Review: Dutch label Universo Positivo returns with label head Jospeh Salvador and house legend Orlando Voorn. Salvador has been active since the 1990s and has worked under various aliases and labels, while Voorn is known for connecting Detroit techno with European styles, and together they find a perfect sweet spot between deep and soulful house. The filter-funk energy of 'Slap My Funk' kicks off, then there's the boogie-fried and low slung house of 'Every Man Loves', jazzy melodies and big breaks of 'Break It Down' and strident, steamy disco-house stomper 'So Well.'
Johnny Hammond - "Los Conquistadores Chocolates" (6:01)
Bill Summers - "Brazilian Skies" (4:30)
Roy Haynes - "Quiet Fire" (8:11)
Willis Jackson - "Nuther'n Like Thuther'n" (7:27)
Louie Bellson & Walfredo De Los Reyes - "Sentido En Seis (Six Feeling)" (7:33)
Flora Purim - "Vera Cruz (Empty Faces)" (4:12)
Lonnie Liston Smith & The Cosmic Echoes - "Visions Of A New World (Phase II)" (3:41)
Pleasure - "No Matter What" (4:49)
Fatback Band - "Njia Walk" (4:07)
Johnny Lytle - "Gunky" (4:31)
Patrice Rushen - "Jubilation" (5:54)
Cal Tjader - "Mambo Mindoro" (3:46)
Tania Maria - "Yatra-Ta" (4:21)
Dom Um Romao - "Braun-Blek-Blu" (4:50)
Review: Chris Bangs' varied and eclectic musical journey is a key reason he was chosen to curate a compilation for Ace. With a background ranging from space rock with The Mighty Om to DJ residencies across London, Bangs' career spans numerous genres, from jazz, funk, to soul. Bangs' DJ sets and parties - in such time-honoured venues as Special Branch in Brentford, London - were seminal in the evolution of the acid jazz genre alongside Gilles Peterson, where "acid jazz was never meant to be more than a pisstake". His foray into production, such as the proto-acid jazz classic 'Psychedelic Jack' with Peterson on vocals, cemented his legacy, but it's curation highlights such as this that really get our gears going. Hold tight as we scour early acid jazz brilliants from Gunky to Vera Cruz to Brazilian Skies to Jubilation.
Review: Mixed by Japanese producer and DJ Muro, who has a background in hip-hop, this connoisseur is never short on deep cuts and takes us on a journey through soulful, vintage AOR sonics from his home country. Whilst no two tracks are by the same artist, there's a cohesion to the tracklist thanks to Muro's ear in pulling out things that sit so well together. Asakawa Mak's 1988 cut 'American Night' is a smooth nod to sophisti pop greats Prefab Sprout; whilst Seri Ishikawa's elegant and lush number, 'Eternal 1/2', highlights how innovative she was in forging new sounds back in 1985. These two cuts are just the tip of the iceberg, yet this compilation is an ideal entry point to some of the finest Japanese music of the late 20th century. You can bank on Muro delivering the goods.
Royksopp - "Ice Machine" (exclusive Depeche Mode cover version - Godlike edit)
Johann Johannsson - "Odi Et Amo"
FR David - "Music"
Prelude - "After The Goldrush"
Richard Schneider Jr - "Hello Beach Girls"
Acker Bilk - "Stranger On The Shore"
Thomas Dolby - "Budapest By Blimp"
Byrne & Barnes - "Love You Out Of Your Mind"
Andreas Vollenweider - "Hands & Clouds"
John Martyn - "Small Hours"
XTC - "The Somnabulist"
This Mortal Coil - "Til I Gain Control"
Popol Vuh - "Aguirre I Lacrime Di Rei"
Review: Second time around for Royksopp's superb contribution to the popular, post-club focused LateNightTales mix series, a beloved volume that first hit record stores back in 2013. For the uninitiated, it sees the long-serving Norwegian twosome offer up an attractive blend of synth-heavy Scandolearic shufflers (their own cosmic pop number 'Daddy's Groove'), dubbed-out soul (Rare Bird), swelling synth soundtrack fare (Vangelis), neo-classical (Johann Johannsson), reverb-laden accapella beauty (Prelude), sun-soaked blue-eyed soul (Richard Schneider Junior), nods to the KLF's Chill Out album (Acker Bilk), seductive slow jams (Byrnes & Barnes), vintage Balearica (Andreas Vollenweider, John Martyn) and atmospheric new wave (XTC, This Mortal Coil).
Abeti Et Les Redoutables - "Musique Tshiluba" (2:37)
Trio Bydoli - "Lalia" (4:53)
Tabu Ley Et L'Orchestre Afrisa - "Adeito" (6:40)
Les Bantous De La Capitale - "Ngantsie Soul" (8:23)
Les Freres Soki Et L'Orchestre Bella Bella - "Nganga" (8:36)
Orchestre Celi Bitshou - "Tembe Na Tembe Ya Nini" (7:18)
Lolo Et L'Orchestre OK Jazz - "Lolo Soulfire" (3:34)
Zaiko Langa Langa - "Femme Ne Pleure Pas" (5:59)
Orchestre OK Jazz - "Kiwita Kumunani" (3:46)
GO Malebo - "Fiancee Laya" (5:05)
Orchestre National Du Congo - "Ah! Congo" (3:18)
Review: Analog Africa has repressed the highly valued and long since sold-out Congo Funk! Sound Madness From The Shores Of The Mighty Congo River: Kinshasa/Brazzaville 1969-1982. It is a compilation that superbly shows off the raw energy and funkiness of the Congolese rumba scene. This is the country that spawned such as legendary bands as African Jazz, OK Jazz and African Fiesta and it is said that the concert ahead of the legendary Rumble in the Jungle boxing match between Muhammad Ali vs George Foreman is what really set young hopefully musicians on their paths, after they saw James Brown play live. The story of those artists and the labels they released on in the ensuing years is what is told so well here across four sides of vital wax.
King Solomon (Nii Mantse) - "Dzen Ye Kokloo" (3:58)
Okyerema Asante - "Ateaa" (5:20)
George Darko - "Medo Menuanom" (LP version) (9:27)
Osei Banahene - "Woanwaremea" (6:06)
Osei-Osarfo Kantaka - "Mansa" (Special) (9:27)
King Solomon (Nii Mantse) - "Dzoohee" (4:53)
Classique Vibes - "Sankofa" (5:02)
Osei Banahene - "Odo Nye Me Sa" (6:21)
Obibini Takyi - "Ohia Sei Abrantie" (6:33)
Padmore Oware - "Menkowu" (4:44)
Review: Kalita returns with the third instalment of its Borga Revolution! series, continuing its deep dive into the sound of Burger Highlife, a genre born of traditional Ghanaian melodies, synths, drum machines, and disco groove-matics. Emerging in the 1980s during a time of great political turmoil, public strife and mass emigration, the style evolved as Ghanaian musicians abroad began blending their roots with the digital tools of their new homes. Volume 3 showcases rare and elusive cuts by the likes of Obibini Takyi, Osei Banahene, and Okyerema Asante, as well as keystone figures George Darko and Lee Dodou. The collection paints a fuller picture of a moment where innovation thrived in exile, and highlife was reshaped through transcontinental influence and technological experimentation.
Wynd Chymes - "Checkin' Out Your Stuff" (12" version)
GQ - "Is It Cool"
Phil Upchurch - "Could It Be You" (feat Marlena Shaw)
The Floaters & Shu Ga - "Not Enough For Me"
Linda Clifford - "I Want To Get Away With You"
David Williams - "When Your Dreams Come True"
Anthony Lockett - "Decisions"
Review: The Nighttime Lovers series, which deftly showcases the forgotten and overlooked corners of 1980s disco, electrofunk and synth-powered dancefloor soul, reaches its 36th instalment. As you'd expect given the high number of previous volumes, the selections tend towards the defiantly deep, with more familiar artists being represented by lesser-known treats. So, instead of the much-loved 'Love Me Like That', Reel To Reel offers up the glossier, slap-bass propelled 80s soul of 'Don't Keep Me Hanging On', Cashmere contributes the sweet and tactile 'We Need Love' and GQ drops the eyes-closed lead vocals and horn-heavy peak-time hustle of 'Is It Cool'. Other highlights include Phil Upchruch's Marlena Shaw-sporting 'It's Got To Be You', Linda Clifford's superb 'I Want To Get Away With You' and the squelchy synth-disco of 'Decisions' by Anthony Lockett.
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