Hip-Hop Vinyl New Releases - News

'Tactile Living' is the second offering from the mysterious cinematic soul group 'The Pro-Teens'. After their first release 'Tumultuous Times' (released in June 2017), the Teens quickly followed it up with their second release in December. 'Tactile Living' is whackier, spookier and wider in it's arrangements, introducing the Vibraphone and Soprano Saxophone. With Tracks like 'Snead' which delve into their Eitho Jazz inspirations, and 'Professional', going down a spicier Exotic journey, you won't be disappointed with this little teenage sojourn.

The Pro-Teens are a band of highly professional teenagers. Forming in their early tweens this gang of humbled youth were discovered by a rich entrepreneurial neighbour who heard them jamming in their Dad's garage and loved it so much that she signed a deal 'then-and-there' for 2 albums. With funds in their pocket and a youthful naivety under their wings they pounced on the opportunity to record their debut LP 'Tumultuous Times'. With flavours of Fela Kuti, David Axelrod and Ween this dynamic Octet are in for a 'Tumultuous Time' indeed. I II III IV!

Blending influences from 1970s Nigerian Afrobeat with the deepest of street Funk, The Seven Ups are the original 7-piece party band. Expect unrestrained solos by unkempt horns over an unpretentious rhythm section whose only interest is laying it down! This their third album introduces Psych Rock elements to the grinding afroheat!.

Crew member DJ Format has joined forces with MC Andy Cooper to produce a special little number for 45 Live Records. 'Get On
That', taken from Andy's most recent LP has been completely re-worked into a brand new track with Matt Format adding his
superb production skills. It's classic Format material, super funky, deftly arranged and aimed squarely at the dancefloor. Throw this
donut on and watch the floor ignite!
This 45 comes complete with an instrumental on the flip, ready to get busy in the mix if you're grabbing doubles.

NEW RELEASE BAB008 (BREAKS & BEATS RECORDS )

"In 1978, Nova performed for Obama. Well, kind of: Nova was the band for the Punahou School prom in Honolulu, Hawaii, and a young student named Barack (known then as 'Barry') was in attendance.

Backtrack to 1976, and Nova was the opening band for Donald Byrd at the nearby Blaisdell Arena. The day was Sunday, June 27. The following day, Isaac Hayes would perform on island for the admission price of $1.

Nova, led by singer Checo Tohomaso, was one of several go-to party bands during the golden era of Hawaii funk and soul music in the mid-1970s through early 1980s.

The band's infectious gospel-funk-disco can be heard on their sole release, a self-titled 1980 LP that feels like one big party recorded live in the studio. (Check out the Marvin Gaye-inspired 'I Feel Like Getting Down' on the 2016 'Aloha Got Soul' compilation on Strut Records).

The story is all too familiar, however: funk band releases LP, the music goes dormant in years to follow, and today original copies sell for hundreds online.

Not long after the album's 1980 release, Checo met Marvin Gaye, who was living on Maui (where George Benson also resided). Shortly after, Marvin invited Checo and his counterparts to join his multi-city tour across Europe. Videos of Checo rocking keyboards, percussion and singing background vocals for Marvin Gaye's last European tour can be found online.

Checo, born in Florida yet raised in lush Manoa Valley as well as Okinawa, Japan, now resides in Vancouver, Canada, where he leads the VOC Sweet Soul Gospel Choir and continues to deliver his signature sound: high energy, positive, 'sweet soul' music.

AGS-7010 features two non-stop groovers with a 7' edit by Roger Bong on the A-side. LP reissue in the works!"

Er ist einer der großen Funk Spezialisten auf seiner Hammond B3: Ricky Peterson. Spätestens seit seiner Zusammenarbeit mit David Sanborn ist Ricky einem großen Publikum bekannt. In den 90er Jahren war der Organist Bestandteil der musikalischen Prince Crew sowohl als Produzent als auch Hammond Spieler. Das vorliegende neue Album "Drop Shot" zeigt Ricky Peterson, der gerade bei FLEETWOOD MAC als neuer Keyboarder eingestiegen ist und die Weltour spielen wird, zusammen mit dem Saxofonisten und Arrangeur Bob Mintzer und der WDR Big Band in blendender Spiellaune. Funky Music at its best!

Two new downtempo balearic remixes of tracks off Dru Barnes ambient hip hop debut Silent Light. Whatever/Whatever (NYC legend Justin Strauss & Producer Bryan Mette) turn DAWN into a 96 bpm funky chug anthem. An Instant Slow Balearic House Classic. SIREN (Dennis Kane & Metro Area's Darshan Jesrani) take the ballad MAYBE WE'RE LOVE on an epic cinematic journey.

22a presents a collaborative project with the Polish jazz septet EABS and featuring Tenderlonious on flute and soprano saxophone. Strictly limited to 1000 copies worldwide, this 12' of deep jazz is housed in colour sleeve and

includes an insert containing sleeve notes and photos. The Electro Acoustic Beat Sessions collective (EABS) are without doubt the most accomplished jazz group in the world right now. They have a unique and

innovative approach to music, fusing elements of Polish and classic jazz with hip hop, funk and folk. Their debut album 'Repetitions (Letters to Krzysztof Komeda)' is a dedication to Polish Jazz legend Krzysztof Komeda that focusses

on compositions by Komeda between 1962 and 1967. The album explores Komeda's lesser-known compositions featured in ballet etudes, movies, short films, documentaries and animations.

'Kraksa/Svantetic' is the final part of a dedication to Krzysztof Komeda, recorded straight to tape at Radio Opole in Poland. Polish jazz has had a big influence on 22a and Tenderlonious and working with

EABS became a priority after hearing their album. Tenderlonious was therefore delighted to accept their invitation to go out to Poland to perform with them.

In the heyday of low-budget television and scrappy genre filmmaking, producers who needed a soundtrack for their commercial entertainments could reach for a selection of library music: LPs of stock recordings whose contents fit any mood required. Though at the time, the use of such records was mostly a cost-cutting manoeuvre for productions that couldn't afford to hire their own composer, the industry soon took on its own life: library publishers became major financial successes, and much of the work they released was truly extraordinary. In fact, many of these anonymous or pseudonymous scores-on-demand were crafted by the some of the greatest musical minds of the late 20th century—expert musicians and innovative composers who revelled in the freedoms offered, paradoxically, by this most corporate of fields. Unusual Sounds is a deep dive into a musical universe that has, until now, been accessible only to producers and record collectors; a celebration of this strange industry and an examination of its unique place at the nexus of art and commerce. The perfect companion to the David Hollander curated book Unusual Sounds: The Hidden History of Library Music (out now on Anthology Editions), these 20 tracks, encapsulate the niche and fascinating subculture of library music. Genres were spliced, conventions dispensed with, and oftentimes hybrid music of astonishing complexity was produced. Elements of rock, jazz, soul, even twentieth-century avant-garde composition were all utilized, and no stone was left unturned. As a result, some of the best library music defies all categorization, reflecting the individualistic quirks and artistry of the various musicians who made it. This compilation includes compositions by Brainticket founder Joel Vandroogenbroeck, KPM Allstars John Cameron and Keith Mansfield, Montenegrin-born composer Janko Nilovic, and the Italian film composer Stefano Torossi amongst others. David Hollander is a producer, music supervisor, writer and collector living in Texas. A lifelong record collector, his library music collection is considered by many to be one of the finest of its kind in the world.

Cornhusker unearths four obscure DJ-only specials. 'Easily' reveals the carnivalesque groove of a less well-known jazz-funk track. 'Mizells' weaves together all of the highlights of a mid-70s classic.

'Launchpad' is storming Hammond-led dance floor fire and 'Bring It' links a classic Rza loop to it's original source.

SOUL/DISCO/FUNK SINGLE HERE FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER, ON ANY FORMAT.
FROM THE INDEPENDENT UK LABEL SIX NINE RECORDS Ltd, BASED IN NEWCASTLE
UPON TYNE. TIM TUCKER IS HERE WITH TWO BRILLIANT NEW SONGS, WRITTEN AND
PRODUCED BY THE MAN HIMSELF. WITH HISTORY BEING PART OF GROUPS LIKE
DAVINITY, BIRDBONE UNLIMITED AND LOVE CRYME, MR TUCKER HAS BEEN AN ACTIVE
SONG WRITER, MUSICIAN AND ARTIST FOR A LONG TIME. TRULY NOT TO BE MISSED
AS IT IS A LIMITED UK PRESS WITH SMALL HOLE AND FULL COLOUR PRINTED
PICTURE COVER! THIS IS THE SECOND OF MANY PLANNED RELEASES FOR TIM TUCKER
ON SIX NINE RECORDS.

In celebration of Aretha Franklin's Iconic legacy, her first Christmas album and 36th studio album will be re-released in November for the first time ever on vinyl. The acclaimed artist puts her timeless stamp on a mix of 11 traditional and contemporary classics associated with the Christmas season. Aretha Franklin herself produced three tracks and arranged and added her inimitable touch as a pianist to two tracks ("Silent Night" and "14 Angels"). 

Basement Freaks serves up a classic funk instrumentation version of his own jam 'White Hot' which features the sizzling vocals of Ms. Kylie Auldist (The Bamboos, Cookin' On 3 Burners) over a jumping groove. He's taken it back to the old school and managed to achieve the seemingly impossible of improving on his already impeccable music.

Over on the flip he's taken the Smoove & Turrell frontman's sweet and soulful vocals of the track 'Won't Get Fooled Again' and revised it into a barnstorming electro funk joint. It's not the first time these two have come together musically and whenever they do its always-on-point.

100% Columbian was released in 1998 The album features their single tracks and live favourites Korean Bodega, Love Unlimited and Big Night Out.

Joseph Washington Jr.'s 1983 holiday LP puts a soulful, funky, suave ribbon on nine frosty Christmas cuts. In that season of music's traditional descent into threadbare schmaltz, Merry Christmas to You restores joy and wonder to a blizzard of bland. Under this tree, find undiscovered classics for our cynical age: the buoyant 'Jesus' Birthday,' the hot and bothered soul of 'Merry Christmas,' the ridiculously catchy wallet-opener 'Shopping.' The world of records produces just a precious few yuletide keepers: Spector's A Christmas Gift for You; Fahey's The New Possibility; Guaraldi's indelible Charlie Brown Christmas. Down another nog and file Joseph Washington Jr. comfortably next to those.

Fresh from '78: Brazilian funk lothario Marcelo's first big single (which was never out on a 45 before)- and a peak track from his debut eponymous album from the same year - gets a timely revisit from the Steven J's reissue/edit imprint Pepite. With its subtle piano striking Q&A, wild bass runs and clam-tight guitar/drum groove, Marcelo calls his way through the jam as if everything is a chorus. With its layered vocals, it's gutsy call to action for any dancefloor. Steven's edit stretches out the instrumental bars and brings out focus on the staccato vocal hook with a rising sense of momentum. Two great sides, one dope 45.

A collabo you couldn't make up. Ice-T & Charlie Funk team up with Hamburg's Mighty Mocambos for a funked up version of their single "Bounce That Ass", blending old school west coast vibes with raw funk recorded live to tape, guaranteed to get every dancefloor busy.

Ice-T & Afrika Islam aka Charlie Funk wrote history together. They made countless platinum LPs, won grammys and oscars and shaped rap music as we know it today with albums like "Rhyme Pays" and "Power". Here they reunite for the fun(k) of it, celebrating the motion of hips like only they could and the Mighty Mocambos once again leave no doubt about their status as absolute funk heavyweights and 45 champions.

Exclusive release on vinyl.

OVERVIEW: Synth chutes, synth ladders, popcorn 808 beats, dirge-y chants and busted sub-woofer hums from inner-galactic soul pioneers Nathaniel Woolridge and Anthony Freeman intertwine to create this hypnotic, mythical 1984 LP from Newark, New Jersey. The most damaged party record ever set to black, or the most partied cry of the heart ever howled into personal space. Probably both.

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania's Starr was once an enigmatic figure in collector's circles. 'She's So Fine' has racked up over a million plays on YouTube, but copies of the 45 and 12' version almost never surface. The known discography was surprisingly sparse for an entity who delivered such an undeniably killer track. Surely there had to be more. Was Starr a studio concoction: the work of an enterprising producer and some hired help Perhaps Starr was sent from above to bless us earthlings with sublime electro-funk grooves to keep dance floors moving

The truth is, in his own words, that 'anyone can be a Starr!' Starr got his start as a young whiz kid playing in the internationally known Chill Fac-Torr. Despite overseas chart success and a contract with Philly World, the band never made it too far. Infighting and a lack of professional discipline among the band pushed Starr out of the group, and he set out on his own.

With killer musical chops, a great voice and an unmatched creative drive, Starr set out to follow in the footsteps of a fellow musical wunderkind from Minneapolis and create his own musical universe. The problem is, life got in the way. Starr recorded night and day, flexing his writing muscles in a number of different styles, working with other Pennsylvania artists to achieve their visions. He produced some very sparsely distributed cassettes and 45s for his own imprint, but he also had a family and bills to pay. The label took a backseat and his musical career was put on ice, but his desire to create never left him.

We are proud to present the first in our series of Starr releases, the classic 'She's So Fine' 12' mix on a handy 45. Remastered from the original reels, hear it like you've never heard it before. Sure to set the dance floor ablaze.

Starr's known output consists of a single release, the hyper in-demand 'She's So Fine' single, but this is only the first light in a constellation of recordings he made in the 1980s. Being the go-to guy for collaboration in Harrisburg offered him the best local talent. A young and soulful singer, the aptly named Fawn came into Starr's life, laid down a session or two and went back to the real world. Aside from an incredibly rare cassette-only compilation appearance, this is the first time her sweet and sultry voice makes an appearance on the world stage. Backed by Starr's stellar production, these tracks are truly lost gems, ready to shine for the first time on a lovingly remastered 45 straight from the original tapes.

After two visionary LPs for his own tiny Nodlew label, Weldon Irvine signed to RCA for Cosmic Vortex (Justice Divine), exploring the deeply spiritual and political terrain of his previous efforts on the kind of grand musical scale that major-label funding accommodates.

This is a big, bold record by any measure, with a startlingly pronounced focus on lyrics and vocals. At the same time, however, the melodies spread out like tentacles, informed by the improvisational sensibilities of jazz and the deep-groove spirit of funk. Jason Ankeny/AMG

"The Tribe is an extension of the tribes in the villages of Africa, our mother country. In Africa everyone had a talent to display. There were no superstars; just people and collectively all the people of the village played a vital role in shaping that culture. We see all the black communities within this country as villages and the tribes are the people residing within them. The Tribe is composed of creative artists from the Metropolitan Detroit area who have travelled extensively with many well known musicians and have returned with the intention of sharing these experiences with our people in order to broaden the cultural base in this city. They are some of the most original and creative artists in the area. We hope to bring out points, situations, and events that are happening in our communities by way of music, poetry, and dance and rapping to the people. You see pure music must reflect the environment that we live in if it is to be educational and beneficial to our culture. It must portray our way of life. At this point in our history, harmony for the most part, is not reflected in our communities. There's a lot of rebellious tension and discord, even though we have some groovy or harmonious moments along the way. There are many people within this society, black and white, who don't understand what is happening in regards to the direction the black musicians are moving toward. Our music is reflecting more so than ever before the stress, tension, and discord that is taking place within our communities along with the positive and harmonious things happening. This is evident when one listens to the music of composers like the late the late John Coltrane, Archie Shepp, Ornette Coleman, and the late Albert Ayler. These guys understand the relationship between art and culture and they took the total vibrations, positive and negative of the whole culture and served as amplifiers or speaker systems through the arts. You cannot divorce art from its root culture and expect it to be relevant for both the artist and his culture.

The compositions we play are reflective of the music of our times whereby we play Jazz, Rock, and African music with its poly or many rhythms. I wrote all the tunes on this particular L.P. and it is written as a suite in 5 movements which means that the music can be performed along with poetry and dancers. On our last L.P. called 'Message From The Tribe' we featured the compositions of our very talented composer, arranger, and trombonist Phil Ranelin. On one side he wrote all the compositions and on the flip side I wrote all the tunes. This album was produced by us on the Tribe record label. As far as the music on 'Evening With The Devil' is concerned it really speaks for itself. In addition to the music it features some relevant poetry by two very talented young poets named Oba and Vajava who are also members of a very excellent theatre group in Detroit called The Black Messengers.'

Extract from the sleeve notes of this album by Wendell Harrison.

Wendell Harrison, Tenor Sax & miscellaneous instruments / Marcus Belgrave,

Flugel Horn & miscellaneous instruments / Charles Moore, Trumpet & miscellaneous instruments / Will Austin, bass / Charles Eubanks, Electric Piano & miscellaneous instruments / Ike Daney, drums & miscellaneous instruments /

Phil Ranelin, trombone & miscellaneous instruments / Poetry by the Black Messengers, Oba and Vajava

Repress in blackVinyl!

Original pressing fetches £150 on certain online auction sites Alfa Mist is considered a frontrunner in the new London jazz movement

An icon of Brazilian popular music, Tim Maia was a musical polymath and prolific recording artist best known for introducing American soul to the Brazilian music scene, pioneering the sambalanço style by blending elements of soul, funk, rock, and samba. Maia recorded four self-titled albums for Polydor Brazil, this fourth release from 1973 arguably the best, with its outstanding hits ‘Réu Confesso’ and ‘Gostava Tanto de Você’; ‘Do Your Thing, Behave Yourself’ shows how the soul form fitted him perfectly and ‘O Balanço’ full to bursting with Brazilian flavour. A superb set from start to finish, it’s a must for all Tim Maia fans.

Another massively desired double-sider produced by Georgia native Calvin Arnold, a superheavy solid, intense rhythm and a deep, throaty vocal which pushes the dancefloor strongly forward plus a more chilled extra-soulful backside for the connoisseurs out there, also re-reissued due to public demand here on a nice great-sounding RS label 45!

A generous slab of finest Canadian Soul, one of the funkiest pieces of wax to come out of this country with ex-Jamaican talent Earle Heeedram aka 'The Mighty Pope' providing the vocals, originally released on the small 'Heart' label, with no industry or much promotional support the disc sank without notice, now being one of the most in demand 'Northern Funk' tunes on the Rare Soul Scene, available here on a nice great-sounding reissue 45!

Rare groovy Deep Funk Monster outta Carolina that pleasingly combines the slick rhythms taking over the dancefloors of the late 70s with a slightly garagey production resulting in a pure 'Underground Soul' masterpiece which is extremely hard to get on original format nowadays especially since big Northern Soul deejays have started hammering it to packed dancefloors all over the UK & Europe!

Serious '70s Chi-lites business, remastered officially from the Brunswick back catalogue.

Infamously sampled by Beyonce for her 'Crazy In Love' hit, 'Are You My Woman (Tell Me So)' is a huge slice of soulful, funk gold. Marrying Eugene Record's falsetto alongside Creadel "Red" Jones' animated bass tones it screams flash, feel-good, funk - none more so than when the collective combine for those delectable vocal harmonies. Woven in behind - a heavy bassline, masterful drumming and that crazed horn section, creating a certified recipe for deep-seated desire.

The flip see's the sumptuous 'Stoned Out Of My Mind' demonstrating, once again, Record's magical falsetto, delivered in such a personal way you'll leave thinking you're the one who's gone messed up his mind. Enhanced even further by the dazzling string and horn sections and those choice group harmonies, it's got a psychedelic tinge to it that serves its namesake all too well.

Leaning against a wall, his shirt unbuttoned to his navel and cradling a tumbler of something strong and sophisticated, Tony Igiettemo looks every bit the smooth talking 80s gent. When you put Hot Like Fire on the turntable and drop the needle, however, it is immediately clear that Smooth Tony is also a little bit freaky. Sirens, slap bass, squelchy synths and a titchy high hat that just won't give up, Hot Like Fire is a cosmic call from a dance floor on the far side of the universe. Produced by John Malife - the go-to man in Nigeria when you wanted your funk freaky - it's driven by a heavy low end that compels you to move. 'Baby You Can Do It' is Boney M's 'Daddy Cool' via a sweaty Nigerian dance floor. 'I Feel So Good' has a Kool & The Gang vibe, albeit with a freaky, warbling synth. And 'Hot Like Fire' is a strange reggae/funk fusion, fuelled by the righteous herb. 'We Are One' and 'Africa Must Unite', meanwhile, are post-disco, reggae-tinged calls for African Unity. 'Rock Your Baby' is the album's most relentless dance floor banger and sums up its ethos best. Clap your hands everybody and get down on it. Tony Igiettomo is here to make your body move. - Peter Moore

On People of the Sun, Strickland blazes down that trail fully at the helm of his music—performing, writing, and producing with his outrageously able Twi-Life band on deck—even as he sonically and socially traces the African diaspora from present to past in an effort to unpack his identity. "I'm thinking about where we came from," says Strickland, "and how that clashes and goes hand in hand with what we've created here as Black Americans." The result is an album that's busy and beautiful, inventive and contemplative, an amalgam of influences from West Africa (griot culture, Afrobeat, percussion) and America (post-bop, funk-soul, beat music) performed in the key of revelation. Another facet that sets the album part is Strickland's lesser-known woodwind obsession with the bass clarinet, which adds its noirish hues to so many of these songs.

- Upward Bound' is a long lost, incredibly rare and very expensive classic disco era album! It combines soul, funk with and slick pop appeal into a great cocktail of grooves and melodies! This will drive you to the dancefloor and make you sing along at the same time! The lush arrangements, tight grooves and powerful soul vocals with catchy harmonies make this album an instant evergreen. I'm least surprised that the arrangements should pose a challenge to every rhythm section and that the catchy melodies instantly stick to the listener. The flashing horn arrangements are amazing! The funky bass grooves and guitar riffs weave a cocoon of sound around your soul. The sound is certainly clean but also vivid and the music feels grounded despite it's larger than life expression. The swirling backing vocals in combination with the lead singer are the icing on the cake that already consists of catchy and outstanding songs. This is more funk and soul than simple disco music. There is depth in the arrangements with awesome details as you delve deeper into each single track. You can of course groove along and just enjoy the songs as they are, but be sure to at least be on the lookout for the beautiful ornaments in each song. This music will surely move you, it makes it impossible sit still . In this album you'll find a wide range of funky music, from Slow groovers to fast paced tunes, you will get them all. Some with a deep atmosphere, some energetic, all of them memorable with arrangements that keep your attention going even with the 50th spin on your turntable. To my opinion this album is an unmissable gem of the disco era at it's peak! The original album retails at $ 400 going up, rarely a decent copy could surfaces on the market once a year. So here's a chance for you to grab an affordable copy of this well-deserved and long overdue reissue on vinyl and be enchanted!

Zapp salutes the late Roger Troutman on 'Zapp VII: Roger & Friends'. The album continues the band's 40-year legacy of funk with special guest appearances by Bootsy Collins, Frankie J., Tuxedo, Kurupt and Snoop Dogg.

Back in 1978, four brothers out of Dayton, Ohio - Roger, Larry, Lester and Terry Troutman - formed the electro-funk band Zapp with the single-minded purpose of getting people out on the dance floor. Their 1980 self-titled debut, produced

by Bootsy Collins and with input from P-Funk founder George Clinton, went gold and their influential hit single, 'More Bounce to the Ounce', would later be sampled by the next generation of rappers and hip-hop stars, including

EPMD, The Notorious B.I.G., Public Enemy, Ice Cube, Eazy-E, and Snoop Dogg, among many others. Now the funkateers are back with 'Zapp VII: Roger & Friends', which celebrates the 40-year legacy of the band while paying homage to the creative genius

of Roger Troutman. With Roger's signature talk box and synth bass lines in full effect on tunes like 'Rock Ya Body' (featuring Mr. Talkbox), 'Shy' (with Tuxedo), 'Make It Funky' (with Bootsy Collins), 'Red & Dollars' (with Snoop

Dogg) and 'After Party' (with Kurupt). 'Zapp VII: Roger & Friend's also includes posthumous performances by Roger himself on 'Red & Dollars' and the beautiful ballad 'Angel', which was pieced together from an early demo tape he made. 'Roger's real instrument was

guitar,' explains Larry Troutman Jr.. 'He loved jazz, he loved instrumental music, but he was also a great producer-arranger in the studio and he developed something that was going to catch the people. And so it's great that

these West Coast legends like Snoop, DJ Battlecat and Kurupt pay homage to Roger's genius and creative abilities on this new record.'

As a delightful taster for his upcoming debut album called 'Between A Smile And A Tear' on Music For Dreams, Danish artist Be Svendsen launches his new vocal driven - the weird and wonderful deep disco single 'Drop The Gun'
World premiered by Pete Tong on BBC1, and already harnessing great momentum in Ibiza and the summer festivals, this crossover track is very likely to stick in your head.
Produced, arranged, mixed, played and sung by Be Svendsen

The Stunning And Ground-breaking Album From The Composer And Saxophonist Chris Bowden.

'this Is The Album That Connected It All.' Gilles Peterson 2018

Chris Bowden's Debut Album Time Capsule Was First Released On Soul Jazz Records In 1992 To Universal And Widespread Critical Acclaim. Now 20 Years On A New Wave Of Current Jazz Artists Led By The Likes Of Kamasi Washington In The Usa And A Host Of British Artists - Shabaka Hutchings /sons Of Kemet, The Ezra Collective, Moses Boyd, Nubya Garcia, Fourtet, Yussef Kamaal, Tenderlonious, Binker & Moses - Have Brought This Original Ground-breaking Album Into The Limelight Once More As A Pivotal Starting Point, Sharing Many Of The Aesthetics Of These Current Artists At Work Today.

Musically All Are Inspired By The Spiritual Jazz Of John Coltrane, Alice Coltrane, Pharoah Sanders, Archie Shepp, Don Cherry Et Al Paired With A Modern Electronic Music Sensibility. Chris Bowden's Time Capsule Has Stood The Test Of Time Like Few Other Albums (as The Title Of The Album Suggested), And Remains A Pivotal, Wholly-successful And Original Experimental Musical Collage, A Radical Inspiration And Forebearer To Many Of The Best Progressive Jazz And Electronic Artists Working Today.

The Album Has Been Fully Hi-spec Re-mastered And Is Available As A Limited-edition Heavyweight Double-vinyl Release With Gatefold Sleeve (+ Free Download Code), Slipcase Cd And Digital Album.

The first and the only album by Droids, Star Peace is a fascinating music exploration of the outer space conceived by the brilliant mind of one of the protagonists of the French disco scene, Yves Hayat. Star Peace came out - years ahead of its time - in 1979, and it's a magisterial blend of groovy, funky, and electrojazz sounds mixed with an old-school analogue touch. The album features among the gems, the space synth classic (Do You Have) The Force, and the album's killer piece, Tchoung Fou.

Soul Has No Tempo and 4101 Records are proud to present CLOAK - the debut album from Jordan Rakei.

Delving deeper into his creative well, Jordan has delivered a record that continues to push personal and societal boundaries, a visionary journey through groove based soul, jazz and hip-hop with hints of psychedelia and afro percussive rhythms. Written and recorded in his new adopted home of London, Cloak is a scintillating and timeless debut drawing influence and inspiration from the discovery of meditation, the separation from ego and a personal conversation with self.

With guest appearances from fellow Australian's Remi. and Ngaiire - and a feature cameo by the sublime Richard Spaven on Toko - Cloak will take you down the rabbit hole as Rakei expertly navigates explosive new boundaries, where colour and sound collide.

A raw and rare talent, Jordan Rakei today releases his debut album 'Cloak' via Soul Has No Tempo and 4101 Records . Recently completing UK tours with Hiatus Kaiyote and Jamie Woon - including a sold-out show at London's O2 Arena with the latter - the Brisbane native, London-based musician, producer, singer and songwriter, with a Disclosure credit to his name is making waves at home and abroad, his refreshing, modern take on jazz and hip-hop influenced soul resonating globally.

After a successful run of shows across Australia and New Zealand in February, Rakei has set his sights on the release of his debut album. 'Cloak' is a thirteen-track LP, featuring special guests, REMI, Ngaiireand Richard Spaven. Previous album previews, Talk To Me' and "Blame It On The Youth" are blissful journeys into the rhythmic elements of Afro-Beat and Jazz, exploring new boundaries that will delight new and old fans.

On the making and meaning of 'Cloak', Rakei says:

"It was close to midnight. I found myself silently standing on a beach in Piha, staring at the stars. I'd never seen the stars like that before. There was a stillness and oneness that resonated with me. I finally came to terms with the insignificance of "us" and set myself on a quest of self-discovery through music and meditation. It was a war against my pre-conditioned mind, but one I was willing to fight.

I, like many others, was enslaved by reactionary thought and emotional cause. I lived life through the projection of my ego. My ego would feed off negative emotions, public perception, expectation and a need to be somewhere I wasn't. It was through a conversation I had with myself, where I realised I had an ability to control it. This opened my mind to the concept of duality and my second self.

There is a deep space within us, usually cloaked by our emotions. A stillness. The more we delve, the faster we can re-wire our mind and un-learn all that we have been force fed. Shed your Cloak."

After the release of his critically acclaimed 2014 sophomore EP, Groove Curse, Rakei left Brisbane for the UK. He soon caught the attention of perennial UK electronic chart-toppers, Disclosure and Sam Smith, further growing his fan base and reputation as a talent on the rise. His co-written track Masterpiece' went on to close Disclosure's Grammy-Nominated sophomore album, Caracal, alongside featured artists NAO, Gregory Porter, Miguel, The Weeknd and Lorde.

Rakei's since performed solo across Russia, Italy, Belgium, Germany and Dubai - as well as selling out four London shows and receiving a personal invite to play Gilles Peterson's Worldwide stage at 2015'sOnBlackheath Festival. With UK supports for Caracal-comrade NAO, fellow soul-man Jamie Woon and Fat Freddy's Drop under his belt - not to mention headlining Annie Mac Presents live series - 2016 is set to be a huge year for Rakei.