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In 2021, Eddie Chacon and John Carroll Kirby decamped to Ibiza for two weeks There, they rented the island’s only Fender Rhodes from one of the local rave crews John posted it against the plaster walls and concrete floors of their temporary home, which was set into a green hillside overlooking a beach called Siesta As they...
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"Trees Speak is music as cosmological translation, borrowing from Can and Miles Davis' Bitches Brew-era practice of studio-as-composition-tool, where lengthy improvisations coalesce into indelible flights of fancy with razor blade-assisted tape edits Trees Speak operates between the subconscious and the unconscious, the radiant...
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Out of stockAfter signing with the Canyon label in 1970, Irma Thomas began working with producer and composer Jerry “Swamp Dogg'' Williams The demise of Canyon forced the late release of this record, which was eventually issued on Williams’ Fungus Records in 1973 Featuring strong domestic-situation songs and a powerful ‘rap’, these...
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Out of stock1974's "Diamond In the Rough" was Syl Johnson's second album for Willie Mitchell's Hi Records If you liked the smooth, silky Memphis soul sound that Mitchell had crafted for Al Green and others, then the chances were good you were going to enjoy this collection Diamond In The Rough by Syl...
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Nestled within the fields and forests surrounding Oslo you’ll find Raaja Bones There, in Raaja’s secluded studio surrounded by vintage synthesisers, modular equipment, samplers and drum machines, is where he makes music that owes as much to his personal tastes as it does his identity and upbringing ‘Black Dreams’, released...
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Out of stockRecord Kicks unleashes a "15th anniversary" edition of British outfit Baby Charles' self-titled landmark debut album, out on March 17th on ltd edition LP and digital deluxe version with bonus tracks Together with Nicole Willis And The Soul Investigators' "Keep Reachin' Up" album, 2008's Baby Charles debut LP is the album that...
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Out of stockWhen an artist sets out to build a universe it is often overwhelming and is lost in translation as they try to captivate their fans with lush visuals and concept around the music The challenges that come with the concept are juxtaposed with the opportunity to create something truly impactful for the project Nisemono showcases...
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One-part groovy fun, another part sixties British Pop, ATOMIC BUTTERFLY is a hip-shaking toe-tapper of a record from start to finish Produced by Barry Stoller, the album is a sure highlight in the infamous DeWolfe collection Featuring Stoller on guitar, the album includes the thematic ("Funky Spider"), cinematic ("Groundunder:),...
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We’re not called Groove Diggers for nothing! This previously undiscovered live recording was first uncovered by the Groove Diggers team in 2004, and issued on a CD – it’s taken 18 years, but this essential live recording is finally getting an analog release! Much like her studio album, “Portrait of a...
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“What might’ve been, is dead and is done,” so begins the opening track on Penny Goodwin’s ‘Portrait of a Gemini’ The words are surprisingly somber for an album as beautiful as this, but oddly prophetic Despite Goodwin’s unmistakable talent, her sole album “Portrait of a Gemini” only ever received a private...
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Stimela were a popular and successful South African Afro-fusion outfit led by guitarist, vocalist, songwriter, producer and arranger Ray Phiri The band was formed under the name ‘The Cannibals’ during the 1970s when Phiri got together with drummer Isaac Mtshali, keyboard player Thabo Lloyd Lelosa and bass player Jabu Sibumbe...
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The label that gave us that incredible album from Dawuna returns with a gripping debut from Skins; a London-based Tamil-Canadian producer folding dreampop and shoegaze archetypes into moody drum machine edits and ambient soundscapes somewhere between Alex Zhang Hungtai and Yves Tumor ’Never Cursed ( ஒேபா...
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Selected by British DJ and vinyl hunter Paul Hillery, new BBE Music compilation 'We Are The Children Of The Sun' showcases a shimmering collection of rare folk funk and AOR with a distinctly Balearic feel Former tour DJ for Polyphonic Spree and the man behind YouTube channel and mix series ‘Folk Funk & Trippy...
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When Alfa Mist was a teenager, he was dabbling in hip-hop and grime By the time he got to college, he was teaching himself the piano and getting deeply into jazz “A huge part of hip-hop is sampling, so I just used to dig around and learned about so many different genres,” he explains “I discovered jazz and started to...
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With no less than a mansion, a state beach, and a three-mile stretch of Los Angeles road bearing his surname, Ned Doheny easy-glided into the 1970s on a crest of notoriety Signposting Ned’s sojourn through the LA recording industry were Jackson Browne, Glenn Frey, Don Henley, Chaka Khan, Graham Nash, “Mama” Cass Elliot,...
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The tales of great high school soul-bands are still rare A ballad or two on the random Douglass High School Stage Band album or Timeless Legend’s mesmerizing entry on Columbus’s 1972 1st Annual Inner City Talent Expo notwithstanding, high school bands rarely struck into the realm of “grown folks” music Enter The Equatics...
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It is a huge honour to present the Disco Gospel 12”, curated and edited by Chicago's Marc Davis and Sadar Bahar Featuring two under-the-radar disco / gospel fusion tracks that have been given a new lease of life courtesy of these masters of their craft We first came to know Marc through his always on-point Black Pegasus...
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Out of stockWith unprecedented prosperity and growing worldwide fame in broadcast, game, and synthesizers, the 1980s Japan entered a golden decade New genre splashes from technopop, Pacifica, and AOR/City pop merged local sensibilities with jazz-funk and Latin influences Spiced in sugary US West coast sparkle and boasting naive lyrics with...
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Some of the greatest work we've ever heard from funky producer/performer Misha Panfilov – a set that really stretches past his early singles, and which almost makes us think that he would have been a giant in the sound library field, had he been around in the 70s! The songs here are longer than usual, and nicely fleshed out –...
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The momentum here is nice and slow – an album that's maybe the most laidback we've ever heard from the great Misha Panfilov, at a level that allows him to explore some jazzier, more spiritual sides in his music! The maestro of sound is very much at the top of his game here – mixing his own organ, electronics, Wurlitzer,...
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Out of stockLimited Gatefold Edition Deluxe 180-Gram Reissue Including Original Artwork Reissue of the most iconic LP from super soul brother, funk chief, and vibraphone master Roy Ayers He's Coming is a deeply felt exploration of Ayers' spiritual and social beliefs, a celebration of life and re-birth, and a wake-up call for slumbering...
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Featuring a young George Benson, Willis Jackson and Ann Winley the Harlem Underground Band’s first album (Harlem Underground) was released on Paul Winley’s respected label ‘Winley Records’ in 1976 This is a legendary street funk record that’s highly sampled by hip-hop artists such as Eric B and Rakim, Genius, Medina...
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Out of stockAndy Bey was one of the most sought-after vocalists in the era of jazz fusion Between 1968 and 1973 he was first choice as a studio singer for Max Roach, Duke Pearson, Horace Silver, Gary Bartz and Stanley Clarke, to mention but a few His warm and engaging baritone voice easily crossed the bridge from conventional blues and gospel...
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Out of stockAllen Toussaint had it all around him – the voices and spirits of black music, rhythm ’n’ blues, funk and soul He was born in New Orleans and grew up there, the birthplace of jazz As from 1960, he worked as a record producer and an A&R man at Minit Records, an independent label, which was closely associated with the...
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This limited EP from the Staples Jr Singers was recently featured in an important exhibition at the gallery GRAY (Chicago/New York) The show, Citing Black Geographies, brought together artists examining notions of “Black space”—the topographies that portend to Black cultural experience The music of the Staples Jr Singers...
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Out of stockThis 1973 gem is another one of those obscure ‘70s soul-funk albums released on a small independent label that has gone on to become a crate-digging favorite and a huge inspiration to modern-day hip hop artists and beyond Chicago-based The South Side Movement began as the backing band for the Sam & Dave-inspired soul duo...
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"Superbacana" marks the return of S-tone Inc, an EP that anticipates a new album due to release in autumn 2017 Produced by Stefano Tirone, who co-wrote all the tracks with Tomaz Di Cunto - alias Toco - it contains four tracks (one in two different versions) with a funky Brazilian flavour, inspired by the Black Rio sound that...
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Out of stockIn 1972, with the release of their self-titled debut album, Cymande emerged as innovators of the black British music scene Taking influences from their Guyanese and Jamaican roots, the band fused reggae basslines, Afro-tinged Nyabinghi percussion, psychedelic touches, and American-style funk instrumentation into a unique sound...
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By popular demand, Big Crown Records presents Holy Hive's 'Harping' EP on vinyl for the first time For their debut EP on Big Crown Records, they decided to start things off with an extended reunion enlisting all of their favorite players from the Big Crown Family and beyond The backbone for all these songs is the accomplished...
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Out of stockSmooth Soul Voice, Mellow Grooves, and Gospel Accents Inform Beloved Work Bill Withers created mellow, downhome-style soul for barely more than a decade before retreating from the industry to pursue craftsman interests Yet over the course of the handful of albums he made for Sussex and CBS, the Appalachian native struck lasting...
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The diminutive Peter Barclay was that guy in early ’90s Oakland, the eccentric with the most style, the most talent, the local magician This self-taught musical wizard recorded at home and produced two barely-released albums, 1990’s dreamlike Acceptance and 1992’s synth pop What Kind Of World, winning over the few who heard...
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Raven is the long-anticipated sequel to Kelela’s impeccable studio debut and is slated for release February 10, 2023 Kelela emerges from the tides of her higher self’s oceanic orbit with a fifteen-track, continuous play LP exploring autonomy, belonging and self-renewal as healing With all the sonic, visual, and physical...
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Out of stockA new vinyl double album release from legendary band Soulive This is the first ever vinyl release of their sophomore souljazz / funk classic ‘Turn It Out’ featuring John Scofield, Oteil Burbridge and Sam Kinniger The Soulive trio blend the sensational melodic guitar of Eric Krasno with the virtuoso Jimmy Smith influenced organ...
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Gil Scott-Heron was twenty-one years old when he was signed to Flying Dutchman by Bob Thiele to make an album of his poetry The resultant “Small Talk at 125th and Lenox” was recorded before a small live audience and, released in 1970, sat perfectly in a world where the Last Poets had just tasted Top 10 success with their debut...
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Out of stockIt feels odd to call this self-titled release by Soul Supreme his 'debut album'; the Amsterdam-based keyboardist, DJ & producer has been widely recognized for over six years now With best known his 45 records reinterpreting music by Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five and Mos Def (sold out within a matter of days),...
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Out of stockLaunching new DINTE sub-label 333 (focusing on reissues of rare and foundational digi, roots & soul) with a first-time vinyl reissue for the late veteran reggae artist Devon Russell's Darker Than Blue LP - limited to just 333 copies Put together as a tribute to the great Curtis Mayfield, the LP was first issued in 1993 but...
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Long lost and much sought after Private Press from Western Massachusetts band Forest A distinctive Acid-Jazz / crossover AOR / Soul sound, think Mother Earth jamming with Tim Buckley This re-issue comes with 6 previously unreleased tracks Forest was a rarity at the time in a band that consisted of two drummers, Gary Stevens...
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Out of stockAnother one from the fruitful collaboration with LA's highly regarded Patrick Houchen aka Shakaman After Shakeena's “I bet you” 12" re-issue flying off the shelves, we deepen the exploration within Shakaman's treasure chest of Reggae/Dub gems with Shakeena's first and last album on Majicaa Records Originally released in 1987,...
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Afro-Finnish band Maajo return with their third album, “Water of Life,” a fluid celebration of various influences Supported by two preceding singles, “Better Days” and “Unelmissani,” the album is the group’s first release with the Brooklyn, NY-based tastemaker label Wonderwheel Recordings Maajo’s signature...
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Rare funk from the Indy scene of the early 70s – the long-overdue release of material recorded by a really hard-jamming, horn-heavy combo! Amnesty have a sound that's awash in the best large group influences of the time – a bit of Earth Wind & Fire, a bit of Parliament/Funkadelic, but also a grittier, more guitar-based...
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Set against the backdrop of one of the most turbulent years in recent memory, Greentea and her band The Seng Seng Family retreated to the country last summer where the alchemy of MAN MADE took place, bringing a live element to the album, and chose to record the record in 432 Hz frequency, a pitch that falls a semitone below music...
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Arthur Conley’s album was released on 15th September 1967 The title track was written by Conley and Otis Redding, and reached the No 2 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 Arthur Conley’s ‘Sweet Soul Music’ album is pressed on a single clear LP and is a one time pressing This vinyl release is a part of Atlantic Records' 75th...
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Even if you’ve never heard this 1974 album, you’ve heard it What do we mean Well, the drum break from the song “Ashley’s Roachclip” is probably the single most sampled track in all of hip hop Everybody, and we mean EVERYBODY, has used it—Run-DMC, Eric B & Rakim, and LL Cool J to name a few (and Public Enemy sampled...
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One-Time Pressing! Part of Atlantic Records' 75th Anniversary Vinyl Collection! Ray Charles' Debut in Mono! Pressed on Clear Vinyl! Ray Charles' Atlantic debut in mono is a must-have Also known as Hallelujah, I Love Her So, Ray Charles is a compilation of Charles' early singles that helped forge this his original fusion of...
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In the liner notes to this grooving 1969 album, featuring a big band led by drummer Louis Bellson and arranged by Impulse! star Oliver Nelson, the Godfather of Soul explains that he is a “jazz man at heart” Brown’s soul consigliere, saxophonist Maceo Parker, helps make this a swinging, spirited and satisfying set of...