Search:urban soul

Parsley Sounds was the glorious debut album for Mo Wax by Parsley Sound. The album was one of the iconic label’s final releases before it closed in 2003 and locating a clean copy has been extremely tricky of late, unless you're flush enough to drop 150 notes on it. Mercifully, the Be With reissue, put together with invaluable assistance from the group, should remedy this situation. It's a lo-fi, bass-heavy, blunted beat treat, warped with heat haze and dreamy soft-psych and has been criminally under-heard for far too long.

As with most cult-like records, Parsley Sounds has many influential fans, far and wide. From Four Tet and Caribou to NTS's modern day breakfast hero Flo Dill, its reputation has only grown in stature. At the time, the notoriously hard-to-please Pitchfork garlanded it with a scarcely achievable 8.8 whilst, just recently, the Numero Group's Rob Sevier described it as a "visionary bit of proto-Salvia Palth (or Steve Lacy)" via a Ghostly International missive.

Parsley Sound comprised super-talented duo Preston Mead and Dan Sargassa. They released an early single (the perfect "Twilight Mushrooms", featured here) on Warp Records as Slum, before signing to Mo Wax. Hidden behind a wall of sound - fuzzy layers of beats, bleeps and symphonic synths - they were convinced they made mainstream pop music. And, in many respects, Parsley Sounds really is a beautiful pop album. It overflows with memorable, gorgeous melodies and inspired songcraft. As the contemporaneous Pitchfork review correctly had it: "Parsley Sounds is one of those rare records that manage to sound modest while frequently pushing the sonic envelope."

Killer opener "Ease Yourself And Glide" is a thing of aching, soft-psych, wonky beat-beauty. A melodic masterpiece, part Crosby, Stills & Nash, part proto-Koushik, it presents a melancholy falsetto, surging bass and blunted lead guitar. As it climaxes, gorgeous strings are ushered in to see us out. Sublime. "Twilight Mushrooms" is up next and it's an acid-drenched, strung-out acoustic-led campfire wonder. Amid layers of tape-hiss and beautiful, sun-dappled strings, its understated vocal track provides a haze of wistful innocence.

The breezy "Spring's Near" is a krautrock-inspired chiming instrumental of heavenly excellence, its warm, skipping, motorik groove and dreamy synths completely infectious. Another total highlight, the technicolour "Yo Yo" initially presents itself as a more abstract, bleepy offering but as it organically swells into ever more beautiful places, with the addition of a choppy insistent drum loop, flute bursts, horns and sweeping strings, it puts one in mind of early Manitoba and Four Tet releases. Shimmering, blissed-out greatness.

The celestial harmonies and glistening harps of the wonderfully beatless, serenely sullen "Ocean House" are very much in conversation with late-60s meditative psych whilst, closing out Side A, the jaw-dropping, lushly experimental effort "Find The Heat" comes on like Arthur Russell meets Brian Wilson. Yep, *that* good.

Side B opens with the warped, bleepy "Stevie", a brief but beautifully wonky, soulful and intricate instrumental. The more upfront vocals that propel the fuzzy "Platonic Rate" have a refreshing swagger to them, the heavy bass and neck-snapping in-the-red beats too much for any system to deal with whilst the guitars and strings have a sweeping, cinematic feel which just beguiles. The slow, urbane soul of "Candlemice" will stop you in your tracks, no matter what you're doing. It carries a delicate sadness, as does much of the album in that classic "down lifting" style we so love here at Be With.

The fuzzing, buzzing "Templechurchmansions" is a searing, soulful dubwise detonation. Heavily stoned with slow-burning jazzy snatches and a tense, moody atmosphere, it's a Tricky-adjacent gem. The album rounds out brilliantly with the ominous instrumental "Neon Breeze" before giving way to the propulsive, almost incongruous punk-funk / disco-dub of secret "untitled" track "Caution", a scratchy, smacked-out groove-fuelled workout with a female vocal dripping with 'tude. Just sensational.

Under the watchful eye - and attentive ears! - of Parsley Sound themselves, the audio for Parsley Sounds has been carefully mastered by Be With regular Simon Francis, with a few much needed tweaks here and there, according to the artist's wishes. Cicely Balston's expert skills have made sure nothing is lost in the cut whilst the records have been pressed to the highest possible standard at the always stellar Record Industry in Holland.

Preston and Dan always thought the colours on the first vinyl pressing looked a bit "washed out" vis-a-vis the original artwork which was way more vibrant. We feel we've got it popping back to the original intention with the restoration work here at Be With HQ. So with the audio and artwork now approaching completeness after 20 years, this long overdue re-issue could be considered its definitive vinyl release.

Truth Manifest Records is proud and excited to release Beyond Jazz Volume 2, the second volume in this wonderful, futuristic four-part series!

This stellar vinyl release on Truth Manifest Records is from executive producer Malik Alston, with distribution from Mother Tongue. As we travel to the edge of our senses with Beyond Jazz Volume 2, it is immersed in poetry pulling on the heartstrings of urban reality. This is where live meets a hip-hop foundation, sped up and transformed into a dance jazz Afro-Cuban up-tempo banger, to tell the story of the groove. Put Volume 2 to a funky jazz lick phrase, reminding us that through the struggle, there is victory. Let your spirit shine as you feel the essence of boom bap jazz.

This powerful collection has special new remixes and edits based on Malik’s current radio show, Beyond Jazz

Highly original material on a very limited EP... be quick!

POLYPHONIC WAVES OF SOULFUL MADRIGALS

The power of duality is an inscrutable thing: we’re endlessly fascinated by the interplay between light and darkness, East and West, voice and silence, our senses tingling from the compelling synergies that thrive in perceived opposites. Drawing from an urbane Antwerpian upbringing and a Moroccan family lineage, the Brussels-based multidisciplinary artist Younes Zarhoni, embraces these very dualities in all of his projects, exploring those murky areas of contrast and bringing all their ambiguous energy to crystal clear focus.

A longtime staple of the local electronic music scene with his hypnotic techno outings as YZ, Zarhoni’s latest focus is on the compositional power of pure harmony and silence: namely, his polyphonic renditions of medieval mystical poetry, sung in multiple voices and left to solemnly radiate beyond their given spatial grounds. Stripped of all instrumental accompaniments, what you get is Gregorian chant meets Boyz 2 Men, articulated by the lyrical ineffability of Arabic tongues and finding their rhythm in the silences that act as the juncture between observation and anticipation.

These sparse stanzas tread under an elusive referential threshold, conjuring visions of architecture and archaism, madrigals and MTV, the sacred and the profane ~ ostensibly disparate elements that seamlessly fold themselves into the radicality of the compositions. In these 20 minutes of verse, Zarhoni oversteps the margins of categorization to deliver an immersive story of song, flowing freely and sustaining the arc of the narrative long after it has ebbed into silence.

The debut album by the italian singer-songwriter influenced by soul, jazz, funk and hip hop.

Love Letters is the debut album of urban singer-songwriter Raffaella Zago. The first album of the Paduan-born, Milan-based artist contains ten tracks influenced by soul, jazz, funk and hip hop that deal repeatedly with the theme of love. In 2023, Raffaella Zago quickly attracted attention with her first official song, a nu-soul reinterpretation of "Money Trees", a song by the most praised rapper of the last decade, Kendrick Lamar, for which she composed a new melody. The other pieces of "Love Letters", in which she addresses people who have been or are part of her life, reaffirm her vocal, writing and composing skills.

The 1973 album “El Violento” was the fifth full-length salsa LP led by Julio Ernesto Estrada Rincón, aka Fruko, and the second credited to Fruko Y Sus Tesos. Though it did not contain hits like ‘A la memoria del muerto’ or ‘El Preso’, it’s a collector’s item today in places like the US, Europe and Japan, perhaps precisely because it is obscure yet full to the brim with unrelentingly hard and heavy salsa bangers that never let up from start to finish (hence the title, which translates as “The Violent One”). A mix of originals and interesting covers, the LP is “all killer and no filler”, purposely designed to set the dance floor ablaze. It features Fruko’s two main vocalists that took over from the first pair of Humberto “Huango” Muriel and “Píper Pimienta” Díaz, namely the beloved duo of Álvaro “Joe” Arroyo and Wilson “Saoko” Manyoma. Los Tesos were a talented “wild bunch” who listened to their fearless leader, with Fruko holding down the bottom end on electric bass, Hernán Gutiérrez in the piano chair, the Villegas brothers on hand percussion (Jesús tickling the bongos and Fernando slapping the congas), augmented by Rafael Benítez on timbales and an ace horn section of Freddy Ferrer and Gonzálo Gómez (trombones) and Jorge Gaviria and Salvador Pasos (trumpets). The super aggressive sound comes directly from the South Bronx playbook of Willie Colón. The snarling trombones and soaring trumpet are somewhat sweetened by a nice little Puerto Rican cuatro guitar solo. Sonically lightening the mood somewhat, ‘Nadando’ (‘Swimming’) is a bouncy tune in the ‘Mercy’ genre (basically a hybrid of pop, funky soul, cumbia and salsa, in the style of Nelson y Sus Estrellas), gleefully sung by Joe Arroyo. The beats are complex and ever changing, with a little bit of mozambique, conga, bomba, jala jala and of course salsa thrown in for good measure. The side closes out with a brilliant, uptempo salsa reworking of the venerable ranchera chestnut, ‘Tú, sólo tú’. Side two explodes with the frenetic descarga jam session ‘Salsa na’ ma’—which is exactly that: nothing more than the hottest “sauce” to make the dancers go crazy. Fruko’s tune is dedicated to the Latin community in New York that listens to salsa from everywhere and dances to it so fervently on the weekend. The relentless percussion propels the listener along at breakneck speed as if hurtling down the Bronx Expressway, demonstrating that Fruko y Sus Tesos have mastered the ‘violent’ form of urban salsa that was having its transnational moment in the early 1970s. While “El Violento” may not be as well known as some Fruko records, it certainly deserves a new look and should be assessed on its own merits as a very powerful, confident entry in the historical evolution of Colombian salsa dura.Sleeve

With one foot planted in jazz and the other in the township groove of Mbaqanga, saxophonist Sello Mmutung was a powerful crossover figure in the history of popular music in South Africa. Using the stage name Bra Sello, meaning “brother” and used as a term of affection and respect in the jazz community, he came up in the era of shellac 78s as an exponent of the 1960s sax jive sound that brought the swinging rhythm of kwela into the domain of South African jazz. Despite the injection of American rhythm and blues into South African pop in the late-1960s, Bra Sello’s first releases on vinyl on the CBS label saw him backed by the group Abafana Bentuthuko and holding down an unapologetic township sound.

Joining the independent Soweto label under producer Cambridge Matiwane in the mid-1970s, Bra Sello recorded two records in the hit-making bump jive style popularised by serious jazz musician Dollar Brand on the one hand and prolific studio group the Movers, operating in funk and soul territory, on the other. Blending modern American and traditional African elements into joyful hip-swinging rhythms, Butterfly (1975) and The Battle of Disco (1977) reflect the vivacity of urban life in South Africa and document an era when dance music was performed by bands as extended jams laced with jaw-dropping solos. With music trends shifting dramatically in the late-1970s, the title of The Battle of Disco was an ironic call to arms in response to the territory that group musicians were beginning to cede to synthesisers and DJs.

For enthusiasts of African music from the 1970s, a full appreciation of the continent’s output is incomplete without South Africa’s pop-jazz sound providing a regional counterpoint to the funk experimentation of West Africa. Reissued for the very first time, Bra Sello returns in 2023 with limited replica editions from Afrodelic using master tape sources from the As-Shams/The Sun collection. Afrodelic’s unique edition of Butterfly features a previously unreleased track on Side B.

If the ideal greatest hits collection captures the fundamental truth about an artist, Eric Kupper’s – “A Lifetime In Dance Music” highlights an envious catalogue, extraordinary production skills and ultimately reveals a passionate maven of house music.

The 24-track compilation celebrates the vast work and revered career of Eric Kupper and is a collectable occasion to re-acknowledge his influence and golden touch as a remixer for over five decades. This second volume of “A Lifetime In Dance Music” highlights another selection of Kupper’s finest productions and remixes of greats such as Whitney Houston, Earth, Wind and Fire, Curtis Mayfield and Moloko.

Emblematic of an iconic nightlife and reflecting on the sheer scale of his work for seminal artists including Diana Ross, Gloria Gaynor and Donna Summer, this ultimate collection serves as a reminder of Kupper’s astounding blend of studio power, control, and agility as a producer and remixer. As the writing and production partner of the late godfather of house music, Frankie Knuckles, Kupper is a true musician and multi-instrumentalist who has played on, remixed, produced or engineered over 2,000 records spanning a wide range of contemporary musical genres.

An eavesdrop to Kupper’s sophisticated, faultless production style that has amassed an unprecedented catalogue captivates the imagination back to bygone musical decades. His work in the mid-to-late 1980s/early 1990s, especially with Def Mix Productions and remixes for the genre’s superstars Alison Limerick, Ce Ce Peniston, Inner City and Frankie Knuckles is considered to be part of the foundation for house music as it exists today.

In the mid-70s, Bob Shad’s cult New York Jazz label Mainstream Records turned to the burgeoning underground Disco scene and released a handful of great singles produced by the likes of Tommy Stewart, Jimmy Roach or Bert DeCoteaux. Featuring artists from the early Disco hotbed including South Side Coalition, Chocolate Syrup and Three Ounces of Love, these singles, proving Shad's great flair, accompanied the rise of the New York club and block party culture that was going to revolutionise the musical landscape a few years later. Most of the singles are officially reissued here on vinyl for the first time, with Three Ounces of Love's "Disco Man" full mix previously unissued on vinyl. Remastered by Colorsound Studio in Paris, with liner notes by Charles Waring and artwork by Thomas C. Bradley

Funk and Soul in the early 70s were mutating to a new sound spearheaded by such labels as Philadelphia International Records (PIR), Scepter and Salsoul: Early Disco was taking off and Its sound was earthier and more urban, mixing the nascent Disco beat with strong funk and soul elements. New York was at the epicentre of the phenomenon, thanks to its thriving club scene and also to a new wave of DJs from the Bronx who started playing the music at block parties along with James Brown and Mandrill. bubbling under was a cohort of small independent labels that released some great music on 7" singles to meet the growing demand. Industry veteran Bob Shad and his label Mainstream Records started investigating this new scene and asked his circle of independent producers to bring him their latest production for release. For the occasion, he set up two sub labels, IX Chains and Brown Dog.

Among the producers who'd heard Shad's call were Tommy Stewart who came up with The South Side Coalition's funky '(Don't You Wanna) Get Down Get Down' in 1975 and Prophecy's 'What Ever's Your Sign' a year later. Seasoned arranger/producer Bert DeCoteaux (Patti Austin, Maxine Brown, The Main Ingredient) brought Lenny Welch's soulful 'A Hundred Pounds of Pain' and the superb mid-tempo instrumental 'Nothing Between Us' by The Electric Ladies. Arranger Jimmy Roach came with his latest single with The Dramatics ('No Rebate on Love') whom he'd worked with at Volt and with Three Ounces of Love on their aptly titled single 'Disco Man,' whose unissued long version merging Side 1 and 2 is released here on vinyl for the first time. The sister group would go on to sign with Motown in 1978 and release their sole album self-titled 'Three Ounces of Love.'

​Other highlights on 'Mainstream Disco Funk' include The Grand Jury's 'Music is Fun To Me' with its languid funky rhythm arranged by Ted Bodnar, a producer and studio engineer who'd work with Sir Joe Quarterman, Blair and Al Johnson. Also featured on the set is Crystal Image's superb 'Gonna Have a Good Time (part 1 & 2) which typifies the blend of urban funk, glitzy strings and metronomic beat that were signature elements of early Disco.

​The style would keep getting more commercial over the years and reach overkill in the late 70s but the block party scene which more than embraced this breakbeat-filled genre would soon morph into hip hop in the second half of the 70s with the help of a few key industry figures such as Sylvia Robinson (Sugar Hill Records). By that time, Bob Shad had ceased releasing records and relocated in Los Angeles but he left behind a small treasure trove of superb obscure singles which are now making their LP debut on 'Mainstream Disco Funk' for the delight of all funk and disco lovers.

Opaz celebrates 30 years in urban music with a compilation featuring some of their most sought after tracks. Featuring Martine Girault, Mica Paris, Maysa Leak, Cartier Fraser, Imaani, Natasha Campbel, Patrick Jean-Paul-Denis, George Howard, Mary Jane and Ray Hayden.

The compilation will be supported with a month advertising on Solar radio, as well as a two hour show featuring Ray's Productions, remixes and songwriting for the likes of Will Smith, Marvin Gaye, Omar, Mary J Blige, Incognito, Tyrese, Sade, Swing Out Sister, Guru and artists from the label. We expect some support from online magazines and soul music sites. Opaz has a FB promo page with 294 DJ's and taste makers from around the world who support the label and have contributed to the 1.2 million streams on average a year.

Lined up next on Cosmocities is a special delivery and direct nod to our formative years’ loves - in this very case, trance music. Fruit of 90s cross-channel outfit Prism, the collaborative endeavour of French producer Pascal Eloy and UK-based Grant Wilkinson, the three-track EP “CMSR006” mixes unreleased music (Refraction), a 1996-issued goodie (Rain) and an exclusive remix from SYO, better known for his ambitiously retro-futuristic output under the S.O.N.S moniker.

Originally released as part of Planet Dog’s 1996 compilation “Feed Your Head”, “Rain” retains all of its original mystique and soulful use of modern production tools - letting a cascading flow of arpeggiated synths, stealth bass onslaughts and 303-borne trippiness pour down as a fully immersive digital shower for the senses.

An unheard gem from the vault, initially written and recorded in 1995, “Refraction” pulls further dynamic traction from a bubbling drum programming and damp, urban jungle-y atmosphere - beaming us straight back in the rave’s most compelling heyday with its feverish maelstrom of fluttering bleeps, spiralling tribal motifs and faux-organic, Neo-Easternmost harmonics.

Adding his ever innovative spin to the table, SYO cuts into the flesh of the original to deliver a further syncopated and spacious version, flush with complex rhythmic sleights of hand and subtle melodic trickery throughout, bound to keep you on the edge with every bar. 25 years on since it was first designed, Prism’s lasting relevancy shines bright on this all-road, bold-to-the-full trance epic that’s lost nothing of its flair.

The neo-soul movement of the late 1990s, which fused classic soul sounds with contemporary elements, heralded the arrival of some of the greatest R&B recordings of the decade. Albums like Lauryn Hill's The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill, D'Angelo's Brown Sugar, and Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite were all born of this trend, while artists such as Mos Def, The Roots, and Common whole-heartedly embraced the sound, creating some of their most timeless material in the process. These are some of neo-soul's great successes, but a slew of underground acts were what set the initial blueprint for their more pop-friendly acquaintances to follow. Acts such as R&B duo Groove Theory. The New York pair, consisting of singer/songwriter Amel Larrieux, and producer Bryce Wilson, (A veteran of the legendary 80s electronic group Mantronix) helped set the tone for neo-soul via their lone studio release, the self-titled Groove Theory. The nearly hour-long record features 14 tracks of Wilson's smooth soul arrangements and atmospherics merged with golden era boom-bap beats, and Larrieux's siren-quality vocals, inspired equally by a combination of Native Tongues, peak Marvin Gaye, Joan Armatrading, Soul II Soul, as well as elements of breakbeat, jazz fusion, and even trip hop. It's a definitive, but often overlooked classic of the 1990s, which helped expand contemporary R&B's sound, render Billboard hits out the tracks "Tell Me", "Keep Tryin'", and "Baby Luv", and even found the time for a Todd Rundgren cover. On the cusp of Groove Theory's 25th anniversary, Get On Down is proud to bring you this vinyl reissue of an underrated 90s gem. The original record has never been re-released on wax since its 1995 debut, but is now presented here with fully remastered audio, and bundled in a full-color insert sleeve with complete lyrics and liner notes.

With Fuck, Marry, Kill, Tink delivers her most provocative and conceptually sharp body of work to date, firmly reclaiming her position as a premier storyteller in the modern R&B landscape. Moving beyond the diary-entry style of her earlier years, this project utilizes the titular game as a brutal yet honest framework for the complexities of modern intimacy. Tink navigates the chaos of the dating world with a dual-threat precision that few can match, seamlessly blending the grit of her Chicago rap roots with the velvet textures of contemporary soul. Under the executive production of Hitmaka, the album finds its heartbeat in the friction between high-gloss production and raw, unfiltered lyricism.

The album is meticulously structured to mirror the chaotic cycle of urban romance: the adrenaline of fleeting lust, the heavy stakes of long-term commitment, and the inevitable coldness of a bridge burned. In the "Fuck" segment, Tink radiates a lethal confidence, delivering anthems of autonomy and physical desire that demand space in the club and on the charts. As the project transitions into "Marry," she peels back the armor, offering a vulnerable look at the desire for stability and the terrifying leap of faith required to trust a partner. However, it is in the "Kill" section where Tink’s songwriting truly bites; here, she chronicles the aftermath of betrayal and the empowerment that comes from cutting ties, transforming her heartbreak into a weapon of self-preservation.

Ultimately, Fuck, Marry, Kill is a masterclass in "Toxic R&B" that refuses to settle for easy answers. Tink captures the specific anxiety of a generation trying to distinguish between a temporary thrill and a permanent soulmate, all while navigating a world of ghosting and digital infidelity. By leaning into her flaws and her triumphs with equal intensity, she creates a sonic space where listeners feel both seen and vindicated. This isn't just an album about love—it's a survival guide for the heart, narrated by an artist who has seen every side of the game and lived to write the definitive soundtrack for it.

Cymbals' second album, ‘Mr. Noone Special’, released in 2000, makes its debut on vinyl.
Building on the pop sensibility of their first album, this record evolves into a more soulful and mature sound.
Featuring expressive vocals by Asako Toki and mellow, refined compositions by Reiji Okii, it includes classics like “Do You Believe In Magic” and “Highway Star,
Speed Star.”
A defining work from Cymbals' mid-period, distinguished by its sophisticated, urban sound and assured melodic sense.
This essential album for any discussion of Japanese pop from the 90s to the early 2000s finally gets its long-awaited first vinyl release.

riginally released during the peak of Busta Rhymes' breakthrough era, "Dangerous (Soul Society Remix)" is one of the most sought-after alternative versions of the classic hit taken from the platinum-selling album When Disaster Strikes.... The remix delivers a heavier, club-oriented production while preserving the explosive energy, rapid-fire flow, and unmistakable charisma that established Busta Rhymes as one of hip-hop's most innovative artists of the late 1990s.

The Soul Society Remix became particularly popular among DJs and collectors thanks to its powerful bassline, built around the officially licensed sample of Queen's "Another One Bites the Dust", its undeniable dancefloor appeal, and its distinctive reinterpretation of the original track. Combining hard-hitting beats, a strong soulful chorus performed by Lalomie Washburn, and Busta's commanding vocal delivery, the remix perfectly captures the crossover sound that dominated urban clubs and radio playlists throughout the late '90s. With this newly remastered version, the track sounds fresher and more relevant than ever, proving its timeless appeal for both longtime fans and a new generation of listeners. A standout example of hip-hop remix culture, "Dangerous (Soul Society Remix)" remains a favorite among fans of classic East Coast rap, golden-era club remixes, and collectors of rare Busta Rhymes releases. The track showcases the creative remix approach that helped extend the success of the original single and further cemented Busta Rhymes' reputation as one of hip-hop's most dynamic and influential performers. Exclusive first time release on 7“/45 vinyl.

AFTER DARK is the latest project from French producer Onra, conceived as the soundtrack to an imagined late-night film. Entirely self-produced, the album continues the sophisticated R&B and Modern Soul direction explored since his 2010 classic Long Distance and 2018's accomplished Nobody Has To Know, focusing on late 80's / early 90's inspirations.

Structured like a film unfolding between dusk and dawn, After Dark moves through themes of intimacy, urban solitude, distance, and quiet indulgence. Analog synthesizers, tight drum programming, understated basslines, and selective live saxophone textures shape a cohesive body of work that favors mood and narrative over excess. The sequencing reinforces its cinematic intent, opening and closing with intro and outro pieces that frame the record as a cohesive night-time narrative album.

Over 20 years since emerging in the mid-2000s from the beat scene, Onra has steadily evolved from sample-based Hip-Hop production toward polished, song-oriented projects rooted in contemporary R&B and Funk. With After Dark, he delivers one of his most focused and refined statements to date: a mature, immersive album built for late hours, and attentive listening.

Get ready for Macem Ly"s debut album "Honda Date" - a neologism and a homage to all the hopeful Vietnamese couples he watched as they"d rather hopped on to a Honda moped rushing into nature for a romantic date than facing the rush of urban life. So the multi-instrumentalist and producer artist naturally created the perfect album for all those who travel and observe while enjoying long rides on busses or mopeds - not least for knowers of high-quality instrumental productions with a special place for hiphop tradition in their hearts. With "Honda Date" he showcases his musical prowess rooted in HipHop, Funk and Soul all the while proving a certain versatileness in creating new sounds - that are also born out of his training in classical music. Unconventional drums, alternative 808 beats, delicate soul samples and those of modern Jazz guitarists non unambiguously carry Macems Ly"s handwriting as he pays tribute to the old while non the less creating something new.

Roland Kirk was an extremely talented multi-instrumentalist, who lost his sight at a very early age, and played unconventional jazz, which was not entirely free but in which melodic and very beautiful phases alternated with moments of complete dissonance and conjured up his urban background, especially reflecting his view of the world as a handicapped man. Kirk was not only famous for his unique sound achieved through his playing several instruments simultaneously and his innovative approach to music but also for his dynamic live performances.

In November 1967 Kirk left EmArcy for Atlantic Records, leading his quartet through a highly introspective, somewhat melancholy programme, which was based in the blues and groove traditions of the mid-60s. Kirk himself played flutes, the stritch, manzello and tenor saxophones, the whistle, clarinet and more – precisely those instruments that had created his unique sound, particularly when some of these instruments were played simultaneously by him. Jazz critics who had previously criticised Kirk’s sound now praised him once they had heard the restrained and elegantly layered "Black And Crazy Blues", the breathtakingly executed Creole "Love Call", the razor-sharp soul in "The Inflated Tear" and the gyrating lyricism of the winds in "Fly By Night" – and quite rightly so.

Roland Kirk convinced his listenership anyway and sold over 10,000 copies of the present LP in the very first year of its release. This is Roland Kirk in his most competent and visionary form; his reading of jazz harmony and capricious sonances is virtually incomparable.

CASSETTE VERSION

AFTER DARK is the latest project from French producer Onra, conceived as the soundtrack to an imagined late-night film. Entirely self-produced, the album continues the sophisticated R&B and Modern Soul direction explored since his 2010 classic Long Distance and 2018's accomplished Nobody Has To Know, focusing on late 80's / early 90's inspirations.

Structured like a film unfolding between dusk and dawn, After Dark moves through themes of intimacy, urban solitude, distance, and quiet indulgence. Analog synthesizers, tight drum programming, understated basslines, and selective live saxophone textures shape a cohesive body of work that favors mood and narrative over excess. The sequencing reinforces its cinematic intent, opening and closing with intro and outro pieces that frame the record as a cohesive night-time narrative album.

Over 20 years since emerging in the mid-2000s from the beat scene, Onra has steadily evolved from sample-based Hip-Hop production toward polished, song-oriented projects rooted in contemporary R&B and Funk. With After Dark, he delivers one of his most focused and refined statements to date: a mature, immersive album built for late hours, and attentive listening.

Soulbound with their new album "Addicted To Hell" from 2020 stand for urban, end-time Industrial Metal. They don't renounce their roots from Alternative Metal and keep their trademark despite all harshness: catchy melodies with dystopian and socially critical lyrics. Stomping beats combine heavy guitars and aggressive synths to an apocalyptic mix of Gothic, Metal and Industrial which in this form is still unparalleled. Here comes the album for the first time as a limited edition vinyl neon orange/black dust gatefold.

In 2026, the sample alchemist returns to his first love with his 11th album, Endless Smile 2. A 16-track project conceived as a tribute to his landmark 2015 album Endless Smile, which featured his iconic tracks “Betty” and “Qu’attendez-vous de moi”.

Born from a desire to return to the essentials, Endless Smile 2 focuses on instrumental compositions enriched with samples and organic textures inspired by the 70s. The album develops a warm and sun-soaked atmosphere, crossed by the melancholic touch that defines Degiheugi’s musical universe.

Recorded between 2023 and 2025 in his studio Endless Smile Records and mixed by his longtime collaborator Mr. Gib, the album opens with the trip-hop anthem “The Last Opening”. Far from being a simple introduction, it acts as a true gateway into Degiheugi’s new sonic journey. Keyboards set the tone, the horn section led by N’Zeng invites listeners into the groove, while guitars and organic keyboards immerse us fully into his musical world. The scene is set: he’s back.

Among the standout tracks, “Ain’t Goin Down” delivers a reggae-influenced groove driven by a message of hope, while “Vem O Mar” (feat. Hugo Kant) explores funk and tropical soundscapes. “Ipanemax”, a nod to the classic “The Girl From Ipanema”, and “Ouh Baby” extend this Brazilian atmosphere, while “Savoir Danser” leans toward oriental textures and “Juanita Bonita” ventures into a bold fusion of cumbia and dub.

The album also reveals Degiheugi’s signature melancholic side. An addictive loop settles deep into the listener’s mind as “Sympathique et sympa” balances nostalgia with urban groove. The haunting strings of “Naked” and the soul ballad “She Worries” respectively reflect on mortality and the fragility of romantic relationships. Guest artist Miscellaneous addresses gender-based violence on “Love Is Blind”, telling the story of a woman trapped in a toxic relationship.

Endless Smile 2 closes with “Enivrez-vous”, an outro inspired by Charles Baudelaire’s poem, bringing the album to a contemplative conclusion. With this release, Degiheugi masterfully completes a musical journey that began ten years ago.

Until We Are Free is the debut album from fabric, a collective of musicians from diverse backgrounds united by a shared goal: to fuse irresistible rhythms and grooves with a direct, socially conscious message that draws vital attention to the contradictions of modern life. The project's name itself evokes the idea of a living, dynamic ensemble—a creative intertwining of different threads, from musical genres to founding musicians and guest collaborators, all actively woven into the social fabric.

The record blends funk, soul, and Afrobeat with a sharp, contemporary urban attitude, resulting in a sound that functions simultaneously as sonic resistance and an invitation to the dancefloor.

It finds its place in a lineage that runs from Fela Kuti and ESG to The Comet Is Coming, Sault and Jungle.

At its core is the conviction that music and civic engagement can coexist seamlessly without being didactic. While the lyrics—entirely in English—tackle themes of rights, equality, and freedom, the groove remains the heartbeat: constant, pulsing, and relentless.

Mixed by Tom Campbell (whose credits include Sault, Little Simz, Adele, Michael Kiwanuka, and Jungle) and featuring art direction by Raissa Pardini, Until We Are Free is a soundtrack for complex times. It is an invitation to refuse neutrality and isolation, and to imagine—together—new possibilities for movement, resistance, and the future.

fabric's singles "Taste This Sound" and "Fight!" have been featured in FIP's Spotify Playlists "FIP Radio (en live)" and KEXP's "New This Week" and "KEXP Rotation".

This new volume in the “City Music Tokyo” series, curated by Kunimond Takiguchi (Ryusenkei), focuses on Jazz Funk. From among crossover, Japanese jazz,
and soundtrack works released by Nippon Columbia, Takiguchi has carefully selected urban and sophisticated tracks that resonate with his musical sensibility.

Each piece carries a faint scent of the Showa era, evoking words like “night,” “drive,” “dandyism,” “car chase,” “city,” “hard-boiled,” and “man and woman.”

Selected, supervised, and annotated by Kunimond Takiguchi (Ryusenkei).

Me vs Me, Vol. 1 is the debut album by Joe Allotta, a drummer, singer, and multi-instrumentalist active as a session musician for various
artists (Davide Shorty, Johnny Marsiglia, Funk Shui Project, Mario Biondi, Nick The Nightfly, etc.). The album was conceived in London,
Trapani, and Bologna and features performances by various musicians Joe has worked with in recent years.
The EP embodies a sound rich with emotion, expressed through four tracks that blend jazz with cutting-edge urban rhythms, with drums as
the central element of his compositions.
The four tracks on the EP thus have distinct personalities inspired by soul, breakbeat, and funk, souls that coexist in the artist's emotional
experience: the song "Lullaby" is a hip-hop beat with a funk flavor, while "The Mess You Left" moves through dreamlike sounds that crystallize
into a drum 'n' bass storm. House Party is very reminiscent of UK club sounds, it is full of synths and with a square drumming, it closes the
EP She Sad, a sort of skit that leaves room for an improvisation of guitar and drums.

Dive into the raw and uncompromising world of Davodka with "Boîte Noire", a mixtape gathering some of his most striking non-album tracks.



From the urban melancholy of "Cocktail Monotone" to the sharp reflections of "Misanthrope", through the explosive energy of "Aux Commandes" and the heartfelt sincerity of "Des Joies, des Peines", each song forms a piece of the puzzle that reveals the true portrait of a rapper with a dark yet lucid soul.



"Boîte Noire" is more than just a collection of tracks, it’s a journey through Davodka’s thoughts and raw truths, an introspective dive into the balance between shadow and light.

Delve into the quirky and psych-tinged world of Brazilian pianist, composer and multi-instrumentalist Mauricio Fleury.

With more than a hint to Brazilian jazz greats like Azymuth, Deodato and CTI Records in their prime, Revoada is a groove based jazz-framed record, primed with other transitory musical vignettes which touches on Turkish psych and soul-jazz born out of the 70's film soundtrack genre.

Revoada is a 6 track album and storyboard of Mauricio's migration and travels through Brazil's geographical oddities , its rural and urban enclaves. Recorded in Brazil, it's the result of numerous treks through funky flea markets, soaking up old vinyls and vintage cultural artefacts combined with a new life led in Berlin since 2022.

Mauricio, as well as a founding member of Bixiga 70 (google Brazilian Afrobeat pioneers), a band he fronted for over 12 years, is also an in-demand collaborator and musician who as a pianist, guitarist and even percussionist has shared stages and studios with the likes of Brazilian greats including Gal Costa, Emicida, Lucas Santtana, João Donato and Liniker.

In 2007 he had a life-changing experience meeting Tony Allen, at the Red Bull Music Academy. After hanging out, chatting music and life, Tony insisted to Mauricio to participate with Tony in a jam with blacktronica and soulful house music pioneers Ron Trent, Theo Parrish and Steve Spacek. Mauricio sums it up, "From that moment on, I was never afraid to collaborate musically with anyone, no matter who's playing. It also brought me to researching the connection between Brazilian music and Afrobeat which is something that still means the world to me".

Another unforgettable session Mauricio undertook happened alongside João Donato and Marcos Valle, playing Donato's classic album Quem É Quem, live, a record seen as a blueprint for second generation bossa nova. Mauricio has worked with Gal Costa on two albums, Estratosférica Ao Vivo and her last studio album A Pele do Futuro. Fabio Sá and Vitor Cabral (bassist and drummer on Revoada) were playing with Gal at her last concerts, including in Berlin in 2022 before she passed.

In contemporary music, Mauricio was part of Toy Selectah and Mexican Institute of Sound's Compass project. He's worked with Colombia's Los Pirañas and has even recorded a mysterious and unreleased album with Quantic.

Revoada shows signature traces of Thelonious Monk, Ramsey Lewis' swinging soul sound, Deodato's drama, and styles from further afield, spreading into Turkish psych and Ethiopian jazz, when the time is right. Each track, led always by Mauricio playing multiple instruments with a choice selection of guests and core members on bass and drums, highlights Fleury's meticulous approach to finding the right timbre, utilising his arsenal of organs and effects pedals to set the mood, taking the listener to a specific place or memory that has shaped him.

A vinyl DJ for over 25 years and someone who is immersed in digger and collector's culture, Mauricio places a lot of emphasis on the importance of the complimentary relationship between two artforms (DJ and composer/producer) in the sense of having a broad repertoire of musical knowledge, references and perhaps predictably, being a Brazilian, understanding the connection between rhythms. This is an impressive debut album that struts itself right into the runout groove.

Quatermass III bestehen aus Mitgliedern von World of Twist, Earl Brutus, The Dials, der British Experimental Rocket Group und Science Monthly. Ihr Sound ist Space-Rock mit Anleihen aus Progressive- und Glam-Rock. Ihre erste Single "Room At The Top" ist inspiriert von J.G. Ballards Kurzgeschichte "Billenium" (1962), einer düsteren dystopischen Erzählung, die die Unterdrückung urbaner Räume, zwielichtige Mietwohnungen und Überbevölkerung thematisiert. Doch dieser Track ist alles andere als düster: Er bringt seine Absichten mit sprudelndem Gesang, schwebenden Gitarren und "Devil's Interval"-Akkordwechseln zum Ausdruck. Er wird euch umhauen. Genauso wie das selbstbetitelte Debütalbum "Quatermass III".

– "Der okkulte Sound von Eno, Joy Division, Northern Soul/Glam-Beats, Robert Calvert Vox und Open University-Synthies." – MOJO

– "Ein exquisit produziertes Werk." – Crayola Lectern, Musiker

Sampler & Soul - The Originals Behind the Hits (5LP) Diese exklusive Compilation versammelt die Originalsongs, die später in großen Pop-, Hip-Hop- und R&B-Hits gesampelt wurden. Von Betty Wright über Quincy Jones bis zur Lafayette Afro Rock Band - hier sind die musikalischen Wurzeln moderner Urban-Sounds zu hören. Die 5LP-Box bietet eine stilvolle Reise durch Jazz, Funk, Soul und Blues mit Klassikern von Billie Holiday, Nina Simone, B.B. King, Screamin" Jay Hawkins, Ray Charles, Etta James und vielen mehr.

When people think of Yacht Rock-those smooth, sun-drenched sounds that once drifted from Californian radio stations in the late '70s and early '80s-they rarely imagine it echoing through rehearsal rooms in Hamburg or Linz. Yet even far from the Pacific coastline, the appeal of shimmering chords, laid-back grooves, and polished production found fertile ground.
This compilation gathers rare and overlooked tracks from Germany and Austria. These artists embraced West Coast aesthetics with sincerity and subtle twists, resulting in music that feels both familiar and refreshingly new-smooth sounds for cloudy skies. So drop anchor, pour something cool, and enjoy this unexpected cruise through the lesser-charted waters of Euro Yacht Rock.

Our journey begins in Austria, where Reflection's Because (1981) set the tone with blue-eyed soul and analogue warmth-a sunlit blend of Doobie Brothers polish and local charm. Its creator, Dieter Heyduk, reappears with Austrian Sky, a heartfelt nod to his homeland that fuses mountain calm with oceanic longing.
From the North Sea island of Föhr, Ara Pacis dreamed of California on their 1979 self-release To the Westcoast. Inspired by Steely Dan and Lake, they turned German rock precision into breezy, melodic sophistication. Meanwhile, in Düsseldorf, Mainpoint fused funk and jazz-rock on Frisbee, their 1980 single bursting with rhythmic drive and optimism before the tide of the Neue Deutsche Welle swept such grooves aside.
Bremerhaven's Nuages offered the compilation's only instrumental gem, Strange Weekend (1985)-a gentle blend of jazz-funk and rock and largely lost to time. Its cool restraint captures the European interpretation of Californian ease.
Around the same period, British traveler Gavin James recorded River of Laughter in southern Germany, backed by the blues-rock band Black Cat Bone. His acoustic reflections on water and flow mirrored the soft, meditative pulse at Yacht Rock's core.
Berlin's Top Spin kept things playful with Bikin (1985), a funk-fusion snapshot of urban joy that showcased the city's finest session players. From the Ruhr area, the Jan Pack Band is up next. While not a typical Yacht Rock track, Cable Dance is driven by an effortless, groovy '80s vibe.
Peter Seiler's Goldfinger project reimagined Walkin' in the Sand as a relaxed reggae-tinged track, while Munich's Major Seven closed the voyage with Silverboat, a wistful soft rock ballad gliding between melancholy and light.

Across these hidden harbors of German and Austrian pop, the West Coast dream took on new forms-reflected in rivers, skies, and studio lights half a world away from L.A. Under and Above the Clouds celebrates that spirit: the enduring pull of smooth music, wherever it's made.

2025 Repress

“UR wonders” What happens to jazz if combined with the current electronic sound tools used to make Detroit techno now?
What might Jazz sound like if the inspirational pioneers of fusion ie; Return to Forever, Astral Pirates or Weather Report had access to the music production technology available now or in the future?
The artform called Jazz was a unique reflection of “The African American experience here in the United States.Unfortunately by the 90″s it had been compromised by major record companies and made “smoother” for mainstream consumption and more profits.
Born in America’s rural black south Rock & Roll had suffered the same fate years earlier. Original artists eventually replaced by well studied clones and corporate mega profits!! Also happening the original artform of jazz appeared to be caught, processed & throughly EXPLAINED by people who sought to intellectualize “struggle & human emotion” into mere words and then benefit immensely financially by being authorities on the subject.
Hmm sound familiar?

As you watch the current intellectual colonization of the urban inner city African American art forms house music, hip-hop, Jungle & Detroit techno get studied, bent, twisted renamed and turned into EDM profit formulas.

There stands records like Nation 2 Nation that defy these definitions and inspire the next generation of Pioneers who continue the undefined exploration of Jazz like Derek Jamerson, Jon Dixon, Raphael Merriweathers, Desean Jones, Timeline, Galaxy 2 Galaxy, Raphael Statin & Ian Finkelstein. Mother to daughter, Father to son,

Nation 2 Nation a work inspired and that inspired what’s next.

Das selbstbetitelte Album von Ava Luna markiert eine fundierte und introspektive Entwicklung für das Quartett aus Brooklyn. Die Band, die nun aus Carlos Hernandez, Julian Fader, Ethan Bassford und Felicia Douglass besteht, kehrt nach einer längeren Pause mit einem reduzierten Sound zurück, der sich auf Schlagzeug, Bass und zwei Gesangsstimmen konzentriert. Dieser Back-to-Basics-Ansatz, eine Abkehr vom ,kosmischen" Gefühl ihres Vorgängeralbums ,Moon 2", hat seine Wurzeln in gemeinsamen Erfahrungen in NYC und den Rhythmen des Alltags. Themen wie Erschöpfung, Gemeinschaft und fragile Freude tauchen in Songs wie ,Lasting Impression" über die Arbeitsmüdigkeit und ,Math Money Job", einem spielerischen Gesang über Wiedersehen und Verkörperung, auf. Julians Schlagzeug und Ethans Bass Themen wie Erschöpfung, Gemeinschaft und prekäre Freude tauchen in Tracks wie ,Lasting Impression" über Arbeitsmüdigkeit und ,Math Money Job", einem verspielten Gesang über Wiedersehen und Verkörperung, auf. Julians Schlagzeug und Ethans Bass treiben das Album an, das teilweise vom rohen Sampling-Stil von Soul Coughing inspiriert ist, der in Tracks wie ,Frame of Us" zu hören ist. Gesanglich bewegen sich Carlos und Felicia wie eine Einheit - sie verschmelzen, harmonieren und fragmentieren mit Absicht, besonders in ,Archive". Obwohl im Kern minimalistisch, ist der Sound des Albums üppig und strukturiert, angereichert durch Congas von Reggae-Legende Larry McDonald, Klavier, Samples und Gitarren-Noise. Songs wie ,Social Diving" und ,My Walk" spiegeln persönliche und urbane Geschichten wider, während ,Your Man" und ,Fancy" von Widerstandsfähigkeit und Würde erzählen. Das Ergebnis ist Ava Luna in ihrer ehrlichsten und raffiniertesten Form - ein Porträt von NYC und einer Band, die sich noch immer weiterentwickelt und nichts von ihrer Dringlichkeit eingebüßt hat.

This is Music: The Singles, ist ein Kompilationsalbum der englischen Alternative-Rock-Band The Verve:
Richard Ashcroft (Gesang), Pete Salisbury (Schlagzeug), Simon Jones (Bass) und Nick McCabe (Gitarre).
Ursprünglich wurde das Album im November 2004 veröffentlicht und enthielt zwei Nicht-Singles, die aus
den Aufnahmen zu ihrem dritten Album Urban Hymns stammten: „This Could Be My Moment“ und
„Monte Carlo“.
2024 markiert den 20. Jahrestag der Veröffentlichung eines Albums, das nie auf Vinyl gepresst wurde,
und unter der Leitung der Gruppe ersetzt diese längst überfällige Neuauflage die Bonustracks durch die
kraftvollen Singles aus dem 2008er Reunion-Album Forth - ’Love is Noise’ und ’Rather Be’ - und enthält
auch die zweite Single ’She’s A Superstar’ (1992) in ihrer ursprünglichen, achteinhalbminütigen Form (statt
der fünfminütigen Bearbeitung). Somit repräsentiert das Album nun die komplette Geschichte der Singles
von The Verve.
Benannt nach der sechsten Single der Band, der ersten aus ihrem zweiten Album A Northern Soul, dokumentiert es auf brillante Weise die Kraft der relativ kurzen, aber epochemachenden Reise von The Verve
durch den musikalischen Kosmos.

François and Sylvain Rabbath have turned six years of touring into a joint album that patiently and intensely distills a variety of musical flavors gathered from around the world.

Since the early 1960s, François Rabbath's double bass has resonated through enough landmark recordings to fill several shelves in a record collection. As an arranger, composer, and musician, his imprint on music goes far beyond his collaborations with Barbara, Paco Ibáñez, Charles Aznavour, or Édith Piaf. Aspiring double bassists owe him a groundbreaking method for learning the instrument. Born into a lush musical universe that quickly became his own, his son Sylvain first accompanied him on his travels before settling at the piano and sharing stages around the world at his side.

Those years of accumulating visas in their passports were put to good use by father and son. The continents, countries, and cities they passed through became a rich source of inspiration for composing Amall, the album by the Rabbath Electric Orchestra.

Long hours spent in the air or on the road, watching passing landscapes that never stayed the same, were transformed into compositions imbued with the atmospheres of the places they crossed or visited. Inspiration sometimes struck with force, like a green oasis appearing in a desert of stone—unexpectedly, as glowing red rocks suddenly dominated an otherwise open landscape with an endless horizon, while the mind wandered into a state between meditation and introspection.
Born from these travels, the pieces took on their final colors once brought into the studio, refined, and finally arranged to welcome the guitars of Keziah Jones and Matthieu Chedid, the piano of Laurent de Wilde, the bass of Victor Wooten, the saxophone of Raphaël Imbert, and the percussion of Minino Garay. Enhanced by the scale of the jazz-soul orchestrations, by the richness of arrangements bursting from strings, brass, rhythms, or keyboards, the epic breath of vast plains became ingrained. The urban tension of funk, echoing their movements, found its place—alongside more electric expressions or the ambience of a darkened room.
Melancholic and melodious, expressive and edgy, the bowed double bass—played in the high register where few dare to go—emerged as the musical guide. One that draws a path between Seville and Minneapolis, connects François Rabbath's native Syria to France, and bridges South America to Europe. It sets the tone to follow—the emotion that will carry the piece, and if not filled with light, will carry it there nonetheless.
Musical visions packed in luggage, transported in cargo holds, or imprinted in their minds just long enough to cover the distances to the next stop—father and son deepened their bond, beyond family and art. And their hands have never held each other more tightly.

François et Sylvain Rabbath ont fait fructifier six ans de tournées pour un album commun distillant patiemment et intensément la variété de parfums musicaux récoltés autour du monde.
Depuis le début des 60’s, la contrebasse de François Rabbath résonne dans assez de références pour combler plusieurs étagères d’une collection de disques. Arrangeur, compositeur, musicien, l'empreinte laissée dans la musique va bien au-delà de ses collaborations avec Barbara, Paco Ibanez, Charles Aznavour, ou Edith Piaf. C’est à lui que les
apprentis contrebassistes doivent une méthode novatrice pour apprendre l’instrument.

Né dans un univers musical luxuriant qui est vite devenu aussi le sien, c’est d’abord dans ses voyages que son fils Sylvain l’a accompagné, avant de s’installer au piano, et parcourir les scènes du monde à ses côtés. Ces années où les visas se sont entassés sur leurs passeports, père et fils les ont mises à profit. Continents, pays, et villes qui se sont succédés sont devenues un gisement pour composer Amall, l’album du Rabbath Electric Orchestra.

Les longs moments passés dans les airs ou sur la route à contempler un paysage qui défile sans pour autant rester le même, se sont convertis en compositions habitées par les ambiances de ces endroits traversés ou visités. Là où l’inspiration s’est imposée parfois brutalement, sous
la forme d’un oasis de verdure surgissant au milieu d’un désert de pierres. Au hasard d’imposantes roches rougeoyantes s’invitant dans un paysage jusqu’alors dégagé sur un horizon sans fin, quand l’esprit se laisse aller à un mélange de méditation et d'introspection.

Nés de ces pérégrinations, les titres ont pris leurs couleurs définitives une fois ramenés en studio, peaufinés puis, enfin, pensés pour y inviter les guitares de Keziah Jones et de Matthieu Chedid, le piano de Laurent de Wilde, la basse de Victor Wooten, le saxophone de Raphaël Imbert, les percussions de Minino Garay. Sublimé par la dimension des orchestrations jazz-soul, par la richesse des arrangements jaillissant des cordes, des cuivres, des rythmiques ou des claviers, le souffle épique des plaines immenses s’est imprimé.
La nervosité citadine du funk rythmant les déplacements a trouvé sa place, non loin d’une expression plus électrique ou d’une atmosphère de salle obscure.

Mélancolique et mélodieuse, expressive et nerveuse, la contrebasse jouée à l’archet, dans les notes hautes du manche où peu s’aventurent, s’est érigée en guide musical. Celui qui trace le chemin entre Séville et Minneapolis, relie la Syrie natale de François Rabbath à la France,
réduit la distance entre l’Amérique du Sud et l’Europe. Donne la note à suivre, l’émotion qui traversera le morceau qui, s’il n’est pas habité par la lumière, le portera néanmoins jusque là.

Visions musicales mises dans le coffre, transportées en soute ou imprimées dans l’esprit le temps de couvrir les distances qui les mèneront aux prochaines, c’est côte à côte que père et fils ont prolongé leur lien par delà des seules limites familiales et artistiques. Et leurs mains ne se sont jamais serrées aussi fort.
credits

Spanish producer Larsson delivers a deep and hypnotic 4-tracker for Fuxbau Records, marking his vinyl debut on the label. Written in the rural village where Larsson grew up, the EP carries a sense of groundedness and clarity. Created in his parents' home, surrounded by nature and far from urban distraction, the tracks reflect a setting where ideas unfold organically. The result is a tightly cut selection of groovy, rolling techno - stripped back, hypnotic, and full of tension. That contrast between calm surroundings and high-impact club energy runs through all four tracks: stripped-back yet detailed, functional yet full of soul.

Satisfaction comes in many forms. When the magical word Motown is uttered, most people are hard-wired to The Four Tops, the Temptations and The Supremes. But to reduce Motown to the effervescent sixties is only part of the label’s remarkable legacy.
By the 1970s, a different sound was gathering. America was on the verge of a nervous breakdown. The Vietnam War had been a disaster, urban street crime was epidemic and the nation’s college campuses were alive with political resistance. The joyful hope that had inspired “Baby Love” now felt anachronistic and out of time.

The music industry was changing too. The vinyl pop single on 45rpm which had been the staple of Motown’s success was being challenged by concept albums.   This was the era of Edwin Starr’s anti-war album War and Peace (1970), The Temptations mind-bending Psychedelic Shack (1970) and Marvin Gaye’s state-of-the-nation classic What’s Going On (1971).
By the early 1970s Motown had a stable of male vocalists that was arguably the best in the world, among them former lead singers from The Temptations - David Ruffin, Dennis Edwards and Eddie Kendricks. Alongside them singer-producers like Leon Ware and Frank Wilson were asserting their presence.

David Ruffin’s “Crime in the Street” captured the epidemic of violence in Detroit allowing his exquisite voice to quietly rage against gun crime. Recorded a few years before his underground classic “Rode by the Place”, both sound more modern today than when they were recorded.
If there is a common thread here, it’s the mid-tempo shifting soul soon to be christened as “quiet storm” including groups on the margins of Motown such as The Originals and The Fantastic Four led by the impassioned “Sweet” James Epps.
Just to keep you satisfied, immerse yourself in the overlooked creativity of Detroit’s male voices in the early 1970s.

Old Juniper is a new album from The Down Hill Strugglers, their first in seven years and first to feature all original songs and tunes.

"These guys are a first rate string band! Walker, Jackson and Eli have absorbed the old tradition, and the songs and tunes they wrote for this album are outstanding."
- Tony Garnier
(Bob Dylan, Asleep at the Wheel)

"From the first track “I’m Gettin’ Ready to Go” to the last “Let the Rich Go Bust", this is a wonderful collection of original songs and tunes by The Down Hill Strugglers (Walker Shepard, Jackson Lynch and Eli Smith).

Based in NYC they have been playing and recording together for 15+ years—this is their first in seven years and it’s a doozy. Old and new, evocative, current—all original. And I, as one who’s always had one foot in “old weird America” and the other in new weird America, love this recording.

The Down Hill Strugglers have, as Nathan Salsburg put it in his notes, 'an exquisite sensitivity to the seam where collective tradition and individual artistry meet….' I couldn’t agree more."
- Alice Gerrard

"If it’s possible to be at the forefront of something old, The Down Hill Strugglers are right there with this new recording! Imaginative arrangements of interesting tunes played with soul, all while reaching back to the best of the old mountain sounds."
- Bruce Molsky

"Throughout the record, the musical texture of Old Juniper shifts and blooms. Eli, Jackson, and Walker exchange roles freely— the banjo, fiddle, and guitar change hands almost every track. No matter their instrument, the three fall into place with the tune their guide. As these dynamics build and transform, a sound raw and beautifully sincere appears.

This album of new old-time tunes and songs will surely be a welcome addition to the well loved canon of American traditional music."
- Nora Brown

"How wonderful is it that The Down Hill Strugglers are releasing a new album? I’ve been a fan of theirs from the beginning and will happily spend time with anything they put out!

I see The Down Hill Strugglers as the primary successors of the great and longstanding tradition of urban interpreter-performers of American vernacular string band music - They pick up where the NLCR left off, with Cohen’s considerable creative guidance ever in their hearts and minds. “Old Juniper” is a testament to the vibrancy of this legacy."
- Jake Xerxes Fussell

Following the success of the CD release, "Warszawski Rapton", the unique project by Bilon & Nowa Ferajna, is now available for the first time on 2LP vinyl in a strictly limited collector’s edition. Each copy is hand-numbered, making it a true gem for fans and vinyl collectors.
"Warszawski Rapton" is a musical tribute to the old urban folklore of Warsaw – melancholic, reflective, and boldly avant-garde. The album blends pre-war Warsaw street vibes with modern production, creating what Bilon calls a manifesto of avant-garde neofolk, deeply rooted in the cultural soul of the city.
The album features guest appearances by Marysia Starosta, Żary, Rufuz, Marek Dylak, and Solka. Production is by Szwed SWD, with live instrumentation by top Polish musicians, including DJ Cent on cuts and scratches.
This is more than just music – it’s Warsaw’s history told through rhythm, sound, and soul.

Blending Afro-Brazilian roots, electronic textures and transatlantic songwriting, Yemamaya is the debut album by French-Brazilian duo Luizga & iZem, born from a chance meeting on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean in Lisbon. The project brings together the melodic and spiritual sensibility of Brazilian singer Luizga with the urban, hybrid touch of producer iZem, creating a musical journey that feels both grounded and universal.



At the heart of the album is the title track “Yemamaya”, a word whispered to Luizga in a dream. It pays tribute to Yemanjá, the Afro-Brazilian sea goddess. The song is a joyful and healing incantation, carried by Luizga’s luminous voice and subtle electronic arrangements that bridge the sacred and the rhythmic. It’s an ode to the feminine, to the ocean, and to vital energy.



“Say My Name” boldly reimagines the Destiny’s Child classic through a fresh and soulful lens. Silky R&B vocals glide over warm Brazilian acoustic guitar, while Afrobeat-inspired rhythms bring an irresistible pulse. A surprise horn section blossoms mid-track into a deep, sultry bass drop. The result is both nostalgic and forward-thinking — a perfect snapshot of the duo’s aesthetic.



On “Feelings Going Through”, the instantly recognizable voice of Curumin — a key figure on Brazil’s alternative music scene — adds a new dimension. The track is a smooth, soulful meditation on emotion, wrapped in organic percussion and refined production.



Rooted in the legacy of Brazilian popular music while embracing the global sounds of today, Yemamaya is a free-spirited and luminous musical statement. An album that sits at the crossroads of genres and continents, where introspection meets celebration.

Das dritte Album von Mission to the Sun, Seven Years, markiert eine bemerkenswerte Entwicklung für das Projekt. Während sie ihrer Mischung aus atmosphärischem Sounddesign und gespenstischen Gesangsséancen treu bleiben, dringt das Duo weiter in melodisches Territorium, wobei es die Zugänglichkeit mit seiner Grundlage von elektronischem Lärm und grüblerischen Texturen beibehält. Christopher Samuels' akribische Musikproduktion erschafft eine Welt aus hypnotischen Rhythmen, gebrochenen Melodien und dichten Klanglandschaften, während Kirill Slavin's Gesang rohe Emotionen kanalisiert und den Hörer durch Themen wie Sucht, Besessenheit, Macht, urbane Isolation, nächtliche Verletzlichkeit und die unausweichlichen physischen Zwänge der Realität führt. Von den Basslines und gefundenen Samples von ,Dead Friends", bis hin zu ,Black Hole Soul", dem dem einzigen Stück des Albums mit erkennbarem Beat, wo Samuels üppiger Orgelsynthesizer und IDM-infizierter Rhythmus eine geisterhafte Grundlage für Slavins Meditation über Selbstzerstörung bietet, ist Seven Years unerbittlich in seiner Tiefe. Der Schlusstrack ,Infection" schwillt mit schwermütiger Intensität an, während Samuels Streicherarrangements und Klavier ineinander greifen. Mit "Seven Years" verfeinern und erweitern Mission to the Sun ihr klangliches Universum und dringen mit ihrem Sound in neue emotionale und melodische Gefilde vor und erschaffen dabei die raue, eindringliche Atmosphäre, die ihre Arbeit definiert. Ein Album der Transformation und Abrechnung und die bisher eindrucksvollste und vollständigste Veröffentlichung von Mission To The Sun.