A great return to form for the legendary Sidney Barnes – known best as a onetime member of both Rotary Connection and the P-Funk universe – but working here with great small combo backing from the Speedometer combo! "Best Thing" is an original by Barnes – sung in this sweet raspy style that gets great support from the funky group – who even thrown in a sweet Hammond solo in the middle! The flipside is a remake of Nolan Porter's "If I Could Only Be Sure" – a midtempo burner that has Sidney sounding even better on vocals! (Funky 45's, Deep Funk) 7-inch, Vinyl record

A batch of eclectic postmodern soul that's as original and instantly gratifying as anything we've heard on Stones Throw! Aloe Blacc more than lives up to the expectations we had for him after hearing his first couple of Stones Throw singles. His previous work in the adventurous hip hop outfit Emanon really only hints at his solo work – and it's even more bold in its idiosyncratic approach to an appealing groove! The almost entirely self-produced Shine Through (Oh No and Madlib produce one track each) is rife with an electronic sheen, touching on a bubbling psychedelic soul vibe we've never really heard before. A couple of tracks have guitar, bass, and keys that bring a more organic, but still kind of otherworldly groove – even touching on a cosmic Latin vibe on a couple of tunes! Tracks include "Whole World", a totally re-imagined take on Sam Cooke's "Long Time Coming" (produced by Oh No), "Are You Ready", "Busking", "Bailar", "Nascimento", "Dance For Life", "Patria Mia", "Shine Through", "Caged Birdsong", "Arrive", "Want Me", "One Inna" (produced by Madlib) and "I'm Beautiful". (Neo Soul, Deep Funk) CD

Badbadnotgood have always been pretty damn great, actually – and never better than on album IV – a remarkable step forward for the group! As ever, they take inspiration from some of the best prog, jazz, funk (and proggy jazz funk...they blend) of the 70s and beyond, but weave it into fairly distinctive and genuinely fun modern sound. It's built to last, too –we're sure be able to come back to their work in a couple decades and it'll still work! IV finds them with the confidence to trade in some fairly subtle, smoothed out moments between to more boisterous ones, and they're more dexterous in the instrumentation – especially in the horns, keys and percussion – but some great vibes, strings, flute and more when the mood calls. Includes the great vocal track "Time Moves Slow" with Sam Herring of Future Islands, "And That, Too", "Lavender", "IV", "Chompy's Paradise", "Structure No. 3", "Cashmere", "Hyssops Of Love" and more. (New Grooves, Deep Funk) LP, Vinyl record album

Funky jazz nuggets with a mighty nice lineup – one that features plenty of vibes next to the keyboards, all resonating strongly over tight rhythms on acoustic bass and drums! There's almost a sunshiney vibe to the music at times that fits the image on the cover – not polished or slick, but this sort of shimmering quality that really lets you bathe in the warmth of the music – especially as the grooves are often laidback, yet still plenty darn funky! The drums are great, and the way they kick in with the vibes is wonderful – on titles that include "Estinto Omicida", "Hydromiel 2022", "Orso Pacifico", "Bourguignon", and "Saint Emilion". LP, Vinyl record album

A cool Scandinavian combo, and one who've got heavy influences from both American and African funk of the 70s – influences that they weave together wonderfully here in a rich tapestry of grooves! There's as much Nigerian elements in the music as Ethiopian – especially the more exotic horn parts of the latter – and in addition to familiar funk instrumentation on guitar, keyboards, saxes, and trumpet – the record features some especially nice use of percussion, flute, xylophone, and sitar too! Titles include the long Indian-themed track "Bhimpalasi" – plus "Gunkali", "Movefeze", "What Could I Do", "Surrounded", and "Big Words". CD

A cool Scandinavian combo, and one who've got heavy influences from both American and African funk of the 70s – influences that they weave together wonderfully here in a rich tapestry of grooves! There's as much Nigerian elements in the music as Ethiopian – especially the more exotic horn parts of the latter – and in addition to familiar funk instrumentation on guitar, keyboards, saxes, and trumpet – the record features some especially nice use of percussion, flute, xylophone, and sitar too! Titles include the long Indian-themed track "Bhimpalasi" – plus "Gunkali", "Movefeze", "What Could I Do", "Surrounded", and "Big Words". LP, Vinyl record album

A mad batch of funky grooves, with a world's worth of influences in the mix – elements of African, Indian, and other styles – all wrapped around some mighty funky instrumentation at the core! One track has a bit of sitar, another some Ethio organ, one more some Nigerian rhythms – and the album progresses with a lean vibe that makes each of these cultural references nicely unified next to the sharp funky instrumentation at the core! Without the global elements, the set would already be a great funk record – but with them alongside, it really soars to the skies – on titles that include "Mehal Safari", "Flugzeug String Machine", "Tilahun", "The Chase", "Stranger To Myself", and "Seven Wisdoms Of Plutonia". CD

Wonderful music from Lucas Arruda – an artist who embraces some of the warmest, most soulful styles of Brazilian music from back in the 70s, but manages to deliver them with a crisp contemporary spin! There's a lot of vintage Azymuth-styled grooves here – wicked rhythms, excellent keyboards, and a jazzy sensibility that makes for a magical flow throughout – and while there's some great soulful vocals on the set, the album also has plenty of strong instrumental moments too – a real delight all the way through, and an instant classic that may well even top Lucas' previous albums! Andre Mota lends some great vocals to the set – and titles include "The Mountain", "4:28 AM", "Novos Planos", "Ominira", "Projecoes", "The Bravest Heart", "Chant & Dance", and "Abraco Pro Ed". (Brazil, Deep Funk) LP, Vinyl record album

Nothing halting about this killer cut – a fuzzy, funky number that has lots of tripped-out guitar over heavy drums – and some phase-shifting chromatic element in the mix that may be processed vibes, or something far more mysterious! "Euler Spiral" is equally heady, but a very different number – a slow, spacey groove that takes its funk very slow – almost like some of the cool Johnny Harris instrumentals from years back! (Funky 45's, Deep Funk) 7-inch, Vinyl record

Excellent work from one of the funkiest steel bands around – a totally hip combo who just seem to be getting better and better with each new release! This time around, they've stepped up the beats even more than before – mixing their 70s funk and steel drum work with just a slight current from hip hop production – all of which almost makes you feel like Wu-Tang made a trip to the Caribbean, then came back with these tapes as a result! There's also some additionally cool touches in the horns – used with maybe some slight Ethio jazz inflections at points – alongside other elements that really help move the Bacao aesthetic forward in a mighty nice way. Titles include "Hotline Bling", "Grilled", "How We Do", "Hazy Memories", "In The Crosshairs", "The Champion's Walk", and a very cool take on the "Stranger Things Theme"! (Global Grooves, Deep Funk) CD

Excellent work from one of the funkiest steel bands around – a totally hip combo who just seem to be getting better and better with each new release! This time around, they've stepped up the beats even more than before – mixing their 70s funk and steel drum work with just a slight current from hip hop production – all of which almost makes you feel like Wu-Tang made a trip to the Caribbean, then came back with these tapes as a result! There's also some additionally cool touches in the horns – used with maybe some slight Ethio jazz inflections at points – alongside other elements that really help move the Bacao aesthetic forward in a mighty nice way. Titles include "Hotline Bling", "Grilled", "How We Do", "Hazy Memories", "In The Crosshairs", "The Champion's Walk", and a very cool take on the "Stranger Things Theme"! (Global Grooves, Deep Funk) LP, Vinyl record album

Great work from this ultra-hip trio – an amazing combination of keyboards, bass, and drums – served up in styles that are rooted in funk and jazz, but go to so many other places as well! The drums crackle with a quality schooled in 70s breaks and beats, stripped down to their core – and the mix of keyboards echo a range of innovators from CTI to Money Mark, with a spacious flow that leaves plenty of room for the basslines to drive the tunes! Other instrumentation includes bits of guitar and percussion from the group, plus some guest tenor and strings as well. Titles include "Hedron", "Differently Still", "Confessions", "Triangle", "Can't Leave The Night", "CS60", and "Since You Asked So Kindly". (New Grooves, Deep Funk) LP, Vinyl record album

Mike Bandoni soars to space on waves of funky drums – spread out here on long tracks that are often three times the length of a funky 45, which allows plenty of room for the drums to do all sorts of sharp changes and crackling passages – as plenty of cool keyboards, electronics, and other effects filter into the mix! The drums are at the core throughout, and Mike's a hell of a drummer – but he also really does a great job of bringing in all these other spooky, spacey sounds that really give the album a unique sort of vibe! Titles include "Gamma Ray Burst", "Event Horizon Approach", "Arrival", "The Long Nap", "Something Wonderful", and "It Might Be OK". LP, Vinyl record album

Recent genius from the true king of Latin Soul – the mighty Joe Bataan, sounding every bit as great now as he did back in the day! Bataan gets some very hip backing from Los Fulanos – a Barcelona-based combo who help recreate the tight sound of Joe's early grooves from the late 60s, with just a touch of the funk he picked up in the 70s too – a really great blend that helps Bataan breath fresh new life into a range of classics from years back. The set list includes some of our favorite Latin Soul gems from Joe, and both the rhythms and production styles are completely faithful to the originals – but also aren't just simple copycat versions either. After so many years in obscurity, it's great to see Bataan back in action so strongly – cooking it hard and heavy on cuts that include "Latin Soul Square Dance", "Gypsy Woman", "Mestizo", "The Bottle", "Johnny's No Good", "Special Girl", "Subway Joe", "Puerto Rico Me Llama", and "Rap O Clap O 2008". (Latin, Deep Funk) CD

Johnny Benavidez hits it right on the money here – serving up a set of laidback soul that feels like the classic material that would play big on the scene in East LA – music that's heartbreaking, but deep at the same time – graced with these very personal vocals from Johnny, and given just the right sort of backing from Cold Diamond & Mink! The whole thing is nice and easygoing – sweet soul, of the variety that you'd be more likely to hear from a harmony group, but with Benavidez giving a lead presence that's a bit like Joe Bataan in a similar mode – which makes for the kind of record that's perfect to put on late into the night, windows open, breeze blowing in, when you just want to kick back and turn down. Titles include "Playing The Fool", "Dedicated To You", "Somebody Cares", "Your Last Song", "Let's Get Together", "Do What You Wanna Do", "My Echo Shadow & Me", and "Tell Me That You Love Me". CD

A blistering album of Latin funk – a set that's got a lean vibe but a very classic sound – one that's put together in the same mode as the excellent run of funky 45s from the long-running Original Gravity label! Nestor Alvarez is Neil Anderson – who handles drums, guitars, keyboards, percussion, and plenty more too – layered in with contributions from funky horn combo The O'Gees, and added keyboards, trumpet, trombone, and flute – depending on the cuts. And despite the one man activity at the core, the sound is very live, and very real – especially as the presence of the others really expand out the groove – and make the whole thing feel like a fresh take on the late 60s world of Latin soul and Latin jazz! Titles include "Joanna", "Un Bucanero Mas", "Original Gravity (parts 1 & 2)", "Melting Pot", "En Candela", and "El Ladron En La Noche". LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible leap forward for Antibalas – a record filled with bolder sounds and deeper grooves than ever before – and one that even tops the already-great sound of their previous albums! The mix of modes here is really amazing – some of the group's familiar Afro-Funk at the core, but also a much wider range of influences too – bits of dub, choppy Latin guitar, Sun Ra-like organ lines, and gamelon-styled metal bits – all wrapped together in a groove that has some particularly hypnotic undertones! The set was produced by John McIntire, who's no doubt a big influence on the sound here – and the record really shatters any expectations you might have from the group – proof that they're way more than just another Afro Funk combo. Titles include "Beaten Metal", "Filibuster X", "Sanctuary", "Hilo", "War Hero", "ICE", and "Age". (Global Grooves, Deep Funk) CD

A jazz records of sorts, but a funk one as well – recorded mostly by Gerald Bailey on a variety of instruments, and with an intimate vibe that really reflects the creative process! The tunes often have a nice kick, with some really great drums – and are short and melodic, with key passages on piano and keyboards, plus a bit of trumpet – not really solos so much as themes that come into the mix and really give each tune a particular color and flavor! This is definitely the case of hip hop influencing instrumental creativity, especially in production – and titles include "Dune Boogie", "Overnight Heat", "Crab Shell", "Raised By Frogs", "Aurica", Call To Act", "Dasani Falls", "Dusty Rhodes", and "Free Trial". (Jazz, Deep Funk) LP, Vinyl record album