International

Review: This is another reissue of a record that remains an ongoing favourite. Original Gravity delivered again with the original pressing featuring two unique versions of 'Burning Spear'. Nestor Alvarez opens with a lively, Latin-inspired rendition filled with fluttering flute melodies, raw drum beats and vibrant dancing keys that radiate sunny energy. On the flip, La Machine D'Argent takes a more cosmic approach, smoothing the vibe and layering spaced-out sounds for a dreamy, immersive journey. This release showcases Original Gravity's knack for reimagining funk with flair by offering two distinct yet equally good takes on a timeless groove.

Review: Indonesia-based Babon was founded in 2023 by longtime friends Wahyudi T. Raupp and Rayi Raditia and craft instrumentals addressing environmental issues. Their sound fuses Melbourne's vibrant music energy with dangdut rhythms, gamelan percussion, and melodic keroncong folk styles. Here they debut on Batov Records with the wonderful 'Tropical Desert Music' which blends Indonesian traditions with Afro-Latin funk, Morricone-inspired grooves, Bollywood breaks and blues. It's the sort of sound that is perfect for fans of Khruangbin or Sababa 5. The A-side 'Desert Rose' is a spaghetti blues anthem, while the flip 'TNT' tells a miner's tragic tale through cinematic, explosive instrumentation.

Review: Funky Kromong Vol. 2 builds on the success of its predecessor with another bold and bright selection of tracks by legendary Indonesian artist Benyamin Suaeb for Lamunai Records. This volume highlights Suaeb's genius for fusing traditional Betawi music with infectious funk grooves and witty satire. Tracks like 'Kompor Meleduk', 'Cong-Cong Balicong', and 'Koboi Ngungsi' capture his signature humour and cultural insight while offering fresh energy for new generations. The seamless blend of traditional and modern instruments results in a timeless soundscape that honours Indonesia's musical heritage. Vol. 2 is both a nostalgic tribute and a bold, joyful celebration of innovation.

Review: The latest addition to Echo Edits keeps the funk coming courtesy of Break Character who delivers two powerful tracks that are indicative of his unique approach, names to enhance each edit with extra layers of FX and beats. 'Cosmic Freaks' takes a 60s go-go rock groove and infuses it with Moog and Space Echo effects while paying homage to the psychedelic club sounds of Pierre Henry and JJ Perrey. 'Cherie Boca' then transports you in an instant to the funky samba rhythms of 70s Brazil with an extended edit and added beats to guide dancers from the favela to the beach. Two distinct styles, perfect for different vibes.

Review: Boom! Ultra rare outernational funk reissue action by the new Habibi Funk imprint! Dalton were a late '60s soul band formed in Tunis by a group of American music enthusiasts, and their one and only LP under the Dalton name was independently released and super rare until now. "Alech" nears psychedelic territories thanks to its echoing vocals and trippy percussion, whereas "Soul Brother" is more of a classic soul ballad, but filled with the band's own native roots, of course. Be sure to check, this is hot and recommended for the diggers.

Review: Satellites' self-titled 2020 debut album won plenty of plaudits, with critics the world over hailing the Tel Aviv-based band's blend of vintage, Turkish style psychedelic folk-rock and dancefloor adjacent grooves indebted to funk, soul and disco. Aylar, the six-piece's belated sequel, continues in this vein, with the band arguably being bolder with their musical choices. For proof, check the cosmic strut of opener 'Tisaldi Mehmet Elmi', a psych-funk transformation of a traditional Turkish folk song, the low-slung grooves and sweet retro-organ melodies of 'Midnight Sweat', the gritty, thrusting and hallucinatory 'Yok Yok' and the future dancefloor anthem that is psychedelic Turkish disco gem 'Zuluf Dokolmus Yuze'.

Review: Tel Aviv funk six piece Satellites are back in orbit, boldly moving the psychedelic folk-meets-groove sound they established on their eponymous debut forward on Lp number two. Drawing from the Turkish psychedelic wave of the 60s and 70s, their first record earned international acclaim, with support from BBC Radio 6 Music and FIP, as well as live sets on Gilles Peterson's Worldwide FM and KEXP. After two years of touring, the band entered the studio with a renewed sense of purpose and a tighter musical bond. The album opener, 'Tisladi Mehmet Emmi,' transforms a traditional Turkuler into a modern psychedelic funk masterpiece, blending saz, synths, basslines, and dramatic drumming, with Rotem's husky vocals narrating timeless themes of lament. 'Midnight Sweat' reveals a sultry side, with a late-night lullaby over a slinky disco-rock groove, while 'Hot Jazz' dives into cinematic territory, showcasing their jazz and funk chops. 'Gizli Ajan' and 'Yok Yok' surprise with genre-bending jams, while 'Ikmiz Bir Fideniz' becomes a cosmic folk-funk rendition. The album closes with a dynamic duo, from the cosmic disco-fuzz of 'Zuluf Dokulmus Yuze' to the dramatic finale of 'Zuluf B (Reprised).' Where their debut set the tone, this release marks their full transformation, confidently stepping out of the shadows of their Anatolian psych heroes to create a modern yet timeless record.

Review: The candidly titled Ananda Shankar And His Music hears its first official reissue via Mr Bongo. Released on His Master's Voice in 1976, the album is a sublime collage of sitar-funk, traditional Indian classical music and psychedelic grooves, from the Indian sitarist, composer and musician. Nephew to India's legendary sitar virtuoso Ravi Shankar, Ananda's musical family and upbringing led to a deep respect and love of the wealth of music that emanated from his birthplace of Almora, North India. However, touring America in his 20s revealed a latent love for psychedelic rock, and this debut LP captures that obsession to a T. The fusion of cyclic, North Indian tala with Americana music is best heard on the likes of 'The Lonely Rider', which envisages the a sonorous Sonoran Desert set against an action-sequenced sitar and guitar strumming. 'Back Home' achieves similar results, with a Western, soul balladic walking bass mixing effortlessly with the sitar's distinctive, tweeting "bendre" - an exotic but compelling combo.

Review: Waldir Calmon's 'Airport Love Theme' has that special appeal that makes it a true gem. Sampled by Madlib on the Madvillain album track 'Curls', this lounge classic from Calmon's 1970 Waldir Calmon E Seus Multisons LP on Copacabana exudes nostalgic charm. Despite its unassuming cover, 'Airport Love Theme' delivers a dreamy, feel-good vibe that could soundtrack a perfect world. Afro Son, from the same album, shifts towards a Brazilian-rooted, cinematic groove, reminiscent of Jean Jacques Perrey's E.V.A.. Calmon, a Brazilian music fixture from the 50s to the 80s, who collaborated with legends like Tom Jobim and Joao Gilberto and left a unique musical legacy that lives on in these timeless tracks.