One of the greatest grooves from the legendary Desco Records years – a brilliant album of modern Afro Funk done by The Daktaris – in a groove that's just as hard-hitting as any of Fela's work from the 70s! The album was one of the first to bring back an older African style to current funk – and even years later, it's still one of the best examples of the sound – a razor-sharp session that helped set the stage for better-known Antibalas work to come! Percussion and guitar is super-heavy throughout – produced with that bare-bones Desco style, and handled in a way that makes you think the record might be some treasure from mid 70s Nigeria – a trick the label tried to pull when it was released! Cuts include a cover of Fela's "Upside Down", James Brown's "Give It Up Or Turn It Loose", and the originals "Super Afro-Beat", "Daktari Walk", "Voodoo Soul Stew", and "Quiet Man Is A Dead Man". LP, Vinyl record album

A brilliant mix of Afro and deep funk styles – the kind of grooves you'd get if Fela Kuti hung out with The Meters in the late 60s! Budos Band recall the genius of 90s deep funk combo The Daktaris – and have a similar love of older African rhythms touched by a newer indie funk sound – a complexity in the group's well-arranged horn parts, but a simplicity to their rhythms that makes the album cook like some of our favorite classics from years back. Sax and trumpet lines are mixed nicely with heavy percussion and a fair bit of organ at the bottom – creating a murky groove that has a bit of New Orleans in the mix, but also has most of the instruments stepping along with the rhythm – in a very cool take on the Africa 70 sound. Tracks are all instrumental, and all incredible – and the record's one of the freshest we've heard from the deep funk underground in years – a second-generation set that gets way past simple copycat funk and into its own unique groove! Titles include "Budos Theme", "Ghost Walk", "King Charles", "Eastbound", "Across The Atlantic", "Up From The South", "TIBWF", and "Monkey See Monkey Do". LP, Vinyl record album

Covers and music inspired by the towering figure in Afrofunk – the great Fela Kuti – rare 70s material a few modern cuts recorded in Nigeria, Trinidad, Ghana, Colombia, Germany and America – some previously unreleased, and all wonderful representations of the far-reaching influence of Fela! A few tunes are solid takes of the Nigerian funk groove proper – but others carry the sound into cumbia, steel band and western funk styles – all of it exciting, hugely passionate and floor-shaking! The 4 X 10 inch box set version is straight up beautiful – in heavy cardboard box and with a booklet that's well served by the larger format – with nice notes on Fela himself and the the influence he had on the material herein by Stones Throw/Now Again honcho Egon – and tracks include "Shacalao" by Cumbia Moderna De Soledad, "Woman Pin Down" by Dan Snatch And His Atomic 8 Dance Band, "Never Trust A Woman" by Bola Johnson, "Black Man's Cry" by Mosco Tiles Fonclaire Steel Orchestra, "Egbi/Black Man's Cry (Medley)" by Lever Brothers Gay Flamingos, "Comencemos" by Phirpo Y Sus Caribes, "Up Side Down" by Daktaris, "Lullaby For Lagos" by Whitefield Brothers and more. LP, Vinyl record album

A brilliant batch of James Brown funky covers! This is one of the best compilations we've ever seen on the Harmless label – a collection of obscure version of tracks by James Brown or dedicated to James Brown, all with a funky sound that would make The Godfather himself pretty darn proud! Titles include "Hot Pants" by St Vincent Latinaires, "Mother Popcorn" by Dillard Crume & The Soul Rockers, "Cold Sweat" by Bernard Purdie, "Give It Up Or Turn It Loose" by The Daktaris, "James Brown" by The Last Poets, "Money Won't Change You" by Aretha Franklin, "There Was A Time" by Jerry O, "Ain't It Funky Now" by Grant Green, "Lickin Stick" by Larry Willis, "I Got The Feeling" by Chollo Rivera & The Latin Soul Drives, and "Calm & Cool" by James Brown himself! CD