Organic Grooves Tape 101 Items

The trio's collective musical DNA, the years spent constructing it in Houston's local-meets-global cultural stew, ensures the band continues to sound like no one but itself. A cascade of crisp melodies emanates from Marko's reverb-heavy electric, dancing gently around Laura Lee's minimalist almost-dub bass triangles, while DJ's drums serve as the tightened-up pocket and unwavering dance-floor on which all this movement takes place. Yet there's a freshness to A La Sala's instrumental interactivity, less concerned with getting further out than going deeper in, a profound desire to celebrate the world's external wonders. Where prior albums strived towards music's polyglot edges, such inquiries now sound like beloved intimacies. Here, Khruangbin's sonic touch-points - whether spaghetti-western film scores (on "Fifteen Fifty-Three"), West African discos (on "Pon Pón"), G-funk fantasias ("Todavía Viva"), living room dancing moments (the first single, "A Love International"), or even ambient found-sounds (on "Farolim de Felgueiras” and throughout the album) - are ingrained characteristics. This is who they are! Unique and huge (and growing), ambitious and driven. Khruangbin's aspirations and commitment to playful creativity even extends to A La Sala's vinyl packages, of which there will be seven distinctive covers and color-sets. Designed by the band using Marko's multitude of travelog photos, the images are windows from the band's living room onto a set of daydreams, scenes of impossible skies, external glances that illuminate what is going on inside. Each cover image comes with a matching color vinyl. These too are all about looking out and looking back, in order to better look ahead.

Ms. Davis’s unique story, still sadly mostly unknown, is unlike any other in popular music. Betty wrote the song “Uptown” for the Chambers Brothers before marrying Miles Davis in the late ‘60s, influencing him with psychedelic rock, and introducing him to Jim i Hendrix — personally inspiring the classic album ’Bitches Brew.’

Latest mash up masterpiece from AMERIGO GAZAWAY, the man behind BIZARRE TRIBE, YASIIN GAYE, and FELA SOUL. On this new SOUL MATES project he brings to life an imagined studio session between the high priestess of soul NINA SIMONE & hip hop legend LAUREN HILL. 17 tracks, gold shell, back in stock.

Betty Davis was a musical maverick with vision. Image, substance, sex, and grit combined with a badass band that could deliver the funk bed backbone to the sultry music between the sheets. After cutting two notorious discs for the Just Sunshine label (Betty Davis and They Say I’m Different), and Nasty Gal for Island Records, Davis went to work on her most personal and expressive record yet. After capturing 10 hard-hitting tracks in 1976 at the remote Studio In The Country (Louisiana), a creative difference with her then label caused the platter to be unexpectedly shelved. Davis would cut one final album and soon retreat from the music business, completely disappearing from the public eye.

Is It Love Or Desire is a little-known gem in the Davis catalog. Mastered from the original tapes, and untouched for over 30 years, this release features detailed liner notes, the originally intended artwork housed in a lavishly packaged digipak, rare photos, archival material, and recent interviews with Davis and her skin-tight band Funk House.

Never bootlegged, never released, never heard until now, the secret story of this lost album will finally enter the history books and cement this bold soul sisters contributions to music and popular culture. Its time to get down…

Long live Betty Davis!

One can hardly imagine the genre-busting, culture-crossing musical magic of Outkast, Prince, Erykah Badu, Rick James, The Roots, or even the early Red Hot Chili Peppers without the influence of R&B pioneer Betty Davis. Her style of raw and revelatory punk-funk defies any notions that women can’t be visionaries in the worlds of rock and pop. In recent years, rappers from Ice Cube to Talib Kweli to Ludacris have rhymed over her intensely strong but sensual music.

There is one testimonial about Betty Davis that is universal: she was a woman ahead of her time. In our contemporary moment, this may not be as self-evident as it was thirty years ago – we live in an age that’s been profoundly changed by flamboyant flaunting of female sexuality: from Parlet to Madonna, Lil Kim to Kelis. Yet, back in 1973 when Betty Davis first showed up in her silver go-go boots, dazzling smile and towering Afro, who could you possibly have compared her to? Marva Whitney had the voice but not the independence. Labelle wouldn’t get sexy with their “Lady Marmalade” for another year while Millie Jackson wasn’t Feelin’ Bitchy until 1977. Even Tina Turner, the most obvious predecessor to Betty’s fierce style wasn’t completely out of Ike’s shadow until later in the decade.

Ms. Davis’s unique story, still sadly mostly unknown, is unlike any other in popular music. Betty wrote the song “Uptown” for the Chambers Brothers before marrying Miles Davis in the late ’60s, influencing him with psychedelic rock, and introducing him to Jim i Hendrix — personally inspiring the classic album Bitches Brew.

But her songwriting ability was way ahead of its time as well. Betty not only wrote every song she ever recorded and produced every album after her first, but the young woman penned the tunes that got The Commodores signed to Motown. The Detroit label soon came calling, pitching a Motown songwriting deal, which Betty turned down. Motown wanted to own everything. Heading to the UK, Marc Bolan of T. Rex urged the creative dynamo to start writing for herself. A common thread throughout Betty’s career would be her unbending Do-It-Yourself ethic, which made her quickly turn down anyone who didn’t fit with the vision. She would eventually say no to Eric Clap ton as her album producer, seeing him as too banal.

Her 1974 sophomore album They Say I’m Different features a worthy-of-framing futuristic cover challenging David Bowie’s science fiction funk with real rocking soul-fire, kicked off with the savagely sexual “Shoo-B-Doop and Cop Him” (later sampled by Ice Cube). Her follow up is full of classic cuts like “Don’t Call Her No Tramp” and the hilarious, hard, deep funk of “He Was A Big Freak.”

If you purchased a snake plant, asparagus fern, peace lily, or what have you fromMother Earth on Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles (or bought a Simmons mattressfrom Sears) in 1976, you also took home Plantasia, an album recorded especiallyfor plants. Subtitled "warm earth music for plants_and the people that lovethem," it was full of bucolic, charming, stoner-friendly, decidedly unscientifictunes enacted on the new-fangled device called the Moog.Before Brian Eno did it, Mort Garson was making discreet music. Julliardeducated and active as a session player in the post-war era, Garson wrote loungehits, scored the 1969 moon-landing and plush arrangements for Doris Day, andgarlanded weeping countrypolitan strings around Glen Campbell's "By theTime I Get to Phoenix."But as his daughter Day Darmet recalls: "When my dad found the synthesizer, herealized he didn't want to do pop music anymore." Garson encountered RobertMoog and his new device at the Audio Engineering Society's West Coast convention in 1967 and immediately began tinkering with the device."My mom had a lot of plants," Darmet says. "She didn't believe in organizedreligion, she believed the earth was the best thing in the whole world. Whatevercreated us was incredible." And she also knew when her husband had a good song.Novel as it might seem, Plantasia is simply full of good tunes.This release marks the first official re-issue of the long sought-after cult classic.Hearing Plantasia in the 21st century, it seems less an ode to our photosynthesizing friends by Garson and more an homage to his wife, the one with the greenthumb that made everything flower around him. "My dad would be totallypleased to know that people are really interested in this music that had nopopularity at the time," Darmet says of Plantasia's new renaissance. "He would befascinated by the fact that people are finally understanding and appreciating thispart of his musical career that he got no admiration for back then." Garson seemsto be every...

Two of the acts boldly leading Texas music into the future have now delivered a second chapter of their groundbreaking collaboration, further extending the region's sonic possibilities. Singer/songwriter Leon Bridges, from Ft. Worth, and trailblazing Houston trio Khruangbin have joined forces for the Texas Moon EP, a follow-up to 2020's acclaimed Texas Sun project. While the five new songs are clearly a continuation of the first EP, they also have an identity all their own _ Bridges calls it "more introspective," while Khruangbin bassist Laura Lee says it "feels more night time." When Texas Sun was released, AllMusic called the results "intoxicating" and Paste noted that "their talents and character go together so well." Now comes the next stage _ a set of songs that touch on themes like love, faith, and death while exploring new dimensions of inventive, hypnotic grooves. Significantly, both parties' musical directions were clearly affected by their time working together. Khruangbin's most recent album, Mordechai, moved their own vocals much further forward, a change they readily admit was a direct result of working with Bridges. Meanwhile, since these recordings began, in addition to his genre-defying album Gold-Digger's Sound, Bridges has put out several other challenging, shared tracks, including work with John Mayer, Lucky Daye, and Jazmine Sullivan. Texas Moon represents a genuine and rare achievement, with two of the most respected and innovative acts of their generation truly collaborating to create something new. "As far as an essentially instrumental band, these guys are kind of the top for me," says Bridges. "I'm honored to have been the first singer that they've incorporated in their music." "It feels really special to me," says Lee. "It's not Khruangbin, it's not Leon, it's this world we created together."

Stretch and Bobbito’s debut album No Requests explores the legendary club DJs’ vast musical knowledge with covers of songs directly from their record crates! Featuring the M19s Band, a live band of elite hand-picked musicians, the gatekeepers of ‘90s Hip Hop step outside their foundational genre base to produce Latin, Afro-beat, Samba, Jazz, Reggae, and Soul reinterpretations of dance floor bangers—ranging from popular to rare and obscure—which loosely depart expected structure and create new nuances to familiar tunes. The group also offers original compositions along the sonic journey. All tracks have one goal in mind: GROOVE!

In 1973, Davis would finally kick off her cosmic career with an amazingly progressive hard funk and sweet soul self-titled debut. Davis showcased her fiercely unique talent and features such gems as “If I’m In Luck I Might Get Picked Up” and “Game Is My Middle Name.” The album Betty Davis was recorded with Sly & The Family Stone’s rhythm section, sharply produced by Sly Stone drummer Greg Errico, and featured backing vocals from Sylvester and the Pointer Sisters.

You’d be hard pressed not to have been mesmerised by one of DJ KOCO aka SHIMOKITA’s 7 inch, beat juggling clips. The Japanese DJ / turntablist maestro has won over the world with his turntable wizardry, supreme taste, and genuine humility. A true DJ’s DJ and collector’s selector. DJ KOCO’s global sound palette and long-running passion for the music of Brazil led to this limited-edition mixtape that accompanies his forthcoming Brazil 45 boxset. Not only a showcase for his formidable skills, but it is also as an exploration of the richly diverse sonic makeup that the country has to offer. Diving deep into the Mr Bongo Brazil 45 catalogue, DJ KOCO has pulled out some absolute gems, presenting them in his unique and signature style. A 50-minute masterclass that features Jorge Ben, Rita Lee, Trio Mocotó, Tom Zé and Tenorio Jr., to name just a few.

1971 and Black America was luxuriating in the soft soul of the O’Jays, the Temptations had just left behind their flirtation with psychedelia, James Brown was explaining Soul Power, Sly & the Family Stone were having a Family Affair, and Marvin Gaye was asking ‘What’s Going On’.

In their own inimitable way, Funkadelic were laying down their own statement about the ecology of the planet in the opening of lead and title track ‘Maggot Brain’, turning it into an elegy for the Earth in the ensuing heart-wrenching extended Eddie Hazel guitar solo – one of the most radical records of the period.

The album also spawned two Top 50 singles with the usual Funkadelic wry observational humour of ‘You And Your Folks, Me And My Folks’ and ‘Can You Get To That’. And just in case you think things have normalised, the set closes with nine minutes of the chaotic sound collage ‘Wars Of Armageddon’.

Hailu Mergia & DahlakBand's Wede Harer Guzois the third release onAwesome Tapes FromAfrica for Ethiopiankeyboard and accordionmaestro. In the yearssince Shemonmuanaye,Mergia has revamped histouring career, playingfestivals and clubsworldwide, including arecent tour supportingBeirut. By 1978, AddisAbaba's nightlife wasfacing challenges. Theruling Derg regime imposed curfews, banning citizens from thestreets after midnight until 6:00 am. But that didn't stop some peoplefrom dancing and partying through the night. Bands would play fromevening until daybreak and people would stay at the clubs untilcurfew was lifted in the morning.One key denizen of Addis' musical golden age, Hailu Mergia, waspreparing a follow-up to his seminal Tche Belew LP with the famedWalias Band. It was the band's only full-length record and it had beena success. But his Hilton house band colleagues were a bit tied uprecording cassettes with different vocalists. Still Mergia, amidstrecording and gigs with the Walias, was also eager to make anotherrecording of his instrumental-focused arrangements. So he went tothe nearby Ghion Hotel, another upmarket outpost with a popularnightclub. Dahlak Band was the house band at Ghion at the time.Together they made this tape Wede Harer Guzo right there in theclub during the band's afternoon rehearsal meetings, with sessionslasting three days.Dahlak Band catered to a slightly more youthful, local audience, whileMergia's main gig with the Walias at Addis' swankiest hotel had amixed audience that included wealthy Ethiopians, foreign diplomatsand older folks from abroad. Therefore, their sets featured lighter fareduring dinnertime and a less rollicking selection of jazz and r&b.Meanwhile, Dahlak was known more for the mainly soul and Amharicjams they served up for hours two nights a week to a younger crowd.Mergia released Wede Harer Guzo ("Journey to Harer," a city ineastern Ethiopia) with Sheba Music Shop, which was located in...

Sweet and joyful sounds from the first half of 1960’s Tanzania. Salum Abdallah AND Cuban Marimba Band were at the forefront of “muziki wa dansi”, the emerging dance music scene influenced by Cuban 78s, dance music crazes like the twist and cha cha cha, and the local sounds of their home country. Hailing from the smaller town of Morogoro, they rose to be stars across the country. Out of over 100 sides recorded for local labels, mostly Mzuri Records of Kenya, these twelve songs are the cream of the crop. Only a few of these have ever been re-released in any form, and that hasn’t happened for several years. Lots of toe tappers, smile enhancers, and downright dancers, with a few slower and simpler songs to round it out. Taken from 1961-65, these twelve songs shine a brighter light on an already bright light that was Salum Abdallah, taken away from this earth all too early at the age of 37.

Dur-Dur Band emerged in the 1980s, during a time when Somalia's contribution to the creative culture in the Horn of Africa was visible and abundant. Seeking inspiration outside the impressive array of Somali traditional music that was encouraged at the time, everyone from Michael Jackson and Phil Collins to Bob Marley and Santana were fair game. This recording, which was remastered from a cassette copy source, is a document of Dur-Dur Band after establishing itself as one of the most popular bands in Mogadishu. The challenge of locating a complete long-player from this era is evidenced bythe fidelity of this recording. However, the complex, soulful music penetrates the hiss. In a country that has been disrupted by civil war, heated clan divisions and security concerns, music and the arts has suffered from stagnation in recent years. Incidentally, more than ten years after Volume 5 (1987) was recorded at Radio Mogadishu, the state-run broadcaster was the only station in Somalia to resist the ban on music briefly enacted by Al-Shabab. Dur-Dur Band is a powerful and illustrative lens through which to appreciate the incredible sounds in Somalia before the country's stability took a turn.

This tape is a prison tape made for inmates of prisons in the USA. It comes without screws, without print and without inlay as it should be.

It's almost four years since their last opus - two years since the most-recent run of live shows! Now, Bitchin Bajas return from whatever kind of rare ether they occupy when they're at home, bearing the riches of the whole cosmos in their hands. And strictly OG as well - on cassette only! Switched On Ra is the outcome of a typical Bajas exercise: pouring some out for the pioneers that came before (as they've done with Bitchitronics and their participation in the annual Chicago performance of "In C" over the years). It's a nice way to get a flow - they play a little of themselves, then some for the pioneers, then a little more for the band. Before long, they're playing with the inspirations twined, as they can only come from within. For Switched On Ra, this meant a deep delve into the song-book of one of their soul-predecessors, Sun Ra, whose music is literally written in the Bajas DNA. Digging into this music sounded wild on paper: the drone synth group taking on the Arkestra harmonies and Ra's loose grooves? The trick was to get that sense of rhythm to translate across the spectrum from Ra to Bajas, in a way that worked for them both. Their rearrangements of the tunes went good - up and down the EQ band, they were finding the round sounds and jagged edges that brought Ra's music into their own thing. Then at the last minute, there was another twist - why not pay tribute to the Queen herself, and think of the arrangements with a Wendy Carlos vibe? A little side homage? After all, Switched on Bach was visionary, bringing analog synths from the outside all the way into the mainstream in the late 60s - and this take on Ra is meant to take him to new ears everywhere. Sun Ra of course was his own kind of original keyboard visionary, using electric keyboards in the late 40s and 50s to fill a role in jazz that had traditionally been played on acoustic piano only. Once he'd done so, he took his writing in directions inspired by the electricity, places no one had thought to go before then. Doing what he did on the keys was a stand for individuality that became the background radiation of his journey through the cosmos; the search for a place beyond earthly dominance, for all the people who desperately wanted the fuck OUT. Bitchin Bajas have been content to dominate in a microtonal world, usually without a single chord to be found anywhere. But here, they step up righteously, their vibe triangulated as they bring Ra's music forward with some Wendy C style, making an unexpected space for all to thrive. There's a real feeling of joy as these collected signals bounce off the tape and through the speakers into your space. To get this unique colloid exactly right, Bitchin Bajas used nineteen different keyboards. They abstained from deploying their arsenal of reed and woodwind instruments: everything had to be on the keys. This meant Yamahas, Rolands, Korgs, Casios, a MicroMoog and of course their trusty Ace Tone organ. They even broke out the Crumar Ds-2, to have some of Ra's chosen tone in the mix. Then Jayve Montgomery added an EWI as a solo voice on a few tunes, just to get some air-blown signal (and a natural shout out to EWI master Marshall Allen) in there, after all. It felt like somewhere in the universe, Ra was decreeing it. Switched On Ra is an effervescent celebration of music throughout time and space.

*Available Nov. 19th, 2021*

“Things happen for a reason, man.” - Leo Nocentelli

At just fourteen, Leo Nocentelli was backing up Otis Redding. Soon after, he was playing on hits for Lee Dorsey, The Supremes, and The Temptations. As an original member of The Meters, Leo wrote instant classics “Cissy Strut” and “Hey Pocky A–Way,” but his greatest moment on record may be totally unknown, until now…

Recorded at Cosimo Matassa’s Jazz City Studio in New Orleans in the early ‘70s and then lost to the ages, Another Side is one of Leo Nocentelli’s most personal and definitive moments ever cut to tape. A mixture of funky folk and rootsy, raw emotion (think Bill Withers and James Taylor meeting Allen Toussaint at Link Wray’s Three Track Shack), this previously unheard album shines like the sun on a spring day on the New Orleans fairgrounds. Backing Nocentelli is an all-star line-up of New Orleans royalty, including Allen Toussaint (piano), James Black (drums), and both George Porter Jr. (bass) and Zigaboo Modeliste (drums) of The Meters. Deeply introspective, the album features nine original songs by Nocentelli, plus a soulful rendition of Elton John’s “Your Song.” Half a century later, these recordings sound just as fresh and engaging as the day they were recorded.

What makes Another Side even more extraordinary, however, is the fact that the album—which could have easily become a classic in the ‘70s singer-songwriter canon—sat untouched for decades; miraculously surviving the devastating blow of Hurricane Katrina, only to be found 2,000 miles away at a Southern California swap meet in 2018 by record collector Mike Nishita. The album’s incredible journey is documented in the liner notes by Sam Sweet (New York Times, Los Angeles Times), who spoke with Nocentelli and Nishita about the recording process and re-discovery of the tapes. Sweet’s full notes appear in the release’s accompanying booklet alongside hand-written lyrics by Leo Nocentelli. The first pressing of the vinyl edition will feature gold-foil treatment on cover and spine. Rounding out the package are original designs and layout by the multi GRAMMY®–winning designer Masaki Koike.

While Nocentelli was embedded in New Orleans’ R&B scene, he was also deeply inspired by the late 1960’s and early 1970’s rising singer-songwriters, and soon found himself exploring sounds that were miles away from his band’s hard-edged funk riffs. Whenever he had downtime from session work and shows, Nocentelli spent much of 1971 recording his newly-found, reflective, diaristic songs at Matassa’s Jazz City studio. Backed by longtime Meters bandmate George Porter Jr. on bass, Nocentelli crafted the lineups for his sessions to match the tone of the material. When he needed a pianist, he’d call Toussaint. For percussion on the slower songs, he used drummer Zigaboo Modeliste, but many of the tracks featured James Black—a frequent collaborator of Toussaint’s and a member of Ellis Marsalis’ jazz group, whom Nocentelli recalls as an “unbelievable” musician. The recording, which Nocentelli fondly refers to as his “country-and-western-album,” paints a picture of a young man yearning to find a sense of purpose. “I was going through some changes which were reflected in the songs that I wrote during that time,” he tells Sweet. Among them is the mid-tempo “Getting Nowhere,” in which he expresses a sense of frustration, as he watches others find success around him. Similarly, “Till I Get There” details a man who is struggling to persevere in his goals. In the soaring “Tell Me Why,” meanwhile, the singer contemplates the existence of God. Other songs center around fictional characters. “Pretty Mittie,” for instance, is sung from the perspective of a farmer who longs to give up his arduous life for the city. “You’ve Become a Habit” is about a man who falls for a sex worker named Fancy. “Riverfront” is based on stories that singer Aaron Neville shared, about his days working on the New Orleans waterfront. Nocentelli also chose to perform one cover: Elton John’s breakthrough hit, “Your Song.” The guitarist made the recently-released ballad his own—infusing it with a loping, head-nodding cadence, ever so tastefully “funkdafied” in true New Orleans fashion. By the time that the album was finished, The Meters were busier than ever. They had just signed a record deal with Warner Brothers and were now the official house band at Toussaint’s studio, Sea-Saint. There, they not only backed artists on Toussaint’s Sehorn label but had also become the go-to session musicians for every major artist that recorded in New Orleans. Rather than focus on a solo career, Nocentelli poured his energies into The Meters’ next album. Eventually, time moved on, as did Nocentelli, and he decided to store his unreleased solo album at Sea-Saint for safekeeping. In 2005, when Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans, Sea-Saint was among its victims. While Toussaint (who passed away in 2015) had sold the hallowed studio in the mid-90s, hundreds of his archived recordings remained in the building. The new owner salvaged what he could from the flooded building, shipping everything to a storage facility in Southern California. Boxes of tapes sat there for more than a decade before moving to another unit, which foreclosed a year later. The contents were purchased in a blind auction and, days later, sold at a swap meet. The fact that record collector Mike Nishita just happened to be there was pure kismet. Nishita, a DJ and brother to “Money Mark” Nishita (of Beastie Boys fame), recognized the Sea-Saint label on the boxes and purchased all 673 master tapes at the swap meet. He inspected the contents with his friend Mario Caldato Jr., the longtime audio engineer for the Beastie Boys. In addition to masters from Irma Thomas, Dr. John, Lee Dorsey, and Toussaint, there was a quarter-inch reel with Nocentelli’s name on it. As Caldato and Nishita played it back, they knew they had something special. “There was nothing else like it,” writes Sweet. “An acoustic album by the greatest funk guitarist who ever lived. It was the tape Mike would play for people to show them how special the collection was. The best album in the vault was something nobody knew existed.” Eventually, Nishita and Nocentelli connected, “He was so grateful, so sincere,” recalls Nishita. “I just kept thinking about how this music needs to be heard...Especially when you look at all the things that had to fall into place for these tapes to survive and be discovered this way.” As Nocentelli simply puts it, “Things happen for a reason, man.” And now, Light in the Attic is thrilled to give this remarkable record the spotlight it so rightly deserves. 50 years later, all is not lost.

From the beginning on we wanted to be a spotlight on the current scene of contemporary funk, soul and positive vibes. We connected with a lovely network of musicians, labels and passionate soul music lovers and created the first sampler. From Moscow to Hamburg, over Paris to New York, from London to Barcelona to Nashville: it's a colorful bouquet of real epic Soul smashers, psychedelic grooves and funky breaks from talented artists from all over the world such as Shawn Lee's Ping Pong Orchestra, DeRobert & The Half Truths, The Mighty Mocambos, Ghost Funk Orchestra and many more.

On our sampler you will find 14 tracks made with passion and 100% true notes.

Bringing soul back to the people.

These tracks were recorded by Kevin Low and Fiona Carlin in Kevin’s bedroom in Gayfield Square, Edinburgh, in 1986. Me and my dad, Kevin, dug out a huge bunch of his tapes over the lockdown (about 80 of the them at first). Some were…better than others, however, the Gayfield Square demos were the pick of the lot. Previously Kevin and Fiona were part of the Post Punk / indie band ‘Wild Indians’, whose first release “Stolen Courage” had come out in 1983 – released on Flexi Disc via the Edinburgh fanzine Deadbeat. Throughout the mid-1980s they performed across Edinburgh’s clubs, including at the Hoochie Coochie Club (name checked on track 7), where they played alongside bands and close friends Pop Wallpaper and Visitors. The band went on to release two 12” singles, “Love of My Life” in 1984 and “Penniless” in 1986. After the band broke up Kevin sold his guitar amp and 7inch collection, Fiona her saxophone and they went out and got themselves a Yamaha Rx-5 drum machine, Yamaha QX7 sequencer and a Yamaha Dx-100. These bedroom tracks are the fruits of their first venture with this hardware, combining their experimentation with synthetic sounds (mostly the Dx-100’s famous pre-sets) with a post-punk vocal style. These eight tracks are also, in part, the fruit of the “Enterprise Allowance scheme” - a policy venture of Margaret Thatcher’s UK government that gave unemployment claimants access to an extra £40 to top up the basic dole money. Following Thatcher’s election victories in 1979 and 1983, the policy sought to reduce the figures of mass unemployment which hung over Britain well into the 1980s. This policy, according to Kevin, helped to keep up the credit payments. He notes that, “when Fiona and I turned up at the Dhss office with the sure-fire money-making plan of making a business as a ‘song-writing’ duo they signed us up. However, I still think they thought we said, sign writing as they were filling out the form.” Kevin and Fiona stopped making music together shortly after these tracks were recorded so unfortunately, they never saw the light of day…until now! Fiona went on to work in Film and Television sound. Kevin became a photographer, working mostly in theatre. He is now an artist/painter working in Glasgow.

The PPU debut EP from Japan outfit Wool & The Pants. The Tokyo trio includes players; Yu Tokumo (Guitar / Vocals), Kento Enokida (Bass), and Aki Nakagomi (Drums). First discovered in 2017 by Mad Love, Tokumo has been making this music since 2008 drawing inspiration from Jagatara, Kimidori, Daisuke Tobari, Sakana, Think Tank, Les Rallizes Denudes, ECD, Haruomi Hosono, Can, Syd Barrett, Laraaji, and SunRa.

The boys are back with the new album IV, their most impressive and
highly anticipated project yet. IV continues their forward thinking
progression, sounding something like a jam session in space between
Can, John Coltrane, Herbie Hancock's Headhunters, Weather Report,
Arthur Russell & MF DOOM.

Limited edition tape!

Cassette only release combines PPU-012 (Tri-Fire Demos Vol.1) and PPU-015 (Tri-Fire Demos Vol.2) All the best from Robbie M and the Midnight Express Show Band. Contains bonus tracks!!

Minimal synth-soul meets jazz guitar in a haze of lo-fi cool. Sit back, relax and enjoy the night drive. Recorded and mixed entirely on a Tascam 4-track cassette recorder, for that perfect lofi/basement feel. Nostalgic, suave, cosmopolitan, lustrous, and precise, Morris Mobley is an alter-ego engineered to chill vibes, and simultaneously blow minds. Transport into the neo-noir, a timeless environment of dimly-lit nightclubs, smoky spaces, and hazy visions, where razor-sharp vocals dance in tandem with a warm jazz-funk guitar, backed by the analog crispness of icy 808 hits and luxurious synth pads.

Running tracks from Kool & The Gang, Ramsey Lewis, Arthur Verocai, Quarteto Em Cy,
Lonnie Liston Smith, Ras G, Azymuth, Yesterdays New Quintet, August Fanon, Roc Marci,
Karrim Riggins, Blu & Exile, Waldir Calmon,...

Betty Davis was a musical maverick with vision. Image, substance, sex, and grit combined with a badass band that could deliver the funk bed backbone to the sultry music between the sheets. After cutting two notorious discs for the Just Sunshine label (Betty Davis and They Say I’m Different), and Nasty Gal for Island Records, Davis went to work on her most personal and expressive record yet. After capturing 10 hard-hitting tracks in 1976 at the remote Studio In The Country (Louisiana), a creative difference with her then label caused the platter to be unexpectedly shelved. Davis would cut one final album and soon retreat from the music business, completely disappearing from the public eye.

Is It Love Or Desire is a little-known gem in the Davis catalog. Mastered from the original tapes, and untouched for over 30 years, this release features detailed liner notes, the originally intended artwork housed in a lavishly packaged digipak, rare photos, archival material, and recent interviews with Davis and her skin-tight band Funk House.

Never bootlegged, never released, never heard until now, the secret story of this lost album will finally enter the history books and cement this bold soul sisters contributions to music and popular culture. Its time to get down…

Long live Betty Davis!

The definition of the word 'fado' is technically 'fate', though the Portuguese meaning bound up with this term is more complex. The music itself can be fairly closely compared with that of Greek rebetika - also the American blues or the original working-class tango music of Argentina and Uruguay - and similarly takes it's common subject matter from the various cruel realities of the world. Though perhaps what distinguishes fado in character is it's often poised acceptance of the pains of life rather than protestation or resistance - as writer Paul Vernon says "It speaks with a quiet dignity born of the realisation that any mortal desire or plan is at risk of destruction by powers beyond individual control"
Death Is Not The End compile here a spine-tingling collection of fado recordings, taken from records issued in the mid 1910s through to the 1930s. The fado's Lisbon and Coimbra variants are presented here by some of the music's earliest recorded stars - prior to the rise of the music's all-conquering figurehead, Amália Rodrigues - and all of them "fadistas" imbued with a keen dose of saudade.

Maria do Carmo - Beijos São Como as Rosas (1929)
Jose Paradela D'Oliveira - Fado de se Velha (1927)
Edmundo de Bettencourt - Crucificado (1929)
Madalena De Melo - Cantares (1930)
Luiza Baharem - Fado Mondego (1931)
Alberto Xavier Pinto - Fado Do Paraizo (1929)
Maria Victória - Fado Maria Victória Nº 1 (1914)
Maria Silva - Fado Alice (1929)
Adelina Fernandes - Misérias (1928)
Estêvão Amarante - Fado do Cauteleiro (1929)
Alfredo Marceneiro - Olhos Fatais (1936)
Ermelinda Vitória - Fado da Minha Aldeia (1930)
Dr. Lucas Junot - Triste (Fado) (1929)
Maria Alice - Quando o Meu Filho Adormece (1929)
Laura Santos - A Magia do Fado (1929)
Joao Rocha Jor - Fado Rocha (Unknown)

Melbourne-based band Hiatus Kaiyote announces their forthcoming album Love Heart Cheat Code due June 28th via Brainfeeder Records / Ninja Tune. Alongside the announcement, the band shares their new single out “Make Friends,” the second offering from their upcoming project following their previously-released single “Everything’s Beautiful.” The band are also sharing a visual announcement of the album revealing the playful 3-D world of a family supermarket that the band have created to accompany the music.

A final unscripted addition to the album, “Make Friends” was inspired by words of wisdom imparted to the band by a friend who noted, “You don’t make friends, you recognize them.” Succinct yet profound, this sage insight reminded Nai of the lack of representation for deep, platonic love. “I wanted to have representation for just the different examples of people that I love from the women in my life, to the men, to my non-binary friends,” she shares, “and it was very natural and fun to work on as a formula.” The single is composed of one verse, but Nai takes that one verse through three gender permutations: female, male, and nonbinary. Nai adds, “When I sang the third verse, the ‘them/they’ verse, I actually had to stop. Just realizing that inclusivity is so often denied to some of the people that I love the most, my best besties.”

Love Heart Cheat Code is a snapshot of four musicians dancing together on the edge, 11 playful, exuberant tracks that shine light. Yet, for a band that made a name for itself with its complexity and received critical praise and multiple Grammy nominations for their embrace of maximalism, one of the most striking things about Love Heart Cheat Code is its simplicity. “I’m a maximalist. I complicate fucking everything,” Nai laughs. “But the more you go through things in life, you become more relaxed and uninhibited. Sometimes you can still have depth and reach people and really stop dancing around the fact: What do you want to communicate to people? And I feel like this album is a result of that clarity for us. We didn’t need to spell out complexity if the song didn’t call for it.”

Bruno Berle, the young songwriter and poet originally hailing from Maceió, the capital of Brazil’s Alagoas state, crafts songs that are simple, direct, and full of tender nuance. With his first album No Reino Dos Afetos (which translates to "In the Realm of Affections” and was released in 2022), Berle firmly established himself as a unique and important voice in the burgeoning scene of new Brazilian artists making a global impact, including peers like Ana Frango Elétrico, Tim Bernardes, Bala Desejo, Sessa and more. Now back with his second album, No Reino Dos Afetos 2, he stretches that further.

Bruno Berle’s music lives between two worlds – a traditional Brazilian folk talent steeped in history, and a contemporary, dreamy electronic pop; the result is songwriting that’s genre-bending, intentional, iconoclastic and consuming, spacious and sinewy and singular, a striking reflection of its composer while leaving space for the listener to settle in. The album follows Bruno’s relocation to São Paulo, and the songs are a reflection of his past and present. A rebuke of former categorizations of his work in Brazilian music scenes, and an idea of where his music can move, unfettered.

Berle’s music is purposeful in being a true portrait of himself, and a reflection of the music, art, and fashion scenes he personally moves through. Berle aims to provide an entrypoint for Black queer joy in his music, in his storytelling, in his presence and vision as a creative. For him, it feels subversive to be playing MPB laced with dubstep and lo-fi, a sort of intentional sacrilege, capturing a dialogue of modernity in traditional music.

Berle wrote most of the arrangements and co-produced his new album, Reino Dos Afetos 2 with longtime friend and musical partner Batata Boy, who is also from Maceió; the album was recorded in Rio de Janeiro, Maceió, and São Paulo, his new home, and picks up the conversation begun in 2022 on Berle’s debut album No Reino dos Afetos. Both records are the result of a nonlinear but coherent seven-year music creation process culminating in these albums, holding hands across space and time.

“Tirolirole,” the first single from the record, was released at the end of 2023; sun-soaked rhythms and soft voice coat the song, the lilting refrain of “Tirolirole” throughout – hushed, gentle, but somehow almost tactile, a golden-hour moment unlocked in the mind. “Tirolirole” is a triumphant future classic about the temporality of a blossoming love, with Bruno’s stunning vocal soaring over melodies which ebb and flow like the waters on the Atlantic shore. Of the track, Berle explains: “Despite ‘Tirolirole’ being an expression that evokes my childhood, just like the light words about nature, the harmony, and the poetry are epic, carrying a great hope for love.”

In fact, the guiding theme of No Reino dos Afetos 2 is a relationship, unfolding in the arc of a weekend. It traverses the innocence of an early young love, how that can be formative, can stretch on to take new shapes, or shape you. The album happens at the genesis of meeting someone and falling for them, before the relationship is thrown into overdrive – set in a big city, against a backdrop of major life changes, rising energy, the sound of São Paulo.

Something transcendental emerges in “Dizer Adeus,” with an arrangement that echoes a gospel atmosphere (evangelical and Catholic environments were pivotal to Berle’s upbringing). On “É Só Você Chegar,” piano and flute gracefully intertwine, a dance, while “Quando Penso” skews sparser, the voice-and-guitar minimalism somehow cultivating an entirely different shape – somehow both cozy and melancholy, with the background sound of a rainy day. Coupled with the lo-fi aspects that shape much of the album’s personality in the vocals and the production, No Reino Dos Afetos 2 is meticulously elaborated by Berle’s sonic alchemy, like on the mid-album instrumental “Sonho,” which feels like floating. “It’s the apex. It’s when lovers are sleeping together,” Berle explains of the feeling he wanted to encapsulate in the song.

On “Love Comes Back” Berle interprets Arthur Russell, the late Iowa musician who only reached greater visibility after he died in 1992. “His way of making music is similar to mine,” Berle explains. “He sings in a more fragile way, has more of an experimental way of recording, letting ‘chance’ appear in the final work.”

Even so, Berle doesn’t want his music to be buried in sentimentality – and the purposefulness of his craft serves as a sort of north star. The production, the arrangements, his restraint and intentionality in crafting his songs feel just as vital as their emotional cores. His songwriting is amorphous, fluid, an encompassing genre-bending movement in-and-of-itself, quietly daring. The songs are often in conversation with other works – drinking in fountains as diverse as the filmmaking of Ingmar Bergman, the poetry of Walt Whitman, the rhythm of Djavan, and the painting of Maxwell Alexandre. Musically he weaves together a rich tapestry of Brazilian folk, UK 2-step garage/dub, trip hop and sun soaked west coast songwriters; something akin to the worlds of Milton Nascimento, Arthur Russell, James Blake, Feist, and Sade colliding into one. But even then No Reino Dos Afetos 2 floats separately, a romanticism driven by a simplicity and intimacy, an open-ended possibility, Berle’s singularity as an artist at the helm of the ship.

In a just world, Demon Fuzz would have been very successful. Sadly, however, the only real success they enjoyed is the fact that many club DJs now use their samples frequently. Although the band played most of the British underground festivals in the early seventies, Demon Fuzz were simply too way-out to make a significant impact on the college crowd and as a result they broke up after 18 months on the scene. Released in 1970 the band’s only album, the extraordinary Afreaka!, demonstrates their excellence in playing psychedelic soul, dub-heavy funk, progressive rock, Afro-jazz and black acid rock. Limited tape version of this all-time classic on the Radiation Reissues label.

Coming from the city of Gao, on the edge of the Saharan desert,Malian producer Baba `'Babsy'' Konate is one of the key figures in thedevelopment of "Gao Rap", a regional genre of modern autotunedSonghoi music.Tounga is Babsy Konate's debut mixtape, collecting a decade oftracks that merge sweet autotuned vocals, crunchy drum loops andplucked digital harpsichord, in a playful testament to 2000s PC music,with the sample packs of a modest FruityLoops project. The result isfamiliar yet otherworldly, drawing from an abundance of distinctcultural expression: folkloric takamba from the Songhai, Hausa filmsoundtracks from Northern Nigeria, Hip Hop from Bamako andRagga from Niamey.

The second volume in Death Is Not The End's survey of a form of Brazilian country music known as música caipira ("hillbilly music") - a stripped-back forerunner to música sertaneja, the Brazilian equivalent to US country & western which in it's contemporary form has come to dominate the domestic music industry in recent decades. This collection covers some of the earliest recordings made by the pioneering folklorist Cornélio Pires at the end of the 1920s, through to records from the 30s, 40s & 50s and the beginning of the 60s.

Somewhat rooted in Portuguese troubadour folk traditions, música caipira is typically performed by a duo singing in parallel thirds and sixths, drawing upon a Portuguese-Brazilian style known as moda de viola - with the viola being the viola caipira, a Brazilian-style ten-string guitar that is the core instrument of the music. Born out of the "outback"-style region in north-eastern Brazil, these songs tell stories of pain, love, loss & betrayal - often backed by homemade guitars using invented tunings. Away from the polished pop country & western-stylings of the sertaneja, these recordings could be viewed as the Brazilian equivalent to the roots music of the American dustbowl or Appalachia.

PARTS is a two piece electronic duo based in Grand Rapids, MI. Members Alyssa Midcalf and Marley Ferguson alternate between lead and background vocals while forming a balance between light and airy, and dark and moody. The band formed in December of 2015 and has made impressive strides in the last year. Touring nationally supporting Hoops and garnering praise for their debut EP from many buzz blogs, Gorilla Vs Bear called their songs "an ethereal collection of diaphanous, dreamily melancholy synth-pop" and The Le Sigh says they've "crafted an intoxicating, sparkly synthpop album."

Key Selling Points:

-8th studio album for Cold Busted. Follow up to Soul Shower.
-Solid yellow shell cassettes.

Mister T., the renowned Greek purveyor of beats, returns to Cold Busted with Synchronized Roots, another fantastic album encompassing the many styles of the prolific producer. With a heavy dollop of funk providing the main ingredient, Mister T. deftly throws generous pinches of reggae, soul, hip hop, and electronica into his rhythmic concoctions. Previous releases have become heavyweight staples in the playlists of selectors worldwide, and Synchronized Roots is certain to arrive with equal acclaim. The album launches in a dub stylee with "Try Harder." blending reggae keyboard chops with dusty beats and infectious vocal snatches. The tape delay is put to good use, lending a classic cosmicness to the vibe. "Looking Above" continues on a dubby tip, delivering a more heady and smoked-out feel. Chunky guitar, bright keyboard lines, and an echoey saxophone accent the drum-heavy production. There's also "Basic Jam," demonstrating Mister T.'s fondness for genre collision. Boom bap beats bring the hip hop, the music bed delivers the funky R&B, and the vocal comes beamed in from Nigerian afrobeat. This combination has its own special flavor, joining vintage roots to create something fresh and new. Throughout its ten tracks, Synchronized Roots bonds sound with togetherness. Listen closely to the roots.

70 or so minutes of boogie funk from Germany, recorded live at the band's peak in their hometown Saarbrücken in 1987. Never heard before songs, now remastered. Limited to 100 copies.

During their short but intensive almost four years of existence Citro played about 50 shows and composed 32 songs that got performed live. This cassette holds 14 songs that draw a broader picture and captures their energetic and playful performance on stage. A band in great harmony that had developed its own sound.

This time capsule is the perfect addition to Citro's extended Smile EP reissue on funkscapes a few months ago. Encore!

Originally recorded to cassette at Jugendzentrum Saarbrücken, 30 April 1987.

Bettina Kümmel - lead & backing vocals, keyboard Volker Schmidt-Hildebrandt - lead & backing vocals, guitar Willy Walinsky - keyboard, backing vocals Andy “Lemon“ Meyer (1963-2004) - bass Kurt Landry - drums Ralf Schmidt - live engineering

Singer/songwriter, violinist, and producer hunter Maya Killtron releases her sophomore album, Persimmon. A mix of modern boogie, funk, string quartet and yacht rock, the record is a definitive coming–of-a-certain-age for the Toronto native. The eclectic feel-good record came as a result of our collective pandemic upheaval. Tracks “Out Of My Life” and “Do It Again” that were created alongside producer HiFiLo, highlight the frustration with the status quo and a need to break the mold. Killtron keeps to her modern boogie roots with “Night Moves”—a glossy roller-worthy track made with long time collaborator Gil Masuda of Toronto’s Love Touch Records. She simultaneously evolves and returns to her roots as a classically trained violinist and arranger in her self produced track, Persimmon, which features her string quartet, Bowed Arts. Rounding out the record is “Guaranteed,” a co-produced track with UK’s Format-440 and also her tribute to “Reading Rainbow” through the lens of Ryan Farley’s Phil Collins-esque production in Del Rey. With Persimmon, Maya is solidifying her place as an established voice in modern boogie while breaking into new mainstream markets worldwide.

Agile Experiments returns with a raw and uncut live performance uniting the unfathomable style of saxophonist Tom Challenger with the legendary sound-world of virtuoso bassist John Edwards alongside Dave De Rose on drums. Recorded live in 2021 at “Unit 58” (Tottenham, London, UK) the trio speaks dynamically, loose and wide, at times blending seamlessly to the point of losing any definition between the instruments. Parts, tools, rules by the conventional game of music, dissipate. Tom, John and Dave's sonic offspring booms and squeals, drills and drones, its flexible waves flow through time rather than in it like magic liquid potions down your ears, feeding your forgotten senses.

Welcome to round two on our mission to be a spotlight for the best in contemporary funk, soul & positive vibes. We are proud and happy to present another colorful compilation including very talented and funky artists from this lovely planet. Dive into 50 minutes of funk & soul. Visit our Soul Library on goldenrules.de, follow our Soul Stories via @goldenrules.soul on Instagram, find great vinyl in our soul shop and support the artists and labels directly on their channels.

“This record is a representation of everything that has led me to this point. It’s been a long, bizarre path,” says Zenizen’s Opal Hoyt of both her life and her journey to make this record. Like Peter and the Wolf, the Russian symphony Hoyt used as a creative framework, P.O.C (Proof of Concept) is a series of vignettes—the collection of which mirrors Hoyt’s long journey, from her adoption in Alaska to her many moves between DC, Jamaica, Vermont, and New York. Along this unconventional path, Hoyt met the talented cast of musicians who would go on support her in the recording of P.O.C: variegated bass by Jonathan Maron (Erykah Badu, D’Angelo); drums by Vishal Nayak (Nick Hakim, Empress Of); moments of magic on horns by Sly 5th Ave (Prince); guitars by Benamin (igbo); intricate mixing by Nick Herrera (Hiatus Kaiyote), Benamin, and Jon Bap; with mastering by Heba Kadry and Davy Levitan. Then there’s Hoyt herself, whose rich alto pierces through with poetic lyricism, supported by her contributions of Rhodes, synths, and sample arrangements (think: babbling brooks and birdsong). In other words, Hoyt isn’t just a songwriter in the classic sense. She’s also a skilled producer with an ear for excellent arrangements—the kind of musician who enjoys meandering and allowing her artistic vision to percolate. Likewise, P.O.C is a record that blooms in beauty over time—the kind of record that you can take anywhere in any season, as any version of yourself.

"A Ragged Ghost" is the eighth full-length album from electronic producer Jonas Reinhardt. Following albums on Kranky, Not Not Fun, Constellation Tatsu, and more, his debut release for Trouble In Mind brings together 11 new pieces that explore themes of life & death, netherworlds, and the liminal spaces in between. Taken together as a single narrative, the album offers a stirring exploration of mortality and immortality in what Reinhardt describes as 'a dance of religious syncretism, navigating spaces between the living and the dead'."A Ragged Ghost" finds him synthesizing influences organically from familiar teutonic strains to the intense austerity of early 21st century electronic pioneers such as Biosphere and Susumu Yokota. A whisper of the Italo-disco-esque romps of Jonas' 2012's "Foam Fangs" EP & 2013's "Mask of The Maker" LP merge with his more kosmische leanings into a sinister, slightly funky, but also studious suite that at times feels like a lost sound library record from the KPM archives. Openers "Ape & The Universal Axis" and "In Lotto Commodore" decidedly sound like a selection from a lost film score while others like the bubbling "Sly Tomb" recall the works of Roedelius or Vangelis' serene soundscapes. Meanwhile, fans of the electro-ambience of Manuel Göttsching's strobe-light, proto-house (on his seminal "E2-E4") or the pulsing insistence of John Carpenter's visceral non-horror scores (i.e. "Escape From New York" or "Assault on Precinct 13") will find a lot to love about songs like "Tumb Tumb" and "Wretched Orchestra of Armistice".

A year and a half after releasing his self-produced, independent full-length LP Saturday Morning to critical acclaim, producer and multi-instrumentalist Carrtoons plans his return to music with his next album, Homegrown. Evolving his trademark Modern Motown sound, Carrtoons continues to expand his already diverse musical repertoire in jazz, soul, hip-hop, and more. Set for release on April 20th, 2022, Homegrown is Ben Carr's inaugural release with renowned Wichita Recordings (Bloc Party, First Aid Kit, My Morning Jacket, Yeah Yeah Yeahs.) The youngest son of jazz violinist Richard Carr (Bill Laswell, Bootsy Collins), Ben received his college degree in Jazz Performance, made his debut with Mad Satta, and opened for artists like Thundercat, Nick Hakim, Gabriel Garzon Montano, and Mac Ayres. Over the last few years, he has become one of the most sought-after producers in music through his eye-catching Instagram videos, powerful bass lines, and memorable melodies. His unique fills, phrases, and compositions made him an instant favorite, leading to recent collaborations with Robert Glasper, Alex Isley, Kiefer, and Butcher Brown. The success of Saturday Morning was the first sign of evolution in Carrtoons career, with the album surpassing 2 million streams on Spotify in mid-February. The ad placement of his track "Give It Up" with Green Mountain Coffee gave him exposure to a whole new audience, while his guest feature on the Tiny Desk series rearranging the NPR theme songs for their 50th anniversary was also a hit. Starting 2022 off strong, Carrtoons' recent work with The Kount led to the release of their ultra-viral video "On My Way" and the organic growth of over 100,000 followers in 4 weeks on Instagram. His continued strides in music, along with astonishing growth across several platforms is clear indication of Ben Carr's promise and potential. More than just an album; Homegrown characterizes the hard work, seeds sown, and natural growth of a gifted musician. An artist you will want to watch!

This is a 8-Track cartridge!

Betty Davis was a musical maverick with vision. Image, substance, sex, and grit combined with a badass band that could deliver the funk bed backbone to the sultry music between the sheets. After cutting two notorious discs for the Just Sunshine label (Betty Davis and They Say I’m Different), and Nasty Gal for Island Records, Davis went to work on her most personal and expressive record yet. After capturing 10 hard-hitting tracks in 1976 at the remote Studio In The Country (Louisiana), a creative difference with her then label caused the platter to be unexpectedly shelved. Davis would cut one final album and soon retreat from the music business, completely disappearing from the public eye.

Is It Love Or Desire is a little-known gem in the Davis catalog. Mastered from the original tapes, and untouched for over 30 years, this release features detailed liner notes, the originally intended artwork housed in a lavishly packaged digipak, rare photos, archival material, and recent interviews with Davis and her skin-tight band Funk House.

Never bootlegged, never released, never heard until now, the secret story of this lost album will finally enter the history books and cement this bold soul sisters contributions to music and popular culture. Its time to get down…

Long live Betty Davis!

Longtime Black Sabbath/Ozzy Osbourne keys and guitar player Adam Wakeman (as Milton Keanes) is back with Jazz Sabbath Vol. 2. According to the liner notes, the UK jazz trio Jazz Sabbath were recording 2 albums in 1969 when disaster struck. Their debut album was cancelled, and their second album shelved; leaving room for a certain band from Birmingham becoming famous by playing metal versions of their jazz songs; claiming they were their own. Jazz Sabbath were powerless to do anything about it. Their 50-year-streak of misfortune ended in 2020 with the discovery of their debut album master tapes and the following re-release of the album. Now, reunited after 52 years, Jazz Sabbath entered the studio and finished recording their sophomore album. With the theft by the band from Birmingham exposed, Milton Keanes and colleagues can now present these songs in their original form, replenished with 52 years of experience, vigor... and rage. The tranquil 'Symptom Of The Universe', the full 8-minute version of 'Paranoid' (not that metal afterthought version everyone knows) and of course the song that other band so blatantly named themselves after.

Kadi Yombo, published in 1989, is the most successful album in the quest for a fusion between tradition and modernity in Bwiti harp music of the Tsogho people of Gabon. Combining beating rattles with a layer of synthesizers, Papé Nziengui blends in a contrapuntal dialogue characteristic of harp playing: male song in appeal and female choir in response, male voice of the musical arc and rhythms of female worship. But above all it's Tsogho ritual music and modern studio orchestration. The result is an initiatory itinerary of 10 musical pieces which are all milestones likely to be simultaneously listened to, danced, meditated on, and soon acclaimed. In the years since, Nziengui has traveled he world from Lagos to Paris, from Tokyo to Cordoba, from Brussels to Mexico City to become a true icon, the emblem of Gabonese music. Like Bob Dylan, "electrifying" folk and Bob Marley mixing rock with reggae, some purists have criticized Nziengui for having distorted the music of harp by imposing a cross with modern instruments. They even went so far as to claim that Nziengui was just an average harpist covering his shortcomings with stunts that were only good for impressing neophytes; like playing a harp placed upside down behind his back or playing two or three harps simultaneously. Sincere convictions or venomous defamations, in any case, Nziengui never gave in to such attacks, imposing himself on the contrary to pay homage to the elders (Yves Mouenga, Jean Honoré Miabé, Vickoss Ekondo) while instructing the maximum of young people. He is thus the promoter of many young talents, the most prominent of which is certainly his nephew Jean Pierre Mingongué. In a conservative society where the sacred is confused with secrecy, exposing the mysteries of Bwiti in broad daylight can be punished by exclusion or even execution. Papé Nziengui has always claimed that he faces such risks because he never felt enslaved to a community that governs his life, that regulates his conduct, that has a right of censorship over his activities. Like Ravi Shankar, the famous sitarist, Papé Nziengui is a man of rupture but also of openness, a transmitter of culture. As proof, he has established himself in Libreville, Gabo's capital, as the main harpist for sessions and concerts, accompanying the greatest national artists (Akendengué, Rompavè, Annie-Flore Batchiellilys, Les Champs sur la Lowé, etc.) as well as foreign artists (Papa Wemba, Manu Dibango, Kassav', Toups Bebey, etc.). In 1988, he was the first harpist to release an album in the form of a cassette produced by the French Cultural Center (Papé Nziengui, Chants et Musiques Tsogho). At the same time, he created his own group (Bovenga), combining traditional music instruments (musical bow, drums, various percussion instruments, etc.) in the framework of a true national orchestra, which gave the first concert and the first tours of a traditional music that was both modern and dynamic, thus "democratizing" the harp, to the dismay of certain purists. On the other hand, in modern music, dominated by the logic of profit or even commercialism, artistic creation must often be adjusted for a specific audience based on reason rather than heart. But instead of allowing himself to be distorted, Papé Nziengui has always tried to produce music that is not a caricature, worthy in its expression as in its content, of the sacredness and transcendence of the music of the Origins. This is what makes Nziengui-not only the musician, but the man-someone whose age hasn't altered any of his freshness or authenticity.

This tape is a prison tape made for inmates of prisons in the USA. It comes without screws and without an inlay as it should be. Manufactured in 2012 or 2013.

Grup Ses presents Program #03: A Mixtape of Rare & Unreleased Beats. İstanbul based producer Grup Ses returns with the final episode of 'Program' trilogy for Sucata Tapes. Program #03 focuses on productions of Grup Ses between 2008 and 2021. Grup Ses project dates back to 2007 which at the time focused on v/vm style edits and breakcore infused mash ups. Starting from 2008 Grup Ses started to build a version of Stones Throw & Brainfeeder influenced beatmaking mixed with a touch of humour. A blend including all kinds of local recorded material like records, tapes, radio broadcasts etc., which became the building blocks of signature Grup Ses sound.

Greece’s funk maestro is back with an incredible new album, Soul Shower. Dimitris Tentinis is Mister T., a mainstay of the Cold Busted label having released seven previous albums through the respected imprint. His varied discography touches on hip hop, soul, dub, and electronic music – but funk is the consistent thread tying together all of Mister T.’s productions. His cuts have become staples in the DJ sets and playlists of underground tastemakers, and there’s also recognition from the mainstream — Mister T.’s music has appeared in brand campaigns from the likes of Capital One, Walmart, Nike, and Hennessy. The funk maestro is on the rise, and Soul Shower is his latest milestone.

Traditional village music transformed into fiery and frenetic underground Hip Hop. Emerging from the digital cultural renaissance of the early 2000s, where DIY studios sprung up throughout West Africa, "Patriote" is a shining example of localized global music. Hypnotic and driving rhythms built from sampled percussion and chopped-up instruments combine with syncopated staccato "ragga" inspired flow into infectious hammering tracks that sound like nothing before. Mamaki Boys was formed in 2002 by Aziz Tony, Bachou Issouf, and Salif André, when a local Hip Hop movement was exploding in the capital of Niger. "Patriote" was recorded to address a trend in the scene they perceived as too derivative. Produced at Studio BAT, one of the first studios in Niamey, Mamaki Boys sought to merge modern Hip Hop with traditional music. They invited elder musicians into the studio to play Nigerien instruments like duma and kalango, which were sampled and looped over their compositions. "We wanted to put tradition in the rap, ancestral dances, the things that our grandparents did in the village," Aziz explains. "Our mission was to re-value the culture, put it into Hip Hop, and to show all the colors of our country." Self-describing their music as "tradi-moderne", a Nigerien movement of folk revitalization, their cultural manifesto presents through every aspect of their work. Each track relies heavily on traditional instruments, and each rhythm is based on a dance from Niger. Their mission extends to the urgency of their lyrics: Takai challenges the population to preserve their culture, Kagani Kagani is a demand to take back mineral, oil, and uranium rights from their colonizers, while Komando uses war cries to inspire artists to keep speaking out. A strong entry in 21st-century global music, Mamaki Boys "Patriote" takes back the tools of globalization, repurposing them in the fight for cultural identity. Originally self-released in 2009 on limited edition CDR in Niger.

At long last, all four of Ed Balloon's eps are available on physical medium! Until now these breakthrough releases have been digital only. For this special release, Ed Balloon has changed the sequence of all the tracks to create the perfect full length listening experience. Hear his unique brand of pop soulfulness in a totally new way!

Includes the songs from 'No Smoking', 'Yellow 20-Somethings', 'Flourish', and 'I Hate it Here'.

David Lavoie quartet plays thoughtfully composed jazz tunes which showcase Lavoie’s writing while studying jazz at Capilano University in North Vancouver. Featuring Brad Turner on keys, Miles Wong on drums, and Stephen Edwards on bass, the quartet swings and grooves like a machine. Taking cues from post bop and contemporary jazz, this quartet is bound in tradition while still remaining fresh and modern.

Just scratching the surface of the broad musical output of South Korea, from the 1950s onwards. Buddhist chant, traditional folkloric song and drumming, court music, psychedlia, experimental, and some jazz soundtracks thrown in for good measure.

imited to 100 copies.

Carsten Rubeling - trombone, keyboards
Andre Wickenheiser - trumpet, flugelhorn
Steve Fletcher - keyboards
Steve Shepard - bass, synth bass
Colin Adhikary - drums

Composed/Arranged/Produced by Carsten Rubeling
Co-produced by Sean Nimmons-Patterson
Recorded by Patrick Palardy at Public Lunch Studios
Mixed by Trey Mills at Unbound by Sound
Inner Ocean Records © 2019

Trombonist and Composer, Carsten Rubeling features his debut album on Inner Ocean Records. A powerful and fluid blend of jazz, soul, hip-hop and electronic music, skillfully navigating between traditional and modern influences on a distinctive sonic path.

Rubeling wrote and produced VOLK//PEOPLE with a vision to mix acoustic and electronic palettes in a way that never obscures its human feel. He weaves a fabric of hard-hitting drums, soulful improvisations and warm synthetics with the vibes of a live, instrumental mix tape.

Originally from Rocky Mountain House, Alberta, Carsten Rubeling is one of Canada's most active and dynamic trombonists and composers, highly in demand playing a wide array of music from jazz and classical music to hip hop, salsa and everything between.

Carsten completed his Masters Degree in Jazz Performance at the City University of New York where he studied with Michael Philip Mossman, Antonio Hart and Michael Dease. He earned his Undergraduate degree in Jazz Studies from Humber College in Toronto where he played alongside some of the Canada's best jazz musicians including Pat LaBarbera, Alastair Kay, and John MacLeod.

Limited edition for Cassette Store Day 2019!

2018's Free Money is now available on cassette for all the soul fans from Japan to the San Jose Flea Market!

Drummer/producer Teppo Mäkynen presents a new album by his lauded trio ensemble 3TM in 2019. Before the second 3TM album "Lake" comes "Abyss", a collection of 10 ambient pieces laying the groundwork for the upcoming album. This prelude album is a full-bodied work in itself, a glorious and somewhat mysterious LP which brings forth yet another shade of multifaceted Mäkynen's musical vision. The 10 compositions on "Abyss" feel like the discovery of life and movement in deep waters, where only the rare shades of light breaking through indicate that another world exists above the surface.
"Abyss" will be available as a clear vinyl edition, on tape and digitally, and both as a standalone album and as a bundle with the upcoming 3TM trio album "Lake".
Teppo "Teddy Rok" Mäkynen is a drummer/producer from Helsinki, who works at the centre of the lively jazz scene in Finland. His work includes projects such as 3TM, The Stance Brothers, Teddy Rok Seven and the new duo with sax player Timo Lassy. Mäkynen also plays drums in several highly-regarded ensembles such as Timo Lassy Band, Aki Rissanen Trio, Jukka Eskola Soul Trio, Verneri Pohjola Quartet, Nicola Conte Jazz Combo, plus many more. As a producer, his work has been highly regarded in projects such as 3TM, The Stance Brothers, and the albums of Timo Lassy and Jukka Eskola.

NEW Repress of CSD2017 title. Best MJ seller of all time, an amazing mash up of classics inna reggae/ska style by THE DRASTICS. Includes "I WANY YOU BACK", "ROCK WITH YOU","DON'T STOP "TIL YOU GET ENOUGH", "SMOOTH CRIMINAL","BILLIE JEAN", "THE WAY YOU MAKE ME FEEL" + 7" tracks and dubs.

The Pendletons is a long-standing boogie-funk and modern soul project of E da Boss and Trailer Limon. The "Gotta Get Out" EP highlights the hardships of life and love in modern society, via the smooth and bass heavy grooves of The Pendletons production squad.

Minoru Fushimi, a multi-talented artist, made his mark in the music industry with his groundbreaking album, "Thanatos Of Funk." Originally released in 1985, this remarkable piece of artistry is now being reissued by SIC Records During the album's creation, Fushimi embarked on a unique journey. Balancing his day job as a dedicated high-school teacher, he poured his creative energy into producing and recording the entire album himself. With relentless determination, he pieced together "Thanatos Of Funk" during intense studio sessions, demonstrating his unwavering commitment to his musical vision. "Thanatos Of Funk" stands as a testament to Fushimi's ingenious fusion of genres. Electro-funk serves as the foundation, complemented by a masterful blend of synths, drum machines, and hip-hop elements. Drawing inspiration from the iconic p-funk style, Fushimi creates an immersive sonic experience that transcends boundaries and resonates with listeners on a profound level. Now, with its reissue, "Thanatos Of Funk" is poised to reach a wider audience, ensuring that Fushimi's musical legacy continues to thrive. Step into the vibrant world of Fushimi's debut album and discover the innovative sounds that have left an indelible mark on the funk genre and beyond. "The Key Lyric and the concept of my "Thanatopsis" is that life is just like a moment of dim light between two darknesses." - Minoru Fushimi

This ensemble consisting of some London's most prominent musicians has made a statement of collective spontaneous compositions for their appearance at London Jazz Festival. It showcase the unique sound of the British Metropolis channelled by a quartet of household names in the Jazz and alternative scene.
Recorded live at Signature Brew Haggerston during London Jazz Festival on 13.November 2022
Guido Spannocchi alto & baritone sax / Danny Keane on keyboard & synth / Ruth Goller on electric bass / Pete Adam Hill on drums /
Recorded by Aram Zarikian, mixed by Raphael Spannocchi at Sound Alm Haid and Kristian Craig Robinson at London's tastemaking hub Total Refreshment Centre.
Produced by Guido Spannocchi, Danny Keane, Raphael Spannocchi and Kristian Craig Robinson (Capitol K).
Mastered by Simon Kummer, Munich, Germany
Artwork cover is a limited edition of 50 unqiue hand printed silk screen prints by critically acclaimed artist Julia Vogl, every cassette has a unique cover, all hand printed in London and Winchester (uk)
All tracks are spontaneous compositions by the ensemble

Alice Russell is universally acclaimed as one of the best modern soul voices of our time, while her raw talent and charisma commands attention and affection. The much-loved British soulstress returns with the most personal album of her career. 'I Am' is vulnerable and bold while addressing how we must all work on ourselves to heal – so that we can love and connect with those and the world around us more honestly and with depth.

Life, loss and grief have been a central part of this period and a new approach to creating music: “Two little ones have joined me, and one has left - my dad passed away the summer after ‘To Dust’ was released. The day after my Dad’s funeral, I found out I was pregnant with my first little one.” Alice continues: “The grief journey has cracked me open and created a more urgent need to be focused and try to go deeper with how I communicate creatively and who I AM today, and I welcome it with open arms”.

Written and produced alongside long-time collaborator TM Juke, 'I Am' is the first offering of new music from the iconic singer in over a decade and marks a new era in the remarkable career of the down-to-earth vocal powerhouse. This summer, Alice graced the main stage of Gilles Peterson’s We Out Here, supported Nile Rogers and performed as part of a tribute to Aretha Franklin across France, marking her return to the stage, where she belongs.

Death Is Not The End presents a collection of haunted, brooding flamenco recordings taken from the early 1900s through to the late 1930s.

Saturday Night is the follow up to Carrtoons’ surprise hit "Homegrown" which has over 30 million streams globally and saw Carrtoons emerge as one of the most exciting new producers with over 40 million streams worldwide to date! Saturday Night will launch with Carrtoons’ biggest ever headline show at Teregram Ballroom in Los Angeles before he heads out on a national US tour with Butcher Brown throughout October.

Carrtoons has appeared at several UK festivals including Across The Tracks and Mutations and has toured the US with artists such as Mac Ayres and Duckwrth. He appeared at Montreal Jazz Festival 2023 and will be heading back to the UK/Europe on tour early '24.

The first single "Grace" features his long time collaborator Rae Khalil (currently making big moves of her own) who featured on the BBC playlisted “Lighta” on the last project!

Earthtones is the musical identity of Serge Bandura, an electronic artist, former jazz musician, meditation teacher and ritualist based in LA. Kevin Nathaniel channels sound as a universal healing force through traditional African instruments and is a former student of legendary master musicians such as Ephat Mujuru and Chief Bey K. Sending files back and forth during the pandemic, the two artists deepened a musical friendship and began a dialog between the Mbira Nyunga Nyunga, the Kalimba and analog synthesizers. Their music is offered in the spirit of peace + healing for all.

Enigmatic Society is the next offering from the multi-faceted, Grammy-nominated supergroup Dinner Party. Full of opulently intricate instrumentation and a range of sleek R&B to smooth neo-soul vocals, Enigmatic Society is mesmerizing in its entirety. The album features brilliant performances from the debut Dinner Party crew: Terrace Martin, Robert Glasper, Kamasi Washington and 9th Wonder, with additional help vocalists Phoelix, Arin Ray, Ant Clemons, Tank and producers Sounwave, Hi-Tek and Trevor Lawrence Jr. Enigmatic Society serves as a follow up to the group’s 2020 debut self-titled album and continues as a celebration of Black joy, life, art, and culture, as it pays tribute to the duality that manifests in both the beauty and adversity in Black America. This deep sense of community and family flows throughout the project with the album’s artwork designed by Kamasi Washington’s sister, artist Amani Washington.