Hip-Hop Vinyl New Releases - News

Ahmed Fakrun's first single originally released in 1977, now officially licensed from Universal Italy.

A limited edition 300 copies 45 release for one of the most in-demand track on the northern soul scene.

Due to popular demand, we're happy to present you Alexis Evans' first single on Record Kicks "I Made A Deal With Myself" on the superior 45 vinyl format. The single is a soul stormer that equally pays homage to the glory days of northern soul and bands such as the Style Council and since its LP's only release it has been heavily in demand on the rare soul scene. On the 45 flip side you'll find Alexis Evans brand new single "Your Words", a deep soul number with Rock Steady influences.

Bordeaux-based singer-songwriter-producer Alexis Evans landed on the international soul scene with the heavily acclaimed album "I've Come A Long Way" released in March on Record Kicks, with the aim of making Bordeaux the new French capital of deep soul. The album it's been declared by Rolling Stone Magazine France "soul album of the year" and got raving reviews by magazine such as Blues & Soul (Album of the Month), Record Collector, Shindig, Rock & Folk and constant support by Craig Charles on his BBC Radio 6 Show and FIP/Radio France.

Watch out the 45 vinyl is limited to 300 copies worldwide, so don't sleep on it.

Debut single from forthcoming full length out in May 2019. The first time we heard Bobby Oroza, it was his slow moody ballad 'This Love', that perked the world's ears and made a name for the dapper crooner that calls Finland his home. Since it's release, 'This Love' has become somewhat of an underground hit, the soundtrack to car shows and swap meets in the West Coast, numerous movies and TV shows, and it even made it to Earl Sweatshirt's most recent mixtape. This new single from Bobby Oroza picks up the tempo and showcases another side of his range with a record sure to move bodies and nod heads. The A side 'Your Love Is Too Cold' is a stomper that blends the groovy soul drumming of early Motown records with guitar that could have been lifted from a James Bond

soundtrack. Bobby pleads over the track of his decision to call it quits and keep it quits. The B side 'Deja Vu' finds Oroza leaning again into the B side ballad stylings that made him a name to check for. Heavy duty drums lay down the canvas on which Bobby's vocals paint the picture of a relationship that has come to a fork in the road. The Cold Diamond & Mink production and backing band are tight as ever and this is sure to be another classic with the slowie fans.

Discom proudly presents Du Du A- Du Du Archive 1984-1989 LP, a collection of previously unpublished and rare tracks of Belgrade's cult band Du Du A. Discover the music of the group whose leaders Dejan Kostic and Zoran Zagorcic primed for their never-released second album and find out why they earned a cult status among DJs and collectors worldwide!

“New York’s Harlem River Drive is a dividing line, a highway where the rich zip past the poor,” says singer Jimmy Norman. Eddie Palmieri’s Latin-funk band of the same name tackled these hard truths, playing prisons and speaking to the common man. Ultimately, Norman and Palmieri made a powerful socio-political statement that continues to resonate to this day." Pablo Yglesias/Wax Poetics. When initially released in 1971, many critics panned Eddie Palmieri’s album Harlem River Drive. Those critics were wrong. Regardless of critical opinion, the release was not the crossover success Palmieri and Roulette Records had hoped for, at least in the immediate. Over the years the release has developed a following among listeners, DJs, and aficionados of rare-grooves. The record may have been recorded towards the end of the Latin soul era, yet it features that genre's wonderful mix of Puerto Rican soul, Spanish Harlem Latin, and New York funk. Palmieri worked with an incredibly talented crew of Latin and R&B session musicians to create this quintessential New York vibe, a synthesis of funk and Afro-Cuban sounds. Contributors include Victor Venegas from Mongo Santamaria’s band, Palmieri’s brother Charlie, an accomplished musician in his own right, Bruce Fowler who went on to join Frank Zappa’s band, Dick Meza who went on to great things with Tito Puente, Ray Barretto and Celia Cruz, as well as Andy Gonzalez who’s pedigree includes recordings with Barretto, Johnny Pacheco, Willie Colon and even Chico O’Farrill. Also appearing Randy Brecker and one of the all-time greatest of the greats Bernard Purdy. An over-arching theme of Harlem River Drive is the thought that, as Palmieri puts it “The U.S. is richest country, all this immense wealth, side by side with the most intense poverty, racial prejudice; how is that possible?” A question that’s perhaps more even more relevant today than it was in 1971. A question that can be further explored with Get On Down’s reissue of this seminal recording.

"The Sound Of New York" in many of it's forms and shapes, has always been a source of fascination for the London based production duo Juan Laya & Jorge Montiel (Aka Los Charly's Orchestra), who clearly portray its essence in such an authentic fashion through every release they make; all filtered through
their very distinctive colorful / feel good style of productions, which have become a trademark of the LCO sound over the years.

On the other hand, the so called: "Acid Jazz / Jazz Funk" movement from London-UK had always been a defining key factor on the LCO philosophy, who until today remain so true to the nature of their fusion.

Joining restless soul brotha' & Jazz-Funk luminary: Mr Xantone Blacq on the vocals, this release could be perceived as a crossroad between the two timeless sounds.

Credits:

Vox: Xantone Blacq
Keys Milt Mavrakakis
Drums, Percussion & Chorus: Juan Laya
Brass: James Stuard
Bass: Matheus Nova
Guitar: Raphael Delfino

Production: Juan Laya & Jorge Montiel

'Boomerang' was first recorded in 1979, when the Broomfield Corporate Jam leader was attempting to plot a solo career. It was the first cut Aaron Broomfield recorded under his own name - Initially, at the family band's home studio, Kilimanjaro, and later at professional studios in L.A and Miami - but it was never released.

'I always wanted to be able to share 'Boomerang' with my fans some day - I didn't release it back then because I thought the time wasn't right,' Broomfield explains. 'It was so different to what was considered commercial then and felt ahead of its time.'

Before deciding against releasing it, Broomfield had two test pressings made. It was the accidental discovery of the
one remaining record by digger Arun Brown (the other perished when Broomfield's Kilimanjaro studio was damaged by a fire in 1996) that set in motion the chain of events that finally led to its release.

The jacket boasts a written essay by Broomfield himself, telling the remarkable story behind the song. The wax
features the two versions of Boomerang, of which both were meticulously restored and re-mastered by celebrated
Australian sound engineer, Dan Elleson.

Head to side A for the 'test press' version, a cosmic, starry-eyed chunk of elastic Miami disco-funk where the
Broomfield family's killer instrumentation - all rubbery bass, deep space synths and crunchy Clavinet motifs - arcs
around the sound space like a boomerang in flight. The vocal arrangement, in which Aaron Broomfield's conscious
lyrics come through loud and clear, brings it home. On the flipside, you'll hear how dynamic the band was through the

'Demo Version' - a relaxed, loose and spacey groover that sounds as ahead of its time in 2018 as it would have when it was recorded in 1979.

Original library synth funk sci-fi soundtracks. This promo EP from the vaults of Warner Chappell's production music archive offers four more tracks from Eleven76's mystique Space Voyage recordings. Originally intended for film synchronisation usage as part of Warner's music library, their unique mélange of analog synthesizers, breakheavy drumming, trippy fx and euphoric-melancholic instrumental fantasies has gained them a cult following among witty beatmakers, DJs, cratediggers, tape recording freaks and space age afficionados.

Produced by Paul Elliott, director of The Library Music Film, this promotional vinyl 45 was made to support the library album SPACE VOYAGE and to make the music available outside of film usage. Limited quantities available as most of the pressing is used as giveaway for clients in film, TV and advertising.

Numbers 28, 29 & 30 in the Jazzman Holy Grail Series.

Fable is a small independent record label started in Austin, Texas in the early 1970s by a young trombone player named Michael Mordecai. In autumn 1975 he debuted a trio of albums on Fable by Austin bands 47 Times its Own Weight, Steam Heat and Starcrost. With only 1000 of each pressed, and each carrying a different emphasis on soul, funk or jazz, all 3 have gone on to become highly sought after by collectors and DJs around the world.

We meet with Michael at our UK offices and over several hours he tells us the highs and lows of running Fable Records, leaving no stone unturned and with success and tragedy in equal measure. We also speak with members of all 3 bands, and they share with us interesting stories and cool anecdotes of the wild times in the mid '70s when their records were made. We acquire informative press cuttings and some awesome posters & flyers, and all of this we publish in a booklet included with each LP which are housed in a US-style tip-on sleeve. Jazzman Records - We Dig Deeper.

Produced in London by Emre Ramazanoglu (Lily Allen, Mark Ronson, Ali Farka Tourè) Portughese soul sister Marta Ren returns with new single "Worth It" on June 07th.

Portuguese soul sister Marta Ren is back. The Porto based soulstress returns with the new single "Worth It" available from June 07th on digital and limited edition 45 vinyl. "Worth it" anticipates the awaited second studio album which is scheduled to be released on Record Kicks at the beginning of 2020. Marta Ren exploded onto the international soul scene with her debut album "Stop Look Listen" in 2016 but she has been around in the Portuguese scene since the mid 90s with The Bombazines. After the release of her acclaimed debut album "Stop Look Listen" Marta has extensively played all over Europe, included on big stages such as Trans Musicales festival in Rennes, Sziget Festival, Eurosonic and Mostly Jazz Funk.

"Worth it" has been mixed and produced in London by hitmaking producer and engineer Emre Ramazanoglu who in his 20 years career has garnered an impressive résumé working closely amongst the others with Mark Ronson, Lily Allen, Kylie Minogue and Noel Gallagher on his latest album "Who Built The Moon?". The result of the collaboration between Emre and Marta is an impressive 60s soul stormer with a rock feel. Marta's powerful voice betrays once more all her passion for the deepest funk and rawest soul of the sixties and early seventies and the result is something that would make the founding JB's soul sisters proud once again. If a good day starts in the morning… welcome back "Marva" Marta Ren!

Numbers 28, 29 & 30 in the Jazzman Holy Grail Series.

Fable is a small independent record label started in Austin, Texas in the early 1970s by a young trombone player named Michael Mordecai. In autumn 1975 he debuted a trio of albums on Fable by Austin bands 47 Times its Own Weight, Steam Heat and Starcrost. With only 1000 of each pressed, and each carrying a different emphasis on soul, funk or jazz, all 3 have gone on to become highly sought after by collectors and DJs around the world.

We meet with Michael at our UK offices and over several hours he tells us the highs and lows of running Fable Records, leaving no stone unturned and with success and tragedy in equal measure. We also speak with members of all 3 bands, and they share with us interesting stories and cool anecdotes of the wild times in the mid '70s when their records were made. We acquire informative press cuttings and some awesome posters & flyers, and all of this we publish in a booklet included with each LP which are housed in a US-style tip-on sleeve. Jazzman Records - We Dig Deeper.

Numbers 28, 29 & 30 in the Jazzman Holy Grail Series.

Fable is a small independent record label started in Austin, Texas in the early 1970s by a young trombone player named Michael Mordecai. In autumn 1975 he debuted a trio of albums on Fable by Austin bands 47 Times its Own Weight, Steam Heat and Starcrost. With only 1000 of each pressed, and each carrying a different emphasis on soul, funk or jazz, all 3 have gone on to become highly sought after by collectors and DJs around the world.

We meet with Michael at our UK offices and over several hours he tells us the highs and lows of running Fable Records, leaving no stone unturned and with success and tragedy in equal measure. We also speak with members of all 3 bands, and they share with us interesting stories and cool anecdotes of the wild times in the mid '70s when their records were made. We acquire informative press cuttings and some awesome posters & flyers, and all of this we publish in a booklet included with each LP which are housed in a US-style tip-on sleeve. Jazzman Records - We Dig Deeper.

Little is known about the ensemble that is Sun Atlas. It's not certain whether you'd find them in Los Angeles, New York, Addis Ababa, Marrakesh or northern Germany. Maybe non, maybe all of the above. Their only proof of existance is banned on this 45. Their razor-sharp mixture of afrobeat, ethiojazz, surf, cinematic soul, crime jazz & funk/hiphop breaks speaks for itself. Only on vinyl.

The new Outplay release is by young and upcoming dj/producer Cleanfield, or 'Jelle' as his mom calls him.
Hailing from Arnhem, the Netherlands, it's always great to see another talent pop up in the Dutch scene!
He has made three super catchy tracks for us, perfect for the summer season!

First up is the title track 'Haute Cuisine', warm bouncy bass topped with a super infectious lead melody and percussion. If there is a track more suited for the festival season it's this one for sure!
'Hot Wheels' races on with a deep rolling groove, fuelled by wah wah rhythm guitars, warm synth chords and arpeggios.
'Conflict With Clayton' brings another solid groove to the table with scattered vocal samples and multiple synth layers. Scorcher!

So imagine dancing your ass off to this EP in the sun and feeling fantastic, we sure are!

Bybo Funk's interstellar and futuristic sound returns in the form of a brand new LP entitled "Black Eye Galaxy".

Loud pressed vinyl single featuring the best track from the group's 1979 album plus an unreleased take of the track ''My Fate'' on the flip.. Very smooth German AOR..
Limited to 350 copies and released in a beautiful picture sleeve which shows the original LP artwork.

Ara Pacis, a group from the island Föhr in the North Sea, was originally founded in 1971. Initially influenced by blues and classic rock by The Rolling Stones, The Who, and the like, they were also inspired by bands such as Steely Dan as well as the German/British group Lake. However, Ara Pacis created a style of their own
when their privately pressed an self-distributed “To the Westcoast” LP was released in 1979. The songs were mainly characterized by two-part guitar riffs by Töns Brautlecht-Deppe and Wolfgang Schiffner, who also were the core songwriters of the band.

The freshly remastered single starts with the title track “To the Westcoast”. Due to its sunny and yacht-y vibe it is easily amongst the best and most authentic tunes out of the “Westcoast rock” genre recorded in Germany. With family connections in California, lead singer Töns Brautlecht-Deppe was able to create and capture the feeling of the Pacific sea shore just perfectly.

The single is backed with a revised studio version of “My Fate”. The track is also featured on the album but the version presented here on the 7" vinyl is an unreleased, even quite funky and more powerful take. It was recorded in 1981 at the Rüssl studio in Hamburg where Brautlecht had just started to work as an engineer.

As the "To the Westcoast" LP was released during a time when styles like New Wave, Synth Pop and Punk became popular in Germany and the interest in organic and soulful rock declined, Ara Pacis’ debut remained relatively unnoticed until today and even the Krautrock collector’s scene does not seem to be fully aware of this hard to find gem yet of which only 1000 copies were originally pressed. The band is still kept in good memory by their fans as a quite legendary live act and although they
officially split in 1982, the group still served their fan base with revival concerts in 1990 and 2002 plus a website with full band story and lots of images from the early days.

About a year ago, I had dinner with a special group of friends obsessed with food like me, we call it the Yum Yum Club. Max Pask is a member and while we were preparing a decadent meal, he played me that Evans Pyramid song « Never Gonna Leave You » that I didn't know of. It blew me away and I immediately tried to integrate it in my DJ mixes. But that proved to be a challenge as the beautiful song is very lo-fi in its production with very quiet beats. OK for a very end of a night, but I wanted to play it more than that, so we decided to make an edit with Max that quickly turned into something closer to a remix. Here it is now. There's a house mix for the pumping hours and a disco mix that is closer to the original. Very glad to introduce you to the amazing music of Evans Pyramid (if you never heard of him), a forgotten genius from Boston, the missing link between Shuggie Otis and Prince.

Rock Sucks! is back with three mad boogie bangers made by three killer ladies. The Boogie Freakdown is real with this one.
Don’t sleep.

Founded by Larry Akles in 1971 in Fayetteville, North Carolina, The Chocolate Buttermilk Band, has been one of the busiest and most successful cover and backing bands in the Southern United States for the last 5 decades.
While they’re little known outside the region, their handful of singles from the early 1980s are, for record collectors, among the best and most desirable in Modern Soul and Boogie Funk.

Jerome Derradji & Past Due Records are proud to present “Head Games (The Story of Larry Akles & CBM Records)”. Released on a DLP / CD with printed inner sleeves (or booklet) that include never seen before pictures of the band and a story written by Jacob Arnold. Artwork is by the mighty Al Kent. As a companion to the compilation we are also reissuing the incredibly rare and sought after “Head Games” 7” with a picture sleeve.

This compilation includes every song released by the Chocolate Buttermilk Band, remastered and reissued for the first time.

Needless to say, this is an essential release for fans of Boogie, Soul and Funk as the Chocolate Buttermilk Band releases are known to fetch thousands in the collectors market.

In Larry Akles own words, “This girl in Atlanta told me one time, she said ‘Larry, I heard on the radio that Chocolate Buttermilk was going to be on the show, and I told my girlfriend, Oh, it’s gonna be onnnn if Chocolate Buttermilk on there, ’cause whoever come behind them, they got to go!’” He continues, “When we hit the stage, boy it’d be some fire. We wouldn’t have to get warmed up. We’d start off hot!”

Having previously collaborated with the likes of Shafiq Husayn, Chester Watson and Foreign Beggars, electronic space funk outfit Paper Tiger return from an explorative journey to the dark edges of the cosmos with their long-awaited third album ‘Rogue Planet’.

The Leeds and London-based outfit (whose collective playing credits include Yellow Days, Werkha, Nubiyan Twist, Cinematic Orchestra & more) once again seamlessly combine elements of live recording and improvisation, their emphasis on blending organic sounds with electronic production techniques. The result is music which is interesting and technically proficient, but remains vibrant, colourful and funky -captivating both in headphones and on the dancefloor.

Just like the journey from debut long-player ‘Laptop Suntan’ to sophomore album ‘Blast Off’, and in-keeping with the band’s space travel fascination, ‘Rogue Planet’ is a cosmic leap from its predecessor. Band leader Greg Surmacz explains: ‘There is still humour and a sense of playfulness hopefully -largely provided by our MC Raphael Attar -but the overall sound is much more lush, jazzy and soulful. We wanted to make something that fits into our universe but hits a deeper emotional nerve’.

With diverse guests ranging from the legendary Steve Spacek on lead single ‘The Cycle’ to Olivia Bhattacharjee (the vocalist of Gondwana Records-signed Noya Rao) on the shuffling, leftfield beats of ‘Bioluminescent’ and Chicago-born but LA-based MC Lando Chill’s quick-fire delivery on the ironically titled ‘Slow Motion’ the album is a rich and varied listen. It’s a record drenched in futuristic soul, brimming with textured samples and intriguing progressions demonstrating the enviable musicianship on show here. G-Funk-esque melodies run throughout, joined by reverberating celestial horns and scattered drum patterns.

A limited edition 7” release from the Holy grail library label FREESOUND. Schfiter is the meeting of two massive library musicians Jackie Giordano & Yan Tregger. DYNAMITE CUTS give you a super fresh loud 45 cuts. Including a re-production of the original sleeve. ALL tracks are first time on 45, don’t miss out x500 only.

Lost Soul is an uptempo funk song recorded and written in Kunming, China with a killer breakbeat that has already become an underground hit in the b-boy scene, finally receiving a release on 7" vinyl via Dinked Records. DJ DSK, The People's Rhythm & Angela Cory penned ideas for the song while touring the Chinese club circuit together.

DSK then approached different musicians living in different parts of China at the time for their help in recording the song. The song has been played at many high level b-boy battles including the final of the UK B-Boy championships by DJ Renegade.

Margino (real name Kim Kallie) is a South African artist. She recorded her first song
at the age of eight, when she performed ''Montreal'' with her mother Judy Page. She
sang with the reggae group Kariba and jazz rock outfit Turbo in the early 80's, and
later did backing vocals for Future and others. She first shot to fame as a solo star
with a version of ''Holiday'' (written by Lisa Stevens and Curtis Hudson, credited as
Cathy Hudson), which was released at the same time as Madonna's version.
Margino also had a hit in 1983 with a cover of In-Deep's ''Last Night a DJ Saved My
Life'', that went to #16 on the South-African Top 30 and charted for 10 weeks. She
now runs a Performance Academy from her studio, and continues to perform on
stage at events around Cape Town.
Recorded at RPM Recording Studios (Johannesburg, South Africa) in 1985, Happy
People is a flawless album with dancefloor hits such as ''Happy People'', ''I'm
Getting Out'' and ''One Hot Night'' and downtempo tunes such as ''You Turn Me On'',
''You Need A Woman'' and ''You''. All rhythm tracks were played by Attie Van Wyk
(Keyboards, Synthesizer, Drum Machine) and Danny Bridgens (Guitar). The full
album is a cream of boogie funk, disco and pop.
For this reissue, Jamwax took the pleasure to remaster the sound from the original
tape. The artwork was also remake with Andy Warhol ''Marilyn Monroe'' pop art
style, for your eyes pleasure.

A7 Edits is back with its second instalment from JD Twitch (Optimo). Following in the fashion of the first record by Stefano Ritteri, Volume 2 offers two edits alongside their sought after original counterparts from Africa Seven favourites’ M’Bamina and Tala AM.

The A-side sees JD Twitch take on M’Bamina’s 1982 ‘Kilowi-Kilowi’, from the group’s third album ‘Reflexion’. Twitch takes this already dance-friendly number and stretches it out, producing a a laidback disco groover with added effects for good measure. A delightful organ line pops us near the beginning, reappearing throughout the edit, often taking turns for centre stage with the vocals or the horns, whilst the funky bass keeps the pace and style throughout. Following Twitch’s version is the original which starts with a rather trippy, meow infused intro before slipping into the type of groove that M’Bamina became known for.

On the B-Side we have Tala AM first up re-edited in classic Optimo eclecticism. ‘Arabica’ was the lead track on Tala André Marie’s 1978 album on Fiesta records. JD Twitch goes large with his version, amping up the already powerful original into overdrive with heavy drums, plenty of reverb and some trippy Frankie-goes to Hollywood-esque effects glittering over the top. It’s not what you expect, but exactly what you wouldn’t expect from a man like Twitch, and definitely works on the floor. The B-side closes with the original version, more disco but all the same power behind it.

*** UNRELEASED JAZZ-FUNK FROM 1982 ***

Columbus, Ohio was a test market for cable and public access cable television in 1980. One time our band was playing an outdoor concert in a downtown park and I saw television cameras pointed in our direction. I couldn't resist talking to the people handling the cameras and was introduced to the man in charge of All-American Cablevision, Craig Schneider. He invited the band to do a concert in their TV studio.

By the time that actually happened, Randy Mather had gone on the road with Woody Herman. I'm pretty sure he recommended Paul Maslin to take his place. Paul learned our whole book in two weeks. I thought that was incredible!

When we got to the studio the day of the taping, one of the band members told me Jeanette Williams wouldn't be with us on the show. She already had an obligation for that day. We played the entire show live with no stopping and no retakes. For public access shows they didn't want to have to stop and start taping if they could avoid it.

They kept the master tapes for only two or three weeks at most for a quick rerun. Then they would reuse the master tape for another show unless you bought the master. By the time I learned this it was already too late to buy the master they'd made of our outdoor show.

As the studio was looking for volunteers I soon found myself behind the camera, then directing shows. I even wrote and directed three episodes of a comedy show I called Looney.

Little did I know Seeds of Fulfillment was in its last days. When it ended, Paul said he knew some musicians in the Chicago area, and asked if I would like to go along. I said yes. It was 1982.

All-American Cablevision and Seeds of Fulfillment, by David Drazin (February 2019)

Key selling points:

- all songs previously unreleased

- deluxe vinyl LP with old school tip-on cover

- incl. full album download code

- limited to 500 hand-numbered copies

Project Gemini is the brainchild of West London-based musician, producer and music journalist Paul Osborne. It makes its debut on Delights with a spooky library-influenced psych-funk double-sider, recorded by Osborne at his home studio, Gardens End, with contributions from the prolific Haifa-based producer Shuzin on drums, and the label's main man Markey Funk on lead keys and production duties. With its otherworldly electronics, fuzz guitars, sinister cinematic groove and sharp funky drums, the new 7inch is ticking all the boxes that define the Delights label's distinctive aesthetic.

Rcommended for fans of The Natural Yogurt Band/The Sign of Four, Mr Chop, Drumetrics, and the early 70's French and Italian library.

Cut Capers are a 9 piece funk and soul band from Bristol. Through their live performances they have built a large cult following. Last years festival tour saw them at Latitude, Bestival, Womad and Glastonbury. Works from their 2016 DIY album "Say What" saw strong local support from radio play including BBC Radio Wales (Adam Walton), BBC Radio Bristol (Steve Yabsley, Jonny Ray) and BCFM. (Cut Capers have sold 1179 of 1500 CD's pressed of "Say What")

Cut Capers new album - Metropolis, now released with the support of Freshly Squeezed Music is set to expand on physical sales from the labels customer network as well as the bands extensive tour schedule. The Album captures an energetic live sound, fusing Funk and hip-hop, mixing female lead vocals with both Spanish and English rap.

Seriously good new PPU - obscure lowdown funk from Miami..

Central AYR Productions.. Recorded in various places and others spaces, mostly around Orlando Florida. Multi-Instrumentalist and Vocalist, Anthony Cole is the latest chapter of the PPU family album. AYR, pronounced "air", was formed in 1993. AC recalls "those were very productive and indulgent periods of my life", "the next level in black light". We've got countless hours of 4-track cassette recordings to sort through, these were the first few standout tracks, presented to you in their unedited entirety. Stay tuned for more of the what we call Dirt Music, only in the underground, building on where PPU began.

You never heard these tracks sound like this before. But then maybe that's because these versions were never released before: an R&B stomper done as an anthem in the vein of Aretha's Think, an uptempo R&B heater transformed into a looser slice of southern funky soul and a rock n roll classic re-imagined as a New Orleans-style funky nugget.

Perhaps back in the day at Stax, Capitol or Federal, some producer hip to what James Brown and Dyke Arlester were doing, managed to coax artists back into the studio after hours for one more take. The drums became a bit heavier and more syncopated, the bass a bit chunkier, a section was lengthened here or there and maybe a faster (or slower) tempo tried out. But perhaps when the money men heard the results, they were too behind the curve to bet on the new sound and these funky versions got shelved.

Then again, maybe you're listening to Mako & Mr Bristow's Stank Soul Edits Vol. 4, the latest in a series of 45 edits intended to sound like alternate 'lost' studio takes rather than – well – edits.

Marvin Jupiter is an 18 year old artist who mainly makes hip-hop music, using bass lines as rhythms more associated with funk. He uses and creates the sound of the modern day interpretation of trap adding his own personal twist.

'Reach' is a rendition of the typical "house" genre including rhythms sampled from South American cultures, using current sounds from the "trap genre" even having a small section of a "trap/hip-hop" beat towards the end of the song.

On the B-side you can hear the boogie & funk through a dego & Lord remix

With their latest 'International Disco Mafia 2' release getting love from the likes of Marc Grusane and Jacques Renault, these Dublin based modern discotheque messers are on a roll.

Their latest sees Yorkshire based machine squelcher Perseus Traxx coming heavy on the A side with 'Pump It', which grinds a crashing jack track in and out of some choice disco snippets to create a relentless floorburner for 2019.

Sir Leon Greg is another of the Traxx-man's many pseudonyms, and 'Shakey' is an acid house tinged makeover of an old Northern Soul classic he made a few years back.
Fatty Fatty head honcho Pablo supplies his 'Warehouse Mix'Â of the track, which strings it out into a wild 10 minute trip that teases and caresses you before the strings and that chorus send you over the edge completely.

Last but not least, 'Last Days' will be, to some ears, the pick of the bunch - a rich, ever circling slice of funked up house music that will touch you in all the right spots, rounding off the package in some style.

Hailing from Palermo, Smuggler Brothers deliver a unique sound, deeply rooted in the diverse and rich heritage of their island - Funk-prog flavoured Mediterranean library music with Arab and North Afrika influences. Produced by Massimo Martellotta (Calibro 35). Brilliant and relentless from start to finish!

The Mighty Mocambos' new album "Showdown" sets another cornerstone in their prolific career as a globally active instrumental funk outfit. While maintaining their organic approach of recording real musicians live on tape, the group has refined their trademark sound with a dramatic edge, a hard hitting production and ventures into less obvious musical territories. While highly enjoying themselves as the tight unit they are, The Mighty Mocambos invited an exciting list of guests to contribute to their musical "Showdown": German film composer icon Peter Thomas, hiphop godfather Afrika Bambaataa, rap legends Charlie Funk aka Afrika Islan (member of the original Rocksteady Crew) and Donald D (of Ice-T's Rhyme Syndicate), plus Nichola Richards, Shawn Lee, DeRobert from peer label GED Soul in Nashville, Zulu Nation MCs Deejay Snoop & DJ Hektek and organ genius Guillaume Metenier all joined the group for their new musical adventure. "Showdown" is released on vinyl LP by Mocambo Records and on CD and digital incarnations by Légère Recordings.

About the Mighty Mocambos:

The Mighty Mocambos and their many incarnations have released dozens of 45s and several albums on their own imprint Mocambo Records and other labels such as Kay Dee, Truth & Soul, Tramp, Légère and Favorite Recordings, to name a few. They have collaborated with musical legends such as Afrika Bambaataa, Lee Fields or Kenny Dope, put new talent like Gizelle Smith and Caroline Lacaze on the map, brought Caribbean steel drums to funk clubs with their alter ego Bacao Rhythm & Steel Band, and have toured through all civilized parts of the continent and beyond for the better part of the last years. Their unique style and trademark sound are loved by peers, fans and critics alike and distinguishes them from mere retro-copycat-acts as well as overproduced plastic soul. The Mighty Mocambos continue to deliver their brand of funk with blazing horns, soulful guitars, driving drums and basslines combined with an extra bit of quirkiness. When not producing records for one of their many incarnations and collaborations, the band is touring steadily. Whoever witnessed a concert will tell you about the musicality, passion, energy, humour and joy that the band loves to bring to the people. Background What started out years ago as a take on "deep funk" and its associated vinyl culture has completely grown into its own oeuvre d'art. With the launch of their production studio and record label in 2006, things started to gain momentum. Apart from self-releasing the group's own recordings, Mocambo Records became a household name by putting out highly collectable vinyl 45s by today's best funk outfits as well as unearthing lost library funk treasures. The Mighty Mocambos however did not restrict themselves solely to their own label. Their interpretation of the Furious Five classic "The Message", released under a pseudonym on an obscure phantasy label without proper distribution, got picked up and remixed by Grammy- nominated producer legend Kenny Dope (Masters at Work, Bucketheads). Their first single with UK funk singer Gizelle Smith, "Working Woman", became an overnight smash and a prime-time club favourite of funk & soul DJs worldwide. Initially released on the Finnish private press imprint Old Capital, it got the remix treatment by Kenny Dope and a re-release on Kay Dee Records as well. After earning their credits through vinyl 45s, the band stepped up their game with the full- length "This Is Gizelle Smith & the Mighty Mocambos" in 2009. The album received rave reviews, got lots of airplay - and sold a bunch of physical copies too. Its success led to an extensive tour throughout Europe with club dates from Marseille to Oslo, performances at massive festivals such as the Printemps de Bourges in France and live radio appearances at respected FMs such as the BBC and Radio Nova. With the following album "The Future Is Here" (2011), the band stepped further into the spotlight and explored new sounds with features by hiphop legends Afrika Bambaataa and Charlie Funk, French singer Caroline Lacaze and German rare groove queen Su Kramer, while manifesting their unique raw funk sound and refining their unmistakable instrumental style that had long gained international reputation. The album was toured extensively, including a legendary performance with Afrika Bambaataa at Hamburg's Reeperbahn Festival (covered by ARTE TV), support gigs for Lee Fields and headline shows at renowned venues such as Amsterdam's Paradiso, Islington Assembly Hall in London, Paris' Bellevilloise, Tempo Club in Madrid, or at home at Hamburg's Mojo Club. After producing the critically acclaimed debut album "En Route" (2013) of French soul singer Caroline Lacaze, where their adapted their sound to deliver a stunning mix of French Beat, Soul & Psychedelic Rock, the band went on to record a full length under their moniker Bacao Rhythm & Steel Band. Their interpretation of 50 Cent's P.IM.P. had long become a cult classic and was often mistaken for the original sample. The group's approach in stretching the boundaries of funk by adding Caribbean steel pans caught the interest of Brooklyn's finest label Truth & Soul who signed the band for the album "55", an explosive mix of funk and hip hop cover versions as well as original compositions that showcase the band's singularity in today's funk circuit. The Mighty Mocambos' recent album "Showdown" (2015) sets yet another cornerstone in their prolific career as a globally active instrumental funk outfit. While maintaining their organic approach of recording real musicians live on tape, the group has refined their trademark sound with a dramatic edge, a hard hitting production and ventures into less obvious musical territories, with a diverse list of special guests ranging from German film composer icon Peter Thomas to hiphop pioneer Afrika Bambaataa.

Limited edition ruby red colour vinyl reissue of the smashing album from Germany's finest funk ensemble to celebrate its 5th anniversary. 11 cinematic deep funk instrumentals, celebrated b-boy breaks and vocal dancefloor killers with special guests Afrika Bambaataa, Charlie Funk, Deejay Snoop, DJ Hektek, Donald D., DeRobert, Nichola Richards, Peter Thomas, Guillaume Metenier & Shawn Lee.

Original note from 2015 release:

"The Mighty Mocambos' new album "Showdown" sets another cornerstone in their prolific career as a globally active instrumental funk outfit. While maintaining their organic approach of recording real musicians live on tape, the group has refined their trademark sound with a dramatic edge, a hard hitting production and ventures into less obvious musical territories. While highly enjoying themselves as the tight unit they are, The Mighty Mocambos invited an exciting list of guests to contribute to their musical "Showdown": German film composer icon Peter Thomas, hiphop godfather Afrika Bambaataa, rap legends Charlie Funk aka Afrika Islam (member of the original Rocksteady Crew) and Donald D (of Ice-T's Rhyme Syndicate), plus Nichola Richards, Shawn Lee, DeRobert from peer label GED Soul in Nashville, Zulu Nation MCs Deejay Snoop & DJ Hektek and organ genius Guillaume Metenier all joined the group for their new musical adventure."

A HEAVY DOSE OF unreleased GARAGE ROCK & PSYCH-FUNK TRACKS

The Perfect Toy label continues its righteous quest to unearth the finest rare sounds from way out with Volumes 3 and 4 of its Down In The Valley series and in doing so delivers what is most certainly "A heavy dose of garage rock & psych-funk."

Vol. 3 opens with a characteristically inspiring cut - Sand's cover of Down By The River - one of the best (and certainly one of the most obscure) versions of the Neil Young classic. This is followed by two fine examples of garage rock with a funky twist - Pegasus' Honeysuckle Willow Pride and Enalpria's Sliding, in the slipstream of which follows Heart and Soul's raw psych cut Afterthought. Also featured on this volume are two tributes to Jimi Hendrix that the big man himself would be proud to hear - The Fabulous Troubadores' version of Hey Joe (here literally entitled Tribute To Jimi Hendrix) as well as a psych-soul cover of Stone Free by the The Good Earth. Side B kicks off with Lifeless, the farewell 45 from La Crosse, Wisconsin outfit Today's Tomorrow and also includes two cuts occupying the nexus of garage and psych-funk from Milk & Cookies and Sound Inc., along with the Del Counts's fierce organ-led funk instrumental Who Cares and a very special contribution from GIN whose Louisville Luck is one of two previously unreleased tracks.

Deepest respect goes out once again to crate-digging supremo, Chan The Man, the curator of these two brand-new volumes in the Down In The Valley series. His ambition to search for the impossible and get his hands on private pressings that no one except the freakiest vinyl nerds knew existed has set the path to the release of these two discs. Accompanied by detailed liner notes and never-before-seen photos of the artists, Down In The Valley 3&4 continue the same attention to quality and detail set by their predecessors.

A HEAVY DOSE OF unreleased GARAGE ROCK & PSYCH-FUNK TRACKS

The Perfect Toy label continues its righteous quest to unearth the finest rare sounds from way out with Volumes 3 and 4 of its Down In The Valley series and in doing so delivers what is most certainly "A heavy dose of garage rock & psych-funk."

Vol. 4 commences with Frozen Sun's acid rock beast Electric Soul, then rocks even harder with Pax 72's Ezra before Stars and Stripes's Listen edges in a funkier direction, adding syncopated rhythms and wah-wah into the mix. Then it's the turn of another unreleased track from GIN to make an appearance – Pseudo Funk - a blistering psych-rock band-rehearsal recording that the label is excited to include in the DITV series. Super-heavy funk-rock is the name of the game on Pushin, a wah-wah-drenched monster from The Outer Edge - recorded when they were 16 years old and their one and only 45 before they disbanded in 1971. The funkiness continues with Watch My Baby Do It – a shingaling and boogaloo dance-celebrating funky soul nugget from Chicago music-scene mainstays The Bossmen, dope garage-funk crossover Away With Me from Soul Intentions and groovy country-funk bump Keep On Walking from Rocky Barra, the man behind the famous Strictly Elvis fanzine. All of which just leaves space for the heavy soul-laden garage rock of Forum's Who Needs You, a mellow psych groove from Morning Reign (a name that should ring a bell since Perfect Toy dropped an album full of their unreleased material in late 2018) and Grainger Hunt 's Noah (a new discovery in rhythm & blues circles when it was first re-issued on 45 in 2011) whichmakes its first appearance on any full-length album here.

Deepest respect goes out once again to crate-digging supremo, Chan The Man, the curator of these two brand-new volumes in the Down In The Valley series. His ambition to search for the impossible and get his hands on private pressings that no one except the freakiest vinyl nerds knew existed has set the path to the release of these two discs. Accompanied by detailed liner notes and never-before-seen photos of the artists, Down In The Valley 3&4 continue the same attention to quality and detail set by their predecessors.

KEY SELLING POINTS:
- all tracks appear on a full length album for the very first time
- incl. detailed liner notes and unseen photographs