Back catalogue: Broken Beat/Nu Jazz/Nu Soul

Review: Sensory Blending hears Finnish artist Jimi Tenor and Italian group Aura Safari team up for an impromptu studio shebang in Perugia, Italy, after Tenor's storied but clandestine performance at a Hell Yeah party. Despite no prior connection, the musicians quickly found common ground, forging a vivant fusion of jazz-funk, tropicalia and soul. Tenor's psychedelic style gelled Aura Safari's faster, intuited approach, resulting in such tracks as 'Bodily Synesthesia,' 'Bewitched By The Sea' and 'Lunar Wind', each of which connect seductive grooves and ghost noted keys. Possibly performed live at select events later in the year, the record is a perfect storm of recorded "live feel" Balearica.

Review: Nothing by Louis Cole, a collaboration with the Metropole Orkest conducted by Jules Buckley, blends classical orchestration with dance music, pop, and jazz, showcasing Cole's unique and ultra-flexible production style. The album features 17 tracks, 15 of which are brand new, avoiding orchestral renditions of his hits and instead presenting fresh compositions. The lead single, 'Things Will Fall Apart,' highlights Cole's feather-light vocals over an exciting orchestration of funk percussion, strings, horns and barbershop backup vocals. Recorded during live performances, Nothing captures the energy and emotion of Cole's multi-date sold-out European tour with the Metropole Orkest. The project emphasises Cole's desire to create music with deep emotional impact while remaining straightforward and accessible. Cole meticulously mixed the album himself, ensuring his pure vision was realised.

Review: It's not often that jazz guitarists and bandleaders double up as DJs and producers, but neither is Nicola Conte the kind of person one often encounters. Here the Italian multi-talent proffers a new version of his latest spiritual jazz-house opus, Umoja. This record first came to be as a full-length 4x4 dance LP of serene, danceable tropicalias and sports-whistly whorls. They now come reincarnated, karmically re-endowed with the thermal force of an eagle, by way of an album's worth of reworks by the veteran producer's vim of fellow spiritual house height-scaler and abseiler, Joaquin Claussell. Whether invoking the exquisite voices of Stefania Dipierro or channelling the patent inspirations of Lonnie Liston Smith of Gary Bartz, Conte Conte-nues to propose endless Conte-nuations of his sound; all it takes is a little help from one's friends to evoke a sacred dance, a sonic world-spirit.

Review: You will always have a job second-guessing where The Gaslamp Killer might go next. This time, it is to a new collaborative album with Jason Wool. ANANDA find the pair cooking up 33 minutes of avant-garde experimental jazz underpinned by heavy bass and topped with plenty of sound design madness that calls to mind the likes of Stanley Clark, David Axelrod and Aphex Twin. The synapse firing collage of 'Chaos In The Brain' is a great example of the joys of this record - organic and synthetic, chaotic yet calm. It's a real treat.

Review: The dynamic duo of percussionist Daniel Humair and cellist Jean-Charles Capon recorded this now super rare library album back in 1980. Humair was a key figure in Switzerland's avant-garde jazz scene and Capon was known for his work with Jef Gilson and Henri Texier, but on Apocalypse: Biorhythm Fiction Scenes Descriptive Futurist they deliver a groundbreaking performance. The album features their exceptional musical acrobatics including unexpected electric modulation which create a uniquely intense and groovy experience that was produced by Christian Bonneau, a genius in the French radio music world. This one is a real boundary pusher that often leaves you wondering just how on earth it was made.

Review: J-Felix's latest project The Mint Experiment (Volume 1 and 2) finds him drawing on the many different genres that have inspired this hip-hop beat making over the years. His signature funk laced sound is detailed with elements of soul and jazz here as he mixes up analogue synthesis, live instrumentation, and experimentation with tape cassettes. There are no samples used on this one and instead the artist works with a diverse group of musicians and producers to cook up a fresh and modern sound that is well informed by the classics. It's an effortlessly cool and feel good album.

Review: This Record Store Blanc Friday, US label Madlib Invasion serves up a CD version of this most classic of albums from Jackson Conti aka the one and only beat making behemoth Madlib with Mamao. Sujinho landed in 2008 and since then has often been heralded as one of the best few projects Madlib has ever been involved with. It is a smooth fusion of hip hop, jazz, Latin and soul that, on vinyl, has fetched eye watering high prices until now. A new reissue has landed on wax as well as this CD.

Review: Madlib and Karriem Riggins are Jahari Massamba Unit. What started out as a friendship became a collaboration between two guides that push the boundaries of modern music. 'Yhwh Is Love' is their latest full length that has many excited about their joining. 'Stomping Gamay' for example, shows off their flare of fusing a new direction by linking the past. We have yet to hear of a Jamaican jazz fusion labeled genre but this would be the bookmark for the example. 'Massamba Afundance' includes a more Latin flare to things including some light Rumba influences. There is certainly a Big Band flavor attack on many of these programs. The result of the union Jahari Massamba Unit is plenty of upbeat measures in taking fusion and urban music to a higher level. This LP is sure to transcend cultural backgrounds.

Review: Bob James is a giant of the jazz-funk world who has crafted endless amounts of seminal and sublime sounds. He has also been remixed and sampled by an equally infinite number of artists from the hip-hop world over the years and so remains of real relevance even without having to release anything new. However, Jazz Hands is just that - a brand new album that reminds the world he has still got the skills to pay the bills. With help from contemporaries like Jee-Lo Green and Dave Koz he offers up his latest jazz-funk fusions and they sound as good as ever.

Review: American composer Harry James hails from the southside of Chicago and is known for self-recording acoustic piano and percussion using analogue tools and techniques. His latest long player Off The Record is another one made on Tascam 4 Track and is full of warmth and familiar feelings. It is couched in jazz and broken beat stylings but very much colours outside the usual lines in terms of both sound and technique. It's raw, busy, off-the-cuff and full of life, with his friends Gerald Bailey, Rob Frye, Keefe Jackson and Dave McDonnell also featuring.

Review: Contemporary vocal jazz favourite Jose James makes a staunch return after a long hiatus, following up 2008's The Dreamer with a brand new album, 1978. Combining James' deep love of jazz and hip-hop with songwriting and production nods to R&B heroes Quincy Jones, Michael Jackson and Leon Ware, 1978 is a suavely smooth operation of handclapping funk and organic bossa nova; it's sonically a meeting of the cosmopolitan collective minds New York to Brazil, bringing Afro-Latin sensibilities to the lyrical and productive form that is gritty hip-hop.

Review: London-born, Lisbon-based Leifur James returns with Magic Seeds, his third album and a testament to the transformative power of new surroundings. Leaving behind his established presence in the UK electronic music scene, James sought the luminous inspiration of Lisbon, a move reflected in the album's themes of growth and renewal. Magic Seeds follows two distinct predecessors: his debut, A Louder Silence, a blend of IDM and avant-garde influences, and its remix EP featuring artists like Bruce and FaltyDL; and the more experimental Angel in Disguise, lauded by the dance music press. James also garnered attention with 'Wurlitzer', a striking blend of neo-classical and sub-bass. Magic Seeds is his most personal and collaborative work to date, born from improvisational sessions with drummer Leo Taylor, violinist Raven Bush and producer Oli Bayston. These sessions, inspired by Talk Talk's Spirit of Eden, were later meticulously shaped in Lisbon, resulting in an album that blends organic instrumentation and electronic textures, echoing influences like Massive Attack and Madlib. From the spectral opener 'Smoke in the Air' to the life-affirming 'Alive' and the evocative 'Euphoria', Magic Seeds explores themes of rebirth, societal re-evaluation, and environmental awareness. With nods to 90s electronica and UK bass, the album ably showcases James' dynamic range, his ability to conjure both euphoric highs and introspective depths.

Review: Strata Records is one of the most important notches in Detroit's jazz heritage. From Lyman Woodard Organization's Saturday Night Special to Malauwi's self-titled LP, their short catalogue was nonetheless vital. BBE have revisited the label with reissues in the past, and now they've invited nu jazz scene leaders Jazzanova to re-imagine some of the cuts from the Strata archives in their own fusion style. From Woodard classics like 'Joy Road', 'Creative Musicians' and 'Saturday Night Special' to Malauwi's 'Root in 7/4 Plus', these are seminal works approached with care and flair by a band who have undoubtedly proved themselves worthy over the years.

Review: Building on the success of his previous two full-lengths, Oscar Jerome's third solo album suggests he has not yet stopped growing as a songwriter, guitarist and producer. Following his time with Kokoroko and his acclaimed 2022 album The Spoon, this latest work delves into personal, reflective themes and was produced entirely by the man himself. It takes in folk influences from John Martyn and Joni Mitchell with the funk of Prince and early Carlos Santana as well as contemporary broken beat and jazz flair. The Fork explores self-reckoning through intimate narratives with each track offering emotionally rich storytelling and nuanced guitar work all making this his most personal and ambitious album yet.

Review: Still sounding eons ahead of its time - or this present time - Jigen's 1998 album Blood's Finality enjoys a long-awaited repress having only been available on limited import CD for all these years. Taking jazz, experimental contemporary and the most leftfield jungle and breakbeat you can imagine and bringing it all together in an uncompromising, freeform body of work that skates, skitters, jumps and twists with no respect for formula or arrangement, Jigen created a one of kind document that joins dots frantically while sounding like nothing else on the planet. Catch us again for another repress in another 24 years and we'll feel the same way then, too.

Review: Earthly Measures and Multi Culti have teamed up to create the collaborative label Cult Measures. Their debut release is an 8-track album that blends deep, cosmic, and experimental sounds with Afro percussion and jazz influences into something truly fresh. This versatile album is designed for both home listening and peak moments on the dance floor, not least the opener 'Submarino' which is a jostling fusion of Latin sounds and vibrant percussive energy. 'Belafon Balafon' brings summery steel drums and 'PushMePullYou' is a dense rhythmic workout. With its rich textures and unique fusion of styles, this project sets a strong foundation for the new label, highlighting a commitment to innovative, boundary-pushing music.

Review: A contemporary jazz collaboration featuring the unique vocals of Deborah Jordan against the drum breakbeats and electronic nu-jazz fusion of fellow London native Kieron Ifill (aka K15). The collision of genres spans from the layered traditional R&B production on the smooth 'Heartbroken' to the 808 laden nu-jazz cut of 'Human' and the broken beats of 'Running'. Fans of Solange's 'When I Get Home', H.E.R's EPs and Liv.e's 'Couldn't Wait to Tell You' will have a long list of reasons to check this smooth mix of crystal clean production, jazzy soundscapes and hushed vocals. Jazz, Soul, Funk, and Blues fans cannot pass up the opportunity to give this LP a listen - R&B is far from dead.

Review: Poet, novelist and musician Anthony Joseph shares his latest Afrofuturist opus; a seven-track album of defiant, zooming, return-to-source music, comprising arched spoken word, broken/Afrobeat and soul jazz. Built mainly around the core triad that is 'Tony', 'A Tuba For Janet' and 'Churches Of Sound', this LP has the pull and gravitas of a classic album about it; it channels the fluvial, downstream consequences of historic exploitation and erasure, mixed in with a revolutionary lyrical spirit, charged with the hard-treaded grace of dub and Pan-African funk. Described as an Afrofuturist poem by Joseph, there is talk of genealogy, secret languages and wizardry: our fave has to be 'A Juba For Janet', a dub narrative constructed around the titular Miss Janet.

Review: Known for her solo work and as the frontwoman of 30/70, Allysha Joy's husky, soulful voice and exceptional Fender Rhodes skills make her a standout in the jazz-soul scene. She hails from Melbourne and is a singer, songwriter, producer, and keys player who has had big props by key figures like Gilles Peterson, Jamz Supernova and Jamie Cullum and performed alongside acts such as Kokoroko and Children of Zeus. The Making of Silk is her new album and it is packed with her captivating vocals over jazz instrumentals, organic hip-hop grooves, with hints of new-soul, r&b and spiritual jazz greats like Alice Coltrane all appearing throughout the majestic, richly realised and luxurious sounds. This is a black vinyl version, though it also comes on grey-marbled wax.

Review: Strut's latest release is a freshly remastered edition of Juju's influential 1974 album Chapter Two: Nia which is bound to excite those looking for a nice copy of this unique record. This reissue shines a spotlight on Juju's unique fusion of Afrocentric jazz and black nationalist poetry, recorded during a transformative period for the band. Founded in San Francisco and relocated to New York in 1972, Jujuiled by James "Plunky" Branchiimmersed themselves in the avant-garde scene, performing at notable venues like Slugs and Ornette Coleman's loft. By 1974, the band had moved to Richmond, Virginia, seeking a creative refuge from New York's high living costs. They settled into what they called the Juju Raga Artist House, a cultural hub that also functioned as the state's first black arts gallery and performance space. Chapter Two: Nia, recorded at Eastern Recording Studios, reflects Juju's commitment to Afrocentric themes and includes a freeform rendition of Pharoah Sanders' 'Black Unity.' The reissue retains the original artwork, adapted from a concert video by Collis Davis, and has been remastered by The Carvery for enhanced sound quality. It also features new liner notes from Plunky Branch, offering deeper insights into the band's revolutionary impact and creative journey.

Review: We don't half love a bit of Steven Julien, the artist formally known as Funkineven. And this new EP arrives just at the right time as the days brighten, the sun heats up and cruising day-time funk, house and boogie blends are all you want to pump out of your retro 3 series with the top down. 'Time' has distinctly 80s flavours with its bright chords and beats, 'Ultra' is more heavy with a contemporary rap/trap edge and 'Up' is a raw house cut with swinging kicks. 'Wraap't' is another crunchy and loved-up 80s street soul sound then 'Lil'bit' and 'Ballad' close out with more neon pads and retro-future melodic sparkle.

Review: Steven Julien has been in his own musical world since he first started putting out beats. He blends everything from hip-hop and house to funk and soul in his always emotionally raw, frayed edge sounds. Because of that breath in his sound, the Londoner is the perfect candidate for a DJ-kicks mix and so it proves as he journeys from the sofa to the club and back again with tunes of his own next to jams from across the ages and the genres. Ryuichi Sakamoto, Brothermartino, My Girlfriend and more all feature in a well-mixed, well-programmed set that contrasts bright keys with dirty basslines, and boogie funk with more sleek machine rhythms.

Review: The Night Took Us In Like Family is the first collaborative album from American producer L'Orange and cultured rapper Jeremiah Jae. The Mellow Music label originally released it back in 2015 and it performed well with some fine guest appearances from Gift of Gab and Homebody Sandman. The album is rife with beautiful storytelling from Jae who delivers his ideas in a gangsta rap style but the first-rate beats are more soulful, giving rise to a style the pair called 'noir hop'. They are louche, lo-fi and drawn from the golden era of boom-bap with plenty of smart samples.

Review: Drummer Berke Can Ozcan and baritone saxophonist Jonah Parzen-Johnson present an album that stretches the boundaries of modern jazz. The compositions blend acoustic percussion with saxophone melodies, enriched by subtle electronic elements that create a lush, atmospheric backdrop. Tracks like 'Portrait of a Brick' and 'A Cloud' reveal the duo's improvisational skill, weaving intricate rhythms and melodies that seem to constantly evolve. There's a rawness and depth to the music that pulls you in, while 'Sao Paulo' offers a refreshing, energetic shift in mood. The album's blend of world influences with jazz tradition ensures it's both adventurous and captivating.

Review: Kintsugi is the Japanese art of fixing broken stuff in beautiful ways and thus embracing the item's history. It is also in part the name of this new Kintsugi Soul Stepper's album that mirrors that concept by "celebrating the beauty found in piecing together diverse fragments to create a harmonious whole." Filipino Canadian collective seekersinternational and beat-maker jjuwanstockton lead the charge, on a record that celebrates the fusions of many diverse sounds from dub to soul to nostalgic 1980s Japan, as well as many different cultures, and identities.

Review: Uhlmann Johnson Wilkes is the debut album from Gregory Uhlmann, Josh Johnson and Sam Wilkes, a collective of three versatile improvisers, arrangers and producers whose work spans jazz, rock and experimental. Across 11 instrumental tracks, they explore a jazz-informed take on progressive electro-acoustic chamber music that brings beauty, melody and rhythm to the fore. The record was conceived during live shows and a home session in Los Angeles and features Uhlmann's mournful fingerpicked guitar, Wilkes' bass chording and Johnson's effect-laden saxophone. Their arrangement-minded improvisation results in some nicely otherworldly textures as they push their instruments to create a spacious, lyrical sound.