Review: They say great things come in pairs, and this is certainly true for these two new Sofrito bombs. However, unlike its companion, SSS016 is more of a boogie monster, and Gordon Henderson's "The Highest Bidder" is a tune that is just so easily hummed thanks to its inimitable vocal, while "Hard World" is more of a stone-cold floor-filler with its fast-paced groove and gritty electronic feel. Both unmissable, both total killers. No surprises here - Sofrito doing what the label does best.
Review: Marlui Miranda's dedication to native Brazilian music goes four decades and one doctorate deep and right now Optimo are paying homage. Celebrating her 1995 album Ihu: Todos os Sons, a collection of tribe songs from northern Brazil, the Jaboti tribe's "Tchori Tchori" is a shimmering, reflective trip laced with staccato, bird-like vocals and chiming harmonic percussion. Enticing, beguiling and ripe for remix extension from Rio's Joutro Mundo on the B. Beautiful.
Review: Mukatsuku presents the second volume of killer Ghanaian highlife/afrofunk monsters this time focusing on two artists legendary in the genre. First up first time on a 45 from 1980 is '' What Is Life '' from the Ebo Taylor & Uhuru Yenzu album ''Conflict Nkru! ''. Amazing brass,flute and afrocentric rhythms lay the path for the track once heard never forgotten. On the flip first time ever on a 45 Pat Thomas who features on volume 1 of the series comes correct with possibly the best version (and there are a few ) of ''Gyae Su'' . With its jangly african guitar licks and infectious chorus lines the feel good factor is set to maximum. Another dope afro burner on Mukatsuku and sure to sell out fast. 500 hand numbered copies and no repress. As supported by DJ Koco from Japan and Jonathon Moore (Coldcut )
Brancolo (feat Migra, Msafiri Zsawose & Lorenzo Bitw) (5:22)
Muda (feat Marleen Xplastaz & Lorenzo Bitw) (3:16)
Dahab (feat Chalanga) (7:18)
Ingia Kati (feat Kirundo) (4:24)
Review: Uhuru Republic is a collaborative project which brings together a quartet of trio of experienced Italian musicians and producers - including serial fusionist FiloQ - and a wide range of Tanzanian musicians and vocalists. The results, as set out on the Muda EP, are undeniably impressive, fusing traditional Tanzanian singing and instrumentation with 21st century electronics and dancefloor-ready rhythms variously inspired by deep house, tech-house, post-dubstep and high-octane techno. It's actually quite tricky to accurately describe each of the four tracks, but they're all well worth a listen and genuinely deliver something new, fresh and inspiring.
Review: New London reissue label Zel Zele launches with a reissue of a 'holy grail' by Umit Aksu Orkestrasi - a band formed by Turkish pianist, composer and arranger Umit Aksu. Originally released in 1975, Bermuda Seytan Ucgeni is an outstanding experimentation of forward-thinking jazz-funk, played by some of Turkey's most talented musicians. On the A side," Bermuda Seytan Ucgeni" is the sound of the '70's at its finest featuring a roaring horn section. Experience the uplifting vibes of "Bogazici Koprusu" on the flip, which is reminiscent of old Italian library recordings, as described by the label.
Un Dos Tres Y Fuera Vs Gaudi & Don Letts - "Relafica Negra En Tiempo De Siembra" (Gaudi & Don Letts aka The Rebel Dread) (3:49)
Cumbia Moderna De Soledad - "Busca Perro" (Greg Foat & James Thorpe remix) (3:52)
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.
Ella Andall - "My Spirit Is Music" (Luke Una Machine Soul Tops Off edit) (7:16)
Slick Mission - "Time's Up" (Luke Una 5am Shabeen Proto House edit) (7:13)
Manu Dibango - "Jingo" (feat King Sunny Ade - Luke Una Dancing In Outer Space edit) (5:51)
Review: While he's not put out many re-edits of late, Luke Una has serious scalpel-job pedigree. Back in the 2000s, he and then DJ partner Justin Crawford released a series of largely disco-focused edit EPs on the hush-hush Electrik Souls series. Here he returns to the format with the first in a series of reworks focused on his popular, dusty-fingered E Soul Cultura project. He begins by teasing out and lightly toughening up a killer Caribbean cut from the 1990s, Ella Andall's 'My Spirit Is Music' - an insanely rare and hard to find number that the Sheffield-born DJ has naturally tweaked sensitively. Elsewhere, he emphasises the 'proto-house dub' feel of Slick Mission's early UK house number 'Time's Up', before going even dubbed-out and more percussive on Manu Dibango's lesser-known cover of Latin disco classic 'Jingo'.
Review: Brooklyn troupe Underground System comes correct with this awesome doublet. One vocal, one instrumental... Both total homages to the Fela Kuti legacy. "Bella Ciao" references a classic Latin anti-war song over a thumping Afrobeat hook that's home to a series of bright, tight guitars and subtle instrumentation in the background. "DON", meanwhile, fuses electronic elements with sounds that manage to scream Rio and Lagos instantly. Strutting with a luxuriously simple bassline, the horns cast serious spells countered by the positivity of highlife guitars. Ciao for now.
Feel It For Yourself (feat KOG - vocal edit) (4:14)
Feel It For Yourself (Smoove rework) (8:22)
Review: Infectious 70s Afrobeat vibes, courtesy of Kweku Sackey and his dynamic backing vocalists, pulsating with rhythmic depth - imagine Manu Dibango infused with Tony Allen's rhythmic flair and you're close. Richard Ormrod's crafty alto sax solo adds instrumental brilliance and with options like a shorter vocal version for quick hits and a DJ Smoove dancefloor remix for extended groove sessions, 'Feel It For Yourself' caters to diverse tastes and occasions. Whether spinning the extended Afrobeat masterpiece or the electrifying remix, DJs and listeners alike will find plenty to love in this vibrant, soulful release that demands to be felt.
Review: Universal Cave set out on a brand new cosmic spelunk. Flipping a pair of raucous Latin disco pancakes on a searing summer lowrider bonnet (in lieu of a non-stick pan), these free-range disco ovules pack much underfoot promise for the discerning dancefloor. The Philly collective kicks things off with the spry 'So Soft So Sweet', with an elusively sourced sing-along hook, blazing synth-gasms, and impulsive drums. 'Mishugina Mambo', on the other hand, gleans its inspirations from the classic Sofrito Specials series: bold horns fly in the face of relentless percs, urging everyone and your mother to get moving.
Unknown Artist - "This Kind Of Latin Rhythm" (6:28)
Thierry Tomas - "Samba" (Courtesy Of Jump Recordings) (7:23)
Funkyjaws - "Tanga" (short version) (5:02)
Scruscru - "Juicy Brass" (5:00)
Frank Virgilio - "Portrait Of You" (5:09)
Review: Scruinversal is back for another vinyl outing and this one takes the form of a reissue of some of the label head's favourite tunes. An unknown artist is behind the sunny shuffle and big horns of 'This Kind Of Latin Rhythm' while Thierry Tomas's 'Samba' is a shuffling house cut laden with glorious piano work. Funkyjaws then offers up his take on tango, Scruscru layers up the rhythms and percussion on 'Juicy Brass' and Frank Virgilio's 'Portrait Of You' shuts down with a deeper late-night feel. These are some superbly effective Latina house jams to drop on the hottest of days and balmiest of nights.
Unknown Artist - "This Kind Of Latin Rhythm" (6:28)
Thierry Tomas - "Samba" (Courtesy Of Jump Recordings) (7:23)
Funkyjaws - "Tanga" (short version) (5:02)
Scruscru - "Juicy Brass" (5:00)
Frank Virgilio - "Portrait Of You" (5:09)
Review: ***B-STOCK: Slight surface marks ***
Scruinversal is back for another vinyl outing and this one takes the form of a reissue of some of the label head's favourite tunes. An unknown artist is behind the sunny shuffle and big horns of 'This Kind Of Latin Rhythm' while Thierry Tomas's 'Samba' is a shuffling house cut laden with glorious piano work. Funkyjaws then offers up his take on tango, Scruscru layers up the rhythms and percussion on 'Juicy Brass' and Frank Virgilio's 'Portrait Of You' shuts down with a deeper late-night feel. These are some superbly effective Latina house jams to drop on the hottest of days and balmiest of nights.
Review: The fledgling Fossils label comes through with its fourth EP, this time in the form of a steamy 45rpm from UV & Nenor, the latter of which was behind the label's last release. That EP was full of edits and reworks and this one is another potent disco fusion with plenty of Aston American influences. And that should be no surprise given the title of the A-side is 'Bahia' after the northeastern Brazilian state. It's a lively rhythm with bird calls and whistles, vocal chanting and heavily percussive and loose-limbed rhythms. 'Goombay' is similar but with smeared and searching synth leads and plenty of tropical heat packed into the mix.
Review: Here's something for fans of dancefloor Afro-futurism to savour: a surprise studio hook-up between Dutch live combo Umeme Afrorave, and Berlin-based drum machine polyrhythm fiends Africaine 808. Both tracks are as vibrant and entertaining as you'd expect. A-side "Flamingo Hangover" doffs a cap to original Trinidadian disco, with bold steel drum melodies and woozy, tumbling synth lines rising above a killer dancehall-disco groove. On the flip, Africaine 808's obsession with tough, testy drums and throbbing, UK-style bass comes to the fore. While these elements are counterpointed by chiming, bell-like lead lines, it's the heaviness of the rhythm track that makes the track so appealing.
Review: Here's something rather unusual: a reissue of two tracks from experimental New Zealand outfit From Scratch's 1983 12" 3 Pieces From Gung Ho 1,2,3D, plus a trio of contemporary translations. On the A-side of record one you'll find two of From Scratch's eccentric originals, which were created using "tuned PVC pipes, drums, chimes" and "whizzer drone" (nope, we've no idea either). Fundamentally, these are loose, languid, tribal-inspired percussion works created using custom-made instruments. It's perhaps fitting that one of the standout interpretations comes from percussion-obsessed, polyrhythmic techno specialist Don't DJ. His epic, hypnotic and trippy version is joined by a woozy cover from Japan's Goat and a drowsy, heavily electronic, ambient influenced translation by the Utena Kobayashi Group.
Review: The brilliant and tireless Mr Bongo serve up another of their reissues with a big dose of love. 'Conflict Nkru!' from Ebo Taylor and Uhuru Yenzu was originally recorded back in 1980 and is one of the many great records that made Taylor such a towering figure of the Ghanaian music scene. A master of Afrobeat, Afrofunk and highlife he is fantastic form here with plenty of modern funk stitched into traditional Ghanian rhythms. The record is defined by catchy chants, horn riffs and guitar licks, with airy flute next to heavy horns. It close son arguably the highlight - 'Victory', which is based on a traditional song of the Asafa, or war people.
Review: Indian classical music giant Srinivas recorded this majestic, candlelit live show at Real World Studios while on tour with WOMAD in August 1992. He was a child prodigy of Carnatic music who was such a wizard on the mandolin that he took it into whole new worlds having started to play it aged just six.
His ragas were unlike anyone else's and he soon beam a real sensation India where he was named 'Mandolin Srinivas'. This album finds him at the height of his powers and really turned even European audiences on to the mandolin.
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