More mysteries from cult underground demigod Dean Blunt!  Blue Iverson is a band based in Los Angeles, featuring and produced by our spiritual leader. Note that at this stage no other details on band members have been released so it's very possible this is another one of Dean's many personal projects!

"Hotep" was released on Benji B's Deviation records in 2017 and now gets repressed on Dean Blunt's World Music label. 

The sound is free and instrumental; with a light and airy approach. Somewhere between Khruangbin, Surprise Chef and the modern jazz explored by Kamasi Washington. Rich with strings and mellow keys, punctuated by live bass and drums and recorded ever-so-slightly lo-fi.

We have a very small number of copies to go around so move quick if you want in as these will not hang around long! 

STAFF COMMENTS

Matt says: Dean Blunt continues to seek out and snaffle the hottest shit in the world. This one criminally passed us by in 2017, but thankfully Blunt's signed it to his crucial World Music label for a much needed repress. Lucky us!

TRACK LISTING

Coy Boy
Soulseek
Nappytex
Jenna's Interlude
Fake Loathe
Hush Money
Kerosene Skunk Funk
Who Shot Luscious Lyon?

THIS IS A BLACK FRIDAY 2023 EXCLUSIVE AND WILL BE AVAILABLE INSTORE ON FRIDAY NOVEMBER 24TH 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 8AM ON SATURDAY NOVEMBER 25TH).

Seminal rare groove funk and deep soul album originally released in 1973 on GRC Records now released 50 years later on Soul Jazz Records in this fully remastered edition of this CLASSIC album especially for RSD/Black Friday.

The album ‘Ripple’ contains the all-time classic ‘I Don’t know What It Is, But It Sure Is Funky’, one of the most memorable funk tunes of all time and sampled many times over.

Ripple’s unique blend of funk, soul, rock, proto-disco and more stood them alongside groups like Funkadelic, Brass Construction, Mandrill, Pleasure, Kool and the Gang and The Blackbyrds, who were all blending these styles while remaining firmly focused on the dancefloor. Like the group Funkadelic, Ripple hailed from Michigan and in 1976 opened for the group on their Parliament/Funkadelic Mothership Connection tour.

This classic album has been out of print for nearly 30 years on vinyl and is now fully remastered and presented here in its original artwork

Limited to 500 copies for the UK & Ireland.

TRACK LISTING

1. You Were Right On Time
2. Be My Friend
3. I Don't Know What It Is,
4. But It Sure Is Funky
5. I'll Be Right There Trying
6. Get Off
7. See The Light In The
8. Window
9. A Funky Song
10. Willie, Pass The Water
11. Dance, Lady Dance
12. Ripplin'

THIS IS A BLACK FRIDAY 2023 EXCLUSIVE AND WILL BE AVAILABLE INSTORE ON FRIDAY NOVEMBER 24TH 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 8AM ON SATURDAY NOVEMBER 25TH).

In a truly unique collaboration, Turnstile team up with Toronto’s jazz ensemble/production team BADBADNOTGOOD to reimagine 3 songs from Turnstile’s critically acclaimed 2021 album GLOW ON. The collaboration brings new dynamics and groove to “Mystery”, “Alien love Call ft. Blood Orange” and “Underwater Boi” BADBADNOTGOOD has previously collaborated with Ghostface Killah, Tyler The Creator, Kendrick Lamar, Thundercat (earning Grammy nominations with Lamar and Thundercat) Turnstile is coming off an epic last 2 years which has seen them propelled to new heights with 3 Grammy nominations, Top 10 Alternative radio hits, rave reviews from major publications worldwide, multiple Late Night Television appearances and exponential tour growth. The band has continued a diverse run of festival appearances with main slot appearances on Coachella, Lollapalooza, Riot Fest, Furnace Fest and most recently Rolling Loud in Miami. 

TRACK LISTING

1. Mystery
2. Alien Love Call Ft. Blood Orange
3. Underwater Boi

THIS IS A BLACK FRIDAY 2023 EXCLUSIVE AND WILL BE AVAILABLE INSTORE ON FRIDAY NOVEMBER 24TH 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 8AM ON SATURDAY NOVEMBER 25TH).

Collection of rare and previously unreleased demo recordings of some of Stax Records’ biggest hits, with the highlights from "Written In Their Soul: The Stax Songwriter Demos". Featuring original demos of the hit singles “634-5789 (Soulsville, USA),” “If You’re Ready (Come Go With Me),” “Woman to Woman,” and “Respect Yourself” . Pressed on Orange Crush vinyl.

2000BLACK returns with two slices of '23 grooves.'Soursop-Mango' is afro beat house funkified the mr ranks & mr mensah way.Whilst 'Straight Forward Side Steps' is the minimal techno runnings that dj's love to ride in the mix.

TRACK LISTING

1. Soursop & Mango
2. Straight Forward Side Steps

Balmat co-founders Philip Sherburne and Albert Salinas have been fans of Shy Layers’ lilting, Balearic pop for years, so when Shy Layers’ JD Walsh asked them to listen to a set of demos he was working up with fellow Atlanta multi-instrumentalist Jeff Crompton, they jumped at the chance. 

Together, Walsh and Crompton are Anagrams, and their debut album together, 'Blue Voices', might initially seem like a departure from Balmat’s habitually electronic terrain. It’s not ambient music, but it’s also not not ambient music, at least to listeners in the right frame of mind. The two musicians, who met when Walsh moved from Brooklyn to Atlanta in 2016 and began collaborating a few years later, see the music in similarly ambiguous terms. “I like it because it’s not jazz,” jokes Crompton, a veteran and credentialed jazz player. “And JD likes it because it’s jazz.”

Crompton is a musician (and former high-school band teacher) with deep roots in Georgia’s improvised and experimental music scenes; his credits include shows with Eugene Chadbourne, a guest appearance with Godspeed You! Black Emperor, and a collaboration with Duet for Theremin and Lap Steel’s 12-hour drone performance at Knoxville’s Big Ears. On 'Blue Voices' he plays alto and tenor saxophone, clarinet, electric piano, and organ. Walsh has been releasing music as Shy Layers since 2015, when he started self-releasing on Bandcamp; the following year, Germany’s Growing Bin packaged his first two EPs as a self-titled album, and in 2018, Tim Sweeney’s Beats in Space label put out Shy Layers’ sophomore album, 'Midnight Marker'. Where those records channeled Walsh’s playful harmonic instincts into wistful songwriting with tropical overtones, on 'Blue Voices' he lets his experimental tendencies take the lead. Playing acoustic and electric guitars, electric lap steel, bass, Moog Matriarch, modular synth, and programmed drums, he concentrates his energies on richly textural layers and abstract assemblages of tone color.

Across the album’s 11 tracks, there are faint echoes of familiar touchstones: the atmospheric twang of Daniel Lanois’ pedal steel on 'Apollo: Atmospheres and Soundtracks'; the mercurial modal runs of Ethio- jazz; the late-summer calm of Fuubutsushi; the versatility of players and composers like Patrick Shiroishi and Sam Gendel, who are asking similar questions about where jazz ends and some other, nameless territory begins. Mostly, though, what 'Blue Voices' captures is the quixotic sound of two restless musical imaginations making it up as they go along, two voices discovering a shared language in a hitherto unexplored shade of blue.

STAFF COMMENTS

Matt says: Ridiculously adventurous, totally uncategorizable and an absolute delight on the ears. Shy Layers delivers an impeccable album of intrigue and mystery; articulated through woodwind, toned percussion and a rich tapestry of instrumentation. So good it hurts!

TRACK LISTING

A1. Birds On Clifton
A2. Blue Voices
A3. Hymn No.2
A4. Catch It
A5. Ex Uno Plures
B1. Hidden Hearts
B2. Another Cloud
B3. Song In Six
B4. Interesting Times
B5. Let Us Sing Sad Songs Together
B6. What Is Left Is Music

Ancient Infinity Orchestra is a 14-member jazz ensemble led by double-bassist and composer Ozzy Moysey, based in the bustling creative city of Leeds in the North of England – home to one of the most innovative and community-based jazz scenes in the UK. Saxophonist Matt Cliffe who also performs with Matthew Halsall is a key member and the rotating line-up which includes drums, two bassists, keyboards, harp, violin, cello, two tenors, alto, oboe, flute and percussion.

Rivers of Light’ drinks deep from the well of spiritual jazz and is especially inspired by the soulful sounds of Pharoah Sanders, Alice and John Coltrane but also channels a certain Northern sensibility that can be heard in the music of Matthew Halsall or Alabaster de Plume. Melodic, warm and honest this is music that is happy to wear its heart on its sleeve.

This is also communal music made by friends, which offers a deep celebration of togetherness and of music-making. It’s confidently deep music, moving and meditative, and Ozzy draws on philosophy and nature as well as musical inspirations to foster a focus on giving and sharing beautiful things with one another and with the listener.

‘Rivers of Light’ was recorded over three days and the ensemble were joined by a choir of over a dozen friends from Brighton, UK adding a further joyous layer to the beautiful music. But this was more than just a recording, the musicians made food for each other, hung out together and exalted in the moment. Ozzy explains:

“It was a joyous three days of recording together with the Leeds based band of 14, combined with a similar sized choir of friends from Brighton joining us. Seeing them meet for the first time and witnessing their incredible dedication and passion for music together, was so fun to be a part of. Members of the choir cooked for over 30 people each day, descending, each morning, on mass, to the studio and melting together in the heat of the height of summer. Between tracks, the band jammed in the corridors, sat in the sun and laughed a lot. The atmosphere of all these people meeting in the heat of summer, eating, laughing and creating something together - really shines through”. 

TRACK LISTING

A1. Greeting
A2. Rejoicing
A3. Niyama
B1. Michael & Zelah
B2. Equanimity
C1. Spring Break On Trappist-1
C2. Arc Of The Sun
C3. Love Song
D1. River Of Light
D2. Pharoah Sings

What happens when a four-headed human drum computer meets a classical trained vilonist turned beatmaker to spend time in the studio? A beautiful lily blossoms. At least this was the case when Bokoya and FloFilz entered Atelier 21 in Aachen (a Produzentengalerie für globale Kunst) for a musical encounter with no goals set. The music that was born out of these sessions is simply amazing and we are more than happy to release them as an album under the name "Yurika" - which is a Japanese name that means "beautiful lily".

The artwork was created by Jens Roth & Jeremias Diekmann who are responsible for almost all Bokoya artworks yet. The 19-track strong instrumental album includes one vocal track featuring Japanese singer Kan Sano.

FloFilz is one of Europe's most acclaimed Jazzbeat-producers with four albums on MPM under his belt. His last album "Close Distance" came out in 2022 an featured artists Alfa Mist, Blue Lab Beats, Jerome Thomas and Summers Sons. FloFilz is a classical trained musician who not only plays the TR 404 but also violin.

Bokoya describe themselves as a four-headed human drum machine that play improvised beat music. You can call it jazz if you like (all four members are graduated jazz musicians ) but be ready to stumble over some Dilla, Kraut Rock, Ambient or Dub in the mix. In 2022 Bokoya released their second album Hausensession on MPM , followed by a collabo album with Cologne-based producer Ginanni Brezzo (Jakarta Records) called "Minari".

STAFF COMMENTS

Barry says: A gorgeous selection of jazz-tinged downbeat melodies and shimmering twilight instrumentals. Flickering melodies wrap around hearty basslines and crepuscular pads.

TRACK LISTING

1. Intro
2. Soft Encounter
3. Stalagtight
4. Aix
5. Senchimentaru Way
6. Bizarre Bird
7. Gasborn
8. Hidehiko
9. Greenodil
10. Reaching Out
11. Kaminoaner
12. Ubongo Extreme
13. Triple T
14. Donari
15. Bijetzu
16. Yurika
17. Mürbchen
18. Roya
19. Felicious (Outro)

In the 1970s, Betty Davis defied genre and gender by pushing her voice to extremes and embracing the erotic. She articulated a kind of pre-punk, funk-blues fusion that had yet to be normalized in mainstream music – a style that few musicians have come close to replicating. As one of the first Black women to write, arrange, and produce her own albums, Betty was a visionary who disregarded industry boundaries and constraints. Raw, unapologetic and in full control, Betty paved the way for generations of future artists who said “funk you” to the music industry and social norms.

In 1979, when Davis entered an L.A. studio to record her fifth and final album, she was reeling from a series of setbacks. Three years earlier, after recording her fourth album, Is It Love Or Desire, Davis was dropped from her label and the LP was subsequently shelved. In 1978, her beloved band Funk House went their separate ways. Looking for a fresh start, Davis relocated to Hollywood to focus on songwriting. Before long, British manager Simon Lait (Toni Basil), offered to fund her next project.

With renewed vigor, Davis reunited with former Funk House guitarist Carlos Morales and brought together industry veterans like fusion drummer Alphonse Mouzon and session bassist Chuck Rainey. Old friends Anita and Bonnie Pointer (The Pointer Sisters) and Patryce “Choc’let” Banks joined Davis on vocals, as did Motown legend Martha Reeves. The resulting album, Crashin’ From Passion, was her most musically diverse, blending elements of reggae and calypso (“I’ve Danced Before”), jazz (“Hangin’ Out in Hollywood,” “Tell Me a Few Things”), dark synth-pop (“She’s a Woman”), and even disco (“All I Do Is Think of You”). Equally exploratory are Davis’ vocals, as she trades in her signature sass and snarls for more nuanced stylings.
Among the album’s few funk tracks is “Quintessence of Hip,” in which Davis hails musicians like Bob Dylan, Billie Holiday, Stevie Wonder, and John Coltrane, while deftly integrating elements of their work. The song also offers a moment of stark vulnerability, as she sings, “Isn’t rich? Isn’t it queer? Losing my timing so late in my career.” It would prove to be a prophetic line in the months to follow.

The mixing process was mired by artistic differences and then cut short, amid the death of Davis’ beloved father. Bereft and exasperated, Davis returned home for the funeral, setting into motion her retirement from the music industry. Crashin’ From Passion, meanwhile, would be shelved for 15 years and licensed for a CD-only release, without Davis’ consent, in the ‘90s. This 2023 edition of the album, made with Davis’ full approval and cooperation, marks its first official release and first time ever on vinyl. The package was designed by GRAMMY®-winning artist, Masaki Koike, while the album cover features an incredible shot of Betty captured in London in the mid-1970s by renowned photographer Kate Simon.

Crashin’ From Passion was remastered by Dave Cooley at Elysian Masters and pressed on vinyl at Record Technology, Inc. (RTI). The accompanying booklet includes a treasure trove of rare photos from the era, plus lyrics, and new liner notes by writer, ethnomusicologist, and Betty’s close friend, Danielle Maggio, who integrates interviews that she conducted with Davis, marking her last ever interviews.

TRACK LISTING

Quintessence Of Hip
She's A Woman
No Good At Falling In Love
Tell Me A Few Things
I've Danced Before
You Make Me Feel So Good
I Need A Whole Lot Of Love
Hangin' Out In Hollywood
All I Do Is Think Of You
Crashin' From Passion
You Take Me For Granted

Recorded at his home studio in Los Angeles (2020) the album is fundamentally the sound of a man alone with his instruments.
Utilizing a variety of guitars, including 6, 7 and 10 strings, Oktav guitar and electric baritone guitar, alongside a host of pedals and synthesizers, Fabiano tracked imagined landscapes with expressive, expansive improvisations, which tend toward the more ambient and atmospheric reaches of his recent output.

Adopting Hermeto Pascoal's concept of Universal Music, a rejection of nationalistic tendencies in order to express all of one's musical influences all at once, Fabiano avoided leaning too heavily on any particular musical language, without denying his own musical roots.

After studying classical piano as a child, the Rio de Janeiro native discovered the guitar aged 10. Studying under his late uncle, Lucio Nascimento, he eventually left Brazil for LA, where he soon became an in- demand player for his distinct and authentic sound. He has since released seven albums under his own name and collaborated with renowned Brazilian artists including Arthur Verocai and Airto Moreira, as well as experimental US saxophonist Sam Gendel.

Mundo Solo (Do Nascimento's eighth), was recorded in one take per track, with occasional overdubs and a few appearances from collaborators and friends Julien Canthelm (drums on Etude 1), Ajurina Zwarg, (percussion on CPMV) and Gabe Noel (Bass on Curumim).

Fabiano Do Nascimento's consummate mastery of his instrument has afforded him a freedom of expression few can claim. Blending the emotional with the elemental, Mundo Solo is a stunning snapshot of solitude and the beauty which can blossom within it.

TRACK LISTING

A1. Abertura
A2. Curumim 2
A3. Paperstrings
A4. Agua De Estrellas
A5. Bari
A6. Etude 1
A7. Meianoite
A8. Reflections
A9. Coisa
B1. Coisa 2
B2. CPVM
B3. Txaii
B4. Tempo
B5. De Manha
B6. Dormenor

East Coast Love Affair is back with a 9-minute epic late-night mid-tempo deep disco chugger featuring Shetland-born and Edinburgh-based R&B Singer and songwriter Philomenah. Hanna (Philomenah) has done some great backing vocals for ECLA in the past but takes front-and-center Vocal and lyric writing duty on this Epic 12". It's Like a modern-day Onda with a sprinkle of pop.

On the flip two percussive house dub workouts with maybe a little hint of MAW 90s major label work (we have been revisiting these in the club recently) with our own Athens of the North studio special sauce.

TRACK LISTING

1. I Can't Wait (feat. Philomenah)
2. I Can't Wait (House Dub) [feat. Philomenah]
3. I Can't Wait (Bonus Beats) [feat. Philomenah]

Ferdi is an emerging saxophonist artist from the Brusselian-Parisian musical scene. Fifteen years after evolving at the conservatory, he decided to develop his artistic career. He surrounded himself with prominent artists of the modern music scene: the rapper Peet, the pianist Sofiane Pamart, his trumpeter mate Bessau, and the king of funk - Dabeull!

Ferdi’s new album "Romance" has been conceived from this artistic exchange. "Romance" offers a romantic, funky moment for two lovers of 80s music. There;s louche sax lines, squelchy boogie bass and gliding vocodered vox a plenty; an absolute sleaze-fest of 80s boogie / funk!  You'll be reaching for your silk pyjamas and fur lined dressing gown in no time! 

STAFF COMMENTS

Matt says: Knicker-dropping / shirt-lifting modern sex boogie from a big blower from Brussels / Paris. Bit of Dam Funk thrown in there for sure; but he's replaced the keyboards with the saxaphone. Top drawer stuff.

TRACK LISTING

A1. Beach Wear
A2. Something In You
A3. Romance
A4. Love Amour

B1. Cruisin'
B2. Sweet Connection
B3. Seduction
B4. Time

Ella Fitzgerald took the stage on Friday the 13th in 1979 at the North Sea Jazz Festival in the PWA hall. This unique vinyl release finally showcases this superb performance by one of jazz’s greatest- ever vocalists on stage at one of the most unique and iconic jazz festivals in the world.

PWA Zaal, Friday July 13, 1979 – the Hague, the Netherlands. Ella Fitzgerald (vocals), Paul Smith (piano), Keter Betts (double bass), Mickey Roker (Drums) - officially recorded by the Dutch Public Broadcasting companies at the North Sea Jazz Festival and officially licensed for this vinyl release.

Devotion is a dedicated aural engagement with extremely talented musicians. It reflects a deep spirituality in composition, expression discovery through kaleidoscopic, 21st century jazz. Devotion, Grossmann's debut for Jack White's U.S.based Third Man Records label, continues her musical evolution, arriving at a sound that wears inspirations transparently, but in practice, is markedly original holistic work. It is titled after Grossmann's experience of a natural sense of devotion that arose from her Buddhist meditation practice. She says, "noticing that sounds are dissolving into the vast empty space, the true nature of reality. Just as thoughts are always dissolving into the stillness of our mind, we slowly realize that the essence of our mind is clarity...

TRACK LISTING

1. Absolute Truth
2. Calm
3. Care
4. Knowledge & Wisdom
5. All Heart
6. Devotion
7. Mother Of All

Emm Gryner is an award winning singer, songwriter, actor and best-selling author. Emm sang and played keyboards in David Bowie's band, and appears on numerous recordings, including his landmark 1999 SNL appearance, Bowie at The Beeb and Toy. Bowie's acclaimed Glastonbury 2000 documents her performance in front of more than 100,000 fans at Worthy Farm. With Trapper she shared arena stages with Def Leppard, and she also helped bring the first music video recorded in outer space to the world.

Detroit radio formed the soundtrack of Emm's life and career and her brand new record is a celebration of that music. From Motown,jazz and pop, to Steely Dan, Fleetwood Mac and the Doobies, Business & Pleasure is infused with the sunshine soul and stellar playing of the late 70s and early 80s. These songs, produced by Fred Mollin, written with poet Michael Holmes, and recorded with drummer Shannon Forrest (Toto), keyboardist Pat Coil (Michael McDonald), bassist Larry Paxton (Alison Krauss), and guitarists Tom Bukovac (Taylor Swift) and Pat Buchanan (Hall & Oates, Dolly Parton), embody a take on yacht rock that sails deep into the 2020s and introduce the world to a bold new character: a powerful woman whose passion, presence, conviction, humor and grace serves to unite the world in

music, joy and love, once again.

TRACK LISTING

1. Loose Wig
2. Jack
3. Valencia
4. Summertime
5. The Chance
6. Queen
7. The Second Coming
8. Strangers And Saints
9. Burn The Boats
10. Don't Give In
11. Real Love

Reissue number seven for Heels & Souls Recordings sees them look back to the sounds of South Africa’s townships in 1991, cherry picking four of Tashif Kente’s finest cuts from his sought after album A Boy And A Dream, giving them space to breathe on a 12" pressing.

Clearly influenced by the flavours bubbling over from the UK and US in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, from R&B through to boogie, proto house to new jack swing, Tashif’s productions are a melting pot of ideas and influences, laced with a distinctive South African flavour.

Born in Soweto, Mzwandile ‘Tashif’ Kente, cut his teeth with Harari for a brief period, a group that birthed greats like Condry Ziqubu, Sipho Mabuse and Alec Khaoli, before going solo in 1984 and releasing just one album as Tashif Kente, 1991’s ‘A Boy And A Dream’. An album that speaks of love, lust and longing, produced by Kente and Selwyn Shandel with Marc Rantseli also joining the fold, it has that signature South African synth bass, drum machine and killer keyboard combo of the Bubblegum and Kwaito scenes, topped with Kente’s buttery vocals.

Heels & Souls Recordings take four favourites from the LP and press them loud on either side of a 12”. On the A, the audacious new jack, dancefloor bubbler ‘Tell Him I Became Your Lover’ leads into the lovestruck, boogie-tinged grooves of ‘Somebody’s Got My Love’. Flip it over to find a jealousy jam of the highest order with the synthy soul number ‘Who’s That Boy’, before ‘I Like The Way You Love Me’, a lights down low, R&B flavoured lovesong rounds off the EP.

Licensed from Gallo, who transferred the original ¼ inch tapes for their archives, Heels & Souls have enlisted the expertise of Justin Drake to remaster these South African beauties for a new generation of listeners.

TRACK LISTING

A1. Tell Him I Became Your Lover
A2. Somebody's Got My Love
B1. Who's That Boy
B2. I Like The Way You Love Me

Knitting Factory Records and Partisan Records are proud to release the sixth installment of the much anticipated vinyl reissue box sets from the Fela Kuti catalog.

Vinyl box #6 was curated by actor, producer, DJ, rapper and singer, Idris Elba, aka DJ Big Driis. This edition, out on December 1, features Open & Close, Music of Many Colors, Stalemate, I Go Shout Plenty!!!, Live In Amsterdam, and Opposite People. The artwork for each album has been meticulously recreated from the original vinyl pressings, alongside vintage vinyl label artwork. The box set is a limited edition of 5,000 worldwide. It includes a 24 page booklet featuring lyrics, commentaries by Afrobeat historian Chris May, and never before seen photos; as well as a 16” x 24” poster designed by Lemi Ghariokwu, the creative force behind many of Fela’s album covers. Previous box set curators include Chris Martin, Erykah Badu, Ginger Baker, Brian Eno, and Questlove.

TRACK LISTING

Tracklist:
Open & Close
A1) Open & Close
B1) Swegbe & Pako
B2) Gbagada Gbagada Gbogodo Gbogodo

Music Of Many Colors (Feat. Roy Ayers)
A1) 2000 Blacks Got To Be Free
B1) Africa Centre Of The World

Stalemate
A1) Stalemate
B1) Don't Worry About My Mouth O (African Message)

I Go Shout Plenty!!!
A1) I Go Shout Plenty!!!
B1) Why Black Men Dey Suffer?

Live In Amsterdam
A1) M.O.P. (Movement Of The People) Political Statement Number 1 (Part 1)
B1) M.O.P. (Movement Of The People) Political Statement Number 1 (Part 2)
C1) Custom Check Point
C2) You Gimme Shit I Give You Shit (Part 1)
D1) You Gimme Shit I Give You Shit (Part 2)

Opposite People
A1) O.P. (Opposite People)
B1) Equalisation Of Trouser And Pant

On its 25th release, Delights label welcomes Mozaik Ses - a new collaboration between the Tel-Aviv-based funk combo VuVuVu, the pioneering Munich legend JJ Whitefield (The Poets of Rhythm, Karl Hector & the Malcouns), and Delights head honcho, Markey Funk.

Together, the group cooked two pieces of scorching eastern-flavoured funk: the hypnotic mind-melter "Aralkum" and the menacing upbeat floor-killer "Zellij".

TRACK LISTING

1. Aralkum
2. Zellij

As the Compass Points to Nassau, Track Authority has you covered...Following on from the Grace Jones indebted first volume, we get 4 more special instrumentals clean cut to heavy black vinyl.

"Peanut" is funky boogie-disco, with a cowbell rhythm and Mancusso-friendly vibe. "Adventures" slows down the tempo to a crawl, strips things back to just drum, bass and picked guitar lines - bringing out the groove of Will Power's "Adventures In Success". "Seventh" is another classic of the boogie era, given a nice instrumental tweak here. "Doctor" concludes as another mystery disco anthem drifts past my memory cells alerting me to early onset memory loss. 

Really strong stuff that probes at the grooves of some well known classics in a fresh and funky manner! TIP! 

STAFF COMMENTS

Matt says: Second set of instrumentals from the Compass Point studios and much like the first it's e-e-e-e-ESSENTIAL. Serious - unreleased sessions from one of the hottest and most productive studios in the world - this is the genius folly of the producers left in the studio long after the musicians have gone home. Concocting pure dubbed out magic on the desk.

TRACK LISTING

A1. Peanut
A2. Adventures
B1. Seventh
B2. Doctor

South Carolina singer and producer Niecy Blues describes her songwriting process like an undertow: “I feel a strange pull, and let it carry me, following swirling leaves... whole days roll by, forgetting about the body.”

Their full-length debut, Exit Simulation, captures this sense of deep-rooted divination, cycling between simmering ballads, ghosted R&B, downtempo gospel, and looped vocal improvisations – often within the same track. The title is taken from a science fiction novel she read during the purgatory of the pandemic, alluding to a dimensional ideation of departure – “the permission to imagine leaving.”

Recorded in her current home of Charleston, she characterizes the album’s mood in terms both reflective and raw: an exploration of things suppressed, foundations beginning to crack, “talking myself off a ledge.”

The music of Niecy Blues transposes reverie and reckoning into emotive devotionals of keys, guitar, bass, synth, and bewitched voice, steeped in sacred atmospheres gleaned from a youth spent in a religious Oklahoma household: “My first experience with ambient music was church – slow songs of worship, with delay on the guitar... even if you don’t believe, you feel something.”

STAFF COMMENTS

Barry says: Exit Simulating sings with the sort of rhythmic swing of a 90's R&B record, but swims and ripples with waves of ambient and Balearic influence, resulting in an album that's both wildly adventurous and intensely addictive. Thoroughly stunning work from Niecy Blues.

TRACK LISTING

1. 1111
2. The Nite B4
3. U Care
4. Violently Rooted
5. Exit Simulation
6. Exits
7. Soma
8. Messages From Above
9. Lament
10. Violently Rooted Reprise
11. The Architect
12. Analysis Paralysis
13. Cascade

An evolved, ecosystemic love expression of Carlos Niño’s self-described “Spiritual, Improvisational, Space, Collage” expression – (I’m just) Chillin’, on Fire is the prolific percussionist/producer’s most singular, intentional work ever, featuring a vibrant and abundant gathering of his “friends” (i.e. the highly skilled and accomplished musicians and improvisers that make up Niño’s extensive network of collaborators).

He's rolling deep on this one. Featured artists across 80+ minutes of music include saxophone titan Kamasi Washington, AACM-affiliated creative music legend Maia, synth-guitarist/producer Nate Mercereau, bubbling violinist/vocalist V.C.R, ambient dance innovator Photay, prodigious rhythmist Deantoni Parks, South African vocalist Sibusile Xaba, keyboardist and Alice Coltrane protégé Surya Botofasina, pianist Jamael Dean, Dntel, Aaron Shaw, Diego Gaeta, Laraaji, Adam Rudolph, Josh Johnson, Jamire Williams, Woo, and more, includingAndré 3000, who makes an appearance on flutes. For such a magnificent convergence of sonic journeyers and such a masterful presentation of sounds- al of which is hugged together by Niño's lucid post-productive guidance, as he makes Q-Tip/DJ Premier- like architectures out of fluid explorations and minimalist musical atmospheres - the undersold title "(I'm just) Chillin', on Fire" is both humorous and totally appropriate for anyone who is open enough to understand what this artist'" is all about. It's also Niño's answer to a question that he's frequently asked: "Are You aShaman? I feel the Medicine in your Music. You are a Shaman aren't You?" To such kind ideas Niño likes to reply: "(l'm just) Chillin',on Fire, Deeply Sharing..."

TRACK LISTING

1.Venice 100720, Hands In Soil
2. Mighty Stillness
3. Love Dedication (for Annelise)
4. Flutestargate
5. Maha Rose North 102021, Breathwork
6. Transcendental Bounce, Run To It
7. Taaaud
8. Spacia
9. Am I Dreaming?
10. Etheric Windsurfing, Flips And Twirls
11. Boom Bap Spiritual
12. Woo, Acknowledgement
13. Sandra's Willows
14. One For Derf
15. Conversations
16. Essence, The Mermaids Call
17. Eightspace 082222

It might be his debut album, yet Peacey’s “Play It By Ear” is a body of work crafted as though by a scholar. And where better for this work to emerge from than Derby, UK’s Atjazz Record Company, a label with a rich heritage and many strings to its bow?

This eclectic sonic journal catalogues the evolution of Peacey, documenting his interactions with, and influences from, some of dance music’s notable players. It’s an album that will attract discerning ears and open minds; minds attuned to a multitude of genres as it visits Hip Hop, R&B, House, Garage and Fusion.

'Culture Bandit' is the 2nd single taken from this colossal album, and gives us a great understanding that Peacey really knows where to hit it! It’s a deep banger of course, with a hint of tech-house, deep-house and even the more percussive side of afro-latin house, but with the electrifying vocals of Vanessa Hidary atop, this will go down in history as “One of those tunes”. To say this song has life is an understatement. So we’ve covered that, did we mention that Osunlade & Atjazz have also remixed this killer slice? Ah, well they have, and they join Peacey on this pristine release to give alternative angles on this wild, spoken and edgy outing.

TRACK LISTING

A1. Original Mix
B1. Atjazz Remix
B2. Yoruba Soul Mix

Shimmer’s tones are unexpected, the combinations of instruments far off the beaten trails of familiar genres. It’s not quite jazz, not quite neoclassical, not quite soul, but something all its own. Saxophone, clarinet, glockenspiel, cello, pedal steel, synths, guitar & human voice merge in ethereal counterpoints that nod to chamber music, while the rhythm section drives the whole thing forward with an uncanny propulsion that feels cool, self-possessed & hyper contemporary. & all the while Shimmer makes sure to keep one foot outside time—stepping alone toward the ageless inward horizon.

Its A-side contains four tightly orchestrated tracks recorded in Mexico City in 2023; the B-side is a single long experiment in texture, which Gilgore began writing at the beginning of the pandemic in 2020 and finished remotely in 2023. Think Jacques Brel’s “Je suis un soir d’été”. Think Chicago fusion à la Tortoise. Think the wall-of-sound production of David Axelrod. Think Steve Reich’s organs in polyrhythm. Think Arthur Russell’s neo-classical “Tower of Meaning”. Think them all at once, then forget all that & open yourself to something new. What I mean is: when Jarrett Gilgore plays what we call the instruments, he’s not playing instruments. When he plays what we call notes, he’s not playing notes. When he composes what we call songs, he’s not composing songs. Instruments, under his care, don’t do what they do in the hands of others. Music, in his hands, doesn’t assert particular messages or portray scenes. It disappears into.

Bristol’s four-piece outfit Quade's debut album.

‘Of The Source’ opens in familiar territory for Quade, with distant drones and searching violin, before breaking down into perhaps the album’s most experimental track.

‘Nacre’ is the culmination of three years of work from the band, the blueprints of their songwriting and sound firmly established in the sprawling, haunting and yet hopeful record. Traipsing between gothic expansiveness and cosmic psychedelia, the record cannot be pinned down into one recognizable place. By the album’s close, the listener may be left wondering whether it was all a memory or a dream.

The recording and production of the record was collaborative, with the band drawing upon the services of Jack Ogbourne and Larry ‘Bruce’ McCarthy - two divergent pillars of Bristol’s music community - for engineering and mixing respectively.

TRACK LISTING

The Balance
Piles Copse
Of The Source
Circles
Stretching Out
Measure
Technicolour

Stereo:type presents its first vinyl release from UK producer Risk Assessment, already known for notable releases on Glitterbox, No Fuss, Midnight Riot and Tinted to name but a few. With four original tracks all ploughing the rich furrow of 80s nu disco vibe that he's been championing of late, with 'Baby Call Me' a glitzy, glitterballl-teasing vocal track with a slice of Cameo-style funk thrown in for good measure leading the charge. 'Can You Dig It?' is loopier and more 'track'-orientated, essential DJ material, while the B-side boasts the filtered, soul-inflected house of 'Want You Back' and the glorious Barry White-esque tones of disco monster 'Dancin' In My Eyes'. Huge on all counts.

TRACK LISTING

Baby Call Me
Can You Dig It?
Want You Back
Dancin’ In My Eyes

Semi Skimmed Edits return with another duo of lovingly restored, extended and adored nuggets from the deepest crates

Two blazing jams for playing LOUD.

SUPER limited hand-stamped vinyl...

STAFF COMMENTS

Matt says: MCR's James Greenwood continues his cult label with two more tasteful splices for the working disco DJ. Both of these has a bit of that original Ugly Edits flavour, for which we can only thankful.

TRACK LISTING

A. Under Your Spell
B. Jog On

'Give Me The Strength To Be Me' is the exclusive single for Lovemonk by Soulnaturals, featuring London singer Chalibrann. This stunning track fuses all the power and beauty of gospel and soul music with exquisite arrangements that take Soulnaturals to spiritual heights, akin to contemporary artists such as Michael Kiwanuka and Sault.

Soulnaturals is the London-based project of songwriter, producer and band leader Tony Cannam, who collaborates with outstanding guest singers and musicians on high-quality soul/R&B music which has received rave reviews from Blues & Soul, Craig Charles Funk & Soul Show, Jazz FM, Andy Peebles at Smooth FM, Solar Radio, Clash Magazine and London Live TV, among others. Cannam is influenced by the rich heritage of 60s and 70s US soul/funk artists and arrangers such as Norman Whitfield, Curtis Mayfield, Stevie Wonder and Quincy Jones.

Soulnaturals released their debut album, "Love Says Yes!", in 2017 as part of Record Store Day, receiving strong critical acclaim and a nod as contender for album of the year from UK Vibe. Their second album, "Parlo Discoteca", came out in October 2023 on their own label, British Soul Standard.

TRACK LISTING

1. Give Me The Strength To Be Me (feat. Chalibrann)
2. Give Me The Strength To Be Me (Instrumental) [feat. Chalibrann]

Debut album from UK jazz saxophonist and composer Miles Spilsbury, featuring Carlos Niño. Produced by Slugabed.

"Light Manoeuvres" is about warmth, generosity and openness. The music which would become Light Manoeuvres was sketched in fragments, but began to take shape in earnest during a period of living under the Marseille haze in the South of France.

The specific character and opacity of the light in Marseille inspired the album title which imagines the movement of light passing over different subjects and spaces in intricate motion. Sand blows over from the Sahara on the Sirocco wind and is whipped up by the Mistral, the Marseille sky becomes golden and vapoured, then intermittently pastel blue. That image stuck while shaping this body of work, and became integral to the function of the compositions - which act as jumping off points for the players and myself, vehicles for improvisation and gateways to something else entirely.

Miles Spilsbury is a saxophonist, composer and multi-instrumentalist. Light Manoeuvres may be Spilsbury’s first full-length as bandleader, but the Brighton-based artist brings more than a decade of experience to bear on this record. In addition to a list of collaborators which includes Carlos Niño, Iglooghost, Nate Mercereau, Surya Botofasina and Yasei Collective, Spilsbury has been a permanent member of celebrated avant-rock experimentalists The Physics House Band since 2018. He has performed at prestigious UK venues such as the Southbank Centre and the London Jazz Festival, and has toured extensively throughout North America, Europe and Japan.

In time between other musical projects, Spilsbury spent several years sketching fragments of solo material. The music which would become Light Manoeuvres began to take shape in earnest during a period of living in Marseille. The specific character and opacity of the light there inspired the album title, which imagines the movement of light passing over different subjects and spaces in intricate motion.

"Brilliant brilliant" · Gilles Peterson
"Out of nowhere Brilliant deep jazz album" · Sounds Of The Universe
"Lovely stuff, so much great new jazz coming out of the UK lately!" · Danilo Plessow (MCDE / Space Grapes 

TRACK LISTING

Cloud Formations
Gratitude
Light Theme
Cyclamen
Water On Water
Tungsten
Uig
En-Vau

For fans of Khraungbin, El Michels Affair, Skinshape, The Shacks. Features the singles ‘Wake Up’, ‘The Deep’, ‘I Wanna Be With You’ and ‘It’s Not Over’. Supported Big Crown’s Surprise Chef on their 2023 UK Tour. Brooklyn duo The Still Brothers is a musical project of childhood friends Evan Heinze (The Shacks/Big Crown) and Andrew LeCoche (Ula Ruth). Heinze has toured with the likes of Khraungbin, Lee Fields and Cut Chemist, while LeCoche’s old band once opened for Paul Simon and Edie Brickell. A former student of Madlib’s uncle Jon Faddis, LeCoche has scored music for Netflix and Patagonia and sound design for Twitter, Patron, and Marvel. Signing to Lewis Recordings in 2020 the band’s first single ‘The Deep’ was instantly picked up by Steve Lamacq on BBC 6 Music who regularly plays it to this day. ‘Wake Up’ featuring the vocals of Marina B. spent six weeks on the BBC 6 Music playlist gaining support from Lauren Laverne, Gilles Peterson, Mary Anne Hobbs, Craig Charles, Huey Morgan, Cerys Matthews, Don Letts, Tom Ravenscroft and Guy Garvey. Lockdown didn’t slow down the band’s creativity with many tracks on their self-titled debut EP recorded remotely. 

TRACK LISTING

Intro
I Wanna Be With You
Sungalz
Rest Easy
Easy, Easy
Wake Up
When Will I See U?
It’s Not Over
Ah Ha
The Deep

“Leão Leonardo” and “Guajiru” are the first singles to appear from the new album by Toco, a Brazilian singer-songwriter with a unique sensibility and taste.
“Leão Leonardo” is a very heartfelt and engaging song that constitutes a homage to a childhood friend, a tribute to a deep and everlasting bond, as well as a return to a place very dear to Toco: the Guarapiranga water reservoir near São Paulo in Brazil. It is mainly inspired by two great samba jazz masters, Jorge Ben and João Donato. “Guajiru”, a classic samba-rock track inspired by Orlandivo’s swing and Jorge Ben’s sensuality, explores the more romantic side of Toco’s multifaceted style and tells of a fleeting summer love in northeastern Brazil, where the indigenous fishing village of Guajiru, on the coast of the state of Ceará, is located.

“Leão Leonardo” and “Guajiru” have been recorded at Schema Records’ Blue Spirit studios and produced by Stefano 'S-Tone Inc.' Tirone, who skillfully captured the spirit of these tracks and elaborated the essence and energy of their songwriting. Both of them see Toco’s alluring voice masterfully surrounded by an ensemble of exceptional musicians: Donatinho (keyboards), Tuca Milan (percussion), Ramiro Levy (guitars), Edu Hebling (bass), Mauro Martins (drums), Priscila Ribas (vocals), Gianluca Petrella (trombone), Mirco Rubegni (trumpet) and Marquinho Baboo (percussion).

TRACK LISTING

A. Leão Leonardo
B. Guajiru

UK lovers' rock holy grail 12” from Sonia Whittingham, produced by Glen Sloley and originally released in 1988. ‘When I look into your eyes I feel a sweet sensation. I know our love is true ‘cos you make me happy'

Isle Of Jura continue to deliver the goods, following on from that crucial reissue from The NM Band ("She Wants"). 

A 140gram pressing in full colour sleeve designed by Bradley Pinkerton.

STAFF COMMENTS

Matt says: Another UK lovers' holy grail from Isle Of Jura. Lilting chords, big soundsystem bass and a sugar sweet vocal make this a sure fire winner for daytime at the carnival.

TRACK LISTING

Sweet Sensation
Sweet Dub

'You Got The Stuff' is not "Lovely Day" - that much is true. This one's a wigged out, extended, trip into deep space from 1978 that is truly baffling. Of course, it features Bill singing for the first half of the track but then all of a sudden we're launched into a cosmic wormhole as everything just falls back and the track is stripped of any earthly qualities. People find themselves asking 'this...... this is Bill Withers?' as lazer guided synths and rock solid drums pull us into the sonic vortex. Truly amazing. Obviously a nugget like this has not gone unnoticed and has been edited and chopped and sampled deftly by the more sarcastic, left-field oriented crate diggers out there but it has never been reissued legitimately - Until now!

A hugely sought after and collectible gem right here, backed with the wistful slow jam 'Look To Each Other For Love' as per the original 1978 Columbia promo 12" version. 

STAFF COMMENTS

Patrick says: Bill's blinding cosmic disco groover comes Harvey approved (always a mark of quality) and ready to rock the floor with its zero gravity funk and major vortex vibe. Essential tackle!

TRACK LISTING

A. You Got The Stuff
B. Look To Each Other For Love

Disco is back! From Paris to Melbourne, Berlin or Athens, a new blend of 70s inspired disco sound is currently taking the dancefloors by storm with artists like Monika, L'Impératrice or LeonxLeon, creating a stir on the international scene. Paying their dues to the pure form of Disco, these new artists, far from mimicking the clichés, are adding an unmistakable millennium twist to the genre. This is Disco 2.0.

TRACK LISTING

1. L'Impératrice La Lune
2. Bon Voyage Organisation Shenzhen V
3. Marvin & Guy Makin' Love
4. Monika Secret In The Dark (Juan MacLean Edit)
5. Joakim Nothing Gold (Todd Terje Remix)
6. No Zu Ui Yia Uia
7. Sounds Of Inner City Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman (Inst.)
8. LeonxLeon Acid Disco
9. Tensnake Need Your Lovin (Tiger & Woods Remix)
10. Bufiman Running (The Chase)
11. S3A Theuz Hamtaak 

For Remixes JID020, the label has tapped a few of their favourite contemporary artists and producers to offer their own take on the music of Series 2. The album features a variety of dynamic personalities with remixes from London based artists Shabaka Hitchins and Theon Cross, New York tastemaker Melanie Charles, LA based produces Bei Ru, Brazil's DK Nyack, Detroit based producer Tall Black Guy, Bay Area producer Mophono and the LA based house duo L.O. & Diisko.

The album earns its place in the Jazz Is Dead catalog as it further celebrated the spirit of collaboration amongst artists young and old. What unites these DJs, producers and musicians with the Jazz Is Dead ethos is their unbent dedication to remaining true to their own vibe and sound all the while preserving the energy and feeling of the original recordings.

TRACK LISTING

1. Tony Allen - Don't Believe The Dancers (Mophono Remix)
2. The Midnight Hour - Phoenix (Theon Cross Remix)
3. Katalyst - Reflections (Bei Ru Remix)
4. Jean Carne - Black Rainbow (Melanie Charles Remix)
5. Henry Franklin - African Sun (Shabaka Hutchins Remix)
6. Lonnie Liston Smith - Love Brings Happiness (Tall Black Guy Feat. Kaidi Tatham Remix)
7. Garrett Saracho - Altitude (L.O. & Diisko Remix)
8. Phil Ranelin & Wendell Harrison - Running With The Tribe (DJ Nyack Remix) 

A sonic snapshot of America’s steel capital, developed in the prosperous cavern between the departure of the Jackson 5 to Motown and the collapse of U.S. Steel, Skyway Soul is a love letter to Gary, Indiana. Featuring The New Day, El Anthony, Nate Evans, Sky’s The Limit, Wilton Crump, Lost Weekend, General Lee, Krash Band, Billy Foster & Audio, I.N.D., and Junei, this double album collects 21 lost songs from the southern-most tip of Lake Michigan. Housed in a deluxe tip-on gatefold jacket, with a 16-page booklet crammed with photos, ephemera, and an indepth essay from Jake Austen, Skyway Soul connects the dots between The Spaniels, Michael Jackson, and Freddie Gibbs. Don’t forget to pay the toll.

TRACK LISTING

1. The Newday - Wait A Minute Girl
2. El Anthony - I Want To Be Together With You
3. Nate Evans - Main Squeeze
4. El Anthony - Sweet Jo-Ann
5. Sky’s The Limit - Don’t Be Afraid
6. Nate Evans & Mean Green - The Look On Your Face
7. Wilton Crump - Give Your Love To Me
8. Lost Weekend - The Bridge Of Love
9. Wilton Crump - Think It Through
10. The Krash Band - So I Can Make This Change
11. El Anthony - We’ve Been In Love Too Long
12. General Lee & Lost Weekend - Trouble
13. General Lee - Pleasure
14. Billy Foster - I Need Your Love
15. Into New Dimensions - Stay Sweet
16. General Lee - Magic
17. Junei - Let’s Ride
18. Into New Dimensions - You Just Be You
19. Billy Foster - Night Music
20. Into New Dimensions - Everybody Likes To Do It
21. General Lee & The Space Army Band - We Did It Baby (Part 1)

Wigan Casino - the original UK dance culture super club - ran its’ first Nothern Soul All-Nighter in September 1973. It’s last session was in December 1981, and by then its 500 plus frantic All-Nighter had firmly stamped Northern Soul as an integral part of the British music landscape, Wigan Casino Classics 1973 - 2023 proudly celebrates 50 years since the birth of the most important ever Northern Soul venue with 14 all time classic floor fillers. The Sandi Sheldon, Major Lance, The Seven Souls and Johnny Robinson gems were originally released on the Uber cool Okeh label but despite being part of the mighty Columbia Records empire sank without trace on release in the USA only to be discovered (and revered) by UK Soul devotees. The Metros and Lorraine Chandler tracks were produced by Detroit’s mighty Pied Piper Productions crew and demonstrate that Motown were far from the only Motor City set up that knew how to conjure up truly breathtaking music. In Northern Soul lore there is an intriguing story behind all 14 tracks - who produced and wrote them, which Rare Soul detectives - the original crate diggers - discovered them, what DJs played them.. But at the centre of it all is Wigan Casino, the seen better days Lancashire dance hall where 2,500 plus Soul fanatics flocked to every weekend to dance dancedance at the pre Rave era ultimate Rave. The recent 50th Anniversary celebration in Blackpool attracted a 5,000 turn out. The legend lives on. This release marks the return of the always style wise Joe Boy label. Their trademark on point graphics are reinforced with the LP front sleeve being devoted to an iconic photograph by Francesco Mellini taken at the last ever Casino All-Nighter. Soul plus Art from The Heart of Soul.