wit, wisdom and soul from the king of calypson 1960 - 1976!

do you love elegant, sophisticated music with a feeling, as much as raw, gutsy, hard-hitting music? guessing that you do penniman records takes great pride in introducing you to the excitements, because their music fits into both categories. they are an all natural free-of-additives-and-preservatives r&b / soul band. a band with both feet solidly planted on memphis and detroit, and with a heartbeat which is pure chicago. to put it simply, the excitements are what the doctor ordered: six dynamite musicians intent on bringing out the very best from koko jean davis extraordinary voice, a voice which will either break your heart or astonish your ears, whatever koko fancies the most. the excitements career is truly awesome. their first gig took place in july 2010, and a month after that the band embarked on the first of their three recording sessions, their first spanish tour and a series of concerts all across europe. very few groups can boast of enjoying such a critical success, selling so many 45s and capturing such a loyal following in so short a time. their splendid first album, -the excitements- available on vinyl and cd - has been produced by the great mike mariconda - the only living man with a direct connection between his ears and his crotch. hearing is believing, and koko and her partners are bound to mesmerize with numbers such as nathaniel mayer s -from now on-, barbara stephens s -wait a minute- and little richard s -never let you go-, a track which will go straight to your heart. you may call them old-fashioned. a classic sound, if you wish. one thing is clear: the good stuff is here to stay. stop reading, listen to the excitements and hear for yourself.

deep, dramatic, abstracted d&b from exits most esoteric operator, consequence. test dream is an advanced follow-up to the burial-esque scapes of his 2009 debut, live for never, scanning sci-fi inspired minimal d&b topographies with a filigree attention to detail. ultimately, its not the kind of d&b thatll have you firing shots in the ceiling: its strengths lie in the vivid evocation of dystopian futures and plugged-in, cyber-surreal dream states, conducted with the ability to suspend disbelief and submerge the willing participant in a whole other headspace. that said, there are dancefloor-ready moments like the sinuous, sub-heavy soul sees spirit, but the best moments occur when the dancefloor seems to be receding beneath your feet / sofa, as with the whirring autechre-ian dynamics of magda trench and the majestic loveshell, or the flickering, skeletal remains of marlo.

soundway return once more to the caribbean and are proud to present ifetaya by black truth rhythm band, originally released in 1976. led by the charismatic oluko imo, ifetaya was the only release from the afro-centric trinidadian band and is re-issued here for the first time on cd. whereas most of their peers at the time were looking to the funk of the usa & james brown for inspiration,black truth rhythm band looked to africa, fusing rhythms from africa & the west indies with elements of jazz, funk, calypsoand soul. ifetayo was to be the only release from black truth rhythm band but imo continued his music and love of african rhythms, going onto record with fela kuti in 1988 and later on perform with members of felas egypt 80 band.

el rego is a true legend of african soul music. here for the first time on album are 12 of his greatest recordings from the late 60s and early 70s hand-picked by daptone records. afro-soul collector/ dj frank gossner had spent years combing west africa tracking down 45s by theophile do rego (aka el rego) before finally meeting him face to face in his home in benin. from that relationship came this album, which we present to you here in a 20 page hardcover bookcase cd featuring el regos own story of his life and music along with pictures from his personal collection and artwork from his original 45s. the music has been remastered with great care, and the vinyl contains an exclusive bonus 45 (while supplies last) of se na min, one of his most sought after afro-funk tracks, backed with e ma non tin me, a beautiful and somewhat more traditional song about two blind men who agree to go together and leap to their deaths into a river.

the album is as diverse as his world-famous dj sets, blending a mix of genres from hip hop, dance, world, soul, etc alongside some great features including chrys anthony, lateef the truthspeaker, jazz mafia, raashan ahmad, aima the dreamer and many others.

after a handful of smashing remixes, compilation features and solo ep on nang records, lusty zanzibar returns to the fold with a cracking full-length titled >find a way<.

katalyst is sydney-based producer ashley anderson, one of australias most prolific producers. over the past two decades katalyst has risen to the top of the australian hip hop and electronica scenes, receiving multiple aria and j award nominations along the way. his reputation as one of australias best producers has seen him collaborate with the likes of geoff barrow of portishead, aloe blacc, dead prez, guilty simpson, phat kat, j-live, finale, frank n dank, diverse, ugly duckling and steve spacek (who together form space invadas). the latest product of his audiophiliac obsession, deep impressions? deconstructs and distils soul, hip hop, funk, jazz, reggae and electro influences into what is perhaps most accurately described as -the katalyst sound-. it is a reflection of the large variety tunes that influence katalysts own musical direction. the album also includes collaborations with the likes of los angeles hip-hop artist bootie brown (of the pharcyde), sydneys own kweeng (killaqueenz), underground legend mr clean, upcoming north carolina mc coin locker kid, stephanie mckay (usa), steve spacek (uk), hau (koolism), and jane doe (formally jade macrae).

2011 collection featuring cuts from shuggie otis, sly & the family stone and aretha franklin.. the old grey whistle test has now been synonymous with quality music for 40 years. although possibly best know as a show for rock music, the show maintained an amazing variety when it came to choosing its artists, it really only had two criteria, 1, that the artists had released an album and 2 that they produced great music. this collection mostly features artists that appeared on the show but also include artists who for whatever reason didnt or couldnt appear on the show.

for over a decade mark grusane & mike cole have been a vast music resource for djs, producers, collectors, rare music compilers, and specialty stores around the world. they started individually, each with their love of music. they traded and sold music with those -in the know- for years. in 2004 mark & mike focused their energies into founding mr. peabody records. the business plan and mission was to become a world class resource for all genres of obscure music. until now, their focus has been growing the shop. but the soul of mr. peabody records does not reside in the bricks and mortar the store, or even in the bins of records themselves. the real genius lies in mark & mikes unique ear for music.

dj diamond is 24 year old karlis griffin from the west side of chicago. he has been producing music since the age of 13 and djing since 20, heading the -flight muzik- clique of footwork producers. you might recall his two tracks from our -bangs & works vol.1- footwork compilation of last year. in addition hes also released several mix cds in chicago, but this, his first international album showcases his unique style of footwork music. dj diamond is a unique producer with his own distinct style and an unusual ear for unexpected sonic and rhythmic combinations within the footwork template. often he thoroughly edits samples into tiny trance-inducing, techno-like stabs. combining this with a penchant for neon synths and loose, broken drums (that are often more effect-laden and freeform than those of of his peers) and you have a sound which has an intriguing, deeper, dreamlike feel. the breadth and quality of his production is clear when you listen to this album. take opener -rep yo clique-s woozy drawling synths and tribal tom patterns next to -speakerz n tonguez- with it-s snapping snares, minimal, repetitive voice samples and martial, detailed drum work. then a track like -torture rack- which is like grime in outer space: a minimal bassline and some samples from a computer game, while a bass kick stumbles at half time, swarms of percussive detail giving it drama. its a brilliant exercise in wonky tension. the extraordinary -decoded- comes across like a kind of amalgam of trance and prog rock bombast at 160bpm while -wreckageÕs- high pitch saw noise is like a strange metallic bird-call, over light cymbals, gabba-like kicks and metallic claps. -digimons- harmonic microedits could even be an snd track transported to chicago. finally the albums closer -i choose you- rolls out over a heavily edited and processed soul sample, its drums rolling off at odd angles to almost seasick effect.

fŸr viele popfans sind die stereo mcs die band aus den frŸhen 90er jahren, als ihre dritte lp >connected< zwei brit awards gewann und millionen exemplare verkaufte. wie ihr neues album >emperors nightingale< nahe legt, ist die wahre geschichte hinter dieser band etwas kompliziert und vor allem sehr faszinierend. ihr erstes frisches material seit connected veršffentlichte das duo erst 1999 auf einem dj-mix-album (>dj kicks< auf !k7). das follow-up folgte 2001 mit >deep down & dirty< - uk album charts top 20, und einige fans finden bis heute, es ist das beste werk des duos aller zeiten! 2005 kehrten sie zurŸck mit dem album >paradise< und schlossen gut drei jahre spŠter mit dem elektronischeren >double bubble< an. auf >emperors nightingale< bekommen wir nun zu hšren, was hallam und birch schon seit langem tun wollten: nŠmlich hip hops philosophie dazu zu nutzen, musik zu schaffen, die keinen regeln folgt au§er ihren eigenen. siehaben zum ersten mal Ÿberhaupt mit anderen kŸnstlern komponiert: bruce woolley (trevor horn - er war co-autor von video killed the radio star und slave to the rhythm), nathan drake und greg fleming (deekline and wizard, the london punks). statt grooves auf sample-loops und beats aufzubauen haben sie sich nun auf old-school jam sessions gestŸtzt - mit bass, gitarre, drums und vocals.

larry chubby reynolds as he was originally called cut some 45 s for the tri-spin label when first starting out in detroit during the 60s. he recorded with groups the relations and chocolate syrup before ultimately, in 1973, replacing william howard as lead singer of the dramatics. here he recorded and performed before his solo album deal with capitol records in 1981 which gave us the l.j. reynolds (which included key to the world ) then travelin in 1982. ahead of this fantasy album came lovin man for mercury in 1984, then ultimately tell me you will which features a special guest appearance by the o jays. rare on cd, this album has been much sought after by soul fans in recent years.

a stunning return to form for one of the pre-eminent modern soul singers - with background vocal guests including jody watley, faith evans, lalah hathaway, shanice and the andrea crouch singers. a remarkably strong fifth solo album from a soul singer who defines the word classy. highlights are his trademark gorgeous ballads ( miss you and goodbye ), hypnotic mid-tempo grooves ( 6 am and stay with me ), and irresistibly funky dancefloor tracks (the instant club hit ghost featuring jody watley). the insistent, gospel-flavoured mountain top is unlike anything you ve ever heard, and features the legendary andrea crouch singers. the album is rooted in the classic principles of melody and poetic lyrics while embracing eighties r&b/pop as purveyed by prince and michael jackson. since his outstanding 1997 debut album for mca, rahsaan has evolved as a vocalist and songwriter, along the way writing songs for tevin campbell, brandy, ledisi, lalah hathaway and van hunt. now in 2011, with the assistance of his regular production cohorts keith crouch and jamey jazz, he delivers some of his finest work.

der aus sizilien stammende und auf jamaika residierende alborosie aka alberto d ascola, prŠsentiert sein zweites album fŸr greensleeves! nach der >escape from babylon< wird jetzt nŠgel mit kšpfen gemacht und die revolution gleich doppelt angegangen - nicht ohne augenzwinkern, aber auch mit dem nštigen ernst thematisiert alborosie was unsere welt derzeit in atem hŠlt. die cd kommt mit 16 tracks und hat Ÿber 50 minuten spielzeit, eine ganz spezielle reise durch die urbanen dschungel & gedankenwelt unserer zeit an der keiner vorbei kommt - brilliant!

daddy kevs label is proud to announce the release of ctrl alt delete, the debut album from free the robots. a staggering work of mind-warping electronics, fuzzed-out psych and devastating hip-hop beats, the impending release of ctrl alt delete will catapult free the robots to the forefront of the world renowned l.a. beat scene. initially started as a side project by chris alfaro in 2003, free the robots has quickly garnered a worldwide audience. combining dusty swap-meet samples, futuristic synthesizers and live instrumentation, free the robots has created a unique harmony of past sounds and future ruminations. much like his l.a. contemporaries flying lotus and nosaj thing, free the robots knows no genre boundaries. ctrl alt delete, which also features ikey owens of the mars volta, has been a long time coming. originally signed to alpha pup over two years ago, free the robots has put his heart and soul into this album. meticulously constructed, the album is a culmination of countless late nights at low end theory club, combined with a spirit of fearless experimentation. the result rattles with grit and swagger - a firm proclamation of free the robots sonic arrival.

daydreaming is the debut album release from paris based artist von d on boka records. a fusion chef of bassweight, von d has deftly sliced into unpredictable genres, concocting strange and beautiful new forms.the album sees von d collaborating with the internationally renowned foreign beggars, phephe, david boomah (vocalist for shy fx murderation), riya & mr lager, while his previous work has also been remixed by a host of respected dubstep djs including skream and tes la rok. born into the cultural melting pot of the paris suburbs, von d found his souls conduit in a beaten up old drum kit. whilst the riddims of king tubby alongside the foetal jungle of photek and serge gainsborg were initial inspirations, after forging a successful path as a sound engineer von d honed his sound sculpting skills to a razor sharp edge. von ds productions have been picked up by skream, arguably one of dubsteps most successful artists, who snapped up a release for his label disfigured dubs. dj chef released von ds >show me< on his sub freq imprint, which quickly became one of the most talked about releases of 2009 Ð so much so that three time dmc world champion dj craze has been supporting the track in recent mixes. not one to be complacent, von dÕs kept up the pressure with releases on black acre, tempa, soul jazz and argon Ð enough to attract the attention of bbc radio 1s gilles peterson who has included a track for his hotly anticipated brownswood bubblers compilation album. von d has created a global buzz with his numerous explosive live performances featuring unreleased and exciting material from himself as well as other established producers. having had a host of successful tours in the united states, europe and china, von d has now set his sights on touring new zealand and australia

the first-ever om records yoga album is finally here featuring new, unreleased and classic tracks from j-boogies dubtronic science, soulstice, rocket empire , king kooba and more. deep, richly layered, soothing modern music for movement and flow

a 2nd, killer presentation of assured nigerian and ghanaian highlife classics selected by the good, good people at vampi soul. it features nineteen tracks by essential artists of the genre such as et mensah & the tempos, dr victor olaiya, prince nico mbarga, dr sir warrior, and rex lawson, plus extensive notes by experts, rita may and max reinhardt, and artist photos.

the first in a new series from roots records, bringing in guest compilers to pick the choice sounds from the hit sound and midnight rock catalogue. first up is the legendary barry ashworth from the dub pistols, picking artists like anthony johnson, king tubby, barry brown and jah thomas. for fans of soul jazz, blood & fire and greensleeves records.

best of summer tunes!

benny tones brilliant album chrysalis. crafted in the wellington studio of this highly regarded nz audio engineer this time capsule represents benny tonesre-introduction as a producer and features a diverse host of vocal and instrumental collaborators he has worked with over the years including electric wire hustles mara tk, taay ninh & myele manzanza, fat freddys drop front man joe dukie, shapeshifters devin abrams & sam trevethick, rio hemopo, adi dick, isaac aesili, ls shihan the poet and many more.

feat.music from jamie jones, deniz kurtel, johnny white, soul clap, gadi mizhari, seth troxler..

as an accomplished musician, arthur pochon (aka art bleek) presents in december 2010 his >art supplies< and weaves elements of house, funk, soul, jazz, rare groove and more into a rich musical tapestry. with vocals from ursula rucker, voice, nya, charlie sputnik and airelle besson >art supplies< reveals many depths and textures over thirteen tracks of shimmering, heart-felt grooves.

it was 1975 and a mere 24 years since ike turner lit the blue touch paper on rock n roll with the incendiary rocket 88 , when a small independent record company emerged from a couple of second-hand record stores in london. it was just before the fuse was lit on another stage in the rock n roll story with the emergence of punk rock and chiswick records helped strike the match - commencing with the release of the count bishops speedball ep. with the same people at its head, the label evolved into ace records and they are proud to be celebrating their 30th anniversary in 2005. ace has become the leading in-depth catalogue company in the world and has issued a vast amount of the best and most important music released in the us from the time of that first ike turner recording to the launch of their own company. that crucial period forms the core of the extensive ace catalogue. they have often wandered off this central path, with excursions into world music, some home-made recordings of local acts and have investigated beat music from belfast to tokyo. but it is at the heart and soul of rock n roll that you will find ace putting out that wild and frantic, deep and romantic, funky and punky music that will sure nuff turn you on!

3cd compilation of the classic soul anthems of the 60s, 70s and 80s !!

dj roc shows off his brilliant high-speed sparse manipulations of rhythm, space and sound as in the dancehall.then there are tracks that mix smooth soul with double-speed like i cant control the feeling, to tracks which have more of a classic juke feel like get buck jones and dj roc symphony. the album is full of brilliant production and original ideas.

debut album from curv on vinyl vibes records ... after various successful 12inch releases on vinyl vibes, the label introduce their first artist album from curv. while in the past mixing organic and clubby elements, deeply rooted in soul and jazz, curv recently developed a stronger love for electronic music, splendidly reflected in this fantastic record. between here and nowhere is not just another electronic album as one might expect. it features a unique style of warm, analog sounding club music which makes perfect sense as a listening experience too. it would not be curv if jazz, funk and disco didnt feature, if he would not occationally mix the electronic beats with some natural sounding drums, the keyboards with some piano. but he is now putting all these things into an electronic context of house beats, naughty electro and even deep minimal. in between all of this you still find all those stunning little details that make his music curv-music in its very own & special way.

g.i.disco - an 80s history of cold war s hottest music in west-germany berlin local dj heroes kalle kuts and daniel w. best a.k.a. g.i.disco have compiled an excellent 80s soul, funk, r & b and disco selection. it combines representative music of that time with informative liner notes about the german historical background (which also is an important part of 20th century s world history), international artist quotes and worldwide renowned art by berlin based photographer frank thiel to an unique history lesson and listening experience. soul, funk and r&b from the us became a worldwide dance and clubbing movement during the 70s when it turned disco. in the late 70s and 80s more and more new electronic instruments like synthesizers and drum machines were added to the horn riffs and piano licks, bringing the funk back on the dance floor while still leaving it s soul untouched

previously known as universal funk, the black lillies debut freestyle release is a distinctive and highly original work. fusing electronica, soul, house & jazz with an ethereal, eclectic other worldly feel and featuring contributions from thulla wamberg, hannah vasanth & jo harrop.

thomas brinkmann breathes new life into his stellar side project soul center and berlin-based label shitkatapult feels privileged to release the good work. dont be mislead by the albums title, though. taken literally, general eclectics will lead you astray not once, but twice. while the cover might allude to local noise merchants einst?rzende neubautens infamous haus der l?ge sleeve and paolo uccellos horses rear, the albums inner sleeve is covered in maps, footballs, cigarette, butts, priests ˆ each replete with their own rich history.

reissue of the first soulfire cd! soul strike is a raw-ass piece of instrumental funk, served straight up on a platter of nasty. from the very first note, you can tell that this is real deal, old-school funk played the way it should always be played: rough. calypso king & the soul investigators take us back, way back, to a time when locking into a groove meant something. with two sides of breakbeat-laden hard funk instrumentals, this record is the answer to all your bbq/funk needs. tip!

we find our way to the title track,>problems< a meditation on many of the trials and tribulations that lee himself has had to overcome over the years. tip!

this is the soundtrack to 135 grand street, new york, 1979 also released by soul jazz records on dvd. the cd includes all the bands featured in the film ( and comes with bonus tracks not in the film). wild, raw no wave meets garage band meets post-punk. glenn branca, rhys chatham, evan lurie (lounge lizards), visual artists frank schneider and robert longo, wharton tiers are just some of the people in the bands.

special kind of fool is tys story. the tale of an artist who after ten years,three critically acclaimed albums (awkward 2001, upwards 2003, closer 2006), collaborations with the likes of tony allen, de la soul, damon albarn and estelle, a mercury nomination amongst other accolades, and a worldwide army of fans, has always followed his heart.

bbe records proudly presents you the sophomore album of recording artist the berlin based songwriterÕs latest offering of 11 brand new songs recorded over the last year, maintains the continuity of his sound which is a heartfelt blend of laid back pop, soul and dance.

back in 2000 the herbaliser self-released their highly acclaimed double-vinyl album session 1: taking key tracks from previous albums and re-recording them in their purest form, expanding them, without vocals or lyrics this is an excellent representation of the bands live show at that time.

strut follow their recent forays into nigerian and ethio grooves with a brand new wide ranging three part series exploring underground south african music during the late 60s and 70s...

mid price action ! dieses grandiose album kommt von keinem geringeren als christian althaus,des masters of dub,der sich 1999 bereits einen namen mit >golden area< machte.nun serviert er mit >soul of king< auf boxer ein komplettes 5 gŠnge menŸ seines ganzen kšnnens!

after a four-year break from the studio, laÕs finest practioners with their producer miles tackett return back with their actual album >dusk till dawn<. breakestra was formed by tackett in the late 80s and became one of the great live funk bands of their era. with their sound of gritty soul/jazz, party funk & breaks breakestra takes us to a journey into psychedelic soul, and west african farfisa stylings and instrumental cuts!

the soul assassins album will be supported by a full radio, online and press campaign in north america, uk, germany, france, italy and japan. - features appearances by bun b, b real, sick jacken, evidence, alchemist, la coka nostra, planet asia, prodigy and xzibit!

this monster double cd is a lightning journey through dub featuring jamaican originators such as king tubby, lee perry, prince jammy and bunny lee, alongside electronic futurists and dubstep artists such as kode9, harmonic 313 (warp) and lv (hyperdub), as well as hip hop pioneer roots manuva and original junglist congo natty. musical worlds collide as francois kervorkian meets jamaican dj legend u-roy, and german techno giants rhythm & sound meet cornell campbell.