simbad teams up with south african vocalist brian temba, whose previous release together come join in dropped on hi:rise back in 2011. in it’s original form take my hand is a sublime, forward-looking deep and soulful house track based around a filtering symphonic string loop, low-slung groove and heart-felt vocal. simbad has created a very london-centric vibe but with a french touch and detroit sensibilities, drawing from house heroes such as parrish and bradock, joining the dots and creating a fresh masterpiece in the process. next up we have jimpster on the remix, picking up the bpm’s slightly and loading up on his trademark deep stabs, sub-bass and spacious fx adding just enough dance-floor bump whilst leaving the vocal placed firmly at the core. on the flip side we have two smbd zulu edits which replace the more spartan groove of the original with some driving afro percussion. the first version keeps the vocal intact, the second version goes balls deep into dub territory, closing out this amazing release with an instrumental pushing the strings and hypnotic groove front and centre

kawuku sound is the coming together of uk producers contours & cervo and ugandan percussion troupe fonkodelis arkestra. this is the culmination of a month-long creative process that was born out of the nyege nyege affiliated boutiq studio in kawuku, kampala - uganda. the music was written and recorded in this shared residency space, home to musicians and visual artists from all over east africa and beyond, and a hub for kampala s underground electronic music scene. boutiq studio s diy mentality provided the perfect environment for experimentation, allowing the fusion of these disparate sounds. kawuku sound is a reflection of this, merging the hypnotic and trance-inducing percussion of buganda drumming with elements of contemporary electronics and traditional instrumentation. this the first album release to come out on manchester imprint banana hill as they continue to push the boundaries of afro-electronic sounds.

peter croce takes the baton back from blair french for rocksteady disco’s 9th release entitled agape. its vision is similar to standing still is an illusion, with peter’s unique take on this afro­brazilian deep house three­tracker.

der begnadete afro-futurist auntie flo aus glasgow fusioniert elektronische club-musik mit weltmusik-rhythmen und wird gerne in einer reihe mit daphni, four tet und romare genannt. nach zwei alben auf dem glasgower label huntleys & palmers erscheint sein drittes werk nun auf gilles peterson’s brownswood. mit -radio highlife- gelingt ihm seine bislang ambitionierteste arbeit, an der befreundete musiker aus aller welt wie laurie pitt (golden teacher), der senegalesische multiinstrumentalist mame ndiack, uk-produzent/sänger andrew ashong und der kubanische percussionist yissy garcia teilnahmen.

vaudou game, the french afro-funk band, is back from togo with a brand new album called otodi (out oct 26th 2018).
otodi was the name of the recording studio in lomé, closed in 1987, and which peter solo, the band leader and his crew reopened during the spring 2018 to record these all analog 13 brilliant songs.
from this amazing album, here comes a 7 inch single dedicated to afro-funk dj’s and radio. pure afro-funk with togolese soul!

this geneva-based band have finely honed their instrumental post-internet groove, creating the perfect blend of old-school funk, afro-beat, 70s soundtrack fusion, always adding a pinch of futuristic production and a touch of modernity aimed at bring the groove genre to new generations.

joe lewandowski, explores new territories to deliver a 3rd ep that blends afro, jazz with house music. his main idea was to offer music that blurs frontiers between samples, organic instruments and recorded sounds. the Ô3rd baseÕ ep comes with an additional reinterpretation of flabaire, runner and co-founder of the french label d.ko records

pushing at the edges which define techno, afro and deep house these three tracks bring fresh heat to the dancefloor, creating an ethereal mood whilst delivering maximum power and energy. if paired down, minimal electronic percussive sounds are your thing, lead track ligai will tick all the boxes. stina follows with driving, syncopated beats and a killer pan-pipe riff to hook you in. closing the record sand brings a deeper, atmospheric track loaded with floating m1 textures, warm bass and spirited percussion fills. all in all a highly effective and inventive slice of wax with a voguish twist to groove to.

gyedu’s first album, released in 1975. super funky highlife tunes here. includes the killer tunes fa no dem ara, this hustling world and akoko ba. the album is written and produced with ebo taylor. gyedu-blay ambolley unleashed his unique brand of -simigwa- music on an eager yet unsuspecting world in 1975 with the release of this, his debut album. suffused with his larger-than-life personality, this lp ia an absolutely irresistable manifesto of his heavy afro-funk simigwa philosophy. long sought after by collectors, academy lp’s and voodoo funk have teamed up once again to revive this incredible record from the vibrant musical scene of 70’s west africa. mastered from the original master tapes and featuring the rather remarkable original sleeve, this is an ultra high-quality reissue that continues the reputation acadamy has built up with its previous releases!

fresh afro infused deep house

der drummer poogie bell, bekannt als langjähriger groovemeister von bassgröße marcus miller und verlässlicher sideman von künstlern wie stanley clarke, david sandborn, chaka khan, erykah badu, angelique kidjo oder al jarreau, zeigt auf exhibition continues eine völlig andere seite seiner musikalischen welt. die eklektische sammlung führt den in pittsburgh geborenen bell in anspruchsvolles terrain, das deutlich über das klassische pocket playing hinausgeht. auf seinem nunmehr bereits sechsten album als leader verbindet er viele elemente – streicher, soulstimmen, tiefgründige liedtexte und einflüsse aus gospel, jazz, afro-cuban und fusion. ein anspruchvolles werk mit tiefgang!

!!! 2018 repress !!! of nu guinea’s outstanding ‘world’ ep – the neapolitan duo is set to release new material on tartelet later in the year as part of the labels 10 th anniversary. the beautifully dislocated bougainvilles live lays out some warm analogue textures across a live percussion base, while the vocal edit of title track nu world ploughs a similar furrow to obscure 80’s afro-disco, with rich musical synth work over a pacey afro groove and undeniable jazz-funk flair. the flute mix passes over the vocal refrain from mix one and just gets down and wigs-out on those solos - an absolute killer! exotica dance club sounds like herbie visited the salsoul studios with his banks of analogue gear and jammed out into the small hours, as we head home on the beatless outro, all synth washes and lavish ear candy.

ostinato presents “two niles to sing a melody: the violins & synths of sudan”, a superb afro compilation released on 3xlp gatefold with 20-page booklet.

hot on the heels of the well received dirty channels vs danny russell watchin out/ frazelle today is the day (linkwood edit), we bring you more twelve inch heat. this time in the shape of an unreleased nugget from funk and soul legend, bobby boyd, the founding member and lead singer of bobby boyds congress - who metamorphosed into the lafayette afro rock band, after bobbys departure in 1971. on the a-side, producer and engineer extraordinaire bob blank - whos worked closely with the likes of arthur russell, taana gardner,sun ra, larry levan and kid creole - turns out a mix that hits the sweet spot between boogie and proto-house with a hint of latin freestyle. whilst the flip sees darting synths and swirling pads layered over a tight machine groove, as bobby reminds us of the simply joy that dancing can bring.

heavy afro boogie 12- by cameroonian-born singer dick dickson. 2nd release of beaumonde.. keep an eye on this label! . he was clearly aiming for the us funk sound in fashion at the time when he recorded in the pocket in 1986.the session took place in togo and had band members come from congo, cameroon and the french west indies making the music of in the pocket an outstanding rendezvous between electrified-boogie and african influenced groove. with the help of régine féline’s sensual voice, melodic synth pads and distinctive slap bass, in the pocket grabs you instantly. totally overlooked upon its release, beaumonde felt that dick dickson’s unique offering deserved a second chance.

this is a rare gem of a record from fantastic soul band the soul kids stemming from the democratic republic of congo, including covers of james brown & the mighty flames hit singles -lickin stick- (1968), -papa s got a brand new bag- (1965), wilson pickett’s -hey jude- and a french vocal version of otis redding’s soul hit -respect -. this amazing young band, which released only four 7inch singles and one album, is a great example of the influence of soul music and french pop bridging to the new afro soul scene that the musicians of kinshasa were involved in during the time of post-independence. ngoma was one of the first record labels intent on providing local artists recordings from both sides of the congo river to the people of the drc and west africa. created in 1948 by a greek man by the name of nicolas jeronimidis, the ngoma label was active through 1968, pressed in france until 1971, with a tremendous catalogue, including this historical and essential soul masterpiece!

unobenga (louie vega remix) professor featuring ndu shezi & thebe remix produced by louie vega! with the music of south africa conquering it’s way around the world due to afro house leaders, black coffee, culoe de song, anané & her nulu label, shimza, da capo, black motion, mo black records, and more, from the shores of ibiza to bali and back everyone is feeling the emotions coming from such rhythmic and melodic sound.

ltd repress !! contrary to the songs name, this interpretation of a traditional afro-brasilian candomble song, appears to be forged from mythical lost amazonian gold. recorded in sao paulo with an allstar cast of arteria fm (on vocal duties), salvador araguaya (caressing the viola caipira) & spaniol (stroking the baixo), steered by nicola s production prowess, this quartet delivers a melodic enhancement to the summer sun. as if the sun wasn t shining bright enough already, the single comes backed by a remarkable remixer ensemble procured from their duties as fellow sun-worshippers: xique-xique s dragonfruit mix is a wondrous journey full of surprising leaps and bounds, alternating between hypnotic electronics and organic song structure. saving the best til last he raises the energy whilst keep the beats low and the vibes ecstatic. hit ! crussen s creamy cocodub raises the energy whilst concentrating on a dubbed out groove, (that) classic crussen bassline and carefully sliced & re-appropriated vocals. finally in-house poster-boy carrot green s granola mix combines disco, deep grainy bassines, juicy bells and signature flourishes into a bowl of magical mind-whirling hip-spinning edible sex.

for the 5th in the ele records catalogue esteemed producer cottam brings two killer edits to the table. the a side sees a joyous disco rework, extending and expanding elements to really hone in on that exuberant bassline and string section. flip it over and jigsaw delivers a dusty mixture of afro rhythms and stirring spoken words to entrance any audience it s set before.

brand new release on mondo groove with a remix double pack of selected tracks from daniele baldelli classic cosmic temple six chapters that were out on the italian label from 2015 to 2017. you can find everything for everyone in these new versions. dj tennis and in flagranti tributing pure cosmic sound with their interpretations of gandharva and afelio, dj ralf transforming kosmaro into a house stomper, tiger & woods adding their subtle boogie touch and edit science to vhanessa, clap!clap! going deep and percussive on isotropo funk, alkalino tripping italo-disco with „inner light, club paradiso in an afro-balearic clash on joka joka, eric duncan working a deep-techy groove on diffrazione, and dionigi, often production partner of baldelli, finishing in glory with a brilliant funky take on taxon. you cant sleep on this.

reissue on 180 gram double vinyl, housed in a gatefold sleeve.

recorded in denmark in 1986 by the then up and coming afro pop singer kojo antwi from ghana, the tunes were issued in limited numbers as he was leaving denmark, sparking his international solo career after he left the classique vibes. though a popular favourite on cassette in ghana his debut album was only released in small numbers in europe and never achieved the same attention. the tracks selected here showcases kojos transition from the highlife sound of the classique vibes to the more drum machine driven highlife disco on ‘hini mi as well as the deep, computerized reggae

an evergreen disco-funk-calypso record, bunny mack’s ‘let me love you’ from 1980 was the first commercial hit for the sierra-leone-born composer and is now available alongside remixes by dj gregory and moplen on this unmissable 12” vinyl package. perfectly suited to dj gregory’s world fusion sensibilities, he worked a remix for defected in 2008, laying down additional percussion and emphasizing the electric guitar riffs. italian dj and vinyl junkie moplen introduces organ chords and synths in keeping with bunny mack’s afro roots on his brand-new remix discolypsomix. completed by an accapella version courtesy of bunny mack himself, this is another stellar lightbulb moment of rediscovery from 4 to the floor

2016 fand in santiago de cuba das manana festival statt. es führte zu einem intensiven dialog zwischen vertretern regional-karibischer musiktraditionen und internationalen independent-künstlern aus dem spannungsfeld von dance, avantgarde und jazz. mit der gründung des labels manana wurden vor ort geknüpfte fäden aufgenommen und weitergesponnen. daraus resultierten bereits zwei außergewöhnliche tonträger. -soundspecies & ache meyi- ist der dritte dieser reihe, er fusioniert auf aufsehenerregende weise folk aus kuba mit britischer elektronik. hinter soundspecies verbergen sich zwei als djs und produzenten aktive brüder aus dem englischen dorset. in ihrer musik loten sie die verbindungen zwischen den klängen und formen elektronischer tanzmusik einerseits und den repetitiven mustern von traditionellem folk andererseits aus. die formation ache meyi hat sich hingegen afro-haitianischen rhythmen und stilen wie bembe, vodu, gaga und merengue verschrieben. und das auf eine ziemlich dynamische weise, was angesichts des bandnamens wenig überrascht. die yoruba-begriffe -ache- und -meyi- bedeuten so viel doppelte power.

recorded in novalima s home studio in lima, their album “karimba” (hot iron used to mark the cattle, as well as the slaves) takes novalima music into new levels, introducing both new sounds and traditional rhythms like the panalivio, zamacueca, ingá and tondero, while maintaining their distinctive afro and dub sound. their reputation at home allowed them to work with two of the top traditional musicians in the city in what would be their last recorded performance: vocalists pepe vasquez, rosita guzman, and sofia buitron as well as guitarists roberto arguedas and felix casaverde (former guitarist of chabuca granda), in addition to members of the live band.

official repress on 12inch of these sought after charly kingson tunes. the label says: charly kingson, (ps. for charlie kingue soppo) is a legend of afro-funk who managed to shake the entire continent up with his infamous 1978 lp, born in africa. often forgotten when conversations turn to afro-dance, and the likes of tony allen or fela kuti, he has been an incredible source of inspiration to many musicians exploring the funkier side of jazz-dance, and this album itself goes way beyond any traditional notion of tropical discotheque. -born in african- itself is a funky groover for the dancefloor and here is the original 1982 remix, made by dutch legendary percussionist eddie conard available again, featuring nimele bolo on the flip-side. released in 1982 on ariola/fleet, but also pressed on the original fleet label. the latter (remarkably with identical catalog-number) never saw daylight. but, we got them all! all in all, this hard to find 12 inch (at discogs copies on the ariola/fleet label go for around 250 euro) was recently re-discovered, and now you can finally enjoy it again

man face is a disco afro studio project from 1977, from the musicians duo winston alwyn gill and henderson brathwaite from sounth africa but recorded in italy during the disco era. now rediscovered by early sounds recordings in conjunction with best record italy. early sounds recordings owner pellegrino delivers an additional remix and overdub with the new na na na edit plus the remastered original disco version available on the flip

girls of the internets deep-house-dub-techno-afro ballad: when u go is now being pressed up to vinyl on ramp recordings. since its release, when u go has been burning up some of the more discerning dancefloors worldwide, with club support from djs as diverse as mark farina, stacey pullen, eli escobar, oliver $, françois k, soul clap, roger sanchez, carl craig, booker t, serverino, riva star, doc martin, karizma, marco carola, tensnake & mousse t. peckhams finest pervayers of deep house, bradley zero approved duo fyi chris, turn in an exclusive dubby west coast-vibed remix of the track available only on this vinyl. the b side is a brand new track from girls of the internet - running featuring nattlie maddix, of the house gospel choir. mixing live instruments with synths and drum machines, running is a soulful yet driving disco tinged deep house track. to finish off this massive package, local actions finn delivers a genre-straddling remix of running.

this month we have what is the start of a string of previously unreleased bangers from the soul, funk and disco legend bobby boyd, we have been working on this for a long time and really proud to be working alongside bobby representing him. first up we have love goddess, a floaty driving disco soul number thats bound to get some spins by the northern boys as well as deep disco heads, i know its been doing this business when i play it, on the flip and classic horn driven funky soul in bobbys classic style and solid songwriting, essential. if your not a rare soul or disco collector bobby s name might not be a name your familiar with but as one of the founder members of lafayette afro rock band you will have experienced his music and influence which is far reaching.

second up on our bobby boyd unreleased recording we have some dope mid 80s material from bobby, “i like what you do to me” is boogie / proto house joint that is totally my bag, feels like it should be in a 80s movie weightlifting montage (in a good way) it just works on the dance floor so well.
on the flip things get even stronger with the proto-house banger “girl like you” a sick soulful number with with a biggest swinging kick drum i have ever heard, both proper club material.
if your not a rare soul or disco collector bobby’s name might not be a name your familiar with but as one of the founder members of lafayette afro rock band you will have experienced his music and influence which is far reaching. &#8232,,,

fresh from touring with hugh masekela (the boys doin it), gboyega adelaja goes into the lab to drop heavy keyboard science on his moog and fender rhodes. its joe sample meets the afro funk of blo. with names like jake sollo on guitars, mike odumusu (blo, osibisa) on bass guitar and gasper lawal on percussion. this is a top quality, afro-funk, all-stars affair that shines from the inspired interventions, masterly arrangements to the sublime production.

the switzerland based group alma negra are offering a afro- and latininfluenced disco ep tailor made for lumberjacks in hell. with all the instruments played live, this ep sounds like and entire village celebrating the uplifting alma negra signature sound.

david mayer’s career and background is marked by a desire to keep moving and experiencing new perspectives. having finally settled in berlin, the german dj and producer has built up an enviously diverse back catalogue on labels such as connected frontline, objektivity, gruuv, audiomatique and keinemusik. with his first release on acid pauli and nico stojan’s ouie label, mayer brings his trademark groove to the fore once more. ‘the call’ is a mid tempo chugger built around a kick, clap and 808 blip, before a more organic groove develops. the slowed down chants and wigged out synth line take the vibe into afro cosmic territory, without losing the original energy. ‘sooner’ is a little more urgent - a crisp, forward leaning rhythm and a deep, subby bass lead the way, before another frazzled synthesiser takes us on a melodic walkabout. ‘black queen’ is another example of mayer’s slick drum programming, keeping things zesty on the dance floor but with acres of space to lose yourself in.

the 8th instalment of am records contains 4 percussive edits by afrobot, the grooves function as dj tools for various occasions.
-soca trance- will bring some extra heat on the dance floor, it s a heavily cut-up, rough electronic soca rhythm with fragments of looped steeldrum melody on top. -i m alive- is another latin banger, a piece of proto house with some lush vocals in the background and a synthesized tropical bird flying over. on the flip, kalao is an underground afro/french drum track with lots of flanged percussion, cheering black vocals and an elephant passing by. body & soul is the most discoish edit of all: a hypnotic groove with a killer baseline (and a flute sound) interrupted by an uplifting drumbreak.

acclaimed purveyors of magical (classic) world and soulful grooves, diephuis & jephte guillaume, release their colourful summer afro jam, baba m fa njika - featuring the electrifying voice of cameroon’s songbird, barbara gwanmesia. as you’d come to expect from this duo, baba m fa njika’ is a musical feast of earthy afro beats, hypnotic synths, infectious sax and rhythmic vocal chants, which, pirouetting around barbara’s magnetic croon, throbs with the love, hope and gratitude that the lyrics exude. there could be no better expression of positive power than that unleashed on this gem release from the prestigious shelter records.

djeuhdjoah & lieutenant nicholson is a french composers and afro-soul singer s duo. t es qui ? is their first album, fruit of an intense collaboration during many years, on stage and in studio. they call their music as -afropean songs-, a collection of jazzy-pop melodies, afro-soul and funk arrangements. they ll be back in november with a tremendous afro-jazz and funky album titled aimez ces airs. until then, they present -el nino-, an afro-funk gem about climate change, and -fontaine-, an afro hit with a great combination of analog take and electronic dancefloor ingredients. after massive support from national radios and prestigious djs such as gilles peterson, it could be the funky summer hit 2018! limited press on a deluxe vinyl designed by the artist felix.

reissue of balearic gem spanglish movement from little known band hot pepper! originally released as a private pressing in 1978 and featuring famous drummer jesus munoz tilico, a giant musician who appeared on countless recordings and accompanied famous figures like paul mauriat and carl tjader among many others. four superb long tracks including the cosmic underground club classic ritual song. hot pepper was a studio project created by mexican drummer / producer /arranger jesus munoz tilico who in the late 70s decided to record an album in a disco-funk vein, helped by some of his friends who were top session musicians. “spanglish movement” was the result, written and produced by “tilico”, released in 1978 as a tiny private edition housed in a fabulous afro cover. being tilico an enormous drummer, you can expect here lots of heavy drums, congas and percussion, surrounded by crazy space synths, male-female vocals, latin horns, afro touches and occasional fuzz guitar.

(180g vinyl- mini lp) south london producer ben hauke takes a sonic excursion to south america via lewisham for a new seven track release for far out recordings.while littered with afro-latin percussion, and samples of obscure brazilian, cuban and colombian records, only old stays true to ben’s distinctly london identity, with a record that fluctuates between house, broken beat and instrumental hip-hop.

just in time for summer, rnt drops a 3-tracker of tropical heat from brazilian outfit balako. although relative newcomers, their production prowess has been known to their rio de janeiro musical community and beyond for some time, and is on full display here. the a-side showcases their knack for modernizing the canonical brazilian mpb sound, from the deceptively demonic build of batuque, to the acidic-leaning lilt of deixa acontecer. the flip side takes a hard turn left of field with honey honey honey, a 9 minute opus of afro-brazilian disco insanity, primed for those balmy summertime roof parties.

legalize lambada step up for their 4th outing with four delectable afro disco edits from sputnik. ‘superlove see s sputnik channel a south-african take on early garage house before melting feeling fine , the reggae tinged, afro boogie gem. on the flip side, groove me unearths some feel good cameroonian disco gold complete with killer guitar solo, whilst rick closes out the e.p. dropping the tempo for a synth soul, slow jam. with early support from hunee, lexx and the likes, leg004 is shaping up to be one of the summers standouts.

harlem s legendary disco label queen constance has long been a cult favourite among fans of underground dance music for decades. one of many labels operating under the equally legendary p&p family of imprints queen constance was operated by one peter brown, a truly colossal figure in nyc s music scene, it s catalogue still fascinates music lovers to this day. covering a wide range of styles including gospel, early rap and disco the label s output continually finds it way into the playlists of respected dj s and selectors across the globe. licky & the dream lovers massive afro-disco groove african rock is the next in a fully licensed series of queen constance rarities to be repressed. licky seems to be yet another studio group put together by peter brown in order to explore different sounds and styles. this raucous piece of uptempo, blazing disco really does the business in the dance, a truly immense club record, which is not surprising considering brown is at the helm. ridiculous funk on this one. across 2 sides we are treated to 2 slightly different versions of the cut, both equally as good, you could literally put the needle on the record, let it spin and watch it do damage. this one is an essential, a truly sought after record that commands extremely high prices on the used market when it shows up, but rarity aside, it is an absolute bomb and deserves to be in any self-respecting disco jocks bag of tricks. this is a 100% legit reissue, made in conjunction with above board distribution and the demon music group, lovingly remastered with love by optimum mastering, bristol uk.

following fine scalpel-focused outings from ltj and les inferno, many of many aliases stefano de gama returns to samosa with a trio of subtly tooled-up disco edits. a-side -son of slave- sees him join together bits of soulful disco-era classics -slide- and -son of slide- to form a tasty new whole. while heavily compressed and noticeably chunkier than either of the original tracks, de gama s version is loose enough to please those who think edits should merely be dj-friendly re-arrangements. turn to the flipside for the lolloping, low-slung afro-funk goodness of -1972- and the throbbing peak-time disco celebration of filter-sporting closer -star buk-. this too boasts booming drums and bass, but also enough musical looseness to avoid the usual disco-house pitfalls.

finnitus 7-inch time! finnitus edits #3 is yet another serving of incredibly dodgy bargain bin tracks trimmed into submission and ready for the floor. side a s klabb & babb is a space disco heater, while side b s eroding in africa is your standard below-par bony m-esque afro flirt, made into something you can dance to.

over the course of the last decade, black pepper label boss jose manuel has proved to be one of electronic music s finest contemporary alchemists, conjuring percussive, intoxicating and otherworldly musical treats for such labels as tusk wax, kinfolk, kill the dj, optimo trax and music for dreams. the genius of manuel s productions lies in the italian s ability to conjure cracking cosmic compositions out of a diverse range of global rhythms, instruments and influences. rarely has this been more evident than on his debut release for nunorthernsoul, a four-track serving of dancefloor mysticism that puts mind-altering rhythms and saucer-eyed instrumentation front and centre. track, for example, the light and dreamy wrapped sumptuous balearic synthesizer chords and melodies around gentle hand percussion and drifting zambian vocals on the sublime journey in lusaka followed by the feverish, trance-inducing african rhythms, delay-laden chants, psychedelic acid lines and jangling jew s harp motifs of intense opener journey in lusanda , a ritualistic afro-cosmic onslaught ripe for peak-time plays. if the ep opener is all about being flat on your back and staring skywards, the follow up is all about druggy, heads down sweatiness! manuel s deep love of indian music is explored on journey in mumbai , where exotic sitar lines, fluttering clarinets and echoing, densely layered female vocals rise above a thick, tabla-fired groove. it s naturally hugely evocative and atmospheric - a fine dose of emotion-rich spirituality capable of inducing hallucinations in the straightest of listeners. to complete the ep, our hero travels even further east for journey in osaka , a fittingly percussive exploration of japanese music s past and present that also includes audible nods towards the poly-rhythmic drums of west africa. it s a superb combination of traditional instrumentation, 21st century electronics, heavyweight rhythms and mood-enhancing melodic flourishes. like the rest of the journeys in...ep, it s both hugely alluring and impeccably produced

after two incredible eps, wayne snow the nigerian-born, berlin-based vocalist and songwriter now presents his debut album on tartelet records. freedom tv is the natural sequel to the max graef produced tasters red runner (2014) and rosie (2015) a project marinated in afro-caribbean, soulful grooves and topped by waynes effortless falsetto acrobatics. as the title suggests, freedom tv is an album with themes of liberty, struggle and creative identity pumping through its veins. within ten tracks, snow fluently meanders between musical styles: from low-tempo soothers like album opener cooler and fall to the syncopated bruk of the rhythm and cosmic funk escapades found on nothing wrong. production comes from three varied and solid sources. the tag-team between snow and fellow berliner, max graef

british producer zepherin saint has always been a man with a fierce passion for quality-strewn, vocal heavy deep house. a thoroughly captivating affair throughout, butterflies sees the producer return to his tribe records imprint alongside regular vocal collaborator, miranda nicole. kicking off the release is the ‘tribe vocal mix’- full of hazy, fuzzy sounds that play out beautifully. a refined house cut, it’s made all the more mesmerising by nicole’s sultry vocal contribution. a perfect foil to zepherin saint’s beats, the coming together of both is truly a joy to behold. bolstering the latter is a live mix, as well as an instrumental version, named here as the tribestrumental offering. zepherin saint is a truly exciting artist and one whose stock continues to rise thanks to his infectious-sounding, afro-tinged house sound.

1 copy per customer!! everybody s favourite parisian party fiends are back, polishing up another batch of patchy pound bin finds and not-on-discogs delights for your next summer soirée. putting their orange-eagle eyes to good use, the lyo crew have trawled the crates of europe and beyond for this sunkissed set, working the scalpel to the max to pack the dancefloor in arms aloft ecstasy. our party starts with the kwaito groove of -avidiyo--, a killer bit of late 80 s afro-action boasting synth marimba, alien bass blasts and life affirming vocal chants. not only is this cut moving in the ants-in-your-pants/dancing-like-a-madman sense, but its sting-on-safari emotion and clarinet solo could bring a tear to a glass eye. cartwheeling between aspirational jazz-funk and afro-cosmic, yanga mbiwaa makes its way to the heart of the party like a bewildered parisian at an ivorian wedding. as tumbling toms rumble like thunder on the serengeti, an oddball exotica chant encourages the nearby wildlife to shake a tail-feather to the club tropicana guitars and buzzing synthbass. at last you have something to keep quantum jump s lone ranger company! last but not least comes autoradio , a very well mannered monsieur living the french highlife by the sea and sun of the mediterranean coast. effervescent afrobeat guitars and swooning sax dance over a rolling rhythm section of buoyant bass and 80s percussion, while a spoken vocal drawls in your direction and the girls ask if you re ok. it s only when the pinging, ringing, madly modulated bass breakdown bounds through your surroundings that you ll wonder who slipped what in your drink...

dj rou & lite orkestra proves to be one of those original, eclectic and interesting projects for the musical research of the current scene. they got to know each other in the summer of 2014 and a character affinity was born immediately, later transformed into a very strong artistic empathy, so much so that in the immediate future they decided to meet often between bologna and verona for jam sessions, sharing ideas. in the summer of 2017, cognitiva records, label runned by sofatalk, became aware of the project and decided without hesitating to press 1.2,3, original tracks of the release “the ambassador’s way ep”. the compositions are a combination of the electronic drums of dj rou (mpc, korg electribe and other gears), the contrabass and the guitar of lachi + thomaspizzini, better known as lite orkestra. the result is a hybrid exuberance between jazz, afro and the experimental flow that derives from the roots of the jam sessions

philippe cohen solal (of gotan project) celebrates the 50th anniversary of summer of love, covering one of its anthems “aquarius / let the sunshine in” of hair the musical which premiered on stage in october 1967. a complex but soothing modern reggae moombathon riddim carried by the ethereal harmonies of legendary jamaican reggae singer horace andy (massive attack, skylarking, ain’t no sunshine...) with a delivering coda sung by an empowering choir.
¡ya basta! records asked two legends of the underground scene, somewhat connected to the spirituality of the song, to remix this take. first with an afro house / deep-house take of the master of the genre @boddhi-satva, and jack of all trades, mashup virtuoso @jstar-1 (remixer of major lazer / dj vadim...) for a retro catchy drum n bass/uk bass remix. finally lazy flow and face-t deliver a dancehall filler of a remix.