Slowe - Where The Mind Wanders

‘Where The Mind Wanders’ is the debut album from Bristol-based producer, multi-instrumentalist, artist and songwriter, Slowe.

This project is a window into Slowe’s mind, with each song reflecting a different aspect of her inner world. With a musical landscape that ebbs and flows, Slowe poetically addresses the struggles of self-doubt and the beauty of fulfilment and joy. These themes are perfectly embodied in “A Simple Act” as she explores uncertainty, wanting to push herself, but faltering at times with a lack of confidence. Led by the cyclical urge to push yourself and subsequent hesitancy, the lyrics move through sparkling R&B Rhodes and celesta that nod to her love of neo-soul and a loose beat played by Conor Harrington, bopping between Sam Fox’s smooth bassline.

The tracks showcase the versatility in Slowe’s production, with different expressions mirroring the furthest corners of her mind, “both introspective and immersive, each track is a dive into the depths of the human psyche, exploring the intricacies of emotions and thoughts that often go unspoken” she explains.

‘Where The Mind Wanders’ features previous singles “WLYTK”, Slowe’s avant-soul exploration of withheld feelings, the retro-tinged slow jam “Superego”, and the urban jazz-hop groove “Fix Me Up’” featuring Rachai. Speaking of seeking balance, certainty and clarity when moving forward it “perfectly summarises the themes on the album and what I was going through when making these songs” Slowe adds.

‘Feel’ features a team of local, Bristolian musicians: Eli Jitsuto from Snazzback plays the guitar, Sam Fox adds the melodic bass riff, Conor Harrington is on drums and Laurence Fazakerly Buglass brings his effortless keys into the mix. As they dance in a sultry, sparse arrangement the focus shifts between two imperfect people navigating bad habits in a relationship, where they are ultimately overcome by unconditional love. Embedded in the album is the J Dilla inspired instrumental gem, “Inertia”, through which Slowe’s production takes mainstage with the captivating, improvised saxophone from Oli Morris. ‘Stay Right Here’ celebrates a 10-year milestone in her relationship, “it's quite a beautiful thing to know someone that well and to have shared so much together” Slowe reflects, embracing her contentment. Aiming for a classic, 70’s soul feel, Slowe and the co-producer Laurence composed a string section by layering each player and recreated a gritty, vintage quality with pedal effects. “Solar” captures a feeling of seasons moving past you, whilst feeling stuck in winter, which comes through in the raw, acoustic feel. In response to this tension, the following track “Lunar” reassures with a success story of breaking free from the anxiety that holds you back and prevents you from reaching your full potential. The final, psychedelia-tinged track “Calibrate” closes the album.

Following continued support from resident DJ James Threlfall, BBC Introducing have shared a short, exclusive, live rendition of “Superego”. The project has also garnered support from Robert Elms (BBC Radio London), Don Letts (BBC Radio 6 Music), BBC Radio 6 Music’s Focus Beats, Valida and Scott Dallavo (KCRW), Boba Fatt and Tom Pickford (Soho Radio), Marshmello (NTS), Neil Bopperson and General Public (Balamii), Stereofox and Dummy Mag, among others.

Slowe’s DIY approach is reminiscent of lo-fi beat-making; delicately layering together session recordings, and repurposing techniques akin to those of J Dilla and Madlib. The result is both nostalgic and fiercely contemporary, with sparkling Rhodes, vintage drum lines, and buttery vocals. The combination of Slowe’s radiant lilts and introspective lyricism atop the fuzzy, analogue warmth makes for swooning escapism. 

Tracklist:
1. WYLTK
2. Superego
3. Fix Me Up
4. Feel
5. A Simple Act
6. Inertia
7. Stay Right Here
8. Solar
9. Lunar
10. Calibrate

Terrace Martin - Curly

Grammy-nominated artist and producer Terrace Martin has unveiled his newest project, Curly, the second in his series of jazz albums to be released in 2023 through the Sounds of Crenshaw/BMG partnership.

Serving as both curator and producer, the music is a continuation of legacy of both Martin and jazz music. Curly holds an especially pointed significance, Martin explained, “This is a body of work that represents the spirit of my father. Curly represents courage, heart, and adventure.”

Across the album are references to Martin’s illustrious career. ‘How Much A Dollar Cost’ shares a name with the distinctive track of Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp A Butterfly, where Martin served as a collaborator. In its new context, the track retains its meditative qualities while a more free-flowing narrative.

Much of the music evokes this period of Martin’s craft. The single ‘Valdez Off Crenshaw’, which features contributions from Kamasi Washington, Cory Henry, and Robert Sput Searight, boasts instrumentation that is uniquely imaginative, with the feel of a summer breeze. As curator, Martin enlists a group of familiar collaborators as well as new talent to craft Curly’s sound: Washington, Henry, and Searight make pronounced appearances along with Larry Goldings and Nir Felder. While the songs are extensive in performance, they never overstay their welcome, forming an album that can be lived in for hours on end.

Martin previously released the first offering in his ongoing series of jazz releases, Fine Tune.

Tracklist:
1. 24th & Lake (feat. Cory Henry & Robert 'Sput' Searight)
2. Bromali (feat. Robert 'Sput' Searight, Larry Goldings & Nir Felder)
3. Final Thought (feat. Kamasi Washington, Robert 'Sput' Searight & Larry Goldings)
4. How Much A Dollar Cost (feat. Robert 'Sput' Searight, Larry Goldings & Nir Felder)
5. Sweeter (feat. Cory Henry) [Extended Version]
6. Valdez Off Crenshaw (feat. Kamasi Washington, Cory Henry & Robert 'Sput' Searight)
7. Untitled 5 (feat. Robert 'Sput' Searight, Larry Goldings & Nir Felder)
8. Blue Monday (feat. Robert 'Sput' Searight, Larry Goldings & Nir Felder)
9. The Voice of King Nipsey (feat. Kamasi Washington, Robert 'Sput' Searight, Larry Goldings & Nir Felder)

VA - Soulful Deep & Dope Ibiza 2023

One of the UK's best loved independent imprints, Reel People Music, continue to push their love and passion for all things Soulful as they drop the new installment of compilation series SOULFUL DEEP & DOPE.

SOULFUL DEEP & DOPE IBIZA 2023 is made up of 20 gorgeous slabs of Soulfulness and features wonderful contributions from the likes of ATJAZZ, REEL PEOPLE, EMMACULATE, OSUNLADE, DENNIS FERRER, THE LAYABOUTS, CRACKAZAT, SEBB JUNIOR, KRAAK & SMAAK, OPOLOPO, TURBOJAZZ, SEAN MCCABE and our very own REEL PEOPLE.

Tracklist:
1. Portia Monique, Sir LSG & The Bless – Grace (Sir LSG & The Bless remix)
2. Mothers Favorite Child, Saeeda Wright & Opolopo – Purple Funk (Opolopo remix)
3. Risk Assessment – It's Not Right But It's Okay (feat Monica Blaire - vocal mix)
4. Reel People, Angela Johnson & Dennis Ferrer – Can't Stop (Dennis F's Falling 4 U mix)
5. Technoir, Turbojazz & Sean McCabe – Techtube (Turbojazz & Sean McCabe remix)
6. The Layabouts & Shea Soul – Perfectly (The Layabouts vocal mix)
7. Thakzin, Ray T & Jimpster – Don't Let Me See (Jimpster remix)
8. Opolopo, Angela Johnson & Atjazz – Sunshine (Atjazz Love Soul remix)
9. Sebb Junior – I Heard You Calling (extended mix)
10. Stephanie Mills & The Layabouts – Free (The Layabouts vocal mix)
11. Modaji – Things U Do 4 Me (Crackazat remix)
12. Reel People, Muhsinah, Kraak & Smaak – Something New (Kraak & Smaak remix)
13. Tony Momrelle & Louie Vega – All The Things You Are (Louie Vega remix)
14. Moon Rocket & Paula – Reciprocity (main mix)
15. DJ Spinna & Phonte – Tonight We Ride (vocal mix)
16. Osunlade, Maiya James & Atjazz – Same Thing (Atjazz remix)
17. Zo!, Muhsinah & Terry Hunter – Packing For Chicago (Terry Hunter remix)
18. SanXero, Katarina G & Scott Diaz – Walk By Me (Scott Diaz Grand Plans dub)
19. Mood II Swing & Lea-Lorien – Beautiful
20. Reel People, Vanessa Freeman & Emmaculate – Butterflies (Emmaculate remix)

VA - Mr Bongo Record Club, Vol. 6 (Deluxe)

Curating and ordering the tracks for a Mr Bongo Record Club is always special. You’re reminded of the feelings you had when sitting at home with a cassette player on pause trying to compile the perfect mixtape to impress the latest object of your affection, or that friend with whom you share a musical kinship and spark off each other’s latest discoveries. Hearing old tracks for the first time or diving into the most upfront selections keeps the fires burning and passions alight.

Here, for volume six, we present recent finds and treasured classics from Brazil, Sweden, the USA, South Africa, Portugal, Japan, Trinidad and Tobago, and Canada. We have included selections by the Brazilian rising star Dora Morelenbaum as well as from heritage-Brazilian musicians and vocalists Haréton Salvanini, Copa 7, and Mirna. There’s also the wonderful Brazilian-not-Brazilian take of 'Ye Me Le' by Hazel Scott And The Braza Brasil, plus sublime gospel from the New York Community Choir. We’ve picked disco and soul rarities by General Lee and Ash Soul, Inc., and for the first time on vinyl, an incredible psych-pop song by the illustrious Matthew Tavares. There are cuts from some of our favourite contemporary Swedish musicians, Sven Wunder and Dina Ögon too. This compilation is packed full of gems that are plucked from differing times and spaces, but somehow all gel together beautifully. We hope you love them too.

Tracklist:
1. Dora Morelenbaum – Japao
2. The New York Community Choir – I'll Keep My Light In My Window
3. General Lee – Pleasure
4. The Drive – Africa Bossa
5. Chiemi Eri – Okosa-Bushi
6. Manny Corchado & His Orchestra – Pow Wow
7. Sven Wunder – Easy Going
8. Dina Ögon – Bakom Glaset
9. Vee Gees – Talkin
10. Mave & Dave – Do You Really Want My Love
11. Hazel Scott & The Braza Brasil – Ye Me Le
12. Inês Soares – Um Amor Para Toda A Vida
13. Hareton Salvanini – Estrada
14. Copa 7 – Copa Sete No Samba
15. Mirna – A Volta
16. Dina Ögon – Tombola 94
17. I Do You Love
18. Ash Soul, Inc. – I Do Love You
19. Ponderosa Twins Plus One – Bound
20. Matty – Blood
21. Shira Small – Eternal Life

Koralle - Insomnia

‘Insomnia’ is the third solo album by Italian jazz beat maestro Koralle for Melting Pot Music. Without exaggeration, it can be described as the most mature and advanced piece of work by the beatmaker and producer from Bologna. On ‘Insomnia’, Koralle invites some of his favourite artists and musical peers to collaborate and exchange sounds and ideas, beats, melodies, and lyrics. The guest list includes fellow producers & musicians FloFilz, Pachakuti, Figub Brazlevic, Kuranes, Phoniks and Brous One as well as rappers and singers Kid Abstrakt, KeepVibeNear, Ryshon Jones.

Koralle produced most of the songs during long nights while struggling with insomnia. Insomnia is a common sleep disorder that can make it hard to fall asleep, hard to stay asleep, or cause you to wake up too early and not be able to get back to sleep. Insomnia can sap not only your energy level and mood but also your health, work performance and quality of life. Luckily the quality of sleep has improved for Koralle since then.

Tracklist:
1. New Day
2. Palosanto
3. Don't Be Afraid
4. Mission (feat. Kid Abstrakt)
5. Train To Moabit (feat. Figub Brazlevic)
6. Insomnia
7. Tell Me (feat. Kuranes)
8. Pills (feat. Phoniks)
9. If I Had A Diary (feat. KeepVibesNear)
10. Blunotte (feat. FloFilz)
11. Luna Piena
12. Mandala (feat. Pachakuti)
13. Getting By (feat. Ryshon Jones)
14. Meditation
15. Healing
16. Eames House
17. Keep It Moving (feat. Brous One)
18. Segnalibro
19. U Do
20. Things Are Going To Be All Right

The Budos Band - Frontier's Edge

Frontier's Edge is the new EP by the fiery, energetic, genre-defying group The Budos Band. Their first release after departing their two-decade-long home of Daptone Records and joining Diamond West Records - founded by the Budos' own Thomas Brenneck and Jared Tankel - Frontier's Edge finds the group hungry, passionate and primed to charge into their next epoch.

Tracklist:
1. Frontier's Edge
2. Devil Doesn't Dance
3. KRITN
4. Crescent Blade
5. Passage To Ashinol
6. Curled Steel

High Pulp - Days In The Desert

"High Pulp THE BAND takes a break from the slapdash road life to explore a more delicate world of flavor and profile. After months of experimentation, High Pulp presents a hot sauce of unprecedented flavor. Whispers in the industry abound, as the band has kept the sauce top secret, working under the cover of night at an undisclosed location. The result is a sauce that runs the gamut from smokey nabisco reed to sweet honey jam overtones. Yes, it is true that High Pulp infuses the sauce with the same mind-bending psychedelic properties as the sweet sweet music they present on stage... but don't worry - the hallucinations will not impede you from your daily functions."

Tracklist:
1. Slaw
2. Dirtmouth
3. Solanin
4. Never In My Short Sweet Life
5. Robert Pollard
6. Unified Dakotas
7. Fast Asleep
8. (If You Don't Leave) The City Will Kill You
9. Fatigue
10. Bad Infinity

Wetter Etc. - Umschwung

Wetter Etc. is a multidisciplinary collective from Vienna. Your goal: You want to soften borders. What that means? Visual, audio and performing arts merge into one another as part of their debut album "Umkehr" and thus convey a change in the weather. The songs begin before the storm, followed by the storm, finally arriving at the clearing of the sky. Vocals are deliberately avoided, the dramaturgy is carried by the music. The sound of the collective can be assigned to contemporary jazz, but enriched with pop culture elements and narrative styles. The music is performed by Miriam Adefris (harp), Marco Kleebauer (drums), Aaron Hader (saxophone) and Maximilian Walch (piano).

Tracklist:
1. Diesig
2. Dichter Schnürlregen
3. Föhn
4. Umschwung
5. Sturmwarnung
6. Grauer Trog
7. Wandkreuz
8. Gebrochen
9. Laub
10. Auf der Hütte
11. Am Abend
12. Der Nebel Lichtet Sich Nicht

*Bonus (Wetter Etc. (Westbahn Studio Live))

Dal - The Dartmoor National Park Tapes

Dal's first long-form release ‘The Dartmoor National Park Tapes' represents a moment in time, and an exploration into the bands formative sound. Presented as more of a beat tape, the 9 tracks form a story of their time spent living and recording music over the pandemic, deep within Dartmoor National Park.

Tracklist:
1. Vesti MOTM
2. Cousin's Number
3. Dartmoor National Park
4. Jackson Moloin
5. Nylon Kibylon
6. Decide 2
7. Creamo's
8. Heung Min's Thought
9. Shiroud

Javano - Metropolis

Tracklist:
1. CPU
2. Cubes
3. Origin
4. Croydon Pheasant
5. Stopgap
6. Rare Earth
7. Javano & Sub Basics – Floating
8. Currents
9. Looping Over
10. Angel
11. Wanderer

Knoel Scott feat. Marshall Allen - Celestial

Sun Ra Arkestra saxophonist Knoel Scott reaches for the sky to release debut studio album Celestial with long-time collaborator Marshall Allen

Best known for his long-standing role in Sun Ra Arkestra, saxophonist, composer, vocalist and performer Knoel Scott is a jazz legend in his own right. A celebration of his tight knit relationship with Arkestra leader Marshall Allen, Celestial marks Scott’s first major studio release after more than 40 years at the vanguard of modern jazz.

Building on a career that has seen Scott record and perform alongside jazz greats such as Sun Ra, Charles Earland, Lou Donaldson and Leon Thomas, the 5-track album is steeped in the composition and performance styles of the African American jazz tradition, from blues and be-bop to the cosmic avant-garde.

Recorded in mono direct to tape and cut on a Scully lathe at the all-analogue Artone Studio in the Netherlands, Celestial brings together an inter-generational ensemble including bright sparks of the UK jazz scene, Charlie Stacey and Mikele Montolli, alongside Arkestra alumnus Chris Henderson. For Scott and Allen, it represents the culmination of decades of collaboration.

The album begins in explosive style with the hard grooving ‘Les Funambules’, a prime example of Scott’s ability to walk a tightrope between hard bop form and raw improvisation.

The session then orbits around Scott’s composition ‘Celestial’, an interstellar 12-minute space walk that was originally written for the Sun Ra Arkestra with strings but was never recorded.

Featuring Marshall Allen on the otherworldly EWI (Electronic Wind Instrument), ‘Celestial’ also hears Scott in full voice, reciting lyrics written by Arkestra vocalist and lyricist Arnold “Art” Jenkins. “The song is a testimony and a memorial to Art and his artistry, as much as it is an example of my own,” Scott explains.

Following the collaborative spirit of the album, Scott’s composition ‘Makanda’ pays tribute to educator and mentor Dr.Ken ‘Makanda’ McIntyre, an associate of Eric Dolphy and a formative influence in Scott’s musical life. A homage to the way McIntyre incorporated various idioms of African American music into his compositions, ‘Makanda’ blends funk, Afro-Cuban and swing styles into a powerful and coherent whole.

Alongside Knoel’s original recordings, the session features two improvised tracks led by Marshall Allen, which speak to the deep musical friendship between the two. Scott describes ‘Conversation with the Cosmos’ & ‘Blue Blues’ as “a testimony to Marshall's incredible improvisational contribution, and his ability to read and conjure all kinds of music and bring the best out of musicians.”

His first studio recording under his own name, Celestial is a statement of intent from Scott as a composer and bandleader, and a testament to his rich and lasting relationship with Marshall Allen

Tracklist:
1. Les Funambules
2. Celestial
3. Conversation With The Cosmos
4. Makanda
5. Blu Blues

VA - Tokyo Crossover Night 2023 (Shuya Okino’s Unreleased Tracks)

All songs are previously unreleased! Compilation release in conjunction with the popular radio program "TOKYO CROSSOVER RADIO". The latest collection of original, re-edited, cover, and remix works for Shuya Okino's diverse projects. Jazz, house, disco, R&B, boogie, and broken beats are all covered to color the Tokyo nights!

Tracklist:
1. Kyoto Jazz Massive – The Mask (Aartek Jets remix)
2. Kyoto Jazz Massive – Get It Together (Shuya Okino & ROOT SOUL remix)
3. Kyoto Jazz Sextet – Still In Love (feat. Navasha Daya)
4. Kyoto Jazz Quartet – Transcend Me
5. Echoes Of A New Dawn Orchestra – Substream
6. Kyoto Jazz Massive – This Feeling (Mochi Men remix)
7. Root Soul – Feeling Good (feat. Leon King - Shuya Okino Re-Edit)
8. Miomatic – Step Into Our Life (Shuya Okino re-edit)
9. Shuya Okino – Shine Feat. Diviniti (feat. Diviniti - Root Soul Boogie remix with Soki Kimura)
10. Shuya Okino – The Light (feat. Ruth Koleva)

*Bonus (Kyoto Jazz Massive live in the Brownswood Basement)

Kaidi Tatham - The Only Way

First Word Records is very proud to welcome the return of the inimitable Kaidi Tatham, with his 5th album for us, entitled 'The Only Way'.

Kaidi Tatham is a legendary multi-instrumentalist born in the Midlands and based in Belfast. Established as one of the original creators of the Broken Beat sound, he is a virtuoso on the keys and a true innovator in sound production.

A deeply prolific artist, this is Kaidi's 5th solo album under his own name, following on from 'Don't Rush The Process' (2022), 'An Insight To All Minds' (2021), 'It's A World Before You' (2018), and 'In Search Of Hope' (re-pressed in 2020), all released on First Word, along with several EPs from 2017 onwards.

'The Only Way' is the latest chapter in Kaidi's entirely unique explorations into sound. 11 tracks touching on bruk, funk, jazz, mid-tempo hip hop and hyper-energetic Brazilian flavours, all thrown into a melting pot that's difficult to define, but all containing Kaidi's unmistakable sonic signature. The epic opener 'Reason We're Here' starts the album softly, before switching midway into KT's trademark synth-lead bruk boogie, to set the scene of what's to come. Lead track 'The Only Way' sees the return of Philly MC Uhmeer (Jazzy Jeff's son), his third collab with Kaidi and a timely celebratory track about this thing called Hip Hop, in its 50th year. 'Feels Like I'm On My Own' is a statement within itself, starting off as a jazz-funk jam, before switching to breakneck Brazilian choro, in the only way Kaidi can, with 'It's On' on a similar vein. 'Fricassee' is some heads down dancery business, and there are more guests with Tiran Kayhatu appearing on 'Alien @$^%' and Matt Lord on the super energetic album closer 'Not Suffering'.

Kaidi Tatham continues to grow on his already impressive catalogue, a body of work that falls within the cracks of jazz and dance music, exemplifying modern British black brilliance; uncompromising, innovative, groundbreaking, intricately sophisticated and deeply funky. His fanbase expands on every release and it's no surprise that that fanbase includes a diverse set of peers such as Madlib ("ahead of his time"), Gilles Peterson ("a key part of an entire movement") and K15 ("a limitless source of inspiration") to name just a few of the many influenced by Kaidi's sound.

About Kaidi Tatham....

Over the years, Kaidi Tatham's musical prowess has graced numerous projects, from the likes of DJ Jazzy Jeff, Andrew Ashong, The Herbaliser and longtime accomplice, Dego, in addition to session and remix work for artists such as Mulatu Astatke, Slum Village, Marcos Valle, Amy Winehouse, Soul II Soul, Nubya Garcia, Cody Currie and Leroy Burgess, along with First Word label mates Eric Lau, Children of Zeus, Allysha Joy and Darkhouse Family.

Kaidi is also a revered DJ known for rocking parties globally, whilst his solo catalogue spans tons of EPs and releases for labels such as Dego's 2000 Black, Alex Nut's Eglo Records and Theo Parrish's Sound Signature, along with an array of aliases, including Agent K, Shokazulu, Blakai, Da One Away and Likwid Biskit, the last two with another First Word label-mate, IG Culture (New Sector Movements / LCSM / CoOp Presents), to name but a few. 

Tracklist:
1. Reason We're Here
2. The Most Wanted Puffin (Lukey Dukey)
3. Interlude Criss Ting
4. The Only Way (feat. Uhmeer)
5. Windus Mc'Guntus
6. Confidence With Attitude
7. Feels Like I'm On My Own
8. Fricassee
9. Alien @$^% (feat. Trian Kayhatu)
10. It's On
11. Not Suffering (feat. Matt Lord)

Fabiano do Nascimento - Das Nuvens

Los Angeles-based Fabiano Do Nascimento is a multi-string guitarist and songwriter who melds the traditional idioms of his native Brazil (i.e., samba, choro) with the more contemporary and experimental strains of jazz, pop, and electronic music. Das Nuvens (“The Clouds”), out July 21, 2023 on Leaving Records, is a crisp, frequently blissful, and deceptively groove-oriented showcase from a consummate musician — a rich and varied collection of songs, all of which seem to prioritize, and thrive in, the soft and intentional spaces between notes.

Raised in Rio and São Paulo before eventually relocating to Southern California as a teenager, Nascimento’s approach to guitar and songcraft is informed by an adolescence enmeshed in Brazil’s exceptionally fertile musical environs. His induction into this lineage was organic. With the encouragement and attention of a musical family, a young Nascimento learned to read music, play the piano, and dabbled with the flute before picking up guitar at age 10. His affinity for the guitar was immediate, decisive, and clear. The instrument further catalyzed his decades-long journey into the annals of Brazilian classical music.

Das Nuvens constitutes the free-form, exploratory work of a musician who, having mastered a distinct musical language, seeks to apply his skill towards broader, more experimental modes of expression. Fittingly, track one — built around a contemplative, pointillistic refrain— is titled “Babel,” a reference to the legend of man’s attempt to build a tower to heaven, and how God thwarted this alleged act of hubris by shattering man’s shared language, sowing chaos and confusion. Though a stern parable on its face, it is a myth that enshrines our world’s dizzying array of languages (of modes of being), and the subsequent beauty of cultural exchange through art. In this regard, it is a fitting opening statement for an album that collapses and collages not only contemporary and classical Brazilian and pop idioms, but also the diverse range of indigenous music that Nascimento has encountered and studied in his travels as a touring musician.

Recorded in Nascimento’s home studio with his longtime friend and collaborator, Daniel Santiago (who also designed the album’s art), Das Nuvens evokes windswept vistas (the plaintive “Thrdwrld” lands like Morricone gently flirting with trap), and the lush Latin American forests of Nascimento’s youth (“Aurora” in particular), while simultaneously foregrounding music’s ineffable and universally-felt capacity to sooth and inspire. 

Tracklist:
1. Babel
2. Thrdwrld
3. Train to Imagination
4. Das Nuvens
5. Yûgen
6. Aurora
7. Eterno
8. Stranger Nights
9. Blu's Dream
10. 3 Pontas
11. Amoroso

Jazzbois - Higher Dimension Waiting Room

Jazzbois is a jazz-hip-hop fusion trio from Budapest, Hungary. Their debut album "Jazzbois Goes Blunt" had a strong impact on both the jazz and hip-hop scene, creating a unique psychedelic-flavored fusion that shook the bones of jazz masters and beat lovers alike.

As complete newcomers into the scene they were recognized by many key figures in the industry, received support from Joe Kay (Soulection), landed on multiple editorial playlists on Spotify & Apple Music, they got spinned on worldwide.fm and even in the office of the legendary jazz label - Brownswood Records.

Altogether the album gathered 6M+ streams worldwide. Beneath the numbers however, the full Jazzbois experience happens when they play live. Since all of the tracks are the results of pure improvisation, cosmic energies collide every single time they play together. A truly unforgettable musical experience.

This summer they release a fresh new and highly anticipated album titled "Higher Dimension Waiting Room." Pre-orders available now for the 12" Vinyl.

Tracklist:
1. Kalifornia
2. Gomba Slap
3. Mosquitoh
4. When It Hits
5. Deep Juked
6. The Trip Ender
7. Higher Dimension Waiting Room
8. Creator
9. Riders Of Doom
10. Up In The Clouds

*Bonus (Jazzbois - Mosquitoh (2023 Live Session))

Kofi Ayivor - Adzagli (Jungle Funk)

Kalita are excited to announce the first ever re-release of ‘Adzagli (Jungle Funk)’ and ‘A Song For You (Ayawa)’, two phenomenal pieces of West African disco from Amsterdam’s Kofi Ayivor. Selected from his sought-after Nigerian 1981 self-titled debut album ‘Kofi’, at last these two recordings see the light of day once more via a loud-cut remastered 12” single. In addition, Kalita enlists fellow Amsterdam resident, DJ and producer Mendel to create his own remix of each recording, using the original multitrack session tapes to rework both for the modern-day dancefloor.

After having experienced life travelling with E.T. Mensah, as a percussionist for Afro rock supergroup Osibisa, and then as producer for Brit funk band Hi-Tension, in 1980 Kofi decided it was time to release his own solo album. With his own release, he could showcase his skills as a master drummer, combining these with the prevailing disco sound that had by this time taken over Western and West African airwaves. As he recalls, ‘all this time, especially on Osibisa's United States tour, I began to critically examine the difference between our native African music and the element of it that had been incorporated into popular Western music. And so my search began to find a modern African sound’.

Kofi was joined on both recordings by various musical superstars of the time, including Osibisa members Kiki Gyan and Jake Sollo, Eddy Grant on guitar and Theadora Ifudu on improvised backing vocals, and in 1981 the album was released on CBS’ Nigerian imprint. Unfortunately, without a touring sponsor and much label support the record soon faded into obscurity, and the record was lost.

Now, forty years later and with original copies highly sought-after and selling for triple figures on the second-hand market, Kalita unearth this masterpiece once more, accompanied by two remixes courtesy of Mendel. 

Tracklist:
1. Adzagli (Jungle Funk) (Mendel Mix)
2. Adzagli (Jungle Funk)
3. A Song For You (Ayawa) (Mendel Mix)
4. A Song For You (Ayawa)

VA - Part of Deeppa, Vol. 1

Get ready for this summer's most excellent compilation, "Part Of DEEPPA"! We've put together nine mind-blowing tracks from our native and new talent that have become part of our musical philosophy. It's all about the funky deep house vibe, bro!

"Part Of DEEPPA" will take you on a wild ride of non-stop beats and dope melodies. We've carefully balanced the mix with hot and cool tracks, giving you the perfect blend of energetic bangers and smooth grooves. Whether you're throwin' a party, hittin' the beach, or just chillin' under the blazing sun, this compilation is your ultimate jam, dude.

You can cop this compilation in digital format from all the big dogs in the game - Spotify, Apple Music, Beatport and more. It's all at your fingertips, bro! Stream it, download it, and add it to your playlists - it's gonna be your summer soundtrack, no doubt.

When the summer sun hits its peak, let "Part Of DEEPPA" be your ultimate ride. Let those basslines drop, those melodies take you higher, and let the music be the fuel to your epic summer adventures. Are you ready to be part of DEEPPA?

Tracklist:
1. Darryl Baalki – Cherry Finns
2. Third Attempt – Sky Is The Limit
3. Jehan – Control
4. Scruscru – High Flyer (feat S Timoshenko)
5. Saint Paul – Magic Flute
6. DFRA – Jazz Is Revolutionary
7. Paul Cut – Free Your Mind
8. The Aquatic People – My Soul (Spaced Out mix)
9. Wearing Shoes – We Met For Real

Kai Campos & Mount Kimbie - City Planning (Deluxe)

Kai Campos presents his half of Mount Kimbie’s bisected MK 3.5 album with an array of remixes reinterpreting his technoid train journey. Nocturnal underground club rhythms spark along the tracks, as mechanical groans and electric currents lurch over undulating waves on Ploy’s ‘Zone 3 (City Limits)’ remix. Octo Octa provides a vigorous extended cut of house euphoria on her ‘Dream On And On Suite’ with shuffling train cars and the flickers of passing lights, meanwhile Client_03 and Drexciyan affiliate DJ Stingray both gutturally rework ‘Quartz’, the former’s synths storm incessantly through acid soaked rhythms, and the latter’s industrial percussion is absolutely crushing.

Beatrice Dillon (PAN, Trilogy Tapes, Poly Kicks etc) takes control of the percolating nocturnal melodies of Zone 3. Forest Drive West (Livity Sound, Ilian Tape, Delsin) entraps the frantic percussive hits of Quartz. Robert Hood (M-Plant, Tresor, Dekmantel) opens up Zone 3 City Limits again forming a classic eyes down techno roller.

Stopping off at some of the finest studios on the planet, City Planning (Deluxe) rides a journey through electronic productions various tangents without fault.

Tracklist:
1. Q
2. Quartz
3. Transit Map (Flattened)
4. Satellite 7
5. Satellite 9
6. Satellite 6 (Corrupted)
7. Zone 3 (City Limits)
8. Zone 2 (Last Connection)
9. Zone 1 (24 Hours)
10. Industry
11. Human Voices
12. Zone 3 (City Limits) (Beatrice Dillon remix)
13. Zone 3 (City Limits) (Gadea's Chasing Cicadas)
14. City Limits (Robert Hood remix)
15. Satellite - Q Zone (Octo Octa's Dream On And On Suite)
16. Satellite 7 (Lady Blacktronika remix)
17. Zone 3 (City Limits) (Ploy remix)
18. Quartz (Forest Drive West remix)
19. Quartz (Kush Jones remix)
20. Quartz (Client_03 remix)
21. Quartz (DJ Stingray remix)
22. Zone 3 (City Limits) (Gadea's Sculptural Process)

Goldie - Timeless (The Remixes)

The celebrations continue for the 25th anniversary of Goldie's 1995 debut Timeless, certainly having lived up to its name as a foundational record in dance music history. On this juggernaut remix album, Goldie curates a star studded lineup taking these tracks to new heights. Break's remix of 'Inner City Life' tiptoes in with waves of pads and strong vocals, but everything is torn apart when a dangerous drop comes in, with morphing breakbeat rhythms stepping over shards of percussive clatters and mutated bass growls.
 
Tracklist:
CD1
1. Inner City Life (Break Remix)
2. Kemistry (Grey Code Remix)
3. State of Mind (Searchlight Remix)
4. Angel (SCAR Remix) [feat. Eleanor Higgins]
5. Inner City Life (Nookie's '2021' Remix)
6. Jah (J:Kenzo's 'Tribute' Remix)
7. Sensual (Searchlight Remix)
8. Inner City Life (Trevino Remix)
9. Kemistry (OneMind Remix)

CD2
1. Angel (Peshay Back From Narm Mix)
2. Inner City Life (4 Hero Part 1)
3. Inner City Life (Nookie's 94 Remix)
4. Angel (Teebee Remix)
5. Kemistry (Doc Scott Remix)
6. Still Life (Photek Remix)
7. Inner City Life (Baby Boys Edit)
8. State of Mind (Hip Hop Instrumental)

Skalpel - This is Skalpel

Tracklist:
1. Escape - Hania Rani Remix
2. Long Distance Call
3. Sculpture
4. Momentum
5. Quicksilver
6. Test Drive
7. Together
8. White Label
9. If Music Was That Easy
10. Shivers
11. Not Too Bad
12. Syntetik
13. Simple
14. Night
15. Wpław - Skalpel Rework
16. Theme from Behind the Curtain
17. Salvadanio
18. Origin
19. Hyperbole
20. High
21. Arrival
22. Drive
23. Siesta
24. Quiz
25. Seaweed
26. Connection
27. Sunset
28. Blow
29. Flying Officer
30. On the Road
31. Sea
32. Distant
33. Voice of Reason
34. Surround
35. Cold Air
36. Tension
37. Countless

Felbm - cycli infini

Dutch multi-instrumentalist Felbm returns with the conceptual album ‘cycli infini’ : a 38-minute composition of metamorphosing tape loops, musical patterns and instrumental sketches. Further exploring the concept is the vinyl release which features the track spread over both sides and cut to the end of each locked groove - creating an essentially never-ending piece that challenges the idea of the traditional listening process.

The idea came to fruition by way of a lifelong interest and growing awareness of the cyclical nature of the world around him - be it through observing nature, or the mathematical and mind-bending works of Dutch artist MC Escher, or minimalist composers such as Erik Satie, Laraaji and Melaine Dalibert. “The openness of Laraaji's and Satie's music have also been an influence to create a certain softness and feeling of comfort, as I like this piece to be a place you want to revisit”, says Felbm, real name Eelco Topper.

While Topper's previous releases on Soundway Records comprised series of short, individual sketches, on cycli infini the tapestry is sewn seamlessly together using a step-like progression through the circle of fifths, which as the name suggests, brings the listener back to the musical key and soundscape at which they started. Should the full track be on repeat, it begins anew without being noticed.

The piece began life with a layer of drone loops using tapes and delay pedals, over which acoustic instruments such as flute, saxophone and bass trumpet would playfully but gently interpret a melody - toying with jazz, ambient, fourth world and percussive sounds. As the music evolves through the key progression, organic elements such as birdsong and wind chimes ground the piece in nature. Says Topper: “the never-ending metamorphosis of matter has always fascinated me, the idea that nothing ever really disappears and everything has already been here… just in different shapes.” 

Tracklist:
1. cycli infini

J​.​PERIOD Presents #TheAbstractMix [Live From Brooklyn] [Exclusive]

 *Free Download

Dexter - Baby Steps

Tracklist:
1. Port_89.9
2. Eiter_85
3. Hawas_94.5
4. Filigree_92
5. Span_75
6. Dorn_72
7. Shades_82
8. Lxsry_91
9. Graeca_84.3
10. Trocken_76
11. Pokerrunde_95.6
12. Hazel_83.8
13. Garage_102.4
14. Verbohrt_86
15. Hymn_89
16. Painquilizer_83
17. Glabella_96.4
18. Japan_101
19. Froc2_94
20. Razor2_88
21. Horse_93
22. Fraud_91
23. Hackgesicht_91
24. Fontaine_94
25. Duckface2_90

Yussef Dayes - Marching Band / Tioga Pass

Tracklist:
1. Marching Band (feat. Masego)
2. Tioga Pass (feat. Rocco Palladino)
3. Rust (feat. Tom Misch)
4. Black Classical Music (feat. Venna & Charlie Stacey)

Jake Ferguson featuring Malcolm Catto - Emotions Run Dry

The Madlib Invazion Music Library Series was created by Madlib and Egon over the course of the Pandemic, and was a chance to give their creative friends the ability to stretch out and indulge in whatever type of music they wanted for release on the label.

The music had to be great and able to be presented as a stand alone album – like the best “Music Library” releases of the past, on labels like Italy’s Sermi, Germany’s Bruton, France’s MP2000 and the UK’s DeWolfe. And, like those albums, it had to work as easy, one-stop clearance for background cues in film and television production and, as producers have been indulging since the 1990s, for sampling.

The series contains 12 releases by DJ Muggs, Karriem Riggins, J-Zone, the Heliocentrics’ Malcolm Catto and Jake Ferguson, JJ Whitefield of Karl Hector/Whitefield Brothers/Poets of Rhythm, Motif Alumni and Music Research Library, Mario Luciano of Polyphonic Music Library, Henkel, Gabriel Rowland of Los Yesterdays, Dan Hastie and Terin Ector of Orgone, Dan Ubick and Joe Harrison

The albums will be released on the Madlib Invazion Bandcamp on the first Friday of each month over the course of one year. Listen, ponder, repeat.

Tracklist:
1. Freestyling
2. 21st Century Blues
3. Well Well Well
4. String Fantasy
5. Train A Coming
6. I Wonder
7. Emotions Run Dry
8. M For Drums
9. Salamander
10. Moroccan Firecracker
11. Dune

Diego Gaeta - Fearlessly Accessing The Divine Spirit Of Freedom From Here On Out

"Fearlessly Accessing the Divine Spirit From Here on Out" is the vinyl debut from up-and-coming pianist, composer, and producer Diego Gaeta. He has previously released projects as Club Diego and with the trio Human Error Club (whose members Mekala Session and Jesse Justice helped produce this record). He has quickly become a fixture in a number of Los Angeles musical environments, working with Lionmilk, The Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra, Carlos Niño, Black Nile among others. This album is a synthesis of these many LA environments, and carries chamber, jazz, ambient, and folk influences, ultimately giving it an uncategorizable feel similar to works by Arthur Verocai or David Axelrod.

Gaeta recorded the initial ideas for the album by himself after experiencing a burst of creativity during the lockdown of 2020, in the aftermath of a season of protests in Los Angeles, on a piano at his home in El Sereno. “I was constantly not in tune with myself, always awaiting outrage and tragedy in a very unstable world. However, hitting the streets in support of various ongoing pandemic community actions felt necessary and it marked a point in time that ushered in large societal changes.The weight of that era made me feel allergic to making art at the time. All of these ideas came after that period, expressing my reflections subconsciously. I remember that the ideas came in a short amount of time, and then they developed.”

Gaeta’s dream band for these ideas would be a 9-piece ensemble or “nonet”, which was finally assembled in the summer of 2021. After careful arrangements and rehearsals the album was recorded. Some of Los Angeles’s finest artists are featured in the ensemble and as featured guests, all combining efforts to fulfill the thematic vision of Gaeta’s inspirations and ideas. 

Tracklist:
1. Caracal
2. Fearlessly (feat. Jimetta Rose)
3. Gracefully
4. Soft Spot (feat. Low Leaf)
5. Uprising
6. Eccolo (feat. Zeroh)
7. The World and Within
8. Memorial (feat. Moor Mother)

Tony Allen and Adrian Younge - Tony Allen JID018

With each subsequent release, Jazz Is Dead continues to exalt the legacies of iconic musicians who have shaped the fabric of Jazz across generations, genres, and continents. For their latest installment, the label connected with the late great Tony Allen, best known for his foundational work as the drummer for Fela Kuti's Africa 70, and later Egypt 80. Over the course of Allen's recording career, he defined the Afrobeat sound, meshing Funk & Jazz influences with Nigerian Highlife to create a cross-cultural dialogue that has gone global. It was no small honor to welcome Mr. Allen for a very special recording session at Linear Labs Studio, and we could not be more thrilled to share these crucial and downright funky cuts with you.

On album opener "Ebun", guitars and horns build off of Allen's instantly recognizable drum patterns, stretching and warping time signatures as they cross paths. It instantly recalls the seminal Africa 70 recordings which Allen was a driving force on. Psychedelic keyboards and percussion clash on "Steady Tremble", a heavy stomper tailor-made for dancefloors in every corner of the world. Just as funky is the kinetic and expressive "Oladipo". Built between a tense call and response between the horns, the track is filled with drama, and Allen steadily keeps each element in balance. As soon as the flute struts in alongside fiery horns and guitar on "Don't Believe the Dancers", the groove plunges further, propelled by an acerbic saxophone solo that animates Allen's percussion. "Makoko" is a moody, mid-tempo jam that evokes classic Fela Kuti recordings such as "Open & Close" and "Gentleman", slowly constructing an elaborate orchestra of polyrhythm, all keeping step with Allen's rhythm. "Lagos" points towards the spiritual and literal home of Allen and Afrobeat, the capital of Nigeria, and homes in on a yearning keyboard.

Similar to on his excellent Art Blakey tribute record, Tony Allen is a revelatory jazz drummer, as heard on "No Beginning", a mid-tempo tune that sits at the nexus of Spiritual Jazz and Afrobeat, which perfectly transitions into album closer, the aptly titled "No End", a poignant number that combines all of the passion and precision of the previous tracks, and let's Allen guide listeners yet again as only he so effortlessly could.

Despite the finite time that Allen had on this planet, as do all of us, his contributions to music are timeless and untouchable, and will continue to inform and inspire generations to come. Jazz Is Dead is honored to have played a part in the legacy of Tony Allen and invites you to discover the unparalleled genius that shifted the entire world's conception of time, a magician who alchemized the past with the future and influenced countless listeners, currently and to come. 

Tracklist:
1. Ebun
2. Steady Tremble
3. Oladipo
4. Don’t Believe The Dancers
5. Makoko
6. Lagos
7. No Beginning
8. No End

*Bonus (Tony Allen illadvised.)

The North Quarter All Stars - Balboa Square

When Ruud Gullit met Frank Rijkaard at Balboa Square in West Amsterdam not only were two legends born, but a life-long friendship was forged due to a mutual love for The Beautiful Game. This same location was the starting point of a week long production camp where NQ artists captured the essence of a label built around this same friendship and a mutual love... but for beautiful music.

Tracklist:
1. I Got You
2. Everything Nice
3. Don't Need
4. The Way You've Been
5. All This Time
6. New Day
7. No Reason
8. Schizm
9. Never 

*Bonus (In The Moment - The North Quarter All Stars Documentary)

K-Lone - Swells

Wisdom Teeth co-founder K-LONE returns with his second full length project, ‘Swells’: a kaleidoscopic and expansive record that looks to deep house, synthpop, leftfield R&B and beyond for a spellbinding masterwork of melodic electronica. 

His debut @LP ‘Cape Cira’ became the accidental soundtrack of the long strange summer of 2020 - its lush marimbas, hazy atmos and synthesised bird calls providing the ideal soundtrack for some much needed collective escapism. The record was widely deemed one of 2020’s standout electronic LPs, gaining glowing reviews in Pitchfork, DJ Mag, Mixmag and Resident Advisor, and ranking highly in end of year lists by Crack Magazine, Bleep.com and beyond.

Approaching its follow up, the Brighton-based producer felt a fresh perspective was needed. Originally landing on the name ‘Swells’ as a secret pen-name to write the record under, the intention was to keep the project as separate as possible from ‘Cape Cira’ to avoid settling into familiar territories - but as the record took shape it became clear that it made perfect sense amongst his already diverse discography.

Like ‘Cape Cira’, there is a distinct and intentionally limited sound palette at play on ‘Swells’. Looping vocal cuts, rich cluster chords and undulating arpeggios sit front and centre here - as does the lo-fi plonk of of the CR78 drum machine. But while the record clearly takes influence from a range of vintage sound sources, its overall aesthetic is unmistakably contemporary. Sounds are not artificially degraded nor obscured under washes of sampled tape hiss. Rather, everything is processed with a gloss, hi-fidelity sheen. The record’s rhythms are bright, dry and snappy, and its melodies are processed with a neon poppy glow.

The producer’s unabashed love of contemporary pop music is most obviously exemplified by the appearance of British singer-songwriter Eliza Rose. The pair met for a session at a North London studio back in 2021, and the now Brit Award-nominated singer’s warm, emotive vocal takes became an immediate source of inspiration early in the record’s conception. As such, Rose’s voice is heard in various states of manipulation throughout its duration - initially as reduced and looped phrases, and then finally in full form on ‘With U’: a low-lit, dubbed-out slice of leftfield R&B that beckons comparisons with Tirzah, Little Dragon and even Erykah Badu.

Elsewhere, there are references to G-Funk (‘Oddball’), Autonomic drum and bass (‘Shimmer’), hip-house (‘Love Is’) and even Metronomy-era electro pop (‘Love Me A Little’).

As always, the true magic of K-LONE’s artistry is to present complex, subtle and original ideas in ways that feel familiar and immediate. Melodies are introduced as effortless earworms, only to be twisted out of shape into strange and unusual formulations. Looping rhythms unspool into washes of hazy, dubbed-out ambience before rebuilding themselves. Refined and endlessly creative, ‘Swells’ marks a captivating next step for a producer and record label that have both reliably positioned themselves at the very forefront of contemporary electronic music.

Tracklist:

1. Saws

2. Love Me A Little

3. Oddball

4. Strings

5. Shimmer

6. With U (feat. Eliza Rose)

7. Gel

8. Love Is

9. Volcane

10. Multiply

Jonny Wickham - Terra Boa

My influences for the music on this record were so sprawling, that there had to be some elements (apart from my brilliant band) to hold it all together as one cohesive sound. So fundamentally this is my love letter to the many beautiful Afro Brazilian rhythms that I have studied over the past few years.‘Terra Boa’ is Portuguese for ‘Good earth’. In respect to the vibrant and fertile musical landscape of Brazil. Good earth which nourished the growth of my own unique musical branches from strong and deep roots. The grooves are heavily influenced by Afro Brazilian rhythmic traditions, which along with contemporary jazz harmony and improvisation, form the backbone of the music. The conceptual unification of the music on the album was derived from the Japanese aesthetic concept of Wabi-Sabi. In traditional Japanese aesthetics, Wabi-Sabi is a world view centred on the acceptance of transience and imperfection and the appreciation of the ingenuous integrity of natural objects and processes. This is exemplified by Enso ̄, a circle that is hand-drawn in one or two uninhibited brushstrokes with ink to express a moment when the mind is free to let the body create. These seven dimensions of Wabi-Sabi, Fukinsei (asymmetry; irregularity), Kanso (simplicity), Koko (basic; weathered), Shizen (without pretence; natural), Yugen (subtly profound grace), Datsuzoku (freedom), and Seijaku (tranquility), gave me an idea of balance when composing the seven studio tracks.

Tracklist:

1. Mono No Aware

2. Herimbau

3. Neon Muse

4. Uncanny Valley Intro

5. Uncanny Vally

6. Space and Time

7. Terra Boa

8. Millennium Seagull 

credits