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Righteous soul, but with a wicked groove too – a killer set from Aquarian Dream, made even better by some great Norman Connors production! In a way, Aquarian Dream were to Norman Connors what Ramp were to Roy Ayers – in that the group wasn't really that dominated by Connors, but they did benefit a lot from his groundbreaking work in the jazz funk field – getting a level of sophistication in their sound that's really wonderful – and mixed with almost equal parts soul, funk, and jazz in the instrumentation! Vocals are often in a harmony mode – again in the manner of Ramp – and there's a classy yet cosmic sound to the record that we totally love. (And there's also one more Roy Ayers-like connection in the vocal department – since the group features Sylvia Striplin, who later recorded for Roy's Uno Melodic label!) The album's got a number of nice groovers with a strongly off-beat sound – and titles include "Friends", "It Ain't Whatcha Say", "You're A Star", "Play It For Me", and "Gentle Thoughts".

What can we say? This is one of the greatest soul soundtracks ever! In a market that was dominated by the big-selling Shaft and Superfly albums, Roy slipped in this masterful blend of jazzy vibes and wah wah funk that's easily one of the best-composed records of the blacksploitation genre! The album's much more unified than your average funky soundtrack – and each track moves between styles that you'd hear on any of Roy's great albums from the time. There's heavy funk on the track "Brawling Broads", cool vibes and electric piano on "Aragon", off-beat jazz on "Coffy Sauna", and great soul on cuts like "Coffy Is The Color" and "Coffy Baby". Wonderful all the way through – and another jewel in the already-big crown of the great Roy Ayers!

What can we say? This is one of the greatest soul soundtracks ever! In a market that was dominated by the big-selling Shaft and Superfly albums, Roy slipped in this masterful blend of jazzy vibes and wah wah funk that's easily one of the best-composed records of the blacksploitation genre! The album's much more unified than your average funky soundtrack – and each track moves between styles that you'd hear on any of Roy's great albums from the time. There's heavy funk on the track "Brawling Broads", cool vibes and electric piano on "Aragon", off-beat jazz on "Coffy Sauna", and great soul on cuts like "Coffy Is The Color" and "Coffy Baby". Wonderful all the way through – and another jewel in the already-big crown of the great Roy Ayers!

What can we say? This is one of the greatest soul soundtracks ever! In a market that was dominated by the big-selling Shaft and Superfly albums, Roy slipped in this masterful blend of jazzy vibes and wah wah funk that's easily one of the best-composed records of the blacksploitation genre! The album's much more unified than your average funky soundtrack – and each track moves between styles that you'd hear on any of Roy's great albums from the time. There's heavy funk on the track "Brawling Broads", cool vibes and electric piano on "Aragon", off-beat jazz on "Coffy Sauna", and great soul on cuts like "Coffy Is The Color" and "Coffy Baby". Wonderful all the way through – and another jewel in the already-big crown of the great Roy Ayers!

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 seminal album by El Kinto – a short-lived but crucially important group in the Uruguay rock scene of the late 60s! El Kinto were a seminal link between the beat group sounds of the earlier South American scene, and some of the headier, tripper work to come in the psychedelic years – and their music was an unusual blend of local roots and more ambitious rock – served up in styles that were somewhat different than the candombe music of other artists on the scene. Core rock instrumentation was often augmented by a bit of Latin percussion – used in a way that created a nicely earthy feel at the bottom of most of the tunes, which was in contrast to the cleaner, but also somewhat spare use of guitars on the top. There's a criss-crossing sensibility here that's not unlike Brazilian Tropicalia at times – although clearly not as politically motivated, nor as culturally radical – and what really blows us away about these tunes is the overall sense of sound – a simple, but extremely effective placement of all the simplest elements, to create music without easy comparison (even though we've been trying for the last few lines!) Group members include percussionist Ruben Rada and South American rock legend Eduardo Mateo – and the album features 14 tracks that include "Jose", "Mejor Me Voy", "Don Pascual"," Voy Pensando", "Esa Tristeza", "Yo Volvere Por Ti", "Estoy Sin Ti", and "Pippo". Great reissue – very heavy vinyl and cover, and with an insert with notes!

The best yet from Flying Lotus – who we keep allowing ourselves to believe has hit an insurmountable peak with each new record – but he just keeps getting better! Where the preceding Cosmogramma upped the stranger, spacier and more abstract textures, Until The Quiet Comes is a bit more inviting – and to his credit, Flying Lotus keeps things as innovative as ever, while still giving this one just a bit more immediately appealing atmosphere. There's nearly always a compelling beat, whether it's abstract boom bap or bubbly and synthy, with heavy bass and thick waves of sound floating over. An incredible roster of guests contribute, too – including string-arranger Miguel Atwood Ferguson, vocalists Erykah Badu, Laura Darlington and Radiohead's Thom Yorke, keyboardist Dorian Concept, and others – but there's little doubt that this is purely the Flying Lotus show. Greatness! Titles include "All In", "Sultan's Request", "See Thru To U" with Erykah Badu, "DMT Song" with Thundercat, "The Nightcaller", "Only If You Wanna", "Electric Candyman" with Thom Yorke, "Hunger" with Niki Randa, "Phantasm" with Laura Darlington, "Dream To Me" and more.

A wonderful bit of cinematic jazz from the 50s – played by the Chico Hamilton group as part of the soundtrack! The combo was a key part of the LA scene at the time, but are oddly featured as a regular club act in the movie's New York setting – but we'll gladly forgive that geographic error, given that the music on the set is so great. The quality's a bit like some of the Hamilton Quintet work on World Pacific – but there's a slightly freer, more urgent feel here too – work that's sometimes somewhat driving, and beautifully blended from the guitar of John Pisano, clarinet of Paul Horn, cello of Fred Katz, piano of Carson Smith, and drums from Chico. Side one features a lot of short incidental cuts – like "Susan", "Cheek To Chico", "Jam", and "Night Beat" – and side 2 is an extended "Concerto Of Jazz Themes From The Soundtrack Of Sweet Smell Of Success".

The follow up to Herbie's groundbreaking hit album Future Shock. There's some rehashing of themes here, with the remake of "Rockit" called "Hardrock" here – basically the same number with some heavy guitar added and a few different solos – plus similar numbers that continue the electro feel, but also add in a peppering of Bill Laswell's world music interest. The album's worth it alone for the presence of D St on a few tracks – and titles include "Hardrock", "Metal Beat", "Karabali", "Junku", "People Are Changing" and "Sound System".

Thumpingly playful, spacey and funky beatcraft from the J Dilla archives – a packed couple sides of short, instantaneously addictive material – great stuff that does the Dilla legacy proud! Lost Tapes, Reels & More is Dilla at his most insistent – with one memorable beat heavy blast after another. There's a lot of sampled vocal bits on this one, too, but beyond that, this is Dilla as beatmaker and producer – and in peak form! A very worthy release on Moodymann's Mahagoni label. 20 short(ish) tracks on 2 sides: "I'm Back Nick", "Dilla Beats II", "Token Jazz Hour", ""3 Round The Corner", "Here We Go Again", "Sessions 4", "73 Soundtrack", "Videogame 1", Clap 4 Me", "Aahhh", "Licking", "Still Laffin", "Go Get Em" and more.

Hip work from the Polish scene at the start of the 70s – a Hammond-heavy combo with a fair bit of jazz in their grooves – almost a more progressive take on the Brit beat group sound of the 60s, but without all of the progressive modes that other Euro groups were moving into! There's a great blend of basslines, percussion, and organ in the group's approach – and although there's a number of tracks with vocals, there's also others where the instrumentation really dominates, and those are especially appealing to us. Production is cool too – often echoey and effect-heavy – and titles include "A Dream", "Temptation", "The Nerves Of Cities", "Thoughts", "The Hive", and "The Starveling's Dance".

Blistering funk rock and raw, tightly grooving psych soul from small town Victoria, TX – trailblazing material from Kool & Together. This is an amazing anthology from Heavy Light/Light In The Attic that pulls together material from private press 45s the group put in the early-to-mid 70s and previously unreleased tracks recorded by Texas music legend Huey P Meaux. There's a raw soul, funky drums & percussion core to Kool & Together's style that's really great! Singer Tyrone Sanders doubles as the group's conga player, which is a great touch! There's a demonstrable level of gritty psych soul and rock in the mix, too – wah wah guitar, in particular – but they're much more into a tight, heady groove than the kind of lumbering heft and solo-heavy styles of other Hendrix disciples. It's a family band – the earliest tracks on the set feature Charles Sanders Sr on vocals, with Charles Jr on guitar, Tyrone on conga and Joe Sanders on drums – with the boys trading lead vocals and instrumentation on other later recordings, along with additional players. A great discovery from Heavy Light Records! 19 tracks in all: "Sittin' On A Hot Red Stove", "I Know", "If You Can", "Wino Man", "Magic Words", "Peace Is At Hand", "Better Days", "Fly So High", "Electronic Funk", "Reaching Out", "Hooked On Life", "Blow It Out Your Mind", "Get Your Feet Off The Ground" and more, plus 4 demos: "Escapism Beat", "Hot Pants", "Nassau Beat" and "Wino Man".

Broadway is the beat, but the sound has plenty of Parisian touches, too – thanks to arrangements from the mighty Michel Legrand! Legrand's in a mode here that's somewhere between his earliest soundtracks, and the European-themed records he cut for Columbia in the late 50s – styles that are a bit more warm and sentimental than in later years, with evocative elements designed to coax the Broadway-based listener out on a voyage across the Atlantic! Strings are relatively full, and sometimes used with great dynamic energy – and titles include "Bewitched", "There's A Boat Dat's Leavin Soon For New York", "Old Devil Moon", "With A Little Bit Of Luck", "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes", and "Yesterdays".

A classic bit of Chicago house goes mainstream – and a suprisingly big hit from the late 80s. The main reason most folks bought this album was for Louis' "French Kiss", a sex-sound infused house cut with a "fast-then-slow-then-fast" groove that was endlessly dropped into mixes on radio and in clubs at the time. However, like late 80s house contemporaries Blaze, Louis actually turned out to be a pretty interesting soul talent when given a whole album to work with – and although "French Kiss" is on the beat-heavy "dance" side of the album, there's also a pretty interesting "romance" side that has some nice home-made late 80s soul tunes with great warm keyboard-heavy production. Titles include "Lil Tanya", "The Luv U Wanted", "6 AM", and "Brittany".

Fuzzy Texas work from the 60s – music that's got a mighty strong influence from Bob Dylan – but which is done with a sound that's way more garagey than Bob would have every attempted! There's a vibe here that almost offers an early look at the Dallas scene that gave the world some headier psych – a style that still has one foot in folk rock, but another even more strongly pointed towards reverb and distortion – often with really cool results! Tunes are mostly originals, and mix jingle jangle leanings with some darker tones – on titles that include "A Public Execution", "Cryin Inside", "Lie Beg Borrow & Steal", "Look At The Sun", "Promises Promises", "Do The Best You Can", and "Maid Of Sugar Maid Of Spice".

Early work from a group who later grew into the famous Ikenga Super Stars Of Africa – recording here in London with a great raw sound – and an unusual mix of modes that's part Afro Funk, part something else entirely! The set's got that unique post-colonial vibe of some of the other great London recordings of the early 70s – such as work by Cymande or Demon Fuzz, both of whom have some dubby similarities to the Nkengas work on this set – possibly because the whole thing was served up for the Orbitone Records label – usually a home to sounds from Jamaica! There's a nice use of echo that really abstracts the basslines and percussion – although the grooves themselves are still more straightforward than any from Kingston at the time – and definitely echo the Nigerian roots of the group. Tracks have a lot of cool little funky corners and sharp edges that really set them apart – and titles include "London Special", "Ndu Bu Isi", "Anyi Bundi Igbo", "Jungle Beat", "Anyi Buofu", and "Ube Frank Special".

A smoking set of work from Tito Puente – four classic albums, wrapped together in a single package – with a bonus album of rare material too! First up is Cuban Carnival – one of Tito Puente's finest albums for RCA, with a tight hard bunch of cuts that have a Cuban big band sound, and a lot more drive to them than some of Tito's other work for the label. Ray Bryant wrote the great track "Cuban Fantasy", and Tito contributed most of the other tunes on the set – a really unique batch of material that includes "Yambeque", "Elegua Chango", "Que Sera", and "Cha Cha De Pollos". The percussion is nice and hard, and the band grooves in tight ensemble playing throughout! Night Beat is a really jazzy effort that was cut with a top-shelf list of players! The groove's a bit different than some of Tito's other work – but in a good way, and one that has him stretching past straight Latin to mix in a heavy dose of jazz – really getting the most of players who include Eddie Bert on trombone, Gene Quill on saxes, Bernie Glow on trumpet, and Barry Galbraith on guitar. The rhythms are key – and in addition to drums from Jimmy Cobb, the album also features Mongo Santamaria on congas and Willy Correa on bongos – not to mention more percussion from Tito himself! Dance Mania is a burner of a set from Tito Puente – very well titled to suit the energy of the session! The tracks are all highly rhythmic numbers – short, but filled with jazzy horn flourishes and the kind of snapping rhythms that made the Puente group one of the biggest crossover favorites of the 50s. Tunes nicely mix up vocals with some more pronounced jazz soloing – getting a heck of a lot into a relatively small space, and really keeping up the energy of the record overall. Revolving Bandstand is a joint project from Tito Puente and Buddy Morrow – both leaders who recorded some great work for the label in the 50s, sounding great here in a unique variation on their classic sounds! The album has both Morrow and Puente playing back to back – creating a "revolving bandstand" that has both groups playing the same tunes at the same time – a very odd approach, but one that comes off well here – mixing Tito's Latin and Buddy's swing nicely, without too much confusion in the instrumentation. There's some great vibes on a few tracks! Last up is Tito Puente Quatro Bonus Edition – a set that features 13 rare tracks, with singles, outtakes, and more – including "La Virgen De La Macarena", "Moonlight In Vermont", "The Continental (alt take)", "Blue Moon (alt)", "Ran Kan Kan", "Timbal Y Bongo", and many outtakes of "Pa Los Rumberos"! All LPs on 180 gram vinyl – with liner notes too!

The first-ever recording from this legendary Senegalese band – unissued for years, and finally brought to light in this beautiful package! The set was recorded live in 1979 as a night club performance – and because of that, it's got a really cooking sound right from the start – a bit more grit than you might hear from a group like this in the studio, with an especially strong emphasis on the percussion – which is often the highest element in the mix! Yet there's also some great guitar and horns – ringing out brilliantly over the top, with lots of jazzy elements in their phrasing – all of which makes for a really unique set all the way through. Titles include "Dagath", "Mariama", "Gossar", "Sama Yaye Boye", "Righie Righie", "Cherrie Coco", and "Kouye Magana".

Haunting work from the duo of Sandhy & Mandhy – a pair from the Buenos Aires scene at the end of the 60s, working in a weird mix of beat group styles and hipper rock rhythms! There's a slightly ethereal quality to the work – partly because of the way the pair trade back vocals, partly because of the light organ lines used to support the groove – which brings a haunting Zombies-like quality to the record at times – although produced with a bit simpler sound than Odyssey & Oracle! Most tunes are original, and showcase a surprising depth in songwriting – and some numbers feature some really cool percussion that complicates the sound nicely – pushing the duo past simple pop lines, into some of the headier territory of the late 60s South American scene. Titles include "Yo Te Buscare", "Hasta El Manana", "Lluvia", "La Chica Sola Y Triste", "Quisiera Olvidarte", "Esta Noche No Debes Llorar", and "Recuardo Hoy". Amazing vinyl reissue – very heavy cover and vinyl, and beautifully done overall!

Non-stop grooving from Slave – a record that has them losing the lead talents of Steve Arrington, but not missing a beat! As with Showtime, the sound here is a nicely smoothed-out approach to the bassy funk the group helped forge at the end of the 70s – a more soul-based sound that still keeps things funky, yet which also stays away from the tricks, gimmicks, and too over the top sort of styles that were hurting some groups at the time. There's plenty of great bass parts and snapping drums, all next to filtered harmonies on the vocals that sweeten the album in just the right way. Titles include "Do You Like It Girl", "I'll Be Gone", "Friday Nites", "Sweet Thang", and "Be My Babe".

The greatest album ever recorded by Joe Thomas – and a hip batch of funky flute tracks that ranks with the best work of Jeremy Steig or SOUL! Joe's blowing here with arrangements by Chico O'Farrill – strangely off-beat backings that add in more than a touch of Latin to the funk, making for a strong little groove on the best cuts. There's a couple of short funky 45 cuts on here, like "Chitlins & Chuchyfritos" and "Ebony Godfather", but the real winner is a long version of Gary Byrd's "Every Brother Ain't a Brother", which features Joe soloing next to some great funky keyboards!

The greatest album ever recorded by Joe Thomas – and a hip batch of funky flute tracks that ranks with the best work of Jeremy Steig or SOUL! Joe's blowing here with arrangements by Chico O'Farrill – strangely off-beat backings that add in more than a touch of Latin to the funk, making for a strong little groove on the best cuts. There's a couple of short funky 45 cuts on here, like "Chitlins & Chuchyfritos" and "Ebony Godfather", but the real winner is a long version of Gary Byrd's "Every Brother Ain't a Brother", which features Joe soloing next to some great funky keyboards!

At some level, we have to admit, we've always been a shade disappointed in this record, no matter how many times we go back to it. It must be that the music doesn't quite live up to what the Efram Wolff cover image implies is within, and perhaps it's that Walker hasn't fully brought himself up to speed with the times to get with the hip righteousness that was going on in the Detroit scene of the early 70s. But there's a few ringers here, with some numbers arranged by Willie Hutch, Gene Page and James Carmichael, and Walker was hip enough to include a Leon Ware penned number, so though this album falls somewhere between Walker's signature gutbucket R&B sound that put himonthe charts and the heavy soul you'd hope for, it's got a few nice moments. Includes "It's Alright, Do What You Gotta Do", "Soul Clappin'", "Gimme that Beat (parts 1 & 2)" and "Peace & Understanding Is Hard To Find".

A superior second volume of tropical cumbia from Vampi Soul – and a more expansive set than the first one, too! The vast majority the the great stuff here comes from the psych and immediate post-psych years– and it has the tripped-out sounds to show for it – but those are anchored nicely, by feverish percussion and tight tropical rhythms. Beyond that are some some great wah wah guitar, trippy organs, Moog and synth grooves – for a really great sound! This volume is also pretty heavy with instrumentals, but there's some standout vocal tunes, too – with numbers by Los Destellos, Compay Quinto, Los Yungas, Grupo Celeste, Juaneco Y Su Combo, Los Demonios Del Mantaro, Los Ecos, Los Beta 5, Los Orientales De Paramonga and many more. Comes with a nice little booklet of photos, with notes in both Spanish and English. 34 tracks including "Mi Choza, Mi Chacra Y Mi Mujer" by Manzanita, "Boogaloo Del Perro" by Los Destellos, "Baila Flaquita Baila" by Los Ecos, "Illimana" by Los 5 Palomiullas, "Recordando A Fachin" by Juaneco Y Su Combo, "Sin Exito" by Grupo Celeste, "Selva, Selva" by Juanaco Y Su Combo, "Colegiala" by Los Ilusionistas, "El Panadero" by Los Beta 5, "Peti Pan" by Los Demonios Del Mantaro and many more.

Jump blues, rollicking R&B, proto rock, Northern Soul and otherwise rawly stomping stormers selected by DJ Andy Smith – a cool compilation of late 50s and 60s treasures that you might hear on one of his Jump Up Twist club nights! There's some familiar names in the set list for deep digging fans of any of the above styles, but there are no tracks that come even close to being overplayed, and each one is a winner – cuts by Wynonie Harris, Wynona Carr, Al Ferrier, Toni & The Showmen, Johnny Guitar Watson, Alton Ellis, The Skatalites, Luther Ingram, Mickey Champion, The San Francisco TKOs and more. Titles include "Bloodshot Eyes" by Wynonie Harris, "Ooo Little Girl" by Floyd Dixon, "Tracks To Your Mind" by The Sounds Of Lane, "Ska Beat" by Alton Ellis, "Collie Bud" by Skatalites, "Hit, Git And Split" by Young Jessie, "Make Up Your Mind" by San Francisco TKOs and more. 23 in all.

Totally great – an amazing collection of music from the Tamil Film Industry in India – also known as Kollywood in some circles, and home to sounds that are quite different from more familiar Bollywood modes! The styles here are great – often a lot more offbeat and less straight pop than you'd know from more familiar Indian soundtracks – still done with the mix of a playback singer and composer, but often set to weird rhythms that bring in some nice touches from the 80s – used in ways that are pretty great and groovy overall! There's less of the full-on dance numbers at some points – and with the use of electronics, we'd almost be tempted to call some of this stuff more arty or new wave-styled Indian film music at times – especially on the two very moogy numbers included. The package is great – with notes on the music, scene, and singers – and titles include "Vikram Vikram", "Passing Out Parade (part 1)", "Love Theme", "Raaja Rajathi", and "Chittu Kuruvi" by Illaiyaraaja; "Cola Cola Coca Cola" by Shankar Ganesh, and "Nallavan Nallavan" by Hamsalekha,

The first new album from Iggy & The Stooges since Raw Power – that's 40 g****amn years if you're counting – and it's a pretty damn good! Yeah, we're gonna say it again, as it's probably necessary to repeat it: the first new album from Iggy & The Stooges (aka, the version of the band with James Williamson on guitar) in 4 decades is worth picking up. Yes, really! Frankly, it shouldn't be such a surprise, given that their live show is still essential, but after the Stooges proper reunion album The Weirdness (with the now deceased Ron Asheton on guitar. . .but like this new version of the band, it featured latter day Stooge Mike Watt on bass to replace the earlier departed Dave Alexander) bombed bigtime, expectations were low. Rather than try to replace the frenzied Raw Power vibe, they're really just out to make a fun, snarky, profane, no BS rock 'n' roll record here and that's what they do. Iggy has been more of a weird crooner in the studio in recent years than the wild-eyed howler that he becomes on stage, and that's what he does here, too. On top of the balls out rockers, there's a couple of surprisingly strong acoustic numbers – and occasional Stooge sax honker Steve Mackay makes a welcome appearance. The best Iggy album in years, with or without the Stooges! Titles include "Burn", "Sex & Money", "Job", "Gun", "Unfriendly World", "Ready To Die", "DD's", "Dirty Deal", "Beat That Guy" and "The Departed".

A tremendous overview of Carribean sounds from the 50s through the 70s – served up with exactly the kind of depth and care we've come to expect from the folks at Soul Jazz Records! The collection goes way past the obvious – and way past any obvious cliches as well – to really dig deep and draw some strong lines between the grooves of nations like Cuba, Colombia, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Trinidad, and St Thomas – all of whom are represented by really rhythm-heavy and uncommon sounds! Most numbers are heavy on percussion, but also show a bit of jazz and soul influence as well – the continuing influence of American styles on the sounds of the area, but always taken in by the local talents, and made into something new entirely. There's a number of heavy groovers here that lie somewhere in the territory between Jazzman mambo reissues and Honest Jon's compilation cuts – and titles include "I'll Be Right There" by Techniques, "Pa Los Obreros" by Frank Ferrer, "Elegua" by Gina Martin, "Nassau Cha Cha" by Andre Toussaint, "Saturday Night Reggae" by Mark Holder, "My Conversation" by Slim Smith, "The Queen Sings Calpyso" by Lord Brynner, "Chango" by Celia Cruz, "Canela" by Peanuts Taylor, "Repentino" by Grupo De Experimentation, "Pa Coco Solo" by Fajardo, "Don't Blame It On Elvis" by Fabulous McClevertys, "Mambo Caliente" by Bebo Valdes, and "Vitalolgy" by Duke Of Iron.

One of the greatest Roy Ayers albums of all time – and one of the rarest! The record is right in the same vein as Roy's groundbreaking He's Coming LP – a righteous mix of soul jazz, subtle funk, and some of the cosmic wisdom that Roy was spreading among the jazz funk underground – all wrapped up beautifully, but never in a way that's like commercial soul of the time. There's a few instrumental tracks on the album, plus some vocal ones that show that off-beat male/female style that Roy would use more famously in later tracks like "Everybody Loves The Sunshine" or his work with Ramp. Players include Harry Whitaker on electric piano, Edwin Birdsong on organ, Alphonse Mouzon on drums, Jumma Santos on congas – and titles include a version of Nat Adderley's "Hummin", done as "Hummin In The Sun", and very much in the Ramp vein. Also features instrumental cuts "The Fuzz", which has Roy's vibes toned way up, and the cool mellow "The Painted Desert", a really offbeat slow jazz number. The group also does a great job with Edwin Birdsong's "Pretty Brown Skin", picking up the song as a really anthemic groover that gives the record a nice kick!

One of the wildest records of the early 70s – and it's still pretty darn hard to argue with the power of this one – even if the meddling of the producers is nearly as legendary as the album itself! There's still such a manic energy to the original release mix – one that clearly inspired, if not altogether gave birth to the punk scene – and makes the album one of those quintessential examples of great art being made under compromising circumstances. Fierceness personified! Includes classics like "Search & Destroy", "Death Trip", "Gimme Danger", "Your Pretty Face Is Going To Hell (aka Hard To Beat)", "Raw Power", "Shake Appeal", and "Death Trip". We're in that rare camp that finds both Bowie's original mix AND Iggy's noisy-as-hell, paint-peeler of a mix from the late 90s entirely essential – and the latter appears here on vinyl for the first time! This completely incredible 2012 vinyl edition includes both mixes in a 2LP set with 16 page booklet.

Wonderfully tight work from Mandrill – a real standout from the years at Arista – and a set that seems to take all the key instrumental energy of the Polydor years, and focus it on a soulful groove that's even more soaring than before! The energy is wonderful – very much like the best Earth Wind & Fire ensemble sound at the time, with perhaps a Fatback-ish funky element at the bottom – and there's some surprising elements from track to track that really create a great sense of variety and depth – way more than you'd find from some of the group's contemporaries. A few moments get nice and spacey, too – and titles include "Gilly Hines", "Holiday", "Closer To You", "Funky Monkey", "Happy Beat", "Love One Another", and "Can You Get It".

The amazing debut of Soft Machine! It's hard to find a more seminal moment of jazz rock from the British scene – and there's certainly few albums from its generation that stand up as well over the years as this one! The trio of Robert Wyatt, Kevin Ayers, and Michael Ratledge carve out the future of progressive playing on this excellent set of shorter tunes that still offer up all the hard jamming of later years. Beat group morphs into prog jazz before your very eyes – on tracks like "Hope For Happiness", "Why Am I So Short", "Save Yourself", "Priscilla", "So Boot If At All", "A Certain Kind", "Lullabye Letter", and "Why Are We Sleeping?".

An excellent lost funky soundtrack on Blue Note – their only one for years, and Grant Green's entry into the blacksploitation genre! The whole thing bristles with the kind of chunky, thumping percussive feel as the best funky soundtracks of the era – informed by the work of Curtis Mayfield and Isaac Hayes, but with the deeper jazz feel that Green brings from his other Blue Note sides of the time! Some cuts are quite funky, particularly the opener, "Past, Present, and Future" with it's crisp trap, chicken scratch guitar and bongo driven beat. Others have more of a stripped-down dope instrumental feel – there's some sweet funky flute work on "Fathers Lament", and even a slight bossa groove creeps into the title track! The whole album's very nice, and it's very different than any of Grant Green's other work! Other titles include "Afro Party", Luana's Theme", "Slight Fear And Terror", and "Battle Scene".

An amazing little soundtrack that's every bit as groovy as its cover – a great blend of 60s mod and Italian jazz, all in support of the skeleton-costumed master thief Kriminal! This set represents the first full length presentation of the film's soundtrack – a long-overdue masterpiece that steps off the jazzier modes used in Italian films of the early 60s, touched by some of the more dynamic production and arrangement styles that were creeping in later in the decade – all served up over short, sweet tracks that dance with delight and drama throughout! There's even a bit of the British and American spy modes of the time creeping into the mix – no doubt a way of highlighting the "international crime" reputation of lead character Kriminal. Pic disc version features a total of 22 tracks from the film – pressed on very cool looking vinyl!

A record as weird and wild as the cover – filled with really tripped-out sounds from the obscure Flipper sound library in Italy! The music follows strongly in the best style of the rock-driven sounds from Italian horror films – but there's also a more compact approach too, with some funky elements that really make the whole thing sparkle – and a restrained approach that's far less indulgent than the prog styles that Italy was famous for at the time. The whole thing's great – a wicked mix of freak and fuzz – and titles include "Perquisizione" by Alessandro Alessandroni, "Osessione Notturna" by Gerardo Iacoucci, "Black Sabbath" by Daniela Casa, "Violenza In Beat" by Umberto Santucci, "Percussion Blues" by Paolo Ferrara, "Ritmica" by Remigo Ducros, "Marker" by Paolo Ferrara, and "Una Storia" by Alessandro Alessandroni & I Cantori Moderni.

A tremendous overview of Carribean sounds from the 50s through the 70s – served up with exactly the kind of depth and care we've come to expect from the folks at Soul Jazz Records! The collection goes way past the obvious – and way past any obvious cliches as well – to really dig deep and draw some strong lines between the grooves of nations like Cuba, Colombia, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Trinidad, and St Thomas – all of whom are represented by really rhythm-heavy and uncommon sounds! Most numbers are heavy on percussion, but also show a bit of jazz and soul influence as well – the continuing influence of American styles on the sounds of the area, but always taken in by the local talents, and made into something new entirely. There's a number of heavy groovers here that lie somewhere in the territory between Jazzman mambo reissues and Honest Jon's compilation cuts – and titles include "I'll Be Right There" by Techniques, "Pa Los Obreros" by Frank Ferrer, "Elegua" by Gina Martin, "Nassau Cha Cha" by Andre Toussaint, "Saturday Night Reggae" by Mark Holder, "My Conversation" by Slim Smith, "The Queen Sings Calpyso" by Lord Brynner, "Chango" by Celia Cruz, "Canela" by Peanuts Taylor, "Repentino" by Grupo De Experimentation, "Pa Coco Solo" by Fajardo, "Don't Blame It On Elvis" by Fabulous McClevertys, "Mambo Caliente" by Bebo Valdes, and "Vitalolgy" by Duke Of Iron. Also includes a great documentary on DVD – Mirror To The Soul, the story of the British Pathe record label in the West Indies!

Brass Construction's fifth album, and the group's still grooving harder than most of their contemporaries! The legendary Randy Muller is still fully in charge here – serving up his trademark lean, mean arrangements that compress all elements of the music firmly on the beat – all in a way that creates one of the funkiest grooves you'll ever hear in mainstream late 70s club! There's plenty of great little touches to keep each tune interesting – bits of strings, keyboards, or other elements that burst out of the mix playfully . Titles include "It's Alright", "Watch Out", "I Want Some Action", "Right Place", "Music Makes You Feel Like Dancing", and "Shakit".

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

Arguably the last true moment of genius in Michael Jackson's career – a record that sold a bazillion copies around the world – and for plenty good reason! Michael's still working here with Quincy Jones – in territory that steps nicely from the Off The Wall groove, into territory that's somewhat more poppy, but still quite soulful overall. And yes, the success of the album meant that cuts like "Billie Jean", "Thriller", and "Beat It" got plenty of play – thanks to both heavy radio and video rotation – but a few decades later, there's still a tremendous amount of depth here – on great cuts like "Human Nature", "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin", and "PYT" – which all hold up nicely!

A wicked bit of funk from Ghana – a record that's as amazing and wonderful as it is rare! The set's one of the best African 70s rarities we've ever heard – filled with massive grooves that offer up a take on funk that's far different than American grooves – but which also comes across with instrumentation that's not as familiarly Ghanian either! There's lots of nicely fuzzy organ in the mix, tight rhythms, and a trippy production style that no doubt comes from the quality of the original studio – but which serves to give some of the best cuts a really sinister edge – a bit like Cymande at their best. Titles include "Dracular Dance", "No Man Is Born To Suffer", "Moving World", "Groovy Love", "Wale Fobite", "Kelenkye Beat", and "Jungle Music".

One of the grooviest Mexican groups of the 60s – a combo who mix together beat, garage, and psychedelic sounds with a really wonderful feel – much more like some of the Argentine and Peruvian combos who've been getting more exposure these days! There's definitely an American rock influence going on, but most of the lyrics are in Spanish, which instantly helps differentiate most of the tunes – and the production style has a way of making the familiar organ and guitar lines sound somehow weird and strange – sometimes due to odd echoes and fuzz in the production techniques. The LP features 13 tracks in all with titles that include "Opus 14 Interior 12", "Dime", "Shake", "Confesion", "El Soldado", "Sabia", "No Lo Hagas" and "Substitute".

Raw, amazing grooves sailing the Afro Beat Airways – organ flavored Afro funk, soul & psychedelia from West African Ghana & Togo in the 70s – one of best compilations yet on the increasingly awe inspiring Analog Africa label! The African percussion is raw and danceable and funk steeped, and most of the numbers have a range of really cool organ sounds, and vocals that range from insistently melodic singing to to funky shouts. From there, the groove is more varied. There's strains of tried & true Afro funk & soul, larger group jazzy jams and more stripped down cosmic and psych influenced nuggets. Exhaustive research on the part of Analog Africa is distilled into a riveting, yet nicely diverse and pretty much perfect compilation with great sound, beautiful packaging and a wealth of notes. 2LP version has 16 tracks in all (2 more than the CD): "Dankasa" by Uppers International, "Ma Mserew Me" by Apoagya Show Band, "Come Along" by Ebo Taylor & The Pelicans, 'Afe Ato Yen Bio" by De Frank Professionals, "Awula Bo Fee Ene" by Orchestre Abass, "Ne Noya" by Cos-Ber-Zam and more, plus the vinyl exclusives "Obiye Saa Wui" by 3rd Generation Band and "Operation Bye-Bye" by Orchestre Abass.

A Brazilian group, but one who plays with a sweet Afro Funk vibe – really mixing together a few cultural influences in a groove that's totally unique! There's a style here that's similar to other contemporary Afro Funk grooves – but there's also a different vibe too – one that's a bit hard to put our finger on, but which really makes the album stand out! The horns have lots of interesting phrasing – perhaps a touch more jazz than we were expecting – and the rhythms have a complexity that's often echoed by the keyboards – which themselves often do a lot more than vamp along with the groove. A cracker of a record – with cuts that include "Balboa Da Silva", "Zambo Beat", "Grito De Paz", "Luz Vermelha", "Tema Di Malaika", and "Desengano Da Vista".

Percussion and effects – wrapped up together beautifully in this rare Italian sound library set! The album's got a groove that's exactly what you'd expect from the title – acoustic percussion mixes with electronics that are sometimes spare and stark, sometimes production effects, and sometimes smoother keyboards that have a bit more of a jazz-based approach. There's a pretty dark feel to most of the record – a style that's almost a cross between Italian horror scoring and some of the industrial work that was coming out of the north of England at the time – and some of the best numbers here get really noisy, and use simple but effective production techniques to abstract the sound. Titles include "Sprint", "Apocalisse", "Reflection", "Violenza", "Riverberazioni", "Black Beat", "Ritmo Giallo", and "Compulsion".

A killer 60s soundtrack! The score was written for a strange biker film that starred Marianne Faithfull and Alain Delon – and it's filled with lots of driving grooves, wailing organ lines, and jangly guitar parts. The whole thing's strung together with occasional sound effects, giving the album a cool spacey film-ish sound – and there's lots of moments that feel a lot like some of the great and groovy Italian or French 60s soundtracks. The theme is incredible – and other titles include "Dream", "Holiday With Raymond", "Surrender To A Stranger", "Dawn Idyll", "Big Bare Beat", and "Don't Ask Me".

Dubby punk and punky reggae from the late 70s and early 80s – song stuff from a fresh, inventive period that holds up incredibly well! There's at least a couple of straight-up legendary acts here in Bad Brains and The Slits – plus great tracks featuring members of Killing Joke, Young Marble Giants, A Certain Ratio and more – and it's pretty great all the way through! Includes numbers by The Offs, Glaxo Babies, Peter & The Test Tube Babies, Chantage, Dangerous Girls and more, Includes "Cool Down" by The Offs, "Who Killed Bruce Lee (Version)", "Same Thing Twice" by Chantage, "Merge" by Jah Scouse, "Trapper Ain't Gotta Bird" by Peter & The Test Tube Babies, "Callling Captain Nemo" by Return Of The Panthers, "More Or Less Cut" by Red Beat, "Dangerous Girls" by Dangerous Girls,"Stay Close To Me" by Bad Brains, "Animal Space" by The Slits and more. 13 tracks on the 2LP version.

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".

A real killer from the legendary Joe Bataan – an album of righteous power that really lives up to the dynamic promise of the title and cover! Joe Bataan's in top form throughout – serving up a blend of Latin grooves and 60s soul influences that few other artists of the time could touch – soaring and upbeat one minute, but mellow and laidback the next. There's a number of longer tracks on here that really move past the standard Latin Soul modes – bringing in bits of descarga jazz, instrumental soul, and mellower ballads to Joe's already-great blend of styles. The depth here is tremendous, and nearly every track's a winner! Titles include the slamming "It's A Good Feeling (Riot)", "Muneca", and "Mambo De Bataan" – plus the soul tracks "What Good Is A Castle", "My Cloud", "Daddy's Coming Home", "Ordinary Guy", and "For Your Love".

A bittersweet farewell from The Beatles – a record that definitely shows the fracturing unity of the group, with lots of near-solo moments – but a set that also makes us really wonder what they'd have done with all this genius, had they managed to hold it together! There's great hints here of the solo work to come – especially from George Harrison and John Lennon – and the Phil Spector production really helps open up a new sound for the group. Includes the genius cuts "I Dig A Pony", "Two Of Us", "Across The Universe", "I Me Mine", "One After 909", "For You Blue", and "Let It Be".

A bittersweet farewell from The Beatles – a record that definitely shows the fracturing unity of the group, with lots of near-solo moments – but a set that also makes us really wonder what they'd have done with all this genius, had they managed to hold it together! There's great hints here of the solo work to come – especially from George Harrison and John Lennon – and the Phil Spector production really helps open up a new sound for the group. Includes the genius cuts "I Dig A Pony", "Two Of Us", "Across The Universe", "I Me Mine", "One After 909", "For You Blue", and "Let It Be".

Nicer work than usual for Elmer – at least for this period – a sweet 70s score that mixes some groovy vocal numbers, upbeat action themes, and more standard orchestral tunes. There's a sense of space to the work that's quite nice – almost as if Bernstein had been taking tips from some of the Italians of the time – and overall, the album's got more than a few really nice and interesting tracks! Vocal tunes include "Where Have You been All My Life" by Trevor Chance, "Gold" by Jimmy Helms, and "Wherever Love Takes Me" by Maureen McGovern – and instrumental tunes include "Diggin", "Flight", "Flood", "Sunday At The Mine", and "The Lovers".

Rare work from the Circle City Band – the first-ever full length album from the group – and a set that brings together their few club singles and a host of previously unreleased tracks! The CCB are well remembered for the roller skating jam "Magic" – and the rest of this set is equally great – with lots of bouncing basslines, snapping beats, and warmly soulful grooves that really sparkle with lots of early 80s funky touches – from the sweet keyboards over the top right down to the crackling rhythms on the bottom! The package is a great discovery – one of those moments when you realize there's a lot more to a group than you'd ever heard before – and the album's way more than a reissue, given the treasure trove of previously unheard 80s grooves in the set! Titles include "Love", "Time Tunnel", "Hello Stranger", "Magic", "Gladiators", "My Place", "Party Lights", "Lonely", and "Hold On".

A stunner! You'll probably never find this rare first Dennis Coffey album in the original, so you owe it to yourself to snatch up this funky funky reissue of stripped down guitar breakbeat jams! The record has Coffey playing his trademark fuzzy guitar, along with his early group that included the legendary Lyman Woodard on organ and Andrew Davis on drums. As the title implies, some tracks are versions of cuts from Hair – with great Galt MacDermot grooves like "Let The Sunshine In", "Sodomy", and "Aquarius" – plus other excellent covers and originals, like "Hair & Grits", "Hey Jude", "Do Your Thang", "Iceberg's Thang", "It's Your Thang", and "Electric Thang". Clearly, it's a very thang-heavy LP, with all the funkiness that might imply! There's some excellent drum breaks, and more than a boatload full of fuzzy guitar riffs to groove groove groove you away!

Rare grooves from Evans Pyramid – a sweet set of cosmic disco from the end of the 70s – recorded with a lean, almost spiritual vibe – quite similar to some of the great tracks reissued in the Soul Cal series! There's a definite ear for the dancefloor here – lots of upbeat rhythms, touched with sweet keyboards riffs, and layered with vocals that are almost an afterthought – yet have their own sort of message at the right moment. The group's the brainchild of Andre Evans, an artist whose huge legacy of music business work includes stints with Dyke & The Blazers, Little Anthony & The Imperials, and Tribe – as well as a host of key album sessions as well – but the sound is unlike any of those references, and has this great stripped-down late 70s club vibe throughout. The rare album is offered here with unreleased bonus tracks – and titles include "Rubber Band", "Never Gonna Leave You", "Dip Drop", "No I Won't", "Soul Petrol", and "Dance A Thon".

Lean, righteous blowing from the legendary Frank Foster – one of a handful of extremely hip sessions he cut in the 60s under his own name! The album's the only record Foster ever did for Blue Note – and we dare say it's even better than his previous 60s work on Prestige and Impulse – with a quality that's even darker, even deeper, even more advanced from his earlier years with Basie. There's a rolling, joyous groove to many numbers – that late 60s take on soul jazz that made for so many great tracks on albums by Hank Mobley or Lee Morgan near the end of the decade. Foster keeps things tight, but he's also got an expansive vision too – an edge in the horns that points the way towards some of the chances he'd take in the 70s, but which is still wrapped around a leanly leaping soul jazz groove! Foster wrote 5 of the 6 tracks on the album, and he's working here with a sextet that includes Garnett Brown on trombone, Marvin Stamm on trumpet, and Richard Wyands on piano, who brings in some offbeat notes and colors throughout. Rhythm is by the excellent team of Bob Cranshaw on bass and Mickey Roker on drums – and titles include "Seventh Avenue Bill", "Stammpede", "Little Miss No Nose", "Manhattan Fever", and "Loneliness".

The stripped-down core of the Frank N Dank debut – and a lasting tribute to the studio genius of Dilla! The beats here are really bassy – the kind that almost make you want to replace the back seat of your car with bigger speakers – just to enjoy them fully! (Heck, even on an iPod's earbuds, you could still probably shake your neighbor's boots with this record!) There's some great raw electro touches mixed in with the stark beats – and while the setting is perfect for the rhymes of the vocal record, it's almost even more haunting on its own. Titles include "Marijuana", "Street Life", "Where The Parties At", "Y'All Don't Want It", "Sex On The Beach", "All Seasons", and "Ma Dukes".

A really joyous groove from Michel Fugain and his Big Bazar group – a sound that's a bit hard to describe, but which really grabs us right away! There's definitely some groovy rhythms going on in the set – and the style is kind of an updated French pop mode from the late 60s – swinging in a way that absorbs plenty of influences from the outside scenes, particularly some Brazilian ones – but with a sound that's definitely French all the way through. Fugain's vocals are in the lead, often supported by a chorus – and the backings by Jean Bouchety have this really cool soundtrack feel at points – especially when the rhythms are upbeat and grooving. Titles include "Allez Bouge-Toi", "Attention Mesdames Et Messieurs", "Notre Societe", "Les Gens Irremplacables", "Leda Leda", and "L'Arche De Noe".

If this is reality, lead us onward – as the set is a mindblowing batch of trippy psych-funk from The Heliocentrics – even more offbeat and experimental than before, in ways that make the combo the true heirs to the legacy first begun by Stark Reality! The album's definitely funky at the core, but it's also filled with loads of amazing sounds – instruments tuned weirdly, played weirdly, and produced weirdly – so that over the heavy drums, there's often lots of freaky, fuzzy bits and tripped-out sounds – in ways that make the record feel like some lost acid trip outtakes from the Westbound studios of the early 70s – or like some obscure funk band that dropped acid at Andy Warhol's loft! The packaging offers up a visual example of what your ears will be going through when you tune into the music – and titles include "Mysterious Ways", "Collateral Damage", "Black Sky", "Calabash", "Path Of The Black Sun", "Mr Owusu I Presume", "Eastern Begena", and loads of cool interlude tracks too.

Way different than any other Indian film music you might have heard before – hardly the festive jams of Bollywood classics – and instead, a fresh funky electro mode that's mighty nice! If it weren't for the lyrics, some of these tracks might well have come from the New York street scene of the early 80s – given the beats, the keyboards, and the way the tunes often use sharp short sonic impulses to create some of the best energy in the mix – which also means that there's plenty of groovers along the way! If you dig synth-heavy grooves and 80s club jams, there's plenty here to love – and even if you don't, the package is a wonderful discovery too – filled with notes and photos that really help us appreciate the music. Titles include "Vikram", "Anand", "Paadu Nilave", "Iravu Pookkal", "Poovizhi Vasalile", "Sathya", "Chinna Veedu", and "Agni Natchatram".

Wonderful work from Ingram – an incredibly talented soul family who'd spent more than enough time woodshedding in earlier years, and emerged to become one of the strongest mainstream acts of the 80s scene! There's a solid feel here that goes way beyond commercial soul – a great way with some of the gentler tunes, pointing back to a Philly Soul legacy with ballads – and a hip way with the upbeat numbers, which carefully avoid some of the clunkier 80s soul modes of the period. James, butch, William, John, and Robert Ingram all had a hand in writing the tunes – and titles include "With You", "When You're Hot You're Hot", "Just For You", "Fantasy", and "I Like It".

A sublime bit of indie soul from the early 70s – the one and only album by vocalist Benny Johnson, recorded with some totally great backings from funk legend Julius Brockington and his United Chair combo! For the session, Brockington chose a warm, organ-drenched sound that's a fair bit like some of the best work coming out of Hi Records at the same time – although without as much of a southern soul approach overall. Johnson's vocals have a beautifully crackling sort of quality – one that's honest and human, but still smooth enough to fit the mode of the music here – a bit like Al Green, but a little more east coast overall. The set's got some excellent mellow soul numbers that are worth the price of admission alone – tracks that slide out beautifully with a really gentle sound, and bubble up with a tremendous amount of soul. But there's also some fuller, more upbeat tunes too – groovers that have made the album a favorite overseas for years! Titles include "Visions Of Paradise", "Stop Me", "Give It Up", "Second To None", "Won't You Stay", "It's Yours Baby", "Please Come Back", and "I Just Got To Know".

Sparkling work from singer Irene Kral – and possibly the best album she ever cut! The backings here are by the Herb Pomeroy group – a slightly modern ensemble that still knows how to swing with a good dose of Boston soul – and the overall feel of the album's a lot more forceful than some of Irene's other albums, packing a punch we didn't know she had, and which we're happy to hear! There's a few cooler overtones here – somewhat in the June Christie mode – but overall the sound is upbeat, full, and swinging – served up with in arrangements by Ernie Wilkins and Al Cohn. Titles include "This Little Love", "What's Right For You", "Comes Love", "Lazy Afternoon", "I'd Know You Anywhere", and "It Isn't So Good".

A beautiful batch of gospel work from Shirley Ann Lee – a vocalist who originally worked the spiritual circuit in a trio with Candi Staton! The album's an unusual one – put together partly as a way of promoting Shirley's music to a larger audience – which means it's got a few spoken bits that kind of introduce her with cool musical backings, then roll into the songs themselves – which are often a very bluesy version of gospel – recorded with earthy instrumentation that really brings out the deep soul in her vocals! There's a nicely offbeat quality to the record – and in addition to 6 rare singles, the set also features 10 more that have never been issued before. Titles include "All I Have To Depend On", "There's A Light", "How Can I Lose", "Someday", "Stay On Your Knees", "Get Back", "I've Got To Make It", and "Blessed Quietness".

Mad funk from the great Galt MacDermot – a wonderful selection of obscure tunes from some of his best funky soundtracks! Galt's work on Hair has been sampled heavily by a variety of hip hop producers over the years – but even better is his work for less famous soundtracks, a good variety of which are sampled here in a wonderfully-done set that focuses on the truly funky tracks that Galt wrote for these films – and which gets past the sometimes-off tracks that can occasionally get in the way of his lesser soundtracks. The package is a total jam throughout – filled with tunes that have weird rhythms, moody keyboards, and the kind of offbeat approach to funk that's always made his work so great. There's only a few tracks from previously reissued soundtracks like Woman Is Sweeter and Cotton Comes To Harlem – plus lots lots more from weirder films that include American Express, Nucleus, Fortune & Men's Eyes, Moon Over The Alley, and Rhinoceros! In true Galt MacDermot funky fashion, there's lots of great drum work on the set from Bernard Purdie – and titles include "Golden Apples", "Dead End", "Fragments II", "Tango", "Ed & Digger", "Duffer", "Bedroom", "Queenie's Theme", "Fortune & Men's Eyes" and "Rhinoceros Theme".

The eponymous full length from Nashville psyche funk trio Magic In Threes! There's something of a sound library style to the set – but the trio format gives their take on that groove in a bit of a tighter, more reigned in take on the groove. That's not to say it's not a diverse tapestry of tripped out grooves, but the cohesive mix of snaky rhythms, hazy organs and smoky atmosphere that gives it more of a working band vibe. Solid work on the GED Soul label! Includes "Nick's Theme", "Neal's Lament", "It's Good To Be The King", "I Got Warrants", "Rancho Relaxo", "Beatin' Tha Breaks", "Mesothelioma","Pushin' Off" and "Trinity Way".

Some of the tightest tracks we've ever heard from Chico Mann – and some of his most soulful too – a great set of work that really has him stepping past some of the rougher structures of earlier years, and showing a new love of 80s keys and beats as well! The album's got a skittish funky quality that's mighty nice – still with the messed-up edges we've always loved in Mann's funk, but with some tight guitar riffs and bumping basslines that push things forward more strongly than ever before! There's lots of nice vocals, too – some from female singers (including Kendra Morris), some from Chico himself – on cuts that include "Edge Of It", "Long Time Gone", "Magic Touch", "Esta Bueno", "Comes & Goes", "One Day Late", "Vengo A Ti", and "Oye Mira".

An early moment of genius from post-Beatles Paul McCartney – a solo set that's wonderfully diverse throughout – filled with the kinds of cool little twists and turns we loved in his late Beatles records, and in his 70s killers with Wings! There's a newly-emerging sweetness going on here – that great sound that started to emerge with the McCartney album – where Paul was a proud, put-together family guy – easily one of the most confident of his fab foursome, and able to bring an incredible amount of charm to just about any style he wanted to try! Some of the best cuts here are the mellower, more personal moments – still delivered with an amazing rock-solid sense of musicianship and production, too – and even the rockers, which might sound clunky in the hands of anyone else, manage to come off with a great deal of charm as well. Titles include the wonderfully playful "Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey" – plus "Too Many People", "Heart Of The Country", "Dear Boy", "Ram On", "The Back Seat Of My Car", and "Smile Away".

A totally excellent album! Sure, Peter Nero could be one of the sleepier piano players of the 60s – but on this little gem, he's playing moog, and it sounds great! Nero's taking moog to the sweet soundtrack groovers "Midnight Cowboy" and The Windmills Of Your Mind" – which both come out in a dark spooky style, and "Windmills" sounds especially great, as it begins with a moogy breakbeat that would make Perry-Kingsley weep! Moog's also heard on "Be In" and "Let the Sunshine In" from Hair – and the album also includes 4 other numbers from Galt MacDermot's funky musical, like "Aquarius", "Hair", and "Good Morning Starshine". Frank Hunter did the arrangments – and there's a lot of nice funk running through the LP!

Ray Parker steps out here with the other woman – with a groove that's somewhat different than his earlier sound with Raydio! There's a slightly sharper edge than before – almost a rockish influence in some of the instrumentation, which is a key factor in helping Parker's crossover in the 80s – one that had undeniable impact on the sound of other mainstream soul. At times, it's almost as if there's a slight hint of new wave inspiration in the rhythms and instrumentation – used very sparingly, but quite different than earlier Raydio funk and soul. Parker's vocals are more pronounced than before too – almost with a bite on the upbeat numbers – but warmly soulful on the mellower cuts, which we still like best. Titles include "Stay The Night", The Other Woman", "Street Love", "Let's Get Off", "Stop, Look Before You Leave", and "Let Me Go".

Easily our favorite album ever by Ann Peebles – not just for the beathead title track, but also because it seems to be the one record where she brings a bit something extra to the studio! The sound is certainly in the classic Hi Records mode here – thanks to production by Willie Mitchell – but there's also a deeper groove overall, a stronger burning bottom, and an all-soul sound to most tracks that goes way beyond simple cliches of southern soul. Ann's vocals are tremendous throughout – sometimes sweet, sometimes mean – and titles include the sublime "I Can't Stand The Rain", plus "Run Run Run", "One Way Street", "You Keep Me Hangin On", and "If We Can't Trust Each Other".

Fantastic jazz funk by one of the best bands in the genre! This is probably Pleasure's most sought-after album, and it includes the classic breakbeat cut "Bouncy Lady", which begins with a nice hard drumbreak, and ends the same way! The record has a tight, smooth, soulful feel – similar to the best stuff coming out of the west coast Fantasy records scene at the time. There's lots of nice Wayne Henderson production on the record – with his trademark talent for snapping the drums nice and tight, while keeping the grooves nice and mellow. Includes the cuts "What Is Slick", "Reality", "Plastic People", and a great cover of "Midnight At the Oasis"! Reissued on very heavy vinyl, in a beautiful cover – and way better than any other Fantasy/Prestige reissues we've had!

Sweet beats from this cool French duo – a pair who've got that same sort of genre-jumping quality we've loved in French grooves since the days of MC Solaar! The approach here is mostly hip hop, but there's strains of Neo Soul, jazzy funk, and more – shifting the vibe nicely from track to track, but always with a nicely cohesive feel. Some cuts – billed as "samba rap" or "rap bossa" – show a nice Brazilian influence – and titles include "Byrd", "Avolta", "Dance Me", "Kool Out", "Now That I Know You", "Oedeep", "One More Time", and "So Tired".

A host of cool cuts from Dwight Sykes – an 80s soul artist, but one who clearly draws lots of inspiration from the laidback vibe of "Summer Madness"! There's a wonderful slow funk feel to these tracks – rhythms that strut around with an easygoing feel, while keyboards space out over the top and get nice and freaky – so much so that only two of the album's tracks have vocals, and even those have a great spacey sound that really fits in with the keys! Production has a nice rough edge, which really works great with the slight splash of the beats and keyboards – a nicely gritty take on 80s instrumental soul – with cuts that include "The Good Times", "Where Ever You Are", "Bye", "That's The Way Love Is", "In The Life Zone", "After Midnight", and "You That I Need".

Ebo Taylor at his finest – stepping out here in a wicked set of work from the 70s – filled with upbeat rhythms, sweet instrumental touches, and a heck of a lot of soul! There's a bubbling undercurrent in the rhythms that's almost Caribbean at times, yet the overall groove is a lot sharper too – a warm blend of percussion, guitar, and some mighty sweet keyboards – often peppered with bits of saxophone lines, and topped with lyrics that move nicely along with the groove. Rhythms are mostly in a midtempo mode – a few steps mellower than traditional Afro Funk – which furthers the unique feel of the record, and seems to only deepen Ebo Taylor's soulful intentions! Titles include "Heaven", "Ohye Atar Gyan", "Bra", "Saana", and "Amponsah".

A mindblowing collaboration – one that brings the soulful vocals of Nenah Cherry into play with the avant jazz sounds of The Thing – but all in a mode that's unlike anything either artist has recorded before! The mix of talents is no surprise – given that Nenah's dad is Don Cherry, whose own European work helped to set the tone for a generation – and also given that group members Mats Gustafsson, Paal Nilssen Love, and Ingebrigt Haker Flaten all have ears for styles that go way beyond jazz – including a surprisingly great taste for offbeat funk, which really comes to the forefront on this unusual set! Make no mistake, there's still plenty of jazz-based instrumentation – sharp reeds from Mats, heavy drums from Paal, and those magical moody basslines that we love so much from Ingebrigt – but they often get a bit more directed, and are augmented with slight added instrumentation at points – to provide a perfect foil for Cherry's righteous vocals – all with results that easily make the album one of the most unusual soul projects we've heard in years – on a par with equally creative efforts from artists like Meshell Ndegeocello, Erykah Badu, or Georgia Anne Muldrow. Titles include "Cashback", "Dream Baby Dream", "Too Tough To Die", "What Reason Could I Give", "Dirt", "Accordion", and "Sudden Moment".

The only solo album ever recorded by Maurice White – an upbeat and soulful set that's right up there with his best 80s work in Earth Wind & Fire! Like that group at the time, White's hitting a rhythmic side that's more electronic at points – letting beats and keyboard bits stand in for the previously-acoustic drums and percussion – yet all in a way that still retains that great EWF style of soul! Things are tight, but never too slick or commercial – and although the songs are catchy, they're never nearly as cloying as some of the other mainstream soul from the time. There's some surprisingly sweet moments that really show a new side of Maurice's talents, and titles include "Switch On Your Radio", "Stand By Me", "Sea Of Glass", "I Need You", "Invitation", "Lady Is Love", "The Sleeping Flame", and "Children Of Afrika".

A wonderfully offbeat strain of European pop from the 60s – rare recordings from the Catalonian area, that weird space in Spain that's also linked to southern France and the Mediterranean islands as well! There's a really playful feel to most of these numbers – and although many cuts are remakes of big Anglo hits, they've been re-fitted with new language, and some plenty cool arrangements that often make the music sound even groovier than in the original versions! In terms of spirit, we'd definitely compare a lot of this work to the best mid 60s pop coming from Paris – the groovy goodies of the "yeh yeh" generation – although in the end, the music's also very much it's own thing as well. Titles include "Cap A Futbol" by Guillermina Motta, "Yeh Yeh" by Tony, "Es Una Dona" by Nuri, "Febre" by Guillem D'Efak, "El Meu Trastet" by Santi Sans, "Soc Molt Poca Cosa" by Jacinta, "Amor" by Jordi Teijon, "Desafinat" by Grau Carol, and "El Cinemascop" by Llorenc Torres.

A damn classic entry in the Super Breaks series from BGP – one that's filled with crucial sample cuts from the old school – some really wonderful funky nuggets, brought together here as a great reminder of the tracks that first got us digging back in the day! There's less of the totally obscure numbers here than you might find on other Super Breaks volumes, but things aren't totally mainstream either – and the compilers have not only done a great job of pulling together tracks that were really important for hip hop, but have also managed to put a really fresh spin on the music altogether – reminding us once again that even in the age of digital music, nothing beats a well-done compilation! Titles include "Shifting Gears" by Johnny Hammond, "Mary Mary" by The Monkees, "Scratchin" by Magic Disco Machine, "It's Just Begun" by Jimmy Castor, "Africano" by Earth Wind & Fire, "Apache" by Incredible Bongo Band, "Got To Get A Knutt" by New Birth, "Get Up & Dance" by Freedom, "Super Sporm" by Captain Sky, "Who Is He & What Is He To You" by Creative Source, "Funky President" by James Brown, "Blow Your Head" by The JBs, "Johnny The Fox" by Thin Lizzy, "Let A Woman Be A Woman Let A Man Be A Man" by Dyke & The Blazers, "The Clapping Song" by Shirley Ellis, and "Get Ya Some" by Melvin Sparks.

A glittering assortment of grooves from the always-great Melting Pot Music label – served up here in a special limited sampler that features a few different versions of tunes, some unreleased tracks, and forthcoming numbers too! As you'd guess from Melting Pot, there's plenty of funky nuggets in the set – in styles that range from straight deep funk to processed beats to hip hop instrumentalism – but always at a level that's far beyond the conventional! Titles include "Walk With Us" by Dexter, "Rollin" by Hade X Gutta, "Droptop" by Tbrck, "New Fun" by Brzzvll & Stijn, "Pass It On" by Funkommunity, "Giscar" by Suff Daddy, "My Bike" by Aischa Traida, and "Early Bird" by Uhuru Peak.

A brilliant criss-crossing of group from this cool trans-global group – a set recorded in London, but with roots in Venezuela, LA, and Ghana – served up with a sound that's even greater than the sum of its parts! Malcolm Catto recorded the record – and really helps bring a funky energy to the record, by working alongside lead studio help from Jack Yglesias of The Heliocentrics – pushing here into a space that's even more offbeat than the grooves of that group! There's loads of rich acoustic instrumentation – especially percussion – and Mulatu joins the record at one spot, furthering the exotic appeal of the set. Some tracks have an almost ethnographic vibes, while others are a bit more contemporary – although the overall sound is more than worthy of placement on the Soundway label. Titles incude "Arena", "Cumbacutiri", "Fly Through The Lightning To Speak With The Sun", "El Negrero", "Escape To The Palenque", "Manicero", "La Familia", and "Speak To The Spirit Of The Sea".

A masterpiece – and don't pass it up! Sure, the date's a bit later than some of Roy's classic work, but the record's got a sound like no other – with a slow mellow jazzy style that shows Roy working at the height of his powers! There's some wonderful spacey production on the record – bringing out elements like the vibes, electric piano, and soulful vocals – and turning them into a seductive blend that trails out over the course of the record, hitting a smooth mellow mode that we love every bit as much as Roy's harder and funkier work. The title cut is an amazing extended remake of "You Send Me", which sounds nothing like the original – and other good cuts include the stepping "And Don't You Say No", and the great cuts "Rhythm" and "Everytime I See You", which have these excellent offbeat rhythm patterns. A real sleeper – but one that you'll go back to again and again because of it's sophisticated jazzy vibe!

A world of rhythmic, danceable sounds from George Danquah – the legendary Ghanaian guitarist, composer and bandleader who had earlier played and/or toured with Benya Beats, Blue Monks and Uhuru Dance Band and other brilliant groups – and this rare mid 70s set is the only album billed to Danquah that we've ever been lucky enough to hear! It's amazing stuff and covers broad stylistic terrain while holding together strongly. There's some fairly straight up, yet uniquely arranged Afro Funk & soul, some reggae inspired rhythms, percussion driven gems and strains of highlife. Danquah plays guitar and handles the conducting and arranging, backed by a core of trumpet, tenor sax, organ, bass, drums and conga – with some vocals, wah wah guitar and flute. Includes "Mbesiafo (Part One)", "African Reggae", "Just For A Moment", "Araba Soso Wo Ndzema", "Chain Of Love", "Why Worry – Let's Do 'Highlife'", "Mbesiafo (Part Two – Vocal)", "Mese Medo No" and "Onyame Sane".

Funky uptempo grooves from Manu Dibango, recorded on the heels of the success of his big "Soul Makossa" hit – and with a similar approach to the funk. The record's a bit more produced than Soul Makossa – with less of the hard funky cuts that were on that one, and more of the fast beating drum sound that you'd find in the big hit. There's some excellent instrumentation, though, not only on Manu's great sax work, but also on the guitar parts, which mix very well with the album's electric keyboards. Includes the cut "Big Blow", which was a bit of a hit, plus "Baobab Sun 7", "Afrovision", "Aloko Party", and "Dakar Streets".

Sublime spiritual jazz from Strata East – one of the label's rarest recordings, and one of its hippest too! The set has an incredibly righteous feel – a blend of keyboards, saxes, guitar, percussion, and vocals that steps off with a very deep feel – one that's heavy on the best post-Coltrane modes of expression in jazz, and which really takes advantage of the freedoms of the Strata setting to open up the sound in really beautiful ways! Beatrice Parker handles the vocals, with a very warm and spiritual style that's not unlike some of the early, righteous recordings by Dee Dee Bridgewater – and other group members include Khaliq Abdul Al Rouf on saxes, Bevin Turnbull on keyboards, Mashujaa Aliye Salamu on guitar, Leroy Seals on bass, and Fred Kwaku Crawley on a host of hip percussion instruments. There's a slight undercurrent of funk on a few tunes, but most tracks are focused more in a soaring, spiritual groove – with titles that include "Circles", "The Sojourner", "Peace (Salaam)", "Traces Of Trane", "Ecstasy", "Music Is Nothing But A Prayer", and "Malika".

Kieran Hebden's third album as Four Tet – an unpredictable, completely hypnotic batch of abstract beatcraft that sounded like it was built to last when it first appeared in the early 00s – and sure enough, it's sounds as fresh as ever a decade+ later! What makes Four Tet at his best so irresistible is the way to rolls from loosely connective beats and hazy atmosphere on one track to heavy sensory overload and back again, fully hypnotizing either way, and all the while holding together in a way that feels of like a single piece. There's a lot of different sounds coming in and out, and not a single audible bit of it is dispensable. Near perfection from one of the more creative laptop instrumentals of his generation. Titles include "Hands", "She Moves She", "First Thing", "My Angel Rocks Back And Forth", "Spirit Fingers", "Unspoken", "Chia", "As Serious As Your Life", "Aney They All Look Broken Hearted" and "Slow Jam". 10th Anniversary edition includes a bonus CD featuring a full live performance from Copenhagen, 2004.

A mostly instrumental Exhibit from the mighty K Def – and a top shelf slice of timelessly inventive, head nodding hip hop production! Great stuff with prominent beats that pull you right in, but there's a lot more going on in the mix – sinister bass lines, moody keys, bits of guitar and more. It kicks off a pair of strong tracks with guest MCs – "Exhibit 2A" featuring Seven Shawn of World Renown and "The Fundamentals" with Blu & Quartermaine – and the instrumentals include "Improvs From The Brain", "Mind Boggled", "Get Your Mustard", "Relay The Piece", "Lost My Thought Part 1", "Stay Thinking About Music", "Chord Tester", "Rock It", "Lost My Thought Part 2" and more. 17 tracks in all.

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".

A Colombian album, but one with a heavy dose of African influence too – a sweet blend of modes that virtually defies categorization, and which makes the record bristle with energy all the way through! There's definitely a trace of more familiar Latin rhythms here – bits of cumbia, and some slight Caribbean elements – but the whole thing's pretty tripped-out too – with some of the Afro-psych production styles that were used more heavily on the other side of the Atlantic in the decade before – a far cry from the cleaner sounds that were beginning to emerge in the more mainstream Colombian scene in the 80s. Percussion is tight, and often very uptempo – and instrumentation mixes offbeat keyboard lines with lean guitar bits – but sometimes drops out so there's just percussion behind the vocals. Titles include "Calambre", "Lady Mankenwa", "El Platano", "Tamba", "Viva Africa", and "Amapondo".

A wonderful 70s set from Herbie Mann – and one that features some heavy help from P&P maestro Patrick Adams! The album's more of an Adams-directed affair than the usual Herbie set – as Adams produced and arranged all the tracks, and really takes Mann in the direction of a hip late 70s dancefloor! Rhythms are upbeat and lively – the best side of 70s disco – and there's still plenty of room for Herbie's flute to solo over the top, even though the cuts also feature added keyboards from Adams and Leroy Burgess, plus some occasional vocal choruses as well. Titles include a remake of Celi Bee's "Superman", plus "Etagui", "Jisco Dazz", "Django", "Body Oil", "Rock Freak", and "Stomp Your Feet".

One of the greatest gifts of the Soul Note label was the way that it could take sessions with avant-oriented players, and make them turn out straighter jazz material – but with a really nice edge! This session's a perfect example of that legacy – as it features David Murray at the head of a great group that includes Butch Morris on cornet, Bobby Bradford on trumpet, Henry Threadgill on alto and flute, Craig Harris on trombone, Curtis Clark on piano, Wilber Morris on bass, and Steve McCall on drums – all players who can usually improvise pretty freely, but who here work in a straighter, swinging mode that's totally great! There's still plenty of sharp edges in the record – odd twists and turns that really keep things offbeat, even though straight – and titles are extended Murray compositions that include "Sing Song", "Flowers For Albert", and "Murray's Steps".

The incredible debut of Phil Ochs – easily one of the most powerful folk albums of the 60s, and a set that wears its politics on its sleeve like few other records! In an era when many folkies worked a social agenda with sly jokes and twee metaphors, Ochs went straight for the jugular and took his topics head on – singing directly about the topics with a voice nearly shaking in anger, and working here with jagged guitar accompaniment that only further underscores the mood of the tunes. There's a rawness here that beats even Dylan's most political moments from the early albums, and the simple brilliance of the set makes it as powerful today as it was upon its release over 40 years ago. Titles include "Talking Vietnam", "One More Parade", "Automation Song", "Talking Cuban Crisis", "What's That I Hear", "Bound For Glory", "The Bells", and "Ballad Of William Worthy".

The classic Atlantic LP that turned Esther from a rough-hewn, junkie, juvenile R&B singer into a sensitive interpreter of ballads, standards, and pop tracks. Her version of the Beatles title track is amazing, and she sings it with a fragility and sensitivity that Lennon and McCartney could only dream of. There's loads of other great cuts on here too – like "If You Love Me, Really Love Me", "Too Soon To Know", and "Make Believe Dreams" – and the arrangements are by Ray Ellis and Mort Garson.

The title says "57", but the music's from a few years before – yet that's OK with us, because Bud Powell always has a sound that's instantly timeless no matter what the year! The album brings together sides from Verve dates in 1954 and 1955 – one featuring Art Blakey on drums and Lloyd Troutman on bass, the other featuring Max Roach and Percy Heath. Given the presence of the strong drummers, there's a drive here that's a bit harder than on some of the other Verve dates – a highly rhythmic component that often brings a real focus to some of the more upbeat numbers, but which lays back nicely on the mellower ones to let Powell hit some especially dark notes. Titles include "Deep Night", "That Old Black Magic", "Round Midnight", "Thou Swell", and "Tenderly".

Sly's leaping into the air on the cover of this one – and for good reason too, given the overall groove of the set! The album's a bit more stripped-down and upbeat than the previous few – almost more of a return to the simple funky style of the first albums, but with a slightly more electric sound than before – especially in the keyboards, which almost slide into the mix here with a Stevie Wonder-like quality. The electricity bubbles and brews wonderfully at the bottom of the rhythms – charging things up a bit, but still hanging back with a super-cool, laidback quality that few other groups could muster! There's a great sense of balance here that's brilliant – and which makes the album one of Sly's undisputed masterpieces from the Columbia years. Titles include the incredible "If You Want Me To Stay" – one of our favorite Sly Stone cuts ever – plus "Keep on Dancin", "Babies Making Babies", "Que Sera Sera", "If It Were Left Up To Me", "In Time", and "Let Me Have It All".

T-Connection are definitely on fire with this smoking little set – a killer batch of late 70s club, done with almost equal parts funk, soul, and disco! As with their debut, the group here are right on the money instrumentally – playing with a dexterity that few other large funk groups could match this well – especially blistering on some of the album's longer tracks too. There's also a great sense of balance to the record too – a ballad, some midtempo numbers, and a more well-rounded feel that also shows the group going for a wider palette of sounds than just their usual grooves. But as always, the upbeat club tracks are the best – and titles include "Lady Of The Night", "On Fire", "Cush", "Groove To Get Down", and "Let Yourself Go".

Spacey soul from this enigmatic duo – a pair who've got a groove that nicely fits their trippy name – and a cosmic approach overall, one that's somewhere in the territory of Georgia Anne Muldrow, and some of the more adventurous talents in the underground! There's a real edge to some of these tracks – a bit more hardness than warmth, which keeps things interesting – and, given the Sub Pop placement of the record, almost takes us back to the early 80s days of some of the more creative soul/crossover projects from the east coast scene. Rhythms are nicely offbeat – a good change from the usual beats and keys – and production helps the vocals crackle, and settle down nicely amidst the electricity. Titles include "Deeper", "Sweat", "Juiced", "Enchantruss", "Needs", "Crash", "Natural E", and "Earthseed".

Music found online, then collected here in one sweet little set – a great illustration of the way that in the 21st Century, internet sound files have come to represent a whole new level of digging! All the cuts here were issued digitally first, and are making a wax debut here – as a brilliant testament to the rich new sounds bubbling out there online – from fresh Neo Soul to warm jazzy grooves to some sweet cosmic beats! There's a vibe here that's every bit as great as the first volume – and the track selection is sublime – like having one of the world's few tastemakers hip you to the coming sounds of the next generation. Titles include "Where You Gone" by INT, "Journey To The Shore" by Dopegems, "Muscles" by Bonnie Banane, "Freak Out" by Natronix, "YBMJ" by Monkeyrobot, "Dealing" by Up High Collective, "Boomboxin" by Moodprint, "7th Week" by Roux Spanna, "Paintball" by Monster Sneaker, and "All Matter" by Modlee & Vlooper.

One of Roy Ayers' best-remembered albums of the 70s – a sublime blend of mellow numbers and some of his more club-oriented grooves of the time – all wrapped together with a genius that we can only describe as Ayers-like! The album's a beautiful example of the balance that Roy was striking in his work at the time – because alongside some of the more upbeat, catchy numbers, there's other tracks that are a fair bit more laidback, and almost abstract at times – a wonderful extrapolation of that sensitive Ayers blend of jazz and soul, with key emphasis on the vibes and keyboards. Titles include the massive groover "Running Away" – which you'll recognize from a key sample history over the years – and club cuts "Cincinnati Growl", "Fruit", "Sanctified Feeling", and "Stranded In The Jungle" – plus the more laidback cuts "Gotta Find A Lover", "I Still Love You", "Lifeline", and "This Side Of Sunshine".

A nice one from Badu – one with a depth of feeling and genuine soulful vibes that live up to its title, despite the fact that she records for one of the world's biggest media conglomerates! It's all about the vibe here. Erykah rolls her syllables, scats and emotes feelings more than an actual narrative in the strongest of these cuts. It's not that she's forgone lyrics; but it's all about the ambience, not radio sing-a-longs. She also dives head first into her organic soul and hip hop hybrid sound a little more sparingly, but still better than any of the ladies that followed her lead after Baduizm. She channels Donald Byrd on the great "Think Twice", which is pretty indicative of the vibe as a whole. The groove is sorta mellow, but in a very tripped-out way, with deep organ washes and synth tones, scratchy soul guitar, and crisp organic beats. There's an appearance by Dead Prez on "Steady On The Grind", and a really sweet old school flavored remake of the great "Love Of My Life" track from the Brown Sugar soundtrack with Queen Latifah and Bahamadia, but for the most part Erykah is sweating soul on her own spiritual plane here. It's gonna take a little while to sink in, but this may be her best album (despite whatever naysaying BS you may read in mainstream reviews.) Tracks include "Bump It", the great single "Danger", "Woo", "Back In The Day" and "I Want You".

A wonderfully wicked album – one that sold so many copies that it's sometimes hard to remember how great it is! George takes on all of Abbey Road – or just about all of it – as he runs through some of the most beautiful tracks The Beatles ever wrote, like "Golden Slumbers", "I Want You (She's So Heavy)", "The End", "Because", and "You Never Give Me Your Money". The whole thing's set to some great baroque jazzy arrangements by Don Sebesky, and George digs the whole thing so much that he even sings a bit – vocalizing in a cool chromatic way that really works well with his guitar playing, and which would soon transform into a very popular style on his records of the 70s. Keyboards are by Bob James and Herbie Hancock – and there's plenty of other great jazz players in the mix!