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Erin Buku – Self Titled [Inner Tribe Records]
Austrailian Vocalist, DJ/Producer Erin Buku delivers an engaging self titled debut. The nine track album is a laidback array of tasty RnB soulful hip hop grooves. “Dreamers” is a mid-tempo hip hop track that showcases her tender vocals. It’s an uplifting tune where Buku artfully encourages everyone to follow their dreams. “Ley Lines”, co-produced by Inkswel is awash with serenading horns and melodic textures. “The Way” erupts with ebulient electronic rhythms aligned with Buku’s emotive vocal harmonizing. Buku is just another example of the bottomless well of talent from Austrailia that’s well worth checking out.
Go.Soul.Map – Peaceful Sound for Broken Minds [Space Echo]
“Peaceful Sound for Broken Minds” is the debut from Sicilian producer Salvo ‘Dub’ Bruno aka Go Soul Map. The twelve track lp is filled with dreamy soundscapes layered over warm melodic grooves. “Back In The Underwater”, the opening track features the sultry vocals of Reiwa Pia. It’s a downtempo gem heighthened by warmsynths. London based vocalist Derane Obika appears on nine tracks. “Fall Into The Flame” features Obika’s dreamy falsetto aligned with heavenly synths. While the tempo picks up on “Right Of Me”, Bruno’s production along with Obika’s vocals ensure that the mood remains the same. Bruno has created a marvelous record filled with warmth and is certain to put your mind at ease. I’m instantly transported to a place free of stress and full of engaging grooves.
https://gosoulmap.bandcamp.com/album/peaceful-sound-for-broken-minds
Tess Hirst – HERstory [Jazz Re:freshed]
Tess Hirst first came to my attention during her collaboration with Bassist Daniel Casimir. Their joint album “These Days” showcased her ethereal vocals and songwriting. In addition, she was accompanied by some of London’s premiere musicians who are at the forefront of UK club culture. Hirst’s solo debut “HERstory” picks up where that album left off. The disc kicks off with the simmering “This Is Her”. Hirst’s emotive vocals intertwine seamlessly with the Tomorrow’s Warriors string section. The finale “Magic” is a tribute to their ability to rise to any challenge. This high energy tune is spearheaded by Richard Spaven’s propulsive drumming and Casimir’s driving bass rhythms. Pianist Sarah Tandy completes the band and their cohesion is notable. London based label Jazz re:freshed continues to be the place for superb Jazz recordings. This marvelous lp is no exception.
Mario Luciano & Lauren Santi – Shades of Mauve [Madlib Invasion]
The Madlib invasion Music Library series continues with Producer Mario Luciano and vocalist Lauren Santi. “Shades of Mauve” is a collection of breezy jazz samples. Luciano’s keyboard arrangements take center stage while guitarist Gerson Zaragoza and drummer Ayepee play big roles. Santi’s vocal phrasings are spread throughout the fifteen track disc. “Inner Search” is layered with hazy synths and wordless vocal phrasings. “Psych Impression” is a cinematic offering highlighted by Santi’s opera styled vocals. “Blue Miles” captures the spirit of the Mountains with warm guitar and spacey rhodes. If you’re into laidback beats and dreamy soundscapes you’ll no doubt enjoy this one.
VA – Family Affair Vol.3 [Razor-N-Tape]
New York based label Razor n Tape continues to deliver essential House and dance tracks with the release of “Family Affair Vol. 3”. “2gether” by Yuu Udagawa instantly grabs your ear with a neck snapping beat and infectious chords. DJ/Producer Cody Currie, a frequent contributor to the label delivers another banger with heart pounding “Ghost”. Other notables such as the boogie tune “Doctors Orders” make this essential listening for house heads and dance enthusiasts. The third installment of this series is just as enjoyable as Vol.1 & 2.
New Visionaries – Roadmaps [Love Monk Records]
Australian artist Joel Sarakula and Dutch musician Phil Martin are New Visionari
es. The duo first met in 2019 and the following year began working on tracks. “Roadmaps” is an eclectic collection of cinematic compositions and contemporary soul grooves. “Desert Disco Nights” has a seventies soundtrack aesthetic ignited by electric guitar and organ rhythms. “Summer Rain” is a mellow tune that features Hannah Williams on vocals. “Brasiliance” exudes warm vibes with percolating percussion and fender rhodes. This ten track release will keep your eardrums on lock and your head nod on non-stop.
Dina Ogon – Orion [Playground Music]
Swedish band Dina Ogon return with their third album. “Orion” radiates with soft psychadelic soulful vibes. The vocal harmonies combined with dynamic rhythm section creates a wave of positive vibes felt throughout the disc. “Hall Avstand” is a dreamy tune aided by mediatitive electric guitar rhythms. “Glitter” comes in with a soft thumping beat that aligns perfectly with the vocal harmonies. This four piece group has built an underground following and it’s easy to see why. They have nailed the formula for melancholy blissful soul. The result will seduce you to repeated listens.
Sababa 5 – Aspan [Batov Records]
“Aspan”, the sophomore lp from Sababa 5 dives deeper into psychadelic rock than their impressive debut. The combination of psychadelica and middle Eastern rhythms results in a wave of intoxicating compositions. “Wembley”, the opening track erupts with mind bending synths layered over a hypnotic groove. “Tri Li Li” carries the baton with the same formula with bassist Amir Sadot laying down a simmering groove. “Aeolus” is a laidback mediative composition filled with dreamy soundscapes. Guitarist Llan Smilan’s explorative playing is certain to take you for a ride. Eitan Drabkin’s wizardry on keys is deeply satisfying. There’s plenty of reason to enjoy this disc. The playing is exuberant and the compositions will lift your spirits.
Stro Elliot – La Villa [Def Pressé]
DJ/Producer Stro Elliot is the latest Def Pressé member to dive into the vaults of the London based KPM/EMI record library. You may be familiar with Stro’s hip-hop samples through his affiliation with the Roots. The KPM libary spans seventy years of music across a myriad of genres. The arrangement between KPM and Def Presse was a benefit to fellow labelmate Damu the Fudgemunk and his recent projects. Based on this release Elliot came away with some hidden gems with a seventies soul vibe. Specifically they would feel right at home in a James Brown catalog. The opening track “Monday’s Generation” is a prime example. The drum kit snare lays down the beat while the uplifting flute and guitar rhythms round things out into form. “Bamboo” is a mid-tempo hypnotic boom bap tune. The Asian cinematic soundscapes would easily fit into a Wu Tang recording. It must have been a daunting task for Elliot to narrow down his selections. That being said the ten tracks he came up with certainly have hit the mark.
Superduty Tough Work – Paradigm Shift [Next Door Records]
Superduty Tough Work is a hip-hop collective from Winnipeg Canada. “Paradigm Shift”, their debut lp that hits the mark with ten heavyweight tracks, Front man Brandon Grey’s lyrics cover a myriad of topics with a razor sharp delivery. On “Guillotine Dreams” Grey pulls no punches with a number of poignant lyrics like the following; “The hunger falters, schizophrenic vultures, counselors throwing us money to pimp the culture”. “New Sight” kicks off with a drum n bass groove while Grey shows he easily keep up the pace. “Molotov Cocktails at Brunch”, although a mellow slow burner it still packs a punch. Once again Grey effortlessly weaves from one topic to another. This is straight up essential hip-hop that you shouldn’t miss.
https://superdutytoughwork.bandcamp.com/album/paradigm-shift
Web Web – Web Max II [Compost Records]
The Munich based quartet return with their fifth album. “Web Max II” once again features producer Max Herre. Herre gives the disc an understated spiritual jazz vibe filled with moments of intense soloing. “Perennial Journey” features spoken word paying homage to the pioneers that paved the way before them. The tune has a seductive grooe aided by an infectious guitar rhythms and mediatative flute. “Testimony” is ignited by a brooding melody and haunting bass clarinet flurries alongside a heavenly chorus. “Olobo” is a sublime orchestral recording that features Carlos Nino on cymbals, chimes and other instruments. The band continues to explore the depths of spiritual jazz and come away with another marvelous recording.
Ahu – Stellar [Mythstery Records]
Hard to believe that this is Ahu’s first solo project. The Turkish singer/songwriter has guested on numerous projects over the past fifteen years. You may recognize her voice from the Flying Lotus track “Roberta Flack”. “Stellar” features amixture of laidback and uptempo tunes that showcase her vocal talents. “I and I” starts the disc off with dreamy chords that complement her feathery vocals. “Same Sky” is a mid-tempo finger poppin’ tune with a soulful horn section. “Good News” is an uptempo sixties flavored soul number with an infectious drum snare beat. “Stellar” allows Ahu to stretch out present her own musical horizons. Let’s hope the wait isn’t too long for the next record.
Isiah Collier – Parallel Universe [Night Dreamer]
“Parallel Universe”, is the latest release from Chicago native multi-instrumentalist Isiah Collier. This is a spiritual jazz journey that explores the African diaspora and connects the dots from the past to the present. “Village Song” is a thirteen minute spiritual anthem highlighted by Jimetta Rose on vocals and Sonny Daze fiery percussion. “The Lean” is an extended jam session fueled by bassist Micah Collier’s funky groove and Julien Reid’s subtle yet effective keys on top. “The Last Song” is a fitting climax to this voyage. A ten minute mellow roll call filled hazy synths and a slow burning guitar groove. A direct to disc recording, the band simply nails it in one take. Jimetta Rose’s honey soaked vocals shine throughout. Night Dreamer, the London based label has consistently delivered impressive direct to disc recordings and this is no exception. The Ancestors will be pleased and so will you.
Feiertag – Roots [Sonar Kollektiv]
Joris Feiertag, aka Feiertag is a dutch based drummer/producer from the Netherlands. “Roots”, his third release on Sonar Kollektiv is a fresh concoction of tasty uptempo electronic grooves laced with live instrumentation. There’s a number of talented vocalists on board lifting the compositions to greater heights. “Keep Your Head Up” percolates with warm percussive rhythms aligned with the falsetto vocals of Noah Slee. UK Poet Nego True appears on two tracks, the laid back “Love Hills” and the infectious banger “Feel Me”. “Law Of Attraction” has a slow burning lovers rock kind of vibe that features Oshun. Fellow labelmate Pete Josef adds his golden voice to the joyful “Give A Little”. Although the lineup is impressive it’s Feiertag’s array of creative compositions that ignite this disc. This is a joyful listen throughout that’s worthy of your attention.
Little Dragon – Slugs of Love [Ninja Tune]
“Slugs of Love”, the latest release from Little Dragon doesn’t deviate from what they do best. That is deliver another collection of gorgeous synth pop recordings certain to brighthen your mood. There’s a couple of guests on board to spice things up. Vocalist Damon Albarn adds a nice contrast to lead vocalist Yukimi Nagano on the dreamy “Glow”. Rapper JID adds clever rhymnes on “Stay”. The title track is an up-tempo number that erupts with a rumbling guitar groove with a hint of a new wave nineties vibe. Throughout the disc Nagano’s vocals sparkle while elevating the sublime arrangements. This band just continues to deliver feel good music.