2 September 2019
Floating Points – Last Bloom [Ninja Tune]
Ross From Friends – Epiphany [Brainfeeder]
Flat Cap Five – So Sophistico
Petter Eldh – Koma Tema [We Jazz Records]
Makoto Terashita meets Harold Land – Takeuma [BBE Music]
Michele Manzo feat. Georgia Anne Muldrow & Dudley Perkins – Crackablackalacka [Darker Than Wax]
Gawd Status – Uranium [Tru Thoughts Recordings]
Sampa The Great – Freedom [Ninja Tune]
Rodney P, Ty & Blak Twang – The Conversation [Tru Thoughts Recordings]
Maspyke – No Big Deal [ABB Records]
Kraak & Smaak feat. Satchmode – Don’t Want This To Be Over [Boogie Angst]
Sweatson Klank – Street Dancing [Friends of Friends]
Captain Sky – Moonchild (Peter Lewiki Disco Mix) [Past Due Records]
Yukihiro Takahashi – Elastic Dummy [Wewantsounds]
Jazzuelle – Birth Of Venus (Atjazz Galaxy Aart Edit) [Atjazz Record Company]
Pablo Valentino feat. Simbad – Space Tribe [EUREKA!]
Thatmanmonkz – Sawa Sawa [Shadeleaf Music]
Werner Niedermeier & Gareth Whitehead – Analog Matter [Bulletdodge Records]
V feat. Lady Alma – Just Call (Alternative Mix) [BBE Music]
TSHA – Moon [Counter Records]
Sofa Talk – No Frills [Broken District]
The Polyversal Souls feat. Sir Frank Karikari – A Siakwaa/Nana Agyei (Medley) [Philophon]
Ebo Taylor – Make You No Mind [BBE Music]
Quarteto Novo – Misturada [EMI]
Various Artists: 25 Years Of Paper Part 1 & 2 [Paper Recordings]
“25 Years Of Paper Recordings” highlights the consistency of proper deep house and Disco from the prominent label. “Part 1”, curated by Crazy P starts out the Balearic banger “Downtime”. “Stratocaster” is another party stomper armed with hypnotic synths. “Part 2” equally has a surplus of gems courtesy of label boss Ben Davis better known as Flash Atkins. Some of honorable mentions are futuristic house heaters like “Honningen by Rave Enka and “Soulfood” from Max Mortimer. “Something Better” by Jamie L is a moody atmospheric floor burner. There’s over thirty tracks here from a deep catalogue for you to savor. Whether you’re familiar with all of them or not, you’ll no doubt find many of them worthy of repeated listens.
Muito Kaballa: Everything Is Broke [Switchstance Recordings]
“Everything Is Broke” is the debut album from Cologne based multi-instrumentalist Muito Kaballa. The eight track lp fuses a variety of styles including afro beat, Brazilian with a touch of electronics. Kaballa plays all instruments on all but two tracks here. Among the highlights are “Lugar Ao Sol” Kaballa lays down an infectious African groove augmented by various horns and drum programming. “The Easy Way” is mellow Caribbean inspired bliss filled with vocal harmonies. “Tin Tin” is a stripped down bongo driven tune that features Jan Michael Lauber on Trumpet and Ina Scheuermann on Tenor sax. Kaballa provides a pleasing take on African music specifically and world music overall.
Bryony Jarman-Pinto: Cage and Aviary [Tru Thoughts]
“Cage & Aviary” is the début from singer/songwriter Bryony Jarman-Pinto. Bryony collaborates with fellow Tru-thoughts label-mate Tom Leah aka Werkha as producer. Werkha’s electronic prowess blend seamlessly with Jarman-Pinto’s organic approach to her compositions. The result is an impressive union of jazz, folk and subtle elements of electronica. “Saffron Yellow” is stripped down to percolating guitar rhythms, percussion and Jarman-Pintos’s emotive vocals. “Sun Kissed” has a slow burning jazz vibe heightened by warm keys and horns. “Emerge” brims with subtle use of the high hat drumming and well placed synths. Hard to imagine that Jarman-Pinto experienced some writer’s block while writing this tune before she had a breakthrough. That aside, Jarman-Pinto’s lyrics, along with her hypnotic vocals provide plenty of emotional depth while embarking on topics about love, life and other thought provoking topics. A superb début from a new voice you should get familiar with.
The Blassics: Togetherings [Painted Dog Records]
The Blassics are a Finland based band that started out as a small instrumental funk band led by Juha Sarkola and Tuure Tammi in 2010. Since then they’ve grown into a nine piece outfit and added several albums to their catalogue. Their sound has also stretched out to incorporate elements of afrobeat and jazz to their energetic funk brand. The opener “In A Sincere Way” sets the tone with their trademark of afrobeat rhythms meets jazz inspired funk. “Hagerun Geleba” is a long playing instrumental jam session with Tammi leading an impressive horn section. “Nurona Biihatu” resonates with mellow tropical vibes. Ethiopian Vocalist Miki Mac vocals aren’t overpowering but he has a warm tone and fits seemlessly with this band. This is a strong album with six long playing progressive tunes wrapped in a afrobeat groove that’s certainly worth checking out.
26 August 2019
Tojin Kit – Granite Fields [Finest Ego]
Rhi – Plain Jane [Tru Thoughts Recordings]
BHLB – Då Kan Du Lega Me Deg Sjøl
Corey King – Beautiful People [Def Pressé]
Gawd Status – Messiah Hybrids [Tru Thoughts Recordings]
TMSV – Ominous [Cosmic Bridge Records]
Omar feat. Terri Walker – Pass It On [Freestyle Records]
30/70 – Backfoot [Rhythm Section Records]
Chateau – Strike A Spark [Past Due Records]
The Four M Company – You’re Not Functioning [Family Groove Records]
Guts – L’Origine du Monde [Heavenly Sweetness]
Ebo Taylor – Nyame Dadaw [BBE Music]
The KutiMangoes – Money Is The Curse [Tramp Records]
Ishfaq & EVM128 feat. Natalie May – Complete Me [Studio Rockers]
Teotima – If Every If (Soundspecies Remix) [First Word Records]
Simbad feat. LaAerial – Elevate [BBE Music]
Dominik Marz – Release [BELTERS]
Miyasaka +5 – Animals Garden [BBE Music]
Stevie Wonder – You’ve Got It Bad Girl [Tamla Motown]
Stevie Wonder – All I Do [Tamla Motown]
Stevie Wonder – Golden Lady [Tamla Motown]
Stevie Wonder – Black Man [Tamla Motown]
Stevie Wonder – Lovelight In Flight [Tamla Motown]
19 August 2019
The Bamboos feat. Kylie Auldist – Keep Me In Mind (Strings Version) [Pacific Theatre]
Richard Spaven feat. Jordan Rakei – Faded (Sandunes Remix) [Fine Line Records]
Justine – Wordless Songs [Left Ear Records]
Bryony Jarman-Pinto – Threads [Tru Thoughts Recordings]
Kutiman – Line 5 [Siyal Music]
Banda Black Rio – Baião [Mr Bongo]
Unknown – Jerzy’s Samba (Same Speed Edit) [Same Speed Edits]
Camarão Orkestra – Nação África [Favorite Recordings]
Ilija Rudman – Cosmia (Regal Mix) [Bear Funk Entertainment]
Floating Points – LesAlpx [Ninja Tune]
Kenny Bergamo – Someone Help Me (Oliver Osborne Remix) [Eyes To The Front]
Sumo – Hokori [Sonar Kollektiv]
Neon Phusion – The Future Ain’t The Same As It Used 2 Be [Laws Of Motion]
Azwon – Paradise Island [Pressure Makes Diamonds]
George and Glen Miller – Easing [Soundway Records]
The Black Seeds – Hypnotized Again [Proville Records]
Dirg Gerner – Vicious Cycle [Eglo]
Barry White – September When I First Met You [20th Century Fox]
Melodiesinfonie – AO Longo Do Rio [Jakarta Records]
Bobby Hutcherson feat. Harold Land – Jazz [Blue Note Records]
Alive! – What Is Life [Alive!]
Lloyd McNeill – Salvation Army [Soul Jazz]
12 August 2019
High Risk – The Common Woman [Jazzaggression]
Dusko Goykovich – The End Of Love [The Musical Heritage Society]
Hal Galper -This Moment [Wewantsounds]
Starcrost – Getting Going [Jazzman Records]
Ikebe Shakedown – The Witness [Colemine Records]
The Blackbyrds – Walking In Rhythm [Fantasy]
Ana Mazzotti – Roda Mundo [Far Out Recordings]
Darkhouse Family feat. Tyler Daley & Kaidi Tatham – All The Way [First Word Records]
Mecca:83 – New Hues
Freddie Cruger & Anthony Mills Are Wildcookie – Jackson Miles [Tru Thoughts Recordings]
Birdy Nam Nam – Too Much Skunk Tonight [Kif Recordings]
Joash feat. Replife – Mission [Compost Records]
Kutiman – Behind The Noise (JKenzo RemIx) [Khaliphonic]
Wraetlic – Sing A Song [Huntleys + Palmers]
K15 x SMBD – Pace & Time [Apron]
Space Cats – For Ever And Always [Cultures Of Soul]
Misumami & First Touch – Prove your Love [Heavenly Sweetness]
Prince – 17 Days (Zach Witness Remix)
systm b – Daily Walk [Atjazz Record Company]
Abacus – Relics One (Mix Two) [Prescription]
Ron Trent & Chez Damier – The Meaning [Prescription]
5 August 2019
Linda Tillery – Freedom Time [Olivia Records]
Ben Jagga – It’s You Forever [BBE Music]
Ze Spiritz – Tucheza (Esa Extended Mix) [Soundway Records]
Dytomite Starlite Band Of Ghana – Meye Meho Ayie [BBE Music]
Pleasure – Joyous (DJ Harvey Re-Edit)
Abel feat. Shelley Chapman – Just Another Day (Atjazz Astro Remix) [Atjazz Record Company]
Bryony Jarman-PInto – All About Life [Tru Thoughts Recordings]
Apparel Wax – 006B [Apparel Wax]
SGVO – Dub Warehouse (Deeper Dub) [Atjazz Record Company]
Tekkla – One Of Those Nights [Clipp Art]
Mahakala – Tomahawk [Mahakala]
Special Forces – The End [Photek Productions]
Digital – Termite [Innerground Records]
The Lewis Express – Tico Tico [ATA Records]
James Brown – Funky Drummer [Polydor]
Dom Um Romao – Pra Que Chorar [Pablo Records]
Phil Stroud – Banksia [Brownswood Recordings]
Rōnin Arkestra – Cosmic Collisions [Albert’s Favourites]
Miles Davis feat. Ledisi – Rubberband Of Life [Rhino/Warner Records]
Scrimshire: Listeners [Albert’s Favourites]
Adam Scrimshire’s fourth full length release is a triumph ripe with brilliant haunting recordings. “Listeners” takes you on journey of blissful soundscapes fusing soul, jazz and electronica. The title suggests that he’s more of a listener as he allowed his collaborators freedom to express themselves by sharing their own stories. Those collaborators are a collection of some of our prominent artists on the scene today. “Life Is Valuable” is an electronic soulful tune that features the husky vocals of James Alexander Bright. The rising multi-instrumentalist Emma Jean Thackray’s warm vocals and trumpet phrasings are a delight on “Won’t Get Better”. The disc wraps up with the glorious composition “Thru You” featuring the incomparable Georgia Anne Muldrow. My minor quibble is there’s only nine songs but rest assured that each song is a delight worthy of repeated listens. All of Schrimshire’s recordings have been superb but this may be his best yet. Highly recommended.