Brokenbeat / Nu Jazz Recommendation August 2012

Review: Resense have been on a roll in 2012, with new releases coming left, right and centre. Here we have more old-meets-new-skool frivolity, with two incendiary dancefloors excursions. Mambo is certainly the order of the day here, with "My Zindi" featuring 1940s-style crooners over a tight shuffling beat. "Regulate Your Aperitif" is insanely catchy, with a cool hip-house rap delivered over a backing that recalls "My Definition Of A Boombastic Jazz Style".

Review: Following that excellent Velvet Season & the Hearts of Gold 12", Lucky Hole launches a new sub label Velvet Productions, which comes with some equally good artwork. Now operating as General Zod and Cougarman, Joel Martin & Gerry Rooney continue to thrive in the creative freedom of dabbling in their own particular brand of pervy, psychedelic disco for the vinyl connoisseurs. Martin and Rooney dig deep into their archives of obscure library psychedelia on "When Sally Met Mandingo" which sounds like a bunch of those late 90s Escape The Break Records releases stitched together with aplomb. Meanwhile "Afro Symphony" saunters through a heavily orchestrated array of Afro badness with equally flawless results.

Review: !! REPRESS !! Prolific album man Claudio Passavanti unleashes his first brand new material since last year's long one (his fifth in six years) Britannia Shing-A-Ling. As usual with Mr SSS, it's a wild affair that takes in jazz, soul, Cuban and good old fashioned funk. Lead track "Heart's Desire" swirls completely in minor key, twisting and trumping with a very familiar horn phrase and some deep, sexy captivating lyrics. Think Bugz, but more homely. "Theme De Yoyo", meanwhile is more your hands-down funk alliance with a full-fat horn section, a low-swung bassline and vocals that sound like they're being belted off the Pyramid stage on a balmy Friday night. If you're familiar with RSL's Every Preston Guild you'll be all over this...

Review: With its emphasis on showcasing little-known, emerging and underground talent, Gilles Peterson's Brownswood Bubblers series has always been a "must check" for those with a passion for the soulful side of electronic music. This eighth volume is just as essential as its predecessors, delivering a pleasing mix of deep jazz, modern soul and hard-to-pin-down electronica. Highlights are naturally plentiful, from the cosy soul of Rainy Milo and Everett James, to the clarinet-laden nu-jazz vibes of Hello Skinny's "Crush" - a kind of "Stranger On The Shore" for the 21st century - and the breezy Brazilian beats of De Frente. As usual, it's all killer, no filler.

Review: The ace Australian producer known as Inkswel makes a debut on the couldn't have named it better Dopeness Galore label with an EP of health conscious future boogie called The Ginseng Root EP. You should be hooked as soon as the saturated gospel vocal hook on opening track "High All Time!" attempts to make its presence felt amidst the crunched up and spat out electro flex, and from here Inkswel continues to feed samples through the masher on the sultry MPC workout "Salada Estrelar." Tom Trago fans watch out now, as the Voyage Direct boss appears flipside, gracing "The SOAP Song" with his esteemed presence with heavily fonked out results - just wait for the analogue bassline to arrive! Proceedings end with the Benny Page featuring title track which is steeped in that 92 era boogie/house vintage. Do check!

Review: Although he made his name primarily as a maker of revivalist bossa and jazz, in recent years Nicola Conte has made several forays into the compilation market to show off his skills as a heavyweight crate digger. His Viagem series, in particular, is worthy of note. This fourth volume continues where 2011's third installment left off, showcasing a decidedly celebratory selection of little-known bossanova and samba-jazz gems from the 1960s. There's a great balance between the two, and plenty of material that will be new to all but the most dusty-fingered of Brazilian collectors (and, of course, Far Out boss Joe Davis). If you have even the slightest interest in Latin jazz, it should be an essential purchase.

Review: World Circuit's reputation zoops up to another level as they loving re-compile their original Cumbia compendiums and present them on discerningly weighted 180g vinyl and a gorgeous gatefold sleeve. Perfect summer time fodder, or indeed any time of year when you want to feel some warmth inside, this 30-strong concoction of red-blooded Latin rhythm is the ideal entry point into Columbian music. From the epic vibrancy of Los Immortales' "La Piragua" to the more sentimental sounds of Los Corraleros De Majagual's "Llora Acordeon" to the absolute chaos of Los Guacharacos's "Baila Rosita" is a beautiful balance of education and entertainment.