Contemporary Funk 213 Items

Batov Records opens another chapter, introducing "Five Seasons, the debut album of Eje Eje, the brand new solo project of Itamar Klüger, of the Satellites, presenting a fresh and contemporary world incorporating the rich diversity of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean musical styles with psych, funk, dub and other internationally known sounds.

Under the tutelage of trumpet player, Joel Ricci aka Lucky Brown, Soul's Path Ensemble brings you two sultry, raw instrumentals. "Another Mother Pt. 1" is a big-kick drum, head nodding, Soul-style spinner where the circular structure keeps its Funk-pass intact. And if Part 1 is the theme song for slowly strutting into your favorite music hall with the utmost style, Part 2 plays center stage as the go-to platter for Boogie and Disco DJ's dead set on getting flowers off the wall and onto the floor. Soul's Path Ensemble is an homage to that combination of instruments that evoke a by-gone musical era based on a warm, homegrown, funk.

2nd release of the Funkways series.

The debut 7" from Wax Thematique label founder and producer Nathan Womack, merges the Sublime Frequencies label's knack for detecting the most interesting sounds from far-flung zones and Madlib's cosmopolitan, funky sonic travelogues. Side A's "Past But The Dream", was constructed from records found on a Vinyl digging trip in Bangkok, Thailand. It moves with that sidewinding swagger common to Far East Asian groups of the '60s for whom rock was not second nature—and it comes out sounding fresher for that obstacle. Side B's “Nanjing Road” is smoldering songcraft that goes down like an elixir of baroque prog magic from 1971 Italy. Re-built and sampled from vinyl discovered in an underground electronics market in Guangzhou, China, this is exit music for a film that makes you swallow your heart. -Dave Segal

1st installment of the Diggin' East series

Mastered in Seattle by Mell Dettmer Layout and Design by Nathan Womack

I spent a while thinking about the title for this album; it was quite hard to pin down the feeling I felt it represented. At a certain point I realised it was nostalgia, for everything; our life passed by, childhood, moments of happiness and sadness, where we grew up”. - Skinshape Will Dorey aka Skinshape has proven himself time and again as a connoisseur for the cosmopolitan, across a prolific career expertly exploring understated sounds and theatrical textures. Taking his place alongside the likes of Khruangbin, Tame Impala, Bonobo and Madlib, Skinshape’s global kaleidoscopes are loaded with warmth and wisdom created on vintage analogue equipment applying a perfectionist’s touch. As a former member of indie band Palace, he has played everywhere from Glastonbury and BBC Maida Vale to headlining Shepherd’s Bush Empire. Conversely, as a solo artist Skinshape has never played live preferring to record, releasing an album a year (two in 2020’s lockdown) and keeping away from the trappings of stardom.

The Madlib Invazion Music Library Series Entry #6: Gabriel Rowland (Los Yesterdays) brings out Eastside LA’s Chicano Soul and Funk Grooves. Orale, vato! This is the next up in a series of music library releases, with future volumes produced by DJ Muggs, Karriem Riggins and more. The Madlib Invazion Music Library Series was created by Madlib and Egon to give their creative friends a chance to stretch out and indulge in whatever type of music they wanted. This music was created for easy, one-stop clearance in film and television synchronization usage and for sampling. You can also enjoy these albums in the way that many do with the best of the best vintage library catalogs – listen, ponder, repeat.

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

Colours collects ParyNextDoor's 2014 EP Colours 1 - long heralded as a contemporary classic - with his critically acclaimed Colours 2. Both rank among the most memorable works in PND’s stellar catalog. The first volume showcases emotionally raw, true-to-life narratives and the range of his arresting vocals. Whether it's songs like "Girl From Oakland" or the Travis Scott-assisted "Jus Know," PND proves himself one of this generationís most gifted songwriters. He confirms as much with each subsequent record, including slow jams like "Freak In You" from Colours 2. Now that both EPs are side by side, listeners can trace PND’s artistic growth by revisiting these early classics, and for the very first time, fans can listen to this joint project on limited edition white vinyl!

Cosmic Analog Ensemble is the brainchild of prolific Lebanese music producer and multi-instrumentalist Charif Megarbane, a one-man musical force who writes, performs and produces all of its creative output. With a DIY music ethos, Megarbane has crafted an inimitable style of instrumental music, a melting pot of global sounds that effortlessly glides between 1960s Italian library music, Spaghetti-Western soundtracks, afrobeat, Middle Eastern psychedelia and hip-hop breaks. In little more than a decade, Megarbane has released over 100 albums, offering an experimental musical diary of his late-night improvised sessions, recorded across Beirut, Nairobi, Paris, London and Lisbon – the various cities he’s called home. Released under CAE and multiple other aliases such as Trans-Mara Express, Tapeman No.1, Free Association Syndicate and Monumental Detail, Megarbane’s vast discography is archived on his own independent label and digital platform Hisstology, a window into his expansive yet insular musical universe, in which he plays (almost) every part.

Since 2009, Megarbane has released 31 albums under the Cosmic Analog Ensemble moniker, through which he’s developed his trademark sound of abstract analog library music for the 21 st century, soaked in the golden sunshine of the Mediterranean coast. ‘Expo Botanica’ is CAE’s latest offering, due to be released on vinyl via Hisstology Records on June 24th 2022 with a global physical distribution through Big Wax Records. Expo Botanica completes a trilogy of CAE albums, following the critically-acclaimed LPs ‘Une Vie Cent Detours’ and ‘Les Sourdes Oreilles'. ‘Une Vie Cent Detours’, was dubbed by Pitchfork as 'A major landmark on Megarbane’s musical travels' . The 2017 full-length ‘Les Sourdes Oreilles’, CAE’s first vinyl release, was hailed by Bandcamp as ‘a crate-digger’s dream, a magnum force of infectious grooves and sample-ready melodies that feel rare and familiar at the same time.’

Fronted by an abstract painting by Megarbane, ‘Expo Botanica’ features 16 instrumental tracks, each one the theme for the imagined life of a plant. Capturing the carefree innocence of the playground in its meandering melodies, ‘Expo Botanica’ could easily be the soundtrack to a 1970s children’s film, harking back to an era when they were scored by legendary composers like Piero Umiliani. The album illustrates Megarbane’s mastery of beautifully simplistic melodies with the kind of hypnotic hook that sticks in the mind for days. An album of two parts, Side A sets a tranquil atmosphere with whimsical European-style cinematic soundtracks, while Side B serves up infectious organ grooves, funk-laden breaks and tumbling Oriental psychedelic pop melodies. A master sonic illusionist, Megarbane is the maestro of his own fictional orchestra.

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."

Coming after many years of songwriting, beatmaking, MCing, live performances and collaborations, this new album by Banda Maje co-founder Tonico 70 connects the dots between past, present and future, presenting him as a fully-rounded artist rather than just a rapper, and one aware of his own many facets. Co-produced with Peppe Maiellano, Banda Maje’s other founder, Antonico offers an intimate portrait of Tonico 70, who has put his ‘tough-music-smuggler’ persona aside to let his soulful side shine through, giving us a warm, funk-inspired and very original take on the so-called ‘Napoli power’ sound.

The only track with vocals on Steel City electro-funk wizard Buscrates' second full-length album is "On My Way," where Soraya Watti's smooth and soulful tones prove to be the perfect addition to the Buscrates machine. This is exactly the kind of cut that used to cause rewind buttons on boomboxes to get their wear back in the day. It's a great indicator of the mostly-instrumental delights which await you on Crates' much-anticipated album release.

Concept: On this new album for Ghost Box Records, The Advisory Circle (aka Jon Brooks) explores darker territory than on 2012’s more pastoral As The Crow Flies. This time Brooks hints at a Wyndham-esque science fiction story, where bucolic English scenery is being manipulated and maybe even artificially generated by bizarre multi-dimensional computer technology.

Sound: Brooks’ strong sense of melody and composition is still evident as are his renowned sound design and production skills. Consequently the album is a rich and rewarding experience that subtly showcases a wealth of musical experience. The usual analogue synth sound palette is augmented with found-sound from antique tape reels and Brooks’ ever growing tangle of home built electronics.

The seeds of the collaboration were planted in 2017 when Anderson. Paak and Bruno Mars toured together on the European leg of his 24K Magic World Tour. One late-night jam session on the road unlocked immediate chemistry. Just before the world slipped into quarantine, Bruno called Anderson: "Remember that idea we had back in 2017? Let's do it. " One studio session grew into to a months-long collaboration, culminating the "setlist of doom. " Legendary Bootsy Collins christened Silk Sonic and came in as the "special guest host" for An Evening With Silk Sonic, their debut album. Silk Sonic was finally set free on March 5th, 2021. Within less than a month, their debut single "Leave The Door Open" cracked over 230 million streams, and currently sits at 1. 2 billion streams with over 346 million official video views. It reeled in rave reviews, including Variety who noted it "could be a Best R&B Song Grammy winner from 1974."

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.

Middle Eastern groove masters Sababa 5 take on the unthinkable for Batov Records. "Popcorn" and the "Birdie Song" are reworked into psychedelic dancefloor smashes laden with synths, surf guitars and Hammond licks.

The Mark of the Devil” is the third and last chapter of Alex Puddu’s trilogy with Italian legendary vocalist Edda Dell’Orso, here featured in three songs. Written, arranged, produced and performed by Alex Puddu, together with many great musicians, the album is ope-Groove, is Prog-Rock, is Psych-Blues, a walk through the gates of hell within Lust and Temptation. This album is the most obscure and experimental Alex Puddu has ever made to date!

Alex Puddu will be releasing the brand new album ”Night People” with his record label Al Dente Music. A great record written and produced by Alex Puddu that follows his latest album ”Love After Dark” Night People is a truly soulful piece of work in style with classic R&B groove and retro 80’s synth-pop. The Album was recorded in Rome in Italy at the Tube Recording Studio where Alex Puddu collaborated with legendary session musicians from the pop and Italo-disco scene from the early 80’s such as bass player Dino Kappa (Libra, Franco Micalizzi, Alan Sorrenti, Loredana Berté) and drummer Agostino Marangolo (Goblin, Pino Daniele, Enzo Carella, Mike Francis).and Giovanni Guerretti one of the best italian Piano and keyboard player of the new musicscene. Night People includes the six singles that had allready a great airplay across the nations ” If You Desire” featuring Vincent Bates, ” Leaving This Town” and Don’t Stop The Music” Feat. CaiNo, ”Call Me” feat. Simone Miller and ”Victim Of Love and Future Woman” Feat . James Knights. Agostino Marangolo: Drums Dino Kappa: Bass Giovanni Guerretti: Piano Synthesizer, clavinet., electric piano Alex Puddu: Synthesizers, piano, electric guitar, organ, drums, percussion with Hendrik Jørgensen (Trumpet) Mikkel Fleron (Sax) Morten Grønvad (Vibrafon) Bburny Pelsmajer Synthesizer strings,Moog Gavino Congiatta : BassRecorded in Italy at Tube Recording Studio, engineered by Francesco Lupi , and recorded by Alex Puddu at Sexy Lady Studio Copenhagen, all tracks mixed by Kamilo Kratc exept track A2,B2,B3 mixed by Morten Trøst, mastered by Kamilo Kratc in N.Y.C - Horns arrangements on B1,B3 by Hendrik Jørgensen exept b4 horns arrangement by Hendrik Jorgensen and Alex Puddu Music and lyrics by A. Puddu Produced by Alex Puddu

The Mark of the Devil” is the third and last chapter of Alex Puddu’s trilogy with Italian legendary vocalist Edda Dell’Orso, here featured in three songs. Written, arranged, produced and performed by Alex Puddu, together with many great musicians, the album is ope-Groove, is Prog-Rock, is Psych-Blues, a walk through the gates of hell within Lust and Temptation. This album is the most obscure and experimental Alex Puddu has ever made to date!

Alex Puddu will be releasing the brand new album ”Night People” with his record label Al Dente Music. A great record written and produced by Alex Puddu that follows his latest album ”Love After Dark” Night People is a truly soulful piece of work in style with classic R&B groove and retro 80’s synth-pop. The Album was recorded in Rome in Italy at the Tube Recording Studio where Alex Puddu collaborated with legendary session musicians from the pop and Italo-disco scene from the early 80’s such as bass player Dino Kappa (Libra, Franco Micalizzi, Alan Sorrenti, Loredana Berté) and drummer Agostino Marangolo (Goblin, Pino Daniele, Enzo Carella, Mike Francis).and Giovanni Guerretti one of the best italian Piano and keyboard player of the new musicscene. Night People includes the six singles that had allready a great airplay across the nations ” If You Desire” featuring Vincent Bates, ” Leaving This Town” and Don’t Stop The Music” Feat. CaiNo, ”Call Me” feat. Simone Miller and ”Victim Of Love and Future Woman” Feat . James Knights. Agostino Marangolo: Drums Dino Kappa: Bass Giovanni Guerretti: Piano Synthesizer, clavinet., electric piano Alex Puddu: Synthesizers, piano, electric guitar, organ, drums, percussion with Hendrik Jørgensen (Trumpet) Mikkel Fleron (Sax) Morten Grønvad (Vibrafon) Bburny Pelsmajer Synthesizer strings,Moog Gavino Congiatta : BassRecorded in Italy at Tube Recording Studio, engineered by Francesco Lupi , and recorded by Alex Puddu at Sexy Lady Studio Copenhagen, all tracks mixed by Kamilo Kratc exept track A2,B2,B3 mixed by Morten Trøst, mastered by Kamilo Kratc in N.Y.C - Horns arrangements on B1,B3 by Hendrik Jørgensen exept b4 horns arrangement by Hendrik Jorgensen and Alex Puddu Music and lyrics by A. Puddu Produced by Alex Puddu

Previously unreleased sessions from mother/son recording pioneers Uku Kuut and Maryn Coote. Contains an alternate tape mix of "Mayday" from the peoples potential unlimited release UKU KUUT "Vision of Estonia" (PPU-034) LP.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

This is a repress. Multi - instrumentalist with rare elegance, FKJ unveils its first album French Kiwi Juice, and invites us in his world.

L.A. Nights, their new EP on Hi & Fly is a new milestone in the band discography, setting it to a next level. The title track is a cover of the famous Yasuko Agawa’s track (itself based on Light of the world’s “London Town”) inspired by strong Zapp and West-Coast influences. Fat basslines, tight horn riffs and funky talkbox parts galore!
“Break Droppin’” and “The Battle” are infectious medleys played by the band with an extended line-up including extra brass, strings and percussions. In “Breaks Droppin’”, you’ll find a carefully selected mix of cuts, ranging from the Hawaiian Hal Bradbury’s “You win, I Lose”, to Julius Brockington’s “This Feeling (Freedom)”, passing through CTI and other sampler friendly tracks.
“The Battle” is a b-boy style up-tempo selection, mixing Latin influences with some classic battle cuts and evolving to a Disco finish, with a cover of the great Brothers’ break “Under the Skin”. It is 10’ long, the beats & percussions are heavy and the extended band is in top condition. It won’t let some rest to your feet for sure!
Last but not least, it's also the comeback of Hi & Fly, a French diggers' reference since 2000. So, one reason more to have a listen… Enjoy!

Sababa 5, Tel Aviv"s funkiest export, upgrade their signature Middle Eastern psychedelic funk with the addition of Hoodna Orchestra"s dynamic brass section, another essential 45 from Batov Records" Middle Eastern Groove series. On "Eilat 22" the Sababa 5 rhythm section of Raz Manon drums and Amir Sadot on bass is in full funk force, supporting a vibrant hook from the Hoodna brass section, leaving room for solos from guitarist Ilan Smilanand synth mage Eitan Drabkin, full of Middle Eastern flavour. On the flip "Elifelet 23" grooves along like a Dap Kings funk nugget, except in this case there"s room for Eitan to improvise across the jam with a microtonal organ sound reminiscent of legendary Egyptian musician Magdi el-Husseini. "Eilat22" & "Elifelet 23" open another page in Sababa 5"s rapidly diverse and ever-engaging discography, with two songs destined to head light up dancefloors over the coming months.

DJ friendly 2xLP version, cut loud for your pleasure!

Harmonies is the new long player from underground super-producer Lord Echo. Hotly anticipated for the last few years by his growing entourage of fans, many were frustrated by his descent into obscurity in the industrial backwaters of New Zealand where he lived alone and went completely insane trying to complete the record. But those frustrations are finally at an end, and the wait was worth it - for fans at least.The new album solidifies his already distinctive mutations of reggae and rock steady with disco, African soul, techno and spiritual jazz. In other words, the Lord has returned from the wilderness with a bounty for his followers. Eat of the bread of life and enjoy access to his crazy World of Sound.

The Growth Eternal is Tulsa-native Byron Crenshaw - descendant of Black Wall Street pioneers. Currently residing in Los Angeles, the jazz bassist, vocodorist, producer/songwriter/composer, artist and activist presents PARASAiL-18 - the debut full-length album.

Byron explains his new album: "PARASAiL-18 was a 4 year process, and this process has made me as much as i’ve made it. What is this album all about?My escape in all its different forms:Hope, drugs, sex, desire, daydreaming, nightwalking, burial, fire, and fun.

The Parasail represents our momentary relief from the weight of the world. The “18” represents the point in my life where i needed escape most. The lowercase “i” represents ego dissolution and yielding to things as they are. The end of our escape.

Back in 2016, producer Seth Applebaum released two EPs that marked the inauguration of the band Ghost Funk Orchestra. `Night Walker' and `Death Waltz' were conceived as one-man-band, reel-to-reel tape recorded experiments that would bring together elements of all the sounds that Seth most adored at the time: tape-saturated drums, gratuitous spring reverb, surfy guitar, Latin-style percussion, odd time signatures, and Spanish-language female vocals. Initially released only in the digital domain and on a short run of cassette tapes, these two EPs that defined the early era of GFO are now finally available together on a single LP via Colemine Records. The tracks have been lovingly remastered by Doug Krebs. We invite you to take a dive into the humble beginnings of a project that has continued to grow, shape shift, and accrue new and exciting sounds for its sonic palette.

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.

Batov Records presents a full-length foray into the musical world of Italian producer and multi-instrumentalist Ayala, with particular emphasis on his love of African music, from Afrobeat to disco. Whilst earning the support of leading DJs such as Colleen Cosmo Murphy, Dave Lee, Danny Tenaglia, J-Kriv, and DJ Rocco, Ayala has built an increasingly visible profile producing and DJ, with releases across a wide range of prolific labels, such as Compost, Hector Romero's Latin freestyle label, Orianna, and leading Italian label, Rebirth, early supporters of the likes of Tensnake, Motor City DrumEnsemble, Soul Clap, Jimmy Edgar, and Deetron.

Italian producer duo 'Crossroads' are back 10 years after their first release. Inspired by classic R&B, Disco and Neo-Soul they have had the knack of finding talented unsigned vocalists from all over the globe to feature on their tracks. This time around, the Italian singer Raffaella Zago covers a super soulful track originally composed in the 70's by the disco-soul duo Grey & Hanks. 'If You're In Need' is the perfect link between original 70's disco to contemporary soulful nu-disco, mixing live instruments with modern rhythms and synths. The b-side starts with a more uptempo remix by French DJ and producer Young Pulse, who is set to establish himself as one of the best remixers in the contemporary disco scene. Last but not least 'Call Me Dub' pays more attention to the instrumental parts of the track taking you on a deeper journey into the whole song.

Al Sunny is a young composer emerging from the French soul music scene. Soon after learning the guitar, he started composing and became involved in numerous projects and collaborations. Al has been influenced by pop, rock, and electronic music, always with a foundation in the “Black” and “Soul” sound.
During his conservatory studies, he refined his knowledge and confirmed his desire to write and compose. The will to establish himself on a solo project became stronger and stronger. He quickly discovered deep inside himself the music that he truly loves, inspired by artists such as Tim Maia, America, Al Green, and Al Jarreau. Thru his guitar, he gives birth to the majority of his compositions and always seeks to bring the melody of his songs to the forefront. During his studies he met musicians including Florian Pellissier, then professor at the conservatory and a confirmed pianist who worked on various projects such as Guts, Anthony Joseph, Florian Pellissier Quintet, and Shola Adissa.
It's then thanks to Florian that Al Sunny meets Pascal Rioux, founder and A&R of Favorite Recordings. Immediately seduced and impressed by his talent and the various demos that he listened to, Pascal invites the young musician to collaborate and produce an album within Favorite Recordings. Together they agree on a musical direction looking towards the West coast movement of the 70s and 80s. This direction includes influences like Steely Dan, The Doobie Brothers, and Ned Doheny, of whom Al Sunny covers the classic “Get It Up For Love” on the new album.
With Time To Decide, Al Sunny shows us the premise of his music style, infused with Blue-Eyed-Soul, Pop and Folk. Written and composed by himself, it’s in close collaboration with Florian Pellissier that his songs came to life. Under the guidance of Pascal Rioux and Favorite Recordings, the production of this album ensures a sound and a final result worthy of the best classics of the genre.

Seriously dope downtempo soul track with beats from a Swedish secret weapon and sultry vocals from COCO ROUZIER (an up and coming jazz swinger from DC) b/w the more uptempo, feel good 60s styled "REACHING OUT TO YOU". Two gems that shouldn't be missed.

Another essential pair of instrumental grooves from Sababa 5 and Batov Records, perfect for the beginning or end of the night.

City Pop meets Modern Funk on the newest Austin Boogie Crew (abc) release by intergalactic artist Saucy Lady! Originally from Japan and based in Boston, singer-songwriter/DJ/producer Saucy Lady exudes an attitude of confidence and sensuality in her music, channeling the free self-expression celebrated in the Disco era. Her newest 7" single Hoshi no Suna (Stardust) is a catchy mid-tempo dancer with alluring Boogie influences. Poetically written in Japanese by R&B artist Lisa Yamaguchi. Warm production by U-key and Saucy Lady, layered with slapping drum machines, funky bass, pretty chords, ear candy leads, and a floating mysterious bridge. Given City Pop’s tremendous resurgence in the States and Japan, this lovable record has strong international appeal. 45 comes in a sleek anime influenced pic sleeve jacket with lyrics printed on the back for the fans. Includes an instrumental version, the ideal soundtrack for a starry night drive!

Ruth Koleva hails from Sofia, Bulgaria, and has been a TV star and singing out concert halls for years. She has also long been singing on some superb broken beat and nu-jazz records while working with top-level production talent and having her tunes remixed by Zed Bias, Kaidi Tatham, Mark de Clive-Lowe and Eric Lau. The neo-soul star's Ruth album gets a special anniversary edition release here with four heart-melting and textbook neo-soul tunes on the A-side then some super remixes on the flip. This is timeless stuff that works on the heart and the heel in equal measure.

This EP is the first release to mark the start of a new adventure, illustrating Rude Jude's commitment to a smooth and melodic vintage sound. Featuring 3 original songs, a cover and an epilogue, it is deeply inspired by the legends of Adult Oriented Rock and a mix of 70s/80s Soft Rock, Jazz and Pop. The contribution of the talented vocalist, songwriter and violin player, Jon GK can't be understated in creating and interpreting these songs. All the parts are played by musicians and the production is made through as much analog gear from that era as possible. It is not just a tribute but an attempt to carry the torch and bring something new to the current music landscape

Frontier's Edge is the new EP by the fiery, energetic and genre-defying group The Budos Band. After a two-decade run with the legendary Daptone Records, Frontier’s Edge is the first new music from the group on the new label, Diamond West Records — run by The Budos' saxophonist Jared Tankel and guitarist Tom Brenneck. The Budos Band’s departure from Daptone was on good terms; the split from their long-time home base was an organic result of the band’s evolution. “It’s just a natural growth,” Brenneck says, admitting: “We’re going further away from the sound of Daptone and into territory they probably wanted to stay away from.” As a result, Frontier's Edge finds the group hungry, passionate and primed to charge into their next epoch newfound sense autonomy within the collective. “We’re a powerhouse in the studio; we can produce ourselves,” Brenneck says proudly of a long process of self-containment. “I take the helm, but the band, they know what they want.” As expected from The Budos Band, Frontier’s Edge resists analysis; it represents the band as they are: a contained explosion. You don’t pick apart Frontier’s Edge; you feel it all at once. “Somehow, we wrote six songs in two days,” says The Budos’ drummer, Brian Profilio. “Tom was able to take what we were doing and put it together in a cohesive manner” Whether this is your first rodeo with The Budos Band or you’ve been following them throughout their two-decade run, Frontier’s Edge contains their musical universe — Afrobeat, Ethiopian music, proto-metal, any number of other streams — in microcosm.

It may seem strange how excited we are about this 45 and the forthcoming LP considering it's an instrumental organ trio, but this group has some major buzz going up in Seattle. Ever since KEXP featured two live sets, the group has been gaining momentum. So they make their debut with this badass little 45, with the LP coming in February! Killer organ funk a la The Meters and Booker T & The MGs. Super in the pocket, tight and dirty drums, everything you want in an organ trio.

The Dutch six piece put their heads together to create two laidback tunes full of atmosphere and organic magic that blend just the right amount of spontaneity and song craft. The band have honed their sound at home and on stage with sold-out shows in and around Amsterdam, including as support act for bands such as Jungle By Night.

The A side track Loud N’ Stuff is one of those special moments when all the elements just fall into place, coming together in a hungover haze of new wave disco jams and dancing at their studio space in Haarlem. On the flip, Pada Pada combines tropical rhythms and percussion with lush chord progressions to perfectly soundtrack those cocktails by the pool on a wavy summer eve. Both tracks were recorded with Nic Mauskovic, with additional passes on the mixer for dubs and delays, to give the tracks an extra spacey sheen.

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.

Zackey Force Funk deserves (and receives) a lot of respect. If he’s not robbing banks with baseball bats and roaming the streets for fat cats to hustle, you can usually find him leaning over the turntables of a dirty dirty late-night discotheque. Take off your kevlar, put down those batons – Zackey Force Funk comes in peace! This time…
This eighteen track album compiles early demos and rarities originally included in DJ KUTMAH’s “This Is The Force Funk Sound” [HNR03] megamix created in Summer 2009. Each song has been digitally remastered for the special release of “THIS IS MY FORCE FUNK SOUND” [HNR73]. Available on limited-edition 12” picture disc in a shrinkwrapped full color cardboard jacket (not screenprinted).
DONT FAKE THE FUNK!

For the past 4 years the band has criss-crossed the Netherlands. Playing sold out shows at clubs, theaters and festivals from north to south, east to west. Capturing the heart and soul of every person there.

All the travelling also has rendered further personal development and awareness of who Michelle David & The True-tones are. We know them as a band that makes every show a soul spectacle with their unique gospel combined with soul, blues, jazz and afrobeat. Now with a new album coming up; 'Truth & Soul’ (29-04-2022) they expanded their musical horizon even more. Dreamy Indie soul with a heavy 70’s vibe mixed with Brazilian flavors and African Rhythms.

Truth & Soul also contains particularly personal duets with Lilian Vieira and Dobet Gnahoré, both well known for their extraordinary musical talent. Knowing who we are enables us to connect even more with those around us.- Michelle. 'You Can Make it' (the first single of the album) features Grammy - Winner Dobet Gnahoré. Hailing from Côte d’Ivoire Dobet Gnahoré is one of Africa’s hottest and most beloved artists.

Michelle: The lyrics are affirmations that should be on Repeat. In times such as these we need to know we CAN AND Will Make IT!

Frontier's Edge is the new EP by the fiery, energetic and genre-defying group The Budos Band. After a two-decade run with the legendary Daptone Records, Frontier’s Edge is the first new music from the group on the new label, Diamond West Records — run by The Budos' saxophonist Jared Tankel and guitarist Tom Brenneck. The Budos Band’s departure from Daptone was on good terms; the split from their long-time home base was an organic result of the band’s evolution. “It’s just a natural growth,” Brenneck says, admitting: “We’re going further away from the sound of Daptone and into territory they probably wanted to stay away from.” As a result, Frontier's Edge finds the group hungry, passionate and primed to charge into their next epoch newfound sense autonomy within the collective. “We’re a powerhouse in the studio; we can produce ourselves,” Brenneck says proudly of a long process of self-containment. “I take the helm, but the band, they know what they want.” As expected from The Budos Band, Frontier’s Edge resists analysis; it represents the band as they are: a contained explosion. You don’t pick apart Frontier’s Edge; you feel it all at once. “Somehow, we wrote six songs in two days,” says The Budos’ drummer, Brian Profilio. “Tom was able to take what we were doing and put it together in a cohesive manner” Whether this is your first rodeo with The Budos Band or you’ve been following them throughout their two-decade run, Frontier’s Edge contains their musical universe — Afrobeat, Ethiopian music, proto-metal, any number of other streams — in microcosm.

Introduced to the world ten years ago, Emeli Sandé MBE has become an icon of British singer-songwriting; emotional, honest, and prolific in the kind of manner that cements you as a go-to artist for heartfelt pop sensibility. This latest pop record is reminiscent of 2012, when Emeli had her first breakout hit. "How Were We To Know" is Emeli's second independent album release through Chrysalis Records. "There was a lot I wanted to say about myself, and I hope that through the lyrics people will get to understand me on a deeper level." The 11 tracks on "How Were We To Know" explore intimate encounters with love in all its forms, along with the risk required to pursue it. "Once you've been hurt, it's very hard to pick up the pieces again and allow yourself to be vulnerable," Sandé says. "So I think these songs explore the bravery of love, and loving others but also yourself. These songs were pieces of a puzzle I had to put together, and now feels like the right time to share them." The album features production from Jonny Coffer (Beyoncé, Miley Cyrus), Jim Jonsin (asap Rocky, Usher, Eminem), DI Genius (Drake, Raye, Sean Paul), Rxwntree, Chris Loco and Mac & Phil.

Bobby Oroza and Cold Diamond & Mink treat us to the instrumental version of their latest album Get On The Otherside. Bobby Oroza put his desire for the profound on wax with his sophomore album Get On The Otherside. Musically, he updated the formula we were introduced to on the first record. But lyrically, songs are bravely rooted in the more complicated, ubiquitous inner tangles of life like self-examination and coming to terms with the vastness of the human experience. This limited edition pressing is a chance to enjoy the musicianship and production prowess of the crew without the lyrics giving it a whole other level if vibe to take in.