Timmion Finland Vinilo y CD

Review: Timmion and Daptone present My Echo, Shadow and Me, the debut album from the soulful Chicano brother, Jonny Benavidez. Hailing from San Diego (via El Paso, TX), Jonny's desire to sing was influenced by his grandfather, John Lorenzo Guzman, who as a teen in the early sixties spent some time harmonizing with groups in El Paso - notably Sonny Powell and the Night Dreamers. After a chance encounter with the legendary Dimas Garza, Jonny's career began to blossom and soon he would find himself singing alongside stars like Eugene Pitt and Archie Bell-garnering the interest of Timmion Records. Backed by the incomparable Cold Diamond & Mink (Bobby Oroza, Pratt & Moody), these eleven originals were all penned by Benavidez. From the uplifting bounce of the title track; the doo-wop dinged 'Dedicated to You'; the Latin flare of 'Uncle Sam' and the Sweet Soul masterpiece 'Somebody Cares'; My Echo, Shadow and Me is not only an aweinspiring display of Jonny's versatility as an artist but also serves as a window into the eclectic array of soulful sounds that inspired him to fall in love with music and become a singer. A must have for fans of Daptone, Timmion, Penrose, et al.

Review: Cold Diamond & Mink return with an instrumental soul album on Timmion Records that features tracks from their collaboration with Jonny Benavidez, 'My Echo, Shadow and Me.' Stripped of vocals, the album highlights their musical craftsmanship through rich, soulful melodies and rhythms from the haunting 'Your Last Song' to the infectious grooves of 'Tell Me That You Love Me.' Each track here draws listeners into a deep, emotive experience as the instrumental collection showcases Cold Diamond & Mink's talent for composing with authenticity and it makes for an introspective journey through the timeless terrain of soulful music.

Review: Penrose and Timmion Records team up to patronise and present two slamming sides from Mr. "Tell Me That You Love Me" himself, Jonny Benavidez. Hailing from San Diego and currently residing in NYC, Benavidez is a vocal group aficionado, and veteran of the former county. Benavidez' talents are evident as soon as his sweet vocals drop in 'Somebody Cares', a mid-tempo mover sure to make waves not just on the West Coast scene, but to tidally ripple beyond it. On the flip is 'Slow Down Girl', a refreshingly uptempo tune that's sure to get your heart rate up, despite its enjoining the lady listener to slow down and take her time (despite the gendering, this is indeed advice we could all follow today).

Review: Ernie Hawks is the occasional artistic alias of virtuoso flautist and trombonist Erno Haukkala, a Helsinki-based musician best known for his membership of long-serving Finnish funk combo the Soul Investigators. Fittingly, his debut solo album was produced in cahoots with the long-running band. Throughout, his band-mates provide brilliant backing for his languid trombone solos, jaunty flute lines and - on rare occasions - wild harmonica playing. It's a very enjoyable and impressive set, all told, with Haukkala's compositions variously drawing influence from classic soul, Cymande, Ennio Morricone's "Spaghetti Western" soundtracks and the higher quality end of the library music spectrum. Naturally, it's all brilliantly played and produced, with an emphasis on gentle mood enhancement.

Review: Fast-rising New York soul singer Carlton Jumel Smith continues his successful partnership with Timmion house band Cold Diamond & Mink via a debut album that sounds like it could have been recorded in the early 1970s rather than 2019. Smith's lyrics and effortlessly soulful vocal delivery take centre stage throughout, though it's the faithfully fuzzy grooves, punchy horn lines and languid, delay-laden guitar motifs provided by his storied backing band that make the album a real winner. Highlights are plentiful throughout, from the loved-up sweetness of "This Is What Love Looks Like!" and Motown-influenced stomp of "We're All We Got", to the slack-tuned drum breaks and bittersweet messages of "I Can't Love You Anymore (feat Pratt)" and the cheery goodness of "Remember Me". In a word: superb.

Review: With Introducing Emilia Sisco, Sisco steps into the spotlight backed by Cold Diamond & Mink, spanning ten tracks that hit that rare sweet spot between classic soul vibes and a refined, modern polish. Each song feels meticulously crafted, from the smoky, gospel-inflected swing of 'Say Yes' that opens the album, to the heartfelt sway of 'Don't Let Nobody,' where Sisco's vocals radiate warmth and vulnerability. Cold Diamond & Mink's arrangements anchor Sisco's expressive range, laying down rich, textured backdrops that ebb and flow with her every note. As the album progresses, Sisco's voice weaves through uplifting choruses and more introspective moments with an authenticity that's all her own, cementing her as a powerful new voice in the soul scene and offering listeners a journey that's timeless yet undeniably fresh.

Review: A fresh record from interstellar voyager of cosmic soul Jimi Tenor, who finally lands his spaceship with perfectly balanced descent onto Timmion Records' landing pad. The first in an apparent series, the Finnish saxophonist and other-instrumentalist here delivers Is There Love In Outer Space?, a spaced-out album session recorded in collaboration with fellow virtuosi Cold Diamond and Mink. At once cosmically expansive and lounge-ifically chilled - a hard balance to strike - the album hears Tenor transcend the patent Sun Ra inspiration for something beyond. Whether by way of its wowwing surfy licks on both parts of 'Gaia Sunset', or the orbital funk of 'Orbital Telesto', we're sure Tenor's latest will both simultaneously uproot and relax even the most fierily grounded of souls.