Review: The backstory to this one is great. It starts in 1978 when a New York producer was in need of some studio musicians to lay down some fast and funky rhythms for a band he was working with, The Imperials. Minneapolis talents Andre Cymone and Prince Rogers Nelson duly stepped up and recorded 'Fast Freddy The Roller Disco King'. An album from the Imperials was set to follow but it never did, leaving us with this one majestic cut. It's soul-drenched and cosmic disco with a killer vocal back with a more leggy and slow-motion cosmic wonder, 'I Just Wanna Be Your Lovin' Man.'
In Mind (Tom Middleton & Mark Pitchard aka Global Communication Reload remix - The 147 take) (13:55)
Review: Legendary Reading shoegaze band Slowdive had s short but powerful run from 1989 until 1995 (during their first spell) and that included the 5EP. In the same year, it was remixed to perfection by Bandulu and Reload and now it gets reissued on limited hand numbered vinyl. First up, Bandulu stretch the original's heavy minor chords and fatten the track out into a dubby masterclass and then the Reload version from Tom Middleton & Mark Pritchard (better known as Global Communication) is even more impressive. It's a supremely blissed out cut with a slow motion rhythm and futuristic sense of soul cut on 45 rpm but just as suited to 33rpm playback.
Review: An artist so effortlessly apt to reinvent herself such as Laurie Anderson should be more than any other worthy of the reissue treatment. Music On Vinyl here present the legendary New York musician and performance artist's 1989 avant-garde album 'Bright Red', which followed a brief stint in the chart-worthy realm of pop. Co-produced with Brian Eno and informed by her then relationship with Lou Reed, Anderson's musings on love, landscape and death are more than submerged in Eno's proto-ambient pop and reverb techniques. It's also yet another stalwart album in vocal synthesis, with cuts such as 'Puppet Motel' showing off Anderson's longstanding penchant for gender-bending throat mods.
Hey DJ, I Can't Dance To That Music You’'re Playing (feat Betty Boo) (3:28)
Rok Da House (WEFUNK) (feat The Cookie Crew) (3:43)
Who's In The House? (feat MC Merlin) (3:59)
Ska Train (4:47)
Burn It Up (On The Groove Tip) (feat PP Arnold) (4:28)
Warm Love (feat Claudia Fontaine) (5:49)
Boulevard Of Broken Dreams (5:14)
Dunno What It Is About You (feat Elaine Vassell) (3:46)
Burn It Up (feat PP Arnold - 7" mix) (3:21)
Night In Acton (4:42)
Make Me Feel (3:57)
Don't Stop The Beat (4:10)
Midnight Girl (5:02)
Sarayet-Sayam Sembtae (part 1) (5:14)
Acid Burn (3:45)
Review: Anywayawanna - The Best Of is a vibrant snapshot of The Beatmasters' trailblazing journey through late 80s/early 90s dance music. Known for their innovative fusion of house, hip-hop, and pop, this compilation encapsulates their most infectious hits with a who's-who of guest vocalists. Standout tracks like 'Rok Da House' with The Cookie Crew and 'Hey DJ/I Can't Dance' featuring Betty Boo showcase their knack for high-energy, floor-filling anthems. 'Burn It Up', with PP Arnold, and 'Who's in the House?' with Merlin MC, further cement their place in club culture history. The glossy orange vinyl edition adds a nostalgic touch, making this a great package of the era's UK dance scene.
Review: Don Blackman's self-titled debut album, released in 1982, stands as a testament to his versatility as a musician, blending jazz-fusion, funk, and r&b with a distinct creative vision. Though it may not have made waves on the charts, its legacy has only grown with time, cementing it as a cult classic in the 80s jazz-funk landscape. Blackman, a skilled keyboardist and vocalist, had already built a name through collaborations with heavyweights like Parliament-Funkadelic and Roy Ayers, but his debut marked a bold foray into the spotlight. The album itself feels like a rich, meticulously crafted groove machine, where Blackman's keyboard wizardry is matched by his soulful vocal delivery. Tracks like 'Heart's Desire' and 'Holding You, Loving You' highlight his knack for catchy melodies, while 'Yabba Dabba Doo' leans into playful funk, embodying the joyous experimentation that permeates the record. Each song brims with tight, polished arrangements, grounded by smooth basslines and Blackman's ability to switch between genres effortlessly. What makes this album so significant is its impact on future generations. While not an immediate commercial hit, it's become a goldmine for hip-hop producers, with many of its tracks being sampled by major artists, pulling it from obscurity into a cherished underground classic. In an era when funk and jazz were evolving, Blackman's debut was - and remains - an unsung yet influential piece of music history, offering a snapshot of an artist at the peak of his creative powers, melding diverse sounds with a rare sophistication.
Review: Blue Oyster Cult's Spectres, reissued on vinyl, shows the band at a pivotal point in their career. Known for blending hard rock with dark, atmospheric elements, this 1977 album contains some of their most memorable tracks. The iconic opener 'Godzilla' sets the tone, with its powerful riffs and cinematic imagery. Donald "Buck Dharma" Roeser's guitar work shines throughout, particularly on tracks like 'Golden Age of Leather' and 'R.U. Ready to Rock'? What sets Spectres apart is its haunting mood, especially evident in songs like 'I Love the Night' and the eerie closer, 'Nosferatu'. These tracks sees the band's talent for creating chilling atmospheres with both vocals and instrumentation. The balladry of 'I Love the Night' is particularly striking, a standout even in a discography filled with dark gems. Spectres remains an excellent record that perfectly blends Blue Oyster Cult's signature sound with a more accessible, yet still shadowy, rock approach.
Review: Much like the Sex Pistols, Bow Wow Wow were as much a product of Malcolm McLaren's commercial nous and love of provocation as they were a band, but with the passage of time you can hear their music in a different light. Made up of former Adam & The Ants members and teenage singer Annabella Lwin, they whipped up a powerful twist on the new wave template in which Burundi-style drumming, twanging Americana and post-punk scratchiness collided with pop hooks. If you can't get enough of that era of music, you will surely love discovering or re-discovering this breakthrough album from one of popular music's true curios.
Young Person's Guide To The Orchestra, Op 34 (17:12)
Review: This recording of the Philadelphia Orchestra performing Sergei Prokofiev's 1936 story and orchestral score Peter and the Wolf was recorded in 1977 and was originally released in 1978. The role of the narrator on the recording was initially offered to both Peter Ustinov and Alec Guinness who both turned it down, before David Bowie agreed to take on the role, supposedly as a Christmas present to his son. On the B-side is another equally as charming piece of recent classical history, Benjamin Britten's Young Person's Guide To The Orchestra as narrated by Hugh Downs.
Review: Donald Byrd's Street Lady was released originally in 1973, and at that point the American great had already penned some 20 odd albums. But the 70s marked his move into the funkier side of things and to this day, this album remains one of his most widely loved and important. It's a rich source of samples for a wide range of artists and the opening tune was used smartly by Detroit great Theo Parrish, while tunes like 'Miss Kane' and 'Sister Love' are still huge. Street Lady is as iconic now as it was back first time around with the same going for the experimental sounds of 'Witch Hunt, while 'Woman Of The World' ends on a gentle, euphoric stride.
Review: It's now a quarter of a century since Terry Callier released his Timepeace album, which was his first after a 15 year break. The record won the United Nations's Time For Peace award for outstanding artistic achievement and for "contributing to world peace." It features standout tunes like 'People Get Ready' and 'Brotherly Love' composed by Curtis Mayfield, as well as a guest spot from Pharoah Sanders on tenor-saxophone on the title song 'Timepeace' and seven other wondrous tunes that showcase soul, jazz, folk influences. This reissue includes an insert with lyrics and liner-notes by Tom Terrell.
Review: Nick Cave and Warren Ellis's soundtrack for the National Geographic documentary about an imagined 2033 manned mission to Mars feels like a sketch for the atmospheric soundscapes of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds' 2016 album Skeleton Tree. Both works inhabit the same dark-hued, super-charged sonic atmosphere. Cave's cinematic music, enriched by Ellis's imaginative contributions, explores a wide range of sounds: distorted guitars in 'Space X,' sibylline keyboard arpeggios in 'Space Station,' and vast synthesized swathes evoking space's void. 'Planetarium' features soulful drones and synthesized strings, creating anticipation and stillness. With few vocals, this ambient soundtrack is perfect for chilling out and daydreaming. It's a departure from the intense emotions of the Bad Seeds, reflecting Cave's inward focus after personal tragedy. Unlike many soundtracks, this one stands apart, integral to Cave and Ellis's collaboration, and can be savored without thinking about Mars. Now available on vinyl for the first time!
Review: Reissued after its 1997 debut, Crustation's Bloom emerges from the shadows of trip-hop giants like Portishead and Massive Attack as a legendary gem of the genre. Comprised of Ian Dark, Stig Manley, and Mark Tayler, the Bristol-based band crafted a fantastic sonic universe with their singular LP, featuring the enchanting vocals of Bronagh Slevin, ethereal atmospheres, and hypnotic beats. The album, adorned with artwork co-designed by Stanley Donwood of Radiohead fame, immerses listeners in a dreamy landscape from the opening instrumental 'Hey' to the sublime 'Purple.' Slevin's velvety voice guides us through a nocturnal journey, evoking a sense of safety in darkness. Tracks like 'Close My Eyes' and 'Face The Waves' transport listeners to ethereal realms, while 'Reverie' shows the beauty of orchestral strings intertwined with melancholic lyrics. Yet, it's 'Flame' that stands as the album's pinnacle, a transcendent hymn to beauty and serenity. Beginning with ambient dreaminess, Slevin's whispering vocals crescendo into a breathtaking refrain, accompanied by strings that evoke a phantasmagorical atmosphere. Overall, Bloom remains a hidden masterpiece of trip hop, its nocturnal, spacey, and velvet textures embodying the genre's essence.
Review: It could have all been so different when Death In Vegas first formed. Richard Fearless and Steve Hellier spawned the project in 1994 and got signed under the name Dead Elvis, but legal wrangling got in the way and they used the name for their debut album instead. Now Music On Vinyl have repressed the 1997 classic so we can revel in the grizzled take on big beat and trip hop the pair cooked up. It's very much of its time, but there's a snarl to the production which sets Death In Vegas apart from their peers at the time, opting for the dive bar ambience over the festival main stage you'd hear when playing The Chemical Brothers or Leftfield. For that reason Dead Elvis has aged very well indeed.
Review: Desmond Dekker recorded some of his best known songs together with his backing group the Aces. Their single '007 (Shanty Town)' made him Jamaican music's first outernational superstar, reaching the 14th place in the UK charts. The Leslie Kong-produced Double Dekker was first issued in 1973 and consists of the best material Desmond recorded during his early years. In 1969 he scored a number-one hit with the legendary song Israelites. You'll hear how the Ska music from the mid-60s developed to the Rocksteady sound. This was 'Ska' or 'Blue Beat' - (or its new name for the slower tempo rocksteady) - and the lyrics come from the Calypso-Mento method of telling about current events in music. He was really at his prime from 1969 to 1971 and recorded classics such as 'It Mek' (1969) and 'You Can Get It If You Really Want' (1970), which you'll both find on this record. Even before Bob Marley and Jimmy Cliff Jamaica already had their own international superstar, Desmond Dekker was his name.
Review: Krush's eighth - and last - album Jaku is up there with Endtroducing and Donuts in terms of seminal, influential and forward-thinking beat longer players. 10 years since its release and it still sounds as timeless, unique and exciting as it did in 2004. The slick licks of a young Mr Lif on "Nosferatu", the post-apocalyptic tension of "Univearth" the sludgy, swampy cosmic hip-hop of the Aesop Rock-featured "Kill Switch" and the unashamed sax sex of "Slit Of Cloud"..... Do we need to go on? Limited edition, 180g transparent vinyl; even if you already have this in your collection this is a very, very appealing investment.
Review: A pivotal figure in the early 1970s MPB scene, Salvador was not only a highly regarded sessionist and composer but also a band leader. His 1971 album is a vibrant mix of bossa nova, samba, funk, and carioca styles, infused with raw energy. Original copies of this influential fourth album often fetch around $200 due to its eclectic range. From the lively opener 'Uma Vida' to the Beatles-esque narrative of 'O Rio' and the orchestral boogaloo of 'Number One', the album showcases Salvador at the height of his fusionist creativity and musical prowess.
Review: Slave Call by The Ethiopians is a majestic exploration of the spiritual roots of reggae, led by deep Nyabinghi drumming and chanting. Leonard Dillon's Rastafarian beliefs are at the album's core, evident in every track, including a profound rendition of the Ethiopian national anthem. Max Edwards' Nyabingi drumming infuses the album with authenticity and is skillfully showcased by producer Niney Holness, who delivers a rhythm-heavy production while giving equal attention to vocals.The album blends traditional Nyabinghi elements with guitars, bass, keyboards, and horns, creating a rich reggae sound that maintains a dignified restraint. Holness' arrangements ingeniously reinforce the album's themes, exemplified by the title track's evocative depiction of slaving field hands. Other highlights include the driving urgency of 'Hurry On' and the soulful blend of blues in 'Culture.' Leonard Dillon's exceptional performance imbues each song with power and devotion, making 'Slave Call' one of his greatest achievements. With its cultural depth and musical excellence, the album stands as a testament to the enduring legacy of reggae's spiritual roots.
Nho Antone Escarderode (Kerri Chandler album mix) (5:40)
Besame Mucho (Senor Coconut Chachacha remix) (3:49)
Bondade E Maldade (Osunlade Yoruba Soul mix) (4:52)
Sodade (DJ Rork & Demon Ritchie mix) (7:01)
Negue (Cris Prolific remix) (4:01)
Miss Perfumado (4Hero remix) (6:00)
Angola (Pepe Bradock Get Down dub) (6:17)
Angola (Pepe Bradock Bateau Ivre rework) (4:32)
Nutridinha (Kerri Chandler album mix) (5:30)
Sangue De Beirona (Francois K main Pass) (8:26)
Review: Great Cape Verdean singer Cesaria Evora was pretty prolific and put out several still well-regarded albums, from Distino Di Belita to Cafe Alantico via Vox D'amor. Many of them have been reissued recently and next up to get that treatment is Club Sodade, which finds a bunch of her tracks getting a contemporary club rework by a wide array of musicians. It comes on heavyweight red vinyl so is ready for serious DJ deployment. Carl Craig's mix of organic hand claps and fizzing techno synth intensity on his rework of 'Angola' is one of the most well-known cuts here but deep house heads will also know and love Kerri Chandler's percussive take on 'Nho Antone Escarderode.'
Review: Global Communication's 76:14 stands out as a quintessential ambient album, often overlooked in favour of more hyped releases but in recent years has cemented itself as one of the most important and beloved electronic releases of the 1990s. Tom Middleton and Mark Pritchard, under their Global Communication alias, expertly fuse ambient, Berlin-School and new age influences with beatcraft and dub elements. The album's tracks range from pure ambient pieces reminiscent of early Eno to funk-hop infused rhythms and minimalist dub pulses. Its strong songcraft and unique sonic identity have earned it a dedicated following - richly textured soundscapes and engaging compositions have made it a favourite.
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