Juno Recommends International November 2020

Review: Astonishingly, this is the 80th instalment in Mr Bongo's brilliant Brazil 45s series. Predictably, this edition is every bit as essential as its predecessors. It boasts two superb 1980s recordings by one of the true legends of Brazilian 20th century music, Jorge Ben. On the A-side you'll find the lengthily titled 'Curmin Chama Cunhata Que Eu Vou Contar (Todo Dia Erza Dia De Indio), a synth-splashed samba-funk tribute to the indigenous tribes of Brazil that was first featured on Ben's 1981 album Bem-Vinda Amizade. Turn to the flip for 'Rio Babilonia', a killer Brazilian boogie joint rich in squelchy synth bass, heady Latin percussion and fiery horn arrangements courtesy of the late, great Lincoln Olivetti.

Review: Beastie Boy Mike D Edit has decided to rework Malian artists Idrissa Soumaoro and L'Eclipse De L'I.J.A. and their track 'Nissodia' - from the 1978 album Le Tioko-Tioko - for this new one on Brighton label Mr Bongo, the second time it has landed on the label, having previously been on The Original Sound Of Mali in 2017 Both tunes are pumping, full flavour Afro jams with screeching melodies and big, jangling, angular guitars all powered by funky beats. Each one is guaranteed to light up any cultured dancefloor.

Review: African Scream Contest is the third release by the Analog Africa label. The project initially took off in August 2005 when label owner and vinyl collector Samy Ben Redjeb arrived in Cotonou, Benin, 'without any special expectations, just hoping to lay my hands on few good records - what I found in the process cannot really be described in words'. This first trip was followed by eight more to the region. Thirty months and few thousand records later Analog Africa proudly presents this 14-track compilation.

Review: Here's something a little unexpected: a collaborative EP from British Afrobeat/Afro-soul hero Dele Sosimi and renowned deep house and disco fusionist Medlar. The latter's influence is clear on superb opener 'Full Moon', where Sosimi's keys and sweet, soulful vice rise above a deliciously sparse backing track full of lo-fi, sideman-style drums (think Teddy Pendergass's 'Why Can't We Live Together'), lazy guitar solos and squiggly synth-sounds. It can also be heard on 'Gudu Gudu Khan', a William Onyeabor-esque chunk of Afro-synth brilliance topped off by brilliant vocals by Sosimi. To round the EP off, Medlar provides his interpretation of earlier Sosimi single, 'You No Fit Touch Am', offering up a club-ready take that sits somewhere between housed-up Afrobeat and synth-sporting Afro-disco.

Review: Dou Van Jou is one of, thankfully, an endless list of rare and mysterious records that needs to be heard. The Guadeloupean-Parisian artist and cultural activist behind it, Jimmy Blanche, combines heritage and futurism across its six tracks of jazz piano, afro drums and disco chords, too of which are the most spiritual singles off the full length itself. It's quite the weird and wonderful melange of sounds and some of the cuts even reached cult status at the time of release in 1987. World music maestro and Rush Hour founder Antal has been known to drop some of these before now, which proves they work as well at home as they do on a modern dancefloor.

Review: Ammar El Sherei's intoxicating instrumental album Oriental Music was written in 1976 and has remained a cult classic for all the deep diggers, world music lovers and curio obsessives. For this record, the iconic Egyptian artist, composer and producer actually served up his own take on six classic compositions by another Egyptian legend, Mohamed Abdel Wahab. The results are utterly hypnotic and majestic melodic affairs with organic drums and percussion and North African melodies that worm their way deep into your brain and transport you to the hustle and bustle of a dusty open air market or street side coffee spot.

Review: We are very happy to announce our 30th compilation from the Analog Africa regular serie, 'La Locura de Machuca 1975 - 1980', telling the story of Colombia's most atypical and peculiar record company: Discos Machuca. The seventeen tracks sound like little else recorded before or since. They exist outside of time or place, as vividly unhinged in 2020 as they were on the day they were first released. You have to hear it to believe it.

Review: Takashi Nakazato spent many years studying in Cuba, learning the country's folklore and Bata under greats like Adonis Panter Calderon and Angel BoraNo. Now, Ten Lovers have culled five tracks from his previously digital and Japan-only album Clandestina with a new version of Pista Libre. Further guests such as Roberto Quintero, Davide Giovannini and Calixto Oviedo feature across the six tracks of lush jazz. Percussion often runs wild - as you would expect of someone who studied in Latin America - and busy sax lines are calmed by more soothing piano on 'Fly With The Wind', but generally this is a riotous and energetic album to make you dance.

Review: Chicco's 'I Need Some Money' is a real classic amongst the contemporary wave of deep crate diggers and world music lovers. It has been played far and wide by an array of DJs with different backgrounds, and that speaks to the record's global and universal appeal. It has proto-house beats and disco chords with a fantastic vocal that is easy to sing along to. On the flip, 'We Can Dance' slows things down to a dubbed out cosmic crawl with some fantastic squelchy synth work and a young sodding choir of vocals all lighting up the party.

Review: This is a perfectly obscure record of lush Brazilian jazz that can be either a perfect entry point into this sound or yet another fine piece for the collection of veterans. It is the first ever record of Jaime Alem and Nair De Candia, both of whom sing on it, and has a super cool jazzy feel, with high class and luxurious stings, Latin percussive patterns and a steamy warm atmosphere. Reminiscent of all your favourites but also with a style that is uniquely theirs, this is a cult classic packed with gems like 'A Bica De Chororo' and 'Olhos Para Sao Paulo'.