Back catalogue: Funk

Review: The third volume of the AfroColombia Remix series merges African and Colombian sounds with contemporary electronica. It's a collaboration between Colombian labels Galletas Calientes and Palenque Records that celebrates Palenque's 20+ years of activism and Galletas Calientes' two-decade legacy while honouring the late Abelardo Carbono with a remix of his track 'La PiNa Madura' by Voilaaa - it's a standout here with hints of funk, soul and disco all bringing the sunshine. The compilation also reinterprets Nigerian Igbo Highlife and Ekobe music thanks to producers Captain Planet, Uproot Andy and Caribombo. They bring new, funky energy to timeless classics while preserving the original cultural essence.

Review: Abaete's self-titled 1977 LP remains one of Brazil's deepest cult treasuresian obscure gem of Bahian jazz-funk samba that now sees long-overdue reissue. Recorded during a creative high for Bahia's music scene, this sole full-length from the vocal trio blends masterfully layered harmonies with moody synths, groove-driven percussion and North Brazilian rhythmic signatures. There's almost no background info on the group, but the music speaks volumes. Highlights like 'O Rei Do Calang (Calangotango)' and 'Toca Nicanor' ripple with syncopated urgency, while 'Canto Sul' and 'Por Uma Razo De Amor' float with breezy melodic finesse. Mixed by Waldir Lombardo Pinheiroiknown for work with Tom Ze and Zeca do Tromboneithe album is full of freewheeling arrangements, grainy funk textures and subtle psychedelia. It's no surprise the trio also penned tunes for greats like Clara Nunes and Elza Soares. A rare window into an experimental chapter of Brazilian popular music, rediscovered in all its radiant groove.

Review: In celebration of 50 years in the performing arts, Idris Ackamoor presents Artistic Being for Record Store Day 2025-a powerful blend of jazz, spoken word and activism. Featuring the voices of acclaimed actor Danny Glover and stage legend Rhodessa Jones, this record captures highlights from the Underground Jazz Cabaret, which was performed during Black History Month 2024 at The Lab in San Francisco. Co-produced by Ackamoor's Cultural Odyssey, the release fuses poetic storytelling with evocative musical textures while reflecting on social justice, identity and resilience. Artistic Being is a profound statement from a visionary artist.

Review: Fusion five-piece Aldorande are no fustians when it comes to full-length LPs. These self-styled groove adventurers remain radically open to the sound, thanks to their stylistic touchstone, 70s funk, and its diachronic conduction of future styles. Recorded on tape in a top Parisian studio, their third record Trois brims with trifect textures, bold phrasing, and soaring choral waves. Mathieu Edouard's precise drumming is glued to the spot by Erwan Loeffel's plaited percussion, all the while Laurent Guillet's fingertips and Florian Pellissier's splayed hands make the best uses of Fender Rhodes, axe and Minimoog.

Review: From Sekondi-Takoradi, Ghana, Gyedu-Blay Ambolley returns with another simmering display of his self-styled Simigwa-funk-part highlife, part jazz, part proto-rap, all unmistakably his own. Still sharp at 77, Ambolley commands a tight ensemble through groove-led declarations like 'Wake Up Afrika' and 'U Like Or U No Like', riding swung basslines and crisp horn arrangements with the flair of a master bandleader. 'God E See You' finds him slipping into a smoky, Afro-soul register, while 'New Simi Rapp' stretches out into hypnotic territory, led by flutes, baritone sax and rhythmic mantras. 'Ochoko Bila' and 'If You Want To Know' are more playful cuts, full of bounce and quick-fire wisdom. The production, split between Ghana and the Netherlands, balances live grit with rich detail-everything breathes, nothing is wasted. As ever, Ambolley's voice is both storyteller and instrument: loose, commanding, and deeply rooted in diasporic sound. This is music that moves and means.

Review: The UK's Robin Lee is one of the members of much-loved disco gang Faze Action but also he's behind Andromeda Orchestra who return here with an album that offers a cosmic fusion of jazz-funk and disco. It's been put together with Moogs, clarinets, Rhodes and rich analogue textures that make for a mix of nostalgia and sonic richness that sinks you in deep. Blending nostalgia with innovation, Lee creates deep, immersive soundscapes. There are widescreen odysseys like 'Mythical', loved-up bunkers such as 'Thinking About Your Love' and a rare Nick The Record remix of 'Get Up & Dance' that overflows with cosmic melodies and lush, life-affirming strings.

Review: Thrumming with conceptual aplomb, jazz mastermind and Ezra Collective co-founder Joe Armon-Jones's new album All The Quiet is finally revealed to us. Residua of jazz, funk, dub, hip hop and soul abound on the second chapter of a two-part Aquarii Records release, which Jones founded. With guest features from the likes of Greentea Peng, Yazmin Lacey, Hak Baker and Oscar Jerome, the record complements Jones and Aquarii's stated mission to blend genres and cross stylistic streams, from atmospheric electronica to dub, while building and subverting tropes of apocalypse, prophecy and redemption.

Review: The multi-talented Joe Armon-Jones is back in the game with his most ambitious and self-defined solo work yet. All The Quiet (Part II) is a colourful collision of jazz, funk, dub, hip-hop and soul that was entirely written, produced and mixed by the man himself. His work as part of Mercury Prize-winning Ezra Collective is what established Armon-Jones, but his evolution as a solo artist on his own label, Aquarii Records, has been just as essential. This follow-up to 2019's Turn To Clear View features collaborators like Greentea Peng, Yazmin Lacey, Hak Baker and Nubya Garcia and is a deeply personal sound that veers from expansive and cosmic to more intimate and tender.

Review: It has been a full half a century since legendary Brazilian outfit Azymuth made their debut and their new album, Marca Passo, reaffirms their place as legends of jazz-funk. It was recorded in Rio and produced by Daniel Maunick and is the group's first album since drummer Ivan "Mamao" Conti's passing, with bassist Alex Malheiros now the sole founding member. He's joined by Kiko Continentino and new drummer Renato Massa to continue Azymuth's tradition of blending samba soul, funk and cosmic jazz. Highlights include a tribute to Conti, 'Samba Pro Mamao,' and a refreshed take on 'Last Summer In Rio.' The album is a vital, heartfelt continuation of Azymuth's enduring legacy.

Review: Released 50 years after their self-titled debut, Azymuth's Marca Passo feels less like a comeback and more like a confident continuation, with the legendary Brazilian outfit carrying its past into the present with all the same vigour that marked their winding career. The formula remains intact: Brazilian jazz-funk, dreamy synths, and loose but locked-in rhythm. There's something moving in how naturally the trio i with Alex Malheiros still at the helm i navigates loss, memory and legacy without turning sentimental. 'Samba Pro Mamao' is a tender nod to Ivan Conti, but the record never lingers in nostalgia. Daniel Maunick's production keeps things warm and fluid, and there's joy in hearing Incognito's Bluey drop in on the rework of Last Summer in Rio. Not flashy or forced. Just a deep, grooving reminder that Azymuth's music still flows from somewhere timeless.

Review: Tonal treasures and "three-man orchestra" Azymuth mark fifty years of service to the progosphere with Marca Passo, largely a conduit through which to reflect on the of loss of their founding drummer Ivan "Mamao" Conti in 2023. Now with only bassist Alex Malheiros as the last surviving original member, and joined by longtime keyboardist Kiko Continentino and new drummer Renato Massa, the new record deepens Azymuth's signature blend of samba, jazz-funk and 70s MPB studio textures. A rework of 'Last Summer In Rio' is an especial great, as it brings in Incognito's Bluey as a nod to Bertrami, while 'Samba Pro Mamao' honours Conti.