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Hilit Kolet and The Illustrious Blacks team up for the ‘Transatlantic Kiki’ EP. Dropping on Rekids late August, the package is remixed by Floorplan.
London-based artist Hilit Kolet returns to Rekids, collaborating with New York’s The Illustrous Blacks, the project formed by Manchildblack and Monstah Black, for the ‘Transatlantic Kiki’ EP, landing 29th August 2025 via Radio Slave’s Rekids. Legendary father-daughter duo Floorplan remix the single, with the release following up Kolet’s 2024 ‘Snap Talk’ EP, which won support from artists like Dam Swindle, Chloé Caillet, Bradley Zero, and more.

With lyrics that connect London and New York, ‘Transatlantic Kiki’ is a tough, funk-fueled roller true to Hilit Kolet’s signature production style, infused with an unmatchable personality via The Illustrous Blacks’ playful, vogue-like vocals. It’s hypnotic, bold, and irresistible, with the pair supplying a loopy ‘First Class’ mix that introduces vocal elements not featured in the original, amplifying the track’s qualities to hit even harder, and works the dancefloor into a sweat.

Robert and Lyric Hood, known together as Floorplan, remix Hilit Kolet & The Illustrous Blacks’ ‘Transatlantic Kiki’. Equally infectious as the original, they transform its rhythm into a drummy late-night cut. Stabs and vocal chops ride the groove, culminating in a proper lose-yourself-in-the-dance House cut that also comes with an instrumental version.
London’s Hilit Kolet came up through the former Soho Black Market Records shop, and has since become synonymous with the city’s House scene via releases on Defected, Snatch!, Domino, and Rekids, with a #1 debut on Music Week’s Upfront Club Chart and support from BBC Radio 1, Jamie Jones, HAAi, Skream, and more. NYC duo The Illustrious Blacks, comprising Manchildblack and Monstah Black, blend Afro-Electro, Funk, Disco, and House across releases on Soul Clap, Classic Music Company, and Defected, as well as collaborations with artists such as Osunlade, DJ Minx, Seven Davis Jr., and David Morales.

We are excited to announce the return of the iconic Totally Wired series with a brand new collection on LP and CD. The first 50 orders will include a special art print of the artwork. We are also doing a limited edition T-shirt to celebrate this milestone!

In 1988 Acid Jazz released its first compilation album ‘Totally Wired: A Collection From Acid Jazz Records’. Compiled by Eddie Piller and Gilles Peterson it collated 11 tracks that summed up the early days of our scene, mixing new label signings, cool new records being played in our clubs and a couple of oldies. It sold well to the then small scene and set the template for a series, that in the wake of the international success of The Brand New Heavies, Jamiroquai, The James Taylor Quartet and others exploded. By the time that Volume 5 appeared, we were selling tens of thousands of copies, with major label artists vying for inclusion.

By that point ‘Totally Wired’ was a phenomenon, that sign-posted changes in both the directions of new music, but of the oldies that were played on the scene. It gave DJs new tunes to play and soundtracked 1000s of Cafés and bars the world over in the age of the CD. It was largely retired at the end of the 90s and as times changed.

Over the years we have been asked to return to the scene of the crime, but it has never quite felt right, until now. With vinyl back, and the need for easy to digest compilations becoming neccessary in the chaos of streaming’s ‘I can listen to anything I want, but can’t think what that might be’ is evident, but also we are feeling excited about where Acid Jazz is right now. New artists on the label are making great records, Matt Berry has a Top thirty album, and The Brand New Heavies are headlining the Royal Albert Hall. It’s easy to make an exciting album when that is happening.

So we are releasing “Totally Wired: A New Collection From Acid Jazz” and treating it like the important milestone that it is. From the Acid Jazz sid we have new and exclusive recordings by Matt Berry, Chris Bangs and new signings Earth-o-Naut and Quiet Fire, there is also a recent white label only 45 cut by the Soul Revivers – released ahead of their new album due this Autumn and featuring Kokoroko’s Shiela Maurice-Grey and Anoushka Nanguy. For the oldies we have dug deep into our own archives to bring you the Acid Jazz Orchestra’s version of Corduroy’s ‘Something In My Eye’ and The Brand New Heavies astounding funk take of Aretha Franklin’s ‘Rock Steady’. These are all joined by recent scene records by Carmy Love – one of the greatest voices in the UK – The Romero Brothers, and BDQ, carrying the series onwards at last.

Back in the early 1990s as Acid Jazz began a period of extraordinary commercial success where acts like the Brand New Heavies and Jamiroquai sold millions of records, and US groups such as A Tribe Called Quest, The Roots and Digable Planets were actively influenced by what was being played in London, the whole scene was being fuelled by a small number of clubs, led by Gilles Peterson’s Sunday afternoons at Dingwalls but taking in nights in Leeds, Bari, Munich, Tokyo, Stockholm and New York. In those clubs funky jazz, latin boogaloo and 70s soul soundracks competed for time on the dance floor with import records from New York, and the latest sounds coming out of bedrooms and makeshift basement studios that created contemporary sounds out of the past.

Acid Jazz’s Eddie Piller and Dean Rudland have put together this compilation of the sort of sounds that we were playing at the time. They are releases on Acid Jazz and other label’s that surrounded the scene and they were mainly made by people we knew from either around the club scene, behind the counters of our favourite record shops, or from trips to New York or Europe. They range from The Ballistic Brother anthem ‘Blacker’ to the jazz house of A-Zel - a Roger Sanchez mix that still sounds fresh today. We have the Humble Soul’s instrumental version of ‘Beads Things And Flowers’ which at the time was only available as a DJ special on Acetate. There is the presence of A Man Called Adam before they went to Ibiza, and the early Mo’ Wax (before they went Trip Hop) single by Marden Hill ‘Come On’.

These records could fill a dance floor in seconds and we feel that they are today largely forgotten, as they were non-album, underground club records. It’s time to celebrate them!

11th Release of the limited Florcene Funk Sublabel including 2 rare Gems and a brandnew Artwork....Vinyl Only & limited as usual.

It was the 90s. Paris had the blues, French rap was beginning its slow rise, and a new musical genre was emerging: Acid Jazz. Imported from England by DJ Gilles Peterson, this groovy style blended 70s funk with a certain idea of jazz tailored for the dancefloor. Its heroes were Galliano, Brand New Heavies, Incognito, and the James Taylor Quartet. Jamiroquai topped the charts, MC Solaar recorded with Urban Species, and suddenly, France was swept up in the swing whirlwind. Starting in 1993, Parisian clubs embraced this union of jazz and groove, and in 1994, a compilation was released: Paris Groove Up. Around ten groups delivered the French version of this British style: Mellowman, Mad In Paris, Vercoquin, Ready Made... and Dis Bonjour À La Dame. The band wasn’t new—their roots went back to the late 80s, when bassist Marc Israël brought together a brass section and some seasoned musicians. But the real beginning of DBALD came in 1992 with the arrival of singer Sital. "Christophe Denis joined on guitar and songwriting. In 1993, we opened for Jamiroquai and Maceo Parker, and that’s when the major labels interested in the acid jazz market started noticing us," recalls Marc. Their track Chris’tal, the centerpiece of the compilation, was released as a single, and Dis Bonjour À La Dame's album began production in late 1994 in London, at Roundhouse Studio. “We must’ve been among the last sessions there—it was demolished shortly after. It was a very 70s studio, with old gear, a Fender Rhodes, everything was vintage! We recorded for a month, all playing together live, then added the brass and finally Sital’s vocals. We were lucky to have two exceptional backing singers, Sarah Brown and Mark Anthoni, who worked with Incognito and Urban Species.” The self-titled album came out in early 1995, and it had all the ingredients of a hidden funky gem from the 90s: Hey Mama with its ironclad groove, the irresistible instrumental Sheherazade Groove opening the record, Soul Body with its R\&B sensuality... The hip-hop touch came courtesy of Lee Rick’s, the MC from Mellowman, who laid down rhymes on Hall Blues. The brass section was on fire, the bass went wild, and Sital added a sensual spark to the whole thing. In short, a solid album produced by Fred Versailles (producer of NTM’s first album) and mixed by Paul Borg (Urban Species, UFO, -M-, Mory Kanté), a testament to a time when big funky bands made Paris groove—with Dis Bonjour À La Dame leading the charge. Nearly thirty years later, it’s time to (re)discover DBALD.

• We launch our Soul Harmony label with a fabulous tape discovery from Golden State Recorders. At the time of recording, 87th Off Broadway lived in the small town of Seaside, California and were based in Monterey. They wrote their own songs, four of which were recorded at an April 1972 session, arranged by Los Angeles Rene Hall. The tape lay dormant for decades. ‘Instant Replay’ is the final of the four to belatedly be issued; the others being funk released on Ace’s BGP label. The group morphed into another outfit called Welfare who had ‘What About The Child’ released (with a name change to Gold) in 1977 on the MRC label. This song is of the highest quality as are the intricate harmony vocals. Advance plays on the Lowrider scene have been very well received.

With "Modern Way", Teddy Lasry delivers one of his most accomplished albums, where analog
synthesizer mastery meets a distinctly modern vision of instrumental music. Originally released in 1981,
this rare record embodies both the elegance of jazz-fusion and the boldness of electronic
experimentation.
Known for his key role in Magma, Teddy Lasry established himself as a discreet yet essential pioneer
of French cosmic music. A saxophonist, flutist, and keyboardist, he began developing a rich and
personal body of work in the 1970s, blending film scoring, sonic science fiction, and synthetic
dreamscapes.
On Modern Way, he explores a new path, at the crossroads of space funk, futuristic library music, and
cinematic synthetic landscapes. Each track evokes a scene: a race against time, a machine-city, a
digital dream... An imaginary soundtrack for an era that still believed in tomorrow.
Reissued on vinyl for the first time, Modern Way is a key work for fans of rare electronic gems,
atmospheric jazz, and avant-garde music long left in the shadows.
Limited edition – The future won’t wait.

Fradinho (Rui Fradinho) is Lisbon born Portuguese, having lived in London for 12 years and returning to Portugal in 2020.

Rui's musical base stems from a diverse range of music: rock to pop, house to techno, through jazz, soul, funk, world music, hip hop, drum and bass and from breakbeat to his main passion and current music production focus, broken beat / bruk / nu jazz.

Rui runs his own record label, Eclectic Beats Music, with 6 vinyl releases, and has released remixes for artists like Sentinel793 (Universal Magnetic), Deborah Jordan (Futuristica Music), Str4ta (Colin Curtis Presents), David Borsu (Broadcite) amongst other artists and labels.

Highlights of his DJ career so far (other than his 6-year residency at Sociedade Anonima), are the Bicaense Cafe and Lux club in Lisbon. Earlier in 2017, he did a stint on London’s Back2BackFM, playing at Dalston’s Club Makossa, the BBE Store in East London, closing the Chill Out Gardens stage in Portugal’s Boom Festival 2018, DJ’ed at Gilles Peterson’s first edition of We Out Here festival in 2019, played Lisb-On festival in 2022 and currently guests at Birmingham’s BrukUp broken beat night (having played there 5 times with Adam Rock, Laura Crossley, Bruk Boogie Kru, Marcia Carr & Kwai and Yoofee).

Welcome to the first instalment of a new collaboration between The Reflex’ DISCOLIDAYS label and Because Music in Paris, remixing gems from the Zagora catalogue.

Created in 1975 by producer Daniel Vangarde (father of Daft Punk’s Thomas Bangalter), the Zagora label created some of the most exciting disco music in France, ranging from cult underground artists Who’s Who and Starbow, to massive international hits by the Gibson Brothers, la Compagnie Créole and Black Blood. Unearthing the multitrack for obscure cuts, The Reflex shifts the focus on the great studio musicians involved in these recordings (Wally Badarou amongst others) and delivers stunning revisions of ‘Harlem Bound’, a
131bpm jazz-funk disco powerhouse cut (1977) and ‘Dancin’ The Mambo’, a 122bpm Chic-esque meets early piano House monster laced with that unmistakable French sound, originally released in 1980.

Both first time-ever remixes from the stems, released on 180g vinyl with custom artwork on card sleeve designed by Al Kent / Million Dollar Disco.

Three more releases will follow, to complete the 4 x 12” vinyl and digital package spread over several months in 2024.

Mysticisms returns, looking to the source, Detroit City, with the beautiful house music of Soiree Records International and their 1995 deep vocal bomb, That's How Lovers Be.

Established in 1990 by Derrick Thompson, Soiree has long focused on the deeper side of house, late night rhythms across over 70 releases. Never making a shout out about it, the label might not of garnered the kudos it deserves while laying down a tight standard of cosmic sonic delight.

Featuring in the main Thompson's own Drivetrain releases, his production skills are deployed on this one time project. Written and sung by Montaze Armstrong, alongside the smooth accompaniment of Merchon Bower, the production is ubiquitous Drivetrain. His main mix sets the scene; hats proffering swing and impetus while bass and chords underpin the vocal interplay to skyward perfection.

Once again the label conjoins a latter day contemporary and admired producer to offer their own retake and who better than the essential producer of all things deep, Nail. A huge influence on the label during the formative years of (free party) house music's ascent, his recent return has been widely welcomed. His 'mix' is full of respect and perfect pitch, adding his distinctive low-end rumble, hypnotic hats, skips, loop and shake.

To close, it's all about the legend that is Scott Grooves. Nothing more needs be said, his 9-minute ride show jazz roots worn firmly. Rhodes, claps, piano and vocal are all that's needed. Loose, funky and soulful from a true master.

Love the Mystery.

This is a raw and soulful collection of beats, swiftly cooked up by the legendary DJ Spinna. Originally dropped on Instagram as sonic teasers for his “Here To There Radio Show” on Apple Music, each beat is a tribute to the artists spotlighted in each episode.
What started as a behind-the-scenes glimpse into Spinna’s creative process quickly sparked a wave of demand—so by popular request, these exclusive grooves are now being released to the public.
Straight from the lab to your ears. Enjoy the vibe!

Back in 1979, a new kind of superhero entered the Chicago music scene, '...Daryl Cameron somehow entered the phonebooth of his mind and emerged as Captain Sky.' His first album for LA based AVI record 'The Adventures of Captain Sky' was a smash hit and established Captain Sky as a serious Afro Funk artist right next to Detroit’s George Clinton and Bootsy Collins.The first song on the album, Moonchild was released as a very limited promo 12-inch and remixed by Chicago radio DJ Peter Lewicki. The result is a timeless cosmic disco tune that may be one of the best disco song ever made.

Yet another solid Soul/Funk nugget lifted from the vaults of Miami's CAT Records (Another T.K. Disco subsidiary).

Often sampled, re-edited & re-jigged but never bettered! Gwen McCrae's all time classic "All This Love I'm Giving" finally see's a timely repress, just as God intended, on a dinked 45 with all original artwork intact! That's right, you may recognize this number from Cassius' 1999 hit "Feelin' For You" but this track has long been a staple of rare groove dances & sophisticated soul parties with discerning DJ's & selectors clamoring for the original 45 at any cost.

Backed here with it's original b-side slow jam "Maybe I'll Find Somebody New" this rare 45 has been re-mastered, re-pressed & brought back for 2015's dance-floors in conjunction & with the permission of T.K. Disco / Henry Stone Music, Miami USA.

SEVEN is proud to release their second Various Artists compilation on double 12" Clear Vinyl and Cassette. Again the label introduces 7 new artists to the label including a production debut by Carmen Electro who releases her first ever track plus music from Berghain / Panorama bar DJ's Zombies in Miami, Byron Yeates and Pink Concrete.

SEVEN is proud to release their second Various Artists compilation on double 12" Clear Vinyl and Cassette. Again the label introduces 7 new artists to the label including a production debut by Carmen Electro who releases her first ever track plus music from Berghain / Panorama bar DJ's Zombies in Miami, Byron Yeates and Pink Concrete.

Schwefelgelb show their diversity in an impressive manner. A vibrant record with a very positive
aura, which makes you want to dance with a smile. Minimalistic and clearly arranged, showing each
element's full potential. Unfolding dance music's power with no distraction.

"Ay" is all about its irresistible groove, which is smooth but yet punchy. A compelling opener which
reminds Leftfield House.

"Randseiter" is an intriguing Techno track balancing stomping EBM rhythm and playful syncopic
melody patterns.

With "Sie Lacht" we turn to a cheerful and uplifting combination of subtle Jungle rhythms, prominent
bass and quirky lead, undoubtedly referencing UK Bass music.

If you're out for some rumble you'll find it in JANEIN's remix of "Ay". Despite its Industrial darkness
it's not too shy to implement melodic parts. A haunting mix of pumping kick and funky stab
sequences.
There isn't really a box for Danny Daze's remix of "Sie Lacht". This digital bonus track is full of
creative surprises.

"Marginale" will be released 5th of September on n-PLEX, 140 g colored vinyl including download
code.

From the deep underground Di'jital is back with his Detroit brother Isaac Prieto for the Mind Of The Corporate Master EP. A funky mix of techno and electro pumping the dancefloor this summer!

Dave Davis, a legendary name in Belgian electronic music, made his mark with classics on Bonzai Records, including the iconic "Transfiguration." Known worldwide for his DJ sets and as a vocalist under the alias JD Davis (Chab’s "Closer to Me," David Guetta’s "The World Is Mine"), he now teams up with ID10-T, a Swiss producer making waves with his raw, no-compromise techno style.

This release features two tracks crafted for peak-time dancefloors:

• "Insane": A dark, powerful underground techno bomb with deep basslines, sharp textures, and relentless energy. Built to shake the walls and ignite the crowd.
• "RDH": A groovy jackin’ techno weapon, combining bouncy bass, funky patterns, and infectious rhythms. A fresh yet respectful nod to classic techno foundations.

With this electrifying collaboration, Vibes Addikt continues to push boundaries, showcasing a cross-generational vision that fuses rave culture heritage with modern sound design.

Français

Vibes Addikt, le label de N.O.B.A reconnu pour sa ligne artistique mêlant techno et trance de manière percutante et novatrice, présente sa nouvelle sortie : un single explosif signé Dave Davis & ID10-T.

Dave Davis, figure incontournable de la scène électronique belge, connu pour ses classiques sur Bonzai Records — notamment l’intemporel "Transfiguration" — et pour ses prestations aux quatre coins du globe, s’associe ici au producteur suisse ID10-T, talent émergent dont le style se distingue par une techno brute, percutante et sans concession. Dave Davis est également connu sous son alias JD Davis, voix emblématique de titres cultes tels que "Closer to Me" de Chab ou "The World Is Mine" de David Guetta.

Ce single comprend deux titres taillés pour les dancefloors les plus exigeants :

• "Insane" : Un banger techno underground, sombre et puissant, construit pour retourner les clubs à coups de basses profondes, de textures métalliques et d'une tension hypnotique. Ce morceau capte l’essence même de la rave moderne : brut, direct, sans artifice.
• "RDH" : Une véritable arme jackin’ techno, groovy et irrésistible, mêlant rythmiques incisives, bassline bondissante et arrangements funky, qui captiveront autant les puristes que les amateurs de sonorités plus organiques. Un hommage contemporain aux racines du genre, avec une touche résolument actuelle.

Cette sortie marque une nouvelle étape dans l'évolution de Vibes Addikt, toujours en quête de projets audacieux et authentiques. Avec cette collaboration intergénérationnelle, le label affirme une fois de plus son engagement envers une techno de caractère, entre héritage rave et innovation sonore.

432HERTZ BERLIN Returns With a Fierce Second Vinyl: “303rd Dimensions”

After the hypnotic depths of its debut release, 432HERTZ BERLIN surges back with a blistering six-track compilation crafted for the more daring corners of the dancefloor.
“303rd Dimensions” is a raw and relentless journey through acid-laced techno and electro, where analog grit meets mind-expanding energy.

The label continues to push boundaries, cementing its place in Berlin’s underground with a second release that’s as functional as it is uncompromising.

Side A: Acid Pressure and Dancefloor Dynamics

• A1: Cognitive Dissonance – Dan Piu
An acid-drenched techno voyage from Dan Piu, where 90s-inspired psycho vocals intertwine with layered pads and driving TB-303 lines. Tension builds, reality blurs.

• A2: Reverse – Rinaldo Makaj
Rinaldo Makaj delivers a raw analog workout with “Reverse”: pounding drums, sizzling acid riffs, and sensual vocal snippets collide in a late-night warehouse ritual.

• A3: TAR 1000 – Electric City
A full-throttle electro weapon — massive analog sound design, laser-sharp grooves, and pure machine funk engineered for peak-time destruction.


Side B: Acid Tension and Mind Games

• B1: Drop The Bass – Gela
Obscure, elegant, and acid-infused — Gela crafts a stripped-back electro trip that hypnotizes dancers with subtle menace and percussive clarity.

• B2: Pressure – Mathii
Mystical vocals echo through a lattice of electro arpeggios, as Mathii channels tension and atmosphere into a slow-burning, magnetic groove.

• B3: Functionality – Gianluca Pellerano
A masterclass in minimal effectiveness — Gianluca Pellerano’s contribution is pure dancefloor utility, built with MPS precision, rhythmic control, and vocal finesse.

A Testament to Underground Electronic Music

Curated by Rinaldo Makaj, 432HERTZ BERLIN's second vinyl release is a powerful testament to the boundless creativity and diversity of underground electronic music.

First time vinyl reissue, expanded and deluxe double gatefold 140g double vinyl, remastered audio with restored artwork and fresh liners written by Paul Hillery (Folk Funk & Trippy Troubadours)
Alan James Eastwood's glorious Seeds is a certified folk-funk lost-classic.

But who was Alan James Eastwood? He had never hit the big time and commercial success eluded him. By the mid-1970s, his musical career was pretty much over and he was almost unknown except among deep heads, amongst whom he would gain cult status.

Original copies of the 1971 vinyl release of Seeds exchange hands for high sums, if you can find one. This expanded 2LP contains an extra record, collecting 9 rare non-album singles and is presented in a gatefold sleeve complete with freshly commissioned liner notes courtesy of Paul Hillery (Folk Funk & Trippy Troubadours).

With the long overdue deluxe reissue of this prized artefact, we hope to finally shine a light on the unheralded genius of Alan James Eastwood. RIYL Nick Drake, Rodriguez, Richie Havens.

Alan James ‘Bugsy’ Eastwood was a renowned musician and singer who came to prominence in the late 1960s with The Exception, an unsung but excellent band from Birmingham. The Exception released many singles, the first featuring friend Robert Plant on tambourine, before an album, The Exceptional Exception. However, by this time, Bugsy was feeling constrained and restless; he left the band within weeks of the release.

Having vanished from the scene, he was honing a deeper, introspective edge to his songwriting. His demos found their way to the sound engineer and producer Mike Cooper at Pan Music Studios in Denmark Street. Loving what he heard, Eastwood soon entered a recording session with Cooper. The session was just Alan, his guitar and harmonica and - by all accounts - it was remarkable. With the songs, the voice and such an exceptional talent, it was hard to go wrong. Says Mike: "We had John Hawkins do the big string arrangements and Richard Hewson arranged the string quartet. We overdubbed the orchestrations on Alan's original session recordings, adding Chris Karan on tabla and various percussion. We considered re-recording the vocals but found that the magic on that original session was so exceptional overdubbing would not be as good as the atmospheric 'live' performance."

Mike and Alan viewed each track as a different entity, giving the album a diverse sonic palette. Assessing each song individually, they decided which would be suitable for each arranger. Top-flight session musicians were added to the roster to complete the sound, with Byron Lye Fook (father of musician Omar) on drums, bassist Mike Ward, Brian Pickles on marimba and jazz drummer Chris Karan on tabla and percussion. Recorded in a matter of days in Pan's small 8-track studio, they carefully added overdubs, rhythm sections and four string sessions arranged by Hawkins, with Hewson's arrangements recorded at Trident Studios.

Seeds was Alan James Eastwood's debut solo album – indeed, his only solo album - and was originally issued on President in 1971. It melded Eastwood’s impressive rock sensibilities with a folk thread to superb effect. His arresting voice - its deep, rough-hewn soulfulness - coupled with gorgeous string-drenched backing, make this a phenomenal listen. It really is a great 70s singer-songwriter record - with touches of acid-folk and folk-funk throughout.

It opens with "She's Getting Married In August", a mellow tune with Richard Hewson's strings arranged around Alan's straightforward guitar structure. Up next, the joyous, sun-dappled guitar and strings workout "Evenin' Rain" glides by before the fragile, accordion-enhanced "Les Papillons" breezes out of the speakers. The bluesy "Zeena" follows, featuring vocals and acoustic guitar and showcasing Eastwood's effortless harmonica. Starting out as a ballad, "Virgin Morn" builds with soaring strings and gospel-tinged backing vocals from Marilyn Powell and jazz singer Josephine Stahl. The A-side closes with the title track, "Seeds". With a chugging mid-tempo beat, soulful vocals and a beautiful Bacharach-esque string arrangement, it truly is stop-you-in-your-tracks spectacular.

Side B opens with "Crystal Blue", gilded by Lye Fook's marimba, lush gospel-esque backing vocals and handclaps. Eastwood's acoustic guitar begins "Lady Carole", which starts as a bluesy ballad and builds with more string arrangement, lifting the track to another height. A towering highlight of epic proportions, "Lotus Child" is a true masterpiece of arrangement. It opens with simple yet stunning do-do-dah vocal harmonies blended with John Hawkins's strings, bass lines and rhythmic beats, forming a vibe very much in conversation with the sounds coming from LA's Laurel Canyon. Next up, the heartwarming "Last Prayer", dedicated to Alan's first and last love, contains a melancholic vocal with a wistful string-drenched arrangement that would sit comfortably in a Federico Fellini score. Bringing the album to a close, "Hymn For Today" is a melodic raga with tabla, strings and a soft-psych feel. Eastwood's prophetic whisper - "I am real. At last, I am real" - profoundly hits home.

Kicking off the extra disc is the sparsely funky and country-tinged "Boston", released as the flip to the astonishing "Seeds". Next up are the two tracks that comprised Alan’s debut solo 7" single from 1968. The laconic, Bobby Charles-esque "Blackbird Charlie" evidences a real depth and charm in Eastwood's songwriting whilst the starkly brilliant flip, "My Sun", was a horizontal, atmospheric folk-tinged soundtracky precursor to his later work on Seeds.

In 1972, two further standalone singles followed. The first was the evergreen flute-driven folk-funk bomb, "Closer To The Truth", backed by the funky blues of "Strange News". The second, a deeply moving Havens-inspired "Moonchild" - rightly fawned over to this day - was flipped with "Red Shoe Truckin'", a groove-infused track. Eastwood also paired up with Marilyn Powell for a single produced by Powell's partner, Mike Cooper. Under the name Eastwood & Powell, they released their staggering rendition of "Beautiful", a rock-blues-pop song arranged by Ivor Raymonde and written by Carole King. Over on the flip, a funky Eastwood original "Opal Blue Sunday" lurked. This is not to be overlooked.

Over the years, Alan remained active on the music scene, but problems with alcohol and health complications from diabetes severely impacted his career. He spent his latter years living in London until his untimely death from heart failure on 25 October 2007, just one day before his 62nd birthday and without his music having received the real acclaim it so dearly deserved.

This deluxe reissue, spellbinding from beginning to end, should hopefully go some way to rectifying this tragic fact. Mastering for this special double vinyl edition was overseen by Be With regular Simon Francis and it was cut by the esteemed Cicely Balston at Abbey Road Studios to be pressed in the Netherlands by Record Industry. The original artwork has been lovingly brought back to life at Be With HQ, with the addition of passionately written liner notes specially for this landmark reissue by none other than Paul Hillery.