b boy records was a significant player in the development of hip-hop in the 1980s, 180 g vinyl

late 80s dancehall anthems from r.zee jackson back on wax.

slamming hypnotic banger made by thomas melchior & stekke, vinyl only- limited to 500

jazz and soul influenced house music

electronic noise punk for the fake news generation - the debut album from hxxs.

obed ngobeni and his backing singers the kurhula sisters were among the originators of shangaan disco, a genre that helped shape south africas bubblegum sound of the 80s.

soundway delves deeper into south africas rich music legacy and influences with this great compilation from esa williams.

seam split - cover defekt - platte mint!

masaala is a new label exploring all things south asian. launched in 2019, the debut release sees a mix of edits by mancunian upstarts adesi and raheel khan

limited ed

pop music of south africa

ska & reggae from the vaults of federal records.

ep 04 is from orphan co-founder joey g ii...

south street disco presents phat disco house tunes by patrick adams

south african >the bees< 1988 album

disco styled cheesy female vocals

combo lulo returns to names you can trust for their sophomore single, digging deeper into the diversified sounds of the caribbean that helped define their debut. while the first single took a jamaican foundation south into the neighboring continent, fusing the sensibilities of rock steady with those of classic afro-latin orchestras, this single goes far east. inspired by the heady and sublime sounds of foundational ska mixed with east african influences, (think buster s islam, don d s addis ababa or further east), the sieve & the sand is a brand new composition within this natural order, albeit with the fortune of different reggae eras and studio styles to draw from. divided into two parts (but also available seamlessly as it was played in the studio), combo lulo s talented players move effortlessly from the galloping shuffle of ska into a deep and dark, roots radics-styled instrumental. its a lovely ode to the original styles of reggae, but also another impressive accomplishment that will surely leave listeners and new fans in anticipation of the shape of things to come for combo lulo.

the last poets’ 2018 album gets the dub treatment from prince fatty.

two essential treasures fitting of the first reissue on south street disco!

the 80s italo disco /proto-house classic ‘mbo theme’ by the mighty klein & mbo, repressed! comes with an heavy (and unheard) south african version on the flip. huge tip! the mbo theme (1983) has been a dance floor favorite since decades, created by mario boncaldo and tony carrasco - the legendary italian/us duo klein & mbo. the track got support in nyc and chicago by greats as larry levan, frankie knuckles and ron hardy.
the rare version on the flip is created by a south-african band called warrior. rush hour explain how they came across the track: “we bumped into this version on a south african record digging trip. it took us a few months to realize the scarcity of this version. ian osrin, a well respected engineer in south-africa who was involved in many 80ties and 90ties bubblegum, kwaito and south african disco records, explained us about music distribution in south africa during apartheid.

joe farr on slam again, with remix support coming from ansome and danilo incorvaia. repress in stickered generic sleeve.

south london producer, dj and label boss seb wildblood announces ep grab the wheel

love makes the world go around. “two”, the second album by the soul session, is full of love. ralph kiefer, multi-instrumentalist, composer, arranger and producer from south germany embarks on a stylistically diverse journey into soul, jazz, funk and world music. being a highly respected session musician in the jazz as well as the crossover scene, kiefer made a serious impact in 2011 with “one”, the first soul session album. “one” was built on a solid backbeat of soul, hip hop and funk, while “two” now takes a step further into a spiritual and eclectic dimension. “quantraversa” featuring the voice of las vegas based neo-soul queen georgia anne muldrow is the mind- blowing opener of this album, a truly deep and intense rhythmic statement. quantraversa is a word which you will not find in any dictionary, but that is not the point, says ralph kiefer. “this album is a journey to the inner self. the recording process was like meditation. i often started with a loop, or an idea for a melody. it evolved from there and i simply let it happen. when i involved the lyricists and vocalists, my drafts sometimes took a completely different paths and ended in something unexpected and beautifully new.” the double vinyl is housed in a gatefold sleeve with download code included.

opia002 coming in thick and fast. four tracks. two artists. leading the way is steve marie, coming through with a refined combination of euphoria with a definite rave tinge. opiace is a pacey number from the off, with a bassline that creeps in and just keeps on coming back to get you. a dark and mysterious affair in yvar , driven and punchy, laced with peculiar voices.

after releasing abe security systems on the previous release, luis malon returns, this time with two tracks which take up the whole of the b side. a constant progression of obscurity and curious sounds from the south american artist in maybe forever baby . rounding off the ep is astrosonik , broken drums lead you to a place of otherworldly atmospheres, absorbing you in the trip. acquired grooves intelligently arranged by the young talent.

canadian duo mdd make their slam debut following on from their first release in 2018 on and imprint inner surface. unforgiving, dark and distorted techno at its best. somber vocals and murky atmospheres create a wicked tension throughout the ep. manni dee also features for the first time on slam and gives his contribution by remixing opal fall into a driving dance floor stomper.

the strictly rhythm imprint is legendary and is instantly recognisable by connoisseurs worldwide. it s a label that has contributed time and time again to dance music culture across it s almost 30 year lifespan. countless classics passed through the nyc offices of mark finkelstein and gladys pizarro and this brand new strictly classics series looks to celebrate this cornerstone dance label and it s immense catalogue by going back to the archives and presenting some double-header action for diehard fans and newcomers alike. that s right, the proper mixes, reissued from source and remastered to the highest spec, each track spread across one side of a 12- for optimal sonic playback. number 3 in the series kicks off on a proper old-school tip with cls mammoth can you feel it from 1991, a collaboration between todd terry and benji candelerio cls made a huge and lasting impression with this euphoric and anthemic slab of dancefloor madness. instantly recognisable from it s ravey riff and funky drum programming, file this one under rave classic ! over on the flip side we have south street player s smoothed out (who) keeps changing your mind? , a rolling and deep jam from roland clark and george morel that came out in 1993. this one s some lights down, honest to god soulful house music, skipping garage drums and that organ driven groove offer the perfect vehicle for clark s gorgeous vox to soar over. yet another set of absolutely essential sr cuts from the archive! remastered with love by optimum mastering, bristol from original master sources. made in conjunction with strictly rhythm 2018.

we could say that with this sixth studio album anthony joseph is back to his roots. indeed, it was recorded on his native island of trinidad. but it is more of a continuation, of a culmination. as the caribbean music has strongly infused the music of anthony since its inception. this album entitled people of the sun is a tribute to port of spain (pos), this bubbling port, meeting place of many cultures and a door open on south america. this energy is found throughout the album with many stars of the island (3 channel, brother resistance, ella andal, boogsie the king of steel pan) and pays tribute to rapso, a mixture of protest poetry and soca / calypso created in the 80’s. as always the verb remains in the spotlight with anthony joseph.

lowrider soul heads for a south-of-the-border surf date on these two sizzling originals from alba & the mighty lions. a perfect soundtrack for cruising with the bad girls in a drop-top or soothing a late night heartbreak, la verdad and -esperando- are your tough, no-nonsense friend with a heart of gold who always has your back. soulful vocals paint a mood while the bands nimble arrangements follow every move. alba ponce de león is a multi-talented artist who cut her teeth in the swirling scene of brooklyns indie underground, backing up daptone acts charles bradley & naomi shelton as well as playing a major role in the fearsome feminist freedom fighters, the resistance revival chorus.

ce ce rogers spine tingling, seminal hit someday gets a much-welcomed official remastered, reissue 31 years after it first took the scene by storm. produced by chicagos master, marshall jefferson, every element is unmistakable from the dynamic bass and sweeping flutes that set the scene for that instantly recognisable piano riff, to the raw soulful beauty of rogers vocals. someday is a record that truly captures the euphoric, loving nature of the early house music scene epitomising a timeless spirit and hope for future harmony within society. often cited as one of the greatest dance records of all time, it s influence is clear to be seen from the sheer number of covers and records that have since sampled it. an indisputable masterpiece, complete with dub mix and accainstrumental versions, this is an essential 12inch for any record collector out there house head or not.

bill browns super rare brownstone release is one for the deep heads, less well known than label mate everyday people but just as rare and collectable. shuffling sunshine soul its all about the groove and feeling. 500 copies only. one for the heads. bill brown and al hall jr met around 1971, they were both in south central l.a and shared the same apartment building, also in the same building was doug carn and brownstone singer billy wilson. these studio sessions were done at paramount studios hollywood where al hall jr was working for producer art smith a&c music. the main distributor for a&c was accent records.

south london label and party series troy town is proud to present the first release in 3 years from warren brown aka wbeeza, insanely talented south london producer and 1st generation pioneer of what has become affectionately known in dance music as the peckham sound . djs, producers and musicians such as henry wu, bradley zero and chaos in the cbd have added to the wealth of a deeply musical community but it was the likes of brown and another se15 local, el-prevost, who first put the area on the dance music map. although he s resistant to using the word house too often about his music, the swing nods to detroit and chicago while the links to friends and collaborators, delano smith, mike agent x clark and scott grooves are clear. progressing through a musical heritage that has seen him produce across grime, hip-hop, drum n bass and techno but it s his signature low slung, heavy-on-groove and atmosphere productions that have garnered the respect of peers and critics whilst his popular and energetic live sets have seen him tour extensively around the world for the past 8 years. this 3-track ep covers a variety of moods and situations. opening with the od, a heady march to peak time on the dancefloor which has featured heavily in live sets over the last 2 years. the bassline bubbles tantalisingly as it edges through a kinetic, digital riff that sticks with you long after the lights go up. grove park is so low slung that the snare sounds like it might fall out of sync at any moment while the lead synth leads you on a drunk walk home, at times holding it s line before stumbling over a pitch bend and veering to find its balance. bizzle boogie is equal parts gritty, midwest-influenced bounce track and shimmering eyes closed rave moments.

breakthrough release for young south african artist mbulelo. the ep contains 4 fresh cuts merging techno with african coded rhythms. the title track robotic people is a banger.

this 3 track ep from the legendary lee perry brings together new and unreleased tracks recorded at mad professor s ariwa studio in south london. the ep kicks of with this is the upsetter, which sees lee chanting and philosophising over a rollicking bass, underpinned by understated guitar and perfectly placed hats, and continues to the straight up dub, lion share dub . and on the flipside is the title track, game of the throne , with brass section and backing vocals belting out soul fire, with lee offering his words to selassie. mastered by the legendary noel summerville, artwork by henry dubroot alderson and g.s-l studio.

the 4th studio album from florence + the machine.

off the back of the recent gumba fire compilation, soundway selects more sure-fire disco burners: a 4-track, dancefloor-orientated ep drawing from the heads label out of south africa.

the next episode in the aquarian motion epic!

following her 1959 appearance in the anti-apartheid film come back, africa south african native miriam makeba vaulted into the international spotlight, fell under the tutelage of harry belafonte, and moved to new york city in 1960 where she immediately became a massive recording sensation. this lp collects some of that brilliant early material that launched her career and made her one of the most beloved voices of the 20th century. all tracks recorded 1957 - 1962.

the chisa years: 1965–1975 (rare and unreleased) is a compilation album by south african jazz trumpeter hugh masekela. the album consists of 14 rare or forgotten tracks recorded by stewart levine and hugh masekela from 1965 to 1975 when they ran their own chisa records label. thom jurek of allmusic wrote “in sum, there isn’t a weak moment on this entire collection. it’s appeal is wide and deep and one can only hope this is the first of many volumes of this material to appear. bbe records has done a stellar job in making this slab available.” dan nishimoto of the prefix magazine stated “the compilation focuses on masekela’s original idea of “african american music.” from the early experiments of the zulus (a group featuring m’bulu) in mixing doo-wop, rhythm & blues and south african gospel and the mbaqanga/”grazing in the grass”-style work of the generically named johannesburg street band to the clearly fela-influenced ojah (masekela’s band in the mid-’70s, consisting of players from ghana and nigeria) and the readyfor-primetime belting of m’bulu, each track reveals a multi-pronged effort to find and challenge the notion(s) of how african and american cultural forms could interact.”

originally released in ‘06/’07 as the appetizer to only built 4 cuban linx ii, the vatican mixtape series consists of a vast collection of unreleased tracks, wu & solo classics (“shame on a ni**a”, “diesel”, “ghetto boy”, & “yae-yo”), as well as some of rae’s best guest work through the years (“the heist”, “brown paper bag”, & “bump bump”). volume 1 features verses from busta rhymes, roc marciano, nas, & several wu-tang brethren including rza, ghostface killah, method man, & ol’ dirty bastard. special guest production contributed by large professor, pete rock, madlib & scram jones. tying everything together is dj riddler, who weaves several skits & blends throughout, giving it that official mixtape sound. this 2xlp is the first time this volume and series gets pressed to wax, and features completely new artwork for a fresh look.

this is maurice fulton at his best! the much sought-after remix of alice smiths love endeavor now lovingly reissued on 12inch, complete with the instrumental mix. the a side sees fulton elevate the original from summertime neo soul jam, into a chuggy dancefloor masterpiece. reimagining the killer bassline, stripping back the elements and teasing the vocal until the full force of alices voice is let loose in one of the best breakdowns around. the flip side houses the instrumental remix giving you the choice to let fultons craftsmanship shine without the vocal. either way this record is guaranteed to whip any crowd into a frenzy!

limited edition of 300 on transparent pink 180 gram vinyl, 100 copies numbered for rsd. karen willems returns under the moniker inwolves with perhaps her most ambitious record to this date. color in the zoo is a playful album, masterfully composed, wrapped in dreamy sound waves and repetitive rhythm patterns, but the tone became somewhat lighter. it literally bridges the gap between north and south as nils gröndahl and barkin engin, among others are guests on the record. expect a colorful sound palette, with outlandish sounds, that all cohesively click together in an utterly engaging aural trip around the world.

limitierte edition auf gelbem doppel-vinyl. nach einem „beat-tape“, einer von den kritikern gelobter ep und unzähligen ausverkauften shows vor begeisterten fans erscheint mit „geography“ nun endlich das debut-album des nachwuchs-talents auf dessen eigenem label „beyond the groove“ und wartet mit gastbeiträgen von weiteren loyle carner, poppy ajudha, de la soul und goldlink auf. blue-eyed-soul für freunde von mayer hawthorne oder jordan rakei.

standard edition auf schwarzem doppel-vinyl. nach einem „beat-tape“, einer von den kritikern gelobter ep und unzähligen ausverkauften shows vor begeisterten fans erscheint mit „geography“ nun endlich das debut-album des nachwuchs-talents auf dessen eigenem label „beyond the groove“ und wartet mit gastbeiträgen von weiteren loyle carner, poppy ajudha, de la soul und goldlink auf. blue-eyed-soul für freunde von mayer hawthorne oder jordan rakei.

gqom oh! records presents “the originators”, a five track ep respresenting the past, the present and the future of gqom - the thunderous club sound from durban, south africa. the vinyl ep includes a download code with 4 additional tracks.

kwaito 12 inch featuring two forgotten bass-heavy cuts from south africa in the early 90s. vanonyana lava by volcano is a sought after tune right now (so difficult to get an original copy!) while the beat gangsters are a new introduction (to us) from okapis vaults. tip! hot on the heels the labels debut release burnin beat, johannesburg-based afrosynth records second release is a 12inch of two bass-heavy cuts of obscure 90s kwaito from south africa.

rolling through to our sub-label, textasy explores the midwest electro axis, with a club ready two tracker of new wave techno bass (featuring dj dijital) and busted sleaze bag jungle.

soundway releases new compilation of rare 1980s south african ‘bubblegum’ & boogie
in 1980s black south africa a local form of pop music evolved as the disco boom died down and slowly mutated. it was often ubiquitously described as bubblegum - usually stripped-down and lo-fi with a predominance of synths, keyboards and drum-machines and overlaid with the kind of deeply soulful trademark vocals and harmonies that south african music is famous for. compilers miles cleret (soundway) and dj okapi (afrosynth records) present a selection of 18 rare, handpicked 1980s cuts that highlight the period that nestles in between the ‘70s (where american-influenced jazz, funk and soul bumped shoulders with local mbaqanga) and the ‘90s when kwaito and eventually house-music ruled the dancefloors of urban south africa.

detroits norm talley kicks off new south london based vinyl only label out the box, hot off the heels of his critically acclaimed debut album >norm-a-lize< on omar s fxhe records.