Mr Bongo Schallplatten & CDs

Review: In the early '70s, Cymande made a trio of killer albums that remain stone cold classics to this day. For this reissue 7", Mr Bongo has dipped into two of those albums - 1973's Second Time Around and 74's Promised Heights - and dug out two of the best-loved, most-sampled cuts. On the A you'll find "Fug", a low-slung, bassline-driven party full of killer drum breaks, righteous horn solos and, and conscious lyrics that call for global action against inequality (little, it seems, has changed politically since). It's one of those you should really own, as is the ever more familiar flipside "Brothers On The Slide", which boasts one of the most recognizable grooves in the history of dance music.

Review: Disco Dub Band's "For The Love of Money", a one-off collaboration between producer Davitt Sigerson and reggae musician Mike Dorane, has long been considered something of a classic by those who like their disco to come with a big dose of dub-wise flavour. Here the instrumental O'Jays cover, which originally appeared on the Movers label in 1976, is given the remix treatment by long-time fans Mr Bongo. The superb A-side, in which Dorane's instrumental talents take centre stage, naturally comes accompanied by the frequently played Dub interpretation, a typically wild and bass-heavy affair that sounds like it was mixed "live" in one take in true Lee Perry/King Tubby style. If it's not already in your collection, it should be.

Review: The Globeflower Masters Vol 1 is a new Mr Bongo release that has been put together with classic soundtracks, 70s library music and cinematic compositions in mind. It was assembled in summer 2020 by Brightonian musicians Glenn Fallows and Mark Treffel who drew on their arsenal of vintage synths, pianos, 'other fun toys' and all manner of drums, guitars and bass. The result is a soothing album that will work in the dead of winter as well as the light of the summer thanks to its warm sounds, lush productions and luxuriant arrangements. A fine piece of wax, for sure.

Review: The Incredible Bongo Band were a loose studio collective interpreting classics of the day in their own inimitable percussive fashion .They are of course most famous for their ultimate b-boy classic version of "Apache". This particular 7" however features two Incredible Bongo Band cuts that have not previously featured on any albums. "The Riot" is a frenetic drum workout and has been championed by the likes of the Chemical Brothers. "Ohkey Dokey (Part 2)" takes on a somewhat more subdued hue in comparison, but has some dope funky clavinet in the mix. Well worth checking.

Review: Tim Maia's 1968 debut single, "What You Want To Be", has long been a favourite of dusty-fingered Latin music enthusiasts. Original copies, though, have long been out of the price range of most DJs and collectors. Happily, Mr Bongo has struck a deal to reissue it. The title track is something of a scorching dancefloor-treat - a boogaloo-era slab of Latin funk in which Maia and chums sing in English atop a bustling rhythm track and some seriously heavy horns. B-side "These Are The Songs" is a much more relaxed and laidback, samba-soaked affair, closer in tone to early 1960s U.S soul songs of the sort regularly covered by the Beatles early in the career.

Review: Mr Bongo serves up the new collaboration here from Mandaworld (bereft known as Amanda Hicks) and partner Matthew Tavares, who is Matty of the much loved jazz outfit BADBADNOTGOOD. The pair have a magical musical synergy that really shines through here as they interweave and uplift one another. 'Warm You' is a real classic that fits in the canon of timeless ballads. It is a dreamy pop song doused in oodles of reverberating guitars and mellow shoegaze vibes that evokes a world of nostalgic feelings. 'Spoonfeed' is just as warm and lush but a little more subdued.

Review: It was the iconic Copacabana Records that put out this classic MPB back in 1964. That makes 'Um Balanco pra voce' by Os Rouxinois one of the oldest releases in Mr Bongo's Brazil45 series and it is also one of the best. Arnaud Rodrigues wrote the tune which is a superb mix of exotic funk, bossa nova rhythms and quirky melodies from a five-track 7" of tunes that the band originally used to play on TV. On the other side, 'O Viajante' is the sort of irresistibly sunny sound that quickly wins your heart and is sure to light up any dancefloor.