Brokenbeat / Nu Jazz Recommendations March 2011

Review: Italian producer Isoul8 and Detroit bassist Paul Randolph (of Innerzone Orchestra fame) hook up on this rather lush 12" on Japanese imprint Especial. "Stay Stay Stay" is a tribute to Roy Ayers and Don Blackman, with soulful vocals floating over the top of languid, funky bass licks and mellow, twinkling keys. The flipside contains two versions of "Waves Of Love" - with the solid 4/4 thump of the disco version slightly shading it for our money. It was also a favourite in the record box of the late Aaron Carl, and as such the Especial crew have dedicated this release to the much loved producer.

Review: "The two opposing ends of R&S's historical spectrum collide on this ten inch as the track that marked Model 500's return to the imprint after a fourteen year absence gets taken apart and put back together in gloriously diverse fashion by two rising talents. It's a near exercise in futility to try and separate these two remixes of Model 500's "OFI" and proclaim one the winner, as both the submissions from Bullion and Space Dimension Controller are teeming at the brink with ideas that radicalise the template of the original. Anyone who indulged in the recent non album from Bullion will be fully aware of this producer's capacity to twist through tempos and rhythms at will and make it all work. That approach is more than replicated on his "Rivertrance Remix" which on first inspection sounds like three tracks in one. Galloping along via a bottomed out kraut groove, Bullion swerves through a collage of dizzying psychedelic sounds and effects in the space of four and a bit minutes which laugh generously in the face of categorisation. The flipside "Evasive Funk" remix from Celtic astronaut Space Dimension Controller retains the austere electro funk pulse of the original from Atkins, Banks and Taylor but sharpens the pace markedly, embellishing the bass with a schizophrenic menace that is matched by the sheer depth of percussive layers and synthesized touches.

Review: This comprehensive collection from perennial crate-diggers Soul Jazz Records charts the 1960s heyday of legendary Brazilian label Elenco Records - bossa nova's answer to Studio One. As an introduction to classic Brazilian bossa, it's peerless. To the annoyance of bossa collectors everywhere (step forward Gilles Peterson), all the most important artists and tracks are present - largely for the first time outside of Brazil. This deluxe gatefold vinyl version also unfurls into an informative history of the Elenco label and describes the bossa movement in incredible detail. Basically, if you're interested in bossa, jazz or Brazilian music, you need this beautifully presented and musically interesting collection.