New releases today: Soul

Review: Jai Alai's latest release brings forth a collection of forgotten vinyl tracks that have been previously unreleased on 7" format or limited to CD-only albums. Donaldson Toussaint L'Ouverture Byrd II, to give him his full name, was a pivotal figure in jazz history and a prominent trumpeter and flugelhorn player after his stint with Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers in the mid-50s. Collaborating with jazz icons like John Coltrane, Thelonius Monk, and Sonny Rollins, Byrd's journey evolved into experimenting with jazz fusion, African rhythms, and r&b by the late 60s. His transformative fusion work, notably with the Blackbyrds, reshaped the jazz-funk landscape, paving the way for dance jazz on disco floors and becoming a wellspring for hip-hop samples. These are two of his many great moments of soul-drenched goodness.

Review: Hailing from Japan, the Cat Boys is a lounge funk band that has earned praise from Gilles Peterson. In 2023, they rose anew as Super Cats and unleashed their debut album under the same name. Inspired by 90s acid jazz, Sly Stone, and gospel, the album offers a soulful and funky journey while Yuima Enya's vocals, which come both in Japanese and English, add extra layers of enchantment. Tracks range from funky rap compositions to soul tunes, a psychedelic dub of Chaka Khan's hit, and a Japanese rendition of Roberta Flack's 'Feel Like Makin' Love.' With synth-driven disco and crossover house, the album explores melancholy and purity in alluring fashion.

Review: Unearthed from obscurity, this is a late 80s gem that shines anew here and brings together UK street soul and lovers rock into something entirely brilliant. Said to have been discovered in a white label box during a North London crate digging trip, this double-sided killer was originally released as a 12" and come here on 45rpm with big sound system beats and gorgeous melodies next to the soaring and angelic vocals by T-Dynamix & Lisa Ellis. This 1989 treasure originated near Manchester and now Planets press it up in limited numbers so do not sleep.

Review: Aussie soul boy and soothing crooner Jordan Rakei is a profile songwriter, producer and vocalist who has put out plenty of great records in recent times. They have made him a firm festival favourite over on these shores and as such he was tapped up back in 2021 to make his entry into the esteemed Late Night Tales series. As per the MO, he takes a deep dive into his record collection to soundtrack a session back at his once the sun has gone down. It's classy and sophisticated from front to back with jazz, soul, folk, deep house and plenty of his own tracks all adding up to something beautifully escapist.