Wewantsounds Vinyl & CDs

Review: Al-Qasar deliver their unique debut album for WeWantSounds, exothermically reacting psych rock, pop and regional Sahel sounds. The five-piece band dropped their debut album Who Are We? for Glitterbeat in 2022, marking a potent Arabic and Middle Eastern psych rock inflection, where elements such as North African trance music were helped along their way in the form of continual reintroductions to Western ears. Characterised as "Arabian fuzz" by the band, their sound now hears a metempsychotic rebirth: this album was again recorded in both Europe and Africa, and, unlike their debut's Western collaborators (Lee Ranaldo of Sonic Youth, Jello Biafra of Dead Kennedys), focuses on bustling rhythms lent by North African musicians such as Alsarah, Check Tidiane Seck and Sami Galbi.

Review: Wewantsounds is set to reissue Steve Beresford's highly coveted 1985 album, Dancing the Line, originally released by the French label nato. Drawing inspiration from the fashion of French designer Anne Marie Beretta, the album features contributions from Beresford's Alterations bandmate David Toop, Alan Hacker, and Kazuko Hohki of Frank Chickens, with lyrics by Andrew Brenner. The music blends sophisticated ambient pop, driven by an RX11 drum machine, with synth funk and experimental elements. Tracks like 'Tendance' and 'Comfortable Gestures' have achieved underground classic status over the years. This reissue marks the first time the album has been re-released, with newly remastered audio by Translab in Paris, the original gatefold artwork, and a four-page insert with liner notes by nato's Jean Rochard. Steve Beresford, a prominent figure in British and international music since the early 70s, began his recording career with the Portsmouth Sinfonia and has collaborated with artists such as Derek Bailey, John Zorn, and Thurston Moore. In 1985, introduced to Anne Marie Beretta by Rochard, Beresford and Brenner crafted songs inspired by Beretta's designs. The resulting album, released in France in October 1985, features a blend of ethereal pop, funk, piano ballads and free instrumentals, making it a favourite among DJs and collectors worldwide.

Review: For Peace and Liberty captures a remarkable and long-lost performance by the Black Artist Group (BAG), finally seeing the light of day after being hidden for over 50 years. Recorded live in Paris in December 1972, this album caotures BAG's explosive fusion of free improvisation, spiritual jazz, and funk grooves. The group, freshly arrived from St. Louis, deliver an electrifying 35-minute set at Maison de l'ORTF, showing their unmatched creativity and energy. Wewantsounds has partnered with BAG and INA to bring this rare recording to the world, marking the group's first official release since their iconic In Paris, Aries 1973, which for many years was their only album. Remastered from the original tapes, the sound quality is exceptional, allowing listeners to fully appreciate the intensity and passion of BAG's performance. Featuring six parts of the titular track, For Peace and Liberty is more than just a rediscovered gemiit's a vital piece of jazz history.

Review: Manu Dibango knew how to work a crowd. By the time he hit the stage at Marseille's Theatre La Criee in December 1982, he had long mastered the art of turning a gig into a full-blown celebration. This was the man who took makossa global, who made 'Soul Makossa' an international sensation a decade prior and who could pivot between jazz, funk and African rhythms like it was nothing. The recording, unearthed from the INA archives, captures him in peak form, leading an eight-piece band through a set that refuses to sit still. 'Africa Boogie' is all clipped guitars, tight horns and a bassline that struts like it owns the place. 'Ashiko Oumba' turns the groove alluringly, locking into intricate polyrhythms before erupting into pure brass-fuelled joy. Then there's 'Waka Juju', sprawling across three parts, moving from simmering tension to full-throttle release with the kind of control only Dibango could pull off. He's conducting, shaping the music in real-time, every solo a conversation, every break a setup for the next explosion of sound. Four decades later, the set still feels alive. It's there in the call-and-response with the crowd, the sweat-soaked momentum of a band that knows it's on fire. Dibango, effortlessly cool at the centre of it all, proves once again why his music never ages.

Review: DJ Notoya returns with another expertly curated selection of Japanese gems, this time delving into the funky, soulful, and city pop sounds of King Records. Spanning the years 1974 to 1988, this compilation is a treasure trove of forgotten classics and hidden gems, a sonic time capsule that transports listeners back to the neon-lit streets and vibrant nightlife of 1980s Japan. Buzz's 'Garasumado' kicks things off with an infectious groove and funky guitar riffs that could rival any Western funk classic. Mami Ayukawa's 'Sabita Gambler' adds a touch of soulful sophistication, her smooth vocals gliding over lush instrumentation. Keiko Toda's 'Fade In' is a city pop gem, its dreamy melodies and catchy hooks evoking a sense of carefree optimism and urban cool. Elsewhere, Johnny Yoshinaga's soulful ballad 'The Rain' provides a moment of introspection, while Kumiko Sawada's disco-infused 'Your Love's Away' will get you moving and grooving. The compilation closes with the feelgood sounds of Masatoshi Kanno's 'Day By Day', a perfect encapsulation of the city pop aesthetic.

Review: Ammar El Sherei's 1976 instrumental gem is one of those cult albums that record collectors love to have in their arsenal to, well, show off with. It finds the legendary Egyptian composer reinterpreting seven classics by Mohamed Abdel Wahab and in doing so he waves traditional Arabic melodies into funky arrangements and electric keyboard experimentation. This hypnotic fusion highlights El Sherei's unique perspective and knack for bridging heritage and innovation. Curated and annotated by Arabic music expert Mario Choueiry from Paris' Institut du Monde Arabe, this reissue features newly remastered audio and original Soutelphan artwork so is a no-brainer for fans of vintage yet adventurous Arabic grooves.

Review: ***B-STOCK: Sleeve damaged, record slightly warped***


Brion Gysin was a true original who left his mark on modern culture when he introduced William Burroughs to the cut-up technique, but he also recorded a swathe of experimental, funk-fuelled releases including the 1983 single 'Kick/Junk'. That single has been expanded into this album for Wewantsounds, which features Don Cherry's trumpet work on 'Kick' amongst many other talented players. It's a freewheeling listen which takes its inspiration from many places, finding space for tender folk experimentation with an African twist on 'All Those Years' and embraces jazz as a vessel for sonic and rhythmic exploration when the moment calls for it.

Review: US jazz drummer Roy Haynes' 1971 album was originally recorded in New York for Bob Shad's Mainstream Records. Wewantsounds has now secured the rights to a full reissue that is likely to ensure it connects with a new generation. The album features a stellar lineup with Hannibal Marvin Peterson, George Adams, Teruo Nakamura and Lawrence Killian blending jazz funk and spiritual jazz with Haynes' powerful drumming at the forefront. This is the the first vinyl release since 1971 and it retains the original gatefold artwork, plus first-generation photos, and also includes the bonus track 'Roy's Tune' and a two-page insert with new liner notes by Kevin Le Gendre.

Review: Meiko Kaji's third album sees her deepening the atmospheric world of cinematic pop she became known for, with her music garnering the same iconic status as her acclaimed roles in 70s classics like Lady Snowblood and Stray Cat Rock. A symbol of cool, rebellious femininity, Kaji blends Japanese pop, folk and cinematic grooves, often crafting songs as dramatic and intense as her screen roles. With admiration from figures like Quentin Tarantino, her music continues to resonate, bridging generations and cultures. Kaji's body of work stands not just as a reflection of her cinematic legacy, but as a genre-defying exploration of mood, melody and raw emotion. Opening with a somber yet beautiful tone, the title track leads into a journey of bold contrasts, where songs like 'Sunset' capture a melancholy, almost dreamlike quality, while 'Watashi Umarete Fushiawase' dips into light, wistful folk. 'Kiba No Ballad' marks a standout, weaving together stark simplicity and a raw, affecting vocal performance. Kaji continues to explore themes of loss, longing and defiance with 'Hagure Bushi,' while 'Shura No Hana' (famously featured in Kill Bill) offers a stirring close. The album goes beyond showcasing her voice, serving as a bold declaration of the diverse musical realms she masterfully inhabits and shapes.

Review: Recorded in Los Angeles with an impressive lineup including Bobby Hutcherson, Reggie Johnson, Ndugu, Woody Theus, Bill Henderson, and Harold Land Jr., Chroma captures the essence of the Harold Land-Bobby Hutcherson quintet's signature blend of funky and modal jazz. The album's original gatefold artwork is faithfully reproduced, accompanied by newly remastered audio and insightful liner notes by Kevin Le Gendre. Choma (Burn) features four tracks with the quintet's innovative instrumentation accompanied by the unique addition of two drummers, Ndugu and Woody "Sonship" Theus, playing simultaneously alongside Reggie Johnson's robust double bass and Bill Henderson and Harold Land Jr.'s piano and Fender Rhodes. Harold Land's legacy as a pioneer of the hard bop style shines through in this album, reflecting his influential contributions to the West Coast jazz scene since the 1950s. His collaboration with Bobby Hutcherson in the late 60s and early 70s produced a series of highly acclaimed albums, with Choma (Burn) standing out to the quintet's creative peak.

Review: Norio Maeda's Rock Communication Yagibushi, originally released in Japan in 1970, now comes reissued on Wewantsounds. Rock Communication Yagibushi has since become a Japanese jazz-funk cornerstone, owing to its incredible, complex mutative movement of 14 traditional Japanese folk songs into jaw-dropping jazz-funk versions. Maeda's killer arrangements fit perfectly somewhere on the stylistic intersection of David Axelrod and Lalo Schifrin; the album likewise is increasingly experimental as it progresses, with the big band bombast of the likes of 'Saran Bushi' mixing seamlessly yet also contrastingly with the vibraphonic improv shakedown 'Edo Nihonbashi', our highlight.

Review: The long-awaited international reissue of Yoshiko Sai's 1975 cult classic Mangekyou (Kaleidoscope), produced by renowned composer Yuji Ohno is now here. This sought-after funk-folk album, previously unavailable outside Japan, captures Sai's ethereal voice and poetic songwriting, layered over Ohno's lush, funky arrangements. The music blends groovy, mid-tempo tracks like 'Yoru No Sei' with atmospheric ballads such as 'Tsubaki Wa Ochita Kaya', creating a dreamy yet grounded soundscape. Ohno's masterful production elevates the album, weaving traditional Japanese instruments like the shakuhachi and biwa into the mix, adding cultural depth to the already rich textures. The remastered audio highlights the intricate details of this beautiful fusion of folk and funk, giving Mangekyou a timeless quality. Long considered a treasure in Japan's 1970s music scene, original copies of Mangekyou have become rare and highly valuable, making this reissue a significant release for collectors and new listeners. Accompanied by original artwork and new liner notes by Paul Bowler, this first international edition provides the perfect introduction to Sai's mysterious, revered sound, allowing her music to be discovered and appreciated worldwide.

Review: Wewantsounds has put together a re-release of the late, great Ryuichi Sakamoto's classic album Coda, which was originally issued in his native Japan in 1983. This album is a solo piano rendition of the seminal Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence soundtrack and has never been available outside Japan until now. It finds legendary composer Sakamoto perform acoustic piano interpretations of his iconic themes including the classic title track and 'Germination,' which later featured in the Call Me By Your Name soundtrack. Remastered by Seigen Ono's Saidera Mastering studio in Tokyo, this reissue includes the original artwork and a four page insert with new liner notes by Andy Beta.

Review: Funk and soul group Sho Nuff were already beneficiaries of such greats as Stax Records and Malaco before their fourth LP, now reissued here through Wewantsounds, came out via the Japanese music racket King Records. Whilst their earlier records saw wide promotions in the US, Body Pressure heard the sextet relocate their appeal to the Japanese market, after having toured regularly in the Eastern isle after their prior album Stand Up For Love saw only modest sales success. Now well into their early-mid 80s embrace of boogie, the likes of 'Body Pressure', 'Monster Monster' and 'Is This For Real' hear unique pan-Asian collaborative panaceas, with recordings from Japanese funk jazz guitarist Takao Naoi standing out most notably on this sizzler.

Review: Dating back to the 1920s, rai music emerged in Algeria as a synthetic hodgepodge of Islamic regional and religious musical styles with Western harmony and electronic instrumentation. Located in the major coastal city of Oran, rai music bisected a nighttime economy that emphasised bawdy nightclubs and cabaret, resulting in a distinctive Andalusian-Arabian style. This new compilation from Wewantsounds, joined with curating musician and rare vinyl record exponent Cheb Gero, documents the very cream of the rai scene from the time of the late 80s and early 90s. Cheb Zahouani, Chaba Zohra and Abderrahmane Djalti all epitomise the dashing verve of this mostly tape-bound scene.