Contemporary Funk Vinyl 490 Items

Right after the beautiful album ” The Aquarius Years”, Cali-Soul queen Tiombé Lockhart is back again on Mother Tongue with a special follow up. “Sexy Suzy on a Sunday” receives two cosmic treatments from jazz-star Christian Scott and Intergalactic Don Carlos Niño. Expect to be transferred into another (Soul) galaxy!

Japan import! Better don't sleep!

Where will you hide when the world around you is closing in? On their latest LP, GFO invites you to close your eyes and take a dive into your subconscious. Strings and horns float around from ear to ear while their three sirens explore themes of isolation, fear of the unknown, and the fabrication of self-image. It's a soulful psychedelic journey that picks up sonically where "A Song For Paul" left off. The drums are heavier, the arrangements are more intricate, and the vocal harmonies soar over a bed of odd time signature grooves. This is an album that's meant to be listened to in the dark. So won't you join them? You're not scared.....are you?

Named "best kept secret of Canadian funk" by the Quebecois newspaper La Presse, The Brooks are a band of accomplished musicians, well-known in the soul/funk scene across the Atlantic. Expert instrumentalists led by Alexandre Lapointe create a dazzling combo with frontman Alan Prater— an incredibly energetic showman who has worked alongside some of the biggest names in the music industry. This passionate and experienced band fan the sacred fire every time they perform! Thanks to a solid realization, their musical message comes across beautifully. The Brooks go beyond mere interpretation and style exercises: they are a powerful groove machine and a driving force in their sector. 50 years of African American music are condensed in the band's aesthetic. In their live shows and in their records, you can hear James Brown's meticulousness, D'Angelo's delightfulness, Fela Kuti's radiance, Herbie Hancock's intergenerational openness, and J. Dilla's innovative spirit. These heroes of music didn't let rules and trends dictate their messages, and neither do The Brooks. Just like these history makers, they built their reputation with sweat and rigor, outside of conventional channels. The Brooks are incredibly hard workers united in a project where pleasure and complete artistic freedom are the only key words. After 8 years of existence, with an EP and two albums, they have already won many awards and nominations (gamiq, Independent Music Awards, ADISQ...) and built a solid reputation in the Quebec indie world. Who are The Brooks? First, there's the icon, Alan Prater! This Florida-born musician can boast that he shared the stage with the Jacksons! Thanks to his many trips and experiences, he became a key member of Montreal jazz. He is the band's biggest asset: if The Brooks were a sports team, Alan Prater would be captain. Then, at the drums: Maxime Bellavance, one half of the Beat Market duo, whose "dancy and retro futurist" groove can be heard in several major and underground projects in Canada. Philippe Look aces guitar and vocals. His experience as a session musician working with famous bands for 20 years allowed him to take part in different projects: rock, downtempo, trip hop, electro… As one of the founding members of The Brooks, he also wrote many of the band's songs. Keyboardist Daniel Thouin is an integral part of the Montreal jazz scene. He is both an accomplished acoustic piano player and synthesizer player, well versed in writing as well as in improvising, in organic sounds as well as in the latest technologies. Thouin possesses a double vision, which allows him to both exalt and lead productions. Composer Sébastien Grenier wows us with his saxophone. Thanks to his theoretical knowledge and his 20 years of experience, acquired through continuous training all around the world, he is a true guiding force. French trumpetist Hichem Khalfa begun learning the instrument at 7 years old. He attended a musical conservatory before going to the Haute École de Musique and finally pursuing his studies at McGill University. He won prizes at Rimouski International Jazz Festival and received the François Marcaurelle prize at Montreal Off Festival. His successful jazz projects allowed him to work with famous musicians like Blitz the Ambassador, Nomadic Massive, Rhonda Ross and Kalmunity. Philippe Beaudin can be considered an apostle of Afro-Latin percussions, which he teaches and practices with great passion. Thanks to his participation in several projects, you can discover his talent both on stage and onscreen. The Brooks' philosophy is based on art in its rawest form, on perfectionism in musical practice. The choices they make and the directions they take are motivated mostly by instinctive feelings. This is how The Brooks recently crossed the path of Underdog Records during a trip in France. It was love at first sight for the two groups who share a passion for soul. Their chemistry allows them to be completely free in their creative process and natural as ever in their conception-creation-communication approach.

For the Danish singer, producer, composer and DJ Astrid Engberg, Tulpa encapsulates the head injury from Astrid’s young adulthood, that still defines her everyday life over a decade later: ”I might never be without this pain, but it doesn’t stop me from living and experiencing life. Because life is too extremely valuable to let go.” Interplaying between contemporary soul, classical, electronic music, jazz improvisation and her hiphop roots, Astrid sketches sonic landscapes that are both steeped in her Scandinavian roots and infused with the kaleidoscopic hues of her many travels. Drawing inspiration in equal parts from nature, everyday life, people, images and sounds, her enchanting voice expresses both a sincere sensitivity and deep strength.

Following on from his previous debut album Tape 1/Tape 2 on Soundway, Felbm delivers Tape 3/Tape 4 : an intimate, emotional, lilting and melodic solo project. These 14 lo-fi, instrumental, jazz-infused sketches were written on guitar, with cascading keyboards, vibraphone and drum machine. Possessing a restorative and soothing quality, it goes some way to balancing out a chaotic year for the world at large. With echoes of the dreamier end of 1980s English indie-pop, minimal ambient music and Brazilian bossa-nova, Topper’s musical storybook includes touches of The Durutti Column, hints of Antônio Carlos Jobim and Baden Powell, whilst all set firmly in the summer fields of Germany and the Netherlands. The recording method used for the creation and recording of Tape 3 and Tape 4 follows the same as his previous release: all sketches were initially recorded onto cassette on a 4-track tape machine. Most notably a vibraphone finds its way onto almost every track fitting Topper’s sound-palette perfectly: warm yet distinctive, a percussive as well as sustaining sound that evokes some melancholy and a certain timeless nostalgia. Features that most certainly also apply to the other ‘new’ instrument on the tapes: mellotron flutes. Tape 3/Tape 4 navigates the space between quiet, open, meditative tunes and more solid instrumental works, reflecting his constant search for an optimal balance between stillness and movement.

Celebrating 15 years from the release of their debut album, Daptone's Royal Court from Staten Island delivers a truly epic collection of new material that finds the group further bridging the gap between the farfisa-fueled Ethio-Funk stylings of their early recordings, with the psychedelic, Sabbath-inspired hellfire of late.

“In some ways, it's reminiscent of our first two albums The Budos Band and Budos II,” says Tom Brenneck. “We branched off on Burnt Offering and Budos V. Now, we're still moving forward. You can play these songs on the dance-floor. We knew the horns had to stand out too. Thinking about hip-hop allowed us to put the bounce back into The Budos.”

This is evident from needle drop to final rotation. Heavy drum breaks, reminiscent of the BBoy approved grooves of their early output reign supreme, setting the stage for the pulsating, hallucinatory wall of organ, menacing horns, and rugged guitar riffs to permeate your soul - leaving the listener in a rhythmic wash of Budonian rapture.

Long in the Tooth represents the culmination of a 15-year journey by a band that has consistently carved its own distinct path through the grooves of history.

NBN Archives’ second reissue is the debut - and sole - LP of Bay Area group – i.f.A aka International Family Affair. A lethal fusion of G-Funk and R&B, this self-titled album was first released on Rollin Record Enterprises in 1997. After having dropped their first single on Capitol in 1996 and being shelved right after, band-leader Derrick Shaw had the plan to start over his i.f.A project independantly. With roots in and around Oakland, East Palo Alto and Stockton, it was only a matter of time before these musical minds would meet to form their own “Family Affair.” Derrick Shaw aka D-shoot was a vocalist and musician with a well-known band called Kashmir before he met the self-dubbed Godfather. After an introduction on the basket-ball court, the two became friends and immediately went to work flushing out many of D.’s musical concepts. In stepped Bias, a rapper born into the game. His versatile rap styles blended perfectly with i.f.A.’s old school Funk and R&B vibe. SOS, a rapper from the streets of Oakland with a unique cadence, added his “gangsta rap” and “rough edge” background which compliments the style of i.f.A. Produced by D-Shoot and Ivan Johnson this LP is loaded with rapping and singing backed with smoothed-out instrumentals that gives off that "laid-back/bumping" vibe with that "something for the ladies". “It’s so different you can’t help but like it. We will appeal to a wider fan base because we’re not trying to sound like every other act coming out.” - D-Shoot.

Just as clubs and music venues worldwide have shuttered, victims of a pandemic and overall dystopian experience that most living human beings have never been through, XL Middleton unexpectedly brings us the soundtrack for the dancefloor in our minds with Rose Bowl Motel . It’s a four-track EP crafted with XL’s signature synth sound - modern funk music turned sideways, into something that house/electronic DJ’s can easily work into their sets as well. The songs on Rose Bowl Motel run long and expansively, evolving slowly and giving any turntablist plenty of time to weave in and out of a mix. Moods are set via dexterous analog bass lines and shimmering keys. In fact, the entirety of R BM is instrumental, save for the EP’s thunderous opener, “Shotgun Lover,” featuring a slinky vocal from Zackey Force Funk plus vocoder work from XL himself. “Crown Royal Bags” centers around airy keys and boogie bass syncopations, while “Swervin’ On The 210” alternates between jazzy rhodes chords and sharp synth leads reminiscent of D-Train classics. The album’s closer, “1990 Brougham d’Elegance,” was the first song Middleton cut for the project, several years back between sessions working on his Tap Water album, and sounds like a sharp turn from anything he released in that period. Warm chords, housey organ stabs, and DX7 jazz guitar solos are the recipe here, proving XL is, and always has been, an artist/ producer capable of working effectively in many different modes. The club may have been shut down for now, but there’s always an afterhours going down in a smoky room at Rose Bowl Motel .

Record Store Day 2020 Release.

The Nashville crew are back with another slab of top shelf vintage tinged funk. The limited 500 pressing, dinked 45, is their 6th seven inch record to date. This time showcasing a superb horn section, with a sleazy bass permeating the groove.

‘Stay In Your Lane’ bursts through with a dramatic cadence of slick guitar, aggres- sive bass, subtle wah-wah, and a soulful bridge section. Smooth and cinematic

library style funk at it’s finest. ‘Measly Peace’ shows off a hypnotic groove, with tight drums, and lush chords, with a driving rhythm reminiscent of a 70’s cop show theme, but with some new age flair.

Impressing dancefloors and vinyl bars since 2010, anyone familiar with their previ- ous releases will be happy to add this one to their crates. Another killer 45 from the stellar as ever, Magic In Threes.

"IF These Walls Could Talk" is the second single of deep soul from the Dallas crew. Produced by Josh Block (leon Bridges' fame) and taken from their debut album "spinnin'". The previously unreleased funk instrumental "bbq IN Paris" is on the flipside. Big dinked hole 45rpm

Big Crown Records is proud to present Adult Themes, the latest full length offering from El Michels Affair. This album takes the band's "Cinematic Soul" aesthetic literally and sends the listener on a journey through a whirlwind of moods and energies. With their 2005 debut album Sounding Out The City, EMA spearheaded an instrumental funk / soul movement that inspired a slew of bands and even lead to the creation of a few independent record labels. El Michels has since lent his signature sound to artists from Adele to Dr John, Lana Del Rey to Aloe Blacc, and a who's who list of others. In 2016 he co-founded Big Crown Records and has since produced the lion's share of its output. A short stint as the touring band for Wu Tang Clan in 2007 led to the cult classics Enter The 37th Chamber (2009) and Return To The 37th Chamber (2017). Adult Themes marks the long awaited, highly anticipated return to an album of original compositions from El Michels Affair. In 2017 in between producing, playing, and recording on other artists' records Leon Michels began creating compilations of short interludes intended to be sampled by hip hop producers. Some of these wound up becoming songs by Jay Z & Beyonce, Travis Scott, and Don Toliver. These minute-long snippets were inspired by the dense moody work of `60s composers like David Axelrod, and Francois de Roubaix, as well as Moondog's brand of classical jazz. Michels was having so much fun creating these instrumental / orchestral nuggets that he decided to expand on some of the ideas and create what would become the soundtrack for a movie that has yet to be made, an imaginary film entitled "Adult Themes." The album plays like the colors on an artists pallet. Songs like "Rubix" and "Villa" are densely orchestrated with the hard-hitting drums that El Michels Affair is known for. On "Life of Pablo", Leon's son makes his first appearance on record and intros a song with an epic arrangement and a moving mood. "Hipps" is a drum heavy ballad that could've easily fit on EMA's debut record, Sounding Out the City. Other compositions like "The Difference" and "Kill The Lights" are bare, melodic mood pieces with sparse drums and sophisticated chord movement. All of these tunes come together to make perfect backgrounds for dialogue and action. One of the beautiful things about instrumental music is that the listener can decide what the narrative is. With Adult Themes El Michels Affair has created a "choose your own adventure" in musical form.

The independent UK label Six Nine Records Ltd, based in Newcastle upon Tyne, proudly presents Tedi “Son Of Pearl” Robinson and his first release on the label. Two brilliant and brand new boogie tunes from the sharpest neo soul bassist on the planet, both sides are guaranteed to set dancefloors on fire for a long time! Definitely not to be missed as it is a limited UK press with small hole and full colour printed picture cover!

Kicking off the new year with international appeal, Amsterdam-based Wicked Wax enlist Jonny Tobin for their tenth release. The Canadian keyboardist and songwriter has a knack for crafting his skill to cater to a wide variety of different styles, which are more than apparent on ‘Weekends’. Tobin tells a soulful story, weaving together modern-funk and neo-soul with jazzy synth leads, layered chord progressions and groove-oriented beats.

Synth heavy solos, basslines and larger-than-life chords characterize the entire project. With four- on-the-floor cuts like ‘Praise’ and ‘Cosmic Ocean’ and the gospel-inspired b-side (referencing the Holy day of the weekend), the record encapsulates the mind of the Canadian producer and shows his wide inspirations. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that the EP can easily be described as “a lush soundtrack to a sun-drenched weekend”. Jonny Tobin is part of an up and coming wave of new artists within the modern funk and soul spectrum. The ‘Weekends’ EP sees him collaborating with artists from the same pool he’s in, such as Makadi, Guerschon Auguste, Janelle Reid and more. Together then collaborators are pushing their sound forward. something Wicked Wax is also keen on. Additionally, Tobin got some help from Astrological, one half of Potatohead People. He guided Tobin and helped co-produce the EP, with great success as you’ll surely hear.

Nootkatone, the slightly acid groove. A diva on the wire, a brass ensemble out of control and a surgical rhythm section. This team of young musicians hits the Parisian stage with this first EP completely self-produced. Recorded in the rules at Midilive Studio in Paris, the musicians put forward a new jazz-funk that they call “the Katone”. Their music moves by its sincerity and subtlety. Doubtless, one of the brightest groups of the capital city of love.

Big Crown Records is proud to present Adult Themes, the latest full length offering from El Michels Affair. This album takes the band's "Cinematic Soul" aesthetic literally and sends the listener on a journey through a whirlwind of moods and energies. With their 2005 debut album Sounding Out The City, EMA spearheaded an instrumental funk / soul movement that inspired a slew of bands and even lead to the creation of a few independent record labels. El Michels has since lent his signature sound to artists from Adele to Dr John, Lana Del Rey to Aloe Blacc, and a who's who list of others. In 2016 he co-founded Big Crown Records and has since produced the lion's share of its output. A short stint as the touring band for Wu Tang Clan in 2007 led to the cult classics Enter The 37th Chamber (2009) and Return To The 37th Chamber (2017). Adult Themes marks the long awaited, highly anticipated return to an album of original compositions from El Michels Affair. In 2017 in between producing, playing, and recording on other artists' records Leon Michels began creating compilations of short interludes intended to be sampled by hip hop producers. Some of these wound up becoming songs by Jay Z & Beyonce, Travis Scott, and Don Toliver. These minute-long snippets were inspired by the dense moody work of `60s composers like David Axelrod, and Francois de Roubaix, as well as Moondog's brand of classical jazz. Michels was having so much fun creating these instrumental / orchestral nuggets that he decided to expand on some of the ideas and create what would become the soundtrack for a movie that has yet to be made, an imaginary film entitled "Adult Themes." The album plays like the colors on an artists pallet. Songs like "Rubix" and "Villa" are densely orchestrated with the hard-hitting drums that El Michels Affair is known for. On "Life of Pablo", Leon's son makes his first appearance on record and intros a song with an epic arrangement and a moving mood. "Hipps" is a drum heavy ballad that could've easily fit on EMA's debut record, Sounding Out the City. Other compositions like "The Difference" and "Kill The Lights" are bare, melodic mood pieces with sparse drums and sophisticated chord movement. All of these tunes come together to make perfect backgrounds for dialogue and action. One of the beautiful things about instrumental music is that the listener can decide what the narrative is. With Adult Themes El Michels Affair has created a "choose your own adventure" in musical form.

Strictly limited edition of 300 copies on black vinyl including all instrumentals on the B.

Kiydrah is a singer-songwriter from Killeen, TX. Being an outcast could have its negative impacts, however, Kiydrah has embraced this trait as it has become part of her identity and uniqueness as an artist. Melting her melodies to compliment her lyrics, she drifts you to her sound providing you with comfort. Kiydrah's vocals have a smooth/raspy PBR&B, Neo-Soul, & Jazzy sound. „Simulation“ is the collaborative effort with French producer Breiss including a remix by Dusty of the well-known Jazz Liberatorz. Tip!