Joe Armon-Jones provides some mighty keyboards here – these great lines on Wurlitzer electric piano that flow out mightily next to skittish live work on bass and drums, and which are augmented by a bit more electronics on the side! The tune's got this flowing, cosmic energy that really showcase the best of the current London mode – completely fresh, but also very much jazz as well! "Aquarius" is on the flipside, and is more processed – both on the vocals and rhythms, but still with some nice keyboard solo moments peppered throughout. (Jazz, Neo Soul) 12-inch, Vinyl record

A blistering album from Belgian/Congolese rapper Baloji – music related to his directorial debut in the film Augure, and delivered with even more punch than some of his previous albums! Baloji got his start in the group Starflam, but has really grown strongly as a solo artist – pushing the boundaries of the hip hop elements that informed his roots, and fusing them with Conglese elements in a very strong way – so that the energy on the record really matches the vivid images in the film! The record features guest appearances from Jamila Woods, Mayra Andrade, Sampa The Great, Cha'Brown, Swazzi, and others – and titles include "Maggi", "Cherche Midi", "Tituba", "Autopsy", "Dahlia Noir", "Faux Billets", "Les Dents Du Piegne", and "La Crosse & La Banniere". (Global Grooves, Neo Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

A really special sort of record from the Bastards Of Soul – a Texas group, but one who work in this great mix of deep soul and slight southern rock touches – at a level that almost makes this album feel like some lost nugget from the vaults of Capricorn Records! Vocals are by male singer Chadwick Murray – not the lovely lady on the cover – and there's a cool crossover vibe here that takes us back to work by 70s genius talents like Eddie Hinton or Dan Penn, with guitar lines that are strong, but balanced by these warmer organ currents that really underscore the more soulful elements in the music – as do the laidback rhythms on the tunes. Titles include "I've Got The Key", "Funky Ham & Eggs", "Back To The City", "Spinning Out Of Control", "The Way It Should Be", "The Waiting Time", and "Your Love Has Turned My Heart To Bitterness". CD features bonus tracks – "While It's Hot" and "Lizzy Louise". (Deep Funk, Neo Soul) CD

A fantastic debut from Chicago soul singer Jamila Woods – the kind of artist that makes us very proud to be located in the Windy City! Woods is an extremely inventive lyricist – strongly inspired by poetry, but also immediately trying to communicate in a wider spectrum with her sound – at a level that's maybe even smarter and more sophisticated than you'd guess from her look on the cover, which might make you think that she's just another pretty face in mainstream music! Instead, Woods seems ready to reinvent the role of the female singer in soul music – getting help from hip collaborators who include our hometown hero Chance The Rapper, as well as Nico Segal, Saba, Lorine Chia, and Noname. Titles include "Bubbles", "In My Name", "Popsicle", "Assata's Daughters", "Blk Girl Soldier", "Emerald Street", "Breadcrumbs", "Stellar", "Holy", and Good Morning" – plus "LSD", a tribute to our city's great lakefront! CD

We're already huge fans of Jamila Woods – partly because she reps our hometown of Chicago, but mostly because her previous records have been so great – yet right from the very first note of this set, we're falling in love all over again, and at a much deeper level than before – recognizing a new sort of depth in Jamila's music, and maybe an ability to be more personal and more open – at a level that's no doubt going to push her into superstardom if she keeps on this strongly! Jamila's been one of the freshest voices in soul music in the past five years – but here, she's also one of the best overall voices as well, really bridging scenes and styles with these songs, and leaving us even more impressed than we expected to be. Titles include "Backburner", "Boomerang", "Good News", "Send A Dove", "Wreckage Room", "Thermostat", "Wolfsheep", "I Miss All My Eyes", "Bugs", "Practice", and "Tiny Garden". CD

We're already huge fans of Jamila Woods – partly because she reps our hometown of Chicago, but mostly because her previous records have been so great – yet right from the very first note of this set, we're falling in love all over again, and at a much deeper level than before – recognizing a new sort of depth in Jamila's music, and maybe an ability to be more personal and more open – at a level that's no doubt going to push her into superstardom if she keeps on this strongly! Jamila's been one of the freshest voices in soul music in the past five years – but here, she's also one of the best overall voices as well, really bridging scenes and styles with these songs, and leaving us even more impressed than we expected to be. Titles include "Backburner", "Boomerang", "Good News", "Send A Dove", "Wreckage Room", "Thermostat", "Wolfsheep", "I Miss All My Eyes", "Bugs", "Practice", and "Tiny Garden". LP, Vinyl record album

We're already huge fans of Jamila Woods – partly because she reps our hometown of Chicago, but mostly because her previous records have been so great – yet right from the very first note of this set, we're falling in love all over again, and at a much deeper level than before – recognizing a new sort of depth in Jamila's music, and maybe an ability to be more personal and more open – at a level that's no doubt going to push her into superstardom if she keeps on this strongly! Jamila's been one of the freshest voices in soul music in the past five years – but here, she's also one of the best overall voices as well, really bridging scenes and styles with these songs, and leaving us even more impressed than we expected to be. Titles include "Backburner", "Boomerang", "Good News", "Send A Dove", "Wreckage Room", "Thermostat", "Wolfsheep", "I Miss All My Eyes", "Bugs", "Practice", and "Tiny Garden". LP, Vinyl record album