Mocambo Vinyl & CDs

Review: Ukrainian jazz singer Mona returns with a powerful funk 45 following last year's breakout 'Moya Vode' (or 'Sweet Water'). Fusing ancient folk traditions with modern cypher culture, this one delivers a message of unity and resilience while rolling on tempting grooves. Jazzy breakbeats, soaring horns and relentless clavinet and guitar riffs create the dynamic foundation for Mona's radiant vocals while loose piano and sax add a fresh live-jam feel. The vinyl edition features an exclusive instrumental version, with a Moog stepping into the lead and adding a different vibe.

Review: Mocambo's best resident band Pigalle Connection share 'Flics Sur Peripherique' and 'Transit', two sick 7" funk laydowns best suited for time-travelling back into the 70s and dodging the cops. This twanging, whammied French funk band takes its name from the infamous Place Pigalle square in Paris, in which an infamous pleasure district resides. So too do sultry synths and brazen Barre chords brum in scattershot fashion on this record, representing the transitory allure of illicit downtown business.

Review: Sun Atlas is a mysterious ensemble whose origins remain elusive. Listening to their music, you wonder whether they could have been based in Los Angeles, New York, Marrakesh or somewhere else entirely. Their only tangible existence is found on this 45, but it's a brilliant one which showcases their irresistible sound. Afrobeat, ethiojazz, surf, cinematic soul, crime jazz and funk and hip-hop breaks all colour these tunes as Sun Atlas create a razor-sharp, genre-defying mix that speaks volumes without saying much. Their music is full of drama and tension, narrative and diverse rhythms and it all adds up to an enigmatic vibe. This release proves that sometimes, the sound itself is all that matters.