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A megamix of Herbie's excellent proto hip hop tracks "Rockit", "Autodrive", "Futureshock", "Rough" and "Chameleon '84" by Grandmixer D St., plus the album versions of "TFS" and "Earthbeat" from the Future Shock LP.

A wonderful compilation of the Microsolutions 12-inch series on the always edible Soul Jazz Records – A scatter-shot mix of the electronic underground – from glitchy house to jazzy broken beat to left-field hip hop and back again. The common thread here is the absolute abandonment of anything straightforward – each number drops a heavy dose of heady experimentation in the mix! Tracks include "Humbaba" by Kit Clayton, "We Got It 303 (Live Acid edit)" by Secondo, "Tranzit" by Rekid, "BBQ Plate (Telefon Tel Aviv mix)" by AmmonContact, "Discoetique" & "Sunday Love Of Kind" by A Greenman, "Mouth Party" & "Boulez' Toes" by Sutekh, "On Bellflower (Smyglyssna mix)" by AmmonContact, "Sunkissed (Daedelus mix)" by Hu Vibrational, "Batmen" & "Banana Peel" by Kid 606, "Enkidu" by Kit Clayton, "Friends & Gardens (Corker/Conboy mix)" by Hu Vibrational, and "Body Ginger" by Tim Exile.

Like the back of the cover says "WARNING: The bass in this LP is contaminated by radioactive material!!"! Insanely hyped electro beats meet ridiculously radioactive low end tones with the best tracks being the instrumentals featuring some vocoded vocal bits, which is about half the record. Titles include "Da Intro", "Let it Flow", 'Freak Out", "Stay Awake", "Rollin With Da Boom", "Planet Bass", "Klickinda Bass" and "Bionic Bass".

A real treat for the 2001 generation! Apollo 100 takes Bach's "Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring", and gives is a jazzy electric keyboard reading – kind of a perfect bit of fluffy pop for a generation that was already digging the classical/easy experiments of the Swingle Singers and Walter Carlos. Not all the material is classically oriented, but most of the tracks have some very nice keyboard work. Titles include "Jazz Pizzicato", "Evil Midnight", and "Reach for the Sky".

A very nice live set by Leon – recorded with a great electric group that has Neal Creque on piano, Cornell Dupree on guitar, Oliver Nelson on alto, and added percussion by Sonny Morgan. The vibe is nice and free, and the tracks have a very spiritual sound, in the manner of the work that Thomas was doing with Pharoah Sanders. The album features a strident remake of Coltrane's "Cousin Mary" – a track that really benefits from the addition of vocals – plus the cuts "Na Na", "Umbo Weti", and "Honey Man".

A mighty run of classic fusion from Stanley Clarke – some of his biggest albums for Columbia Records, packaged here in mini LP-styled sleeves in a 6CD slipcase! The package is a great one – especially given that some of these records aren't easy to find on CD – and it traces the evolution from the more experimental Stanley Clarke of his Columbia debut and Journey To Love albums, into mega-hit status on School Days, more soulful modes on Modern Man, and even features some great Live work too – a great document of the unbridled power that Stanley had when away from the studio! Full albums include Stanley Clarke, Journey To Love, School Days, Modern Man, I Wanna Play For You, and Live 1976/1977 – all packaged together in a box with notes!

A treasure trove of overlooked Memphis soul – the earliest work of the legendary Luther Ingram – brought together here properly for the first time ever! Although Ingram's probably best known for his mega-huge hits in the early 70s, he really sounds amazing here in the early days – a vocalist with a bit more grit than we remember, working with backings that have an underground, deep soul take on the Memphis sound of the time. There's a somewhat more down home quality to some of these tunes than on other Memphis work from the late 60s – a style that probably didn't play as big up north as some of the hitmakers from the scene, but which is really worth of rediscovery all these many years later. Unlike other over-cliched work on Stax and Hi Records, most of these tunes have a really fresh, new sort of feel – less-iconic, and all the more appealing because of that fact. CD features 19 tracks in all, pulled from Ingram's first 10 singles – including "You've Got To Give Love To Get Love", "Ghetto Train", "I Can't Stop", "My Honey & Me", "Missing You", "Looking For A New Love", "Pity For The Lonely", "Home Don't Seem Like Home", "To The Other Man", "I'll Love You Until The End", and a rare radio promo of "My Honey & Me".

Mega-hit material from KC & The Sunshine band – an album issued firmly into the disco years, but which still had the group hitting hard in their trademark Miami sound! The tracks here are a bit longer and more hook-heavy than before – and represent the kind of material that linked harder Kool & The Gang-styled funk with some of the crossover sounds that Miami was famous for at the time – a sound that was still largely pre-disco in its roots, but which also helped set the crossover scene for so many other groups of the 70s. The set is filled with loads of huge hits – like "Shake Your Booty", "I'm Your Boogie Man", and "Baby I Love You" – and other tracks include "I Like To Do It", "Come On In", and "Let's Go Party".

Neither pop nor fusion – but a great little record that reminds us why we love William Kurk so much! There's definitely some of the jazzy styles promised by the title, but they're mixed in with Kurk's inventive approach to soul music – warm instrumentation wrapped around compelling lyricism, but in a bouncy, playful way that's light years from the usual! This time around, there's a slight echo of 80s ideals – not so much in the music, which still has lots of 70s warmth – but in the criss-crossing of modes, and in the way that acoustic and electric elements are used together to create a really full sound. Titles include "9 by 3", "Revenge Of Mega Man", "Star Of The Sky", "All Of The Time", "Moonrise", "2012", and "Dragon Force".

Neither pop nor fusion – but a great little record that reminds us why we love William Kurk so much! There's definitely some of the jazzy styles promised by the title, but they're mixed in with Kurk's inventive approach to soul music – warm instrumentation wrapped around compelling lyricism, but in a bouncy, playful way that's light years from the usual! This time around, there's a slight echo of 80s ideals – not so much in the music, which still has lots of 70s warmth – but in the criss-crossing of modes, and in the way that acoustic and electric elements are used together to create a really full sound. Titles include "9 by 3", "Revenge Of Mega Man", "Star Of The Sky", "All Of The Time", "Moonrise", "2012", and "Dragon Force".

A great step into the 80s for The Pointer Sisters – a record that has them bringing in themes that are a bit more soulful than some of their previous efforts! The album's still got all the big crossover potential of their other hits – but the groove's got a solidly soulful vibe overall – plenty catchy, and with some great 80s elements bubbling underneath – more than enough to freshen up their sound, and give the trio great new territory to work through! Titles include the mega-hit "Slow Hand" – plus "Sweet Lover Masn", "We're Gonna Make It", "What A Surprise", "Got To Find Love", "Fall In Love Again", "Should I Do It", and "Someday We'll Be Together". CD features 2 bonus tracks – "Holding Out For Love" and "What A Surprise (original edit)".

A huge crossover moment for The Pointer Sisters – thanks to their mega-hit version of Bruce Springsteen's "Fire", which helped sell about a gazillion copies of the record! The sound of that hit pretty much sums up the overall style of the album – as the trio delivers a number of smooth mainstream takes on 70s numbers by other soul and rock artists – all produced with a tight, guitar-driven groove by Richard Perry. Titles include "Fire", "Everybody Is A Star", "Hypnotized", "Come & Get Your Love", "Happiness", "Angry Eyes", and "Echoes Of Love" – plus the trio's take on the Steely Dan cut "Dirty Work", a personal favorite of ours! Includes 3 bonus tracks – "Love Is Like A Rolling Stone", "Nothing But A Heartache", and "Happiness (12" disco)".

Brilliant work from Jimi Tenor and his Kabu Kabu group – an incredibly righteous set that's easily the best we've heard so far from the soulful ensemble! In addition to the spiritual jazz vibe of before, the group's also picked up some influences from African soul and jazz too – not just standard Afro Funk, but also some Ethiopian and Egyptian elements too – folded into Tenor's music like some mad meeting between Sun Ra, Fela Kuti, and Mulatu! Jimi's at the lead, handling tenor, flute, and a host of weird instruments – and the ensemble is heavy on percussion and horns, including some great trumpet work from Jukka Eskola of the Five Corners Quintet. Despite the monochromatic cover image, the album's got a really rich sound – a deeply soulful, deeply spiritual vibe that's totally wonderful – served up on titles that include "Grind", "Mogadishu Ave", "Mega Roots", "Aligned Planets", "Mystery Spot", "Floating Orange", "Fast Legs", "Higher Styx", and "Magical World".

Rare promo only 12", with three different mega mixes of Tommy Boy's best from the early days, with 3D (Ralph D'Agostino, Tommy Musto and Tommy Sozzi) dropping bits of "Renegades Of Funk", "Play That Beat", "Looking For The Perfect Beat" and more in a continuous mix of electro classics.

The crossover rap classic from Tone-Loc! Temporary pop phenom this is not – the biggest couple of hits are still ubiquitous decades later – and Loc himself, with that raspy voice and smooth charisma, still stands as one of more unique voices of late 80s hip hop. On top of those attributes, Loc-ed After Dark is an early proving ground for the soon-to-be mega-producers The Dust Brothers. This 2012 CD edition features the original album and 7 bonus tracks. 3 cuts produced by the Dust Brothers – "Cutting Rhythms", "Next Episode", and "Don't Get Close" – plus the hits "Wild Thing", "Cheeba Cheeba", and "Funky Cold Medina", the title track, "On Fire (Remix)" and more. Bonus tracks include "On Fire (New Flavor)", "The Homies (On Tilt Mix)", "The Fine Line Between Hyper And Stupid", "Funky Beats" and more.

A blistering barrage of sounds from the legendary Michael Yonkers – working here with The Blind Shake, who help give his already offbeat sound a very nice sense of focus! The music burns and rumbles with plenty of fuzzy, freaked-out guitars – but also seems awash in other odd sounds too – hard to place elements that create layers of texture underneath the vocals and over the drums – all moving forward together with a hell of a lot of power! Titles include "Down To A", "What's A Comin", "Don't Even Try", "Don't I Get", "Here's What I'm", "Point Ahead", "Mega Folly", and "Inbetween".

An amazing introduction to one of the most significant cultural movements in the latter half of the 20th Century – the groundbreaking years of Tropicalia in late 60s Brazil! The music and legacy of Tropicalia are referenced often, but hardly ever presented this well – and this package is everything we could have hoped for as an introduction to the movement – filled not just with great music, but also an overwhelming amount of notes that trace the history of Brazilian music and art through their changes in relation to Tropicalia! In fact, the notes are almost worth the price of the compilation alone – very densely written over 48 pages in the CD booklet, with more information in one place than we've ever seen before. But as you might imagine, it's the music that really makes the set special – and Soul Jazz have done an excellent job of pulling together key late 60s works from the most important musicians associated with Tropicalia – an great starting point for the movement that's filled with most essential tracks! Titles include "Bat Macumba" by Gilberto Gil, "Tuareg" and "Sebastiana" by Gal Costa, "A Minha Menina" and "Panis Et Circenses" by Os Mutantes, "Alfo Mega" and "Tropicalia" by Caetano Veloso, "Gloria" and "Jimmy Renda-Se" by Tom Ze, "Procissao" by Gilberto Gil, "Ave Genghis Khan" by Os Mutantes, "Take It Easy My Brother Charles" by Jorge Ben, "Quero Sambal Meu Bem" by Tom Ze, "Lost In The Paradise" by Caetano Veloso, "Bat Macumba" by Os Mutantes, "Domingo No Parque" by Gilberto Gil & Os Mutantes, and "Irene" by Caetano Veloso.

The second album from Chicago soul legend Tyrone Davis – and every bit as wonderful as his first! Like that set, this one bounces along on a wave of well cast Chisoul arrangements – penned by Tom Washington and Willie Henderson, with a great mix of the sweet and the rough – bubbling under with a heavier rhythm than you might expect for such a session. The whole set skips along with a sound that's totally tight, but also plenty darn righteous – and Tyrone's voice crackles with honesty and feeling on the album's entire set list. Tracks include the mega-hit "Turn Back The Hands Of Time", plus "Undying Love", "If It's Love That You're After", "I Keep Coming Back", and "Let Me Back In".

Digital Underground's first album of P-Funky, hook heavy, party rockin hip hop for Tommy Boy! The first two albums by Shock G and the rest of the crew are classics, even if they don't get enough always get the props – possibly because the well the well of P-Funk samples wasn't necessarily the freshest waters, and also because the "Humpty Dance" was such a crossover smash, but few through a party like Digital Underground at the dawn of the 90s, and it's fresh and funky all these years later. Titles include the hit "Doowutchyalike" and the mega hit "Humpty Dance", plus "Freaks of the Industry", "Doowutchyalike", "The Way We Swing", plus "Sex Packets", "Street Scene", "Packet Man", "Underwater Rimes (rmx)", 'The New Jazz", "Rhymin On The Funk", 'The Danger Zone" and "Packet Reprise".

Arguably the group's biggest album in terms of sales – thanks to a mega-hit on the sublime tune "Rock The Boat" – one of those tracks that crossed over big on both sides of the charts! The production is less 70s soul than crossover pop – but the mode works well with the Hues' blend of 1 gal and 2 guy vocalists – served up here in arrangements from Gene Page, Tom Sellers, and Perry Botkin Jr. Titles include the hits "Freedom For The Stallion" and "Rock The Boat" – plus "The Family", "Go To The Poet", "Salvation Lady", "Live A Lie", and "Miracle Maker (Sweet Soul Shaker)".

One of the greatest power pop albums ever recorded – a blistering batch of tight little rocking tunes that took pop music back to basics at the end of the 70s! The group have an almost Beatles-esque flair for the short catchy tune – but have also pumped up things nicely with a smoothly compressed 70s approach to production. There's an urgency to the work that seems to drive the whole thing with an uptight adolescent sense of horniness – a strange force that kicks most tunes into ultradrive by tapping into a virtually limitless source of energy! Titles include the mega-hit "My Sharona", plus "Heartbeat", "Lucinda", "Frustrated", "Good Girls Don't", "Selfish", "O Tara", and "Maybe Tonight".

Here's where it all happens! George Clinton lands the mothership, forges the space-funk image, and blows the P-Funk empire into an arena-filling mega-star act! The record's got some extremely tight numbers that mix the best of the group's new slick playing with the edgieness and naughtiness of the earlier years – and virtually every cut on the album's a classic. The whole thing slides from track to track in a sublime document of the future of funk – and titles include "P-Funk (Wants To Get Funked Up)", "Handcuffs", "Give Up The Funk (Tear The Roof Off The Sucker)", and "Unfunky Ufo".

A mega-hit for Stevie Wonder – an album that features a killer title cut, plus lots of other wonderful tunes that show the world that a full-formed adult soul star had arrived on the market! There's a depth here that's really great – not the totally heady, righteous sound of Stevie in the early 70s – but still a sensitivity that goes beyond simple Motown pop, and which is also underscored with some great keyboard work as well. Wonder produced the record, and arrangers include Paul Riser, Wade Marcus, and Henry Crosby – and titles include the huge title hit – "Signed Sealed & Delivered" – plus "Heaven Help Us All", "Sugar", "Never Had A Dream Come True", "Don't Wonder Why", and "I Gotta Have A song".

An amazing introduction to one of the most significant cultural movements in the latter half of the 20th Century – the groundbreaking years of Tropicalia in late 60s Brazil! The music and legacy of Tropicalia are referenced often, but hardly ever presented this well – and this package is everything we could have hoped for as an introduction to the movement – filled with key late 60s works from the most important musicians associated with Tropicalia – an great starting point for the movement that's filled with most essential tracks! And even if you have some of this stuff already on individual albums, it really sounds great together – a rich document of this amazing musical moment. Titles include "Bat Macumba" by Gilberto Gil, "Tuareg" and "Sebastiana" by Gal Costa, "A Minha Menina" and "Panis Et Circenses" by Os Mutantes, "Alfo Mega" and "Tropicalia" by Caetano Veloso, "Gloria" and "Jimmy Renda-Se" by Tom Ze, "Procissao" by Gilberto Gil, "Ave Genghis Khan" by Os Mutantes, "Take It Easy My Brother Charles" by Jorge Ben, "Quero Sambal Meu Bem" by Tom Ze, "Lost In The Paradise" by Caetano Veloso, "Bat Macumba" by Os Mutantes, "Domingo No Parque" by Gilberto Gil & Os Mutantes, and "Irene" by Caetano Veloso.

Here's where it all happens! George Clinton lands the mothership, forges the space-funk image, and blows the P-Funk empire into an arena-filling mega-star act! The record's got some extremely tight numbers that mix the best of the group's new slick playing with the edginess and naughtiness of the earlier years – and virtually every cut on the album's a classic. The whole thing slides from track to track in a sublime document of the future of funk – and titles include "P-Funk (Wants To Get Funked Up)", "Handcuffs", "Give Up The Funk (Tear The Roof Off The Sucker)", and "Unfunky Ufo". CD features a bonus version of "Star Child", a promo radio version!

Brilliant work from Jimi Tenor and his Kabu Kabu group – an incredibly righteous set that's easily the best we've heard so far from the soulful ensemble! In addition to the spiritual jazz vibe of before, the group's also picked up some influences from African soul and jazz too – not just standard Afro Funk, but also some Ethiopian and Egyptian elements too – folded into Tenor's music like some mad meeting between Sun Ra, Fela Kuti, and Mulatu! Jimi's at the lead, handling tenor, flute, and a host of weird instruments – and the ensemble is heavy on percussion and horns, including some great trumpet work from Jukka Eskola of the Five Corners Quintet. Despite the monochromatic cover image, the album's got a really rich sound – a deeply soulful, deeply spiritual vibe that's totally wonderful – served up on titles that include "Grind", "Mogadishu Ave", "Mega Roots", "Aligned Planets", "Mystery Spot", "Floating Orange", "Fast Legs", "Higher Styx", and "Magical World".

Mega-hit material from KC & The Sunshine band – an album issued firmly into the disco years, but which still had the group hitting hard in their trademark Miami sound! The tracks here are a bit longer and more hook-heavy than before – and represent the kind of material that linked harder Kool & The Gang-styled funk with some of the crossover sounds that Miami was famous for at the time – a sound that was still largely pre-disco in its roots, but which also helped set the crossover scene for so many other groups of the 70s. The set is filled with loads of huge hits – like "Shake Your Booty", "I'm Your Boogie Man", and "Baby I Love You" – and other tracks include "I Like To Do It", "Come On In", and "Let's Go Party".

Here's where it all happens! George Clinton lands the mothership, forges the space-funk image, and blows the P-Funk empire into an arena-filling mega-star act! The record's got some extremely tight numbers that mix the best of the group's new slick playing with the edginess and naughtiness of the earlier years – and virtually every cut on the album's a classic. The whole thing slides from track to track in a sublime document of the future of funk – and titles include "P-Funk (Wants To Get Funked Up)", "Handcuffs", "Give Up The Funk (Tear The Roof Off The Sucker)", and "Unfunky Ufo".

Here's where it all happens! George Clinton lands the mothership, forges the space-funk image, and blows the P-Funk empire into an arena-filling mega-star act! The record's got some extremely tight numbers that mix the best of the group's new slick playing with the edginess and naughtiness of the earlier years – and virtually every cut on the album's a classic. The whole thing slides from track to track in a sublime document of the future of funk – and titles include "P-Funk (Wants To Get Funked Up)", "Handcuffs", "Give Up The Funk (Tear The Roof Off The Sucker)", and "Unfunky Ufo".

11 tracks from Luke, Verb and Fresh Kid Ice, including "Yeah, Yeah", "A Typical Sex Thing", "You Go Girl", "Work That Body", "Capt. D-ck & Dolemite" and "Mega Mix".

A great step forward for The Bamboos – still as funky as ever, but in a much greater range of styles than before! The core deep funk sound we've always loved is still burning away at the bottom – thanks to the ever-trusty grooves of Lance Ferguson and crew – but this time around, there's also a host of guests who really seem to shape the overall feel of the record – Aloe Blacc, Megan Washington, Klye Auldist, Daniel Merriweather, Bobby Flynn, and Ella Thompson – each bringing in their own great flavors, and creating a depth of sound that's mighty nice! Most of these guests are vocalists, but their shifting styles seems to spur the instrumentation onto new heights too – adapting to suit the mood, yet never in a way that's too frenetic to keep the album from being unified overall. Titles include "Where Does The Time Go", "What I Know", "I Got Burned", "Cut Me Down", "Midnight", "Medicine Man", "Window", and "Hello Stranger".

A wonderful soundtrack from Booker T & The MGs – a record that's probably much better remembered than the film for which it was written! The tunes show a whole new depth for the group – a style that still has some of the charm of their previous hits, but which also takes off in whole new directions too. Some tunes are pretty darn catchy, and others have a nicely bubbling sound – almost jazzy in parts, with a great scene-setting feel for the movie. Booker actually sings on 2 tracks – "Johnny I Love You" and "Blues In The Gutter" – and Judy Clay sings on "Children Don't Get Weary". Other than that, though, the whole thing's instrumental – with titles that include the megahit "Time Is Tight", plus "Cleveland Now", "Down At Ralph's Joint", and "Tank's Lament".

A couple of lost proggy and surprisingly funky early 80s albums by keyboardist Tony Carey – his Explorer and Yellow Power LPs – together in cool 2LP gatefold set from Medical Records! Just a few years earlier, Carey was playing with Ritchie Blackmore in Rainbow – but the sound of this solo material is a world away! It carries a bit of a late era Euro disco vibe – mixed with some starker, more walloping sounds that are more indebted to new wave. It's got hypnotic keyboard grooves, compelling beats and cosmic atmosphere to spare – the kind that'll be welcome to connoisseurs of artists as varied as Giorgio Morodor, Alexander Robotnick, John Carpenter and Devo! Explorer is the slightly sparer record and Yellow Power is the more polished one -which features alternate versions of the majority of the Explorer songs and some completely different titles, too– and it ultimately serves as a more fleshed out version of the preceding LP. Both were recorded in 1982 at Hotline Studios in Frankfurt. Really cool, mostly instrumental grooves! Explorer includes "Enjaw J", "Transit To Nowhere", "Megawar", "Blue Fusion", "No. 8", "No. 14", "Rabbits" and more. The Yellow Power LP includes "Hai Samurai", "Tojo", "Queen Of Scots", "Blue Fusion", "Peking Duck", "Radio Tokyo", "Dynamite" and more.

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.

Fierce funky grooves from the legendary Nico Gomez – a set cooked up in Europe, but heavy with influences from the other side of the Atlantic – from Havana all the way up to New York! There's definitely a Latin groove to the record – one that's similar to other Gomez productions – but there's also lots of heavy funk at the bottom – with basslines that drive most numbers along boldly, really raw percussion played with a nice sense of spontaneity, and these super-tight keyboards and guitars that you might find in American funk! The mix of modes is very much in the best spirit of contemporary groups like Chakachas or Lafayette Afro Rock Band – and titles include "Caballo Negro", "Lupita", "Baila Chibiquiban", "Pa! Pa! Pa! Pa!", "One Note Samba", "Cuba Libre", and "El Condor Pasa".

Fierce funky grooves from the legendary Nico Gomez – a set cooked up in Europe, but heavy with influences from the other side of the Atlantic – from Havana all the way up to New York! There's definitely a Latin groove to the record – one that's similar to other Gomez productions – but there's also lots of heavy funk at the bottom – with basslines that drive most numbers along boldly, really raw percussion played with a nice sense of spontaneity, and these super-tight keyboards and guitars that you might find in American funk! The mix of modes is very much in the best spirit of contemporary groups like Chakachas or Lafayette Afro Rock Band – and titles include "Caballo Negro", "Lupita", "Baila Chibiquiban", "Pa! Pa! Pa! Pa!", "One Note Samba", "Cuba Libre", and "El Condor Pasa".

Way way more than just bossa nova – a mighty groover from the great Nico Gomez! Nico's known for his harder pounding tracks that have become favorites with the funky crowd, but this stellar album shows that Nico could also work in jazzier territory when he wanted to – as the album's a wonderful batch of tunes that mix together Latin, groovy, and bossa styles! There's some very nice wordless female vocals on a few cuts, scatting along with a warm breezy feel – and other tracks feature vibes, or guitar, sax, and other strong instrumental elements – with more than enough punch to be funky at a few points. The whole thing's as groovy as groovy can be – with a sound that's past bossa, and way more than any fake easy instrumental attempt at the genre – a real peep into the mad mind of Nico Gomez, and proof that his albums are always worth tracking down! Titles include "Din Din Din", "Aquarela", "Samba De Rio", "Saudade Do Rio", "Agua", "Rio", and "O Barquinho".

From the bootlegs and b-sides album.

A group with a sound like no other – one that features home-made electronics and amplification, and an array of highly-percussive instrumentation that includes thumb pianos, megaphones, microphones, and old car parts! Konono's been making this music for the past 25 years – working in the suburbs of Kinshasa as a collective of musicians experimenting with the relation of sound and rhythm – using a fair bit of distortion to push the boundaries of their style. There's a unique relationship here between traditional African rhythms and newer electronic music – almost a primitive electronica, if you will – but with a style that goes way beyond such a facile tag. Titles include "Paradiso", "Mama Liza", "Kule Kule", "Lufuala Ndonga", and "Masikulu".

Wonderful work from this New Orleans combo – a Latin act that feels like they'd be much more at home in the Spanish Harlem scene of the 60s, especially given the soulful undercurrents of this set! On previous releases, the group already showed a great talent for crafting just the right sort of classic Latin groove – tight percussion and sharp instrumentation, all honed down with the rhythms in a way that really carried a strong old school punch. But this time around, they've got all that and more – a stronger Latin soul spirit than before, which really comes through in the pacing and presentation of the songs – holding back sometimes to give the listener more, in ways that few young Latin groups seem to get! The style is wonderful – and in addition to older New York modes, these guys bring in a few other elements as well – always without any hoke or gimmick at all. Titles include "Dejame", "Mary Wants To Boogaloo", "Oye Mamacita", "Hasta", "Sad Eyes", and "Swahili Baby".

Sweet soundtrack grooves from Brit maestro Geoff Love – two late 70s albums back to back in a single package! First up is Star Wars & Other Space Themes – a set that has Love really cashing in on the sci-fi cinema boom of the mid 70s – leaping off with the lead theme to Star Wars, but then sounding even groovier on a host of other cuts from previous years – a sweet range of numbers that's often heavy on Brit influences – arranged with some nice funky touches by Nick Ingman, with almost a KPM vibe at times! Titles include "UFO", "Barbarella", "Space 1999", "March", "Thunderbirds", "Dr Who", "Mars The Bringer Of War", and "Star Trek". Nick Ingman's the arranger on Close Encounters – and helps give the record a disco vibe that's quite different than the usual sci fi set – a groove that clearly stems from Ingman's great sound library work of the 70s – touched here with plenty of clubby rhythms and some especially great keyboards at times. The whole thing's funkier than you might expect – and titles include "Close Encounters", "Flight Fantastic", "Space Patrol", "Solar Sailor", "The Omega Man", "Star Wars", "Time Machine", and "Blake's 7".

A pretty killer slab of heavily-thumping early 70s rock from Megaton – a group with a Sabbath-like and a sound that definitely matches it – plus a surprising bit of bluesy heat in the mix! The album's got an impressive sound, somewhat in the vein of Free – and like Free, the vocalist seems to have a secret stash of bluesy soul records underneath his bed – as well as other contraband! There's some pretty shameless riffs on Zep and other hard rockers of the era – and that actually kind of adds the seedy charm of the record. Tracks include "Out Of Your Own Little World", "Niagara", "Wanna Be A Hero", "Coo Cooki Choo", "Woman I'm Gonna Make You Mine", "Life Was Easy Yesterday", and "Tomorrow Never Comes My Way".

Dubbed out takes of Om's "Addis" from their Advaitic Songs LP – with 2 dubplate versions, courtesy Alpha & Omega! The globally-inspired Om original is ripe for the treatment – and it taking on an adventurous and wholly credible contemporary dub trip – with echoey bass and other inspired textures.

The first we've heard from Chicago's Omega McBride – and a solid little EP with with a unique vibe! McBride has a flow that reminds us a bit of vintage, pre-superstar Kanye West – as does the lyrical odes to real life issues – but beyond that, the sound here isn't exactly like anything else we've heard recently. The production has more of a spacey club soul feel, but the rhymes are firmly rooted in unpretentious hip hop. 5 tracks on the EP: "State Of Mind", "Number To My Phone", "It Feels Good To Be Home", "Had Your Chance""and "Message In A Bottle".

31 tracks.

A great electro keyboard groover from Sasac – a cut that sparkles like some lost 80s soul instrumental – almost the flipside of a 12" single from some bigger soul singer at labels like MCA or A&M in the mid 80s! "Garden Sounds" has a similar 80s vibe – a bit more percolated in the rhythms, and peppered with beats that jazz it up a bit – yet still warmly laidback overall! Both cuts very 80s vintage – from keyboards down to production.

Sean Price moves in for the knockout! Includes "Genesis Of The Omega", "Bar-Barian", "Pyrex", "Price & Shining Armour" feat Ruste Juxx, "Straight Music", "Hush", "Solmon Grundy" with Ill Bill, "Frankenberry" with Buckshot, "BBQ Sauce" with Pharoahe Monch, "By The Way" with Torae, "The Hardest N***a Out" and more.

A key album in the legendary 80s run of Shalamar – and a set that gets a tremendous amount out of a very stripped-down sound! The sound of Shalamar builds from a bit of bass, some snapping drums, waves of keyboards, and especially great vocals – warm and sweet, but never too commercial – despite the hit status of an album like this. If anything, the group have a style that's a bit more relaxed and personal than some of their contemporaries on the Solar Records scene at the time – one that matches the friendly title, and unassuming cover image of the set. Titles include "A Night To Remember", "Playing To Win", "Friends", "On Top Of The World", "Help Me", "There It Is", "I Can Make You Feel Good", and "I Don't Wanna Be The Last To Know". 2CD version is overflowing with goodness – 15 more bonus tracks that include "Talk To Me", "Good Feelings", "Sweeter As The Days Go By" – all originally left off the Friends album – plus "There It Is (12" M+M inst mix)", "A Night To Remember (12" M+M mix)", "Megamix – A Night To Remember", "Friends (single)", "Night To Remember (12" M+M inst)", and "I Can Make You Feel Good (single)".

A pair of "Sweet Memories" – but with a nicely unified feel! Both tracks are great – with a similar stepping sort of groove – one that's pretty spare overall, with a rough-edged approach that really helps keep the sweetness of the vocals alive – whether they're solo or harmony-based!

Dancefloor treasures from Factory Records – avant disco classics and underground club tunes from the earlier year of the legendary label – compiled by Strut! Peter Saville of DJHistory.com assembled this great collection of 12-inch classics – with great tracks by Section 25, A Certain Ratio, The Durutti Column, Quando Quango, X-O-Dus, Marcell King and more. Incredible, ageless and fiercely creative dancefloor material from that creatively fertile post-punk disco era on through the mid 80s! Includes "Looking For A Hilltop (Megamix)" by Section 25, "Wild Party" by A Certain Ratio, "Puppeteer" by Blurt, "Time" by Minny Pops, "Dirty Disco" by Section 25, "For Belgian Friends" by The Durutti Column, "Reach For Love" by Marcel King, "Cool As Ice (Restructured By John "Jellybean" Benitez), "See Them A'Come" by X-O-Dus, "Smiling Monarchs" by Abecedarians and more. CD version has 24 tracks on 2CDs.

A strong, well-assembled History Of Queensbridge – featuring rarities and freestyles from breakout hip hip superstars, blueprint era legends and longtime underground heavies alike – include Nas, Mobb Deep, Kool G Rap, Noreaga, Tragedi Khadafi, Cormega and more! Features MCs from Queensbridge proper and collabos with legends from elsewhere in and around NYC – and the titles include "Testaments" by Cormega, "Black Life" by Mobb Deep & ACD, ""Triple Threat" by Nas, Noreaga & Nature, "Holla Back To Dope" by Kool G Rap & Nas, "Freestyle S**t" by Cormega feat Busta Rhymes, "Real" by Tragedy Khadafi, 'Freestyle 1994" by Mobb Deep, "Gun Ring" by E Money Bags, "Thug Chronicles" by Kool G Rap & Havoc, "Betrayal" by Nature & Tragedy Khadafi and more. 20 tracks in all.

A megahit album from Earth Wind & Fire – a record that spawned 2 of their biggest numbers ever – the mellow classic "After The Love Has Gone", and the club classic "Boogie Wonderland"! The rest of the album is equally great to follow in the strength of those two numbers – and like always for EWF, even when the group's hitting the charts big, they're still righteous as can be – with lots of great undercurrents that reflect their earlier years in jazzier styles! Other titles include "Star", "Wait", "You & I", "In The Stone", and "Can't Let Go".

Fierce funky grooves from the legendary Nico Gomez – a set cooked up in Europe, but heavy with influences from the other side of the Atlantic – from Havana all the way up to New York! There's definitely a Latin groove to the record – one that's similar to other Gomez productions – but there's also lots of heavy funk at the bottom – with basslines that drive most numbers along boldly, really raw percussion played with a nice sense of spontaneity, and these super-tight keyboards and guitars that you might find in American funk! The mix of modes is very much in the best spirit of contemporary groups like Chakachas or Lafayette Afro Rock Band – and titles include "Caballo Negro", "Lupita", "Baila Chibiquiban", "Pa! Pa! Pa! Pa!", "One Note Samba", "Cuba Libre", and "El Condor Pasa".

Fierce funky grooves from the legendary Nico Gomez – a set cooked up in Europe, but heavy with influences from the other side of the Atlantic – from Havana all the way up to New York! There's definitely a Latin groove to the record – one that's similar to other Gomez productions – but there's also lots of heavy funk at the bottom – with basslines that drive most numbers along boldly, really raw percussion played with a nice sense of spontaneity, and these super-tight keyboards and guitars that you might find in American funk! The mix of modes is very much in the best spirit of contemporary groups like Chakachas or Lafayette Afro Rock Band – and titles include "Caballo Negro", "Lupita", "Baila Chibiquiban", "Pa! Pa! Pa! Pa!", "One Note Samba", "Cuba Libre", and "El Condor Pasa".

Larry Graham hits the slow jam generation – stepping aside from his funkier groove for this classic album – a record that gave the world a huge crossover cut in the title track! The main focus here is on Larry's vocals, not his basswork – and he does a surprisingly good job as a modern soul male vocalist on the set – one who's a bit more fragile and human at points than some of his contemporaries – still somewhat smooth, but not always as polished. Titles include the megahit "One In A Million You", plus "There's Something About You", "Forever Yours", "When We Get Married", "I Just Can't Stop Dancing", "I'm So Glad It's Summer Again", and "Sunshine Love & Music".

A beautiful record that has Jackie McLean skirting the boundary between his later "out" recordings, and his earlier bop ones. The group's a quartet with Walter Davis, Herbie Lewis, and Billy Higgins – and the tracks are all quite long. While McLean never plays in the "free" style that the title might imply, the album is a stunning attempt to break into a new mode, and all players contribute equally to a fascinating blend of music that ranks up there with McLean's great sessions like Fickle Sonance and One Step Beyond. Titles include "Melody For Melonae", "Rene", and "Omega". Great stuff!

A pretty wonderful set of tracks led by guitarist Jeff Parker, one of the most enormously talented, and one of the busiest guys in Chicago! Jeff spends time working with a number of avant garde jazz and rock combos like the Chicago Underground Quartet, Aesop Quartet, New Horizons Ensemble and Tortoise – but steps into a pretty straight up bop-learned jazz mode for his first full length as leader. He's leading a trio with Chad Taylor on drums and some light guitar, and Chris Lopes on bass and a little flute. Parker's sprays warm, fluid guitar lines throughout that really light the thing up. It's really warmly captured by producer John McEntire, too. Tracks include "Like-Coping", "Miriam", "Days Fly By", "Holiday For A Despot", "Omega Sci Fi", "Roundabout" and more.

Not much rock here, but a definite guitar-driven groove – that Ray Parker vamp cooked up in a long legacy of work for other artists – really sparkling here in the frontline of Raydio! The bass is pretty strong too, with that mainstream funk sound that was popping strongly from the west coast at the end of the 70s – a nice match for the guitar, and never as overdone as some of the other work of this nature. Tunes are all pretty darn catchy – more than enough to crossover, but without losing their cool – and titles include the megahit "You Can't Change That", plus "Rock On", "More Than One Way To Love A Woman", "What You Waitin For", "Honey I'm A Star", and "When You're In Need Of Love".

A great collection of classic genre-straddling material from the 80s glory days of Celluloid Records – those pioneering singles that melded old school rap, electro, punk and world beat into club grooves like no others! Bass heavy funk, world weary caustic post punk, crisp electro, and extended 12" grooves all in the same package – it's an era that can never be replicated, but, thankfully can be anthologized! 21 tracks on 2CDs: "Escapades Of Futura 2000" (original 12" version), "Wild Style Extended" by Time Zone (original 12" version), "Get Movin" by Last Poets, "Why Is It Fresh?" by D ST (original 12" megamix 2 version), "Zulu Groove" (original 12" version) by Shango, "Change The Beat" by Fab Five Freddy (original 12" version), "What I Like" (original 12" French rap version), "Pata Piya" (original 12" version) by Manu Dibango, "World Destruction" (original 12" version – Bill Laswell rmx) by Time Zone feat Afraka Bambaataa & John Lydon, "Crazy Cuts" (original 12" long version and original 12" dubversion) by D ST and more!

Stunning live recordings from Albert Ayler's European tour of late 1966 – during a peak creative period for Ayler – while working with an incredible group! This excellent CD captures them in Stockholm for Swedish radio on November 10, 1966 – followed by an equally well documented set in Berlin from one week prior. The performances themselves are energetic throughout, and in turns elegiac, playful and all-out intense! It's awe-inspiring material with emotional depth – that facet enhanced a bit by the presence of a violin – by Dutch player Michel Samson, who is great here. Donald Ayler's trumpet communicates brilliantly with the violin and William Folwell's double bass. Beaver Harris holds it down on drums, while Ayler blazes away in the leader, taking the group into unpredictable movements. Greatness! Includes "Truth Is Marching In", "Omega (Is The Alpha)", "Our Prayer – Bells" and "Infinite Spirit – Japan" from Stockholm, juxtaposed with differing performances of those titles in Berlin, plus the riveting closer "Ghosts – Bells", also from Berlin.

Black Sabbath going strong – very much in their own space by this point in their career, setting a sound that countless others would try to follow – but never match for fierceness like this! The fuzz is definitely turned up to 11, the rhythms move at a breakneck speed, and Ozzy's vocals have all the mean, sinister sounds that set a generation on fire – plenty of energy to fill up long tracks that include "Megalomania", "Hole In The Sky", "Symptom Of The Universe", "Supertzar", "Am I Going Insane", and "The Writ".

Wonderful wonderful wonderful – and one of the best albums we've ever heard of modern bossa and soundtrack grooves! For years, Nicola Conte has been a seminal force in the new Italian scene – working as a DJ, promoter, producer, and sometimes recording artist under the odd 12" single. This album marks his first full effort – and after years of bubbling under in the Italian scene, Nicola emerges as one of the most perfect-formed artists we've heard in years. The whole album's a breathtaking mix of 60s bossa, soundtrack, and easy themes – put together with never a dull moment, and always a focus on the kind of mid and uptempo grooves that have been pushing the Italian and German scenes for the last 5 years. The record features great mixes from a few of Nicola's 12" singles, plus a wealth of excellent new material that really expands his groove wonderfully – with a totally real, totally honest sound that pushes past the gazillion retro remix throwaway albums that you'll find stuffing the listening stations at the megastores! Tracks include "Il Cerchio Rosso", "Dossier Omega", "Trappola Mortale", "Jazz Pour Dadine", and "Bossa Per Due".

Seminal Italian horror soundtrack music from Goblin! By this point, the band had completely evolved from a prog-oriented jazz rock band, into a group that was very well suited to handle a diverse array of movie scores and horror themes. The keyboards are still at the core – and there's a nice mixture of electric and acoustic, which makes for a very nice juxtaposition of moods – and the group have come up with some fantastically spooky tracks that really evoke all the pulsating terror and bone-chilling horror of the stiff early slasher films. This CD includes a number of extra tracks in addition to the material issued the already rare vinyl release – and there's a total of 15 titles that include "Buio Omega", "Quiet Drops", "Strive After Dark", "Bikini Island", and "Ghost Vest".

Ill Bill returns – with appearances by HR of Bad Brains, A-Trak, Shabazz The Disciple & Lil' Fame of MOP, OC & Cormega, Tia Thomas, El-P and Jedi Mind Tricks – and production by Premier, Muggs, Pete Rock, Large Professor, Psycho Les, El-P and more. Titles include "What Does It All Mean", "Paul Baloff", "I Don't Know How Long It's Gonna Last", "Exploding Octopus", "How To Survive The Apocalypse", "Power" feat OC & Cormega, :Severed Heads Of State" with El-P, "World Premier" and more. Also includes a bonus DVD with 6 videos.

Nothing's kaput here – certainly not the creativity of the players involved – as the album's easily one of the most beautiful, most evocative sets we've ever heard from reedman Jonas Kullhammar! The quartet session is definitely a group effort – as all players work together in this really unique musical vision – jazz, but with a sense of spaciousness we might not expect from any of their previous records – almost a poetic, lyrical sort of approach – yet without any of the sleepiness (or sloppiness) such a reference might imply! Instead, there's a great focus on sound – tones, textures, and spaces – cast out carefully by Reine fiske on guitar and bontempi organ, Torbjorn Zetterberg on acoustic and electric bass, Johan Holmegard on drums and percussion, and Jonas Kullhammar on saxes, flute, and Hammond organ. Titles include "Syster Per", "Happy Ending", "Over Surnadal", "Trostlosa Tarar", and "Notskalsmusik 5".

Hip hop production titan Large Professor – still at large and delivering the goods! Large Pro produces like the timelessly inventive figure we all know that he is – and he rocks the mic with a golden age-styled flow. Rob Swift contributes some scratches on the sharp opener "Keys To The City" and the record has guest production by Marco Polo on the title track – plus appearances by Grand Daddy IU & Mic Geronimo, Busta Rhymes, Tragedy Khadafi and more. Other tracks include "Unowhtmsayn", "Focused Up", "Happy Days R Here", "Professor @ Large", "Barber Shop Chop", "Mack Don Illz", "Kick Da Habit", "LP Surprise", "Back In Time", the posse cut closer "MARS" with Action Bronson, Cormega, Roc Marciano and Saigon and more.

No gravity here – in fact, quite the reverse, as gravity almost seems suspended in the way these guys work together with a beautifully fluid vibe! The tenor of Donny McCaslin's very firmly in the lead on the set – sometimes amidst spare instrumentation, often standing as the prow of the quartet's rhythmic progression – sounds that stem from the keyboards of Jason Linder, bass of Tim Lefebvre, and drums of Mark Guiliana. Things are sometimes spacey, sometimes a bit more forceful – and always a clear expression of McCaslin's unique musical vision. Titles include "Says Who", "Stadium Jazz", "Love Song For An Echo", "Praia Grande", and "Alpha & Omega".

No gravity here – in fact, quite the reverse, as gravity almost seems suspended in the way these guys work together with a beautifully fluid vibe! The tenor of Donny McCaslin's very firmly in the lead on the set – sometimes amidst spare instrumentation, often standing as the prow of the quartet's rhythmic progression – sounds that stem from the keyboards of Jason Linder, bass of Tim Lefebvre, and drums of Mark Guiliana. Things are sometimes spacey, sometimes a bit more forceful – and always a clear expression of McCaslin's unique musical vision. Titles include "Says Who", "Stadium Jazz", "Love Song For An Echo", "Praia Grande", and "Alpha & Omega".

Future funk from Turquoise Summers – an artist with a great ear for early 80s sounds, especially the grittier side of the spectrum! Beats bristle, keyboards crackle, and both cuts feel like some lost East Coast obscurity from the early days of the electro underground – put together with just the right sort of production to match!

A hip split single from the club years at Fantasy Records! "I Got The Feeling" is a really soaring number from Two Tons – soulful, buoyant, and grooving – with some electro touches from Patrick Cowley on this mix! "Space Bass" is a warmer number overall – rolling bass as you'd expect from the title, but also some really sweet female vocals that sing along in a nice chorus mode. Cool electronics too!

18 tracks – most of them rare Brazilian ones, and all with a great mix of jazz, bossa, and groovy rhythms! The sound is very mod and 60s – and there's more than a few here that we haven't seen reissued for a while. Titles include "Ponteio" by Som Psicodelico, "Balaio" by Sergio Carvalho, "Loneliness" by Nico Gomez, "Maracatu Atomico" by Osmar Milito, "Watermelon Man" by Som Psicodelico, "Fitipaldiando" by Nonato y Su Conjunto, "Candombe" by Dogliotti, "Summertime" by Ronsinha De Valencia, "Cantalope Island" by Osmar Milito, "Xamega De Ina" by Trio Motoco, and "Tim Dom" by Os Intocaives.

The genius of Nicola Conte gets the remix treatment – in this wonderful new album that steps off heavily from his massive Jet Sounds set of a few years ago! If you know know Nicola, he's the wunderkind behind the Schema label – and, probably more than anyone in the world right now, one of the few producer/musicians who can really handle a retro-sounding groove. Conte's steeped in classic jazz, soundtracks, and bossa nova – all of which come into play in his music – and this set has him working with a host of able talents who help to take his unique creative vision even farther than before! This double 10" package is totally cool – with a total of 5 tracks from the full LP, laid out over double DJ-friendly vinyl. Each track takes on a whole new life, as lots of new elements are added to the music, and most of the tracks are almost completely remade – and titles include "Jazz Pour Dadine" remixed by The Dining Rooms, "Arabesque" done by Micatone, "Forma 2000" reformed by Les Gammas, "Dossier Omega" redone by Espen Horne, and "Trappola Mortale (traffic replay) done anew by The Freeform Arkestra.

The future is now! Or at least it seemed to be back in 1983 when Herbie teamed up with Bill Laswell to record this classic album of computer-driven keyboard grooves! Whatever you might think of the music, the record was a genius move for Herbie – who was kind of flopping around in a number of different styles on previous albums, most of which we like, but none of which seemed to earn him the same cred as his albums in the 70s. Well this one not only earned him plenty of cred, but also a lot of cash, and continued assurance to Columbia that their contract with Herbie was well-placed – and it certainly cast Bill Laswell into the spotlight as well, given that his efforts really provided the core of the album. Tracks include "Rockit", "Earth Beat", "Future Shock", "Autodrive", and "Rough". CD also features the bonus track "Rockit (megamix)".

A real classic from Swedish pianist Jan Johansson – and a key effort to link the modernism of his nation's postwar years with their rich centuries of cultural traditions! The tunes here are mostly from folk sources, but they're recast by Johansson in a moody modern jazz mode – often handled very sparely, with just bass accompaniment from Georg Riedel – who seems wonderfully suited to the project at hand! The melodies are incredibly evocative – and Johansson's playing is really set free amidst these familiar frameworks – never too outside, but deeply exploratory, and with a surprising depth of feeling. Titles include "Visa Fran Utanmyra", "Emigrantvisa", "Gammal Brollopsmarsch", "Brudmarsch Efter Larshoga Jonke", "Leksands Skanklat", and "Visa Fran Jarna". CD features 4 bonus alternate takes – plus, the CD also features bonus CD-rom material – including all the session recordings that were originally done!

Nothing's kaput here – certainly not the creativity of the players involved – as the album's easily one of the most beautiful, most evocative sets we've ever heard from reedman Jonas Kullhammar! The quartet session is definitely a group effort – as all players work together in this really unique musical vision – jazz, but with a sense of spaciousness we might not expect from any of their previous records – almost a poetic, lyrical sort of approach – yet without any of the sleepiness (or sloppiness) such a reference might imply! Instead, there's a great focus on sound – tones, textures, and spaces – cast out carefully by Reine fiske on guitar and bontempi organ, Torbjorn Zetterberg on acoustic and electric bass, Johan Holmegard on drums and percussion, and Jonas Kullhammar on saxes, flute, and Hammond organ. Titles include "Syster Per", "Happy Ending", "Over Surnadal", "Trostlosa Tarar", and "Notskalsmusik 5".

A beautiful record that has Jackie McLean skirting the boundary between his later "out" recordings, and his earlier bop ones. The group's a quartet with Walter Davis, Herbie Lewis, and Billy Higgins – and the tracks are all quite long. While McLean never plays in the "free" style that the title might imply, the album is a stunning attempt to break into a new mode, and all players contribute equally to a fascinating blend of music that ranks up there with McLean's great sessions like Fickle Sonance and One Step Beyond. Titles include "Melody For Melonae", "Rene", and "Omega". Great stuff!

A pretty amazing testament the underground/home recordings genius of R. Stevie Moore – and a 32 track double vinyl collection of some great stuff from decades of rare cassette releases! The material was mostly recorded from the late 60s to early 80s – and put together by friend Jason Willet – most of which has never been on vinyl before. What we love about Moore is that his music isn't really all that weird – although it does have it's moments – as it is personal and uncompromising. There's some spoken word bits, some very tuneful loner folk guitar and vocals, some homespun electronic experiments and more. This would be a pretty great starting point for potential new fans – and pretty close to essential for Stevie's longtime admirers! Includes "Your Daughter And I", "Pow Wow", "Keeping You", "Watching Me On The News", "Girl Go", "The Crystal Chandelier", Games", "Loud Nothing", "Silent Afterthought", "Commentary", "Flowers Sleep Into The Night", "Am I Ugly?" and more.

Sean Price moves in for the knockout! Includes "Genesis Of The Omega", "Bar-Barian", "Pyrex", "Price & Shining Armour" feat Ruste Juxx, "Straight Music", "Hush", "Solmon Grundy" with Ill Bill, "Frankenberry" with Buckshot, "BBQ Sauce" with Pharoahe Monch, "By The Way" with Torae, "The Hardest N***a Out" and more.

Sureshot steps up his game with Elegant Aggression – his most expertly orchestrated set of cinematic hip hop funk to date! The mix of funky beatcraft and live instrumentation here is as strong as anything we've heard from Sureshot Symphony to date – and it's pretty diverse, too – without ever compromising on the tight hip hop funk backdrop. Instrumentation includes lots of funky bass and keys – with some synth, psych funk guitar, horns and more. There's an eclectic batch of mic guests, too – including Coultrain, Moeses Soulright, Mighty Pope, Myron & E, Glen Ricketts & Mad Fanatic, Ohmega Watts and others. Includes "Sureshot Symphony Solution Theme", "Chair On The Ceiling" with Coultrain, "Half Man, Half Bionic", "Four Twenty", "Taste It", Singing Memories" with Noel Ellis, "Easier Said Than Done" feat Ion Anomaly, "Soundbwoy Massacre" feat Glenn Ricketts & Mad Frantic and more. Comes with the bonus LP of instrumentals!

Pure dark magic from Grover Washington – a record that was a megahit back in the 70s, but which still sounds amazing many decades later! There's a sound here that's completely sublime – and the album is to Grover's career what the first 2 CTI sets by Bob James were to his – a stretched-out, masterpiece of sublime jazzy energy – served up with a really spacious sound overall! Grover's sharp-edged sax is at the lead of the set – but the album's also awash in electric piano work from Bob James – and backings that are as lean, clean, and soulful as the best on CTI from the time. Titles include the killer "Black Frost" – a track that we never tire of – plus the hit "Mister Magic", and the cuts "Earth Tones" and "Passion Flower".

Brilliant work from an overlooked Swedish group of the 60s – a quintet led by tenorist Gilbert Holmstroms, a player we'd rank right up there with the best European modernists of his generation! The record's got a perfectly pitched sound that blends new overseas freedom with some of the structures still in place from the late 50s modern moments – echoes of Ornette, Harriott, and Dolphy – a wonderful balance of sounds that makes for plenty of individual expression on the record, while still moving forward with a soulful sense of swing! There's a nice degree of space in some numbers – almost painterly, with a quality that reminds us of French jazz soundtracks from a few years before – and in addition to Gilbert's great tenor and leadership, the group also features Arne Larsson on cornet, Clas Fehling on piano, Hans Lofman on bass, and Anders Soderling on drums. Titles include "Kontrast", "Ballad For Max", "Resan Till Hellas", "Disappointment", and "Modul". CD also features a great bonus track, too – a 1968 recording of "Novotec", done by a quartet that features Holmstroms on tenor and Ake Johansson on piano!

An amazing collection of funky work from Communist Hungary – music that's really making us change our opinion about the Cold War! Back in the day, we used to think the Iron Curtain was in place to keep out Western forces – but now we know it was there to keep in groovy music like this – secret underground grooves that explode with the power of a thousand ICBMs! The core style here is mostly rock, but the groups bring in plenty of funk too – heavy drums, rumbling bass, and fuzzy guitar that really make these cuts groove nicely – in ways that are similar to some of the more proggish fusion that's been compiled from the Eastern European scene of the 70s, but usually in a more tuneful, lyric-oriented way. And while you can't understand most of the words in the songs, that's nothing to worry about at all – because these cuts are all musical gems through and through, and the lack of meaning in the lyrics only makes the vocals come through as one more instrument in the array of funky sounds. The package comes with full, amazingly detailed notes on the tunes – and the set features 20 tracks that include "Nem Biztos Semmi" and "Add Mar Uram Az Esot" by Kati Kovacs, "Egy Lany Nem Ment Haza" by Omega Redstar, "Vegallomas" by Hungaria, "Mondj Egy Meset" by Piramis, "Kergeskezu Favagok" by Locomitiv GT, "A Bolond Lany" by Illes, "Kivanj Te Is Nekem Szep Jo Ejszakat" by Meteor & Demjen Ferenc, "Hetkoznapi Balladak" by Bergendy, "Szevasz Haver" by Skorpio, and "Kinai Fal" by Nemenyi Bela & Atlantis.