Omar – Brighter The Days [Impressive Collective / BBE Music]
“Brighter The Days”, the ninth album from Omar was originally recorded around the pandemic. The beauty of the UK soul star is his recordings have never followed trends. It has made for a catalog of cherished timeless recordings. It also helps when you have a label that firmly supports your musical vision. Now signed to BBE, he’s free to continue delivering compositions in his own image. Lyefook has made a number of friends on both sides of the pond over his storied career. Many are on board here to take this release to another level. “Holding On to Life” is a mid-tempo burner that features the songstress Ledisi. “Lovey Dovey” is another highlight where he’s joined by vocalists Eric Robeson and Rahemm DeVaughn. The samba flavored “Latin Salsa” demonstrates that Omar can groove in all manner of styles. With eighteen tracks in all, there’s plenty of essential recordings to soothe your Omar fix. The wait has been long but this lp is worth the wait.
14th July 2025
Evidence – Nothing To See Here [Rhymesayers]
The Expert feat. Defcee & Jehst – Remember The Summer [Rucksack Records]
Dabrye feat. MF Doom – Air (K15 ReMiX)
Besøk – Rommet Snakker Tilbake
Tania Maria – Ficou Na Saudade [Jazzybelle Records]
Brigitte Fontaine – Il Pleut [Wewantsounds]
Space Travelers Union – Heliocentric [Folded Music]
Sault – S.I.T.L. [Forever Living Originals]
Mulatu Astatke – Netsanet [Strut Records]
Bembe Segue – Pyramids
Airplay – Nothin’ You Can Do About It [RCA]
Slimy Ape X Wintour feat. Pablogyal – Peace Of Mind
Benga – Killerstep [Bengabeats]
Artwork – Red [Big Apple Records]
Currency Audio – Adder [Exit Records]
Deeper Connection – Mystics [Fokuz Recordings]
Kelmo – The Function (Mutt Remix) [Lately Bass]
Rowpieces – Between Melancholy And Confidence [Rowtown Records]
Horatio Luna – Bubbly (Dufresne Remix) [La Sape Records]
China Charmeleon & Brandon Dhludhlu – Birds Sing [Stay True Sounds]
Offshore and Coen feat. Kali Mija – Always (Alone] [Atjazz Record Company]
Sunbörn Meets Clap! Clap! – Acarajé do Salmão [Wah Wah 45s]
gutinstinct – Pueblo [Fortunea Records]
Anghel & Prayon x Idd Aziz – Kipekeele [BBE Music/Batakari]
Mad Cliff – Goin’ To The Disco [Soul Brother Records]
Don Glori – Paper Can’t Wrap Fire [Mr Bongo]
Gordon Li, aka Don Glori returns with his third release. “Paper Can’t Wrap Fire” has plenty of the same flavors his previous compositions. That means an array of fusion forays combining soul, jazz and Brazilian rhythms. Vocalist ML Hall jumps on three tracks. One of those tracks, “Brown Eyes” combines Hall’s falsetto vocals with Glori’s sublime piano arrangements. Glori’s warm and melodic arrangements shine on “Song For Ants”. The tune begins with a flurry of horns layered over wordless phrasing. Glori tops it off with rhythmnic and harmonically adventurous soloing. “Power” is another highlight that begins with a heavenly choir layered over vibrant fender rhodes and a samba groove. Glori has built an impressive catalog. This release from the multi-instrumentalist may be his best.
Aldorande – Trois [Favorite Recordings]
“Trois” is the latest release from the Parisian band Aldorande. The five member group led by bassist Virgile Raffaelli deliver an array of cosmic jazz funk bangers. The compositions may transport you to the late seventies jazz funk period and give off Lonnie Listen Smith vibes. Florian Pellissier’s spacey synths and multiple variations of keys elevate burning tracks like “Gulf Of Mexico” and “Back To Mother Love”. He’s not alone. Laurent Guillet’s plucky guitar adds a touch of spice as well. “Opium Des Nuits” is one of a number of simmering mellow tunes highlighted by the rhythmic percussion work from Erwan Loeffel. If you want to journey through the galaxy of jazz funk then this is the record for you.
7th July 2025
Lalo Schifrin – The Human Fly [Warner Bros.]
Joy Spheres Rees – Trust the Feeling [BBE Music]
The Circling Sun – Flying [Soundway Records]
Nicola Kramer – All These Times [Village Again]
The Nostalgia 77 Octet – Desert Fairy Princess [Tru Thoughts Recordings]
Ebi Soda – When Pluto Was A Planet and Everything Was Cool [Tru Thoughts Recordings]
Brian Jackson feat. Black Thought – The Revolution Will Not Be Televised [BBE Music]
Wildchild – Season Of Kingsmen (Nottz Remix) [BBE Music]
Introverted Funk – Fan Out [Star Creature]
Erin Buku – Listen! (Osunlade Remix) [Inner Tribe Records]
Vick Lavender feat. Justin Dillard – Overdrive [Mister Bear]
Herbert & Momoko – Mowing [Strut Records]
Nasz – Baby Girl [Fokuz Recordings]
Bad 4 Life – My Love [Waterframes Music]
Science Of Man – The Real [Rebel Music]
Justin Martin – Hope (Christian Martin Remix) [What To Do]
Anton de Bruin feat. Fanni Zahár – Running On Slippers [Sundown Recordings]
Batavia Collective – Coded [Syndicate Singapore]
Slimy Ape – London Afterthoughts
Alexander Flood – Vibração (Kaidi Tatham Remix) [Atjazz Record Company]
Jerk Boy & Marcel Vogel feat. Million Miles – Real Love [Lumberjacks In Hell]
Mark de Clive-Lowe – Day by Day (Close Counters Remix) [Mashibeats]
Aroop Roy feat. Andre Espeut – Let Me In [Kaoz Theory]
FUTVRST feat. Danke – You Can’t Stop Me [Star Creature]
Gilles Torrent – Buleria [Jazzman Records]
Swiss Tenor Saxophonist Gilles Torrent is following the path of the esteemed tenor legends that have set the bar. Certainly John Coltrane heads the top of that list and his influence resonates throughout this disc. “Buleria”, his latest release is a modal jazz gem that pays tribute to the Tenor titan. The opener “Dense Tropicale” is a modal flavoured tune with Flamenco style sketches. “Ouannassa” is a warm and beautiful ballad that will instantly remind you of “Naima”, the Coltrane classic that Torrent also covers here. “Bahia” is an exotic modal journey that transports you to the sites of Iberia. Overall the compositions here are less intense and more elegant. Torrent and his band are in their element here. They have delivered a marvellous collection of warm and melodic modal compositions certainly worth a listen or two.
30th June 2025
The Mandala Vortex – Trip [NuNorthern Soul]
George Duke – Seeing You [MPS]
Georgie Sweet – Energy [First Word Records]
Agustin Pereyra Lucena – Pequeño Vals [Far Out Recordings]
Aldorande – Back To Mother Earth [Favorite Recordings]
The East Coast Affair – Run Inside My Mind [Funk Night]
Funky Bijou – Jet Raw Tool [Stereophonk]
The Circling Sun – Constellation [Soundway Records]
Rodina – Good People [Rodina Music]
Han Litz Group – Tucan Playa (Manoo’s Steps Remix) [Wicked Wax]
Pedro & Jenna Camille – Future Dance (It’ll Be Ok) [Wolf Music Recordings]
Marla Kether feat. Naima Adams – Morning Light [Re:Warm]
Yuu Udagawa – Quantum Blue [Phuture Shock Musik]
Boiler Room Collective – The Devil Made Me Do It (Remix) [Fluid Ounce Records]
Wez Walker – Heart Shaped Mistakes EP [Fokuz Recordings]
Bruk Rogers – Get Low (Zero T Remix) [Tru Thoughts Recordings]
Mr Beatnick – Synthetes [Don’t Be Afraid]
Alton Miller feat. Maurissa Rose – Bring Me Down (Alton Miller Remix) [Cataleya Music]
AKTSHUN feat. Saucy Lady – Light Headed (What Do I Do) [Stereophonk]
Plastic Bamboo – A Scene At The Sea [Star Creature]
L.A.X. – All My Love [Epic]
China Charmeleon & Brandon Dhludhlu – Birds Sing [Stay True Sounds]
Land Of Echo feat. Kathy Diamond – What We Want [Wah Wah 45s]
Brylho – Se voce For A Salvador [Jazzybelle Records]
Black Loops – Always Moving [Freerange Records]
“Always Moving”, the new release from Black Loops seamlessly weaves soul, funk and House grooves into a high energy after hours album. The Italian DJ/Producer has been crafting 12 inch house bangers for a decade. He demonstrates that he’s much more than that by utilising live drumming and electronics. The opening track “CDMK” grabs your attention with a funky groove and shades of broken beat. “Detroit Love” featuring Byron The Aquarius is a nod to Detroit Deep House. Vocalist Marlena Dee is featured on four tracks. She’s joined by fellow vocalist Harvey Sutherland on the house heater “Pleasure Ride”. An impressive collection of beats and grooves that has a little something for everyone.
Mark de Clive-Lowe – Past Present (Tone Poems Across Time) [Impressive Collective/BBE Music]
Mark de Clive-Lowe’s latest release, “Past Present (Tone Poems Across Time)” is a solo project that is driven by an introspective look into his family and heritage. This is a project that may have never seen the light if not for the persistence of close friend and multi-instrumentalist Carlos Nino. Nino also suggested that De Clive Lowe record at Ken Barriento’s analog synth studio. As a result, the eleven track release yields a vivid canvas of sounds. That’s largely due to the use of twenty two keyboards across all recordings. The rich ambient synths stand out on tracks like “Present Past”. “Heart” is warm, spacious and peaceful. The entire album is meditative and moving. Mark takes us along his journey into his family history and provides a quiet pause along the way.
https://markdeclivelowe.bandcamp.com/album/past-present-tone-poems-across-time
23rd June 2025
Potatohead People & Slippery Elm feat. Bahamadia – Up Close [Mysterybox Records]
Harvey Lindo feat. Tableek & Hanif – The Here & The Now [Planet Groove]
Prince Phillip Mitchell – You’ll Throw Bricks At Him [Atlantic]
Jeb Loy Nichols – Step In [Timmion Records]
Sampology feat. NMMWL – Ripened [Middle Name Records]
Kutiman – Fog Ahead [Siyal Music]
Gilles Torrent – Danse Tropicale [Jazzman Records]
The East Coast Affair – Children Of The Sun (Unite As One) [Funk Night]
Joe Henderson & Woody Shaw – Invitation [Real Gone Music]
Tender Buttons – Half-Translated Portmanteau [Fluid Ounce Records]
Tommy The Cat – Trouble In Paradise [Cat In The Bag Records]
Th’Acquisition – Run Away [Bouman Records]
Sereni7 – Truth [Celsius Recordings]
Drumagick – Feelings [Tru Thoughts Recordings]
Madalitso Band – Zili Komweko [Bongo Joe Records]
Brian Jackson feat. Rahsaan Patterson – Is That Jazz? [BBE Music]
Charles Webster, EMAMKAY & Bokang Rematlapeng – Rain [Stay True Sounds]
Dérive Asphalte – Mame Note (K15 Remix) [Dope Tones Records]
Kid Sublime feat. Bako – You Got Me Runnin’ (WheelUP Remix) [Natural Element]
Sio X Tesfa Williams – Peign Killer [Sty Tru Bts]
Mark de Clive-Lowe feat Cherie Mathieson – Day By Day [Be With Records]
Peven Everett – Poppin’ [Tribe Records]
Vernessa Mitchell – Shout (DJ Spen & Gary Hudgins Mix) [Quantize Recordings]
Offshore and Coen – Inner Acceptance [OAC Recordings]
Anushka – Mother’s Mother (Thakzin Perspective) [BBE Music]