Review: Matt Stockham Brown steps into the spotlight with 6161, his self-titled debut on Bristol's Severn Songs. Brown is already known for his drumming prowess and has earned real acclaim for winning a Montreux Jazz Festival award, as well as recording with Run Logan Run and getting great reviews for his work with Daniel Inzani. His resume includes collaborations with Massive Attack, Gregory Porter and This Is The Kit but with 6161, Brown showcases his vision beyond percussion. He heads into jazz, experimental textures and dynamic groove making in a way that marks a bold step forward without losing sight of his signature sound.
Review: With summer gone, this album is the perfect soundtrack to remind you of the warmer season. It's a lush blend of tropical disco grooves, deep house, Balearic vibes, smooth jazz and Mediterranean cool for sipping cocktails and dreaming of a blissful escape. Each track features dreamy textures, fresh rhythms, shimmering chords and rich melodies enhanced by delightful percussive details. It's a majestic work by A Vision Of Panorama with a carefree atmosphere.
Review: When keyboardist Thomas Jonsson, guitarist and bassist oMar Gudjonsson, saxophonist oSkar Gudjonsson and drummer Magnus Trygvason Eliassen take the stage, they channel the raw resilience of Northern Europe's islanders who have endured long, icy winters for centuries. Their energy transcends genres and has proven to captivate jazz enthusiasts, rock fans and ravers alike. This primal, non-verbal expression predates language yet remains deeply contemporary by blending cosmic vastness with free imagination and profound mysticism. Their music is a convergence of timeless human impulses and fresh creativity. It's challenging but hugely rewarding.
Review: Soul and jazz meet head to head on this new LP from Hot Casa, to truly bring the two genres into their natural alignment. Hola Adisa Farrar is a vocalist who hails from California via Jamaican roots, while Florian Pellissier brings though his Parisian jazz stronghold, and the pair lay down some unmissable Dingwalls-reminiscent gems. In fact, this is the perfect sort of album for those diggers looking for that perfect jazz-funk record, the one that slipped away; the drumming across all of the tracks is hypnotic but changes enough to retain that mysticism, the pianos glide over the melodies in a delicate but playful way, and Farrar's vocals are an utter beauty spilled all over the rhythm. A must have, and a warmly recommended album. Supported by Mukatsuku.
Review: Alfa Mist is a UK musician, producer and composer born in Newham, London. One of the members of Are We Live, a creative quartet that also includes Tom Misch, Jordan Rakei and Barney Artist. On his latest album for UK label Sekito titled Bring Backs, he goes back to his roots of his beat-making past on the streets of East London, as well as incorporating his jazz influences. From the smoky jazz bar loops of opener 'Keep On' to the uplifting urban blues of 'Breath' (feat Kaya Thomas-Dyke) to the sunny metro beats of 'Brian' - the LP is the most detailed exploration of his upbringing in musical form.
Review: .The last full length we had from Federico Amorosi and Valerio Lombardozzi, AKA Dressel Amorosi, was a pretty scary place to spend time. Themed around late-mid-20th Century Italian horror movies (see: Dario Argento), the record paid homage to the iconic sounds of that culture, but also refused to simply rehash the past. An atmospheric, spine-tingling collection of suspenseful synth-first stuff, it also benefited from landing around the same time as a new Stranger Things series. A year on and things are now on a slightly less tense route. Spectrum is still looking to offer thanks to the Italian film industry as was a few decades back - specifically for gifting us so many amazing soundtracks. But this time round we're much closer to the glam and glitz of a Roma Italo party than anything like the Upside Down, while still packing depth and atmosphere.
Eden With The Invisible Session (with The Invisible Session - TIS version) (4:02)
Etna (with The Invisible Session) (4:05)
Call (with The Invisible Session) (4:13)
Eden (3:57)
Noir (2:50)
Review: ANAN is a project by DJs Roberto Agosta and Massimo Napoli and it takes its name from their surnames, repeated twice. Their new album is inspired by jazz, 70s psychedelia, Afrobeat, cumbia and soul and was recorded in a space in Catania, Sicily, where they melded those inspirations into a versatile and innovative sound. The session musicians manage to really lay down some deep melodies to give the album a live session feel. Tracks like 'Eden' and 'Naif' combine cinematic jazz with African influences, while 'Eros' blends Ethiopian and Indian cultures. 'Mind' offers a hypnotic cumbia and 'Etna' evokes spiritual psychedelia. The album includes also collaborations with The Invisible Session which take things to even higher spiritual planes.
Review: And Is Phi (Andrea Isabelle Phillips) is a multi-disciplinary artist from Norway and the Philippines now based in South East London. Double Pink is a debut album of great quality that draws on a wide sphere of influence, from Joni Mitchell's tender vocals to Frank Zappa's weirdness via 90s r&b and the jazz tinged beatmaking of Madlib's seminal album for Blue Note. it is both late night and languid but immediate and emotive, with a world of colour and texture that is all blurred, smoothed off, packed with emotion and smart riffs, melodies and hooks.
Review: The mighty Dez Andres has hooked up with Parisian digger Victor Kiswell for a sublime new double album on Spot Lite that finds a perfect sweet spot between both men's sound. It stems from a party that explores Arabic grooves from Northern Africa and the Middle East and pairs that with low slung deep house beats and hip-hop inspired joints. It's woozy and warm, packed with killer melodies and hooky riffs and is right up there with some of Dez's best work. Highlights include the likes of 'Grand Meze In Gemmayze' with its dusty beats and 'Bounce The Casbah' with Middle Eastern guitars that ring out with great soul.
Review: Legendary producer Ant, who you will most likely know for his work with Atmosphere, showcases his talent once more here with Collection of Sounds: Vol. 4. This release highlights his years of dedication to his craft and is a great mix of fresh ideas with his signature style. While previous volumes explored hip-hop, funk and reggae, Vol. 4 introduces rock-inspired elements such as wailing guitars, though it still maintains a firm foundation in hip-hop. Tracks like 'Hearing In Dark Colors' and 'Created With a Heavy Brush' display his mastery of diverse styles while 'Day After 2010' offers an unexpected vibe that helps confirm Ant's status in the scene.
Review: This renowned hip-hop producer (and also half of Atmosphere) is a founding member of Rhymesayers Entertainment. His decades-spanning career includes work with MF DOOM, Brother Ali, Murs and more after he was raised in a military family with a deep love for records. Ant's eclectic influences shine in Collection of Sounds, a four-volume instrumental series that his instalment three here and has been carefully curated from his vast archive. It mixes up intimate, haunting tracks with expansive, venue-filling beats. Some compositions invite vocalists yet remain deeply personal and overall, rather than reinventing things, Ant reconfigures his past while staying true to his artistic roots.
Review: Freestyle Records reissues The Apples Kings a full decade and a half after its first release. This version has been fully remastered and re-cut for an even more dynamic sound to remind why the landmark album was so special. It was a first for the band who crafted it with specific collaborators in mind and worked with funk legend Fred Wesley and Israeli world music icon Shlomo Bar In fusing elements of The JB's funky foundations, soul, dub, and Middle Eastern influences, they cooked up a genre-defying mix filtered through The Apples' unique decks-horns-bass-drums lineup. These unmistakable, floor-shaking grooves are just as potent today as they were in 2010.
Review: "Danama" is a Bambara word meaning "trustworthy" that reflects the essence of Arat Kilo's fifth album, which was recorded in Spring 2024. The album embodies optimism, collective strength and cultural blending, while advocating confidence during these times which are so marred by wars, nationalism and environmental crises. Arat Kilo is France's leading Ethio-jazz ensemble and they take a fresh approach by experimenting with sound production by adding new instruments like synths, bass clarinet and Malian n'goni, alongside their signature grooves. These tunes are influenced by genres like Jersey club and 2-step and merge with Ethiopian jazz and global rhythms. Mamani Keita's poignant lyrics and social critique from Mike Ladd make this a resounding call for hope and unity.
Review: As Valet is a Paris-based abstract-instrumental-space-hip-hop beat producer who manages to combine the futuristic with the ancient and ritualistic on this album. It's both cosmic yet organic, expansive yet intimate with tumbling beats that sound loose and live, sprinkles of starry melody and plenty of warm jungle humidity from the percussion. Guests such as LaNote, Lanoir, Raphael Neblai and Jewice add some vocal magic and this one is, then, sure to become a real cult classic in no time at all thanks to its unique mix of all those different worlds but also, quite simply, its damn nice vibes.
Review: Campania-based combo Asakaira has delivered a genuinely brilliant debut album here. Rooted in improvisation and the collective's combined love of jazz, Afrobeat, jazz-funk, hip-hop and the Afro-cosmic sounds that have long been a staple of Italy's underground music culture, the album's six original tracks (the seventh is an alternate 'Night' take on the jaunty, energetic and percussive 'Skijii') bristle with imagination and inventiveness. For proof, check the tropical disco delights of 'Night Tales', the head-nodding hip-hop-jazz of 'Chatting With You' and the dubby jazz-not-jazz shuffle of 'Moon Phases', a track that just intensifies and gets bigger as it progresses.
Review: After receiving a Swedish GRAMMY nomination for her 2023 album Be Free and maintaining a busy tour schedule, trombonist, songwriter and producer Ebba decided to try and challenge jazz's rigid boundaries for her next project. The result is When You Know, a smoky, melancholic brew that swirls jazz, alternative r&b, indie, hip-hop and ambient sounds into something pleasingly fresh. Co-produced with Berlin-based producer Lucy Liebe, the album was recorded in a cabin outside her hometown during the harsh winter and reflects Ebba's direct, driven nature. It often moves into avant-garde territory but the vocal work on cuts like 'Did I Go?' mean it always makes and emotional impact, while lush beats on 'Open Your Eyes ' are perfect for summer and 'What I Want' is devastatingly intimate and honest.
Review: Pink Siifu and Ahwlee are the rap, neo-soul and r&b duo B. Cool-AID and this is their new album on Lex. Leather Blvd is a woozy and lo-fi late-night trip through a range of narcotic atmospheres. The raps range from slurred and drenched in reverb to more crisp and well-defined as tracks range from short and sweet to epic and sprawling. There is a real intimacy to this record as well as a borrowing from jazz as these tracks unfurl and slowly make their way into your affections. It is another great coming together of this contemporary pair.
Beside April (feat Karriem Riggins & Arthur Verocai) (7:02)
Love Proceeding (feat Arthur Verocai) (7:11)
Open Channels (5:52)
Timid, Intimidating (7:08)
Beside April (feat Arthur Verocai - reprise) (3:42)
Talk Meaning (feat Arthur Verocai, Terrace Martin & Brandee Younger) (8:17)
Review: Canadian trio Badbadnotgood have made us wait for Talk Memory, their fifth album. Arriving a decade after their first full-length, and some five years since the release of their acclaimed fourth LP, it's a much more expansive and cinematic affair than its predecessors - both in scope (it includes more nods towards post-rock and jazz-rock, for example) and sound (a number of tracks feature string arrangements by Brazilian arranger Arthur Verocai). It's a dazzling affair all told, with the band's choice of improvisational composition techniques and an impressive guest list (Laraaju, Karriem Roggins, Terrace Martin and Brandee Younder all appear) resulting in a string of epic, life-affirming compositions. Picking highlights is tough, but we'd suggest checking slow-burn, constantly building epic 'Signal to the Noise' and the buzzing, psychedelic jazz-rock of 'Beside April'.
Red Oil/Beyond Kingdom Come (feat Obongjayar) (4:00)
When The Dust Settles (3:36)
There's Nothing Left For Us Here (feat Fassara Sacko) (6:29)
Suley's Ablution (6:45)
Golo Kan (4:37)
Seasons Of Baraka (2:01)
Review: Mande jazz ensemble Balimaya Project return with much anticipated second album When The Dust Settles on New Soil in partnership with Jazz re:freshed. The group has a magical big band sound that is expanded on here with plenty of personal expression running the emotional gamut from rage to love, grief to joy. Once again they combine the African rhythms of their roots with contemporary London jazz energy as they celebrate Black power and community togetherness. Composer, arranger and Djembe player Yahael Camara Onono leads the group with Afronaut Zu, Obongjayar and Fassara Sacko adding vocals over the advantageous folkloric rhythms.
Review: Hailing from Salerno in Southern Italy, Bando Maje present their debut album on Four Flies Records. UFO Bar paints a picture of the pair's interests and experiences such as the local landscape, Neapolitan music, Italian soundtracks from the 70s, as well as B-movies, a passion for vinyl and cassette mixtapes, and afternoons spent watching third-division football. Peppe Maiellano (composer and keyboards) and Tonico Settanta (producer, rapper and DJ) head up the collective, featuring a revolving cast of members, all of whom are a bit like the lively port city they are from.
Review: Images And Anthems - Book I is an album by Lars Bartkuhn from back in 2008. The artist who is also known for his work in Passion Dance Orchestra and as Laurentius is a master of super cool jazz and laid-back lounge electronics that have hints of 80s nostalgia without being too slavish. Originally this one came only on CD and digitally and now it makes its first foray onto vinyl thanks to First on Vinyl out of Japan. Tracks like the lush 'Pulse' are gloriously airy and spring-like montages while there is a little woozy romance to 'Before It Enters My Mind'.
Review: Pierre Bastien and Michel Banabila are bonafide musical visionaries who have come totters for the first time on this debut collaborative album, Baba Soiree. They have achieved plenty over their careers in electronic music and draw on all of it here as they fuse their own idiosyncratic styles into something new. The churning and rigid mechanical loops and experimental instrumental setups come from Bastien while the sound designs and superbly chosen and assembled samples come from Banabila. Sitting somewhere between dance floor fun and avant garde invention this is a great piece of sonic alchemy.
Review: Amsterdam-based artist Benny Sings recently had his cult classic ART album reissued on Sings and now he is back with an all new eighth album. It sees him for the first time ever working with a single producer throughout - and that is beatmaker-to-the-stars Mr Kenny Beats. It was a partnership that came together after a chat over social media and the pair immediately felt comfortable with each other. Benny instructed Kenny that he wanted to make the biggest record he has to date, Kenny obliged and that what we have here from the acclaimed singer songwriter.
Review: Research Records once again hooks up with Melbourne's Big Yawn who return with fourth full-length NGBE. Known for their intricate rhythm sections, catchy basslines and playful sampling, the quartet delivers their most sophisticated work to date here on a record named after their cherished but lost warehouse space, the National Gallery of Brunswick East, where much of the album was recorded. It finds them exploring a diverse range of soundscapes with mutated drum 'n' bass, subtle grime, rap, and dub influences all enhanced with rich FX. The nine tracks also hint at a subtle evolution both in the studio and on stage as best highlighted by the collaboration '2Stroke' with Melbourne's Teether.
Review: Handful of Soul was a successful album that sold over 300,000 copies when first released back in 2006. Now reissued by Schema Records in a special edition double vinyl set on blue transparent wax, it reminds us of Mario Biondi's remarkable voice. Hailing from Catania, Sicily, it resonates with soul and rhythm & blues influences and contemporaries like Gregory Porter. The record traverses jazz and soul, offering captivating vocal melodies and dance-worthy rhythms and is supported by trumpeter Fabrizio Bosso and his High Five Quintet who showcase an exceptional interplay among top Italian jazz musicians and deliver instinctive jazz performances.
Which One Of You Jerks Drank My Arnold Palmer (5:45)
Attack The Doctor (4:30)
The Prettiest Sea Slug
The Daily Routine (6:47)
Tricky Turtle (4:42)
Four Walls (5:44)
Pity Party (4:21)
Farewell Spaceman (6:38)
Review: Tony Simon is a hugely prolific producer from New York who serve up a dazzling array of album 20 odd years ago. He found a fine home forth on Ninja Tune who are all reissuing them now on some great looking and sounding vinyl. The Music Scene once again offers up a dazzling mix of sounds and influences from across the world. Hip hop, downtempo, broken beat, jazz and more all feature in his beguiling musical brews as you jump from hypnotic lead to bristle beats and back again.
Review: Mongolian hip-hop producer Bodikhuu has never been to Rio but this is his lovely letter to the city he has often dreamt of. He has a love of the great Joao Gilberto and armed with that and a worm out MPC he set to work, laying down tropical beats and sunny melodies. The result became an instant classic and spawned a number of tunes that went on to pick up more than a million streams. It's a record that excites the imagination as well as warming the soul and this version comes with superb original artwork designed by illustrator David Burnett on a lovely splatter-coloured vinyl inspired by its own cover.
Review: Simon Greene aka. Bonobo is set to put forth yet another album from his own personal ether; 'Fragments' was born from actual sonic 'fragments' that were later repurposed into twelve full 'sonic affirmations'. A later escape into the wilds of California's deserts formed the bulk of this album's downtempo magnum opi; watch out for collabs with a foray of world-downtempo electronica acts including Jamila Woods, O'Flynn and Miguel Atwood-Ferguson. One of his most heartfelt albums, expect all from lilting future garage ('Rosewood') to rave-nostalgic slow builds.
Review: Has it really been five years since Migration? Time has flown, but the evergreen appeal of Bonobo holds true as he lands back on his spiritual home of Ninja Tune with another hotly anticipated opus. Fragments finds Simon Green digging deep, having forced himself to work outside of his usual tour-centric comfort zone during the global shutdown and developing a lot of new material in the isolation of the Californian desert. While that air of solitude formed a foundation for the album, he then folded in ample collaborations from Miguel Atwood-Ferguson, Jordan Rakei, O'Flynn, Joji and Kadhja Bonet, resulting in a stirring soul soup of richly developed, danceable rhythms and patient musicality with that unmistakable Bonobo touch.
Benedict Cumberbatch - "Flat Of Angels" (part 3 - exclusive Spoken Word piece)
Review: Given his impeccable downtempo credentials, you'd expect Bonobo's Late Night Tales mix to be one of the finer installments in the series (and that's saying something). Predictably, it is. Sweet, sensual and atmospheric, with plenty of unlikely gems and forgotten classics for the heads to enjoy, it surprises and impresses with each successive track. This vinyl edition features 17 of the tracks unmixed (naturally) and lifts out many highlights. His own cover of Donovan's "Get Thy Bearings" is particularly revelatory - string drenched, hazy, atmospheric and, of course, immaculately produced - but there are many other gems. Check Darondo's classic heart breaker "Didn't I," the smoky reggae-soul of Nina Simone's "Baltimore", and the enveloping intimacy of Shlohmo's "Places". Do seek out Benny Cumberbatch's spoken word turn at the end too! (mp3 download code for the full release included).
Rush Hour/Elegua (feat Kevin Haynes Grupo Elegua) (3:03)
Frontline (feat Kevin Haynes Grupo Elegua) (6:14)
Rye Lane Shuffle (4:25)
Drum Dance (4:55)
Axis Blue (5:05)
City Nocturne (feat Zara McFarlane) (4:39)
Waiting On The Night Bus (feat Terri Walker & Louis VI) (5:36)
Marooned In SE6 (feat Kevin Haynes Grupo Elegua) (4:49)
Ancestors (feat Kevin Haynes Grupo Elegua) (3:07)
Review: Moses Boyd is one of the driving faces behind the thrilling revelations in contemporary jazz in London in recent years. Back in 2015, he dropped Displaced Diaspora, a collection of music that was written during the same sessions that produced his hit Rye Lane Shuffle. The album features fellow pivotal nu-jazz peers in the British scene including Theon Cross, Nubya Garcia and Nathaniel Cross. It also showcases British soul vocalist Terri Walker at her best, saxophonist and Bata player Kevin Haynes with his Grupo Eleggua, and razor-sharp rapper Louis VI. Though jazz is the foundational sound, Yoruba chants, hip-hop and electronica are all mingled to make for a sonic stew that reflects the fresh and evolving sound of contemporary British music.
Review: Mansur Brown is just 24 years old and is already a revered multi-instrumentalist and composer from London. Heiwa is his new album after 2018's Shiroi and impressive 2020 EP Tesuto. It coe son his own new label Amai Records and the title translates as 'Peace.' It is inspired by 'the journey of life' and all the emotions that come with that and takes you into a thoughtful world of classy, jazz tinged ambient, rolling broken beats and pensive afro rhythms that are cosmic and deep at the same time. It's utterly fresh and another standout work from this young talent.
Review: Brazilian jazz trio Caixa Cubo are one of the modern scene's most acclaimed outfits. Their latest album arrives in Europe via Heavenly Recordings and it has a sound to match. Made up of Henrique Gomide on keys, Joao Fideles on drums and Noa Stroeter on bass, the group has been awarded scholarships to study at the Royal Conservatory of The Hague, Netherlands so spends plenty of time over in Europe as well as back home. Thankfully though, they embrace the rich musical traditions of their home land and fuse elements of Azymuth with darker moods with new school greats like Yussef Kamael to make for a record full of both highs and lows, intense grooves and more laidback tunes.
Review: Venezuelan producer and multi-instrumentalist Caribombo is back with his new album Barrio Popular and it's a true outlier, that would be hard to put into any specific existing category. From the African Salsa dancer 'Bolingo' to the global club banger 'El Catire', Barrio Popular is as much a floor filler than a deep listen; an eclectic journey that draws on the French African and South-Asian diasporas' musical cultures to create colourful pieces of Dance music inspired by the artist's Colombo-Venezuelan heritage. Cumbia, dub, Afro-House, Afro-Venezuelan music, UK bass, favela funk, salsa, downtempo and hip-hop are among the numerous genres Caribombo effortlessly explores in this new, mature and surprisingly coherent project, where organic sounds harmoniously meet impeccably produced electronic beats and skilful Latin drumming. A musical adventure to the world's popular neighbourhoods, featuring guest rising stars from Mexico, Uganda, Venezuela, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the UK.
Review: Francisco Mora Catlett is a Mexican drummer, composer and educator. He began his musical career in Mexico City where he worked as a session musician for Capitol Records between 1968-1970. He left with Sun Ra in 1973 and worked with him until 1980. While in Detroit in 1987, he released his first album as a leader, the Pan-Afro project "Mora!". Mora II continues the concept of the first album, with wife Teresa Mora on vocals and trumpet legend Marcus Belgrave, This follow up album has finally been given a high quality vinyl reissue by London's Far Out Recordings.
Review: Much like Basquiat with his distinctive tools, Christophe Chassol blends, samples, and integrates elements from both ancestral and popular cultures to create a unique musical art form. His innovative approach has earned him praise from Terry Riley and recognition from contemporary artists like Xavier Veilhan and Sophie Calle and made him highly sought after by pop producers such as Frank Ocean and Solange Knowles. Chassol has pioneered truly original music in a world often dominated by repetition and his latest project, inspired by Basquiat's lesser-known painting Action Comics" debuted at the Philharmonie de Paris. Collaborating with his family and featuring his drummer Mathieu Edward, Chassol presents an "ultrascore" here that blends family and artistic influences alongside performances of his previous works.
Review: Children of Zeus' sophomore LP Balance takes the blueprint of their debut and evolves it into a deeper and more refined sound. The British duo of Konny Kon and Tyler Daley hail from Manchester and incorporate soul music with hip hop, neo-soul, gospel and R&B with help from Grammy award winning producer Beat Butcha, with rising UK soul talents Akemi Fox and Georgie Sweet contributing guest vocals. The definitive sound of UK street soul in 2021.
Review: Stones Throw alumni Rejoicer hooks up with longtime collaborator and Apifera bandmate Nitai Hershkovits as Cinema Royal for a new self-titled album that is refined yet bold and quietly commands attention. Rooted in modern classical, it blends ambient, jazz and global orchestration with piano-led compositions intertwined with synths, Afrobeat drums, East Asian zithers and Ethio-jazz keys. This global sound is effortlessly fused and inspired by film scores that evoke Fellini's moody cinematic excellence. Despite its complexity, the music feels light and playful here and is driven by improvisation. Cinema Royal thrives on deep creative flow and is enriched by contributions from close collaborators.
Review: It's certainly true that Ma Fleur represented a pivotal moment for The Cinematics. The outfit came to fruition, or at least hit the common conscience, in the haze of late-1990s post-trip-hop comedowns, a time when we were all still going harder, faster and stronger in clubs but wanted something cosy and velveteen on the after party hifi at 10AM rather than ketamine techno. Far more innocent times to say the least.
This 2007 record broke from the well established mould of the troupe, though, landing five years after its predecessor (Every Day) and opting for a more direct approach to loveliness. A kind of grab you by the throat and make you feel nice type remit that leaves the subtleties of the past behind in favour of more traditional big room, show stopping song craft.
Io Che Non Vivo Senza Te (feat Gilberto Gil) (3:26)
Con Una Rosa (4:23)
Que Me Importa El Mundo (4:23)
Va Bene, Va Bene Cosi (5:23)
Io Che Amo Solo Te (feat Chico Buarque) (4:15)
Never Never Never (3:55)
Metti Una Sera A Cena (4:06)
Una Sigaretta (3:21)
Fortissimo (3:44)
Incantevole (4:16)
E Penso A Te (feat Ana Carolina) (4:00)
Il Mondo (4:06)
Senza Fine (3:26)
I Mulini Dei Ricordi (The Windmills Of Your Mind) (feat Esperanza Spalding) (4:25)
Arrivederci (with Strings) (3:04)
Estate (4:43)
Senza Fine (English version) (3:41)
Roma Nun Fa La Stupida Stasera (3:08)
Hurry To Me (Metti Una Sera A Cena) (4:20)
Review: A decade after its original release, Chiara Civello's Canzoni album is finally available on vinyl in a deluxe double LP edition with a gatefold sleeve. This record is known for having showcased Civello's talent as an interpreter and it solidified her place on international stages. Fusing Italian musical tradition with genres like Northern soul, bossa nova, blue-eyed soul, jazz and pop, the record was produced by Nicola Conte and recorded in analogue across Bari, New York and Rio de Janeiro. Featuring extraordinary guests like Gilberto Gil, Chico Buarque, Ana Carolina, Esperanza Spalding and orchestrations by Eumir Deodato, Canzoni remains as rich a listen as ever.
Review: This life-affirming new record from Down Under is a fine celebration of soul, broken beat, house and jazz that brims with rhythmic percussion, dynamic synths and syncopated basslines. Close Counters' effortless instrumentation shines throughout as paired with intricate production that maintains energy while allowing spaciousness with plenty of drum power. The album highlights the band's collaborative spirit with standout performances from Lyric Jones, Tiana Khasi, Allysha Joy, Jace XL, Shiv and others while the presence of Adam Halliwell of Mildlife on the opener further enriches what is a richly musical and adventurous album.
Review: While it's a cliche to describe Balearic-minded releases as being "sun-soaked" and "sunset-ready", they're both descriptors that accurately reflect the gorgeously warm, melodious and laidback sound of Japanese outfit Coastlines. Their second self-titled album is every bit as inspired as its predecessor and offers a range of tracks built around layered, intricate instrumentation, gently shuffling rhythms and vivid daydreams about beachside walks in sunnier climes. Our picks of a very strong bunch include the Andreas Vollenweider-inspired slo-mo Latin shuffle of 'Tenderly', the blazed deep jazz-funk of 'Alicia', the piano-laden early morning wonder of 'Night Cruise' and the squelchy future boogie of 'Sky Island'. In a word: sumptuous!
Review: Isaiah Collier, a Chicago-based multi-instrumentalist and composer, channels ancestral spirits on the transcendent Parallel Universe. Known for pushing jazz boundaries, Collier's saxophone mastery and compositional depth redefine the genre here as Parallel Universe marks a pivotal moment in his career as he embraces the live recording's risk and vulnerability. Reflecting on the improvisational essence of classic jazz, Collier honours musical predecessors in style here. The album features gospel soul singer Jimetta Rose, AACM's Corey Wilkes, blues-rooted guitarist Michael Damani, and collaborators Julian Davis Reid, James Russell Sims, and Micah Collier. Across eight tracks, a great understanding between them all really shines through.
Wherever I Go (feat Lawrence & Michael McDonald) (2:48)
Summer Rain (feat Madison Cunningham & Chris Thile) (4:29)
A Rock Somewhere (feat Anoushka Shankar & Varijashree Venugopal) (4:57)
Mi Corazon (feat Camilo) (2:48)
Witness Me (feat Shawn Mendes, Stormzy & Kirk Franklin) (3:43)
Never Gonna Be Alone (feat Lizzy McAlpine & John Mayer) (3:52)
Bridge Over Troubled Water (feat John Legend & Tori Kelly) (4:05)
Over You (feat Aespa & Chris Martin) (4:05)
Box Of Stars 1 (feat Kirk Franklin, CHIKA, D Smoke, Sho Madjozi, Yelle & Kanyi Mavi) (4:05)
Box Of Stars 2 (feat Metropole Orkest, Suzie Collier, Steve Vai & VOCES8) (4:05)
World O World (4:05)
Wild Wild Sea (6:15)
Magic (feat Emily King) (3:46)
All Around You (feat The Mystery Of The Bulgarian Voices) (4:20)
Stars - Voice Memo (8:06)
Review: You will be hard-pushed to find a more eclectic record than this as it collides folk, samba, glittering pop, doom metal and rap with plenty of broken beats. DJESSE Vol. 4 concludes Jacob's thrilling series and was again crafted in his iconic home studio and around the world as a way of encapsulating his most vivid dreams. The unclassifiable music blends a spectrum of emotions into a joyous celebration of collective awakening and human potential and this deluxe edition includes four new tracks featuring collaborations with stars like Shawn Mendes, Stormzy, John Mayer, Lizzy McAlpine, Kirk Franklin, Brandi Carlile, Lawrence and Michael McDonald.
Vertigogo (LP1: The Missing Ingredient - Opening Theme) (2:18)
Junglero (0:08)
Four Rooms Swing (1:54)
Bewitched (0:01)
Tea & Eva In The Elevator (2:05)
Invocation (0:56)
Breakfast At Denny's (2:14)
Strange Brew (2:06)
Coven Of Witches (2:19)
The Earthly Diana (1:33)
Eva Seduces Ted (2:00)
Hallway Ted (The Wrong Man) (1:36)
Headshake Rhumba (0:42)
Skippen, Pukin, Sigfried (1:49)
Angela (1:04)
Punch Drunk (2:12)
Male Bonding (0:53)
Mariachi (LP2: The Misbehavers) (0:25)
Antes De Medianoche (2:40)
Sentimental Journey (2:15)
Kids Watch TV (0:22)
Champagne & Needles (1:59)
Bullseye (2:05)
Harlem Nocturne (0:59)
The Millionaire's Holiday (4:40)
Ted-O-Vater (The Man From Hollywood) (0:38)
Vertigogo (Closing Credits) (5:28)
D In The Hallway (0:22)
Torchy (0:16)
Review: Four Rooms reflects a very fun time in Hollywood, or at least the annals of American cinema. Co-directed by Allison Anders, Alexandre Rockwell, Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino, the story of the fictional Los Angeles-set Hotel Mon Signor, and the strange, demanding, off-putting, and straight up intimidating guests that stay there on New Year's Eve - just as Tim Roth starts his first shift on the job as bellhop - is full of energy and a carefree, playful attitude. It's the kind of movie which, if it were made today, would no doubt be rushed straight to the bottom of the New Releases section on whatever streaming service you've given in to because it would feel cheap rather than charismatic. But in 1994, catching a quintet of fresh filmmakers on the rise, at a time when positivity reigned and the silver screen still had an ounce of class, means the whole thing worked well. As for the soundtrack, we veer between Americana and a reworking of the theme from 1960s US TV series Bewitched, weird, meditative vocal drone and lounge music.
Review: It's not clear as to what a 'Hyper-Dimensional Expansion Beam' is, but we do have a clear idea of what it sounds like in the abstract. The trio made up of nu-Afrofuturists King Shabaka, Danalogue and Betamax warn us not to look up on this latest LP masterwork, owing to the group's cosmic chops for fusing dancehall, jazz and psychdance musical elements. Perfect for the coming storm, this is a cinematic jazzdance you can't miss.
Review: Terapia Records is a Milan-born record label created by Luca Ferrara and Michele Fallabrino aka Complementary Minds. Here they present the very first release in its catalogue, a stunning LP titled Butch Haynes introduces Complementary Minds Vol. 1. Featuring a wide selection of moods and grooves throughout its whopping amount of tracks, some of the highlights include: the late night boogie-down vibe of 'Flower Diva" the late night deepness of 'Q Orchestra' (The Lost Tape mix) with its Moodymann influenced vibe, through to the knackered and off-kilter business of 'Myers Boogie Man' and the dreamy classic house emotion of 'Contact 911' with its early Chicago vibe featuring celestial Larry Heard-like synth sounds.
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