quête:sub love

To celebrate 10 years of one of London’s most loved underground club nights, Tangent, Mr Bongo are thrilled to launch this new compilation series. Crafted by its two residents, John Gómez and Nick the Record, it aims to transmit a taste of Tangent’s spirit. A party rooted in inclusivity and open-mindedness, whose name captures the spontaneous switches in musical direction that are a defining element of their nights. For the compilation, the pair have cherry-picked a selection of their prized, rare and dancefloor-ready tracks from around the globe, that have soundtracked the past decade of parties.

Friends for close to 20 years, music lovers, record obsessives and internationally renowned DJs in their own right, John and Nick have two lifetimes worth of musical knowledge to draw from. John a long-standing NTS Radio resident and compiler for Music From Memory. Nick one of the UK’s go-to record dealers, resident DJ since the ‘90s at one of Japan’s pioneering parties, Life Force, and co-captain / co-edit-expert of Record Mission with Dan Tyler (Idjut Boys).

In 2014, the pair decided to bring some of Life Force’s grassroots principles to the UK, whilst channelling underground clubbing institution Plastic People’s meticulous attitude to sound. Tangent grew from being a small gathering of friends, to an established fixture in London’s nightlife, whilst always maintaining a strict no guest DJ policy. “As London’s clubs have become increasingly reliant on international guests, we wanted to emphasize the importance of a club night growing through its residents”, John and Nick reflect. With 10 years of the duo at the helm, an intimate connection between DJ and dancefloor has been built, allowing for freedom of expression on both sides of the decks.

Tangent reaches around the globe and across different eras to make connections that stimulate emotional reverberations in the unfamiliar. Where the blissfully Balearic ‘Laberinto’ by Miguel Perikás, goes hand-in-hand with the Cameroonian hip-house of King B.’s ‘Love is Crazy’. The thundering ‘Amek Amek’ by L'Innovateur Djoe Ahmed et le Zoukabyle, rubs shoulders with the soulful Caribbean-influenced touch of Champagn’s ‘Bel Ti Négress’. And Pellegrin El Kady’s afro-cosmic ‘Seiva de Carnaval’, crosses paths with Kajou’s Kompa disco anthem ‘Tet Chajé’.

Tangent’s longevity is in part down to it having always embraced contemporary sounds. The sub-rattling bass of Srirajah Sound System’s stunning Molam dub stepper ‘Si Phan Don Lovers Rock’ and the slow, woozy mantra of leftfield dancehall explorer Androo’s ‘Lyriso’, are two shining examples.

This compilation represents an ongoing dialogue between past and present, transporting listeners to the heart of a pure musical experience, where open minds and open hearts are eager to follow the tangent.

Chris Cohen was always a quiet kid. In fact, this introversion was one reason he began playing music as a toddler-to communicate without speaking, to identify with others without the direct representation of words. It has worked, too, with Cohen's terrific stint in the mighty Deerhoof and his own captivating art-rock act The Curtains, preceding production and session work for the likes of Weyes Blood, Kurt Vile, Le Ren, and Marina Allen. Somewhere along that long way, Cohen started writing lyrics. He found that, though it didn't come naturally, the process offered a new sense of self-discovery and reckoning, a way to see himself and the world from unexpected angles. His three twilit albums of casually complicated pop during the last decade radiated these epiphanies: handling family strife, navigating advancing age, and understanding social woes. But Cohen has never had as much to sing so directly as he does on Paint a Room, his first album in five years and his debut for Hardly Art. If Cohen's meanings have previously lurked inside the tessellated musical layers he built alone, they are newly clear and resonant here, animated and underscored for the first time by a band playing in real time. There is the endless miasma of state violence on the subversively melodious opener "Damage," the existential exhaustion of modernity on the horn-traced jangle "Laughing": this is Cohen communicating with friends not only through his deep understanding of groove, harmony, and hook but also with his listeners through songs that croon of our uneasy little era. On Paint a Room, Cohen's music feels like a warm spring breeze, easy to love and gentle to feel. But it's often carrying something heavy, as if blowing in from some unseen storm cloud. Paint a Room both reckons with reality and conjures an alternate one, where nighttime walks and a neighbor's wind chimes offer endless escapes for the imagination, space for the mind to roam. Sublime and sun-lit, these 10 songs consider dreamy new ways out of old predicaments, clearly stating the problem and dancing and singing their way somewhere new. Paint a Room features Jeff Parker contributing the fluttering horn arrangement on "Damage," and Parker collaborator Josh Johnson (who produced Meshell Ndegeocello's Grammy-Award-winning album The Omnichord Real Book) supplying flute, sax, and clarinet arrangements throughout the record.

Habibi Funk is thrilled to share a second collection of deep grooves and unreleased songs from Algeria's Ahmed Malek, often compared to Italian heavyweight Ennio Morricone. Malek’s music effortlessly switches between thematic jazz, funk, reggae and Algerian folk – creating indelible soundscapes that intersect the musical innovations made in African jazz by Mulatu Astatke, Bembeya Jazz National along with some of Europe’s finest experimental composers like Piero Piccioni and Janko Nilovic. “Musique Originale de Films, Volume Deux” is out June 28th, 2024 via Habibi Funk.

Whenever an interview asks about a “memorable moment” in Habibi Funk label history, one we always reference is how we got in touch Ahmed Malek’s (22K Spotify Followers, 285K Spotify Monthly Listeners) music and subsequently his family. It all started with us coming across Ahmed Malek’s music on YouTube in 2012. We were mesmerized by how effortlessly the music would switch between jazz, funk and Algerian folk while counterweighting it with an undertone of melancholia. Musical perception is different for every person, but there is a chance that his music will touch you in one way or another. At the time, we had just started the Habibi Funk label and we felt Ahmed’s music might be a good fit for the sound we were trying to highlight. Fast forward three years: we had become captivated with the idea of reissuing some of Ahmed Malek’s music. We knew some people had tried to locate his family but, but with no success. In the end it was an incredible amount of luck that made it possible for you to read these words and listen to Ahmed’s music. We were on a DJ gig in Beirut playing old Arabic records and we mentioned our passion for Ahmed Malek’s music to a friend. She said she knew one person in Algier, and as much as it would be a shot in the dark, she could ask her if she had an idea of how to find Malek’s family. Two weeks went by before we heard back, and what we got was incredibly good news - her Algerian friend was the neighbor of Ahmed Malek’s daughter! We’re not spiritual people, but it felt like the universe wanted to see the release happen. We started to speak with Henya, Ahmed Malek’s daughter and she was more than happy with our idea. She assured us that her father would have loved the plan as well. She provided us with tons of awesome material, from great photos, to unseen video footage and unreleased tracks. Eventually we visited Henya in Algeria and we licensed some of her father’s music, first for one (Habibi 003), then for another (Habibi 005), then we eventually organized an exhibition in June/July 2019 – Planète Malek – Une Rétrospective – at the Musée Public National D’Art Moderne & Contemporain in Algiers, focusing on Ahmed Malek’s artistic life. We also produced a small movie about him that our friend Paloma Colombe shot and directed. “Musique Originale de Films, Volume Deux” is a deep collection of unreleased songs and stemmed grooves from the Algerian master, from jazz, funk, psych to reggae rhythms and Latin flavors, all under the sonic umbrella of “Planète Malek;” and to quote the maestro, “I didn’t choose music, music chose me.” Lead single is the subtlety funky “Thème Rythme Léger,” out May 3rd along with LP Pre-Order (coincided with Bandcamp Friday for a larger impact) a delicate sonic dance between flute, piano and Spanish guitar with a Bossainfluenced groove. The steady, swingin’ drum groove is cloudlike - definitely toe-tapping friendly so just grab a partner to feel the Rhythme Léger. Second single out May 17th is the reggae-infused “L’Empire Des Rêves” – a sultry sax melody weaves through a prismatic rocksteady thematic groove. 3rd and final single “Thème Djalti feat. Aïda Guéchoud” – is a true Western-inspired ode to his Italian counterpart Ennio Morricone. “Thème Djalti” features the haunting vocals of Aïda Guéchoud, and combines elements of baroque and Bossa-jazz in a timelessly thematic way that seems grandiose yet remains uniquely personal to your ears. Swelling strings, trumpet, fem vox, flute, and plucked guitar expertly arranged, feels like you’re riding a horse into the sunset. Focus track “La La La” is fiery afro-arab-funk of the highest order! Put on your dancing shoes as Ahmed cuts the rug and gets us grooving along. Sonically the cut sounds like if Ahmed ran into The JB’s and Fela Kuti at a Cymande concert. Driving guitar and organ solos vie over pulsating bass riffs and afro-funk drumming that’ll have you out on the dance floor in no time. As always, both vinyl and CD come with an extensive booklet featuring background and interviews with Ahmed compiled through found newspaper clippings and newsreels, also including unseen photos, scans and more. “Ahmed Malek: Musique Originale de Films, Volume Deux” will be out everywhere June 28th.

In 1971, Atlantic Records released a pair of Dusty Springfield singles produced by the legendary songwriter/producer Jeff Barry (one-time songwriting and romantic partner of Ellie Greenwich, and author of too many hits to name): “Haunted”/”Nothing Is Forever” and “I Believe In You”/”Someone Who Cares.” A restless Dusty, freshly relocating to America from her native England, then departed the label and left an additional 9 songs recorded with Barry in the can, where they stayed until Rhino issued one track, “Faithful” (in mono), as a bonus track on the 1990s CD release of Dusty’s 1970 Atlantic album A Brand New Me. The other tracks didn’t surface until a subsequent deluxe reissue of Dusty’s landmark 1969 album Dusty in Memphis included them as bonus cuts.

Then, reissue producer Jim Pierson—who tracked down the missing masters after being lost for over two decades —assembled Dusty’s Barry-produced masters and put them together in a single package for the first time to create the third Dusty Springfield Atlantic Records album as planned in 1971. Real Gone Music’s release of Faithful on LP presents these historic Barry-Springfield collaborations exactly as they were originally intended to be heard, with the 12 tracks meant for the album release out on vinyl over 50 years later. All tracks are in stereo, while the liner notes on the new gatefold spread, penned by The Second Disc’s Joe Marchese, feature a number of rarely-seen photos of the legendary singer. These stunning pop, soul and gospel flavored selections showcase the iconic singer at the height of her vocal magic. A missing/ jumbled part of Dusty’s august recorded legacy, finally set right and available in its intended format. Out on metallic gold and purple “royalty” vinyl as befitting The Queen of Blue-Eyed Soul…limited to 1500 copies!

Demuja gets us ready for summer with four sublime, bass-drenched house & techno rollers on MUJA. Don’t sleep on this one!

DJ Feedback:

Honey Dijon -Amazing Ep!

Okain (Talman / Infuse / Pleasure Zone) -Nice Detroit vibe on Solid Pleasure and Square One

TEED Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs (GrecoRoman, Polydor,) -loving solid pleasure and if you want

Peter Kruder (Kruder & Dorfmeister / K7) -Solid record ! Thank you !

Nightmares On Wax (Warp Records) -If you want is my jam on here

Laurent Garnier -Demuja does it again.... Great tracks , great EP *full support

HAAi (Coconut Beats) -Deep and groovy house tunes, love the vibe.

Dam Swindle (Heist) -diggin if you want!

Radio Slave (Rekids) -'Solid Pleasure' is great... Gonna test it out this weekend !

Gerd (4Lux / Clone) -great tracks... all are very cool... square one may be my fave!

Shall Not Fade celebrate their 8 year anniversary with a double LP featuring brand new music from their label family!

Driven by lust-fueled limerence and drifting far from conformity, Butterflies Don't Go Away captures Majesty Crush's transient, yet subversive mark on the landscape of American shoegaze to come. Tracked between 1991-1995, the quartet reimagined the collapse of the American rust belt as a late-night, nail biting fever dream/revenge fantasy. This deluxe 2xLP compiles their Love 15 album, singles, EPs, and rarities, all remastered from the original tapes, with thorough annotation and visual documentation in a 24-page booklet. An immortal transcendence if there ever was one.

Repress!

KMD (Kausing Much Damage, or a positive Kause in a Much Damaged society) was a Hip Hop group in the early 90s perhaps best known for launching the career of acclaimed MC/Producer MF Doom (known during his KMD tenure as Zev Love X). After guesting on 3rd Bass' "The Gas Face," the trio (Zev, brother Subroc, and Onyx) released the acclaimed and overlooked "Mr. Hood" full-length. Their political outlook was similar to the group Brand Nubian, who guested on Hood; however, the style was more comical and included a great deal of clips from old children's recordings, mostly notably a sample of the Seaseme Street character Bert on the single "Who Me" This is the official Elektra Records/Traffic Entertainment Group re-release with original artwork and track listing in it's entirety. Cutting edge, ahead of it's time production and skits from KMD and Stimulated Dummies (John Gamble and Mr. Dante Ross). Features the singles "Peachfuzz", "Who Me" and "Nitty Gritty" (feat. Brand Nubian). This is one Rap album that is not to be missed.

“Featuring appearances from: Special Guest DJ, Ben Bondy, Hysterical Love Project and some other people we can't name for legal reasons"

The holographic swarm that is Downstairs People returns with their latest collection of subconscious songwriting. Simply titled ‘DSP’, Downstairs People’s sophomore album expands on their surreal horoscope of Top 40 musings, with nine works that explore the altered states of pop.

DSP reimagines the FM radio spectrum with distorted hooks, sour candy production and cascading vocal harmonies with no lyrics. Sung to us in an unknown language, it’s an archive of warped transmissions from beyond our solar system, conveniently recorded and presented as a flat, spinning monolith.

A brief history of having no time, and an ode to the subversive power of pop music.

This latest installment of Mr. K Edits focuses on two midtempo cuts for the roller skaters and lowdown groovers, with a couple of deep album tracks that are appearing on 7-inch for the first time — both with unique Mr. K edits.

First up is “Felix Leo” from Californian keyboardist Rodney Franklin. A subtle instrumental that was overshadowed at the time by the monster hit “The Groove” (also known to UK’s jazz dancers as The Freeze), “Felix Leo” is that creeper that makes its way into your consciousness and won’t let go. As he so often does, Mr. K trims the track to its leanest, meanest measures, starting directly from the menacing, hypnotic chord progression that forms the root of the composition. Proceeding at a stately leonine pace befitting the title, the song spirals beautifully, as a lush string section encourages the listener to get lost in the unfolding sonic textures.

“In Love” is a very early Prince track, in fact it’s the very first cut in which we hear Prince play instruments on his debut album, released in 1978. And play instruments he does, every single one of them — drums, bass, guitar, and above all, those creamy ARP and Moog synth lines that power this tune. Bouncing along on a rhythm that blends a solid four-on-the-floor stepper’s groove with a hint of the staccato upbeats of reggae, this one’s an easy warmup for dancers and a perfect tempo for skaters. Mr. K’s edit gives us the extended mix the album never did, adding nearly two minutes to the LP timing without ever feeling strained or repetitive.

“I learned both of these songs for roller skaters in my early Roxy days,” Krivit says, referring to the legendary downtown NYC roller rink, “both had those grooves that stood the test of time.” We think this exclusive 7-inch will do the same!

As always, these are mastered and cut to vinyl with both home hi-fis and club systems in mind, and the sound is unmatched.

*REMASTERED ROUGH TRADE DEBUT LP LIMITED TO JUST 500 COPIES WITH EMBOSSED OUTER SLEEVE AND ORIGINAL INNER SLEEVE ON BLACK VINYL*

Dream POP, they called it. Given AR Kane’s Alex Ayuli once worked for advertising agency Saatchi & Saatchi, it’s no surprise that he and collaborator Rudy Tambala invented their own genre before critics could stick their oar in. It was a canny move, but more importantly, it was accurate: the music of AR Kane was made for dreamers, by dreamers, and its languor and longing made it particularly bewitching listening; their music is often smeared and blurry, happily lost in its own indefinable pleasures. “We wanted dream pop,” Tambala says, “that feeling of a dream where the rules are different. Dream logic.”
-UNCUT REISSUE OF THE MONTH

"A.R. Kane carved out a unique musical path, welding elements of pop, psych, dub, electronica, funk, noise, jazz, ambient and more in a way that had never been done before. Or since. Their debut in particular is a work of unbridled brilliance."
*Electronic Sound*

‘Sixty Nine’ the group’s debut LP that emerged in 1988 had critics and listeners struggling to fit language around A.R. Kane’s sound. As a title it was telling - the year of ‘Bitches Brew’, the year of ‘In A Silent Way’, the erotic möbius between two lovers - and as originally coined by the band themselves,
‘dream pop’ (before it became a free-floating signifier of vague import) was entirely apposite for the music A.R. Kane were making. Crafted in a dark small basement studio in which Tambala recalls the duo had “complete freedom - We wanted to go as far out as we could, and in doing so we discovered the point where it stops being music”. There was an irresistibly dreamy, somnambulant, sensual and almost surreal flow to ‘sixty nine’s sound, but also real darkness/dankness, the ruptures of the primordial and the reverberations of the subconscious, within the grooves of remarkable songs like ‘Dizzy’ and ‘Crazy Blue’. Alex’s plangent vocals floated and surged amidst exquisite peals of refracted feedback but crucially there was BASS here, lugubrious and funky and full of dread, sonic pleasure and sonic disturbance crushed together to make music with a center so deep it felt subcutaneous, music constructed from both the accidental and the deliberate, generous enough to dance with both serendipity and chaos. ‘sixty nine’ remains - especially in this remastered iteration - ravishing, revolutionary – Neil Kulkarni


"A.R. Kane made some of the most exciting, forward-thinking, and science fictional music of their era".
*Reissue Of The Week In The Quietus*

‘’The duo’s music has traces of 1980s dream pop and 1990s slowcore, particularly Low, another married-couple band. There’s more to the comparison than ink on a certificate. Marriage’s suffering and devotion breed a particular kind of intimacy. Windy & Carl often resemble an ambient version of Yo La Tengo, another group that centers on a long-wed duo and conveys a secret, profound sense of life beyond the music.’’ PITCHFORK 7.2
For the first time in almost twenty years, Windy & Carl’s second album for kranky, Consciousness, will be available on the vinyl format once again. The fourth album from Michigan’s premier space duo, again delivers their shimmering trademark wall of sound, beautiful vocalization, and delicate songcraft. Six sweet and easy new tracks recorded in their home studio in Dearborn, that drift and dream with layered guitars, keyboards, bass and a love-arsenal of delicious effects and distortion.
“There is an airy shaft of light that extends straight through these six extended pieces, offsetting the density of sound with a breezy loveliness that’s almost impossible to articulate, towering on a floating sea of mesmerising, sub-level sounds.” —Boomkat
“Genre descriptions such as ‘ambient guitar soundscape’, ‘wall of sound’ and ‘drone’ fail miserably to capture the astonishing, magical emotional beauty of their pieces.” —Cyclic Defrost

Warehouse Find!

Undoubtedly one of the most exciting acts to have emerged in drum & bass over the past decade, Voltage has joined forces with Hospital Records for the release of his long-awaited studio album 'Balance Over Symmetry' which marks the tenth year of his journey as a solo artist.

No stranger to the Hospital family with an album, 2 EPs and a handful of singles under his belt as part of drum & bass powerhouse group Kings Of The Rollers, it's now time to explore the solo sounds of Voltage which have slowly but surely carved him to be one of the most respected DJ & producers in the scene.

In his true rambunctious style, Voltage sets the swing with a wild card. 'So Close' is a sub-120BPM synthwave weapon which matches his retro-inspired fashion to his musical vibrations. The combination of catchy vocals, an 80s-esque bassline and an unforgettable topline melody sees the creation of something extremely different yet irresistible from Voltage.

Not straying too far from the roots of his influences, 'Natty Love' features the groove inducing vocals of sound system legend Sweetie Irie. Saturated sub wobbles juxtaposed with potent string plucks are intertwined with ease, peppered with that signature Voltage flair.

Teaming up with reggae and dancehall superstar Demolition Man known for his skill as a vocalist, producer, MC and sound engineer, 'Life Of A DJ' combines the sounds of Demo's with Voltage's unmissable sonic technique. 'Save Me From Myself' exposes
the lighter side to Voltage as he illustrates his versatility as an artist through a soul-heavy amen roller with a classic liquid bassline.

Reminiscent of the days of euphoric hardcore, 'Keep On Dancing' sets the vibe with uplifting piano chops and adrenalised vocals as crunchy snaps and rhythmic cymbals keep things moving beneath. An iconic duo to everyone who knows their drum & bass, Voltage and Evil B come together for 'Odyssey' which sees ambient soundscapes
and earnest lyrics on a truly heartfelt piece of music.

With releases on foundational imprints such as Metalheadz, 31 Recordings, RAM, Souped Up and Spearhead to name a few, Voltage's discography speaks for itself in laying down his years’ worth of experience within drum & bass. With support for his productions coming from a wide range of influential selectors including the likes of Andy C, Hype, Friction, Goldie, Bailey, Hazard and Bryan Gee, it's safe to say that 10 years of Voltage has been a remarkable decade to say the least. Here's to 10 more…

Going solo while still keeping intact his devotion to RS Produções, Nuno appears as a true heartbreaker. Silky, space soul, why not even risk the patented future r&b? But this music exists and manifests itself apart from the established production centres, the golden arches of hype edifices and synthetic promotion regurgitated by a thousand cloned fingers. "Sai Do Coração" is a very brave, romantic improbability, shying away from DJ bravado and dancefloor top speed. Through these grooves comes a pure distillation of love, an alchemical sublimatio resulting in the much sought-after "higher substance", a bright globe issuing rays of affection all around.

With love we most likely also buy into a degree of suffering, and though this is not at all the ID of the album, Nuno explicitly connects the two sentiments in "N'Dengue", a cathartic cold cut one grows to cherish intensely by the time it is over. It's a key moment, grief pours out, liberation achieved in the dance - "I will love, I will suffer, I will shout, I will dance". Flip to the other side for "Confusão No Ghetto", another gritty expression, a richly percussive, slow tempo observation of things gone wrong. All the rest in the album feels simple, direct and yet sophisticated like photosynthesis. Like the soil, through which geological becomes biological. Nuno whips up a variety of textures and flavours into the invisible form of Music, romantic fiction into action.

After her debut album “OUCH” on 10K in late 2022, the Brooklyn native returns with her most polished work to date and presents her latest project titled “Wooden Floors”.

Inspired among other things by a scene in the 80's movie "Risky Business"; she treats each song as a journal entry where she depicts her life in New York and touches on various subjects like love, family, personal achievements, morals and future goals.
Delivering an array of multiple flows and emotions on groovy beats; she stands out from other mcs with her sweet voice tone, raw style and poignant lyrics.

F-BOMBS RECORDS has landed! A spin-off of the Foundations Series events that have been running across London the past 2+ years. Similarly to the Foundations Series events, the label will be a home of multi-genre artist releases with a nod to all the classic eras of UK dance music brought firmly up-to-date.

SWANKOUT has been moving at paces, riding the charts the last couple of years with releases for the likes of Hardcore Energy, Top Drawer Digital and Pete Cannon’s N4 Records - which saw his Swankout EP sell out of vinyl in just 24 hours! He’s also notably just remixed Shadow Child & Mark Archer’s “I know You” on UTTU’s sub-label Dancetrax and his forthcoming The Criminal Minds collab is gaining much hype.

Here Swankout demonstrates his diversity in taste and production style by lending his hand to UKG with the aptly named “The Speed Garage EP”. A 4-tracker that imbues classic speed garage, with rumbling basslines, weighty breakdowns, gunshots and a hint of jungle. Heads will note the reference of lead track Rude Bwoy Monty to the original jungle don R.B. Monty.


F-BOMBS001 - SWANKOUT - THE SPEED GARAGE EP

A1. RUDEBWOY MONTY - Moody build-up into an unforgettable breakdown of police sirens and rising tension, conjures up memories of early morning raves and raids across London and the greater M25 perimeter.

A2. LOVE COMMANDS - A steppy dancefloor bouncer, pure summer vibes for the love dove generation.

AA1. GUNSHOT - All the elements of a classic speed garage stomper. Warped bassline, pitched/chopped vocals, gunshots and a lot of attitude.

AA2. APPROACH PHASE - Fasten your seatbelts and assume approach positions. A track that invokes a sense of nostalgia for dancefloors long gone.

The daughter of a Brazilian mother and German father, Astrud Gilberto achieved international prominence with “The Girl From Ipanema,” an inauspicious debut

recorded for the landmark album her husband, Joao Gilberto, created with Stan Getz in 1963. Moving to the USA, where she was subsequently based,

she continued her solo career and also toured with Getz, with whom she later began a relationship. Over-the-top classic That Girl From Ipanema allowed

her to revisit the hit in the sweeping high-fidelity full-spectrum setting of a disco big-band,

the album overseen by MFSB and Salsoul mainstay, Vince Montana.

Along with individual takes of Cole Porter’s “Love For Sale” and Harry Nilsson’s “The Puppy Song,”

original “Far Away” benefits from the understated trumpet of Chet Baker, but the album ultimately revels in all things disco,

the Brazilian element coming courtesy of percussionist

Dom Um Romao on select tracks. Crank up the volume and tune in to the brass, piano and percussion that percolates under Astrud’s characteristically soft

and sultry vocals to fully experience this underrated gem.

Formed in suburban Maidenhead by singer Tony Pook, guitarist/pianist Roy Apps and guitarist Robert Collins, Heron solidified when Collins was replaced by uitarist/mandolin player GT Moore. After a debut album recorded at the Pook family farm, specially priced double LP Twice As Nice And Half The Price achieved a fuller sound with guitarist Mike Cooper, bassist Mike Finesilver, drummer Terry Gittins and guitarist Willie Boazman. The epic set sounds absolutely brilliant from start to finish, with strong vocal harmonies, intricate guitar interplay and excellent musical communication. Arguably Heron at their absolute best!

Love, Love, Love, Love will make you walk a thousandcmiles to be with her. She is the wisdomcyou long to have, the courage you nevercthought you had. Love is peace, she is patient, she is Kind. Love will heal that infected wound that you long gave up on to heal, more powerful than any weapon of mass destruction. Cuddled up in her grasp, her tears will roll down your face. She’s the real deal. She will fight for you, she will carry the sword for you, She will walk a thousand miles for you. She is sweet, very sweet. Welcome to Jaqee 6th and final album, a closure of a chapter in my artistry so far. This is not the end, it’s just a crossroad that is proudly and lovingly directing me into an unpredictable future. I felt a strong need for healing on this album, so I made way for Vulnerability. I have opened doors that are to be obediently followed as I dig deeper in the understanding of the one thing that we humans yearn so much for. Love is King.

Jaqee – is rhythm and life ”Places becoming journeys in themselves… Different places where I have lived and learned, places that have made my heart beat, the emotional realms that I have experienced. This is where it all starts, every time. Where I am is where it happens, because I am, there. Here.” She sings. She laughs! And she cries, too. Jaqee cannot tell when music and singing became her life, it has ”just always been there, in my head” she says. Now with the fourth album she has taken a closer look at herself, from every possible angle. No hiding. Different phases, different sides of her personality and musical creativity are all there. All as one. ”I am a diaspora kid, I fell in love with all kinds of music, I let myself embrace it all, because good music, is good music. All the way from Uganda at age 13 to the new home and culture in Sweden, then leaving Sweden as an adult for Berlin – has made me the Jaqee that I am”, says the Ugandan /Swedish artist who also received a Swedish Grammy nomination for her past work. Being on the move is without a doubt an important part of her life. “For me travelling is about being exposed to different perceptions, situations, cultures and extreme emotions, it has always made me grow. How many times have I not thought that: I wouldn’t have experienced this or that, if hadn’t been here. I love that feeling!” Jaqee’s music reflects this constant movement and progress. The album is inspired by places like Berlin, South Africa and Jamaica. The trip to Jamaica resulted in the only collaboration track on “Yes I am” recorded in Kingston with reggae artist Anthony B. Teka, the “Kokoo Girl” and “Yes I am” Producer says: ”This time around, like on the last album, we have worked with our colleagues in different countries. Musicians we love and musicians that are inspiring like Martin Hederos (The Soundtrack of our lives) who arranged the strings on the album. We also had New York drummer Daru Jones of Rusic Records play on some tracks. All these talents enhance the idea and expression that we wanted for “Yes I am”. With the album done, it is again time to hit the road and tour for Jaqee. “Getting out there and meeting the crowd is a high. We laugh, we dance and we get loud together. This is the best part of working with music – having a good time together. Music is a universal language.” On composing music, she admits that this time, more than ever, the words matter. Newly found motherhood has made this album in particular a significant legacy. Every song has a life punctuation of its own she has not limited herself by thinking in genres. Making the tone very straightforward. “The melodies and lyrics are closely intertwined, how I sing a word makes all the difference. Even though I love word play, it has to be very clear. Since I am not educated in reading music, I instead visualize and hear it, it seems to be the way my system works. It is all about rhythm and life, it is “YES I AM“.