Tags: Zouk

Review: For the last decade, John Gomez and Nick The Record's freewheeling Tangent parties have proved popular in London, offering dancers the chance to shake their stuff to a wide selection of superb (and normally insanely rare) records over a high quality soundsystem. The pair's first Tangent compilation, which arrives via Mr Bongo, naturally offers a superb reflection of their approach and is packed with must-have cuts. For proof, check the proto-house era dubbed-out boogie of King B's 'Love Is Crazy', the sun-splashed Brazilian gorgeousness of 'Laberinto' by PERIKAS, the spaced-out headiness of Hidrogenese's 'La Carta Era Muy Larga (Dub)', the heavy batacuda business of 'Nira Gongo' by Conjuto Baluartes' and the dub disco-flecked, deep house brilliance of LTA's 'What Comes To Ya'.

Review: To celebrate ten years of one of London's most loved underground club nights, Tangent, Mr Bongo are thrilled to launch this new compilation series. Crafted by its two residents, John Gomez and Nick the Record, it aims to transmit a taste of Tangent's spirit: a party rooted in inclusivity and open-mindedness, whose name captures the spontaneous switches in musical direction that are a defining element of their nights. For the compilation, the pair have cherry-picked a selection of their prized, rare and dancefloor-ready tracks from around the globe, that have soundtracked the past decade of parties. Spanning live-recorded disco, Brazilian boogie and weighty lovers' rock, this selection of rare sonic meats is a prized procuring, the consistent quality of which you likely won't be able to track down in many other contexts.

Review: The Shaketown series returns with Caribbean Shaketown EP, an energetic blend of zouk classics, each track reimagined with a vibrant twist. Noema and Magic Jams guide this release, continuing the legacy of Noema's celebrated edit of Ata Kak's 'Daa Nyinaa'. The EP is a rhythmic journey across four tracks, each radiating warmth and life, making it a perfect addition to any Balearic-leaning set. 'Zisou (Magic Jams' Dub Edit)' kicks things off with smooth percussion and layered synths that simmer beneath the surface, giving just enough room for the bassline to shine. The magic continues with 'Soleil Choco (Magic Jams' Extended Club Remix)', blending deep grooves with expansive melodies to create a sun-drenched anthem, the type that transports you straight to the beach at twilight. On the flip, Noema's 'Love Energy' edit slows the pace slightly, balancing nostalgic vocals with dreamy pads, maintaining that irresistible pull towards the dancefloor. Closing things out is 'Cha Cha (Magic Jams' Rondo Edit)', a joyous, percussion-led workout that weaves playful rhythms with a Caribbean flair. Proceeds from this EP will support the Love and Hope Music School in Haiti, adding a heartwarming layer to this already exceptional release. Four tracks that deliver both musically and ethically, ensuring Caribbean Shaketown stands as a must-have for lovers of Balearic beats and zouk-inspired grooves.

Review: For nearly a decade and three albums, Voilaaa has carved out a distinct niche, blending African rhythms with Disco dancefloor vibes and funky arrangements. Their Afro-Tropical journey, led by producer Bruno "Patchworks" Hovart, has produced hits like 'On te l'avait dit', 'Spies Are Watching Me', and 'Ben Bene La', along with global tours and festival appearances. Collaborations with artists such as Lass, Pat Kalla, Sir Jean, Ayuune Sule, Rama Traore, and Fouley Badiaga have been a hallmark, with Badiaga making a notable return on two tracks of their latest album. With C'est tout, Voilaaa sticks to their winning formula while infusing Latin and Caribbean elements, inspired by Hovart's travels in South America. Introduced with the spring release of a maxi single, this album delivers one hit after another. Tracks like 'Fache' featuring Pat Kalla showcase their signature sound: energetic Afrobeat horns, woozy chords, and funky clavinet licks over a dub disco-meets-Afro-boogie groove. The album's 14 tracks are largely composed by Hovart, with standout covers like Ebo Taylor's 'Love and Death' featuring Joao Selva's vocals and a unique rendition of Jamiroquai's 'Too Young to Die' with Olivya (Dowdelin).

Review: Strut introduces the highly anticipated third volume in the Disques Debs International series, diving deeper into the archives of one of the greatest French Caribbean labels, Disques Debs, based in Guadeloupe. Founded by Henri Debs in the late 1950s, the Debs studio naturally doubled as a record label and ran for over 50 years, releasing more than 300 7" singles and 200 LPs, cementing it as one of the foremost record labels to prize Caribbean music history. Not just limited to Guadeloupean musicians but also Martinicians and Parisians, the likes of Jocelyn Mocka, Mariz, Dominique Parol, Christian Yeye and Alex Rosa make this a thixotropic record, mercurial and restless as it is rooted in forms of zouk, biguine, gwoka and, of course, the nascent electronica. This third volume flaunts the label's dynamic latter-day period, as it interpreted the analog electronic dreams of the 1980s.

Review: Those on London's crate-digging underground should be well aware of Tangent, an eclectic, anything-goes party created by esteemed record collectors John Gomez and Nick The Record. With a little help from Mr Bongo, they've curated this compilation featuring some of their favourite selections from the party - the vast majority of which are either obscure, rare or overlooked. It's a predictably impressive selection all told, with the pair bouncing between digital reggae-infused global grooves (Srirajah Soundsystem), mid-80s French jazz-funk-synth-pop fusion (an exclusive edit of Leo Basel), quirky riffs of the Pointer Sisters (Marc Thornhill's 'Automatic'-inspired 'No Way To Control It'), zouk, proto-house-era Balearic brilliance (Androo), squelchy AOR synth-disco (Hidrogenesse), heavy Latin percussion workouts (Conjuto Balurantes), dub (Lee Jackson Band) and much more besides.

Review: Strut continues to explore the vast archives of Disque Debs, a long-running, Guadalupe-based label that, over the course of half a century, released a wealth of music from the Caribbean. In the process, Henri Debs imprint helped launch the careers of countless French-speaking artists while not only showcasing stylistic movements such as zouk, bouyon and merengue, but also bold, colourful and tropical takes on existing Caribbean, Amercian and European sounds. Highlights include - but are in no way limited to - the slowly unfurling, synth-heavy shuffle of Sadi Lancreot's club-ready 'Dou Se Vou Ki Siwo' and the horn-heavy tropical disco brilliance of Dominuque Parol's 'Come On Baby'.

Review: Guts is a renowned French producer, DJ and vinyl connoisseur known for curating impeccable selections of global sounds. He has done so three times before for this series on Heavenly Sweetness and now returns with a fourth volume that arrives just in time for party season. This essential compilation traverses vibrant Latin rhythms, dynamic Afrobeat, soulful grooves and infectious tropical rhythms to make for a far-travelling listen. Again it shows off Guts' unmatched ability to uncover hidden gems and present them with fresh energy in an eclectic yet cohesive celebration of music's global spirit.

Review: Zouk pioneers Jacob Desvarieux, Georges, and Pierre-Edouard Decimus worked together as Kassav and to mark their 40th anniversary comes this vinyl pressing of Yelele. The group was founded in 1979 and went on to leave an indelible mark on global music. From their roots in Guadeloupe and Martinique, Kassav' popularised zouk worldwide and earned numerous gold and platinum records. Despite the tragic loss of Desvarieux to Covid-19 in 2021, Kassav's legacy thrives through their ongoing live concerts. Their music is infused with Caribbean rhythms like Guadeloupe's gwo-ka and Martinique's ti-bwa so transcends cultural boundaries and hooks in dancers everywhere from Japan to Russia. Four decades later, Kassav's timeless hits still resonate as this album reminds us.