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4lux is proud to bring you the highly anticipated Spanner In The Works track, a crazy house bomb with hints of UK dub-step. The release contains 2 strong forward-thinking remixes by Gerd & Alden Tyrell and Nicholas.

Leroy "Heptone" Sibbles
Garden Of Life (Horns cut)

This raw, deep roots grail by Heptones and Studio One legend Leroy Sibbles has been near impossible to find, until now.
Most reggae fans will be familiar with the Heptones’ Lee Perry sessions including their outstanding “Garden Of Life” from 1979.

Few but the most grizzled collector knew that Sibbles had recorded a deep roots cut in Toronto several years earlier in 1975 while living in Canada.
Urgent, soulful and raucous with its killer horns section and bubbling organ, this version of Garden Of Life is actually Leroy’s favourite.
The dub version transports us right into the converted garage/studio in 1975 as snatches of conversation between musicians are immortalized on wax.

One of 3 official releases showcasing Sid Lovejoy's Toronto productions including the long out of print “Rebel” by Rothadam and the roots missile “King Kong Man” by Sid Lovejoy.

Two Thou’s Oraculu releases a full length spiritual electronics LP with tubaredefining Theon Cross, homeboy Taymour Khajah, soulful presence of D’Monk
and Division81 vibe designer Sonny Daze. The sun-inspired record sets a high
energy moment for Oraculu, blurring all the lines between the dancefloor, the
horns, Berlin, London, Chicago, and Sardinia. This record is about change. I’ve
started to be less interested in the fire of the sun, the explosion, the heat. The
consistency, the orbit, the return got my full attention. Until it clicked, that
repetition is a fundamental aspect of change.

Brazilian artist Rubel isn’t one to be pigeonholed and typecast into staying in one sound. Casas, the follow-up to his debut album Pearl from 2015, brought a bigger, more epic, and richer production quality to the table. Fusing the worlds of MPB and hip hop, Rubel’s sophomore LP built on the momentum of its predecessor, gaining a Latin-Grammy nomination along the way. Mr Bongo is proud to be giving Casas its first worldwide release on vinyl and CD outside of Brazil and Japan.

The cliché they say is that the second album is always the trickiest; however, Rubel doesn’t seem to have had any problems on Casas. It’s a fountain of creativity and originality, marking an artist in full flow.

Conceived after Rubel spent six months living in Los Angeles, Casas is MPB-leaning at its core but is also driven by a hip hop inspired pulse. There is a clear influence from hip hop’s aesthetic across the 2010s woven subtly but fundamentally throughout. Nods to Frank Ocean, Kendrick Lamar and Tyler, The Creator can be heard across an album full of playful edge and personality. Luscious string-led arrangements and tracks that explore the rich folkloric rhythms of Brazil, sit next to songs with low-fi drum machines and features from acclaimed Brazilian rappers.

One of the highlights of the album, ‘Mantra’, starts with a traditional Brazilian rhythm that morphs into a hazy hip hop beat. A sublime song with a hooky call and response chorus, it features a guest appearance and verse by the Brazilian MC Emicida. Another highlight is the epic ‘Colégio’ (College) which further showcases the melding of stripped back drum machine beats with cinematic, sweeping arrangements. Elsewhere, ‘Partilhar’ is a swaying, heartwarming hug. A tale of longing and love that has become a singalong fan favourite at Rubel’s concerts.

Casas also shines a light on a string of key players in Brazil’s new vanguard, such as Pedro Fonte, Gus Levy, and Brazilian rapper / poet Rincon Sapiência to name a handful. The record has pop sensibilities yet also feels underground. It beats with the heart of a singer-songwriter, a feeling that was felt so strongly on Pearl, yet this time is bolstered by a level of arrangement and richness of sound that take it to another dimension - soaring horn and string sections elevating the songs from home recording to stadium-ready anthems. Keeping that intrinsic beauty and simplicity of a well-constructed song yet reframing it within a pop context is the true gift of this album.

Casas cemented Rubel’s status as one of Brazil’s leading contemporary talents and a key figure enriching the country’s already effervescent scene.

The scent of fresh greenery rising into the air. A youthful Hidefumi Toki weaves a vivid and beautiful story through a one-horn quartet.



Making his professional debut while still in high school, Hidefumi Toki went on to perform with groups led by New Herd, Isao Suzuki, Terumasa Hino, Ryo Kawasaki, and Fumio Itabashi. From the late 1970s onward, he also collaborated with Ryuichi Sakamoto and Tatsuro Yamashita, contributing broadly to Japan’s music scene across jazz, fusion, and pop.



This album, recorded in 1976, is his third release, following Toki and Lover Man, a dual-leader project with Yoshio Otomo. It features a lineup of dazzling performances and compositions, including “Sky View”, where his soaring saxophone shines over delicate arrangements, and “Let’s Get Together”, evoking the uplifting fragrance of fresh greenery.



With outstanding support from Mikio Masuda—who also contributes compositions—alongside Yoshio Ikeda and Steve Jackson, the ensemble achieves a remarkable balance.



Defined by a gentle perspective and refined, youthful playing, this is a masterpiece filled with the charm of Hidefumi Toki in his early years.

On Last Night At Marienbad's latest, the imprint brings together three of the brightest souls found within the realms of Jazz, namely Mauricesax, 9ick and Milan93, with their collective talents synergising effortlessly on 'A Garden Between Us', alongside a stellar cast of remixers who add even further delight between the grooves….

As a genre, Jazz has perhaps lent itself the most to other musical universes, in that its curious heart, endlessly experimental nature, and parameter-defying spirit have wrapped itself deep within the core of countless albums, scenes, and music makers. It's a genre that welcomes reinvention, consistently defying its contents and always reaching out to find new methods of expressionism. Electronic music, in its many forms, has truly embraced Jazz perhaps like no other movement of music has, with a truly astonishing array of records surfacing in the past 40 years which have blended Jazz's unique motifs with grooves, chords, and emotive excellence. From 90s Jazz house and UR Techno, through to Future Jazz, downtempo, and Hip Hop, and around many other suns, there remains such an intrinsic and symbiotic relationship between the two musical realms that caters to those who wish to live music both within and out with themselves.

As practitioners of blending electronica and Jazz, few do it like the trio of Mauricesax, 9ick, and Milan93. All three are known for their distinctive soundscapes, yet share commonalities in terms of musical language, feel, and sense of progression. Bringing them together allows for overlaps in their sounds to emerge, and just like Jazz itself, this is where the intrinsicness of sound begins to blossom. 9ick brings his softly evolving vibe to the table, one which was so prevalent and celebrated on his 2025 album 'SMIL'; Milan93 draws from his focal point of exploring fill-laden grooves and a myriad of emotive sensibilities; and Mauricesax draws up his extensive musicality that exists at the corner of jazz, electronic, and experimental music, along with running musical workshops all over the globe.

'A Garden Between Us' represents the trio's core tenets, with this immediately obvious from the record's opener, 'Rhodora'. A gentle solo piano quickly evolves into a series of powerful rhythmic pulses, with brass lines bringing vitality and feel to proceedings. The track shifts gears with purpose, transitioning between musical vignettes of the highest order, with the synth work doing much to bind the transitions together. 'Tulip' emerges slightly differently, with glossy Rhodes tones and an unravelling rhythmic undercurrent setting an enthralling stage. The track flourishes amongst sweeping textures, coming up for air amongst a deeply hypnotic rhythmic section that holds on and never lets up. 'Honeysuckle' lands next, which sees the trio emerge with a boundless, dynamic soundscape. The drums shift within the undertones, as keys, chords, horns and hip-hop vocal samples dance around the pulse, capturing the imagination with their narrative-like placement. Wrapping up the A side comes 'Camellia'. A dazzling array of harmonic sounds converges around the transfixing rhythm section, which emerges from deep below to lavishly roll out over the midsection, with the delicateness of the instrumentation a real highlight here.

The B side features two exquisite remixes, with Pacific Coliseum's version of 'Tulip' landing first. Beginning with a signature four to the floor to get things going, his careful handling of the source material is seen in the tactful introduction of the blissful elements that made the original cut so impactful, with great focus placed on emotive fidelity. The result is a summer-bound house number that reimagines the original in all the right ways, flipping it into a euphoria-driven jazz-laden pacer that reaches for the heavens as much as it drives right into the heart. Teuteu then showcases their take on 'Honeysuckle', and at 9 minutes long, represents the longest cut on the record - and the experience is all the richer for it. Leaning heavily into dance music flavours, Teuteu shifts perspective totally into the realm of the club, with the walls beating hard to the kicks. The sax lines that drift ethereally up top keep eyes closed and souls full, as the dance shifts into the next phase.

An experience that drifts from the daydreaming, to soul-warming through to the club shaking - what else is left to experience, except for 'A Garden Between Us' and how it will brighten up life itself….

glass beach's debut album the first glass beach album is the first album from glass beach. That's a good place to start, but the album's plain & descriptive title does little to explain exactly what goes on in the hour-long adventure contained therein. the first glass beach album was initially self-released by the band in Spring 2019, but it's roots date back to as early as 2015 - songwriter & band leader j mclendon started demoing songs for the album when they first moved to Los Angeles & spent three years polishing those first demos into these songs with bassist Jonas Newhouse & drummer William White. On their Bandcamp page, the band describes their sound as the accumulation of jazz, new wave, synth music, and emo distorted through the lens of punk. The songs that make up the first glass beach album are ambitious, theatrical and chaotic. Abandoning genre limitations makes glass beach's talent for songwriting all the more apparent - mathy guitar leads, catchy drum grooves and the constant interplay of horns, synths, and even the intermittent theremin set the perfect scene for j's stunning vocal performance, which can shift from a charming falsetto to the lead of a sing-a-long in an instant.

On The Allfather Awakens, Amon Amarth created a definitive 10-song masterwork that further cements the legacy of the lineup’s spectacularly memorable riffs and unflinching aural power. The opening track of The Allfather Awakens, the epic tale of “Gjallarhorn,” is followed by the heroic battlefield tale “Eight Legs of Thunder,” while “Upphaf,” a translated stanza from the prophetic poem Völuspá, marks the band’s first-ever acoustic offering. The iconic Swedish melodic death metallers took a new songwriting approach for The Allfather Awakens, the band’s 13th album since 1998’s Once Sent from the Golden Hall. The Allfather Awakens came to life across two recording sessions, months apart, at producer Jacob Hansen’s studio in Denmark. Amon Amarth began writing songs while touring, rather than waiting until they were off the road. The first session was Spring 2025; the final recording was completed in March 2026.

On The Allfather Awakens, Amon Amarth created a definitive 10-song masterwork that further cements the legacy of the lineup’s spectacularly memorable riffs and unflinching aural power. The opening track of The Allfather Awakens, the epic tale of “Gjallarhorn,” is followed by the heroic battlefield tale “Eight Legs of Thunder,” while “Upphaf,” a translated stanza from the prophetic poem Völuspá, marks the band’s first-ever acoustic offering. The iconic Swedish melodic death metallers took a new songwriting approach for The Allfather Awakens, the band’s 13th album since 1998’s Once Sent from the Golden Hall. The Allfather Awakens came to life across two recording sessions, months apart, at producer Jacob Hansen’s studio in Denmark. Amon Amarth began writing songs while touring, rather than waiting until they were off the road. The first session was Spring 2025; the final recording was completed in March 2026.

New super-groovy one-off pressing purple double-vinyl very limited edition of Miami Sound 2 housed in gatefold sleeve, complete with two full-colour inner sleeves containing extensive text and exclusive photography from TK Records in-house photographer Larry Warmoth. Soul Jazz Records’ Miami Sound 2 is a superlative collection of 70s soul, funk, disco and boogie featuring tracks from legendary artists such as Betty Wright, Timmy Thomas, Gwen McRae, Milton Wright, T-Connection and many more, all released on the mighty TK Records musical empire based in Miami, Florida.

Throughout the 1970s founder Henry Stone’s TK Records rose up to be one of the most important forces in black music, successfully pioneering the evolution in musical fashions from the early gritty funk and soul at the start of the decade to the arrival of disco in the mid-70s. This album is a rollercoaster journey across soul, funk, disco and boogie, a party-rocking dancefloor-filling collection of monster tracks that includes million-selling hits such as Betty Wright’s classic ‘Clean Up Woman’, Timmy Thomas’s ‘Why Can’t We Live Together’, T-Connection’s ‘Do What You Wanna Do’, anthemic rare groove club hits including Gwen McCrae’s massive ‘All This Love I’m Giving’ and Milton Wright’s ‘Keep It Up’, plus a host of hard-to-find gems and rarities from the likes of Raw Soul Express, Chocolate Clay, Beginning of the End, Robert Moore, Clarence Reid, Little Beaver, Paulette Reeves and many more. TK Records functioned more like a close-knit family than a typical record company. Based in the industrial Hialeah district of Miami, music man Henry Stone surrounded himself with a host of creative artists, musicians, songwriters and producers who created an immediately identifiable TK sound as well as making musical stars out of many of its artists

Hip Horns Brass Collective presents Brassvillain, a tribute to the cult album Madvillany by MF DOOM and Madlib with the collaboration of Las Ninyas del Corro, Ana Tijoux, Escandaloso Xpósito and Rodrigo Laviña. The catalan brass band covers iconic songs like Figaro, Meat Grinder or All Caps, with the metallic explosion that characterizes them and the voices of some of the best artists on the current rap scene. Daniel Dumile, aka, MF DOOM is not only a musical reference, but also the illustrations that accompanied his project have a great role in the history of hip hop. For this reason, Brassvillain is also a great graphic epic where the versatile artist Hermes LeBleu displays all his versatility. In the featurings appears HO$$$ Benítez, one of the most renowned drummers on the hip hop scene, who has already accompanied them on their previous releases, “The Dream” and “Thunder”. The production is by Hip Horns together with one of the best bassists and musicians in our country, Tito Bonacera, making this tribute a multidisciplinary meeting point between artists who grew up with the masked hero. On the B side we have two new singles from the band, BRAM! and Mulligan, in which they unleash their full potential both in composition and in execution to prove once again that they are one of the leading brass bands of the moment.

Apex militant late '70s style here, if you think you are into steppers you should have this one firmly in your sights. One of Mr. Smart's hardest records, this originally appeared only as an album track, but also had some fame as a dubplate played at the time by Jah Shaka and others. We've long had that cut in our sights, and while some nice new re-mixes of this tune appeared in the last few years, here is the real thing from '79 steel. The A-side features the raw dubplate cut vocal, no horns or other adornment, HARD to the point stepping drum and bass style. The B-side features the original Gussie Clarke dub mix aptly titled "Hot Steppers", also previously released only on album. This cut as well was run on dubplate back at the time, a killer mix with full horns but no vocal. Leroy Smart is one of our all time favorite artists and we take pride in having re-released a handful of his all time best records, this one now added to that list.

Repressed LP on Neon Orange Vinyl. Come Away With ESG - 35-year anniversary release of the classic genre-busting debut album by the Bronx sisters ESG. The sample-friendly opus that’s the inspiration for hip-hop, house and post punk. Music that falls outside of the no wave, new wave and post punk library, it’s for the dance floor but it’s not funk, there’s no horns, no driving organ; it’s the opposite of Sly And The Family Stone but no less cool and no less groovy. “A lasting document of their unique brand of minimal funk that would influence subsequent post-punk, hip-hop, and dance music acts. Stripped down to the most basic of drumbeats and rudimentary bass lines, ‘Come Away’ confirms the notion that the real rhythm is what happens between the beats. AllMusic // “This is dub disco with a punk edge.” Paste // “Uncut punk-funk straight off the streets of the South Bronx.” Record Collector // “ESG are that rare thing” Guardian // “Come Away with ESG sounds so shockingly current.” Paste // “A musical snapshot of New York City at the beginning of the '80s.” Allmusic

Follow up to Goodge's 2023 album Echoes Of Yesterday. Previous releases found on Hip Dozer and Cascade Records. Tracks found on the popular Spotify Mellow Beats playlist. 11th in 'Jet Set' Cold Busted series. Designed and manufactured similar to the vintage 60's style rice paper sleeves. In his latest EP, Sunday Soul, Goodge takes listeners on a four-track journey through the heart of funk, masterfully blending elements of R&B, jazz, and chilled lo-fi. Released as part of Cold Busted's Jet Set series, this four-song offering follows Goodge's 2023 album Echoes Of Yesterday and showcases his dedication to crafting timeless music. "Lights Out" kicks off the EP with heavy funk and stirring breakbeats, accompanied by a scratchy guitar that summons the revolutionary spirit of the '70s. Horns serve as a call to action, while a rollicking bass line and chunky electric piano might inspire listeners to go out and fight crime. "Promised Land" follows, featuring a formidable funk bass guitar and lead guitar chords that rhythmically play off the delightfully busy drums, creating an atmosphere reminiscent of the city's bustle. The title track, "Sunday Soul," is a rowdy affair with a speech-over-beats leading to crispy snare rolls and chiming electric piano. Shaker magic, staccato horn bleats, and spiral flute bits combine to create a swirling vintage-hued photograph of sound. The EP concludes with "Within Myself," a spacier sonic experience that could serve as the soundtrack for chasing someone across rooftops. It's funk spelled with a capital K. Sunday Soul is a must-listen for fans of of the heavier side of funk, solidifying Goodge's position as a master of his craft, creating a nostalgic yet fresh soundscape that keeps listeners grooving back for more.

Available for the first time since 1976 the official reissue of Sid Lovejoy’s roots missile “King Kong Man” puts this absolute gem back in circulation.

Bursting out of the gate with psychedelic lead guitar, the track pares down to roots militancy followed by a monstrous Channel One dub.
Originally released on Toronto label “G Clef”, “King Kong Man” was a very tough pull until now.

The song’s mastermind Sid Lovejoy, was a singer, musician and producer who ran a record store, studio and label at 917 Bathurst St in the beating heart of what was then Toronto’s “Little Jamaica” community.
50 years on, Sid’s rallying cry to stand up to tyrants, bullies and oppressors is as relevant as ever.
Sid Lovejoy passed away in 2025 in Jamaica, this release is dedicated to his eternal memory.

One of 3 official releases showcasing Sid Lovejoy's Toronto productions including the long out of print “Rebel” by Rothadam and the impossible to find horns version of “Garden of Life” by Leroy “Heptone” Sibbles.

This is the 12" already immortalized by Gilles Peterson! Dub Souljah, with its classic Roots Reggae/Dub-styled horns and brilliant lead and backing vocals, comes in two versions when Ekowmania meets DJ Sotofett. The first version, in 1970s tradition, is a rocking dancefloor Disco Dub with extended and highlighted percussion parts. Then there's the Ultra Dub – a severely deep and reduced dub where horns and vocals surface only intermittently through constant echoed kicks, minimal hi-hats, and a two-tone bassline. The title track is from Ekowmania's Dr. Afrodub album, produced by Jimi Tenor, but this 12" also includes two non-album cuts: the psychedelic Afro twist of Afrolistic Rock & Roll, and the cosmic Latin-styled Kuusikasi Funk, featuring beautiful saxophone and flute by Jimi Tenor. THIS 12" IS CUT WITH LOUD VOLUME FOR EXCELLENT CLUB USE!

This album is a glimpse into the creative outpouring from Todd in September and October of 2025. He returned to the Purple Building in East Nashville to perfect what he called “the sound of country music 10 years from now”. This meant taking his favorite country music tropes, dismantling and reassembling them over stretched-out, swampy grooves with New Orleans-style horns. He was so sure of this sound, feel, and his studio band's pliability that he insisted on recording his vocal and guitar first, with no accompaniment or click track. Todd wanted the band to record after him, so they would HAVE to follow his lead wherever it went. In his mind, he was attempting to write and record a double album. His excitement over the recordings and the push to capture that much material meant that by mid-October, Todd had recorded his vocal, guitar and the band's rhythm section for at least an album’s worth of material, with plans to continue recording. Sadly, Todd passed away before the remaining overdubs and additional songs could be completed. Fortunately all the notes, directions and encouragement he left behind in the form of emails, voice memos and demos provided an extensive roadmap for his band. Following that roadmap as closely as possible, his band was able to complete Todd's last work, My Second Rodeo, Part 1.

Bristol, UK-based Soul artist Scarlett Fagan presents her authentic and alluring sound through two fresh tracks produced by Tom Emerald aka Endemic. Scarlett takes cues from Soul / Jazz icons such as Etta James and Amy Winehouse, infusing her unique sultry flair. After touring Europe as the front-woman of the Hawkmen and featuring on several of their 12" Vinyl singles, she released her debut solo album in 2022 titled 'Conscious' - Scarlett Fagan is clearly poised to leave her imprint.
Side A’s “Awaken” reveals Scarlett’s vast range of vocal abilities floating over the deep horn and organ laced break-beat track, this portrays a soulful confession about moving away from chaos and moving towards purpose. The song represents the shift from insecurity to confidence. Side B’s “Arise” displays resilience. Although appearing vulnerable and honest the overall theme is perseverance, blending Scarlett’s sultry side with the melodic rhythm provided by Tom Emerald.

Cult Argentinian darkwave act Euroshima’s Gala sees a vinyl reissue courtesy of Dark Entries. Euroshima was formed in 1986 by Fabián Iribarne, José Wyszogrod, Ricardo Parrabere, and vocalist Wanda. Originally released in 1987 on Polygram, Gala was a success throughout South America. But to the band’s dismay, they received minimal support from the record label, which meant the album would linger in obscurity outside of the region. A CD issue via Twilight Records surfaced in 2020, but this is the album’s first reissue on vinyl.
Gala’s legendary status among cognoscenti is warranted. The album’s nine tracks display all the hallmarks of the best darkwave: spiky guitars, analog synth basslines, and wailing vocals. But Euroshima make their mark on the genre with impeccable songcraft and a honed sense of the uncanny. While the band themselves rejected the label of “gothic”, it’s hard to resist busting out the black eyeliner when listening to gems like the uptempo “Como Los Otro” or the churning album-closer “Mejor Callarlo”. Highly recommended for fans of Xmal Deutschland, Lebanon Hanover, pummeling TR-707’s, and doom-laden synths.

This reissue is co-presented with Twilight Records, responsible for the 2020 CD reissue of Gala. It has been remastered by George Horn at Fantasy Studios. Also included is a double sided insert with lyrics and photos, as well as a postcard featuring a photo of the band.

Marc Cotterell has been going about his business with great style in recent years. The Plastik People boss leans into the old school soulful house and garage house scenes for his inspiration and updates those foundational samples with plenty of musicality as well as club-ready rhythms. This solo outing kicks off with the impossibly infectious 'Keep Pushing' with its angelic vocal tones and rich piano chords all overflowing with catchy, feel-good vibes. 'If You Still Love Me' has the same irresistibly joyous results, but this time darts about with a touch of US garage swing and some vibrant horns. 'Boogalou' closes with a more knotted, funky bassline. Brilliantly accessible but sophisticated stuff.

2026 Repress

What an unbelievable record. From the wild cover to the iconic breakbeats, Roots from Ian Carr’s Nucleus is one of the dopest albums we know. This is seriously thick, funky-prog jazz-rock heaven. Originally released on Vertigo in 1973, other than a couple of versions at the time for other territories, Roots was never re-pressed since so it’s gone on to become another one of those impossible to find records.

Maybe it was a little too out there for the time, but it’s aged very, very well indeed and this Be With re-issue, re-mastered from the original analogue tapes, shows off just why this deserves to be back in press.

Genius trumpeter and visionary composer Ian Carr was one of the most respected British musicians of his era. He was a true pioneer and saw the potential in fusing the worlds of jazz with rock, just as Miles Davis and The Tony Williams Lifetime did in the US. In late 1969, following the demise of the Rendell-Carr quintet, and tiring of British jazz, Carr assembled the legendary Nucleus. Regarding music as a continuous process, Nucleus refused to “recognise rigid boundaries” and worked on delivering what they saw as a “total musical experience”. We can get behind that.

Under bandleader Carr, Nucleus existed as a fluid line-up of inventive, skilled musicians. This constant evolution and revolution was all part of the continuous musical exploration and discovery that took jazz to new levels.

Working together with producer Fritz Fryer and engineer Roger Wake, the seven compositions by Carr, Brian Smith and Dave MacRae that make up Roots flirt with perfection, and Nucleus at that time made up of the cream of 1970s UK jazz with Brian Smith on tenor saxophones and flutes, Dave MacRae on piano and electric piano, Jocelyn Pitchen on guitar, Roger Sutton on bass, both Clive Thacker and Aureo De Souza on drums and percussion, Joy Yates delivering the vocals and of course Carr on trumpet.

The spellbinding title track immediately renders the album indispensable. Riding the illest of loping breakbeats, “Roots” is low-slung, doped-out heist-funk. An absolute monster. If it sounds familiar then that’s likely down to it being sampled by Madlib for Lootpack and Quasimoto’s “Loop Digga”, as well as by a whole host of beat manipulators. “Roots” conjures prime instrumental hip-hop / beat music, only 20 years ahead of its time. Truly, these are the roots. Through sinuous bass, twinkling keys and a hypnotic guitar riff, a smoky brass motif weaves its way into a gloriously deep haze around Carr’s solos. “Roots” is over 9 minutes long, but there’s not a single wasted second, not surprising given that this is a condensed version of an originally 40 minute long commissioned composition.

The soothing vocal fusion delight of “Images” follows. Meticulously constructed, with gorgeous flute work from Brian Smith, with Joy Yates’ silky vocals and Dave MacRae’s Rhodes never sounding better. The cool, driving “Caliban” closes out the first side. Originally the third movement in a four part commission to celebrate Shakespeare’s birthday it stands up on its own, all robust rhythms and blended brass. Keyboard colour and Carr’s trumpet are splashed across the funk drums and basslines (and there’s even some bamboo flute). This really is fusion: the elements of jazz and rock coming together in beautifully synthesis.

Side two opens in riotous fashion with the short, thrilling samba of “Wapatiti”. Next up, “Capricorn” forms a smoothed-out, jazzy constellation. Mellow and dreamy, its twinkling percussion and languid horns slowly build the vibe before head-nod drums and a killer bassline enter the fray. With a distinct heaviness that Black Sabbath would’ve envied, “Odokamona” is a venomous slice of riff-soaked jazz metal (yes, you read that right), elevated by Carr’s wah-wah horns.

The album closes with MacRae’s exceptionally cosmic “Southern Roots and Celebration”. Very much in conversation with Weather Report, it opens as a languorous, spiritual jazz of chiming keys and serene guitar that turns slowly, gorgeously into a mid-paced, brass-laced banger. It’s another sure-fire party starter and the sound of the band having a righteous blast, building an ecstatic chaos that ends with Yates screaming.

And of course we need to talk about Keith Davis’ cover for Roots. Perhaps the coolest record cover of all time? Certainly one of the most bonkers. Just your run-of-the-mill high-gloss, acid-tinged airbrush dystopian/utopian living-room party scene. Consider this your chemical flashback trigger warning.

Front-and-centre the hip-to-death green robot holds court with their giant ball of yellow barbwire wool, hooked up to… something(?) being teased out from under the stairs (probably best not to ask). A thoroughly zoned-out, long-legged Pop Art party-goer lounges half-plugged in to the painting behind her as a pair of legs flail into shot from the the top of the stairs opposite. We won’t even begin to guess what the chap’s up to in the middle, but the view out of the windows is rather nice, and someone’s already got the hoover out ready to tidy up. All of the Nucleus sleeves are something special, but this particular one? Crikey.

This Be With edition of Roots has been re-mastered from the original Vertigo master tapes, Simon Francis’ mastering working together with Pete Norman’s cut to weave their usual magic with these wonderful recordings. The crazy cover has been restored at Be With HQ as the finishing touch to this long overdue re-issue.

The Saint Wax label branches out with a new series of edits from founder Eduardo Barbi aka Gledd, who traverses funk, disco and soul across five irresistible cuts. 'Street Preacher' has a spoken word that reminds of early rap days paired with a rousing choral backing, then 'Stevie's Word' turns up the funk with a chunky bassline. 'Do It For Me' is another gospel-fuelled pumper with big stabs ramping up the intensity and then 'Under The Moonlight' is a classy disco stomper lead by florid and chunky funk in the drums. 'Your Love' is an excitable finish with big horns, bigger chords and even bigger vocals. It's big, basically.

Disco Collected celebrates the dance music which originally developed from R&B, soul, and funk from the late 60s and 70s and turned into a mighty subculture in discotheques, with Studio 54, Manhattan, New York as one of the most famous and extravagant discos all over the world. Disco used a steady four to the floor beat, string sections, horns which created a perfect setting for DJs who mixed their special 12 inches to an eager dance crowd.

Movies like Saturday Night Fever and Thank God It’s Friday contributed to disco’s mainstream popularity. Compiled on Disco Collected are some of the best, well-known and great disco hits by Rose Royce, Chic, Kool & The Gang, The Trammps, Thelma Houston, KC & The Sunshine Band and 16 more guaranteed floor fillers.

The 2LP Disco Collected is available as a limited edition on disco ball silver vinyl and includes an insert.

2026 Repress

DJ Koze doesn't aim for technical perfection for its own sake, but rather to serve the purpose of giving birth to great music. On his debut 'Rue Burnout EP' from his own Pampa label, he plays with finesse and sophistication, and implicitly understands the importance of subtlety, leading from dreamy and restrained parts to a noisy frenzy at the end. 'Blume der Nacht' starts with a looped piano solo from Arabian dodecaphony, interwoven with bangs of violine bows, piercing high-pitched strings, almost shrieking glissandi, deep angel chants and obsessive sharp rhythms. The 37 year old constantly horny wunderkind producer has made a habit of creatively foiling expectations, and works also under the pseudonyms Adolf Noise, Swahimi and recently Madima Lokkah to redefine the boundaries of electronic music. This daring concept works perfectly in the title track 'Rue Burnout' - it is very rare that you find house music this excitingly light-fooded and precisely transparent. The musician cuts the pigtail off the term 'Kackmusik' for good, and demonstrates how sounds are capable of creating the most delicate musical interplay.
Amen.
DJ Koze, Germany, April 2010.

Released by Polydor Records on April 1, 1972, Mandrill Is is the second album by Mandrill, the Brooklyn seven-piece led by brothers Carlos, Lou, and Ric Wilson.


Recorded at Electric Lady Studios during the winter of 1971?72, it finds the band refining the adventurous blend of funk, soul, jazz, rock, and Latin rhythms established on their acclaimed debut. With its powerful horn section, deep grooves, percussion-rich arrangements, and flashes of psychedelia and jazz-rock, Mandrill Is sounds both tighter and more ambitious than its predecessor. "Ape Is High" and the horn-driven "Git It All" deliver the album's most immediate funk, while "Cohelo" and "Kofijahm" explore Latin and Afro-diasporic rhythmic traditions. "Children of the Sun" and "Lord of the Golden Baboon" stretch further into expansive, progressive territory, revealing a band as interested in atmosphere, arrangement, and instrumental interplay as in the groove itself. The album's strength lies precisely in that refusal to settle into one category. Mandrill use funk as a foundation for moving freely between soul, jazz, rock, Latin music, and psychedelic textures, creating a sound that is unmistakably their own.


Mandrill Is captures the group at an important early peak: more focused and confident than their debut, yet still willing to follow the music wherever it leads. Pressed on 180g vinyl.

2026 Repress

"La Duquesa", the most tender and most refined piece of the album Amygdala, perfectly casual and serious, deep and euphoric, all at the same time, is dedicated to the Spanish Duquesa de Alba, who, as holder of 46 titles of nobility, is even more highly decorated than Queen Elisabeth. Koze is fascinated by this lady: With her peculiarly creepy appearance she seems like a relic from the past era of the Spanish nobility. She is the most pictured woman in Spain and a pop phenomenon. When, in 2011, she married a man 24 years younger than herself, the entire country badmouthed her. Sometimes Koze would love to be that younger
man, who the Spaniards dismiss as a legacy hunter! Encore the needle is cookin'. Dj Koze did it again. His homage to Audrey Horne. "Burn with me" - a fucked up, deep and schizophrenic brainfoodbouncer with legato bass and hi hats way out of time. The beat burst like shagging, the dirty off hi-hat lashes remorseless in the twatherd - everyone just wants to get laid straight away.

Seven-piece instrumental group Let Your Hair Down herald their triumphant return with super heavy new 7” Pingu’s Anthem b/w Gronk.

Hailing from the hotbed of Melbourne / Naarm, Australia, Let Your Hair Down step out from the shadows for the first time since their 2021 album‘Waiting Room’. The seven-headed cinematic funk group is a conglomerate of Melbourne’s thriving cinematic soul movement, comprising members of Surprise Chef, Karate Boogaloo, Owelu Dreamhouse and Temporary Blessings. The band’s sound is a sturdy mix of dusty minor key funk, off-kilter conguero psychedelia and horn-heavy boogaloo, represented robustly across both sides of the forthcoming College of Knowledge 45‘Pingu’s Anthem b/w Gronk’.

Side A, ‘Pingu’s Anthem’, pays tribute to the tune’s titular penguin protagonist. Emblematic of Pingu himself, LYHD’s horn section sticks its chest out boisterously atop the rock-solid drum feel of Hudson Whitlock. The tune is laced with a resolute flute solo from saxophonist Will Morrissey.

Side B, ‘Gronk’, is a punishing funk cut; relentless rhythm section careening through the tune, punctuated by the metallic, percussive sound of an empty gas bottle being struck. Razor sharp farfisa and menacing horns reinforce this deadly joint as one to handle with care.

Pingu’s Anthem b/w Gronk is out worldwide on 45RPM 7” vinyl on College of Knowledge Records August 7th 2026.

Cold, Bold & Together (CBT) CBT was founded in Bellingham, Washington in 1971 by percussionist Tony Gable and musicians Solomon Harris, Keith Hooks and twin brothers TC & Jamar Jenkins. It soon became evident that Bellingham was not a particularly welcoming environment for R&B music, so they moved to Seattle to try their luck and plumb the rich supply of venues, which they successfully did until disbanding in 1978. They spent their early Seattle years playing a combination of covers and originals in clubs, later becoming the "go to" opening act for various nationally known artists, such as Ohio Players, Kool and the Gang and Earth, Wind & Fire. While they were paying their club circuit and opening act dues, they squeezed in recording sessions whenever they could and released their own material, which was well-received and got strong regional airplay. However, because of the feudal nature of the music business at the time, they just couldn't break out, and like a lot of Northwest bands with great potential, they inevitably broke up and went their separate ways. Upon disbanding, they left behind a collection of original recordings at Seattle's legendary Kaye-Smith studios.

Unfortunately for CBT, the studio passed through several owners and at some unknown point in time, one of them did the unforgivable and destroyed the storied studio inventory of two-inch tapes and quarter-inch masters. Unknown to the band, a copy of their masters was smuggled out by their producer who added them to his legacy collection of cloned quarter-inch masters. After several years and many moves, he became concerned about the tendency for magnetic tape to deteriorate over time.

He sent the tapes to a Seattle lab to be restored and digitized, with the hope that perhaps, some day, they might be made available for the listening pleasure of R&B fans. The hoped-for day has finally arrived. Russell Paine and Super Disco Edits has pressed two of the Kaye-Smith CBT tracks: "Go For It", a jazz-influenced instrumental, featuring Kenny G, and "Unity", sung by the group en masse with Tony Gable singing lead. The musicians on these tracks are: Tony Gable, leader, vocals and percussion Harry Alexander, drums Kenny Gorelick (now world-renowned "Kenny G"), sax, flute and horn arrangements Chris Ishi, trumpet Michael Young, Trombone Jamar Jenkins guitar, vocals TC Jenkins bass, vocals 1 Philip Woo, keyboards Footnotes: CBT gave legendary saxophonist Kenny G his start in the music business. Kenny was still in high school when he was recruited to play sax and write horn arrangements. Kenny co-wrote, arranged and played sax and flute on the instrumental "Go For It." He rips a smoking tenor sax solo in the middle, which showcases his already masterful technique and solidifies his R&B bona fides. He went on to have a spectacular career recording for Clive Davis and Arista Records. Before his untimely passing in 2016, Tony Gable went on to found contemporary Jazz group, "Tony Gable and 206" (206 being Seattle's then only area code). With songwriting, performance and production help from Kenny G.

Ferocious Niney genius.
Tommy McCook leads the swingeing horns, galloping east of the River Nile. Sounds like Dennis Emmanuel Brown, wailing six feet under. A jaw-dropping, no-prisoners Tubbys dub.
Red hot terror.

Epicentre was an R&B/funk group formed in Seattle, Washington by keyboardist Ric Ulsky. The band developed a loyal following, playing the extensive NW club, concert and dance venues throughout the mid-to-late 1970s. Their sound was a blend of melodic R&B and powerhouse funk that dependably filled music venues throughout the Western US. Bernadette Bascom was the lead vocalist, who captivated audiences with her powerful yet velvet-smooth voice and commanding, magnetic stage presence.

In 1978, Epicentre worked with Seattle producer Don McKinney to record their music in Seattle's now legendary Kaye-Smith studios. The result was seven strong, fully -produced R&B songs, with occasional horn and string orchestrations tastefully added to the final versions.

Their music quite literally sat on a shelf for decades until McKinney decided that all the hard work and talent should no longer remain undiscovered and it needed to find its audience. He restored and digitized his copies of the master tapes and looked for an opportunity. A chance call to the former leader of the group, Kell Houston, led to a serendipitous introduction to UK boutique/funk/R&B label founder Russell Paine. The result was an agreement to release their music, starting with two songs, "When You Were In Love With Me", and "Magic Carpet."

And now the follow up single of "Searchin/Tongue Tied"

Footnotes: Lead singer Bernadette Bascom became a protegé of Stevie Wonder, and was the first artist to be signed to his label Black Bull , starting a period of collaboration between the two. Bermadette is the daughter of Reverend Dr. Marion C. Bascomb (1925-2012), one of Baltimore's major civil rights voices and pastor emeritus of Baltimore's Douglas Memorial Community Church. Ric Ulsky eventually left the group to play keyboards and tour extensively with The Association. You can also find Epicentre's music on the compilation album "Seattle Funk, Modern Soul & Boogie: Volume II 1972-1987." In addition to Bernadette, the musicians on the 1978 sessions are Kell Houston, keyboards, Michael Cox, bass, John Carmondy, guitar, and Ricky Lynn Johnson, drums and vocals. While their recorded material is primarily original, Stacy Christensen from Seattle's Gabriel contributed two of his compositions.

LP with insert

In the artist’s own words:

"Thank Goodness brings together an overdubbed ‘chamber band’ of bass guitar, viola, piano, harpsichord, voice and drums. Made on my own in London and Ireland between 2023-26 as a slow channelling inward of a lot of social energy.”

Seán Being is a committed figure at the sharp edges of Irish music, including being the key instigator of the band Princ€ss, touring bass player with Maria Somerville, and a long-time affiliate of Dublin label wherethetimegoes. Their various collaborations include contributions to live and recorded projects with the likes of Spellcaster, Nashpaints, Florian TM Zeizig, Jennifer Moore, Olan Monk, Dylan Kerr, Asa Nisi Masa, Life is Beautiful, Polido, Adriana João and Usof.
Not always in the business of ‘popular music’, Seán also has Gregorian Chant and car horn performances in their repertoire.

Aspects of all of this activity have made their way, directly or otherwise, into this first full-length album.

The music on ‘Remanens’ is the result of a commission by Art Cinema OFF off and B.A.A.D.M to score the short silent film ‘Positano’ made by french actor and filmmaker Pierre Clémenti in 1969. The film itself is an ever-shifting series of glimpses, without much context, of a family vacation to the island Positano. The short cuts are similar to a dream or obscured, residual memories where chronology has fallen apart.

The score was reworked into album format on ‘Remanens’, the title being the Swedish word for remanence. The word has several meanings, most commonly residual magnetism left behind in a material. It is consequently used when referring to residue on magnetic tape, as well as data remanence, which is the residual digital data that remains even after attempts have been made to erase a hard drive. The music was reworked with remnant traces of memory in mind, of the film, but also of how glimpses of memories from another life, when the future was undecided, can make a person feel – and how it can unveil one’s own traces of what the future felt like.

Linus Hillborg (b. 1989) is a Swedish composer, musician and multidisciplinary artist based in Stockholm. His diverse creative practice spans experimental music across both electronic and acoustic realms, as well as compositions for film, theatre, and interactive installations. In 2021 he released his acclaimed solo-debut 'Magelungsverket' through Moloton, derived from the installation 'Orphan Works' which he built with an obsolete computer game engine. In 2023 he released 'Four Works' through Kali Malone and Maria W Horn’s label XKatedral, which featured a series of instrumental works by himself and Theodor Kentros.

From deep in the hard funk pocket, the Winston Brothers return to Colemine after four years with a second helping of sounds rooted in horn-heavy, 70s-style soul cinema, taking cues from the soundtrack work of Issac Hayes, Willie Hutch, Roy Ayers, and JJ Johnson. Helmed by multi-instrumentalist/producer Sebastian Nagel and longtime collaborator Lucas Kochbeck on drums, Sweets serves as a timely reminder of how Hamburg, Germany’s music scene helps shape and influence today’s soul sound.
Ultimately, bringing musicians like Kimo Eiserbeck (sax and flute) and Hans Stephan (trumpet), alongside some additional drum contributions by Max Whitefield (née Weissenfeldt), demonstrates the close-knit nature of these musicians. From influential bands like Bacao Rhythm & Steel Band to Angels of Libra and the Mighty Mocambos, Hamburg’s deep groove scene has sired its share of worthy soul and funk acolytes.
These musicians have shared stages and studios over the years, with various
configurations finding their way in the aforementioned bands. “We started as a school project… we were just kids,” Sebastian recalls. “It’s a family thing, and we really know each other well.” Sweets is more than just another addition to this scene’s collective musical canon; it is a vibrant dispatch from funk’s leading edge.

From deep in the hard funk pocket, the Winston Brothers return to Colemine after four years with a second helping of sounds rooted in horn-heavy, 70s-style soul cinema, taking cues from the soundtrack work of Issac Hayes, Willie Hutch, Roy Ayers, and JJ Johnson. Helmed by multi-instrumentalist/producer Sebastian Nagel and longtime collaborator Lucas Kochbeck on drums, Sweets serves as a timely reminder of how Hamburg, Germany’s music scene helps shape and influence today’s soul sound.
Ultimately, bringing musicians like Kimo Eiserbeck (sax and flute) and Hans Stephan (trumpet), alongside some additional drum contributions by Max Whitefield (née Weissenfeldt), demonstrates the close-knit nature of these musicians. From influential bands like Bacao Rhythm & Steel Band to Angels of Libra and the Mighty Mocambos, Hamburg’s deep groove scene has sired its share of worthy soul and funk acolytes.
These musicians have shared stages and studios over the years, with various
configurations finding their way in the aforementioned bands. “We started as a school project… we were just kids,” Sebastian recalls. “It’s a family thing, and we really know each other well.” Sweets is more than just another addition to this scene’s collective musical canon; it is a vibrant dispatch from funk’s leading edge.

In alten Zeiten, wenn sich Nebel um ein Schiff legte, war der einzige Weg nach vorne, langsamer zu werden und zuzuhören. Vögel, brechende Wellen, Schiffsklokken, Gongs und Hörner wurden zur neuen Sprache der Navigation, neben Tiefensondierungen, die den Meeresboden mit einer Bleileine abtasteten und seine verborgenen Formen enthüllten. Die Technik hat diese Methoden zwar weitgehend überflüssig gemacht, aber es hat immer noch etwas Faszinierendes, wenn man das Sehen gegen Hören und Fühlen eintauscht. Dieser Wandel steht im Mittelpunkt von AEAEA dem neuen Duo aus Patrick Higgins & Nicolas Jaar und ihrem Debütalbum Mist", einem Album, das fragt: Wie findest du dich zurecht, wenn die Welt um dich herum verschwimmt? Die Anfänge des Duos reichen zurück bis zum Le Guess Who?-Festival 2019, bei dem Higgins als Künstlerkurator fungierte. Benannt nach dem nebligen, mythischen Land der Eichen- und Buchenwälder, wurden die Insel und die sie umgebenden Geschichten zu einer Inspirationsquelle für beide Musiker, die schon lange eine Mischung aus altertümlicher Harmonie und elektronischem Experimentieren bevorzugen. Das Album entsteht aus der Erforschung einer neuen gemeinsamen Sprache durch das Duo, bei der Higgins' Gitarre und Percussion live durch Jaars Echtzeit- Effektketten geleitet werden, wodurch Sampling, Dubbing und Verarbeitung zu eigenständigen Musikinstrumenten werden. Aufgenommen über drei Jahre hinweg in Berlin und in Higgins' Studio im Bundesstaat New York, verwebt Mist" die neblige, intuitive Logik von Bearbeitungsketten und Improvisation in den Kern der Komposition. Die Platte entwickelt eine Reihe melodischer Themen, die aus Higgins' Gitarre hervorgehen und sich in ein Meer aus Elektronik, Percussion und schließlich einem volleren Ensemble aus Keyboards, Orgeln, Schlagzeug und den Cello-Improvisationen der Komponistin Judith Hamann brechen. Die Klanglandschaften von Mist" sind traurig und langsam, mit Tönen, die oft von einem blaugrauen Dunst umhüllt sind. Manchmal nehmen wir Strahlen fernen Lichts wahr, die die Unschärfe durchdringen, doch meist hören wir Echos ferner Ufer, deren Rhythmen es uns vielleicht endlich ermöglichen, ohne zu sehen zu sehen.

This record was born as a tribute to two great classics of Latin music: “El Reloj” and “Lluvia con nieve”, two songs that have travelled through decades while keeping their popular and emotional power intact.

On the A side, “El Reloj”, composed by Roberto Cantoral, popularised by Trío Los Tres Caballeros and later covered by artists such as Los Panchos and Luis Miguel, is transformed into an elegant rocksteady version, preserving its romantic and melancholic character.

On the B side, “Lluvia con nieve”, a song associated with Mon Rivera, takes the form of an instrumental ska piece, full of bright and danceable energy, led by the horns, the rhythm and the melodic arrangements.

This release is part of Latin Goes Ska, a collaboration between Gatzara Records, Sotasons and STQBlack, together with The Jeggaes, Memi Sillah and Lenin “Güiroloco”. A meeting point between Latin music, rocksteady and ska, conceived as both a tribute and a celebration.

Following the passing of our dear friend DJ Romain earlier this year, we've spent a long time reflecting on when to share some of the new music he entrusted to Hard Times Records. The incredible response to 2024’s 'The Lost D.A.T.S.' EPs reignited Romain's creative spark at a time when, unbeknownst to many, he was quietly battling serious ill health. After relocating from his beloved New Jersey to Cleveland, the studio once again became his sanctuary, inspiring a remarkable new chapter of music. The 'New Jersey' and ‘Cleveland’ EPs were the first recordings from that period.

Funky Streets completes the first trio of new EPs, but it is also just a glimpse of the wealth of music Romain crafted before his passing. His final studio sessions became an escape from his daily battles, inspiring a remarkable outpouring of new material that he was determined to finish, knowing his beats would continue to warm dancefloors and further cement the legacy of one of house music's true masters.

Opening with the horn-driven swagger of the title track, the EP moves seamlessly into the soulful groove of 'I Like To Boogie' before culminating in the deep, organ-led dancefloor energy of 'This Is Where I Wanna Be’. Romain signs off with 'The Chocolates’ - an uplifting, guitar-laced boogie jam filled with warmth, joy and unmistakable soul.

Beautifully crafted from beginning to end, Funky Streets stands as a lasting testament to DJ Romain's extraordinary talent, timeless musicality, and enduring contribution to House music. His legacy lives on in every groove.

California’s beloved Brainstory returns with a new EP celebrating the end of an era. Shoebox Days is an homage to the time spent and the recordings made at their now defunct Long Beach studio, aptly named Shoebox. As the name suggests, the space was tiny and stuffed with gear. While charming, it was riddled with constraints. But, as has been proven time and time again, great art often comes from difficult circumstances, and this new 7 song EP is further proof. The first track, “The Watchers,” opens with an earworm horn melody that immediately pulls you in. The crunchy drums and G Funk bass tones put a bop on it, lush orchestration weaves in and out and sets a mellow vibe. “Blend,” one of only two vocal tracks on the EP, is a California sunshine soaked love song walking the lines of psych rock ballad and B side soul. ”Twin Kitchen” leans you right back into your seat, with Eric Hagstrom’s in-the-pocket drumming carrying the tune.

“Home Alone” is singer Kevin Martin’s ever so relatable tribute to time by himself, time by today’s standards as “disconnected,” but in reality, much more connected… The fellas let some of the jazz background take front stage on “Lone Traveler,” starting out with an air tight groove, and letting loose over it as the track progresses. “Gravity Hill” named after the famed California oddity begins the ending of the EP as Brainstory takes it deep and brings us with them. “Necessary Loss” serves as the closer to this gorgeous journey.

California’s beloved Brainstory returns with a new EP celebrating the end of an era. Shoebox Days is an homage to the time spent and the recordings made at their now defunct Long Beach studio, aptly named Shoebox. As the name suggests, the space was tiny and stuffed with gear. While charming, it was riddled with constraints. But, as has been proven time and time again, great art often comes from difficult circumstances, and this new 7 song EP is further proof. The first track, “The Watchers,” opens with an earworm horn melody that immediately pulls you in.

The crunchy drums and G Funk bass tones put a bop on it, lush orchestration weaves in and out and sets a mellow vibe. “Blend,” one of only two vocal tracks on the EP, is a California sunshine soaked love song walking the lines of psych rock ballad and B side soul. ”Twin Kitchen” leans you right back into your seat, with Eric Hagstrom’s in-the-pocket drumming carrying the tune. “Home Alone” is singer Kevin Martin’s ever so relatable tribute to time by himself, time by today’s standards as “disconnected,” but in reality, much more connected… The fellas let some of the jazz background take front stage on “Lone Traveler,” starting out with an air tight groove, and letting loose over it as the track progresses. “Gravity Hill” named after the famed California oddity begins the ending of the EP as Brainstory takes it deep and brings us with them. “Necessary Loss” serves as the closer to this gorgeous journey.

Twenty years after forming in Tommy Brenneck’s Bushwick apartment, Menahan Street Band returns with Illusions, their fourth full-length album on Brenneck’s Diamond West Records. The band— Tommy Brenneck, Dave Guy, Nick Movshon, Leon Michels and Homer Steinweiss—have each pursued an array of projects in the years since. Brenneck has produced for Baby Rose, Rogê and Kirby, toured with The Budos Band and runs Diamond West Records and Studio. Guy plays trumpet with The Roots and The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and has released his own solo album; Steinweiss has made his own solo record and, with Movshon, has worked across multiple platinum album projects; and Michels continues as El Michels Affair, runs Big Crown Records and has produced Grammy-winning and nominated albums for Clairo and Norah Jones.
Despite their many individual ventures, the group reunited with an energy Brenneck says felt like “the first time.” Recorded quickly and instinctively, Illusions blends Menahan’s signature guitar, horns and drums with arrangements by Brazilian legend Arthur Verocai, taking listeners on an instrumental travelogue that lets the mind wander. Artist Ariana Papademetropoulos contributes original artwork to the album’s otherworldly collection of music.