Back catalogue: Funk Soul & Jazz

Review: Side-1 kicks off with a raw and funky garage band jam that perfectly captures the spirit of 1967. With its dynamic energy, the track blends elements of jazz, rock, funk and blues, creating an exciting, soul-infused experience. The rhythm section drives the track with relentless energy, while the soulful melodies and infectious groove make it a standout piece. The mix of surf rock and mod influences gives it a timeless, gritty edge that resonates with both vintage and modern listeners. Side-2 takes a more experimental turn with a unique jam laden with saxophone and rich instrumental textures. The track's experimental nature is underscored by its unconventional structure, utilizing the harpsichord to create a distinctive, jazzy vibe. The saxophone adds a layer of depth, intertwining with the rhythm to produce a mood that's both introspective and lively. This track offers a refreshing, avant-garde twist that contrasts beautifully with the raw energy of the opening side.

Review: With their sixth album in seven years, German jazz quartet Web Web return with a fresh touch: Plexus Plexus is more psychedelic and at times far "Krautier" than before, representing a speedy departure from their previous Web Max release. Special guest JJ Whitefield (The Poets Of Rhythm, Karl Hector & The Malcouns, Syrup) weaves a remarkable guitar thread throughout, gluing its sound together through solo intermissions, riffs and vamps. In his style, we hear everything from The Poets of Rhythm and Syrup to the more psychedelic vibes of Karl Hector & The Malcouns, injecting the record with the zoomed-out energy of 70s jazz-Kraut bands. Departing from their last record, Web Web have truly a back-to-basics approach through spontaneity, riffing on the back of an intense three-day recording sesh in Munich.

Review: Zamrock pioneers WITCH continue their remarkable second act with Sogolo, a suitably fuzz-driven follow-up to their 2023 reunion album Zango. Recorded in Berlin during a rare break in their busy touring schedule, the album peers confidently into the future (its title drawn from a Zambian word meaning just that) without losing sight of the raw psych-funk energy they helped define in the 70s. Lead single 'Queenless King' sets the tone: perky, funky and full of bite, with frontman Jagari Chanda's powerful energy driving the band forward. The track explores the fallout of a bad marriage, anchored by a sublime bassline from producer Jacco Gardner and spaced-out synths from founding member Patrick Mwondela. WITCH are still pushing forward, turning decades of invention into something timely, vital and completely their own.

Review: This timely reissue of Zamrock's Afro-prog-psychedelic masterpiece makes its debut on vibrant yellow vinyl. WITCH was a group influenced by James Brown, the Stones, and Deep Purple and they dominated 70s Zamrock stages in their heyday. Their musical journey spanned only five years and culminated in the fifth and final rock album, which predated a split and a new disco venture in Zimbabwe. The record fuses traditional Zambian rhythms and folk melodies with progressive rock and, somewhat echoing Lukombo Vibes, it embodies the Osibas' "afro-rock" style. This release encapsulates WITCH's evolution and influence and gives a vivid glimpse into the era's musical fusion and cultural resonance.

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.