Latin | Brazil Vinyl 268 Items

The latest sonic adventure by King Coya, danceable alter ego of Gaby Kerpel (De La Guarda, Fuerza Bruta) a pioneer of Latin American folklore fused with electronic music, is called “Tierra de King Coya” (Land of King Coya) where rhythms such as the wayno and instruments from the Andes like the ronroco and tarka, are digitally intertwined with the ritual of dance and celebration. Like a sorcerer from the future, King Coya creates a map of sound exploration navigating the continent through his digital point of view. For this project he incorporates his own voice and also plays a smattering of live instruments.
Since his debut as King Coya with “Cumbias de Villa Donde” (2009) Gaby has produced remixes for artists such as Amadou & Mariam, Brazilian Girls, Julieta Venegas, Luzmila Carpio, Chancha Via Circuito, Tom Tom Club, Petrona Martinez and Magin Díaz amongst others. As well as forming part of the band Terraplén (2010) produced by Santaolalla and the album “Tira Torito” along the coplera Balvina Ramos.
The journey through the “Land of King Coya” begins with “Te Digo Wayno” a powerful track that highlights the joy of dance, and makes a poetic introduction of the Queen Cholas, a dance trio that performs with him during live shows. A true ceremony of celebration that integrates the audience into a singular immersive experience.
The album features diverse guest singers such as: La Yegros - musical companion from his first shows at Zizek Club and for whom he has produced 3 albums. On the first single “Algo” (Something) a sort of kuduro mutates into and Andean dub. For the song “Tierra de King Coya” a combination of Colombian buyerengue and Argentine carnavalito we find La Walichera’s enchanting voice. Balvina Ramos collaborates on “Pa que yo Te Cure” a remix of the song “Linda Flor” (Tira Torito - 2012). Iara Nara - one of the Queen Cholas - jumps in on the track “Pachamá” with airs of a coplera singer over dancehall beats, reinforcing the main objective of bringing folklore to the dancefloor.
“Como Saber” (How to know) and “Dorremi” invoke his foundational album “Carnavalito”, (Nonesuch Records 2001) instilling a particular energy to this album that aims to represent the journey in which Gaby Kerpel ultimately becomes King Coya. The end of this road comes with “Icaro Llama Planta” alongside Isabel Pinedo Rengifo’s mystical voice, a healer from the Shipibo community (Peru), whos shamanic chants invite the listener to reconnect with the earth and give closure to this festive ceremony.

Official Mr Bongo reissue. Replica original artwork, including the insert with listening instructions, in Spanish and English. Luis Pérez was born in Mexico City on July 11, 1951. From 1971 onwards he dedicated much of his time to the research of pre-Columbian instrumentation.
This research that allowed him to travel the Mexican territory and study musical traditions of the native peoples of Mexico. He learned directly from the living sources of the music and collected samples of musical instruments and the songs of different native speakers including Maya, Nahuatl, Mazateco, Yoemem, Comcaac, Raramuri, Wixarika and more. His personal collection of native Mexican instruments includes ethnographic instruments still in use by ethnic groups, along with archaeological artifacts some of which are more than 2,000 years old. He continuously utilises these instruments in performances, concerts, lectures, exhibitions and recordings, in a sense, keeping them alive.
Following a decade playing in Mexico City’s psychedelic rock scene, his early solo work was a mixture of sounds derived from his vast array of pre-Hispanic and ethnographic wind and percussions which he managed to blend with electronic devices including tape delay units, electric guitars and synthesisers. During this time, he was given the name ‘Ixoneztli’ (or “one who makes music”) by the legendary ‘curandera’ Pachita and her son Enrique, to whom, like Alejandro Jodorowsky before him, Luis served as assistant.
In 1981, the Mexican government became very interested Pérez work and sponsored the production of what became the first recording of the fusion of native mexican instruments with electronics – entitled ‘Ipan In Xiktli Metztli,’ in the Nahuatl language, or ‘En el Ombligo de la Luna’ in Spanish… ‘In the Navel of the Moon.’ The impact of this recording and subsequent performances among media, ethnomusicologists and audiences alike established Luis Perez ‘Ixoneztli’ as a precursor to a new musical genre followed by a generation of young Mexican musicians – Ethno-Rock, Ethno-Jazz, Ethno-Experimental and the like. ‘El Ombligo de la Luna’ reaches us from deep in the past but it also exists entirely outside of time, as Luis Pérez ‘Ixoneztli’’s offering to the world – the soul of Mexico channeled through the hands of a master musician.
Huge thanks to Carlos Nino for his assistance on this very special project.
Copy adapted from original copy written and supplied by Jesse Peterson (2017), used with thanks. Licensed direct from Luis Pérez.

The second volume of this amazing series with classic tunes from Caribbean music that became great successes of salsa. Compiled by Pablo Yglesias aka DJ Bongohead.

Paz en La Tierra is a result of a search by the Meridian Brothers & Conjunto Media Luna of the heart of something that can be called a 'power format' of Colombian Caribbean music; Accordion, Guacharaca, Caja, Congas, Electric bass, and vocals.

Departing from this idea, and casually working with the music of a documentary on the famous singer Diomedes Diaz, Iván Medellín (accordionist of Conjunto media luna), and Eblis Álvarez from the Meridian Brothers, embarked on a new work building a sound exclusively on the traditional format, searching for several spaces between the lines in the universe of accordion in Colombian music.

The duo departed from the basic: the line of vallenato, the most famous in the country but not the only one, the line of sabanero music more of the lands of Sucre and Córdoba inclined towards cumbia, bullerengue, son vallenato among other airs fed the group's ideas. The Barranquilla center deserves a separate mention, due to its cosmopolitan approach, using all kinds of influences, from the Caribbean islands to ancient rhythms or even modern rock and funk, also used as an inspiration for this record.

In the process, new ways of melody appeared and new ways of expression emerged. Although the rhythms used in the record are rooted in the traditional, the duo glitched those rhythms turning them into new directions in the style, using exclusively the past references to transmute the sound into something that looks inside a parallel future.

Using several theatrical situations, alterations in musical structures, and slight deformations of the traditional harmony (a tonal center and its dominant) the result of "Paz en la Tierra" is enigmatic and charming, and at the same time directed towards the dance floor keeping the past alive and flourishing the essence of the tradition.

Rocafort Records celebrates its 10th anniversary with an alternate cover repress of one of the labels most celebrated releases.
Recorded in 1967 and lost for almost 50 years until its discovery and release in 2015, The Nitty Gritty Sextet album features the best musicians from the 60's NY Latin scene: Jimmy Sabater, Louie Ramirez, Tito Puente, Charlie Palmieri, Willie Torres…. and has often been described as one of the best boogaloo era albums.
Limited edition vinyl release!

Debut album by prize-winning recording artist, composer & arranger NATALIE GREFFEL out of Berlin. Natalie was born in post-colonial Mozambique and raised in Denmark from infancy. After moving to Berlin in 2010 to attend a music conservatory, and while engaged in various projects - RADIO CITIZEN, KARL HECTOR & THE MALCOUNS, ONOM AGEMO & THE DISCO JUMPERS - that exercised her stylistic flexibility. She was introduced to the pianist of Brazilian star Ed Motta; he encouraged her to record a demo. Inspired anew by the harmonic structures of Antonio Carlos Jobim, Hermeto Pascoal, Noel Rosa, Nelson Cavaquinho, Milton Nascimento, Elza Soares, Elis Regina, Gilberto Gil and Chico Buarque - architects of Brazilian music - Natalie began to interpret these blueprints in her own unique lexicon.

The Caribbean has long been an incubator for the sounds that will animate and shape the culture of the rest of the world for decades to come: From the rhythms of Cuba helping to shape American jazz, blues and rock n’ roll, to Trinidadian calypso introducing a bouncy lightness and gaiety to American party music, to Jamaica’s reggae showing a new way to rebel against convention. But what about the music of Belize, the Caribbean nation that holds the odd position of being a former British colony on the coat of Spanish-speaking Central America? Most people don’t know about the country at all, let alone about the rich sounds it has to offer. Bredda David Obi set out to change that in 1984 with the release of his debut LP No Fear, and the introduction of a new Belizean groove he called kungo or cungo. A mélange of traditional Belizean brukdown music and sprinklings of the rock, funk, calypso and reggae he had played n various bands during his years as a journeyman in the United States. He would further develop this modern tropical sound on subsequent albums, integrating more and more elements from Belizean niche genres like sambai and paranda. Cultures of Soul is proud to take part in documenting Bredda David’s journey into the soul of Belize with an anthology of his early recordings including tracks from No Fear, Cungo Musik 1987 and We No Wa No Kimba Ya 1990 albums. Bredda David’s kungo is hard to describe exactly—its various ingredients make it feel somewhat familiar, but the recipe with which he blends them is slightly strange, fresh and intriguing. But one thing is for certain, it is sure to electrify the dance floor and make everybody jump up and bruk down! Housed in a gatefold jacket with extensive liner notes by Uchenna Ikonne.

Recorded in 2003, 2009, 2012 and 2013 by Alfredo Bello in little communities, beaches, friends' houses and studios.
Edited between 2009 and 2013 by Alfredo Bello in trains, boats, planes, hotels rooms, waiting rooms and other spaces.
Mixed by Maira Martucci at Studio Itamundo and Banzai Studio - São Paulo, Brasil.
Produced by DJ Tudo vs. Mad Professor vs. Dr. Das.

Joey Pastrana had a special gift for singing
songs in both English and Spanish. Along with
other boogaloo luminaries like Pete Rodriguez
and Joe Cuba; Joey Pastrana was responsible
for introducing Latin music to many English
speakers across America. With a wonderful and
talented orchestra, Joey Pastrana paved the
way for the new Latin music fusions that have
come to be known as the Latin boogaloo.
A master of the timbales, Pastrana was also
a brilliant singer known internationally for
his energizing live performances. Honing his
musical skills in his beloved New York City,
Joey was enamored at an early age by the
sights and sounds coming out of Spanish
Harlem during the early sixties. Taking his cue
from the R&B and Jazz that was popular at that
time, Pastrana became a master of rolling
rhythms that shook up hips in dance floors
throughout the world. One of the top artists of
the boogaloo/Latin soul era, Joey Pastrana’s
music is regarded as one the most wonderful
and exquisite examples of the world-famous
New York Latin sound.

The first instalment in our new ‘Mr Bongo Record Club’ compilation series – a
selection of favourites, recent discoveries and sought after obscurities, which
form the basis of our DJ sets and our radio show of the same name. Including
cuts by Claudia, Cortex, Dave Pike Set, Fruko, Neno Exporta Som, Connie
Laverne, Barbosa and more.
The original concept for ‘Mr Bongo Record Club’ was a radio show that allowed
us to air our treasured record collections, recorded and broadcast once a
month. We wanted to create an outlet free from any genre or BPM restrictions,
not constrained by the need to beat-mix every record, a space where we could
play latest finds alongside favourites. The only self-imposed rule being that
it had to be played from vinyl.
We have always DJ’d across-the-board, but playing in an eclectic way hasn’t
always been easy. Recently DJ’s such as MCDE, Floating Points, Nick The Record,
Leon Vynehall, Four Tet, Jeremy Underground, Antal (Rush Hour), Sassy J and
Young Marco – to name a few – have opened things up with very diverse sets to
younger audiences; Brazilian samba-rock, next to modern soul, highlife, disco,
boogie, jazz, house, techno and beyond.
We’re seeing a rare groove like sensibility. A shift towards the attitude of
legendary club nights hosted by the likes of Mr Scruff and Gilles Peterson,
where you could hear house, hip hop, Turkish funk, boogie, jazz, dub and Latin
back to back. At the same time it isn't a nostalgic or retro movement, people
have a progressive attitude and a thirst for new-old music. It is a vibrant and
exciting time – we are proud to be a part of it.

Any DJ set tells you, unconsciously or not, about its author.

Through the record choices and the way they are organized, one can feel the DJ’s state of mind and find out a bit more about the musical deposit discovered that is being shared and dug through by him or her at the moment.

The appetite for diggin’, the quest for a novelty or a forgotten rarity is what makes a DJ set a true organic living matter constantly fueled although not always, unfortunately, respected.

Time stretching. Too many DJ’s made a pact with this diabolical creature. A true digital steamroller that runs over the rhythm to fix the tempo while leaving behind an agonizing drummer whose sole crime was to have been carried away by his energy and having moved forward the BPM. At the end, everything that gave charm and life to the track, its imperfections and the peculiar fact that it makes you dance faster towards its end… all these along with all the lively movements contained within the track are reduced to nothing.

My conception of music and DJ sets is the exact opposite. Since the first volume of Straight From The Decks, my DJ sets have been redesigned, refreshed and improved. However, there was no preexisting plan, they evolved naturally following my new desires. The famous core of my indispensable musical choices started to morph little by little into something different without losing sight of its center of gravity which remains undoubtedly afro-tropical.

No matter which track, its style and its origin, the quality of the music that is brought to my ears is always my sole and primary concern.

In this selection, you’ll find 7” vinyl records available to everyone sitting proudly next to some rarities found online and acquired through nerve-raking auctions battles. There are indeed exclusive remixes along with titles that until now were only available in their digital formats. Now for the first time they are available here in vinyl format. Obviously, if you have chosen the CD format, that precision doesn’t really matter… Sixteen titles which have become the heart of my sets throughout this past year. A heart which in a year will beat to a certainly different drum…

Pura Vida

Guts

The latest release in the much loved Mr Bongo Record Club Series, Available on CD, 2LP Standard Vinyl & Special Edition 2LP Pink Translucent Vinyl. Curating the tracks for a Mr Bongo Record Club compilation is always such a pleasure. At a time when the expression "Music is My Sanctuary" has an even greater cathartic impact for many people, we set out to make this volume an extra special one - like an old favourite mixtape or playlist. For Volume 4 in this series we continue in the same mould as with previous editions, selecting current favorites and rare lost gems from the Brazilian, African, soul, funk, and disco genres. We present tracks from artists such as Azwon, Cindy & The Playmates, and Zé Roberto to name just a few. However, one main departure and progression to this edition is the first time inclusion of recordings by contemporary artists. These come from Matthew Tavares (of Badbadnotgood fame), Wax Machine, and DJ Format & The Simonsound, which were originally featured on either limited private press vinyl releases or were previously only available digitally. We felt their inclusion was important and wanted to share these wonderful discoveries with a wider audience. They also complement, enrich, and fit perfectly with the flow and journey of the compilation. Here at Mr Bongo we hope you will enjoy this selection of seventeen eclectic songs (in tempo and style) as much as we do, whether they make you move your feet, take you on a trip somewhere, or trigger a happy memory.

The legendary music publisher KPM, famous for its iconic music library catalogue, commissioned a group of musicians in 2018 to write and record an authentic tribute to the early 70’s Latin Soul Boogaloo. Although not intended for commercial release, this vinyl LP is a limited pressing of just 500 copies and features 15 new grooves inspired the greats of the era such as Tito Puente, Ray Barretto and Machito. Ray Lopez and his band recorded the session in the traditional way using the same microphone direct to reel tape. Vamanos!

Follow-up album to cult-classic debut, Mantra Moderne.

‘Melodi’ is the second album from captivating duo Kit Sebastian (aka Kit Martin and Merve Erdem). Those familiar with the band's cult classic 2019 debut record 'Mantra Moderne' will instantly recognise their unique sound that blurs boundaries of world music, jazz and psychedelia. Not to be content replicating the same album, sonically the feel of ‘Melodi’ is a maturation. It is more diverse and provides glimpses into many different worlds from the Italian Riviera to the mountains of the Caucasus, the beaches of Bahia to the city streets of Istanbul and Paris. This joyous merging of soundscapes evokes a borderless planet with music as an international language, belonging everywhere and nowhere.

‘Melodi’ is imbued with Kit Sebastian's love of vintage records and world cinema, but it is not a retro homage. It celebrates its influences but is very much a modern record, being simultaneously brand new and retro. This is a credit to the duo's craft as musicians and songwriters, presenting their influences as a circular interaction between the present and the past rather than a linear one.

The music was written during the first UK lockdown and recorded that summer, a time of opening up that only briefly existed. In a world with a slower pace than before the Covid crisis, the band were able to spend more time experimenting in the studio. The album’s range of instrumentation has expanded from the previous record to include zithers, harpsichords, congas, bongos, bulbul tarang, and a mock-up choir on top of the synthesizers, balalaikas, organs, and saxophones. Session musicians and friends were also booked to introduce trumpet and string sections giving the album an added depth and orchestral texture. Despite the added complexity, the album was recorded using the same techniques employed for the previous album with various tape machines, bouncing back between cassette and ¼” tape for practicality and sonic abstraction. To pierce through this abstraction, the vocals are intentionally more expressive. Merve took cues from the Turkish singers of her youth, adding a slightly more melancholic, darker and more reflective style than 'Mantra Moderne’. Rooted in observations from everyday life, they speak often about the worlds and thoughts that arise from the end of the night.

Like with many of the best albums, the record seems over all too soon and has you instantly wanting to play it again. On each listen you decide on a track that you think is your favourite from the album only for it to be replaced with a different one on the next listen. The songs and production have hidden depths that seem to evolve and morph the more you devour them. Moments of pure pop, moments to fall in love, moments to contemplate. This journey is rich in musical vitamins and nourishment, but like all the best things still leaves you wanting more.

Lucas Arruda’s born in 1983, in a Brazilian state called Espírito Santo, near Rio de Janeiro. Coming from a musical family (his dad and older brother are musicians) he started playing and listening to music very young. At the age of 13, he was also playing professionally already. After studying electric guitar and playing in various bands, Lucas passion quickly turned into Rhodes and keyboards, expanding his musical range of skills. At the same time he started a project called Du Black, with his older brother Thiago, quickly receiving various local support from people like Ed Motta, William Magalhães (Banda Black Rio), Robert Lamm (Chicago) or Hyldon (Brazilian soul legend). From the growing notoriety obtained, the band began to work with various other artists and singers such as Tamy Macedo, or Bossa Nova’s legend, Leila Pinheiro, leading Lucas to build a recording studio with Thiago in 2011. Now 2 years after he launched this home-studio, here comes “Sambadi”, first solo album by Lucas Arruda! On this recording he also started to team up with Fabricio di Monaco (Modo Solar), who clearly became a fundamental piece, as Lucas relates: “Fabricio introduced me to Pascal Rioux at Favorite Recordings, as they released his EP few years ago. He’s a brilliant musician and a great human being.” In Lucas’ words, Sambadi is highly inspired by Rio de Janeiro. As for the musical side, the album almost sounds like a tribute to his longtime heroes like Stevie Wonder, Curtis Mayfield, Marcos Valle, Azymuth, or Robson Jorge & Lincoln Olivetti. And Lucas also humbly concludes: “I really hope to honor all the guys who influenced me.”

Since the release of his 2 first albums on Favorite Recordings, Lucas Arruda has quickly established himself as one of the most talented young artist and composer from Brazil. His music is filled with fusion style, mixing influences and elements from his Latin musical background, with his genuine admiration for Jazz, Soul, Pop and Funk music.
In spring 2015, it was also not surprising to find Lucas Arruda back with a new LP called Solar, receiving great supports and feedbacks from international media and tastemakers. One of the highlight of the album was the song “Melt the Night”, on which Lucas teamed up with legendary producer Leon Ware, reminding his collaborations in the 80s with Marcos Valle, when they perfectly merged together the sophisticated Boogie and AOR touch from California, with the blazing sense of rhythm from Brazil.
Today Favorite Recordings proudly present Onda Nova, new and third album by Lucas Arruda. Mostly written, composed and arranged by himself, Lucas however teams up on a few tracks with his old mate Fabio di Monaco (Modo Solar), his brother and musical partner Thiago Arruda, who recently joined Ed Motta’s live band, or Gaël Benyamin, also known as Geyster, who brings his longtime “savoir-faire” and skills for writing and composing AOR and WestCoast music genre, and who share this deep passion with Lucas.
Onda Nova is therefore pursuing the music direction set with Solar, mixing touch of Blue-Eyed-Soul, Pop, Soul and Brazilian styles together, and influenced by the path of legendary Brazilian producer Lincoln Olivetti, who recorded some of the biggest stars of Brazilian music (Marcos Valle, Jorge Ben, Tim Maia…).
In Lucas words: “In this record I really wanted to honor Robson Jorge & Lincoln Olivetti. They are the main influence on this record. We recorded the basic tracks for the album in the same studio that Lincoln Olivetti did his last works. So, this was very important to capture the true essence of Brazilian Funk/AOR tradition. Hope you guys enjoy it!”

Tempo dos Mestres (Time of the Masters) is the second album from the tireless, young Brazilian guitarist Fabiano Do Nascimento.
It finds its roots in the depths of the Amazon rainforest, passed down through generations of Native Brazilians, and is imbibed by
the Afro-Brazilian culture that arose after Portuguese colonization. This blend is not new in Brazil, and is represented musically by
great Brazilian musicians both known and celebrated - the guitarist Baden Powell and catalyst Hermeto Pascoal, both direct
influences on Do Nascimento - and less exposed, like the experimentalist Carioca, one of Do Nascimento’s mentors, and the
Brazilian psychedelic pioneer Lula Cortes, whose album Paebiru rewrote Brazilian rock’s history in 1975.
It is the third Brazilian album released on Now-Again, following Seu Jorge and Almaz and Do Nascimento’s debut Dança dos
Tempos. Do Nascimento's is joined on Tempo dos Mestres by his long time percussionist, Ricardo "Tiki" Pasillas on trap drums
and percussion, and Sam Gendel on saxophone and flute. Vocals are performed by Thalma de Freitas and Carla Hasset.
These tracks were recorded live in the studio with no overdubs, straight to 2” analog-tape, and only sparingly mastered to focus
on the subtleties of the performances. Do Nascimento’s fans include legendary percussionist Airto Moreira, who recorded Dança
dos Tempos and can be found playing live with Do Nascimento. "He’s Brazilian but (his mind is) from a place in Brazil that is not
common.” Moreira states. “Fortunately, we still have some musicians who like to play music and who like to touch the instrument
and who like that energy!”
Do Nascimento takes his music, and his place in Brazil’s lineage, seriously, and he often travels the vast country, spending time in
the rainforest, living life as it was lived in the distant past, while studying with still living masters as he searches for new directions
of the path trod by the geniuses whose influence abounds in contemporary music, but whose names are still unfamiliar.
“Being a musician - feeling, studying, experiencing, living music -this comes first, right?” Do Nascimento questions. “ Second,
we hope that the depths of knowledge in the music from the masters before us can be shared more, each time, to the younger
generations coming.” In Tempo dos Mestres Do Nascimento answers himself with a beautiful entry into the evolving language of
timeless Brazilian music.

Brazilian arranger and composer Hareton Salvanini was born in Bauru and grew up in Campinas. S.P 73 is his first LP – he worked tirelessly with his right man and brother, Ayrton, was a theatre director. The 'Hareton + Meta' EP was written and recorded for one of Ayrton’s productions – Hareton wrote the music, Ayrton the lyrics – which was given out at performances.

S.P 73 was recorded with the full Campinas Teatro Municipal Orchestra, the same orchestra that that featured on ‘Hareton + Meta’ EP. It is a wonderful, deep soundscape of filmic MPB melodies, strings, organ, woodwind, drums and vocals. A record that sits alongside Verocai’s self-titled LP perfectly.

Folkloric Brasilian/Afro-Brasilian music taken into the future. Featuring Airto Moreira. Dança dos Tempos is the debut album from thrilling, young Brazilian guitarist Fabiano do
Nascimento, and it features legendary percussionist Airto Moreira in his first album project in
over ten years. Dança dos Tempos follows folkloric Brazilian music as experienced through the
mind and able fingers of an expansive musician, not yet thirty years old, and combines the
heady ‘60s and ‘70s experimentalism of Hermeto Pascoal and Baden Powell with the childlike
elegance of music played and passed down by native Brazilians for generations. It is the
second Brazilian album released on Now-Again, following Seu Jorge and Almaz.
Moreira, the bandleader, songwriter and producer who recorded a bevy of titles under his own
name, with his wife Flora Purim, and whose resume contains the names of - seriously - every
musician worth mentioning from America or Brazil from the past 50 years - plays percussion on
the album and is joined by do Nascimento's long time drummer, Ricardo "Tiki" Pasillas on trap
drums. Do Nascimento and Kana Shimanuki handle vocals on what is otherwise an airy instrumental
album that allows the guitarist's virtuosity to shine through originals, folkloric Brazilian
songs, and select covers by the likes of Pascoal and Powell, both formative influences on the
guitarist.
These duets show the camaraderie that two master Brazilian musicians - of two different
generations, but of the same spirit - share with comrades of ages past as they imagine music
for the years to come. These tracks were recorded live in the studio with no overdubs, straight
to 2” analog-tape, and only sparingly mastered to focus on the subtleties of the performances.

Henri Guédon is an artistic legend from Martinique. Musician, painter, sculptor and one of the main architects of modern Caribbean/Antilles music. Taking the music to truly new and progressive territory from the late 1960’s onward. Karma, his 2nd album is one of the holy grails of the Caribbean cosmic Latin/Jazz scene, near impossible to find in this day and age. Released in 1975 on a small Parisian label, La Voix Du Globe, a label releasing Algerian, Moroccan and Egyptian records, the album was an anomalous release in their catalog. Karma was a convincing and unswerving statement following his stunning landmark debut LP (Cosmozouk Percussion). Incorporating African, Latin and West Indies styles (Gwoka, Mazouk, Biguine, Bel-Air, Bomba...) with cosmic synths swirling all over intense roots percussion. The songs are propelled with a spiritual Jazz vibe mixing with deep ethno-folk music from Martinique and Guadeloupe. The LP belongs to the same vein as as Marius Cultier, Louis Xavier or William Onyeabor for its totally original take on a hybrid music.

Careful, “Let’s not get angry” suggests Spartaco Sax, the famed song accompanying French daily paper FRANCE-SOIR’s campaign against road violence: music isn’t that serious, often times really not. In any case, it is with this not so serious ear that one should listen to this selection of chachacha, mambo and other genres to twist and madison to, as music-lovers pinch their noses and block their ears. And yet, these breezy and light songs under their false airs of effortlessness draw out an astonishing analysis of late 1950s France with its partying baby boomers. Put on your dancing shoes, everyone on the dancefloor, let’s go baby.
The record starts out with an esoteric organ, a guitar straight out of a western, a vibey rhythm section, a speeding saxophone, a glamorous voice, a curious keyboard, a slightly panicky tempo… “Please Mr Hitchock!” calls out a voice from the unknown, on an arrangement that’s about to lose control.
The tone is set. Eins Zwei Drei, cries out Spartaco Andreoli, creator of the Chachacha for tunas, lyrics that are absurd accompanying music that isn’t so much so. And this is just the beginning. I can already see those making fun of it, and yes, I admit it does sound a bit comically-tragic, but more often than not, a persistent riff or melody will get stuck in your head, a chorus that you’ll start unintentionally humming, your foot that starts beating unbeknownst to you. “C’est bon ça dis donc !” (This is pretty good), suggest the Los Goragueros, at the start of their Mambo Miam Miam (Yum Yum). A smooth sax, a double bass that sways and shattering percussions, this song anonymously written by Alain Goraguer (there is often an “os” (bone), added to the band name for a little authenticity, i.e Los Chiquitos and Los Albinos) is actually quite tasty. This arranger and pianist who went on to write the indispensable Planète Sauvage (Wild Planet) is not the only one to have advanced half-masked in these tropical times. Just as Michel Legrand devoted himself to rock music, for better or worst.
Tropical music and France go way back. Indeed, this tropism for exotic music, not without the mannerisms that go with it, has been around. Just think of the period between both world wars, when the Paris of the roaring twenties fluttered to the sound of Latin-American orchestras. The influential Brazilian musician Pixinguinha came through in 1922, the charismatic Cuban singer Rita Montaner triumphed a few years later at the famed Palace and the brilliant clarinettist Stellio from Martinique had everyone dancing through the night to the beguine (a dance style from Martinique)… Seedy cabarets and fishy clubs mixing up different peoples and music until the early hours. From Montparnasse to Montmartre, dancing clubs bloomed throughout the capital while the World Exhibition sold a rather uncertain idea of the other tropics: a discounted and fantasized exotic dream of island life. It’s in bars like Jimmy’s, by La Coupole, or the Melody’s nestled in the heights of Pigalle, where Don Marino Barreto’s (Cuban pianist and singer who emigrated to Paris in the 1920s) orchestra made the heyday of a surreal and carefree Paris. Parisian Ray Ventura and his band Les Collégiens, quite the breeding ground for funny songs, at times almost delirious, were always a big part of the party.
And after the Second World War, it started all over again. Rico’s Creole Band was one of the great Creole orchestras to sway all of Paris, the Blomet Ball brought together the Afro-Caribbean communities, L’Escale became an essential dancing ground for lovers of Latin music, the pianist Eddie Warner was one of these pillars, accompanied by his “rhythms”, a “witty orchestra with 85% of French musicians, only the percussionists were South American”. Another jazzman, Henri Rossotti, also navigated in the warm waters of these gentle tropical shores. They covered sambas and mambos, adapting Benny Moré and Pérez Prado. Hot, like the hard-hitting Benny Bennett and his orchestra of Latin American music, which ended up being the training grounds of many apprentice improvisers. On the menu: calypso, merengue… and of course chachacha. Shortly after, the Los Machucambos, a South American band created in the Latin Quarter performed music between guajira and flamenco and its song Pepito marked the start of the trio’s success.
At the time, Latin-style combos were all the rage in France such as the chachacha which was officially invented in the early 1950s by Enrique Jorrin, soon followed by the pachanga, becoming a staple of black-and-white films. In the long run, this music has become a sort of French standard, adapted by many: Boris Vian oftentimes, Bourvil, Bob Azzam, Gainsbourg, Carlos (jokingly), Louis Chedid, Vanessa Paradis… Taking it a little far, you could even detect the beginnings of the french touch. This Chachacha affair is emblematic of the atypical history of popular music, that of back-alleys, far from the paths and furrows of glory. Music, raised from the grave and dusted off by the Born Bad record label. In terms of latin music, these records that were patiently found in flea markets are becoming a rarity, even if most are worth three euros and six cents: this low cost hobby is underestimated by licensed collectors, who run like lunatics towards triple-zero rarities.
Chachacha Transistor, predicted the unlikely Jacky Ary, known for his less digestible Mange des tomates (Eat tomatoes). With the approach of the 1960s, typical music styles were found all over the country, from the northern plains to the southern sea. Never failing to cheer up dances, nor to whet the appetite of a burgeoning industry, which often seized it by opportunism, not without a tinge of cynicism. After all, one must sell records to the desolate youth, at all costs and any price. These 7-inch vinyl records were therefore recorded at Barclay, Vogue and co. Low-consumption products intended to supply the shelves of budding suburban supermarkets. The idea was to convert a North-American trend in the studio, by summoning old geezers (Paul Mauriat under the pseudonym of Eduardo Ruo, at the top of the list…) who would play young and interpret these rhythms with a distorted vision. All for just one season and all this before summer hits were a thing. It was already the same idea though, but in more of a D.I.Y fashion. A quick fix, just enough time for the producers to get some juicy revenue, the same ones who recruited teams to perform these “inferior” works. Most were flops, but a few made it big such as Jean Yanne answering to Henri Salvador for Allo Brigitte, a classic of the “comic-musical” genre. It’s author Norma Maine went on to write quite a few of these quirky songs.
Most had improbable dialogue, as well as senseless adaptations such as the Marchand de melons (The Melon Merchant) distorting Herbie Hancock’s Watermelon Man, a result of automatic writing in order to come up with ridiculous lyrics. What can be said about Tarte à la nana (Girl Pie), and how about Ça c’est du poulet ? (This is Chicken?) Or the terrible Soukou Soukou, on the limit of bad taste, words of a colonist… When it comes to reappropriating foreign know-how, the results can turn out strange like a surreal shock of cultures. Improbable mixes, like chacha bebop, latino tempo and scat jazz… It all definitely swings and is sometimes even quite impressive. Because magical loose moments are to be found in these records made to order, records that were just trying to recreate a successful pre-existing North American formula. They recorded them on the line, in the original spirit, or inconspicuously modified them, not only for fun, but also for the pleasure of adding on a chorus which would take the song a little further, or a well adjusted rhyme that would denote a touch of derision, a French tradition that was to be repeated in rock as in punk, and even bossa nova. The key often being explosive arrangements, occasionally beautiful choruses, radiant mishaps, confusing mistakes, not necessarily off-topic, all in all some sweet musical trips that always have an effect on the dancefloor when it’s time to boogie. Try it out, you’ll see, it works every time, if you don’t abuse of it. Moderation is recommended for this music that should be served either at cocktail hour or after midnight…

‘Os Orixas’ is rich in layered percussion, horns and guitars. Singer Eloah’s lead vocals are reminiscent of the likes of Ellen McIlwaine, Elza Soares and Joyce. Samba, funk, folk, jazz and MPB over ijexa and African grooves, that combine beautifully across the moods. Os Orixas refers to one of the manifestations of the ’supreme God’ in the Yoruba faith.

The songs were written by Luis Berimbau, assisted by Ildásio Tavares. Berimbau was a very influential multi instrumentalist, poet, writer and composer from Bahia, Brazil. He produced the wonderful folk/psychedelic rock group Perfume Azul Do Sol’s ‘Nascimento’ LP amongst many others.

Soundway Records presents the eponymous debut LP from in-demand Amsterdam five piece The Mauskovic Dance Band – fusing no-wave dance punk, Afro-Caribbean rhythms and space disco in a “controlled explosion” (The Quietus).
Entirely self-produced, the band has reiterated their favourite elements of the 70s and 80s legacy of the Afro-Latin psychedelic music of Colombia and Peru, interpreting it through the context of modern day Amsterdam. The output is a lo-fi No Wave groove all its own - rooted in a deep love of champeta, Palenque, psychedelic cumbia, chichi, classic afrobeat and picó soundsystem culture.
Since the release of their “Down In The Basement” EP on Soundway Records in early 2018, the band have found themselves on a hectic European touring schedule – not to mention being involved in other side projects. Following stints with Turkish psychedelic folk rock group Altin Gün, and touring with the re-formed 70s Zamrock outfit W.I.T.C.H., Nic Mauskovic also teamed up with Dutch neo-psychedelic artist Jacco Gardner to form the “cinematic Balearic disco” duo of Bruxas (released by Dutch institution Dekmantel) – and together, they mixed The Mauskovic Dance Band debut album in Lisbon.
Lead single Space Drum Machine encapsulates the band’s prototypical brand of busy rhythmic patterns interwoven with insistent synth stabs and vibrant disco toms, layered with an elastic guitar riff drawing inspiration from Kenyan kikuyu and benga styles. High-pitched vocals describe being on a flight together and inciting each other to press a button of unknown consequence with “push it, push it” - and push it they do, at breakneck pace. And of course, the undeniable influence of Amsterdam’s hotbed of underground dance producers shines through as it does on all tracks - with the vintage psychedelic swirl of synthesiser, lo-fi drum machines and tape recording.

El Salvador, the last frontier... the psychedelic revolution also reached this small country from Central America in the 60s, resulting in the formation of many teen garage bands. Until now, little was known about this amazing local music scene that took place in the late 60s and early 70s... a true musical revolution. Due to the lack of resources, musicians often had to build their own fuzz and effects pedals and in studio recordings, primitive tape experimentation and echo were often used... the result was a very unique sound, 100% raw & wild. Hear tremendous fuzzed-out covers of Doors, Blue Cheer, Country Joe & The Fish or Alan Bown along with cool self-penned songs. All tracks taken from very hard to find 45s, most of them unknown outside of El Salvador until now. Feat: Kiriaps, Los Saltos, San Miguel, Los Vikings, Los Rebeldes, Los Junior’s, Los Intocables… Includes color insert with detailed liner notes in English/Spanish and cool photos.

Nairobi, Kenya, 1978. In the Phonogram Ltd. music studio, the popular Congolese Rumba band Les Mangelepa is finishing a session. Things are going well: they have recorded all the music they planned and still have an hour to kill before giving back the studio keys. How about improvising one last song on the spot?
And this is how “Nyako Konya” was born. An incredible 9 minutes hypnotic jam, that’ll eventually become one of their biggest tunes, earning them a Gold record and international acclaim throughout Africa.
Meticulously restored and remastered by French engineer Nicolas Thelliez, the original version is featured here together with remixes by three talented producers: French House/Disco producer extraordinaire Yuksek and his wall of sound skills, Netherlands’ Afro lovers and world famous studio maverick Umoja delivering a space dub Lee Scratch Perry style, and last but not least, the trademarked syncopated stabs from Brooklyn’s Uproot Andy.

'Mantra Moderne' is a stunning, contemporary masterpiece that fuses Anatolian Psychedelia, Brazilian Tropicalia, 60’s European pop and American jazz. A must for fans of Khruangbin, Portishead, Arthur Verocai, Goat, Caetano Veloso, Tom Zé, Os Mutantes, Cortex and co.

The duo is formed of Kit Martin, who lives between London and France and plays all instruments on the album, and Merve Erdem, vocalist and multi-disciplinary artist from Istanbul, now based in London. This is their debut album.

The album explores universal themes such as love, loss, decay, language and ideology, mixing three different languages: English, Turkish and French. Written and recorded by the duo - Kit composed all the songs and Merve wrote the lyrics - in rural France during 2018, each song was completed within a 12-hour window, pawning contemplation for spontaneity.

Dubbed by Kit and Merve as ‘lo-fi-hi-fi’ in reference to the high-end tube equipment that helped it find its way to 8-track cassette tape. The style owes its sound to narrow tape width, valve distortion, spring reverb, the mixture of high end gear with lo-fi equipment as well as a disregard to the norms of hi-fi studio techniques. All instruments were analogue and no samples were used. The instruments that are used range from tablas to darbukas, balalaikas to ouds, MS20 synths to Farfisa organs and a lot of cuica. The mixing techniques were done on-the-fly, tracking immediately to tape: compression, EQ, delay and reverb; meaning mixing could not be revisited!

“Home studio experimentations in Electronic Jazz from the 80’s/90’s! All instrumentation played by one of Spain’s most cherished singer/songwriters & Dolores member”
Spanish Maestro Pedro Ruy-Blas is a cherished composer and singer in Spain, well known for his part in the seventies fusion band Dolores. Since the age of electronic music making and home studio, Pedro bought the latest equipment and started making his own music. This compilation features a varied selection from his own tapes dating 80’s and 90’s – It’s DIY Electronic Jazz music emphasizing organic textures and utilizing the latest of Midi and sequencing tools, echoing those days of Dolores. Comes with digital download limited to 500 copies.

Guadeloupe 1986. The football World Cup has all the Islanders' eyes riveted to their TV sets. At every half time breaks, local TV channel RFO broadcasts a music video on repeat: ‘’Tou’t Jou Pa Min’m". Max Rambhojan, the local singer responsible for this monster tune, has arrived.
In the video, he effortlessly sings and kickstarts a joyous street party with his band, Show Man, his dancers, kids, friends, family and what seems like the whole neighbourhood. The song will gain cult status from then on, cementing the power of the 'Zouk Chiré' sound, a high tempo version of Zouk, highly influenced by Guadeloupe's Carnival mass drum bands. Max self-releases his first solo album on vinyl in 1985, enrolling some of the best musicians the scene has to offer: his band leader King Klero, Guy Jacquet of les Vikings de la Guadeloupe fame on production duties, Ramon Pyrmée on synths, Claude Vamur, Meliza… In 1992 a new solo album follows. By then the artists have familiarized themselves with computers and the sound has gone full-on digital. In that album Max records an updated version of his “Tou’t Jou Pa Min’m” anthem to great effect.
Reducing Max Rambhojan to a zouk artist would be a mistake. He’s first and foremost a master of Gwo-Ka, a musical practice born during the transatlantic slave trade and performed by all ethnic and religious groups of Guadeloupe. It has never ceased to exist and has become a major part of the Island folk music culture. Max Rambhojan was schooled as a kid by Gwo-Ka pioneer Guy Conquette, and quickly joined the backing band of another legend, Ti-Sélès. That sound is the root of his particular style, especially vibrant on two tracks in his repertoire: “Cecilia” and “On Jou Matin”, both featured on this release's b-side. A touch of Spiritual Jazz is also palpable, allowing a magical vibe to spread, giving birth to some of the deepest music from this era.
In 2019, Max still performs Gwo-Ka every week-end in Guadeloupe and also hosts a show on local radio Media Tropical, 88.1FM. Secousse and Hot Mule are proud to present those 4 lost gems on wax and digital, carefully restored and remastered.

From the archives of the legendary BELTER and DISCOPHON labels, essential to understand the birth of the Catalan Rumba and Flamenco-Pop genre in Spain, we’ve selected 14 dance-friendly tracks taken from overlooked LPs and 45s.
This is the real gipsy–funk sound, full of screaming flamenco vocals, funk drums, electric guitars, wah–wah, organ, electric bass, exotic percussions, soulish horns, latin and even oriental touches...
Featuring folkloric ye-yé singers, gipsy princes, teen rumba stars and groovy rumba–pop bands: DOLORES VARGAS “La Terremoto”, CHANGO, ROSA MORENA, RUMBA 3, EL PRÍNCIPE GITANO, EL NOI...

From samba & bossa nova through to baile funk, with carioca expressions of jazz, rock & hip hop in between, the sound of Rio de Janeiro, while continually evolving, has always held an unnameable quality which reflects the magic & mystique of the cityitself. Multi-instrumentalist & arranger Antonio Neves is the city’s newest trailblazer: the enfant-terrible of Rio’s music scene, leading a vital and diverse constellation of both emerging and well-known artists advancing the city’s musical legacy.

Recorded in Brazil after spending the late 70s in the US, Marcos Valle brought together his innate talent and diverse influences on this irresistible record bursting with groove. Among a selection of top musicians, the line-up features Lincoln Olivetti & Robson Jorge and Leon Ware. Includes the Brazilian boogie anthem ›Estrelar‹, Marcos Valle's biggest hit from the 80s and one of the most celebrated songs in his entire career.

The album is full of soaring disco tracks, killer vocal boogie numbers and blissing instrumentals over a well-balanced tracklist that satisfies both the listening pleasure and the dancefloor needs. Essential! Presented in facsimile artwork.

Some crate-digging compilations are often the result of someone hand-picking their choice favourites from another country’s musical history, perhaps unaware or uninvolved with its cultural lineage in the process. On Soundway’s latest release - a treasure trove of synth jams, pop, samba boogie, balearic and electro from 1980 & ‘90s Brazil - the tracks are picked by Millos Kaiser, one half of the Brazilian duo Selvagem, who are at the helm of throwing some of the country’s best dance parties. It’s a rare compilation that offers Brazilian music actually picked by a Brazilian.
Whilst names such as Ricardo Bomba, Villa Box, Fogo Baiano, Electric Boogies and Batista Junior may not be household names, they tell an untold, yet rich and important part of musical history in Brazil. The release also covers a decade that has been intentionally forgotten and brushed aside by many in the country.
Onda De Amor is a release that is loaded with smooth grooves, bubbling bass, glistening synthesisers, funk strutting guitar lines and sheen of production that undeniably marks it of its time. For Kaiser this compilation is about reintroducing music during a period of reappraisal, catching a new wave and hoping contemporary listeners will ride it with him. “The idea is to do justice to these songs. Songs that combine all the right ingredients that should have put them on radio playlists when I was growing up or at least in the cases of more adventurous DJs”.
Millos Kaiser is a DJ, digger, vinyl junkie/dealer born in Rio de Janeiro and living in São Paulo for the past 8 years. He launched the dance party/club night Selvagem with partner Trepanado in 2010, bringing thousands of dancers one Sunday a month to a public square in the heart of São Paulo.

Brazilian music at it's finest! 2x7" set with four beautiful songs from Piry Reis. Disc one is a reissue of his 1975 "Heroi Moderno" and includes the sought after 7inch version of "Cisplatina". The second holds the rare cuts "Reza Brava" & "Céu De Manágua". The project came together with the blessing of Piry Reis himself and is released on the sub-label of Rush Hour recordings, New Dawn - set up for less electronic but equally adventurous releases by artists we love. Artwork by Amsterdam's Sekan with a touch by Megin Hayden.

The time has come again: Another edition of the much-loved and highly praised by critics from all around the globe compilation «Paz E Futebol» will be released on Sonar Kollektiv. After 2006 and 2016 this is already the third sequel of this terrific series of light-footed Brazilian gems and other rarities transporting the Brazilian feel for the ball musically.

Two times Jazzanova took care of the collection, now Junior Santos is responsible for digging up the tunes. The Brazilian drummer and producer is a true expert when it comes to Brazilian music. He already caught the attention of Jazzanova’s Jürgen von Knoblauch with the 2014 released compilation «Brazilian Disco Boogie Sounds (1978-1982)» on Favorite Recordings. Together the two diggers selected eight songs that fit simply perfectly. Due to licensing reasons, the digital compilation features 2 additional songs. Chico de Abreu and an unreleased track by Beto Luiz called "Uma Canção Que Fale” chosen by Juergen von Knoblauch.. Although the contributions originate from three different decades (1979 - 1992) they all have the discoid and boogiesque vibe in common mainly to come alive in productions from Maranhão, Rio and Bahia.

The release is accompanied by extensive liner notes by Junior Santos (in Portuguese and English). Just now in the colder and greyer season this compilation is great fun and radiates so much joy like only Brazilian music can.

Ipek Yolu is the Turkish name for the Silk Road which connected the East and the West. This band does not deal in silk but they connect flavors, smells and sounds from different corners of the globe, connecting the world.
The band merges bass-heavy electro-tinged cumbia grooves, saz riffs and surf guitar into a multicultural melting pot of South American rhythms, Anatolian folk music and 60s psychedelic rock. A unique universe of sound that bridges the tropical jungles and the dusty deserts in a kaleidoscopic blend of music. Ipek Yolu has used 2020 to write their debut album Tropical Anatolia and are ready to hit the venues and festivals.
The members of Ipek Yolu first got together for an improvised jam session during the Aarhus Roots & Hybrid Festival in 2018. The show was set up as a special one-time-only show merging members from the bands Hudna & Junglelyd. The show ended up lasting for almost three hours. It didn’t take them long to discover they were onto something special. If you know any of these bands mentioned you know you’re in for a body-shaking party, characterised by musical curiosity and improvisation.
The three members of Ipek Yolu have all been part of the Danish music scene for several years. The band leader, Orhan Özgür Turan, is a well-known and respected saz player all over Denmark, and has made a name for himself through his efforts in the Anatolian Folk band Hudna. In 2018 he won an award as Global Roots Artist of the year at The Danish World Music Awards. Olaf Brinch and Lasse Aagaard have worked together for many years making high energy cumbia with their band Junglelyd and Afrobeat with their band African Connection. Olaf is also an integral part of the Danish band AddisAbabaBand. In addition, Olaf and Lasse have toured and recorded with great musicians such as CC Yoyo, former drummer of Fela Kuti, in both Ghana and Denmark. All of the past experiences collided to create Ipek Yolu.

Founded in 2018 by DJ and producer Deni-Shain – the man behind acclaimed compilations Space Echo and Pop Makossa -, Atangana Records is the logical follow-up to more than 20 years of travels, constantly on the lookout for new artists and music around the world. As a “tropicalist globetrotter”, in this new project Deni-Shain, in partnership with Thomas Vicente, co-owner of the French restaurant “Le Verre Volé”, aims to dig, reproduce & transmit cross-cultural music, usually unreachable and/or less known by the public.
The goal is simple: share the love of music and to rediscover the pleasure of voicings, percussions and sadly forgotten harmonies, whether you find yourself in a jam packed club or the intimacy of your home.
Atangana’s first releases will be looking at the Caribbean’s Islands, especially into Haiti with the reissue – highly expected by various diggers – of the acclaimed single « Divizion » by singer Fedia Laguerre. Originally released in 1981, this first 12" comes with a remix by Voilaaa and an instrumental cut exclusively based on the additional work by the French afro-collective.

Rough, tough, tumping, bumping soundboy breakbeat from the Caribbean coast of Colombia.

Forty brand new buckaroos, tooled and primed by Jeanpi Perreo, Edwin Producciones and DJ Ander — all from local sound-systems — careering guarapo-style out of punches of vintage Nigerian highlife, waka and co, by legends like Steven Amechi, Sagbeni Aragbada and Cardinal Rex Jim Lawson.

Edited and mastered by CGB at D&M for maximum oomph and worries, and presented in a gatefold sleeve with cool and deadly varnishing. Plus a full-size booklet detailing the fascinating history of this music, seamed into the strange, tentacular byways of hand-to-hand vinyl distribution, record collecting and musical connoisseurship, and the soundclash traditions of the region, suffused with the politics and culture of the Black Atlantic, stretching back to the 1950s.

More Afro-Cuban Roots Of Boogaloo' - The third release in the series that collects music by Latin bands that were based in New York between the '40s and '60s, expanded with recordings done in Cuba by orquestas or conjuntos such as Félix Chappotín, José Curbelo or La Playa Sextet, all of whom had a big influence on the Latinos in New York.

The record was produced by the twenty years old Alex Tony Okoroji at the legendary ARC Studios in Lagos, a facility set-up by Ginger Baker. This is the third production for the Alex Tony Okoroji’s fledgling independent label Love Records, the previous record was the pioneering release by Udu - Sound of the People (Love Records, Nigeria 1976) also reissued by Dig This Way in 2020. Musically these two records are poles apart but similar in as much as both the band and producer present a personal musical vision that sounds nothing like their piers’ at the time… The Springs Band formed in Ibadan (Oyo State) which is roughly 130km northeast of Lagos. The seven members met while training to be Reverend Fathers for the Catholic Church and come from both Nigeria and Sierra Leone… in retrospect as unlikely as this sounds (particularly when you hear the record) the band were the Seminaries event house band at the time… Musically, the record consists of five prime time dancefloor gems with two very subtle afterhours numbers to close - not a bad track on here - which at times in itself is unique for records from the region in the late 70s. The first five tracks are complex hypnotic afro funk with an almost mesmerizing organ groove, that is deep and raw at the same time which well represent the time, the place and the people involved in the recording... As odd as it may sound the spiritually of the bands chosen profession is reflected in the fluid deep funk of the groove ... not being there we can only guess how the live performances of this "band in full flight" must have been ... as luck would have it the recording captures all of those elements and that’s what the end result sounds like near unbeatable! Judge for yourself via this enlightening release!!! Reading the original hand written press release for the record it would be fair to say, at the time, the members of the band were potentially not entirely focused on their chosen vocation and, reading between the lines, were mildly concerned what their educators might think… years later it’s pleasing to discover that all of the survivors became as good as it gets in their original career choice… better still… for the Afro-Centric music collector… the very same set of individuals (in their wilder days) recorded one of the most forward thinking and dance floor friendly records of the period… little known until now… “This is our dream world cristalised in vibes. In a world of uniform hate where people experience death in a trance , it is through love's cry that we see through the eyes of wisdom that he needs somebody. Music is the message transmitted in this super disko funk for funky people, to tell the brandifield dad the truth or ask a music-minded-lass, introduce me to your loving. So, if you have anything to say, why not join us and say it...after all it's a happy world... We have a right to the good things of life.”

Soundway Records delivers a beautifully remastered reissue of Brazilian duo Grupo Controle Digital’s only album, “A Festa É Nossa”. First released in 1988, the album is now housed in a tip-on heavyweight sleeve and restored artwork.
With the title track “A Festa É Nossa” having circulated the last few years in the DJ sets of influential tastemakers, the album has become highly sought after by electronic fans and collectors alike. Lo-fi synths and cruising bass lines permeate the record, influenced by the group’s Brazilian contemporaries at the time such as Tim Maia, Cláudio Zoli, Secos E Molhados, and rock outfit Made In Brazil.
Band members Billy Jaguar and Gel Valiery regularly performed in various groups in São Paulo throughout the 80s and 90s, but after Gel passed away, Grupo Controle Digital was no more - the band and the album faded into obscurity and Billy became a priest, working with gospel music. It remained that way until Brazilian DJ Millos Kaiser (from label Selva Discos, and one half of Brazilian street party organisers Selvagem) tracked down the remaining member of the group to be able to include one of their tracks on the highly anticipated Soundway compilation “Onda De Amor: Synthesized Brazilian Hits That Never Were (1984-94)”, released in July 2018.
Audio restored by Neal Birnie and re-mastered by Frank Merritt at The Carvery, London. Artwork restored by Lewis Heriz.

Roberto Laneri's works always convey a clear artistic certainty: a total composer with an eclectic cultural background. In this latest adventure it seems to propose a kind of weird and curious Exotica music; his Mediterranean ragas release glows and shadows, but the music plays more the plateaus of the Maghreb than the Indus Valley. Like a sorcerer piper, the sax shapes alchemy and hypnotic phrasing become: vague dances of camels, ecstatic progressions of an aboriginal vortex or a mystic arabesque tropicalisms. He doesn't neglect his training as a jazz clarinetist, with gentle and smooth orchestral veins that are decidedly retrò and old-style; remembering the dreamlike compositions of Nino Rota for Fellini's movies. There is no lack of esoteric voices from distant islands, Amazonian soundscapes, or rocking Brazilian moods. Laneri filters hidden traces of different traditions, creating unknown geographical syntheses without borders, furious extrapolations of compositional elements and famous themes misrepresentations. A visionary gaze, but also a good dose of ironic plaesure and fairytale humor. Not surprisingly, the original cover-art of Noura Tafeche does nothing but suggest the idea of a tasty psychedelic fruit-salad.