Ace Vinilo y CD

Review: Something's Up! is a masterful compilation that features the eclectic brilliance of John Barry's film scores. Curated by Saint Etienne's Bob Stanley, this collection highlights Barry's transition from a British arranger to a pop icon, renowned for defining the sound of the Cold War spy movie era. Focusing on music from 1964 to 1967, this album features Barry's iconic work on James Bond classics like Goldfinger, Thunderball, and You Only Live Twice, cementing his influence on the spy genre. Beyond Bond, Barry's contributions to films such as The Ipcress File and The Quiller Memorandum exemplify his ability to blend tension with sophistication. The collection also includes less-celebrated but notable scores like those for King Rat, The Chase and Seance on a Wet Afternoon, reflecting Barry's diverse range and ability to craft memorable themes beyond the mainstream. Barry's music, characterised by its lush orchestration and emotive power, extended its reach from the silver screen to the vinyl, resonating with listeners even if they hadn't seen the films - and his exceptional talent and enduring legacy in film music is on full display here,

Review: Ace Records are she-pop experts who have kept a constant stream of high quality offerings from the 1960s coming. Featuring mostly British and American artists the label now widens its net to serve up a pair of high impact tunes from their well-received Ciao Bella! Italian Girl Singers Of The 1960s compilation CD. Brunetta's 'Baluba Shake' has big and cavernous drums, plucked guitar riffs and rollicking great chords next to lung-busting vocals. It's a real dancer. Things get more impassioned on the high speed funk chase that is Rita Pavone's 'Il Geghege.'

Review: This must-check dinked 45 brings together two killer and influential jazz recordings from the early 1960s. On the A-side you'll find Yusuf Lateef's inspired cover of Alen North's 'Spartacus Love Theme', a shuffling, Latin-tinged, piano-laden affair that inspired many subsequent interpretations from fellow musical titans (think Ramsey Lewis, Carlos Santana, Eddie Harris and Bill Evans, for starters). It's an effortlessly breezy and life-affirming version that stands apart from the hard-bop jazz jams that Lateef was recording at the time. On the flip you'll find the scarce 7" edit of the Cannonball Alderley Sextet's recording of 'Brother John', a cool jazz interpretation that famously features a rare oboe solo from the track's composer (and Sextet member), Yusuf Lateef.

Review: Ace Records continue their series of compilations from Saint Etienne's Bob Stanley and Pete Wiggs, tapping into unique niches of British music culture under titles like English Weather and The Tears Of Technology to arrive at this latest joint, Fell From The Sun. This is a specific trip into the downtempo, after hours sounds prevalent in 1990-1991, as the acid house wave broke and Balearic selector ethics seeped into studio practice. The selections are absolutely on point, from The Orb's majestic remix of Primal Scream's 'Higher Than The Sun' to Saint Etienne's own moody roller, 'Speedwell'. It's bouncy and boundlessly optimistic as well as being supremely chill, absolutely of its time but still ringing with an eternal charm that feels ready for a revival. Let this compilation be your guide.

Review: Nodding to a seminal piece of music writing which documented the emergent disco phenomenon and inspired a smash hit movie, Tribal Rites Of The New Saturday Night is an authoritative compilation from the early years of disco. It's been put together with care, swerving obvious or over-played tracks to focus on the kind of powerful, soul-shaking cuts that could have been heard lighting up dance floors in Brooklyn in the mid-70s. There are some legends on board, from Creative Source to Eddie Kendricks, Ecstasy, Passion & Pain to Harold Melvin & The Bluenotes, but whoever's on the credits, these are picks to satisfy the surliest of disco bores as much as those who just love a great, groovy tune.

Review: Paul Weller is perhaps one of the best non-soul musicians to ask to compile a rare soul compilation. Rather than documenting soul music as it proliferated in the 1960s, Ace Records' soul aim was to capture a genre, fashion and style as one man saw it in retrospect, in light of his involvement in the mod revival of the mid 1970s. Weller would later go onto form and front The Jam, but in late 1974, shortly before his involvement in the punk movement, he was about none of that business at all. Punk partly grew on febrile tissues of mod, which was in turn an offshoot of 60s soul; and it is true that we may hear a foetal form of the sound in the brasher cuts on this record, be it Billy Stewart's 'Summertime' or James Carr's 'Pouring Water'. Also clock Brother To Brother's 'In The Bottle', a super-early drum machine blues gem perfect for the house heads.