Batov Vinilo y CD

Review: Tel Aviv-based band Boom Pan marks their 20th anniversary with an album that mixes up cinematic atmospherics and high-powered surf rock. It is their first for the Batov Records label and has eight tracks of global sonic tripping that go from Middle Eastern exotica to scores to an imagined Spaghetti Western and on to sandy beach parties by the Mediterranean. It's all made with a mix of catchy guitar riffs, tuba basslines and big drums that immerse you in engaging sounds and great musicianship that is always pushing at the traditional genre boundaries.

Review: Batov Records label co-founder DJ Kobayashi has dug deep in his back catalogue of Middle Eastern grooves for this superb double album. The tracks span 2015 to now and are taken from the label's well received series of 7" singles released under the same name. There are new tunes, edits of classic, never before heard gems and plenty in between, all of which have made their way into the bags of adventurous DJs from Gilles Peterson to Gideon Coe. There is desert funk, cosmic star gazing, shamanistic funk, spooky synth sounds and plenty more here that will improve your record collection by a guaranteed 76%.

Review: Eje Eje - the solo project of one Itamar Kluger - blends tropes of Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, funk and dub music to produce thoroughly danceable multi-instrumental trances, as is evidenced by their compelling new release here, 'Five Seasons'. Springboarding from his former work with the Satellites, Kluger deploys his skills as Eje Eje to incantate a special blend of perspectives, reflecting his own interest in humankind's subjective perception of reality. Informed by national and global cultural movements and traditions, he insists on collectively creating and sharing stories, at times to explain the unexplainable.

Review: Several years before Uzi Kinrot, we were lucky enough to attend a cultural exchange, of sorts, between Lithuania's burgeoning electronic scene and Israel's fertile alternative music community. The results were staggering, and in addition to presenting the Balkan state as an epicentre of leftfield dance, it also made a strong case for the Middle East as a hotbed for the kind of music makers destined to score some Quentin Tarantino or David Lynch movie. Back up to date, and Les Dynamites, whose reputation has long reached beyond their Jerusalem hometown, have returned to emphasise the latter point. Uzi Kinrot is a groove-packed double-A side that feels alive with energy, perhaps thanks to the single-take recording process. It's twangy, psychedelic, nostalgic and yet utterly timeless stuff that yearns to be heard on a beach while you hide from the heat of afternoon sun.

Review: Batov Records have proven themselves juggernauts in their ability to stick to a theme; since 2016, they've kept up their Middle-Eastern grooves themed 45's series for a spate of over 13 releases. Les Dynamites and Radio Trip serve up their latest. Hailing from Jerusalem and Israel respectively, both bring influences from dubbed-out Mediterranean bass, Yemeni folk and trip-hop to each tracks, different in style but reconciled by these influences. What's more 'Oud Two' and 'No Oud' are intended as invitations to dance, with both bands intending their respective tracks as rallying calls for Israeli belly dancers and breakdancers.

Review: Sababa 5 have only just dropped their well-received debut album but now they are back with a quick follow-up in the form of this one. It's a pair of funk gems on a red hot 45rpm that again mix sup their own signature sounds of psych, surf, and funk with a subtle Middle Eastern twist. 'Funk #1' kicks off with snappy drums and electric bass and lush synths that take you to the Med, all finished with some fine solo guitar work. 'Funk 2' on the reverse then gets busier with a more frenetic rhythm that is doused in funky guitar licks and wild synths as well as a killer bassline and psychedelic organ chords.

Review: For those who've not previously encountered them, Sababa 5 are a "super group" of Tel Aviv-based musicians, most of whom boast Persian roots. Their music is heavily influenced by Middle Eastern music of the '70s and early '80s, and specifically Turkish psyche-funk. The band's latest seven-inch, the 10th instalment in Batov's killer Middle Eastern Grooves series, could well be their strongest single yet. A-side 'Pur' is funky and groovy, with the band adding wild, echo-laden Moog motifs, mazy solos and intoxicating guitar licks to a swinging, waltz-influenced groove. Flipside 'Backseesh' sees them move even further towards psychedelic territory, with delay-laden Middle Eastern synthesizer motifs and intense electric piano solos clustering around a Persian polyrhythm.

Review: Leading Tel Aviv groove unit Sababa 5 are back in action with another crisply executed missive of psyched-up delights to get adventurous parties freaking out in all the right ways. The four-piece have earned their stripes backing singers such as Gili Yalo, Ester Rada and Liraz Charhi, but here they go in hard on the instrumental with two old favourites given a distinctive new twist. 'Popcorn' sounds like you've never heard it before thanks to an offbeat rhythm section backing up that classic riff. Meanwhile 'The Birdie Song' gets embellished with actual birdsong and guest player Matan Caspi playing a darbuka drum, hitting the spot between novelty and serious musical chops in style.

Review: Sababa 5 are a funk band from Tel Aviv who tap into their position in the Middle East to create a dynamic, outernational sound, and they're continuing a hot streak on Batov with this crucial collaboration with Turkish singer Candy Dogan. Dogan is currently a member of the jazz department at Istanbul University, and she sought out the band after hearing their music and noting its similarities to Turkish music. Already an alternative pop sensation on her own terms, Dogan slots into the Sababa 5 sound beautifully, resulting in a must-check 7" single that hopefully signals the start of an enduring partnership.