Review: Well Curated is a series of releases and parties that - in its own words - "reflects the ethnomusicology of the last 50 years of music" - and aims to reach into all genres, merging classic styles and breaking down barriers. Steve Spacek occupies the A-side with the breezy broken beat and soul-in-space of 'Alone In Da Sun', while Lukid's 'Hair Of The Dog' is a more intense counterpart, with wobbling sub-bass and swirling, surging atmospherics hovering above.
Review: Much loved Michigan techno and ambient virtuoso John Beltran wraps up the so far so excellent Back to Bahia 7 series with the a final volume that proves to be the most dancefloor focussed offering yet. Leading with 'O Patio,' Beltran shows his class with a blend of jazz-funk and MPB that comes with a rather sunny Ibiza-inspired twist while echoing the vibes of Latin greats like Robson Jorge and Lincoln Olivetti. On the flip side, 'Belle Isle' is a perfect party anthem for those outdoor sessions - think beach gatherings or cookouts and you won't go wrong. This has been a brilliant series and while it's a shame it's over, this is a fitting way to end it.
Review: Detroit's John Beltran can do no wrong if you ask us, and what he does do is always famously varied, from sound design for TV to melodic techno excellence via ambient beauty. Here for MotorCity Wine he revisits his Back To Bahia series with a third volume that finds him flexing his Afro-Brazilian deep house chops. The 7" opens up with the jazzy boogie of Lsaura' which is steeped in Minneapolis funk and will get cultured dancefloors in a spin. 'As The Sunsets' that appears on the flip and is a superbly emotive sound with wispy late night melodies and glowing harmonies and shuffling Latin grooves. Essential.
Review: Bedroom beat producer Blank Check has teamed up with Honolulu's Aloha Got Soul and Tokyo's Grand Gallery for this majestic new six-song EP which comes on tidy 10" vinyl. It's mega limited with only 300 copies produced and it showcases loop-based music that evokes a floating sensation, which is reminiscent, say the accompanying notes, of Tommy Guerrero's world view. The instrumental sound features a dub-like quality that perfectly captures an urban mellow vibe that feels both original and authentic. Essentially it serves as a soundtrack to a short film that immerses you in atmospheric and cinematic soundscapes.
Review: Those two little letters GU are always enough to get us excited. They are of course an alias of Glenn Underground, the masterful Chicago house producer, musician and DJ who still has a much lower profile than his talents deserve. Here he adds a Mix Mashup to Bobpstar's 'Mayday/Captured Restless Soul Mixes' and the result is a bubbly, mellifluous deep house cut with warm and liquid synths, chopped-up vocal fragments and a gooey sense of romance. It is another crucial offering from the Windy City mainstay, even if it is a one-sided 12".
Review: Over the past decade, Cory Champion has navigated multiple musical dimensions. As a composer, drummer, and bandleader, he has led the Clear Path Ensemble through two albums of celestial, dance-infused jazz under Cosmic Compositions and Soundway Records. Simultaneously, as Borrowed CS, he has crafted dubby techno, minimal electro, and soulful jazzy house. His second Borrowed CS release, Rise n Shine via Planet Trip Records, expands on his "Mystic Shuffle" sound and is a brilliant new blend of futurist machine funk, post-disco, and future soul with some fine features from the one and only Steve Spacek and smooth crooner Mara TK who help deliver grooves that shimmer and snap with rhythmic precision.
Review: Brand New Heavies have long had their legacy assured. They played a vital role in establishing the Brit-funk sounds of the 80s and 90s and are one of the most enduring acts on Acid Jazz. Now, their standout album Heavy Rhyme Experience Vol. 1 has two of its finest cuts singled out and pressed up to this Bonafied Funk reissue on P-Vine Japan. The tunes are a blend of their signature sounds with some top-level featured guests including hip hop royalty Main Source and the one and only Grand Puba. Timeless dance floor delights, for sure.
Review: IRMA has assembled a trio of top remixers here to add their own spin to some fine originals from Bright Magnus. Up first is the LTJ Xperience remix of 'Jungle Corner' and it is a low slung and steamy funk number with loose shakes of a tambourine and languid bass riffs drawing you in. 'Selim/Miles' (DJ Rocca 606 remix) is a blend of smeared synths and woozy guitar riffs over more lush downtempo beats that make it perfect for the midnight hours. Last but not least is 'A Way' (DJ Rocca Black Satin remix) which is a more psychedelic sound thanks to the drawn-out synth percolations that stretch through the mix.
Review: Multi-talented artist James Alexander Bright unveils soulful anthem 'Fall For You' and funky track 'Viper Flames' in the superb Athens of the North, all as a tease his forthcoming third solo album on the label in mid-2024. Reflecting on love's power in 'Fall For You', Bright's upcoming release follows his acclaimed debut album 'Headroom' and contributions to Groove Armada's 'Edge Of The Horizon'. His second album, 'Float', garnered praise for its eclectic blend of styles. These new tuns show what he is all about - sunny soul with standout keys and dreamy vocals that melt even the stoniest of hearts.
Review: Broken Keys is a multi-talented musician and producer based in Los Angeles. His cut 'Assorted Colors' has become a real underground house classic that now lands on wax for the first time as a special extended 12" remix that really locks you into the languid grooves. The legendary Galcher Lustwerk steps up to add his own distinctive take on the original and infuses it with a techy yet atmospheric groove. Broken Keys explores a different facet of his sound with three distinct cuts on the flip that range from blunted beats and sun-kissed Balearic to chilled-out future soul. They make for a diverse package perfect for the after-club or Sunday morning listening.
Review: Byron The Aquarius is one of deep house's most vital innovators. The man with the background making hip-hop for the stars as really excelled in recent times with his always richly musical jams. This new outing is no different: 'Free' (feat Teddy Bryant) lays down solid deep house beats and salts them with soft focus chords and smoky vocals. 'We Still Slaves Out There?' has a dubby groove and more exquisite chords and soulful vocal coos, while two further teriffic tracks 'Slaves Of Reality (feat MDMA)' and 'Lonesome Road We Livin' round out a heartwarming and timeless deep house offering that is cuddly and life-affirming.
Review: Byron The Aquarius has the sort of mad skills on a keyboard that evade all too many house producers. He has also spent years making beats for hip-hop artists so has plenty in his arsenal. His fantastic EP 'Gone Today Here Tomorrow' is a still standout collection of cuts on Kyle Hall's Wild Oats label that now gets reissued on limited orange vinyl 12". It is a superb showcase of his skills that traverse lithe deep house, cosmic grooves, plenty of mellifluous melodies and seductive late-night sounds. 'Moments In Life' is a particular favourite here.
Bembe Segue - "Mother Of The Future" (live version)
Review: Serious jazz dance fusion from 1974, Norman Connors' cover of Carlos Garnett's "Mother Of The Future" drives with shamanistic fury before the firing keys, heaving horns and deep soul vocals fly into the mix. For a more contemporary jazz take, flip for Bembe Segue's emphatic live version. Lavished with her distinctively rich vocals and stern spoken word and complete with wild bass runs and a thick bed of percussion, it's an instant show-stopper. Two incredible covers, one special 10".
Review: Pink Siifu and Ahwlee are the rap, neo-soul and r&b duo B. Cool-AID and this is their new album on Lex. Leather Blvd is a woozy and lo-fi late-night trip through a range of narcotic atmospheres. The raps range from slurred and drenched in reverb to more crisp and well-defined as tracks range from short and sweet to epic and sprawling. There is a real intimacy to this record as well as a borrowing from jazz as these tracks unfurl and slowly make their way into your affections. It is another great coming together of this contemporary pair.
Review: In early 2024, contemporary jazz cats BADBADNOTGOOD reported that they returned to the studio energised by recent international shows and collaborations with artists like Daniel Caesar, Charlotte Day Wilson and Baby Rose. The Canadian trio of Al Sow, Chester Hansen and Leland Whitty then joined with friends including Felix Fox-Pappas, Kaelin Murphy and Tyler Lott for an intensive recording week at Los Angeles' Valentine Studios. The result was the Mid Spiral series which explores distinct themes of Chaos, Order and Growth. Released initially in three digital parts, this genre-blending project now arrives on CD via XL and is another superb listen that explores how their roots in instrumental jazz fuse with hip-hop, neo-soul and funk.
Red Oil/Beyond Kingdom Come (feat Obongjayar) (4:00)
When The Dust Settles (3:36)
There's Nothing Left For Us Here (feat Fassara Sacko) (6:29)
Suley's Ablution (6:45)
Golo Kan (4:37)
Seasons Of Baraka (2:01)
Review: Mande jazz ensemble Balimaya Project return with much anticipated second album When The Dust Settles on New Soil in partnership with Jazz re:freshed. The group has a magical big band sound that is expanded on here with plenty of personal expression running the emotional gamut from rage to love, grief to joy. Once again they combine the African rhythms of their roots with contemporary London jazz energy as they celebrate Black power and community togetherness. Composer, arranger and Djembe player Yahael Camara Onono leads the group with Afronaut Zu, Obongjayar and Fassara Sacko adding vocals over the advantageous folkloric rhythms.
Review: Hailing from Salerno in Southern Italy, Bando Maje present their debut album on Four Flies Records. UFO Bar paints a picture of the pair's interests and experiences such as the local landscape, Neapolitan music, Italian soundtracks from the 70s, as well as B-movies, a passion for vinyl and cassette mixtapes, and afternoons spent watching third-division football. Peppe Maiellano (composer and keyboards) and Tonico Settanta (producer, rapper and DJ) head up the collective, featuring a revolving cast of members, all of whom are a bit like the lively port city they are from.
Review: Images And Anthems - Book I is an album by Lars Bartkuhn from back in 2008. The artist who is also known for his work in Passion Dance Orchestra and as Laurentius is a master of super cool jazz and laid-back lounge electronics that have hints of 80s nostalgia without being too slavish. Originally this one came only on CD and digitally and now it makes its first foray onto vinyl thanks to First on Vinyl out of Japan. Tracks like the lush 'Pulse' are gloriously airy and spring-like montages while there is a little woozy romance to 'Before It Enters My Mind'.
Which One Of You Jerks Drank My Arnold Palmer (5:45)
Attack The Doctor (4:30)
The Prettiest Sea Slug
The Daily Routine (6:47)
Tricky Turtle (4:42)
Four Walls (5:44)
Pity Party (4:21)
Farewell Spaceman (6:38)
Review: Tony Simon is a hugely prolific producer from New York who serve up a dazzling array of album 20 odd years ago. He found a fine home forth on Ninja Tune who are all reissuing them now on some great looking and sounding vinyl. The Music Scene once again offers up a dazzling mix of sounds and influences from across the world. Hip hop, downtempo, broken beat, jazz and more all feature in his beguiling musical brews as you jump from hypnotic lead to bristle beats and back again.
Review: The traditonal way to start a review of any Micko Westmoreland release - and with as is to point out that he's best known for playing Jack Fairey in the mock glam documentary Velvet Goldmine, but with a second strong album in his new, flanked -by-legends incarnation and some highly memorable video promos featuring a succession of alternativ ecomedy greats, that could well be changing. Expect spiky English podst-punk songwriting a la XTC or even Pulp, with recent singles 'Autosexual' and 'What's In A Name' (which includes guest vocals from Kevin Eldon numbering among the highligths.
Benedict Cumberbatch - "Flat Of Angels" (part 3 - exclusive Spoken Word piece)
Review: Given his impeccable downtempo credentials, you'd expect Bonobo's Late Night Tales mix to be one of the finer installments in the series (and that's saying something). Predictably, it is. Sweet, sensual and atmospheric, with plenty of unlikely gems and forgotten classics for the heads to enjoy, it surprises and impresses with each successive track. This vinyl edition features 17 of the tracks unmixed (naturally) and lifts out many highlights. His own cover of Donovan's "Get Thy Bearings" is particularly revelatory - string drenched, hazy, atmospheric and, of course, immaculately produced - but there are many other gems. Check Darondo's classic heart breaker "Didn't I," the smoky reggae-soul of Nina Simone's "Baltimore", and the enveloping intimacy of Shlohmo's "Places". Do seek out Benny Cumberbatch's spoken word turn at the end too! (mp3 download code for the full release included).
Review: The instrumental version of the underground classic Glorious Game is a collaboration between El Michels Affair and Black Thought which showcases Leon Michels' signature "cinematic soul" sound in all its considerable glory. Since the release of Sounding Out The City in 2005, Michels has consistently pushed musical boundaries and has produced for many top names. In Glorious Game, he merges soul-tinged, bottom-heavy beats with Black Thought's deeply personal lyrics and, inspired by hip-hop's sample-based production, crafts new compositions that sample and reinterpret his own work to create dynamic, loop-driven instrumentals. The album is released on Big Crown Records which marks a debut partnership which will be interesting to follow.
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