Basic Soul

“Birds”, the fourth lp from London collective Da-Lata is destined to warm your soul with warm tropical Brazilian vibes. Originally formed in 1988 by Christian Franck and Patrick Forge, “Birds” is mainly Franck’s project with a few long time contributors along for the ride. Among the highlights are the aptly titled “Sway”, a blissful Afro-Brazilian tune laced with sparkling percussion and guitar rhythms plus soothing vocals from Vanessa Freeman. “Memory Man” simmers with warm Bossa Nova rhythms and the soulful vocals of Syren Rivers. “To B” is a stripped down acoustic tune with Franck on guitar and warm vocal melodies once again from Freeman. “Thunder Of Silence” is an up-tempo number with an irresistible groove and a funky horn section that features the unmistakable vocals of Bembe Segue. Ten tracks that will sink into your body and fill you up with good musical feelings, “Birds” is a gorgeous recording that shouldn’t be missed.

Sam Sheppard aka Floating Points latest release “Crush” was made during a five week period during 2017. Whereas his previous release “Elaenia” was a five year process. No matter the length of time the work of art he continues to release is majestic. Sheppard’s utilization of electronics while encompassing a myriad of styles pays dividends once again starting with the opener. “Falaise” brims with intensity, filled with electronic experimentation and strings reaching a climatic fever pitch. “Last Bloom” ratchets up the tempo while providing atmospheric soundscapes. “Environments” starts out melodic and dreamy before shifting the tempo into overdrive. Best you laced those dancing shoes tight. The recordings for this release are more suited for the dance floor as opposed to ambient landscape of “Elaenia”. Nonetheless, this is another set of mesmerizing work from Mr Sheppard who continues to push his music forward and beyond.

Ronin Arkestra is a Tokyo based collective led by multi-instrumentalist Mark De Clive Lowe. De Clive has assembled some of the première players in Japan’s jazz scene for this date. “Sonkei” is filled with rich and engaging compositions driven to greater heights thanks to Wataru Hamasaki on sax and De Clive Lowe on keys. Drummer Nobuaki Fujii from the amazing group Sleepwalker keeps the rhythm at a fever pitch and creates a canvas for everyone to paint figures of color and passion. “Onkochishin” and Cosmic Collisions are evidence of that. The latter finds De Clive Lowe alternating between synths and electronics playing off the explosive horn section. “Circle of Transmigration” is a delight that finds Hamasaki delivering breezy flute melodies The creativity flowing through this session soars from start to finish and leaves you thirsty for more. An exceptional piece of work that belongs every spiritual jazz fan’s collection.

With twenty years in the game The New Mastersounds need no introduction. They continue to be pioneers of funk and soul and their new release “Shake It” doesn’t disappoint. As the title suggests they’ve shaken things up a bit by shedding the fusion from their previous recordings for a grittier funky sound. Acclaimed soul singer Lamar Williams Jr joins the band for this session and immediately puts his stamp on these body shaking recordings. “Let’s Go Back” kicks off with Eddie Roberts down south bluesy guitar riff before morphing into New Orleans funk along with soaring vocals from Williams Jr. “Taking Me Down” flourishes with Afrobeat rhythms and lively percussion from Thievery Corporation drummer Jeff Franca. “Kings & Queens” is another heater with funky horns and a soulful rhythm section. From slow burners to high energy grooves NMS have added another jewel in their  crown with another jam packed lp.

Natural Lateral is a four piece band assembled organically out of frequent jam sessions at the Lazy Robot Studio in North London. The quartet’s musical range flows between Brazilian rhythms, modal Jazz and a touch of fusion woven together. “Bossa Blue” kicks the disc off with infectious percussion and warm Brazilian melodies. “Days with Amber” is bluesy modal tune that features Oli Arlotto on sax. “Safe as Sound” is laid back Latin jazz funk laced with a melodic vibaphone groove. Aziz Mustafa, Ozan Nidayi, Malte From and Tim Balasubramaniam make up the rest of the band. Together they’ve created a relaxed atmosphere with free flowing rhythms that evolve into a deeply satisfying album.

Canadian singer songwriter and now London resident Rhi is back with her sophomore release. “The Pale Queen” is filled with haunting down tempo soundscapes and raw unabashed lyrics that made her debut “Reverie” such a success. “Plain Jane” is driven by brooding synths and a heavy bottom. Sensual whispers coat the hypnotic throb of “It Was Love”. The tempo picks up a notch with the chill-hop flavored “The Tempter”. Chilled out electronica combined with soft spoken vocals makes for the perfect sonic marriage. Rhi pulls it off with ease.

Bastard Jazz consistently delivers quality recordings spanning a variety of genres since 2001. “2 Steps Away” the debut lp from The Pendletons is no exception. The duo of E Da Boss and Trailer Limon showcase their love of vintage boogie funk reminiscent of the eighties era that produced so many funk bands. Now armed with a full horn section to mesh with the band, they’re set to take their sound to another level. The sublime “Blessings for the World” opens the album with an infectious groove augmented by gorgeous harmonic vocals and keys. Guitarist Jeff Locket’s spirited plucking fuels “No Regrets” an uplifting boogie funk banger that would fit easily into a Shalamar or Dynasty catalogue. “19 Flavors” is disco funk at it’s best ripe with a thumping rhythm, pulsating groove and vocals by Ishtar to top it off. The Pendletons are all about making that feel good music that slips into your body and forces you to move. If you don’t you need to check your pulse.