JJ Whitefield - Puzzled

Broc Recordz is proud to announce the album "Puzzled" by the legendary JJ Whitefield, you'll immerse yourself in the enigmatic universe of this master of funk and psychedelism.

Across 13 tracks,with The Cover Made by Jason Jagel (creator of the artwork of Doomsday, MM Food ) you will discover all facets of this musician hailing from Munich, ranging from raw funk to krautrock.

JJ Whitefield is an iconic figure in the music scene, having played an essential role in diverse projects such as the mastermind behind Poets Of Rhythm, Karl Hector, the Whitefield Brothers and in the recent careers of Ebo Taylor, Embryo and Witch“ and "Puzzled" is the perfect opportunity to delve into his unique musical world.

Tracklist:
1. Dawn Of Delphi
2. Raised With Fire
3. Flute Punch
4. Hyperion
5. Comin' At Ya
6. 3Mal3
7. Bin Dippers
8. No-Mo-Woa
9. Mukōgawa
10. Holy Daze
11. Wellness
12. Amok Koma
13. Ad Acta

Carlos Niño - (I'm just) Chillin', on Fire

Over the past few years, concert patrons have stopped the musician Carlos Niño after gigs to ask two simple questions: “Are you a shaman?” “I hear the medicine in your music, can I come to your next ceremony?” The queries are fair enough: Looking at Niño, a tall man with a wild beard and kind eyes, one would think he’s from some faraway time and could maybe cast spells. Once you get to know him, you find that he’s just an incredibly sweet guy with a laid-back demeanor, and that he isn’t some guru claiming to have an all-access pass to the otherworld.

So what does he say to those wondering if he’s a spiritual teacher?

“I’m just chillin’, on fire,” he declares. “I'm not rolling with or out any kind of religious or traditional focus, rules or doctrine. I'm just presenting something that has a lot of energy, and is intended to be an opening for those of us who are journeying, creating musically, and for those who gather with us.”

Indeed, there’s a communal essence to Niño’s self-described Energetic Space Music. As leader of Carlos Niño & Friends, he encourages his collaborators to improvise without preconceived ideas of what the sound is supposed to entail. His new album, (I’m just) Chillin’, on Fire, features more than a dozen musicians and includes a who’s who of sonic experimentation — everyone from guitarist Nate Mercereau and saxophonist Kamasi Washington, to New Age cornerstone Laraaji and hip-hop legend André 3000 playing his now trademark flute. On purpose, Niño lets the music drift and the unity ensue, making (I’m just) Chillin’, on Fire another highlight in a recent run of sublime work.

But where albums like 2020’s Chicago Waves (with multi-instrumentalist Miguel Atwood-Ferguson) and last year’s Extra Presence hovered in the speakers, (I’m just) Chillin’ forges ahead in certain spots through energetic drums equally indebted to jazz and electronic funk. It eschews genre, but the tenets of ‘70s underground jazz are present. Fifty years ago, acts like Brother Ah, the Ensemble Al-Salaam and Mtume Umoja Ensemble crafted music that scanned as Spiritual Jazz yet flared in many different directions. They leaned into the transcendence of the music overall, not artificial terms used to market it. (I’m just) Chillin’ emits the same emotion: On “Mighty Stillness,” when the experimental violinist V.C.R proclaims her “ancestral right” to rest, she evokes Black women like Jeanne Lee, Jayne Cortez and Beatrice Parker, innovative vocalists from indie scenes who embodied the same freedom. Then on “Love Dedication (for Annelise),” Niño uses subtle bass (from Michael Alvidrez) and a serene piano loop (from Surya Botofasina) to speak of endearment in broad terms. “Love is unconditional — everywhere, everything, flowing always,” he observes. “Totally alive, no upper limit.” Though he hesitates to embrace comparisons to the spacious arrangements heard on indie labels of the ‘70s like Strata, Strata-East and Tribe (only because of how much he respects their legacies, not wanting to claim any space in their fields), there’s no denying his stature as an anchor in the jazz, hip-hop and beat scenes in Los Angeles over the last nearly 30 years, and how his influences are alive in what he makes.

“All of those labels to me are hugely influential,” Niño says. “When I think about Strata-East, I immediately think of Pharaoh Sanders, and I think of one of my favorite albums of all-time, Live at the East (on Impulse!), and how The East and that movement is a huge influence. I'm not from that community. I don't claim any direct connection to it, but my awareness of it and my appreciation of it is gigantic.”

The vocals for (I’m just) Chillin’ were compiled unconventionally. “I was like, ‘I'm going to turn on the mic, and you're going to listen all the way through the album and record anything you're feeling at any moment,’” Niño says of the creative process. “It was completely open to their interpretation.” He found that the vocalists Cavana Lee, Maia, Mia Doi Todd, and V.C.R interpreted the music in similar ways: “People who are not even in the same room, who did not hear what the other person did, they all created these really cool weavings — and it was so fun.”

While the album compiles live and studio arrangements recorded in places like Venice, Leimert Park and Woodstock over the past three years, it feels harmonious, as if captured in one space with all musicians present. This highlights Niño’s ability as a conductor and producer. That he could winnow such vast experimentation into a seamless set is a worthy feat on its own. Much like Niño’s other LPs, (I’m just) Chillin’ is an immersive listen that requires attentive ears to fully absorb. In a world dominated by social media and the 24-hour news cycle, it seems we’re all in a hurry for no reason in particular. By creating music with tender messages and leisurely pacing, Niño nudges listeners to slow down and appreciate life’s natural wonders, to savor the journey and not rush so quickly to the destination. In turn, his art conjures pastoral images — endless fields, boundless oceans, ripples crashing along the shoreline. It urges you to simply look up: notice the wind rustling through the trees, listen to the birds sing a glorious song. This is real life, the stuff you can’t quite capture with a smartphone camera. As a conduit, Niño embodies the water he cherishes so deeply. He’s not just the bandleader, but a vessel for everyone’s ideas to shine through.

“Creativity, to me, is an expression of a being's state, and their states of being,” he says. “It's really reflecting or reporting how they feel. The deeper ‘why’ is what I'm getting to with all this, what is inside that feeling, and it's not uncharted territory. I'm one of these people who's very into organizing, curating and offering; it's a deeply sharing kind of thing. It's a living thing; it grows. Sometimes it gets sculpted. Sometimes it gets rocked by forces outside of its maneuvering. Sometimes it looks one way. Sometimes it looks another way, but it's alive.” 

Tracklist:
1. Venice 100720, Hands In Soil
2. Mighty Stillness
3. Love Dedication (for Annelise)
4. Flutestargate
5. Maha Rose North 102021, Breathwork
6. Transcendental Bounce, Run to it
7. Taaaud
8. Spacial
9. Am I Dreaming?
10. Etheric Windsurfing, flips and twirls
11. Boom Bap Spiritual
12. Woo, Acknowledgement
13. Sandra's Willows
14. One For Derf
15. Conversations
16. Essence, The Mermaids Call
17. Eightspace 082222
18. Credits and Thank Yous for DSP Listening

VA - Paul Hillery presents: We Are The Children of the Setting Sun

Paul Hillery's third compilation in this series of rare and hard to find grooves is as much a geographical journey as it is a musical one. With acts, artists and tracks linked to London, Florida, Atlanta, the Netherlands, Switzerland, California, India and Germany and more this compilation is very much proof of the global language that is music.

With many of the recordings only previously existing on sold out and obscure private pressings and small runs on indie labels this collection of tracks really is a must have. Complementing the previous two albums curated by Paul Hillery we really do get to see and hear the history of studio recordings from a plethora of touring and travelling troubadours, jobbing composers and song-writers, session musicians, producers and engineers.

Again, as with the previous two volumes in the 'Children of the Sun' series, this is an eclectic gathering of styles and genres that have been curated into an accessible fusion of Jazz, Rock, AOR and Folk tinged grooves that all have soul.

With many tracks getting a first time digital release this 3 LP album sits nicely alongside the previous albums in the series and rates as an essential compilation for any serious lover and collector of music.

In Paul Hillery's words:

"Let us gather one more time on another journey through the rhythmic sands of time, traversing continents and genres one track at a time. Taking in joyful places and wide-open spaces while dropping out to the musical pulse that unites us all.

An album to remind us that we are all made of stardust with more to connect than drive us apart, for . . . We Are The Children of the Setting Sun" 

Tracklist:
1. Graeme Gash - The Shadows Dance
2. Carm Mascarenhas - Fields Of Green
3. Parker MacDonell - It All Comes Around
4. MCF - Colorado - Red Sky
5. Hardin & Russell - Mojave
6. Trisha Watts - Mystery Man
7. Hagan's Fanshawe Friends - Storm in the Sky
8. Floyd Hunchback Group - Wet Dreams
9. Simon Anholt - Autumn
10. Kimberle - In-Passing
11. Sonlife - She Misses You
12. Emerald Web;Barry Cleveland - Von Aspen Shaden
13. Pat Rahming - Be With Me
14. Blaine L. Reininger - Playin' Your Game
15. Persona La Ave - Surfer Girl
16. Beşçay;Jochen Schrumpf - Nur Gitarre
17. Andy Davis - Over & Over
18. Christine Schaller - Aranha
19. Ya Ya - Don't Ever Say Never
20. REGGIO - The Light

Jules Brennan - Egretia

Hot on the heels of his Wamono vinyl LP, Jules bursts back with this impressionistic collection of oriental, surrealistic jazzy grooves inspired by the progression from deep winter into a lush green spring then through the stifling rainy season, culminating in the frenzied heat of Kyoto’s Gion Festival. One constant through all this is the egrets and herons which hang and glide along the Kamogawa river, representing both day and night ('the ghostly whites that fly by night') - elegance, purity and longevity, yet also greed; being gregarious, the visceral. Balance is the key. A wide palette of moods and grooves, both cerebral and danceable. Explore theses strata melded as a musical realm-a colourful dimension known named here as 'Egretia'.

Tracklist:
1. Eekstro (theme in green)
2. Archipelago
3. Myoushin Planets
4. Zoomalala (Biosphere Mix)
5. Eeko
6. Jarmangarden
7. Back to Canaan
8. Hana Voodoo (Extended Version)

King Khan - The Invaders: Original Score

There are plenty of famous examples of film soundtrack artists improvising their score while screening the source material for the first time, such as Neil Young’s angst-ridden coat of reverb that pairs eerily well with Jim Jarmusch’s Dead Man. Yet King Khan took the opposite approach while penning what would become the musical accompaniment to Prichard Smith’s new documentary spotlighting the rise of the Memphis Black power group the Invaders during the civil rights movement.

“The Mighty Hannibal taught me an amazing lesson about blindness,” Khan shares, referring to the late R&B legend. “[He] sent me a gospel song he wrote about how lucky he was to have gone blind because he could never judge anyone based on what they looked like—rather it was now by their actions. When he told this to me I decided to do the entire soundtrack ‘blind.’ This meant I made the music without seeing the images.”

The film’s soundtrack is slated to be released August 18 via Ernest Jenning Recording Co. and Khannibalism, with the first sample arriving today in the form of “John B’s Lament”—referring to Invaders leader John B. Smith. It’s a crunchy bit of guitar-focused improv that recalls the mischievous rock sounds of the period the doc spotlights, while hewing close to much of the garage-rock icon’s two decades of consistent output under various guises.

Continuing on about the film itself, Khan adds: “The Invaders film is not just a documentary, it’s a hardcore lesson to all activists to put in the work and find out what every community needs, addressing these individual needs and simply caring for the wounds that rot when ignored. Before you wallow in self-pity and misery, take a deep breath and learn to breathe. Just a simple act of inhalation and exhalation is what brings us back to reality and calms our nerves and prepares us for the task at hand.”

Tracklist:
1. John B's Lament
2. Hot Dog for Melvin
3. Hurtin Class (Dub)
4. J Edgar Hoovers Knickers
5. America Goddamn
6. Do You Wanna Ride
7. A Tree Not A Leaf Am I
8. Heart of Trash
9. Gone Are The Times (instro)
10. 400th Overture
11. A Man Don't Stand A Chance (pt1n2)
12. John C Invades
13. Memphis is Burning
14. Redemption at Last
15. Badalamemphis
16. Darkness (Instro)
17. Never Hold On (instro)
18. Children of the World

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

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

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

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

The Budos Band - Frontier's Edge

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

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

Jake Ferguson featuring Malcolm Catto - Emotions Run Dry

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

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

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

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

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

Kieran Hebden & William Tyler - Darkness, Darkness / No Services

The intersection of country with electronica may not seem an obvious one, but Kieran Hebden and William Tyler have tapped into an enticing transatlantic fusion as their worlds collide. The 2020s so far have been abundantly collaborative for both of them: Hebden AKA Four Tet has joined Skrillex and Fred again.. for electrifying DJ sets, and relinked with Madlib, Thom Yorke, and Burial; William’s guitar mastery meanwhile has seen records with Marisa Anderson and his band The Impossible Truth. Now, the duo release the first taste of their talents combined.

‘Darkness, Darkness’ is a generous ten minute introduction to Hebden and Tyler’s musical partnership. Gentle sparks open with the natural plucks of acoustic guitar swimming in the electrical soundbath, the strings rippling tangibly as they are bent and manipulated. Soulful brass loops soon fade in, pouring desert sand onto the track as it shifts from ambiently informed experimentalism to roaring psychedelia with gritty guitars, downtempo rhythms, and a sample of Gloria Loring’s eponymous inspiration.

Meanwhile, ‘No Services’ brings the darkness the A side foretold, but in a much more peaceful manner, going off the grid and painting countryside solitude with a nighttime backdrop of chirping crickets. Glistening piano chords, plucks, and blurry ambience are cut and stitched with smooth edges, as fingers slide down frets mimicking the warm breeze.

Kieran Hebden and William Tyler’s first collaboration is a captivating and evocative synthesis of the two’s individual sounds.

Tracklist:
1. Darkness, Darkness
2. No Services

El Flaco Collective - Acid Streets of Brazzaville

Introducing El Flaco Collective's latest masterpiece: "Acid Streets of Brazzaville," an afro-psychedelic funk album that will take you on a wild and soulful journey. With infectious beats, groovy basslines, and electrifying guitar riffs, this album blends traditional African rhythms with modern psychedelic funk to create a sound that is both timeless and fresh.

Tracklist:
1. Acid Streets of Brazzaville
2. Kongolayé
3. Tcha Tcha Abeba
4. La Belle Nini
5. Shroom Stew
6. Paper Cloth
7. Samedi Matin
8. Zigaboos Walk
9. La Belle Luiza

Beat Bronco Organ Trio - Another Shape Of Essential Sounds

The Beat Bronco Organ Trio is back with 10 heavy-weight instrumental tracks of the finest quality. “Another Shape of Essential Sounds” sees the Madrid trio stick to their winning formula with a psychedelic twist: sublime Hammond organ grooves, nifty guitar work and dynamic drums combine to produce a rich, uplifting, and vintage sound. Straight to the point, no fillers, and no messing around with the longest cut just over 4 mins, these are irresistible, foot-tapping tunes which sound as good on the dance floor as at a dinner party.

Tracklist:
1. Dr. Kiffi
2. Not Yet
3. More Space
4. Special Party
5. Outro Lugar
6. Better Together
7. Let's Talk!
8. Lost Avenue
9. Sector 3
10. One Way

VA - Ecuatoriana - El Universo Paralelo de Polibio Mayorga 1969-1981 (Analog Africa No.37)

On 12 February 1949 an angry mob stormed into the centre of the Ecuadorian capital of Quito, burning the offices of the city’s main newspaper and its oldest radio station to the ground. 

On that tragic day Radio Quito had just broadcast a local adaptation of H.G. Wells’s The War of the Worlds. The novel – first published in 1898 and famously adapted into a radio series by Orson Welles – is one of the earliest stories to depict a conflict between mankind and a hostile race of extra-terrestrials. The large audience - not understanding that it was pure fiction - believed that intergalactic intelligence had invaded the country as all hell broke loose. Thousands began running the streets of Quito looking for shelter, chaos broke out, causing a deadly stampede. People blamed the broadcaster for the tragedy, formed a dense crowd and stormed Radio Quito, setting it ablaze. Several musicians, who were there performing, were killed.


In the decades after the second world war, outer space was on everyone’s mind and the ‘space race’ of the 1950s and 60s not only produced groundbreaking efforts to launch artificial satellites, send space probes to Mars and land a human on the moon, it also had a huge impact on the movie and music industry which was taking advantage of the world's fascination with space voyages and lunar missions to create instruments capable of mimicking imaginary interstellar sounds. These synthesised space effects that captivated the imagination of a whole generation of young Ecuadoreans coincided with a period in which workers and musicians from the provinces started flocking to Quito and to the commercial port of Guayaquil, some hoping to find regular work, others looking to break into the musical big leagues by getting hired by one of the prestigious urban radio station. These artists brought riches of rhythms to the major Ecuadorian cities who would soon witness the explosion of what would be known as “Andean Cumbia”.

That fusion, of tropical electronics mixed in with Andean melodies and lyrics describing the cruel reality of migrant workers, achieved massive success. And so while budding Ecuadorian UFOlogy lead to widespread extraterrestrial sightings, Ecuadorian musicians began released various albums consisting of traditional music combined with synthesisers in order to bring their traditional music into the space age. One of these musicians is Polibio Mayorga who had travelled 160km from his hometown of Chisalata to Quito where he showcased his talent as he championed the art of modernising his region’s ancestral rhythms - Huaynito, Sanjuanito, Albazo and many others - using the latest in electronic instruments.

After 4 years with Los Locos del Ritmo, one of Ecuador’s most popular bands, Polibio joined Fadisa (Fabrica De Discos S.A) in 1973 as a solo musician and songwriter before becoming their musical director a year later. While there he would team up with saxophonist extraordinaire Olmedo Torres, and for 10 years they would compose and arrange hits, not only for themselves but also for their fellow artists in the Fadisa family. Although Fadisa had countless labels in their roster, the jewel in their crown was Rondador and it was on that imprint that Polibio would release “Ponchito de Colores” and his famous album “La Farra Está Aquí”. With their novel use of Moog synthesiser, both became huge hit records and were broadcast constantly by Cosmopolita and Marañón de Quito – the two major radio stations of the capital. This led to a surge of interest in Andean cumbia, and the subsequent record sales helped to revive the country’s flagging music industry, turning Polibio into Ecuador’s most influential musician. 

Polibio has never considered his music to be “tropical psychedelia” - although he thinks it would make a good name for a band. He has the sense of humour of a genius and the ability to make anyone laugh, yet he remains discreet, eloquent and humble … but as a musician he is daring and visionary, with an intrepid, vigorous style almost impossible to imitate. More than perhaps any of his peers, Polibio Mayorga established a unique place for himself at the vanguard of tropical music. 

Tracklist:
1. Junior Y Su Equipo - America Índia
2. Eduardo Morales y Su Requinto - Muevase Vecina
3. Polibio Mayorga - Pañuelo De Seda
4. Polibio y Su Vibrafono - Altas Horas
5. Los Locos del Ritmo - Llorona
6. Alcibiades y Su Banda - Haciendo Bomba
7. Olmedo Torres y Polibio Mayorga - Mi Paisa
8. Polibio Mayorga y Su Conjunto - Culebrita Dormida
9. Orti e Mayorga y Chiriboga - Muñequita Blanca
10. Olmedo Torres y Polibio Mayorga - Unita Mas
11. Alcibiades y Su Banda - Bomba de Pobres
12. Olmedo Torres y Los Gatos - Don Alfoncito
13. Polibio Mayorga - Ferrocarril
14. Orti e Mayorga y Chiriboga - Di Que Me Amas
15. Conjunto La Jorga - La Perra Vida
16. Polibio Mayorga y Su Conjunto - Cumbia Totorana

VA - Once Again We Are the Children of the Sun Compiled by Paul Hillery

Gather together beneath the sun as we journey through the rhythmic sands of time, Paul Hillery, an esteemed collector and vinyl hunter, presents his follow-up to the highly acclaimed "We Are The Children Of The Sun." Andrew Male of MOJO Magazine calls the album "One of the most emotionally uplifting and hazily beautiful compilations of recent years."

"Once Again We Are The Children Of The Sun" is a shimmering collection of rare finds, reminding us that we have more to connect us than to divide us. The music encompasses a broad range of sounds, starting in Cajun country with Will & James Ragar, their handmade acoustic guitars allowing for soaring vocals. Along with many of the tracks featured on this compilation, "As the Day Grows Tired" is reissued on vinyl for the first time.

Experience the previously unreleased cover of "Milk and Honey" featuring Kat Barnard and Greg Foat, a versatile mainstay of the UK jazz scene. Discover the first-ever vinyl release of "Kayenta Crossing" by William Eaton Ensemble, capturing the austere presence of Monument Valley. Immerse yourself in Wendy Grace's jazz-folk masterpiece "More Than Hope" and the acoustic ambience of "Golden Hour" by Aria Rostami.

Paul Hillery and BBE present a compilation of styles and genres, fusing together to make private press wants accessible as a springboard for further listening pleasures. "Once Again We Are the Children of the Sun'' is an eclectic selection mixing styles, year and tempo, painstakingly gathered and presented with a great deal of love. 

Tracklist:
1. Will & James Ragar - As the Day Grows Tired
2. Forest - Crazy Days
3. Cunningham Corner - Free and Easy
4. Wendy Grace - More Than Hope
5. Bengt Liedman - Tight Tonight
6. Corill - Soul Shadow
7. Varela - Come and Take Me by the Hand
8. Just Us - Just a Thought
9. Mike Baumann;Thom Huntington - Time
10. Darrell John - Write Your Lucky Number
11. The Freeze Band - Going Back in Time
12. Godspeed - Ice Cold
13. William Eaton Ensemble - Kayenta Crossing
14. Orion - Moonshine
15. The Greg Foat Group;Kat Barnard - Milk and Honey
16. Aria Rostami - Golden Hour
17. Bugatti & Musker - Fate
18. Garth Fletcher - Peace Train
19. Mark Capanni - If Life Was a Ferris Wheel

Hot Mustard - Seconds

Hot Mustard returns with an epic second course that brings new depth of flavor to the unique sound that the duo served up on their debut. In the mix with the hard-hitting drums, tasty guitar and ultra groovy low end, lies the punchy brass work of Antibalas’ trumpeter Jordan Mclean and TV on the Radio Trombonist Dave ’Smoota’ Smith. The album, titled ‘Seconds’, features a spicy blend of Hammond organ throughout and is garnished by the masterful hands of cellist Helen Gillet. The lone vocal on the album is delivered by the soulful songstress Alanna Royale who caps off the feast brilliantly. Hip-hop aficionados and connoisseurs of vintage funk and soul are certain to leave the table with their taste buds buzzing after this one.

Tracklist:
1. Gravy Boat
2. The Golden Beet
3. Low Boy
4. Butcher Block
5. Mustard Green
6. Whole Grain
7. Nickel Empire
8. Stono Hustle
9. The End of Time

Qwalia - Sound & Reason

New London based quartet Qwalia, led by drummer Yusuf Ahmed, offer a plethora of influences whilst remaining resolutely itself. Assembled from musicians who play with David Byrne, Joy Crookes, Nubiyan Twist, Frank Ocean, Jordan Rakei, Sampha, Cat Stevens and more; Yusuf is joined by Tal Janes on guitars and vocals, Ben Reed on bass and keyboardist Joseph Costi. Qwalia’s debut album ‘Sound And Reason’ is set for release by Alberts Favourites on 24th March 2023.

The name Qwalia stems from the same sounding word Qualia, a philosophy of mind with the property of being an ineffable experience. Qwalia’s music is an instinctive aural expression of how things seemed in the moment of creation.

In April ‘21, Qwalia spent two days recording completely improvised music at the Fish Factory in North West London. There was no plan or preconceived idea of what the music should sound like or what was going to happen.

“We set up altogether in one room, dimmed the lights, pressed record and just played,” says Yusuf. “We came away with over 13 hours of music, which was consolidated into three albums worth of material. The final record is mainly a result of pulling faders up or down to create space and structure out of what was already there from the live recording. The production process felt akin to a sculptor chipping away excess stone to reveal a statue that was already there, and occasionally putting some makeup on it!”

The band members are Pakistani, Italian, Venezuelan, Jewish and English. A reflection of the fact that cultural categories are infinite; Qwalia’s music unconsciously explores identity, exposing what this can mean. Or perhaps that it doesn’t mean anything at all. 

Tracklist:
1. Fool Me Once
2. The Grip
3. Sound & Reason
4. Electric Highway
5. Haven't You Heard
6. Vagherah
7. In Your Own Words

Super Yamba Band - Last Leap

Tracklist:
1. Yetunde
2. Control Per Capita
3. Bad Dog
4. Xoomba
5. Last Leap

Lance Skiiiwalker - Audiodidactic

Tracklist:
1. Friends
2. Where To With You
3. Church (feat. Ab-Soul)
4. IG
5. Everybody Hurts Somebody
6. Sample Talk (feat. Isaiah Rashad)
7. I Just Want
8. It Was All (feat. V.C.R)
9. Beantown
10. Audiodidactic
11. (Ni) Radio Whispers

MANDAKIL - SOKARIS

Tracklist:
1. Highlands
2. Malick
3. Bembe
4. The Shelter (interlude)
5. Sokaris
6. Indecis
7. Coolslang
8. Couvre Feu (interlude)
9. Bouba
10. 28/12 (outro)
11. Malick (Bonus track)

Various Artists - Batov Records Artists 2

For all of our dear fans out there, we’re thrilled to announce another release - the Batov Records Artists Compilation (VOL 2)! This one is a celebration of our artists; featuring a hand-picked tracklist from our selector-in-chief DJ Kobayashi.

We’re blessed with a fantastic roster here at the label, so narrowing it down to 10 tracks wasn’t easy, but we think this is a great collection and is just what Batov Records is all about!

The compilation features some of the hottest artists on the scene at the moment, including Shotnez, Sababa 5, Wax Machine, Shay Hazan, Şatellites, Romano, and more

The release date is also timed to coincide with a day of zero fees for artists on the Bandcamp platform, so this is another great way to show your support for your favorite artists!

Tracklist:
1. Shotnez - Contagious
2. Wax Machine - Face of All
3. Sababa 5 - Banga
4. Shay Hazan - Afrobeatz
5. Satellites - Hudayda
6. Kolonel Djafaar - Bactrian Camel
7. Romano - Fella Juicy
8. Cloud Of I - Sail Away
9. S H I R A N - Adamaa
10. Ayala (IT) - Fuse