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Great guitar and bass interplay – between Roni Ben-Hur and Santi Debriano – plus some light and lively rhythms from percussionist Duduka Da Fonseca! The set's a jazz album, but has the up-close and personal instrumental feel of a Brazilian session – not just because of some slight bossa touches in the rhythms and tunes, but because the players have a great way of finding warmth and intimacy with each other. Make no mistake, though – the set's hardly a bossa album, and has much more of a jazz feel overall – and represents not just a great setting for Roni's sweet guitar lines, but also for Santi's always-wonderful bass. Titles include "Milonga For Miami", "Anna's Dance", "Green Chimneys", "Earl's Key", and "Suave".

Breakout brilliance from Bobby Brown – the album that really showed the world he could stand on his own strongly after leaving New Edition! Given the tight production from LA & Babyface, among others, the sound here is hardly cruel – and instead, the album's got a catchily commercial groove that holds up surprisingly well – and arguably sounds a lot better these days, many years after these tunes were getting a bit too overplayed on the radio. Includes the hit singles "Don't Be Cruel" and "My Prerogative", plus "Every Little Step", "Rock Wit'cha", "Take It Slow", "All Day All Night" and "Roni".

A contemporary riff on benchmark 70s soul jazz and funky fusion from French producer Medline – who reimagines classics by Roy Ayers, Lonnie Liston Smith, Joe Henderson, Freddie Hubbard and others! It's good, solid stuff – reinterpreting the material in a way that's very mindful of its influence on classic hip hop – with some tighter beats and other nods to classic 90s hip hop production – but it's done with an emphasis on live instrumentation that's pretty great! Medline plays most of the instruments himself, with lots of Afro percussion and jazzy flute – with guest vocals on a number of tunes by Roni Alkekengi. Includes "A New Day", "People Make The World Go Round", "Wind Parade","Expansion" and "Everybody Love The Sunshine" with Roni Alkekengi, "Eboness", "Red Clay" and more.

A pretty sweet, reggae-steeped full length from Sydney 10-piece The Strides – who bring a real love Jamaican music into the pot, but it's a quite a diverse brew! The Strides glide along here with some jazzy funk, Afrobeat rhythms, some subtle modern flourishes and other boundless bits of inspiration – and they blend it all really well. Guests include Ras Roni, Ltl Gzeus and the tracks include "Storm Clouds" feat Ras Roni, Some O'Dem" feat Ltl Gzeus, "FKD (Farewell King Deuce-A-Mo)", "Umbi Gumbi", "Escape", "Reclamation" feat Ltl Gzeus, "Well Hung Parliament" and more. CD version also includes "Fresh Lady Dub" and "Storm Clouds Dub".

A contemporary riff on benchmark 70s soul jazz and funky fusion from French producer Medline – who reimagines classics by Roy Ayers, Lonnie Liston Smith, Joe Henderson, Freddie Hubbard and others! It's good, solid stuff – reinterpreting the material in a way that's very mindful of its influence on classic hip hop – with some tighter beats and other nods to classic 90s hip hop production – but it's done with an emphasis on live instrumentation that's pretty great! Medline plays most of the instruments himself, with lots of Afro percussion and jazzy flute – with guest vocals on a number of tunes by Roni Alkekengi. Includes "A New Day", "People Make The World Go Round", "Wind Parade","Expansion" and "Everybody Love The Sunshine" with Roni Alkekengi, "Eboness" and "Red Clay".

A crunchy batch of grooves from one of the hippest British soundsystems ever! The Wild Bunch were a Bristol-based collective dedicated to spinning the best in underground hip hop and club tracks – a group whose members included Roni Size, Tricky, Krust, and future members of Massive Attack, represented here by DJ Milo, who's come up with a fantastic batch of tracks that perfectly sums up their genius blend of styles and rough-edged groove! The CD version of the set features a continuous mix of tracks by Milo – 26 tunes laid out back to back, bumping and jumping through a set list that includes "It's Yours" by T La Rock, "Just Rhymin With Biz" by Big Daddy Kane & Biz Markie, "We Rap More Mellow" by Younger Generation, "It's Your Rock" by Fantasy, "Rock Shock" by BBCS &A, "Who Needs Enemies With Friends Like You" by Montana Sextet, "The Music Got Me" by Visual, "Dance Freak" by Chain Reaction, "DJ's Delight" by Ingram, "Love Rap" by Spoonie G, "Double Fresh" by The Wild Bunch, "Inside Out" by Odyssey, "I'm In Love" by Evelyn Champagne King, "Smurph Across The Surf" by Micronawts, "Dyin To Be Dancin" by Empress, "Can You Feel It" by Mr Fingers, and "It's Serious" by Cameo.

A wonderful title for this album of understated brilliance – a strong early 90s offering from Walton's Eastern Rebellion group, done in a mode that's very similar to their initial Timeless recordings of the 70s! The quartet this time around features Walton's piano alongside the drums of co-founder Billy Higgins – plus bass by David Williams, and tenor by Ralph Moore, fresh off of some excellent work as a leader for the Landmark label in the late 80s. The tracks are all long and inventive – soulbop at its best, with titles that include "Roni's Decision", "In The Kitchen", "Dear Ruth", "Simple Pleasure", and "Sixth Avenue".

Spare sonic textures and mellow musical moments from Eivind Aarset – a great session for ECM, and maybe one of his most compelling records in years! This ECM album has a feel that's a bit warmer than some of Aarset's previous work for the Jazzland – not in a way that's commercial at all, given that the music is still pretty darn abstract – but just somehow more organic – in ways that almost feel acoustic at points, even though most of the instrumentation is electric – possibly because of these bass-heavy shapes that often move at the back and bottom of the mix. Eivind plays guitars, electronics, samples, and percussion – with help from Jan Bang on dictaphone and additional samples – on titles that icnlude "The Beauty Of Decay", "Homage To Greene", "Black Silence", "Close", "Reactive", and "The Whispering Forest".

Excellent analogue electronics by this groovy modern combo! The record reminds us of some of our favorite late 60s compilations of tracks from the obscure electronic music centers of American universities – with loads of bubbling, fuzzing, and repetitive wave forms. Tracks include "Inevitable Fast Access", "Aphine Repetition", "A Very Uncomfortable Status", and "Meetings In Compact Boxes".

A contemporary take on the sounds of mid-Century – a very cool batch of tracks that leans heavily on 50s exotica, 60s electronica, and lots of other odd bits – all filtered together in cool production with a really playful feel! The set's somewhere between some of the older retro sounds on the Irma La Douce label, and some of the colder work in recent years by groups who've been inspired by Italian crime and horror soundtracks – although Akron's work is a bit warmer overall. Titles include "Rabbits In Orbit", "A Glimpse Of Hell", "Frog War Chant", "Robot Grind", "Memory Hole", and "Picabu".

A sweet funky set from the 70s – originally recorded as a sound library session, but handled by Italian soundtrack maestro Alessandro Alessandroni! You might know Alessandroni's music best from the 60s, and this set is a later updating of the same groove – one that brings in a bit more electric keyboards, some bouncier basslines, and drums that snap nice and hard on the funky numbers – then lay back on the sweet mellow moments. A few cuts have vocals – ala I Cantorni Moderni – and the whole thing has a warm, sexy 70s groove that's right up there with the best Italian work of the scene from the time. Titles include "Femminismo", "Collettivo", "La Metropoli", "Pubblica Informazione", "Prima Eta", and "Ultimo Soggiorno". Very groovy stuff! CD features 5 bonus tracks too – never issued before!

One of the funkiest soundtracks we've ever heard from Alessandro Alessandroni – a set that clearly shows he'd been listening to the score for Shaft, as well as a host of 70s sound library music too! There's lots of great Italian cop/crime grooves on the set – done at an understated level that's almost better than more familiar work of the genre – often strongly focused on the core rhythms, which are lean and plenty darn funky – bad-stepping with instrumentation that's often small combo funky jazz more than it is the bigger orchestrations of American cop scores. Titles include "Cop's Blood", "Amusement", "Duke Soul Jazz", "Tema Di Susie", "Club Jazz", "Palance", "Knell", "Sbirro In Fuga", and "Luxury".

A great 80s groove from AM & Shawn Lee – heavy on these Casio-like keyboards at the start, then given a dubby finish as it moves on – all to set the scene for the cool spacey lyrics in the middle! Slow funky, with a nice retro vibe – and "Dancing Heart" follows in a similar mode, with a cool dark groove that blends piano, guitar, and electronics in a very post-punk way!

A really wonderful document of of the Takamba style of music in Northern Mali and Niger – passionate, energetic and hypnotically performed by Ali Ag Amoumine! Ali's home is in Timbouctou, a couple hundred kilometers upriver from the Takamba region, and it was here that this excellent recording by Christopher Kirkley took place. It's essentially traditional regional guitar music, electrified and played in droning, wholly entrancing patterns, while the rhythm is played on the calabash. The songs here are described as being informed by Ali's travels and including his own compositions, and it does have inimately personal feel, while also pulling us in strictly on the basis of the soaring, hypnotic sounds. Includes "Adernibah", "Khomeissa", "Fatimatou", "Damara", "Kalitay", "Hali Diallo", "Taliat Nouhirase", "Nouvelle Annee" and "Mali".

A great follow-up EP to Anika's addictive Stones Throw debut – a darkness-tinged batch of covers – bringing some great songs by The Kinks, The Crystals, Chromatics and Shocking Blue along with a pair of dubbed up versions of earlier Anika singles. There's a bit of no wave vibe of stark electronics and moody vocals, but Anika's got an overall presense unlike anyone else. Once again she gets some excellent production by Geoff Barrow of Beak> and Portishead. Titles include "I Go To Sleep", "He Hit Me", "Love Buzz", "In The City", "No One's There (Dub)" and "Yang Yang (Dub)".

A landmark set from the German prog scene – the first amazing utterance of Ash Ra Tempel, and a standard-setting album that few others could ever hope to match! The sound here builds beautifully – coming out of abstract, noisy territory, then finding shape as the record goes on – a perfect blend between the instruments and new studio modes that really help the textures and tones come to the forefront! The group features Klaus Schulze on drums and electronics, Manuel Gotsching on guitar, and Hartmut Enke on bass – and Conny Plank worked the knobs, to help the whole thing come together like magic! Each song takes up a side of the record – and titles include "Amboss" and "Traummaschine".

One of the best early albums from Ash Ra Tempel! Here they bring vocals into to the mix for the first time, though it's still a spacious blend of slow-building atmosphere and spare dynamics that evolve into more feverish and intense maelstroms. The vocals of John L are another instrument, really – with gruff screams and moodier howls that echo the instrumentation impressively. The drums and percussion and incredible, with sax, organ, guitar and electronics. Work that bridges earlier psych to later experimental rock pretty fearlessly! Includes the "Light And Darkness" suite of " A) Light: Look At Your Sun" and "B) Darkness: Flowers Must Die" (originally spanning a side), plus the Schwingungen side "A) Suche" and "B) Liebe".

Fantastic sounds from the Australian scene of the early 80s – spare electronic work from Ash Wednesday and related projects – all a surprisingly great entry in the lost world of minimal wave! Most numbers here are stark and spare, but undeniably tuneful – the core charm we love at the point when groups like Human League or Cabaret Voltaire started getting a bit more focus, yet were still light years from being commercial. Like the music of both of those groups, the styles here lean heavily on the best analogue sounds forged in the decade before, filtered down to a basic essence, and redirected with tuneful lines and some moody vocals. Given that most of what we know from Australia at the time is guitar-heavy rock and noise, the set's a real revelation – and features 20 tracks that include "Psychotic Reaction", "A Circuit Like Me", "Bad Timing", "Sex I", and "A Living Person" by The Metronomes; "Boom Boom Baby", "Eighteen Creature", and "The Galvanized Garden Of Inner Peace" by Modern Jazz; "Useless Information" and "Radiation Injection" by Thealonian Music; and "Love By Numbers" and "Boring Instrumental" by Ash Wednesday.

Creative electronics from Uwe Schmidt – aka Atom (TM) and dozens of other pseudonyms! Atom (TM) And Friends make these great pop music pastiches laced with electronic textures – putting modern electronica, classic funk, pop, rock, bossa nova and more in a blender – and coming out with material that's easy to love, but hard to categorize! Includes his tropical clubby cover of "Smoke On The Water" as Senor Coconut, an icy Euro funk takes on James Brown's "Superbad" and Bowie's "Ashes To Ashes" as LB, straight up original soundscapes as Atom and other strange, yet accessible numbers recorded as Erik Satin, The Stereonerds, Los Sampler's, The Rogertubesound Ensemble and more. 17 in all: "Duck Cha Cha" and "Showgirl" as Lisa Carbon, "Mp3 (MoralPovertyThree)", "Suck My Groove", "Bowman Suite" and "Daddy's Song" as Atom, "Music (For The Library Of God)" as The Roger Tubesound Enemble, "Dropshadow Disease" as Dropshadow Disease, "La Vida Es Llena De Cables" as Los Sampler's and more.

Blistering sounds from Ballister – quite possibly the fiercest album so far from this key Chicago group – and that's saying a lot, given the intensity of their previous work! The trio really seem to know each other intimately by this point – so that they can really let loose, and explore a great range of sounds from the saxes of Dave Rempis, drums of Paal Nilssen-Love, and the cello, guitar, and electronics of Fred Lonberg-Holm! The album's an especially great illustration of the way that Fred's really opened up his energy level in recent years – and become a much more organic player, with a confidence in his sounds we never would have expected a decade ago. Rempis is masterful on alto, tenor, and baritone – blowing with a boldness that puts him firmly in line with a range of Chicago improvisers – and Paal's visiting drum work really pushes the whole thing forward strongly. Titles include "Cockloft", "Smolder", and "Phantom Box System".

A fantastic bit of jazz funk fusion – and one of the landmark 70s albums produced by Larry Mizell! This is Gary Bartz's second (and most amazing) collaboration with Larry Mizell – a studio genius who could focus on the best talent of a jazz artist, then expand it using additional keyboards, percussion, and often a sweet bank of chorus vocals to give the tracks an extra soulful sound! By the time of this album, Larry had already worked to great fame with Donald Byrd, Bobbi Humphrey, and Johnny Hammond – and the record has him turning his talents towards Gary Bartz to unlock a whole hidden side of soulful expression that would never be matched again! The title cut – "Music Is My Sanctuary" – is a jazz fusion classic in anyone's book, and it features characteristic Mizell keyboards alongside Gary's soulful sax, augmented by a deep vocal chorus that's simply fantastic. Other highlights include "Carnaval De L'Esprit" and "Macaroni" – and the whole album's nice!

Beautifully percolated grooves from Basic Soul Unit – spare and electronic, yet still surprisingly soulful too – almost like some of the gentler sounds that came around in the second generation of Chicago house, but informed by a 21st Century soul vibe as well! Most numbers have keyboards moving around beats in a really great way – and there's some acid electric touches that are subtle, but which bring a nice sort of retro energy to the set – some moogy brilliance that only gets better and better as the record moves on – almost with a Larry Heard feel in some of the best moments! Titles include "Let Go", "Backseat Lover", "Mind Forest", "Intersection", "All Over Me", "This", "Across The Room", and "Clouds".

Beautifully percolated grooves from Basic Soul Unit – spare and electronic, yet still surprisingly soulful too – almost like some of the gentler sounds that came around in the second generation of Chicago house, but informed by a 21st Century soul vibe as well! Most numbers have keyboards moving around beats in a really great way – and there's some acid electric touches that are subtle, but which bring a nice sort of retro energy to the set – some moogy brilliance that only gets better and better as the record moves on – almost with a Larry Heard feel in some of the best moments! Titles include "Let Go", "Backseat Lover", "Mind Forest", "Intersection", "All Over Me", "This", "Across The Room", and "Clouds".

Not what you might expect when shopping for African music – unique electronic sounds from Cameroon musician Francis Bebey – as heavy on keyboards as other 70s work is on guitar! There's still plenty of acoustic elements in the mix though, too – lots of earthy percussion at the bottom, which links some of these tracks to other styles of the time – even though some of the more unusual tunes here have these great electronic sounds that almost feel like they came from the late 70s German underground! The mix of modes is breathtaking – as if Moebius and Roedelius recorded with musicians from Lagos – shaking off the colder sounds of the Conny Plank side of the spectrum, to come up with a warm new style that's really unique! Titles include "La Condition Masculine", "Sahle", "The Coffee Cola Song", "Super Jingle", "Pygmy Love Song", "Agatha", "Catching Up", and "Divorce Pygmee".

Eastern tinged jazzy funk rock from Dutch born Okko Bekker! "East Indian Traffic" has a totally wicked funky backbone and a spindly, dexterous sitar way out front. Some jazz funk horns kick in as it goes along, too. "Ganges Delta" as another gem, less sorta soundtrack pulpy styled as the A-side, still a great and genre straddling number. Groovy stuff that appeared on Okko's cool Sitar & Electronics LP.

Rhythmic early 60s global grooves from John Berberian – a master of the oud with a great group of players on these oft intense takes traditional Turkish, Armenian and Arabic songs! The melodies and rhythms are pretty impressive – the percussion is particularly heavy and groovy! The oud is out front and supported by lots of clarinet and bongo, hand percussion, guitar, bass and some vocals, too! There's a passion here that easily trumps any initial thoughts that this would be a dry reading of middle-eastern folk material – it's appealing in many of the ways that Salah Ragab's Egyptian jazz material is, without the cosmic funkiness. Players include Souren Baronian on clarinet and bongos, Jack Chalikian on canun, John Valentine on guitar and dudoog, among others. Tracks include "Siseler", "Laz", "Basha Bella", "Whyek", "Taksim", and "Nubar Nubar".

Tripped out electronics meet progressive rock jamming – all in a weird and wonderful film score from the early 70s! The record's one of the best by French experimentalist Philippe Besombes from the time – and it's got a style that sort of starts in the territory of Francois De Roubaix similar electronic work for film – but gets a lot darker and noisier right away! There's a textural depth here that's really great – almost a pre-industrial music exploration of sounds – but the work's also not that over-indulgent, either – and Besombes always has a great way of getting back to a tune, especially on the shorter tracks. Titles include "La Plage", "Rugby", "Ceremonie", "Hache 06", "La Ville", "Les Cosmonautes", "Tis A Song", "Boogimmick", and "PJF 261".

New grooves, but with an older dancefloor style – recorded here in a sound that's got lots of the dark electronics that showed up on the European scene in the early 80s! At many levels, this record is one that could have played big in the clubs in Berlin or Manchester, circa 1983 – as it's got lots of analogue electronics and programmed rhythms that pulsate strongly, but often with a colder sort of groove. The focus is mostly on the instrumentation, although there are a bit of vocals – and if the record didn't have a 2006 copyright date, the set could easily pass itself off as a lost relic from the Sheffield scene of many years back! Titles include "The Devil In Us", "Coach Me", "On Just Foot", "I Regret The Flower Power", and "An Other Skin".

A great little follow-up to the first Black Devil album – a dubbier take on some of the same tunes, served up in a way that's almost more compelling than the original! As before, there's a real early 80s groove going on here – a style that's somewhere between UK post punk electronica, and some of the electro disco work coming out of other European scenes – all delivered without gimmick or cliche, and less of the "trash" elements that you might associate with other recent retro work of this nature. The core album presents dub takes on 6 tunes – "The Devil In Us", "On Just Foot", "Coach Me", "An Other Skin", "Constantly No Respect", and "I Regret The Flower Power". CD also features 6 more collaboration/remix tracks – done with Unit 4, Elitetechnique, Black Mustang, and In Flagrenti!

A stone classic from Black Heat – the group's second album, and even tighter than their first! The group's size has dropped a bit between albums – but that only helps them cook even more – dropping a bit of the horn section from before, which allows even more emphasis on their razor-sharp rhythms! There's a slight hint of Afro Funk in some of the rhythms – and the keyboards cook with lots of sweet clavinet lines – mixed with a production style that features some bubbling electronic elements that remind us a lot of that crazy "magic bag" that was used by the Lafayette Afro-Rock Band. That group might be a good point of comparison, but the band also shares a lot of Kool & The Gang's ensemble funk style – especially on their cover of "Love The Life You Live" – which they burn here beautifully! Other tracks include "Super Cool", "M&M's", "Rapid Fire", "You Should Have Listened", "Times Have Changed", and "Check It All Out".

A record with a really timeless feel, and a great mix of classic and contemporary – rootsy Ghanaian instrumentation, modern production, and just a touch of electronics – all wrapped up in a mix that's mighty nice – and one that's a lot more earthy than you might expect! Bola's not exactly in Konono territory, but his approach isn't that far off, either – as there's a core element to the music that relies strongly on older traditions – and an execution that just makes slight use of contemporary electronics – often used very sparely, just to underscore the key aspects of the music – in ways that almost make the acoustic elements sound even more fragile and crisp! The set's hardly a remix-type project, and has a gritty appeal that goes way beyond any of the too-sweetly recorded sessions of recent years – almost more in an Analogue Africa mode overall. Titles include "Yine Mmema", "Abayetidu Ma", "Hoyenbesa Nini", "Makamiba", and "Burilbunbol Suma".

The best album so far from this up-and-coming Colombian group – a great mix of rootsy elements and more electronic production – served up in the forward-reaching style we've come to love in recent projects from the Soundway label! Bomba Estereo are easily one of the most contemporary groups to hit the imprint of late – and they've got no trouble at all moving between upbeat, soulful styles and more earthy levels of instrumentation – all fused together with the kind of warmth and joy we might expect in some of the older productions from Luaka Bop, but with a bit more edge too. Titles include "Bosque", "Bailar Conmigo", "Pa Respirar", "Mozo", "Pajaros", "Pure Love", and "Caribbean Power".

A deeply effective set from Bonobo! North Borders has beats that are as compelling as any in Bonobo's canon – often thumping pretty hard – paired with gorgeous electronic sound washes and really deft use of vocal samples and guest singers. The mix of compelling beats and lighter, more ethereal atmosphere is a nice touch – and the use of voices, whether sampled or sung by a guest, really brings in an uncommon emotional depth. Includes "First Fires" with Grey Reverend, "Emkay", "Don't Wait", "Cirrus", "Heaven For The Sinner" with Erykah Badu, Towers" with Sjerdene, "Jets", "Antenna", "Know You", "Ten Tigers", "Sapphire", "Transits" and "Pieces" feat Cornella.

A deeply effective set from Bonobo! North Borders has beats that are as compelling as any in Bonobo's canon – often thumping pretty hard – paired with gorgeous electronic sound washes and really deft use of vocal samples and guest singers. The mix of compelling beats and lighter, more ethereal atmosphere is a nice touch – and the use of voices, whether sampled or sung by a guest, really brings in an uncommon emotional depth. Includes "First Fires" with Grey Reverend, "Emkay", "Don't Wait", "Cirrus", "Heaven For The Sinner" with Erykah Badu, Towers" with Sjerdene, "Jets", "Antenna", "Know You", "Ten Tigers", "Sapphire", "Transits" and "Pieces" feat Cornella.

The bossa remix combo of Bossacucanova wisely get a dose of history and soul from guitarist Roberto Menescal, one of the original bossa nova geniuses of the 60s – and an artist who's really come back into the fold in recent years. The record features Menescal's guitar upfront in the mix – with bouncy bossa rhythms, souped up by electronics, all handled with the right amount of subtlety on the best tracks. Titles include "Surfboard", "Telefone", "Nana", "Rio", "Nos E O Mar", "Garota De Ipanema", "Agua De Beber", and "A Morte De Um Deus De Sal".

One of Braxton's great records for BYG, and like the other one, a very cool session that has Braxton playing in a vibe that shows his AACM roots much more clearly than a lot of other sessions. He's playing here with a number of other Chicago expatriates, including Leroy Jenkins, Steve McCall, and Leo Smith – and between them, the four players handle a huge amount of string, reed, percussion, and keyboard instruments, switching off and on in a warmly experimental sound that characterizes the best work of the Chicago avant garde from the time. Tracks include "The Light On the Dalta", "Simple Like", and one of Braxton's weird symbol compositions. Ironically, this French session from the late 60's still stands as one of the best ways to witness the budding Chicago avant garde!

One of Anthony Braxton's first great recordings with a larger group – a really impressive array of sounds and tones that takes his compositional experiments to the next level! Tunes here are all those complicated Braxton formulas from the 70s – carried out by a host of equally-imaginative players who include Dwight Andrews, Vinny Golia, JD Parran, Marty Erlich, and Ned Rothenberg on saxes and reeds; Kenny Wheeler, Leo Smith, and Michael Mossman on trumpets; Ray Anderson, George Lewis, and James King Roosa on trombones; Marilyn Crispell on piano, Bobby Naughton on vibes, James Emery on guitar, Bob Ostertag on synthesizer, Thurman Barker on percussion and marimba, and Braxton himself at the head of the ensemble! The electronics come across with some great tones that really link the freer reed moments – and the sound of the whole album is plenty powerful throughout.

Braxton and Ellington appear here as composers of the work, not as performers – but the spirit of both is alive and well in this performance, breaking out in complicated waves of sound that recall the earliest moments of the former, but which are also informed by the concepts of freedoms put forth by the latter! The performance features passages from Braxton's "Composition No 257" and Ellington's "Freedoms No 1, 4, & 6 From The Sacred Concert No 2" – performed by a sonically-conscious quartet that includes Roland Dahinden on trombone, Hildegard Kleeb on piano, Dimitris Polisoidis on violin, and Robert Holdrich on electronics – used here in a heavy, textural way that reminds us a bit of Braxton's own recordings in the format during the 70s! There's moments when the deeper electronic tones bubble forth with the trombone that are simply wonderful – creating soundshapes and tones that are worth the price of the record alone, slightly augmented by bits of piano and violin.

A brilliant reworking of older gospel themes – beautifully recast here through the cosmic talents of King Britt, in an album that's quite possibly his most interesting work to date! For the session, Britt's taking older acapella vocals and tambourine rhythms from New Orleans evangelist Sister Gertrude Morgan – originally recorded in 1969, but expanded tremendously here through use of additional keyboards, percussion, and a surprising amount of acoustic instrumentation! Britt's got his usual drum patterns and electronics in the mix, but there's also a fair bit of slide guitar, harmonica, acoustic guitar, and even a bit of lap steel on the set – all of which makes for a sound that's as folksy as it is modern – really opening up a whole new chapter in Britt's career! Titles include "Let's Make A Record", "Living Bread", "Devil's Music", "Power", "New World In My View", "Unceremonious", and "I Was Healed By The Wounds".

Funky trumpet galore – and a lost break classic! At the time of this 1974 LP, Billy Brooks was an obscure LA trumpeter working in the Ray Charles band – and although this record didn't bring him instant fame when it was released, it's grown to become a groove classic over time – and always in demand these days! The standout cut is the sample track "Forty Days" – a masterpiece of jagged drums and floating horn work, sampled to great fame by Tribe Called Quest, and instantly famous for years after. The whole album's great, though – a funky big band mix of electronic and acoustic playing, with some really mad numbers! Tracks include "Shetter Cheeze", "Good News Blues", "Cooling It", "Black Flag", "Shetter Cheeze", and "CP Time".

Author Mick Brown chronicles the fascinating, tragic world of the Phil Spector – the most fascinating figure in American pop music history – thanks to both his unrivaled genius and artistry, his fabled reclusiveness and ultimately, real life crime noir tragedy. From his epic work with the Ronettes, the Righteous Brothers, The Beatles, The Ramones and the many less iconic artists, to the recluse years and the bizarre shooting in his home, this is richly researched, very well done bio by Brown. Engrossing and briskly readable, even as a fairly hefty girth, Hardcover, more than 500 pages.

A really cool live set from Mari Kvien Brunvoll – live concert solo work, but with lots of on-the-spot sampling – which allows Mari to loop her vocals and other instrumentation as well! Mari's voice has this really wonderful sound – airy, but very melodic too – a quality that's especially instrument-like when she samples it – but very personal when she's singing core lyrics upfront. And in addition to electronics, the set also features warmer acoustic sounds on zither, kalimba, and percussion – a very odd mix that works surprisingly well together. Titles include "

A spacey Patrick Adams/Greg Carmichael dance classic – and very much in the P&P disco mode! The record's filled with extended club cuts that have a lot of keyboards and electronics, and although the lyrics are a bit silly at times, the groove is rock solid – with that amazing funky disco sound that was sort of a precursor to the house grooves of the 80s. Adams and Carmichael are on keyboards – and vocalists include Donna Green and Leroy Burgess. Nice all the way through – and tracks include "Lady Bug", "I Love You", "Honey Bun", "Space Shuttle Ride", and "I Got A Big Bee".

An absorbing biography of one legendary French singer Edith Piaf – one of the most alluring voices of the past century – and superbly written by Carolyn Burke! Edith Piaf lived as fascinating of a life as any international icon we can think of – musical or otherwise – and Burke does a terrific job of of telling her story in a way that chronicles her artisty on a deeper level. There's no way to tell the Piaf story without covering the more sensational aspects of it – but we're just as enthusiastic to read about her vocal and lyrical craft. Burke manages to make the story of Piaf the artist and it's a very, very engrossing one at that!

Moody sonics from Nick Butcher – seemingly served up from instrumental sources which are then manipulated electronically! Some of the best moments have this kind of crispy, crackling sort of feel – almost the poetic beauty of a CD messing up, but a lot more melodic – often bursting forth in a way that creates a great sense of surprise after a mellower moment! Titles include "Tearing Paper", "Bee Removal", "Glass Paragraph", and "Shape Note Singing".

Wow! Funky guitarist Billy Butler runs through Galt MacDermot's score for Via Galactica, with music conducted by the funky composer himself. The sound is spacey and electronic, with drums by Bernard Purdie, bass by Wilbur Bascomb, and piano by Galt himself. Tracks include "Hush", "Life Wins", "400 Girls Ago", and "Other Side of the Sky". Not really a breakbeat record, but with a bunch of cool spacey moments and some very nice spacey laidback sounds. We used to sell this for a lot more, but we found a bunch at a low price, so take advantage of our good luck and get this lost record at a nice new price!

Sublime minimal sounds from Italian composer Robert Cacciapaglia – a record we'd rank right up there with the 70s best from Terry Riley, Steve Reich, and Philip Glass! Cacciapaglia follows in a tradition begun by other Italian modernists – like Giusto Pio and Franco Battiatto – but he also adds in phase-oriented playing that really opens things up – a beautifully lyrical vibe that's probably most close to Terry Riley in its hypnotic swell, but which is carried off here through complicated variations of strings, woodwinds, electronics, marimba, and some especially great vocal passages! The cover's as wonderful as the music – and the whole thing's a set we've treasured for years.

A mid 70s killer from Can – sometimes overlooked next to the early classics, but a record that's filled with equally great charms! Things are still pretty noisy here, and plenty proggy too – thanks to driving drums from Jaki Liebezeit and hypnotic basslines from Holger Czukay and there's a surprising amount of noise in the guitars of Michael Karoli, produced here with a bit more clarity than smaller label records from the German scene – but still never any crisp or commercial qualities either. Irmin Schmidt's keyboards and electronic touches are as wonderful as always – and Czukay's production really helps keep the whole thing on edge throughout! Titles include the long "Unfinished" jam – plus "Full Moon On The Highway", "Half Past One", "Vernal Equinox", and "Hunters & Collectors".

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!

Amazing work from John Carpenter – still a dedicated soundtrack composer long into his film career – and always a master of spare, spooky electronics! The instrumentation here is a bit evolved from some of his earliest classics – different keyboards and electronics developed during the 80s – but the overall approach is still very similar, and co-performed with Allan Howarth, who always gives Carpenter's music the right sort of careful balance! Carpenter does a lot with just a little – never making things overblown, especially in the way that some of his contemporaries might do – and titles include "Transient Hotel", "Wake Up", "Underground", "A Message", "Return To Church", and "The Siege Of Justiceville". This limited edition on orange & black vinyl comes with an exclusive 12 x 12 lithograph & a poster of the cover art.

Wobbly sounds from Casino Vs Japan – loads of great low fi electronics that really take us back to that key 90s moment when so many folks were rediscovering the sound of the analogue generation! The music here comes from a few years after that moment, but still shares the same love of shapes and textures that made the rediscovery so great – and if anything, the lack of immediacy allows these guys to just lay back and find their own space – often letting the tunes just take form slowly, without any overdone qualities – giving the whole thing a really personal feel that's still quite vibrant all these many years later! Almost like a post-rock version of the Sky Records sounds from the German scene of the late 70s/early 80s – with tracks that include "It's Very Sunny", "Metrobolt", "Dielectric Saints", "The Larp", "Medery", "Warm Windows", and "Theme".

The sweetly grooving first album from Central Line – one of the few British soul groups to really kick it in the early 80s scene – with a catchy dancefloor sound that both encapsulates the era and lays down a killer groove for the ages! The album is a blend of bass riffing, keyboards, group vocals and nice electro touches – always done with a truly soulful approach as a perfect counterbalance to the breezy electronics! Upbeat and fresh early 80s modern soul that holds up better than most huge hits of the time! Titles include the killer opener "Walking Into Sunshine", plus "Don't Tell Me", "Shake It Up", "Breaking Point", and "I Need Your Love".

One of the first-ever albums to feature the music of Suzanne Ciani – and one of the wildest, too! The set was originally pressed up in a tiny 50 copy run – as part of an art exhibit in Brussels to feature a sound sculpture collaboration between Ciani and another artist – filled with loads of weird, wild, offbeat electronics by Suzanne – including some cool processed vocal passages, and loads of spare, stark sounds that work together as a beautiful collage – moving from noise to notes to noise and back again! The sound is very dark throughout – quite different than the new age sounds that Ciani would record a few decades later.

One of the holy grails of the Spaced Out club music scene! Patrick Adams produced and arranged (and wrote and probably performed) this stunning set of spacey club grooves with a cool electronic feel, and a nice sense of mid to up-tempo rhythms. Includes the classic "Atmospheric Strut", one of the moogiest tracks around, plus the classics "Spaced Out" and "Disco Juice". All cuts are great, though, and the album's also got a good soul sound that often gets overlooked, especially on the cut "Doin' It All Night Long". A great one, and on the rare P&P label!

Man, we really love this song to death – and it's a Spaced Out disco classic that never gets old! Cloud One are at their moogy P&P best with the number – letting things rumble out with a wicked mix of vibes and electronics – all bubbling to the top of the mix with support from just a sweet bit female chorus vocals! Jazzy, spacey, and clearly a new standard for underground disco of the time!

A slightly sweeter version of Cluster than on previous records – a bit more focused, tuneful, and rhythmic – thanks to some great use of the "rhythmusmaschine"! Most numbers here have a slightly pulsating feel – one that really prefaces the electronic modes that would come from the UK at the end of the decade, especially the best work of the Sheffield scene. Cluster here show the way brilliantly – taking the longer jams of earlier years, and honing them down into simple melodies and rhythms – yet still delivered with a fair bit of edge throughout, and not nearly as much of the softness that would characterize later work by Moebius or Roedelius. Tracks include "Hollywood", "Caramel", "James", "Rote Riki", "Fotschi Tong", and "Marzipan".

One of the most haunting albums we've ever heard from Perry Como – a session recorded in Italy during the mid 60s – featuring arrangements by Nick Perito, and backing vocals by the Alessandro Alessandroni Singers! The tunes include a fair bit of older Italian numbers – some sung in the language of their origin, some in English translations that we've come to know on this side of the Atlantic – and Como takes them all with a sad-tinged style that makes the album one of his moodiest ever – a record that oozes melancholy with every song, and which has a late nite, heartbreaking appeal that goes beyond even the understanding of language. The set's a great one to convey the popularity of Italian work on the American market in the 60s – and Como carries off the session even better than some of the more likely singers on the scene during the period. Titles include "Souvenir D'Italie", "Forget Domani", "Anema E Core", "One Day Is Like Another", "Arrivederci Roma", "Oh Marie", and "E Lei".

Funky genius from Con Funk Shun – a pair of late 70s albums – together in a single set! Loveshine finds the group working under the production helm of Skip Scarborough, who seems to give them an even sharper edge than usual! The album's filled with those tightly compressed rhythms that Skip was so great in producing back in the 70s – grooves that seem to make more out of doing less – and which have a sense of space and timing that's totally impeccable. There's a few light jazzy touches at times too – bits of flute, sax, and organ that bring in a nice sense of depth, and which takes it far past easily classified funk! Titles include "So Easy", "Shake & Dance With Me", "When The Feelings Right", "I Think I Found The Answer", "Wanna Be There", "Can't Go Away", "So Easy", and "Magic Woman". Con Funk Shun really hit a tight groove Candy – late 70s dancefloor funk at its finest – and a turning point for the group that set the scene for 80s grooves to come! The killer group vocals, thumping funk bass and punctuating horn blasts are in full effect, and the group is also starting to work more with synthesizers and electronic sound washes – the spacey touches blending perfectly with their tried-and-true funk. A great batch of tunes, well-produced by the group and Skip Scarborough, and ear-pleasing tunes all the way – sparkling with a great blend of bassy funk and smooth ballads! Tracks include "Fire When Ready", "Chase Me", "Not Ready", "Da Lady", "Candy" and "(Let Me Put) Love On Your Mind", "Main Slice" and "Images".

A bit silly at times, but still pretty great! Bill Cosby teams up with old LA cronie Stu Gardner to do a set of tracks that are parodies of other big soul artists of the early 70s – and thanks to Stu's good work with the music, most of the tracks work a lot better than you'd expect! The record leads off with some sly slinky Barry White parodies – including "Yes, Yes, Yes" and "Shift Down"; then goes into a great James Brown funk number, "I Luv Myself Better Than I Luv Myself". It's hard to figure out where some of the other tracks are going – but the album also features a great spacey jazz number with lots of keyboards, "You're Driving Me Crazy".

When we were impressionable little arty tykes, this was one of our favorite soundtracks. It's got some beautiful Satie-esque tracks that feature solo piano by Vladimir Cosma, plus some weird Euro electronic stuff that has a nice cold feel to it. Also features a few tracks from the opera "La Wally", but we always skipped over these. Titles include "Voie Sans Issue", "Gorodish", "Promenade Sentimentale", "Metro Police", and "Lame De Fond".

Lol Coxhill in two different settings – both of them great! Half the set features Coxhill working with Simon Emmerson on electronics – processing Lol's work on soprano sax, and creating even more amazing sounds than came from the horn on its own! The processing makes the music feel a bit like some of Coxhill's work with Phil Miller – but even sharper overall, given the more improvised feel of the performance. The second half of the set has a bit more gentle soul – as Veryan Weston plays piano alongside Coxhill's soprano – pretty free overall, but with an acoustic sensibility that balances out the electronics on the other half. CD features a huge amount of bonus tracks from both performances – greatly expanding the original album!

One of the most insanely wonderful soundtracks from the late 60's – filled with weird instrumental touches and sublimely groovy vocals that really match the mad spirit of the film! Although Bob Crewe's best known for his work as a producer for bigger names in the 60s, he really shines here on this set – stepping out with One of the most insanely wonderful soundtracks from the late 60s – filled with weird instrumental touches and sublimely groovy vocals that really match the mad spirit of the film! Although Bob Crewe's best known for his work as a producer for bigger names in the 60s, he really shines here on this set – stepping out with a mad mix of styles that blends 60s adult easy with spacier themes – using primitive electronics and odd studio tricks to capture the cartoony space landscape of Jane Fonda's world in the move. The Glitterhouse sing on a few cuts, in a great mod rock soundtrack mode – and the pacing, timing, and overall presentation of the music here is really great – an audio document that almost feels like a "sonic film" in and of itself! Tracks include "Barbarella", "Ski Ride", "Hungry Dolls", "Entrance Into Sogo", "The Pill", "Smoke (Viper Vapor)", "I Love All The Love In You", "The Labyrinth", "The Sex Machine", "The Chamber Of Dreams" and many more.

Cyclist rides in with Bones In Motion – a joint release by Stones Throw and Leaving Records – an icy cool mix of early electro and housey influences with grittier, more experimental touches! The hypnotic approach and 80s era synth atmosphere bring Tour De France era Kraftwerk to mind – which sure makes the name Cyclist an apt one – and whether the name is a Kraftwerk nod or not, there's a lot more going on here! It's ultimately quite unique and all Cyclist's own. There's a hazy digital fog hanging over these instrumentals that give it a far fuzzier vibe than most 80s electronics-inspired sounds of the post millenium years – plus a thoroughly modern take on avant sampler dynamics. Distorted as they might be, there's usually a compelling, danceable beat underneath, too! Titles include "Feel Beauty", "Mangel", "Bones In Motion", "Sheen", "Makeshift", "Stove", "The March", "Visions", "Fleet Meeting", Black Train", "Another Exploitation", "

Cyclist rides in with Bones In Motion – a joint release by Stones Throw and Leaving Records – an icy cool mix of early electro and housey influences with grittier, more experimental touches! The hypnotic approach and 80s era synth atmosphere bring Tour De France era Kraftwerk to mind – which sure makes the name Cyclist an apt one – and whether the name is a Kraftwerk nod or not, there's a lot more going on here! It's ultimately quite unique and all Cyclist's own. There's a hazy digital fog hanging over these instrumentals that give it a far fuzzier vibe than most 80s electronics-inspired sounds of the post millenium years – plus a thoroughly modern take on avant sampler dynamics. Distorted as they might be, there's usually a compelling, danceable beat underneath, too! Titles include "Feel Beauty", "Mangel", "Bones In Motion", "Sheen", "Makeshift", "Stove", "The March", "Visions", "Fleet Meeting", Black Train", "Another Exploitation", "

A wicked double-header – a pair of rare French vampire soundtracks, packaged together in a single CD! First up is Fascination – a totally cool score from Philippe D'Aram – one that's heavy on electronics, amidst the usual horror movie moods – which gives the music a cold, stark feel that's really amazing – incredibly spooky at points, and nice and spacey at others! D'Aram doesn't just use the usual familiar moog and Rhodes elements – and instead seems to be working with early sample-type textures – using blocks of sound in these slow-building ways that are almost an electronic equivalent of a Phantom Of The Opera-type organ – especially at points when dark voices filter in to the mix, alongside acoustic elements on tuned instruments. Titles include "La Louve", "Apparation Du Chateau", "Bizarre Cult 2", "L'Amour Des Deux Filles", "Death Brigitte", and "La Valse Grincante". Next up is Requiem Pour Un Vampire – a Pierre Raph soundtrack for a really moody film – and one that's scored with music that's surprisingly sensitive at times too! There's a mix of dark and sweet here that really creates a great sort of tension – a mix between light acoustic instrumentation and some heavier sounds in the background – and really offbeat styles of tuning, and of putting the sounds together for the record! The music often features little snippets of sound effects – which pop out in a nice sense of surprise – reflecting the interplay of drama and sensuality in the film's images – and as the set moves on, the arrangements get fuller, and darker too. Titles include "Dominique's Organ", "Jade Vampyre", "Crimson Gates", "Steps To Eternal Youth", "Jade Lake", "Crimson Pond", and "Sad Clowns In The Cornfield".

Daft Punk have always worn their love of pop, disco, electro, soul and fusion pretty proudly on their robot sleeves – and bless 'em, they're paying more earnest tribute than ever before on Random Access Memories – featuring homages to and collaborations with Chic bassist/pop soul producer extraordinare Nile Rodgers, Italo disco pioneer Giorgio Morodor, soft rock genius Paul Williams and others! What a big, affectionate, timeless and lovable electronic pop record this is. It might not be the best Daft Punk record from the perspective of longtime fans of theirs, but it's certainly our favorite! Includes "Give Life Back To Music", "The Game Of Love", "Giorgio By Morodor", "Within", "Intstant Crush", "Lose Yourself To Dance", "Touch", "Get Lucky", "Beyond", "Motherboard", "Fragments Of Time", "Doin' It Right" and "Contact".

Enigmatic folk rock and soulful bluesy vocals from Karen Dalton – her legendary lost 1971 album that's credited with inspiring some the most idiosyncratic work by folk rock superstars and contemporary freak folk heroes alike! Karen was a fixture on the 60s NY folk scene – Dylan even gives her props in his Chronicles Vol 1 memoirs – but she rarely recorded. Her voice carries a huge Billie Holiday influence – but the delivery is wholly unique in her earthy folk phrasing, a real dip back into Harry Smith territory. Her guitar and banjo picking is strong, too! In My Own Time was recorded for Paramount at the end of 1970 and beginning of '71, with really rich and surprisingly soulful backing on an interesting selection of material written or popularized by Dylan & The Band, George Jones, Paul Butterfield, and even a folksy soul take on "When A Man Loves A Woman". Light In The Attic shines a huge light for this reverential reissue – pristinely remastered, with a thick booklet of liner notes by Lenny Kaye, Nick Cave and Devendra Banhart. Other tracks include "Something On Your Mind", "In My Own Dream", the traditional "Katie Cruel", "One Night Of Love" and "Are You Leaving For The Country".

Enigmatic folk rock and soulful bluesy vocals from Karen Dalton – her legendary lost 1971 album that's credited with inspiring some the most idiosyncratic work by folk rock superstars and contemporary freak folk heroes alike! Karen was a fixture on the 60s NY folk scene – Dylan even gives her props in his Chronicles Vol 1 memoirs – but she rarely recorded. Her voice carries a huge Billie Holiday influence – but the delivery is wholly unique in her earthy folk phrasing, a real dip back into Harry Smith territory. Her guitar and banjo picking is strong, too! In My Own Time was recorded for Paramount at the end of 1970 and beginning of '71, with really rich and surprisingly soulful backing on an interesting selection of material written or popularized by Dylan & The Band, George Jones, Paul Butterfield, and even a folksy soul take on "When A Man Loves A Woman". Light In The Attic shines a huge light for this reverential reissue – pristinely remastered with notes by Lenny Kaye, Nick Cave and Devendra Banhart. Other tracks include "Something On Your Mind", "In My Own Dream", the traditional "Katie Cruel", "One Night Of Love" and "Are You Leaving For The Country".

New material from this legendary German pianist – recorded as a solo acoustic set, without any of the electronics or gimmicks of some of Dauner's famous 70s recordings – but still done at the legendary MPS Studios! The tracks are an array of shorter themes – and in keeping with the "past" in the title, stretch back to some of Dauner's earliest jazz expressions – surprisingly rich in sound, and filled with feeling – a great reminder of the straight jazz talent that Wolfgang's always had, sometimes lost in his more experimental modes. Titles include "Blue Light", "All The Things You Are", "Wheat Song", "Dream Talk", "Seikilos Lied", "Petronella", "Yesterdays", and "I Loves You Porgy".

A chronicle of African American Singing & Praying Bands in Maryland and Delaware – stirring spiritual music with roots in the Chesapeak Bay of the nineteenth century – and still thrives! It includes the first-person histories of the singers, players and prayers, musical annotion and photos. Text by Jonathan C David and some great b&w photography by Richard Holloway. Paperback, 231 pages. Comes with a CD of field recordings, too – audio snapshots of hymns, prayers, praise and services.

A wonderful memoir from the glory days of the Italian soundtrack scene – penned by Franco De Gemini (aka "The Man With The Harmonica"), and filled with loads of color photos and images of albums! Franco's memoirs are often quite personal – at a level that sheds tremendous new light into the workings of the Italian scene back in these days, and filled with loads of great asides and stories that are as compelling as the historical details themselves. The book is heavy on text, but features many images in color – including a huge section in the back that offers cover images for dozens of classic albums on the Beat label! CD features 19 of the funkiest, grooviest tracks ever from Beat – titles by Armando Trovajoli, Franco Micalizzi, Alessandro Alessandroni, Roberto Pregadio, and many others – and the book is over 200 pages, softcover, and very nicely done! (Note: This is a second edition of the book From Beat To Beat – reprinted with a new title, and 24 more pages of material.)

Horns, harmonica, and more – all wrapped up beautifully in the hands of soundtrack maestro Francesco De Masi! The core music for Arizona Colt is done with these soaring brass parts that really recreate the scope of the scene – bursting forth in full, yet gentle modes that really stretch out for the sky – intercut with mellower, more isolated sounds on harmonica from Franco DeGemini or guitar from Alessandro Alessandroni! I Cantori Modern sing just a bit on the record – especially on two vocal versions of the theme, sung by Raoul – and the CD features a whopping 31 tracks in all, with great remastering – and titles that include "Gordon Guitar", "Agguato Al Passo", "Sentieri Misteriosi", "Arizona Ferito", "Attesa E Dolore", "Arizona Colt", "Jane E Arizona", and "Preludio Strip Tease E Fuga".

One of the most heartfelt film scores we've ever heard from Francesco De Masi – thanks to some great guitar work from the legendary Alessandro Alessandroni! There's a nice mix of moods in the soundtrack – some playful melodies that almost have a Nino Rota quality, offset by other moments that have the scene-setting quality of a western – all brought togther nicely in a round of short tracks that change mood easily as the set rolls on! Great remastering, and a bit of viola from Dino Asciolla too – and titles include "I Fiori Di Noe", "Ferace Destino", "Il Circo", "L'Amore Di Noe", "Noe", "Eroe Vagabundo", and "Il Tango Di Noe".

Great old school spaghetti western scoring from Francesco De Masi – and a soundtrack with so many wonderful elements in place! The leadoff tune – "Oklahoma John" – is sung in English, and has a nice sort of 50s feel to it – proud and bold. Following instrumental tunes mix in plenty of traditional western modes – strummed guitar here, Alessandroni whistling there, and just the right sort of dramatic flourishes to spur the action onward – yet always used in the best sort of economical way – the truly great contribution of the Italian scores of this generation. CD features a whopping 23 tracks in all – newly remastered too!

Incredible soundtrack work from one of the coolest composers of the 70s – the groovy Francois De Roubaix, equally at home with electronics and funky orchestrations! We've loved the music of Francois De Roubaix for years – and treasure it for its unique blend of electric and acoustic elements – often coming together in mad juxtaposition, but doing so in a way that always makes for a nice little groove, and often a strong undercurrent of funk! This set brings together a nice collection of rare electronic soundtrack work by De Roubaix – tracks from the films La Scoumoune, L'Antarctique, and RAS, as well as music from the TV series La Mer Est Grande, plus a few bonus tracks from other sources. Together, the tracks paint a rich picture of the electric side of Roubaix work – a side that's shown up a bit on other reissues over the years, but which has never been shown so strongly until now! The whole thing's incredible, and packaged with some great notes and especially cool vintage photos of Francois in action – showing him to be the consummate hipster of the French soundtrack scene in the early 70s! 20 tracks in all – all brilliant!

Amazing electronics from the mad Francois De Roubaix – one of the hippest soundtrack composers of the 70s, heard here in a wealth of his most groundbreaking tracks! Francois often uses electronics quite sparingly and spaciously – as sonic elements that drop out of nowhere and color in his whimsical, playful little tunes – all in a mode that's quite different than the darker, spookier electronics of Italian and American composers of the same period! Many of the numbers here have an inherent sense of rhythm – a bottom-level pulse that really keeps things going, even when tracks aren't as all-out funky – and De Roubaix almost inherits a style from French soundtrack composers of a generation before, then makes it even groovier with his electronic sounds! CD features 19 completely sublime tracks – titles that include "Afron Evrard", "Souvenirs Cubistes", "Violence Et Reverie", "Ballet Sans Balais", "Les Anges", "Trois Enfants Au Nepal", "Mort D'Un Guide", "La Fete Des Dieux Avions", and "Charo" – plsu the bonus tracks "Rencontre Avec Le Skua" and "Electropolis".

Mindblowing work from French film composer Francois De Roubaix – an artist who's perhaps gotten more credit in recent years for his electronic sounds, but who's featured here in a fantastic batch of vocal numbers too! Many of these tracks have that great messed-up funky style of the era of Gainsbourg, Jean-Claude Vannier, and Michel Colombier – bouncing bass, psyche-inspired instrumentation, and lots of weird production that trips things out in these subtle, wild ways. Vocals are sung by a host of different artists, and the styles vary up nicely too – but the whole thing's really unified with that sense of madness we've always loved in the instrumental work of De Roubaix! Titles include "Les Poupons" by Olivier & Louis De Funes, "Le Rapace" by Los Incas, "Loin" by Joanna Shimkus, "Just Be Cool" by Fire Exit, "Mon Ami Thia" by Serge Reggiani, "Chacun Son Homme" by Brigitte Bardot & Annie Giradot, "Pour Qui Pourqui" by Nicoletta, "My Sky Is Blue" by Alice Herald, "Un Peu Beaucoup Passionnement" by Vaea Sylvain, "La Ballade Du Heros" by Farid, and "Avec Des Cubes" by Chapi Et Chapo. 24 tracks in all – and some very copious notes!

What the what? An insanely raw little album from Debis – a group who hailed from the hinterlands of Oaklahoma in the mid 70s – yet managed to preface some of the most important punk and noise from a few years later! The album's got a sound that's completely mindblowing – a mix of short, sharp numbers that definitely have a punky sneer – plus others that add in experimental sounds and electronics – a blend that's almost like early Swell Maps at their best – with with a lot more frenzy in the end! The whole thing's gotta be heard to be believed – then treasured for the gem that it is – put together with wild tracks that includes "One Way Spit", "New Smooth Lunch", "Tricia", "Tell Me", "Blue Girls", "Flight Taken", and "Witness". CD adds in another 10 bonus tracks – all pulled from rehearsal recordings – and the book also features the full story of this unusual group!

A pair of action soundtracks from Georges Delerue – both mighty darn nice! Cent Mille Dollars Au Soleil is from a cool early 60s thriller with Jean-Paul Belmondo and Lino Ventura – done by Delerue with music as bold as the action in the story, but balanced out nicely with some leaner, more evocative passages that hint at the direction Georges would take in years to come. The main theme recurs often, creating a nice sense of elliptical energy in the music – and tracks include "Quartier Arabe", "Mitch Mitch", "L'Enlisement", "Une Nuit Marocaine", and "L'Appel Du Desert". Next is a film from 20 years later – Les Morfalous – but also starring Belmondo, and scored by Delerue with surprisingly subtle touches – far less of the schlocky electronic music that was often used in other 80s thrillers. A few tunes are a somewhat bold, but mostly the style is spare and tense – orchestrations held back to a minimum, and some nice accordion lines that step out gingerly to feel the space of the music. Titles include "Objectif GMC", "C'Est L'Aventure", "Helene", "Piege Au Cimetiere", and "Les Morfalous".

The third and perhaps best album yet for Swiss beatcrafter and all around soundscape adventurer Dimlite! To date, Dimlite has colored from as broad of a sonic palette as just about anyone in the contemporary electronic scene – taking cues from classic art rock and experimental pop, psych and jazz, the sound that's not easy to pin down or predict where it will go next. It's also insistently engaging at all times, and feels purposefully hypnotic from for first second of each track. The beats are pretty heavy for the most part, too, often surround by bubbling synth and thick bass for a something of a future funk vibe. Includes "You Very Rich Believer", "Pour Some Blood, We Got This", "Blur, Blur, Blur, Blur, Blur", "Healing A Random Tyrant", "New, Better Pain", "Yes, Welcome", "Than Them", "Fridge Note", "One Of Uh Infinity's Countless Uh Tiny Cycles", "Heroine Roof" and more.

Amazing stuff! This is a totally cool bit of early electronics from the late 60s – and the music is dark and spooky, with lots of weird wild harsh electronics (if you know Dissevelt's other albums, you'll know what we mean!) The whole thing sounds sort of like a mad robot playing a crazy space organ on a merry go round while dropping acid – and that description only gets at half the record! It's a great one if you like spooky 60s electronics, and titles include "Moon Maid", "Sonik Re-Entry", "Twilight Ozone", "Orbit Aurora", and "The Ray Makers". Very cool! Omni Records always fleshes out their releases with loads great bonus material – and they once again go to great lengths on this one! It features the rare stereo version of the album with outtakes, alternates, mono versions more previously unreleased raritites. 20 tracks in all!

A killer from Lou Donaldson's early hardbop years at Blue Note – recorded right during his classic run of albums for the label, but not issued until many years later! There's a sweet bounce to most tracks here – the kind of vibe that Lou had most famously on his Blues Walk album – thanks to the presence of Ray Barretto on congas, in the company of Horace Parlan on piano, Ben Tucker on bass, and Al Harewood on drums! Parlan's piano gives the whole thing a great soulful bottom – and titles include "Midnight Sun", "Dog Walk", "The Squirrel", "Si Si Safronia", and "Candy". CD features a bonus alternate of "Candy".

A killer by Lou Donaldson – one of his earliest sides for the Argo label, recorded right after his landmark organ jazz sides for Blue Note – Natural Soul and Here 'Tis – and like those, recorded with a lineup that includes Big John Patton on organ! The rest of the group features the great Tommy Turrentine on trumpet, plus Ben Dixon on drums – a killer player here, grooving in a mode that's similar to the sublime groove he brought to some of Patton's best Blue Note sides. The record's a killer – one of Lou's few non-Blue Note sides from the time that really holds up – and cuts include "Coppin' A Plea", "Si Si Safronia", and "I Feel It In My Bones".

Not necessarily the true story of house music – but a set that's mighty darn nice – and filled with a range of grooves that will definitely make you a fan of Elbee Bad right from the start! The music here is often way more complex than both standard dance and house – and certainly much more striking than the space where the two would often collide in too-commercial work from the start of the 90s. Instead, Elbee seems to echo some of the more experimental electronics of the German scene while also having an ear for Chicago and Detroit – completely confident in putting together his own version of modern music – yet also in ways that are not nearly as indulgent as the generation to come! The balance is key to the strength of this set – and titles include "Mr Terry Meets Mr Fingers", "I'm So Alone", "This Dream Is Real", "The Music Is Kicking", "S Shuffle", "Just Let Your Body Ride", "Just Don't Stop The Dance", "New Age House", and "I Like To Move (solid mixx)".

Droning soundscapes with dreamy atmosphere and ominous twists and turns from Ensemble Pearl! The ensemble is an international one – featuring Sunn O)))'s Stephen O'Malley, plus Atsuo from Boris, Boris-affiliate Michio Kurihara, William Herzog and guests – and their eponymous record for Drag City is one of cooler avant instrumental projects on DC in recent memory. It apparently came together from material recorded for a theater project a couple years earlier – and it has a bit of tripped out, spooky soundtrack-y feel to show for it – but it stands really strongly as a headphones experience all its own! Includes "Ghost Parade", "Painting On A Corpse", "Wray", "Island Epiphany", "Giant" and "Sexy Angle".

Droning soundscapes with dreamy atmosphere and ominous twists and turns from Ensemble Pearl! The ensemble is an international one – featuring Sunn O)))'s Stephen O'Malley, plus Atsuo from Boris, Boris-affiliate Michio Kurihara, William Herzog and guests – and their eponymous record for Drag City is one of cooler avant instrumental projects on DC in recent memory. It apparently came together from material recorded for a theater project a couple years earlier – and it has a bit of tripped out, spooky soundtrack-y feel to show for it – but it stands really strongly as a headphones experience all its own! Includes "Ghost Parade", "Painting On A Corpse", "Wray", "Island Epiphany", "Giant" and "Sexy Angle".

A double-sized set of live Bill Evans material from the early 70s – a great amount of material that showcases a time when Evans had an especially fluid, open touch on the keys of the piano! The group here features the great trio with Eddie Gomez on bass and Marty Morell on drums – and unlike some other live Evans albums of this nature, which tend to mike the piano more than the rhythm, this one really has all three points of the trio coming out strongly together – especially Gomez' wonderfully rich, round tones on the bass. Titles include "Two Lonely People", "What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life", "Re Person I Knew", "Elsa", "Emily", "Turn Out The Stars", and "Quiet Now".

Ahhhhhh . . . The genius of Fatback! "Groovy Kind Of Day" is a really sweet jazzy number from the group – laidback and breezy, with a skipping drum beat, a warm group vocal, and nice touches on flute and electric keys that really give the cut a unique feel! "Party Time" is back to the group's funkier style – but that's a-ok with us too! The track's got a wikki-wikki bit of electronics as the groove builds up – and lots of fierce vocals as it rolls on!

They certainly got the title right on this one – as Feldman moves from his usual staid jazz mode, to come up with a very groovy LP! In the course of the album, Vic gets his hands on conga, sand blocks, vibes, drums, organ, electric piano, tympani, tambourine, jawbone, novachord, and a lot more – creating some great little tunes with a heavily percussive groove to them. The set's a great mix of jazz and mod – with a sound that would make Verve weep! Titles include "Voce E Eu", "Do The Jake", "Geronimo", "Sunshine Superman", "In The Mood", "Have A Heart", and "This Door Swings Both Ways".

A soul set from Spain – a really sweet debut from Veronica Ferreiro, a singer with depth to rival the best of the American underground! There's a surprisingly non-commercial feel to the music – nicely laidback production, and strong traces of jazz that really make the backings sparkle – and match the great range that Veronica brings to her music – making for a blend that's a lot like some of our favorite Neo Soul albums from the early years of the genre in the US! Lyrics are partly Spanish, partly English – and on the latter, Ferreiro comes across with a sensitive quality that could well have her reaching a wider audience over the next few years. Titles include "Floating Lovers", "Non Quero Crer", "Riverside", "Laio", and "Please Don't Fall In Love".

A cool combo with lots of trombone from Conrad Bauer – blowing beautifully here over well-spun lines from the other members of the quartet! There's a fluid vibe to the record that's very fresh – not really some of the more familiar modal or fusion styles you'd know from the German scene of the time – nor some of the more offbeat work you might also hear from Bauer – and at times, there's even a funky feel to the record, although not in ways we'd conventionally use here in the US! The whole thing's plenty great – full of fresh twists and turns, and great discoveries throughout – with work from Conrad Bauer on trombone, Hannes Zerbe on piano, Christoph Niemann on bass, and Peter Groning on drums. Tracks include "Walzer Fur John", "Uskew", "4 Takte Fur S", "Violett Mit Eisweiss", and "Jumbos Barmusik".

A spacey bit of 70s jazz gets some great mixing here from Finnish studio maestro Didier – and the result is a tune that's almost as dark as some of his original work under the Didier's Sound Spectrum banner! "Ufology" begins with lots of weird analogue electronics – clearly enough to make you think you're having a Close Encounter – but then a really hard drum break comes into the mix, muted slightly at the bottom, and larger jazz orchestrations build over the top! The whole thing sounds like a great funky electronic 70s soundtrack number – and it's presented with some great bonus beats on the flip. Single also includes the track "No Comments" – another great tune from the 70s, done here with a really funky mix of electric rhythms and big band soloing!

Jazzy electronica – with a true jazz edge, not that fake "jazz" reference that you so often find producers making to sound hip, but never actually coming up with in their own music! Flanger features Atom Heart (aka Senor Coconut) on Fender Rhodes, vibes, guitars, and more – working here with Burnt Friedman on drums and percussion, plus some occasional upright bass and bass samples. The set's a great takeoff point from the pair's singles of a few years back – with a groove that's both spare and complicated, mixing some of the best elements of 70s spacey jazz with the rhythms of the post drum and bass generation. Titles include "Nightbeat 2", "Stepping Out Of My Dream", "Bosco's Disposable Driver", "Midnight Sound", "So What", and "Angel Of Love".

16 tracks of Eddie's classic Stax sides, with a range of material that runs from 60s through 70s. A handful of big hits, and a big batch of lesser known, but still great Memphis soul from Floyd. Includes "I've Never Found A Girl (To Love Me Like You Do)", "Bring It Home To Me", "Check Me Out", "Soul Street", "I've Got To Have Your Love", "Blood Is Thicker Than Water", "Don't Tell Your Mama", "Why Is The Wine Sweeter (On The Other Side)", "California Girl", "My Girl", "The Best Years Of My Life", and "Yum Yum Yum (I Want Some)".

A new wave crossover classic from The Flying Lizards – one of the quirkiest groups of their era! The group were European, but have a sound that resonates strongly with the most playful post-disco work of the New York scene of the time, particularly the acts on Ze Records – a groove that mixes equal part punky and clubby rhythms, often topped with lyrics that are cold, but clever, done in the same ironic arty style of Cristina, or Devo. This album's the group's standout opus – and features their classic covers of "Summertime Blues" and "Money" – as well as originals "The Flood", "TV", "The Window", and "Russia". CD also features "Money (single edit)".

One of the more soulful outings we've heard from Flytronix – a soaring little groover with nice vocals by Niki King! Niki's got a very deep flavor on this one – a solid and righteous sound that works great next to the snapping electronics of the track!