Hip-Hop News

Yes Amigos!
The Debut Album "Latin Freaks" by Funkool Orchestra is finally out!
Get ready for another dose of Neapolitan Funky Disco Boogie madness with a Latin touch and a glorious featuring by the one and only Latin soul King : JOE BATAAN.
The Long Playing is a mixture of Rare Grooves, Napoli Sound, Disco Boogie, Latin Soul and Boogaloo, ideal for a trip to Nueva York and back to Naples just to say hello to your Puertorican uncle Manolito "Gennaro" Marròn.
A gozar!

180g vinyl

‘The Big AC’ - a cornerstone of the New Street sound from their debut album ‘No Hard Feelings’ - will be reissued, with the first-time vinyl release of the original version, produced by the brilliant late Noel McKoy, on the reverse side. It will be housed in a beautiful version of the new Acid Jazz house bag, in colours echoing the ‘No Hard Feelings’ sleeve, and will be limited to 500 copies.

Charlie Ingui a veteran blued eyed soul singer who formed the band The Soul Survivors In the 60's is back with a brand new single.

'Wake Up Old World' is a song about making the world a better place.

Charlie explains 'This has always been a theme in our songs inspired very much by our collaboration with Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff of Philadelphia International Records whose songs like "Love Train" and "Love Is The Message" had a positive and spiritually uplifting message.'

In 1967, Charlie Ingui formed the band The Soul Survivors. They scored a #2 record with Gamble and Huff' first major hit with the song "Express Way To Your Heart.' They were a bunch of hoods from The Lower East Side of New York.

They were part of the same scene in NY with The Rascals, Joey Dee and the Starlighters, The Soul Survivors, The Vanilla Fudge, and many other Blue Eyed Soul Bands that paved the way for folks like Hall and Oates.

Originally they were a trio and had a third singer, Kenny Jeramiah, who went on to have success in Atlantic City.

They went on to have several other great records. The first was in 1969 with Muscle Shoals producer. Rick Hall. The Swampers with Duane Allman played on that one. In 1974, Gamble and Huff got a custom CBS label – Philadelphia International Music and signed the Soul Survivors once again. They made a fantastic record with their amazing band, Charlie and Richie Ingui, John "Beedo"Dzubak The amazing Fred Beckmeier on bass. He was a major influence

Wake Up Old World is going to be the first side of a limited edition 7" vinyl to come on LRK Records.

Went straight in at num one in the UK soul breakers

Spun on all the indie soul stations like starpoint, solar etc

Pt. 3 of the 'Dub me crazy' series by Mad Professor. This one features the much played killer, Bengali Skank .. TIP!
Originally released in 1983 on the same Ariwa imprint. True D.I.Y. business from this UK dub pioneer.

Pt. 4 of the 'Dub me crazy' series by Mad Professor.

Reggae meets twisted electronics for wild dub trips!

Originally released in 1985 on the same Ariwa imprint.
True D.I.Y. business from this UK dub pioneer.

Pt. 5 of the 'Dub me crazy' series by Mad Professor.
Reggae meets twisted electronics for wild dub trips!

Originally released in 1985 on the same Ariwa imprint.
True D.I.Y. business from this UK dub pioneer.

Pt. 6 of the 'Dub me crazy' series by Mad Professor.
Reggae meets twisted electronics for wild dub trips!

Originally released in 1986 on the same Ariwa imprint.
True D.I.Y. business from this UK dub pioneer.

Pt. 9 of the 'Dub me crazy' series by Mad Professor.
Reggae meets twisted electronics for wild dub trips!

Originally released in 1989 on the same Ariwa imprint.
True D.I.Y. business from this UK dub pioneer.

Maya Blandy is a new and up and coming singer & writer. We are super excited to be able to release these two killer tracks "Lemon" is a mid-tempo fusion soul vibe love song. With it moden take and groove, Meanwhile BIB (Bitch in black) is a hard hitting groove, with a soulful swing.
Both tracks produced by Jake Wherry from the Herbailser collective

Stunning outernational funk for the psych breaks dancefloor featuring the mesmerizing vocals of Ukrainian jazz singer Mona. Sung in her mother language, "Moya Vode" is about the "ancient ritual to put a spell on water and remove all negativity through its power".

Mona and MC Fame, a well-known Ukrainian hiphop producer and activist, both left their hometown Kyiv last year and found a new home in the Hammerbrook district of Hamburg, Germany, where they quickly connected with the lively funk scene of the city. Together with the Mocambo crew they set off to work out some magic by combining universal funk grooves and Ukrainian folklore.

Mona's mystical soulful vocals are backed by the "Hammerbrook Sound Machine", a group featuring members of Bacao Rhythm & Steel Band and the Mighty Mocambos, with instruments like the Tsymbaly or Drymba added on top. The "folk-funk" continues more electronically on the instrumental flip side when MC Fame takes over the lead on Moog synthesizer. Dive into this spell!

Zoo Min Sha is the solo project of Ryo Konishi, who also performs with the jazz-pop band CRCK/LCKS. 2 songs released in 2023, featuring AAAMYYYY, Ema, and Sara Yoshida (Mononkvl), and themed on parting with people, are now available in analog!

In addition to presiding over CRCK/LCKS, Ryo Konishi has participated in works by Chara and millennium parade, produced music for Amazon Prime Video's "More Than Words", produced music for the opening ceremony of the 2020 Paralympics, and has a growing presence in a wide range of other areas. This is his third analog work. Side A is "Glittering," which features AAAMYYYY as a guest performer and has a magnificent and beautiful sound centered on her clear voice and string quartet. Side B is "I Hear That Song", which features the beautiful ensemble of winds and strings and the gentle, enveloping harmonies of Mononkvl member Sara Yoshida and musical actor/jazz singer Ema. This is a piece as beautiful as a clear sky and a gem of pieces by the splendid members.

Drummer and Composer David Lee Jr.’s stunning and rare album Evolution (1974) blends the deep experimentalism of John Coltrane and Sun Ra with the pulsating second-line and parade rhythms of New Orleans to create a stunning sonic and rhythmical tour de force. In a lineage of incredible New Orleans drummers that includes James Black, Idris Muhammed, Zigaboo Modeliste of The Meters, and stretching back to Earl Palmer and Baby Dodds, David Lee Jr. stands out for his fire, experimentalism and an out-there-ness like no other. 'Evolution' is a super deep, ‘lost classic’ radical and groundbreaking deep spiritual jazz album. Originally released in New York in 1974 (400 copies only ever pressed!), ‘Evolution’ is an extraordinary one-off solo album, pressed on the artist’s own Supernal Records, a record company whose slogan ‘seeking creative progress’ and dedication ‘to peace and freedom’ clearly displayed artistic intent over any commercial or market-led forces. David Lee Jr was born in New Orleans and the deep experimental drum-compositions featured on ‘Evolution’ are as rooted in this southern city rhythmically as they are in the spiritual and metaphysical musical ideas of Afro-Futurist pioneers like Coltrane, Sun Ra and others. In the early 1970s Lee Jr. headed off to New York, playing in Roy Ayers’ Ubiquity and later immersing himself in the thriving loft deep jazz scene playing with Leon Thomas, Lonnie Liston Smith, Harold Alexander, Charles Rouse, and recording for a host of seminal deep jazz labels including Strata-East, India Navigation and Flying Dutchman. Today 'Evolution' remains one of the rarest and heaviest of all deep and spiritual jazz albums ever made. One-off super-limited edition magenta colour vinyl, newly digitally remastered, complete with new reproduction artwork, sleevenotes and download code.

Jacob Lusk, Ryan Hope & Ari Balouzian; an acclaimed gospel singer and choir director, an established film director and a classically trained musician and soundtrack artist. This is the trio that fate brought together and now make up Gabriels.

Their debut EP ‘Love & Hate In A Different Time’ comprises five songs that sound instantly of another era without faltering into throwback territory. True masters of story-telling, their timeless take on vintage soul, new R&B and just a hint of ultra-contemporary altpop have seen them become firm favourites of Gilles Peterson, Off White’s Virgil Abloh, Benji B, Annie Mac, Elton John... the list goes on.

The lead track and new single, ‘Love & Hate In A Different Time’, showcases their sound perfectly. A soul-stirring song with elements of funk and that joyous gospel influence too. Jacob has one of those terrifically cavernous deliveries and understands the power of when to adopt restraint and when to let rip. It’s raw, show-stopping and combines to form a magical few minutes of cinematic sound, unlike anything else out there today.

In the song’s long-form video, directed by band member and British born musician Ryan Hope (himself a celebrated music video director), we’re taken through a history of the dancefloor in archive footage, culminating in Jacob singing Billie Holliday’s Strange Fruit to a rapt audience during a Black Lives Matter protest in LA last year. It’s an engrossing, moving watch and an evocative listen.

Box Set: Lift off lid box with crushed emerald felt lining, Includes Embossed Gatefold edition Double Tri-Colour Splatter Vinyl.

Plus limited edition Black Classical Music branded ProMark Drum Sticks, and branded Afro Comb.

Yussef Dayes veröffentlicht sein mit Spannung erwartetes Debüt-Solo-Studioalbum 'Black Classical Music' auf Brownswood. Zusammen mit Kamaal Williams brillierte der Multiinstrumentalist und Visionär auf dem Yussef Kamaal-Album 'Black Focus', das den Jazz FM Newcomer-Award 2016 gewann und zum Meilenstein der aktuellen Londoner Jazzbewegung avancierte. 'Black Classical Music' ist ein 19-Track-Werk, das die Zuhörer durch einen Spiegel auf die Vergangenheit und Gegenwart des einflussreichen Künstlers blicken lässt, während es Themen wie Zuhause und Familie erforscht. Inspiriert wird Yussef von seinen musikalischen Helden Miles Davis und Rahsaan Roland Kirk und seinen ausgedehnten Reisen rund um den Globus, die sein Studium des Rhythmus vertieft haben. Ehrenvolle Features auf 'Black Classical Music' bringen Chronixx, Jamilah Barry, Tom Misch, Shabaka Hutchings, Miles James, Sheila Maurice Grey, Nathaniel Cross, Theon Cross and the Chineke! Orchester, sowie Venna, Rocco Palladino, Charlie Stacey und Elijah Fox.

"Matasuna Records" kicks off 2021 with another 7inch. This record features two remixes by German DJ and producer "David Hanke" aka "Renegades Of Jazz", for Afro-latin Funk bands "Brownout" and "Jungle Fire". Brownout's remix was first released in 2013 via Paris DJs on a very limited run of 45s and quickly became very sought after. By painstakingly cutting every instrument's individual notes, increasing the tempo and adding in a punchy breakbeat at the end, David turned "Flaximus" into an up-tempo dancefloor hit.

Jungle FIre's song "Comencemos" that appears on the B side is a cover version of Fela Ransome-Kuti's song "Let's Start".David added some more Afrofunk elements to the Jungle Fire version and builds a bridge to the original Fela version with the additional elements. The Jungle Fire remix is previously unreleased and will be available on vinyl for the first time.

"David Hanke" has been linked to "Matasuna Records" since our early days, when he released his "Dem Juju Poets" debut album on Matasuna in 2017. Most recently he delivered a dancefloor-friendly edit of "Mawuli Decker's" "Mololi-Lomko" at the end of 2020, again released on Matasuna. David is constantly producing and surprises regularly with new musical projects, restlessly trying to develop and refine his sound. With his new label, "Bathurst", he created a home for all his electronic music projects. Bathurst follows the notion of not focusing on any formats or genres, but caring more about the electronic music Hanke adores.

Nine-piece band "Brownout" from Austin/Texas, was formed in 2005 by members of the Grammy Award-winning Latin orchestra "Grupo Fantasma" and have since become a musical force of their own. In addition to three Austin Music Awards, the band has performed at countless events and festivals and has regularly toured the U.S. also as highly sought-after backing band for artists like Prince, GZA and many more. Their albums and singles have been released on labels like "Freestyle Records", "Ubiquity" or "Fat Beats".

"Jungle Fire" is an Afrolatin Funk band from Los Angeles known for their authentic and highly explosive sound. They quickly gained attention of the local Los Angeles scene and beyond, which led to their first release on the Funk and Soul label "Colemine". Other releases have been released on "Nacional Records", "Paris DJs" and "Razor N Tape". Their second album "Jambú" debuted at #4 on the Billboard Latin charts in February 2017 which led to numerous features in several movies, commercials and TV shows. They create a unique Afro-Tropical sound by combining West African rhythms with heavy funk elements.

Senegalese singer Faada Freddy releases a new album entitled "Golden Cages" after a seven-year hiatus. With an organic approach, he uses mainly his voice, hand-clapping and body percussion. The album features original tracks that reflect his critical yet benevolent thinking, tackling themes such as the standardization of thought, lack of reflection and dehumanization in today's society. Faada Freddy defends the idea of freedom, combining conscience and emotion, reflection and wonder. The album also celebrates the singer's African roots and expresses his attachment to his country and continent. "Golden Cages" is an ode to freedom and harmony, a vibrant love song for overcoming divisions.

The esteemed Mr. Gary Davis is a disco funk pioneer who inspired countless hip-hop producers and MCs. This special, limited edition new full-length, Gary Davis vs Hip Hop, collects all the iconic tracks that most obviously wear that influence and inspiration on their sleeve. And the tracklist is a who's who of the greats in the game with names like J Dilla, M.F. DOOM, Styles P and Exile all featuring having sampled Gary's work. On the flipside of this record, you will find the original and sought-after sample songs that were made by Davis as well as some unreleased jams and instrumentals.

Mitte der 1970er erlebten Diskotheken in Tokio und ganz Japan einen Boom, als die Disco-Welle aus den USA zu ihnen rüberschwappte. Bis in die frühen 1980er hinein wurde die Musik von erfahrenen Studiomusikern - und nicht per Computereinspielung - aufgenommen, was für einen soliden Sound auf dem Dancefloor sorgte. Disco-Musik lief auch in TV-Serien, Werbespots und Animes. Von Godiegos Monsterhit 'The Birth Of The Odyssey – Monkey Magic' bis zu Pink Parachutes obskurem (und ausgezeichnetem!) 'Disco Great Tokyo' erkundet diese Auswahl einige der besten Disco- & Boogie-Tracks, die Ende der 1970er/Anfang der 1980er auf dem legendären Nippon Columbia-Label veröffentlicht wurden.

Organic-electronic songs recorded in Togo by a feminist quintet. Voodoo tradition and soul, aimed for the dance floor

There are five of them, five, like the fingers of one hand, a hand ready to form a fist, to slam down hard on a table but also to gently caress the planet.

They all grew up in Togo, only a few frontiers away from Benin and Nigeria, several decades separa- ting them from the great Fela, the man who turned a Yoruba proverb into a hit: Water No Get Enemy. The members of Nana Benz also grew up with the knowledge that water was so precious it had no price, and that Mother Nature was a figure to be celebrated...

In fact, respect of the planet and its inhabitants lies at the very heart of their catalogue of songs, songs firmly anchored in the richness of voodoo heritage, songs extolling the value of freedom in English, French and Mina. Earth, wind, fire and water - Nature : that’s what voodoo is! “We’ve always been ecologists, without knowing it, because Voodoo is in fact Nature”, explains Izeale, one of the three vocalists. “At a given moment in our lives, we all dived headfirst into this heritage we had left behind. And there, we discovered the power of voodoo, but also its scales, its incredible rhythms, and its wonderful melodies. And now we dive back in once more, body and soul, because we need to possess enough strength to carry these songs!”.

Before walking down the path that led them to convents and voodoo ceremonies, these musicians experienced many trials and tribulations. “When you have been raised in a Christian environment, when you sang the praises of Jesus Christ, it’s not easy to turn to voodoo”, admits Parus. “But when I lost my parents at the age of 13, I ended up in charge of the family, and with my younger brothers and sisters, I was looking for a beacon! And that’s where I discovered that voodoo is not just a question of dolls and all that evil folklore we have made up, but that voodoo is within all of us, it’s life itself. And that saved me...”

From that time onwards, Kasanku, Lady Apoc, Parus, Toto and Izealedu never really intended to put this culture under the spotlight, yet they set alight the Transmusicales de Rennes in 2022 with a juggernaut of ceremonial electro-voodoo-soul.

Many years of work in the shadows were required before Nana Benz dared get up on stage. First of all, there was a chance meeting during a musical workshop, piloted by Peter Solo (the man behind the surprise and success of the group Vaudou Games, amongst other achievements). The five artists did not know each other yet, but instantly discovered that they were on the same wavelength. The first musical seeds sown quickly flourished. They started out with this completely organic rhythm, one that grabs you deep inside and makes you want to shake your hips. The instrumentarium of the two percussionists became more than powerful despite being 100% recycled. The formidable basslines were in fact created by two PVC tubes (the Gazé Tuyau), and a suitcase belonging to Toto’s grandfather, “a voodoo travelling salesman who visited the four corners of the earth”, provided a robust bass drum. Toto added genuine ceremonial pots belonging to his grandmother to the mix, equipment used to prepare potions for the “voodoo practising older ladies who would sing all the time, and whose voices ended up imprinted there”. These drums, charged with the voices of ancestors, quickly came to life thanks to the bass of the Gazé Tuyau and took on the name of “batterie Do It Yourself” (DIY drumkit). This organic groove gorged with subbass, and complex polyrhythms became a bedrock for the voices of three awe-inducing electro-soul preachers, accompanied by a small vintage Korg keyboard. The setup is minimalist, but oh so powerful, and managed to place thousands of spectators in a trance during the Transmusicales de Rennes festival. “The trance in our music is supplied by repetitive energy! It comes straight from the heart, and this is why our message carries Nature within it, as we honour this Nature in all that we do”, explains Lady Apoc. “We compose a lot using the voodoo scales of the snake (Dan) and that of Mamie Wata”, confides Kasanku, a former bass player, who took four years to assemble his incredible Gazé Tuyau.

All that was left was to find a name for this truly atypical quintet carried aloft by three voices and three very strong personalities. The band therefore settled upon Nana Benz, a tribute to the impressive wax print retailers of Lomé central market (Togo) who liked to drive a Mercedes Benz, women the powerful confided in as they knew better than anyone how to thread together the many strains of money and power, with feminist strength .... “We admire these women for displaying such courage and force within our patriarchal societies, but also voodoo, that teaches us that the material corrupts mankind, and that we must search for peace and harmony above all, so we are also far removed from commerce!”, adds Izealedu...

When the music starts, the five men and women who form Nana Benz are rise to this challenge with flying colours!

Experience the rebirth of Jim Spencer's musical vision through Piya Malik's captivating rendition in Say She She's limited 45 rpm edition of `Wrap Myself Up'. Malik's artistry infuses fierce elegance into the original tune, honoring Spencer's legacy, with Spencer himself featured on the B-side.

Snips returns on his own Barbershop Records for the release of his latest "Nebuer EP". The project is a mix of sample heavy House and Hip Hop that Snips has become synonymous with. The EP was inspired and dedicated to his newborn son, with each track being a reference to a specific step in his journey into fatherhood. While its an extremley personal body of work it still doesnt shy away from being club ready and an essential addition to any DJs collection

This December, Tia-Mellow announces his arrival with stunning debut album Memories

Tia-Mellow is a brand new alias from an already established artist with a cult underground following for his stylishly deep and ambient laced techno. Mellow formally studies music and sound design while living in London. He also works full time as a bartender, so has juggled lots of different things and made plenty of sacrifices to realise a dream of writing this new record. He is someone who is drawn to the imperfections of analogue music and the vinyl format, and that shows in the grainy textures and frayed edges of this beautiful record.

Mellow was written over the last five months while Tia spent time in Italy and London. If finds him distill a wealth of ideas into supremely absorbing and deeply atmospheric sounds. It was written using a mix of plug-ins and a Roland TR8S drum machine and shows a real development of his trademark style with plenty of new moods and shades explored.

Right from the off, this album pulls you in with its mellow magic and beautiful ambiance. The title track buried r&b vocals in rubbery kicks and oceans of analogue warmth, then Incertezza unravels with deeply buried drums gently moving you onwards through a cavern of glassy sounds, gently synth waves and angelic vocal sounds.

The Reason of Love features MC Doppia C and is a deep and dubby rhythm that awakens the soul with its ambient pads and shimmering voices. Mellow Happiness then lurches on broken beats, with sombre piano chords, finger clicks and pitched up vocals making for a heartwarming sound world. Dub Wars with Louis Options is a darker track with menacing energy down low in the bass, and cosmic keys floating way up top.

Veronica gets you horizontal thanks to it along legged drums, thoughtful piano chords and arching synths, and after the more propulsive grooves and microbial synth sounds of Anything, again featuring some perfect pitch dup vocals, Lovely closes out in heavy fashion, with tumbling kicks and hits, aching vocals and a romantic mood that leaves you wanting more.

This is an accomplished and coherent record that explores new downtempo moods and grooves in stylish fashion.

”Guess Who’s Back” - Hip-Hop is! Das beliebte Genre ist aus der Musiklandschaft nicht mehr wegzudenken und feiert dieses Jahr sein 50-jähriges Jubiläum! Zu diesem Anlass erscheint das brandneue Album „HipHop At Fifty (50 Jahre Hip-Hop)“ mit vielen Hits aus den Anfangsjahren des Genres sowie zahlreichen deutschen und internationalen Chartstürmern. Eins ist sicher – dieses Album kommt ”Straight Outta Compton”!
Mit Oldschool-Pionier*innen wie Dr. Dre, Eminem, Snoop Dogg, Busta Rhymes, LL COOL J, 50 Cent, DMX, Lil’ Kim, Fugees als auch mit deutschen Rap-Größen wie Die Fantastischen Vier, Luciano, Sido, Apache 207, Seeed oder Deichkind hat das Album einiges zu bieten.

Ob die groovigen Sounds von ”Super Freaky Girl”, die explosive Rap Power von ”Bamba”, der weltweite Club-Klassiker ”In Da Club” oder der funky Vibe mit harschen Lyrics des Klassikers von ”The Real Slim Shady” – diese Mischung sorgt für die volle Ladung Hip-Hop!

Erhältlich als 4LP, 3CD, eAlbum und im Streaming ab dem 29. September 2023!

First ever official physical release of any of the Cabin Fever mixtapes. -Includes features from Big Sean, Juicy J, IAMSU!, Problem, French Montana, 2 Chainz, and Curren$y, and production from Sonny Digital, TM88, Lex Luger, Sledgren, and ID Labs.

Box Set featuring red foil text treatment containing the first ever official physical releases of Wiz Khalifa's Cabin Fever 1-3 mixtapes on red vinyl.

King Tubby production, originally a Firehouse, 1986

The Collins & Collins version of “Top Of The Stairs” is a timeless modern soul classic. The song is composed by Ashford & Simpson, who originally recorded it, but even they switched to the arrangement on the Collins & Collins version when performing it live. The connection Expansion Records have with the song dates from its first UK/CD release on “Soul Chasers” in 1993, then the “Ashford & Simpson Songbook” in 2007 and now officially reissued on 7”, and the full length version too. It’s coupled with the exceptionally rare/in demand/expensive version of Gamble & Huff’s “You Know How To Make Me Feel So Good”, first recorded by Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes in 1975. Collins & Collins recorded one LP for A&M in 1980, both key tracks featured back to back on this 7”. Songs are produced by John Davis and recorded at Sigma Sound studios in Philadelphia.

“Refuse”:
A unique sound that could be described as “Breakbeat Soul" O.Love's instruments and vocal prowess take centre stage, showcasing a fusion of live instruments & soulful vocals re-arranged and remixed with original breaks and beats by DJ DSK!

"Tonight":
A catchy rootsy original reggae tune, featuring lyrics that exude positivity and soulfulness. It receives the remix treatment from DJ DSK, who infuses it with heavy beats and luscious dub elements. The result is a speaker-shaking, dancefloor rocker!

Remastered Reissue des Samplers 'Ariwa Sounds: The Early Sessions' (1984) mit den frühen Produktionen der Reggae/Dub-Legende Mad Professor, aufgenommen zwischen 1979-1981 in seinem Wohnzimmer, kurz bevor die Idee Form annahm, ein Studio und das Ariwa-Label zu gründen. Er lud lokale Musiker zur Zusammenarbeit ein, darunter Errol Sly, Ranking Ann, Sergeant Pepper, Deborah Glasgow, Victor Cross, Sister Audrey und seine Begleitband The Sane Inmates, von denen einige später zu festen Größen ihres jeweiligen Genres wurden. Die LP fängt die rohe Essenz des frühen Sounds von Mad Professor und Ariwa ein.

Cult reissue from this short-lived Bristol project. Their debut 4-track EP was self-released on Restriction Records in 1984 giving birth to a collective experience fueled by several members: Andrew Clarke (AMJ Almighty Groove, AMJ Dub Collective) Clive Smith, Rob Smith (co- founder of the influential trip hop band Smith & Mighty), plus members of Zion Band. Produced by Mad Professor at London Ariwa Studios and featuring extraordinaire trombone player Vin Gordon aka Don Drummond Jr. (The Skatalites, The Upsetters) this quintessential mini-album merged the original Jamaican reggae-dub feel with a more contemporary approach, focusing on the experience of established British bands like Aswad and Black Uhuru.

Soul Jazz Records’ new 10th anniversary edition of their long-out-of-print Punk 45: There Is No Such Thing As Society. This is a one-off limited-edition heavyweight specialedition cyan coloured vinyl pressing + download code. The album charts the rise of underground punk and post-punk in the UK from 1977-81. This album is fully remastered and relicensed and includes five new tracks from 23 Skidoo, Notsensibles, Pretty Boy Floyd, The Astronauts and The Impossible Dreamers.


The album is a collection of seminal, classic, obscure and rare punk and post-punk singles from the likes of The Mekons, Johnny Moped, The Killjoys, The Rings and many more which all chart the rise of independent music and Do It Yourself culture that exploded in the wake of punk and during the years of Britain under Margaret Thatcher. The album comes complete with text, biographies on each of the bands, exclusive photos and original record artwork and is newly available as a limited-edition super-loud, super-heavy double gatefold-sleeve vinyl edition complete with full sleeve-notes plus download.

Deep Roots and dub for Soundsystem from Teddy Dan on Jah Works label, produced by dub veteran Jah Rej.

Repress.

Studio One's music in the 1970's took the label to new heights. The new style of Disco Mix brought many areas of Reggae together ­ Roots, Lovers, Disco and Dub all came together in extended form, re-versioning classic hits, experimenting with new studio technology, over-dubbing, syn-drums and more producing what many fans describe as the most creative and innovative phase in the history of the legendary Studio One Records.

This Studio One Disco Mix album includes many sought after classic tunes only ever released in very small quantities (on Studio One's very first 12" records as well as it's infamous Music Lab 10"s out of New York) and consequently many of these track s have been unavailable since their day of release. Studio One Disco Mix features many of the classic Studio One artists such as Alton Ellis, Sugar Minott, Jackie Mittoo and Willie Williams (with his classic re-versioning of his own "Armigideon Time") alongside less well artists such as Doreen Schaeffer, Judah Eskender Tafari and George Dudley and many more.