Wax Digits keep rolling out the groovy jams with an eighth instalment, and this time it is back to the Various Artists format. Fingerman is the label owner and he goes first here with 'Phunkee Party', a seductive sound with twanging bass riffs and chunky drums under soaring vocals. The talented I Gemin then drops 'Sambalike', a more nuanced and subtle groove that worms its way under your skin and then the love gets dialled up on the flip side thanks to Chuggin Edits and 'Anita's Mystery', a blissed-out roller bathed in sun. Smokecloud Records boss Osmose shuts down with some bright, retro disco soul in the form of an edgy rework of 'Ur Luv.'

TRACK LISTING

Fingerman - Phunkee Party
I Gemin - Sambalike
Chuggin Edits - Anita's Mystery
Osmose - Ur Luv

Having worked together on his 2024 album 'Colours & Light', Project Gemini aka Paul Osborne joins forces once again with Wendy Martinez, French singer and composer, and also part of renowned psych-girl group Gloria on a new collaborative EP

Landing on Mr Bongo, 'Time Stands Still / Le temps s'arrete' is a sonic exploration that shows a shared love of the progressive music emanating out of France in the '60s and '70s and the celebrated flm soundtrack composers of the time.

A more melodic and romantic excursion than Paul's previous recordings, this EP marries his richly textured, cinematic psych rock with Martinez's captivating vocal presence. A body of work born during the period Paul was fnishing up his last LP 'Colours & Light', he penned an album's worth of instrumental library-style music and had the idea of having Wendy add vocals and lyrics to a selection of them. The instrumental record got scrapped, but thankfully 'Time Stands Still' grew out of it.

Paul was a fan of Wendy's work as both a solo artist and in the band Gloria, and her inclusion on the Project Gemini tracks 'Entre chien et loup' & 'Extra Nuit' showed a clear synergy to their musical approaches and sounds. For 'Time Stands Still' he sent over instrumental tracks one by one, with Wendy taking time to fnd melodies and French poetry she was happy with and returning her ideas from her home just outside of Lyon.

Drawing inspiration from French soundtrack composers such as Francois de Roubaix, Frances Lai and Michel Colombier, as well as French female artists including Leonie and Laurence Vanay, these productions are a contemporary love letter to this sound, not a homage. Mixing psych, folk, chanson, and French new wave, it's music that pulls you in deeper, with groove, grit and passion at its core.

'Je n'ai plus peur' kicks things off with a sultry energy. It's a psych-funk production drenched in attitude, swagger, and edge, which nods to the left- feld side of Serge Gainsbourg's music. Elsewhere, 'Ame contre ame' feels like the opener from a forgotten new-wave flm, managing to be at both beautiful yet sinister and longing. 'The Crawler' could be incidental music from the same flm, with Wendy using her voice as an instrument layering the backing track as Paul's bass takes centre stage. The ghostly spoken word of 'Ce qui est intact' echoes a funky version of what the Theatre du Chene Noir d'Avignon may have recorded. A transportive journey 'Time Stands Still' is nostalgic yet new in the same smoke-flled breath. Fuzzed-up guitars and driving basslines meld with folk-leaning organs and mellotron vibrations to give that eerie, otherworldly edge. All of which are seasoned by the sensuous, layered vocal tones of Wendy Martinez, alongside crisp drums from Tony Coote and considered percussive touches by Paul Elliot.

TRACK LISTING

1. Je N'ai Plus Peur
2. Ame Contre Ame
3. Crawler
4. Notre Chambre
5. Ce Qui Est Intact
6. Ame Contre Ame (reprise)

Mike Popov is the musician behind the I Gemin project, which was conceived as a way of working disco style and sampling into his house tracks. And the results are brilliantly effective and charming. 'Introfall (Autumn)' makes for a low-slung downtempo start, 'Come Together' brings horn-led disco house fun and 'Black Tea Groove' sinks into a fat-bottomed and dubby rhythm alive with magical synth flourishes. The blissed out 'Summer Breeze' is an escapist charmer, and the flipside features three more exquisite genre studies that have real heart and authenticity.

TRACK LISTING

Side 1
Introfall (Autumn)
Come Together
Black Tea Groove
Summer Breeze

Side 2
Do Yo Thang
No Rush
C'est La Vie

In Latin, the word 'Gemini' denotes “two together” or “twins.” In astrological terms, Geminis are noted for, amongst other things, being curious and versatile. For San Diego’s 9-piece (mostly) instrumental combo The Sure Fire Soul Ensemble, Jazz and Funk have always been the two genres that they’ve consistently and effectively melded together, forming the bedrock of their sound. Exercising their stylistic curiosity and versatility, they’ve expanded upon this foundation on their new 11-song long player for Colemine Records.

Recorded between late 2021 and early 2024 at The Kitchen II in their home base of Lemon Grove, California, SFSE steer their “introspective party music” into fresh sonic realms. While their breakbeat-heavy brand of funk-soul-jazz is still the cornerstone of their sound, as displayed in tunes such as 'Makin’ Moves', 'The Grifter', and 'Don’t Trip', they’ve begun to take more and more cues from library music labels such as KPM Music, spiritually-leaning jazz labels such as Tribe & Black Jazz Records, and exotica-adjacent jazz artists such as Cal Tjader and Dorothy Ashby.

Now leaning more into the “introspective” part of their sound, particularly on 'Mother Earth', 'Freddie', and the title track, they evoke the spirits of Freddie Hubbard, Phil Ranelin, Wendell Harrison, Bubbha Thomas, Chester Thompson, and even Cannonball Adderley at his headiest & most cosmic (listen to Adderley’s Soul Zodiac & Soul of The Bible albums for reference). “Corporatocracy” takes it a step further with an extended tabla solo, which floats in and rides the percussive wave before kicking into its funk-driven, modal vibe. With their current lineup of: Tim Felten on keys, Jake Najor on drums, Omar Lopez on bass, Kiko Cornejo Jr. on conga/percussion, Aquiles “Lito” Magana on guitar, Wili Fleming on trombone, Sheryll Felten on percussion, Jesse Audelo & Travis Klein on saxophone & flute, SFSE maintains their commitment to keeping it funky but dares to go where they haven’t gone before and, as a result, breaks intriguing new ground in their overall sound.

TRACK LISTING

1. Makin’ Moves
2. Las Olas
3. The Grifter
4. Mother Earth
5. Freddie
6. Don’t Trip
7. The Alliance
8. The Lemon Groove
9. Gemini
10. Contemplation
11. Corporatocracy

Mild Minds, the brainchild of GRAMMY®-nominated producer Benjamin David, has always been a conduit for exploring the intersection of human emotion and technological progress. With his sophomore album 'GEMINI', David pushes this exploration to new heights, crafting a sonic landscape that is both deeply personal and universally resonant. This highly anticipated follow-up to his acclaimed 2020 debut MOOD marks a bold evolution in David's artistic journey.

TRACK LISTING

1. I NEED U
2. GEMINI
3. TEARDROPS
4. 1 DAY 2 LATE
5. EMPTY SPACE
6. IN YOUR EYES
7. DNA ∞
8. STILL THINKIN ‘BOUT YOU
9. LAST CHANCE

On the A side, Jack Sharp of the psychedelic, folk rock bands Wolf People and Large Plants, takes on 'After The Dawn'. Sharp, who featured heavily on Colours & Light, dials up the distortion with this all-consuming, darker shade of a remix. Sucking you down into a wormhole of layered guitar reverberations and Paul's spiralling, echoed vocals, it's an intoxicating, driving hit of mind-bending, progressive rock.

Taken from the Colours & Light album recording session, the B side features 'Darkness Rising'. A previously unreleased, original track that didn't make it onto the album, Project Gemini leans in on the wah-wah fuzzed guitars, using it as the basis for a sonic brew of synths, percussion and bass-heavy, psychedelic rock synergy.

TRACK LISTING

After The Dawn (Large Plants Remix)
Darkness Rising

If 2022's The Children Of Scorpio was the debut album that turned people onto the world of Project Gemini aka Paul Osborne, Colours & Light is the body of work that will be buried deep into their hearts.

It is a majestic album, bringing together the worlds of folk rock, psych soundtracks and hazy cinematic funk.

A growing confidence and ease emanate from the writing and production of this sophomore LP, bolstered by the reception to his standout debut. "It's a more layered and diverse record" Paul mentions, "with a more outward-looking, global sound, born out of the records I was listening to and the musicians I was lucky enough to collaborate with". It feels relaxed yet self-assured, with a kaleidoscope of sounds that twist together in a mesmerising fashion.

The theme of the album developed naturally through the lyrics Paul began writing. A creative process both plagued and fed by insomnia, nourished by relationships, entwined in emotions, nights out, nights in and the after-effects on the human condition. Relatable themes yet seen through the prism of a soundscape that takes in many a different culture and scene. From acid folk to psych-funk, Francophile elements to Anatolian and Eastern inspirations, all interlocking and rotating as one.

Drawing inspiration from those he admires, Colours & Light radiates with collaborations. The title track, which tips its hat to a live 1973 TV version of Pentangle's 'Wedding Dress', features the folk rock, guitar brilliance of Jack Sharp from Wolf People/Large Plants.

Elsewhere, two tracks are blessed by the sultry, smokey French vocals of Gloria's Wendy Martinez, 'Extra Nuit' and 'Entre chien et loup'. The former echoes Paul's love of classic French psych-pop from the late '60s and early '70s and artists such as Laurance Vanay, Calcium, Leonie, and Serge Gainsbourg. Martinez's sublime vocal work nestles perfectly within Paul's psych-folk-funk productions, as her Gloria partner, Alexis Morel (aka Kid Victrola) sprinkles a dose of entrancing guitar line magic on proceedings.

The list of collaborations extends further with Raz and Markey Funk, drummer Tony Coote and percussionist Paul Elliott all featuring. Regular collaborator and underground icon Barrie Cadogan (Little Barrie) returns along with Bert Page from The Cromagnon Band, who between them provide a hit of whacked-out, fuzzed-up country guitar and Moog madness respectively on 'Lost In The Woods (Bacchanal)'.

Rounding off the record Paul's daughter, Olivia Osborne, supplies the keyboard intro on the penultimate track 'Twilight'. Dorian Conway from The Soundcarriers (whose bandmate Paul Isherwood returns on mixing duties) then layers echoing heavy flute parts to magically capture the psychedelic sunrise images brought to mind. Balancing light and shade on this record, there is beauty and tension all wrapped up in Paul's vivid and visceral, storytelling gift. A majestic album, bringing together the worlds of folk rock, psych soundtracks and hazy cinematic funk. The follow up to 2022's critically acclaimed debut album, The Children Of Scorpio.

TRACK LISTING

1. The Sun Devil Prelude
2. Colours & Light
3. Extra Nuit
4. The Last Midnight
5. Lost In The Woods (Paranoia)
6. The Sun Devil
7. Entre Chien Et Loup
8. Lost In The Woods (Bacchanal)
9. Seven Seconds To Sunrise
10. After The Dawn
11. Twilight
12. The Sun Devil Coda

A cinematic musical journey that plays out like a long-lost soundtrack (think cult B-movies of the 60s and 70s); 'The Children of Scorpio' was formed from Paul's love of a myriad of genres; from European library music, acid folk, psych-funk, vintage soundtracks and the contemporary breaks scene. The album draws on iconic classics such as the masterful cinematic funk of Lalo Schifrin's 'Dirty Harry', Ennio Morricone's 'Vergogna Schifosi' and Luis Bacalov's 'The Summertime Killer', to name but a few.

You can also hear the folk sounds of Mark Fry's iconic 'Dreaming With Alice', the Britsh folk-jazz of The Pentangle and the David Axelrod-produced 'Release Of An Oath' by The Electric Prunes, woven into the cultural tapestry of this gem. The influence of these vintage productions of the 60s and 70s is evident; however, it could be argued that there's also echoes of the funkier psychedelic moments of bands such as The Stones Roses and The Charlatans, alongside contemporaries such as The Heliocentrics and Little Barrie, thus giving the album a broader crossover potential beyond the world of crate digging and vintage soundtracks. We are delighted to be releasing this slowly- brewed timeless classic that manages to achieve that rare feat of keeping one foot firmly in the past whilst still sounding totally contemporary.

TRACK LISTING

1. The Children Of Scorpio
2. The Road Through The Hills
3. Path Through The Forest
4. Searching For June (Interlude)
5. June
6. Scorpio's Waltz
7. The Invitation (interlude)
8. The Ritual '70
9. Scorpio's Garden
10. The Turning
11. Plan Your Escape
12. The Deserted Compound (interlude)
13. Buried In The Woods
14. Closing Theme

As one of Chicago’s most mysterious and revered characters, the story of Gemini, aka Spencer Kincy has become something of a myth in recent years – blazing a trail throughout the 90’s, prolifically releasing over 200 tracks from 1994 to 1999, Spencer’s music had shades of innovation and soul few of his peers could match. Then, suddenly, at the peak of his career, he disappeared. Rumours and gossip of Spencer’s whereabouts and situation have been rife in the music press, and rarely on the money. Spencer is alive and well, and wants his music to be heard. This album has been licensed directly from him, and the money made from this reissue will go directly to him. Originally released on Cajual subsidiary Relief in 1997, "Imagine-A-Nation" is Gemini’s most complete and varied album. You may well know the music - every track is on youtube, or you have picked up one of the very expensive original pressings on discogs, but here it is, in its fully re-mastered glory! Spencer runs through a myriad of basslines, more rhythmic changes than your average free drumming record and an orchestra’s worth of sample snippets, and still makes sure that each track bumps like it should. In fact the drum programming on this album is enough on its own to garner a five star review. Snares and hats snap and crackle, ricochetting off the solid kick, while sounding like they’ve been lifted off short circuiting 808s and 909s. It's inventive, addictive and irresistible. 

TRACK LISTING

A1 Native To America
A2 It's The Inside That Counts
B1 Don't Look Back
B2 Falling Leaves
C1 Stand Up
C2 How Can I Chill?
C3 What You're Gonna Do?
D1 Future Beat I
D2 Future Beat II
D3 Future Beat III