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Underground Jazz, Street Funk & The Roots Of Rap 1968-79. Soul Jazz Records' new release 'Soul of a Nation: Afro-Centric Visions in the Age of Black Power' is released in conjunction with a major worldwide art exhibition, Soul of A Nation: Art in the The Age of Black Power which takes place at the Tate Modern, London, UK (July-Oct 2017) and The Brooklyn Museum, New York, USA.

The album shows how the ideals of the civil rights movement, black power and black nationalism influenced the evolvement of radical African-American music in the United States of America in the intensely political and revolutionary period at the end of the 1960s following the assassinations of Malcolm X, Martin Luther King and the rise of the Black Panther party.

Featuring groundbreaking artists such as Gil Scott-Heron, Roy Ayers, Don Cherry, Oneness of Juju, Sarah Webster Fabio, Horace Tapscott, Phil Ranelin and many others, Soul of A Nation shows how political themes led to the rise of 'conscious' black music as new afro-centric styles combined the musical radicalism and spirituality of John Coltrane and radical avant-garde jazz music alongside the intense funk and soul of James Brown and Aretha Franklin and the urban poetry and proto-rap of the streets.

The Soul of a Nation exhibition draws on the links between Black art forms - art, music, poetry - and how they came together during the civil rights and black power era as part of the wider black arts movement across the United States.

Iconic African-Amercian revolutionary figures such as Martin Luther King, Malcolm X and Angela Davis, John Coltrane, Muhammad Ali all appear in the radical artworks of Barkley L. Hendricks, Romare Bearden, Norman Lewis, Lorraine O'Grady and Betye Saar.
A selection of original radical jazz record sleeves artworks which appear in Soul Jazz Records' earlier groundbreaking Freedom, Rhythm and Sound - Revolutionary Jazz Original Cover Art book will also be on show at the Tate, London throughout the exhibition. The Freedom, Rhythm and Sound book is also newly back-in-print in conjunction with this major exhibition and the release of the Soul of a Nation album.

Stuart Baker (founder of Soul Jazz Records) will appear on the panel of Jazz for Soul of a Nation: Art in the Age of Black Power discussion at the gallery as part of the show. Soul of a Nation comes with extensive sleeve-notes and exclusive photography in a large 36-page outsize booklet and slipcase. Double gatefold vinyl album edition comes with full colour inners + bonus download code and includes full sleeve-notes/photography.

Casino Shanghai was a 'techno-pop' band started in the mid-80s in Mexico City. They released their debut and only album 'Film' in December of 1985. An album considered today as cult status.
Casino Shanghai were part of a great cultural change in Mexico and its music scene. The band made various controversial appearances on TV when a band without a drummer or guitarist was unheard of. All members had been in different notorious bands in the local scene. Ulalume was the lead singer of The Casuals (Punk-New Wave) and DenseUndergrowth (Avant-garde). Carlos Robledo and Walter Schmidt were part of Size (Post-punk) and have been playing together for many years in Decibel (Experimental). Humberto Alvarez played with MCC (Prog Rock) and is currently a well-known musician and multi-instrumentist.Before the band split-up they recorded two last songs in 1986, 'Le Tombeau d' Edgar Poe' and 'L'Action Minimal', as part of an unreleased solo EP for Ulalume. These tracks were edited in 2014 on 12 by Mannequin Records together with a remix by In Aeternam Vale.The music of Casino Shanghai was also used for the soundtrack of some Mexican films. 'Crónicas de Familia' directed by Diego López and nominated for the Ariel Award for best original soundtrack in 1986, and 'Juana La Cantinera' directed by José Loza.'Film' has been restored and remastered for this new edition including all original tracks plus two bonus: 'Le Tombeau d' Edgar Poe (Haunted Version)' and 'Cuerpos Huecos' (Spanish version of 'Hollow Bodies' available only on a promotional 7). Limited to 350 copies on white vinyl with a new artwork and printed inner sleeve with photos and song lyrics.

INNA DE YARD bring to life the unique and original passion of singing with acoustic reggae music.

Several iconic figures from Bob Marley's island and spirited young musicians are gathered on the terrace of a house, in the hills of Kingston, to bring the essence of their musical culture back to life. United in the same place, and united in time, because they have recorded an original album in just four days.

They are Ken Boothe, Cedric Myton from the Congos, Lloyd Parks, Derajah, Var, Kiddus I, Steve Newland, Bo Pee, Kush & Winston McAnuff.

You've never heard a Jamaican sound like this before.

"MODEM:39 is booted and connected. Main task: Linking components like friendship, art and communication. This sustainable mixture results in label artist Tommes' first release on solid 180g black gold. The A.R.L.T. EP represents a thoughtfully crafted selection of analog sounds, inspired by classic house music. Tommes, being a part of eastern Germany's underground scene since 20 years, demonstrates his unique style with four timeless tracks. His passion for dubby sounds and chords echoes through the whole EP - solid deepness incoming!
"McDrive" is a bass line driven tune, full of versatile, warm synthie-melodies and catchy percussions. Its length offers great mixing possibilites. Let's get smooth and dreamy on the - StendalSunsetBoulevard'. A beautiful piece for any occasion.
Side B features two more linear and straightforward tracks. "Deeples' hypnotic dub-groove creates a very profound depths. Club approved!
Cheerful house roller - Deemin Goes" glares with atmospheric pads and a punchy bassline - perfectly rounding off an honest Solo-EP. The EP is limited to 300 editions with a handcrafted cover artwork - 50 of them comes in a special black and white edition, 250 copies in decent black artwork."

The Allergies' debut album introduced the world to the way they effortlessly fuse funk, soul, disco, hip-hop and breaks into dancefloor-ready nuggets of ear candy. Taking classic sounds and reshaping for the modern age is the signature that won them plaudits across the globe.

Not ones to rest on their laurels, it hasn't taken long for them to deliver more of the goods on their second full-length album, 'Push On'. As well as taking the successful formula of the first record and expanding on the sound with raw Funk, Psych, Northern Soul, and Boogie influences, The Allergies enlisted two giants of underground Hip-Hop to bless mics on the album as well.

After a hugely successful collaboration on their debut LP, once again the dynamic lyricism and production skills of the inimitable Andy Cooper (Ugly Duckling) are present and correct in this new collection. Besides bringing the party on tracks like 'Main Event', he also settles scores with 'It Won't Be Me', before destroying all-comers on the battle Rap behemoth, 'Buzzsaw'. Also joining in on the action is UK MC veteran, Dr Syntax (The Mouse Outfit, Foreign Beggars) who prescribes some more healthy Hip-Hop advice on the track 'Remedy'.

Other highlights include the vintage Soul stomper, 'Entitled to That', Sixties uptempo groover, 'Hold You Close', and the fantastic little strutter, 'Get Down On You'. All in all it's a brand new set of future classics from your new favourite funky beatmakers, The Allergies.

WNCL Recordings is back with a showcase of Cassette Librarians past, present and future..

The Numero Group's dive into the deep end of America's private press continues. Having battled the witches and wizards of Darkscorch, the outlaws of Cosmic Americana, and traveled alongside Ladies From the Canyon and their Lonesome Heroes, it's time to take it easy.With pop music's volume knob adjusted for deflation in the early '70s, softness begat smoothness. Crewmen arrived from the worlds of jazz, folk, rock, and soul, all peddling a product that was sincere, leisurely, and lofty. A sound that was buoyant, crisp, defined. Sometimes classified as West Coast—and, later, Yacht Rock—the compass points of our Private Yacht expedition are the blue-eyed harmonies of Hall and Oates, the cocaine-dusted Fender Rhodes of Michael McDonald, and the combover strums of James Taylor. Here, at the glassy apex of rock's softer side, 20 strong swimmers are gathered together. An album for both relaxation and reflection, where listeners can enjoy the present, a cool breeze, and a taste of the good life.

Bobby Sheen first began singing in late 50s and early 60s vocal groups out of Los Angeles, working with Clyde McPhatter of The Drifters, Phil Spector and even Walt Disney. He recorded singles of note for Capitol (including Dr. Love') and Warner Brothers where Phillip Mitchell penned this evergreen Something New To Do', originally a B side to the also popular modern soul favourite I May Not be What You Want' in 1972, though reversed the following year. This is the first reissue since those two initial releases in the 70s which have become extremely collectable, mint originals selling for over £100.

12" with transparent sleeve, 180g Vinyl The Press Group's new issue is a tale of lost love and broken hearts. 'Blaine Mcconchie' is a con-stantly evolving minimal-heyday-inspired trip through bleeping artifacts driven by an organ chord, while on the flipside 'Dog Park' is a classic groover for lush summer evenings. On B2 Frankfurt's Phil Evans gives 'Blaine Mcconchie' his treatment taking the central melody and building a sparse rhythm workout around it.
Third 12" from The Press Group co founder Rupert Marnie including a remix by Phil Evans (Pager Records/GOSU)

The Haggis Horns will release their fourth studio album in September 2017 and as a little teaser, they drop a summer single worldwide on June 9th via their own Haggis Records, a feel good bouncing hip-hop/funk jam featuring guest UK MC/rapper Doc Brown. Think back to the dawn of hip-hop in the early 1980s when the first rap singles featured the Sugarhill Records house band laying down heavy funk grooves for MCs like The Furious Five and Treacherous 3 and you get the flavour. No-nonsense party hip-hop/funk for b-boys, soul sisters and funk brothers! And keeping with that old school flavour, it will come with a limited edition 7" vinyl pressing alongside the digital single and feature an instrumental version on the b-side with the Horns cutting loose on the solos.

Now in their 19th year, The Haggis Horns are still as popular and busy as ever playing clubs and festivals around the UK and internationally and finishing this new album for autumn release. Expect another slab of heavy funk and sweet soul with longtime vocalists John McCallum (Corinne Bailey Rae band) and Lucinda Slim on various featured tracks plus the hip-hop collaborations with Doc Brown. As always, their famous super tight rhythm section holds it down alongside one of the UK's best horn sections of the last 2 decades whose gig/recording credits include Mark Ronson, Amy Winehouse, Jamiroquai, Martha Reeves & The Vandellas and Lily Allen.

Horse Follows Darkness is the second record by Delia Gonzalez, her follow up to the album In Remembrance'.

The title is taken from a werewolf genre film her 8 year old son Wolfgang had created. At this time, Wolfgang also turned Delia onto a genre of cinema she had always resisted - the American Western.

Delia explains that what she observed was all relevant - the album is based on our personal experience of moving back to America (from Berlin) and the journey that followed. The record is a manifestation of that, and what one creates for themselves under the given circumstances. Coming back to America, I felt like a foreigner and NYC / America felt like the Wild West. Most Westerns from the 1960s to the present have revisionist themes. Many were made by emerging major filmmakers who saw the Western as an opportunity to expand their criticism of American society and values into
a new genre.'

The narrative of the record is one of re-encountering the frontier mentality that shaped the country but somehow never faded. This time as a foreigner. The genre of the Western remains pertinent, many of the same stories of that brutally deromanticised era are still relevant today. America hasn't changed - the cast, times and settings have, but we still hold onto the same ideal.

Horse Follows Darkness is essentially a modern electronic soundtrack for the Revisionist Western. Even the idea for the record cover is inspired by one of the most well known modern Westerns, Robert Altman's McCabe & Mrs Miller.

The album was recorded with Abe Seiferth at Transmitter Park studios, which Delia likens to going to the finest tailor'. Abe became an integral part of the recording, playing guitar and helping to suggest experimenting with different synthesizers, something Delia was keen to do. Delia refers to Abe as a magical and incredibly intuitive collaborator' regarding the sound of the record.

The music that emerged from these recording sessions combines a range of influences - from the compositions of Erik Satie to 'Salon De Musique', the solo piano record by Su Tissue (of the L.A. punk band Suburban Lawns). The record also took on a much different shape and sound with the introduction of the Sequential Circuits Prophet VS, as well as a vintage Korg Poly synth and the Roland SH-101. The golden era Krautrock recordings of bands like Neu!, Cluster & Harmonia were touchstones as well, the repetition, swirling soundscapes and locked-in rhythm tracks.

Ikonika's third album 'Distractions' builds on 2013's 'Aerotropolis', and the title answers the question Why has the album taken so long' In the last few years she's been building up a strong CV of remixes, from Chvurches to Dawn Richard, Austra and Junior Boys, as well as DJing and working on this album. 'Distractions' distils the character of Ikonika's music productions across a wider set of styles than previous albums, and she subtly fuses and switches elements from contrasting genres, giving the whole set a uniqueness and consistency that puts it in its own lane. Furthermore what sits at the centre of 'Distractions' more than ever is her love of R&B and hip hop, in all its forms, which has opened the door to bring in a selection of guests in a way she's not fully explored before. From the full throttle blend of grime and 80s synth soul 'Noblest' with Andrea Galaxy, to the reflective 'Sacrifice' with up and coming MC Jammz, a slowjam that merges dubstep with hip house drums. The final vocal track is the languid 'Hazefield' co-produced with Sweyn J and featuring Jessy Lanza on vocals. Its mix of mechanic clunk and minimalist, lulling funk could only happen in 2017. The LP artwork takes its inspiration from West London's Golden Mile, a stretch of the Great West Road where the A4 meets the M4, and the road takes on the character of the arcade game Poll Position, with art deco factories and illuminated, hi-tech signage selling lifestyle products. It's this kind of mix of futuristic and industrious with a touch of gentle glamour that the album exudes.

Planet Mu are very excited to announce Jlin's long awaited second album Black Origami'. A percussion-led tour de force, it's a creation that seals her reputation as a unique producer with an exceptional ability to make riveting rhythmic music. Black Origami' is driven by a deep creative thirst which she describes as this driving feeling that I wanted to do something different, something that challenged me to my core. Black Origami for me, comes from letting go creatively, creating with no boundaries. The simple definition of origami is the art of folding and constructing paper into a beautiful, yet complex design. Composing music for me is like origami, only I'm replacing paper with sound. I chose to title the album "Black Origami" because like "Dark Energy" I still create from the beauty of darkness and blackness. The willingness to go into the hardest places within myself to create for me means that I can touch the Infinity.' Spirituality and movement are both at the core of Black Origami', inspired largely by her ongoing collaborations with Indian dancer/movement artist Avril Stormy Unger whom she met and collaborated with at her debut performance for the Unsound festival - 'There is a fine line between me entertaining a person and my spirituality. Avril, who collaborates with me by means of dance, feels the exact same way. Movement played a great role in Black Origami. The track "Carbon 7" is very inspired by the way Avril moves and dances. Our rhythms are so in sync at times it kind of scares us. When there is something I can't quite figure out when it comes to my production, it's like she senses it. Her response to me is always "You'll figure it out". Once I figure it out it's like time and space no longer exist.' Similar time shifting/folding/disrupting effects can be heard throughout the record - especially on Holy Child' an unlikely collaboration with minimalist legend William Basinski. She also collaborates again with Holly Herndon on 1%', while Halcyon Veil producer Fawkes' voice is on Calcination and Cape Town rapper Dope Saint Jude provides vocals for Never Created, Never Destroyed . Jlin will be touring extensively this year and is currently lining up appearances including Sonar festival. Later this year she will be collaborating in London with acclaimed UK choreographer Wayne McGregor who played her music recently on Radio 4's Desert Island Discs and described her music as quite rare and so exciting".

* Includes a DIN A2long poster inside the 12" sleeve with edition number and music download code

* Rogue Style 1 EP is an international homage to b-boy culture, where the worlds of breakbeat music and breakdance collide. Sinistarr (USA), Kiat (Singapore), Kabuki (Germany) and HomeSick (Canada) are connected in many ways, now they lay bare their hip-hop roots and give something back with a fresh take through the eyes of drum & bass and juke/footwork. Here is what they have to say:

Sinistarr: "As a teenager I grew up as a b-boy, dancing anywhere I could: schools, parks, festivals, you name it, my crew was there with cardboard and a speaker. I eventually got deeper into DJing and making music and learned to bring a sound that's not just for the crowds and the purists, but also for all the dancers!"

Kiat: "Hip Hop has taught me to keep evolving, to explore new forms in all my art. Progression is the key to evolution. -- I met Sinistarr online thru myspace and we had a musical connection which led to our first collaboration 'Black Diamonds' which is still one of my personal favourite tunes I've been fortunate to be part of it's creation. With Kabuki, i've always been a fan of his work since his 'Makai' alias on No U-Turn, despite meeting him only recently thru the label.I've always known him to be constantly progressing his ideas in his music which I respect alot."

Kabuki: "B-boy culture has always been a strong influence on how I pursued my art, mainly because of its DIY ethos and attitude of perfecting your craft. Incidentally these were also the aspects that drew me to Jungle when I first discovered it in the nineties. -- I'm happy to rub shoulders with Kiat, Sinistarr and HomeSick on this release, as I'm a fan of their music foremost, but also because we became friends through the music."

HomeSick: "I was only a child in the 90s and as a result I feel like my understanding of b-boy culture was experienced second hand thanks to 90s/early 2000s hip hop music. I appreciate the parallels I can see with footwork culture, particularly the similarities to the community mentality of break dancing. -- I know Sinistarr through booking him for our local party night in Alberta, Canada called Percolate. Our city must have left an impression on him because a year later he made the move here from Detroit. Had the pleasure of hosting him as a room mate for a little over half a year, the home was a very potent creative space during this time. Kabuki hit me up a few years ago and we very quickly got to sharing tracks and collaborating together. Mans a master of production and a super important part of the global scene."

The idea for a reminiscence of b-boy culture stem from label owner Booga:

"Why am I interested in this so much I grew up in East Germany and as the movie "Beat Street" premiered in 1985 over here I was age 13 and blown away by the energy, the music, the wit, the style - everything in this movie was better than everyday life in Leipzig. So I started saving for a cassette recorder and taped music shows from West German radio and prepared tapes for school disco gigs to the hope somebody would do the "robot" to Arthur Baker "Breaker's Revenge". Unfortunately that never worked out hahaha. But I was hooked since then and as the wall came down in 1989 I travelled to West Berlin just to buy the Beats, Breaks and Scratches 1-4 vinyl box by Simon Harris. The fascination for breakbeats never stopped and before I discovered Jungle around '94 I was down with the British cut up house thing from the likes of Marrs, Krush and Coldcut as another form of breakbeat music. The "do it yourself" spirit from hip hop culture inspired me to start a local website called breaks.org in 2000 to locally promote the drum and bass scene with emerging producers, djs and mcs for a wider audience and I threw in some interviews with Storm, Kabuki, Rob Playford, Klute and John B. That turnt into a multi author blog called itsyours.info in 2004 which still exists - that is where I had the pleasure to introduce Kiat and Ash in 2007. All these years I was listening and playing drum and bass tunes when the occasional "bboy tune" came up, some were obvious like Alex Reece "B-Boy Flavour", Lemon D "B Boyz", Commix "Change" and some were not so much self-explanatory like Digital & Spirits "Phantom Force" and the remixes by T-Power & Codeine or Fracture's Astrophonica Edit - but I felt the hidden force of breakdancing nevertheless. With the Rogue Style series I have the first class opportunity to ask established and new Defrostatica artists to present a current interpretation of b-boy culture. This is a dream coming true."

Until he was about 20, Texas-born Melvin Sparks was a rhythm & blues guitarist, backing Jackie Wilson, Curtis Mayfield and Marvin Gaye as a member of The Upsetters. But Sparks gave up his seat on The Upsetters' bus in New York City, where a chance introduction to George Benson led him to a place in soul jazz history. Melvin played and recorded with Lou Donaldson, Leon Spencer, Bernard Purdie, Jack McDuff, Jimmy McGriff, Idris Muhammad, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Charles Earland, Grover Washington Jr., Reuben Wilson and so many more. Even during the quietest years of soul-jazz Melvin stayed relevant through hip-hop and r&b, a quick search at WhoSampled turns up more than 150 samples of his funky chicken scratch. And Melvin's legacy is heard in contemporary soul/funk bands like The New Mastersounds, Soulive and The Greyboy Allstars, all of whom he also guested with several times before his early departure from this realm in 2011.

This release documents Melvin's final band just months before his death. Organist Beau Sasser and drummer Bill Carbone had been working with Sparks for several years, and, despite the power dynamic - they were in their early 30s, Melvin an elder-statesmen of the genre - the unit was sharp, relaxed and performed Melvin's music with a jovial spirit. The trio played the Burlington, VT club Nectar's regularly, but this night featured two "onlys." Per the recommendation of Nectar's agent they used the "Grippo Horns," the only time Sparks used a horn section in the last several years of his life, and they allowed a multitrack recording of the show. Both were strong decisions.

The tracks on this album, lovingly mixed by guitarist, producer and Melvin Sparks fan Eddie Roberts, demonstrate that Melvin played as well in the final months of his life as at any time. Sparks counts "Whip! Whop!" off at what he said The Upsetters called a "showtime tempo," and peppers it, as well as most of the album, with quotes from jazz standards, pop songs and cartoon themes, all woven effortlessly into the bebop-funk dialect he helped create. He unfolds amiable melodies, patiently and methodically, through his several-minute lead on "Breezin'." And Sparks is audibly uplifted by the Grippo Horns helping him perform his 1973 arrangement of "Ain't No Woman" for the first time in decades.

Medical Records proudly presents a special limited edition of all 3 "Forgotten Tracks, Sketches and Unfinished Work 2002-2004" by Martial Canterel as a triple gatefold set. Volume I was released previously in 2013, and Volume II and III are simultaneously being released by Medical Records as standalones. Sean McBride has been producing work under the Martial Canterel moniker dating back to 2002 as well as working as half of Xeno And Oaklander. These tracks capture the allure and depth of Sean's early work exploring rhythms and perfectly crafted pop songs using a very early incarnation of limited instrumentation. Fans of Martial Canterel's early work (think "Austerton" and "Sister Age") will be instantly elated. This is the first time these tracks have been released on vinyl and have been remastered for this release by Martin Bowes at the Cage, UK. Contains special bonus insert with lyrics. Fans of early Martial Canterel as well as other cold wave icons such as A Blaze Color, Snowy Red, and the like will need this collection. Presented on high-quality 180gram classic vinyl in a triple gatefold pack.

Maxwell - ein Mitglied der 187 Strassenbande - veröffentlicht mit - Kohldampf' sein erstes Solo-Album. Der Hamburger Rapper bringt nach dem erfolgreichen Dancehall-Album - Palmen aus Plastik' von Kollege Bonez MC endlich wieder Straßenrap aus dem 187 Lager - so wie es sich die Fans schon lange wünschen!

DELUXE BOX SET
Includes bonus 12" + prints + CD + enhanced CD
The xx today announce details of their highly anticipated third album. Titled I See You, the ten song album will be released on 13th January 2017 via Young Turks. I See You is the follow up to The xx's two previous albums - xx and Coexist - which have sold over 3 million copies between them, winning a host of accolades along the way.I See You marks a new era for the London trio of Romy Madley Croft, Oliver Sim and Jamie Smith, both sonically and in terms of process. For while xx and Coexist were both made in relative isolation in London, I See You was recorded between March 2014 and August 2016 in New York, Marfa TX, Reykjavik, Los Angeles and London, and is characterised by a more outward-looking, open and expansive approach. Produced by Jamie Smith and Rodaidh McDonald, I See You is The xx at their boldest yet, performing with more clarity and ambition than ever before.I See You will be available on CD and LP, with each physical format featuring a debossed mirri board sleeve.
Two vinyl versions of the album, with full product descriptions as follows - Standard Vinyl: 10 tracks, in a debossed mirror board sleeve with a download + CD copy of the album - Deluxe Box Set: Silver mirri board debossed box containing the album on 180g heavyweight vinyl, with an extra 12' including 3 bonus tracks, album CD, enhanced CD featuring a live video of bonus track 'Brave For You (Marfa Demo)' and 3 exclusive prints by Alasdair McLellan.

After debuting on Mr. G's Phoenix G imprint in 2016 with the Unfamiliar Territory EP, Jayson Wynters makes an appearance on DBA for this, his second release, backed by a Kowton remix.

Jayson Wynters is a DJ that is able to combine many genres in one set and make it work. Wynters was first known as a garage MC in Birmingham, before rising to prominence in the city's underground radio and club scene, where he showcased an impressive knowledge of rare groove and house music. As he got older his taste for music began to mature, his collection began to grow, and he soon began to DJ. Using music as an outlet for expression, whether in the form of DJing or having fun on some drum machines and synths, is one of the most defining features to Wynters. He continues to fuel his passion by keeping an eye on the future rather than the past and striving to remain different.