Pop & Rock News

In 1967, the English poet George Duffell, alias Jorgy Porgy, decided to set his verses to music, birthing J.P. Sunshine with guitarist/vocalist Rod Goodway of pop act the Pack (later with the Crazy World of Arthur Brown), the line-up expanding with a bassist and bongo player, Duffell’s girlfriend on percussion, and former Pack guitarist Andy Rickell on electric lead. These resultant recordings, cut on basic gear in Duffell’s flat, evidence an individual psychedelic sound, marked by the incestuous claustrophobia of the group’s romantic rivalries, the meandering lyrics and disjointed melodies pointing to the pervasive drug use that ultimately squashed the project. This is psych with a difference: rare, rough, and freaky!

After backing future Mike Oldfield producer Tom Newman and playing in psychedelic outfit July, percussionist/flutist Jon Field and guitarist Tony Duhig joined forces with bassist Glyn Havard to form experimental prog act Jade Warrior, their non-standard 1971 self-titled debut a work of excellence unjustly overlooked. Veering between acou-stic introspection, searing acid rock and world music interludes, with melody and percussion from Africa and India and nary a drumkit in sight, this pure musical gemstone of uncommon beauty is ripe for rediscovery, and this edition comes with a rare alternate of ‘Telephone Girl’ to boot. Mega!

After exiting Buster Summers Express, Leeds-based songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Derek Noy formed Jan Dukes De Grey with woodwinds player, Michael Bairstow, soon opening for Pink Floyd and the Who, though LPs Sorcerer and acid folk masterpiece Mice And Rats In The Loft sold poorly. After line-up changes, in 1977, Noy assembled a new crew for Strange Terrain, cut at Brittania Row with Roger Waters co-producing, but the album’s curious mix of post-prog, acid rock and punk was deemed unsuitable for release until 2010! This edition comprises the complete original LP, just as delivered at its time of recording. Essential!

Before joining Dick Cuthell in jazz fusion act Trifle, keyboardist Alan Fealdman and drummer Chico Greenwood formed Jasper with bassist Jon Taylor, guitarist Steve Radford and singer/harmonica player, Nick Payne. On sole LP Liberation, released by Spark in 1969, Jasper skirts psychedelia, proto-prog and blues rock, the unusual hybrid a fluid sound that’s difficult to place. Along with unusual arrangements of ‘Baby Please Don’t Go,’ ‘St Louis Blues’ and Donovan’s ‘Cuttin’ Out,’ there are baroque motifs of the title track, repeated at varying intervals. For fans of multidimensional prog and cutting edge blues-rock.

Following his tenure fronting British psychedelic rock act The Web, who cut a couple of likeable albums featuring his bluesy, soulful lead, US-born vocalist Mississippi John L. Watson went solo, working with Pete Wingfield on his 1970 debut, White Hot Blue Black. Superior sophomore set Let’s Straighten It Out was released on Bob Kingston’s Spark label in 1975 and credited to John L. Watson and White Mouse, with Watson headed in a funk direction; along with the potent title track, there’s a fine cut of Gwen McCrae’s ‘Rockin’ Chair,’ making the set a sure-fire winner for Watson fans and lovers of British funk and soul.

Formed in 1971 by guitarist John Evan-Jones and his bassist brother Trevor, obscure British prog-rock act Jonesy had a shifting line-up and unusual elements, Chicago-born Jimmy Kaleth’s battery of keyboards including a Mellotron. Sophomore set Keeping Up saw Trevor return to the fold, along with drummer Plug Thomas, fresh from sessions with Supertramp; guitarist Ray Russell’s lush string arrangements and Alan Bown’s plaintive trumpet and flugelhorn add extra musical dimensions. Capturing the group at their most eclectic, Keeping Up is a must for Mellotron fans and all lovers of pop, jazz, and blues-tinged prog.

Inspired by Muddy Waters and other blues greats, the South London blues-rock band Killing Floor was formed in 1968 with lead singer and harmonica player Bill Thorndycraft, guitarist Mike Clarke, bassist Stuart McDonald, pianist Lou Martin and percussionist Bas Smith. This self-titled debut set, issued by the independent Spark label (and licensed to Sire for US pressings), was produced with care by former DJ John Edward, based on Chicago blues material, as heard on the cover of Willie Dixon’s ‘You Need Love.’ This is the band at their rawest beginnings, a grittier traditional blues set that contrasts with later work for Larry Page.

Theatrical rocker Arthur Brown gained notoriety and fame in equal measure through ‘Fire,’ an anthem to their pyrotechnic excess. When his backing musicians quit to form Atomic Rooster, Brown formed Kingdom Come to further explore the nexus of music and theatre and of the series of albums they cut for Polydor, Journey is the strangest and greatest. Stretching to the deepest reaches of space rock, Journey used the Bentley Rhythm Ace drum machine, and Victor Peraino’s synths, theremin and mellotron, to chart the astral records of history. This is Brown’s true masterpiece, an astounding record that was aeons ahead of its time.

Known as ‘the Architect of Rock ‘n’ Roll,’ the flamboyant rhythm and blues extrovert, Little Richard, made an incredible impact with unorthodox piano playing and rasping, shouted vocals, yielding a series of pivotal hits in the mid-1950s, but he abandoned secular music for gospel following a tour of Australia in 1957. Lured back into rock by promoter Don Arden, his UK tour featuring The Beatles as support, Little Richard Is Back was his comeback set for Vee Jay, his voice now deeper and seasoned; the range of covers are tackled with plenty of pep, and original ‘Groovy Little Suzy’ was co-written by Harry Nillson. All hail the King!

The adventurous singer, guitarist and music journalist Mick Farren launched his solo career after being sacked by his fellow Deviants, the protopunk band he fronted from 1967-69. Suffering from depression and other mental health issues, Farren teamed up with an all-star cast, including members of Quartermass and ex-Tyrannosauros Rex honcho Steve Peregrin Took for debut opus Mona The Carnivorous Circus, mixing hard rock, spoken word, spaced-out interludes, radio cut-ups and garage rock, rendering a work as compelling as it is hard to classify. Strange, delightful and a favourite of Julian Cope, this is an aural journey to savour.

After debut LP Lord Of The Dark Skies, London-based acid psych trio Outskirts Of Infinity released Scenes From The Dreams Of Angels on their own Infinity imprint. Heading deeper into space rock, the album had bassist Nick Saloman on keyboards in places and front man Bari Watts on synth, but his ripping is really spectacular throughout and there’s a nod to the Hendrix influence on a killer cover of ‘Spanish Castle Magic.’ Arguably their best album, it has style, grace, and hallucinogenic power, this edition reproducing the inner gatefold lyrics.

The American psych pop quintet Paper Garden had established a solid reputation performing to university students in their native New York and in surrounding states in 1967-68 before being commissioned to cut a debut LP with British producer Geoff Turner for Musicor, the resultant sessions yielding a self-contained concept album of totally new work. With sitars and tabla on some songs trading places with baroque elements and orchestrated interludes, the breezy psych pop gets pulled in all manner of directions and often sounds closer to the British psychedelic sound than anything Stateside. A rare and rich listening experience!

Fresh from their US tour supporting Black Sabbath, Brooklyn-based heavy metal trio Sir Lord Baltimore expanded to a quartet for the recording of their self-titled sophomore album, released by Mercury in late 1971. The new addition was uitarist/keyboardist/vocalist Joey Dambra, brother of guitarist co-founder, Louis Dambra, adding a dual-guitar element to their hefty sound. The album begins with the epic “Man From Manhattan,” a symbolic allegory of a resurrected Christian icon in a new setting; in contrast, “Where Are We Going” captured the rawness of the group in live glory and “Chicago Lives” a twin-guitar attack. Somehow, the band did not survive long after its release, though Joey later recorded with John Lennon; this reissue spins at 45 RPM for maximum fidelity.

LOS ANGELES—To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the celebrated Talking Heads and Jonathan Demme’s concert film Stop Making Sense, the set will be re-released as a 2LP and 2CD/Blu-ray set this summer.

Released last year, the sold-out Deluxe Edition of the soundtrack will return as a 2-LP black vinyl on Rhino and 2-LP crystal clear vinyl at retail. Both variants feature a 12-page booklet with liner notes from all four band members –Tina Weymouth, David Byrne, Chris Frantz, and Jerry Harrison—and band photos. The 2CD/Blu-ray version includes the entire 28-page booklet from last year’s Deluxe Edition and a Dolby Atmos mix of the complete concert, mixed by Jerry Harrison and E.T. Thorngren, who also mixed the original release. Both will be available on July 26. Pre-order now.

The band appeared together for a sold-out screening and Q&A last night at the Pantages Theater, the same theater at which Stop Making Sense was recorded. They were joined by Blondshell, who performed “Thank You For Sending Me an Angel.” Another special screening with the band will occur in Brooklyn at the King’s Theater on June 13, with the Q&A hosted by Questlove and The Linda Linda’s performing “Found a Job.” The two events cap off a banner year of celebrations for what many consider to be the best concert film of all time.

The inspiration for Stop Making Sense came when director Jonathan Demme saw Talking Heads perform during the band’s 1983 tour for Speaking in Tongues. Afterward, he approached them with the idea of making the show into a concert film. They agreed and worked together over the next few months to finalize the details. Ultimately, Demme filmed three shows at Hollywood’s Pantages Theater in December 1983 to create Stop Making Sense.

The concert film presents a retrospective of the band up to that point, with a performance that weaves together songs from all six of its studio albums. The show progresses methodically, opening with Byrne onstage performing “Psycho Killer” alone with a drum machine. After each song, he’s joined by a new band member until Weymouth, Frantz, and Harrison are all on stage with him. The group continues to grow throughout the concert as members of the stellar touring band are added: keyboardist Bernie Worrell, percussionist Steve Scales, guitarist Alex Weir, and backup singers Lynn Mabry and Ednah Holt.

The band performs 18 songs in Stop Making Sense, including its recent single at the time, “Burning Down The House.” That summer, the song was in heavy rotation on radio and MTV, helping the song become the band’s first top 10 hit in America. It was, however, a different song from Speaking in Tongues that was destined to deliver one of the film’s signature moments. Talking Heads would perform “Girlfriend Is Better” wearing the now iconic, oversized suit inspired by costumes worn in traditional Japanese theater. For good measure, a picture of David Byrne in the suit also graces the album cover.

Stop Making Sense focuses mainly on music by Talking Heads but does include a few songs recorded outside the band: “Genius Of Love” by Tom Tom Club, “What A Day That Was” and “Big Business” from Byrne’s 1981 album, The Catherine Wheel. Limited edition vinyl versions of both of these albums, along with Harrison’s The Red And The Black, were released for this year’s Record Store Day.

When it arrived in September 1984, Stop Making Sense was an artistic and commercial triumph. The film had people dancing in theatre aisles, and the soundtrack sold over two million copies. Just last year, the Library of Congress added Stop Making Sense to the National Film Registry in recognition of its cultural, historical, and aesthetic significance.

Weymouth praises Demme as a collaborator: “…Jonathan was a very enthusiastic, highly adaptive, and imaginative guy who was just as good a listener as he was a talker and collaborator. From the get-go you just got the impression he was as flexible as he was disciplined. Being team players, that boded well for a great relationship and a great film!”

Harrison says the film still holds up today: “To me, Stop Making Sense has remained relevant because the staging and lighting techniques could have been created in a much earlier time period. For example, Vari-Lights, lights with motors to re-aim them, had just come into vogue. Had we used them, there would have been a timestamp on the film, and it eventually would have felt dated...The absence of interviews, combined with the elegant and timeless lighting, created a film that can be watched over and over.”

Byrne says it’s interesting that this album was – for many people – an introduction to Talking Heads. “We had done a live album before this, but coupled with the film, and with the improved mixes and sound quality, this record reached a whole new audience. As often happens, the songs got an added energy when we performed them live and were inspired by having an audience. In many ways, these versions are more exciting than the studio recordings, so maybe that’s why a lot of folks discovered us via this record.”

Frantz recalls the sheer joy surrounding the entire Stop Making Sense experience. “I’m talking about real, conscious, transcendent joy… I’m talking about what the Southern gospel people call ‘getting happy,’ which means ‘to be filled with the Spirit.’ That is what happened to us onstage every night, and from my seat behind the drums, I recognized that this was happening to the audience too. Joy was visible in front of me and all around me every night.”

Proto-prog act Titus Groan came together in London from disparate influences: drummer Jim Toomey, who later played in the Tourists, had a trad jazz background, and then played in a soul act with saxophonist/flutist/oboist Tony Priestland; bassist John Lee had played with jazz saxophonist Dick Morrissey, and guitarist/keyboardist Stuart Cowell was a blues fan, hence the diverse directions of their sole LP. Rare 12-inch ‘Open The Door Homer’ features their cover of the unreleased Bob Dylan song that was also tackled by Fairport Convention, originals ‘Woman Of The World’ and ‘Liverpool’ between blues rock, jazz rock and prog.

English blues outfit Tramp had a fleeting existence in the late 60s and early 70s—here today, gone tomorrow. Based around former John Dummer Blues Band vocalist/ guitarist Dave Kelly and sister Jo Ann on harmonies and occasional lead, the group got a boost from Fleetwood Mac mainstays Mick Fleetwood, Danny Kirwan, and Bob Brunning, as well as former Savoy Blues keyboardist, Bob Hall. If not quite as compelling as their 1969 debut, this 1974 LP has the hallmark touches that made the Mac leaders of the British blues scene. Fleetwood Mac devotees and British blues lover, get stuck in!

English blues outfit Tramp was a fleeting affair, active in the late 1960s and early 1970s on an on again, off again basis. Centred on former John Dummer Blues Band guitarist/vocalist Dave Kelly and his singing sister Jo Ann, the group benefitted from Fleetwood Mac mainstays Mick Fleetwood, Danny Kirwan, Bob Brunning and former Savoy Blues Band keyboardist, Bob Hall. Produced for Spark in 1969 by Donovan’s manager, Peter Eden, their sole LP featured tough blues originals, written by members of the group. This is a must-have for all Fleetwood Mac devotees, andfor lovers of British blues albums.

The roots of 80s English psychedelic freak band The Tryp lie in a hoax perpetuated by Steve Lines’ indie mag Mardenbeat, based in the town of Calne in the Marden Delta, which reviewed a gig by a non-existent band; former JP Sunshine main man Rod Goodway and partner Christine Cotter then gave flesh to the beast with Lines and Paul Ricketts of Unhinged mag, cutting My Brain Collapsed! as an exploration of mushroom-fuelled mental instability. First issued on cassette label Mardentapes and later by Acid Tapes (just as Lines took over from Alan Duffy), this edition is the first on vinyl-A Must Have FOR ALL Tryppers!

Anonymous British funk studio outfit Ultrafunk was spearheaded by Blues & Soul magazine proprietor John Abbey, who ran a fashionable record shop and label called Contempo in London’s West End during the 1970s; he conceived of the group as the UK counterpart to US studio bands like Mfsb. Arranger Gerry Shury, who had worked with Barry White and Maurice Gibb of the Bee Gees, drafted guitarist Chris Rae and bassist Frank McDonald (who often composed library music together) and future Rubettes drummer John Richardson to form the group, in situ. A lack of band photos, suggestive song titles and a predilection for American cover tunes led many to believe the band was US-based. Their self-titled debut LP is where the myth all begins, with a number of truly atmospheric and cinematic hard funk instrumentals, given added textural depth through full orchestration, including covers of Bill Withers’ “Use Me” and Stevie Wonder’s “Living In The City.” Though not quite as compelling as the better-known follow-up set, Meat Heat, there is still plenty to savour on Ultrafunk, making this debut companion disc a must-have for all true funk aficionados.

Beginning in the mid-1960s as a covers band, the group that came to be Unicorn soon determined that original material was the way to go, and after being inspired by a Crosby, Stills and Nash album, their particular brand of enlightened folk rock tinged with country shades yielded a contract with Transatlantic for their 1971 debut. Fast forward to 1974 and Blue Pine Trees finds the band at their finest with sweeping harmonies and bluegrass tinges, and with Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour in the producer’s chair, all of their glorious potential is realised on this lost gem of an album that is fully ripe for rediscovery. A truly great work!

Ethiopia is home to over 80 ethnic groups, each with its own deep-rooted language and culture. Contemporary musicians living outside Addis Abeba, the capital, have little opportunity to record their mesmerizing sounds.

Sheba Sound is redressing this by recording and releasing high-end audio music of local stars..

So far, Sheba Sound have recorded more than 25 groups in 'pop-up' studios across Ethiopia.

Tracks from this compilation have been aired by: Giles Peterson, NTS, Late Junction, Chirs Menist, Nick Manasseh, King Shiloh, Francemusique, Dj Mitmitta, Sheger FM, Ahadu FM.

The popularity of Brazilian music from the 60s, 70s and 80s has experienced quite the renaissance; artists such as Gal Costa, Gilberto Gil, Arthur Verocai, Joyce et al, have become household names to an international audience passionate about global sounds. However, even for die-hard fans and collectors of Brazilian music of the past, discovering contemporary Brazilian artists is not always easy, nor accessible. But, if you know where to look, you will see that there is a resurgence well underway that can be epitomised by an exciting new wave of Brazilian artists beginning to break through and gather momentum overseas. It’s with thanks to Sound and Colours, a website devoted to promoting Latin American music and culture, that we can help shine a light on one particular collective, bursting with creativity and camaraderie.

‘Hidden Waters: Strange and Sublime Sounds of Rio de Janeiro’ is compiled by Joe Osborne (founder of specialist Brazilian music platform Brazilian Wax) and Russ Slater (editor at large of Sounds and Colours). Focusing solely on the 'Rio Scene', rather than taking on the mammoth task of tackling Brazil as a whole, this collection presents 20-plus ground-breaking artists selected from Rio’s resurgent music scene. By presenting a snapshot into the pulse of the city and the vibrant musicians that live in it, ‘Hidden Waters’ collates tracks from a wide spectrum of musical genres from the avant-garde edge to bossa nova, samba, Candomblé, lo-fi rock, jazz and funk.

‘Hidden Waters’ showcases musicians such as iconic Rio mainstays Negro Leo & Ava Rocha, Brazilian jazz upstart Antônio Neves, critically lauded Avant-pop trailblazer Thiago Nassif, breakthrough artists Ana Frango Elétrico and Letrux, lo-fi psych rocker Lê Almeida, plus the Latin Grammy-winning Bala Desejo who are set to explode onto the world stage. The music featured on ‘Hidden Waters’ is unequivocally Brazilian, swelling with samba, bossa nova, funk, and jazz. But it’s within the album's blend; from sunny psychedelia to dusky synth-pop via experimental electronics, that marks the compilation as the sound of modern, multicultural Rio.

This comprehensive compilation comes with album artwork designed by Rio music’s leading album artwork designer, Caio Paiva. It features essays by professor and music critic Bernardo Oliveira and music journalist Leonardo Lichote, plus extensive notes on each track by the artists themselves.

Zum ersten Mal veröffentlichen No Doubt ihr Greatest Hits Album ”The Singles 1992-2003” auf Vinyl. Pünktlich zu ihrem Reunion Auftritt im April auf dem Coachella Festival wird die Best Of Sammlung neuem Gewand erscheinen. Von ”Just A Girl” über ”Don’t Speak” bis hin zu ”Hella Good” - diese und viele weitere Hits der legendäre Band gibt es drauf zu hören!

A true Balearic classic. One of a handful of records that can comfortably boast this title, Elkin & Nelson's 1979 classic 'Jibaro' sits in the canon of selections that enlightened the ears of the jet-set and globe trotting music fanatics in the heady and much storied years of the White isle in the 1980's. The Colombian brothers Javier and Leon Marin Velez brought their own rustic brand of folksy-Rock-Psychedelia to the listening public in 1974 with their debut LP 'Angeles Y Demonios' on Columbia records. The brothers had relocated to Spain, snared a major label deal and ran with it. The first of 3 LP's it proved a big hit in later years with adventurous DJ's and selectors. A cult record you might say. Of course, this LP featured 'Jibaro' in all it's forms, but it is this 1986 reissue 12" promo pressing with it's iconic, distinctive jacket that was the coveted slab sonic adventurers were seeking. Fully sanctioned and legitimately remastered from the original sources and packaged in it's original Columbia promo sleeve 'Jibaro' is back on the shelves, still an incredible record that gets pulled by the most discerning selectors across the globe. A true classic, featured here in it's long and short versions as per the '86 release. Absolute top-shelf stuff here, essential, must own and classic.

Now based in Manchester, set behind a backdrop of haze with the mid 20s coming knocking, Nightbus (Olive, Jake and Zac) found common ground in their mutual taste in music.

Amongst those late nights and the hedonism that comes with them, partnered with somewhat of a compulsive nature, The question of; what next? Rang around.

In summer 2022, a desire to collaborate and make their own music was almost telepathically manifested. Evidently their sound is a testament to the scenes, eras and bands that have inspired them to make music that would stand out in an ever-expanding alternative scene.

Performed by some of the most seasoned veterans, including the newest edition to the group, Cuban lyricist, singer and composer Kiko Ruiz – who has toured and recorded with Pancho Amatʼs illustrious Estrellas del Buena Vista Social Club as well as having a long standing history as a singer, composer and arranger with Orquesta Maria Alejandra y Cubanía on the Cuban and Latin jazz scenes – Orquesta Akokán brings a classic rawness to these arrangements that is sure to set off dance floors across the globe.

During the Tang dynasty (around the 9th Century CE), traveling intellectual Li Yuanming would routinely leave home to write and debate poetry with likeminded scholars across China, isolating his wife Cifu for sometimes weeks on end.

Frustrated, she found comfort in the arms of a widowed neighbor, but when Li remained at home for an unexpected stretch of time, Cifu was prompted to develop a method to signal her lover it was safe to approach. She stitched a special green hat that she handed to her husband as he was about to leave town; when Li was wearing the hat, it worked like a traffic signal - green meant go.

But this didn't last for long, during one trip Li returned home early and caught Cifu and their neighbor together, and when the local community caught wind of the story, the green hat became an enduring symbol of infidelity.

On Tzusing's sophomore album the Malaysian-born artist, who lives between Shanghai and Taipei, meditates on China's complicated history of patriarchal heteronormativity, and how these archaic double standards continue to dominate the culture in pervasive, often invisible ways.

9 tracks (+ 2 instrumental intermissions) released today by Overdrive records , filling a recording silence that lasted 12 years, thus rekindling that electric fire that has sculpted the sound of the band over the years, made of dynamic connections between bass and drums, and piercing and emotional guitars. FROM FIRE I SAVE THE FLAME delivers us a series of even more fluid and lyrical songs, a tense and inspired composition, vibrant with a renewed energy that feeds on opposites: tension and release, melody and dissonance, heart and brain. And for the occasion the trio wanted DON ZIENTARA at the mixer to best capture this new state of form. Who better than the sound engineer of Fugazi and many Dischord bands could make the sound of THREE SECOND KISS so vivid!

Three dance floor hitters by the Dutch Arp Frique. "Nos Magia" holds collaborations with Nigerian funkster Orlando Julius and Cape-Verdean legend Americo Brito. Surprising new cuts that could easily have been made in the 70ties! Big tip!
Arp Frique is Niels Nieuborg from the city of Rotterdam, who has been actively involved in the Dutch live music scene for years, working with Cape Verdean & Surinamese musicians especially. After all these years, he finally presents his own true musical output.

"Nos Magia" is a classic sounding, but unheard Cape Verdean funana song featuring the old skool Americo Brito on vocals. The b-side holds two collaborations with afro-beat protagonist Orlando Julius.....enjoy!!

Bosq & Kaleta return for the second single off their forthcoming full length album. Uplifiting Afro Disco & Funk are the name of the game on this beautiful release with artwork by Amanda Lobos from Brasil.

It's not possible to pick an A & B side between these two quality cuts, recorded between Bosq's Medellin Studio, NYC & Cotonou, Benin (one of Kelata's hometowns).

Sonayon is a midtempo summertime Afro Disco burner that almost doesn't need a translation from it's Gun (A language native to Benin and some parts of Southern Nigeria) lyrics for you to understand that it speaks of overcoming hardship & brighter days ahead.

Meji Meji, loosely meaning something akin to "two heads are better than one" in Yoruba takes a similarly positive stance, with Kaleta singing about unity over division on a heavy Disco Funk groove with blistering horns and heavy percussion.

Both sides already getting heavy support on dancefloors worldwide.

Kondi Band return with their long-awaited sophomore album, 'We Famous' as Sorie Kondi, Chief Boima (INTL BLK) and Will LV join forces once more for another essential dose of Freetown freestyle. Following on from their 'Salone' album in 2016 and the massive single 'Yeanoh', the new recordings further hone the group's unique fusions of Sorie Kondi's inimitable vocals and the kondi thumb piano with intricate dancefloor electronics. The album was gradually recorded over a period of four years with Sorie on the road in Belgium, Spain and Canary Islands with the main production collaboration between Boima in Los Angeles and Will in London. The result is a varied and colourful set of tracks infusing Boima and Will's wide-ranging dancefloor influences. Infectious first single 'She Doesn't Love You' features guest vocalist Mariama Jalloh speaking home truths about rejection while future 4/4 dancefloor anthem 'It's God's World..' features a mighty bassline from prolific L.A. musician / producer Sweatson Klank. 'Sweetness Don Don' ramps up the dub and sound system energy while 'How Will It Be For Me In This World' sparkles on a bed of electronic textures and kondi lines.

9 tracks (+ 2 instrumental intermissions) released today by Overdrive records , filling a recording silence that lasted 12 years, thus rekindling that electric fire that has sculpted the sound of the band over the years, made of dynamic connections between bass and drums, and piercing and emotional guitars. FROM FIRE I SAVE THE FLAME delivers us a series of even more fluid and lyrical songs, a tense and inspired composition, vibrant with a renewed energy that feeds on opposites: tension and release, melody and dissonance, heart and brain. And for the occasion the trio wanted DON ZIENTARA at the mixer to best capture this new state of form. Who better than the sound engineer of Fugazi and many Dischord bands could make the sound of THREE SECOND KISS so vivid!

Shidaiqu literally means "songs of the era", a term used to describe a hybrid musical genre that first began permeating through the cosmopolitan city of Shanghai in the late 1920s. Blending western pop, jazz, blues and Hollywood-inspired film soundtracks with traditional Chinese elements, the shidaiqu represented a musical and cultural merging that would go on to shape a golden age of Chinese popular song & film in the pre-communism interwar period.

Waiting for Your Return brings together a wide collection of recordings for an anthological overview of the style. Taking in it's early beginnings in the work of the pioneering composer Li Jinhui - whose 1927 song "Drizzle", featuring the vocals of his daughter Li Minghui, is often referred to as the first shidaiqu record - through to more polished 1930s & 40s examples, when China's western-influenced popular music & movie industry reached it's golden age with the prevalence of the Seven Great Singing Stars (Bai Hong, Bai Guang, Gong Qiuxia, Li Xianglan, Wu Yingyin, Yao Lee and perhaps most prolific of all, Zhou Xuan).

Included in the collection are tracks recorded right up until the music's demise in Shanghai in the early 1950s - during which time the Chinese Communist Party denounced shidaiqu as "yellow music", outlawed nightclubs and pop music production, and destroyed western-style instruments - following which, much of these singers would decamp to Hong Kong where many saw further success throughout the 1950s and into the 1960s.

Der Hamburger Maestro Erobique, bekannt für Improvisationsgeist und unwiderstehliche Disco-Hymnen, besuchte Schlagzeuger/Produzent Max Weissenfeldt in dessen Joy Sound Studios in Ghana. Zusammen mit Philophon-Künstlerin Florence Adooni kreierte er dort den swingenden Ohrwurm 'Mam Tola', den sie in ihrer Muttersprache Frafra singt, ein Paradebeispiel für Afro-Soul. Auf 'Bach In Afrika' wandelt Erobique einen deepen Drum'n'Bass-Jam im Kumasi-Stil in eine frenetische Barockzeremonie um, indem er die Hammond 'Extra Voice' meisterhaft J.S. Bach-like bedient.

Eight months after the release of Wake Of The Flood, the GRATEFUL DEAD followed up that masterpiece with the second album on their Grateful Dead Records label, From The Mars Hotel. To this day, most of the songs on From The Mars Hotel are played frequently by the band members as they continue to bring the music to the people, and during the GRATEFUL DEAD’S touring career, more than half of the songs were important parts of their live repertoire. “Scarlet Begonias,” “Ship Of Fools,” and “U.S Blues” arrived on the scene in 1974, with “China Doll” and “Loose Lucy” coming a year earlier, and they all quickly became staples of GRATEFUL DEAD live sets for decades, although “Loose Lucy” had a 15 year hiatus 1975-1989. Phil's two songs on the album are often played live these days when Phil performs with his rotating cast of Friends, and these songs, “Pride Of Cucamonga” and “Unbroken Chain” are elicit ecstatic responses. These would be the final two Phil-sung songs on a GRATEFUL DEAD studio album. Peaking at #16 on the Billboard Top 200 chart in 1974, the album's terrific batch of new songs and exceptional production had Dead Heads scooping up the album 50 years ago upon its release.

Das Debüt-Mixtape, das 2011 nur durch die Website des Kanadiers erhältlich war, erscheint nun endlich überall auf CD!

Hinter "The Weeknd" verbirgt sich Abel Tesfaye, der durch seine Zusammenarbeit mit dem -ebenfalls aus Toronto stammenden Rapper Drake & seinen Veröffentlichungen auf YouTube bekannt wurde.

Das Debüt-Mixtape, das 2011 nur durch die Website des Kanadiers erhältlich war, erscheint nun endlich überall auf CD!

Hinter "The Weeknd" verbirgt sich Abel Tesfaye, der durch seine Zusammenarbeit mit dem -ebenfalls aus Toronto stammenden Rapper Drake & seinen Veröffentlichungen auf YouTube bekannt wurde.

Das neue Studioalbum einer der größten Rockbands aller Zeiten - Deep Purple!
Erneut produziert vom legendären Bob Ezrin – für den klassischen
DeepɞPurpleɞSound!

Repress!

Hive Mind Records are proud to present Colours of the Night, the final studio recordings of deep, hypnotic Gnawa trance music from the late, great Maalem Mahmoud Gania.

The recordings see their first release outside of Morocco in September 2017, and will be available as a double vinyl LP, as digital download and through streaming services. The release has been licensed from the Gania family and comes with the support of all who were involved in the original recordings. Colours of the Night is his first solo recording to receive a vinyl release.

Maalem Mahmoud Gania was one of Morocco's most famous Gnawa musicians. Gnawa is a musical and spiritual tradition originating in sub-Saharan Africa that has survived as a subculture within Moroccan society for centuries. The roots of the blues can be heard in its hypnotic rhythms.

Born in 1951 and brought up in the coastal city of Essaouira, Mahmoud was raised in one of the country's great Gnawa families. A well-respected singer and master guimbri player renowned for his command of the Gnawa songbook, he became one of Morocco's most prolific recording musicians. From the 1970s until his death in 2015 he released numerous albums for a variety of local labels including Tichkaphone, La Voix El Maaraf and Sonya Disques, as well as recording with Western musicians such as Pharoah Sanders, Peter Brotzmann, and most recently James Holden and Floating Points.

One-off Soul Jazz Records’ collectors Punk 45 pressing bespoke 500 copies ONLY! Comes in fold out paper sleeve and specially silk-screened Punk 45 outer sleeve!

Electric Chairs’ ‘So Many Ways’ is post-punk/funk at its height in 1979 - tough rhythms, avant-garde and addictively hypnotic. Two hard to find bomb tunes!

Superb exact reproduction of this excellent post-punk/funk mini-masterpiece by the Electric Chairs, who were Wayne/Jayne County and the Electric Chairs until Wayne/Jayne County true to their own song Fucked Off. The Electric Chairs included in their line-up Henry Padovani who joined the group after being chucked out of a new band called The Police (replaced by Andy Summers).

But it is the production skills of David Cunningham which sets this apart from most punk/post-punk singles. At the time Cunningham was working with a stunning array of avant-garde artists including This Heat, Michael Nyman, David Toop and his own ‘experimental pop group’ The Flying Lizards.

Both sides of this little-known 45 are stunning – ‘So many Ways’ and ‘J’Attends Les Marines’.

Middle Eastern psych, funk, disco, and Japanese folk and pop, converge to create a mesmerising new sound on "Kokoro", Sababa 5 and Yurika"s collaborative debut album for Batov Records, collecting four acclaimed singles and four brand new songs.

Lost somewhere between the mysterious alleys of 70s Istanbul and the scorching sun and crystal blue sea of Jaffa, Tel Aviv, Şatellites self-titled debut album is set to be released on Batov Records on April 1st.

The Şatellites’ sound shimmers between traditional Turkish folk and instrumentation, ethereal psychedelic guitar leads and groovy dance floor baselines. The resulting concoction of songs draws on cross continental influence yet at its core is a desire to illuminate the vivid qualities of classic Turkish music, honouring the Anatolian folk and psych artists from this golden era of music. From the funky disco beat of Disko Arabesque to the celestial lead guitar in Yağmur Yağar Taş Üstüne, the band add fire and flair to time-honoured pieces of Turkish music giving them new meanings. Covering important tracks such as female singer Kamuran Akkor’s track Olurmu Dersin, and musician and guitarist Zafer Dilek’s Yekte, the album covers an array of original pieces of different musical styles and sounds, that once have and continue to flow out of Turkey. The band boasts six members; Ariel Harrosh (Bass) Lotan Yaish (Drums), Yuli Shafriri (Vocals), Tsuf Mishali (Keys and Synths), Tal Eyal (Percussion) and Itamar Kluger (Diwan saz, both electric and acoustic, electric baglama, Greek 4 double string bouzouki). They came together some years after band leader Itamar Kluger discovered the saz whilst travelling the Kaçkar mountains in Turkey’s eastern region. The saz being a long necked, plucked stringed instrument native to the rural areas of the country, which remains an integral part of Şatellites’ union, and plays predominance throughout the bands’ album and music.

In the same way the guitar was electrified in the 1930s, the electrification of the saz in the 1960s led to an explosion of rock music dredged in middle eastern influence, a musical genre fittingly called “Anatolian Rock” and based on the principles of Anglo-American and psychedelic rock music, yet incorporating the style, rhythm, and scales of traditional Anatolian folk music.

As such, throughout the creation of the album, the band conceived the idea of intertwining differing elements such as the groove of funk, the rhythm of disco, and reverb of psychedelic, with traditional middle-eastern rhythm and structure, opening up the wealth of Turkish music to the western world, so that anyone and everyone can relate to something from the album. With that said, Şatellites emphasise that their music is not fundamentally Turkish music, on the contrary, they merely try to sound as close to the genre as possible. Their sole aim is to honour this amazing culture and to present it to the world in a more accessible and attainable form.

As a complete artist, Luna Maria Cedron gently and melancholy brings together the influences and facets of her existence. Behind her alias, Fiesta En El Vacio, the artist summons a number of Latin musicalities that make her career: Castilian flamenco, popular ballads from Venezuela meet the new generations of urban music: reggaeton rythms and sharp electronics. The uncompromising texts leave no alternative: this record claims the emancipation of women, the fight against this order of things that no longer suits anyone. Fiesta En El Vacio is a cry from the heart for and an encouragement to hope.

Repress.

MFM044 sees the reissue of the cult Spanish studio project Música Esporádica with their incredible one off, self-titled album.

Another Suso Saiz side project, this one grew out of his work with his band Orquesta De Las Nubes, who were themselves the subject of a Music From Memory compilation last year.

The idea of getting Orquesta De Las Nubes to collaborate with Glen Velez and Layne Redmond arose after the two American musicians visited Spain during a series of seminars on frame drum techniques in 1985. Having met Glen Velez some years before in Madrid whilst Glen was performing with the Steve Reich Ensemble, Suso Saiz and Glen Velez quickly formed a strong friendship over their mutual love of non-Western music and the potentials of repetition within music. The two would play, talk and drinks for many hours in Suso’s studio space whenever Glen was in Madrid.

During one such session in 1985, Glen and Suso would be joined by Orquesta De Las Nubes and Spanish friend and musician Miguel Herrero. With exciting new ideas flowing quickly and easily, Suso decided to immediately call Track Studios in Madrid to see if they might have a space to record some of the material. With just a few days available the group would record for about 12, with what Suso would describe as ‘incredible fluency’, by which time they would have recorded the album they would later title Música Esporádica.

After its release 34 years ago Música Esporádica sounds as stunning as ever and Music From Memory are delighted to be able to share the fluency, spontaneity and close friendship which fuelled the recording of this amazing album.

‘The great South African tenorist Mike Makhamalele was a graduate of the key early-seventies group The Drive (alongside Bheki Mseleku and Kaya Mahlangu); and a mainstay of the scene centred on the Pelican nightclub in Soweto. From 1975, he began to record under his own name, developing a sophisticated fusion sound in a musical lane which few of his contemporaries were travelling.

Always attuned to other global fashions in Black dance and pop music, under numerous studio aliases he cut 45rpm covers of Fela’s Shakara and the Sugar Hill Gang’s Rapper’s Delight; and in 1979 he entered the Gallo studios with producer Peter Ceronio to respond to the ascendant sound of disco. Named after a township dance craze, Kabuzela was the result: four extended tracks of bouncing, upful disco jazz. Perfectly calibrated for dancing, heavy on the bass and drums, the album is set off by a gleaming centre piece, Disco Freaks — a joyous paean to the weekend and true lost gem of global disco, perfect for the most discerning dancefloors.’

Post Traumatic is the deeply personal solo album by Linkin Park singer Mike Shinoda, released in the months months after the death of Linkin Park singer Chester Bennington was recorded. Originally released in June 2018, the 16-track album included the 3 songs from the Post Traumatic EP released released earlier this year, as well as the singles "Crossing A Line" and "Make It Up As I Go". This 18-track deluxe vinyl re-release of Post Traumatic includes two bonus songs: "Prove You Wrong" and "What The Words Meant"; tracks that were originally released as a limited edition 10" single and added to the digital album. Despite the title, Post Traumatic - which features collaborations with K.Flay, blackbear, Machine Gun Kelly, Deftones, Chino Moreno and grandson - is an album about healing. healing. The songs deal with Shinoda's experiences with loss and yet, thanks to their honesty and universally applicable thanks to their honesty and heart. universally applicable.

Habibi Funk is digging deep to present the songs of Ibrahim Hesnawi, otherwise known as “The Father of Libyan Reggae.” Kingston meets Tripoli in this incendiary collection of Arabized roots, dub, dancehall and more. Featured on Habibi Funk’s last compilation (HABIBI015) with his track “Tendme,” Hesnawi crafts restless funk with evident buttressing from a reggae foundation. Highlighted across the LP is how Hesnawi essentially pioneered such an effortless synthesis between traditional Libyan music and Jamaican reggae stylings, plus the endlessly disparate funk, jazz, and disco accents which firmly situate Hesnawi in a league of his own. LP out everywhere October 6th.

Hal Singer – Tenor Sax
Alain Jean-Marie – Piano
August “Gus” Nemeth – Bass
Oliver Johnson – Drums


When the U.S. State Department announced in the mid-1970s that they were sponsoring a South African tour for the Oklahoma-born, Paris-based saxophonist Hal Singer, producer Rashid Vally took note. Even though his nascent record label As-Shams/The Sun (established in 1974) was making waves on the local scene, the idea of commissioning a recording from an international artist was a ballsy idea. With a discography that stretched back to the 1950s, Hal Singer was already somewhat of a legacy artist by 1976. Vally was well-versed on Singer’s accomplishments and specifically enamoured by his composition “Blue Stompin’,” which appeared on a Prestige album from 1959 that had struck a chord in South Africa.

With his irresistible charm, Vally managed to coax Singer into a studio in Johannesburg, South Africa, to record a new version of “Blue Stompin’” with South African sax star Kippie Moeketsi, which became the title track of a 1977 album by Moeketsi. The recording session also yielded an album’s worth of new material by Hal Singer and his quartet that took its name from a track inspired by Singer’s trip to South Africa entitled “Soweto to Harlem.” Released in 1976 and only available in South Africa, Soweto to Harlem captures a laid-back, cheeky and nostalgic rhythm and blues set from the Hal Singer Quartet that is unlikely to have emerged for a different target market.

With her irresistible charm, Vally was able to convince Singer to enter a Johannesburg studio. The recording session produced this album of new material by Hal Singer and his quartet named after a song inspired by Singer’s trip to South Africa, entitled “Soweto to Harlem.” Released in 1976 and available only in South Africa, “Soweto to Harlem” captures a laid-back, unabashed and nostalgic rhythm and blues of Hal Singer’s quartet that would hardly have been born for a different market.

Cinedelic’s 2024 edition of this rare album is sourced from the original tape masters and presents it on vinyl internationally for the very first time. The reissue follows Singer’s passing at the 100 in August 2020 as we contemplate and celebrate his extraordinary contribution to jazz in the United States and beyond.

Sie ist zwar vor ein paar Monaten erst 22 geworden, gilt aber schon seit über einem halben Jahrzehnt als die einflussreichste und einzigartigste Künstlerin unserer Zeit, als Stimme ihrer Generation – jetzt ist sie zurück mit neuer Musik: Billie Eilish veröffentlicht am 17.05.24 ihr drittes Studioalbum „HIT ME HARD AND SOFT“.
Wie schon die beiden gefeierten Vorgängeralben zusammen mit ihrem Bruder FINNEAS geschrieben und aufgenommen, zählt das neue Werk jetzt schon zu den absoluten Album-Highlights des Jahres.
Auf die ersten Viralhits mit 14 folgte schließlich das gefeierte Debütalbum „WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO?“, das Anfang 2019 in 18 Ländern direkt auf Platz 1 ging – und u.a. auch in Deutschland Platinstatus erreichte. Mit einem GRAMMY-Rekord ins aktuelle Jahrzehnt gestartet, als sie als erste weibliche Künstlerin in allen vier Hauptkategorien abräumte, konnte die US-Sängerin für den Bond-Titelsong „No Time To Die“ auch ihren ersten Oscar mit nach Hause nehmen. Inzwischen 9-fache GRAMMY- und zweifache Oscar-Gewinnerin, ging das zuletzt veröffentlichte Album „Happier Than Ever“ (2021) sogar in 20 Ländern auf die #1 – eingerahmt von gleich 16x Platin und weiteren Gold-Auszeichnungen. Den zweiten Oscar gewann sie für ihren Barbie-Beitrag „What I Was Made For“.
Beim dritten Album „HIT ME HARD AND SOFT“ handle es sich ganz klar um das gewagteste Albumstatement ihrer Karriere, ließ Eilish schon im Vorfeld durchblicken. Vor allem sage der Albumtitel eigentlich schon alles: Es ist ein wahnsinnig emotionales Werk, das berührt, das harte und auch softe Schläge austeilt, indem die 22-Jährige inhaltlich und klanglich immer wieder neue Genre-Grenzen absteckt. Vor allem vertraut die vielfache GRAMMY- und Oscar-Gewinnerin auch dieses Mal auf ihre Instinkte – und unterstreicht genau damit erneut, weshalb sie als die spannendste Songwriterin unserer Zeit gilt.

A four-piece band based in Tokyo.

Initially playing reggae/dub music, the band gradually developed into an innovative fusion of diverse musical influences, such as jazz, soul, psyche pop, new age, and exotica. A sound is based on groove and euphoria, with nostalgic melodies.

They have performed at iconic events in Japan such as Fuji Rock Festival, and also have been looking overseas since they performed in Canada(Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver) in 2019. The new EP "Ramble In The Rainbow"(2024) is their first international release on the US label Peoples Potential Unlimited.

The work shows their musical maturity, drawing inspiration from Sun Ra, Lee "Scratch" Perry, and Yasuaki Shimizu.

One of the rarest, and greatest, horn instrumental dub albums of the seventies featuring the soaring saxophone of Tommy McCook in combination with Glen Brown, 'The Rhythm Master', is finally given a legitimate release.

The original title for this long playing release was initially advertised on the label of the seven inch release of 'Determination Skank' as 'The Sannic Sounds Tommy McCook', however the album was released in Kingston in 1974 in very limited quantities on a white label in a plain recycled cover rubber-stamped 'Tommy McCook Dub'. Three years later the set was released through Grounation in London, once again on a white label and without a cover, where it was known as 'Horny Dub'. It gave music lovers a fascinating opportunity to compare and contrast the work of Tommy McCook, one of the architects and builders of the Jamaican sound, with Glen Brown's role in taking and breaking it into pieces...,

Dub Store Records is the Ska, Rocksteady, Reggae, Roots and Dancehall reissue label run by the eponymous Tokyo based record store. The label aims at accurately covering the 50-plus years of Jamaican music, and pass on many rare and magnificent recordings, which are non-commercial and highly artistic. Carefully handing down the tradition of reggae music, Dub Store Records has so far issued recordings from labels and artists such as Studio One, Federal Records (Federal, Kentone, Merritone), Bunny Wailer's Solomonic, Familyman's Fam's, Jammys, King Tubby's Firehouse, Derrick Harriott, Kiddus I, Redman International, BMN and much more to come.

Info: On her debut album Suave Bruta, across eleven tracks blending traditional Afro Colombian rhythms with electronic experimentation, Ëda Diaz manages to reconcile different parts of her identity, two rich and complementary aspects that she has long viewed as opposites. Wonky Colombian salsa, electrified currulao and an eccentric Colombian-made dembow all sparkle with real-world samples from the buzz of a hairdressing salon to birdsong, and samples cut from classic Latin American tunes, all underpinned by the production of Anthony Winzenrieth evoking Björk, James Blake or Juana Molina.

Das erste Album mit Gesang der geliebten äthiopischen Nonne, Komponistin und Pianistin Emahoy Tsege Mariam Gebru enthält tiefgründige und bewegende Kassettenaufnahmen, die inmitten politischer Umwälzungen und Unruhen entstanden sind. Es sind Lieder über Weisheit, Verlust, Trauer und Exil, die direkt in eine Boombox gesungen und von Emahoys unverwechselbarem Klavier begleitet werden. Obwohl sie die Lieder noch im Haus ihrer Familie in Addis Abeba schrieb und aufnahm, singt Emahoy über den Schmerz, weit weg von zu Hause zu sein, über die Revolution von 1974 und den Roten Terror in Äthiopien und über eine Vorahnung ihres zukünftigen Exils in Jerusalem. Im 21. Jahrhundert ist Emahoy weltweit für ihren ganz eigenen melodischen und rhythmischen Stil bekannt geworden. Häufig als "jazzy" oder "honky tonk" fehlinterpretiert, entspringt Emahoys Musik in Wirklichkeit einer tiefen Auseinandersetzung mit der westlichen klassischen Tradition, gemischt mit ihrem Hintergrund in traditioneller und orthodoxer äthiopischer Musik. Diese Lieder, die zwischen 1977 und 1985 aufgenommen wurden, unterscheiden sich von allem, was die Künstlerin bisher veröffentlicht hat. Die Geräusche der Vögel vor dem Fenster, das Knarren der Klavierbank und das Klopfen von Emahoys Finger auf der Aufnahmetaste vermitteln das Gefühl, bei der Künstlerin zu sein, während sie aufnimmt. Emahoys Texte, die sie auf Amharisch singt, sind poetisch und schwer von der Last des Exils. "Als ich hinausschaute / hinter die Wolken / konnte ich den Himmel meines Landes nicht sehen / bin ich wirklich so weit gegangen?", fragt sie in "Is It Sunny or Cloudy in the Land You Live?" Ihr Gesang ist zart und innig und zeichnet die melodischen Konturen ihres Klaviers nach.

Second in a series of reissues from Pierre Jaubert’s Parisound studio archive on Strut Record IS Lafayette Afro Rock Band's elusive funk/Afro original album, 'Soul Makossa' originally released in 1973. Transparent blue colored LP

In 1971, an undocumented seven-member Afro-American ensemble known as the Bobby Boyd Congress made a transformative journey from the United States to France. Bandleader Frank Abel recollects, "We sensed that the soul and funk market was saturated back home, and our original plan was a brief 6-month stint in Paris. Surprisingly, we ended up staying for a decade." Upon lead singer Bobby Boyd's return to the U.S., the group rebranded as Ice and crossed paths with independent producer Pierre Jaubert, a seasoned studio professional with credits on groundbreaking recordings alongside Charles Mingus, John Lee Hooker, and Archie Shepp, among others.

Drawing inspiration from Motown's work ethic, Jaubert initiated regular rehearsals with Ice. He recalled, "I didn't want to mimic Berry, but with seven talented musicians collaborating daily, something unique emerged." The band, residing in Paris and immersed in the African-dominated Barbesse district, began infusing African elements into their music frequently performing with Paris-dwelling Camaroonian and legendary composer Manu Dibango.

Rechristening themselves Lafayette Afro Rock Band, the group's musical direction shifted towards predominantly instrumental compositions, characterized by a weightier, more intricate Afro-funk sound. Their debut recording under this new moniker, 'Soul Makossa,' made a powerful impact with a dynamic rendition of Dibango's classic, coupled with the intense break of 'Hihache' and the contagious 'Nicky.' Initially released by Musidisc in France and later in the U.S. via Editions Makossa, the album omitted the title track due to publishing clearance issues.

Despite modest sales upon its initial release, the album's enduring influence became evident as hip-hop culture surged in the '80s, establishing it as a primary source for samples and riffs. The iconic 'Hihache' break found fame in Biz Markie's 'Nobody Beats The Biz,' and tracks from the album were lifted by LL Cool J, The Beatnuts, Kruder & Dorfmeister, and numerous others.

Second in a series of reissues from Pierre Jaubert’s Parisound studio archive on Strut Record IS Lafayette Afro Rock Band's elusive funk/Afro original album, 'Soul Makossa' originally released in 1973. Transparent blue colored LP

In 1971, an undocumented seven-member Afro-American ensemble known as the Bobby Boyd Congress made a transformative journey from the United States to France. Bandleader Frank Abel recollects, "We sensed that the soul and funk market was saturated back home, and our original plan was a brief 6-month stint in Paris. Surprisingly, we ended up staying for a decade." Upon lead singer Bobby Boyd's return to the U.S., the group rebranded as Ice and crossed paths with independent producer Pierre Jaubert, a seasoned studio professional with credits on groundbreaking recordings alongside Charles Mingus, John Lee Hooker, and Archie Shepp, among others.

Drawing inspiration from Motown's work ethic, Jaubert initiated regular rehearsals with Ice. He recalled, "I didn't want to mimic Berry, but with seven talented musicians collaborating daily, something unique emerged." The band, residing in Paris and immersed in the African-dominated Barbesse district, began infusing African elements into their music frequently performing with Paris-dwelling Camaroonian and legendary composer Manu Dibango.

Rechristening themselves Lafayette Afro Rock Band, the group's musical direction shifted towards predominantly instrumental compositions, characterized by a weightier, more intricate Afro-funk sound. Their debut recording under this new moniker, 'Soul Makossa,' made a powerful impact with a dynamic rendition of Dibango's classic, coupled with the intense break of 'Hihache' and the contagious 'Nicky.' Initially released by Musidisc in France and later in the U.S. via Editions Makossa, the album omitted the title track due to publishing clearance issues.

Despite modest sales upon its initial release, the album's enduring influence became evident as hip-hop culture surged in the '80s, establishing it as a primary source for samples and riffs. The iconic 'Hihache' break found fame in Biz Markie's 'Nobody Beats The Biz,' and tracks from the album were lifted by LL Cool J, The Beatnuts, Kruder & Dorfmeister, and numerous others.

One of the rarest, and greatest, horn instrumental dub albums of the seventies featuring the soaring saxophone of Tommy McCook in combination with Glen Brown, 'The Rhythm Master', is finally given a legitimate release.

The original title for this long playing release was initially advertised on the label of the seven inch release of 'Determination Skank' as 'The Sannic Sounds Tommy McCook', however the album was released in Kingston in 1974 in very limited quantities on a white label in a plain recycled cover rubber-stamped 'Tommy McCook Dub'. Three years later the set was released through Grounation in London, once again on a white label and without a cover, where it was known as 'Horny Dub'. It gave music lovers a fascinating opportunity to compare and contrast the work of Tommy McCook, one of the architects and builders of the Jamaican sound, with Glen Brown's role in taking and breaking it into pieces...,

Dub Store Records is the Ska, Rocksteady, Reggae, Roots and Dancehall reissue label run by the eponymous Tokyo based record store. The label aims at accurately covering the 50-plus years of Jamaican music, and pass on many rare and magnificent recordings, which are non-commercial and highly artistic. Carefully handing down the tradition of reggae music, Dub Store Records has so far issued recordings from labels and artists such as Studio One, Federal Records (Federal, Kentone, Merritone), Bunny Wailer's Solomonic, Familyman's Fam's, Jammys, King Tubby's Firehouse, Derrick Harriott, Kiddus I, Redman International, BMN and much more to come.

repress !

The birth of rock steady portrayed in a consummate collection from the vaults of Federal Records

Most of them drawn directly from Ken Khouri's master tapes this miscellany of cool rock steady includes marvellous music from the originator of the genre, the one and only Lynn Taitt, alongside an array of Jamaica's greatest singers and vocal harmony group

American rhythm & blues fervour, boosted by a multitude of sound systems playing 78rpm records on increasingly larger sets, gripped Jamaica from the late forties onwards but, towards the end of the decade, the American audience began to move towards a somewhat softer sound. The driving rhythm & blues discs became increasingly hard to find and the more progressive Jamaican sound system operators, realising that they now needed to make their own music, turned to Kingston's jazz and big band musicians to record one off custom cut discs. These were not initially intended for commercial release but designed solely for sound system play on acetate or 'dub plates' as they would later be termed. These 'specials' soon began to eclipse the popularity of American rhythm & blues and the demand for their locally produced music proved so great that the sound system operators began to release their music commercially on vinyl and became record producers. Clement Coxsone' Dodd, Duke Reid 'The Trojan' and Prince Buster, who operated his Voice Of The People Sound System, were among the first to establish themselves in this new role and the nascent Jamaican recording industry now went into overdrive.

In 1954 Ken Khouri had numbered among the first far sighted entrepreneurs to produce mento records with local musicians (mento is Jamaica's original indigenous music) before progressing to opening Jamaica's first record manufacturing plant. Three years later he moved his operation to Foreshore Road (later renamed Marcus Garvey Drive) where, with the assistance of the inestimable Graeme Goodall, he updated and upgraded his recording studio. The importance of this enterprising move was critical to the development of Jamaican music and its influence both profound and far reaching.

"It was Ken Khouri's Federal Recording Studio, the womb that gave birth to the talented writers, artists and musicians that gave Jamaica its musical identity." Prince Buster

Federal Records was not only the place for the sound system men to record their music but it was also where they had their records manufactured and, consequently, the company enjoyed a near total monopoly on recording and record pressing in Kingston. In 1963 Ken Khouri sold his one track board to Clement 'Coxsone' Dodd, who established Studio One, and Ken imported the first stereo equipment to Jamaica and Federal began making stereo records. The following year WIRL (West Indies Records Limited) opened but the competition served to drive the company on to higher heights. Ken Khouri continued to work on his own productions and, in 1966, the seven inch release of Hopeton Lewis' 'Take It Easy', recorded under the guidance of Trinidadian guitarist Lynn Taitt, ushered in the rock steady era.

These two essential albums showcase a stunning selection of well known hits, and not so well known rarities, from the vast Federal catalogue. All tracks have been transferred direct from the master tapes and assembled with the invaluable assistance of Ken Khouri's son, Paul Khouri, who generously gave Dub Store unlimited access to the Federal tape vaults. The extensive liner notes feature extracts from extensive interviews with Paul Khouri whose knowledgeable recollections of working on Marcus Garvey Drive, not only as a producer but as an engineer and musician, are illuminating and educational. Both sets present an insight into the birth and growth of Federal Records and the Jamaican recording industry and are essential to an understanding of the real roots of reggae music.

Les Disques Bongo Joe are proud to be home of the new volume of DJ soFa's well known curation work Elsewhere series with Elsewhere CC! This ninth exploration of our beloved Bruxelles based cratedigger and producer (Mameen 3, Nyati Mayi & The astral Synth Transmitters, ...) is an ode to summer and groove!

The ninth edition in the Elsewhere series is a real digger’s paradise of tropical gems, from Trinidad to Brazil, Poland, Dominica, and beyond. The compilation is an eclecticmix of outernational, tropical-wave, Calypso, multi-rhythmic percussive beats, lo-fi disco jams, and other such styles that lie somewhere in that magical in-between zone. Compiled by Brussels-based DJ, tastemaker and producer soFa, Elsewhere Vol.9 CC is a perfect collection of Balearic, good-vibe, sunshine rarities, to soundtrack a cocktail session on a reclusive, tropical beach, featuring rare tunes and some of the artist’s own unique productions and collaborations.

Modern day selector, 7” detective, international cratedigger, and self-styled musical activist DJ soFa, aka. soFa Elsewhere, is renowned for his borderless approach to curation. Adapting his unconventional and radical approach to DJing to his acclaimed compilation series, soFa’s goal has always been to expand horizons, highlight scenes, and tell stories. And herein lies the beauty behind the latest edition in the Elsewhere series. Behind every great record, is an even bigger story, and Elsewhere CC, has plenty of them...

Strut present the first official reissue of a landmark album in the field of African music, Mulatu Astatke's 'Mulatu Of Ethiopia' from 1972. Across three formats including a special 3LP version including unreleased bonus cuts and a special unreleased mono pressing of the album

With her third Gondwana album, "Constellation", Manchester"s Caoilfhionn Rose has come of age as an artist, digging deep to find experimental new ways of expressing her wonder at nature"s beauty, her love of music in all its diversity, and her belief in the restorative powers that both afford in the troubled post-COVID world. The ten tracks on "Constellation" feel rooted in a knowledge of folk, jazz and all the twentieth century"s classic tunesmiths, and yet they seem to create a magical, otherworldly space of her own imagining, blending Caoilfhionn"s core piano with synths, and pitting a live rhythm section and saxophone embellishments against ambient samples and future-facing production techniques.

Die dritte LP des Ishmael Ensembles, "Rituals", stellt eine bedeutende Entwicklung für die Musiker aus Bristol dar. Mit Live-Instrumentierung und elektronischer Stilverschmelzung war die Band schon immer breiter aufgestellt als das Etikett "New UK Jazz", das ihr gegeben wurde, aber hier sind Umfang und grenzüberschreitender Ehrgeiz deutlicher als je zuvor. Obwohl das Ensemble seinen Mix aus spirituellem Jazz, Dub, experimentellen und elektronischen Klanglandschaften beibehält, werden diese Elemente hier kräftig zu riesigen Soundyklonen aufgepeitscht, die wesentlich songbasierter und zugänglicher sind, aber auch fast psychedelisch in ihrer wohlklingenden Mischung aus Farben und Texturen, Facetten und Stimmungen.

Singer, actress and cultural conduit for peace, Liraz releases a new collection of four songs, primed with an intensity and a raw musical revolt, energising the Middle Eastern musical landscape, sung in Farsi and driven by her deep desire for positive energy and much needed global harmony and light.