Hip-Hop Vinyl New Releases - Presale

Ibiza-based Jazz N Palms is back with more musical dispatches from the calmer side of the island that follow on from his Ses Rodes album in 2022. That record was focused on a double album assembled, as if over a Cartesian grid of space-time. While one record was about space/the environment, the other was following the times of the day. This 7" expands that with more music inspired by magical island spaces.

These tracks were recorded in Magrana Studio in Ibiza with three new musicians and, after the post-production, the mixing was made with the help of Ben Westbeech and his beautiful Unfairchild II, an amazing Californian reproduction of the holy grail of tube compressor that has been present in Abbey Road studios since the 60s.

Opener 'El Valle' ('the valley') captures the different shades of light that pass over Ibiza, from early spring light to the arrival of looming clouds and the first thunders of a summer storm. It is the organ which serves as the main character to convey those sensations and the passing from light to dark as a live, loose and dusty groove bounces below. On the flip side, 'La Costa' simulates cruising on the open sea, riding choppy swells as waves lap at the boat and you gaze at the passing landscapes. Only drums and bass have been used to convey the feeling, and the result is a wonderfully uneven, ever-evolving and funky groove full of life.

Fudge is Michael Kiwanuka’s most free and instinctive album to date. A vibrant, deeply human record shaped by spontaneity, emotion, and creative joy. It’s loose, soulful, and alive with the kind of magic that only happens when the process leads the way. The album was inspired by the encouraging words of the late Chick Corea, whose interview Michael stumbled upon during the pandemic lockdown, urging him to embrace what he loved without worrying about what others might think.



Each physical edition brings you into that world. The artwork, created by Michael’s friend and visual collaborator Stevie Gee, bursts with colour and character. It’s a psychedelic cartoon-inspired piece that perfectly mirrors the album’s warmth and wonder

Fudge is Michael Kiwanuka’s most free and instinctive album to date. A vibrant, deeply human record shaped by spontaneity, emotion, and creative joy. It’s loose, soulful, and alive with the kind of magic that only happens when the process leads the way. The album was inspired by the encouraging words of the late Chick Corea, whose interview Michael stumbled upon during the pandemic lockdown, urging him to embrace what he loved without worrying about what others might think.



Each physical edition brings you into that world. The artwork, created by Michael’s friend and visual collaborator Stevie Gee, bursts with colour and character. It’s a psychedelic cartoon-inspired piece that perfectly mirrors the album’s warmth and wonder

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

After a couple of Echo Labs 45s and an ECR release - the ECHO EDITS sub-label is back once again, with the BREAK CRACKER in 2026

After the last latin flavoured joint on the label, we head to an all out Funk and Jazz party with a couple of cover versions of dancefloor favourites, never on a vinyl 7” before - given an added makeover for a double sided 45 bomb.

“I Want You Forward” takes a big band version of the Jackson 5 monster hit originally released on an LP. After being chopped,looped and layered with sound FX plus JA hype vocals to take it to the next level - this has been a favourite dubplate to start DJ sets with a bang !

“Psychedelic Drummer” is the Horace Silver penned soul-jazz cut that spawned various other vocal and instrumental versions that have been dancefloor favourites in mod clubs and funky jazz sessions over decades. Originally a very short track on a private press LP - it was the massive drums that made this ripe for more exposure with nothing more added - just cut-up, rearranged and extended for club play.

Influential UK Jazz/Funk/Disco outfit THE COOL-NOTES' biggest hit 'Spend The Night', originally released in 1985, is back on Dafia Records with a set of brand new, never before released remixes by French Disco icon DIMITRI FROM PARIS.

The original, which reached #11 in the UK Top 40 in the Spring of 1985, is regarded as a mid-tempo UK classic by many since its first appearance. Known for his luxurious, groove-driven productions and remixes, Dimitri From Paris has reworked tracks for artists including Björk, Quincy Jones, Chic and New Order, while helping define the sound of modern disco and house music in a way only he can.

When he got the chance by Dafia label head Mannix to get his hands on the original multitrack tapes, he didn't hesitate to deliver two classic DFP revisions in the making. His Main version leaves all the essential elements of the timeless Original, highlights the parts that have deserved more exposure whilst adding crisp beats and nice effects to the game. The result is a greatly updated version that surely will have many fans within the Soul/Funk/Disco scene.

On his Dub Dimitri Form Paris delivers a spaced out stripped back version with great use of vocal snippets to great effect on any dancefloor.

Amazzonia is the new album by Alex Puddu and the second volume following the erotic series
I Desideri Di Sadie (Piaceri Tropicali), where the inspiration took us to an imaginary journey in Southeast Asia. With this new album “Amazonia,” Alex Puddu takes us on a trip to Central America, the Caribbean islands, and South America, exploring a new groove of Latin-funk, reggae, and seductive sleazy disco . Here, Sadie’s adventures unfold, from the jungle to the cities and onto the enchanting tropical beaches. Another journey through temptations, on the islands, discovering the beauty of Alex Puddu’s “Erotic World.”

"Amazzonia" was written, arranged, produced, and recorded by Alex Puddu, who plays all the instruments on the album himself. He was assisted by two of the best bassists on the Italian nu-disco and Balearic scene: Domenico Andria—who has played with Pellegrino/Zodyaco and worked closely with Alex Puddu on several releases—and Daniele Labbate, who has performed as a session bassist for artists including Nu Genea and Mystic Jungle.
Other featuring musicians on the album are:
Imelda : Lead and backing vocals
Adrian Wilding: Vocal on Gimme Dub
Hendrik Jørgensen: Trumpet
Jesper Løvdal: Saxophone

Lost Soul Super Rarity “Here I Am Baby” by Lady Jane reissued by Athens of the North

Rare 1980 Detroit funk-soul LP finally surfaces after 45 years, revealing a powerful story of survival and artistic resilience

Edinburgh based label Athens of the North is pleased to announce the reissue of Here I Am Baby, the only studio album by soul and funk vocalist Lady Jane (Jane Brice), originally recorded at Studio A, in Dearborn Heights and privately released in 1980.

Lady Jane recorded these sessions during a turbulent period in Detroit in the late 1970s, working with respected engineer Eric Morgeson and a studio band on material largely written by her then-husband. The album remained virtually unknown for decades, with copies destroyed in a flood and masters held by her ex-husband. A chance discovery by Friends of Sound Records founder David Haffner in 2022 set the reissue in motion. Remarkably, before his death, Jane’s ex-husband returned the original master tapes to her—yielding not only the complete multitracks for Here I Am Baby, but an entire album’s worth of unreleased material, also coming soon on AOTN.

Here I Am Baby showcases Jane’s extraordinary voice across a compelling blend of soul, funk, and disco, from the opening ballad through heavy funk excursions like “Never Lived In The Ghetto” and “Space Flight.” The album’s final track, “She’s A Star” - the only song Janewrote herself - carries profound personal significance. Recorded without her husband’s knowledge, the song directly addresses her survival of childhood sexual abuse and stands as a moving testament to resilience and self-belief.

Now an ordained minister, Jane Brice has spent decades away from the spotlight. But her voice—at once forceful, delicate, and vulnerable—deserves to be heard. Newly mastered from the recovered tapes, Here I Am Baby and the forthcoming Miss Disco present not merely a rare funk-soul artifact, but a powerful document of a woman’s courage in reclaiming her own story.

Laura Nyro was an astonishing talent. She was born into a musical family in The Bronx, NY in 1947; her father, Louis Nigro (pronounced Nigh-gro), was a jazz trumpeter, and music was her coping mechanism during a difficult childhood. By the time she was 8 she had taught herself to play piano and was composing her own songs, and during high school she would sing with a group of Puerto Rican friends, harmonising on street corners and in subway stations.

Oscar Perry may not be a household name even in soul/blues circles, but this Texan's fine and expansive body of work deserves greater recognition. Throughout his career, he demonstrated multifarious talents as a producer, arranger, singer, songwriter and guitarist. He first cut his teeth in the late 1960s on Don Robey's Duke/Peacock/Backbeat set-up, writing for Bobby Bland amongst others. Once his contract with Robey had lapsed, Oscar signed with the equally colourful character Huey P. Meaux, for whom he recorded a slew of excellent albums on the Crazy Cajun imprint. It is the source of the three self-penned tracks presented here. Echoes of Jerry Butler can be heard on the string-laden emotive ballad "We'll Spend Tomorrow Falling In Love" (co-written with studio engineer Mickey Moody) with its femme support, whilst the piano-led deep beat-ballad "End Of The Road" was subsequently recorded by Bland on his Dreamer LP for ABC-Dunhill in 1974. The strong, mid-paced, bluesy "I Give Up You Win" completes this wonderful EP.

,PROUD OF ME" ist ein sehr persönliches neues Album, an dem ALA.NI - die geheimnisvolle britische Sängerin, Songwriterin und Musikerin, deren Stimme jenseits der Zeit zu schweben scheint - und der Komponist Adrian Younge fast ein Jahrzehnt lang gearbeitet haben. Das Album fängt einen tagebuchartigen Schnappschuss aus ALA.NIs Leben über mehrere Jahre hinweg ein und zeichnet Liebe, Sehnsucht, Trauer und Selbstfindung vor dem Hintergrund von Los Angeles nach. Auf ,Proud of Me" schreibt ALA.NI offen über Sehnsucht, Trauer, Intimität und Selbstbeherrschung und lässt dabei oft die emotionalen Ecken und Kanten offen liegen. Von der gedämpften Intimität von ,Face in the Evening" bis zur verträumten Romantik von ,Middle of Nowhere" zeichnet das Album die Geschichte einer Frau nach, die lernt, ihrer eigenen Stimme und ihren Erfahrungen zu vertrauen.

Die in Kalifornien beliebte Band Brainstory kehrt mit einer neuen EP zurück, die das Ende einer Ära feiert. ,Shoebox Days" ist eine Hommage an die Zeit und die Aufnahmen, die in ihrem inzwischen geschlossenen Studio in Long Beach entstanden sind, das treffend den Namen ,Shoebox" trug. Wie der Name schon andeutet, war der Raum winzig und mit Equipment vollgestopft. Das hatte zwar seinen Reiz, war jedoch mit zahlreichen Einschränkungen verbunden. Doch wie sich immer wieder gezeigt hat, entsteht großartige Kunst oft aus schwierigen Umständen, und diese neue EP mit sieben Titeln ist ein weiterer Beweis dafür. Der . Titel, ,The Watchers", beginnt mit einer eingängigen Bläsermelodie , die einen sofort in ihren Bann zieht. Die knackigen Drums und die G-Funk-Basstöne sorgen für Schwung, während sich üppige Orchestrierungen hin und her schlängeln und eine sanfte Atmosphäre schaffen. ,Blend", einer von nur zwei Gesangstiteln auf der EP, ist ein von kalifornischer Sonne durchtränktes Liebeslied , das die Grenze zwischen Psych-Rock-Ballade und B-Seite-Soul beschreitet. ,Twin Kitchen" drückt einen regelrecht in den Sitz zurück, wobei Eric Hagstroms präzises Schlagzeugspiel den Song trägt. ,Home Alone" ist Sänger Kevin Martins überaus nachvollziehbare Hommage an die Zeit, die er allein verbringt - Zeit, die nach heutigen Maßstäben als ,abgekoppelt" gilt, in Wirklichkeit aber viel verbundener ist _ Die Jungs lassen bei ,Lone Traveler" einen Teil ihres Jazz-Hintergrunds in den Vordergrund treten, beginnen mit einem wasserdichten Groove und lassen sich im Verlauf des Stücks darüber hinweg gehen. ,Gravity Hill", benannt nach der berühmten kalifornischen Kuriosität, leitet den Ausklang der EP ein, während Brainstory tief in die Materie eintaucht und uns mitnimmt. ,Necessary Loss" bildet den Abschluss dieser herrlichen Reise.

Producer duo Crossroads is back with another track featuring the talented young singer Cler. This time, they’re taking on a huge classic originally by Grover Washington Jr. and Bill Withers. 'Just The Two Of Us'—a soul classic that’s been loved across three generations—gets a fresh update here, perfectly matching today’s modern soul sound. And once again, Cler delivers goosebumps with her vocals, bringing a seamless mix of simplicity and passion to an timeless hit.

Das 1982 aufgenommene (aber erst 1986 veröffentlichte) Album *Jealous* war John Lee Hookers erstes
Album mit neuem Material seit Jahren und leitete ein Comeback ein, das drei Jahre später in dem mit
einem Grammy ausgezeichneten Album *The Healer* gipfelten sollte.
Im Gegensatz zu der Vielzahl an Gaststars, die auf den meisten Alben seiner späten Schaffensphase zu
hören waren, präsentiert sich *Jealous* als schnörkellose, erdige Produktion von Hookers eingespielter
Band. Das Album, das neu interpretierte, weniger bekannte Stücke aus seinem frühen Repertoire enthielt,
wurde schließlich mit einem W.C. Handy Award ausgezeichnet und für einen Grammy nominiert.

„Guitar Heroes: The Decca Years 1965–1967“ fängt den Moment ein, in dem John Mayalls „The Bluesbreakers“ zur Talentschmiede für eine ganze Generation legendärer Gitarristen wurden.
Anhand von vier wegweisenden Alben – von der rohen Live-Energie von „Klooks Kleek“ bis hin zum
bahnbrechenden „Blues Breakers with Eric Clapton“ – dokumentiert dieses Set die Geburt des britischen
Blues-Rock.
Mit Eric Clapton (Cream), Peter Green (Fleetwood Mac) und Mick Taylor (The Rolling Stones) legten
diese Aufnahmen den Grundstein für einige der bedeutendsten Bands der Rockgeschichte.
Das Paket enthält einen neuen, ausführlichen Essay, der die Abstammungslinie dieser Gitarristen und ihren
Einfluss dokumentiert, sowie einen visuellen Stammbaum, der ihren Werdegang bei Cream, Fleetwood Mac
und den Rolling Stones nachzeichnet.
Die Vinyl-Edition wurde in den Abbey Road Studios nach dem AAA-Verfahren (vollständig analog) von den
originalen Decca-Masterbändern geschnitten, wodurch die volle Dynamik, der Klang und die Authentizität
der Originalaufnahmen erhalten bleiben.

Teddy Swims returns with his most personal album to date, UGLY, out January 22, 2027, featuring singles “Mr. Know It All” and “Perfect Man.”

Following the global success of I’ve Tried Everything But Therapy, Swims turns the mirror inward. Written across a transformative year and a half, UGLY finds him confronting the parts of himself that are harder to face - unraveling old patterns, questioning long-held beliefs, and reckoning with the stories we tell ourselves about who we’re supposed to be.

At its core, UGLY reframes what it means to heal. Growth isn’t about making the struggle beautiful or finding an easy way through it. It’s about facing what’s uncomfortable, giving yourself grace while having accountability, and unlearning the things that keep you from moving forward. UGLY is Teddy at his most vulnerable and self-aware - finding strength not in perfection, but in finally embracing the parts of himself he once tried to hide.

The exclusive Soul Jones Records debut release SJR101, "I Never Had It So Good (Uncut)."
Produced by Elijah Baker (ex-Tony! Toni! Toné! bassist) and Oakland studio maestro BJ Kemp (Ms. Monét / Raphael Saadiq), the record channels early-'70s sweet soul with a contemporary nous that keeps it fresh.
Inspired by a gospel recording by Elijah's father, Reverend Elijah Baker Sr., this romantic serenade brings together an all-star Bay Area line-up: Otis Cooper (Otis & Shugg – "Journey" / "Thank You For My Baby"), R&B hotshot Adrian Marcel and vintage soul specialist Mario Corbino, once part of The Temptations.

“Cue Blue”, the latest and fifth studio recording from Australian down under, gritty jazzfunk grooves ensemble Kerbside Collection sees a return to a more classic, stripped back, meat-and-potatoes, home-cooked, quartet formation sound of guitar, bass, drums and brass.


A sound formed on previous, recent recordings (incl. Golden Rules compilation tune “Fleet Streak” etc), seemingly harking back to the approach of the group’s first recordings (2013’s “Mind The Curb”, “Night in Tunisia” etc), whilst embodying inspirations from more ‘true school’, classic, bluesy New Orleans funk and soul groove flavours à la early Meters, Boogaloo Joe Jones, Melvin Sparks, Billy Butler etc. But it’s not all completely ‘retro’ and ‘looking back’, the album definitely taps into some of the current exponents and leaders of the contemporary deep funk sound – The Greyboy Allstars, Eddie Roberts, The New Mastersounds, The Mighty Mocambos, Breakestra and fellow Aussie funksters Cookin’ on 3 Burners, Lance Ferguson and The Bamboos etc.


The lead single and first tune “Shivers” gives us a clear, picture and definitive opening statement to the record with all the characteristics you’ve come to expect from the Kerbside gritty jazzfunk sound: silky guitar line phrasing, rubbery bass-lines, tight crusty drum breaks, and sweet brass arrangements. Then it’s straight into a frenetic, jangly, mod-funk workout complete with Northern Soul & Motown inflections in the surging B sections. “City Park Avenue” conjures up classic New Orleans funk flavours with its strutting brass, slinky guitar and swinging tambourine groove. There’s classic, b-boy funk territory covered in “Coffee Grinder” (a breakdance move) with its razor-sharp drum break groove and chunky riff complete with sizzling trombone solo. Before the pace of the record changes up with the finger-clicken’, hand-clappin’ boogaloo, reminiscent of early 60s Harlem x Puerto Rican Bronx sounds (à la Willie Bobo, Mongo Santamaria, Ray Barretto) loaded with a scintillating baritone sax solo from long standing part of the collection ‘Papa Joe’ Roberts.


“Sittin’ On The Porch” cools the temperature down even more, delving into slight Southern Louisiana Delta blues territory, while suggesting some of the hot and muggy atmosphere and imagery of their home town location in suburban Brisbane Australia, complete with kooky Casio percussion representing familiar yard sounds such as sprinklers (spinning lawn watering devices) and ‘mozzies’ (mosquitos), passing cars indicated by trombone, and guitarist TC Tyler, channelling some bluesy John Lee Hooker, R.L. Burnside guitar flavours - you can almost feel the humidity on your skin.


Then it’s time for a stroll down memory lane, with their version of a People Under The Stairs hip hop classic “San Francisco Knights”, bringing the tune full circle back into band mode, also with another tasty guitar solo. The album then enters its final stages with a mesmerising, soulful, jazz ballad “Shimmer”, complete with Elliott Parker’s sultry upright double bass, and trombone taking the melody for a gentle stroll down the street. The album finally closes and arrives at its title “Cue Blue”, a classic blue-eyed soul number (penned by bassist Parker), emitting the scent of true school, vintage R&B and soul (à la Donny Hathaway, Marvin Gaye).


An album of funky arrangements and refined compositions, mostly penned by recent new-ish member, guitarist Tyler (for fans of Tower of Power & John Scofield guitar playing) taking the ensemble through their paces with all the usual characteristics of the Kerbside sound, on top a groove that will take you round-the-block-and-back :P Gritty jazzfunk and rustic soul grooves with definite bluesy overtones, some classic 60s, 70s flourishes and down-home funk flavours.

Blending shimmering disco grooves, warm analog synths and soulful vocals, Luna Soul bring together the elegance of the 70s and 80s with contemporary disco pop. Formed by German singer Lisa Michèle Lietz and Spanish guitarist Jordi Arnau Rubio, the band creates music that feels equally at home on the dancefloor and during a quiet drive home after midnight.


Following the release of their debut album „First Move“ (2025), Luna Soul have established themselves as an internationally touring live act, performing more than 50 concerts each year across Germany, Spain, France, the Netherlands and Denmark. Airplay and features on radio stations including Deutschlandradio Kultur, Radio Eins, NDR and Bayern 2 introduced the band to a growing European audience.


With their new album „Second Nature“ Luna Soul expand both sonically and emotionally. Written between tours and shaped by constant movement, the record explores themes of change, longing, resilience and the search for genuine connection. Ten new songs unfold like scenes from a midnight movie. Synthesizers, guitars and soulful melodies accompany stories of long journeys, quiet conversations, fading memories and the hope found in new beginnings. The album’s first singles, “Only Human” and “Down The Line” capture the two emotional poles of the record. „Only Human“ embraces vulnerability and acceptance with an uplifting warmth, while „Down The Line“ moves through nocturnal cityscapes, combining cinematic intimacy with the pulse of the dancefloor. Together they introduce an album that feels equally suited to solitary late-night drives and crowded dancefloors.


Live, Luna Soul perform as an multi-national four- to six-piece band, seamlessly moving between disco, sophisticated indie pop, yacht rock and atmospheric slow-burners. Their performances combine musical precision with emotional immediacy, inviting audiences into the same cinematic world that defines „Second Nature“.


„Second Nature“ defines Luna Soul‘s most mature artistic statement to date, a record less concerned with nostalgia than with preserving fleeting moments before they disappear.

*** SUPERRARE DEEP-SOUL 2-SIDER ***
Amazing Deep Soul backed with an equally great Garage Soul track.
Strictly limited pressing!

Kalita presents the fourth and final instalment of their groundbreaking ‘Borga Revolution!’ series, uncovering another selection of essential recordings from the rich and far-reaching world of Ghanaian highlife. Spanning deep, hypnotic highlife through to the vibrant electronic productions of 1980s Burger Highlife, Volume 4 captures a period of extraordinary musical change, as Ghanaian artists absorbed influences from funk, disco, boogie, and new synthesizer technology. With previous volumes championed by tastemakers including Gilles Peterson, Antal, Tom Ravenscroft, and Hunee, this final chapter turns its attention once again to the music of the Ghanaian diaspora.

Volume 4 brings together rare recordings from artists such as Rex Omar, Nat Fredua, and CST Amankwah, alongside the elusive, deeply hypnotic and beautiful sounds of the Abibifo Dance Band of Ghana (led by the legendary bassist Ralph Karikari) and Baffour Kyei. Unearthing recordings that have languished in obscurity for over forty years, the compilation moves between deep highlife, rhythmic dancefloor cuts, and pioneering digital productions, revealing yet more musical ingenuity of Ghanaian artists both home and abroad. The final instalment in the ‘Borga Revolution!’ series, it offers another vital collection of forgotten favourites and hidden treasures for DJs, collectors, and anyone drawn to the endlessly inventive sounds of Ghanaian music.

The 1970s and 80s saw Ghanaian musicians begin to incorporate Western sounds like funk and disco into their music, reflecting the changing global musical landscape. However, the country's political instability and economic hardships, marked by military regimes and curfews, forced many artists to leave Ghana in search of better opportunities abroad. In Europe and the U.S., these musicians fused their traditional highlife roots with emerging digital sounds, using cutting-edge technology like the DX7 synthesizer and drum machines to create the genre now known as Burger Highlife.

With ‘Borga Revolution!’ Kalita offers a vivid exposition of this musical transformation, using rare interviews, archival photos, and detailed liner notes to bring to life the pioneering spirit of both well-known icons and unsung innovators of Ghanaian Highlife, one of West Africa’s most exciting musical movements.

· The final installment in Kalita's 'Borga Revolution!' series, examining the development of Ghanaian dance music in the 1970/80s, and focussing on the phenomenon of Burger highlife (a blend of Ghanaian highlife with disco, boogie and synths).

· 2xLP in gatefold sleeve, with printed inner sleeves examining the stories of the artists featured on the volume.

· Includes 10 highly sought-after and under-the-radar recordings, including those by the phenomenal Rex Omar, Nat Fredua, CST Amankwah, Baffour Kyei, Chief Kofi Sammy, and the Abibifo Dance Band of Ghana.

Was genau ist Folk Soul? Es handelt sich nicht um den zeitgenössischen Roots-Rock oder die Country-nahen Balladen, die du wahrscheinlich kennst. Folk Soul steht direkt vor - wenn nicht sogar direkt neben - der schwarzen Musikszene der Mitte bis Ende der 60er bis in die frühen 70er Jahre. Während Spiritual Soul das Ethos der afroamerikanischen Befreiungsbewegung und den breiteren Kampf seiner Zeit verkörpert, beschäftigte sich Folk Soul mit der Analyse, Klassifizierung und regelrechten Ablehnung des Status quo - und stellte sich den komplexen, starren Machtkämpfen jener Zeit durch minimalistische, klassisch geprägte und zukunftsweisende Ansätze im Songwriting. Diese LP besiegt den Faschismus.

Was genau ist Folk Soul? Es handelt sich nicht um den zeitgenössischen Roots-Rock oder die Country-nahen Balladen, die du wahrscheinlich kennst. Folk Soul steht direkt vor - wenn nicht sogar direkt neben - der schwarzen Musikszene der Mitte bis Ende der 60er bis in die frühen 70er Jahre. Während Spiritual Soul das Ethos der afroamerikanischen Befreiungsbewegung und den breiteren Kampf seiner Zeit verkörpert, beschäftigte sich Folk Soul mit der Analyse, Klassifizierung und regelrechten Ablehnung des Status quo - und stellte sich den komplexen, starren Machtkämpfen jener Zeit durch minimalistische, klassisch geprägte und zukunftsweisende Ansätze im Songwriting. Diese LP besiegt den Faschismus.

It’s that time of year again! Are your copies of “Now! That’s What I Ca l Christmas” and “A Motown Christmas” finaly feeling worn out? Strut has the ideal antidote this year, as we dive into the world of festive records made by African artists spanning the late 1960s to the 1980s with our new Krismasi: Christmas Sounds From Africa compilation.

Taking in music from across the continent from Nigeria and Ghana to South Africa and Zimbabwe, Krismasi draws from a wide range of sounds from fun novelty records and spur-of-the-moment jams to spiritual and gospel favourites. Featured artists include Ghanian great Kwadwo Donkoh with a meditative highlife praise song from his much-loved Christmas Africana album. Elsewhere, pop star turned pastor, Jerry Boifraind, has some fun with a song celebrating seeing friends at Christmas and Nigerian pop favourite Martha Ulaeto features with the lilting lead track from her own Christmas Africana release. We pick out some choice Central and East African sounds with Kakai Kilonzo’s bri liant Kilimambogo Brothers Band and Congolese legend Baba Gaston’s Orchestra Baba National capturing the joy of the festive season. We stop off in Zim for a rare Dorothy Masuka acoustic piece and one of the country’s great musicians post-independence, Paul “Dr. Love” Matavire with ‘Christmas Yaswedera’ (‘Christmas Is Near’). Township jazz star Reggie Msomi appears with a joyous township instrumental and, fina ly, we couldn’t release a Christmas co lection without some carols. Here we include here a great version of ‘Mary’s Boy Child’ by UK-based Nigerian highlife musician Flash Dominci and a hi-octane funky medley of favourite festive hymns by Ghana’s Oscar Suley.

The compilation is the first in-depth co lection of rare African Christmas recordings, uncovering a rich and often overlooked chapter of the continent's musical history. Krismasi is available on Red & White Inkplosion Vinyl LP and CD. Vinyl restoration is by Colin Young at See Why Audio, mastering is by Frank Merritt at The Carvery, and the album features striking new artwork by Liam Large.

Yes, yes funky people, another super sexy, soul, classic dancer makes it onto the DYNAMITE CUTS 7” series. This all-time soul gem “That what friends are for” by the amazing Madeline Bell and Alan Parker. This version is taken from her solo album, uplifting, with a touch of Latin hip movement, is the fresh, must-have 45 everyone is waiting for. On the flip “That’s the way I like it” is a banging version club mover. When you get the best British Library musicians with one of the hottest American soul singers, the magic happens. The band is made up of some of the biggest library legends; Alan Parker, Alan Hawkshaw, Chris Karan and Duncan Lamont to name a few.

Siân Pottok is a citizen of the world.


Born in West Palm Beach, Florida, to a mother of Indian and Congolese heritage and a father of Slovak and Belgian descent, Siân grew up between Belgium and New York before finally letting her travelling wings come to rest in Paris. What could have become a story of fragmentation instead became a source of creative strength. Singer, songwriter, composer and photographer, Siân has always turned borders into bridges.


She first honed her voice in the jazz clubs of Paris and New York, performing alongside renowned artists such as Richard Bona, Jon Batiste and Mike Stern. Yet her path has always extended far beyond the stage. For nearly a decade, she led cultural initiatives with women and children living through exile, violence and poverty across India and Southern Africa, weaving together music, photography and artistic transmission as tools for dialogue and empowerment.
The true turning point came when she discovered the kamele ngoni, the West African harp whose ethereal sound seemed to echo something long buried within her. The instrument became her musical alter ego—the invisible thread binding together her many inheritances. Guided by Malian master Abou Diarra, Siân embarked on an inward journey towards her African roots. Yet this return to her origins was never an act of retreat into identity. Instead, it gave rise to a body of work that remains profoundly open to the world, where Africa enters into conversation with jazz, folk, soul, alternative pop and the rhythms of Brazil.
Along the way, she has crossed paths with remarkable artists including Rogê, Chico César, Fatoumata Diawara, Lokua Kanza, Flavia Coelho, Thomas de Pourquery and Philippe Baden Powell. On stage and in the studio, Siân continues to shape a musical universe that refuses labels. Like artists such as Björk, Joni Mitchell and Laura Mvula, she moves forward as an explorer, guided not by genre but by intuition.


Today, Siân stands as one of the most distinctive voices of the new Francophone music scene an artist capable of uniting musical sophistication with emotional power, introspection with collective celebration, depth with an irresistible urge to dance.


Animal — The New Album


With Animal, produced by British musician Tom Excell (Nubiyan Twist, Africa Express...), Siân delivers her most intimate and assured work to date. Every song feels like a shedding of skin, a quiet metamorphosis, exploring self-acceptance, femininity, the freedom to be oneself, cultural heritage, and the reconciliation of one's own imperfections.
From Stereotype, a fearless manifesto against the expectations imposed on women, to the title track Animal, an anthem celebrating the beauty of imperfection ("I've turned my cracks into a crown"), the album gives a voice to everyone who refuses to fit into predefined boxes. In Terre, je danse sur toi, featuring Fatoumata Diawara, Siân pays tribute to Mother Earth and to the roots that unite us all. Oh! Congo, recorded with Lokua Kanza, reconciles her cultural heritage with an ancestral homeland that feels both distant and intimately familiar. En équilibre, with Flavia Coelho, embraces the exhilaration of risk and the courage to leap, while Put a Mask and I Could Kill confront hidden wounds and the invisible violences that quietly shape who we become.
In ADé, Siân addresses Adenomyosis as though speaking to an unwanted housemate. "My body is your battlefield," she sings, giving voice to an intimate shadow lodged deep within herself. This bittersweet lullaby transforms a pain so often left unspoken into an act of profound tenderness towards oneself.
The album also holds a rare treasure: Reste tel(le), an unpublished text by Pierre Barouh, the founder of the Saravah label. Never before set to music or performed, this elusive poem of free love finds new life through Siân's voice, becoming a dialogue across time between two artists united by the same devotion to freedom, métissage and openness to the world.
Driven by Tom Excell's vibrant Afro-pop pulse, the spiritual breath of the kamele ngoni, organic arrangements and deeply personal songwriting, Animal is an album of liberation. It invites us to lay down our masks, embrace our contradictions and reconnect with the free, instinctive and powerful animal that lies dormant within us all. More than a collection of songs, it is a radiant manifesto for the richness of identity, the passing on of memory, and reconciliation with oneself.
Animal is not simply the title of an album, it is a declaration of independence. An invitation to live fully, unapologetically, and without instructions.
A citizen of the world, travelling freely between continents, languages and memories, Siân Pottok delivers with Animal her most personal, and perhaps her most universal work to date: an album that reminds us that our fragilities, our roots and our differences are, beyond doubt, our greatest strength.
— Christophe Tison

Willkommen zurück, The Charities eine süße, Soul-begeisterte 5-köpfige Band aus dem sonnigen Kalifornien. Sie sind mit ihrer zweiten 45er wieder bei Colemine vertreten, und es wird noch viel mehr folgen. Die A-Seite, Movin' on", ist ein Song, der von Anthony Masino, einem guten Freund der Band und Produzenten, geschrieben wurde. Der Song wurde bei Penrose Recorders in Riverside, Kalifornien, aufgenommen und abgemischt und ist ein echter Trennungs-Klassiker. Voller Soul ist er eine schonungslose Reflexion über die Entscheidungen im Leben. Ein kraftvoller Song, der direkt auf den Punkt kommt; klanglich sowohl traurig als auch triumphierend. Auf der B-Seite ist I'm Still Learning How". Stark inspiriert von vielen großartigen Songs der 60er Jahre mit zweistimmigen Harmonien, drückt der Song aus, dass Liebe ein Lernprozess ist. Nur weil es anfangs nicht klappt, heißt das nicht, dass man nicht wachsen und lernen kann.

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.