Contemporary Funk 239 Items

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.

Still sealed. tiny wear

Smoke Purpage Vinyl Edition Limited edition of 200 copies.

"To change your mood or mental state - change your Vibration" A fragment from the Kyballion has deeply resonated with the band in recent years. Everything is mental, as Above so Below. Balthvs deeply believes in these tenets, and their manifestation is through music. Melodies that try to resonate deep within and generate a different type of Vibration.

From the psychedelic experience arises a more balanced lifestyle, and from arduous and uncertain times arises the desire to have inner peace of mind. Music is medicine for the soul and the trio plays this music to wind down, relax, and be more present. It's music from the 21st century, a time when the world has deeply connected to one another via the digital realm, cultures are now free from geographic boundaries, they influence, mesh, and collide with one another. Turkish melodies meet Latin rhythms, from instrumental tunes to Spanish and English lyrics.

The band freely takes from all corners of the world, and it reflects on the global audience they have slowly amassed in the past 4 years. Third Vibration is a celebration of life; a deep respect for the power of music.

“Flow”: A Reviving Sound of Unity Beyond the Pandemic, with Collaborative Voices Echoing Across Global Music Scenes Nao Yoshioka’s latest album “Flow,” born from overcoming the trials of the pandemic and rediscovering light, represents a collaborative effort that brings together artists from various countries, bridging the gap in a divided world through music once again. Collaborations with artists representing scenes from the US, UK, Netherlands, Australia, and Japan, including Devin Morrison, Reuben James, Mxxwll, Jael, Jarreau Vandal, and Takuya Kuroda, amplify her musical identity. Elite engineers, including Qmillion, who mixed Robert Glasper’s masterpiece, and Sam Brawner, known for his work with Anderson .Paak, also contributes. After enduring challenging times, this album, themed around self-discovery and expression, guided by Nao’s deep creativity in a state of immersion, leads listeners into an uplifting sound that sways both hearts and bodies, inviting them into their own immersion. This blend of soul, R&B, jazz, and funk becomes a symbol of hope and revival that Nao delivers to the world, resonating as a baton of timeless music.

From Dusk Till Dawn, the first album of the new generation R&B band Halley, who performed at “sxsw 2024”, will be released on a long-awaited vinyl record! This is the culmination of Halley's work, packed with the lustrous and soulful voice of vocalist TaeHyun and a band ensemble based on R&B/neo-soul. Strongly influenced by jazz, R&B, soul, gospel, and funk, the music is characterized by elements of black music.

Limited to 200 copies, in this coor way only availabble at HHV.

Karate Boogaloo are proud to present Hold Your Horses, a mesmerizing new long-playing disc of original instrumental tunes from Melbourne, Australia’s most dedicated.

Sitting at the core of Melbourne’s burgeoning movement of cinematic instrumental soul, Karate Boogaloo’s roots go deep into the fabric of the DIY soul idiom. A mainstay of the Melbourne underground over the last decade, their now sought-after series of LPs delving into hip-hop sample culture and its relationship to funk music, The ‘KB’s Mixtapes’, are evidence of their long-standing contribution to the development of the Melbourne cinematic soul sound.

Henry Jenkins, Hudson Whitlock, Callum Riley, and Darvid Thor have been playing music together since their playground days. Meeting as high school preteens, these four friends explored the teachings of the great small combo instrumental bands à la Booker T & The MG’s and The Meters. With these lessons in one hand and their characteristic sense of goofy humor in the other, the ensuing 15+ years saw Karate Boogaloo develop the kind of shared musical language that can only be built through countless hours spent together existing as friends and musical allies.

Karate Boogaloo’s singular bond shines brightly on Hold Your Horses, the second album of original Karate Boogaloo compositions. Following on from the cult classic Carn The Boogers (College Of Knowledge Records, 2020), Hold Your Horses is a document of KB’s distinct interpretation of instrumental funk. A bona-fide journey from start to finish, each tune melds seamlessly into the next, deftly creating a world built on moments of cinematic tension, whimsical melodies and eerie discordance and underpinned by undeniable super heavy funk. Hold Your Horses respectfully builds on a legacy of soul music whilst remaining unimpeachably unique and authentic.

Yakul are James Berkeley (vocals and keys), Tom Caldwell-Nichols (bass), Sam Hughes (drums) and Leo Utton (guitar) who are based out of Brighton UK. The band marry introspective lyrics with deep grooves and jazz infused progressions, blending a range of styles into a sound they call “Future Soul”. Their collaborative works with London beatmaker edbl were also great, so they have become a topic of conversation among music fans not only in Europe but also around the world. In 2022, an album co-produced by South London producer edbl and the band's frontman James Berkeley was released in Japan, and in 2024 the band was invited to perform at the Java Jazz Festival, one of the largest jazz festivals in Indonesia. In 2024, the band will be invited to perform at the Java Jazz Festival, Indonesia's largest jazz festival, and is also attracting attention in Japan and other Asian countries. Here is their brand-new album from P-vine.

Led by self-proclaimed "soul keyboardist" Swing-o, the piano trio 45trio is finally releasing their debut album. Since moving to Bloom Music in 2022 and releasing their cover of Weldon Irvine's classic "I Love You," every 7-inch they've released has sold out instantly. Their impeccable track selection, arrangement skills, and solid musicianship have garnered them overwhelming support from core DJs to Black music enthusiasts. The album ‘soul Review’ features 9 tracks, some presented as singles and others re-arranged, along with 5 new songs, perfectly capturing their unstoppable energy. Get ready for the release!

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!!

Smoke Purpage Vinyl Edition Limited edition of 200 copies. Vinyl is close to NM. Still in shrink but opened with hype sticker. tiny wear

The long-awaited LP release of "sweet SPARE," the third album by I love you Orchestra Swing Style (ilyoss), a leading Japanese Jazz x Citypop band. The album features a danceable instrumental sound based on jazz and swing, and includes nine tracks featuring vocals from Hiro-a-key, Tamuraryo & Namichie, and Korean neo-soul sensation dosii.

Shuya Okino x Root Soul!! The masterpiece of boogie-funk version of the famous album "Destiny" with live performance, the long-awaited analog version of this masterpiece is now available after a lapse of 10 years. The album features 8 songs including "Still In Love ft. Navasha Daya", replayed by Root Soul 2024 Edit. Root Soul is a renowned funky bassist who has been deeply involved with Kyoto Jazz Massive from the first album to the present. Eight gems have been selected and all songs have been newly "Replayed by Root Soul 2024 Edit". The live sound is on full display on "Destiny ft. N'Dea Davenport" and a cover of Don Blackman's "Holding You, Loving You", The strong boogie funk spun in perfect balance still shines brightly today.

Begin guitarist Masaru Shimabukuro is releasing his first solo album on analog vinyl in his 55th year of life, featuring a splendid lineup of guest artists! Guest artists include Mongol800, Orange Range, Kariyushi58, kiroro, Ken Yokoyama (crazy KEN Band), Sami-t (Mighty Crown), and more! Begin debuted in 1990 and was inclined toward blues-rock, but later began playing Okinawa folk music as a guiding light. Since then, they have released songs with rich and varied musicality. The cover art is drawn by Masaru Shimabukuro himself.

The critically acclaimed 2005 solo debut from the British visionary polymath Steve Spacek, originally released on Sound IN Color, is now finally reissued. A mix of soulful r&b, phuture soul and beat driven electronica with Spacek’s dreamy falsetto vocals. The album features a previously unreleased J Dilla track along with all the originals. Original front cover artwork recreated here. This garnered a 4/5 star review from the Guardian when released. Lauded on release for its seamless blending of soul, hip hop, and intricate electronics, it's as influential today as it was then. Limited edition of 500 copies on colored vinyl released in time for Record Store Day 2024. (spa) Soul Nujazz Headz “Steve Spacek offers a smoother, more soulful version that channels a futuristic Al Green. It‘s all sexy stuff, with softer trip-hop edges than Spacek‘s eponymous London group a few years ago. Bouncy funk creeps through minimalist beats on “Slave,” conjuring visions of sashaying hips, but it‘s Spacek‘s falsetto croons and broken beats on “Rapid Rate” that could retrace the disjointed, stop-go paces of any urban romantic.

A long-awaited analog version of the gem of Japanese mellow fusion, which has been receiving a lot of attention from the City Pop~Balearic side of the music scene! The album contains many masterpieces such as "Ka Ri Bu No Yu Me", a Balearic/light fusion song with the scent of the ocean, "Manhattan Blue," a popular number that she also arranged, and "Click My Heart," a techno-pop song with a lovely and catchy electric organ. This is a piece that overflows with a unique sense of floating and loveliness, fully showcasing the diverse charms of the electronic organ known as the "Electone". The cover illustration by Tom Akamine is also excellent!

Hand Numbered First Pressing

Cruisic develops a one-of-a-kind sound, mainly based on live drums and sequences. Their debut song, a cover of Azymuth's "Jazz Carnival," and a cover of 808 State's "Pacific 707" were released in the UK as well and attracted a great deal of attention. Cruisic's unique interpretation of the essence of house, Brazilian, jazz, acid jazz, and other major influences is expressed in a jazzy, groovy, and Balearic worldview. Their previous 7-inch releases, most of which sold out immediately, are now included as full-length versions, finally revealing their entire body of work!!

Vinyl with a couple of light scuffs, close to VG+. Cover close to NM.

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

Alicia Keys/Shoshana Bean/Maleah Joi Moon - [Transparent Blue 2 LP] "Hell's Kitchen (Original Broadway Cast Recording)" / The 13 Tony-nominated Broadway musical is a coming-of-age story based on the life of Alicia Keys featuring her iconic hits including "Fallin'," "If I Ain't Got You" and more reimagined! In the mid '90s, in an apartment high above the energy and grit of Manhattan's Hell's Kitchen neighborhood, 17-year-old Ali squints toward the horizon until she can just see the Hudson River. Despite the warnings of her protective mother, the symphony of the street calls to her - promising freedom, excitement, and the possibility of love. Finding herself. When a wise piano teacher helps her find her voice, Ali learns she can make the city her own. 2 LP set on transparent blue vinyl.

Vinyl with a couple of light scuffs. Small damage on opening.

Mariya Takeuchi is set to release her long-awaited original album after 10 years! This marks the 12th original album by singer-songwriter Mariya Takeuchi, following her 2014 release 'trad'. The album includes theme songs from movies, terrestrial TV dramas, Netflix anime, TV wide shows, and news programs, as well as TV commercial songs. It also features collaborations with Anri, harmonies with Tatsuro Yamashita on Western music covers, and self-covers of songs she provided to other artists, many of which are being released for the first time. This album, a culmination of the past decade, boasts a rich variety of styles and arrangements across its 18 tracks. The deluxe edition includes a CD plus a video collection titled "Precious Live Collection". This features 16 selected performances from her highly acclaimed first live stream, "live Turntable" in 2021, and the subsequent "live Turntable Plus", which included additional unreleased footage. Also included is the performance of "Genki wo Dashite" from the 2012 outdoor event "sweet Love Shower" held at Lake Yamanaka. This rare footage, featuring Mariya as a guest performer backed by the Tatsuro Yamashita Band, is being released for the first time ever, having not been aired by Space Shower TV, the event's organizer, at the time. This deluxe edition provides fans with a total of 17 video tracks, making it a must-have collection.