JJ Whitefield - Off The Grid

The German guitarist, bandleader and soundscape architect JJ Whitefield has been an innovative force of the contemporary scene of Neo-Jazz-Kraut, and adjacent sub-genres within the world of organic grooves, ever since the early 1990s. The work with his group Poets of Rhythm drew the blueprint for what’s now known as retro-soul, and his creative canvas has never been blank since with numerous solo projects and collaborations across diverse constellations.

'Off The Grid' is yet another testament to JJ Whitefield’s creativity. The album perfectly connects the dots to the spirit of the golden age of library music waving together a rich tapestry of his world of playfulness, hypnotic grooves, and driving drums. It breathes new life into the genre while continuing to shape the future, as he has for over three decades.

Sonor Music Editions beautifully bridges the gap between the past and present, with this album, by featuring a original paintings by Italian artist Vivì as the cover art. Vivì is renowned for creating iconic covers for 1970s library releases such as Paolo Casa’s 'Nature' (Wild Cat – WC 114), 'Movimenti' (Full Records – FRLP 5099), and 'Origini' (Leo Records – LR 21), and Domenico Guaccero’s 'La Cattedrale del Benessere' (Abramo Allione – A.A. 1010), among others.

Tracklist:
1. Other World
2. In Transition
3. Fugue De Rock
4. Safaripark
5. Cool It Down
6. Lake Shala
7. Bedouin Bounce No. 1
8. Bedouin Bounce No. 2
9. Mistery Of Misery
10. Taped Together
11. Everyday, Forever
12. False Advice
13. Mindless Matters
14. Fuzzy Dumplings
15. Snake Charm

Brandee Younger - Gadabout Season

Gadabout — a carefree pleasure-seeker who is always in motion, seeking out fun no matter the circumstances.

Her third album with Impulse!, Gadabout Season is Brandee Younger’s most personal and exploratory album to date – a reflective, imaginative body of work on which she has written or co-written nearly every composition. “The album reflects the journey — the search for meaning and beauty amid life’s most complex moments, ultimately emerging with a deeper sense of self,” says Younger.

Recorded on Alice Coltrane’s harp, Gadabout Season features collaborations from Shabaka, Courtney Bryan, NIIA, and Josh Johnson.

Tracklist:
1. Reckoning
2. End Means (feat. Shabaka)
3. Gadabout Season
4. Breaking Point
5. Reflection Eternal
6. New Pinnacle
7. Surrender (feat. Courtney Bryan)
8. BBL
9. Unswept Corners
10. Discernment (feat. Josh Johnson)

Joe Armon-Jones - All The Quiet (Part II)

Keyboardist, producer and songwriter Joe Armon-Jones shares his most elevated solo project to date, All The Quiet. A galvanising statement of intent, traversing jazz, funk, dub, hip hop, and soul music, entirely written, produced and mixed by Armon-Jones himself.

All The Quiet (Part II) is the second chapter of a two part album, released on his own label, Aquarii Records. Guest musicians & features include Greentea Peng, Wu-Lu, Yazmin Lacey, Hak Baker, Nubya Garcia, Oscar Jerome, and more.

Tracklist:
1. Acknowledgement Is Key (feat. Hak Baker)
2. Lavender
3. Westmoreland (feat. Asheber)
4. PSR Orchestra
5. Paladin of Sound & Circumstance
6. Another Place (feat. Greentea Peng &Wu-Lu)
7. War Transmission
8. 505 Standby
9. Journey South
10. One Way Traffic (feat. Yazmin Lacey)

Omar - Brighter The Days

Impressive Collective & BBE Music announce 'Brighter The Days' – the 9th studio album by Omar - the world renowned UK soul star. This new album continues Omar's long-standing collaboration with Impressive Collective’s Greg Boraman, which began in 2013 on Freestyle Records with the critically acclaimed 'The Man' album and continued with 'Love In Beats' and 'The Omar Anthology'.

Omar Lyefook MBE, singer, composer, and multi-instrumentalist, solidifies his legendary status with his latest album, Brighter The Days. Over three decades, he has been a defining force in modern Black music, crafting a sound that seamlessly blends soul, funk, jazz, salsa, dub, and hip-hop, with roots in classical music. As he puts it, “Each album is an evolution, if you will. But I’d like to think this is my magnum opus.”

A dynamic collection, Brighter The Days builds upon Omar’s distinctive style with fresh inspiration. His warm, unmistakable voice—tinged with the richness of his Caribbean heritage —is complemented by lush arrangements. Organic drums, bass, brass, keys, and guitars meet the mechanical edge of samples and beats, creating a soundscape that is both timeless and innovative. Sweeping strings, inspired by his early training in orchestral music, add grandeur. “There’s nothing quite like that feeling of hearing all those strings play together,” he says, explaining their recurring presence in his work.

As always, Omar has gathered a stellar line up of collaborators. British legends like Paul Weller, arranger Chris Cameron, rapper Giggs and guitarist Tony Remy join forces with American icons including singers India Arie, Ledisi, Eric Roberson and Raheem DeVaughn, organist Ronnie Foster, and rapper Jeru The Damaja. The result is music that is ambitious in conception and flawless in execution.

The electric styles and highlights include There’s Much Love In The World, a hopeful anthem celebrating unity, Research featuring Honey Larochelle, a sexy and funky dance floor heater, and This Thing Called Life, which captures the album’s essence of optimism amidst challenges. Omar explains, “It’s a specific amount of time we have on this earth, so why waste it arguing and fighting? There are so many more things that connect us as opposed to driving us apart.”

In Brighter The Days, Omar reminds us that music and life are about finding light in the darkness. “Music is what I live for, but so too are my children. Brighter The Days just means something better is coming for all of us.”

Tracklist:
1. Intro
2. This Thing Called Life
3. Won't Let You Down (feat. K.ZIA & The Swag)
4. I've Been Waiting
5. Brighter The Days
6. There's Much Love In The World
7. Lovey Dovey (feat. Eric Roberson & Raheem DeVaughn)
8. Research (feat. Honey Larochelle)
9. On My Own (feat. Paul Weller)
10. Out of Sight (Interlude) (Omar with Don-e)
11. Can We Go Out?
12. It's Gonna Be Alright (feat. Scratch Professer)
13. We Can Go Anywhere (feat. Giggs)
14. Latin Salsa
15. Holding On To Life (feat. Ledisi)
16. Much 2 Much
17. 1234 (feat. Jeru The Damaja)
18. Love Is Like (feat. India Arie)

Jeff Mills - Space Outside Space

Axis Expressionist Series vol.8

“The meaning of this concept (Space Outside :Space) lies within your answers to these questions. Providing the questions are considered with honesty, the true meaning of what “Space” refers to becomes revealed.

There are no right or wrong answers, just reactions based on your view and angles on the mechanisms of life.”

– Millsart aka Jeff Mills

What becomes a person that doesn’t dream? What happens when we get all that we ever wanted? Do we know too much? Can we truly justify pessimism?

What are you planning on leaving behind? If given more life, stay the same or change? Life is more about giving or taking? Good fortune is based on what? What’s more effective, love or hate? Do we care enough? Are we OK?

Life is mostly about ? Is there a end to this? Knowing that it propels, are we capable of critical thinking? Who is more important then yourself? What is worth dying for?

Axis Expressionist Series:

A collection of vinyl releases, curated by Millsart, an alias of Jeff Mills, of his most eclectic and transcendent compositions that derive from his Every Dog Has Its Day project as well as new unreleased works. Vernacular creations that fall off from the “other side” of the Electronic Music tree, this project is designed for the experienced Techno music listener, and its goal is to reflect upon the pure artistry of the craft of storytelling. A realization between music and life.  Whereas “dancing” is the goal of Dance Music, the goal of this music is about “reflecting on the complexity and simplification of life”. Soundtracks for people in their evolutionary process.

Tracklist:
1. Interstellar Feelings
2. Forevermore
3. Vibrations From The Other Side
4. Some Soul, Some Space

Resavoir & Matt Gold - Horizon

Imagine it’s late afternoon, you’re outside by the lake, and there’s sunlight on the water. This is the peaceful and contemplative scene that Matt Gold and Resavoir set on their collaborative LP Horizon. Across 10 lush and exploratory tracks, it’s the product of two Chicago-based musicians—Will Miller, the acclaimed trumpeter, composer, and producer who’s worked with SZA, Whitney, and more, and Gold, a seasoned multi-instrumentalist and accomplished guitarist—effortlessly combining their distinct sensibilities for something hypnotic and tangibly inviting. What started as a love letter to their shared admiration for ‘60s and ‘70s Brazilian music evolved into a dynamic and sprawling body of work. These sunny and expansive tunes are as immersive as they are endlessly replayable.

Both Miller and Gold attended Oberlin College’s Conservatory of Music together and in the years after graduating, they orbited each other around Chicago’s music communities. “We were showing up for each other as friends and taking an interest in each other's projects, noticing a lot of resonances and similarities working within in our music,” says Gold, who’s collaborated with artists like Makaya McCraven and Jamila Woods and stretched the bounds of jazz and Americana on solo albums Imagined Sky and Midnight Choir. “We had talked so much about eventually working together that it was almost like an ongoing bit at a certain point,” says Miller. Though they had known each other for over a decade, they first had their chance on “Inside Minds,” the breezy lead single on 2023’s Resavoir. While those sessions were remote, two had palpable chemistry.

It wasn’t until Miller left the touring band of the Chicago group Whitney in 2023 that their plans to make music together in person came to fruition. “When I first started Resavoir, I was chasing the desire to produce records and now that I had time to focus exclusively on that, Matt was the first person I called to come to the studio,” says Miller. The two had bonded over an admiration for the Brazilian guitarist Luis Bonfa and songwriter Milton Nascimento, especially the latter’s work with Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter, so they decided to use nylon string guitar as a starting point for these early sessions. “Canopy,” which opens Horizon, was the earliest track. Kicking off with bright acoustic chords, the song slowly unfurls into a slinking groove, samples, and fluttering leads from soprano saxophonist Tim Bennett.

As these initial experiments proved successful, Gold and Miller felt they could broaden the scope of their vision. “We were initially conceiving of it as this acoustic guitar driven record but eventually we wanted to frame it orchestrally and see how many shades and colors we can bring in around that sound,” says Gold. “Dewy” thrives within this orchestral palette of woozy synths, strings from Macie Stewart, Claire Chenette’s oboe, flautist Wills McKenna, and French horns from Lloyd Billingham. “We discovered that our multi-instrumentalist mentalities—using piano and bass, samplers, drum grooves, guitar ideas all as starting points— nurtured the broad orchestration across this record,” says Miller.

“The LP took about a year with on-and-off sessions,” says Miller. “The songs benefit from letting them ferment for a couple months, coming back to it, and seeing what sort of new flavors have developed.” Co-produced by Miller and Gold (and mixed by Dave Vettraino), Horizon proudly reflects the artists’ vast artistic community and musical network in Chicago and beyond. Along with Gold, Eddie Burns (Clairo), Peter Mannheim (Tony Glausi), and Carter Lang (SZA, Lil Nas X) provide drums and percussion throughout. On the dreamlike single “Diversey Beach,” New York songwriter Mei Semones lends vocals and along with her band members Noah Leong and Claudius Agrippa, collaborated on a mesmerizingly conversational string arrangement. “We wrote "Diversey Beach" on the coldest day of the year watching a blizzard coming down out of the window, where the sounds of the cars driving by sounded like waves crashing on a beach,” says Miller. “I sent it to Mei Semones, who I’ve been a fan of for a long time. She's absolutely incredible and it’s amazing what she did with it.”

Horizon is a testament to the feeling of endless possibilities that come from collaboration. It’s a remarkable synthesis of two artists who share musical community and an artist lineage but have carved their own paths in unique ways. Nowhere is this more evident than “Hazel Canyon,” which boasts Gold’s silky pedal steel and a subtly enveloping arrangement that evokes Erasmo Carlos. “Musically, we're always trying to capture a fleeting moment of infinite expanse, feeling the vastness of things while knowing they'll always change,” says Gold. “This record keeps the light reflecting on the water just a little longer -- our collaborative process running through the backbone of these songs and rippling out in so many beautiful directions..”

Tracklist:
1. Canopy
2. Memento
3. Dewy
4. Zero Gravity
5. Diversey Beach (feat. Mei Semones)
6. Ahhh
7. Horizon
8. Hazel Canyon
9. Metropoli
10. Tomorrow

Oddisee - En Route EP

En Route is Oddisee’s latest EP—a soulful snapshot of motion and meaning. Each track is a reflection of movement—physical, emotional, and spiritual. Its music for the journey, wherever you're headed.

Tracklist:
1. Tomorrow Can't Be Borrowed
2. A Rare Thing
3. Small Talk
4. Natural Selection

Holden & Zimpel - The Universe Will Take Care Of You

British synth wizard James Holden and Polish clarinet guru Waclaw Zimpel present their entrancing debut album of improvisatory works: 'The Universe Will Take Care Of You' is an alliance wherein these two like-minded masters of their craft converge and explore their deepest improvisational urges to strikingly lush, hypnotic and emotive effect. An in-the-moment lyrical conversation between the pair’s playing, cementing the joyful convergence of their disparate musical journeys, it is an explosion of raw musical creativity in its most primal form.

Blissfully escapist, these six transcendent odysseys of psychedelic electronic music and freeform musicianly virtuosity roam freely: from the skittering pulsations of opener ‘You Are Gods’, through the radiant, revelatory echoes of ‘Sunbeam Path’, the hyperkinetic, arpeggiated rush of ‘Time Ring Rattles’ and ‘Incredible Bliss’, the mesmeric ambient euphoria of ‘Sparkles, Crystals, Miracles’, to the spiralling slow-burn ascension of the closing title track. With this finale, Holden & Zimpel offer up a monumental coda of stirring percussive rustle and gently cascading clarinet tones, before soaring into a sublime, resonant denouement of towering synth and organ themes; a conclusion of vast, otherworldly high drama that encapsulates the scale of this extraordinary album. 

Embracing a similar playful, experimental approach to that of their Krautrock forefathers, the new album sees both virtuosos encouraged and empowered to reach out beyond the instruments with which they made their name. Thus Holden supplements his bespoke computer and modular synth systems with his long-neglected childhood violin and his more recently cobbled together collection of hand percussion, whilst on certain tracks Zimpel forgoes his alto clarinet altogether in favour of electric piano, organ, lap steel guitar, airless harmonium and the Indian twin pipe algoza flute.

The collaborative process has proved endlessly instructive, mutually inspirational and richly rewarding for both artists. “We just clicked immediately, understood each other’s impulses, and made space for each other,” enthuses Holden. “Held safe in his supportive arms I felt liberated to try things I’d never tried before.”

The Holden & Zimpel origin stories may on the surface look very different, with Holden first making his name in electronic music as an internationally renowned dance DJ, producer and remixer throughout the course of the noughties, whilst Zimpel was receiving a formal classical education at music schools in Poland and Germany before following his improvisational impulses into the world of contemporary free jazz, collaborating with the likes of Hamid Drake and Joe McPhee. But there are also many striking serendipitous similarities in their musical journeys: both young musicians’ first exposure to music came via their piano-playing fathers, and both children initially took up violin before settling upon their chosen instruments. Both have had the privilege of immersing themselves in the rich Gnawa musical tradition handed down via Morocco’s Guinia family, with Holden recording first with the late Maalem Mahmoud Guinia and later his son Houssam, whilst in 2012 and again in 2015 Zimpel improvised his way around Poland in a live collaboration with Mahmoud’s younger brother Mokhtar.

The traditional music of India has also provided a common source of fascination for the two composers, with Zimpel teaming up with a band of Carnatic musicians from Bangalore for three raga-jazz fusion albums under the Saagara moniker, whilst Holden’s introduction came via modern day Indian music disciple Terry Riley, and the Mumbai-trained London-based tabla player Camilo Tirado with whom he collaborated on the Riley-inspired Barbican commission 'Outdoor Museum of Fractals'.

Ultimately it is around a shared love of all things hypnotic and trancey where Holden and Zimpel’s paths converge. Trance is the common thread which runs through their musical predilections, as heard in traditional folk forms the world over, twentieth century minimalism, the Krautrock experiments of the seventies, electronic dance music and improvised jazz alike, and their music exists at the point where all of this good stuff collides. You are invited to join them in trance space.

The Universe Will Take Care Of You is released on 13th June 2025 on heavyweight white vinyl, CD and all digital formats.

Tracklist:
1. You Are Gods
2. Sunbeam Path
3. Time Ring Rattles
4. Sparkles, Crystals, Miracles
5. Incredible Bliss
6. The Universe Will Take Care Of You

Amanda Whiting - Can You See Me Now?

First Word Records is very proud to bring you a brand new EP from Amanda Whiting, entitled 'Can You See Me Now?'

Amanda Whiting is a highly-acclaimed Welsh harpist & composer. A virtuoso in her field, this classically trained musician has established herself in recent years as an essential player in the UK jazz scene.

Over the past few years, she's had the support of radio stations & tastemakers such as BBC Radio 2 (Jamie Cullum), BBC 6 Music (Cerys Matthews). BBC Radio 3 (Soweto Kinch), Selector Radio (Sian Eleri), NTS Radio (Patrick Forge), FiP (Laurent Garnier), Soho Radio (Tina Edwards) and across Jazz FM, who also nominated her for 'Instrumentalist of the Year'.

Amanda joined the roster of Worldwide Award-winning independent London-based label First Word Records in late 2023, initially via a collaborative project with Don Leisure on 'Beyond The Midnight Sun', as well as a feature on his Welsh Music Prize nominated project 'Shaboo Strikes Back'.

She followed the 'Liminality of Her' record late last year with a divine album of seasonal favourites, from Bill Evans to Vince Guaraldi, on 'A Christmas Cwtch'.

Amanda's 2024 album 'The Liminality of Her' featured in Spotify's 'Best UK Jazz of 2024' and received glowing reviews in Jazzwise, Somewhere Soul, Bandcamp, Clash, AllMusic, Harp Column, Apple Music and HHV, to name a few, along with numerous 'Album of the Year' nods and various other accolades, garnering praise critically and publicly.

Mojo Magazine cites Amanda's compositions as "cinematic, lyrical and lissom by turns".

Amanda has previously performed, toured and collaborated with a wildly eclectic set of artists, including Matthew Halsall, Rebecca Vasmant, DJ Yoda, Gizmo Varillas and Chip Wickham, whilst previously releasing three solo albums on Jazzman Records, and a remix project for the Albert's Favourites imprint.

She's performed with her own trio at numerous festivals across Europe, including We Out Here, and had headline shows at The Jazz Cafe and Hootananny in London, with an upcoming show at the legendary Ronnie Scott's in June 2025.

'Can You See Me Now?' is another triumphant opus from Whiting; laidback, deliciously jazzy and thematically inquisitive, featuring some exceptional production and accompaniment from Adam Scrimshire (Albert's Favourite). The EP begins with the crackling 'Old Ways' intro (inspired by 'Naderman No.6 for Harp') leading into opening track 'Contented'; an epic ethereal piece of tranquil spiritual jazz, complete with the gloriously powerful vocal harmonies of Faye Houston. This sets the mood perfectly for this project, as we head into a short solo for Whiting on 'Still' which appears as it says on the tin. A moment of calm. Lead single 'What Is It We Need?' commences with dusty upright bass from Whiting Trio member Aidan Thorne, ahead of a beautiful goosebump-enducing lead-vocal from the national treasure that is Alice Russell (Tru Thoughts); an absolute powerhouse in her own right. 'Intent' picks up the pace a touch with some delightfully skippy jungle-esque drums from Jon Reynolds. 'It Could Be' follows; a soulful string-laden stepper, again featuring Faye Houston, and hits like the delicate breath of a Summer breeze. We close the set with the appropriately-named 'Moving On', which takes us out with a slightly-warped phasing dreamlike ambience.

In Amanda's words "thematically, the EP is about the journey as a woman and the stages of life. Standing up and being seen. An important and profound message in the world today!"

"We must stand tall, don't self abase or dim your light

The past has gone. Now step up, be intent, move forward, move on

Don't be silenced. Feminine energy is our might.

Lift your veil, show your worth. We are women, we are strong.

Can you see me now?

Can you hear my dreams?

Can you feel my intentions?

I'm here to be seen."

Tracklist:
1. Contented
2. What Is It We Need? (feat. Alice Russell)
3. Still
4. Intent
5. It Could Be
6. Moving On

Common - Be (20th Anniversary)

Common’s 2005 album Be features classics like “Testify”, "The Corner" and “Go”. Debuting at #2 on the Billboard 200 and certified Gold by the RIAA, the record stands as an essential hip-hop classic.

Tacklist:
1. Be (Intro)
2. The Corner (feat. Kanye West & The Last Poets)
3. GO! (feat. John Mayer & Kanye West)
4. Faithful (feat. Bilal & John Legend)
5. Testify
6. Love is... 
7. Chi-City
8. The Food (Live) (feat. Kanye West)
9. Real People
10. They Say (feat. John Legend & Kanye West)
11. It's Your World (Part 1 & 2) (feat. Bilal & Lonnie "Pops" Lynn)
12. The Corner (Remix) (feat. Kanye West, The Last Poets, Scarface & Yasiin Bey)
13. The Corner (Last Poet Reprise) (Unreleased)
14. GO! (Jazzanova Remix) (feat. Joy Denalane)
15. The Food (feat. Kanye West)
16. So Cool (feat. Sa-Ra)
17. The Movement
18. Be (Intro) (Instrumental)
19. The Corner (Instrumental)
20. GO! (Instrumental)
21. Faithful (Instrumental)
22. Testify (Instrumental)
23. Love is... (Instrumental)
24. Chi-City (Instrumental)
25. The Food (Instrumental)
26. Real People (Instrumental)
27. They Say (Instrumental)
28. It's Your World (Part 1 & 2 / Instrumental)

VA - DUPLOC140

Celebrating 140 releases on DUPLOC.

Tracklist:
1. ENiGMA Dubz – Silverback VIP
2. LOST & Ternion Sound – Catacombs VIP
3. Criso – Bout This
4. Wraz. – Wriggle VIP
5. ONHELL & Losco – Carnal
6. ColtCuts – Menace
7. Die by the Sword – 'Til Death
8. Nahlith – Imperial
9. 11Th Hour – Wayfinder
10. Substrada – Stonk Face
11. Pharma – Retrospect
12. Leo Cap – Enough About That
13. Hypho – Left Lung
14. Morning High – Talk Is Cheap
15. Impulse. – Incursion
16. Gisaza – Collider
17. Ome & Photom – RZ
18. Teffa – Single Malt
19. Subculture – Militant Dub
20. Ternion Sound – 422 VIP

VA - Spiritual Jazz 18: Behind the Iron Curtain, Pt. 1 & 2

Sounds Beyond Barriers

One of the most politically charged terms of the 20th century, the Iron Curtain was a metaphor for political and cultural division. In a post-war telegram Winston Churchill referred to the fault line that ran through Europe between East and West as "an Iron Curtain is drawn down upon their front. We do not know what is going on behind".

In this two-part album, as far as jazz is concerned, we will showcase, describe and celebrate exactly what was ‘going on behind’. We see that music is the power supreme, with the ability to transcend all barriers, be they physical, political or metaphorical.

Our liner notes illustrate the complex and contradictory history of Soviet jazz, and the tracks we’ve chosen cover the key period of the early 1960s to the 1980s. It was during these dark years of the Cold War that the Soviet Union and its satellite states produced a number of outstanding artists playing in a variety of styles. The impact of modernism, from hard bop and Latin to modal and cool jazz, had found its way through cracks in the curtain. The deeply-felt ancestral strains of traditional European folk music were combined with the exciting new and progressive sounds of the West, and a radical, intoxicating brew was created that no amount of guns, tanks or polonium tea could overcome.

We chronicle the triumph of jazz at a time of extreme geopolitical conflict. What went on behind the Iron Curtain in these countries was once mysterious and unknown to the West, but the perseverance of their artists provided sound and light amid the secretive, dark days of the communist-capitalist standoff. There was no end of life-affirming spiritual jazz behind the Iron Curtain.

“Whether it’s by improvisation in the African-American jazz tradition, or by a village kobza player standing on top of a damn hill - he feels connected to the stars.”

Tracklist:
1. Collage - Halb Sirp (Bad Sickle)
2. Manfred Ludwig-Sextett - Gral
3. Krzysztof Komeda - Crazy Girl
4. Polish Jazz Quartet - Promenade Through Empty Streets
5. Vagif Mustafa-Zade - Caucasus
6. Quartet "Jazz Focus-65" - Monday Morning
7. Theo Schumman Combo - Karawane
8. Vaclav Zahradnik - Podzimní Slunce
9. Karel Velebny - Lori
10. Sevil - Mugam
11. Focus '65 - Autumn Sun
12. Golstain-Nosov Quintet - Rosinent In Toledo
13. Yu All Stars 1977 - Kosmet
14. Dan Mindrila - Sonet
15. Leningrad Jazz Ensemble - Aria
16. Sh Jazz Quintet - Delilah
17. Josef Blaha Trio - Inter Mezzo Forte
18. Csaba Deseo Ensemble - Beyond The Csitári Mountains
19. Manfred Ludwig-Sextett - Skandinavia
20. Anatoly Vapirov - Mystery
21. Zbigniew Namyslowski - Piatawka
22. Andrzej Trzaskowski Quintet - Synopsis (Expression I)
23. Tomsits Quartet - Dhrupad
24. Nicolai Gromin Quartet - Corrida
25. Valery Kolesnikov; Vyacheslav Novikov; Vladimir Molotkov; Alexander Christidis - Rainbow
26. Tone Jansa - Goa
27. S+HQ - My Girl (And Other Things)

Goldie, Rufige Kru & Submotive - Alpha Omega

Tracklist:
1. Alpha Omega
2. Goldikus (feat. Cleveland Watkiss)
3. Virgil
4. Express Your Soul
5. Sandcastles
6. Still The Same (feat. CASISDEAD)
7. Mercury
8. Siamese Ghost [Rufige Kru vs Submotive]
9. Secret Handshake
10. Spirits
11. People and Places
12. The Guardianz

Quantic - DJ-Kicks∶ Quantic

Having worked and lived in the UK, US and Colombia throughout his 20-plus-year career, Quantic is an artist whose reputation has long been forged by his unique engagement and vibrant musical exchange with local scenes and cultures from across the world. His discography of electronic releases is vast, spanning two decades and ranging from solo productions and intimate collaborations to expansive ensemble projects. Under aliases such as Quantic, the Quantic Soul Orchestra, the Limp Twins, Flowering Inferno, Ondatrópica and many more, the multi-instrumentalist, DJ, composer and producer Will Holland has released over twenty studio albums as well as countless EPs and singles.

Now, Quantic pulls from his unparalleled, wide-ranging pool of musical companions for his DJ-Kicks compilation, which fittingly radiates friends and family energy. The mix bursts with unreleased exclusives and places the art of curation at its core, giving the listeners space to go and dig more of the songs and sonics which resonate the most. Will Holland includes a breadth of new material, including new music from Quantic alongside another of his other aliases Sobredosis.

Having made records together as Transgressors, he hails JJ from The Poets of Rhythm. Similarly, the drummer of London band The Heliocentrics, Malcolm Catto, played in the Quantic Soul Orchestra in the early 2000s, and the band’s fuzzy track features early on in the mix. The ties don’t stop there though. Having mixed his album ‘Bring Backs’, Holland welcomes Mist’s jazz instrumentalism onto his Kicks, followed by a whistling dance contribution from JKriv – ft. Gabriel Oliveira – with whom he spent his early days as bassist for New York live house ensemble Tortured Soul. Quantic also brings to the mix his Colombian contemporary Frente Cumbiero, with whom he formed tropical supergroup Ondatrópica.

As a selector often booked to play at sunset, Quantic channeled this energy into the mix’s pacing too. “I love when people suddenly realise they are engulfed in the night… and this mix does put you out into some pretty high tempos of bass music, dub and Cumbia.” Beyond raising profiles, the mix encapsulates Quantic’s tempo-changing DJing style which, over the past decade, has built him a strong community of fans. In regard to the compilation’s sonic journey, which likens the voyage to boarding a boat, he says “you’re going down a river and get off in a different place… it’s also a cool way to encapsulate, stylistically, what I’ve been up to as a DJ over the last few decades, while shining a light on people I admire”.

This DJ-Kicks is the latest instalment in Quantic’s ever-evolving artistic trajectory, an accompaniment to those moments when the gloaming disappears into darkness. An homage to an unparalleled artistic path within the dance music cosmos. Will Holland’s longstanding dedication to a full range of melodic and percussive expression alongside continued musical collaboration is what makes his edition of DJ-Kicks such a rare beauty.

CD1:
1. JJ Whitefield feat. bonnie behave - The Mind Is A Palace (Mixed)
2. The Heliocentrics - Minimal Engagement (Mixed)
3. Quantic - Dialect (Mixed)
4. Alfa Mist - In My Defence (Mixed)
5. JKriv feat. Gabriel Oliveira - Pifeiro Malandro (Mixed)
6. Quantic & Sly5thAve - Twang (Mixed)
7. Frente Cumbiero - Michilero (Mixed)
8. Quantic - Theme From Selva (Remix) (Mixed)
9. Quantic - Eko Eko (DJ-Kicks) (Mixed)
10. Quantic - Motivic Retrograde (Live Version) (Mixed)
11. Eblis Alvarez & Meridian Brothers - Un Grande Nubarrón Se Alza En El Cielo (Mixed)
12. The Maghreban - Covent Garden (Mixed)
13. Anna Morgan - Throw Dat Azz (Mixed)
14. Ehua - Scintille (Mixed)
15. Turbo Sonidero - Kumbia ESSJ (Mixed)
16. Sobredosis & Quantic - No Llores Por Mí (Mixed)

CD2:
1. JJ Whitefield feat. bonnie behave - The Mind Is A Palace
2. The Heliocentrics - Minimal Engagement
3. Quantic - Dialect
4. Alfa Mist - In My Defence
5. JKriv feat. Gabriel Oliveira - Pifeiro Malandro
6. Quantic & Sly5thAve - Twang
7. Frente Cumbiero - Michilero
8. Quantic - Theme From Selva (Remix)
9. Quantic - Eko Eko (DJ-Kicks)
10. Quantic - Motivic Retrograde (Live Version)
11. Eblis Alvarez & Meridian Brothers - Un Grande Nubarrón Se Alza En El Cielo
12. The Maghreban - Covent Garden
13. Anna Morgan - Throw Dat Azz
14. Ehua - Scintille
15. Turbo Sonidero - Kumbia ESSJ
16. Sobredosis & Quantic - No Llores Por Mí

The Budos Band - VII

Two years after releasing the Frontier's Edge EP, The Budos Band arereturning with their first full-length since 2020's Long in the Tooth.Titled simply VII, the new album sees them doing what they do best: laying down hypnotic, horn-spiked grooves that menace andmesmerize in equal measure. Produced by Budos guitarist Tom Brenneck with Simon Guzmánengineering, VII features 11 tightly constructed new tracks that drawon the group's wide range of influences, sounding like only the Budoscan. It's music for getting down, for nighttime drives, and for alternateheadspaces a beguiling mix of mystery and rhythm that stands withthe formidable work they've released in their two decades ofrecording. VII was recorded in California and serves as The Budos Band's firstfull-length album on Diamond West, the independent label founded in 2023 by Tankel and Brenneck. It's also the group's first album toinclude instrumental contributions from percussionist Rich Tarrana,who previously played in the Frightnrs. All told, it succeeds in openingup some new sonic spaces while staying tethered to the intuitive, unique musicality that made them such a sensation from the jump.

Tracklist:
1. Thrice Crowned
2. Overlander
3. Night Raid
4. Lair Of 1,000 Serpents
5. Kudzu Vine
6. Sharky’s Delight
7. Curse of the Ivory Fang
8. Behind The Black Curtain
9. Escape from Ptenoda City
10. The Strigoi
11. Mean Streets

Phi-Psonics - Expanding To One

“Phi-Psonics is a spiritual exploration of being together and connecting,” says acoustic bassist Seth Ford-Young of the immersive project he initiated in East Los Angeles in 2016. For his third long-player under the Phi-Psonics banner, Ford-Young marshalled a series of live recordings at Healing Force Of The Universe records in Pasadena, sculpting fourteen tracks, largely composed in the moment with a fluctuating cast of players, which wonderfully transmit his ideals of community and inner peace.

Ford-Young says of Expanding to One..."We live in increasingly dark times and while I intend our music to be a balm to those who connect with it, I also want the context of our musical conversations to include the outer as much as our inner worlds. The music we make doesn’t exist in a vacuum and the backdrop of injustice and tragedy in our world has to be part of our music.”

Tracklist:
1. Prelude: Expansion
2. There's Still Hope
3. Healing Time
4. Many Paths
5. Sunrise
6. Love Theme From Your Life
7. We're All One
8. Nature Signs
9. Discovery
10. It Finds A Way
11. Sounds Of The Universe
12. Before The Pyramids
13. New Pyramid
14. Mysteries Of The Dark

Gerardo Frisina - In Sight Vol. 2

Firmly bound to Schema Records since the beginning (“Ad Lib”, 2001), in over twenty years of career Gerardo Frisina has released several records that have consolidated his status as a leading name in the international jazz and electronic music scene. Always unique in blending traditional elements latin jazz, funk, soul) with modern sounds, since “Moving Ahead” (2020) in particular Gerardo has introduced new ‘cosmic’ and ‘futuristic’ elements into his style, in a constant evolution that culminates today with “In Sight”: this new double work, conceived and produced in two separate volumes - the second one available from May 23rd, 2025 - further refines a sound that can be clearly recognized from the first notes of each track. “In Sight Vol. 2” is first and foremost characterised by four new compositions, more structured than in the past, with a distinct psychedelic and minimaldance vein that makes them more expansive and thoughtful; among them all, “Ya’aburnee” stands out, thanks to influences ranging from Four Tet to Trentemøller. There’s no shortage of more ‘club-oriented’ episodes too, thanks to the new arrangements of “Mindoro”, “Tarab” and “Mystical Funk”, the latter already released on 45rpm and here expanded into an ‘Extended Version’ by Fender Rhodes and electric guitar solos, perfectly closing one of Gerardo Frisina’s most complete and eclectic productions ever!

Tracklist:
1. Uzuri
2. Gigil
3. Mindoro (Alternative Version)
4. Ingenua
5. Ya'aburnee
6. Tarab (Dub Version)
7. Mystical Funk

Joy Spheres Rees - Solina

Joy Spheres Rees is the coming together of three essential innovators in contemporary music, who have fused their distinct individual sounds into a definitive collaboration for their debut album, ‘Solina’. Allysha Joy, Hidden Spheres and Finn Rees together forged a new sonic landscape which draws on vast inspirations from Balearic House to Street Soul, Alternative RnB and Jazz.

This is an album that is conceptually driven from beginning to end, as overarching melodic themes and lyrical mantras weave in and out of hard hitting grooves to create a deeply moving and meditative experience for the listener. Combining Allysha Joy’s potent lyricism, effortless musicianship, unique production & incredible vocals with Hidden Spheres' production values and Djing sensibilities, honed in over a decade's worth of music across different labels, genres, and highly revered releases, alongside the final ingredient of synths, keyboards and skilled musicality of Finn Rees, renowned for his new wave Jazz and dance music output and heavy involvement with acts from the Melbourne/Naarm scene.

Personal and poetic, ‘Solina’ speaks to both the intimate and collective desires for connection, through the differing lenses of romance, spirituality, connectivity to nature and the self. It is the culmination of each member's deeply honed skill set, with Hidden Spheres as lead producer, Finn Rees guiding the harmonic synthesis and Allysha Joy’s unmistakable vocal sound, intimately interweaving to create this rich, textural masterpiece ~ a collaborative magnus opus.

Solina is released by London's world renowned label BBE Music, with a limited edition gate fold vinyl release this is sure to be a must in the collection. 

Tracklist:
1. Caught in a Wind
2. Trust the Feeling
3. Cave Sands
4. Surrender Love
5. When Will The Day Come
6. Promised Me Love
7. Delta Spirit
8. Always Leaving
9. Surrender Love Reprise

WheelUP - Inner Light

WheelUP emits 'Inner Light', his album featuring previous triple-track single Magnetic with Sio, Juggle, and Flash feat. Abacus.

The album marks WheelUP's evolution, spiritual and sonic, breaking from his celebrated broken beat legacy to explore new frontiers in his production. The album’s title track, 'Inner Light', sits centrepiece in the album, pulling together its dynamic, high-spirit threads with global groove overtones and sax-led strut.

'Inner Light' is centred around “the guiding life force (what is called Chi energy in Eastern cultures),” WheelUP explains, emitting positive energy through thoughts, decisions and actions. He adds “The project represents a musical vibration that aligns with my own inner light.” 'Inner Light', ventures into house and disco cuts, alongside WheelUP’s signature mastery of broken beat production, showcasing his resourceful artistry and genre-spanning vision. “I think my sound is in constant evolution,” he adds.

Opening the album is 'Angel', made with label mate Steven Bamidele, a neo-soul-tinged, funk-filled disco number. “It’s a new direction of travel musically, one which I am very much enjoying.“ WheelUP adds, the perfect introduction to his branching out. Steven appears later on 'Take My Word' which carries through the funky disco feel, with bass licks and tropical percussion.

Amongst the collaborations is Sean McCabe, “A legend in house music” as WheelUP describes. The Bristol-based producer has amassed an impressive discography, delivering inspired reworks for labels like Local Talk, Z Records, Strictly Rhythm, Room Control, Tribe, Quantize and his own label Good Vibrations Music. A self-confessed lover of “vintage synthesisers – picked up from listening to classic New York boogie and ‘80s soul”, which can be heard through 'Commit To Sound'. The vintage synths and nostalgic chords are paired with a crisp modern finish and samba-esque percussion. A deep broken beat cut, the track is reminiscent of early 4hero.

Victoria Port, the vocalist in WheelUP's live band, features prominently across the album, lending her signature warmth and ethereal vocals. “Victoria brings a wholesome energy and angelic vocal delights,” WheelUP shares. “She’s such a positive, sweet-hearted person. I love making music with her just as much as performing live.”

Port’s vocals grace tracks including 'Voice Inside', 'Find A Way', and 'Duality', culminating in a high-energy finale on 'Night Vision with Abacus'. On this club banger, the trio locks into a driving house groove, with tight drum syncopation and peak-hour intensity. “'Night Vision' is probably my first fully defined house record,” says WheelUP. “I went in on the synths to channel a Kaytranada-esque, Quincy Jones, and Neptunes-style warmth.” The result is a feel-good closer that leaves the album on a euphoric high.

The project follows a recent tour across China and WheelUP’s sophomore album, ‘We Are The Magic’, along with recent remixes, including his take on Alice Russell’s Rain and fresh reworks of his tracks by Wipe The Needle, Afriquoi, and Makoto. 

Tracklist:
1. Angel
2. Voice Inside
3. Flash
4. Best You
5. Commit to Sound
6. Inner Light
7. Find a Way
8. Duality
9. Take My Word
10. Magnetic
11. Juggle
12. Tepid
13. Safe in Your Arms
14. Night Vision

The Alchemist - Mixed Fruit Series Vol. 1: Pineapple Ginger

Tracklist:
1. The Sun Shines Thru
2. Madness
3. Nine to Five
4. Two Tears in a Bucket
5. Momma Love
6. It Sells Itself
7. Testimony
8. Forever Living
9. She Sings the Blues
10. What Comes from Earth Shall Return
11. Gun Traffic
23. Falling Deeper & Deeper
13. Never Cry Much
14. Johnnie Rocket
15. A Man Without a Country

Calibre - Little Foot

This has been described as Shelflife for Calibre's 120-140 material. If you know the means, methods and magic of Dominic Martin, you'll already have this in your basket. But in case you need a little extra info or new to the abyssal vaults of Calibre, the Shelflife series is a regular collection of projects and unreleased material he's made over the years. While best known for his dnb, his house, techno and dub material is just as prolific, deep and mesmerising. As is the case here as we range from steppy, curmudgeonly techno ('Front Loader') to funky electro style breaks ('The Saki') to bumping shufflesome house ('Ukrained') to vast spacious dub ('Come With Me') Complete with many other deep and reflective shades between, this is yet another fantastic body of work from one of electronic music's most unique and revered artists.

Tracklist:
1. Blame Dub
2. Come With Me
3. Special
4. Sinner Time
5. Ukrained
6. Jump Around
7. Threadvare
8. Introbert
9. Choosing Beggar
10. Froze
11. Run Tun
12. Front Loader
13. Humbreed
14. Struggle Dub
15. Stir The Pot
16. The Saki
17. Dr Low
18. Babylon Shuffle
19. Fastest
20. Feel The Heat

VA - Subbase Sampler

Suburban Base Records Presents: Subbase Sampler – Now Available Digitally for the First Time!

Originally released in 1997 as a CD-only compilation, Subbase Sampler is now available to stream and download for the first time ever! This landmark release captures the essence of the golden era of jungle and drum & bass, showcasing a lineup of legendary artists who helped define the sound.

Featuring heavyweight tracks from Remarc, Mampi Swift, Dream Team (Bizzy B & Pugwash), Pascal, and Intalex presents The X (Mark XTC), this essential collection is a time capsule of the Suburban Base legacy—bringing classic cuts to a new generation of listeners.

Experience the iconic sounds of Subbase Sampler—now available across all major digital platforms.

Tracklist:
1. Turn Da Lites Down - Intalex Productions Present The X
2. In Da Hood [Shy FX Remix] - Remarc
3. Old Song - Mampi Swift
4. Raw Dogs [Shy FX Re-Lik] - Dream Team
5. Hardstep - D'Cruze
6. New Dawn [VIP Mix] - Intalex Productions Present The X
7. One Style - Remarc
8. X-Files - Dream Team
9. Little Touch - Mampi Swift
10. Like Dat - Pascal

Tom Caruana - Salsa Verde

Salsa Verde is the latest release from artist, Tom Caruana and, the newest instalment of Def Pressé’s series of projects made in partnership with KPM (and associated music libraries).

In 2021 Def Pressé entered into a deal with KPM whereby the deeper KPM and associated libraries can be used, exclusively, by Def Pressé. Sampled, replayed and reimagined, this vast catalogue has provided music for TV and Cinema for decades. Sampled, often illegally, by practically every Hip Hop producer ever, the library is available to select Def Pressé artists to utilise in order to create new pieces of music. This music is then fed back into the KPM/Sony AVI library for use in TV and Cinema, and the Def Pressé artist in question is then a KPM Artist in their own right. Completing the circle and hopefully providing music to inspire the new generation of beat makers/sample-based producers.

With several titles in the series, notable names like Blockhead, Damu the Fudgemunk and Stro Elliot since its inception in 2021, the Def Pressé Editions x KPM series, Crate Diggers continues into the seventh episode.

Follow Def Pressé and view other titles with: defpresse.bandcamp.com

“I still vividly remember the call to do this album, I mean I had been hunting down those greensleeve records since my early 20s. There was nearly always great samples to find on them, clean solo instruments, interesting variety in the mood and even having the descriptions of each track would help the production process. The idea that I would be able to access the whole KPM library blew my mind.”
Tom Caruana

Producer & multi-instrumentalist Tom Caruana has been producing Hip Hop for over 25 years. Incorporating both samples and instruments in his production has helped him create a signature sound which covers a wide range of moods. He has produced quirkier and more humorous material for the likes of Dr Syntax & Professor Elemental, live production for his band Son Of Sam, sample heavy material in a range of projects with MCs as well as notoriously remixing Wu-Tang Clan with The Beatles and Jimi Hendrix.

His work has been recognised in The New York Times, The Chicagoist, The Guardian and Mojo.

“I downloaded everything and started work. First filtering things I wanted to sample. Then making hundreds of beat demos. With some feedback I then created a shortlist of beats, which I then started to send out to MCs to write to.

The majority of featured MCs on the album I already have working relationships with, so it was fairly natural. It took a few years getting the album finished, added some extra live instrument elements, scratches and then figured out the sequence of tracks. The sequence kept changing, because there's such a range of material on the album it was hard to get it right.

The album covers a lot of ground including playfulness, serious and retrospective subject matters, dating and the social media algorithm. I'm incredibly proud of this album and feel it represents the range of sounds that I love about sample based hip hop.

The title is a reference to the fact that the source material were these green sleeve records, so I was thinking calling the album Green Source or Green Sauce, which then led me to make the reference less direct and call the album Salsa Verde. The album cover represents the Italian version of salsa verde (my grandfather was Maltese so I feel a connection to Italy), rather than the Mexican version with tomato and chilli.”
Tom Caruana

Salsa Verde is unashamedly Boombap. There is a difference, however. The drums we here on most of the record are played by Tom. The Piano, guitar and bass, they’re played by Tom. Caruana uses samples here, of course, but mainly for melody and topline. The foundation of this album is constructed from live instruments, played by the Producer.

Every track is a collaboration with at least one vocalist. UK and US appearances included throughout, and established artists sit beside the rising. Much like Tom, there’s little room here for bravado and hierarchy, the record humbly asks us to listen to a musician fully immersed in the simple joy of their work. Nothing particularly fancy or contrived. Just great, solid Hip Hop made with an understanding and respect that’s very apparent.

A song named, Walker Mill Road feat. yU & Richard Halligan was nominated for a Music Production Award. Tom travelled down to spend the day in the Sony Publishing offices where the KPM collection is housed. 

Tracklist:
1. Baton (feat. Phill Most Chill, Dillon & Kyza)
2. Walker Mill Road (feat. yU & Richard Halligan)
3. The Gift (feat. U George, Prince Po & Jazz T)
4. Hits Hits Hits (feat. Jehst)
5. Perfect Match (feat. Nick Maxwell, Large Professor & Tiye Pheonix)
6. Back in the Days (feat. Truck North & Richard Halligan)
7. Aisle 9 (feat. Dynas)
8. Get It (feat. Maddy & Wordsmiff FLIP)
9. Valiant (feat. Press1, Dr. Syntax & Essa)
10. Ego Juice (feat. Big Ole Lil Young Blaise (aka Blaise B.))
11. Influential (feat. Boog Brown & Supastition)

Gerald Clayton - Ones & Twos (Expanded Edition)

Pianist and composer Gerald Clayton has unveiled Ones & Twos: Expanded Edition, an expanded digital release of his 3rd Blue Note album which presents the culmination of the project. “Ones & Twos is an experiment—an idea inspired by the art of turntablism,” says Clayton. “I set out to create a record where the A side can be played simultaneously with the B side—a nod to that moment in the club when the DJ transitions from one song to the next, when you hear two separate pieces at the same time.”

The initial release of Ones & Twos consisted of the separated tracks featuring vibraphonist Joel Ross, flutist Elena Pinderhughes, trumpeter Marquis Hill, and drummer Kendrick Scott with post-production by Kassa Overall. The Expanded Edition includes two bonus tracks plus a second disc consisting of the combined overlayed tracks, revealing the end result of his experiment.

As Clayton formed his concept, he posed several questions: “Is it really possible for two separate melodies to coexist harmoniously? Does one inevitably become a counter melody to the other—a support of the more dominant melody? What does the experiment teach us about coexistence more broadly? I’m fascinated with this concept of coexistence in more than just the music. Not only the question: Can two songs coexist?… but can two people?… two cultures? One of the lessons we may gain from the music is that there will be moments of friction/tension, and there will be moments where two things fit together smoothly/peacefully.”

CD1:
1. Angels Speak
2. Cinnamon Sugar
3. Sacrifice Culture
4. How Much Love?
5. Count M
6. Glass Half Warm
7. Just Above
8. Lovingly
9. Rush
10. For Peace
11. More Always
12. Space Seas
13. Glass Half Cool
14. Endless Tubes

CD2:
1. Angels Speak / Lovingly
2. Cinnamon Sugar / Rush
3. Sacrifice Culture / For Peace
4. How Much Love? / More Always
5. Count M / Space Seas
6. Glass Half Warm / Glass Half Cool
7. Just Above / Endless Tubes

VA - Roots Rocking Zimbabwe: The Modern Sound of Harare' Townships 1975-1980 (Analog Africa No.41)

In 1972 black people rarely featured in the country's white-owned official newspapers, unless, perhaps, they were a dead "terrorist". However, Dr Footswitch's performance prompted The Rhodesia Herald to print the picture of their guitar player, Manu Kambani, on the front page along with the screaming sentence "Jimi Hendrix is dead but Manu is alive". With his ability to mimic the mesmerising antics of Jimi Hendrix Manu had impressed everybody and the editor of the paper couldn't resist printing the story. Heavy criticism from conservative whites followed, accusing the Herald of "lowering the standards." But the coverage turned Manu into an emblematic figure in Harare, one of Salisbury's oldest townships, and would influence many youngsters to form their own musical groups. Those bands began fusing Rock music, Congolese Rumba, South African Mbaqanga, soul and traditional beats into an underground music movement that would shape the future of Zimbabwean sound and challenge the colonial establishment.

All the commotion started drawing interest from South Africa's industry players and a good number of Rhodesian bands – including The Great Sounds, MD Rhythm Success, Afrique 73, The Hitch-Hikers, The Impossibles and the O.K Success – had managed to get one-off recording deals with Gallo Record on the strength of their live performances. But for some reason the South African giant didn't totally capitalise on the momentum and that vacuum was filled in 1974 by the Teal Record Company who had decided to beef up their Rhodesian subsidiary. Crispen Matema, a prolific drummer with a love for traditional music, was hired to oversee the program.

Driving across the country in his Peugeot 504, Matema scouted undiscovered talent, organised live music contests, and booked a small studio in downtown Salisbury. Within a year, he had recorded fantastic bands such The Baked Beans, Blacks Unlimited, New Tutenkhamen, The Acid Band, Echoes Ltd, Gypsy Caravan and many others. To release this flood of music, Teal launched several new imprints, including Afro Soul, Afro Pop, and Shungu.

Not to be outdone, Gallo Records finally sent the legendary sax jive producer West Nkosi to Rhodesia to scout for emerging talent. A chance recommendation led him to the Jamaica Inn Hotel, where he encountered The Green Arrows led by the carismatic Zexie Manatsa. By Christmas 1974, their single 'Chipo Chiroorwa' had sold over 25,000 copies, making them the first Rhodesian band to earn a gold disc. In November 1975 Nkosi arranged for another session for The Green Arrows at the Film Project Studios to record the fuzz-drenched 'Towering Inferno', a tribute to Paul Newman and the crystalline guitar instrumental 'No Delay', a homage to Steve McQueen.

In 1976 the liberation war is raging when Teal began immortalising Thomas Mapfumo on 1/4inch tape. Thomas had just joined forces with the Black Unlimited and The Acid Band and had started modernising traditional songs to great effect. That revolutionary style deeply rooted in Shona culture known as Chimurenga unified all generations under the banner of the liberation struggle.

Zexie Manatsa and Thomas Mapfumo massive popularity attracted the attention of the PATU (Police Anti-Terrorist Unit) who didn't like the massive crowds these artists were attracting. As a result Both Manatsa and Mapfumo were arrested and imprisoned.

Despite the arrests and the increasing scrutiny from the Rhodesian authorities, the music refused to be silenced. If anything, the repression only strengthened the resolve of Zimbabwean artists such as the enigmatic Tineyi Chikupo, who continued to compose songs that carried the hopes and struggles of the people. By the time Zimbabwe gained independence in 1980, the musicians who had risked everything to give their people a voice emerged as national heroes.

The 25 songs presented in this project showcase the birth of the modern music industry in Zimbabwe and the explosion of creativity bands of the 1970s and 80s delivered is endlessly rewarding. It was a time of wild experimentation before established genres had crystallised. Rock, rumba, soul and traditional grooves all collide beautifully in this collection, which also includes never-before-released tracks by Thomas Mapfumo, Oliver Mtukudzi and many other Zimbabwean artists!

Tracklist:
1. Thomas Mapfumo & The Acid Band - Chiiko Chinotinetsa
2. New Tutenkhamen - Amai A Kwatu
3. Gypsy Caravan - Soweto Mujibha
4. Echoes Limited - Soul Scene
5. Oliver & The Black Spirits - Anoshereketa
6. The Storm - Nyaya Dzinonetsa
7. Blacks Unlimited - Hangaiwa
8. The Green Arrows - The Towering Inferno
9. New Tutenkhamen - Joburg Bound
10. Mawonera Superstars - Nyamutamba Naziwere
11. Echoes Ltd - Engelina
12. Witch - Funky Reggae
13. Baked Beans - Introduction
14. Blacks Unlimited - Yarira
15. The Phaze - Baby Please
16. Gypsy Caravan - Chistiuiti
17. Melody & Bybit - Kwakaenda Imbwa
18. The Green Arrows - No Delay
19. New Tutenkhamen - Kumalila Ngwenya
20. Harare mambos - Shanga Yangu
21. Shaft Form - Give It
22. Sweg Unity - Musikana
23. Double Shuffle - Taj Mahal
24. Dagger Rock Band - Viva Zimbabwe
25. I.T.C. Blues Limited - Porter

Tanika Charles - Reasons To Stay

Toronto rising Soul star Tanika Charles unleashes the new album “Reasons To Stay”.

Two-time Juno awards nominated and three-time Polaris Prize listed, Canadian soul star Tanika Charles unleashes the new album “Reasons To Stay” that drops worldwide on May 16 via independent soul specialist label Record Kicks.

Soul music at its best is a high form of alchemy. The transformation of pain into beauty, perseverance into celebration. With her fourth studio album, “Reasons To Stay,” Tanika Charles demonstrates a new level of mastery, mining the depths of a life spent running away from the unfulfilled promises and a broken home, to give us her most raw and intimate offering to date. By coming to terms with past trials and ensuing tribulations, Ms. Charles delivers a modern Soul classic.

Playing like a series of intimate letters to members of her family, to herself and to the listener, “Reasons To Stay” is an examination of the skeletons dangling in the family closet, and the damaged relationships at the root of a woman’s journey to acceptance and self love.

“I love this album. I love singing these songs. I love the conversations that have begun with them. It’s forced me to face the root causes of some of the insecurities I carry to this day. It’s about trauma, but it’s not a victim story. It’s making peace with the baggage I carry and finding a way to thrive in spite of it.”

Backed by the tight-knit team of Scott McCannell (Lydia Persaud, Henry Nozuka), Kyla Charter (Aysanabee) and Chino de Villa (Jessie Reyez), a guest feature from Quebec-based singer/songwriter Clerel, and vocal support from Aphrose and Claire Davis, Tanika Charles’ “Reasons To Stay” is steeped in experience, pulling threads from past eras to weave a record that feels retro futuristic and timeless.

Masterfully mixed by Monophonics’ frontman Kelly Finnigan, whose trademark analogue grit saturates Tanika’s sheen, “Reasons To Stay” also winks at the Hip-Hop heads perennially digging in crates. It captures the essence of Blues, Jazz, and Gospel-influenced R&B before spilling into Psychedelia and back, with a rawness and urgency that compels you to flip the record over again.

This is Tanika Charles, as compelling as ever, soul laid bare.

Two-time Juno Awards R&B/Soul Recording of the Year nominee and three-time Polaris Music Prize long-list nominee Tanika Charles in synonymous with Canadian Soul music. She has embraced the sound and aesthetic of the genre without gimmick, whilst pushing the boundaries of what audiences can expect. Her music revels in honesty and attitude, her live show is high energy and endearing, and she continues to organically win audiences over one album, one stream, and one encore at a time. Her previous studio albums – “Soul Run” (2017), “The Gumption” (2019), and “Papillon De Nuit” (2022) - have propelled her to international acclaim. Extensive touring across North America and Europe has further solidified her reputation, with standout performances at festivals such as Trans Musicales in France, Fusion Festival in Germany, Mostly Funk & Soul Festival and Jazz Festival in the UK, Holy Groove Festival in Switzerland, and Canarias Jazz Festival in Spain. She has also shared the stage Estelle, Mayer Hawthorne, Haitus Kayote, Lauryn Hill, Bedouin Soundclash and Macy Gray. Tanika’s meteoric rise and undeniable artistry have been widely championed by outlets such as KCRW, KEXP, BBC6 Music, Exclaim!, CBC Music, Uncut Mag, PopMatters and Albumism further solidifying her position as a global soul sensation.

Tracklist:
1. Don't Like You Anymore
2. Consistency
3. No More
4. How Long Will It Take
5. Here When You're Ready
6. Reasons To Stay
7. The Lament
8. Don't Let Go
9. Talk To Me Nice
10. Having A Time
11. Win