIBRATONE - Also a multinational reggae band with members from Cambodia, France, The Philippines, and Brazil, Vibratone formed in Phnom Penh in 2013 with one aim: No cover songs, strictly original creations. With insightful lyrics, they embracing true roots to new roots reggae…with a touch of blues and soul thrown inna di mix! Text edited by Brian Offenther.

Repress

another gem from the endless treasure island called Power Music and the Mastermid behind who is DJ Duke! This time in the rebound the 1997 classic "Electro Force"!

After the release of the first volume of music selected by Klinkhamer Record shop owner Michel Veenstra in 2022, the anticipation and expectation amongst the heads for a follow up compilation has been building. Now BBE Music can announce that Klinkhamer Volume 2's
collection of music from the 70's and 80's is ready to add to the series.

An eclectic selection of tracks which crosses genres and styles, Michel has once again curated a compilation album of music that will appeal to the heads, the collectors and the lovers of the groove. A melange of folk, Jazz and funk for the headphones and the dancefloor, Klinkhamer juxtaposes instrumentals with vocal tracks in English, Swedish and French over a double vinyl release and a track order that creates as much a journey as a flow.

Michel, alongside his brother Stephen, is the owner of the Klinkhamer Record shop in Groningen and a regular trader at the globally known Utrecht Record Fair since the 1990s. It is this wealth of experience, a nose for a gem and an ear for a tune that that has fed into a compilation that has music lover stamped throughout its eight tracks, all remastered from original vinyl.

Coming as a double vinyl and digital release, Klinkhamer Volume 2 is a Godfather II level of follow-up to the previous compilation in the series and really is a must for all true music collectors, vinyl junkies and lovers of tunes curated for the mind, the heart and the feet.

Welcome back to Demon’s ‘Disco Discharge’ series, originally issued in a series of 2CD collections between 2009 and 2012. The themed compilations of full-length, extended Disco originals, lovingly curated by the mysterious “MrPinks” and with detailed sleeve notes by author and Disco aficionado Alan Jones, have remained in-demand among collectors and the club cognoscenti. This time around, the series kicks off with ‘Classic Disco’ and ‘Disco Fever USA’. Doing exactly what it says on the tin, ‘Classic Disco’ mixes 12 undeniable dancefloor landmarks on 140g orange vinyl, from recognizable names like Change, Manhattan Transfer and Cheryl Lynn, with deeper cuts from exotic names like Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band (an early incarnation of Kid Creole!), The Peter Jacques Band and Double Discovery. And as if to prove a cool Disco track could come from anywhere or anybody, ‘Classic Disco’ also features an essential re-edit by The Glitter Band!

Roberto Agosta, or just Agosta as he likes to be called, is a Sicilian DJ and producer from Catania active all along the eastern coast of Sicily, a place that proved to be a soulful place and a training ground for a long career, making him an excellent music selector and a reference point in the spread of alternative music.

A soundtrack music enthusiast since he was a child, now a vinyl "serial gathere", Agosta has always put his vast knowledge at the service of a very personal sound that sums many different music styles and contaminations, simple and profound but straightforward and direct at the same time.

Agosta’s eponymous album, released on LP, CD and digital formats, was conceived during the Covid-19 lockdown, thanks to the precious collaboration of friend DJ and producer Massimo Napoli aka Galathea, with whom Roberto has already started another project called AN-AN that will produce a new record for Space Echo at the end of 2022.

This record highlights a typical chill-out aesthetic, thanks to its trip-hop and ambient rhythms and atmospheres, while a deeper exploration reveals the psychedelic essence of the entire work, a daring and exciting journey in the most primitive Sicily, and the energy that sustains all of its ten tracks.

Much of their author and his lifestyle - mainly based on meditation, the search for spiritual elevation, the relationship with nature and the regaining of contact with those particular places and with the people who live there - is revealed by those tracks that constitute a soundtrack for this spiritual but also extremely physical journey.

The song titles are, in fact, intrinsically linked to Roberto’s real life: the Gorna and Ilice mountains at the foot of Etna, the Carricante vineyard and its excellent wine, Unna, Three Chestnuts, Varanni, Don Alfio, Lady G. Each of them represents a pleasant and dreamlike narration and the escape from the complex dynamics of a city like Catania, among echoes of the most dreamy Pink Floyd, the softer side of ’70s krautrock, but also the Massive Attack and Tricky’s Bristol scene.
There’s also an excellent choice of synthesizers and overdubbed guitars, thanks to the talent of the multifaceted musician and producer Salvo Bruno Dub, and of Manuela Amalfitano, Loredana Poidomani and Deran Obika’s voices.

Agosta is an introspective, deep work with a cinematic vocation, perfectly rooted in the territory where it took shape, among sunny landscapes, lush with vegetation but also deserted and arid lands. From Sicily to the cosmos... enjoy!

Following the acclaimed first album of Al Sunny released in 2017, Favorite Recordings proudly presents this single remix package of Open Up Your Eyes'.

Al Sunny is a young composer emerging from the French soul music scene. Soon after learning the guitar, he started composing and became involved in numerous projects and collaborations. He quickly discovered deep inside himself the music that he truly loves, inspired by artists such as Tim Maia, America, Al Green, and Al Jarreau. During his studies he met musicians including Florian Pellissier, and it's then thanks to Florian that he met Pascal Rioux, founder and A&R of Favorite Recordings. Together they produced Time To Decide, a first album acclaimed by many tastemakers and gaining a solid success in Japan.

One of the highlights of the LP was the track Open Up Your Eyes', which disclosed the premise of Al Sunny music style, infused with Blue-Eyed-Soul, Pop and Folk. Also tainted with a Disco dancefloor flavor, Open Up Your Eyes' was a perfect match to build a nice remixes package for DJs. On the A side, Bruno Patchworks' Hovart delivers again a hot Soulful/Disco version of the song with his famous touch. As for the B side, Favorite Recordings asked the Canadian producer Jex Opolis (Good Timin' Records), with a Disco style slightly more oriented in Electronic and House vibes.

After the digital release of their first EP last September, which already accumulated over 1 million streams on Spotify, Blundetto and Pupajim return on a full-length version of their recent collaboration.

Les Rythmes Ruban invites you to immerse yourself again in the unique sonic universe of Pupajim and Blundetto. They welcome saxophonist Laurent Bardainne on "Les Plages du 22" and deliver 8 tracks blending Roots Reggae and Poetry.

LRK are excited to announce their first coloured 7" vinyl.

"Intuition" and "Get It Right" are both taken from the album "Get It Right" By Claire Davis which was released back in April 23.. Both the songs did very well on the soul scene worldwide. "Intuition" even got played in a Bumble dating ad and there was a big demand to get it pressed onto a 45. So here it is!

"Intuition" A love song about trusting your gut, Davis' third single "Intuition" was a collaborative effort between Davis and her primary writing partner and producer, Scott McCannell. When McCannell brought the track to Davis to compose melody and lyrics, she translated the playful quality of the music into the push-and-pull feeling of a budding relationship. Davis explains: "I'm a big proponent of following your gut and not playing games with people. My theory is, you always know what the right move is but we can get in our own way by overthinking. Sometimes in relationships we're scared to say what we feel out of fear, but we always have the answers within us". Another trusted collaborator, composer/arranger La-Nai Gabriel, arranged the soulful background vocals, performed by Aphrose, Tegan Michelle Gordon, and Chynna Lewis. Staying true to soul music's analog roots, the song was recorded straight to a 1-inch 8-track tape machine and showcases some of Toronto's top-tier musicians. Davis continues: "This was a track that really came together fully in the studio once all the musicians were together. Particularly when my percussionist Juan Carlos Medrano felt like the groove could benefit from adding a guiro, we really found the pocket. It quickly became one of my favourite songs on the album because of its feel-good vibe, and I'm a sucker for a yearning love song.

"Get It Right" was the title-track of the album which began as a jam between Davis on guitar, producer Scott McCannell on bass, and drummer Chino deVilla. "The lyrics were inspired by my relationship with my partner and the intention that we both have to work on healing ourselves in order to make our partnership work

Durty Geeks are a band at the boundary between Soul, Funk and Hip Hop born in 2013. The lineup is quite uncommon in the Italian
music scene, despite the usual four elements: Federico “Piezo” Pezzotta, on the electric piano, keyboards and synths; Francesco “Frenz” Crovetto, founding member and drummer of OTU; Gregorio "Greg" Conti, bass player also part of Verbal and Bangarang!; Edoardo “DJ Edo” Fumagalli, on the turntables and samplers.

The Durty Geeks sound universe is an illegitimate son of Hip Hop, but without the main element ‐ the voice ‐ replaced by scratches and
samples. This produces an instrumental form that winks at the American soul and funk of the 60s and 70s, as well as the Italian compo‐ sers who in those same years signed cult movie soundtracks: Piccioni, Nicolai, Bacalov, Trovaioli to name a few.

From “La Dama Rossa uccide sette volte" to "The Mack", the sound flows like a second feature film screening. A sequence shot that
does not indulge in the past but that leads straight into modernity thanks to the more contemporary interventions of synth and scrat‐
ches, and to sporadic experimentations in electronics.

The first EP "We Gun Make It" was released in 2014, an exploration of the american imaginary linked to weapons, between urban and
rural contexts, containing 3 tracks, self‐produced and printed by CORPOC.

The first full length album is "Also Starring", 9 tracks plus 5 skits mixed by Tommaso Colliva (Muse, Afterhours, Caliber 35 etc.) which
constitutes an instrumental journey through B‐movies filmography, citing cinema subgenres such as wuxia, blaxploitation and italo hor‐
ror.

Origu and Unique Records bring you a UK Hip Hop Holy Grail.
For the first time on vinyl this double sider features two standout tracks from the 1993 "The Rhyme Wrecka EP“.
The short lived group Freakin’ Inglish from Salford & Manchester gained massive respect in the Hip Hop scene with their tape only debut just to break up in the year after. After a digital only release in 2013 and a CD reissue by Chuck D’s SpitSlam label in 2021, the uptempo title track and the cleverly produced „A-Dorable“ make their vinyl debut.

Freakin' Inglish is a Hip Hop group from Salford & Manchester, (United Kingdom). Formed in 1993, The group originally consists of Emcee's (Red Venom, Eric-T & Yozzer) the group quickly split up the following year. They released their debut EP "The Rhyme Wrecka" in '93, along with other tracks via Fat City Records and other stores round the UK.

A reunion on the 2nd decade (2013) of their formation in (1993) was planned by Red Venom & Hip Hop Producer: Nate Whittaker Featuring original members Red Venom & Eric-T along with Nate Whittaker as the missing 3rd member, taking Yozzer's place in the group, but as a producer. red venom has now gone on too be a member of the rhyme syndicate and is putting out albums and a reunion is set now for 2021 with eric t and red venom and a new member .

The Ghia saga unfolds once more, but in this chapter, there's a new and unique twist. "Out of Luck" draws its roots from a previously lost track, originally composed by the group in 1985. This time around, the song has been expertly reworked by Marian Tone, with new vocals by Adriano Prestel. The outcome? Quite possibly one of the smoothest and most refreshing modern funk tunes you'll hear this year.

But let's rewind to the beginning of this adventure: Earlier this year, DJ Scientist stumbled upon another early Ghia composition tucked away in the depths of a master tape. It was a treasure too precious to remain unheard. Sadly, the original track couldn't see the light of day due to sound quality and issues with the original vocals. To make matters more disappointing, no instrumental version survived. Thus, the only way to share this catchy boogie funk track with the world was to recreate it from scratch.

"What you have here, pouring out of your listening devices, is Parisian Dreams. A genre-busting, generation-spanning, cross-pollination of 21st century beatmaking and 1970’s psychedelic composition. The styles are myriad. Running the gamut, between acoustic folky guitar riffs, through fuzzy movie-soundtrack textures, hitting grooves that land somewhere between dub and funky breakbeat jazz.
MPC producer Yeti recently found himself in a session with one of his musical heroes, Janko Nivolic. A veteran composer of psychedelic funk and jazz dating back to the late 1960’s. In his digging and sampling obsession Yeti had marvelled at the compositions of Mr Nivolic for years, collecting these rarities, mostly found on obscure Library records.
The title ‘Parisian Dreams’ is highly significant as is explained in this anecdote from Yeti. “At the session that I was involved in with Janko in Paris, he showed up with a score that he had conceived while dreaming the previous night. He awoke at 5 AM, scribbled it down immediately and brought it with him to the session. He didn’t need to take it over to the piano, to check if it made sense. He just knew it did. Blew my mind!” So, sit back and absorb these magical sounds from the sub-conscious of an 80 year-old musical legend, combined with punchy beats, from a revered MPC pad-tapper, specially designated, to give your woofers a workout. DJ Ollie Teeba". (Text by Soundsci/The Herbaliser)

R&B SOUL STEPPER THAT HAS FEEL GOOD SUMMER VIBES
IN EVERY NOTE. WILL BEE DOES AN OUTSTANDING
PERFORMANCE ON VOCALS AND TIGHT PRODUCTION FROM
LEE AND MATT MAKE THIS A ESSENTIAL.

First official reissue of this Soul classic originally released in 1969 by Spark label.

Keni Burke's seminal Changes yielded the eternal club classic "Risin' To The Top". You need this record for this iconic steppers anthem alone. However, it's crucial to acknowledge that the whole of Changes, first released in 1982 on RCA but now a tricky one to find, is something truly special. It's a masterpiece of sophisticated 80s groove, containing first class funky soul that sounds as fresh as ever. This is multi-tempo soul music conceived in heaven.

Ace bass player, songwriter, arranger and producer, Keni Burke was discovered by Curtis Mayfield and a childhood member of the Five Stairsteps. Emanating from that magical 81-83 era and pristinely recorded at Philadelphia's legendary Sigma Sound Studios, his third solo album Changes really perfected Keni's groove. It incorporated tight, snappy rhythm arrangements which, despite the era, featured *real drums* courtesy of Steve Ferrone (from Average White Band) to compliment Keni's meaty bass lines. With Dean "Sir" Gant on synths and keyboards and Ed Walsh handling the Vocoder-OBX and Prophet 5, wonderful lines from Earth, Wind & Fire's legendary horn section and hooky rhythm and lead guitar riffs courtesy of Ed "Tree" Walsh, Keni was truly spoiled for excellence. With Doc Gibbs on percussion and Vince Montana on vibes elevating the sensational writing and arrangements, Keni couldn't really go wrong.

“Risin’ To The Top” is undoubtedly the defining crown and lasting legacy of this album. Wth its instantly captivating bassline, slowly creepin' groove and uplifting lyrics, it was a favourite among both the 80s soul steppers and hip-hop crowd and remains canonical to this day. Written by Burke, Allan Felder, and former Chic member Norma Jean Wright, it incredibly failed to garner much American radio play or really trouble the soul charts. Whilst it was an instant classic in the U.K., in the States it took the hip-hop generation and later R&B and hip-hop samples of the tune to finally make it popular, many years later. Of note, Big Daddy Kane sampled it for "Smooth Operator", LL Cool J for "Around The Way Girl", Pete Rock & CL Smooth for "Take You There" and O.C. with "Born 2 Live".

But the highlights are not restricted to this one behemoth. For example, the track which precedes "Risin'" on Side B is another steppers favourite. "One Minute More" is a perfect mid-tempo ballad and the epitome of deep modern soul. A truly timeless work of genius. We, for one, struggle to think of a better song segue than the moment you're still reeling from the intense beauty of "One Minute More" and "Risin'" elegantly stirs into action. Frisson in excelsis. The propulsive, bass-heavy opener "Shakin" is an indisputable cracker and its followed by the timeless mid-tempo class of "Hang Tight". Just gorgeous. Next up, "Can't Get Enough" is another emotional, horn heavy chugger. The side closes with the sparse, tender, floating sl-o-o-w jam "Who Do You Love"; a truly divine ballad. The B-side beings with the title-track, "Changes", a squelchy, melodic boogie banger with fantastic keys, incredible vocals, ace shuffling percussion and spacey synths. It's followed by the ultimate one-two in "One Minute More" and "Risin'" before this sensational set closes with the glorious easy glide "All Night".

An absolutely essential record for fans of deeply soulful modern-funk, Changes was mastered for vinyl by Simon Francis and cut by Cicely Balston for Alchemy at AIR Studios. The artwork was restored at Be With HQ over many painstaking months so, hopefully, this fresh new edition ensures this long-lusted after album is no longer so awkward to find.

A theme park sits just north of the most Easterly town in the UK and boasts of thrilling and very antiquated rides that are constantly in danger of breaking down and where Exotica and Kitsch rub shoulders with heart attack inducing sudden drops into the void and where a technician can be seen often running from one ride to the other in a state of constant anxiety. Not only the place where Pleasurewood's Paul Elliott and Anthony Donje draw their name from but also a pretty apt analogue for their debut LP on Farfalla Records.

"They Live" is a trip through a cinematic funk-o-rama of French inspired 60's and 70's gauche TV beats and 70's and 80's Simla beat Mumbai synth rock. Glassy Vox Continental leads give way to purring Hammond Organ passages. The back beat is always underpinned by the drums and spicy percussion of Elliott. Chanted vocals are drifting in and out of consciousness- Jimmy Raney esque noodlings of jazz guitar played by Donje nimbly step across the stereo field. Both musicians compose and contribute guitar, bass and avian synthesisers.

Soul entwickelte sich gegen Ende der 1950er Jahre aus Rhythm"n"Blues, Gospel, Blues und Jazz. Im folgenden Jahrzehnt war Soul ein Synonym für schwarze Popmusik. Kennzeichnend dafür waren vor allem die Produktionen von Motown Records, zum Beispiel Diana Ross & The Supremes oder Sam Cooke. Seither sind herzergreifender Gesang und groovige Vibes die größten Stilmerkmale des Soul. Zu den weiteren Ikonen des Soul gehören Curtis Mayfield, James Brown, Aretha Franklin, Barry White, Sam Cooke, Al Green und viele mehr. Deren Erfolg ist eng mit dem Kampf der US-amerikanischen Bürgerrechtsbewegung gegen Rassentrennung und für Gleichberechtigung verbunden. 1969 benannte man die Rhythm"n"Blues- in Soul-Charts um. Der Soul-Orkan, der während der Sechziger in den Charts tobte, ebbte jedoch wieder ab, kam aber runderneuert in den 70ern als Phillysound wieder zu erneuten Hitparadenehren. 1982 änderte man die Chart-Bezeichnung von Soul in Black Music. Die vorliegende Kompilation vereint die legendären Stimmen des Soul mit ihren unvergesslichen Hits.

Contemporary DIY Street Soul, New Jack, Electro Funk studio project from Parisian DJ Raphaël Top-Secret & Antoine Kogut (Syracuse).

For lovers of Loose Ends, Larry Heard, Mad Professor, Strafe or Sade. This EP includes two smash-hit A-side remixes by LA and Vancouver underground celebrities Benedek and Pender Street Steppers (PPU / Mood Hut) that sound like 1986 or 1992 !

Original versions are found on the B-side with “Give It Up”, a smooth and romantic 112 bpm G-Funk jam that is the perfect track for your drive to the coast, while “The Way They Do …”, a 98 bpm dreamy electronic AOR indie-pop dubby, will take you to an island.

Using original vintage gear as the TR-808, Emulator II, DX-7 and Rhodes, electric guitar, studio bass arrangements, the release shows sophisticated skills in the production stages, while being a very refreshing pop and dance release.

A stunning debut for the Cachette label !

Vinyl Only

Uk Hip Hop legendary group The Mouse Outfit for the first time on 7”inches vinyl with the trademark head-nodding beats, jazz influences, and smooth, stoner sonics to soundtrack summer - this time with new talent and multi-instrumentalist One Only.
Flip it for a deep liquid Drum and Bass version by Shift Ops Edition of 500 copies!

lim. two color Vinyl. Gatefold Cover with sticker and download code on postcard.

Welcome Back, friends, to the Yacht Soul cruise that never ends!
This theme, explored at length in the previous installment of this series, is a fertile one that just keeps on giving, and give it certainly does on the tracks we have dug up for your perusal, enlightenment, edification and enjoyment on Yacht Soul 2.
For those just joining us, the concept here concerns R&B and soul artists mining the songbooks of their white contemporaries for cover versions that serve the dual purposes of potentially garnering some crossover radio airplay as well as introducing great songs to segments of the listening public who might otherwise miss them. Some of these versions might have come about because they were personal favorites of the artist in question, others might have been strongly suggested by their labels or by the publishing company, but all of them provide an entirely new perspective on what were already fantastic songs to begin with.
So there you have it--a further dig into this nebulous concept that reveals more unexpected connections and crossed paths. Understanding the hows and whys of the way these particular covers and collaborations came to be is as fascinating as just enjoying the music itself, and there really is a lot of great music to dig into this time around! We hope you enjoy listening to it as much as we did putting it together.

VITAL SALES POINTS:

- Second volume from the YACHT SOUL series. First volume is the second best selling "Too Slow To Disco" compilation so far.…
- Extensive Global Promo by Tobias Kirsch/Germany and Special Requests UK
- Record Relase Parties planned.

French collectors have been bullish on the boogie for decades now & have spawned some of the best sounds in the genre of recent years with artists like DABEULL, HOLYBRUNE, RUDE JUDE, MOFAK, DOGGMASTER & now FRANKFURT & VOYEAR. 2 cuts here of vintage meets future synth funk with a French touch.

Chief Udoh Essiet believes in rhythm. He serves it Hot-and-Spicy on his new album Afrobeat Highlife Crossing, from the depths of his soul to the beat that emanates from his hand-made
antelope-skin congas and talking drums from his native Nigeria.
Chief Udoh is a veteran artist, singer, songwriter and virtuoso percussionist. His musical journey took him from the traditional rhythms of his village to Swinging Lagos in the 70s, where
Udoh apprenticed with Dr. Victor Olaiya’s Highlife Band while still too young to reach the tops of the congas onstage. (They stood him on a Coca Cola crate!) He has personally worked
alongside the biggest artists from Nigeria in the 70s and 80s, including the legendary Fela Anikulapo Kuti, creator of Afrobeat, at the height of his fame. Afrobeat Highlife Crossing has all the elements of these Old School styles, effortlessly blending the essence of Afrobeat and Highlife grooves, resulting in a sound that’s purely original. The percussion is out of this world, the bass is melodic, the horn arrangements are next level, the BVs are perfect and the ‘Pidgin’ language Chief Udoh sings tops it off with some Nigerian seasoning, like a dash of Hot Pepper on Stew!
His lyrics speak the cold-blooded truth, telling us to look inside ourselves and fight against corrupt governments that keep getting us into corporate-sponsored wars, leaving innocent civilians to live with the consequences. His label Uwem Music’s motto is “Right now is the best time to play the record” and we agree!

10"
A. Come Over ft.Le Flex
B. I Can’t Stop (Original Instrumental Demo)

Indie Exclusive Edition including a 10" (clear vinyl) featuring 2 exclusive tracks.

First Dabeull's proper album of his career after several key releases - Intimate Fonk, Fonk Delight or the sought-after compilation InDaStudio.

For Dabeull, analog production is his favorite playground as showing his upcoming 9-track album, "Analog Love" (out on April 12th 2024) was recorded using Michael Jackson's Thriller console - 100% analog.

Top tier tackle from Heels & Souls Recordings for their fourth reissue as they let loose a much anticipated double header, Gold In The Shade’s 'Over You' backed with 'Shining Through'. Rough, tough, straight-from-the-heart ‘90s street soul, coming courtesy of TSR bossman Robert Roper and the Gold In The Shade ladies Arletta Davis and Sonia Johnson. One of the most sought-after cuts of this scene, it encompasses much of what made street soul special - heavy bass, gritty breaks, emotive chords and off-kilter vocals, marrying together to form a snapshot of a raw DIY scene with optimism at its heart.

The trio’s first single from 1990, ‘Shining Through’ is a no nonsense, bassbin-rattling love song from the underground, seeing long-term friends Sonia and Arletta pulling on the heartstrings from the mic as Robert works his magic behind the studio controls.

Lovingly remastered from the DAT by Cicely Balston, if only ‘Over You’ had been so easy. Two years of endless searching for the tape and subsequently a clean copy of the record, Heels & Souls even went to the lengths of having the multitracks restored so that Robert could attempt to recreate the original mixdown in the studio – but the magic of ‘91, unfortunately, can’t simply be conjured at the drop of a hi-hat.

After all but losing hope, Sean P (by way of Backatcha’s Aiden Leacy), came to the rescue with a mint condition copy of the record that he had from running in the same circles as Robert and Duval back in the day, ripping and restoring it with a precision he’s rightly famed for. And so (finally!) here it is: distorted samples, low-fi hits, speaker rumbling bassweight and all. Raw to the core, but that’s the point – pure, unbridled emotion from the depths of North West London.

Fully licensed from Robert Roper, 20% of profits from Heels & Souls Recordings and Prime Direct Distribution will be donated to Lives Not Knives, a youth-led London-based charity, working to prevent knife crime, serious youth violence and school exclusions.


DJ Feedback:

Jamie Tiller - Super nice

Hunee - So smooth

Ari Goldman / Beautiful Swimmers - Amazing love Gold In The Shade some of the very best!!

Alex Nut – Amazing, massive congrats on the release.

Zakia - The label that keeps on giving!

John Gomez – Fantastic Stuff

Carrot Green – Love the tunes

Crown Ruler - Over You been a big spin for a minute. Good to see it’s more accessible now

Piers Harrison - Great to see the Gold In The Shade coming. Probably the strongest of the street soul stuff, to my mind.

Macca – Massive reissue, smashed it again!

Dane – Soooooo good! Love it

Marco Weibel - Nice to finally have this on wax soon

Trepanado – Love this record

Moving Still – Dam sick release

Alicia Carrera – Perfect for summer

Konkolo Orchestra ist das Züricher Projekt des Multiinstrumentalisten und Produzenten Alexis Malefakis und mit seinen jazzigen Afrobeat- und Highlife-Referenzen eine Hommage an Innovatoren wie Fela Kuti, Tony Allen und Ebo Taylor. Das Debütalbum 'Future Pasts' setzt das warme, lebendige, perkussive Motiv der beliebten 2022er Single 'Blue G' fort. Malefakis beherrscht das Afrobeat-Genre souverän, seine Tracks haben einen ausgeprägten Charakter, Struktur und fröhliche Melodien und featuren talentierte Gastsänger wie Nongoma (Südafrika), Sir Frank Karikari (Ghana) und Kitio Batola (Kongo), neben Eric Owusu (Ghana) an den Drums.

Konkolo Orchestra ist das Züricher Projekt des Multiinstrumentalisten und Produzenten Alexis Malefakis und mit seinen jazzigen Afrobeat- und Highlife-Referenzen eine Hommage an Innovatoren wie Fela Kuti, Tony Allen und Ebo Taylor. Das Debütalbum 'Future Pasts' setzt das warme, lebendige, perkussive Motiv der beliebten 2022er Single 'Blue G' fort. Malefakis beherrscht das Afrobeat-Genre souverän, seine Tracks haben einen ausgeprägten Charakter, Struktur und fröhliche Melodien und featuren talentierte Gastsänger wie Nongoma (Südafrika), Sir Frank Karikari (Ghana) und Kitio Batola (Kongo), neben Eric Owusu (Ghana) an den Drums.

Konkolo Orchestra ist das Züricher Projekt des Multiinstrumentalisten und Produzenten Alexis Malefakis und mit seinen jazzigen Afrobeat- und Highlife-Referenzen eine Hommage an Innovatoren wie Fela Kuti, Tony Allen und Ebo Taylor. Das Debütalbum 'Future Pasts' setzt das warme, lebendige, perkussive Motiv der beliebten 2022er Single 'Blue G' fort. Malefakis beherrscht das Afrobeat-Genre souverän, seine Tracks haben einen ausgeprägten Charakter, Struktur und fröhliche Melodien und featuren talentierte Gastsänger wie Nongoma (Südafrika), Sir Frank Karikari (Ghana) und Kitio Batola (Kongo), neben Eric Owusu (Ghana) an den Drums.

Repressed !

Rarely does an artist pay homage to the classics like Dimitri From Paris. The Grammy nominated producer, remixer, composer and DJ has made every one of his repertoire of reworks sound effortless; no mean feat when the original tracks are by the likes of Disco’s greatest musicians. In 2018 he released his “lifetime achievement” on Glitterbox, with the strictly limited pressing of the ‘Dimitri From Paris presents Le Chic Remix’ boxset. Now the 12’s have their own separate outings, bringing greater focus onto the individual productions, as each vinyl features two of the incredible Dimitri remixes, along with their respective instrumentals on the B-Side. On this release we hear ‘He’s The Greatest Dancer’ get the Dimitri treatment that showcases unheard sections from the master tapes, followed by Norma Jean Wright’s life-affirming ‘Saturday’, remixed to cinematic proportions once again by Dimitri.

One of the plus points of being in the reissue business, is that some records are easier to license then to try and find a copy of! Sky's The Limit's incredible "Don't Be Afraid" is a case in point.

Released on the tiny J.M.J. label in 1976, this was essentially a private pressing by the group and was more likely to have been given away at gigs rather than sold through record shops. It's incredibly rare - an original these days is around the £750-£800 mark and that's if you're lucky enough to see one. All for good reason though. "Don't Be Afraid" is a prime slice of vintage Jazz-Funk. The vocal side shows off Sky's The Limit's vocal prowess with gorgeous harmonies over an insistent groove.

However, the big attraction on this double-sider, is the incredibly hypnotic instrumental workout with a fantastic Patrick Adam's like free-form synth making the instrumental almost another song. One of the dreamiest Jazz-Funk instrumentals you'll ever hear. As per usual, this will be a very in-demand release from the word go. This can be played on progressive dancefloors everywhere and will almost certainly appeal to different crowds and audiences.

Two brothers, surname Summers. Das Londoner Rap-Duo Summers Sons kehrt mit einem neuen Sound und einer neuen Vision zurück. “Still Nothing Still” ist weit entfernt von dem geliebten Jazz-Rap, für den die Gruppe bekannt ist. Der Jazz-Einfluss ist zwar immer noch vorhanden, aber klanglich und textlich spielen Turt & Slim in einer ganz eigenen Liga.

Slim verleiht seinen Beats einen elektronischeren, trip-hoppigen Vibe. Turt trägt seine Raps mit einer neuer Dringlichkeit und Zuversicht vor. Seit bei ihm 2021 Epilepsie festgestellt wurde, nahm die Diagnose einen großen Einfluss auf sein Leben und seine Kunst. Als Rapper hat Turt schon immer sein Herz auf der Zunge getragen, aber noch nie so ehrlich, poetisch, verletzlich, wütend und scharf wie auf “Still Nothing Still“.

Seit 2018 haben Summers Sons vier Alben (“Undertones“, “Uhuru“, “The Rain“, “Nostalgia“) und eine Reihe von hochkarätigen Kollabos mit Künstlern wie C.Tappin, Twit One, The Silhouettes Project und Koralle veröffentlicht. Nicht zu vergessen Slims Beat-Tape für KO-OP. Sie tourten mit Children of Zeus, spielten Shows mit FloFilz und Melodiesinfonie und sind Teil von The Silhouettes Project.

Im Jahr 2023 veröffentlichte Turt das Album “The Questions“ zusammen mit Twit One & C.Tappin, die sich 2020 als Syrup formierten, während Slim das Albumprojekt “Cerulean“ mit Benaddict und Ella Mae Suref veröffentlichte. Turt war zudem auf zwei Singles für The Silhouettes Project zu höhren zusammen mit Nix Northwest und Frankie Stew & Harvey Gunn.