5 years after his last and 3rd album, Lucas Arruda finally presents his long awaited new LP, "Ominira". Since the release of his first album on Favorite Recordings ("Sambadi" / 2013), Lucas Arruda Bhas clearly established himself as one of the most talented contemporary artists and composers from Brazil. His music is filled with fusion style, mixing influences and elements from his Latin musical background, with his genuine admiration for jazz, soul, pop and funk music.

Now a father and family man, he turned more deeply into his native influences when composing this beautiful new album. Fully composed and produced by Lucas, "Ominira" also features appearances from friends, local musicians and artists such as Italo Vinicius (drums), Thiago Arruda (guitars), Roger Rocha (sax), or Flavia K and Andre Motta on vocals.

'Ominira is about freedom, art and music. It's also about honoring my ancestors and my musical influences. I delved a little deeper into my African roots, in addition to Brazilian music and rhythms, and my longtime passion for soul / funk. After a long production process I feel like I made my best album. So, I present to you Ominara, a new chapter in my career. Have a nice trip!'

STAFF COMMENTS

Martin says: A brand new album from one of my favourite Brazilian artists. The soul, the funk and the Brazilian flavours all pouring out of every track.

TRACK LISTING

A1. Chant & Dance
A2. The Bravest Heart
A3. Novos Planos
A4. Outras Dimensões
A5. Abraço Pro Ed

B1. 4:28 Am
B2. The Mountain
B3. Ominira
B4. Projeções

THIS IS A RECORD STORE DAY 2024 EXCLUSIVE AND WILL BE AVAILABLE INSTORE ON SATURDAY APRIL 20TH ON A FIRST COME FIRST SERVED BASIS, LIMITED TO ONE PER PERSON.

IF THERE ARE ANY REMAINING COPIES THEY WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE ONLINE AT 8PM ON MONDAY APRIL 22ND.

The iconic multi-million selling Cuban album, featuring remastered audio from 2021's 25th Anniversary, pressed on limited edition gold vinyl, celebrating 25 years since the launch of the award-winning 1999 Wim Wenders documentary and includes bonus tracks and alternate takes from the original 1996 studio session tapes that were not available on the standard original album.

THIS IS A RECORD STORE DAY 2024 EXCLUSIVE AND WILL BE AVAILABLE INSTORE ON SATURDAY APRIL 20TH ON A FIRST COME FIRST SERVED BASIS, LIMITED TO ONE PER PERSON.

IF THERE ARE ANY REMAINING COPIES THEY WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE ONLINE AT 8PM ON MONDAY APRIL 22ND.

THIS IS A RECORD STORE DAY 2024 EXCLUSIVE AND WILL BE AVAILABLE INSTORE ON SATURDAY APRIL 20TH ON A FIRST COME FIRST SERVED BASIS, LIMITED TO ONE PER PERSON.

IF THERE ARE ANY REMAINING COPIES THEY WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE ONLINE AT 8PM ON MONDAY APRIL 22ND.

Black, x4 trk 12" EP. Includes signed artcard.

THIS IS A RECORD STORE DAY 2024 EXCLUSIVE AND WILL BE AVAILABLE INSTORE ON SATURDAY APRIL 20TH ON A FIRST COME FIRST SERVED BASIS, LIMITED TO ONE PER PERSON.

IF THERE ARE ANY REMAINING COPIES THEY WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE ONLINE AT 8PM ON MONDAY APRIL 22ND.

Especial Specials has recently helped to take the Japanese label Chill Mountain Record into the world of wax after it previously operated only in the digital world. Now it carries on with a similar MO as it works with Multi Culti label head, DJ and producer Dreems on a new set of limited-edition EPs. He has already landed on the likes of Kompakt, Pinchy & Friends and Futureboogie and now digs into his vaults to serve up some edits and dubs that are hard to pin down but often doused in psychedelic overtones, acid and dub. Each one is a unique work in its own right but they all add up to one helluva good EP.

STAFF COMMENTS

Mine says: Dreems provides all your psychedelic dancefloor needs across two new aurally and visually pleasing 12" compilations on Especial. This one is worth it alone for the addictive groove of 'Battaki'.

TRACK LISTING

An Ancient
Piska Power - Dumm Dumm ~ Ex Riemen (Dreems Rebirth)
Un Peu Sage
Eye-Mah, Yeah-Mah
Umeko Ando - "Battaki" (Dreems Luv It Dub It)

Especial Specials always deal in releases with a story often as interesting as the music itself. This time out they enlist DJ and producer Dreems for a fine collection of limited-edition 12"s. Angus Gruzman aka Dreems is the man behind the vital Multi Culti label and has dropped his own wares on the likes of Kompakt, Pinchy & Friends and Futureboogie but somehow remains rather in the shadows. This deep dive into his vaults should change that - these are edits and dubs that come doused in psychedelia as they trip through several genres. There is off-kilter dub, melon-twisting dub, intensely percussive and tribal dub, and more across the five fantastic tracks.

STAFF COMMENTS

Mine says: Part 2 of a collection of shamanic edits and dubs by Dreems. A bit more on the dubbier side and every bit as good as Vol. 1... Nice to look at too!

TRACK LISTING

Jungle Gym
Peter Power - Adamo Waro (Dreems Horn Dub)
Zulu For Who
Ground & Kabamix - 2099 (Dreems Acid Dub)
Simonas & Gustavas - Undubbed (Dreems Redub)

South African Warrick Sony is a ground breaking composer who was behind the Kalahari Surfers project which now gets a vital spotlight courtesy of Emotional Rescue. This compilation shows how effortlessly eclectic his sound was - from jive rhythms to jazz, tabla to political speeches and much more in between. A Hindu pacifist who was once conscripted into the South African Defense Force, he founded this group as a way out getting his ides out there, calling on other musicians as and when he needed them. It was the first radical white anti-apartheid pop in South Africa and as this vital collection shows it explored polyrhythms, slow motorik, dub sound collage and even a goofy cover of Nancy Sinatra.

TRACK LISTING

Side 1
1. "Free State Fence"
2. "Crossed Cheques"
3. "Running Out Of Time"
4. "Beat About The Bush"
5. "Ten Dirty Fingers"
6. "Hillbrow 2"

Side 2
1. "Don't Dance"
2. "Beatle Love Song"
3. "I Wonder Why"
4. "Song For Magnus"
5. "Messer Im Kopf"
6. "Telephone"
7. "Perpetual Emotion"

Woven around soul searching, cautionary tales and parables for modern life, the new album is the most accomplished yet by the Leeds / London collective, effortlessly fusing different soul, jazz and global styles with great musicianship and lyrics. “Freedom Fables reflects on the power of narratives. Each vocalist on this record explores their own memoirs, a freedom of expression underpinning our belief that music is the ultimate narrative for unity,” explains Tom Excell. “The record references a lot of music that we all loved during our formative years; you can hear touches of broken beat, blunted hip hop, highlife, Latin, jazz and UK soul running through the tracks.”

The album is also packed full with illustrious guest appearances: regular collaborator Cherise features on the brilliant ‘Tittle Tattle’, calling out gossip through acerbic nursery rhyming, the loping ‘Flow’ dealing with the ebb and flow of anxiety and the epic Brazilian jazz workout, ‘Keeper’; UK jazz saxman Soweto Kinch brings a burning alto solo and rhymes to the determined ‘Buckle Up’ alongside the band’s own vocalist Nick Richards as the track aims to “find the door to peace” among life’s challenges. “Soweto is a trailblazer of the UK scene both as an alto player and as a rapper with a unique flow and important lyricism,” reflects Tom Excell. “It was really important for us to invite him to contribute to the album.” Richards continues the “dust yourself off and find hope” theme on the rousing ‘Wipe Away Tears’; Ghanaian great Pat Thomas voices a gorgeous Accra meets London highlife jam; massive new vocal talent Ria Moran (a contemporary from the band’s time at Leeds College Of Music) steps up on the sensual ‘Morning Light’ tackling delicate complexities of the heart and long time friend of the band, KOG, brings his trademark full strength Afro dancefloor energy. 

TRACK LISTING

A1. Morning Light Feat Ria Moran
A2. Tittle Tattle Feat Cherise
A3. Ma Wonka Feat Pat Thomas
B1. Buckle Up Feat Soweto Kinch
B2. Keeper Feat Cherise
C1. If Only Feat Ruby Wood
C2. 24-7 Feat Ego Ella May
C3. Flow Feat Cherise
D1. Wipe Away Tears Feat Nick Richards
D2. If I Know Feat Kog

The late foundation deejay U-Roy recorded The Seven Gold at Michael Carroll's Creative Sounds Studio in Kingston (with assistance from engineer, and singer & producer in his own right, Paul Davidson) for Prince Jazzbo's Ujama imprint - with the LP then seeing the light of day on the label in 1987, and now a reissue on Death Is Not The End sub-label 333.

It features the late, great Ewart Beckford appearing on a range of killer Jazzbo-produced late-80s digitap rhythms - from the inspired Replay version on 'Holo Gow', to the updated digital take on the Heavenless rhythm on 'Jah Jah Call You' and his take on Horace Ferguson's Sensi Addict in 'Musikal Addick'. The bulk of these rhythm tracks were performed by revered multi-instrumentalist Tyrone Downie (a long-time member of Bob Marley & The Wailers since the mid 70s) alongside Tony "Asher" Brissett - another massively undersung session musician perhaps most notable for laying down the initial Sleng Teng rhythm track for Jammys in 1984.

TRACK LISTING

1. I Feel Good
2. Waterboot
3. Holo Gow
4. Jah Jah Call You
5. Reggae Party
6. Warn Them Now
7. Musical Addick

Strut present the first ever compilation series to access the archives of one of the greatest of all French Caribbean labels, Disques Debs out of Guadeloupe. Set up by the late Henri Debs during the late ‘50s, the label and studio has continued for over 50 years, releasing over 300 7” singles and 200 LPs, covering styles varying from early biguine and bolero to zouk and reggae. Debs played a pivotal role in bringing the créole music of Guadeloupe and Martinique to a wider international audience.

Volume 1 of this series marks the first decade of the label’s existence and takes in big band orchestras, home-grown stars, touring bands and a new generation that would emerge at the end of the ‘60s. Early releases were recorded in the back of Henri’s shop in Pointe-a-Pitre, from his own sextet playing percussive biguines to young saxophonist Edouard Benoit, leader of Les Maxels and regular arranger for Debs bands. Other artists ranged from big bands like Orchestre Esperanza and Orchestre Caribbean Jazz to poet and radio personality Casimir “Caso” Létang and folkloric gwo ka artist Sydney Leremon. Debs also capitalised on recording foreign touring artists visiting Guadeloupe during the early ‘60s including Haitian trumpeter Raymond Cicault and Trinidadian bandleader Cyril Diaz.

TRACK LISTING

A1. Daniel Forestal Et Sa Guitare – Ces P’Tits Je T’Aime
A2. Casimir Létang – Travail Z’Enfants! Chantez Après!
A3. Cyril Diaz Et Son Orchestre – Feeling Happy
A4. Georges Tinedor Et Manuela Pioche – Collié Et Zanno
A5. Henri Debs Quintet – Douce Kombass
A6. Joseph Lacides – Mr. Morin
B1. Geno Exilie – Lan Misè
B2. Dolor Et Les Diables Du Rythme – Salvana
B3. Sydney Lérémon Et Ses Amis Du Calvaire Baie- Mahault – You You Matayango
B4. Raymond Cicault Et Son Orchestre Volcan – À Mon Ami Lucien Jolibois
B5. Orchestre Esperanza Et Jean Leroy – Ou Pas Bel
B6. Henri Debs Sextet Et Paul Blamar – Moin Çé On Maléré
C1. Le Ry- Co Jazz – Si I Bon Di I Bon
C2. Remy Mondey – Meringue Mondey
C3. Henri Guedon Et Les Contesta – Van Van
C4. Les Shupa Shupa D’Haiti – Batterie Shupa
D1. Paul Blamar Et Vélo – Lovency
D2. Eric Virgal – Stanislas
D3. Les Aiglons – Les Aiglons Ka Satisfait
D4. Tutus De La Guyane – Nanao Nanao
D5. Guy Conquette – Assez Fait Cancan