Steeped in equal parts golden age hip-hop sensibilities and lost 60s and 70s film scores, the debut LP from Leroi Conroy weighs in heavy and has been years in the making. The first two tracks from the album were released in 2017 as a 45, which were sampled in the years that followed by DJ Premier, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Macklemore, Phantogram, and more. But after its release, Terry Cole aka Leroi Conroy spent much of his time growing his indie soul label Colemine Records and producing records for others (Okonski, Parlor Greens, Wesley Bright, Black Market Brass, Kendra Morris, Rudy De Anda, Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio, Andrew Gabbard) as opposed to his own.

Now, eight years after many of the rhythm tracks were put to tape on the trusted Tascam 388, Leroi Conroy’s debut LP, 'A Tiger’s Tale', will be released. The album is conceptualized as a hypothetical soundtrack to an alternate telling of Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book. The narrative here being man’s quest to tame and bend nature to his will...and nature’s response. The album is a mix of triumphant instrumental scores alongside absolutely grim, dark, and at times dissonant moody tracks. The underlying element of hip-hop’s sample culture is obvious throughout and there’s no doubt many of these tracks will be flipped in the years to come. Sonically, the record fits right in the cut alongside many other Colemine instrumental artists: dirty lo-fi drums, blaring horns, wah guitar, Hammond organ, and plenty of cinematic sprinklings like flute, nylon guitar, and vibraphone. Drums are courtesy of Cole’s longtime collaborator Rob Houk and are truly the backbone of the record. And with a couple of features from Colemine artists Kelly Finnigan and Jimmy James, the record is truly a family affair. File under: To Be Sampled

TRACK LISTING

1. Shere's Theme
2. Tiger Trot
3. Snowcat
4. Abiding
5. Jacqueline
6. Enter
7. Panthera Cry
8. Path Of Man
9. Exitus

THIS IS A RECORD STORE DAY 2025 EXCLUSIVE AND WILL BE AVAILABLE INSTORE ON SATURDAY APRIL 12TH 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 14th.

After nearly two years, Okonski returns with 'Entrance Music' — an album that finds the trio at the height of their improvisational prowess and celebrating the spontaneous and meditative. On the heels of 2023’s debut 'Magnolia', pianist and leader Steve Okonski has reconvened long-time musical collaborators (Durand Jones and the Indications bandmate Aaron Frazer on drums and bassist Michael Isvara “Ish” Montgomery) for another session in the spirit of artists like the Bad Plus, Gerald Clayton, and The Breathing Effect. Ultimately 'Entrance Music' serves as an invitation to early hours, where songs linger in the doorway, announcing their presence before returning to the air, in a meticulous drift into the next.

Recorded over a five day session, 'Entrance Music' was one of the first albums committed to tape at Portage Lounge, Terry Cole’s studio in Loveland, OH. “It was a new setup, but with Terry behind the dials it was very familiar,” says Okonski. “I can’t emphasize enough how much Terry feels like a fourth member [of the band] because of the space he’s curating, the energy he is bringing, and the production ideas.” The energy and sound created with the Colemine label head at the helm makes for a listening experience equally at home with ECM or Stones Throw catalogues.

Whereas much of the debut resonates with his time in New York, Entrance Music “feels a little less ‘on the streets at 2 A.M.’ and a little more nature-based…a little more ethereal,” says Okonski. “It’s definitely age, environment, and family — all of that does come through in the music.”

TRACK LISTING

1. October
2. Vista
3. Lakebridge
4. Wind Or Vertigo
5. Passing Through
6. Summer Storm
7. Dahlia
8. Dusk
9. Penny

Enigmatic instrumental group from The Pro-Teens pay tribute to the late great rapper MF DOOM, reimagining 14 iconic cuts through a wonky boom bap funk lens.

Helmed by Hudson Whitlock, prolific drummer and percussionist of Karate Boogaloo and Surprise Chef, Melbourne’s The Pro-Teens is a collective of instrumentalists making weirdo instrumental soul records. Drawing from the community of musicians from such bands in the College Of Knowledge orbit, The Pro-Teens’ incorporate the comic book stylings of DOOM and Kool Keith, the dark and exotic flavors of Gravediggaz and Wu-Tang Clan, the cinematic compositional mastery of Galt MacDermot, Richard Evans and Marc Moulin, culminating in an unorthodox patchwork of cinematic soul, boom-bap funk breaks and left-field instrumental textures. 'MF TEEN: Your Concurrence In The Above Is Assumed' recognises the legacy of rap’s Illest Villain, traversing MF DOOM’s discography and personas, flipping selections from Madvillain, 'MM.. FOOD', 'Viktor Vaughan', 'Danger Doom' and more, taking care to ensure recognisable tunes such as 'Doomsday' and 'Curls' are represented alongside more obscure cuts such as 'The Gas Face', the Third Bass song that featured the first recorded verse from MF DOOM in his original moniker of Zev Love X of KMD. The full-length album follows the Pro-Teens now collectible 7”s of The Pro-Teens’ renditions of 'Peachfuzz b/w One Beer' and 'Doomsday b/w Curls', releases that built a feverous anticipation for the complete album. 'MF TEEN: Your Concurrence In The Above Is Assumed' comes after 2021’s Snooch Dodd & The Pro-Teens - 'I Flip My Life Every Time I Fly', co-released with UK tastemaker label Mr Bongo.

TRACK LISTING

1. The Gas Face
2. The Time We Faced DOOM
3. Peachfuzz
4. Curls
5. Doomsday
6. Sofa King
7. Kon Queso
8. One Beer
9. Can I Watch?
10. A Dead Mouse
11. Microwave Mayo
12. Supervillain Theme
13. Benzie Box
14. Charsnuka

Distance as a measure of time and place informs Kelly Finnigan’s, A Lover Was Born with a grit and grace that turns passion into virtue. The latest solo release from The Monophonics frontman roots itself in the best traditions of midwest soul labels like King, Curtom, Dakar, and the Bodie Recording Company. A Lover Was Born is a testimony that these deep cut grooves are not resigned to nostalgia, instead, they are at the burning heart of longing and hope.

The journey Finnigan takes listeners on over Lover’s eleven tracks echo the state of motion and growth since his solo debut, The Tales People Tell (2019). These two records bookend a prolific period of output, including a pair of Monophonics albums, a Christmas album, a mixtape, and a full slate of producing other artists (The Ironsides, Alanna Royale, the Sextones). “There’s nothing like making records,” says Finnigan. “It feels like that’s my purpose — the reason I was put on this earth.”

Written in California, Ohio, and Staten Island, Kelly Finnigan collaborated with old friends in and outside the studio. “I enjoy working alone but it’s not how you want to make a record…almost everybody I brought in for this album I’ve worked with, toured with or spent a great deal of time with.” Max and Joe Ramey (The Ironsides), Jimmy James (Parlor Greens), Sergio Rios (Orgone), Joey Crispiano (Dap Kings) and Jay Mumford (aka J-Zone) all contribute to the overall sound of A Lover Was Born.

Dramatic influences like Isaac Hayes (check out the piano on “Be Your Own Shelter”) and Jerry Ragovoy are chopped and folded into Northern Soul uptempo numbers to create stompers like “Get a Hold of Yourself” or “Chosen Few”. Finnigan’s take on Deep Soul is captured brilliantly on “Walk Away from Me” and “Love (Your Pain Goes Deep)”, while Boom Bap pervades on hard hitters “His Love Ain’t Real” & “Cold World”. Slower songs such as “Let Me Count the Reasons”, the emotional “All That’s Left”, and the soul-stirring album closer “Count Me Out” show the honest and tender side that has become Finnigan’s calling card. All the while, the voice is raw and earthy — in the best tradition of R&B shouters like Otis Redding, Lee Moses, and David Ruffin.

The songs on A Lover Was Born reconfigure the spliced and sampled DNA of hip hop (extracted by crate diggers like Dilla and RZA) to create something new, underscoring both the spectrum and depth of soul while making a case to the timelessness of Finnigan’s sound.

STAFF COMMENTS

Barry says: A bright, soulful suite of rippling guitar stabs, rolling bass guitar and Finnigan's unendingly powerful vocals. Smooth as silk.

TRACK LISTING

Prove My Love
Be Your Own Shelter
Cold World
His Love Ain't Real
Get A Hold Of Yourself
All That's Left
Love (Your Pain Goes Deep)
Let Me Count The Reasons
Chosen Few
Walk Away From Me
Count Me Out

For the first time since the release of their 2022 debut album 'Drift,' the Winston Brothers are back with two new original tunes pressed onto one perfect 45.

The A-side, 'Straight Shooter' is none other than that. A rolling funk escapade, the track gears you up for a b-boy battle with its funky guitars, horns, and drum breaks. The energy is high, edgy, and of-the rail and was recorded all analog via a Fostex 8 Track.

The B-side, 'Island Travel,' is a dramatic and cinematic escape. This chilled out afro-beat jam will have your head bobbing along to its hypnotic groove. Infused with elements of ethno-funk and spiritual jazz, 'Island Travel' features a dreamy flute solo from Kimo Eiserbeck and provides the perfect contrast from 'Straight Shooter'.

TRACK LISTING

1. Straight Shooter
2. Island Travel

FOR FANS OF... Durand Jones & The Indications, Pale Jay, Kelly Finnigan, Niel Frances, Bobby Oroza, Holly Walker. Colemine Records is proud to present a brand new 45 from Aaron Frazer featuring two tracks from his debut LP. The funky and drum heavy "Bad News" has a timely message at a time when people willfully ignore the warnings about everything from climate change to systematic racism. Frazer recorded the tune in Nashville and he brought together a bevy of talented musicians, including members of The Memphis Boys, who backed Dusty Springfield on "Son of a Preacher Man" and Aretha Franklin on "Natural Woman." On the flip, "Done Lyin'" shows Aaron's vulnerability throughout the song. Heavy and tough production from Dan Auerbach paired with Frazer smoothly singing his heart out is a match made in sweet soul heaven. 

With their new album 'Rhapsody, the extraordinary vocalists fedayo Gatling, Dennis Bailey, and George Marage are able to fully explore the entire range of music that influenced them. The follow-up to their acclaimed 2021 release 'Look Up!', the record is a dive into a lesser-known but hugely important era in the evolution of gospel music.

Starting in the mid-1960s, local gospel groups and singers began incorporating elements of popular soul and funk styles and in 2006, Chicago-based reissue label Numero Group released Good God! A Gospel Funk Hymnal. HGT's longtime friend and mentor Eli.

"Paperboy Reed" approached the group with the idea of digging through the Numero catalog and recording some of the gospel funk material, reinterpreted in their own way from the high-energy, old-school soul of "God's Been Good to Me" to the hip-hop-inflected "Get Involved."

The Harlem Gospel Travelers story began when Gatling and Marage met while studying under Reed's tutelage. The group put out their debut LP, 'He's On Time', to rave reviews in 2019, earning them high profile fans like Elton John and landing them festival slots everywhere from Pilgrimage to Telluride Jazz. Originally a quartet, they brought in Bailey and reconfigured as a trio prior to recording Look Up!, their first album of all original material.

At a moment when the world is reconsidering the concepts of genre and category and who's allowed to participate in which traditions, HGT are squarely on the cultural pulse.

"We always found it difficult to stay in this one lane of what people think gospel is supposed to be," says Gatling. "This record allowed us to hear people that were innovators in their own time, pushing how gospel music sounded, and now we've created this project that is message-wise gospel, but the feeling and the sound can be whatever you want it to be."

TRACK LISTING

1. We Don't Love Enough
2. Ever Since
3. God's Love
4. God's Been Good To Me
5. Get Involved
6. Somebody's Watching You
7. How Can I Lose
8. Jesus Rhapsody, Pt. 1
9. Have You Tried Jesus
10. Searching For The Truth

For Fans of : Grant Green, The Meters, Charles Earland & Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio. Debut album from Colemine supergroup, Parlor Greens Band contains members from Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio, GA-20,and Scone Cash Players.

Perhaps one of the most exciting and anticipated projects in the world of heavy instrumental music is Parlor Greens, a fresh organ trio on Colemine Records! You could say that Parlor Greens are greater than the sum of their parts…however, the individual parts are simply stellar on their own. Tim Carman (GA-20) on drums, Jimmy James (True Loves, formerly Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio) on guitar, and Adam Scone (Scone Cash Players, The Sugarman 3) on organ.

Scone is perhaps the most tasteful living organist on planet Earth (and beyond) and to watch him play is to truly watch a master at work. He bends the organ to his will like a true master craftsman. He's a veteran of the soul revival scene, having played on many Daptone recording sessions since their inception, but also has learned from some of the legends of soul jazz: Melvin Sparks and The Turbanator himself Dr. Lonnie Smith. Jimmy James needs no introduction to many as he's been seen all over the world performing with instrumental groups The True Loves and the Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio. Perhaps the most dangerous right hand in all of soul music, his signature funky approach can be identified by even the most novice of music fans, a feat most musicians could only dream of. Tim Carman. The backbone. The pocket. Having cut his teeth touring the world with blues group GA-20, Carman's expertise in the world of blues shuffles might make him an unlikely candidate to lay the foundation for the funky Parlor Greens, but this debut LP shows otherwise.

Steady, heavy pockets and as funky as they come. Parlor Greens started off as an idea before it even had a name. Carman had been chatting with Colemine label boss Terry Cole about their shared love for organ combo records of yesterday on labels like Blue Note and Prestige. Cole said he'd love to have an organ trio be the first project at the label's new studio, Portage Lounge, located in Loveland, Ohio. So when Carman tapped James and Scone for the session, the stage was set. Carman and Cole had started work a day early to dial in the drum sound, so when the rest of this murderer's row arrived they hit the ground running. It was instant chemistry. Within the first ten minutes of everyone plugging in, a song was written and recorded, "West Memphis". And over the next three days, these three maestros conducted a beautiful and soulful symphony straight to tape. As natural and fun as three old friends getting together after a long absence, only this was the first time they had written and performed together. True magic. So this is the result of that session. Eleven cuts. Ten originals. Two sides. All killer, no filler. Straight to the old reliable Tascam 388 tape machine, mixed up nice and dirty for your enjoyment. 

STAFF COMMENTS

Barry says: A trio of musical masters come together for a bristling collection of deftly delivered jams, with soulful guitars and tight percussive groove forming the backdrop for an athletic organ flurry.

TRACK LISTING

1. Driptorch
2. Sugar Maple
3. In Green We Dream
4. West Memphis
5. Flowers For Sharon
6. Parlor Strut
7. The Ripper
8. Steam Presser
9. The Jelly Roll
10. Irish Goodbye
11. My Sweet Lord

For Fans Of...Surprise Chef, Magic In Threes, The Rugged Nuggets, The ProTeens, Ikebe Shakedown.

First LP to be co-released under Colemine Records and College of Knowledge. Band shares members with Australian band Surprise Chef. Karate Boogaloo are proud to present Hold Your Horses, a mesmerizing new long-playing disc of original instrumental tunes from Melbourne, Australia's most dedicated. Sitting at the core of Melbourne's burgeoning movement of cinematic instrumental soul, Karate Boogaloo's roots go deep into the fabric of the DIY soul idiom. A mainstay of the Melbourne underground over the last decade, their now sought-after series of LPs delving into hip-hop sample culture and its relationship to funk music, The 'KB's Mixtapes', are evidence of their long-standing contribution to the development of the Melbourne cinematic soul sound.

Henry Jenkins, Hudson Whitlock, Callum Riley, and Darvid Thor have been playing music together since their playground days. Meeting as high school preteens, these four friends explored the teachings of the great small combo instrumental bands à la Booker T & The MG's and The Meters. With these lessons in one hand and their characteristic sense of goofy humor in the other, the ensuing 15+ years saw Karate Boogaloo develop the kind of shared musical language that can only be built through countless hours spent together existing as friends and musical allies. Karate Boogaloo's singular bond shines brightly on Hold Your Horses, the second album of original Karate Boogaloo compositions. Following on from the cult classic Carn The Boogers (College Of Knowledge Records, 2020), Hold Your Horses is a document of KB's distinct interpretation of instrumental funk.

A bona-fide journey from start to finish, each tune melds seamlessly into the next, deftly creating a world built on moments of cinematic tension, whimsical melodies and eerie discordance and underpinned by undeniable super heavy funk. Hold Your Horses respectfully builds on a legacy of soul music whilst remaining unimpeachably unique and authentic. Recorded and mixed by bassist Henry Jenkins, the mind responsible for the sound of the entire College Of Knowledge catalogue (Surprise Chef, The Pro-Teens, Let Your Hair Down, Karate Boogaloo), Hold Your Horses employs a methodology for writing and recording music that mirrors KB's long relationship together.

"It's always instrumental, and it's always recorded live. We have a strict no overdubs policy," Jenkins explains. All of the songs were written collaboratively in the studio, with no pre-prepared material being brought in by any member. It's a process specifically designed to maximize the strengths of the band and their relationship to one another; KB's MO is enabled by their innate understanding of one another as people and musicians. Stylistically, links can be drawn to the deep funk of the late 60s and early 70s, certain examples of European film music and new wave of instrumental soul. The restrained instrumental palette is limited to drums, guitar, bass and organ, establishing a distinct and consistent tone throughout, yet the use of dynamics, space and finite execution in the playing carves the experience, keeping the listener glued to their headphones from start to finish.

The artwork, created by organist Callum Riley aka Drez, is a stunning visual representation of the 12-track medley. To add to the experience, the LP cover creates an interactive optical art experience, straight from the brain of someone uniquely equipped to convey Karate Boogaloo's sounds into a visual representation. Karate Boogaloo is a quartet greater than the sum of its parts; and the parts are very, very good. 

TRACK LISTING

1. All Aboard
2. The Early Bird Catches
3. Eyes On The Prize
4. Not For The Last Time
5. PS EmmyLou
6. One Hand One Bounce
7. Onwards And Upwards
8. Family Song (Sing-A-Long)
9. 8th Movement
10. Incredible Wonderful
11. There Is No Rush
12. Alighting Lullaby

Orgōne is back in California and coming in hot with Chimera, a fire-breathing spectacle of psychedelic Afro-soul. Produced by Sergio Rios (Neal Francis, Say She She), Chimera is an electrifying, dream-like odyssey, tripping through the hazy swamps of New Orleans, weaving textures of entrancing voodoo soul, thrumming Afro-funk, and stoney psych-rock.

Taking its name from a mythical beast with the head of a lion, the body of a goat, and the tail of a serpent, Chimera conjures a state that is at once trance-like and heart-poundingly exciting. The album opens like a heady puff of smoke in the face with “Hallowed Dreams,” drawing the listener into a state where reality blurs and the music takes control. The focus track, “Zum Zum,” is a hooky Afro-funk dance floor heater that synchronizes your heart rate to its propulsive percussion, the hypnotic rhythm building into a raucous, psychedelic climax.

On the raw and rousing “Tula Muisi (Dance Like Them),” a tapestry of Afrobeat and heavy psych-rock bolsters the singer calls for unity and respect, which translates to “Hear the music, and dance like them.” Known for their gripping instrumentals and incendiary live show, the band is firing on all cylinders and the earned confidence of this time-tested, cult-favorite crew is on display throughout Chimera. From its inception, Orgōne has always been a chimera — a multifaceted creation and the physical manifestation of impossible quixotic dreams.

Chimera will delight fans of early Orgōne while showcasing the band’s effortless and endless ability to shape-shift. It’s an electrifying, mesmerizing record sure to exceed expectations and keep the listener rapt.

TRACK LISTING

1. Hallowed Dreams
2. Lies And Games
3. Basilisk
4. Peace For You
5. Parasols
6. Zum Zum
7. Running Low
8. The Husk
9. Tula Muisi (Dance Like Them)

Monophonics are back with another 45 from their acclaimed concept album "Sage Motel." Featuring two heavy hitters, the A-side 'Warpaint' takes the band in a new sonic direction. Featuring heavy and layered guitars, rock-riffs, and the ever-soulful vocals of Kelly Finnigan, 'Warpaint' packs an ever-elusive punch. The B-side, 'Crash & Burn' is a luscious but solemn song about love and life, highlighting delicate percussion arrangements and textured layers of sound.

TRACK LISTING

1. Warpaint
2. Crash & Burn

Black Market Brass is proud to present Hox, due out on Colemine Records on September 8, 2023. Their third LP is a new take on afrobeat that combines traditional grooves with heavy, hypnotic, sci-fi sounds that reflect the band’s myriad of influences as record collectors across genres. “We didn’t leave the traditional afrobeat sound behind, but we did allow ourselves to pull from different places with less hesitation.” Shared saxophonist Cole Pulice.

Like their previous albums, the 9-piece band recorded Hox live to tape. “The sound and aesthetic of the analog recording process is important for this kind of music,” Pulice explained. “We’re looking to capture lightning in a bottle.” With that, the album features several sections of heavily processed synthesizers, harsh glitches, fuzzed out guitars, and a burning percussion section that pays homage to the traditional drumming cultures of Nigeria and Ghana. The performances are dynamic and confident. The grooves are infectious and hypnotic. BMB has pushed further into musical experimentalism, but at the end of the day, they’re still making dance music.

Krautrock, free-jazz, doom metal – the inspirations for Hox stem from all kinds of musical backgrounds, but the sound is far from scattered. It’s a polished, innovative record that’s sure to exceed expectations and keep the listener engaged from start to finish.

TRACK LISTING

1. Hox A
2. Echo A.D.
3. The Pit
4. Hox B
5. A Web, A Knot, A Tangle
6. But At What Cost?
7. Æthervision
8. Little Ghosts
9. Hox C
10. S.C.C. (Surge Cell Continuum) / Hox D
11. The Rift / Hox Z / Desolation Overdrive
12. Doom Country

For Fans Of... John Carol Kirby, Pharoah Sanders, Bill Evans, Durand Jones & The Indications, Misha Panfilov.

The studio at 122 West Loveland Avenue was not an unfamiliar space for Steve Okonski, the leader of his eponymous trio Okonski. Ever since the Colemine label set up shop in Loveland, Ohio it has been a host to a number of groups passing through town, including Durand Jones and the Indications who all of this trio’s members have connections to. After setting aside some time in winter of 2020, Okonski, trained initially as a classical pianist, invited Michael Isvara “Ish” Montgomery and Aaron Frazer to work on an album that was initially planned to be beat driven and fully composed trio instrumentals.

After finishing this first session with some improvisations, a second week was booked in the summer of 2021 to try and capture some more of that spontaneous energy. During this session, the tracks were all improvised and recorded live to a Tascam 388 during several late nights at the Colemine HQ. They were structured to allow the group’s collective intuition to fully shape the melodies and arcs of the music.

The album opens with Runner Up, where a triumphant yet melancholic melody in the piano leads to a more reserved B-section driven by the drums and bass of Frazer and Montgomery. As you journey through the remainder of the album you are met with a plethora of evoked and explored emotions. The calmness one has walking down a moonlit street after midnight, the connection one has for a person who comes into their world for just a moment or a lifetime, and the nerves and catharsis one feels when starting upon a new, unknown journey.

Magnolia closes with Sunday, a track that was recorded late into the night at the close of their first recording session. Without the spontaneity of Sunday, the remainder of Magnolia would likely have never come to fruition. Magnolia was composed from the heart and from the spirit of those in the studio those late nights in Loveland. It is the culmination of an emotional and artistic release that was not afforded or recognized before the band sat at their instruments, and because of that it is introspective, meditative, spiritual, and new.

TRACK LISTING

1. Runner Up
2. Field Museum
3. Old Friend
4. Dark Moon
5. Song For My Sister's Son
6. Walking To A Home
7. Sunday

First reissue since it's original pressing in 2018! The iconic debut LP from the Scone Cash Players. Hammond Organ Stylings By Organ Master Adam Scone. The Hammond Organ is lead singer on this soulful and orchestral journey about industrial decay and the death of the steel town. Deep from the rusted steel mills of Youngstown Ohio, we bring you the much-anticipated reissue of the melting debut from the Scone Cash Players. It's the same organist that brought you the screaming organ on all those Daptone favorites from The Sugarman Three. Scone was behind that organ bench on the modern classics as follows. "Sugar's Boogaloo”, “Soul Donkey”, “Pure Cane Sugar", and "What the World Needs Now." Adam Scone entered the studio on Dunham Street in Brooklyn.

He was wearing a blue Adidas jump suit. The studio had just opened. At the helm were his old compadres from The Dap-Kings. Namely Thomas Brenneck, Eric Kalb, Homer Steinweiss and lan Hendrickson-Smith. They make up the "Bliss Machine" behind Scones's groove. It was a truly rare moment to catch these masters of music and taste in between tours of Sharon Jones and Charles Bradley. Tommy put the mics around. Scone powered up the organ. The analog tape machine turned and turned until they couldn't turn any more. These songs were recorded. We worked all day and all night.

Tears were shed. Espresso was made. There was beer on tap. 3 days of life were taken to make this album. We will never get them back. They were distilled to 40 minutes of pure emotion. It's a tale of woe. It's a tale of leaving art for responsibility. It's a farewell to an era. It's a journey that the Hammond B3 organ wasn't accustomed to. You can't compare this album to any other organ record. Don't expect to hear what you want. Free your mind. Be open. Your world is going to feel the heat of the BLAST FURNACE! It never quite feels how you want it to. Don't get burned...

TRACK LISTING

1. 1% Crown
2. Bliss Machine
3. The Slitter
4. Heavy Gauge
5. Necking
6. Blast Furnace
7. Jet Cool
8 Call & Receive No Call Back
9. Grinding Wheel
10. Structural Failure

For Fans Of... Durand Jones & The Indications, Tame Impala, Temples, Lee Fields.

Monophonics cordially invite you to attend the grand re-opening of the once thriving, once vibrant establishment, the legendary Sage Motel. A place where folks experience the highs and lows of human existence. A place where big dreams and broken hearts live, where people arrive at without ever knowing how they got there. It's where folks find themselves at a crossroads in life.

So join us as we examine where the stories are told and experiences unfold.....and sink into a soft pillow of soulful psychedelia.....down at the Sage Motel.

Sage Motel, Monophonics' fifth studio album since 2012, tells its story. Once again produced by brilliant bandleader Kelly Finnigan, the album captures a timeless sound that blends heavy soul with psych-rock. With their previous album, It’s Only Us, selling over 10,000 physical units and garnering over 20 million streams, Monophonics have built a reputation over the past decade as one of the most impactful bands in the country.

If these walls of the Sage Motel could talk, this is what they'd say. So join us as we examine where the stories are told and experiences unfold.....and sink into a soft pillow of soulful psychedelia.....down at the Sage Motel.

TRACK LISTING

1. Check In
2. Sage Motel
3. Let That Sink In
4. The Shape Of My Teardrops
5. Broken Boundaries
6. Love You Better
7. Never Stop Saying These Words
8. Warpaint
9. Crash & Burn
10. Check Out

Black vinyl also now available to the UK. For Fans of Durand Jones & The Indications, Lee Fields, Charles Bradley. Ohio's sweetest soul singer Mr. Wesley Bright has returned with a new ear-worm called "Come Right Back". This family man, entrepreneur, and beekeeper came down to Loveland and to produce some tracks with Leroi Conroy in a more minimal, hard hitting manner. The track started off with a Wu-Tang reference and then eventually evolved into a massive 7 minute soul jam featuring strings and horns arranged by Wesley himself.

TRACK LISTING

1. Come Right Back (pt. 1)
2. Come Right Back (pt. 2). 

For Fans of: Menahan Street Band, The Budos Band, Antibalas, El Michels Affair. The Sure Fire Soul Ensemble are definitely on a roll coming off of their third LP, Build Bridges, which debuted at #1 on Billboard's Contemporary Jazz Chart. Their new and fourth LP, Step Down, is a direct reflection of the heavy times they were written and recorded in. Covid-19, two Presidential impeachment trials, the George Floyd murder and resulting social unrest, a seditious attempt to subvert the democratic process at The Capitol… With titles like Step Down, The Other Side, Time To Rebuild, Omnificent, Love Age, and In Common, SFSE uses their music to beautifully paint a picture of societal woes, but also points toward the solution and a better world.

Heavy Cinematic Soul, spiritual Jazz-Funk, upbeat Afro-Funk, and deeply introspective rare-groove cuts lace this ten-track transmission vessel. SFSE is deeply defined by the sum of their influences, but always have their eye focused beyond the horizon as well. We think this album will capture your heart immediately, but also provide the depth for discovery upon repeated listens. SFSE have made a true statement here, and we are very proud to present Step Down to the world

TRACK LISTING

1. Step Down
2. The Other Side
3. Time To Rebuild
4. Omnificent
5. Boardwalk
6. Gandys
7. High Times
8. Love Age
9. In Common
10. Thomas The Cat 

Over the course of the last five years, the Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio have established themselves as the world's premier funky organ trio. The organ trio, along with founder and manager Amy Novo, continues to devise the perfect blend of raw, passionate music and engaging industry practices. Through a firm partnership with label Colemine Records, the trio has garnered Billboard charting albums, sold out shows, tens of thousands of albums sold, and millions of streams. Lofty accomplishments for an instrumental organ trio.

Now, with permanent drummer Dan Weiss behind to kit, DLO3 is proud to present Cold As Weiss, their third studio album to date that finds them tighter than ever, and continuing to push funky instrumental music to a new generation of fans.

TRACK LISTING

1. Pull Your Pants Up
2. Don't Worry 'Bout What I Do
3. I Wanna Be Where You Are
4. Big TT's Blues
5. Get Da Steppin'
6. Uncertainty
7. Keep On Keepin' On
8. Slip 'N' Slide
9. This Is Who I Ms

"Step Down" is the definitive noir soundtrack for the end of the age of disinformation. What better way to usher it out than with this heavily blaxploitation influenced funk anthem. Let huge horns, fuzz guitar, harpsichord, and funky flute be your guide. The B-side, "La Fachada", pays homage to a San Diego late night favorite with a beautifully dreamy mandolin driven tune. That floaty feeling you get with a belly full of tacos, Tecate, and their staple slow roasted pinto beans. Chuck in a few hits of your favorite Californian land strains and you've one heady chunk of nodding funk. Grandiose and spectacular in its entry; the rising horns and frenetic breakbeats adding to the rich, thick, smoky air. This is the one folks! 

TRACK LISTING

1. Step Down
2. La Fachada

Fans of instrumental funk and soul have got an absolute treat on their ears here as Dapton as The Rugged Nuggets drop a faultless collection of authentic jams as true as the leather on your shoe,

Made up of members of Orgone and Jungle Fire, the group deliver high-grade west-coast cool, with swooning strings, breezy surf guitars and tough as nails breakbeats. The recording and production is slick as you like too, with spacious, high fidelity, super clear recordings giving all instruments bucket loads of room to breath and express.

Recorded in the San Fernando Valley just a stones throw away from the infamous Van Nuys Blvd. cruising scene, it's no wonder this imeccable debut hits hard and demands to be turned up loud with the windows rolled down.

For fans of - Menahan Street Band, El Michels Affair, Khruangbin, BadBadNotGood, Daptone.

Get yer ears around this Craig Charles! ;) 

TRACK LISTING

1. Rugged Walk
2. Walking In The Rain
3. Heavy Wes Interlude
4. Songs For Lemona
5. The Wait Is Over
6. Take Me With You
7. Last Night's Business
8. Eleventh Hour
9. Ease Back Interlude
10. Battle Of Cans
11. Moving Steady
12. Arbor Vitae
13. The Layover

This is the follow up to the first volume of Soul Slabs, which is a collection of tracks from Colemine's 7” release series. For many of them, it's the first time they'll be appearing on an LP. Soul Slabs Vol. 2 is a collection of A-sides from the 7” catalog of Loveland Ohio’s Colemine Records. Specializing in heavy soul, funk, and R&B, Colemine prides itself on authenticity and an old school production style, while still making songs that seem fresh and are moving the genre of soul forward.

This 3LP collection of 27 tracks puts their diverse catalog on full display, many of these songs being presented for the first time on an LP. Featuring artists such as Durand Jones & The Indications, Kelly Finnigan, Ben Pirani, Jr. Thomas & The Volcanos, Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio, Monophonics, Ikebe Shakedown, The Dip, The Sure Fire Soul Ensemble, Soul Scratch, and more! 

STAFF COMMENTS

Matt says: A nice portrait of the Colemine's extensive roster as we find it 2021 with a wealth of unreleased, new and down right huge material.

TRACK LISTING

A1. The Gripsweats - Gripsweats Theme
A2. Kelly Finnigan - I Don't Wanna Wait
A3. The Flying Stars Of Brooklyn NY - My God Has A Telephone
A4. AJ & The Jiggawatts - It Is What It Is
A5. Ikebe Shakedown - Supermoon
B1. Derobert & The Half Truths - Judgement (part 1)
B2. Leroi Conroy - Tiger Trot
B3. Orgone - Big Day
B4. Jungle Fire - NUSAU
C1. Durand Jones & The Indications - Don't You Know
C2. True Loves - Famous Last Words
C3. The Soul Chance - Give Love A Try
C4. The Dip - Sure Don't Miss You
C5. The Sure Fire Soul Ensemble - Aragon
D1. Black Market Brass - War Room
D2. Jr Thomas & The Volcanos - What A Shame
D3. The Harlem Gospel Travelers - He's On Time
D4. Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio - Concussion
E1. Wesley Bright & The Honeytones - Happiness
E2. Thee Sinseers - It Was Only A Dream
E3. Soul Scratch - America
E4. Mestizo Beat - Featherbed Lane
F1. Ben Pirani - Light Of My Life
F2. The Freedom Affair - Rise Up
F3. Monophonics - Bang Bang
F4. Jake Najor & The Moment Of Truth - High Costa Living
F5. The Rugged Nuggets - Rugged Walk

FFO: Menahan Street Band, The Budos Band, Antibalas, El Michels Affair.

Ten years ago, Ikebe Shakedown began pushing the boundaries of instrumental music. Each new track and live set has sent them deeper into combining the primal elements of '70s soul, raw psychedelic style, and cinematic Western soundtracks with powerful grooves and soaring melodies. Now, with their new release, the band is giving listeners more mystery and majesty than ever before. These tracks were recorded by Ikebe's bassist, Vince Chiarito, at Hive Mind Recording. Opened with Ikebe's saxophonist, Mike Buckley, and another collaborator in 2017, Hive Mind has become a home base for the band, leading to more experimentation with the textures and sounds of a genre they define as Instrumental Soul. Several members of Ikebe Shakedown were members of Charles Bradley’s touring band, The Extraordinaires. 

TRACK LISTING

1. Unqualified
2. Horses

THIS IS A RECORD STORE DAY 2020 RELEASE AVAILABLE ONLINE ONLY AS PART OF THE AUGUST 29TH DROP DAY AT 6PM.
LIMITED TO ONE PER PERSON.

Exclusive colour and one time pressing.Colored vinyl, comes with download card, tip-on jacket, gold foil numbered.The Tales People Tell was released in April 2019, this is the instrumental companion to that record.None of these instrumental versions have been released, but his debut LP sold over 6000 LPs (mostly at indie retail)

With a timeless sound that blends heavy soul and psych-rock, Monophonics have built a reputation over the past decade as one of the best live bands in the country. Led by singer Kelly Finnigan, the band has drawn on their colorful history - both their experiences as veteran touring performers and as individuals growing up in the Bay Area - to create "It's Only Us," their fourth release since 2012. A reflection of what they see as the current state of the world, the record touches on difficult subjects such as broken relationships, mental health issues, gun violence and power struggles, all with an underlying message of unity, resilience and acceptance. The band's signature style of arrangement has been expanded with top-notch production and creative instrumentation to round out the Monophonics' trademark soul sound, while Finnigan's vocals are more powerful than ever. At times these tracks can feel classic, as familiar as an old song you grew up with, while simultaneously raising questions about the state of music in 2020 and what the future might hold. "It's Only Us" is the sound of a group continuing to grow as songwriters, musicians, performers and people - reflecting on where they've been, and pushing the boundaries of what's possible in the years to come

TRACK LISTING

1. Chances
2. Suffocating
3. Last One Standing
4. Tunnel Vision
5. It’s Only Us
6. Run For Your Life
7. All In The Family
8. Day By Day

For Fans Of… Menahan Street Band, The Budos Band, Antibalas, El Michels Affair.

Build Bridges combines stellar musicianship with unlimited drive and lag proof swing-ability. You can hear the maturity of their sound, which inadvertently allows you to appreciate their previous recordings even more. They're all in the same ballpark yet seem to be on a completely different playing field. Tim Felten's lineup not only shows his keen ability to pick top choice artists, but also shows his sense of direction and investment to high quality musicians. The Sure Fire Soul Ensemble is a staple of the west coast soul / jazz / funk scene and with their third LP, they solidify their position. Heavy grooves and drums, with top tier musicianship and writing. Build Bridges is just as sophisticated as it is soulful and funky! 

TRACK LISTING

1. Aragon
2. El Nino
3. Sucker Punch
4. Campus Life
5. Costa Blues
6. Build Bridges
7. Roxy Funk
8. Gloria’s Anthem
9. Backyard Boogie
10. Step Up

For fans of: Menahan Street Band, The Budos Band, Antibalas, El Michels Affair. Several members of Ikebe Shakedown were members of Charles Bradley’s touring band, The Extraordinaires. Ten years ago, Ikebe Shakedown began pushing the boundaries of instrumental music. Each new track and live set has sent them deeper into combining the primal elements of '70s soul, raw psychedelic style, and cinematic Western soundtracks with powerful grooves and soaring melodies. Now, with their new release, "Kings Left Behind" on Colemine Records, the band is giving listeners more mystery and majesty than ever before. The album features the entire group collaborating to produce tracks that deliver punches right to the gut, even as dreamy guitars and lush horn melodies and string arrangements capture the imagination. The album was recorded by Ikebe's bassist, Vince Chiarito, at Hive Mind Recording. Opened with Ikebe's saxophonist, Mike Buckley, and another collaborator in 2017, Hive Mind has become a home base for the band, leading to more experimentation with the textures and sounds of a genre they define as Instrumental Soul

TRACK LISTING

1. Not Another Drop
2. Unqualified
3. The Witness
4. Mary’s Corner
5. Horses
6. Hammer Into Anvil
7. Over My Head
8. No Going Back
9. Kings Left Behind
10. Not Another Drop (Reprise)

Barbara Howard's "On The Rise" is more than just another rare soul LP. It's a love story. It's a dream. It was an attempt to break through. And although Barbara certainly never became a star, one song did become a staple in rare soul and funk DJ sets, keeping interest in Barbara Howard just under the surface. And as fate would have it in 2016, a sealed copy of the LP would find its way into Plaid Room Records in Loveland, OH and kick start the revival of her story and her music. In 1968, as an outgrowth of a community movement and talent search program called "Operation Step-Up", Steven Reece wanted to take his community movement to the next level.

This is when the idea of founding an independent label came to mind. The idea was to self-produce quality records and through successful sales attempt to land major label distribution. Steve identified Barbara Howard as the talent and set to producing her record. The idea was to produce an LP with a variety of tracks that could be marketed to a variety of radio formats and markets (gospel, pop, soul, jazz, etc.). And while the record fizzled shortly after its release, Steve and Barbara ended up getting married shortly afterwards making this possibly the most romantic production of a record in soul music history. So via Colemine's reissue imprint Remined Records, we are proud to present to you Barbara Howard's "On The Rise". 

TRACK LISTING

1. Light My Fire
2. My Song
3. You’ve Made Me So Very Happy
4. I Need You
5. Welcome Home
6. Save Your Love For Me
7. Oh My Oh My (I’m A Fool For You Baby)
8. The Man Above
9. It’s Not Unusual
10. For Once In My Life