Contemporary Funk 40 Items

"We Are King" is the debut album by R&B trio King (currently named We Are King), released on February 5, 2016. It was nominated for Best Urban Contemporary Album at the 59th Grammy Awards, making them the first independent artists to be nominated in that category. As soon as this debut album was released in 2016, it attracted tributes from many artists, including Prince, Kendrick Lamar, Robert Glasper, Erykah Badu, Quest Love, Giles Peterson and Avicii. The original version and even the 2017 reissue of the album is currently highly priced on the second-hand market. The entire album is a neo-R&B masterpiece, with the three's endlessly beautiful and sweet chorus work dancing over a nostalgic and futuristic sound that connects soul's past and future.

In celebration of the 20 year anniversary of this classic album UMe will be reissuing it back on vinyl for this first time in almost 10 years, on limited edition white vinyl.

The mysterious Tuxedo Funk Crew drops it in full length in 2015!

On Seeds, Georgia Muldrow takes a step back and leaves the beatmaking to Otis Jackson Jr., aka Madlib. As producers, Muldrow and Jackson are not worlds apart, so the switch requires no adjustment on the part of the listener. That said, this is one dense and tight set, barely over half-an-hour in length, and it's definitely in contention for Muldrow's most focused, funkiest, and (somewhat ironically) personal release to date. Throughout the record, the emphasis remains heavily fixated on her family as a unit of salvation and purpose. The most direct track of the lot is "Husfriend," where she honors her relationship with Dudley Perkins (a/k/a Declaime, who appears on “The Few”). Muldrow can't quite divorce the planetary and personal issues, heard vividly on "Best Love," which sounds just like a simple, sweet, straight-ahead love song until she starts asking her other half for money to build water wells on three continents ("We can make a difference if we try now"). Overall, Seeds is another left-field deviation in Muldrow's career: it's one of her most captivating and immediate front-to-back statements of purpose as a singer, but it's also the first album where she's handed over all the production duties to somebody else. In celebration of this album’s decenary run, Someothaship Connect is pleased to reintroduce an anniversary edition repress of this captivating release in partnership with Fat Beats.

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.

Triple LP version comes with bonus 7”, detailed liner notes (8 page full colour booklet) and free MP3 download.

Conceived by Colombian musician Mario Galeano, the force behind the band Frente Cumbiero, and English producer Will ‘Quantic’ Holland, Ondatrópica brings together an all-star cast representing both the classic and modern styles of la musica Colombiana.

Over 3 weeks in January 2012 at the famous Discos Fuentes studios in Medellín legendary figures from Colombian music joined a group of younger Colombian musicians that included members of both Mario’s band Frente Cumbeiro and Quantic’s Combo Barbaro. The plan; “to re-interpret the tropical musical heritage of Colombia with new approaches in composition, arrangement and production in a classic and mythical setting.”

For the recording Will and Mario were joined by Colombian legends including big-hitting saxophonist Michi Sarmiento, multi-instrumentalist Fruko and accordion-playing don and singer Anibal Velasquez as well as a new wave of Colombian and South American musicians such as Chilean MC Ana Tijoux and El Chongo, a young percussionist and beatboxer from the city of Cartagena on the Caribbean coast.

A mixture of well known and classic Colombian styles such as cumbia, porro, gaita and champeta clash head-on with boogaloo, ska, beat-box, hip hop, dub and funk on the record. The tracks range from straight-up timeless pieces with one foot in the 1960s and 70s to progressive and forward-looking recordings firmly rooted in the 21st century. Mario and Will also adopted a 100% analogue recording approach in tribute to a sound and feel that the studio had been lacking for some years now.

Soundway’s exploration into Colombian music began in 2007 with it’s much acclaimed compilation ‘Colombia! The Golden Age of Discos Fuentes The Powerhouse of Colombian Music 1960-76’. That compilation features many original works from the above-mentioned artists as well as some of the main session men of the day that also played on this new record. It’s fitting then that Ondatrópica came together in the legendary Discos Fuentes studios in Medellín.

The Moritz Von Oswald Trio opens a new chapter. There's a new configuration to the project, with Tony Allen joining original members Moritz von Oswald and Max Loderbauer. Tony Allen, the legendary drummer who's amassed a formidable catalogue both as a solo artist and as part of Fela Kuti's band, has taken over percussion duties from Vladislav Delay. Together, von Oswald, Loderbauer and Allen form something close to a dream team, two masters of the electronic sphere meeting an afrobeat pioneer. Allen had already established a rapport with the group before they entered the studio to record Sounding Lines - he's been touring with von Oswald and Loderbauer for more than a year, playing live shows around the world. There has been an evolution on each new Moritz Von Oswald Trio record, and Sounding Lines is no different. The album, which was mixed by Ricardo Villalobos, maintains the project's trajectory—a fearless exploration of dub techno, classical music and jazz—but the prevailing mood feels looser and more organic than ever before. Allen's imperious percussive work sits tantalisingly in the mix. His drums meet the electronics of von Oswald and Loderbauer in a way that renders the project in new, vivid colours. There are 4/4 tracks, beatless interludes and complex jazz structures, with propulsive recordings ("3") coexisting alongside more languid moments ("1"). Sometimes Allen provides flourishes of drums (notably on "4") while at other times spectral synths come to the fore (as on "5"). Von Oswald, a masterful composer and arranger with a deep understanding of space, paints the crevices of each composition on Sounding Lines with rich detail. Individually, von Oswald, Loderbauer and Allen are formidable and hugely influential musicians. As a trio, they've conjured something remarkable.

Copy closer to NM

San Diego's own The Sure Fire Soul Ensemble is back with their sophomore LP “Out On The Coast”. Cinematic soul is the order of the day from this west coast group. Covering a lot of soulful territory here: deep funk, soul jazz, breakbeats, and more! The Sure Fire Soul Ensemble is a heavy, original, instrumental soul band based in San Diego. They draw influence from the masters of the style from the past and modern day, including: The Meters, Isaac Hayes, El Michels Affair, Mulatu Astatke, Budos Band, The Nite Liters, Menahan Street Band, Fela Kuti and The Poets of Rhythm. In June of 2015 they released their debut self titledalbum on Colemine Records. The band has shared the stage with Lee Fields and the Expressions, New Mastersounds, Monophonics, Kamasi Washington, and many other touring bands. They perform live regularly all over California and worldwide.

Described as "an audiovisual production and performance duo," Shiro Schwarz is truly a complete multimedia experience. The bright, 64-bit aesthetics of their visual style are a perfect compliment to their synth-heavy tunes, which blend elements of boogie funk, synth-pop, and new wave, while wrapping it all in an air of digital mystery, which lends deeply to the allure of their sound. This 12" maxi single includes "Electrify," originally released in 2015 on their "Street Beat" album, and "Breeze" from 2013's "Exoplanet Love." Originally pressed to wax in 2016, it sold out quickly and has become a scarce find in the aftermarket. This 2021 reissue includes a full picture cover with art designed by Pammela Rojas of Shiro Schwarz.

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.

Gregory Porter's early works are finally made available on proper vinyl!

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.

produced by Rick Rubin & Paul Epworth

Repress! Returning after their Last Transmission collaborative album with Melvin Van Peebles, the Heliocentrics finish off their trawl through the vaults of tracks recorded at their old digs – Quatermass Studios – with psychedelic tinged funk and jazz instrumentals Rolling Stone describes as “…sprawling, with percussive patterns that suddenly morph into extraterrestrial sound blasts and opaque, detouring patterns.”

Here comes the instrumental album to "The electronique Void".

Here it is: the most anticipated soul album of 2012!

New Jersey born Clyde Kingrap (aka The Real Fake MC) is probably the freakiest MC on earth. His Flow is definitely influenced by old-school Hip-Hop masters, but The Real Fake MC declares that his major influence remain in P-Funk, Gogo and early Punk Rock.

For more than 15 years he’s been grabbing mics and spreading funky vibes on stage & in collabs all around the world. His two 12? out on Favorite Recordings, Live & Survive & Hunt Ya Sunshine, and his 1st LP Rock It Up were produced by French producer Patchworks aka Mr President.

These two musicians have been dropping some tracks together for more than a decade, with always the same target: educate their love for Hip-Hop with jokin lyrics and Funk inspired beats played live with instruments.

They’re back with a brand new LP, Future Funk Survivors out on Boogie Butt Records.

The man behind this fine selection of RK sounds needs no introduction, DJ/Producer Smoove has been an avid collector of all that is funk for more than 30 years and is one half of the renown duo Smoove & Turrell. He has releases out on Acid Jazz, Jalapeno and Unique to name a few, as well as having founded the labels Wack Records and Wass Records. Not only did Smoove lovingly hand-pick each cut that appears on MO’ RK II, but he is also responsible for 2 of the first-rate remixes that appear here: The New Mastersounds and Nick Pride & The Pimptones both get a Smoove reworking, while brand new afro-funk combo from Sydney The Liberators are remixed by Kokolo head honcho Ray Lugo, The Diplomats Of Solid Sound are given the Lack Of Afro treatment, Ray Harris & The Fusion Experience get a makeover by Valique and “Are You Ready” by Mr. Comicstore feat. Nicole Willis appears in a new discomix version. Other highlights of the compilation include a cracking gospel funk piece by William Joseph Fowler & The Disciples, some deep funk by recent RK signing Hannah Williams & The Tastemakers, and brand new material by Big Boss Man’s bass player Scott Milsom aka The Hawk. Plus singles by The Baker Brothers, Link Quartet, Floyd Lawson, Crabs Corporation and more!

Shawn Lee’s classic Ping Pong Christmas album is now available for the first time on colored vinyl! The limited LP version is randomly pressed on red and green vinyl.

When first I got to know that I was going to create the score for this short, I was pretty excited about the idea behind the film, and especially the story of the character Jens, who suffers from schizophrenia.I started inventing sounds to depict the character’s visions and hallucinations and I knew right away that I was going for a style more experimental than the two previous scores, Eastern Army and Mosaic, both written during the same year. The working process of the soundtrack for Hell is Other People (Helvede er de Andre) has perhaps been the most creative I have ever done. I just started recording sounds, effects and handmade percussion with no idea as to where I was heading, only the sense that I was going somewhere else, somewhere I had never been before. Somewhere where I felt very comfortable. All of the sounds are performed and recorded at night in my home studio Easy Beat Evil Bite and I used everything I could at home, everything I could get my hands on: wine glasses, chimes, shakers, African percussion instruments, angel harp, tambourine, sitar, hand drumming on a paper box or on naked skin, cymbals, synthesizer, effect pedals, the Rhodes, the piano and a lot of reverse recording from my old Revox tape recorder as well as electric and acoustic guitars. The title song “Every Missing Beat of Your Heart” and ”Falling Papers from a Staircase” are both very calm and reflecting tunes, characterized by a dreaming acoustic guitar arpeggio and a persuasive hypnotized tempo from an old metronome. On the track ”Metal Me” is a lot of psycho-blues; the strumming of an acoustic Yamaha is evident on three monotone chords and the 'sloppy' beat makes everything sound so heavy. I love the production of the song ”At the Clinic” where I chose to do a swing beat playing on the glasses to generate a more defined sound, like something you just can’t get rid of; like an annoying sound , and together with electric guitar playing in surf mood I really did something cool and easy there… I pictured the boy Jens walking up and down the corridors at the hospital and having trouble thinking clearly, or maybe seeing what other people couldn’t see. I think that all in all, I was most inspired by the sound of the 50’s in the making of this album; the warmth of the tremolo of in ”My Room” and the dark and psychotic mood of “Perspective” and ”Second Moon”. From time to time there is a touch of emptiness, death, agony and the feeling of loneliness behind those moments in tunes such as ”One of Us”, “No More Dead Flies” and ”She Suicide”. The second part of ”Every Missing Beat of Your Heart” I wrote on an acoustic guitar in Berlin during a short vacation. I remember having written the chords and the lyrics for the melody in half an hour and was very happy with the result. Signe Isager, who recently sang live with the band Alex Puddu and The Butterfly Collectors, sings in this song with me and I thought it would be a good choice to go with the end credits. For the making of the songs on this album I have been searching for the clinical, cold aesthetics of the rooms and corridors of a hospital and the warm sound of the sea from a house on the beach and I do believe this is what inspired me. It has been a great experience working on this album and the production, from the very start to the very end of the process, and being able to give what I felt was right for this picture at this moment.

A singularly talented man with an extraordinary voice and groove, an impassioned artist who has absorbed music influences of the most varied styles since a very young age: from Jazz, to Latin and Blues and beyond. For example, you can hear Marvin Gaye in the track “Why ft. Ra- chel Claudio, Erik Truffaz & Valérie Delgado”, J Dilla in his cover of Al Green’s “Simply Beautiful”, or Bobby McFerrin on the track “Good Morning”.

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!

Austin’s Brownout unleashed the “Brown Sabbath Vol. I” project garnering acclaim from outlets such as NPR (50 Best Albums of 2014), Pitchfork, hardcore Black Sabbath fans and most important of all Ozzy Osbourne himself, while staying true to their Latin Funk roots. Brown Sabbath Vol. II cranks up the level, rocking harder than the original with a brew of ballistic horns, pummeling guitar-riffs underscored by a funky, driving rhyhm section. Ghostland Observatory‘s Aaron Behrens makes a guest appearance sharing vocal duties with Brown Sabbath lead vocalist Alex Marrero.
Hitting harder than its predecessor and keeping closely in line with the original Sabbath material, “Brown Sabbath Vol. II” crosses over more to hard rock territory. Brownout’s powerful, signature full horn section, dual-guitar attack, funked-up drums and latin percussion return with a vengeance, adding even more weight and texture to create a dark hybrid sound that resonates with groove-laden intensity unique to their interpretation of Black Sabbath’s tome.
An 8-piece outfit formed ten years ago by members of Grammy Award-winning Latin revival orchestra Grupo Fantasma, Brownout has evolved into a musical force all its own. With a succesful tour of “Brown Sabbath” under their belt including Bonnaroo and Austin Psych Fest while earning their third Austin Music Award, the band has continued to produce music that is unflinchingly progressive, while evoking the classic influences of artists such as WAR, Cymande and Funkadelic. Brownout now has four albums under their belt including “Brown Sabbath Vol. I” (Ubiquity 2014), “Homenaje” (Freestyle Records 2008), “Aguilas & Cobras” (Six Degrees 2009) and “Oozy” (Nat Geo 2012).

Magic In Threes return with their fourth full lenght album! "IV" also marks the groups return to the LP format, their first album on vinyl since their debut in 2011. 2016 started off with an ambitious project to release a new Magic In Threes track every Friday for a year, with plans to release an album quarterly. Album number two turned out so dope they decided it deserved a physical release on wax immediately. Magic In Threes have always dealt in moods, grooves and smokey vibes, "IV" is no exception. G.E.D. Soul's instrumental cinematic soul bandits deliver: From slow rolled synth drenched affairs to hyped up thematic joints, this record is a DJs delight with nothing but the toughest beats and arrangements.

Here it is, the all new Guts album with guest appearances by Tanya Morgan, Leroy Thomas, Lorine Chia and more. Essential pick!

Produced by Patchworks!

produced by Rick Rubin & Paul Epworth

produced by Rick Rubin & Paul Epworth

Big Crown Records is proud to present Do It Again the first single from Lady Wray’s new album Queen Alone. The 45 and upcoming album is produced by Leon Michels and Thomas Brenneck.

Featuring songs from upcoming releases produced by Younge, including 12 Reasons To Die II (with Ghostface Killah, Raekwon & RZA), Something About April II, and The Midnight Hour (with Ali Shaheed
Muhammad), alongside Younge catalog classics dating back to 2000. LP format features bonus track: “Sirens II,” from upcoming Bilal album.

LA DJ/producer drops 2 inspired, illicit remixes: a glitchy, twisted electronic remix of Johnny Cash's "Straight A's In Love" b/w a moody, epic sounding remix of Nina Simone's "Feeling Good" that starts off with a scary sounding intro and then chucks in some big band breakbeats.

Brooklyn’s funk ambassadors invite J.Bless, Captain Planet, Navagente & Juno What to pump up the volume, w/4 bin rattlers to ignite floors their own spin on the 'part gangsta, part janky' sound the Pimps have become known for.

It’s not every day you find a keyboard player with chops like John Camp. Plucked from the same Minneapolis Jazz vine that grew such deliciously ripened talents as No Regular Play's Greg Paulus and Aaron James (Gregory Porter band), we met Camp for the first time at the Marcy Hotel. Initially adding his signature touch to other’s Crew Love records and last year dropping an incredi- ble EP on Have A Killer Time, the Mistral EP marks his first official Crew Love release!