Search:brothers of soul

A colossus of the funk & soul world, Adam Gibbons (aka Lack of Afro) has been releasing music for 15 years and continues to go from strength to strength. Previously signed to Freestyle Records in London and running his own label The Bastion Music Group since 2015, he has been responsible for some of the genre’s most important releases, not least his debut album Press On described by iDJ as “one of the most important albums of the modern funk era” and more recently given ‘classic’ status by Future Music Magazine.

An accomplished multi-instrumentalist, producer, DJ and composer, his music has won worldwide critical acclaim and to date has gained 115 million streams on Spotify. It has been featured on films, TV shows and adverts all over the globe, on networks including HBO, ABC, Sony Pictures, BBC, ITV, Sky TV, Fox Pictures & Warner Brothers Television, and used in multi million ad campaigns by the likes of Google, Spotify, Miller Lite and Adidas.

As a DJ and live performer, he has performed in over 20 countries worldwide and undertaken countless live sessions for radio and TV including two for the BBC at the highly revered Maida Vale Studios.

To date, he has released seven albums under the Lack of Afro moniker (most recently I’m Here Now in 2020), three as The Unity Sextet, one under LUSTRE, one under his own name, an EP with Herbal T as The Damn Straights, albums for other artists, music for several TV shows and over 60 remixes. He has also produced 13 award winning, sample packs for Loopmasters.

Rance Allen, from Monroe Michigan, with older brother Tom on drums and younger brother Steve on bass recorded their first record and won a talent contest in Detroit and were subsequently signed to Stax's Gospel Truth label in 1971. After four albums Rance signed to Capitol and made his most highly acclaimed album 'Say My Friend'. It was produced by the Mizell Brothers (responsible for iconic albums on Donald Byrd, Bobbi Humphrey, Gary Bartz and Johnny Hammond). 'Reason To Survive' and 'Peace Of Mind' were the two singles, and both these 7' versions have been impossible to find. Original copies are expensive and extremely sought after. Expansion can now deliver both A sides back to back remastered from the original tapes in all their glory. The full album is available on CD from Soul Brother Records.

With a career spanning more than eight decades, The Isley Brothers have one of the longest, most influential and most diverse careers in popular music. The group began in 1954 as an American family music group originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, which began as a vocal trio consisting of brothers O’Kelly Isley Jr., Rudolph Isley and Ronald Isley. The Isley Brothers have sold over 18 million records in the United States alone.

Go For Your Guns is the fifteenth album by The Isley Brothers. Originally released in mid-April 1977, the album peaked a month later at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Soul chart, and at No. 6 on the Billboard 200. The album Includes “Footsteps In The Dark” as sampled by hip hop artist Ice Cube for his hit “It Was A Good Day”. The song peaked at No. 7 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and No. 25 on the 1993
Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.

Go For Your Guns is available as a limited edition of 1500 individually numbered copies on red coloured vinyl, is housed in a gatefold sleeve and includes an insert.

Breezy instrumental soul from California's The Ironsides. Featuring members of Monophonics, 'Changing Light' is a cinematic and orchestral track that is uber-pleasing to the ears. The B-Side, "Sommer" is a cover of an obscure 1973 song by Stig & Steen, but the mood seems very modern with the help of some excellent production by brothers Max and Joe Ramey. FOR FANS OF.. Menahan Street Band, The Budos Band, Antibalas, El Michels Affair, Ikebe Shakedown

** SISTER FUNK, SOUL-JAZZ and BLUE-EYED-SOUL - OBSCURE RARE GROOVES ALL THE WAY THRU! **

- the double vinyl LP comes with a full album download code
- deluxe double-gatefold LP with detailed liner notes & unseen photographs
- ALL songs appear on LP & digital for the very first-time
- sales notes by Joel Ricci (aka Lucky Brown)

When Tramp Records was founded, there really were very few ways in which the music lover could discover new music besides the traditional methods of digging, good luck, and inheritance. First there were torrent sites such as Napster and Limewire where generous collectors might digitize and upload portions of their accessions, and sometimes you could find entire radio show broadcasts of live vinyl curation made by real Disc Jockeys out there, a lot of the Deep Funk I heard for the first time in around 1999 I found this way via Disc Jockeys on radio shows from the UK, tunes were faded and mixed together and of course veiled with that unmistakable Mp3 'whoosh'. And unless you have been living as an off-grid hermit for the past 20 years, you know the rest of the story.

But though our world has changed, and even though everyone from our grandparents to our 5-year old nieces are curating their own internet playlists, I submit that the role of DJ has become even more vital, not less. We as a culture have always relied on our Disc Jockeys to introduce us to sounds that speak to their souls, to control the vibe and most importantly put forth the narrative that speaks to society as a whole. DJs are our tribal storytellers, and the music they bring us are the stories. And when a DJ like Tobias Kirmayer is telling us that story clearly and with conviction, it speaks to our souls as well.

"Countdown to...SOUL" is a compilation series that, much like Tramp Records' other critically-acclaimed comps such as Movements, Feeling Nice, and the Praise Poems Series' examines a unique facet of the Golden Era of Soul, Funk, Jazz and R&B. Perhaps, in this case the dawning of the Soul era, "proto-soul", "primitive soul", or even "pre-soul" if you will. When they were recorded, many of these tunes were still firmly ensconced in the Black Radical Jazz tradition, but there was a change in the air, something happening in the coming years that would revolutionize popular music forever. In fact, Soul had already taken over the world by the time many of these tunes were released on 45, but for various reasons, the artists and their music occupied the fringes of the idiom and therefore remained obscure. Countdown to...SOUL chronicles that beginning, that buildup, those heady moments before the lid blew off and American Black music would explode across the planet, while scouring the outskirts and tide pools for specimens that were emanating in their own respective neighborhoods and communities, so often overlooked by the American pop music machine.

Side A features barrier-breaking pioneer Frankie Staton and her message of "Love One Another" to the world that is as fresh and vital today as it was when it first came out in the late seventies. In that spirit, Tenison Stevens' appeal "Don't Rip Me Off" reminds us to treat each other as brothers and sisters.

Side B meets us at the altar of the formidable Hammond Organ with an Unknown and uncredited Organist found languishing on a one-of-a-kind unreleased acetate and moving on to explore the nexus of Soul, Bebop, and R&B with Don Patterson's "Paddy Wagon".

Side C satisfies our hunger for the blaring horn sections, big beat drums, wailing Hammonds, pleading vocals and gritty guitars of authentic Soul music (both brown and blue-eyed) with Marva Josie, Shirley Wahls and The Echomen, among others, but then takes a hard left turn into undoubtedly uncharted territory with the hybrid folk/country/soul story of Sherrif Black and poor Sally who, though she is tragically met with a terrible fate, thanks to the careful and conscientious mastering of our German engineers, the song itself remains alive and is a genuine addition to the canon.

For the remaining side, I'm gonna just let you discover this music on its own terms, as you won't find these tunes anywhere else, not on Napster, not even on Limewire, or anywhere else. I want to personally thank you for putting your trust in the DJ and for continuing to listen, study, appreciate, and share the work and mission of Tramp Records.

-Joel Ricci (May 2022)

Repress in soon. For the third installment of his PeteStrumentals series, producer Pete Rock takes a departure from the sample-heavy style that has earned him recognition as a living Hip-Hop legend. This twelve-track project is instead a collection of beats crafted by the producer, then reimagined by his stellar band, The Soul Brothers - drummer Daru Jones (Jack White), keyboardist BigYuki, bassist MonoNeon (Prince), guitarist Marcus Machado and vocalist Jermaine Holmes (D'Angelo); all critically acclaimed musicians in their own rights. After performing together across Manhattan, cementing their creative bond, Pete Rock & The Soul Brothers combined their individual musical influences and experiences to craft a smooth sonic experience that is truly the sum of all of its stylistic and instrumental parts. PeteStrumentals 3 is a masterful blend of Funk, Jazz, Hip-Hop and Soul, a mellow soundtrack for any occasion.

Psychedelic Funk: this is the musical mood of the new Sexopolis. For those who enjoyed in the 70s or those who jus discover them today, will find in this last release internationa and very rare historical songs shuch as “Flute Salad” from JuPar Universal Orchestra, “Misty Purple” by Rolf Kühn, “Dove” by Cymande, and also some Italian gem
such as “Fall out” by The Braen's Machine (Alessandro Alessandroni ), “Nebbie misteriose” by Ugo Busoni.

16 tracks, 80 minutes of a music journey between the mystic and psychedelic, funk and afrofuturism, as always original versions gently remastered, and pressed on limited light blue splattered double vinyl.

San Francisco band touches upon black metal, blues, ambient and more. Of all things, it’s laughter that pervades Mamaleek’s Diner Coffee, the San Francisco metal deconstructionists’ sonically crushing ode to the humor found within catastrophe, American diners, and “the little things.” Featuring a mix of live performances, samples, and field recordings, Diner Coffee laughs through its harsh songs in an attempt to reflect the camaraderie found at the heart of global calamities and changing personal situations. It’s an homage to the quotidian set to the backdrop of the mythologized, sanctuary-like properties of a diner, reveling in irony-less nostalgia. Mamaleek embodies this ethos on and off the record. Originally two anonymous brothers, the past few years have seen Mamaleek adding members and venturing into live performance. Diner Coffee, following in the footsteps of 2020’s Come & See, features new, unfamiliar, unknown voices—including expanded experiments with horns, woodwinds, and strings and a Bay Area-local blues harmonica player who improvised recorded selections during practices. The resulting tracks touch on signifiers from black metal, blues, ambient, and more. Diner Coffee simultaneously represents the band’s artistic progression and the state of the world. Taking a surprisingly optimistic perspective, Mamaleek once again puts forward a project of left-field, wholly unique compositions, eluding easy categorization and furthering their abstraction of genre. “The group cloaks its music in the kind of warm, hypnotic distortion that defines shoegaze, and underneath that haze is a style that’s conceptually abrasive yet altogether beautiful.” Forbes //

Tracklist 1 Libations to Sacred Clowns 2 Boiler Room 3 Badtimers 4 Save Your Poor Wicked Soul 5 Grief and a Headhunter's Rage 6 Wharf Rats in the Moonlight 7 Diner Coffee

The iconic first album of the finest instrumental soul group from Stax Records including the " Green Onions " Anthem ! Originals Versions Remastered

It’s time to testify, brothers & sisters and it’s about time. It’s so about time to put this gem out on vinyl. Properly! It was released twice on small editions before, but – no offense – they both sounded terrible. Now the tapes been re-mastered by Jürgen Hendlmeier and put right on wax, brand new artwork included. In our eyes this is one of the best and most powerful and pure garage rock albums ever. You have to hear it to know what I’m talkin about. GET DOWN – OR GET OUT! …and listen to a fine collection of soulful, rocking collection of raw songs that make you move(, unless you’re dead). With this album the Sideburns became the Finnish leaders of the new wave of Scandinavian Rock’n’Roll (along with the Hellacopters from Sweden, Gleucifer & Turbonegro [both from Norway]). The Hellacopters covered „Ungrounded Confusion“ from this album! This collection of songs is well inspired by bands such as the Sonics or the Wailers. And in the 90s and early 2000s more than ever before, bands everywhere are claiming the MC5 as their primary influence. Most bands, however, don't really get the sound right, or somehow lose the spirit of the music in a '70s rock haze. What makes the Flaming Sideburns feel authentic is that they understand the grooves that make this type of music work, and there's a ton of real enthusiasm behind it all. Songs like "Testify" are obviously inspired by Tyner and Co. but have a fresh energy that makes this old sound worth listening to. The mid-fi production also keeps the music sounding exciting and hot, without getting too heavy. They reach back a little in time to the mid-'60s with covers of the Wailers' "Out Of Our Tree" and the Electras' "Action Woman." Also super rocking is the wild "Jaguar Girls" and the spasm inspiring "Rock N Roll Boogaloo." If you like Detroit-style rock'n'roll with an unpretentious '60s edge to it, the Flaming Sideburns are for you. Track listing: La Bruta; Crashing Down; Close To Disaster; Rock n’ Roll Boogaloo; Testify; Out Of Our Tree; The Witch; Jaguar Girls; Ungrounded Confusion; You Weren’t Using Your Head; Women; Sailin’ Thru Cloud Nine; Sugar Ain’t That Sweet; Action Woman

This is the third set in our Soul Slabs sets, which compiles tracks from our diverse 45 releases showcasing artists big and small. It's a great way for folks to discover some of our lesser known artists or just discover our label's sound. Record shops have previously described our compilations as their RSD soundtrack! Our previous compilations have always sold out the day of (nearly) and maintained demand even upon the black vinyl represses.

Unique and much lauded classic soulful blues-rock band XANDER AND THE PEACE PIRATES will release their hotly anticipated new album Order Out Of Chaos on 6th May. This is preceded by their explosive single “Leave The Light On” released 4th March with an amazing video giving a tantalising taster for the main course of songs to be unleashed on their upcoming album. Order Out Of Chaos is replete with heart-warming songs with soul-searching meanings. There’s also a tumultuous sea of sounds to be discovered on Leave The Light On that will send shockwaves through the ears of connoisseurs of classic rock music. And creating musical shockwaves is something that Xander And The Peace Pirates specialise in ever since brothers Keith and Stu Xander were discovered on YouTube by former Gibson Brands CEO Henry Juszkiewicz and quickly grabbed the attention of music industry figures such as Eddie Kramer (Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, Kiss, Rolling Stones) and Rick Allen (Def Leppard). After their 5-year tenure as the resident band at Liverpool’s iconic Cavern Club, they went on to support the likes of Joe Bonamassa, Joe Satriani, Manfred Mann’s Earth Band, The Temperance Movement, ex-Whitesnake’s Bernie Marsden and even Bon Jovi at Old Trafford Stadium to name but a few.

Slyder Smith first swaggered onto the stage as lead guitarist with glam-tinged power popsters, Last Great Dreamers. After releasing four studio albums and one live album on Ray Records & having toured extensively throughout the UK & Europe with LGD, Slyder now takes centre stage leading Slyder Smith & The Oblivion Kids (Tim Emery, Bass and Rik Pratt, Drums) in an honest outpouring of grit, glamour and emotion. Stepping out of the shadows and into the spotlight, the self-confessed ‘frustrated lead singer’ has been forced to delve deep into his own psyche, to carefully craft lyrics and melodies that speak from the heart. Slyder’s emotive vocals are powerful, yet melancholic, the perfect balance of light and shade sitting effortlessly within the sonic landscape of his varied rhythm guitar sounds and highly melodic & anthemic lead lines. “This album has been a real labour of love for me, I’ve really put my heart & soul into it. Over the last year or so I’ve been working very hard developing my guitar playing, music & lyric writing pulling myself in all sorts of directions, really stretching myself. I feel I have accomplished what I set out to do, create songs from the heart in no specific genre & perform them to the best of my ability on the record. I guess for years I have been a frustrated lead singer so I have relished the opportunity to showcase what I can do vocally too.” – Slyder Smith - Stage left, Slyder is joined by Tim Emery, a towering enigma, whose stylish bass lines are the only thing to outshine his impeccable apparel and at the back sits the Oblivion Kids’ powerhouse and beat master, Welshman, Rik Pratt. A man of few words but whose presence is palpable in this rock steady rhythm section. But this is no ordinary guitar-based rock album; together with producer Pete Brown (George Harrison, Siouxsie & the Banshees, Marc Almond, The Smiths and Sam Brown), Slyder has allowed the songs to dictate the direction they have gone in; discovering melodies and hook lines along the way. Making use of Hammond organ and piano with the help of Neil Scully (Richard Davies & the Dissidents), a 1950s Phillicord organ, lap steel guitar & even a bit of banjo. A chocolate box of sonic sensations offering up a little something for everyone - from heavy riffage with walloping drums akin to the brothers Young to the anticipated sleaze rock shades of Hanoi Rocks. However, this band is not afraid to step away from their rock roots, instead, with nods to the likes of The Doors, Velvet Underground, The Stranglers and The Kinks from the past and the alternative rock sound of Manic Street Preachers, The Oblivion Kids have reimagined an 80s synth pop classic and mastered singalong pop, gothic, dark Americana, and dare I say it, funk rock?! There are a few firsts for Slyder on here too in the form of an instrumental track with a western feel and to a duet featuring the ethereal vocals of Nina Courson (Healthy Junkies). The result is an idiosyncratic 14 track album of outstanding versatility. A Charming debut, I’m sure you’ll agree.

Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings have developed an international reputation as the #1 group on today’s soul scene. Soul Time! is an exploration of the full range of their dynamic sound through twelve songs handpicked by the Daptone Records gang, each one a precious exclusive.

The needle drops on Genuine Pts. 1 & 2, a supercharged funk arrangement that evokes the late Godfather not only with the spirited syncopation of the Dap-Kings rhythms, but also with the raw power of Jones’ voice. It is performances such as these that have earned her the moniker “the Female James Brown.” Though it has long been one of their best-selling singles, it makes it’s album debut here. Longer and Stronger, written for her 50th birthday, is a deep mid-tempo soul celebration of the strength and determination with which Sharon Jones has earned her long overdue success. It is heard here for the first time, but will undoubtedly join other Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings songs in the canon of great soul music. The theme of empowerment pushes on through “He Said I Can”, an energetic stomper belted over an arrangement reminiscent of the Isley Brothers early-seventies heyday, and “I’m Not Gonna Cry” brings us back to the raw funk intensity of Genuine with a squealing tenor solo and a fiery vocal. Side one wraps with a scorching studio performance of “When I Come Home”, long a highlight of the band’s live show but rearing its head on album here for the first time as well.

“What If We All Stopped Paying Taxes?” kicks the second side off with a bang. A strong anti-war message pours over a revolutionary mid-tempo groove, accentuated by the conga work of the legendary Johnny Griggs of JB’s fame, while Settling In is a greasy rhythm and blues grinder. And who says Christmas can’t be soulful? Jones et al. make it so over their sought after holiday exclusive, “Ain’t No Chimneys in the Projects.” Next is an energetic romp into Motown intensity with “New Shoes”, a walking-out-the door belter that picks up where These Boots Were Made For Walking left off. Without A Trace shows yet another dimension of the band, stretching a dreamy mid-tempo groove down the road to Memphis and back. The record winds up with a deep laid back cover of Shuggie Otis’ psychedelic soul jam “Inspiration Information.” From the first note to the last, Soul Time! confirms this band’s place at the head of the table as the world’s greatest funk and soul showband. Whether you’re a lifetime fan, or just getting turned on, Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings’ have yet again made a record that will blow your mind. Get ready world, because It’s Soul Time!

Limited edition 300 copies. Sababa 5’s debut single features the talented Japanese singer and belly dancer Yurika. The two songs - Crossroad of Love (Ai no Kousaten) and Blue Universe (Aoi Sekai) – blend Yurika's dreamy vocals and texts with the band's 70's sensibility and Israeli soul music. As the band plays a mediterranean groove of both Israeli and Arabic origins, Yurika's Japanese lyrics float effortlessly on top. Sababa 5 and Yurika met in the summer of 2017, when Yurika was in Israel for an internship at the Orly Portal Dance Company. Yurika, performing at the time as a belly dancer with Boom Pam and Ouzo Bazooka, wrote lyrics in Japanese for two melodies composed by Sababa 5 guitarist Ilan Smilan. Both songs on the single are love songs, love that is both personal and universal. The combination of lyrics in Japanese, Yurika's gossamer vocals influenced by the Kayokyoku style and the Israeli sound of Sababa 5 creates a unique and interesting sound. Yurika (vocals), Ilan Smilan (guitar), Amir Sadot (bass) In the recording Lior Romano (keyboards) and Assan (drums).

ABOUT SABABA 5 Sababa 5 was formed in 2016 by Amir Sadot and Ilan Smilan, both members of TIGRIS band and the Hoodna Orchestra. The four members of Sababa 5 are already well known for their work with some of Tel Aviv's top artists/vocalists such as Gili Yalo, Liraz Cherchi, Sari and Reno, Ester Rada and Kutiman - to name but a few. With influences that range from Wrecking Crew and The Funk Brothers recordings from the 60's, to analog Middle Eastern music from the 70's, the sound of the band constantly evolves around different genres and rhythms. Yet, in its core, Sababa 5 remains very much a groove-centric band. The main source of inspiration for the band are "lehakot ketzev" (beat groups) from Israel that played innovative combinations of psychedelic rock mixed with Mediterranean Arab music during the 60’s and 70's. The fusion of East and West, along with the new spirit brought by the band members, creates a unique mix of styles that comes together into a new and original work. The band is currently working on a new instrumental album alongside the production of new songs for local singers. ABOUT YURIKA Born in the Chiba district on the eastern outskirts of Tokyo, Yurika began her journey towards belly dancing at the tender age of five, taking up lessons in jazz dance. After high-school, she applied for belly dancing lessons almost by chance - yet as she quickly fell in love with the music and the nature of the movements, Yurika knew this is what she was meant to do. Before long, Yurika began traveling around the Middle East, learning belly dancing in different cities and countries like Egypt, Morocco and Turkey. Whilst in Turkey, she met the famous Istanbul-New York based female darbuka player Raquy Danziger - who later invited her to perform in Israel. Once in Israel, Yurika began studying with Orly Portal, a master of contemporary folklore dance. After finishing her studies with Orly, Yurika remained in Tel Aviv and joined bands like Boom Pam and Ouzo Bazooka as a dancer. In her work with Sababa 5, Yurika is featured as a vocalist for the first time.

The third release from Night Dreamer’s essential “Direct-to-Disc” sessions sees an incredible meeting between legendary US saxophonist Gary Bartz and leading UK spiritual jazz ensemble, Maisha, featuring two Bartz classics and three brand new joint songs written by both Bartz & Maisha in close collaboration.

Having cut his teeth playing with the likes of Charles Mingus, Max Roach, Art Blakey and finally in 1970, Miles Davis at the peak of his electric period, Gary Bartz became a leading figure of the early-to-mid 70s spiritual jazz movement, releasing a string of ground-breaking albums on legendary NYC jazz label Prestige Records with his NTU Troop, featuring classics such as “Celestial Blues”, “Uhuru Dance” and “I’ve Known Rivers”, before collaborating on Blue Note Records with the Mizell Brothers on the anthemic jazz funk of “Music Is My Sanctuary”. An oeuvre much loved by soul jazzers and hip hop fans alike.

Led by drummer Jake Long, Maisha have been central to the UK’s jazz explosion, and have fast become the UK’s most exciting and in-demand young spiritual jazz ensemble, from steller shows at Jazz re:freshed, Total Refreshment Centre & Church of Sound and supporting the Sun Ra Arkestra, to releasing their critically acclaimed debut LP, ​“There Is A Place” ​on Gilles Peterson’s Brownswood Recordings in 2018. Theirs is an organic & explosive sound that blends influences from afrobeat and broken beat to Persian music, with a deep love and understanding of jazz, particularly the heritage of spiritual jazz led by titans such as Pharoah Sanders, Alice Coltrane and of course, Gary Bartz.

Which makes this collaboration even more special. Bartz was first invited to share a stage with Maisha by Gilles Peterson to headline the inaugural We Out Here festival. Their chemistry was rich and instantaneous, certainly a two-way street, with the young musicians reinvigorating the legend’s performance and wowing the intergenerational festival audience. A European tour followed, including a London Jazz Festival highlight at the Royal Festival Hall, celebrating the 50th anniversary of his album “Another Earth”, originally featuring fellow legends, Pharoah Sanders, Charles Tolliver, Stanley Cowell, and John Coltrane’s own bassist, Reggie Workman.


Now the relationship has evolved into a special straight-to-disc recording for Night Dreamer Records, that captures the vitality of their collaboration. Whilst Bartz and Maisha reinvent classic Bartz compositions “Uhuru Sasa” and “Dr Follows Dance”, extending the pieces into long piece improvised grooves, their recording session gave birth to three brand new joint compositions, written the very same day. These include the propulsive “Leta’s Dance” that magically combines the Bartz’ soulful musical lyricism with Maisha’s African-jazz influences, and the organic jazz

funk of “Harlem to Haarlem”, featuring a hot solo from guest trumpeter Axel Kaner-Lidstrom of Cykada & Levitation Orchestra fame.

Like previous Night Dreamer efforts from afrobeat star Seun Kuti & Egypt 80, and the beautiful collaboration between Brazilian stars Seu Jorge & Rogê, the album was recorded in Haarlem’s Artone Studio, a stones throw from Amsterdam, in just one-take, straight-to-disc, avoiding post-production embellishments and retaining the purity of the performance lost in modern recording techniques.

This record really is an event, in and of itself, a meeting of talents, minds, generations and zeitgeist moments, captured in a unique and pure manner. The music does not disappoint, as Maisha have been inspired to reach new heights whilst we find Bartz truly reinvigorated, and both artists in tune to the spirit of the other.

Recorded direct-to-disc @ Artone Studio, Haarlem, The Netherlands on Tuesday 29th Wednesday 30th October 2019

One of the first previously-unreleased funk and soul albums issued by Now-Again, way back in 2003, and it still sounds amazing today. Well, it would have to: it's the brainchild of bandleader/drummer/singer/ songwriter Lester Abrams who crafted hit singles like Minute by Minute' by the Doobie Brothers. Yeah, really. Back in early 70s Omaha, however, he brought a multiracial band into the Pacific Avenue studio to cut an album's worth of material. Only one single - Color' b/w Blink Man' - was ever issued, and this album sat on master tapes in Abrams' closet until Egon dug them out in 2001.

Coming 40 years after he first started performing in bands in his native North West of England, Butterfly Mind is the most surprising release yet from Tim Bowness. From the short, sharp shocks of Always The Stranger and Only A Fool to the long-form ambition of the sensuous Dark Nevada Dream, the cinematic Electro-Ballroom of Glitter Fades and the dystopian paranoia of Say Your Goodbyes Parts 1 and 2, Butterfly Mind delivers a thrilling fusion of Art Rock invention, Post-Punk energy and epic soulful ballads. Tim’s seventh solo album features the stellar rhythm section of Richard Jupp (in his first major session since leaving Elbow) and Nick Beggs alongside a spectacular guest list including Ian Anderson (Jethro Tull), Dave Formula (Magazine), Peter Hammill (Van Der Graaf Generator), Martha Goddard (The Hushtones), Gregory Spawton (Big Big Train), Mark Tranmer (The Montgolfier Brothers / GNAC), Saro Cosentino (Franco Battiato), Italian Jazz musician Nicola Alesini, US singer Devon Dunaway (Ganga), Stephen W Tayler (Kate Bush) and, marking his first studio work with Tim for nearly three decades, former No-Man violinist Ben Coleman. Produced by Tim Bowness and Brian Hulse (Plenty), the album was mixed and mastered by Steven Wilson. Available as Limited 2CD Edition (featuring alternate mixes and bonus material), and a Limited 180g LP + CD edition featuring special die-cut artwork by Carl Glover. Also available as Digital Album.

Needle Mythology reissue a special expanded album edition of Finn, the album released by New Zealand’s most celebrated musical siblings Tim and Neil Finn to acclaim both from critics and long-time fans who had followed the pair’s work since their time in together in Split Enz. This is the first time Finn has received a vinyl release. Released in close collaboration with Tim and Neil, the newly-expanded Finn comes with an entire album The Finn Demos, which gathers together ten songs from 1989’s legendary Murchison St sessions, remastered by Miles Showell at Abbey Road Studios. Convening at Neil’s new Melbourne apartment with a view to making an album together, Tim and Neil embarked on an intensely productive period, writing several songs that would briefly result in Tim joining Crowded House for the resulting Woodface album. Assisted by the late Paul Hester on drums, the demos capture a host of songs that would go on to be played in arenas around the world in their newborn state: ‘It’s Only Natural’, ‘Catherine Wheels’, ‘Weather With You’, featuring a whole extra verse and the previously unreleased ‘Four Stepping in 3/4 Time’. For this release, long-time fan and collaborator on Neil’s 7 Worlds Collide project, Ed O’Brien (Radiohead) contributed liner notes, hymning the album’s “heavy” beauty and its “elemental energy.” Featuring brand new artwork designed by Needle Mythology’s James Gosling, the expanded Finn features newly-unearthed images of Tim and Neil taken by Darryl Ward during the sessions for the album. For this release, Tim and Neil have also shared the “listening notes” submitted by the brothers’ parents – something they would do for every song their sons wrote. For Finn, Tim and Neil enlisted the services of Tchad Blake, whose “feel”-based approach brought out the best in the brothers, who played every instrument on the record. Writing about the record for Mojo at the time, David Hepworth characterised Finn as a “warm and loose record” that hardcore fans would undoubtedly “adore”. Originally released on Parlophone Records, Finn spawned an unlikely top 30 hit, the mesmerising semi-improvised psych-rock fan favourite ‘Suffer Never’. The expanded double album edition of Finn has been cut at Abbey Road by Miles Showell and pressed on 180g vinyl at The Vinyl Factory.

Repressed , please note price increase! Would Like To Pose A Question is one of the first previously-unreleased funk and soul albums issued by Now-Again, and it still sounds amazing today. Well, it would have to: it's the brainchild of bandleader/drummer/singer/songwriter Lester Abrams (the L.A. in L.A. Carnival). Abrams helped create hit singles like "Minute by Minute" and “What A Fool Believes” for the Doobie Brothers and played with artists such as B.B. King, Stevie Wonder, Peabo Bryson, Manfred Mann, Quincy Jones and many more. Before all that - in early 70s while still in Omaha - he brought a multi-racial band into the Pacific Avenue studio to cut an album's worth of material. Only one single - "Color" b/w "Blink Man" - was ever issued, and this album sat on master tapes in Abrams' closet. That is until Now-Again’s Eothen Alapatt intervened in the early 2000s and Would You Like To Pose A Question was at last given a proper full length release.

Relentless techno powerhouses Octave One stride in 2022 with a brand new release that re-affirms their status across two essential tracks. 2021 was another busy year for the Burden Brothers, who re-introduced the world to their Never On Sunday alias. The project first started in the 90s as an outlet for deeper, more introspective sounds and was fittingly brought back last year to great acclaim. The Detroit duo’s Locus of Control series also hit volume number three and the iconic Octave One live show continued to light up clubs everywhere from Barcelona, Paris and Geneva to LA and New York. Despite that, they still had time to cook up more of their famously soulful techno in the studio, the first two tracks of which are presented here.Opener ‘The Blue Drift’ surges ahead on waves of rattling metallic synths. Well swung claps bring that irresistible sense of groove, while twisted melodies add raw dynamics. Add in the heavy underlying bass and you have a classic Octave One track that is both physical yet emotional. On the flip side is ‘It-Just-Is’ a powerful statement of intent. It’s a stripped back track where house and techno meet - there is a seductive slide to the drums and potency in the turbulent synths which bring the energy. The melody is melancholic and as the emotive pads ring out they lodge deep in your brain to make for another standout cut. This vital new release proves Octave One remains right at the forefront of underground music more than 30 years after they started out.

The Decades Collected compilations are part of the new Collected compilation series, which is a collaboration between Universal Music and Music On Vinyl. The compilations bring together the biggest names of each decade, combined with forgotten hits and less discovered gems, giving the listener an experience of listening to their favorite tunes while uncovering new musical grounds at the same time.

Various Artists - Nineties Collected features R.E.M “Man On The Moon”, Freddie Mercury “Living On My Own”, Texas “Say What You Want”, Lenny Kravitz “Always On The Run”, Erykah Badu “Tyrone (Live)” and Blind Melon “No Rain” amongst others.

Coming 40 years after he first started performing in bands in his native North West of England, Butterfly Mind is the most surprising release yet from Tim Bowness. From the short, sharp shocks of Always The Stranger and Only A Fool to the long-form ambition of the sensuous Dark Nevada Dream, the cinematic Electro-Ballroom of Glitter Fades and the dystopian paranoia of Say Your Goodbyes Parts 1 and 2, Butterfly Mind delivers a thrilling fusion of Art Rock invention, Post-Punk energy and epic soulful ballads. Tim’s seventh solo album features the stellar rhythm section of Richard Jupp (in his first major session since leaving Elbow) and Nick Beggs alongside a spectacular guest list including Ian Anderson (Jethro Tull), Dave Formula (Magazine), Peter Hammill (Van Der Graaf Generator), Martha Goddard (The Hushtones), Gregory Spawton (Big Big Train), Mark Tranmer (The Montgolfier Brothers / GNAC), Saro Cosentino (Franco Battiato), Italian Jazz musician Nicola Alesini, US singer Devon Dunaway (Ganga), Stephen W Tayler (Kate Bush) and, marking his first studio work with Tim for nearly three decades, former No-Man violinist Ben Coleman. Produced by Tim Bowness and Brian Hulse (Plenty), the album was mixed and mastered by Steven Wilson. Available as Limited 2CD Edition (featuring alternate mixes and bonus material), and a Limited 180g LP + CD edition featuring special die-cut artwork by Carl Glover. Also available as Digital Album.

Compiled by Sean Marquand and Greg Caz, 2 DJs well-known for their epic parties at Williamsburg’s legendary Black Betty club, that sadly closed in 2009. The duo played a deep variety of strictly vintage samba, samba-rock, Tropicalia, and Brazilian funk under the banner of ‘Brazilian Beats Brooklyn’.

Sean is known as half of Embassy Sound Productions. He took his team to Brazil to help resurrect Black Rio legends Uniao Black for a new release. Greg has DJ'd at some of the hottest Brazilian parties around the globe and presents a monthly radio show ‘Warm Wave’ on Soho Radio NYC.

Featuring Noriel Vilela’s singular “16 Toneladas,” a sublime cover of the Tennessee Ernie Ford smash “16 Tons” with a spare samba groove and unbelievable baritone vocals and hot jams from Tim Maia, Erasmo Carlos, Joao Bosco, Toni Tornado.

Included in this compilation of original 60's and 70's Brazilian gems are some of Greg and Sean's favourite tracks that have been filling dancefloors for years.

Soul Jazz Records follows up one its most popular Studio One releases with a brand new selection of rare and classic releases by women in reggae. Featuring legendary artists such as Marcia Griffiths, Rita Marley and Hortense Ellis (with a guest appearance by her brother Alton), alongside a host of rarities from lesser known names such as Nina Soul, Nana Mclean, Denise Darlington, Myrna Hague and also Doreen Schaeffer, a vocalist who was a founding member of The Skatalites.

There are notable covers (from Tyrone Davis’ soul classic Can I Change My Mind to the Band’s 60s psychedelic classic Turn Turn Turn in a rub-a-dub style!). Doreen Schaeffer reversions Alton Ellis’s seminal I’m Still in Love with You, Nina Soul reversions the slack rocksteady anthem Barb Wire. A number of these tracks are almost impossible to find and many have never been issued ever since their initial release.

The music on the album is of course 100% killer and features backing from all of the seminal groups at 13 Brentford Road including The Skatalites, Sound Dimension, Soul Brothers and the Brentford All Stars, and ranges from ska, rocksteady, roots, lovers and more from the 60s, 70s and 80s. All produced by Clement ‘Sir Coxsone’ Dodd at Studio One Records, the number one sound in reggae music.
The album is released on Soul Jazz Records as a double-vinyl with gatefold sleeve, download code, the CD comes in slipcase and both come with extensive sleevenotes.

SUMMER OF SOUL (…Or, When The Revolution Could Not Be Televised) Original Motion Picture Soundtrack accompanies Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson’s directorial debut documentary SUMMER OF SOUL, which won the Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award at the Sundance Film Festival. Like the documentary, most of the audio recordings that were recorded during the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival have not been heard for over 50 years, keeping this incredible event in America’s history lost – until now. The SUMMER OF SOUL (…Or, When The Revolution Could Not Be Televised) Original Motion Picture Soundtrack is a joyous musical celebration and the rediscovery of a nearly erased historical event that celebrated Black culture, pride and unity. For the album, Questlove carefully selected 16 live renditions of jazz, blues, R&B, Latin, and soul classics performed over the course of The Harlem Cultural Festival in 1969 as chronicled by the film. Performers include The 5th Dimension, Gladys Knight & The Pips, B.B. King, Nina Simone, The Staple Singers, David Ruffin and Sly & The Family Stone! Extensive promo & marketing activity across all media outlets. The CD format was released in Jan. Standard black vinyl 17 track double LP in gatefold sleeve. Promo/marketing activity.

To celebrate the 60 years of the greatest Rock Band, rediscover
their song played by the Jazz scene. A selection of the finest
covres, from " Satisfaction " to " Paint it Black ", by Sharon
Jones, Luther Allison, Ann Peebles, Shemekia Copeland ...

LIMITED EDITION: ONLY 500


“Here We Go Again” is a favourite amongst ardent soul buffs who recognise the Isley Brothers song, faithfully updated for a 21st Century audience. Output/Input was formed during lockdown by Melvin Lee Davis a Californian native and a skilled master bassist, composer, producer, and educator who is in high demand and is also Music Director for the “Queen of Funk” Chaka Khan.

Jackie Mittoo, organ and piano maestro, was not only a founding member of the legendary Jamaican Ska group The Skatalites, but through the course of Jamaican music’s long history has produced a body of work under his own name and of that with his various group incarnations, The Soul Brothers, Soul Vendors and the Sound Dimension. His distinctive organ and piano sound and musical arrangements have all played a major part in Jamaica's musical history.

Jackie Mittoo (born 1948, Kingston, Jamaica) began playing musical instruments at a very early age. Taught piano by his grandmother he was performing live by the age of 10 and recording by the age of 15. Two Kingston bands that he played with the Rivals and the Sheiks brought him to the attention of Studio 1's founder Coxsone Dodd. Who at the time was putting a group of musicians together to be his studio band. Impressed by his skills on both the organ and the piano, Jackie was asked to join in what would become Jamaica's foremost band The Skatalites. The fellow band members were Lloyd Brevett (bass), Lloyd Knibbs (drums), Don Drummond (trombone), Tommy McCook, Roland Alphonso and Lester Sterling (Sax), Johnny Moore (trumpet), Jah Jerry(guitar) and Mr Mittoo (piano). This line up ruled the Jamaican scene between 1964 - 1965 as well as inventing the Ska sound, they also performed the backing duties for the other top labels of the time including Duke Reid's Treasure Isle and Justin Yap's Top Deck label.

1965 saw The Skatalites disband, and Jackie Mittoo move on to his next musical project The Soul Brothers. Formed with fellow Skatalite Roland Alphonso,this band would back all the hits coming out of Studio 1 for the next three years with Jackie Mittoo working as band leader and musical arranger. Around this time Jackie also had his own single released, a Ska underground classic called 'Got My Bugaloo'. Rare, as it also features Jackie in the unusual role for him, as lead singer!!!!. 1966 saw the Ska sound evolve into Rocksteady, again with Jackie's band at the helm, and his first hit single the Rocksteady cut 'Ram Jam'. The success of which would lead to a solo career and album releases under his own name such as 'Now', 'Macka Fat', 'Evening Time', 'In London' and 'Keep on Dancing', to name but a few. In 1967 the hits at Studio 1 were still flowing when The Soul Brothers morphed into The Soul Venders and began backing such luminaries as Ken Boothe, Alton Ellis, Delroy Wilson, The Heptones, The Cables, The Wailers and many other of the label’s solo artists.

By 1968 Jamaican music was ready for another change and Rocksteady rolled into a slower groove soon to be called Reggae. Jackie Mittoo would be at the forefront with his latest band The Sound Dimension. A line-up that included Leroy Sibbles (bass),Roland Alphonso and Cedric Brooks (saxophone),Eric Frater and Ernest Ranglin (guitar) and Bunny Williams (drums). Being the house band at Studio 1 they backed all the leading names of the time, John Holt, Horace Andy and Alton Ellis, all of Studio 1's output carried his sound. Jackie Mittoo emigrated in the late 60's to Canada but travelled to Jamaica and London to record with many of the big new names, who were trying to redress Studio 1's supremacy and needed his magic touch. Such producers as Bunny Lee used Jackie Mittoo on many of his sessions,Sugar Minott among others were always glad of his services.

For this release we have put together a selection of some of his finest recordings done with legendary reggae producer Bunny Lee. 1970’s cuts that feature Jackie’s numerous talents, showing his ability to embellish tracks with a feel few could better. Musical arranger, band leader and all around studio ace.

We hope you enjoy this great set with Jackie Mittoo in fine style and his organ super powered indeed…

Demon Music is proud to bring together a selection of popular and exciting classic Northern Soul Anthems on a new 2LP thirty-three track collection. These are the original recordings by some familiar names and one or two that may have passed you by.

As the Sixties came to a close and the initial success of labels like Atlantic and Motown began to wane, there remained a dedicated fanbase of Soul devotees who would rather be out on the floor than wearing flowers in their hair. They continued to seek out new and previously overlooked releases, many on small labels that had never enjoyed chart success, making surprise hits of a few in the process.

Northern Soul could easily have passed into music history as a fad, something on the fringes of mainstream popular music; instead its popularity has remained and even grown. It is no longer the preserve of venues in the north of England (who had always attracted coachloads of devotees from across the nation), with Soul clubs opening in Europe, Asia, Australia and even - in perhaps the ultimate example of "coals to Newcastle" – America

Every few years Northern Soul enjoys a resurgence in popularity and welcomes a new generation of younger fans, keepers of the faith. This collection is for those with a passing interest and fans both old and
new - music fashions may change but the quality, the infectious excitement and the urge to get up and dance has endured in these fantastic records.

Before Dan Klein's unfortunate passing, The Frightnrs agreed to keep a promise he asked of them - continue making music together. Part of that promise has been made manifest here... Daptone Records is proud to present ALWAYS - the raw, soulful new long player from The Frightnrs.

The road to Always began with a period of intense songwriting back when The Frightnrs and producer Victor Axelrod (Ticklah) were working on the group's debut, rocksteady masterpiece, Nothing More to Say. In addition to the scorchers heard therein, Axelrod and The Frightnrs agreed many of the recordings were too sweet to tamper with in order to fit the rocksteady mold. Some were created at their headquarters in Queens with Dan on the mic, some were elaborations on older ideas, others were brand new creations made at the finish line.

Thanks to the vocal stems they had captured in this golden period, Dan Klein's other-worldly voice lived on, giving The Frightnrs all the raw material they needed for an entire album's worth of new, original music. So with that, The Frightnrs and Axelrod returned to the studio and painstakingly conceptualized, tracked, re-tracked and mixed them into a complete album with their beloved friend singing lead. The fruits of this arduous process lay bare the undying love and respect between musical brothers.

The last song written for this album, "Why Does it Feel Like a Curse", married two song concepts with one of Dan's original vocal performances - creating a beautiful, flawless composition that not only serves as a highlight reel of their editing skills and songwriting prowess, but also as a kind of metaphor for The Frightnrs jour ney. The per fect ending f or ALWAYS.

Behold! The latest 45 from Queens, NY stalwarts - The Frightnrs. With this platter the group pushes past the rocksteady rhythms that have come to define their Daptone releases and deliver a genre-defying, soulful triumph of sound. "Always" the a-side and title track of their forthcoming album drops with a beat that hits like a seven-ton bomb. Heavy, heavy drums...raw guitar and ethereal keys fortify the soulful bedrock for Dan Klein's other-worldly vocal performance. Plucked from stems tracked years prior, the seamless joining of Klein's old vocal track to the Frightnrs new recordings exemplifies how masters of their craft can make something so complex sound effortless. It also serves as a document of musical brothers injecting the undying love and respect they have for each other into the DNA of every note.

Strut continue their deep dive into the archives of Black Fire Records with a new reissue of Oneness Of Juju’s Bush Brothers & Space Rangers, showcasing the band at the peak of their powers in 1977.

Oneness had enjoyed two fruitful years with Black Fire prior to these recordings, breaking through with the African Rhythms and Space Jungle Luv albums. “When we recorded African Rhythms we didn’t use a guitar,” explains bandleader Plunky Branch. “So, when vocalist Jackie Eka-Ete and guitarist Ras Mel Glover came in in around ‘75, that moved our sound into a more soulful direction. The drummer on this album, Tony Green, was the drummer with Gil Scott Heron and he added a little more sophistication to our soulfulness. African percussionist Okyerema Asante was also fully incorporated into the band after joining in 1976. By 1977, we were in full production mode recording songs; one or two of the tracks here also feature Brian Jackson, known for his work with Gil.”

Primarily recorded at Arrest Studios in Washington DC, the album is packed with landmark Oneness tracks including ‘Be About The Future’ (“possibly the first ecology-themed song that I know of”) the George Clinton-influenced ‘Plastic’, an acoustic alternative version of ‘African Rhythms’ and strong covers of Caiphus Semenya’s ‘West Wind’ and Bobby Womack’s ‘Breezin’’. Plunky continues,

One Day is the third album from the Cactus Blossoms - featuring eleven songs written, produced, and harmonized by brothers Jack Torrey and Page Burkum

Recorded and mixed by longtime collaborator Alex Hall using a mobile rig in Page's Minneapolis basement, the album continues the evolution of the band's signature blend of country, soul, and 60"s rock sounds, all anchored by the brothers' core sibling harmony vocal style.Ltd Crystal Amber vinyl.

Part of IF Music founder Jean-Claude’s ever expanding ‘YOU NEED THIS!’ series of compilation albums, the London record shop impresario and DJ takes us on another scintillating musical journey, this time exploring the catalogue of German jazz imprint, Enja Records. Like Jean-Claude’s ‘Journey Into Deep Jazz’ series on BBE Music and his 2017 exploration of Black Saint & Soul Note Records before it, ‘IF MUSIC PRESENTS YOU NEED THIS!: AN INTRODUCTION TO ENJA RECORDS’ provides another impeccably curated and programmed selection of music, assembled by simply one of the most knowledgeable and passionate vinyl specialists in the business. Featuring performances by John Stubblefield, Bobby Hutcherson, Harold Land, Don Cherry, Cecil McBee and Pharoah Sanders collaborator Marvin Hannibal Peterson to name but a few, this collection provides a great jumping-off point for Enja’s rich and diverse back catalogue. Founded in 1971 by Munich natives and jazz obsessives Matthias Winckelmann and Horst Weber, in its heyday Enja released albums by Eric Dolphy, Charles Mingus, Tommy Flanagan and John Scofield, as well as Kenny Barron, Chet Baker, Abbey Lincoln, Bea Benjamin, Freddie Hubbard, to name but a few. Having firmly established itself as “a bastion of all things deep in jazz” as Jean-Claude neatly sums up, Enja also went on to issue early World Music projects from Abdullah Ibrahim, Rabih Abou-Khalil, Mahmoud Turkmani and many others, and it remains active to this day. “There is no doubt that to the uninitiated, a compilation introducing such an esteemed archive is well overdue” says Jean-Claude. “As with previous albums curated by us, this is just a soupçon of this label’s vast back catalogue, which we hope will lead the listener to discover new music and to search out more from this criminally underrated, class act.”

Tracklisting

Repress !

(November Collective Title) Meditative but heaving with energy, Son Lux's third full-length weaves disparate elements into songs both strange and welcoming. On the heals of being named NPR's 'Best New Artist of the Year', Son Lux has created an album that sits as comfortably next to the compositions of Stravinsky, John Adams, David Lang and Ben Frost, as it does to those of Jamie Lidell, Björk, Flying Lotus, and Radiohead. Equal parts producer and composer, Son Lux (aka Ryan Lott) bridges an unusual gap between old-world music theory and next-level experimentation. Meditative but heaving with energy, 'Lanterns' finds a peculiar congruency between futuristic soul and ancient sentiment. Driving orchestral electronica (Lost It To Trying, No Crimes) is placed alongside creepy minimalism (Pyre), often starkly juxtaposing densely layered arrangements with Lott's fragile voice. In recent past Son Lux has gained notoriety both for his s/s/s project (with Sufjan Stevens and Serengeti), and from being named NPR's 'Best New Artist of the Year'. His third full-length album, and his first for Joyful Noise (Kishi Bashi, Sebadoh, etc.), positions Son Lux at the helm of an impressive ensemble of instrumentalists and singers, including Chris Thile (The Punch Brothers), Peter Silberman (The Antlers), DM Stith, Lily & Madeleine, Darren King (Mutemath), Ieva Berberian (Gem Club) and yMusic (Dirty Projectors, Bon Iver).

After blazing a trail with 2020's critically acclaimed Good Luck Seeker, The Waterboys waste no time in delivering again with the announcement of their brand new record All Souls Hill on Cooking Vinyl. First track 'The Liar' is a creeping, groove-laden masterpiece, taking a powerful, descriptive swipe at Trump and the lies and deceit that infest those in power. The video, featuring a haunting image by satirical collagist Cold War Steve, leaves nothing to the imagination and amplifies its subject matter in a dark, eerie fashion. "The Liar is a comment on recent and still-current events, and both the song and video speak for themselves." says frontman Mike Scott. "We were proud to work on this video with the brilliant Cold War Steve." All Souls Hill is nine tracks of Waterboys brilliance, all mixed by Scott himself. Announced off the back of the band's recent sold out UK tour and latest box set 'The Magnificent Seven: The Waterboys' Fisherman's Blues/Room To Roam Band, 1989-1990 ', All Souls Hill is current, on the money social commentary, but with an air of hope. "All Souls Hill is mysterious, otherworldly, tune-banging and emotional." comments Mike. "I made it with Waterboys old and new and my co-producer, brilliant sonic guru Simon Dine. Its nine songs tell stories, explore dreamscapes, and cast a cold but hopeful eye on the human drama."

After blazing a trail with 2020's critically acclaimed Good Luck Seeker, The Waterboys waste no time in delivering again with the announcement of their brand new record All Souls Hill on Cooking Vinyl. First track 'The Liar' is a creeping, groove-laden masterpiece, taking a powerful, descriptive swipe at Trump and the lies and deceit that infest those in power. The video, featuring a haunting image by satirical collagist Cold War Steve, leaves nothing to the imagination and amplifies its subject matter in a dark, eerie fashion. "The Liar is a comment on recent and still-current events, and both the song and video speak for themselves." says frontman Mike Scott. "We were proud to work on this video with the brilliant Cold War Steve." All Souls Hill is nine tracks of Waterboys brilliance, all mixed by Scott himself. Announced off the back of the band's recent sold out UK tour and latest box set 'The Magnificent Seven: The Waterboys' Fisherman's Blues/Room To Roam Band, 1989-1990 ', All Souls Hill is current, on the money social commentary, but with an air of hope. "All Souls Hill is mysterious, otherworldly, tune-banging and emotional." comments Mike. "I made it with Waterboys old and new and my co-producer, brilliant sonic guru Simon Dine. Its nine songs tell stories, explore dreamscapes, and cast a cold but hopeful eye on the human drama."

Lance Ferguson is back for a killer follow-up 7" to his second volume of classic re-works and re-imaginings, Rare Groove Spectrum Vol. 2 - released on Freestyle in late January on LP, CD and digital formats.

We just couldn't resist putting this take on Pucho & His Latin Soul Brothers cover of Gladys Knight's Got Myself a Good Man on a 45. Keeping true to the source, yet somehow simultaneously sounding like no-one else, this version is 100% guaranteed to put a spring in the step of any crowd as the sun starts gradually to come out from hiding. Aside from the faithfully executed and expertly recorded drum-track, which sits pretty higher up in the mix than it's precursor, the star of this particular show comes midway through when Lance's lilting and sun-kissed guitar solo comes gliding in. If you can't move to this, even just a little bit, then you might actually be lacking a pulse. Backing things up is the undeniable latin-funk strut of Mandrill's Mango Meat. Given an instrumental work-out here with Remco Keijer's Flute and Daniel Mougerman's keys putting in work over a heavy-as-lead rhythm section, those delectable salsa-inflicted horns upping the spice levels.

Lance's work across the Rare Groove Spectrum series can often be looked on as something akin to a "live re-edit" on the originals, at times switching up sections or extending the groove. These two choice cuts however are a masterclass in subtly teasing out some of the original elements on the tracks that really make them work on a dance-floor, and bringing those to the fore while retaining 100% respect for the OG arrangements.