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For 30 years, Osaka Monaurail has been on a global mission to preach the gospel of the book of soul. And now Japan’s greatest little funk orchestra is back with not just one but two brand new burners that will put a strut in your walk and make you feel the hairs standing up on your neck. More than a decade after their collaboration with James Brown’s Soulsister Number One Marva Whitney, the group has once again teamed up with a singer – L.A.’s alluring and uniquely expressive Casey Malone.

Together, Malone and the tightly-drilled 10-piece band led by singer, keyboardist and producer Ryo Nakata breathe new life into two monster hits of 1960s soul; “Do You Really Want To Rescue Me,” written by James Brown and his saxophonist-collaborator Nat Jones and first recorded by back-up singer Elsie Mae; and Fats Domino’s “Whole Lot of Lovin’.” The Monaurail’s hard-driving interlocking rhythms, their short melodic and rhythmic phrases, and the bluesy harmonic vocabulary help to make these two pieces quintessential funk, complemented by Malone who, much like jazz icon Billie Holiday, uses her voice as an expressive musical instrument, bending and glissing notes like a horn player, commanding attention not with forcefulness, but with reluctance.

These two new singles came about at the behest of Ubiquity’s founder Michael McFadin who had been busy coming up with ideas on who to pair with Malone after the release of her debut single “Hey Amerika.” He reached out to DJ Pari, Marva Whitney’s former manager and producer, who made the connection with the mighty Monaurail – and the rest, as they say, is history. “When I heard about the opportunity to cut some tunes with the legendary Osaka Monaurail I was over the moon,” Malone says. “It was truly an honor to share sound waves with the band.”

Osaka Monaurail and Casey Malone went on a singular mission to come up with the tightest collaboration in recent years between Japan’s top funk export and one the genre’s new protagonists based in the funk’s homeland. Without a doubt, here is indisputable proof of that achievement. Play these jams to any permanent pressed squares in your cribs or dancefloors, and watch them turn into jive dancin’ live wires!

Hailing from France with Moluccan roots and now based in Amsterdam, Pala.G effortlessly blends global musical influences into his own unique sound, moving free like the waves that guided his ancestors halfway across the globe. Now with his debut on Jiwa Jiwa Records.

In Sometimes Pala.G infuses contemporary R&B with psych elements, delivering hazy vocals, and introspective lyrics wrapped in feel-good melodies, leaving you grasping for the repeat button on this soul not soul anthem that's an earworm for every season.

Don't ASK !!! offers an off-kilter slow jam experience like no other, with sparse drums, smooth guitar licks, and distorted vocals creating a hypnotic atmosphere for your mind to wander.

The record comes in a hand stamped sleeve in different colors,representing the Moluccan sea, its beaches, and jungles, and the blood and spirit of their ancestors.

Cover has one small corner bump.

Polyfunktional returns with his second single off "New Walls" album, this time the sound is more bouncy, the influences are from early Roger Troutman or Prince to more contemporary bands like Tuxedo, with fat claps, moog synth bass lines, funky guitars and the never disappointing Talkbox for some vocal inserts. Wut Bout is the mood that you have everytime you're in a new relationship, like: ok I'm ready to be the best lover that I can, but "What about you?"

1st single off "New Walls" album, soundwise the title "Smooth Like Honey" is self explanatory, the mellowness of guitars and jazzy chords of the rhodes piano accompanies the un-quantized rhythm of the drums, while the opalescent artist-producer Polyfunktional tells you the story of his relationship with music, singing his melodies first with the vocoder, then with the talkbox, paying homage to some of his early influcences from Delagation to Roger Troutman, in a whole new mixture of a Modern Funk mid-tempo ballad.

Reggie B returns with his much awaited NBN release "Tinky's Jam." This is his first full length album since "Soulofunkaquarian" released with INnatesounds. The album was most definitely worth the wait. It takes the listener through a personal and musical journey inspired by the birth of his son, who he affectionately calls "Tinky," and the connection they share. Tinky was a major part of this album, oftentimes found in the studio during the conceptions of many of the songs. This album is unlike any other record released by the Kansas born producer, multi instrumentalist, singer and arranger. After the birth of his son, he was inspired and encouraged to get back into the musical game by the head of NBN, Onra. "Tinky's Jam" is something of a family affair with friends and old collaborators playing their part. Mostly instrumental and showcasing Reggie's many styles from the heavy bounce of "Futuristic Slow", to the George Clinton nod on "P For Life", and the crafted soul of "Gone Fishing" with Dominique Sanders to the cool street jazz feel of "Realize" with Donald Hates's sax adding flare as well as the beat of "Nose Dive" providing the nod factor for the heads. Closing out the LP "Tinky's Dance" - a raw soulful jam that lies somewhere between Prince and Larry Heard - for Reggie "the whole project felt like a gift to me and my baby boy Tinky! I wanted to let him know he's always in my heart and soul and I love my Tinky man infinitely! It's a children's album for the elevated child like Tinky!"

Reggie B returns with his much awaited NBN release "Tinky's Jam.” This is his first full length album since “Soulofunkaquarian” released with INnatesounds. The album was most definitely worth the wait. It takes the listener through a personal and musical journey inspired by the birth of his son, who he affectionately calls “Tinky,” and the connection they share. Tinky was a major part of this album, oftentimes found in the studio during the conceptions of many of the songs. This album is unlike any other record released by the Kansas born producer, multi instrumentalist, singer and arranger. After the birth of his son, he was inspired and encouraged to get back into the musical game by the head of NBN, Onra. "Tinky's Jam" is something of a family affair with friends and old collaborators playing their part.

Born into a musical family to parents who were two sides of the same coin, a father who was one of the most renowned drummers in Topeka, Kansas funk and jazz fusion scenes and a mother who was one of the most prominent gospel singers in the city. The apple didn't fall far from the tree and Reggie has spent his life performing and playing with a healthy slew of releases.

This album is the result of countless days in the studio which yielded scores of a dozen slabs of head nodding funk.

Mostly instrumental and showcasing Reggie's many styles from the heavy bounce of "Futuristic Slow", to the George Clinton nod on "P For Life", and the crafted soul of "Gone Fishing" with Dominique Sanders to the cool street jazz feel of "Realize" with Donald Hates's sax adding flare as well as the beat of "Nose Dive" providing the nod factor for the heads.

Closing out the LP ``Tinky's Dance" - a raw soulful jam that lies somewhere between Prince and Larry Heard - for Reggie "the whole project felt like a gift to me and my baby boy Tinky! I wanted to let him know he’s always in my heart and soul and I love my Tinky man infinitely! It’s a children's album for the elevated child like Tinky!”

The unbreathable air saturated with moisture, the soggy soil that swallows every step like a starving death, the hostile nature and, finally, the remote swamp. The one they invested in composing Fire Eater. The one they left a few traces in. Tracks that can talk. Six men heavily armed with instruments, a seventh fastest, only weighted by a microphone. They left the inhospitable vegetation, leaving behind a succession of footprints. As we try to follow them, the afrobeat that made it easy to spot them now dissipates into a floating mist. So, we have to connect the radars and try to capture the vintage waves of equipment that emit more than one point but several. Be attentive to jazz solos and funk scarifications, as much as to what could chant and tap on the times of these tight rhythms. Because their blending has become a personal style as much as hybrid, and it is to avoid being watched by asphyxiation that they left the stagnant waters. Escaped from the car sound systems or plastered on the walls announcing their many concerts, it is in the city that they are now detected. Infiltrating them is a daunting task. A track where you have to avoid the vigilance of the electric and venomous keyboards, escape the copper flames and the guitar shears. Enter the choking groove to finally enjoy a purely instrumental passage, sneak in and dance. Progress outside the Afro mangrove, Running The Way nevertheless retains many cables still connected. The bottom of the jeans still ‘Roforofo’. ‘Muddy’ in Yoruba. Just 2 years after the first EP Fire Eater released in 2021, Radio Nova’s crush (title Helelyos enthroned 3 months in playlist), the Roforofo Jazz returns with the LP Running The Way, 8 tracks even more ambitious, with careful production, marking a clear progression in its quest for an increasingly more personal sound and writing. Putting the listener immediately in the tone of his atypical afro jazz rap fury, Love In Time and its sharp rhythmic appeal to the power of the music, in an ultra-energetic piece yet smelling with jazz via well-felt keyboard surges. Side To Side is a rearrangement of a piece by Togolese artist Bella Bello and Manu Dibango, yet glancing towards Motown and resonating like a anthem to life and directions to take to counter the negativity of our modern societies. Then on Stand Up in a more deepfunk US style like Breakestra or The Greyboy Allstars, MC Days (aka RacecaR) switches between fast flows and downtempo in an injunction to all fight for what we believe in. An epic piece concluded with a nod to Master Hendrix… Gas punctuates the A side with a light but saving rhythmic lull, coming closer to a nu-soul atmosphere and punctuated with an explosive refrain in which rap, rock and jazz clash, tending to prove as Days chants that by being more realistic our differences can only fade…Title Shawarma has nothing to do with a Kebab sandwich, although…! Life unfolds like a menu, in which everything is not always to our liking but which teaches us to accept judicious and juicy mixes, and combinations. The result is a joint with an oriental touch, almost ethio, a rhythm that perfectly matches the hip-hop flow and the Roforofo Jazz style.The Big Hustle is a UFO. Articulated around a 20 bars loop that gives it a communicative energy, punctuated by a bass line reminiscent of Fela Kuti’s Colonial Mentality, this title sounds like a highway for frantic breakbeat dancers; epic! From Here To Benin brings us back to the group’s Afro-inspired origins, while injecting a slight dose of well-felt pop music. A piece that encourages travel to learn to share, universally. And finally, Mode For DD, a cover of the instrumental title of the obscure jazz funk of The Awakening, with added voice of Days telling the meaning of life and its mysteries, our beliefs and certainties, as human beings as well as artists.

The unbreathable air saturated with moisture, the soggy soil that swallows every step like a starving death, the hostile nature and, finally, the remote swamp. The one they invested in composing Fire Eater. The one they left a few traces in. Tracks that can talk. Six men heavily armed with instruments, a seventh fastest, only weighted by a microphone. They left the inhospitable vegetation, leaving behind a succession of footprints. As we try to follow them, the afrobeat that made it easy to spot them now dissipates into a floating mist. So, we have to connect the radars and try to capture the vintage waves of equipment that emit more than one point but several. Be attentive to jazz solos and funk scarifications, as much as to what could chant and tap on the times of these tight rhythms. Because their blending has become a personal style as much as hybrid, and it is to avoid being watched by asphyxiation that they left the stagnant waters. Escaped from the car sound systems or plastered on the walls announcing their many concerts, it is in the city that they are now detected. Infiltrating them is a daunting task. A track where you have to avoid the vigilance of the electric and venomous keyboards, escape the copper flames and the guitar shears. Enter the choking groove to finally enjoy a purely instrumental passage, sneak in and dance. Progress outside the Afro mangrove, Running The Way nevertheless retains many cables still connected. The bottom of the jeans still ‘Roforofo’. ‘Muddy’ in Yoruba. Just 2 years after the first EP Fire Eater released in 2021, Radio Nova’s crush (title Helelyos enthroned 3 months in playlist), the Roforofo Jazz returns with the LP Running The Way, 8 tracks even more ambitious, with careful production, marking a clear progression in its quest for an increasingly more personal sound and writing. Putting the listener immediately in the tone of his atypical afro jazz rap fury, Love In Time and its sharp rhythmic appeal to the power of the music, in an ultra-energetic piece yet smelling with jazz via well-felt keyboard surges. Side To Side is a rearrangement of a piece by Togolese artist Bella Bello and Manu Dibango, yet glancing towards Motown and resonating like a anthem to life and directions to take to counter the negativity of our modern societies. Then on Stand Up in a more deepfunk US style like Breakestra or The Greyboy Allstars, MC Days (aka RacecaR) switches between fast flows and downtempo in an injunction to all fight for what we believe in. An epic piece concluded with a nod to Master Hendrix… Gas punctuates the A side with a light but saving rhythmic lull, coming closer to a nu-soul atmosphere and punctuated with an explosive refrain in which rap, rock and jazz clash, tending to prove as Days chants that by being more realistic our differences can only fade…Title Shawarma has nothing to do with a Kebab sandwich, although…! Life unfolds like a menu, in which everything is not always to our liking but which teaches us to accept judicious and juicy mixes, and combinations. The result is a joint with an oriental touch, almost ethio, a rhythm that perfectly matches the hip-hop flow and the Roforofo Jazz style.The Big Hustle is a UFO. Articulated around a 20 bars loop that gives it a communicative energy, punctuated by a bass line reminiscent of Fela Kuti’s Colonial Mentality, this title sounds like a highway for frantic breakbeat dancers; epic! From Here To Benin brings us back to the group’s Afro-inspired origins, while injecting a slight dose of well-felt pop music. A piece that encourages travel to learn to share, universally. And finally, Mode For DD, a cover of the instrumental title of the obscure jazz funk of The Awakening, with added voice of Days telling the meaning of life and its mysteries, our beliefs and certainties, as human beings as well as artists.

* The latest vinyl offering from Seattle’s hologram funk soul singer SassyBlack
* Special-edition four-song EP containing the missing musical accompaniment to the Black Panther movie
* Pressed on 7” vinyl in multiple colors, limited to 500 individually numbered copies
* Cover design by visual artist Wutang McDougal
* Specially mastered for vinyl by Adam Straney

Wakanda Funk Lounge” by SassyBlack, is a svelte slab of hologram funk delivered directly from the Black Panther nation of Wakanda. This four-song EP contains the chart-topping hits from that nation’s funk lounges, and rising star, SassyBlack.

SassyBlack is a "blaxploitation, sci-fi warrior queen" and is also a multi-talented, space-aged songwriter, beatmaker, composer and singer. Her music has been described as “electronic psychedelic soul,” with roots in experimental hip-hop, R&B, and jazz. Her voice has been compared to that of Ella Fitzgerald, Erykah Badu, and Georgia Anne Muldrow and her beats owe a debt to Herbie Hancock and Quincy Jones. Like Queen Latifah, she sings, raps, is an actor and produces all her own music. Before going solo, she recorded and performed as half of the Afrofuturist hip-hop duo THEESatisfaction. Her music has received attention from Okayplayer, Afropunk, The Fader, Pitchfork, Bitch magazine and more.

Her brand new “Wakanda Funk Lounge” EP has been recently released as a 500-copy special-edition 7” single on Seattle hip-hop record label Crane City Music. The cover was designed by visual artist Wutang McDougal and each copy is pressed on colored vinyl and is individually numbered. The music is also available online on all major streaming services and can be purchased digitally through Bandcamp. It’s funky music that reminds us that Wakanda’s main export is “VIBE-ranium.”

In describing the project, SassyBlack says that “Wakanda Funk Lounge is about black freedom. When I think of “Black Panther,” it is talking about black freedom, so much that we have our own secret space. What would be freer than a Wakanda funk lounge?”

This is not her first sci-fi or superhero-themed project. SassyBlack performed at 2018’s Emerald City Comic Con, and her 2016 full-length album, “No More Weak Dates” contains numerous references to Star Trek. In an interview with Hearst publication Shondaland, she explains her sci-fi fascination: “Star Trek and Star Wars have always had bars and concerts. There’s no culture without music… And so Black Panther’s M’Baku invites me to come and perform in one of Wakanda’s funk lounges. This EP is the music I perform there. And where it gets crazy is that I’m like, ‘Listen, I have to leave Wakanda now because I’m going to go join Starfleet.’ [laughs] It could technically work.

Diving once more into the forgotten corners of the electronic Spanish music scene from the 80’s and early 90’s, Soundway reissue Scan Man’s full single Arabian. Bringing together a Furious Five retro styled bounce & rhyme and a bite of UK street soul, the track is taken from Soundway’s hugely popular compilation Ritmo Fantasía. Expect soulful American expat rap layered over sitarlike sounds, and a tumbling, rattling, 808 pattern. Along with the original track and instrumental, DJs Trujillo and Ray Mang serve a souped up instrumental primed for modern dancefloors. Recorded at the CEV Studios in Madrid, Arabian was the first composition and production of Marcos Manzanares to get an official release. Using an Ensoniq Mirage Sampler (one of the early, affordable synth samplers), and with Stephen Sutton providing the vocals for the track, he first made his entry into the Spanish music scene. A short while later he would go onto make a career for him self under the name of Tension808, releasing with major labels like Sony Music and EMI Chrysalis.

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.

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

mited Pressing.

Invisible City Editions returns with an official repress of a fantastic double-sided private press rarity from 1989 Detroit. Featuring two legendary Inner City alumni Producer/keyboardist Engineer Art Forest and Inner City background vocalist dancer/singer Shawn Pittman. On the A side a lush slow modern soul slow burner “Dreams'' features a deep,spatial throbbing bass line with glistening synths floating underneath cool angelic hypnotic vocals by Ms Pittman.” 'Dreams are only Dreams till you make it real' chants Shawn Pittman and we’re lead down a dazzling maze of mirrors. With “I'm Losing Control (Extended Bass-ment Club Mix)” on the flipside a wild late night warehouse dub remix features sci-fi vocal effects,fostex tape loops and ultra-heavy bass and driving drum machines. Minimal lush soul perfect for early mornings and the post-club world and a wild sci-fi house winner for late night club sessions. An IC fave! Remastered by Brandenberg/The Carvery (Note: we’ve also removed the drum machine going out of sync that was on the original press) Official Repress via Art Forest and his label Wildboy.Essential stuff!

Art Forest is an Electronic Engineer and production wizard from Detroit Michigan. He originally recorded 2 of Inner CItys’ Biggest Hits “Good Life” and “Big Fun” and continues to record to this day. Art Forest still finds and repairs equipment to add to his studio today. He also recorded for Paula Abdul “Straight Up” and Madonnas’ “Justify My Love” Shawn Pittman was a singer and dancer from Detroit who was a good friend of Inner City vocalist Paris Grey. Shawn Pittman sang backing vocals and harmonies on “Good Life” and “Big Fun”.

Limited Pressing.

Invisible City Editions returns with an official repress of a fantastic double-sided private press rarity from 1989 Detroit. Featuring two legendary Inner City alumni Producer/keyboardist Engineer Art Forest and Inner City background vocalist dancer/singer Shawn Pittman. On the A side a lush slow modern soul slow burner “Dreams'' features a deep,spatial throbbing bass line with glistening synths floating underneath cool angelic hypnotic vocals by Ms Pittman.” 'Dreams are only Dreams till you make it real' chants Shawn Pittman and we’re lead down a dazzling maze of mirrors. With “I'm Losing Control (Extended Bass-ment Club Mix)” on the flipside a wild late night warehouse dub remix features sci-fi vocal effects,fostex tape loops and ultra-heavy bass and driving drum machines. Minimal lush soul perfect for early mornings and the post-club world and a wild sci-fi house winner for late night club sessions. An IC fave! Remastered by Brandenberg/The Carvery (Note: we’ve also removed the drum machine going out of sync that was on the original press) Official Repress via Art Forest and his label Wildboy.Essential stuff!

Art Forest is an Electronic Engineer and production wizard from Detroit Michigan. He originally recorded 2 of Inner CItys’ Biggest Hits “Good Life” and “Big Fun” and continues to record to this day. Art Forest still finds and repairs equipment to add to his studio today. He also recorded for Paula Abdul “Straight Up” and Madonnas’ “Justify My Love” Shawn Pittman was a singer and dancer from Detroit who was a good friend of Inner City vocalist Paris Grey. Shawn Pittman sang backing vocals and harmonies on “Good Life” and “Big Fun”.

Although all three tracks offer the listener valuable insight into the level of music production ingenuity that was going on in Japan at the time, it's "Electric City" that really stands out as an unmistakably unique dancefloor track, where the then teenage female vocalists from Shohjo-Tai are left out and a galloping 120bpm beat sets a blank canvas for a number of unexpected elements to present: completely unorthodox accents in a wide range of unidentifiable sounds, a very enthusiastic electric guitar solo, the Ennio Morricone-esque Spaghetti Western vocal moments, all of which get contrasted with a blissful chorus that reminds one that this is somehow still a collaboration with a Japanese female idol band from the 80s. A hard track to forget even in the less sober dancefloors, it is no surprise that it would be a fundamental secret weapon in the repertoire of diggers such as Dea Barandana. Can't go wrong, buy on sight. Remastered with new artwork.

I spent a while thinking about the title for this album; it was quite hard to pin down the feeling I felt it represented. At a certain point I realised it was nostalgia, for everything; our life passed by, childhood, moments of happiness and sadness, where we grew up”. - Skinshape Will Dorey aka Skinshape has proven himself time and again as a connoisseur for the cosmopolitan, across a prolific career expertly exploring understated sounds and theatrical textures. Taking his place alongside the likes of Khruangbin, Tame Impala, Bonobo and Madlib, Skinshape’s global kaleidoscopes are loaded with warmth and wisdom created on vintage analogue equipment applying a perfectionist’s touch. As a former member of indie band Palace, he has played everywhere from Glastonbury and BBC Maida Vale to headlining Shepherd’s Bush Empire. Conversely, as a solo artist Skinshape has never played live preferring to record, releasing an album a year (two in 2020’s lockdown) and keeping away from the trappings of stardom.

I spent a while thinking about the title for this album; it was quite hard to pin down the feeling I felt it represented. At a certain point I realised it was nostalgia, for everything; our life passed by, childhood, moments of happiness and sadness, where we grew up”. - Skinshape Will Dorey aka Skinshape has proven himself time and again as a connoisseur for the cosmopolitan, across a prolific career expertly exploring understated sounds and theatrical textures. Taking his place alongside the likes of Khruangbin, Tame Impala, Bonobo and Madlib, Skinshape’s global kaleidoscopes are loaded with warmth and wisdom created on vintage analogue equipment applying a perfectionist’s touch. As a former member of indie band Palace, he has played everywhere from Glastonbury and BBC Maida Vale to headlining Shepherd’s Bush Empire. Conversely, as a solo artist Skinshape has never played live preferring to record, releasing an album a year (two in 2020’s lockdown) and keeping away from the trappings of stardom.

Following the mighty rendition of "I Want You", Soul Sugar (a.k.a. Guillaume 'Gee' Metenier) is back with another massive Soul-Reggae version, this time taking on Luther Vandross' "Never Too Much".
Fearlessly taking on such timeless classics is serious business, and Leo Carmichael delivers, once again, with a maximum dosage of finesse and feeling. Seductively delicate backing vocals from Carl Lee Sharshmidt and Karene Brown keep it as warm and intimate as one would hope, while Thomas Naim's tasteful guitar licks and Gee's minimal production allow the song to breathe and flow steadily on its own.
Recorded in Paris, Kingston, Miami and London, the resulting blend of Soul and Reggae riddims has rarely felt so natural. On the A-side, Gee's "Discomix" dubs a generous dose of the sultry backing vocals over a minimal, bassy groove that dips, dives and flows on into the sunset. UK producer Adam Prescott lets loose with an infectious 90's dancehall rerub, aiming straight for the dancefloor... ladies' choice! Finally rhythm legends Sly & Robbie drop the BASS with a heavy dancehall treatment, taking it low, letting it ride, while the vocals float on... Never Too Much!

Spinna B-ill's sweet cover of Al Jarreau's 1981 classic! A double-sided 7" record featuring a sweet cover number of Al Jarreau's 1981 classic "We're In This Love Together" by Spinna B-ill and a guitar instrumental tune by Yota Kobayashi on the B-side!

This rare Brit Funk 12” was originally released in 1984 and is now officially reissued for the first time. Licensed from producer Lindel Lewis, the 12” was heavily influenced by US Boogie and Disco and there’s a Dub influence at play as Lindel was also producing a lot of reggae around this time, most famously ‘Night Over Egypt’ by Mystic Harmony.

The 12” includes a previously unreleased Dub Version of ‘I Need You’ and was produced on two Analogue classics, Lindel says “I used a Linn Drum for the drums and played all synth parts using a Roland 106. I’m a classically trained musician and also a sound engineer, I worked at Mark Angelo Recording Studios for 18 years and have produced a great many artists. Steve Jones real name is Steve Myers, but I didn’t like the surname so changed it to Jones which felt more soulful. The name The Fat Boys came about because of the big bellies of myself the flute player Mike Appoh, my trainee engineer at the time. Ray Carlass played the sax solo, they have both now sadly passed”.

This long overdue reissue revives a standout moment in Brit Funk history, making it an essential addition for fans of classic Boogie and Disco. A 140 gram pressing in 3mm spine disco sleeve with labels and sticker designed by Bradley Pinkerton.

Frontier's Edge is the new EP by the fiery, energetic and genre-defying group The Budos Band. After a two-decade run with the legendary Daptone Records, Frontier’s Edge is the first new music from the group on the new label, Diamond West Records — run by The Budos' saxophonist Jared Tankel and guitarist Tom Brenneck. The Budos Band’s departure from Daptone was on good terms; the split from their long-time home base was an organic result of the band’s evolution. “It’s just a natural growth,” Brenneck says, admitting: “We’re going further away from the sound of Daptone and into territory they probably wanted to stay away from.” As a result, Frontier's Edge finds the group hungry, passionate and primed to charge into their next epoch newfound sense autonomy within the collective. “We’re a powerhouse in the studio; we can produce ourselves,” Brenneck says proudly of a long process of self-containment. “I take the helm, but the band, they know what they want.” As expected from The Budos Band, Frontier’s Edge resists analysis; it represents the band as they are: a contained explosion. You don’t pick apart Frontier’s Edge; you feel it all at once. “Somehow, we wrote six songs in two days,” says The Budos’ drummer, Brian Profilio. “Tom was able to take what we were doing and put it together in a cohesive manner” Whether this is your first rodeo with The Budos Band or you’ve been following them throughout their two-decade run, Frontier’s Edge contains their musical universe — Afrobeat, Ethiopian music, proto-metal, any number of other streams — in microcosm.

Frontier's Edge is the new EP by the fiery, energetic and genre-defying group The Budos Band. After a two-decade run with the legendary Daptone Records, Frontier’s Edge is the first new music from the group on the new label, Diamond West Records — run by The Budos' saxophonist Jared Tankel and guitarist Tom Brenneck. The Budos Band’s departure from Daptone was on good terms; the split from their long-time home base was an organic result of the band’s evolution. “It’s just a natural growth,” Brenneck says, admitting: “We’re going further away from the sound of Daptone and into territory they probably wanted to stay away from.” As a result, Frontier's Edge finds the group hungry, passionate and primed to charge into their next epoch newfound sense autonomy within the collective. “We’re a powerhouse in the studio; we can produce ourselves,” Brenneck says proudly of a long process of self-containment. “I take the helm, but the band, they know what they want.” As expected from The Budos Band, Frontier’s Edge resists analysis; it represents the band as they are: a contained explosion. You don’t pick apart Frontier’s Edge; you feel it all at once. “Somehow, we wrote six songs in two days,” says The Budos’ drummer, Brian Profilio. “Tom was able to take what we were doing and put it together in a cohesive manner” Whether this is your first rodeo with The Budos Band or you’ve been following them throughout their two-decade run, Frontier’s Edge contains their musical universe — Afrobeat, Ethiopian music, proto-metal, any number of other streams — in microcosm.

“Songs to Make Love To” is the 10th studio album by The Dining Rooms (Stefano Ghittoni and Cesare Malfatti), extending the Milanese duo’s classic sound legacy among psychedelic folk, cinematic atmospheres and hip hop-inspired downtempo rhythms. As always divided into instrumental and vocal tracks, it is entirely played and produced by Stefano and Cesare and features guest appearances on vocals by Chiara Castello (I’m Not a Blonde), Egeeno (of the Roman collective Tropicantesimo) and labelmate Tomaz Di Cunto aka Toco. “Songs To Make Love To” talks about love and relationship dynamics in every aspect, but also explores anthropological and ethnomusicological themes by making use of field recordings. “Songs To Make Love To” talks about love and relationship dynamics in every aspect, but also explores anthropological and ethnomusicological themes by making use of field recordings.

“Songs To Make Love To”, whose artwork was made with works by artist Tatjana Zonca, talks about love and the explicit act of loving each other, but also and especially about the construction of love, the dynamics of love relationships inside and outside the couple, free and liberated love, without constraints and outside the concept of possession. A further peculiarity that contributes to the uniqueness of “Songs To...” is the in-depth exploration of anthropological and ethnomusicological themes, particularly dear to Alan Lomax: the classic TDR sound therefore blends, especially in the instrumental tracks, with classic field recordings of sounds from the Genoese carruggi, the Milanese dockyard, the Spanish quarters of Naples and cities such as Istanbul and São Paulo.

Jungle x Library grooves on this latest Cold Diggin’ release introducin’ the Dude!
Limited one-off pressing, black vinyl, colored silk screen print.

repress, black vinyl, black silk screen print

file under drumfunk, hip hop, meters

repress, black vinyl, black silk screen print

file under pfunk, hip hop

Ltd edition pressing of 150, silk screen printed sleeves, hand numbered, black vinyl.

The Growth Eternal is Tulsa-native Byron Crenshaw - descendant of Black Wall Street pioneers. Currently residing in Los Angeles, the jazz bassist, vocodorist, producer/songwriter/composer, artist and activist presents PARASAiL-18 - the debut full-length album.

Byron explains his new album: "PARASAiL-18 was a 4 year process, and this process has made me as much as i’ve made it. What is this album all about?My escape in all its different forms:Hope, drugs, sex, desire, daydreaming, nightwalking, burial, fire, and fun.

The Parasail represents our momentary relief from the weight of the world. The “18” represents the point in my life where i needed escape most. The lowercase “i” represents ego dissolution and yielding to things as they are. The end of our escape.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Enigmatic instrumental group from The Pro-Teens pay tribute to the late great rapper MF DOOM, reimagining 14 iconic cuts through a wonky boom bap funk lens.Helmed by Hudson Whitlock, prolific drummer and percussionist of Karate Boogaloo and Surprise Chef, Melbourne's The Pro-Teens is a collective of instrumentalists making weirdo instrumental soul records. Drawing from the community of musicians from such bands in the College Of Knowledge orbit, The Pro-Teens' incorporate the comic book stylings of DOOM and Kool Keith, the dark and exotic flavors of Gravediggaz and Wu-Tang Clan, the cinematic compositional mastery of Galt MacDermot, Richard Evans and Marc Moulin, culminating in an unorthodox patchwork of cinematic soul, boom-bap funk breaks and left-field instrumental textures. MF TEEN: Your Concurrence In The Above Is Assumed recognises the legacy of rap's Illest Villain, traversing MF DOOM's discography and personas, flipping selections from Madvillain, MM.. FOOD, Viktor Vaughan, Danger Doom and more, taking care to ensure recognisable tunes such as Doomsday and Curls are represented alongside more obscure cuts such as The Gas Face, the Third Bass song that featured the first recorded verse from MF DOOM in his original moniker of Zev Love X of KMD. The full-length album follows the Pro-Teens now collectible 7"s of The Pro-Teens' renditions of Peachfuzz b/w One Beer and Doomsday b/w Curls, releases that built a feverous anticipation for the complete album. MF TEEN: Your Concurrence In The Above Is Assumed comes after 2021's Snooch Dodd & The Pro-Teens - I Flip My Life Every Time I Fly, co-released with UK tastemaker label Mr Bongo.

Enigmatic instrumental group from The Pro-Teens pay tribute to the late great rapper MF DOOM, reimagining 14 iconic cuts through a wonky boom bap funk lens.Helmed by Hudson Whitlock, prolific drummer and percussionist of Karate Boogaloo and Surprise Chef, Melbourne's The Pro-Teens is a collective of instrumentalists making weirdo instrumental soul records. Drawing from the community of musicians from such bands in the College Of Knowledge orbit, The Pro-Teens' incorporate the comic book stylings of DOOM and Kool Keith, the dark and exotic flavors of Gravediggaz and Wu-Tang Clan, the cinematic compositional mastery of Galt MacDermot, Richard Evans and Marc Moulin, culminating in an unorthodox patchwork of cinematic soul, boom-bap funk breaks and left-field instrumental textures. MF TEEN: Your Concurrence In The Above Is Assumed recognises the legacy of rap's Illest Villain, traversing MF DOOM's discography and personas, flipping selections from Madvillain, MM.. FOOD, Viktor Vaughan, Danger Doom and more, taking care to ensure recognisable tunes such as Doomsday and Curls are represented alongside more obscure cuts such as The Gas Face, the Third Bass song that featured the first recorded verse from MF DOOM in his original moniker of Zev Love X of KMD. The full-length album follows the Pro-Teens now collectible 7"s of The Pro-Teens' renditions of Peachfuzz b/w One Beer and Doomsday b/w Curls, releases that built a feverous anticipation for the complete album. MF TEEN: Your Concurrence In The Above Is Assumed comes after 2021's Snooch Dodd & The Pro-Teens - I Flip My Life Every Time I Fly, co-released with UK tastemaker label Mr Bongo.

/ Little Willie John 'I'm skanking'

Big Crown Records is proud to present Forever & Ever, the debut album from Thee Heart Tones. Hailing from Hawthorne, California, Thee Heart Tones are both carrying on a tradition and pushing the boundaries with their music. Lead singer Jazmine Alvarado is just 19 years old and the oldest member of the group, Jorge Rodriguez is 21, but one listen to their record and it becomes blatantly apparent they are a talent well beyond their years. Thee Heart Tones are Jazmine on vocals, Ricky Cerezo on keys and organ, Jorge on drums, Jeffrey Romero on bass, Peter Chagolla on lead guitar, and Walter Morales on rhythm guitar. As the story goes, "one day I got a DM from Ricky Cerezo asking if I wanted to write a song for his new (then unnamed) band," Jazmine says. "I knew his drummer and the other boys from middle school, so they were familiar faces. They sent me an mp3 of an instrumental they'd written and told me they wanted lyrics, so I wrote some and sent it to them." That song ended up being "Don't Take Me as a Fool," a downbeat, minor key ballad on which Jazmine's sultry, pitch-perfect vocals soar, and which is now destined for their debut album. Ricky went home to play "Don't Take Me As a Fool", recorded as a voice note on his phone, to his dad. "I was hesitant. Dad knew this music better than anyone; he grew up with it. But he grabbed my phone and held it to his ear. His approval meant a lot to me. But he had the same reaction Jorge and I did when we fi¬rst heard Jazmine sing. `This is going to be a hit,' he told me. `You guys have something really special here'." It was that same recording that caught the ears of Leon Michels and Danny Akalepse of Big Crown Records, who both heard the potential in the group immediately. After they signed to the label, Leon flew out to Los Angeles to record their debut album with Tommy Brenneck at Tommy's Diamond West studio. They knocked out 14 songs in fi¬ve days, capturing the charm of teenage soul and mixing it with their seasoned production prowess and the result is a modern classic Soul album. Album opener and title track "Forever & Ever" is an infectious two-stepper that instantly lifts your mood while heavy duty B side ballads like "Should I Call You Tonight", "Cry My Tears Away", and "It's Time" hold court with the genre's classics. They pick up the pace and ¬fill the dancefloor with "Need Something More" as Jazmine matter of factly sets the record straight on a Northern Soul styled track. They cover the Alvaro Carrillo penned classic "Sabor A Mi" to great effect, doing it justice and putting their version right up there with the best of them. Another standout is their version of The Vanguards classic "Somebody Please" which they change the tone of and take to a different level. The punching drums of "No Longer Mine" juxtapose Jazmine's honeyed vocals and wind up with the gritty energy of a mid-90s hip hop sample. Forever & Ever is both a testament to their unmistakable musical chemistry and talent. Their intentions as a band are testament to their collective character. Choosing to cover "Sabor A Mi" "allows us to let our audience know we go back to our roots," Jazmine says. "Growing up in LA, you get influenced by the city, the artwork, the music," Ricky says. "Dad didn't own a lowrider car, but other members of our family did. Impalas. El Caminos. We were influenced by the culture, particularly Chicano culture. And oldies and soul music played a big part." The style. The culture. The nod to the past. "That's what we're going for. We want to connect young Chicanos with their heritage. And we want to unite people _ old and young."

Big Crown Records is proud to present Forever & Ever, the debut album from Thee Heart Tones. Hailing from Hawthorne, California, Thee Heart Tones are both carrying on a tradition and pushing the boundaries with their music. Lead singer Jazmine Alvarado is just 19 years old and the oldest member of the group, Jorge Rodriguez is 21, but one listen to their record and it becomes blatantly apparent they are a talent well beyond their years. Thee Heart Tones are Jazmine on vocals, Ricky Cerezo on keys and organ, Jorge on drums, Jeffrey Romero on bass, Peter Chagolla on lead guitar, and Walter Morales on rhythm guitar. As the story goes, "one day I got a DM from Ricky Cerezo asking if I wanted to write a song for his new (then unnamed) band," Jazmine says. "I knew his drummer and the other boys from middle school, so they were familiar faces. They sent me an mp3 of an instrumental they'd written and told me they wanted lyrics, so I wrote some and sent it to them." That song ended up being "Don't Take Me as a Fool," a downbeat, minor key ballad on which Jazmine's sultry, pitch-perfect vocals soar, and which is now destined for their debut album. Ricky went home to play "Don't Take Me As a Fool", recorded as a voice note on his phone, to his dad. "I was hesitant. Dad knew this music better than anyone; he grew up with it. But he grabbed my phone and held it to his ear. His approval meant a lot to me. But he had the same reaction Jorge and I did when we fi¬rst heard Jazmine sing. `This is going to be a hit,' he told me. `You guys have something really special here'." It was that same recording that caught the ears of Leon Michels and Danny Akalepse of Big Crown Records, who both heard the potential in the group immediately. After they signed to the label, Leon flew out to Los Angeles to record their debut album with Tommy Brenneck at Tommy's Diamond West studio. They knocked out 14 songs in fi¬ve days, capturing the charm of teenage soul and mixing it with their seasoned production prowess and the result is a modern classic Soul album. Album opener and title track "Forever & Ever" is an infectious two-stepper that instantly lifts your mood while heavy duty B side ballads like "Should I Call You Tonight", "Cry My Tears Away", and "It's Time" hold court with the genre's classics. They pick up the pace and ¬fill the dancefloor with "Need Something More" as Jazmine matter of factly sets the record straight on a Northern Soul styled track. They cover the Alvaro Carrillo penned classic "Sabor A Mi" to great effect, doing it justice and putting their version right up there with the best of them. Another standout is their version of The Vanguards classic "Somebody Please" which they change the tone of and take to a different level. The punching drums of "No Longer Mine" juxtapose Jazmine's honeyed vocals and wind up with the gritty energy of a mid-90s hip hop sample. Forever & Ever is both a testament to their unmistakable musical chemistry and talent. Their intentions as a band are testament to their collective character. Choosing to cover "Sabor A Mi" "allows us to let our audience know we go back to our roots," Jazmine says. "Growing up in LA, you get influenced by the city, the artwork, the music," Ricky says. "Dad didn't own a lowrider car, but other members of our family did. Impalas. El Caminos. We were influenced by the culture, particularly Chicano culture. And oldies and soul music played a big part." The style. The culture. The nod to the past. "That's what we're going for. We want to connect young Chicanos with their heritage. And we want to unite people _ old and young."

Big Crown Records is proud to present Forever & Ever, the debut album from Thee Heart Tones. Hailing from Hawthorne, California, Thee Heart Tones are both carrying on a tradition and pushing the boundaries with their music. Lead singer Jazmine Alvarado is just 19 years old and the oldest member of the group, Jorge Rodriguez is 21, but one listen to their record and it becomes blatantly apparent they are a talent well beyond their years. Thee Heart Tones are Jazmine on vocals, Ricky Cerezo on keys and organ, Jorge on drums, Jeffrey Romero on bass, Peter Chagolla on lead guitar, and Walter Morales on rhythm guitar. As the story goes, "one day I got a DM from Ricky Cerezo asking if I wanted to write a song for his new (then unnamed) band," Jazmine says. "I knew his drummer and the other boys from middle school, so they were familiar faces. They sent me an mp3 of an instrumental they'd written and told me they wanted lyrics, so I wrote some and sent it to them." That song ended up being "Don't Take Me as a Fool," a downbeat, minor key ballad on which Jazmine's sultry, pitch-perfect vocals soar, and which is now destined for their debut album. Ricky went home to play "Don't Take Me As a Fool", recorded as a voice note on his phone, to his dad. "I was hesitant. Dad knew this music better than anyone; he grew up with it. But he grabbed my phone and held it to his ear. His approval meant a lot to me. But he had the same reaction Jorge and I did when we fi¬rst heard Jazmine sing. `This is going to be a hit,' he told me. `You guys have something really special here'." It was that same recording that caught the ears of Leon Michels and Danny Akalepse of Big Crown Records, who both heard the potential in the group immediately. After they signed to the label, Leon flew out to Los Angeles to record their debut album with Tommy Brenneck at Tommy's Diamond West studio. They knocked out 14 songs in fi¬ve days, capturing the charm of teenage soul and mixing it with their seasoned production prowess and the result is a modern classic Soul album. Album opener and title track "Forever & Ever" is an infectious two-stepper that instantly lifts your mood while heavy duty B side ballads like "Should I Call You Tonight", "Cry My Tears Away", and "It's Time" hold court with the genre's classics. They pick up the pace and ¬fill the dancefloor with "Need Something More" as Jazmine matter of factly sets the record straight on a Northern Soul styled track. They cover the Alvaro Carrillo penned classic "Sabor A Mi" to great effect, doing it justice and putting their version right up there with the best of them. Another standout is their version of The Vanguards classic "Somebody Please" which they change the tone of and take to a different level. The punching drums of "No Longer Mine" juxtapose Jazmine's honeyed vocals and wind up with the gritty energy of a mid-90s hip hop sample. Forever & Ever is both a testament to their unmistakable musical chemistry and talent. Their intentions as a band are testament to their collective character. Choosing to cover "Sabor A Mi" "allows us to let our audience know we go back to our roots," Jazmine says. "Growing up in LA, you get influenced by the city, the artwork, the music," Ricky says. "Dad didn't own a lowrider car, but other members of our family did. Impalas. El Caminos. We were influenced by the culture, particularly Chicano culture. And oldies and soul music played a big part." The style. The culture. The nod to the past. "That's what we're going for. We want to connect young Chicanos with their heritage. And we want to unite people _ old and young."

Big Crown Records is proud to present Forever & Ever, the debut album from Thee Heart Tones. Hailing from Hawthorne, California, Thee Heart Tones are both carrying on a tradition and pushing the boundaries with their music. Lead singer Jazmine Alvarado is just 19 years old and the oldest member of the group, Jorge Rodriguez is 21, but one listen to their record and it becomes blatantly apparent they are a talent well beyond their years. Thee Heart Tones are Jazmine on vocals, Ricky Cerezo on keys and organ, Jorge on drums, Jeffrey Romero on bass, Peter Chagolla on lead guitar, and Walter Morales on rhythm guitar. As the story goes, "one day I got a DM from Ricky Cerezo asking if I wanted to write a song for his new (then unnamed) band," Jazmine says. "I knew his drummer and the other boys from middle school, so they were familiar faces. They sent me an mp3 of an instrumental they'd written and told me they wanted lyrics, so I wrote some and sent it to them." That song ended up being "Don't Take Me as a Fool," a downbeat, minor key ballad on which Jazmine's sultry, pitch-perfect vocals soar, and which is now destined for their debut album. Ricky went home to play "Don't Take Me As a Fool", recorded as a voice note on his phone, to his dad. "I was hesitant. Dad knew this music better than anyone; he grew up with it. But he grabbed my phone and held it to his ear. His approval meant a lot to me. But he had the same reaction Jorge and I did when we fi¬rst heard Jazmine sing. `This is going to be a hit,' he told me. `You guys have something really special here'." It was that same recording that caught the ears of Leon Michels and Danny Akalepse of Big Crown Records, who both heard the potential in the group immediately. After they signed to the label, Leon flew out to Los Angeles to record their debut album with Tommy Brenneck at Tommy's Diamond West studio. They knocked out 14 songs in fi¬ve days, capturing the charm of teenage soul and mixing it with their seasoned production prowess and the result is a modern classic Soul album. Album opener and title track "Forever & Ever" is an infectious two-stepper that instantly lifts your mood while heavy duty B side ballads like "Should I Call You Tonight", "Cry My Tears Away", and "It's Time" hold court with the genre's classics. They pick up the pace and ¬fill the dancefloor with "Need Something More" as Jazmine matter of factly sets the record straight on a Northern Soul styled track. They cover the Alvaro Carrillo penned classic "Sabor A Mi" to great effect, doing it justice and putting their version right up there with the best of them. Another standout is their version of The Vanguards classic "Somebody Please" which they change the tone of and take to a different level. The punching drums of "No Longer Mine" juxtapose Jazmine's honeyed vocals and wind up with the gritty energy of a mid-90s hip hop sample. Forever & Ever is both a testament to their unmistakable musical chemistry and talent. Their intentions as a band are testament to their collective character. Choosing to cover "Sabor A Mi" "allows us to let our audience know we go back to our roots," Jazmine says. "Growing up in LA, you get influenced by the city, the artwork, the music," Ricky says. "Dad didn't own a lowrider car, but other members of our family did. Impalas. El Caminos. We were influenced by the culture, particularly Chicano culture. And oldies and soul music played a big part." The style. The culture. The nod to the past. "That's what we're going for. We want to connect young Chicanos with their heritage. And we want to unite people _ old and young."

The highly anticipated follow-up to Thee Sacred Souls's breakout 2022 self-titled debut, Got A Story To Tell, features 12 all original new songs, a soaring statement of exquisite craftsmanship from this young band from San Diego whose story grows bigger by the day. Recorded and produced by Gabriel Roth at Penrose Recorders, in Daptone’s Riverside, CA studio, and written in the throes of supporting their 2022 album, which was met with significant excitement and major touring that brought them across the world. What swirls together on Got A Story To Tell is an appreciation of decades of soul music, and beyond - a sound and feel that is timeless, lived in, and very much in the now. Album opener “Lucid Girl” champions independent women, set to some of the toughest sounding drums and bass the band has yet to put to tape. “Waiting On The Right Time” slinks with a touch of slow-burning psychedelia. A plea for empathy punctuates “One and the Same,” with Lane singing: “We’re one and the same, I feel one day / We learn to live with each other / In love, not fear / Just for a moment, why can’t we be together.” “On My Mind” is a sweeping orchestration, with Lane navigating the complexities of finding happiness while balancing the good with the bad. The album is punctuated with strings and squelching guitar, trundling piano, pops of conga, horns - it makes for a thrilling, layered listen that rewards with multiple spins.

L.A. Nights, their new EP on Hi & Fly is a new milestone in the band discography, setting it to a next level. The title track is a cover of the famous Yasuko Agawa’s track (itself based on Light of the world’s “London Town”) inspired by strong Zapp and West-Coast influences. Fat basslines, tight horn riffs and funky talkbox parts galore!
“Break Droppin’” and “The Battle” are infectious medleys played by the band with an extended line-up including extra brass, strings and percussions. In “Breaks Droppin’”, you’ll find a carefully selected mix of cuts, ranging from the Hawaiian Hal Bradbury’s “You win, I Lose”, to Julius Brockington’s “This Feeling (Freedom)”, passing through CTI and other sampler friendly tracks.
“The Battle” is a b-boy style up-tempo selection, mixing Latin influences with some classic battle cuts and evolving to a Disco finish, with a cover of the great Brothers’ break “Under the Skin”. It is 10’ long, the beats & percussions are heavy and the extended band is in top condition. It won’t let some rest to your feet for sure!
Last but not least, it's also the comeback of Hi & Fly, a French diggers' reference since 2000. So, one reason more to have a listen… Enjoy!

Mighty Eye Records is proud to present its debut release, the self-titled album by 10th Street. Comprised of some of the best NYC musicians to grace the music scene in the past 20 plus years, this ode to late ’70s disco, funk and boogie is sure to be a future classic!

Recorded at Soul Fire Studios (Williamsburg, Bklyn) over the course of two years, over two dozen musicians were involved in the making of this album, including members of El Michels Affair, Lee Fields & The Expressions, The Dap-Kings, Antibalas and more.

This eight track LP was produced and engineered by Jeff ‘Dynamite’ Silverman (Soul Fire Records, Truth & Soul Records, Aloe Blacc), assistant engineered by Lucas Goodman (Lion Babe), mixed by Chris Connors (Liam Bailey, Holy Hive) and mastered by Ryan Schwabe.

Notable contributions on 10th Street include Horn Arrangements by Michael Leonhart and String Arrangements by Leon Michels. Also including the ever talented Terri Walker (Lady) and Camille Sledge (Sister Sledge, Phoenix Afrobeat Orchestra) on vocals.

Ending the season on a breezy note, our new VA 'Boogie Angst, Edition Three' delivers the ideal wares for a buoyant last stretch to an otherwise trying year. Spanning a brightly hued kaleidoscope of pop-infused house and mellifluous boogie, Edition Three pushes forth a selection of our choicest grooves from the past year as well as a batch of unheard and exclusive gems to keep you in the warmest, most positive mindset for the winter to come. Through fifteen cuts covering a wide but cohesive spectrum of balmy sonics, the compilation once again offers a much spitting image of what the label's been up to in recent times. High Høøps playful revamp of Secret Rendezvous' fresher-than-fresh RnB joint 'Back In The Day' sets the tone right away, followed closely by Moods & Two Another's lush coastal disco number 'Control' and Snacks & Eric Biddines neo-big band style house treat 'All Night' - a singular chunk of ballroom bop tinged with soulful blues tropes and Caribbean melodic accents, sure to have the dancers jiving without further ado. Here comes Inkswel's synth-splattered mix of 8-bit pixelation and Run DMC-esque hip-hop 'Too Late' (ft. Stan Smith) and Saux's dream folk excursion 'You're Not Wrong'. A highlight of the package and mesmerizing piece of wistful, kosmische-laced disco, Kraak & Smaak 'Centro De Placer' ushers us in a realm of velveteen ingenuousness and sun-streaked utopianism, steering us away from the tar-scented gloom of soulless metropolises into an all engulfing prism of hope, love and grace. Utrecht-based vibist Feiertag punches the clock with 'Encino Boogie' - a four minute-odd slab of buoyant funk sprinkled with laid-back house tropes and brass-heavy, loungey dub tonalities, perfect for drawing out the pleasure of dreamlike summer boogie sessions. Clear your mind and shuffle your feet to that solar-powered mix of fevered drums, slap bass and sensually aqueous groove. Next, Kraak & Smaak's add their easily identifiable, almost Beck-ian spin to Jean Tonique's lysergic pop hit-en-puissance 'Too Bad' whilst Bondax lo-slung remix of Moods' sense-awakening soul tune 'Slow Down' (ft. Damon Trueitt) eases you into a place of inviting suavity. Inkswel's funky robot chugger 'The People' (ft. Dave Aju) picks up the torch next, followed by Flevans, your go-to man for proper electroid floor traction. The UK-based producer has you covered with 'Everything I See' - a surefire, bass-driven roller inbound for severe club impact with its infectious mix of fiery riffs, mangled female vox slivers and racing groove. Next, Secret Rendezvous' sun-beamy ballad 'Your Love' takes us on a gently bouncy, romantic ride. Last but not least, Vhyce's smooth hybrid of synth-strewn RnB and lo-velocity funk 'Lose Our Minds' (ft. Yves Paquet), David Harks' metronomic disco-pop anthem 'Twice' and Saux's sleek-textured synthpop exponent 'Night Is All There Is' round off the package on a typically smooth and vibrant sentimental touch. For the wax heads out there, a limited 9-track vinyl sampler will be issued alongside the digital compilation, featuring some of the tracks on the album + a few alternative versions, and furthermore a vinyl exclusive of Kraak & Smaak's remix of Izo FitzRoy's 'When The Wires are Down', initially released only digitally via Jalapeño Records.

Original US pressing.

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