Various Artists: Trojan Sound System Vol.1 [Sanctuary Records]
Due for release in late May this compilation from Sanctuary aims to fuse together the classic sounds of the reggae world with the vibe of the original sound system culture. Mixed by the Trojan Sound System, it certainly hits the mark on both counts. The album is jam packed with reggae favourites from Junior Murvin, Harry J All stars, Johnny Clarke and Keith Hudson but to name a few, but this is not a straight up mixed compilation. The Trojan Sound System have recreated the true sound system vibe and have added siren sampled sounds along with their own MC crew toasting over the tunes and ting. The whole thing works really well and for reggae lovers is an essential purchase with Summer round the corner.
Bauchklang: Many People [Klein Records]
This Album from the excellent and diverse Klein label has got a serious groove. Blauchklang are six “heads” from Austria whose only previous long playing release was ‘Jamzero’ back in 2001. ‘Many People’ is like nothing else i’ve heard. It would be impossible to pigeonhole, but lies somewhere in the ‘extremely soulful’ category. Don’t get me wrong you won’t hear this on Trevor Nelson’s show. It’s far too good and left of middle for that. It just has to heard to be defined. Vocal’s are a major part of the album, but the beats compliment down to a tee. Some of the vibe is totally uptempo whilst other grooves are slow and dark. Looking for something different that sounds like Prefuse 73 recording with Rhazel’s throat on Sonar Kollektiv? This could be the closest your gonna get.
Coloma: Dovetail [Klein Records]
When i sit and write reviews the hardest part for me is the comparisons with other music i’ve heard. It’s not that i think everything sounds like something else and has little originality, i just feel that if the reader has something to compare it too then it makes thing a little simpler and more understandable. Well, with this Coloma album on Austria’s Klein label i’m not even gonna think who they sound like for one second because they sound like no one else. Two Brits now based in Germany recording some elegant vocal tracks backed with some sublime music throughout the whole album. It’s definitely pop music, it’s definitely electronic music, it’s definitely electronic pop music. ‘Dovetail’ is the duo’s third album outing and they’re most mature to date. Likeable to the fact that the vocals are clean, the production is simple and tight and the combination of both provides a stunning piece of music from two musicians who deserve more credit outside their adopted land.
27 March 2006
Jazztronik – Pathways – Tokuma Japan
People Under The Stairs – Tuxedo Rap – Tres
Gnarks Barkley – Crazy [Warner]
Talc – Please Please Me [Wah Wah 45s]
Quantic & Nicklodemus – Mi Swing Es Tropical [Tru Thoughts]
Love Unlimited – Move Me No Mountain (Re-Edit) [White]
Monkey Business – Hold Hands [White]
Roslia De Souza feat. Marcos Valle – Que Bandeira (Gerardo Frisina Remix) [Schema]
Cecilia Stalin – Bogaloo Boy [Firefly]
The Broken Keys – Slingshot Part 2 [Tru Thoughts]
Guest mix by Ben Mono (Compost Records)
Kid Sublime – Analize This [Kindred Spirits]
I.n.t. – Beatrise [Dopeness Galore]
Hearin´ Aid – Higher [Jugglin´]
Sa-Ra – Fish Fillet [Jazzy Sport]
ütz – Earth [Meta Polyp]
Space Lady – The Gift Pt.II [G.a.m.m.]
Kate Wax – Bodies In Grace [Mentalgroove]
Nikki Costa feat. Prince – Do We Know Each Other (Sa-Ra Remix) [Rawshots]
Studio R feat. Mocky – Clapz (Trickski Remix) [Sonar Kollektiv]
Ben Mono – Beatbox (Photonz Remix) [CD-R]
Chromeo – Needy Girl (Zdar Dub) [V2]
Kelley Polar – Here In The Night [Environ]
Pharell Terje – Frontin Dans [White]
August Darnell – Friendly Children (Todd Terje Mix) [CD-R]
Unkle feat. Ian Brown – Reign (Morgan Geist Delayed Gratification Mix) [Global Underground]
Toby Tobias – Too Much Sun [Hi Phen]
Amb – Flounder (Ferenc Vaspoeri Mikro Mix) [Chi Recordings]
John Tejada – 100% Post Consumer [Palette]
+++++ End Of Mix +++++
Koom H – Home – Big Sur
David Borsu – Move – Counterpoint
Eleanor – Adventure – Compost
Joy Jones – Divinity – Co-Op
Colonel Red – Feel Good (Head & Feet Remix) – White
Daz-I-Kue feat. Colonel Red & Bembe Segue – Spoiled – Ubiquity
Marc Mac Presents The Visioneers – Ike’S Mood – BBE
20 March 2006
Kieran Hebden And Steve Reid – Morning Prayer [Domino]
Panacea – Colorful Storms [Glow In The Dark]
Yarah Bravo – The Pacifist [White]
Hearin Aid – Whachuwant [Raw Fusion]
Dangerdoom – Space Ho’S (Madlib Version) [Stones Throw]
Vicelounge – Aqua Negro [Sbx Music]
Steve Austin – Rappers Have No Style [Uprock]
Umod – Rest With U [Sonar Kollektiv]
Maspyke – Step [ABB]
Red Rack’Em – It’s A Demo [Red Rack’Em]
The Visioneers feat. Voice – Replay [BBE]
Foreign Beggars – Backdraught [Casual]
Muallem – Some Loving [Compost]
Outerlectuals – Hey Mister [Cookshop]
Kero One – It’s A New Day [Plug Label]
Max Cole – Ay Calor! [Wah Wah 45s]
DJ Saturn – Just Below [Further Out]
Black Rock – The New York City Bump [Black Rock]
Bobbi Humphrey – Chicago, Damn [Blue Note]
Laroca – What’S Odd About Chess [Just Music]
Sugar Beats Band – Tickled Zinc [White]
Recloose – Processional (Moonstarr Remix) [Public Transit]
Pan Cosefo – Jooker (Zed Bias Remix) [Fabrique]
October – Piano Phone (Alex Attias Remix) [Striking Hand]
The Everything Treatment – Sola (Square One Remix) [Buff]
T. Kolai – Zouk (Phil Asher Remix) [Chilli Funk]
13 March 2006
Carly Simon – Why (Jonny Miller Re-Edit) – White
Azymuth – Morning – Far Out
Corinne Bailey Rae – Since I’Ve Been Loving You – Emi
Flowriders – Matter (Moto Remix) – White
Richard E feat. Chiz Nwokonkor – Still – Further Out
Monday Michiru – Hung Up – Artist Share
The Politik – High Priestess – Dopeness Galore
Cecilia Stalin – Everything Must Change – Firefly
Steve Reid – For Coltrane – Soul Jazz
Freddy Y Sus Afro Latinos – Maltrato – Sound Way
Andrew Mccormack – Telescope – Dune
Colonel Red – Say What You Want (Adders Remix) – White
Diesler – Charmed – Tru Thoughts
DJ Spinna feat. Heavy – We Can Change This World – Papa
Jonny Miller – Seedy Are – Phuture Lounge
Sumo – Nini – Heya Hifi
Bossa Futura – Sol Y Luna (Perry Hemus Remix) – Further Out
Stone Inc – Hanging On The Moon (Gerardo Frisina Remix) – Schema
Jazzinvaders – Love And Happiness – Social Beats
Omid feat. Ellay Khule – Words Than My Mouth – Astro Lab
Manu Dibango – New Bell (Tim Scott Remix) – White
Benjamin Devigne – Nostra Riva – Still Music
Alton Miller & Boddhi Satva – African People – Atal Music
6 March 2006
Aybee – Filt (Galaktic Retrofit Mix) – Deepblak
Peven Everett – Sexy One – Unified
Syrup – 51 Cents Left – Compost Black
Jazztronik – Beeping – Especial
The Jeff Lorber Fusion – Sparkle – Arista
The Estonian Ensemble Collage – Kodukingu Kuusik – 4 Selected
Das Goldenes Zeitalter – Breakin’ Through – Jazzman
Dalindeo – Voodoo – Ricky Tick
Wahala Project – Wahala – 51 Lex
Seawind – Free (Underdog Edit) – White
Alessandro Oliviero feat. Heidi Vogel – Higher Skies – Further Out
Sol – Just Cause I Do – White
Kamara feat. Nanar – We As One – Abstract Blue
Stevie Williams – Just A Little More – Earth
Rachael Calladine – Be Free – Kwerk
Talc – Please Please Me – Wah Wah 45s
Mark De Clive Lowe – Twilight (Mashi’S Flipside Remix) – Especial
Double Beat – Something New – Big Sur
Ac Lewis feat. Ndidi Cascade – Tickle – Suntzu Sound
Jtodd – She’S Wicked (Marathon Remix) – Altered Vibes
Panacea – Birdfeather – Glow In The Dark
Muallem feat. Lyrics Born – 2hot 2cold 2tough – Compost
Prince – Black Sweat – Universal
Gum Drop – Now I Rise – Altered Vibes
Ramjac feat. Natalie Gardiner – Sweetest Child Of Mine – Ramjac
Eddie Roberts – Costa Del Soul (Live In Paris) – One Note
Various Artists: Spiritland (The Funk & Soul Of Blue Eyed Rock) [Harmless]
As the subtitle suggests, Harmless’ latest compilation selected by Bill Brewster focuses on the influence of black American funk and soul on the rock scene. There seems to have been a growing interest in this genre, folk-funk, funk-rock etc over the past few years and I for one am slowly but surely opening my mind to it. Not all here is to my tastes but it’s nice to see the inclusion of Chicago’s percussive ‘Happy Cause I’m Going Home’ along with Odyssey’s infectious horn driven soul sensation ‘Battened Ships’. Other standouts are the album’s opener, a great version of ‘Spooky’ by Classics IV, the Steely Dan influenced ‘Hesitation’ by Honk, the crossover soul sound of Elkie Brooks’ ‘Spiritland’ and the one I’m currently playing, Gino Vannelli’s ‘People Gotta Move On’, which comes off like a Stevie Wonder track. The CD features a bonus disc mixed by Brewster under his Fat Camp guise and includes some tasty re-edits.
Various Artists: Destination Boogie [Z Records]
Following on from last year’s brilliant ‘The Soul Of Disco’ compilation, Joey Negro and Sean P again put their heads together, this time coming up with a selection of 20 boogie rarities. To these ears some of the tracks really haven’t aged well and suffer from the crashing drum machine and synth effects so prevalent during the 80s. However there are some real delights contained within, namely Mid Air’s ‘Ease Out’, C Brand’s epic ‘Wired For Games’ and Lowrell Simon’s sought after masterpiece ‘Love Massage’. Other worthy inclusions are Vera Brown & The Rich Girls’ ‘Living Too Fast’, ‘Am I Gonna Be The One’ from Colors, Samson & Delilah’s ‘I Can Feel Your Love (Slippin’ Away)’ and the gospel flavoured ‘I Am Going To Love Him’ by Sanctuary. Takes me back to the days of wet look perms, headbands and formation dancing!
Jazztronik: Cannibal Rock & En:Code [Tokuma Japan Communications]
These latest offerings from Ryota Nazaki follow a similar path to that walked on his previous sets, seamlessly fusing elements of jazz, Brazilian, house, broken beat etc. The Flora Purim fronted ‘Dentro De Mim’, ‘Dentro Mi Alma’ featuring Sonia Santana and the title track on ‘Cannibal Rock’ all shine brightly, as does the twisted broken cut, ‘Beeping’. ‘En:Code’ opens with the spiritual vibes of ‘Pathways (Jazztronik Theme)’ with Valarie Etienne and Rob Gallagher, a track 4 Hero would have been proud of. It then passes through the Marcos Valle blessed ‘Rio. Sol E Mar’, ‘Little Tree’, a violin led waltz and the epic tech-jazz title track. I hear through the grapevine that Pantone are soon to release the best tracks from this pair on a single CD album for the UK market.