Sacred Rhythm US Vinyl & CDs

Review: Joe Claussell doing what Joe Claussell does best... Smashing the spiritual dickens out of us with unique fusions. "Aye Ye" is the dancefloor-focussed spell, all urgent and heavily layered with loopy insistency, powerful harmonies and roaring horns. Both versions of "Goddess Of A New Dawn" take off where the 2009 versions left us; at home on the savanna, breathing the air of our ancestors, soothed by warm harmonies, glistening instrumentation and a powerful sense of positivity. Don't sleep on Sacred.

Review: Joe Claussell's Sacred Rhythm Music is back to present new music under his alias The Bayara Citizens. Elektrik Afrika is his second full length of the project, where he pursues yet more of his idiosyncratic style of 'spiritual life music'. By fusing acoustic and electronic together as one, the project represents evolution - producing its own genetics and speaking an individual dialect of rhythm and sound. Traces can be heard in "Zainabu" (Spirit Dancer) which fuses electronic harmonizing on the skins of traditional folkloric rhythms, or the soul power of "Mofo Congoietric" (Joaquin's Sacred Rhythm version), through to the tunnelling and hypnotic power of "Bambara" (The Tribes Of Distortion dub) and the truly life-affirming "Diamonds" (It's Time To Let Our People Go).

Review: Sacred Rhythm head honcho Joe Claussell must be one of the most relentless artists out there. Each new weekly seemingly brings more of his spiritually intense reworks and this time out he is doing his thang to two tracks by The Bayaya Citizens. His take on 'The Mofocongoietric' is arresting thanks to its taught synths and off-grid keys all colouring in a prickly, percussive groove. 'Ban Ban Eya' (Joaquin Joe Claussell Cosmic Arts dubness) is just as intense and busy with those rapturous synths extending up the heavens and last of all original tune 'The Healers' brings some afro grooves to the EP.

Review: Joaquin Joe Claussell never misses when he serves up his streamy, drawn out and spiritual remixes. Now back on his own Sacred Rhythms label he goes mega long on his 13 minute rework of 'The Mofocongoietric.' Rich with percussion, skyward synths and steamy grooves, it's a fulsome cut that is utterly enthralling. On the flip he is slightly more stripped back, with cosmic overtones next to the tribal dub sounds of his 'Ban Ban Eya' rework.

Review: The Bayara Citizens dropped the original 'Ju/Ru Music' 7" on Joe Clausell's Sacred Rhythm label back in 2006. It has become a rather pricey little 45 prm that now gets reissued as two different, dubbed out Afro rhythms with swirling guitar licks. The Afrikan Art opener on the a-side is full of sunshine and Latin vibes thanks to the superbly plucked strings and shuffling groves, while the flip is the Afrikan dub Drum Drums version - darker, more percussive more moody. Both sides bring something different to any dub set.

Review: Joaquin 'Joe' Clausell's Manifestation project started life as a CD featuring early and work-in-progress versions of some of the New York based DJ/producer's most inspiring and intriguing tracks. Since then, he's delivered a couple of coloured vinyl EPs featuring extended takes on these tracks. There's much to enjoy on this third (and likely final) chapter in the series. First up is a near 12-minute version of Mental Remedy's spiritual house gem 'Noi', where expansive, improvised piano solos twinkle away atop a lo-fi drum machine rhythm and starry synthesizer chords. It's followed by the kalimba and Marimba-heavy delights of The Bayara Citizens' blissful 'Kulimba', while side two boasts the weighty, dense, sweaty and insanely percussive 'Under The Influence' mix of Residue's 'Eno'.

Review: There is something of an irony to the name Joaquin Joe Claussell has given this new Manifestations series on his own Sacred Rhythm label. Why? Well he is a master of long form remixes, tunes that go on for ten-minutes plus and take you on involving trips that at least seem never-ending. Anyway, Long Versions EP 1 it is, and a fine one it is too. There are jubilant carnival house sounds packed with percussion from Mental Remedy, Kalimba showcases that take you deep into a tropical jungle from The Bayara Citizens and more airy, heady deep house from Alejate and afro-drumming excellence on a second tune from The Bayara Citizens.