Review: Two titans of African music come together for a collaboration that will sadly never be repeated after the passing of the late Hugh Masekela. Allen's instantly recognisable drumming and Masekela's iconic trumpet are a match made in heaven - after all their paths first crossed back in the 70s thanks to Fela Kuti's galvanizing energy. Forget the throwback stuff trying to capture the spirit of the originators, this IS the originators sounding cool and deadly in every way. Funk lovers, Afrobeat heads, curious ears and dancing souls take heed - this right here is an unmissable transmission from two grandmasters in their field.
Give It Up & Turn It Loose (feat Mr Switch) (2:52)
Get On The Good Foot (feat Mr Talkbox) (5:32)
More Bounce (3:23)
Ashley's Roachclip (feat Cory Henry) (3:33)
Dance To The Drummers Beat (4:50)
Rated X (2:57)
The Mexican (feat Mattiel) (4:02)
Theme From SWAT (3:17)
X Breaks (feat Mr Switch) (2:10)
Review: Jules Buckley is a Grammy award-winning composer, curator and conductor who has linked up with long time collaborative partners Chris Wheeler, Heritage Orchestra and percussion collective Ghost-Note for this lively new full length. The record has been two years in the making and pays homage to the pillars of hip hop and mainstays of the breaking scene, but with plenty of added flair. There are plenty of dance floor ready breaks, as well as more airy and upbeat soul groovers like the excellent 'Space Funk.' Though the backbones of these tunes follow familiar genres rules, the flair on top is what makes them so special.
Review: Joni Haastrup's classic, cosmic disco LP is among the best of the best in terms of Afrobeat. What is particularly special about it is its 1978 release date - this was miles ahead of everyone else at that stage of African disco music - and the fact that it was the only piece of music to be released under the artist's real name. There is not much we can say about this absolute gem of an album, apart from the fact that it should not be missing from your own shelves, or DJ bag, for that matter. On the latter point, these six tunes are perfect for just about any situation requiring a dance. This is top Afrobeat beat music in all its glory. NOT to be missed. Warmly recommended...
Review: It's about time the HCB saw vinyl justice... Originally released in 2011, the band's breakthrough album sums up just why they've not left the spotlight since. Tight, playful and dynamic, the whole album leaps and struts from soft almost silent moments to crazed jazz frenzies where the players bounce off each other in a way only a brass band can. Complete with the awesome covers that most people will have found the band from ("No Diggity", "Africa", "Under The Bridge"), this has been crying for a vinyl outing since day one... And their second album Common Decency is en wax route very soon too.
Give It Up (Don't Take Part In The Madness) (4:56)
Review: It's been a while since we last heard from UK funk stalwarts - and noted Mark Ronson collaborators - The Haggis Horns, so it would be fair to say that the ever-changing collective's fifth album is long overdue. The Leeds-based band apparently worked on it for two years, and you can tell: alongside their usual horn-heavy deep funk workouts and instrumental expressions of their influences (think the Meters, James Brown, Kool & The Gang and so on) you'll also find an ear-catching array of vocal numbers featuring the rasping, soulful voice of regular guest singer (and Hot Damn member) John McCallum. The result is an album oozing with good grooves, good times and even better horn arrangements.
Review: Vibrant Essential by Taro Hakase & THE LADS, features nine selected tracks, offering a rich listening experience that transcends genre boundaries with its violin-centered compositions. Known for blending classical and contemporary elements, Hakase's work takes on a new warmth and texture in this analog format, perfect for fans and audiophiles alike. A must-have for those seeking something uniquely vibrant and timeless in sound.
Review: Eramus Hall is the Detroit soul and funk group behind the coveted 'Your Love Is My Desire' and now it returns with a collection of rare and unreleased tracks. Originally signed to Westbound Records, which is famously home to Funkadelic and Ohio Players, the group recorded just two albums, and the second of those came on Capitol in 1984. Now, Org Music and Westbound reunite to unveil early demos and hidden gems from that era, all mixed by original producer Joel Martin over 40 years later. As well as the evocative and soul-stirring sounds, never-before-seen photos and fresh liner notes are also included.
Review: Hamada Kingo's distinctive brand of city pop was always one that reflected on the nighttime; and that's all well and good, because it's high time someone prioritised the nightowls among us. Kingo's fourth album featured such noir, streetlight-soaked deep funk cuts such as 'Yakogao no Taxi Driver' and 'Midnight Cruisin', owing well to the solo singer-songwriter's sensitive vocal and guitar talents. This reissue comes via Light In The Attic, on loan from Moon Records' original 1982 release.
Review: Nighttime city pop on this new LITA reissue of Hamada Kingo's fourth album Midnight Cruisin, first released in 1982. A nine-track fourth album by the Japanese AOR singer-songwriter, formerly a member of the band Craft, Midnight Cruisin' marked his first album for Moon Records, and remains emblematic of his lamplit brand of cricket-serenaded soul; we can very easily imagine the singer and guitarist posted up with his axe at the fall of dusk, half astride a cobbled, blossom-flanked bridge, beseeching his beloved for forgiveness. Though the offhand character of the songs also suggest he could carry out such a thing with a cool flair and mastery; even heartbreak may be sugared by the gentle breeze, and thus breeziness inherited, in the act of midnight cruisin'.
Review: Classic jazz funk album from the legendary Johnny 'Hammond' Smith with a special version with six previously unissued bonus out-takes. Released in 1975 and his 32nd long player, it heralded a fresh chapter in his career that saw him exploring more electronic instrumentation and deeper shades of funk in a similar way to Roy Ayers or Bob James. The result was a timeless document that carries motifs of many of today's artists; the harmonies of "Can't We Smile?", for instance, smack of Plantlife while the punctuated piano work and mirrored squiggling synths on "Song For The Family" echoes with Flying Lotus-style whim. Also a key source of breaks for many junglists, Gears is a historic document that's not only played a strong role in electronic music but still sounds incredible today.
Review: Johnny Hammond was a prolific organist, composer and multidisciplinary artist active throughout the USA for the majority of the 20th Century. By the time the lesser-known LP and meditation on devilish excess 'Gambler's Life' was released in 1974, Hammond's sound had grown unusually cacophonous and was noisy to a kind of perfection that could only be described as an acquired taste. That doesn't deter us, though: this reissue from Soul Brother carefully pays homage to the late great's 28th album, with the broken wonk of 'Rhodesian Thoroughfare', the voluptuous funk of 'Star Borne' and the melismatic virtuosity of 'Virgo Lady' all tempting us back towards the broad gate.
Review: Taking genius moments that span a wide era of his work, this compilation is an essential purchase for those new to his work as well as fans and collectors seeking to complete a collection. Featuring the mega rare 15 minute version of "I Thought It Was You" the brilliant "Wiggle Waggle" whose bassline was immortalized on King Bee's massive "Back By Dope Demand" as well as jazz funk classics like "Hang Up Your Hang Ups" & Herbie's groundbreaking electro track "Rockit". Also featured is the massive "Chameleon" sampled by everyone from Nas Schooly D & Organised Confusion to Moodyman & the Ballistic Brothers.
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