Back catalogue: Funk Soul & Jazz

Review: Private Stock Records is slowly but surely building up a golden catalogue of funk magic. This fourth EP is another high-class double dose that opens with Cutso's 'Fallen Love (Woo Woo)', a swirling slow burner of a tune with heavy, languid drums and twisted vocal samples that eventually coalesce into a warming party vibe. Excel's 'Had To Shut You Down' is a glorious soul gem with lush Philly strings and ornamental arrangements that raise your spirits and elevate your mood with its seductive grooves, not to mention a classic r&b vocal sample.

Review: Emerging from Austin's vibrant music scene, El Combo Oscuro infuses Latin psychedelia with the mystical essence of New Orleans. Their track 'Vudu y Chachacha' marries pulsating percussion with echoing guitars and a steady bassline, creating an entrancing soundscape. On Side-1 features a remix by New Orleans' Professor Shorthair, who transforms the original into a dance-floor anthem. With Rakaa Iriscience of Dilated Peoples lending his distinctive vocals, the remix amplifies the track's infectious groove. Presented on a limited edition 45 rpm, the bone-colored vinyl with blue and violet splatter adds a visual flair to the auditory experience. Both sides of this are a fine fusion of Latin rhythms and modern beats, offering a fresh take on cross-genre innovation.

Review: El Michels Affair returns with a new two-track release that showcases his continued excellence as both a producer and musician. The A-side, 'Mr Brew,' opens with a menacing intro before evolving into a spacious tune masterfully balancing tension and release. Gentle guitars, strings, flutes and brass weave over a heavy drum track to make for a bright and immersive landscape. On the B-side, 'Kodak' is a lesson in space and arrangement with mellow drums and beautiful instrumentation setting the perfect mood. EMA's trademark restraint ensures the vibe remains the focal point while delivering a perfectly crafted sound that never overwhelms.

Review: Earthtones land on Wonderwheel here with their first full-length album. The title encapsulates a message of unity and hope for humanity and aims to emphasise our interconnectedness and the universal bond of love. Rooted in Folkloric Futurism, Earthtones merges global folk traditions with modern technology inspired by pioneers like Mr. Fingers and Kevin Saunderson. Analog synthesisers, vintage drum machines, and folk vocals create a truly unique sound that celebrates the past and the future, spirituality, feminism, and peace. Highlights include '??sanyin' featuring Maikel Alberto Salazar and 'La Mujer Serpiente' with Lido Pimienta.

Review: Multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and producer edbl aka Ed Black's new album 2010 Mixtape is another wonderful journey through an array of hip-hop styles, great songwriting and standout production skills. Following his edbl and friends series, this project highlights his love for hip-hop and features a host of UK artists from the alternative r&b and soul scenes. With mellow grooves, jazzy chords and vibey keys, 2010 Mixtape pays tribute to the great influence those styles have had on edbl's own sound. Named after the year he discovered hip-hop, the album features tons of highlights such as collaborations including Guvna B on 'Symbols,' Manik MC on 'Arcades' and KinKai on 'Too Much Shit To Do', all of which bring with soul.

Review: edbl is a dynamic producer based in South London who is synonymous with a mellow, soulful sound and collaborations with over 60 different artists. His acclaimed work South London Sounds played a pivotal role in establishing his popularity in Japan and Asia not least his signature track 'The Way Things Were' featuring Isaac Waddington. This all new long player compiles carefully selected songs that take in some superbly smooth and soulful tracks. Highlights include the jazzy flute-infused 'I'll Wait' and the beautifully vocal-driven 'Table For Two,' which sure do solidify edbl's status at the forefront of the global music scene.

Review: The instrumental version of the underground classic Glorious Game is a collaboration between El Michels Affair and Black Thought which showcases Leon Michels' signature "cinematic soul" sound in all its considerable glory. Since the release of Sounding Out The City in 2005, Michels has consistently pushed musical boundaries and has produced for many top names. In Glorious Game, he merges soul-tinged, bottom-heavy beats with Black Thought's deeply personal lyrics and, inspired by hip-hop's sample-based production, crafts new compositions that sample and reinterpret his own work to create dynamic, loop-driven instrumentals. The album is released on Big Crown Records which marks a debut partnership which will be interesting to follow.

Review: Elmiene's latest offering presents a smooth, immersive listen, blending soulful electronics with subtle, emotive melodies. Opening with the tender 'TLC,' the release quickly establishes its intimate mood, which is carried through tracks like the lush 'Light Work.' 'Crystal Tears' shifts to a more ambient space, while 'Ode To Win' builds a contemplative, understated momentum. The release really comes alive on the second side with 'Sweetness' and 'Until It's Dust,' where the production deepens into something atmospheric and hypnotic. 'Dark Out (Season of Thieves)' adds a touch of brooding intensity, and 'Anyways' closes on a contemplative note.

Review: This special The 35th-anniversary reissue of Come Away with ESG celebrates the groundbreaking debut album by the Bronx sisters. It's a proper genre-defying classic that shaped hip-hop, house, and post-punk with its signature minimalist funk. ESG's stripped-down sound is built on raw drumbeats and hypnotic bass lines and defies traditional labels with a more groove-driven, horn and organ-free alternative to funk. Their influence spans decades and has inspires artists across several genres which is why Come Away remains a classic and one that proves that true rhythm lies in the spaces between the beats.

Review: To celebrate the 35th anniversary of this iconic album, it has been reissued on vinyl in various colours including this organ neon sizzler. Come Away with ESG was the groundbreaking debut from the Bronx-based sister group and is recognised as a genre-defying classic that played a pivotal role in shaping hip-hop, house and post-punk. ESG's minimalist funk, stripped of horns and heavy organ, offered a fresh take on the genre. Decades later, their impact is undeniable, influencing artists across multiple styles. This album is a testament to the power of rhythm-not just in the beats, but in the spaces between them.

Review: To mark the 35th birthday of this album it has been reissued on vinyl in different colours, so take your pick. As any funk lovers will know, Come Away with ESG is the Bronx sisters' pioneering debut album and a genre-blurring masterpiece that is accepted to have very much helped shape hip-hop, house, and post-punk with its signature minimalist funk. ESG's raw, stripped-down approach offered a fresh alternative to traditional funk in that it was free of horns and heavy organ. Decades later, their influence remains undeniable and has inspired countless artists across multiple genres. This record is all the proof you need that the magic of rhythm isn't just in the beats-it thrives in the spaces between them.

Review: Resonance is the superb new album from Essa and Pitch 92. Essa is something of a veteran who back in the early part of this millennium was putting out tunes under the name Yungun. He is a Londoner and lawyer who played a key part in the UK's golden hip-hop era and picked up props for his work from dons like Nas while also working with De La Soul, Wu-Tang Clan, Guru, Slum Village and Pharoahe Monch. This record taps into that time with its soul-drenched, low-slung and late-night beats, specially and politically aware lyrics and gorgeous samples. A contemporary classic steeped in authenticity.

Review: Hip-hoppers EVISBEATS and Kazuhiko Maeda have collaborated on superb new album 'Syn Fonia' which blends various sounds through improvisation and recording. They used acoustic instruments, loopers, electronic sounds and environmental noises to craft this instrumental collection and the resulting album showcases how their inspirations intertwine to create a series of tracks that evoke distorted, nationality-free imagery through their sound experimentation. This project highlights the creative synergy between the two artists and their innovative approach to music-making.

Review: One year on from making history as the first ever jazz band to be awarded the Mercury Prize, Ezra Collective are continuing to pump out their sensational, unique blend of jazz, roots, afrobeat and calypso. 'Dance No One's Watching' is the highly anticipated follow-up to the aforementioned award-winning 'Where I'm Meant to Be'. Set to release in September, the two singles 'God Gave Me Feet For Dancing' and 'Ajala' set the bar high. The prior is a jazzy, drum-led groove backing the buttery smooth Yazmin Lacey, a name to watch in the soul scene (famously she was scouted after being persuaded to sing on a drunken night out.) The track is a sunny interpolation of Cy Grant's 'Feeling Good' (though let's face it, Nina Simone truly made that record) with a quintessential British soul sound that brings to mind the stylings of Greentea Peng, early Jorja Smith work etc. To boil it down to 'easy listening' would feel reductive but, my God, it's easy on the ears for sure. Single number two, 'Ajala' is quite a stark contrast. Incorporating the hectic feeling of bebop classics, it's a blaring and fast-paced brass session with some great high-tempo percussive afrobeat. Taking its name from the Yoruba slang for fidgety, derived from the Nigerian journalist who one day decided to travel the world on a moped, the track does just that: it begs you to get up and move. If these two tracks are anything to go by, the world is set for a future award winner this Autumn.

Review: Dance, No One's Watching is a vibrant tribute to the joyous act of dancing and a night out from the anticipation of evening to the early morning hours. Written during Ezra Collective's whirlwind 2023 world tour, which saw them become the first jazz act to win the Mercury Prize, the album reflects the global dancefloors they experienced, from London to Chicago, Lagos to Sydney. Dance and rhythm unite us all, a spirit celebrated in these tracks. Recorded at Abbey Road studios, the sessions transformed into a live celebration with friends and family, adding a communal warmth to the music. The album features collaborations with Olivia Dean, M.anifest, Moonchild Sanelly, and Yazmin Lacey, who sings on the lead single 'God Gave Me Feet for Dancing.' This new album follows their acclaimed Where I'm Meant to Be, and continues to showcase Ezra Collective's innovative contributions to contemporary British music.

Review: ***B-STOCK: Sleeve damaged but otherwise in excellent condition***


Dance, No One's Watching is a joyous celebration of the unifying power of dance. Written during Ezra Collective's world tour in 2023, which also saw them become the first jazz act to win the Mercury Prize, this album is full of vibrant energy, a complete sonic journey through a night out in the city, this album succeeds from the opening anticipation to the dawn's quiet conclusion. Recorded at Abbey Road Studios amidst a live communal celebration, Dance, No One's Watching resonates with love, music, and the infectious spirit of dancing. The band's dynamic compositions and rhythmic power are showcased in every track, making it a powerful addition to contemporary British music. The Deluxe 2 LP set on black vinyl, housed in a gatefold jacket with exclusive artwork and a fold-out poster, makes this limited edition the copy to have. Ezra Collective's are innovative with a unifying musical vision.

Review: Ezra Collective were hugely inspired by Emma Warren's ode to the joys of social dancing, last year's critically acclaimed book Dance Your Way Home. So much so, in fact, that they recorded and sequenced the album to "musically guide" listeners through "a night out in the city, from the opening of possibilities as a new evening pans out ahead, to dawn's final hours as the night comes to a close". Recorded at Abbey Road studios, the set lives up to its promise, with an ebb and flow that combines their contemporary jazz brilliance and soulful exuberance with rhythms and grooves rooted in different dancefloors across the world. Throw in superb sleeve notes from Warren extolling the "joys of dancing" and the band members' own dancefloor journeys, and you have a package that genuinely lives up to its promise.

Review: The Mercury Prize-winning British jazz group returns this September with the greatly anticipated follow-up to the award-winning 'Where I'm Meant to Be'. The first jazz group ever to win the prestigious accolade, their unique blend of jazz, calypso, afrobeat and roots has carried over into the two singles 'God Gave Me Feet For Dancing' and 'Ajala'.The former features up-and-coming star Yazmin Lacey, whose sudden scouting has made her a necessary one to watch in the British soul scene. Interpolating Nina Simones's 1965 classic 'Feeling Good', the track proposes the group's manifesto of dancing not just as an activity confined to the club, but as a God-given ability - an act of spirituality and community. 'Ajala', by contrast, is a fast-paced afrobeat-cum-bebop jam named after the Yoruba slang for being unable to sit still. Lucky fans were able to hear the recording live at the 'Beyond the Bassline' exhibition at the British Library - with some of the live adlibs and crowd work being included in the single version currently on streaming. Pressed on an indie-exclusive deep red stain disc.

Review: Dance, No One's Watching is a joyous celebration of the unifying power of dance. Written during Ezra Collective's world tour in 2023, which also saw them become the first jazz act to win the Mercury Prize, this album is full of vibrant energy, a complete sonic journey through a night out in the city, this album succeeds from the opening anticipation to the dawn's quiet conclusion. Recorded at Abbey Road Studios amidst a live communal celebration, Dance, No One's Watching resonates with love, music, and the infectious spirit of dancing. The band's dynamic compositions and rhythmic power are showcased in every track, making it a powerful addition to contemporary British music. The Deluxe 2 LP set on black vinyl, housed in a gatefold jacket with exclusive artwork and a fold-out poster, makes this limited edition the copy to have. Ezra Collective's are innovative with a unifying musical vision.

Review: Nothing Leaves The House: The Anthology brings together four talented producers who each bring their own flavour to instrumental hip-hop. Tall Black Guy kicks things off with 'One to One,' a jazzy, laid-back track with a smooth groove, followed by 'Solar Coaster For The People,' which ups the energy with its infectious rhythm. Eric Lau's 'Chop For Mr Thing' is a standout, with intricate beats and soulful layers, while Kidkanevil's 'Loopin' Ill' brings playful, quirky melodies. Mr Thing closes the collection with 'Changes,' a funky, groove-driven track that wraps things up on a high note. An essential compilation for fans of soulful hip-hop and jazzy beats.