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Niceness from Parisian producer Onra – a mix of spacey, cosmic soul bounce and a wavering, fading in and out flow to the beatcraft that's sinks in and doesn't let go! There are strains of 80s electro funk & soul that are totally intergral, but with a splintering, broken beat vibe that's more modern. This is one of those records that's hard to describe the appeal of without making it sound like other albums, but the thing is, this one's much better than most! Highly recommended. Includes "My Comet", "My Mind Is Gone" by Oliver Daysoul, "Rock On", "Hight Hopes" feat Reggie B, "Moving", "Wonderland", "Jeeps", "Liab" and more,

The second chapter of Erykah Badu's New Amerykah – recorded for the most part, quite incredibly, during the same period and with the same collaborators as the mind-altering, murky and righteous hip hop funk experimentalism that was Part One – some months that must be among the most dizzyingly creative in Badu's career! We're reluctant to call Return Of The The Ankh a lighter listen than its predecessor, but, it's a less dense and outwardly experimental batch in the sonic realm – the emotionalism and the head nodding warmth is at the forefront, yet she's as uncompromising and real as ever. The sound is still innovative, unique and her own on all fronts, but the songs chosen for Part Two are ones you want to approach and embrace from the opening seconds – there's not as much of a tripped out overall vibe and you don't need to acclimate from a distance – these songs pull you right in! Includes collaborations with James Poyser, Shafiq Husayn, Ta'Raach, Karriem Riggins, Madlib and Georgia Anne Muldrow. Includes "20 Feet Tall", "Window Seat", "Agitation", "Turn Me Away (Get Munny)", "Gone Baby, Don't Be Long", "Love", "Out My Mind, Just In Time" and more.

Dylan & The Band's legendary Basement Tapes – those amazing late 60s Woodstock recordings – and an album that was a classic long before it was officially released in the mid 70s! Bootleg after bootleg of some these recordings might have sold enough copies on the grey market in the early 70s to go platinum back in the day, so there's little wonder that Columbia would finally get some kind of official release out there – and it lives up to the legend! Dylan's conversational, seemingly spontaneous lyricism stretches over a good portion of it, with some much more soulful numbers, too – and those are all the more effective with The Band's incredible instrumentation, backing and occasional lead vocals. Includes "Odds And Ends", "Million Dollar Bash", "Tears Of Rage", "Tiny Montgomery", "Nothing Was Delivered", "Too Much Of Nothing", "Clothes Line Saga", "You Ain't Goin Nowhere", "Open The Door, Homer", "This Wheel's On Fire, "Crash On the Levee (Down In The Flood)", "Long Distance Operator".

One of the most beautiful albums we've ever heard from saxophonist David Liebman – a set of solo numbers that build slowly, with this haunting, soulful sound that we've almost never heard from Liebman this well before! David uses soprano, tenor sax, and wooden flute on the date – and both of the saxes definitely seem to echo the "wood" in the flute – as they have this organic tone that's amazing – quite warm at times, yet sharp enough to display the edges that Liebman still brings to his creative solos. Titles include "The Loneliness Of A Long Distance Runner", "Colors Red Gray Yellow", "Petite Fleur", "Mother Father", "Peace On Earth", and "Time Immemorial Before Then Now After".

Of course, this is not the last record album – it's not even the last album by Little Feat – but it's a damn good one! The Last Record Album isn't as creatively restless as the previous few albums, with kind of a laidback groove, overall – and we actually really dig Little Feat in a mellow mood! Includes "Romance Dance", "Long Distance Love", "Down Below The Borderline", "Mercenary Territory", "Don't Bogart That Joint", Somebody's Leavin" and more.

A classic full album that brings together some of Muddy Waters' earliest recordings for Chess – a great collection of early singles recorded in Chicago between 1950 and 1954 – most originally issued on 78rpm singles, and beautifully presented in this set! The work's relatively spare and rootsy overall – a great example of Chicago blues in its formative years, with some traces of a more southern style still in the mix – and titles include "Hoochie Coochie Man", "I'm Ready", "Rollin Stone", "Honey Bee", "She Moves Me", "I Can't Be Satisfied", "Standing Around Crying", "Long Distance Call", and "I Just Want To Make Love To You".

Muddy Waters' band meets the vocals and guitar of Luther Snake Johnson – in a sweet little set that's almost a double-header, given the talent on deck! The material's got a gritty feel that's right up there with Muddy's best for Chess – and the group features Mojo Buford on harmonica, Otis Spann on piano, and Waters on guitar (Muddy couldn't sing, due to contractual obligations!) Johnson's got a nice rough approach – almost a touch of soul at times – and the group keeps things nicely in a classic 60s electrified Chicago mode. Titles include "Sad Day Uptown", "I'm So Glad", "Chicken Shack", "Long Distance Call", "Digging My Potatoes", "Coming Home Baby", and "Mud In Your Ear".

A great little set of smooth soul tunes – put together from the Chicago Stepper's scene, and featuring some great obscure gems from the late 70s, 80s, and 90s! Titles include "Long Distance Love" by Faze, "Got The Right Attitude" by Tashan, "The Affair" by Lonnie Jordan, "So I Like You" by Degree Of Motion, "Hail The Word (deep state dub)" by Isis, "Day Dream" by Mark Johnson, "True Love" by Billy Porter, "Little Red Boat (Gizmo's Groove)" by Angel Grant, and "Close" by Mark Winkler.

Late 70s grooves from Brooklyn Dreams for Casablanca – with the crossover hit "Heaven Knows" with Donna Summer – but overall it’sa pretty sweet set of late disco era numbers with slow building arrangements and harmony vocals that show a love and respect for the previous couple decades of group soul and R&B. The tunes are insistently catchy throughout and the arrangements grow more grandly as the tracks groove along, with a couple of more mellow numbers, too. Titles Include "Make It Last", "That's Not The Way That Your Mama Taught You To Be", "Sleepless Nights/Send Me A Dream", "Long Distance", "Street Man", "First Love", "Heaven Knows" feat Donna Summer and more.

One of the last groups to get the Norman Whitfield touch in the studio – and a surprisingly nice one too, even if they didn't reach the heights of The Temptations or Undisputed Truth! Mammatapee have kind of a clunky name – possibly the reason for their lack of success – but the members of the group are all really great singers – one gal and three guys who come together in well-inflected harmonies on the mellow and mid-tempo numbers, but focus on a tighter lead for the funkier numbers. One member of the group here seems to have the range of Luther Vandross – although from the notes, we can't tell who it is – and titles include "Girl I Wanna Get Right Up Next To You", "Rock Across The Nation", "Caught Up In The Race", "Good Lovin", "Long Distance Love", "We'll Be Waiting", and "Something On Your Mind".

Titles include "New Love", "Safe & Warm", "Magic Touch", "Show Me", "You're So Fine", and "Long Distance Love Affair".

The second chapter of Erykah Badu's New Amerykah – recorded for the most part, quite incredibly, during the same period and with the same collaborators as the mind-altering, murky and righteous hip hop funk experimentalism that was Part One – some months that must be among the most dizzyingly creative in Badu's career! We're reluctant to call Return Of The The Ankh a lighter listen than its predecessor, but, it's a less dense and outwardly experimental batch in the sonic realm – the emotionalism and the head nodding warmth is at the forefront, yet she's as uncompromising and real as ever. The sound is still innovative, unique and her own on all fronts, but the songs chosen for Part Two are ones you want to approach and embrace from the opening seconds – there's not as much of a tripped out overall vibe and you don't need to acclimate from a distance – these songs pull you right in! Includes collaborations with James Poyser, Shafiq Husayn, Ta'Raach, Karriem Riggins, Madlib and Georgia Anne Muldrow. Includes "20 Feet Tall", "Window Seat", "Agitation", "Turn Me Away (Get Munny)", "Gone Baby, Don't Be Long", "Love", "Out My Mind, Just In Time" and more.

Classic dub & rocksteady from Joe Gibbs & The Professionals and Sly & Robbie – Errol Thompson & Joe Gibbs produced dub,rocksteady and dancehall LPs – 4 classic albums in a great little 4CD box set! It starts with classic easy and dubby rocksteady of the State Of Emergency album, rolling on with the killer rhythms of Majestic Dub and African Dub Chapter 5 set, and ends with the crisp steppin' dancehall sounds of Sly & Robbie's Syncopation album. Includes 3 Joe Gibbs & The Professionals albums, including State Of Emergency from 1976 on the first disc, with "Bounty Hunter", "Wicked & Dreadful", "I Shot President", The Great Escape" and more. Majestic Dub from 1979 on the second disc, with "Ten Commandments", "Social Justice", "Kings Of Dub", "Bionic Encounter", "Martial Law", "Nations Of Dub" and "Embargo". The third disc features African Dub Chapter 5 from 1984, and titles include "The Day After", "Long Distance Affair", "Chaper Five", "Ladies Night Out" and more. The fourth disc features the Errol Thompson and Joe Gibbs produced Sly & Robbie set Syncopation from 1982, with "Syncopation", "Free Ticket To Ride", "Flirting In Space", "Flight To Nowhere" and more. Each comes in a mini replica sleeve of the original LPs.

A tremendous document of work by Jake Thackray – one of the most unique talents on the British music scene of the 60s, but an artist who's sadly been un-remembered over the years! At first glance, Jake's definitely a folkie, but he's also one with a strong influence from French singer/songwriters like Jacques Brel or George Brassens – and takes key inspiration from them in the depth and darkness of his work. Like both Brel and Brassens, Thackray's got a style that's almost out of time – one that's ageless at some points, but with a very contemporary way of viewing the world – personal, pointed, and penned with an incredible sense of wit. In an era when most folkies were attacking the political or pushing into the fantastic, Jake spent careful time looking at human foibles and the complexities of interpersonal relationships – always from a distance, but close enough to note the odd humor in even the most banal situations. This wonderful set brings together 4 of Thackray's albums for EMI – Bantam Cock, Last Will & Testament, Jake's Progress, and On Again On Again – all of which feature Jake's slightly jazz-inflected vocals alongside acoustic guitar and very spare, but well-chosen additional instrumentation. Package also features a full disc of unreleased material – including different versions of other tunes on the albums. 97 tracks in all, and a wonderful musical discovery throughout! Titles include "The Cactus", "Country Bus", "Brother Gorilla", "The Girl In The Window", "Ulysses", "Scallywag", "Salvation Army Girl", "On The Shelf", "Go Little Swale", "Isabel Makes Love On National Monuments", "Joseph", "Famous People", "The Gravedigger", and "Leopold Alcocks".