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Includes vocal and instruemental mixes of "ENY Groove", "In A Minute (I'm A Loose It)", "Next Stop", "Take A Journey", and "Yes Yes Y'all".

Contemporary Ethiopian sounds – and some mighty nice ones at that – like finding a lost volume of the Ethiopiques series, with some of the best 70s styles that scene had to offer! There's nothing phony about these guys – as they get their instrumentation and vocals right on the money – and are produced in a stripped-down style that really preserves all the intensity of their performance – a quality that's really up-close and compelling. Titles include "Guragigna", "Oromigna", "Konso", "Wello", "Ende Eyerusalem", and "Ambassel".

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 pair of great albums – brought together in one super-heavy package! First up is the legendary East Of Underground record – an uber-obscure LP recorded in 1971 by a group of US Army serviceman at the Armed Forces Network studios in Frankfurt, Germany – originally used as a recruiting tool during the Vietnam war! Given the strength of the set, we wouldn't be surprised if plenty of folks signed up for a tour of duty after hearing it – as the set cooks like some of the best American funk from the indie 45 world at the time. The production is nice and dark – with an echoey quality that makes us guess the album was a live recording – done by American servicemen with the feel of some backroom funk show from the Indy or Ohio scene of the 70s. Some of the tracks are familiar numbers from American hits – but redone here with a nicely gritty feel – and titles include the awesome medley "Bet'Ya Never Lose My Love California Dreamer" – plus "Higher", "Smiling Faces", "Hell Below", "Getting Over", "Popcorn/Santana", "I Love You", "Java Girl", and "Walk On By". The set also includes the Soap album – a very similar record with a mix of rock and soul, done with the same sort of US Army-endorsed approach – and some great raw production that really makes the album sparkle! Many tunes are covers, but they're played here with a gritty live energy – so that even the rock tunes feel a bit funky at times – given a really odd edge. Titles include weird versions of "Uncle Albert", "Ticket To Ride", "Southern Man", "I Just Want To Celebrate", "Get Together", and "Walk Away".

A live show from Otto – one of our favorite Brazilian talents from recent years, and an artist with a sound so fresh, even MTV can't mess it up! The DVD presents Otto's live appearance on the Brazilian version of the network – a pretty edgey batch of tracks that's hardly what you'd expect from the American arm of MTV – with really compelling, complicated rhythms underneath Otto's great vocals – all in a mode that's right up there with the genius we've come to expect from his studio albums. Titles include the now-classic "Bob", plus "Cuba", "Renault/Peugeot", "Low", "Pra Quem Ta Quente", "Anjos Do Asfalto", "Tento Entender", "Dias De Janeiro", "Por Que", and "Retratista".

Nicely priced reissue of this classic first album by the legendary British dub funk outfit Cymande – done with that gatefold cover and everything! A key part of the crumbling British colonial network that produced some excellent music in the postwar years, Cymande was comprised mostly of West Indians who'd emigrated to England in the 60s, eventually meeting up under a shared musical vision – a completely new blend of funk, dub, jazz, and soul that was unlike anything else that had been recorded before, save for the work of a few other Brit groups of a similar nature. This first album's one of their greatest – and it's a refreshing batch of tunes that mix together heavy basslines, laidback drumming, and a righteous soul vocal style that's got a bit of a stoner touch. The album includes the group's massive cut "The Message", a bit of a minor hit when it was released (and later sampled quite famously) – plus the funky classics "Dove", "Zion I", "Listen", "Bra", and "Rickshaw". Pick this up, and sample one of the 70's most unique funk groups!

Way more than you'd expect from the title and cover – not a batch of familiar disco hits, but a treasure trove of club classics from the early 80s! Sure, some of the artists here are familiar – but most of them are from the indie side of the spectrum, and even the few big stars are represented by either non-hit tracks, or hard to find remixes that make this collection well worth seeking out! And given the early 80s focus of the track selection, there's less disco here than 80s groove and boogie-styled rhythms – heavy on the beats and keyboards, and still filled with plenty of great vocals. 20 tracks on 2CDs – with titles that include "Dreamer (long vocal)" by BB&Q Band, "Nights Of Pleasure (Nick Martinelli mix)" by Loose Ends, "You Can't Run From My Love" by Stephanie Mills, "I'm Out To Catch" by Leon Haywood, "Just Another Lover (12" mix)" by Johnny Kemp, "Fall Down" by Tramaine, "I Feel For You (12" mix)" by Chaka Khan, "Got To Be Real" by Selection, "Garden Of Eve (long)" by Yvonne Gage, "The Rhythm Of The Jungle" by The Quick, "Burnin Love" by Con Funk Shun, "I Need You" by Network, "Love Take Over" by Five Star, and "To Be With You" by Maxx Traxx.