Review: Washington DC group Chuck Brown & The Soul Searchers have got a real belting Latin tune on their hands here with 'Berro e Sombaro'. It's a tune that has been sampled many times over the years though you will be hard-pushed to find an original version anywhere. It was originally the last tune on Chuck's Bustin Loose album from 1979 and soon became a go-to funk track with a big impact that also saw it make a mark on the 80s rare groove scene. On the flipside here is an exclusive 7" edit of 'Never Gonna Give You Up', which was composed by Gamble & Huff composed and has never been on 45 rpm before.
Review: The Scepters, formed in 1967 in Paraiso by guitarist Celso Spencer, were a popular Panamanian band known for their energetic performances across military bases and high school dances in the Canal Zone. Alongside Lionel Best and Jose James, they covered Top 40 hits and iconic rock bands like Santana and Jimi Hendrix. They released two 45s, including 'Message,' which debuted at Panama's first National Soul Music Festival in 1971 and features next here to a jam from Conjunto Raza, another project led by Agustin Leiro, this one with rotating musicians. They released a single 45 on Onda Nueva in the mid-70s and it blends Zonian and Panamanian talent with aplomb.
Review: The Ellis Hall Group's upcoming 7" release, 'Music, Sweet Music,' on Super Disco Edits is sure to find its way into many DJ sets. Originally recorded in 1978, this release is the second in a series where the label unearthed hidden gems from the archives. Ellis Hall Jr. and his Boston-based band bring two tracks that didn't make it to their Night Shift TV performance but are now seeing the light. 'Music, Sweet Music' is a breezy, summer anthem reminiscent of the Blackbyrds and Stevie Wonder, packed into a short but sweet 2:38 runtime. On the flip side, 'Forward Motion' offers a funkier vibe with a new wave edge, kicking in with powerful horns, driving drums and infectious melodies. Featuring Ellis Hall on keyboards and vocals, alongside a talented lineup, these tracks are perfect for fans of classic funk and soul.
Review: These two rare 1970s Panamanian gems are long-forgotten tracks from The Meditators and Los Misticos that now get pressed up to a very colourful 7", though we also have a plain black version. These Latin psych-funk recordings were created for radio but were stored away for many years and now listening back they offer a glimpse into the vibrant, underground scene of Panama. Beautifully remastered and licensed through Tamayo Records, these rediscovered songs are now available after originally being pressed in extremely limited quantities. These tracks provide a unique chance for listeners to experience Panama's hidden musical treasures while adding some heat to any collection.
Review: The legendary edit king Mr. K is back with more of his trademark sonic treatments here, this time focussing on some lick funk sounds from the Motor City. His mid-tempo selections on this Detroit-themed 7" open-up with G.C. Cameron, a Motown mainstay with a wide vocal range as demonstrated on this classic rare groove cut, 'No Matter Where.' On the backside is more rare groove from Detroit but this time from the 80s and Candye Edwards's 'Time Is What You Need.' Edwards was part of the Detroit funk powerhouse One Way and through that got connected with songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Kevin McCord. They cooked up real gold together on a solo debut album with this being the standout cut from it. Perfect for warm outdoor dancing.
Review: Caito Sanchez lives in New York but was born in Panama and is a dedicated drummer who has spent years as a sideman. He's been honing his craft since the early 2000s and has played with the likes of Charles Bradley, Lee Fields and Brian Jackson. Now he finally makes the big step of going it alone and this debut single shows what he is capable of. He takes care of drums, but also bass, guitar and lead voice on a pair of nuggets that are heavy and psychedelic Spanish rock tunes full of fresh new wave sounds.
Review: Fourth Wave reissue one of the great works of Japanese composer, keyboardist and producer Hiroshi Sato. Forming part of a fresh flood of reissues that the label have explicitly mandated, Sato's are highlights among a discrete period of exquisitely recorded and visually designed LPs from the late 70s and early 80s. With a sleekly surreal cover artwork by Tadanori Yokoo - psych rock's pastiching answer to Vaughan Oliver - Sato brought chilled finger-flair to his various recorded synth patches, electric pianos, chamber brasses and guitars, all of which are recorded to produce a precise, razored sound in xpander-funk. Something latent - something much more - than mere smooth AOR is conveyed here. Perhaps it can be focalised in the LP's aura of effortless, disengaged mellowness, as if good comportment and style is an inevitability of life in cosmopolitan 80s Tokyo.
Review: Spanish funk-rock group Barrabas formed in the 70s and had big success through that decade and the next. Drummer and producer Fernando Arbex lead the band and fomented a fusion of Latin rock and jazz-funk initially, before moving into a more disco orientated sound later on. Power was the band's second album and it came in 1973 with country-tinged tunes such as 'Boogie Rock', high speed funk workouts like 'Keep On Moving' and then more jazzy library sounds such as 'The Horse.' The second half of the album touches on busy dance floor funk like 'Casanova' and more stripped back and deep cuts like 'Children.'
Takeo Yamashita - "A Touch Of Japanese Tone" (4:21)
Tadaaki Misago & Tokyo Cuban Boys - "Jongara Reggae" (3:38)
Chikara Ueda & The Power Station - "Cloudy" (6:08)
Chumei Watanabe - "Downtown Blues" (3:38)
Kifu Mitsuhashi - "Hanagasa Ondo" (2:51)
Monica Lassen & The Sounds - "Incitation" (5:29)
Norio Maeda, Jiro Inagaki & The All-Stars - "Go Go A Go Go" (3:19)
Akira Ishikawa & Count Buffalo & The Jazz Rock Band - "The Sidewinder" (2:41)
Masahiko Sato, Jiro Inagaki & Big Soul Media - "Sniper's Snooze" (6:42)
Review: Some compilations manage to both educate, inform and educate in equal measure; this fine collection from Japanese crate diggers DJ Yoshizawa Dynamite and Chintam is one such set. Comprising mostly little-known tracks recorded by Japanese artists between 1968 and '70, it offers up a wealth of cuts inspired by American jazz-funk "rare groove". There's much to admire across the ten tracks, from the mazy Rhodes solos, fizzing big band jazz grooves and traditional Eastern instrumentation of Toshiko Yonekawa's "Soran Bushi", and the languidly-slung brilliance of Tadaki Misago and Tokyo Cuban Boys' multi-faceted musical fusion "Jongara Reggae", to the Jimi Hendrix-goes-funk heaviness of "Incitation" by Monica Lassen & The Sounds, and the drums-driven dancefloor madness of Masahiko Sato Jiro Inagaki & Big Soul Media's "Sniper's Snooze". Recommended.
Review: Craft Recordings get back on their curatorially expert business with this serious new reissue from Fania All Stars, the long out-of-print Latin-Soul-Rock. This eight-track gem from the 70s salsa ultragroup (literally; FAS consisted of over 25 members at the height of its fame), released via their own label in 1974, documents the moment at which over 40,000 salsa punters visited New York's Yankee Stadium to catch a glimpse of their talents, alongside a myriad of other Latin greats. Fania All Stars threw a curveball, however, by not only playing pure salsa but blending it with styles like funk and soul, thus sticking out from the crowd and adding a spicier punch. We welcome this record, out via Craft Latino, with alacrity, as it celebrates the 50th anniversary of this 'wow' moment, which deserves to be documented even if solely for its powers of FAS' fusional imagination.
I Got A Thing, You Got A Thing, Everybody's Got A Thing (3:53)
I Wanna Know If It's Good To You (5:59)
Standing On The Verge Of Getting It On (3:18)
Hit It & Quit It (2:46)
Cosmic Slop (5:21)
Can You Get To That (2:50)
Loose Booty (3:16)
Funky Dollar Bill (3:06)
A Joyful Process (2:55)
I'll Bet You (6:14)
Review: This is a first-ever CD-reissue of legendary funk outfit Funkadelic's Greatest Hits album - known amongst fans as 'the sheep album' - from back in 1975. It came on Westbound and has plenty of the most enduringly iconic tunes as one of George Clinton's group's most iconic covers in a catalogue full of them. The tracks here are taken from the band's first six albums and features 45 mixes, LP mixes and an edit of the instrumental 'A Joyful Process' which has never before been reissued. The whole thing has been remastered as the original was known for being a little thin in the low end.
Review: Uganda: Dawn Of Rock is a great collision of creative talents from Akira Ishikawa and Count Buffaloes who combine to deliver a captivating exploration of rock music's emergence in Uganda. A classic since it was first issued, the album showcases Ishikawa's masterful drumming and Count Buffaloes' dynamic instrumentation. It overflows with infectious rhythms and soulful melodies and each track immerses listeners in the vibrant music scene of Uganda where rock and local African sounds are fused into something new. As such this is a record that offers a perfect glimpse into a pivotal moment in Uganda's musical history.
Andi Otto - "Bangalore Whispers" (feat MD Pallavi)
Michael De Albuquerque - "We May Be Cattle But We All Got Names"
Pyranha - "Clepsydre"
Yargo - "Marimba"
Okyerema Asante & Black Fire - "Play A Sweet Rhythm On Them Drums" (feat Plunky)
Mr Scruff - "Giffin" (feat Nke - taken re-edit Speechless dub mix)
Isis - "In Essense"
Frank Hatchett - "Malibu Nites"
Review: A UK club culture icon for all the right reasons, Luke Unabomber has put in a helluva shift over the years bringing the best tunes to the best parties for decades upon decades. He might be just as visible these days as a social media raconteur-comedian, but his depth of knowledge is unfathomable and a compilation like this is the perfect vessel to realise just a little of what he possesses in his fabled record shelves. Away from direct dancefloor firecrackers, this is a chance for Una to show off some jaw-dropping mellow cuts spanning soul, jazz funk, spaced-out electro and scores more obscurities besides. It's a collection like no other, featuring fully fledged songs that will burrow into the soundtrack of your own life without even a shred of resistance.
Review: Renowned DJ and selector MURO is a Jedi-level compiler and this new collection of his delves into Victor's extensive archives to spotlight a world of Japanese jazz, fusion and AOR. It take sin plenty of internationally known names like Yasuko Agawa on the sunset sounds of 'L.A. Night', Sadistics who offers the more psyched out guitar leans of 'On the Seashore', Yuji Ohno's neo-Balaeric bliss-out 'The Dawn of Seychells' and Hiroshi Fukumura's soul soothing Ry Ayres-style melodies on 'White Clouds.' These are luxurious sounds and timeless tracks with MURO's signature funky perspective making this a brillaint choice for brighter, warmer days.
Review: Paul Ngozi's 99% Confusion represents a powerful chapter in the history of Zamrock, a vibrant music scene that emerged in 1970s Zambia. This late-period hard rock and proto-punk album, featuring drummer Chrissy Zebby Tembo, shows Ngozi's enduring influence in the Zamrock movement. The LP comes with an oversized eight-page booklet filled with rare photographs, a detailed discography, and insightful annotations, providing a deeper understanding of Ngozi's musical journey. Zamrock itself was a unique fusion, blending fuzz-driven psychedelia, raw garage rock, and energetic funk with traditional African rhythms. This distinctive sound, cultivated by bands like Musi O Tunya, Amanaz, and Ngozi Family, stood apart from anything else on the African continent. 99% Confusion, released under license from Paul Nyirongo's estate, is part of Now-Again's ongoing effort to preserve and reissue these vital records. This album continues to showcase Ngozi's pivotal role in shaping the Zamrock legacy.
Review: Released in 1977, this Nigerian rock album remains a hidden gem, rediscovered by a new generation thanks to recent reissues. Produced by Odion Iruoje, the album features a group of college students whose music captures the vibrant, post-civil war Nigerian rock scene. With a sound that blends Western rock influences like The Beatles, Buffalo Springfield and early Genesis with a distinct African touch, the album is a joyful yet melancholic exploration of love and harmony. Tracks like 'Love', 'Be Nice to the People' and 'Mary Enne' showcase the band's signature blend of fuzz guitar and heartfelt vocals. The music resonates with the exuberance of other African bands like Blo and Witch, yet it stands out with its heavy fuzz guitar and English vocals, steering clear of political or social activism in favor of pure, emotional expression. This album, recorded in Kenya, captures a moment in history when African rock was evolving, bridging cultures and sounds. It's a timeless piece, equally nostalgic, fresh and perfect entry point into African psychedelia for new listeners and a rewarding revisit for those already familiar with the genre.
Review: A krautrock/punk funk/no wave/post disco hit-fest from the prolific American-born/London-based multi-instrumentalist and producer Shawn Lee. Lee, who was the drummer in the now disbanded Welsh band Carwyn Ellis & Rio 18, has made an album that's a left-field indulgence for sonic wanderers. There's a strong Neu! or Can feel to the opening and closing tracks - the bookends, if you will - so these songs are a homage to late 60s and 70s experimental music, but as invigorating as the golden generation's attempts. Elsewhere, 'Lost In London' has more of a new wave feeling; it's like a more hypnotic Gang of Four. And 'Lost In Tokyo' is a really smooth number, so the perfect soundtrack to when you feel like you can take on the world.
The Lost Generation - "This Is The Lost Generation"
Leon Haywood - "Want' A Do Something Freaky To You"
Flowers - "For Real"
Starvue - "Body Fusion"
Hipnotic - "Are You Lonely"
Love Unlimited - "Midnight Groove"
Herbie Hancock - "Stars In Your Eyes"
Celi Bee & The Buzzy Bunch - "Closer Closer"
Morris Wilson - "Put Your Foot On The Ground"
Kathi Baker - "Feel The Heat"
Review: The latest addition to the Mood Mosaic series is a soulful, groove-filled treasure, perfect for late-night listening. Pressed on lush green vinyl and complete with a poster, this collection delivers some long-awaited, funky vibes that build on the style of previous volumes while offering fresh, extended edits that amplify the funkiest elements of each track. Highlights include Leon Haywood's sultry 'Want A Do Something Freaky To You' and Flowers' 'For Real (extra long version),' which keeps the groove going with infectious energy. Starvue's 'Body Fusion' and Hipnotic's 'Are You Lonely' add smooth, seductive rhythms, while Herbie Hancock's 'Stars In Your Eyes' brings a touch of jazz-infused soul. The new edits, like 'Closer Closer (edit)' by Celi Bee & The Buzzy Bunch and 'Feel The Heat (edit)' by Kathy Baker, offer fresh takes that enhance the late-night vibe. With tracks that flow seamlessly from one to the next, this set is a stellar mix of classic funk and soul with a contemporary twist.
Review: Zamrock, anyone? Often stylised as W.I.T.C.H, WITCH were one of the leading musical lights of post-colonial Zambia, a band that rose to prominence during the early-1970s, a particularly fertile period in the East African nation during which hopes for the future were incredibly bright. Independence leading to the blossoming of homespun ideas, culture, art and creativity. The story takes a tragic turn as the decade reached its final years, the economy collapsing and policymakers turning increasingly authoritarian. Like many in the 'scene', WITCH would fade, almost into obscurity, although the psychedelic rock-hued legacy they left survived, and then experienced a resurgence from 2012, when they reformed amid renewed interest. Kuomboka represents the group at the height of their fame, an album that still sounds packed with optimism, despite insidious changes in the air when it landed in 1976.
Review: Although born and raised in Holland, the duo behind the Yin Yin project "make music for an imaginary tropical Island" based "somewhere between the Netherlands and South East Asia". It's an apt description of their undeniably humid, wide-eyed style, which variously combines elements of surf-rock, dub, psychedelia, ambient, electronica, spaced-out synth-pop and various traditional South East Asian musical tropes. It's a style that makes this long promised debut album a unique, distinctive and hugely vibrant listening experience. While inventive and colourful, their music is also largely dancefloor friendly and highly addictive. In other words, this is one debut album that's well worth picking up.
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