musclecars - Sugar Honey Iced Tea!

Sugar Honey Iced Tea! is the highly anticipated debut album from musclecars, set for a May 2024 release on BBE Music. Having already established their presence in the club scene, from the joyous atmosphere of their Coloring Lessons parties to their residency at Nowadays in NYC, and with genre-bending performances worldwide, musclecars are eager to unveil this new world they've intentionally crafted.

This forthcoming album comprises 13 tracks that sonically come together to offer a profound lens into the Afro-American experience. Themes range from joy, to loss, intimacy, helplessness, perseverance, and all the facets that lie in between. From the very first tune, musclecars set the tone with an exploration of afro-dystopia, carrying listeners through the entire album whilst creating imaginary futures born out of self-preservation and self-discovery.

Through their practice of sonic storytelling, native New Yorkers Brandon Weems and Craig Handfield use this album to speak to the nuances of their daily lives and their environment. Join them on this musical journey as they delve into a collection that captures the essence of the black experience with authenticity, emotion, and rhythm. This album stands as one of their favorite bodies of work in recent memory, and they're so excited to share it with you.

Tracklist:
1. The Afro-American Conundrum (Where does that leave us?)
2. Dream Boy
3. Tonight
4. Every Party Must Come To An End
5. Running Out Of Time
6. Carlos Sanchez Interlude
7. Hello?
8. Ha Ya! (Eternal Life)
9. I Don’t Remember The Last Time I Saw Stars
10. Circles I (Prelude)
11. Circles II
12. There's Space For Us All
13. Water

David Versace - Eye to Eye

Recorded in Meanjin/Brisbane on the unceded lands of the Jagera and Turrbal people.

Tracklist:
1. Heart to Heart
2. Full Moon Sprint
3. With Time
4. You Really Mean It
5. Same Signals
6. Red Dirt
7. New Day
8. Capricorn

Onra - Nosthaigia

The genesis of "Nosthaigia" is as fascinating as the music itself. Onra spent several years living in Thailand, immersing himself in the vibrant culture and scouring local record shops for rare gems. The result is a collection of Thai songs from various genres, all sourced on 7 inches. These short instrumentals serve as time capsules, transporting listeners to a bygone era filled with nostalgia and longing.

Produced entirely on the MPC1000 in 2017 and revisited in 2020, "Nosthaigia" is a testament to the power of serendipity and artistic evolution. What began as a casual exploration of unfamiliar musical territory blossomed into a deeply personal and meaningful project for Onra. Amidst a series of unfortunate life events, he found solace and inspiration in the beats he had crafted years prior.

Each track on "Nosthaigia" is a reflection of his journey, a sonic expression of longing and introspection. Onra describes the process of creating the album as a cathartic release, a way of letting go of old memories and embracing the present.

Despite the somber undertones, there is a quiet beauty to "Nosthaigia" that is impossible to ignore. Onra's vintage production skills breathe life into each track, infusing them with warmth and depth. From the haunting melodies of "Until The End" to the hypnotic rhythms of "Close Your Eyes And Remember" every moment feels poignant.

In the end, "Nosthaigia" is more than just an album; it's a testament to the human experience. It's a reminder that even in our darkest moments, there is beauty to be found, if only we're willing to listen.

Tracklist:
1. Bkk Blues
2. Until The End
3. Hand In Hand
4. Close Your Eyes And Remember
5. The Man Who Owed The Money
6. Memories
7. Purple Flowers
8. Chocolate Thai
9. In The Mist
10. Under The Frangipani Tree
11. One More Time
12. How It's Supposed To Be
13. Masquerade
14. The Cost
15. You Know
16. Old Photos
17. Eternally Grateful

Carlos Nino & Friends - Placenta

Placenta is the fourth collection of broadly imaginative and highly collaborative Carlos Niño & Friends music released on International Anthem in the last four years. It is also the first new music to be released by Carlos Niño & Friends following the November 2023 release of André 3000’s New Blue Sun – an album which Carlos produced alongside André, while co-writing, co-creating/playing, and co-mixing every song.

Placenta is announced on April 11th, 2024, a date chosen because it is the 1st solar return of Moss Niño (a new being in human form, who Carlos and his partner Annelise are Earth parents of). Their experience of pregnancy, labor and delivery were all profoundly impactful for Carlos. Becoming a father again (a whole 24 years after the birth of Azul Niño, who has become a regular artistic collaborator with Carlos) he felt total Inspiration for this set of recordings, and hence it is perhaps the most conceptually-grounded Carlos Niño & Friends album we've yet to present – fully connected to the spirit of family, birth, and "how we get here."

Tracklist:
1. Love to all Doulas!
2. Some rest for the Midwives . . .
3. Real Vital Organs
4. Surges, Expansions
5. In Appreciation of Chico Hamilton's Vast Influence on the West Coast Sound
6. Birthworkers Magic, and how we get hear . . .
7. This "I" was not
8. Placenta, Nourishment, New Home, The Galaxy
9. Carla's Beads
10. Moonlight Watsu in Dub
11. Generous Pelvis
12. Bi-Location
13. "Play Kerri Chandler's RAIN"

Fat Produce - Fresh Squeeze

F-Spot Records proudly presents the debut LP "Fresh Squeeze" from Miami-based soul jazz trio Fat Produce. Led by guitarist Addison Rifkind (The Soul Vaccinators) and drummer Michael Duffy (The White Blinds, Jungle Fire), this duo is joined by world-renowned bass player Rene Camacho (Poncho Sanchez, War) to bring you 14 all-new and original soul jazz instrumental cuts that's a guaranteed head-nodder from start to finish.

When Rifkind and Duffy first met on a gig with organist Adam Scone (Scone Cash Players), both felt an instant chemistry musically, and the seeds of Fat Produce were born. In sharing their passion for classic soul jazz, in addition to funk and hip-hop, Rifkind and Duffy started to dive in, taking the idea of a guitar trio to new heights unlike anything you've heard before. After a year of playing gigs and honing their craft, both descended back to their hometown of Los Angeles, CA, to meet up with Rene Camacho and spend two days recording at The F-Spot HQ under the helm of producer and label owner David M Celia. Recording all live in one room to 1/2" tape, the resulting sessions truly captured the essence of Fat Produce's sound. Forced to be in the moment tracking live with no overdubs, "Fresh Squeeze" highlights the authentic tone and feeling from those two special days spent breathing new life into the guitar trio format.

From the more straight-ahead soul jazz tunes like "Sticky Beets" and "Slick" to more outside-the-box cuts like "SON!" and the afrobeat-inspired "Afrenetic," rounded out with groove-focused compositions such as "Cadillac Converter," Grease on the Range," and "818 Don't Hate," this LP brings a variety of styles and feels, while all keeping it under the same umbrella of guitar, upright bass, and drums. Highlighting the chordal and melodic stylings of Addison Rifkind, the signature drum tone and feel of Michael Duffy, and tastefully executed playing from bassist Rene Camacho, "Fresh Squeeze" is the perfect sonic experience. From the first note on side A to the last hit on side B, it's a full sound, a timeless listen, and one slated to be on repeat for decades to come.

Tracklist:
1. Cadillac Converter
2. Fresh Squeeze
3. Sticky Beets
4. Interlude No. 1
5. Afrenetic
6. Grease on the Range
7. Interlude No. 2
8. 818 Don't Hate
9. SON!
10. Slick
11. Interlude No. 3
12. Clapper Dapper
13. Lo-Fi Beats to Study To
14. Outro

Rhythm Rhyme Revolution - Summertime Sunshine Girl

Rythm Rhyme Revolution (Barrie Sharpe & Gareth Tasker): Gareth plays & Barrie produces. Their sound is individual - based upon the funk of the 70s – however, with a totally modern production...

Barrie K Sharpe, as most know, was one of the four creators of Duffer, one of the two creators of the ‘Rare Groove’ scene and in the band that was said to have defined Acid Jazz - Diana Brown & The Brothers. Barrie was very much at the forefront of the movement that changed youth culture in the mid 80s.

Diana Brown & The Brothers metamorphosed into The Brand New Heavies, The Young Disciples: along with Diana Brown Barrie had the first Acid Jazz style commercial success with their track ‘Masterplan’...

“I designed the clothes, ran the club, played the records, was in the band and made the music, which created the scene that changed youth culture worldwide. I just kept falling up hill”...

Barrie talks regarding his musical partner Gareth Tasker:

“Gareth is a major part of the sound, he plays all the instrumentation on every track; which he also co-writes.

Gareth is the unsung hero of the Acid Jazz scene. We have been working together since 1987 – a fuckin’ musical genius”... (Scribed by Mary Louise Ejiwunmi)

Tracklist:
1. Summertime (NuAcid Funk Part 1&2)
2. Sunshine Girl
3. Summertime
4. Summertime (NuAcid Funk Part 1)
5. Summertime (NuAcid Funk Part 2)

Fred P - As We Journey On

Tracklist:
1. Happy Endings [Unreleased Arthouse Version]
2. Mystical Sunrise
3. Made Me Say
4. Motivated Inspiration
5. FP Beat Edit 8
6. High Fusion
7. In the Flow
8. Beauty and Peace
9. Dreams
10. The Everlasting Sea
11. Profound Science

Lafayette Afro-Rock Band - Soul Makossa

Strut proudly presents the first official remastered reissue of the funk/Afro classic, Lafayette Afro Rock Band's 'Soul Makossa' from 1973. First in a series of reissues from Pierre Jaubert’s Parisound studio archive on Strut Records. Tracks sampled by Biz Markie, LL Cool J, Kruder & Dorfmeister and more. First official reissue of Lafayette Afro Rock Band’s classic funk and breakbeat album from 1973. Fully remastered from original tapes by The Carvery.

Tracklist:
A1. Soul Makossa
A2. Azeta
A3. Oglenon
B1. Voodounon
B2. Hihache
B3. Nicky

Badbadnotgood - Mid Spiral: Order

Tracklist:
1. Playgroup
2. Juan's World
3. Taco Taco
4. Sétima Regra
5. Sunday Afternoon's Dream
6. Rewind Your Mind

Nikitch, Alexis Moutzouris - II

"Early Music of the Year candidate? We think it might be." Offie Mag

French DJ, producer, and musician Nicolas Morant, aka Nikitch, joins forces with composer, clarinettist, and saxophonist Alexis Moutzouris on their debut EP ‘II’. The pair decided to call the project “II” (“deux” in French) to denote their creative collaboration.

The six-track EP showcases compelling melodies that interweave the ethereal tones of flute, saxophone, and clarinet into a unified voice, while dynamic rhythms pulsate and synthesisers delve into the intricacies of darkened chord progressions. Nikitch's electronic compositions seamlessly integrate with Alexis Moutzouris' melodious contributions, resulting in a cohesive musical narrative.

“Here, the body surrenders to the dance's call, and the mind escapes through the music” Nikitch & Alexis Moutzouris

Beginning with a simple clarinet riff “Sans Titres” immediately sets a vast and airy stage for what's to come on ‘II’. “Hugo (Part 1)” introduces a rhythmic turn reminiscent of South American clave rhythms. At the same time, deep basslines weave harmony and rhythm into a hypnotic and introspective incantation, gradually giving way to subtle Rhodes chords drowned in delay.

“Ouroboros” delves into the heart of the matter, driven by brisk, fast-paced basslines that heighten tension, while the broken beat rhythm intensifies. “Oceans (Live)” introduces light-inspired sounds as new instruments that gently guide the listener back towards tranquility. The tempo accelerates, and “The Sky Darkens” with the dense harmonies of “Virga”, where rhythm hits harder and the synthesiser unfolds, threatening acid-like arpeggios, until the flute and saxophone transform the landscape. “Hugo (Part 2)” returns the ear to the original experimental tone of the EP, described as “A final gaze into the fertile depths of chaos sonic creation” Nikitch & Alexis Moutzouris

Starting as a classical musician, Nikitch switched gears to hone his craft as a DJ and producer, carving his signature sound early on with jazz and electronic music influences. He quickly gained support from notable names like Laurent Garnier and Gilles Peterson. Nikitch's musical endeavours include two albums, ‘Débuts’ and ‘Back and Forth’, released alongside partner Kuna Maze on Tru Thoughts. Alongside these collaborations, Nikitch has explored solo projects, including his debut album 'Chromatism' on Casamance (2021), as well as partnerships with other artists such as rapper Grems and singer-songwriter Andreya Triana, all contributing to the refinement of his distinctive sound.

Alexis Moutzouris, hailing from Greece, has been co-leading the Marthe act since 2017. Marthe has seen international acclaim, with over a hundred concerts since its inception. Heading various ensembles, Alexis Moutzouris infuses his compositions with diverse global influences and collaborates with esteemed artists such as Thomas de Pourquery, Mike Ladd, Angeliki Pardali, Kaliroï Raouzeou, Bacem Yousfi and Djemdi, among others.

Influenced by the likes of Ezra Collective and R+R=Now from the UK Jazz scene, the duo fuse flute, saxophone, and clarinets into a unified voice on debut EP ‘II’. The rhythmic palette of Nikitch's electronic music seamlessly intertwines with the enchanting melodies of Alexis Moutzouris, creating a cohesive musical narrative.

Tracklist:
1. Sans Titres
2. Hugo (Part 1)
3. Ouroboros
4. Ocean (Live)
5. Virga
6. Hugo (Part 2)

blu - abc

Tracklist:
1. Do U C
2. Doe Boy
3. I Love You
4. Hip Hop
5. Do You Love Me
6. Yo It’s Return The Record
7. Girls
8. Beeper Buddy
9. Her Fav Color
10. Ode
11. Green Eyes
12. Compton Watts
13. The Good Children & Heaven
14. Blowin In The Wind
15. Lil Elvis

Badbadnotgood - Mid Spiral: Growth

Tracklist:
1. First Love
2. Audacia
3. Celestial Hands
4. Ways of Seeing
5. White Light

Bryony Jarman-Pinto - Below Dawn

“Sounding glorious… Remember that name, Bryony Jarman-Pinto” Huw Stephens (BBC 6Music)

“A superbly talented singer-songwriter!” Tony Minvielle (Jazz FM)

"So wonderful” Sian Eleri (Radio 1 / Selector Radio)

“‘Below Dawn’; A majestic song cycle that grapples with parenthood, identity, and personal evolution" CLASH

‘Below Dawn’ is the second studio album by singer, songwriter and musician, Bryony Jarman-Pinto. As it traverses sentimental themes, from societal change and untapped emotions to the profound journey of pregnancy and motherhood, the album exudes an aura of intimacy. This emotional depth is complemented by Bryony's distinctive, harmonious vocals and the infusion of jazz-inspired melodies. ‘Below Dawn’ is a deeply personal and transformative musical journey, the title encapsulates this transition beautifully. “This album speaks about myself just before I gave birth and stepped into a new era, so the name reflects that underlying hidden catalyst” Bryony adds. The album is produced by Ben Lamdin, aka label-mate Nostalgia 77, whose credits include writing and producing for artists such as Jamie Cullum, Alice Russell, and Jeb Loy Nichols.

‘Below Dawn''s inception coincided with the initial stages of the pandemic, and the early songs capture the emotional turmoil of those times. These tracks served as a cathartic release for the tensions and frustrations experienced during lockdown. The album opens with Bryony’s heartfelt reactions to societal challenges, beginning with the uplifting, playful “Water Come”, an invitation to cleanse the residual fear, anxiety and ignorance induced by these external factors. As Bryony grapples with the disarray, she finds space to speak up on “O” as a therapeutic expression of stifled thoughts that often fall by the wayside. The fluttering chords and bass-line were written together with Dwayne Kilvington, recent Nala Sinphero collaborator, to pair with the ever-poetic lyrics that Bryony had been working on. “Leap” continues this conversation with herself and humanity, as she vocalises her observations of the BLM activism at the time and gives thought to her own experiences, highlighting that ignorance leads to inaction with the line “Closed eyes won’t see”.

Elsewhere, “Deep” blossomed from a vocal improvisation that Bryony took from a Jazz Workshop she ran through lockdown. Now a nocturne, the love song is dedicated to Bryony’s partner at the point that they decided to start a family, beautifully summed up by the line “we are golden light, about to dawn”, linking back to the title of the project.

Down the line, as life took a momentous turn with Bryony becoming a mother, the themes of her songwriting moved closer to home. The second half of ‘Below Dawn’ delves into her inner world, exploring emotions and relationships within her new family. “Frida-Rae” exemplifies this raw emotion in the form of a stripped-back lullaby that describes the excitement and endless joy of falling more and more in love each morning with your newborn, who the track is named after. Amid these familial reflections, the penultimate song, “Station Road” revisits fond, childhood memories as an ode to times spent with her Grandma. The slow, moving keys and rich double bass soundtrack Bryony's warming, nostalgic sentiments which are revisited in the acapella version “Bathe Me In (Station Road Acapella)”, allowing listeners to revisit the gentle, hypnotic serenade.

1. Water Come
2. O
3. Deep
4. Moving Forward
5. Leap
6. Feel Those Things
7. Riverside
8. Bathe In Me
9. Frida-Rae
10. Willow
11. Station Road

Four Tet - Three +

Kieran Hebden is arguably at the height of his career so far, making Three his most highly anticipated Four Tet album yet. Since the 2020 triple drop of Sixteen Oceans, Parallel, and 871, Hebden has been pretty much ubiquitous in the scene, from all dayers with Skrillex and Fred again.. to revered collaborations with Madvillain, Burial, Thom Yorke, and William Tyler. And as multifaceted as the cover design by Jason Evans and Matthew Cooper would imply, Three capitalises on a busy decade in progress with an amalgamation of all things we love from Four Tet: ambient sonics meeting crisp club beats, glorious MIDI instruments paired with noise and intricate texture, celebrations of his eclectic influences from hip hop, folk, electronic and abstract sound art that coalesce ever so sweetly into a concise tracklist bursting with life.

There’s always a sense of brightness and joy to the feasts of electronic articulations that Hebden prepares, where gauzy psychedelic guitars open a hypnagogic portal to boom bap inflected grooves and mosaics of choral synths. The cerebral, enigmatic moments of scribbling glass plucks amplified into distorted ethereal waves are offset by rejuvenating pools of ambience, lax downtempo beats with reverb throws like skipping stones, and rosy hued melodies swaying and slingshotting across the scales.

For the ravers, there’s the battery acid soaked electro rhythm of ‘Daydream Repeat’, evidence of the dance muscles Hebden’s been flexing with his KH singles as a roiling throttle is overtaken by idyllic glittering harps, flipping the track from sweat-drenched heater to luscious euphoric aftermath. For the romantics, there’s the frothing drums and subtle snatches of vocals commanding space all over the album, capturing a full, heartfelt sense of depth that hums, buzzes, and vibrates in the awestriking closer ‘Three Drums’.

Whether you’ve just become acquainted with Four Tet or you’ve known him for a lifetime, Three is a stunning work from an inimitable talent.

Tracklist:
1. Loved
2. Gliding Through Everything
3. Storm Crystals
4. Daydream Repeat
5. Skater
6. 31 Bloom
7. So Blue
8. Three Drums
9. I'll Miss the System Here
10. Scythe Master
11. Mango Feedback
12. Watersynth

DJ Muggs - MILS012: Silver Cloud

Entry #12: DJ Muggs takes the Soul Assassins approach to source music - Deep, Dark, Dank.

Tracklist:
1. Angel Dust
2. Gold Vinyl
3. No Time
4. Old Piano
5. 40 Deuce
6. Stress Monster
7. Calm Down
8. Profile
9. Excellence
10. Rockapella
11. Long Lizard
12. Silver Cloud
13. Strawberry Whores And Crack
14. Omega
15. Religion Of The Street
16. Static Electricity
17. Fast Arp

Kiefer, Luke Titus, Pera Krstajic - Something For Real

This version was performed live from Los Angeles in April 2023. Kiefer chose not to tell his collaborators Luke and Pera that the show was being recorded, giving the performance “a spark that can only exist when the art is organic and simple.” The song joins a selection of live favorites from Kiefer’s catalog as well as a brand new track – “Something For Real.” The live album was conceived as a project without rules – “three friends playing for each other, for fun. With friends, for friends. Something for real!”

Something For Real follows last year’s It’s Ok, B U, a record that saw Kiefer return to his beat-making roots. Stay tuned for more music coming soon, including the trip performing in session for NPR’s Tiny Desk.

Tracklist:
1. Tubesocks
2. Montara
3. Introducing the Band
4. Fast One
5. Something For Real
6. Saying Thank Yous
7. Cute
8. Why Not?

*Bonus (Kiefer: Tiny Desk Concert)

Martyn - Through Lines

Welcome to “Through Lines”, a collection of hand picked tracks by genre nomad and bass innovator Martyn, made between 2005 and 2015, carefully recovered and remastered for vinyl and digital release on 3024. Previously only available on 12” across a scattering of different labels, this set includes essential ‘Martyn Music’ (as the producer likes to classify it); tracks like “Vancouver” (A 140 staple to this day), “Mega Drive Generation” and his classic remix of TRG’s “Broken Heart”, as well as deeper cuts like the rare “Friedrichstrasse” and house gem “For Lost Relatives”. “Through Lines” comes with a 40-page booklet featuring a collection of essays Martyn has written about the era, music making in general and these tracks in particular, designed by Jeroen Erosie.

This is not just a compilation of remastered music, it’s a document of an era of UK inspired dance music where ideas, genres, tempos and scenes seemed to rapidly merge and splinter off. An exciting time where producers constantly tried to one-up each other with new ideas and influences, in a vibrant international scene of small club nights from FWD>> and DMZ in London to Red Zone (co-run by Martyn) in the periphery, the earliest online forums like Dubstepforum and radio shows like Dj Flight’s BBC 1xtra show and Mary Anne Hobbs’ Breezeblock. Innovation in music never happens in a vacuum and is always a product of community, producers, writers, and other makers continuously inspiring and pushing each other to come up with the next thing. This ethos is present in all of Martyn’s music throughout the years, but also in his work with Jeroen Erosie as 3024 and within the 3024 Mentoring Program he runs today.

"Through Lines" will be available on May 10th 2024, on vinyl and as a digital release, and as a booklet.

Tracklist:
1. Broken
2. Friedrichstrasse
3. Yet
4. TRG – Broken Heart (Martyn's DCM mix)
5. Cloud Convention
6. Vancouver
7. Mega Drive Generation
8. Get Down
9. Virgo
10. Suburbia
11. Hear Me
12. For Lost Relatives

Goran Kajfes Tropiques - Tell Us

The Swedish quartet Goran Kajfeš Tropiques share their new music We Jazz Records on May 3rd. Tell Us, an album consisting of three long pieces composed by the group, is "slow music" to the bone, a deep body of work utilising the language of jazz as its core mode of communication but echoing way beyond. The quartet is expanded with strings, adding wings to the music and helping it lift off the ground in a personal, highly engaging manner.

The Tropiques quartet consists of Goran Kajfeš (trumpet, synthesizer), Alexander Zethson (piano, organ, synthesizer), Johan Berthling (acoustic bass) and Johan Holmegard (drums) – each a key member in the Swedish creative music scene, with experience from groups such as Dungen, Ghosted, Fire!, Gard Nilssen's Supersonic Orchestra, Oddjob, plus many more, including Goran Kajfeš's own Suptropic Arkestra. Their music, groove based and connected to the tradition of "minimalism" has at times been called "hypno-jazz". Tropiques initially came together in 2011 when Kajfeš was commissioned to compose and perform music to a performance by the Swedish modern dance company Vindhäxor. Since then, the group has evolved in its own ways and independently from, yet informed by, their origins. That is, the experience of creating music together with a strong sense of movement.

All three compositions on Tell Us expand on what the Tropiques have done before, building around their signature style and its spacey texture and rooting the musical narrative in strong melody, rolling groove and their collective limitless urge for sonic exploration. As the opener "Unity In Diversity" goes to show, Tropiques's compositions are like flowers opening slowly, each element and layer growing out of what has come before, in a constantly surprising manner. This music, then, becomes the perfect antidote for the quick-fix eye candy rolling down your smartphone screen. This music will take its time, but it'll also create new dimensions with each second as it unfolds.

RIYL: Alice Coltrane, Terry Riley, Steve Reich, Pharoah Sanders, Laraaji, "Crescent" era John Coltrane, Swedish psychedelic music, "Kosmische Musik"

Tracklist:
1. Unity In Diversity
2. Magmatique
3. Prije i posle

VA - Ghana Special 2: Electronic Highlife & Afro Sounds in the Diaspora, 1980-93

In the early 1980s, a particular alchemy between new musical technologies and significant social, cultural, and political transformations in Ghana gave rise to a new style of highlife. Drum machines and synthesisers appeared alongside lilting guitar lines and punchy horns, and the emerging Ghanaian diaspora began incorporating US disco and boogie, R&B, European new wave, and Caribbean zouk and soca into their music.

This style soundtracked the birth of a new, proud Ghanaian identity and captured the idiosyncrasies of a rapidly changing postcolonial society, marked by increased migration and wider access to global sounds and modern technology.

More than 20 years after the release of the heavy funk and Afrobeat-focused Ghana Soundz compilations, and following the success of 2009’s Ghana Special: Modern Highlife, Afro Sounds & Ghanaian Blues 1968-1981, Soundway is now shining the spotlight on the multifaceted, diasporic sounds of the ‘80s on new compilation Ghana Special - Volume 2, a collection of 18 burger highlife, electronic afrobeat, and reggae tracks.

Though Ghanaian to its very core, burger highlife emerged mostly outside of Ghana and just as the sun was setting on the country’s musical golden age. In the 1960s and 1970s cities such as Accra, Tema, Takoradi, and Cape Coast were home to thriving music scenes, and the loud horn sections of the big highlife bands, or the simpler, socially conscious palm wine music ruled the dance halls, locals drinkeries, and airwaves.

Back then music represented a powerful force, and an artist’s endorsement or dissent could make or break a politician. Perhaps to curb this power, the incoming military regime-imposed curfews and substantial import taxes on musical instruments in the early 1980s. These measures, coupled with a profound economic downturn and shifting musical preferences that saw DJs replacing large live bands, served as the final blow to Ghana's once-thriving music scene.

Musicians left Ghana in droves, scattering across West Africa, Europe, and North America. Thanks in part to its more permissive migration policies Germany became the heart of this scene, and the movement in fact takes its name from “Bürger”, the German for “citizen”. Less confined by genres than back in Ghana, artists in the diaspora were quick to engage with the different styles, working disco, boogie, and funk into their highlife melodies. Access to state-of-the-art studios and modern musical technologies also gave birth to all sorts of mutations: burger highlife in fact is less defined by one particular sound, than by the experimental approach and global outlook of its artists.

Tracks such as Ernest Honny’s experimental cut “New Dance” are an example of just how far artists strayed from original highlife arrangements. Honny, who started his career as a keyboard player with Dr K Gyasi’s band The Noble Kings, had moved to Benin in the 1980s, where he experimented with synthesisers and drum machines at one of Cotonou’s top studios. Similarly, Nan Mayen’s “Mumude” is a slick, 80’s pop track which was recorded in Germany, with only a slight echo of highlife in its opening Fanti lyrics.

This generation of artists found inspiration in sounds that transcended geographical boundaries: singer and guitarist Nana Budjei, who was originally from central Ghana but had moved to the UK in the 1980s, says that his radiant, sun-drenched 1988 track “Asobrachie” is “influenced by reggae maestros Bob Marley and Alpha Blondy, and traditional Akan folklore music”; on “Jigi Jigi”, the Kumasi-born, Sweden transplant Delips Apo draws on soca, latin, and zouk influences.

Throughout the 1980s Ghanaian artists kept producing increasingly innovative and experimental hybrids, winning over new audiences abroad. Though back in Ghana the new sound was initially met with disapproval by purists, it slowly became a symbol of a new, worldly and modern Ghanaian identity. The creativity and open mindedness that characterised burger highlife have gone on to shape the evolution of Ghanaian music since, giving artists the freedom to explore new global sounds while preserving a proudly Ghanaian soul. Ghana Special - Volume 2 stands as a vibrant tribute to the lasting legacy of this groundbreaking musical era.

Tracklist:
1. The Godfathers - Ebe Ye Yie Ni
2. Pat Thomas - Gye Wani
3. Pepper - M.C. Mambo
4. Andy Vans - Adjoa Amisa
5. George Darko - Kaakyire Nua
6. Rex Gyamfi - Obiara Bewu
7. Starlite - Anoma Koro
8. Abdul Raheem - Alaiye
9. Jon K - Asafo
10. Kwasi Afari Minta - Barima Nsu
11. Marijata, Ata Kak - Otanhunu
12. Gyedu Blay Ambolley - Apple
13. Dadadi - Jigi Jigi
14. Charles Amoah - Fre Me (Call Me)
15. Ernest Honny - New Dance
16. Bessa Simons - Sii Nana
17. Nan Mayen - Mumude
18. Nana Budjei - Asobrachie

Blockhead - Luminous Rubble

It’s a producer’s dream: Being given access to a vast library of material to construct something completely new and exciting out of all of it—and when Blockhead’s at the controls, the results are a listener’s paradise, too. The New York City-based hip-hop production legend’s latest album, Luminous Rubble, is also the fifth release in the London-based label Def Pressé’s KPM Crate Diggers series, which hands the keys to the KPM Library’s storied collection—home to over 70 years of music and sound designs made for television, film, and radio—to some of the best behind the boards. The results are like witnessing a kid unleashed in a candy shop, as Blockhead unleashes his boundless creative mind on the KPM Library’s limitless potential—pure inspiration and joy, for your listening pleasure.

Luminous Rubble is the latest missive in a particularly busy period for underground hip-hop veteran Tony Simon, who’s spent the last decades lending his considerable talents to work from artists like Armand Hammer, billy woods, Murs, and Open Mike Eagle; in 2021, he released the critically acclaimed collab LP Garbology with rap legend and longtime collaborator Aesop Rock, just last year he unleashed his twelfth solo album, The Aux. Luminous Rubble had its origins in a chance meeting after a Hamburg show between Simon and a KPM rep, who explained the Crate Diggers conceit to him.

“For me, as a producer who uses samples, there’s nothing better than free rein,” Simon recalls. “I was like, ‘Are there any rules?’ And he said, ‘Just make whatever you want.’ That was so exciting for me. I don’t get that on my own releases, but in this case every sample is cleared and it’s all good.”

As is the case with many sample excavators, Simon already had a deep history with what the KPM library had to offer him as well—to the point where, while digging through the crates in the making of Luminous Rubble, he even came across records he’d sampled from in the past. “Their vault is the one I’m most familiar with,” he says with a laugh. “Back when I used to go record shopping a lot, I would pretty much buy any KPM record on sight. They were always a huge find at record stores. So to be able to tap into these records with no limitations was really nice.”

“The challenge for me was trying to boil down what I wanted to do,” Simon continues while discussing the genesis of Luminous Rubble, which came together over the course of 2022. “I thought about making an album of super-long songs, but it would’ve been a whole different undertaking. So I just went with what I knew, because it’s a foolproof approach to me.” Of course, Simon’s track record as Blockhead meant that the familiar path was tried and true—but as Luminous Rubble’s ten tracks prove, it’s foolish to assume that would mean any laurel-resting on his part.

“My music is always very quirky and melody-driven,” Simon states while talking about how he stretched his creative wings in the studio. “I took chances more than usual when it came to samples and how I used them for foundation.” Indeed, Luminous Rubble finds Simon using the KPM library’s vastness to craft new and engagingly twisted beat-driven shapes; “Dork Crystal” radiates a sinister ominousness, with streaks of strings rubbing against stabbing guitar chords, while a delightfully scuzzy horn line dances around a hi-hat shuffle in “Scumlord.” “There’s something dirty about the horn sample,” Simon explains while discussing the track’s title. “It reminds you of oil-slicked streets in an alley. I wanted to embrace that feeling.”

Glittering bells and a woozy gait to “Serious About My Fitness” makes the tune sound as if you’re sweating it out on the Stairmaster (in a good way), while there’s a distinct thousand-karat shine to “Oh You Fancy,” which nearly resembles a glitzed-out haunted house in its gilded spookiness. “It just sounds like royalty,” Simon exclaims, before going into greater detail about how the creative parameters of the Crate Diggers series proved its own inspiration.

“I’ve always appreciated working within limitations,” he says. “Having no boundaries can be overwhelming when it comes to the creative process. Working with these samples forced me to find middle ground in cases where I’d typically just walk away and look elsewhere.” After hearing Luminous Rubble, you’ll be happy he stuck around.

Tracklist:
1. Badabing
2. Scumlord
3. Oh You Fancy
4. Move Witch
5. Dork Crystal
6. Homeward Browned Out
7. Serious About My Fitness
8. Zoomies
9. Fake Badge
10. Chill Pill

Badbadnotgood - Mid Spiral: Chaos

Tracklist:
1. Eyes On Me
2. Take Me With You
3. Weird & Wonderful
4. Mid Spiral
5. Last Laugh
6. Your Soul & Mine

Janko Nilovic, JJ Whitefield, Igor Zhukovsky - Cosmos Giants

Broc Recordz is thrilled to announce the imminent release of our latest album, Cosmos Giants!

This cosmic fusion is the result of an epic collaboration between maestro Janko Nilovic, JJ Whitefield of the Poets of Rhythm, and Igor Zhukovsky of the Soul Surfers. Together, they've crafted a musical universe where genre boundaries blur, giving way to a transcendent sonic experience.

Immerse yourself in a musical journey where funk, psyche, and soul intertwine to create something truly magical!

Tracklist:
1. Starfall
2. Full Metal
3. Really Hot
4. Inner Space
5. Smooth Sailing
6. Lost Temple
7. Night Drums
8. (Wind From) Mount Everest
9. Location
10. North Star
11. Etheor
12. Stuck In The Void
13. Through The Fingers

Holy Hive - Big Crown Vaults Vol.3 - Holy Hive (Instrumentals)

The instrumental version of Big Crown Vaults Vol. 3 - Holy Hive. Let's the listener focus on the maverick playing and production and allows these tunes to be more subject to interpretation. Vibe out and enjoy.

Tracklist:
1. This Is My Story (instrumental)
2. Love It Is Not Love (instrumental)
3. Green Milk (instrumental)
4. The Shame (instrumental)
5. Swimmer (instrumental)
6. Celeste (instrumental)
7. Kingdom Of The Sun (instrumental)
8. Middle Of The Night (instrumental)
9. A Perfect Space (instrumental)
10. Driftless (instrumental)
11. End Of Time (instrumental)

VA - Lefto presents Jazz Cats volume 3

‘Lefto presents Jazz Cats’ is back with volume 3 and still doing what it does best: putting you in the front row of what the thriving Belgian jazz scene currently has to offer and revealing a melting pot of the musical talent coming out one of the smallest countries in Europe. Never change a winning team they say, so we’re happy to have Belgian DJ and eclectic connoisseur Lefto on board again.

Although you expect the compilation to be talking jazz, volume 3 explores a broader array of styles, genres, and sounds than ever before, arriving at a point where the ‘young cats’ of today don’t bother no more. It may focus on the Belgian scene, but let’s face it, seeing the influences, this one could be compiled from all over the world. From the empowering and bittersweet voices of Oriana Ikomo and Adja, over the more acoustic-electronic productions of Moodprint, Ciao Kennedy, Kassius and echofarmer. It’s even expanding the Jazz Cats universe to dub and bass-heavy tracks with Kin Gajo and Le Ministère, Ethio-jazz from Azmari, while sending you back to earth with bodies’ swirling sax and drums. That saxophone still rings in your ears when you end up in the orbit of the march-like drums of Bodem, Orson Claeys’ piano testing your ability to follow him, slamming the breaks to go smooth cruisin’ with HONEY (Morricone meets Khruangbin, anyone?), to crashing in a raging tempo on that last track of Bruno x Soet x Moene. And there you are, back with us.

2018’s ‘Lefto presents Jazz Cats’ included tracks from some of Belgium’s biggest hitters, including Black Flower, STUFF. De Beren Gieren and Glass Museum who have all gone on to receive global acclaim. The album was given the accolade of ‘Album of the Week’ on Worldwide FM and also received further radio support from Jazz FM in addition to numerous glowing reviews. The 2022 follow-up ‘Jazz Cats volume 2’ paved the way for a new generation inspired by its peers, entering another era of very talented individuals and collectives. Maybe even more so than 4 years before. It uncovered a beautiful balance of more established but also obscure musicians and artists. Opening up to electronics and dance, enter bands like ECHT!, Stellar Legions and TUKAN. Thrilling innovative soundscape grooves and jazz fusion with Bandler Ching and LũpḁGangGang, not to forget about the weaving musical odyssey that is M.CHUZI. In addition, there’s the balanced unease of One Frame Movement, the laidback ‘acoustic electronica’ of Boombox Experiments, the classic funky jazz stylings of Cargo Mas and cinematic The Brums, all of these have set volume 2 on the map as an essential release for any jazzhead with a passion for new sounds.

Tastemaker, selector, curator, DJ and producer, these words often get mentioned when Lefto's name pops up in discussions. And rightly so. If you've ever had the pleasure to listen to one of his incredible Boiler Room sets or one of his many radio shows, you'll know why. Famed for his gloriously eclectic taste on the decks, he switches effortlessly between hip hop, funk, breaks, neck-snapping beats, future bass, South-American influences, bruk riddims, some wild African rhythms and of course, jazz.

Growing up as a child, his father would have the sounds of jazz flowing through the speakers. Which led him to bars around town to hear the latest jazz ensembles. Falling in love with the genre, he would later refine his knack for record digging and fine ear for music working at Belgium's legendary Music Mania record store in his hometown Brussels. Which makes that Lefto is consistently a couple steps ahead. He doesn't wait for the next thing to land in his lap, but actively seeking it out.

Lefto on Jazz Cats volume 3:
“Another release in less than two years! I am very impressed by the amount of creative "jazz" talent we’ve managed to compile over the last couple of years. Thanks to the internet, young musicians find inspiration from around the globe and incorporate diverse influences into their work. Given the history and heritage of jazz in this country, it has managed to create a healthy jazz scene supported by festivals, venues, press, and labels. Therefore, I am very proud to present to you the third installment of Jazz Cats. This compilation is dedicated to the young and hardworking musicians who are the present and the future of Belgium’s jazz scene.”

Tracklist:
1. Oriana Ikomo - NEVER FORGET
2. Moodprint - Eartha
3. Kin Gajo - Exit, Gajo!
4. Adjà - Told you so
5. Bodies - brioche
6. Orson Claeys - Conversations
7. Bodem - Kleine Mars
8. Honey - Bossa dolce
9. Azmari - Sheep Party
10. Le Ministère - De l’Amour
11. CIAO KENNEDY - Parcifal Pt. I
12. echofarmer - beginning would have been outside
13. Kassius - Escapism
14. Bruno x Soet x Moene - OTT