Tags: Psychedelic Soul

Review: Elia and Elisabeth Fleta Malloi is the sisterly Colombian twosome known for their pop ditties as Elia y Elizabeth. Their Alegria album is a much loved record for deep diggers that got reissued a couple of years ago, and Razor N Tape have served up a selection of tunes and remixes from it. Now we get the original pressed up to its own 45 rpm courtesy of Vampi Soul. It is a sunny bit of easygoing soul with plenty of orchestral grandeur, big horn energy and the gently lilting vocals of the sisters up top. These are gloriously feel-good sounds from this superb duo.

Review: Mr Bongo Record Club's Volume 7 presents a meticulously crafted mix of classic favourites and exciting new finds spanning a broad array of genres, including Brazilian, Latin, soul, disco, gospel, cosmic, dancehall and downtempo. This series has fans of the label excited about each volume that comes. With standout tracks like Os Panteras' Brazilian funk, the underground disco vibes of Claude Jay, and the soulful melodies of the Danish duo Gitte & Inger. Truth & Devotion's gospel soul and Chain Reaction's infectious grooves further illustrate the diverse range of influences at play. This volume particularly emphasises Brazilian music, diving deeper into folk and Afro-Brazilian sounds with selections from As Sublimes, Romeu Fernandes, and Conjunto de Percussao Dora Pinto. These tracks offer a refreshing shift from earlier volumes and showcase Brazil's rich musical heritage. A highlight is the exclusive 'Spring Has Sprung,' a collaboration between legendary Asha Puthli, the inventive band SOYUZ, and Swedish producer Sven Wunder. This track exemplifies the high-quality productions Mr Bongo Record Club is known for. Volume 7 blends Brazilian depth with dancefloor-ready hits, such as The Shades of Love's 'Come Inside.' This collection celebrates both timeless and contemporary music, reflecting the enduring allure of diverse and dynamic sounds.

Review: LA threesome ASHRR aka lead vocalist Steven Davis and producer-musician-vocalists Josh Charles and Ethan Allen are back with a brilliant new album for Ralph Lawson's superb 20/20 Vision Recordings that finds them working by the old mantra of 'art for art's sake'. This effortlessly eclectic record collides electronic soul, post-punk, space disco and indie-dance and is rich in melancholic melody, hazy, late-summer moods and late-night dancing. The vocals bring an indie edge to jangling delights like 'Please Don't Stop The Rain' while 'What's Been Turning You On' is a laidback and languid groove for lazy sessions.

Review: Brooklyn-based psychedelic soul group Say She She have exploded onto the scene since their debut in 2019. Receiving critical acclaim for their two albums to date, and multiple TV performances, the Nile Rodgers-inspired female trio even got a video message of approval from the legend himself. Organic and authentic are two words that fit the classically trained troupe to a tea and, in the great soul tradition, covers are a necessity. Jim Spencer's 1979 track 'Wrap Myself Up in Your Love' didn't get much attention at the time - his attempt at doing disco wasn't well received - but thanks to the adoration of archive label The Numero Group, the song has seen a resurgence in covers and fans. The original vocal is expressive and powerful against some jangly funk guitars, whilst Say She She's rendition hones in on the sultry aspect of the track. Guitars are muted down to transform the song into a lovemaking slow jam, wind passages are introduced and the vocal is subtly powerful and sexy. This single has both Say She She's cover - as well as the original - on a 7" disc.

Review: Disco-pop outfit Say She She have been having a huge year in 2023. The have broken out to new levels of acclaim and are sure to go even higher this September when their sophomore album Silver lands on Karma Chief Records. It's a record featuring 16 cuts of "feverish, operatic, and entirely mesmerizing harmonies" very much distill the glory of disco's brightest emotions. There is a special sense of Studio 54 era magic here with vocals that address pressing topics and draw on the group's experiences as modern femmes.

Review: James Alexander Bright's new sinle, Cool Cool, is a sonic kaleidoscope brimming with vibrant sounds and deep emotion. Bright's distinctive voice, reminiscent of Eddie Chacon, Beck or Michael McDonald, shines throughout. His multi-instrumental prowessiplaying guitar, bass, keys, and moreiadds layers of complexity to the record. Cool Cool illustrates Bright's evolving sound and unwavering creativity, making it a compelling addition to his diverse discography. The 'ECLA Beautiful dub' adds a great alternative version that provides a broken down moody version of the original to balance the 7". Both sides are excellent.

Review: Say She She is the psychedelic soul group from Brooklyn that's exploded onto the scene since their debut in 2019. Receiving critical acclaim for their two albums to date, and the pleasure of touring Europe and North America, the Nile Rodgers-inspired female trio even got a video message of approval from the legend himself. Authentic and organic are two words that fit the classically trained troupe to a tea and, in the great soul tradition, covers are a necessity. Jim Spencer's 1979 attempt at foraying into disco 'Wrap Myself Up in Your Love' wasn't received amazingly at the time, but thanks to the adoration of archive label The Numero Group, the song has seen a resurgence in covers and fans. The original vocal is zany and expressive against some jangly funk guitars, whilst Say She She's rendition hones in on the sultry aspect of the track. Guitars are muted down to transform the song into a lovemaking slow jam, wind passages are introduced and the vocal is subtly powerful and sexy. This 7" contains both Spencer's original track and the interpretation by the trio, pressed on white vinyl.

Review: YIN YIN, the highly touted Dutch quartet from Maastricht, returns with a sonically expansive third album Mount Matsu. Recorded collectively in their own studio in the Belgian countryside, the album is a kaleidoscope of sounds and influences, occupying a no-man's land between Khruangbin and Kraftwerk, surf music and Southeast Asian psychedelia, Stax soul and mutant 80s disco, City pop and Japanese instrumental folk (sokyoku). Mount Matsu hears YIN YIN at their most mature and adventurous stage yet; infectious pentatonic melodicism calling for multiple rewinds.

Review: The latest edition of the Mr Bongo Record Club series is a meticulously curated blend of timeless gems and fresh discoveries. Volume 7 showcases a rich tapestry of genres, spanning Brazilian, Latin, soul, disco, gospel, cosmic, dancehall and downtempo music.This version on purple vinyl shines a spotlight on vintage tracks while introducing a contemporary gem. Highlights include Os Panteras' Brazilian funk, Claude Jay's underground disco beats, and the soulful Danish duo Gitte & Inger. The gospel soul of Truth & Devotion and the infectious grooves of Chain Reaction also stand out, reflecting the diverse influences that inspire this compilation. Notably, this volume leans heavily into Brazilian sounds, exploring deeper into folk and Afro-Brazilian influences with selections from As Sublimes, Romeu Fernandes, and Conjunto de Percussao Dora Pinto. These tracks offer a refreshing contrast to previous volumes and highlight the expansive nature of Brazilian music. A standout feature is the exclusive track 'Spring Has Sprung,' a collaboration between iconic Asha Puthli, the innovative band SOYUZ, and Swedish producer Sven Wunder. This new production is a breathtaking addition, exemplifying the exceptional quality that Mr Bongo Record Club aims to deliver. Additionally, the compilation includes club-tested hits like The Shades of Love's 'Come Inside,' ensuring that the dancefloor favourites continue to resonate.

Review: New Mexico musical stalwart, John Wagner, is best known in these parts as the producer of Freddie Chavez's Northern Soul classic, 'They'll Never Know Why'. Throughout his career, John produced various styles of music, flying the flag for the New Mexico sound. His longtime friend and collaborator, the singer, songwriter and multi instrumentalist David Nunez, released a couple of albums in the 70s with John on production duties. Prior to these LPs, a batch of unreleased songs were recorded and recently unearthed from John's archives. Izipho Soul is now honoured to play its small part in preserving the musical legacy of Albuquerque, New Mexico, with two of Nunez' songs freshly pressed on a 7" single!

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: The Mocambo label introduces Turkish artist Peki Momes who began recording music by chance in 2023. Despite no formal music training, she brings a fresh, authentic approach to groove music based largely on intuition. Her first two tracks reflect her versatility and feature here - 'Goc Mevisimi' combines Japanese City Pop with tropical boogie to create a global underground vibe with dirty disco grooves, jazzy flute and Turkish lyrics. 'Ruya' then delivers a gritty psychedelic Anatolian sound with fuzzy guitars and hypnotic energy. Momes is working on a debut album, we hear, and we can't wait.

Review: There could have been no better way to escape the Soviet than through the music of the Groove of ESSR compilation series which now returns with a second volume. This time Funk Embassy serves up 11 cuts from between 1973 and 1984 and they are a mix of dance floor-ready sounds and more pensive material for somewhere else. Most of these tunes are getting their first-ever release here and the 12" comes with a 30-page booklet featuring some great background as well as thoughts from some of the artists. The likes of likes Gilles Peterson and DJ Tahira played tunes from the first one which tells you how good this series is.

Review: Time Capsule exposes a few of the myriad pathways in Japan's 70s psychedelic soul wormhole, when a bountiful crop of music emerged from musicians inspired by homespun hero Haruomi Hosono's Happy End project, as well as the meandering ballads emerging from the dissolution of the 1960s protest movements. From the charming, Hosono-esque Francophile lounge funk of Hiroshi Kamayatsu's 'Have You Smoked Gauloise?' to the Tadashi Goino Group's strikingly sparse drum machine n' synth incantation 'Jikan Wo Koero Go Beyond Time', almost sounding like Goino is flanked by Vega and Rev at times, to the theatrical, almost duul-esque closing ballad 'Heya No Naka In The Room', the heads at Time Capsule assemble a compelling and kaleidoscopic anthology of forgotten Japanese gems.

Review: Naya Beat Records specialise in uncovering the otherwise forgotten sounds of 1980s Bollywood movies, shedding fresh light on the tracks that might still spark some interest for the present day. The project focuses exclusively on the musical output of CBS Gramophone Records & Tapes India Ltd: a label active during India's peak disco era and became a home for experimental, B-movie and straight-to-VHS soundtracks. 'Awaaz' compiles rare, overlooked or not-previously-on-vinyl music by composers such as Bappi Lahiri, R. D. Burman, Ilaiyaraaja, Kalyanji-Anandji, Anand Milind, Raamlaxman and Kirti Anuraag - all were released between 1982 and 1986. Shockingly catchy, the tracks are joyous fusions of both South Asian traditions and Moogy electronic and acid stylings, perfect for curios and DJ diggers alike.

Review: Acid Jazz has got an ongoing deal to issue and reissue music from Benin funk supergroup Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou and the latest fruits of that is this reissue of their Le Sato album. It is a follow-up to the one they dropped back in 2021 and is another section of traditional voodoo ceremonial music from the group from the mid-seventies. The name of the album is taken from the large ceremonial Sato drum, which is played with wooden stick beaters at special ceremonial occasions. Here it can be heard in all its glory making traditional rhythms and deeply ritualistic grooves that will leave you in a trance.

Review: Curated by David 'Mr Bongo' Buttle and Gareth Stephens, with additional picks from Gary Johnson, Ville Marttila, and Graham Luckhurst, Volume Two of this much loved Mr Bongo series finally gets a reissue after proving so popular first time round. It continues the vibe of its predecessor by offering a deeper selection of soul and disco tracks that Mr Bongo associates have been spinning in their DJ sets and radio show. Standout tracks from artists like Dee Edwards, Leny Andrade, Rosa Maria, The Equatics, Elbernita 'Twinkie' Clark and The Beaters make this a real must have.

Review: Soyuz follows up their 2022 debut Force Of The Wind with a stark but subdued reissue of their second album, Ii, released three years earlier in 2019. The album captures a pivotal evolution in the band's career, the recordings giving a snapshot of what would become their sound on Force Of The Wind, yet with echoes of avant-psychedelic-pop footprints from yester years. Produced at a time when bandleader Alex Chumak had moved from Minsk to Kyiv, torn between the need to try something new and the homesickness it brought about, Ii nicely captures the slow burn of homesickness extended across a long bouts of travel and transience, through stylistic recollections of Mikita Arlou, Ethiopian jazz and Italian library music.

Review: Sessa's Grandeza, his debut album, marks a fresh, minimalist approach to modern Brazilian music. Released in 2019, the album blends the rich textures of Brazil's musical heritage with a stripped-back aesthetic. Sessa's songs, sung in Portuguese, evoke the sensual lyricism of Caetano Veloso and the melodic grace of Tom Jobim and Arthur Verocai. Yet, the music's sparse arrangement draws comparisons to Leonard Cohen's bareness, enriched by hints of tropicalia, psychedelia, and the spiritual jazz of Moondog and Pharoah Sanders. Grandeza is an intimate exploration of love, the human body, and the vibrant hues of Brazilian music. Recorded between Sao Paulo and New York City, the album's delicate production emphasises Sessa's deep connection to Brazil's musical tradition while pushing into new, understated territory. Sessa is an amazing songwriter, known for his enigmatic and sensuous style. With Grandeza, Sessa solidifies his place as one of Brazil's most promising voices, weaving together a timeless yet refreshingly modern sound.

Review: The Scepters, formed in 1967 in Paraiso by guitarist Celso Spencer, were a popular Panamanian band known for their energetic performances across military bases and high school dances in the Canal Zone. Alongside Lionel Best and Jose James, they covered Top 40 hits and iconic rock bands like Santana and Jimi Hendrix. They released two 45s, including 'Message,' which debuted at Panama's first National Soul Music Festival in 1971 and features next here to a jam from Conjunto Raza, another project led by Agustin Leiro, this one with rotating musicians. They released a single 45 on Onda Nueva in the mid-70s and it blends Zonian and Panamanian talent with aplomb.