Review: Courtial With Errol Knowles's Don't You Think It's Time album gets a first ever vinyl reissue here, and gets deluxe treatment. The original was recorded in 1976 in San Francisco's Bay Area and soon became a real collector's classic for its vital soul and jazz funk sounds. To be honest, the cover art alone is worth the entry price here, but the sounds sure are sublime, with wiggy synth lines weaving their way in and out of the funky drumming on 'Don't You Think It's Time,' 'Best Of Friends' offering lush string sounds and silky grooves and 'Love Nevermore' having a bit of a samba shuffle next to the acoustic guitars and golden Rhodes chords.
Review: Crooked Man aka the legendary DJ Parrot is also Earth Angel and here he is back with a second project on Foundation Music following the release of two singles with the renowned new jazz singer Lady Blackbird. Here he goes back to his roots in Sheffield in the 1980s when Black music forms were fast emerging on the scene and having a huge influence on the fledgling electronic movement. The music in this record taps into that with sounds that mix up street soul, boogie, heavy bass and some great songwriting from Crooked Man with originals, versions and expansive dubs all featuring.
Review: The music of Earth Wind and Fire is pretty inescapable, but you won't find us complaining. The American soul, disco and funk collective have crafted some of the greatest dance floor tunes of all time, and they still bang decades later. This Ultimate Collection gathers together the best of them on nice heavyweight yellow vinyl. From the epic 'Boogie Wonderland' to the more sentimental 'Fantasy' via super funky gem 'September' there is plenty to love here. First released in July 1999 on Columbia Records, it claimed high in the album charts and remains an invaluable collection.
Review: The reissue of Earth, Wind & Fire's Greatest Hits album brings so many timeless classics back to the fore while celebrating the iconic band's soulful blend of funk, r&b and disco which so defined an era. This collection captures their iconic tracks like 'September,' 'Boogie Wonderland' and 'Shining Star' and shows the vibrant brass, infectious rhythms and harmonies that made them such legends. Remastered for enhanced audio quality, the reissue invites listeners to experience these chart-toppers with fresh clarity s is a must-have to experience the energy and spirit of one of music's most influential bands.
(Don't Worry) If There's A Hell Below, We're All Going To Go (6:05)
People Get Ready (4:22)
Getting Over (2:14)
I'll Bet You/California Dreamin' (3:44)
Popcorn/Oye Como Va (5:48)
I Love You For All Seasons (3:05)
East Of Java (2:08)
Walk On By (2:41)
Review: In 1971, in the midst of America's conflict in Vietnam, the US army held a 'battle of the bands' contest and showcased the two winning bands in a promotional album. East Of Underground, the gritty runner-up, managed to capture the spirit of America with their sweet-soul covers of Sly Stone, Curtis Mayfield and Funkadelic. The quality of the recording is superior, as is the musicianship: the falsetto harmonies, the gritty guitar, and the devouring drums...
(Baby Can We) Lift This Up? (feat Hemi Moore) (3:57)
Table For Two (feat Tilly Valentine & Bran Mazz) (3:12)
The Way Things Were (feat Isaac Waddington) (3:38)
Breakfast In Bed (feat Joe Bae) (2:27)
Review: edbl is a dynamic producer based in South London who is synonymous with a mellow, soulful sound and collaborations with over 60 different artists. His acclaimed work South London Sounds played a pivotal role in establishing his popularity in Japan and Asia not least his signature track 'The Way Things Were' featuring Isaac Waddington. This all new long player compiles carefully selected songs that take in some superbly smooth and soulful tracks. Highlights include the jazzy flute-infused 'I'll Wait' and the beautifully vocal-driven 'Table For Two,' which sure do solidify edbl's status at the forefront of the global music scene.
Review: Following his Original Mr Cool Ruler album being reissued back in summer by Lantern Rec, Octave Lab now gets in on the action by serving up his I Do Love You album from 1972. It's a delightful work of lovers' rock and roots magic that is centered around his impossibly pure and soulful vocals. They convey all manner of emotions from pain to joy over clean dubs and acoustic guitars. The hooks are catchy and their rhythms percussive, with joyous like 'Don't Stop' and more rueful vibes such as 'You're Eyes Are Dreaming' all sounding as good as ever.
Review: Back in 1980, Roy Ayers assembled the Eighties Ladies - a soulful vocal quintet whose members included sometime Aquarian Dream vocalist Sylvia Striplin. Sadly the group didn't last long, but their vibrant "Ladies Of The Eighties" single - a fine disco-tinged slab of boogie/jazz-funk fusion - became a big club hit. Their debut album, which is here reissued for the first time, is equally as impressive, with highlights including the rushing, part-rapped, attitude-laden "Tell Him" - later covered in the bruk era by West London outfit BB Boogie - cheery "I Knew That Love" and the liquid slap bass-propelled intergalactic space funk jam "It's Easy To Move" standing out. Throughout, Roy Ayers' production and arrangements are as tidy as you'd expect.
Review: In the last few years, Livy Ekemezie's sole album - a private-press Nigerian Afro-funk and Afro-disco gem from 1983 - has become a genuinely in-demand item within the record collecting community. It has been reissued once before - back in 2017 - but even that pressing has become highly sought after. This edition, then, is well worth picking up. Putting a distinctive Nigerian swing on disco-funk, it boasts a string of insatiable, floor-friendly highlights - not least opener 'Get It Down' (where William Onyeabor style Moog synth sounds hit the ear), the down-low heaviness of 'Holiday Action', Afro-disco anthem 'Friday Night' (which has been re-edited on several occasions in the past) and the decidedly heavy 'Night Party'.
Review: The extraordinary talents of The El Michaels Affair seem to know no bounds. Last time out they served up an album inspired by an imaginary film, and this time on Yeti Season they impress with a whole new bunch of inspirations. Right from the off the album takes us to Turkish-styled funk and an almost Mumbai-esque take on soul, all with the sort of big grooves and lovely horns that often define the band's output. Full of drama, emotion, and worldly influences, this is another stunner from the unstoppable El Michaels Affair.
Review: The extraordinary talents of The El Michaels Affair seem to know no bounds. Last time out they served up an album inspired by an imaginary film, and this time on Yeti Season they impress with a whole new bunch of inspirations. Right from the off the album takes us to Turkish-styled funk and an almost Mumbai-esque take on soul, all with the sort of big grooves and lovely horns that often define the band's output. Full of drama, emotion, and worldly influences, this is another stunner from the unstoppable El Michaels Affair.
Review: Cinematic soul maestro El Michels Affair unleashes his latest collaboration with Roots co-founder and lyricist Black Thought, bowling full speed ahead into the next phase of his career. Glorious Game is an album-length ode to "the game", an ephemeral concept loosely denoting the group practice of ladder-climbing in hip-hop; the divine hustle; life itself. Through bright soul-tinged electronic beats, instrumental contributions from session artists, and introspective lyrics, the pair once more prove themselves able to convey a complex sonic world.
Review: 'Glorious Game' is the latest addition to the LP pile by hip-hop / soul artist El Michels Affair, wh has teamed up with The Roots' Black Thought here for a comprehensive meditation on the state of the hip-hop scene in the early 2020s. Coming to a variety of formats, this version of the LP is a standard vinyl version; also check out the limited edition 'sky high coloured' version featured on our site.
Review: Originally released in 1992, Completion Of A Miracle was American R&B and gospel musician Steve Elliott's second LP. New Zealand-based reissue imprint Rain & Shine continue their love for Elliott's self-produced music by giving the album another lease of life. Remastered from the original reel-to-reel tapes, it includes the dancefloor cut "Wake Up". Another essential release set to become a future collector's item. Rain & Shine was established in Auckland, New Zealand in 2017 and only pursues music previously unreleased or never re-issued, and when certain that artists or their families can be directly involved to benefit financially.
Review: During the various pandemic lockdowns of 2020, BBC Radio Wales suggested to multi-instrumentalist Carwyn Ellis that he joined forces with their National Orchestra of Wales and Brazilian band Rio 18 for a one-off, audience-free concert. In the end, Rio 18 were not permitted to travel, so instead their contributions were recorded remotely and assembled by Ellis and his producer Shawn Lee, to which the orchestrated parts were then added live. Despite this complex recording process, the results are stunning: sublime songs, sung in Welsh, with an attractive mixture of Brazilian rhythms and instrumentation, soaring orchestration and attractive melodies aplenty. It has a conceptual theme - it's meant to be a sort of musical day in Rio - but that doesn't really matter; what matters is the music, and it's uniformly spellbinding.
Review: Elmiene's latest offering presents a smooth, immersive listen, blending soulful electronics with subtle, emotive melodies. Opening with the tender 'TLC,' the release quickly establishes its intimate mood, which is carried through tracks like the lush 'Light Work.' 'Crystal Tears' shifts to a more ambient space, while 'Ode To Win' builds a contemplative, understated momentum. The release really comes alive on the second side with 'Sweetness' and 'Until It's Dust,' where the production deepens into something atmospheric and hypnotic. 'Dark Out (Season of Thieves)' adds a touch of brooding intensity, and 'Anyways' closes on a contemplative note.
Review: The self-titled debut record from South Carolina soul septet The Entertainers first dropped in 1980 and laid claim to a distinctive quirkiness. The kernel of the album's success was its unabashed choice of subject matter - sexual attraction - which when combined with its bright mixes and burstingly clear compositions, helped propel the band out from their local beach scene roots and into increasing interstate acclaim. With members Earl Dawkins on vocals, Hugh "Tuff" Blanton on bass, Richard Robertson on trumpet andzz flugelhorn, Ric Sanders on keyboards, Danny Baker on guitar, Marc Goins on drums and John Franklin on trombone, the Entertainers did nothing but.
Review: Issued on CD by Ace in 1999, Eramus Hall's Your Love Is My Desire was subject to instant popular scrutiny. Though it was recorded in late 1978 by the soul and funk group - who later went on to record another album, Gohead, and many singles - the lone figure on the album cover misleadingly implied that "Hall" was a single person. Despite its obvious stylistic derivation from Funkadelic and co., Hall's first album is still a landmark album; fans of smooth late-70s soul will love it for the title track, and 'Just Me 'n' You'.
Review: Eramus Hall recorded their debut, and eventually only, album in 1980; the band was allegedly named after a building in Chicago, named "Eramus Hall", that George Clinton of Parliament saw in the street. The record evolved to become one of the most sought-after of the modern soul era, despite the flashpan profile of the band itself (as were many George Clinton P-funk offshoots). This owed in part to its clarion, crystalline production, held down by Clinton himself, and which served to spell out the nascent funk, soul and r&b sound bubbling over the broth pot's lip that was Westbound Records, Detroit. Now working from the original master tapes at the iconic 54 Sound studio in Detroit, the recordings have been restored and remastered, doing justice to a convergent, then not yet defined r&b sound.
Review: If you like your r&b soulful and your funk seductive then you probably already know this classic from Erasmus Hall. His Your Love Is My Desire encapsulates the essence of smooth 70s sound and came in originally in 1980. Now newly remastered, the album radiates infectious grooves and heartfelt lyricism with its silky vocals and the tight, funky instrumentation all full of undeniable charm and timeless appeal. Standout cuts like the titular track and 'Just Me and You' showcase his band's impeccable musicianship and knack for crafting irresistibly catchy hooks. With its lush production and soul-stirring melodies, Your Love Is My Desire is a quite gem in the realm of classic soul.
Review: Ernie Story's Meditation Blue is a catnip record for serious collectors. Many have longed for it to be reissued and made more readily available and now they get the wish thanks to Japan's Groove Diggers series on P-Vine. This was originally a private press record which explains its scarcity after it was recorded in 1997 in Minneapolis as the one and only album by the singer-songwriter and producer Ernie Story. It's a seamless fusion AOR meets modern soul with laidback grooves and a hint of gospel to really elevate it. A must-own record for soul collectors with plenty of emotional high points.
Love & Affection (feat WanCee - Marky B remix) (4:13)
This I Know (with Shirley Jones - Filly B Street mix feat Cam Jones) (4:14)
Come Home Tonight (4:58)
Just Say The Word (Nana Neo mix) (4:07)
What You Doing To Me (Nana Street mix) (4:38)
Free Fall (with Poleto Don - 2023 edit) (5:20)
Closer 2 U (Nana West London mix) (4:07)
Higher (JE Heartbreak mix) (4:13)
Review: Songs in The Key of E is a new offering the legendary soul man Everis, arriving in limited edition vinyl form just in time for Christmas. It features a number of superb new hair raising soul songs with some top guests too including a pair of award-winning singers, two international rappers, and a cult UK MC and sound system legend. There is an old school r&b tinge to the production and songwriting, with lavish keys and nice fresh beats all topped with emotive vocals that all swell the heart.
B-STOCK: Sleeve damaged but otherwise in excellent condition
Love & Affection (feat WanCee - Marky B remix) (4:13)
This I Know (with Shirley Jones - Filly B Street mix feat Cam Jones) (4:14)
Come Home Tonight (4:58)
Just Say The Word (Nana Neo mix) (4:07)
What You Doing To Me (Nana Street mix) (4:38)
Free Fall (with Poleto Don - 2023 edit) (5:20)
Closer 2 U (Nana West London mix) (4:07)
Higher (JE Heartbreak mix) (4:13)
Review: ***B-STOCK: Sleeve damaged but otherwise in excellent condition***
Songs in The Key of E is a new offering the legendary soul man Everis, arriving in limited edition vinyl form just in time for Christmas. It features a number of superb new hair raising soul songs with some top guests too including a pair of award-winning singers, two international rappers, and a cult UK MC and sound system legend. There is an old school r&b tinge to the production and songwriting, with lavish keys and nice fresh beats all topped with emotive vocals that all swell the heart.
The Ringleaders - "I'd Like To Win You Over" (2:20)
Ruby Winters - "A Last Minute Miracle" (3:15)
Liz Lands - "Seventh Hour" (2:54)
Maurice Williams - "What Can A Man Do?" (2:31)
The Sharpees - "Take Me To Your Leader" (2:41)
Willie Harper - "Here Comes The Hurt Again" (2:31)
The Du-ettes - "If You Need Me" (1:34)
Otis Clay - "I Got Problems" (2:46)
Mill Evans - "Just Like The Weather" (2:28)
Warren Lee - "A Love For All Seasons" (2:16)
Ted Ford & Jimmy Church & The O'Jahs - "Know Your Own Heart" (2:45)
Review: Dave Evison is a legendary former Wigan Casino DJ and sales executive for Charly Records who was behind the original ground-breaking Rare Soul Uncovered collection. Now, 40 years on, it is pressed up once more having become a rare and much sought-after collection of plenty of authentic gems from that most exciting time in Northern Soul history. The album features classics and lesser-known gems from the likes of Ted Ford & Jimmy Church & The O'Jahs, The Ringleaders and Otis Clay amongst many more. It's one that sweeps the heart while also making you want to bust out some moves.
Rafael Cameron - "Boogie's Gonna Get Ya" (The Reflex Cosmic dub Revision) (8:08)
Edwin Birdsong - "Win Tonight" (The Reflex Revision) (9:33)
Rafael Cameron - "All That's Good To Me" (The Reflex Revision) (6:00)
Review: The Reflex's multi-track re-edits are always on point, but those he's created for Salsoul Records have generally been impressive even by his high standards. This third double-pack of 'ReVisions' (as he calls them) contains two of his best Salsoul reworks yet: a thrillingly stretched-out take on Gazz's 'Sing Sing' that sees him cannily showcase some of the track's key elements in turn before unleashing the familiar bassline, breaks and vocals, and a fabulously spaced out 'Cosmic Dub' of Rafael Cameron's early electrofunk classic 'Boogie's Gonna Get Ya'. That too, has a big build, making the introduction of the bassline and Cameron's chorus vocals a genuinely breath-taking moment. The EP also contains a solid take on a lesser-celebrated Cameron tune, the more disco-fied 'All That's Good To Me', and a Tom Moulton-esque take on Edwin Birdsong's 'Win Tonight'.
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