HHV Exclusives 309 Items

HHV and Too Good are happy to present this exclusive color run of 1000 red copies of Tommy Guerreros 2014 album "No Mans Land". Back in print for the first time. Only at HHV. As a special treat you can pick up the poster with the artwork of this album in our bonus section.

Originally it has been releases on CD as well as on 3 separate 7" vinyls. Thanks to the fine people at Tru Thoughts - we are very pleased to offer the full album on LP now in collaboration with the HHV Label!

"Quantic presenta Flowering Inferno" is one of the latest in the constantly evolving series of musical outings from the unstoppable Will Holland - aka Quantic - and amazingly "Death Of The Revolution" represented his tenth full album release on Tru Thoughts.

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.

Limited to 500 hand numbered 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.

It's taken just two short years for Dunham Records - an imprint of Daptone Records - to establish itself as one of the most captivating creative forces in soul music. The brainchild of guitarist/producer Thomas "Tommy TNT" Brenneck, Dunham's indelibly atmospheric sound is epitomized by its flagship artist, Menahan Street Band. After releasing a handful of crucial 45s, Dunham Records prepares to enter the next phase of its evolution with the debut album of its inaugural vocalist, Charles Bradley.

Charles Bradley’s voice has evolved from a lifetime of paying dues, having nomadically labored for decades at various day jobs from Maine to Alaska – singing and performing in his spare time – before re-settling in his hometown Brooklyn and eventually finding a musical home at Dunham. In his distinctively rough-hewn timbre one hears the unmistakable voice of experience – each note and gruff inflection a reflection of his extended, sometimes rocky, personal path. It’s only fitting that No Time For Dreaming’s producer Brenneck (also a member of The Dap-Kings and The Budos Band) would recognize in Bradley a kindred musical spirit – a singer whose performances exude both raw power and poignant beauty. Recorded at Dunham Studios, and mixed at Daptone Records’ internationally revered "House of Soul" Studios, No Time For Dreaming is the inspired sound of an awakening.

"The Branches" album is a reflection of a world, where human feelings and natural powers are bound together. Everything is correlated in this world. There is no alive-dead distinction. The season change depends just on state of mind. Every move, every wind breath, every sound brings an information, opened for everyone who believes and ready to accept it, who hears and knows how to listen.

Mexican Singer/Songwriter Graciela Maria has been singing since she was a little kid. Having livied in Mexico City for many years, she was part of the mexican electronic music scene and made music with local producers signal deluxe.

In 2009 she met berlin based producer Robot Koch in New York at his show at Coco66 in Brooklyn.
They started making music together and Grace was featured on Robot's album “Death Star Droid” as well as on the Ep “Listen To Them Fade”. 2009 marked the beginning of a journey both musically and geographically for Graciela, as she moved from Mexico City to Berlin and started playing shows wolrdwide with Robot Koch.
They played everywhere from the Sonar Festival in Barcelona to some obscure art festivals in Bulgaria and Tunesia.

With Many Places, Graciela Maria's stunning debut album, she steps into the light as more than just a featured vocalist on Koch's electronica and dubstep driven compositions: Her own music breathes the vibe of classic singer/songwriters like Tim Buckley and Elliot Smith, with the music and the production being even more organic and live sounding than on the previous Koch tracks. The songwriting took place all over the world, as Graciela traveled and lived in many places recently, accompanied by her little notebook and her digital camera, which she uses to record song ideas on all the time. The topics she deals with are both surreal and personal and leave it up to the listener to be interpretated.

Producer Robot Koch teamed up with friend and fellow musician Sneaky (Fingathing / Ninja Tune) to create this organic and retro futuristic sounding album, that incorporates Double Bass, Live Drums, Cello and other String instruments and well as a subtle touch of cutting edge electronic production which Robot Koch is know for. The track "Many Places" features a string arrangement by Fiora Cutler.

Graciela Maria is an artist to watch out for in the future as she proves to create timeless pieces of music that are appealing to Indie/pop listeners and lover's of electronic music alike.

Mexican Singer/Songwriter Graciela Maria has been singing since she was a little kid. Having livied in Mexico City for many years, she was part of the mexican electronic music scene and made music with local producers signal deluxe.

In 2009 she met berlin based producer Robot Koch in New York at his show at Coco66 in Brooklyn.
They started making music together and Grace was featured on Robot's album “Death Star Droid” as well as on the Ep “Listen To Them Fade”. 2009 marked the beginning of a journey both musically and geographically for Graciela, as she moved from Mexico City to Berlin and started playing shows wolrdwide with Robot Koch.
They played everywhere from the Sonar Festival in Barcelona to some obscure art festivals in Bulgaria and Tunesia.

With Many Places, Graciela Maria's stunning debut album, she steps into the light as more than just a featured vocalist on Koch's electronica and dubstep driven compositions: Her own music breathes the vibe of classic singer/songwriters like Tim Buckley and Elliot Smith, with the music and the production being even more organic and live sounding than on the previous Koch tracks. The songwriting took place all over the world, as Graciela traveled and lived in many places recently, accompanied by her little notebook and her digital camera, which she uses to record song ideas on all the time. The topics she deals with are both surreal and personal and leave it up to the listener to be interpretated.

Producer Robot Koch teamed up with friend and fellow musician Sneaky (Fingathing / Ninja Tune) to create this organic and retro futuristic sounding album, that incorporates Double Bass, Live Drums, Cello and other String instruments and well as a subtle touch of cutting edge electronic production which Robot Koch is know for. The track "Many Places" features a string arrangement by Fiora Cutler.

Graciela Maria is an artist to watch out for in the future as she proves to create timeless pieces of music that are appealing to Indie/pop listeners and lover's of electronic music alike.

The Q4 is a Dutch production trio consisting of sampling specialists Sense, Arts the Beatdoctor and STW. Although their collage of sounds covers bits of many genres, it is generally perceived as hip-hop or trip-hop. Numerous of obscure records are worked into every song with the greatest of care, often accompanied by live instrumentation or scratches giving their music an organic feel.

The Q4’s name refers to the quadraphonic sound systems that where used in the seventies, as one of the earlier forms of surround sound installations. Hence the title: Sound Surroundings for their critically acclaimed debut that was released on the 22nd of January 2010 through Project: Mooncircle. Aside from instrumental songs the album also features a number of guest vocalists, ranging from rappers to flamenco and blues singers.

Their upcoming release Darker Days however will be fully instrumental and features four original new tracks and two remixes. The 12 Inch comes with a promotional cassette (yes, a cassette!) on which another new TheQ4 song can be found, as well as an introduction to Shahmen, one of Sense’s solo projects which will be released in April/September through Project: Mooncircle.

The Q4 is a Dutch production trio consisting of sampling specialists Sense, Arts the Beatdoctor and STW. Although their collage of sounds covers bits of many genres, it is generally perceived as hip-hop or trip-hop. Numerous of obscure records are worked into every song with the greatest of care, often accompanied by live instrumentation or scratches giving their music an organic feel.

The Q4’s name refers to the quadraphonic sound systems that where used in the seventies, as one of the earlier forms of surround sound installations. Hence the title: Sound Surroundings for their critically acclaimed debut that was released on the 22nd of January 2010 through Project: Mooncircle. Aside from instrumental songs the album also features a number of guest vocalists, ranging from rappers to flamenco and blues singers.

Their upcoming release Darker Days however will be fully instrumental and features four original new tracks and two remixes. The 12 Inch comes with a promotional cassette (yes, a cassette!) on which another new TheQ4 song can be found, as well as an introduction to Shahmen, one of Sense’s solo projects which will be released in April/September through Project: Mooncircle.

Limited edition of 500 copies, only available at HHV!

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.

Jahbitat is the audio project of Simon Williams, who moved around Latin America as a young child but eventually ended up growing up in the valley located on the Venezuelan coastal range. This massive urban jungle known as Caracas, is surrounded by every aspect of nature (sky, mountain, jungle, ocean, etc..) and creatures both big and small. This fusion of man-made technology meets complete wildlife is what can be found at the core of the Jahbitat electronic yet highly organic sounds ...

Limited edition of 100 copies on blue wax. Only available at HHV.

Disco Segreta sets your summer on fire with the official reissue of two killer obscure italo-disco masterpieces! Out of the catalog of the no longer active cult Savona-based label Disco In, this 7” released in 1985 in 1000 copies sung by the mysterious Laura Angel, is probably one of the most elusive, with original copies hardly ever showing up ! “Summer Time” carries all the fascinating stylistic elements of italo-disco: romantic struggle, summer-inspired ital-english lyrics sung by a catchy female voice, over minimal 80s drums and arpeggiated basslines; while “If You Want” is possibly one of the finest examples of that all-Italian peculiar mixture of darkwave, synth-pop and italo-disco. Two superb melanchol-italo tearjerkers, with a masterful use of three classic italo disco fetish synths: E-mu Drumulator, Juno 106, Korg Poly 61. As usual with us, the first ever 12” reissue of this 45 - in a limited edition on 180g. high-quality vinyl - will be lovingly remastered, respectful of the actual tracks’ 80s lo-fi vibe, and will feature the original 45 versions.

HHV exclusive edition on Blue / White vinyl, limited to 300 copies.

Hard-to-find on vinyl since its original pressing in Japan, 1983, Ship to Shore PhonoCo. is proud to present our release of Piper’s much-loved LP SUMMER BREEZE.

Lay back and allow the smooth warming embrace of the music take you to a care-free land of grooves and synth-pop funk, where the sand is soft, and the sea gently laps at your toes. Lick your lips, and you’ll swear you can taste the salty sea air!

Limited to 100 copies, exclusively available at HHV! Only 2 per customer!

Rare Philadelphia Soul-Funk Album From 1982 * First Ever Official Vinyl Reissue since 1982Karin Jones (born and raised in Philadelphia) took her first musical steps singing in church. She was gifted with an extremely talented ear, and an accomplished pianist, percussionist and drummer, mostly developed without formal training. In her pre-teens, Karin and her two older sisters formed a soul group called The Jonesettes that was managed by their father. They released a single titled 'Once I Had Love / Stop, Look & listen' on Cougar Records in 1971 and participated on the gospel classic “After While” by 'Rev. Arvetra Jones And The Jonesettes' released on HSE Records in 1975. In 1976 a friend of Stevie Wonder told her that Marvin Gaye was looking for backing singers for his new record and subsequent tour. Karin auditioned for Marvin and was instantly hired. They recorded the “Got To Give It Up” EP and she hit the road for Marvin Gaye’s London Palladium tour (later released as a double live album on Motown in 1977). Soon after Karin Jones started doing session work for the renowned label Jobete Records where Teddy Pendergrass got really impressed with her unique musical style. She signed with him for management in 1979, but with Teddy's own frantic schedule, the arrangement dissolved a year later. At a convention of the Black Music Association in Philadelphia, Karin met with Jim Tyrrell, who at the time was establishing his own label, T-Electric. Karin signed with T-Electric Records and recorded an album in 1980. However, the album was shelved because the label run out of money. After collecting dust for two years, producer Jim Tyrrell brought it under the attention of industry veteran Ron Alexenburg who was president of Handshake Records. Alexenburg heard the album and very much liked it. He got Karin Jones to sign with his label, and 'Under The Influence Of love' finally got its well-deserved release in 1982. “Under The Influence Of Love” is a monster of an album arranged by Dunn Pearson Jr (known for his work with Roy Ayers, Lou Ragland, Mary J. Blige, D’Angelo) and Bruce Hawes (Stevie Wonder, Kool And The Gang, The Temptations). All of this carefully supervised and produced by Jim Tyrrell. Also worth mentioning is that the duet on the album is the one and only time Eddie Levert, of the legendary O'Jays sang with a female artist. Sadly (and shocking) Karin Jones suddenly passed away in 1984 from a diabetic coma. Strangely, she predicted an early demise while preparing her photo shoot for the album. Karin Jones was a true example of a bright light burning out way too quickly, thankfully we are left with the unique (and very rare) document that is her “Under The Influence Of Love” album. The entire album is filled with heartbreaking modern soul, deep disco, boogie-funk and a great range of tempos…all of this is topped off with Karin’s trademark vocals. Also included is the hit ‘Ready, Ready Love’ which was one of the biggest songs of the London steppers scene (or more fashionably known as 'rare groove') and almost impossible to get a hold of (unless you had deep pockets). To this day, it remains a much sought-after gem and a 'holy grail' for fans and collectors alike. Tidal Waves Music now proudly presents the First ever Official vinyl reissue of this rare Philadelphia album that goes for hefty amounts on the second-hand market (it was originally released on Handshake Records And Tapes back in 1982 and plagued by inferior bootlegs ever since). This unique record comes as a deluxe 180g White North American vinyl edition (strictly limited to 500 copies) with obi strip and features the original artwork.

Limited to 100 copies

Wildfire was a household name in Tropical Island music circles due to their excellent albums and performances throughout Trinidad, Tobago, the Caribbean & US Virgin Islands and French Guadeloupe. In 1962, they started off as ‘The Sparks’ (a well-respected Calypso outfit who released a bunch of successful singles) but with the release of their hit single ‘Come On Down’ from 1975, they exploded into Wildfire.

Wildfire had a very fruitful career and released four top full-length albums and a vast amount of singles before calling it quits. Led by bandleader Oliver Chapman (bass & guitar player, vocalist, arranger, producer and co-writer for the majority of the bands’ songs) and comprised out of high talented musicians, Wildfire was out there with the big boys in the niche they carved out for themselves.

On the album we are presenting you today (Time Is The Answer from 1980) you’ll find the perfect mix of funk, soul and disco, basically the popular sounds of the day, and all tracks are originals. The album is Funky and the production quality can rival with any of their peers and records produced/recorded in the US. The performance of Wildfire on this album is beyond excellent. This release was also the first time the group took control over production and getting their album out in the world. Also included is the hit single ‘Say A Little Prayer For The Children’ which is just one of those songs that will be stuck in your head forever.

Besides virtuoso Oliver Chapman: the talent that was featured on ‘Time Is The Answer’ is exceptional. Anstey Hamilton carries around a rich, noticeable tenor voice. Arthur Byron, who also did vocals on the album, has a beautiful rasping tone that can knock you out anytime he gets into his act. Fitzroy Isaac on keyboards and Donald Leid on drums are the guys that were responsible for keeping the groove tight. Clifford Wilson, like Oliver, had been with the band since the start. He is calm in his approach, he played the bass guitar and sung background vocals, he also chipped in with Oliver whenever they wrote songs together. Finally, we have Cyllan Charles, who was known as the Wildfire voice. Cyllan had been doing most of the lead vocals since he joined the group in 1972, he was the most experienced of all the members, and can really take you to higher heights anytime he gets into doing his thing both on stage and on wax.

“Time is the Answer” by Wildfire is a scarce and increasingly sought-after LP. Filled with hit-bound songs, it comes as no surprise that the album has now become a much-wanted item due to its addictive and original-sounding nature. This is a must-have for any self-respecting record digger!

Tidal Waves Music now proudly presents the first ever reissue of this fantastic Island Funk-Soul classic (originally self-released in 1980 on Wild Fire Records) & this is also the first time the album is getting a release outside of Trinidad & Tobago. This rare record (original copies tend to go for large amounts on the secondary market) is now finally back available as a limited 180g vinyl edition. Limited to 100 copies 180g Black ICE Color Vinyl Exclusively FOR HHV

Limited edition of 100 copies for the 2023 Summer of Jazz campaign, focused on South-African jazz. Only available at HHV.

With one foot planted in jazz and the other in the township groove of Mbaqanga, saxophonist Sello Mmutung was a powerful crossover figure in the history of popular music in South Africa. Using the stage name Bra Sello, meaning “brother” and used as a term of affection and respect in the jazz community, he came up in the era of shellac 78s as an exponent of the 1960s sax jive sound that brought the swinging rhythm of kwela into the domain of South African jazz. Despite the injection of American rhythm and blues into South African pop in the late-1960s, Bra Sello’s first releases on vinyl on the
CBS label saw him backed by the group Abafana Bentuthuko and holding down an unapologetic township sound.
Joining the independent Soweto label under producer Cambridge Matiwane in the mid-1970s, Bra Sello recorded two records in the hit-making bump jive style popularised by serious jazz musician Dollar Brand on the one hand and prolific studio group The Movers, operating in funk and soul territory, on the other. Blending modern American and traditional African elements into joyful hip-swinging rhythms, Butterfly (1975) and The Battle of Disco (1977) reflect the vivacity of urban life in South Africa and document an era when dance music was performed by bands as extended jams laced with jawdropping solos. With music trends shifting dramatically in the late-1970s, the title of The Battle of Disco was an ironic call to arms in response to the territory that group musicians were beginning to cede to synthesisers and DJs.
For enthusiasts of African music from the 1970s, a full appreciation of the continent’s output is incomplete without South Africa’s pop-jazz sound providing a regional counterpoint to the funk experimentation of West Africa. Reissued for the very first time, Bra Sello returns in 2023 with limited replica editions from Afrodelic using master tape sources from the As Shams / The Sun collection. Afrodelic’s unique edition of Butterfly features a previously unreleased track on Side B.

Limited to 100 copies, exclusively for HHV. The Apostles were a renowned Nigerian funk/soul group from the city of Aba (an epicenter for music during the 70s & 80s) and disciples of the heavy psychedelic soul/rock fusion style...for over forty years, they have stood as the jewel in the crown of the Afrobeat genre in Eastern Nigeria and champions of its flourish ing post-war music scene. Since their formation in 1973, the band has turned out memorable perf ormances in a variety of styles including rock, soul, funk, pop and reggae. The Apostles amassed a large following, enjoyed an immense success throughout Nigeria and went on to release multiple albums. Although most of their songs are sung in English, a few of their songs are also sung in Igbo. The Apostles became superstars on the strength of several hit singles and have been preaching a particular blend of funky psychedelic soul/rock fusion for over 40 years. The LP we are presenting you here
Black Is Beautiful (1977) is one of the most enjoyable albums of the Afrobeat era: proud, assured, relaxed and extremely powerful. Black Is Beautiful contains a heavy mix of wailing guitars, swirling funky organ sounds and James Brown-style vocals. It is one of their best albums (also one that became a fixture in many East Nigerian homes) and an essential Afro-Funk record to add to your collection. Today we are proud to present to you the first ever vinyl reissue of this rare Nigerian album originally released on EMI Nigeria in 1977. This reissue is now available as a deluxe 180g vinyl edition featuring the original artwork

HHV exclusive vinyl edition on yellow vinyl, limited to 100 copies. Only available at hhv.de!

When the U.S. State Department announced in the mid-1970s that they were sponsoring a South African tour for the Oklahoma-born, Paris-based saxophonist Hal Singer, producer Rashid Vally took note. Even though his nascent record label As-Shams/The Sun (established in 1974) was making waves on the local scene, the idea of commissioning a recording from an international artist was a ballsy idea. With a discography that stretched back to the 1950s, Hal Singer was already somewhat of a legacy artist by 1976. Vally was well-versed on Singer’s accomplishments and specifically enamoured by his composition “Blue Stompin’,” which appeared on a Prestige album from 1959 that had struck a chord in South Africa. With his irresistible charm, Vally managed to coax Singer into a studio in Johannesburg, South Africa, to record a new version of “Blue Stompin’” with South African sax star Kippie Moeketsi, which became the title track of a 1977 album by Moeketsi. The recording session also yielded an album’s worth of new material by Hal Singer and his quartet that took its name from a track inspired by Singer’s trip to South Africa entitled “Soweto to Harlem.” Released in 1976 and only available in South Africa, Soweto to Harlem captures a laid-back, cheeky and nostalgic rhythm and blues set from the Hal Singer Quartet that is unlikely to have emerged for a different target market. With her irresistible charm, Vally was able to convince Singer to enter a Johannesburg studio. The recording session produced this album of new material by Hal Singer and his quartet named after a song inspired by Singer's trip to South Africa, entitled "Soweto to Harlem." Released in 1976 and available only in South Africa, "Soweto to Harlem" captures a laid-back, unabashed and nostalgic rhythm and blues of Hal Singer's quartet that would hardly have been born for a different market. Cinedelic’s 2024 edition of this rare album is sourced from the original tape masters and presents it on vinyl internationally for the very first time. The reissue follows Singer’s passing at the 100 in August 2020 as we contemplate and celebrate his extraordinary contribution to jazz in the United States and beyond.

HHV Exclusive edition on red wax, limited to 100 copies.

The Awakening were one of the greatest bands in early '70s jazz blending Spiritual and soul. They combined veterans of Chicago’s R&B sessions and jazz players affiliated with the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians and were the only "group" on the legendary Black Jazz Records roster. This album includes the most representative tunes from their only two albums released in 1972/1973.

Limited edition of 100 copies for the 2023 Summer of Jazz campaign, focused on South-African jazz. Only available at HHV.

With one foot planted in jazz and the other in the township groove of Mbaqanga, saxophonist Sello Mmutung was a powerful crossover figure in the history of popular music in South Africa. Using the stage name Bra Sello, meaning “brother” and used as a term of affection and respect in the jazz community, he came up in the era of shellac 78s as an exponent of the 1960s sax jive sound that brought the swinging rhythm of kwela into the domain of South African jazz. Despite the injection of American rhythm and blues into South African pop in the late-1960s, Bra Sello’s first releases on vinyl on the
CBS label saw him backed by the group Abafana Bentuthuko and holding down an unapologetic township sound.
Joining the independent Soweto label under producer Cambridge Matiwane in the mid-1970s, Bra Sello recorded two records in the hit-making bump jive style popularised by serious jazz musician Dollar Brand on the one hand and prolific studio group The Movers, operating in funk and soul territory, on the other. Blending modern American and traditional African elements into joyful hip-swinging rhythms, Butterfly (1975) and The Battle of Disco (1977) reflect the vivacity of urban life in South Africa and document an era when dance music was performed by bands as extended jams laced with jawdropping solos. With music trends shifting dramatically in the late-1970s, the title of The Battle of Disco was an ironic call to arms in response to the territory that group musicians were beginning to cede to synthesisers and DJs.
For enthusiasts of African music from the 1970s, a full appreciation of the continent’s output is incomplete without South Africa’s pop-jazz sound providing a regional counterpoint to the funk experimentation of West Africa. Reissued for the very first time, Bra Sello returns in 2023 with limited replica editions from Afrodelic using master tape sources from the As Shams / The Sun collection. Afrodelic’s unique edition of Butterfly features a previously unreleased track on Side B.

HHV Exclusive edition on green wax, limited to 100 copies

Recorded in September 1975 at Columbia Studio, “Story Of Wind Behind Left” is a symphonic poem in the shape of a suite. On the album, Masahiko Togashi uses music to communicate the same feelings evoked by nature. The drummer demonstrates unique composition and performance skills in the way he imitates the sounds of nature or takes inspiration from nature itself to make music. With “Story Of Wind Behind Left,” Masahiko Togashi revolutionized the Japanese jazz scene. The record includes an insert with the original liner notes translated into English.

Limited to 500 copies on transparent yellow vinyl in gatefold sleeve, exclusively available at HHV.

Green vinyl edition limited to 100 copies. Only available at HHV Records.

Licensed in 1975 by Gemelli, Rendez Vous is possibly a holy grail in Nicolai long-running career as a composer. The orchestra director and musical editor has been active for at least 30 years and his majestic opus an overwhelming data for any avantgarde freak or moviegoer obsessed. While studying piano and composition at the Santa Cecilia Conservatory in Rome, he befriended Ennio Morricone and formed a long working relationship, with Nicolai eventually conducting for and co-scoring films with Morricone. Nicolai also scored a number of giallo exploitation films and wrote many scores for director Jesús Franco. His work was featured in the Quentin Tarantino films Kill Bill: Volume 2 and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. Tension! Pretty much what this whole record is all about. An imaginary soundtrack that turned out to be an in-demand obscure library, Rendez Vous shows up the many skills of the composer and his alumni. Possibly Morricone is playing muted trumpet in several episodes – Diffidenza and Subdolamente – absorbing thrilling experiences similar to the Maestro soundtracks for Dario Argento early movies (not a case that Nicolai was the conductor for several adventures in movie sound theatre such as ‘L’Uccello Dalle Piume Di Cristallo’, ‘ Il Gatto A Nove Code’ or ‘4 Mosche Di Velluto Grigio’).

HHV Exclusive edition on clear blue wax, limited to 100 copies worldwide.

First ever reissue!! Psychedelic Latin-funk holy grail from Nicaragua, 1974!! Poder del Alma (“Soul Power”) was a supergroup formed by some of the best musicians from the Nica scene. This all-star band of nine members was assembled to play at the famous free concert of Santana in Managua in benefit for the 1972 earthquake. After that successful gig supporting the Latin-Rock superstar, what was to be a one-night stand became the seed of the most loved Nicaraguan act from the 70s. All the members had already played an important role in the history of the Nica music / hippie scene in the 1960s. Among them, we can find Román Cerpas (previously on Bwana), René “Chapo Domínguez (Los Rockets), Edgar “El Gato” Aguilar… A few months after the Managua concert with Santana, Poder del Alma traveled to Guatemala to record their first long play for Dideca (Discos De Centroamérica, S.A.) in just one week of recording sessions. Despite the low budget and precarious recording equipment, the band managed to obtain a powerful psychedelic / afro / funk-rock sound full of electric guitar, heavy drums, hot, percussion, horns, Spanish male/female vocals…featuring titles like “El Valle del Ayatimbo”, “Ia-Taa Yo”, “Zúmbale”…