Night Time Stories Vinyl & CDs

Review: Finding My Way Home marks the debut of British-Bahraini trumpet player Yazz Ahmed, a project deeply rooted in her cultural and musical journey. The album blends Yazz's Arabic heritage with the classic British jazz sounds that marked her youth. This mix of influences is reflected in original compositions and improvisations that draw on her childhood in Bahrain, as well as the British jazz scene of the 1950s and 60s that her grandfather, Terry Brown, was part of. Terry, a notable jazz trumpeter and producer, inspired Yazz's early passion for music. A highlight of the album is Yazz's collaboration with renowned bassist Janek Gwizdala, a friendship, rekindled years after their teenage brass ensemble days, that led to intimate recordings at the Cowshed in London. These duetsifeaturing pieces like Yazz's Affirmation and the spontaneous Arabic-influenced compositions Embarkation and Al Muharraqiform the emotional core of the album, while it also showcases Ahmed's quintet, performing two original tracks: the tender ballad Conciliation and the Joe Henderson-inspired 'Flip Flop'. Another standout, 'Wah-Wah Sowahwah', features Shabaka Hutchings on bass clarinet, exploring Ahmed's Arabic influences. 'Finding My Way Home' concludes with a self-titled track, merging elements from previous recordings into an evocative journey. This debut not only launched Yazz's career, earning acclaim and praise, but also inspired her to form new ensembles.

Review: Yazz Ahmed's latest offering blends the melancholy of her Bahraini heritage with her expansive jazz vision. Tracks like 'The Pearl Diver's Tale' and 'Sandstorm' weave together traditional Arabic instrumentation with modern jazz structures, creating an immersive and dynamic soundscape. Collaborating with vocalists Natacha Atlas and Brigitte Beraha, Ahmed's compositions grow even more poignant, pulling from the sorrowful songs of Bahrain's pearl divers and the rhythms of women's traditional drumming. This 180-gram vinyl 2XLP marks a new chapter in Ahmed's career, combining English and Arabic lyrics to bring an entirely new perspective to her already unique sound.

Review: London-based duo Franc Moody is made up of Ned Franc and Jon Moody and thesis their third studio album. Chewing The Fat marks a fresh chapter for the duo and is packed with unusual and interesting sounds made with mellotrons and drum machines. Across the course of the disco odyssey, it captures themes of adventure and enchantment and reflects moments of excess before recognition of being grounded by reality. In other words, it is a great summation of life's highs and lows in musical form.

Review: This new album marks a bold new chapter for Franc Moody that offers a window into their evolution into a more mature, reinvented outfit with an intriguing sound. This album dives deep into the duo's creative depths and finds them breaking their own musical rules. Partly recorded at LA's 64 Sounds Studio and Damon Albarn's Studio 13 in West London, the album draws heavily from Albarn's unique synth collection including rare Russian models. Influenced by live performances from Massive Attack and LCD Soundsystem, the record shifts away from disco towards a grungier, grittier and more attitude-driven sonic palette so has a raw and experimental essence unlike their previous releases.

Review: London-born, Lisbon-based Leifur James returns with Magic Seeds, his third album and a testament to the transformative power of new surroundings. Leaving behind his established presence in the UK electronic music scene, James sought the luminous inspiration of Lisbon, a move reflected in the album's themes of growth and renewal. Magic Seeds follows two distinct predecessors: his debut, A Louder Silence, a blend of IDM and avant-garde influences, and its remix EP featuring artists like Bruce and FaltyDL; and the more experimental Angel in Disguise, lauded by the dance music press. James also garnered attention with 'Wurlitzer', a striking blend of neo-classical and sub-bass. Magic Seeds is his most personal and collaborative work to date, born from improvisational sessions with drummer Leo Taylor, violinist Raven Bush and producer Oli Bayston. These sessions, inspired by Talk Talk's Spirit of Eden, were later meticulously shaped in Lisbon, resulting in an album that blends organic instrumentation and electronic textures, echoing influences like Massive Attack and Madlib. From the spectral opener 'Smoke in the Air' to the life-affirming 'Alive' and the evocative 'Euphoria', Magic Seeds explores themes of rebirth, societal re-evaluation, and environmental awareness. With nods to 90s electronica and UK bass, the album ably showcases James' dynamic range, his ability to conjure both euphoric highs and introspective depths.

Review: In 2015, Texas & London-based trio Khruangbin's debut album 'The Universe Smiles Upon You' garnered wide critical acclaim and captured attention for its seamless genre-blending and internationally shaped sound - one that evidently has deep roots in Thai-funk cassette culture. Similarly to their debut, sophomore record 'Con Todo El Mundo' is a cocktail of largely instrumental surf-rock, afro-funk, middle-eastern and far-eastern influences, mixed with warmth and soul. As if their pallette wasn't diverse enough, the additions of the pared back boogie on 'Evan Finds The Third Room', the widescreen dream-pop of 'A Hymn' and deeply intricate writing of closer 'Friday Morning', are illustrative of a band who have worked hard to broaden their horizons while keeping their roots in mind and, despite transatlantic bases, clearly remain a stunningly cohesive and well-matched outfit.

Review: Over the years, Ron Trent has released some fine albums, all of which have subtly expanded on his trademark soul-flecked, percussion-rich deep house sound. On What Do The Stars Say To You, his first new full-length excursion in 11 years, the Chicago native has taken a different approach, utilising his occasional WARM alias on a stunning set that abandons dancefloor-pleasing in favour of immersive, evocative and ultra-deep blends of ambient, downtempo, jazz-funk and electronica. It's a genuinely brilliant album all told, with a string of impressive guest musicians - including Ivan Conti and Alex Malheiros of Azymuth, electric jazz pioneer Jean-Luc Ponty, psychedelic Balearic specialists Khrungbin and Italian ambient maestro Gigi Masin - all making brilliant contributions. In a word: exceptional!

Review: German pair Session Victim have long been invigorating the deep hose scene with their rare musical skill. They have managed to imbue their sounds with elements of funk, jazz and soul while keeping their grooves fresh and stylish. Their fifth studio album Low Key, Low Pressure is "an anathema to today's fast paced, industry driven musical landscape" in that it is sophisticate and unhurried, not full of obvious singles but instead a coherent body of work that really excels as a long player - not something that can be said of much of today's disposable, Spotify-ready dance music. Across the ten tunes there's a lovely cover, a fine collab with occasional partner Carsten "Erobique" Meyer and playful sounds a plenty.