Back catalogue: All genres

Review: The Afro 45's / Mr Bongo lineage has produced some of the hottest, most sizzling funk reissues from around the globe, and this tasty two-header from Mahmoud Ahmed - who has appeared heavily on Portland's monumental Mississippi label - and Girma Beyene, two greats of the African soul / funk heritage. Ahmed's "Aynotche Terabu" is backed by the Equators Band, and the man's voice rides like crispy waves over the dusty percussion and charging trumpets of the outfit; Beyene appears with a less moody but equally brilliant jazz-leaning piece named "Ene Negn Bay Manesh", bringing through the spirot of greats such as Mulatu and the rest of the African luminaries.

Review: Library musician Giuliano Sorgini originally wrote music for films, TV and documentaries, and between 1974 and 1976 he laid the foundations for this jungly rhythmic opus. Then in 1975, meandering through a series of animal calls and wild forested textures, a series of entrancing rhythmic pieces emerged from the dark. The collectors' favourite Africa Oscura is now reissued via Four Flies, and is the impeccable album from which these two choice, mix-worthy cuts come.

Review: As Galathea, Sicilian producer Massimo Napoli has been cooking up some outstanding cuts for the Italian Space Echo label over the past couple of years. Afro-Latin rhythms, soul jazz, dub and more besides all feed into his sound, which manifests perfectly on this new single fronted by vocalist Giulia La Rosa. 'Sacred Love' has a stripped-back, minimalist approach which makes it all the more potent, as Napoli exercises a restraint which creates drama and tension in the negative space around the groove. La Rosa's smouldering vocal is the icing on the cake for this deep, funky cut which will turn heads each and every time it gets dropped.

Review: Mr Bongo's essential Brazil 45s series notches up release number 89 via a blast of heavy dancefloor pressure that touches on both Brazilian funk and samba-rock. On the A-side you'll find Golden Boys' 1975 gem 'Segura Na Cintura Dela (O Gaviao)', an irresistible slab of full-throttle, orchestra-sporting, Hammond-heavy samba-funk marked out by strong group vocals and some superb musical arrangements. Over on the flip you'll find another classic from the same producer (Milton Miranda), Silvio Cesar's 1971 carnival masterpiece 'Beco Sem Saida' - an infectious excursion that found fame in the 2000s when Drumagick sampled it on 'Sambarock'.

Review: We finally get treated to this superb 7" from Grupo Majezza on Discos Mas which was due for release late last year. It features one of the band's more fiery dance floor tunes in 'La Chica Pikosita' which is all shuffling rhythms and lush string instrumentals with playful chords, percussion and vocals. It is backed with the just as hot and bhangra-tinged 'Cumbia de los Puchikas' on the reverse. These two glorious cumbia tunes are ripe for DJs and dancers alike and have never before been on wax.

Review: Philophon is a Berlin-based label run by Max Weissenfeldt. Part of Philophon is the Tonstudio Bluetenring in Kreuzberg, operated by Benjamin 'Stibbo' Spitzmueller. The label's essential motivation is to support any form of local culture with reason, freedom and ludic drive. North-Ghanaian singer Guy One presents his first international release here. He promises what his name is saying: he is the number one artist of Frafra music, named after his people. "Everything You Do, You Do For Yourself" is a driving Highlife rhythm and his only song having a phrase in English. "Estre" features one of the leading voices of Frafra-Gospel named Florence Adooni. She interweaves perfectly with the horn arrangements by Weissenfeldt and the drummer. Washington's Hailu Mergia, San Francisco's Idris Ackamoor and the Pyramids and the legendary Scandinavian producer Jimi Tenor have also released on the label over the last year too.

Review: The Son Rompe Pera band is made up of the Gama brothers and is known for having reinvented the traditional Mexican Marimba sound with their own perspective and energy. As such it is now a contemporary genre in their hands and hot on the heels of their last 7" on Barbes comes this follow-up with plenty of carnival overtones. 'El Saleroso' is a slow and swaggering tune with rich layers of percussion and stunning melodies all topped off with a Spanish vocal. 'Proteus' has more contemporary synths next to the traditional instrumentation and overflows with colours and cultural charm.

Review: Cultural icon Don Letts joins forces here with the masterful musician Greg Foat and producer James Thorpe to make a new entry into the Relatin project series. It is one where artists engaged with Latin musical roots from another era and update them for the here and now. Here they bring plenty of heavy dub vibes and great special awareness to a tune by Venezuelans Un Dos Tres. Greg Foat & James Thorpe also step up with a remix that is just as heavy and summery.