Category Archives: Reviews

These three excellent Roma musicians from southern France, Jean Soler, Salomon Espinas and Julio Bermudez and their guests  play Rumba Catalana and Flamenca with great style. This is a collection of religious songs and chants which range from sad to happy but always with passion and wonderful musicianship. Top notch.

Graham Radley

Oh this is very tasty, recorded ‘live’ in the studio, the French gypsy jazzers like to use their two guitars, violin and double bass to take us from chilled to punky with accomplished playing and freedom of spirit. Take a listen to their take on Frank Zappa’s ‘Blessed Relief’ with a guest accordion player adding that extra something. Excellent.

Graham Radley

“Evolutionism” is the new release from Fabrice Lig, aka Soul Designer. The fact that this recording is on Third Ear recordings is fitting because this disc embodies the high quality techno soul that would make the forefathers of Detroit techno proud. Soul Designer is Juan Atkins, Derrick May and Kevin Saunderson. Kevin, in particular had an huge influence on Fabrice’s sound which can be heard throughout here. The title track, sans vocals is techno funk with deep soulful grooves. “The Power Of  A City” is another winner. Special guest  Clo providing soulful vocals while Fabrice combines synths and thumping bass licks to complement the scorching beats. With poet/rapper Hbk Finn providing thought provoking spoken word regarding the concerns for humanity in between tracks, “Evolutionism” is truly music for the mind and the soul and Fabrice’s most inspiring work to date.

Reg Dancy

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Spiritual jazz meets conscious hip-hop. Carlos Nino, perhaps best known for his work with avant garde vocalist Dwight Trible teams up with John Robinson, aka Lil Sci. Lil Sci, also known for his work with the group Scienz Of Life is an underground rapper cut from the mode of hip hop legends like KRS-1 and Brand Nubian. That certainly sounds like lofty praise but Lil Sci more than lives up to it. “The Right Song feat Tiffany Page” has that feeling of lazy summer days in the park. Carlos creates an organic mood on the fender Rhodes that reflects a laid-back California vibe while Lil Sci speaks of the chemistry that’s emerging between him and a west coast babe. On “Circulate”, Lil Sci spreads the knowledge of self, hence the verse “Witness the focus of a man, as greater and wise to last era, he moves with a stealth disguise like mascara, spreading his gospel, colossal so clever, no thank you it’s my pleasure, to deliver great measures of quality all in your microbiology”. Poignant lyrics can only take you so far and Carlos’s production is on point to elevate the music. His blend of cosmic jazz works well on the Pharoah Sanders remake “Freedom” and the Dwight Tribble assisted “The Dream”. There are many other hip hop releases that will garner more fanfare. It would be a shame if you were to overlook this one.

Reg Dancy

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From the moment you start listening to “Free”, the opening track from Soul Mentality, you know you’re about to embark on peaceful journey of sublime soulful music. “Soul Mentality” is the debut of Mary and Joshua Mycroft, better known as Flyt. Together they’ve carved out eleven tracks that will transport you into soul heaven. Joshua handles the production and keys while Mary breathes life into every track. Among the delights,  “Beautiful Love” is a lovely ethereal ballad and “The Journey’s Over” a soothing melodic groover. All in all a fine debut by FlyT and another winner for Futuristica.

Reg Dancy

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There must be something in the water in Bristol because they continue to bless us with great music. This time the honors belong to the trio known as Unforscene. The brothers Will and Ben Bower plus Ben Muscat deliver a disc that features downtempo soul as well as hip hop, folk and electronica. Disc one is more mellow while disc two packs a lot more funk. There are many highlights so I’ll just point out a few. “See The Light”, is a laid-back track with a funky groove and features the voice of J Todd. “Sidewinder” is a wonderful modern classical piece with lush strings that has a cinematic feel to it. “So Long" feat Nik Young is warm and melodic with nice chords to match. Unforscene manages to weave together the electronic with the live instrumentation, specifically Will Bower’s drumming and percussion work on tracks like “I’m Just A Prisoner” and “Alright”. Their ability to arrange classical sounds with funk and broken beats on this project is a joy to listen. Add to that the familiar faces like Alice Russell, Deborah Jordan and newcomers like Epcot and you have an exceptional record that shouldn’t be missed.

Reg Dancy

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Karl Hector and The Malcouns are a ten piece group making their Stones Throw records debut. Karl teams up with Jay Whitefield, who has worked with respected funk groups like the Poets Of Rhythm and The Whitefield Brothers. Together they fuse a unique blend of hard driving funk and afrobeat rhythms. If the JB’s and Fela Kuti had ever been in a studio together, the results would be similar to what we have here. The track “Nyx” is full of syncopated funk, a thumping bass and lively rhythm guitars. “Koloko Pt. 1” offers more of the same only the horn section makes their presence felt here. “Mystical Brotherhood” is a downtempo gem with a funky rhythm guitar and searing organ riffs. There’s very little vocals sung here but that doesn’t matter, the Malcouns keep you locked in with an assortment of funky polyrhythmic gems that will keep your head nodding non-stop. This is Karl’s first known record in about twelve years, let’s hope that he plans to perform much more often this time around.

Reg Dancy

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Beatmaker Patrick Dooner, aka Pat D returns with the impressive "Take A Little Time". Pat D was last heard from with his 2007 album “Kind Of Peace”. That disc offered a glimpse of Pat D’s production talents. Then further proof came when he remixed Common’s "The 6th Sense" last year. It’s clear that he has been a student of hip hop’s true school producers like DJ Premier and Prince Paul. His debut cd "Take A Little Time" is a collection of laidback soulful hip hop inspired beats to chill to. Pat D has assembled an eclectic collection of underground rappers and vocalists from the UK to New York to take his tracks to another level. One of those rappers would be Melodiq. His easygoing style fits perfectly on "Relax Your Mind." The underappreciated "Voice" lays down her customary lyrical brilliance on "Fly Away". Lauren Jade serves up some sweet soulful vocals on “Need Me Around”. Pat D doesn’t break any new ground here but his beat making prowess has allowed him to create a disc that breathes old school hip hop with a breezy feel good vibe. This is a very enjoyable record that is definitely worth a listen.

Reg Dancy

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Need 2 Soul brings together two of house music’s premier DJ’s, Ron Trent & Jerome Sydenham. Ron Trent needs no introduction. He has crafted his niche by emphasizing percussion in his house music productions, thereby giving his compositions warmth and richness. He has selected house tracks of the highest quality like the uplifting “Across The Universe” by Indigenous Space People. The blaze remix of Sunshine Anderson’s “Force Of Nature” is another highlight. The disc wraps up with the beautiful “Manzana De Mi Vida” by Glenn Underground. Jerome Sydenham takes over on disc 2. His selections are more into the deep house dish, with some tracks venturing into techno but wonderful selections nonetheless. Francois Dubois “I Try” is a wonderful keyboard laden stomper. “Atmospheric System” has a fierce pulsating groove with an enticing organ work. “Let The Sun Shine Out” by Flora Cruze is the only vocal track on disc 2. Flora’s powerful vocals and the thumpin’ funky house rhythms bring this disc to a rousing finale. Need 2 Soul have been blessing us with wonderful compilations for years. This fabulous work by two of house music’s premier DJs is no exception.

Reg Dancy

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The name Karen P may not be familiar to many at first but listeners of Gilles Peterson’s worldwide show on Radio 1 will certainly make the connection. Karen is not only contributing to the third installment of Sonar Kollektiv’s broadcasting series but she has also produced two tracks here with Si Begg. Karen has assembled this disc to play out like an actual radio show and it certainly works. She has definitely learned the art of “connecting the dots” as Gilles is known for. Broadcasting starts out with the eclectic “Pikku Myyn Laulu” by Moomin Voices. The first half then settles into a folk vibe. A definite highlight would include Jamie Woon’s acoustic “Robots” from his 2007 ep. The bluesy “BlueJay” by Owusu and Hannibal is another favorite that fits in well with the first half of the disc which immediately shifts gears with Tettory Bad’s “Unite”, a hip hop flavored track that features the soulful vocals of Fatima. The second half of the disc continues to groove thanks to the sophisticated soul of Jimi Tenor’s “Spell”. Aaron Jerome’s “Brighter Days” feat Andreya Triana is a definite club banger. This track and Stereotyp’s “Take The Weight” are light soulful house tracks that are pure heat. Karen P shows she has a great ear for quality music of all flavors. Thanks to her, “Broadcasting” is a winner that provides definite satisfaction.

Reg Dancy

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What exactly is a Soul Vigilante? I presume that Jose "Jas" Alvarez, the architect of the group is taking up the cause of preserving the genre into his own hands to ensure that it doesn’t fade to black. Well, at least he has enlisted some very talented musicians for "Background Noise", an entertaining modern soul offering that has been years in the making. The first single "Shy" was first released in 2004. This rousing sophisticated soul stomper with Jocelyn Medina on vocals has been in constant rotation by dj’s worldwide. Nigerian born Xan Blacq, a rising star in the UK provides his velvet vocals on the title track as well as three other tracks. "Do It Like Roger" is a tribute to the late Roger Troutman that will leave you feeling nostalgic for some Zapp classics like "More Bounce To The Ounce". "Jas" Alvarez has assembled a lighthearted funk project with an 80’s vibe. This may not crack your fave five this summer but it’s still an enjoyable record that will find its way onto your rotation.

Reg Dancy

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There are a lot of beat makers on the scene today but few are putting out cutting edge music like Flying Lotus. His latest disc "Los Angeles" is a soulful psychedelic exploration of electronic soundscapes that stretch the boundaries of hip hop. There are certain tracks that stand out more than others but the truth is each track bands together like a suite. Some of the highlights include "Beginners Falafel", an atmospheric track with exotic synths. "Roberta Flack" is one of the few vocal tracks on the disc and it features the sultry voice of Dolly.  Another vocal tune is the dreamy "Auntie’s Lock/Infinitum" which features Laura Darlington, who was featured on his 2006 underground classic "1983". Flying Lotus has crafted an eclectic cinematic gem that displays his massive talents. This is one record where you’ll just sit back, press play and enjoy the ride. This is a wonderful release by one of the premier producers in the game today.

Reg Dancy

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As I  think about some of the latest hip hop releases of the past year, I reflect on the golden age of the genre. That was when we were consistently treated to now classics from The Native Tongues, Brand Nubian and The Pharcyde. One element that was prevalent within the music of those artists was the inclusion of jazz samples or collaborations with jazz artists. Those samples were from some of our most respected jazz musicians and gave the listener greater appreciation of jazz music. The artists, I’m sure gained a greater appreciation.  Well, thanks to the Jazz Liberatorz and some of the most respected MC’s in the game today, that feeling comes to life with their remarkable debut “Clin d’oeil”. The theme throughout this disc is the love and respect for 70’s Jazz expressed by the Jazz Liberatorz and the MC’s on board. On the track, “Ease My Mind",  I don’t know what sounded better, the smooth chords and accompanying flute or hearing Fat Lip and Tre Hardson together again. “Indonesia” finds Tableek of Maspyke flowing over some cosmic jazz funk reminiscent of Lonnie Liston Smith. On “U Do”, Stacey Epps sings over a smoothed out rhythm guitar enhanced so that has a summertime vibe to it. What is also equally enjoyable is the interludes that feature each MC or vocalist expressing their love for jazz while a jam session serves as the backdrop.  The Jazz Liberatorz succeed by capturing the essence of one of hip hop’s prime moments in its history. I can’t get enough of this cd. I have no doubts that you’ll feel the same way.

Reg Dancy

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Follow up to the excellent ‘Noted’ this is another classy jazz release with every one of the ten tracks having blue(s) in the title but all having a different musical aspect. Her vocals flow easily and adventurously into and around the songs with an excellent band including Robin Aspland, Jeremy Brown, Steve Brown and Tristan Mailliot.

Graham Radley

Such a sad loss last year but here’s a timely reminder of how great he was. 17 tracks which give a popular flavour of his 22 studio albums and includes tracks like ‘Slave’ (the Slaves was the name of his brilliant live band) ‘Victims’ and my own favourite ‘Feel Irie’. Excellent.

Graham Radley