A pair of classic albums, served up here in a single set! First up is the sound of Angola, circa 1972 – served up here in a beautiful album of songs from Bonga! The music is relatively spare – mostly just lead acoustic guitar, bass, and percussion – the latter of which is played by Bonga himself, almost always with this lively quality that really matches his vocals – which themselves are filled with all these fantastic inflections that almost remind us of salsa singers of the time – no surprise, given how much Latin music styles were hitting the scene in West Africa during the 60s and 70s. But the style here is very different, too – as Bonga's richly expressive in the way he uses his voice – almost more folkloric, given the acoustic guitar instrumentation – yet surprisingly powerful too, despite the spareness. Titles include "Ku Tando", "Balumukeno", "Uengi Dia Ngola", "Paxi Ni Ngongo", "Muimbo Ua Sabalu", and "Muadikime". Angola 74 is a beautifully sophisticated setting for the voice of Bonga – as he works here with lively small group backings, and a bit of larger orchestrations as well! There's this fantastic blend of folk roots and modernism in the music – maybe a bit like some of the more experimental work from Havana at the time, but a bit like some Brazilian projects too – as the enigmatic vocal inflections of the leader mix with his own percussion – all given nice shadings in color by acoustic guitar. Titles include "Venda Poro", "Kubangela", "Ma Kongo", "Kinga Kueta", "Ghinawa", "Roots", and "Marika". LP, Vinyl record album

An album that became an instant legend in global music circles – the recorded debut of Victor Deme, a guitarist and singer who'd been working in his native Burkina Faso for over 30 years before getting the chance to step inside a studio! The turn "studio" might be a loose one here – as the album was recorded on a four track, in a distant space in the country – but has a vibrancy that beats most other bigger label releases of the time – thanks to a tremendous power in Deme's vocals, which have a raspy presence that grabs you far beyond just an understanding of language – and which are often matched by guitar work from Issouf Diabate, who inflects these subtle bluesy elements that spark new colors in the songs, but in a nicely understated way. A record with a very unique sound, and a lasting classic – with titles that include "Dankan", "Tama Ngogon", "Dala Mogoya", "Djon Maya", "Toungan", "Cherie", "Burkina Mousso", and "Djarabi". LP, Vinyl record album

Maybe the richest album to date from South African pianist Bokani Dyer – a set that has vocals on most tracks, and which also carries a more direct and powerful message than any of his previous releases – very uplifting and righteous, at a level that marks Dyer as one of the key forces to help shape the new vibrant energies of his scene in recent years! Piano and keyboards are still at the core of the record, but the vocals share center stage – and the album features lots of great instrumental contributions from players who include Bokani's dad Steve Dyer and Linda Sikhakhane on saxes, Sthembiso Bhengu on trumpet, and Alder Du Toit and Shane Cooper on guitars. Titles include "Move On", "State Of The Nation", "Spirit People", "Picturesque", "Victims Of Circumstance", "Resonance Of Truth", "Be Where You Are", and "You Are Home". (Jazz, Global Grooves) CD

A rare boogie set from the Nigerian scene – but one that also has the power to circle the globe with a universal sense of soul – as you might guess by the cosmopolitan look of Livy Ekemezie on the cover! The set's got a very strong tie to the grooves of the New York scene of the time – less straight disco or club than some of the more offbeat, bass-heavy rhythms that were coming from the streets into the downtown scene – handled here on basslines that are beautifully skittish, and change things up with a rough-edged funky energy that almost reminds us of the sound of P&P Records! The album's also got lots of great keyboards, which kind of bubble and sparkle next to the bass – but in ways that are often a bit different than more standard early 80s keyboard club. Livy sings most of the lead vocals, and titles include "Night Party", "Friday Night", "Classic Lover", "Holiday Actions", "Get It Down", and "Delectation". CD

Some of the most obscure work ever recorded by Lebanese singer/songwriter Roger Fakhr – late 70s recordings that were originally only circulated on tape within a small community of friends and supporters, and material that has a vibe that almost feels like some of the best late 60s material from the American scene! Roger sings in this beautifully moody vocal style that's maybe somewhere between Bill Fay and Fred Neil – and the instrumentation, while gentle, is also well-pointed – so that slight electric elements mix with acoustic guitar in a very cool way, and always with a sense of arrangement and production that really distances these tracks from any sort of home recordings or demos. Plus, vocals are in English throughout – which furthers the Cali vibe of the material – and the whole thing could well be the record that gets the rest of the world to pay attention to Fakhr's overlooked genius! Titles include "Down To My Bones", "You Look So Funny", "Had To See Harry", "Drinking Tea", "Rainhill", "Road Of Farewell", and "East Of Any Place". CD

Some of the most obscure work ever recorded by Lebanese singer/songwriter Roger Fakhr – late 70s recordings that were originally only circulated on tape within a small community of friends and supporters, and material that has a vibe that almost feels like some of the best late 60s material from the American scene! Roger sings in this beautifully moody vocal style that's maybe somewhere between Bill Fay and Fred Neil – and the instrumentation, while gentle, is also well-pointed – so that slight electric elements mix with acoustic guitar in a very cool way, and always with a sense of arrangement and production that really distances these tracks from any sort of home recordings or demos. Plus, vocals are in English throughout – which furthers the Cali vibe of the material – and the whole thing could well be the record that gets the rest of the world to pay attention to Fakhr's overlooked genius! Titles include "Down To My Bones", "You Look So Funny", "Had To See Harry", "Drinking Tea", "Rainhill", "Road Of Farewell", and "East Of Any Place". LP, Vinyl record album

A great collection of non-LP material and other rare gems from one of the key figures in the Turkish psychedelic scene – an amazing artist who managed to take rootsy themes and melodies, and mix them with some really heavy duty guitar – all to create a freaky, fuzzy batch of music that forever changed his scene! Much of Koray's music never got circulation outside of the Mid-East back in the day, and we've been lucky enough to have 21st Century interest lead to a great wave of reissues – as Koray's albums have come out in various packages over the years – leading to this really well-done collection of 45rpm-only tracks, and even more obscure music too! Titles include "Mechul", "Kendim Ettim Kendim Buldom,", "Gun Dogmuyor", "Goca Dunya", "Kraller", "Cumbur Cemaat", "Hadi Hadi Ordan", "Dusunus", "Olmayinca Olmuyor" and "Sevdigim". (Rock, Global Grooves) CD

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Four rare tracks from Cotonou singer Stanislas Tohon – all originally issued only as rare singles, and brought together here as a package that represents some of the first global circulation of this work outside his scene! The music is from that time when contemporary electronic modes were percolating nicely with African styles – so that there's a clubby vibe to all tracks, with elements that tie the music nicely to some of the cultural criss-crossing that was taking place on the Paris scene of the time! The sounds are an evolution of earlier modes explored on labels like Jive or Celluloid – and titles include "Owhaaou", "Mi Tchinker", "Zeimdjan (radio edit)", and "Magnifirec". LP, Vinyl record album

A second volume of ethnographic field recordings – an intriguing portrait of music not often captured on tape. While the title describes the rituals the music was meant to accompany as "witchcraft", the ceremonies are healing and, in some cases, celebratory, such as weddings and ritual circumcision. The music features a variety of percussion and tuned drums, as well as chants and ceremonial vocal refrains, and was recorded in Kenya and Tanzania. 16 pieces in all, including "Matondoni Wedding", "Tuken Moral Songs", "Giriama Spirit Dance", "Pokot Dance", "Song Of Dawn" and "Nyatiti". LP, Vinyl record album

A stunning collection of psychedelic funk from all over the world – incredible material that mixes the free spirit of the psychedelic scene and the furious sense of groove learned from the funk movement! The collection is a bit of a genre-starting compilation – as it brings together global funky bits that had been bubbling underground with collectors for years – all resonating even more strongly together here in the company of each other – fantastic cuts from Istanbul, Athens, Paris, Beirut, Cairo, Paris, Lagos, Moscow and beyond! Many of the tracks mix familiar funk elements with more exotic instrumentation – nice fuzzy touches around the edges, and deep beats at the bottom – on titles that include "Su Derenin Sulari" by Husnu Ozkartal Orkestrasi, "Respect" by Kukumbas, "Alemiye" by Mulatu Astake, "The Man Who Must Leave" by Kim Sun, "What You Can Do In Your Life" by Petalouda, "Ghabileh-Ye Lily" by Mehr Pooya., "The Feed-Back" by The Group, "Circuito Chiuso" by Armando Sciascia, "Mevlana Boyle Dede" by Metin H Alatli, "Dagon" by Eskaton, and "Rakset El Fadaa" by Omar Khorshid. (Funky Compilations, Global Grooves) CD

Really rare grooves from an incredibly obscure scene – and that's saying a lot, given how many global sounds have been circulating in recent years! The cuts here represent a unique outpouring of funky club styles from the nation of Surinam – tracks recorded by a handful of groups in the wake of their mid-70s independence – and as filled with as much joy and positive energy as you might imagine from such a political moment! The grooves are surprisingly great – upbeat funk, with lots of jazzy inflections – in a space that's somewhere between the sound of Fantasy Records in the mid 70s, and Capitol soul at the start of the 80s – tight, but never too slick – and as cool as it is classy. Lyrics are in English, and titles include "Sweet Dream" by Alwin Reingoud, "Groovy Weekend" and "Disco Party" by Erwin Bouterse & The Group Roetoe, "Try Try Try" and "You Are Gonna Miss Me" by Solat, "Funkin In Your Mind" and "Going Insane" by Sumy, "Here's To You" by Thunderstorm, and "Waiting For Your Love" by Usje Sukatma. CD

The Heavenly Sweetness label celebrates its first ten years in business – with a special birthday present of all-exclusive unreleased tracks! This set doesn't look back at the previous decade of the label, but instead points the way forward – with a wonderful selection of newly-recorded tracks by some of hte label's best artists – including some who've helped define their groove strongly in recent years, and some whose talents are soon to be presenting full length sets for the company! As with the previous ten years of records, the music here is a fantastic blend of new styles and global elements – some strands of soul, jazz, and hip hop influences – but often used in ways that are completely fresh and contemporary – at a level that's made Heavenly Sweetness one of our go-to labels for new and interesting sounds over the past decade. Titles include "You Party Too Much" by The Mule, "O Circo" by Cotonete", "Have A Little Faith" by Blundetto and Ken Boothe, "An Ba Galba" by Roger Raspail and Vincent Segal, "Tijan Ka (2017 version)" by Edmondy Krater and I Live, "Tijan (Hugh LX rmx)" by Edmondy Krater, "F*ck With The Police" by Florian Pellissier Quintet with Roger Raspail and Nawer, "Hip Hop Muse (Lefto rmx)" by Rongetz Foundation, "Be The River" by Anthony Joseph and Hanyo, and "Move In Silence" by Guts with Patrice, Feve, Djeuhdjoah, and Lieutenant Nicholson. (New Grooves, Global Grooves) LP, Vinyl record album

A pair of classic albums, served up here in a single set! First up is the sound of Angola, circa 1972 – served up here in a beautiful album of songs from Bonga! The music is relatively spare – mostly just lead acoustic guitar, bass, and percussion – the latter of which is played by Bonga himself, almost always with this lively quality that really matches his vocals – which themselves are filled with all these fantastic inflections that almost remind us of salsa singers of the time – no surprise, given how much Latin music styles were hitting the scene in West Africa during the 60s and 70s. But the style here is very different, too – as Bonga's richly expressive in the way he uses his voice – almost more folkloric, given the acoustic guitar instrumentation – yet surprisingly powerful too, despite the spareness. Titles include "Ku Tando", "Balumukeno", "Uengi Dia Ngola", "Paxi Ni Ngongo", "Muimbo Ua Sabalu", and "Muadikime". Angola 74 is a beautifully sophisticated setting for the voice of Bonga – as he works here with lively small group backings, and a bit of larger orchestrations as well! There's this fantastic blend of folk roots and modernism in the music – maybe a bit like some of the more experimental work from Havana at the time, but a bit like some Brazilian projects too – as the enigmatic vocal inflections of the leader mix with his own percussion – all given nice shadings in color by acoustic guitar. Titles include "Venda Poro", "Kubangela", "Ma Kongo", "Kinga Kueta", "Ghinawa", "Roots", and "Marika". CD

A great collection of non-LP material and other rare gems from one of the key figures in the Turkish psychedelic scene – an amazing artist who managed to take rootsy themes and melodies, and mix them with some really heavy duty guitar – all to create a freaky, fuzzy batch of music that forever changed his scene! Much of Koray's music never got circulation outside of the Mid-East back in the day, and we've been lucky enough to have 21st Century interest lead to a great wave of reissues – as Koray's albums have come out in various packages over the years – leading to this really well-done collection of 45rpm-only tracks, and even more obscure music too! Titles include "Mechul", "Kendim Ettim Kendim Buldom,", "Gun Dogmuyor", "Goca Dunya", "Kraller", "Cumbur Cemaat", "Hadi Hadi Ordan", "Dusunus", "Olmayinca Olmuyor" and "Sevdigim". (Rock, Global Grooves) LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful album from Idrissa Soumaoro and L'Eclipse – one recorded during a time of great political unrest in Mali, and a set that was never commercially issued – but just originally given away by the Malian Association for the Blind! The album's got all the power of earlier albums from the heyday of 70s Mali music – including Soumaoro's previous group, Les Ambassadeurs Du Motel – many of whom had fled by this point – and Idrissa's snakey guitar lines hold together the larger mix of percussion and vocals from the Eclipse group – which seems to feature some younger singers with a really great range. Overall, the recording style is better than you'd expect for such an under-circulated album – but the sound is still nice and raw, especially on the percussion and vocals. Titles include "Djama", "Fama Allah", "Beni Inikanko", "Nissodia", and "Ben". CD

Music from Disco Fuentes compiled by the UK's Wold Circuit label – includes music from Rodolfo Y Su Tipica RA7, Gabriel Romero, Armando Hernandez Y Su Conjunto, Adolfo Echeverria Y Su Orquesta, Pedro Laza Y Sus Pelayeros, Conjunto Tipico Vallenato, Rodolfo Y Su Tipica, Gabriel Romero, Los Inmortales, La Sonora Dinamita, and Los Warahuaco. (Latin, Global Grooves) CD

A really ear-opening set – one that introduces us to a world we'd never have heard otherwise – filled with music that's maybe even groovier and more evocative than we could imagine! There's loads of very trippy styles going on here – almost as if the whole Mongolian scene had gone psychedelic during the 60s – later than the rest of the world, and with a different flavor that mixes regional elements with cool guitar lines, fuzzy production, and all sorts of rock psych elements from the 60s that are pulled back out, and reformed in weird ways for these tunes! In fact, the sound's so unique, we're not sure it's even real – but we can hardly let that get in the way of us enjoying gems that include "Western Mongolian Folkmix", "You Got So Big My Son", "The Blue Comb", "Listen Up Galaxy", "Music Magic", "Starsong", "Young Couple", "Circle Dance", and "Beauty". CD

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A stunning collection of psychedelic funk from all over the world – incredible material that mixes the free spirit of the psychedelic scene and the furious sense of groove learned from the funk movement! The collection is a bit of a genre-starting compilation – as it brings together global funky bits that had been bubbling underground with collectors for years – all resonating even more strongly together here in the company of each other – fantastic cuts from Istanbul, Athens, Paris, Beirut, Cairo, Paris, Lagos, Moscow and beyond! Many of the tracks mix familiar funk elements with more exotic instrumentation – nice fuzzy touches around the edges, and deep beats at the bottom – on titles that include "Su Derenin Sulari" by Husnu Ozkartal Orkestrasi, "Respect" by Kukumbas, "Alemiye" by Mulatu Astake, "The Man Who Must Leave" by Kim Sun, "What You Can Do In Your Life" by Petalouda, "Ghabileh-Ye Lily" by Mehr Pooya., "The Feed-Back" by The Group, "Circuito Chiuso" by Armando Sciascia, "Mevlana Boyle Dede" by Metin H Alatli, "Dagon" by Eskaton, and "Rakset El Fadaa" by Omar Khorshid. (Funky Compilations, Global Grooves) CD