Contemporary Funk 25 Items

2nd Album by talented Janelle … some nice popish soul stuff feat. Big Boi. Just right for summertime!

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

The 12 track collection features previously unreleased tracks, alternate versions of existing classics as well as a couple of brand new Amy compositions, and has been compiled by long-time musical partners Salaam Remi and Mark Ronson in close association with Amy’s family, management and record label Island Records.

“New” album recorded 1988-1992 ... At the request of Peanut Butter Wolf, Dam went through many of these recordings, all made on cassette, going back to his teenage years. As Wolf tells it, “Dam told me, ‘this is your project Wolf. Do whatever you want with it. I leave it in your hands. I don't even wanna see it til it's done. Have fun.’” ... so have fun, people! LP is limited to 1000 copies!

Limited to 500 Copies!

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

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

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

produced by Rick Rubin & Paul Epworth

Mayer music without his voice is still Mayer music!

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!

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

Authentic Blue Eyed Soul. Jamie Lidell fans, listen up!

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

Produced by Patchworks!

Five piece uptempo deep funk band from Cornwall ready to launch their recording career with this debut full-length, for which they recruited the
powerful voice of Dojo Cuts singer Roxie Ray. The Underbelly as one of the
most exciting funk bands to emerge today: already counting on the support of DJs such as Nik Weston, Andy Smith and Craig Charles, who called them “the
find of the year”.

produced by Rick Rubin & Paul Epworth

/ The Jive Turkeys Remix

This 12" EP anticipates Ray Harris & The Fusion Experience’s debut album on Record Kicks. Raymond Harris from Glasgow successfully manages to blend dancefloor jazz with latin & brazilian vibes and a touch of funk. Incl. a faboulous Lack of Afro remix!

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

Just before the release of Seahorse & The Storyteller, Michael Leonhart & Avramina 7's first full-length, Truth & Soul is releasing one last 45 taken from the upcoming record.

Truth & Soul presents the second single from the newest band to come out of the burgeoning Brooklyn soul scene, The Olympians. Led by maverick keyboard player Toby Pazner, the Olympians second single is a perfect mix of deep soul and european library music. Recorded in Toby Pazner's bedroom studio, both songs are masterfully orchestrated, instrumental gems.

This double-sider 45 confirms that this band from Down Under is headed straight for the top. On side A’s “Grand Carnival” Dojo get raw n dirty with a killer deep funk groove complete with scratchy guitar, flying horns and some bass action. On the flip, the band provides a more soulful number with a super crossover cut.