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Texas born guitarist Melvin Sparks is one of the godfathers of Acid Jazz. He first came to prominence in the bands of Jack McDuff and Lou Donaldson, providing an essential element in their funky groove-based classics of the late 60s. He then became part of the Prestige Records funk team, under the tutelage of producer Bob Porter. He made his debut LP “Sparks”, for the label in 1970, alongside Idris Muhammad, Leon Spencer and Houston Person. Two further exciting albums appeared on the label with “Spark Plug” and “Akilah” and over a dozen side-man appearances.

When Porter left to set up Eastbound Records in Detroit - as part of Westbound Records - Sparks followed, recording his label debut "Texas Twister” in 1973. The following year, after Porter left, he recorded the album that became “’75” with some of the label’s top session players, including members of Funkadelic and vocalist Jimmy D Scott, who sang on ‘I Got To Have You’ and ‘If You Want My Love’. The nine tracks featured a slicker sound, that mirrored the contemporary soul jazz of the time and included club classics like 'Get Ya Some' and 'Get Down With The Get Down’.

Sparks began recording one more album for the label which languished in the vaults for decades and then mostly concentrated on session work before he was rediscovered by the acid jazz scene in the late 80s, and was brought over to Europe to tour as part of the BGP All-Stars and this late revival saw him record five further albums.

This is the first vinyl reissue of this album since 1975.

Limitierte Farbauflage der 2021 remasterten und auf Doppelformat erweiterten Reissue des vierten Studioalbums 'Egyptology' (1997) der britischen Rockband World Party. Mit den Singles 'Beautiful Dream' und 'She's The One', erweitert um Bonus-Liveaufnahmen aus New York 1997. Blaues und goldfarbenes Doppelvinyl im Gatefold.

Vibes player Johnny Lytle was one of the heroes of the early acid jazz club circuit, with his cuts 'Selim' and 'The Man' being anthems of the scene.

The Ohio-born player’s first album as a leader was on the Jazzland label in 1962 with “Nice And Easy”. His second, three years later, on Riverside, "The Village Caller", made him a star in the jazz world. When Riverside encountered difficulties, co-owner Orrin Keepnews collaborated with Lytle on two albums which came out on the Detroit label, Tuba.

The first of these, "The Loop", featured his regular trio partners, organist Milt Harris and drummer “Peppy” Hinnant. This line-up was augmented on some tracks by former Miles Davis pianist Wynton Kelly and bassist George Duvivier. A 7” version of the title track actually spent five weeks in the Billboard Hot 100 in January 1966. As for the album, as well as the acid jazz cut 'The Man', it features a stunning version of Duke Pearson's 'Cristo Redentor' and the dancefloor-friendly 'Possum Grease' and 'Hot Sauce'. The band also stretch out on extended track ‘The Shyster’.

“The Loop” is a classic album and Ace’s pressing is the first time it has been legally reissued on vinyl.

The Tribe co-founder’s debut, lacquered directly from his master tapes in an all analog transfer by Bernie Grundman. The definitive reissue of this Spiritual Jazz album which set the stage for his Vibes from the Tribe The Tribe label, one of the brightest lights of America’s 1970s jazz underground, receives the Now-Again reissue treatment. This is your chance to indulge in the music and story of one of the most meaningful, local movements of the 20th Century Black American experience, one that expanded outwards towards the cosmos.

In the words of the collective themselves, “Music is the healing force of the universe.” Included in an extensive, oversized booklet, Larry Gabriel and Jeff “Chairman” Mao take us through the history of the Tribe, in a compelling story that delves not just into the history of the label and its principals, but into the story of Black American empowerment in the latter half of the 20th Century. The booklet features never-before-seen archival photos and rare ephemera from Tribe’s mid-1970s heyday.

A central figure in Seattle’s fading disco scene, radio DJ, producer, engineer, writer and multi-instrumentalist…Tony Benton was the driving force behind the Seattle soul-funk sound during the late 70s & 80s. Starting off his career at the age of ten he learned how to play the piano and then finally got to take a music class in the 7th grade. Having access to an electric piano made him fall in love with the thought that he could make his own music. At the age of 16 Tony and his friends already formed their first band called ‘Crystal Clear’ and were making up songs in his basement.
Things would really start off when Tony Benton teamed up with his group to form the avant-boogie group Teleclere who went on to release their first single in 1982 (Fantasy Love / Ultra Groove). That’s when Tony started playing all of the other instruments and thus earning him the title ‘multi-instrumentalist’. Teleclere was all about creating and performing original music, there was no music scene in Seattle at that time for a black artist or group who played original compositions. Rap-music was also emerging and clubs slowly started to switch from live performances to deejays.
Through the success of their independent EP release, Teleclere followed up a year later with their Affection/Defection album which created a serious hype. This gave them the chance to regularly open at concerts for national artists in halls and clubs. They played at nightclubs, bars, festivals, private parties and did mini tours in the Washington State cities & Canada…including opening for Grammy-award winning soul-star Peabo Bryson (performing for a crowd of 3,000 in their hometown Seattle)
Sadly, radio would not play their music so folks never really had the chance to hear it unless they saw them perform live (they always won the crowd over). To add insult to injury, venues and the likes started to mainly book cover bands playing top 40 music. Disappointed by this Tony Benton became a radio personality but would continue to record and perform under the name ‘Teleclere’ with various players and vocalists for many years to come. Only a handful of his tracks recorded were released in the end.
Thankfully we are left with the unique audio-document that is the Affection/Defection LP. The album took the scene by storm in 1983 and sounds like a sci-fi space odyssey unfolding on an intergalactic dance floor…a chopped and slapped slice of 80ies electro-funk, sensual soulful serenades, pulses of Innervisions-worthy bass, top of the line vocals and a plethora of vocoder magic. Also included is the hit ‘Steal Your Love’ that was featured on the acclaimed 2014 Light In The Attic compilation ‘Wheedle’s Groove Volume II: Seattle Funk, Modern Soul And Boogie 1972-1987’.
Tidal Waves Music (in collaboration with the Numero Group) now proudly presents the first ever vinyl reissue of this fantastic private pressed Seattle electronic soul/funk album (originally released in 1983 on Telemusic Productions). This rare record (original copies tend to go for large amounts on the secondary market) is now finally back available as a limited 180g vinyl edition (500 copies) complete with the original artwork and obi strip.

He has partnered with Joe Bonamassa's KTBA Foundation and sales from this record will help others as part of the charitable aspect that Marc has close to his heart.
With production by Joe Bonamassa & Josh Smith, this is an album of blues covers (and one original) featuring Lemar Carter, Calvin Turner, Jeff Babko, with guest appearances from JJ Grey, Eric Kranso, Joe and Josh.
Tracks: I've Got To Use My Imagination / I'd Rather Drink Muddy Water / That's
What Love Will Make You Do feat. Joe Bonamassa / Cuttin' In feat. Roddie
Romero / Dreamer / Empire State Express / Love, The Time Is Now feat. Bobby
Junior / I Asked For Water feat. JJ Grey / I Like To Live The Love feat. Eric
Krasno / Driving Wheel feat. Joe Bonamassa / When Will I Let Her Go feat. Joe
Bonamassa

The very first vinyl edition of Andrew Gold’s pastiche
psychedelic masterpiece ‘The Fraternal Order of the All –
Greetings from Planet Love’.
Initially released in 1997, the album was conceived by
Andrew Gold as a tribute to late 60s psychedelic rock. His
remarkable compositions were wonderful stylistic
evocations of artists such as The Beatles, The Beach
Boys, The Byrds and The Doors.
The project saw Gold create the fictitious band The
Fraternal Order of the All, in reality Andrew playing
most of the instrumentation and singing, along with guest
musicians such as Graham Gouldman.
This Esoteric Recordings limited edition double LP is
pressed on 10-inch coloured splatter vinyl and features a
newly designed lavish gatefold sleeve.

Why fiddle and voice? They say the fiddle is the instrument that most resembles the human voice. It’s like I get to sing three part harmony with myself, preparing to be able to play the songs with others. I have played violin as long as I can remember… it changed to fiddle in college after being inspired by so many great fiddle players I ran into at camps and festivals. About a decade ago, when I first heard Bruce Molsky, I remember vividly listening to his album, Soon Be Time over and over, and then going down a rabbit hole to watch videos of him playing and singing at the same time. Then, as I saw others perform in this way, notably Tim O’Brien, Laura Cortese, it would continually floor me. The way the two voices weave as one. The threads of the double stops often accounted for two unique voices, lifting the authenticity of the lyrics. I could feel the lyrics, so vulnerable and exposed, cut through. I was scared to perform this way for years, finally giving it a go in a situation where I was asked to perform and my band members were unavailable. I have always felt that as a musician I want to have strength as a collaborator… Now I am realizing that requires a musician to be able to carry the song alone. If you can feel the groove, the chords, the melody and the meaning all at once, then it makes it easier for others to connect to the song, and lift it up. How is this album a natural progression for you at this point in your career? For years, I have been fortunate enough to play with some extremely talented collaborators. My hope is that never ends, and that this album gives me the chance to learn how to stand firmly on my own two feet, rooted in the song in my heart, calling in friends and collaborators with the resonance of my spirit as naturally as they appear in my life.

Rare Detroit Jazz-Funk Fusion Album from 1988.

Wendell delivers a unique and different sound compared to his earlier body of work.

First ever vinyl reissue. Mastered on 45 RPM for an optimal audiophile experience.

Featuring an all-star line-up including Tribe alumni Marcus Belgrave & Duke Billingslea.

180g BLACK vinyl limited to 500 copies (w/obi strip). Non-Returnable.

Wendell Harrison was born in Detroit in 1942 where he began formal jazz studies for piano, clarinet and tenor saxophone. At 14, while still in high school, Harrison started performing & recording professionally with artists such as Marvin Gaye, Grant Green, Sun Ra, Hank Crawford … and many others.

In 1971, Harrison began teaching music at Metro Arts (a multi-arts complex for youth) where he also connected with Marcus Belgrave, Harold McKinney and Phil Ranelin…soon after they formed the (now legendary) Afro-centric TRIBErecord label and artist collective. TRIBE used the Metro Arts complex as a vehicle to convey a growing black political consciousness. Wendell Harrison also published the very popular TRIBE magazine, a publication dedicated to local and national social and political issues, as well as featuring artistic contributions such as poetry and visual pieces.

In 1978 Harrison and McKinney co-founded REBIRTH, a non-profit jazz performance and education organization, in which many notable jazz artists have participated. Around the same time Wendell Harrison also created the WENHArecord label and publishing company, which released many of his (now classic) recordings as well as those of other artists, such as Phil Ranelin, Doug Hammond and Reggie Fields (The Real ShooBeeDoo).

In the early 1990s, Wendell Harrison was awarded the title of “Jazz Master” by Arts Midwest. This distinction led Harrison to collaborate with fellow honorees and gave him the chance to tour throughout the United States, Middle East and Africa. Even to this day Wendell Harrison’s recordings for the TRIBE, WENHA and REBIRTH labels have a large worldwide fanbase.

It is on REBIRTH that Harrison released the opus: THE CARNIVOROUS LADY (1988), which we are proudly presenting you today.

‘The Carnivorous Lady’ is a monster of an album featuring an all-star line-up that includes Marcus Belgrave (Ray Charles, Houston Person, Charlie Mingus) on guitar, Duke Billingslea (Martha Reeves) & Pamela Wise (Tribe) on keyboards, Larry Fratangelo (Fred Wesley, Dennis Coffey) on percussion and Shirley Hayden (Parliament/Funkadelic) on vocals.

On this fantastic sounding album (produced by the maestro himself) the listener is invited to experience a synthesis of what has been and what is now. The record shows Wendell’s trademark proficiency on saxophone, flute and clarinet. Although you can hear the 80ies creeping in with a smoother fusion sound, infectious boogie synths, R&B vocals and a lot of mind-blowing Jazz-Funk percussions…this album remains a very spiritual (and soulful) hard bop jazz record. From the first to the last note you get an irresistible blend of so

New Future City Radio is the first duo collaboration of longtime creative partners Damon Locks & Rob Mazurek. In a hyperactive 40-minute, 18-track suite that runs like a boombox mixtape, the two prolific multi-media artists contemplate community, transformation, and the future through the programmatic format of a pirate radio station for the people. It"s a deep avant-garde echo of the legendary Bomb Squad (Locks even sounding a bit like a tape-delayed Check D on the vox), with beat artifacts spanning the whole gamut from pre to post golden era hip-hop - mixing OG Brooklyn boombox sound with the sci-fi boom-bap of late 90s Def Jux and/or Dan The Automator"s 75 Ark.

New Future City Radio is the first duo collaboration of longtime creative partners Damon Locks & Rob Mazurek. In a hyperactive 40-minute, 18-track suite that runs like a boombox mixtape, the two prolific multi-media artists contemplate community, transformation, and the future through the programmatic format of a pirate radio station for the people. It"s a deep avant-garde echo of the legendary Bomb Squad (Locks even sounding a bit like a tape-delayed Check D on the vox), with beat artifacts spanning the whole gamut from pre to post golden era hip-hop - mixing OG Brooklyn boombox sound with the sci-fi boom-bap of late 90s Def Jux and/or Dan The Automator"s 75 Ark.

First time on vinyl ever, remastered in 2023. Zeke- Live Tracks Uncensored LP. This LP shows Zeke live ... raw, wild, untamed and uncensored. If you’ve seen Zeke before, you know that these guys can be a total beast on stage. This LP offers a bunch of killer live recordings to make it sound like the band is playing in your kitchen: loud, fast and furious. You know that Zeke are the real purveyors of speed rock and roll and that can’t be better heard than here. The LP includes some of their best songs including tracks from ‘Super Sound Racing’, ‘Flat Tracker’, ‘Kicked in the Teeth’, ‘Dirty Sanchez’ and ‘Death Alley’ recorded in different venues from Seattle to Las Vegas to Minneapolis. One of the other special treats this LP offers is it includes two very rare studio tracks that are pretty hard to find. 26 tracks in all with top notch production. Genre: Alternative / Rock n Roll / Pun

First time on vinyl ever, remastered in 2023. Zeke- Live Tracks Uncensored LP. This LP shows Zeke live ... raw, wild, untamed and uncensored. If you’ve seen Zeke before, you know that these guys can be a total beast on stage. This LP offers a bunch of killer live recordings to make it sound like the band is playing in your kitchen: loud, fast and furious. You know that Zeke are the real purveyors of speed rock and roll and that can’t be better heard than here. The LP includes some of their best songs including tracks from ‘Super Sound Racing’, ‘Flat Tracker’, ‘Kicked in the Teeth’, ‘Dirty Sanchez’ and ‘Death Alley’ recorded in different venues from Seattle to Las Vegas to Minneapolis. One of the other special treats this LP offers is it includes two very rare studio tracks that are pretty hard to find. 26 tracks in all with top notch production. Genre: Alternative / Rock n Roll / Pun

-15 year anniversary and first time on vinyl with brand new artwork, including previously unseen pieces from the Tame One archive.

-Remixed and remastered audio for a fresh listening experience. -Featuring guest appearances from Sean Price and Del Tha Funky Homosapien - One half of legendary graffiti rap group The Artifacts. -140 gram black vinyl, matte flood jacket with spot uv, 12x12 double sided insert with black poly lined inner sleeves. Rough, rugged and raw. Nothing better describes one's listening experience when they first heard Tame One & Parallel Thoughts, “Ol Jersey Bastard”. It was 15 years ago when Tame One came to "The Paradigm", the recording studio of Freehold's own Parallel Thought. One session turned into two, then quickly turned into three, resulting in a twice-weekly recording ritual that spanned three years. This ritual would give birth not only to this album, but three (Acid Tab Vocab & Parallel Uni-Verses w/ Del Tha Funky Homosapien) instilling a lifelong creative partnership. But let's focus on "Ol Jersey Bastard," Tame One's homage to the almighty and original OL Dirty Bastard. It was not the cleanest record to listen to, but it was true to Tame One's style and vision. He was not constrained by working with a group or having to answer to a label. As a side note, Amalgam Digital, the joke of a label who originally released this album wouldn't let us follow through with our original artwork concept. So the new cover and layout created by close friend Michael Interrante is Tame’s original concept. We also were able to include original scans of unseen artwork, tags & lyrics from Tames archive. This was unfiltered raw hip-hop, showcasing Tame One's unparalleled ability on the mic. Sometimes that called for no hook or maybe a 54 bar verse, traditional song structures were out the window. That being said, coming back to this album all these years later as producers, we wanted to elevate the album's listening experience. We cleaned up the mixes, so you might notice Tame sounds a little clearer, or those beats might knock a bit louder. It was what was needed to further elevate the music while not compromising our and Tame’s vision. Further demonstrating that music is a living, breathing piece of art. Always able to evolve. We hope you enjoy it!

smokey vinyl

French label and promoter Much More recordings is proud to present the first vinyl our collection.

This vinyl features 6 tracks ranging from breaks to techno and passing by acid and electronica, designed for soundsystem and anchored in their proper original and analogic techno sound.

We believe that redefining the essence of the genre is now critical. After years of promoting parties in Paris and Europe, Much More has gathered artists considered to be the essence of techno. Artists who know how to turn knobs without screens.

They continue to make the mob sweat on the dance-floor, with a simple at first yet efficient recipe that holds a myriad of subtleties.

On our table lies a lemon slowly withering away, a fruit that once was as much suave than sour. Our artists are as ripe as this yellow sphere lying in the open. They possess the experience and knowledge needed to forcefully broadcast this emergency rebirth that techno desperately needs. Our creations are neither nostalgic nor futuristic, they aim to be atemporal. They are naked to artifices, raw to over-tuning, built and cut upon the very ageless tools that defined and will name what is Techno.

Far from us the desire of claiming to be the only definition of the genre, nor forgetting about its primal cravings. Whereas Amarou, Skudge and Sawlin showcast the narrative scope of our passion, Wrong Assessment, Arnaud le Texier and Falling Echoes will remind us what is raving under the strobe's fire.

It's music from urban centers and countrysides, for big room and inner space.
It's music without tag or time, where every loop stops and unfolds on its own.

We are back to the essence, and yet, much more.

She may be making her first appearance on NuNorthern Soul, but Zeynep Erbay is no newcomer. A classically trained pianist who took a turn towards the dancefloor while at university, the Turkish DJ/producer earned her first release on Compost Records way back in 2007 after taking part in 2006’s Red Bull Music Academy programme. Since then, her career has been on an upwards trajectory, with releases on Fools Gold and Soul Clap Records confirming Erbay as a genuine rising star of underground electronic music.

On the Healer EP, the Istanbul-based producer showcases the more atmospheric, sun-kissed end of her productions, taking a turn away from synth-powered, disco-leaning club tracks towards something more suitable for al-fresco events, sun-down sets, and sofa-bound listening sessions.

Inspired by a poem inscribed on the back cover of the EP, Erbay’s two original instrumental tracks simply ooze with emotion. The poem tells the story of a whale searching for her family while helping others along the way, which acts as a metaphor for our wider search for belonging and acceptance.

This aural narrative unfolds firstly across ‘Heart of a Healer’, a slowly unfurling stunner in which emotion-rich chords, gentle electronic melodies and Erbay’s poignant and picturesque piano motifs, gently rise above a chunky dub disco bassline and mid-tempo, triple-time drums.

Delving further, the effortlessly emotional, life-affirming composition ‘Healer Whale’, where Erbay’s impeccable piano playing ushers in languid, jazz-flecked drums, dubby bass, sumptuous synth-strings and colourful, slow-moving chords.

On remix dutires, NYC-based Italian Danilo Braca, who also mastered the release, provides a fine club-focused fix of ‘Heart of a Healer’, laced with crunchy machine drums and undulating TB-303 acid lines. NuNorthern Soul regular Marshall Watson handles ‘Healer Whale’, first delivering a fine ‘Remix’ version that effortlessly blurs the boundary between dub disco and Balearic nu-disco, before serving up a shorter, ambient ‘Reprise’ version.

First-ever vinyl repress of her classic 1982 fan-favourite album, third in a series of remastered vinyls of her 1980s albums, and part of Cherry Red’s on-going re-issue campaign of the star’s EMI catalogue in association with RT Industries.

Remastered from the original master tapes and pressed on green coloured vinyl with refreshed artwork including new inner sleeve.

Includes the singles ‘Machinery’, ‘Are You Man Enough’ and ‘I Wouldn’t Beg For Water’ as well as her original recording of ‘Wind Beneath My Wings.’

Sheena Easton rocketed to overnight fame in 1980 with the BBC broadcast of ‘The Big Time’ – arguably the first pop reality show – subsequently breaking records with her first two singles ‘Modern Girl’ and ‘9 To 5’ simultaneously hitting the UK Top Ten. Within a year, she had topped the US Hot 100 with the renamed ‘Morning Train (Nine To Five)’, recorded the Bond theme ‘For Your Eyes Only’, released two platinum-selling albums and become an international sensation.1982 proved another whirlwind year for Sheena – beginning with her ‘Best New Artist’ win at the Grammies, followed by first national US tour, the recording of her first TV special ‘Live At The Palace, Hollywood’ and capped with the release of her third album
– the aptly-titled ‘Madness, Money and Music’. Produced by Christopher Neil, the album ranged from the hyperkinetic new wave-infused ‘Machinery’ via the smooth west coast yacht rock of ‘There When I Needed You’ to classic, Streisand-style balladry on the top 20 AC hit ‘I Wouldn’t Beg For Water.’ It also included one of the earliest recordings of the classic ‘Wind Beneath My Wings’.

After the release of "3.3 magnitude" and the remixes of the single "1.3 HDG" unveiled last February, H3 Records continues its musical exploration between rap and electronic music with a new release, "Music 4 Tesla".

This time, rapper Kaba joins forces with producer Hyas and unveils a slender and festive 6-track track, true to the label's identity.

Hyas started producing music in 2017 and released his first projects completely independently. Today, he has more than twenty releases on labels such as 99CTS and Casa Voyager. The Lyon native, resident of Le Sucre and Rinse FM, has a string of dates and festivals in France and abroad and founded his own label Bardouin Music in 2020.

For his part, Kaba has released three singles this year, including two featuring Karmen (formerly Tortoz) and Samy Ceezy, and a 10-track "Long Story Short", a joint project with the young beatmaker Keno.

The connection between the two artists was very natural: the rapper's ambitions and Hyas' influences complemented each other and led to a first draft of tracks, convincing enough to form the basis of a joint project. With influences from UK Garage, Acid House, Ghetto House and 2step, "Music 4 Tesla" is a high-flying, catchy, danceable, warm and sunny project. Throughout the tracks, Kaba borrows incisive old school flows (like on "4daMob") but also "DMV" (overlap flows where the phrases overlap like on "Original G") and enriches the musical universe of the project, which carries in it this fever of H3 Records' sounds.

Between pervasive house influences and bouncy bass, borrowed from funk sounds, "Music 4 Tesla" depicts throughout its 20 minutes a captivating gradation of festive ambiences, and proves again that the marriage of rap and house is definitely made to last.

More from the vaults of Alpha and Omega in the shape of `Shashamane’, previously an LP-only track appearing on the `Voice in the Wilderness’ LP in 1996, with the dub cut on vinyl for first time.

As always from A&O, they reliably unleash a heavy-weight, mystical shimmering slice of 90’s style dub.

Revered house mainstay Junior Sanchez makes his debut on Carl Craig’s renowned Planet E Communications imprint today with the digital release of his latest EP ‘‘Art O Fact’ out now with a 12” to come this July. Hailing from New Jersey, Sanchez remains a pioneering force in house music for over three decades and a close ally of Craig’s.

‘Art O Fact’ is an exemplar of the energized rhythm and infectious groove that has become synonymous with Sanchez’s work and genre defining productions. The package seamlessly connects scenes and eras, paying homage to the soulful sonic atmosphere of Detroit, Junior Sanchez’s says:

“Art O Fact -- was created purely and simply out of creative inspiration. I walked into the studio one morning not really knowing what to do, so I let my inspiration guide me and my inspiration really was Detroit. I thought about that city, what it meant to me and what techno really meant to my heart. I have loved so many records by Carl Craig, DJ ROLANDO, Derrick May, Kevin Saunderson and Juan Atkins, so the result is something really beautiful and organic, and the fact that it's coming out on Carl Craig's planet E imprint is such an honor.”

In addition to the original mix, the ‘Art O Fact’ EP features a bouncy ‘Luv4Detroit’ Dub, energized edit, and melodic reprise.

Sanchez’s eclectic palette can be credited in part to his time spent in the sonic melting pot of New York City in the 1990s. A pillar of the underground club scene, Junior Sanchez began DJing at iconic New York City institutions such as Limelight and Club USA at the mere age of 13 and released his first track on iconic house imprint Strictly Rhythm at age 15. Sanchez went on to co-found Da Mongaloids collective, composed of the likes of Daft Punk, Armand van Helden, LaidbackLuke, and more which laid the foundation for him to form multi-generational turntablism trio S-Men alongside Roger Sanchez and DJ Sneak.

Sanchez's extensive repertoire of collaborators includes Madonna, Ariana Grande, Good Charlotte, Azealia Banks and more while his own imprints Cube Recordings and Brobot Records have seen releases from the likes of Felix Da Housecat, Sébastien Léger, and Steve Mac.

Led by legendary Detroit techno pioneer Carl Craig, Planet E Communications has been an integral force in shaping electronic music for the past thirty years. Standing testament to the timeless spirit of techno, over the past two years alone Carl has released the leftfield ‘Attenuator’ jazz fusion project from himself and Moritz Von Oswald, DJ Holographic’s multi-genre Detroit Love Vol. 5, and the first electronic music album from Mexican-American percussionist Francisco Mora-Catlett. Planet E continues to transcend the dance floor, as it perpetuates the unifying spirit and unwavering creativity of Detroit.

Timeless is regularly cited as one of the greatest dance music albums ever made., a Dark Side of the Moon for the rave generation. As Tony Marcus, writing in Mixmag back in 1995, concluded: "Timeless is a record that couldn't have been made if it wasn't for the party, the MDMA, the noise and the rage. Timeless tells you that you can't ignore or erase this history because to Goldie, and to so many others, it holds their lives, dreams and feelings."

Timeless went on to become a landmark release not just for Drum 'n' Bass but for electronic music as a whole. Within a year of its release (1995), it had racked up more than 100,000 sales. Now sees the release of TIMELESS THE REMIXES, featuring hand-picked remixes by Goldie from the likes of Break, Doc Scott, Teebee, 4 Hero, Trevino and many more.

Throughout 2022, The Wedding Present’s ‘24 Songs’ series saw the legendary indie band release two new tracks a month as double A sided 7”s, ultimately creating a much-sought-after box set. David Gedge has now re-curated full-length versions of all twenty-four tracks for a new compilation album that will also comprise five bonus recordings including one featuring The Wedding Present’s first guitarist, Peter Solowka.

‘24 Songs’ was a doff of the cap to The Wedding Present’s ‘Hit Parade’ project of 30 years previous. That series proved to be a real milestone for the band with them becoming only the second-ever artist to achieve twelve Official UK Top 40 hits in a calendar year – at the time something that only Elvis had achieved!

David Gedge says: “When it came to compiling the ‘24 Songs’ album, I decided not to sequence the tracks in chronological order. With six sides of vinyl, you have six ‘beginnings’ and six ‘ends’ to play with, and I felt that the opportunity to build some kind of a musical journey was too good to miss! Listening back to this collection, I have to say that I genuinely believe that, for this project, The Wedding Present have recorded some of the best tracks in our history. I loved releasing the singles, but it’s satisfying to have them all rounded up together.”

“The idea of releasing another collection of twenty-four tracks did initially seem quite daunting,” admits David Gedge in the deluxe-CD sleeve notes but, with Jon Stewart (also of Sleeper) having joined the band at the end of 2019 and their subsequent writing partnership flourishing, he began to feel confident that they would be able to produce a year’s worth of music. And, with one of the UK’s most influential independent record labels by their side in Clue, a key partner to EMI North who will be distributing the record - there was no looking back.




























[xa] 27. Jump In, The Water’s Fine [Japanese Edit]
[xb] 28. We All Came From The Sea [Utah Saints Remix]

OUTER HEAVEN return with their crushing new album, Infinite Psychic Depths! The album, an exploration into the darkest depths of extreme music, showcases OUTER HEAVEN's muscle, as the band churns out some of 2023's most visceral and frenetic slabs of twisted Death Metal. Taking advantage of guitarists Jonathan Kunz’s and Zak Carter’s penchant for technical prowess and rhythmic galloping with melodic catchiness, OUTER HEAVEN bridges the worlds of dark n’ dank despair and upbeat hookiness. Austin Haines' vocal delivery is as unchained as ever, barking and growling through interwoven stories of societal collapse, hallucinogens, mutations, and more, connecting Infinite Psychic Depths to their acclaimed debut, Realms of Eternal Decay. Methodological riffing swirls around muscular half-time clobbering in both “Soul Remnants” and “Unspeakable Aura". “Pillars of Dust” and “Liquified Mind” take the listener on a journey from the furthest reaches of the Earth’s exosphere to the sweat and spilled beer of a dive bar moshpit. “Fragmented Suspension” gives a backhand to the genre tunnel vision with a tendinitis-inducing palm muted shuffle that’s part Norwegian black metal iciness and part classic ‘80s L.A. hardcore skate punk. Recorded by Ryan Reed and mixed and mastered by Greg Wilkinson at Earhammer Studios, Infinite Psychic Depths throws a few tricks and guest appearances into the mix with bass playing by Derrick Vella from Tomb Mold, as well as vocal contributions from Pig Destroyer’s JR Hayes, Morbid Angel’s Steve Tucker and Alex Jones from Undeath. The new album also features a special appearance by Dave Suzuki (Churchburn, ex-Vital Remains) doing a trade-off solo on “Rotting Stone/D.M.T.”

'Seven Years Of Love' is our second label compilation with nine original tracks by resident artists and friends from around the world. The versatile vibe spreads across two parts, each dedicated to a certain dancefloor mood: System 108 and RadugaDiscoClub. Outstanding artwork has been created by Uno Moralez.

Part 1 of the compilation is opened by new Locked Club gem that playfully recycles a well known video meme, 'Smog Izdevatsya'. Followed by Philipp Gorbachev's industrial / house / dub infused (!) fairy tale about a bird. ('Raven'). The last track of side A comes from our new shooting star, Maksimovna. Originally sent as a demo, '3a Gribami' tells a story about collecting mushrooms, it got signed immediately and is destined to become a big hit! Time to flip the side and enter the kingdom of dark physical beats and fun acid blackouts on side B: it is Kovyazin D who is back at it with 'Brainwash'. Disconnected electro mind, disconnected electro mind, disconnected electro mind! Closing out the EP is an exclusive by Inga Mauer. Rare to hear Inga's vocal experiments provide a transcendental experience in 'Comes From Nothing'

Futurismo are proud to present a first time reissue of the killer 1985 album: Just A Million Dreams by the uncompromising Alan Vega.

The remastered version of this LP comes with two unreleased bonus tracks produced by Liz Lamere and Jared Artaud of The Vacant Lots. It is packaged in a gloss laminated sleeve with a huge fold-out poster and contains new liner notes by Henry Rollins.

Presented in a remastered deluxe vinyl package, Just A Million Dreams, produced by Ric Ocasek and Chris Lord-Alge, takes Vega on an expedition into new territory. As an artist Vega had a crucial drive, but having a hit record was never a motive, neither was pandering to expectations, which is why Just a Million Dreams is perhaps a perfect statement for that moment, bettering the then bastions of MTV rock without even trying, an exercise in subversion that still has Vega’s unique artistry at its core. Would you expect anything less from one half of NYC legends Suicide? Perhaps not, but the hows and whys to Vega landing himself in such a mainstream position are perhaps just as fascinating as the record itself.

Here Alan Vega’s vocals sound better than ever, full of emotion and brooding honesty. Lyrics painting images of dystopian love might be a sideways move away from the intense nihilism of his past, but it’s still the real deal. Alan Vega could not be anything else. Listen to tracks like ‘Creation’ and you still get that raw emotion he spent his career honing. Set against the grandeur of mid 80’s production: big processed drums, runaway guitar solos, we get a rare peak into what Vega would sound like if he was allowed to be a rock star drenched in the sonic excesses of the era. It was a brave and unfairly misunderstood move, but the components come together to form an incredible anti-commercial, commercial album. Just A Million Dreams is the sound of Alan Vega taking on the 1980’s and winning.

With help of the official Vega Vault, two never before heard tracks have been unearthed from the 1985 JAMD recording sessions and brought to life by long time collaborator Liz Lamere and Jared Artaud of The Vacant Lots, adding a new insight to the recordings. Henry Rollins also lends a new written perspective, making this release a vital addition to the collections of Alan Vega and Suicide fans. It has been said that Alan Vega is forever, his unwavering artistic approach can be witnessed throughout his career, whether as part of Suicide or as a solo songwriter, poet or sculptor. Just a Million Dreams is just another example

Rejected Unknown is a 2001 album released by the acclaimed musician, Daniel Johnston. This is the first time the record has been pressed to vinyl in over 20 years. "The main themes on Rejected Unknown are the themes Johnston has explored throughout much of his career: hopeless longing, unrequited love, and as might be gathered from the album's title, fear of rejection. This fear probably took on very real terms for Johnston as he was finally dropped from Atlantic Records after being held for years in contractual limbo. Rejected Unknown is unmistakably Johnston's album; he sings and plays piano and guitar, and even adds some percussion to the oddly quirky pop songs."

Sometime in 1984, San Diego native Anthony "Antone" Williams found himself sitting alone at Pure Sound Studios, tinkering around with a drum machine. Eventually he landed on a "sinister groove" which would lay the propulsive foundation for his hauntingly melodic tour de force, "Windows of My Mind." Released the following year as a seven-inch single on his own Unity Records label, the song features Antone's otherworldly production. Some have referred to the result as "post punk soul," but we'll let you be the judge.

Coming up in San Diego in the Seventies, part of an extensive musical family, Antone's creative fuse was lit by the sounds of Stevie Wonder, Earth Wind & Fire, and the Jackson 5.. At the age of 13, he was performing in area clubs, making a name for himself. By age 22, he had opened his own recording studio, Pure Sound. The influence of Sly and the Family Stone was decisive for Antone, who took to wearing a star-shaped gold necklace, not unlike the one famously worn by Stone on his epochal 1975 LP High on You.

"Windows of My Mind" was Antone & The Underworld's sole release. Limited to 500 copies and handed out as a promotional tool for a purported album of the same name, the single didn't get much traction. (A story as old as time.) Perhaps the music was ahead of its time and Antone's visionary message will finally sink in 2023. "I didn't want to make a song like Shake Your Booty", he says now. And yet we think that this long-lost record with its "sinister groove" is eminently danceable, almost 40 years later. We challenge you to take a listen to this home-grown 1985 7", remastered directly from the original tape, and make an assessment of your own.

'Jump Into Love' is the new album from Half Japanese, true DIY noise-rock royalty, led by the ever-effervescent Jad Fair. It's a meeting of minds, a coming together from the world's favourite indie-alt-rock outsiders. Atypically out there and off-kilter, the album wears its heart on its sleeve through a cascade of new, dark and brooding songs from the band who would be king. Loved by Kurt Cobain, Daniel Johnston, Penn Jillette and outsiders everywhere, Half Japanese continue their quest for answers; creating a soundscape for a post-zombie land where bells chime and it's OK to say "Yes". It's another adventure; series 20 from an introspective parallel world where the super prolific Jad Fair cogitates on life, love, giants, the possessed and even bigger issues that simply swell the brain. Musing on the writing process, Jad explains "I feel a need to do music and do song writing. It's something I really miss when I'm not doing it. There's a certain amount of tranquillity that's obtained from the fact that you can be working on songs each day. I think you use that certain portion of your brain that is otherwise not used. I kind of kind of prefer using it than not using it." Half Japanese currently includes Jad with John Sluggett, Gilles-Vincent Rieder, Mick Hobbs and Jason Willett, a veritable who's who of DIY indie culture. 'Jump Into Love' was recorded at Tempo House, Baltimore, Russian Recording, Bloomington Indiana, Studio de la Trappe, Donneville France and la Casamurada, Tarragona Spain. The album was mixed by long time Half Japanese sparring partner Jason Willett at his home in Baltimore, Maryland. "Amid hard-riff jams, swinging ditties, lovelorn ballads and other catchy gems, Jad persistently breathes life into the Half Japanese" NPR "One of indie rock's most reliable sources of positivity" Pitchfork

Voyager Gold Vinyl

On Jupiter, Brooklyn trio Upper Wilds voyage deeper into the cosmos, mapping out the overwhelming enormity of the universe in soaring hooks and blistering noise. The third installment in the trio"s exploration of our solar system looks to its largest planet for a daring exploration of scale and perspective. New York underground mainstay Dan Friel"s melodic gifts and wry lyricism are magnified and propelled ever outwards by the thundering rhythm section of bassist Jason Binnick and drummer Jeff Ottenbacher, all immersed in rippling fuzz. Just like its namesake, Jupiter stands as Upper Wilds most colossal offering in their catalog. The raw power of their music is amplified to titanic proportions, sky-clawing riffs invoking the sheer awe that the heavens inspire. More than any Upper Wilds album before it, Jupiter makes humanity"s endeavors in space exploration an inseparable part of its sonic DNA . Recorded with Travis Harrison at his studio Serious Business in Brooklyn (Guided By Voices, Dope Body, The Men), the trio"s live recordings are inspired by the Voyager Golden Record - a double LP launched with the 1977 Voyager probe spanning field recordings to compositions by J.S. Bach and Laurie Spiegel. While the Voyager Golden Record"s intended audience may have originally been the extra-terrestrial beings that might encounter the probe, Upper Wilds bring cosmos-seeking sounds back to earth with a record made for and about humanity. Jupiter finds comfort in space"s unending expanse. Far from feeling defeated by the smallness of our existence in the face of an uncaring universe and ever-expanding infinite, Upper Wilds capture the power of creativity to extend our lifespans far beyond our limited time on earth

BERLIN PARTY AWAY WILL CELEBRATE A DECADE OF EVENTS WITH LABEL COMPILATION "AWAY 10 YEARS" AND THREE WEEKEND PARTIES

"AWAY 10 Years" features 10 tracks from a family-and-friends lineup of influential powerhouses like Moodymann, Move D, Axel Boman, Lady Starlight, Mark Broom, Inland, and well-known talents Discrete Circuit, Eluize, AWAY Soundsystem, and Attila & Blivv
Founded by DJ and producer Discrete Circuit in 2012, AWAY was born in Berlin out of a purist desire to establish a party for timeless house and techno music. In the early days, AWAY moved from multiple in- and outdoor venues to showcases across Europe to ultimately finding a stable home base at the About Blank club in 2015. Quickly they earned a reputation as a must-attend event series without losing its underground credibility. The AWAY crew did not shy away from booking many veterans and legends of the genre, some of whom are now on the compilation "AWAY 10 Years"

Renowned agent and jazz pioneer Wim Wigt founded Timeless Records in 1975. This Dutch record label has specialized in bebop, although it also did a sub-series of releases of Dixieland, Swing and Classical recordings. As of today, Timeless Records has, together with its three sub-labels, released over 900 albums. Notable releases include Dizzy Gillespie Meets Phil Woods Quintet, McCoy Tyner's Bon Voyage, Lou Donaldson's Forgotten Man, Eastern Rebellion and albums by the George Adams-Don Pullen Quartet, Chet Baker, Bill Evans, Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers and many more.

To celebrate the legacy of Wim Wigt's Timeless Records, Music On Vinyl is releasing a 45th anniversary jazz series. The series features albums that are part of the Timeless Records legacy and will be released throughout 2021/2022. To kick off this series, Pharoah Sanders' Africa is released on the 19th of November 2021.

Pharoah Sanders possesses one of the most distinctive tenor saxophone sounds in jazz, which has earned him royal status amongst free jazz players, critics and collectors. Harmonically rich and heavy with overtones, his sound can be as raw and abrasive as it is possible for a saxophonist to produce. His 1987 album Africa is soulful but also searching for a strong groove at the same time. The album is recorded with John Hicks, Curtis Lundy and Idris Muhammad and was an explicit tribute to his late mentor John Coltrane, another giant of jazz.

Africa by Pharoah Sanders is available on black vinyl. The album includes an insert with upcoming Timeless Records titles from the Timeless Records 45th Anniversary Jazz series. The sleeve contains liner notes by Kevin Whitehead.

Guyana folk music reinterpreted and infused with Afroroots and culture, reissued on vinyl for the first time.

A year after their debut album ‘Ojinga’s Own’, the Yoruba Singers from Guyana released the singles ‘Black Pepper’ and ‘Basa Bongo’. These two songs were recorded in Barbados and released on the Green Shrimp label and became extremely popular throughout the Caribbean
and South America. The music also became an integral part of the very beginnings of what was later to become the Champeta Criolla sound in the Caribbean coast of Colombia.

The 1974 debut album Ojinga’s Own and single Basa Bongo/Black Pepper by Guyanese Afro-Folk band The Yoruba Singers has been remastered for vinyl and digital.
The Yoruba Singers formed in Georgetown, Guyana in 1971. Despite their name they were not from Nigeria, but identified strongly with the area from which so many of the African diaspora in Guyana and neighbouring regions were originally descended.

The group started adapting Guyanese traditional folk music as well as writing their own - blending a mixture of protest, social commentary, blues, and genres inspired by the times. Beginning with about 12 people sharing vocal duties, most of the early repertoire was inspired
by folk songs that started life on plantations or in religious settings accompanied by a few sparse musical instruments.


Integral to the Yoruba Singers’ sound are echoes of Obeah traditions which are very closely related to the Santería religion of Cuba and the Orisha and Shango traditions of Trinidad and Tobago. Calypso and steel band culture from nearby Trinidad and Tobago was to some extent part of the musical DNA of the group, but they were naturally also influenced by the massive volume of rocksteady and roots-reggae coming from Jamaica.

If you are a death metal fan, GRACELESS shouldn’t need an introduction. Three full lengths and two split EPs have granted the Dutch ensemble a respectable reputation across the globe. Closer to home, the four piece has played countless live shows since their 2016 inception. The rock solid line up -unchanged since day one- has delivered ferocious, high energy live performances at Eindhoven Metal Meeting, Into the Grave, Party San Metal Open Air, Ruhrpott Metal Meeting, Stonehenge, SDF2021 and many more festivals and clubs. Joining forces with LISTENABLE RECORDS in 2023 is the next thundering milestone for GRACELESS. Tirelessly working on their fourth full-length, the next chapter for GRACELESS will be another step deeper into the abyss that started with Shadowlands (2018), via Where Vultures Know Your Name (2020), to Chants from Purgatory (2022). For fans of DEATH, ASPHYX, GORGUTS, BOLT THROWER, AMON AMARTH, BLOODBATH

After a first release by a member of the crew, Love Reaction is proud and humbled to welcome on the label one of Geneva’s rising stars and longtime friend, Mirlaqi.

With this record, he offers a simple yet poetic groove : Disco and balearic in their broadest sense, tinged with his signature touch of Spatial House.

A very personal project, produced in collaboration with family and friends. He has known the instrumentalists on bassoon and sax since high school. The singer, with her spellbound voice, is now a recurring partner, featured on every record he released. He also brought his cousin into the equation, to help him on his journey back to his origins, as she translated parts
of the texts to Armenian.

A-side includes the most organic tracks of the record, that, while still suited to make you dance, will also fit perfectly as a soundtrack to end a shiny afternoon in front of the ocean. On the flip, the clubbier tracks : An original production, This Color, which is the track that inspired the cover art, and a remix by parisian italo-maestro LeonxLeon. Expect the most infectious grooves the balearic spectrum could offer and prepare to dance, not on the beach this time, but rather in orbit, on the red sand of Mars

First time on wax for P.0.3 and BLUMET!!!

Printed sleeve

A1 TRASHIN is a POWERFUL 194 bpm melodic hardfloor banger, old school off beat bass, full of mini breaks and surprises with a stomping kick!! FIRST DEBUT FOR P.0.3 ON VINYL!!!

A2 ANTRAX is a mega TRIBE CORE track with an impressing solid kick and mental melodies. Slowing down a bit to 165 bpm, driving off beat bass and ghosty effects, nice mixing tool!! FIRST DEBUT FOR P.0.3 ON VINYL ALSO!!!

B1 BLUE ANGER is the very first debut on vinyl for BLUMET, 2013 RS7000 drum machine remake. The track recall IVAR THE BONELESS war cry saying "you cannot kill me". Mad 210 bpm angry tune to make the crowd gabber kick the air! Edit and mix from STITCH!

B2 THE NAME OF DOVA is an old school hardfloor unreleased banger at 180 bpm from the infamous UZI. Stomping and deep first part with fidget recalls and digi sound effects, second part goes melodic on a Zelda Epic theme sound like, very cool!

MASTER from the very talented producer and Master engineer 1NC1N.

GRAPHICS from STITCH!!

Repress!

Funkiwala Records presents the third in the series of "Lokkhi Terra meets"albums, with the London fusionistas creating another unique sound-clash, this time with ex-Fela Kuti keyboardist and legendary UK Afro-beat ambassador Dele Sosimi, and members of his critically acclaimed Afro-beat Orchestra.

This particular collaboration has been bubbling away for a few years now, teasing audience expectations with a handful of sold out shows each year in between both bands busy schedules.
Featuring the two pianos of Kishon Khan and Dele Sosimi – Cuban percussionists/vocalists Geraldo De Armas (Yoruba Andabo), Oreste Noda (Ariwo), Javier Camilo (Ibrahim Ferrer) - a horn section led by Justin Thurgur (Bellowhead) featuring Yelfris Valdes (Sierra Maestra) and Graeme Flowers (Kyle Eastwood) to name a few – this is an All-star cast.

Kishon Khan's Lokkhi Terra have over a number of years now been quietly establishing themselves as one of London's more unusual heavyweight outfits, described as "Stunning Headliners… A majestic multi-cultural blend of sounds… effortlessly builds bridges between rolling Indian raga rhythms, Afro-Cuban grooves, Acid Jazz/funk and free flowing improvisation" (Timeout London). Included amongst the band members are London's top Cuban musicians, adding their infectious rich musical history to the city's melting pot.
When the band wanted to explore Cuban links with another of their favourite traditions, Afrobeat, who better to bring in then one of the Afrobeat originators – maestro Dele Sosimi – "Sosimi creates some of the most bewitching grooves in modern African music" E Jazz News.
Bringing together two Yoruba speaking musics - with different accents, from different sides of the Atlantic - Havana meets Lagos in London – A Cuban-Afrobeat-Experience. CUBAFROBEAT.

All About Jazz 4star review

A younger version of London's Grand Union Orchestra, founded by world-jazz pioneer Tony Haynes in 1982, Lokkhi Terra was put together by keyboard player Kishon Khan in 2005. Both ensembles have made a specialism of jazz / South Asian fusion, with Lokkhi Terra also giving as much attention to music from Cuba, where Bangladeshi-born, London-based Khan lived for a while in the early 2000s.

Cubafrobeat, as the title foretells, is a blend of Cuban dance music and Nigerian / Yoruban Afrobeat—a fusion rendered seamless by the synergies existing between Afro-Cuban and Yoruban music, language and mythology. The album is Lokkhi Terra's third and partners the band with the keyboard player and vocalist Dele Sosimi .

A young-going-on-child-prodigy member of Fela Kuti's Egypt 80, Sosimi went on to become musical director of Femi Kuti's Positive Force, before relocating to London and setting up Dele Sosimi's Afrobeat Orchestra, the finest Afrobeat band outside Nigeria, bar none, now with a string of consistently engaging albums under its belt. Cubafrobeat features Sosimi as lead vocalist on all four tracks, and on Fender Rhodes on two of them. His singing plays a prominent role in the Afrobeat Orchestra, but, such is the whirlwind impact of the band in full instrumental flight, that Sosimi is often thought of first and foremost for his keyboard and arranging talents. That may change by the time 2018 is over. Cubafrobeat is the third album in as many months to feature Sosimi as guest vocalist, spotlighting the gravitas, air of mystery, intimacy and ferocity his voice can bring to an occasion.

The first of these albums was the genre-bending spiritual-jazz band Emanative's Earth (Jazzman). One of the stand-out tracks, "Ìyáàmi," features Sosimi making obeisance to the titular Mother Goddesses of the Yoruba spirit worlds. His raw and intense invocations carry the track for nine mesmerising minutes. Otherwordly is not the half of it. Next up was dub / reggae / jazz band Soothsayers' Tradition (Wah Wah 45s), which featured Sosimi as lead vocalist on the compelling "Sleepwalking (Black Man's Cry)." Earth and Tradition are both outstanding albums and have previously been reviewed here.

Cubafrobeat is a total stonking blinder, too. It is an effectively nuanced affair, opening with the fiery "Afro Sambroso" and closing with the relatively reflective "Rumbafro." Sosimi's vocals light up the music, as do the several solos from trumpeters Graeme Flowers and Yelfris Valdes Espinosa and trombonist Justin Thurgur (a member of both Lokkhi Terra and the Afrobeat Orchestra). Sosimi and Kishon Khan's intertwining Fender Rhodes solos on "Cubafro" are also a delight, as is the drum and percussion section throughout.

The sound of summer, for sure, Cubafrobeat has enough depth and variety to make it something for all seasons.

Songlines 4star review

Lokkhi Terra are one of London's most authentic groups. They are a Latin-flavoured collective whose keyboard player and bandleader Kishon Khan segues from percussive montunos to complex Bengali rhythms and back, with jazz chops sparking funky and outward-looking fusions. Their collaboration with Dele Sosimi, Britain's foremost Afrobeat ambassador, has been bubbling for a while; here four tracks at ten minutes see musical conversations that never lose their sense of flow. An extensive line-up of stellar players, including trumpeter Yelfris Valdés, conguero Oreste Noda and trombonist Justin Thurgur, highlights the genre-crossing potential of world traditions. Opener 'Afro Sambroso' showcases batá drums from Gerardo de Armas Sarria before the track links Cuban grooves with Afrobeat. 'Timbafro' crackles and sways via Khan's organ, Sosimi's vocals and Oscar Martinez's timbales. 'Cubafro' features dazzling interplay between Khan, Sosimi and Javier Camillo's Spanish-language vocals. 'Rumbafro' is all rumba choruses, Yoruba vocals and Afrobeat horns. Rooted in their sources, but with musical threads intertwining, separating and reconfiguring – with grooves at a premium – this is a fusion lover's dream

For the last twenty years, Sami Yenigun has DJed, thrown parties, released records and built community in Washington DC. He lived in and helped produce the underground event space Subterranean A. He's a co-founder of the DC mega party ROAM. He started the label 1432 R alongside Joyce Lim and Dawit Eklund. He's made music for Future Times, World Building, Rhythm Section, and Ghostly International. He’s produced for Dreamcastmoe and jammed with the Lifted crew.

Sami's also an award-winning journalist and Executive Producer of the largest afternoon news broadcast in radio, All Things Considered. He's won a Peabody, a Murrow, A World Press Photo Award and a National Press Club Award for his work, which includes creating a show with the legendary DJs Stretch and Bobbito, serving as editor of NPR's podcast about race, Code Switch, and covering elections, epidemics, insurrections, and of course, music.

It’s a lot, but whether finding a flute that fits, an extra battery for his Marantz, or the energy to make beats after a week of telling stories, Sami's enthusiasm for life, and the people in it, make it work.

The latest record, Elevate, is a testament to that enthusiasm. Four tracks that crackle and pulse with the same electricity that runs through all of what he makes. Just as Sami's interests in his personal and professional life are ranging, so are his tastes for club fare, and you can hear it on this release.

Four views of mother nature: a forest and a mountain range; a wicked city and a well. Traced from house and techno, through a lens and back.

It's a body of work that continues to branch and build. Elevate is a step into Sami's next chapter: Where flutes, stories, queerness and truth curve together.

World-renowned Indian musician Ravi Shankar’s Shankar Family & Friends was originally released in 1974. Produced by George Harrison, this was one of the first album releases on Dark Horse Records. Its East-meets-West musical styles puts Western musicians such as Ringo Starr, Billy Preston, Jim Keltner, Klaus Voorman, and Nicky Hopkins side-by-side with Indianmusic pioneers Alla Rakha, Ashish Khan, Shivkumar Sharma and Hariprasad Chaurasia. The album contains the first single issued on Dark Horse, “I Am Missing You,” featuring Lakshmi Shankar on vocals backed by a full Western rock band. Out of print for many years, the album was last reissued on CD in 2010 as part of the Collaborations boxset. Dark Horse is proud to present the original album remastered and reissued as a standalone release for the first time on CD and orchid purple color vinyl.

Rocksteady took Over Orange Street, Jamaica around 1966, the same time that an extreme heatwave hit the Jamaican island. Some say the previous jerky Ska Rhythms proved too strenuous of an activity to partake in, during the all night Sound System sessions .So it proved a winning formula to slow the beat down to a more leisurely pace.

Whatever the reasons were this two year period that ran until 1968, would see some of the power escape from the big three producers, Clement ‘Coxone’ Dodd, Prince Buster and Duke Reid, who up until this period had ruled the airwaves .It was time to make room for a new wave of up and coming producers that also had something to offer the people. Such names as Joel Gibson ( Joe Gibbs ), Sonia Pottinger, Derrick Harriott and most prolific of them all Mr Bunny Lee.

These new names would unleash some fine music in what would be a short lived chapter in the ever changing and moving beat that is reggae’s history. We have compiled some of the biggest hits from the Rocksteady period, alongside some lesser known cuts we believe deserve to be re-evaluated. Rocksteady was an inspirational and somewhat over looked sound that provided us with some outstanding music. So sit back and enjoy some Rocksteady straight from the dances of Jamaica.