Akiko & Masayasu Tzboquchi - "Love Theme From Sparticus" (feat Mbanja Ritchy aka B-Bandj - Clear Day mix) (4:34)
Review: Tom Browne's 1980 single 'Funkin' For Jamaica' has long been something of an anthem - a hybrid funk/boogie classic that remains a staple in sets of hip-hop, disco and soul DJs alike. Given its ubiquity, covering the song is fraught with danger, but remarkably Japanese producer Akiko and guest vocalist Mbanja Richy have successfully put a new spin on it. Their take is subtly tougher and more synth-heavy, with bilingual French/English vocals, nods to Zouk music and a bassline so squelchy it could have been lifted from a P-funk record. Over on the flip, the pair go mellow, deep and laidback on a pleasingly skewed hip-hop soul cover of Terry Callier's legendary vocal interpretation of Alex North's 'Love Theme' from 'Spartacus'. Inspired stuff all told.
Review: Big Crown is one of our favourite labels here at HQ. The funk and soul they serve up is perfectly aged yet never overly nostalgic and this new one is another case it point. It's the latest from the Bacao Rhythm & Steel Band and features two singles take from their latest and greatest album Expansions which landed back in June. As always they bring their own unique steel drum sounds and tropical Caribbean vibes to funk music. 'Raise It Up' is a deep cut joint with big horns and rippling steel drums puddles while 'Space' is a more lumpy groove with the drums more front and centre.
Review: The Bacao Rhythm & Steel Band has become the latest jewel in the Big Crown. Lead by Bjorn Wagner, they have stopped several essential recordings not he label, all defined by their famous steel pan sound. Often they turn to covers of the classics such as they did back in March and this time around they take aim at the much loved and low slung hip-hop classic 'Nuthin' But A G Thang' by Dr Dre. In their hands it becomes something else entirely but still delightfully low slung and sleazy. This one is backed with 'How We Do' which is another loveably fresh sound.
Review: Bacao Rhythm & Steel Band is an enigmatic steel pan collective from Hamburg that has a hardcore fan following around the world and a new album on the way that is superb. They are loved for their covers of hip-hop classics and last year served up a version of the Stranger Things theme tune but this time out we get 'Love For The Sake Of Dub' of 45 rpm. It is another pair of funky tunes with the signature brass sounds front and centre as the fat bottom rhythms roll deep and fleshy. Another gem from this leftfield outfit.
Review: The DMV crew presents two Biggie-inspired tracks on a limited 7" vinyl here that drives just in time for you to flip some Christmas party dance floors inside out and back to front. Side A opens with the wonderful and timeless 'Juicy Groove,' which is a funky, brass-infused twist on a classic NYC hit that will connect with a wide array of dancers. Flip to side B and you will find a Caribbean-flavoured mashup that's sure to leave you 'Hypnotized'. Do not excuse the pun.
Review: Mr Bongo is back with more stone cold hip-hop. This one comes from 1991 and is a reissue of a UK only 7" from Black Sheep. The single was always a curio and remained in the shadows of the more catchy and commercially successful 'The Choice is Yours' but it does have a great hook and tumble-down charm to the production. Dres is the MC bringing the character and plenty of carefully dug out samples make this one standout above many of its peers. An original copy of this will set you back a fancy few quid so when you also add in the break fuelled remix on the flip you have an essential little pick up.
Review: Bedroom beat producer Blank Check has teamed up with Honolulu's Aloha Got Soul and Tokyo's Grand Gallery for this majestic new six-song EP which comes on tidy 10" vinyl. It's mega limited with only 300 copies produced and it showcases loop-based music that evokes a floating sensation, which is reminiscent, say the accompanying notes, of Tommy Guerrero's world view. The instrumental sound features a dub-like quality that perfectly captures an urban mellow vibe that feels both original and authentic. Essentially it serves as a soundtrack to a short film that immerses you in atmospheric and cinematic soundscapes.
Tougher (live At Hollis Park version - Jorun Bombay remix) (2:38)
Who's House (Iive At Hollis Park version - Jorun Bombay remix) (4:03)
Review: Legendary edit king, scalpel master and studio wizard Jorun Bombay is back with more of his expertly articulated remixes. This time his latest 7" comes on Soundweight and finds him reworking a live at Holls Park version of 'Tougher.' It is super short but sweet with raw, bumping breaks, backspins, sleazy vocals and early-era electro stabs. On the flip is 'Who's House' (Iive At Hollis Park version - Jorun Bombay remix) which is a smoother, deep hip-hop roller with feel-good horns and plenty of characterful scratching. Two different but equally effective new joints from Jorun.
Review: Before he signed with Tru Thoughts 21 years ago, and many years before he became one of Ninja Tune's most popular artists, Simon Green AKA Bonobo was merely a bedroom DJ/producer knocking up tracks in his Brighton home. The two tracks showcased on this limited-edition "45" date from that period and have never before seen the light of day. A-side 'Brighton Tapes 01' is warming and hazy, with toasty chords, drowsy flute and female vocal samples and deep bass rising above crunchy, loose-limbed MPC-driven drums. Flipside 'Brighton Tapes 02', which contains the same high level of vintage cassette hiss, is similarly warming, with a sweet female vocal sample, snaking sax samples and rich Rhodes chords wrapping around a head-nodding hip-hop beat.
Review: KRS-One and Boogie Down Productions come together here for Record Store Day 2024 to present their early wonders 'Poetry' and '9mm'. 'Poetry' from 1987, which has a beat famously sampled in MF Doom's 'Doomsday', is an original now valued at L200+. The flip side features the earlier hit 'My 9mm Goes Bang', a precursor to gangster rap with Schooly D and Ice T influences. Remastered for 2024, the original mixes retain their legendary status here and it comes housed in iconic B-Boy labels and sleeves. These tracks represent the essence of early hip-hop and showcase KRS-One's enduring influence and Boogie Down Productions' groundbreaking contributions to the genre's evolution.
Review: Hardcore funk and breaks lovers rejoice - the latest Heat Rock is a real winner. This 7th and final entry into the first series has a pair of world music-influenced bangers on it. The first tune is produced by Bounce Castle from Chicago and is primed for the dance floor with its Bollywood-flavoured vibes and big beats. It's a fresh take on a big tune from QB's Finest. And if you reverse it, fellow Chicagoan Altered Tapes mixes up a Cumbia slash dancehall slash breakbeat version of an iconic song from legendary Wu Tang album 36 Chambers.
Review: Brand New Heavies have long had their legacy assured. They played a vital role in establishing the Brit-funk sounds of the 80s and 90s and are one of the most enduring acts on Acid Jazz. Now, their standout album Heavy Rhyme Experience Vol. 1 has two of its finest cuts singled out and pressed up to this Bonafied Funk reissue on P-Vine Japan. The tunes are a blend of their signature sounds with some top-level featured guests including hip hop royalty Main Source and the one and only Grand Puba. Timeless dance floor delights, for sure.
Review: Ruth Brown came to prominence as a 2012 semi-finalist on The Voice as part of Sir Tom Jones' team, and has since performed across the UK, including multiple appearances at London Fashion Week. She also starred as the alternate Effie White in the London production of the Sonia Friedman Production, Dreamgirls. Her shows often sell out, such is the lushness of her soul sound and now she returns with her highly anticipated EP, A Moment Of Truth, which again offers up her powerful vocals and shows some fine artistic growth across a series of tunes with buttery tones, heart aching hooks and timeless neo-soul, house and funk production.
Review: Byron The Aquarius has the sort of mad skills on a keyboard that evade all too many house producers. He has also spent years making beats for hip-hop artists so has plenty in his arsenal. His fantastic EP 'Gone Today Here Tomorrow' is a still standout collection of cuts on Kyle Hall's Wild Oats label that now gets reissued on limited orange vinyl 12". It is a superb showcase of his skills that traverse lithe deep house, cosmic grooves, plenty of mellifluous melodies and seductive late-night sounds. 'Moments In Life' is a particular favourite here.
BoomBaptist - "Krush On You" (Queen B remix) (4:37)
Review: Heat Rock Records's 124th outing is also the final 45rpm in their 7" series. It packs a real punch with its bad boy sounds from Cutso (from the Bay Area) and Boombaptist (who hails from Texas). Cutso goes first with the filthy dirty and low slung bass bumps of 'LKMBMT' (Yagoditgowinon) and its Afro vocals and jerking rhythms. On the flip things go slow with BoomBaptist's 'Krush' (Queen B remix) layering up heat-damaged chords and warm boogie bass under some smart bars.
Review: Cinematic soul legend El Michels Affair has written a superb album Glorious Game which is due for release later in spring. Before that full-length with Roots co-founder and lyricist Black Thought - which is a meditation on the state of the hip-hop scene in the early 2020s - we get this taster single from it. 'Glorious Game' as you would expect as all the lush instrumentation and dark soul sounds you'd expect from this artist by now with the added extra of some superbly thought-provoking mic work. 'Grateful' is another heart-wrenching and alluring sound that more than gets us excited for the full length.
Review: Street Corner's FliP Sessions is a great source of beats for hip-hop heads and this eighth volume is no different. It's limited to just 200 copies and features five more exquisite little sketches that are loveably rough around the edges and full of laidback and dusty soul. After the busted breaks of GREENMINDZ, Toby Glider zones you out with lo-fi loops and Beaulemaire brings heavier beats. Side 2 has a more jazz cut from Elusive and star gazing cosmic melody from Shri!. All five of these are delightful little pieces.
Birdz Fly The Coup (feat Phonte & Keisha Shontelle) (4:26)
U Wonderin (feat Rapper Big Pooh & Sean Price)
Out Of Town (feat LEGACY & Joe Scudda)
I Don't Know Why (feat Keisha Shontelle) (2:11)
Money Makes The World Go Round (feat Starang Wondah) (1:42)
Review: Great hip-hop has often been defined by collaboration and Chemistry by 9th Wonder and Buckshot is a testament to that. The album, released on June 21, 2005 through Duck Down Music as a part of the label's "Triple Threat Campaign", showcases the seamless synergy between 9th Wonder's soulful production and Buckshot's sharp lyricism. Each track shows off their undeniable chemistry, with smooth beats and introspective rhymes that captivate from start to finish as muse on everything from introspective reflections to social commentary, all with precision and depth. With its cohesive sound and thoughtful lyricism, Chemistry is a must-listen for fans of both artists and the genre as a whole.
Review: Aesop Rock x Blockhead's Garbology album was a huge success and so it makes sense that the label now follows it up with a new issue of the instrumentals. It's a tidy package across four sides of coloured vinyl in a nice spot-varnished sleeve. Musically it is a brilliantly mixed bag that takes in myriad niche sounds and styles. The opener is a deep soul cut with pensive chords while 'Jazz Hands' (Instrumental) suspends you in swirling synths and spring-day optimism and 'Wolf Piss' (Instrumental) has heavier, darker beats and more menacing string sounds.
Review: Pink Siifu and Ahwlee are the rap, neo-soul and r&b duo B. Cool-AID and this is their new album on Lex. Leather Blvd is a woozy and lo-fi late-night trip through a range of narcotic atmospheres. The raps range from slurred and drenched in reverb to more crisp and well-defined as tracks range from short and sweet to epic and sprawling. There is a real intimacy to this record as well as a borrowing from jazz as these tracks unfurl and slowly make their way into your affections. It is another great coming together of this contemporary pair.
Review: American rapper and record producer Baby Keem dropped his debut album The Melodic Blue over a year ago but only now is the vinyl landing. Back then it was a rather surprise release and it finds the enigmatic rapper expanding into a wide world of sound that builds on his love of trap and melody. There is plenty of intimate writing and lots of his trademark switching between singing and rapping with fun and propulsive moments next to more playful ad-libs and goofy beats. Kreem is Kendrick Lamar's cousin but has his own distinctive sound as this album proves.
Review: Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Bay Rose says she makes music for those that are "aimless and heartbroken". Her magnificently rich voice conveys the pain and lament everyone has felt at some point in their life of this new sophomore album Through & Through. There is an honesty to it that has defined all her work to date and a determination to really say something with her music. Unrestricted by genre though couched in hip hop and r&b, lead singles like 'Dance With Me' marry lo-fi beat work with her smoky, raw soul vocals to make for something truly impactful. There is no wonder this one has already had plenty of press praise on both sides of the Atlantic.
Review: Unfairly labelled as a novel curio when they first emerged, the Bacao Rhythm & Steel Band is a genuine expression of Mighty Mocambos man Bjorn Wagner's love of Trinidadian steel pan music. Their tracks - often, but not always, quirky cover versions - combined authentic funk instrumentation (drums, bass, guitar, horns) with the timeless and distinctive sound of steel drums. BRSB, the combo's fourth album, is another summery and effortlessly entertaining treat. Highlights include the inspired 'Love For The Sake of Dub' (an organic interpretation of Claudja Barry's slo-mo disco classic 'Love For The Sake of Love'), the breaker-friendly cheeriness and heaviness of 'Grilled', a wonderfully woozy and dubbed out stroll through the 'Stranger Things Theme', and the summer sunshine of 'Champion's Walk'.
Review: Erykah Badu remains one of our favourite all-time artists and one of the greatest voices in neo-soul even though these days she never actually releases much music. Along the way from the 90s onwards though she dropped a superb run of albums including the still astonishing debut Baduism and New Amerykah series. This part, part one, subtitled Fourth World War, gets the reissue treatment courtesy of Motown and features plenty of Erykah's dark and trippy vocals, smoky soul sounds, candle-lit atmospheres and thought-provoking lyrics.
Dennis Coffey And The Detroit Guitar Band - "Scorpio"
The Jimmy Castor Bunch - "It's Just Begun"
B.T. Express - "Energy Level"
James Brown - "Get On The Good Foot"
Afrika Bambaataa & The Soul Sonic Force - "Planet Rock"
Manu Dibango - "Soul Makossa"
Esther Williams - "Last Night Changed It All"
The Mohawks - "The Champ"
Herman Kelly & Life - "Dance To The Drummer's Beat"
Spanky Wilson - "Sunshine Of Your Love"
James Brown - "Give It Up Or Turnit A Loose"
Candido - "Soulwanco"
Arthur Baker - "Breaker's Revenge"
Manu Dibango - "The Panther"
Abaco Dream - "Life And Death In G & A"
The Jackson 5 - "Dancing Machine"
Mongo Santamaria - "Cloud Nine"
Edwin Starr - "I Just Wanna Do My Thing"
Badder Than Evil - "Hot Wheels"
Johnny Bristol - "Lusty Lady"
Review: With 'breaking' making its debut in the 2024 Paris Olympics, it seems an apt time to go back to where it all began and showcase some of the music that first made break-dancers move in the early years of hip-hop culture. Soul Jazz Records clearly agrees, hence this two-disc retrospective of early 'breaker' favourites curated by Arthur Baker - a man who's productions and remixes soundtracked many dancefloor battles in the early 80s. It's a suitably strong selection all told, with dusty funk, soul and funk-rock favourites (Johnny Bristol, James Brown, The Jimmy Castor Bunch, Spanky Wilson) being joined by disco-funk jams (Herman Kelly and Life), extra-percussive workouts (Manu Dibango, Mongo Santamaria, Candido) and a smattering of key Baker productions (Afrika Bambaata and Soul Sonic Force's 'Planet Rock' and his own infectious 'Breakers Revenge').
Review: Beastie Boys Music is a new greatest hits compilation album that serves as a companion to 2020's Spike Jonze-directed Beastie Boys Story and 256-page photo book, Beastie Boys Book. The double vinyl affair takes in 20 classic tracks that span the iconic group's more than 30 year career, with the biggest of the big such as 'No Sleep', 'Sabotage' and 'Intergalactic' all making the cut. By now these are well worn classics, but their impact on rap cannot be overstated, and the tunes still get any party banging thanks to the immediacy of the beats and sharpness of the rhymes.
Review: This one does exactly what it says on the tin - offers up the raw and rather legendary master demo versions of some of the magic that legendary hip-hoppers The Beastie Boys served up on Def Jam. It comes on a super limited edition red vinyl pressing via the 21Bridges label with all of the many classics you would hope to hear included - from the riotousness of 'Fight For Your Right to Party' to the impressive bars of 'Rhyming & Stealin' via the anthemic 'No Sleep Till Brooklyn' and plenty more vitally influential tunes of the era like 'Hold It Now Hit It' and 'Time To Get Ill.'
Review: 'Stand Together' by Beastie Boys is a signature high-energy track from their iconic album Check Your Head. It perfectly resents what the US disruptors were all about with its trademark fusion of hip-hop, punk and funk, explosive instrumentation and dynamic vocal delivery. It's also the name of this broadcast album which comes on yellow vinyl and is a recording of a live TV broadcast the group did back on September 19, 1992 from Kawasaki Citta Club in Kanagawa, Japan. Plenty of their jams of the time - 'Egg Man' and 'Shake Your Rump' being much loved fan favourites especially - feature here, capturing the band at a particularly fertile moment in their career.
Review: Few have ever matched the rawness and visceral hip-hop energy of the Beastie Boys, have they? To catch them live is no doubt one of the most explosive musical experiences of the last 50 years. If you never have, fear not, because an album like this one takes you back in time to be there in the flesh, in this case at Club Citta in Kawasaki, Japan in September 1992. It was a performance broadcast live on radio and it comes now on nice heavyweight vinyl with plenty of lesser-known tunes in amongst some of the bigger moments. A real must for collectors and fans alike.
Review: Root Down is an experimental album from 1994 when The Beastie Boys locked themselves in a rehearsal space and went to town on studio experimentation and live jamming. It came between "Paul's Boutique" and "Check Your Head" and resulted in two previously unreleased versions of the title track and snippets of music recorded while on tour in Europe. There is the typical Beastie Boys mix of floor rocking riffs but with funky new flows stitched in and thus charts the period in which the band went from their post punk guitar roots to a more new-groove driven sound.
Review: Beyonce joins Drake in the house-via-Baltimore club 'renaissance', which has seen to a good deal of major hip-hop & R&B artists working in the styles over the course of entire albums and mixtapes. This being the queen of pop's first album in over six years, some naysayers say songs like 'Break My Soul' (filled with 90s organ and downtempo kicks and snares a-la Robin S) and 'Energy' (packed with batida stylings) are paint-by-numbers, but we beg to differ; for Beyonce, it's a polyglot of reinventory music.
Review: In what must be one of THE record releases of the year, Queen Bey is back with her majestic new album. As has been hotly discussed online, this album finds her embracing club music in no uncertain terms, with collaborators like Honey Dijon and Green Velvet lending their expert house touch to the fiercest force pop music has ever witnessed. The results are earth-shattering, as if we expected any less, and the due diligence on acknowledging the roots of house music culture is delivered with sincerity and authority. Make no mistake people, this is the real deal.
Review: Blk Odyssy's third studio album 1-800 Fantasy, as any artist long player really should, marks a sonic shift. It takes him away from his dark r&b and G-funk blend to a brighter, more upbeat alternative sound. This concept album tells the coming-of-age story of a teenage boy in the 90s exploring love and lust. The 13 tracks include singles like 'Want You,' 'XXX' (feat. Wiz Khalifa), 'Stank Rose' (feat. Joey Bada$$) and 'Changes' along with the new track 'Phase.' With this album, Blk Odyssy embraces a new era in his career, blending fresh storytelling with innovative production. It proves again he is a boundary-pushing artist.
Crips - "Bro Dahwood - Transmigrator Of The Soul" (0:47)
Review: In 1993, Bangin' On Wax marked a pivotal moment in West Coast gangsta rap by managing to unite members of LA's infamous rival gangs-the Crips from Compton, Watts and Long Beach, and the Bloods from Inglewood and Los Angeles. The project aimed to channel gang tensions into music rather than violence with auditions selecting the best MCs for the album. Proceeds supported local schools and parks for children and now, 30 years later, this historic release returns for Black Friday as a double vinyl set featuring tracks previously exclusive to CD, all pressed on red and blue vinyl. A superb work in more ways than one.
Fat Boys, Run DMC, Sheila E & Kurtis Blow - "Krush Groovin'" (bonus track) (5:00)
Rene & Angela - "Save Your Love (For #1)" (feat Kurtis Blow - bonus track) (4:16)
Kool & The Gang - "Funky Stuff" (feat Kurtis Blow - bonus track) (3:51)
Review: Kurtis Walker, known as Kurtis Blow, made history as the first rapper signed to a major US record label, Mercury, in 1979. His debut single, the fun and festive 'Christmas Rappin',' sold nearly half a million copies. It was followed by 'The Breaks,' the first rap single to go Gold with over a million copies sold. His self-titled debut album in 1980 led to international performances in Europe and Japan and helped to spread hip-hop globally. Kurtis Blow's prolific career includes fifteen albums and hits like 'America,' 'If I Ruled The World' (famously later sampled by The Fugees and Nas), and collaborations with The Fat Boys, Run D.M.C., Sheila E., and Kool & The Gang. This double vinyl collection rightly celebrates his influential legacy.
Review: Legendary LA rapper Blu's Good To Be Home was his first-ever double album when it originally dropped back in 2014. A decade on the record, which features a host of West Coast hip-hop luminaries (such as The Roots, Alchemist, Lupe Fiasco, B.o.B., Madlib, Aloe Blacc, ) remains an unapologetic celebration of LA and its musical culture. "This is my most defining record ever," said Blu at the time and it truly is a record packed with all killer and no filler. This version on Nature Sounds comes across glorious double gatefold vinyl.
Review: Dean Blunt is nothing short of an enigma. Whether you're reading one of his interviews of few words, listening to the records that seem to both celebrate the avant-garde and obsess over it, or watching him descend into strange, otherworldly cacophonies on stage, usually shrouded in smoke, he's never really been an easy guy to pin down. And that's exactly what he's always been going for.
It's something of a surprise, then, to learn that Black Metal 2, the long-awaited, seven years in the making sequel to his critically acclaimed Black Metal, is actually pretty straight forward. In a Dean Blunt kind of way. Opening on the compressed strings and near-spoken word of 'Vigil', the record takes us into the deep dark depths of strange, hook-fuelled guitar poetry, and we never want to find our way back.
Review: RECOMMENDED
Dean Blunt is nothing short of an enigma. Whether you're reading one of his interviews of few words, listening to the records that seem to both celebrate the avant-garde and obsess over it, or watching him descend into strange, otherworldly cacophonies on stage, usually shrouded in smoke, he's never really been an easy guy to pin down. And that's exactly what he's always been going for.
It's something of a surprise, then, to learn that Black Metal 2, the long-awaited, seven years in the making sequel to his critically acclaimed Black Metal, is actually pretty straight forward. In a Dean Blunt kind of way. Opening on the compressed strings and near-spoken word of 'Vigil', the record takes us into the deep dark depths of strange, hook-fuelled guitar poetry, and we never want to find our way back.
Review: Athens of the North is back in business this new year with a couple of singles as well as a new album dropping before the end of January. This time it is Bo'vel's Changes album that gets served up on wax having teased the act by including them on a compilation Just A Touch late last year. Their soul sound is distantly UK-centric but with influxes from dub, funk and more. That is well showcased here across ten tracks that were famously made in the mid-90s in Manchester without a big budget or big press campaign but became cult classics all the same.
Review: Mongolian hip-hop producer Bodikhuu has never been to Rio but this is his lovely letter to the city he has often dreamt of. He has a love of the great Joao Gilberto and armed with that and a worm out MPC he set to work, laying down tropical beats and sunny melodies. The result became an instant classic and spawned a number of tunes that went on to pick up more than a million streams. It's a record that excites the imagination as well as warming the soul and this version comes with superb original artwork designed by illustrator David Burnett on a lovely splatter-coloured vinyl inspired by its own cover.
Review: In the early 1990s as gangsta rap rose in popularity, KRS-One remained committed to socially conscious lyrics and the culminated in the hard-hitting 1992 album Sex and Violence. This fifth and final studio release from Boogie Down Productions, produced by KRS-One, Pal Joey, Kenny Parker, D-Square, and Prince Paul, delves into the darker aspects of American urban life. While singles like the intense 'Duck Down' and funky 'We In There' garnered attention, tracks such as 'Drug Dealer,' 'Ruff Ruff,' 'Questions and Answers,' and 'How Not To Get Jerked' stand out. Featuring an intro skit about a DJ's vinyl panic, this reissue by Get On Down and Sony Music's CERTIFIED brings the album back to vinyl, with a great splatter-coloured pressing.
Garden Waltz (feat Carinne & Francesco Como) (4:09)
Oui Got Now (feat Liquid & Stephane Moraille) (3:01)
Drop Off (feat Coco Thompson) (3:32)
You (feat Francesca Como & Malicious) (2:30)
You Too (feat Jahsepta) (3:32)
Grace (Love On The Block) (3:00)
Cowboy Hoot (feat Liquid) (1:51)
Jahrusalem (feat EP Bergen, Dorian & Sidaffa Bakel) (3:26)
World Party (feat Steeve Khe, Liquid & Jahsepta) (5:06)
This Day (feat Ben Wilkins) (3:17)
La Dolce Vita (feat Freddie James) (5:37)
Journey (feat Helena Nash, Jahsepta & Kim Bignham) (5:56)
Stillness (feat Rafaelle MacKay Smith & Alexandre Desilets) (4:23)
Saltwater Cats (feat Kim Neundorf & Malicious) (6:43)
Review: Bran Van 3000's The Garden is their fourth studio album and another subtle evolution of their signature genre-blending sound. Rooted in prog-rock grooves and boogie flair, the album explores romantic and reflective territory without losing the collective's playful spirit. On the album, which arrives as a special for this year's Record Store Day, James Di Salvio is joined by longtime collaborators and fresh talent alike to create a lush collaborative soundscape that's rich in emotion and rhythm. The tracks all exude soulful vocals, brass-laced arrangements and global sonic textures, which help to make The Garden is a mature yet adventurous chapter in BV3's musical journey.
Review: Buckwild and Tuff Kong Records come together for the first time on this album which is both metaphorical and literal music to the ears of hip -op fans. Buckwild is something of a legendary producer who has, per the title, gone digging deep in the vaults of this vital label remixed all manner of material from the likes of Conway, Mayhem Lauren, AG, Big Twins, Guilty Simpson, Starvin B and LORD JAH-MONTE OGBON. The record also includes a new and unreleased song from Boldy James and Soll Badd and it all comes on limited edition, hand numbered vinyl.
Love, Damini (feat Ladysmith Black Mambazo) (2:39)
Review: Afrobeats king Burna Boy has done a fine job of taking his native sound to the masses without compromising on its quality. He did that again back in 2022 on his sixth studio album, Love, Damini, which now comes as a special edition double album with a booklet that adds extra backstory. Two singles from the album performed well while the rest of it has some top features from names such as Ladysmith Black Mambazo, J Hus, Vict0ny, Popcaan, Blxst, Kehlani, Ed Sheeran, J Balvin, and Khalid. A fine follow-up to his last outing, Twice As Tall, it has plenty of new ideas as well as signature grooves and smart bars.
Review: Steel City electro-funk wizard BusCrates shows that not only American counterparts like Dam Funk can lay down seductive funk smoochers with his second full-length album, Control Center. Soraya Watti is on hand to provide smooth and soulful tones on 'On My Way', the only track with a voice, and its beautifully downbeat gem that harks back to classic Erykah Badu tunes from days gone by. Elsewhere there are whimsical synth laced daydreams like 'Four Track Mind' and sax-led slow motion funk wigglers like 'Prisms'. It's a gorgeous album for both background play and up front listens.
The Return Of Mansa Musa (feat Swizz Beatz & Blackway)
Stand Up (feat JNR CHOI)
Open Wide (feat Chris Brown & Shenseea)
Hold Up
The Hive (feat Giggs)
Homage (feat Kodak Black)
Legend (feat Morray)
Slide
Legacy (feat Cie, Trillian & Rai)
If You Don't Know Now You Know (feat Big Tigger - part 2)
Review: As you'd expect given his profile and position within hip-hop, Busta Rhymes eleventh studio album - his first for three years - is something of an all-star affair. The set's panel of executive producers boasts Timbaaland, Swizz Beats and Pharrell Williams, while the impressive roll call of guest MCs, singers and producers includes Giggs, Young Thug, Shenseea, T-Pain and Burna Boy. It has the feel of a celebration of his legacy and work, with s guests delivering hard-hitting lyrics and thoughtful flows over backing tracks that flit between sparse, distorted heaviness (recent single 'Beach Ball'), snappy, horn-sporting post-crunk weightiness ('OK') and G-funk influenced future party jams ('Luxury Life', with its aquatic P-funk bass and dusty, golden era drums).
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.
Reap What You Sow (feat Enuff & Jaia Melodies) (3:40)
Time (4:15)
Wu Wu Intermission (5:09)
Play That Back (feat Jaz Wilson) (4:09)
Review: Master keys man Byron The Aquarius started out making hip-hop then in the last few years moved into house music and dropped some super deep and classy jams. Now he gets back to his roots with this new project from Birmingham, Alabama, alongside Shurlock, who started way back in 1990. The album takes its title from the fact both men were always told they would never make it out of their hometown. "Well this project is for those that stop dreaming, and believed that Shurlock, and Byron would never make it in the world of music," they say. It's a superb record with some fine guest bars to boot.
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