Search "dam-funk" 93 Items

Cover with storage wear and sticker / sticker residue on the front!
Vinyl is close to VG+!

Step Time Orchestra was the collaborative work of producers Jori Hulkkonen and Toumas Salmela, who began producing music together in the nineties whilst studying in Oulu, Finland. Whilst all their friends would be getting up early to go to university, they would only just be going to bed, having spent the night listening to house records from New York, drinking Whiskey and programming their MPC 2000!
Step Time produced a slew of tracks during this time, some of which were licensed and pressed on 12" singles during the late nineties/early noughties on labels operating in North America and Europe, but not everything they made saw the light of day. Heavily influenced by labels like Ibadan and Spiritual Life Music at the height of the New York House Scene, 'Jazz Error NYC' and '2am in Africa' were never signed, not fitting the profile of their other releases at the time, they were left in the drawer and sadly forgotten!
Skip forward to Winter 2016, and FBNM's Lorenzo, whilst over on a DJ excursion, visits Jori in Finland. Keen to keep working together, he presses him for something uniquely special. Magically, the Ajos E.P jumps out of the drawer into Hulkkonen's hand, and as it turns out, it has aged with a rather remarkable grace. Written using a combination of MPC sequencing and an Atari ST powering vanilla Cubase for some midi programming duties, it features the sounds of the Italian made Siel Opera 6, an Alesis S4 Rompler and other vintage Roland, Yamaha and Kawai Synths. They went full out on this one, even finally learning to play keys for that jazzy piano action. It was recorded live through a soundcraft analog board with outboard Fx, creating a sound that transcended it's time to feel remarkably fresh today!
The Ajos EP is named after an area in their native city of Kemi, Northern Finland, which is where they wrote and produced it in 1999.

close to NM

Mr. Confuse returns with a new funky 7Inch on the afrofunk tip.
'Spinning Around' kicks off with heavy funk drums, afro horn stabs and a driving mean Farfisa organ that really keeps you moving till the end. On the flipside 'Against All Odds' offers a driving bass line, raging brass and clever breaks – a breakdance sure shot!
Make sure you check out the music video of 'Spinning Around' and don't miss this release on Confunktion Records as the 7 Inch vinyl version is limited to a 150 units. Be quick on this one!

When has Tatham, Mensah,Lord & Ranks let you down?
When?
If you love boogie, funk and that good groove then the answer is never.
Yet another twelve inch proving their consistency.An obvious buy on sight release.
Includes the cover version on Grace Jones's 'Private Lives' where the quartet expand on the original for a soulful dubbed out trip plus 'Simmering' for funk bass line enthusiasts.

Produced by Kaidi Tatham,Matt Lord,Mr Mensah & dego.

Part Two of a very special Reloved installment dedicated to Alessandro Alessandroni's Tema DI Susie masterpiece. With his characteristic style, enigmatic French producer Mounika has spun Alessandroni's dreamy melody into a remix that resonates with the soul.

The funk, the funk and THEEE FUNK!!
Transcend oneself from the realm of what you know and feel
all that the groove can heal within you.
When the honorary P-Funk hits you ask 'What You Gonna Say?'
meanwhile the A side 'Vector Smector' has the boogie stance
in affect whilst the island percussion simmers with a jazz lean.
SHOKAZULU will protect you.

Serbia's Disco Fruit crew has been putting out lush sounds that take in funk, breaks and soul influences on top of their bread and butter disco grooves for years now. This time they welcome back a label regular, Loshmi, who has put out plenty of edits here before now. His new one 'Dark Night' is a 60s-tinged high speed spy theme with funky brass and bristling drums all overlaid with rock-styled vocal yelps. The instrumental on the flip is a more paired back but just as hustling groove.

Following the release of "Sacred Love" second album by Galathea, Massimo Napoli as he already did for the acclaimed "Samba De Sausalito" offers us 4 totally unreleased tracks released by Space Echo in a single 12” named "Ancestral EP". Mystical and hypnotic atmospheres for "Ancestral" and "Karimabao" an addictive alchemy between African rhythmic elements and contemporary pulsating electronic sounds, in a unique mix suitable for the most sophisticated dancefloor. Afrobeat groove for "Africa Carnival" which however captures the essence of the Brazilian spirit infused with sensitivity between jazz and funk masterfully performed by Mario Pappalardo on keyboards and not surprisingly reminds us of the famous "Jazz Carnival" by José Roberto Bertrami of Azymuth. Closing The EP is the track "Sacred Club" an invitation to dance and clapping for a more moderate dancefloor, offers us micro elements of sacredness and mysticism of the African continent. Enjoy!!!!!

Tawoyame Orquesta celebrates their 15th Anniversary with new 7inch release from their new project! The guest remixer features Takeshi Nakatsuka. The band's signature song "Suteki na Ongaku", which was included on their first album, is newly sung by the leader Tomoko Okamura on the original track from 10 years ago!! The flip side features a remix track for the first time. "odo Latin" from the latest full-length album, "Shukuen Fifteen" (urdc82) is remixed by Takeshi Nakatsuka, a wizard of live sound. The remix is a swingin' and breakin' floor-ready tune!!

Amsterdam-based keyboardist, composer and owner of the Flowriders studio Vincent Helbers released his debut album ‘Hear To See’ as Seravince in 2013. A blend of broken beat, future soul and multiple adjective-jazz styles, compiled in a masterfully mixed 45-minute album. Now, 7 years later, the album is released on vinyl for the first time in a limited quantity of 150 copies. Seravince’s 'Hear To See' sees Vincent cultivating his extensive experience inside the studio. The album is deeply rooted in broken beat drum grooves, provided by longtime collaborator and UK drummer extraordinaire Richard Spaven. These are accompanied by the jazz-inspired harmonies and solos from Seravince himself. All musical elements are one takes, recorded on analogue tape. “I want the sound to maintain the rawness and organic vibe”, Seravince explains. The sensual vocals on the album are courtesy of RH Factor singer Renee Neufville (us) and Sharlene Hector (uk), who’s worked together with Reel People and Basement Jaxx.

Yellow Jackets number 6 pushes things forward with two exceptional pieces by Byron The Aquarius and Deenamic. The modern jazz funk of the american keyboard wizard meets the relentless electronic futuristic programming of the elusive Deenamic! Like Yin and Yang meeting this release fuses the best of both worlds, keeping Yellow Jackets’ now notorious boundaries pushing edge on a phat loud vinyl, only 12’ inch!

Running Back regular Feater aka Daniel Meuzard puts his newly-transplanted studio through its paces for the first time since relocating from Vienna, swapping out the bustle of the city for the fresh mountain breeze of the West Alps. The Positive People EP proves that a change is as good as a rest, as the wide open nature not only had some rejuvenating effects on the creative process - it also gave Feater some room in his head to ponder questions about nature, nurture, and whether our inner morality is externally programmed. The taut jazz funk of opening track Coding springs into action like the montage music of a lost ‘70s TV show, while the title track Positive People plays on the ambiguity of its title, with cascading synth notes, tastefully dubby 303 stabs, and an afro-cuban drum figure that forms the foundation for a spaced-out dancefloor workout. It's a combo of tracks that should appeal to chat room moderators and serotonin programmers alike. Expensive Zeit kicks off sounding like grime maverick XTC had been brought up on Murder Capital electro rather than East London garage - before it morphs into a bumpin electrofunk and percussion session, with its sights set firmly on an aquatic worm hole. The EP rounds out with Decline All Cookies, which breaks out of a flanged-out half-time drum 'n' effects intro to reveal a lush chord progression, flipping a soul jazz piano mood into a trippy slice of modern instrumental funk. Can man be the master of his own destiny? It seems with this change of location and musical direction, Feater might just have figured out the answer.

EDB’s follow up of his 2021 debut ‘True Stories’ is finally here, and shows once again his skills for all things funky, quircky and some basslines to die for! There is a whole range of vibes here from the astro funk of the aptly titled ‘Progressions’ to the Detroit echoes of ‘Not A Choice’, the modern twists of ‘Nothing is Wasted’ till the beatless opus ‘Masquerade’. But make sure not to miss this special collaboration with Kemetic Just’s own Just One on the anthemic ‘The Rhythm Got Me Way Up’. ‘The Long Way Up’ its another testament of EDB’s never stopping brilliance!

Volume 2: Another healthy dose of iconic reworked, retouched and edited tracks steamily rising up from the unique and magic poolside of Pikes Hotel (Ibiza). A trusted taste that has lead to Jazz N Palms warm-up the monthly exclusive Ronnie Scott's (London) jazz concerts held at Pikes. Jazz music fused sartorially with Latin, funk, rock and international sounds to be enjoyed under the palms and sun of the Mediterranean Sea.

A few copies arrived with a damaged Cover. We're therefore selling it on a reduced price.

„One day I was on a visit sitting in his kitchen and when we decided to change to the sofa in the music room, his girlfriend proposed to listen to these old recordings, as maybe I would be weird enough to like them. „Recorded in my homestudio, low budget style with a cheap microphone, a sampler, drum machines, vinyl and a few borrowed synths. … A commitment to the funk, a raw analogue sound and also a dedication to black music and its architects.“ the artist comments on it. I immediately dug the rather short demos a lot. As I had to swallow the information that there never were real plans to release them, I later decided on the bus home, I just had to puke out a „label“. Soon I asked him to extend some of the songs and let me do some mixing and here is the album.“ Cid Hohner

An entire long-player on hair, representing the complete Illwig catalogue. Beautifully raw electronic funk. Obscure, bouncy and atmospheric. Right. This is F.B.Illwig with the first official release on Moonwalk X Records after a singlesided promo 12“ sporting the extended version of „Why Do My Hair“.

"Blossometry" is the new EP from French beatmaker Flow-er. In a chill and downtempo atmosphere inspired by Kaytranada, Moonchild, and Dam-Funk, the six tracks oscillate between neo-soul and modern-funk. Several guests enhance this release, including US female rapper Tanajah, already noticed in North Carolina. "Luxuriant Excursion" highlights the guitar and future beats inspirations of Pomrad and the groove of Vulfpeck !

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

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

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

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

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

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

Brooklyn producer / bandleader and DJ Toribio returns for the 2nd 12" on his newly launched BDA Imprint. Diving head first into his lifelong love affair with jazz music (Toribio is a Berklee Graduate) , the "Bring Dat Jazz EP" is a direct result of the intersection of Jazz and Dance music, which can be seen time and time again in his DJ sets.
Things kick off with "Jazz Misconduct", a mid tempo funk burner already in DJ Spinna & Danny Krivit's rotation with a bumping bassline, vibey piano chords and a soulful organ solo in Toribio's reformatting of a track from acclaimed Tenor sax player Joshua Redman. Next up is an official edit of Sam Gendel & Jacob Mann's "Dr.T" - maintaining the spirit of the original, Toribio beefs up the four on the floor, adds swung drums and accentuates the synth lines, while adding his own analog flourishes to the original. On the flip, "Bumples" draws from saxophonist Chris Potter with knockin jazz drums, syncopated claps, frantic horns and an acid line making it's way in towards the end. Rounding off the EP is an unexpected left turn in "My Humps (So Real)" - Toribio takes the completely overlooked acoustic piano and vocal chant ending of yes, that notorious track & brings in an understated drum break, twisting synth lines and his own voice to create a heavenly dancefloor stew out of ingredients no one had thought to use. Another direct show of the boundless creativity from the man affectionately known as 'Papi' throughout the NYC scene.

Quiet Village announces new label, The Quiet Village, and new single, ‘Reunion'. Matt 'Radio Slave' Edwards and Joel Martin's critically acclaimed project's first official single under the Quiet Village name in seventeen years!

Beginning life as a 'heady 6/8-time urban jazz odyssey, 'Reunion is a stunning piece of modern, Hi-Tech Jazz that draws influences from Pat Metheny, Timeline, Innerzone Orchestra, and Clyde Stubbelfield's drumming.

While previous Quiet Village material was hewn from a myriad of samples extracted from Edwards' and Martin's notorious digging, 'Reunion' and its follow-ups are drawn from a tight-knit crew of session musicians, including the likes of Jon Hester and Thomas Gandey, adding further depth and feel to the QV sound. Already a firm favourite with Gilles Peterson and Luke Una, the latter of which leaked a clip of the release via his inimitable Instagram presence and called it 'something so fucking beautiful. Tony Allen, Sun Ra meets Carl Craig, Underground Resistance, house, tech, funk, everything rolled into one'.

'Reunion’ is the first single on The Quiet Village, Quiet Village's new imprint. Despite continually producing new music and a slew of remixes, most recently for Running Back and Isle of Jura, the long-term friends and collaborators have been unable to release under their Quiet Village moniker since their LP 'Silent Movie' in 2008. While a few releases under QV and their sometime DJ aliases of Maxxi (Edwards) and Zeus (Martin) have emerged, 'Reunion' is the beginning of a new and re-energised Quiet Village that will see more original material and remixes, DJ and live touring that began in Japan in May and curated compilations of treasures, old and new, in the coming months and years.

Pioneering new music from members of the iconic and legendary funk band Parliament Funkadelic. Detroit Rising is an exciting artist collective created by 10 groove masters including the current and original members of P-funk, Prince, Public Enemy and Mary J Blige. Taking a break from relentless touring, the musicians step out in a whole new direction, creating a hybrid sound of funk-jazz with injections of soul and hip hop. The album, “A Cosmic Jazz Funk Adventure” was recorded live at the world famous Motown affiliated United Sound Studios in Detroit and studios in New York, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Baltimore and Florida. For this remix release a handpicked selection of some of the top DJ producers in the UK have been brought together to create a soulful house and nu-jazz hybrid record: Jimpster, Kaidi Tatham, Sean McCabe with Z records (Dave Lee) and Evm128 – with mastering by UK wizard AtJazz. First up, Jimpster remixes the Detroit Rising space opera, ‘Rocket Love’ – showcasing two funk-fused house tracks with guitar licks from Duminie Deporres (Public Enemy) and bass lines courtesy of Kern Brantley (Mary J Blige, Beyonce, Aretha Franklin). The vocal remix is expertly laced with parts of the original P-funk instrumental and hip-hop vocals, with the dreamy Dub version letting that infectious hook and melody hit hard. Next up, Sean McCabe was brought in by Dave Lee of Z records to remix the original Detroit hit ‘Little Bit of Love’ into a fast-paced dance heater. King of the keys Kaidi Tatham is then welcomed to remix two different Detroit Rising tracks, creating a double dose of signature, broken beat infused cuts. ‘Our World’ stars P-funk vocalist and keyboard wizard Danny Bedrosian, alongside granddaughter of George Clinton, Tonysha Nelson. The emotive, soulful broken brilliance of ‘Peace & Harmony’ also gets the Kaidi treatment starring Sue Ann Carwell and Steve Boyd, vocalists for Prince and Kool & The Gang respectively. Evm128 of Coop rounds off the package presenting a fast futuristic Bruk beat from the romantic Detroit Rising song called ‘Gorgeous’.

Californian funk collective Banda Maje put their spin on “Wait For Me”, a disco-funk track by Canadian multi-instrumentalist Franky Selector. The full, vocal version of the re-edit, on side A, sees Franky Selector himself sing in perfect Neapolitan amidst irresistible backing vocals, while the instrumental version is provided on side B. Both versions brim with joy, funk, and Salifornian energy, bringing Italy and Canada closer than ever. Infectious groove has no boundaries.

Emerging from the Toronto warehouse scene, Tush is a rising electronic music act powered by Kamilah Apong and Jamie Kidd. Taking inspiration from electro funk, early disco, post-punk and '90s house; their debut album 'Fantast' embodies the rawness, vulnerability, and intimacy of the dancefloor.
'Fantast' kicks off with the slow burning 'Wavy Baby', an invitation to get close, get intimate and submit to the groove: "Vulnerability is the key to us getting to that next step of intimacy". Up next is lead single 'Chrysalis', a high octane ride through a technicolour fantasy world of heady synths and driving rhythms that propel Kamilah's voice into an erotic stratosphere.
'Don't Be Afraid' is about having the courage to love defiantly, urgently, and with intention. Driven by Jamie's infectious bass lines and FX blasts, it smoothly transforms into an uplifting gospel-infused track.
Two high points of the album, 'Jessica F***' and 'Marathons', highlight Tush doing what they do best. These tracks are the sound of the warehouse scene that birthed the project in the first place and the late night jam sessions that were full of possibility pre-pandemic. Here, Tush really stretch their improvisational muscles - the interplay of raw soulful vocals, hypnotic basslines, synth pads, and heavy disco rhythms is at the core of what makes them so invigorating.
'Fantast' closes with the uplifting sunrise energy of 'My Joy', the light at the end of the tunnel. "This song is enchanted by the backing vocals of my friends and chosen family, who are my cornerstones to working through the wonderful mess that I am". Kamilah adds "The track gives me this feeling that - no matter how hard the world tries to beat it out of me - I can and I have had to work hard to cultivate my own happiness in my own sacred spaces - one of those being Tush. Ultimately, this is all I really need".

Wah Wah 45s make a welcome return to the world of re-issues. Having started out over two decades ago releasing dance floor funk from Benny Poole, Cheyenne Fowler and The Googie Rene Combo, and later re-releasing obscure Kompa-funk from Haitian pianist Henri Pierre Noel, they now turn their attention to an overlooked early 90s acoustic soul gem.
About thirty years ago, music teacher and budding producer Alex Boyesen found himself working as part of the Haringey Music Workshop - a community programme and outreach project funded by the local council in Haringey, North London (coincidentally the area in which the Wah Wah head office is now based!).
"Anyone could come and get lessons for free - ranging from piano, sax, guitar, drums, bass, singing and workshops including choral, jazz band and more." Alex Boyesen
It was during that time that Alex came across a young Sam Edwards.
"One day I went into one of the rehearsal rooms and there, by herself, was this girl playing a piano and singing. It was the most incredible voice I had ever heard."
Before long, the pair were playing all over London as a duo with Alex on guitar and Sam on vocals.
"Sam had never had professional training, she was simply an utter natural."
The Haringey Music workshop was connected with other projects in the borough, in particular a community project called the Selby Centre. Here they ran training programs for young people and one of these was a music business course. The idea was that they found an artist, recorded them and then promoted them. One way or the other they ended up picking Alex and Sam to be on their roster.
"My good friend Nixon Rosembert was brought in to oversee the recordings and they hired the Islington Music Workshop to do the recording. We got musicians from the Haringey Music Workshop to play on the sessions and spent a day recording two songs -American CarsandLife. The training workshop had created a label called Progression Music and out the record went."
Three decades later and out of the blue Alex started to get interest again in the record he'd almost forgotten about all those years ago. It had become something of a sought after gem on Discogs, and there seemed to be an interest in that 'acoustic soul' sound once again.
"I got three people asking if they could re-release it and finally here we are with Wah Wah 45s doing the business after all these years."
It was Hospital Records and Wah Wah 45s founder, Chris Goss, who first brought the idea of releasing this record to the table.
"This is a really special record for me, picked up 30 years ago, from a young James Lavelle at Honest Jon's in Ladbroke Grove. Sam Edwards would go on to perform and write songs with North London's Izit, the acid jazz collective fronted by Tony Colman - with whom I have built a music company, these past 25 years. Alex Boyeson worked with Tony at the Haringey Arts Project, who produced a one-off vinyl release of Alex's two compositions back in 1991. Thanks to Alex and Tony, we have been able to clean-up the original audio, uncover photos and lyric sheets to present, with real love and affection, these two lost gems from a bygone era." Chris Goss, Feb 2021.
The project was then expanded by Dom Servini, who got heavy disco legend Ashley Beedle and co-label owner and erstwhile producer Adam Scrimshire in to take on remix duties.
"When approached by Dom Servini to reworkAmerican CarsI had no idea about the history of the original song. After a good listen myself and studio partner Darren Morris set to work and all I can say that it was a lovely experience keeping the vibe of the original but giving it a spaced out feel in true Afrikanz On Marz fashion." Ashley Beedle, Feb 2021.
"Remixing without multi-tracks always brings a bunch of challenges, getting the balance between the bass and drums in the original and what you want to do with your own version. The song really dictates certain things to you.
But it was such a pleasure to explore that with this beautiful song and vocal performance. So many ways to approach it. I just wanted to draw out more of the melancholy in the original and make it an absorbing experience." Adam Scrimshire, Feb 2021.
Perhaps the last word should be given to Alex himself, who's very much enjoying the new lease of life that his music with Sam is getting.
"As I write this we are trying to locate her, she's somewhere singing something, that's all she ever did. Thanks for being part of my life Sam and I am so glad that this small bit of that time is being remembered." Alex Boyesen, Feb 2021.

Theme Ltd presents two new releases from resident artist GAIKA
, https://www.somersethouse.org.uk/residents/gaika also featuring THE NARRATOR and Liu. The two tracks circle between various influences and bear a bright flash of versatility from the artist and his collaborators. ‘Racing Gloves’ is underscored by THE NARRATOR’s melodious, delicately discordant passages. It’s then supplemented by GAIKA’s visceral, close-to-home rap style and calculated production. This textural balance, the two voices in tandem, makes for a perfect synchronicity. Not sure which voice to listen to? Pick up the gloves and go for a drive.

’S Composites’ featuring Liu, guides the listener between the gentle throes of multilingualism. It’s a unique mix of ethereal melodies supported by a classic RnB beat, enriched by a soft, swelling droning that seems to mimic breathing. As the track inflates and deflates, we’re carried by Liu’s honeyed vocals to her countdown, and the track’s final minute-long ‘breath’.

The first Italian adaptation of famous Brazilian song “Olhos Coloridos”, this new single by singer, multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Chiara Civello is an irresistible eighties-inspired boogie-funk track that celebrates diversity and inclusion. The 3 remixes by eclectic Neapolitan DJ/producer Whodamanny add groovy and tribal influences to the mix and further enhance the track’s dancefloor potential.

Inspired by mankind’s greatest adventure -- the Moon landing and, before that, the space race between the US and Ussr -- the LEM Tales project sees beat-maker and bass player Moonbrew join forces with organist and keyboardist Paolo Apollo Negri to create a sonic universe where hip hop meets funk, pop merges with jazz, old school interacts with new possibilities, and urban and space

7" release of Onegram's Caribbean Reggae Disco cover of INCOGNITO's acid jazz classic "crazy FOR You"! Incognito's smash hit "Crazy For You," released in 1991 during the Acid Jazz boom, has been covered by Onegram in 2024, more than 30 years later, with an exquisite arrangement. The rhythm section is groovier, the horn arrangement is full of Onegram's style, and the steel pan is used impressively to create a fun Caribbean disco reggae song while maximizing the quality of the original. The B-Side contains the ET Edit, which is optimized for DJ play and has a pleasantly pleasant effect processing.

Welcome to Nope23. Created by Jaguar Skills. Born from his love of underground Hip-Hop, Funk and Soul, ‘The Savage Planet’ by Jaguar Skills is his label’s first broadcast. Utilising a band of experienced musicians to create the project, ‘The Savage Planet’ is 8 tracks, 23 minutes and 23 seconds of experimental Hip-Hop Funk, interwoven with official adverts and soundbites direct from the Nope23 vault. Featuring the vocal skills of rapper Crimeapple (Soul Assassins), New York MC Johnny Storm, guitar legend Simon Katz (Jamiroquai/ Gorillaz), renowned bass player Zoltan (Erka Badu), flautist Rowen Harwood, alongside the beat alchemist himself; Jaguar Skills. ‘The Savage Planet’ confirms once again, that Jaguar Skills is not of planet Earth. Stay tuned for more fly sh*t. Nope23. For freaks and pencil necked geeks.

Limited to 150 copies. Amsterdam-based duo Shamis & Rebiere invite you to let go of daily stresses with the four-on-the-floor groover Rock It For Ya. The beats and soulful instrumentations are enriched with the vocals by Shamis, who also adds to the theme of the track in his lyrics. “Let me rock it ’til the lights go out and the sun will rise again” reminds us of a time we possibly all long for. Reminded of something Kaytranada-esque drum programming, the harmonies and chords really keep you engaged with the track. Shake It Off takes on a modern soul approach to the theme of the EP. With a slower pace than the A-side, it’s equally as infectious to make you move. The duo’s dynamic is most clear in the way certain synth licks and horn melodies blend together with Shamis’ soothing vocals. Lush chords and laid back drums provide a care-free feeling, perfectly underlining the concept of the EP. The EP comes with a remix of each track and both are very much in line with the theme. Fouk add a house touch to Rock It For Ya with a heavy bass line, capturing (or reminiscing) a club night feeling. B.Bravo adds his signature modern funk sound to Shake It Off, making it even more irresistible to maintain your body still. It’s evident that both understood how to translate the theme of the EP to their remixes.

Honing your skills is under-appreciated in times of instant gratification and the continuous stream of music. Rotterdam-based producer Kofi The Unknown subverts this idea and took time for spiritual introspection, studying rhythms and sound production. Where being a late bloomer normally is seen as a sobriquet, the producer, composer and beatmaker wears it as a badge of honour and solidifies it as an honorary title by pinning it to his debut EP on Wicked Wax: The Late Bloomer. Wearing his heart on his sleeve, Kofi The Unknown shares his journey that led to The Late Bloomer, an emotional journey through sophisticated dance music, straight from the heart, aimed at the soul and feet.

Highly influential to Kofi’s sound and this EP is London’s Broken Beat scene. Syncopated drums, soulful chords and heavy bass lines work in tandem to emphasise the danceability the genre is known for. This is further solidified by the track Kofi released leading up to this release: One for Motet, an ode to the Broken Beat MC and Jazz Refreshed host Jason Hicks. The Late Bloomer further develops Kofi’s ode, but provides his Rotterdam flavour and brings his Hip Hop and Funk lineage into the mix.

Embrace Mistakes sets the stage for what’s to come in various ways. It is a textbook case of how dance music can tell a story and be introspective. Kofi’s honesty shines bright on the entire EP and strikes from the first kick drum on. It also shouldn’t be hard to recognise and feel the emotion the producer shares on the title track The Late Bloomer. The emotionally-laced chords and crushing drums are reminiscent of late nights at a warehouse or emotional sequences from a dystopian movie.

Staying true to his ethos ’exploring the university that music holds’, Kofi finds this beyond music production as The Late Bloomer provides an audible experience through creative mixing. Stuttering analog synths, enveloping leads, multiple percussion rhythms and off-beat snare rolls hit from all directions of the stereo spectrum, further underlining the sophistication of his merit. While the EP follows the Broken Beat accents on dance, it is an equally mindful listening experience.

Kofi The Unknown is a Rotterdam native producer with a knack for rhythms. His keen ear is informed by mentor and Dutch enigma Trian Kayhatu. While Kofi has taken the time to perfect his skills under the guidance of Trian, the two are simultaneously working on the exciting follow-up project to this debut EP. Without looking too far ahead, enjoy The Late Bloomer. It’s not only a crown jewel Kofi proudly wears, it is also establishing him as a future household name in the sophisticated dance scene. "

Highly active in the electronic music scene in South Korea, Livigesh releases his 6th official album "303 Romance" via No Slack Records. Livigesh has immersed himself into acid house, 90's hiphop and 70's funk music while making "303 Romance." His extensive use of the 303 "acid" basslines are present throughout the album. "303 Romance" is a look into Livigesh's musical influences. Squelching acidic and funky basslines, breakbeats and abstract vocal samples present Livigesh in his most uplifting, playful and simple to date.

When Berus debuted in January 2021 on Kommerz Records with his “Voyage EP”, he had no idea how precise the title would be for the coming months. A little over a year before the release of “Voyage” the Berlin based multi-instrumentalist and producer had taken his focus away from his, more than a decade lasting, house and techno career towards a new sound, inspired from neo soul and hip-hop. Whilst his electronic projects found home on Kerri Chandler’s Madhouse Recordings and DVS1’s infamous Mistress and gained his moniker Frag Maddin worldwide attention, it was part of his progress to focus on himself and Berus, his real name. He took this step not knowing it would lead him into a dark journey of self revelation, identity finding and for the foremost new hope: blue hope. Berus was born to a Zaza family in Kurdistan, which eventually migrated to Germany escaping prosecution and discrimination of the nationalist regime in Turkey. The family settled in Hamburg and Berus grew up to be a New Release Information musician. He played the drums, formed teen punk bands and started producing at an early age experimenting and shaping his future as an artist. Since the beginning of his career Berus releases can be seen like a diary, always expressing his very personal state at the time. For the work on “Blue Hope” two main topics fall into the production of the album: love relationships and seeking identity.

Two immensely talented musicians formally of dope soul/electronica four piece Electric Conversation from Paris. LaNote & Valet have a unique take on soul music with abstract rhythms and filtered textures yet memorable and beautiful songs with a genuine warmth of feeling, which is missing in so much contemporary music. This double album includes ‘Week-End’ which has also been remixed by the legendary DJ Spinna and ‘One Way’, blessed by a beautiful remix from Marc Rapson, both gaining support on the digital airwaves world wide. Further remixes come from the excellent aCatCalledFritz, Mecca:83, Simon S, Nicky Lars and Dusty (from Jazz Liberatorz).

The prolific & visionary artist known for his work with TV ON THE Radio, and Spacek emerges from the shadows with this extremely limited 7" on his newly formed label SPA. This will not be repressed so get it while you can!

Glenn Echo & Daniel Meinecke are back with their hotly anticipated follow-up of What Happened To Yesterday?! This one makes a hat trick on MotorCity Wine Recordings, and cranks up the heat in time for the summer.

Vol. 2 grabs from our favorite moments of both their debut "Partly Cloudy" and Vol. 1, perfectly synthesizing the heady and dubby with the cosmic dance flavors, while always eschewing a genre-box. As the opening invocation "World In My Head" says, "why should I repeat myself?", and the boys continue to push the envelope and find new boundaries. The A-side continues with muscular downtempo joints, with highlights including the Psychedelic Hip-Hop of “Explanation of The Funk” (feat. sultry trumpet from Dre King and cuts by DJ Stylus) and the Gogo-Afrobeat fusion of “Three-Season Crank” (featuring the brilliant Raja Kassis on guitar).

Over to the flip side, "Off The Rails" kicks it off with the most dance-floor oriented joint on the record. From there the album gets dubbier and more meditative, culminating with the blissed out "Black Bird Dub". It's the perfect come down after the earlier beatdown.

Glenn's multi-influenced production is as inspired as ever, while Mr. Meinecke continues to show us why he's earned his stripes as *the* seminal keyboard player in the scene. Whether it's drawing from 70's weed jazz, early 80's dancehall, 90's downtempo, or the most rippin' jazz fusion, Glenn Echo & Daniel Meinecke round out the "What Happened To Yesterday" series in fine singular style.

Housed in a beautiful matte finish picture sleeve with art from Michal Rafaj and pressed on deep translucent purple vinyl. TIP!

We are pleased to present the new album from veteran Spanish DJ and producer, Dj Toner (aka Antonio Herrera). Alongside his co-writer/arranger Daniel Molina and with guests that include the legendary Blue Note Records innovator Erik Truffaz and Grammy winning flautist and saxophonist Jorge Pardo, he has created a 10 track collection of slow-burning instrumentals that straddle the worlds of hip hop, jazz and electronica.

With a personal, precision tooled approach to his craft, the Andalusian has offered up an album of finely modelled downbeat moods.

At first glance, ‘Out Side’ is made up of recognisably superior hip hop instrumentals but if you listen carefully, and with patience, one can hear a craftsman at work. A wooden box is just a box until you look closer. The hidden joints, the perfect lining up of the grain, the years of artisanal graft and laser-focussed attention to detail that go into making something that has nothing present, that doesn’t deserve to be there. This is how Dj Toner operates.

The two singles that preempt the album’s release reveal different sides of his craft. ‘Camina’ struts with tough intentions. Soundtrack-y in an exploitation police drama manner, the get-out-of-my-way drum break and tension-filled chords suggest the bad cop, Erik Truffaz’s piercing lyrical trumpet lines, the good. The Afro-jazz horns led second release ‘Surprise’ is an altogether more playful, sunbaked affair. Sensual and slow-burning, there’s still an edge but it’s too hot to quarrel.

Dj Toner’s minimalist attitude to creation is shared with his co-composer Molina - an individual’s contribution may be cut to the bone, leaving just its aura or tone. The echo of a piano, a single blast of tuneful wind from a flute, a perfectly positioned drum hit.

Since the Wu-Tang Clan’s RZA began applying his beatmaking prowess to movie soundtracks, the hip hop instrumental has been acknowledged as something to listen to, as much as being used as a DJ tool or backing for an MC. Dj Toner’s instrumentals can, therefore, be seen as soundtracks. Soundtracks to his life and craft, vignettes of his environment in both the urban sprawl and the wider and slower spaces of “el campo”.

The sweet-tempered jazz-blues of ‘La Rimosa’ is a gentle welcome to the album. A simple, laid back groove with the most romantic of piano hooks that one could imagine Common dropping rhymes on. You’re kept on your toes with the odd purposeful moment of discordant interruption but the tender heart of the composition is never far away.

‘O’Beat’ hints at John Coltrane with the sparse but full-sounding upright bass before a head-snap break leads into a curious piano groove, a vintage organ swirls into a psychedelic fractal, whilst the bluesy female vocal snippets add the spice, that zing in the Granadan gazpacho.

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The flamenco guitar driven ‘Flama’ is an excellent example of intricate sample placement and musicality. Old school (school yard) scratch interludes, sweet piano hooks, a minimalist but knife sharp flute contribution from Jorge Pardo, and the crunchiest of drums taking us for an intriguing walk round the corner.

We’ve mentioned them before but it’s on ‘Sweetband’ that we can feel that Wu-Tang dread hanging off its shoulders. A brooding orchestral number with powerful horns and a cavernous piano hit. The title of the piece is in stark contrast to the dark shadows of the tune.

Erik Truffaz returns in fine form on the super lethargic jazz-funk-hop of ‘The Day’. His instantly identifiable muted trumpet sound paints dazzling colours over the more earthy tones of the filtered down keys as a rubbery upright bass keeps the forward momentum. Dj Toner’s ‘Blessed Are The Weird People’ album, was rated in Jazz Magazine as one of the 20 jazz albums of 2021, so he isn’t some dilettante when it comes to playing with the complex hues of jazz but he does like to strip it to its bare essentials.

‘Fanega’ sees a gorgeous flute contribution from Jorge Pardo. An eerie boom-bap groove with sprinkles of electronic pulses and washed out chords is the canvas on which the award-winning multi-instrumentalist evokes the heat shimmer of the savannah.

‘Esperanza’ translates as ‘hope’ in English and this lovely slow, swinging jazzy groove really does provoke feelings of positivity and belief. Sublime vibraphone and another stunning trumpet offering from Erik Truffaz, take us on a journey of warm days and possibilities, the shuffling drums and sweet chord patterns are nicely finished off by a tranquil horn chorus towards its unhurried end.

‘Under Beat’ ends on a beefy boom-bap groove with a liquid funk bassline, elegant synth strings and old school scratching. Again, there’s that undisputable soundtrack edge, action and motion, the smell of the city.

There you have it, 10 tracks that go beyond the surface, deep into the dedicated craft of Dj Toner. Decades of experience and collaboration purified and refined into beat-heavy emotions, listen closely or crank it up, it’s down to you!

Peer through the windows of the sun-dappled homes in Sicily and you will be faced with a small, strange ceramic object adorning each hallway. It is a glistening pine cone standing upright – a pigna – the longstanding symbol of Sicilian openness and welcome hospitality.

The pigna is a delightfully unusual and yet apt symbol for the title of the third record from Benjamin Harris, AKA Yarni. Ever since his debut LP release in 2017, Yarni has established a following committed to his musical openness, an intuitive curiosity that has spanned everything from house and techno to cinematic ambience and Japanese percussion, as well as jazz horns and afrobeat fanfares. For Yarni, anything goes and everyone is welcome. Now, Pigna sees Yarni reach his fullest and most musically diverse expression, taking its name and ethos from Sicily, but finding a sonic home in the luscious orchestration of a new ensemble of musicians.

Here, at the helm of a nine-person ensemble, Yarni artfully pieces together live improvisations to create the warmth of a seasoned group performing deep within the groove. Opener “Midnight Getaway” places the listener squarely within the disco-funk of Daft Punk as Yarni’s top-line synth intersects with a rolling bassline and a lyrical flute solo from Rachel Shirley. This optimistic tone of sunlit spaciousness is then heightened on “Utopia”, as Yarni’s horn section comes to the fore to pay homage to the ineffable syncopations of Fela Kuti’s pioneering afrobeat.

Rather than scratch at the surface of these musical genres, Yarni’s attuned ear embodies the emotive essence of his various sounds by paying intimate attention to their creation. There is the punch of that afrobeat sax on “Utopia”; the rhythmic skitter of breakbeats on “The Astral”; the sludging thump of funk in the bassline on “Nova”. Collaborators are given free reign, too, to incorporate their own unique stylings into this remarkable whole, from vocalist Emily Marks’ languid tone on “In A Dream”, to saxophonist Jonoa’s innate swing on “Cherub”, and the metronomic movement of bassist Ally McMahon’s playing throughout.

Listening to Pigna is ultimately to find yourself squarely within the comforting embrace of Yarni’s musical mind. It is a truly LP experience – a record to be placed on the turntable’s platter and then left to play, allowing yourself an immersion in these journeying soundscapes. It is no wonder fellow sonic travellers such as the late Andrew Weatherall and DJ Harvey have been supporters of Yarni’s work, since here is a kindred spirit – an artist shaped in the form of radical openness, speaking the hospitable, universal language of beautiful music.

Comet Records is excited to present Afro Rhythms Vol. 1 the first repress since 1999 of Singles and Remixes out of Black Voices’s LP from Tony Allen Afrobeat pioneer, along with the iconic Psyco On Da Bus creating a new sound between experimental, electronica and afrobeat, both albums produced by sound activist Doctor L. The compilation is a proper trawl through the vault of the early years of Comet Records featuring producers and artists as IG Culture, Eska, Catalyst aka Alex Attias, Psycho On Da Bus Featuring Doctor L and Tony Allen, Cinematic Orchestra and the legendary Parisian duo Chateau Flight. The tracks "The Drum" and "Brotherhood" produced respectively by IG Culture (Son Of Scientist) and Cinematic Orchestra are part of The Allenko Brotherhood Ensemble project, a collaboration between the unique drumming style of Tony Allen and the best in contemporary producers. Comet label continues its hypnotic elliptical orbit through radical funk realms and dancefloor wormholes, connecting to five decades of music from four continents and still heading for the future, a pure and positive light to guide our way on.

A bold first creation set in motion, Yore is the fantastic debut solo release from Charlie Hill. Yore captures the excitement and naïve creativity of Charlie’s new journey as a producer after studying and performing as a jazz drummer. A mixture of club-ready basslines, earthy space funk and ethereal Trip Hop, Yore follows Charlie’s 2023 collaborative Galaxy EP alongside fellow Meanjin producer Sampology.

Middle Name Records are proud to present this project, the first release on the imprint that is not of a solo or collaborative Sampology record.

There is an exciting energy currently bubbling within the Meanjin/Brisbane music scene and Charlie’s debut work as a producer has reflected this instinctively. Recorded performances from local jazz ensembles, his vocalist singer as well as his own drumming were utilised as samples throughout the EP.

Fate is a funny old thing. One day in 2011, DJ/producer Tom Trago found himself sharing a train journey with Steven Van Lummel, a DIY musician, artist and co-founder of PIP, an underground nightclub and cultural hub in The Hague. Over the course of a rambling, open-ended conversation, the idea of making music together came up; a few weeks later, Trago travelled to van Lummel’s place – a former industrial unit that was now home to a rotating cast of artists and musicians – and didn’t leave for a month.

Cossetted away from the outside world in van Lummel’s loft, with multi-instrumentalists Janneke Nijhuijs and Wieger Hoogendorp joining them to create a musical four-piece, Mega Wega was born. Over the course of four weeks, the quartet embarked on an almost continuous creative session punctuated only by impromptu parties and mixing sessions. Life-long bonds were made and over 70 tracks recorded before the mundanity of day-to-day life came calling.

For one reason or another, the project never saw the light of day, with tracks sat gathering dust on hard drives for the best part of a decade. During the madness and loneliness of the Covid-19 pandemic, Trago rediscovered the tracks. Delighted by what he heard, a collective decision was made to add finishing touches and release the resultant album on van Lummel’s PIP Records imprint. Further instruments and vocals were added over two days at Hoogendorp’s studio, before mutual friend Tom Ruig got on board to mix the album.

So, what can you expect from Haunted, Mega Wega’s debut album? First and foremost, it’s the sound of pure creative expression – the distillation of a freewheeling, no-holds-barred, spontaneous musical journey variously inspired by the do-it-yourself ethos of musical counterculture, shared inspirations and influences, epic jam sessions, distant stars (Wega, sometimes known as Fidis or ‘the harp star’, is one of the brightest in the night sky), imaginary journeys across dusty deserts, and the comradeship of four new friends.

Enchanting and alluring, it’s an album that gleefully denies lazy categorization and ploughs its own eclectic, atmospheric musical furrow in vivid sonic detail. It’s a collective exploration of heady musical eclecticism unified by saucer-eyed vocals, low-slung bass, loose-limbed beats, sweaty percussion workouts and hazy electric piano motifs.

Haunted begins with the woozy and hallucinatory slow-burn soundscape of ‘Get Things Done’ – an effects laden shuffle akin to lying flat on your back tripping under an intense desert sun – and ends with the creepy, mind-mangling post-punk funk of ‘Brain Carpaccio’; in between, you’ll find spaced-out, low-tempo lo-fi soul (‘Move Around’, ‘Haunted’), deep and off-kilter opioid jazz (‘Copenhagen’), intoxicating psychedelia (‘Last Night on Earth’), piano-laden dream-pop epics (‘Shake Or Fall’), and Latin-infused, percussion-powered hedonism (‘Chopping Heads’).

Born out of spontaneous collaboration and immersive, almost endless recording sessions, Haunted is an album shot through with imagination and boundless energy, captured for posterity by four friends and collaborators at the top of their game.

Open is the sixth studio album from acclaimed composer, producer, filmmaker and multi-instrumentalist, Kutiman. It is an addictive & irresistible twelve-track trip taking in elements of classic soul, Middle Eastern psychedelia, Afrobeat, Thai funk, jazz fusion, cosmic library soundscapes and more.

The uptempo “Vanishing Point” opens proceedings, recalling both Abstract Orchestra’s 2017 Dilla tribute and the lounge OST/library music flips of Tosca and DJ Vadim fame.

My Everything introduces prominent guest & frequent Kutiman collaborator, Dekel, whose soul-pop vocals coupled with jangly acoustic guitar riffs tip to contemporary indie artists such as Michael Kiwanuka and SAULT. “A Day Off passes through” Anatolian psych and Khruangbin-esque Thai funk whilst the afrobeat/jazz fusion “Confetti” pays tribute to Kutiman’s other namesake, Fela Kuti.

Dekel rejoins for the beatdown, lilting dub-soul “Believe In You” with hints of Lord Echo and the sun-inflected New Zealand dub-soul sound. The Tuareg-leaning guitar lines on “Canoe” travel across the Saharan desert easterly towards Sudan and Ethiopia by the end, whilst meditative and Coltrane-adjacent album closer “Ripples” provides a final moment of reflection from a truly global excursion of soundscapes.

London based multi-instrumentalist and beatmaker Wonky Logic drops 6 track EP “Transdimensional Fuunk (Transposed for Human Consumption)”, on July 30, 2021, marking the 14th release of Super-Sonic Jazz Records. Also, save the date for the first two singles on May 21 and June 25, 2021. Last year, producer and multi-instrumentalist Wonky Logic released his debut album “0113”. Now, he continues to showcase his passion for wonky beats and swirling synths with his follow up “Transdimensional Fuunk (Transposed for Human Consumption)”. As a service to clubbers and dancers of Planet Earth, he translated his banging space funk for human needs. From steamy and dangerous to subtle and soulful, it’s all on his extraterrestrial palet. Ain’t no denying that, with these 6 tracks he establishes himself as one of the more rebellious beatheads in the UK Jazz scene, with strong connections to Super-Sonic Jazz and Summer Dance Forever. Wonky Logic started out at the age of 11 on his mum’s computer and made his journey onwards from Leeds College of Music to jamming with Nubian Twist and GEO, into becoming a founding member of Steam Down. He collaborated with Nubya Garcia, Theon Cross, Wiyaala, Afla Sakey, K.O.G., and broken beat icon I.G Culture, for which he did Musical Direction of “Earthbound” (Super-Sonic’s ninth release). His current projects include his own band with Nache (Sons of Kemet) as well as The General Elation Soundsystem, alongside Brother Portrait and Nadeem Din-Gabisi. He plays keyboards for Bryony Jarmon-Pinto, synth bass with afrofuturism band Onipa and has recently played on Emma Jean Thackray's project Um-Yang alongside Soweto Kinch. However, this Summer will be all about his own brand new EP, which will be warmly welcomed by beatmakers, clubbers and dancers alike. Hopefully, they can do so in the freshly reopened clubs across the globe, where this piece belongs.

Ever since he remixed Abimaro & The Free’s ‘Mark’ back in 2014, NuNorthern Soul boss Phil Cooper has kept in touch with Daniel Stenger, the producer and self-taught multi-instrumentalist behind the Flashbaxx project. Cooper was always convinced that Sanger would be capable of crafting a very special release for the label but was willing to give him time to come up with something special.

With Take Care My Friend, a mini-album inspired by the German producer’s deeply rooted love of jazz-funk, Stenger has repaid the faith shown in him. He’s delivered a collection of quality cuts marked out by audible warmth, effortless musicality and memorable, sun-soaked songs.

As he makes clear in the liner notes included with the vinyl version of the mini album, the project began with the recording of luscious, Rhodes-laden opener ‘Alright’. After staying up all night recording the track, Stenger not only decided to continue recording with the same relatively limited set of instruments (think bass and electric guitars, drums, piano, electric piano, organ, hand percussion and a handful of synthesizers), but also stick to a hybrid sound that added a subtle Latin shuffle to his Balearic-minded take on jazz, funk and soul fusion.

We’re biased of course, but there’s no denying that Stenger’s creative choices have resulted in a superb set of tracks. While the restricted kit list provided focus during the music-making process, there’s still plenty of musical variety across the six tracks that make up the set.

For proof, compare and contrast the jazzy, loose-limbed headiness of ‘It Just Happens’, where simmering synth-strings, twinkling melodic motifs and glistening guitar licks rise above smooth jazz-funk bass and a gentle broken beat rhythm, and the slow-motion soul brilliance of ‘Strangers’, where Kathryn Kempf’s evocative and poignant lead vocals rise above a sumptuous downtempo groove and heart-aching piano lines.

This subtly varied but musically coherent vibe continues across the mini album. Stenger indulges in a bit of New York daydreaming on ‘Brooklyn Love Boat’, a wonderfully musically detailed chunk of 1970s style jazz-funk heat that offers knowing nods to Roy Ayers, Herbie Hancock and the jazz-fusion stylings of Azymuth, before opting for a deeper, slower and even more seductive sound on the Hammond-sporting bliss of ‘Take Care My Friend’.

Closing cut ‘City Lights’, a gorgeous, soft-focus affair smothered in echoing Rhodes riffs and immersive chords, has the feel of an underground classic in waiting: a stirring, string-drenched future sing-along whose emotion-packed lyrics are delivered brilliantly by Glasgow-born singer/songwriter Chris Pookah.

Despite the song’s subject matter – the painful final breakdown of a relationship – there’s something strangely uplifting about the combination of Pookah’s pitch-perfect vocal delivery and the absorbing warmth of Stenger’s comforting and sonically detailed music. It provides a fittingly impressive finish to a mightily immersive mini album.

Limited to 500 copies

Open is the sixth studio album from acclaimed composer, producer, filmmaker and multi-instrumentalist, Kutiman. It is an addictive & irresistible twelve-track trip taking in elements of classic soul, Middle Eastern psychedelia, Afrobeat, Thai funk, jazz fusion, cosmic library soundscapes and more.

The uptempo “Vanishing Point” opens proceedings, recalling both Abstract Orchestra’s 2017 Dilla tribute and the lounge OST/library music flips of Tosca and DJ Vadim fame.

My Everything introduces prominent guest & frequent Kutiman collaborator, Dekel, whose soul-pop vocals coupled with jangly acoustic guitar riffs tip to contemporary indie artists such as Michael Kiwanuka and SAULT. “A Day Off passes through” Anatolian psych and Khruangbin-esque Thai funk whilst the afrobeat/jazz fusion “Confetti” pays tribute to Kutiman’s other namesake, Fela Kuti.

Dekel rejoins for the beatdown, lilting dub-soul “Believe In You” with hints of Lord Echo and the sun-inflected New Zealand dub-soul sound. The Tuareg-leaning guitar lines on “Canoe” travel across the Saharan desert easterly towards Sudan and Ethiopia by the end, whilst meditative and Coltrane-adjacent album closer “Ripples” provides a final moment of reflection from a truly global excursion of soundscapes.

Peer through the windows of the sun-dappled homes in Sicily and you will be faced with a small, strange ceramic object adorning each hallway. It is a glistening pine cone standing upright – a pigna – the longstanding symbol of Sicilian openness and welcome hospitality.

The pigna is a delightfully unusual and yet apt symbol for the title of the third record from Benjamin Harris, AKA Yarni. Ever since his debut LP release in 2017, Yarni has established a following committed to his musical openness, an intuitive curiosity that has spanned everything from house and techno to cinematic ambience and Japanese percussion, as well as jazz horns and afrobeat fanfares. For Yarni, anything goes and everyone is welcome. Now, Pigna sees Yarni reach his fullest and most musically diverse expression, taking its name and ethos from Sicily, but finding a sonic home in the luscious orchestration of a new ensemble of musicians.

Here, at the helm of a nine-person ensemble, Yarni artfully pieces together live improvisations to create the warmth of a seasoned group performing deep within the groove. Opener “Midnight Getaway” places the listener squarely within the disco-funk of Daft Punk as Yarni’s top-line synth intersects with a rolling bassline and a lyrical flute solo from Rachel Shirley. This optimistic tone of sunlit spaciousness is then heightened on “Utopia”, as Yarni’s horn section comes to the fore to pay homage to the ineffable syncopations of Fela Kuti’s pioneering afrobeat.

Rather than scratch at the surface of these musical genres, Yarni’s attuned ear embodies the emotive essence of his various sounds by paying intimate attention to their creation. There is the punch of that afrobeat sax on “Utopia”; the rhythmic skitter of breakbeats on “The Astral”; the sludging thump of funk in the bassline on “Nova”. Collaborators are given free reign, too, to incorporate their own unique stylings into this remarkable whole, from vocalist Emily Marks’ languid tone on “In A Dream”, to saxophonist Jonoa’s innate swing on “Cherub”, and the metronomic movement of bassist Ally McMahon’s playing throughout.

Listening to Pigna is ultimately to find yourself squarely within the comforting embrace of Yarni’s musical mind. It is a truly LP experience – a record to be placed on the turntable’s platter and then left to play, allowing yourself an immersion in these journeying soundscapes. It is no wonder fellow sonic travellers such as the late Andrew Weatherall and DJ Harvey have been supporters of Yarni’s work, since here is a kindred spirit – an artist shaped in the form of radical openness, speaking the hospitable, universal language of beautiful music.

Glenn Astro leans into the twilight months of 2024 with a new album from his Delta Rain Dance project. Divining fourth world sensibilities from his restlessly curious studio workflow, Astro weaves a mesmerising tapestry of sound on Music For Autumn which treads the line between horizontal meditation and head- nodding, backroom-ready groove.

Amongst his constellation of myriad aliases, Delta Rain Dance spells out the inspiration Astro takes from fourth world pioneer Jon Hassell. The project first surfaced with a string of tapes, LPs and digital releases around 2018, all carried on a label of the same name to keep Delta Rain Dance enclosed in its own space independent of Astro's many other musical endeavours.

"I’m really into the world building aspect in science fiction and fantasy," says Astro. "This is my way of creating worlds and spaces that co-exist next to each other. Sometimes they collide but mostly they exist peacefully next to each other or pursue some form of cultural exchange by collaborating with each other."

There's a strong sense of balance and cohesion throughout Music For Autumn, as organic percussion and instrumentation wraps around delicate synthesis and patient drum machine pulses so naturally it's hard to spot the joins. The sound has plenty of room to stretch out, from the mantra-like chimes and rattles of the album opener 'Green Light Fade' to the luxury funk of 'Mmmh, Nice' (featuring fellow Tartelet alumni Nelson of the East). At times the electronic elements seem to entirely dissolve, not least behind the loping strings and tumbledown percussion of 'Second Sleep', while achingly beautiful closer 'Plucked' centres on the fluttering movement and expression Astro elicits from his modular setup.

True to the project's influences, a consistent ambiguous mood lingers in the air over Music For Autumn somewhere between far- flung mystery and comforting familiarity, reliably calm but equally contemplative. It's an odyssey of serenity with enough nuance to make you really think, perfect for the days getting shorter, leaves crunching underfoot and the last fading rays of warmth from the sun.

Ruth Koleva hails from Sofia, Bulgaria, and has been a TV star and singing out concert halls for years. She has also long been singing on some superb broken beat and nu-jazz records while working with top-level production talent and having her tunes remixed by Zed Bias, Kaidi Tatham, Mark de Clive-Lowe and Eric Lau. The neo-soul star's Ruth album gets a special anniversary edition release here with four heart-melting and textbook neo-soul tunes on the A-side then some super remixes on the flip. This is timeless stuff that works on the heart and the heel in equal measure.

Life is Worth Living, officially a second LP from El Niño Andrés, comes 9 years after its debut LP "Más Dinero Más Problemas", but sound wise it's still walking on the borderline between house, jazz and soul. El Niño's usual combination of Rhodes and Moog improvisations on top of house and jazz-funk drum-lines is present on all album tracks, with live sax additions on "Come Closer" and "Mercy Mercy". Album is an uptempo affair, but as usual with Jackie Brown releases, not your straightforward 4x4 routine - poly-rhythms and percussion drive "Wasting Your Life" and "Soul", while "The Approach of Midnight" sounds like it could have been placed straight into a Tenet soundtrack LP.

Celebrating the tenth anniversary of Summer Dance Forever - Amsterdam’s insanely popular international hip hop festival - Super-Sonic Jazz has teamed up with James Rudie & Evm128’s UK sound-culture imprint Dance Regular to release a ten-track explosion of organic soulful house, broken beat, and bass-heavy uplifting cuts, ripe for the dancefloor. A sterling compilation featuring the who’s-who of fresh and upcoming UK talent, the EP is a coming together of like-minded worlds, full of highly charged dynamic rhythms, driving melodies, garage-like beats and an impassioned and authentic joie de vivre that perfectly matches the festival’s energetic spirit, and sets the tone for its equally impressive programme.

The brainchild of DJs James Rudie and Evm128, Dance Regular was born out of an East London event series that focussed on soulful, bass and body music. Alumni of the CoOp Presents Selectors Assemble, IG Culture and Alex Phountzi’s championing of the Bruk movement, James Rudie & Evm128 have a set a like-minded course to channel the spirt of UK body music culture, with this 10-track EP a fiery illustration of some of the talents at their fingertips. Throughout the 10-energetic tracks you’ll discover the likes of Trev, Entek, Cengiz, and many more fresh, global acts with a penchant for stirring broken beat productions, and deep, soulful melodies. Living at the intersection of garage and house music, with a deep underlying appreciation of jazz, it seems only fitting that the UK crew deliver this choice collection of cuts through the Super-Sonic Jazz imprint.

This year, understandably, the crews behind the tenth edition of Summer Dance Forever will be taking the festival actives online. Normally held at Paradiso, the inner-city urban dance festival would normally bring in participants from across the globe for nine-days of battles, parties, and workshops. Over the course of the past ten years, Summer Dance Forever has welcomed the likes of Dam Funk, Theo Parrish, and DJ Spinna into its home at Paradiso. One face that has always been a constant behind the decks has been Dutch stalwart, and one-part Super-Sonic Jazz founder KC the Funkaholic. The label, festival, and events series has become the home for new and exciting jazz and soul sounds from The Netherlands, in addition to showcasing fresher, soulful global sounds, including IG Culture who debuted his Likwid Continual Space Motion on the label this year. With such a combined focus in harbouring new talent and love for deeper jazz influenced driving-dance music, the collaboration is befit for the honouring of such an important, cultural and respected institution.

On June 16th, 2023, Steven Julien and Kyle Hall return with their first EP together in ten years, Crown. The record follows earlier EPs the duo created under their former alias Funkinevil, 2013's Ignorant and 2012's Night/Dusk. The record once again brings together two artists from opposite sides of the pond—Julien hailing from London and Hall representing Detroit—with a shared love for soul in its purest essence. Opening "Page 1", a pitched-down vocal by James Massiah pronounces, "My plan—won't let you take it from hand." That alone could be considered the nut graph of a record about taking ownership, created by two vanguards in the electronic music scene that, a decade ago, insisted on infusing their music with soul in a commercial club circuit lacking in it. Assembled from a few years-worth of studio jams in Julien's studio, Crown dials up the staticky warmth present on earlier Funkinevil tracks like "Dusk" and "In The Grid." Across seven songs, Funkinevil shaves off some of their tougher elements, instead shooting for pastoral melodies and funky basslines, like on "Page 2", where Vicky Flint's flute flutters sleepily over breaks and a groovy Korg synthesizer. But the atmosphere on the EP is also grander than ever—on "Page 5," Cloud's wistful melisma soars over Flint's bleating saxophone and wandering sci-fi synths. With all this attention to funky musicality, it's only fitting that two legends specializing in the craft would land on the B-side—Däm Funk revs up "Page 3" with a slamming kick and his unmistakable coolness, and Reggie B turns "Page 5" into a sludgy, jazzy dance party. In the words of Julien, "I think a lot of people have forgotten about what this whole thing is about. Musically, artistry and everything. So I'm happy this is what we represent on this project."

Created by the dynamic duo of Dave Maze and Grammy-nominated Spike Rebel, this album is a one-of-a-kind fusion of funk, disco, afro, and soul, all wrapped in the mesmerizing art of spoken word. “WORDS OF KNOWLEDGE” is a spoken word tribute album to the talented Jerwayne Balentine, also known as J-epic. Jerwayne, who authored the book "words OF KNOWLEDGE," was a remarkable poet, author, producer, and illustrator. Tragically, he passed away in 2020 at the age of 23 due to Muscular dystrophy. All proceeds from the sales of this album will be directed towards funding music programming for young adults with developmental impairments and supporting Muscular dystrophy research.

Vinyl is close to NM. Tiny wear.

The Amsterdam-based duo of Lyma and Rebiere aka Likeminds follow up their debut album On My Way with versions from its predecessor.

Sometimes life throws you a curveball and you still gotta make it to first base. That’s what happened when Rebiere’s laptop was stolen, along with all the recordings of their original debut album. The pair made a brand new album from scratch, but they kept coming back to the demos from the lost recordings. They started to rework the sound as a whole, adding finishing touches, including additions from Bo Floor and Gino Groeneveld from Jungle By Night. The demos weren’t the same as the stolen tracks, but they learned to love the imperfections all the same.

The Lost Tape takes you on a journey - through low-slung beats, party jams, soulful. melodies and woozy synths, all masterfully woven together with samples and field recordings from Amsterdam’s watery canalways. It’s also the story of how the duo met, at a time when Lyma felt lost at sea with his collection of unreleased tracks, before Rebiere threw him a lifeline and brought some focus and clarity. Sometimes finding a like-minded friend can make all the difference.

South London soul artist Andrew Ashong returns with his first full release since 2014 – an expansive six-track collaboration with Kaidi Tatham, the unrivalled underground virtuoso described as the UK's Herbie Hancock. Endorsed and supported by: Benji B, Gilles Peterson, Tom Ravenscoft, J Rocc, Alexander Nut, Jamz Supernova, Ross Allan, DJ Moxie, Funkineven, Taro (Jazzy Sport), Charlie Bones, Bradley Zero and many more...

5 years after his last and 3rd album, Lucas Arruda finally presents his long awaited new LP on Favorite recordings: Ominira. Lucas turned more deeply into his native influences when composing this new beautiful album, aiming to capture the true essence of Brazilian Funk and AOR tradition.

Hollyspleef is an Italian electronic music producer, shaping his way through the early 21st Century. He spends his late evenings and early mornings making live recordings with a bunch of analog gear from his hidden studio on the shores of the Adriatic Sea. On one end pulling from R&B, House and Dub/Reggae, and on the other richly layered ambient and future-jazz. He creates sonically smooth music that rises and recedes like the tide, fitting for the next great surf film soundtrack or a packed club at 2am. Maintaining a steady hold on timeless dance music when he's up in the DJ booth playing the hits and the new 'classics’, Hollyspleef is a soulful artist whose styles bend time and space with particular groove.

“Paradise Seeds” is about roads, roots, paths and emotions, the ones you’re not used to feeling everyday. But most importantly it is about change, about the inner force one discovers when forced to transform. After finding out he had to move out his beloved Resonance Jungle Studio, Hollyspleef decided he had to make one last album before the big move. Exploring his inner self through R&B, Jazz, Trip Hop, Footwork and Trap he delivers yet another gem of a record.

Love In A Black Dimension was Jestofunk first album originally released in 1994 and Is still their most successful album ever.
After the excellent worldwide results achieved by the first two singles, I'm Gonna Love You' and 'Say It Again' the formidable production team (Claudio Moz-Art Rispoli, Alessandro 'Blade' Staderini and Francesco Farias) decided to produce their first
full Album and thinking about a great singer that could feature and give voice to their songs decided to get in touch with one of the most important House Music vocalist of that period, Mr CeCe Rogers.
The Single that was first released to launch the album was 'Can We Live', sung by Cece, and immediately became a hit in all the clubs around the world and at the same time establish itself as a classic of the genre.
Jestofunk moved in directions unprecedentedly experimented, styles like the fusion between Funk And House Music, contaminated with Acid Jazz, a genre that was going very strong during those in years.
Acid Jazz became very Popular, thanks to artists such as Incognito and Jamiroquai.
In the album, besides the three singles mentioned, other big dancefloor tracks featured, like that splendid version of Donny Hathaway's The Ghetto, with Fred Wesley and his magic trombone solo, which is still one of the cult songs of the Worldwide
Acid Jazz scene.
Love in a Black Dimension has surely been a source of inspiration for many artists that cam out later in the international dance scene and more and still today the Tracks contained in the Album are a must in DJ's playlists all over the world.
The Re-release will be available in both formats, double vinyl and CD digipack, just as came out originally in 1994, 15 years later history repeats!
Therefore, its with great pleasure that we announce this new reissue will be available on general release as from June 2017, distributed by Self Distribuzioni Italy!

South London-based 8-piece band Don't Problem is proud to present their their new album ' Liminality' planned for October 2021. With their new album, the combo challenges the common perception of a "covers" brass band, exclusively writing original material and adding electronics, synths & strings, a reflection of their wide encompassing interests. They introduce us to a very personal journey; the moment in time where a brass band affirms their love for club culture and delivers an album that travels from heavy funk to psychedelic jazz and UK dance music. "As 8 people writing music together, sometimes it can take a while for a tune to fully take shape. This tune came into itself in the studio which gave us the space to explore the production, sonic possibilities and instrumentation. The opening section leads to a beautiful first-take flugelhorn solo driven by lush strings, pulsing horns and electronics before reaching its soaring conclusion. The title ‘Whale’ is in reference to the Whale emoji which we use as a way to express a greatness or joy for which words can't be found." Don't Problem's debut 'DP EP' combined the heavy funk and raw psychedelic sound of brass and drums with ferocious grime-inspired improvisation to deliver original and fresh music, aimed squarely at the dance floor. The band is comprised of 8 musicians who've played with everyone from Tenderlonius, Emma Jean Thackray, Alfa Mist, Tom Misch and Ruby Rushton to Riot Jazz.

The Dutch icon Orlando Voorn is releasing his second album for Deeptrax Records sublabel Contrafact! Having started his career in the early 80s with major influences of Parliament, Kraftwerk, Motown and P funk, he is now widely recognized as an ingenious (Detroit) house and techno producer with former releases on Juan Atkins’ Metroplex records and Kevin Saunderson’s KMS. "The Master 2" is an album that is heavily influenced by the deeper sounds of soul and funk.. Orlando Voorn has used aliases in the past to present and release various styles of music without limiting himself and is one of the most versatile producers out there. We are proud to team up with Voorn and release this album that captures soulful jazz, funk rhythms and perfectly fused with passionate vocals in a real jazzy Detroit vein.