Contemporary Funk Vinyl 253 Items

Taking influence from 1960's Thai funk - their name literally translates to "Engine Fly" in Thai - Khruangbin’s debut album ‘The Universe Smiles Upon You’ is steeped in the bass heavy, psychedelic sound of their inspiration, Tarantino soundtracks and surf-rock cool. The Texan trio is formed of Laura Lee on bass, Mark Speer on guitar, and Donald “DJ” Johnson on drums.

‘The Universe Smiles Upon You’ was recorded at their spiritual home, a remote barn deep in the Texas countryside where their first rehearsals took place. The band listened to a lot of different types of music on the long drives out to the country but their favourites were 60s and 70s Thai cassettes gleaned from the cult Monrakplengthai blog and compilations of southeast Asian pop, rock and funk. This had a heavy impact on the direction of the band, the scales they used and the inflection of the melodies; which coupled with the spaciousness of the Texan countryside culminated in Khruangbin forming their exotic, individual sound.

Repress on black vinyl in regular sleeve.

Limited to 500 Copies!

20 years HHV: our team has selected an album from each of these years that is particularly relevant and precious to us. On a monthly basis we release exclusive and limited pressings of these records in collaboration with some of our favorite labels.

Originally released in 2011 with a limited pressing and repressed once a few years later in 2016. “Right now in cities across the globe, there are plenty of great Afrobeat revivalist bands aping the sound and groove of Fela Kuti’s legendary sound. Yet, surprisingly few of the new groups have strayed from an orthodox interpretation of the genre or done much real innovation. ..Ikebe Shakedown is here to change that. The band takes signature Afrobeat elements—big unison horns, slinky bass lines, tight little guitar licks—and blends them with tasty grooves culled from '70s-style horn-driven funk”. -Marlon Bishop, Wnyc

Ikebe Shakedown, the self-titled album and Ubiquity Records debut from the Brooklyn-based band, plays with elements of Cinematic Soul, Afro-funk, Deep Disco, and Boogaloo in all the right ways. Pushing their globally-informed sound and eclectic approach to tune-writing into new territory, “Self-titling the album is a way to introduce the audience to the many facets of the band -- to provide a more complete understanding of what we do,” bassist Vince Chiarito says. “Our sound has grown to incorporate our influences without overtly representing any one in particular. It just sounds like us," he adds.

Drawing inspiration from the depths of late 70’s NYC proto-rap disco instrumentals, Nigerian boogie, Jamaican dub and modern jazzy house - The Lahaar is a Trans-Tasman collaboration between Julien Dyne, Horatio Luna and Surprise Chef’s Lachlan Stuckey, featuring Mara TK and Toby Laing on vocals. The EP embarks on a 5-track rollercoaster - kicking off with “Doin’ It”, fast-paced jazz-funk peppered with marimba and organ riffs, balanced out by the siren vocals of Mara TK. “Step 2” suddenly brakes and swerves into cruise mode, repurposing the trumpets and dub echoes - picking up tempo in the soulful melancholia of “Work Work Work”. In the last two tracks the organs and guitars make a frenetic comeback by way of disco-house, ending with a nod to 70s cop movie funk.

Two of the acts boldly leading Texas music into the future have now delivered a second chapter of their groundbreaking collaboration, further extending the region's sonic possibilities. Singer/songwriter Leon Bridges, from Ft. Worth, and trailblazing Houston trio Khruangbin have joined forces for the Texas Moon EP, a follow-up to 2020's acclaimed Texas Sun project. While the five new songs are clearly a continuation of the first EP, they also have an identity all their own _ Bridges calls it "more introspective," while Khruangbin bassist Laura Lee says it "feels more night time." When Texas Sun was released, AllMusic called the results "intoxicating" and Paste noted that "their talents and character go together so well." Now comes the next stage _ a set of songs that touch on themes like love, faith, and death while exploring new dimensions of inventive, hypnotic grooves. Significantly, both parties' musical directions were clearly affected by their time working together. Khruangbin's most recent album, Mordechai, moved their own vocals much further forward, a change they readily admit was a direct result of working with Bridges. Meanwhile, since these recordings began, in addition to his genre-defying album Gold-Digger's Sound, Bridges has put out several other challenging, shared tracks, including work with John Mayer, Lucky Daye, and Jazmine Sullivan. Texas Moon represents a genuine and rare achievement, with two of the most respected and innovative acts of their generation truly collaborating to create something new. "As far as an essentially instrumental band, these guys are kind of the top for me," says Bridges. "I'm honored to have been the first singer that they've incorporated in their music." "It feels really special to me," says Lee. "It's not Khruangbin, it's not Leon, it's this world we created together."

Originally it has been releases on CD as well as on 3 separate 7" vinyls. Thanks to the fine people at Tru Thoughts - we are very pleased to offer the full album on LP now in collaboration with the HHV Label!

"Quantic presenta Flowering Inferno" is one of the latest in the constantly evolving series of musical outings from the unstoppable Will Holland - aka Quantic - and amazingly "Death Of The Revolution" represented his tenth full album release on Tru Thoughts.

The duo of Parisian DJs and producers, Cléon & Jazzy Pidjay, are back under the name Last Bongo In Paris, with a new 7 inch full of Latin Funk & Jazz Funk atmosphere... With raw drums, heavy breaks and a jazzy flavor, these 3 tracks should quickly become a hit for all groovers and dancefloors!! Cléon & Jazzy Pidjay have long been united by their love of hip-hop music and culture. DJ Cleon is one of the best French producers of breakdance fight music, also respected as a fine wax seeker, mixing all kinds of music, like disco, funk, soul, jazz, breakbeat, hip -hop and older and newer. recordings. Alongside his pal Jazzy Pidjay and his great production and mixing skills, they give new dancefloor life to hidden and forgotten musical treasures, through funky uptempo tracks.

produced by Rick Rubin & Paul Epworth

Limited to 150 copies.
Two killer breakdance bangers by Germany's funk champions on one 45.

The brand new exclusive studio cut 'Breaker' is a fierce b-boy battle anthem - imagine an electro track performed on organic instruments, like only the Mocambos would do it. Cracking drums, a relentless bassline, a Hohner Clavinet through a stereo phaser and tuned cowbells are topped with a horn section featuring gralla, a Catalan double reed horn with a siren-type sound, ready to ring the alarm.

Featured on the flip side is their stunning cover version of Shannon's 'Let The Music Play', standout track from their much celebrated live album 'Scénarios', now available on 45 to the great delight of all DJs.

Sababa 5, hot on the heels of their self-titled debut LP, share a pair of raw funk nuggets on one unmissable 45 via Middle Eastern psych groove merchants Batov Records.

As the name suggests, Sai Galaxy represents a star-studded cluster of artists from around the world – their varied styles colliding to form a refreshing fusion of classic Afrobeat, disco and West African funk. Drawing from the influence of 70s and 80s Nigerian artists such as Nkono Teles, Jake Sollo and Mike Umoh, the Sai Galaxy collective is on a mission to reproduce the analogue warmth and groove from those decades. Consequently, they lean heavily on 70s production techniques - free from the predictable rigidity of digital sequencing. Spearheaded by Australian multi-instrumentalist Simon Durrington (from Digital Afrika), the members include Olugbade Okunade - former trumpet player from Seun Kuti’s Egypt 80 - as well as guests Gabriel Otu, Ray Lédon and Vanessa Baker. While the EP seeks to reflect 70s production, glimpses of contemporary elements can be found in the arrangements and harmonies, at times reminiscent of modern artists such as Lord Echo, Bosq and Voilaaa. As Durrington believes: “dance is vital to health and community”. And with an EP that urges you to dance from start to finish, consider Sai Galaxy a cosmic tonic for the modern lifestyle.

Amazing instrumentals in best El Michel's tradition with a touch of Roots Music, straight from Canada - we love it.

repress, black vinyl, black silk screen print

file under pfunk, hip hop

THEODOR is a psychedelic sweet soul band formed by members with diverse musical backgrounds.
Whilst on a road trip to Italy Rob and Lui were listening to tapes of contemporary soul music. The idea was born to record an album channeling a moody and relaxed soundscape. „Right after our trip we called up our good friends Max and Greg, who were immediately on board. We wrote and recorded deep in the pandemic. Those weekend sessions captured this peaceful solitude“ The outcome was their self-titled debut album which will be released in February 2023 on the french label Broc Recordz. The rich sonic texture and unconventional arrangements of their very first single SHEPARD’S LULLABY gives a hint on what is to be expected on their forthcoming LP. THEODOR created a perfect soundtrack for a hot and humid summer day having a magic dash in your twelve o’clock tea. Playful melodic bass lines and the soulful acoustic drums build the playground for the warm and dreamy keys such as farfisa organs, fender rhodes and 80's synths. The lush instrumentals are spiced by the very different yet complementary voices of Max and Lui.

Surprise Chef's music is based on evoking mood; their vivid arrangements utilize time and space to build soundscapes that invite the listener into their world. The quintet's distinct sound pulls from 70s film scores, the funkier side of jazz, and the samples that form the foundation of hip hop. They push the boundaries of instrumental soul and funk with their own approach honed by countless hours in the studio, studying the masters, and perhaps most importantly, the "tyranny of distance" that dictates a unique perspective to their music. Hailing from just outside of Melbourne, Australia their first two albums, All News Is Good News and Daylight Savings amassed a die-hard fanbase and brought their sound from their home studio to every corner of the globe. The band is now signed to Big Crown Records, joining a lineage of contemporary and classic sounds that have influenced Surprise Chef's music since their formation in 2017. Surprise Chef is Lachlan Stuckey on guitar, Jethro Curtin on keys, Carl Lindeberg on bass, Andrew Congues on drums, and Hudson Whitlock-the latest member who does it all from percussion to composing to producing. Their self proclaimed "moody shades of instrumental jazz-funk" have a bit of everything: punchy drums, infectious keys, rhythm guitar you might hear on a Studio One record, and flute lines that could be from a Blue Note session. But when you step back and take in the entirety of their sound and approach, you'll hear and see a group greater than the sum of its parts. In many ways Surprise Chef embodies the idiom "the benefits of limits." They were limited in that there weren't many people making or talking about instrumental jazz/soul/funk in Southeast Australia, let alone putting out records. This left them to develop their sound and approach in a kind of creative isolation where a small circle of friends and like-minded musicians fed off each other. "Being in Australia, being so far away, we only get glimpses and glances of this music's origins," Stuckey says. "But hearing a label like Big Crown was one of the first times we realized you could make fresh, new soul music that wasn't super retro or just nostalgic." This approach is on full display throughout their new album Education & Recreation. Tracks like "Velodrome" pair chunky drums with an earworm synth line that has all the making of something you would find on an Ultimate Breaks & Beats compilation while numbers like "Iconoclasts" show their knack for tasteful use of space. From the crushing intro of "Suburban Breeze" to the floaty mellow bop of "Spring's Theme" Surprise Chef has weaved together an album that takes you through peaks and valleys of emotion and provides a vivid soundtrack that will pull you deeper into your imagination. There is a beauty in the vast space for interpretation of instrumental music and they are adding a modern classic to the canon with this new album. Turn on the record and enjoy the ride, wherever it may take you.

After his song “Space Bella Coola” became one of the more recognizable modern funk tracks on the street dance scene, French producer Aaron Evo brings you his first release on vinyl, “The One.” Featuring a reworked version of “Space Bella Coola” entitled “Unstoppable,” the album displays Aaron’s recognizable sonic palette and slick funk touch. His synths wiggle unthinkably while drums and bass slap, forming concrete-hard foundations for his tracks. Somehow simple yet explosive, “The One” traverses through all territories in the land of funk, from the G to P. Also included on the album is the track “Gangstagram,” created for and played at the grand final of the most important street dance events at Juste Debout & KOD 2018. Future Classic.

Sababa 5 continues their musical journey following the success of their acclaimed self-titled debut album, which fused deep funk and Middle Eastern grooves. Their latest offering, still under the Batov Records label, ventures into more explorative and experimental instrumental compositions. While evolving their musical direction, "Aspan" delves into the realm of psychedelic rock while retaining the essence of the band"s signature Middle Eastern groove.

A match made in heaven as critically acclaimed star and Jazz FM’s Best International Artist Lady Blackbird, joins forces with pioneering producer, Richard Barratt under his Athletes of God moniker to offer up two mesmerising and magnetic cuts that have never before been on vinyl. They now find a welcome home on a limited-edition, Orange Crush colour 7 inch via Foundation Music.

Up first the duo join forces with legendary Sheffield songwriter/musician Michael Somerset Ward aka MSW - the man behind countless chart hits for the likes of Alison Moyet and Take That. ‘Fontella’ is an ode and recounting of the trials and tribulations of being a female singer, in this case the legend that is, Fontella Bass. A soaring funk fuelled party jam that has major radio support already lined up and was previewed last year on 6Music by the man that broke Lady Blackbird as well as so many other acts, Gilles Peterson.

On the flip, a track that has been getting serious attention across the airwaves including 6Music playlisting, the ethereal, Balearic and instantly captivating cover of Randy Crawford’s mid-‘80s number ‘Don’t Wanna Be Normal’. A track that harnesses all of Barratt’s experience behind the production controls letting Lady Blackbird’s incredible voice sing to its full potential, over the top of a chest-rumbling chugger of a backbone. Epic to the Nth degree.

Easily one of our favourite exclusive labels, Lyskestrekk return with the sensational new long player from Flammer Dance Band.

Incendiary live shows, a dedication to their unique sound and a series of instant sell-out releases have insured this superb outfit have won fans the world over, with DJ royalty like Gilles Peterson & Harvey getting on board too. We're only getting 300 of this fIrst press for the world, so we'll split as evenly as possible - but expect rationing !

Includes 60 x 60 cm poster of the album artwork! The poster is only available at HHV!

When Leon Michels and El Michels Affair released their rst record, Sounding Out The City, in 2005, it was hard to guess what was next for Michels and his then-introduced, now-patented "cinematic soul" sound. Now, four EMA studio albums and scores of tribute and remix projects later - all while producing for some of the biggest names in the industry - Michels has trademarked his sound, with each project taking audiences somewhere new and pushing the boundaries of what he is known for. The man is a river, not a lake and this time he takes his golden touch into the realm of hip-hop laying down a musical bed for one of the greatest to ever rhyme into a microphone: Black Thought of The Roots crew. Releasing on Big Crown Records, the LP is called Glorious Game and it is a remarkable debut partnership in more ways than one. Michels provides his bottom-heavy, soul-tinged production for Black Thought who gives us some of the more personal and transparent verses we've ever heard from him. Michels and Black Thought have been in each other's orbit for a while now. The two first met in the 2000s when Thought was first getting familiar with the contemporary soul scene. "Out of that whole world, Menahan Street Band was probably my favorite," recalling the funk and soul group Michels was a founding member of back in 2007. Fast forward a few years and musicians from that collective - Dave Guy on trumpet and Ian Hendrickson-Smith on sax - are now full time players with The Roots. This connection eventually led Leon and Thought to doing a few fundraising events around NYC and Philly together. "Before long, Black Thought was coming around the studio and would jam with us from time to time," Michels explains. "Then, fast forward to 2020 and Covid lockdowns, he just hit me up out of the blue, wanting me to send him stuff to write to. We both were looking to stay busy." Being that Black Thought is the co-founder and emcee for, hands down, the best live-band group in hip-hop. Michels took a decidedly different approach to this project and instead of sending recorded tracks of live compositions, he pulled out the sampler and sampled himself and some records from his collection. "I'm a big fan of soul music," as if Michels has to remind us. "And part of hip-hop's appeal to me has always been the sample-based production" For Glorious Game, Michels would make wholly composed and recorded soul songs in his studio, sample himself, then chop and/or loop up his sounds and create instrumentals for Black Thought. On some tracks he took a more traditional hip-hop approach, starting from samples of other people's music but then adding live instrumentation on top. But for the most part, it's him reinterpreting his own compositions into something new. The result is an organic feel of loop-based tracks that breathe and uctuate enough for Black Thought to ex on. "What I write about is determined by the equation of the producer's energy and my energy," Black Thought says. "It's about where we meet." So armed with Michels sampled and re-sampled soul cinematics, Black Thought rhymes through personal memories.

Six Nine Records Ltd. UK proudly presents Soul Basement’s first vinyl release on the label containing two tracks from the exquisite and digital only EP “Do No Wrong”; “Take Me Back” and “Trying Hard (Feat. Lana Gordon)”. Soul Basement was founded in 1997 by Fabio Puglisi (who has been the core of the band since then) and they are acclaimed worldwide for their superb songwriting and unique sound, where they extremely skillfully blur the lines between musical genres. Definitely not to be missed as it is a limited UK press with full colour printed picture cover!

Calling all fans of edbl! The Japanese debut from Tilly Valentine! Lending her voice to South London producer edbl on songs such as “Table For Two” and “Symmetry”, Valentine's star is quickly rising!

With high praise from The Oxford Mail and BBC Radio 6 music in her native England, Tilly Valentine has been making waves with her catchy hooks and mellow vocals. Her voice has crossed oceans, as her features on edbl’s South London Sounds have garnered high praise in Asia. Available only on this record is an acoustic version of “Retail Therapy” featuring edbl himself! With an obi-strip, this Japan-exclusive compilation of Tilly Valentine’s fantastic catalog is sure to be mellow, soulful, and groovy.

This HHV Exclusive Edition of the new Mighty Mocambos album ist limited to 200 copies. Mocambo and HHV continue their tradition of cooperation with this new gem.
A unique longplayer by Germany's Funk champions The Mighty Mocambos: 'Scénarios' is a wild journey through iconic performances captured on 8-track tape, including celebrated versions of breakdance favourites like 'Axel F.' And 'Let The Music Play' as well as brand new original material composed especially for recordings in unusual settings.

Hamburg's deep funk chefs are known for their intuitive recordings that capture the energy of a live performance, and with this record they go all the way.

Just before the pandemic, the group recorded an in-store live session at legendary Hamburg record shop Groove City and taped an impromptu performance at JAM PDM! breakdance battle in Potsdam. Both were released on vinyl 45s, quickly sold out and became secret weapons for DJs. While most bands shifted their stage to the studio in 2020, producing an abundance of isolated lockdown-inspired material, the Mighty Mocambos – never shy of an antidote - took the mobile version of their recording studio on the road.

With no audience allowed at the Pitt Hopkins Music Session charity concert, the group used the occasion to compose meditative folk-soul instrumentals to be performed exclusively on stringed instruments. Sweaty funk does not work via video stream, but the format provided a welcome opportunity to create something entirely different. Even without electricity and drums, the cinematic "Four Two Three" and "Silent Heroes" are unmistakably recognizable as Mocambo themes.

When you follow Nina Simone's credo that an "artist's duty is to reflect the times", it became evident that once the world slowly started opening up again, further concerts would be captured on the group's portable Fostex R-8 tape machine. Luckily, restrictions fell on the very evening that the band hit the open air stage at the Import Export in Munich on September 11th 2021. The extended afrobeat-inspired jam on J.J. Cale's "Carry On" witnesses people celebrating and dancing together again for the first time after a year and the manic "Munich Psycholympics" unleashes all bottled-up energies that had being lying dormant.

The slightly kafka-esque "Ghost Walk" was taped during a soundcheck for a concert that was eventually called off for safety reasons, reflecting once more the uncertainty of the time. The last scénario sees the Mighty Mocambos returning to a packed indoor venue, playing "Let The Music Play" to a audience of b-boys and -girls – a testament to the sheer power of music. Featured as an encore here, an acoustic version of "Where Do We Go From Here?" (originally recorded with Lee Fields) closes the record and its restless voyage through unusual recording situations.

"Scénarios" differs drastically from other live albums as it does not seek to replicate existing material from studio albums. All songs were written or arranged especially for the live recordings in order to combine the group's DJ-friendly trademark sound with added vibes and momentum from the audience. Most of them were recorded while they were performed in public for the first time ever.

This one honors the works of a very beloved Miami HipHop outfit. ltd edition, silk screen printed sleeves, black vinyl.

Without a pandemic, you’d now be listening to an album wholly recorded in Cuba with local musicians. Back in 2020, everything was organised, so that in May 2021 we could get started. Yet, the sanitary measures proved to be a fierce adversary, so rather than giving up entirely we decamped to Dakar in October the same year – a compromise that ended up being a positive event in itself.
Cuba has a long African history. Under mass enslavement and the Transatlantic trade, Africans were forced from their homelands, against their will, taking their music along with them. Merging throughout the centuries, taking on European influences, led to the birth of a distinctive Afro-Cuban musical tradition. Highly percussive, brass-based, simmering, full of danceable rhythms. The spirit etched into thousands of recordings, forever turning towards Africa. The departure point here is not to keep things the same. Rather, a return to the source enacts a loop – much the same as those providing the foundations for hip-hop beats.
The flame when it’s re-lit illuminates everything. Thanks to the Senegalese musicians in Dakar, the Cubans who crossed the Atlantic to join us and my usual family of musicians, this music – a cross-section of covers and original compositions - exists as a homage to Afro-Cuban music. Made in Africa, in Senegal. Three worlds, three languages, three colours. Recorded over 17 days, non-stop, germinating the seed born in Cuba at the end of 2020 so that the most beautiful fruits might be cultivated in Dakar, 2022.
When the world doesn’t seem big enough, we look up to the sky where even the blackness is lit up, where those I loved who are now gone shine as stars, shining as brightly as all the others. Each time I think I’m not going to make it; I recall the star of my mother. Then the path becomes clear.
Pandemic, visa problems, cultural clashes, bank transfers that didn’t go through, a fractured foot – this project sometimes felt like a series of accumulated challenges. The only thing linking us, a shared love for the music, each of us invoking our personal star and all that we have overcome.
In this way, the music is born as a call to our stars.

South London’s hottest young producer, Ed Black, known around the world as edbl, has teamed up with session legend and Youtube guitar sensation (his cover of Just the Two of Us has amassed over 5.5 million views!) Kazuki Isogai to create the perfect modern soul album!

As the first chords on album opener “Worldwide” warble, and Kazuki’s twinkling guitar starts to play, you can almost picture the two musical masterminds sitting across from one another, smiling as they recognize a riff or chord shape. It’s almost impossible to imagine that this album was created by two musicians on opposite sides of the world, in the middle of a pandemic. Their chemistry is undeniable, as Kazuki’s jazzy, slinky guitar solos dance across beats created by the singular talent that is edbl.

Yet, tracks like “Lemon Squeezy” show just how adaptable Kazuki is, as he backs down, letting “Nostalgia” (from South London Sounds) vocalist Taura Lamb take the spotlight. A riff here, and a reverb-drenched lick there is enough to showcase Kazuki’s talent, elevating edbl’s mellow beats to a whole new level.

Kazuki’s sweet guitar, and edbl’s soulful, mellow beats. What more could you possibly want? Don’t miss the long-awaited collaboration between two of modern soul’s most talented musicians, available on limited edition vinyl, only from P-vine Records.

Time to hit the accelerator! Released in association with the classic label KPM, Jaguar Skills has produced his own film soundtrack, 'The Man In The Jaguar Mask', released on his label Nope23. Using the same equipment and recording methods of the classic ‘70s film soundtracks, Jaguar Skills & his orchestra, have channelled the sounds of the great action film composers into this project. With intricate detail, Jaguar Skills made sure, every step of the way, that this project was going to be as authentic as possible, so he invited some of the very best session musicians in the world to work on the record. The all-star players on the album include; Simon Katz (Gorillaz, Jamiroquai) on guitar, Drew Horley (Stevie Wonder Band) on keys, Zoltan Renaldi (Funkadelik) on bass, Bill Ware (Steely Dan) on vibes, conductor Jonas Peterson (Marvel Soundtracks) on strings, Patrick Gorce (Tony Allen Band) and Andy Findon (Lala Schifrin Band). Each track instantly takes the listener through a different scene in the movie, 'The Man In The Jaguar Mask' is a love letter to the b-movies and kung-fu flicks Jag Skills grew up on.

The second single from Banda Maje’s widely praised debut album Ufo Bar is the band’s tribute to the nightclub culture of the Italian eighties and its lightheartedness. Tonico 70’s reloved version brings it to dancefloor perfection by adding some Roland Tr-808 magic sprinkled with analog dub-echo effects. Get ready to party, folks!

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.

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. For Fans of New Mastersounds, Soulive, Jimmy Smith, Khruangbin.

After their debut album Space Voyage for Warner Chappell, Eleven76 are back with a new album commercially available for the first time entitled Occhio Occhio. The album contains insect-themed outernational grooves with tropical and arabian flavours and smooth and buttered tunes with soulful vibes that are reminiscent of classic european library music. Vintage synthesizers and hot tape-recorded drums continue to lead Eleven76's mystique, with travels through funk territories and all the while frenzied percussion-heavy break beats keep b-girls and b-boys moving on the floor. Including the sold out first two singles "The Scarab’s Quest" & "The Hornet’s Nest" plus 3 exclusive tracks for this vinyl edition

Famed painter Jean Michel-Basquiat was one of the co-founders of the band Gray. This anthology features reissue of their previously limited self-release plus unreleased material, and remixes from: Todd Rundgren, Hank Shocklee, King Britt, Sal P (Liquid Liquid), Deantoni Parks, Tewz, Free The Robots, and The Gaslamp Killer, along with features from Amir Yaghmai and Kool Keith. 1979, Downtown New York, Gray was making industrial music with sound. Jean-Michel Basquiat played the guitar with a metal file, Michael Holman played masking tape and steel ball bearings, Justin Thyme abstracted the keys, as Nick Taylor played his guitar with historical restraint.

Five albums, sixty tracks and still counting. Cool Million are back with a new album!
Ten years ago the euro soul duo Cool Million released their first album 'Going Out Tonight' on UK soul label Expansion Records. The album took the soul crowd by surprise, cause who were these guys that out of the blue, could recreated the soulful sound of the 80's hey day like no other?
The answer to that question is; Rob Hardt and Frank Ryle. One a super musician from Germany with skills you can only dream of. The other a Dj/musicfreak from Denmark with a masterplan – both of them with tons of dedication and passion for thier craft.
Thier passion and ambition have kept them in the came for a decade and they have worked with a long list of artists, some known some not, some forgotten some on their way up! The list include names such as: Jean Carne, Keni Burke, Shirley Jones, Eugene Wilde, Meli'sa Morgan, Rena Scott, Leroy Burgess, Peggi Blu, Yvonne Gage, Marc Evans, Alton McClain, Kenny Thomas, Lisa Stansfield, Tom Moulton, Joey Negro, Dimitri From Paris and John Morales, Glenn Jones, Marc Sadane, Tim Owens, Gavin Christopher, Michael Jeffries.
Cool Million tells that they feel privileged and humble when they look at the list of names they have worked with over the ten years. Futhermore they add; 'Who would have thought that two dudes from northern Europe would be able to create music with people that talented, we hope we could do it, when we started but that we actually done it, is amazing and wonderful'.
Reflecting on the first decade of Cool Million it's fair to say that Rob & Frank are two determined and ambitious gentlemen with extraordinary talent.
So what can Cool Million tell us abouth their new album? 'It's a classic Cool Million album where we work/collaborate with various artists, staying true to our original concept both in terms of genre and how we think a album works best. Having say that we think that our fans will be a little surprised with the fact that this is our slowest album to date. We believe we have more variety than ever and it's a fact that the music on the new album is slowed down in terms of more ballads and mid-tempo songs compared to our other albums'.
'The reason for this development is that we wanted to try something that was a little out of our comfort zone. Also we felt that we wanted to prove that we can do quality slow jams aswell. You could also argue that is's beause we both turned fifty this year.. haha'.

The Midnight Hour is Black excellence: an ode to the cultural sophistication that the Harlem Renaissance established for its people. The Midnight Hour is comprised of Ali Shaheed Muhammad and Adrian Younge, alongside a tight rhythm section and a full orchestra.

Last June, 2018, The Midnight Hour debuted their self-titled album to great reviews and toured the US extensively. “It was during that tour last year that we decided to record a live album, capturing this new experience. The music you hear in our studio album is how we mean it to sound. But it’s something totally different when we have an audience in front of us. This recording is us wanting to give people a chance to hear what they can expect when they see us live.” On February 22nd, 2019, The Midnight Hour performed in front of a live studio audience at Linear Labs. This was a direct-to-analog tape recording that 200 very lucky fans were a part of.

Adrian and Ali began working on the debut Midnight Hour album in 2013, but put the project aside as they would score the hit Netflix series Marvel’s Luke Cage. The Midnight Hour is a soul/jazz/hip hop album which continues the conversations started by yesterday’s jazz and funk pioneers; those that created the bedrock of samples for hip hop producers in the 80s/90s. The Midnight Hour is sophisticated hip hop that fans will enjoy, capturing their jazz rhythm section, and a full orchestra reminiscent of the maestros such as David Axelrod and Quincy Jones.

Once again singer extraordinaire ANTHONY MILLS and soundscape master FREDDIE CRUGER aka RED ASTAIRE return as WILDCOOKIE and this time, they sound more diverse and doper than ever. This 7-track "MAXI-EP" is part soul, part hip-hop and completely bananas!

produced by Erykah Badu, 9th Wonder, James Poyser, Shafiq Husayn, Kariem Riggins, J Dilla, Madlib, Georgia Anne Muldrow. The Ankhh is backck!

/ Gifted Oh No Remix ... Lead single from the "Earthology" album with an extra gifted Oh No remix on the B.

Runner-Up at Apollo Theater Amateur Night! Highly Anticipated Debut Album from a Major New Talent Set to Take the World by Storm Nao Yoshioka's first album, "The Light," was recorded by three teams in the U.S., the Netherlands, and Japan. The notable vintage soul artist Brian Owens from the U.S. handled the instrumental recording and vocal direction for three tracks. In New York, Dani Elliott and Orly collaborated on songwriting and provided tracks. In the Netherlands, Shirma Rouse, hailed as the No. 1 Soul Queen, also took charge of the instrumental recording and vocal direction for three tracks. The Japanese team featured top musicians from the scene, including Takuya Kuroda, a trumpeter renowned for his work with the José James Band. Soul music, connected through Nao Yoshioka, casts its spell from Tokyo to the world.

New York-Based Japanese Singer Nao Yoshioka's Latest Work, Which Challenges the US Mainstream Head-On, Is Now Available in Analog Format Nao Yoshioka is a Japanese soul singer who moved to the US in 2018 and has been enjoying unprecedented success as a Japanese soul singer, reaching #32 on the Billboard Urban Adult Contemporary charts and receiving acclaim from Rolling Stone. Undeniable" is the latest release from Nao Yoshioka, who has moved to New York and released his first album in three years, and is a stunning fusion of organic and digital sounds that are timeless and in tune with the theme of "impulse". The album, which is his fourth album to break into the mainstream of US R&B, was co-written in New York, LA and Philadelphia with Eric Roberson, Carli Mateen, Devin Morrison, Keir Victoria and other up-and-coming young artists, and was reconstructed with a band including Kyriam Shakespeare. The band played in a reworking of the piece. Philly masters such as Larry Gold and Vidal Davis also lend their skills, resulting in an aggressive, sensitive, world-class album.

repress, black vinyl, black silk screen print

file under drumfunk, hip hop, meters

The dynamic funk duo Mishell Ivon and Andrew Napoleon are back with this head nodding funk bomb! Featuring a g-funk inspired bass groove at it's core, the song oozes sass and swagger right from the start, and is an ode to standing proud and embracing individuality. The groove is infectious with the duo’s signature synth-heavy grooves and funky guitar licks present. Idiosyncratic has bags of attitude and is a track that gets better with each listen! B-side Mesmerise won't disappoint as well, featuring Andrews trademark synth grooves and Mishell's powerful lead vocals, the song has that classic 80s funk charm the pair are known for, with a chorus so catchy it will stay in your head for days.

The Amsterdam-based duo of Lyma and Rebiere aka Likeminds follow up their debut album On My Way with versions from its predecessor.

Sometimes life throws you a curveball and you still gotta make it to first base. That’s what happened when Rebiere’s laptop was stolen, along with all the recordings of their original debut album. The pair made a brand new album from scratch, but they kept coming back to the demos from the lost recordings. They started to rework the sound as a whole, adding finishing touches, including additions from Bo Floor and Gino Groeneveld from Jungle By Night. The demos weren’t the same as the stolen tracks, but they learned to love the imperfections all the same.

The Lost Tape takes you on a journey - through low-slung beats, party jams, soulful. melodies and woozy synths, all masterfully woven together with samples and field recordings from Amsterdam’s watery canalways. It’s also the story of how the duo met, at a time when Lyma felt lost at sea with his collection of unreleased tracks, before Rebiere threw him a lifeline and brought some focus and clarity. Sometimes finding a like-minded friend can make all the difference.

After the success of “Navegar” (2021) Joao Selva continues to spread wings, taking us on a journey into his musical universe, always as sunny as it is abundant. His new album “Passarinho” span a generous palette of musical influences: from Angolan semba to Cape Verdean funaná, via Caribbean zouk or Congolese rumba – João Selva's music channels the musical pulse of the Black Atlantic. In the most (im)pure Brazilian tradition, he also digests the contribution of North American music and freely incorporates elements from elsewhere into the irresistible rhythms of Brazil.

This new album transposes the elegant melodies and magnetic vocals of Joao Selva into unexpected musical universes, each producer having had complete freedom to add their own soundscapes. Patchworks present a sublime acoustic version of "Passarinho" mixing Caribbean percussion and captivating vocal harmonies. Art of Tones brings its sense of fiesta, transforming the infectious optimism of “Cantar cantar" into exuberant Afro-Latin euphoria. Voilaaa serve us his raw afro-disco grooves on “Vai te curar” adding smooth horns, sparkling funky keys and acid basslines. Canadian dancefloor killer Poirier takes "Chuva" to another dimension, adding his science of beats and a powerful bass to keep us dancing all night long (and even in the rain!). Uptown Funk Empire delivers an additive version of the irresistible "Menina me encanta", while Ireke elegantly revisits “Sete Ventos”.

Joao Selva and his crew distill lively and joyful music, full of good vibes and perfect for fully enjoying the summer. Take your caipirinha and go dance!

Tracklist

Relentless Middle Eastern groove icons Sababa 5 return with an essential 45 for Batov Records, this time featuring the distinctive vocals of Turkish singer, songwriter and musician Canay Dogan.

Holy Hive released two full length albums and one EP in the short span of 3 years and then they decided to disband. In 2019, while recording their debut album world renown harpist Mary Lattimore was in NY. They got together in the studio on a whim and wound up recording their Harping EP in a few days. They followed that up with their 2020 full length debut Float Back To You which became an instant cult classic and de¬ned their unique "Folk Soul" sound. Frontman Paul Spring's tender falsetto and maverick guitar playing over Homer Steinweiss' incomparable drumming and production proved to be a match made in heaven and created a sound that piqued the ears and charmed the hearts of all those who heard it. By the time they started recording their sophomore album Covid, commitments, and life started taking their toll on the band. Spring and Steinweiss took their sound and pushed it way forward on their eponymous 2nd album keeping the anchor of their sound they established while exploring where else they could take it. Unbeknownst to the public by the time that record was released the band was done and had moved on to other things individually. While fans will undoubtedly not like this news, we will all have the timeless music they made while together, and, prolifi¬c they certainly were_ Big Crown Vaults Vol. 3 : Holy Hive digs into the treasure trove of unreleased recordings and pulls some that never saw their way to vinyl and in all honesty, this is not even half of what is in there. These recordings were made during their two album sessions largely, some were recorded before they even signed to Big Crown. The compilation kicks off with the tune that started it all on the label, their smashing cover of The Invincibles "This Is My Story" that was previously only on a 7". "Love It Is Not Love", "Middle Of The Night", "Celeste", and their cover of "Kingdom Of The Sun" all feature guest vocals by Shanny of The Shacks who had started playing bass with them at their live shows and sitting in on a lot of the recording sessions. "The Shame" features Robin Pecknold of Fleet Foxes on bass and El Michels Affair on ute, the latter also plays on "A Perfect Space". At one point in time the would turn the live show over to Paul Spring who would perform the Irish folk tune "Red Is The Rose" in a traditional style with just him singing and playing acoustic guitar and then launch into their rendition of the song that is on Float Back To You. That stripped down version is featured here on Vaults Vol. 3. The comp ¬nishes poetically with "End Of Time" and it is unlikely that we will ever release the rest of what is sitting in the vault. On behalf of ourselves and all the fans we'd like to take this time to thank Holy Hive for the gorgeous music they made together. We will continue to enjoy it forever. Of course as individuals everyone involved from the core members to the people who lent their talents to certain songs continue to make music. Find them, follow them, enjoy their music.

The world doesn‘t offer much cause for hope right now: after the pandemic follows a war in the middle of europe, climate catastrophe is looming, and many of us are falling into a vague sadness. Daschenka Project sets a counterbalance to this contemporary melancholy: the groovy, earthy music creates fertile ground for lightness, on which Dascha Lüscher talks in a charismatic, warm voice about the things in life that we all encounter: about rampant consumerism and self-optimization, about secret desires and hide-and-seek, of pointless conflicts that lead nowhere, of hardened fronts and the desire for more harmony, in short: of injury and healing, of pain and pleasure. The music sounds as if Jamiroquai, Morcheeba and James Brown are working together: „Funky Trippin‘ Soul“ sums it up best, according to bandleader, Dascha Lüscher. Daschenka Project not only have a weakness for groove, trip hop and funk, but also for the eighties. That‘s why the EP „Spinning Round“ is combined with „The Eighties Session“ for their debut: five of their favourite songs from the 80s - Simple Minds‘ „Don‘t you (forget about me)“, „Sledgehammer“ by Peter Gabriel, Chris Isaaks „Wicked Game“, „Rebell Yell“ by Billy Idol and „Sign o‘ the Times“ – originally by Prince – all arrive with weightless feet in Daschenka Project fashion. With the releases of „Don‘t You“ and „Wicked Game“, Daschenka Project was able to increase the number of followers on social media from 300 to around 4500 within a few months. The two videos have over 300,000 views on Facebook alone. This is a remarkable success, and one can be curious about where the journey will go, after all, there are seven more songs in the pipeline. The collected work will be released under the title „Spinning Round“ at the end of May 2023 by the Basel label „Burning Sole“ on vinyl and digitally and on CD throughout the year. For the studio recordings, she was able to win over musicians such as Michael Chylewski, Jean-Pierre von Dach and Peter Wagner, who have performed on stage with Joss Stone, Seven, Kunz, Adrian Stern and Sina, among others. Despite being the driving force behind Daschenka Project, Dascha remains humble. In addition to her sense of grooving bass riffs and her multifaceted voice, she sees it as her strength to bring the right people together at the right time to let something evolve that gives people a feeling of togetherness and optimism.

The second album from Cantaro Ihara is finally here!

Deftly weaving everything from 70’s soul to AOR to city pop into his sound, Cantaro Ihara makes pitch-perfect groove-forward pop music. With high praise from DJs both in his native Japan and abroad, this second album is sure to be killer! With a knowledge of music unbound by genre, recent years have seen Cantaro Ihara’s star steadily rising. Whether he’s compiling music for DJ Bars, providing commentary for international artists, or releasing 7-inches that sell out on pre-order, it’s clear that the young musician is quickly becoming a force to be reckoned with in Japan’s indie music scene. In the two years since his first full album C, Ihara has leveled-up, and Portray makes the clear from beginning to end. From a Japanese-language cover of free soul legend Weldon Irvine’s “I Love You” (the original 7-inch led to intense bidding wars after heavy radio play in both Japan and abroad) and the Ihara original “Twiny”, the lead singles are already off to the races. Gripping the hearts of crate diggers worldwide, it seems predetermined that Ihara’s newest album would be funky, soulful, and mellow. Yet Portray manages to remain shockingly fresh, without any of the obvious tropes that have threatened modern soul. A feature from Japanese trumpeter Yusuke Sase on “Baby So In Love” catapults the song into neo-soul territory, bringing a new twist to a timeless sound. Meanwhile, a feature from Bialystocks keyboardist Go Kikuchi on “Yoru no Nagare” (The Flow of the Night) sees one of Ihara’s most instantly iconic melodies played with a gentle sophistication that could move you to tears in one moment, and have you two-stepping the next. With a history of selling out vinyl on pre-order and intense bidding wars, I’d say it’s clear that Cantaro Ihara is not just one of Japan’s most promising musicians, but one that continues to grip the hearts of record lovers everywhere. His second full length album Portray has everything there is to love about him. Mellow soul and funky grooves are aplenty - but I can’t say the same for stock! Make sure to get your copy of Portray on limited edition vinyl while stock lasts!