Contemporary Funk 169 Items

With a little bit of research you'll realize that Ricky 1 actually didn’t come out on Bridge Boots but on thatmanmonkz imprint Shadeleaf back in 2015 and received loved from Matthew Dear and Sam Divine to name a few. A little over 5 years later and Caserta is back with the sequel! Contrary to popular belief Caserta doesn’t usually 'edit' (with the exception of Bb45003 release Diana). But he decided to bust out the ole’ Razor-N-Tape for the 40 year anniversary of this dancefloor classic! While anyone with party rock capabilities can improve on an already classic composition. 'Supa Engineer Caserta' made sure to take his time to take make sure the sonics went for 1981 to 2081. The flip side delivers more of the tried and true Bridge Boots formula people have come to love with a hard hitting deep house joint sure to light up the dance floor once we start to put Roni-19 behind us! Lastly...who the hell is Sheldon??

Taking influence from 1960's Thai funk - their name literally translates to "Engine Fly" in Thai - Khruangbin’s debut album ‘The Universe Smiles Upon You’ is steeped in the bass heavy, psychedelic sound of their inspiration, Tarantino soundtracks and surf-rock cool. The Texan trio is formed of Laura Lee on bass, Mark Speer on guitar, and Donald “DJ” Johnson on drums.

‘The Universe Smiles Upon You’ was recorded at their spiritual home, a remote barn deep in the Texas countryside where their first rehearsals took place. The band listened to a lot of different types of music on the long drives out to the country but their favourites were 60s and 70s Thai cassettes gleaned from the cult Monrakplengthai blog and compilations of southeast Asian pop, rock and funk. This had a heavy impact on the direction of the band, the scales they used and the inflection of the melodies; which coupled with the spaciousness of the Texan countryside culminated in Khruangbin forming their exotic, individual sound.

Repress on black vinyl in regular sleeve.

From label owner Terry Cole, "It was on March 16, 2020 that we closed up our storefront as the reality of a worldwide pandemic began to spread across the Midwest. We had no idea how it was going to impact our shop, our label, or the artists we represent. We were all fortunate to have our family members stay safe and healthy; however, the livelihood of many of our friends and artists were drastically and immediately impacted. No tours, no live performances, record shops closed, pressing plants shut down, etc. And while the level of uncertainty was unnerving, from that uncertainty came the idea for Brighter Days Ahead. We knew we wanted to continue to release new music, but proceeding with our heavy 2020 release schedule as planned seemed ill advised. So the idea was to release individual tracks from many of our artists on a weekly basis and as a musical family, we could all help shine light on each individual artist weekly. Strength in numbers! So throughout the summer and into the fall, that's what we did. We released several dozen tracks and the weekly announcements certainly garnered a strong sense of community for our artists and fans alike. We're very proud to present Brighter Days Ahead: a compilation from our talented stable of artists on both our Colemine and Karma Chief imprints."

In the four years since the release of Something About April, Adrian Younge has been coined America’s black genius: the evocation of analog vestige in a digital era. His majestic music has garnered him reverence, likened to Ennio Morricone’s best work and the Beatles’ tenacity to create new sounds. Making an indelible impression on modern vinyl heads and producers alike (having been sampled by DJ Premier, Jay-Z, Common, 50 Cent) the Something About April brand is an axiom to the modern “Breakbeat,” and Linear Labs is happy to announce its successor: Something About April II.

Recorded with a collection of rare instruments, Something About April II advances Younge’s musical paradigm with enterprising concepts, and grander compositions, synthesizing the boundaries between dark American soul, and classic European cinema. This latest release features an array of entrancing vocalists: Laetitia Sadier (Stereolab) and Bilal, perform duets on “Step Beyond” and “La Ballade,” reminiscent of duets from Serge Gainsborg & Jane Birkin; Raphael Saadiq blends “Black Jazz” vocals with psychedelic soul on “Magic Music,” while Israeli star, Karolina, delivers haunting chants over concertos like “Hear my love” and “Winter is Here.” Long time Adrian Younge collaborator Loren Oden croons as if the apparent ghost of Donnie Hathaway created one last love song with “Sandrine” and “Sittin’ by the Radio.”

Younge is the experimental spirit of the modernist vanguard, looking into the past to create the future. What this album extrapolates from vinyl culture, will become further magnified by its sampling down the line. Something About April II will replace the former as a holy grail for producers and collectors alike…

Ships in a brand new plain sleeve.

Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio-or as it is sometimes referred to, DLO3-specialize in the lost art of "feel good music." The ingredients of this intoxicating cocktail include a big helping of the 1960s organ jazz stylings of Jimmy Smith and Baby Face Willette; a pinch of the snappy soul strut of Booker T. & The M.G.'s and The Meters; and sprinkles Motown, Stax Records, blues, and cosmic Jimi Hendrix-style guitar. It's a soul-jazz concoction that goes straight to your heart and head makes your body break out in a sweat. The band features organist Delvon Lamarr, a self-taught virtuosic musician, with perfect pitch who taught himself jazz and has effortlessly been able to play a multitude of instruments. On guitar is the dynamo Jimmy James who eases through Steve Cropper-style chanking guitar, volcanic acid-rock freak-out lead playing, and slinky Grant Green style jazz. From Reno, Nevada is drummer Dan Weiss (also of the powerhouse soul and funk collective The Sextones). Dan's smoldering pocket-groove drumming locks in the trio's explosive chemistry. Founded by Larmarr's wife and manager Amy Novo, the trio started from humble beginnings in 2015, but since then has released two Billboard charting albums and toured the world to sold out venues. The trio returns now with their second studio album, I Told You So, with even heavier grooves and more confidence. It may have been several years since their most recent studio effort, but they haven't missed a beat.

Ben Pirani & The Means Of Production are back with their first single from their newly built studio! Heavy dancefloor vibes with a punk attitude are the order of the day! Dig on Ben's new composition "More Than A Memory" with lush, soulful string arrangements from Ben and mix engineer Rafferty Swink!

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

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.

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

Lynda Dawn and XL Middleton collaborate on boogie 7" 'Roses' for Extra Soul Perception.
London soul singer Lynda Dawn returns with her first release since being tipped by The Guardian as one of their 'Ones To Watch' in 2021.
Following her participation in the first ESP writing camp in Nairobi 2019, 'Roses' was originally released on 'New Tangents…Vol. 1' EP alongside four other tracks with artists from the UK, Kenya and Uganda.
As part of the label's commitment to international collaboration, 'Roses' 7" brings two artists together for the first time, united by their love for boogie. To accompany the original, Lynda collaborated remotely with L.A. producer and record shop owner XL Middleton for an up-tempo flip, mixing g-funk and 90s RnB.
The 'Roses' 7" is Extra Soul Perception's second release of 2021, following on from 'Bad Meditation', the debut album from former Electric Wire Hustle frontman Mara TK.

Mmyykk’s Science EP arrives at a time when the world needs it. The eponymous title track is about recognising the power and connection that we all have to the cosmos - and it feels like no coincidence that this body of work arrives in 2021.

The EP balances universal themes with playfulness; asks hard questions relating to accountability and materiality whilst remaining musically cohesive and funky throughout. An exceedingly difficult artist to pigeonhole, Mmyykk (pronounced Mike) works concurrently within the realms of soul, jazz, hip hop, R&B and ambient; his sound equally indebted to his fellow west-coast natives Thundercat and Flying Lotus as it is to synth experimentalists Herbie Hancock and Stevie Wonder.

Whilst Mmyykk operates as the multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, producer & engineer across all 6 tracks, we can still hear the richness of improvisation musical collaboration involved in the making of this record, with numerous cameos from artists in Mmyykk’s adopted hometown of Minneapolis as well as a feature from London’s very own Demae.

The city of Minneapolis, whilst not addressed directly in the lyrics, provided a backdrop like no other whilst this album was coming together. Being at the epicentre of such a tragedy had a profound effect on the formation of the EP... “The City was literally burning...” Mmyykk recalls as he goes on to explain that tackling themes such as police reform, reparations and accountability in his work is his way of taking a stand in the fight for justice.

Despite the grief prevalent in the city, the EP exudes a complex “dopeness”, executed so effortlessly it belies the skill involved in the process - it’s precisely this nonchalant cool that defines what Science means to the artist.

Whilst we can dissect the inspirations and trace the lineage of this body of work- the result is singular. It’s clear that Mychal Fisher, aka Mmyykk is operating on his own terms, in a lane of his own - and making it look easy.

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!

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!

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.

Far Out Recordings proudly presents laid back Brazilian groove maestro Joao Donato's synth-heavy collaboration with his son Donatinho. Sintetizamor sees the father-son duo jovially hurtle through space and time across ten tracks of sparkling pop, Brazilian boogie and club friendly disco-funk.

Blue Vinyl Edition
Record with just a few paper scuffs.
Cover with a beginning seam split at the spine.

Limited to 500 copies. For the first time ever on vinyl Four new instrumental tracks, produced, recorded, composed & played by Dam-Funk. . Originally released on June 2nd 2015 as a free streaming promotional EP before the release of Dam-Funk’s sophomore album Invite The Light. Pitchfork described “Free” the EP closer “… distills his daily inspirational thoughts into a breezy, sun-kissed glow, delivered with his usual cool sincerity. Of course, the style is purely West Coast, but the message is universal: funk is freedom. And in Dâm's world, funk is the future.

Limited to 500 copies. 2015 EP for the first time on vinyl for the collectors.

Longform Modern-Funk at it’s boldest - these two epic songs - diehard fan favorites officially mixed, mastered and commercially available for the first time only on DamFunk’s Glydezone Recordings. In just two tracks D-F creates over 30 minutes of his signature, sprawling, elegant Modern-Funk instrumental narratives. Mastered by the talented Matthewdavid (Leaving Records), this is the definition of ‘extended play’.

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

Debut LP release of this group comprised of members of Orgone and Jungle Fire. Recorded in the San Fernando Valley just a stones throw away from the infamous Van Nuys Blvd. cruising scene, it's no wonder from the debut long player from The Rugged Nuggets hits hard and demands to be turned up loud with the windows rolled down. Delivering west-coast cool at it's finest. With swooning strings, breezy guitars and tough as nails drums, Odds & Ends epitomizes a mellow vibe, but is undeniably cool. FOR Fans OF Menahan Street Band, El Michels Affair, Khruangbin, BadBadNotGood.

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!

First Word Records is very proud to present a brand new EP from Yazmin Lacey - 'When The Sun Dips 90 Degrees'.
This EP follows on from her two recent singles, '90 Degrees' and 'Something My Heart Trusts', both of which are included here, along with three previously unreleased tracks, 'Heaven', 'Body Needs Healing' and 'Burn & Rise'. This set illustrates again Yazmin's candid songwriting delivered in her uniquely laidback soulful style, whilst a glorious fusion of neo-soul and jazz performed by Pete Beardsworth and her trusty band rides throughout.
In recent times, Yazmin has made live appearances on Jazz FM, BBC Radio 4, 1Xtra and NTS, & received widespread acclaim across the airwaves, including BBC Radio 2, BBC 6 Music, Worldwide FM and Mi-Soul, plus Spotify love from the likes of The Independent and heavy support from DJs such as Gilles Peterson, Jamz Supernova, Tom Ravenscroft, Huey Morgan and Jamie Cullum. Yazmin appeared heavily in The Guardian / The Observer's recent extensive feature on the UK's new Jazz movement too.
Initially a Brownswood 'Future Bubbler' graduate, Yazmin self-released her debut EP, 'Black Moon', last year. This lead to a Maida Vale session late 2017 with Jordan Rakei, Moses Boyd, Oscar Jerome and now label-mates, Children of Zeus. She kicked off the year with a performance at the Worldwide Awards with Skinny Pelembe, and has recently done shows with artists such as Ezra Collective, Tall Black Guy and Fatima. Yazmin has a UK tour scheduled for later in the year, as well as several festival appearances across Europe locked in. There's a lot more to come from this Notts-based Londoner yet.
In Yazmin's words: "'90 Degrees' is about that time of the day / night when there's a shift in pace and energy. When you decide to lock off from the 'outside' world and create your own atmosphere, take some time to give thanks for what's breathing love into your life and smoke off the fuckeries. Everyone needs a little routine for self preservation."
The 5-track vinyl & digital EP is released worldwide on June 15th.

Before Frankie Beverly and Maze, after Frankie Beverly and The Butlers, there was Raw Soul - a James Brown-esque group of musicians out of Philadelphia. They released four singles, one for Philadelphia's Eldorado Records (Charles Earland's Small Philly Label) & three on Gregar Records out of New York.

On this release you have the never before heard alternate version of "What Color? (Color Blind)" backed with the even more impressive raw soul instrumental version featuring a massive drum break, previously layered with vocals. But because we found the multi-track tapes, we stripped the vocals and let the drums stand solo and hit hard. If you beat juggle, make sure to check the DJ double pack. We promise you will not regret it.

There may not be a more suitable name than Hard Hitter to grace an album cover ever again. The drums hit, and they hit hard. From cinematic funk (“Speed Trap”, “Hard Hitter”, “Decisive Action", and “Big Dipper”), to strutting grooves (“Fun Seeker”), along with jazzy ("Three’s A Crowd") and erratic (“Super Drive”) recordings, this record sounds like a 1970’s action movie. Released in 1975, Hard Hitter features compositions by Keith Papworth, who, in addition to writing hundreds of tracks for de Wolfe Music's production library over the course of three decades, is best known for having his recordings featured in Monty Python skits and movies. Hard Hitter is beloved by crate diggers of all genres for its minimalist orchestration over heavy grooves.

An 8-piece outfit formed ten years ago by members of Grammy Awardwinning Latin revival orchestra Grupo Fantasma, Brownout has evolved into a musical force all its own. After garnering their third Austin Music Award last year, the band has continued to produce music that is unflinchingly progressive, while evoking the classic influences of artists such asWAR, Cymande and Funkadelic. They’ve performed at events including Bonnaroo, High Sierra Music Festival, Pickathon, FFFFest, Bear Creek Music Festival, Utopia Festival and Pachanga Fest, while regularly touring the U.S. Brownout’s also served as a highly in-demand backing band for artists including Prince, Daniel Johnston, GZA and Bernie Worrell.

This 45 features two cuts from their latest release, Over The Covers, on limited edition gold vinyl

Monophonics are back with a 45 cover of a Frankie Valli and the Four Season’s “Beggin’” that fuses the complimentary and explosive soul, rock and funk influences, proving themselves to be the rightful inheritors of the Bay Area’s impressive psychedelic soul sound.

Sheila was reborn in Detroit as one of George Clinton's fiercely funky Brides of Funkenstein. More than simple sex appeal and sass, Sheila sang on the seminalNever Buy Texas from a Cowboyas well as P-Funk hits like "Atomic Dog," making a name for herself alongside P-Funk collective greats. After this mothership connection, Sheila toured with Rick James in 1981 as an original Mary Jane Girl, wrote for Clinton's solo records in the mid '80s and even made a soul connection with Bruce Willis -- who inspired the singer to do her own thing. She then departed the P-Funk stratosphere for another planetary dimension, recording with Aurra, Civil Attack and Public Enemy.

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.

Menahan Street Band, a veritable supergroup of some of today's most prolific songwriters, arrangers, and producers return with this beat-forward, cinematic masterpiece.

Their unique brand of instrumental soul has not only been the foundation for some of modern hip-hop's most successful beats, it has also become the perennial soundtrack and veritable vibe-generator for countless parties, art shows, and restaurants throughout NYC and abroad.

While this album carries the aesthetic torch that MSB has skillfully woven into the tapestry of their DNA, it also delves deeper into the experimental, exotic sounds that fill many of the coveted Sound Library and Soundtrack LPs of the late sixties and early seventies - an amalgamation of moog synths, electric pianos, drum machines, and a bevy of analog instrumentation, that ebb and flow in lush swells of Morriconian grandeur.

Within Melbourne's burgeoning cinematic-soul scene, which includes breakout acts Surprise Chef and Karate Boogaloo, mysteriously sit The Pro-Teens. Helmed by prolific drummer and percussionist Hudson Whitlock, who also plays in both aforementioned bands, this breakaway studio project involves an interchangeable collective of incognito, Melbourne-based, esteemed instrumentalists playing under outlandish pseudonyms such as "'Dead Honest’ Dean Amazing" and "Libby Clique-Baite". Symbolically led by keyboardist "Snooch Dodd", new album ‘I Flip My Life Every Time I Fly’ is the latest musical concoction from Whitlock's eccentric brain, marrying the soul/funk roots of sample culture with the principles of boom-bap hip hop.

Incorporating the colourful comic book stylings of MF Doom and Kool Keith, or the dark and exotic flavours of Gravediggaz and The Wu-Tang Clan, The Pro-Teens also take cues from their composing heroes Galt MacDermot, Richard Evans and Marc Moulin. The Pro-Teens bop, zip, whip and fling on this phantasmagorical journey - an unorthodox patchwork of cinematic soul, hip hop-guided funk breaks, vivid instrumental textures and film score-esque moods.

The Pro-Teens work on the same analogue recording model adopted by the tight-knit College Of Knowledge label, self-recorded and produced with the rag-tag crew of musicians putting tracks down live to tape in crammed attic studios and sharehouse recording spaces. The first limited pressing of 'I Flip My Life Every Time I Fly' was released on the 'College Of Knowledge' imprint in late 2020. It was one of the highlights of the year at Mr Bongo HQ who loved the concept and felt this tripped out masterpiece from Melbourne needed to be heard well beyond those lucky enough to have bagged those limited first copies.

Orgone is back with more heavy funk from the West Coast. A dark mood and deep groove set the tone for a Funkadelic-like sort of vibe. Both tracks featuring Adryon De León.

Almost 2 years after the success of the album THE TONY ALLEN EXPERIMENTS and a few months after the release of the 7inch AMORE, Nu Guinea return to the scene with a new LP published by their newborn label NG RECORDS.
After touring the world looking for sounds suitable for their vibrations, NU GUINEA decided to go back to square one, Napoli, where Massimo Di Lena and Lucio Aquilina were born and raised. They watched their city from a distance reconstructing its energy from their studio in Berlin, calibrating the synths on the meridian of Vesuvius, the volcano that has always protected and threatened Napoli.
NUOVA NAPOLI is the result of a long musical research that has become a historical investigation on the sound that shaped Napoli during the ‘70s and ‘80s, starting from the contamination of genres (disco, jazz-funk, African rhythms) which ended up in Nu Guinea’s DNA.
In this album the synthesizers fill the spaces between the past and the future, tightening in a single body acoustic instruments, electronics and voices in Neapolitan dialect. It is the first time that the duo has worked with such a large group of musicians, some of whom are exponents of the contemporary Neapolitan scene.

WARNING: We recommend listening to Nuova Napoli while walking in the alleys of Napoli’s historic center, around wet clothes hanging and street vendors on tiny three-wheelers.

Orgone takes on 13 funk and soul classics! Otis Redding, Funkadelic, The Meters, Aretha Franklin, Betty Wright, and Booker T are just a few of the artists Orgone cover on this mixtape collection with some help from friends as well! Expertly recorded and performed, you could make an argument for some of these being better than the originals, but we'll suffice it to say that it's a simply killer set from beginning to end!

It’s the return of the sexual vigilante Sex Judas and his trusted sidekick Ricky. This time in full album mode. Norwegian producer Tore Gjedrem of Ost & Kjex fame, channels his love of comix, bohemia and fascination with human vice, the unspoken, the Red Light districts, the alleys of the mind into his alter ego. Sex Judas is no bad character but certainly says what it’s author cannot. “I wanted to create a world where any musical idea is possible, wound together by the world and word of Judas, the ultimate sinner, reborn as a child of Venus.” Inspiration ranges from Africa to 80’s NYC, from Bohannon to Quasimoto, from Norwegian New Wave to Acid House. With contributions by friends in the Oslo scene as hometown legend Dj Pål Strangefruit Nyhus, composer Ole-Henrik Moe, jazzpianist Bugge Wesseltoft, Sidiki Camara from Mali playing that beautiful Ngoni, and multi instrumentalist Ivar Snuten Winther, the album touches anything from blues, funk, disco and post-punk to IDM, acid house and electronic explorer music.

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.

The Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio may have this Kexp session to thank for much of the notoriety they have received since it first premiered. Since then, they've secured a record deal, a world renowned booking agent, a publishing deal, international sponsorships, and will be embarking on a national tour this spring. This session was released on vinyl for the first time for Record Store Day 2018, marking the first full Kexp session ever to be pressed on vinyl.

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.

NBN Records is very proud to introduce to you, Teddy Bryant, singer, composer, songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist from Conway, South Carolina.

Despite being his first solo album, Teddy Bryant is no rookie in the music industry, as he's been playing local shows with his Contemporary Jazz band called Urbyne since 1998 and releasing a Neo-Soul album in 2012 under the moniker of Moonlight Ora. Being the son of a Jazz player and after learning the piano at an early age, he soon realized he had unique musical skills : a boiling talent for composing melodies and harmonies and an unparallaled voice that could remind of none other than the legendary Marvin Gaye. Teddy does his own thing though, and he approached the label with the album already finished from top to bottom, including the artwork, made from an old analog poto of Teddy's mother.

On « In The Beginning » Teddy invites you to a trip around his world, at a cross between Contemporary Soul, Street Soul and R&B. « A dreamy concept of sonic realness is an ode to everlasting love and pays tribute to Sade, Marvin Gaye, Prince and Quincy Jones » as he describes it. Showcasing out-of-this-world vocal abilities and composition skills, Teddy sounds just as good as the all-time greats he got his inspiration from.

Discover Le Deltaplane, fifth album by Andre Solomko, and third produced on Favorite Recordings, pursuing a collaboration that started more than 5 years ago.
Born in Ukraine in 1965 and now based in Finland, Andre Solomko is primarily a rich and engaging personality, but above all, a brilliant saxophonist, composer and engineer, whose contagious passion cannot leave anyone indifferent. After beginning a meteoric career in USSR, fate led him to Finland, where he started the adventure Vinyl Jam, a label / studio / group. It resulted in two self-produced albums that will capture the attention of some international collectors, including Pascal Rioux (founder of Favorite Recordings). Between 2012 and 2014, they released 2 albums together, Où es-tu maintenant ? and Le Polaroid, hailed by many tastemakers and meeting notable success in Japan.
Following Le Premier Disco Sans Toi, an acclaimed single released earlier this year and unveiling two new compositions with Disco flavors, Andre Solomko and Favorite Recordings also proudly present Le Deltaplane. Fully composed and arranged by Andre Solomko, the 6 tracks of the album are deeply infused with his longtime passion for Jazz-Funk and Movie-Soundtracks, this time also injecting more influences from WestCoast and Modern-Soul music.
Andre’s backed again by a team of great musicians, recording and producing the album in analog like he always did. As for vocals and lyrics, he teams up with Charlotta Kerbs, a young emerging and talented singer from Helsinki.
Andre Solomko, an artist who spreads love like in the good old days!

RSN is a producer, DJ and musician from Athens - Greece. his upcoming album "Strange Eyes" is his 4rth one, but also his debut on Agogo Records. this single features the song "Black Sky" feat. Thaliah in the original version and a pretty great rework by Amerigo Gazaway.

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.

We are confident that she is the soul queen of a new generation! Berlin-based singer "J.Lamotta Suzume" went through blues, jazz, hip-hop, soul, self-produced beat making to her latest RnB feel. These 2 songs had been exclusively included as bonus tracks in Japanese edition of her 2nd album [Suzume] and now P-vine presents these as a 7 inch EP for the first time!

“The art of the remix has been around for several decades, from the fervid imaginations of JA pioneers like Coxsone Dodd, Duke Reid or King Tubby to the disco enthusiasts of New York, such as Tom Moulton, who bequeathed us the modern iteration of the remix and provided a template from which most remixers still work. Moulton's first commercial remix, a reworking of BT Express' appropriately-named `Do It 'Till You're Satisfied', which stretched it from three minutes to a luxurious five, assisted the band in securing its first Billboard R&B Number One, as well as providing a pathway for remixers like Walter Gibbons, Larry Levan, Richie Rivera and Tee Sott, to completely reinvent the concept of a remix (and in some instances, deconstructing the idea of what comprised a song). It has subsequently been used as a marketing tool, a dancefloor-devastator, a gimmick (both cheap and expensive) or even as a way of reaching a different audience (think Tori Amos' `Professional Widow'). Khruangbin are no slouches when it comes to the remix themselves. They've been reworked before, in 2016, with the highly collectible EP on Boogiefuturo. But this time, they're taking it a step further with an album dedicated to the art. Entering the tight-knit world of a Khruangbin song can be a little daunting. They have created this entire universe in which the trio seem to function telepathically in the way the music is composed, arranged and played. To mess with their delicate eco-system can invoke feelings similar to that of an unwanted guest crashing a good-time party. "We write our music to be interpreted; this is another wonderful interpretation of the music," reassure Khruangbin. "There is something very vulnerable about letting others work on your music. But through the correspondence with the different artists, we gained a bigger connection to the songs themselves." The choice of remixers for this album is neither arbitrary nor accidental. They're not names picked randomly out of a hat or chosen via a throw of the dice. All have some connection to the band, sometimes personal friendships, musical connections, or simply mutual musical appreciation. Harvey Sutherland and Ginger Roots have both toured with the band, Kadhja Bonet and Ron Trent had their own mutual fan club going on, Knxwledge sampled `White Gloves' on a recent mixtape, Natasha Diggs and Soul Clap's Eli's are recent buddy-ups, Quantic is a mutual friend of Bonobo (crucial in the KB origin story), while I've known Laura for number of years; plus she is also godmother to one of Felix Dickinson's kids. Doesn't get much more intimate than that, right? Some of these remixes were specifically made so you can dance your ass off while getting down to the Khruangbin sound, while some might better be appreciated horizontally with headphones on, wearing fashionably loose clothes. The choice is yours. But all were made with love and respect for Khruangbin. "A good remix deconstructs, recontextualizes, or simply extends a good time," say the band. Amen and out." - Bill Brewster

In 2020 Brooklyn's Holy Hive introduced us all to something we didn't know we needed. Homer Steinweiss' thickly pocketed drumming paired with Paul Spring's floaty falsetto vocal produces a sound that's like a salve. It's been dubbed Folk Soul and Holy Hive not only expertly overlay the more apparent musical aspects of folk and soul-but they also draw from the more profound: being able to pull traditions from the past and make them their own. When Homer wasn't playing drums for Lady Gaga or Adele or Bruno Mars, he'd produce Paul's solo folk records. Along with original bassist and frequent collaborator Joe Harrison, these sessions proved to be Holy Hive's foundation. And their fi rst record, Float Back to You, expertly combined what each musician does best: Paul's heady, reflective approach to folk with Homer's universal classic soul sound. With their new record released on Big Crown, Holy Hive's beautifully simple-and-sparse Folk Soul sound is back-but updated. With new influences and the challenge of creating and capturing music during a global pandemic, this new self-titled album, is more personal, more reflective. They describe three distinct phases when piecing together Holy Hive: this first stage was pre-pandemic in California while traveling as a group, then-like the rest of us-they were separated, creating together but apart, and lastly an explosion of output once they reunited in New York. There is a natural but subtle evolution for Holy Hive on this record. Homer and Paul drew from new and maybe more obscure-yet-honest influences. It's still very much Folk Soul-how could it not be. But, like all artists, they've taken in what they've made and how they've made it, only to push it into new places. We know of Holy Hive's ability to lyrically convey the abstract and complex in poetic and palatable ways. But where the first record was soulfully silver-tongued with chill songs about love and affection, Holy Hive widens the lens with these novel influences, reflecting the points both Homer and Paul are in their own lives. Featuring musical contributions from Mary Lattimore, Robin Pecknold (Fleet Foxes), Anant Pradhan, Nick Movshon, Leon Michels (El Michels Affair), Shannon Wise (The Shacks), Dave Guy (The Roots), and Elliot Skinner.

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

Red vinyl. Cover is close to NM. Original inner sleeve.

Still sealed with hype sticker. Orange vinyl Limited edition.

Still sealed with hype sticker.

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!

Still sealed with hype sticker. Limited edition Golden vinyl.

Copy closer to NM

You should all know by now I have collected a good few records in my time, hunting down that perfect beat. In search of that special piece I have found a deep love for the old soul ballads and funk that were for me great social statements, telling it just how it was. Growing up with these tunes and owning them I began to realise if someone didn't represent them to the next generation they would be long lost and forgotten. So please... enjoy this time capsule of music from another time... you'll hear nothing's changed! - Mr. G, 2018

Within Melbourne's burgeoning cinematic-soul scene, which includes breakout acts Surprise Chef and Karate Boogaloo, mysteriously sit The Pro-Teens. Helmed by prolific drummer and percussionist Hudson Whitlock, who also plays in both aforementioned bands, this breakaway studio project involves an interchangeable collective of incognito, Melbourne-based, esteemed instrumentalists playing under outlandish pseudonyms such as "'Dead Honest’ Dean Amazing" and "Libby Clique-Baite". Symbolically led by keyboardist "Snooch Dodd", new album ‘I Flip My Life Every Time I Fly’ is the latest musical concoction from Whitlock's eccentric brain, marrying the soul/funk roots of sample culture with the principles of boom-bap hip hop.

Incorporating the colourful comic book stylings of MF Doom and Kool Keith, or the dark and exotic flavours of Gravediggaz and The Wu-Tang Clan, The Pro-Teens also take cues from their composing heroes Galt MacDermot, Richard Evans and Marc Moulin. The Pro-Teens bop, zip, whip and fling on this phantasmagorical journey - an unorthodox patchwork of cinematic soul, hip hop-guided funk breaks, vivid instrumental textures and film score-esque moods.

The Pro-Teens work on the same analogue recording model adopted by the tight-knit College Of Knowledge label, self-recorded and produced with the rag-tag crew of musicians putting tracks down live to tape in crammed attic studios and sharehouse recording spaces. The first limited pressing of 'I Flip My Life Every Time I Fly' was released on the 'College Of Knowledge' imprint in late 2020. It was one of the highlights of the year at Mr Bongo HQ who loved the concept and felt this tripped out masterpiece from Melbourne needed to be heard well beyond those lucky enough to have bagged those limited first copies.