Search:son of sound

Signed to Death Row Records by Snoop Dogg, the 2025 Grammy-nominated artist channels the spirit of Marvin Gaye in this deeply heartfelt tribute to one of music's most iconic voices. With The Rebirth of Marvin, October captures both Gaye’s timeless influence and his own unique artistry, creating a seamless fusion of the past and the present. The album’s lead single, "Back to Your Place," has already made waves, topping the Billboard Adult R&B Songs chart, while earning three nominations at the Soul Train Music Awards.

FEBRUARY 2023 MARKED THE ARRIVAL OF AN ALBUM THAT’S REDEFIFINING THE SOUND OF SOUL FOR A NEW GENERATION: OCTOBER LONDON’S THE REBIRTH OF MARVIN. SIGNED TO DEATH ROW RECORDS BY SNOOP DOGG, THE 2025 GRAMMY NOMINATED OCTOBER LONDON CHANNELS THE SPIRIT OF MARVIN GAYE IN THIS HOMAGE TO ONE OF MUSIC’S MOST SOULFUL VOICES, CAPTURING BOTH GAYE’S TIMELESS INFLFLUENCE AND LONDON’S OWN UNIQUE ARTISTRY.

REFLECTING ON THE PROJECT, OCTOBER LONDON SHARED, “DEAR MARVIN, I’M NOT TRYING TO BE YOU. THAT’S IMPOSSIBLE. YOU’RE ONE OF A KIND. I JUST WANT TO PAY HOMAGE TO YOU, BROTHA. YOU PAVED THE WAY FOR THIS SOUND, AND I’M JUST HERE TO MAKE SURE THEY DON’T FORGET.”

THE ALBUM’S LEAD SINGLE ‘BACK TO YOUR PLACE‘ HAS ALREADY TOPPED THE BILLBOARD ADULT R&B SONGS CHART, CAPTIVATING LISTENERS AND EARNING THREE SOUL TRAIN MUSIC AWARD NOMINATIONS. FROM HIS BEGINNINGS AS A RISING ARTIST UNDER SNOOP DOGG’S MENTORSHIP TO HIS PLACE AS A FORCE IN MODERN R&B, OCTOBER LONDON’S JOURNEY HAS LED TO THIS PIVOTAL MOMENT.
THE REBIRTH OF MARVIN IS BOTH A TRIBUTE AND AN EVOLUTION, A SOULFUL REMINDER OF THE LEGACY GAYE LEFT BEHIND - AND OF THE NEW PATHWAYS LONDON IS CREATING FOR IT TODAY.

In 2019, Resistencia Sonora was launched as a collaborative project where urban resistances and ethnic-peasant rural resistances converge in the greater area of Montes de Maria, situated in Colombia's western Caribbean region. This initiative originates in one of the musical epicenters of ancestral sounds that have fostered a now global recognition for styles such as gaita, cumbia, bullerengue, son palenque and son de negro, as well as Sabanero accordion music like porros and pajaritos.

The aim of this extensive project has been to serve as a rare living archive of festive gatherings, conversations, knowledge exchange, and co-creative processes that have spawned specifically from the municipality of Ovejas, which sits in the Sucre Department of Montes de Maria. Resistencia Sonora's documentation in Ovejas is more than just a musical recording, rather an all-encompassing snapshot of a very real folkloric life within neighborhoods such as El Bolsillo, El Corea and La Ciudadela. The initial inspiration of the project can be credited to a specific call to arms from composer Andrés Narváez, who expressed the dream to record his own original compositions set amongst this region's local history. Andrés, like many leaders from the old sabanas beyond Montes de Maria, is a social leader and land-rights activist. He proposed not only to record his songs but also to invite other musicians and composers to take part in this documentation, an extended hand to uphold the legacies, knowledge, and traditions of the region's elders.

All songs recorded between 2022-23 on location in Ovejas and Bogotá, Colombia. Mixed in Brooklyn by Names You Can Trust and mastered by Frank Meritt at The Carvery, London. Limited Edition 250 vinyl press with included 12-page booklet and liner notes in English and Spanish.

After two years in the making, Wyatt E. seals their long-awaited return in 2025 with the highly anticipated narrative sequel to "al beluti darû": zamaru ultu qereb ziqquratu Part 1 (Music from inside the Ziggurat); is the first chapter of a set of 2 concept albums in which the band deepens its exploration of ancient Babylon with an almost mythical approach through the eyes of the exiled captives from Jerusalem. Featuring contributions from 7 international collaborators, zamaru ultu qereb ziqquratu is poised to become one of the most ambitious projects in the doom scene in terms of production & conception and will be released by the finest label in the genre: Heavy Psych Sounds. The album pushes sonic boundaries by featuring two drummers recorded simultaneously, creating the immersive effect of distant crowds. An eclectic mix of instruments, including the saz, viola, sitar, and bugle, blend with both analog and digital elements to enrich the soundscape. A nod to Turkish composer Faz?l Say is also present, with a quotation from his symphony Mesopotamia. For the first time, two vocal tracks appear alongside the instrumental pieces. Iranian singer Nina Saiedi lends her ethereal voice to "The Diviner's Prayer to the Gods of the Night," sung in Akkadian, while Jerusalem's choir conductor, Tomer Damsky delivers a captivating performance of Im Lelya in Aramaic adding a deep vocal layer to the album. The final mix, crafted by renowned producer Tim De Gieter, known for his work with Amenra, Brutus, and Absent in Body, brings everything together with a masterful touch.

Gold vinyl, limited to 550 copies. After two years in the making, Wyatt E. seals their long-awaited return in 2025 with the highly anticipated narrative sequel to "al beluti darû": zamaru ultu qereb ziqquratu Part 1 (Music from inside the Ziggurat); is the first chapter of a set of 2 concept albums in which the band deepens its exploration of ancient Babylon with an almost mythical approach through the eyes of the exiled captives from Jerusalem. Featuring contributions from 7 international collaborators, zamaru ultu qereb ziqquratu is poised to become one of the most ambitious projects in the doom scene in terms of production & conception and will be released by the finest label in the genre: Heavy Psych Sounds. The album pushes sonic boundaries by featuring two drummers recorded simultaneously, creating the immersive effect of distant crowds. An eclectic mix of instruments, including the saz, viola, sitar, and bugle, blend with both analog and digital elements to enrich the soundscape. A nod to Turkish composer Faz?l Say is also present, with a quotation from his symphony Mesopotamia. For the first time, two vocal tracks appear alongside the instrumental pieces. Iranian singer Nina Saiedi lends her ethereal voice to "The Diviner's Prayer to the Gods of the Night," sung in Akkadian, while Jerusalem's choir conductor, Tomer Damsky delivers a captivating performance of Im Lelya in Aramaic adding a deep vocal layer to the album. The final mix, crafted by renowned producer Tim De Gieter, known for his work with Amenra, Brutus, and Absent in Body, brings everything together with a masterful touch.

Today, the Toronto-born-and-raised singer, songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Charlotte Day Wilson announces her highly-anticipated sophomore album Cyan Blue out May 3rd via Stone Woman Music / XL Recordings

Along with the announcement of her new album comes the release of first single, "I Don"t Love You", a stark and devastatingly beautiful confessional, highlighting Wilson"s immaculate production skills and chill inducing vocals laid atop smooth groove piano chords and soft drums. The track also arrives with a visual directed by Dani Aphrodite featuring layered low fi footage of the artist and producer performing at home, living every day life and having moments of solitude in her car, a theme that comes up throughout the album. Cyan Blue finds Wilson crafting a smoothly woven cyan tapestry of her eternal influences; thumping gospel piano, warm soul basslines, atmospheric electronics, and penetrating R&B melodies. Yet, it possesses a sense of vastness that rings in a new era for Wilson, one in which she"s embracing collaboration and newfound creative openness tinged with wistfulness and yearning and a reflection on youthful innocence. "I want to look through the unjaded eyes of my younger self again," Wilson explains of making Cyan Blue. "Before there wasn"t as much baggage, before so much life was lived. But I also wish that my younger self could see where I am now. It would be nice to be able to impart some of the wisdom and clarity that I have now onto her.

" Working with producers like Leon Thomas (SZA, Ariana Grande, Post Malone), and Jack Rochon (HE.R, Daniel Caesar), Cyan Blue demonstrates Wilson´s sonic expertise while also showcasing the next evolution of her time-bending songwriting. Through 13 hypnotizing tracks, she continues to use music as a vessel for unpacking relationships, which in turn allows her to meet and understand herself in life-spanning, panoramic focus.

But, on Cyan Blue, she challenged herself to kick her perfectionist tendencies. "Before, I was extremely intentional about creating music with a strong foundation, a bed of artistic integrity," Wilson reflects. "But that was a bit stifling, like, "Let me just make a great piece of art that will stand the test of time, no pressure." Now, I think I"m getting out of this frozen state of needing everything to be perfect. I"m more interested in capturing feelings in the moment as they happen and leaving them in that moment."

While this is only her second album, Wilson"s influence in music has made a major mainstream impact. Wilson broke out in 2016 with her critically acclaimed EP, CDW, followed by 2018"s Stone Woman and made her debut studio album an official coming out moment in 2021 with the critically acclaimed, self-released Alpha.

Over the past decade, she´s been sampled by Drake, John Mayer, and James Blake, while Patti Smith has recently praised and covered Wilson´s 2016 breakout single "Work." Additionally, she´s collaborated with artists like Kaytranada, BADBADNOTGOOD, and SG Lewis, demonstrating that there´s no sound Wilson can´t adapt to and sprinkle her cyan-colored magic over.

"The Best of Warrant is the first greatest hits compilation album by the American rock band Warrant, released in 1996 on CD. This is the first time the album is available on vinyl. It features the band's greatest hits from their first three studio albums, Dirty Rotten Filthy Stinking Rich, Cherry Pie and Dog Eat Dog. It also includes the track ""We Will Rock You"", which is a cover of the Queen song that was released on the soundtrack to the 1992 film Gladiator starring Cuba Gooding Jr. The Warrant version of ""We Will Rock You"" charted at number 83 on The Billboard Hot 100 and the version of ""I Saw Red"" is the acoustic version previously released as a B-side from the single of the same song. The Best Of Warrant is available as a limited edition of 2000 individually numbered copies on red coloured vinyl and includes a renewed insert with lyrics and liner notes.

Lungu Boy is the third studio album from global superstar and Nigerian singer/songwriter, Asake. The album promises to captivate fans with its vibrant rhythms, soulful melodies, and poignant lyrics that reflect Asake's unique artistry and cultural roots. Lungo Boy showcases Asake's signature blend of Afrobeats, Amapiano, hip-hop, and highlife, creating a rich tapestry of sound that is both innovative and deeply rooted in African musical traditions. Each track on the album tells a story, weaving personal experiences with universal themes of love, struggle, and triumph. The album features collaborations with some of the biggest names in the music industry, like Travis Scott, WizKid, Central Cee, Stormzy, and LUDMILLA – adding exciting dynamics to Asake's already impressive sound.

Produced by a team of top-notch producers, Lungo Boy is a testament to Asake's commitment to quality and his relentless pursuit of musical excellence. The album also narrates the transition of Asake growing up on the streets of Lagos to becoming a global icon and living life in urban cities around the world. It identifies with the sights and sounds of Lagos (Eko, Lagos Island, Idumota Street), London (Hackney, Shoreditch, Brixton, Peckham), and New York (Brooklyn, Harlem).

WRWTFWW Records is delighted to announce the first official worldwide reissue of Satsuki Shibano’s Wave Notation 3: Erik Satie 1984, the final album from the sound-defining Wave Notation environmental music series curated by Satoshi Ashikawa. Originally released in 1984 on the Sound Process label, Wave Notation 3 followed Ashikawa’s own Still Way (1982) and Hiroshi Yoshimura's Music For Nine Postcards (1982).

The highly sought-after album, sourced from the original master tape, is available as a double LP (housed in a luxurious heavyweight sleeve) for the first time ever. Digipack CD and digital formats are also available. This exclusive reissue, including English and Japanese liner notes by the artist, was supervised by Japanese ambient legend Yoshio Ojima.

Wave Notation 3 is a splendid tribute to seminal French composer and pianist Erik Satie, himself one of the main influences behind kankyo ongaku / environmental music (alongside Brian Eno, John Cage to name a few). The alphabetically-sequenced album features 26 pieces showcasing Shibano's unique piano interpretation of Satie’s works.

The artist explains: « For this album, I sequenced the compositions in alphabetical order of each title, irrespective of the period of each composition or style. By doing this, I attempted to effectively create ‘Music as an environment’ and at the same time, allow the listener to genuinely experience Satie’s music. »

Satsuko Shibano’s minimalistic approach to ambient classical is simply perfect and offers a beautiful and tranquil listening experience, furniture music with extra comfort and soothing simplicity, relaxing to the mind and to the soul. This Wave Notation deserves a spot among the pillars of Japanese environmental music, next to Midori Takada’s Through The Looking Glass, Hiroshi Yoshimura’s Green, and Satoshi Ashikawa’s Still Way.

On (ii), London & Vienna-based duo Bara & Isa present their singular version of devotional music. After meeting at an experimental choir in Café OTO, the duo started collaborating, mostly by exchanging files (initially during the pandemic and now between London and Vienna). (ii) is their debut album which follows a handful of self-released singles and an EP.

Described by the duo as a "sort of document of personal development, and also the struggles of everyday motions", this is music which embraces contradictions. Themes of reflection, acceptance and care sit side by side with notions of spiralling and falling, as Bara & Isa explore the nuances and complexities of quotidian life. Working with a rich sound palette of organ pipes, electric organ, voice notes, field recordings, vocals, harp, chimes, tuning forks, singing bowls, bells and flute, the duo slow-cooked and composed these beautiful songs between 2021 and 2024, mostly by exchanging files. And that's exactly what this music sounds like: a digital call with a loved one, glitching, slowed down, disembodied, yet heartwarming and comforting. Mesmerizing, inviting and bewildering all at once.

“Their music toys with proximity and intimacy, it carries a romanticism which feels forged from a struggle for connection in an isolating world. Tender, precarious folk ballads for a time which struggles to stay in sync.”
Daryl Worthington — The Quietus

“Late Junction 3 airplay”
Jennifer Lucy Allan — BBC Radio 3

INHERIT proudly unveils its latest Various Artist compilation, available digitally and on vinyl a powerful showcase of the labels distinct sound and vision. This release embodies INHERITs essence, delivering a curated selection of cutting-edge techno that reflects the energy of techno.

With tracks from Parallx, Ferdinger, Introversion, OFF/GRID, Insolate, Alex Ranzino, Leon Schanzenbach, Echion, Disguised, Daniel Heinrich, FANK, and Isaiah, this compilation highlights each artists unique contribution while painting a cohesive sonic picture that is unmistakably INHERIT. From industrial grit to deep, hypnotic rhythms, the VA captures the spectrum of sounds that define the label.

This release is more than a collection of tracks its a statement of INHERITs dedication to pushing the boundaries of modern techno.

The SteelDrivers are more than the launching pad of Chris Stapleton’s career and the home-base to the multi-talented musician and songwriter Tammy Rogers. They’re an ever-evolving group of seasoned veterans who have reinvigorated bluegrass by mixing in their individual influences and histories. Stirring Southern soul, Nashville country, deep blues, and wooden-church gospel into bluegrass, The SteelDrivers created a hybrid old as the hills and fresh as morning dew. Or, as a slack-jawed Vince Gill described their sound more directly, “an incredible combination.” Over the past 20 years, The SteelDrivers have become one of the biggest names in progressive bluegrass. After four Grammy nominations, the Americana Music Association’s New Artist of the Year and IBMA’s 2009 Emerging Artist of The Year, The Muscle Shoals Recordings took them to the next level, winning the band their first Grammy Award and landing them another #1 Bluegrass album. In every way, The Muscle Shoals Recordings was a major step forward for the group. Former bandmember Chris Stapleton contributed a new song, “Drinkin’ Alone,” and longtime fan Jason Isbell shows up on a few tracks as co-producer and guitarist. The core of the SteelDrivers stepped up as well, with even richer and more evocative songs and performances that cut deeper than ever. It sounds like an album that should have always existed on vinyl but somehow never was. Until now. Vinyl debut of the Billboard #1 Bluegrass Album & Best Bluegrass Album Grammy winner Featuring production & guitar by Jason Isbell Includes "Drinkin' Alone," written by former SteelDriver Chris Stapleton "Their playing is magnetic" —NPR "The group has rarely sounded more focused or passionate

Die französischen Pop.-Connaisseure aus Paris, LA FEMME, veröffentlichen ihr zweites Album ,Mystère".

Die Band hat die kulturelle Landschaft des modernen Paris massiv beeinflusst und ihre Musik an beiden Seiten der Stadt an der Seine verortet: im Glamour und an den weniger glamourösen Schauplätzen. Seit der Veröffentlichung ihres Debüts ,Psycho Tropical Berlin" haben LA FEMME prominente Bewunderer gesammelt: darunter die Regisseure Jacques Audiard und Romain Gavras, Legenden wie JEAN MICHEL JARRE und Hedi Slimane sowie eine stetig wachsende junge Fangemeinde, die ihnen den Titel ,French Best New Band of the Year" bei den französischen Music Awards und Plätze ganz oben in den französischen Charts einbrachte; dazu sorgten TV-Werbespots von Aplles, Renault und Sonos mit der Musik von LA FEMME für gespitzte Ohren.

Die Band kehrt mit einem psychedelischeren Sound und einer ganzen Reihe von Gastsängerinnen zurück, die eine Schneise durch die härtesten Elektrobeats schlagen. LA FEMME feiern ihre wunderbare Heimatstadt und hinterfragen das Ver- und Entlieben. ,Mystère" ist tatsächlich eine Kollektion von Kurzgeschichten über Liebe und Verlust. Jeder einzelnen Song überspringt Sprachbarrieren durch reine Melodie. Der retrofuturistische Surfpop-Sound der Band beruft sich noch immer auf den gleichen glamourös-punkigen Krach wie zuvor, doch dieses Mal ist er durchzogen von einer Zusammenstellung eleganter Einflüsse zwischen ENNIO MORRICONE, dem Disco-Rock von MARIE ET LES GARCONS und THE VELVET UNDERGROUND.

,Mystère" ist ein Fundament für die neue LA FEMME Vorliebe für orientalische Klänge; türkischen Disco, Tuareg Blues, mittelalterliche Psychedelia lehnen sich an an BRIAN ENO und PINK FLOYD.

Wilurarrakutu is the brilliant debut from Papunya-based artist Keanu Nelson, an intimate exercise in musical storytelling and reflection. The album's eight tracks, sung in both Papunya Luritja and English, are verses of prose and poetry pulled directly from Nelson's notebooks and set to minimalist, DIY electronic arrangements.The evocative musical backdrops_featuring Casio keyboards, drum machines, and subtle synth flourishes_were created in collaborative sessions between Nelson and Sydney producer Yuta Matsumura. The two met by chance on Matsumura's visit to Papunya last year. Their impromptu jam sessions form the foundation for Wilurarrakutu's low-key sonic palette, influenced in parts by Papunya's strong local gospel music scene as well as the reggae beats often passed around the remote community via USB sticks and mobile phone transfers.Over these soundscapes, Nelson sings of family, friends, heritage, and culture, with a tone that balances joy and melancholy. They're themes and emotions that also echo through his work as a painter at the Papunya Tjupi Arts Centre. In this way, Wilurarrakutu becomes an extension of his art practice - a graceful audio portrait of a place that evokes the resonance of home.

With the release of Love (the) Ominous World, Blu & Exile have returned with an album that brilliantly builds on their soulful, reflective foundation with stunning musicality and sharp songwriting. Their shared history as one of hip-hop’s best duos continues to grow, especially as they venture into new territory while embracing and refining what made them special.

“This album is our most unique work to date,” Blu says. “We took a different approach with the direction while still staying true to the culture our music has built with our fan base.” That direction is one that finds the two California natives crafting records that would sound right at home on the radio and hip-hop charts. Like “Suga & Butta,” for example, which features recent Def Jam signee Rae Khalil and rising star Ahmad Anwar. Every element of the track is as sweet and smooth as its namesake, from the lyrics to the production. There’s also the raw G-funk banger “Chucks,” a snarling collaboration with West Coast stalwarts KXNG Crooked and Kurupt.

Cloudy Orange Vinyl. Since first meeting as midwestern high-schoolers in 2009, Citizen have emerged as one of the most promising young bands in the alternative underground today. The band signed to Run For Cover Records in early 2012, releasing their EP Young States that year as well as a split with labelmates Turnover. In February of 2013, Citizen entered Studio 4 with producer Will Yip (Title Fight, Circa Survive, Daylight) to record Youth, their debut full-length. From the first note of album opener "Roam The Room", the fuzzy, guitar-driven rock songs bleed emotion straight through to closer "Drawn Out". Citizen have called on the ghosts of Brand New and early Nirvana, creating a sound that is familiar but immediately all its own.

'OK Crooner' the debut LP from French drummer and percussionist Vincent Taeger under his own name (after previous album under his alter ego Tiger Tigre) and his debut on vocals - mixes avant pop with jazz-fink and AOR.

Taeger, who has worked with Air, Damon Albarn, Justice, Lenny Kravitz, Skepta, Tony Allen, Oumou Sangare, Jeff Mills, Archie Shepp and Sampa the Great, during COVID started frantically listening to French vocalists such as Alain Souchon, Alain Chamfort, Richard Gotainer, and Christophe. Inspired by his elders, while not renouncing his attachment to the meticulous arrangements reminiscent of Alain Goraguer's soundtracks, he picked up a pen to jot down snippets of songs to accompany his increasingly sophisticated compositions. Coming from rap, he has a knack for punchlines. Throughout the album, he alternates between risque humour, Gaulish wit, and poetry.

While Vincent Taeger is the chief fireworks maker, playing most of the instruments, some of his longtime collaborators come to support him on a few tracks, forming the Jazz Kamasutra: Ludovic Bruni (bass), Sylvain Daniel (bass), Arnaud Roulin (piano, synth), Fred Soulard (synth), Maud Chabanis (vocals), Bettina Kee (vocals), Mathias Allamane (double bass), Emile Sornin (ondioline), and Remi Sciuto (saxophones). Vincent Taurelle, mixed the abum. Recently, he has worked on albums by Justice, Seun Kuti, Raphael, and Clara Luciani.

"Color LP" is pressed on gold vinyl. Black Up is the new sonic move from Shabazz Palaces. Like rich velvet hijabs or gold threaded abayas. Luxury as understood by the modest. Shabazz Palaces. If Bedouins herded beats instead of goats and settled in Seattle instead of the Atlas Mountains, this would be their album. Forward thinkers but nostalgic for a sparer time when ancient astronomers only recognized five planets. Hip hop. Black light uses electromagnetic radiation to eradicate microorganisms, but shabazz didn't come to kill a sound, just to shine their own incandescent lamp on this. Hear. Hard and clear. Fifty thousand years in the making. Honorable._palaceer pink gators. Produced by Knife Knights.plcrs at Gunbeat Serenade Studio in Outplace Palacelands. It was recorded and mixed in Lixx-alog by Blood.

It is a creative venture with inclusive approach. The message is simple, music has the power to unite minds across the continents, cultures, generations and decades.

The Paradise Projex; a music project started and developed by ex-music director musician, songwriter, producer Phil Edwards, showcasing writing, production, performance and creativity with a legacy developed over a number of years combining experiences into a unique soulful sound. It is a creative venture with inclusive approach. The message is simple, music has the power to unite minds across the continents, cultures, generations and decades. Coming in January 2025, the new album “I Am You”, ahead of which has been a digital single “Here & Now” (former No.1 UK Soul Breakers chart) and now a vinyl release of two brand new songs “Magic Night” and “Someone Like You”.

Welcome to the psychedelic vibes of this weed-inspired double sider where Colombian salsa and Peruvian cumbia meet!

Cannabis is a killer organ-driven salsa song recorded by Colombian music legend Fruko while Marihuana by Los Darlings de Huanuco was conceived as an effort to combine rock and cumbia sounds resulting a perfectly balanced mix of both worlds.

First time 7" reissue of these extremely hard to find records!

Named by Q Magazine as one of the "5 Best Compilations of 2000," Romeo Must Die: The Album is the soundtrack to the Andrzej Bartkowiak 2000 film, Romeo Must Die. With executive production from Timbaland, Barry Hankerson, Jomo Hankerson and Aaliyah, the film's star, the album features production from Irv Gotti, Rapture Stewart, Ant Banks, Eric Seats, Mannie Fresh and J Dub. Appearances include B.G., Chanté Moore, Dave Hollister, Destiny's Child, Ginuwine, Joe, Lil' Mo, Mack 10, Playa, Stanley Clarke, and Aaliyah, who appears on four songs. The album debuted at number 3 on the Billboard 200 and was certified Platinum shortly after it's release.

Moana 2 sailed into cinemas last weekend breaking box office records and becoming the highest-ever reported global animated opening weekend, taking the No 1 spot at the UK Box office and accounting for 45% of all ticket sales across the three-day weekend! Moana 2 had the 2nd highest opening weekend at the global box office in 2024 to date, behind only Deadpool & Wolverine & the 3rd biggest opening of 2024 in the UK & Ireland. This is the LP format that was sold in alongside CD to some accounts- so please do not double order- The soundtrack to Moana 2 features original songs by Abigail Barlow & Emily Bear, Opetaia Foa'i, and Mark Mancina

This Is DJs Choice Vol. 4 brings you a great selection of Funk, Soul, Latin and Hip Hop.

Five years after the last installment of the series, Volume 4 is compiled by Gu, a long-time friend and DJ partner of Unique label founder Henry Storch, and the tracks represent the two decades they have known each other and played records together, as well as the music they enjoyed.

All choices are originally 7 Inch records from Gu's crates put together like a DJ-Set for you to enjoy: The Soul of The Sweet Vandals and Carlton Jumel Smith, the Deep Funk of Naomi Davis & The Knights Of Forty First Street, The Supersonics and Sharon Jackson & The Soul Destroyers, the Latin sounds of Diesler and Eli Goulart E Banda Do Mato and the Hip Hop grooves of Jay Are (aka J.Rawls and John Robinson), The Bamboos featuring Ohmega Watts and Daddy-O of Stetsasonic.

This compilation is a celebration of music from beginning to end.

About This Is DJs Choice:

The series started as a friendship project by Henry Storch, who wanted to immortalise friends and allies from the DJ scene, who picked vinyl as their format of choice. The genre didn't matter, as long as the vibe was right. In 2008 Vol. 1 featured a selection of organic Club Sounds and Break Beats put together by Soulinus & Pun, followed by Keb Darge & Lucinda Slim and their favorite Rhythm & Blues, Rockabilly and 60s Soul tunes on Vol. 2 in 2009. In 2019 Les Intouchables aka Marc Hype and DJ Suspect presented a variety of funky and soulful music with an addition of the occasional Boogie, Reggae and Hip Hop track.

About Gu:

Gu is a DJ, musician, label owner, producer, writer and producer from Northern Germany. His dedication to music started in his pre-teens in the late eighties and he is playing vinyl ever since. Over the years he has worked with a number of his favorite DJs and artists like Keb Darge, Andy Smith, Snowboy, The New Mastersounds, Osaka Monaurail, The Sweet Vandals, The Allergies, Andy Cooper of Ugly Duckling, Daddy-O of Stetsasonic and Chuck D of Public Enemy to name a few. His DJ career took him all over Europe again and again.

In 2005 he started Our Label Records with his brother Tom to release new Funk music on 7 Inch vinyl and added the Hip Hop 45 imprint Origu in 2015. Since 2009 and he is on air every week with his radioshow Home Diggin', which was also picked up by Chuck D's Rapstation in 2019. Additionally he is lead singer/rapper for the Songcore duo Sorry We're Closed and the Hip Hop outfit Alder Ego. He also does readings of his book of one-liners and competing on Slam Poetry stages.

MANOWAR is an American heavy metal band from Auburn, New York. Formed in 1980, the band is known for lyrics based on fantasy and mythology . The band is also known for a Loud and Bombastic sound. In 1984 the band was included in the Guinness Book of World Records for delivering the loudest performance, a record which they have since broken on two occasions. They also hold the world record for the longest heavy metal concert after playing for five hours and 1 minute in Bulgaria (at Kavarna Rock Fest) in 2008. MANOWAR have also been known for their slogan "Death to false metal » and have maintained a very strong following with dedicated fans worldwide as referred to by the band as "Metal Warriors", "Manowarriors", "Immortals" or "Brothers of Metal". The band signed with Atlantic Records in 1987. Via Atlantic, they released 'Fighting the World', which enjoyed more extensive distribution and increased the band's prominence in the international heavy metal scene. Album art was designed by Ken Kelly. In 1988, MANOWAR released the album 'Kings of Meta’l, which is the band's best known work. Songs like "Heart of Steel", "Kings of Metal" and "Hail and Kill" are performed regularly in concerts. 'Kings of Metal' is MANOWAR's highest-selling album worldwide. A new musical unit after the recent changes, MANOWAR released The Triumph of Steel in 1992. It gained some great success and was particularly famous for the presence of a suite lasting no less than 28 minutes entitled "Achilles, Agony and Ecstasy in Eight Parts", inspired by the events of the Iliad and the hero Achilles. After this release, the band went on a world tour for two years. Those MANOWAR’s album have become legendary and are still must have in any metal fan record collection . Vinyls formats Having been very rare and reaching high prices online, those three albums are now being made available again in quality coloured vinyls; Grab them now while you can !!

After the incredible interest in the KOSMONAUCI debut album, we created a dedicated version for the Japanese market. "Japan Edition" has an insert translated into Japanese. The vinyl is black (180g). The label also has Japanese markings. Each record also has a special Japanese OBI.

U JAZZ ME is a boutique label rooted in U Know Me Records.

"Sorry, nie tu"is the debut album of the boys band KOSMONAUCI. The album consists of original compositions by the band members that were created over several years and evolved with the artists. The music of the Cosmonauts derives from jazz and improvisation, but over time the musicians have developed many new ways and possibilities to draw from many other, seemingly distant musical genres. Songs characterized by improvisation and rhythm of drum & bass or hip-hop are one of the characteristic features of the album "Sorry, nie tu". The music of the band KOSMONAUCI is stylistically extensive and at the same time very coherent, thanks to the combination of beautiful lyrical melodies with catchy and often surprising polyrhythms or bold improvisations. KOSMONAUCI have been playing together since high school, which can be heard very well in the chemistry of the whole band and the emotions flowing from the album. On March 21, 2024, the premiere of the debut album entitled "Sorry, nie tu" will take place. The album will be released by U Jazz Me, a sublabel of U Know Me Records. It will be the inaugural sublabel album.

KOSMONAUTS– a boys band originating from jazz traditions, which in its musical language draws onhip-hop,drum & bassandimprovisation. The instrumentarium, which includes saxophone (Miłosz Pieczonka), bass (Bartłomiej Lucjan), vibraphone (Tymon Kosma) and percussion (Jan Pieniążek), creates a unique style of the group, balancing between emotional melodies and polyrhythmic structures. The roots of the band's music go back to the jazz traditions of the 1950s to the 1990s. Their current sound, on the other hand, is much more varied by the search for ideas in genres such as hip-hop, drum & bass, alternative pop or the contemporary London Yass scene. KOSMONAUCI have been playing with each other since high school and have known each other since elementary school. They went to school together, to the concerts and grew up together in the field of music as well. The artists have classical and jazz education, which gives them a wide range of possibilities in the field of improvisation, performance and composition. Each of them has an individual style and different inspirations, which find a common denominator in the band, allowing them to create a unique style of playing and sound. Despite the fact that they have been active on the music scene in Poland and abroad since 2018. Their first album is released in 2024. Over the past few years, KOSMONAUCI have had the opportunity to perform at renowned jazz festivals, collaborate with renowned artists and learn from the best artists in Europe. The resultant of all these factors is the band's debut album "Sorry, nie tu", which will be released on the sublabel of the U Know Me label - U Jazz Me.

The much-anticipated fifth studio album from Rufus Du Sol, known for blending organic and electronic sounds, sees the Grammy-winning trio once again delving into familiar themes like love, heartbreak and euphoria across 15 tracks. This new record, featuring previously released singles 'Lately' and 'Music Is Better', marks the band's first new material in three years. Their latest single, 'Break My Love', shows the band's signature style, where smooth vocals from Tyrone Lindqvist weave into a hypnotic electronic backdrop. The track evokes hope and emotional depth while maintaining the group's dreamy, electronic soundscape. The accompanying retro-inspired music video, directed by longtime collaborator Katzki, adds a playful twist with a heist-themed storyline, reflecting the band's creative evolution. Inhale / Exhale represents a new creative phase for the trio, who describe this era as focusing on the joy of creation in the present moment. Fans can expect a mature sonic journey that carries forward the emotional highs and lows that have made RUFUS DU SOL a beloved force in the global electronic scene.

The Mommyheads will release "One Eyed Band" digital on 9th November 2024. The vinyl will be available WW in the beginning och 2025. After delving into the realm of concept records with last year's "Coney Island Kid", Mommyheads have returned to push the boundaries once again, while still sounding like they're having a great time. Without the slightest concern for genre or categorisation. They've now released seven LPs in six years! Well-crafted songs, deft musicianship and progressive arrangements keep them sounding fresh and relevant after 37 years together.

“My introduction to “noise” came from a record shop in Lake Worth, Florida ran by a musician named Kenny 5. Kenny had left Detroit sometime in the mid nineties and had begun selling used records and CD’s from the downtown strip of this tiny southern Florida city in a humble shop sandwiched between a deli and a dog grooming business. Kenny previously was on labels like Amphetamine Reptile and timeSTEREO, and the records and videotapes that would be on repeat at his shop were a vast sonic expanse that spoke to the eclecticism of his experience as a touring musician participating and adjacent to American noise culture through the early to late 90’s. In 1998, I was eleven years old and I would order a pizza with him and watch VHS tapes of Japanese noise and deathmatch bootlegs, as well as any other sonic and subcultural rarities that far outstripped my age to comprehend (notably the RRR “Journey Into Pain” compilation and various Vanilla Tapes videos). This widecast net of information formed an introduction to a reality that did not fall deaf on me, but it took many years later for me to reorient the specific freedoms of what this dense and cathartic sound culture had imparted on my life and would continue onward to.

What does this have to do with this selection of choice recordings from the Secret Boyfriend catalog for the enmossed label? For the uninitiated, Secret Boyfriend is the long running moniker of Ryan Martin, North Carolina musician and label proprietor of the Hot Releases imprint. For over a decade from this writing I have watched Secret Boyfriend, and Hot Releases by extension as a curatorial and archival effort, embodying the multiplanal capacity that noise loosely functions from as an umbrella ideology and formalist avenue for sound creation. For anecdotal purposes, from (before) 2006 until roughly 2023 the East Coast of the United States showcased a vibrant network of eclectic regional festivals that saw wide swaths of artists addressing and negotiating the notion of what qualified “noise” from a conceptual and ideological perspective. Some festivals honed in on particularities in aesthetics and tropes, and others had a kind of “catch-all” implementation that allowed for a salvation of the sort of alienated and singular artistry that was amassing throughout these territories. While clear guidelines had been set from regional predecessors as to how noise with a capital “N” should maneuver, Secret Boyfriend is emblematic in the spirit of fluidity that was either implicitly coupled to the notion of the genre, or grew to evolve towards or devolve from.

Within Secret Boyfriend performances, I have seen and admired a mirroring from a ravenous appreciator of this culture at large back towards itself. Typical of a Secret Boyfriend set is an interchangeable narrative arc wherein blistering feedback laden scrap metal improvisations are forayed into naive ambient or “pop” songs, or skipping CDs, or mixer feedback play, or delayed Roland 707 drum workouts all at once and in a unique hegemony. Secret Boyfriend's stylistic mastery of each endeavor is at once an homage to a history of loving listening and enacting, while a brave step into the realm of actualizing the unique fluidity of his own practice. In performance and the action of network engagement, Secret Boyfriend operates a survey of that which he sought to hear and that which he cultivates around his work. His operations are mirrors, and the project (alongside his other peers) is a reflection on the ethos of his time.

Conversely his recording practice narrows in on these moments and allows for a different kind of intimacy or alienation for the non live listener. This record of selected “pop songs” (let's call them that) is particularly poignant at a time when the culture Martin mirrors is at a strange crossroads with itself. The aforementioned festival networks necessarily change and shift. The onlookers become the artists, the artists find new horizons, and the spaces for these cycles fade into locales of a distant memory. It seems, from my perspective, that audiences currently yearn for a more bottlenecked experience, searching for some ontologically vetted manifestation of an idea, of a sound and less for an experience that functions in opposition to our collective banalities. This makes sense in the face of general global catastrophism that plagues us. We need certainty of what something is somewhere, don’t we? Noise as an idea has expanded and contracted to so many iterations of itself it is hard to tell what it even is, and it is particularly difficult to identify in the absence of solid network activations a moment to reflect on its own complexities and nuances. In the face of so much change, I argue that the language of noise culture at large has on one hand become increasingly didactic and predictable, and laughably inclusive and non linear on the other. Probably has always been this way, but now we are in the midst of a moment of extreme access and indexicality, which somehow cauterizes expansion and naivety and chance.

This record highlights the Secret Boyfriend that obscures didacticism by highlighting output that opens up for more challenging catharsis and emotive signal processing. It provides an entry to the materialism of a cultural field full of ecstatic complexity and beautiful inconsistency. In these muted moments Secret Boyfriend has given us over his career we have an argument for evolving languages that further challenge our notions of what is supposed to happen and how it is supposed to be presented. In his more song oriented expansiveness, we can punctuate the ability to think in new modalities. Listening to these recordings reminds me of the polarity of sitting in the record store as a kid and understanding that His Name Is Alive is on 4AD and (gasp!) timeSTEREO. This trite early impression that nothing is really as different as our imaginations might want them to be, and that we can do whatever we want mostly within the creative realms we work through is an important filter to look through Secret Boyfriend as a project and a vessel. If we can achieve abandon and vulnerability through our artistic endeavors, then we have a sound model for, maybe, new potentialities. If that’s too much projection, or just complete liberal bullshit, I am fine with that. Secret Boyfriend's oeuvre at best offers us moments of reprieve to ponder these complexities, or at least a moment to zone out on a drive through North Carolina Highway 54.

You have one pocket of life that you must do whatever you want to inside of. Secret Boyfriend does it affectionately, in a variety of forms, and always with deep sentimentality. These recordings are a wonderful set of songs to begin further investigation from. Thank you Ryan for allowing as many avenues as possible to continue a broad cultural exchange and conversation that intersect and refract while being the kind of artist that is brave enough to not phone in the effort.”

- Nick Klein , May 2024

Moody cacophonies, sonic dispatches from Japan, crystalline breakbeats that are more environment than rhythm: Jake Muir’s enmixed, described by Muir as a “(re)mixtape,” is a mind-bending deep dive into the enmossed archive. Besides reflecting the history of the label, Muir’s mix is a production in its own right. A Los Angeles native based in Berlin, Muir is a DJ and field recordist who “sees mixes as a vehicle to explore narratives outside of the album format.”

In Bathhouse Blues (2023), where Muir sampled various sources to explore gay cruising culture and sensuality, his more expansive, conceptual approach to the form is illuminated. Mixes are not just a linear succession of tracks with transitions—they’re excavations that also result in the creation of new audio artifacts. Inspired by the psychedelic impulses of illbient, Muir uses DJ and sound engineering techniques to melt down genre distinctions and create alien atmospheres.

From the enmossed community, Muir pulls from artists like bad lsd trips, Angelo Harmsworth, Nick Klein, Tetsuya Nakayama, and Patrick Gallagher to coalesce a super-compendium of the global sonic underground, all viewed through his own unique lens. Muir takes major liberties with processing and effects automation to carve new worlds from the soil of these preexisting works. Some of the tracks and material on enmixed are heavily edited, emphasizing specific harmonics or bass frequencies, and some portions contain three or four layers, putting artists in direct conversation with each other.

This heady approach—using the tools of both mixtape and remix—results in a super textual and dense palimpsest of the enmossed catalog. “Because mixes are more open- source,” Muir says, “it’s easier to express some ideas since there is more material to pull from.”

- Rob Goyanes

Silver foil printed j-cards on heavyweight iridescent ('Lapis Lazuli') recycled paper Duplicated at a carbon-neutral facility

"Sirene" is the second album of the duo composed by Stefano Ghittoni (TheDining Rooms, Le Petit) and Bruno Dorella (Ovo, Ronin, Sigillum S), following their 2019 release "Estatico."This composition explores a captivating territory where the artists has been working for many years, combining experimental techniques with inviting elements from different genres of popular and underground music.

The album starts with ethereal and ambient electroacoustic sounds, gradually incorporating subtle rhythms, arpeggiations, and slightly broken beats. It creates a moody and introspective sonic landscape that maintains a sense of abstraction. This is enhanced by the textural complexity derived from various sources such as samples, tape manipulations, field recordings, and unconventional sounds woven together with traditional instruments.
The album encompasses a range of electronic practices, psychedelic minimalism, and dense ambience, with a touch of shoegaze, resulting in a truly beautiful experience.

eve is the debut collaboration between Past Inside the Present label head zake and Benoît Pioulard captures the serene magic of a quiet December night. Spanning four side-length tracks, the album grew from a decade of sound fragments all layered up "like family album photos." zake shaped the sonic base while Pioulard added textures with guitar, voice, dulcimer, melodica and synths. The title track evokes a wintry stillness with low swells and turntable crackles, while 'Frost' drifts on reverent vocals and shimmering drones. 'Pine' conveys forest mystery and 'Slept' closes with haunting loops and a delicate resolution like snowfall on an open field.

"Jake Amy is one of Australia’s most exciting nu-jazz outfits. Their sound synthesises up-tempo future-sonic jazz with hip-hop breakbeats, luscious synth harms, afro-cuban grooves & electronic music. 'Yoofee' and 'Graze' are both heavy-hitting tunes that go from high energy jazz-funk to darker drum&bass aesthetics, tightly executed in a live trio setting. Jake Amy is a Melbourne-based session pianist, producer, audio engineer, and social justice journalist. As a non-binary and queer artist, Jake’s music is deeply influenced by their experiences with gender visibility and their advocacy for non-binary representation. Their work is a bold, boundary-pushing exploration of identity and authenticity, reshaping the nu-jazz genre with every release."

There’s something so magically transportive about the music of the holidays, and here at iam8bit, one of our beloved favorites is The Muppet Christmas Carol. It’s one of the best holiday films of all-time, so in collaboration with our friends at Muppet Studios and Walt Disney Records, we’re so very excited to bring you an exclusively remastered revival of the classic soundtrack, breathing new life into the legendary songs and score by Paul Williams and Miles Goodman, respectively.

It starts of with jacking proto ACID house song called Delayed Attraction. A song that would have made the kids crazy at the Music Box in the mid 80's. And are still as uplifting for all us house heds. The second song Tear Gas takes us back to Europe, with a slow Belgian beat that moves like a train and hits you straight in the chest, and on top of this a monotom synth pad on top of that it gives the song a some what a scary dream feeling. The third song Nasjiga is taking us further in to the complex dream but packaged in a Detroit electro vibe with sounds that makes me think of a hospital hart beat monitor but then mixed up with bit-crushd lo-fi dragon covers in a dubby inferno that keeps on building up without coming to a climax (in a good way). The forth song Verfolgung is a 8 minute stomping song that's starts of in a Burzum sounding flute but the quickly goes over to a freaky baseline that's sounds like its made out of a congas patch and a detuned bass on top of that. On top of that they put a march bands drum pattern that gives this song a freaky tivoli vibe and would be such a banger a the right time of a DJ set. /Jens W Limited numbered to 200x * Delayed Attraction - With a bumpy baseline that grooves, hard hits on the drum machine, this is are both funky and hypnotic. * Tear-Gas - A mid-tempo acid journey that blends funky drum patterns with psychedelic trance strings. Typical FRAK's acid-outed sound, with a hypnotic and thumping beat and bassline. * Nasjiga - The B-side kicks off with a deeply dubby and tribal vibe, with splashing hi-hats and echoed percussions. like the heartbeat of an underground train going of the rails. * Verfolgung - This track kicks hard with a marching beat that builds into a funky disco. It's playful yet progressive energy leaves you with a smile on your face and your feet moving on the dance floor. Honk Honk! // Dj Jespha Galore

30D Records celebrates a decade of modern sonic exploration. Since its inception at the end of 2014, and initially taking inspiration from 40's & 50's science fiction culture, the label has been offering to listeners a vast array of genres, being experimental, creative and forward-thinking dance music its main mission.

For its 10th anniversary, the cutting-edge electronic music label very proudly announces five distinctive releases, each one across their respective sub-labels.

Denise Rabe, a regular face into our roster, is back to the label with a full release for the very first time. True to the meaning of the word in itself, Mastermind Ep is a highly clever and complex exercise of dark and oppressive but also psychedelic, magical and almost ritualistic broken-beat techno music, which defines Denise's own sound, and that clearly explains why she is becoming increasingly a key piece for the evolution and development of the current techno scene.

Model 500's "Deep Space," released in 1995, is a landmark album in electronic and techno music, crafted by Detroit pioneer Juan Atkins. This work seamlessly combines atmospheric textures with pulsating beats, reflecting the innovative spirit of the Detroit techno scene. With tracks like "The Chase" and "No UFOs," "Deep Space" captivates listeners through its hypnotic melodies and complex rhythms, creating an immersive experience that feels both expansive and futuristic. The album is revered for its groundbreaking sound and continues to inspire artists and fans alike in the electronic music landscape. This new pressing has been carefully remastered and re-cut from original sources to achieve The best sonic experience possible.

"Que no cunda el orden" comprises the first demos recorded by this iconic Spanish punk band in January 1982, seven original songs and two versions that would also become the band's live repertoire in their early years. Among these songs we find the only studio version of `Emilio Cao' and the previously unreleased `No me gusta bailar'. The sound of the original tape has been mixed and mastered for this very special edition. Siniestro Total were a Spanish punk band formed in Vigo in 1981. A big commercial success accompanied the band for over a decade, until the mid-late '90s, when the popularity of the groups from the so-called "movida madrileña" and other similar scenes from other parts of Spain such as Galicia, where Siniestro Total were formed, faded away. Many of their best and most popular songs, reflecting the punk and fun essence of the band, were written and recorded in the early days of Siniestro Total. This album comprises their very first recording sessions, unearthed here for the first time, when the early demo versions of some of those songs were captured. The band's lack of studio experience was balanced with tons of fun and laughter. This demo was sent to a radio DJ and all the songs were aired on his show at the most popular music station in Spain, Radio 3. In fact, the demo was awarded demo of the year (Maqueta de Oro del Diario Pop 1982). Four decades later, the sound of the original tape has been mixed and mastered for this very special release that Munster Records are honored to bring to fruition.

Repress!

Compilation of 80s Turkish-Swiss band Café Türk, featuring selected works from their discography as well as previously unreleased recordings!

Café Türk's unrestrained sonic palette explores new wave, psych, disco and reggae with influences from Anatolia and Azerbaijan.2xLP includes a 4-page booklet with extensive liner notes and photos.

Café Türk are an inimitable Turkish-Swiss band formed in the 1980s, whose genre-bending sonic palette draws from Anatolia, the Caucasus and Western Europe. The group’s frantic trajectory connects Switzerland and the Turkish city of Kars with a background story as rich and unexpected as their sound. After three decades since they disbanded, Zel Zele Records have collaborated with Turkish crate-digger Grup Ses to give the music of Café Türk a new lease of life. This eponym compilation features original album tracks, singles and previously unreleased takes that trace the outline of the group’s history. From the rolling disco of the group’s debut recording “Haydi Yallah”; to the previously unreleased kosmiche of “Yıldızlar”, “Ali Baba From Istanbul”s Azeri grooves and German language vocals, to the psyched-out interpretation of Causaccian folk tune “Şamil”, Café Türk showcases the endless stream of ideas the band had during their time together between 1983 and 1989. Tracks come with an unrestrained spirit, weaving in the crackling energy of new wave, rock, disco and reggae with influences from Turkey and Azerbaijan.

This fascination in pulling different worlds together goes right back to the formative days of Metin Demiral, founder of Café Türk. Metin grew up in Kars, a provincial town in the Northeastern part of Turkey. Kars was once known for its multicultural communities; where you could hear locals speaking a range of languages, from Turkish to Azeri, Russian and Kurdish. In 1983 Café Türk won a contest set for Turkish groups based in Europe, organised by the label Türküola, home to Turkish stars like Cem Karaca, Selda Bağcan and Barış Manço. The resultant recording sessions gave birth to his new band and debut LP, Pizza Funghi. But Metin turned down Türküola’s offer to put the record out and instead self-pressed 1000 copies on his own Sound Concept label - driving as far as Berlin to sell them face-to-face to record shops. The record was picked up by a member of the German city of Nuremburg’s Cultural Department and soon Café Türk were invited to play for the local workers’ unions, many of whom represented immigrants from Turkey. These events only grew in popularity, the group ultimately spending five years touring similar shows in Europe, alongside more conventional tours and festivals. Metin had hoped to bring his new record to audiences in Turkey again, however, he found it impossible to get any of his songs played on state-sponsored radio, something he attributed to the infamously strict supervisory board of TRT, Turkey’s state-funded broadcaster. TRT tended to not accept songs that blended both western and traditional Turkish music in order to avoid “degenerating” Turkish folk music. Cafe Türk tried to fight this conservative mindset, but progressively resigned themselves to the political restrictions of the time

Cuban music has a new global ambassador: Cimafunk. With a name and image that pays tribute to the Cimarrons – Cubans of African descent that resisted slavery – and music and showmanship that re-embodies funk legends from the last century, the medical-school student turned funk artist has developed into a musical force crafting the sonic future of the island and a global, cultural phenomenon that unites and celebrates blackness across borders, oceans and languages.

After the success of El Alimento, Cimafunk delves even further into his exploration of the intersections between funk and the sounds of the continent and gives us Pa' Tu Cuerpa (Mala Cabeza Records), his most polished and mature production to date. For this occasion, Cimafunk has summoned a constellation of extraordinary artists and musicians.

"Collaboration is something I really enjoy," he confesses. "This album has artists that I had always wanted to work with, of whom I am a fan and of whom I have a lot of influence from them." From the legendary touch of funk master George Clinton, who also appeared on Cimafunk’s last album, to the jazz mastery of top AfroCuban pianist Gonzalo Rubalcaba, through the vibe of Colombian rockstars Monsieur Periné, to the Caribbean rhythms and melodies of Haitian producer Michael Brun, and the youthfulness from Havana’s urban street scene of Cuban newcomer Wampi, each guest works like a piece of clockwork in this masterpiece.

“Cuchi Cuchi” is the track that immediately takes you to the Cimafunk of 2024. Catchy, danceable and super funky, “Cuchi Cuchi,” which is a playful way to say “hooking up,” is a Cuba meets New Orleans mashup ready to explode when performed live. “It’s really funky and you can envision me on stage with my band and feel the way I dress, dance and live life just by playing the track,” says Cimafunk. “My musical director Dr. Zapa is the producer and he’s been with me since the beginning. ‘Cuchi Cuchi’ is Cimafunk & La Tribu after a few years of exploring the world thru festivals, venues, dressing rooms and parties.”

New Orleans – Cimafunk’s new home – jumps out track-after-track on “Pa’ tu cuerpa.” The explosive flow of New Orleans bounce-icon Big Freedia on “Pretty” and the unreplicated, powerful horns of Trombone Shorty on “I don’t care” highlight Cimafunk’s affinity with and full-on embrace of New Orleans music and culture. He’s now a regular performer at the New Orleans Jazz Festival and leads an annual New Orleans – Cuba festival and cultural exchange program, Getting Funky in Havana, that has brought New Orleans top artists and musicians to Cuba to perform for the Cuban people and do work in the schools. The result is a sonic experience as innovative as it is impossible to label; Caribbean but borderless, rooted in Havana but with echoes of Detroit funk and New Orleans bass, horns and street-corner vibes.

From a club-friendly chrysalid onto deploying his wings as a full fledged pop artist in recent years, Saint Petersburgs Kito Jempere has enjoyed a journey unlike any other and his newest album, Part Time Chaos Part Time Calmness live-documents the chameleonic changes / game-changing paradox experienced this year between his life both as a musician and as a family man.

Better known for his work as a house producer which has earned him accolades from prominent dance music outlets throughout well over a decade of intense work both into and outwith the limelights, Kito has for all that never been focussed on writing solely discoid material, throwing as much effort over the years into multi-faceted parallel ventures, far and apart from strictly dance floor-oriented functionality. Yet, from this partition between various projects and mindsets, this is through a radical shift towards downtempo pop and out of the 4x4 loop that Kito got to fully assert himself as a musician, embracing the rejoicing variety of tone and mood of his tender loves, secret and not. The movie Ive never made but have the soundtrack for, Part Time Chaos Part Time Calmness is the fruit of change as much as change itself. A return to the simple means of his young self, his old trusty guitar from his late teens serving as the backbone to Killer Line and Love Myself But I Cant Make It Love, and the natural development to last years Green Monster, which
initiated these deep tectonic movements in Kitos approach to his art, PTCPTC is an intimate trip down the kaleidoscope of his present life. Joined up by an impressive cast of artists, including Jimi Tenor, Adam Evald and Hard Ton, Kito didnt just bin his old persona, he took it back to where it belongs. From the low-slung emotional folk of the opener, Killer Line, to the eerie flamenco-jazz hybrid Before Music Dies. via the broken soulfulness of Put Love Into Your Heart and anthemic 80s balearic breaks meets coastal synthwave vibe of Sounds of Love, the album pulsates with a refreshingly genre-unbound vision. To the naive, laid-back sonic bokeh of Footsteps,
succeeds the left-of-centre cinematic narrative of In The Countryside, which includes some fun nods to fictional brands taken from Tarantinos imaginarium (Red Apple cigarettes) or other movies like High Fidelity, after Nick Hornbys eponymous novel.

Freed from gridlocked programming and impersonal tropes, PTCPTC showcases a wide array of songs, beats, grooves old and new, some dating back to 2018 and improvised sessions with his 9-people Kito Jempere Band, all of which were finished within the same timeframe and with this all-inclusive momentum in mind. Through the epic synths of Absent Ascent. in revamping the universal classic Over The Rainbow with Celebrine, on the appeasing ballad Shorespotting feat. Evald or in the waves-ready closing cut Lovers, Jempere tells a tale of hard-earned emancipation and life-affirming freedom.