2 January 2006
Sandboy feat. Randolph Matthews – Call Out – Hinterland
Breakthrough feat. Amp Fiddler – Highway 2 U – Ki/oon
D’Nell – I Read About (Album Version) – BBE
Sa-Ra Creative Partners feat. Pharoah Monch – Fish Fillet – Sound In Color
Janet K feat. Omar & Spoonface – Imagine – White
Hundred Strong feat. Ev.on – What Shall We Rap About – Altered Vibes
Inverse Cinematics – 7 By 7 – Faces
One Self – Over Expose’ – Ninja Tune
Dangerdoom – Old School – Lex
Pase Rock – The Hype – 4our 4our
Big Hit Unit feat. Kerse – Lovely – Altered Vibes
Break Reform – Trust – Abstract Blue
Steve Spacek – Dollar – Sound In Color
Brotherly – Rain Down – White
The Five Corners Quintet – Straight Up – Ricky Tick
Hipnosis – Carrousel – Perfect Toy
Hajime Yoshizawa – Waltz For Jason – Especial
Francisco Mora Catlett – Samba – Premier Cru Music
The Jazzinvaders – Go Ahead – Social Beats
Riovolt – Starjive – Irma
Jamie Lidell – When I Come Back Around Again – Warp
Reel People – The Rain – Papa Records
Phuturistix – Cohiba – Phuture Lounge
Gerardo Frisina – Congrat – Afro Art
Quantic Soul Orchestra feat. Alice Russell – End Of The Road – Tru
The Beauty Room – Don’T You Know – New Religion
Trickski – Sunshine F**k – Sonar Kollektiv
Roy Ayers – Holiday – BBE
The Five Corners Quintet: Chasin’ The Jazz Gone By [Ricky-Tick]
Although the CD was released a few months ago the beautifully packaged vinyl version has only just surfaced. If you’ve already got the 3 10” releases then you’ll have most of the tracks here. Don’t make the mistake of thinking the rest of the album is made up of fillers though. Far from it, in fact we’re treated to another 2 tracks featuring the vocal talents of Mark Murphy, ‘This Could Be The Start Of Something’ and ‘Jamming (With Mr Hoagland)’ a great spoken word outing. Also take a listen to ‘Case Study’ with Okou and ‘Unsquare Bossa’, a Hammond organ led dancer. This is an outstanding album by a truly outstanding band. Be quick though as the vinyl edition is in seriously limited supply.
Idea 6: Metropoli [Déjà vu Recordings]
Idea 6 are a sextet consisting of old timers (no disrespect intended) Gianni Basso and Dino Piana on sax and trombone respectively along with younger cats Guido Pistocchi on trumpet, Luciano Milanese on double bass, Stefano Bagnoli on drums and Andrea Pozza on piano. ‘Metropoli’ is a modern Italian jazz album rooted in the 50s and 60s modal and bop style and across 6 tracks they display their talents to great effect. ‘Windly Coast’ just edges it for me at the moment but this is excellent throughout. An album for life, not just for Christmas!
Kenny Flav Presents Wayne Kounty: Fantasy World [Premier Cru Music]
Next project from the Premier Cru stable has more of a commercial feel than previous projects. That is not a bad thing; I just get the idea that if given enough airplay this will easily make it into the charts and on every radio station. There’s the immediate radio anthem ‘Fast Life’ and ‘Snapshots’. Personally my favourites are the soulful ‘Superhero’, "Consequences and ‘Heroin’. For good measure they’ve brought in guests Amp Fiddler and old skool rapper and film star ‘Queen Latifa’. If you’re still not convinced, check out the beautifully packaged gatefold double vinyl.
Gum Drop: Hi-Falutin [Altered Vibes]
People are finally starting to wake up to Altered Vibes after an excellent selection of releases in 2005. Kicking off 2006 with the debut from Gum Drop proves the perfect way to start the year. Gum Drop is produced by Rob Mac whose previous alias’s include Jumbonics, Speeka and course writer for Straight No Chaser and as you’d expected from a man of with such eclectic taste, there is a mixed bag of styles, beats and grooves. Vocalist Randolph Matthews is yet another name you need to watch out for in 2006, with a number of projects and his debut dropping later in the year. Here he features on three tracks "Coming Up For Air", "(Keeps On) Burning" and "Sinking Feeling". Other guests include Hiphop and P-Funk vocalist Jason Todd, the unknown-to-me-until-now Zena Edwards, and on strings Lucy Wilkins who of course worked with 4 Hero and Massive Attack. Another essential release.
26 December 2005
v “confusion” – bbe
alison
evelyn “found a new thing” (break reform remix) – white
fat freddy’s drop
“ray ray” – sonar kollektiv
def harmonic “spaced out” – brilliante
mooch
“my spider walks again” – jack to phono
moody allen feat. vince franklin “six
feet” – flyin” high
roots manuva “collosal incite” (royksopp
remix) – big dada
natalie williams feat. ty “the way i like it” –
white
domu “so precious” – archive
ski oakenful “heavenly” – bbe
bah
samba “let the drums speak” (harvey lindo re-edit) – bko
roisin murphy “sow
into you” – echo
soldiers of twilight “believe” (new mastersounds remix) –
2020 vision
kahil el zabar”s ethnic heritage ensemble “your time is now” (ig
culture mix) – deeper soul
david borsu “mannequin mankind” – amalgama
st
cal “losing ground” – soul:r
digital “termite” – innerground
diesler
“burnley wallet” – tru thoughts
max fresh “unfinished beat” –
loungin”
recloose “landed” – peacefrog
simon grey “the galactica suite” –
papa
jonny miller “cold air” – phuture lounge
brown “black rain” –
broadcite
bossa futura “sol y luna” – further out
silhouette brown “spread
that” – ether
n-side “within 5%” – three alexander
talc “modern sleepover”
– wah wah 45s
19 December 2005
jafrosax feat. yukimi nagano “drawn 2 u” – pantone
the politik “money” –
antipodean
osunlade & erro “everything in it’s right place” – exit
no
tension “amarante” (restless soul remix) – chilli funk
aquarious lounge
“monte” (rhythm slaves remix) – mettle music
jichael mackson “charmin” –
compost
zumen “sambatech” – raw fusion
yukihiro fukutuomi “hooked”
(jazztronik remix) – pantone
phuturistix feat. fyza “fly away” – phuture
lounge
mj cole “sincere” (masoul remix) – white
womack & womack “baby
i’m scared of you” (mark e edit) – white
michael jackson “i can’t help it”
(re-edit) – white
rtb big band “balkan ekspres” – cosmic sounds
dimenzio
“bamba” – cosmic sounds
kathryn moses “ready or not” – do right
music
masequa myers & jami ayinde “black land of the nile” –
jazzman
catch up ii “end of the beginning of the end” – perfect toy
aztec
productions feat. nanar “shadows fall” – abstract blue
moo feat. laila adele
“music” – white
erykah badu ‘bag lady’ (re edit) – white
boby cole “a
perfect day” – ubiquity
joyce “mercador de siri” – far out
bajka “the only
religion i believe” – jazzman
the heliocentrics “winter song” –
jazzman
soul saints orchestra “santa’s got a bag of soul” – jazzman
12 December 2005
the nostalgia 77 octet “freedom” (zombie dance part 1) – tru
thoughts
lee morgan “the sidewinder” – blue note
richard e “hear me now” –
further out
lizzy parks “pass me by” – white
hair “aquarius” (tangoterje
edit) – supreme
joe mensah “africa is home” (natural self re-edit) – sound
way
sleepwalker feat. bembe segue “river of love” – especial
monday
michiru “hung up” – artist share
the sugar beats band “rosa” –
white
innocent sorcerers “the score” – raw fusion
chantal curtis “get
another love” (jonny miller re-edit) – white
vice lounge “fall off” –
white
oak “snakes in the grass” (nasty mix) – wax on
maspyke “step” –
abb
hearin’ aid “whachuwant” – raw fusion
lord gosh manuva “lets get live”
– trailblazers
cesar comanche “the future” – abb
dj marky & xrs “misto
quente vip” – innerground
brahmasonic “kholi number” – compost black
terry
brookes & aaron soul “city life” (carl craig dub) – kindred spirits
12th
floor “salsa” (trickski remix) – raw fusion
diesler “lovestrucj killers” –
tru thoughts
lizzy parks “same old” (adders remix) – liquid fusion
music
tyree cooper & matt flores “close life off” – compost black
5 December 2005
silhouette brown “looking back” – ether
silhouette
brown “whose in charge” – ether
agent k “ladies” – laws of motion
sicania
soul “life is a tree” (take 2) – irma
sun ra tribute “stardust from tomorrow”
(yannah valdevit remix) – dejavu
masoul “tunnelize” – white
jon lucien
“search for the inner self” – ubiquity
pure essence “wake up” (parts 1&2)
– soul cal
monday michiru “touch the sky” – artistshare
jtodd “sons of the
violent age” – white
break reform “waiting” (parts 1&2) – abstract
blue
new mastersounds feat. corinne bailey rae “your love is mine” (fred
everything remix) – white
hajime yoshizawa feat. vanessa freeman “believe
again” – geneon
darius rashaud “it’s going down” (can7 remix) – in
phusion
s-tone inc’s “some kind of blues” – schema
x-press 2 “give it”
(quantic soul orchestra remix) – skint
dj farrapo & yanez “baiano vem
baiano vai” – afro art
the bass snatchers “een gang til” – jack to
phono
tahiti 80 “untitled” – white
jamie finlay “temperature” – wah wah
45s
silver city “down til 7” (lindstrom remix) – 2020 vision
beetlejuice
“whatever happened to the cosmic kid” – new religion
magic “inside out”
(ceramic mix) –
broadcite
Orgatronics: Moonfruit [One Note Records]
Orgatronics is the debut album from producers Sam Bell and Rich Arthurs, who’ve made quite a name for themselves on the Latin Jazz scene with bands such as The New Mastersounds and Saudade. Here they mix electronica with Latin and Flamenco instrumentals to create some really classy and catchy numbers. There is definitely some Zero 7 and Air influences mixed in the pot, which is certainly no bad thing.