Back catalogue: Broken Beat/Nu Jazz/Nu Soul

Review: Q.A.S.B. is a Tokyo-based soul group that presents danceable funky tunes and more mellow laid-back numbers, featuring strong early '70s influences. The track 'Vivalava' is taken from their fifth album Candy Dream released last year. It's veteran DJ/producer Kaoru Kawasaki's Island dub mix which takes the spotlight here, giving what already was an awesome track a nice reshape, with groove dynamics optimised for the dancefloor. The song's magnificent horns section takes centre stage much like the original, supported by Amy A's wonderful vocal. Over on the B side is a Remaster of the original.

Review: QASB's Kono Machi De single, released on Soul Garden Japan, is a vibrant blend of Japanese soul with jazz funk and city pop influences. Side-1 features the Shuya Okino edit of 'Kono Machi De Aka In This Town,' which emphasises a groovy rhythm, enhancing the track's infectious energy. Side-2, has the original version which delivers a feel-good mix of disco strings and a lively horn section, reminiscent of Taste of Honey. Written by Moritaka as a tribute to her hometown Kumamoto, the song includes a nod to Tomari River, a location tied to collaborator Yuichi Takahashi. Having the option of both versions make this 7" a great little 45 to have.

Review: Man like Quantic aka Will Holland, a real musicologist, world music maestro and bandleader, revisits one of his old tracks following a slew of other producers doing the same. That track is 'Pushin On' and here he takes its timeless Alice Russell vocal and drops it into a new beat. It's one that is swung with plenty of UKG references and is finished off with nice soft melodies up top. Add in a bit of tape hiss and some broken beats and you have an anthem in the making. Flip it over for a paired back instrumental. Either of these will be huge in the club, so do not sleep.

Review: The Quantic Soul Orchestra, an outfit specialising in all things jazz-related, has been led by the incorrigible Will Holland since 2001, and the group haven't put their foot off the break since they started; if you're looking for some ace, funk-fuelled harmonics with a 'cool' edge then you've come to the right place. This tidy new 7", out through Soulful Torino Records' sweet sublabel Tropical Tigers, kicks off with the warm, bubbly vocals of Kabir who has a little Tom Jones in him from the off and, just so we're clear, the man is handsomely backed by a sweet jazz-funk swing that would have sat very well with the likes of the Kudu catalogue from back in the day. The flip, Louis Soulful's edit, evolves into a deep, tidy, piano-led excursion that will render the original cut a monster out on the dance floor.

Review: Japanese group Quasimode are rightly lauded by the world's jazz and electronic music cognoscenti, with their productions flitting elegantly between the two genres. For their third release on Japanese label Flower, the foursome present the Hi Tech Jazz EP. "Hi Tech Jazz", as you may have guessed, is a cover version of one of the finest tracks in the Underground Resistance back catalogue, bobbing along with jazzy piano keys, swooning saxophone solos and an undisputable sophistication. Once we flip over, "Seven Colors" featuring Kazufumi Kodama brings a hint of the electronic with a dub tinged rhythm in its pallet to showcase why Quasimodo are so highly regarded.

Review: Three years ago, Four Flies Records released a previously unknown album from library music composer Guiliano Sorgini called Africa Oscura - a set of dark, intoxicating instrumentals originally intended to soundtrack documentaries. Now they've decided to get it remixed, with the results being shared over two EPs. There's plenty to admire on this second volume. Jolly Mare step up first with a near perfect Afro-cosmic take on 'Afro Sortilegio'-all tribal percussion, doom-laden bass, funky Clavinet motifs and spacey synth sounds- before PAd [sic] delivers the 'Mondo Bali' mix of 'Notte Nella Savala' -a deep, moody and bass-heavy workout with added delay-laden keys. Elsewhere, Quiroga and Dario Bass reinvent 'Oasi Nella Giungla' is a deep synth-funk warmer, and Paine re-casts 'Miraggio' as a gently but funky Balearic gem.

Review: The new album by Quantic - aka. multi instrumentalist, DJ, composer and producer Will Holland - is in many ways an evolution. Now twenty years into his career, Dancing While Falling is the British-born, New York-based artist's most live sounding, euphoric and, in his own words, grown-up release to date. Capturing the beginnings of every good person's revelatory movement from an individual to a collective spirit, Holland originally began the album in his Brooklyn studio, before realising that he didn't just want to make a record that reflected his 'singular pandemic wormhole', but rather one that tapped into the essential togetherness of the human condition. So too does this record explore themes of connection felt through, and made more intense by, the antagonistic bouts of loneliness that characterised COVID-19. Influenced by legendary artists in the scene like Bohannon and Larry Levan, Quantic wanted to make a disco -eaning album at first; "I'm really interested in Latin music and Afro Caribbean rhythms and I think there's a really amazing point in history where the emergence of those rhythms and its combination with American soul sparked what we now know as disco," he says. This PIAS extended edition comes one year on from its initial 2023 release, Quantic here expands on his work by adding a ream of extended versions.

Review: Will Holland's career as Quantic has traversed many different areas, most notably immersing himself in many aspects of Latin American music culture through collaboration, but on this new album he's taken a different approach. What started out as an intention to experiment quickly flipped to become a love letter to disco as a powerful emotional tool for a huge swathe of people. Given disco's affinity for percussive rhythms from elsewhere, you can be sure Holland's put his prior research and talent to good use and once again connected with some incredible artists to shape out his sound, including Andreya Triana singing on four tracks as well as Connie Constance and Rationale.

Review: Since he's such a prolific collaborator and creator of bands, it's easy to overlook the fact that Will Holland hasn't released a solo album as Quantic for almost five years. "Atlantic Oscillations", then, is a welcome return - particularly since Tru Thoughts boss Robert Luis thinks it's Holland's "most cohesive and intricate album to date". It's certainly a strong collection, with Holland wrangling multiple styles, tempos and musical influences to create cuts that defy easy categorization. While there are downtempo moments, "Atlantic Oscillations" includes more bona-fide club cuts then he's delivered in recent years, with sun-kissed disco cut "September Blues", Cuban disco-funk workout "Atlantic Oscillations" and Afro-Latin house bumper "Motivic Retrograde" standing out.

Review: It's commonly known if you cut Will 'Quantic' Holland, he'd bleed in little Tru Thoughts logo-shaped droplets, such is the bond between the artist and label. The latest Quantic long-player for the South Coast label, A New Constellation, finds the Bogota-based musician leading a hand-picked selection of musicians called The Western Transient. Their focus? To realise a set of new compositions paying homage to the rich, lively and intimate quality of the classic soul and jazz recordings. That Holland should choose to follow his last LP, the explosive Magnetica, with 10 tracks of more traditional jazz and funk proves he's still not happy to stand still as Quantic despite having a hand in well over ten long players.

Review: Will "Quantic" Holland has enjoyed a long love affair with the music of Colombia, establishing various live acts that pay tribute to the steamy, sweat-soaked sounds of the South American nation. His latest project sees him join forces with singer/songwriter India Gongora to deliver a set inspired by the "Pacific music" variant of Colombian dance culture. The result is a set of songs that sound distinctively Colombian, with tropical guitars, indigenous instrumentation and Gongora's wonderfully laidback vocals being joined by rhythms, bassline and electronics that bring a traditional style bang up to date. The double vinyl set also includes a few forays into more Caribbean territory, including the brilliant "Dub Del Pacifico (Version)".

Review: 'The Land Of Freedom' is a stunning jazz album on Geneon by Japanese 4 piece band Quasimode.
Quasimode formed in 2002 since which time they have already gained strong support in their native land. They have had releases on Freestyle Records, Inpartment and Columbia and now thanks to Jazzanova's Sonar Kollektiv they will also get a chance to do their thing on the European and global scene. With a mixed club and Latin feel they deliver all their music live and so represent a new breed of jazz bands who have gained a strong following with DJs and on the club circuit while all the time still thrilling live audiences.

Review: Quiet Dawn's latest offering, Celebrate, is an 11-track testament to the eclectic talent that has made him a cornerstone of the First Word family for a decade. Following in the footsteps of his previous ventures, particularly the Movements EP, this album seamlessly blends broken beat flavors with a diverse range of influences. Featuring luminaries like Bembe Segue, LyricL, and Oliver Night, Celebrate is a terrific drift through soulful grooves, lively bars and infectious rhythms. From uplifting jazz samba vibes to downtempo boom bap, Quiet Dawn effortlessly melds organic and electronic elements, creating a good dose of positivity and good vibes. Tracks like 'Celebrate,' composed with his son on his lap, and collaborations with talents like Bembe Segue and Oliver Night, highlight Quiet Dawn's ability to translate personal moments into universal celebrations of life, love and cultural diversity. With infectious energy and a message of turning negativity into positivity, Celebrate invites listeners to dance, reflect and embrace the richness of our individual journeys.

Review: Not to be confused with the 2007 remix album Percussion Madness Revisited, this excellent double-pack offers features some of the best bits of Latin percussionist Luisito Quintero's Louie Vega-produced Percussion Madness album. If you missed that set 14 years ago, it's well worth picking up. Heavily percussive and rich in South American rhythms from start to finish, the set sees Quintero, Vega and collaborators flitting between slick soulful house (see the Josh Milan-voiced 'Love Remains the Same'), heavy salsa ('Tumbao'), boogaloo ('Skinny Papa'), tech-tinged Afro-house (Francis Mbappe collaboration 'Gbagada, Gbagada, Gbogogo, Gbogodo'), bossanova ('Our Love', with Anane) and epic, jazz-flecked Latin house (12-minute closing cut 'Free My Soul').

Review: Great Italian 60's jazz LP which includes many club jazz tracks like "Lotar" and "Time Was". This is a high quality re-issue of one of the most sought after Italian jazz albums.

Review: Alberts Favourites have the honour of releasing Qwalia's debut album 'Sound And Reason' this March, and what a debut it is too. The now London based quartet is lead by drummer Yusuf Ahmed and takes in inspirations from the likes of old masters and peers alike. It is a group composed of musicians who play with the likes of Joy Crooks and David Byrne, Cat Stevens and Frank Ocean and includes Tal Janes on guitars and vocals, bass from Ben Reed and Joseph Costi on keys. The sound palette is lush and rich, with spiritualism and complex grooves sweeping you off your feet.

Review: Recorded at Fish Factory Studios in London in April 2021, Abbreviations by Qwalia reflects meticulous editing and post-production that condenses raw recordings into seven intricate tracks. Featuring collaborators Ernesto Marichales (percussion), Miryam Solomon (vocals), and Valeria Pozzo (violin, viola), the album expands on the success of "Sound & Reason," which was championed by Gilles Peterson and Mary Anne Hobbs. Tracks like 'Elevator Company' transform jam sessions around Tal Janes' guitar into lounge grooves with Solomon's ethereal vocals blurring ambient and improvised music. Meanwhile, 'The Spin' dives into trance-like intensity, capturing the band's energy after exhaustive recording sessions.