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Various Artists: 25 Years of Mr Bongo [Mr Bongo]
What started out as a small record store in London quickly emerged as one of the most influential record labels on the scene today. Mr Bongo, founded by David Buttle served as the lone supplier of early hip-hop that emerged from the states. In addition they became known as the source for hard to find Latin and Brazilian music. They steadily grew from there and found residency in Tokyo before finally settling in Brighton. "25 Years of Mr Bongo" celebrates the old and the new. From the storied legacy of hard to find Brazilian music to fresh sounds and new talents. Some of those timeless treasures include the sublime rhythms of "Carolina Carol Bela" from Jorge Ben & Toquinho and "Heaven" from Ebo Taylor. Future classics include the funky grooves and African rhythms of Blo’s "Chant To Mother Earth" and "Tudo Que Voce Podia Ser" from Quarteto Em Cy. The hypnotic beat patterns of "Boa Noite" by Karol Conka represent the future of Brazilian hip-hop. For a trip into hip-hop’s storied past look no further than The Incredible Bongo Band’s classic "Apache. The wicked electric guitar riffs and the spirited percussion still resonates today. With one eye on the past and the other on the future, Mt Bongo continues to be a trailblazer for all manners of universal music.
Soulparlor: Smile [Tokyo Dawn]
The trio from South Germany known as Soulparlor have steadily built a deep catalog of soulful broken beats, funky grooves and underground house that have won admirers from all around the globe. Their latest release "Smile" could very well be their strongest yet. Once again their disc represents a global collaboration of artists who pledge their allegiance to the funk. Erik Rico delivers two tracks here, "Out On The Floor" and "Wall"., both laced with funky synths. Amalia is an undisputed funk goddess and "Freakay Lady" oozes sweet nad sticky mid-tempo funk. Vocalist Leona Berlin is an artist to keep an eye on. Berlin contributes with three gorgeous dance tracks but "Cruel" is the highlight.. Capital A laments the watered down state of hip-hop while paying tribute to b-boys with "Nostalgia". "Smile" is one of those gems that you simply press play and walk away, it’s that good. The trio’s production skills combined with the vocal contributors ensure that you’ll have a funky good time.
Ralf Gum: In My City [Go Go Music]
If you compiled a list of places that truly embrace soulful house music, be sure to list Johannesburg, South Africa near the top of that list. DJs have been known to perform in front of tens of thousands house party evangelists. One of the prominent DJs in South Africa the last several years captivating dance floors with his signature sound has been Ralf Gum. The German born and now South Africa resident professes his love with the appropriately titled "In My City". Ralf’s third album features an array of international heavyweights who sprinkle their vocal spices to his gorgeous arrangements. What better way to kick off the disc than by enlisting native South African legend Hugh Masekela. His blissful trumpet phrasings augment the soulful grooves on "With Her Hands". Veteran House diva Monique Bingham turns up the heat on the bumpin’ house tune "The Pap". Veteran UK soul icon Omar blesses the playful sunny grooves of "Love Core". "Bi Na Ba Njo", featuring Dele Sosimi is filled with funky Afrobeat rhythms. This is a glorious tribute filled with positive vibes and uplifting house rhythms that captures the pulse of the city.
Paul White: Shaker Notes [R & S Records]
You can be certain that Paul White is gonna keep the music moving in various directions. The UK producer has generated a large following with his left of center Hip Hop beats and production prowess, as evidenced by previous releases like "Rapping With Paul White" and "Paul White and The Purple Brain". With "Shaker Notes" he has eschewed the boom bap and taken his beats to uncharted territory by incorporating African rhythms and outer worldly sounds, Indeed "Shaker Notes" is filled with various textures of electronics and vibes. Among the highlights are "Where You Gonna Go",, sparked by chanting from White as well as hypnotic percussion. "Running On A Rainy Day" is filled with ethereal soundscapes. "All We Know" and "Fighting To Dance" are notable gems as well. With "Shaker Notes" you may not know where you’re going but you’ll no doubt enjoy the ride.
Defected Presents: House Masters – Joey Negro [Defected]
It’s a bit of a surprise that this is the first go round for Joey Negro to sit in the House Masters chair but he and Defected records feel like a perfect match. Negro has solidified his status as one of the premiere DJs of the last twenty years and his remixes and production credits are too numerous to list here. For Defected records he has assembled a superb collection of some of his favorite Disco classics, deep house gems and some tasty boogie tunes. For starters, if you’ve never heard of his remix of Patrice Rushen’s "Haven’t You Heard" you’ll will not want to miss out on this Disco hit. "Ride The Storm" is a certified Club banger from Akabu (One of Negro’s many aliases) featuring Disco Diva Linda Clifford. The Sunburst Band, Joey’s boogie band is also featured here with several tracks. "The Secret Life of Us" and Garden of Love" stand out as favorites. Can’t leave out the deep house dishes and there are plenty. "Can’t Get High Without U" featuring Taka Boom is simply wicked and Raven Maize’s timeless classic "Forever Together" will stir up memories of late night club parties that lasted until the break of day. If this doesn’t spark you to purchase then check your pulse If all is well then quickly add this to your collection.
DJ Oil: Phantom [BBE]
Lionel Corsini, aka DJ Oil has demonstrated a keen ear for old school beats and rhythms. His previous lp, the well received "Black Notes" is evidence of his production skills. Three years later he returns with "Phantom" and he’s out to take his musical vision a step further. "Paolo" is filled with pulsating percussion and Afrobeat rhythms "Beetlejuice" has a brooding organ grinding groove and a little boom bap rap as well. In addition, the female African vocals highlight this eclectic track. "New Lord" has a dark and haunting groove filled with an assortment of vocal samples that capture the mood of the tune. Throughout "Phantom" DJ Oil seamlessly places vocals and events of everyday life into these live recordings for which no samples were used. Everything is on the table here from Blues to House to moody gritty soul. All in all this is an superb musical collage that should award him the the attention he certainly deserves.
Anushka: Broken Circuit [Brownswood Recordings]
Hailing from Brighton, Max Wheeler and Victoria Port, better known as Anuskha present their brand of electro soul with patches of house and pop with their full length lp. "Broken Circuit" features dreamy chords, twisted beats by Wheeler and Port’s angelic voice makes for a winning formula. They’ve already created a buzz with the lead single "I Have Love 4 You" and if you were worried about a let down, rest assured there isn’t one. "Impatient" kicks off the disc with soulful hip-hop beats and sweeping chords. "Atom Bombs" starts out as an a capella that steadily builds into a drum n bass burner. "Fire To Me", a lo-fi house gem will no doubt become a favorite of DJs and fans alike. Wheeler’s beats and arrangements alone would certainly nod your head and move your feet. However Port’s resonating songwriting and lovely voice makes this release among the best of the year.
Myles Sanko: Forever Dreaming [Legere Recordings]
London based soul singer Myles Sanko has taken a grass roots approach to launching his career. First by enlisting his fans via the internet to pick their favorite songs, eventually launching his EP "Born In Black And White". Myles has followed up that success with his latest "Forever Dreaming". There’s much to savor here as tunes like "Light in My Hand" offer a harmonic convergence of Blues and Soul. The kind of vibe one might hear from a Bill Withers tune, one of Myles influences. "Save My Soul", one of the strongest tunes is a stirring blend of reggae and soul. Sanko’s raw emotive vocals, combined with honest and heartfelt lyrics will resonate with fans of raw unfiltered soul.
Emma Donovan and The PutBacks: Dawn [HopeStreet]
From the opening electric guitar riff from "Black Woman" followed by the wicked Hammond B3 and the powerful voice, you get the sense you’ve struck gold with "Dawn". The debut from the indigenous Emma Donovan and the Melbourne based band The Putbacks provide plenty of gritty rhythms and rock infused soul for vocalist Emma Donovan to shine and that she does. The aforementioned "Black Woman" starts out with a hard groove and Donovan’s lyrics speak of a woman’s struggle and perseverance. The powerful "Daddy",is filled with infectious wah wah rhythms. The band simmers down on tunes like "My Goodness" and "Over Under". The latter is a stripped down country blues number that’s one of the many highlights on the disc. You know you have something special when the disc wraps up and leaves you wanting more. Make no mistake this is the "Dawn" of a great new voice and a phenomenal talent that you shouldn’t miss.
Sean McCabe: It’s Time [Z Records]
"It’s Time, the full length debut from DJ/Producer Sean McCabe isn’t merely a bunch of dance tracks thrown together to fill an album. Instead McCabe has crafted an assortment of arrangements ranging from soulful house to garage. There’s plenty of tasty treats here that will twist your hips and move your feet. For instance, "Everything’s Alright" is a melodic soulful house gem with a gorgeous hook, topped off with vocals from Erik Dillard. "Back to Front" featuring Nathan Adams is a infectious dance floor burner with Jazzy horns. "Love For Life" will evoke memories of the classic Sal Soul recording "Moment Of My Life". Any of these cuts could be a dance floor hit, further evidence of the production prowess of McCabe. With the backing of Joey Negro’s Z records, expect to hear a steady diet of this superb release for months to come.
Dawn Pemberton: Say Somethin’ [Do Right Music]
East Vancouver native Dawn Pemberton comes from a Jazz background but on "Say Somethin’", her debut on Do Right music she packs a whole lot of soul and funk to match. After years of arranging and becoming the go-to-vocalist for others around town, the time is right for her to step out with her own personal project. The disc kicks off with the warm and jazzy ballad "For You" Dawn’s voice is velvet soft and comforting. However she is more than capable of belting out powerful notes as well.. "Say Somethin", the title track is evidence of that. It’s a slow burning jazz funk tune that features some hypnotic guitar playing from Gavin Youngash, part of her impressive band. There is a strong live instrumentation vibe going on here that transports the listener to an intimate lounge setting. Pemberton’s songwriting prowess along with her ability to fuse all her influences has resulted in a vibrant and soulfully satisfying recording that will find you demanding an encore.
Various Artists: The Far Out Monster Disco Orchestra [Far Out Recordings]
The Far Out Monster Orchestra is an amalgamation of soulful Brazilian Disco music created by an illustrious list of musicians from the Far Out roster. Contributors include Alex Malheiros Jose Roberto Brertrami and renowned arranger Arthur Verocai among others. That alone would’ve sealed the deal but they didn’t stop there. By handing these recordings over too some of the world’s foremost DJs they have knocked it out of the park. "Don’t Cha Know" features a tasty grooves normally absent from most Disco recordings. Same goes for "Dead Dance" which features the sorely underrated Marcina Arnold on vocals and there’s also a hypnotic Mark E remix as well. "Keep Believing" is classic disco with sexy vocals and strings. However you won’t be able to resist the rhythmic drum patterns from the Theo Parrish remix. Not to be outdone, the John Morales remix of "Mystery" is also a floor filler. There’s so much so to savor here that made a double album necessary. This project originated in 2008 and finally sees the light of day. Make no mistake you need this in your collection.
Various Artists: Wah Wah 45s: We Wah fifteen [Wah Wah 45s]
What started as a little record company quickly emerged as one of the most important labels in the UK. Wah Wah records, launched by brothers Chris and the late Simon Goss have compiled a deeply talented roster of contrasting styles to rival any label and "We Wah 15" is a testament to that. There’s more than plenty to savor here from the folksy flavor of Sesong’s "Love Untold" to burning hot reggae of "Sweet Love Affair" from The Resonators. "Hey Lover" is raw soul with a heavy groove from Hardkandy with Laura Vane on vocals. "Wallflowerin", the 2006 hit is silky down-tempo soul from Max Cole. "Money" is funky brass courtesy of the Hackney Colliery Band. "Through A Window" is just one of many superb arrangements that guitarist, producer and label co-director Scrimshire has released over the years. The lush composition also features the dreamy vocals of label mate Stac. As far as compilations go this year, you’ll be there hard press to find another as good as this one. Hat’s off to Wah Wah for fifteen years of consistently discovering new talent and delivering great music in the process.
Various Artists: 20+ years rooted in jazznotjazz [INFRACom]
Jan Henning and the late Name Vaughn shared a vision for cutting edge genre bending music. Together they sought to create a home where up and coming musicians would have the freedom to create compositions as their vision sees fit. With the birth of the Germany based INFRACom, consider their mission accomplished. "20+ years rooted in Jazznotjazz" isn’t embedded in one particular genre but a myriad of musical styles. This compilation features a number of artists who’ve contributed to their impressive catalog over the years. Jan’s love for electronica is evident on the self produced drum n bass banger "Megashira". "Reicht" is a funky number filled with wicked synths and broken beats. When it comes to Jazz fusion, "Celebration Of Life" is as good as it gets. This twelve minute gem is highlighted by superb ensemble playing, particularly on trumpet and blissful melodies and rhythms. Vocalist Mediha Rustempasic joins Re:jazz to create soulful bliss on "Love Will Find You". What started as a labor of love has morphed into one of the most important independent labels today. A deeply satisfying record that you shouldn’t miss.
Fatima: Yellow Memories [Eglo]
Swedish native and now London resident, Fatima has been teasing us with a few tracks and EPs here and there for a number of years now. Finally we’re treated to her full length debut released on the highly regarded Eglo records. "Yellow Memories" is a fabulous collection of future soul filled with contrasting styles. This is due to the diverse collection of producers on hand. One of those producers is label mate Flako, who produced "Family" and La Neta". Two tasty mid-tempo tunes filled with gorgeous chords and funky guitar rhythms. Other highlights include "Do Better", one of five tracks produced by Floating Points. "Riding High" is an outer-worldly hip-hop soul highlight, produced by Scoop DeVille. Where much of Fatima’s earlier recordings were arranged primarily with samples. "Yellow Memories" features plenty of live instrumentation to go along with thoughtful songwriting. It all adds up to an impressive coming out party, not to mention one of the strongest records of the year.