Review: In 2011, Banda Achilifunk & OJO served up Gitano Real, one of the year's most essential albums. It was caned far and wide by funk lovers, in particular Craig Charles on his 6 Music show. Now, two cover versions taken from the essential album have been pressed to limited edition translucent yellow vinyl. First up, 'I Believe in Miracles' is an overwhelming take on the Jackson Sisters classic with plenty of happy Latin vibes and rumba funk rhythms. Flip it over for a more abstract version of McFadden and Whitehead's seminal 'Ain't No Stoping Us Now' which is a soulful disco number packed with sunshine.
Charlotte & Reinhard for WeCanDance - "To Be Free Again" (extended) (5:10)
Ollie Loudon - "LMT" (extended) (6:21)
Lily Ko - "Pure Rubber" (5:58)
Biancolato - "Resolution" (edit) (5:46)
Review: We're promised Mellow Magic and that's precisely what we get, across four tracks emerging from disparate corners of the globe but united in a common mission to provide beats that work on the more relaxed end of the dancefloor. Belgian duo Charlotte & Reinhard of Rheinzand fame kick things off with a slow motion Balearic version of a well known 80s MOR classic. Ollie Loudon's 'L.M.T.' finally makes it to vinyl after long being a secret weapon in Gratts' DJ sets, where handclaps and languid strumming meet a gentle but infectious groove. Flip it over for the more tracky affairs, as Japan's Lily Ko makes an impressive debut with 'Pure Rubber', an original mix of disco foundations and always snazzy but never showy 80s synth play. Melbourne's Biancolato finishes things off with understated deep house shuffling that adds just a touch jazzy keys and dreamy, wispy pads.
Review: For those in the know, this new collab between veteran Portuguese DJ and producer Dedy Dread and fast-rising Hawaiian singing star Olivia Ruff has been a long time coming. But it was worth the wait. The opener 'Cover Me' features Ruff's, well, slightly rough - or at least gravelly - vocals over a rhythm and bass instrumental. It's accented with wispy chords, neat little guitar riffs and crunchy claps. Flip it over and you'll find a remix by label founder The Rebel and Roman pianist and producer Shiny D. Their version is a modern update with brilliant reggaeton rhythms.
George Dekker & The Inn House Crew - "Nana" (3:28)
The Inn House Crew, George Dekker & Oxman - "It Sweet SA" (feat Vin Gordon) (3:26)
Review: George Dekker was a founding member of The Pioneers, a hit reggae group who'd plenty of UK chart success with big tunes like 'Long Shot Kick de Bucket,' 'Let Your Yeah be Yeah' and 'Sweet Inspiration'. Here, for a special Record Store Day 20210 release, we get a remake of 1968 tunes 'Nana.' It first came on the Trojan label and is a highly sought after original that fetches plenty. It's a super sweet tune with lazy horns and a swaggering riddim. On the backside is a version with MC the Oxman and legendary Studio One and Bob Marley trombonist Vin Gordon. This one is a sympathetic version that only tweaks the signal a little.
Jerome Oscar & Oscar Worldpeace - "(Why You So) Green With Envy" (4:49)
Franc Moody - "Cristo Redentor" (5:20)
Review: Oscar Jerome, Oscar Worldpeace and Franc Moody have got new music coming on the latest Blue Note Re:imagined compilation this year which is already getting us hella excited. Before we hear what is sure to be a contemporary great, we get treated to a couple of singles from it on this tidy 45 rpm. Jerome Oscar & Oscar Worldpeace go first with '(Why You So) Green With Envy' which fuses jazz styles for across the age with Worldpeace's tight and thoughtful bars. On the flip side is Franc Moody with 'Cristo Redentor' which balances jazz's traditional past with its freshest future.
Review: Thompson Sound and Dubquake Records collaborate here to present O.B.F-style renditions of classic roots and rub-a-dub tracks from Linval Thompson's esteemed label. Rico O.B.F revitalises gems from the '70s and '80s using original recordings with each release featuring reinterpretations of the vocals, dubs, and mixes that include the beloved Nazamba. Following 'Curfew' and 'Sweet Sensimilia', the latest offering is 'Evening Love', a fresh take on Sammy Dread's emotive 'Morning Love' from the iconic dub album Scientist Meets The Space Invaders. Nazamba shines on 'She Nah Lie', delivering poetry steeped in warmth and romance, enhanced by the finesse of the Roots Radics.
Review: Classic soul band The Moments serve up a couple more gems for this red hot series on Dynamite Cuts. First is a steamy, seductive, sexy version of the Lee Forsey classic 'Ride Your Pony'. The gentle drums, the swinging synths and the sting sounds are all topped with butter-smooth vocals. On the back side is something just as majestic and heart warming - 'Sugar Sugar' is a real singalong gem with nice sax stabs, freaky synth bass that never stops squelching and just good vibes that you never want to end.
Review: O! Kult was a post-punk and industrial band from Yugoslavia that was active in the 1980s. Like many of their peers at the time, they were censored by the communist party that was in charge but that didn't stop them from making music and gaining a cult following. Their cut 'Zvestoba' has been found in old Radio student archives and brought back to life here and then remixed by modern luminaries Silent Servant, Christian Kroupa (who is one half of Black Dot) and 198319831983. They add weighty tech, EBM and moody electro vibes to make for a strong package.
Review: Although best known for the quality of their reissues, the Rain & Shine Records crew does put out stunningly good new music now and then. This is one of those occasions. "The Watcher" is the debut EP from 21 year-old New Zealander Arjuna Oakes, a multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, producer and vocalist who's happy to forge his own path through the worlds of jazz-funk, soul and reggae. It's the kind of warm, woozy and effortlessly soulful musical fusion that has long been associated with artists from New Zealand, though it's fair to say that Oakes does it better than most. In fact, as debuts go it's an absolute stunner.
Review: Obongjayar is back with a striking double-single release that mixes up contrasting styles into a cohesive artistic statement. The dreamlike, danceable pop of 'Just My Luck' captures themes of loneliness with an infectious rhythm and shimmering melodies. On the flip side, 'Tomorrow Man' is all about a raw, percussive energy that confronts the theme of laziness with unflinching honesty. Together, these two tracks showcase Obongjayar's ability to explore emotional depth and sonic diversity and offer a tantalising glimpse into the creative direction of his next chapter. Whatever that may bring, he remains a boundary-pushing voice.
Review: Blissful boogie reissue from Junko Ohashi, whose 7-inch promo for 'Dancin' here functioned as the promo material for the 1983 album 'Point Zero'. Sounding just as rough, farty and raw as its original LP cut, the track is a perfect example of what Japan brought to disco - blending it largely with city pop - at the time. 'In Your Lovin', as it did on the original album, brings up the B-side with a downer-tempo funk beat, and a lyrical subject dealing with a romanticized, ideal lover.
Review: Alogte Oho & His Sounds of Joy's debut album Mam Yinne Wa was a real triumph. A sensuous fusion of international rhythms, gospel vocals and jubilant vibes that was an instant hit with lovers of world music. His new single is said to be a teaser for a seance upcoming album and is another masterpiece from Frafra Gospe, a legend of this genre. First up is 'Doose Mam,' a repetitive rhythm that goes right for the hips. The big horns bring the character and sensuous vocals are the icing on the cake. On the flip is 'Gure Yose Me,' a tune rooted in reggae rhythms thanks to the work of Josie Coppola, Europe's No.1 reggae drummer.
Review: Omar is a real British musical institution and as such it's surprising but also not so shocking, he has recently completed a stint on BBC soap Eastenders. This cheeky 7" is a reissue of the title track from his album The Man and a fine example of his perfectly soulful vocals and mellifluous melodies over nice broken beat and nu jazz sounds. It represents some of his best work and this contemporary take uses the final few bars of the original track as its starting point in a "part 2" style.
Review: Any Omar S release is worth checking, but when it also features Detroit funk godfather and Motor City legend Amp Fiddler, as well as Andre Foxxe of Parliament-Funkadelic, then it's pretty much buy on sight. You never know what you're gaping to get with the FXHE boss, and never was that more true than here on this sweet little 7". A-side 'The First One Hundred' is a loop of Omar S's trademark dusty drums and a deeply buried bass guitar riff that is super funky, and 'Dance Your Blues Away (feat Amp Fiddler)' sounds like Prince making house music in Omar S's studio. They are short, but oh so sweet.
Review: Omar S sets his considerable dancefloor skills to something a little different on a new 7" featuring the vocal talents of TroiAlexis. A young talented Detroit female songwriter who was discovered by Omar S at the Conant Gardens Party Store when she sung acapella to him at a Hi Tech party, TroiAlexis lends an air of soulful class to Omar's trademark electro-slanted electronics on both sides of this single. There's a stripped down - and we mean stripped right down - bass heavy R&B mix on the A-side, while the flip has a sturdier house mix that still gives her voice room to soar.
Review: Murray Clark, Chris Deverell, and Robert Ellerby have been responsible for some genuinely inspiring electronic music over the years, their instrumental approach to downtempo and avant garde synth stuff originating in and among the fertile bounty of new ideas that was the early-1990s. On Hear My Mind, the trio - AKA Opik - take us deep into their DAT archives to see what's hiding in the darkness. Two tracks, both equally stunning, 'Hear My Mind' opens the pair with a slow burning, jazz-influenced atmosphere builder, reversed-out harmony floating over stepping bass loop and distant ethereal vocals. 'Kaulsoum' goes for something even more late night and subtly euphoric, growing and developing into a bold and beautiful slice of rave-hued ambient.
Review: Opolopo is a machine when it comes to serving up superb disco, funk and soul sounds. He's done so for two decades on plenty of top labels from Toolroom to Version Galore to Gamm. This time out he finds himself on a self-released tip with X Machine which is a mash-up of James Brown. The original vocals cut through funky basslines and lots of big percussions as the loose drums rumbled on next to warming organ chords. The instrumental is a more direct to dancefloor jam.
Orchestre Poly-Rythmo De Cotonou-Dahomey - "It's A Vanity" (4:21)
Clement Melome Et Le Orchestre Poly-Rythmo - "Nougbo Vehou (La Verite Blesse)" (4:49)
Review: The legendary Afro funk fusionists Orchestre Poly-Rythmo De Cotonou Dahomey have got unlimited amounts of big tunes in their back catalogue and the fiery 'It's A Vanity' is one of them. It has fat and chunky drums with trademark horns leading the way next to the impassioned vocals. The tune twists and turns on a vibe as it funks you up and then on the flip is the more lo-fi and stripped back, earthen funk sounds of 'Nougbo Vehou' (La Verite Blesse). Anotehr killer 7" reissue from this great collective.
Review: Acid Jazz Records' has got a licensing agreement with legendary Benin label Albarika Store that is seeing them put out some of the best music to have ever come from West Africa. Benin's almighty Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou Dahomey made plenty of it. This latest 45 is another stunner with plenty of raw screams, wails and grunts all adding extra life and vitality to the already trilling guitars and bustling drum rhythms. Add in heavy percussion and you have a real heavy Afro psych-funk tune. The flip is more deep and soulful, and just as good for different reasons.
Review: Benin funk supergroup Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou have an essential discography that takes in some of the most definitive afro-funk sounds you can hear. The Acid Jazz label serves up a couple of such betters here with 'Kpede Do Gbe Houenou' layering up the driving grooves, killer horns and wild keys into something intoxicating. Less intense but just as good, 'Ma Wa Mon Nou Mi O' brings the guitar work to the fore, with plucked and funky riffs underneath the imploring vocal work that's up top. Both tunes have been restored and remastered.
Review: It's hard to fault the work of the Original Gravity crew and when the tasteful London label's All Stars assemble it's even more important to take note. It is they who kick off 2025 with a classic funky break that is topped with spoken word samples from an MC at a big fight event (though it's not Michael Buffer, the man behind these famous words, because he has a strict copyright on them). The beats are as fiery as a heavyweight showdown with plenty of punchy horn stabs. On the flip, 'Rumble In The Jungle' is a similar sound that makes just as much impact.
Review: Following persistent requests, Mr Bongo has finally relented and dedicated an edition of their popular Brazil 45s series to Orlandivo Honorio de Souza, a composer, singer and percussionist whose 1977 album Oelandivo remains high on my collectors' wants-lists. Wisely, their A-side pick is 'Onde Anda O Meu Amore', a cosmic and spacey fusion of samba-soul and jazz-funk rich in ethereal flute lines and intergalactic keys. This time round it comes backed by the equally as impressive 'Gueri Gueri', an insatiable samba-rock number wrapped in heady accordion, jangly acoustic guitar and punchy horn sounds.
Review: This is another fine addition to the Four Flies 45 series: it is a first-ever 7" taken from one of the few soundtracks that legendary producer and composer Paolo Ormi ever wrote (namely a rather underwhelming parody of Woody Allen's Play It Again, Sam). He is best known for his mix of Italian funk, disco and library music, both for underground labels but also stars like Raffaella Carra. All three of the instrumentals here are seriously funky - two of them have actually been put out before as part of this label's hard-to-find compilations Esterno Notte and Esterno Giorno.
Review: Mr Bongo's crucial Brazil series hits a 94th volume here with vocal and instrumental group Os Carbonos from Sao Paulo. The band had a long and fruitful career that started in the 60s and ran on into the 80s. This offering is a tune from later on in their time and it is a prime slice of Brazilian boogie with funk drums, vamping chords and hip swinging claps all designed to bring the good ties and the sunny vibes. The bass-driven a-side is the one, but the flip from Sandra Sa is a special kind of sentimental soul sound.
Review: For the latest edition in the label's superb Brazil 45s series, the Mr Bongo crew has decided to reissue one of their all-time favourite tracks, Os Devaneios' 'Embala Differente'. Situated here on side B, the track is one of the funkiest and heaviest samba floor-fillers going - a 1978 workout that adds punchy horns, disco-boogie bass, strong male lead vocals and mazy organ solos to an infectious and percussively dense rhythm track. A-side 'A Beleza E Voce Menina', a slightly later recording, is equally as impressive, with the obscure Brazilian band adding elements of soul, South American boogie and AOR to their funky-as-hell samba template. Another essential instalment in one of the most on-point reissue series around.
Review: Samba flavours do not come more authentic than this. The sixth in Mr Bongo's Brazil 45 series, here they unearth two foundation pieces from Rio collective Os Origianais Do Samba. Forming in 60s Rio, they're still highly active today and have a discography peppered with Brazilian gold. This 45 does well to showcase their breadth... "La Vem Salgueiro" is quintessential samba. Heavy rhythm, punctuated vocals and a dynamic that leaps from bold and delicate in a flash, it charms you instantly. "Tenha Fe" has a softer soul as it strums and sways and more of a folky sensation, tight harmonies and alluring naked instrumentation.
Review: There's not a huge amount we can say with certainty about O$VMV$M. The act is based in Bristol, UK, and certainly reinforce preconceptions of the city as a hotbed for leftfield stuff. Whether that's politics, art, or, in this case, music. Or perhaps all three. Beach Road is as much an exercise in sound-as-art as it is music per se, and as such is a strong statement about the lack of vision and imagination stalking streaming services and record shops alike in 2023.
None of which is to say that O$VMV$M's six-track EP isn't packed with incredible music. 'Diablo', one of the wildest, strangest efforts here, is disjointed mutant pop-electronica that seems like someone is warming up for an MPC showcase, and exemplifies our point. It's pleasurable to hear, but fascinating to take apart. Similar points can be made about the sparse, glitchy percussion of 'Beach Road' and 'Follow', making this one for the deep dive enthusiasts.
Review: Originally released in 1972, these are the only known recordings from Tulsa soul band Outback. The A-side is an eclectic, psychedelic funk ballad with lyrics drawn from religious scripture and drawing powerful parallels to Black slavery in the U.S. They lend a deeply spiritual and socially conscious edge to the track which is potent in groove as it is message. The B-side, 'Reggie's Thang,' takes a different turn and is a raw, psychedelic instrumental showcasing the band's musical range and experimental edge. Together, these are a time machine back to powerful moments in soul and funk history, now rediscovered and sure to be appreciated all over again.
Review: Two stone cold legends on one unforgettable 45": Courtney and Omar build on their recent Black Notes From The Deep live collaborations with a stunning original and killer cover. "Rules" is a funk-based track that jumps and sizzles with a fresh contemporary energy that you might not expect from either party while "Butterfly" pays a very special homage to another stone cold legend Herbie Hancock. A beautiful release. You might say there's nothing like it.
Review: Verdant's tenth release is another meandering and mystic trip through ambient electronic sounds that leaves you a million miles away from wherever you started. All four artists here excel with electro producer Reedale Ris kicking off in languid, far-sighted fashion with their mournful synths and distant cosmic designs. Out.Lier's 'Track 2' is another one cast adrift on deepest space with smeared pads and floating aural details suspending you in mid air. Jo Johnson's cascading synth motifs are pure and innocent and cathartic and Romanticise The World's 'Track 4' is mellifluous and hopeful.
Review: Should you be able to find original copies of the two dusty-fingered classics featured on this "45", your bank balance was be significantly smaller. Of course, just because something is rare and expensive doesn't make it good, but Jimmy Thomas's 1969 cut 'Springtime' is genuinely brilliant. Released when funk-rock was arguably at its height, it sees the legendary soul man belting out Alan de Roches' lyrics over a Hammond-heavy fusion of soul, funk and Hendrix-style heavy rock. This time round, it comes backed with a relatively hard to find - on vinyl, at least- chunk of reggae/soul/rhythm & blues from iconic Jamaican singer Owen Grey. It's superb, of course, but we still prefer the incendiary A-side.
Unfolding (Volume 2: Into The Pleasure Garden) (12:08)
Entrancement (7:32)
Ravishment (12:33)
I Don't Know I'm Not A Dream (11:08)
Review: Despite what you might assume, O Yuki Conjugate are actually an English duo. Hailing from the country's renowned hinterland somewhere between ambient and industrial, the pair - better known as Roger Horberry and Andrew Hulme - first started the project in 1982, a time in the nation's history that was particularly fertile for sonic experiments of the synthesised kind.
A Tension of Opposites is proof they have lost little of their imagination and creative spark, even decades later. Born in the first year of the pandemic, 2020, both artists worked in isolation and therefore both had different ideas about how a sonic response to the most batshit crazy situation in living memory should sound. The result, then, is a lush, intoxicating, and thoughtful journey through tonalities, resonance, and deep refrains that offers two sides of the same terrifying, traumatic, and life-changing story.
Bomb The Bass - "Empire" (feat Benjamin Zephaniah & Sinead O'Connor) (5:48)
I Want Your (Hands On Me) (4:35)
The Edge - "Heroine (Theme From Captive)" (feat Sinead O'Connor) (4:28)
Don't Cry For Me Argentina (5:36)
You Made Me The Thief Of Your Heart (6:12)
Just Like U Said It Would B (4:36)
This Is A Rebel Song (3:04)
Review: She might be more well known these days for her open letters to Miley Ray Cyrus or public struggles with mental health, but this So Far The Best of reminds us just why Sinead O'Connor is so famous in the first place. It brings together the very best tunes from her four albums and was originally released in 1997, so of course, includes her ubiquitous and global smash Number 1 'Nothing Compares 2 U' is included, as are earlier singles 'Troy' and 'Mandinka', all of which showcase her fearless style and a rich array of emotions. 'Heroine' and 'Just Like U Said It Would B' are included for the first time having in the past only been available on the US version.
Review: For well over a decade, Italian producer, electronic musician and sound designer Ocralab (real name Rocco Biscione) has been serving up immersive and enveloping ambient soundscapes, most of which tend towards the meditative and subtly sun-kissed. That's the trademark sound that he explores on gorgeous new full-length Locus Impervio, a set whose gently rising and falling melodic motifs, calming soundscapes and spacey sounds recall the halcyon days of ambient music in the mid-to-late 1990s. It's a genuinely gorgeous, soul-enriching set all told - the kind of thing we might have expected Pete Namlook, Jonah Sharp, Move D and Mixmaster Morris to put out circa 1994 (albeit with subtle nods to more contemporary, sound design-driven academic ambient releases).
This Version Of You (feat Julianna Barwick) (2:30)
Wide Awake (feat Charlie Houston) (3:42)
Love Letter (feat The Knocks) (4:11)
Behind The Sun (4:17)
Forgive Me (feat Izzy Bizu) (3:31)
North Garden (2:59)
Better Now (feat MARO) (3:09)
The Last Goodbye (feat Bettye LaVette) (6:06)
All My Life (2:58)
Equal (feat Lapsley) (4:13)
Healing Grid (3:13)
I Can't Sleep (3:04)
Light Of Day (feat Olafur Arnalds) (6:38)
Review: Ninja Tune's Odesza return with a brand new album as well as a massive world tour to match. 'The Last Goodbye' is another record to heighten the band's their long-held standing in the progressive and ambient house netscene they occupy. Every end of musical history is traversed in this emotive future downtempo release which sinks you into deep to its mellifluous world of sound. The title track is emblematic of this as it straddles, samples and licenses an incredible old recording of soul vocalist Bettye LaVelle against a funking, flourishing instrumental backdrop. It is one of the many gems that make this so essential.
This Version Of You (feat Julianna Barwick) (2:33)
Wide Awake (feat Charlie Houston) (3:37)
Love Letter (feat The Knocks) (4:17)
Behind The Sun (4:22)
Forgive Me (feat Izzy Bizu) (3:31)
North Garden (2:59)
Better Now (feat MARO) (3:15)
The Last Goodbye (feat Bettye LaVette) (6:00)
All My Life (3:10)
Equal (feat Lapsley) (4:02)
Healing Grid (3:15)
I Can't Sleep (3:00)
Light Of Day (feat Olafur Arnalds) (6:42)
Review: Ninja Tune's Odesza return with a brand new album (and not to mention world tour), 'The Last Goodbye', owning their long-held standing in the progressive, ambient house netscene they occupy. Every end of musical history is traversed in this emotive future downtempo release; the title track is emblematic of this straddling, sampling and licensing an incredible old recording of soul vocalist Bettye LaVelle against a funking, flourishing instrumental backdrop.
Review: Legendary Southern California punk band The Offspring celebrate the 20th anniversary of their Platinum-selling sixth album Conspiracy of One by reissuing it on vinyl. Delivered on a heavyweight slab with a fancy gatefold cover, the reissued version features the bonus track 'Huck It', which was the title track of The Offspring's 2000 VHS/DVD Huck It, and anthemic song that has often been heard behind various skateboard stunts. Produced by Brendan O'Brien who also work with greats like Pearl Jam and Bruce Springsteen, the record packed din plenty of singles such as 'Want You Bad,' 'Million Miles Away,' and the biggest of them all, 'Original Prankster.'
Review: Another comprehensive collection of jazz here from the good people at Light in The Attic. This 14 track compilation has been carefully selected and compiled by Japanese jazz expert Yusuke Ogawa, who is the owner of Tokyo's Universounds record store. It comes on heavyweight vinyl with vast track-by-track liner notes by Ogawa and take sin everything from hard bop to free jazz with plenty of big and explosive moments as well as more deep and introspective sections of calm, all of which has been plucked from the vaults of Nippon Columbia. There is a reason Japanese jazz is so revered, and this record shows why.
Review: 1970's The Olympians came at the height of the Greek ensemble's popularity, and at a point where pop music was making its way into the mainstream through all sorts of subgenres. By that, we mean that this particular album is seeped in a distinctly jazzy kind of vibe, one which makes it both singular in its approach, but also very representative of the era in which it was conceived. Cool, sexy and laid-back, these eleven tracks a truly soulful in every sense of the word but, the interesting thing about them is that their not the usual US kind of sound; you can tell that there is something different in here, something European and a bit more wide-eyed to the choice of sounds and arrangements. Daptone coming through with the quality, as per...
Review: Om Unit's Acid Dub Studies album, an inspired fusion of outer-space ambient sounds, deeply psychedelic TB-303 tweakery and outer-space digi-dub riddims, was for our money one of the standout electronic albums of 2021. This surprise sequel more than lives up to the high bar set by its predecessor, with the Bristol-based producer subtly expanding the project's boundaries (see the borderline Balearic brilliance of 'Camo') while delivering more fusions of ambient techno, acid and digi-dub. Highlights are plentiful, with our picks including the slow-motion strut of 'Strange Brew', the intergalactic squelch of 'Pursuit', the warming loveliness of 'To The River' and the borderline tropical melodiousness of 'Liberation'.
Gave My Heart/Its So (Interlood) (feat Leon Ware/Grant Windsor Big Beat Band) (5:02)
Feeds My Mind (Feal Floacist) (3:56)
De Ja Vu (feat Mayra Andrade) (3:25)
This Way That Way (3:44)
Hold Me Closer (feat Stuart Zender) (3:48)
I Want It To Be (3:47)
Doobie Doobie Doo (4:08)
Grey Clouds (5:01)
Review: One of the UK's most distinctive, consistent and authentic male soul voices returns with his eighth album in 27 years... And it's a serious piece of work. Rich in range, warmth, creativity and a keen eye on the dancefloor, everything about him feels refreshed and energised. Highlights include the Dilla-meets-Iz & Diz style "This Way That Way", the glistening Balearic charm of "Feeds My Mind", the syrupy organs and harmonies on "Insatiable". Winding down with the almost filmic narrative "Grey Clouds", it's one of those records that will have you leaping up, flipping to side A and starting all over again. Feel the love.
Who Chooses The Seasons (feat Carleen Anderson) (4:59)
Best By Far (4:00)
Winner (3:39)
Be Thankful (feat Erykah Badu) (4:04)
Tell Me (4:00)
Syleste (Lounge Lizzard mix) (3:54)
Feeling You (feat Stevie Wonder) (4:43)
It's So (4:32)
Come On (feat Kele LeRoc) (4:50)
Treat You (feat Caron Wheeler) (3:34)
The Man (4:15)
Fuck War, Make Love (3:24)
Bully (feat The Scratch Professer) (3:56)
I Love Being With You (3:34)
Simplify (3:18)
Gave My Heart (feat Leon Ware) (3:36)
Doobie Doobie Doo (4:02)
Insatiable (feat Natasha Watts) (5:16)
De Ja Vu (feat Mayra Andrade) (3:25)
I Want It To Be (3:44)
This Is Not A Love Song (4:47)
Outside (5:42)
Review: Much loved and influential UK soul legend Omar Lyefook - who has been awarded an MBE for his contributions to the music world - put out his seminal 33 track anthology back in 2020. It came on Freestyle Records and now makes it to wax, with all of his classic collaborations incuded as well as his most notable hit, 'There's Nothing Like This,' as well as 'It's So,' the big, floor facing cut that always amps up any club with its bristling drum work taking cues from the sounds Omar heard at The Notting Hill Carnival. There are plenty of lesser known gems form the evergreen star, too, plus exclusive and previously unheard tracks 'Pass It On' ft Terri Walker and 'Long Time Coming.'
Review: Joshua Smeltink is a pianist and producer who works under the On-Ly alias. Since around 2017 has he been playing local bars as well as being a part of a number of different bands. He is currently busy with his own On-Ly band which features Carl Lindeberg on bass, Henry Hicks strumming the guitar and Bryce Zelno from Astral Feld on drums. This heavyweight new album explores worldly rhythms with plenty of off-beat grooves, finger clicks, hulling great drum hits, dark synth sounds and expressive broken beats and jazz melodies to make for an album that is as primal sounding as it is beautiful.
Review: On-Ly is the creative persona of Joshua Smeltink, a pianist-producer who merges diverse influences and mixes sup aspects of sounds like house, hip-hop, and the hard-hitting post-bop jazz-rock of the 60s and 70s. He also takes inspiration from greats of the jazz world such as cats like Weather Report and Miles Davis Group. Wonderlust is his debut album and one that finds him introduce a fresh sound with a band alongside him. Aspects of great works like Santana's Moonflower, bands like The Mars Volta, and piano master Herbie Hancock all can be heard across a kaleidoscopic journey reminiscent of classic psychedelic records. With through-composed passages, heartfelt melodies, and vibrant arrangements, Wonderlust is a fine debut.
Review: NYC sound artist and Software label boss Daniel Lopatin is back with his eagerly awaited eighth studio album. A self-proclaimed 'cybernetic rock' album influenced by his time touring with Nine Inch nails and Soundgarden in 2014. There's '"Ezra" which reaches near trance moments, the glitchy R&B digitalism of "Sticky Drama" which features a turn, mid track, reaching a level of mayhem comparable to Shapednoise. There is a moment of what we can only describe as 'indie trance' on the psychotic epic "Mutant Standard". Not forgetting the disturbed nu-gaze of "I Bite Through It", a real highlight on here. Commercial music was said to have influenced the album too. "Freaky Eyes" and "Lift" deconstruct pop music via sampling/resampling and loop points, adding Lopatin's own bizarre intricacies on top. He has undoubtedly become known as one of the most unique voices in electronic music today and this is further testament to his standing. Difficult listening for curious ears.
Review: Having firmly established himself as one of the foremost experimental producers of the past decade with albums like Replica, Returnal, and Rifts, Daniel Lopatin here makes the logical move to electronic music bastion Warp Records. On first listen R Plus Seven is quite unlike any of his other records, largely eschewing the arpeggiated drones of his early work and sample-based collages of his last album for something much more vivid. Coming across like a combination of the emotive minimalism of Terry Riley and Steve Reich, and the hyperreality of James Ferraro's Far Side Virtual, R Plus Seven nevertheless stakes its own claim in the world of post-everything electronic music, combining delicate, introspective moods with shocking moments of recognisable sonic signification. Quite possibly Lopatin's best album to date.
Review: Following 2012's fourth volume that celebrated the existential work of Tim Maia, here we find Luaka Bop exploring the legacy of William Onyeabor. A high chief and Kenyan diplomat who allegedly refuses to discuss his music, he self-released eight albums in the 70s and 80s and these are some of the many highlights. Stretching from the New York-influenced post-punk synth funk of "Good Name" to the most authentic Afro fusion of "Why Go To War", Onyeabor's range not only reflects his clear creative skill, but also the ever-developing international language of music during the fruitful period he was active. Who is William Onyeabor? Press play and find out yourselves...
Review: A lesson in how to follow up an incredible album: Tomorrow followed Onyeabor's incendiary Atomic Bomb immaculately. The title track instantly set the scene with more emphasis on electronic elements and studio techniques as William sermonises without pomp. "Why Go To War" is as insistent as its message thanks to a dense lolloping groove of highlife guitars and spiralling keys. "Fantastic Man", meanwhile, takes a leaf out of Parliament's playbook, rolls it up and smokes its own and "Try & Try" closes the show with country subtlety thanks to its slide guitars and blushing keys.
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