Hip-Hop News

Tom Misch announces the release of his highly ant cipated debut album 'Geography' via his own label Beyond The Groove / Kobalt Music Recordings for an April 6th release. The rst track to be lif ed from the album is 'Movie', a melodic ode to romance writ en by Tom and his long term collaborator Carmody, and featuring guest vocals at the start by Tom's sister Polly Misch The track displays a di erent side to Tom's music as his calming voice lulls the listener into a daydream, giving us a taster of what is to come with the release of 'Geography'.

The idea for the track came to fruit on with Tom want ng to base the song around old classic movies and the charm that came with them. The upcoming visual for 'Movie' is a culminat on of old footage from Tom's grandparents in Germany in the 40's adding a personal narrat ve for Tom and his music. The artwork was created by Tom's mother Carol who has consistently contributed
to visuals for his previous releases. The silhouet es of Tom facing himself represent challenging himself to create a new landscape in his different moods and stages of creat vity. Woven in with ideas of contour lines and illusion we see one thing, then another, in the same way that music has its own mult layered language.
This release sees Tom exploring his songwrit ng and his own vocals, singing on most of the tracks plus excit ng features st ll to be announced, we get our rst preview with the tender vocals featured on 'Movie'. 'Geography' is an explorat on of a musical landscape, named af er a passion of Tom's which was never pursued, it dances between genres including Disco, Soul, Hip-Hop and Jazz, a true testament to Tom's diverse sound and genre uidity. Having self-released all music to-date (Beat Tape 1, Beat Tape 2, Reverie EP and 5 Day Mischon), mult -instrumentalist Tom Misch has built an auspicious online
fan base which includes 183,000 on Soundcloud, 103,000 across Facebook, 73,000 via Instagram, 33,000 on Twit er and a staggering 120 million streams across Spot fy and Apple. As well as radio support from Zane Lowe, Elton John, Annie Mac, Mistajam, Trevor Nelson, Jamz Supernova and more. He has also had a range of sold out shows from headlining Somerset House to most recently delivering performances at Printworks and Ronnie Scot 's, with t ckets going in record t me.
South London is burst n g with creat vity, new art sts are refusing the convent onal music industry model - they're collaborat ng and releasing freely, driven by the power of the internet. Tom is part of a truly excit ng scene which also includes rising stars such as, Loyle Carner, Jordan Rakei, Cosmo Pyke, Laura Misch & Poppy Ajudha. Tom's music has been championed by an eclect c array of supporters - from one of YouTube's biggest dance music channels, Majest c Casual, to the likes of Annie Mac, Zane Lowe, Huw Stephens, Clara Amfo and Jaden Smith. Plus, there's the fact that Tom has earned the reputat on as one of the best UK producers following remixes and reworks for the likes of Lianne La Havas, Mos Def and Busta Rhymes.

Producer, multi-instrumentalist, composer, songwriter
and vocalist Devonte Hynes returns with his fourth
album as Blood Orange, 'Negro Swan'. His last album,
'Freetown Sound', was released to critical acclaim in
2016 and saw Hynes defined as one of the foremost
musical voices of his time, receiving comparisons to
the likes of Kendrick Lamar and D'Angelo for his own
searing and soothing personal document of life as a
black man in America. He has collaborated with
Solange, FKA twigs and many other artists.
On his new album Hynes says, 'My newest album is
an exploration into my own and many types of black
depression, an honest look at the corners of black
existence, and the ongoing anxieties of queer/people
of color. A reach back into childhood and modern
traumas, and the things we do to get through it all.
The underlying thread through each piece on the
album is the idea of HOPE, and the lights we can try
to turn on within ourselves with a hopefully positive
outcome of helping others out of their darkness.'
Double LP pressed on heavyweight vinyl with digital
download code.

incl. Instrumental & Acapella

The Soul Brothers Inc. hail from Houston, Texas and were likely one of the most important funk/soul groups in the city in the late 1960s until they broke up in the mid '70s. Tramp released The Story of the Soul Bros. Inc. in late 2010, now it is time to pick two lesser known songs for release on 45rpm single. Both sides are equally great, especially Put It On Him with its heavy drums and and wah wah guitar throughout the song.

If you dig this 45rpm single release feel free and check the full-length album of the Soul Brothers Inc., released back in October 2010. (The Story of the Soul Bros. Inc., TRCD/LP-9009

The fantastic new single from Okinawa Delays feat. the delightful vocals of Satoko Ishimine is a cover version of the Neil Young/ Nicolette Larson classic. Limited first edition twelve inch on light blue transparent vinyl & comes with fine selection of remixes from Phil Mison, Psychmagik & Willie Graf & Darren Eboli. Okinawa Delays consists of the talented producer Takeo Toyama AKA DJ Mizuki and the singer Satoko Ishimine. Takeo met Satoko almost five years ago when he hosted a party on Irabu island that is a one of the distant islands of Okinawa. 'We basically thought to make something like AOR tracks like Dusty Springfield or Fleetwood Mac instead of City Pop, also Satoko likes that song, so we decided to go for it and I'm very pleased with the result.

When you are in with Uebertribe, there is no misleading: "We make no fuss and there is no need to discuss. With us, it is all about funk," says Legbo, guitarist extraordinaire and head of the freaky funk collective from Hamburg. "Brand New U" is their debut album and yes, it is very much about finding your direction, and being - or sometimers not being - in peace with yourself and the world around you.

"The concept of Uebertribe has been in mind for about 10 years now. At that time I was playing with Diazpora and it was already clear, that we would never be able to finish all ideas that we had - life is short and they were just too many," Legbo recalls. "Apparently I needed another funk band, and while touring with a hip hop band,I found a drummer - Martin Kahl - who just felt right."

Uebertribe can be seen as an offspring of Hamburg funk scene - a lively witches brew of underground parties, bands and musicians. Their early pre-incarnation was visible during the legendary "We Call It Funk" session series in 2011, where they played many unfairly unknown funk treasures including some cover versions of the Nineties German funk band Zappelbude (which consisted of German jazz legends, pianist Robert Di Gioia and drummer Wolfgang Haffner). Same year later - in November 2011 - Uebertribe was born.

The first single, though, in true funk style, was an instrumental. "Game Over" was released on the Hamburg specialist 7inch label Our Label Records, with a released party hosted in the newly re-opened Mojo Club.

Uebertribe continued playing live but focussed on recording the songs for the debut album, produced by Dennis Rux in his fully analogue Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Studios. The result is a bona fide funk album, rough and raw. A newly recorded version of "Game Over" sets the pace, followed by the staccato rhythms of the title track and the slow and badass grooving "Shake". After the psychedelic, Asian style and heavy horn excursion of "Ying Yang Kutsk" Uebertribe show they have some pop appeal with the Prince tribute and first single "Purple Pearl".

"Don't Treble Me" would work well on a late Sixties hippie festival, while the lazy and catchy "I Won't Go To Bed" lives up to its title. "In A Matter Of Seconds" takes on some pace and leads towards the furious closing number which is "The Thief",sounding like a theme tune of a lost Sixties movie. "We have our roots in raw funk. But we also love Afrobeat, P-Funk and Jazz," Legbo explains. "To be honest, we try to put some Voodoo on all of it, if you know what I mean."

While Uebertribe now established themselves as a consistent live act and went through some personal changes, drummer Martin Kahl, bassist Daniel Vorpahl and guitarist Legbo started writing their own new songs and added Jamaican born singer Ray Darwin, who has been living and recording in Germany for some years as their fresh regular vocalist not yet featured on "Brand New U", but in all future releases and live shows.

All tracks of the EP are accompanied by Idil Meºe's soft as summer rain vocals and lyrics rhyming on stories of streets. The EP will be released under Kanto Records label, the newly established contemporary platform focused primarily on experimental music and the arts, founded by Oceanvs Orientalis himself. Featuring many esteemed musicians such as Ilhan Ersahin, Idil Mese, Hasan Gozetlik and Ali Ceyhun Kartalsuna, 'General Tales of Ordinary Madness' EP consists four tracks, recorded over a year in New York and Istanbul.

For those of you that recall Dr Rubberfunk's second album - 'My Life at 33' you will have memories of a simpler time in the music industry before the onset of streaming when you could justifiably name an album after a physical music format! My life as a playlist addition just doesn't have the same ring...

Sticking with the theme 'My Life At 45' was conceived. A special series of Dr Rubberfunk 7" vinyl releases to celebrate his funky self via the medium.

The A-side 'How Beautiful' first made an appearance on 'Jalapeno Funk Vol. 9' and left a lasting impression with it's mellow psychedelic funk feels, jazz guitar licks and crunchier-than-granola drums. This special new 7" version wraps up all those lovely bits into a neat little mix that's perfect for a 45 and the obvious choice to kick off the series and offer the wax spinners out there...

And speaking of DJ's and drums we've kindly included a track of only those drums for those who like to get creative with that kind of thing and have some fun on the decks.

Also living on the flip side is the second full track - the brand new exclusive - 'Pressure Cooker'. It's a funk tinged blues instrumental a la Booker T & the MG's complete with Hammond, exemplary guitar, obligatory drum breaks and a solid bassline to get you nodding.

Bristol's finest DJ team - The Allergies are back at it again with the a new single taken from their album 'Steal The Show'... And they've refined their sound even further on the record with more live instrumentation than ever before as they evolve their funky orchestrations to exciting new territories.

Their M.O hasn't changed as they continue to ply their signature playful style that reshapes vintage sounds for the modern dancefloor, with two more red hot tracks guaranteed to get the party started.

Strong n´ Funky RnB with a touch of Soul
by Afronova & Tony Allen

Thundering 60's R'n'B blasting dance ditties!

After 3 years touring UK festivals, Daytoner release their debut band LP 'Off The Hook', referring to the replacement of Daytoner's crate-dug samples with a 7 piece live band, who've spent 18 months writing and recording both their own originals and new dancefloor twists on famous funk, soul, jazz and latin hooks. The band has risen rapidly from local shows to main stages such as support slots for Craig Charles at various SW events leading to him tweeting "Daytoner are my new favourite band. Fact" after their Falmouth Week support show in 2017. Their first 7" singles from the album, 'Needed You' and 'Second Stomp' / 'I Get By' have proved popular with both DJs and funk and soul fans and there's been substantial radio support across the BBC, plus superlatives from various online blogs including monkeyboxing who awarded 'Needed You' five stars calling it "a rather enormous neo-northern soul 45".

New Orleans Anthem With Great Lazy Vocals And An Insanely Brilliant Instro On The Flip From The Goldband / Hollywood Stable Which Is The First Cut, Not From The Later Issue.

With dedication', Beady Belle Has Drawn Together All The Threads Of Inspiration At The Core Of Who She Is And Has Woven A Brand New Tapestry That Is Vibrant, Organic, Energetic, Cool, Emotional, Intimate, And

Unequivocally Funky. Soul And R&b Have Always Been Close To Beady Belle's Heart, And With dedication', She Is Fully Immersed In These Twin Worlds. i Associate This Music With The 70's,' She Says. it's Recorded Live With Old,

Original Instruments. Raw And Unpolished. With The Groove As An Unstoppable Engine. It's A Tribute To My Great Heroes - Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Donny Hathaway And Aretha Franklin, While There Are Whispers Of Younger

Soul Artists Like Alicia Keys, Raphael Saadiq, Lauryn Hill And Frank Ocean.' The Title, dedication', Refers To The Most Important Thing In Life - At Any Given Time - As You Go Through Hell And High Water To Achieve It. It Is The Battle That

Requires Full Dedication To Win. dedication' Is In Many Ways A Continuation Of The Previous Album, on My Own' (2016). The Organic Live Feeling There Has Been Developed Further Here, But Now With A Clear Step Closer To Soul And With The Driving Rhythm And

Groove Solidly Placed Centre-stage. Beady Belle Writes - And Has Always Written - Pop Music. She Conjures Catchy And Intuitive Melodies, While At The Same Time Adds Deliberate - And Sometimes Intricate - Themes And Musical Depth.

But The Dress Of Her Music Has Varied And Developed In Accordance With The Fluctuations That Have Affected Her Life Along The Way. Beady Belle's Music Has Moved From A Rather Clubby Neo Soul To Electronics

Inspiration, Through Nashville-inspired Country And Jazz. But Her Love For Soul And R & B Has Coloured All The Songs. honesty Is The Key In All The Words And Music I've Written. On All My Records, I'm Searching For A Core That Is Close To

My Heart, But This Changes As Life Goes And I Change. What Was Me Before May Not Be Me Anymore. Therefore, My Music Has Always Changed Character From Release To Release - But Always With A Clear Signature From My Heart. There Is

Always Something Open, Revealing In It.'



Music, Lyrics, Production, Lead Vocals: Beady Belle Prophet 5, Minimoog, Juno 60, Arp, Fender Rhodes, Clavinet, Hammond Organ, Grand Piano, Electric Guitar, Auto Harp And Glockenspiel: David

Wallumrød Drums, Shaker And Tambourine: Bjørn Sæther Electric Bass: Marius Reksjø Backing Vocals: Ladonna Harley-peters Sharlene Hector And Vula Malinga - Lasharvu Percussion: Martin Windstad

Electric Sitar: Bjørn Charles Dreyer

5x 7" Box Set + 2x 7" Slipmats

A defining characteristic of Danny Krivit's DJ sets has always been the strong elements of funk he threads throughout. Indeed, at the height of the pop-disco craze in the late '70s Krivit was sometimes criticized as being too funky' for incorporating tunes from the likes of War and James Brown in his sets, going against the grain of the stiff and sanitized fare that filled the playlists of mainstream jocks. Ironically, it was exactly this funky flavor that allowed his style to survive and thrive, a direct throwback to the vibes that originally gave birth to disco and, even as tempos accelerated and styles changed, continue to be the beating heart beneath the most powerful dancefloor movers.


This upcoming box set from Most Excellent Unlimited taps into that primal sound with ten funky sureshots from Mr. K's crates, each edited by the master for maximum effect. From sultry mood-setters to breakbeat headnodders to bouncy proto-disco, Krivit has laid out a powerful palette that stands as both a treasure trove of digger's delights and a collection of perfect party-starters. Spread over five seven-inches and packaged in a handsome bespoke box, this extremely limited package will be available May 2018 just delayed post Record Store Day. The first 75 units will include two high quality felt 7" Mr. K slipmats.

Never one to be constrained by musical genres, multi-instrumentalist, composer and producer Adam Gibbons (aka Lack of Afro) has taken it up several notches with his sixth studio record 'Jack of All Trades', a multi-genre tour de force that combines soul, funk, hip-hop, disco, rock and everything in-between, all wrapped up in his signature chunky production to create arguably his finest work to date.

The album is blessed with some incredible vocal performances. Regular collaborator Elliott Cole, Nick Corbin (formally of New Street Adventure), ex I Am Giant vocalist Ed Martin, Wax & Herbal T, Alyssa Marie, Camila Recchio, Juliette Ashby & Emma Noble are all on scintillating form on an album that is crammed full of infectious hooks, top musicianship, and more importantly, vibe by the bucketload!

Classic soul ('Back To The Day', 'Reach Out'), hip-hop ('Back In Business', 'Take It Up A Notch'), disco ('Only You & Me'), rock ('Over & Out'), modern soul ('Baby Be Mine'), folk ('Home') and a healthy dose of funk ('The Messin' Around Intermission', 'Good Love'), all combine to create an album that is stuffed with gorgeous phonic gems of all varieties and represents a definite step up from anything he has done before.

Packed full of beautiful horns and lush strings (and all recorded onto tape through a 1970's mixing desk), 'Jack of All Trades' is Adam doing what he does best and then some - blending the old and new to come up with a crossover classic that's entirely his own, whilst all the while ensuring that the songwriting takes centre stage.

Lack of Afro continues to go from strength to strength. 2016's 'Hello Baby' picked up a BBC 6 Music 'Album Of The Year' nomination & appeared in the Top 10 of the iTunes R&B / Soul chart in 21 countries worldwide.

His music also continues to be in high demand across all aspects of film & TV by networks such as ABC, Fox, NBC, Sony Pictures & the BBC. More recently he has signed to licensing label A Remarkable Idea, an imprint of Universal Music alongside artists such as Maximo Park, Pulled Apart By Horses, Alt J & label boss Benson Taylor. A remix of his 2011 song 'P.A.R.T.Y' by French duo Ofenbach (released on Warner Music in March) is all set to be one of 2018's tracks of the year, whilst his debut album 'Press On' (2007) has just been given 'classic' status by Future Music Magazine.

'Jack of All Trades' is supported by a live band UK tour in May & also at various festivals throughout the summer.

Not only rare as hens' teeth but also supergood, this rhythm'n'blues killer is still totally unknown in the world of record collectors. If you dig late 1960s rhythm'n'blues and mod-soul then this is for you. A sure shot on any dance floor in the universe!

Having been featured on Tramp's recent "Countdown To...Soul" compilation album, Hank Hodge's sole 45RPM single release ("One Way Love" b/w "Thank You Girl") is highly sought after in Soul 45 collectors circles. Not many can claim to own it since it is very hard to come by. Therefore many DJs, collectors, and music lovers will certainly be made happy with this long overdue re-issue.

Explorer ist das zweite Album von Con Brio, die PopMatters als Reaktion auf ihr Debütalbum Paradise in 2016 und der dazugehörigen Tour als the best new live band in America' bezeichnete. Con Brio kommen aus der San Francisco Bay Area und spielen ihren Soul, Psych-Rock und R&B so frisch und frei von gedanklichen Einschränkungen, wie auch ihre Heimat ist.
Die Dance Moves und die Perfomance von Sänger Ziek McCarter werden häufig mit der von James Brown verglichen. Manche sagen auch, der Sound von Con Brio wirkt wie eine Party Punk Version von Sly and the Family Stone. Jeder, der die Band einmal live gesehen hat, kann das mit Sicherheit bestätigen.
Explorer baut auf dem Erfolg von Paradise auf und reflektiert gleichzeitig die Eindrücke, die die Band bei ihren unzähligen Touren und Reisen sammeln konnte: Outside Lands, Lollapalooza, Japan's Fuji Rock, Montreal Jazz Festival und North Sea Jazz Festival gehörten unter anderem zu ihren Stationen. Mit Explorer bewegen sich Con Brio etwas weg von ihrer rauen Energie und dem Retro Sound hin zu etwas moderneren Tunes mit ausgefeilter Produktion.

Extremely hot on the heels of 'A Library Excursion', Earl Jeffers teams up again with Don Leisure, his partner-in-beats for another EP of Darkhouse Family goodness. Following on from their highly acclaimed debut album 'The Offering' from late last year on First Word, the Cardiff duo have hand selected a group of friends, dons and legends (including DJ Spinna & Kaidi Tatham) to serve us up 'An Extra Offering'. Five remixes curated by the crew.

For the refix of 'The Accession' (which originally featured Kamaal Williams, Dave Newington and Daf Davies from Boy Azooga), label-mate Kaidi Tatham kicks off with some down-low bottom-heavy boom bap, before switching up the tempo mid-way for a blast of his inimitable jazz-funk bruk boogie.

Next up we're honoured to have not one, but TWO tracks from the Brooklyn legend, DJ Spinna. His Galactic Soul rub of 'Another World' flips the original into a deep soulful 4/4 house cut, featuring the lush vocals of Esther (and one Charlotte Church on backing vocals, pop fact fans).

Then there's DJ Spinna's Galactic Funk take on 'Just So You Know' with the marvellous Vanity Jay on vocals. This one is on the same mid-tempo tip as the original, but with that unmistakable Polyrhythm Addict flavour of big kicks, crisp snares, hench bassline and sweet spacey synths.

For the 'GAEA' remix we keep it Cardiff and introduce the man like Alfie Swan. Doubling up the tempo of the original, this adds some seriously wavy sonics and flips the groove entirely, creating a seriously innovative cocktail of riddims. One for those not shy of some jazz ethics in the dance.

And to close out this offering, Andromeda Jones lays down a ridiculously delectable broken beat mix of 'Journey To Love', this one again featuring Vanity Jay. No messing with this one, this is straight dancefloor fire, transforming the hip hop soul track into a future boogie heater. One for the ravers.

This EP illustrates once again Darkhouse Family's wide range of influences and sounds, as selectors and as music makers themselves, and is no doubt one that will stay in your box for a very long time...n

There is desperation and urgency in Fantastic Negrito's new album "Please Don't Be Dead." The record sees the Devil around the corner, and each song is plea to make you aware of what's waiting for you. The artist is screaming at you because he knows what comes next. The album art features a real life photograph of Fantastic Negrito waking up from a three week coma. His body is shattered, his eyes are staring past you. They're staring at the Devil. But with his new album we hear the voice of an artist who put that Devil in the rear view. Now he's asking America to do the same. Like Negrito in that photograph, our country is driving off a cliff. We're letting our worst inclinations lead us: hate, division, greed, superficiality. It is going to be a fight to pull ourselves from this toxic mire, and this album is a roadmap by an artist who survived the same journey...battered, scarred, but determined to wake us all up. "Please Don't Be Dead" is a man standing over something wounded. Something he cares about. He's looking around, and he's saying: "do something."

'if Your Hands Start A-clappin' And Your Fingers Start A Poppin'... Featured Here On This 2lp Red Vinyl Gatefold Set Are 30 Slabs Of Prime R&b Tracks. From Arthur Alexander, Barrett Strong And Buster Brown To Muddy Waters And B.b. King, Many A Career Was Launched When These Hot Shots Of Rhythm And Blues Hit Their Target. They Remain The Real Thang... Bullseye!

The iconic All Saints return with their 5th studio album, Testament, a joyous, uplifting, harmony led record that is both unmistakably All Saints and sonically modern. With longterm producer K-Gee and William Orbit (Pure Shores/Black Coffee) returning to production, the album is their best yet.
Already confirmed to play Radio 2's Hyde Park event in Sept, with a sold out date in July with a bigger tour (not announced) to come in the Autumn. All Saints have to date sold over 12million records, had five No.1 singles, 3 hit albums and two BRIT awards. After a 10 year hiatus, All Saints returned in 2016 with the hugely successful and critically acclaimed album 'Red Flag', which reached No.3 in the Official UK Albums Chart.

Rare R'n'B rocker with driving guitar and sax breaks that never shows up on original press.

Vocal group rockers !!!!

Since the release of his first album in 2013, Lucas Arruda has quickly established himself as one of the most talented young artist and composer from Brazil. His music is filled with fusion style, mixing influences and elements from his Latin musical background, with his genuine admiration for Jazz, Soul and Funk music.

In spring 2015, it was also not surprising to find Lucas Arruda back with a new LP called SOLAR, receiving great supports and feedbacks from international medias and tastemakers. One of the highlight of SOLAR was the track 'Melt the Night', on which Lucas asked legendary producer Leon Ware for his help, reminding his collaborations in the 80s with Marcos Valle, when they perfectly merged together the sophisticated Boogie and AOR touch from California, with the blazing sense of rhythm from Brazil.

Willing to enlighten even more this timeless song, which could easily be produced in the early-mid 80s, Favorite Recordings decided to give it a brand new suit and found the perfect tailor with Nu-Funk raising producer, XL Middleton. Part of the modern-funk movement and based in Pasadena, XL has released volumes of work, the sound of which embodies the party feel, bringing music back to where it was before it found its way into upscale clubs, while at the same time mixing it with a futuristic brand of funk inspired by legends such as George Clinton, Roger Troutman, or Morris Day.

The result is a stunning remix, bringing 'Melt the Night' into a futuristic Boogie-Funk world with massive basslines and heavy beats!! This great vinyl 12inch comes with Original and Instrumental Versions on the B-Side, to finalize a perfect package for DJs and diggers.

Canadian production duo Potatohead People are back on Bastard Jazz with their 3rd single from their upcoming sophomore album.

"Do My Thing" features harmonized vocals from Kapok - out of Vancouver - and verses from frequent collaborator Illa J, over swelling chords and a funky bassline.

On the B-side, "Returning The Flavour" highlights the synth chops of Dutch producer Trian Kayhatu in a danceable, beat-heavy jazz instrumental.

'Nick & Astro's Guide To The Galaxy' will be released worldwide on May 11th on Bastard Jazz.

Double A Side Back To Back - Great Rockin' Jiver With Pacey Mid Tempo Driving Mover On The Flip.

Great R'n'b Dancer From The Dolemite!

Another Great R'n'b Dancer From The Dolemite!

Recorded in Philadelphia in 1969, The Deirdre Wilson Tabac's sole album is a beautiful blend of funk, jazz and soulful pop. Possessing the complex grooves, thrilling breaks and ethereal weirdness that The Rotary Connection pedalled so brilliantly, the LP failed to connect with audiences upon its original release.

In the decades since, it has deservedly attracted a considerable cult following. However, almost inevitably, it has become increasingly tricky to pick up a copy in good condition for anything less than eye-watering sums. As such, we're delighted to present the first officially licensed vinyl reissue of this undoubted masterpiece of freaky funk-rock, limited to just 500 copies.

The Tabac were, in fact, a trio. Discovered, managed and produced by Svengali Sonny Casella (who'd earlier managed garage band The Magic Mushrooms), they comprised Deirdre Wilson, Stu Freeman (formerly of said Mushrooms) and Barbara Payne (formerly with the James Brown Revue). They were backed by session players including jazz guitarist Chuck Anderson, bassist Hugh McDonald and keyboardist Roy Bittan (who went on to be a long-term Bruce Springsteen sideman).

Their first single coupled two fine Casella compositions, each featuring powerhouse vocal workouts, the supremely funk-fuelled blues beat of "The Other Side Of Life" and the psychedelic-flavoured "Look In My Face" - both of which are featured here. This 7" picked enough up airplay to merit an album, which duly appeared early the following year, but, as is often the way with these lost classics, it received barely any press. Correspondingly, sales where low and the trio didn't last long.

And herein lies the real tragedy. The rest of the LP deserves to be heard from start-to-finish - it's that good. A beguiling mix of funky folk and rocky jazz tracks, with some deep, string-drenched harmony soul ballads and a handful of remarkable covers elegantly presented througout. Indeed, they put some sauntered head-nod funk into The Beatles' "Get Back" whilst tearing through a version of "Sittin' On The Dock Of The Bay" which gives Otis' original a real run for its money.

But the real standout cut for most - with its soulful, haunting vocals, swinging hammond organ and stabbing horns, is the incredible 6/8 time jazz dancer "I Can't Keep From Cryin' Sometimes." Staggering.

Sensational NY-based singer/songwriter/producer Amber Mark releases her brand-new EP 'Conexão' via PMR/Virgin EMI. The 'Conexão' EP seamlessly blends slinky soul & Brazilian bossa nova with sublime pop melodies, all delivered with Amber's trademark smoky vocal tones. Across the four-track release, Amber weaves her deep knowledge of international styles into a stunning musical tapestry that cements her status as one of 2018's most inventive artists, both as a songwriter and a producer.

Keshavara debuts on FILM.

Taking it's influence from downtempo Alt-Pop and Hip Hop, but with nods to blissed out Dub and World Music - the Indian producer arrives on the Berlin based label with Creators of The Rain. Danny Wolfers takes control on the flip - turning in a gorgeous, transcendental remix under his Legowelt alias.

Live instrumentation provides the backbone of the work - dusty drums drive the music forward, complemented by shifting dub-guitar leads, off kilter bassline licks and delayed drum machine breaks. Singer Gio's vocals sit com-fortably at the back of the mix, soft but inviting - present but realised with a distinctly otherworldly energy. There's a fine, organic feel to the recording - ambient surface noise shifts and warps between elements, and live FX pop and duck in and amongst instrument strikes giving the work a rolling, hypnotic feel. It's a deep and fully realised piece of music - wonderfully three dimensional in it's execution, and a striking homage to the artist's wide frame of refer-ence.

On his remix, legendary synthesiser enthusiast Legowelt draws for a characteristically Sci-Fi finish, in keeping with the best of celebrated output for Clone, L.I.E.S., Creme Organisation and more. Maintaining the tempo of the origi-nal piece, but augmenting the work with a growling Reece bassline and hazy lead synths, the Dutch producer care-fully shifts Keshvara's recording up a gear. Where Creators of The Rain began life as a grooving, Hip Hop indebted piece of World Music - immediate but markedly laid-back in it's execution - Danny Wolfers injects a more anthemic, uplifting sentiment, highlighting the dub elements with a delayed drum machine line and pushing the vocals back with a touch of reverb to give his glorious synth-work space to breathe. It's a wonderful take on an already accom-plished piece of music; respectful but inspired - and no doubt some of the Hardware Occultist's finest work.

* 180 Gram Audiophile Vinyl
* Original 1980 Soundtrack
* First Pressing Of 2000 Numbered Copies On Blue Vinyl -> Sold Out, Available On Black Vinyl

Comic actors John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd rightfully get credit for exposing many people to the music of Blues and R&B veterans. The soundtrack to their hugely successful musical comedy Blues Brothers was released on June 20, 1980 as the second album by the Blues Brothers Band, which also toured that year to promote the film.

The rollicking remake of the Spencer Davis Group's "Gimme Some Lovin'" was a Billboard Top 20 hit, featuring an arrangement notable for the horn section that replaces Steve Winwood's rumbling organ work. Ray Charles has a good time with "Shake a Tail Feather," and he's helped out by Jake and Elwood Blues (Belushi and Aykroyd, respectively). The cover of Solomon Burke's "Everybody Needs Somebody to Love" is a lot of fun, thanks to the great overall rhythm and Elwood's lightning-fast stage rap, while James Brown and the Reverend James Cleveland Choir provide a blast of gospel music on "Old Landmark." Aretha Franklin's "Think" is explosive, and Cab Calloway's "Minnie the Moocher" is slyly irresistible.

RSN is a producer, DJ and musician from Athens - Greece. his upcoming album "Strange Eyes" is his 4rth one, but also his debut on Agogo Records. this single features the song "Black Sky" feat. Thaliah in the original version and a pretty great rework by Amerigo Gazaway.

Re-mastering By: Ray Staff At Air Mastering, Lyndhurst Hall, London

Once Fired From Lucky Millinder's Band, It Was The Great Duke Ellington Who Recommended Ruth Brown To Herb Abramson And His Fledgling Atlantic Records In 1949. Good Thing, Too, Because It Was Ruth Brown Who Put Atlantic On The Map, Make No Mistake. She Did That With 24 R&b Hit Singles From 1949 To 1960, Five Of Which Crossed Over To The Billboard Pop Charts.

Ruth Brown's Second Lp Is A Minor Masterpiece, Built Around A Handful Of Hit Singles And B-sides From The Prior Year ("book Of Lies," "just Too Much," "when I Get You Baby," "this Little Girl's Gone Rockin'," "why Me") And Containing A Pair Of Current Single Sides, "jack O' Diamonds" And "i Can't Hear A Word You Say." Brown Is Amazing In Her Range, From The Upbeat, Romantic "i Hope We Meet (on The Road Someday)" To The Jaunty Shouter "why Me" -- Her Timbre Ranges From Sweetly Romantic To Hard And Raspy, And Listening To The Transformations, Between The Smooth, Quick Tempo "just Too Much" To The Hard, Lusty "somebody Touched Me," One Thinks Of A Distaff Sam Cooke. Brown's Accompaniments May Have Lacked The Polish Of Cooke's Sides, And She Wasn't Really Shooting For Pop-crossover Success (though She Saw Some). Her Singing Even Overcomes Excessively Pop-oriented Arrangements On "when I Get You Baby." At Various Times, In Her Upper Register, Brown Recalls Clyde Mcphatter's Falsetto Singing, While In Her Middle And Lower Registers, As On "i Can't Hear A Word You Say," She Comes Up With A Power That Could Melt A Microphone Stand. Bruce Eder/amg

Re-mastering by: Ray Staff at Air Mastering, Lyndhurst Hall, London

With his big, powerful voice and fervent but controlled emotionality, Solomon Burke was one of the early pioneers of soul music, though his contributions were not fully recognized until the new millennium, when he belatedly won his first Grammy.

By the age of nine, Solomon Burke (b. March 21, 1940, Philadelphia, PA) was a preacher and choir soloist at his family's Philadelphia church, the House of God for All People. At twelve he began hosting his own gospel radio show, "Solomon's Temple," and touring the gospel circuits billed as the "Wonder Boy Preacher." In 1955 he began recording both religious and secular music for Apollo and Singular before signing with Atlantic Records in 1960.

At Atlantic Burke made some of the first soul records by setting his gospel "preaching" style in song forms borrowed from R&B, rock & roll and other secular music styles.. He was a major influence on Mick Jagger, who covered Burke-related songs "You Can Make It If You Try," "Everybody Needs Somebody to Love," "If You Need Me" and "Cry to Me" on early Rolling Stones albums. Otis Redding also covered Burke's R&B variation on the traditional folk ballad "Down in the Valley."