Contemporary Funk 121 Items

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.

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!

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

Pearl White Vinyl Edition.
Includes booklet.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Cover with seam split.
Includes original insert.

Record Store Day. Limited Edition. Orange Vinyl.

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.

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.

Almighty duo Hyperculte strikes back with a tremendous third album, La Pangée. More than a band, Hyperculte is a superband (!) reuniting two figures of the Geneva subculture scene: Vincent Bertholet (Orchestre Tout Puissant Marcel Duchamp) and Simone Aubert (Tout Bleu, Massicot). If you"re not familiar with the band expect some angry krautrock, high-energy post-punk and etheric voices.

Produced by Patchworks!

Black Market Brass is proud to present Hox, due out on Colemine Records on September 8, 2023. Their third LP is a new take on afrobeat that combines traditional grooves with heavy, hypnotic, sci-fi sounds that reflect the band's myriad of influences as record collectors across genres. "We didn't leave the traditional afrobeat sound behind, but we did allow ourselves to pull from different places with less hesitation." Shared saxophonist, Cole Pulice. Like their previous albums, the 9-piece band recorded Hox live to tape. "The sound and aesthetic of the analog recording process is important for this kind of music," Pulice explained. "We're looking to capture lightning in a bottle." With that, the album features several sections of heavily processed synthesizers, harsh glitches, fuzzed out guitars, and a burning percussion section that pays homage to the traditional drumming cultures of Nigeria and Ghana. The performances are dynamic and confident. The grooves are infectious and hypnotic. BMB has pushed further into musical experimentalism, but at the end of the day, they're still making dance music. Krautrock, free-jazz, doom metal - the inspirations for Hox stem from all kinds of musical backgrounds, but the sound is far from scattered. It's a polished, innovative record that's sure to exceed expectations and keep the listener engaged from start to finish.

Ivan Makvel & Maya Killtron join forces to create two fresh powerful Nu-Funk anthems with Like Water & Step It Up. The music in Like Water takes influences from the best funk songs of the early 80's 'till the more modern funk of Bruno Mars, with strong edgy bass lines, synth brass and real horns mixed to the elegance and power of the voice of Maya Killtron. Step It Up, is a tribute to the electronic funk of the 80's that will make you dance all night.

At once a spiritually-charged journey and a shit-kicking party record, American Cream Band comes to Quindi covering all the bases. American Cream Band was formed by Twin-Cities musician Nathan Nelson around 10 years ago, taking the form of improvised live shows and albums Frankensteined from these sessions into exultant, fully-formed records you can sink your teeth into. The trick with improvised music is to start with intentions, however abstract they might be, and Nelson leads his rolling cast of collaborators into the creative fray with subtle guidance which drives the impulsive musical moment forward. The band’s previous records have manifested on labels like Moon Glyph and Medium Sound, and now Presents arrives in a freewheeling flash of snappy new wave, skronky sax, call and response sass and some krautrock-minded sonic cosmology. The album came together in december 2021, when Nelson took ten musicians to legendary studio Pachyderm in Cannon Falls, Minnesota.

Living together, eating together, and with Nelson quietly setting up his low-key magick intentions around Jupiter’s planetary frequency and the studio’s abundance of elephant statues and carpets, they laid down some drum-heavy sessions that became the building blocks of the record. ‘Taste What We Taste’ is the perfect example of an exuberant groove pounded on skins as a vessel for a joyous get-down, with the singers and players free to freak out on top. Nelson remains at the centre of the melee, throwing half-sardonic, half-heartfelt calls out for connection. ‘Banana’ celebrates nonsense and holds down the most serious of beats - a disco-not-disco deadeye dripping in late night sleaze and lysergic potential. On ‘Royal Tears’, the jagged guitar chops call back to Gang Of Four, while the hot n’ heavy sax from Cole Pulice baits James Chance and all the other angular New York un-jazz misfits. Amongst his other implied intentions for the recordings, Nelson wanted to channel opposites, not least the distinct male-female energies in his vocal sparring with the girls on assistance duties. It wouldn’t be right to call them backing singers as they shoot back at his punchy mantras, bringing a certain fierce femininity that tips its hat to The B-52’s Cindy Wilson and Kate Pierson, not to mention iconic post-punk bands like Au Pairs, Delta 5 and Bush Tetras. There’s space for the dreamier kosmische which has crept into the American Cream oeuvre in the past, as ‘Sirens’ opens the album up in a swirling pond of rag tag percussion and molten synths. ‘Words Would Handcuff Us’ cools the whole riotous assembly down in unmoored perfection, a strung-out Bossa nova seance dusted with celestial drips from analogue spaceships. Equally treading the line between light and dark, conscious and unconscious, the sacred and profane, Presents is a life-affirming, creep-under-the-skin listening experience – a joyously transient chapter in the evolution of American Cream Band.

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.

On "Tambor De Cura", producer Daniel David (The Pendletons) and Bay Area staples Jazz Mafia team up with Rio De Janeiro artist Guinu to cook up a genre defying dancefloor hitter that blends dirty analog Brazilian funk, sci-fi synth sounds and raw horn lines with an unstoppable bass hook. Midway, the song transitions into a Samba break with a beautiful trumpet solo, while seamlessly returning to its infectious house tempo. Guinu's passionate vocals highlight the healing power of the music.
On "Devotion", producer/singer and multi-instrumentalist Daniel David (The Pendletons) teams up with Jazz Mafia to bring a rich up-tempo offering. Building off of a hypnotic jazzy house piano and tapestry of congas and live percussion, Daniel soulfully paints a picture of connecting to spirit through one's inner world. Jazz Mafia's driving horns build throughout, propelling the track, with relief by an energetic drum breakdown and conga solo.

Azerbaijan's Akshin Alizadeh bursts through sonic borders with "Reasons," his first single on Cold Busted since 2014's phenomenal "Woman of the Ghetto." Inspired by —and creatively utilizing — a vocal verse from First Choice's 1974 R&B cut "Let Him Go," "Reasons" shows Akshin performing layers of keyboards, guitars, and saxophone alongside the singer's phrases and a crisp rhythm track. Akshin's musicianship is exceptional, showing his skill and ear for melody without any unnecessary flashiness. The result is uplifting and celebratory — a memorable but chilled song that's ready to wipe away any downcast vibes.

Polyfunktional returns with his second single off "New Walls" album, this time the sound is more bouncy, the influences are from early Roger Troutman or Prince to more contemporary bands like Tuxedo, with fat claps, moog synth bass lines, funky guitars and the never disappointing Talkbox for some vocal inserts. Wut Bout is the mood that you have everytime you're in a new relationship, like: ok I'm ready to be the best lover that I can, but "What about you?"

1st single off "New Walls" album, soundwise the title "Smooth Like Honey" is self explanatory, the mellowness of guitars and jazzy chords of the rhodes piano accompanies the un-quantized rhythm of the drums, while the opalescent artist-producer Polyfunktional tells you the story of his relationship with music, singing his melodies first with the vocoder, then with the talkbox, paying homage to some of his early influcences from Delagation to Roger Troutman, in a whole new mixture of a Modern Funk mid-tempo ballad.

By popular demand, Big Crown Records is proud to present Holy Hive's Harping EP on vinyl for the first time. For their debut EP on Big Crown Records, they decided to start things off with an extended reunion enlisting all of their favorite players from the Big Crown Family and beyond. The backbone for all these songs is the accomplished Harpist Mary Lattimore, who gives her learned heartfelt accompaniment to every song. There are guest vocals from one of their favorite songwriters Sasami on two tracks and a cast of lively characters assemble to add their lines - Dave Guy on Trumpet, Nick Movshon on bass, Katie Jacoby and Kristine Kruta on Strings, Leon Michels on Vibes, and nally Jens Jungkurth, Chris Connors, and Alex Deturk as sound sculptors.

MonoNeon is constantly releasing his original music, song after song.. album after album.. whatever he wants. As MonoNeon says, “I just be doing shiet”. He has been sitting down at his keyboard more writing songs, coming up with those Memphis soul “outsider” harmonies in his bedroom. On the "Wonderland’s Disaster Queen EP”, MonoNeon sings about his faith, sadness, existential crisis, etc… his whimsical gospel! Checkout the bass work on “Flaming Ballet Shoes (The Blues In Her Dance)”, MonoNeon plays his dad’s (Dywane Thomas) old purple Tune Bass Maniac 4-string on that song.

Black Market Brass is proud to present Hox, due out on Colemine Records on September 8, 2023. Their third LP is a new take on afrobeat that combines traditional grooves with heavy, hypnotic, sci-fi sounds that reflect the band's myriad of influences as record collectors across genres. "We didn't leave the traditional afro-beat sound behind, but we did allow ourselves to pull from different places with less hesitation." Shared saxophonist Cole Pulice. Like their previous albums, the 9-piece band recorded Hox live to tape. "The sound and aesthetic of the analog recording process is important for this kind of music," Pulice explained. "We're looking to capture lightning in a bottle." With that, the album features several sections of heavily processed synthesizers, harsh glitches, fuzzed out guitars, and a burning percussion section that pays homage to the traditional drumming cultures of Nigeria and Ghana. The performances are dynamic and confident. The grooves are infectious and hypnotic. BMB has pushed further into musical experimentalism, but at the end of the day, they're still making dance music. Krautrock, free-jazz, doom metal - the inspirations for Hox stem from all kinds of musical backgrounds, but the sound is far from scattered. It's a polished, innovative record that's sure to exceed expectations and keep the listener engaged from start to finish.

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.

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!

By popular demand, Big Crown Records is proud to present Holy Hive's Harping EP on vinyl for the first time. For their debut EP on Big Crown Records, they decided to start things off with an extended reunion enlisting all of their favorite players from the Big Crown Family and beyond. The backbone for all these songs is the accomplished Harpist Mary Lattimore, who gives her learned heartfelt accompaniment to every song. There are guest vocals from one of their favorite songwriters Sasami on two tracks and a cast of lively characters assemble to add their lines - Dave Guy on Trumpet, Nick Movshon on bass, Katie Jacoby and Kristine Kruta on Strings, Leon Michels on Vibes, and nally Jens Jungkurth, Chris Connors, and Alex Deturk as sound sculptors.

France' best kept 'Boogie & Funk' secret and legendary german funk label BTS finally collaborating on this 4 Track melter 12". Spacy, trippy, positive!

Sky High Blue Vinyl Edition

Two of Sweden's most interesting artists collaborate on this brand-new version of "Mellan slagen" from Dina Ögon's celebrated album "Oas". The song - which was originally inspired by glaciers and fjords lit up with neon lights and permeated with a smokey club feel - weaves together Broder John's nasal, soft flow with the slow, almost ghostly groove which brings to mind the 90s Bristol trip hop scene. Broder John has made quite a name for himself as a force to be reckoned with on the Swedish music scene. This Umeå-bred artist has contributed to shaping the music of today and leading the way for a new generation of artists. Following his debut album "Cool" and the sophomore album "drift", he was picked as the first-ever artist singing in Swedish to perform on the international platform Colorsxstudios. Broder John says, "Dina Ögon is the best thing to have happened to Sweden in the last 10 years and 'Oas' is an instant classic. I don't think I've ever been as quick to accept an invitation as I was when this one came in." Broder John on the new lyrics: "If you've listened to my previous lyrics, you can see that I'm often drawn to writing about different contradictions in life. I'm very inspired by Anna's lyrical writing, and I heard her words in the chorus "finns inga krav" ["there are no requirements"] and I wanted to explore if there was something I could take from that into my world. I've had this idea for quite a long time about the scenario in which someone says that "everyone is lying" and what that means for the person saying it - are they lying too in that case? So, in combination with Anna's world and the incredible production, it felt like a perfect painting to continue painting. I think the last sentence ties it together nicely, "Kan inte lita på nån här, det är sjukt, så tro mig när jag säger att det är sant - alla ljuger" ["Can't trust anyone here, it's insane, so believe me when I say that it's true - everyone is lying"]. Dina Ögon on the collaboration: "Broder John is one of the best ones we have, we like that stuff, please listen!"

Over heard an old song so good you wish you knew it when it came out? The chief at Sleepers Recordz heard Keep On Dancin’ and felt compelled to press it to vinyl. A masterful blend of 21st Century Pop, Funk, and Soul that never fails to get folks groovin no matter the age or background. Inspired by the pop sounds of the era, Temu crafted the perfect ear worm tailored for an audience in Copenhagen, Denmark, where he once resided in 2010. It instantly became an infectious local smash hit and it still slaps now. Temu revisits this jam from over a decade ago with a newly remastered cut, remixes and a stripped down version available on all streaming platforms. On the B-Side of the vinyl is a window into what would become one of Temu’s signature sounds, “Body Move”. Tailored specifically for the robotic “Popping” style of streetdance in 2015, Temu crafted an entirely new instrumental groove using a sample of his talkbox from his song “Magic & Sorcery” found on the Relic of the Mothership album. However, pro street dancer or not, the chances of anyone being able to stand still while listening to this are very, very low.

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.

repress, black vinyl, black silk screen print

file under pfunk, hip hop

repress, black vinyl, black silk screen print

file under drumfunk, hip hop, meters

produced by Rick Rubin & Paul Epworth

"it's Gonna BE Alright" is the first single from the sessions recorded for their third album right before the passing of lead singer Chadwick Murray. Uptempo modern soul b/w "you LET ME Down Again", a more downbeat song with a New Orleans vamp.

Members of Poets of Rhythm and Faruk Green present a heady approach to Jazz and Low Rock instrumentals from Berlin, Germany. Horns, drum breaks, basslines and keys seething with freedom and emotion. The debut LP from Feed LA works in tandem with the albums cover art, a beautifully structured abstraction of flowering sound beams, gently crashing into itself, uncovering intriguing rhythmic discoveries and subtle sonic nuances with each listen.

Feed LA is:
Özgür Bayraktar – keyboards, Daniel Ray Gahn – drums, Jeff Özdemir – bass, Michael Treetop Voß – trumpet, vocals

produced by Rick Rubin & Paul Epworth

It's the album that modern funk heads have been waiting for - a Zackey Force Funk project produced entirely by XL Middleton. With no guest features or producers, Blue Blade Piranha showcases the chemistry of one of the west coast's dynamic duos of funk. XL's synth-driven soundscapes pull heavily from 80's boogie & 90's g-funk, with occasional sprinklings of house & minimal wave. They provide the perfect backdrop for Zackey's breezy, yet hallucinatory ruminations on the intoxicating highs and grievous lows of street life.

Six Nine Records Ltd. UK proudly presents two brand new mixes of the Golden Bridge tunes “Wouldn’t Be The Same” and “I Can Prove It” (an excellent updated version of Tony Etoria’s 70s modern soul track), where Matt Antunes delivers vocals on the first and Leon Beal on the latter. Both tracks originates from the first (and so far only) full length album from 2019 by the duo consisting of Monolog (Yukihiro Kanesaka) and T-Groove (Yuki Takahashi) and are hereby released on 7” vinyl for the first time ever. Definitely not to be missed as it is a limited UK press with full colour printed picture cover!

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.

Nicky Prince has never been bound by musical genre. The Milton Keyes born and raised. Vocalist has the versatility to fit any vibe while not compromising her signature sound. Although best known for her Garage hits with Zed Bias in the early 2000s, Nicky was performing and recording with various acts well before the height of Garage’s popularity. She started her career singing in Soul and Funk bands, and over the last two decades has lent her voice to Electro, Hip-Hop, Drum & Bass, House, and Ska tracks. In 2009 Nicky graced listeners with her debut solo EP “See What You Mean.” Within only five tracks the singer-songwriter displays impressive range, from the up-tempo, energetic funk of “I’m Hearing You” to a bluesy rendition of Nina Simone’s “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood,” to the hushed tones of the EP’s sole acoustic number, “Balancing Scales.” She is backed on this effort by her band Soul Selecta, which includes renowned UK session players Dave Baldwin on Hammond organ and Robert ‘Skins’ Anderson on drums/percussion. Sadly, the release was criminally slept-on.

While “See What You Mean” was available on streaming services and CD, the EP never received the vinyl treatment. So, rather than simply reissuing the project, Nicky has teamed with KU to offer what she calls a “reincarnation” of her debut on wax.

Now retitled “Listen Up,” this underrated affair has had new life breathed into it. To bring out the best in the original recordings, each song has been meticulously remastered by Christian Obermayer at Strype Audio. Then to fill out the 12”, Nicky has added a handful of unreleased songs, including a heavy groove cover of Michael Jackson’s “I Can’t Help It,” which sees her reconnect with Zed Bias; a punchy, funked up tune titled “Listen Up;” and the original version of “Balancing Scales” that reveals what the track sounded like before it was stripped down to just guitar and vocals. This offering perfectly captures Nicky’s distinct tastes and inspirations. Further, it fills a hole in your record collection that you didn’t know was there until now.

Adesha and Vincent Kwok are proud to present their album, containing some exclusive album tracks as well as special edits and new mixes of some previously released tracks, the album takes you through the various musical styles that the pair have worked on together. With a broad range of styles from Champagne Boogie to Disco to Mellow 808-based RnB, this album showcases the eclectic talents of Adesha's lyrical and Vincent's musical range

An up-and-coming R&B singer from Kyoto, FLEUR's first full-length album "forever Forever" is now available on analog LP! In addition to the singles that have been released consistently, such as "Thinking About You (feat.Shin Sakiura)" and "Mornin Dew (feat.VivaOla & Rikuto Nagira)", the album also includes "Pool (feat. NF Zessho & Fkd)", which was released ahead of the album, and "Forever Forever", the title track of the album, produced by A.G.O, who has produced songs for Sirup and Furui Riho, etc. The album contains a total of 11 tracks!!