La Chooma – Local Spirits [Batov Records]
“Local Spirits”, the full length release from La Chooma builds on the strength of their debut single “Magic Plant”. The single released in late 2024 whetted the appetite of listeners with their psychedelic jazz funk sound combined with potent Moroccan rhythms. In addition they successfully blend Gnawa, Colombian and Afrobeat as well. “High Glow” blends elements of dub with Ethiopian synths and a Mulatu inspired bass groove. “Lonely” is a high energy track with spacey synths and pulsating percussion. Overall the band’s compositions are dense, hypnotic and adventurous. It’s an irresistible ride worth checking out.
20th October 2025
D’Angelo – Devil’s Pie [EMI]
Q-Tip feat. D’Angelo – Believe [Universal Motown]
J Dilla feat. Common & D’Angelo – So Far To Go [BBE Music]
D’Angelo – Spanish Joint [EMI]
Bobbi Humphrey – Chicago, Damn [Blue Note]
John Thomas & Lifeforce – Like A Samba [Nabel]
Brian Auger & The Trinity – George Bruno Money [Strut Records]
Mark Pritchard & Thom Yorke – This Conversation Is Missing Your Voice [Warp Records]
Lay-Far Dance Orchestra feat. Seven Davis Jr. – Aquarius Love [In-Beat-Ween Music]
Danny Breaks – Astral Vibes [Droppin’ Science]
InsideMan – QRD [Rebel Music]
SundayGrooves & Professor Funk – Lifeline [Fokuz Recordings]
Carlos Nilmmns, Keter Darker – The Third Message [COD3 QR]
Makèz – Fruits Of The Universe [No Art]
H2H – No More [2H]
Yuu Udagawa – Recollection [Razor-N-Tape]
Vick Lavender feat. Ron Carroll – All I Got For You (Is Love) [Cataleya Music]
Pete Josef – Colour (Original Version) [Sonar Kollektiv]
Land Of Echo – Dream With Me [Wah Wah 45s]
Momoko Gill – No Others [Strut Records]
Ethel Lindsey – Hold On [Favorite Recordings]
Al Sunny – So Lonely [Legere Recordings]
lovetempo – Wanna Be With You
Soyuz – Nici [Mr Bongo]
Balimaya Project meets Discos Pacifico All-Stars – Calima [Jazz re:freshed]
Calima is a natural phenomenon when sand from the Sahara Desert travels across the Atlantic Ocean, bringing nutrients that help fertilize the tropical rainforests of Latin America and the Caribbean. It serves as the perfect title for this record. “Calima”, the latest project from Balimaya Project is an encounter between the aforementioned Balimaya and the Colombian band Discos Pacifico All Stars. Together they explore the African Diaspora by fusing West African Jazz and Afro Colombian rhythms. Fifteen musicians connecting the dots from the Atlantic to the Pacific. “A Life Worth Living” brims with warmth. A mellow mid tempo groove lays the groundwork for heart pounding percussion, heavenly horns and a melodic guitar. Add to that the strong vocal harmonies lead by Edwin Ivan Jimenez Tenorio among others. “I Wish I Knew” echoes the sound of Afro-Colombian. It has a simmering intro due a haunting piano, percussion and Marimba. The sound of these worlds colliding is magical. A marvelous collaboration worthy of repeated listens.
13th October 2025
Rubel – Carta De Maria [Mr Bongo Records]
Phylipe Nunes Araújo – Asa [Far Out Recordings]
Antonio Adolfo – Aonde Voce Vai [Artezanal]
Sessa – Nome de Deus [Mexican Summer]
Da Lata – The Lonely City [Da Lata Music]
The Steoples – Even So [Gifted & Blessed]
Another Taste – Run Into Love [Space Grapes]
E. LIVE – Sunny Side Up [Star Creature]
Blue Mondays – Driving Away From Home [Soul Clap Records]
Motherfox – Fallen Into Love (TZ Extended Version) [Star Creature]
2000 Black – GG2 [2000 Black]
Aardvarck – Bonfon [Fluid Ounce Records]
Brian Jackson feat. Rich Medina – Winter In America [BBE Music]
Mark De Clive-Lowe – Another One Save Me [Freedom School]
CoKi – Super LFO [Tempa]
Slimy Ape – Loopin’
Danny Breaks – Volume 2 (E-Z Rollers Remix) [Droppin’ Science]
Moxu – Across [Soul Trader Records]
K. Frimpong & His Cubano Fiestas — Asase Si Yo [Soundway Records]
Ten City – He’s a Friend [Nervous Records]
Vick Lavender feat. Ron Carroll – All I Got For You (Is Love) [Cataleya Music]
Blackwhole feat. Kay Jnr – Against All Odds [Stay True Sounds]
Donald Byrd – Elijah [Blue Note]
Stúdió 11 – Theme Of Achmed Jamal [Cosmic Sounds]
Land of Echo – Almost Music [Wah Wah 45s]
Land of Echo is the brainchild of DJ/Producer Rob Mac. Mac is a long time figure in the UK underground club culture. He ran the legendary Scratch hip-hop nights in the nineties as well as releasing under aliases such as Speeka, Explore and Jumbonics. With “Almost Music” he delivers a nine track LP filled with infectious soulful boogie tunes certain to put you in a party frame of mind. Mac has enlisted a pair of premier vocalists to elevate these tracks. Kathy Diamond lends her soaring vocals to a number of tracks here. The opener “What We Want” is high energy boogie soul goodness. “Don’t Talk Just Dance” is a mid tempo burner. “Dream With Me” featuring Ayanna Homma is filled with synth wizardry and packs plenty of bounce. Credit the synth arrangements to violinist Lucy Wilkins. Mac has hit the mark with deep boogie funk grooves, hypnotic rhythms and high energy production. Get ready to groove tonight.
Ebi Soda – Frank dean & Andrew [Tru Thoughts Recordings]
Ebi Soda return with their third full length release. “Frank dean and Andrew” is a left of centre blend of Jazz, dub and electronica. The Brighton based quintet push the boundaries with an organised chaos of beats, synths and atmospheric horn chords. The opening track “Bamboo” is a moody mid tempo burner with hypnotic horns and hazy reverb. “Location” serenades us with a meandering trumpet solo layered over a slow burning bass groove. “Red in Tokyo” is a banger featuring rapper Jianbo. It’s filled with rugged beats and gritty guitar riffs. You will find traces of drum n bass in “When Pluto Was a Planet and Everything Was Cool”. The swirling horn arrangements build tension with every beat. The mixing and production along with impressive songwriting make for an impressive record. The quintet has made a name for themselves with their live performances. Baes on this record, the audiences will only get bigger.
6th October 2025
K15 – Trust Yourself
Last Nubian – Ring the Alarm [CoOp Presents]
The Wach feat. Alison Evelyn – Longer [Kerbkrawler]
Soulparlor feat. Mavis Acquah – Never Give Up [Atjazz Record Company]
Tommy The Cats – Old Treehouse [Cat In The Bag Records]
InsideMan – Sensory Overload [Rebel Music]
Saha Gnawa – Soudani Manayou [Pique-nique Recordings]
Babo Moreno – Ô Palhaço [Matsuka]
Don Rendell Ian Carr 5tet – Tan Samfu [Jazzman Records]
Mr Circle – Juntos [Outernational Sounds]
Recluse Crew & Synoptic Pressure – Definition [Kool Kat Records]
Midi Neutron – Detachment [Fluid Ounce Records]
Al Sunny – My Love [Legere Recordings]
Jonson, Jonson & Jonson – Circles [Ramrock Blue Records]
Kotoa – I Am [Wah Wah 45s]
J-Walk – Soul Vibration [Pleasure]
Herbert & Momoko – Babystar (Momoko Gill Remix) [Strut Records]
Ludivine Issambourg feat. Brian Jackson & Wolfgang Valbrun – Above The Law (Bluey Remix) [Heavenly Sweetness]
Ethel Lindsey – Love Paved The Way [Favorite Recordings]
BiggaBush – Come To Crunch [Filtered Deluxe Recordings]
Chez N Trent – Morning Factory [Prescription]
beatbyhand – Saps [Stay True Sounds]
Syndee Winters – If You Believe (Mark de Clive-Lowe Remix) [MashiBeats]
Graham Deep – Rabbit’s Foot [Stay True Sounds]
Gabriel de Rosa – Cacofonia [Stones Throw Records]
Gabriel de Rosa is a native of Cruz Alta, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. With his latest release “Cacofonia” he serenades us with his feathery voice and traditional bossa nova rhythms. de Rosa shines on “Seu Joao”, a warm bossa tune filled with piano melodies and engaging percussion. “O Pacto” is a stripped down sublime tune enhanced by de Rosa’s velvet vocals. “Menino Indio” is another highlight with warm fender rhodes that will evoke images of a warm Summer afternoon in Brazil. de Rosa has been a member of LA based Stones Throw since 2022. “E o que a casa oferece”, released in 2023 is also impressive. If you like traditional bossa nova aligned with gorgeous vocals to match then this is the record for you.
29th September 2025
Thundercat – I Wish I Didn’t Waste Your Time [Brainfeeder]
Stimulator Jones – Paradise Untold [Bastard Jazz]
Modha feat. Àbasé & Fanni Zahár – River [Sonar Kollektiv]
Eddie Logix – Moonshine Mandala [MotorCity Wine Recordings]
Tema Due – Share Your Love [Schema Records]
Anushka – Afternoon [BBE Music]
Da Lata feat. Bembe Segue – Arena [Da Lata Music]
Ethel Lindsey – Your Winner [Favorite Recordings]
Colman Brothers – Sem Amor [Wah Wah 45s]
Mary Lou Williams – Rosa Mae [BBE Music]
Stargazers – The Second Day [Night Dreamer]
Mulatu Astatke – Motherland [Strut Records]
The Expert feat. Buck 65 – What It Looks Like [Rucksack Records]
The Expert feat. Anwar HighSign – Carrie (Laugh at You) [Rucksack Records]
Jazzanova – Mwela, Mwela (Here I Am) (Nautilus Rework) [Sonar Kollektiv]
Kid Sublime feat. Colonel Red – Kingz [Natural Element]
DJ Swingsett & J.Warrin – Doesn’t Make It Right (Steve Spacek Remix) [Inner Tribe]
Koop – Waltz For Koop (Patife Remix) [Stimulus]
Evasion – Sunrise [Fokuz Recordings]
Nublu Orchestra – Sciubba Diving (Claude VonStroke Remix) [Nublu]
Roy Davis Jr. – The Beautiful One [Large Records]
DJ Bey – New Wave [Ifi Records]
Loose Ends – Hangin’ On A String (Frankie Knuckles Remix) [10 Records]
J-Walk – The Wasp [Pleasure]
Mecca:83 – Until Dawn [Rockwell Product Shop Label]
DJ/Producer Mecca:83 aka Rise has been composing beats and rhythms for twenty years. He came on the scene under the guidance of Simon S from the Futuristica label. They share an affinity for laid back Jazzy hip-hop grooves. “Until Dawn”, the sixteen track release, has plenty of that and more. Rise has surrounded himself with a number of talented musicians he’s built a relationship with over the past twenty years. Detroit’s own Guilty Simpson has worked with Mecca:83 in the past. He’s joined by Phat Kat and their gritty lyrics fit like a glove on “Don’t Stop”. “Elevation”, co-produced by Parisian MC/producer Lex (de Kalhex) is a warm and mellow instrumental filled with soft head nodding grooves and atmospheric visuals. Rise has nailed the synergy between jazzy piano melodies and electronic beats. You’re bound to get swept away by the array of blissful compositions presented here. Although it’s been a minute since his last release, this record is worth the wait and arguably his best work to date.