Review: A new take on a Jonathan Richman classic from 1977 which has lit up clubs for 45-odd years, especially during the punk era. The track's infectious rhythm has inspired various reggae remixes but now it's getting a fresh cumbia twist. Cumbia and reggae share a common groove, making them a perfect match for DJs to mix and this one was recorded in Lima by Pancho Acosta, founder and guitarist of Company Quinto, who transforms the track into an upbeat cumbia gem. The flip side features Acosta's 'Carnaval de Jujuy' blended with Money Chicha's modern take on Peru's fuzzed-out chicha sound.
Review: Alzo's 1973 hit single 'Lover Man' is heard reissued by the amorous hommes over at Elznavour. Hailed by the label as two romantic bangers - selectly chosen from the American soft rock musician's second LP Takin' So Long - Elznavour are keen to highlight the songs' equally tragic pull, for Alzo sadly passed away in 2004. Echoing the muted hey-heys of Sixto Rodriguez on the A, before launching into a cinematic psyche-soul number predictive of much modern pop music , 'Come On, Come On', on the B, this is a premium slice of well-cured rock music on 7", recalling the music of an unforgettable musician.
Review: You always know what you are going to get from Mr Bongo's Brazil 45 series and that is pure fire in musical form. This 100th release suggests the label has no intention of slowing down nor is it running low on top source material. This one from As Meninas on the A-side has beautiful female vocal-group arrangements with flutes that soar up top and plenty of ass-shaking samba shuffles down low. It's a tune that oozes soul and charm and was first released back in 1967. It's a super sweet but short song that is backed with 'Brasileiro' on the flip. It's taken from Jorginho Telles' self-titled 1971 album on Copacabana Records and mixes up raw guitar sounds with r&b vibes into something unusual and alluring.
Review: Heavy Jazz returns with Ellis Island, their latest instrumental offering following the success of 'Indian Rope Man'. This new release highlights Brian Auger's signature jazz prowess, delivering another intricate and powerful workout. The flip side honours the late Zoot Money with the first-ever 7" release of 'George Bruno Money'. This limited edition comes in a carefully designed sleeve featuring foldout flaps and a cutaway rear. It's an essential piece for jazz lovers and collectors alike, brimming with soulful rhythms and nostalgic nods to jazz legends.
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: Founding Bees members Paul Butler and Aaron Fletcher recorded the original Sunshine Hit Me on the Isle of Wight in their own home garden studio which they called The Shed. A year after release in 2003 it got recognised with a Mercury Music Prize nomination and spawned some big singles. Now, 20 years on, it arrives once more but in an all-new and dubbed-out fashion. The six cuts include three which have never previously been released in any physical format and bring a fresh dimension to the originals.
Review: Not to be confused with the contemporary songwriter Belles, 1960s Canadian soft rockers The Bells, 1980s British pop rockers The Belle Stars, or the seminal Detroit techno anthem by Jeff Mills, Numero Group invite you to step back in time and experience one of the best under-referenced 'response songs' of all time. Taking a lead from Them's 1965 hit 'Gloria', The Belles rework the format to sing about a guy they like. "M-E-L-V-I-I-I... M-E-L-V-I-N, Meeeeelllvviinn" the chorus kind of goes, backing track set to a lackadaisical, classic, jangling, looped rock 'n' roll stomp. Backed with the B-side, 'Come Back', which sets a lighter but brisker mood with its up tempo vocal quartet, delicate snare rolls and catchy six string chords, this is quite the trip to and through another era.
Review: Having played a slew of inimitable and unforgettable television comedy characters over the past decade or so, from Toast of London's Stephen Toast to Douglas Reynholm in The IT Crowd, Dixon Bainbridge in The Mighty Boosh and Todd Rivers in Garth Marenghi's Darkplace, you could be forgiven for expecting Matt Berry to use songwriting and music as another form of hilarious release. That's definitely not the case. There's plenty of release on I Gotta Limit, but this is anything other than satire. The first new music to come from Berry's 2025 album, Heard Noises, the two tracks here are pure joy, authentic and genuinely impressive on a technical level. Exchanging lines in a duet with Kitty Liv for the titular number, the vibe is part Northern Soul, part psych rock, and pretty much all completely captivating.
Review: Turkey has always had a fascinating funk scene and Beybonlar has been at the heart of its contemoorary scene. HIs 2019 album Gelin Aysem on Arsivplak is a gold standard from the genre and one of its key singles gets serve dup on its own 7" with a special insert. The title track 'Gelin Aysem' opens up with psyched out guitars, plenty of lo-fi drums and wailing Turkish vocals that bring the exotic flavours. On the flip, 'Nenni' is a little harder and darker in its mood and groove.
Review: Formed in Harrow in 1964, The Bo Street Runners were a short-lived r&b blues-hued garage rock band that reflected the signs and sounds of the time. Standing up to their peers pretty well, it's a case of instability killing the cat rather than a lack of ideas, with nine members going through the lineup in the two years the group were officially active for. Among them were future Fleetwood Mac drummer, Mick Fleetwood and vocalist Mike Patto, who some may remember from outfits such as Spooky Tooth, Patto and Boxer. Bo Street Runners is one of just four singles the troupe did for Decca, a brief back catalogue that culminated in a single extended player. This is a small but insightful introduction to their sound and a clear sign of just how good they were.
Review: We have always got time for new heat from Big Crown and that's just what we have here from Brainstory. This trio of artists take cues from the label's co-owner Leon Michels and his work interpreting the Wu-Tang but with this own energy. They dropped a first EP back in 2014 and since then have looked to jazz, hip-hop old and new, soul and cinematic opulence for their inspiration. This new 7" comes as the outfit is finishing off its second full length and is a fine taster of what to expect with a show stopping two-sider that will soon find its way into you heart.
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