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Cultural historian Alice Echols explores the massive shifts in American culture during and as impacted by the disco era – not only in fashion and record sales – but the racial, sexual and behavioral landscape at large! Echols is a biographer and historian, but she's also former disco deejay, with insights both academic and deeper felt. The book is smartly and exaustively researched, but is more importantly accessibly readable. Hardcover, 338 pages.

Thievery Corporation's stellar "Cultural Of Fear" with Mr. Lif – plus the Kaleidoscope Jukebox remix on the flip! The original has a heavy bass groove, a propollent, though still funky tempo, and some strong, topical lyricism – nice stuff! The Kaleidoscope Jukebox remix has a lighter touch, thanks to some piano, atmospheric bits of backing vocal, and some dubby textures, too – though it wisely doesn't mess with the strength of Lif's rhymes.

Bonus mix features beats by Lord Finesse.

Another astounding set of heavy vibrations from Soul Jazz in there ongoing series of collections focusing on great Jamaican music! This bouncing set takes a long, deep look at Dancehall culture, and accompanies a great book by Beth Lesser! While dance halls have existed in Jamaican music for years, the focus here is Dancehall with a capital D, from the early 80s on, when Jamaican music took a turn away from the heavier, sufferer's themes of the Roots era and became more interested in rocking good times! This set is filled with certified classics, guaranteed to ram the dance and capture the heavyweight title in any soundclash, all bouncing numbers from the pre-digital era through more stripped down Casio-driven treasures. 17 tracks in all, including "Bam Bam" by Yellowman, "Pumpkin Belly" by Tenor Saw, "Cu-Oonuh" by Reggie Stepper, "Agony" by Pinchers, "Diseases" by Michigan & Smiley, "Cool Out Son" by Junior Murvin, "Entertainment" by Triston Palma, "Arleen" by General Echo, "Here I Come" by Barrington Levy, "Chop Chop" by Cutty Ranks, "M16" by Lone Ranger, "Trash & Ready" by Super Cat, and "Soon Forward" by Gregory Isaacs.

Get ready for a history lesson of a different kind! While you may know every angle of the crate diggin' craft, do you know your shoes? If you don't, you better ask somebody, and this hefty tome from Cucumber Slice might just be the best place to start. This paean to the athletic footwear of the three decades preceding the modern era of space age shoes is loaded down with repros of old ads, mad photos of mint dogs and testimonials and anecdotes that run so deep, this volume is sure to please, whether you're coming at it from a ballin' or b-boy angle – and we'd bet many of you out there are comin' from both! An absolute essential encyclopedia of the one of the key elements of contemporary style.

Essential! The mighty debut album from African disciples Culture pairing up with the Mighty Two, Joe Gibbs and Errol Thompson is one of the landmark sets of roots reggae, a defining moment of the genre dropped during the year when two sevens clashed. And though the apocalypse didn't rain down from the skies in '77, this album was certainly a world-changing event, one of the finest moments in Kingston's rich musical history! Gibbs provides the trio with a set of uplifting rhythms over which to harmonize, and Culture comes correct on every track, combining a tightly harmonized approach with a rawer, rootsier sound. 10 tracks in all, including "I'm Alone In The Wilderness", "Pirate Days", "Two Sevens Clash", "Caling Rastafari", "I'm Not Ashamed", 'Get Ready To Ride The Lion To Zion", "Black Starliner Must Come", "Jah Pretty Face", 'See Them A Come" and "Natty Dread Taking Over".

One of the crunchiest efforts we've heard from IG Culture in awhile – a record that's filled with the cosmic beats we've always loved in his music, yet firmly grounded on earth overall! The set mixes heavy rhythms with lots of vocals and rhymes – efforts from ID 4 Windz, Mr Mensah, Julie Dexter, K Banger, Bilal Salaam, and John Robinson – all wrapped and layered together in ways that are quite different from conventional hip hop, and which really resonate with the kind of collective, collaborative spirit we love in IG's music! There's an even darker feel here than usual – which we really appreciate – and titles include "Catalog Pieces", "Futures Back", "Black Renaissance", "Core Exit", "Truth", "Tangile Dream", "Outsider", "What's Happening", "The Sankofaz Peace Ark-Extra", and "Do The Math".

With Fred Frith on guitars, Tim Hodgkinson on organs and reeds, Lindsay Cooper on rreds, Chris Cutler on percussion and electronics, and even Irene Schweizer on piano!

A mighty great album from reedman Joe Lovano – one of his greatest records in years, and proof that he's still got plenty of fire – when given the chance to burn! The group here is wonderful – and half the tracks feature bass work from Esperanza Spaulding, reminding us that she's still quite rooted in jazz – working alongside James Weideman on piano, Otis Brown III on drums, and Francisco Mela on additional percussion and balafon. Peter Shaw plays bass on the other half of tracks on the set – but the real surprise is Lovano – who's not only mindblowing on tenor, but also plays other reed instruments and percussion as well helping push things towards the cross cultural elements promised in the title. These are served up especially well on the few cuts that feature Lionel Loueke on guitar – and titles include "Drum Chant", "Blessings In May", "Myths & Legends", "In A Spin", "Star Crossed Lovers", and "Journey Within".

One of Sonny Rollins' real standout sessions from the 70s – a different vibe than before, but a sound that's still as striking than any of his earlier records! The record features him in a slightly more modern group – with backing by Walter Davis Jr on piano, Masuo on gutiar, Bob Cranshaw on bass, David Lee on drums, and Mtume on percussion – a great mix of acoustic and electric elements that brings up a sweet 70s sound for the record. Sonny's solo power is still tremendous – differently pitched here, but still incredibly inventive – and titles include "Pictures In The Reflection Of A Golden Horn", "Notes For Eddie", "Love Man", and "Sais", a great composition by Mtume, which is handled here by Rollins in an incredibly soulful manner!

One of the crunchiest efforts we've heard from IG Culture in awhile – a record that's filled with the cosmic beats we've always loved in his music, yet firmly grounded on earth overall! The set mixes heavy rhythms with lots of vocals and rhymes – efforts from ID 4 Windz, Mr Mensah, Julie Dexter, K Banger, Bilal Salaam, and John Robinson – all wrapped and layered together in ways that are quite different from conventional hip hop, and which really resonate with the kind of collective, collaborative spirit we love in IG's music! There's an even darker feel here than usual – which we really appreciate – and titles include "Catalog Pieces", "Futures Back", "Black Renaissance", "Core Exit", "Truth", "Tangile Dream", "Outsider", "What's Happening", "The Sankofaz Peace Ark-Extra", and "Do The Math".

Some of the biggest singles by British reggae giants Aswad! Don't Turn Around his pretty heavy with material from the mid-to-late 80s period – when they were at a commercial peak – blending Lovers Rock and were crossing over in a major way. Breezy, easygoing stuff – plus some great rootsier material, too. Includes "Don't Turn Around", "Back To Africa", "How Long" feat Yazz, "Three Babylon", "Fire" with Shabba Ranks, "Set Them Free", "Rainbow Culture", "Chasing For The Breeze", "Beauty's Only Skin Deep", "Shy Guy" with Easther Bennett and more.

Warm, wonderful, and incredibly far-reaching in scope – possibly the most ambitious record cut by Azymuth in recent years – a perfect blend of jazzy fusion, Brazilian rhythms, and some of the London broken beat culture that the group have come into contact with through their label, Far Out. The sound is clean and spare – a dance between percussion and keyboards that reminds us how great Azymuth can sound when they keep things simple. A few cuts have vocals, but the overall approach is instrumental – and the record features production and programming by Roc Hunter, and was recorded by Kirk Degiorgio. Titles include "Tempo Classico", "Em Marica", "Partido Novo", "Sudade Do Doutor", "Nome Dele E Joan", "Algoado Doce", and "Rede De Espera". CD has 12 tracks in all.

Very raw, very rootsy stuff from Big Bill Broonzy, issued by Columbia (strangely enough) as part of their Adventures In Sound series. The packaging and the notes have the usual smug Columbia "serving up the best in roots culture for white liberals" tone – but the set's actually a pretty decent batch of material that includes nice numbers like "Texas Tornado", "Key To The Highway", "When I've Been Drinkin", and "Goobye Baby Blues".

Great lost work from the legendary Phil Cohran and his Artistic Heritage Ensemble – a composition that was recorded during the group's late 60s years on the Chicago scene – but which has never been released until now! The album stands beautifully alongside the group's self-titled classic and their tribute to Malcolm X – and like those amazing records, this one has a feel that's all its own – an exploration of Moorish elements in Spanish culture – which comes off as a Latin-inflected sound with African roots! The lineup here is similar to other Cohran classics – Donald Myrick on baritone sax, Charles James Williams on alto, Eugene Easton on tenor, Charles Handy on trumpet, Willie Woods on trombone, Aaron Dodd on tuba, Pete Cosey on guitar, Henry Gibson on congas, and Louis Satterfield on bass – a mix of musicians that includes members with Sun Ra and Earth Wind & Fire listed in their resumes! Cohran's vision in the suite is wonderful – and the music has all the depth and righteous energy of his self-titled record, but a bit more Latin fire too – a beautiful blend that really makes us appreciate his genius even more than before, and which finally gives us another record of his to love after all these years.

The era that catapulted cult heroes Devo into pop culture history – with bubblier synths, catchier hooks, and crazier multimedia shenanigans than ever before from these pioneers of the video era – and time capsule pop angle aside, one of the best and most innovate pop albums of its time! It's pretty hard to imagine the early 80s without Devo, but the group and this record is just as amazing decades later, since there was never anyone else like them! Includes "Girl U Want", "It's Not Right", "Whip It", "Freedom Of Coice", "Cold War", "Don't You Know", "Gates Of Steel" and more.

A pair of killer albums from The Five Stairsteps – 1967's self-titled set for Windy C – plus '68's Love's Happening by The Five Stairsteps & Cubie – together with bonus track on this great set from Outta Sight UK! The Five Stairsteps album is a landmark batch of sweet soul – recorded by the still youthful group that included a 13 year old Kenny Burke! The kids were brought together by their parents Clarence and Betty Burke, but it was Curtis Mayfield who really gave them a push – as he discovered them, produced them, and wrote some excellent songs for them during their best early years. Mayfield's sweet soul style forged with The Impressions runs through most of these tracks – and although the group is young, they really do a fantastic job with the material, and infuse it with a soulfulness way past their years. Titles include "Danger She's A Stranger", "World Of Fantasy", "Ooh Baby Baby", "Don't Waste Your Time", and "Behind Curtains". Love's Happening might be the best record ever by this Chicago soul group! The record's got a full batch of original tracks written and produced by Mayfield – including their amazing, funk steeped version of "Don't Change Your Love", with a breakbeat that lit up the sampler culture for years! That raw drum sound is in effect on even the more delicate numbers, and the lead vocals and harmonies soar or sink deep to the soul, as the groove demands. There's also some kind of tripped out touches in the production in spots, making for a nice balance of sweet soul and leftfield touches. Kind of an underappreciated effort in the grand scheme of Curtis Mayfield productions, but wholly essential! Other titles include "Stay Close To Me", "New Dance Craze", "Baby, Make Me Feel So Good", and "Little Young Lover". 5 bonus singles in the set: "Ain't Gonna Rest (Til I Get You)", "You Can't See", "Change Of Pace", "Madame Mary" and "We Must Be In Love".

Early 80s clubby funk & soul from Freeez – a pretty sweet mix of period synth and boogie soul with far richer, live instrumentation and solid, hooky songwriting! Freeez recorded Gonna Get You in Manhattan – and you can certainly hear the NYC culture of the time flowing nicely in the groove. The songs are really good, and catchy enough to have caught on a much bigger level – with male and female lead and chorus backing vocals, and the synths and drum machines pulse and thump underneath congas, bongos and other percussion, Rhodes, piano and other elements. Includes "We've Got The Juice", "Can't Keep My Love", "Love's Gonna Get You", "Pop Goes My Love", "IOU", "Freezin'", "Can You", "Watch Me" and "Gonna Get You (Megamix)" – the 13 minute closer of disc 1. Disc 2 features 13 bonus tracks: "IOU (7" Version)", "We Got The Jazz", "Scratch Goes My Dub (7" Version)", "Love's Gonna Get You (7" Version)", "IOU – Megamix", "A Capella U" and more.

The story of the Creole Band – the 7-piece group that took to touring the US in the 1910s – and thusly introduced a lot of people to the pioneering strains of New Orleans-style jazz to heck of a lot people for the very first time – and planting seeds for much of the jazz music to come! Author Lawrence Gushee details how the band's runs through the vaudeville circuit brought pivotal, early instrumental jazz styles to much wider audiences than ever before. As widely known as it is that early 20th Century New Orleans style music paved the way for jazz, it's pretty remarkable to read how important this one group was to the entire culture!

Pretty hip stuff from drummer Billy Hart – and a record that mixes New York loft jazz traditions with a warmer sense of soul jazz that was being forged by some of the players on the record. Players like Don Pullen, Eddie Henderson, Hannibal Marvin Peterson, Dewey Redman, and Oliver Lake come together nicely – and the album's filled with original tracks that include "Diff Customs", "Layla Joy", "Shadow Dance", "Corner Culture", and "Pharoah".

A brilliant look at the early days of the comic book industry – a very well-written history that intermingles economic history and personal biography – in ways that really get at the complexity of the early days of comics! Gerard Jones covers a wide range of roots at the start of the book – then really zeroes in on a few key figures who help give structure to his portrait of the young comic book industry – the team of Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, who created Superman; and the businessmen Harry Donenfeld and Jack Liebowitz, who moved from sleazy pulp to mainstream fame with their work at DC Comics. Jones introduces a number of other figures along the way – and does a brilliant job of laying out the landscape of youth in the depression and World War years – and he really illuminates darker corners of this history, and gets way way past some of the over-told chestnuts of the early years, to link the growth of the industry to the rise of corporate-owned culture in the 60s and beyond. 384 pages, hardcover, with some black and white images.

Timeless sounds from Lewlewal – a contemporary group from Senegal, and part of a vanishing culture in the city of Podor! The tracks were recorded recently, but have a feel that goes back decades – mostly acoustic instrumentation on percussion and guitar, played with an intimate approach that draws strongly on tradition – but which also allows for some personal inflections from the group members too. The vocals – sung by Demba Doka Barry – are especially nice – with this hauntingly soulful feel that really grabs us, even over the space of a language difference. Titles include "Ziarre", "Patrimonie", "Jaanfa", "Diaraby", "Yela", and "Almamy".

Insanely great sounds from the legendary Tim Maia – easily the most soulful singer in 70s Brazil, and an artist with a heck of a strong ear for funk, too! The music here is an incredible hybrid of American soul and Brazilian elements – especially since some lyrics are in English – and the grooves are often mixed together in a sound that's nice and fuzzy around the edges, with some slight psychedelic elements that makes the cuts a perfect fit for this Luaka Bop series! Yet Tim Maia's hardly a guy who can easily fit into any easy slot or series – because as you'll hear on this set, he's got a vibe that's all his own – a really wonderful approach that's different even from some of his hippest contemporaries in Brazil – and which has gone onto have influence on countless other generations of singers and musicians – including his nephew Ed Motta. The package is great – a real visual tribute to the sounds within – and titles include "Que Beleza", "Ela Partiu", "Do Leme Ao Pontal", "Brother Father Mother Sister", "Quer Queira Quer Nao Queira", "Let's Have A Ball Tonight", "I Don't Care", "The Dance Is Over", "Rational Culture", "You Don't Know What I Know", and "Nobody Can Live Forever".

The second proper Masta Ace album – dope stuff from the glorious early 90s that lives up to his work with the legendary Juice Crew and his classic debut! At this point Masta Ace into deep into his fairly new approach of creating excellent full length listening experiences – with tracks that show wisened MC who can rhyme about what's wrong with hip hop and the culture in a broader sense – but still done with a sharp sense of humor and excellent period beats. The tracks are just about as nice as the previous Take A Look Around LP on Cold Chillin, with a few hilarious tracks mocking the "hardcore" MC's, including "Jeep A** N*gguh)", "Slaughtahouse", "Late Model Sedan", "Style Wars" and "Saturday Nite Live". Other titles include "Jack B Nimble", "Who You Jackin'" and "Crazy Drunkin' Style".

70s country genius from CW McCall – the man who took the trucker style to a whole new level! Trucker country had been around for at least a decade before CW cracked the charts – mostly tracks about the hard life, lost loves, and weary eyes of the truck driver in the US. But McCall really stepped things up with these tracks recorded for MGM – showcasing not just the core culture that had grown up in the rising world of the interstates, but also the growing politics that came with the job of driving a truck in an era when gas prices rose and speed limits dropped. And sure, some of these tunes might be seen as throwaway novelty/story numbers – but they've got a surprising depth when heard together like this – and you can trust us on that, as McCall's "Convoy" was one of the first 45s we ever bought! The set features 25 tracks in all – including "Black Bear Road", "Old 30", "I've Trucked All Over This Land", "Four Wheel Drive", "Night Rider", "Classified", "Wolf Creek Pass", "Crispy Critters", and the seminal "Convoy".

Playful pop from Mina – a great Italian singer who made some really wonderful records from the late 50s onward! This early set is a real gem – a sprightly mix of larger arrangements with rock and pop inflections – all served up in this optimistic blend that really fits the mood of Rome after the initial postwar period! You can really feel Italian pop culture coming into its own here – and the tunes have a charm that's undeniable – and a compelling quality that comes through right away. Titles include "La Verita", "E Vero", "Whisky", "My Crazy Baby", "Nessuno", "Folle Banderuola", "Piangere Un Po", and "La Luna Ed Il Cowboy".

The second and best album by Morphine – rightly remembered as a much needed antidote to the grunge and mainstream alternative rock that was taking over pop culture at the time – and an enduring, ageless classic that would stand out in any era! Morphine's previous album was nearly as great, but Cure For Pain is nearly perfect. Mark Sandman's 2-string slide bass sound is indeed perfectly paired with his own vocals, the sax and drums doing the rest of the work instrumentally – there was only a couple years in which they'd really surprise us sonically with this setup, but what an amazing couple of years – and albums! Includes "Dawna", "Buena", "I'm Free Now", "All Wrong", "Candy", In Spite Of Me", "Thursday", "Cure For Pain", "Sheila", "Let's Take A Trip Together".

New Order take a slightly sweeter turn for this mid 80s set – but still never lose the charm that won us from their first few records! There's a warmth here we might not have expected in the immediate post-Joy Division years – and a catchy tunefulness on some of the biggest crossover numbers on the set – yet, given the commercial dreck of the time, New Order are still way ahead of the pack – and from the perspective of these many years later, we're even more impressed at the way they manage to balance nascent pop sensibilities with some of the darker leanings of their roots. More than enough edgey guitar and moody basslines to please fans of the first two albums – on titles that include "Sunrise", "Elegia", "Love Vigilantes", "The Perfect Kiss", "Sub Culture", "Face Up", and "Sooner Than You Think".

The nicest issue of this magazine to date – one that tightens up the format a bit, and the content as well! The focus here is still strongly on the contemporary reggae and dancehall scene – with features on Stylo G, The Reggae Rajahs, Dirt Soundsystem, Mungo's Hi-Fi, Winston Riley, Popcaan, and the Massive B label – plus tips on starting your own soundsystem, and a look at Jamaica's electric culture! The issue feels longer than before, with lots of black and white photos – and with no ads at all, there's plenty of room for the articles.

A great batch of harmony vocal tracks – nearly all of them with an upbeat, kind of silly approach – similar to The Coasters at their best! The Olympics owed a lot to the late 50s Atco recordings The Coasters did with Lieber & Stoller – and they had a similar tight-lipped approach, with lots of vocal tricks, and a set of song themes that runs through the dregs of pop culture of the time – titles like "The Slop", "Little Pedro", and "Private Eye". Other tracks include "Baby Hully Gully (parts 1 & 2)", "Dance By The Light Of The Moon", and "Big Boy Pete". The Marathons were actually The Vibrations – recording under another name, to showcase their more novelty type numbers – again like The Coasters, and also a bit like The Cadillacs. Titles by them include "Oink Jones", "Chicken Spaceman", "Tight Sweater", "Peanut Butter", and "Talkin Trash".

The title gets it perfectly right on this sweet little set – as the grooves are raw and stripped down – often just to the core elements of Afro Funk! The music may be the most hard-hitting we've ever heard from this legendary combo – and it's served up beautifully in this well-selected compilation, right down to the detailed notes on the group and their long journey in sound! There's a core groove here that goes way beyond the boundaries of nation or culture – and which is plenty appealing to ears that have only ever been trained on American funk – and even more so on those who dig the great African sounds of the 70s. Plenty of heavy drums and ultra-cool guitar – and titles include "Adjro Mi", "A O O Ida", "Pourquoi Pas", "Ecoute Ma Melodie", "Min We Tun So", "Ai Gabani", and "Aku We Non Houme".

The title gets it perfectly right on this sweet little set – as the grooves are raw and stripped down – often just to the core elements of Afro Funk! The music may be the most hard-hitting we've ever heard from this legendary combo – and it's served up beautifully in this well-selected compilation, right down to the detailed notes on the group and their long journey in sound! There's a core groove here that goes way beyond the boundaries of nation or culture – and which is plenty appealing to ears that have only ever been trained on American funk – and even more so on those who dig the great African sounds of the 70s. Plenty of heavy drums and ultra-cool guitar – and titles include "Adjro Mi", "A O O Ida", "Pourquoi Pas", "Ecoute Ma Melodie", "Min We Tun So", "Ai Gabani", and "Aku We Non Houme". 15 tracks on 2LPs.

Dramatic funk from 70s Iran – some really compelling grooves, set to rich vocals by the lovely Ramesh! The approach here definitely borrows bits from Western culture – some rhythms and elements that echo American mainstream soul and funk of the time, with moogy touches too – but the overall execution is often a lot more exotic, and often has the same sort of appeal as Bollywood funk – with all the offbeat references that might imply! In another setting, Ramesh might sound too soppy or emotive – but here, amidst some very groovy grooves, her vocals are wonderful – and ring out as just the right topping for the creative instrumentation of the tracks. Titles include "Nago na", "Delakam", "Labe Daryaa", "Ghoroobaa Ghashangan", "Zoj", "Sharm-E Boos-E", and "Afosoos".

Dramatic funk from 70s Iran – some really compelling grooves, set to rich vocals by the lovely Ramesh! The approach here definitely borrows bits from Western culture – some rhythms and elements that echo American mainstream soul and funk of the time, with moogy touches too – but the overall execution is often a lot more exotic, and often has the same sort of appeal as Bollywood funk – with all the offbeat references that might imply! In another setting, Ramesh might sound too soppy or emotive – but here, amidst some very groovy grooves, her vocals are wonderful – and ring out as just the right topping for the creative instrumentation of the tracks. Titles include "Nago na", "Delakam", "Labe Daryaa", "Ghoroobaa Ghashangan", "Zoj", "Sharm-E Boos-E", and "Afosoos".

12 tracks in all, including "Housecall", "Telephone Love Deh Pon Mi Mind", "The Jam", "Girls Whine", "Get Up Stand Up & Rock", "Pay Down Pon It", "Ting-A-Ling" and "Roots & Culture". Less slackness on this volume and more crossover material, some more hip hop oriented.

A nicely-done biography of Louis Armstrong's late life and career – one that takes deep look at the last 25 years of this giant in American musical culture! It's a fascinating period for Satchmo – in which he actually made his highest charting recordings in "Mack The Knife" and "Hello Dolly", arguably reaching a pop icon/living legend status that a lot of his peers didn't get to enjoy in life. It's also a period in which he managed to cement his legacy and ultimate creative importance, while still baiting larger audiences – which is never an easy trick for any artist. A good read and much needed bio of late career Louie Armstrong!

Unusual stuff – a spoken word document on Haitian culture, presented entirely in French! Maurice Sixtoo has a pretty compelling speaking style – and the album features one long recitation, which takes up both sides of the record!

A great solo set from Heidi Vogel – a vocalist you may know from previous work with the Cinematic Orchestra – stepping out here in a bossa-heavy set that's a perfect fit for the Far Out label! Heidi's style is deeper and more expressive than before – not a voice as part of larger instrumental backdrops, but a lyrical presence first and foremost – often supported with lighter instrumentation that echoes an older bossa era – with strong use of acoustic guitar, light percussion, piano, bass, and cello – all with very melancholy shades of sound. There's a light glow to the record that's really beautiful – mellow, yet soulful enough to have some subtle power – and the set also features guest vocals on two tracks by Cleveland Watkiss, and guest piano on two other numbers by Austin Peralta. Titles include a nice version of Joao Donato's "The Frog" – plus "Inutil Paisagem", "Chelsea Bridge", "Love Dance", "Bonita", "Juazeiro", "Black Narcissus", "Copacabana", and "Modinha". CD also fatures three remix numbers – "Black Narcissus (Cinematic Orchestra rmx)", "Black Narcissus (Emanative rmx)", and "Turn Up The Quiet (IG Culture rmx)".

A pretty great multiple cover feature issue for Wax Poetics – this one with Lenny Kravitz on the front and Dam-Funk on the back – plus equally prominent features on Sade and Flying Lotus! Wax Poetics has always been a celebration of soul, funk, hip hop, jazz and otherwise crate diggers fodder – be they underground of not entirely forgotten heroes – or pop culture takeover engineers – and this issue personifies that as strongly as ever! It's also got pieces on Betty Wright, Gary Bartz, Quantic & Alice Russell, Cody Chesnutt, Thundercat, Jamire Williams, Georgia Anne Muldrow and Jamire Williams – plus NYC's 70s Roller Boogie scene and more – and as always, it's filled with great photographs of each and every figure!

A pretty great multiple cover feature issue for Wax Poetics – this one with Sade on the front and Flying Lotus on the back – plus equally prominent features on Lenny Kravitz and Dam-Funk! Wax Poetics has always been a celebration of soul, funk, hip hop, jazz and otherwise crate diggers fodder – be they underground of not entirely forgotten heroes – or pop culture takeover engineers – and this issue personifies that as strongly as ever! It's also got pieces on Betty Wright, Gary Bartz, Quantic & Alice Russell, Cody Chesnutt, Thundercat, Jamire Williams, Georgia Anne Muldrow and Jamire Williams – plus NYC's 70s Roller Boogie scene and more – and as always, it's filled with great photographs of each and every figure!

We're not usually fans of books on a single album – but in this case, we gladly make an exception – as the creation and circulation of Miles Davis' Kind Of Blue is definitely powerful enough to fill volumes of writing! Author Richard Williams does a great job of exploring this crucial piece of jazz – not only detailing the important session and musical moment that led to the record's creation, but also looking it its influence for decades after its release – not just in jazz, but in American popular culture as well! Hardcover book is 309 pages.

A tight collection of uptempo funk and disco-driven soul tunes – with a selection that goes way past the usual dancefloor favorites! We're not sure how to read the title (which seems to have some sort of "inside take" on black culture in America) so we'll write that off to the overzealous imagination of the British compilers of the set – but we will say that the package includes some great numbers that we wouldn't have thought of otherwise, including a few previously unissued tunes by artists on the Westbound label! The groove is upbeat on most tracks, with plenty of jazzy flourishes and a soulful approach to disco. Titles include "Disco Booty" by Melvin Sparks, "Love Don't Come Easy" by New Jersey Connection, "I Need Somebody To Love Tonight" by Sylvester, "Free Man" by South Shore Commission, "Everything's Gonna Be Alright" by The Clark Sisters, "Latin Disco" by The Counts, "Alvin Stone (The Birth & Death Of A Gangster)" by Fantastic Four, "Moon Trek" by Mike Theodore, "Sadie" by Joe Bataan, "Sure Can't Go To The Moon" by CJ & Co, and "The Magic Man" by King Errison.

A cool tribute to the music and lyrics of Bob Dylan – served up by a host of hip Brazilian performers, all of whom come across with a very different feel than you might expect! The lyrics are mostly in English, and the inflections are definitely Dylan-esque – but the range of artists and style of performance really make the tunes way more than simple cover versions – and instead show just how deep the spirit of Robert Zimmerman has penetrated Brazilian culture! Titles include "It's All Over Now Baby Blue" by Gal Costa, "Jokerman" by Caetano Veloso, "Man Gave Name To All The Animals" by Ruy Maurity, "Mr Tambourine Man" by Daniel Lopes, "Don't Think Twice It's All Right" by Jomar Schrank, "If Not For You" by Luen, "It Ain't Me Babe" by Mallu Magalhaes, and "If You See Him Say Hello" by Renato Russo.

The always surprising, always funky, always great Brazilian Beats series goes one volume deeper! The far-reaching tendencies of Brazilian Beats never fails to impress, and nearly overwhelm. Number 5 keeps the contemporary club and dancefloor scheme well out front, with appearances by many of the gods and goddesses of Brazilian musical culture like Elis Regina and Mario Castro Neves on the set, younger innovators like Bossa Tres, and a slew of talents that introduce some really incredible breakbeat and hip hop influences! It takes a special track list to seamlessly string elements of bossa and samba with such seemingly disparate contemporary club sounds – but that's why we keep following these compilations, isn't it? 18 tracks in all: Tejo, Black Alien & Speed "Follow Me Follow Me (Sao Benitez Radio Edit)", Stereo Maracana "Freestyle Love", Jorge Ben Jr. "Take It Easy My Brother Charles", Edson Frederico "Bobeira", Marku Ribas "Zamba Ben", Marcelo D2 "A Maldicao Do Samba", Jackson Do Pandeiro "Eu Balanco (Beatfanatic Rework)", Bossa Tres "Imprevisto", Mario Castro Neves & Samba S.A. "Candomble", Elis Regina "Ye Mele", Jorge Ben "Xica Da Silva", Sasso "Tudo Bem" and MUCH more!

Hip hop, street soul, and lots lots more – a really revolutionary selection of music from the legendary Celluloid Records – a label that was virtually a genre unto itself! Celluloid was a key force tying together the New York downtown scene at the start of the 80s, and the postcolonial music world of Paris – and as a result, they always operated with a culture-crossing style that few other companies of the time managed to hit – merging together sounds in really unlikely ways, and often coming up with fresh new styles in the process! The label's known for crate-diggers for its hip hop releases – and to world music fans for its electric Africa work – but they also were on the forefront of New York No Wave, avant jazz, and post-punk – and somehow found a way to integrate both young new talents, and older experimentalists who still had plenty to offer. This package finally does Celluloid justice – and goes way past the few simplistic comps of the label's work over the years – training the skilled Strut ear to the whole thing, and also serving up the full story of the label in the process. Titles include "I'm The One" by Material, "Day Tripper" by Shockabilly, "Tele Apres La Meteo" by Fredinand, "Disco Rough (long version)" by Mathematiques Modernes, "Electrique Sylvie (full length version)" by Modern Guy, "Mean Machine Chant/Mean Machine" by Last Poets, "Abele Dance ('85 rmx)" by Manu Dibango, "Change The Beat (French & English)" by Fab 5 Freddy, "The Escapades Of Futura 2000" by Futura 2000 with The Clash, and "Downing Street Rock" by Winston Edwards & Blackbeard. 26 tracks in all!

A wonderful snapshot of the late 60s/early 70s underground rock scene in Vancouver! The original album was put together as a benefit for the Cool Aid House – a shelter for homeless youth in Vancouver, and no doubt a haven for hippie culture at the time. The album was and is a vital document of the scene – touching on the freedom-seeking vibe of the time in the lyricism, but free of hippie rock cliché –it's great stuff! Sunny and loose harmonies, deft acoustic and electric instrumentation, creative and inviting music from Spring, Route Nine, Mock Duck, Papa Bear's Medicine Show, Black Snake, Mock Duck and others. Includes "Girl Of The Night Suite" by Route Nine, "The Reason" and "Catfish" by Black Snake, "Do Re Me" by Mock Duck, "Gardens And Flowers" by Hydro Electric Streetcar and more. This beautiful joint effort reissue from Light In The Attic and Lion includes a bonus second LP of material! 9 on LP2: "Borrowed Song" by Mock Duck, "Wordplay" by Spring, "Carousel" by Black Snake, "The Planet Man" by Greydon Moore and Leo Jung and more.

A very cool little record – almost the musical equivalent of pulp paperbacks and b-movie crime films – served up on a host of rare tracks from the 50s and early 60s! Crime is the dominant theme here – as you might guess from the title – but the great thing about the music is the way it's handled – often with a slight sense of humor that offers up a nice contrast to more serious crime-based pop culture of the time – reflecting the postwar fascination with the genre, but offering up its own vision of things as well! Instrumentation and production usually play a big part in the tunes – pretty crafty, with lots of cool twists and turns that make things as vivid as pre-code comic book or True Confessions magazine! Titles include "Cops & Robbers" by Boogaloo & His Gallant Crew, "Dick Tracy" by The Chants, "The Prisoner's Song" by Hylo Brown, "21 Days In Jail" by Magic Sam, "Mr Dillon" by The Delcardos, "Life To Go" by George Jones, "Bad Detective" by The Coasters, "Birmingham Jail" by Warren Storm, "Jail Bird" by Sonny Knight, "Prisoner's Plea" by Billy Boy, "Dragnet" by Ray Anthony, and "Have You Got The Gumption" by Scatman Crothers.

Funky soul, righteous jazz, and hip production made the Flying Dutchman label one of the greatest imprints of the early 70s! The label was the brainchild of producer Bob Thiele, and was a post-60s project to bring together unheard voices in African American culture – recording heavily in a number of genres that included jazz, funk, soul, and Latin – cutting records that were destined to become instant classics, most of which are still pretty darn influential today! This set does a great job of starting to unpack the wealth of work on Flying Dutchman – bringing together tracks by a few familiar acts, and other lesser-known artists, a few who have rarely been reissued. Titles include "Carnavalito" and "Maria Domingas" by Gato Barbieri, "Mama" and "Chains Of Love" by Esther Marrow", "Baja Bossa" by Oliver Nelson, "Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get" by Pretty Purdie, "Save The Children" and "I Think I'll Call It Morning" by Gil Scott Heron, "The Creator Has A Master Plan" by Louis Armstrong & Leon Thomas, "Echoes" by Leon Thomas, and "Footprints" and "Astral Travelin" by Lonnie Liston Smith.

A deep dip into forgotten, politically-motivated Americana from the impressive diggers at Omni – and a surprisingly strong collection of material from singers who served as the American right's response to the largely left-of-center folk singers of the mid-to-late 60s – and we're not gonna lie to you, reactionary conservatism never sounded so groovy! It's pretty amazing stuff – not only serving as an answer to the left's protest song ideals, but it's full of well-crafted, well-produced, creatively worthy songcraft. It features multiple tracks by 3 artist – pulling together rare songs from 45 EPs by Janet Greene, album and 45 tracks by Vera Vanderlaan, and the rare Cry, The Beloved Country album by Tony Dolan. Given just how far social, political and musical culture has progressed in the decades since, it's easy to listen to these songs, and their warnings of insidious Commie threats and other supposed left wing terrors waiting to happen, as a bit of a novelty item – but on the other hand, there's plenty of contemporary parallels to consider. While some of the songs border on self-parody, others are actually reasonable and pretty fair-minded – and nearly all of it is irresistibly listenable! Includes "Fascist Threat", "Commie Lies", "Poor Left Winger", "Run" and more by Janet Greene; "Abolish, Abolish!", "Cuba Will Be Free", "Cry, The Beloved Country", "Remember Bloody Budapest", "Harry Pollitt", "New York Times Blues" and more by Tony Dolan; "Freedom Is A Hammer", "Hello World", "Stand Up And Be Counted", "Red Fire" and more by Vera Vanderlaan. 29 tracks in all – and it includes a detailed booklet with bios and artist facts, as well as some fascinating right-of-center newsletter stills, shots of rally posters, etc. from the period.

A compilation of Ghana music like we've never seen before – and straight up beautifully put together by Soundway – 70s sounds that fused regional traditions with boundary free soul, rhythm & blues, and rock! Ghana in the 1970s was in a transition from a more prosperous, and less militarily tenuous culture, and the music at the time is really wonderful. This collection of obscure album tracks and singles from the time feature many smaller combo groups, rather than large scale dance bands, with highlife jazz & soul, guitar and percussion based Afrobeat, and Ghana traditions fused with international styles wonderfully. Fantastic stuff that sits proudly up there with the great Nigeria Special sister series from Soundway! The vinyl box set version has 2 tracks on on the CD version or digital download, and 2 more tracks previously only available on the CD version of the Ghana Soundz compilation: 37 tracks on 5 LPs, plus a 12 page booklet with rare photos and history: "Kai Wawa" by The Mercury Dance Band, "Din Ya Sugri" by Cristy Azuma & Upper International, "Nya Asem Hwe" by City Boys Band, "Edinya Benya" by Hedzoleh Soundz, "Odo Mmera" by Pa Steele's African Brothers, "Wompe Masem" by African Brothers International Band, "Akampanye" by The Sweet Talks, "You Can Go" by Bokoor Band, "Owuo" by Sawaaba Soundz, "Sisi Mbon" by Honny & The Bees Band and more.

A nice, expansive retrospective of vital releases on KMS Records – in a 4CD set that features some the greatest and most influential numbers from the early days of the pioneering Detroit dancefloor label – as well as more recent material that's just as great! Legendary producer and label founder Kevin Saunderson as at the forefront of a good deal of the tracks, which span a stunning quarter century – and features great cuts by Kreem, Reese, Keynotes, Inner City, Urban Culture, Tronikhouse, Phil Agosta, Brandon DeCarlo and more! 49 tracks on 4CDs: "Triangle Of Love" by Kreem, :The Sound", Rock To The Beat", "Bassline" and more by Reese, "The Groove That Won't Stop" and more by Kevin Saunderson, "Back Together Again", "Good Life", "Big Fun" and more by Inner City, "World Of Deep", "Velocity Funk" and more by E-Danceer, "Smooth Groove" and "Straight Outta Hell" by Tronikhouse, "Tribute To Detriot" by Phil Agosta and many more.

The Cold War is over – and here's the reason why! These jazz funk gems were cut in the Soviet Union during the 80s – but they've got a richness that's right up there with the excellent work coming out of Eastern Europe during the 70s, particularly the jazz funk and fusion sides cut in Poland and Czechoslovakia during the time. They represent a rich culture that hasn't really ever been tapped over here – as all the sides were cut for the state-owned Melodiya label, and never issued strongly in the west – and it's almost hard to believe that these tracks weren't recorded in a culture that was more open to influences from other jazz scenes. Most of the best tracks have kind of a funk spacey quality – almost CTI-ish, but a bit more jamming – and titles include "Dervish" and "Ornament" by The Boomerang Band, "Perpetuum Mobile" by Marina Granovskaja, "Dance Of The Bees" by Dustar Band, "Ekstraversija" by E Straume Jazz Combo, and "Expectation" by Alexander Rjabov & Ensemble Synthesys.

Mighty recordings from the funk years of King Records – amazing grooves that follow the initial inspiration that James Brown gave to the label – but take things into wild new territory too! The late 60s & early 70s were kind of a strange and tumultuous time at the longtime Cincinnati operation – which was adapting to the changes in funk, soul and R&B music that James Brown almost single-handedly ushered in – at King and throughout the entire culture! What's most impressive here, beyond the exceptional quality of each song and performer, is the diversity – as the set's not all front-to-back JB-style funk – and also features some funked up bluesy soul, strains of gospel, the convincing move towards funk from veterans such as Hank Ballard & Bill Doggett – all topped off with righteous storytelling, sweet female soul leads, and some amazing grooves down at the bottom! Titles include "Getting Down (With Hoss)" by Kastle, "Love's Sweet Water" by Barbara Burton And The Messengers, "Baby Don't You Know" by The Brownettes, "Clay Tyson (Man On The Moon)" by Clay Tyson, "Cool Jerk" by The Coasters, "The Boo Boo Song" by King Coleman, "Unwind Yourself" by Hank Ballard, "Steal Away" by Leon Austin, "Peter Rabbit" by The Presidents, "Lookin For A Woman" by Robert Moore, "Push & Shove" by Willy Wiley, "Ball Of Fire" by Connie Austin, "Sad But True" by Elaine Armstrong, and "You Keep Me Hanging On" by Bonnie & Sheila.

Amazing sounds from the last Western years of Iran – really incredible music that shows what a cultural crossroads the nation had become! While some might criticize the culture as embracing the west too strongly at the time, music like this is a great illustration of the way that the cognoscenti were really onto something unusual – able to weave together the local and the global in really cool ways – crafting funk and grooves that are unlike any thing happening in neighboring scenes at the time! The mix of regional and western modes is not unlike Turkish music from a few years before – but the styles here are also much more soul-based, with a range that flows between funk and club, and includes some instrumentation you'd never hear on an American record at all – a perfect complement for the echoey style of vocal recording used on many numbers. The package may well be the most compelling so far from this mighty cool label – and titles include "Kermani" by Zia, "Koolehbaar" by Shahrokh, "Mahigir" by Maziar, "Omadi" by Shoreh, "Tasvire Yek Fal" by Soli, "Be Man Tekyeh Kon" by Shamaizadeh, and "Avazekhian Na Avaz" by Farrokhzad.

Amazing sounds from the last Western years of Iran – really incredible music that shows what a cultural crossroads the nation had become! While some might criticize the culture as embracing the west too strongly at the time, music like this is a great illustration of the way that the cognoscenti were really onto something unusual – able to weave together the local and the global in really cool ways – crafting funk and grooves that are unlike any thing happening in neighboring scenes at the time! The mix of regional and western modes is not unlike Turkish music from a few years before – but the styles here are also much more soul-based, with a range that flows between funk and club, and includes some instrumentation you'd never hear on an American record at all – a perfect complement for the echoey style of vocal recording used on many numbers. The package may well be the most compelling so far from this mighty cool label – and titles include "Kermani" by Zia, "Koolehbaar" by Shahrokh, "Mahigir" by Maziar, "Omadi" by Shoreh, "Tasvire Yek Fal" by Soli, "Be Man Tekyeh Kon" by Shamaizadeh, and "Avazekhian Na Avaz" by Farrokhzad.

The Sounds of Al-Mashriq – Middle Eastern folk and funk with raw percussion, street sounds and a wealth of surprising samples and other stylistic twists and turns – all respectful to and evocative of the culture! The set was put together by Coleman for Mochilla – the adventurous label and loose collective of global music-reverent DJs/producers/artists. The Sounds Of Al-Mashriq set follows the Mochilla team's visits to Lebanon, Jordan and Egypt – and it's a continuous mix of regional music, plus some subtle blends with hip hop beats and other eclectic flourishes. Nearly an hour-long continuous mix by Eric Coleman.

Some of the wildest sounds we've ever heard from Iran – a wealth of wonderful grooves that show that there was plenty happening in that unique scene before the Ayatollah came in and clamped down on Western culture! Styles really intertwine nicely throughout – mixing funk with pop with psych, disco, and even some soundtracky styles that feel a bit Bollywood at points – all coming across with a really cool, groovy, and other-worldly sound that has us loving the whole thing all the way through! The folks at Guerssen have done a great job with the package – adding enough good notes and quality sound to ensure that this one's not just a knockoff – and instead features a great range of well-chosen tracks, put together beautifully. Titles include "Setareh" by Azita, "Aroos Khanom" by Amir Rassaie, "Zandooni" by Farzin, "Bi Vafa" by Kambiz, "Safar" by Hassan Shamaizadeh, "Ey Vatan Iran" by Emad Ram, "Ghebleh" by Nooshafarin, "Gholake Cheshat" by Simin Ghanem, and "Rahgozar" by Morteza.

The UK hit "Beware Of The Boys" is a pretty irresistible club track that fuses a Punjabi born bhangra groove with hip hop beats and clever pop culture samples, most notably the theme of the cheesy Night Rider show from 80s television. Here, power remixer Switch "garridges" the crap out of the song for the remix. There's a fine line between generally strong tracks like this and bad short-lived novelty singles – here's hoping P MC can follow this up with something equally great!

Some of the wildest sounds we've ever heard from Iran – a wealth of wonderful grooves that show that there was plenty happening in that unique scene before the Ayatollah came in and clamped down on Western culture! Styles really intertwine nicely throughout – mixing funk with pop with psych, disco, and even some soundtracky styles that feel a bit Bollywood at points – all coming across with a really cool, groovy, and other-worldly sound that has us loving the whole thing all the way through! The folks at Guerssen have done a great job with the package – adding enough good notes and quality sound to ensure that this one's not just a knockoff – and instead features a great range of well-chosen tracks, put together beautifully. Titles include "Setareh" by Azita, "Aroos Khanom" by Amir Rassaie, "Zandooni" by Farzin, "Bi Vafa" by Kambiz, "Safar" by Hassan Shamaizadeh, "Ey Vatan Iran" by Emad Ram, "Ghebleh" by Nooshafarin, "Gholake Cheshat" by Simin Ghanem, and "Rahgozar" by Morteza.

Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah, Y- Y- Y- Y- Y- Y- Y-eah, this is one of best art rock albums of all time – the Eno produced full length debut of Devo – the caustic, sarcastic and fun soundtrack to society's devolution! There's nothing we don't love about Devo at this point, from their unprecedented use of multimedia, to the hard to pull off fusion of sneering social and pop culture satire with good humored fun, and that's just the conceptual stuff. The songs are original and inimitably great, too, with those squeeling synth punk dynamics. Tracks include (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" (best rock cover ever?) "Jocko Homo", "Mongoloid", "Uncontrollable Urge", "Space Junk", "Come Back Jonee", "Sloppy (I Saw My Baby Gettin')" and more.

Killer stuff – and probably the best record ever by this Chicago soul group! The record's got a full batch of original tracks written and produced by the group's mentor, Curtis Mayfield – including their amazing, funk steeped version of "Don't Change Your Love", with a breakbeat that lit up the sampler culture for years! That raw drum sound is in effect on even the more delicate numbers, and the lead vocals and harmonies soar or sink deep to the soul, as the groove demands. There's also some kind of tripped out touches in the production in spots, making for a nice balance of sweet soul and leftfield touches. Kind of an underappreciated effort in the grand scheme of Curtis Mayfield productions, but wholly essential! Other titles include "Stay Close To Me", "New Dance Craze", "Baby, Make Me Feel So Good", and "Little Young Lover".

The sensational early 70s document of the big city pimp culture by writer Susan Hall & photgrapher Bob Adelman! It features fascinating interviews with "professional gentleman of leisure" Silky and his "wives" – and filled with jaw dropping b&w photography. A year in the life! Hardcover, 192 pages.

The classic self-titled LP that changed hip hop (and much of modern pop) forever! There's little we can add to the canon for this record. Run DMC ushered in a new era in contemporary urban culture, a harder hitting style of rap the bust out of the inner cities and into consciousness of an entire generation. You can literally call this album revolutionary, something only a handful of artists can ever hope to achieve. Amazing! Tracks include "It's Like That", "Sucker MC's", "Rock Box", "Jay's Game", "Hard Times", "30 Days", "Hollis Crew", "Wake Up", and "It's Like That". This expanded edition includes the bonus tracks "Rock Box (B-Boy Mix)", "Here We Go (Live At The Funhouse)", "Sucker MCs (Live)" and "Russell & Larry Running At The Mouth".

A great solo set from Heidi Vogel – a vocalist you may know from previous work with the Cinematic Orchestra – stepping out here in a bossa-heavy set that's a perfect fit for the Far Out label! Heidi's style is deeper and more expressive than before – not a voice as part of larger instrumental backdrops, but a lyrical presence first and foremost – often supported with lighter instrumentation that echoes an older bossa era – with strong use of acoustic guitar, light percussion, piano, bass, and cello – all with very melancholy shades of sound. There's a light glow to the record that's really beautiful – mellow, yet soulful enough to have some subtle power – and the set also features guest vocals on two tracks by Cleveland Watkiss, and guest piano on two other numbers by Austin Peralta. Titles include a nice version of Joao Donato's "The Frog" – plus "Inutil Paisagem", "Chelsea Bridge", "Love Dance", "Bonita", "Juazeiro", "Black Narcissus", "Copacabana", and "Modinha". CD also fatures three remix numbers – "Black Narcissus (Cinematic Orchestra rmx)", "Black Narcissus (Emanative rmx)", and "Turn Up The Quiet (IG Culture rmx)".

A tight collection of uptempo funk and disco-driven soul tunes – with a selection that goes way past the usual dancefloor favorites! We're not sure how to read the title (which seems to have some sort of "inside take" on black culture in America) so we'll write that off to the overzealous imagination of the British compilers of the set – but we will say that the package includes some great numbers that we wouldn't have thought of otherwise, including a few previously unissued tunes by artists on the Westbound label! The groove is upbeat on most tracks, with plenty of jazzy flourishes and a soulful approach to disco. Titles include "Disco Booty" by Melvin Sparks, "Love Don't Come Easy" by New Jersey Connection, "I Need Somebody To Love Tonight" by Sylvester, "Free Man" by South Shore Commission, "Everything's Gonna Be Alright" by The Clark Sisters, "Latin Disco" by The Counts, "Alvin Stone (The Birth & Death Of A Gangster)" by Fantastic Four, "Moon Trek" by Mike Theodore, "Sadie" by Joe Bataan, "Sure Can't Go To The Moon" by CJ & Co, and "The Magic Man" by King Errison.

A much-needed look at the massive amount of music recorded in Kenya during the 70s and 80s – an incredibly fertile time for local culture in the nation – and a time when it seemed like there was a great new groove coming out nearly every day! The work here really rivals the best of the classic Soundway compilations – especially their strong surveys of Ghana and Nigeria, with an ear for grooves that go way beyond the usual mainstream sounds of world music! There's more than enough grit and funk here to please any fan of American funk and soul – but the sounds also go way way deeper, too – and echo not only a long Kenyan cultural heritage, but also reflect the unique place the nation had at the crossroads of East Africa – a site that often made the scene especially vibrant in these years. The presentation is superb – with detailed notes and wonderful imagery that includes vintage label scans – and titles include "Mu Africa" by The Rift Valley Brothers, "Wendo Ti Mbia" by Gatanga Boys Band, "Ware Wa" by The Loi Toki Tok, "Sweet Sweet Mbombo" by Orchestre Baba National, "Cha Umheja" by Afro 70, "See Serere" by Sophia Ben & The Eagles Lupopo, "Mutumia Muriu" by The Lulus Band, "Nzaumi" by Ndalani 77 Brothers, "Teresia" by Huruma Boys Band, and "Week End" by Afro 70.

A much-needed look at the massive amount of music recorded in Kenya during the 70s and 80s – an incredibly fertile time for local culture in the nation – and a time when it seemed like there was a great new groove coming out nearly every day! The work here really rivals the best of the classic Soundway compilations – especially their strong surveys of Ghana and Nigeria, with an ear for grooves that go way beyond the usual mainstream sounds of world music! There's more than enough grit and funk here to please any fan of American funk and soul – but the sounds also go way way deeper, too – and echo not only a long Kenyan cultural heritage, but also reflect the unique place the nation had at the crossroads of East Africa – a site that often made the scene especially vibrant in these years. The presentation is superb – with detailed notes and wonderful imagery that includes vintage label scans – and titles include "Mu Africa" by The Rift Valley Brothers, "Wendo Ti Mbia" by Gatanga Boys Band, "Ware Wa" by The Loi Toki Tok, "Sweet Sweet Mbombo" by Orchestre Baba National, "Cha Umheja" by Afro 70, "See Serere" by Sophia Ben & The Eagles Lupopo, "Mutumia Muriu" by The Lulus Band, "Nzaumi" by Ndalani 77 Brothers, "Teresia" by Huruma Boys Band, and "Week End" by Afro 70.

A great set of music that's literally as it's title indicates – compiled from the memory cards from cell phone users in the Saharan Desert – not only a fascinating selection of modern West African music, but a bit of a time capsule of modern "connected" musical culture of the region! It's actual songs, not some collection of ring tones or phone sound errata – with songs by Group Anmataff, Yeli Fuzzo, Amanar, Mdou Moctar, Bayta Ag Bay and others – many with a sound informed by the modernity that goes along with the cell phone era – home studio recordings, synths, loops, etc. It's music that is listened to, and passed along, via modern telecommunications – possibly the primary means of distribution for some of it! Includes "Tinariwen" by Group Anmataff, "Abande" by Yeli Fuzzo, "Tahoultine" by Mdou Moctar, "Faroter" by Joskar Et Flamzy, "Aicha" by Bayta Ag Bay, "Guetna" by Negib Ould Ngainich and more.

Early to mid 70s Persian Funk – a nicely compiled set featuring some of the funkiest music released on Iran's Ahang Rooz label from the early-to-mid 70s! It's got instrumental stormers and vocal numbers – in Farsi and English – funk and soul steeped Persian grooves from an incredible period for modern music in the Middle East! Ahang Rooz rose up during a much different period in Iran, when government's Ministry Of Culture nurtured the label and grew to release albums by the biggest acts in the region. From the outset, the label produced music that blended regional folk styles and instrumentation with globally popular genres. Secret Stash celebrates the funky stuff for Persian Funk – be it straight forward or global pop and psych infused. Includes a few great covers, include Martik's take on Stevie Wonder's "Past Time Paradise" and Googoosh's raw and funky version of "Respect" – and other tracks include "Cheshm Be Rah" by Shohreh, "Hard Groove" by Ahamaizadeh, "Soul Raga" by Mehrpouya, "Prison Song" by Shahram Shabpareh, "Del Dare Pir Misheh" by Kourosh Yaghmaei, "Morteza" by Morteza and more. 11 in all.

Some of the wildest sounds we've ever heard from Iran – a wealth of wonderful grooves that show that there was plenty happening in that unique scene before the Ayatollah came in and clamped down on Western culture! Styles really intertwine nicely throughout – mixing funk with pop with psych, disco, and even some soundtracky styles that feel a bit Bollywood at points – all coming across with a really cool, groovy, and other-worldly sound that has us loving the whole thing all the way through! The folks at Guerssen have done a great job with the package – adding enough good notes and quality sound to ensure that this one's not just a knockoff – and instead features a great range of well-chosen tracks, put together beautifully. Titles include "Setareh" by Azita, "Aroos Khanom" by Amir Rassaie, "Zandooni" by Farzin, "Bi Vafa" by Kambiz, "Safar" by Hassan Shamaizadeh, "Ey Vatan Iran" by Emad Ram, "Ghebleh" by Nooshafarin, "Gholake Cheshat" by Simin Ghanem, and "Rahgozar" by Morteza.

You know the story. Ry Cooder got tired of playing with Ali Farka Toure, set his sights on another culture to plunder, and the rest is history! Who'd have ever thought the Cuban embargo would create a useful situation for a dried-out rocker to suddenly have great record sales again? Can't blame the old guys for falling for Ry, and you've got to give them credit for doing a good job – but dig this one for the music, and not just because we're Americans who've pretended that Cuba didn't exist for 40 years!

Amazing images from the Santeria underground in contemporary Cuba – the rich spiritual culture that's persisted for decades – and, if anything, has gotten only stronger through a rich network of local practice and dedicated spirituality! The photographs here are all in brilliant black and white – shot both behind the scenes, and at public festivals – and accompanied by notes and writing in both English and Spanish. The oversized book is 158 pages, with very good paper stock – a heavy coffee-table tome on the topic!

A landmark moment in the New York scene of the 70s – and a mindblowing document of the energy and lifestyle of the city's growing Latin scene at the time! The film combines live performances from the legendary Cheetah nightclub with amazing street footage – woven together in a rich tapestry of music and culture that documents the reality of life in Spanish Harlem at the time. Musicians featured include a veritable "who's who" of the New York Latin world – such as Ray Barretto, Willie Colon, Larry Harlow, Johnny Pacheco, Bobby Cruz, Ricardo Ray, Bobby Valentin, and Hector Lavoe – but even without the music, the documentary footage alone makes the film an instant treasure! Approximately 86 minutes.

Easy Star All-Stars up the ante on their reggae covers series here – taking on Thriller – and doing so with respect and real soul! We love us a good tribute album when we hear one – and all the more if it would be a mere novelty record in the wrong hands – but warmly appealing and transcendent in the right hands. Enter the Easy Star All-Stars – who deliver this timeless reggae take on MJ's monumental pop culture landmark Thriller really, really well! The All-Stars are joined by a great roster of guests – and they do Thriller track-for-track, with a couple extras: including "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" feat Jowil and Ruff Scott, "Baby Be Mine" feat The Green, The Girl Is Mine feat Mojo Morgan and Steel Pulse, "Thriller" feat Mikey General and Spragga Benz, "Beat It" feat Michael Rose, "Human Nature", feat Cas Haley, "The Lady In My Life" feat Christopher Martin, "Dub It" and "Close To Midnight".

A cool German book with a great sense of global street culture – photos from around the world, brought together with a National Geographic brand, but much grittier than anything we ever remember seeing in the magazine! The hefty tome is almost 400 pages, in full color, and is filled with images of global graffiti, underground art, skateboard culture, gang symbols, street festivals, t-shirts, and many other modes of expression – more than enough to save you an around the world trip to view local street culture. Notes are in German, but the book is mostly photos – and those are all pretty darn great!

Joe Gibbs and Errol Thompson more than live up to their title as the Mighty Two just as this heavy compilation more than lives up to the title of nothing but scorchers! Gibbs and ET showcase their mastery of all styles here, veering from hard and heavy roots to sweet lover's numbers and even a few bouncing tracks aimed a the dancehall! Top notch singers and dee jays are all featured over throbbing rhythms at the hands of Gibbs' Professionals crew, with 28 tracks in all, including "Two Sevens Clash" by Culture, "Babylon Too Rough" by Gregory Isaacs, "Cool Out Son" by Junior Murvin, "Boxing Around" and "No Man's Land" by Cornell Campbell, "Just Like A River" by the Mighty Diamonds, Left With A Broken Heart" by George Nooks, "Funeral" by Prince Alla,"Rockers A Nuh Crackers" by Glen Washington, "Jah Bring I Joy In The Morning" by Bobby Melody, "Burn Babylon" by Sylford Walker, "Keep On Knocking" by Jaco Miller, "Virgin Girl" by Eek-A-Mouse, "Hello Carol" by Enos McLeod, and "UptownTop Ranking" by Althea & Donna.

A cool sci-fi story from two of the three brothers who created Love & Rockets – a tight little tale about robot culture, with a vibe that's like some of the best work from the early years of the magazine! The drawings here are most strongly in the famous style of Gilbert Hernadez, but you can also feel the influence of Mario as well – and the high-quality printing has the black and white images really popping off the page, wrapped up in a nice color hardcover! 126 pages, with bonus notes as well.

Stevie Wonder's classic albums as guided though a musicians lens, rather than only the the prism of popular culture – put together by London based musician, columnist and author Steve Lodder – who has worked with Carla Bley, George Russell and Paul McCartney to name a few! The book focuses on 5 classic albums in particular: Music Of The Mind, Talking Book, Innervisions, Fulfillingness' First Finale and Songs In The Key Of Life. Paperback, 240 pages.

Insanely great sounds from the legendary Tim Maia – easily the most soulful singer in 70s Brazil, and an artist with a heck of a strong ear for funk, too! The music here is an incredible hybrid of American soul and Brazilian elements – especially since some lyrics are in English – and the grooves are often mixed together in a sound that's nice and fuzzy around the edges, with some slight psychedelic elements that makes the cuts a perfect fit for this Luaka Bop series! Yet Tim Maia's hardly a guy who can easily fit into any easy slot or series – because as you'll hear on this set, he's got a vibe that's all his own – a really wonderful approach that's different even from some of his hippest contemporaries in Brazil – and which has gone onto have influence on countless other generations of singers and musicians – including his nephew Ed Motta. The package is great – a real visual tribute to the sounds within – and titles include "Que Beleza", "Ela Partiu", "Do Leme Ao Pontal", "Brother Father Mother Sister", "Quer Queira Quer Nao Queira", "Let's Have A Ball Tonight", "I Don't Care", "The Dance Is Over", "Rational Culture", "You Don't Know What I Know", and "Nobody Can Live Forever".

Great early work by Bob Marley & The Wailers – some of it produced by the legendary Lee Perry, too! Some of the tunes are early takes on later famous versions – but in a way, they're actually more definitive – in that they tie Marley back to the rich Kingston culture, instead of making him some beatific figure who emerged to greatness on his own. The rougher edge is a great contrast to Marley during the Island years – as you'll hear on tunes that include "Lively Up Yourself","Small Axe", "Duppy Conqueror", "African Herbsman", "Sun Is Shining", "Keep On Moving", "Don't Rock The Boat", and "Kaya".

Hip hop, street soul, and lots lots more – a really revolutionary selection of music from the legendary Celluloid Records – a label that was virtually a genre unto itself! Celluloid was a key force tying together the New York downtown scene at the start of the 80s, and the postcolonial music world of Paris – and as a result, they always operated with a culture-crossing style that few other companies of the time managed to hit – merging together sounds in really unlikely ways, and often coming up with fresh new styles in the process! The label's known for crate-diggers for its hip hop releases – and to world music fans for its electric Africa work – but they also were on the forefront of New York No Wave, avant jazz, and post-punk – and somehow found a way to integrate both young new talents, and older experimentalists who still had plenty to offer. This package finally does Celluloid justice – and goes way past the few simplistic comps of the label's work over the years – training the skilled Strut ear to the whole thing, and also serving up the full story of the label in the process. Titles include "I'm The One" by Material, "Day Tripper" by Shockabilly, "Tele Apres La Meteo" by Fredinand, "Disco Rough (long version)" by Mathematiques Modernes, "Electrique Sylvie (full length version)" by Modern Guy, "Mean Machine Chant/Mean Machine" by Last Poets, "Abele Dance ('85 rmx)" by Manu Dibango, "Change The Beat (French & English)" by Fab 5 Freddy, "The Escapades Of Futura 2000" by Futura 2000 with The Clash, and "Downing Street Rock" by Winston Edwards & Blackbeard.

Legendary work from a crucial component of Brazilian culture in the late 60s – the International Song Festivals of the time – a very important way of presenting both new talent and new compositions as well! The events were really unique, and often quite striking – from both a cultural and political perspective – as artists used the festivals as a key platform for taking steps forward in their words and music – sometimes steps that were even bolder than their studio work on record! Performances are unique to the records, and usually represent some key non-album tracks from the artists involved. This first volume brings together seven different albums from the years 1966 to 1968 – all originally issued on the Ritmos and Odeon labels – with work by artists who include Marcos Valle, Dori Caymmi, Beth Carvalho, Golden Boys, Taiguara, Vocalistas Modernos, Luiza, Clara Nunes, Elza Soares, Doris Monteiro, Maria Creuza, Morgana, Miltinho, Stelinha Egg, Reginaldo Bessa, Agostinho Dos Santos, Maria Jose, Quarteto 004, Milton Nascimento, Maricenne Costa, Zeze Gonzaga, Maysa, Quarteto Em Cy, Tuca, MPB4, Silvio Cesar, Paulinho Nogueira, Carlos Hamilton, Elis Regina, and many others! Albums include I Festival Internacional Da Cancao Popular Vols 1 & 2 (1966), II Festival Internacional Da Cancao Popular (1967), and four volumes of III Festival Internacional Da Cancao Popular (1968).

Legendary work from a crucial component of Brazilian culture in the late 60s and early 70s – the International Song Festivals of the time – a very important way of presenting both new talent and new compositions as well! The events were really unique, and often quite striking – from both a cultural and political perspective – as artists used the festivals as a key platform for taking steps forward in their words and music – sometimes steps that were even bolder than their studio work on record! Performances are unique to the records, and usually represent some key non-album tracks from the artists involved. This second volume brings together work from the 1969 to 1972 versions of the Festivals – a really crucial time in Brazilian music, represented here by performances from Clara Nunes, Marcos Valle, Quarteto Forma, Beth Carvalho, Golden Boys, Tiaguara, Evinha, Antonio Adolfo & Brazuca, Maria Odette, Oz Brazoes, Hermes Aquinho, Alceu Valenca, O Grupo, Vox Populi, Martinho Da Vila, Luiza, Som Okey 5, Jards Macale, Os Tres Morais, Tribo, Toni Tornado, Agostinho Dos Santos, Trio Esperanca, Wilson Simonal, O Terco, Som Imaginario, Wanderlea, Silvo Cesar, Osmar Milito, Ze Rodrix, Claudia, Alaide Costa, and many others! Box features the full albums IV Festival Internacional Da Cancao Popular Vols 1, 2, & 3 (1969), V Festival Internacional Da Cancao Popular Vols 1 & 2 (1970), VI Festival Internacional Da Cancao Popular (1971), and VII Festival Internacional Da Cancao Popular (1972) – and most albums have bonus tracks too!

A nice, expansive retrospective of vital releases on KMS Records – in a 4CD set that features some the greatest and most influential numbers from the early days of the pioneering Detroit dancefloor label – as well as more recent material that's just as great! Legendary producer and label founder Kevin Saunderson as at the forefront of a good deal of the tracks, which span a stunning quarter century – and features great cuts by Kreem, Reese, Keynotes, Inner City, Urban Culture, Tronikhouse, Phil Agosta, Brandon DeCarlo and more! 49 tracks on 4CDs: "Triangle Of Love" by Kreem, :The Sound", Rock To The Beat", "Bassline" and more by Reese, "The Groove That Won't Stop" and more by Kevin Saunderson, "Back Together Again", "Good Life", "Big Fun" and more by Inner City, "World Of Deep", "Velocity Funk" and more by E-Danceer, "Smooth Groove" and "Straight Outta Hell" by Tronikhouse, "Tribute To Detriot" by Phil Agosta and many more.

A "pocket guide" to 69 Love Songs – the wildly ambitious mid 90s art pop breakout effort from Magnetic Fields – and possibly the most sprawling single project profiled in the 33 1/3 series! 69 Love Songs is such an ambitious project, they probably could have eked a 3 part series of 33 1/3 releases, but LD Beghtol does an admirable job here penning a fun print companion piece, rather than a "making of" or "behind the scenes" tome. He was also a collaborator on the actual album(s). He sort of profiles the language and culture that inspired 69 Love Songs more than anything else – and the book also has notes for each individual song with insights from friends and collaborators. A fun read!

Diverse beatcraft from a pioneer of beathead culture – the never predictable, still vital DJ Vadim! Spacey keys, funky bass, atmospheric synth and top notch turntable skills are, as always, the main tools of Vadim's trade – but the cross-cultural, globe-spanning styles he manages to cook up are as impressive as ever on Don't Be Scared. Glitchy funk and soul from around the world, echoey dancehall and more float in and out, with some sampled bits of vocal as well as some great guest singers on the mic. Another win for Vadim and BBE! Includes "Hide N' Seek", "Lemon Haze", "I'm Feeling U" with Gregory Blackman, "This DJ" feat J-Man, "Set Them Free" feat Sabira Jade, "Leader" with Yarah Bravo, "Vah Vaow" feat Heidi Vogel, "Take My Time" with Jazz Bailey and "Closed Eyes" feat Yarah Bravo, Pugs Atomz and Jazz Bailey.

Easy All-Stars up the ante on their reggae covers series here – taking on Thriller – and doing so with respect and real soul! We love us a good tribute album when we hear one – and all the more if it would be a mere novelty record in the wrong hands – but warmly appealing and transcendent in the right hands. Enter the Easy Star All-Stars – who deliver this timeless reggae take on MJ's monumental pop culture landmark Thriller nicely! The Jamaican and American All-Stars are joined by a great roster of guests – and they do Thriller track-for-track, with a couple extras: including "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" feat Jowil and Ruff Scott, "Baby Be Mine" feat The Green, The Girl Is Mine feat Mojo Morgan and Steel Pulse, "Thriller" feat Mikey General and Spragga Benz, "Beat It" feat Michael Rose, "Human Nature", feat Cas Haley, "The Lady In My Life" feat Christopher Martin, "Dub It" and "Close To Midnight".

The Kurtis Blow-produced debut album by The Fat Boys! We'll say it: respect is due to The Fat Boys – so put the pop culture novelty status, fat comedy cliches and Disorderlies debacle aside. If you're a child of the early 80s, there's a reasonable chance that The Fat Boys were the first rap group you ever heard – and that alone makes them no joke if you ask us. Another thing: the best of their cuts are pretty damn nice, holding up as well some of the best rap circa '84 – and this debut album indeed features some of their best cuts! Includes "Stick 'Em", Fat Boys", "The Place To Be""Human Beat Box", "Can You Feel It?", "Stick 'Em" & "Jailhouse Rap". Limited 2012 vinyl version is remastered – in comes in a pizza box! Limited 2012 picture disc vinyl version is remastered – in comes in a pizza box!

The groundbreaking hip hop culture magazine may be long gone, but the endearingly cynical, satirical, bitter yet undeniably realistic voice of Sacha Jenkins and Ego Trip contributers and collaborators is alive and well in their Big Book Of Racism! Chapters include "Disgracism", "Get Ur Race On", "Embracism", "Da Yellow Pages", "Lights, Camera, Affirmative Action", and many, many more. Some of the stories, photos, and articles here were pulled from the defunct mag, but the majority are brand spankin' new for this volume – a great sign that Jenkins and co. will be around for a long, long time! You pretty much know what you are in for with the intro, "Due to our strong personal convictions, we wish to stress that this book in no way endorses a belief in racism. We just hate everybody." Great, biting stuff. Paperback, 304 pages. Highly recommended!

The classic agit-rap-rock debut of Rage Against The Machine – with the most fiery political lyricism and imagery of any massively popular record of its time – and as great of a pairing of revolutionary rap and heavy guitars as there ever was! It's hard to imagine now, but there were very few straight up rap rock bands before Rage Against The Machine. Hard rock breaks were ample, of course, but straight up rap rock bands were pretty scarce, pre-Rage. Rage Against The Machine's pop culture revolution was as massive as the social and political revolution that their songs called for! Includes "Bombtrack", "Killing In The Name", "Take The Power Back", "Settle For Nothing", "Bullet In The Head", "Know Your Enemy", "Wake Up", "Fistful Of Steel", "Township Rebellion" and "Freedom".

Two spoken word albums from Maurice Sixto – both representing a much deeper side of Haitian culture than you might expect, with a literate richness that feels more like some Parisian recordings of the 60s! French language throughout – and the package features two full length albums!

Rare funk from the Kelekye Band – material recorded after their legendary Moving World album, but never issued at the time! This amazing package is totally great – four tracks of offbeat Afro Funk, with an approach that's heavy on percussion, and topped by jazzy riffs that really complicate the sound – a vibe that goes way deeper than more common Afro modes of the time, thanks to the rich solo energy of the horns! Trumpet is especially nice, and works great with the vocals – especially when they hit a warmer 70s soul mode that almost makes the record feel like Hugh Masekela teaming up with The Blackbyrds. Titles include "Mother Africa", "Munchin Session", "Too Bad Girl", and "Jungle Funk".

An incredibly rare slice of righteous soul – pulled from obscurity! "Third Eye" has this really cool little groove – jazzy, but kind of light too – with these horns that are way in the background as the core skipping rhythms set most of the scene – all to some very human, honest lead vocals that fit nicely into the whole mix! "Back Home" is a mellow ballad, but has this light stepping groove that's pretty catchy!

A massive set from Nigeria's CS Crew – and a set that definitely lives up to its title! The bass is super-heavy on these grooves – way more so than on other Afro Funk records of the time, and in ways that easily match, if not beat, the early best by Fatback Band and Kool & The Gang – grooves that have amazing dexterity that few others could match, yet which always come through right on the money every time! The bass dips, turns, soars, and drops magically on each number – setting things up strongly for the group's riffing guitar, sweet keyboard lines (including a big of moog!), and few horn moments – which themselves often come across more like an American group than a Nigerian one. Vocals have this rough approach – often part of the rhythm more than anything else – and titles include "Love Is Peace", "Freaky Funkyfied Fix", "Bread Power", "Doin The Good Thing", "I've Found Love", "Last Day", and "Dig In With Time".

A massive set from Nigeria's CS Crew – and a set that definitely lives up to its title! The bass is super-heavy on these grooves – way more so than on other Afro Funk records of the time, and in ways that easily match, if not beat, the early best by Fatback Band and Kool & The Gang – grooves that have amazing dexterity that few others could match, yet which always come through right on the money every time! The bass dips, turns, soars, and drops magically on each number – setting things up strongly for the group's riffing guitar, sweet keyboard lines (including a big of moog!), and few horn moments – which themselves often come across more like an American group than a Nigerian one. Vocals have this rough approach – often part of the rhythm more than anything else – and titles include "Love Is Peace", "Freaky Funkyfied Fix", "Bread Power", "Doin The Good Thing", "I've Found Love", "Last Day", and "Dig In With Time".